Task load modulation of tDCS effects on behavioural and neural correlates of phonological processing: a brain-state-dependent stimulation approach

This thesis investigates the task load modulation of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) effects on the behavioural and neural correlates of phonological processing in the healthy, dyslexic and aphasic brain. Tasks selected from a range of speech perception to speech production were assumed to engage the two main regions of the dorsal pathway of phonological processing, the targets left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) and left superior temporal gyrus (LSTG), differently: increasing engagement for the LIFG and decreasing engagement for the LSTG across the range. Anodal tDCS (facilitatory) and cathodal tDCS (inhibitory) were expected to have an effect as a direct function of target engagement with the task. Cathodal tDCS was also expected to induce indirect facilitation via network compensation negatively related to target engagement. These effects should be weaker in dyslexia and aphasia, and consistent with their altered pattern of brain activity. The findings suggest that task load modulation of tDCS effects occurred. Outcomes such as improved performance in a speech perception task caused by cathodal tDCS would suggest that cathodal tDCS induced network compensation. Results in dyslexia and aphasia were consistent with their altered pattern of brain activity, indicating that tDCS shows promise as both diagnosis and treatment tool

Task load modulates tDCS effects on brain network for phonological processing

Motor participation in phonological processing can be modulated by task nature across the speech perception to speech production range. The pars opercularis of the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) would be increasingly active across this range, because of changing motor demands. Here, we investigated with simultaneous tDCS and fMRI whether the task load modulation of tDCS effects translates into predictable patterns of functional connectivity. Findings were analysed under the "multi-node framework", according to which task load and the network structure underlying cognitive functions are modulators of tDCS effects. In a within-subject study, participants (N = 20) performed categorical perception, lexical decision and word naming tasks [which differentially recruit the target of stimulation (LIFG)], which were repeatedly administered in three tDCS sessions (anodal, cathodal and sham). The LIFG, left superior temporal gyrus and their right homologues formed the target network subserving phonological processing. C-tDCS inhibition and A-tDCS excitation should increase with task load. Correspondingly, the larger the task load, the larger the relevance of the target for the task and smaller the room for compensation of C-tDCS inhibition by less relevant nodes. Functional connectivity analyses were performed with partial correlations, and network compensation globally inferred by comparing the relative number of significant connections each condition induced relative to sham. Overall, simultaneous tDCS and fMRI was adequate to show that motor participation in phonological processing is modulated by task nature. Network responses induced by C-tDCS across phonological processing tasks matched predictions. A-tDCS effects were attributed to optimisation of network efficiency.</p

Efeitos do bilinguismo sobre a L1: evidências em julgamentos de aceitabilidade e no processamento online de bilíngues em imersão na L2 ou não

Vários estudos recentes apresentam evidências de que o bilinguismo tem efeitos sobre as representações da primeira língua de bilíngues que se encontram imersos no ambiente de sua L2, ou que se encontram em inversão de dominância linguística. Neste artigo, tratamos da questão de serem ou não as influências do bilinguismo sobre a primeira língua limitadas aos bilíngues com esse perfil. Serão discutidos resultados de três experimentos através dos quais foram elicitadas evidências de potenciais influências do bilinguismo sobre a primeira língua tanto de residentes de longo período no ambiente da L2 quanto de bilíngues que se encontravam imersos no ambiente de sua língua dominante

Avaliar as dificuldades de aprendizagem relacionadas ao Ensino Remoto de Química em turma da EJA do Ensino Médio de uma escola do Município de São Sebastião da Boa Vista-PA / Evaluate the learning difficulties Related to Remote Chemistry Teaching in a class at EJA high school in a school in the city of São Sebastião da Boa Vista-PA

As instituições de ensino tiveram que se adaptar a uma nova modalidade de ensino, o remoto/virtual. Devido ao distanciamento social ficou impossível o contato presencial de alunos e professores, com o impacto dessa mudança emergencial alunos e professores vêm enfrentando dificuldades na aprendizagem remota quanto ao uso das ferramentas digitais que facilitem o ensino. O presente trabalho de conclusão de curso, foi realizado no primeiro semestre de 2021 nos meses de abril até a primeira quinzena de maio, o público alvo foram 15 estudantes da turma da 2ª etapa da modalidade (EJA) Educação de Jovens e Adultos e 1 docente da rede pública estadual de São Sebastião da Boa Vista-PA. Tratou-se de uma pesquisa quali-quantitativa, de natureza aplicada com o estudo de caso. Como instrumento de coletas de dados, utilizaram-se questionários disponibilizados via Whatsapp e impresso. Os resultados mostraram que a maioria dos alunos sente dificuldade quanto ao ensino de Química, além disso, alguns não dispõem de recursos tecnológicos sendo necessário ir à escola para ter acesso ao material didático e tirar dúvidas relacionada a disciplina, também, expuseram o desejo de utilizar os recursos digitais na aprendizagem durante esse período remoto. Já o professor da disciplina em questão, relatou que sente dificuldades quanto ao uso das tecnologias e que gostaria que a escola disponibilizasse cursos de capacitação para melhor atender seu alunado. A partir da análise dos resultados ficou visível a preocupação quanto ao processo de ensino aprendizagem de Química em turma da EJA. A pesquisa traz em seu encarte a possibilidade de aproximar o aluno da disciplina Química e apresentar estratégias que mitiguem essas dificuldades, mostrando a importância de aprender Química para adquirir uma aprendizagem eficaz

