1,720,968 research outputs found
Differential physical activity patterns in cognitively impaired vs healthy older adults using accelerometers
Get PDFObjective. Physical Activity (PA) plays a pivotal role as a protective
factor against the development of dementia and is associated with
cognitive performance. However, quantitative data collected on older
adults under ecological conditions remain limited. In the present study,
a continuous longitudinal assessment of PA parameters was performed
to clarify if differences in daily and hourly patterns of PA exist in older
adults who differ by cognitive status.
Methods. Seventy-two adults aged 65+ were categorized by cognitive
status (cognitively impaired [CI] vs healthy controls [HC]) and monitored
using wrist-worn accelerometers to assess daily and hourly PA levels,
including the percentage of time spent in PA at different intensities.
Results. In those of CI group, a significant reduction in overall PA vol-
ume and intensity was observed. This was evidenced by lower step
counts, increased time spent in sedentary behavior and decreased en-
gagement in PA of light and moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
Conclusions. The objective analysis of daily PA patterns using wear-
able accelerometers holds significant promise for quantifying changes
associated with cognitive disorders and may optimize interventions to
enhance their activity, thus reducing the impact of cognitive decline
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Get PDF“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Get PDFWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
The contribution of motor efficiency to drawing performance of older people with and without signs of cognitive decline
No full textIn clinical practice, different drawing tests are used for the assessment of cognitive efficiency in
the geriatric population. However, so far, the contribution of motor skills to drawing performance
has not been sufficiently examined in the late adult life span. This study was aimed at disentangling
the role played by motor functioning in three well-known drawing tests that in the clinical
field are commonly used to detect some signs of cognitive impairment of older individuals. One
hundred and forty-nine community dwellers (Mage 77.4 years, SD 5.9 years) completed a battery
of tests assessing global cognitive efficiency, drawing skills (i.e., Clock Drawing, Visuo-spatial
Drawing ACE-R, Copy Figures Tests), handgrip muscular strength (HGS), and functional mobility
(assessed through the Timed-Up-and-Go test). Significant relationships were found among those
measures. Moreover, handgrip strength and functional mobility explained 12–19% of the variance
in each drawing condition. Finally, participants exhibiting poorer HGS performed worse the
drawing tasks and were successively recognized as cognitively deteriorated. In conclusion, these
findings highlight that motor skills can significantly impact the assessment of cognitive efficiency
in late adulthood. Therefore, in clinical practice, the concurrent assessment of basic motor
functions (in terms of muscular strength and functional mobility) and cognitive efficiency of the
geriatric population at risk for cognitive decline should be encouraged
Functional mobility in older women with and without motoric cognitive risk syndrome: a quantitative assessment using wearable inertial sensors
Get PDFBackground. The Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome is defined in non-demented older adults by cognitive complaints and slow gait. Individuals with MCR are at higher risk of dementia and other poor clinical outcomes, such as falls. However, no data are available as regards functional mobility alterations associated with MCR. The main purpose of the present study is to quantitatively investigate such an aspect using the instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go (iTUG) test carried out using a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU).
Methods. Fifty-one women aged over 65 years underwent a geriatric and neuropsychologic assessment (which included the Mini Mental State Examination, MMSE and Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination Revised, ACE-R), instrumented gait analysis and iTUG performed using an IMU located on the lower back. Based on subjective cognitive complaints and slow gait, they were assigned either to the MCR (n = 24) or non-MCR (n = 27) group. IMU data allowed calculation of overall and sub-phases iTUG times.
Results. Women with MCR were characterized by a significantly higher body mass and body mass index, lower normalized handgrip strength, and similar values of MMSE compared to non-MCRs. A trend was observed in terms of lower overall and sub-domain ACE-R score. They also performed iTUG at a significantly slower speed (22.4 s vs 14.1 of the non-MCR group, p < 0.001) and exhibited increased sub-phase times (29 to 31% higher with respect to non-MCRs).
Conclusions. The findings of the present study suggest that the MCR syndrome impairs functional mobility, probably due reduced muscular strength and coordination, fear of falling and increased instability. The instrumental evaluation of functional mobility appears useful in the management of women with MCR, particularly in monitoring the progression of the motor impairments, verifying the effectiveness of interventions targeted in alleviating the impact on daily life of mobility limitations associated with MCR and in defining tailored rehabilitation programs
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Get PDFWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
The efficiency of activities of daily living (ADLs) skills in late adulthood: a mediational approach
No full textThe term “Activities of Daily Living” (ADLs) refers to a set of fundamental tasks (i.e., toileting, bath- ing, personal care, eating, grooming, and getting dressed) considered necessary for living and being autonomous in everyday life. Although in the clinical setting ADLs efficiency is a marker to diagnose dementia, limited evidence on the mechanism implicating muscular function and cogni- tive alterations in ADLs skills in late adulthood exists. This study primarily intended to determine the extent to which executive functions mediate between muscular strength, as assessed through handgrip strength (HGS) measurement, and ADLs skills of older community-dwellers. A further goal was to explore the impact of gender and cognitive status on ADLs and HGS scores, using education as a covariate. Three hundred and thirty-four older participants, 199 females and 135 males (Mage 77.5years, SD 5.6years, age range 63–93years) completed a battery of tests assessing ADLs, HGS, and executive functions. The results showed that 34–56% of the variance in the ADLs condition was explained by HGS and executive functioning. Furthermore, cognitively healthy participants exhibited better ADLs skills, whereas cognitively impaired individuals, both males and females, exhibited poorer HGS efficiency. In conclusion, in clinical settings, the concur- rent evaluation of ADLs skills, motor, and higher-order cognitive processes should be encouraged to detect individuals needing a person-tailored intervention to boost their quality of life
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