Adult attachment, anxiety, and pain self-efficacy as predictors of pain intensity and disability

Pain self-efficacy and anxiety have each been shown to contribute substantially to pain intensity and pain-related disability. Although adult attachment theory has been related separately to chronic pain, anxiety, and self-efficacy, it has not before been investigated with either pain self-efficacy or anxiety in the context of chronic pain. This study investigated the interrelations between these aspects of the chronic pain experience and their relative contributions towards pain intensity and disability. A clinical sample of 152 chronic pain patients participated in this study, completing self-report measures of attachment, self-efficacy, pain intensity, and disability, prior to attending a multidisciplinary pain clinic. Results revealed that fearful and preoccupied (anxious) attachment categories were associated with low pain self-efficacy, while high scores on the attachment dimension of comfort with closeness were linked with high pain self-efficacy, particularly for males. Insecure attachment (whether defined in terms of categories or dimensions) was related to higher levels of anxiety. Pain self-efficacy proved a stronger predictor of pain intensity than did anxiety and was a stronger predictor of disability than pain intensity or anxiety. In addition, comfort with closeness moderated the associations between pain self-efficacy and disability, pain self-efficacy and pain intensity, and anxiety and disability. Together, these findings support the value of adopting an attachment theoretical approach in the context of chronic pain. Treatment considerations and future research directions are considered. (c) 2006 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

LITURGIA E ECOLOGIA: APONTAMENTOS PARA UMA PRÁXIS PASTORAL ECOLITÚRGICA NA IGREJA METODISTA.

Esta pesquisa propõe-se a analisar a práxis pastoral litúrgica ecológica na Igreja Metodista. A práxis é a atividade reflexiva e material do ser humano, é ação transformadora, para uma pastoral ecoliturgica na dimensão pública da fé. A pesquisa consiste em estudar a interrelação que deve existir entre Liturgia e Ecologia, a partir dos conceitos bilbicos e a forma como a práxis pode influir e se articular para o desenvolvimento de uma ecoliturgia na realidade atual, tendo como espaço de referência a Igreja Metodista. A pesquisa se desenvolve em três etapas: Na primeira analisa conceitos teóricos de liturgia, sua história, mudanças e experiências do ser humano nas celebrações ligadas aos elementos da natureza; Na segunda, os conceitos de ecologia, sua crise e suas inter-relações com o Todo. Na terceira, os apontamentos para uma práxis pastoral ecolitúrgica na Igreja Metodista, como referencial para criar ações que conscientizem, mobilizem, para o reencantamento da espiritualidade, do sentido da vida e da ecologia, a fim de produzir esperança, diante das causas sociais que dizem respeito à vida integral do ser humano. O resultado será um conjunto de referenciais históricos e teóricos capazes de desconstruir, construir e reconstruir, a fim de sustentar uma práxis pastoral ecolitúrgica. Com o objetivo de realizar uma nova hermenêutica do tema num novo paradigma para as questões da realidade, tendo em vista a dimensão publica da fé na relação de Deus na criação e a práxis da igreja na sociedade. Na necessidade que o ser humano tem de se reencantar, reconhecer, saber cuidar, reconstruir tudo que nos garante a possibilidade da vida e a sustentabilidade no planeta.

Collocation, interpretation and explanation:the case of just any

This article discusses the question of compositionality by examining whether the indiscriminacy reading of the collocation of just with any can be shown to be a consequence of the schematic meaning-potential of each of these two items. A comparison of justwith other restrictive focus particles allows its schematic meaning to be defined as that of goodness of fit. Any is defined as representing an indefinite member of a set as extractable from the set in exactly the same way as each of the other members thereof. The collocation just any often gives rise to a scalar reading oriented towards the lowest value on the scale due to the fact that focus on the unconstrained extractability of a random indefinite item brings into consideration even marginal cases and the latter tend to be interpreted as situated on the lower end of the scale. The attention to low-end values also explains why just any is regularly found with the adjective old, the prepositional phrase at all and various devaluating expressions. It is concluded that the meanings of the component parts of this collocation do indeed account for the meaning of the whole, and that an appropriate methodology allows identification of linguistic meanings and their interrelations. © 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Distances between Predicates in By-Analogy Reasoning Systems

The purpose is to develop expert systems where by-analogy reasoning is used. Knowledge “closeness” problems are known to frequently emerge in such systems if knowledge is represented by different production rules. To determine a degree of closeness for production rules a distance between predicates is introduced. Different types of distances between two predicate value distribution functions are considered when predicates are “true”. Asymptotic features and interrelations of distances are studied. Predicate value distribution functions are found by empirical distribution functions, and a procedure is proposed for this purpose. An adequacy of obtained distribution functions is tested on the basis of the statistical 2 χ –criterion and a testing mechanism is discussed. A theorem, by which a simple procedure of measurement of Euclidean distances between distribution function parameters is substituted for a predicate closeness determination one, is proved for parametric distribution function families. The proposed distance measurement apparatus may be applied in expert systems when reasoning is created by analogy.

