Search

Atributos críticos de la región Altos de Chiapas son el relieve abrupto, suelos con baja disponibilidad de nutrientes y acidez, la intensificación de su uso y el crecimiento de la superficie agropecuaria a expensas de los bosques. El objetivo del estudio fue conocer el efecto del estiércol de bovino, la cascarilla de cacao y la composta, incorporados a suelos Acrisol húmico y Feozem háplico, cultivados o forestales, en la mineralización de la materia orgánica y su potencial para aumentar su fertilidad. La variable utilizada fue la tasa de mineralización, como dióxido de carbono formado en mezclas de suelo más residuo orgánico, incubadas durante 10 días. Se utilizó un diseño completamente al azar, con un arreglo factorial 4x4 y cuatro repeticiones. Ambos suelos cultivados, comparados con los forestales, disminuyeron 24 y 39 % su contenido de materia orgánica e incrementaron 21 y 23 % su densidad aparente.

Entre las producciones orgánicas los cultivos hortícolas son los preferidos por los productores por obtener altos rendimientos durante casi todo el año. El método biointensivo de cultivo brinda la posibilidad del autoabasteci-miento de alimentos sanos y la posible venta de los excedentes de producción en mercados locales. Estas tecnologías no contaminan el medio ambiente, promueven las prácticas ecológicas y elevan la fertilidad de los suelos. El efecto de la fertilización orgánica, con 5 t ha-1 de composta, se evaluó en los rendimientos (g planta-1 , bulbo en rábano y granos en fríjol), indicadores de crecimiento (diámetro y longitud del bulbo (cm), largo y ancho de las hojas (cm) y altura de la planta (cm) para el rábano; altura de la planta (cm), ancho de las hojas (cm) y número de vainas para el fríjol) y propiedades físicas y químicas del suelo Fluvisol eútrico (arena, limo, arcilla, MO, N total, relación C/N, P asimilable, CIC, Ca, Mg, K y pH agua). Dos experimentos fueron realizados, uno para el cultivo de rábano y otro para el fríjol. Un diseño de bloques al azar con cinco repeticiones se utilizó en cada caso y se usó la tecnología de huertos orgánicos biointensivos. Los rendimientos se incrementaron significativamente (p < 0.05) en los tratamientos en que se aplicó fertilización orgánica (149% para el rábano y 50% para el fríjol).

Abstract: Cornejo-Daza, PJ, Sánchez-Valdepeñas, J, Páez-Maldonado, J, Rodiles-Guerrero, L, Boullosa, D, León-Prados, JA, Wernbom, M, and Pareja-Blanco, F. Acute responses to traditional and cluster-set squat training with and without blood flow restriction. J Strength Cond Res 38(8): 1401-1412, 2024-To compare the acute responses to different set configurations (cluster [CLU] vs. traditional [TRA]) under distinct blood flow conditions (free vs. restricted) in full-squat (SQ). Twenty resistance-trained males performed 4 protocols that differed in the set configuration (TRA: continuous repetitions; vs. CLU: 30 seconds of rest every 2 repetitions) and in the blood flow condition (FF: free-flow; vs. blood flow restriction [BFR]: 50% of arterial occlusion pressure). The relative intensity (60% 1RM), volume (3 sets of 8 repetitions), and resting time (2 minutes) were equated. Mean propulsive force (MPF), velocity (MPV) and power (MPP), and electromyography (EMG) parameters were recorded during each repetition. Tensiomyography (TMG), blood lactate, countermovement jump (CMJ) height, maximal voluntary isometric contraction, in SQ, and movement velocity against the load that elicited a 1 m·s -1 velocity at baseline (V1-load) in SQ were assessed at pre- and post-exercise. The CLU protocols allowed a better maintenance of MPF, MPV, MPP, and EMG median frequency during the exercise compared to TRA (clu-time interaction, p < 0.05). The TRA protocols experienced greater impairments post-exercise in TMG- and EMG-derived variables (clu-time interaction, p < 0.05) and SQ and CMJ performance (clu-time interaction, p = 0.08 and p < 0.05, respectively), as well as higher blood lactate concentrations (clu-time interaction, p < 0.001) than CLU. Moreover, BFR displayed decreases in TMG variables (bfr-time interaction, p < 0.01), but BFR-CLU resulted in the greatest reduction in twitch contraction time ( p < 0.001). Cluster sets reduced fatigue during and after the training session and BFR exacerbated impairments in muscle mechanical properties; however, the combination of both could improve contraction speed after exercise., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Introduction: Data on medulloblastoma outcomes and experiences in low- and middle-income countries, especially in Latin America, is limited. This study examines challenges in Mexico's healthcare system, focusing on assessing outcomes for children with medulloblastoma in a tertiary care setting., Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted, involving 284 patients treated at 21 pediatric oncology centers in Mexico., Results: High-risk patients exhibited markedly lower event-free survival than standard-risk patients (43.5% vs. 78.3%, p<0.001). Influential factors on survival included anaplastic subtype (HR 2.4, p=0.003), metastatic disease (HR 1.9, p=0.001); residual tumor >1.5cm², and lower radiotherapy doses significantly impacted event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Platinum-based chemotherapy showed better results compared to the ICE protocol in terms of OS and EFS, which was associated with higher toxicity. Patients under 3 years old displayed notably lower OS and EFS compared to older children (36.1% vs. 55.9%, p=0.01)., Competing Interests: Author DO was employed by ICON PLC. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Salceda-Rivera, Tejocote-Romero, Osorio, Bellido-Magaña, López-Facundo, Anaya-Aguirre, Ortiz-Morales, Rivera-Luna, Reyes-Gutiérrez, Rivera-Gómez, Velasco-Hidalgo, Cortés-Alva, Lagarda-Arrechea, Arreguín-González, Benito-Reséndiz, Chávez-Gallegos, Pérez-Rivera, Gaytán-Fernández, León-Espitia, Domínguez-Sánchez, Leal-Cavazos, Simón-González, Larios-Farak, Macías-García, García-Espinosa, Guerrero-Maymes, Casillas-Toral and González-Ramella.)

