M.A. / The purpose of Personal and Professional Leadership (PPL) facilitating is to bring about intrapersonal, interpersonal and professional change and development in trainees. In order to ensure that these changes occur, trainees should be addressed on emotional as well as rational level -whether by means of PPL counselling and I or a PPL course. Personal and Professional Leadership development therefore focuses on constant growth and change. Growth is a prerequisite for change, which in turn necessitates learning. A common problem that hinders change and growth is that participants in a training group normally hail from heterogeneous backgrounds. This implies different personality traits, values, perceptions and belief systems, which influence directly how a person learns and processes information during a course. Consequently, the need exists to gain insight into the personality types and learning styles of groups in order to make adjustments in the activities of the course package. The preliminary literature study revealed that insightful similarities exist between different temperament, learning and personality styles on the one hand and brain dominance on the other hand. The need arose to research a suitable instrument within the PPL field with a rich interpretation, being simple, quick to complete and easy to interpret. The preliminary literature study confirmed that this could be achieved by using the Neethling Brain Instrument (NBI) as a brain dominance assessment instrument. The following research question was asked: Should brain dominance be used as an assessment instrument, would an enriched interpretation be possible by means of investigating temperament, learning and personality styles? The central objective of the research is to investigate the potential link between brain dominance and temperament, learning and personality styles, in order to facilitate the compilation of a personal portrayal profile of the group through interpretation from literature. This personal portrayal profile will give the facilitator insight into the different learning, personality and thinking styles of the group that will ensure a better understanding of the training group before training commences. This insight will help the facilitator to initiate change and growth. The research design for this study may be regarded as an exploratory and descriptive literature research study. The phenomenological method of research was applied. By means of logical deduction (i.e. logical arguing about the acceptability of certain essential characteristics), the different temperament, learning and personality styles were evaluated (inter-subjective evaluation) for the applicability on brain dominance, in order to draft the personal portrayal profile.

La glycogène phosphorylase (GP) est l'enzyme clé de la mobilisation du glycogène dans les cellules. Chez l'homme, cette enzyme est retrouvée sous trois isoformes dont une cérébrale (GPc). Ces trois enzymes allostériques sont régulées à la fois par fixation d'effecteurs, et par phosphorylation. Cependant, bien que très similaires, la GPc présentent des caractéristiques de régulation qui lui sont propres. Par ailleurs, la GPc possède dans sa séquence plusieurs résidus cystéines réactifs suggérant que celle-ci peut être soumise à une régulation par les espèces réactives de l'oxygène (EROs). L'objectif de ce travail a donc été d'étudier les mécanismes moléculaires et cellulaires de la régulation de la GPc. Dans un premier temps, nous avons déterminé la structure de la GPc jusqu'à présent inconnue. Ces analyses ont permis de mettre en évidence les bases structurales de la régulation de la GPc par ses effecteurs allostériques. Nous nous sommes ensuite intéressés à la régulation de cette enzyme par le H2O2. Grâce à des approches de biochimie et de biologie cellulaire, nous avons montré que le H2O2 induit la formation d'un pont disulfure intramoléculaire au niveau du site de fixation de l'AMP, empêchant l'activation de cette enzyme par son effecteur allostérique. Cette régulation, spécifique de la GPc, permet un contrôle de la glycogénolyse par phosphorylation uniquement, en condition oxydante. Enfin, nous avons mis en évidence la capacité de composés environnementaux électrophiles (pesticides) à détourner la régulation redox de la GPc, conduisant à une altération du métabolisme du glycogène et pouvant ainsi participer au développement de pathologies neurodégénératives / Glycogen phosphorylase (GP) is the key enzyme for glycogen mobilization in cells. I human, this enzyme is found as three isoforms : liver GP (lGP), muscle GP (mGP) and brain GP (bGP). These three enzymes are allosteric enzymes, regulated by both the binding of allosteric effectors and phosphorylation. However, despite GPs are highly similar, bGP display distinguishing features. In addition, highly reactive cysteine residues are found in the primary sequence of bGP, suggesting that this enzyme might be regulated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a consequence, we investigated the molecular and cellular regulation of the bGP. First, we determined the crystal structure of this enzyme, so far unknown. These data revealed the structural bases of bGP regulation by its allosteric effectors, leading to the activation and the inactivation of the enzyme. We then focused on the regulation of bGP by H2O2, a model of ROS. Using biochemical and cellular approaches, we showed that H2O2 induces the formation of an intramolecular disulfide bond in the AMP binding site of the enzyme, avoiding its regulation by the allosteric effectors, without affecting its regulation by phosphorylation. Under oxidative condition, this regulation, unique to the brain form of GP, allows a control of the glycogenolysis through phosphorylation only. Finally, we demonstrated that electrophilic compounds from the environment (pesticides) might divert the redox regulation of bGP, leading to the alteration of glycogen metabolism which could participate to the development of neurodegenerative diseases

