Gait and risk of falls associated with frontal cognitive functions at different stages of Alzheimer's disease

The decline in frontal cognitive functions contributes to alterations of gait and increases the risk of falls in patients with dementia, a category which included Alzheimer's disease (AD). The objective of the present study was to compare the gait parameters and the risk of falls among patients at different stages of AD, and to relate these variables with cognitive functions. This is a cross-sectional study with 23 patients with mild and moderate AD. The Clinical Dementia Rating was used to classify the dementia severity. The kinematic parameters of gait (cadence, stride length, and stride speed) were analyzed under two conditions: (a) single task (free gait) and (b) dual task (walking and counting down). The risk of falls was evaluated using the Timed Up-and-Go test. The frontal cognitive functions were evaluated using the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), the Clock Drawing Test (CDT) and the Symbol Search Subtest. The patients who were at the moderate stage suffered reduced performance in their stride length and stride speed in the single task and had made more counting errors in the dual task and still had a higher fall risk. Both the mild and the moderate patients exhibited significant decreases in stride length, stride speed and cadence in the dual task. Was detected a significant correlation between CDT, FAB, and stride speed in the dual task condition. We also found a significant correlation between subtest Similarities, FAB and cadence in the dual task condition. The dual task produced changes in the kinematic parameters of gait for the mild and moderate AD patients and the gait alterations are related to frontal cognitive functions, particularly executive functions.

Teores foliares de nutrientes, índice relativo de clorofila e teores de nitrato e de potássio na seiva do pecíolo na videira 'Niagara Rosada

A nutritional survey was carried out in 93 vineyards of the wine regions of Jundiai, Sao Miguel Arcanjo and Jales (state of São Paulo-Brazil), aiming to compare the nutrient concentration in leaf samples, the concentration of nitrate and potassium in the petiole sap and the relative chlorophyll index (IRC) of 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard. Leaves, blade and petiole in full bloom vines were sampled in 20 plants selected from each vineyard, and evaluations of the IRC in the leaf blade and the levels of NO3-and K in the petioles sap were realized. Macro and micronutrients concentrations were measured in leaf samples. The sampled vineyards were grouped by region of study, and each vineyard was considered as a replicate sample, totaling 45, 24 and 24 repetitions, in Jundiai, Sao Miguel Arcanjo and Jales, respectively. Sampled vineyards from the Jales region showed higher leaf concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe and Mn, and also higher IRC and levels of nitrate and potassium in the petiole. These differences were related to the different rootstocks used, which were 'IAC 766', 'IAC 572' and 'Riparia of Traviu', respectively, for Jundiai, Jales and Sao Miguel Arcanjo. The differences highlight the need to adjust the concentration ranges of nutrients in leaf analysis, through regional trials, taking into account the rootstock and the region under study.

Carbohydrate use and reduction in number of balance beam falls: Implications for mental and physical fatigue

Background: Artistic Gymnastics is a sport where athletes are frequently fatigued. One element that might influence this aspect is carbohydrate, an important energy substrate for the muscles and the CNS. Our goal was to investigate the influence of fatigue over artistic gymnastics athlete's performance and the effects of a carbohydrate supplementation on their performance. Methods: We evaluated 15 athletes divided in 2 groups (control and fatigue) from 12 to 14 years old in two different experimental days. On the first day (water day), they did 5 sets of exercises on the balance beam (experimental protocol) ingesting only water, CG (control group) warmed up before the experimental protocol and FG (fatigue group) did a fatigue circuit, warm up exercises and then the experimental protocol. On the second day (carbohydrate day), we used the same protocol but CG ingested a sugar free flavored juice and FG ingested a 20% concentration maltodextrin solution before the protocol on the balance beam. Results: We observed a greater number of falls from the balance beam from the FG on the first day (5.40 ± 1.14 FG vs 3.33 ± 1.37 CG; p = 0.024) and a decrease in the number of falls on the second day (2.29 ± 1.25 FG water day vs 5.40 ± 1.14 FG carbohydrate day; p = 0.0013). Carbohydrate solution was able to supply muscle demands and improve the athlete's focus showed by the reduced number of falls. © 2013 Batatinha et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

Efeitos do ácido giberélico e do thidiazuron nos cachos e bagas de uvas cv. Niagara rosada

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Avaliação de produtos alternativos para superação de dormência, produção e qualidades dos frutos de Niagara Rosada

Pós-graduação em Agronomia - FEIS

Efeitos do thidiazuron e do ácido giberélico sobre as características dos cachos dos cultivares de videira vênus, centennial seedless e niagara rosada

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

Levantamento nutricional e diagnóstico agronômico da videira 'Niagara rosada' em Jundiaí e Louveira-SP

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Horticultura) - FCA

Aplicação de ethephon em videira 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca L.) visando produção na entressafra do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Efeito do porta-enxerto e da época de poda na duração das fases fenológicas e no acúmulo de graus-dia pela videira 'Niagara Rosada'

It was evaluated the influence of rootstocks 'IAC 766', 'IAC 572', 'IAC 313', 'IAC 571-6' and 'Ripária do Traviú' and the pruning periods in the duration of phenological stages and in the accumulation of degree-days on grape 'Niagara Rosada' .The experiment was conducted in Louveira, SP. The treatments consisted of five rootstocks and three times of pruning, the experimental design being used in a completely randomized split plot with five replications, and plots represented by rootstocks and the subplots were pruning. After pruning the grapevine, were realized evaluations for phenological stages, using the criterion of Eichhon e Lorenz (1984). ). In three seasons of pruning, based on phenological stages, it was calculated the length of the periods: pruning to budding, pruning to the beginning of the flowering, pruning to the beginning of fruiting, pruning to beginning of ripening of the bunches, pruning the beginning of the harvest. Taking as a basis the cycle length of the vine and the average daytime temperatures, it was calculated the accumulation of degree-days. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey test at 5% significance level. It was obtained in the summer pruning the reduction in duration of the phenological stages of 'Niagara Rosada' grafted on the rootstock 'Ripária Traviú'. The longer duration of the cycle and accumulation of degree-day of 'Niagara Rosada' cultivar were obtained with the rootstocks 'IAC 572' and 'IAC 313' pruning in the winter.

Analysis of localized muscle fatigue in elderly women with and without a history of falls using electromyographic signal frequency parameters

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

Influence of rootstocks and pruning times on yield and on nutrient content and extraction in 'Niagara Rosada' grapevine

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

Dris norms and critical leaf nutrient levels for ‘Niagara rosada’ grape in Jundiaí region, São Paulo (Brasil)

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

Eunice Ford Stackhouse Biography - Accession 15 - M1 (1)

This collection consists of a biography of Eunice Ford Stackhouse (1885-1980) titled Eunice Ford Stackhouse: Educator and Civic Leader by Mary Frayser in 1959. Mrs. Stackhouse was an educator and civil leader. Mary Frayser includes excerpts and original correspondence of Mrs. Stackhouse in the publication.