Título del artículo:

Risk factors, cardiovascular disease, and mortality in South America: a PURE substudy

Aims: In a multinational South American cohort, we examined variations in CVD incidence and mortality rates between subpopulations stratified by country, by sex and by urban or rural location. We also examined the contributions of 12 modifiable risk factors to CVD development and to death. Methods and results: This prospective cohort study included 24 718 participants from 51 urban and 49 rural communities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. The mean follow-up was 10.3 years. The incidence of CVD and mortality rates were calculated for the overall cohort and in subpopulations. Hazard ratios and population attributable fractions (PAFs) for CVD and for death were examined for 12 common modifiable risk factors, grouped as metabolic (hypertension, diabetes, abdominal obesity, and high non-HDL cholesterol), behavioural (tobacco, alcohol, diet quality, and physical activity), and others (education, household air pollution, strength, and depression). Leading causes of death were CVD (31.1%), cancer (30.6%), and respiratory diseases (8.6%). The incidence of CVD (per 1000 person-years) only modestly varied between countries, with the highest incidence in Brazil (3.86) and the lowest in Argentina (3.07). There was a greater variation in mortality rates (per 1000 person-years) between countries, with the highest in Argentina (5.98) and the lowest in Chile (4.07). Men had a higher incidence of CVD (4.48 vs. 2.60 per 1000 person-years) and a higher mortality rate (6.33 vs. 3.96 per 1000 person-years) compared with women. Deaths were higher in rural compared to urban areas. Approximately 72% of the PAF for CVD and 69% of the PAF for deaths were attributable to 12 modifiable risk factors. For CVD, largest PAFs were due to hypertension (18.7%), abdominal obesity (15.4%), tobacco use (13.5%), low strength (5.6%), and diabetes (5.3%). For death, the largest PAFs were from tobacco use (14.4%), hypertension (12.0%), low education (10.5%), abdominal obesity (9.7%), and diabetes (5.5%). Conclusions: Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases account for over two-thirds of deaths in South America. Men have consistently higher CVD and mortality rates than women. A large proportion of CVD and premature deaths could be averted by controlling metabolic risk factors and tobacco use, which are common leading risk factors for both outcomes in the region.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

European Heart Journal

Título del artículo:

Immobilization Systems of Antimicrobial Peptide Ib−M1 in Polymeric Nanoparticles Based on Alginate and Chitosan

The development of new strategies to reduce the use of traditional antibiotics has been a topic of global interest due to the resistance generated by multiresistant microorganisms, including Escherichia coli, as etiological agents of various diseases. Antimicrobial peptides are presented as an alternative for the treatment of infectious diseases caused by this type of microorganism. The Ib−M1 peptide meets the requirements to be used as an antimicrobial compound. However, it is necessary to use strategies that generate protection and resist the conditions encountered in a biological system. Therefore, in this study, we synthesized alginate and chitosan nanoparticles (Alg−Chi NPs) using the ionic gelation technique, which allows for the crosslinking of polymeric chains arranged in nanostructures by intermolecular interactions that can be either covalent or non-covalent. Such interactions can be achieved through the use of crosslinking agents that facilitate this binding. This technique allows for immobilization of the Ib−M1 peptide to form an Ib−M1/Alg−Chi bioconjugate. SEM, DLS, and FT-IR were used to determine the structural features of the nanoparticles. We evaluated the biological activity against E. coli ATCC 25922 and Vero mammalian cells, as well as the stability at various temperatures, pH, and proteases, of Ib−M1 and Ib−M1/Alg-Chi. The results showed agglomerates of nanoparticles with average sizes of 150 nm; an MIC of 12.5 µM, which was maintained in the bioconjugate; and cytotoxicity values close to 40%. Stability was maintained against pH and temperature; in proteases, it was only evidenced against pepsin in Ib−M1/Alg-Chi. The results are promising with respect to the use of Ib−M1 and Ib−M1/Alg−Chi as possible antimicrobial agents.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Polymers

Título del artículo:

Variations in the association of height with mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer in low-, middle-and high-income countries

Background: Final adult height is a useful proxy measure of childhood nutrition and disease burden. Tall stature has been previously associated with decreased risk of all-cause mortality, decreased risk of major cardiovascular events and an increased risk of cancer. However, these associations have primarily been derived from people of European and East Asian backgrounds, and there are sparse data from other regions of the world. Methods: The Prospective Urban-Rural Epidemiology study is a large, longitudinal population study done in 21 countries of varying incomes and sociocultural settings. We enrolled an unbiased sample of households, which were eligible if at least one household member was aged 35-70 years. Height was measured in a standardized manner, without shoes, to the nearest 0.1 cm. During a median follow-up of 10.1 years (interquartile range 8.3-12.0), we assessed the risk of all-cause mortality, major cardiovascular events and cancer. Results: A total of 154 610 participants, enrolled since January 2003, with known height and vital status, were included in this analysis. Follow-up event data until March 2021 were used; 11 487 (7.4%) participants died, whereas 9291 (6.0%) participants had a major cardiovascular event and 5873 (3.8%) participants had a new diagnosis of cancer. After adjustment, taller individuals had lower hazards of all-cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) per 10-cm increase in height 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.90-0.96] and major cardiovascular events (HR 0.97, 95% CI 0.94-1.00), whereas the hazard of cancer was higher in taller participants (HR 1.23, 95% CI 1.18-1.28). The interaction p-values between height and country-income level for all three outcomes were <0.001, suggesting that the association with height varied by country-income level for these outcomes. In low-income countries, height was inversely associated with all-cause mortality (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.84-0.92) and major cardiovascular events (HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.82-0.93). There was no association of height with these outcomes in middle-and high-income countries. The respective HRs for cancer in low-, middle-and high-income countries were 1.14 (95% CI 0.99-1.32), 1.12 (95% CI 1.04-1.22) and 1.20 (95% CI 1.14-1.26). Conclusions: Unlike high-and middle-income countries, tall stature has a strong inverse association with all-cause mortality and major cardiovascular events in low-income countries. Improved childhood physical development and advances in population-wide cardiovascular treatments in high-and middle-income countries may contribute to this gap. From a life-course perspective, we hypothesize that optimizing maternal and child health in low-income countries may improve rates of premature mortality and cardiovascular events in these countries, at a population level.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

International Journal of Epidemiology

Título del artículo:

Monkeypox outbreak, will it affect surgery services? – Correspondence

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

International Journal of Surgery

Título del artículo:

Muscular Strength in Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Narrative Review

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally, accounting for approximately 32% of all deaths in 2019. There has been increasing interest in understanding the role of low muscular strength as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, given its association with other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and metabolic syndrome. An inverse association between muscle strength, chronic disease, all-cause mortality, and cardiovascular-related death has been reported. Recent clinical trials have consistently shown that resistance exercise, which increases strength, and potentially muscle mass, significantly improves the control of known cardiovascular disease risk factors and reduces the risk of all-cause death and cardiovascular mortality. In the present article, we review the growing body of evidence that supports the need for future research to evaluate the potential of handgrip strength as a screening tool for cardiovascular disease and its risk factors in the clinical medical setting, as part of routine care using an affordable handgrip strength device. Moreover, it is crucial to devise large-scale interventions driven by governmental health policies to educate the general population and healthcare professionals about the importance of muscular strengthening activities and to promote access to these activities to improve cardiometabolic health and reduce incidence of cardiovascular disease and mortality.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Anatolian Journal of Cardiology

Título del artículo:

Theoretical model of territorial agro-industrial development through multi-focus research analytics

This study sought to propose a theoretical model by determining the incident factors of agro-industrial territorial development based on the existing scientific literature and the exploration of successful case studies in the sector worldwide. A systematic review of the literature was carried out, with a bibliometric analysis and content analysis, recognizing elements associated with the improvement of competitiveness and territorial development. The factors identified as incidents of agro-industrial territorial development are: the short supply chain, protection of agri-food products with territorial identity, family farming, local food systems and agribusiness. These factors were integrated into a theoretical model in order to analyze the systemic interaction of each of the factors to find the causes or reasons for territorial development where activation mechanisms can be identified, such as: relational, spatial and technological proximity, the institutional framework from the territory, the support of public policy and the promotion of inclusive and integrated businesses in the value chain.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Journal of Rural Studies

Título del artículo:

Environmental profile of a community\'s health (EPOCH): An instrument to measure environmental determinants of cardiovascular health in five countries

Background: The environment in which people live is known to be important in influencing diet, physical activity, smoking, psychosocial and other risk factors for cardiovascular (CV) disease. However no instrument exists that evaluates communities for these multiple environmental factors and is suitable for use across different communities, regions and countries. This report describes the design and reliability of an instrument to measure environmental determinants of CV risk factors. Method/Principal Findings: The Environmental Profile of Community Health (EPOCH) instrument comprises two parts: (I) an assessment of the physical environment, and (II) an interviewer-administered questionnaire to collect residents\' perceptions of their community. We examined the inter-rater reliability amongst 3 observers from each region of the direct observation component of the instrument (EPOCH I) in 93 rural and urban communities in 5 countries (Canada, Colombia, Brazil, China and India). Data collection using the EPOCH instrument was feasible in all communities. Reliability of the instrument was excellent (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient - ICC>0.75) for 24 of 38 items and fair to good (ICC 0.4-0.75) for 14 of 38 items. Conclusion: This report shows data collection with the EPOCH instrument is feasible and direct observation of ommunity measures reliable. The EPOCH instrument will enable further research on environmental determinants of health for population studies from a broad range of settings. © 2010 Chow et al.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

PLoS ONE

Título del artículo:

Burden of HIV and hepatitis B and C viruses in incoming Venezuelan migrants at the Colombian border: a laboratory-based cross-sectional study, 2021–2023

