Modelling the impact of functionality, cognition, and mood state on awareness in people with Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the nature of the relationship between cognitive function, mood state, and functionality in predicting awareness in a non-clinically depressed sample of participants with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease (AD) in Brazil. METHODS: People with AD (PwAD) aged 60 years or older were recruited from an outpatient unit at the Center of AD of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Measures of awareness of condition (Assessment Scale of the Psychosocial Impact of the Diagnosis of Dementia), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination), mood state (Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia), and functionality (Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire) were applied to 264 people with mild to moderate AD and their caregivers. Hypotheses were tested statistically using SEM approach. Three competing models were compared. RESULTS: The first model, in which the influence of mood state and cognitive function on awareness was mediated by functionality, showed a very good fit to the data and a medium effect size. The competing models, in which the mediating variables were mood state and cognitive function, respectively, only showed poor model fit. CONCLUSION: Our model supports the notion that the relationship between different factors and awareness in AD is mediated by functionality and not by depressive mood state or cognitive level. The proposed direct and indirect effects on awareness are discussed, as well as the missing direct influence of mood state on awareness. The understanding of awareness in dementia is crucial and our model gives one possible explanation of its underlying structure in AD.

Self- and Other-Evaluation in Alzheimer's Disease.

BACKGROUND: Impaired awareness of ability is common in dementia and has important clinical implications. Evidence from different clinical groups has shown that awareness can vary according to whether evaluation refers to self or other performance. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate awareness for self- and other-performance in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, exploring if results vary according to cognitive domain of the tasks. It was hypothesized that, particularly for memory tasks, AD patients would be inaccurate in relation to self-but not other-performance. METHODS: Twenty-two mild to moderate AD patients and twenty-two healthy older adults participated. Two tasks, with reaction time and working memory tasks, were carried out, and each had a success and a failure condition. Participants were asked to estimate their own performance, as well as the performance of another person they observed. Awareness of performance was measured comparing participant estimations of performance with actual performance. RESULTS: For both the reaction time and working memory tasks, results indicate that participants from both groups overestimated the performance in the failure condition and underestimated the performance in the success condition. They tended to overestimate more the performance of the other person compared to themselves. Additionally, for the working memory task, AD patients tended to overestimate more performances compared to controls. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that the AD and control groups present the same pattern, with attribution of better performance to another person. For the AD group, the pattern of response was different for memory tasks, which may suggest domain-specific limited awareness.

Phylogenomic analysis points to a South American origin of Manihot and illuminates the primary gene pool of cassava.

The genus Manihot, with around 120 known species, is native to a wide range of habitats and regions in the tropical and subtropical Americas. Its high species richness and recent diversification only c. 6 million years ago have significantly complicated previous phylogenetic analyses. Several basic elements of Manihot evolutionary history therefore remain unresolved. Here, we conduct a comprehensive phylogenomic analysis of Manihot, focusing on exhaustive sampling of South American taxa. We find that two recently described species from northeast Brazil's Atlantic Forest were the earliest to diverge, strongly suggesting a South American common ancestor of Manihot. Ancestral state reconstruction indicates early Manihot diversification in dry forests, with numerous independent episodes of new habitat colonization, including into savannas and rainforests within South America. We identify the closest wild relatives to Manihot esculenta, including the crop cassava, and we quantify extensive wild introgression into the cassava gene pool from at least five wild species, including Manihot glaziovii, a species used widely in breeding programs. Finally, we show that this wild-to-crop introgression substantially shapes the mutation load in cassava. Our findings provide a detailed case study for neotropical evolutionary history in a diverse and widespread group, and a robust phylogenomic framework for future Manihot and cassava research.