A Metaontology for Medical Diagnostics of Acute Diseases. Part 2. A Formal Description of Cause-and-effect Relations

This article is the continuation of the formal description of the metaontology for medical diagnostics in the language of applied logic. It contains a description of interrelations between terms of knowledge and reality in the form of ontological agreements.

Method of Elimination Data Sources Conflicts in Information System

Use of modern object-oriented methods of designing of information systems (IS) both descriptions of interrelations IS and automated with its help business-processes of the enterprises leads to necessity of construction uniform complete IS on the basis of set of local models of such system. As a result of use of such approach there are the contradictions caused by inconsistency of actions of separate developers IS with each other and that is much more important, inconsistency of the points of view of separate users IS. Besides similar contradictions arise while in service IS at the enterprise because of constant change separate business- processes of the enterprise. It is necessary to note also, that now overwhelming majority IS is developed and maintained as set of separate functional modules. Each of such modules can function as independent IS. However the problem of integration of separate functional modules in uniform system can lead to a lot of problems. Among these problems it is possible to specify, for example, presence in modules of functions which are not used by the enterprise to destination, to complexity of information and program integration of modules of various manufacturers, etc. In most cases these contradictions and the reasons, their caused, are consequence of primary representation IS as equilibrium steady system. In work [1] representation IS as dynamic multistable system which is capable to carry out following actions has been considered:

A magyar gazdaságpolitika dilemmái = Dilemmas of the Hungarian economic policy

A cikk a magyar gazdaságpolitika dilemmáit helyezi szélesebb közgazdasági perspektívába, a stabilizációs programcsomag intézkedéseiből kiindulva. Elemzi azokat az összefüggéseket, amelyek a posztszocialista átmenet három súlyosan nyomasztó feladata: a külső egyensúly és belső pénzügyi egyensúly javítása, valamint a tartós növekedés feltételeinek megteremtése között állnak fenn. A jelen pillanatban a külső egyensúly jól érzékelhető javítása a legsürgősebb; a rövid távú intézkedéseknek elsősorban ennek a feladatnak a szolgálatában kell állniuk. Sajnálatos, hogy az azonnali intézkedések csomagja mindeddig nem ágyazódott be egy meggyőző közép­ és hosszú távú reformtervbe. A cikk végül a gazdasági stabilizáció politikai feltételeit elemzi, és a társadalmi összefogás és önmérséklet jelentőségét hangsúlyozza. / === / The article examines the dilemmas of the Hungarian economic policy, placing it into a wider economic perspective and setting out from the measures prescribed stabilization program. The author analyses the interrelations among the three gravely distressing tasks of the post­socialist transition: improvement of the external balances and domestic financial equilibrium, and creation of the conditions of sustainable growth. For the moment, a well perceptible improvement of the external equilibrium is the most urgent task; the short­term measures have to serve first of all this purpose. Unfortunately, the package of short­term measures has not yet been embedded into a convincing medium and long­term reform program. Finally, the article analyses the political conditions of economic stabilization and emphasesizes the importance of joining the social forces and of self restraint.

A hiány újratermelése (The reproduction of shortage)

Sporadic lack of consumer articles, the housing shortage, disturbances of material supply, and shortages of investment goods and of labour may be traced back to a common main cause. Shortage is constantly reproduced by specific features of the economic mechanism. The first part of the article consists of micro-analysis, mainly of the productive enterprise. Efforts to increase production may run up against ceilings of three kinds: constraints on physical resources, constraints on demand, and the budget constraint on enterprises. It is an important feature of a system which of these constraints takes effect. Resource-constrained systems can be distinguished from demand-constrained ones here. In the former, production is limited by production bottlenecks, in the latter by buyer demand. The socialist economy in its "classical" form belongs to the former type. It is related to whether the budget constraint on the enterprise is "hard" or "soft". If hard, enterprise spending is limited by its financial scope, if soft (its losses offset almost automatically) its demand becomes almost insatiable. The second part performs a macro-analysis, showing the mechanism of "suction" with the aid of a hydraulic analogy. The enterprise sector "pumps away" reserves and surpluses of the system, mainly due to the "investment hunger" that appears in the wake of expansionist efforts. Finally the article discusses briefly the interrelations between shortage and inflation.

