Investigação longitudinal da influência do uso de antidepressivos sobre os sintomas psiquiátricos e desempenhos neuropsicológicos e funcionais em idosos com e sem Doença de Alzheimer

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Departamento de Processos Psicológicos Básicos, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Comportamento, 2012.O presente estudo tem como objetivo geral investigar a influência do uso de antidepressivos e estabilizadores de humor sobre os desempenhos neuropsicológicos, funcionais e sintomas psiquiátricos, em pacientes idosos entre 60 e 90 anos de idade. Para tanto, realizou-se avaliação neuropsicológica, por meio de escala cognitiva (Mini Exame do Estado Mental – MEEM), escalas funcionais (Escala de Atividades Básicas de Vida Diária – ABVD; Escala de Atividades Instrumentais de Vida Diária – AIVD) e, escalas psiquiátricas (Escala Cornell de Depressão em Demência - ECDD; Inventário Neuropsiquiátrico - NPI), para análise comparativa quantitativa e longitudinal, entre os dois grupos de pacientes idosos, onde Grupo 1: pacientes com tratamento antidepressivo (grupo experimental), e Grupo 2: pacientes sem tratamento antidepressivo (grupo controle), sendo os subgrupos: pacientes com e sem doença de Alzheimer (DA). A análise longitudinal foi realizada, através de duas etapas, onde os mesmos instrumentos avaliativos foram utilizados, a fim de comparar os resultados obtidos na 1ª e a 2ª etapa, com intervalo médio de 26,2 semanas, e verificar se houve influência do tratamento antidepressivo, nos pacientes do grupo experimental, em relação aos pacientes do grupo controle. Em relação aos efeitos dos antidepressivos, verificou-se, uma redução dos escores na ECDD, após 25,3 semanas de tratamento antidepressivo, no grupo experimental, resultando em diminuição dos sintomas depressivos, em comparação com os escores obtidos antes do início do tratamento. _______________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe present study aims at investigating the possible influence of antidepressants and mood stabilizers on neuropsychological performance, functional and psychiatric symptoms in elderly patients between 60 and 90 years of age. To this end, we carried out a neuropsychological evaluation by means of scale cognitive (Mini Mental State Examination - MMEM), functional scales (Scale of Basic Activities of Daily Living - ABVD; Scale Instrumental Activities of Daily Living - IADL), and scales psychiatric (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia - ECDD; Neuropsychiatric Inventory - NPI) for quantitative and longitudinal comparative analysis between the two groups of elderly patients, where group 1: patients with antidepressant treatment (clinical group) and group 2: patients without antidepressant treatment (control group), and subgroups: patients with and without Alzheimer's disease (AD). The longitudinal analysis was performed through two steps, where the same evaluative tools were used to compare the results obtained in the 1st and 2nd stage, with a mean interval of 26.2 weeks, and see if there was influence of antidepressant treatment, patients in the clinical group, compared to control patients. Regarding the effect of antidepressants, there was a reduction in scores ECDD, 25.3 weeks after treatment antidepressant, among the patients, resulting in decrease of depressive symptoms, compared with scores obtained before the start of treatment

Urban node

Treball desenvolupat dins el marc del programa 'International Design Project Semester'.The beginning of the project consisted of creating the framework for the urban node. First it was decided to use the beach promenade as scene for the prototype and assume full access to the local fiber network. Also it was assumed that the urban node could draw power from the local electricity network when needed and sell back excess power generated. The project brief can be boiled to the following definition of the urban node: • Generate more energy than it consumes • Intelligent lighting • Distribution of WIFI from local fiber network • Aesthetically and contextual appropriate • Modular design • Sustainable design • Use of ICT1 to gather local information The idea is to have an interior system consisting of three different elements: a power unit delivering and controlling renewable energy, an acquisition unit to obtain inputs from sensors and users and a brain unit to analyze and interpret these impulses into useful and accessible data In order to comprehend the needs that should be addressed by the urban node, relevant topics were researched, such as demographics, human factors, state of art, smart cities etc. After compiling the research it was translated into a function analysis, which is the guideline for the current design of the urban node. With the function analysis as a guideline several shapes were investigated to see how they would function as a shell for the features earlier selected. After a design was chosen, an emphasis on completing this very same design was put