Níveis séricos da IL-13 na esclerose sistêmica: uma revisão sistemática com meta-análise / Serum levels of IL-13 in systemic sclerosis: a systematic review with meta-analysis

A interleucina-13 (IL-13) sérica foi investigada na esclerose sistêmica (ES) por meio de uma meta-análise para avaliar a possível diferença nos níveis em pacientes com a doença e pessoas saudáveis. As buscas foram realizadas nas bases de dados Pubmed, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, LILACS e Scopus para estudos do tipo caso-controle pertinentes utilizando os descritores. Os níveis séricos dos pacientes com ES em relação aos controles saudáveis foram plotados usando o software Review Manager 5.3. A avaliação da qualidade de cada estudo elegível foi conduzida na Escala de Newcastle-Ottawa (NOS). Quatro estudos de caso-controle foram selecionados para esta meta-análise e continham um total de 120 pacientes com ES e 84 controles saudáveis. Nossos resultados demonstram níveis séricos elevados da IL-13 em pacientes com ES, com um agrupamento médio de 0,70 ng/ml (p=0,00001) (IC 95%: -0,42 a -0,99, p=0,6). A IL-13 está aumentada no soro de pacientes com ES em comparação com os controles saudáveis e pode ser útil como possível biomarcador da doença. 

Targeted sequencing identifies novel variants in common and rare MODY genes

Background: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) is a form of monogenic diabetes with autosomal dominant inheritance. To date, mutations in 11 genes have been frequently associated with this phenotype. In Brazil, few cohorts have been screened for MODY, all using a candidate gene approach, with a high prevalence of undiagnosed cases (MODY-X). Methods: We conducted a next-generation sequencing target panel (tNGS) study to investigate, for the first time, a Brazilian cohort of MODY patients with a negative prior genetic analysis. One hundred and two patients were selected, of which 26 had an initial clinical suspicion of MODY-GCK and 76 were non-GCK MODY. Results: After excluding all benign and likely benign variants and variants of uncertain significance, we were able to assign a genetic cause for 12.7% (13/102) of the probands. Three rare MODY subtypes were identified (PDX1/NEUROD1/ABCC8), and eight variants had not been previously described/mapped in genomic databases. Important clinical findings were evidenced in some cases after genetic diagnosis, such as MODY-PDX1/HNF1B. Conclusion: A multiloci genetic approach allowed the identification of rare MODY subtypes, reducing the large percentage of MODY-X in Brazilian cases and contributing to a better clinical, therapeutic, and prognostic characterization of these rare phenotypes

Pervasive gaps in Amazonian ecological research

Biodiversity loss is one of the main challenges of our time,1,2 and attempts to address it require a clear un derstanding of how ecological communities respond to environmental change across time and space.3,4 While the increasing availability of global databases on ecological communities has advanced our knowledge of biodiversity sensitivity to environmental changes,5–7 vast areas of the tropics remain understudied.8–11 In the American tropics, Amazonia stands out as the world’s most diverse rainforest and the primary source of Neotropical biodiversity,12 but it remains among the least known forests in America and is often underrepre sented in biodiversity databases.13–15 To worsen this situation, human-induced modifications16,17 may elim inate pieces of the Amazon’s biodiversity puzzle before we can use them to understand how ecological com munities are responding. To increase generalization and applicability of biodiversity knowledge,18,19 it is thus crucial to reduce biases in ecological research, particularly in regions projected to face the most pronounced environmental changes. We integrate ecological community metadata of 7,694 sampling sites for multiple or ganism groups in a machine learning model framework to map the research probability across the Brazilian Amazonia, while identifying the region’s vulnerability to environmental change. 15%–18% of the most ne glected areas in ecological research are expected to experience severe climate or land use changes by 2050. This means that unless we take immediate action, we will not be able to establish their current status, much less monitor how it is changing and what is being lostinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

ATLANTIC-PRIMATES: a dataset of communities and occurrences of primates in the Atlantic Forests of South America

Primates play an important role in ecosystem functioning and offer critical insights into human evolution, biology, behavior, and emerging infectious diseases. There are 26 primate species in the Atlantic Forests of South America, 19 of them endemic. We compiled a dataset of 5,472 georeferenced locations of 26 native and 1 introduced primate species, as hybrids in the genera Callithrix and Alouatta. The dataset includes 700 primate communities, 8,121 single species occurrences and 714 estimates of primate population sizes, covering most natural forest types of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina and some other biomes. On average, primate communities of the Atlantic Forest harbor 2 ± 1 species (range = 1–6). However, about 40% of primate communities contain only one species. Alouatta guariba (N = 2,188 records) and Sapajus nigritus (N = 1,127) were the species with the most records. Callicebus barbarabrownae (N = 35), Leontopithecus caissara (N = 38), and Sapajus libidinosus (N = 41) were the species with the least records. Recorded primate densities varied from 0.004 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta guariba at Fragmento do Bugre, Paraná, Brazil) to 400 individuals/km 2 (Alouatta caraya in Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil). Our dataset reflects disparity between the numerous primate census conducted in the Atlantic Forest, in contrast to the scarcity of estimates of population sizes and densities. With these data, researchers can develop different macroecological and regional level studies, focusing on communities, populations, species co-occurrence and distribution patterns. Moreover, the data can also be used to assess the consequences of fragmentation, defaunation, and disease outbreaks on different ecological processes, such as trophic cascades, species invasion or extinction, and community dynamics. There are no copyright restrictions. Please cite this Data Paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data. © 2018 by the The Authors. Ecology © 2018 The Ecological Society of Americ