Os transtornos de ansiedade representam uma das formas mais comuns de psicopatologia em crianças e adolescentes e estão associados com prejuízos no funcionamento acadêmico, social e familiar. Porém, permanecem frequentemente subdiagnosticados e subtratados. O bullying escolar é muito comum e está associado com um amplo espectro de problemas psiquiátricos, incluindo sintomas de ansiedade. O principal objetivo desta tese foi examinar a prevalência de bullying em uma grande amostra comunitária de crianças e adolescentes brasileiros e investigar a associação entre bullying e sintomatologia ansiosa de acordo com o DSM-IV. Esse estudo transversal consistiu no preenchimento de um questionário sobre bullying e de sua frequência e de um instrumento auto-aplicativo de triagem para transtornos de ansiedade que é a Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) por 2.353 estudantes entre 9 e 18 anos provenientes de seis escolas pertencentes à área de captação da Unidade Básica de Saúde do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Um total de 22,9% da amostra relatou envolvimento com bullying frequente, como agressor (7,6%), como vítima (5,7%) ou como agressor-vítima (9,6%). Em geral, meninos foram mais envolvidos como agressores e como agressores-vítimas e meninas como vítimas. Nossos achados demonstraram que estudantes envolvidos com bullying, como vítimas ou agressores-vítimas, apresentavam maiores escores na SCARED total e em suas subescalas do que agressores ou do que os estudantes sem envolvimento com bullying. A prevalência do bullying encontrada no nosso estudo está na média quando comparada com estudos prévios na literatura. Vítimas e agressores-vítimas, mas não agressores, são grupos associados com uma sintomatologia ansiosa mais alta. Embora no Brasil as taxas para as prevalências dos transtornos de ansiedade na infância e adolescência sejam substanciais, há uma carência de instrumentos para avaliar os sintomas de ansiedade e constructos relacionados à ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. Adicionalmente, essa tese avaliou as propriedades psicométricas de duas escalas que são utilizadas na avaliação da ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. A SCARED é um instrumento auto-aplicativo que foi originalmente desenvolvido como uma ferramenta de triagem para avaliar os transtornos de ansiedade na infância e adolescência de acordo com o DSM-IV. Os resultados encontrados em nosso estudo evidenciam que a SCARED apresenta propriedades psicométricas apropriadas e é um instrumento válido e confiável para avaliar sintomas de ansiedade em jovens no Brasil. O Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) é o principal instrumento utilizado para avaliar sensibilidade à ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. A sensibilidade à ansiedade é um constructo temperamental que pode ser conceitualizado como o medo de que sintomas de ansiedade possam ter graves consequências físicas, psicológicas ou sociais para o indivíduo. A sensibilidade à ansiedade está associada com outras medidas de ansiedade, principalmente àquelas que avaliam sintomas relacionados ao transtorno do pânico, e pode ser considerada um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento de sintomas de ansiedade e de transtornos de ansiedade em jovens. Nossos achados demonstraram uma confiabilidade apropriada e evidência de validade convergente entre a CASI e a SCARED em uma subamostra do nosso estudo, sugerindo que a CASI possa ser uma ferramenta útil na avaliação da sensibilidade à ansiedade nessa população. Tendo em vista os limitados recursos em relação à saúde mental e a pouca atenção clínica aos transtornos de ansiedade, acredita-se que tais instrumentos possam 11 se tornar ferramentas úteis na triagem de crianças e adolescentes com sintomas de ansiedade e que poderão necessitar de avaliações adicionais e de tratamento. / Anxiety disorders are one of the most common forms of psychopathology among children and adolescents and are associated with impairments in academic, social, and family functioning. Although very prevalent, the anxiety disorders are often undetected or untreated. School bullying is common and is associated with a broad spectrum of psychiatric problems, including anxiety symptomatology. The main objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of bullying behaviors in a large communitarian sample of Brazilian children and adolescents and to investigate the association between bullying behaviors and DSM-IV anxiety symptomatology. This cross-sectional study involved completion of a self-report questionnaire about bullying behaviors and their frequency and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) that is also a self-report screening tool for childhood anxiety disorders by 2353 students aged 9-18 years from 6 schools located in the catchment area of the Primary Care Unit from the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. A