The Cohen-Macaulay property of separating invariants of finite groups

In the case of finite groups, a separating algebra is a subalgebra of the ring of invariants which separates the orbits. Although separating algebras are often better behaved than the ring of invariants, we show that many of the criteria which imply the ring of invariants is non Cohen-Macaulay actually imply that no graded separating algebra is Cohen-Macaulay. For example, we show that, over a field of positive characteristic p, given sufficiently many copies of a faithful modular representation, no graded sep- arating algebra is Cohen-Macaulay. Furthermore, we show that, for a p-group, the existence of a Cohen-Macaulay graded separat- ing algebra implies the group is generated by bireflections. Ad- ditionally, we give an example which shows that Cohen-Macaulay separating algebras can occur when the ring of invariants is not Cohen-Macaulay

Health beliefs, attitudes, and health-related quality of life in persons with fibromyalgia : mediating role of treatment adherence

Fibromyalgia is a chronic illness characterized by pain and fatigue. Persons with fibromyalgia experience increased the risk for poor mental and physical health-related quality of life, which may be dependent on multiple factors, including health beliefs, such as confidence in physicians and the health-care system, and health behaviors, such as treatment adherence. Respondents with fibromyalgia (n = 409) were recruited nationally, via support organizations, and completed self-report measures: Multidimensional Health Profile – Health Functioning Index (MHP-H), Short-Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36v2), and Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Measure of Patient Adherence – General Adherence Items. In mediation models, belief in the healthcare system and health-care personnel, and health efficacy exerted an indirect effect through treatment adherence on mental and physical quality of life. Adaptive health beliefs and attitudes were related to greater treatment adherence and, in turn, to a better quality of life. Maladaptive health beliefs and mistrusting attitudes about physician-level and systemic-level healthcare provision are negatively related to both treatment adherence and consequent physical and mental health-related quality of life in persons with fibromyalgia. Future randomized controlled trials are needed to determine if therapeutic strategies to alter health values might improve adherence and self-rated health

On the generalized Davenport constant and the Noether number

Known results on the generalized Davenport constant related to zero-sum sequences over a finite abelian group are extended to the generalized Noether number related to the rings of polynomial invariants of an arbitrary finite group. An improved general upper bound is given on the degrees of polynomial invariants of a non-cyclic finite group which cut out the zero vector.Comment: 14 page

Pet-saúde como ferramenta de identificação dos níveis de estresse nos profissionais da atenção primária em saúde

Evidenciado na atualidade que as condições de trabalho podem contribuir para alterações da saúde física e mental dos indivíduos, estudos apontam a relação destes transtornos com a insatisfação, falta de reconhecimento profissional, desgaste provocado pelo contato direto com o paciente, as recompensas insuficientes, a falta de autonomia, as relações interpessoais disfuncionais, os conflitos de valores, a falta de recursos humanos e materiais, a longa jornada de trabalho, a baixa remuneração, o estreitamento do mercado de trabalho, a alta exposição a riscos ocupacionais e a indefinição do papel profissional. A pesquisa emergiu das vivências iniciais do projeto PET-Saúde Interprofissionalidade. Objetivo: Analisar níveis de estresse entre os profissionais de um Centro de Saúde da Família (CSF), através da aplicação do teste de Lipp - Inventário de Sintomas de Stress Lipp (ISSL). Metodologia: Realizou-se a pesquisa quantitativa, descritiva, transversal. Participaram da pesquisa 30 profissionais que atuavam no serviço. Resultados: Dos profissionais avaliados, 6,7% apresentaram-se na fase de alerta, 56,6% em fase de resistência e 16,7% em fasede exaustão. Os sintomas mais identificados foram os físicos, uma vez que, os sintomas psicológicos encontrados são intrínsecos e identificados mediante informações dadas pelos profissionais. Conclusão: Desta forma, torna se necessário a realização de estratégias para prevenção e controle de transtornos que acometem e/ou tendem a acometer estes profissionais, melhorando, assim, sua qualidade de vida, bem como a assistência aos usuários.Evidenced today that working conditions can contribute to changes in the physical and mental health of individuals, studies point to the relationship of these disorders with dissatisfaction, lack of professional recognition, exhaustion caused by direct contact with the patient, insufficient rewards, lack of autonomy, dysfunctional interpersonal relationships, conflict of values, lack of human and material resources, long working hours, low pay, narrowing of the labor market, high exposure to occupational risks and the lack of definition of the professional role. The research emerged from the initial experiences of the PET-Saúde Interprofissionalidade project. Objective: Analyze stress levels among professionals at a Family Health Center (FHC), through the application of the Lipp test - Lipp Stress Symptoms Inventory (ISSL). Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, transversal research was carried out. Thirty professionals who worked in the service participated in the research. Results: Of the professionals evaluated, 6.7% were in the alert phase, 56.6% in the resistance phase and 16.7% in the exhaustion phase. The most identified symptoms were physical, since the psychological symptoms found are intrinsic and identified through information given by professionals. Conclusion: In this way, it is necessary to carry out strategies for the prevention and control of disorders that affect and/or tend to affect these professionals, thus improving their quality of life, as well as assistance to users

