Background: During the past 5 decades, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been used, and appreciated for its beneficial effects, by millions of women in their menopause. As treatment for climacteric symptoms, estrogen is outstanding, and effects on hot flushes, vaginal dryness, and insomnia have been widely documented. The increased risks of venous thrombosis and breast cancer, however, restrict the use of estrogen. Estrogen treatment in women with a remaining uterus includes a progestin, added to protect the endometrium from hyperplasia and malignancies. The long-standing clinical impression, that progestin addition negatively influences mood, has been discussed in previous studies. Mood deterioration is, however, not mortal, although mood is important to the wellbeing and daily functioning of women treated with hormones. Studies of the mental side effects of HRT add to our understanding of steroid effects in the brain. Aims and methods: In our studies, we aimed to establish to what extent negative side effects cause women to discontinue HRT, and find out which drug compounds lead to mood deterioration. The questions asked were whether the type and dose of progestin and the estrogen dose during the progestin addition influence the mood and physical symptoms during sequential HRT. Compliance with HRT and reasons for discontinuing the therapy were evaluated in a retrospective longitudinal follow-up study. Treatment effects were studied in three randomized, double-blind, cross-over trials. During continuous estrogen treatment, effects of sequential addition of a progestin were studied by comparing two different progestins, medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) andnorethisterone acetate (NETA), comparing different doses of the same progestin, MPA, and comparing two doses of estrogen during addition of the same dose of MPA. The main outcome measure was the daily rating on mood and physical symptoms kept by the participants throughout the studies. The clinical trials were carried out at three gynecological centers in northern Sweden. Results and conclusions: Besides fear of cancer and a wish to determine whether climacteric symptoms had meanwhile disappeared, negative side effects was the most common reason or discontinuing HRT. Tension in the breasts, weight gain, a depressed mood, abdominal bloating, and irritability were the most important side effects seen both in women who continued HRT and in women who had discontinued the therapy. In our clinical trials, we showed that addition of a progestin to estrogen treatment induces cyclic mood swings characterized by tension, irritability, and depression, as well as increased breast tension, bloatedness, and hot flushes. Women with a history of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) appeared to be more sensitive to the progestin addition and responded with lower mood scores compared with women without previous PMS. In our studies, MPA provoked depressed mood to a lesser extent than did NETA. Surprisingly, the higher dose of MPA (20 mg) enhanced the mood, compared with 10 mg, when added to estrogen treatment. In women continuously treated with 3 mg estradiol, mood and physical symptoms worsened during the progestin addition, as compared with treatment with 2 mg estradiol. The negative side effects seen during sequential HRT have much in common with symptoms seen in the premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), which is a psychoneuroendocrine disorder with psychiatric expression. Explanations for treatment effects on mood are likely to be found in drug interactions with neurotransmitter systems of the brain. / <p>Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2003</p> / digitalisering@umu

The purpose of this study is to describe and explain tributary changes within the lower Trinity River basin, Texas, downstream of Livingston Dam. Within southeastern Texas, an opportunistic geomorphic experiment arose when the Trinity River was impounded. The dam represents a marked moment and place of a system perturbation. Geomorphological effects of the lower Trinity River tributaries were investigated through five different types of data: analysis of published discharge and sediment load data, examination of alluvium, planform change as measured from aerial photographs, resurveys of bridge cross-sections, and field mapping of geomorphic indicators of change. Since closure, Lake Livingston has reduced sediment supply while minimally affecting the discharge regime. Channel scour is evident for about 60 km downstream. All the tributaries studied are located within this reach. Currently, there is no model that directly addresses the morphological response of a tributary streams confluence downstream of a dam. Therefore, the Confluence Effects Model is developed to predict the resulting geomorphological impacts within a tributary streams mouth with varying changes in trunk stream discharge and channel morphology. When applied to two confluences of the lower Trinity River, the Confluence Effects Model successfully predicts the resulting geomorphological changes. Within the lower Trinity River basin, the tributaries are reacting in a nonlinear and complex manner. Delayed or lagged responses are illustrated through sediment budgets for two tributaries which suggest a large amount of sediment is in storage within the tributary basins. Applying the unstable hydraulic geometry model, thirteen qualitatively different modes of adjustment with respect to increases, decreases or lack of change in width, depth, slope and roughness were observed within the tributary systems. The nonlinear and complex reactions of the tributary systems mask the effects of the impoundment beyond the confluences with the Trinity. The geomorphic characteristics of the tributaries are largely dominated by Holocene sea level change and the response to extreme events, such that dam effects become relatively localized. While this study considered a coastal plain fluvial system perturbed by human modifications, other earth surface systems may draw comparisons between emergent responses, response times and landscape sensitivity to a disturbance within a system.

