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There are several educational software (ES) used in the classroom environment for the teaching and learning of geometric contents that are part of the Portuguese basic education mathematics program. There are studies that show that the use of this type of artifact has a fundamental role in the behavior of students, raising, among other aspects, a greater motivation for learning mathematics. The aim of this work is to explore and describe implications for the behavior and learning of students in the 7th grade of Portuguese basic education, in face of a pedagogical practice that involves carrying out tasks using ES Plickers, in the theme similarities of the domain geometry and measurement, throughout intervention carried out. The adopted methodology presents characteristics of a quasi-experimental study. The participants were 61 students from three classes of a school in the north of Portugal, followed during eight consecutive classes. A set of tasks using Plickers, tests and a questionnaire survey were used as instruments for data collection. The results point to positive increments, at a behavioral level, as well as in the evolution of learning, in view of the use of this methodology in the classroom.

Associations between age-related neuropathological lesions and adult-onset lifetime major depressive disorder (a-MDD), late-life MDD (LLD), or depressive symptoms close to death (DS) were examined in a large community sample of non-demented older adults. Seven hundred forty-one individuals (age at death = 72.2 ± 11.7 years) from the Biobank for Aging Studies were analyzed. a-MDD was present in 54 (7.3%) participants, LLD in 80 (10.8%), and DS in 168 (22.7%). After adjustment for covariates and compared to controls, a-MDD, LDD and DS were associated with small vessel disease (p = 0.039, p = 0.003, and p = 0.003 respectively); LLD, and DS were associated with brain infarcts (p = 0.012, p = 0.018, respectively) and Lewy body disease (p = 0.043, p = 0.002, respectively). DS was associated with beta-amyloid plaque burden (p = 0.027) and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (p = 0.035) in cognitively normal individuals (Clinical Dementia Rating scale = 0). Vascular brain pathology was the strongest correlate of clinical depictions of depression in the absence of dementia, corroborating the vascular hypothesis of depression. Lewy body pathology underlay DS. An older adult with DS or LLD should be monitored for possible cognitive decline or neurodegenerative disorders.

Background: Despite some advances in the discovery of novel therapies, smoke inhalation injury remains a difficult to treat critical health issue due to its physiopathological complexity. Natural products, such as D-limonene (LIM), are becoming an important potential source of new treatments in many health problems. LIM has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and protective effects in respect of several diseases, including respiratory conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inhaled LIM on acute smoke-induced lung injury in rats. Methods: Thirty minutes after smoke inhalation, adult male Wistar rats were treated with vehicle or LIM (0.01 mg/kg) for 30 min. Blood samples, and the liver, lungs, and trachea were collected for analysis. Results: The results showed that LIM minimized the injuries, reducing oxidative and inflammatory damage by improving catalase (CAT) (p < 0.05), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities (trachea: p < 0.01; lung: p < 0.05) and reducing interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) level (p < 0.01) caused by smoke inhalation. LIM was also able to ameliorate damage in both trachea and lung tissues. Conclusions: The results indicate that LIM has a beneficial effect on lung injury, mainly by reducing oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory response and tissue damage.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare causes of death in the most prevalent neuropathologically diagnosed dementias.MethodsWe analyzed causes of death in a community-based cohort of participants aged 50 or older, submitted to full-body autopsy and a comprehensive neuropathologic examination of the brain. Individuals with Alzheimer disease (AD), vascular dementia (VaD), mixed dementia (AD+VaD), or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLBs) were compared with individuals with no dementia.ResultsIn a sample of 920 individuals, 456 had no dementia, 147 had AD, 120 had VaD, 53 had DLB, and 37 had AD+VaD. Pneumonia as the cause of death was more frequent in the AD (P=0.023), AD+VaD (P=0.046), and DLB (P=0.043) groups. In addition, VaD (P=0.041) and AD+VaD (P=0.028) groups had a higher frequency of atherosclerosis as detected by full-body autopsy.ConclusionOur findings highlight the importance of preventive measures regarding atherosclerosis and pneumonia in patients with dementia. Moreover, because of cognitive impairment, these patients may not fully account for symptoms to make early detection and diagnosis possible. These results confirm findings from previous studies that were based on clinical data, with added accuracy provided by neuropathologic diagnosis and full-body autopsy reports.

