Problem behaviours occur in approximately 10 to 15% of individuals with intellectual disabilities and these behaviours most often include aggression and self-injury. Families who support young adults with multiple disabilities and problem behaviour at home often experience costs to their psychological, physical, financial and emotional wellbeing. Respite care evolved to allow families short breaks from care giving and to support families in looking after their family members at home. Furthermore, problem behaviour severely limits opportunities for individuals with multiple disabilities to interact adaptively with their environments and develop positive behaviour skills that increase the possibility of living independently in their adult years. The present study aimed first to demonstrate the utility of functional analysis of problem behaviour in respite care, and then, to reduce food stealing and pica exhibited by a young adult with multiple disabilities attending a respite care centre. Following a functional analysis that indicated food stealing and pica had the probable function of hunger reduction, two positive behaviour support plans were developed. These interventions, conducted at the respite centre three days a week by centre staff, involved strategies to teach the participant to sign “eat” in New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) to gain access to food and increase accessibility of food in the environment to reduce pica. The results showed that introducing the NZSL sign reduced food stealing to near zero within three weeks and pica was eliminated following the combined approach of functional communication training and antecedent manipulation. Use of the communicative sign was maintained at follow-up and food stealing remained at near zero, while pica remained at zero one-month following the intervention.

Cette étude a pour objectif d’examiner la structure des relatives en arabe classique, en arabe standard moderne et en arabe égyptien. Nous avons tenté de montrer les caractéristiques des relatives dans chacune de ces variantes d’arabe et de les comparer à celles du français.La première partie expose l’analyse des relatives chez les grammairiens français, ainsi que notre point de vue sur celle-ci. La deuxième partie présente une étude de la structure de la phrase en arabe classique et en arabe moderne. Nous y exposons également l’analyse menée par les grammairiens arabes des unités que nous apparentons à des relatifs. Dans la troisième et la quatrième partie, nous analysons ce que nous avons appelé les relatives marquées et les relatives non marquées en arabe moderne et en arabe égyptien. Enfin, nous décrivons les ressemblances et les différences, qui sont ressorties de ces comparaisons, entre le système des relatives dans les trois variantes d’arabe étudiées et celui du français. / This study aims to examine the structure of relative pronouns between Classical Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Arabic. We try to show the characteristics of relative pronouns for each of these three Arabic language variants and compare them with those of the French language.The first section presents an analysis of the relative pronouns by French grammarians, as well as our perspective on it. The second section presents a study of sentence structure in Classical Arabic and Modern Standard Arabic. In this section, we also present an overview of the analysis conducted by Arab grammarians of the units that we consider as relative pronouns. In the third and the fourth section, we analyze what we have called the marked relatives and unmarked relatives in Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Arabic. Finally, we describe the similarities and differences that emerge from these comparisons between the system of relative pronouns for each of these three Arabic language variants and the French language.

Diabetes is associated with increased psychological distress which, in turn, is associated with poorer diabetes outcomes. This study examined the impact of a nine-week Internet based cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention that targeted stress and mood in people with diabetes. It was hypothesized that the intervention would decrease psychological distress and improve diabetes outcomes and adherence to diabetes treatment regimens. Participants with type 1 and type 2 diabetes were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 103) or a waiting-list control group (n = 74). ANCOVAs demonstrated significant group effects for the reduction of perceived generalized stress (F (1, 105) = 7.06, p = .01; d = .84), diabetes-related distress (F (1, 105) = 13.45, p < .01; d = .54), depression (F (1, 90) = 7.06, p < .01; d = .40), anxiety (F (1, 89) = 6.78, p = .01; d = .41), and negative affect (F (1, 103) = 13.02, p < .01; d = .56). There were also significant group effects for the reduction of psychological fatigue (F (1, 98) = 7.34, p = .01; d = .40), cognitive symptoms (F (1,95) = 6.40, p = .01; d = .48), hyperglycemic symptoms (F(1, 95) = 11.16, p <.01; d = .41) and hypoglycemic symptom (F(1, 98) = 6.16, p= .02; d= .53). Further, there were significant indirect effects of the intervention on the above diabetes symptoms, through psychological distress. There was no effect of the intervention on hemoglobin A1c (F(1.43) = 0.28, p= .60), though this analysis was underpowered. The intervention also had no effect on adherence to diabetes treatment regimen. This study provides evidence of a convenient and effective way to reduce psychological distress and improve symptoms in those with diabetes. It also provides evidence of reduced psychological distress as a mechanism for improving diabetes outcomes.

No description available.

No description available.

