The Prevalence of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Acute Geriatric Patients

Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD) is underdiagnosed and undertreated in many geriatric centers. The aim of this study is to explore the prevalence of OD in acute geriatric patients. The outcome was mortality during hospitalization, mortality, and rehospitalization within 0–30 and 31–180 days of discharge. A total of 313 consecutive acute geriatric patients (44.1% male, mean age 83.1 years (SD 7.8)) hospitalized from 1 March to 31 August 2016 in the North Denmark Regional Hospital were included in this study. The volume-viscosity swallow test and the Minimal Eating Observation Form-II were conducted for each patient in order to screen for OD. A total of 50% patients presented with OD. In the group of patients with OD, significantly more lived in nursing homes; had a lower weight, DEMMI score, and handgrip strength; and smaller circumference of arms and legs compared with non-dysphagia patients. Patients with OD presented an increased length of stay in hospital of one day (p = 0.70). Intra-hospital mortality was 5.8% vs. 0.7%, (p < 0.001) compared with patients with no symptoms of OD. OD is prevalent in acute geriatric patients, and the mortality is 34% within six months of hospitalization. Screening for OD should be given more attention and included in geriatric guidelines

Cardiological health in patients with schizophrenia. A prospective cohort study

INTRODUCTION: Patients with schizophrenia have a four-fold increased all-cause and a doubled cardiovascular mortality rate as compared to the general population. OBJECTIVES: The study overall investigates the point-prevalence and prospective changes in cardiovascular risk factors in patients with schizophrenia, with baseline demographics of participants presented here. METHODS: A prospective study of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia divided into two subpopulations consisting of newly diagnosed (≤2 years from baseline in study (group A)) or chronic (diagnosed ≥10 years from baseline in study (group B)). RESULTS: A total of 199 patients (57 diagnosed ≤2 years preceding baseline and 142 diagnosed ≥10 years ago) were included. Group A had been diagnosed for an average of 1.13±0.58 years and 21.19±7.62 years in group B. The majority (n=135 (67.8%)) were diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. At baseline PANSS total (median[Q1;Q3]) for group A was 61.0[51.0;76.0] and 60.0[48.0;76.0] for group B, with PANNS Positive being 17.0[13.0;20.0] and 15.0[12;19], PANSS Negative being 16.0[11.0;20.0] and 14.5[10.0;20.0], and PANSS General being 28.0[22.0;35.0] and30.0 [25.0;37.0], respectively. No difference in Clinical Global Impression was observed between groups ((median[Q1;Q3): 4.0[3.0;4.0] in both groups). Lastly, global assessment of function was similar between groups ((median[Q1;Q3): group A symptom: 38.5[37.0;46.0] and group B 41.0[37.0;52.0], and with function being 48.0[44.5;53.5] in group A and 45.5[41.0;53.0] in group B). CONCLUSIONS: Prospective studies investigating prevalence of and prospective changes in cardiovascular risk in patients with schizophrenia are essential to understand the increased all-cause and cardiovascular specific mortality. Demographic descriptions of participants are essential to estimate generalizability in different treatment settings. DISCLOSURE: No significant relationships

Nuevas formas de asesorar y apoyar a los centros educativos

Symposium coordinador por el Prof. Jesús Domingo, donde se describen cuatro experiencias que describen nuevas formas de asesorar y apoyar a los centros educativos: a) Los procesos de asesoramiento: la experiencia de ADEME; b) Proyecto ATLÁNTIDA: educación y cultura democráticas. Procesos de formación de la ciudadanía; c) Ayudando a nuestros centros a mejorar; y d) Innovación, cultura y poder en las instituciones educativas. Un estudio de caso. Se hace un balance general y se evalúan los alcances y las limitaciones encontradas