Calidad de la biopsia hepática en 10 instituciones hospitalarias de Bogotá / Quality of liver biopsies taken in ten hospitals of Bogotá

Resumen Introducción: La biopsia hepática es la prueba de oro para el diagnóstico de las enfermedades que comprometen el hígado, una muestra adecuada y una muy buena lectura son elementos que determinan la utilidad de la prueba y el impacto en la toma de decisiones. Objetivo: Evaluar la calidad de las biopsias hepáticas a partir de la frecuencia de un diagnóstico definitivo en la lectura de las mismas y su relación con el número de espacios porta y su longitud informada. Materiales y métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo basado en registros, entre el 1 de enero de 2010 y el 30 de julio de 2017. Se realizó la revisión de las historias clínicas de los pacientes a quienes se les realizó biopsia hepática y se evaluó el resultado de la patología. Resultados: Se incluyeron 659 informes de patología de 10 instituciones. El porcentaje de reporte de espacios porta varió entre un 15 % y un 87,4 %, entre las instituciones. La mediana de longitud de la biopsia fue 15 mm (rango intercuartílico [RIC]: 10-20) con el valor más bajo de 1,3 (1-1,5) y el más alto de 1,8 (1,4-2) y la del número de espacios porta fue de 10 (RIC: 7-15), con el valor más bajo de 5 (1-8) y el más alto de 13 (10-17). Los diagnósticos definitivos se presentaron entre 35 % y 69 %, diagnósticos probables entre 25 % y 63 %, y sin diagnóstico entre un 5 % y 31,8 %. En el resultado de la regresión logística del diagnóstico y análisis univariado, se encontró que el número de espacios porta presentó un Odds ratio (OR) de 1,12 (intervalo de confianza [IC] 95 %: 1,05-1,19) y la longitud, OR: 1,74 (1,06-2,87); con el análisis multivariado, el número de espacios porta sigue siendo significativo (OR: 1,12 [1,02 a 1,22], p = 0,011). Conclusiones: En Bogotá existen 3 instituciones hospitalarias con adecuada calidad preanalítica en la toma de biopsias hepáticas y diagnósticos definitivos por encima del 60 %, asociados en esta serie con la presencia de un cilindro de tejido hepático de longitud y número de espacios porta adecuados. Con el análisis multivariado, el número de espacios porta presentó significancia. Se insiste en la importancia de la experiencia y entrenamiento del patólogo que evalúa la biopsia.

Abstract Introduction: Liver biopsy is the gold-standard test for the diagnosis of diseases involving the liver. An adequate sample and an accurate reading of the report are key to determine the usefulness of the test and its impact on decision-making. Objective: To assess the quality of liver biopsies based on the frequency of a "definitive diagnosis" in their report and their association with the number of portal spaces and reported length. Materials and methods: Record-based retrospective observational study, from January 1, 2010, to July 30, 2017. A review of the medical records of patients who underwent liver biopsy was performed, and the pathology result was evaluated. Results: 659 pathology reports from 10 hospitals were included. The percentage of portal space reporting varied between 15% and 87.4%. The median biopsy length was 15mm (IQR: 10-20) and the median number of portal spaces was 10 (IQR: 7-15). Definitive diagnoses were between 35% and 69%, probable diagnoses between 25% and 63%, and no diagnosis between 5% and 31.8%. The logistic regression of the diagnosis and a univariate analysis found that the number of portal spaces had an OR of 1.12 (95%CI: 1.05-1.19), while length had an OR of 1.74 (95%CI: 1.06-2.87). The multivariate analysis showed that the number of portal spaces is significant [OR: 1.12 (95%CI:1.02 to 1.22), p = 0.011]. Conclusions: In Bogotá, there are 3 hospitals with adequate pre-analytical quality of liver biopsies and definitive diagnoses above 60%, which in this series is associated with the presence of a cylinder of liver tissue of adequate length and the number of portal spaces. Multivariate analysis showed that the number of portal spaces is significant. The importance of the experience and training of the pathologist who evaluates the biopsy is stressed.

The Seven Selves of Dementia.

