Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS) is a serious sleep disordered affecting up to 24% of men and 9% of woman in the middle aged population. The current standard for the OSAHS diagnosis is Polysomnography (PSG), which refers to the continuous monitoring of multiple physiological variables over the course of a night. The main outcomes of the PSG test are the OSAHS severity measures, such as the Respiratory Disturbance Index (RDI), Arousal Index, Latencies and other information to determine the macro sleep architecture (MSA), which is defined by Wake, Rapid-eye-movement (REM) and non-REM states of sleep. The MSA results are essential for computing the diagnostic measures reported in a PSG. The existing methods of the MSA analysis require the recording of 5-7 electrophysiological signals, including the Electroencephalogram (EEG), Electroculogram (EOG), and the Electromyogram (EMG). Sleep clinicians have to depend on the manual scoring of the overnight data records using the criteria given by Rechtschaffen and Kales (R&K, 1968). The manual analysis of MSA is tedious, subjective and suffers from inter- and intra-scorer variability. Additionally, the RDI and the Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) parameters although used as the primary measures of the OSAHS severity, suffers from subjectivity, low reproducibility and a poor correlation with the symptoms of OSAHS. Sleep is essentially a neuropsychological phenomenon, and the EEG remains the best technique for the functional imaging of the brain during sleep. The EEG is the direct result of the neuronal activity of the brain. However, despite the potential, the wealth of information available in the EEG signal remains virtually untapped in current OSAHS diagnosis. Although the EEG is extensively used in traditional sleep analysis, its usage is mainly limited to staging sleep, based on the four-decade old R&K criteria. This thesis addresses these issues plaguing the PSG. We develop a novel, fully-automated algorithm (Higher-order Estimated Sleep States, HESS-algorithm) for the MSA analysis, which requires only one channel of the EEG data. We also develop an objective MSA analysis technique that uses a single, one-dimensional slice of the Bispectrum of the EEG, representing a nonlinear transformation of a system function that can be considered as the EEG generator. The agreement between the human and the proposed technology was found to be in the range of 70%-87%, which are similar to those, possible between expert human scorers. The ability of the HESS algorithm to compute the MSA parameters reliably and objectively will make a dramatic impact on the diagnosis and treatment of OSAHS and other sleep diseases, such as insomnia. The proposed technology uses low-computation-load Bispectrum techniques independent of R&K Criteria (1968) making real-time automated analysis a reality. In the thesis we also propose a new index (the IHSI) to characterise the severity of sleep apnea. The new index is based on the hemispherical asymmetry of the brain and is computed from the EEG coherence analysis. We achieved a significant (p=0.0001) accuracy of up to 91% in classifying patients into apneic and non-apneic group. Our statistical analysis results show that the IHSI carries potential for providing us with a reproducible measure to assist in diagnosing of OSAHS. With the proposed methods in this thesis it may be possible to develop the technology that will not only attempt to screen the OSAHS patients but will be able to provide OSAHS diagnosis with detailed sleep architecture via home based test. These technologies will simplify the instrumentation dramatically and will make possible to extend EEG/MSA analysis to portable systems as well.

