Vara förälder till ett barn som är inneliggande på ett sjukhus är komplicerat, svårt och upplevs olika av föräldrar. Isolering kan orsaka stress och leda till kontroll-, informations- och kommunikationsbehov. Syftet med studien var att beskriva föräldrars upplevelser av att vistas i isoleringsrum vid vård av sina barn på sjukhus. Studien har en deskriptiv kvalitativ design. Resultatet visade att föräldrarna kände sig besvärliga och var rädda för att störa när de behövde be om hjälp. Vikten av att personalen såg föräldrarna framkom och brister fanns gällande information och kommunikation. Information kring avlastning, planering och sysselsättning saknades. Isoleringsrummen beskrevs som sterila och saknade värme och hemtrevnad. Sysselsättning bidrog till att underlätta isoleringen men föräldrarna tyckte ändå det var svårt att underhålla barnen. Föräldrarna kände sig instängda då de inte kunde lämna rummet vilket bidrog till oro och tankar kring barnets hälsa. Avlastningen som föräldrarna fick varierade och stöd var betydelsefullt. Vidare forskning om avlastningens betydelse samt hur personalen kan förändra föräldrars upplevelse av att känna sig besvärliga skulle kunna vara till nytta för föräldrar, barn och personal och frambringa nya rutiner. / To be a parent of a child who is being cared for in hospital is complicated and difficult and affects each parent differently. Isolation can cause stress to the parents and lead to a further need for control, information and communication. The purpose of this study was to describe how parents experienced staying in a hospital isolation room with their children when the children were being cared for in hospital. The study has a descriptive qualitative design. The study showed that the parents felt awkward and worried about asking for help when they needed it. The parents placed an importance on being seen by the staff and there was a lack of information and communication. There was no information available about how to receive help, the planning process and also how to keep oneself occupied. The isolation rooms were described as sterile, cold and lacking a homely feel. Having something to do made the isolation easier to cope with however the parents still found it difficult to keep the children entertained. The parents felt trapped when they were not able to leave the room which resulted in a constant focus on the health of the child and this in turn led to an increased anxiety level. The level of help given to the parents varied and support was considered important. Further research into the importance of help available for parents, as well as how staff members could change the awkwardness parents feel, would be useful for parents, children and staff members, and may encourage new routines.

Bakgrund: Meticillinresistenta staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) är ett växande problem globalt och är en bakterie som kan orsaka svåra infektioner i olika delar av kroppen. Oftast är den dock symtomfri då de flesta bär på bakterien utan att den orsakar infektion. I Sverige görs sedan länge mycket nationellt för att försöka minska spridningen och detta är antagligen en anledning varför prevalensen är förhållandevis låg. Dessutom måste patienterna själva förhålla sig till lagar och landstingen har utarbetat handlingsplaner för MRSA bärande patienter. MRSA sprids via kontaktsmitta och kan då spridas till sjuka människor som på grund av sin sjukdom är mer mottagliga för dessa bakterier. Följaktligen är isolering och vård genom avdelad personal, så kallat kohortvård, delar av dessa handlingsplaner för MRSA bärande patienter på vårdavdelningar. Utifrån ett omvårdnadsperspektiv blev författarna nyfikna över det aktuella kunskapsläget gällande patienters upplevelse av att bära på MRSA, både på sjukhus och i sina vardagliga liv. Syfte: Syftet med arbetet var att utforska patienters upplevelser av att vara bärare av MRSA, genom att granska tidigare forskning. Metod: Allmän litteraturöversikt baserad på tio kvalitativa vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultat: Resultaten bestod av tre kategorier, som i sin tur bestod av vardera två underkategorier. Kategorin påverkan av MRSA bestod av underkategorierna mental påverkan och fysiska symtom. Kategorin förståelse bestod av underkategorierna kunskap och information. Slutligen bestod kategorin isolering av underkategorierna isolering på sjukhuset och relationellt. Slutsats och klinisk betydelse: Att vara MRSA bärare orsakade ofta negativa känslor, som även uppstod till följd av isoleringen och omgivningens avhållsamma beteende. Patienterna hade ofta lite kunskap om MRSA och fick inte tillräckligt med information från vårdpersonal om MRSA. Att förstå patienternas känslor och ge adekvat information kan bidra till en bättre upplevelse. / Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a growing problem globally and is a bacteria that