Behavioral effects of endogenous or exogenous estradiol and progesterone on cocaine sensitization in female rats

Cocaine sensitization is a marker for some facets of addiction, is greater in female rats, and may be influenced by their sex hormones. We compared the modulatory effects of endogenous or exogenous estradiol and progesterone on cocaine-induced behavioral sensitization in 106 female rats. Ovariectomized female rats received progesterone (0.5 mg/mL), estradiol (0.05 mg/mL), progesterone plus estradiol, or the oil vehicle. Sham-operated control females received oil. Control and acute subgroups received injections of saline, while the repeated group received cocaine (15 mg/kg, ip) for 8 days. After 10 days, the acute and repeated groups received a challenge dose of cocaine, after which locomotion and stereotypy were monitored. The estrous cycle phase was evaluated and blood was collected to verify hormone levels. Repeated cocaine treatment induced overall behavioral sensitization in female rats, with increased locomotion and stereotypies. In detailed analysis, ovariectomized rats showed no locomotor sensitization; however, the sensitization of stereotypies was maintained. Only females with endogenous estradiol and progesterone demonstrated increased locomotor activity after cocaine challenge. Estradiol replacement enhanced stereotyped behaviors after repeated cocaine administration. Cocaine sensitization of stereotyped behaviors in female rats was reduced after progesterone replacement, either alone or concomitant with estradiol. The behavioral responses (locomotion and stereotypy) to cocaine were affected differently, depending on whether the female hormones were of an endogenous or exogenous origin. Therefore, hormonal cycling appears to be an important factor in the sensitization of females. Although estradiol increases the risk of cocaine sensitization, progesterone warrants further study as a pharmacological treatment in the prevention of psychostimulant abuse.

Kraft recovery boilers – Principles and practice

This book was created as postgraduate lecture notes for Lappeenranta University of Technology's special course of steam power plants. But as with anything ever written the ideas shown have nurtured for a long time. Parts of these chapters have appeared elsewhere as individual papers or work documents. One of the most helpful episodes have been presentations and discussions during Pohto Operator training seminars. Input from those sessions can be seen in chapter firing. You who run recovery boilers, I salute you. The purpose of this text is to give the reader an overview of recovery boiler operation. Most parts of the recovery boiler operation are common to boilers burning other fuels. The furnace operation differs significantly from operation of other boiler furnaces. Oxygen rich atmosphere is needed to burn fuel efficiently. But the main function of recovery boiler is to reduce spent cooking chemicals. Reduction reactions happen best in oxygen deficient atmosphere. This dual, conflicting nature of recovery furnace makes understanding it so challenging. To understand the processes happening in the recovery furnace one must try to understand the detailed processes that might occur and their limitations. Therefore chapters on materials, corrosion and fouling have been added.

How Lean Six Sigma and Agile principles optimize ITIL-based processes

Imagine the potential implications of an organization whose business and IT processes are well aligned and are capable of reactively and proactively responding to the external and internal changes. The Philips IT Infrastructure and Operations department (I&O) is undergoing a series of transformation activities to help Philips business keeping up with the changes. I&O would serve a critical function in any business sectors; given that the I&O’s strategy switched from “design, build and run” to “specify, acquire and performance manage”, that function is amplified. In 2013, I&O’s biggest transforming programme I&O Futures engaged multiple interdisciplinary departments and programs on decommissioning legacy processes and restructuring new processes with respect to the Information Technology Internet Library (ITIL), helping I&O to achieve a common infrastructure and operating platform (CI&OP). The author joined I&O Futures in the early 2014 and contributed to the CI&OP release 1, during which a designed model Bing Box and its evaluations were conducted through the lens of six sigma’s structured define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC) improvement approach. This Bing Box model was intended to firstly combine business and IT principles, namely Lean IT, Agile, ITIL best practices, and Aspect-oriented programming (AOP) into a framework. Secondly, the author implemented the modularized optimization cycles according to the defined framework into Philips’ ITIL-based processes and, subsequently, to enhance business process performance as well as to increase efficiency of the optimization cycles. The unique of this thesis is that the Bing Box model not only provided comprehensive optimization approaches and principles for business process performance, but also integrated and standardized optimization modules for the optimization process itself. The research followed a design research guideline that seek to extend the boundaries of human and organizational capabilities by creating new and innovative artifacts. The Chapter 2 firstly reviewed the current research on Lean Six Sigma, Agile, AOP and ITIL, aiming at identifying the broad conceptual bases for this study. In Chapter 3, we included the process of constructing the Bing Box model. The Chapter 4 described the adoption of Bing Box model: two-implementation case validated by stakeholders through observations and interviews. Chapter 5 contained the concluding remarks, the limitation of this research work and the future research areas. Chapter 6 provided the references used in this thesis.