The role of libraries in the time of Covid-19: reflections and proposals

Este trabajo hace una reflexión acerca del rol de las bibliotecas como centro de acceso a la literatura y a la cultura para la infancia y la juventud durante la pandemia de la COVID-19. Empieza con una cartografía de las iniciativas dirigidas a este público promovidas por las bibliotecas públicas de la ciudad de São Paulo, Brasil, entre marzo y mayo de 2020. Este análisis revela que las acciones digitales de las bibliotecas se concentraron en difusiones audiovisuales de mediación de lectura y de cuentacuentos, accesibles desde las redes sociales. Entretanto, las bibliotecas no han ejercitado con la misma fuerza su papel de curadoras de contenidos digitales, en un tiempo en que estos pasaron a ser la única opción para muchas familias. Proponemos que las bibliotecas subrayen su papel de curaduría y sugerimos el formato podcast como posibilidad de acción colaborativa de calidad estética y cultural entre bibliotecas y sus comunidades

Short-range charge-order in RRNiO3_{3} perovskites (RR=Pr,Nd,Eu) probed by X-ray absorption spectroscopy

The short-range organization around Ni atoms in orthorhombic $R$NiO$_{3}$ ($R$=Pr,Nd,Eu) perovskites has been studied over a wide temperature range by Ni K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Our results demonstrate that two different Ni sites, with different average Ni-O bond lengths, coexist in those orthorhombic compounds and that important modifications in the Ni nearest neighbors environment take place across the metal-insulator transition. We report evidences for the existence of short-range charge-order in the insulating state, as found in the monoclinic compounds. Moreover, our results suggest that the two different Ni sites coexists even in the metallic state. The coexistence of two different Ni sites, independently on the $R$ ion, provides a common ground to describe these compounds and shed new light in the understanding of the phonon-assisted conduction mechanism and unusual antiferromagnetism present in all $R$NiO$_{3}$ compounds.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures, accepted PRB - Brief Report Dec.200

Minimum leaf conductance (gmin) is higher in the treeline of Pinus uncinata Ram. in the Pyrenees: Michaelis’ hypothesis revisited

The search for a universal explanation of the altitudinal limit determined by the alpine treeline has given rise to different hypotheses. In this study, we revisited Michaelis’ hypothesis which proposed that an inadequate “ripening” of the cuticle caused a greater transpiration rate during winter in the treeline. However, few studies with different explanations have investigated the role of passive mechanisms of needles for protecting against water loss during winter in conifers at the treeline. To shed light on this, the cuticular transpiration barrier was studied in the transition from subalpine Pinus uncinata forests to alpine tundra at the upper limit of the species in the Pyrenees. This upper limit of P. uncinata was selected here as an example of the ecotones formed by conifers in the temperate mountains of the northern hemisphere. Our study showed that minimum leaf conductance in needles from upper limit specimens was higher than those measured in specimens living in the lower levels of the sub-alpine forest and also displayed lower cuticle thickness values, which should reinforce the seminal hypothesis by Michaelis. Our study showed clear evidence that supports the inadequate development of needle cuticles as one of the factors that lead to increased transpirational water losses during winter and, consequently, a higher risk of suffering frost drought

Protocol for intervention development to improve adolescent perinatal mental health in Kenya and Mozambique: The INSPIRE project