Abstract: Cornejo-Daza, PJ, Sánchez-Valdepeñas, J, Rodiles-Guerrero, L, Páez-Maldonado, JA, Ara, I, León-Prados, JA, Alegre, LM, Pareja-Blanco, F, and Alcazar, J. Vastus lateralis muscle size is differently associated with the different regions of the squat force-velocity and load-velocity relationships, rate of force development, and physical performance young men. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): 450-458, 2024-The influence that regional muscle size and muscle volume may have on different portions of the force-velocity (F-V) and load-velocity (L-V) relationships, explosive force, and muscle function of the lower limbs is poorly understood. This study assessed the association of muscle size with the F-V and L-V relationships, rate of force development (RFD) and maximal isometric force in the squat exercise, and vertical jump performance via countermovement jump (CMJ) height. Forty-nine resistance-trained young men (22.7 ± 3.3 years old) participated in the study. Anatomical cross-sectional area (ACSA) of the vastus lateralis (VLA) muscle was measured using the extended field of view mode in an ultrasound device at 3 different femur lengths (40% [distal], 57.5% [medial], and 75% [proximal]), and muscle volume was estimated considering the VLA muscle insertion points previously published and validated in this study. There were significant associations between all muscle size measures (except distal ACSA) and (a) forces and loads yielded at velocities ranging from 0 to 1.5 m·s -1 ( r = 0.36-0.74, p < 0.05), (b) velocities exerted at forces and loads ranging between 750-2,000 N and 75-200 kg, respectively ( r = 0.31-0.69, p < 0.05), and (c) RFD at 200 and 400 milliseconds ( r = 0.35-0.64, p < 0.05). Proximal and distal ACSA and muscle volume were significantly associated with CMJ height ( r = 0.32-0.51, p < 0.05). Vastus lateralis muscle size exhibited a greater influence on performance at higher forces or loads and lower velocities and late phases of explosive muscle actions. Additionally, proximal ACSA and muscle volume showed the highest correlation with the muscle function measures., (Copyright © 2024 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

Purpose: To examine the effects of 4 programming models (linear [LP], undulating [UP], reverse [RP], and constant [CP]) on physical performance., Methods: Forty-eight moderately strength-trained men were randomly assigned to LP, UP, RP, and CP groups according to their 1-repetition maximum (1RM) in the full-squat exercise (SQ) and followed an 8-week training intervention using the SQ and monitoring movement velocity for every repetition. All groups trained with similar mean relative intensity (65% 1RM), number of repetitions (240), sets (3), and interset recovery (4 min) throughout the training program. Pretraining and posttraining measurements included, in the SQ, 1RM load, the average velocity attained for all absolute loads common to pretests and posttests (AV), and the average velocity for loads that were moved faster (AV > 1) and slower (AV < 1) than 1 m·s-1 at pretraining tests. Moreover, countermovement jump height and 20-m running sprint time were measured., Results: A significant time effect was found for all variables analyzed (P < .05), except for 20-m running sprint time. Significant group × time interactions were observed for 1RM, AV > 1, and AV (P < .05). After training, all groups attained significant strength gains on 1RM, AV, AV > 1, and AV < 1 (P < .001-.01). LP and RP groups improved their countermovement jump height (P < .01), but no significant changes were observed for UP and CP. No significant improvements were achieved in 20-m running sprint time for any groups., Conclusions: These different programming models are all suitable for improving physical performance. LP and RP induce similar or greater gains in physical performance than UP and CP.

During January 2013, a mining spill occurred in the Santa Maria mining region, releasing around 300,000 m 3 of tailings on Los Remedios river, which was transported through the San Lorenzo river and finally to El Comedero (EC) dam. Twenty months later, we examined the concentrations of Hg and Se in the muscle, liver, gills, and guts of three fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Oreochromis aureus, Micropterus salmoides) captured in the EC dam to assess the performance of the cleaning operations. A high Se concentration in the liver of all species (carp, 1.2 ± 0.4; tilapia, 3.9 ± 2.1; bass, 3.5 ± 1.1 µg g -1 ww) was consistently observed, while this behavior was only found in the blue tilapia for Hg (0.15 ± 0.11 µg g -1 ww). Tilapia (benthic-detritivorous) exhibited the highest Se concentrations compared to the carp (omnivore) and the largemouth bass (piscivore). In contrast, the largemouth bass had the highest Hg levels in the muscle compared with the other fishes. Such differences could be related to the different metabolism and feeding habits among species. Compared to a tilapia study carried out three months after the mine spill during a mortality event, a decrease was evident in the liver for Se and Hg by 7.2 and 4.7 times, respectively. This reveals that cleaning operations were more efficient for Se and less for Hg, and that a prolonged period was required for the partial recovery of the element levels in fish from sites impacted by mining. Considering the Mexican consumption scenarios for each fish species, it could be concluded that there will be no non-cancer risk by exposure to Hg or Se., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Perceptual and action systems seem to be related to complex cognitive processes, but the scope of grounded or embodied cognition has been questioned. Zwaan and Yaxley (2003) proposed that cognitive processes of making semantic relatedness judgments can be facilitated when word pairs are presented in ways that their referents maintain their iconic configuration rather than their reverse-iconic configuration (the spatial iconicity effect). This effect has been observed in different semantic categories using specific experiments, but it is known that embodiment is highly dependent on task demands., Method: The present study analyzed the spatial iconicity effect in three semantic categories (physical, abstract, and social) using the same experimental criteria to determine the scope of embodied cognition. In this reaction-time experiment, 75 participants judged the semantic relatedness of 384 word pairs whose experimental items were presented in their iconic or reverse-iconic configurations., Results: Two mixed-effects models with crossed random effects revealed that the interaction between word meaning and spatial position was present only for physical concepts but neither for abstract nor social concepts., Conclusions: Within the framework of strong and weak embodiment theories, the data support weak embodiment theory as the most explicative one., (© 2023 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology published by Scandinavian Psychological Associations and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background and Aims: Pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survival rates in low- and middle-income countries are lower due to deficiencies in multilevel factors, including access to timely diagnosis, risk-stratified therapy, and comprehensive supportive care. This retrospective study aimed to analyze outcomes for pediatric ALL at 16 centers in Mexico., Methods: Patients <18 years of age with newly diagnosed B- and T-cell ALL treated between January 2011 and December 2019 were included. Clinical and biological characteristics and their association with outcomes were examined., Results: Overall, 2,116 patients with a median age of 6.3 years were included. B-cell immunophenotype was identified in 1,889 (89.3%) patients. The median white blood cells at diagnosis were 11.2.5 × 10 3 /mm 3 . CNS-1 status was reported in 1,810 (85.5%), CNS-2 in 67 (3.2%), and CNS-3 in 61 (2.9%). A total of 1,488 patients (70.4%) were classified as high-risk at diagnosis. However, in 52.5% (991/1,889) of patients with B-cell ALL, the reported risk group did not match the calculated risk group allocation based on National Cancer Institute (NCI) criteria. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and PCR tests were performed for 407 (19.2%) and 736 (34.8%) patients, respectively. Minimal residual disease (MRD) during induction was performed in 1,158 patients (54.7%). The median follow-up was 3.7 years. During induction, 191 patients died (9.1%), and 45 patients (2.1%) experienced induction failure. A total of 365 deaths (17.3%) occurred, including 174 deaths after remission. Six percent (176) of patients abandoned treatment. The 5-year event-free survival (EFS) was 58.9% ± 1.7% for B-cell ALL and 47.4% ± 5.9% for T-cell ALL, while the 5-year overall survival (OS) was 67.5% ± 1.6% for B-cell ALL and 54.3% ± 0.6% for T-cell ALL. The 5-year cumulative incidence of central nervous system (CNS) relapse was 5.5% ± 0.6%. For the whole cohort, significantly higher outcomes were seen for patients aged 1-10 years, with DNA index >0.9, with hyperdiploid ALL, and without substantial treatment modifications. In multivariable analyses, age and Day 15 MRD continued to have a significant effect on EFS., Conclusion: Outcomes in this multi-institutional cohort describe poor outcomes, influenced by incomplete and inconsistent risk stratification, early toxic death, high on-treatment mortality, and high CNS relapse rate. Adopting comprehensive risk-stratification strategies, evidence-informed de-intensification for favorable-risk patients and optimized supportive care could improve outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Moreira, González-Ramella, Echavarría Valenzuela, Carrillo, Faughnan, Job, Chen, Villegas, Ellis Irigoyen, Barra Urbays, Ramírez Martinez, Altamirano Alvarez, León Espitia, López Facundo, Colunga Pedraza, Reyes Gutierrez, Aguilar Román, Tamez Gómez, Portillo Zavala, Negroe Ocampo, Pulido Sanchez, Cortés Alva, Casillas Toral, Salas Villa, Mendoza Sánchez, Pérez Alvarado, Tamayo Pedraza, González Zamorano, Ávila Alba, Becerril Becerril, Ramírez Durán, Sandoval Cabrera, Pineda Gordillo, de la Rosa Alonso, Mejía Marín, Benítez Can, Gutiérrez Martinez, Jiménez Osorio, Echeandia, Casillas, Guerrero-Gomez, Devidas and Friedrich.)

