O presente trabalho analisou o ritmo climático da cidade de Descalvado - SP, por meio de dois episódios representativos do fato climático (de inverno e de primavera), bem como o comportamento térmico no interior de duas casas populares ocupadas, situadas na área urbana do município. Utilizou-se estação automática (CR10X - Campbell Scientific Inc.) que possibilitou a aquisição e o armazenamento dos dados meteorológicos, vinculando estes dados climáticos ao sistema de circulação atmosférica secundária. Dentro da abordagem Dinâmica do Clima, utilizou-se os conceitos de tipos de tempo afeito ao comportamento térmico das casas ocupadas. Os limites da zona de conforto propostos por GIVONI (1992) foram utilizados como referencial na análise do comportamento térmico das casas ocupadas. Os resultados demonstraram que as duas residências apresentaram comportamento térmico semelhante durante as possíveis situações de estresse de calor e frio. Conclui-se que, apesar de se tratar, do ponto de vista econômico, de moradias de baixo custo de construção, são casas que apresentaram adequado desempenho térmico. / The present work analyze the climatic rhythm Descalvado - SP, by using representative episodes of the climatic (winter and spring), as well as the thermal behavior of two occupied popular houses indoor, located in urban area of municipal district. Automatic station used (CR10X - Campbell Scientific Inc.) made possible acquisition and storage of meteorological data, correlating climatic data to the secondary atmospheric circulation system. Dynamic approach of Climate was used the concepts of Types of Time for obtaining thermal behavior of the occupied houses. Givoni\'s limits of comfort zone (1992) was used a reference in analysis of house\'s thermal performance. Results demonstrated that the two occupied houses presented similar thermal behavior during possible situation of heat and cold stresses. For conclusion, under economical point of view, although treating of low cost construction homes, they are houses that presented appropriate thermal performance.