Introduction: Mental health interventions have traditionally been developed by clinicians and researchers without the meaningful engagement and partnership with those who would receive, deliver, and fund them. Recent progress has highlighted the importance of the co-design of interventions, through stakeholder participation, as a means of increasing the integration of mental health interventions into existing health, education, and social care systems. This protocol describes the pre-implementation phase of the INSPIRE (Innovative approaches to adolescent perinatal wellbeing) project which aims to identify challenges, and design and test interventions to promote mental wellbeing and good mental health of adolescent girls during pregnancy and the year after birth with local stakeholders in Kenya and Mozambique. Methods: A participatory approach that blends human-centred design, systems thinking, and implementation science methods will be used to engage adolescents (aged 15–19 years), their families, and other stakeholders who can influence implementation efforts, in planning and preparing interventions. First, an understanding of context, barriers, and opportunities related to adolescent perinatal mental health will be elicited through individual interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. This will be complemented by a scoping review of relevant interventions. The research team will identify contextual insights relating to adolescent and system characteristics, strengths, and challenges. These will be shared with and refined by stakeholders. Thematic analysis will be conducted to describe the experiences of adolescent girls, and barriers and enablers to maintaining good mental health. The former will be triangulated with the Context and Implementation of Complex Intervention (CICI) framework. Causal loop diagrams will be developed to illustrate the individual and system-level variables which influence adolescent perinatal mental health. Stakeholder workshops will be used to identify priorities, brainstorm potential interventions, develop a program theory, and prototype an intervention and implementation strategies. Intervention acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility will be assessed, and a theory of change map finalized. Results: To date the study has recruited 169 participants to complete individual interviews, focus group discussions and observation activities. Conclusions: It is anticipated that the use of a participatory and systematic approach to the development of an intervention to improve mental health, will improve its perceived appropriateness, acceptability, and feasibility among key stakeholders. This may, in turn, significantly improve its availability, uptake, and sustainability

Uma experiência de avaliação da aprendizagem na educação a distância. O diálogo entre avaliação somativa e formativa

O texto apresenta um estudo de caso realizado pela equipe do Laboratório de Estudos da Aprendizagem Humana, da Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Trata-se da avaliação da aprendizagem dos alunos do Curso de Pedagogia a Distância da UERJ, no componente curricular Estágio Supervisionado. Oferecido em cinco dos seis períodos do curso, o Estágio tem a avaliação desenvolvida através de um modelo que conjuga avaliações formativas e somativas, tornando-se um interessante foco para este trabalho. Discutimos alguns conceitos ligados à avaliação da aprendizagem, às modalidades de avaliação formativa e somativa e à difícil tarefa de avaliar em cursos a distância. O sistema de avaliação do Estágio prevê duas avaliações a distância, de caráter diagnóstico e formativo, e duas avaliações presenciais, onde o aluno irá descrever cenas do cotidiano do estágio, articulando-as ao conteúdo estudado. O aspecto formativo da avaliação aparece em indicadores como o avanço na organização e autonomia de estudo; a participação produtiva na Tutoria Presencial; a freqüência ao ambiente virtual; o crescimento demonstrado no manuseio de recursos multimídia, entre outros. Finalizamos com a análise de alguns resultados da avaliação, mostrando os impactos deste sistema de avaliação sobre a repetência e a evasão no componente curricular Estágio

Posturographic measures did not improve the predictive power to identify recurrent falls in communitydwelling elderly fallers

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate if posturography can be considered a recurrent fall predictor in elderly individuals. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 124 subjects aged 60 to 88 years were evaluated and divided into two groups—the recurrent fallers (89) and single fallers (35) groups. Patients’ sociodemographic characteristics were assessed, and clinical testing was performed. The functional test assessment instruments used were timed up and go test (TUGT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), five times sit-to-stand test, and Falls Efficacy Scale (to measure fear of falling). Static posturography was performed in a force platform in the following three different situations—eyes open (EO), eyes closed (EC), and EO dual task. RESULTS: There were significant differences between the single and recurrent fallers groups regarding the fear of falling, the Geriatric Depression Scale score, the mean speed calculated from the total displacement of the center point of pressure (COP) in all directions with EO, and the root mean square of the displacement from the COP in the mediolateral axis with EC. Based on the hierarchical logistic regression model, none of the studied posturographic variables was capable of significantly increasing the power of differentiation between the recurrent and single fallers groups. Only TUGT with a cognitive distractor (po0.05) and the BBS (po0.01) presented with significant independent predictive power. CONCLUSION: TUGT with a cognitive distractor and the BBS were considered recurrent fall predictors in elderly fallers

Review on Microwave and Millimeter Filters Using MEMS Technology

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