A memória de curto prazo e a síndrome de down: a relação entre contextos de desenvolvimento

Down syndrome (DS) is one of the most frequent causes of intellectual disability, affecting one in every 600 to 1000 live births. Studies have demonstrated that people with DS have a lower capacity for short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM), which affects their capability to learn new words and to follow spoken instructions, specially when they involve multiple information or consecutive orders/orientations. It seems that the basis of the learning process, as it happens with language and mathematics comprehension and reasoning, relies in the STM and WM systems. Individuals with DS are increasingly included in mainstream education, and yet, very few researches have been conducted to investigate the influence of memory development and the type of enrollment (regular school and special school). This study investigated the relationship between the type of school enrollment with the performance on STM tests and also, the relationship of this performance with early stimulation (ES). The tests used in the first research were the digit span, free recall, word recognition and subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Third Edition (WISC-III). Individuals enrolled in the regular schools group had higher scores on the digit span test and the subtests of the WISC-III. In the free recall and recognition tests, no differences were found. This study indicates that the type of enrollment might influence the memory development of individuals with DS and clearly points the need for future investigations. In the second research, the tests used were the digit span, free word recall and subtests of the WISC-III. The test results showed better performance by adults that received ES before six months of age. The studies showed improvement in STM both in people who attended or were attending regular school, as well as those who benefited from ES before six months of age. However, some issues still need to be better understood. What is the relation between this stimulation with the individual s education? Since ES may reflect a greater family involvement with the individual, what is the role of emotional components derived from this involvement in the cognitive improvement? These and other questions are part of the continuity of this study

Investigação da relação entre conteúdo onírico e aprendizado de uma tarefa cognitiva complexa

Several lines of evidence indicate that sleep is beneficial for learning, but there is no experimental evidence yet that the content of dreams is adaptive, i.e., that dreams help the dreamer to cope with challenges of the following day. Our aim here is to investigate the role of dreams in the acquisition of a complex cognitive task. We investigated electroencephalographic recordings and dream reports of adult subjects exposed to a computer game comprising perceptual, motor, spatial, emotional and higher-level cognitive aspects (Doom). Subjects slept two nights in the sleep laboratory, a completely dark room with a comfortable bed and controlled temperature. Electroencephalographic recordings with 28 channels were continuously performed throughout the experiment to identify episodes of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep. Behaviors were continuously recorded in audio and video with an infrared camera. Dream reports were collected upon forced awakening from late REM sleep, and again in the morning after spontaneous awakening. On day 1, subjects were habituated to the sleep laboratory, no computer game was played, and negative controls for gamerelated dream reports were collected. On day 2, subjects played the computer game before and after sleep. Each game session lasted for an hour, and sleep for 7-9 hours. 9 different measures of performance indicated significant improve overnight. 81% of the subjects experienced intrusion of elements of the game into their dreams, including potentially adaptative strategies (insights). There was a linear correlation between performance and dream intrusion as well as for game improval and quantity of reported dreaming. In the electrophysiological analysis we mapped the subjects brain activities in different stages (SWS 1, REM 1, SWS 2, REM 2, Game 1 and Game 2), and found a modest reverberation in motor areas related to the joystick control during the sleep. When separated by gender, we found a significant difference on female subjects in the channels that indicate motor learning. Analysis of dream reports showed that the amount of gamerelated elements in dreams correlated with performance gains according to an inverted-U function analogous to the Yerkes-Dodson law that governs the relationship between arousal and learning. The results indicate that dreaming is an adaptive behavior

Efeitos do tratamento com lítio na memória aversiva, comportamentos relacionados à ansiedade e depressão e na expressão de BDNF em ratos

