Medida da preditividade de instrumentos psicológicos nas avaliações psicológicas de condutores

The object of this study was to identify the possibility of predicting the involvement in traffic infractions from the results of the psychological tests carried out by psychologists specialized in the process of driver licensing in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN). The proposal consisted in identifying the penalty points recorded in national driving licenses (CNH) and identifying the corresponding tests and scores obtained, verifying if the average scores in the tests of drivers with and without an infraction record were significantly different and if there is any relation between the test scores and the frequency of the infractions. The results of the psychological instruments were collected in two moments the first being in the act of acquisition of the CNH and the second being during license renewal at the only certified clinic and at the DETRAN-RN. A population of 839 drivers of 14 municipalities were identified. 127 protocols of psychological tests were identified in the records of the DETRAN-RN (2002) and 76 at the clinic (2007), pointing out failures in the process of safekeeping of the psychological material, as well as in its retrieval from the record files. The sample was thus reduced to 68 drivers, all male, with age range between 18 and 41 years old, mean of 21,72 years old (DP = 5,24). 54 drivers were identified without a record of infraction, and 14 with a record. The latter committed 29 infractions. The penalty points recorded in their CNH ranged from 0 to 35 and the typical value of points (median) was zero. In the group with a record of infractions the number of points ranged between 3 and 35, mean of 10,79 (DP = 7,73). Differences were observed in the composition of the battery of tests in the two moments with the same subjects. The use of different tests to assess the same construct of the subject, first and second moment of assessment, did not allow for some analyzes with more efficient statistical proof. It was pointed out that five tests were not carried out and 118 were not corrected/analyzed. Significant differences between the groups were not identified with the psychological instruments used. In another attempt to establish differences between the means, the application of the independent t-Test evidenced a significant difference in the scores of the instruments of concentrated attention in 2002 (t = 2,21, gl = 25, p = 0.037) and of diffuse attention in 2002 (t = 2,37, gl = 24, p = 0.026). The results also did not evidence significant correlation between the scores of the tests and the penalty points of the infractions. Based on this study, it cannot be concluded with precision that the high or low scores are good criteria to determine that a driver will commit more or less traffic infractions, nor that the drivers with higher scores in the tests commit less infractions and vice-versa. Furthermore, the problems to find the instruments and the most basic data require a stronger monitoring on the part of the certified clinic and of the DETRAN-RN.

CORRELAÇÕES ENTRE PERCEPÇÃO DA PASSAGEM DO TEMPO, ATENÇÃO DIFUSA E ANSIEDADE

O presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar aspectos psicofisiológicos da ansiedade em particular a atenção e a percepção da passagem do tempo. Foi aplicada a escala psicométrica de ansiedade do IDATE em 180 alunos do curso de Educação Física da Universidade de São Paulo em sala de aula. Foram selecionados 15 voluntários mais ansiosos e 15 menos ansiosos foi considerado o IDATE traço por apresentar características mais constantes da ansiedade. O experimento 1 foi a tarefa de Tempo Espontâneo onde os participantes deviam bater o dedo no botão A do joystick da forma mais regular e precisa possível por um minuto. Já no experimento 2 os participantes foram orientados a responder o mais rápido possível ao surgimento do estimulo (ponto branco 0,4 grau) com uma luminância de 80 cd/m contra um fundo cinza pressionando o botão A do joystick com qualquer dedo da mão dominante (TRS). Os estímulos eram apresentados randomicamente por 82 posições diferentes na tela do computador. Após tratamento dos dados e analise estatística, o estudo de caráter geral e exploratório apresentado aqui mostra tendências, mas não correlações significativas entre as medidas. Alguns dados, no entanto, chamam a atenção e devem ser considerados no planejamento de experimentos futuros.

Diabetes melutus associated with pentamidine isethionate in diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis

The authors report a case of a male patient from Bacabal, MA with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis (DCL), for at least nine years, with 168 lesions on his body. These were tumour-like nodules with some ulceratmi. He usedpentavalent antimonial (glucantime®) and an association of gamma interferon plus glucantime with improvement of the lesions but relapsed later. Recently, pentamidine isethionate (pentacarinat®) was given a dosage of 4mg/kg/weight/day on alternate days for 20 applications. After 3 months a similar course of 10 application was given 2 times. Later he developed diabetic signs with weight loss of 10kg, polydypsia, polyuria and xerostomia. The lower limbs lesions showed signs of activity. Blood glucose levels normalised and remain like this at moment. Attention is drawn to the fact that pentamidine isethionate should be used as a therapy option with care, obeyng rigorous laboratory controls including a glucose tolerance test.

