One of the most common risk factors for stroke is diabetes. Diabetics are 2 to 4 times more likely to have a stroke and are also significantly more likely to show poor functional recovery. In order to determine why diabetes is associated with poor stroke recovery, we tested the hypotheses that diabetes either exacerbates initial stroke damage, or inhibits neuronal circuit plasticity in surviving brain regions that is crucial for successful recovery. Type 1 diabetes was chemically induced in mice four weeks before receiving a targeted photothrombotic stroke in the right forelimb somatosensory cortex to model a chronic diabetic condition. Following stroke, a subset of diabetic mice were treated with insulin to determine if controlling blood glucose levels could improve stroke recovery. Consistent with previous studies, one behavioural test revealed a progressive improvement in sensory function of the forepaw in non-diabetic mice after stroke. By contrast, diabetic mice treated with and without insulin showed persistent deficits in sensori-motor forepaw function. To determine whether these different patterns of stroke recovery correlated with changes in functional brain activation, forepaw evoked responses in the somatosensory cortex were imaged using voltage sensitive dyes at 1 and 14 weeks after stroke. In both diabetic and non-diabetic mice that did not have a stroke, brief mechanical stimulation of the forepaw evoked a robust and near simultaneous depolarization in the primary (FLS1) and secondary somatosensory (FLS2) cortex. One week after stroke, forepaw-evoked responses had not been remapped in the peri-infarct cortex in both diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Fourteen weeks after stroke, forepaw evoked responses in non-diabetic mice re-emerged in the peri-infarct cortex whereas diabetic mice showed very little activation, reminiscent of the 1 week recovery group. Moreover, controlling hyperglycemia using insulin therapy failed to restore sensory evoked responses in the peri-infarct cortex. In addition to these differences in peri-infarct responsiveness, we discovered that stroke was associated with increased responsiveness in FLS2 of non-diabetic, but not diabetic or insulin treated mice. To determine the importance of FLS2 in stroke recovery, we silenced the FLS2 cortex and found that it re-instated behavioural impairments in stroke recovered mice, significantly more so than naïve mice that still had a functioning FLS1. Collectively, these results indicate that both diabetes and the secondary somatosensory cortex play an important role in determining the extent of functional recovery after ischemic cortical stroke. Furthermore, the fact that insulin therapy after stroke did not normalize functional recovery, suggests that prolonged hyperglycemia (before stroke) may induce pathological changes in the brain’s circulation or nervous system that cannot be easily reversed. / Graduate

Tjugo procent av alla människor är högkänsliga (HSP = Highly Sensitive Person), vilket innebär att de är födda med ett känsligt nervsystem. Många HSP upplever negativa konsekvenser i sin vardag som påverkar livskvaliteten. Eftersom gruppen HSP är så stor och kopplingen HSP, livskvalitet och självmedkänsla inte specifikt har undersökts, var det relevant att göra den här enkätundersökningen. De undersökta frågeställningar är: Finns det inom gruppen HSP angående variablerna: Livskvalitet, Självmedkänsla, Högkänslighet, BIS, BAS, Extraversion och Neuroticism (a) signifikanta samband mellan samtliga variablerna? (b) Till vilken grad förklarar variablerna Livskvalitet och Högkänslighet? (c) Finns det könsskillnader angående samtliga variablerna? (d) Finns det ett positivt samband mellan Högkänslighet och Ålder? De 111 deltagare var medlemmar i Sveriges Förening för Högkänsliga och samtliga var enligt självskattning HSP, som bekräftades av insamlade data. Deltagargruppen bestod av 93 kvinnor (84%) och 18 män (16%) och genomsnittsålder var 50 år, där lägsta åldern var 35 år och högsta 70. Samtliga frågeställningar har besvarats genom analysmetoderna: Pearsons korrelationsanalys, Standard Multipel Linjär Regression och T-test. Det viktigaste resultatet var att kopplingen mellan HSP och självmedkänsla bidrog med ny kunskap, där slutsatsen blev att utövandet av självmedkänsla kan bidra till att aktivt öka graden av livskvalitet för HSP. Det starkaste sambandet i studien förelåg mellan BIS och neuroticism, vilket betyder att vid en ökning av BIS, ökar graden av negativ affekt och vice versa; resultatet låg i linje med tidigare forskning. Två oväntade resultat var att (a) drivkraften (BASDrive) predicerade högkänslighet mest till skillnad från litteraturen som pekar åt BIS och neuroticism som skulle ha starkast koppling och (b) att graden av högkänslighet sjönk vid ökad