What Drives Task Performance in Fluency Tasks in People With HIV?

Introduction: Fluency tasks require language (i.e., semantics, phonological output lexicon, and phonological assembly) and executive functions (i.e., inhibition; mental set shifting; updating, and monitoring). Little is known about whether people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are more impaired on a specific type of fluency task and what aspects of language and executive functions drive such performance. Aims: To understand (1) whether people with HIV are more impaired in animal, letter, or unconstrained fluency relative to a normative sample; (2) whether there exist differences between tasks relative to the total number of words; and (3) which aspects of executive function and language are involved in their performance. Methods: Data from animal, letter, and unconstrained fluency of 50 Spanish-speaking people with HIV were analyzed. The number of switches and mean cluster size for each task and 10 word properties (e.g., frequency, age of acquisition, length in graphemes) for each of the correct words were measured. A chi-square test was used to address Aim 1, linear mixed effects models for Aim 2, and random forests and conditional inference trees for Aim 3. The results were cross-validated with a normative sample. Results: People with HIV were not more impaired in animal, letter, or unconstrained fluency relative to a normative sample. People with HIV produced fewer words in letter fluency compared to animal and unconstrained fluency. In addition, they produced fewer words in animal fluency compared to unconstrained fluency. Number of switches emerged as the most important variable to predict the total number of correct words when considering the three tasks together and for each task separately. Word frequency was relevant to predict animal fluency, age of acquisition to predict letter fluency, and cluster size to predict unconstrained fluency. These results were cross-validated with the exception cluster size. Conclusion: People with HIV rely on language (phonological output lexicon, not necessarily semantics) and executive functioning (updating and monitoring) to produce words in fluency tasks. These results concur with the current literature. Future work may correlate fluency scores with other tests measuring language and executive functions or study other types of fluency tasks (e.g., action, cities, supermarket, and professions)

