Σκοπός της παρούσας ερευνητικής εργασίας ήταν η επιδημιολογική μελέτη των σταφυλοκοκκικών λοιμώξεων από πηκτάση–αρνητικούς σταφυλοκόκκους (CNS) σε ασθενείς της Μονάδας Εντατικής Θεραπείας των πρόωρων νεογνών του Πανεπιστημιακoύ Γενικού Νοσοκομείου Πατρών (ΠΓΝΠ) μεταξύ 2002-2004. Κατά τη διάρκεια της μελέτης, συλλέχθηκαν συνολικά 287 στελέχη CNS. Τα στελέχη ελέγχθηκαν για την παραγωγή της πρωτεΐνης PBP2α και την ύπαρξη του γονιδίου mecA για τον προσδιορισμό των ανθεκτικών στη methicillin στελεχών CNS. Από το σύνολο των 287 CNS, τα 132 (46%) χαρακτηρίσθηκαν ως MRCNS. Τα MRCNS αποτελούν σοβαρό πρόβλημα για τα νοσοκομεία, γιατί αυξάνουν τον χρόνο παραμονής των ασθενών στο νοσοκομείο, άρα και το κόστος νοσηλείας και θεραπείας. Έγινε μελέτη του φαινοτύπου αντοχής των στελεχών σε αντιβιοτικά, της κλωνικής τους διασποράς και της ικανότητάς παραγωγής βιομεμβράνης σε σύγκριση με την παρουσία των γονιδίων του οπερονίου ica. Για την επιδημιολογική μελέτη των λοιμώξεων που οφείλονται σε MRCNS, μέθοδος αναφοράς είναι η PFGE, κυρίως σε συνδυασμό και με υβριδισμό του χρωμοσωμικού DNA με ειδικούς ανιχνευτές. Όλα τα στελέχη MRCNS ήταν πολυανθεκτικά και η πλειονότητά τους παρήγαγε βιομεμβράνη (89%). Μεταξύ των 115 στελεχών S. epidermidis αναδείχθηκε ένας κυριάρχος κλώνος (z) (77 στελέχη) και ακολούθησε ο κλώνος (g). Τα δέκα από τα δεκαέξι στελέχη του είδους S. haemolyticus ανήκαν στον κλώνο (y). Το οπερόνιο ica συμβάλλει στην παραγωγή της εξωκυττάριας ουσίας polysaccharide-intercellular-adhesin (ΡΙΑ) που είναι το κύριο συστατικό του biofilm. Η έκφραση των γονιδίων του οπερονίου ica επάγεται από την παρουσία του ρυθμιστικού γονιδίου sarA, ενώ καταστέλλεται από το γονίδιο icaR. Τα περισσότερα στελέχη που ήταν biofilm-θετικά (80%) έφεραν όλα τα γονίδια του οπερονίου ica και το τρανσποζόνιο IS256, ενώ τα υπόλοιπα 23 είχαν ποικίλους συνδυασμούς των γονιδίων. Η παρουσία όλων των γονιδίων του οπερονίου ica ανιχνεύθηκε σε τρία από τα δεκαπέντε biofilm-αρνητικά στελέχη. Αναδείχθηκαν ένας κύριος και δύο δευτερεύοντες biofilm-θετικοί, πολυανθεκτικοί MRCNS κλώνοι, που αποίκισαν και προξένησαν λοιμώξεις στα πρόωρα νεογνά. Μέρος της παρούσας ερευνητικής εργασίας ήταν η διερεύνηση της επίδρασης του χρόνου επώασης στη γονιδιακή έκφραση σε δεκατέσσερα αντιπροσωπευτικά στελέχη. Αυτό έγινε μέσω της ποσοτικοποίησης με αλυσιδωτή αντίδραση πολυμεράσης πραγματικού χρόνου (RT-PCR) των γονιδίων icaA και icaD τα οποία κυρίως σχετίζονται με την παραγωγή biofilm, καθώς και δύο ρυθμιστικών γονιδίων icaR και sarA σε σύγκριση με ένα συντηρημένο γονίδιο αναφοράς (23S rDNA). Ο έλεγχος έγινε σε στελέχη S. epidermidis που ήταν ανθεκτικά στη methicillin, κατατάσσονταν σε διαφορετικούς κλώνους, εμφάνιζαν διαφορετικό φαινότυπο σύνθεσης βιομεμβράνης και έφεραν ποικίλους συνδυασμούς γονίδιων. Οι αντιδράσεις απόλυτης ποσοτικοποίησης έκφρασης των γονιδίων είχαν υψηλή απόδοση (1,86 και 1,84 για την επώαση στις τέσσερις ώρες και δύο ώρες, αντίστοιχα). Η μαθηματική ανάλυση δεν έδειξε ιδιαίτερα μεγάλες διαφορές μεταξύ των αποτελεσμάτων για τα τέσσερα γονίδια και τους δύο χρόνους επώασης. Αυτό που παρατηρήθηκε ήταν οτι η έκφραση ήταν υψηλότερη στα biofilm-θετικά στελέχη. Προκειμένου να μελετηθεί η επίδραση της βακτηριακής προσκόλλησης στις διάφορες επιφάνειες τροποποιημένου και μη τροποποιημένου γυαλιού, πραγματοποιήθηκαν δυναμικά