Cognitive function in people with and without freezing of gait in Parkinson’s disease

Freezing of gait (FOG) is common in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) which is extremely debilitating. One hypothesis for the cause of FOG episodes is impaired cognitive control, however, this is still in debate in the literature. We aimed to assess a comprehensive range of cognitive tests in older adults and people with Parkinson’s with and without FOG and associate FOG severity with cognitive performance. A total of 227 participants took part in the study which included 80 healthy older adults, 81 people with PD who did not have FOG and 66 people with PD and FOG. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological assessments tested cognitive domains of global cognition, executive function/attention, working memory, and visuospatial function. The severity of FOG was assessed using the new FOG questionnaire and an objective FOG severity score. Cognitive performance was compared between groups using an ANCOVA adjusting for age, gender, years of education and disease severity. Correlations between cognitive performance and FOG severity were analyzed using partial correlations. Cognitive differences were observed between older adults and PD for domains of global cognition, executive function/attention, and working memory. Between those with and without FOG, there were differences for global cognition and executive function/attention, but these differences disappeared when adjusting for covariates. There were no associations between FOG severity and cognitive performance. This study identified no significant difference in cognition between those with and without FOG when adjusting for covariates, particularly disease severity. This may demonstrate that complex rehabilitation programs may be undertaken in those with FOG

Celebrating Economies of Change: Brave Visions for Inclusive Futures

This issue has been inspired by a path-breaking conference held by the Canadian Society for Ecologi-cal Economics (CANSEE), which took place this past May 2019 in Waterloo, Ontario. Entitled Engaging Economies of Change, the conference aimed to ex-pand existing research networks in the economy-environment nexus by building connections beyond the academy in order to meaningfully engage with the practicalities of building and implementing change. This issue captures the rich content shared during the event, as well as descriptions of the pro-cesses and efforts made to create a welcoming and respectful space where academics and community activists could build alliances and discuss common challenges. The conference organizers – all graduate students and activists themselves -- called this ‘building a brave space’.This research was supported by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canad

Breeding biology review of White‑backed Stilt Himantopus melanurus in Brazil and a case study in the largest restinga protected area (Aves, Charadriiformes, Recurvirostridae)

In Brazil, the White-backed Stilt Himantopus melanurus is distributed in the midwest, south and southeast but breeding information is scarce. In this study, species breeding information in the country was compiled from online platform (WikiAves, eBird) and literature. A case study describing nests and egg biometry were reported in Restinga of Jurubatiba National Park (RJNP), on the north cost of Rio de Janeiro state, as well potential threats to the species. Sampling was carried out in September and December 2018, monthly in 2019 and between January to March and September to December in 2020. Overall, 70 breeding records were compiled, between 1997 and November 2021, being 64 from WikiAves in all regions of Brazil, four records from eBird in São Paulo state (in 2021) and two records in literature (one from São Paulo state, in 2007 and one from Rio de Janeiro in 2012). In RJNP, 44 nests were identified being 34 active, with an average of 3.5 eggs per nest, and overall 118 eggs were measured. The main materials used to build the nests were the saltmarsh plant and mud. Around 60% of nests were degraded or predated. Predation was the main cause of egg loss. Successful nests (with chicks or hatching signs) represented 26% of the total nests monitored. This study reports the first information on the biometry of the species' eggs and nests, confirming the northern coast of Rio de Janeiro state as a nesting area for the species

ZUMBIDO CRÔNICO EM IDOSOS: UMA PROPOSTA DE INTERVENÇÃO

O zumbido apresenta alta prevalência na população idosa e trazrepercussões negativas na qualidade de vida desses indivíduos.O presente estudo apresenta uma proposta de Terapia de Habituaçãodo Zumbido associada ao acompanhamento psicológico em gruporealizada com idosos. Os achados desta pesquisa demonstram queeste modelo de intervenção torna-se uma opção de tratamento parao alívio do zumbido em indivíduos idosos.

ISway: a sensitive, valid and reliable measure of postural control

BACKGROUND: Clinicians need a practical, objective test of postural control that is sensitive to mild neurological disease, shows experimental and clinical validity, and has good test-retest reliability. We developed an instrumented test of postural sway (ISway) using a body-worn accelerometer to offer an objective and practical measure of postural control. METHODS: We conducted two separate studies with two groups of subjects. Study I: sensitivity and experimental concurrent validity. Thirteen subjects with early, untreated Parkinson’s disease (PD) and 12 age-matched control subjects (CTR) were tested in the laboratory, to compare sway from force-plate COP and inertial sensors. Study II: test-retest reliability and clinical concurrent validity. A different set of 17 early-to-moderate, treated PD (tested ON medication), and 17 age-matched CTR subjects were tested in the clinic to compare clinical balance tests with sway from inertial sensors. For reliability, the sensor was removed, subjects rested for 30 min, and the protocol was repeated. Thirteen sway measures (7 time-domain, 5 frequency-domain measures, and JERK) were computed from the 2D time series acceleration (ACC) data to determine the best metrics for a clinical balance test. RESULTS: Both center of pressure (COP) and ACC measures differentiated sway between CTR and untreated PD. JERK and time-domain measures showed the best test-retest reliability (JERK ICC was 0.86 in PD and 0.87 in CTR; time-domain measures ICC ranged from 0.55 to 0.84 in PD and from 0.60 to 0.89 in CTR). JERK, all but one time-domain measure, and one frequency measure were significantly correlated with the clinical postural stability score (r ranged from 0.50 to 0.63, 0.01 < p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on these results, we recommend a subset of the most sensitive, reliable, and valid ISway measures to characterize posture control in PD: 1) JERK, 2) RMS amplitude and mean velocity from the time-domain measures, and 3) centroidal frequency as the best frequency measure, as valid and reliable measures of balance control from ISway

