Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1984. / "A research report submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree ..."

M.A. (Psychology) / Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is the most prevalent cause of death in infants between one and twelve months of age. Most deaths attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome occur between 1 and 4 months of age. There is a marked decrease after this age in the number of deaths classified as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. It is usually defined as the sudden death of any infant usually during sleep which is unexpected by history and in which a thorough postmortem examination tails to demonstrate an adequate cause tor death (Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths, 1989) • Epidemiologic, pathologic and physiologic data suggest the mechanism ot Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is complex, characterized by interaction at many levels ot the neural axis, between the organism and the environment and spanning both pre- and post-natal lite. Observations suggest that the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome infant has experienced adverse influences prenatally Which may make him peculiarly vulnerable to postnatal environmental stress (Valdes Dapena, 1988). However, the specific nature and cause of this condition continues to elude both scientists and practitioners. In the last few years research has shed some light on various epidemiologic aspects of the problem, on pathologic anatomy and on clinical issues such as the relative importance of spontaneous, prolonged, idiopathic apnea. Some Sudden Infant Death Syndrome victims showed evidence of neonatal brain dysfunction, including abnormalities in respiration, feeding and temperature regulation and have been shown to have pathologic abnormalities consistent with chronic hypoxia (Kelly' Shannon, 1982). Once again, however, the research appears not to be conclusive, leaving many unanswered questions...

The aim of this thesis is to analyze the change in response of Latin American governments to the economic crisis and thus the change in the character of protectionist measures applied. How do the means of the protection of domestic market change? How does the financial globalization reflect in the Latin American protectionism? What are the further perspectives of the development of Latin American countries? The thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter examines the forms of protectionism in the reaction to economic crisis of the 20th century. Firstly, it presents Latin America as a traditionally protectionist region in the period of the import substitution industrialization, secondly it focuses on governments' reactions to the cyclic crises of the 80s and 90s that were caused by the liberalization of the capital accounts and high sensitivity of Latin American economies to the sudden stop on financial markets. The second chapter is devoted to the current global economic crisis. It analyses the means of trade and financial protectionism. Simultaneously, it compares the protectionist measures used to the ones employed in previous periods. The final part of the thesis explores further perspectives of Latin American regionalism and improved macroeconomic stability of Latin American economies.

Doctor of Public Health / For many years the major cause of infant mortality in NSW has been the result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Statistics show the area defined as 'Western Sydney' is no exception, and in 2002, a report prepared by the Epidemiology, Indicators, Evaluation and Research Unit (EIRE) in Western Sydney presented data indicating SIDS rates in the area were higher than the state average. In particular, two Local Government Areas (LGAs) had clusters of SIDS deaths. Previous Australian research identified a higher risk of SIDS and other causes of infant mortality in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. The areas of Western Sydney where SIDS rates were higher than expected were home to Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Pacific Island residents. The number of SIDS deaths in Aboriginal infants did not explain the higher than expected rate of SIDS in the areas under investigation. Studies undertaken in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands have identified higher than expected risk of SIDS in Maori and Pacific Island communities in those countries, although this has never been studied in Pacific Island residents living in Australia. The reasons for these communities exhibiting a higher than normal SIDS rate is not completely understood, but can be partially explained by behavioural practices which are known to impact adversely on the risk of SIDS. This study sought to investigate the level of knowledge concerning the prevention of sudden and unexpected death in infants (SUDI) in three key groups of infant caregivers: general practitioners, nurses and parents living or working in the area geographically defined by Sydney West Area Health Service (WSAHS). In addition, the study sought to identify any variation in knowledge of SIDS reduction strategies in the three groups under study, and to investigate factors influencing knowledge and practice in these participants. The study findings were then used as a basis on which to develop strategies and recommendations to enhance the delivery of safe sleeping messages through the health care system. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods, this cross-sectional study highlights a number of issues around infant care practices and the major influences on new parents living in a multicultural community. Results of the study showed there is a large variation in knowledge around safe sleeping practices (including SIDS reduction strategies) in all the groups studied. Although educational campaigns are conducted regularly, many general practitioners and parents are confused about the key SIDS reduction messages and still place infants in sleeping positions considered unsafe. While nurses and midwives were aware of the SIDS reduction strategies, they still occasionally used infant sleeping positions considered unsafe. General practitioners born overseas in a country where English is not the first language were less likely to be familiar with safe sleeping messages, including SIDS reduction strategies. Families from a Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) background were less likely to have seen SIDS information in their own language than families who spoke English, and as a result were more likely to use traditional methods of infant care, including co-sleeping with siblings and parents and side or tummy sleeping. CALD parents were more likely to rely on herbal remedies and friends and family for assistance, than English speaking parents who accessed health professionals as the first point of call when infants were unwell. The study identified a relatively recent practice, which until reported in this study, has not been documented in the literature. The practice of draping infant prams with blankets originated from the Cancer Council of Australia guidelines which recommend covering a pram with a light muslin wrap to protect infants’ skin from the sun. It appears parents have misinterpreted this message and are covering infant prams with blankets to encourage sleep, even when sun exposure is not an issue. Research suggests that poor air quality around the head of an infant may affect an infant’s arousal response. While no research has been conducted on the air quality around an infants head when covered by a heavy blanket in a pram, it is possible based on research into air quality around infants, that that this practice may increase the risk of sudden and unexpected death in an infant. In conclusion, this study found that multiple changes to the SIDS reduction messages since the initial ‘Reduce the Risks’ Campaign have led to confusion about ways of preventing SIDS in GPs, nurses and parents in Western Sydney. The study makes seven recommendations aimed at improving knowledge of safe sleeping practices in these groups, and optimizing health outcomes for infants using a collaborative approach to service delivery and future initiatives.

