Forecast of performance parameters of automotive fuel cell systems : Delphi Study Results

Objective: Since blood viscosity (BV) is one of the most important factors determining blood flow, this study aimed to investigate the possible correlation between increased blood viscosity and reduction of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in healthy ageing.Methods: Male subjects were distributed in two groups: "young", aged 20-30 (27 volunteers), or "elderly", aged 60-70 (50 volunteers). Whole blood viscosity was obtained with a Wells-Brookfield Cone/Plate Viscometer. Cerebral blood flow was analysed by means of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).Results: The mean BV values were 3.28 +/- 0.43 mPa in the group of young volunteers and 4.33 +/- 0.73 mPa in the group of elderly volunteers (t = -6.9, p < 0.0001). The elderly had a lower blood flow than the young in the following regions: bilateral parietal; temporal-parietal and temporal of the left hemisphere. Pearson's correlation between BV and rCBF showed a good inverse correlation when the BV was above 3.95 +/- 0.83 mPa.Conclusions: Our results point to a close relationship between the two parameters analysed, BV and rCBF. The impairment in rCBF observed in the elderly volunteers might be due to an increase in BV, among other factors.Significance: These findings suggest interesting possibilities for the treatment/prevention of brain ageing. (C) 2011 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Influências da Atividade Física na Cognição e na Depressão no Envelhecimento

The quality of life in elderly is strongly associated with the autonomy and independence, and the regular practice of physical activity promotes an improvement of motor function capacity, and appears to exert neuroprotective effect in neuropsychological functions, which are also required in performance of activities of daily living. This work purpose was to compare the performance of sedentary and physically active elderly in neuropsychological tests. This was a cross-sectional study that assessed 32 old adults, 16 sedentary and 16 physical activity. Verbal fluency, verbal memory, attention, processing speed, praxia and humor tests were performed. The results showed significantly better performance of the physically active group in the mood (p = 0.03) and semantic verbal fluency (p = 0.03). The present study supports the premise that physical activity in aging brings benefits to cognition, confirming the importance of physical activity in health promotion for the elderly.La calidad de vida del anciano está fuertemente asociada a la autonomía e independencia y la práctica regular de actividad física además de promover una mejora de las capacidades funcionales motoras, parece ejercer efecto neuroprotector en las funciones neuropsicológicas, que también son necesarias en la ejecución de las actividades de vida diaria. La propuesta de este trabajo es comparar el desempeño de ancianos sedentarios y físicamente activos en pruebas neuropsicológicas. Se trata de un estudio transversal con 32 ancianos, 16 del grupo físicamente activo y 16 del grupo sedentario evaluados en fluencia verbal, memoria verbal, atención, praxia, velocidad de procesamiento y humor. Los resultados mostraron un desempeño significativamente mejor del grupo físicamente activo en el humor (p = 0,03) y en la fluencia verbal semántica (p = 0,03). El presente trabajo corrobora la premisa de que la actividad física en el envejecimiento trae beneficios para la cognición, confirmando la importancia de la actividad física en la promoción de salud del anciano.A qualidade de vida do idoso está fortemente associada à autonomia e independência e a prática regular de atividade física além de promover uma melhora das capacidades funcionais motoras, parece exercer efeito neuroprotetor nas funções neuropsicológicas, que também são necessárias na execução das atividades de vida diária. A proposta deste trabalho é comparar o desempenho de idosos sedentários e fisicamente ativos em testes neuropsicológicos. Trata-se de um estudo transversal com 32 idosos, 16 do grupo fisicamente ativo e 16 do grupo sedentário avaliados em fluência verbal, memória verbal, atenção, praxia, velocidade de processamento e humor. Os resultados mostraram desempenho significativamente melhor do grupo fisicamente ativo no humor (p=0,03) e na fluência verbal semântica (p=0,03).&nbsp; O presente trabalho corrobora a premissa de que a atividade física no envelhecimento traz benefícios para a cognição, confirmando a importância da atividade física na promoção de saúde do idoso

Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome in Machado Joseph Disease: Core Clinical Features

The cerebellum is no longer considered a purely motor control device, and convincing evidence has demonstrated its relationship to cognitive and emotional neural circuits. the aims of the present study were to establish the core cognitive features in our patient population and to determine the presence of Cerebellar Cognitive Affective Syndrome (CCAS) in this group. We recruited 38 patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) or Machado-Joseph disease (MJD)-SCA3/MJD and 31 controls. Data on disease status were recorded (disease duration, age, age at onset, ataxia severity, and CAG repeat length). the severity of cerebellar symptoms was measured using the International Cooperative Ataxia Rating Scale and the Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia. the neuropsychological assessment consisted of the Mini-Mental State Examination, Clock Drawing Test, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Color-Word Test, Trail-Making Test, Verbal Paired Associates, and verbal fluency tests. All subjects were also submitted to the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Beck Depression Inventory. After controlling for multiple comparisons, spatial span, picture completion, symbol search, Stroop Color-Word Test, phonemic verbal fluency, and Trail-Making Tests A and B were significantly more impaired in patients with SCA3/MJD than in controls. Executive and visuospatial functions are impaired in patients with SCA3/MJD, consistent with the symptoms reported in the CCAS. We speculate on a possible role in visual cortical processing degeneration and executive dysfunction in our patients as a model to explain their main cognitive deficit.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilHosp Israelita Albert Einstein, Inst Israelita Ensino & Pesquisa Albert Einstein, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Prevent Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniv Cambridge, Dept Publ Hlth & Primary Care, Cambridge, EnglandUniv Fed ABC, Ctr Math Comp & Cognit, São Paulo, BrazilUNESP, Inst Biosci, Rio Claro, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Neurol & Neurosurg, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Prevent Med, BR-04039002 São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Vapor-liquid equilibrium of the system H2SO4-SO3: Part I. Vapor pressure measurements with a new static vapor pressure apparatus

Cognitive and olfactory impairments have been demonstrated in patients with Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), and a possible relationship with dopaminergic dysfunction is implicated. However, there is still controversy regarding the pattern of striatal dopaminergic dysfunction in patients with MJD. In this study, we investigated whether these patients had different Dopamine Transporter (DAT) densities as compared to healthy subjects, and correlated these data with cognitive performance and sense of smell. Twenty-two MJD patients and 20 control subjects were enrolled. The neuropsychological assessment comprised the Spatial Span, Symbol Search, Picture Completion, Stroop Color Word Test, Trail Making Test and Phonemic Verbal Fluency test. The 16-item Sniffin' Sticks was used to evaluate odor identification. DAT imaging was performed using the SPECT radioligand [Tc-99m]-TRODAT-1, alongside with Magnetic Resonance imaging. Patients with MJD showed significantly lower DAT density in the caudate (1.34 +/- 0.27 versus 2.02 +/- 0.50, p < 0.001), posterior putamen (0.81 +/- 0.32 versus 1.32 +/- 0.34, p < 0.001) and anterior putamen (1.10 +/- 0.31 versus 1.85 +/- 0.45, p < 0.001) compared with healthy controls. The putamen/caudate ratio was also significantly lower in patients compared with controls (0.73 +/- 0.038 versus 0.85 +/- 0.032, p = 0.027). Even though we had only two patients with parkinsonisrn, we detected striatal dopaminergic deficits in those patients. No significant correlations were detected between DAT density and cognitive performance or Sniffin' Sticks scores. The data suggests that striatal dopamine deficit is not involved in cognitive or sense of smell deficits. This finding raises the possibility of extra-striatal dopamine and other neurotransmitter system involvement or of cerebellum neurodegeneration exerting a direct influence on cognitive and sensorial information processing in MJD. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP