The Learning Curve in neurofeedback of Peter Van Deusen: A review article

ABSTRACT The Learning Curve (TLC) in neurofeedback concept emerged after Peter Van Deusen compiled the results of articles on the expected electrical activity of the brain. This concept was subsequently tested on patients at four clinics in Atlanta between 1994 and 2001. The aim of this paper was to report the historical aspects of TLC. Articles published on the electronic databases MEDLINE/PubMed and Web of Science were reviewed. During patient evaluation, TLC investigates categories called disconnected, hot temporal lobes, reversal of alpha and beta waves, blocking, locking, and filtering or processing. This enables neuroscientists to use their training designs and, by means of behavioral psychology, to work on neuroregulation, as self-regulation for patients. TLC shows the relationships between electrical, mental and behavioral activity in patients. It also identifies details of patterns that can assist physicians in their choice of treatment

Stress effects on food handler attention in a public hospital in Recife-PE, Brazil

Abstract Production of meals in Food and Nutrition Units (FNU) requires human labor performance in order to attend demand. Stress is one of the factors responsible for alterations in the health of these professionals. Reduced attention is one of the negative effects caused by stress. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate attention in Food Handlers (FH). Methods: 67 professionals were evaluated, subdivided into FH with less than 5 years in the profession, who were included as the control group (Control, n=29), and FH with more than 5 years in the profession (FH>5, n=38). Lipp's Inventory of Stress Symptoms for adults (LISS), the digit symbol, d2, forward digit span, backward digit span and paced auditory serial addition tests were applied. The data found on the LISS were analysed by Fisher's Exact and Chi-Square tests and individual attention tests were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney test, with data expressed as Median (Minimum and Maximum) with p5 presented stress versus 13.79% of Control. Also, 57.89% of FH>5 with stress presented physical symptoms and 15.79% psychological symptoms. In the Control, 9.68% presented physical symptoms. Results: 73.68% of FH>5 with stress and 17.24% of the Control were in the resistance phase. Regarding attention, the FH>5 presented reduced focused attention (32.5±2.9), auditory attention (7.25±0.4) and resistance to interference (4.67±1.1), compared to their respective controls (43.88±1.39), (8.63±0.38), (9.25±1.16), p<0.05. Discussion and Conclusions: The activity of food handling can cause stress and attention level reduction after 5 years

Deaf individuals who work with computers present a high level of visual attention

Abstract Some studies in the literature indicate that deaf individuals seem to develop a higher level of attention and concentration during the process of constructing of different ways of communicating. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of attention in individuals deaf from birth that worked with computers. Methods: A total of 161 individuals in the 18-25 age group were assessed. Of these, 40 were congenitally deaf individuals that worked with computers, 42 were deaf individuals that did not work, did not know how to use nor used computers (Control 1), 39 individuals with normal hearing that did not work, did not know how to use computers nor used them (Control 2), and 40 individuals with normal hearing that worked with computers (Control 3). Results: The group of subjects deaf from birth that worked with computers (IDWC) presented a higher level of focused attention, sustained attention, mental manipulation capacity and resistance to interference compared to the control groups. Conclusion: This study highlights the relevance sensory to cognitive processing

Air traffic control activity increases attention capacity in air traffic controllers

Abstract Air traffic controllers simultaneously develop complex and multiple tasks in the course of their activities. In this context, concern is raised over the high level of attention needed by these professionals which can ultimately be affected by stress and fatigue. Objectives: The objective of this study was to assess attention level in air traffic controllers (ATCo). Methods: 45 flight protection professionals were evaluated, comprising 30 ATCo, subdivided into ATCo with ten or more years in the profession (ATCo³10, n=15) and ATCo with less than ten years in the profession (ATCo <10, n=15) and 15 aeronautical information services operators (AIS), subdivided into AIS with ten years or more in the profession (AIS³10, n=8) and AIS with less than ten years in the profession (AIS <10, n=7), who were included as the control group. The digit symbol, d2 (the individual marks the letter d on a specific form containing 14 lines with 47 letters in each, maintaining focus on letter d followed by two dashes), forward digit span, backward digit span and PASAT (paced auditory serial addition test) attention tests were used. Kruskal-Wallis was used and data expressed as Median (Minimum and Maximum) with p<0.05. Results: The ATCo³10 presented greater focus of attention, sustained attention, mental manipulation and resistance to interference capacity compared to the AIS³10. Comparison of ATCo³10 to the AIS<10 showed they presented only greater resistance to interference, and when compared to the ATCo<10 presented lower focus. Conclusions: The air traffic control activity after ten years may be associated with a high level of attention

The participation of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) in the perception of pain in patients with migraine: A psychological profile

ABSTRACT Young's early maladaptive schemas questionnaire (YSQ-S3) is used to understand psychological aspects. Objective: EMSs were evaluated in patients with migraine. Methods: Sixty-five subjects were evaluated using the YSQ-S3 under standard conditions in a room with air conditioning at 22 ± 2°C. The subjects were stratified by morbidity (migraine), gender (male/female) and age (18-29 / 30-39 / 40-55). Controls (without migraine), n = 27 and patients (with migraine), n = 38, men (n = 19) and women (n = 46); participants aged 18-29 years, n = 34, aged 30-39 years, n = 14 and aged 40-55 years, n = 17. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, with p-values <0.05. Results were expressed as percentages in contingency tables. Results: There was a significant association between migraine and female gender (84.21%; p-value <0.05, Table 1), between hypervigilance and inhibition, and unrelenting standards (56.52%; p-value <0.0.014, Table 2) and female gender with migraine. Moreover, there was a significant association between hypervigilance and inhibition, and unrelenting standards (73.68%; p-value <0.0001) and self-punishment (84.21%; p-value <0.0001) in patients with migraine of both genders (Table 3). Conclusion: The individuals with migraine had a psychological profile of being overly demanding with themselves and others and self-punishing, where this was more frequent in women