Prevention of depression through nutritional strategies in high-risk persons: rationale and design of the MooDFOOD prevention trial

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: Obesity and depression are two prevalent conditions that are costly to individuals and society. The bidirectional association of obesity with depression, in which unhealthy dietary patterns may play an important role, has been well established. Few experimental studies have been conducted to investigate whether supplementing specific nutrients or improving diet and food-related behaviors can prevent depression in overweight persons. METHOD/DESIGN: The MooDFOOD prevention trial examines the feasibility and effectiveness of two different nutritional strategies [multi-nutrient supplementation and food-related behavioral change therapy (FBC)] to prevent depression in individuals who are overweight and have elevated depressive symptoms but who are not currently or in the last 6 months meeting criteria for an episode of major depressive disorder (MDD). The randomized controlled prevention trial has a two-by-two factorial design: participants are randomized to daily multi-nutrient supplement (omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, selenium, B-11 vitamin and D-3 vitamin) versus placebo, and/or FBC therapy sessions versus usual care. Interventions last 12 months. In total 1000 participants aged 18-75 years with body mass index between 25-40 kg/m(2) and with a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 5 will be recruited at four study sites in four European countries. Baseline and follow-up assessments take place at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months. Primary endpoint is the onset of an episode of MDD, assessed according to DSM-IV based criteria using the MINI 5.0 interview. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, food and eating behavior, physical activity and health related quality of life are secondary outcomes. During the intervention, compliance, adverse events and potentially mediating variables are carefully monitored. DISCUSSION: The trial aims to provide a better understanding of the causal role of specific nutrients, overall diet, and food-related behavior change with respect to the incidence of MDD episodes. This knowledge will be used to develop and disseminate innovative evidence-based, feasible, and effective nutritional public health strategies for the prevention of clinical depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov. Number of identification: NCT02529423 . August 2015.Funding for this paper was provided by the European Union FP7 MooDFOOD Project ‘Multi-country cOllaborative project on the rOle of Diet, FOod-related behaviour, and Obesity in the prevention of Depression’ (grant agreement no. 613598). This work is supported in the UK by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), through the Primary Care Research Network, and the NIHR Exeter Clinical Research Facility. Funding sponsors did not participate in the study design; collection, management, analysis, and interpretation of data; or writing of the report. They did not participated in the decision to submit the report for publication, nor had ultimate authority over any of these activities

Effect of Multinutrient Supplementation and Food-2 Related Behavioral Activation Therapy on 3 Prevention of Major Depressive Disorder Among 4 Overweight or Obese Adults With Subsyndromal 5 Depressive Symptoms

