Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Sleep markers'

Background A growing body of literature has suggested that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and habitual short sleep duration are linked to poor cognitive function. Neuroimaging studies may provide insight into this relation. Objective We tested the hypotheses that OSA and habitual short sleep duration, measured at ages 54-73 years, would be associated with adverse brain morphology at ages 67-89 years. Methods Included in this analysis are 312 ARIC study participants who underwent in-home overnight polysomnography in 1996-1998 and brain MRI scans about 15 years later (2012-2013). Sleep apnea was quantified by the apnea-hypopnea index and categorized as moderate/ severe (>= 15.0 events/hour), mild (5.0-14.9 events/hour), or normal (<5.0 events/hour). Habitual sleep duration was categorized, in hours, as <7, 7 to <8, >= 8. MRI outcomes included number of infarcts (total, subcortical, and cortical) and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) and Alzheimer's disease signature region volumes. Multivariable adjusted logistic and linear regression models were used. All models incorporated inverse probability weighting, to adjust for potential selection bias. Results At the time of the sleep study participants were 61.7 (SD: 5.0) years old and 54% female; 19% had moderate/severe sleep apnea. MRI imaging took place 14.8 (SD: 1.0) years later, when participants were 76.5 (SD: 5.2) years old. In multivariable models which accounted for body mass index, neither OSA nor abnormal sleep duration were statistically significantly associated with odds of cerebral infarcts, WMH brain volumes or regional brain volumes. Conclusions In this community-based sample, mid-life OSA and habitually short sleep duration were not associated with later-life cerebral markers of vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, selection bias may have influenced our results and the modest sample size led to relatively imprecise associations.

The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to assess for the relationships among sleep disturbances, depressive symptoms, inflammatory markers, and sexual trauma in female veterans. This may contribute to an understanding of the physical and mental health effects of sexual trauma in female veterans. Correlational analyses were conducted to evaluate the strength of these relationships. A reported history of sexual trauma was significantly correlated with longer sleep latencies, poorer sleep efficiency, shorter sleep durations, more daytime dysfunction, and poorer overall sleep quality in female veterans. A reported history of sexual trauma was also significantly correlated with depressive symptoms including anhedonia and a negative affect in female veterans. No significant correlations were noted between inflammatory markers and a reported history of sexual trauma in female veterans. Female veterans with a reported history of sexual trauma had more trouble falling and staying asleep, had more trouble functioning during daytime hours, and had total poorer sleep quality. These veterans also appeared depressed and they found normally pleasurable activities unenjoyable. Disturbed sleep and depressive symptoms may be risk factors in the development of chronic health diseases. By assessing and treating the sleep disturbances and depressive symptoms experienced by sexually traumatized female veterans, nurses may help to prevent the development of costly and deadly chronic diseases

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is estimated to affect 2 to 4 percent of the adult population (Young T 1993, Skomro and Kryger 1999). However, an estimated 80 to 90 percent of adults with moderate to severe OSA may be clinically undiagnosed. Identification of those at risk and their subsequent diagnosis is, obviously, of great concern to clinicians. This investigation included three distinct research aims, which were the following: (1): In order to establish reliability of hemodynamic measures to be used during exercise testing, a study was conducted on the acetylene single-breath cardiac output (Qc) technique in 15 healthy subjects. This was completed in order to establish reliability of exercise Qc and total peripheral resistance (TPR), these responses could then be investigated acutely in the context of evaluating the relation of these measures to markers of disease in OSA patients. (2): The primary research aim was to describe the extent to which graded exercise testing may reveal abnormalities in hemodynamic function in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients, particularly with respect to cardiac output (Qc), mean arterial pressure (MAP), and TPR that may be related to polysomnography (PSG) markers of OSA severity. Cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses that were evaluated included the following: peak oxygen consumption (VO2pk), end-tidal carbon dioxide production (PETCO2), end-tidal oxygen pressure (PETO2), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (systolic = SBP and diastolic = DBP), rate pressure product (RPP), TPR and its derivatives including MAP and Qc, in OSA patients. A global biochemical marker of vascular function, 24-hour urinary nitrite/ nitrate elimination was also determined for each patient. (3): The last aim was included in order to provide qualitative information concerning treatment, subjective sleep and daytime function, and physical activity levels of the OSA patients in this investigation as well as to give insights into the special challenges and potential for doing trials involving nCPAP and physical exercise training with OSA patients. Results from this study can be used to improve clinical evaluation procedures as well as to better understand underlying mechanisms relative to the link between cardiovascular disease and OSA
Ph. D.