The failure of a tailings dam occurred in January 2013 at the Santa María de Otáez mining region (Mexico) released a spill (~ 300,000 m 3 ) on Los Remedios River, which was transported through the San Lorenzo River, and finally to El Comedero (EC) dam. The concentrations of metal(loid)s in the muscle, liver, gills, and guts of three fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Oreochromis aureus, Micropterus salmoides) collected from EC dam were examined twenty months later to assess the performance of the cleaning operations. The bioaccumulation patterns of the metal(loid)s in the tissues were different in the three fish species. Tilapia had the highest Cd (11.23 ± 8.53 µg g -1 ) and Cu (871 ± 1261 µg g -1 ) concentrations in the liver, as well as As concentration (83.6 ± 61.7 µg g -1 ) in the gut, while the highest Zn concentration (745 ± 356 µg g -1 ) was measured in the gills of the carp. Such variability can be caused by the variant bioavailability of the metal(loid)s and by the feeding habits of each species; and also by the fact that some metals are essential and better regulated by organisms than other non-essential. Compared to a study of tilapia carried out 90 days after mine spill, a decrease was evident in the liver for As, Cd, Cu, and Zn by 129, 5, 10, and 1.7 times, respectively. This revealed that cleaning operations were more efficient for As. The target hazard quotient and the hazard index were < 1, which indicates there will be no risk of consuming muscle in moderated rations of the three fish species., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

In this study, the concentration of six metal(loid)s was examined in the fish Oreochromis aureus collected from El Comedero dam during a massive mortality event induced by a mine tailing spill. A major spill (~ 300,000 m 3 ) of waste was released into the San Lorenzo River System following a rupture in the tailing dam of a mining plant in NW Mexico; consequently, the discharged material flowed into El Comedero dam. The accumulation of metal(oid)s in the tissues of O. aureus showed higher levels in the liver than in the guts and muscle. Concentrations in the liver were high (As, 1.1-1063; Cd, 8.9-392; Cu, 372-59,129; Hg, 0.46-19.79; Se, 8.7-748; and Zn, 116-820 μg g -1 ), revealing that these fish were exposed to high concentrations of these elements. The mortality of fish could have resulted from the combined effect of the six analyzed metal(loid)s, as well as other residues present in mine tailings., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

The colonization of land by a single streptophyte algae lineage some 450 million years ago has been linked to multiple key innovations such as three-dimensional growth, alternation of generations, the presence of stomata, as well as innovations inherent to the birth of major plant lineages, such as the origins of vascular tissues, roots, seeds and flowers. Multicellularity, which evolved multiple times in the Chloroplastida coupled with precise spatiotemporal control of proliferation and differentiation were instrumental for the evolution of these traits. RETINOBLASTOMA-RELATED (RBR), the plant homolog of the metazoan Retinoblastoma protein (pRB), is a highly conserved and multifunctional core cell cycle regulator that has been implicated in the evolution of multicellularity in the green lineage as well as in plant multicellularity-related processes such as proliferation, differentiation, stem cell regulation and asymmetric cell division. RBR fulfills these roles through context-specific protein-protein interactions with proteins containing the Leu-x-Cys-x-Glu (LxCxE) short-linear motif (SLiM); however, how RBR-LxCxE interactions have changed throughout major innovations in the Viridiplantae kingdom is a question that remains unexplored. Here, we employ an in silico evo-devo approach to predict and analyze potential RBR-LxCxE interactions in different representative species of key Chloroplastida lineages, providing a valuable resource for deciphering RBR-LxCxE multiple functions. Furthermore, our analyses suggest that RBR-LxCxE interactions are an important component of RBR functions and that interactions with chromatin modifiers/remodelers, DNA replication and repair machinery are highly conserved throughout the Viridiplantae, while LxCxE interactions with transcriptional regulators likely diversified throughout the water-to-land transition., (© 2022 Society for Experimental Biology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Performing the bench-press (BP) exercise in a weight stack machine (WSM) is a common practice. However, no previous studies have analysed the load-velocity relationship in this BP variant. The purpose of this study was 1) to investigate the load-velocity relationship during BP exercise using a WSM; and 2) to compare the load-velocity relationship in this exercise in two conditions: WSM vs. Smith machine (SM). Twenty-six young men performed a BP progressive loading test to determine their one-repetition maximum and load-velocity relationship using a WSM. Additionally, 19 participants performed two progressive loading tests (WSM and SM). A high relationship was found between the relative load (%1RM) and mean propulsive velocity (MPV) (R2 = 0.97; SEE = 0.07 m/s) in the WSM. Moreover, significant differences were observed ( p <.05) in the MPV values attained in every %1RM in WSM and SM from 30 to 75% 1RM. The close relationship between the MPV values and the %1RM in BP exercise using a WSM enables coaches to use the MPV to accurately monitor their athletes on a daily basis. The differences observed between WSM and SM in the %1RM and their respective MPVs indicate that different equations must be used for each exercise mode.

