O perfil de envolvimento e as necessidades dos irmãos das crianças com perturbação do espectro do autismo : estudo descritivo realizado nos distritos do Porto, Viseu e Lisboa

O presente trabalho constitui a análise dos “Perfis de Envolvimento e Necessidades dos Irmãos” das crianças com Autismo numa amostra de conveniência de 30 famílias, distribuídas pelos distritos do Porto, Viseu e Lisboa, acompanhadas pelos serviços de Intervenção Precoce. O Sibling Needs and Involvement Profile (SNIP) é um instrumento dividido em cinco subescalas que identificam: a “Consciencialização”, os “Sentimentos”; a “Diversão”; o “Auxilio” e “Advocacia” dos irmãos relativamente à criança com Autismo. Os resultados revelaram-se maioritariamente positivos em todas as subescalas à excepção da subescala “Sentimentos”. O estudo das qualidades psicométricas do SNIP na versão portuguesa, revelou boa consistência interna na fiabilidade (Alfa de Cronbach > a 0,7) e forte correlação entre as variáveis (KMO > 0,6)

Punctuated vortex coalescence and discrete scale invariance in two-dimensional turbulence

We present experimental evidence and theoretical arguments showing that the time-evolution of freely decaying 2-d turbulence is governed by a {\it discrete} time scale invariance rather than a continuous time scale invariance. Physically, this reflects that the time-evolution of the merging of vortices is not smooth but punctuated, leading to a prefered scale factor and as a consequence to log-periodic oscillations. From a thorough analysis of freely decaying 2-d turbulence experiments, we show that the number of vortices, their radius and separation display log-periodic oscillations as a function of time with an average log-frequency of ~ 4-5 corresponding to a prefered scaling ratio of ~ 1.2-1.3Comment: 22 pages and 38 figures. Submitted to Physica

Thermal noise limitations to force measurements with torsion pendulums: Applications to the measurement of the Casimir force and its thermal correction

A general analysis of thermal noise in torsion pendulums is presented. The specific case where the torsion angle is kept fixed by electronic feedback is analyzed. This analysis is applied to a recent experiment that employed a torsion pendulum to measure the Casimir force. The ultimate limit to the distance at which the Casimir force can be measured to high accuracy is discussed, and in particular the prospects for measuring the thermal correction are elaborated upon.Comment: one figure, five pages, to be submitted to Phys Rev

Insights Developed Into the Damage Mechanism of Teflon FEP Thermal Control Material on the Hubble Space Telescope

Metalized Teflon FEP (DuPont; fluorinated ethylene propylene) thermal control material on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) has been found to degrade in the space environment. Teflon FEP thermal control blankets retrieved during the first servicing mission were found to be embrittled on solar-facing surfaces and to contain microscopic cracks (the FEP surface is exposed to the space environment). During the second servicing mission, astronauts noticed that the FEP outer layer of the multilayer insulation blanketing covering the telescope was cracked in many locations. Large cracks were observed on the light shield, forward shell, and equipment bays. A tightly curled piece of cracked FEP from the light shield was retrieved during the second mission. This piece was severely embrittled, as witnessed by ground testing. A Failure Review Board was organized by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to determine the mechanism causing the multilayer insulation degradation. This board included members of the Electro-Physics Branch of the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field. Density measurements of the retrieved materials obtained under the review board's investigations indicated that FEP from the first servicing mission was essentially unchanged from pristine FEP but that the second servicing mission FEP had increased in density in comparison to pristine FEP (ref. 1). The results were consistent with crystallinity measurements taken using x-ray diffraction and with results from solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance tests (see the table and ref. 1). Because the second servicing mission FEP was embrittled and its density and crystallinity had increased in comparison to pristine FEP, board researchers expected that the first servicing mission FEP, which was also embrittled, would also have increased in crystallinity and density, but it did not. Because the retrieved second servicing mission material curled while in space, it experienced a higher temperature extreme during thermal cycling (estimated at 200 C) than the first servicing mission material (estimated at 50 C). Therefore, Glenn initiated and conducted an investigation of the effects of heating pristine FEP and FEP that had been exposed on the Hubble Space Telescope. Samples of pristine and first and second servicing mission FEP were heated to 200 C and evaluated for changes in density and morphology. We hoped that the results would help explain why FEP degrades in the Hubble Space Telescope space environment

Problems of Calf Feeding

When can a farmer discontinue feeding milk to his calves? Directions which accompany so-called milk substitutes frequently suggest discontinuing the milk when the calf is ten days to two weeks of age, while most dairy husbandry bulletins recommend six months. How far can we lean to the left in these days of limited rations, and still obtain normal mature animals