Cognitive disorders in HIV-1: pragmatic dimension of verbal communication

Introducción: La alteración de funciones neurocognitivas es una complicación frecuente en pacientes con virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH). A pesar de esto, las dificultades pragmáticas y, en especial, en habilidades de comunicación verbal han sido poco abordadas en esta población de pacientes. Objetivos: Nos propusimos estudiar las habilidades de comunicación verbal en una muestra de paciente VIH-1, mediante la aplicación del Protocolo MEC. Método: Se evaluaron 20 pacientes que asistían al servicio de Infectología del Hospital Thompson (San Martín, provincia de Buenos Aires) y que cumplían con los siguientes criterios de inclusión: 18 años o más, VIH-1 positivo, hablantes nativos de español, sin alteraciones en la adquisición del lenguaje, la lectura o la escritura, sin antecedentes de enfermedad neurológica o psiquiátrica, pacientes que reciben TARV -Tratamiento antirretroviral- o que no reciben TARV (que no incluya efavirenz/ con carga viral detectable [>50 cop/mL]). Fueron evaluados con el Protocolo MEC, que valora las habilidades de comunicación verbal. Resultados: Los resultados demuestran que algunas de las habilidades evaluadas por las diferentes pruebas de Protocolo MEC son más vulnerables al déficit en pacientes VIH-1. Las tareas que mostraron déficits más sistemáticos y frecuentes fueron las del nivel del discurso y las que evalúan el procesamiento léxico semántico. Conclusión: La detección de déficits de comunicación en pacientes VIH-1 puede contribuir con la identificación de trastornos cognitivos y la admisión de los pacientes al sistema de salud.Introduction: La perturbation du fonctionnement neurocognitif est une complication fréquente chez les patients VIH - positifs. Malgré cela, les difficultés pragmatiques et, en particulier, les difficultés de communication verbale ont été peu étudiés dans cette population de patients. Objectifs: Nous avons proposé d'étudier les compétences en communication verbale dans un groupe de VIH - 1 des patients infectés, par l'application de la Protocolo MEC. Méthodes: Nous avons évalué 20 patients qui participaient au service des maladies infectieuses de l' Hôpital Thompson (San Martín, Buenos Aires) et qui satisfait aux critères d' inclusion suivants: plus de 18 ans; VIH - 1 positif; locuteurs natifs de l'espagnol; aucune modification dans l'acquisition du langage, la lecture ou l'écriture; sans antécédents de maladie neurologique ou psychiatrique; patients recevant TARV - au traitement antirétroviral ou non recevoir TARV (non compris l'éfavirenz / avec charge virale détectable [ > 50 copies / mL ] ). Ils ont été évalués avec le Protocole MEC, qui valorise les capacités de communication verbale. Résultats: Les résultats démontrent que certaines des compétences évaluées par les différents tests de protocole d' MEC sont plus vulnérables à des patients VIH-1. Les tâches qui ont montré les déficits les plus fréquentes et systématiques chez les patients étaient des tâches au niveau du discours et ceux qui évaluent le traitement sémantique lexicale. Conclusion: La détection de déficit de communication dans les patients VIH-1 serait le point de départ pour l'identification des troubles et l'admission des patients au système de soins de santé. Mots clés: VIH - 1, troubles cognitifs, communication verbale, pragmatique.Introdução: A alteração das funções neurocognitivas é uma complicação frequente em pacientes com o vírus de imunodeficiência adquirida (HIV). Apesar disto, as dificuldades pragmáticas e, em especial, em habilidade de comunicação verbal vêm sendo pouco abordadas em esta população de pacientes. Objetivos: Nos propomos a estudar as habilidades de comunicação verbal em uma amostra de pacientes com HIV-1, mediante a aplicação do Protocolo MEC. Método: Avaliaram-se 20 pacientes que assistiam ao Serviço de Infectologia do Hospital Thompson (São Martim, província de Buenos Aires) e que cumpriam os seguintes critérios de inclusão: 18 anos ou mais, HIV-1 positivo, falantes nativos de espanhol, sem alterações na aquisição da linguagem, na leitura, sem antecedentes de enfermidade neurológica ou psiquiátrica, pacientes que recebem TARV – Tratamento antiretroviral – o que não recebem TARV (que não inclua efavirenz/ com carga viral detectável [>50cop/ml]). Foram avaliados com o Protocolo MEC, que avalia as habilidades de comunicação verbal. Resultados: Os resultados demonstram que algumas habilidades avaliadas pelas diferentes provas do Protocolo MEC são mais vulneráveis ao déficit em pacientes com HIV-1. As tarefas que mostraram déficits mais semânticos y frequentes foram as de nível de discurso y as que avaliam o processamento léxico semântico. Conclusão: A detecção de déficits de comunicação em pacientes com HIV-1 pode contribuir com a identificação de transtornos cognitivos e a admissão dos pacientes ao sistema de saúde.Introduction: The disruption of neurocognitive functioning is a frequent complication in HIV-positive patients. Despite this, pragmatic difficulties and, in particular, verbal communication difficulties have been poorly studied in this population of patients. Objectives: We proposed to study the verbal communication skills in a group of HIV-1 infected patients, by applying the Protocolo MEC. Methods: We evaluated 20 patients who were attending at the Infectious Diseases Service of the Hospital Thompson (San Martín, Buenos Aires) and who met the following inclusion criteria: over 18 years of age; HIV-1 positive; native speakers of Spanish; no alterations in language acquisition, reading, or writing; no history of neurological or psychiatric disease; patients receiving TARV-antiretroviral-treatment or not receiving TARV (not including efavirenz / with detectable viral load [> 50 copies / mL]). They were evaluated with Protocol MEC, which values verbal communication abilities. Results: The results demonstrate that some of the skills evaluated by the different MEC Protocol tests are more vulnerable in HIV-1 patients. The tasks that showed the most frequent and systematic deficits among patients were discourse-level tasks and those that evaluate lexical semantic processing. Conclusion: The detection of communication deficit in HIV-1 patients would be the starting point for the identification of disorders and the admission of the patients to health care system.Fil: Abusamra, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Abusamra, Lorena. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina; Argentina. Hospital Municipal Dr. Diego Thompson; ArgentinaFil: Sampedro, María Bárbara. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Difalcis, Micaela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, Gisela Paola. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras; ArgentinaFil: Marino Dávolos, Julián. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Psicología; ArgentinaFil: Ferreres, Aldo Rodolfo. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Psicología; Argentina. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Interzonal de Agudos "Eva Perón"; Argentin

RBD-specific polyclonal F(ab´)2 fragments of equine antibodies in patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 disease: A randomized, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, adaptive phase 2/3 clinical trial