The ability of multifunctional food-derived peptides to act on different body targets make them promising alternatives in the prevention/management of chronic disorders. The potential of Erythrina edulis (pajuro) protein as a source of multifunctional peptides was proven. Fourteen selected synthetic peptides identified in an alcalase hydrolyzate from pajuro protein showed in vitro antioxidant, anti-hypertensive, anti-diabetic, and/or anti-obesity effects. The radical scavenging properties of the peptides could be responsible for the potent protective effects observed against the oxidative damage caused by FeSO 4 in neuroblastoma cells. Moreover, their affinity towards the binding cavity of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV) were predicted by molecular modeling. The results demonstrated that some peptides such as YPSY exhibited promising binding at both enzymes, supporting the role of pajuro protein as a novel ingredient of functional foods or nutraceuticals for prevention/management of oxidative stress, hypertension, and metabolic-alteration-associated chronic diseases.

In this paper, we highlight the importance of distilling the computational assessments of constructed responses to validate the indicators/proxies of constructs/trins using an empirical illustration in automated summary evaluation. We present the validation of the Inbuilt Rubric (IR) method that maps rubrics into vector spaces for concepts' assessment. Specifically, we improved and validated its scores' performance using latent variables, a common approach in psychometrics. We also validated a new hierarchical vector space, namely a bifactor IR. 205 Spanish undergraduate students produced 615 summaries of three different texts that were evaluated by human raters and different versions of the IR method using latent semantic analysis (LSA). The computational scores were validated using multiple linear regressions and different latent variable models like CFAs or SEMs. Convergent and discriminant validity was found for the IR scores using human rater scores as validity criteria. While this study was conducted in the Spanish language, the proposed scheme is language-independent and applicable to any language. We highlight four main conclusions: (1) Accurate performance can be observed in topic-detection tasks without hundreds/thousands of pre-scored samples required in supervised models. (2) Convergent/discriminant validity can be improved using measurement models for computational scores as they adjust for measurement errors. (3) Nouns embedded in fragments of instructional text can be an affordable alternative to use the IR method. (4) Hierarchical models, like the bifactor IR, can increase the validity of computational assessments evaluating general and specific knowledge in vector space models. R code is provided to apply the classic and bifactor IR method., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Objective: To investigate the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and identify associated factors in frontline and second-line healthcare workers (HCWs) at a large hospital in Mexico City during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of HCWs returning to work following mandatory isolation after recovering from COVID-19. Immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 were semiquantitatively measured using densitometric analysis of band intensities in lateral flow assay (LFA) devices. The mean pixel intensity (dots-per-inch [dpi]) of each band on the LFA was considered a measure of antibody titre., Results: Of the 111 HCWs involved in the study, antibody responses were detected in 73/111 (66%) participants. Severe COVID symptoms was associated with old age. No differences in IgM intensity were observed between men and women, but IgG intensity was significantly higher in men than in women. Second-line HCWs produced a higher IgG intensity than firstline HCWs. The IgG intensity was high in severe cases., Conclusions: For HCWs who may acquire SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is necessary to establish a routine program for detection of the virus to avoid risk of infection and spread of COVID-19.

Purpose: To compare the effect of 4 velocity-loss (VL) thresholds-0% (VL0), 15% (VL15), 25% (VL25), and 50% (VL50)-on strength gains, neuromuscular adaptations, and muscle hypertrophy during the bench press (BP) exercise using intensities ranging from 55% to 70% of 1-repetition maximum (1RM)., Methods: Fifty resistance-trained men were randomly assigned to 4 groups that followed an 8-week (16 sessions) BP training program at 55% to 70% 1RM but differed in the VL allowed in each set (VL0, VL15, VL25, and VL50). Assessments performed before (pre) and after (post) the training program included (1) cross-sectional area of pectoralis major muscle, (2) maximal isometric test, (3) progressive loading test, and (4) fatigue test in the BP exercise., Results: A significant group × time interaction was found for 1RM (P = .01), where all groups except VL0 showed significant gains in 1RM strength (P < .001). The VL25 group attained the greatest gains in 1RM strength and most load-velocity relationship parameters analyzed. A significant group × time interaction was observed for EMG root mean square in pectoralis major (P = .03) where only the VL25 group showed significant increases (P = .02). VL50 showed decreased EMG root mean square in triceps brachii (P = .006). Only the VL50 group showed significant increases in cross-sectional area (P < .001)., Conclusions: These findings indicate that a VL threshold of about 25% with intensities from 55% to 70% 1RM in BP provides an optimal training stimulus to maximize dynamic strength performance and neuromuscular adaptations, while higher VL thresholds promote higher muscle hypertrophy.

Background: The vertical transmission of severe acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) remains highly debated. Here, we evaluated SARS-CoV-2-transmission in newborns with intrauterine conditions., Methods: This was a prospective, observational and multicentric study involving 13 Spanish hospitals included in the GEStational and NEOnatal-COVID cohort. Pregnant women with microbiologically confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection during any trimester of pregnancy or delivery and their newborns were included from March to November 2020. Demographic, clinical and microbiological data were also obtained. Viral loads were analyzed in different maternal and newborn biological samples (placenta, breast milk and maternal blood; urine, meconium and newborn blood)., Results: A total of 177 newborns exposed to SARS-CoV-2 were included. Newborns were tested by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction using nasopharyngeal swabs within the first 24-48 hours of life and at 14 days of life. In total 5.1% were considered to have SARS-CoV-2 infection in the neonatal period, with 1.7% considered intrauterine and 3.4% intrapartum or early postnatal transmission cases. There were no differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics of the pregnant women and their newborns' susceptibility to infections in their perinatal history or background., Conclusions: Intrauterine transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is possible, although rare, with early postnatal transmission occurring more frequently. Most infected newborns remained asymptomatic or had mild symptoms that evolved well during follow-up. We did not find any maternal characteristics predisposing infants to neonatal infection. All infected newborn mothers had acute infection at delivery.Although there was no presence of SARS-CoV2 in cord blood or breast milk samples, SARS-CoV-2 viral load was detected in urine and meconium samples from infected newborns., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Life on earth is the result of the work of proteins, the cellular nanomachines that fold into elaborated 3D structures to perform their functions. The ribosome synthesizes all the proteins of the biosphere, and many of them begin to fold during translation in a process known as cotranslational folding. In this work we discuss current advances of this field and provide computational and experimental data that highlight the role of ribosome in the evolution of protein structures. First, we used the sequence of the Ankyrin domain from the Drosophila Notch receptor to launch a deep sequence-based search. With this strategy, we found a conserved 33-residue motif shared by different protein folds. Then, to see how the vectorial addition of the motif would generate a full structure we measured the folding on the ribosome of the Ankyrin repeat protein. Not only the on-ribosome folding data is in full agreement with classical in vitro biophysical measurements but also it provides experimental evidence on how folded proteins could have evolved by duplication and fusion of smaller fragments in the RNA world. Overall, we discuss how the ribosomal exit tunnel could be conceptualized as an active site that is under evolutionary pressure to influence protein folding., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 León-González, Flatet, Juárez-Ramírez and Farías-Rico.)

