Distinguishing Frontotemporal Dementia From Alzheimer Disease Through Everyday Function Profiles: Trajectories of Change

Background: Different dementia syndromes display different patterns of everyday functioning. This article explored different patterns of functioning at baseline and trajectories of change in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) and Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods: Data from the Uniform Data Set of the National Alzheimer’s Coordinating Centre were employed. The Functional Assessment Questionnaire assessed functioning at up to 7 follow-up visits. Independent t tests assessed variations in functioning between syndromes at baseline. Linear mixed-effect modeling explored longitudinal functional trajectories between syndromes. Results: Data from 3351 patients (306 bvFTD and 3,045AD) were analyzed. At baseline, patients with bvFTD performed all daily activities poorer than AD dementia. Linear mixed models showed a significant effect of syndrome and time on functioning, and evidence of interaction between syndrome and time, with bvFTD showing a steeper decline for using the stove and travel. Conclusions: Findings can help in the effective care planning of everyday functioning for bvFTD and AD dementia.

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Development and Validation of a Cognitive Reserve Index in HIV

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617721000461 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-9

Author(s):

Navaldeep Kaur ◽

Lesley K. Fellows ◽

Marie-Josée Brouillette ◽

Nancy Mayo

Keyword(s):

Cognitive Reserve ◽

Study Entry ◽

Video Gaming ◽

Everyday Functioning ◽

Data Set ◽

Multiple Indicators ◽

And Performance ◽

Competitive Games ◽

Development And Validation

Abstract Objectives: In the neuroHIV literature, cognitive reserve has most often been operationalized using education, occupation, and IQ. The effects of other cognitively stimulating activities that might be more amenable to interventions have been little studied. The purpose of this study was to develop an index of cognitive reserve in people with HIV, combining multiple indicators of cognitively stimulating lifetime experiences into a single value. Methods: The data set was obtained from a Canadian longitudinal study (N = 856). Potential indicators of cognitive reserve captured at the study entry included education, occupation, engagement in six cognitively stimulating activities, number of languages spoken, and social resources. Cognitive performance was measured using a computerized test battery. A cognitive reserve index was formulated using logistic regression weights. For the evidence on concurrent and predictive validity of the index, the measures of cognition and self-reported everyday functioning were each regressed on the index scores at study entry and at the last follow-up [mean duration: 25.9 months (SD 7.2)], respectively. Corresponding regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were computed. Results: Professional sports [odds ratio (OR): 2.9; 95% CI 0.59–14.7], visual and performance arts (any level of engagement), professional/amateur music, complex video gaming and competitive games, and travel outside North America were associated with higher cognitive functioning. The effects of cognitive reserve on the outcomes at the last follow-up visit were closely similar to those at study entry. Conclusion: This work contributes evidence toward the relative benefit of engaging in specific cognitively stimulating life experiences in HIV.

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Longitudinal Executive Function and Episodic Memory Profiles in Behavioral-Variant Frontotemporal Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society ◽

10.1017/s1355617716000837 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 23 (1) ◽

pp. 34-43 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Siddharth Ramanan ◽

Maxime Bertoux ◽

Emma Flanagan ◽

Muireann Irish ◽

Olivier Piguet ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Frontotemporal Dementia ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia ◽

Mixed Effect Models ◽

Long Run ◽

Performance Decline ◽

Cortical Regions

AbstractObjectives: With comparable baseline performance on executive functions (EF) and memory between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and behavioral-variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), it is currently unclear if both diseases can be distinguished longitudinally on these measures reliably. Methods: A total of 111 participants (33 AD, 31 bvFTD, and 47 controls) were followed-up annually over a 4-year period and tested on measures of EF, memory, and orientation. Linear mixed-effect models were constructed using disease severity as a nuisance variable to examine profiles of neuropsychological performance decline. Results: At baseline, overlap in terms of cognitive impairment between bvFTD and AD on multiple EF, memory, and orientation measures was present. Longitudinally, only disinhibition (Hayling total errors) appeared sensitive to discriminating AD from bvFTD; however, only after the first annual follow-up. Subgroup analyses on smaller samples revealed comparable profiles on EF tasks at baseline and over time between bvFTD and AD who presented with impaired EF at presentation, and on memory and orientation tasks between AD and bvFTD who presented with severe amnesia. Conclusions: Our results replicate previous findings showing only moderate discriminability between AD and bvFTD at clinical presentation on EF and memory measures. More importantly, we also show that longitudinal trajectories strongly overlap for both dementias on these measures. Disinhibition emerged as the sole measure that in the long run was significantly more impaired in bvFTD. Future studies should use tests designed to target cortical regions that are specifically impaired in bvFTD, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, to improve the accurate discrimination of these diseases. (JINS, 2017, 23, 34–43)

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SuperWASP variable stars: classifying light curves using citizen science

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society ◽

10.1093/mnras/stab140 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 502 (1) ◽

pp. 1299-1311

Author(s):

Heidi B Thiemann ◽

Andrew J Norton ◽

Hugh J Dickinson ◽

Adam McMaster ◽

Ulrich C Kolb

Keyword(s):