L'interaction d'échange dans l'3He liquide dégénéré est à l'origine d'effets cohérents comme les ondes de spin ou l'effet Leggett-Rice. Ces effets sont bien décrits à basse polarisation par les équations de Leggett et ne sont visibles qu'à très basse température et dans des champs magnétiques assez forts. La question se pose si à forte polarisation l'espace de phase entre les niveaux de Fermi « up » et « down » est disponible pour des collisions amortissant la cohérence de spin, même à température nulle. Dans ce cas, le temps de collision pour ces effets cohérents varie comme 1/(T2+TA2) où TA est proportionnel à la polarisation et induit la dissipation à T = 0 K. Il y a eu un grand débat à la fois théorique et expérimental sur l'existence de cette dissipation et, jusqu'à présent, seule l'expérience sur l'effet Leggett-Rice de Akimoto et al. permet de trancher en faveur d'un modèle théorique (celui qui prédit TA>0). Nous avons travaillé entre 10 et 30 mK sous 11,3 Tesla, la différence par rapport aux autres groupes étant que nous travaillons hors-équilibre, avec un gain en polarisation pouvant dépasser 3 (ce qui équivaut à un champ magnétique effectif de plus de 30 Tesla). Dans ces conditions nous mesurons TA/Beff ~ 0,3 mK/Tesla, ce qui est compatible avec le même modèle théorique.<br /> L'étalonnage en température des viscosimètres à fil vibrant a mis en évidence un effet surprenant. En dessous de 100 mK et pour tous les fils étudiés (diamètres compris entre 25 et 115 μm), les mélanges 3He-4He se comportent comme des liquides normaux en volume, mais comme des superfluides en surface : le transfert d'impulsion parallèle à l'interface entre le fil<br />et le liquide est presque nul. Le départ de l'hydrodynamique est paramétré par une longueur de<br />glissement qui est d'habitude de l'ordre du libre parcours moyen. Nous avons vu une augmentation de cette longueur d'un facteur 1000 à cause de la présence d'un film d'4He superfluide sur les parois. En dessous de 10 mK, quand le libre parcours moyen devient de l'ordre du diamètre du fil, nous observons également un glissement perpendiculaire à la surface du fil. Le modèle microscopique de Bowley et Owers-Bradley est en très bon accord avec nos données et permet d'extraire la viscosité du mélange, que nous convertissons en température pour les mesures d'ondes de spin.

Ce memoire resume mes activites de recherche pour la periode 1996-2002. Ce travail s'est articule autour de trois themes : (1) optique de champ proche et nano-optique, (2) propagation et imagerie en milieu diffusant, (3) emission thermique et coherence aux courtes echelles.

<p>The aim of my study was to investigate a few young peoples experience of their treatment. The study was qualitative based on interviews with three young persons at the end of their treatment there. The subject was chosen because this kind of youth housing is an interesting alternative to institutional care for young people, despite there is not much known about the results of the treatment. The results were analyzed from earlier research and central concepts from the theory of empowerment and Anton Antonovskys theory about Sense of coherence. The results of this study show that these young peoples are satisfied with their treatment at the youth housing. They felt that a positive change and an improvement of their self-esteem had occurred. Another interesting result of the study shows is that these young people have developed from being a hostile teenager at the edge of a life where they could see no future to living as responsible grown-ups with a much brighter perspective of the future full of hopes and dreams.</p>

<p>Forskning har visat att self-efficacy, självkänsla, KASAM och locus of control alla har en effekt på graden av upplevd stress. Dock inte alla tillsammans, vilket denna studie avsåg att undersöka samt deras inbördes relationer och vilken variabel som predicerar stress bäst. Högskolestudenter (<em>n </em>= 65) svarade på varsin enkät. Resultatet visade att alla variablerna hade signifikant negativ korrelation med upplevd stress. Ju högre nivå på variablerna desto mindre stressade var studenterna. De kvinnliga studenterna var mer stressade än de manliga. Resultatet visade även genom multiple regression att self-efficacy var den variabel som var viktigast för att hantera stress inför en examination, näst viktigast var KASAM. Slutsatsen blev att dessa variabler hade en avgörande inbördes relation när det gäller graden av upplevd stress inför en examination.</p>

<p><strong>Syftet</strong> med litteraturstudien var att beskriva vad starkt respektive svagt KASAM betyder för livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa bland äldre (60 år och äldre). Studien designades med en deskriptiv ansats. <strong>Metoden</strong> var att systematiskt söka litteratur i databaserna; Medline, CINAHL samt Vård i Norden, detta kompletterades även med manuella sökningar. Femton artiklar som motsvarade syftet och inklusionskriterierna granskades och analyserades. <strong>Resultatet</strong> visade att KASAM hade signifikanta samband med de äldres upplevda livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa. Antalet sjukdomar och fysiska begränsningar hade en liten inverkan på de äldre om de hade ett starkt KASAM, då KASAM hade ett svagt samband med den objektiva hälsan och ett starkt samband med den subjektiva hälsan. KASAM var den faktor som bäst förutsåg hur de äldre upplevde sin livssituation. De äldre som hade ett starkt KASAM upplevde även tillfredställande socialt stöd, som hade en stor inverkan på deras välbefinnande. De äldre med svagt KASAM hade även låg livskvalitet och försämrat allmäntillstånd. <strong>Slutsatsen</strong> var att om vårdpersonal kan stärka de äldres KASAM kommer även de äldres livskvalitet, välbefinnande och hälsa förbättras.</p>