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(工学) / 甲第24892号 / 工博第5172号 / 新制||工||1988(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院工学研究科社会基盤工学専攻 / (主査)教授 渦岡 良介, 教授 安原 英明, 教授 肥後 陽介 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Philosophy (Engineering) / Kyoto University / DGAM

Children with Down syndrome often have high body mass index scores, brought on by hypothyroidism, poor mastication, decreased metabolic rates, and inconsistent physical fitness routines. Along with various genotypic characteristics, several behavioral tendencies accompany the diagnosis of Down syndrome. People with this condition often engage in noncompliant behaviors in an attempt to escape work-related tasks such as exercising. A lack of a consistent fitness regimen may result in additional health complications for this particular group of people, as well as ensuing concerns from the parents or guardians who care for them. Because of the propensities for poor physical health in people with Down syndrome, it is imperative that this group of people include exercise-related activities in their health-care routines to help promote a positive well-being from childhood to adulthood.The purpose of this study is to report on the results of an intervention which utilized high-probability tasks and principles of generalization to address noncompliant behaviors in a 9-year-old boy who had Down syndrome and a history of engaging in refusal towards exercise-related activities. Gross motor skills adapted from the Test of Gross Motor Development assessment were used throughout the study to evaluate both compliance and accuracy of the pre-selected movements. This study used a changing conditions design to assess John’s growth throughout 5 distinct phases. Results from both the high-probability tasks and generalization interventions showed an overall increase in the participant’s compliance and accuracy of skill development throughout all stages of the experiment. Implications from this study provide positive support for using antecedent-based interventions to help individuals with Down syndrome engage in exercise-related activities.

No description available.

隨著國內企業的成長，以及商業競爭的國際化，併購已成為企業在維持及增加成長幅度時考慮的主要策略之一。過往的文獻對於企業成長理論有相當多的研究，經理人在成長歷程中的角色也被深度討論。另一方面，許多學者針對併購的動機進行討論，其中又以綜效、經理人自利與過度自信經理人為最被廣泛認可的併購動機。 　　雖然過去已經有非常多文獻分別針對企業成長理論與併購動機理論深入研究，但少有文獻對於兩者的關係進行研究，尤其未有文獻對台灣企業的情況進行研究。為了理解台灣企業的成長與併購之間的關係，本研究以台灣2008年至2014年以台灣企業為主併企業之併購案作為研究樣本，藉由統計迴歸的量化研究，釐清企業成長之速度對於併購行為之影響，解釋企業併購機率、併購股數、國際化併購與成功機率等併購相關變數。 　　本研究分別以營業收入及資產總額來衡量企業成長，發現在兩種衡量方法下，企業成長越快的企業皆越可能進行併購。但營業收入成長越快的企業，越可能併購國外的企業；資產總額成長越快的企業，則是在併購時會購入越多標的企業之股票。結果顯示，企業成長確實會增加併購的機率，但若企業有不同的成長模式，也會導致併購行為上的差異。 / With the growing of firms in Taiwan and the internalization of commercial competition, merger and acquisition (M&A) have become one of the main strategies that firms consider when they want to keep growing. Previous studies have done a lot of research of firm growth and managers’ role on the path of growth. The antecedent of M&A has been discussed widely as well. Synergy, managerialism and hubris are the most recognized antecedents of M&A in these studies. Although there were a large number of studies concerning firm growth and antecedents of M&A, few focused on the relationship between them, especially none was about Taiwan’s situation. With the sample of M&A cases of Taiwanese firms from 2008 to 2014, this study examines the relationship between firm growth and antecedents of merger. This study uses regression model to analysis the impact of firm growth rate on M&A behavior. Furthermore, M&A related variables such as probability of M&A, equity bought, international M&A percentage and success rate are explained in this study. Two methods are used in this study to measure firm growth: sales revenue and total assets. The regression result shows that firms with higher growth rates are more likely to participate in M&A activities in both methods. While firms with higher sales growth tend to merge more foreign companies, firms with higher assets growth tend to buy more equity in M&As. To sum up, firm growth increase the probability of M&A activity. But different growth patterns can lead to variation of M&A behavior as well.

Near-level Prairie landscapes have received limited attention in hydrological research. For this thesis, hydrometric measurements and four tracing experiments were completed at three “riparian-to-stream” sites in the Catfish Creek Watershed (southeastern Manitoba) to enhance Prairie hydrology understanding. First, hydrologic state variables were examined to infer vertical and lateral water movement. Second, tracer data were analyzed to evaluate the relative importance of surface versus subsurface water movement. Results show that hydrologic state variables can be useful for inferring riparian-to-stream water movement. Tracer data also revealed that subsurface water movement can contribute significantly to streamflow during snowmelt- and rainfall-triggered events in the study watershed. This thesis demonstrated that subsurface flow is a significant runoff generation mechanism in Prairie landscapes, thus challenging surface water-focused conceptualizations and management strategies that are traditionally used. The findings summarized in this thesis will be critical to improve the performance of hydrological models when applied to the Prairies. / February 2017