Overhead and Behind is an ongoing learning exercise in three parts: Working Conditions, The Refusal of Objects and Disturbing Distribution (forthcoming). Through learning by doing, it unfolds new episodes as an attempt to look at the act of orientating different standpoints. The different parts of Overhead and Behind are examined in series of episodes and an ongoing glossary that expands words connected to the learning exercise. The purpose of Overhead and Behind is (a) to see how structures over-ones-head conceals value systems which conforms working conditions and (b) to practice the method of “being behind”, i.e. to slow-down and counterpose progress. The third aim (c) is to see how these standpoints can be practiced and how this act can insert a new valorization-system.

Early onset depression is associated with high recurrence rates later in life. Recurrent depressive episodes during childhood may be particularly problematic, if additional episodes have a scarring effect that hinders healthy development. Distinguishing between first onsets and recurrences has been useful in understanding adult depression. This distinction has seldom been examined in pediatric depression, in part because it is difficult to enroll adequate samples of children with recurrent depression. We conducted archival analyses of carefully-diagnosed pediatric probands with depression first onset between ages of 4 and 12. Probands who reported one depressive episode (N = 435) were compared with probands who reported two depression episodes (N = 115) on clinical (treatment, comorbidities), psychosocial (negative life events (NLEs), parental psychopathology) and emotion regulation measures. Based on previous findings in older adolescents and adults, we hypothesized that probands with two MDEs will have higher comorbidity, parental psychopathology, more NLEs, and higher maladaptive emotion regulation scale scores than probands with one MDE. Surprisingly, probands with one and two MDEs were indistinguishable on psychological and pharmacological treatment variables. As expected, probands with two MDEs had lower age of first onset, higher maladaptive emotion regulation scores, higher rates of comorbid anxiety and reported more NLEs than probands with one MDE. Probands with two MDEs also spent a longer total time in episode; group differences remained after controlling for time spent depressed. Distinguishing between first onsets and recurrences is meaningful in pediatric depression.

In James Joyce’s Ulysses, I believe that Stephen Dedalus enacts a heteroglossic discourse in episode 15, “Circe,” that critiques both English imperialism and the nationalist bourgeois of Ireland. Moreover, Stephen engages not only in an aesthetic and political rebellion through the style of his discourse, but he also engages in the only anticolonial violence in Ulysses against the British soldier Private Carr. Thus, I believe that Stephen separates himself from the ideology of the colonizer and from the bourgeois nationalists through aesthetic, political, and violent means. I will conduct my examination of Stephen as a revolutionary colonial intellectual in three parts using the work of three respective theorists: Mikhail Bakhtin, Frantz Fanon, and Benedict Anderson. Ultimately, I intend to show that Stephen can be read as a gateway through which Joyce represents a new heterogeneous, anticolonial, and antinational community in Ireland. / Department of English

Orientador: Prof. Dr. João Ricardo Sato / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociência e Cognição, 2016. / Diversos estudos reportaram alterações cerebrais ao longo do curso da esquizofrenia. Até mesmo nos estágios incipientes, como no Primeiro Episódio Psicótico (PEP). Métodos de aprendizagem de máquina podem ser utilizados para análise multivariada de dados de neuroimagem, porém a grande maioria dos estudos os emprega principalmente para previsões entre grupos, como discriminar pacientes com esquizofrenia de controles saudáveis. No presente estudo, foi aplicado o método maximum entropy linear discriminant analysis (MLDA) com o objetivo de buscar um melhor entendimento dos estágios da esquizofrenia. Foram analisados dados neuro-volumétricos provenientes de imagens de ressonância magnética de 143 pacientes crônicos com esquizofrenia, 32 pacientes PEP e 82 controles saudáveis. O método projeta as características multivariadas de um sujeito em um sub-espaço discriminante univariado, provendo um "escore de esquizofrenia". Inicialmente, a performance do MLDA na tarefa de discriminação entre pacientes com esquizofrenia de controles foi avaliada e foram identificados as regiões cerebrais que mais contribuíram