Esta dissertação tem como intenção desenvolver uma proposta metodológica de adaptação e desenvolvimento de Objetos de Aprendizagem Acessíveis. Essa proposta metodológica define passo a passo o desenvolvimento do OA Acessível, seguindo o desenvolvimento de software orientado a objetos numa perspectiva inclusiva. Após a criação dessa proposta metodológica, foram feitas validações do OAA com sujeitos cegos e com limitação visual. No decorrer do texto, apresentamos as etapas de desenvolvimento do OA acessível, assim como as considerações finais do trabalho. / This methodological proposal defines step by step the development of an Accessible LO following the development of object oriented software in an inclusive perspective. After the creation of this methodological proposal, were made validations of the Accessible LO with blind subjects and with visual impairment. Throughout the text we present the development stages of the Accessible LO as well as the final considerations of the work.

As intervenções cognitivas voltadas a idosos saudáveis ainda encontram-se pouco estudadas na literatura nacional, apesar de terem sido investigadas em outros países. O treino de memória oferecido a idosos com Comprometimento Cognitivo Leve (CCL) tem recebido cada vez mais atenção de pesquisadores e parece também beneficiar esta população. Não se sabe se o treino tem efeito a longo prazo e nem se os benefícios são os mesmos para idosos saudáveis e com CCL. Esta pesquisa teve como intuito avaliar o impacto do treino de memória de oito sessões oferecido a idosos controles normais (CN) e com CCL com alta escolaridade em parâmetros cognitivos. Para isso, contamos com a participação de 61 idosos acompanhados pela equipe multidisciplinar do Laboratório de Neurociências LIM 27 do Instituto de Psiquiatria da FMUSP aleatoriamente divididos em grupo experimental - GE (sendo 17 CN e 18 com CCL) e grupo controle - GC (sendo 12 CN e 14 com CCL). Estes grupos foram avaliados em quatro momentos diferentes, a saber, antes da intervenção (T0), uma semana após o término da intervenção (T1), um mês após a última avaliação (T2) e seis meses após T1 (T3). O GE recebeu treino de memória com ênfase na categorização e grifos entre T0 e T1. O GC realizou todas as avaliações no mesmo tempo de GE, mas o treino foi lhes oferecido depois de T3. Observou-se melhora em ambos os grupos GE de T0 para T1 quando comparados ao grupo GC em testes de atenção, velocidade de processamento, estratégias mnemônicas, e em testes de memória. Estes efeitos parecem se manter a curto e a longo prazo, mostrando, de maneiras diferentes, os benefícios do treino e a existência de plasticidade cognitiva em ambas as populações estudadas / The cognitive interventions aimed at elderly healthy are little studied in the national literature, despite having been investigated in other countries. The memory training offered to seniors with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) has received increasing attention from researchers and also seems to benefit this population. It is not known whether the training has long-term effect, nor whether the benefits are the same for healthy elderly and MCI. This study was aimed to evaluate the impact of eight memory training sessions offered to elderly normal controls (NC) and seniors with MCI in cognitive parameters. For this, we had the participation of 61 older people accompanied by a multidisciplinary team of the Laboratory of Neurosciences LIM 27, Institute of Psychiatry, FMUSP randomly divided into experimental group - EG (including 17 NC and 18 with MCI) and control group - CG (being 12 NC and 14 with MCI). These groups were evaluated at four different times, namely before the intervention (T0), one week after the intervention (T1), one month after the last assessment (T2) and six months after T1 (T3). EG received memory training with emphasis on categorization and underline words between T0 and T1. The CG performed all the assessments at the same time EG, but the training was offered to them after T3. Improvement was observed in both groups EG from T0 to T1 when compared to the CG on tests of attention, processing speed, mnemonic strategies, and memory tests. These effects seem to keep the short and long term, showing, in different ways, the benefits of training and the existence of cognitive plasticity in both populations studied

