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Background: Cigarette smoking decreases gradually with aging. However, an important number of people older than 60 years continue smoking. Objective: To know the prevalence and associated factors with daily cigarette smoking among adults aged between 60- and 65-years old from the general population of Bucaramanga, Colombia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out among 60- and -65 years old adults. Sociodemographic characteristics, medical condition, coffee intake, abusive alcohol consumption, common mental disorders, personality features (DSM-IV), and daily cigarette smoking within the last month were evaluated. Confounding factors were controlled with non-conditional logistical regression. Results: A group of 208 people were interviewed. The mean age was 62.9 years (SD, 2.0); the mean education was 6.1 years (SD, 3.7); 67.3% of them were women; 68.3% were married; 45.2% had an employ; 77.4% lived in middle class neighborhood; 40.9% suffered from a medical condition; 40.9% drunk coffee within the last month; and 12% reported a common mental disorder. A ratio of 30.8% reported cluster A personality features; 37.5%, cluster B; and 53.8%, cluster C. The prevalence of daily cigarette smoking was 6.3% (95% CI 3.0-9.6), and it was associated with daily coffee drinking (OR 13.9); after controlling for sex and abusive alcohol consumption. Conclusions: Cigarette smoking is present in one out of sixteen people aged 60-65 years-old, and it is related to other risk-health behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Criteria for the major depressive disorder have changed since introduction of Zung's self-rating depression scale (SDS); however, it is still used as a screening tool.Objective: To validate the SDS 20 item-version, and to design a short version of SDS.Method: One-hundred thirty-eight university students filled out the scale, they were 17 to 33 year-old (mean 22.8 year, SD 3.3), 79.7% were female. They were interviewed by a psychiatrist in order to identify a current major depressive episode (MDE) using SCID-I criteria. We estimated Cronbach' s alpha, criterion validity, factorial analysis, and ROC curve to define the best cut-off point for original SDS and new versions.Results: Twenty-six (18.8%) students met criteria for MDE according to SCID-I. We found that ten items of the original SDS screened as accurate as the original SDS did. The original SDS had Cronbach' s alpha of 0.875, sensitivity of 0.96, specificity of 0.71, Cohen's kappa of 0.441 and ROC curve area of 0.86 for a cut-point of fifty-three. Two salient factors explained near 38% of the variance. Ten-item version had Cronbach's alpha of 0.845, sensitivity of 0.92, specificity of 0.71, Cohen's kappa of 0.383 and ROC curve area of 0.84 for a cut-off point of twenty-two. One salient factor accounted for 40% of the variance approximately.Conclusions: Ten-item SDS is a valid scale to screen major depressive episode among university students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beliefs continue to be an important source to get to know teachers’ thinking processes and pedagogical decisions. Research in teachers’ beliefs has traditionally come from English-speaking contexts; however, a great deal of scientific work has been written lately in Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina. This study elicits 30 Chilean university teachers’ beliefs about their own role in the teaching and learning of English in university environments. Through a qualitative research design, the data collected from interviews and journals were analyzed, triangulated, and categorized based on semantic content analysis. Results of the study indicate that university teachers reveal challenging and complex views about what it is like to teach English as a foreign language in a university context in Chile. The article concludes with a call to reflect on the importance of beliefs unravelling in teacher education programmes.Las creencias continúan siendo una fuente de importancia para conocer los procesos de pensamiento y los estilos pedagógicos de los docentes. Los estudios sobre las creencias docentes provienen en su mayoría de contextos angloparlantes; sin embargo, en los últimos años se ha escrito una gran cantidad de trabajos científicos en Brasil, México, Colombia y Argentina. Este estudio recoge las creencias de treinta docentes universitarios chilenos sobre su papel en la enseñanza y aprendizaje del inglés en ambientes universitarios. A partir de un diseño de investigación cualitativo, los datos recolectados por medio de entrevistas y diarios personales fueron analizados, triangulados y categorizados según el análisis de contenido semántico. Los resultados indicaron que los docentes de educación superior tienen visiones desafiantes y complejas sobre lo que significa enseñar inglés como lengua extranjera en un contexto universitario en Chile. El artículo concluye con una invitación a reflexionar sobre la importancia de transparentar las creencias en los programas de formación inicial docente.

