Versão breve da social rhythm metric: um instrumento para avaliar ritmo social de pacientes com acidente vascular cerebral

Stroke is a neurological disorder caused by restriction of blood flow to the brain, which generates directly a deficit of functionality that affects the quality of life of patients. The aim of this study was to establish a short version of the Social Rhythm Scale (SRM), to assess the social rhythm of stroke patients. The sample consisted of 84 patients, of both sexes, with injury time exceeding 6 months. For seven days, patients recorded the time held 17 activities of SRM. Data analysis was performed using a principal components factor analysis with varimax rotation of the full version of SRM in order to determine which activities could compose brief versions of SRM. We then carried out a comparison of hits, the ALI (Level Activity Index) and SRM, between versions, by Kruskal-Walls and the Mann-Whitney test. The Spearman correlation test was used to evaluate the correlation between the score of the full version of SRM with short versions. It was found that the activities of SRM were distributed in three versions: the first and second with 6 activities and third with 3 activities. Regarding hits, it was found that they ranged from 4.9 to 5.8 on the first version; 2.3 to 3.8 in version 2 and 2.8 to 6.2 in version 3, the first the only version that did not show low values. The analysis of ALI, in version 1, the median was 29, in version 2 was 14 and in version 3 was 18. Significant difference in the values of ALI between versions 1 and 2, between 2 and 3 and between versions 1 and 3. The highest median was found in the first version, formed by activities: out of bed, first contact, drink coffee, watch TV in the evening and go to bed. The lowest median was observed in the second version and this was not what had fewer activities, but which had social activities. The medians of the SRM version 1 was 6, version 2 was 4 and version 3 was 6. Significant difference in the values of SRM between versions 1 and 2 and between 2 and 3, but no significant difference between versions 1 and 3. Through analysis, we found a significant correlation only between the full version and the version 1 (R2 = 0.61) (p <0.05), no correlation was found with version 2 (R2 = 0.007) nor with version 3 (R2 = 0.002), this was finally a factor to consider version 1 as the short brazilian version of the Social Rhythm Metric for stroke patients

Efeitos de vocalizações de co-específicos e do escuro sobre o ritmo circadiano da atividade motora em sagüis (Callithrix jacchus)

The principal zeitgeber for most of species is the light-dark photocycle (LD), though other environment factors as food availability, temperature and social cues may act. Daily adjustment of the circadian pacemaker may result from integration of environmental photic and non-photic cues with homeostatic cues. Characterization of non-photic effects on circadian timing system in diurnal mammals is scarce in relation to nocturnal, especially for ecologically significant cues. Thus, we analyzed the effect of conspecific vocalizations and darkness on circadian activity rhythm (CAR) in the diurnal primate Callithirx jacchus. With this objective 7 male adults were isolated in a room with controlled illumination, temperature (26,8 ± 0,2°C) and humidity (81,6 ± 3,6%), and partial acoustic isolation. Initially they were under LD 12:12 (~300:2 lux), and subsequently under constant illumination (~2 lux). Two pulses of conspecific vocalizations were applied in total darkness, separated by 22 days, at 7:30 h (external time) during 1 h. They induced phase delays at circadian times (CTs) 1 and 10 and predominantly phase advances at CTs 9 and 15. After that, two dark pulses were applied, separated by 14 days, during 1 h at 7:30 h (external time). These pulses induced phase delays at CTs 2, 3 and 18, predominantly phase advances at CTs 8, 10 and 19, and no change at CT 14. However, marmosets CAR showed oscillations in endogenous period and active phase duration influenced by vocalizations from animals outside the experimental room, which interfered on the phase responses to pulses. Furthermore, social masking and relative coordination with colony were observed. Therefore, phase responses obtained in this work cannot be attributed only to pulses. Afterwards, pulses of conspecific vocalizations were applied in total darkness at 19:00 h (external time), during 1 h for 5 consecutive days, and after 21 days, for 30 consecutive days, on attempt to synchronize the CAR. No animal was synchronized by these daily pulses, although oscillations in endogenous period were observed for all. This result may be due to habituation. Other possibility is the absence of social significance of the vocalizations for the animals due to random reproduction, since each vocalization has a function that could be lost by a mixture of sounds. In conclusion, conspecific vocalizations induce social masking and relative coordination in marmosets CAR, acting as weak zeitgeber

Caracterização do ritmo circadiano de atividade e repouso em saguis idosos (Callithrix Jacchus)

