"December, 2003" / Bibliography: leaves 283-311. / xiv, 311 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, School of Medicine, Dept. of Psychology, 2005

<p>The objective of the thesis is to study the Sri Lankan negotiation process during 2000-2006 sponsored by the Norwegian facilitation and further to analyse the major constraints hin-dering a final solution.</p><p>The stated purpose is analysed by studying both primary and secondary materials such as official documents, research and newspaper articles. One of the major findings of the thesis is that the Norwegian facilitation has not been very effective mainly due to both domestic and international political developments in recent years. In the case of domestic politics, the Sri Lankan political arena has a tradition of political crisis which is mainly a result of the two major Sinhalese parties fighting for power. These parties have been blocking any sus-tainable solution for Tamil demands while focusing on their political power.</p><p>Furthermore, international attitudes towards the warring parties are found to have had a huge impact on the Sri Lankan peace process during the studied period. Since one of the major constraints in the negotiation process appears to be that the Government of Sri Lanka seems to have adopted the international “realpolitik” on its domestic issue in the name of the war on terror. This political strategy may further inflate the already existing na-tionalism among the Sinhalese majority and the Tamil minority and thus may intensify the conflict.</p>

One of the primary goals of palliative care is management of symptoms such as pain. Palliative clinicians experience difficulty in severe pain management (SPM) and therefore there is a need for enhanced approaches to SPM. This dissertation attempts to fulfill that need by applying informatics based approaches to SPM. The dissertation was done in three phases: conceptualization, construction and testing. Conceptualization developed a practice support framework and set of informatics based tools for palliative SPM, construction implemented the informatics based tools as a computer based practice support tool and testing performed usability testing on the computer based tool. The results show that qualitative methods can be used to capture and understand the practice support needs for palliative SPM, which include a number of processes and information to support SPM. The practice support needs were then used to develop a set of informatics based solutions consisting of an ontology, a set of problem solving methods and an empirically derived vocabulary for palliative SPM. The informatics based solutions then became the design requirements for a computer based tool that provided comprehensive practice support for palliative SPM. The testing phase of the research used usability testing to test the functionality of the computer based tool. Usability testing was favorable to the question of how well does the computer based tool provide practice support for palliative SPM. This dissertation makes contributions to the fields of health informatics and palliative care. For health informatics it illustrates how to apply qualitative research methods to capture and organize knowledge around a complex healthcare domain area. The dissertation also illustrates how to use that knowledge to extend existing work on ontology based information system (IS) design by using that knowledge to develop a set of empirically derived informatics based solutions and then implementing the solutions as a computer based tool. The dissertation makes a contribution to palliative SPM by identifying practice support needs for SPM including linkages between research and practice, promotion of a common SPM vocabulary, and an approach to information handling to help manage the complexity of SPM.

Conducting polymer is a rapidly developing area of research due to its potential in combining the physical properties of polymers with electrical properties previously found only in inorganic systems. These conducting polymers owe their unique properties to a conjugated polymer backbone and become conducting upon oxidation or reduction. Melanin, a biopolymer, possess a conjugated backbone required of a conducting polymer, and has shown properties of an amorphous semiconductor. However, there has not been much study done in this area despite its potential, and this is partially due to the lack of processing methods as melanin is generally synthesised as an intractable powder. Thus, a better synthetic method was required, and a possible solution is the use of electrochemical synthesis. In our previous study we have shown that melanin can be synthesised electrochemically as a free-standing film, which was the first step towards the use of melanin as a bulk material. This project aims to continue from this preliminary work, investigating the various synthetic parameters and possible modifications as well as investigating possible applications for the electrochemically synthesised melanin film.

Thesis (M.S.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2005. / Embargoed. Vita. Bibliography: 83-96.

