Mild cognitive impairment (part 2): Biological markers for diagnosis and prediction of dementia in Alzheimer's disease

To present a critical review of publications reporting on the rationale and clinical implications of the use of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Methods: We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases, limited to articles published in English between 1999 and 2012, and based on the following terms: mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease OR dementia, biomarkers. We retrieved 1,130 articles, of which 175 were reviews. Overall, 955 original articles were eligible. Results: The following points were considered relevant for the present review: a) rationale for biomarkers research in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI); b) usefulness of distinct biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; c) the role of multimodality biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; d) the role of biomarkers in clinical trials of patients with AD and MCI; and e) current limitations to the widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings. Conclusion: Different biomarkers are useful for the early diagnosis and prediction of AD in at-risk subjects. Nonetheless, important methodological limitations need to be overcome for widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings. © 2013 Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria.

Desenvolvimento de critério objetivo para a sinalização da ingestão alimentar deficiente de paciente hospitalizado

Pós-graduação em Alimentos e Nutrição - FCFAR

The British Virgin Islands national integrated development strategy

Includes bibliography

Macroeconomic policies in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

The impact of privatisation on the banking sector in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Natural disasters workshops

.--Natural Disasters Workshops-Preamble.--Natural Disasters Workshops-Introduction.--Natural Disasters Workshops-Background.--Natural Disasters Workshops-The Methodology.--Natural Disasters Workshops-The Workshops.--The Y2K Caribbean Census.--Education and It's Impact on Poverty.-- Poverty in the Caribbean.-- Accessing Quality Education.--Impact of Education on Poverty.--Education and Poverty-The way forward.-- ENDNOTES for Education and Poverty Article.--ECLAC Experts Meeting on Maritime Transport.-- Introduction-Maritime Meeting.-- rationale for the Meeting.-- Highlights of the Experts Meeting.--The way Forward.-- Abstracts of Documents recently published by ECLAC.

An assessment of the economic impact of climate change on the Agriculture, Energy and Health sectors in Trinidad and Tobago

This report analyses the agriculture, energy, and health sectors in Trinidad and Tobago to assess the potential economic impacts of climate change on the sectors. The fundamental aim of this report is to assist with the development of strategies to deal with the potential impact of climate change on Trinidad and Tobago. It also has the potential to provide essential input for identifying and preparing policies and strategies to help advance the Caribbean subregion closer to solving problems associated with climate change and attaining individual and regional sustainable development goals. Some of the key anticipated impacts of climate change for the Caribbean include elevated air and sea-surface temperatures, sea-level rise, possible changes in extreme events and a reduction in freshwater resources. The economic impact of climate change on the three sectors was estimated for the A2 and B2 IPCC scenarios until 2050. An exploration of various adaptation strategies was also undertaken for each sector using standard evaluation techniques. The study of the impact of climate change on the agriculture sector focused on root crops, green vegetables and fisheries. For these sectors combined, the cumulative loss under the A2 scenario is calculated as approximately B$2.24 and approximately B$1.72 under the B2 scenario by 2050. This is equivalent to 1.37% and 1.05% of the 2008 GDP under the A2 and B2 scenarios, respectively. Given the potential for significant damage to the agriculture sector a large number of potential adaptation measures were considered. Out of these a short-list of 10 potential options were selected by applying 10 evaluation criteria. All of the adaptation strategies showed positive benefits. The analysis indicate that the options with the highest net benefits are: (1) Building on-farm water storage, (2) Mainstreaming climate change issues into agricultural management and (3) Using drip irrigation. Other attractive options include water harvesting. The policy decisions by governments should include these assessments, the omitted intangible benefits, as well as the provision of other social goals such as employment. The analysis of the energy sector has shown that the economic impact of climate change during 2011-2050 is similar under the A2 (US$142.88 million) and B2 (US$134.83 million) scenarios with A2 scenario having a slightly higher cost (0.737% of 2009 GDP) than the B2 scenario (0.695% of 2009 GDP) for the period. On the supply side, analyses indicate that Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector will be susceptible to the climate change policies of major energy-importing countries (the United States of America and China), and especially to their renewable energy strategies. Implementation of foreign oil substitution policy by the United States of America will result in a decline in Trinidad and Tobago’s Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) export (equivalent to 2.2% reduction in 2009 GDP) unless an alternative market is secured for the lost United States of America market. China, with its rapid economic growth and the highest population in the world, offers a potential replacement market for Trinidad and Tobago’s LNG export. In this context the A2 scenario will offer the best option for Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector. The cost-benefit analysis undertaken on selected adaptation strategies reveal that the benefit-cost ratio of replacing electric water heaters with solar water heaters is the most cost-effective. It was also found that the introduction of Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL) and Variable Refrigerant Volume (VRV) air conditioners surpasses the projected cost of increased electricity consumption due to climate change, and provides an economic rationale for the adoption of these adaptation options even in a situation of increased electricity consumption occasioned by climate change. Finally, the conversion of motor fleets to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a cost-effective adaptation option for the transport sector, although it has a high initial cost of implementation and the highest per capita among the four adaptation options evaluated. To investigate the effect of climate change on the health sector dengue fever, leptospirosis, food borne illnesses, and gastroenteritis were examined. The total number of new dengue cases for the period 2008 to 2050 was 204,786 for BAU, 153,725 for A2 and 131,890 for the B2 scenario. With regard to the results for leptospirosis, A2 and B2 seem to be following a similar path with total number of new cases in the A2 scenario being 9,727 and 9,218 cases under the B2 scenario. Although incidence levels in the BAU scenario coincided with those of A2 and B2 prior to 2020, they are somewhat lower post 2020. A similar picture emerges for the scenarios as they relate to food-borne illnesses and to gastroenteritis. Specifically for food-borne illnesses, the BAU scenario recorded 27,537 cases, the A2 recorded 28,568 cases and the B2 recorded 28,679 cases. The focus on the selected sources of morbidity in the health sector has highlighted the fact that the vulnerability of the country’s health sector to climate change does not depend solely on exogenously derived impacts, but also on the behaviour and practices among the population. It is clear that the vulnerability which became evident in the analysis of the impacts on dengue fever, leptospirosis and food-borne illnesses is not restricted solely to climate or other external factors. The most important adaptation strategy being recommended targets lifestyle, behaviour and attitude changes. The population needs to be encouraged to alter their behaviours and practices so as to minimise their exposure to harmful outcomes as it relates to the incidence of these diseases.