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the American Medical Association via the DOI in this record.Importance: Effects of nutritional interventions on the prevention of major depressive disorder (MDD) in overweight adults are unknown. Objective: To examine the effect of two nutritional strategies (multi-nutrient supplementation, food-related behavioral activation (F-BA) therapy) and their combination for prevention of a new MDD episode in overweight adults with subsyndromal depressive symptoms. Design, setting, participants: This multicenter 2x2 factorial randomized clinical trial included overweight adults (BMI 25-40kg/m2) aged 18-75years with elevated depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores≥5) not meeting criteria for MDD episodes in the past 6 months from 4 European countries. 1025 adults were randomized between July-30-2015 and October-12-2016, and followed for 1 year (until October-13-2017). Interventions: Daily multi-nutrient supplements (1412mg omega-3 fatty acids, 30μg selenium, 400μg folic acid, and 20μg D-3 vitamin plus 100mg calcium) versus placebo (blinded), and/or 21 individual and group F-BA sessions versus no F-BA (blinded to researchers), for one year. Participants were allocated to placebo without F-BA (n=257), placebo with F-BA (n=256), supplements without F-BA (n=256), and supplements with F-BA (n=256). Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcome was cumulative 1-year onset of MDD measured with the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview after 3, 6 and 12 months. Logistic regression using effect-coded variables (-1 indicating control, +1 indicating intervention) evaluated intervention effects both individually and in combination (interaction) on MDD onset. Results: Among 1025 participants (mean age 46.5y; 772 (75%) women; mean BMI 31.4kg/m2), 779 (76%) completed the trial. During 12 month follow-up, 105 (10%) developed MDD (placebo without F-BA: 25 (9.7%), placebo with F-BA: 26 (10.2%), supplements without F-BA: 32 (12.5%), supplements with F-BA: 22 (8.6%).. Neither supplements (odds ratio (OR)=1.06; 95%-confidence interval (CI)=0.87-1.29), F-BA (OR=0.93; 95%CI=0.76-1.13), nor their combination (OR=0.93; 95%CI=0.76-1.14, p for interaction=0.48) affected MDD onset. Number of deaths/hospitalizations were for placebo without F-BA (n=0,n=24), placebo with F-BA (n=0,n=24), supplements without F-BA (n=0,n=26) and supplements with F-BA (n=1,n=24), respectively. Conclusions and Relevance: Among overweight or obese adults with depressive symptoms, multi-nutrient supplementation compared with placebo and food-related behavioral activation therapy compared with no therapy did not reduce episodes of major depressive disorder during 1 year. These findings do not support the use of these interventions for prevention of major depressive disorder. Trial registration: https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02529423. August-2015.European CommissionNational Institute for Health Research (NIHR

Altered reward system reactivity for personalized circumscribed interests in autism

Abstract Background Neurobiological research in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has paid little attention on brain mechanisms that cause and maintain restricted and repetitive behaviors and interests (RRBIs). Evidence indicates an imbalance in the brain’s reward system responsiveness to social and non-social stimuli may contribute to both social deficits and RRBIs. Thus, this study’s central aim was to compare brain responsiveness to individual RRBI (i.e., circumscribed interests), with social rewards (i.e., social approval), in youth with ASD relative to typically developing controls (TDCs). Methods We conducted a 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to investigate the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent effect of personalized circumscribed interest rewards versus social rewards in 39 youth with ASD relative to 22 TDC. To probe the reward system, we employed short video clips as reinforcement in an instrumental incentive delay task. This optimization increased the task’s ecological validity compared to still pictures that are often used in this line of research. Results Compared to TDCs, youth with ASD had stronger reward system responses for CIs mostly within the non-social realm (e.g., video games) than social rewards (e.g., approval). Additionally, this imbalance within the caudate nucleus’ responsiveness was related to greater social impairment. Conclusions The current data support the idea of reward system dysfunction that may contribute to enhanced motivation for RRBIs in ASD, accompanied by diminished motivation for social engagement. If a dysregulated reward system indeed supports the emergence and maintenance of social and non-social symptoms of ASD, then strategically targeting the reward system in future treatment endeavors may allow for more efficacious treatment practices that help improve outcomes for individuals with ASD and their families

Reward processing in autism: a thematic series

This thematic series presents theoretical and empirical papers focused on understanding autism from the perspective of reward processing deficits. Although the core symptoms of autism have not traditionally been conceptualized with respect to altered reward-based processes, it is clear that brain reward circuitry plays a critical role in guiding social and nonsocial learning and behavior throughout development. Additionally, brain reward circuitry may respond to social sources of information in ways that are similar to responses to primary rewards, and recent clinical data consistently suggest abnormal behavioral and neurobiologic responses to rewards in autism. This thematic series presents empirical data and review papers that highlight the utility of considering autism from the perspective of reward processing deficits. Our hope is that this novel framework may further elucidate autism pathophysiology, with the ultimate goal of yielding novel insights with potential therapeutic implications

Nutrition and depression: Summary of findings from the EU‐funded MooDFOOD depression prevention randomised controlled trial and a critical review of the literature

This is the final version. Available on open access from Wiley via the DOI in this recordThis paper discusses the emerging field of nutritional psychology and provides an update on the now completed EU‐funded MooDFOOD depression prevention randomised controlled trial that assessed the effects of two nutrition‐based interventions for the prevention of depression in overweight or obese adults with at least mild symptoms of depression. We first outline the problem of major depression, the most common form of psychopathology and the largest contributor to global disability, and then give an overview of the connection between nutrition and depression; separating the evidence according to prevention and treatment of depression. The extant literature is reviewed, and we examine the implications for both prevention and treatment. Questions are posed for further research in this emerging and important area.European Union FP