Aim of this study is to describe the possible diagnostic value of sleep disturbances in the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by parkinsonism at onset. 42 consecutive patients with parkinsonian features and disease duration up to 3 years were included in the BO-ProPark study. Each patient was evaluated twice, at baseline (T0) and 16 months later (T1). Patients were diagnosed as Parkinson disease (PD, 27 patients), PD plus (PD with cognitive impairment/dementia or dysautonomia, 4 patients) and parkinsonian syndrome (PS, 11 patients). All patients underwent a full night video-polysomnography scored by a neurologist blinded to the clinical diagnosis. Sleep efficiency and total sleep time were reduced in all patients; wake after sleep onset was higher in patients with atypical parkinsonisms than in PD patients. No significant differences between groups of patients were detected in other sleep parameters. The mean percentage of epochs with enhanced tonic muscle EMG activity during REM sleep was higher in PD plus and PS than in PD. No difference in phasic muscle EMG activity during REM sleep was seen between the two groups. REM behaviour disorder was more frequent in PD plus and PS than in PD patients. Our data suggest that REM sleep motor control is more frequently impaired at disease onset in patients with PS and PD plus compared to PD patients. The presence of RBD or an enhanced tonic muscle EMG activity in a patient with recent onset parkinsonian features should suggest a diagnosis of atypical parkinsonism, rather than PD. More data are needed to establish the diagnostic value of these features in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonisms. The evaluation of sleep disorders may be a useful tool in the differential diagnosis of parkinsonism at onset.

La prise de décision est un processus adaptatif essentiel dont l’efficacité dépend de processus exécutifs, motivationnels, émotionnels et donc de l’intégrité de différents circuits cérébraux. Au sein d’une population saine, il existe des variabilités individuelles décisionnelles influencées par des facteurs génétiques, épigénétiques et environnementaux. De plus, de nombreuses pathologies mentales, neurobiologiques et neurodégénératives provoquent des altérations des processus décisionnels. Ainsi, déterminer des traits comportementaux et des substrats neurobiochimiques impliqués dans ce dysfonctionnement représente un intérêt majeur.Nous avons développé, chez la souris, un test de prise de décision, basé sur le test classiquement utilisé chez l’homme (l’Iowa Gambling Task), qui reproduit une situation incertaine, complexe et conflictuelle de choix : le Mouse Gambling Task (MGT). Grâce à une approche différentielle du comportement, nous avons observé des différences spontanées de capacités décisionnelles : certaines souris ont un comportement rigide et évitent toute pénalité (souris safe), d’autres ont un comportement exploratoire quitte à prendre des risques (souris risky), et une majorité des souris a un comportement intermédiaire (souris average). Nous avons ensuite révélé que les souris safe ont un comportement plus anxieux, une activation préfrontale plus faible que les autres groupes à l’issu du MGT, et un taux de sérotonine à l’état basal plus faible au niveau du cortex préfrontal. Les souris risky ont un comportement plus risqué dans plusieurs tests comportementaux et sont moins sensibles à la récompense. De plus, elles présentent un faible taux de sérotonine au niveau du cortex orbitofrontal ainsi qu’un taux de dopamine, noradrénaline et sérotonine plus important au niveau hippocampique.Afin de tester l’effet d’une modification de l’environnement sur les profils décisionnels caractérisés précédemment, nous avons réalisé le MGT sur un groupe de souris soumises soit à une dette aiguë de sommeil (DAS) soit à une dette chronique de sommeil (DCS). Nous avons alors montré qu’une DCS n’a pas d’effet sur les profils décisionnels mais qu’une DAS accentue ces profils décisionnels: les animaux safe deviennent d’autant plus rigides et évitent encore d’avantage les pénalités alors que les animaux risky choisissent systématiquement les options plus risquées, en adoptant un comportement rigide. Ces observations comportementales peuvent s’expliquer par un métabolisme sérotoninergique diminué au niveau du cortex orbitofrontal et augmenté au niveau hippocampique, ainsi que par un taux élevé de dopamine au niveau du striatum dorsal, structure cérébrale clé des processus d’automatisation.Par conséquent, le MGT permet de révéler, chez des souris consanguines saines, les caractéristiques comportementales et neurobiologiques individuelles de stratégies décisionnelles inadaptées pouvant être amplifiées par un stress environnemental. Ce modèle permettra, notamment, de déterminer les facteurs de vulnérabilité au développement de certaines psychopathologies (l’addiction et la dépression, par exemple) dont le manque de sommeil pourrait être un déclencheur ou un amplificateur
Affective abilities that rely on the integrity of several neural circuits. In healthy subjects, inter-individual variability during decision-making exists due to genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors. Moreover, many psychiatric and neurobiological disorders are characterized by poor decision-making processes. Therefore, determining behavioral traits and neurobiological substrates involved in these processes is of major interest to unravel markers that could predict the emergence of neuropathologies.Based on the Iowa Gambling Task in humans, we developed a decision-making task in mice that assesses their ability to choose between several conflicting options under uncertainty. Thanks to a differential approach of mice’s behavior, we show that decision-making skills differed between mice: some mice exhibit a rigid behavior and avoid penalty (safe mice); others maintained exploratory behavior even if they took risks (risky mice); a majority of mice exhibit an intermediate behavior (average mice). We found that a combination of behavioral characteristics related to different psychopathologies in humans were specifically associated with extreme behavior in mice: safe mice exhibited a more anxious behavior, a lower prefrontal activation after the MGT than others subgroups of performance together with a lower basal rate of serotonin in the prefrontal cortex. Risky mice displayed a riskier behavior in various behavioral tasks, were less sensitive to reward, and had a lower basal rate of serotonin in the orbitofrontal cortex as well as a higher basal rate of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline in the hippocampus.To investigate the consequences of environmental changes on decision-making individual profiles, we performed the MGT on groups of mice either under Acute Sleep Dept (ASD) or under chronic sleep debt (CSD). We show that CSD didn't play any apparent effect but that ASD emphasized decision-making profiles: safe mice became drastically more rigid and avoided penalty; and risky mice chose systematically riskier options and developed rigid and unefficient decisions. These behavioral data could be explained by a decreased serotonin metabolism in the orbitofrontal cortex, an increase in the hippocampus and a high level of dopamine in the caudate putamen, the key brain area of habits.Therefore, in healthy inbred mice the MGT reveals individual inadapted decision-making strategies which are characterized by behavioral and neurobiological substrates exacerbated by an environmental stress. This paradigm also allows the determination of mice vulnerability to develop psychopathologies (e.g. depression, addiction) for which sleep debt could a trigger or a magnifier