Evaluation of the use and management of fish resources in the pachitea river basin, Peruvian Amazon

The purpose of this study was to analyze the interrelations between the needs of local people and their usage and management of natural fisheries. Between June and August 2001, 177 households in the basin were interviewed regarding their fishing customs. The results were analyzed with parametric and nonparametric statistics considering a cultural and a geographic comparison. Results confirm that indigenous households rely more on fisheries as a resource than colonists. Fishing takes place throughout the year but is more common in the dry season. Fishing is commonly practiced using hooks and cast nets. More destructive techniques such as dynamite and "barbasco" (poisonous plant) were also used. Indigenous people use a greater array of techniques and they fish at a greater diversity of sites. Respondents also reported that fishing yields have decreased recently. Some of the most common fish genera captured are Pimelodus and Leporinus.

Mudanças na relação entre estado e mercado na produção de habitação de interesse social em Parnamirim-RN

The formulation of public policies, particularly those relating to social housing – SH -, follow a dialectical process of construction, which are involved in the figures of the State and tha Market.The combination of the State and Market remains in constant tension and struggle for power, which provides beyond products (policies, programs and projects), periods of crises and disruptions that can give rise to new institutional arrangements. It is possible to verify a change in the relationship between the State and the Market in the formulation of public policies of SH financing, justified by the context of the Brazilian economy growth, especially after 2003, year that began the first Lula Federal Government , and through the international financial crisis (in 2008). Thus, the State and the Real Estate Market has been undergoing a process of redefinition of their interrelations, articulating new arrangements, new scales of action and new logics of financial valorization of urban space. This peculiarity demanded the rapid thinning of speech and the proposals in the reformulation of housing policies, with the primary result within the pre-existing Growth Acceleration Program – PAC -, the release of My House , My Life – PMCMV -, established by Law 1.977 of the year 2009. Given the above, this research has as study object the relationship between financing public policies of SH, promoted by the State, and behavior of Formal Housing Market. It is believed that the established roles for each agent in the new housing finance model introduced with the PMCMV, have been adapted according to the needs of each location to make this a workable policy. It remains to identify the nature of these adaptations, in other words, what has changed in the performance of each agent involved in this process. Knowing that private capital remains where there is more chance of profit, we tend to believe that most of the adjustments were made on scale of State action. The recommendation of easing urban legislation taken by PMCMV points to how the State has been making these changes in activity to implement the production of social housing by this program. We conclude that in the change for PMCMV, the direct relationship for construction and housing projects financing began to be made between the Caixa Econômica Federal bank and the builders. The city was liberated from the direct interlocutor role between all actors involved in the production of SH and could concentrate on negotiating with the parties, focused on the effectiveness of SH public policies proposed by PMCMV. This ability and willingness for dialogue and negotiation of municipal government (represented by their managers), undoubtedly, represents a key factor for rapprochement between State and Real Estate Market in the City of Parnamirim.

Aglomeração urbana descontínua: o exemplo de Araguari e Uberlândia/MG

The analysis of urban conurbations demands the understanding regarding the difference between urban territorial continuity and spatial continuity. While the spatial continuity is understood due to its interrelations and established fluxes, in other words, through the spatial integration, the territorial continuity is related to the urban tissue. Therefore, the spatial continuity can manifest in a simultaneous way or associated to the territorial discontinuity. From this perspective, the main objective of this research consists on identifying and dimensioning the spatial interactions that are driven to a urban conurbation process between the municipalities of Araguari and Uberlândia/MG, besides the not continuity of the territorial urban area. The intensity of these interactions was identified from the displacements by the dwellers from both municipalities in search of job occupations, education and health assistance. So it would be able to reach the proposed objectives we used several methodological procedures, such as a bibliographic and documental researches. In order to identify the education and work fluxes we analyzed the micro data from the Demographic Census 2010. For the educational sector it was also accomplished a research, in Araguari, the place of residence of students enrolled at Instituto Master de Ensino Presidente Antônio Carlos (IMEPAC) and, in Uberlândia, the place of residence of students enrolled at Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU). The identification of health fluxes was done through a research, in Uberlândia, of the inpatients' origin at Hospital de Clínicas de Uberlândia of the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (HCU/UFU) and, in Araguari, of the origin of patients that are attended at the Pronto-Socorro Municipal. Semi structured interviews were also accomplished with different social actors. Another important step was the use of questionnaires with the inter-municipal public transportation users at their boarding place in Araguari and Uberlândia. This paper was organized in five chapters, while in the first one we accomplished a theoretical discussion over the concept of urban conurbation, in order to presenting the identification and classification criteria and the urban conurbation of non metropolitan criteria. The second chapter analyses the differentiation process between Araguari and Uberlândia, which is a result of the distinct territorial formation of the municipalities. The third chapter analyses the intensity and degree of the spatial interactions between the two municipalities, having as a focus the established fluxes in the work sector. The fourth chapter, on the other hand, focuses on the education and health sectors, while the last chapter accomplishes a discussion to investigate if the analyzed fluxes in the previous chapters make it able to identify if the spatial interactions established between Araguari and Uberlândia are measured through complementarities or dependence. As a result it was possible to identify that, due to the expressiveness of the established fluxes between the two municipalities, beyond the further ones of Triângulo Mineiro and Alto Paranaíba in the three selected sectors, there is a configuration of a discontinuous urban conurbation process. It was also possible to conclude that, despite the fluxes between Araguari and Uberlândia being more representative than the other way around there's a coexistence dependence relationship and complementarity between the two municipalities.

