Background: Patterns of cognitive change and modifiable factors for cognitive decline versus stable cognitive trajectories have rarely been described in lower-educated older adults.
Objectives: We aimed to identify long-term trajectories of cognitive functioning and possible factors associated with cognitive decline.
Design And Participants: We used data from 1,042 adults aged ≥ 60 participating in the Health, Welfare and Aging Study (SABE), São Paulo, Brazil, without cognitive impairment at baseline.
Background: Migration is a phenomenon worldwide, with older migrants, particularly those with fewer socioeconomic resources, having an increased risk of developing adverse cognitive and health outcomes and social isolation. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to validate interventions that promote healthy aging in this population. Previous studies have shown a positive impact of mindfulness based-stress reduction (MBSR) on outcomes such as cognition and sleep.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe emission of nitrous oxide (NO), one of the main greenhouse gases, which contributes significantly to global warming, is a major challenge in modern agriculture. The effects of land use systems on NO emissions are the result of multiple variables, whose interactions need to be better understood. In this sense, this study analyzed the possible effects of different soil managements, crop rotations and sequences, as well as edaphoclimatic factors causing NO emissions from soils in the Cerrado biome (scrubland).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The aims of this study were to compare the bond strength between metallic brackets and two different glass ceramics and to evaluate the ceramic surface roughness after different finishing protocols.
Methods: The surface roughness of lithium disilicate and resin matrix ceramic samples was measured (initial). All samples were treated with hydrofluoric acid and silane and bonded to metallic brackets with orthodontic cement adhesive.
This study evaluated Carbon (C) storage in different compartments in eucalyptus stands and native Cerrado vegetation. To determine C above ground, an inventory was carried out in the areas where diameter at breast height (DBH), diameter at base height (Db), and total tree height (H) were measured. In the stands, the rigorous cubage was made by the direct method, and in the native vegetation, it was determined by the indirect method through an allometric equation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNew agricultural practices and land-use intensification in the Cerrado biome have affected the soil carbon stocks. A major part of the native vegetation of the Brazilian Cerrado, a tropical savanna-like ecoregion, has been replaced by crops, which has caused changes in the soil carbon (C) stocks. To ensure the sustainability of this intensified agricultural production, actions have been taken to increase soil C stocks and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current knowledge of modifiable risk factors for dementia comes mainly from high-income countries. In Latin America and Caribbean countries, where the burden of gender and socioeconomic inequalities is greater than in high-income countries, the prevalence of dementia is also higher and disease onset is earlier, especially among women, even after adjustments for life expectancy. In this Personal View, we discuss socioeconomic modifiable risk factors for dementia established by previous studies and postulate further harmful and often hidden factors faced by women that might influence the gender-specific timing of onset and general prevalence of dementia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Stroke is a highly incapacitating disease that can lead to disabilities due to cognitive impairment, physical, emotional, and social sequelae, and a decrease in the quality of life of those affected. Moreover, it has been suggested that cognitive reserve (patients' higher levels of education or having a skilled occupation), for instance, can promote faster cognitive recovery after a stroke. For this reason, this review aims to identify the cognitive, functional, and behavioral effects of computerized rehabilitation in patients aged 50 years or older who had a stroke, considering cognitive reserve proxies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPLoS One
November 2022
Restoring the ecosystems of the Cerrado biome is challenging considering the diversity of phytophysiognomies present in the biome, some of which are composed of species from different strata (herbaceous, shrubby, and arboreal), which increases the complexity of restructuring the floristic composition. Other factors was involved, such as soil quality, which directly influences the success of restoration, water storage, and nutrients, the financial costs, and a slow ecological process, due to the adverse circumstances found in the area. be restored.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Studies have shown that the prevalence of dementia in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) may be higher than in high-income countries. Thus, we sought to systematically analyse the prevalence of dementia and explore possible drivers that lead to this disparity in LAC countries.
Method: We searched Pubmed, Web of Knowledge, Scopus, Lilacs, and SciELO for studies on dementia in LAC countries published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.
