The Virgin of Altagracia in the Intra Caribbean migration context; An intersectional study of migration and lived religion of Dominico Puerto Rican women

This thesis is an intersectional analysis of gender, religion, migration, and race. It focuses on the experiences of Dominico Puerto Rican women in the context of Intra-Caribbean migration, focusing on their lived religious experiences in this transnational space. I specifically explore their intimate and social reflections on the virgin of Altagracia, as a unifying familiar figure in the new environment that provides comfort for women who have left homeland and reminds women of this devotion in the Dominican Republic. The purpose of this research is to introduce a Global South, Intra Caribbean migratory perspective to current sociological debates on religion and migration (Vásquez 2016, Pasura 2016, Levitt 2009). In this thesis I argue that although many studies about religion and migration focus either on the fixed or hybrid understandings of religion from the Global South to Global North migratory context, this research contends that women develop individualized, situated, and personalized interpretations of religion and spirituality that interconnect with a broader cultural and social interpretations of Altagracia. The thesis provides a contribution to an intersectional analysis of religion, gender, and spirituality, because religion in migration is a subject that has not been central for Social Sciences researchers in this Intra Caribbean context. It explores the relationship between intimate and collective meanings of Altagracia without focusing exclusively on the sociological meanings attributed to her by Catholicism. The research is informed by a feminist methodology, which attempts to address a gap in knowledge around women’s experiences of Intra Caribbean migration. The purpose of this methodology is to bring to the spotlight insights of women who live in the areas of San Juan and Canovanas, locations that have not been sufficiently researched. Original primary data foreground the reflections of Dominican migrant women in Puerto Rico on gender, race, religion, and migration. As suggested by the N vivo data analysis software, the data show that Altagracian rituals are connected to the sacred location of Higüey in Dominican Republic and to the colonial history of Catholicism common to the Spanish Caribbean. These rituals and devotions of Altagracia are reproduced, recreated, and re-evaluated with a gendered personal and self-improvement purpose in mind within the transnational space. This thesis contributes to theories of lived religion as proposed by scholars like (Pasura 2014, Jones 2019, McGuire 2016, Hirschman 2004). Its original contribution to knowledge lies also in the enriched understanding of migrant women’s lives in the Caribbean and it proposes a new awareness of Intra Caribbean migration and its interconnections with gendered religious transnationalism. The data show that women prioritize everyday interpretations of religion and spirituality before organized religion

Innovation as competitiveness driving force through the resources and capacities of SMEs in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and Dominican Republic

Literature reflects that Latin America and the Caribbean register more SMEs and produce more entrepreneurial activity than any other place in the world. Using the Theory of Resources and Capabilities, this research explored how SMEs in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic managed the heterogeneity of their entrepreneurial orientation, market orientation, social and human capital resources and their impact on innovation capacity and competitiveness. With a survey of 467 SMEs and the analysis of data with the use of PLS-SEM & PLS-MGA, this study contributed new information based on resources and capacities that showed the maximum set of possible variables analyzed for a theoretical understanding and practice of the heterogeneity of resources. The results reflected a positive impact on the proposed hypothesis through the structural model. The data highlight market orientation as the most valuable resource that facilitates innovation and competitiveness in SMEs analyzed. The results revealed and contributed to the new lines of research on how differences and the degree of importance in managing resources generated high competitiveness through their capacity for innovation

