Introdução: A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é considerada um dos importantes pro blemas de Saúde Pública, significando, portanto, grande desafio para a geron tologia e geriatria. É causa mais comum de demência que cursa com declínio cognitivo e funcional e alterações com portamentais, porém, poucos estudos relatam a correlação existente entre o declínio motor, considerando o equilíbrio, a força e a implicação na capacidade funcional e na ocorrência de quedas nessa população, principalmente na fase inicial da DA. Objetivos: Identificar o grau de capacidade funcional dos idosos portadores da DA e adequação do seu ambiente domiciliar propício às suas atividades de vida diária, e ocorrência de quedas, proporcionando, assim, melhor qualidade de vida. Métodos: Foi efetuado um estudo epide miológico descritivo, tipo inquérito pros pectivo. Foram estudados 30 pacientes portadores de DA, com idade acima de 60 anos. Foi utilizada avaliação pes soal do paciente, do ambiente e instru mento de avaliação da Medida de Inde pendência Funcional (MIF). Resultados e Conclusões: Dos pacientes estudados, 60% eram do sexo feminino, 47% a profissão era do lar, o intervalo modal do tempo de DA foi de 1,5 - 2 anos e 57% deles apresentaram pelo menos uma queda. Em relação aos cuidadores, 80% eram do sexo feminino e apresentaram média de idade de 59 anos. Em relação à MIF, foi observado grau 6 (independên cia modificada) nos parâmetros: função banho (70%), controle de esfíncter (27%), função transferência (90%), função locomoção (83%). Na função cognitiva, 100% dos pacientes apresentaram grau 5 em pelo menos uma função. Sobre o ambiente, observou-se que os principais fatores de risco foram calçados inadequados, móveis soltos pelo caminho, altura inadequada do vaso sanitário e ausência de barras de apoio. Através da MIF, pôde-se avaliar o grau de comprometimento das funções cognitivas/sociais e identificar a independência modificada das funções motoras dos pacientes com DA, na fase leve. Embora o número de pacientes estuda dos seja pequeno, contudo as evidências parecem mostrar que aumentou os riscos de quedas em função da MIF e do ambiente. / Alzheimer\'s disease is a major public health problem, meaning that it is considered a great challenge to Geria trics and Gerontology. It is the most common cause of dementia, which leads to cognitive and functional decline and behavioral changes. However, few studies report the existing relation between motor decline (balance), strength, and their influence on function abilities as well as the occurrence of falls among the population afflicted by AD, mainly in its early stage. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the functio nal ability level in AD senior citizens and home setting adjustment for a proper environment in which they could carry out daily activities. It also aimed to identify occurrence of falls in order to provide them with a better quality of life. Methods: A survey-like descriptive epidemiological study was conducted. Thirty AD patients over 60 years old were studied. An assessment of the patients and their environment using the Functional Independence Seale was made. Results: 60% of the patients studied were female and 47% were housewives. Their modal AD time interval was 1.5 - 2.0 years, and 57% of them had had at least one fall. As for caregivers, 80% of them were female and averaged 59 years of age. As for Functional Independence Scale, a level 6 (Altered Independence) was observed in the following parameters: Bathing function (70%), sphincter control (27%), transfer function (90%), and movement function (83%). Regarding cognitive function, 100% of the patients showed a 5 level for at least one function. As re gards environment, the main risk factors were inadequate footwear, pieces of furniture on the way, toilet height, and absence of supporting railing. Conclusion: It was possible to identify cognitive changes and altered independence motor functions through the IFS. Those changes, thus, increased risks of falls posed mainly by environ mental threats. Therefore, IFS is considered a good and important instrument to asses AD patients\' functional ability.

