The Altar of Sacrifice

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Doctor of Philosophy

dissertationMethamphetamine (MA) is a powerful drug that results in short- and long-term consequences for users. Study findings suggest that female MA users have higher rates of comorbid depression and anxiety than male MA users. Further, neuroimaging studies have found that female MA users have lower levels of brain phosphocreatine (PCr) measured by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) brain compared to male MA users. Treatment options for the comorbidity of depression and MA dependence are limited. The results of an integrative review of treatment options for comorbid MA use and depression suggest that psychological, a combination of psychological with pharmacological and pharmacological approaches are not effective. Further, gender differences with response to treatment are understudied. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy has been used in drug abuse research to investigate brain chemistry changes with substance use. There have been nearly 50 publications over the past 10 years that describe MRS changes in substance use disorders. While MRS studies of MA dependence have been most frequently studied, information from all drug classes have demonstrated quantitative correlates of injury relevant to substance use. The nutritional supplement creatine has been used as an adjunctive treatment for depression in female adolescents and adults. Further, creatine has been associated with increased brain PCr levels in healthy volunteers. Considering, a within subjects study was iv conducted using 8 weeks of daily creatine to treat depression among female MA users. Primary outcomes of the study included Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) scores and brain PCr levels. Secondary outcomes included Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) scores and substance use. The results of the study showed a reduction in HAMD scores as early as week 2. Brain PCr levels were found to be higher at the second scan compared to the first scan (M = 0.233, SD = 0.009, t(9) = -2.905, p < .01). Also, BAI scores were reduced as early as week 1, as well as a reduction by over half in MApositive urine drug screens by week 6 (baseline: 50% MA positive urine drug screens; week 6: 21.4%). Finally, creatine was well tolerated

Review: magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of pediatric major depressive disorder

Journal ArticleIntroduction. This paper focuses on the application of Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) to the study of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) in children and adolescents. Method. A literature search using the National Institutes of Health?s PubMed database was conducted to identify indexed peer-reviewed MRS studies in pediatric patients with MDD. Results. The literature search yielded 18 articles reporting original MRS data in pediatric MDD. Neurochemical alterations in Choline, Glutamate, and NAcetyl Aspartate are associated with pediatric MDD, suggesting pathophysiologic continuity with adult MDD. Conclusions. The MRS literature in pediatric MDD is modest but growing. In studies that are methodologically comparable, the results have been consistent. Because it offers a noninvasive and repeatable measurement of relevant in vivo brain chemistry, MRS has the potential to provide insights into the pathophysiology of MDD as well as the mediators and moderators of treatment response

Utvikling av motoriske ferdigheter hos førskolebarn med Prader-Willis syndrom en eksplorerende multicasestudie

Hensikt: Å kartlegge utvikling av motoriske ferdigheter hos barn med Prader-Willis syndrom (PWS) gjennom førskolealder, og sammenligne det enkelte barns utvikling med definerte aldersnormer. Design: En eksplorerende multicasestudie. Materiale: Seks barn med PWS ble rekruttert gjennom Frambu senter for sjeldne funksjonshemninger. Ingen hadde fått veksthormon ved inkludering i studien. Fem fikk behandling fra fire års alder. Metode: Regelmessig kartlegging, i alt fem ganger, fra to til fem års alder med bruk av den motoriske skalaen i Bayley-II Scales of Infant Development og skalaen for funksjonelle forflytningsferdigheter i Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory. Oppnåelse av motoriske milepæler ble rapport fra foreldrene. Resultat: Alle barna var betydelig forsinket i sin utvikling av motoriske ferdigheter, og de hadde noe ulike utviklingsforløp. Spørsmål om en mulig sammenheng mellom varighet av sondeernæring og motorisk utvikling ble reist. Veksthormonbehandling fra fire års alder synes ikke å akselerere den motoriske utviklingen i særlig grad. Konklusjon: Den forsinkete motoriske utviklingen hos barn med PWS innebærer at de bør følges systematisk helt fra starten og gjennom førskolealder med bruk av både diskriminerende og evaluerende kartleggingsverktøy. Nøkkelord: Prader-Willis syndrom, motorisk utvikling, fysioterap

The taxonomic status of the headshield slug genus Nakamigawaia Kuroda and Habe, 1961 (Gastropoda: Cephalaspidea: Aglajidae), with the description of a new species from the Western Pacific