Freedom of choice and bounded rationality: a brief appraisal of behavioral economists' plea for light paternalism

Behavioral economics has addressed interesting positive and normative questions underlying the standard rational choice theory. More recently, it suggests that, in a real world of boundedly rational agents, economists could help people to improve the quality of their choices without any harm to autonomy and freedom of choice. This paper aims to scrutinize available arguments for and against current proposals of light paternalistic interventions mainly in the domain of intertemporal choice. It argues that incorporating the notion of bounded rationality in economic analysis and empirical findings of cognitive biases and self-control problems cannot make an indisputable case for paternalism.

Promoting Healthy Lifestyles with Personalized, APOE Genotype Based Health Information: The Effects on Psychological-, Health Behavioral and Clinical Factors

There is an increasing demand for individualized, genotype-based health advice. The general population-based dietary recommendations do not always motivate people to change their life-style, and partly following this, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a major cause of death in worldwide. Using genotype-based nutrition and health information (e.g. nutrigenetics) in health education is a relatively new approach, although genetic variation is known to cause individual differences in response to dietary factors. Response to changes in dietary fat quality varies, for example, among different APOE genotypes. Research in this field is challenging, because several non-modifiable (genetic, age, sex) and modifiable (e.g. lifestyle, dietary, physical activity) factors together and with interaction affect the risk of life-style related diseases (e.g. CVD). The other challenge is the psychological factors (e.g. anxiety, threat, stress, motivation, attitude), which also have an effect on health behavior. The genotype-based information is always a very sensitive topic, because it can also cause some negative consequences and feelings (e.g. depression, increased anxiety). The aim of this series of studies was firstly to study how individual, genotype-based health information affects an individual’s health form three aspects, and secondly whether this could be one method in the future to prevent lifestyle-related diseases, such as CVD. The first study concentrated on the psychological effects; the focus of the second study was on health behavior effects, and the third study concentrated on clinical effects. In the fourth study of this series, the focus was on all these three aspects and their associations with each other. The genetic risk and health information was the APOE gene and its effects on CVD. To study the effect of APOE genotype-based health information in prevention of CVD, a total of 151 volunteers attended the baseline assessments (T0), of which 122 healthy adults (aged 20 – 67 y) passed the inclusion criteria and started the one-year intervention. The participants (n = 122) were randomized into a control group (n = 61) and an intervention group (n = 61). There were 21 participants in the intervention Ɛ4+ group (including APOE genotypes 3/4 and 4/4) and 40 participants in the intervention Ɛ4- group (including APOE genotypes 2/3 and 3/3). The control group included 61 participants (including APOE genotypes 3/4, 4/4, 2/3, 3/3 and 2/2). The baseline (T0) and follow-up assessments (T1, T2, T3) included detailed measurements of psychological (threat and anxiety experience, stage of change), and behavioral (dietary fat quality, consumption of vegetables, - high fat/sugar foods and –alcohol, physical activity and health and taste attitudes) and clinical factors (total-, LDL- HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, blood glucose (0h and 2h), body mass index, waist circumference and body fat percentage). During the intervention six different communication sessions (lectures on healthy lifestyle and nutrigenomics, health messages by mail, and personal discussion with the doctor) were arranged. The intervention groups (Ɛ4+ and Ɛ4-) received their APOE genotype information and health message at the beginning of the intervention. The control group received their APOE genotype information after the intervention. For the analyses in this dissertation, the results for 106/107 participants were analyzed. In the intervention, there were 16 participants in the high-risk (Ɛ4+) group and 35 in the low-risk (Ɛ4-) group. The control group had 55 participants in studies III-IV and 56 participants in studies I-II. The intervention had both short-term (≤ 6 months) and long-term (12 months) effects on health behavior and clinical factors. The short-term effects were found in dietary fat quality and waist circumference. Dietary fat quality improved more in the Ɛ4+ group than the Ɛ4- and the control groups as the personal, genotype-based health information and waist circumference lowered more in the Ɛ4+ group compared with the control group. Both these changes differed significantly between the Ɛ4+ and control groups (p<0.05). A long-term effect was found in triglyceride values (p<0.05), which lowered more in Ɛ4+ compared with the control group during the intervention. Short-term effects were also found in the threat experience, which increased mostly in the Ɛ4+ group after the genetic feedback (p<0.05), but it decreased after 12 months, although remaining at a higher level compared to the baseline (T0). In addition, Study IV found that changes in the psychological factors (anxiety and threat experience, motivation), health and taste attitudes, and health behaviors (dietary, alcohol consumption, and physical activity) did not directly explain the changes in triglyceride values and waist circumference. However, change caused by a threat experience may have affected the change in triglycerides through total- and HDL cholesterol. In conclusion, this dissertation study has given some indications that individual, genotypebased health information could be one potential option in the future to prevent lifestyle-related diseases in public health care. The results of this study imply that personal genetic information, based on APOE, may have positive effects on dietary fat quality and some cardiovascular risk markers (e.g., improvement in triglyceride values and waist circumference). This study also suggests that psychological factors (e.g. anxiety and threat experience) may not be an obstacle for healthy people to use genotype-based health information to promote healthy lifestyles. However, even in the case of very personal health information, in order to achieve a permanent health behavior change, it is important to include attitudes and other psychological factors (e.g. motivation), as well as intensive repetition and a longer intervention duration. This research will serve as a basis for future studies and its information can be used to develop targeted interventions, including health information based on genotyping that would aim at preventing lifestyle diseases. People’s interest in personalized health advices has increased, while also the costs of genetic screening have decreased. Therefore, generally speaking, it can be assumed that genetic screening as a part of the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases may become more common in the future. In consequence, more research is required about how to make genetic screening a practical tool in public health care, and how to efficiently achieve long-term changes.