Introdução: A doença de Alzheimer (DA) é considerada um dos importantes pro blemas de Saúde Pública, significando, portanto, grande desafio para a geron tologia e geriatria. É causa mais comum de demência que cursa com declínio cognitivo e funcional e alterações com portamentais, porém, poucos estudos relatam a correlação existente entre o declínio motor, considerando o equilíbrio, a força e a implicação na capacidade funcional e na ocorrência de quedas nessa população, principalmente na fase inicial da DA. Objetivos: Identificar o grau de capacidade funcional dos idosos portadores da DA e adequação do seu ambiente domiciliar propício às suas atividades de vida diária, e ocorrência de quedas, proporcionando, assim, melhor qualidade de vida. Métodos: Foi efetuado um estudo epide miológico descritivo, tipo inquérito pros pectivo. Foram estudados 30 pacientes portadores de DA, com idade acima de 60 anos. Foi utilizada avaliação pes soal do paciente, do ambiente e instru mento de avaliação da Medida de Inde pendência Funcional (MIF). Resultados e Conclusões: Dos pacientes estudados, 60% eram do sexo feminino, 47% a profissão era do lar, o intervalo modal do tempo de DA foi de 1,5 - 2 anos e 57% deles apresentaram pelo menos uma queda. Em relação aos cuidadores, 80% eram do sexo feminino e apresentaram média de idade de 59 anos. Em relação à MIF, foi observado grau 6 (independên cia modificada) nos parâmetros: função banho (70%), controle de esfíncter (27%), função transferência (90%), função locomoção (83%). Na função cognitiva, 100% dos pacientes apresentaram grau 5 em pelo menos uma função. Sobre o ambiente, observou-se que os principais fatores de risco foram calçados inadequados, móveis soltos pelo caminho, altura inadequada do vaso sanitário e ausência de barras de apoio. Através da MIF, pôde-se avaliar o grau de comprometimento das funções cognitivas/sociais e identificar a independência modificada das funções motoras dos pacientes com DA, na fase leve. Embora o número de pacientes estuda dos seja pequeno, contudo as evidências parecem mostrar que aumentou os riscos de quedas em função da MIF e do ambiente. / Alzheimer\'s disease is a major public health problem, meaning that it is considered a great challenge to Geria trics and Gerontology. It is the most common cause of dementia, which leads to cognitive and functional decline and behavioral changes. However, few studies report the existing relation between motor decline (balance), strength, and their influence on function abilities as well as the occurrence of falls among the population afflicted by AD, mainly in its early stage. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the functio nal ability level in AD senior citizens and home setting adjustment for a proper environment in which they could carry out daily activities. It also aimed to identify occurrence of falls in order to provide them with a better quality of life. Methods: A survey-like descriptive epidemiological study was conducted. Thirty AD patients over 60 years old were studied. An assessment of the patients and their environment using the Functional Independence Seale was made. Results: 60% of the patients studied were female and 47% were housewives. Their modal AD time interval was 1.5 - 2.0 years, and 57% of them had had at least one fall. As for caregivers, 80% of them were female and averaged 59 years of age. As for Functional Independence Scale, a level 6 (Altered Independence) was observed in the following parameters: Bathing function (70%), sphincter control (27%), transfer function (90%), and movement function (83%). Regarding cognitive function, 100% of the patients showed a 5 level for at least one function. As re gards environment, the main risk factors were inadequate footwear, pieces of furniture on the way, toilet height, and absence of supporting railing. Conclusion: It was possible to identify cognitive changes and altered independence motor functions through the IFS. Those changes, thus, increased risks of falls posed mainly by environ mental threats. Therefore, IFS is considered a good and important instrument to asses AD patients\' functional ability.

