One-carbon pathway and cognitive skills in children with Down syndrome

This work investigates the role of metabolite levels in the intellectual impairment of subjects with Down syndrome (DS). Homocysteine, folate, vitamin B12, uric acid (UA), creatinine levels and MTHFR C677T genotype were analyzed in 147 subjects with DS. For 77 subjects, metabolite levels were correlated with cognitive tests. Griffiths-III test was administered to 28 subjects (3.08–6.16 years) and WPPSI-III test was administered to 49 subjects (7.08–16.08 years). Significant correlations were found among some metabolite levels and between homocysteine levels and MTHFR C677T genotype. Moreover, homocysteine, UA and creatinine levels resulted increased with age. We did not find any correlation between metabolites and cognitive test score in the younger group. Homocysteine showed statistically significant correlation with WPPSI-III subtest scores when its level is ≥ 7.35 µmol/L, remaining correlated in higher thresholds only for non-verbal area scores. Vitamin B12 showed correlations with all WPPSI-III subtest scores when its level is < 442 pg/mL. The relevance of the present findings is the detection of a specific metabolite threshold related with a better or worse cognitive score, suggesting that vitamin B12 and homocysteine may have a role in cognitive development in children with DS.

Cognitive test score and 25-Year mortality risk; Does race matter?

Objectives: Despite our knowledge on the effect of cognitive test score on subsequent risk of mortality, few studies have compared Blacks and Whites for this association. The current study was conducted on Black-White differences in the magnitude of the association between baseline cognitive test score and all-cause mortality in a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States over 25 years. Methods: We used data of the Americans’ Changing Lives Study (ACL), 1986 – 2011, a national prospective cohort in U.S. The study followed 3,361 adults (2,205 White and 1,156 Blacks), age 25 and older, for up to 25 years. The independent variable was cognitive test score measured at baseline (1986) using the 4-item version of the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire, treated in two different ways (as a dichotomous and as a continuous variable). The dependent variable was time to death (due to all causes) during the follow up period. Covariates included baseline age, gender, education, income, number of chronic diseases, self-rated health, and depressive symptoms. Race (Black versus White) was the focal effect modifier. We used a series of Cox proportional hazards models in the total sample, and by race, in the absence and presence of health variables. Results: Overall, cognitive test score predicted mortality risk. A significant interaction was found between race and baseline cognitive test score suggesting that baseline cognitive test score has a weaker protective effect against all-cause mortality for Blacks in comparison to Whites. In race-stratified models, cognitive test score at baseline predicted risk of all-cause mortality for Whites but not Blacks, in the absence and presence of baseline socio-economic and health variables. The results were similar regardless of how we treated baseline cognitive test score. Conclusions: In the United States, baseline cognitive test score has a weaker protective effect against all-cause mortality over a long period of time for Blacks than Whites. The finding is in line with the Minorities Diminished Returns theory and is probably due to structural and interpersonal racism.

Perbedaan Peningkatan Prestasi Belajar IPA Melalui Pembelajaran Berbasis Masalah dan Inkuiri Terbimbing Pokok Bahasan Energi dan Daya Listrik Kelas IX di SMPN 20 Bandar Lampung

DIFFERENCES IN INCREASED ACHIEVEMENT OF SCIENCE LEARNING THROUGH PROBLEM BASED AND INQUIRY LEARNING GUIDED PRINCIPLES OF ENERGY AND POWER AT GRADE IX OF SMPN 20 BANDAR LAMPUNG. Difference Improving Learning Achievement of Science Through Learning Based On Problem And Discussion Guided Inquiry Energy And Power Supply Of Ninth Grade At Smpn 20 Bandar Lampung. The research aims to know : (1) difference in improving pre-test and post-test of cognitive in learning based of problem. (2) difference in improving pre-test and post-test of cognitive in learning guided inquiry. (3) difference in improving student's post-test of cognitive in learning based of problem and guided inquiry. This research is an experimental research by "pre-tes post-test one group design". Population in this research is all of the students of ninth grade at SMPN 20 Bandar Lampung. Sampling by purposive technique of ninth grade A and ninth grade C. Data is analyzed by mean difference test. Conclusion in this research are: (1) there is a difference in improving between cognitive test score is learning based on problem 18,98. (2) there is a difference in improving cognitive test score in learning guided inquiry 10,85. (3) there is a difference in improving cognitive test score is learning based on problem with cognitive test score in guided learning 3,60.