Moscas (Diptera) y su rol en la polinización

El libro “Ciencia ciudadana y polinizadores de América del Sur” nos proporciona, a través de un lenguaje claro, directo y accesible, una lectura útil y amena. Se trata de una obra original que reúne por primera vez, en un solo volumen, conocimientos sólidos sobre los polinizadores y experiencias exitosas de proyectos de ciencia ciudadana realizados en América del Sur, centrados en esta biodiversidad.Esta publicación tiene 145 páginas divididas en 18 capítulos, escritos por 60 autores de cuatro países: Argentina, Chile, Brasil y el Reino Unido, entre los que se encuentran miembros de nuestro Instituto. Se puede descargar de manera gratuita desde el siguiente enlace (o haciendo clic en la imagen de la tapa).Fil: Barahona Segovia, Rodrigo M.. Universidad de Los Lagos; ChileFil: Domingo Melo, Arthur. Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; BrasilFil: More, Marcela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Mulieri, Pablo Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia"; Argentin

Kidney Transplantation Group of the Spanish Society of Nephrology

Document publicat també en castellàThe Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Nephrology (S.E.N.) approved at its ordinary meeting of 18 December 2012 the creation of a Transplantation Working Group (SENTRA). In accordance with the Regulations of the S.E.N. Working Groups, in promoting the establishment of a working group, four priority aspects must be addressed..

Personal body ornamentation on the Southern Iberian Meseta: An archaeomineralogical study

Beads and pendants from the Castillejo del Bonete (Terrinches, Ciudad Real) and Cerro Ortega (Villanueva de la Fuente, Ciudad Real) burials were analysed using XRD, micro-Raman and XRF in order to contribute to the current distribution map of green bead body ornament pieces on the Iberian Peninsula which, so far, remain undetailed for many regions. XRD, micro-Raman and XRF analyses showed that most of the beads from Castillejo del Bonete (Late 3rd millennium cal. BC) were made from variscite or green phyllosilicates, while Cerro Ortega's (Late 4th millenniumcal. BC) beads were made out of fossil wood or Clinochlore. Significantly enough,while XRD pointed to variscite as the main crystallo-graphic phase, the elemental composition did not match any elemental compositions of known and characterised sources, thus suggesting an unknown south-eastern source or an extra-peninsular origin of these ornamental pieces

Broad Geographic Distribution of Roundscale Spearfish (Tetrapturus georgii) (Teleostei, Istiophoridae) in the Atlantic Revealed by DNA Analysis: Implications for White Marlin and Roundscale Spearfish Management

The recent validation of the roundscale spearfish (Tetrapturus georgii) within the western North Atlantic has introduced new complexities in the management of the overfished white marlin (Kajikia albida) in this region due to historical and contemporary misidentification between the two morphologically similar species. Compounding the management challenge for white marlin, which is currently assessed as a single Atlantic-wide stock, is an unclear picture of the extent of the roundscale spearfish\u27s overall Atlantic distribution. By using genetic tools (mitochondrial DNA ND4L-ND4 locus sequences) for species identification, we confirm that the roundscale spearfish has a much broader distribution than previously known, including the central North Atlantic and much of the western South Atlantic to at least 28°52′S. This much wider Atlantic distribution of the roundscale spearfish sympatric with its morphologically similar congeners, the white marlin and longbill spearfish (Tetrapturus pfluegeri), raises further management complexities: it increases the geographic scale for species misidentification in catch records that form the basis for stock assessments and uncertainty in currently accepted white marlin biological parameters. Additional vigilance in obtaining accurate species identification by improved fishery onboard observer training and incorporation of genetic tools is recommended for informing management of white marlin, longbill spearfish and roundscale spearfish throughout the Atlantic

The Impact of IFN-g; Receptor on SLPI Expression in Active Tuberculosis: Association with Disease Severity