ålder; vilket talar emot tidigare forskning. Uppsatsen är en relevant informationskälla för HSP och alla andra som interagerar med HSP. / Twenty percent of all people are highly sensitive (HSP = Highly Sensitive Person) which means that they are born with a sensitive nervous system. Many HSP's are experiencing negative consequences in their everyday lives that affect their quality of life. As the group HSP is large and the correlation between HSP, quality of life and self-compassion is not specifically is investigated, the present study was relevant. The examined questions are: Is there within the group of HSP regarding Quality of Life, Self-compassion, High sensitivity, BIS, BAS, Extraversion and Neuroticism (a) significant correlations between the variables? (b) To what extend do the variables explain Quality of Life and High Sensitivity? (c) Are there gender differences regarding the variables? (d) Is there a positive correlation between High Sensitivity and Age? The 111 participants were members of the Sveriges Förening för Högkänsliga and all were HSP according to self-assessment, which also was confirmed by the data collected. The group of participants consisted of 93 women (84%) and 18 men (16%) and the average age was 50, where the lowest age was 35 years and the highest 70. All questions were answered by these analytical methods: Pearson's correlation analysis, Standard Multiple Linear Regression and T-test. The main outcome was that the link between HSP and self-compassion contributed to new knowledge, which concluded that the practice of Self-compassion can help to actively increase the level of quality of life for HSP's. The strongest correlation in the study was between BIS and neuroticism, which means that at an increase of BIS, the degree of negative affect also increased and vice versa; the result was in line with previous research. Two unexpected results were that (a) the driving force (BASDrive) predicted high sensitivity most, unlike the literature suggesting that BIS and neuroticism would have the strongest connection and (b) the degree of high sensitivity decreased with increase in age; which contradicts earlier research. The essay is a relevant source of information for the HSP and all others who are interacting with HSP.

Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

Some normally consolidated soft soils manifest strength sensitivity, ie these soil manifest strain softening when shear in an undrained mode. These soils, referred to as sensitive soft soils, have the typical features of strain hardening in drained shearing and strain softening in undrained shearing. The consolidation lines of these soils are also curved (concave upwards) in the semi-log space. However, under high consolidation stress or upon large shearing, these soils re-gain the features of re-constituted soil. Ground improvement methods like stone columns were reported as not effective when installed in the sensitive soft clays. But mechanism of the un-effectiveness of the stone columns remains unknown because of lack of a suitable and simple model for simulating the stress-strain behaviours of sensitive soft soils. Although these soils have a meta-stable micro-structure, models that developed for simulating structured firm soils are not suitable for simulating sensitive soft soil features. Thus, a new model was formulated. The new model can degenerate back to a Modified Cam Clay model. The ability of new model in simulating a range of behaviour was verified by using the finite difference (FD) method in solving the partial differential equations of the soil model for a range of tri-axial test conditions. The model was further implemented in coupled analysis formulation and coded into FEM program AFENA. Various cases with different soil parameters were then simulated and compared with the FD solutions for various triaxial tests so as to check the stability of the FEM code. The coupled FEA was then used to simulate the performance of geosynthetic-encased stone columns. A new stone column element and a geo-encasement element were developed and coded into AFENA. The stone column simulations were then done for both non-sensitive soils (represented by Modified Cam Clay model) and sensitive soft soil (represented by the new model). Parametric study was conducted to examine the performance of the geo-encased stone columns in both types of soils. Furthermore, two different installation methods: wished-in installation and full displacement installation were studied numerically. Cross comparison was done to investigate how the sensitive soft soil features interact with the installation method in affecting the performance of the geo-encased stone columns. A range of factors that influence the geosynthetic-encased stone columns performance installed in soft soils were also made clear.