Submitted by Renata Lopes (renatasil82@gmail.com) on 2016-02-26T11:26:20Z No. of bitstreams: 1 izabellaliguoricorsinovabo.pdf: 625553 bytes, checksum: cb3de105eafd87fb538ddfcec36c8d50 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Adriana Oliveira (adriana.oliveira@ufjf.edu.br) on 2016-03-03T13:37:11Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 izabellaliguoricorsinovabo.pdf: 625553 bytes, checksum: cb3de105eafd87fb538ddfcec36c8d50 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-03-03T13:37:12Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 izabellaliguoricorsinovabo.pdf: 625553 bytes, checksum: cb3de105eafd87fb538ddfcec36c8d50 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-01-29 / Mundialmente a hepatite C crônica é uma das principais causas de hepatopatia crônica. No mundo ocidental, representa a principal causa de cirrose hepática, carcinoma hepatocelular e indicação de transplante hepático. Atualmente, o tratamento utilizado consiste na utilização de interferon alfa peguilado e ribavirina associado ou não aos novos inibidores da protease por 24 a 48 semanas dependendo do genótipo e do grau de fibrose hepática. Além da eficácia longe do ideal, o tratamento da hepatite C crônica é repleto de eventos adversos destacando-se os transtornos neuropsiquiátricos, sobretudo o episódio depressivo. No Brasil existem poucos estudos a respeito da incidência deste episódio na terapia dupla. Diante disso, a proposta deste estudo foi verificar a incidência e os fatores associados ao surgimento de episódio depressivo em pacientes com hepatite C crônica submetidos à terapia antiviral com Interferon peguilado alfa 2a ou 2b e ribavirina, além de avaliar o impacto do surgimento deste episódio sobre a resposta virológica sustentada. Foram incluídos 32 pacientes com Hepatite C Crônica, submetidos à terapia dupla em seguimento regular no Ambulatório de Hepatologia do Serviço de Gastroenterologia do HU/CAS-UFJF, no período de junho de 2012 a junho de 2014. A HADS (Escala Hospitalar de Ansiedade e Depressão) foi utilizada para rastreamento do episódio depressivo, aplicada no baseline e nas semanas 4, 12, 24, 48 e 4 semanas após a interrupção da terapia. O diagnóstico de episódio depressivo foi estabelecido nos pacientes com HADS ≥ 9. Estes foram submetidos ao BDI-II (Inventário de Depressão de Beck) para graduação do episódio depressivo em nível mínimo, leve, moderado e grave. Variáveis clínicas, laboratoriais, histológicas e sócio- demográficas de interesse foram obtidas. Destes pacientes, 25% desenvolveram episódio depressivo sendo o pico de incidência observado na semana 12 de terapia antiviral. O episódio depressivo foi moderado em 87% dos pacientes. Não foi possível identificar preditores de episódio depressivo. A taxa de resposta virológica sustentada foi 75% e 67% nos pacientes com e sem episódio depressivo, respectivamente (p = 0,66). Os resultados permitem concluir que a incidência de episódio depressivo em portadores de hepatite C Crônica submetidas a terapia antiviral é elevada; não foi possível demonstrar fatores relacionados ao aparecimento deste; a presença de episódio depressivo não influenciou a taxa de resposta virológica sustentada. / Chronic Hepatitis C is one of the main causes of chronic liver disease around the world. In the west, it represents the leading cause of liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma and indication of liver transplantation. Currently, the usual treatment consists on the use of pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin, associated or not with the new protease inhibitors, for 24 to 48 weeks, depending on the genotype and the degree of liver fibrosis. Besides the far from ideal effectiveness, the treatment of chronic Hepatitis C is full of adverse events, of which the neuropsychiatric disorders stand out, especially the depressive episode. In Brazil, there are few studies about the incidence of that episode on double therapy. As such, the goal of this study was to verify the incidence and the factors associated with the appearance of the depressive episode in chronic Hepatitis C patients subjected to antiviral therapy with pegylated Interferon alpha 2a or 2b and ribavirin, as well as to evaluate the impact of the appearance of that episode over the sustained viral response. 112 chronic Hepatitis C patients were included, 80 of which were antiviral treatment-naive (control group) and 32 subjected to double therapy (treatment group), regularly followed at the Hepatology Clinic of the Gastroenterology Service of HU/CAS-Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, between June 2012 and June 2014. The HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) was used for tracking the depressive episode in both groups, being applied at baseline, at weeks 4, 12, 24 and 48 and 4 weeks after interruption of the therapy on the treatment group. The diagnosis of depression was established at patients with HADS ≥ 9. These were subjected to BDI-II (Beck Depression Inventory) for gradation of the depressive episode in levels minimum, light, moderate and severe. Clinical, laboratory, histological and sociodemographic variables of interest were obtained. On the treatment group, 25% of the patients developed depressive episode, with the peak incidence observed at week 12 of antiviral therapy. The depressive episode was moderate on 87% of the patients. It was not possible to identify predictors for the depressive episode. The sustained viral response rate was 75% and 67% on patients with and without depressive episode, respectively (p = 0,66). The results allow concluding that the incidence of depression on chronic Hepatitis C carriers subjected to antiviral therapy is high and was similar to what the literature describes; it was not possible to demonstrate factors related to the appearance of depression; the presence of depression did not influence the sustained viral response rate.

Cognitive deficit is now considered to be a core feature of schizophrenia, which significantly influences psychosocial functioning in individuals with this illness. The aim of this study is to analyze the cognitive performance during the first year after the first episode of the illness and cognition related to psychosocial functioning. A total of 28 people hospitalized after the first psychotic episode of schizophrenia F20 according to ICD-10 participated in our study and underwent measurements of cognitive functions by the international MCCB battery. They were also evaluated by the PANSS (Scale of positive and negative symptoms) and PSP (range of personal and social performance). After one year from the first measurement for re-examination, 20 patients made an appearance. In 75% of the sample (n = 28), a cognitive deficit below 1.5 standard deviations below the normative average, i.e. below 35 T-score, was detected, at least in one of the measured domains. Speed of processing was the most impaired domain (T < 35), Reasoning and problem solving was the least attenuated domain (T > 40). The resulting analysis (paired t-test) showed a significant improvement one year after first-episode schizophrenia in domains Speed of processing (p = 0,018) and Reasoning and problem solving (p = 0,023). The...