A infusão intratecal de fármacos analgésicos é método considerado útil no tratamento da dor decorrente do câncer. Entretanto, estudos sobre eficácia no tratamento prolongado da dor crônica não decorrente de câncer são escassos. Este trabalho objetivou analisar prospectivamente o resultado do tratamento de 80 doentes com dor crônica não decorrente de câncer com infusão intratecal de morfina. Os resultados foram avaliados quanto à intensidade, características e etiologias da dor, qualidade de vida e complicações dos procedimentos; 42 doentes eram do sexo masculino, a média das idades foi de 48,4 anos e a duração média da condição álgica foi de 53 meses. A dor decorreu de mielopatia em 26,3% dos doentes, de síndrome dolorosa miofascial em 6,3%, de síndrome dolorosa pós-laminectomia em 23,8%, de síndrome complexa de dor regional em 8,8%, de síndrome fibromiálgica em 13,8% e de neuralgia pós herpética em 5,0%. Apresentavam dor neuropática 49 (61,2%), nociceptiva 19 (23,8%) e mista 12 (15%) pacientes. Foram implantadas 62 bombas de acionamento digital para infusão em bolo e 18 bombas de infusão contínua (gás) ou programável. As médias das intensidades da dor reduziram-se de 9,5 para 4,6 segundo a escala visual analógica (EVA) ao final do acompanhamento que variou de 18 a 98 meses (média = 46,7 meses); houve melhora significativa da dor nos doentes com dor neuropática (p < 0,001), nociceptiva (p < 0,001) ou mista (p = 0,005). Apesar da melhora da qualidade de vida de acordo com SF-36 (30,8 para 49,6) e nas dimensões do Questionário \"Treatment of Pain Survey\" (TOPS), não houve alteração na capacidade objetiva para o trabalho. Não houve diferença significativa entre infusão contínua e em bolo quanto à melhora da dor (p = 0,597). O consumo de morfina estabilizou-se após o sexto mês de tratamento na maioria dos casos. Não houve diferença significativa quanto à melhora em relação à localização da extremidade do cateter subaracnóideo (p = 0,227). Ocorreu agravamento da dor de 4,9 para 8,9 (p < 0,001) durante o período de uso de medicação placebo. Alguns efeitos adversos ocorreram inicialmente e geralmente foram toleráveis. Conclui-se que a infusão intratecal de opióides é método adequado e seguro para o tratamento da dor crônica rebelde não decorrente do câncer. / Implantable pumps for intrathecal delivery of opiates are efficient for treatment of cancer pain. However, studies of nonmalignant pain with long term follow-up are few. The present study use prospective analysis of the result of the long term treatment of 80 patients presenting nonmalignant pain with intrathecal infusion of morphine. The nature and etiology of the pain, quantitative and qualitative expressions of pain and the quality of the life before and at the end of the treatment and complications of procedures were evaluated; were male 42 (52%) patients, the average of the ages was 48.4 years and the mean duration of previous pain, 53 months. Pain was due to mielopathy in 26.3% of the cases, myofascial pain syndrome in 6.3%, failed back pain in 23.8%, complex regional pain syndrome in 8.8%, fibromyalgia in 13.8% and post-herpetic neuralgia in 5.0%. Presented as neuropathic pain 49 (61.2%) patients, as nociceptive pain 19 (23.8%) patients and as mixed pain 12 (15%) patients. In 62 patients pumps for self-administration bolus of morphine was implanted and in 18 constant-flow(gas) or programable pumps. The mean intensity of pain according the visual analogical scale (VAS) reduced from 9.5 to 4.6 at the end of 46.7 months (18 to 98 months) mean follow-up; there was significant improvement of the results in neuropathic(p < 0.001), nociceptive(p < 0.001) and mixed pain(p = 0.005). There was improvement of the quality of life measured by SF-36(30.8 to 49.6) and in all dimensions of the Questionnaire \"Treatment of Pain Survey\" (TOPS), except in working capacity. There was no significant difference of the results for patients treated with bolus or constant flow pumps (p = 0.597). The daily dose of morphine became constant after six month of treatment in the majority of the cases. The position of the tip of the cateter did not influenced improvement in pain intensity (p = 0.277). Patients treated with placebo had increasing of pain intensity from 4.9 to 8.9 according the VAS (p < 0,001). Side effects were more frequent at the beginning of the treatment and few were intolerable. Concluded that intrathecal infusion of morphine is a suitable and safe method for treatment of chronic nonmalignant pain.

