Memory for allergies and health foods: how younger and older adults strategically remember critical health information

Objectives. While older adults often display memory deficits, with practice they can sometimes selectively remember valuable information at the expense of less value information. We examined age-related differences and similarities in memory for health-related information under conditions where some information was critical to remember. Method. In Experiment 1, participants studied three lists of allergens, ranging in severity from 0 (not a health risk) to 10 (potentially fatal), with the instruction that it was particularly important to remember items to which a fictional relative was most severely allergic. After each list, participants received feedback regarding their recall of the high-value allergens. Experiment 2 examined memory for health benefits, presenting foods that were potentially beneficial to the relative���s immune system. Results. While younger adults exhibited better overall memory for the allergens, both age groups in Experiment 1 developed improved selectivity across the lists, with no evident age differences in severe allergen recall by List 2. Selectivity also developed in Experiment 2, although age differences for items of high health benefit were present. Discussion. The results have implications for models of selective memory in older age, and for how aging influences the ability to strategically remember important information within health-related contexts.

Memory and hypertext: a reflection on relational knowledge

This paper analyzes the changes the ways of organizing memory have undergone since ancient times, turning them into the current artificial memory systems. It aims to draw a parallel between the art of memory (which associates images to specific texts) and the hypertext (which also uses associations, but in a non-linear way). Our methodology consisted of a qualitative approach, involving the collection of texts about the art of memory and hypertext; this enables us to salvage the historical-cultural changes which have modified form and use of the art of memory and allowed the creation of hypertext. It also analyzes the similarities among artificial memory systems created by different cultures in order to prevent loss of knowledge produced by society.

The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire: A population-based random sampling study

The Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ) has been shown to have acceptable reliability and factorial, predictive, and concurrent validity. However, the PRMQ has never been administered to a probability sample survey representative of all ages in adulthood, nor have previous studies controlled for factors that are known to influence metamemory, such as affective status. Here, the PRMQ was applied in a survey adopting a probabilistic three-stage cluster sample representative of the population of Sao Paulo, Brazil, according to gender, age (20-80 years), and economic status (n=1042). After excluding participants who had conditions that impair memory (depression, anxiety, used psychotropics, and/or had neurological/psychiatric disorders), in the remaining 664 individuals we (a) used confirmatory factor analyses to test competing models of the latent structure of the PRMQ, and (b) studied effects of gender, age, schooling, and economic status on prospective and retrospective memory complaints. The model with the best fit confirmed the same tripartite structure (general memory factor and two orthogonal prospective and retrospective memory factors) previously reported. Women complained more of general memory slips, especially those in the first 5 years after menopause, and there were more complaints of prospective than retrospective memory, except in participants with lower family income.

Donor bone marrow cells play a role in the prevention of accelerated graft rejection induced by semi-allogeneic spleen cells in transplantation

Spleen or spleen plus bone marrow cells from (BALB/c x C57Bl/6)F1 donors were transferred into BALB/c recipients 21 days before skin or cardiac transplantation. Prolonged graft survival was observed on recipients treated with the mixture of donor-derived cells as compared to those treated with spleen cells alone. We evaluated the expression of CD45RB and CD44 by splenic CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells 7 and 21 days after donor cell transfer. The populations of CD8(+)CD45RB(low) and CD8(+)CD44(high) cells were significantly decreased in mice pre-treated with donor spleen and bone marrow cells as compared to animals treated with spleen cells only, although these cells expanded in both groups when compared to an earlier time-point. No differences were observed regarding CD4+ T cell population when recipients of donor-derived cells were compared. An enhanced production of IL-10 was observed seven days after transplantation in the supernatants of spleen cell cultures of mice treated with spleen and bone marrow cells. Taken together these data suggest that donor-derived bone marrow cells modulate the sensitization of the recipient by semi-allogeneic spleen cells in part by delaying the generation of activated/memory CD8(+) T cells leading to enhanced graft survival. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Design of associative memories using cellular neural networks

Cellular neural networks (CNNs) have locally connected neurons. This characteristic makes CNNs adequate for hardware implementation and, consequently, for their employment on a variety of applications as real-time image processing and construction of efficient associative memories. Adjustments of CNN parameters is a complex problem involved in the configuration of CNN for associative memories. This paper reviews methods of associative memory design based on CNNs, and provides comparative performance analysis of these approaches.

Analysis of Structure and Tendencies of Qualified Immigrant Workforce on the Swedish Labor Market

The purpose of this paper is to make quantitative and qualitative analysis of foreign citizens who may participate on the Swedish labor market (in text refers to as ���immigrants���). This research covers the period 1973-2005 and gives prediction figures of immigrant population, age and gender structure, and education attainment in 2010. To cope with data regarding immigrants from different countries, the population was divided into six groups. The main chapter is divided into two parts. The first part specifies division of immigrants into groups by country of origin according to geographical, ethnical, economical and historical criteria. Brief characteristics and geographic position, dynamic and structure description were given for each group; historical review explain rapid changes in immigrant population. Statistical models for description and estimation future population were given. The second part specifies education and qualification level of the immigrants according to international and Swedish standards. Models for estimating age and gender structure, level of education and professional orientation of immigrants in different groups are given. Inferences were made regarding ethnic, gender and education structure of immigrants; the distribution of immigrants among Swedish counties is given. Discussion part presents the results of the research, gives perspectives for the future brief evaluation of the role of immigrants on the Swedish labor market.

