Mechanisms in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis involved in control of autonomic and neuroendocrine functions: A review

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Evaluation of renal and hepatic functions in dogs naturally infected by visceral leishmaniasis submitted to treatment with meglumine antimoniate

The present study aimed to evaluate the renal and hepatic responses in eight dogs with visceral leishmaniasis submitted to treatment with meglumine antimoniate and to verify the occurrence of possible side effects. Urinalysis, hepatic and renal function tests were carried out in all animals at up to seven moments. After the end of a six-month observation period, all dogs were euthanized. Before the beginning of the experiment urinary and biochemical alterations were observed in four dogs due to the changes caused by the parasite itself. These alterations included the presence of renal cells, cylindruria, proteinuria, azotemia, hyperproteinemia, and hypoalbuminemia. One dog died on the third day after treatment because an aggravation of the clinical picture, probably due to the medication. During the course of the study, an increase in hepatic enzymes was verified in two animals. Sixty days after the beginning of the treatment four dogs showed remission of clinical signs. The other three were asymptomatic with persistent biochemical alterations. From these, two presented recurrence of clinical signs about 150 days after the beginning of the treatment while in the other, hyperproteinemia persisted. Meglumine antimoniate was not efficient to treat dogs with severe renal dysfunction and the side effects observed were pain at the site of injection and the probable transient hepatotoxicity, evidenced by biochemical examinations, but without the presence of clinical signs. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bi-Lipschitz G-triviality and Newton polyhedra, G = R, C, K, R-V, C-V, K-V

In this work we provide estimates for the bi-Lipschitz G-triviality, G = C or K, for a family of map germs satisfying a Lojasiewicz condition. We work with two cases: the class of weighted homogeneous map germs and the class of non-degenerate map germs with respect to some Newton polyhedron. We also consider the bi-Lipschitz triviality for families of map germs defined on an analytic variety V. We give estimates for the bi-Lipschitz G(V)-triviality where G = R,C or K in the weighted homogeneous case. Here we assume that the map germ and the analytic variety are both weighted homogeneous with respect to the same weights. The method applied in this paper is based in the construction of controlled vector fields in the presence of a suitable Lojasiewicz condition. In the last section of this work we compare our results with other results related to this work showing tables with all estimates that we know, including ours.

Laguerre moments and generalized functions

Here we explore the link between the moments of the Laguerre polynomials or Laguerre moments and the generalized functions (as the Dirac delta-function and its derivatives), presenting several interesting relations. A useful application is related to a procedure for calculating mean values in quantum optics that makes use of the so-called quasi-probabilities. One of them, the P-distribution, can be represented by a sum over Laguerre moments when the electromagnetic field is in a photon-number state. Consequently, the P-distribution can be expressed in terms of Dirac delta-function and derivatives. More specifically, we found a direct relation between P-distributions and the Laguerre factorial moments.

A discrete finite-dimensional phase space approach for the description of Fe8 magnetic clusters: Wigner and Husimi functions

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Depression severity levels and cognitive functions in institutionalized elderly patients

Depression is a highly prevalent illness among institutionalized aged and assumes peculiar characteristics such as the risk for progressing to dementia. The aims of this study was to assess the cognitive functions of institutionalized elderly with clinical diagnosis of depression and compare the severity of depressive symptoms with cognitive performance. From 120 residents at a nursing home in Rio Claro, Brazil, we study 23 individuals (mean age: 74.3 years; mean schooling: 4.0 years) with diagnosis of depression. At first, a clinical diagnosis of depression and measurement of its symptoms using the Geriatric Depression Scale were performed. The patient then underwent a neuropsychological assessment based on the following tests: Mini-Mental Examination, Verbal Fluency, Visual Perception, Immediate Memory, Recent Memory, Recognition, Clock Drawing Test. The patients were divided into two groups: those with less severe depression symptoms (Group 1: N=9) and more severe symptoms (Group 2: N=14). The significant difference between symptom severity of the two groups was p=0.0001. Patients with more severe symptoms revealed a slightly inferior cognitive performance in most of the tests when compared to those with less severe symptoms (p>0.05). In relation to Verbal Fluency, patients with more severe depression symptoms presented a significantly inferior cognitive performance when compared to those with less severe symptoms (p=0.0082). Verbal Fluency revealed to be a more sensitive test for measuring early cognitive alterations in institutionalized aged with depression, and appears to be a useful resource in monitoring the cognitive functions of patients faced with the risk of dementia. © Copyright Moreira Jr. Editora.

Biomolecular information, brain activity and cognitive functions

Molecular neurobiology has provided an explanation of mechanisms supporting mental functions as learning, memory, emotion and consciousness. However, an explanatory gap remains between two levels of description: molecular mechanisms determining cellular and tissue functions, and cognitive functions. In this paper we review molecular and cellular mechanisms that determine brain activity, and then hypothetize about their relation with cognition and consciousness. The brain is conceived of as a dynamic system that exchanges information with the whole body and the environment. Three explanatory hypotheses are presented, stating that: a) brain tissue function is coordinated by macromolecules controlling ion movements, b) structured (amplitude, frequency and phase-modulated) local field potentials generated by organized ionic movement embody cognitive information patterns, and c) conscious episodes are constructed by a large-scale mechanism that uses oscillatory synchrony to integrate local field patterns. © by São Paulo State University.