The self is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon, encompassing a variety of cognitive processes and psychosocial influences. Considering this, there is a multiplicity of "selves," the current review suggesting that seven fundamental self-processes can be identified that further our understanding of the experience of dementia. These include (1) an embodied self, manifest as corporeal awareness; (2) an agentic self, related to being an agent and influencing life circumstances; (3) an implicit self, linked to non-conscious self-processing; (4) a critical self, which defines the core of self-identity; (5) a surrogate self, based on third-person perspective information; (6) an extended self, including external objects or existences that are incorporated into the self; and, finally, (7) an emergent self, a property of the self-processes that give rise to the sense of a unified self. These are discussed in relation to self-awareness and their use in making sense of the experience of dementia.

Archaeological Central American maize genomes suggest ancient gene flow from South America.

Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays) domestication began in southwestern Mexico ∼9,000 calendar years before present (cal. BP) and humans dispersed this important grain to South America by at least 7,000 cal. BP as a partial domesticate. South America served as a secondary improvement center where the domestication syndrome became fixed and new lineages emerged in parallel with similar processes in Mesoamerica. Later, Indigenous cultivators carried a second major wave of maize southward from Mesoamerica, but it has been unclear until now whether the deeply divergent maize lineages underwent any subsequent gene flow between these regions. Here we report ancient maize genomes (2,300-1,900 cal. BP) from El Gigante rock shelter, Honduras, that are closely related to ancient and modern maize from South America. Our findings suggest that the second wave of maize brought into South America hybridized with long-established landraces from the first wave, and that some of the resulting newly admixed lineages were then reintroduced to Central America. Direct radiocarbon dates and cob morphological data from the rock shelter suggest that more productive maize varieties developed between 4,300 and 2,500 cal. BP. We hypothesize that the influx of maize from South America into Central America may have been an important source of genetic diversity as maize was becoming a staple grain in Central and Mesoamerica.

The Petrified Self 10 Years After: Current Evidence for Mnemonic anosognosia.

Lack of awareness about disease, its symptoms and consequences, also termed anosognosia, is a common feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been hypothesized that memory disorder may be a key contributing factor to anosognosia, with people with AD not being able to update their personal information about performance and relying on older consolidated material about ability. This potentially outdated sense of self has been named, as a metaphor, the petrified self. In the current review, evidence from the past 10 years in relation to this concept is critically appraised. In particular, focus is given to empirical evidence produced on anterograde memory deficits about performance, the profile of autobiographical retrograde memory loss and the role of frontal lobes in anosognosia in AD. Finally, wider consequences of this metaphor for the understanding of selfhood in dementia are discussed.

Multiproxy evidence highlights a complex evolutionary legacy of maize in South America.

Domesticated maize evolved from wild teosinte under human influences in Mexico beginning around 9000 years before the present (yr B.P.), traversed Central America by ~7500 yr B.P., and spread into South America by ~6500 yr B.P. Landrace and archaeological maize genomes from South America suggest that the ancestral population to South American maize was brought out of the domestication center in Mexico and became isolated from the wild teosinte gene pool before traits of domesticated maize were fixed. Deeply structured lineages then evolved within South America out of this partially domesticated progenitor population. Genomic, linguistic, archaeological, and paleoecological data suggest that the southwestern Amazon was a secondary improvement center for partially domesticated maize. Multiple waves of human-mediated dispersal are responsible for the diversity and biogeography of modern South American maize.

Elastografía en tiempo real (Supersonic): comportamiento de la prueba en una cohorte de pacientes con cirrosis en un centro médico de Bogotá / Real-time shearwave elastography (SSWE) in a cohort of patients with cirrhosis at a medical center in Bogotá