The economy of a country is exposed to disruptions caused by natural and man-made disasters. Here we present a set of probabilistic risk indicators, the Average Annual Loss (AAL) and the Loss Exceedance Curve (LEC), regarding to production, employment, Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross Regional Product (GRP), export volume, inflation, tariff revenue, among others, due to earthquakes. All indicators are computed using a systematic probabilistic approach, which integrates the seismic risk assessment with spatial computable general equilibrium models, both robust and well-known frameworks used worldwide in their respective fields. Our approach considers the induced damage and frequency of occurrence of a vast collection of events that collectively describe the entire seismic hazard of a country, giving us a better and more complete understanding of the full consequence of earthquakes. We illustrate this approach with an example developed for Chile., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Countries worldwide are having to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. The burden on their national health systems is currently at unprecedented levels. Telemedicine care was initiated at an early stage in our centre., Patients and Methods: We conducted a descriptive and retrospective study to evaluate the usefulness of telemedicine during lockdown in our centre. Patients included in the study had a clinical diagnosis of epilepsy, with two visits via telemedicine, who had been followed up for at least six months during the normal situation prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and two face-to-face consultations during the same period., Results: A total of 115 patients were included. The average age was 29 years, 53% were males, 52.2% had focal epilepsy, 58.3% with a structural causation and 57.4% had difficult-to-treat epilepsy. The mean number of seizures prior to lockdown was 9.73/month and 6.54/month during lockdown. The number of patients who were seizure-free when lockdown ended was higher than that observed in the phase before it began: 54 versus 45 out of 115., Conclusions: Telemedicine is a very useful strategy for monitoring the course, progress and therapeutic changes in epileptic patients in the short and medium term. The reduction in the seizure frequency can be sustained in the medium term, not only in the short term as corroborated in previous studies. Telemedicine allows access to virtually all patients and closer monitoring.

Background: Currently, there is no formally accepted pharmacological treatment for COVID-19., Materials and Methods: We included COVID-19 outpatients of a Peruvian primary care center from Lima, Peru, who were treated between April 30 - September 30, 2020, with hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin. Logistic regression was applied to determine factors associated with case-fatality rate., Results: A total of 1265 COVID-19 patients with an average age of 44.5 years were studied. Women represented 50.1% of patients, with an overall 5.9 symptom days, SpO2 97%, temperature of 37.3 °C, 41% with at least one comorbidity and 96.1% one symptom or sign. No patient treated within the first 72 h of illness died. The factors associated with higher case fatality rate were age (OR = 1.06; 95% CI 1.01-1.11, p = 0.021), SpO2 (OR = 0.87; 95% CI 0.79-0.96, p = 0.005) and treatment onset (OR = 1.16; 95% CI 1.06-1.27, p = 0.002), being the latter the only associated in the multivariate analysis (OR = 1.18; 95% CI 1.05-1.32, p = 0.005). 0.6% of our patients died., Conclusions: The case fatality rate in COVID-19 outpatients treated with hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin was associated with the number of days of illness on which treatment was started., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: The integration of 3D printing technology in hospitals is evolving toward production models such as point-of-care manufacturing. This study aims to present the results of the integration of 3D printing technology in a manufacturing university hospital., Methods: Observational, descriptive, retrospective, and monocentric study of 907 instances of 3D printing from November 2015 to March 2020. Variables such as product type, utility, time, or manufacturing materials were analyzed., Results: Orthopedic Surgery and Traumatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Gynecology and Obstetrics are the medical specialties that have manufactured the largest number of processes. Working and printing time, as well as the amount of printing material, is different for different types of products and input data. The most common printing material was polylactic acid, although biocompatible resin was introduced to produce surgical guides. In addition, the hospital has worked on the co-design of custom-made implants with manufacturing companies and has also participated in tissue bio-printing projects., Conclusions: The integration of 3D printing in a university hospital allows identifying the conceptual evolution to "point-of-care manufacturing."

Annually, millions of tons of foods are generated with the purpose to feed the growing world population. One particular eatable is orange, the production of which in 2018 was 75.54 Mt. One way to valorize the orange residue is to produce bioethanol by fermenting the reducing sugars generated from orange peel. Hence, the objective of the present work was to determine the experimental conditions to obtain the maximum yield of reducing sugars from orange peel using a diluted acid hydrolysis process. A proximate and chemical analysis of the orange peel were conducted. For the hydrolysis, two factorial designs were prepared to measure the glucose and fructose concentration with the 3,5-DNS acid method and UV-Visible spectroscopy. The factors were acid concentration, temperature and hydrolysis time. After the hydrolysis, the orange peel samples were subjected to an elemental SEM-EDS analysis. The results for the orange peel were 73.530% of moisture, 99.261% of volatiles, 0.052% of ash, 0.687% of fixed carbon, 19.801% of lignin, 69.096% of cellulose and 9.015% of hemicellulose. The highest concentration of glucose and fructose were 24.585 and 9.709 g/L, respectively. The results highlight that sugar production is increased by decreasing the acid concentration.

Abstract: Riscart-López, J, Rendeiro-Pinho, G, Mil-Homens, P, Costa, RS-d, Loturco, I, Pareja-Blanco, F, and León-Prados, JA. Effects of Four different velocity-based training programming models on strength gains and physical performance. J Strength Cond Res 35(3): 596-603, 2021-The aim of this study was to compare the effects of 4 velocity-based training (VBT) programming models (linear programming [LP], undulating programming [UP], reverse programming [RP], and constant programming [CP]) on the physical performance of moderately strength-trained men. Forty-three young (age: 22.9 ± 4.8 years; body mass [BM]: 71.7 ± 7.6; full squat [SQ] relative strength 1.32 ± 0.29) subjects were randomly assigned to LP (gradually increase training intensity and decrease volume), UP (volume and intensity increase or decrease repeatedly), RP (gradually increases volume and decrease intensity), and CP (maintains constant volume and intensity) groups and followed an 8-week VBT intervention using the SQ exercise and monitoring movement velocity for every repetition. All groups trained with similar relative average intensity (67.5% 1 repetition maximum [1RM]), magnitude of velocity loss within the set (20%), number of sets (3), and interset recoveries (4 minutes) throughout the training program. Pre-training and post-training measurements included predicted SQ (1RM), average velocity attained for all loads common to pre-tests and post-tests (AV), average velocity for those loads that were moved faster (AV > 1) and slower (AV < 1) than 1 m·s-1 at pre-tests, countermovement jump height (CMJ), and 20-m sprint time (T20). No significant group × time interactions were observed for any of the variables analyzed. All groups obtained similar increases (shown in effect size values) in 1RM strength (LP: 0.88; UP: 0.54; RP: 0.62; CP: 0.51), velocity-load-related variables (LP: 0.74-4.15; UP: 0.46-5.04; RP: 0.36-3.71; CP: 0.74-3.23), CMJ height (LP: 0.35; UP: 0.53; RP: 0.49; CP: 0.34), and sprint performance (LP: 0.34; UP: 0.35; RP: 0.32; CP: 0.30). These results suggest that different VBT programming models induced similar physical performance gains in moderately strength-trained subjects., (Copyright © 2020 National Strength and Conditioning Association.)