Monkey See Monkey Do: Modeling Positive Behavior in the Classroom

Abstract The research experiment was conducted at a dual language Montessori school in a lower elementary classroom that contained first grade students. The classroom contained thirteen students in total, with five boys and eight girls, and two head teachers. The research investigated if peaceful lessons (grace and courtesy lessons) and peaceful teacher modeling would affect the student’s behaviors and concentration in the classroom. The research began with baseline data collection through student interviews, student work, and a behavior tally sheet completed during the great work period in the morning. After the first two weeks of school, daily peaceful lessons were conducted with the students, and the teacher made mindful changes, to model positive language and behaviors in the classroom. The data concluded that peaceful lessons and teacher modeling had a positive effect on the behavior and concentration of the student’s in the classroom. Peaceful lessons and teacher modeling will continue once a week to prolong positive student behaviors in the classroom environment

Impact of vitamin A on clinical outcomes in haemodialysis patients

Background. Patients on maintenance haemodialysis treatment experience an excessive risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality. The vitamin A concentration is known to be higher in these patients compared to the general population where elevated vitamin A concentrations are associated with adverse outcome. The impact of vitamin A on morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease patients is controversial and is the topic of this study. Methods. We analysed plasma retinol and retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) in 1177 diabetic haemodialysis patients, who participated in the German Diabetes and Dialysis Study (median follow-up 4 years). By Cox regression analyses hazard ratios (HRs) were determined for pre-specified, adjudicated end points according to baseline concentrations. Results. Patients had a mean age of 66 ± 8 years, mean retinol and RBP4 concentrations of 3.28 (0.71-7.44) and 4.02 (1.28-10.1) μmol/L, respectively. Patients with retinol concentrations in the first quartile (3.9 μmol/L; HR 1.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.43-2.30]. There was a strong association between low retinol and the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD, HR 2.22, 95% CI 1.41-3.50) and fatal infection (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.26-3.82). Patients with RBP4 concentrations in the lowest quartile (<3.0 μmol/L) were more likely to die of any cause (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.14-1.80), experience SCD (HR 1.97, 95% CI 1.28-3.03) and cardiovascular events (HR 1.43, 95% CI 1.10-1.85). Conclusion. This large cohort study shows a strong association of low retinol and RBP4 concentrations with SCD and all-cause mortality in diabetic haemodialysis patient

Large deviations of a class of non-homogeneous Markov chains

Let Sigma = 1, 2, ..., r be a finite set of points. Let Pn = pn( i, j) : i, j [is in] Sigma be an r x r stochastic matrix for n ≥ 1, and p be a distribution on Sigma. Let now Pp= Pp({Pn }) be the (non-homogeneous) Markov measure on the sequence space Sinfinity with Borel sets B(Sinfinity) corresponding to initial distribution p and transition kernels Pn.;We now describe the class of non-homogeneous process focused upon in the article. These are the Markov chains where the transition kernels are asymptotically close to a fixed stochastic matrix. Let p be a distribution and P be a stochastic matrix on Sigma. Define the collection A=A p,P by A={Pp ({Pn}) :lim n→infinityPn =P}. The collection A can be thought of as perturbations of the stationary Markov chain run with P, and is a natural class in which to explore how non-homogeneity enters into the large deviation picture.;Let now f : Sigma → Rd be a d ≥ 1 dimensional function. Let also Pp({P n})[is in]A(p, P) be a perturbed non-homogeneous Markov measure. In terms of the coordinate process, define the additive sums Zn = Zn(f) for n ≥ 1 by Zn=1n i=1nf(Xi). The goal of this paper is to understand the large deviation behavior of the induced distributions of Zn : n ≥ 1 with respect to Pp({P n}) . An immediate question which comes to mind asks whether these large deviations differ from the deviations with respect to the stationary chain run with P. The general answer found in our work is yes and no, and as might be suspected depends on the rate of convergence Pn → P and the structure of the limit matrix P.;More specifically, when P is an irreducible matrix, it turns out that the large deviation of behavior of Zn under Pp({P n}) is exactly that under the stationary chain associated with P no matter the rate of convergence of Pn to P. Therefore, perhaps the most interesting case is when the target matrix P is reducible. In this situation, the large deviations of Zn depend both on the type of reducibilities of P and the convergence rate of Pn to P, and fall roughly into three distinct categories. Namely, when the convergence speed is very fast, the large deviation behavior is the same as for the stationary Markov chain run under P; when the speed is slow, one obtains a trivial large deviation behavior; and finally when the speed is intermediate, a non-trivial behavior is found which differs from stationarity. Moreover, these behaviors are characterized in terms of an explicit rate function which illustrates that among all paths which lead to a deviation those which minimize certain routing and resting costs are selected