πειράματα, κάτω από δύο διαφορετικές συνθήκες ροής, σε δύο χρόνους επώασης σε τέσσερα στελέχη S. epidermidis. Η βακτηριακή προσκόλληση, η παραγωγή biofilm και ο σχηματισμός βιομεμβράνης στις τροποποιημένες επιφάνειες ήταν αυξημένα σε σχέση με τις μη τροποποιημένες. Αυτό ήταν σε συμφωνία με τα αποτελέσματα της γονιδιακής έκφρασης των γονιδίων icaA και icaD, μετά από ανάλυση της έκφρασης των γονιδίων icaA και icaD με RT-PCR, που έδειξε αυξημένες τιμές στις τροποποιημένες επιφάνειες, κυρίως στην υψηλή ροή. Επομένως, ο συνδυασμός της δράσης της χημείας της επιφάνειας και της ροής, επηρεάζουν την προσκόλληση, τον φαινότυπο και το γονότυπο των βακτηριακών στελεχών, όπως και την προσαρμογή τους στις αλλαγές του περιβάλλοντος. Η μελέτη της γονιδιακής έκφρασης μπορεί να βοηθήσει στην κατανόηση των αλληλεπιδράσεων της βακτηριακής προσκόλλησης με το βιοϋλικό. / A total of 132 methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCNS) isolated from preterm neonates were studied for antibiotic resistance patterns, clonal distribution and biofilm formation in relation to the presence of ica operon. All MR-CNS were multi-resistant while the majority (89%) produced biofilm. Among 115 Staphylococcus epidermidis, a major clone (z) was identified (77 strains), followed by clone g. Ten out of 16 S. haemolyticus belonged to a common clone (y). Most of the biofilm-positive strains (80%) possessed all tested genes, while the remaining 23 had a variety of gene combinations. Presence of the entire ica cluster was detected in three out of 15 biofilm-negative strains. One major and two minor biofilm-positive, multi-resistant MRCNS clones were disseminated, colonizing and infecting hospitalized preterm neonates. Fourteen representative MR- S. epidermidis strains were selected and investigated for the expression of icaA and icaD genes, and two regulatory genes, icaR (repressor) and sarA (inducer), towards a housekeeping gene (23SrDNA), by Real-Time PCR (RT-PCR). These strains belonged to various clones, had different combinations of ica genes and biofilm-forming phenotypes. The experiments were performed in two incubation times, after two and four hours. Νο differences were observed at the gene expression level at the two tested times. In general, biofilm-positive strains had higher expression rates for ica operon and sarA genes and lower for the repressor of ica cluster gene (icaR). In order to investigate the interaction of bacteria with the surfaces after attachment, dynamic experiments were performed under two flow conditions. Two different surfaces were used, a modified and a non-modified glass surface. Bacterial adhesion, as well as biofilm production and biofilm formation, was much higher on the modified surface than on the non-modified one for four S. epidermidis strains. This was in agreement with icaA and icaD gene expression that showed increased expression by RT-PCR, for the bacteria adhered at the modified substrate, especially under the high shear rate. Therefore, the combined effect of surface chemistry and shear significantly influence the adhesion of interacting bacterial cells. This indicates that analysis of gene expression not only can greatly refine our knowledge of bacterial-material interactions, but also yield novel biomarkers for potential use in biocompatibility assessment.