Are long gamma-ray bursts biased tracers of star formation? Clues from the host galaxies of the Swift/BAT6 complete sample of bright LGRBs II. Star formation rates and metallicities at z < 1

Aims. Long gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) are associated with the deaths of massive stars and might therefore be a potentially powerful tool for tracing cosmic star formation. However, especially at low redshifts (z< 1.5) LGRBs seem to prefer particular types of environment. Our aim is to study the host galaxies of a complete sample of bright LGRBs to investigate the effect of the environment on GRB formation. Methods. We studied host galaxy spectra of the Swift/BAT6 complete sample of 14 z< 1 bright LGRBs. We used the detected nebular emission lines to measure the dust extinction, star formation rate (SFR), and nebular metallicity (Z) of the hosts and supplemented the data set with previously measured stellar masses M_*. The distributions of the obtained properties and their interrelations (e.g. mass-metallicity and SFR-M_* relations) are compared to samples of field star-forming galaxies. Results. We find that LGRB hosts at z< 1 have on average lower SFRs than if they were direct star formation tracers. By directly comparing metallicity distributions of LGRB hosts and star-forming galaxies, we find a good match between the two populations up to 12 +log (O/H)~8.4−8.5, after which the paucity of metal-rich LGRB hosts becomes apparent. The LGRB host galaxies of our complete sample are consistent with the mass-metallicity relation at similar mean redshift and stellar masses. The cutoff against high metallicities (and high masses) can explain the low SFR values of LGRB hosts. We find a hint of an increased incidence of starburst galaxies in the Swift/BAT6 z< 1 sample with respect to that of a field star-forming population. Given that the SFRs are low on average, the latter is ascribed to low stellar masses. Nevertheless, the limits on the completeness and metallicity availability of current surveys, coupled with the limited number of LGRB host galaxies, prevents us from investigating more quantitatively whether the starburst incidence is such as expected after taking into account the high-metallicity aversion of LGRB host galaxies.

Étude des relations entre le développement professionnel des enseignants du postsecondaire et leur bien-être psychologique au travail

Réalisé en milieu collégial (cégep)

'A piece of fine meshwork': the intertwining fiction of Philip Roth and Edna O'Brien

This thesis comprises a comparative analysis of the works the Irish author Edna O’Brien and her contemporary and friend, the Jewish-American author Philip Roth. It investigates the striking biographical, textual and stylistic symmetries between two writers from very different cultures and literary traditions. The thesis begins with the, until now, undetected intertextual nexuses between Roth’s fiction and O’Brien’s. These allusions significantly alter the readings of a number of their novels, while at the same time indicating wider transatlantic frames of reference now apparent in their work. O’Brien has, since the beginning of her career, been in frequent correspondence with all of the pre-eminent Jewish-American authors of her time, and her work conducts a dialogue with key Jewish-American texts. Conversely, Roth’s fiction—like O’Brien’s, obviously indebted to Joyce—has frequently alluded to other seminal Irish authors. The literary and personal relationship of Roth and O’Brien symbolize myriad links between Jewish and Irish literary cultures. In O’Brien’s (and wider Irish) fiction, the Jew is often positioned as an exotic but dangerous “Other”. Equally, throughout the Jewish canon Irish Catholics are frequently employed as foils. Roth and O’Brien investigate difference by depicting relationships that cross these boundaries. Through understanding the complex interrelations at play between the fiction of Roth and O’Brien, and between their work and that of a wider pantheon of Irish and American writers, this thesis will reposition both as transnational authors while developing a culturally sensitive, textually nuanced account of their transatlantic literary relations.