Monitoring the vital signs of mice is an essential practice during imaging procedures to avoid populational losses and improve image quality. For this purpose, a system based on a set of devices (piezoelectric sensor, optical module and thermistor) able to detect the heart rate, respiratory rate, body temperature and arterial blood oxygen saturation (SpO2) in mice anesthetized with sevoflurane was implemented. Results were validated by comparison with the reported literature on similar anesthetics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDevelopmental Dyscalculia (DD) signifies a failure in representing quantities, which impairs the performance of basic math operations and schooling achievement during childhood. The lack of specificity in assessment measures and respective cut-offs are the most challenging factors to identify children with DD, particularly in disadvantaged educational contexts. This research is focused on a numerical cognition battery for children, designed to diagnose DD through 12 subtests.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: The population of Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) is ageing rapidly, presenting the highest prevalence rates of dementia in the world. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate condition between normal ageing, Alzheimer's disease, and related dementias. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the prevalence of MCI in LAC countries and explore factors associated with MCI (i.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAssociations between personality traits and mental health outcomes (depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress) have rarely been assessed in a population-representative sample of a high-income country during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, as far as we know, the role of health and social behaviors as well as resilience in the personality-mental health relationship has yet to be explored. A representative sample of 1,828 residents of Luxembourg filled in validated scales to assess personality traits and resilience, depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety, loneliness, and stress, indicating mental health, in mid-April 2020.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvid Based Complement Alternat Med
October 2021
Species of the genus are rich in essential oils and have shown antibacterial properties, which may be related to oils' chemical composition. The present work aimed to evaluate the antimicrobial potential of Kunth against two bacteria strains: and . Leaf essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation in a modified Clevenger-type apparatus, and their chemical composition was determined by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and flame ionization detection (GC/FID).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Decreases in prevalence of cognitive impairment and dementia over the last two decades have been observed in different countries for cohorts entering older age. This study aimed to assess the cognitive impairment prevalence and explore associated factors among subjects aged >60 living in São Paulo, Brazil.
Method: Data came from a population-based Health, Welfare and Aging survey conducted in 2000, 2006, 2010, and 2015.
Studies have been showing a negative impact of pandemic control measures on mental health. However, few studies assessed these effects longitudinally during the peak of the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The goals of this study were to explore whether differential effects of COVID-19 restrictions on mental health could be observed by sex and age in a Luxembourgish nationally representative sample during the initial outbreak of COVID-19.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe COVID-19 outbreak required diverse strategies, such as social distancing and self-isolation, to avoid a healthcare system crisis. However, these measures have been associated with the onset or increase of anxiety and depression symptoms in the population. Music listening was previously shown to regulate emotion, consequently reducing depression symptoms.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnlabelled: The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency of international concern, and the main measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus causing COVID-19 were social distancing, quarantine, and self-isolation. Although these policies are effective in containing the spread of the virus, they might represent a challenge to psychological well-being, increasing levels of depressive and anxiety-related symptoms.
Aims: We explored the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms during COVID-19 restrictions and associations with sociodemographic factors in a Brazilian sample.
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had profound effects on all aspects of society. Families were among those directly impacted by the first measures imposed by health authorities worldwide to contain the spread of the Sars-CoV-2 virus, where social distancing and mandatory quarantine were the main approaches implemented. Notably, little is yet known about how social distancing during COVID-19 has altered families' daily routines, particularly regarding music-related behaviors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFChronic cocaine use has been shown to lead to neurotoxicity in rodents and humans, being associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. However, recreational use, which may lead to addictive behavior, is often neglected. This occurs, in part, due to the belief that exposure to low doses of cocaine comes with no brain damage risk.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this review, we investigated the influence of happy/pleasurable and sad/unpleasant emotional stimuli on working memory (WM) performance. Twenty-eight out of 356 articles were reviewed. We observed that emotional stimuli were used as mood inductors or as targets comprising the WM task.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Equity Health
June 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused high mortality rates among older people, and in order to avoid a healthcare system crisis, almost all countries worldwide have adopted social isolation measures to prevent the spread of the disease. However, in Brazil, a country demarcated by economic inequalities, in which approximately 25% of the population live below the poverty line, these measures will cost severe economic losses and accentuated starvation. For this reason, the underprivileged population should be immediately prioritized and well informed through good practice to avoid the virus.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMusical training (MT) is perceived as a multi-sensory program that simultaneously integrates visual, aural, oral, and kinesthetic senses. Furthermore, MT stimulates cognitive functions in a ludic way instead of tapping straight into the traditional context of school learning, including mathematics. Nevertheless, the efficacy of MT over mathematics remains understudied, especially concerning longstanding effects.
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