The current work assesses the relationship between reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) and Personality Traits for the DSM-5 (PID-5), to explore the degree to which they are associated with mood disorder symptoms. Participants (N = 138) from a large public university in the South were administered a semi-structured interview to assess for current mood disorder and anxiety symptoms. They were also administered self-report inventories, including the Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS) and Behavioral Approach System (BAS) scales and the Personality Inventory for DSM-5 (PID-5). Results indicate that both the BIS/BAS scales and the PID-5 scales were strongly associated with current mood symptoms. However, the maladaptive personality traits demonstrated significantly greater associations with symptoms compared to the BIS/BAS scales. Results also indicated support for using a 2-factor model of BIS as opposed to a single factor model. Personality models (such as the five factor model) are strongly associated with mood symptoms. Results from this study add to the literature by demonstrating credibility of an alternative five-factor model of personality focused on maladaptive traits. Knowledge of individual maladaptive personality profiles can be easily obtained and used to influence case conceptualizations and create treatment plans in clinical settings.

ABSTRACT Over the last few years Bipolar Disorder has been associated with chronic neuropsychological deficits that remain even when episodes of depression, mania or hypomania remit. Furthermore Bipolar Disorder has been associated with progressive cognitive impairment, leading to the description of the illness as chronic and deteriorating, rather than as an illness with discreet episodes from which patients can fully recover. The results of neuropsychological studies have been criticized for methodological weaknesses however. The present study attempted to address these weaknesses. The aim was primarily to establish whether neuropsychological impairment exists in euthymic patients, and secondarily, to establish if neuropsychological functioning deteriorates with illness severity. Sixteen euthymic Bipolar I disordered patients were matched for age and sex to 16 controls and subjected to a battery of neuropsychological tests. Matched pair T-tests were used to identify if significant differences in neuropsychological functioning existed between the two groups. The ANOVA technique was used to determine if neuropsychological functioning deteriorated with illness severity. Markers of illness severity utilised in this study were number of depressive episodes, number of manic episodes, number of suicide attempts and number of hospitalisations. The results indicated that neuropsychological differences between the patient and control group were minimal and not clinically significant. The present study sample was medically and psychologically well managed and enjoyed good support structures and their neuropsychological functioning did not deteriorate with illness severity. It was concluded that the sample size and the nature of the sample selected could perhaps have affected the study outcome. It was therefore hypothesized that bipolar disorder is not a homogenous group and that protective factors may exist which affect the course and outcome of the illness. These protective factors should be the subject of further investigation as they are likely to significantly impact on the natural history of this disease process.

O Transtorno de Humor Bipolar (THB) é uma importante causa de incapacidade funcional, cognitiva e social. Mais recentemente, a internet tem se tornado uma ferramenta importante de inserção social. A capacidade do ser humano de agrupar-se em redes sociais, on-line e offline, está associada à sua funcionalidade e cognição. As redes sociais on-line mudaram a forma como as pessoas se comunicam, levam informações e obtém apoio social. A internet tornou-se peça fundamental do quotidiano das pessoas e influencia muito no desenvolvimento pessoal. Os grupos sociais são transformados e as pessoas interagem também virtualmente. Esta compreensão da influência da modificação da sociedade no comportamento é importante para compreender as relações sociais também de pacientes com THB. Além disso, o desengajamento social é associado com uma pior qualidade de vida e pior saúde física e psicológica. Ainda, pessoas com bom suporte social possuem uma probabilidade maior de uma sobrevida mais longa do que aqueles que vivem vidas mais solitárias. No entanto, a rede social pode estar limitada no THB por aspectos associados à patologia, como a cognição e sintomas. É também o conhecimento e a capacidade de usar meios eletrônicos que hoje podem influenciar no acesso à educação e na competitividade no mercado de trabalho. Apesar disso, ainda não há estudos que tenham investigado como o THB pode afetar o comportamento através da internet. Os resultados deste trabalho sugerem que os pacientes com THB possuem redes sociais mais pobres não somente na vida real (SNN: p<0.001), como também virtualmente (FBN: p=0.036). / Bipolar disorder is a significant cause of functional, cognitive and social impairment. More recently, the Internet has become an essential part of everyday life and an important tool for social inclusion. The capacity of human beings to group themselves on social networks, on-line and offline, is associated with their functionality and cognition. The SNS have changed the way people communicate, get information and take social support. The Internet has become an essential part of life and influences personal development. Social groups are transformed and people also interact virtually. This understanding of the influence of society on behavior modification is important for understanding social relations also in patients with BD. Moreover, the social disengagement is associated with a poorer quality of life and poorer physical and psychological health. Besides, people with good social support have a higher probability of a longer survival than those who live more solitary lives. However, social network may be limited in BD by factors associated with the pathology, such as cognition and humor symptoms. It is also the knowledge and the ability to use electronic media today that may influence access to education and competitiveness in the labor market. In short, since there are no studies that have investigated how BD can affect behavior through the Internet. The results of this study suggests that patients with BD show smaller social networks both in real-world settings (SNN: p<0.001) and on on the Internet (FBN: p=0.036).