My master’s thesis from marketing area is focused on marketing management of Red Bull Company, which is world leading energy drink producer. My work should improve marketing management of the firm and suggest new ways of marketing communication, the way of addressing consumers and non-consumers of Red Bull energy drink. The results of this master’s thesis will be suggested to the management of Red Bull Company for implementation into praxis.

L’objectif de ce travail était de rechercher des marqueurs sommeil et émotionnels du risque de dépression chez les mères et leurs enfants dits « à risque ». Après une description clinique des liens étroits entre sommeil, dépression, émotion et cognition chez les mères durant la grossesse et le post-partum ainsi que chez les enfants et les adolescents, nous présentons une première étude rétrospective du sommeil sur des enfants et adolescents nés de mères déprimées. Elle met en évidence des particularités macro-architecturales du sommeil en lien avec le risque dépressif chez les adolescents à risque. Nous présentons ensuite une étude prospective sur 302 dyades mère-enfant suivies de la naissance aux 36 mois de l’enfant. Notre but a été de décrire d’abord chez les mères, des anomalies du sommeil pendant la grossesse susceptibles d’indiquer un risque de dépression du post-partum et d’avoir un impact sur le développement de l’enfant. Cette large cohorte nous a ensuite permis d’étudier le lien entre altérations précoces du sommeil des enfants et particularités cognitives et émotionnelles à 36 mois. Nous avons également pu décrire chez les enfants à risque, âgés de 6 mois, des altérations macro et micro-architecturales du sommeil pouvant indiquer un risque de psychopathologie ultérieure via une altération de la neuroplasticité tôt au cours du développement ; et chez ces mêmes enfants à 36 mois, un biais négatif de reconnaissance émotionnelle, potentiel facteur de vulnérabilité de psychopathologie ultérieure, notamment dépressive. Le suivi de cette cohorte reste déterminant pour vérifier parmi les enfants à risque ceux qui développeront finalement un épisode dépressif majeur
The main objective of this work was to search for markers in sleep and emotions level of risk of developing major depression in mothers and their children known as "at risk”. After a clinical description of close links between sleep, depression, emotion and cognition in mothers during pregnancy and the postpartum period and in children and adolescents, we conducted a retrospective study of the first children and adolescents sleep mothers with a personal history of depression. This study highlighted the macro-level architectural features related to depressive identifiable risk adolescents at risk. We then conducted a broader prospective study which involved 302 mother-child dyads followed from birth to 36 months of the child. Initially, our goal was to describe in mothers sleep abnormalities during pregnancy can indicate a risk of postpartum depression and more broadly to induce a number of consequences on the development of the child. Secondly this large cohort allowed us to link early alterations of child sleep with cognitive and emotional peculiarities to 36 months. We have also been able to describe in children 6 months to risk of depression, macro and micro-architectural deterioration of sleep may constitute a subsequent psychopathology risk factor via impaired neuroplasticity early in development; and in these same children 36 months through a negative emotional recognition constitutes a subsequent psychopathology vulnerability factor particularly depressed. The monitoring of this longer-term cohort remains crucial to observe children at risk among those who develop other sleep or emotional anomalies and ultimately a major depressive episode