Blood Pressure Circadian Variation, Cognition and Brain Imaging in 90+ Year-Olds

Purpose: To analyze the relationship between blood pressure (BP) variables, including circadian pattern, and cognition in 90+ year-olds.Methods: Twenty-four hour ambulatory BP monitoring was completed on 121 participants drawn from a longitudinal study of aging and dementia in the oldest-old. Various measures of BP and its variability, including nocturnal dipping, were calculated. Each person was given both a neuropsychological test battery covering different cognitive domains and a neurological examination to determine cognitive status. Seventy-one participants had a brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.Results: Participants ranged in age from 90 to 102 years (mean = 93), about two-thirds were female, and nearly 80% had at least some college education. Mean nocturnal dips differed significantly between cognitively normal (n = 97) and impaired individuals (n = 24), with cognitively normal participants having on average greater nocturnal dips [6.6% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.006 for systolic BP (SBP); 11% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.002 for diastolic BP (DBP)]. Nocturnal dips were also related to performance on select cognitive test scores (especially those related to language, recent memory and visual-spatial ability), with individuals who performed below previously established median norms having significantly smaller nocturnal dips (both SBP and DBP) than those above the median. DBP reverse dippers had larger mean white matter hyperintensities (WMH as percent of total brain volume; 1.7% vs. 1.2%, 1.1% and 1.0% in extreme dippers, dippers, non-dippers) and a greater proportion had lobar cerebral microbleeds (CMBs; 44% vs. 0%, 7%, 16%, p < 0.05). Impaired participants had higher mean WMH than those with normal cognition (1.6% vs. 1.0% p = 0.03) and more tended to have CMB (31% vs. 20%, p = n.s.).Conclusion: These findings suggest that cognitive dysfunction is associated with dysregulation in the normal circadian BP pattern. Further study is warranted of the potential role of WHM and CMB as mediators of this association

Addressing the disparities in dementia risk, early detection and care in Latino populations: Highlights from the second Latinos & Alzheimer\u27s Symposium

The Alzheimer\u27s Association hosted the second Latinos & Alzheimer\u27s Symposium in May 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held online over 2 days, with virtual presentations, discussions, mentoring sessions, and posters. The Latino population in the United States is projected to have the steepest increase in Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) in the next 40 years, compared to other ethnic groups. Latinos have increased risk for AD and other dementias, limited access to quality care, and are severely underrepresented in AD and dementia research and clinical trials. The symposium highlighted developments in AD research with Latino populations, including advances in AD biomarkers, and novel cognitive assessments for Spanish-speaking populations, as well as the need to effectively recruit and retain Latinos in clinical research, and how best to deliver health-care services and to aid caregivers of Latinos living with AD

Millennials: as vantagens geradas pelo uso do snapchat e seu impacto na interação com o conteúdo da marca

This article aims to analyze how dynamic factors impact Snapchat's use on the Millennial generation. Specifically, the Uses and Gratifications Theory is used to analyze how content exposure and interaction influences the increased use of Snapchat as a means of communication with businesses. The study involved 453 Millennials residing in Puerto Rico and Snapchat users. Structural equations were used, highlighting how gratifications drive the purchase motivation, and strengthen the bond and interaction with companies. Additionally, the results explain how greater effectiveness and responsiveness can be obtained from Millennials through Snapchat.El presente artículo tiene como objetivo analizar cómo los factores dinámicos impactan el uso de Snapchat en la generación Millennials. Específicamente, se utiliza la teoría de uso y gratificaciones para analizar cómo la exposición e interacción de contenidos influye en un mayor uso de Snapchat como medio de comunicación con las empresas. En el estudio participaron 453 Millennials residentes en Puerto Rico y usuarios de Snapchat. Se emplearon ecuaciones estructurales, a partir de lo cual se destaca cómo las gratificaciones impulsan la motivación de compra, fortalecen el vínculo y la interacción con las empresas. Adicionalmente, los resultados explican cómo se puede obtener mayor efectividad y receptividad por parte de la generación Millennials a través de Snapchat. Este artigo tem como objetivo analisar como fatores dinâmicos impactam o uso do Snapchat na geração Millennial. Especificamente a teoria do uso e da gratificação é usada para analisar de que maneira a exposição e a interação do conteúdo influencia um maior uso Snapchat como meio de comunicação com as empresas. O estudo envolveu 453 millenials residentes em Porto Rico e usuários do Snapchat. Foram utilizadas equações estruturais, da quais como os bônus aumentam a motivação da compra, fortalecem o vínculo e a interação como as empresas. Além disso, os resultados explicam de que modo pode-se obter maior eficácia e receptividade pela geração Millenial através do Snapchat

