[Validation of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) as a screening tool for mild cognitive impairment in the population of Buenos Aires, Argentina]. / Validez de la prueba de Evaluación Cognitiva de Montreal (MoCA) como una herramienta de screening para detectar Deterioro Cognitivo Leve en población de Buenos Aires, Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test is a brief tool for neuropsychological assessment. OBJECTIVE: to validate the MoCAin the population of Buenos Aires, Argentina, to allow for the use of the test for the detection of Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). METHODS: The sample consisted of 269 adults over 60 years old and of schooling of more than 6 years (healthy adults n = 115 and MCIn = 154). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to establish the relationship between the diagnoses of the patients and the scores obtained at MoCA. The optimal cut-off points were selected, and the positive and negative predictive value were calculated for them. RESULTS: The area under the curve (AUC) was 0,741 (p <0001, 95% CI:.682 -.800) for the MMSE and 0.810 (p <0001, 95% CI:.759 -. 861) for the MoCA test. The cut point suggested using the MoCA test is 26 points, which throws .727 of sensitivity and a specificity of. 748. CONCLUSION: The MoCA test is a useful test for clinical consultation. Its brevity and simplicity place it as an interesting instrument for neuropsychological screening in the Argentinian population.

Efectos del destete temprano sobre el comportamiento adulto en un modelo animal / Early weaning and adult behavioral disorders in an animal model

El destete temprano ha demostrado ser un factor que disminuye la resistencia orgánica de los animales contra condiciones adversas. La prueba de natación forzada se diseñó para experimentar la defensa del animal frente a un estímulo estresante. La conducta activa como el escalar se interpreta como una modelización experimental de voluntad o capacidad activa de escape. Bajo la hipótesis de que el destete temprano podría tener manifestaciones en la vida adulta relacionadas con la defensa frente al estrés, nuestro objetivo fue analizar la conducta de escalado o escape, durante una prueba de natación forzada,en animales adultos que habían sido destetados precozmente. Se utilizaron 20 ratas Wistar (4 meses de edad), divididas en dos grupos: G1 con destete temprano y G2 control. La unidad de análisis o tip, se refirió a la cantidad de veces que el animal presentó la conducta de escape a lo largo de 5 minutos. Se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los tips de G1 y G2 (15,8 más menos 4,15 contra 21,4 más menos 4,14, p< 0,05). Por otra parte, se encontró también una diferencia significativa entre las ratas hembra y los machos. El presente estudio permitiría elucidar experimentalmente las acciones que en la vida adulta del individuo ocasionan alteraciones tempranas en los vínculos primarios.

Early weaning (EW) has proven to be a factor that decreases the animal’s organic resistance against adverse conditions. Climbing in the forced swimming test (FST) is the active behavior that expresses the will of the rat to escape the stressful situation. A possible association between these two stress factors (EW and FST) has not yet been reported as a plausible model for the study of stress and depression. Under the working hypothesis that EW has possible adult behavioral correlateswhen associated with the FST, our objective was to analyze the levels of alteration in the active behaviors among groups. 20 Wistar rats (4 month old), were divided into two groups, the early weaned group (G1) and a control group (G2). The unit of analysis (tip), was defined as the number of intended escapes the animal performs in five minutes. We have found the differences stated by our hypothesis, comparing the frequency of scale or escape (tips), from a group with EW to a control group (15.8 ± 4.15 vs. 21.4 ± 4.14, p< 0.05). In turn, we found that, among females, the difference was significantly wider.The present study could elucidate under experimental conditions the effect that in adult behavior induces an alteration inthe more primary bonds.

Efectos del destete temprano sobre el comportamiento adulto en un modelo animal / Early weaning and adult behavioral disorders in an animal model

El destete temprano ha demostrado ser un factor que disminuye la resistencia orgánica de los animales contra condiciones adversas. La prueba de natación forzada se diseñó para experimentar la defensa del animal frente a un estímulo estresante. La conducta activa como el escalar se interpreta como una modelización experimental de voluntad o capacidad activa de escape. Bajo la hipótesis de que el destete temprano podría tener manifestaciones en la vida adulta relacionadas con la defensa frente al estrés, nuestro objetivo fue analizar la conducta de escalado o escape, durante una prueba de natación forzada,en animales adultos que habían sido destetados precozmente. Se utilizaron 20 ratas Wistar (4 meses de edad), divididas en dos grupos: G1 con destete temprano y G2 control. La unidad de análisis o tip, se refirió a la cantidad de veces que el animal presentó la conducta de escape a lo largo de 5 minutos. Se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre los tips de G1 y G2 (15,8 más menos 4,15 contra 21,4 más menos 4,14, p< 0,05). Por otra parte, se encontró también una diferencia significativa entre las ratas hembra y los machos. El presente estudio permitiría elucidar experimentalmente las acciones que en la vida adulta del individuo ocasionan alteraciones tempranas en los vínculos primarios.(AU)

Early weaning (EW) has proven to be a factor that decreases the animals organic resistance against adverse conditions. Climbing in the forced swimming test (FST) is the active behavior that expresses the will of the rat to escape the stressful situation. A possible association between these two stress factors (EW and FST) has not yet been reported as a plausible model for the study of stress and depression. Under the working hypothesis that EW has possible adult behavioral correlateswhen associated with the FST, our objective was to analyze the levels of alteration in the active behaviors among groups. 20 Wistar rats (4 month old), were divided into two groups, the early weaned group (G1) and a control group (G2). The unit of analysis (tip), was defined as the number of intended escapes the animal performs in five minutes. We have found the differences stated by our hypothesis, comparing the frequency of scale or escape (tips), from a group with EW to a control group (15.8 ± 4.15 vs. 21.4 ± 4.14, p< 0.05). In turn, we found that, among females, the difference was significantly wider.The present study could elucidate under experimental conditions the effect that in adult behavior induces an alteration inthe more primary bonds.(AU)

[Early weaning and adult behavioral disorders in an animal model]. / Efectos del destete temprano sobre el comportamiento adulto en un modelo animal.

Early weaning (EW) has proven to be a factor that decreases the animal's organic resistance against adverse conditions. Climbing in the forced swimming test (FST) is the active behavior that expresses the will of the rat to escape the stressful situation. A possible association between these two stress factors (EW and FST) has not yet been reported as a plausible model for the study of stress and depression. Under the working hypothesis that EW has possible adult behavioral correlates when associated with the FST, our objective was to analyze the levels of alteration in the active behaviors among groups. 20 Wistar rats (4 month old), were divided into two groups, the early weaned group (G1) and a control group (G2). The unit of analysis (tip), was defined as the number of intended escapes the animal performs in five minutes. We have found the differences stated by our hypothesis, comparing the frequency of scale or escape (tips), from a group with EW to a control group (15.8 +/- 4.15 vs. 21.4 +/- 4.14, p< 0.05). In turn, we found that, among females, the difference was significantly wider. The present study could elucidate under experimental conditions the effect that in adult behavior induces an alteration in the more primary bonds.

A simple approach for mouse embryonic stem cells isolation and differentiation inducing embryoid body formation.

Stem cells were derived from hatched blastocyst-stage mouse embryos of the C57BL/6 strain employing a knockout serum replacement instead of the traditional fetal calf serum, thereby avoiding the use of immunosurgery. Although fetal calf serum was not good for isolation of stem cells, a combination of this serum plus knockout serum increased the expansion rate of the cell culture. The derived cells were capable of maintaining an undifferentiated state during several passages, as demonstrated by the presence of alkaline phosphatase activity, stage-specific embryonic antigen 1 (SSEA-1), and octamer binding protein 4 (Oct-4). Suspension culture in bacteriological dishes gave better results than the hanging drop method for differentiation by means of embryoid body formation. Mouse embryonic stem cells showed spontaneous differentiation into derivatives of the 3 germ layers in culture media supplemented with fetal calf serum but not with knockout serum.