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Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by progressive deterioration of cognitive functions and may be preceded by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Evidence shows changes in pupil and vergence responses related to cognitive processing of visual information. Objective: Here we test the hypothesis that MCI and AD are associated with specific patterns in vergence and pupil responses. Methods: We employed a visual oddball task. In the distractor condition (80%of the trials), a blue stimulus was presented whereas in the target condition (20%of trials) it was red. Participants (23 Controls, 33 MCI patients, and 18 AD patients) were instructed to press a button when a target appeared. Results: Participants briefly converged their eyes 200 ms after stimulus presentation. In controls, this transient peak response was followed by a delay response to targets but not to distractor stimuli. In the patient groups, delay responses to distractors were noticed. Consequently, the differential vergence response was strong in the control group, weak in the MCI group, and absent in the AD group. Pupils started to dilate 500–600 ms after the appearance of a target but slightly contracted after the presentation of a distractor. This differential pupil response was strongest in the AD group. Conclusion: Our findings support the idea of a role of vergence and pupil responses in attention and reveal altered responses in MCI and AD patients. Further studies should assess the value of vergence and pupil measurements as an objective support tool for early diagnosis of AD.

En este trabajo se analiza cómo han evolucionado un conjunto de países de Sudamérica en relación a las metas del Objetivo de Desarrollo Sostenible 7 (ODS7). Analizando la evolución de diferentes magnitudes energéticas relacionadas con las distintas metas entre 1990 y 2020, se estudia si los países avanzan y mejoran respecto al ODS7. Para ello, se utiliza una metodología de regresiones lineales, en las que la tasa de crecimiento de cada una de las magnitudes viene explicada por el logaritmo neperiano del valor de la misma al comienzo del periodo. Se obtiene que ninguno de los países de la muestra ha conseguido una mejora en todas las metas y, por lo tanto, tampoco han conseguido una mejora en términos del ODS7. This work analyzes how a group of South American countries has evolved in relation to the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). Analyzing the evolution of different energy magnitudes related to the different goals between 1990 and 2020, it is studied if the countries advance and improve with respect to SDG7. To do this, a linear regression methodology is used, in which the growth rate of each of the magnitudes is explained by the natural logarithm of its value at the beginning of the period. It is obtained that none of the countries in the sample has achieved an improvement in all the goals and, therefore, they have not achieved an improvement in terms of SDG7 either

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by progressive deterioration of cognitive functions and may be preceded by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Evidence shows changes in pupil and vergence responses related to cognitive processing of visual information. OBJECTIVE: Here we test the hypothesis that MCI and AD are associated with specific patterns in vergence and pupil responses. METHODS: We employed a visual oddball task. In the distractor condition (80%of the trials), a blue stimulus was presented whereas in the target condition (20%of trials) it was red. Participants (23 Controls, 33 MCI patients, and 18 AD patients) were instructed to press a button when a target appeared. RESULTS: Participants briefly converged their eyes 200 ms after stimulus presentation. In controls, this transient peak response was followed by a delay response to targets but not to distractor stimuli. In the patient groups, delay responses to distractors were noticed. Consequently, the differential vergence response was strong in the control group, weak in the MCI group, and absent in the AD group. Pupils started to dilate 500-600 ms after the appearance of a target but slightly contracted after the presentation of a distractor. This differential pupil response was strongest in the AD group. CONCLUSION: Our findings support the idea of a role of vergence and pupil responses in attention and reveal altered responses in MCI and AD patients. Further studies should assess the value of vergence and pupil measurements as an objective support tool for early diagnosis of AD.