Purpose: Postnatal depression (PND) has significant negative outcomes for both mother and baby. The literature indicates that cognitive behavioural interventions can be effective and efficacious treatments, less is known about what mechanisms underpin change in such interventions. The present study aimed to explore severity of depression as a moderator and Behavioural Activation (BA) as a possible mediator of treatment outcome in an online BA intervention for PND. Methods: Follow-up of postnatal women participating in a feasibility Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) of Netmums, an online BA treatment with telephone support. Results: There was no evidence to support the hypothesis that severity of depression acted as a moderator for treatment outcome. No mediation effects for BA were found. Rumination and avoidance did predict treatment outcome, but this did not differ between the treatment and control group. Post Hoc sudden gains analysis revealed that 48.90% of the treatment group sample experienced a sudden gain. Those who experienced a sudden gain had better post intervention outcomes. Conclusions: The findings have important implications for both theory and the design of future interventions. Future research should consider collecting weekly measures from both treatment and control groups.

Atualmente o diagnóstico da morte súbita dos citros (MSC) é realizado através de inspeção visual e coleta do material do porta-enxerto o que confere ao método elevado grau de subjetividade e imprecisão, além de demandar muito tempo para o levantamento de dados de infestação. Este trabalho pretende estudar as mudanças nas propriedades físicas e químicas acarretadas pela MSC em folhas e porta-enxertos de laranjeira doces (Citrus (L.) Osbeck), e desenvolver uma nova metodologia de diagnóstico da doença. Para tanto, folhas, porta-enxertos e seus extratos foram analisados através das seguintes técnicas espectroscópicas: absorção de luz uv-visível, absorção de infravermelho com transformada de Fourier, fluorescência e fluorescência induzida por laser. Além do estudo utilizando técnicas espectroscópicas foram realizados estudos utilizando técnicas de imagem de fluorescência de folhas saudáveis e doentes. Foram coletadas amostras de folhas saudáveis, doentes com a MSC e doentes com o declínio dos citros (DC). A comparação entre estas doenças é primordial visto que no campo os sintomas são muito parecidos, confundindo muito o sistema de avaliação de contaminação. Foram observadas mudanças significativas nos espectros de emissão de fluorescência para os três tipos de amostras e baseados nestas diferenças foi definido um índice capaz de diagnosticar a MSC e o DC. A técnica de imagens de fluorescência também trouxe informações importantes permitindo diferenciar plantas saudáveis e doentes de uma forma muito rápida. A junção da técnica de imagens com as espectroscópicas deu origem a uma nova metodologia de diagnóstico da MSC com potencial de ser muito mais rápida, precisa e não invasiva permitindo análises da folha in natura. / Currently, the diagnosis of citrus sudden death (CSD) is carried out by visual inspection and collection of the rootstock, which causes the method to be inaccurate and allows for much subjectivity, besides demanding much time to examine the infestation data. The present work intends to study changes in the physical and chemical properties resulting in CSD of leaves and rootstock material of sweet orange trees (Citrus (L.) Osbeck), as well as developing a new diagnosis methodology of the disease. Thus, leaves, rootstock and their extracts were analyzed by means of the following spectroscopic techniques: absorption of uv-visible light, absorption of infrared with Fourier transform, fluorescence and laser-induced fluorescence. Besides employing spectroscopic techniques, studies using fluorescence images of healthy and sick leaves were carried out. Samples of healthy leaves, sick leaves with CSD and sick leaves with citrus decline (CD) were collected. Comparison of these diseases is primordial since in the field the symptoms are similar, causing much confusion in the evaluation system of contamination. Significant changes were observed in the spectra of fluorescence emissions for the three types of samples and based on such differences an index capable of diagnosing CSD and CD was defined. The fluorescence image techniques also brought important information, thus allowing to quickly differentiate between healthy and sick leaves. Joining the technique of images with spectroscopy originated a new methodology of CSD, which is potentially much faster, precise and non-invasive, thus allowing in natura analysis of leaves.