Abstract This thesis investigates the extent to which gender considerations are being incorporated into the planning and policy making of the public transport system in Queensland, Australia. Using public transport in South East Queensland (SEQ) as a case study, this thesis analyses why and how gender issues are still being overlooked and excluded from mainstream planning. It investigates the application of a gender analysis approach in theory and practice and provides recommendations for integrating a gender perspective in the development of public transport policy. The study is beneficial in terms of making contributions to promote better understanding of how feminist theory could enhance the development of public transport policy. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were employed. Participants were selected from different demographic groups (politicians, bureaucrats, academics, women’s subgroups and individuals from the broader community) using theoretical/purposive sampling methods. The collection and analysis of data were guided by feminist sociological theory as a framework and gender analysis was utilised in reviewing transport research, policies, programs, plans and legislation. The thesis findings showed that there are gender differentiated behaviours between men and women in relation to their transport needs. In particular, the manner in which men and women behave is linked to an array of underlying factors such as gender relations, the social role of women and their personal circumstances, household structure, transport-disadvantage issues, and their broader socio-economic environment. The research noted that gaps exist in the current public transport delivery in SEQ. Three main categories of issues were identified namely key gender issues, gender-obscured issues and gender-neutral issues. The key gender issues included personal safety and security, time-space pressured travel, lack of adequate facilities, driver’s knowledge, skills and attitudes, mobility-constraint issues and features of public transport that have gender impacts. The gender-obscured issues included language difficulty, cost and infrequency of service. The gender-neutral issues included but not limited to public transport design, unequal distribution of transport services and impacts specific to areas outside the TransLink network. The research highlights how the issues interlock with the social, economic, cultural, structural and political factors of the environment in which women and men live. The thesis concludes that there is a lack of effective engagement with women, and that greater attention to gender consideration in developing public transport policies is required. While Queensland State Government has made a commitment to improving public transport provision for women, it appears that such rhetoric has not yet been translated into practice. The research also noted that the practicality and political implications of transport policy seem to obtain a higher priority in decision-making domains than gender considerations. Failure to examine both ends of the gender continuum in service delivery will make more difficult the development of public transport policy as a gender-sensitive social policy. Furthermore, public transport policy making should not be undertaken in isolation from other planning activities. Other considerations outside the traditional planning approach have to be examined, so planners will have a greater appreciation of, not only the needs of the conventional public transport users, but also of those not belonging to this category including different subgroups of women. Policy planning often overlooks the construction of women as an homogenous category, without considering that they are a heterogeneous group with tremendous differences in age, ethnicity, religion and class, thus requiring different considerations for policy intervention. Policy planning has been constructed as an exercise with a focus on a narrowly defined scope and immediate concerns, paying little attention to long-term impacts on a broader and holistic level. The consideration of gender in transport planning is a case in point – gender considerations are important in transport planning not only because there are significant differential impacts between men and women, but also because in the long run, these impacts in turn will have great economic and social implications. Economically, the lack of consideration of gender issues in public transport often results in increased travel time for women, leading to loss in productivity for the economy. Socially, difficulties and inaccessibility of public transport for women, particularly in relation to performing and balancing their care and work duties could also lead to increased stress and tensions, affecting family relations and wellbeing, would also incur considerable social costs. Policy planning tends to assume the position of policy makers and rarely considers the policy impacts from a user or benefactor perspective. In the case of public transport planning, how best an experiential perspective rigorously incorporate the users and gender point of view, will require not only consultation but also political will and commitment. A true incorporation of gender consideration into public transport planning will also require the support of other social policies including welfare policies. Hence, the thesis argues that new ways of researching, designing and planning for public transport as a gendered set of practices are required. Keywords public transport planning, gender-sensitive policy, gender equity, women and transport, feminism and transport planning, gender analysis, policy development, and feminist sociology. Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classifications (ANZSRC) 120506 - Transport Planning (40%); 160512 - Social Policy (20%); and 169901 - Gender Specific Studies (40%).