DRD4 genotype predicts longevity in mouse and human

Longevity is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. The brain's dopamine system may be particularly relevant, since it modulates traits (e.g., sensitivity to reward, incentive motivation, sustained effort) that impact behavioral responses to the environment. In particular, the dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) has been shown to moderate the impact of environments on behavior and health. We tested the hypothesis that the DRD4 gene influences longevity and that its impact is mediated through environmental effects. Surviving participants of a 30-year-old population-based health survey (N = 310; age range, 90-109 years; the 90+ Study) were genotyped/resequenced at the DRD4 gene and compared with a European ancestry-matched younger population (N = 2902; age range, 7-45 years). We found that the oldest-old population had a 66% increase in individuals carrying the DRD4 7R allele relative to the younger sample (p = 3.5 × 10(-9)), and that this genotype was strongly correlated with increased levels of physical activity. Consistent with these results, DRD4 knock-out mice, when compared with wild-type and heterozygous mice, displayed a 7-9.7% decrease in lifespan, reduced spontaneous locomotor activity, and no lifespan increase when reared in an enriched environment. These results support the hypothesis that DRD4 gene variants contribute to longevity in humans and in mice, and suggest that this effect is mediated by shaping behavioral responses to the environment.Fil: Grady, Deborah L.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Thanos, Panayotis K.. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Laboratory of Neuroimaging; Estados Unidos. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados Unidos. Stony Brook University. Department of Psychology; Estados UnidosFil: Corrada, Maria M.. University of California. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Barnett Jr., Jeffrey C.. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Ciobanu, Valentina. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Shustarovich, Diana. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Napoli, Anthony. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Moyzis, Alexandra G.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados UnidosFil: Grandy, David. Oregon Health Sciences University. Physiology and Pharmacology; Estados UnidosFil: Rubinstein, Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Instituto de Investigaciones en Ingeniería Genética y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Wang, Gene-Jack. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados UnidosFil: Kawas, Claudia H.. University of California. Department of Neurology; Estados UnidosFil: Chen, Chuansheng. University of California. Department of Psychology and Social Behavior; Estados UnidosFil: Dong, Qi. Beijing Normal University. National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; ChinaFil: Wang, Eric. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados Unidos. Aria Diagnostics Inc.; Estados Unidos. University of California. Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics; Estados UnidosFil: Volkow, Nora D.. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Laboratory of Neuroimaging; Estados Unidos. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Medical Department. Behavioral Neuropharmocology and Neuroimaging Laboratory; Estados Unidos. National Institute on Drug Abuse; Estados UnidosFil: Moyzis, Robert K.. University of California. College of Medicine. Department of Biological Chemistry; Estados Unidos. Beijing Normal University. National Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning; China. University of California. Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics; Estados Unido

Addressing the disparities in dementia risk, early detection and care in Latino populations: Highlights from the Second Latinos and Alzheimer's Symposium

The Alzheimer's Association hosted the second Latinos & Alzheimer's Symposium in May 2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the meeting was held online over 2 days, with virtual presentations, discussions, mentoring sessions, and posters. The Latino population in the United States is projected to have the steepest increase in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in the next 40 years, compared to other ethnic groups. Latinos have increased risk for AD and other dementias, limited access to quality care, and are severely underrepresented in AD and dementia research and clinical trials. The symposium highlighted developments in AD research with Latino populations, including advances in AD biomarkers, and novel cognitive assessments for Spanish-speaking populations, as well as the need to effectively recruit and retain Latinos in clinical research, and how best to deliver health-care services and to aid caregivers of Latinos living with AD

ICC-dementia (International Centenarian Consortium - dementia): an international consortium to determine the prevalence and incidence of dementia in centenarians across diverse ethnoracial and sociocultural groups.