Resumen Introducción: la cirrosis, entendida como un proceso dinámico y reversible, es el resultado final de las enfermedades hepáticas crónicamente progresivas de diferentes etiologías. Los métodos no invasivos basados en ecografía se han convertido paulatinamente en una herramienta diagnóstica útil en el estudio de las hepatopatías. Dentro de estos métodos, la elastografía en tiempo real, o Supersonic, de reciente introducción en nuestro medio, nos permite estudiar estos pacientes. Objetivo: evaluar el comportamiento de la elastografía en tiempo real en pacientes con cirrosis en un centro de atención de enfermedades hepáticas y digestivas en la ciudad de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos: estudio piloto retrospectivo de una cohorte con pacientes cirróticos con diagnóstico comprobado por biopsia hepática, imágenes, clínica o una combinación de estas. Resultados: se incluyeron 65 pacientes diagnosticados con cirrosis, la mediana de edad fue 58 años, 61,5% mujer y 38,5% hombre. Se encontró una mediana de rigidez hepática de 16,6 kilopascal (kPs) (RIQ de 13,9-19,5), con valor mínimo de 12 y un máximo de 30,5; sin una diferencia estadísticamente significativa entre mujeres y hombres dentro de los grupos con y sin biopsia (p = 0,64 y p = 0,26, respectivamente). Conclusión: los valores de la rigidez hepática de los pacientes cirróticos analizados en este estudio piloto se encontraron dentro de los reportados en los estudios iniciales de las pruebas a nivel internacional, por lo que se podría sugerir la realización de esta prueba no invasiva en pacientes con sospecha de cirrosis, evitando así las complicaciones de la biopsia hepática.

Abstract Introduction: Cirrhosis, understood as a dynamic and reversible process, is the final result of chronically progressive liver diseases of various etiologies. Non-invasive methods based on ultrasound have gradually become useful diagnostic tools for studying liver diseases. Real-time supersonic shearwave elastography (SSWE) study of these patients has recently been introduced to Colombia. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate real-time SSWE in patients with cirrhosis at a center for the treatment of liver and digestive diseases in Bogotá. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective pilot study of a cohort of cirrhotic patients with diagnoses confirmed by liver biopsies, imaging, clinical indicators or a combination of these. Results: Sixty-five patients who had been diagnosed with cirrhosis were included in this study. The median age was 58 years, 61.5% were women, and 38.5% were men. We found that median hepatic stiffness was 16.6 kilopascals (kPs), the interquartile range was 13.9 -19.5, the minimum value was 12, and the maximum value was 30.5. There were no statistically significant differences between women and men, within groups and with and without biopsies (p = 0.64 and p = 0.26 respectively). Conclusions: Hepatic rigidity measurements for cirrhotic patients analyzed in this pilot study were within the ranges reported in initial international tests, so this non-invasive test should be considered for patients suspected of having cirrhosis as a way to avoid complications of liver biopsies.

Implicit Behavioral Change in Response to Cognitive Tasks in Alzheimer Disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Lack of awareness about impairments is commonly found in Alzheimer disease (AD), but recent evidence suggests that patients may respond to the experience of illness despite limited awareness. In this study, we explored whether implicit emotional responses to experiences of failure in cognitive tasks would result in longer-term change in behavior. METHODS: Twenty-two patients with AD were seen 1 week after a previous session in which they performed computer tasks that had been manipulated to be either too difficult (failure condition) or very easy (success condition) for them. At the second session, both types of tasks were set to have medium difficulty and were administered so that the participants decided how long to persist on each task. Task persistence was determined by relative time spent doing the tasks, considering that participants would be more likely to stop performing tasks in which they had experienced failure during the first session. RESULTS: Task persistence in the second session was not affected by performance in the first session. However, when participants' awareness of performance in the first session was taken into account, differences were found in persistence between tasks in the second session. During the second session, participants stopped performing tasks after a sequence of errors. There were no self-reported changes in motivation or enjoyment in response to task failure. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that implicit learning of task valence may be compromised in AD, but that initial moments of awareness of performance may influence long-term adaptation in unaware patients.