Visual sub-modalities, such as colour, form and motion perception, are analysed in parallel by three visual “pathways” – the parvocellular (PC), magnocellular (MC) and koniocellular (KC) pathways. This thesis aims to further elucidate some properties of the subcortical pathways for colour vision. The experimental animal used throughout is a New World monkey, the common marmoset Callithrix jacchus. (For complete abstract open document)

Η χρήση αντιμικροβιακών παραγόντων συνολικά καθώς και ειδικές κατηγορίες αντιμικροβιακών έχουν ενοχοποιηθεί ως παράγοντες κινδύνου για νοσοκομειακές λοιμώξεις (ΝΛ) από ανθεκτικό στη μεθικιλλίνη χρυσίζοντα σταφυλόκοκκο (methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA). Οι στόχοι της μελέτης ήταν: 1. η διερεύνηση προβλεπτικών παραγόντων για νοσοκομειακή λοίμωξη από MRSA, 2. η σε βάθος αξιολόγηση του ρόλου της πρόσφατης χρήσης αντιμικροβιακών από ποιοτική και ποσοτική άποψη. Υλικό και μέθοδοι. Η χρονική περίοδος της μελέτης ήταν από Οκτώβριο1997 έως και τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2001. Οι ασθενείς με ΝΛ από MRSA σε κρατικό νοσοκομείο φροντίδας βετεράνων πολέμου των ΗΠΑ συγκρίθηκαν με αντίστοιχη ομάδα με ΝΛ από ευαίσθητο στη μεθικιλλίνη Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Οι λοιμώξεις στις 2 ομάδες καταγράφηκαν και τεκμηριώθηκαν μα βάση αυστηρά κριτήρια. Καταγράφηκαν δεδομένα σχετικά με παράγοντες κινδύνου (συμπεριλαμβανομένης της ποιοτικής και ποσοτικής χρήσης αντιμικροβιακών) για λοίμωξη από MRSA και ελήφθησαν υπόψη γεγονότα μέχρι 30 ημέρες πριν την ημερομηνία της θετικής καλλιέργειας. Αποτελέσματα. Εκατόν είκοσι επτά ασθενείς (127) με ΝΛ από MRSA και 70 ασθενείς με ΝΛ από MSSA αναλύθηκαν περαιτέρω. Σε μονοπαραγοντική ανάλυση, οι 2 ομάδες διέφεραν σημαντικά στην ηλικία, ιστορικό αιμοκάθαρσης και χρονίων ελκών, είδος κλινικής όπου ελήφθη το δείγμα, διάρκεια προηγούμενης νοσηλείας και παραμονής σε γενική ή καρδιολογική ΜΕΘ, πρόσφατη χειρουργική επέμβαση, άλλες επεμβατικές πράξεις, διασωλήνωση και παρουσία καθετήρα κύστεως για πάνω από 24 ώρες. Επίσης διέφεραν σημαντικά στη χρήση ή όχι τουλάχιστον 1,2 ή 3 αντιμικροβιακών, στο μέσο αριθμό αντιμικροβιακών που είχαν χρησιμοποιηθεί, μέσο αριθμό αντιμικροβιακών-ημερών για κάθε ασθενή, καθώς και ποιοτική και ποσοτική χρήση συγκεκριμένων κατηγοριών αντιμικροβιακών. Σε 2 μοντέλα πολυπαραγοντικής ανάλυσης, εξετάζοντας είτε την ποιοτική (μοντέλο Ι) είτε την ποσοτική (μοντέλο ΙΙ) χρήση αντιμικροβιακών, η διάρκεια παραμονής στο νοσοκομείο τον τελευταίο μήνα αναδείχθηκε ο ισχυρότερος προβλεπτικός παράγοντας λοίμωξης από MRSA (p 0.000), ενώ ιστορικό διασωλήνωσης έδειξε σημαντικότητα στο μοντέλο Ι και οριακή σημαντικότητα στο ΙΙ. Η χρήση αμινογλυκοσιδών και η παρουσία χρονίων ελκών έδειξαν τάση για σημαντικότητα στο μοντέλο Ι. Δεν παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές στην έκβαση. Συμπεράσματα. Καταλήγουμε στο συμπέρασμα ότι η διάρκεια παραμονής στο νοσοκομείο τις τελευταίες 30 ημέρες αποτέλεσε τον ισχυρότερο προγνωστικό παράγοντα μεταγενέστερης ΝΛ από MRSA στον πληθυσμό των