can cause severe infections in different parts of the body. Usually, the bacteria does not cause infections or produce symptoms, the person is instead merely a carrier. In Sweden much has been done and much is still being done to combat the spread of MRSA. This is presumably a reason why the prevalence of MRSA in Sweden is relatively low. Besides this, patients have to abide to laws and Socialstyrelsen, which is a Swedish Health Authority, has developed action plans regarding MRSA carriers. MRSA is contagious through physical contact and can spread to already ill patients, who because of their illness, are more susceptible. Therefore, care through the use of isolation and cohort in the care unit, is part of Swedish Health Authorities’ action plan. The authors became curious about the current knowledge regarding patient’s experience of being MRSA carriers in the in-patient hospital environment as well as in their ordinary lives. Aim: The aim was to explore patient’s experience of being MRSA carriers, by reviewing previous studies. Method: Common literary survey based on ten qualitative articles. Results: The results consisted of three categories, which each consisted of two subcategories. Influence of MRSA consisted of the subcategories mental influence and physical symptoms. The category understanding consisted of the subcategories knowledge and information. Finally, the category isolation consisted of the subcategories isolation at the hospital and interpersonal. Conclusion and clinical impact: Being a MRSA carrier was related to negative feelings, which were also caused by isolation and other people, such as family and friends, withdrawing themselves from the patient. Patients often lacked knowledge about MRSA and did not receive enough information from hospital staff. Understanding patient’s emotions as well as supplying adequate information can contribute to a better patient experience.

Des 2672 ponts à portées multiples de la province de Québec, plus de 60 % sont de type poutre longitudinale en béton armé ou en acier. De par leur âge avancé et le manque de dispositions de dimensionnement parasismique, ces ponts peuvent être vulnérables aux futurs événements sismiques. Dans le but de réduire le risque sismique et de prévenir l'in-terruption du réseau des transports, ce qui engendrerait de graves conséquences pour la province de Québec, cette étude propose le remplacement des appareils d'appui conven-tionnels habituellement utilisés au Québec par des isolateurs sismiques en caoutchouc naturel. La vulnérabilité de classes typiques de ponts réhabilités avec les dispositifs d'iso-lation sismique est évaluée à partir du développement de courbes de fragilité. Des analyses non linéaires temporelles avec des modèles analytiques détaillés ont été conduites autant pour les configurations typiques des ponts continus (MSC) que pour des ponts simplement appuyés (MSSS) à portées multiples. La comparaison entre la fragilité des ponts tels que construits et des ponts isolés a aussi été menée. Les courbes de fragilité pour les ponts réhabilités constituent un outil puissant pour l'évaluation de l'impact d'une méthode de réhabilitation sur la performance des différentes classes des ponts et soutiennent la décision de priorisation pour la réhabilitation des structures déficientes. En utilisant les principes de l'analyse statistique des essais, une étude analytique de sensibilité a révélé que les para-mètres qui influencent le plus la réponse des composantes critiques des ponts du type MSC et MSSS sont : la rigidité effective des isolateurs sismiques, la rigidité des culées et l'écart entre le tablier et les culées, et aussi des variations dé la géométrie des différentes classes de ponts et la variabilité du contenu fréquentiel des tremblements de terre. Cette étude de sensibilité semble indiquer que la variation des propriétés de certains paramètres tels que l'amortissement structural, la masse du pont et l'angle de biais peut avoir un impact sur la réponse des ponts considérés et ces paramètres doivent être examinés attentivement lors de l'évaluation de la vulnérabilité sismique des portfolios de ponts de types MSC et MSSS. Une étude comparative pour évaluer l'impact de l'isolation sismique dans la réponse des composantes critiques des ponts en béton armé de types MSC et MSSS a été réalisée en utilisant une série de tremblements de terre artificiels compatibles avec un aléa sismique de risque uniforme avec une probabilité de dépassement de 2 % en 50 ans. L'utilisation d'isolateurs sismiques s'est montrée efficace pour la réduction de la demande en courbure dans les colonnes, mais elle a un impact négatif sur la demande en déformation au niveau des murs des culées, considérant qu'aucun dispositif spécial n'est mis en place pour tenir compte des écarts minimaux pour les ponts isolés. Des résultats d'essais réalisés sur des isolateurs sismiques carrés