total of 22.9% of the sample reported frequent involvement in bullying, as a bully (7.4%), as a victim (5.7%), or as a bully-victim (9.5%). In general, boys were more likely to be involved as bully and as bully-victim, and girls were more likely to be involved as victims. Our findings showed that students involved in bullying behaviors, as victims or bully-victims, were more likely to have higher total scores in SCARED scale, as well as in its subscales than bullies and than uninvolved students. The prevalence of bullying behaviors found in our sample is about average when compared with previous studies described in the literature. Victims and bully-victims, but no bullies, are groups associated with higher anxiety symptomatology. Although prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in Brazilian youth are significant, there is a lack of validated instruments to assess anxiety symptoms and related constructs in children and adolescents. In addition, this study verified the psychometrics properties of two scales that are frequently used in the assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents. The SCARED is a self-report instrument that was originally developed as a screening tool for DSM-IV childhood anxiety disorders. Our study suggested that the SCARED has appropriate psychometric properties and is a useful and reliable instrument to assess anxiety symptoms in Brazilian youth. The Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) is the principal instrument used to assess anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents. Anxiety Sensitivity refers to the tendency to fear anxiety-related sensations and is thought to arise from beliefs about their harmful physical, cognitive, or social consequences. Anxiety sensitivity is associated with other anxiety measurements, mainly those evaluating panic symptoms. It is also considered a risk factor for the development of anxious symptomatology and anxiety disorders in youth. Our findings demonstrated an appropriate reliability and evidence of convergent validity in the CASI with the SCARED in a subsample of our study, suggesting that the CASI could be a suitable tool for evaluating anxiety sensitivity in this population. Given the limited mental health resources and the paucity of clinical attention to childhood anxiety disorders in Brazil, these instruments may be a valuable tool for screening Brazilian children and adolescents with anxiety symptoms who may need further assessment and treatment.

Os transtornos de ansiedade representam uma das formas mais comuns de psicopatologia em crianças e adolescentes e estão associados com prejuízos no funcionamento acadêmico, social e familiar. Porém, permanecem frequentemente subdiagnosticados e subtratados. O bullying escolar é muito comum e está associado com um amplo espectro de problemas psiquiátricos, incluindo sintomas de ansiedade. O principal objetivo desta tese foi examinar a prevalência de bullying em uma grande amostra comunitária de crianças e adolescentes brasileiros e investigar a associação entre bullying e sintomatologia ansiosa de acordo com o DSM-IV. Esse estudo transversal consistiu no preenchimento de um questionário sobre bullying e de sua frequência e de um instrumento auto-aplicativo de triagem para transtornos de ansiedade que é a Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) por 2.353 estudantes entre 9 e 18 anos provenientes de seis escolas pertencentes à área de captação da Unidade Básica de Saúde do Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. Um total de 22,9% da amostra relatou envolvimento com bullying frequente, como agressor (7,6%), como vítima (5,7%) ou como agressor-vítima (9,6%). Em geral, meninos foram mais envolvidos como agressores e como agressores-vítimas e meninas como vítimas. Nossos achados demonstraram que estudantes envolvidos com bullying, como vítimas ou agressores-vítimas, apresentavam maiores escores na SCARED total e em suas subescalas do que agressores ou do que os estudantes sem envolvimento com bullying. A prevalência do bullying encontrada no nosso estudo está na média quando comparada com estudos prévios na literatura. Vítimas e agressores-vítimas, mas não agressores, são grupos associados com uma sintomatologia ansiosa mais alta. Embora no Brasil as taxas para as prevalências dos transtornos de ansiedade na infância e adolescência sejam substanciais, há uma carência de instrumentos para avaliar os sintomas de ansiedade e constructos relacionados à ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. Adicionalmente, essa tese avaliou as propriedades psicométricas de duas escalas que são utilizadas na avaliação da ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. A SCARED é um instrumento auto-aplicativo que foi originalmente desenvolvido como uma ferramenta de triagem para avaliar os transtornos de ansiedade na infância e adolescência de acordo com o DSM-IV. Os resultados encontrados em nosso