ασθενών μας. Παρά τη σαφώς μεγαλύτερη χρήση αντιμικροβιακών στην ομάδα MRSA, η χρήση αντιμικροβιακών δεν αποτέλεσε ανεξάρτητο προγνωστικό παράγοντα κινδύνου. Όσον αφορά την υπομελέτη, σκοπός ήταν η χρήση αντιμικροβιακών παραγόντων συνολικά καθώς και ειδικές κατηγορίες αντιμικροβιακών έχουν ενοχοποιηθεί ως παράγοντες κινδύνου για νοσοκομειακή βακτηριαιμία (ΝΒ) από ανθεκτικό στη μεθικιλλίνη χρυσίζοντα σταφυλόκοκκο (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA). Από τα δεδομένα της κύριας μελέτης, που ήδη έχει περιγραφεί περιληπτικά παραπάνω, απομονώθηκαν και αναλύθηκαν σε ξεχωριστή υπομελέτη αυτά που αφορούσαν σε ασθενείς που ανέπτυξαν νοσοκομειακή βακτηριαιμία. Οι στόχοι της υπομελέτης ήταν: 1. η διερεύνηση προβλεπτικών παραγόντων για νοσοκομειακή βακτηριαιμία από MRSA, 2. η σε βάθος αξιολόγηση του ρόλου της πρόσφατης χρήσης αντιμικροβιακών από ποιοτική και ποσοτική άποψη. Υλικό και μέθοδοι. Η χρονική περίοδος της μελέτης ήταν από Οκτώβριο1997 έως και τον Σεπτέμβριο του 2001. Οι ασθενείς με ΝΒ από MRSA σε κρατικό νοσοκομείο φροντίδας βετεράνων πολέμου των ΗΠΑ συγκρίθηκαν με αντίστοιχη ομάδα με ΝΒ από ευαίσθητο στη μεθικιλλίνη Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Καταγράφηκαν δεδομένα σχετικά με παράγοντες κινδύνου (συμπεριλαμβανομένης της ποιοτικής και ποσοτικής χρήσης αντιμικροβιακών) για λοίμωξη από MRSA και ελήφθησαν υπόψη γεγονότα μέχρι 30 ημέρες πριν την ημερομηνία της θετικής καλλιέργειας Αποτελέσματα. Είκοσι οκτώ ασθενείς (28) με ΝΒ από MRSA και 32 ασθενείς με ΝΒ από MSSA αναλύθηκαν περαιτέρω. Σε μονοπαραγοντική ανάλυση, οι 2 ομάδες διέφεραν σημαντικά στην ηλικία, ιστορικό αιμοκάθαρσης και χρονίων ελκών, διάρκεια προηγούμενης νοσηλείας, ιστορικό και διάρκεια παραμονής σε γενική ή καρδιολογική ΜΕΘ, πρόσφατη χειρουργική επέμβαση, διασωλήνωση και παρουσία καθετήρα κύστεως για πάνω από 24 ώρες. Επίσης διέφεραν σημαντικά στη χρήση ή όχι τουλάχιστον 1,2 ή 3 αντιμικροβιακών, το μέσο αριθμό αντιμικροβιακών που είχαν χρησιμοποιηθεί, μέσο αριθμό αντιμικροβιακών-ημερών για κάθε ασθενή, καθώς και ποιοτική και ποσοτική χρήση συγκεκριμένων κατηγοριών αντιμικροβιακών. Στο μοντέλο πολυπαραγοντικής ανάλυσης Ι (ποιοτική χρήση αντιμικροβιακών), παρατηρήθηκε τάση (trend) για τη διάρκεια της προηγούμενης παραμονή στο νοσοκομείο ως προβλεπτικού παράγοντα (p 0,088), ενώ, από το μοντέλο ΙΙ (ποσοτική χρήση αντιμικροβιακών), ο μέσος αριθμός αντιμικροβιακών-ημερών ανά ασθενή αναδείχθηκε ως ο μόνος ανεξάρτητος προγνωστικός δείκτης ΝΒ από MRSA (p 0,03). Δεν παρατηρήθηκαν σημαντικές διαφορές στην έκβαση. Συμπεράσματα. Καταλήγουμε στο συμπέρασμα ότι η ποσοτική χρήση αντιμικροβιακών, υπό τη μορφή του μέσου αριθμού αντιμικροβιακών-ημερών ανά ασθενή κατά τη διάρκεια του περασμένου μήνα, ήταν ο ισχυρότερος προγνωστικός δείκτης της μεταγενέστερης ΝΒ από MRSA στον πληθυσμό των ασθενών μας, περισσότερο από άλλους παραδοσιακούς παράγοντες κινδύνου. / Both total antimicrobial use and specific antimicrobials have been implicated as risk factors for healthcare-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) infection. Aims. The