The Bidirectional Relationship Between Sleep and Inflammation Links Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer's Disease

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are diseases during which the fine-tuned autoregulation of the brain is lost. Despite the stark contrast in their causal mechanisms, both TBI and AD are conditions which elicit a neuroinflammatory response that is coupled with physical, cognitive, and affective symptoms. One commonly reported symptom in both TBI and AD patients is disturbed sleep. Sleep is regulated by circadian and homeostatic processes such that pathological inflammation may disrupt the chemical signaling required to maintain a healthy sleep profile. In this way, immune system activation can influence sleep physiology. Conversely, sleep disturbances can exacerbate symptoms or increase the risk of inflammatory/neurodegenerative diseases. Both TBI and AD are worsened by a chronic pro-inflammatory microenvironment which exacerbates symptoms and worsens clinical outcome. Herein, a positive feedback loop of chronic inflammation and sleep disturbances is initiated. In thisreview, the bidirectional relationship between sleep disturbances and inflammation is discussed, where chronic inflammation associated with TBI and AD can lead to sleep disturbances and exacerbated neuropathology. The role of microglia and cytokines in sleep disturbances associated with these diseases is highlighted. The proposed sleep and inflammation-mediated link between TBI and AD presents an opportunity for a multifaceted approach to clinical intervention

CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DECISIONAL DISCREPANCY, PARENT-TEACHER SATISFACTION, AND STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare parent and teacher perceptions of decisional discrepancy and parent and teacher levels of satisfaction with their schools in high and low academic achieving schools as well as in urban and suburban schools. The materials used in this study were the School Decision Making Questionnaire (SDMQ), the Catholic School Parent/Teacher Survey (CSP/TS), and the S.R.A. Assessment Survey. The statistical techniques employed included three-way analysis of variance t test of the means (pooled variance model), and regression analysis. The minimal level of statistical significance accepted in this study was .05. The major findings and conclusions drawn from this study were: (1) The data with respect to parent and teacher perceptions of decisional discrepancy indicated that the respondents almost unanimously reported a state of decisional deprivation. (2) The data with respect to parent and teacher levels of satisfaction indicated that parents and teachers were generally satisfied with their schools. Respondents in high academic achieving schools were more satisfied than respondents in low academic achieving schools. (3) The data revealed that more experienced teachers and religious teachers perceived less decisional discrepancy and were more satisfied than their less experienced lay colleagues. It was concluded that the schools are meeting the needs of their more experienced religious staff better than they are meeting those of the less experienced lay staff. (4) With respect to decisional discrepancy, respondents in urban schools reported perceptions of more decisional discrepancy than respondents in high academic achieving surburban schools. It was concluded that the urban character of these schools was an important aspect of any understanding of decision making, school religious orientation, and teacher satisfaction. Some of the major recommendations from this study were: (1) Based on the conclusions of this study related to the pervasive perceptions of decisional discrepancy, it was recommended that Catholic school administrators explore ways to involve more fully both parents and teachers in the school decision making process. (2) Based on the conclusions reached in this study, it was recommended that, in view of the dramatically decreasing numbers of religious teachers in the schools, Catholic elementary school administrators give careful consideration to assessing and addressing those role expectations and needs peculiar to the Catholic elementary school lay teachers

Basic history of American conservatism/ Muccigrosso

205 hal.; 20 cm