Variable Stars ◽

Eclipsing Binaries ◽

Light Curves ◽

Data Set ◽

Resultant Data ◽

Sky Survey ◽

Short Period ◽

Contact Binaries ◽

Analysis Of Results

ABSTRACT We present the first analysis of results from the SuperWASP variable stars Zooniverse project, which is aiming to classify 1.6 million phase-folded light curves of candidate stellar variables observed by the SuperWASP all sky survey with periods detected in the SuperWASP periodicity catalogue. The resultant data set currently contains >1 million classifications corresponding to >500 000 object–period combinations, provided by citizen–scientist volunteers. Volunteer-classified light curves have ∼89 per cent accuracy for detached and semidetached eclipsing binaries, but only ∼9 per cent accuracy for rotationally modulated variables, based on known objects. We demonstrate that this Zooniverse project will be valuable for both population studies of individual variable types and the identification of stellar variables for follow-up. We present preliminary findings on various unique and extreme variables in this analysis, including long-period contact binaries and binaries near the short-period cut-off, and we identify 301 previously unknown binaries and pulsators. We are now in the process of developing a web portal to enable other researchers to access the outputs of the SuperWASP variable stars project.

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Determining the safety culture in a gun factory in Turkey: A fuzzy approach

Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems ◽

10.3233/jifs-202222 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-11

Author(s):

Gökçen A. Çiftçioğlu ◽

Mehmet A. N. Kadırgan ◽

Ahmet Eşiyok

Keyword(s):

Safety Culture ◽

Fuzzy Inference ◽

Fuzzy Model ◽

Self Awareness ◽

Inference System ◽

Five Factors ◽

Initial Questionnaire ◽

Proposed Model ◽

Assessment Questionnaire

Safety culture is a very complex phenomenon due to its intangible nature. It is tough to measure and express it with numerical values, as there is no simple indicator to measure it. This paper presents a fuzzy inference system that measures the safety culture. First of all, a safety culture assessment questionnaire is developed by utilizing related literature. The initial questionnaire had 29 items. The questionnaire is applied to 259 employees within the gun manufacturing factory. After making an exploratory factor analysis, the questionnaire is based on five factors with 25 items. The safety culture indicators are defined as; safety follow-up audit reporting, employees’ self-awareness, operational safety commitment, management’s safety commitment, safety orientedness. Normality, reliability, and correlation analysis are performed. Then a fuzzy model is constructed with five inputs and one output. The inputs are the five factors mentioned above, and the output generated is the safety culture result, which is between 0-1. The presented fuzzy model produces reliable results indicating the safety culture level from the employees’ eyes. Beyond exploring the employees’ safety culture, the proposed model can easily be understood by the practitioners from various sectors. Furthermore, the model is straightforward to customize for various fields of industry.

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Adaptation of the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale for adults with Down syndrome

Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽

10.1186/s11689-019-9300-2 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Christina N. Lessov-Schlaggar ◽

Olga L. del Rosario ◽

John C. Morris ◽

Beau M. Ances ◽

Bradley L. Schlaggar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Alzheimer Disease ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Assessment Instruments ◽

Clinical Dementia Rating ◽

Data Set ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Increased Risk ◽

Caregiver Questionnaire ◽

Raven's Progressive Matrices

Abstract Background Adults with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk for Alzheimer disease dementia, and there is a pressing need for the development of assessment instruments that differentiate chronic cognitive impairment, acute neuropsychiatric symptomatology, and dementia in this population of patients. Methods We adapted a widely used instrument, the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale, which is a component of the Uniform Data Set used by all federally funded Alzheimer Disease Centers for use in adults with DS, and tested the instrument among 34 DS patients recruited from the community. The participants were assessed using two versions of the modified CDR—a caregiver questionnaire and an in-person interview involving both the caregiver and the DS adult. Assessment also included the Dementia Scale for Down Syndrome (DSDS) and the Raven’s Progressive Matrices to estimate IQ. Results Both modified questionnaire and interview instruments captured a range of cognitive impairments, a majority of which were found to be chronic when accounting for premorbid function. Two individuals in the sample were strongly suspected to have early dementia, both of whom had elevated scores on the modified CDR instruments. Among individuals rated as having no dementia based on the DSDS, about half showed subthreshold impairments on the modified CDR instruments; there was substantial agreement between caregiver questionnaire screening and in-person interview of caregivers and DS adults. Conclusions The modified questionnaire and interview instruments capture a range of impairment in DS adults, including subthreshold symptomatology, and the instruments provide complementary information relevant to the ascertainment of dementia in DS. Decline was seen across all cognitive domains and was generally positively related to age and negatively related to IQ. Most importantly, adjusting instrument scores for chronic, premorbid impairment drastically shifted the distribution toward lower (no impairment) scores.