The impact of dementia, depression and awareness on activities of daily living in a sample from a middle-income country.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies have indicated that dementia and depression have a considerable impact on the functional capacity of older adults, also influencing awareness about ability. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the impact of dementia, depression and awareness on activities of daily living (ADL) in a sample from a middle-income country. METHODS: The current study explored impairments in basic, instrumental and advanced ADL using a factorial design comparing four groups: people with dementia and depression, people with dementia without depression, older adults with depression but no dementia and healthy older adults. For each type of ADL, self-report and informant report was contrasted in order to investigate the issue of lack of awareness in relation to ADL. RESULTS: Results indicate that dementia is associated with impairments in all types of ADL. Advanced ADL were also reduced in depressed participants. In addition, in the case of instrumental and basic ADL, informant report indicated less preserved abilities than participant self-report, particularly in people with dementia. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the importance of developing interventions and compensatory strategies to prevent loss of ADL in dementia, also suggesting that early intervention in older adults with depression should focus on advanced ADL to prevent social isolation and withdrawal. Finally, the findings indicate that self-information about ADL may be compromised in dementia, so clinicians exploring disability should consider fully different aspects of ADL in this group. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The influence of current mood state, number of previous affective episodes and predominant polarity on insight in bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have explored the effect of current affective episodes on insight into bipolar disorder, the potential interaction between current mood state and previous affective episodes has not been consistently investigated. OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of dominant polarity, number of previous affective episodes and current affective state on insight in bipolar disorder patients in euthymia or mania. METHODS: A total of 101 patients with bipolar disorder were recruited for the study, including 58 patients in euthymia (30 with no defined predominant polarity and 28 with manic predominant polarity) and 43 in mania (26 with no defined predominant polarity and 17 with manic predominant polarity). Patients underwent a clinical assessment and insight was evaluated through the Insight Scale for Affective Disorders. RESULTS: Bipolar disorder patients in mania had worse insight than those in euthymia, with no effect of dominant polarity. In addition, positive psychotic symptoms showed a significant effect on insight and its inclusion as a covariate eliminated differences related to mood state. Finally, the number of previous manic or depressive episodes did not correlate with insight level. CONCLUSIONS: Mania is a predictor of loss of insight into bipolar disorder. However, it is possible that its contribution is linked to the more frequent presence of psychotic symptoms in this state. Dominant polarity and number/type of previous affective episodes have a limited impact on insight.

Elastografía en tiempo real (supersonic): comportamiento de la prueba en sujetos sanos de Bogotá / Behavior of Real Time Supersonic Shear Wave Elastography in Healthy Subjects in Bogota

Resumen Introducción: La elastografía en tiempo real (supersonic) es una prueba no invasiva que se utiliza para determinar la elasticidad del hígado y de esa forma calcular el grado de fibrosis hepática; en algunas ocasiones, reemplaza la toma de la biopsia hepática y es útil para el seguimiento de la mayoría de pacientes con hepatopatías. En Colombia, la prueba se introdujo recientemente y no existen hasta el momento estudios del comportamiento de la prueba en personas sanas. Objetivo: evaluar el comportamiento de la elastografía en tiempo real en sujetos sanos en Bogotá. Materiales y métodos: estudio piloto retrospectivo de sujetos sanos entre 15 y 37 años, entre el 1 de junio de 2016 y el 31 de marzo del 2017. Se realizaron la historia clínica y evaluación básica de la función hepática para descartar anormalidades. Resultados: la serie incluyó 33 sujetos sanos, 60,6% mujeres y 39,4% hombres con una edad promedio de 24,8 años. Al practicar la prueba se encontró un valor promedio de 4,28 kilopascales (kPa), con una diferencia mínima entre sexos, siendo mayor la rigidez hepática en los hombres. Conclusiones: los valores promedio de la rigidez hepática en 33 sujetos sanos en Bogotá son los mismos reportados en los estudios iniciales de las pruebas a nivel internacional; estos hallazgos sugieren que la prueba puede ser muy útil en nuestro medio para la evaluación de pacientes con hepatopatías.