The following thesis outlines Hegel’s interpretation of Socrates in order to prove that as a negative dialectician, Socrates constitutes both a world historic personality who met a fate (Schicksal) which was tragic and practiced a philosophy which was tragically ironic. In this undertaking, Hegel’s Theory of Tragedy takes central importance which defines tragedy as two equally justified opposing forces which clash and destroy one another. This Theory of Tragedy is extended to show that through Socrates’ absolutely free will he brought himself to a tragic clash with the Athenian Ethical Life (Sittlichkeit), the Sophists’ arbitrary will, and the phenomenological will of uneducated Athenians. This clash is described in terms of a Hegelian Tragedy within which both Socrates and Athens were right and just in their actions against one another, but in the end were destroyed through those actions. His Method and Dialectic is then argued represent a negative dialectic which through the negation of negativity becomes positive as a midwifery of the consciousness. Next, because his Method and Dialectic begin in negativity and end in positivity, Socratic Elenchus is argued to not be representative of what has been termed “the Socratic Irony,” but instead only the negative moment of the Socratic Method. Finally, the Socratic Irony which Hegel argues is representative of both Socratic Philosophy and world history is defined as a Tragic Irony which sublates the finite consciousness of the phenomenological will, and the Ethical Life (Sittlichkeit), and the infinite arbitrary will of the Sophists in order to become a trans-subjective absolutely free will which becomes infinite itself like the Sophists’ will through reflection on the Ethical Life (Sittlichkeit).

Metagenomics is the study of a collective microbial genetic content recovered directly from natural (e.g., soil, ocean, and freshwater) or host-associated (e.g., human gut, skin, and oral) environmental communities that contain microorganisms, i.e., microbiomes. The rapid technological developments in next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies, enabling to sequence tens or hundreds of millions of short DNA fragments (or reads) in a single run, facilitates the studies of multiple microorganisms lived in environmental communities. Metagenomics, a relatively new but fast growing field, allows us to understand the diversity of microbes, their functions, cooperation, and evolution in a particular ecosystem. Also, it assists us to identify significantly different metabolic potentials in different environments. Particularly, metagenomic analysis on the basis of functional features (e.g., pathways, subsystems, functional roles) enables to contribute the genomic contents of microbes to human health and leads us to understand how the microbes affect human health by analyzing a metagenomic data corresponding to two or multiple populations with different clinical phenotypes (e.g., diseased and healthy, or different treatments). Currently, metagenomic analysis has substantial impact not only on genetic and environmental areas, but also on clinical applications. In our study, we focus on the development of computational and statistical methods for functional metagnomic analysis of sequencing data that is obtained from various environmental microbial samples/communities.

In the age of multi-literacies, contemporary theories and devices are required to decipher increasingly complicated challenges which are presented by the digital technological revolution. Some of the existing approaches and frameworks of could inspire us but are not well equipped to address the complexities and multi-perspectives of the eccentric challenges that scholars face on diverse issues. Therefore, I present the critical semiotic order theory (CSOT) as a new eclectic theory to analyze discourse and moving and still images critically, semiotically and using systematic orders simultaneously.The theory has four hypotheses: 1) the positive and negative order hypothesis; 2) the zero value order hypothesis; 3) the chaos order hypothesis; 4) the semiotic indices order hypothesis. The theory was applied to three movies, and was successful in unearthing numerous perceptions and some were microscopic semiotic communicative indices and related them to polycentric Occidental ideologies.Hollywood has made over a thousand movies negatively stereotyping (NS) Arab/Muslim identities and voices (AMIVs) and the images in the vast majority are demeaning (Shaheen, 2009: 2). This research sets to find out whether the misconstruction of Arab/Muslim identities and voices (AMIVs) in three Hollywood movies are ordered, patterned, systematic, and related to ideologies and agendas of polycentric Western individuals, agencies, institutions and governments.The three movies showcase dozens of discursive microscopic critical semiotic orders and patterns of NS of AMIVs in discourse and still and moving image such as being: angry, dangerous, dirty, primitive, uncivilized, dishonest, cowards, fanatics, slaves, extremists, savages, liars, sorceress, killers, terrorists, mad dogs, child terrorists, suicide bombers, etc. The racism touches Arab/Muslims' (A/Ms) characteristics, personalities, races, cultures, traditions, histories, stories, folklores, costumes, images, etc.The analysis showed that there was a systematic pattern and order of NS of AMIVs within and across the three movies, and the NS is related to ideologies and agendas of polycentric Western individuals, agencies, institutions and governments for socio-cultural, socio-economic and socio-political investments in a vast complex web that some of it can go to hundreds of years in making. Nowadays, NS of AMIVs is done by many Westerners for various ideological agendas and investments, and they have appointed themselves as judge, jury and prosecutor.