Advanced age may become a limiting factor for the maintenance of rhythms in organisms, reducing the capacity of generation and synchronization of biological rhythms. In this study, the influence of aging on the expression of endogenous periodicity and synchronization (photic and social) of the circadian activity rhythm (CAR) was evaluated in a diurnal primate, the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). This study had two approaches: one with longitudinal design, performed with a male marmoset in two different phases: adult (three years) and older (9 y.o.) (study 1) and the second, a transversal approach, with 6 old (♂: 9.7 ± 2.0 y.o.) and 11 adults animals (♂: 4.2 ± 0.8 y.o.) (study 2). The evaluation of the photic synchronization involved two conditions in LD (natural and artificial illuminations). In study 1, the animal was subjected to the following stages: LD (12:12 ~ 350: ~ 2 lx), LL (~ 350 lx) and LD resynchronization. In the second study, the animals were initially evaluated in natural LD, and then the same sequence stages of study 1. During the LL stage in study 2, the vocalizations of conspecifics kept in natural LD on the outside of the colony were considered temporal cue to the social synchronization. The record of the activity was performed automatically at intervals of five minutes through infrared sensor and actimeters, in studies 1 and 2, respectively. In general, the aged showed a more fragmented activity pattern (> IV < H and > PSD, ANOVA, p < 0.05), lower levels of activity (ANOVA, p < 0.05) and shorter duration of active phase (ANOVA, p < 0.05) in LD conditions, when compared to adults. In natural LD, the aged presented phase delay pronounced for onset and offset of active phase (ANOVA, p < 0.05), while the adults had the active phase more adjusted to light phase. Under artificial LD, there was phase advance and greater adjustment of onset and offset of activity in relation to the LD in the aged (ANOVA, p < 0.05). In LL, there was a positive correlation between age and the endogenous period () in the first 20 days (Spearman correlation, p < 0.05), with prolonged  held in two aged animals. In this condition, most adults showed free-running period of the circadian activity rhythm with  < 24 h for the first 30 days and later on relative coordination mediated by auditory cues. In study 2, the cross-correlation analysis between the activity profiles of the animals in LL with control animals kept under natural LD, found that there was less social synchronization in the aged. With the resubmission to the LD, the resynchronization rate was slower in the aged (t-test; p < 0.05) and in just one aged animal there was a loss of resynchronization capability. According to the data set, it is suggested that the aging in marmosets may be related to: 1) lower amplitude and greater fragmentation of the activity, accompanied to phase delay with extension of period, caused by changes in a photic input, in the generation and behavioral expression of the CAR; 2) lower capacity of the circadian activity rhythm to photic synchronization, that can become more robust in artificial lighting conditions, possibly due to the higher light intensities at the beginning of the active phase due to the abrupt transitions between the light and dark phases; and 3) smaller capacity of non-photic synchronization for auditory cues from conspecifics, possibly due to reducing sensory inputs and responsiveness of the circadian oscillators to auditory cues, what can make the aged marmoset most vulnerable, as these social cues may act as an important supporting factor for the photic synchronization.

Caracterização do ritmo circadiano de atividade e repouso em saguis idosos (Callithrix Jacchus)

Advanced age may become a limiting factor for the maintenance of rhythms in organisms, reducing the capacity of generation and synchronization of biological rhythms. In this study, the influence of aging on the expression of endogenous periodicity and synchronization (photic and social) of the circadian activity rhythm (CAR) was evaluated in a diurnal primate, the marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). This study had two approaches: one with longitudinal design, performed with a male marmoset in two different phases: adult (three years) and older (9 y.o.) (study 1) and the second, a transversal approach, with 6 old (♂: 9.7 ± 2.0 y.o.) and 11 adults animals (♂: 4.2 ± 0.8 y.o.) (study 2). The evaluation of the photic synchronization involved two conditions in LD (natural and artificial illuminations). In study 1, the animal was subjected to the following stages: LD (12:12 ~ 350: ~ 2 lx), LL (~ 350 lx) and LD resynchronization. In the second study, the animals were initially evaluated in natural LD, and then the same sequence stages of study 1. During the LL stage in study 2, the vocalizations of conspecifics kept in natural LD on the outside of the colony were considered temporal cue to the social synchronization. The record of the activity was performed automatically at intervals of five minutes through infrared sensor and actimeters, in studies 1 and 2, respectively. In general, the aged showed a more fragmented activity pattern (> IV < H and > PSD, ANOVA, p < 0.05), lower levels of activity (ANOVA, p < 0.05) and shorter duration of active phase (ANOVA, p < 0.05) in LD conditions, when compared to adults. In natural LD, the aged presented phase delay pronounced for onset and offset of active phase (ANOVA, p < 0.05), while the adults had the active phase more adjusted to light phase. Under artificial LD, there was phase advance and greater adjustment of onset and offset of activity in relation to the LD in the aged (ANOVA, p < 0.05). In LL, there was a positive correlation between age and the endogenous period () in the first 20 days (Spearman correlation, p < 0.05), with prolonged  held in two aged animals. In this condition, most adults showed free-running period of the circadian activity rhythm with  < 24 h for the first 30 days and later on relative coordination mediated by auditory cues. In study 2, the cross-correlation analysis between the activity profiles of the animals in LL with control animals kept under natural LD, found that there was less social synchronization in the aged. With the resubmission to the LD, the resynchronization rate was slower in the aged (t-test; p < 0.05) and in just one aged animal there was a loss of resynchronization capability. According to the data set, it is suggested that the aging in marmosets may be related to: 1) lower amplitude and greater fragmentation of the activity, accompanied to phase delay with extension of period, caused by changes in a photic input, in the generation and behavioral expression of the CAR; 2) lower capacity of the circadian activity rhythm to photic synchronization, that can become more robust in artificial lighting conditions, possibly due to the higher light intensities at the beginning of the active phase due to the abrupt transitions between the light and dark phases; and 3) smaller capacity of non-photic synchronization for auditory cues from conspecifics, possibly due to reducing sensory inputs and responsiveness of the circadian oscillators to auditory cues, what can make the aged marmoset most vulnerable, as these social cues may act as an important supporting factor for the photic synchronization.