Primary diffuse large B-cell lymphoma or lymphomatoid granulomatosis grade 3: a still-puzzling diagnosis in autopsy

Primary lung lymphoma is a rare entity accounting for approximately 0.3% of all primary neoplasia of the lung and includes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL) and lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG). Considering that clinical features may be similar, whereas epidemiology, morphology, and radiological features are different, the authors report a case of a middle-aged man who presented multiple pulmonary nodules in the lower lobes and groundglass opacities scattered bilaterally on computed tomography. Clinically, he presented a consumptive syndrome with respiratory failure and pleurisy, which progressed until death. The autopsy findings were consistent with lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) grade 3/ diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBL). The authors call attention to the difficulty of establishing an accurate diagnosis, mainly when the demonstration of EBV-infected atypical B-cells fails.

Diffuse descending necrotizing mediastinitis: surgical therapy and outcome in a single-centre series

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis (DNM) is a rare but rapidly progressing disease with a potentially fatal outcome, originating from odontogenical or cervical infections. The aim of this article was to give an up-to-date overview on this still underestimated disease, to draw the clinician's attention and particularly to highlight the need for rapid diagnosis and adequate surgical treatment.

To which extent can attention and/or modulation explains deficits in dyslexia?

This thesis investigates the visual deficits associated with developmental dyslexia, particularly that of visual attention. Visual attention has previously been investigated in a wide array of behavioural and psychophysical (amongst others) studies but not many have produced consistent findings. Attention processes are believed to play an integral part in depicting the overall "extent" of reading deficits in dyslexia, so it was of paramount importance to aim at such attention mechanisms in this research. The experiments in this thesis focused on signal enhancement and noise (distractor) exclusion. Given the flexibility of the visual search paradigms employed in this research, factors such as visual crowding and attention distribution was also investigated. The experiments systematically manipulated noise (by increasing distractor count, i.e. set-size), crowding (varying the spacing between distractors), attention allocation (use of peripheral cues to direct attention), and attention distribution (influence of one visual field over the other), all of which were tied to a critical factor, the "location/spatial/decisional uncertainty". Adults with dyslexia were: (i) able to modulate attention appropriately using peripheral pre-cues, (ii) severely affected by crowding, and (iii) unable to counteract increased set-sizes when post or un-cued, the latter signifying poor distractor (noise) suppression. By controlling for location uncertainty, the findings confirmed that adults with dyslexia were yet again affected by crowding and set-size, in addition to an asymmetric attention distribution. Confounding effects of ADHD symptoms did not explain a significant independent variance in performance, suggesting that the difficulty shown by adult dyslexics were not accounted for by co-morbid ADHD. Furthermore, the effects of crowding, set-size and asymmetric attention correlated significantly with literacy, but not ADHD measures. It is believed that a more diffuse and an asymmetric attention system (in dyslexia) to be the limiting factor concerning noise exclusion and attention distribution. The findings from this thesis add to the current understanding of the potential role of deficits in visual attention in dyslexia and in the literacy difficulties experienced by this population.

Comparing Near-infrared Conventional Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy And Hyperspectral Imaging For Determination Of The Bulk Properties Of Solid Samples By Multivariate Regression: Determination Of Mooney Viscosity And Plasticity Indices Of Natural Rubber.

Conventional reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) and hyperspectral imaging (HI) in the near-infrared region (1000-2500 nm) are evaluated and compared, using, as the case study, the determination of relevant properties related to the quality of natural rubber. Mooney viscosity (MV) and plasticity indices (PI) (PI0 - original plasticity, PI30 - plasticity after accelerated aging, and PRI - the plasticity retention index after accelerated aging) of rubber were determined using multivariate regression models. Two hundred and eighty six samples of rubber were measured using conventional and hyperspectral near-infrared imaging reflectance instruments in the range of 1000-2500 nm. The sample set was split into regression (n = 191) and external validation (n = 95) sub-sets. Three instruments were employed for data acquisition: a line scanning hyperspectral camera and two conventional FT-NIR spectrometers. Sample heterogeneity was evaluated using hyperspectral images obtained with a resolution of 150 × 150 μm and principal component analysis. The probed sample area (5 cm(2); 24,000 pixels) to achieve representativeness was found to be equivalent to the average of 6 spectra for a 1 cm diameter probing circular window of one FT-NIR instrument. The other spectrophotometer can probe the whole sample in only one measurement. The results show that the rubber properties can be determined with very similar accuracy and precision by Partial Least Square (PLS) regression models regardless of whether HI-NIR or conventional FT-NIR produce the spectral datasets. The best Root Mean Square Errors of Prediction (RMSEPs) of external validation for MV, PI0, PI30, and PRI were 4.3, 1.8, 3.4, and 5.3%, respectively. Though the quantitative results provided by the three instruments can be considered equivalent, the hyperspectral imaging instrument presents a number of advantages, being about 6 times faster than conventional bulk spectrometers, producing robust spectral data by ensuring sample representativeness, and minimizing the effect of the presence of contaminants.