Efficient simulation of large-scale mammalian brain models provides a crucial computational means for understanding complex brain functions and neuronal dynamics. However, such tasks are hindered by significant computational complexities. In this work, we attempt to address the significant computational challenge in simulating large-scale neural networks based on the most biophysically accurate Hodgkin-Huxley (HH) neuron models. Unlike simpler phenomenological spiking models, the use of HH models allows one to directly associate the observed network dynamics with the underlying biological and physiological causes, but at a significantly higher computational cost. We exploit recent commodity massively parallel graphics processors (GPUs) to alleviate the significant computational cost in HH model based neural network simulation. We develop look-up table based HH model evaluation and efficient parallel implementation strategies geared towards higher arithmetic intensity and minimum thread divergence. Furthermore, we adopt and develop advanced multi-level numerical integration techniques well suited for intricate dynamical and stability characteristics of HH models. On a commodity CPU card with 240 streaming processors, for a neural network with one million neurons and 200 million synaptic connections, the presented GPU neural network simulator is about 600X faster than a basic serial CPU based simulator, 28X faster than the CPU implementation of the proposed techniques, and only two to three times slower than the GPU based simulation using simpler spiking models.

M.A. / The study aims to determine whether statistically significant differences exist between boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and boys without ADHD with regard to hemispheric language lateralization and the laterality of various modalities (handedness, eyedness and footedness). According to the literature, a possible connection exists between abnormal lateralization patterns and various developmental disorders (Corballis, 1983; Geschwind & Behan, 1982; Hiscock, 1988, McFarland, 1981; Turkewitz, 1988). Lateralization in the current study refers to hemispheric language specialisation, hand dominance, foot dominance and eye dominance. In most people these functions are lateralized to the one side of the body by the age of seven (Kalat, 1995; Kolb & Whishaw, 1996). They typically manifest a dominant left hemisphere for language and a right-sided dominance for handedness, footedness and eyedness. The result is a dominant left hemisphere, due to the left side of the brain controlling the right side of the body. Some children however manifest insufficient or poor lateralization of these functions. For purposes of this study, it would imply that the functions of language specialisation, handedness, footedness and eyedness are not all lateralized to one side of the body. A possible connection between this poor or insufficient lateralization and ADHD might exist. According to the DSM IV (1997) the essential feature of ADHD is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that is more frequent and severe than is typically observed in individuals at a comparable level of development. Some of these symptoms causing impairment must have been present before age seven, although many individuals are only diagnosed after the symptoms have been present for a number of years. Impairment resulting from the symptoms should be present in at least two settings, for example, at school and at home. Clear evidence must exist of interference with developmentally appropriate social, academic, or occupational functioning. An empirical study was conducted in order to compare the hemispheric language specialisation, handedness, eyedness and footedness of the various subjects. The subjects consisted of 20 ADHD boys (8 -12 years) who met the criteria of the DSM IV and 20 Non-ADHD boys (8-12 years) without any learning problems. Various interference variables were controlled in the selection of the subjects (see section 5.2.3) Kimura's dichotic listening technique was used to measure hemispheric language specialisation and the Harris-test for Lateral Dominance was used to measure handedness, eyedness and footedness. Wilks's lambda, Pearson's chi-quadrant and Student's t-tests were used during statistical analysis of data. Results indicated statistically significant differences between ADHD boys and non-ADHD boys with regard to hemispheric language specialisation, handedness and footedness. Overall, the results indicated that the ADHD boys are not as strongly lateralized as the non-ADHD boys. The non-ADHD boys showed a stronger left hemispheric language specialisation, right hand dominance and right foot dominance. No statistical differences were recorded with regard to eyedness. The current study provides possible theoretical support for the theory that a connection exists between poor or insufficient lateralization patterns and children with ADHD. However, the study only focused on white boys between the ages of 8-12 years. Further studies involving different age groups, cultures and gender are recommended.

