Identità territoriale, partecipazione e rappresentanza politica

Identità territoriale e ambiti territoriali. Primarie e rappresentanza socio-territoriale. Difficoltà e opportunità

Hypertension, hypotension, longevity and dementia.

High blood pressure at midlife has been consistently identified as a risk factor for dementia in late life, while dementia onset is typically associated with a subsequent decline of blood pressure values. A previous meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies of anti-hypertensive treatment in old age has shown a borderline effect of active treatment in reducing the risk of dementia. The cognitive sub-studies of SPRINT (SPRINT-MIND) and of HOPE-3, published in 2019, were aimed at assessing the cognitive effect of aggressive antihypertensive treatment. In SRINT-MIND, that included subjects with high vascular risk, the risk of dementia (primary outcome) did not differ between groups, but the risk of mild cognitive impairment was significantly reduced in the treatment group. Conversely in HOPE-3, that included subjects with intermediate vascular risk, no significant cognitive effect was observed, with a trend for a better outcome in the placebo arm in the subgroup with lower baseline systolic blood pressure. These data add to observational studies showing detrimental cognitive effect of lower blood pressure values in very old subjects, with cognitive impairment, disability, and complex health problems. Regarding longevity, observational studies confirm protective effects of lower blood pressure values, although systolic blood pressure <130 mmHg are associated with greater mortality risk in subjects with cognitive and/or motor impairment. On the whole antihypertensive treatment might decrease the risk of cognitive impairment in older, robust, high vascular risk subjects. Yet the presence of cognitive impairment might modify the prognostic effect of antihypertensive treatment and advise against aggressive blood pressure lowering

Chemi-mechanical pulping of durian rinds

The physical, optical and mechanical characteristics of pulp and paper made from waste durian rinds as an alternative raw material for papermaking were investigated according to TAPPI and MS ISO standards. The durian rinds pulp was produced through chemi-mechanical pulping (CMP). Naturally dried durian rinds were treated with 10% Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH) based on oven dry (o.d) weight of durian rinds in room temperature for 2 hours and pulped by the refiner mechanical pulping (RMP) process. Experimental results show that durian rinds have great potential characteristics as newly explored non-wood based raw material for pulp and paper industry

Discurso político Estrategias enunciativas en dos discursos de cierre de campaña

Los textos políticos constituyen un tipo de práctica propicia para el análisis del discurso, tanto semiótico como lingüístico. Los textos políticos analizados en este trabajo corresponden a los discursos pronunciados en los cierres de campaña de las dos únicas candidatas a la presidencia de Argentina en las pasadas elecciones nacionales (2007). Las formas en que los enunciadores organizan sus argumentaciones, los recursos puestos en juego, y los modos particulares de legitimación, serán los aspectos clave a tomar en cuenta en nuestro trabajo. Como resultado del análisis mostraremos que la candidata y actual Presidente de la Nación, Cristina Kirchner, construye un enunciador épico que se legitima a través de la apelación a los héroes nacionales y a los juegos pasionales. Por otra parte, Elisa Carrió construye un enunciador ético, que se legitima a través de la Constitución Nacional y las apelaciones a la República. Ambas estrategias discursivas constituyen maneras dominantes en nuestro país para construir lo político, en tanto formas posibles de convalidar un lenguaje, unos argumentos y una manera de situarse ante el enunciatario. Para llegar a estas conclusiones desplegaremos recursos teóricos y metodológicos relacionados con las semióticas textuales y de la enunciación, como también de la sociocrítica, con los que daremos cuenta de la construcción y circulación discursiva de dos modelos de país que las candidatas manifiestan en sendos discursos

personality and survival in older age the role of lifestyle behaviors and health status

Objective We intended to assess the relationship between personality and survival in an older population and to explore the role of lifestyle behaviors and health status as potential mediators. Design Population-based cohort study. Setting Swedish National Study of Aging and Care in Kungsholmen, Sweden. Participants 2,298 adults aged 60 or more years, without dementia or depression, followed for 11 years. Measurements Personality (extraversion, neuroticism, and openness) was assessed with a shortened version of the NEO-Five Factor Inventory. We tested whether personality affected mortality and examined the potential mediating effect of health status (body mass index, number of chronic diseases, impairment in instrumental activities of daily living, and C-reactive protein) and lifestyle behaviors (leisure activities, social network, smoking, and alcohol consumption). Results Over 11 years of follow-up, higher levels of extraversion were associated with a 14% reduction in mortality. Examination of different combinations of personality traits showed that independent of levels of neuroticism and openness, high extraversion were associated with up to 65% lower mortality. Decomposing the effect of extraversion on mortality, we found that the majority (44%) of the beneficial effect was mediated by healthy lifestyle behaviors. Health status accounted for 5% of the association. Conclusions Extroverted people, who are characterized by higher optimism and high self-efficacy, are prone to healthier behaviors and better health, which may result in longer survival. These results highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle in survival