Bipolar disorder shares symptoms and pathological pathways with other neurodegenerative diseases, including frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Since TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) is a neuropathological marker of frontotemporal dementia and it is involved in synaptic transmission, we explored the role of TDP-43 as a molecular feature of bipolar disorder (BD). Homogenates were acquired from frozen hippocampus of postmortem brains of bipolar disorder subjects. TDP-43 levels were quantified using an ELISA-sandwich method and compared between the postmortem brains of bipolar disorder subjects and age-matched control group. We found higher levels of TDP-43 protein in the hippocampus of BD (n = 15) subjects, when compared to controls (n = 15). We did not find associations of TDP-43 with age at death, postmortem interval, or age of disease onset. Our results suggest that protein TDP-43 may be potentially implicated in behavioral abnormalities seen in BD. Further investigation is needed to validate these findings and to examine the role of this protein during the disease course and mood states.

ObjectiveTo establish a microcephaly cut-off size in adults using head circumference as an indirect measure of brain size, as well as to explore factors associated with microcephaly via data mining.MethodsIn autopsy studies, head circumference was measured with an inelastic tape placed around the skull. Total brain volume was also directly measured. A linear regression was used to determine the association of head circumference with brain volume and clinical variables. Microcephaly was defined as head circumference that were two standard deviations below the mean of significant clinical variables. We further applied an association rule mining to find rules associating microcephaly with several sociodemographic and clinical variables.ResultsIn our sample of 2,508 adults, the mean head circumference was 55.3 ± 2.7cm. Head circumference was related to height, cerebral volume, and sex (p < 0.001 for all). Microcephaly was present in 4.7% of the sample (n = 119). Out of 34,355 association rules, we found significant relationships between microcephaly and a clinical dementia rating (CDR) > 0.5 with an informant questionnaire on cognitive decline in the elderly (IQCODE) ≥ 3.4 (confidence: 100% and lift: 5.6), between microcephaly and a CDR > 0.5 with age over 70 years (confidence: 42% and lift: 2.4), and microcephaly and males (confidence: 68.1% and lift: 1.3).ConclusionHead circumference was related to cerebral volume. Due to its low cost and easy use, head circumference can be used as a screening test for microcephaly, adjusting it for gender and height. Microcephaly was associated with dementia at old age.

BackgroundBehavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) can be a prodrome of dementia, and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) is widely used for BPSD evaluation.ObjectiveTo compare the prevalence of BPSD according to cognitive status, and to determine NPI cutoffs that best discern individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia from those without dementia.MethodsWe included 1,565 participants (mean age = 72.7±12.2 years, 48% male). BPSD and cognitive status were assessed with the NPI and the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR). We used multivariable logistic regression models to investigate the association of BPSD with cognitive status. The area under the curve (AUC) was used to assess model discrimination, and to determine the best NPI cutoff for MCI and dementia.ResultsParticipants were cognitively normal (CDR = 0; n = 1,062), MCI (CDR = 0.5; n = 145), or dementia (CDR≥1.0, n = 358). NPI symptoms were more frequent in dementia and MCI when compared to cognitively normal. Higher odds for delusions, hallucinations, disinhibition, and psychomotor alterations were found among participants with dementia and MCI than in those who were cognitively normal. The best NPI cutoff to discern participants with dementia from those cognitively normal was 11 (AUC = 0.755). Poor discrimination (AUC = 0.563) was found for the comparison of MCI and those cognitively normal.ConclusionsWe found an increase in BPSD frequencies across the continuum of cognitive impairment. BPSD severity and frequency in MCI was more similar to individuals cognitively normal than with dementia. NPI scores≥to 11 in individuals with no diagnosis of dementia can support the decision for further investigation of dementia.

The research intended to adapt and validate the self-report job precariousness scale for the Brazilian gig work context and to investigate the association of the dimensions of job precariousness with gig workers' subjective experiences and work outcomes. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on a sample of 504 Brazilian gig workers. In addition, zero-order correlations were performed on a sample of 304 Brazilian gig workers for criterion validity analysis. Results supported a four-factor structure and the bi-factor model, reinforcing the assumption that the job precarious scale is a multidimensional measure with a hierarchical structure. Reliability analysis (Alpha coefficient and bifactor indices) indicates that the scale presented adequate internal consistency for all four dimensions and the full scale. Results regarding criterion validity demonstrate that job precariousness is negatively linked to well-being and positively associated with ill-being; in addition, the dimensions of job precariousness and remuneration have significative associations with all variables of work outcome investigated. This study introduces the Brazilian version of the self-report job precariousness scale with robust psychometric qualities to assess workers' perception of precarious working conditions in the Brazilian gig work context. In addition, it broadens the scope of research on precarious working conditions and their impact on psychological experiences and work outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]