Lithium (Li) is the first choice to treat bipolar disorder, a psychiatric illness characterized by mood oscillations between mania and depression. However, studies have demonstrated that this drug might influence mnemonic process due to its neuroprotector, antiapoptotic and neurogenic effects. The use of Li in the treatment of cognitive deficits caused by brain injury or neurodegenerative disorders have been widely studied, and this drug shows to be effective in preventing or even alleviating the memory impairment. The effects of Li on anxiety and depression are controversial and the relationship of the effects of lithium on memory, anxiety and depression remain unknown. In this context, this study aims to: evaluate the effects of acute and chronic administration of lithium carbonate in aversive memory and anxiety, simultaneously, using the plus maze discriminative avoidance task (PMDAT); test the antidepressant effect of the drug through the forced swimming test (FS) and analyze brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in structures related to memory and emotion. To evaluation of the acute effects, male Wistar rats were submitted to i.p. administration of lithium carbonate (50, 100 or 200 mg/kg) one hour before the training session (PMDAT) or lithium carbonate (50 or 100 mg/kg) one hour before the test session (FS). To evaluation of the chronic effects, the doses administered were 50 or 100 mg/kg or vehicle once a day for 21 days before the beginning of behavioral tasks (PMDAT and FS). Afterwards, the animals were euthanized and their brains removed and submitted to immunohistochemistry procedure to quantify BDNF. The animals that received acute treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg of Li did not discriminated between the enclosed arms (aversive and non-aversive) in the training session of PMDAT, showing that these animal did not learned the task. This lack of discrimination was also observed in the test session, showing that the animals did not recall the aversive task. We also observed an increased exploration of the open arms of these same groups, indicating an anxiolytic effect. The same groups showed a reduction of locomotor activity, however, this effect does not seem to be related with the anxiolytic effect of the drug. Chronic treatment with Li did not promote alterations on learning or memory processes. Nevertheless, we observed a reduction of open arms exploration by animals treated with 50 mg/kg when compared to the other groups, showing an anxiogenic effect caused by this dose. This effect it is not related to locomotor alterations since there were no alterations in these parameters. Both acute and chronic treatment were ineffective in the FS. Chronic treatment with lithium was not able to modify BDNF expression in hippocampus, amygdala and pre-frontal cortex. These results suggest that acute administration of lithium promote impairments on learning in an aversive task, blocking the occurrence of memory consolidation and retrieval. The reduction of anxiety following acute treatment may have prevented the learning of the aversive task, as it has been found that optimum levels of anxiety are necessary for the occurrence of learning with emotional context. With continued, treatment the animals recover the ability to learn and recall the task. Indeed, they do not show differences in relation to control group, and the lack of alterations on BDNF expression corroborates this result. Possibly, the regimen of treatment used was not able to promote cognitive improvement. Li showed acute anxiolytic effect, however chronic administration 4 promoted the opposite effect. More studies are necessary to clarify the potential beneficial effect of Li on aversive memory

Investigação da capacidade intelectiva de pacientes pediátricos diagnosticados com tumores de fossa posterior

Central Nervous System are the most common pediatric solid tumors. 60% of these tumors arise in posterior fossa, mainly in cerebellum. The first therapeutic approach is surgical resection. Malignant tumors require additional strategies - chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The increasing survival evidences that childhood brain tumors result in academic and social difficulties that compromise the quality of life of the patients. This study investigated the intellectual functioning of children between 7 to 15 years diagnosed with posterior fossa tumors and treated at CEHOPE - Recife / PE. 21 children were eligible - including 13 children with pilocytic astrocytoma (G1) who underwent only surgery resection, and eight children with medulloblastoma (G2) - submitted to surgical resection, chemotherapy and craniospinal radiotherapy. Participants were evaluated by the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - WISC-III. Children of G1 scored better than children of G2. Inferential tools (Mann-Whitney Ü Test) identified significant diferences (p ≤ 0.05) between the Performance IQ (PIQ) and Processing Speed Index (PSI) as a function of treatment modality; Full Scale IQ (FSIQ), PIQ and PSI as a function of parental educational level; PIQ, FSIQ, IVP and Freedom from Distractibility (FDI) as a function of time between diagnosis and evaluation. These results showed the late and progressive impact of radiotherapy on white matter and information processing speed. Furthermore, children whose parents have higher educational level showed better intellectual performance, indicating the influence of xxii socio-cultural variables on cognitive development. The impact of cancer and its treatment on cognitive development and learning should not be underestimated. These results support the need to increase the understanding of such effects in order to propose therapeutic strategies which ensure that, in addition to the cure, the full development of children with this pathology