Identifying measures that predict future cognitive impairment in healthy individuals is necessary to inform treatment strategies for candidate dementia-preventative and modifying interventions. Here, we derive such measures by studying converters who transitioned from cognitively normal at baseline to mild-cognitive impairment (MCI) in a longitudinal study of 1213 elderly participants. We first establish reduced grey matter density (GMD) in left entorhinal cortex (EC) as a biomarker for impending cognitive decline in healthy individuals, employing a matched sampling control for several dementia risk-factors, thereby mitigating the potential effects of bias on our statistical tests. Next, we determine the predictive performance of baseline demographic, genetic, neuropsychological and MRI measures by entering these variables into an elastic net-regularized classifier. Our trained statistical model classified converters and controls with validation Area-Under-the-Curve>0.9, identifying only delayed verbal memory and left EC GMD as relevant predictors for classification. This performance was maintained on test classification of out-of-sample converters and controls. Our results suggest a parsimonious but powerful predictive model for MCI development in the cognitively healthy elderly.

Purpose External trigeminal nerve stimulation is an emerging noninvasive therapy for drug resistant epilepsy (DRE). The aim of this study is to describe the long-term outcome of a series of patients treated with eTNS. Methods We present a retrospective observational study of patients with DRE who received eTNS treatment, comparing the monthly seizure frequency during the 3-months period before eTNS initiation with the monthly seizure frequency at 6, 12, 24, 36 and 48 months after eTNS. We analyze the responder rate, the retention rate and the tolerability. Results 17 patients with highly drug-resistant epilepsy were included. Mean follow-up was 2194 [6–56] months. The responder rate was 35% at 6 months and 12 months, 23% at 24 months, 19% at 36 months, and 14% at 48 months. Retention rates at the same periods were 88%, 53%, 41%, 37.5% and 28.5%. There were no reports of serious adverse events. Four patients reported improvement in sleep and better mood. Conclusion The effectivity of eTNS is similar to some of the new treatments available, with a retention rate of 52% in the first year and 285% at 4 years. Tolerability is excellent with only mild effects reported by a minority of patients.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) depicts dynamic changes in regional brain function from early stages of the disease. Arterial spin labeling- (ASL-) based MRI methods have been applied for detecting regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) perfusion changes in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Nevertheless, the results obtained from ASL studies in AD and MCI are still controversial, since rCBF maps may show both hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion areas in brain structures involved in different cognitive functions. The goal of this review is to provide the current state of the art regarding the role of ASL for detecting distinctive perfusion patterns in subjects with MCI and/or AD. The ability to obtain this information using a noninvasive and widely available modality such as ASL should greatly enhance the knowledge into the broad range of hemodynamically related changes taking place during the cognitive decline process in AD.

Background and purpose Locating the epileptogenic zone (EZ) in patients with neocortical epilepsy presents major challenges. Our aim was to assess the accuracy of arterial spin labeling (ASL), an emerging non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) perfusion technique, to locate the EZ in patients with drug-resistant neocortical epilepsy. Methods Twenty-five consecutive patients with neocortical epilepsy referred to our epilepsy unit for pre-surgical evaluation underwent a standardized assessment including video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring, structural MRI, subtraction ictal single-photon emission computed tomography co-registered to MRI (SISCOM) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) studies. An ASL sequence was included in the MRI studies. Areas of hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion on ASL were classified into 15 anatomic-functional cortical regions; these regional cerebral blood flow maps were compared with the EZ determined by the other tests and the strength of concordance was assessed with the kappa coefficient. Results Of the 25 patients [16 (64%) women; mean age 32.4 (±13.8) years], 18 (72%) had lesions on structural MRI. ASL abnormalities were seen in 15 (60%) patients (nine hypoperfusion, six hyperperfusion). ASL had a very good concordance with FDG-PET (k = 0.84), a good concordance with structural MRI (k = 0.76), a moderate concordance with video-EEG monitoring (k = 0.53) and a fair concordance with SISCOM (k = 0.28). Conclusion Arterial spin labeling might help to confirm the location and extent of the EZ in the pre-surgical workup of patients with drug-resistant neocortical epilepsy.

