| 1. |
- Anderberg, Elsie
(författare)
-
The relation between language and thought revealed in reflecting upon words used to express the conception of a problem
- 1999
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The way relationships between symbols and thoughts are created is a general problem in learning, mainly described as "how students' learn to mean". This general problem raises some basic questions concerning how students' relate understanding to words used in learning. The present research provides an alternative perspective on the relationship between thought and language derived from the phenomenographic tradition and from the later philosophy of Wittgenstein. The general aim of the thesis is to analyse, describe and discuss aspects of learning and understanding concerning the relationship between thought and language. In the empirical investigation twenty-seven students from two institutes of higher education, a school of nursing and a teacher training college, participated. Qualitative interviewing was the instrument used both to stimulate students' reflection on their expressed conceptions of a particular problem presented and to document their reflection. Contextual analysis was the method used. The results of the empirical analyses are presented in related descriptive categories focusing on to three aspects of learning and understanding concerning relationships between words used and conceptions of a problem; 1) the character of relationships experienced 2) the different qualities in the process of students reflecting on relationships 3) the change of conceptions The theoretical investigation concerns, on the one hand the principle differences between understanding objects of knowledge and understanding language meaning in relation to learning and on the other hand the relationship between thought and language in theories of language meaning and understanding in the philosophy of language. One of the main conclusions drawn is that the proposed identity between thought and language within the theory of representationalism, well represented in social constructivism and individual constructivism, can not be presupposed in an educational perspective on learning as it focuses too much on learning to understand language meaning more than learning to understand objects of knowledge.
|
|
| 2. |
- Cannmo, Patrik, et al.
(författare)
-
Modelling of plasticity and damage in a polycrystalline microstructure
- 1995
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Plasticity. - 0749-6419 .- 1879-2154. ; 11:8, s. 949-970
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The mesomechanical behavior of a polycrystalline microstructure subjected to monotonic and cyclic loadings is investigated. The analysis is based on a Voronoi polygonization strategy for generation of grains embedded in a contiguous matrix. The main emphasis is to investigate the interaction between the microconstituents and the failure processes along grain boundaries. A rational interface theory based on damage development coupled to inelastic slip and dilatation is developed. The theory uses the interface width as a constitutive parameter, which regularizes the theory of LEMAITRE [1992], that is restricted to perfect bond between grain and matrix. In a series of FE-analyses parameter variations were performed: The unit cell size (as compared to the average grain diameter), the grain-matrix area ratio, the interface width and constitutive parameters. It appears that the composite behavior can be designed as brittle or ductile solely depending on the strength and rate of damage development in the interfaces. A localization band was detected, and its orientation is in the range that is predicted within continuum theory.
|
|
| 3. |
- Elmståhl, Sölve, et al.
(författare)
-
Caregiver's burden of patients 3 years after stroke assessed by a novel caregiver burden scale
- 1996
-
Ingår i: Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. - 0003-9993 .- 1532-821X. ; 77:2, s. 177-182
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To assess burden of caregivers to stroke patients three year after a primary stroke and to test validity and reliability of a novel caregiver burden scale (CB scale). Design: A longitudinal community-based 3- year follow-up study of 35 consecutive primary stroke patients initially admitted to an Acute Medical Unit (mean age 82yr). The validity of the CB scale was studied in 150 patients (mean age 77yr):83 demented outpatients assessed for need of group living and 67 outpatients with stroke from a general geriatric day-care unit. Reliability was studied in another 23 outpatients (mean age 72yr) with stroke from the same unit. Methods: A 22- item CB scale for different types of caregiver burden and scales for neuroticism and extroversion (Eysenck Personality Inventory) and quality of life (11-item scale). Activities of daily life were assessed by a 6-item scale, initially and 3 years later. Outcome Measure: Reliability and validity of the CB scale. Improvements of activities of daily life of stroke patients. Results: Factor analyses of the CB scale gave five indices-general strain, isolation, disappointment, emotional involvement, and environment-having good kappa values, .89 to 1.00 and Cronbach's alpha, .70 to .87, except for environment. A higher burden was related to a closer relationship but not to the living situation. The highest caregiver burden was found among patients showing the greatest improvements of ADL, when divided into tertiles. The patient's degree of extroversion and quality of life were negatively correlated to caregiver burden, -.46 (p < .05) and .59 (p < .01). Conclusions: The CB scale proved to be a valid and reliable instrument to assess caregiver burden. To improve the caregiver situation, individual patient personality characteristics, like extroversion, feeling of quality of life, and progression of the disease, must be considered.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Nystedt, Paul
(författare)
-
Economic Aspects of Ageing
- 1998
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This thesis concerns economic aspects of ageing and investigates incentives and outcomes related to this process. The thesis is a collection of five essays. An introductory chapter provides an overall economic perspective of ageing. Essay 1 (ch 2) examines mortality risks via duration analysis of widowed individuals in Scania, Sweden during the 19th century. The findings are qualitatively in line with previous results of studies based on modern data: Widowers in general face higher relative mortality risks than widows and the effect of spousal bereavement on mortality is decreasing through time. The estimated relative risks for widowers are dependent on socio-economic status; being landless implies high relative risks. Quantitatively, the magnitudes of our estimates are large in comparison with studies based on more recent data. Essay 2 (ch 3) investigates gender-dependent division of labour within the household. In economics this division is commonly attributed to gender differences in relative productivity. We assume completely gender-neutral production capacities, and introduce instead gender-dependent mortality risks as a factor affecting the allocation of resources within a household. In an ordinary marriage the wife faces lower mortality risk than the husband, indicating that the probability of entering into widowhood and the expected length of a potential widowhood period are greater for her. In our model this implies that the wife, via behaviour during marriage, will prepare for widowhood to a larger extent than the husband. Essay 3 (ch 4) tentatively, in the light of economic theory, analyses factors influencing the presence of a social network. Specifically, the structure of social support networks of 500 older men, aged 68 (born 1914 in Malmoe, Sweden), is studied in terms of their children and close friends. We find some support for the hypothesis that the "number of close friends", reported by the studied individuals, is negatively connected with the number of own children. This could be a result of the presence of own children diminishing the incentives for parents to create and maintain social relations with others. Essay 4 (ch 5) explores how diffusion of medical technology to older and older patient groups may have contributed to increasing health care expenditures in the industrialised world. Two specific cases are studied, both representing costly procedures: coronary bypass surgery and dialysis. In both cases, we observe significant diffusion to older age groups. Essay 5 (ch 6), proceeding from the results of the previous chapter, presents a simple theoretical framework, founded in ordinary welfare maximisation, of the diffusion of medical technology across age groups as a consequence of exogenously given technology development. The empirical part reveals major improvements for the CABG-technique regarding the mortality risk of newly treated patients and rehabilitation processes. According to welfare analysis this implies that afflicted individuals, in weaker and weaker general condition (e.g. older and older) and with lighter and lighter disability from the considered complaint, will be treated. Taking the estimates of technological improvements into account, the actual diffusion of the CABG-technique across age groups is consistent with the theoretical framework.