aims of the study were: 1.to explore predictors of a new HA-MRSA infection in comparison with a new healthcare-associated methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MSSA), 2. to thoroughly assess the role of recent antibiotic use qualitatively and quantitatively. Methods. The time-period for our study was from October 1997 through September 2001. Applying strict criteria, we identified two groups of inpatients, one with a new HA-MRSA infection and one with a new HA-MSSA infection. We recorded demographic, clinical and antibiotic use – related data up to 30 days before the positive culture date. Results.We identified 127 and 70 patients for each group respectively. Two logistic regression models were carried out to assess the role of antimicrobial use (qualitatively and qualitatively). In model I, duration of hospital stay, presence of chronic wounds, aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone use retained statistical significance. In model II, duration of hospital stay and history of intubation during the last month stood out as the only significant predictors of a subsequent HA-MRSA infection. No siginificant differences in outcome were noted. Conclusions. The length of exposure to the hospital environment may be the best predictor of a new HA-MRSA infection. Use of aminoglycosides and fluoroquinolones may also stand independently along with presence of chronic ulcers and exposure to surgical procedures. No independent association between quantitative antibiotic use and subsequent HA-MRSA infection was documented. As for the substudy, the antimicrobial use has been implicated as risk factor for healthcare-associated methicilin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infection (BSI). The aims of the study were: 1. to explore predictors of a new MRSA BSI, 2. to thoroughly assess recent antibiotic use qualitatively and quantitatively. Methods. Patients in contact with the healthcare system and MRSA BSI were compared with a methicillin-sensitive BSI group, considering events and risk factors up to 30 days before the positive culture date. Results. Twenty eight patients with MRSA BSI and 32 patients with MSSA BSI were further analyzed. In univariate analysis, significant differences were noted in specific demographic, comorbidity and hospital event-related parameters and also in mean number of antibiotics used, mean number of antibiotic-days per patient, and qualitative and quantitative use of specific classes of antibiotics. From logistic regression model I (qualitative antibiotic use), a trend was noted for duration of prior hospital stay, while, from model II (quantitative antibiotic use), mean antibiotic-days per patient emerged as the single independent predictor of HA-BSI by MRSA (p 0.03). No significant differences in outcome were noted. Conclusion. We conclude that the mean number of antibiotic-days per patient during the last month was the strongest predictor of a subsequent MRSA BSI in our patient population, more than other traditional risk factors.