Report on expert group meeting on macroeconomic modelling in the Caribbean: new challenges and new directions

The purpose of the expert group meeting was to bring together modelling practitioners to share experiences and to reflect on how to overcome new and old challenges to model building in the Caribbean. As part of the rationale for such a meeting, it was argued that since a major objective of policymaking in the Caribbean was to create the conditions for growth with equity while reducing vulnerability to economic and environmental shocks, model builders must develop strategies to properly address those questions in a unified way. It was further suggested that those goals, though straightforward, required a concentrated technical effort to clarify and update understanding of the workings of Caribbean economies. The emphasis on addressing issues of growth, equity and vulnerability was urgent because Caribbean economies were at a crossroads, with major challenges to the foundations and premises on which the economies had been built.

Report on expert group workshop on macroeconomic modelling in the Caribbean: new challenges and new directions.

The purpose of the expert group meeting was to bring together modelling practitioners to share experiences and to reflect on how to overcome new and old challenges to model building in the Caribbean. As part of the rationale for such a meeting, it was argued that since a major objective of policymaking in the Caribbean was to create the conditions for growth with equity while reducing vulnerability to economic and environmental shocks, model builders must develop strategies to properly address those questions in a unified way. It was further suggested that those goals, though straightforward, required a concentrated technical effort to clarify and update understanding of the workings of Caribbean economies. The emphasis on addressing issues of growth, equity and vulnerability was urgent because Caribbean economies were at a crossroads, with major challenges to the foundations and premises on which the economies had been built.