Health and quality of care from older peoples' and formal caregivers' perspective

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of older people's view of health and care while dependent on community care. Furthermore to describe and compare formal caregivers' perceptions of quality of care, working conditions, competence, general health, and factors associated with quality of care from the caregivers' perspective. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 older people in community care who were asked to describe what health and ill health((I), good and bad care meant for them (II). Data were analyzed using content analysis (I) and a phenomenological analysis (II). The formal caregivers; 70 nursing assistants (NAs) 163 enrolled nurses (ENs) and 198 registered nurses (RNs), answered a questionnaire consisting of five instruments: quality of care from the patient's perspective modified to formal caregivers, creative climate questionnaire, stress of conscience, health index, sense of coherence and items on education and competence (III). Statistical analyses were performed containing descriptive statistics, and comparisons between the occupational groups were made using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson's Chi-square test (III). Pearson's�� product moment correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed studying the associations between organizational climate, stress of conscience, competence, general health and sense of coherence with quality of care (IV). Results: The older people's health and well-being were related to their own ability to adapt to and compensate for their disabilities and was described as negative and positive poles of autonomy vs. dependence, togetherness vs. being an onlooker, security vs. insecurity and tranquility vs. disturbance (I).�� The meaning of good care (II) was that the formal caregivers respected the older people as unique individuals, having the opportunity to live their lives as usual and receiving a safe and secure care. Good care could be experienced when the formal caregivers had adequate knowledge and competence in caring for older people, adequate time and continuity in the care organization (II). Formal caregivers reported higher perceived quality of care in the dimensions medical-technical competence and physical-technical conditions than in identity-oriented approach and socio-cultural atmosphere (III). In the organizational climate three of the dimensions were close to the value of a creative climate and in seven near a stagnant climate. The formal caregivers reported low rate of stress of conscience. The RNs reported to a higher degree than the NAs/ENs a need to gain more knowledge, but the NAs and the ENs more often received training during working hours. The RNs reported lower emotional well-being than the NAs/ENs (III). The formal caregivers' occupation, organizational climate and stress of conscience were associated with perceived quality of care (IV). Implications: The formal caregivers should have an awareness of the importance of kindness and respect, supporting the older people to retain control over their lives. The nursing managers should employ highly competent and adequate numbers of skilled formal caregivers, organize formal caregivers having round the clock continuity. Improvements of organizational climate and stress of conscience are of importance for good quality of care.

The Place of Writing in the Poetry of W. B. Yeats and Patrick Kavanagh

Abstract This article addresses the theme of place in the poetry of W. B. Yeats and Patrick Kavanagh, focusing on the concept of place as a physical and psychological entity. The article explores place as a creative force in the work of these two poets, in relation to the act of writing. Seamus Heaney, in his essay ���The Sense of Place,��� talks about the ���history of our sensibilities��� that looks to the stable element of the land for continuity: ���We are dwellers, we are namers, we are lovers, we make homes and search for our histories��� (Heaney 1980: 148-9). Thus, in a physical sense, place is understood as a site in which identity is located and defined, but in a metaphysical sense, place is also an imaginative space that maps the landscapes of the mind. This article compares the different ways in which Yeats and Kavanagh relate to their place of writing, physically and artistically, where place is understood as a physical lived space, and as a liberating site for an exploration of poetic voice, where the poet creates his own country of the mind.

The place of writing in the poetry of W.B Yeats and Patrick Kavanagh

This article addresses the theme of place in the poetry of W. B. Yeats and Patrick Kavanagh, focusing on the concept of place as a physical and psychological entity. The article explores place as a creative force in the work of these two poets, in relation to the act of writing. Seamus Heaney, in his essay ���The Sense of Place,��� talks about the ���history of our sensibilities��� that looks to the stable element of the land for continuity: ���We are dwellers, we are namers, we are lovers, we make homes and search for our histories��� (Heaney 1980: 148-9). Thus, in a physical sense, place is understood as a site in which identity is located and defined, but in a metaphysical sense, place is also an imaginative space that maps the landscapes of the mind. This article compares the different ways in which Yeats and Kavanagh relate to their place of writing, physically and artistically, where place is understood as a physical lived space, and as a liberating site for an exploration of poetic voice, where the poet creates his own country of the mind.

A computational comparison of different algorithms for very large p-median problems

In this paper, we propose a new method for solving large scale��p-median problem instances based on real data. We compare different approaches in terms of runtime, memory footprint and quality of solutions obtained. In order to test the different methods on real data, we introduce a new benchmark for the��p-median problem based on real Swedish data. Because of the size of the problem addressed, up��to 1938 candidate nodes, a number of algorithms, both exact and heuristic, are considered. We also propose an improved hybrid version of a genetic algorithm called��impGA. Experiments show that��impGA��behaves as well as other methods for the standard set of medium-size problems taken from Beasley���s benchmark, but produces comparatively good results in terms of quality, runtime and memory footprint on our specific benchmark based on real Swedish data.