para a classificação. Por fim, foram utilizados os escores provenientes do MLDA para realizar uma comparação entre os padrões volumétricos de pacientes PEP e pacientes com esquizofrenia e controles saudáveis. A classificação atingiu uma acurácia balanceada de 72.96%. O grupo PEP apresentou uma distribuição de escores mais similar aos pacientes com esquizofrenia em comparação aos controles saudáveis. Após repetição das análises excluindo as regiões afetadas por medicação anti-psicótica, a acurácia permaneceu aproximadamente a mesma (73.66%), porém os escores do PEP se tornaram mais similares ao grupo controle. Os resultados do presente estudo sugerem que as primeiras estruturas alteradas no PEP podem ser as regiões afetadas por anti-psicóticos. Entre as estruturas mais discriminantes na classificação se encontravam, principalmente, estruturas relacionadas ao sistema límbico e a circuiteria envolvida em comportamentos orientados a objetivos. Em conclusão, nossos resultados sugerem a importância de considerar os efeitos dos anti-psicóticos, a fim de entender os substratos neurais envolvidos na esquizofrenia. / Several studies reported brain changes along the course of the schizophrenia. Even in the early stages, such as first episode psychosis (FEP). Machine learning methods can be applied for multivariate analysis of neuroimaging data, however, they have been employed in most of the studies with main concern in group prediction, such as discriminating schizophrenic patients from healthy controls. In the present study we applied the maximum entropy linear discriminant analysis (MLDA) aiming to a better comprehension of the schizophrenia stages. We analysed brain structures volumetric data from MRI images of 143 patients with chronic schizophrenia, 32 FEP patients and 82 healthy controls. The method projects the multivariate characteristics of a subject onto a univariate discriminant subspace, providing a "schizophrenia score". First, the performance of MLDA in the discrimination task between schizophrenia patients from controls was evaluated and we identified the brain regions that most contribuited to the classification. Finally, we utilized the scores provided by MLDA to make a comparison among the volumetric patterns of FEP patients and schizophrenic patients and healthy controls. The classification achieved a balanced accuracy of 72.96%. We found that the FEP group had a score distribution more similar to patients with schizophrenia in comparison with healthy subjects. After the exclusion of regions affected by antipsychotic medication and repeating MLDA analysis, the accuracy remained approximately the same (73.66%), but the FEP scores became more similar to control group. Our results suggest that the first structures altered in FEP might be the regions affected by antipsychotics. Structures related to the limbic system and the circuitry involved in goal-directed behaviours were the most discriminant regions in the classification. In conclusion, our results suggest the importance of taking into account the brain structural effects of antipsychotic drugs in order to understand the neural substrates involved in schizophrenia.

Teacher-student interactions in a reading and writing learning setting in first grade of elementary school, were analyzed taking the teaching method into consideration. Among the groups of children whom were taught with strategies derived from interbehavioral psychology, a larger number of interactions in qualitatively more complex levels are observed, this means that in these groups we observe interactions with non-apparent properties of the objects, and relations with extra-situational referents.$esides, in the mentioned groups we observed that interactions initiated by group teachers were followed with a very high probability by students' behaviors,in the same complexity le veis where the teachers' behaviors appeared. / Las interacciones maestro-alumno en una situación de enseñanza de la lectura y escritura en el primer grado de primaria, fueron analizados tomando en cuenta el método de enseñanza. En los grupos de niños que fueron enseñados con estrategias derivadas de la psicología interconductual se observaron mayor número de interacciones en niveles cualitativamente mas complejos, es decir, en estos grupos se observan interacciones con las propiedades no aparentes de los objetos,y relaciones con referentes extra situacionales. Además, en estos grupos se observaronque las interacciones iniciadas por los maestros de grupo eran seguidas en una probabilidad muy alta por comportamientos de los alumnos, en los mismos niveles de complejidad en las que se daban los comportamientos de los maestros.