Η εργασία αυτή εκτός από το θέμα της, μπορούμε να πούμε ότι χαρακτηρίζεται από τον τίτλο «Κοινωνικά εργαλεία του διαδικτύου: Δημιουργία περιεχομένου για χώρο-ευαίσθητα παιχνίδια από τελικούς χρήστες». Εξετάζει λοιπόν τη χρήση των κοινωνικών δικτύων και των εργαλείων τους ως μέσα για την συνεργατική δημιουργία περιεχομένου για χωρο-ευαίσθητα φορητά παιχνίδια. Τα παιχνίδια αυτά διεξάγονται στον πραγματικό κόσμο και περιλαμβάνουν αλληλεπίδραση των παικτών με αντικείμενα του φυσικού πραγματικού χώρου μέσω φορητών συσκευών. Τα παιχνίδια αυτά ενδείκνυνται για εγκαθιδρυμένη και άτυπη μάθηση. Η δημιουργία περιεχομένου για τις αντίστοιχες εφαρμογές είναι μια διαδικασία που χρειάζεται να συμπεριλάβει ενεργά ανθρώπους όπως εκπαιδευτικούς - παιδαγωγούς και ειδήμονες στην εκάστοτε θεματική του παιχνιδιού, οι οποίοι δρουν ως συντάκτες περιεχομένου για τα παιχνίδια αυτά. Καθίσταται λοιπόν απαραίτητο να υπάρχουν εργαλεία υποστήριξης για χρήστες που δεν έχουν τεχνικές γνώσεις ή δεν είναι σχεδιαστές παιχνιδιών. Στην εργασία αυτή εξετάζεται η κατασκευή ενός εργαλείου, το οποίο μέσω μιας φιλικής διεπιφάνειας δίνει τη δυνατότητα στους συντάκτες περιεχομένου να δημιουργήσουν με συνεργατικό τρόπο, εύκολα και γρήγορα ένα ή και περισσότερα σενάρια παιχνιδιού. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, η εργασία εστιάζει στη συγγραφή περιεχομένου για ένα παιχνίδι που λαμβάνει τόπο στο κέντρο μιας πόλης. Η εφαρμογή συνεργατικής συγγραφής έχει σχεδιαστεί και αναπτύσσεται κάνοντας χρήση δύο βασικών τεχνολογιών: της πλατφόρμας κοινωνικής αλλά και συνεργατικής δικτύωσης στεκιών Google+ καθώς επίσης και την πλατφόρμα παροχής χαρτών Google maps. / In this thesis we discuss the use of social media as tools for collaboratively creating content for location-sensitive mobile educational games. These games are conducted in the real world and include the players interact with objects in the real physical space with the use of mobile devices. Creating content for the respective applications is a process that needs to actively include people like teachers - educators and experts in a particular topic of the game, who act as editorial content for these games. Consequently, it seems necessary to have support tools for users without any technical knowledge. The thesis also examines the development of a tool, which through a friendly interface enables content authors to create in a collaborative way, easily and quickly one or more game scenarios. More specifically, the work focuses on writing content for a game that takes place in the center of a city. The collaborative authoring application designed and developed with the use of two technologies: the platform of collaborative social networking Google+ Hangouts and the Google maps platform.

Since the first time that internet was introduced to the world many things about it has changed. E-bay, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Ytube, Expedia are just a few examples that superimpose the obvious sense that almost all aspects of doing business has already emerged with or it is about to adopt the futures that the World Wide Web offers. Moreover now days with the use o Facebook, Jommla!, Drupal the use o internet come up to the level of users and as a result we have the increase of many Self Generated Brands. There is no doubt about it; the Internet and e- commerce has changed the way the world does business. The evolution in food commerce is inevitable. It started from the personal farming to local green grocers and Super Markets. It is a matter of time that internet will emerge with the food commerce. E-commerce and internet in general, however, is not a perfect system. The ambiguity of the Internet makes it easy for sites to appear credible, even when such credibility is not warranted. The Internet and e-commerce have the ability to revolutionize the world of agriculture, livestock, fishing , bakery etc . When everything runs smoothly, the system works great. However, what happens when the Achaia potato you bought turns out to be Egyptian? Or you find out the person you were chatting with lied about their yields? How exactly do you know you can trust the person or company that you are dealing with online? Not everything on the Internet is