No description available.

No description available.

The nonlinear behaviour of the base emitter junction in HBTs is investigated. Nonlinearities cause troublesome distortion and intermodulation of signals and raise the bit error rate. They are therefore a key issue in microwave communication systems. Hewlett-Packard's Microwave Design System (MDS) software package has been used to simulate these phenomena. The simulation results are verified by an analytical method called nonlinear current method which is a derivative of the Volterra series approach. With the aid of this method new analytical expressions are derived that provide insight into the subtleties of nonlinear phenomena. These expressions are evaluated by the program MAPLE and subsequently compared with the MDS results. Two different models for the B-E junction are juxtaposed. The derived equations reveal the identity and correspondence between the two models. Finally, this thesis also addresses harmonic balance simulation which is the type of simulation MDS employs to simulate nonlinear circuits.

Magister en ciencias biomédicas, mención neurociencias / Introducción: La percepción olfatoria en trastornos psiquiátricos es tema de interés creciente en el último tiempo. En pacientes con depresión se ha encontrado una sensibilidad olfatoria disminuida, la cual se normaliza tras la mejoría sintomática y/o el uso de antidepresivos (1). No se han observado alteraciones en la identificación de odorantes en pacientes depresivos (2). De nuestro conocimiento, hay escasos trabajos referentes a medidas psicofísicas olfatorias en pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar (3,4). Objetivo: El siguiente estudio pretende evaluar la capacidad olfatoria de identificación, valencia hedónica y sensibilidad a odorantes en pacientes con trastorno afectivo bipolar, cursando un episodio maniaco, posteriormente en eutimia y compararlos con un grupo control. Metodología: Se midió la capacidad de identificación a odorantes y valencia hedónica olfatoria mediante el uso de “Sniffing Sticks” de Hummel (5,6), la sensibilidad olfatoria para isoamil acetato, ácido propiónico con el método de escala reversa, y la sensibilidad olfatoria subjetiva usando una escala análoga de autoregistro a 15 pacientes bipolares en estado maniaco, posteriormente en eutimia junto con un grupo control. Todos los pacientes y controles fueron pareados por edad, sexo y conducta tabáquica. Resultados: Encontramos una sensibilidad olfatoria aumentada para isoamil acetato (odorante de estimulación exclusiva olfatoria exclusiva) para el grupo de pacientes maniacos en relación tanto al grupo control, como al de eutimia. No hubo cambios en la sensibilidad olfatoria para ácido propiónico, ni diferencias en la sensibilidad subjetiva entre los distintos grupos. Encontramos una identificación olfatoria disminuida en el grupo de pacientes maniacos en relación a los otros dos grupos. Esta diferencia en la identificación olfatoria desapareció al excluir en los datos a aquellos pacientes con síntomas psicóticos. A su vez, encontramos un aumento significativo en la valencia hedónica para odorantes, en el grupo de paciente bipolares, tanto en estado maniaco como al lograr eutimia, comparados con el grupo control. Odorantes que fueron referidos placenteros por el grupo control, siguieron siéndolo para el grupo de 10 pacientes bipolares, quienes además referían como más placenteros odorantes considerados neutros o incluso desagradables, por el grupo control. Discusión: La caracterización de estas variables olfatorias, si bien la muestra es de sólo 15 pacientes, sugiere que habría una alteración en la sensibilidad olfatoria exclusiva en fase maniaca, que no se acompaña de un aumento en la sensibilidad subjetiva y que se normaliza al lograr eutimia. Pacientes bipolares no tendrían alteraciones en la identificación olfatoria (salvo aquellos con síntomas psicóticos). Paciente bipolares maniacos y en estado de eutimia presentan una valencia hedónica olfatoria aumentada y ampliada a más odorantes que el grupo control. Conclusión Consideramos se requieren mayores estudios en pacientes bipolares, especialmente con respecto a la sensibilidad olfatoria, y en la valencia hedónica olfatoria, los cuales pueden corresponder a factores de estado y rasgo respectivamente. Consideramos se necesitan más investigación y estudios que sustenten estos resultados, y nos parece que esta línea de investigación podría llegar a ser de utilidad en la clínica de cuadros anímicos como eventual marcador biofísico, por ejemplo.