<p>This study deals with one of the most discussed work environmental issues in the modern society of Sweden today - work related stress, its causes and how stress can affect people in their working situation. Our study is based on a questionnaire among aid handling officers in two municipalities of the middle of Sweden, and two interviews with their directors. We found that aid handling officers has a complex occupational role. We also found that the officers in these two municipalities experiences about the same level of stress.</p><p>Further in the study, we will deal with whatever could be the cause of the stressful situation, using the demand/control model of Karasek and Theorell. The result shows that despite the similarity of the stress experience, the cause was shown to be different. The study shows that the stress sometimes leads to rash decisions and also that reviews may be less prioritized. We also studied the social coherence on the workplace and its meaning to the stress experience.</p><p>Earlier studies, our empirical result and Karaseks and Theorells demand/control model shows that depending on how good workgroups are able to function, may have significance on the experience of stress at work. The result also shows that it may be hard, or maybe impossible, to create a work environment that is completely free from stress.</p>

<p>Purpose: Our aim is to get an insight on how home care workers experience, handle and looks upon their work. We also want to form an opinion of how home care workers experience the relationship to the clients they meet.</p><p>Questions: How does home care workers experience their daily work with their clients? Home care workers daily meet many different sorts of clients with different needs, how do they handle this? What kind of support does home care workers get in their work?</p><p>Method: A qualitative design with semistructured interviews.</p><p>Conclusion: The most central conclusion from all of our interviews were: that home care service workers has a very stressful and demanding occupation, that the work has a low status, that the personnel has a big responsibility for the wellbeing of other people and that they often find their work satisfying and fun. To have someone to talk to and exchange ideas with was also mentioned by the informants as a vital part of feeling support in their work. From the Antonovskys theory, a sense of coherence, and Goffmans views of the society, we also find that the larger part of our informants feel a high sense of coherence and that when they have to adjust to their different caretakers they play different roles.</p>

<p>Syftet med föreliggande studie är att undersöka om möjliga själv är relaterade till personlighet och känsla av sammanhang samt huruvida kön och ålder påverkar dessa relationer. Studien genomfördes på kadetter genom en enkätundersökning. Enkäten bestod av bakgrunds frågor, yrkesrelaterade möjliga själv (The Possible Selves Statements Test), personlighet (The Five Factor Personality Inventory) och känsla av sammanhang (KASAM). Resultatet visar att kluster (K-means) av personlighetsprofiler inte skiljer sig signifikant åt vad gäller möjliga själv, däremot uppvisades skillnader mellan personlighetsprofilerna vad gäller känslor och förväntningar kring möjliga själv. Liknande resultat erhölls avseende relationen mellan KASAM och möjliga själv. Kön och ålder påverkar inte dessa relationer.</p> / <p>The aim of this thesis is to study if possible self is related to personality and sense of coherence, and if gender and age has any influence on those relationships. A questionnaire was distributed to cadets. It contained background, work related possible selves (The Possible Selves Statements Test), personality (The Five Factor Personality Inventory) and sense of coherence (KASAM). The results showed that different clusters (K-means) of personality profiles do not differ significantly in possible selves. Differences were found between the personality profiles considering feelings and expectations around possible selves. Similar results were found considering the relationship between sense of coherence and possible selves. Gender and age didn’t influence those relationships.</p>

<p>Abstract: This paper is based on a qualitative investigation concerning the effect of errors on the intelligibility of learner texts and whether there are some errors that can be considered graver than others. The investigation was based on five student texts that were collected at an upper secondary school in the Swedish province of Värmland. The texts were sent to five native speaker evaluators in Britain and the United States of America. The errors represented were categorized as followed: substance, grammar, word choice, transfer errors and other errors.The results indicate that errors concerning substance, word choice, other errors and grammar were not considered grave. Concerning the grammatical errors, there were only a small number of cases that were considered grave. Therefore, the conclusion was drawn that grammatical errors do not affect the intelligibility of any of the five texts. However, the results from the investigation show that transfer errors, i.e. when the writer has transferred characteristics from the first language to the target language, were considered affecting the intelligibility to a larger extent than errors belonging to the other categories.</p>