Este trabalho de caráter investigativo analisou a distribuição espacial de temperaturas superficiais internas (TSI) e temperatura interna do ar ou de bulbo seco (TBS), em duas células de teste distintas, para dois dias típicos experimentais, um sob a influência da massa tropical, e outro sob o domínio da massa polar atlântica. O objetivo desta pesquisa é fornecer diretrizes para coleta de dados experimentais de temperatura, visto que não existe uma norma adequada que oriente este procedimento metodológico em edificações. Esta investigação foi realizada a partir das abordagens espacial e temporal da Climatologia Dinâmica, como forma de conhecer a influência das flutuações do tempo meteorológico (episódios climáticos), sobre os valores das temperaturas internas das duas edificações experimentais. As séries de dados de temperaturas de bulbo seco e superficiais internas foram coletadas em uma células de teste com cobertura verde e outra com telhado cerâmico convencional, por meio de termopares instalados em locais prédeterminados. Os dados de radiação solar global e das principais variáveis climáticas foram registrados pela estação meteorológica automática do Centro de Ciências da Engenharia Aplicadas ao Meio Ambiente (CCEAMA), da Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC-USP). Os resultados foram analisados a partir da elaboração de gráficos e tabelas, com auxílio das cartas sinóticas e imagens de satélite, para identificação do episódio representativo e escolha dos dois dias típicos experimentais. Concluiu-se que, em cada célula de teste, a distribuição das temperaturas superficiais internas é praticamente uniforme, mas em relação à temperatura de bulbo seco existe um pequeno gradiente vertical de temperatura na célula convencional. Neste sentido, as temperaturas superficiais podem ser coletadas de qualquer ponto, desde que a superfície seja uniforme. Para as coletas de temperaturas de bulbo seco é recomendado que sejam realizadas em local equidistante de todas as superfícies, mas a altura para posicionamento dos sensores poderá variar de acordo com cada estudo. Portanto, este trabalho contribuirá de maneira significativa para futuros estudos na área da conforto humano e adequação ambiental de edificações. / This investigative work analyzed the spatial distribution of internal surface temperature (IST) and internal air temperature or dry bulb (TBS), in two different test cells, for two typical experimental days, one under the influence of tropical mass and another one dominated by the polar Atlantic mass. The main goal of this research is to provide guidelines to collect temperature data experimentally, since there is not an appropriate standard to guide this methodological procedure in buildings. This research was based on the spatial and temporal approaches of dynamic climatology to know the influence of weather fluctuations (climatic episodes) on internal temperatures of values. The data series of dry bulb temperature and internal surface temperatures were measured in a test cell with green roof and the other with conventional ceramic roof by thermocouples installed at predetermined locations. The data of solar radiation and the main climatic variables were recorded by the automatic weather station at the Center of Science Engineering Applied to the Environment (CCEAMA), School of Engineering of São Carlos (EESC-USP). The results were analyzed by means of charts and tables, and verified by satellite imagery and synoptic maps for the identification of the representative episode and choice of two typical experimental days. The results led to the conclusion that the distribution of the internal surface temperature is almost uniform in the two test cells, but in relation to the dry bulb temperature there is a small vertical temperature gradient in the conventional cell. In this way, the surface temperature can be collected at any point, provided that the surface is uniform. For the measurement of dry bulb temperature is recommended to be performed in place equidistant from all surfaces, but the height for positioning of sensors may vary according to each study. Therefore, this work will contribute significantly to future studies in the area of human comfort and environmental suitability of buildings.