A. Ribot es un ejemplo emblemático de romántico catalán que intenta armonizar la forma de la «nueva literatura» con el compromiso social de su ideología progresista. En este artículo se analiza la relación de sus obras doctrinales con las de creación compuestas entre 1836 y 1837, un período decisivo de su vida.

La batalla de Trafalgar es uno de los acontecimientos bélicos más comentados por los ilustrados españoles en la encrucijada de entre siglos. Una dolorosa catarsis que evidencia la debilidad y las contradicciones internas de la monarquía española.

Luis Alberto Castillo-Díaz,1 Juan Alberto Ruiz-Pacheco,2 Mohamed Ahmed Elsawy,3 Juana Elizabeth Reyes-Martínez,4 Andrea Isabel Enríquez-Rodríguez1 1Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico; 2West Biomedical Research Center, National Council of Science and Technology, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico; 3Leicester Institute for Pharmaceutical Innovation, Leicester School of Pharmacy, De Montfort University, Leicester, Leicestershire, UK; 4Department of Biology, University of Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Guanajuato, MexicoCorrespondence: Luis Alberto Castillo-DíazDepartment of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, Sonora 83000, MexicoTel +52 662 2592121Ext. 4593 Email luis.castillo@unison.mxAbstract: Metabolic syndrome comprises a cluster of comorbidities that represent a major risk of developing chronic diseases, such as type II diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and stroke. Alarmingly, metabolic syndrome reaches epidemic proportions worldwide. Today, lifestyle changes and multiple drug-based therapies represent the gold standard to address metabolic syndrome. However, such approaches face two major limitations: complicated drug therapeutic regimes, which in most cases could lead to patient incompliance, and limited drug efficacy. This has encouraged scientists to search for novel routes to deal with metabolic syndrome and related diseases. Within such approaches, self-assembled peptide formulations have emerged as a promising alternative for treating metabolic syndrome. In particular, self-assembled peptide hydrogels, either as acellular or cell-load three-dimensional scaffoldings have reached significant relevance in the biomedical field to prevent and restore euglycemia, as well as for controlling cardiovascular diseases and obesity. This has been possible thanks to the physicochemical tunability of peptides, which are developed from a chemical toolbox of versatile amino acids enabling flexibility of designing a wide range of self-assembled/co-assembled nanostructures forming biocompatible viscoelastic hydrogels. Peptide hydrogels can be combined with several biological entities, such as extracellular matrix proteins, drugs or cells, forming functional biologics with therapeutic ability for treatment of metabolic syndrome-comorbidities. Additionally, self-assembly peptides combine safety, tolerability, and effectivity attributes; by this presenting a promising platform for the development of novel pharmaceuticals capable of addressing unmet therapeutic needs for diabetes, cardiovascular disorders and obesity. In this review, recent advances in developing self-assembly peptide nanostructures tailored for improving treatment of metabolic syndrome and related diseases will be discussed from basic research to preclinical research studies. Challenges facing the development of approved medicinal products based on self-assembling peptide nanomaterials will be discussed in light of regulatory requirement for clinical authorization.Keywords: peptide, hydrogel, nanomaterials, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease

Several dynamic models predict mortality and corticosteroid response in alcohol-associated hepatitis (AH), yet no consensus exists on the most effective model. This study aimed to assess predictive models for corticosteroid response and short-term mortality in severe AH within a global cohort. We conducted a multi-national study of patients with severe AH treated with corticosteroids for at least 7 days, enrolled between 2009 and 2019. Dynamic models-Lille-4, Lille-7, trajectory of serum bilirubin (TSB), and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR)-were used to estimate 30- and 90-day mortality. Lille-7 demonstrated the highest accuracy for both 30- and 90-day mortality., (© 2025 The Author(s). Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Alcohol use disorder is a prevalent and major but preventable cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, causing several important health consequences, including chronic liver disease. Despite its substantial effects, most clinicians do not adequately assess alcohol intake in clinical practice, and there are several barriers to providing integrated management to patients with alcohol use disorder. Standardised questionnaires, such as the Alcohol Use Identification Test (AUDIT), can facilitate the identification of individuals at risk of alcohol use disorder, and alcohol biomarkers such as phosphatidylethanol aid in quantifying levels of alcohol consumption. Non-pharmacological interventions-including brief interventions, twelve-step facilitation, motivational enhancement therapy, contingency management, and cognitive behavioural therapy-are effective for patients with alcohol use disorder, regardless of the presence of advanced liver disease. Pharmacological treatments should be considered according to the severity of liver disease and other comorbidities, safety profile, and local availability. The management of patients with alcohol use disorder and associated liver disease should ideally be performed in the setting of integrated multidisciplinary teams., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests LL is a US federal employee at the National Institutes of Health, and is supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Intramural Research Programs. All other authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.)

