Do stable isotopes in carbonate cement of Mio-Pleistocene Himalayan sediments record paleoecological and paleoclimatic changes?

Non-pedogenic carbonates, such as carbonate cement and nodules in the sandstones, are quite common in the terrestrial geological record. Unlike pedogenic carbonates, their stable isotope ratios lack investigations for paleo-climatic reconstructions. The present investigation therefore, explores the possibility of use of stable isotope studies of non-pedogenic carbonates from the Mb-Pleistocene Siwalik Group of sediments exposed in the Ramnagar sub-basin of the NW Himalaya. Petrographic studies reveal the dominance of micrite fabric in carbonate nodules both of pedogenic and non-pedogenic samples irrespective of specific stratigraphic unit However, calcite as cement in the sandstones shows the dominance of micrite fabric in the younger in age sediments. Seventy-two non-pedogenic carbonate samples from the carbonate nodules and cement in the Siwalik sandstones, ranging in age between similar to 1 Ma and 12.2 Ma, were analyzed for delta C-13 and delta O-18 values. The delta C-13 values vary from -24.77 parts per thousand to -1.1 parts per thousand and delta O-18 values vary from -15.34 parts per thousand to -7.81 parts per thousand. Pedogenic and non-pedogenic carbonates ranging in age between similar to 1 Ma and 6 Ma have largely similar delta C-13 values and the range of delta C-13 values indicate the dominance of C-4 type of vegetation. However, unlike pedogenic carbonates which showed the dominance of C-3 type of vegetation pre- 7 Ma on the basis of delta C-13 -depleted isotopic values (Singh et al., 2011), delta C-13 values are largely enriched in the corresponding aged non-pedogenic carbonates revealing no information on specific type of vegetation. Likewise, paleoprecipitational reconstructions from delta O-18 values in pedogenic carbonates showed a progressive increase in aridity from similar to 12 Ma to recent excluding short term increases in rainfall/monsoon intensity at around 10 Ma, 5 Ma, and 1.8 Ma (Singh et al., 2012). On the contrary, such reconstructions are not possible from the delta O-18 values of non-pedogenic carbonates and indeed the delta O-18 values of non-pedogenic carbonates are largely depleted to as much as 6 parts per thousand from the corresponding pedogenic carbonates. Such differences in delta C-13 and delta O-18 values of non-pedogenic carbonates from pedogenic carbonates are primarily due to the dependence of the former on groundwater conditions responsible for precipitating carbonate. Further, a comparison of isotopic values between non-pedogenic and pedogenic carbonates can be interpreted that post-6 Ma and pre-6 Ma non-pedogenic carbonates were largely formed by shallow and deep groundwater conditions respectively. The result of these investigative studies therefore, suggests that the stable delta C-13 and delta O-18 values of non-pedogenic carbonates, unlike the pedogenic carbonates and irrespective of nature of calcite fabric, showed their little importance in paleoclimatic and paleoecological reconstructions. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Involvement of fishermen children in fishing activities in Lake Chad region

Five fishing villages in Lake Chad Basin region of Borno State (Nigeria) were assessed for the roles of children in fishing activities in the area. The villages surveyed include: Bundaram, Yobe, Daba masara, Dumba and Doro. The results show that the children were largely between 12-18 years of age in the villages. Generally, the younger children (less than 12 years) participate in activities that require no technicality and little physical strength, while the older children (12 years and above) engage in skillful fabrication of gear and fishing activities. Some activities in the surveyed villages were gender specific. Such activities include fish processing (smoking) which is exclusive for female and few male children, who carry out preliminary cleaning of fish before any processing method is applied. 80% of the children in the five fishing villages claimed proper understanding of the techniques and procedure involved in most fishing activities. About 65% of the children sampled showed willingness to become full time fishermen while 22% were uncertain and claimed that they do not know what the future holds for them. 15% of them resolved to migrate to town so that they could live a city life

Parents aspiration and youth perception to sustainable fisheries development in Kainji Lake basin