Introdução: Os receptores ionotrópicos do glutamato, como o N-metil-D-Aspartato (NMDA), estão envolvidos em desordens psiquiátricas. NMDARs são complexos heteroméricos que incorporam tres diferentes subunidades: NR1, NR2 e NR3. Objetivos: quantificar os níveis plasmáticos das subunidades NR1 e NR2 NMDAR em pacientes em primeiro episódio psicótico (PEP), em comparação com os irmãos e controles saudáveis. Métodos: Este é um estudo transversal de PEP na região de Ribeirão Preto, Brasil, sendo o grupo controle composto por indivíduos saudáveis, pareados por idade, sexo e mesma área de abrangência dos casos. Foram coletados 5 mL de amostra de sangue próxima a data de diagnóstico de PEP. A quantificação plasmática das subunidades NR1 e NR2 foi realizada por ELISA. Os dados foram analisados por ANOVA (significante se p<0,05) e curva ROC. Resultados: Foram incluídos 166 pacientes em PEP (idade: x = 30,34 ± 12,2 anos; 64% homens), destes 84 com diagnóstico de psicose não afetiva, 51 com transtorno bipolar e 31 com transtorno depressivo. Foram tambem incluídos 76 irmãos e 166 controles saudáveis. Os níveis plasmáticos das subunidades NR1 e NR2 foram significativamente menores em pacientes com transtornos psicóticos (NR1: x = 71,0 ± 100,3 pg/mL, NR2: x = 2,5 ± 2 ng/ml), transtorno bipolar (NR1: x = 185,7 ± 319,5 pg/ml; NR2: x = 2,1 ± 2,2 ng/ml), transtorno depressivo (NR1: x = 83,2 ±185,0 pg/ml; NR2: x = 2,1± 2,1 ng/ml) em comparação com os irmãos (NR1: x = 140,6 ± 193,8 pg/ml; NR2: = 6,2 ± 1,5 ng/ml) e voluntários saudáveis (NR1: x = 146,7 ± 361,1 pg/ml; NR2: x = 4,8 ± 2,2 ng/ml) [NR1 e NR2, p < 0,001]. Indivíduos com valores plasmáticos de NR2 inferiores a 3,648 ng/mL apresentam um risco 14,72 vezes maior de estar doente (PEP) de quem não possui o NR2 abaixo deste valor. Conclusões: Este é o primeiro estudo relatando a quantificação e a redução das concentrações plasmaticas das subunidades NR1 e NR2 em transtornos psiquiátricos graves quando comparados aos irmãos e controles, podendo a subunidade NR2 ser um candidato a biomarcador plasmático em pacientes com PEP. / Background: Ionotropic glutamate receptors, such as N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA), are involved in pathophysiology of several psychiatric disorders. NMDARs are described as heteromeric complexes incorporating distincts subunits within a repertoire of three types: NR1, NR2 and NR3. Aim: to quantify the NR1 and NR2 subunits NMDAR plasma levels in patients with first episode psychosis (FEP), compared with siblings and healthy controls. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of FEP conducted in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. The control group were composed by healthy subjects matched for age, sex and same coverage area of cases. 5 ml of blood sample were collected next to the date of FEP diagnosis. NR1 and NR2 subunits plasmatic quantification was performed by ELISA. Data were analyzed by ANOVA (significant at p < 0.05) and ROC curve. Results: FEP sample comprised 166 patients (age: x = 30.34 ± 12.2 years; 64% men), of these 84 with a diagnosis of psychotic disorder, 51 with bipolar disorder and 31 with depressive disorder. It was also included 76 siblings and 166 healthy controls. NR1 and NR2 subunits plasma levels were significantly lower in patients with psychotic disorders (NR1: x = 71.0 ± 100.3 pg / ml, NR2: x = 2.5 ± 2 ng/ml), bipolar disorder (NR1: x = 185.7 ± 319.5 pg/mL; NR2: x = 2.1 ± 2.2 ng/ml), depressive disorders (NR1: x = 83.2 ± 185.0 pg/mL; NR2: x = 2.1 ± 2.1 ng/ml) compared with siblings (NR1: x = 140.6 ± 193.8 pg/mL; NR2: x = 6.2 ± 1.5 ng/ml) and healthy volunteers (NR1: x = 146.7 ± 361.1 pg / mL; NR2: x = 4.8 ± 2.2 ng/ml) [NR1 and NR2, p < 0.001]. Interestingly, individuals with NR2 plasma values less than 3.648 ng/ml present 14.72 times a higher risk to be in FEP than other patients. Conclusions: This is the first study reporting the measurement and reduction of NR1 and NR2 subunits plasma concentrations in severe psychiatric disorders when compared to siblings and controls. And highlighting that NR2 subunit can be a candidate for plasma biomarker in patients with FEP.