P16(ink) (4a) Expression As A Potential Marker Of Low-grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia Progression.

To evaluate p16(INK) (4a) immunoexpression in CIN1 lesions looking for differences between cases that progress to CIN2/3 maintain CIN1 diagnosis, or spontaneously regress. Seventy-four CIN1 biopsies were studied. In the follow-up, a second biopsy was performed and 28.7% showed no lesion (regression), 37.9% maintained CIN1, and 33.4% progressed to CIN2/3. Immunostaining for p16(INK) (4a) was performed in the first biopsy and it was considered positive when there was strong and diffuse staining of the basal and parabasal layers. Pearson's chi-square was used to compare the groups (p ≤ 0.05). The age of the patients was similar. There was no significant difference in p16(INK) (4a) immunoexpression in the groups, however, statistical analyses showed a significant association when only the progression and regression groups were compared (p = 0.042). Considering p16(INK) (4a) positivity and the progression to CIN2/3, the sensitivity, specificity, positive, and negative predictive values in our cohort were 45%, 75%, 47%, and 94%, respectively. We emphasize that CIN1 with p16(INK) (4a) staining was associated with lesion progression, but the sensitivity was not high. However, the negative predictive value was more reliable (94%) and p16(INK) (4a) may represent a useful biomarker that can identify CIN1 lesions that need particular attention, complementing morphology.

Lateral asymmetry of voluntary attention orienting

We recently demonstrated that automatic attention favors the right side of space and, in the present study, we investigated whether voluntary attention also favors this side. Six reaction time experiments were conducted. In each experiment, 12 new 18-25-year-old male right-handed individuals were tested. In Experiments 1, 2, 3 (a, b) and 4 (a, b), tasks with increasing attentional demands were used. In Experiments 1, 2, 3a, and 4a, attention was oriented to one or both sides by means of a central spatially informative visual cue. A left or right side visual target appeared 100, 300, or 500 ms later. Attentional effects were observed in the four experiments. In Experiments 2, 3a and 4a, these effects were greater when the cue indicated the right side than when it indicated the left side (respectively: 16 ± 10 and 44 ± 6 ms, P = 0.015, for stimulus onset asynchrony of 500 ms in Experiment 2; 38 ± 10 and 70 ± 7 ms, P = 0.011, for Experiment 3a, and 23 ± 11 and 61 ± 10 ms, P = 0.009, for Experiment 4a). In Experiments 3b and 4b, the central cue pointed to both sides and was said to be non-relevant for task performance. In these experiments right and left reaction times did not differ. The most conservative interpretation of the present findings is that voluntary attention orienting favors the right side of space, particularly when a difficult task has to be performed.

Evidence for divided automatic attention

A long-standing debate in the literature is whether attention can form two or more independent spatial foci in addition to the well-known unique spatial focus. There is evidence that voluntary visual attention divides in space. The possibility that this also occurs for automatic visual attention was investigated here. Thirty-six female volunteers were tested. In each trial, a prime stimulus was presented in the left or right visual hemifield. This stimulus was characterized by the blinking of a superior, middle or inferior ring, the blinking of all these rings, or the blinking of the superior and inferior rings. A target stimulus to which the volunteer should respond with the same side hand or a target stimulus to which she should not respond was presented 100 ms later in a primed location, a location between two primed locations or a location in the contralateral hemifield. Reaction time to the positive target stimulus in a primed location was consistently shorter than reaction time in the horizontally corresponding contralateral location. This attentional effect was significantly smaller or absent when the positive target stimulus appeared in the middle location after the double prime stimulus. These results suggest that automatic visual attention can focus on two separate locations simultaneously, to some extent sparing the region in between.