Caracterización de la transición dúctil – frágil del acero IRAM-IAS 15B41 fragilizado por revenido de una etapa

Ponencia presentada en el Congreso Internacional de Metalurgia y Materiales SAM-CONAMET/IBEROMAT/MATERIA 2014. Santa Fé, Argentina 21-24 de octubre 2014.A través del análisis de los resultados de ensayos Charpy-V convencionales realizados entre -196°C (Nitrógeno líquido) y 300°C y la observación fractográfica mediante microscopía electrónica de barrido se describe la transición dúctil - frágil del acero IRAM-IAS 15B41, equivalente al AISI 15B41, que fue templado y revenido a 350°C. Este acero muestra el fenómeno clásico de fragilización por revenido de una etapa, con pérdida de tenacidad a la entalla y fractura intergranular, con respecto al grano de austenita previo al temple, para el revenido de 350°C. Así revenido, cuando se ensayó por choque, disminuyendo la temperatura de ensayo, su tenacidad disminuyó de manera coherente con los mecanismos de fractura observados. Esto permitió calcular una temperatura de transición dúctil - frágil para este acero de manera tal que su valor es indistinguible si se calcula usando la curva de tenacidad o la variación de fractura dúctil. El análisis de la microestructura, y su correlación con la observación fractográfica, permitió identificar los micromecanismos responsables de la transición de dúctil a frágil.http://www.ifis.santafe-conicet.gov.ar/congreso/datos/LibroResumenes.pdfFil: Lescano, Daniel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Fil: Lescano, Daniel Eduardo. Universidad Católica de Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Mancini, Reinaldo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial, Córdoba; Argentina.Fil: Silvetti, Silvia Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Matemática, Astronomía y Física; Argentina.Otras Ingeniería de los Materiale

Fall Prediction Based on Instrumented Measures of Gait and Turning in Daily Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis

This study investigates the potential of passive monitoring of gait and turning in daily life in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) to identify those at future risk of falls. Seven days of passive monitoring of gait and turning were carried out in a pilot study of 26 PwMS in home settings using wearable inertial sensors. The retrospective fall history was collected at the baseline. After gait and turning data collection in daily life, PwMS were followed biweekly for a year and were classified as fallers if they experienced \u3e1 fall. The ability of short-term passive monitoring of gait and turning, as well as retrospective fall history to predict future falls were compared using receiver operator curves and regression analysis. The history of retrospective falls was not identified as a significant predictor of future falls in this cohort (AUC = 0.62, p = 0.32). Among quantitative monitoring measures of gait and turning, the pitch at toe-off was the best predictor of falls (AUC = 0.86, p \u3c 0.01). Fallers had a smaller pitch of their feet at toe-off, reflecting less plantarflexion during the push-off phase of walking, which can impact forward propulsion and swing initiation and can result in poor foot clearance and an increased metabolic cost of walking. In conclusion, our cohort of PwMS showed that objective monitoring of gait and turning in daily life can identify those at future risk of falls, and the pitch at toe-off was the single most influential predictor of future falls. Therefore, interventions aimed at improving the strength of plantarflexion muscles, range of motion, and increased proprioceptive input may benefit PwMS at future fall risk

Functional limits of stability and standing balance in people with Parkinson's disease with and without freezing of gait using wearable sensors

Background: People with from Parkinson's disease (PD) and freezing of gait (FoG) have more frequent falls compared to those who do not freeze but there is no consensus on which, specific objective measures of postural instability are worse in freezers (PD + FoG) than non-freezers (PD-FoG). Research question: Are functional limits of stability (fLoS) or postural sway during stance measured with wearable inertial sensors different between PD + FoG versus PD-FoG, as well as between PD versus healthy control subjects (HC)? Methods: Sixty-four PD subjects with FoG (MDS-UPDRS Part III: 45.9 +/- 12.5) and 80 PD subjects without FoG (MDS-UPDRS Part III: 36.2 +/- 10.9) were tested Off medication and compared with 79 HC. Balance was quantified with inertial sensors worn on the lumbar spine while performing the following balance tasks: 1) fLoS as defined by the maximum displacement in the forward and backward directions and 2) postural sway area while standing with eyes open on a firm and foam surface. An ANOVA, controlling for disease duration, compared postural control between groups. Results: PD + FoG had significantly smaller fLoS compared to PD-FoG (p = 0.004) and to healthy controls (p < 0.001). However, PD-FoG showed similar fLoS compared to healthy controls (p = 0.48). Both PD+FoG and PDFoG showed larger postural sway on a foam surface compared to healthy controls (p = 0.001) but there was no significant difference in postural sway between PD+FoG and PD-FoG. Significance: People with PD and FoG showed task-specific, postural impairments with smaller fLoS compared to non-freezers, even when controlling for disease duration. However, individuals with PD with or without FoG had similar difficulties standing quietly on an unreliable surface compared to healthy controls. Wearable inertial sensors can reveal worse fLoS in freezers than non-freezers that may contribute to FoG and help explain their more frequent falls