Ocean environments with sloped seafloors can give rise to sound paths that do not remain in a constant plane of propagation. Numerical modelling of sound fields in such environments requires the use of computer models that fully account for out-of-plane sound propagation effects. The inclusion of these three-dimensional effects can be computationally intensive and the effects are often neglected in computer sound propagation codes. The current state-of-the art in sound propagation modelling has seen the development of models that can fully account for out-of-plane sound propagation. Such a model has been implemented in this research to provide acoustic consultants JASCO Applied Sciences with an important tool for environmental noise impact assessment in complicated marine environments. The model is described and validation results are shown for benchmark test cases. The model is also applied to study three-dimensional propagation effects in measured data from a realistic ocean environment. Particular analysis techniques assist in the interpretation of the modelled sound field for this physical test environment providing new insight into the characteristics of the test environment. / Graduate

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Univ. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Estudos sugerem que a suplementação de creatina pode atenuar a resistência à insulina, embora sejam escassas evidências que atestem a segurança desse suplemento. Diante disso, esse estudo teve como objetivo investigar a eficácia e segurança da suplementação de creatina em diabéticos do tipo 2. Foi conduzido um estudo clínico, randomizado, duplo-cego, controlado por placebo. Ao longo de três meses, os pacientes foram submetidos a treinamento físico e suplementação de creatina (CR) ou placebo (PL). No período basal e após a intervenção, os indivíduos realizaram avaliações de controle glicêmico, perfil lipídico, capacidade física, composição corporal e efeitos adversos. Além disso, os voluntários foram submetidos à biópsias musculares, para análises da expressão proteica e translocação de GLUT-4, e espectrometria de fósforo para determinação dos conteúdos intramusculares de fosforilcreatina. Após a intervenção, as concentrações intramusculares de fosforilcreatina foram maiores no grupo CR (diferença estimada entre as médias: 23,6 mmol/Kg músculo úmido; p = 0,03). Esse grupo também apresentou menores concentrações de hemoglobina glicada quando comparado ao grupo PL (diferença estimada entre as médias: -1,1%; p = 0,004). Os testes de tolerância oral à refeição demonstraram menores valores de glicemia de jejum e pós-prandial (momentos 30 e 60 minutos) no grupo CR versus PL. A expressão proteica de GLUT-4 não foi diferente entre os grupos, porém o aumento na translocação dessa proteína foi significantemente superior no grupo CR (p = 0,03). Não houve diferenças significantes entre os grupos para a insulinemia, perfil lipídico, concentrações séricas de peptídeo C, composição corporal, condicionamento aeróbio, força e função musculares. A suplementação de creatina não provocou deterioração nas funções renal e hepática. Os demais efeitos adversos relatados também não foram diferentes entres os grupos. Desta forma, concluímos que a suplementação de creatina aliada ao treinamento físico é uma estratégia terapêutica segura e efetiva em melhorar o controle glicêmico em diabéticos do tipo 2. Número de registro no domínio Clinicaltrials.com: NCT00992043 / Some studies have suggested that creatine supplementation may attenuate insulin resistance, but whether this supplement is safe remains uncertain. In light of this, the aim of this trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of creatine supplementation combined with exercise training in patients with type II diabetes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial was conducted. The patients were submitted to exercise training and received either creatine (CR) or placebo (PL) for 12 weeks. At baseline and after the intervention, glycemic control, lipid profile, physical capacity, body composition, and adverse effects were assessed. Moreover, muscular biopsies were performed to determine the muscle GLUT-4 content and the GLUT-4 translocation, and muscle phosphorylcreatine was assessed by using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. After the intervention, muscle phosphorylcreatine content was higher in the CR group (estimated difference of means: 23.6 mmol/Kg wet muscle; p = 0.03). The CR group also presented decreased glycosylated hemoglobin when compared to the PL group (estimated difference of means: -1.1%; p = 0.004). The oral meal tolerance tests revealed reduced fasting and postprandial glycemia (30 and 60 minutes) in the CR versus the PL group. The muscle GLUT-4 content was similar between groups, but the increase in GLUT-4 translocation was significantly superior in the CR group when compared to the PL group (p = 0.03). In addition, No significant differences between groups were observed for insulinemia, lipid profile, serum peptide C concentration, body composition, aerobic conditioning, strength, and muscle function. Cr supplementation provokes no deleterious effects on kidney and liver functions. The reported adverse effects were similar between groups. Thus, we concluded that creatine supplementation is safe and capable of improving glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients. ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00992043