Introduction: Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness, but medications and psychosocial approaches designed to treat it leave significant room for improvement. This study investigated Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR), a treatment originally designed to reduce anxiety, as a way to reduce manic symptoms. Methods: Participants with bipolar I disorder (n = 44) were assigned via stratified randomization to complete PMR or a control condition (self-focused calming). Participants underwent a positive mood induction procedure, and completed several measures of manic symptoms at Session 1 and Session 2 (several weeks later). Results: Among those who experienced a successful positive mood induction, PMR and the control condition generally resulted in similar reductions in high-arousal positive affect. Participants who practiced PMR between the two sessions tended to experience greater reductions in positive affect at Session 2 compared to those who did not practice. Discussion: The relative parity of the PMR and control conditions suggests that people with bipolar I disorder have effective strategies for regulating positive emotions. Rather than teaching additional strategies, it may be more fruitful to develop methods for helping people with bipolar disorder to implement the strategies that work for them.

Abstract The objectives of the thesis are to study and research the function of the fuel cell¡¦s bipolar plate which is vital to the Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell¡Aand to create a new bipolar plate composed of nonhomogeneous plate and conductive object which conductive object are put through light weight plastic plate in consideration of low cost¡Bmini size¡Blight weight and high efficiency¡Atogether with a series of test for its capability. Of the same section area¡Athe electric resistance of carbon fiber used in this experiment is lower than traditional graphite bipolar plate.According to related literature¡Athe resistant of the graphite bipolar plateis lower than the ones made of other materials or composite material.The carbon fiber is a suitable conductive object for bipolar plate consequently. Without leakage¡Athe material are stand the differential pressure up to 0.5 kg/cm2 through the leakage/pressure tests.It is good enough in most of practical application.The strength of bipolar plate to resist the differential pressure is related to the plate strength and the strength of bond¡Ainterface between bond and plate or bond and carbon fiber.The proper bond is very important in this case. The efficiency of fuel cell decreases rapidly in line with the increase of loading during the efficiency test of fuel cell and sudden drop portion situates at Ohm resistance domain.Other papers describe about the main factor of Ohm resistance domain is resistance loss¡Aparameter include conductive coefficient¡Barea of conductive material¡Blength of conductive material.The most different of experiment compare with previous is the area of conductive material.Therefore the area of conductive fiber in bipolar plate influences the efficiency of fuel cell a lot. Through the research¡Athe availability of the new bipolar plate composed of nonhomogeneous plate and conductive object is proven and the cause of its defect in efficiency is identified for improvement in practical application.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1986. / Bibliography: leaves 308-310. / Photocopy. / xxix, 310 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm