hTERT Protein Expression in Cytoplasm and Nucleus and its Association With HPV Infection in Patients With Cervical Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have analyzed the association between human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) protein expression (nuclear and cytoplasmic localization), hTERT methylation status, and human papillomavirus (HPV) genotype infection in cervical cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred seventy-three patients with cervical cancer were analyzed. hTERT protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry. hTERT DNA methylation analysis was performed using a PCR-RLB-hTERT assay, targeting two regions of the hTERT promoter. Type specific HPV infection was detected by using GP5+/GP6+PCR-RLB. RESULTS: hTERT protein expression was found in both cytoplasm and nucleus (78.0% of the samples showed a cytoplasmic localization and 79.8% had a nuclear localization). A statistically significant association was found between alpha 9 and 7 HPV species with a non-methylation pattern of the hTERT promoter and between these species and high expression of hTERT protein with nuclear localization. CONCLUSION: hTERT protein is found in both the nucleus and cytoplasm of patients with cervical cancer and confirm the relationship between the non-methylated status of hTERT promoter and some HPV species as well as the relationship between these species and hTERT protein expression.

Los métodos educativos hacia un desarrollo de habilidades y aprendizaje imprescindibles / Educational methods towards developing indispensable skills and knowledge

La educación es un área que requiere constante actualización e innovación, tanto en la información transmitida, como en la metodología utilizada para poder desarrollar un proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje adecuado, por lo que se deben usar diferentes estrategias que se acomoden a las necesidades y llamen la atención de los estudiantes. Dentro del área de la salud, es claro que uno de los objetivos primordiales del proceso educativo es la plena trasmisión de información, la consolidación de conceptos y la adquisición de destrezas por parte del estudiante, pero con el paso del tiempo los métodos convencionales han perdido validez y demuestran menor calidad con respecto a nuevas estrategias pedagógicas que se han implementado. Las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (blogs, cursos en línea, podcasts, entre otros), desempeñan un papel relevante dentro del proceso de actualización en métodos educativos, ya que son herramientas más asequibles y modernas y que pueden diseñarse de manera concreta y atractiva para los estudiantes, por lo que son de suma importancia tenerse en cuenta a la hora de diseñar programas pedagógicos y aplicarlos a situaciones de contingencia, como la que se vive actualmente.

The field of education requires continuous updating and innovation, both of the information transmitted and the methodology used, in order to develop an appropriate teaching-learning process. Therefore, different strategies must be used to adapt to the needs of the students and attract their attention. In the area of health sciences, it is clear that one of the primary objectives of the educational process is the full transmission of information, the consolidation of concepts and the acquisition of skills by the student, nevertheless, over time, conventional methods have lost validity and demonstrate lower quality compared to new pedagogical strategies that have been implemented. The Information and Communication Technologies (blogs, online courses, podcasts, among others), play a relevant role within the process of updating educational methods, since they are more affordable and modern tools that can be designed in a concrete and attractive manner for students, so it is of utmost importance to take them into account when designing pedagogical programs and applying them to contingency situations, such as the one we are currently experiencing.

Contabilidad, validez de criterio y discriminante del Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test, en un grupo de adultos de Bogotá / Reliability, criterion and discriminant validity of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Test (MoCA) in a group of adults from Bogotá

Resumen Introducción: el MoCA-test es un instrumento breve de tamizaje, sensible y específico, utilizado para la detección del deterioro cognitivo leve (DCL) y la demencia, con puntos de corte que varían según la población estudiada. Objetivo: evaluar la confiabilidad y validez discriminante del MoCA-test, en un grupo de adultos de Bogotá, con diferentes escolaridades. Material y Métodos: se aplicó el MoCA-test y el MMSE, a 1174 adultos mayores de 50 años de diferentes localidades de Bogotá. Los sujetos con MoCA-test < 26 y MMSE <24, fueron citados a una segunda evaluación aplicándoseles un protocolo amplio y fueron analizados por consenso, para determinar normalidad o deterioro cognitivo. Se determinó la consistencia interna (con coeficiente alpha de Cronbach), confiabilidad test-retest (con coeficiente de Lin), la validez de criterio (con coeficiente de Spearman) y validez discriminante (por medio de curvas ROC) del MoCA-Test. Resultados: la consistencia interna (alfa-Cronbach=0.851) y la confiabilidad test-retest (Lin=0.62) fueron aceptables. La validez de criterio respecto al MMSE, fue moderada (r=0.65). El MoCA mostró capacidad para discriminar entre diferentes grupos diagnósticos y sociodemográficos. El área bajo la curva fue 0.76 para DCL y 0,81 para demencia; el punto de corte para discriminar entre normalidad y DCL en el grupo en general fue 20/21 y entre DCL y demencia 17/18. Estos puntos variaron con el grado de escolaridad. Conclusión: el MoCA-test puede ser el instrumento de tamización en atención primaria, para detectar deterioro cognitivo en nuestra población adulta, considerando los puntos de corte propuestos según la escolaridad. (Acta Med Colomb 2016; 40: 221-228).

Abstract Introduction: the MoCA-Test is a brief, sensitive and specific screening tool used to detect mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia, with cut-off points that vary according to the population studied. Objective: to evaluate the reliability and discriminant validity of the MoCA-test, in a group of adults from Bogotá, with different levels of schooling. Material and Methods: the MoCA-test and the MMSE were applied to 1174 adults over 50 years old from different locations in Bogotá. Subjects with MoCA-test <26 and MMSE <24, were referred to a second evaluation by applying a broad protocol and were analyzed by consensus, to determine normality or cognitive impairment. Internal consistency (with Cronbach's alpha coefficient), test-retest reliability (with Lin coefficient), criterion validity (with Spearman's coefficient) and discriminant validity (using ROC curves) of the MoCA-Test were determined. Results: internal consistency (alpha-Cronbach = 0.851) and test-retest reliability (Lin = 0.62) were acceptable. The criterion validity with respect to MMSE was moderate (r = 0.65). The MoCA-test showed the capacity to discriminate between different diagnostic and sociodemographic groups. The area under the curve was 0.76 for MCI and 0.81 for dementia; the cutoff point for discriminating between normality and MCI in the group in general was 20/21 and between MCI and dementia 17/18. These points varied with the level of schooling. Conclusion: the MoCA-test can be the screening tool in primary care in order to detect cognitive impairment in our adult population, considering the proposed cutoff points according to schooling. (Acta Med Colomb 2016; 40: 221-228).