BACKGROUND: Idiopathic psychotic disorders, which include schizophrenia, schizoaffective and bipolar disorder with psychosis, are debilitating disorders affecting about 3% of the world’s population. Neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative hypotheses have been proposed in psychosis, but the literature is mixed in regards to whether psychosis pathogenesis involves one or both of these processes. Since the visual system matures early in development, studying visual pathway abnormalities stratified by disease onset may further inform our understanding of psychosis pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this thesis is to determine whether disease onset, independent of illness duration, has a differential effect on visual cortical abnormalities in psychosis. We examined visual cortical measures for thickness, surface area, and volume using a pseudo-longitudinal study design of first episode psychosis-schizophrenia (FEP-SZ), FEP-non-schizophrenia (FEP-NSZ), early onset psychosis (EOP, <15 years of age), adult onset psychosis (OP, >15 and <30 years of age), and late onset psychosis (LOP, >30 years of age) groups. Relationships between visual cortical metrics and clinical or functional outcomes were performed. METHODS: The FEP sample (n= 102) included healthy controls (n= 44), FEP-SZ (n= 36), and FEP-NSZ (n= 22). The chronic psychosis data included healthy controls (n= 311) and psychosis probands (n=510). Psychosis probands was stratified by disease onset: EOP (n=213), OP (n=257), and LOP (n=40). Propensity matching was performed to match healthy controls (HC) according to age, sex and race. Linear regression models were performed comparing the means of visual cortical measures between groups. Partial Spearman correlations controlling for confounding factors were performed between visual cortical regions and clinical data. For FEP, clinical outcomes were assessed using Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI), Scale of Positive Symptoms (SAPS), and Scale of Negative Symptoms (SANS). For onset groups, clinical and functional outcomes were assessed using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), Brief Assessment of Cognition (BACS), Wecshler Memory Scale (WMS) spatial span, anti-saccade error rates, dot expectancy pattern test, emotion recognition test, and Birchwood Social Functioning Scale (SFS). Multiple comparisons were performed using the Benjamini-Hochberg procedure. RESULTS: FEP-SZ was associated with smaller V1 and V2 areas, higher MT area and lower MT thickness compared to HCs. Lower MT thickness was associated with worse negative symptoms. Compared to HC, patients with chronic psychosis had lower V1, V2, and MT areas, as well as smaller MT thickness. V1 and V2 area and MT thickness were lower in the EOP group in comparison to matched HC. OP and LOP had a thinner MT region compared to matched HC. Of particular note, it was observed that EOP had greater area differences as compared to thickness reductions in the LOP group. Increased hallucinations and delusions were associated with a thinner MT region in the EOP group. CONCLUSION: When stratified by disease onset, FEP, EOP, OP, and LOP appear to have different pathogenic mechanisms and the severity of visual cortex neuroanatomical abnormalities are dependent on when the disease onset occurs. EOP occurs earlier in neurodevelopment resulting in greater severity in symptom and visual cortical measures as compared to OP. On the contrary, LOP appears to have a neurodegenerative mechanism which is evidenced by accelerated visual cortical thinning. / 2022-06-01T00:00:00Z

Since 2014, the United States has been imposing sanctions on the Venezuelan government in an attempt to accomplish foreign policy goals that would be beneficial to its geopolitical interests in the region and help the Venezuelan people in the process. This research offers a comprehensive empirical analysis of these sanctions. It aims to identify the effects of US sanctions in Venezuela, as intended by the foreign policy goals of the United States, and to measure the effectiveness of sanctions in accomplishing these goals. Additionally, this research seeks to explain the geopolitical strategy of US sanctions as seen through the lens of geoeconomic theory. It will detail the US intensions of generating regime change, restoring democracy, and improving human rights in Venezuela. More specifically, it will reveal the role of sanctions in acting as a geopolitical tool to fulfill these intentions. Ultimately, the research will show how sanctions and companion policies are intended to improve the US-Venezuela relationship that has declined since the time of Hugo Chavez.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Aim: Early psychosis has been identified as period during which rapid identification and treatment can lead to significant improvement in clinical and functional outcomes. Despite increased research, no studies have examined early psychosis in Veteran populations. It is unknown whether Veterans differ from non-Veterans at this stage of the disorder, and if the treatments offered to non-Veterans are appropriate to implement in Veteran Affairs Medical Centers. Given differences that appear between Veterans and non-Veterans in chronic psychosis, additional work is necessary to determine the best way to approach specialized treatment for Veterans experiencing early psychosis. Methods: The current study is a secondary analysis of assessment batteries collected at a community-based early intervention program and at a local Veteran Affairs Medical Center. Assessment results were compared for Veterans’ and non-Veterans’ background characteristics, symptoms, and neurocognitive deficits. Results: Significant differences were found between the two samples on age of illness onset, marital status, education level, positive symptoms of psychosis, and neurocognitive functioning. Logistic regression analyses identified age of onset as a potential underlying factor. Conclusions: While some aspects of illness presentation appear similar between Veterans and non-Veterans, there are important differences between these populations. Pre-existing treatment interventions, such as Social Skills Training, cognitive remediation approaches and cognitive behavior therapy for psychosis may be appropriate to implement with Veterans. Others– such as family based interventions or supported employment services – may need to be tailored to maximize the benefit for Veterans.