Syftet med föreliggande examensarbetet är att genom en litteraturstudie försöka generera teori för hur den specialpedagogiska verksamheten kan dra nytta av forskningsresultaten gällande hur hjärnans funktioner fungerar i samband med inlärning vid ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) och/eller autismspektrumtillstånd (AST). Metoden som valts för denna studie är en kvalitativ litteraturstudie, där resultatet analyserats efter Grounded Theory. Vi har tagit del av relevant forskning och litteratur gällande hjärnans funktioner och det pedagogiska fältet för individer med ADHD samt AST i åldern 6–16 år. Resultatet gällande hjärnans funktioner visar att grunden till ADHD samt AST är biologisk betingad. Resultatet gällande de pedagogiska implikationerna visar på flera möjliga sätt att anpassa undervisningen och inlärningen för att stödja och hjälpa dessa elever. Litteraturen beskriver bitvis hur de ser länkar mellan hjärnans funktioner och de svårigheter som elever med ADHD och AST kan ställas inför i skolmiljön. I litteraturen kring vilka implikationer som föreslås för elever med ADHD och AST framkommer många likheter och att de gynnas av liknande insatser, men på olika vis. De slutsatser vi drar av resultatet är att individer med ADHD och AST har avvikelser i hjärnans funktioner samt dess nervsystem vilket beror på biologiska orsaker. Slutsatserna av de pedagogiska implikationerna gör sig gällande för övergripande områdena inom miljö, visuella hjälpmedel, struktur, bemötande samt uppgifters upplägg. Vi ser genom analysen även ett samband mellan de annorlunda funktionerna i hjärnan hos elever med ADHD och AST och vilka metoder som föreslås vara mest gynnsamma för kunskapsinhämtning. / The purpose of this literature study is an attempt to generate theory for how the special education can benefit from the research results regarding how the brain's functions work in connection with learning in ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) and/or autism spectrum disorder (AST). The method chosen for this study is a qualitative literature study, where the results have been analyzed according to Grounded Theory. We have taken part of relevant research and literature regarding brain functions and the educational field for individuals with ADHD and ASD aged 6-16 years. The result regarding brain functions shows that the basis for ADHD and ASD is biologically determined, but the diagnoses should still not be defined as a disease but as a functional variation. The result regarding the pedagogical implications shows in several possible ways how to adapt the teaching and learning to support and help these students. The literature describes in part how they detect links between brain functions and the difficulties that students with ADHD and ASD may face in the school environment. Many similarities emerge in the literature regarding the implications proposed for students with ADHD and ASD and they benefit from similar efforts, but in different ways. The conclusions of the results regarding brain function of individuals with ADHD and ASD reveal that they have abnormalities in the brain's functions and its nervous system and are due to biological causes. The conclusions of the pedagogical implications apply to the overall areas within the environment, visual aids, structure, teacher’s response, and tasks. Through the analysis, we also see a connection between the different functions in the brain of students with ADHD and ASD and which methods are proposed to be most favorable for acquiring knowledge.