The current study is motivated by the relative lack of research on the contagion of deliberate self-harm, research on self-harm among adolescents in children's homes, as well as South African research on self-harm. In this study, I explore three aspects concerning deliberate self-harm in the South African context: The perceptions of adolescents in children's homes concerning the possible contagion of self-harm; the frequency, methods, duration and severity of self-harm among adolescents in children's homes; and lastly, the motivations of adolescent self-harm in children's homes. I make use of both quantitative measures, being the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI) developed by Gratz (2001) and the Functional Assessment of Self-Mutilation (FASM) developed by Lloyd (1997), and qualitative measures, being the logbooks completed by participants and three semi-structured interviews conducted, to address these questions. The current study uses both the functional approach to deliberate self-harm, that classifies self-harm according to the four functions that produce and maintain such behaviour, and the environmental model that emphasises the situational influences on the contagion of deliberate self-harm. The findings of the study indicate that 10 of the 12 adolescent participants have experienced either the acquisition or episodes of co-occurrence of self-harm through contagion, both outside the children's homes and within the children's homes. The contagion of self-harm is influenced by the desensitisation and growing prevalence of self-harm, frequent observations of self-harm, close personal relationships between individuals who selfharm, and the influence of the visual media. With regard to the findings of the DSHI, the methods most commonly employed for self-harm in the study include cutting, carving words into the skin, as well as the breaking of bones; the majority of the methods had been employed by the participants within the last year; and the emotions present immediately prior to the episode of self-harm include anger, depression, sadness, frustration, anxiety and disappointment. Findings from the FASM indicate that the motivation for the majority of the adolescent participants' self-harm is 'to stop bad feelings'. Furthermore, the findings of the study indicate that psychological intervention may be available to adolescents in several situations; that the personal histories of the adolescent participants include experiences of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, parental unavailability, the observation of parental alcoholism, as well as the experience of human trafficking; and suicide attempts have been made by the participants following instances of perceived ineffectiveness of self-harm. From the findings, it is evident that the contagion of self-harm is no longer a hypothetical phenomenon. Further implications of the study include the need for continued research on the methods reported by South African individuals who engage in self-harm that are not as prevalent in other research; and the influence of the study on the development and implementation of interventions to address self-harm in children's homes. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Psychology / unrestricted

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While there is a large body of research demonstrating that Asian-Americans underutilize mental health services compared to other ethnic groups, little is known about how Vietnamese-Americans use formal mental health services. The traumatic war, post-war and refugee journey contributed to incidences of PTSD and other mental disorders. This mixed-method study aims to understand how multigenerational Vietnamese-Americans view their serious mental illness and how past experiences, family structure, and social networks influence mental health and use of mental health services. The theories that guided the research were the Network-Episode Model and Social Network Orientation Theory. Quantitative analyses using data from the National Latino and Asian-American Study (NLAAS) examined the relationship of variables assessing acculturation, social support, cultural identity, and health/mental health status with formal mental health service use for the Vietnamese-American subsample (N=520). The qualitative study explored how Vietnamese-Americans in multigenerational households experience severe mental illness and the reasons that influenced their mental health help-seeking and service use. Semi-structured interviews with 17 members of six multigenerational Vietnamese families from the greater Boston and Los Angeles area were conducted in English, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings from the study highlight the differences between 1st and 2nd generation Vietnamese respondents and provide insight into how generational culture – the prevailing attitudes, values, and beliefs of each generation – influences the social network support of Vietnamese-Americans and affects their mental health help-seeking behavior. The forced migration severed social networks, restricting 1st generation respondents to rely on small family networks for information and support. The traditional matriarchal hierarchy limited access to treatment as younger 2nd generation Vietnamese-Americans were unable to convince their parents to seek help for serious mental health problems or to get their approval to seek treatment. Cultural values such as belief in spiritual healers and self-reliance also insulated families from seeking professional help. The study found that the types of interactions respondents had with their social networks—whether positive or negative in orientation—shaped their beliefs about who and where they could go to for help with serious mental health problems and was instrumental in creating pathways to mental health service use.