Application for Decision-Making on Mild Cognitive Impairments

Presented at the 4th XoveTIC Conference, A Coruña, Spain, 7–8 October 2021.[Abstract] Life expectancy in Western countries is increasing. The fact that humans are living longer lives presents new challenges to people’s quality of life. Some of the problems that most affect older people are the problems associated with cognitive impairment. The development of a tool that helps psychologists to carry out different types of tests is the main objective of this work. To this end, an interdisciplinary group of psychologists and engineers have joined forces to create a tool that generates a series of standardised metrics to guide clinicians and help them make decisions about a patient’s cognitive impairment

Immunological and senescence biomarker profiles in patients after spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus: gender implications for long-term health risk

Background: About 25% of patients with acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection show spontaneous clearance within the first six months of infection but may remain at risk of inflammaging, aging, and liver and non-liver disease complications. This study evaluated the differences in the plasma levels of immune checkpoints (ICs) and senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) biomarkers between patients who had spontaneously eliminated HCV infection (SC group) and individuals without evidence of HCV infection (C group). Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective study of 56 individuals: 32 in the SC and 24 in the C groups. ICs and SASP proteins were analyzed using a Luminex 200TM analyzer. The statistical analysis used Generalized Linear Models with gamma distribution (log-link) adjusted by significant variables and sex. Results: 13 ICs (BTLA, CD137(4-1BB), CD27, CD28, CD80, GITR, HVEM, IDO, LAG-3, PD-1, PD-L1, PD-L2, and TIM-3) and 13 SASP proteins (EGF, Eotaxin, IL-1alpha, IL-1RA, IL-8, IL-13, IL-18, IP-10, SDF-1alpha, HGF, beta-NGF, PLGF-1, and SCF) were significantly higher in SC group after approximately more than two years of HCV clearance. After stratifying by sex, differences remained significant for males, which showed higher levels for 13 ICs and 4 SASP proteins in SC. While only PD-L2 was significantly higher in SC women, and no differences in SASP were found. Conclusions: Higher plasma levels of different IC and SASP proteins were found in individuals after more than two years of HCV clearance, mainly in men. Alterations in these molecules might be associated with an increased risk of developing liver and non-hepatic diseases.This study was supported by grants from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII; grant number CP14/0010) to AFR), Fundación Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio (FUAX) – Santander (grant number 1.010.932 to AFR) and by PID2021–126781OB-I00 funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”. The study was also funded by the CIBER -Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red- (CB 2021), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación and Unión Europea–Next‑GenerationEU (CB21/13/00044, CB21/13/00118, and GVC16/EHD/4). M.A.J.-S. is Miguel Servet researcher supported and funded by ISCIII (grant numbers CP17CIII/00007). RME is Juan de la Cierva researcher supported and fnanced by MICINN of Spain (FJC2020-042865-I).S

Additional file 1 of Immunological and senescence biomarker profiles in patients after spontaneous clearance of hepatitis C virus: gender implications for long-term health risk

Additional file 1. Biochemical characteristics of 56 individuals stratified by HCV infection status and sex.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación; Consorcio Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red; Instituto de Salud Carlos III; Fundación Universidad Alfonso X el SabioPeer reviewe

A georeferenced rRNA amplicon database of aquatic microbiomes from South America

The biogeography of bacterial communities is a key topic in Microbial Ecology. Regarding continental water, most studies are carried out in the northern hemisphere, leaving a gap on microorganism’s diversity patterns on a global scale. South America harbours approximately one third of the world’s total freshwater resources, and is one of these understudied regions. To fill this gap, we compiled 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing data of microbial communities across South America continental water ecosystems, presenting the first database µSudAqua[db]. The database contains over 866 georeferenced samples from 9 different ecoregions with contextual environmental information. For its integration and validation we constructed a curated database (µSudAqua[db.sp]) using samples sequenced by Illumina MiSeq platform with commonly used prokaryote universal primers. This comprised ~60% of the total georeferenced samples of the µSudAqua[db]. This compilation was carried out in the scope of the µSudAqua collaborative network and represents one of the most complete databases of continental water microbial communities from South America.Fil: Metz, Sebastián Darío. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - la Plata. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus.; ArgentinaFil: Huber, Maria Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Mateus Barros, Erick. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Junger, Pedro C.. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: de Melo, Michaela. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Bagatini, Inessa Lacativa. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Izaguirre, Irina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Câmara dos Reis, Mariana. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Llames, Maria Eugenia del Rosario. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - la Plata. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus.; ArgentinaFil: Accattatis, Victoria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, María Victoria. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - la Plata. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus.; ArgentinaFil: Devercelli, Melina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Schiaffino, María Romina. Universidad Nacional del Noroeste de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Niño García, Juan Pablo. Universidad de Antioquia; ColombiaFil: Bastidas Navarro, Marcela Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Modenutti, Beatriz Estela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; ArgentinaFil: Vieira, Helena. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; BrasilFil: Saraceno, Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Sabio y García, Carmen Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Pereira, Emiliano. Universidad de la Republica. Centro Universitario Regional del Este.; UruguayFil: González Revello, Alvaro. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas "Clemente Estable"; UruguayFil: Piccini, Claudia. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas "Clemente Estable"; UruguayFil: Unrein, Fernando. Universidad Nacional de San Martin. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Centro Cientifico Tecnologico Conicet - la Plata. Instituto Tecnologico de Chascomus.; ArgentinaFil: Alonso, Cecilia. Universidad de la Republica. Centro Universitario Regional del Este.; UruguayFil: Sarmento, Hugo. Universidade Federal do São Carlos; Brasi

Multi‐ancestry genome‐wide association study of asthma exacerbations

BACKGROUND Asthma exacerbations are a serious public health concern due to high healthcare resource utilization, work/school productivity loss, impact on quality of life, and risk of mortality. The genetic basis of asthma exacerbations has been studied in several populations, but no prior study has performed a multi-ancestry meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (meta-GWAS) for this trait. We aimed to identify common genetic loci associated with asthma exacerbations across diverse populations and to assess their functional role in regulating DNA methylation and gene expression. METHODS A meta-GWAS of asthma exacerbations in 4989 Europeans, 2181 Hispanics/Latinos, 1250 Singaporean Chinese, and 972 African Americans analyzed 9.6 million genetic variants. Suggestively associated variants (p ≤ 5 × 10-5 ) were assessed for replication in 36,477 European and 1078 non-European asthma patients. Functional effects on DNA methylation were assessed in 595 Hispanic/Latino and African American asthma patients and in publicly available databases. The effect on gene expression was evaluated in silico. RESULTS One hundred and twenty-six independent variants were suggestively associated with asthma exacerbations in the discovery phase. Two variants independently replicated: rs12091010 located at vascular cell adhesion molecule-1/exostosin like glycosyltransferase-2 (VCAM1/EXTL2) (discovery: odds ratio (ORT allele ) = 0.82, p = 9.05 × 10-6 and replication: ORT allele  = 0.89, p = 5.35 × 10-3 ) and rs943126 from pantothenate kinase 1 (PANK1) (discovery: ORC allele  = 0.85, p = 3.10 × 10-5 and replication: ORC allele  = 0.89, p = 1.30 × 10-2 ). Both variants regulate gene expression of genes where they locate and DNA methylation levels of nearby genes in whole blood. CONCLUSIONS This multi-ancestry study revealed novel suggestive regulatory loci for asthma exacerbations located in genomic regions participating in inflammation and host defense