Efeitos de interferência aerodinâmica por vizinhança ocorrem inevitavelmente em edificações imersas em contexto urbano. Com base nas características da vizinhança que envolve o entorno de uma edificação, estes efeitos consequentemente podem reduzir ou majorar as ações do vento sobre a mesma. Tendo em vista a complexidade do problema em estimar o real ambiente em que um edifício estará situado e sua influência no comportamento do vento, torna-se muito difícil a codificação destes efeitos em documentos normativos, específicos para cada situação de projeto. No entanto, fatores de redução e majoração das ações do vento sobre as edificações podem ser determinados de acordo com as características da vizinhança presente no ambiente em que estão inseridas. Neste trabalho são analisados quatro modelos reduzidos de edifícios altos e suas vizinhanças adjacentes. Os modelos foram testados em túnel de vento, no Laboratório de Aerodinâmica das Construções da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, sob duas configurações de ensaios, uma com a edificação isolada e outra com a edificação na presença da vizinhança na qual estará imerso. A partir dos resultados obtidos no túnel, foram calculados coeficientes de força para cada modelo, em relação a dois eixos ortogonais com origem próxima ao centro de torção da secção transversal correspondente ao pavimento tipo. Dos quatro casos estudados, todos apresentaram variações significativas dos coeficientes de força quando na presença de edificações vizinhas. Para estes edifícios, foram calculados fatores de vizinhança respectivos aos ângulos de vento mais influentes ao dimensionamento estrutural dos mesmos. A respeito das análises, notou-se que sob vizinhança densa, houve uma grande redução das ações do vento, enquanto que brechas entre as estruturas de interferência, traduziram em aumentos das ações do vento sobre as edificações estudadas. / Neighborhood interference effects due to nearby strucutres, inevitably occur on buildings immersed in urban context. Based on the characteristics of the neighborhood surrounding the vicinity of a building, these effects therefore can reduce or increase wind actions. Given the complexity of the problem in estimating the real environment where a building is located and its influence on wind behavior, it is extreme hard to encode these effects in regulation codes by specifying situations for each proposed project. However, reduction and increase factors on the wind actions over buildings can be determined according to the caracteristics of its neighborhood at the environment in which they locate. This paper analyzes four scale models of tall buildings and its surrounding structures. The models were tested in the wind tunnel at the Laboratório de Aerodinâmica das Construções of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, in two configurations tests, one with the building in isolated situation and the other with the building in the corresponding vicinity. The results obtained in the wind tunnel tests were used to determine strength coefficients for each model in relation to the both orthogonal axes with its origin near the torsional center of the transversal section correspondent to the standard floor of the buildings. For the four cases studied, all the test results showed significant variations at force coefficients in the presence of neighboring structures. For each case studied, interference factors were calculated due to sorrounding structures for the most influential wind angles for the structural design. Regarding the analysis it was noticed that under dense neighborhood, there was a large reduction of the wind loads, while gaps between interference structures resulted in increases of wind actions over the studied buildings.

Evidence from research in psychology and auditor judgment has shown that perceptions that form early in a sequential judgment process can influence subsequent judgments. Auditing Standard 12 requires auditors to identify fraud risk factors and assess the risk of fraud as part of the process of assessing overall misstatement risk. While it is expected that fraud risk assessments should have a bearing on overall risk assessments, it is possible that perceptions formed from assessments of fraud risk can negatively affect the evaluation of any evidence reviewed thereafter. Because different classes of transactions may be affected by fraud risk factors in different ways, fraud risk assessments may differ across classes of transactions. These differences may make subsequent auditor judgments susceptible to the contrast effects bias, where subjects overreact to the differences such that the fraud risk assessments influence auditor judgment more than they should. This study examines whether auditors who learn that fraud risk is low for one class of transactions immediately after examining a class of transactions that has high fraud risk, can overreact to the contrast such that they reduce their sensitivity to evidence that suggests increased misstatement risk. The study also examines whether these contrast effects can be mitigated by acquiring information about fraud risk assessments later in the sequence of evidence, after auditors have reviewed and assimilated evidence related to other risks. The study finds that, as predicted, auditor judgments are influenced by contrast effects. Auditors who examined classes of accounts for which fraud risk assessments were different were less sensitive to evidence suggesting increased risk in accounts that had been identified as having low fraud risk. However, contrary to predictions, these contrast effects were not mitigated by evidence order.

Radicals are core reactive species that occur in almost every subfield of chemistry. In particular, solution phase radicals find their way into biochemistry (e.g. vitamin B12), and in polymer chemistry (e.g. radical polymerizations) just to name a few. Yet, given the proliferation of radical chemistry, there are still fundamental aspects of it that are poorly understood. This dissertation probed factors that influence the solvent cage effect. The solvent cage effect is where two radicals are held in close proximity to one another and prevented from easily escaping (to form free radicals) by a cage of solvent molecules. A convenient metric of the solvent cage effect is the radical recombination efficiency (FcP). Typically, FcP correlates with the bulk viscosity of the solution, however, this parameter only produces qualitative assessments. This dissertation outlines a method to quantitatively predict FcP using the microviscosity. This microviscosity dependence holds for non polar, aromatic, polar, and hydrogen-bonding solvents, along with solutions that contain polymers. Microviscosity is a great metric because it addresses an underlying reason for the solvent cage effect, the strength of the cage. Not only does the strength of the solvent cage around the radical pair affect FcP, but so does the identity of the radicals themselves. That is, the strength of the solvent cage is one piece to forming a total predictive model. FcP for the Cp'2Mo2(CO)6 dimer also varies with the wavelength of irradiation. Identifying the mechanism by which this wavelength dependence occurs may also provide another factor to include in an overall model of the solvent cage effect. Also, an attempt at synthesizing an asymmetric molybdenum dimer was performed. This asymmetric dimer would allow the study of solvent caged radical pairs that are different from each other. Predicting the photochemical cage pair recombination efficiency (FcP) is the major topic of this dissertation. However, there is also the collisional cage recombination efficiency (Fcʹ). This is where free radicals come together in what is called a collisional solvent cage pair. A method and values of Fcʹ are detailed later in this dissertation. This dissertation contains previously published and unpublished co-authored material.