Motor vehicle crashes have increasingly become a serious concern for highway safety engineers and transportation agencies over the past few decades. This serious concern has led to a great deal of research activities. One of these activities is to develop safety analysis tools, specifically crash prediction models, for the purpose of reducing crashes and enhancing highway safety.Crash prediction models based on statistical or econometric modeling techniques are used for a variety of purposes; most commonly to estimate the expected crash frequencies from various roadway entities (highways, intersections, interstates, etc.) and also to identify geometric, environmental, and operations factors that are associated with crashes. A comprehensive review of prior literature indicates that many researchers have mainly focused on the development of aggregate crash prediction models based on single equation estimation techniques to identify the influences of geometric, environmental, and traffic variables on a single counted outcome. In some cases, however, more than one dependent variable might be of interest and hence several equations are formulated at the same time. Such a multiple equation structure may require simultaneous (or joint) estimation techniques under some situations.This dissertation research develops simultaneous estimation approaches to account for contemporaneous correlation and endogeneity problems in crash data. Specifically, seemingly unrelated negative binomial models and simultaneous equation models are developed to account for contemporaneous correlation between the disturbance terms across crash type models and to control for the endogenous relationship between the presence of left-turn lanes and angle crashes.Modeling crash types may provide certain advantages to gain insights as to 1) identification of high-risk sites with respect to specific types of crashes, which is not revealed through crash totals, and 2) the differences between conditions that lead to various crash types, but the disturbance terms across crash types might be contemporaneously correlated due to the unobserved common characteristics. Therefore, individual and simultaneous crash type models were estimated and the results of both models were compared. The results showed that a simultaneous estimation approach provides more efficient estimators relative to a single equation estimation technique.The presence of left-turn lanes has been treated as exogenous in crash prediction models, but in fact they are affecting each other. The bi-directional relationship between left-turn lanes and crashes results in endogeneity. This research investigated the endogenous relationship between left-turn lanes and crashes and developed simultaneous equation models to control for the endogeneity. The findings indicated that the presence of left-turn lanes is endogenously associated with crashes and the real effect of left-turn lanes on crashes can be obtained by controlling for endogeneity.

