Mild cognitive impairment: Conceptual, assessment, ethical, and social issues

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is defined as a condition characterized by newly acquired cognitive decline to an extent that is beyond that expected for age or educational background, yet not causing significant functional impairment. The concept of MCI has received considerable attention in the literature over the past few years, and aspects related to its definition, prevalence, and evolution have been extensively studied and reviewed

Acacia Horrida (L.) Willd.: refugio de artrópodos benéficos en la costa peruana

El huarango (Acacia horrida (L.) Willd., 1806) es una leguminosa arbustiva utilizada como cerco vivo en áreas agrícolas para prevenir la erosión, mejorar la nutrición del suelo y servir, además, como refugio para artrópodos benéficos, contribuyendo así a la sostenibilidad de los agroecosistemas productivos. Por ello, se quiso conocer las especies de artrópodos benéficos asociados a A. horrida en agroecosistemas de la costa centro y sur del Perú. Para ello, se colectó especímenes en cercos vivos de A. horrida cercanos a cultivos de hortalizas de La Molina (Lima), campos de mandarina y palto en Cañete (Lima) y huertos caseros con camote y frutales en Los Aquijes (Ica). Los resultados obtenidos permitieron encontrar en La Molina arañas Salticidae y Argiope sp., insectos depredadores como Harmonia axyridis Pallas, 1773, Cycloneda sanguinea Linnaeus, 1743, Scymnus rubicundus Erichson, 1847 y parasitoides del género Bracon. En Cañete se encontró la araña Gasteracantha cancriformis Linnaeus, 1758, insectos depredadores como C. sanguinea, S. rubicundus, Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider, 1851), Allograpta sp., Tachycompilus sp., y parasitoides como Venturia sp., Campoletis sp. Anomalon sinuatum Morley, 1912, subfamilias Cryptinae, Campopleginae (Ichneumonidae), Braconinae, Microgastrinae, Opiinae (Braconidae) y la familia Eulophidae. En Los Aquijes se encontró C. sanguinea, Hippodamia convergens Guérin-Méneville, 1842, Polistes sp. y parasitodes del género Bracon, siendo estos últimos depredados por arañas de la familia Thomisidae. Se concluye que al menos 22 taxa de artrópodos benéficos están asociados a A. horrida como refugio

Promoting Word Consciousness to Close the Vocabulary Gap in Young Word Learners

A proposed avenue for increasing students’ vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension is instruction that promotes students’ enthusiasm and attention to words, referred to as word consciousness. This study seeks to investigate, at the utterance level, whether and how word consciousness talk is used in classrooms with young word learners and whether this type of talk is associated with student gains in general vocabulary knowledge. Using videotaped classroom (N = 27) observations, this study found evidence of word consciousness talk, with variability of use across classrooms. Multilevel modeling revealed that this kind of teacher talk—operationalized as reinforcing students’ use of words, affirming students’ recognition of word meanings, and helping students make personal connections to words—was positively associated with student gains in general vocabulary knowledge at the end of kindergarten. Findings from this study can provide guidance for teachers seeking strategies to increase students’ general vocabulary knowledge, beyond words taught

REVITALIZAÇÕES URBANAS EM ESPAÇOS PÚBLICOS: TEMPOS E FUNÇÕES DISTINTAS NO PORTO VELHO CIDADE DA CIDADE DO RIO GRANDE/RS.

Processos de “revitalização urbana” são frequentes em diversas cidades do mundo devido a espaços não utilizados herdados de diferentes tempos com diferentes atribuições de usos. Dessa forma estudos e políticas públicas voltadas ao tema se fazem significativas e imprescindíveis na contemporaneidade. Devido ao fato de, a maioria das cidades possuírem áreas ociosas e em muitos casos degradadas (vazios urbanos) justifica a necessidade de projetos voltados à revitalização. No entanto são diversos os casos de revitalização em solo urbano. Dentre os casos de revitalização, o presente trabalho se detém sobre uma área portuária, o Porto velho da cidade do Rio Grande/RS. O Porto se localiza junto ao centro histórico da cidade e é dotado de belezas naturais atribuídas aos corpos hídricos que o circundam. O antigo Porto detém uma infraestrutura que perpassa por praticamente dois séculos desde a fundação da cidade, assim como representa o berço da estrutura urbana encontrada nos dias atuais. Nesse ponto de vista podemos dizer que foi a partir do Porto Velho que a cidade se desenvolveu tanto em estrutura física quanto econômica, política e cultural