The participation of Early Maladaptive Schemas (EMSs) in the perception of pain in patients with migraine: A psychological profile

<div><p>ABSTRACT Young's early maladaptive schemas questionnaire (YSQ-S3) is used to understand psychological aspects. Objective: EMSs were evaluated in patients with migraine. Methods: Sixty-five subjects were evaluated using the YSQ-S3 under standard conditions in a room with air conditioning at 22 ± 2°C. The subjects were stratified by morbidity (migraine), gender (male/female) and age (18-29 / 30-39 / 40-55). Controls (without migraine), n = 27 and patients (with migraine), n = 38, men (n = 19) and women (n = 46); participants aged 18-29 years, n = 34, aged 30-39 years, n = 14 and aged 40-55 years, n = 17. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, with p-values <0.05. Results were expressed as percentages in contingency tables. Results: There was a significant association between migraine and female gender (84.21%; p-value <0.05, Table 1), between hypervigilance and inhibition, and unrelenting standards (56.52%; p-value <0.0.014, Table 2) and female gender with migraine. Moreover, there was a significant association between hypervigilance and inhibition, and unrelenting standards (73.68%; p-value <0.0001) and self-punishment (84.21%; p-value <0.0001) in patients with migraine of both genders (Table 3). Conclusion: The individuals with migraine had a psychological profile of being overly demanding with themselves and others and self-punishing, where this was more frequent in women.</p></div

Post-traumatic headache Cefaléia após traumatismo cranioencefálico

The onset of post-traumatic headache (PTC) occurs in the first seven days after trauma, according to the International Headache Society (IHS) classification. The objective of this study was to evaluate the several forms of headache that appear after mild head injury (HI) and time interval between the HI and the onset of pain. We evaluated 41 patients with diagnosis of mild HI following the IHS criteria. Migraine without aura and the chronic tension-type headache were the most prevalent groups, occurring in 16 (39%) and 14 (34.1%) patients respectively. The time interval between HI and the onset of headache was less than seven days in 20 patients (48.7%) and longer than 30 days in 10 (24.3%) patients. The results suggest that PTC may arise after a period longer than is accepted at the present by the IHS.<br>O início da cefaléia pós-traumática (CPT) ocorre dentro de sete dias após o trauma, de acordo com a classificação da Sociedade Internacional de Cefaléia (SIC). O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as diversas formas de cefaléia que surgem após o traumatismo cranioencefálico (TCE) leve e o intervalo de tempo entre o TCE e o início da dor. Foram avaliados 41 pacientes com diagnóstico de cefaléia pós-traumática leve segundo os critérios da SIC. Migrânea sem aura e cefaléia do tipo tensional crônica foram os tipos de cefaléia mais comuns, ocorrendo em 16 (39%) e 14 (34,1%) dos pacientes respectivamente. O intervalo de tempo entre o TCE e o início da cefaléia foi menor que sete dias em 20 pacientes (48%) e maior que 30 dias em 10 (24,3%) pacientes. Estes resultados sugerem que a CPT pode surgir após período maior do que é aceito atualmente pela SIC

Brazilian Flora 2020: Leveraging the power of a collaborative scientific network

International audienceThe shortage of reliable primary taxonomic data limits the description of biological taxa and the understanding of biodiversity patterns and processes, complicating biogeographical, ecological, and evolutionary studies. This deficit creates a significant taxonomic impediment to biodiversity research and conservation planning. The taxonomic impediment and the biodiversity crisis are widely recognized, highlighting the urgent need for reliable taxonomic data. Over the past decade, numerous countries worldwide have devoted considerable effort to Target 1 of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation (GSPC), which called for the preparation of a working list of all known plant species by 2010 and an online world Flora by 2020. Brazil is a megadiverse country, home to more of the world's known plant species than any other country. Despite that, Flora Brasiliensis, concluded in 1906, was the last comprehensive treatment of the Brazilian flora. The lack of accurate estimates of the number of species of algae, fungi, and plants occurring in Brazil contributes to the prevailing taxonomic impediment and delays progress towards the GSPC targets. Over the past 12 years, a legion of taxonomists motivated to meet Target 1 of the GSPC, worked together to gather and integrate knowledge on the algal, plant, and fungal diversity of Brazil. Overall, a team of about 980 taxonomists joined efforts in a highly collaborative project that used cybertaxonomy to prepare an updated Flora of Brazil, showing the power of scientific collaboration to reach ambitious goals. This paper presents an overview of the Brazilian Flora 2020 and provides taxonomic and spatial updates on the algae, fungi, and plants found in one of the world's most biodiverse countries. We further identify collection gaps and summarize future goals that extend beyond 2020. Our results show that Brazil is home to 46,975 native species of algae, fungi, and plants, of which 19,669 are endemic to the country. The data compiled to date suggests that the Atlantic Rainforest might be the most diverse Brazilian domain for all plant groups except gymnosperms, which are most diverse in the Amazon. However, scientific knowledge of Brazilian diversity is still unequally distributed, with the Atlantic Rainforest and the Cerrado being the most intensively sampled and studied biomes in the country. In times of “scientific reductionism”, with botanical and mycological sciences suffering pervasive depreciation in recent decades, the first online Flora of Brazil 2020 significantly enhanced the quality and quantity of taxonomic data available for algae, fungi, and plants from Brazil. This project also made all the information freely available online, providing a firm foundation for future research and for the management, conservation, and sustainable use of the Brazilian funga and flora