In this review, we discuss the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II transactivator (CIITA), which is the master regulator of MHC class II gene expression. CIITA is the founding member of the mammalian nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich-repeat (NLR) protein family but stood apart for a long time as the only transcriptional regulator. More recently, it was found that its closest homolog, NLRC5 (NLR protein caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD)-containing 5), is a regulator of MHC-I gene expression. Both act as non-DNA-binding activators through multiple protein-protein interactions with an MHC enhanceosome complex that binds cooperatively to a highly conserved combinatorial cis-acting module. Thus, the regulation of MHC-II expression is regulated largely through the differential expression of CIITA. In addition to the well-defined role of CIITA in MHC-II GENE regulation, we will discuss several other aspects of CIITA functions, such as its role in cancer, its role as a viral restriction element contributing to intrinsic immunity, and lastly, its very recently discovered role as an inhibitor of Ebola and SARS-Cov-2 virus replication. We will briefly touch upon the recently discovered role of NLRP3 as a transcriptional regulator, which suggests that transcriptional regulation is, after all, not such an unusual feature for NLR proteins.

Cenotes are naturally occurring flooded caves that are frequent in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula; they result from the collapse of limestone bedrock into the regional groundwater table. Cenotes in Quintana Roo are important ecological and economic hot spots but are susceptible to anthropogenic pollution. In this study, we collected water samples from 11 cenotes over multiple years to evaluate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations and patterns as associated with tourist traffic. The primary PAHs detected in samples included fluoranthene, anthracene, phenanthrene and naphthalene, with total PAH concentrations increasing almost fivefold for cenotes sampled from 2016 to 2017. This is compared to only a 7% increase in tourist traffic during these years. Multivariate statistical analysis of the PAH concentration data suggests that diesel, gasoline and asphalt are the most likely pollution sources and that they are associated with periods of increased tourist traffic.

This study aimed to analyze the effects of three different velocity loss thresholds (10%: VL10, 30%: VL30 and 50%: VL50) on maximal strength and velocity at different intensities during bench press using a weight stack machine (WSM-BP). Forty-five men were randomly assigned to three groups: VL10 (n=15), VL30 (n=15) and VL50 (n=15), which followed a 5-week (15 sessions) velocity-based WSM-BP program. Assessments performed Pre- and Post-training included: a) estimated one-repetition maximum (1RM) in WSM-BP; b) average velocity attained against all absolute loads common to Pre- and Post-training tests in WSM-BP; c) average velocity attained against all absolute loads that were lifted equal to or faster than 0.8 m·s-1 at Pre-training (light loads); and d) average velocity attained against all absolute loads that were lifted slower than 0.8 m·s-1 at Pre-training (heavy loads). All groups showed significant improvements in 1RM, velocity against all loads, and velocity against heavy loads (P<0.001-0.01). However, only the VL10 group showed significant enhancements in velocity against light loads (P=0.05). Therefore, the VL10 group showed a higher training efficiency compared to VL30 and VL50 interventions, since it obtained similar benefits by performing fewer repetitions., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Marine litter is a world-wide problem, but the knowledge on this topic in remote areas such as the poles and the deep-sea is still limited. This paper seeks to provide the first accounts of deep-sea litter in the South-Western Caribbean Sea. The survey used 5066 still images from ROV video surveys around four hydrocarbon exploratory drilling zones. Forty-eight deep-sea litter items were found at depths between 427 and 2561 m, and analyzed by three different marine litter classifications. Plastic was the most frequent material (65%) and general litter the main category (69%). Almost half of the deep-sea litter items were found close to marine organism. This baseline is a first step to further research of human impact on the marine bottoms of the Caribbean. The paper highlights the importance of deep-sea litter as a descriptor of marine pollution, and the role of scientific cooperation between off-shore industry and the academy., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Anadarko Colombia Company is a subsidiary of Anadarko Petroleum Corporation (since August 2019, Occidental Petroleum Corporation) that provided funding for the hydrocarbon exploratory projects, together with Ecopetrol. Other companies involved in the project were Dolphin Drilling that operated the Mobile Operating Drilling Unit, from where the ROV was launched; Subsea 7 (and its division I-TECH services) provided the ROV services. CSA Ocean Science Inc. provided the towed camera which were launched from SERPORT vessels., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Comprehension and summarizing are closely related. As more strategic and selective processing during reading should be reflected in higher quality of summaries, the aim of this study was to use eye movement patterns to analyze how readers who produce good quality summaries process texts. 40 undergraduate students were instructed to read six expository texts in order to respond a causal question introduced in the end of the first paragraph. After reading, participants produced an oral summary of the text. Based on the quality of the summaries, participants were divided into three groups: High, Medium and Low Quality Summaries. The results revealed that readers who produced High Quality Summaries made significantly more and longer fixations and regressions in the question-relevant parts of texts when compared to the other two summary groups. These results suggest that the summary task performance could be a good predictor of the reading strategies utilized during reading., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare(s) that the contents of the article are in agreement with the ethics described in http://biblio.unibe.ch/portale/elibrary/BOP/jemr/ethics.html and that there is no conflict of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

In a previous study, we investigated the use of shrimp effluents from well water (WW) and diluted seawater (DSW) (both with 2.7 dS m -1 electrical conductivity (EC)), and a hydroponic solution (HS) as the control treatment in greenhouse lettuce production. This new paper completes the previous one by focusing on the quality of lettuce harvested. Compared to the lettuce from the other treatments, WW-lettuce exhibited higher levels of phenolic compounds and a higher antioxidant capacity, mainly in the soluble fraction. The lettuce cultivated with DSW showed no significant difference in total phenolics and flavonoids with respect to the HS lettuce. These results reveal that the functional properties (antioxidant properties, polyphenols and flavonoid content) are even better in the lettuce produced with WW and DSW shrimp effluents. In contrast, agronomical properties (weight, number of leaves and yield) were found to be better in the case of lettuce grown with the hydroponic solution (control).