de différents facteurs de forme et tailles ont été utilisés pour tenir compte de l'incertitude dans leurs propriétés mécaniques. Des essais de stabilité ont été réalisés sur des isolateurs sismiques moyennement élancés et un modèle par éléments finis, calibré sur les résultats expérimentaux, a permis la détermination des états limites de capacité des isolateurs sismiques en caoutchouc naturel. La comparaison de la fragilité des composantes clés du système a été effectuée et les résultats révèlent que, grâce à l'isolation sismique, une diminution significative de la probabilité de dommage pour les colonnes et les fondations a été observée. Cependant, à cause du manque d'écart suffisant entre les tabliers et les murs en aile des culées, la probabilité de dommage de cette composante a été augmentée et elle contrôle la fragilité du système pour toutes les classes de ponts évaluées. Généralement, les ponts en béton armé sont plus vulnérables que les ponts en acier. Ceci est dû à la plus grande masse de la superstructure impliquée dans la réponse sismique. Les résultats de cette recherche peuvent être utilisés pour établir des cartes de risque régionales, comme aide à la priorisation pour la réhabilitation, et ils constituent la base des analyses des coûts et bénéfices pour la réhabilitation.

Access to abstract permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Access to thesis permanently restricted to Ball State community only / Department of Psychological Science

Bakgrund: Meticillinresistenta Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ökar drastiskt inom sjukvården både i Sverige och i hela världen. Bakterien sprids vanligast från patient till patient via vårdpersonal då restriktioner om basala hygienrutiner inte följs. Att bli smittad med MRSA kan leda till svåra konsekvenser för patienter i form av infektioner i operationssår, i implanterade proteser, på hjärtklaffar, i lungorna och på hjärnhinnor. Patienter med MRSA vårdas i isolering för att förebygga att MRSA sprids vidare, vilket kan orsaka lidande hos patienter.  Syfte: Denna uppsats syftar till att beskriva patienters upplevelser av MRSA-vård.  Metod: Nio vetenskapliga kvalitativa artiklar ligger till grund för denna litteraturöversikt. Artiklarna har analyserats och sammanställts och nya teman uppkom efter de likheter som framkom i deras resultatdelar.  Resultat: Resultatet visar att vårdandet förändrades efter MRSA-diagnos. Detta redovisas efter följande i sex teman och två subteman: Patienters kunskap om MRSA, Upplevelser av att bli smittad med MRSA, Patienters upplevelser av personalens kunskap och information, Upplevelser av personalens bemötande, Isolering med två subteman: Negativa upplevelser av isolering och Positiva upplevelser av isolering samt Oro för framtid.  Diskussion: Resultatet diskuteras utifrån Katie Erikssons teori om den lidande människan som teoretisk utgångspunkt och utifrån patientens perspektiv. Vårdpersonalen kan påverka hur vårdandet upplevs. Brister i kunskap om MRSA hos vårdpersonalen, deras bemötande och följsamheten till hygienrutiner orsakar vårdlidande hos patienter med MRSA. Sjuksköterskans roll är att förebygga/lindra lidandet hos patienter. / Background: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is increasing drastically in healthcare both in Sweden and worldwide. The bacteria is spread most commonly from patient to patient by health-care professionals when restrictions on basic hygiene is not followed. Becoming infected with MRSA can lead to severe consequences for the patients in terms of surgical site infection, the implanted prostheses, the heart valves, lungs, the meninges. Patients with MRSA are cared for in isolation to prevent MRSA from spreading further, which could cause distress in patients.  Aim: This paper aims to describe patients' experiences of MRSA care.  Methods: Nine scientific qualitative articles form the basis of this literature review. The articles were analyzed and compiled, and new themes emerged after the similarities that emerged from their performance parts.  Results: The result shows that caring changed after MRSA diagnosis. This is recognized by the following six themes and two subthemes: Patients' knowledge about MRSA, Experiences of becoming infected with MRSA, Patients experiences of staff knowledge and information, experiences of treatment by staff, isolation with two subthemes: Negative experiences of isolation and positive experiences of isolation and Concerns for the future.  Discussions: The results are discussed from the patient's perspective, with Katie Erikson's theory of the suffering person as a theoretical base. The nursing staff can affect how caring is experienced. Deficiencies in knowledge of MRSA in health care staff, their attitude and adherence to hygiene causes health suffering in patients with MRSA. The nurse's role is to prevent / alleviate the suffering of patients.