Artisanal fisheries development in Nigeria, like in any other developing country of the world is characterized by subsistence level of operation using dugout canoe and paddle. This implies that parents and children constituted the labour in use since they only struggle for the upkeep of the family. A total of 240 questionnaires were used to solicit information from the respondents. This total was divided into 120 each for both parents and the youths respectively. Simple descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and percentages were used to analyze their responses. Parents have strong aspiration for their children to succeed them hence, 78.3% of the parents expressed their aspiration for succession by the younger ones while 83.3% of parents tend to support their aspiration with persuasive strategies such as allowing their children to partake in fishing activities at will. On the part of the youth over 70% of them perceived fishing as a viable business where they can succeed their parents provided government can come to their aid in form of active involvement in the development of rural fisheries. It is therefore believed that fisheries development could achieve rapid improvement if the aspiration of the parents is balanced with perception of the youth and the government meets their expectation

Aspectos da condição aeróbica e da flexibilidade em futebolistas profissionais e em participantes de programas de exercício supervisionado

As melhorias funcionais após uma rotina regular de exercícios físicos nem sempre se traduzem em uma idêntica melhoria da condição aeróbica (AER). O objetivo foi identificar se uma rotina regular de exercícios é capaz de manter ou atenuar a queda do condicionamento aeróbico e funcional, bem como se a diferença nas melhorias nestas variáveis, em indivíduos idosos, pode ser explicada por variações em flexibilidade e força/potência muscular. No primeiro estudo, 176 jogadores profissionais de futebol foram divididos em tercis em relação à idade. Obtivemos o consumo de oxigênio (VO2) e frequência cardíaca (FC), além do perfil de flexibilidade global utilizando o Flexiteste (FLX). Dados de pré-temporada (2005-2011) dos tercis extremos (n=54), mais jovem (17-22 anos) e mais velhos (27-36 anos), foram comparados. Os efeitos do envelhecimento foram avaliados pela comparação do VO2, da FC e de regressões lineares de FLX versus valores previstos para a idade. Os resultados foram semelhantes para VO2max, 62,76,1 vs 63,26,2 mL.(kg.min)-1, (p=0,67), e para FLX, 435,9 vs 416,0, respectivamente (p=0,11), o tercil mais jovem apresentou valores mais altos de FCmáx, 1948,1 vs 1898,8 bpm, (p<0,01). Os jogadores não apresentaram a diminuição prevista no VO2max, enquanto FCmax e FLX diminuiram. No segundo estudo utilizou-se dados de 144 pacientes com idade de 6212 anos submetidos a testes de FLX, força/potência muscular e cardiopulmonar de exercício máximo em cicloergômetro de membros inferiores, após pelo menos 3 meses de participação em um programa de exercício supervisionado (PES). A correlação de Pearson foi calculada para avaliar as associações entre a diferença nas melhorias funcional e aeróbica (DEMFA) e as variações de FLX, força de preensão manual (FPM) e potência muscular (POT) e também entre os valores da primeira avaliação de AER e capacidade funcional (FUN) e as respectivas melhorias e o DEMFA. Após uma média de 32 meses de PES, houve aumento da FLX em 11,6% (p<0,01) e da POT em 14,7% (p<0,01), ajustadas para a idade, com preservação da FPM (p=0,47). Houve uma relação inversa entre os resultados da primeira avaliação e a melhoria AER (r=-0,28; p<0,01). Considerando os valores previstos, a AER aumentou menos do que a FUN - 21% versus 25% (p<0,01). A melhoria na FLX associou-se ao DEMFA (r=0,24; p<0,01). Assim, os estudos mostraram: a) ao manter uma rotina regular de exercícios, principalmente aeróbicos, o VO2 não reduz com a idade em futebolistas entre os 16 e 36 anos, apesar de uma redução na FCmax. b) a participação regular em um PES proporciona melhorias de componentes da aptidão física de pacientes promovendo a restauração dos resultados para equivalentes aos previstos para indivíduos saudáveis. c) uma melhoria da FLX contribui para uma maior melhoria da FUN do que da AER

Education and awareness programme on marine protected area management, Bar Reef Marine Sanctuary, Sri Lanka

The objectives of the education programme included: making the fishing community and the younger generation aware of the importance of conserving marine resources; to obtain their suggestions and opinions; and to identify gaps and needs to strengthen local participation.