Shrimp farming effluents from two sources of low-salinity water, well water (WW) and diluted seawater (DSW) (salinity, 1.7 g L -1 ; electrical conductivity, 2.7 dS m -1 ), were used to grow lettuce (L. sativa) in order to assimilate the nutrients present in shrimp effluents and produce edible biomass. The two treatments, WW and DSW, were tested in triplicate. Additionally, one hydroponic system in triplicate was constructed to grow lettuce using a nutritive solution as the control treatment (HS). The production variables of lettuce in the two crop varieties (Parris Island (VPI) and Tropicana M1 (VTM1)) showed a general trend of DSW > HS > WW with regards to the size, weight and total foliage, except for the number of leaves, which was higher with HS treatment than with WW and DSW treatments. The accumulation of Cu, Hg, Mn and Zn in edible lettuce tissue and the health risk by the intake of lettuce were evaluated. Heavy metal concentrations in edible lettuce tissue for the three treatments showed the same trend of Mn > Zn > Cu > Hg, with concentration ranges of 47.1 to 188.7, 35.7 to 66.2, 4.1 to 6.4, and 0.01 to 0.02 mg kg -1 (dry weight), respectively. Such concentrations did not exceed the safe limits (CAC, 1984). The health risk index and target hazard quotient were <1, which indicates that the population exposed to these metals due to intake from lettuce consumption is unlikely to have adverse health effects when shrimp farming effluents are used to grow lettuce plants., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Metacomprehension skills determine an individual reader's ability to judge their degree of learning and text comprehension and have considerable importance in their ability to learn from reading. Given that many comprehension processes are influenced by text characteristics, the aim of the present study was to analyze whether different types of text have significant impact on metacomprehension skills at two different points in primary education., Method: A total of 823 students (4th and 6th years of primary school, 9 to 11 years old) read three different texts (narrative, expository and discontinuous texts) taken from ECOM-PLEC.Pri, a standardized Spanish test for reading comprehension (León, Escudero, & Olmos, 2012). Students were classified by their metacomprehension skills. A Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis was conducted in order to analyze whether the underlying reading comprehension and metacomprehension processes differed across text types., Results: Results showed a considerable divergence of performance for reading narrative texts as opposed to expository and discontinuous texts. These differences were related to academic level., Conclusion: Text characteristics such as the type of text can have a great impact on metacomprehension skills and, consequently, on learning.

Introduction: The deterioration of cognition is highly predominant in older adults., Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of a walking program on the cognition and blood concentration of lipids in women over 60 years of age who were being treated with lovastatin., Materials and Methods: Participants were distributed in two groups: An exercise group (EG, n=45) with aerobic training and an inactive sedentary group (SG, n=22). The cognitive state of the subjects was assessed through the Spanish Mini-Cog Test version of the MMSE; lipoproteins were quantified using a lipid profile test, and the cardiorespiratory fitness was measured using the six-minute walking test (6MWT)., Results: EG showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in cardiorespiratory fitness and in HDL-C concentrations. Furthermore, the results from the cognition tests showed a large effect size in spatial orientation and in and calculation. The decrease in LDL-C was not significant (p>0.05)., Conclusion: A controlled and progressive walking program for older women treated with Lovastatin may induce a boost of brain activity linked to HDL-C, which could delay cognitive impairment.

Background and Objectives: Hypoglycemia monitoring is not recommended for most full-term newborns. We wished to determine the incidence, presentation and case characteristics of hypoglycemia in low-risk newborns., Methods: With the assistance of the Canadian Paediatric Surveillance Program, we conducted a national study of severe hypoglycemia in apparently low-risk full-term newborns. Paediatricians who reported a case were sent a detailed questionnaire and the data were analyzed., Results: All 93 confirmed cases were singletons, 56% were first-borns and 65% were male. An 8% rate of First Nations cases was twofold the population rate. Maternal hypertension rate was 23%, fourfold the general pregnancy rate. Maternal obesity was double the general pregnancy rate at 23%. Concerning signs or feeding issues were noted in 98% at the time of diagnosis. Median time to diagnosis was 4.1 hours. Mean blood glucose at intravenous (IV) start was 1.4 ± 0.5 hours (SD). Seventy-eight per cent had at least one of four potential stress indicators and were more likely to have early diagnosis (P=0.03). Major signs were present in 20%. Those cases presented later and had lower glucose levels (median=0.8 mmol/L versus 1.6 mmol/L, [P<0.001). Twenty-five per cent of cases had birth weight less than the 10th centile. Neurodevelopmental concern was reported in 20%. Of the 13 cases which had brain magnetic resonance imaging, 11 were abnormal., Conclusion: Hypoglycemia in unmonitored newborns is uncommon but is associated with significant morbidity. We provide a range of clues to help identify these newborns soon after birth. Widespread adoption of norm-based standards to identify small-for-gestational age infants is supported.

The aim of this single center cross-sectional study was to investigate the association between fructose intake and albuminuria in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This is a single center cross-sectional study. One hundred and forty-three subjects with T2DM were recruited from the Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Medicas y Nutricion Salvador Zubiran. The median daily fructose intake was estimated with a prospective food registry during 3 days (2 week-days and one weekend day) and they were divided into low fructose intake (<25 g/day) and high fructose intake (≥ 25 g/day). Complete clinical and biochemical evaluations were performed, including anthropometric variables and a 24-hour urine collection for albuminuria determination. One hundred and thirty-six subjects were analyzed in this study. We found a positive significant association between daily fructose intake and albuminuria ( ρ = 0.178, p=0.038) in subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Other variables significantly associated with albuminuria were body mass index (BMI) ( ρ = 0.170, p=0.048), mean arterial pressure (MAP) ( ρ = 0.280, p=0.001), glycated hemoglobin (A1c) ( ρ = 0.197, p=0.022), and triglycerides ( ρ = 0.219, p=0.010). After adjustment for confounding variables we found a significant and independent association between fructose intake and albuminuria ( β = 13.96, p=0.006). We found a statistically significant higher albuminuria (60.8 [12.8-228.5] versus 232.2 [27.2-1273.0] mg/day, p 0.002), glycated hemoglobin (8.6±1.61 versus 9.6±2.1 %), p= 0.003, and uric acid (6.27±1.8 versus 7.2±1.5 mg/dL), p=0.012, in the group of high fructose intake versus the group with low fructose intake, and a statistically significant lower creatinine clearance (76.5±30.98 mL/min versus 94.9±36.8, p=0.014) in the group with high fructose intake versus the group with low fructose intake. In summary we found that a higher fructose intake is associated with greater albuminuria in subjects with T2DM.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the INTERGROWTH-21st Project newborn standard vis-a-vis the current Canadian birth weight-for-gestational age reference., Methods: All hospital-based singleton live births in Canada (excluding Quebec) between 2002 and 2012 with a gestational age between 33 and 42 weeks were included using information obtained from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. Small- and large-for gestational age centile categories of the INTERGROWTH standard and Canadian reference were contrasted in terms of frequency distributions and rates of composite neonatal morbidity/mortality., Results: Among 2,753,817 singleton live births, 0.87% and 9.63% were <3rd centile and >97th centile, respectively, of the INTERGROWTH standard, while 2.27% and 3.55% were <3rd centile and >97th centile, respectively, of the Canadian reference. Infants <3rd centile and >97th centile had a composite neonatal morbidity/mortality rate of 46.4 and 12.9 per 1,000 live births, respectively, under the INTERGROWTH standard and 30.9 and 16.6 per 1,000 live births, respectively, under the Canadian reference. The INTERGROWTH standard <3rd centile and >97th centile categories had detection rates of 3.14% and 9.74%, respectively, for composite neonatal morbidity/ mortality compared with 5.48% and 4.60%, respectively for the Canadian reference. Similar patterns were evident in high- and low-risk subpopulations., Conclusions: The centile distribution of the INTERGROWTH newborn standard is left shifted compared with the Canadian reference, and this shift alters the frequencies and neonatal morbidity/mortality rates associated with specific centile categories. Further outcome-based research is required for defining abnormal growth categories before the INTERGROWTH newborn standard can be used.