Orientador: Maria da Consolação Gomes Cunha Fernandes Tavares / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Fisica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-12T05:58:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcelino_VagnerReolon_D.pdf: 534331 bytes, checksum: 356a87c3be243fff9f823ff8c666387d (MD5) Previous issue date: 2008 / Resumo: No processo do envelhecimento ocorre alta incidência de doenças crônicas e degenerativas que, muitas vezes, resultam em elevada dependência. A dor crônica é a principal queixa do idoso, fato que pode interferir de modo significativo na estrutura da sua identidade corporal. Ultimamente a disseminação da prática de atividade física para idosos vem sendo preconizada como uma intervenção importante para garantir um envelhecimento saudável. Acreditamos que é importante disponibilizar ao professor de Educação Física informações que permita realizar a abordagem do idoso com dor crônica durante a prática de atividade física considerando suas necessidades especiais. Dessa forma o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se a intervenção da prática de atividade física sistematizada com exercícios resistidos e exercícios recreativos poderia intervir na auto-imagem e na auto-estima e na percepção da dor em pessoas idosas com dores crônicas. A amostra foi constituída por idosos pertencentes ao projeto de extensão da Faculdade de Americana, denominado musculação para idosos, sendo divididos em dois grupos: um grupo com atividade física - GCAF (n=13) e um grupo sem atividade física - GSAF (n=12). A auto-imagem a auto-estima foi determinada por meio de aplicação do questionário proposto por Steglich(1978) e a percepção de dor foi avaliada através da escala analógica visual de dor - EVA. O grupo com atividade física - GCAF foi submetido a um programa de exercícios resistidos e exercícios recreativos durante três meses. O grupo sem atividade física - GSAF realizou encontros quinzenais com o pesquisador/responsável realizando atividades de sociabilização durante três meses. Como resultados observou-se que a auto-imagem do grupo sem atividade física - GSAF para o antes e depois do período proposto de encontros não alterouse. Com relação à auto-estima ocorreu uma pequena diferença após o programa. O grupo com atividade física - GCAF não apresentou alterações na variável auto-estima. Quando comparados os dados antes e depois após o programa de atividade física na variável da auto-imagem não ocorreu diferenças. A percepção de dor do grupo com atividade física - GCAF para o grupo sem atividade física - GSAF houve diferença da percepção de sensibilidade de dor para ambos os grupos. O grupo com atividade física - GCAF antes das intervenções dos programas de atividades físicas mostrava uma sensibilidade significativa conforme a Escala EVA, após as atividades físicas o mesmo grupo apontava uma sensibilidade menor com a apresentada anteriormente. O grupo sem atividade física - GSAF também mostrou uma diminuição na sensibilidade de dor, conforme a escala EVA. Mas, não estatisticamente conforme o grupo com atividade física - GCAF. A reflexão neste trabalho nos leva a valorizar a formação abrangente do profissional de Educação Física, reconhecendo o mesmo como professor qualificado e apto a lidar com o complexo do valor humano, no contexto da formação da área em educação física. / Abstract: A high incidence of chronic and degenerative diseases occurs in the aging process, which, many times, results in a state of high dependence. Chronic pain is the main complaint of the aged, a fact which can significantly interfere in the structure of their corporal identity. Lately, physical activity practice for the aged is recommended, as an important intervention to guarantee a healthy aging process. We believe it is important to offer the Physical Education professor information which would allow him (her) to approach the aged who have chronic pain while practicing physical activity, considering their special needs. In this manner, the aim of this paper was to verify if an intervention in the practice of systematic physical activity with resisted and recreative exercises could intervene in the self image and self esteem and in the perception of chronic pain of the aged. The sample was composed of aged belonging to the extension project of the Americana School (Faculdade de Americana), named Muscle Building for the Aged, divided into two groups: a group with physical activity - GCAF (n=13) and a group with no physical activity - GSAF (n=12). Self image and self esteem were determined by applying the questionnaire proposed by Steglich (1978) and the perception of pain was evaluated through the visual analogical scale - EVA. The group with physical activity - GCAF was submitted to a resisted and recreative exercise program for three months. The group with no physical activity - GSAF participated in fortnightly meetings with the researcher/person responsible, performing socializing activities for three months. The results showed that the self image of the group with no physical activity - GSAF, before and after the period of the meetings proposed, did not change. In relation to self esteem, there was a small difference, after the program. The group with physical activity - GCAF did not show alterations in the self esteem variable. When the data before and after the physical activity program was compared, no alterations occurred in the self image variable. There was a difference in the sensitivity to pain for both groups. The group with physical activity - GCAF showed a significant sensitivity before the interventions of the physical activity programs, according to the EVA scale; after the physical activities, the same group pointed to a lower sensitivity than that previously seen. The group with no physical activity - GSAF also showed lower sensitivity to pain, according to the EVA scale, but not statistically, as in the group with physical activity - GCAF. Pondering the data raised in this paper leads us to valorize the comprehensive formation of the Physical Education professional, recognizing him (her) as a qualified professor and apt to deal with the complex value of the human being, in the context of formation in the area of physical education. / Doutorado / Atividade Fisica, Adaptação e Saude / Doutor em Educação Física