estudo evidenciam que a SCARED apresenta propriedades psicométricas apropriadas e é um instrumento válido e confiável para avaliar sintomas de ansiedade em jovens no Brasil. O Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) é o principal instrumento utilizado para avaliar sensibilidade à ansiedade em crianças e adolescentes. A sensibilidade à ansiedade é um constructo temperamental que pode ser conceitualizado como o medo de que sintomas de ansiedade possam ter graves consequências físicas, psicológicas ou sociais para o indivíduo. A sensibilidade à ansiedade está associada com outras medidas de ansiedade, principalmente àquelas que avaliam sintomas relacionados ao transtorno do pânico, e pode ser considerada um fator de risco para o desenvolvimento de sintomas de ansiedade e de transtornos de ansiedade em jovens. Nossos achados demonstraram uma confiabilidade apropriada e evidência de validade convergente entre a CASI e a SCARED em uma subamostra do nosso estudo, sugerindo que a CASI possa ser uma ferramenta útil na avaliação da sensibilidade à ansiedade nessa população. Tendo em vista os limitados recursos em relação à saúde mental e a pouca atenção clínica aos transtornos de ansiedade, acredita-se que tais instrumentos possam 11 se tornar ferramentas úteis na triagem de crianças e adolescentes com sintomas de ansiedade e que poderão necessitar de avaliações adicionais e de tratamento. / Anxiety disorders are one of the most common forms of psychopathology among children and adolescents and are associated with impairments in academic, social, and family functioning. Although very prevalent, the anxiety disorders are often undetected or untreated. School bullying is common and is associated with a broad spectrum of psychiatric problems, including anxiety symptomatology. The main objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of bullying behaviors in a large communitarian sample of Brazilian children and adolescents and to investigate the association between bullying behaviors and DSM-IV anxiety symptomatology. This cross-sectional study involved completion of a self-report questionnaire about bullying behaviors and their frequency and the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) that is also a self-report screening tool for childhood anxiety disorders by 2353 students aged 9-18 years from 6 schools located in the catchment area of the Primary Care Unit from the Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre. A total of 22.9% of the sample reported frequent involvement in bullying, as a bully (7.4%), as a victim (5.7%), or as a bully-victim (9.5%). In general, boys were more likely to be involved as bully and as bully-victim, and girls were more likely to be involved as victims. Our findings showed that students involved in bullying behaviors, as victims or bully-victims, were more likely to have higher total scores in SCARED scale, as well as in its subscales than bullies and than uninvolved students. The prevalence of bullying behaviors found in our sample is about average when compared with previous studies described in the literature. Victims and bully-victims, but no bullies, are groups associated with higher anxiety symptomatology. Although prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in Brazilian youth are significant, there is a lack of validated instruments to assess anxiety symptoms and related constructs in children and adolescents. In addition, this study verified the psychometrics properties of two scales that are frequently used in the assessment of anxiety in children and adolescents. The SCARED is a self-report instrument that was originally developed as a screening tool for DSM-IV childhood anxiety disorders. Our study suggested that the SCARED has appropriate psychometric properties and is a useful and reliable instrument to assess anxiety symptoms in Brazilian youth. The Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI) is the principal instrument used to assess anxiety sensitivity in children and adolescents. Anxiety Sensitivity refers to the tendency to fear anxiety-related sensations and is thought to arise from beliefs about their harmful physical, cognitive, or social consequences. Anxiety sensitivity is associated with other anxiety measurements, mainly those evaluating panic symptoms. It is also considered a risk factor for the development of anxious symptomatology and anxiety disorders in youth. Our findings demonstrated an appropriate reliability and evidence of convergent validity in the CASI with the SCARED in a subsample of our study, suggesting that the CASI could be a suitable tool for evaluating anxiety sensitivity in this population. Given the limited mental health resources and the paucity of clinical attention to childhood anxiety disorders in Brazil, these instruments may be a valuable tool for screening Brazilian children and adolescents with anxiety symptoms who may need further assessment and treatment.