O brinquedo é um importante artefato na infância. Através dele a criança tem oportunidade de desenvolver suas competências e habilidades. Para criança com deficiência visual, além disso, a utilização do brinquedo pode servir como um potencial estimulador de seus resquícios visuais e sentidos remanescentes. O objetivo principal dessa pesquisa é o de propor orientações para designers no projeto de brinquedos a fim de facilitar o processo de desenvolvimento desses produtos enfocando as necessidades das crianças com deficiência visual. O trabalho escrito está organizado na disposição de cinco capítulos, a saber: Introdução, Revisão de Literatura, Metodologia, Desenvolvimento e Finalização. A metodologia, por sua vez, está exposta em etapas consecutivas: a Etapa 1 diz respeito a revisão de literatura, essa foi uma importante etapa da qual foi extraída uma análise qualitativa de dados a respeito dos temas abordados que foram: processo de desenvolvimento de produtos, usabilidade, o brinquedo e a criança com deficiência visual. A Etapa 2 é o desenvolvimento que apresenta-se dividido em dois itens principais: o estudo de direcionado e a delimitação das orientações. No estudo direcionado utilizaram-se informações levantadas a partir da revisão de literatura para realização do desenvolvimento do projeto de brinquedos através de fases metodológicas previstas para geração de produtos em Löbach (2001) com a participação de usuários (crianças com deficiência visual, familiares e profissionais envolvidos no atendimento dessas crianças). Posteriormente, na Etapa 3 com a organização dessas orientações prévias modelou-se um questionário aplicado com designers e profissionais de áreas afins para observar a opinião sobre o compendio de orientações previamente delimitadas. Assim, os resultados apontaram que a maioria das pessoas questionadas possuía pouco conhecimento sobre o tópico deficiência visual. Os entrevistados consideraram as informações delimitadas pertinentes e apontaram que um aprofundamento em alguns tópicos melhoraria o entendimento dos mesmos. / The toy is an important artifact in childhood. Through it the child has the opportunity to develop their skills and abilities. Children with visual impairments, besides the use of the toy can serve as a potential enhancer of its remaining traces and visual senses. The main objective of this research is to propose guidelines for designers in the design of toys to facilitate the process of developing these products focusing on the needs of children with visual impairment. The written work is organized in five chapters available, namely: Introduction, Literature Review, Methodology, Development and Completion. The methodology, in turn, is exposed in consecutive steps: Step 1 concerns the literature review, this was an important step which was extracted from a qualitative analysis of data regarding the topics discussed were: the process of product development, usability , toy and children with visual impairments. Step 2 is the development that has been divided into two main items: the study of directed and delineation guidelines. In the study we used directed information gathered from the literature review to completion of project development toys through methodological phases planned for generation of products Lobach (2001 ) with the participation of users ( visually impaired children , families and professionals involved in the care of these children ). Subsequently, in Step 3 with the organization of these guidelines prior modeled whether a questionnaire with designers and professionals in related fields to observe the review of compendium of guidelines previously delimited. Thus, the results indicated that the majority of those questioned had little knowledge about the topic visually impaired. Respondents considered the relevant information delimited and pointed to a deepening in some topics would improve understanding of the same.