Background: passive immunotherapy is a therapeutic alternative for patients with COVID-19. Equine polyclonal antibodies (EpAbs) could represent a source of scalable neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Methods: we conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial to assess efficacy and safety of EpAbs (INM005) in hospitalized adult patients with moderate and severe COVID-19 pneumonia in 19 hospitals of Argentina. Primary endpoint was improvement in at least two categories in WHO ordinal clinical scale at day 28 or hospital discharge (ClinicalTrials.gov number NCT04494984). Findings: between August 1st and October 26th, 2020, a total of 245 patients were enrolled. Enrolled patients were assigned to receive two blinded doses of INM005 (n = 118) or placebo (n = 123). Median age was 54 years old, 65 1% were male and 61% had moderate disease at baseline. Median time from symptoms onset to study treatment was 6 days (interquartile range 5 to 8). No statistically significant difference was noted between study groups on primary endpoint (risk difference [95% IC]: 5 28% [-3 95; 14 50]; p = 0 15). Rate of improvement in at least two categories was statistically significantly higher for INM005 at days 14 and 21 of follow-up. Time to improvement in two ordinal categories or hospital discharge was 14 2 (§ 0 7) days in the INM005 group and 16 3 (§ 0 7) days in the placebo group, hazard ratio 1 31 (95% CI 1 0 to 1 74). Subgroup analyses showed a beneficial effect of INM005 over severe patients and in those with negative baseline antibodies. Overall mortality was 6 9% the INM005 group and 11 4% in the placebo group (risk difference [95% IC]: 0 57 [0 24 to 1 37]). Adverse events of special interest were mild or moderate; no anaphylaxis was reported. Interpretation: Albeit not having reached the primary endpoint, we found clinical improvement of hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, particularly those with severe disease.Fil: Lopardo, Gustavo. Municipalidad de Vicente Lopez (buenos Aires). Hospital Municipal Doctor Bernardo Houssay.; ArgentinaFil: Belloso, Waldo H.. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Nannini, Esteban. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Colonna, Mariana. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Sanguineti, Santiago. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Zylberman, Vanesa. Inmunova; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Muñoz, Luciana. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Dobarro, Martín. Sanatorio Sagrado Corazón; ArgentinaFil: Lebersztein, Gabriel. Sanatorio Sagrado Corazón; ArgentinaFil: Farina, Javier. Gobierno de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Alta Complejidad Cuenca Alta Doctor Nestor Carlos Kirchner.; ArgentinaFil: Vidiella, Gabriela. Sanatorio Agote. Dr. Luis Agote; ArgentinaFil: Bertetti, Anselmo. Sanatorio Guemes Sociedad Anonima.; ArgentinaFil: Crudo, Favio. Universidad Nacional de San Antonio de Areco; ArgentinaFil: Alzogaray, Maria Fernanda. Instituto Medico Platense.; ArgentinaFil: Barcelona, Laura. Municipalidad de Vicente Lopez (buenos Aires). Hospital Municipal Doctor Bernardo Houssay.; ArgentinaFil: Teijeiro, Ricardo. Gobierno de la Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires. Hospital General de Agudos Doctor Ignacio Pirovano; ArgentinaFil: Lambert, Sandra. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Ministerio de Salud. Hospital Alta Complejidad en Red El Cruce Dr. Néstor Carlos Kirchner Samic; ArgentinaFil: Scublinsky, Darío. Clinica Zabala.; ArgentinaFil: Iacono, Marisa. Provincia del Neuquen. Hospital Provincial Neuquen "dr. E. Castro Rendon"; ArgentinaFil: Stanek, Vanina. Hospital Italiano; ArgentinaFil: Solari, Rubén. Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires. Hospital de Infecciosas "Dr. Francisco Javier Muñiz"; ArgentinaFil: Cruz, Pablo. No especifíca;Fil: Casas, Marcelo Martín. Clinica Adventista Belgrano; ArgentinaFil: Abusamra, Lorena. Hospital Municipal Dr. Diego Thompson; ArgentinaFil: Luciardi, Héctor Lucas. Provincia de Tucuman. Ministerio de Salud. Sistema Provincial de Salud. Hosp. Centro de Salud "zenon Santillan"; ArgentinaFil: Cremona, Alberto. Hospital Italiano de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Caruso, Diego. Hospital Español; ArgentinaFil: de Miguel, Bernardo. No especifíca;Fil: Perez Lloret, Santiago. Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina "Santa María de los Buenos Aires"; Argentina. Universidad Abierta Interamericana. Secretaría de Investigación. Centro de Altos Estudios En Ciencias Humanas y de la Salud - Sede Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Millán, Susana. No especifíca;Fil: Kilstein, Yael. No especifíca;Fil: Pereiro, Ana. Fundación Mundo Sano; ArgentinaFil: Sued, Omar. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Cahn, Pedro. Fundación Huésped; ArgentinaFil: Spatz, Linus. Inmunova; ArgentinaFil: Goldbaum, Fernando Alberto. Inmunova; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Centro de Rediseño E Ingenieria de Proteinas.; Argentin