Living elasmobranchs occupy every major aquatic ecosystem throughout the world (Compagno 2003; Compagno et al. 2005). Sensory ecology can be a good determinant in comprehending the processes occurring between an organism and its natural environment (Weissburg and Browman 2005). By utilizing ecophysiological tools, insight into the adaptive responses of the sensory systems to their ever-changing ecological niche can help explain behavioral and life history characteristics (Hueter 1991; Litherland 2009). Aquatic animals show structural and physiological adaptations in their visual sense specific to the ecological requirements of their habitat (Hart et al. 2004), implying that vision is an important modality. The visual system of the smooth dogfish (Mustelus canis, family Triakidae) was examined using corneal electrophysiological methods to determine the visual spectral range, irradiance sensitivity, and speed of vision (flicker fusion frequency, FFF). The smooth dogfish, a shallow water bottom feeder inhabiting inshore waters along the eastern United States, was found to be extremely sensitive to dim light (-3.1- 0.1 log light intensity), and have a slow FFF (13 Hz), thus being well adapted to the scotopic conditions of the turbid coastal inshore waters. This prompted a second set of experiments focusing on the chromatic adaptations of the photoreceptor cells and retina function following light adaptation. Light adaptation increased the photopic threshold by 2.0 log light units of intensity (LLI). However, the temporal resolution was not dramatically increased (to 17 Hz), indicating that the retinal integration time is very slow for this species under all circumstances. The spectral sensitivity peak for M. canis (470 nm) was found to be significantly blue-shifted in comparison to other members of the Triakidae family (Crescitelli et al. 1995; Sillman et al. 1996). Smooth dogfish appear to forgo high spatial and temporal resolution for the enhancement of photon capture. The sandbar shark inhabits the same inshore estuaries during the summer months but has a visual system with a higher temporal resolution (FFF, 54 Hz) and a brighter photopic threshold (1.2 LLI-50% max) (Litherland 2009). Furthermore, other elasmobranch or telelost species inhabiting similar photic environments also exhibit faster temporal resolution; little skate (FFF, 30 Hz), weakfish (FFF, 40 Hz), red drum (FFF, 50 Hz), spotted sea trout (FFF, 60 Hz), and Atlantic croaker (FFF, 58 Hz) (Horodysky et al. 2008; McComb et al. 2010). Coastal seas tend to contain more dissolved organics and particulates than the clear oceanic waters of the epipelagic and pelagic zones (McFarland 1986), therefore the retina of smooth dogfish has adapted to be extremely sensitive to dim light, has a long integration time, a low flicker fusion frequency and temporal resolution, and retinal cells that are able to adjust to changing light conditions. All of these factors contribute to the visual system to provide optimal visual ability to enable smooth dogfish to accurately exploit its surroundings.