Early-onset major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with significant morbidity in adolescence. The interview-dependent diagnostic process used in psychiatry leaves a subset of adolescents with MDD undiagnosed. Sleep disturbances are a central feature of depression and adolescence is a period of rapid change in sleep physiology. The aim of this study was to test physiological features of sleep and circadian rhythms as markers of adolescent MDD. Adolescents completed a two-week protocol that included a formal psychiatric interview, polysomnographic (PSG) assessment, actigraphy, salivary melatonin sampling, and holter monitoring. Depressed adolescents (n = 18) differed from controls (n = 15) on features of sleep macroarchitecture measured by PSG, and on autonomic nervous system functioning measured by 24-hour heart rate variability. Depressed adolescents had shorter REM latency and decreased stage 4 sleep. Adolescents with MDD also showed decreased parasympathetic activity over 24-hours and during the day, and decreased sympathetic activity during the night.

碩士
長榮大學
職業安全與衛生研究所
97
In the human body, hypothalamus controls our 24 hours circadian rhythm, but shiftwork tends to interfere with this regular rhythm and causes adverse health effects among shiftworkers. This study, designed longitudinally, was conducted to investigate the relationship between sleep quality, work stress, fatigue and relevant saliva biological markers among shift workers. Study subjects were purposively recruited from shiftwork nurses in a teaching hospital from southern Taiwan. Shiftwork nurses, aged 20-45, currenly working in a hospital ward and with at least one-year shiftwork experience, were invited to participate. Data collection was completed on three different days, as the following: the first day of a day shift after returning from at least two days of off day; the third day of a day shift; and the third day of a night shift. On each day of data collection, a questionnaire was completed during mid-day break and saliva specimens were collected at 8am and 4pm, respectively. Saliva specimen was analyzed using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and numerical data was analyzed by SPSS statistical software. The results showed that night shift workers were significantly higher on the average score of “work demand” scale than off and day shift workers; while compared to off and day shift workers, night shift workers had higher fatigue scores and greater proportion of sleep problems on the previous night, the discrepancies were not statistically significant. Nevertheless, fatigue was closely related to long-term sleep problems on all shifts but was merely related to work demand on day shift. On off and day shift, average saliva cortisol concentrations were both higher in the morning and lower in the afternoon; as a contrary, concentration on night shift was lower in the morning and higher in the afternoon. Poor sleep quality and fatigue during off day were related to decreased concentration of cortisol; while elevated work demand increased afternoon cortisol concentration on night shift. Concentration of Saliva TNF-α was lower in the morning and higher in the afternoon on off shift; while on night shift TNF-α concentration was higher in the morning and lower in the afternoon. Concentration of TNF-α and IL-6 were correlated to each other on off day morning, night shift morning and evening. Concentration of cortisol was negatively correlated with IL-6 on off day morning and positively correlated with TNF-α on night shift morning. Nurses who work on night shift are affected by the circadian rhythm and work demand, therefore they might have greater potentials for sleep problems, fatigue and even adverse health effects. Hence, for long-term night shift nurses, management should follow their health conditions closely and provide workplace health promotion.