Observaciones sobre la reproducción, desarrollo embrionario y larval de la anchoíta argentina (Engraulis anchoita)

The first studies on the problems related to the reproduction of marine fish in Argentina (SW Atlantic ocean) have been carried out with a species of great economic importance, the anchovy (Engraulis anchoita Hubbs and Marini). The spawning period of this species during the period 1963-64 has been determined. By the application of the quantitative collection method, it has been established that spawning commenced in the areas close to the coast during the first few days of September and at a water temperature of 10,3° C and reached its greatest intensity in October (up 1569 eggs/1 square metre surface water) at a temperature varying between 11,5-13,8° C. From the middle of November the anchovy continues to reproduce in a less intensive form and further out to Sea, up to at least the month of May. The intensity of reproduction reaches a peek in February, and at a water temperature of 20° C. It is believed that two physiologically distinct populations of Engraulis anchoita may exist, the first reproducing in Spring and the second in Autumn. It has been established that a daily spawning rhythm occurs, between the hours of 8 and 12 p. m. During this period it was possible to obtain mature females with which artificial fertilization was performed. The rate of development was determined, which at a temperature of 14-15° C is from 69-72 hours, and at a temperature of 19-20° C from 50-53 hours. A temperature of 49° C was found be lethal. The different embryonic and larval stages of development are illustrated diagramatically and individually described. The preliminary studies on the larvae and juveniles caught in the Sea during the period of reproduction led to the formulation of certain conclusions whith reference that the juveniles, as yet larvae, begin to group together at an early age, and the younger individuals the more uniform are the schoals whith regards to the total size of the specimens. It has shown that the anchovy during its first year of life tends to display littoral behaviour. RESUMEN EN ESPAÑOL: Los primeros estudios de los problemas referentes a la reproducción de los peces marinos en la Argentina (océano Atlántico sudoccidental) se han efectuado sobre una especie de gran importancia económica, Engraulis anchoita Hubbs y Marini. Se ha determinado la época de desove de la anchoíta en un período anual 1963-64. Aplicando el método de recolección cuantitativo se ha establecido que el desove de esta especie ha empezado en las zonas muy cercanas a la costa, en los primeros días de setiembre a la temperatura 10,3° C y ha alcanzado mayor intensidad en octubre (hasta 1569 huevos en 1 m2 de la superficie del agua) a la temperatura 11,5°-13,8° C. Desde mediados de noviembre la anchoíta sigue reproduciéndose en forma poco intensiva y más mar afuera, hasta por lo menos el mes de mayo. La intensidad de reproducción para este segundo período alcanza un pico, aunque muy pequeño en febrero a la temperatura 20° C. Se hace la suposición de que pueden existir dos de distintas características fisiológicas poblaciones de Engraulis anchoita una de reproducción primaveral y otra de reproducción otoñal. Además se ha establecido que existe un ritmo diario de desove que comprende las horas 20-24. En las horas de postura se pudo conseguir hembras maduras y con sus productos sexuales se efectuó la fecundación artificial. Se determinó la velocidad de desarrollo que a la temperatura 14°-15° C es de 69-72 horas y en la temperatura 19°- 20° C es de 50-53 horas. La temperatura 4° resultó ser letal. Se realizaron dibujos y descripciones correspondientes a los distintos estadios embrionarios y larvales. Los estudios preliminares de las larvas y juveniles de la anchoíta, capturados en el mar en la época de reproducción, permitieron sacar ciertas conclusiones sobre el crecimiento en sus primeros meses de vida. Se observó que los juveniles, larvas todavía, empiezan a agruparse muy temprano y cuanto más jóvenes son los individuos, tanto más uniformes son los cardúmenes en las dimensiones de los ejemplares. Se demostró que la anchoíta en su primer año de vida tiene costumbres muy costeras.