PURPOSE: Psychotic (positive) symptoms are the most distinctive feature of schizophrenia, although negative symptoms such as emotional flattening, social withdrawal and cognitive disturbances are the most treatment resistant manifestation of the illness. Schizophrenia is a progressive degenerative illness that has been causally linked to environmental and neurodevelopmental factors, as well as dysfunctional redox balance. Validated animal models are useful in identifying and studying novel neurobiological targets for neuropsychiatric illnesses. Post weaning social isolation rearing (SIR) in rats has been proposed to model the neurodevelopmental aspects of schizophrenia. We validated the SIR model with respect to effects on sensorimotor gating and social interaction, deficits of which are core symptoms of schizophrenia. Following this, effects on the levels of oxidative stress were determined in the frontal cortex and striatum of rats exposed to SIR, two brain regions strongly implicated in the pathology of schizophrenia. Finally, in order to more closely relate these bio-behavioural changes to the human condition, we studied the overall effect of sub-chronic treatment with the atypical antipsychotic, clozapine, on the above described behavioural and neurochemical parameters. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (10 rats/group) were used. In a non-treatment arm, four groups of rats were randomly separated at weaning and exposed to either 8 weeks SIR or 8 weeks social rearing. At the respective time point of 8 weeks two groups were subjected to behavioural testing of mean startle amplitude (at 120dB) and percentage prepulse inhibition (%PPI) of the acoustic startle (AS) reflex (at 72, 76, 80 and 86dB prepulse), and various social interactive and self-directed behaviours were accessed using the open field test (OFT). The remaining two groups were sacrificed at 8 weeks and brain tissue was harvested for analysis of superoxide dismutase activity, oxidized (GSSG) versus reduced (GSH) glutathione ratio, and levels of lipid peroxidation, in the frontal cortex and striatum. In the treatment arm, consisting out of eight groups of animals, four groups of SIR rats received either saline or clozapine (5mg/kg i.p.) for the last 11 days of SIR. The remaining four groups were socially reared and also received either saline or clozapine treatment as above. At 8 weeks, four groups were subjected to behavioural testing as described above and a parallel neurochemical study was performed using the same layout as above, except that after the 8 weeks, neurochemical redox analysis were done as described above. Mixed statistical modelling with repeated measures and appropriate post hoc tests were used to access the effects of SIR with and without treatment on PPI and mean startle. Social interaction in SIR and socially reared animals, with and without treatment, was analyzed using 1-way ANOVA with suitable post hoc testing. Mixed linear models with repeated measures and appropriate post hoc tests were used for analysis of the redox data in SIR and socially reared animals, with and without treatment. RESULTS: In the non-treatment arm, %PPI was significantly reduced in SIR versus socially reared rats. Deficits in various social interactive behaviours were observed in SIR versus group-housed rats, as well as increased locomotor activity and self-grooming. Superoxide dismutase activity and oxidized versus reduced glutathione ratio were significantly decreased, together with a significant increase in products of lipid peroxidation, in isolation reared versus socially reared rats. Following clozapine treatment, %PPI in isolates was significantly elevated by clozapine versus saline treatment (i.e. reversed the effect of SIR). %PPI was unaltered in socially reared animals receiving either treatment. As with the non-treatment group, social interactive behaviours were significantly impaired in isolates receiving saline, while locomotor activity and self-grooming were increased. SIR rats receiving only saline showed similar altered redox state as the non-treatment groups, while clozapine treatment effectively reversed deficits in %PPI, aberrant social behaviours and redox alterations in the SIR rats, with limited to no effects in the socially reared controls. CONCLUSION: SIR thus significantly disrupts sensorimotor gating and social behaviours in male Sprague-Dawley rats, while at the same time evokes a significant disruption of redox state in both the frontal cortex and striatum of these animals, with distinct evidence for increased oxidative stress in these brain regions. Importantly, both altered behaviour and redox state are reversed by sub-chronic clozapine treatment. SIR is therefore a useful, non-lesion and non-pharmacological neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia that presents with robust face, predictive and possibly construct validity for schizophrenia. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

