Comparison of two MALDI-TOF MS systems for the identification of clinically relevant anaerobic bacteria in Argentina.

The aim of this study was to compare the performance of two MALDI-TOF MS systems in the identification of clinically relevant strict anaerobic bacteria. The 16S rRNA gene sequencing was the gold standard method when discrepancies or inconsistencies were observed between platforms. A total of 333 isolates were recovered from clinical samples of different centers in Buenos Aires City between 2016 and 2021.

Sex-Specific Neurocognitive Impairment.

This article explores sex-specific neurocognitive impairment. It first defines relevant terms such as gender and sex. Next, it describes the nature of the problem including under-representation of women and other gender and sexual minorities in neuroscience research, including cognitive studies.

Culturally and Linguistically Informed Neuropsychological Evaluation Protocol for Primarily Spanish-Speaking Adults.

Objective: The Latina(o)/Hispanic (L/H) population represents the largest and fastest-growing ethnic group in the United States. Migration patterns have evolved and greater diversity (i.e.

The Relationship Between Plasma Oxytocin and Executive Functioning in Huntington's Disease: A Pilot Study.

The role of oxytocin (OT) in social cognition of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) has been studied, but its impact on executive functioning has not been explored yet. Healthy controls, premanifest HD, and manifest HD participants underwent executive functioning assessment and OT plasma measurement. There were no significant group differences in plasma OT levels.

Sleep Dysfunction in Huntington's Disease: Perspectives from Patients.

Background: Despite the abundance of clinical tools, sleep disorders are still not routinely evaluated in patients with Huntington's disease (HD). Sleep disturbances can exacerbate cognitive impairment and mood disorders and seriously affect the life of the patients and their families.

Objective: The current study was designed to investigate sleep quality and its association with clinical symptoms in HD.

Detection of toxigenic Clostridioides [Clostridium] difficile: Usefulness of two commercially available enzyme immunoassays and a PCR assay on stool samples and stool isolates.

The best laboratory diagnostic approach to detect Clostridioides [Clostridium] difficile infection (CDI) is a subject of ongoing debate. With the aim of evaluating four laboratory diagnostic methods, 250 unformed stools from patients with suspected CDI submitted to nine medical center laboratories from November 2010 to December 2011, were studied using: (1) an immunochromatographic rapid assay test that combines the qualitative determination of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) plus toxins A and B (QAB), the CDIFF QUIK CHEK COMPLETE assay; (2) an enzyme immunoassay for qualitative determination of toxins A and B, the RIDASCREEN™ C. difficile Toxin A/B assay (RAB); (3) a PCR for the toxin B gene assay (PCR); and (4) the toxigenic culture (TC).

Performance Validity in Deep Brain Stimulation Candidates.

Objective: Effort and motivation are important factors that influence performance on neuropsychological tests. Performance validity tests (PVT) have not been investigated in a sample of individuals who are at risk for cognitive decline and are presumably highly motivated to do well. The aim of the current study is to investigate performance validity in individuals with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor who are being considered for deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery.

Two Novel Psychomotor Tasks in Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

Objective: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) is a neurological disorder presenting with gait, cognitive, and bladder symptoms in the context of ventricular enlargement. Although gait is the primary indicator for treatment candidacy and outcome, additional monitoring tools are needed. Line Tracing Test (LTT) and Serial Dotting Test (SDT), two psychomotor tasks, have been introduced as potential outcome measures but have not been widely studied.

Impact of INICC Multidimensional Hand Hygiene Approach in ICUs in Four Cities in Argentina.

We evaluated the impact of the International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium multidimensional approach to hand hygiene in 11 intensive care units in 4 cities in Argentina and analyzed predictors of poor hand hygiene compliance. We had a baseline period and a follow-up period. We observed 21 100 hand hygiene opportunities.

Oxytocin administration attenuates atherosclerosis and inflammation in Watanabe Heritable Hyperlipidemic rabbits.

Oxytocin (OT) is a neurohypophyseal peptide traditionally associated with female reproductive functioning, and more recently with prosocial behavior. OT and its receptor are also expressed in the heart and vascular tissue and play a role in cardiovascular homeostasis. In vitro, it has been demonstrated that OT decreases NADPH-dependent superoxide production and pro-inflammatory cytokine release from vascular endothelial cells and macrophages, suggesting that OT may attenuate pathophysiological processes involved with atherosclerotic lesion formation.

The influence of social environment on endocrine, cardiovascular and tissue responses in the rabbit.

Previous work from our lab demonstrated that social environment influences the progression of atherosclerosis in genetically hyperlipidemic rabbits. The purpose of the current study was to examine behavioral and physiological responses associated with these distinct chronic social conditions. Normolipidemic rabbits were exposed to one of three social environments for 4 hours/day over 20 weeks: 1) an Unstable Group in which animals were paired weekly with a different unfamiliar rabbit, 2) a Stable Group in which rabbits were paired with the same littermate for the entire study, and 3) an Individually Caged Group in which animals were socially isolated.

Apoptosis, mastocytosis, and diminished adipocytokine gene expression accompany reduced epididymal fat mass in long-standing diet-induced obese mice.

Background: Obesity is characterized by increased cell death and inflammatory reactions in the adipose tissue. Here, we explored pathophysiological alterations taking place in the adipose tissue in long-standing obesity. In the epididymal fat of C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet for 20 weeks, the prevalence and distribution of dead adipocytes (crown-like structures), mast cells (toluidine blue, mMCP6), macrophages (F4/80), and apoptotic cells (cleaved caspase-3) were measured.

Evaluation of enzyme immunoassay and radioimmunoassay methods for the measurement of plasma oxytocin.

Objective: There is increased interest in measuring peripheral oxytocin levels to better understand the role of this peptide in mammalian behavior, physiology, and disease. The purpose of this study was to compare methods for plasma oxytocin measurement using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA), to evaluate the need for sample extraction, and to assess the immunospecificity of the assays.

Methods: Oxytocin was measured in extracted and unextracted human plasma samples (n = 39).