渭南地区末次冰期以来的蜗牛化石记录及古气候古环境研究

In this study, 172 mollusk assemblages from the Weinan loess section in the southeast of Loess Plateau, China, were identified quantitatively at relative high resolution. The results show: 1) the history and processes of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental changes in Weinan since the last 70 ka; 2) the characteristics of climatic changes during the period of the last glacial maximum (LGM); 3) the spatial pattern of paleoclimate variations at the south and middle parts of the Loess Plateau during the LGM period; 4) the timing of the last deglaciation and the return event of rapid climate change during the last deglaciation. The main conclusions are as follows: 1) 172 mollusk samples taken from the uppermost 9 m deposits cover the past 70 ka, which were sampled at the internals of 5 cm for S_0, 3 cm for L_(1-1) and L_(1-2), and 10 cm for L_(1-3), L_(1-4) and L_(1-5). Author analyzed quantitatively all individuals including broken pieces of snail shells, percentages of 15 species identified from 172 samples. Three main groups were determined according to the ecological requirement of each taxon. Based on the variations of three ecological groups and typical ecological species, The author intended to reconstruct the history of and processes of climate and environment since the last 70 ka in the Weinan region. The climate and environment in this region experienced the following changes: relative warm and humid stage from 67.5-20.3 cal. ka B.P., a period of forest-steppe or steppe developed; cold and arid stage from 20.3-15.5 cal. ka B.P., a dry steppe period, later wetter and colder; cold and humid period once time from 15.5 to 12.3 cal. ka B.P., a typical steppe or forest-steppe stage; cold and humid again from 12.3 cal. ka B.P. to 8.2 cal. ka B.P., a tropical steppe stage; warm and humid climate, a forest-steppe developed. 2) The climate during the period of the last glacial maximum (LGM) in Weinan was characterized by a general cold-humid condition, represented by occurrence of a number of the cool-humidiphilous mollusk species such as Gastocopta amigerella and Vallonia cf. pulchella in the section. 3) Comparison of the variations in abundance of Puncture orphana at Weinan with those at Luochuan and Changwu sections suggests that the summer monsoon intensity influenced differently at the three regions during the LGM period. The Weinan was weaker summer monsoon impact during all the period, the Luochuan was influenced occasionally, and Changwu was only a very short time affected, which indicated it might be located at the western margin of the summer monsoon influence during that period. 4) The ratio of thermo-humidiphilous mollusk group to cold-aridiphilous one shows an increase tendency at about 15 cal. ka B.P., reflecting the climate warming after the deglaciation in Weinan, which is approximately corresponding to the timing of warming period of the last deglaciation, found in the East Atlantic Ocean, the South China Sea and the Loess Plateau (indicated by the phytolith study). 5) A remarkable decrease in the number of thermo-humidiphilous and cool-humidiphilous mollusk species from 12.7 - 11.6 cal. ka B.P. indicates a cooling in climate and might be the reflection of the Younger Dryas event in Weinan. 6) Variations in the ratios of thermo-humidiphilous mollusk species to cold-aridiphilous ones reflect the climate instability in Holocene. There were four warm-humid periods (10-8.1 cal. ka B.P., 6.9-6.1 cal. ka B.P., 5.2-2.6cal. ka B.P., 1.6cal. ka B.P. to the present ) and three relative cold-arid periods (8.1-6.9 cal. ka B.P., 6.1-5.2 cal. ka B.P., 2.6-1.6 cal. ka B.P.), showing about a 1,000 year climatic oscillation.