This practice-based project explores the photographic phenomenon of ‘moment beyond moment’, which refers to the combined representations of an existing image in an environment, together with the real-life situation at the moment the photograph is taken. I call this photograph an ‘extended photograph’. Employing practical works of extended photographs and focusing on interactions between the moment in real-life and the moment in an existing image, the research explores the transformation of meanings caused by the interactions of these moments in an extended photograph. The research owes its approach to grounded theory, contrary thinking and Chinese Buddhist ‘Sudden Enlightenment’ to further its aim of exploring the unpredictable interaction of these moments, and to disclose the potentials of meaning transformation. My research outcome intends to initiate a discourse with photographic practitioners and theorists on the phenomenon of moment beyond moment in a working environment that is encaged by the excessive existence of displayed images. The thesis is composed as a creative work that consists of a series of photographic images accompanied by an exegesis component. The images represent a nominal 80%, and the exegesis 20% of the final submission.

In this dissertation, I study international financial crises. For this purpose, I build two models. In the first model, I focus on financial crises in developing, large open economies where foreign debt with various maturities and issue dates is available. The objective is to measure the vulnerability of the domestic financial system to domestically triggered bank runs and externally triggered sudden stops. The main contribution of this model is that both types of crises are treated as rational responses of domestic depositors and international creditors. Such vulnerability measures are linked to fundamentals and equilibrium term structure of foreign debt. Banks’ vulnerability to runs increases if they hold a relatively shorter term debt. Also, a larger cost of liquidating the long-term investment before maturity makes the banks more fragile. In the next step, given a domestic banking crisis, I allow international creditors to decide whether they want to stop lending to domestic banks (in which case a “sudden stop” takes place) or not. A sudden stop is more likely if (i) creditors highly discount future consumption, (ii) creditors’ current income is small relative to their future income, and (iii) the cost of liquidating the long-term investment before maturity is small. In the second model, I investigate the merits of alternative monetary policies with respect to financial fragility. In this monetary model of an explicit financial system, I motivate the demand for two fiat currencies by spatial separation and limited communication of agents. There is a domestic and a foreign currency freely traded without restrictions. I analyze the policy of a constant growth rate of domestic money supply with a floating exchange rate regime. Both currencies are held in positive amounts at the steady-state only if the growth rate of domestic money supply is equal to the world inflation rate (WIR). If the former rate is larger than the WIR, domestic currency is not held at the steady-state. Also, total real money balances held is negatively related with WIR. Finally, monetary policy in the form of a constant growth rate of domestic money supply is neutral with respect to welfare.

In this dissertation, I study international financial crises. For this purpose, I build two models. In the first model, I focus on financial crises in developing, large open economies where foreign debt with various maturities and issue dates is available. The objective is to measure the vulnerability of the domestic financial system to domestically triggered bank runs and externally triggered sudden stops. The main contribution of this model is that both types of crises are treated as rational responses of domestic depositors and international creditors. Such vulnerability measures are linked to fundamentals and equilibrium term structure of foreign debt. Banks’ vulnerability to runs increases if they hold a relatively shorter term debt. Also, a larger cost of liquidating the long-term investment before maturity makes the banks more fragile. In the next step, given a domestic banking crisis, I allow international creditors to decide whether they want to stop lending to domestic banks (in which case a “sudden stop” takes place) or not. A sudden stop is more likely if (i) creditors highly discount future consumption, (ii) creditors’ current income is small relative to their future income, and (iii) the cost of liquidating the long-term investment before maturity is small. In the second model, I investigate the merits of alternative monetary policies with respect to financial fragility. In this monetary model of an explicit financial system, I motivate the demand for two fiat currencies by spatial separation and limited communication of agents. There is a domestic and a foreign currency freely traded without restrictions. I analyze the policy of a constant growth rate of domestic money supply with a floating exchange rate regime. Both currencies are held in positive amounts at the steady-state only if the growth rate of domestic money supply is equal to the world inflation rate (WIR). If the former rate is larger than the WIR, domestic currency is not held at the steady-state. Also, total real money balances held is negatively related with WIR. Finally, monetary policy in the form of a constant growth rate of domestic money supply is neutral with respect to welfare.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2010. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-92). Also available on the World Wide Web.