Sleep, emotions and pain are intimately connected, physiologically, by their location and utilization of the same brain centers and neurotransmitters. Sleep disturbances have been clinically observed in chronic pain populations; yet, no treatment program has formally addressed this aspect of patient care. It is hypothesized that a pain population (PN) will differ significantly from a non-injured workforce (WF) when reviewing quantitative and qualitative sleep data. This study strongly supports that sleep disturbances and socioeconomic decrements exist in chronic pain patients. Forty-seven variables were surveyed and 13 were found to show significant differences between the groups and seven were found to discriminate between the PN and WF groups at less than the .0001 level. A discriminant analysis was performed to determine the smallest model which could efficiently classify cases, according to successive root variables. The major discriminators are pain levels, medication, amount of sleep obtained and number of awakenings.

This paper argues that the interactive problem-solving workshops created by political scientist John Burton and applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by social psychologist Herbert Kelman, while not, as yet, resulting in a just and permanent peace agreement, are effective in resolving intractable conflict, and, if persistently used, can significantly help to produce such an agreement. This is done by closely examining two books of Burton and a series of articles by Kelman to describe their process; the characteristics of intractable conflict are also reviewed from the work of social psychologist Daniel Bar-Tal. It is then argued that the psychological elements of intractable conflict and the satisfaction of basic human needs are addressed in the interactive problem-solving workshops, exactly what is needed in intractable conflict. It is also suggested that the many outsider recommendations for the resolution of this conflict will not work because they do nothing to address the psychological elements. Recommendations are made to use the workshops to resolve disputes between the Hamas and Fatah political parties and various elements on the Israel side of the conflict; the top leaders of both sides of the conflict are also urged to participate in a workshop. This paper also notes that a fully completed peace agreement already exists in the form of the Geneva Initiative, assembled by Israeli and Palestinian persons exhibiting the qualities promoted by the workshops.

This study assessed the influence of massage therapy on the psychobiology of chronic pain patients. A pre- and posttest design measured the effects of a one-month treatment program Twenty outpatients and twenty inpatients of two chronic pain treatment programs, were administered several psychological and physiological tests before and after the study. Experimental subjects received massage therapy twice a week for one month in addition to their other therapies. Control subjects continued with their regular treatment modalities for one month. Results showed statistically significant differences (p < .05) on 5 of the 17 psychological variables and on the electromyograph levels. Analysis of Holmes-Rahe scores suggested that these differences were not attributable to the artifact effect of differential life stress.