Self-testing for SARS-CoV-2 in São Paulo, Brazil: results of a population-based values and attitudes survey.

BACKGROUND: Brazil is among the countries in South America where the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the general population hardest. Self-testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection is one of the community-based strategies that could help asymptomatic individuals at-risk of COVID-19, as well as those living in areas that are difficult for health personnel to reach, to know their infectious status and contribute to impeding further transmission of the virus. METHODS: A population-based survey was conducted in November 2021, to assess the acceptability of rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen self-testing among the population of São Paulo. Survey respondents were approached at more than 400 different street-points that were randomly selected using a five-stage randomization process. A 35-item structured questionnaire was used. Dependent variables for our analyses were the likelihood to use and willingness to pay for self-testing, and the likelihood of taking preventive measures to prevent onward transmission of SARS-CoV-2 following a reactive self-test result. Bivariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. RESULTS: Overall, 417 respondents (44.12% female) participated; 19.66% had previously had COVID-19 disease. A minority (9.59%) felt at high-risk of COVID-19. The majority of both females and males (73.91% and 60.09%, respectively) were in favor of the idea of SARS-CoV-2 self-testing. Overall, if self-tests were available, almost half of the sample would be very likely (n = 54, 12.95%) or likely (n = 151, 36.21%) to use one if they felt they needed to. Upon receiving a positive self-test result, the majority of respondents would communicate it (88.49%), request facility-based post-test counseling (98.32%), self-isolate (97.60%), and warn their close contacts (96.64%). CONCLUSION: Rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen self-testing could be an acceptable screening tool in São Paulo. The population would be empowered by having access to a technology that would allow them to test, even if asymptomatic, when traveling, or going to work or school. If there is a surge in the incidence of cases, self-testing could be a good approach for mass case detection by Brazil's already overstretched Unified Health System.

A new framework to measure intuitiveness in decision problems / Un nuevo marco de medición para la intuición en los problemas de toma de decisiones

Intuition in decision-making is often seen as a set of heuristic or holistic mental processes applied to decision problems when they exceed cognitive capacity, or whenever there is a will to achieve a solution that does not exhaust cognitive resources. In this regard, to date it has been solely treated as a personal and frequently solipsist tendency. This paper tests whether different types of problems carry different degrees of 'intuitiveness' and whether it would be possible to produce a realistic experimental model of such problems. To cope with both demands, standardized stimuli (mostly IAPS figures) were used to model decision problems as conflicts (approach-avoidance, approach-approach, and avoidance approach conflicts). Intuitiveness was argued to be inversely related to arousal, as measured by GSR levels. Several solutions to methodological problems involving decision-making designs in the environment of the software BioExplorer were created. Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were used to rank problems. According to our analyses, ap-av conflicts are by far less intuitive than av-ap, and av-av (p <.0001). The latter two are not very different in this regard (p = .5712).

La intuición en la toma de decisiones se asume con frecuencia como un conjunto de procesos mentales heurísticos u holísticos que se aplican a la toma de decisiones cuando exceden la capacidad cognitiva, o cuando se quiere obtener una solución que no agote recursos cognitivos. En este sentido, se ha tratado este tema hasta ahora sólo como una tendencia personal y con frecuencia solipsista. El presente trabajo se propone probar si diferentes tipos de problemas llevan consigo diferentes grados de "intuición", así como plantearse si sería posible producir un modelo experimental realista de dichos problemas. Con el fin de atender a ambos requerimientos se utilizaron estímulos estandarizados (mayormente imágenes del Sistema Internacional de Imágenes Afectivas - IAPS) para modelar problemas que demandasen una decisión a manera de conflictos (conflictos de tipo aproximación-evitación, aproximación-aproximación y evitación-aproximación). Se arguye que la intuición se relaciona de manera inversa con la activación cuando se la mide por niveles de respuesta galvánica de la piel (GSR). Se crearon así varias soluciones a los problemas metodológicos que involucraban diseños de toma de decisiones en el ambiente del Software BioExplorer. Se utilizaron las pruebas de Kruskal-Wallis y de Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon con el fin de clasificar los problemas. A la luz de nuestros análisis, los conflictos de aproximación-evitación (ap-av) son de lejos menos intuitivos que los conflictos de tipo evitación-aproximación (av-ap) y evitación-evitación (av-av) (p < .0001) los dos últimos no fueron significativamente diferentes en este aspecto (p = .5712).

