Airway Hyperresponsiveness, Inflammation, and Pulmonary Emphysema in Rodent Models Designed to Mimic Exposure to Fuel Oil-Derived Volatile Organic Compounds Encountered during an Experimental Oil Spill.

Background: Fuel oil-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs) inhalation is associated with accidental marine spills. After the petroleum tanker sank off northern Spain in 2002 and the oil rig catastrophe in 2009, subjects involved in environmental decontamination showed signs of ongoing or residual lung disease up to 5 y after the exposure.

Objectives: We aimed at investigating mechanisms driving persistent respiratory disease by developing an animal model of inhalational exposure to fuel oil-derived VOCs.

Mass Spectrometry Analysis of the Exhaled Breath Condensate and Proposal of Dermcidin and S100A9 as Possible Markers for Lung Cancer Prognosis.

Introduction: New sampling techniques to analyse lung diseases, such as exhaled breath condensate (EBC), are a breakthrough in research field since they are less invasive and less traumatic for the patients compared to lung biopsies. Nevertheless, there is an increasing need to optimize not only the sampling protocols but the storage and processing of specimens to get accurate results.

Methods: Exhaled breath condensate was sampled employing the ECoScreen device.

Allogeneic Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells (Horse Allo 20) for the Treatment of Osteoarthritis-Associated Lameness in Horses: Characterization, Safety, and Efficacy of Intra-Articular Treatment.

Osteoarthritis commonly causes lameness in the horse and has a great impact in performance animals. Due to the limitations of current medical therapies, allogenic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may become an alternative method to control inflammation, reduce tissue damage and pain, and therefore improve lameness. We present the results of a regulatory clinical trial testing adipose-derived MSCs (Horse Allo 20) in veterinary (Agencia Española del Medicamento y Productos Sanitarios, Spanish Medicines Agency, Reference number 325/ECV) involving a total number of 80 participants and with 90 days of follow-up period.

UnderstAID, an ICT Platform to Help Informal Caregivers of People with Dementia: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study.

Information and communications technology (ICT) could support ambient assisted living (AAL) based interventions to provide support to informal caregivers of people with dementia, especially when they need to cope with their feelings of overburden or isolation. An e-learning platform (understAID application) was tested by informal caregivers from Denmark, Poland, and Spain to explore the technical and the pedagogical specifications, as well as evaluating the impact of its use on the psychological status of the participants. 61 informal caregivers completed the study taking part in the experimental ( = 30) or control ( = 31) groups.

The Opinion of Professional Caregivers About The Platform UnderstAID for Patients with Dementia.

BACKGROUND The person with dementia should be treated as an unique person regarding symptoms directly associated with dementia, such as problems with memory, hallucinations, and delusions, as well as other physical, mental, or neurological deficits. The symptoms not directly typical of dementia, such as musculoskeletal disorders or depression, should be also be considered in order to improve the quality of life of a person with dementia. That is why professional caregivers have to broaden their current knowledge not only of medical symptoms but also of the patient's psychosocial condition and increase their inquisitiveness about the individual condition of the patient.

Efficacy of a computerized cognitive training application on cognition and depressive symptomatology in a group of healthy older adults: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a multimedia and interactive cognitive program on cognition and depressive symptomatology in healthy older adults.

Methods: Adults aged ≥65 years were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group in which the participants received a computerized cognitive training application; and the control group in which the participants received no intervention during the protocol. Performance on the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and the short-form of the geriatric depression scale (GDS-SF) were analysed using a three-way repeated-measure analysis of variance.

The impact of hearing loss on language performance in older adults with different stages of cognitive function.

Purpose: The possible relationship between audiometric hearing thresholds and cognitive performance on language tests was analyzed in a cross-sectional cohort of older adults aged ≥65 years (N=98) with different degrees of cognitive impairment.

Materials And Methods: Participants were distributed into two groups according to Reisberg's Global Deterioration Scale (GDS): a normal/predementia group (GDS scores 1-3) and a moderate/moderately severe dementia group (GDS scores 4 and 5). Hearing loss (pure-tone audiometry) and receptive and production-based language function (Verbal Fluency Test, Boston Naming Test, and Token Test) were assessed.

Predictors of caregiving satisfaction in informal caregivers of people with dementia.

Objective: The prevalence of dementia is increasing and consequently the demands from families, institutions and healthcare system. Although a substantial amount of research on caregiving has emphasized the negative aspects of caregiving, specifically on caregiver burden and depression, less attention has been paid to the positive aspects of caregiving. The aim of the present work was to study the phenomenon of caregiving satisfaction in informal caregivers of people with dementia by assessing their likely predictors.

Verbal fluency, naming and verbal comprehension: three aspects of language as predictors of cognitive impairment.

Objectives: To establish the possible relationship among three components of language (verbal fluency, naming and comprehension) and cognitive impairment as well as to determine the usefulness of language assessment tests to predict or monitor the development of cognitive impairment.

Method: A comparative, descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed on 82 subjects ≥ 65 years of age who were cognitively assessed with the Mini Mental State Examination and were divided into two groups: Group A comprised of subjects classified as levels 1, 2 and 3 on the Reisberg's Global Deterioration Scale (GDS) and group B comprised of subjects at levels 4 and 5 of the GDS. Language skills were assessed by the Verbal Fluency Test, Boston Naming Test and Token Test.

Efficacy of a computerized cognitive training application for older adults with and without memory impairments.

Background/aims: It has been shown that cognitive training might help to protect against age-related cognitive decline. Our aim was to evaluate the efficacy of a computerized cognitive training application and its near transfer effects on the cognitive status of older adults.

Methods: Performance on the 7-Minute Screen at baseline and at the end of the program was analyzed by using a pre-post design.

Determination of ELISA reproducibility to detect protein markers in exhaled breath condensate.

Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) is a representative sample from the lungs that may be used to detect different markers, but the reproducibility of these determinations is unknown over time. The aim of this paper is to assess the reproducibility of protein marker determination in EBC using samples collected at two different time points. EBC and blood were collected from 16 healthy subjects, smokers and non-smokers by using the ECoScreen device.

KlRox1p contributes to yeast resistance to metals and is necessary for KlYCF1 expression in the presence of cadmium.

We have characterized the KlROX1 gene from Kluyveromyces lactis and verified that it does not regulate the hypoxic response in this yeast, oppositely to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae homologue ScROX1. The KlROX1 promoter is not regulated by KlHap1p or KlRox1p in response to changes aerobiosis/hypoxia. Besides, KlRox1p expression only partially represses ScANB1 in S.

[Development of a murine model of airway inflammation and remodeling in experimental asthma].

Background And Objective: Experimental animal models are necessary for studying asthma disease mechanisms and for identifying new therapeutic targets. We present a murine model of experimental asthma that allows integrated, quantitative assessment of airway inflammation and remodeling.

Material And Methods: BALB/c mice were sensitized to ovalbumin (OVA) and challenged with OVA or vehicle 3 times per week for 12 weeks.