Young children's behavioral responses to the distress of others /

The relationship between child temperament and parenting factors in the development of prosocial behavior during the toddler years was investigated by examining children's helping behaviors and responses to the distress of others as observed and as reported by mothers and teachers. These behaviors were linked to the sociability, emotionality, and attention shifting of toddlers. Children who are relatively high in characteristics such as language skills and sociability appear more likely to exhibit competent prosocial behaviors than children who are relatively low in these skills. Prosocial competence was also linked to maternal comfort, maternal control over children's emotions, and family expressiveness, although the latter two variables related to children's behaviors differently, depending on whether children were low or high in emotional intensity.

Developing and nurturing professional learning communities: principles used by elementary administrators /

This study examined the strategies used by elementary school principals to facilitate and nurture the development of professional learning communities (PLC) within their school settings. Using a reputational sample of administrators whose schools were demonstrating observable characteristics of PLCs, this study documented and described the strategies and actions taken by the principals to move their schools forward. Data collection included the use of open-ended interviews as well as observations capturing the means by which the principals addressed the areas of culture, processes, and structures within their school setting. A grounded theory approach to data analysis uncovered 4 guiding principles used by the principals to facilitate the development of the PLCs within their school: (a) protecting the purpose; (b) attending to relationships; (c) sharing the responsibility; and (d) valuing the journey. The guiding principles were used by each administrator to anchor the decisions they made and develop responsive, contextspecific strategies to support the PLC at their school. The results highlighted the complex role of the principal and the supports required to tackle the difficult work of facilitating PLCs.

Principles and proceedings of the inhabitants of the District of Niagara for addressing His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, respecting claims of sufferers in war, lands to militiamen and the general benefit of Upper Canada. --

Cover title.

Sermon : the question of war with Great Britain, examined upon moral and Christian principles /

Joseph Dana was also considered as the supposed author.

“Weathering a Hidden Storm”: An Application of Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health, and Health Services Use for Those with Diagnosable Anxiety Disorder

Abstract: Research has primarily focused on depression and mood disorders, but little research has been devoted to an examination of mental health services use amongst those with diagnosable anxiety disorder (Wittchen et al., 2002; Bergeron et al., 2005). This study examined the possible predicting factors for mental health services utilization amongst those with identifiable anxiety disorder in the Canadian population. The methods used for this study was the application of Andersen’s Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, where predisposing, need and enabling characteristics were regressed on the dependent variable of mental health services use. This study used the Canadian Community Health Survey (cycle 1.2: Mental Health and Well-Being) in a secondary data analysis. Several multiple logistics models predicted the likelihood to seek and use mental health services. Predisposing characteristics of gender and age, Enabling characteristics of education and geographical location, and those with co-occurring mood disorders were at the greatest increased likelihood to seek and use mental health services.

Principles and proceedings of the inhabitants of the District of Niagara for addressing His Royal Highness the Prince Regent, respecting claims of sufferers in war, lands to militiamen and the general benefit of Upper Canada

Printed at the Niagara Spectator Office

Sermon : the question of war with Great Britain, examined upon moral and Christian principles

Joseph Dana was also considered as the supposed author. Bibliogr. Printed by Snelling and Simons