Depression is commonly associated with abnormal sleep architecture. This thesis undertook to assess sleep architecture as a biological correlate of self and observer-rated depressive state, and consists of three studies. The first used a categorical approach to examine the association of sleep architecture with subjective mood in a community sample of 74 preoperative patients, and found no association between high depression scores and hypothesized sleep markers. The second followed 16 patients with Major Depression who were treated with the antidepressant mirtazapine in an 8 week longitudinal study during which they underwent polysomnography on 6 occasions. It was found that classes of sleep markers (REM latency or REM, arousal index, and slow wave sleep) tend to predict response when analyzed concurrently. The third study was methodological in nature, and found that commercially available software for automating eye movement counts did not show strong correspondence with visually scored polysomnographic data.

abstract: College students are a niche of young adults, characterized by abnormal sleeping habits and inactive lifestyles. Many students entering college are as young as 18 years old and graduate by 22 years old, a window of time in which their bones are still accruing mineral. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine whether sleep patterns and physical activity observed in college students (N= 52) 18-25 years old at Arizona State University influenced bone biomarkers, osteocalcin (OC) and N-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen (NTX-1) concentrations. Students completed various dietary and health history questionnaires including the International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form. Students wore an actigraphy watch for 7 consecutive nights to record sleep events including total sleep time, sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset. Total sleep time had a significant, negative correlation with OC (r = -0.298, p-value =0.036) while sleep onset latency had a significant, positive correlation with NTX-1 serum concentration (r = 0.293, p-value = 0.037). Despite correlational findings, only sleep percent was found to be significant (beta coefficient = 0.271 p-value = 0.788) among all the sleep components assessed, after adjusting for gender, race, BMI and calcium intake in multivariate regression models. Physical activity alone was not associated with either bone biomarker. Physical activity*sleep onset latency interactions were significantly correlated with osteocalcin (r = 0.308, p-value =0.006) and NTX-1 (r = 0.286, p-value = 0.042) serum concentrations. Sleep percent*physical activity interactions were significantly correlated with osteocalcin (r = 0.280, p-value = 0.049) but not with NTX-1 serum concentrations. Interaction effects were no longer significant after adjusting for covariates in the regression models. While sleep percent was a significant component in the regression model for NTX-1, it was not clinically significant. Overall, sleep patterns and physical activity did not explain OC and NTX-1 serum concentrations in college students 18-25 years old. Future studies may need to consider objective physical activity devices including accelerometers to measure activity levels. At this time, college students should review sleep and physical activity recommendations to ensure optimal healthy habits are practiced.
Dissertation/Thesis
Masters Thesis Nutrition 2019