|
|
| 6. |
|
|
| 7. |
|
|
| 8. |
- Stenström, Ulf
(författare)
-
Psychological factors and metabolic control in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
- 1997
-
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- This doctoral thesis consists of six studies concerning persons with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The first two deal with relationships between life events, social support and metabolic control (HbA1C) over a two year period. For the female subjects, results obtained for this period were inconsistent. For the male group, negative life events and poor social support were found to be related to poor HbA1C values during the entire period. The results are discussed in terms of possible gender differences in stress responses, social support, and coping strategies. The third study investigated two groups of IDDM subject over a two-year period, one of them showing a ”major” and the other a ”minor” discrepancy between how they retrospectively perceived their quality of life to have changed and the change of their current quality of life assessed before and after the study period. Those exhibiting a ”major” discrepancy reported greater retrospective quality of life improvement, higher quality of life, greater well-being and a lesser ocurrence of negative life events than those with a ”minor” discrepancy did, despite their exhibiting poorer blood glucose values and a higher prevalence of incipient nephropathy. The results are discussed in terms of possible psychological defense strategies. The fourth study aimed at examining changes in quality of life, negative life events and metabolic control in IDDM subjects during a five year period beginning one year after their transition to multiple injection therapy with the insulin pen. For the group as a whole, quality of life was found to change only moderately, whereas metabolic control deteriorated significantly over time. However, two subgroups clearly differing in assessed quality of life, in the reporting of negative life events and in metabolic control patterns could be distinguished. The results are discussed in terms of the clinical suitability of a multiple injection regimen using the insulin pen. The fifth study concerned the relevance of different diabetes-related locus of control belief patterns to metabolic control. As hypothesized, subjects who exhibited a strong belief in internal control, in conjunction with a low degree of belief in control by chance, showed better metabolic control than those who displayed the opposite locus of control pattern. The results are discussed in terms of adaptation to the disease and in planning treatment of IDDM patients. The sixth study, finally, explored relationships between age, severe long-term complications and diabetes locus of control beliefs. No relationships between complications, age, and internal control beliefs were obtained. However, subjects with severe long-term complications displayed a stronger belief in chance than those without such complications. Also, older subjects expressed a stronger belief in control by powerful others and in control by chance than younger subjects did. Finally, subjects between 38 and 50 years of age with severe complications displayed stronger beliefs in powerful others than those within their age-group without such complications. The results are discussed in terms of how difficulties and demands that persons with diabetes face can interplay with locus of control beliefs.
|
|
| 9. |
- Widell, Anders, et al.
(författare)
-
At least three hepatitis C virus strains implicated in Swedish and Danish patients with intravenous immunoglobulin-associated hepatitis C
- 1997
-
Ingår i: Transfusion. - : Wiley. - 0041-1132 .- 1537-2995. ; 37:3, s. 313-20
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- BACKGROUND: Three reported Swedish cases of hepatitis C in patients receiving an intravenous immunoglobulin (Gammagard, Baxter Healthcare, Deerfield, IL) were among the first to bring to light a worldwide outbreak of hepatitis C associated with non-solvent/detergent (SD)-treated Gammagard. In February 1994, all implicated batches of Gammagard were recalled and exposed patients traced. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Sera from all identified and hepatitis C-viremic Swedish and Danish patients (n = 14) exposed to the implicated batches underwent hepatitis C virus genotyping and sequencing of the core region and hypervariable region 1 of E2. Genomic amplification was also done on 15 non-SD-treated batches of Gammagard. RESULTS: Twelve patients were infected with subtype 1a and surprisingly, two with subtype 2b. Analysis of the core region showed identical sequences in four patients and the only consistently positive batch. Five patients shared another sequence, whereas three other subtype 1a patients each manifested unique sequences. The two subtype 2b isolates were identical. Genomic fingerprinting of the hypervariable region confirmed identity within each group with great stringency. Amplification with isolate-specific primers showed mixed infection in one patient whose exposure was confined to a single batch. CONCLUSION: The few batches implicated presumably were contaminated with several strains.
|
|