Background: Alcohol is linked to various cancers. While many studies have focused on developed countries, the burden of alcohol-related cancers in developing countries remains underexplored., Methods: We analyzed data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (2000-2019) to assess mortality and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from alcohol-related cancers in low and low-to-middle sociodemographic index (SDI) countries., Results: In 2019, there were 494 730 mortality from alcohol-related cancer. Low and low-middle SDI countries contributed over 15% of global mortality of alcohol-related cancer. Among multiple types of cancer, other pharyngeal cancers in these countries accounted for over 30% of global mortality of alcohol-related cancer. Primary liver cancer exhibited the highest mortality ( n  = 16 090) in low and low-middle SDI countries. While deaths and DALYs rates from alcohol-related cancers decreased globally between 2000 and 2019, the related burden increased in low and low-middle SDI countries with a rise in all types of alcohol-related cancers, except for primary liver cancer. The most rapidly growing mortality rates in low SDI were from other pharyngeal cancers (+2.25%), whereas in low-middle SDI countries, colorectal cancer evidenced the highest increase (+2.76%)., Conclusion: The burden from alcohol-related cancer has risen in countries with low and low-to-middle SDI, especially other pharyngeal cancers and colorectal cancer. Policymakers should focus on improving alcohol-related policies as well as screening availability to tackle the associated burden of cancer in resource-constrained countries. However, the difficulty in isolating the impact of alcohol due to limited data on other confounders necessitates caution in interpreting these findings., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: To investigate the trends in alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD), liver cancer from alcohol, and alcohol use disorder (AUD) burden among older adults in the United States (US)., Methods: We gathered the ALD, liver cancer from alcohol, and AUD prevalence, mortality, and age-standardized rates (ASRs) from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2021 between 2010 and 2021. We estimated the annual percent change (APC) with confidence intervals (CIs) for the burden of ALD, liver cancer from alcohol, and AUD in older adults (>70 years) in the United States. The findings were contrasted with global estimates and categorized by sex and state., Results: In 2021, there were approximately 512,340 cases of AUD, 56,990 cases of ALD, and 4490 cases of primary liver cancer from alcohol among older adults in the United States. In contrast to declining ASRs of prevalence and mortality in the global burden, these parameters were increased in older adults in the United States. From 2000 to 2021, prevalence from AUD (APC: 0.54%, 95% CI 0.43% to 0.65%), ALD (APC + 0.54%, 95% CI 0.22% to 0.86%), and primary liver cancer from alcohol (APC 2.93%, 95% CI 2.76% to 3.11%) increased. Forty states in the United States exhibited a rise in the prevalence rates of ALD in older adults., Conclusion: Our findings highlighted the increased prevalence and mortality of AUD, ALD, and primary liver cancer from alcohol among older adults in the United Sates, contrasting with the decline in global trends. Public health strategies on ALD, AUD, and primary liver cancer from alcohol, which targets older adults, are urgently needed., (© 2024 The Author(s). Alcohol, Clinical and Experimental Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Research Society on Alcohol.)