Abstract Introduction: Real-time supersonic shear wave elastography (SSI) is a noninvasive test that is used to determine the elasticity of the liver and thus calculate the degree of liver fibrosis. Sometimes, it can replace a liver biopsy, and it is useful for monitoring the majority of patients with liver disease. In Colombia, the test has recently been introduced, so there have been no studies of test in healthy people here until now. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavior of the elastography in real time in healthy subjects in Bogotá. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective pilot study of healthy subjects between 15 and 37 years old who underwent SSI between June 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017. A clinical history was taken and basic evaluation of liver function was performed to rule out abnormalities. Results: The series included 33 healthy subjects, 60.6% women and 39.4% men with an average age of 24.8 years. When the test was performed, an average value of 4.28 kilopascals (kPs) was found, with minimal difference between the sexes but greater hepatic rigidity in men. Conclusions: The mean values ​​of hepatic rigidity in 33 healthy subjects in Bogotá are the same as those reported in the initial studies internationally. These findings suggest that the test may be very useful for the evaluation of patients with liver disease in our environment.

Características clínicas y descompensación en pacientes con cirrosis hepática atendidos en dos centros de hepatología en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. 2010-2014 / Clinical Characteristics and Decompensation in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis Treated at Two Hepatology Centers in Bogota DC from 2010 To 2014

Introducción: la cirrosis es la condición médica final de diversas enfermedades hepáticas de carácter progresivo, con una prevalencia variable de un país a otro; en la actualidad, el abuso de alcohol, el hígado graso no alcohólico y las hepatitis crónicas virales son mencionados como sus principales causas. En nuestros centros no se dispone de estudios clínicos en relación con esta enfermedad. Materiales y métodos: estudio retrospectivo y descriptivo de pacientes con diagnóstico de cirrosis hepática entre el 1 de enero del 2010 al 31 de marzo del 2014. Se realizó revisión de historias clínicas. Resultados: la serie incluyó 419 pacientes, 50,1% mujeres y 49,9% hombres, con una edad promedio de diagnóstico de cirrosis de 63 años; el 73% de los pacientes presentaban hallazgos de hepatopatía crónica en el examen físico y el 27% tenía un examen físico normal. Las principales etiologías en esta serie fueron: esteatohepatitis no alcohólica (25,5%), alcohólica (14,8%), infección por virus C (14,6%), autoinmunidad (10%), esteatohepatitis no alcohólica más alcohol (6,7%), y otras (14,6%). La clasificación de Child-Pugh se pudo calcular en 394 pacientes y de estos, el 59,1%, 32,4% y 8,3% eran A, B y C, respectivamente. En relación con las descompensaciones, las principales fueron ascitis (36,1%), sangrado variceal (28,4%) y hepatocarcinoma (15,3%). Conclusiones: el comportamiento epidemiológico local no difiere en relación con el mundial. Llama la atención su detección en fases tempranas y la NASH como factor etiológico principal.

Introduction: Cirrhosis is the final medical condition of various progressive liver disease. Its prevalence varies from one country to another. Currently alcohol abuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and chronic viral hepatitis are mentioned as the main causes. In our centers we have no clinical studies regarding this disease. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, descriptive study of the clinical histories of patients who were diagnosed with liver cirrhosis between January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2014. Results: The study included 419 patients, 50.1% of whom were women and 49.9% of whom were men. The average age at diagnosis of cirrhosis 63 years. 73% of patients had physical findings of chronic liver disease and 27% had normal physical examinations. The main etiologies in this series were nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (25.5%), alcoholic cirrhosis (14.8%), hepatitis C infection (14.6%), autoimmune cirrhosis (10%), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis plus alcohol (6.7%), and others (14.6%). The Child-Pugh classification could be calculated in 394 patients. Of these 59.1% were classified A, 32.4% were classified B, and 8.3% were classified C. The primary reasons for decompensation ascites (36.1%), bleeding varices (28.4%) and hepatocellular carcinoma (15.3%). Conclusions: Local epidemiological behavior does not differ from those found elsewhere in the world. Attention needs to be paid to detection in early stages and NASH as the main etiological factor.

Residential context, institutional alloparental care, and child growth in Jamaica.