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Kidney function decline is associated with an accelerated increase in plasma homocysteine in older adults: a longitudinal study

British Journal Of Nutrition ◽

10.1017/s0007114521001690 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-21

Author(s):

Hui Zhang ◽

Yi Li ◽

Meng Hao ◽

Xiaoyan Jiang ◽

Jiucun Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Kidney Function ◽

Repeated Measurements ◽

Baseline Survey ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Pronounced Increase ◽

Crude Model ◽

The Mean ◽

Kidney Function Decline ◽

Over Time

Abstract Background: Few studies have been conducted to investigate the association of kidney function decline with the trajectories of homocysteine (Hcy) over time, using repeated measurements. We aimed to investigate the association of kidney function with changes in plasma Hcy levels over time. Methods: Data were collected from the Rugao Longevity and Ageing Study. In detail, plasma Hcy and creatinine levels were measured in both waves (waves 2, 3 and 4) during the 3.5-year follow-up (N = 1135). Wave 2 was regarded as the baseline survey. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated based on creatinine. Subjects were categorized into four groups according to quartiles of eGFR at baseline. Linear mixed-effect models were used to investigate the association of eGFR with subsequent plasma Hcy levels. Results: The mean eGFR at baseline was 90.84 (11.42) mL/min/1.73 m2. The mean plasma Hcy level was 14.09 (6.82) at baseline and increased to 16.28 (8.27) and 17.36 (10.39) μmol/L during follow-ups. In the crude model, the interaction between time and eGFR at baseline was significant (β = −0.02, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.01, p = 0.002). After adjusting for confounding factors, a significant relationship remained (β = −0.02, 95% CI: −0.02 to −0.01, p = 0.003), suggesting that kidney function decline at baseline was associated with a faster increase in Hcy levels. Conclusion: Kidney function decline is associated with a more pronounced increase in plasma Hcy levels. Further studies with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are needed to validate our findings.

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Association between Anxiety Levels and Weight Change in the Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

Journal of Obesity ◽

10.1155/2014/894627 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Katherine Rieke ◽

Ramon Durazo-Arvizu ◽

Kiang Liu ◽

Erin D. Michos ◽

Amy Luke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Change ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Mixed Effect ◽

Effect Model ◽

Lower Baseline ◽

Multiethnic Cohort ◽

Baseline Weight ◽

Study Population ◽

The Relationship

Objective. To examine the association between anxiety and weight change in a multiethnic cohort followed for approximately 10 years.Methods. The study population consisted of participants of the multiethnic study of atherosclerosis who met specified inclusion criteria (n= 5,799). Weight was measured at baseline and four subsequent follow-up exams. Anxiety was analyzed as sex-specific anxiety quartiles (QANX). The relationship between anxiety level and weight change was examined using a mixed-effect model with weight as the dependent variable, anxiety and time as the independent variables, and adjusted for covariates.Results. Average annual weight change (range) was −0.17 kg (−6.04 to 4.38 kg) for QANX 1 (lowest anxiety), −0.16 kg (−10.71 to 4.45 kg) for QANX 2, −0.15 kg (−8.69 to 6.39 kg) for QANX 3, and −0.20 kg (−7.12 to 3.95 kg) for QANX 4 (highest anxiety). No significant association was noted between QANX and weight change. However, the highest QANX was associated with a −2.48 kg (95% CI = −3.65, −1.31) lower baseline weight compared to the lowest QANX after adjustment for all covariates.Conclusions. Among adults, age 45–84, higher levels of anxiety, defined by the STPI trait anxiety scale, are associated with lower average baseline weight but not with weight change.

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Developing a Professionalism Manual for Nurse Managers to Improve Their Perception Regarding Professionalism and Professional Identity

SAGE Open Nursing ◽

10.1177/23779608211026174 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 ◽

pp. 237796082110261

Author(s):

Marwa H. Ageiz ◽

Hayam A. Elshrief ◽

Huda M. Bakeer

Keyword(s):

Professional Identity ◽

Nurse Managers ◽

Test Phase ◽

University Hospital ◽

Performance Review ◽

Post Test ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Different Levels ◽

Assessment Questionnaire

Background Developing a professional identity is rooted in the dimensions of professionalism and professional development. Moreover, the need for teaching professionalism has a mutual relationship with the formation of a desirable professional identity. Aim The current study aimed at developing a professionalism manual for the nurse managers to improve their perception regarding professionalism and professional identity. Design Quasi-experimental research design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up was used. Setting The study was conducted at two different hospitals; Menoufia University hospital and Al-helal Insurance hospital, Menoufia Governorate, Egypt. Subjects The participants included all nurse managers at different levels from the two different hospitals ( n =100). Tools: tool 1: Professionalism Questionnaire and tool 2: Professional Identity Assessment Questionnaire were used to collect data. Results there was a statistically significant improvement in professionalism perception and professional identity level immediately after administering the professionalism manual and after three months in the follow-up phase than the pre-test phase. Additionally, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between two variables of the study at the post and follow-up phases, but not significant at the pre-test phase. Conclusion the professionalism manual was effective in improving nurse managers’ perceptions regarding professionalism and professional identity. Recommendations: Incorporate the attributes of professionalism that were included in the professionalism manual as a guide for the performance review processes of nurses.

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