Processo argumentativo na (re)significação de concepções ético/morais

This study analysed the relationship between the production of argumentative discourses and the development and (re)signification of ethical/moral concepts, conceptions and reasoning. It focused on ethical-argumentative reasoning concerning other people and their different points of view. The specific aims of this research were: (1) to investigate the considering alternative positions on adolescents previous views on a specific topic; (2) to verify whether the ability to generate counterarguments was associated with higher levels of moral reasoning, according to Kohlberg theory, and (3) to have a better comprehension of a possible relationship between adolescents abilities to use cognitive and verbal-argumentative strategies and the (re) signification of concepts/beliefs of an ethical/moral nature, and also the solution of conflicts of the same nature. The participants in this study were seventh grade students of private and public schools. Four empirical tasks were used in order to evaluate argumentative and moral reasoning. These tasks focused on: the evaluation of moral dilemmas (DIT); the evaluation of moral dilemmas with the presentation of a written justification for subjects responses; the production of arguments and the reaction to counterarguments. There was also a group-debate situation in which both argumentation and the discussion ethical/moral issues were observed. The moral dilemmas tasks aimed to evaluate the level of moral reasoning of the participants. The argumentation tasks investigated whether the adolescents generated and justified a point of view and how they dealt with counterarguments or alternative information which could lead the participants to modify their initial positions on the topic under discussion in a monological situation as well as in a group-debate setting. The results showed that, in a monological situation, most of the adolescents produced only a partial developed argumentative discourse, whereas in a more social-verbal interaction situation their discourse appeared to be more elaborated. As a general result, it was observed that the confrontation with the other s views, or dealing with counterarguments allow the adolescents to re-evaluate and re-elaborate their own views on a debatable topic. Regarding the relationship between counterargumentation and moral reasoning, it was verified that there was a subtle tendency associating the two processes. However, other factors, such as, social, emotional and cultural aspects might also influence the development of moral reasoning

Comparação da cifose torácica e capacidade funcional de mulheres idosas com e sem osteoporose

A diminuição da densidade mineral óssea das vértebras, própria do processo de envelhecimento e que pode ser agravada pela osteoporose, determina uma diminuição da região anterior dos corpos vertebrais, resultando em compressão e colapso dessas vértebras, com maior estreitamento dos discos e espaços intervertebrais. Essas novas condições interferem no funcionamento normal de órgãos e sistemas do organismo. O objetivo foi avaliar o grau de cifose torácica e a capacidade funcional de mulheres idosas com e sem osteoporose. Foram avaliadas 30 idosas ativas fisicamente, sendo 20 sem osteoporose ( GSO: 65,1± 4,67 anos) e 10 idosas com osteoporose (GCO: 68,6± 6,46anos). Foram avaliados a medida da cifose torácica, teste de caminhada de seis minutos (TC6'), Timed Up and go (TUG) e força dos músculos respiratórios (PImáx e PEmáx). Os dados obtidos foram analisados utilizando o teste t de Student. O nível de significância utilizado foi de 5% (α£ 0,05). Houve diferença significativa entre os grupos sem (GSO) e com osteoporose (GCO) somente no TC6'(GSO: 426,63±46,36 m; GCO: 392,64±36,68 m , α =0,02). As outras variáveis analisadas não apresentaram diferença significativa (Cifose torácica: α = 0,17; TUG: α =0,49; PImax: α =0,45; PEmax: α =0,19). A osteoporose não influenciou o grau de cifose torácica, a força dos músculos respiratórios e mobilidade das idosas. Entretanto, o desempenho no TC6' foi influenciado negativamente pela osteoporose.

Influência da Escola de Postura na qualidade de vida, capacidade funcional, intensidade de dor e flexibilidade de trabalhadores administrativos

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

Sustentabilidade ambiental do cultivo intensivo de Tilápias (Oreochromis niloticus) em tanques-rede e a capacidade de suporte de quatro reservatórios em uma região semi-árida tropical