Children’s executive function during the COVID -19 pandemic in Argentina : associations with home literacy , reading , and screen times

Abstract: Several studies indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic and the containment measures it required (including social distancing, quarantine and school closure) had a significant impact on children’s mental health. The present study aimed to examine executive function difficulties at behavioural level in school children during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to analyze potential associations with home literacy environment, current reading and screen times. Data were collected from mothers of 210 children (9–12 years old) through an online survey. Incidence of EF issues was higher for fourth graders in the flexibility and working memory domains, possibly reflecting developmental differences. Significant increases in children screen times were observed, while most of them did not read for pleasure on a daily basis. Parents’ literacy beliefs and children’s current leisure reading times were negative predictors of executive function difficulties (with reading times partially mediating literacy beliefs’ effects), which increased with videogame times (particularly in 4th graders). Nevertheless, perceived changes on screen or reading times with respect to prepandemic levels were not associated with executive function scores. The results might indicate: 1) opposite effects of literacy and video game times over children’s executive functioning; 2) a preference for reading or screen recreational use according to their executive function profiles; or 3) a combination of both. Our findings highlight the relation of home literacy environment, reading and screen times with children’s cognitive development, and the importance of following their trajectory during postpandemic times

Childrens executive function during the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina: Associations with home literacy, reading, and screen times

Several studies indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic and the containment measures it required (including social distancing, quarantine and school closure) had a significant impact on children's mental health. The present study aimed to examine executive function difficulties at behavioural level in school children during the COVID-19 lockdown, and to analyze potential associations with home literacy environment, current reading and screen times. Data were collected from mothers of 210 children (9–12 years old) through an online survey. Incidence of EF issues was higher for fourth graders in the flexibility and working memory domains, possibly reflecting developmental differences. Significant increases in children screen times were observed, while most of them did not read for pleasure on a daily basis. Parents’ literacy beliefs and children's current leisure reading times were negative predictors of executive function difficulties (with reading times partially mediating literacy beliefs’ effects), which increased with videogame times (particularly in 4th graders). Nevertheless, perceived changes on screen or reading times with respect to prepandemic levels were not associated with executive function scores. The results might indicate: 1) opposite effects of literacy and video game times over children's executive functioning; 2) a preference for reading or screen recreational use according to their executive function profiles; or 3) a combination of both. Our findings highlight the relation of home literacy environment, reading and screen times with children's cognitive development, and the importance of following their trajectory during postpandemic times.Fil: Tabullo, Angel Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales; ArgentinaFil: Canet Juric, Lorena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Psicología. Instituto de Psicología Básica, Aplicada y Tecnología.; ArgentinaFil: Abusamra, Valeria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Saavedra 15. Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigaciones en Psicología Matemática y Experimental Dr. Horacio J. A. Rimoldi; Argentin

Evaluation of Different Parameters of Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in HIV Serodiscordant Heterosexual Couples: Humoral Response Potentially Implicated in Modulating Transmission Rates

As the HIV/AIDS pandemic still progresses, understanding the mechanisms governing viral transmission as well as protection from HIV acquisition is fundamental. In this context, cohorts of HIV serodiscordant heterosexual couples (SDC) represent a unique tool. The present study was aimed to evaluate specific parameters of innate, cellular and humoral immune responses in SDC. Specifically, plasma levels of cytokines and chemokines, HIV-specific T-cell responses, gp120-specific IgG and IgA antibodies, and HIV-specific antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) activity were assessed in nine HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (ESN) and their corresponding HIV seropositive partners (HIV+-P), in eighteen chronically infected HIV subjects (C), nine chronically infected subjects known to be HIV transmitters (CT) and ten healthy HIV− donors (HD). Very low magnitude HIV-specific cellular responses were found in two out of six ESN. Interestingly, HIV+-P had the highest ADCC magnitude, the lowest IgA levels and the highest IgG/IgA ratio, all compared to CT. Positive correlations between CD4+ T-cell counts and both IgG/IgA ratios and %ADCC killing uniquely distinguished HIV+-P. Additionally, evidence of IgA interference with ADCC responses from HIV+-P and CT is provided. These data suggest for the first time a potential role of ADCC and/or gp120-specific IgG/IgA balance in modulating heterosexual transmission. In sum, this study provides key information to understand the host factors that influence viral transmission, which should be considered in both the development of prophylactic vaccines and novel immunotherapies for HIV-1 infection