Saúde, meio ambiente e complexidade

Pós-graduação em Serviço Social - FCHS

Democracia, participação e representação - os espaços deliberativos no Brasil: a experiência do Conselho Municipal de Saúde de Araraquara (2001-2007)

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Proposta de método para avaliação do sistema de gestão da qualidade, meio ambiente, segurança e saúde ocupacional integrados

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Projeto Calha Norte: política de defesa nacional e segurança hemisférica na governança contemporânea

Evidencia a análise do percurso institucional e geoestratégico do Projeto Calha Norte (PCN) como processo de territorialização da fronteira política. O PCN foi pensado nos moldes convencionais da defesa e influenciado pela Doutrina de Segurança Nacional (DSN) dos anos sessenta e setenta, que objetivava e objetiva garantir o aumento da presença do Estado na Faixa de Fronteira Norte (Arco Norte), contribuindo para a Defesa Nacional e para a assistência às populações locais. Busca entender as implicações históricas, estratégicas, geopolíticas, financeiras e ambientais, desde a sua origem até os anos noventa com ênfase no governo de Fernando H. Cardoso - FHC (1994-2002). Apresenta a idéia de que a política de defesa implementada por este obedeceu às inflexões das mudanças internas na governança brasileira, bem como almejou adequá-la às transformações em curso regional e mundialmente, caracterizadas pela substituição da ordem bipolar para multipolar/unipolar, alteração no perfil das instituições políticas e, sobretudo, da integração hemisférica do país num quadro de incertezas e apelo ao fortalecimento da segurança coletiva. Essas mudanças ocorreram no contexto da modernização capitalista, na qual o PCN é concebido como uma modalidade particular de intervenção e expansão do Estado, que tem o uso exclusivo do monopólio da força, cumprindo suas prerrogativas constitucionais numa área marrom - ausência do Estado enquanto um conjunto de burocracias funcionando efetivamente numa área de baixa densidade demográfica. A ineficácia dessas dimensões do Estado define a peculiaridade do circuito da ilegalidade, isto é, o locus das atividades ilícitas tais como o narcotráfico e o contrabando. Assim, a racionalidade presente na ação do Estado consiste em articular os elementos capazes de estimular a materialização de um processo de homogeneização do espaço social na fronteira política em contexto de integração e cooperação com os países da Pan-Amazônia. Baseando-se em indicadores demográficos, econômico-financeiros e ambientais, e numa ampla base de dados sobre a Faixa de Fronteira Norte, a pesquisa concluiu pela necessidade da intervenção na fronteira política, onde o Estado busca cumprir, relativamente, sua função para ordenar e disciplinar as relações e os processos sociais a partir de referências constitucionais; afirmou que o esvaziamento financeiro deveu-se menos ao programa governamental para ajustar as contas públicas e o pagamento da dívida externa do que à decisão política de reorientar os investimentos para o Projeto; provou-se que há um movimento para a inclusão efetiva da sustentabilidade na nova PDN (Política de Defesa Nacional) e; finalmente, argumentou-se a favor da necessidade de integrar o PCN ao sistema de produção de informações do SIVAM entendido como um novo enfoque sobre a defesa nacional na Era da Informação, e que é necessário para a vigilância da região.

Estilos e estratégias de aprendizagem do inglês: um estudo de caso no ensino fundamental

Este estudo tem como objetivo investigar os estilos de aprendizagem de aprendentes de uma turma do Ensino Fundamental de uma escola pública municipal de Belém e as estratégias de aprendizagem utilizadas por eles nas aulas de inglês e também fora delas. Além disso, buscamos identificar os objetivos dos aprendentes com relação à aprendizagem de inglês. Foram adotados os princípios da pesquisa qualitativa estudo de caso para coleta e análise de dados. Os instrumentos utilizados foram questionários, auto-relatos verbais e notas de campo. As propostas de Brown (1994), Felder e Soloman (1993) e Oxford (2003) forneceram suporte teórico para uma tentativa de classificação dos estilos de aprendizagem. Escolhemos as teorias de Oxford (1990) para descrever e classificar as estratégias. Para tornar a aprendizagem de uma LE mais eficaz na escola pública, exploramos a possibilidade de propor uma instrução baseada em estratégias integrada ao conteúdo do curso regular. Com esse objetivo, apresentamos dois modelos: Instrução Baseada em Estratégias (IBES) de Cohen (1998) e o Modelo de Treinamento de Estratégias Oxford (1990). Nossos resultados descrevem os estilos e estratégias de aprendizagem dos alunos de uma turma da 8 série do Ensino Fundamental. Aventamos a possibilidade de que, identificadas essas características, professor e alunos podem criar situações de aprendizagem muito mais eficazes.

Avaliação da proficiência oral em inglês como língua estrangeira: foco na competência lexical e uma proposta para o processo de validação do descritor vocabulário de um teste de proficiência para professores de língua inglesa

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