Submitted by Celso Magalhaes (celsomagalhaes@ufrrj.br) on 2018-09-28T17:25:58Z No. of bitstreams: 1 2017 - Gra?a Auxiliadora Nobre Lopes.pdf: 473058 bytes, checksum: 2a7dd0ee4dcca8d60caadf67db4825d8 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-09-28T17:25:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2017 - Gra?a Auxiliadora Nobre Lopes.pdf: 473058 bytes, checksum: 2a7dd0ee4dcca8d60caadf67db4825d8 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-04-13 / In this study, we discuss the political-legal aspects that turn to the process of inclusion of students with visual impairment in the University, considering it as the generator of knowledge and promoter of the emancipation of its student body, reaffirming the right of isonomy and equity of opportunities. Thus, we investigate the technologies, with emphasis on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), used by university students with visual impairment in their learning process in Higher Education in the city of Macap? / AP, with two blind students from Stadual University of Amapa (UEAP). We established as research objectives: To investigate the technologies used by university students with visual impairment in their learning process; To characterize the choices of pedagogical tools of these students in the scope of Information and Communication Technologies; Identify possible technological barriers in the learning process in Higher Education; Characterize the impacts of the technologies used by these students in their learning process. It is worth noting that in order to problematize the process of inclusion of students with visual impairment through the use of ICT as a dimension of accessibility to knowledge, the objectives were deployed in the following study questions: There are other tools of assistive technology in the daily life of the room of class?; What are its impacts on the learning process of students with visual impairment in Higher Education ?; What barriers or obstacles are evident in the process of schooling of students with visual impairment in Higher Education ?; What assistive technology tools are privileged in the choices of these visually impaired students in their learning process ?; What are the didacticpedagogical impacts of the technologies used in the learning process of students with visual impairment? Thus, this study contributes, adopting the methodological conception of Critical Theory as a method, with emphasis on Theodor Adorno's thought, for the unveiling of the plots experienced by students with visual deficiency in Public Higher Education of Amap?. For this, we use as a data collection procedure the semi-structured interview. In the progress of this study, we obtained as a result that even with the possibilities in the access to bibliographic collections in universities and academic databases, with all the tools available to students with visual impairment, either through braille, extended text or digital media , The subjects of our study still face numerous didactic-pedagogical barriers / Nesse estudo discutimos os aspectos pol?tico-legais que se voltam para o processo de inclus?o de estudantes com defici?ncia visual na Universidade, considerando-a como geradora de conhecimento e promotora da emancipa??o de seu corpo discente, reafirmando o direito de isonomia e equidade de oportunidades. Assim, investigamos as tecnologias, com ?nfase nas Tecnologias de Informa??o e Comunica??o (TIC), usadas por universit?rios com defici?ncia visual em seu processo de aprendizagem no Ensino Superior da cidade de Macap?/AP, tendo como interlocutores dois estudantes cegos da Universidade do Estado do Amap? (UEAP). Estabelecemos como objetivos da pesquisa: Investigar as tecnologias usadas por universit?rios com defici?ncia visual no seu processo de aprendizagem; Caracterizar as escolhas das ferramentas pedag?gicas destes estudantes no ?mbito das Tecnologias da Informa??o e Comunica??o; Identificar poss?veis barreiras tecnol?gicas no processo de aprendizagem no Ensino Superior; Caracterizar os impactos das tecnologias utilizadas por estes estudantes no seu processo de aprendizagem. Destaca-se que ao problematizar o processo de inclus?o de estudantes com defici?ncia visual por interm?dio do uso das TIC como mais uma dimens?o de acessibilidade ao conhecimento, os objetivos foram desdobrados nas seguintes quest?es de estudo: ?Existem outras ferramentas de tecnologia assistiva no cotidiano da sala de aula??; ?Quais os seus impactos no processo de aprendizagem de estudantes com defici?ncia visual no Ensino Superior??; ?Quais as barreiras ou obst?culos s?o evidenciados no processo de escolariza??o de estudantes com defici?ncia visual no Ensino Superior??; ?Quais as ferramentas de tecnologia assistiva s?o privilegiadas nas escolhas desses estudantes com defici?ncia visual no seu processo de aprendizagem??; ?Quais s?o os impactos did?tico-pedag?gico das tecnologias usadas no processo de aprendizagem dos estudantes com defici?ncia visual??. Assim, este estudo contribui, adotando a concep??o metodol?gica da Teoria Cr?tica como m?todo, com ?nfase no pensamento de Theodor Adorno, para o desvelar das tramas vivenciadas por estudantes com defici?ncia visual no Ensino Superior p?blico do Amap?. Para tal, utilizamos como procedimento de coleta de dados a entrevista semiestruturada. No avan?o deste estudo, obtivemos como resultado que mesmo com as possibilidades no acesso a acervos bibliogr?ficos em universidades e bases de dados acad?micos, com todas as ferramentas dispon?veis aos estudantes com defici?ncia visual, seja por meio do sistema braille, texto ampliado ou em meio digital, os sujeitos de nosso estudo ainda enfrentam in?meras barreiras did?tico-pedag?gicas.