Intensive production of tilápias, in cages or net tanks, has been proposed as an alternative to increase fish production, that would generate income and offer animal protein in different tropical and subtropical countries. However, this system of production enriches the aquatic environment with nutrients, principally nitrogen and phosphor derived from the dejections of the metabolism of food and eventual food surpluses consumed by the fishes; the alimentation of the fishes in this production modality is dependent on fish food. The emission of these nutritions in levels above the limit that the system is capable metabolize can provoke a phenomenon called eutrofization, putting in risk the quality of water for public and for fish production activities. In this context the work had as a goal to evaluate the trófico state of the four reservoirs for intensive production of tilapias in net-tanks, in other words, he maximum fish production that the reservoirs are able to hold, keeping the desired quantity of nutrient concentrations in water for public use. The results of the four ecosystems in the Boqueirão de Parelhas reservoir showed that it s possible to have an intensive production of tilapias in net tanks, in this environment the annual average concentration of phosphor, was below the considered critical limits to deflagrate the process of eutrofization in semi-arid regions. The carrying capacity of the Boqueirão de Parelhas reservoir depends on the conversion of the feeding facts and phosphor content in the food but it should vary between 100 and 300 tons per year over a variation in the conversion feeding factor of 1,7 to 2,0:1 and a variation in the P in the food of 0,7 to 0,9%

Fator de correção para indivíduos com capacidade acomodativa baseado no uso do refrator automático

OBJETIVO: Pesquisar um fator de correção para avaliação do erro refrativo sem a utilização da cicloplegia. MÉTODOS: Foram estudados 623 pacientes (1.246 olhos), de ambos os sexos, com idade entre 3 e 40 anos. As refratometrias estática e dinâmica foram obtidas usando-se o refrator automático Shin-Nippon Accuref-K 9001. A cicloplegia foi obtida com a instilação de uma gota de colírio ciclopentolato a 1%, com refratometria estática 30 minutos após. Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística usando a técnica do modelo de regressão linear e modelo de regressão múltipla do valor dióptrico com e sem cicloplegia, em função da idade. RESULTADOS: A correlação entre valores dióptricos sem e com cicloplegia quanto ao erro astigmático variou de 81,52% a 92,27%. Quanto ao valor dióptrico esférico, a correlação foi menor (53,57% a 87,78%). O mesmo se observou em relação ao eixo do astigmatismo (28,86% a 58,80%). O modelo de regressão múltipla em função da idade mostrou coeficiente de determinação múltiplo maior para a miopia (86,38%) e astigmatismo (79,79%). O menor coeficiente foi observado para o eixo do astigmatismo (17,70%). CONCLUSÃO: Avaliando-se os erros refrativos com e sem cicloplegia, observou-se alta correlação nas ametropias cilíndricas. Foram desenvolvidas equações matemáticas como fator de correção para refratometrias dos pacientes sem cicloplegia, portadores de ametropias cilíndricas e esféricas.

Avaliações clínica e morfométrica da capacidade angiogênica da membrana de quitosana em córneas de coelhos

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

Efeito da desinfecção por aerossóis sobre a capacidade de umedecimento de moldes de poliéter por gesso tipo IV

A desinfecção de todo e qualquer molde obtido é medida de biossegurança obrigatória na atividade clínica. Tão importante quanto a desinfecção é a seleção do método e da solução desinfetante a ser utilizada para cada material de moldagem. É imperativo que a capacidade de reprodução de detalhes, a estabilidade dimensional e o grau de umedecimento (ou molhabilidade) não sejam criticamente afetados. O propósito deste trabalho foi avaliar o grau de umedecimento de uma marca comercial de poliéter (Impregum F) por três diferentes marcas comerciais de gesso tipo IV (Herostone, Durone e Polirock), após sua desinfecção por aerossóis de hipoclorito de sódio 1% (líquido de Milton) ou glutaraldeído 2% (Glutalabor II). Foram confeccionados 45 moldes de poliéter, os quais, em grupos de 15, receberam aerossóis de água (Grupo Controle), Líquido de Milton ou Glutalabor II. em seguida, sobre a superfície dos moldes foram confeccionados modelos de gesso tipo IV, em número de 5 para cada marca de gesso. Após seu seccionamento mediano e preparo da superfície de corte, os modelos foram levados ao microscópio Carl Zeiss para leitura do ângulo de contato. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que: a) a capacidade de umedecimento do poliéter por diferentes marcas comerciais de gesso tipo IV variou para os gessos estudados; b) o gesso Durone adaptou-se melhor aos moldes de poliéter do que os gessos Herostone e Polirock; c) a desinfecção dos moldes com aerossóis de hipoclorito de sódio 1% (líquido de Milton) ou glutaraldeído 2% (Glutalabor) não afetou a adaptação entre os gessos e o poliéter.