Background: Cardiac arrest in pregnancy is a rare and devastating condition with high mortality and morbidity. The objective of this study was to generate information about maternal cardiac arrest in Canada by examining the frequency, temporal incidence, associated conditions, potential etiologies, and survival rates., Methods: This retrospective population-based study used hospitalization data from the discharge abstract database of the Canadian Institute for Health Information relating to obstetric deliveries in Canada from April 1, 2002, to March 31, 2015. The data were accessed through the Public Health Agency of Canada's (PHAC) Canadian Perinatal Surveillance System. Cases of cardiac arrest were identified using the diagnostic and intervention codes from the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and the Canadian Classification of Health Interventions, respectively. Data on patient demographics, medical and obstetrical conditions, and potential etiologies of cardiac arrest were collected. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify conditions associated with cardiac arrest., Results: There were 286 cases of maternal cardiac arrest among 3,568,597 hospitalizations for delivery during the 13-year period. A total of 204 (71.3%) women survived to hospital discharge (95% confidence interval, 65.7%-76.5%). There was no significant variation in the incidence of cardiac arrest or survival from arrest over time or across provinces. Among the pre-existing conditions, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, gestational diabetes, malignancy, and diseases of the respiratory and nervous system were found to be significantly associated with cardiac arrest. Among the obstetrical conditions, placental abnormalities and polyhydramnios were associated with cardiac arrest. The common potential etiologies included postpartum hemorrhage, heart failure, amniotic fluid embolism, and complications of anesthesia., Conclusions: In this first Canadian study, the incidence of cardiac arrest during pregnancy was found to be 1:12,500 deliveries. The survival rate reported in our study is higher than reported previously in other countries. Our study findings contribute to better inform the development and implementation of policies and programs in an effort to prevent and manage this condition.

In this study, 24 breast milk samples, obtained from rural Maya women, from municipalities of Yucatan, Mexico, were analyzed for organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues by gas chromatography. Recent studies have shown that Maya communities have a poor perception about the proper usage and handling of OCP. The karstic soil in this area has a high vulnerability to groundwater pollution by the use of OCP in agriculture and livestock activities. The impact of the ecosystem on human health is much more critical due to the prevailing poverty and a very low educational level of these communities. About 30% of the Maya population consumes water directly from contaminated wells and sinkholes, resulting in a chronic exposure to OCP. The samples served to identify and quantify high levels of OCP residues (18.43 mg/kg of heptachlor epoxide and 1.92 mg/kg of endrin in the metropolitan zone; 2.10 mg/kg of dieldrin, 0.117 mg/kg of endosulfan II, 0.103 mg/kg of heptachlor, 0.178 mg/kg of endrin, and 0.127 mg/kg of endrin aldehyde in the main agricultural zone and on the west coast). The detected levels of OCP residues are a major concern and represent a potential risk to women and children in the region. This could be associated with the high rates of cervical uterine and breast cancer mortality in Yucatan. Thus, regulations on the usage of OCP and their enforcement are necessary, and it is important to establish a yearly monitoring program for OCP residues in breast milk and groundwater, as well as to implement health promotion programs for women in particular and the general population in general.

An experiment was developed to simulate inland shrimp farming using diluted seawater (1.9 g L -1 ) containing 75 shrimps (Litopenaeus vannamei) per square meter during a growth cycle of 120 days. In this study, the environmental loads of copper and zinc were estimated and compared to anthropogenic sources and shrimp aquacultures in other locations. Both metals resulted primarily from feeding, which accounted for 91.8% of Cu and 97.0% of Zn. Concentrations of Cu (110.8 ± 11.8 μg g -1 ) and Zn (69.0 ± 0.7 μg g -1 ) measured in the harvested shrimp had higher Cu and lower Zn concentrations compared to those reported for farmed shrimp from Brazil and Mexico. Clearly, organic sludge was the main route of removal for both metals (Cu 46.2%; Zn 92.6%). The annual environmental loads estimated for inland shrimp aquaculture were 598 ± 74 g Cu ha -1 and 5080 ± 328 g Zn ha -1 .

Background: Previous studies have yielded inconsistent results for the effects of periconceptional multivitamins containing folic acid and of folic acid food fortification on congenital heart defects (CHDs)., Methods: We carried out a population-based cohort study (N=5 901 701) of all live births and stillbirths (including late-pregnancy terminations) delivered at ≥20 weeks' gestation in Canada (except Québec and Manitoba) from 1990 to 2011. CHD cases were diagnosed at birth and in infancy (n=72 591). We compared prevalence rates and temporal trends in CHD subtypes before and after 1998 (the year that fortification was mandated). An ecological study based on 22 calendar years, 14 geographic areas, and Poisson regression analysis was used to quantify the effect of folic acid food fortification on nonchromosomal CHD subtypes (n=66 980) after controlling for changes in maternal age, prepregnancy diabetes mellitus, preterm preeclampsia, multiple birth, and termination of pregnancy., Results: The overall birth prevalence rate of CHDs was 12.3 per 1000 total births. Rates of most CHD subtypes decreased between 1990 and 2011 except for atrial septal defects, which increased significantly. Folic acid food fortification was associated with lower rates of conotruncal defects (adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 0.73, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.85), coarctation of the aorta (aRR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.96), ventricular septal defects (aRR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.75-0.96), and atrial septal defects (aRR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.69-0.95) but not severe nonconotruncal heart defects (aRR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.65-1.03) and other heart or circulatory system abnormalities (aRR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.89-1.11)., Conclusions: The association between food fortification with folic acid and a reduction in the birth prevalence of specific CHDs provides modest evidence for additional benefit from this intervention., (© 2016 The Authors.)