abstract: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the degeneration of cholinergic basal forebrain (CBF) neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (nbM), which provides the majority of cholinergic input to the cortical mantle and together form the basocortical cholinergic system. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) dysregulation in the temporal lobe has been associated with neuronal degeneration during AD progression. However, whether HDAC alterations play a role in cortical and cortically-projecting cholinergic nbM neuronal degeneration during AD onset is unknown. In an effort to characterize alterations in the basocortical epigenome semi-quantitative western blotting and immunohistochemistry were utilized to evaluate HDAC and sirtuin (SIRT) levels in individuals that died with a premortem clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), mild/moderate AD (mAD), or severe AD (sAD). In the frontal cortex, immunoblots revealed significant increases in HDAC1 and HDAC3 in MCI and mAD, followed by a decrease in sAD. Cortical HDAC2 levels remained stable across clinical groups. HDAC4 was significantly increased in prodromal and mild AD compared to aged cognitively normal controls. HDAC6 significantly increased during disease progression, while SIRT1 decreased in MCI, mAD, and sAD compared to controls. Basal forebrain levels of HDAC1, 3, 4, 6 and SIRT1 were stable across disease progression, while HDAC2 levels were significantly decreased in sAD. Quantitative immunohistochemistry was used to identify HDAC2 protein levels in individual cholinergic nbM nuclei immunoreactive for the early phosphorylated tau marker AT8, the late-stage apoptotic tau marker TauC3, and Thioflavin-S, a marker of mature neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). HDAC2 nuclear immunoreactivity was reduced in individual cholinergic nbM neurons across disease stages, and was exacerbated in tangle-bearing cholinergic nbM neurons. HDAC2 nuclear reactivity correlated with multiple cognitive domains and with NFT formation. These findings identify global HDAC and SIRT alterations in the cortex while HDAC2 dysregulation contributes to cholinergic nbM neuronal dysfunction and NFT pathology during the progression of AD. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Neuroscience 2018

OF DIPLOMA THESIS Title of diploma thesis: Clinical Utility of Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test in Patients after Brain Damage Objective: The main goal of this diploma thesis was to monitor the relationship between memory functions measured by the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT-3) and their subsequent influence on occupational performance in ADL (pADL) in patients after brain damage. The partial objective was to determine whether self-sufficiency in ADL can be predicted from RBMT-3 results. The last partial goal was to create a working version of the RBMT-3 and translate it from the original English version. Methods: The research group consisted of 40 probands (22 males and 18 females) after brain damage. For data collection, the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT-3) for assessing the memory function level was used. FIM (version 5.2) was used for evaluating the level of occupational performance in ADL (pADL). Hypothesis verification was performed by correlation analysis and corrected Spearman's correlation coefficient and p-values. For this pre- research, the level of significance α1 < 0.05 and α2 < 0.01 was chosen. Results: The pre-research did not confirm the dependence between the RBMT-3 memory level and the level of self-sufficiency measured by FIM. The P value (p = 0.526) from the...

OF DIPLOMA THESIS Title of diploma thesis: Clinical Utility of Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test in Patients after Brain Damage Objective: The main goal of this diploma thesis was to monitor the relationship between memory functions measured by the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT-3) and their subsequent influence on occupational performance in ADL (pADL) in patients after brain damage. The partial objective was to determine whether self-sufficiency in ADL can be predicted from RBMT-3 results. The last partial goal was to create a working version of the RBMT-3 and translate it from the original English version. Methods: The research group consisted of 40 probands (22 males and 18 females) after brain damage. For data collection, the Rivermead Behavioral Memory Test (RBMT-3) for assessing the memory function level was used. FIM (version 5.2) was used for evaluating the level of occupational performance in ADL (pADL). Hypothesis verification was performed by correlation analysis and corrected Spearman's correlation coefficient and p-values. For this pre- research, the level of significance α1 < 0.05 and α2 < 0.01 was chosen. Results: The pre-research did not confirm the dependence between the RBMT-3 memory level and the level of self-sufficiency measured by FIM. The P value (p = 0.526) from the...