Störungen der Schluckfunktion werden im Alter zunehmend diagnostiziert und beeinträchtigen die Lebensqualität der betroffenen Patienten sehr. Ein abnormes Schluckmuster bei Kindern und Jugendlichen kann eine pathologische Wirkung auf die Entwicklung der Zahnstellung haben. In dieser Studie wurde bei einem gesunden Probandenkollektiv von 52 Teilnehmern (40 w; 12 m) im Alter von 20 - 45 (MW: 25.48; SD:4.68) Jahren die orale Phase des Schluckaktes untersucht. Für diese Zwecke, wurde ein intraorales Mundstück angewendet (Silencos®, Bredent, Senden, Deutschland), das aufgrund der Einbringung einer Silikonschlaufe die intraorale Bolusapplikation und Druckmessung erlaubte. Extraoral wurde das Mundstück einerseits an einer mit Flüssigkeit gefüllten Spritze zur Bolusapplikation und andererseits an ein digitales Manometer (GDUSB 1000®, Greisinger electronics, Regenstauf Deutschland) angeschlossen. Das genutzte Messgerät besaß die Fähigkeit, mit einer Frequenz von 1kHz Messungen in einem Bereich von 2000 bis -1000 mbar durchzuführen. Zum Schutz der Probanden und zur Sicherung der Messung wurde am Schlauchsystem ein Bakterienfilter und ein Wasserabscheider angebracht. Mit dieser Versuchsanordnung wurden drei Schluckmodalitäten untersucht. Jede Modalität beinhaltete 10 Schluckvorgänge. Die erste Untersuchung bezog sich auf die aktive Einnahme eines Bolus aus Wasser. Die Probanden führten Saugimpulse aus, indem sie Flüssigkeit aus einer Spritze zogen und diese anschließend schluckten. Die zweite und dritte Untersuchung basierte auf der passiven Gabe eines Bolus, der in einem Volumen von 2 ml appliziert wurde. In diesem Versuch wurde jeweils ein 2-ml-Bolus aus Wasser und aus Gel verabreicht. Bei den erhobenen Daten konnten hauptsächlich negative Druckamplituden beobachtet werden. Dabei wurde ein Mittelwert von -290 mbar bei der aktiven Bolus-Einnahme, -31 mbar während der passiven Gabe eines Bolus aus Wasser und -37 mbar bei der passiven Gabe eines Bolus aus Gel gemessen. Auch die Dauer der Schluckereignisse wurde gemessen. Hierbei ergab sich ein Mittelwert von 5.1 s bei der aktiven Bolus-Einnahme, 1.8 s bei der passiven Gabe eines Bolus aus Wasser und 1.5 s bei der passiven Gabe eines Bolus aus Gel. In Abhängigkeit von der Art der Bolusapplikation und der Boluskonsistenz konnten signifikante Differenzen zwischen den erhobenen Druckamplituden und Druckverläufen beobachtet werden. Die aktive Einnahme eines Bolus zeigte höhere negative Druckverläufe sowie eine längere Dauer als bei der passiven Gabe eines Bolus. Auch signifikante Unterschiede zwischen den Konsistenzen konnten beobachtet werden: die Gabe eines Bolus aus Gel wies polyphasische Kurven auf. Im Vergleich dazu zeigten sich vorwiegend monophasische Kurven beim Schlucken von Wasser. Der vorgeschlagene Schlucktest zeigte eine einfache Anwendbarkeit und konnte bei allen Probanden problemlos durchgeführt werden. Der technische Aufwand war gering und die Untersuchung brachte keine Nebenwirkungen für die Probanden mit sich. Anhand dieses Tests wurden Datensätze zur Schluckfunktion erzeugt, welche qualitativ und quantitativ ausgewertet wurden und als Normwert für zukünftige Untersuchungen dienen. Die Interpretation der erhobenen Daten anhand des biofunktionellen Modells ermöglicht eine methodische Erfassung der Schluckphysiologie. Eine klinische Anwendung bietet sich als diagnostischer Test sowie auch in der Übungstherapie an. Die durchgeführten Untersuchungen konnten die funktionelle Ähnlichkeit der Funktionen Saugen und Schlucken belegen und zeigten, dass das vom biofunktionellen Modell ausgewiesene Kompartiment 2 offensichtlich zum Transport von Flüssigkeiten einen Saugmechanismus und nicht einen Propulsionsmechanismus durch Verdrängen des Bolus bevorzugt.

