322 research outputs found
How a Mandatory Activation Program Reduces Unemployment Durations: The Effects of Distance
No full textIn an experimental setting some Danish unemployed workers were assigned to an activation program while others were not. Unemployed who were assigned to the activation program found a job more quickly. We show that the activation effect increases with the distance between the place of residence of the unemployed worker and the place where the activation took place. We also find that the quality of the post-unemployment jobs was not affected by the activation program. Both findings confirm that activation programs mainly work because they are compulsory and unemployed don't like them.unemployment insurance, unemployment duration, experiment, activation programs
Peripheral and central nervous contribution to gastrointestinal symptoms in diabetic patients with autonomic neuropathy
No full textbackground & aims long-term diabetes mellitus (DM) has been associated with neuronal changes in the enteric, peripheral and/or central nervous system. moreover, abnormal visceral sensation and gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are seen in up to 75% of patients. to explore the role of diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) in patients with long-standing DM, we investigated psychophysical responses and neuronal activity recorded as evoked brain potentials and dipolar source modelling. methods fifteen healthy volunteers and 14 type-1 DM patients with DAN were assessed with a symptom score index characterizing upper GI abnormalities. multichannel (62) electroencephalography was recorded during painful electrical stimulation of the lower oesophagus. brain activity to painful stimulations was modelled using brain electrical source analysis (besa). results diabetic patients had higher stimulus intensities to evoke painful sensation (p0.001), longer latencies of N2 and P2 components (both p0.001), and lower amplitudes of P1-N2 and N2-P2 complexes (p0.001; p=0.02). Inverse modelling of brain sources showed deeper bilateral insular dipolar source localization (p=0.002). Symptom score index was negatively correlated with the depth of insular activity (p=0.004) and positively correlated with insular dipole strength (p=0.03). conclusion DM patients show peripheral and central neuroplastic changes. moreover, the role of abnormal insular processing may explain the appearance and persistence of GI symptoms related to DAN. this enhanced understanding of DAN may have future clinical and therapeutical implications
On the linkage between atmospheric circulation changes and Arctic climate change
No full textPolar amplification is a prominent feature of recent and projected climate change. The Arctic region shows some of the strongest signs of climate change, including sea-ice retreat and temperatures increasing at twice the rate averaged over the northern hemisphere. A major concern for humanity is the sea-level rise associated with the melting of the ice-sheets and glaciers due to climate change. The atmospheric circulation transports an amount of energy into to the Arctic equivalent that received by the Arctic from the Sun. Thus, the atmospheric energy transport is an important subject to study in the light of Arctic climate change. The atmospheric energy transport may be decomposed into contributions by planetary-scale waves such as Rossby waves and small-scale waves such as cyclones. The energy transport contributions by the different length-scale separated systems are shown to affect the Arctic differently. The meridional energy transport is separated into length-scale contributions using a Fourier-series-based approach. Here we evaluate this approach by comparing it to a novel wavelet-based length-scale decomposition, developed as a part of this project. Further a machine-learning-based length-scale decomposition approximator is developed. The approximator may be applied to climate model output to investigate future changes in the length-scale decomposed energy transport. From the comparisons it is apparent that both the Fourier and wavelet-based length-scale decompositions are skilled approaches, which produce physically meaningful decompositions. Additionally, the Fourier-based decomposition is further developed to yield a length-scale decomposition on a latitude-longitude grid. Once evaluated the Fourier and wavelet-based decompositions are applied to investigate the effects of recent climate change on the atmospheric energy transport, and how these changes affect the Arctic and the Greenland ice-sheet. Through these studies it is conspicuous that shifts of energy transport between length-scale components has occurred during the last decades, and that these shifts have contributed to Greenland ice-sheet melt and Arctic warming
A New Method for Sham-Controlled Acupuncture in Experimental Visceral Pain - a Randomized, Single-Blinded Study
No full textOBJECTIVE: Acupuncture is increasingly used as an alternative to medical therapy for various pain conditions. To study the effect of acupuncture in experimental and clinical studies, a control condition with sham acupuncture is needed. However, as such models have not been established in assessment of acupunctures effect against visceral pain, this study aimed to validate a new method for blinded sham acupuncture in experimental rectal pain.METHODS: Fifteen subjects underwent a sequence of either sham or real acupuncture in randomized order. In the sham arm, a hollow inner tube with a sharp tip was fitted into an outer tube and subjects were blinded to the stimulations. Before and after the intervention, pain was induced by rectal stimulation with an inflatable balloon distended until the subjects' pain threshold was reached. The resting electroencephalogram (EEG) was quantified by spectral power analysis to explore the central nervous system effects objectively. Additionally, after the second study day, the subject was asked to indicate the sequence of interventions.RESULTS: A significant increase in rectal balloon volume was observed after sham 12 ± 21 mL (P = 0.049) and acupuncture 17 ± 30 mL (P = 0.046). However, the change in volume was not different between groups (P = 0.6). No differences in EEG spectral power distributions between sham and acupuncture were seen (all P > 0.6). The correct sequence of sham and acupuncture was indicated by 36% of the subjects (P = 0.4).CONCLUSIONS: The presented sham procedure provides a valid method for blinding of "sham acupuncture" and may be used in future blinded controlled trials of acupuncture for visceral pain.</p