Peak residential electricity demand and social practices: Deriving flexibility and greenhouse gas intensities from time use and locational data

Peak residential electricity demand takes place when people conduct simultaneous activities at specific times of the day. Social practices generate patterns of demand and can help understand why, where, with whom and when energy services are used at peak time. The aim of this work is to make use of recent UK time use and locational data to better understand: (i) how a set of component indices on synchronisation, variation, sharing and mobility indicate flexibility to shift demand; and (ii) the links between people’s activities and peaks in greenhouse gases’ intensities. The analysis is based on a recent UK time use dataset, providing 1 minute interval data from GPS devices and 10 minute data from diaries and questionnaires for 175 data days comprising 153 respondents. Findings show how greenhouse gases’ intensities and flexibility to shift activities vary throughout the day. Morning peaks are characterised by high levels of synchronisation, shared activities and occupancy, with low variation of activities. Evening peaks feature low synchronisation, and high spatial mobility variation of activities. From a network operator perspective, the results indicate that periods with lower flexibility may be prone to more significant local network loads due to the synchronization of electricity-demanding activities.

Assortative and modular networks are shaped by adaptive synchronization processes

Modular organization and degree-degree correlations are ubiquitous in the connectivity structure of biological, technological, and social interacting systems. So far most studies have concentrated on unveiling both features in real world networks, but a model that succeeds in generating them simultaneously is needed. We consider a network of interacting phase oscillators, and an adaptation mechanism for the coupling that promotes the connection strengths between those elements that are dynamically correlated. We show that, under these circumstances, the dynamical organization of the oscillators shapes the topology of the graph in such a way that modularity and assortativity features emerge spontaneously and simultaneously. In turn, we prove that such an emergent structure is associated with an asymptotic arrangement of the collective dynamical state of the network into cluster synchronization.

Time's Social Metaphors: An empirical research

The article addresses the analysis of time images furnished by a qualitative research made in Spain on the relations of working time and family/personal time. The analysis focuses on three widespread time metaphors used in day-to-day speeches by social agents. The first one is the metaphor of time as resource for action. Its value is equally economical, moral and political. Used in different context of action, it may mean something that can be either invested, donated generously to others, appropriated for caring for oneself, or spent without purpose with others. The second metaphor represents time as an external environment to which action must adapt. This metaphor shows many variants that represent time as a dynamic/static, repetitive/innovative, ordered/chaotic environment. In this external environment, the agents must resolve the problems of temporal embeddedness, hierarchy and synchronization of their actions. The third metaphor shows time as a horizon of action intentionality where the agents try to construct the meaning of their action and identity. Within this horizon the construction of a significant narrative connecting past and present experiences with future expectations is possible.

On the interpretation of synchronization in EEG hyperscanning studies:a cautionary note

EEG Hyperscanning is a method for studying two or more individuals simultaneously with the objective of elucidating how co-variations in their neural activity (i.e., hyperconnectivity) are influenced by their behavioral and social interactions. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of different hyper-connectivity measures using (i) simulated data, where the degree of coupling could be systematically manipulated, and (ii) individually recorded human EEG combined into pseudo-pairs of participants where no hyper-connections could exist. With simulated data we found that each of the most widely used measures of hyperconnectivity were biased and detected hyper-connections where none existed. With pseudo-pairs of human data we found spurious hyper-connections that arose because there were genuine similarities between the EEG recorded from different people independently but under the same experimental conditions. Specifically, there were systematic differences between experimental conditions in terms of the rhythmicity of the EEG that were common across participants. As any imbalance between experimental conditions in terms of stimulus presentation or movement may affect the rhythmicity of the EEG, this problem could apply in many hyperscanning contexts. Furthermore, as these spurious hyper-connections reflected real similarities between the EEGs, they were not Type-1 errors that could be overcome by some appropriate statistical control. However, some measures that have not previously been used in hyperconnectivity studies, notably the circular correlation co-efficient (CCorr), were less susceptible to detecting spurious hyper-connections of this type. The reason for this advantage in performance is discussed and the use of the CCorr as an alternative measure of hyperconnectivity is advocated. © 2013 Burgess.