Interferon (IFN)-g displays a critical role in tuberculosis (TB), modulating the innate and adaptive immune responses. Previously, we reported that secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a pattern recognition receptor with anti-mycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Herein, we determined whether IFN-g modulated the levels of SLPI in TB patients. Plasma levels of SLPI and IFN-g were studied in healthy donors (HDs) and TB patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HDs and patients with TB or defective IFN-g receptor 1* were stimulated with Mtb antigen and SLPI, and IFN-gR expression levels were measured. Both SLPI and IFN-g were significantly enhanced in plasma from those with TB compared with HDs. A direct association between SLPI levels and the severity of TB was detected. In addition, Mtb antigen stimulation decreased the SLPI produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from HDs, but not from TB or IFN-gR patients. Neutralization of IFN-g reversed the inhibition of SLPI induced by Mtb antigen in HDs, but not in TB patients. Furthermore, recombinant IFN-g was unable to modify the expression of SLPI in TB patients. Finally, IFN-gR expression was lower in TB compared with HD peripheral blood mononuclear cells. These results show that Mtb-induced IFN-g down-modulated SLPI levels by signaling through the IFNgR in HDs. This inhibitory mechanism was not observed in TB, probably because of the low expression of IFN-gR detected in these individuals. (Am J Pathol 2014, 184: 1e6Fil: Tateosian, Nancy Liliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Pasquinelli, Virginia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Hernández Del Pino, Rodrigo Emanuel. Universidad de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Ambrosi, Nella Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Guerrieri, Diego. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina; ArgentinaFil: Pedraza Sánchez, Sigifredo. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán; MéxicoFil: Santucci, Natalia Estefanía. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: D'attilio, Luciano David. Universidad Nacional de Rosario; ArgentinaFil: Pellegrini, Joaquín Miguel. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Araujo Solis, María A.. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social; MéxicoFil: Musella, Rosa M.. Hospital "F. J. Muñiz"; ArgentinaFil: Palmero, Domingo J.. Hospital "F. J. Muñiz"; ArgentinaFil: Hernandez Pando, Rogelio. Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán; MéxicoFil: Garcia, Veronica Edith. Universidad de Buenos Aires; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Chuluyan, Hector Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos; Argentina; Argentin

Tubulo-interstitial inflammation increases the risk of graft loss after the recurrence of IgA nephropathy

Background: Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) is the most frequent recurrent disease in kidney transplant recipients and its recurrence contributes to reducing graft survival. Several variables at the time of recurrence have been associated with a higher risk of graft loss. The presence of clinical or subclinical inflammation has been associated with a higher risk of kidney graft loss, but it is not precisely known how it influences the outcome of patients with recurrent IgAN. Methods: We performed a multicentre retrospective study including kidney transplant recipients with biopsy-proven recurrence of IgAN in which Banff and Oxford classification scores were available. 'Tubulo-interstitial inflammation' (TII) was defined when 't' or 'i' were ≥2. The main endpoint was progression to chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 or to death censored-graft loss (CKD5/DCGL). Results: A total of 119 kidney transplant recipients with IgAN recurrence were included and 23 of them showed TII. Median follow-up was 102.9 months and 39 (32.8%) patients reached CKD5/DCGL. TII related to a higher risk of CKD5/DCGL (3 years 18.0% vs 45.3%, log-rank 7.588, P = .006). After multivariate analysis, TII remained related to the risk of CKD5/DCGL (HR 2.344, 95% CI 1.119?4.910, P = .024) independently of other histologic and clinical variables. Conclusions: In kidney transplant recipients with IgAN recurrence, TII contributes to increasing the risk of CKD5/DCGL independently of previously well-known variables. We suggest adding TII along with the Oxford classification to the clinical variables to identify recurrent IgAN patients at increased risk of graft loss who might benefit from intensified immunosuppression or specific IgAN therapies.Work in this report was supported by Instituto de Salud Carlos III (RICORS2040: RD21/0005/0010 and RD21/0005/0012). Acknowledgements: The authors acknowledge the valuable contribution of all collaborators of the ‘Grupo de Trasplante Renal de la Sociedad Española de Nefrología’ (SENTRA)