环境变迁在中国文明形成中的作用

The formation of civilization, one of great marks in the history of human's society development, has been remained one of the hottest topics in the world. Many theories have been put ford to explain its causes and mechanisms. Although more attentions have been paid to its development, the role of environmental change should not be ignored. In this paper, the level of ancient farming productivity was analyzed, the mechanisms and the process of Chinese ancient civilization formation was explored, and some causes why Chinese ancient civilization shows many different features from other 5 ancient civilizations of the world was analyzed. The main results and conclusions are presented as followed. 1. Compared with the productivity level of other five ancient civilizations, the productivity of ancient China characterized by a feature of extensive not intensive cultivation was lower than that of other five ancient civilizations whose agriculture were based on irrigation. 2. The 5 5000 a B.P. cold event may have facilitated the formation of Egypt and Mesopotamian ancient civilizations and also have had an influence on the development of Neolithic culture in China. 3. The 4 000 a B.P. cold event, which may be the coldest period since the Younger Dryas cold event and signifies the changes from the early Holocene Climate Optimum to late Holocene in many regions of the world, resulted in the great migration of the Indo-European peoples from north Europe to other part of the World and the collapses of ancient civilizations in Egypt, Indus and the Mesopotamian and the collapse of five Neolithic cultures around central China. More important than that is the emergence of Chinese civilization during the same period. Many theories have been put ford to explain why it was in Zhongyuan area not other places whose Neolithic cultures seem more advanced that gave rise to civilization. For now no theory could explain it satisfiedly. Archaeological evidence clearly demonstrate that war was prevailed the whole China especially during the late Longshan culture period, so it seemed war has played a very important role in the emergence of China ancient civilization. Carneiro sees two conditions as essential to the formation of complex societies in concert with warfare, i.e. population growth and environmental circumscription. It was generally through that China couldn't evolved into the environmental circumscription and population pressure because China has extensive areas to live, but that depends on situations. The environmental circumscription area was formed due to the 4000a B.P. cold event and companied flooding disasters, while the population pressure is formed due to three factors; 1) population grow rapidly because of the suitable environment provided by the Holocene Optimum and thus laid its foundations for the ancient human population; 2) population pressure is also related to the primitive agricultural level characterized by extensive not intensive cultivation; 3) population pressure was mainly related to the great migrations of people to the same areas; 4) population pressure was also related to productivity decrease due to the 4 000a B.P. cold event. 4. When population pressure is formed, war is the most possible way to solve the intensions between population and the limited cultivated land and then resulted in the formation of civilization. In this way the climate change during the 4 000a B.P. cold event may have facilitated the emergence of Chinese ancient civilization. Their detailed relations could also be further understood in this way: The first birth places of China ancient civilization could be in Changjiang areas or (and) Daihai area, Shandong province rather than in central China and the emergence time of ancient civilization formed in central China should be delayed if the 4 000a B.P. cold event and companied flooding disasters didn't occurred.

13万年以来黄土高原东缘与捷克的风成沉积序列

The loess-paleosols in the Chinese loess plateau and Europe are the main eolian sediment sequences in mid-latitude area of north hemisphere. They record not only the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental processes since the last interglacial, but also the configuration of magnetic field during polarity transition. Comparisons of environmental magnetism, paleomagnetism and climate proxy analysis has been made for the loess/paleosol sequences in Datong and Czech Republic. The Datong loess/paleosol sequence is composed of the Holocene soil SO, the last glacial loess LI, the last interglacial soil SI and the upper penultimate loess L2. A basalt layer occurs in L2. The main magnetic minerals in LI and SI are magnetite, maghemite and ilmenite. The presence of local volcanic elastics in the loess and the characteristics of the magnetic minerals indicate that there are local materials in Datong loess, which differentiate the Datong loess from the central and eastern loess of the Chinese Loess Plateau. In addition, there are four polarity events in Datong loess, which are generally consistent with Gothenburg> Mono Lake, Laschamp and Blake events. Some signals of the East Asia monsoon were recorded in the Datong loess/paleosol sequences. Magnetic susceptibility, the content of >63um grains and the organic matter are used as climate proxies, which are similar to those of the typical eolian sediments in the loess plateau. In addition, it is possible that the Datong loess also recorded the Younger Dryas and the climatic fluctuations during the Holocene. The main magnetic minerals in the loess/paleosol at Znojmo section are magnetite, maghemite, hematite, pyrite, pyrrhotite and goethite. The morphology of these grains reveals that the iron sulfides originated from the eluvium loam above hypothetical ore deposits in the vicinity of the section or glaciofluvial sediments from nearby glacial margins. The pattern of the susceptibility variation at Dolni Vestonice section is coincident with that of the organic matter content. The grain size variation along the section recorded the climate instability since the last interglacial. The climate events in the Dolni Vestonice section may be correlated with the Heinrich events recorded in North Atlantic sediments, suggesting they controlled by the same marine-continent climate system.