OBJECTIVES: Although children are typically raised in familial care networks, not all children have access to kin. Here, I investigate the growth measures of children living in two different residential contexts in Jamaica: institutional care settings and familial homes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study sampled individuals ranging from 5-18 years old, residing in children's homes (N = 113 participants) and familial homes (N = 103 participants). Anthropometric measurements and interview data were collected from all participants. Height for age z-scores (ZHFA) and weight for age z-scores (ZWFA) were calculated using the 2007 WHO standards. Body fat was estimated from tricep and suprailiac skinfold thickness. Between group comparisons were completed using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with age included as a covariate. Significance was accepted at P ≤ 0.05. RESULTS: Context was more predictive of condition among children than adolescents. Both girls and boys ages 5-11 years living with family members had higher mean height and weight for age, and summed skinfold thickness measures, than their peers living in children's homes. Fewer correlations between home setting and growth measurements were found among 12-18 year olds. Notably, although children were randomly assigned to children's homes, boys in a single-sex institution did not differ in growth measurements from boys living with family members. CONCLUSIONS: Younger children who lived with family members had better growth measurements than their peers living in institutional settings. However, improved growth measures for children living in one home were correlated to nonconventional counseling practices, and nutritional policies that mirror some aspects of familial care. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 28:493-502, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Guía de práctica clínica para el uso de ultrasonido endoscópico en pancreatitis crónica, lesiones quísticas y sólidas del páncreas en adultos / Clinical practice guideline for the use of endoscopic ultrasound in chronic pancreatitis, solid and cystic lesions of pancreas in adults

Objetivo: brindar una guía de práctica clínica con la evidencia más reciente para el uso de ultrasonido endoscópico en pancreatitis crónica y lesiones quísticas y sólidas en adultos, la cual está dirigida a pacientes, personal asistencial, administrativo y entes gubernamentales de los servicios de atención en Colombia. Materiales y métodos: esta guía fue desarrollada por un equipo multidisciplinario con apoyo de la Asociación Colombiana de Gastroenterología, el Grupo Cochrane ITS y el Instituto de Investigaciones Clínicas de la Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Se desarrollaron preguntas clínicas relevantes y se realizó la búsqueda de guías nacionales e internacionales en bases de datos especializadas. Las guías existentes fueron evaluadas en términos de calidad y aplicabilidad; ninguna de ellas cumplió con el criterio de adaptación, por lo que se decidió construir una guía de novo. El Grupo Cochrane realizó la búsqueda sistemática de la literatura. Las tablas de evidencia y recomendaciones fueron realizadas con base en la metodología GRADE. Las recomendaciones de la guía fueron socializadas en una reunión de expertos con entes gubernamentales y pacientes. Resultados: se desarrolló una guía de práctica clínica basada en la evidencia para el uso del ultrasonido endoscópico en pancreatitis crónica y lesiones quísticas y sólidas en adultos en Colombia, con recomendaciones específicas para la utilización de USE. Conclusiones: el adecuado uso del ultrasonido endoscópico permitirá el diagnóstico oportuno de lesiones del páncreas en pacientes colombianos, lo que llevará a mejorar su pronóstico.

Objective: To provide an evidence-based clinical practice guideline for the use of endoscopic ultrasound in chronic pancreatitis, solid and cystic lesions of pancreas in adults which can be used by patients, caregivers, administrative and government bodies at all levels of care in Colombia. Materials and Methods: This guide was developed by a multidisciplinary team with the support of the Colombian Association of Gastroenterology, Cochrane STI Group and Clinical Research Institute of the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Relevant clinical questions were developed and the search for national and international guidelines in databases was performed. Existing guidelines were evaluated for quality and applicability. None of the guidelines met the criteria for adaptation, so the group decided to develop a de novo guideline. Systematic literature searches were conducted by the Cochrane Group. The tables of evidence and recommendations were made based on the GRADE methodology. The recommendations of the guide were socialized in a meeting of experts with government agencies and patients. Results: An evidence-based Clinical Practice Guidelines for the screening of colorectal cancer was developed for the Colombian context. Conclusions: The opportune detection of colon cancer would have an impact of the disease in Colombia.