Epilepsies originated from the occipital, parietal and/or the posterior edge of the temporal lobe are grouped together into posterior cortex epilepsy (PCE). Our objective was firstly to describe electro-clinical and imaging findings in the presurgical evaluation of children with PCE, and secondly to identify potential factors associated with surgical and cognitive outcomes.From the total of patients referred to the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit of 'Hospital Universitario Niño Jesús' from 2003 to 2016, 55 had drug-resistant PCE. Different variables obtained from the multimodal presurgical work-up were analyzed among patients achieving seizure freedom after surgery (ILAE class 1) and patients with persistent seizures. Categorical variables were compared with Fisheŕs exact test and numeric variables with t-Student for independent samples, and multiple logistic regression were used to analyze predictive values.Median duration of epilepsy until surgery was 5 years [3-10 years]. Fifty patients showed lesions in the MRI, and 62.5% had concordant MRI-PET corregistration. 37 (67%) patients were operated (lesionectomy in 21 subjects, tailored resection based on intracranial studies in 16), and 23 (62,2%) reached ILAE class 1, with a mean follow-up period of 3.51 [1-12] years. A lower number of basal seizures and antiepileptic drugs, a well-defined lesion on the MRI, an epileptogenic zone (EZ) restricted to the posterior quadrant and the normalization of postsurgical EEGs were associated with seizure freedom (p0.05). Additionally, 65% of patients had a long-term improvement of cognitive performances.Epilepsy surgery should be considered in children with drug-resistant PCE, especially in those with a restricted EZ.

Summary Purpose To evaluate the usefulness of ictal electroencephalography (EEG)–combined functional magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI) (EEG-fMRI) in localizing epileptogenic zone in refractory neocortical focal epilepsy. Methods From the EEG-fMRI database of our institution including 62 adult patients, 14 (age 18–46 years) experienced some ictal event during the test. Data were segmented into 10-s blocks, and the results were analyzed by contrasting each block to the contiguous 10-s block from the onset of seizure onward, in all cases. In seizures lasting >10 s (five cases), a supplementary analysis was performed, contrasting each block to a baseline condition, in the framework of the general linear model (GLM) of analysis. Regions of activations were compared to results from the different techniques performed during presurgical evaluation, such as SISCOM, positron emission tomography (PET), and invasive subdural EEG monitoring. Key Findings Regarding the structural MRI findings, nine cases presented some lesion, with blood oxygen level– dependent (BOLD) signal activation placed in the same location in eight of them (89%). SISCOM studies were performed in 11 patients; 5 were concordant with the increase in BOLD signal in a sublobar level, whereas in 3 cases the concordance was in a lobar level. Eleven patients underwent PET studies, being also concordant in a sublobar level in four of them and in a lobar level in four additional cases. Finally, invasive EEG evaluation was performed in three patients and all of them had the seizure-onset zone in the initial area of BOLD activation. Significance This study adds relevant information to support the integration of EEG-fMRI in the multidisciplinary presurgical workup in patients with refractory epilepsy.

El Seminario Internacional Juan Ramón Jiménez - Nima Yushij ha sido organizado por la Universidad para los Mayores de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, el Centro Cultural e Internacional Shahre Ketab de Teherán y la Consejería Cultural de la República Islámica de Irán en España. Se celebró en la Facultad de Filología de la UCM durante el mes de abril de 2015. Irán y España son dos potencias culturales que tienen mucho en común. No tenemos que olvidar que es el amor a la cultura, al fin y al cabo, la que une y hermana a los pueblos. Por eso, no es extraño que sus grandes genios dialoguen entre ellos y se reconozcan como en un espejo. Reunir dos autores en un mismo seminario, convocarlos a la misma mesa es un planteamiento enriquecedor, quizás porque nunca somos más auténticos que cuando nos reflejamos en el otro. Juan Ramón Jiménez y Nima Yushij son dos de estos creadores geniales que marcaron un antes y un después en la lírica moderna de sus respectivos países y compartieron, a pesar de la distancia, un mismo compromiso ético, fundamentado en la belleza, para transformar la vida.