La détection de la température externe par la peau est le point de départ de nombreuses adaptations cellulaires et comportementales permettant de maintenir notre température interne constante. Selon ce concept, les fibres sensorielles cutanées sont les seuls récepteurs sensoriels de la peau pour la détection de la température. Plusieurs canaux ioniques activés directement par des températures chaudes ou froides ont été identifiés, ce sont les canaux TRPs. Le froid peut-il modifier le fonctionnement des organes du toucher?Nous montrons chez l’homme et la souris que les cellules de Merkel (CMs), qui sont les cellules tactiles des complexes de Merkel, peuvent être activées par le froid. Chez les souris dépourvues du canal TRPM8 (KO M8) la réponse au froid des CMs diminue. Le BCTC et le M8B, 2 bloqueurs du canal TRPM8, diminuent également la réponse au froid des CMs. Pour déterminer l’impact de cette sensibilité au froid sur la performance tactile, nous avons enregistré les variations de l’activité nerveuse des récepteurs de Merkel chez les souris WT et KO M8. Un froid modéré (20°C) appliqué sur la peau diminue le train de potentiels d’action issu d’un récepteur de Merkel stimulé mécaniquement. A 20°C ni le seuil de déclenchement des potentiels d’action, ni le train de potentiels d’action en réponse à une stimulation électrique ne sont modifiés. En revanche chez les souris KO M8 cette réponse mécanique tactile n’est plus diminuée. Ce résultat montre pour la première fois qu’une cellule non nerveuse de la peau, la cellule de Merkel, contient un récepteur au froid, le canal TRPM8, qui ajuste l’activité des récepteurs de Merkel lors d’une stimulation tactile. / In the skin, Merkel cells (Mcs) are connected to keratinocytes and A sensory nerve fibers and the complexes works as a slow adaptive mechanoreceptor (SA1 receptor). We observe that cooling human and mouse Merkel cells to 15°C increases intracellular Ca2+ ions concentration. The TRPM8 agonist’s provoke intracellular Ca2+ increases. The responses to cooling and TRPM8 agonist’s are reduced in absence of extracellular Ca2+ ions, by the TRPM8 antagonist’s and in KO M8 mouse. These results show that MCs sense cooling through TRPM8 channels. We hypothesize that cooling sensitivity modulate mechano-transduction and we investigate the modulation of SA1 response using the skin nerve and microneurography techniques in mouse and human, respectively. In mouse, cooling the skin at 22°C reduces the frequency of the SA1 discharge, without modifying the nerve conduction. This reduction disappeared in KO M8 mouse. These results suggest that MCs activity reduced the discharge of SA1 receptor at mild fresh temperature, anticipating effect of lower temperature on A nerve fiber excitability.This study is the first report about the sensitivity of MCs to cold temperature and its consequences on the SA1 receptor activity in mouse and human. We conclude that cold sensitivity of Merkel cells mediated by TRPM8 regulates the SA1 mechanical response, particularly at mild fresh temperature, when the nerve conduction is not significantly modified by cold. This is the first description of an active inhibitory process, driven by a TRP channel, during sensory transduction in the skin.

The aim of this study was to examine whether three different psychological predictors; Health anxiety (SHAI), Disgust sensitivity (DS-R) and intolerance of uncertainty (IUS-12) could predict COVID-19-related anxiety in students at Orebro University, Sweden. It was hypothesized that there would be a significant relationship between the three psychological behaviors and pandemic-related anxiety. An online survey, consisting of both standardized and non-standardized questionnaires, was constructed. The survey was completed by 199 participants, aged between 19-48 (M = 25.14 and SD = 5.35) from Orebro University, Sweden through Limesurvey. A correlation revealed that Health anxiety and Disgust sensitivity were significantly correlated with COVID-19-related anxiety. The regression analysis revealed that there was a significance between the three psychological behaviors and COVID-19-related anxiety. In conclusion, Health anxiety, Disgust sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty, could indeed be associated with COVID-19-related anxiety in the students. / Syftet med studien är att examinera huruvida tre olika psykologiska beteenden; Health anxiety (SHAI), Disgust sensitivity (DS-R) och Intolerance of uncertainty (IUS-12) kan förutse COVID-19-relaterad ångest i studenter på Örebro Universitet. Det hypotiserades att det skulle finnas en signifikant relation baserat på tidigare studier. En online enkät, med både standardiserade och icke-standardiserade frågeformulär, konstruerades. Antal deltagare som kompletterade enkäten genom Limesurvey var 199 studenter mellan åldrarna 19–48 (M = 25.14 och SD = 5.35) från Örebro Universitet. Genom en korrelationsanalys kunde man se att både Health anxiety och Disgust sensitivity var signifikant korrelerade med COVID-19-relaterad Pandemi. Avslutningsvis, en multipel regressionsanalys visade att Health anxiety, Disgust sensitivity och Intolerance of uncertainty var signifikant relaterat med COVID-19-relaterad ångest i studenterna.