Effects of mandibular fixed implant-supported prostheses on masticatory and swallowing functions in completely edentulous elderly individuals

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of oral rehabilitation with immediately loaded fixed implant-supported mandibular prostheses on chewing and swallowing in elderly individuals. Materials and Methods: Fifteen completely edentulous patients aged more than 60 years (10 women and rive men), wearing removable dentures in both arches, had a mandibular denture replaced by an implant-supported prosthesis. All individuals were evaluated before surgery and again 3, 6, and 18 months later with regard to mastication and swallowing conditions. Examinations entailed an interview, evaluation of tactile sensitivity of the face, and observation of food intake, masticatory type, formations of bolus, and pain during mastication. The swallowing evaluation comprised observation of clinical signs related to the oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing, as well as the presence of oral residue. The findings of different evaluations before and 3, 6, and 18 months after the surgical-prosthetic procedure were statistically compared by analysis of variance for repeated measurements at a significance level of 5%. Results: The questionnaire revealed a reduction in complaints of masticatory and swallowing disturbances, a decreased need for liquid ingestion, and reduced choking and coughing. Clinical evaluations showed improved oral function and bolus propulsion for both solid and paste-consistency foods; pain during mastication was also resolved. Conclusion: Treatment with mandibular implant-supported dentures had positive effects on the clinical aspects of mastication and swallowing in elderly individuals.

Chaos induced by turbulent and erratic functions

Let (X, d) be a compact metric space and f: X → X a continuous function and consider the hyperspace (K(X), H) of all nonempty compact subsets of X endowed with the Hausdorff metric induced by d. Let f̄: K(X) → K (X) be defined by f̄(A) = {f(a)/a ∈ A} the natural extension of f to K(X), then the aim of this work is to study the dynamics of f when f is turbulent (erratic, respectively) and its relationships.

Mutual occlusion between real and virtual elements in Augmented Reality based on fiducial markers

Augmented Reality (AR) systems which use optical tracking with fiducial marker for registration have had an important role in popularizing this technology, since only a personal computer with a conventional webcam is required. However, in most these applications, the virtual elements are shown only in the foreground a real element does not occlude a virtual one. The method presented enables AR environments based on fiducial markers to support mutual occlusion between a real element and many virtual ones, according to the elements position (depth) in the environment. © 2012 IEEE.

Monitoring chronic physical stress using biomarkers, performance protocols and mathematical functions to identify physiological adaptations in rats

This study was undertaken to characterize the effects of monotonous training at lactate minimum (LM) intensity on aerobic and anaerobic performances; glycogen concentrationsin the soleus muscle, the gastrocnemius muscle and the liver; and creatine kinase (CK), free fatty acids and glucose concentrations in rats. The rats were separated into trained (n =10), baseline (n = 10) and sedentary (n=10) groups. The trained group was submitted to the following: 60 min/day, 6 day/week and intensity equivalent to LM during the 12-week training period. The training volume was reduced after four weeks according to a sigmoid function. The total CK (U/L) increased in the trained group after 12 weeks (742.0±158.5) in comparison with the baseline (319.6±40.2) and the sedentary (261.6+42.2) groups. Free fatty acids and glycogen stores (liver, soleus muscle and gastrocnemius muscle) increased after 12 weeks of monotonous training but aerobic and anaerobic performances were unchanged in relation to the sedentary group. The monotonous training at LM increased the level of energy substrates, unchanged aerobic performance, reduced anaerobic capacity and increased the serum CK concentration; however, the rats did not achieve the predicted training volume.

Effect of different exercise programs on the psychological and cognitive functions of people with Parkinson's disease

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of different exercise programs on the psychological and cognitive functions in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Forty-five patients with PD participated in the study. The participants were randomized in three intervention programs: Group-1 (n=15, cognitive-activities), Group-2 (n=15, multimodal exercise) and Group-3 (n=15, exercises for posture and gait). The clinical, psychological and cognitive functions were assessed before and after 4 months of intervention. Univariate analysis did not reveal significant interactions between groups and time (p>0.05). However, univariate analysis for time revealed differences in stress level and memory. Participants showed less physical stress (p<0.01) and overall stress (p < 0.04) and higher performance in episodic declarative memory (p < 0.001) after exercise. These findings suggest that group work with motor or non-motor activities can improve cognitive and psychological functions of patients with PD.

Physical Exercise Improves Peripheral BDNF Levels and Cognitive Functions in Mild Cognitive Impairment Elderly with Different BDNF Val66Met Genotypes

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Control of respiratory and cardiovascular functions by leptin

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)