Objectives The socioeconomic crisis in Venezuela has urged many to seek refuge elsewhere, primarily in Colombia. The vulnerability to and epidemiology of blood-borne viruses causing chronic infections such as HIV, hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in incoming migrants at the Colombian border remain uncertain, which we aimed to elucidate. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2469 adult Venezuelan migrants during 2021 ( n = 1582) and 2023 ( n = 887) encountered at governmental and nongovernmental organizations providing food and social services in Bucaramanga and Cúcuta, Colombia, close to the Venezuelan border. Demographic data and blood samples were collected and analysed by molecular, serological and bioinformatic tools. Results The age- and sex-weighted HIV prevalence was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.6–1.7; 16/1650) and was significantly higher in men than in women (2.0% [95% CI: 0.8–3.2; 11/501] vs. 0.4% [95% CI: 0.0–0.7; 5/1149], p 0.002). Median HIV viral load was 3.9 log10 IU/mL (range: 2.2–5.1 log10 IU/mL). HIV infections were almost exclusively detected in migrants without health insurance. Viral genomes clustered with phylogenetically diverse HIV-1 group M subtype B strains from Colombia and Venezuela, refuting regional point-source acquisition. In silico susceptibility to antiviral drugs suggested lack of treatment access. The adjusted HBV prevalence in migrants was low (0.8%, 95% CI: 0.4–1.2; 12/1647), with median viral loads of 3.3 log10 IU/mL (range: 2.5–3.6 log10 IU/mL). The HCV estimate was also low (0.5%, 95% CI: 0.2–0.8; 10/2406) with median viral loads of 5.3 log10 IU/mL (range: 4.9–6.0 log10 IU/mL). Both HBV and HCV rates were comparable to Colombian population-level estimates, whereas HIV rates in migrants were 2x higher. No coinfections of HIV, HBV, or HCV were found. High levels of HIV but not HCV suggested predominantly sexual transmission rather than illicit drug use or contaminated blood transfusions. Conclusions Our data revealed a high burden of HIV, but not HBV and HCV in incoming Venezuelan migrants. Implementation of testing, educational, and prophylactic programmes in this highly vulnerable population at the border region is imperative.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Clinical Microbiology and Infection

Título del artículo:

Patency of the Ductus Arteriosus at 72 h in Extremely Preterm Infants Born at Two Altitudes in Colombia: A Preliminary Descriptive Study

Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is common in preterm neonates, especially before 28 weeks’ gestation, and is associated with morbidity such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, hemorrhage, and necrotizing enterocolitis. Beyond immaturity, perinatal factors, postnatal interventions, and altitude, may affect ductal persistence; altitude is proposed as a modifier, though evidence is limited. The objective of the study is to describe the prevalence, the clinical, and echocardiographic characteristics of PDA at 72 h of life in neonates born before 28.6 weeks of gestation in two Colombian cities located at different altitudes. A prospective observational descriptive study with exploratory analysis was conducted from January 2022 to January 2024 in Bucaramanga (959 m above sea level) and Pasto (2,527 m above sea level). Sixty neonates born before 28.6 weeks underwent color Doppler echocardiography at 72 h. Hemodynamically significant PDA was defined using a standardized, center-agreed echocardiographic scoring system criteria adapted from previously described criteria. Patent ductus arteriosus was present in 85% of neonates at 72 h, although only 11.7% (n=7) fulfilled criteria for hemodynamic significance (hs). The frequency of hsPDA did not differ between altitudes. Neonates with hsPDA showed no differences in inotropic support, ventilatory support, or oxygen requirements. No differences were observed in other variables either, such as birth weight, gestational age, surfactant type, or early fluid intake. No differences in early PDA persistence or hemodynamic relevance were observed between altitudes. However, the high prevalence of PDA at 72 h supports the need for early, structured echocardiographic follow-up to identify hemodynamic compromise and guide timely clinical decision-making.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Pediatric Cardiology

Título del artículo:

An application of Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT), the MASW test and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) for the determination of the soil profile and dynamic parameters in the urban area of the municipality of Tocancipá, Cundinamarca

This study presents the application of indirect geophysical methods, specifically Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT), Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW), and Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), in two sectors of the municipality of Tocancipá, Cundinamarca, Colombia. The scope of this work was to classify the soil type according to the average shear wave velocity of the first 30 meters (VS30) and to obtain dynamic soil parameters such as Poisson\'s ratio, unit weight, stiffness, Young\'s ratio, and Bulk’s modulus, which are useful in geotechnical applications and as input for detailed hazard, vulnerability, and risk studies. These parameters are calculated from the P-type (VP) and S-type (VS) seismic velocity values obtained through Seismic Refraction Tomography and Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves tests, respectively. The methodology included the acquisition, processing, and interpretation of six Seismic Refraction Tomography sections, six Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves profiles, and five Electrical Resistivity Tomography sections. In the study area, a first layer of clayey residual soil was identified, followed by a sandy-gravelly layer, and finally, a fractured Cretaceous basement corresponding to the Labor Tierna Formation (K2t). The calculated VS30 indicated very dense soil or soft rocks (Type C according to NSR-10). The dynamic parameters showed an increase with depth, suggesting a greater degree of compaction and an improvement in the geomechanical properties of the materials. The integration of seismic and geoelectric methods allowed for a detailed characterization of the subsoil, overcoming the intrinsic limitations of each technique separately.

Acerca de la revista donde se publicó este artículo:

Boletin De Ciencias De La Tierra