PURPOSE: Psychotic (positive) symptoms are the most distinctive feature of schizophrenia, although negative symptoms such as emotional flattening, social withdrawal and cognitive disturbances are the most treatment resistant manifestation of the illness. Schizophrenia is a progressive degenerative illness that has been causally linked to environmental and neurodevelopmental factors, as well as dysfunctional redox balance. Validated animal models are useful in identifying and studying novel neurobiological targets for neuropsychiatric illnesses. Post weaning social isolation rearing (SIR) in rats has been proposed to model the neurodevelopmental aspects of schizophrenia. We validated the SIR model with respect to effects on sensorimotor gating and social interaction, deficits of which are core symptoms of schizophrenia. Following this, effects on the levels of oxidative stress were determined in the frontal cortex and striatum of rats exposed to SIR, two brain regions strongly implicated in the pathology of schizophrenia. Finally, in order to more closely relate these bio-behavioural changes to the human condition, we studied the overall effect of sub-chronic treatment with the atypical antipsychotic, clozapine, on the above described behavioural and neurochemical parameters. METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (10 rats/group) were used. In a non-treatment arm, four groups of rats were randomly separated at weaning and exposed to either 8 weeks SIR or 8 weeks social rearing. At the respective time point of 8 weeks two groups were subjected to behavioural testing of mean startle amplitude (at 120dB) and percentage prepulse inhibition (%PPI) of the acoustic startle (AS) reflex (at 72, 76, 80 and 86dB prepulse), and various social interactive and self-directed behaviours were accessed using the open field test (OFT). The remaining two groups were sacrificed at 8 weeks and brain tissue was harvested for analysis of superoxide dismutase activity, oxidized (GSSG) versus reduced (GSH) glutathione ratio, and levels of lipid peroxidation, in the frontal cortex and striatum. In the treatment arm, consisting out of eight groups of animals, four groups of SIR rats received either saline or clozapine (5mg/kg i.p.) for the last 11 days of SIR. The remaining four groups were socially reared and also received either saline or clozapine treatment as above. At 8 weeks, four groups were subjected to behavioural testing as described above and a parallel neurochemical study was performed using the same layout as above, except that after the 8 weeks, neurochemical redox analysis were done as described above. Mixed statistical modelling with repeated measures and appropriate post hoc tests were used to access the effects of SIR with and without treatment on PPI and mean startle. Social interaction in SIR and socially reared animals, with and without treatment, was analyzed using 1-way ANOVA with suitable post hoc testing. Mixed linear models with repeated measures and appropriate post hoc tests were used for analysis of the redox data in SIR and socially reared animals, with and without treatment. RESULTS: In the non-treatment arm, %PPI was significantly reduced in SIR versus socially reared rats. Deficits in various social interactive behaviours were observed in SIR versus group-housed rats, as well as increased locomotor activity and self-grooming. Superoxide dismutase activity and oxidized versus reduced glutathione ratio were significantly decreased, together with a significant increase in products of lipid peroxidation, in isolation reared versus socially reared rats. Following clozapine treatment, %PPI in isolates was significantly elevated by clozapine versus saline treatment (i.e. reversed the effect of SIR). %PPI was unaltered in socially reared animals receiving either treatment. As with the non-treatment group, social interactive behaviours were significantly impaired in isolates receiving saline, while locomotor activity and self-grooming were increased. SIR rats receiving only saline showed similar altered redox state as the non-treatment groups, while clozapine treatment effectively reversed deficits in %PPI, aberrant social behaviours and redox alterations in the SIR rats, with limited to no effects in the socially reared controls. CONCLUSION: SIR thus significantly disrupts sensorimotor gating and social behaviours in male Sprague-Dawley rats, while at the same time evokes a significant disruption of redox state in both the frontal cortex and striatum of these animals, with distinct evidence for increased oxidative stress in these brain regions. Importantly, both altered behaviour and redox state are reversed by sub-chronic clozapine treatment. SIR is therefore a useful, non-lesion and non-pharmacological neurodevelopmental animal model of schizophrenia that presents with robust face, predictive and possibly construct validity for schizophrenia. / Thesis (M.Sc. (Pharmacology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

