IntroductionPreoperative neurocognitive disorder is a common condition affecting 14–51. 7% of the elderly population. General anesthesia has already been associated with the one-year post-operative neurocognitive disorder, specifically, a deficit in executive function, measured by the Trail Making Test B, but its long-term effects on cognitive function have not been investigated. We aimed to detect preO-NCD prevalence in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery and further investigate the possible role of previous general anesthesia in general preoperative cognitive status [measured via the Montreal (...) Cognitive Assessment ] and/or in executive functioning.MethodsIn this observational, prospective study, 151 adult patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery underwent MoCA and TMT-B. Data on age, education, pGA, comorbidities, and laboratory results were collected.ResultsWe discovered a general cognitive function impairment of 79.5% and an executive function impairment of 22%. Aging is associated with an increased likelihood and education with a decreased likelihood of general cognitive impairment, but only education was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of executive function impairment. While pGA did not significantly affect preO-NCD, a noteworthy interaction between aging and pGA was found, resulting in a synergistic effect, increasing the likelihood of executive function impairment.ConclusionWe found a high prevalence of preO-NCD in patients scheduled for cardiac surgery. General cognitive function impairment is highly associated with advancing age. However, older patients with at least one pGA appeared to be at an increased risk of preO-NCD, especially executive function impairment, suggesting that TMT-B should be associated with MoCA in the preoperative cognitive evaluation in this population. (shrink)

Luigi Sacco (1769–1863) was the main protagonist of early vaccination campaign in Italy. He found a native source of vaccine lymph: with that, he personally vaccinated more than 500,000 people and furnished all Italy and some Middle East countries too. Starting from the pictures of his books, Sacco proposed to create wax models of real and spurious smallpox pustules in human, cow, sheep and horse; just to permit, not only to doctors, but also to all other health operators, the identification (...) of the right pustules from where to extract active lymph for vaccination. In the Museum of Pathological Anatomy of the Padua University Medical School, we have four anatomical waxes which corresponded exactly to the explicative pictures in 1809 Sacco’s treatise on Vaccine. We have found the same models also at the University of Milan, Pavia and Bologna—the main cities of Cisalpine Republic , the state of North Italy formed at the epoch of Sacco following the Napoleon conquest. The history of the diffusion of these models presented in this text will be a starting point to develop wider questions. In particular, this history could be useful to improve our understanding of the birth of scientific and experimental medicine through XIX and XX Century. (shrink)

The dialectical method of reasoning, constituted by opposed opinions, ís the procedure of knowledge acquisition and of foundation of principies for practical and theoretical scíences. The demonstration from the principies of science, which classically is considered the proper procedure of science, does not have more committing than to systematize pedagogically what previously has been obtained by the dialectic method.

El populismo latino proclama el principio de la unanimidad. Es inclusivo, pero puede volverse totalitario en nombre del pueblo. Puede tener una base popular e implementar políticas distributivas, pero su característica sobresaliente es la ambición de transformar a su pueblo en todo el pueblo. Animado por un impulso unanimista y una pulsión redentora, el populismo latino es un fenómeno que tiene profundas raíces religiosas. Estas raíces se basan en el humus antiguo de la cristiandad colonial hispana y evocan el imaginario (...) organicista en que estaba basado, imaginario que, en el transcurso del tiempo, se ha levantado como un baluarte identitario contra la difusión de las ideas iluministas y liberales. (shrink)

O presente estudo é resultado da experiência de uma das ações de estágio profissionalizante em Psicologia Social Comunitária, realizada através de uma pesquisa-intervenção que teve como objetivo o fortalecimento de um grupo de voluntários da região noroeste do estado do Rio Grande do Sul para facili..