Pastaraisiais metais informacinės komunikacinės technologijos (IKT) tapo bene svarbiausiu diskusijų objektu. Šios diskusijos vyksta įvairiais lygmenimis – moksliniu, techniniu, politiniu, vadybiniu ir pan. Neabejotina, kad šiandieninės technologijų galimybės yra didžiulės. Labai problematiška sritis – technologijų „perkėlimas“ į švietimo sistemą. Kaip tai padaryti? Kaip efektyviai panaudoti mokymo(si) tikslais? Kaip sumažinti galimai neigiamą poveikį sveikatai? Pasaulis kinta labai sparčiai, techninės galimybės didėja kasdien. Skaitmeninė revoliucija daro žmonių gyvenimą lengvesnį, keičia ir jų darbą, ir laisvalaikį. Ar galime teigti, kad šiuolaikinės IKT padeda organizuoti ugdymo procesą? Šis klausimas nėra vienareikšmis. Akivaizdu, kad tobulėdamos IKT vis labiau skverbiasi į įvairias mūsų gyvenimo sritis (Lamanauskas, 2006). IKT panaudojimas ugdymo įstaigose – tai dar ne taip seniai į ugdymo procesą integruota ugdymo(si) priemonė. Ji negali būti įvertinta vienareikšmiškai dėl jos naujumo ir nuolatinės kaitos. Prieš keletą metų pagrindinis uždavinys buvo mokyklų aprūpinimas nauja kompiuterine technika, šiandien aktualia problema tapo kaip veiksmingai IKT integruoti į ugdymo procesą. Dažniausiai galvojama, kokią naudą duos IKT teikiamos galimybės ugdymo(si) procesui, bet pamirštama, kad IKT ugdytinius veikia ir neigiamai. Šio darbo tikslas ir yra nustatyti, kokie veiksniai ugdytiniams dirbant su IKT neigiamai veikia juos pačius ir ugdymo(si) procesą. / Recently, the issues of Information and Communication Technologies have been exhaustively discussed. The questions are debated at scientific, technical, political, managerial etc level. Certainly, the present technologies have many possibilities. However, ‚transferring‘ them to the educational system seems to be the most difficult problem. What are the solutions to be reached in order to effectively apply the technologies for teaching/learning purposes, to decrease a possible negatyve impact on health etc. A question if we can support an idea that modern ITC helps with the educational process is not explicit?(Lamanauskas, 2006). Usage of the ICT in educational establishments (institutions) is device of education, integrated in learning process for not so long time ago. It can not be evaluated unambiguous, because of its (newness) originality and permanent shifting (alternation). Few years ago main task was to provide (supply) new computers for schools, today’s point (relevant) problem becomes how to integrate the ICT for effective using in learning process. Usually it is contemplated in what possibilities in learning process will give the use of ICT, but everyone forgets that there is a negative influence for the pupils. Main aim of this work is to estimate what kind of subjects gives the negative influence for the pupils and the learning process in working with ICT.

Bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose daugėja vaikų ir paauglių elgesio nukrypimų apraiškų, todėl yra palankios sąlygos vykdyti mokinių elgesio stebėseną ir jos pagrindu modeliuoti prevencinę veiklą. Stebėsenos metu sukauptos medžiagos apie vaikų elgesio nukrypimus psichopedagoginė analizė leidžia įvertinti vaikų ir paauglių elgesio grupių mikrosocialinės bei makrosocialinės aplinkos įtaką jų elgesiui, atpažinti delinkventinio elgesio pasireiškimo formas, tirti pedagoginių prevencijos priemonių bei modelių efektyvumą siekiant sumažinti vaikų negatyvaus elgesio pasireiškimus socialinėje institucijoje. Tyrimo objektas - prevencinės veiklos ugdymo institucijoje modeliavimas, siekiant teigiamai paveikti vaikų elgesio nukrypimų prevenciją. Tyrimo tikslas - parengti vaikų elgesio nukrypimų prevencijos mokykloje veiklos modelį. Darbe keliama hipotezė, jog kryptingai modeliuojant vaikų elgesio nukrypimų prevenciją ugdymo institucijoje įmanoma pozityvi vaikų elgesio kaita. Tyrimas naudojant kompiuterinę stebėsenos programą STEBIS vykdytas Panevėžio rajono Smilgių vidurinėje mokykloje, stebėta 20 vaikų besimokančių 5 – 10 klasėse. Tyrimo metu nustatyta, kad septyni iš dvidešimties stebėtų mokinių elgesio normas pažeidė epizodiškai, o likusieji yra linkę sistemingai pažeidinėti nustatytas mokyklos ir viešosios tvarkos taisykles. Daugiausia vaikų stebėta dėl egresijos elgsenos atvejų (valkatavimo – 13, bėgimo iš pamokų – 12), cheminės priklausomybės (dažniausiai rūkymo – 11) ir kitų negatyvaus... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Due to an increase in children’s and teenagers’ negative behaviour manifestation in comprehensive schools, there are favourable conditions of carrying out children’s hehaviour observation and on the basis of it to model preventive activity. The data gathered under the observation of children behaviour deviance, using psychopedagogical analysis, enables to evaluate the impact of microsocial and macrosocial environment on the behaviour in groups of children and teenagers as well as to recognize delinquent behaviour manifestation forms. Besides, psycho- pedagogical analysis makes it also possible to examine the efficiency of pedagogical preventive measures and models in order to reduce manifestation of children’s negative behaviour in a social institution. The object of study is to model preventive activity in educational institutions seeking to affect positively children’s behavioural deviance prevention. The aim of the research is to prepare a preventive activity model concerning children’s behaviour deviance in a school environment. The study also poses a hypothesis stating that purposefully modelling prevention of children’s behaviour deviance in an educational institution makes it possible to result in positive change in terms of children’s behaviour. The research was conducted using a computer observation programme STEBIS in the secondary school of Smilgiai (a small town in Panevėžys region) There were twenty pupils observed. The research shows that seven of the... [to full text]

Abstract An Examination of Linkages Between Personality, Leader-Member Exchange, and the Psychological Contract By Mark George Kunze 2005 Committee Chair: Dr. Edward Miles Major Department: Management While previous research has focused mainly on relationships between various personality variables and either leader-member exchange or psychological contract violation, none has yet to examine how these constructs are linked. A model of these proposed relationships is developed based on theory drawn from literature in the areas of social psychology, leader-member exchange, and psychological contracts. The present research used structural equation modeling to examine the strength of the relationship between the personality variables of negative affect, positive affect, self-monitoring, and trait cynicism with respect to leader-member exchange and perceptions of psychological contract violation. Positive affect and negative affect were found to significantly relate to both LMX and the perception of psychological contract violation. Trait cynicism was not significantly related to LMX and only weakly related to perceptions of psychological contract violation. It was hypothesized that LMX would partially mediate the relationships between the individual personality factors and perceptions of psychological contract violation; however, the data did not support this hypothesis. While self-monitoring was hypothesized to moderate the relationship of positive affect, negative affect, and trait cynicism with LMX, the moderating effect was found to be significant only for the negative affect/LMX relationship.

The goals of the present study were: 1) to describe and provide initial support for the validity of the Future Scenarios Questionnaire (FSQ), a new self-report questionnaire designed to measure parental responding to anticipated children’s negative emotions; and 2) to examine how maternal responses on the FSQ related to young children’s aggressive, asocial, and prosocial behaviors with peers. Further, this study examined whether the temperamental trait of negative affect moderated the relation between maternal responses on the FSQ and children’s social adjustment outcomes. Participants were 92 mothers of preschool-age children (43 boys and 49 girls; M age 61.5 months). Mothers provided ratings on the FSQ and child temperament ratings on the Child Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ; Rothbart, Ahadi, & Hershey, 1994). They also completed a range of measures which were included to assess the construct validity of the FSQ. These included measures of attachment representations, maternal mind-mindedness, perceived control, and alexithymia. Sixty-nine teachers provided ratings on the Child Behavior Scale (CBS; Ladd & Profilet, 1996) for children’s aggressive, asocial, and prosocial behaviors in the peer context. Factor analysis of the FSQ revealed two subscales: Encourage Emotion Expression (EEE) and Discourage Emotion Expression (DEE). Patterns of correlations among these subscales and the additional mother measures suggested that the FSQ demonstrates some construct validity. Further, the results of the moderation analyses showed that maternal responding on the FSQ interacts with negative affect in the prediction of child behaviors, however not in the hypothesized ways. In particular, encouraging emotion expression significantly predicted more asocial behavior and less prosocial behavior (approached significance), but only for children rated high in negative affect. Similarly, discouraging emotion expression significantly predicted less aggressive behavior only for high negative affect children. None of these relations was significant for children rated low in negative affect. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed in terms of the importance of considering child temperament in emotion socialization processes.