Diploma thesis "E-memorybook" (with subtitle "Just actually you know how") is a miniseries, the audiovisual work, using some strategies for TV series. The final piece of the project composed of the seven short episodes, that straddle the boudary among video, video-collage, animation and powerpoint presentation.

No description available.

<p><strong>Background.</strong> People with psychotic disorders tend to die earlier than the general population, primarily due to preventable cardiovascular disease. Behavioral risk factors, such as poor diet, have been identified as major contributors. Given the importance of prevention, the early stages of psychosis have been described as a “critical” time to intervene on health behaviors. As such, a mobile-based intervention, Nutrition Enhancement in Early Psychosis (NEEP) was created to improve diet quality in persons with early psychosis. This study has three aims: (1) assess the feasibility of the intervention, (2) examine preliminary outcomes, and (3) investigate mechanisms associated with dietary change. </p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Methods.</strong> NEEP incorporates a combination of nutrition education, goal setting, and mobile technology (i.e., a mobile application for dietary tracking, as well both automated and personalized text-messages). Given the pilot nature of the study, all participants <em>(N=15)</em> received the intervention. Feasibility was assessed through different metrics related to recruitment and adherence to the dietary tracking application, as well as self-report responses regarding acceptability. Preliminary outcomes (i.e., two measures of diet quality) and potential mechanisms of change (i.e., self-efficacy and motivation) were also evaluated using paired sample t-tests. Qualitative interviews were conducted following study participation. Given the emphasis on feasibility with a small sample, all significance tests were set at p <.10, and Hedges <em>g</em> was used to examine effects over time.</p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Results.</strong> 15 participants were enrolled in the study and 12 participants completed follow-up assessments. Evaluative measures of feasibility suggest that the majority of those who were screened enrolled in this intervention and regularly engaged with the mobile tracking device to record their dietary consumption. In addition, participants enjoyed the intervention and found it to be useful in improving their diet. Preliminary evidence also suggests this intervention may improve diet quality. As such, one indicator of improvement in diet quality was considered significant (Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants- Shortened; p=.084), and both measures of diet quality suggested improvement in diet at the end of the 28-day intervention with small to medium effect sizes (REAP-S <em>g=</em>.44; Heathy Eating Index-2015 <em>g</em>=.69). Contrary to hypotheses, self-efficacy significantly decreased after the intervention (p=.028) and motivation remained relatively stable.</p> <p><br></p> <p><strong>Conclusion.</strong> Results suggest that NEEP is feasible as a low-cost, low-resource mobile intervention that is well-tolerated and may improve diet quality in people with early psychosis; however, mechanisms of change require further exploration. </p>

In the last decade, many first-episode psychosis programs have been developed in the United States and elsewhere. First-episode psychosis typically affects adolescents and young adults. These programs, therefore, emphasize early intervention to alter long-term consequences and address specific needs of the affected population. Open Dialogue, which has shown promise in Finnish studies, is one such program that is gaining popularity outside of Finland. The program emphasizes active involvement of family and collaborative decision making. The three studies in this dissertation elucidate how Open Dialogue can contribute to current treatment options and describe considerations in adaptation and implementation of Open Dialogue in the United States. The Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARiHS) framework describing the role of evidence, context, and facilitation in successful implementation provides the theoretical basis for these studies. Study One is a systematic scoping review of the literature describing first-episode psychosis programs. Study Two is a qualitative study of stakeholder experiences in a pilot study of the Open Dialogue model in the United States. It examines perceived usefulness, contextual support, and factors facilitating participation. Study Three examines organizational characteristics that supported implementation at the agency where the program was piloted in the United States. The scoping review of first-episode psychosis programs indicates a need for further research regarding their long-term benefits, optimal duration and intensity, and critical components. Family intervention appears to be beneficial, suggesting that the Open Dialogue approach to family support might be a valuable addition warranting further investigation. Stakeholders involved in the Open Dialogue pilot identified several unique and beneficial features of the approach, focusing particularly on the value of family involvement, transparency, respectfulness, and collaborative nature of the approach. The compatibility of the Open Dialogue model with agency values, strong leadership support and vision, alongside organizational capacity to deliver the services emerge as critical factors in successful implementation of the model in the pilot study. As per the PARiHS framework, contextual factors, particularly funding of this model of services in the United States healthcare environment are key determinants to address for the future implementation of Open Dialogue in the United States. / 2019-12-31T00:00:00Z