释光测年实验室的建立与沉积物释光测年技术研究

The main research projects reported in this paper are the establishment of a luminescence (OSL/TL) dating laboratory in The Institute of Geology and Geophysics, CAS, and studies on OSL dating technique and protocol of sediments from North China. These projects have been suggested in order to fit in with the needs of research developments in environmental changes, in particular the aridity and desertification in North China. A new luminescence dating laboratory in which there are a Rise TL/OSL-DA-15B/C reader with Sr-90 beta source, a set of Little More Tape 9022 alpha and beta irradiators, three set of Daybreak 583 intelligent alpha counters and sample preparation system has been set up in the Institute in June 2001. The courses of the establishment of a new laboratory involved a series of technical works, besides making a suitable choice of the equipment, as follows: installing and testing TL/OSL reader, calibrating the dose rate of the beta and alpha sources in the irradiators with the standard sources, testing and calibrating the count rates of the thick source alpha counting in the alpha counters with a standard sample, and then dating of the know age samples to check and examine the OSL/TL dating system. All data obtained from above calibrations and tests show that the established OSL/TL system, including the used equipment in it, can be used to determine age of the geological and archaeological samples with an error of equivalent dose (De) of less than 5%. The OSL dates of several sediment samples obtained from the system are good agreement with those from the OSL dating laboratory in Hong Kong University and ~(14)C dates within 1 - 2 standard deviations. The studies on OSL dating technique and protocol of sediment samples being in progress involve the De determinations with single aliquot regeneration (SAR) (Murray and Wintle, 2000) of the coarse grain quartz from sand dune samples and comparison of the De determinations obtained from SAR with those measured by using multiple aliquot regeneration of loess fine grains. The preliminary results from these research works are shown as follows. The very low natural equivalent dose (De) of about 0.012 - 0.03 Gy, corresponding age of less than 10 years, for BLSL (blue light stimulated luminescence) of the coarse grain quartz from modern sand dune samples in Horqin sand fields has been determined with both the SAR and multiple aliquot regeneration (MAR) techniques. This imply that the BLSL signal zeroing of the quartz could be reached before burying of the sand in Horqin sand fields. The De values and ages of the coarse grain quartz measured with SAR protocol are in good agreement with those obtained from multiple aliquot technique for the modern sand dune samples, but the errors of De from the MAR is greater than those from the SAR. This may imply that the higher precision of age determination for younger sand dune samples could be achieved with the SAR of coarse grain quartz. The MAR combining with "Australian Slide method" may be a perfect choice for De measurements of loess fine grain samples on the basis of analysis of De values obtained from the SAR and from the MAR. The former can be employed to obtain a reliable age estimate of loess sample as older as approximately SO ka BR There is a great difference between De determinations from the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR (Roberts and Wintle, 2001) and those from independent or expected estimates for the older samples. However, the age estimates obtained from the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR are mostly closed to the independent age determinations for the younger (age less than 10 ka) fine grain samples. It may be suggested that the (post-IR) OSL of the SAR protocol of the fine grain fraction would be a suitable choice to dating of the younger samples, but may be unsuitable for the older samples.

浑善达克沙地的光释光测年研究

Eolian deposits are important for paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental reconstructions in arid and semi-arid regions. In China active sand dunes mainly occur in the northwest inland basins ,whereas deserts dominated by semi-stabilized sand dunes are mainly distributed in the northeastern semi-arid and sub-humid regions. Recent studies indicate that prompt desertification in northeastern China has been serious.Thus northeastern China is one of the key sites on which to study the history of past environmental changes. However, previous studies focused mainly on big scale environmental changes, whereas changes in the environment during the Holocene have not been well studied. This research uses optically stimulated luminescence to date fossil sand dunes in Hunshandake desert in order to offer the accurate time scale to reconstruct the history of eolian activity in the region. Furthermore,we compare this region with other deserts in northern China.The main conclusions is following: Active dune formation in northeastern China lasted from the Last Glacial Maximum to about 10 000aB.P. It has also been shown that the warm climate of the Holocene was interrupted by a cold/dry dune-forming episode at about 2 800-1 800aB.R. The Holocene Optimum occurred between 10 000-2 800aB.R, and a later warm/humid dune stabilization phase lasted from at least 1 900-1 500aB.R. The youngest age on the uppermost soil unit in Hunshandake desert yielded an age of 90aB.P.,on which the younger sand deposits,and the youngest age on the sand in Hulun Buir desert is 40aB.R. The mean annual precipitation of these regions is up to 450 mm. But these deserts locate in middle latitudes regions, where the climate is sub-humid, semi-arid continental monsoon.Under present climatic conditions, there should be no active sand dunes in northeastern China. So the appearance of active sand in northeastern China is not due to natural factors,but to extensive land reclamation and cultivation.