Parkinson’s disease is associated with reduced coordination between respiration and locomotion. For the neurological rehabilitation research, it requires a long-time monitoring system, which enables the online analysis of the patient’s vegetative locomotor coordination. In this work a real time step detector using three-dimensional accelerometer signal for the patients with Parkinson‘s disease is developed. This step detector is a complement for a recently developed system included of intelligent, wirelessly communicating sensors. The system helps to focus on the scientific questions whether this coordination may serve as a measure for the rehabilitation progress of PD patients. / +46-762453110 +46-462886970

Plants and microorganisms interact with each other constantly, with some interactions being mutually beneficial and others being detrimental to the plants. The features of the organisms involved in such interactions will determine the characteristics of individual pathosystems. Plants respond readily to pathogen attacks, regardless of the pathosystem; furthermore, variation in the resistance to pathogens within species is common and well documented in many plant species. The variability in pathogen resistance is at the core of genetic improvement programs for disease resistance. True resistance to pathogens in plants is a genetically determined and complex trait that can involve both constitutive and induced mechanisms at different levels of organization. The complexity of this phenomenon makes the study of compatible plant - pathogen interactions challenging, and typically, disease resistance studies focus on specific aspects of a pathosystem, such as field resistance, anatomical or physiological features of resistant plants, or molecular mechanisms of resistance. The Thuja sp. - Didymascella thujina (E.J. Durand) Maire interaction is an important pathosystem in western North America, which has been studied for more than five decades. Western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don) is very susceptible to cedar leaf blight (D. thujina), a biotroph that affects the tree at all stages, although seedlings are the most sensitive to the pathogen. The characteristics of the Thuja sp. - D. thujina interaction, the wealth of information on the pathosystem and the excellent Thuja sp. genetic resources available from the British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development make this interaction an ideal system to advance the study of disease resistance mechanisms in conifers. This Doctoral project presents a comprehensive investigation of the constitutive and induced resistance mechanisms against D. thujina in T. plicata, Thuja standishii (Gord.) Carrière and a Thuja standishii x plicata hybrid at the phenotypic and gene expression levels, undertaken with the objective of exploring the resistance mechanisms against the biotroph in these conifers. The project also aimed to establish base knowledge for the future development of markers for marker-assisted breeding of T. plicata. The investigations included a combination of histological, chemical and next generation sequencing (NGS) methodologies. NGS data were analyzed, in addition to the traditional clustering analyses, with cutting edge machine learning methods, including grade of membership analysis, dynamic topic modelling and stability selection analysis. The studies were progressively more controlled to narrow the focus on the resistance mechanisms to D. thujina in Thuja sp. Histological characteristics related to D. thujina resistance in Thuja sp. were studied first, along with the relationship between climate of origin and disease resistance. The virulence of D. thujina was also documented early in this project. Chemical and gene expression constitutive and induced responses to D. thujina infection in T. plicata seedlings were studied next. T. plicata clonal lines were then comprehensively studied to shed light on the mechanisms behind known physiologically determined resistance. A holistic investigation of the resistance mechanisms to D. thujina in T. standishii, T. plicata and a T. standishii x plicata hybrid explored the possibility of a gene-for-gene resistance model. Thirty-five T. plicata families were screened during the four field seasons carried out between 2012 and 2015, totalling more than 1,400 seedlings scored for D. thujina severity. Thirteen of those families were used in the five studies performed during the program, along with two T. plicata seedling lines self-pollinated for five generations and three T. plicata clonal lines. One T. standishii clonal line, and one T. standishii x plicata clone were also investigated during the program. A total of 16 histological and anatomical characteristics were studied in more than 750 samples, and more than 270 foliar samples were analyzed for 60 chemical and nutritional compounds. Almost one million transcriptomic sequences in four individually assembled reference transcriptomes were examined during the program. The results of the project support the variability in the resistance to D. thujina in T. plicata, as well as the higher resistance to the pathogen in plants originating from cooler and wetter environments. The data collected also depicted the existence of age-related resistance in T. plicata, and confirmed the full resistance to the disease in T. standishii. Western redcedar plants resistant and susceptible to D. thujina showed constitutive differences at the phenotypic and gene expression levels. Resistant T. plicata seedlings had thicker cuticles, constitutively higher concentrations of sabinene, alpha-thujene, and higher levels of expression of NBS-LRR disease resistance proteins. Resistant clones of T. plicata and T. standishii had higher expression levels of bark storage proteins and of dirigent proteins. Plants from all ages, species and resistance classes studied that were infected with D. thujina showed the accumulation of aluminum in the foliage, and increased levels of sequences involved in cell wall reinforcement. Additional responses to D. thujina infection in T. plicata seedlings included the downregulation of some secondary metabolic pathways, whereas pathogenesis-related proteins were upregulated in clonal lines of T. plicata. The comprehensive approach used here to study the Thuja sp. - D. thujina pathosystem could be applied to other compatible plant-pathogen interactions. / Graduate / 2020-08-31