BACKGROUND: Considerable variability exists in international prevalence and incidence estimates of dementia. The accuracy of estimates of dementia in the oldest-old and the controversial question of whether dementia incidence and prevalence decline at very old age will be crucial for better understanding the dynamics between survival to extreme old age and the occurrence and risk for various types of dementia and comorbidities. International Centenarian Consortium - Dementia (ICC-Dementia) seeks to harmonise centenarian and near-centenarian studies internationally to describe the cognitive and functional profiles of exceptionally old individuals, and ascertain the trajectories of decline and thereby the age-standardised prevalence and incidence of dementia in this population. The primary goal of the ICC-Dementia is to establish a large and thorough heterogeneous sample that has the power to answer epidemiological questions that small, separate studies cannot. A secondary aim is to examine cohort-specific effects and differential survivorship into very old age. We hope to lay the foundation for further investigation into risk and protective factors for dementia and healthy exceptional brain ageing in centenarians across diverse ethnoracial and sociocultural groups. METHODS: Studies focusing on individuals aged ≥95 years (approximately the oldest 1 percentile for men, oldest 5th percentile for women), with a minimum sample of 80 individuals, including assessment of cognition and functional status, are invited to participate. There are currently seventeen member or potential member studies from Asia, Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Initial attempts at harmonising key variables are in progress. DISCUSSION: General challenges facing large, international consortia like ICC-Dementia include timely and effective communication among member studies, ethical and practical issues relating to human subject studies and data sharing, and the challenges related to data harmonisation. A specific challenge for ICC-Dementia relates to the concept and definition of'abnormal' in this exceptional group of individuals who are rarely free of physical, sensory and/or cognitive impairments

\u3cem\u3eABCC9\u3c/em\u3e Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with Hippocampal Sclerosis of Aging Pathology

Hippocampal sclerosis of aging (HS-Aging) is a high-morbidity brain disease in the elderly but risk factors are largely unknown. We report the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) with HS-Aging pathology as an endophenotype. In collaboration with the Alzheimer\u27s Disease Genetics Consortium, data were analyzed from large autopsy cohorts: (#1) National Alzheimer\u27s Coordinating Center (NACC); (#2) Rush University Religious Orders Study and Memory and Aging Project; (#3) Group Health Research Institute Adult Changes in Thought study; (#4) University of California at Irvine 90+ Study; and (#5) University of Kentucky Alzheimer\u27s Disease Center. Altogether, 363 HS-Aging cases and 2,303 controls, all pathologically confirmed, provided statistical power to test for risk alleles with large effect size. A two-tier study design included GWAS from cohorts #1-3 (Stage I) to identify promising SNP candidates, followed by focused evaluation of particular SNPs in cohorts #4-5 (Stage II). Polymorphism in the ATP-binding cassette, sub-family C member 9 (ABCC9) gene, also known as sulfonylurea receptor 2, was associated with HS-Aging pathology. In the meta-analyzed Stage I GWAS, ABCC9 polymorphisms yielded the lowest p values, and factoring in the Stage II results, the meta-analyzed risk SNP (rs704178:G) attained genome-wide statistical significance (p = 1.4 × 10-9), with odds ratio (OR) of 2.13 (recessive mode of inheritance). For SNPs previously linked to hippocampal sclerosis, meta-analyses of Stage I results show OR = 1.16 for rs5848 (GRN) and OR = 1.22 rs1990622 (TMEM106B), with the risk alleles as previously described. Sulfonylureas, a widely prescribed drug class used to treat diabetes, also modify human ABCC9 protein function. A subsample of patients from the NACC database (n = 624) were identified who were older than age 85 at death with known drug history. Controlling for important confounders such as diabetes itself, exposure to a sulfonylurea drug was associated with risk for HS-Aging pathology (p = 0.03). Thus, we describe a novel and targetable dementia risk factor