Nakamigawaia is a poorly understood genus of Aglajidae sea slugs with only two species formally ascribed. In this paper we explore new morpho-anatomical characters using stereo and scanning electron microscopy and employ different molecular approaches (a cytochrome c oxidase sub-unit I gene phylogeny, the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery species delimitation method, and genetic distances) to compare specimens across the geographical span of the genus and from two distinct chromatic morphotypes occurring in the Western Pacific (blackish morph and white-dotted morph). Our results support the conspecificity of these two morphs and show they belong to an undescribed species here named Nakamigawaia nakanoae sp. nov. The species differs from the type species of the genus, N. spiralis, by the presence of a distinct open-dilated shell and differs from its Western Atlantic congener N. felis by subtle differences in the shell, male reproductive system and caudal lobes. Genetically (COI uncorrected p-distance) the two species (N. nakanoae and N. felis) are 18.8–20.1% distinct. The definition of the genus Nakamigawaia is discussed and the current assignment to the latter of lineages other than the type species is questioned.publishedVersio

Bats in a restinga area in Sergipe, Northeastern Brazil

There is little known about the bats of the Brazilian restinga as most studies have concentrated on the country’s south and southeast regions. In Sergipe, Northeastern Brazil, the only study previously carried out registered 17 species in different restinga habitats. Thus, this study aimed to characterize the bat community in a restinga area in Sergipe and update the list of species that occur in the area. The study was carried out in the Caju Private Natural Heritage Reserve, on the south coast of the state of Sergipe. Monthly campaigns were carried out from October 2016 to September 2017 over two consecutive nights and alternating between two sites to capture the bats. We captured Bats using 10 mist nets that remained open between 6:00 p.m. and 12:00 p.m. We determined the abundance and trophic guilds of the captured species. In addition, we obtained the occurrence frequency degree through the Constancy Index. We captured 457 individuals distributed over 13 species and two families, where three species represented a new record for the locality. The family Phyllostomidae was the richest and most abundant. Most species were frugivorous (61.5%). According to the Constancy Index, only four species were considered common. Using Jackknife 1 estimator, we estimated 14.83 species for the area, indicating that the richness obtained in this study corresponds to 87.6% of this estimate. This study resulted in an 17.6% increase in bat richness known for the area. The high representativeness of the Phyllostomidae family may be related to the capture method used. The predominance of frugivores bats in this study may be associated with the presence of many fruit trees in the area. The low occurrence of species considered common is often reported and can be explained by the species’ trophic specializations and by the sampling methods. Considering the scarcity of studies in restinga areas in Northeastern Brazil, this work becomes important for the knowledge of the bats in this environment, especially for Sergipe

From rehearsal to performance: dimensions of the musical performance of an institutional choir

Este artigo se propõe a olhar para a atividade coral no contexto da Justiça Federal do Espírito Santo (JFES) com base em discussões presentes nos Estudos da Performance e na Etnomusicologia. A partir da etnografia de um ensaio e uma apresentação do Coro da JFES, o conceito de performance será associado à compreensão do fazer musical enquanto processo e com finalidade de propiciar interação social.This article presents the choral activity in the context of the Justiça Federal do Espírito Santo (JFES) based on current discussions in the field of Performance Studies and Ethnomusicology. Through the ethnography of a rehearsal and performance of the JFES Choir, the concept of performance will be associated with the understanding of music making as a process, with the purpose of providing social interaction

Addressing uncertainty and stigma in social relations related to hidden dysfunctions following acquired brain injury

The aim was to elucidate the experiences of people with mild to moderate acquired brain injury to learn how hidden dysfunctions influence their interactions in different social relations. A focus group of four sessions with the same five informants was conducted and analysed using qualitative content analysis. The analysis revealed one main theme: the dysfunctions created hidden challenges and uncertainty in the informants’ encounters with others. The main theme was illustrated by five sub-themes: uncertainty in encounters with others, an additional burden of being misunderstood, little consideration for hidden dysfunctions at work, little consideration for hidden dysfunctions from health and social services, and different coping strategies in encounters with others. The results emphasize the informants’ uncertainty in unfamiliar situations while adapting to changes in their functioning and addressing additional challenges due to the invisibility, unpredictability and stigmatization of their reduced functioning and to others’ ignorance regarding hidden dysfunctions.publishedVersio