High blood pressure in older subjects with cognitive impairment

High blood pressure and cognitive impairment often coexist in old age, but their pathophysiological association is complex. Several longitudinal studies have shown that high blood pressure at midlife is a risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia, although this association is much less clear in old age. The effect of blood pressure lowering in reducing the risk of dementia is only borderline significant in clinical trials of older subjects, partly due to the insufficient follow-up time. Conversely, dementia onset is associated with a decrease of blood pressure values, probably secondary to neurodegeneration. Prognostic effect of blood pressure values in cognitively impaired older subjects is still unclear, with aggressive blood pressure lowering being potentially harmful in this patients category. Brief cognitive screening, coupled with simple motor assessment, are warranted to identify frail older subjects who need a more cautious approach to antihypertensive treatment. Values obtained with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring seem more useful than clinical ones to predict the outcome of cognitively impaired older subjects. Future studies should identify the most appropriate blood pressure targets in older subjects with cognitive impairment.  Riassunto Ipertensione arteriosa e decadimento cognitivo spesso coesistono in età avanzata, sebbene la loro associazione sia complessa dal punto di vista fisiopatologico. Diversi studi longitudinali hanno mostrato che elevati valori pressori in età adulta rappresentano un fattore di rischio per decadimento cognitivo e demenza, sebbene tale associazione sia molto meno chiara in età avanzata. L’effetto della terapia antiipertensiva è risultato ai limiti della significatività statistica nel ridurre il rischio di demenza negli studi di intervento su soggetti anziani, in parte a causa della durata insufficiente del follow-up. D’altra parte, l’insorgenza di demenza è associata con una riduzione dei valori pressori, probabilmente secondaria alla neurodegenerazione. L’effetto prognostico dei valori pressori in anziani con decadimento cognitivo non è stato ancora chiarito, in presenza di un possibile effetto dannoso di un trattamento antiipertensivo aggressivo in questa categoria di pazienti. Un breve screening cognitivo, associato con una semplice valutazione motoria, è raccomandato per identificare gli anziani fragili, che necessitano di un approccio più cauto alla terapia antiipertensiva. I risultati del monitoraggio della pressione arteriosa nelle 24 ore sembrano più utili della misurazione clinica per predire la prognosi degli anziani cognitivamente compromessi. Studi futuri dovrebbero identificare gli obiettivi pressori più appropriati nel trattamento di anziani con decadimento cognitivo

Pathways for irrigation development : policies and irrigation performance in Tanzania

This research was commissioned by FANRPAN as part of the project Increasing Irrigation Water Productivity in Mozambique, Tanzania and Zimbabwe through On-Farm Monitoring, Adaptive Management and Agricultural Innovation Platforms. The Australian government funds the project through the Australian International Food Security Research Centre of the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, with additional contributions from participating organisations. The Australian National University leads the project.This report presents the findings of a rapid review to determine the policies and politics that have shaped irrigation practice and performance in Tanzania over the past 40–50 years. The review seeks to understand drivers (and blockages) of change with respect to improving sector performance and to identify opportunities for innovation. We also consider who has benefited and lost from public investments, and how these investments could better contribute to poverty reduction, economic growth and climate resilience. The focus of the analysis is small-scale irrigation schemes managed by farmers and supported by the state. We are particularly interested in the role irrigation plays in contexts characterised by high rainfall variability and increasing (physical or economic) water scarcity, such as the upper Rufiji Basin. The desk-based review was supplemented with in-country interviews at national and district level (Iringa), and brief site visits to three schemes in the Ruaha sub-catchment of the Rufiji (also Iringa district)

Biomarkers of Alzheimer's Disease: From Central Nervous System to Periphery?

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most frequent form of dementia and represents one of the main causes of disability among older subjects. Up to now, the diagnosis of AD has been made according to clinical criteria. However, the use of such criteria does not allow an early diagnosis, as pathological alterations may be apparent many years before the clear-cut clinical picture. An early diagnosis is even more valuable to develop new treatments, potentially interfering with the pathogenetic process. During the last decade, several neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters have been introduced to allow an early and accurate detection of AD patients, and, recently, they have been included among research criteria for AD diagnosis. However, their use in clinical practice suffers from limitations both in accuracy and availability. The increasing amount of knowledge about peripheral biomarkers will possibly allow the future identification of reliable and easily available diagnostic tests