Analysis of forensic DNA mixtures with artefacts
No full textDNA is now routinely used in criminal investigations and court cases, although DNA samples taken at crime scenes are of varying quality and therefore present challenging problems for their interpretation. We present a statistical model for the quantitative peak information obtained from an electropherogram of a forensic DNA sample and illustrate its potential use for the analysis of criminal cases. In contrast with most previously used methods, we directly model the peak height information and incorporate important artefacts that are associated with the production of the electropherogram. Our model has a number of unknown parameters, and we show that these can be estimated by the method of maximum likelihood in the presence of multiple unknown individuals contributing to the sample, and their approximate standard errors calculated; the computations exploit a Bayesian network representation of the model. A case example from a UK trial, as reported in the literature, is used to illustrate the efficacy and use of the model, both in finding likelihood ratios to quantify the strength of evidence, and in the deconvolution of mixtures for finding likely profiles of the individuals contributing to the sample. Our model is readily extended to simultaneous analysis of more than one mixture as illustrated in a case example. We show that the combination of evidence from several samples may give an evidential strength which is close to that of a single-source trace and thus modelling of peak height information provides a potentially very efficient mixture analysis
How a Mandatory Activation Program Reduces Unemployment Durations: The Effects of Distance
No full textIn an experimental setting some Danish unemployed workers were assigned to an activation program while others were not. Unemployed who were assigned to the activation program found a job more quickly. We show that the activation effect increases with the distance between the place of residence of the unemployed worker and the place where the activation took place. We also find that the quality of the post-unemployment jobs was not affected by the activation program. Both findings confirm that activation programs mainly work because they are compulsory and unemployed don’t like them.Unemployment insurance;unemployment duration;experiment;activation programs
Electrophysiology as a tool to unravel the origin of pancreatic pain
No full textIntense abdominal pain is the most common symptom in chronic pancreatitis, but the underlying mechanisms are not completely understood and pain management remains a significant clinical challenge. The focus of pain origin in chronic pancreatitis traditionally has been on the pancreatic gland, assuming pain to originate in the pancreas or its surrounding organs. However, research in the last decade points to abnormal central nervous system pain processing. For this reason, electroencephalography has been receiving increasing attention. In contrast to imaging methods such as functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography, electroencephalogram has excellent temporal resolution making it possible to investigate central processing of pain on a millisecond time scale. Moreover, continuously advancing methodology made it possible to explore brain sources responsible for generation of evoked potentials and hence to study brain reorganization due to pain in chronic pancreatitis. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the current methods and findings in electroencephalography as a tool to unravel the origin of pancreatic pain.</p
Acupuncture for Pain in Chronic Pancreatitis:A Single-Blinded Randomized Crossover Trial
No full textOBJECTIVES: Many patients with painful chronic pancreatitis (CP) have insufficient effect of treatment, and the prevalence of adverse effects is high. Consequently, alternatives to conventional management are needed. We aimed to study the effect of acupuncture in painful CP.METHODS: This was a prospective, single-blinded, randomized crossover trial. Fifteen patients with CP were assigned to a session of acupuncture followed by sham stimulation or vice versa. Patients rated clinical pain scores daily on a 0 to 10 visual analogue scale (VAS) and completed the Patient Global Impression of Change. For mechanistic linkage, resting state electroencephalograms were recorded and quantified by spectral power analysis to explore effects on central pain processing.RESULTS: Acupuncture, compared with sham stimulation, caused more pain relief (2.0 ± 1.5 VAS vs 0.7 ± 0.8 VAS; P = 0.009). The effect, however, was short, and after 1-week follow-up, there was no difference in clinical pain scores between groups (P = 1.0) or the rating of Patient Global Impression of Change (P = 0.8). Electroencephalogram spectral power distributions between sham and acupuncture were comparable between groups (all P > 0.6).CONCLUSIONS: The study presents proof-of-concept for the analgesic effect of acupuncture in pancreatic pain. Although the effect was short lasting, the framework may be used to conceptualize future trials of acupuncture in visceral pain.</p
Evaluation of the effects of two classes of active labour market policies for welfare recipients a Danish study case
No full textL. C. Ehris interaktive læsemodel
No full textArtiklen indeholder en grundlæggende introduktion til den benyttede analysetilgang til læseevalueringsmaterialer for folkeskolens mellem- og overbygning. Her redegøres der nærmere for Linea C. Ehris læsemodel og
den forståelse af læseprocessens mange aspekter og videnformer, hun beskriver i denne model. Der afsluttes med en redegørelse for centrale spørgsmål, som trods analyserne stadig ikke kan besvares uden inddragelse af andre undersøgelsesformer
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