Self-assembling peptide hydrogels (SAPHs) have been used in the past decade as reliable three-dimensional (3D) synthetic scaffolds for the culture of a variety of mammalian cells in vitro. Thanks to their versatile physicochemical properties, they allow researchers to tailor the hydrogel properties, including stiffness and functionality to the targeted cells and cells' behaviour. One of the advantages of using SAPH scaffolds is the ease of functionalisation. In the present work, we discuss the effect that functionalising the FEFEFKFK (F, phenylalanine; K, lysine; and E, glutamic acid) hydrogel scaffold using the cell-binding RGDS (fibronectin - R, arginine; G, glycine; D, aspartic acid; S, serine) epitope affects the material properties as well as the function of encapsulated human osteoblast cells. RGDS functionalisation resulted in cells adopting an elongated morphology, suggesting attachment and increased proliferation. While this led to higher cell viability, it also resulted in a decrease in extra-cellular matrix (ECM) protein production as well as a decrease in calcium ion deposition, suggesting lower mineralisation capabilities. The work clearly shows that SAPHs are a flexible platform that allow the modification of scaffolds in a controlled manner to investigate cell-material interactions., (© 2024 The Author(s). Journal of Peptide Science published by European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Neurogastroenterology and motility disorders are complex gastrointestinal conditions that are prevalent worldwide, particularly affecting women and younger individuals. These conditions significantly impact the quality of life of people suffering from them. There is increasing evidence linking these disorders to cirrhosis, with a higher prevalence compared to the general population. However, the link between neurogastroenterology and motility disorders and cirrhosis remains unclear due to undefined mechanisms. In addition, managing these conditions in cirrhosis is often limited by the adverse effects of drugs commonly used for these disorders, presenting a significant clinical challenge in the routine management of patients with cirrhosis. This review delves into this connection, exploring potential pathophysiological links and clinical interventions between neurogastroenterology disorders and cirrhosis., (Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Background: Substance use disorders (SUDs) play a major role in global preventable disability and mortality. Even though they impact patients of all ages, adolescents and young adults (AYAs) are at increased risk of substance use at a later age. We aim to assess the burden of SUDs and alcohol-related harms in AYAs., Methods: This study employed the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 data. We assessed the prevalence, incidence, years of life lost, years of living with disability, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of SUDs, alcohol use disorder (AUD), and alcohol-related burden in AYAs (10-24 years)., Results: Among multiple SUDs, AUD had the highest prevalence (13.31 million), followed by cannabis use disorder (10.69 million) and opioid use disorder (4.27 million). From 2010-2019, while many SUDs saw a decrease in prevalence and incidence rates, opioid use disorder experienced increases across prevalence and incidence rates. Geographically, Europe and the Americas recorded the highest SUD burden. Higher Socio-demographic Index (SDI) levels correlated with increased SUD burden. Females showed a lower burden from SUDs and related health issues compared to males. The distribution of DALYs relative to prevalence varied across different SUDs and SDIs. The largest mortality caused by alcohol use were road injuries, interpersonal violence, and self-harm., Conclusion: The worldwide burden of SUDs, particularly AUD, cannabis use disorder, opioid use disorder, and alcohol-induced harms (particularly injuries) among AYAs, is significant. Addressing this issue urgently requires the implementation of effective policies targeting SUDs., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Mazen Noureddin has been on the advisory board for 89BIO, Gilead, Intercept, Pfizer, Novo Nordisk, Blade, EchoSens, Fractyl, Terns, Siemens, and Roche diagnostic; has received research support from Allergan, BMS, Gilead, Galmed, Galectin, Genfit, Conatus, Enanta, Madrigal, Novartis, Pfizer, Shire, Viking and Zydus; and is a minor shareholder or has stocks in Anaetos, Rivus Pharma and Viking. Vincent Chen’s institution has received research grants from KOWA and AstraZeneca. Hirokazu Takahashi received a research grant from Astellas Pharma, AbbVie GK and Sysmex. Gerald Scott Winder: consulting fees from Alexion and GSK. Lorenzo Leggio is a federal employee at the National Institutes of Health Intramural Research Program and is supported by NIDA and NIAAA. Jessica Mellinger has received consulting fees from GlaxoSmithKline, (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Widespread pain may be related to psychosocial aspects in several musculoskeletal conditions, but the literature on carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is scarce., Objective: To determine the relationship between pain extent and psychological factors (catastrophizing, kinesiophobia, anxiety symptoms, and depression) in people with CTS., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. The independent variables were: pain intensity, disability (QuickDASH), duration of symptoms, anxiety and depressive symptoms, catastrophizing, and kinesiophobia. The main outcome was: pain extent (% of total area and categories "pain within the median nerve-innervated territory" versus "extra-median nerve pain"). Correlation analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation coefficient. A linear regression model and binary logistic regression (both with forward selection) were performed to determine the main predictors of pain extent., Results: Forty-eight participants were included. A moderate positive correlation was found between catastrophizing ( r  = 0.455; p  = 0.024) and disability ( r  = 0.448; p  = 0.024) with total pain extent area. Regression models indicated that catastrophizing explained 22% of the variance in the pain extent (β = 0.003; 95% CI: 0.002-0.005), while kinesiophobia was the variable that best explained the distribution of pain in the extra-median territory (R 2 Nagelkerke = 0.182). Null or weak correlations were found for the rest of the associations., Conclusion: Catastrophizing and kinesiophobia were the main indicators of pain extent in people with CTS. Clinicians are advised to use specific questionnaires to check for the presence of catastrophizing or kinesiophobia in people with CTS and wider pain extension.

