Validity of Cognitive Assessment Tools for Older Adult Hispanics: A Systematic Review

A higher prevalence and incidence of dementia is found in Hispanic/Latino older adults. Therefore, valid instruments are necessary to assess cognitive functioning in this population group. Our aim was to review existing articles that have examined and reported on the validity of cognitive assessment tools in Hispanic/Latino population groups in the United States

Plasma PLP Concentration and Depressive Symptomatology, over time, in older Latino Adults

Background: Low vitamin B-6 status has been linked to depressive symptomatology. However, most studies have been cross-sectional and may not have controlled for relevant confounders. Few studies have examined this association in Latino populations at high risk for major depression. Design: We used two-level hierarchical linear regression models (HLM) for continuous outcomes. Level-1 data included three measures of participant’s depressive symptomatology collected at baseline, 2y follow-up and 5y follow-up. Participants constituted level-2 data. Vitamin B-6 was associated with depressive symptomatology across these time points. Objective: We examined the longitudinal association of vitamin B-6 status with depressive symptomatology across 3 time points over ~ 5-7 y in a cohort of older Puerto Rican adults, a population previously identified to be at high risk for depressive symptomatology and clinical depression. Results: Plasma pyridoxyl-5’-phosphate (PLP) concentration, a time-varying predictor, was significantly associated with depressive symptomatology. Study participants with PLP deficiency, vs. optimal PLP, had higher baseline depressive symptoms (22±14, vs. 20±13); this differential remained constant over time and persisted after controlling for age, sex, education, BMI, smoking and alcohol use, other relevant nutritional factors, perceived stress, stressful life events and allostatic load; and use of antidepressant medication. However, PLP concentration was not associated with the rate of change in depressive symptomatology over time. Conclusions: Suboptimal plasma PLP is associated with higher depressive symptomatology in older Puerto Rican adults and this appears to persist over time. Our data suggest that identification and treatment of vitamin B-6 deficiency may be a useful preventive and intervention approach in this population

Untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic analyses reveal lipid dysregulation in the plasma of acute leukemia patients

Acute leukemias (AL) are aggressive neoplasms with high mortality rates. Metabolomics and oxidative status have emerged as important tools to identify new biomarkers with clinical utility. To identify the metabolic differences between healthy individuals (HI) and patients with AL, a multiplatform untargeted metabolomic and lipidomic approach was conducted using liquid and gas chromatography coupled with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-QTOF-MS or GC-QTOF-MS). Additionally, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was measured. A total of 20 peripheral blood plasma samples were obtained from patients with AL and 18 samples from HI. Our analysis revealed 135 differentially altered metabolites in the patients belonging to 12 chemical classes; likewise, the metabolic pathways of glycerolipids and sphingolipids were the most affected in the patients. A decrease in the TAC of the patients with respect to the HI was evident. This study conducted with a cohort of Colombian patients is consistent with observations from other research studies that suggest dysregulation of lipid compounds. Furthermore, metabolic differences between patients and HI appear to be independent of lifestyle, race, or geographic location, providing valuable information for future advancements in understanding the disease and developing more global therapies

The Sigma Class glutathione transferase from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica

BACKGROUND: Liver fluke infection of livestock causes economic losses of over US$ 3 billion worldwide per annum. The disease is increasing in livestock worldwide and is a re-emerging human disease. There are currently no commercial vaccines, and only one drug with significant efficacy against adult worms and juveniles. A liver fluke vaccine is deemed essential as short-lived chemotherapy, which is prone to resistance, is an unsustainable option in both developed and developing countries. Protein superfamilies have provided a number of leading liver fluke vaccine candidates. A new form of glutathione transferase (GST) family, Sigma class GST, closely related to a leading Schistosome vaccine candidate (Sm28), has previously been revealed by proteomics in the liver fluke but not functionally characterised. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In this manuscript we show that a purified recombinant form of the F. hepatica Sigma class GST possesses prostaglandin synthase activity and influences activity of host immune cells. Immunocytochemistry and western blotting have shown the protein is present near the surface of the fluke and expressed in eggs and newly excysted juveniles, and present in the excretory/secretory fraction of adults. We have assessed the potential to use F. hepatica Sigma class GST as a vaccine in a goat-based vaccine trial. No significant reduction of worm burden was found but we show significant reduction in the pathology normally associated with liver fluke infection. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We have shown that F. hepatica Sigma class GST has likely multi-functional roles in the host-parasite interaction from general detoxification and bile acid sequestration to PGD synthase activity

The state of the Martian climate

60°N was +2.0°C, relative to the 1981–2010 average value (Fig. 5.1). This marks a new high for the record. The average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly for 2016 for land stations north of starting in 1900, and is a significant increase over the previous highest value of +1.2°C, which was observed in 2007, 2011, and 2015. Average global annual temperatures also showed record values in 2015 and 2016. Currently, the Arctic is warming at more than twice the rate of lower latitudes

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

Validity of Cognitive Assessment Tools for Older Adult Hispanics: A Systematic Review

A higher prevalence and incidence of dementia is found in Hispanic/Latino older adults. Therefore, valid instruments are necessary to assess cognitive functioning in this population group. Our aim was to review existing articles that have examined and reported on the validity of cognitive assessment tools in Hispanic/Latino population groups in the United States

Validity of Cognitive Assessment Tools for Older Adult Hispanics: A Systematic Review

A higher prevalence and incidence of dementia is found in Hispanic/Latino older adults. Therefore, valid instruments are necessary to assess cognitive functioning in this population group. Our aim was to review existing articles that have examined and reported on the validity of cognitive assessment tools in Hispanic/Latino population groups in the United States

Realidad ocupacional del estimulador temprano en la ciudad de Cuenca y sus espectativas de capacitación hacia niveles de postgrado, Cuenca 2004-2005

Licenciada en Tecnologías de Estimulación Temprana en SaludCuenc