El Seminario Internacional Cervantes-Saadi ha sido organizado por la Universidad para los Mayores de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, el Centro Cultural e Internacional Shahre Ketab, el Centro de Estudios sobre Saadí y la Consejería Cultural de la República Islámica de Irán en España. Ha reunido a once investigadores, iraníes y españoles, quienes han reflexionado sobre la obra de dos gigantes de la literatura internacionalmente conocidos. Este encuentro supone la continuación de un primer Seminario Internacional celebrado en Teherán sobre ambos autores en conmemoración del Día Nacional de Saadí en abril de 2014.

The “Welcome to european stories” Grundtvig partnership aims to contribute to formal and informal learning of adult persons in the four European countries through the "Storytelling" educational tool. This project complies as an educational tool and as an educational strategy and motivation in the adult education. Stories are a way to build bridges between different cultures; they are carriers of cultural and historical knowledge. Storytelling techniques are an educational strategy and a pedagogical and motivational tool in order to improve adult or senior learning and in order to integrate them into the life. In this connection, we would like to use the potential of storytelling as an educational tool for the formal or informal adult education. We think that the power of storytelling will enhance the adults and senior´s life. It is a strong tool for empowerment and social inclusion. It has a great potential to attract and motivate adults or seniors to learn, to connect with others, to express themselves and integrate in the society. The partnership is addressed to adults who left the school early (or many migrants who never had the possibility to receive a school education), to the ageing population, to senior citizens and to other related organisations with adult education.

Los patrones de mucosa gástrica no se identifican con endoscopia estándar. Su visualización solo es posible con magnificación con o sin cromoscopia y para el antro gástrico la información es escasa al respecto. Objetivo: Identificar en antro gástrico los patrones de mucosa con magnificación y rociado de acido acético. Pacientes: Previo consentimiento se incluyeron a los individuos con indicación electiva de endoscopia digestiva superior. Materiales y Métodos: Se realizó endoscopia digestiva superior con equipo Fujinon Inc. EG 590 ZW, y procesador EPX 4400. Se practicó endoscopia consecutivamente con: a) alta resolución, b) magnificación, c) alta resolución con instilación de acido acético al 5% en antro distal y d) magnificación en área rociada. Cada patrón encontrado se grabó, se fotografió y se guardó en JPEG en programa Power Point. Resultados: Se evaluó el tipo de patrón de mucosa en 107 áreas de 89 pacientes, 57 mujeres (64,04%) y 32 hombres (35,95%), con edades de 19-81 años y promedio de 46,25 años. El Tipo 1 y el 2 se observaron en 30,84% y 57,94% respectivamente. Conclusión: La magnificación endoscópica con rociado de acido acético en antro evidenció los diferentes patrones de mucosa gástrica. Patterns of gastric mucosa are not identified with standard endoscopy. There is scarce information with the use of magnification cromoendoscopy in the viewing. Aim: Identify the patterns of mucosa with magnification and acetic acid spraying in distal antrum. Patients: Individuals scheduled to undergo routine upper gastrointestinal endoscopy were enrolled. Materials and Methods: Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy was performed with Fujinon Inc. 590 EG ZW and EPX 4400 processor. Endoscopy was consecutively performed with: a) high resolution, b) magnification, c) high resolution with instillation of 5% acetic acid in distal antrum, d) magnification in sprayed area. Each found pattern was recorded, was photographed and was saved in JPEG in Power Point program. Results: 89 Patients were included, 57 women (64.04%) and 32 (35.95%) men, with ages of 19-81 years and average 46.25 y/o. We evaluated 107 areas and the types of mucosa pattern most frequently found were Type 1 and type 2 in 30.84% and 57.94% respectively. Conclusions: In distal antrum only the endoscopic magnification with spraying of acetic acid showed the different patterns of gastric mucosa.