Executive function describes high-level cognitive-abilities including planning, decision-making, set switching and response inhibition. Impairments of the executive functions in disease states may be subtle but can greatly reduce the quality of life and independence. The overarching theme of this project was to investigate the network of brain regions that are needed to support executive function. This was undertaken using a two-fold approach: one, to apply network analysis to resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (rs-fMRI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data in order to describe how differences in morphometry and connectivity correlate to executive function differences of individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and two, to describe the brain networks involved in one form of executive function, decision-making under uncertain conditions, in young, healthy individuals. Impaired decision-making can dramatically impact day-to-day functioning and understanding the underlying network of regions that support this task can provide a target for future intervention studies. Data from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) were used in the studies of MCI. Individuals were grouped by their executive abilities. A regions-of-interest approach was used to parcel and label various brain regions and a network of connections was constructed out of these regions. Differences between the networks were then compared between the MCI subjects with good and poor executive functions. Those with high executive abilities showed decreased functional network connectivity and increased structural network connectivity. The second arm of these studies was based an original decision-making paradigm that was used to compare of networks involved in decision-making at times of uncertainty in healthy young individuals using both electroencephalography (EEG) and task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Overall we found greater network connectivity in the uncertain condition of the task than in the certain condition. This suggests that with increased uncertainty comes increased organized connectivity. Taken together, the results of this study re-iterate the notion that cognition depends upon the efficient communication between a network of brain regions rather than on isolated regions. They also highlight the importance of having a well-defined network of nodes and connections for optimal executive functioning.

Language samples are naturalistic sources of information that supersede many of the limitations found in standardized test administration. Although language samples have clinical utility, they are often time intensive. Despite the usefulness of language samples in evaluation and treatment, clinicians may not perform language sample analyses due to the necessary time commitment. Researchers have developed language sample analysis software that automates this process. Coding schemes such as that used by the Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts (SALT) software were developed to provide more information regarding appropriate grammatical tag selection. The usefulness of SALT precoding in aiding automated grammatical tagging accuracy was evaluated in this study. Results indicate consistent, overall improvement over an earlier version of the software at the tag level. The software was adept at coding samples from both developmentally normal and language impaired children. No significant differences between tagging accuracy of SALT coded versus non-SALT coded samples were found. As the accuracy of automated tagging software advances, the clinical usefulness of automated grammatical analyses improves, and thus the benefits of time savings may be realized.

Research shows that children with language impairment (LI) often have deficits in social communication. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a social communication intervention targeting emotion understanding on teacher perceptions of withdrawal in six elementary-aged boys with LI. The intervention incorporated four elements into treatment sessions: a) Story sharing of children's literature that was rich in emotional content and prosocial behaviors; b) Story enactment of the same children's literature; c) identification and discussion of pictures of facial expressions; and d) journaling to help internalize and reflect on emotions and social behaviors targeted. Two withdrawal subscales of the Teacher Behavior Rating Scale (TBRS), reticence and solitary-passive behavior, were used as variables with which to measure teacher perception. Pre and postintervention measures of teacher ratings were taken and compared for each participant. Results indicated that four of the six participants improved in ratings of withdrawn behaviors following treatment. Two of the boys improved 2 SD for ratings of reticence. Two additional participants did not show improvement, but remained stable in their pre and posttreatment scores for both reticence and solitary-passive withdrawal. These results indicate a generally favorable outcome of the social communication intervention with regard to social withdrawal in children with LI.