Integrative motivation and global language (English) acquisition in Poland

This study investigated the consistency of a measure of integrative motivation in the prediction of achievement in English as a foreign language in 18 samples of Polish school students. The results are shown to have implications for concerns expressed that integrative motivation might not be appropriate to the acquisition of English because it is a global language and moreover that other factors such as the gender of the student or the environment of the class might also influence its predictability. Results of a hierarchical linear modeling analysis indicated that for the older samples, integrative motivation was a consistent predictor of grades in English, unaffected by either the gender of the student or class environment acting as covariates. Comparable results were obtained for the younger samples except that student gender also contributed to the prediction of grades in English. Examination of the correlations of the elements of the integrative motivation score with English grades demonstrated that the aggregate score is the more consistent correlate from sample to sample than the elements themselves. Such results lead to the hypothesis that integrative motivation is a multi-dimensional construct and different aspects of the motivational complex come into play for each individual. That is, two individuals can hold the same level of integrative motivation and thus attain the same level of achievement but one might be higher in some elements and lower in others than another individual, resulting in consistent correlations of the aggregate but less so for the elements.

Consequências do trabalho por turnos e nocturno em profissionais de enfermagem (estudo realizado em dois hospitais do norte de Portugal)

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia.

Caraterização da Saúde Mental numa população jovem do concelho da Póvoa de Varzim

Dissertação apresentada à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Psicologia, ramo de Psicologia Clínica e da Saúde

Living long-term with acquired brain injury in Ireland: towards a counter discourse

Irish literature on Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is very scant and is mainly deficits and/or needs based. The focus is generally on how to manage the short term needs of the younger population with ABI. The starting position of my thesis is that people living long-term with ABI are important participants in developing knowledge about this social phenomenon, living with ABI while accepting that their brain injury does not determine them. Six mature adults with ABI and their six significant others participated in this longitudinal study. Using a narrative approach in interviews, over twenty months, five repeat individual interviews with each of the twelve participants was held. From this I gained an understanding of their lived experiences, their life-world and their experiences of our local public ABI/disability services, systems and discourse. Along with this new empirical data, theoretical developments from occupational therapy, occupational science, sociology, and disability studies were also used within a meta-narrative informed by critical theory and critical realism to develop a synthesis of this study. Social analysis of their narratives co-constructed with me, allowed me generate nuanced insights into tendencies and social processes that impacted and continues to impact on their everyday-everynight living. I discuss in some depth here, the relational attitudinal, structural, occupational and environmental supports, barriers or discrimination that they face(d) in their search for social participation and community inclusion. Personal recognition of the disabled participants by their family, friends and/or local community, was generally enhanced after much suffering, social supports, slow recovery, and with some form of meaningful occupational engagement. This engagement was generally linked with pre-injury interests or habits, while Time itself became both a major aid and a need. The present local ABI discourse seldom includes advocacy and inclusion in everyday/every night local events, yet most participants sought both peer-support or collective recognition, and social/community inclusion to help develop their own counter-discourse to the dominant ABI discourse. This thesis aims to give a broad social explanation on aspects of their social becoming, 'self-sameness' and social participation, and the status of the disabled participants wanting to live 'the slow life'. Tensions and dialectical issues involved in moving from the category of a person in coma, to person with a disability, to being a citizen should not demote the need for special services. While individualized short-term neuro-rehabilitation is necessary, it is not sufficient. Along with the participants, this researcher asks that community health and/or social care planners and service-providers rethink how ABI is understood and represented, and how people with ABI are included in their local communities