A method for performing robust optimal design that combines the efficiency of experimental designs and the accuracy of nonlinear programming (NLP) has been developed, called Search-and-Zoom. Two case studies from the RF and communications industry, a high-frequency micro-strip band-pass filter (BPF) and a rectangular, directional patch antenna, were used to show that sensitivity optimization could be effectively performed in this industry and to compare the computational efficiency of traditional NLP methods (using fmincon solver in MATLAB R2013a) and they hybrid method Search-and-Zoom. The sensitivity of the BPF's S11 response was reduced from 0.06666 at the (non-robust) nominal optimum to 0.01862 at the sensitivity optimum. Feasibility in the design was improved by reducing the likelihood of violating constraints from 20% to nearly 0%, assuming RSS (i.e., normally-distributed) input tolerances and from 40% to nearly 0%, assuming WC (i.e., uniformly-distributed) input tolerances. The sensitivity of the patch antenna's S11 function was also improved from 0.02068 at the nominal optimum to 0.0116 at the sensitivity optimum. Feasibility at the sensitivity optimum was estimated to be 100%, and thus did not need to be improved. In both cases, the computation effort to reach the sensitivity optima, as well as the sensitivity optima with RSS and WC feasibility robustness, was reduced by more than 80% (average) by using Search-and-Zoom, compared to the NLP solver.

The main aim of this thesis was to evaluate the performance of the contrast sensitivity clock (CSC), a new screening device for measuring contrast sensitivity (CS) and glare. This device allows CS without glare, with glare and disability glare scores to be recorded. After initial data collection the design of the CSC was slightly amended improving the performance of the device. The amended design of the CSC was shown to be a valid, discriminative and repeatable measure for purpose. The CSC is also a quick test to perform and is relatively cheap to produce. If all these factors are considered it shows potential to become the test of choice for the assessment of visual glare. A head-mounted display system was also evaluated in terms of the glare effects it may cause. The monocular display screen of the device significantly reduced the CS of the eye directly exposed but also had an effect on binocular performance, reducing amounts of binocular summation. Electronic devices, including head-mounted displays and satellite navigation systems can seriously affect CS at low luminance levels, similar to those found when driving at night.

No description available.

No description available.

Misophonia is a condition characterized by a strong physiological, emotional, and behaviouralresponse to specific auditory stimuli, which have a significant negative impact on the wellbeingof affected individuals. The present investigation focuses on emotional dysregulation, which arises due to the triggering of specific auditory stimuli. Individuals with misophoniastruggle to regulate their emotions when exposed to sounds, leading to emotional reactions, including anger, anxiety, disgust, avoidance behaviour, fight or flight, and feeling overwhelmed. These reactions might even lead to violent impulses directed towards the source of the sound. Despite its growing recognition, little is yet known about misophonia, and experts have not established any clear boundaries or criteria for the condition to be considered adisorder. As such, it is not yet included in any classification systems for disorders. The aim of this study is to understand how individuals with misophonia experience emotional dysregulation, how do they describe their experience, what is it like to live with misophonia ona day-to-day basis, and how do individuals understand and cope with emotional dysregulation caused by misophonia? The study utilized a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews as the data collection method. Thematic analysis was used to identify patterns and themes within the data. Participants stated that misophonia causes significant distress and disruption impacting emotional well-being and daily functioning. Validation of this new condition can be very helpful and make a positive impact in their social circle, and that lack of awareness and effective treatment may hold back seeking professional help.