Projeto para a cria����o do Centro de Mem��ria do Instituto de Matem��tica Pura e Aplicada: uma hist��ria de compet��ncia, paix��o e perseveran��a

O Instituto Nacional de Matem��tica Pura e Aplicada (IMPA) foi o primeiro ��rg��o de pesquisa criado pelo Conselho Nacional de Pesquisas (CNPq), em 1952. Desde seu in��cio o IMPA dedicou-se �� pesquisa cient��fica em matem��tica do mais alto n��vel e promoveu a forma����o de novos pesquisadores, promovendo tamb��m a difus��o e aprimoramento da cultura matem��tica no pa��s. Mais recentemente, passou a dedicar-se tamb��m ��s aplica����es da matem��tica em outras ��reas do conhecimento e em setores tecnol��gicos. Ao longo de mais de cinq��enta anos de trabalho, consolidou-se como o centro de refer��ncia em pesquisa matem��tica e forma����o de novos pesquisadores no Brasil e na Am��rica Latina. Tendo em vista a relev��ncia da institui����o para os rumos da pesquisa na ��rea no pa��s, este trabalho de conclus��o de curso tem como objetivo estabelecer as diretrizes para a cria����o do Centro de Mem��ria do Instituto Nacional de Matem��tica Pura e Aplicada (CEMIMPA), que seria um espa��o para produ����o e re-elabora����o de identidade e mem��ria institucional ��� seguindo uma tend��ncia que se afirma, no Brasil, desde a d��cada de 1970. Discute-se aqui a trajet��ria do IMPA, os conceitos sobre mem��ria, acervo e identidade para conseguir demarcar as linhas gerais do CEMIMPA e precisar sua import��ncia para a institui����o. A cria����o de um centro de mem��ria como o que propomos, ajudaria a dar visibilidade �� hist��ria do IMPA, de seus pesquisadores, suas ��reas de atua����o para al��m dos limites do cen��rio da pesquisa matem��tica, alcan��ando um p��blico cada vez mais amplo e diverso. Isto poderia influenciar de forma ainda mais vigorosa a forma����o de jovens em geral, e em particular, de futuros matem��ticos. Tamb��m poder�� incrementar as pesquisas sobre a hist��ria da matem��tica no Brasil e a trajet��ria dos pesquisadores que a fizerem e dela fazem parte.

The aliasing effect, the Fejer Kernel and temporally aggregated long memory processes

This paper derives the spectral density function of aggregated long memory processes in light of the aliasing effect. The results are different from previous analyses in the literature and a small simulation exercise provides evidence in our favour. The main result point to that flow aggregates from long memory processes shall be less biased than stock ones, although both retain the degree of long memory. This result is illustrated with the daily US Dollar/ French Franc exchange rate series.

Rui Barbosa nas exposi����es comemorativas da Casa de Rui Barbosa

Este trabalho pretende examinar como as exposi����es fotogr��ficas produzidas pela Casa Rui Barbosa em torno da figura de Rui Barbosa constru��ram, a partir do final da d��cada de 1940, uma mem��ria sobre a vida e a obra desse importante personagem da hist��ria brasileira. Essa investiga����o pretende demonstrar a import��ncia dos acervos privados e p��blicos na constru����o cont��nua do patrim��nio cultural e da mem��ria do pa��s.

The internationalization of the cosmetic retail industry: a history of success?

O setor de varejo foi cada vez mais global ao longo das ��ltimas d��cadas, ilustrando visualmente a globaliza����o dos neg��cios. Muitos varejistas est��o apostando em expandir, as atividades ao n��vel internacional, a fim de evitar a satura����o da atividade no pa��s de origem deles (Alexander, 1990), de aumentar os lucros ou de imitar os concorrentes (Williams, 1992). Portanto, eles tornaram-se competidores globais consider��veis: eles fornecem novos produtos no mercado, al��m de ser mais influentes na cadeia de abastecimento global (Williams, 1992). Em rela����o �� internacionaliza����o do varejo, a ind��stria cosm��tica oferece com exemplos de muitas realiza����es bem- sucedidas. O objetivo deste trabalho �� analisar o processo de internacionaliza����o de v��rios varejistas globais, especializados na venda de produtos cosm��ticos. Mesmo que o campo de internacionaliza����o no varejo j�� foi no passado o objeto de v��rios estudos, este trabalho visa a compreender, por meio da utiliza����o de um estudo de caso m��ltiplo, a estrat��gia de retalhistas cosm��ticos que entram nos mercados internacionais. Por meio de um estudo qualitativo, a quest��o principal que orienta este trabalho ser�� a de compreender se o varejo de cosm��ticos segue as mesmas estrat��gias de neg��cio e estrat��gias de marketing para se tornar global. O estudo de casos m��ltiplos foi escolhido a fim de comparar quatro empresas, especializadas na venda de produtos de cosm��tica, com atividades no exterior. Os resultados claramente exibem diferen��as entre os processos de internacionaliza����o, baseado especialmente na nacionalidade das empresas sob analise.