Mecanismos de sincronia social no ritmo circadiano de atividade durante a coabitação em casais de saguis (Callithrix jacchus)

In marmosets, it was observed that the synchrony among circadian activity profiles of animals that cohabite in family groups is stronger than those of the same sex and age of different families. Inside the group, it is stronger between the younger ones than between them and their parents. However, the mechanisms involved in the social synchrony are unknown. With the aim to investigate the synchronization mechanisms involved in the synchrony between the circadian activity profiles during cohabitation in pairs of marmosets, the motor activity was continuously registered by the use of actmeters on three dyads. The pairs were maintained in two different conditions of illumination: light-dark cycle LD 12:12 (LD cohabitation I – 21 days), and thereafter in LL (~350 lux). Under LL, the pairs were submitted to four experimental situations: 1. Cohabitation (LLJ I – 24 days), 2. Removal of one member of the pair to another room with similar conditions (LLS I – 20 days), 3. Reintroduction of the separated member in the cage of the first situation (LLJ II – 30 days) and 4. Removal of a member from each pair to another experimental room (LLS II – 7 days), to evaluate the mechanisms of synchronization. Ultimately, the members of each pair were reintroduced in the cage and were kept in LD cycle 12:12 (LDJ II – 11 days). The rhythms of pairs free-ran in LL, with identical periods between the members of each pair during the two stages of cohabitation. In the stages in which the animals were separated, only the rhythms of two females free-ran in the first stage and of three animals in the second one. In those conditions, the rhythms of animals of each pair showed different endogenous periods. Besides, during cohabitation in LD and LL, the members of each pair showed a stable phase relationship in the beginning of the active phase, while in the stages in which the animals were separated it was noticed a breaking in the stability in the phase relationships between the circadian activity profiles, with an increase in the difference in the phase angles between them. During cohabitation, at the transition between LD and LL, all animals showed free-running rhythms anticipating progressively the beginning and the end of the active phase in a phase similar to the previous condition, showing signs of entrainment to the previous LD. While in the posterior stages this was observed in only three animals between: LLT I and LLS I, and LLT II and LLS II, evidencing signs of entrainment to social cues between the members of each pair. On the other hand, one animal delayed progressively between LLT I and LLS I, three animals delayed between LLS I and LLT II, and three animals between LLT II and LLS II, perhaps by entrainment to the animals maintained outdoors in the colony. Similar process was observed in four animals between LLS II and LDT II, indicating entrainment to LD. In the transition between LLS I and LLT II, signs of masking was observed in the rhythm of a female in response to the male and in another pair in the rhythm of the male in regard to that of the female. The general and maximum correlations in the circadian activity profiles were stronger during cohabitation in LD and LL than in the absence of social contact in LL, evidencing the social effect. The cohabiting pairs had higher values of the maximum correlation in LD and LL than when the profiles were correlated to animals of different cages, with same or different sexes. Similar results were observed in the general correlation. Therefore, it is suggested that cohabitation induces a strong synchrony between circadian activity profiles in marmosets, which involves entrainment and masking. Nevertheless, additional studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of social cues on the synchronization of the circadian rhythm in pairs of marmosets in the absence of external social cues in order to confirm this hypothesis.

The effect of gender context on children's social behaviour in a limited resources situation : an observational study

Knowing when to compete and when to cooperate to maximize opportunities for equal access to activities and materials in groups is critical to children's social and cognitive development. The present study examined the individual (gender, social competence) and contextual factors (gender context) that may determine why some children are more successful than others. One hundred and fifty-six children (M age=6.5 years) were divided into 39 groups of four and videotaped while engaged in a task that required them to cooperate in order to view cartoons. Children within all groups were unfamiliar to one another. Groups varied in gender composition (all girls, all boys, or mixed-sex) and social competence (high vs. low). Group composition by gender interaction effects were found. Girls were most successful at gaining viewing time in same-sex groups, and least successful in mixed-sex groups. Conversely, boys were least successful in same-sex groups and most successful in mixed-sex groups. Similar results were also found at the group level of analysis; however, the way in which the resources were distributed differed as a function of group type. Same-sex girl groups were inequitable but efficient whereas same-sex boy groups were more equitable than mixed groups but inefficient compared to same-sex girl groups. Social competence did not influence children's behavior. The findings from the present study highlight the effect of gender context on cooperation and competition and the relevance of adopting an unfamiliar peer paradigm when investigating children's social behavior.