secure and not everything is credible. Furthermore it should be clearly stated to all of us that internet is not(yet) the one that produces ,delivers, consumes the products. It is just an audio visual mediator. / Από την πρώτη στιγμή που εισήχθη στο internet στον κόσμο πολλά πράγματα γι 'αυτό έχει αλλάξει. E-bay, Amazon, Facebook, Google, Ytube, Expedia είναι μερικά μόνο παραδείγματα που υπερέχουν την προφανή αίσθηση ότι σχεδόν όλες οι πτυχές της επιχειρηματικής δραστηριότητας έχει ήδη προκύψει με ή πρόκειται να λάβει τα futures ότι το World Wide Web προσφορές. Επιπλέον, τώρα ημέρες με τη χρήση o Facebook, Jommla!, Η χρήση του Drupal o internet έρχονται μέχρι το επίπεδο των χρηστών και ως αποτέλεσμα έχουμε την αύξηση του πολλά εμπορικά σήματα που δημιουργούνται Εαυτό. Δεν υπάρχει καμία αμφιβολία γι 'αυτό? Το Διαδίκτυο και το ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο έχει αλλάξει τον τρόπο που ο κόσμος κάνει τις επιχειρήσεις. Η εξέλιξη στο εμπόριο τροφίμων είναι αναπόφευκτη. Ξεκίνησε από την προσωπική καλλιέργεια στις τοπικές πράσινο παντοπωλεία και σούπερ μάρκετ. Είναι θέμα χρόνου ότι το Διαδίκτυο θα προκύψει με το εμπόριο τροφίμων. E-commerce και internet σε γενικές γραμμές, ωστόσο, δεν είναι ένα τέλειο σύστημα. Η ασάφεια του Internet το καθιστά εύκολο για τους χώρους να φαίνονται αξιόπιστες, ακόμη και όταν η αξιοπιστία δεν είναι δικαιολογημένη. Το Διαδίκτυο και το ηλεκτρονικό εμπόριο έχει τη δυνατότητα να φέρει επανάσταση στον κόσμο της γεωργίας, της κτηνοτροφίας, της αλιείας, κλπ αρτοποιείο. Όταν όλα δουλεύουν ρολόι, το σύστημα λειτουργεί μεγάλο. Ωστόσο, τι συμβαίνει όταν η πατάτα Αχαΐας που αγοράσατε αποδειχθεί ότι είναι Αιγύπτιος; Ή μπορείτε να μάθετε το πρόσωπο με το οποίο συζητούσατε είπε ψέματα σχετικά με τις αποδόσεις τους; Πώς ακριβώς δεν ξέρετε ότι μπορείτε να εμπιστευθείτε το πρόσωπο ή εταιρεία που ασχολούνται με online; Δεν είναι όλα στο διαδίκτυο είναι ασφαλής και δεν είναι όλα αξιόπιστα. Επιπλέον, θα πρέπει να αναφέρεται σαφώς σε όλους μας ότι το Διαδίκτυο δεν είναι (ακόμη) το ένα που παράγει, προσφέρει, καταναλώνει τα προϊόντα. Είναι απλώς ένα οπτικοακουστικό μεσολαβητή.

Rationale: This study was conducted to help improve mental health care for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) clients as previous research carried out in non-western countries has suggested that western-developed psychotherapies often need to be culturally adapted to become more effective in treating this client group. The aim of this study was to explore how CBT therapists deliver manualised CBT with BME clients and if they make any adaptations, how and to what extent are they implemented. Method: Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) guided the conduct and analysis of one-to-one, semi-structured interviews with six CBT therapists working in an Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service. The inclusion criteria for participants was accreditation with the BABCP, completion of an IAPT programme CBT diploma and to be currently working in an IAPT service, at least two years experience as a CBT therapist and at least four cases of completed therapy with BME clients. Findings: Four master themes emerged (1) CBT is based on western principles, (2) The complex nature of CBT, (3) Changing practice of manualised CBT and (4) The influence of therapist factors. Conclusion: The participants experienced many issues in their practice of manualised CBT with BME clients which led them to make changes including adaptations to manualised CBT. They described their current practice as being integrative as they incorporated therapeutic approaches other than pure manualised CBT, making them more flexible and adaptable. The adaptations involved altering the cognitive and behavioural interventions to better suit the individual needs of the client. The adaptations took into account the client’s culture, religion, language, psychological mindedness, acculturation to their host country, education and age. The participants’ confidence in CBT and their self-identity as therapists also influenced their overall practice of therapy. Recommendations for practice are discussed in relation to therapeutic practice, training of therapists, supervision and policy makers.