Genética e linguagem na síndrome de Williams-Beuren: uma condição neuro-cognitiva peculiar

TEMA: aspectos genéticos, cognitivos e de linguagem na Síndrome de Williams-Beuren (SWB). OBJETIVO: revisar a literatura sobre a SWB, destacando aspectos genéticos, cognitivos e de linguagem. CONCLUSÕES: a literatura mostrou que a etiologia da SWB é conhecida, embora o diagnóstico precoce pode ser difícil pela variabilidade de manifestações clínicas dessa condição. O fenótipo variável tem sido atribuído a deleção de vários genes na região 7q11.23. que inclui o gene da elastina. A deleção desse gene é identificada pelo estudo citogenético molecular denominado Hibridização in situ por Fluorescência (FISH). A freqüência populacional desta síndrome é de 1 em 20,000 nascimentos e é resultante de uma alteração genética de novo. O quadro da SWB é caracterizado principalmente por fácies típica conhecida como face de duende, alterações cardíacas, prejuízos cognitivos e aspectos comportamentais que incluem a linguagem. A característica falante e sociável associada as dificuldades viso-construtivas conferem a esta síndrome um quadro neuro-cognitivo peculiar. A deficiência mental é variável e pode ou não estar presente. Estudos que descreveram as habilidades de linguagem nesta síndrome destacaram que a habilidade sintática pode estar íntegra ou parcialmente íntegra, a produção verbal pode ser precisa e inteligível, mostrando a integridade do sistema fonológico. O vocabulário receptivo-auditivo é citado em alguns estudos como adequado e em outros como prejudicado para a idade mental. Pesquisas na área têm produzido, resultados incongruentes com respeito ao perfil de habilidades cognitivas e lingüísticas nos portadores dessa condição. A correlação entre as habilidades de linguagem e a cognição e a divergência de achados na literatura serão abordadas neste artigo.

Capacidade reprodutiva de fêmeas de Apanteles galleriae (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) em lagartas de Galleria mellonella e Achroia grisella (Lepidoptera, Pyralidae) criadas com dietas diferentes

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

Preditores espaço-temporais do andar para testes de capacidade funcional em pacientes com doença de Parkinson

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

Comparação entre métodos invasivos e não invasivo de determinação da capacidade aeróbia em futebolistas profissionais

O Limiar Anaeróbio (Lan) pode ser determinado por protocolos que utilizam concentrações fixas de lactato sanguíneo como o OBLA (Onset of Blood Lactate Accumulation) e os que utilizam procedimentos mais individualizados, como o Lactato Mínimo (Lacmin). Independente do método, a mensuração da capacidade aeróbia através do Lan nesses casos exige a utilização de equipamentos sofisticados, além do elevado custo por atleta, o que torna sua aplicação limitada. Como alternativa, um dos testes não invasivos mais empregados no meio esportivo é o de 12 minutos proposto por Cooper. O objetivo principal do presente estudo foi comparar a intensidade de exercício obtida pelo teste de 12min com as intensidades correspondentes ao Lan obtido pelo protocolo adaptado ao de Tegtbur et al. (1993) (Lac minat) e pelo OBLA em futebolistas profissionais. Para tanto participaram 16 atletas pertencentes a uma equipe profissional filiada à série A3 do futebol paulista. Cada atleta foi avaliado nos três protocolos, com intervalo mínimo de 48 e máximo de 72 horas. Os resultados mostraram diferença (p < 0,05) entre as velocidades (km.h-1) obtidas pelo teste de Cooper (15,09 ± 0,94) e OBLA (14,28 ± 1,02); entretanto, esses testes apresentaram correlação significativa. Cooper e OBLA não apresentaram correlação com o Lac minat, mas as velocidades foram similares com esse protocolo. Dessa maneira, a partir da análise de regressão entre os valores de Cooper e OBLA foi possível determinar uma equação de correção que permita, através do teste de Cooper, a obtenção da intensidade correspondente ao Lan determinado pelo OBLA em futebolistas profissionais.