Evaluación de la reacción y comportamiento agronómico de variedades de caupí, Vigna unguiculata (L.), ante el ataque del nematodo agallador, Meloidogyne spp., y su efecto posterior en la producción de un cultivo de camote

Informe Técnico 2009 Programa de Hortalizas  pp.135-145El nematodo agallador (Meloidogyne spp.) es una plaga importante de muchos cultivos alrededor del mundo, siendo su manejo especialmente difícil en cultivos para el mercado de exportación debido a las limitaciones en el uso de nematicidas. Este estudio fue realizado con el objetivo de determinar la efectividad de diferentes variedades de caupí [Vigna unguiculata (L.)] usadas como cultivo de cobertura en el manejo de poblaciones de nematodo agallador y su posterior efecto sobre el desarrollo de un cultivo comercial de camote. El estudio fue conducido en dos fases en un lote comercial de la empresa Monty Farms, localizado en La Paz, Honduras. Los tratamientos evaluados incluyeron en la primera fase la siembra de seis variedades de caupí (5 presumiblemente resistentes y una susceptible) como cultivo de rotación inmediatamente después de terminado el ciclo de camote, un control químico: Vydate 24L (oxamilo) aplicado 35 días después de siembra (dds) de la variedad local FHIA-C y un testigo comercial (Testigo MF): siembra de sorgo (Sorghum vulgare) como cultivo de rotación. La segunda fase incluyó la siembra de camote en las mismas parcelas donde se habían sembrado los tratamientos. Los resultados indicaron que las poblaciones iniciales de nematodo agallador en el suelo se redujeron en todos los tratamientos 40 dds, registrándose la más importante en las parcelas sembradas previamente con las variedades resistentes Big Buff, FHIA-C y testigo químico, respectivamente. A los 75 dds las poblaciones de nematodo agallador en el suelo fueron bajas (<2 nem/100 cc de suelo) en todas las parcelas sembradas previamente con las variedades resistentes y significativamente diferentes a la observada en la variedad de caupí susceptible UCR-779 (13 nem/100 cc de suelo). El muestreo de raíces (75 dds) indicó igualmente que las menores poblaciones de nematodos fueron registradas en los tratamientos CB-27 y CC-85, mientras que la mayor población fue registrada en la variedad susceptible UCR-779. En la segunda etapa (camote) las poblaciones de nematodo agallador se incrementaron hacia el final del ciclo de producción; sin embargo, las menores poblaciones tanto en el suelo como en las raíces fueron registradas en parcelas sembradas previamente por los tratamientos de Caupí CB-46, testigo químico, Big Buff y CB-2,7 mientras que las mayores poblaciones de nematodos se registraron en el testigo MF. El rendimiento comercial fue hasta cuatro veces mayor en parcelas donde los tratamientos CB-46 y CB-27 fueron sembrados previamente en comparación al registrado en el testigo químico y testigo MF, respectivamente. Nuestros resultados indican que las variedades con resistencia a nematodo agallador importadas de California tienen un alto potencial para ser usadas como cultivos de rotación en programas de MIP para Nematodo agallador ya que además brinda beneficios adicionales como ser el control de malezas y el mejoramiento de las propiedades químicas y físicas del suelo. Informe Técnico 2009 Programa de Hortalizas  pp.135-14

3D Printed Stress Sensors for NonDestructive Evaluation of Space Structures

Self-sufficient and non-contact sensors play multiple roles in lunar, planetary exploration, and Earth structures. These sensors allow engineers to accurately examine structural integrity and defects on mechanical components for optimal operations. Structural integrity allows the industry to ensure the safety and capacity of key structures. Materials like α-alumina can be employed as sensors due to the photoluminescent properties that they possess. Piezospectroscopy is a non-destructive evaluation (NDE) method capable of capturing in-situ stress using α-alumina due to the chromium ion impurities that it contains. The chromium ion impurities carry spectral characteristics, that when excited with an Nd: YAG laser (532 nm), demonstrate capabilities for structural integrity monitoring. In this work, a 3D printing method is developed to autonomously create sensors that are compatible with use in space environments. The 3D printing method intends to provide the industry flexible and adaptive solutions for structural integrity monitoring. This method includes a modified Fused Deposition Method printer by exchanging its original nozzle with a syringe base nozzle. The printing parameters such as printing speed, printing bed temperature, coating thickness, and syringe volume are determined during the testing process. Challenges include achieving uniform integration and nanoparticle dispersion as well as adhesion between the matrix and the substrates. The parameters to encounter these challenges will depend on the materials used. Experiments with three different volume fractions (VF) of α-alumina within an epoxy were performed to address the printing challenges. The sensors were applied to nine specimens, three of each VF but with varying deposition rates after the mixture process. These experiments considered the mixing and deposition method while testing the dispersion within the α-alumina and the epoxy matrix. The substrates, on which the epoxy matrix was deposited, underwent a surface treatment to ensure adhesion between the substrate and the sensor matrix. During this experiment, the epoxy matrix was deposited with a syringe onto a substrate and cured at room temperature. The specimens were tested with a tensile load using an electromechanical MTS. While the samples are tensile loaded, the sensors were characterized via photoluminescent piezo spectroscopy to determine which VF demonstrates the best stress sensing capabilities, along with the adhesion between the matrix and the substrate. The data collected allows the optimal VF to be established for future applications