碩士
國立成功大學
環境醫學研究所
96
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing. Reoxygenation/reperfusion derived by OSA is thought to result in the elevation of oxidative stress and the decrease of antioxidant capacity, and then caused the oxidative stress and damages including DNA adduct production and lipid peroxidation. Furthermore, a recent study revealed that OSA is associated with an elevated risk for cardiovascular diseases. However, the relationship between OSA levels, oxidative damage and markers of cardiovascular diseases has not been postulated yet. Thus, the aims of this study are to investigate (1) the relationship between OSA levels, alteration of antioxidant capacity, lipid peroxidation metabolites and DNA adduct metabolites; (2) the relationship between OSA levels and cardiovascular diseases biomarkers such as high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and total homocysteine (tHcy); (3) the relationship between oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease biomarkers. 83 transportation business drivers and administrators were recruited in this study to examine overnight polysomnography (PSG) in order to group the subjects into three groups according to the OSA levels. Questionnaire investigations were administered by sleep supervisors during the PSG investigation. Blood and urine samples were collected to determine their total antioxidant capacity, DNA adduct metabolite (8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG), lipid peroxidation metabolite (malondialdehyde, MDA), hs-CRP and tHcy levels for each participant. Finally, all the data will be integrated to discuss the relationships between biomarkers of oxidative damage, cardiovascular diseases and OSA levels. According to PSG investigation, the subjects were grouped to control-mild (AHI: 7.5 ± 3.2 events/hr), moderate (AHI: 23.7 ± 4.7 events/hr) and severe OSA (AHI: 46.8 ± 12.0 events/hr) groups. No significant differences were found in ratio of transportation business drivers to administrators, BMI, working period, work sheet among three groups; while significant differences were found in age, vitamin C consumption and heart disease events among three groups. After adjusting the confounders, age is probably the most important factor for OSA (p = 0.009). The MDA levels of severe OSA group were significantly higher than control-mild and moderate OSA groups. A significantly positive correlation existed between the levels of MDA and OSA (r = 0.257). However, OSA was not the major risk factor for the elevation of MDA levels after adjusting confounders. Significant difference of hs-CRP levels were found among three groups, but no significant correlation was found. Consequently, the difference of hs-CRP levels among three groups was associated with pinnacle values. In addition, no significant difference was found in tHcy levels among three groups. However, 6 subjects with elevated tHcy levels probably had hyperhomocysteinemia disease. Although the sample size was insufficient to clarify the relationship between oxidative stress and cardiovascular disease in this study, we still found the positive correlation between the levels of MDA and OSA. Furthermore, OSA was not the major risk factor for the elevation of MDA levels. Future research should be conducted to investigate the mechanism of MDA formation in OSA patients.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
應用力學研究所
101
This study develops ECG markers of sleep apnea syndrome based on all-night sleep ECG. First of all, the sleep ECG have been recorded for 17 normal controls and 19 sleep apnea patients. Second, ECG is transformed to R-R intervals and named HRV. Third, using the Poincare Map and Reconstructed Phase Space to analyze HRV in sleep. Using Poincare Map, the plot of x(i) and x(i+1) of HRV, and oriented with the line-of-identity are denoted by and ,then the dispersion of the points around and are measured by the standard deviation denoted by SD1 and SD2. Using Reconstructed Phase Space, determine the delay time by using Average Mutual Information and then followed by using nearest neighbor to determine the invading dimension, and calculating the Lyapunov exponent of Reconstructed Phase Space. Poincare map’s results shown that, in all night HRV, two groups are significant difference in P value (p=0.025) in SD1/SD2, and in sleep stage 1(p=0.022), 2(p=0.019), 3(p=0.002) and REM(p<0.001), are also significant difference in P value in SD1/SD2, which represents sleep apnea group’s sympathetic nerve level are higher. On the other hand, two groups are significant difference in P value in sleep stage REM (p<0.001) in SD1*SD2, which represents the parasympathetic nerve. This means control group are more relax than sleep apnea group in this stages. Reconstructed Phase Space’s results shown that the invading dimensions are no difference between control group and sleep apnea group, but the Lyapunov exponents between two groups are significant difference in P value (P<0.009), and in sleep stage wake(p=0.002), 1(p=0.018), 2(p<0.001) and REM(p=0.002) are also significant difference in P value. This means control group’s HRV have higher level of chaos. This method is advantageous, instead of nasal flow and oral flow, only ECG channel measurement is required to identify sleep apnea syndrome, and possesses a superior extension for further research.

The present research analyses overnight returns’ outperformance in relation to daytime returns. In a first stage, it will be assessed whether these returns are robust throughout time, markets and across different scopes of analysis (e.g. weekdays, months, states of the economy). In a second stage, several hypothesis will be empirically tested, in an attempt to understand what drives non-trading period returns (e.g. liquidity, market volatility). Even though several authors have analysed overnight returns and suggested several explanatory factors, there seems to be no consensus in the literature regarding its drivers.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
應用力學研究所
103
The objective of this study is to develop a new marker of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) for the elderly using sleep EEG signals. An experiment was conducted on 18 subjects over 75 years old. Four of them were AD patients, and the remaining subjects were normal. The all-night sleep EEG signals were recorded from electrodes C3-A2, C4-A1, O1-A2 and O2-A1. The signals were firstly transformed into the δ, θ, α, σ and β band average magnitude time series using the moving window Fourier transform. The band average magnitude time series in sleeping status was extracted based on the report of sleeping stages. Then, the time series were normalized and the similarity between each pair of band average magnitude time series was calculated. The measure of similarity may be defined as the Euclidean distance between two time series. However, two perfectly similar time series may nonzero Euclidean distances if one of the time series undergoes a vertical shift. Hence, the time series with low average magnitude was shifted so that its average magnitude equaled that of the other time series. To make the similarity comparable, the Euclidean distances is further normalized by the lengths of the time series. The normalized Euclidean distance, denoted Sd, is studied in this research for its possible application in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. We discover that the Sd values of the series combinations δ and α, δ and β, θ and α, α and σ in C3 channel, θ and σ, α and σ, α and β in O1 channel, α and σ in C4 channel, and α and σ in O2 channel are conspicuously larger among AD patients than normals (p < 0.01). Moreover, the series combinations δ and δ between O1 and O2 channels is conspicuously smaller among AD patients than normals (p < 0.01). Most of the Sd values in the previous mentioned are highly correlated with MMSE scores. This indicates that Sd seems to reflect neuropsychology and cognitive performance, thus Sd may be used as a the marker for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Compared to previous research, the similarity index Sd is more direct and easily calculated. Moreover, only one channel measurement is sufficient for the purpose of diagnosis. With such advantages, the proposed method seems to provide great flexibility and potential in future applications.