Minor and Unsystematic Cortical Topographic Changes of Attention Correlates between Modalities

In this study we analyzed the topography of induced cortical oscillations in 20 healthy individuals performing simple attention tasks. We were interested in qualitatively replicating our recent findings on the localization of attention-induced beta bands during a visual task [1], and verifying whether significant topographic changes would follow the change of attention to the auditory modality. We computed corrected latency averaging of each induced frequency bands, and modeled their generators by current density reconstruction with Lp-norm minimization. We quantified topographic similarity between conditions by an analysis of correlations, whereas the inter-modality significant differences in attention correlates were illustrated in each individual case. We replicated the qualitative result of highly idiosyncratic topography of attention-related activity to individuals, manifested both in the beta bands, and previously studied slow potential distributions [2]. Visual inspection of both scalp potentials and distribution of cortical currents showed minor changes in attention-related bands with respect to modality, as compared to the theta and delta bands, known to be major contributors to the sensory-related potentials. Quantitative results agreed with visual inspection, supporting to the conclusion that attention-related activity does not change much between modalities, and whatever individual changes do occur, they are not systematic in cortical localization across subjects. We discuss our results, combined with results from other studies that present individual data, with respect to the function of cortical association areas.

Upper limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos from the Pierre Auger Observatory

The surface detector array of the Pierre Auger Observatory is sensitive to Earth-skimming tau neutrinos that interact in Earth's crust. Tau leptons from nu(tau) charged-current interactions can emerge and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a significant electromagnetic component. The data collected between 1 January 2004 and 31 August 2007 are used to place an upper limit on the diffuse flux of nu(tau) at EeV energies. Assuming an E(nu)(-2) differential energy spectrum the limit set at 90% C. L. is E(nu)(2)dN(nu tau)/dE(nu) < 1: 3 x 10(-7) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1) in the energy range 2 x 10(17) eV< E(nu) < 2 x 10(19) eV.

Limit on the diffuse flux of ultrahigh energy tau neutrinos with the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Data collected at the Pierre Auger Observatory are used to establish an upper limit on the diffuse flux of tau neutrinos in the cosmic radiation. Earth-skimming nu(tau) may interact in the Earth's crust and produce a tau lepton by means of charged-current interactions. The tau lepton may emerge from the Earth and decay in the atmosphere to produce a nearly horizontal shower with a typical signature, a persistent electromagnetic component even at very large atmospheric depths. The search procedure to select events induced by tau decays against the background of normal showers induced by cosmic rays is described. The method used to compute the exposure for a detector continuously growing with time is detailed. Systematic uncertainties in the exposure from the detector, the analysis, and the involved physics are discussed. No tau neutrino candidates have been found. For neutrinos in the energy range 2x10(17) eV < E(nu)< 2x10(19) eV, assuming a diffuse spectrum of the form E(nu)(-2), data collected between 1 January 2004 and 30 April 2008 yield a 90% confidence-level upper limit of E(nu)(2)dN(nu tau)/dE(nu)< 9x10(-8) GeV cm(-2) s(-1) sr(-1).

An external focus of attention results in greater swimming speed

We examined effects of attentional focus on swimming speed. Participants` task was to swim one length of a pool (16 m) using the front crawl stroke. In Experiment 1, intermediate swimmers were given attentional focus instructions related to the crawl arm stroke or the leg kick, respectively. Participants were instructed to focus on ""pulling your hands back"" or ""pushing the instep down"" (internal focus), or on ""pushing the water back/down"" (external focus), respectively. Swim times were significantly shorter with an external focus. In Experiment 2, a control condition was included. Times were significantly faster in the external focus compared with both the internal focus and control conditions. These findings have implications for enhancing performance in swimming.

Bimanual aiming and overt attention: one law for two hands

Reaching to interact with an object requires a compromise between the speed of the limb movement and the required end-point accuracy. The time it takes one hand to move to a target in a simple aiming task can be predicted reliably from Fitts' law, which states that movement time is a function of a combined measure of amplitude and accuracy constraints (the index of difficulty, ID). It has been assumed previously that Fitts' law is violated in bimanual aiming movements to targets of unequal ID. We present data from two experiments to show that this assumption is incorrect: if the attention demands of a bimanual aiming task are constant then the movements are well described by a Fitts' law relationship. Movement time therefore depends not only on ID but on other task conditions, which is a basic feature of Fitts' law. In a third experiment we show that eye movements are an important determinant of the attention demands in a bimanual aiming task. The results from the third experiment extend the findings of the first two experiments and show that bimanual aiming often relies on the strategic co-ordination of separate actions into a seamless behaviour. A number of the task specific strategies employed by the adult human nervous system were elucidated in the third experiment. The general strategic pattern observed in the hand trajectories was reflected by the pattern of eye movements recorded during the experiment. The results from all three experiments demonstrate that eye movements must be considered as an important constraint in bimanual aiming tasks.