Accuracy of Fitbit Activity Trackers During Walking in a Controlled Setting

Activity trackers are widely used to measure daily physical activity. Many devices have been shown to measure steps more accurately at higher intensities, however, it is also important to determine the accuracy of these new devices at measuring steps while walking at a pace similar to that used during most daily activities. PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy of 6 popular activity trackers at measuring steps while walking on a treadmill. METHODS: Twenty-six college students (Mean±SD; 22.1±3.7yrs; 25.1±4.0kg/m2; 13 male) walked 500 steps at 3mph on a treadmill while wearing 6 different activity trackers (Pedometer, Fitbit Blaze, Charge HR, Alta, Flex, Zip, One). The Charge HR was placed two fingers above the right wrist while the Flex was next to the wrist bone. The Blaze was placed two fingers above the left wrist while the Alta was next to the wrist bone. The Fitbit Zip and the One were aligned with the hipbone on the left and right waistband respectively. Steps were counted by a trained researcher using a hand tally counter. Missing values were replaced with the mean value for that device. Step counts were correlated between Fitbit devices and the pedometer and tally counter using Pearson correlations. Significance was set at p\u3c0.05. Mean bias scores were calculated between the step counts for each device and the tally counter. Mean Absolute Percent Error (MAPE) values were also calculated for each device relative to the tally counter. RESULTS: Fitbit Zip and One were significantly correlated with the tally counter (r=0.50, p\u3c0.05; r=0.68, p\u3c0.01, respectively) while the other devices were not significantly correlated. Mean bias and MAPE values were as follows: Device (Mean Bias/MAPE) Pedometer (-0.2±39.2/3.8±6.8), Blaze (34.5±67.1/9.9±11.3), Charge HR (-12.6±61.5/7.0±10.3), Alta (-85.0±70.8/17.1±14.1), Flex (49.5±242.4/19.7±45.3), Zip (1.8±3.4/0.4±0.6), One (0.2±2.1/0.3±0.3). Fitbit Zip and One were within one half percent of actual steps while wrist-worn Fitbits ranged from 7.0-19.7% from actual step counts. CONCLUSION: Consistent with previous research, activity trackers worn at the waist provide the most accurate step counts compared to wrist-worn models. Differences found in wrist-worn models may result in significant over- or underestimation of activity levels when worn for long periods of time

The Antioxidant Mechanisms Underlying the Aged Garlic Extract- and S-Allylcysteine-Induced Protection

Aged garlic extract (AGE) is an odorless garlic preparation containing S-allylcysteine (SAC) as its most abundant compound. A large number of studies have demonstrated the antioxidant activity of AGE and SAC in both in vivo—in diverse experimental animal models associated to oxidative stress—and in vitro conditions—using several methods to scavenge reactive oxygen species or to induce oxidative damage. Derived from these experiments, the protective effects of AGE and SAC have been associated with the prevention or amelioration of oxidative stress. In this work, we reviewed different antioxidant mechanisms (scavenging of free radicals and prooxidant species, induction of antioxidant enzymes, activation of Nrf2 factor, inhibition of prooxidant enzymes, and chelating effects) involved in the protective actions of AGE and SAC, thereby emphasizing their potential use as therapeutic agents. In addition, we highlight the ability of SAC to activate Nrf2 factor—a master regulator of the cellular redox state. Here, we include original data showing the ability of SAC to activate Nrf2 factor in cerebral cortex. Therefore, we conclude that the therapeutic properties of these molecules comprise cellular and molecular mechanisms at different levels