碩士
國立中興大學
生命科學院碩士在職專班
101
Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder. It is characterized by repetitive episodes of upper airway obstruction that are often followed by hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation. Common symptoms include snoring, sleep apnea, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and so on. Researches have explored in detail about the association between EDS and accidents. However, the etiologies of EDS in OSAS remain uncertain. Therefore, worthy of further exploration in order to facilitate future treatment. This study aimed to investigate: 1. characteristics and polysomnography variables in OSAS patients with and without EDS; 2. investigate the correlation between inflammatory markers: high sensitivity C-reactive protein (Hs-CRP) and homocysteine (Hcy) levels and the EDS severity in OSAS patients. Methods: The study in two parts. The first part of the study, we retrospectively reviewed the polysomnography (PSG) results. After screening, a total of 283 patients were enrolled in the final analyses. Patients with an Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) score equal to or more than 10 comprised the EDS group. Patients with an ESS score less than 10 were included in the No-EDS group. We compared the PSG results between the two groups to survey for possible predictors of EDS in OSAS patients. And further stratified analysis to explore daytime sleepiness related factors in various sub-populations of OSAS. The second part, we prospected enrolled male OSAS patients to analyze in vivo inflammatory substances of Hs-CRP and Hcy levels. A total of 30 patients fit inclusion criteria, of which 20 patients with ESS score is equal to or greater than 10 points are divided into EDS group, 10 patients with ESS score less than 10 points were divided into No-EDS group. Besides, age-matched healthy male adult blood samples for the healthy control group. We compared these three groups of serum Hs-CRP and Hcy differences. Results: The prevalence ration of EDS in OSAS is 39.2%. Our results showed that, the predictors of EDS in OSAS are rapid eye movement latency (REML), body mass index (BMI), and sleep efficiency (SE). Among them, REML and SE are predictors of EDS in male and severe OSAS patients and regression analysis showed that REML is an independent predictor of EDS. BMI in an independent predictor of EDS in women, particularly women of childbearing age. In addition, markers of inflammation associated with daytime sleepiness part, regression analysis revealed that Hs-CRP level is significant associated with EDS severity in male OSAS. Conclusion: This study explore factors associated with EDS in Taiwan OSAS patients. Look forward to the future for these factors given appropriate treatment in order to enhance OSAS patients'' ability to work performance, and reduce the incidence of public hazard events.

Background: Reports of subjective sleep impairments have been replicated in adults with bipolar disorder (BD) and young BD patients. Furthermore, circadian rhythm alterations are a core feature of BD. Despite the impairment in circadian rhythms and altered sleep included in various heuristic developmental models of BD, thus far, biomarkers in population at risk for BD have not been sufficiently objectively validated. Thus, we conducted: a) Explorative study of sleep and rest-activity circadian rhythm among offspring of BD parents. b) Study of sleep and rest-activity circadian rhythm among offspring of BD parents without the presence of psychopathology (except depression and anxiety disorders) based on our exploratory findings. Methods: a) 14 days of actigraphic assessment and subjective scales (Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire, PSQ; the Morningness/Eveningness Questionnaire, MEQ; and The General Behavior Inventory Sleep Subscale, GBISS) to assess circadian preference, and to identify sleep impairment symptoms. Psychopathology was assessed using psychiatric interview. b) ≥ 14 days of actigraphic assessment with advanced methods to assess the chronotype, social jet lag and sleep macrostructure, psychiatric interview and subjective psychometric scales to assess the full psychopathology profile. Results:...