Alien Registration- Duquette, Pierre (Lewiston, Androscoggin County)

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Collecting neurophysiological data to investigate users’ cognitive states during game play

This paper explores the potential of collecting neurophysiological data in order to further understand user’s learning experience. The experimental setup involves collecting electroencephalographic signal (EEG) from the brain cortex to infer users’ cognitive state while they played an educational video game designed to support the learning of Newtonian mechanics. Preliminary results suggest that this neuroscience perspective is quite promising in the idea of quantitatively characterizing users’ learning experience. This could be an innovative and promising avenue in general game development or in educational videogame research field

Validation d’un modèle de déterminants psychosociaux de la santé au travail de l’infirmière en gériatrie

Cette étude visait à vérifier un modèle de relations entre des facteurs psychosociaux et la santé des 8066 infirmières francophones oeuvrant en soins gériatriques au Québec. Un échantillon aléatoire de 1990 sujets a été prélevé et des taux de participation de 77,9 % et 55 % ont été obtenus aux deux temps de mesure échelonnés à un intervalle de 12 mois. Basé sur la perspective théorique de Maddi et Kobasa (1984), le modèle a été reproduit aux deux temps à l'aide d'analyses d'équations structurales. Ces analyses révèlent que trois variables exercent un effet direct sur la détresse psychologique, soit l'épuisement professionnel, les stresseurs occupationnels et la hardiesse. De même, des variables exercent un effet direct sur l'épuisement : par ordre d'importance, il s'agit de la hardiesse, des stresseurs occupationnels, du soutien au travail, des stratégies actives d'adaptation et du statut d'emploi. Pour composer avec les stresseurs du travail, les infirmières dites hardies mettent l'accent vers des stratégies actives d'adaptation et recherchent le soutien de personnes de leur environnement de travail. Les résultats aident à mieux comprendre les ressources psychologiques et sociales qui favorisent une meilleure adaptation de femmes professionnelles oeuvrant dans des environnements de travail fort exigeants. Les retombées de l'étude convergent tant vers la qualité de vie des professionnels de la relation d'aide que vers le coût et la qualité des services de santé et des services sociaux.The purpose of this study was to verify a model of relationships between psychosocial factors and health for 8066 francophone nurses working in geriatric care in Québec. A random sample of 1990 subjects was drawn and a participation rate of 77,9% and 55% was obtained for the two-time study taken twelve months apart. Based on the theory of Maddi and Kobasa (1984), the model was reproduced for the two-time periods with the aid of structural equations. The analyses showed that three variables exert a direct influence on psychological distress: professional burnout, occupational stressors and hardiness. Also, variables have a direct effect on burnout: listed in order of importance, these are hardiness, occupational stressors, work support, active strategies of coping and employment status. In dealing with the work stressors, the nurses who are hardy make use of active strategies of coping and look for support form their colleagues. The results of the study help to better understand the psychological and social resources thta best favor adaptation of working women in highly demanding work environements. The fallout of the study converges towards the quality of life of helping professionals and towards the cost and quality of health and social services

Impairment, disability and fatigue in multiple sclerosis

Background: Identifying the predictors of pain is important for both health professionals and researchers, because pain has repeatedly been found to be a strong predictor of activity limitations and participation restrictions. The objective of this study was to determine the predictors of pain presence and severity in a large, well-designed sample of community dwelling individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). Methods: This was a cross-sectional study. A center-stratified random sample including 188 persons with MS were recruited from three major MS clinics in the Greater Montreal, Canada. Main outcomes included pain prevalence and severity. Predictor variables included depression, anxiety, perceived health status, fatigue, sleep problems, and perceived cognitive deficits. Participants completed three questionnaires: the first asked about the socio-demographic and clinical information of the subjects, the second assessed the pain characteristics of the subjects, and the third covered the predictor variables. Results: The prevalence of pain in our sample was 42%. MS- related disability was found to be in the main predictor for both pain presence and intensity. Fatigue also was a main contributor to pain presence. The results of this study also showed that pain was associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, sleep problems, and perceived cognitive deficits, and diminished perceived health status. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that pain is a common symptom among people with MS. Pain presence was predicted by MS-related disability and fatigue, while pain intensity was only predicted by MS severity

The role of exercise in modifying outcomes for people with multiple sclerosis: a randomized trial

Abstract Background: Despite the commonly known benefits of exercise and physical activity evidence shows that persons Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are relatively inactive yet physical activity may be even more important in a population facing functional deterioration. No exercise is effective if it is not done and people with MS face unique barriers to exercise engagement which need to be overcome. We have developed and pilot tested a Multiple Sclerosis Tailored Exercise Program (MSTEP) and it is ready to be tested against general guidelines for superiority and ultimately for its impact on MS relevant outcomes. The primary research question is to what extent does an MS Tailored Exercise Program (MSTEP) result in greater improvements in exercise capacity and related outcomes over a one year period in comparison to a program based on general guidelines for exercise among people with MS who are sedentary and wish to engage in exercise as part of MS self-management. Methods/Design: The proposed study is an assessor-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (RCT). The duration of the intervention will be one year with follow-up to year two. The targeted outcomes are exercise capacity, functional ambulation, strength, and components of quality of life including frequency and intensity of fatigue symptoms, mood, global physical function, health perception, and objective measures of activity level. Logistic regression will be used to test the main hypothesis related to the superiority of the MSTEP program based on a greater proportion of people making a clinically relevant gain in exercise capacity at 1 year and at 2 years, using an intention-to-treat approach. Sample size will be 240 (120 per group). Discussion: The MS community is clearly looking for interventions to help alleviate the disabling sequelae of MS and promote health. Exercise is a well-known intervention which has known benefits to all, yet few exercise regularly. For people with MS, the role of exercise in MS management needs to be rigorously assessed to inform people as to how best to use exercise to reduce disability and promote health

Association of Multiple Sclerosis Susceptibility Variants and Early Attack Location in the CNS

Objective: The anatomic location of subsequent relapses in early multiple sclerosis (MS) appears to be predicted by the first attack location. We sought to determine if genetic polymorphisms associated with MS susceptibility are associated with attack location. Methods: 17 genome-wide association study-identified MS susceptibility polymorphisms were genotyped in 503 white, non-Hispanic patients seen within a year of MS onset. Their association with the CNS location of the first two MS attacks was assessed in multivariate repeated measures analyses (generalized estimating equations with robust standard errors). Results: The IL12A polymorphism was independently associated with increased odds of attacks involving the spinal cord (OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.11, 2.07, p = 0.009), as was the IRF8 polymorphism (OR = 2.40, 95% CI [1.04, 5.50], p = 0.040). The IL7R polymorphism was associated with reduced odds of attacks involving the brainstem/cerebellum (OR = 0.46, 95% CI 0.22, 0.97, p = 0.041), as were the TNFRSF1A and IL12A polymorphisms. The CD6 polymorphism conferred reduced odds of optic neuritis as an attack location (OR = 0.69, 95% CI [0.49, 0.97], p = 0.034). Several other genes showed trends for association with attack location. Conclusions: Some of the MS susceptibility genes may be associated with MS attack location. The IL12A polymorphism is of particular interest given that interferon beta therapy appears to influence IL12 levels. These findings may lead to improved understanding of MS pathogenesis and treatment