Effect of unawareness on rehabilitation outcome in a randomised controlled trial of multicomponent intervention for patients with mild Alzheimer's disease.

Unawareness of deficit has been shown to affect the outcome of targeted cognitive intervention programmes applied to patients with Alzheimer' disease (AD), but the effects on multimodal therapeutic approaches have not yet been explored. This research investigated the efficacy of the Multi-Intervention Programme (MIP) approach on improving cognitive, functional, affective, and behavioural symptoms in people with mild AD. In addition, we examined whether the presence of unawareness influences the MIP outcomes. Sixty-one mild stage AD patients were randomly assigned to either an experimental group which carried out an MIP individually (48 sessions, 16 weeks duration), combining diverse cognitive tasks, training in daily life and recreational activities, or a waiting list group which did not receive any treatment for the same time period. The efficacy of MIP (vs. waiting list) was tested using various standardised neuropsychological, functional, and behavioural outcome measures. Planned analyses were carried out to determine the effect of unawareness versus awareness on such outcomes. The results showed that patients overall benefited from the MIP in terms of both cognitive and non-cognitive symptoms. AD patients with awareness of deficits showed positive effects on all outcome measures in comparison with the waiting list group, while AD patients with unawareness showed improvements in non-cognitive symptoms only. In conclusion, the presence of unawareness reduces the cognitive and functional effects of MIP in patients with mild AD.

The development of computerised success-failure manipulation paradigms for the experimental study of metacognition in neurological patients / Desenvolvimento de paradigmas computadorizados de manipulação de sucesso-fracasso para o estudo experimental da metacognição em pacientes neurológicos / Desarrollo de paradigmas computadorizados de manipulación de éxito-fracaso para el estudio experimental de la meta-cognición en pacientes neurológicos

Research into metacognitive abilities of clinical populations has indicated pervasive deficits in terms of monitoring of cognitive performance. Nevertheless, there are important methodological issues regarding the validity of these findings. In the current paper, we describe the development of novel experimental procedures to mitigate some of these limitations. Specifically, we report the creation of computerised tasks based on success-failure manipulation (SFM), which allow experimental control over the performance of participants. We discuss the theoretical implications of this new procedure and also results obtained so far with the tasks. Finally, we present future research directions stemming from the use of the tasks.

Pesquisas sobre habilidades metacognitivas em grupos clínicos indicaram uma série de déficits em termos de monitoramento de desempenho cognitivo. No entanto, existem importantes questões metodológicas que questionam a validade destes achados. Neste artigo, descrevemos o desenvolvimento de procedimentos experimentais novos para minorar algumas destas limitações. Especificamente, reportamos a criação de tarefas computadorizadas baseadas em manipulação de sucesso-fracasso, que permitem o controle experimental sobre o desempenho de participantes. Discutimos as implicações teóricas deste novo procedimento, bem como os resultados obtidos até então com estas tarefas. Finalmente, indicamos futuras direções de pesquisa partindo do uso destas tarefas.

Investigaciones sobre habilidades meta-cognitivas en grupos clínicos han indicado una serie de déficits en términos de monitoreo (o monitorización) de desempeño cognitivo. Sin embargo hay cuestiones metodológicas importantes que cuestionan la validez de estas descubiertas. En este artículo, describimos el desarrollo de procedimientos experimentales nuevos para aminorar algunas de esas limitaciones. Específicamente, reportamos la creación de tareas computadorizadas basadas en la manipulación de éxito-fracaso, que permiten el control experimental sobre el desempeño de participantes. Discutimos las implicaciones teóricas de este nuevo procedimiento, así como los resultados obtenidos hasta ahora con estas tareas. Finalmente, indicamos futuras direcciones de investigación partiendo de el uso de estas tareas.