The long-term effects of COVID-19 on lung function are not understood, especially for periods extending beyond 1 year after infection. This observational, longitudinal study investigated lung function in Mexican Hispanics who experienced severe COVID-19, focusing on how the length of recovery affects lung function improvements. At a specialized COVID-19 follow-up clinic in Yucatan, Mexico, lung function and symptoms were assessed in patients who had recovered from severe COVID-19. We used z-scores, and Wilcoxon's signed rank test to analyse changes in lung function over time. Lung function was measured twice in 82 patients: the first and second measurements were taken a median of 94 and 362 days after COVID-19 diagnosis, respectively. Initially, 61% of patients exhibited at least one of several pulmonary function abnormalities (lower limit of normal = -1.645), which decreased to 22% of patients by 390 days post-recovery. Considering day-to-day variability in lung function, 68% of patients showed improvement by the final visit, while 30% had unchanged lung function from the initial assessment. Computed tomography (CT) scans revealed ground-glass opacities in 33% of patients. One year after infection, diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide z-scores accounted for 30% of the variation in CT fibrosis scores. There was no significant correlation between the length of recovery and improvement in lung function based on z-scores. In conclusion, 22% of patients who recovered from severe COVID-19 continued to show at least one lung function abnormality 1 year after recovery, indicating a prolonged impact of COVID-19 on lung health., (© 2024 The Author(s). Experimental Physiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Physiological Society.)

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is a significant global health issue, affecting over 30% of the population worldwide due to the rising prevalence of metabolic risk factors such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This spectrum of liver disease ranges from isolated steatosis to more severe forms such as steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Recent studies highlight the role of gut microbiota in MASLD pathogenesis, showing that dysbiosis significantly impacts metabolic health and the progression of liver disease. This review critically evaluates current microbiome-centered therapies in MASLD management, including prebiotics, probiotics, synbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and emerging therapies such as engineered bacteria and bacteriophage therapy. We explore the scientific rationale, clinical evidence, and potential mechanisms by which these interventions influence MASLD. The gut-liver axis is crucial in MASLD, with notable changes in microbiome composition linked to disease progression. For instance, specific microbial profiles and reduced alpha diversity are associated with MASLD severity. Therapeutic strategies targeting the microbiome could modulate disease progression by improving gut permeability, reducing endotoxin-producing bacteria, and altering bile acid metabolism. Although promising, these therapies require further research to fully understand their mechanisms and optimize their efficacy. This review integrates findings from clinical trials and experimental studies, providing a comprehensive overview of microbiome-centered therapies' potential in managing MASLD. Future research should focus on personalized strategies, utilizing microbiome features, blood metabolites, and customized dietary interventions to enhance the effectiveness of these therapies.

In this position statement, we explore the intricate relationship between alcohol intake and metabolic dysfunction in the context of the 2023 nomenclature update for steatotic liver disease (SLD). Recent and lifetime alcohol use should be accurately assessed in all patients with SLD to facilitate classification of alcohol use in grams of alcohol per week. Alcohol biomarkers (i.e., phosphatidylethanol), use of validated questionnaires (i.e. AUDIT-C [alcohol use disorders identification test consumption]), and collateral information from friends and relatives could help facilitate differentiation between alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) per se and liver disease with both metabolic and alcohol-related components (MetALD). Heavy alcohol use can contribute to cardiometabolic risk factors such as high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridaemia, and hyperglycaemia. As a result, caution should be exercised in the application of only one metabolic dysfunction criterion to diagnose MASLD, as suggested in the 2023 nomenclature document, particularly in individuals exceeding weekly alcohol use thresholds of 140 g for women and 210 g for men. This is particularly important in those individuals with isolated high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridaemia, or hyperglycaemia, where the disease process may be driven by alcohol itself. Additionally, metabolic dysfunction and alcohol use should be reassessed over time, especially after periods of change in risk factor exposure. This approach could ensure a more accurate prognosis and effective management of SLD, addressing both metabolic and alcohol-related factors., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest Please refer to the accompanying ICMJE disclosure forms for further details., (Copyright © 2024 European Association for the Study of the Liver. All rights reserved.)