Clinical Efficacy of a New Automated Hemoencefalographic Neurofeedback Protocol

Among the ongoing attempts to enhance cognitive performance, an emergent and yet underrepresented venue is brought by hemoencefalographic neurofeedback (HEG). This paper presents three related advances in HEG neurofeedback for cognitive enhancement: a) a new HEG protocol for cognitive enhancement, as well as b) the results of independent measures of biological efficacy (EEG brain maps) extracted in three phases, during a one year follow up case study; c) the results of the first controlled clinical trial of HEG, designed to assess the efficacy of the technique for cognitive enhancement of an adult and neurologically intact population. The new protocol was developed in the environment of a software that organizes digital signal algorithms in a flowchart format. Brain maps were produced through 10 brain recordings. The clinical trial used a working memory test as its independent measure of achievement. The main conclusion of this study is that the technique appears to be clinically promising. Approaches to cognitive performance from a metabolic viewpoint should be explored further. However, it is particularly important to note that, to our knowledge, this is the world's first controlled clinical study on the matter and it is still early for an ultimate evaluation of the technique (AU)

Entre los intentos en curso para mejorar el rendimiento cognitivo, uno emergente y todavía insuficientemente representado es el neurofeedback hemoencefalográphico (HEG). Este trabajo presenta tres avances relacionados con HEG neurofeedback para la mejora cognitiva: a) un nuevo protocolo HEG para la mejora cognitiva, así como b) los resultados de las medidas independientes de la eficacia biológica (mapas cerebrales EEG) extraídos en tres fases durante un año estudio de seguimiento de casos; c) los resultados del primer ensayo clínico controlado de HEG, diseñado para evaluar la eficacia de la técnica para la mejora cognitiva de población adulta y neurológicamente sana. El nuevo protocolo fue desarrollado en el marco de un software que organiza algoritmos de señales digitales en un formato de diagrama de flujo. Los mapas de cerebro fueron producidos a través de 10 registros cerebrales. El ensayo clínico utilizó un test de memoria de trabajo como medida independiente de sus logros. La principal conclusión de este estudio es que la técnica parece ser clínicamente prometedora. Los enfoques para el rendimiento cognitivo desde un punto de vista metabólico deben investigarse más a fondo. Sin embargo, es particularmente importante tener en cuenta que, a nuestro entender, este es el primer estudio clínico controlado sobre el tema en el mundo, y aún es pronto para una evaluación final de la técnica (AU)

A new neurofeedback protocol for depression

Context: Neurofeedback represents an exciting complementary option in the treatment of depression that builds upon a huge body of research on electroencephalographic correlates of depression. Objective: The objectives of this article are threefold: review the literature on neurofeedback protocols for depression; introduce a new protocol, which aims to synthesize the best qualities of the currently available protocols; and present the results of a small clinical experiment with the new protocol. Method: Structured survey of the literature; software development; clinical trial with one subject, submitted to ten sessions of neurofeedback (one hour each). Results: Currently there are twenty-one articles in neurofeedback for depression, among which only six present original experimental results. All of them report positive results with the technique. The most used protocols focus on Alpha inter-hemispheric asymmetry, and Theta/Beta ratio within the left prefrontal cortex. Our new protocol integrates both dimensions in a single circuit, adding to it a third programming line, which divides Beta frequencies and reinforces the decrease of Beta-3, in order to reduce anxiety. The favorable outcome of our clinical experiment, suggests that new research with this protocol is worthwhile (AU)

Contexto: El neurofeedback representa una excitante opción complementaria para el tratamiento de la depresión que se basa en un enorme cuerpo de investigación sobre los correlatos electroencefalográficos de la depresión. Objetivo: Los objetivos de este artículo son varios: revisar la literatura sobre los protocolos de neurofeedback para depresión; introducir un nuevo protocolo que pretende sintetizar las mejores cualidades de los protocolos actualmente disponibles; y presentar los resultados de un pequeño experimento clínico con el nuevo protocolo. Método: Inspección estructurada de la literatura; desarrollo de software; ensayo clínico con un participante sometido a diez sesiones de neurofeedback (una hora cada sesión). Resultados: Actualmente hay veintiún artículos sobre neurofeedback en depresión, entre los cuales solo seis presentan resultados experimentales originales. Todos ellos reportan resultados positivos con la técnica. Los protocolos más usados se centran en la asimetría inter-hemisférica de Alpha, y la razón Theta/Beta dentro del cortex prefrontal izquierdo. Nuestro nuevo protocolo integra ambas dimensiones en un solo circuito, añadiendo a una tercera línea de programación, que divide las frecuencias Beta y refuerza el decremento de Beta-3, con objeto de reducir la ansiedad. La consecuencia favorable de nuestro experimento clínico sugiere que nueva investigación con este protocolo es aconsejable (AU)