In a recent study, an environment-friendly material, corrugated cardboard, was used as a building block for the vibration isolator with a preliminary study. The present thesis was motivated to advance technology for improving the design of such a corrugated cardboard vibration isolator with a focus on the modeling of its stiffness and damping. In particular, this study has performed the following works: (1) improving the FE (finite element) model of the stiffness of the corrugated cardboards by more accurately identifying the material parameters in the cardboard material constitutive equation; (2) analyzing the effect of the error in geometry of the corrugated cardboards in the FE model; (3) developing the Rayleigh damping model of the corrugated cardboards and evaluating its accuracy. Several conclusions were drawn from this study: (1) the parameter identification procedure based on the inverse analysis is feasible for improving the accuracy of the model of the stiffness of the cardboard. (2) The FE model of the cardboards with a greater in-plane geometrical deflection has less vertical compressive stiffness. The geometrical deflections of the corrugated cardboards also change the condition of the contact friction stress and the compressive deformation. (3) Rayleigh damping model is accurate enough for calculating the damping of the corrugated cardboards. The contributions of the thesis include: (1) provision of a more accurate model for the compressive stiffness the corrugated cardboards, (2) finding that the friction between the cardboard and the vibrator and the geometrical error of the cardboards have a significant influence over the accuracy of the FE model, (3) finding that in practice the foregoing influence can significantly degraded the performance of the cardboards as a vibrator isolator, and (4) provision of a model for the compressive damping of the corrugated cardboards.

The primary loading on wind turbines is in the lateral direction and is of a stochastic nature, due to wind and seismic forces. As turbines grow larger, they experience proportionally larger lateral forces. Large forces require larger section sizes and overall weight of the turbine. The objective of this study is to investigate the use of vibration isolation as a structural control measure to minimize the overall wind and seismic forces transmitted to the turbine. Passive control systems such as tuned mass dampers have previously been proposed to mitigate response to wind loading but have not generally been evaluated under seismic loading. This thesis discusses the potential use of a non-linear vibration isolator just below the wind turbine nacelle to decrease the structural response of the turbine under wind and seismic loading. The structural idealization of the wind turbine structure and the applied loading are presented. The force-displacement properties of the vibration isolator are discussed and the equations of motion are modified to include the isolator. A finite element model is created which includes wind and seismic loading and incorporates a vibration isolator. Simulations are performed to determine a number of key structural response variables without the vibration isolator, and with a vibration isolator having varied force-displacement properties. The changes in those key response variables are presented and discussed. It is concluded that vibration isolation is a viable method for reducing structural response of wind turbines. Some practical concerns and areas of future research are discussed.

This thesis is a comparative, data-based analysis of the empirical validity of three competing sociological models of the psychological impact of size of place of residence. The theories subjected to statistical investigation are: the ecological school of Wirth (1938), the compositionalist approach of Gans (1962) and the subcultural arguments of Fischer (1976). A secondary data analysis of selected variables from the 1979 Canadian Quality of Life Survey forms the core of this thesis. Two dimensions of the potential psychological impact of urban size are examined: powerlessness, measured by an index variable of a "sense of personal competence" and social isolation, measured by a reported sense of loneliness and contacts with significant others. Consistent with the compositionalist model, the analysis of variance performed in this research shows no association between urban size and powerlessness, after controlling for socio-economic and demographic factors. Loneliness however, shows a curvilinear negatively sloped relationship with urban size after controlling for factors lending partial support to the subcultural model. Neighbourhood involvement exhibited a significant negative association with urban size. This finding, is attributable to the relative lack of importance of proximity in the urban setting which reduces neighbourhood contacts in favour of trans-local ones. Finally, when controlling for distance of residence of children living away from home, the effect of the size of place of residence on the frequency of contact with children living away from home, reported by the respondents was significantly reduced thus, partly supporting the subcultural model's proposition.