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The Santa Marta Sabrewing Campylopterus phainopeplus is listed as a “Critically Endangered” hummingbird endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (SNSM) in Colombia. Prior to 2022, there were only three documented sightings of the sabrewing since it was described in 1879, including only one record between 1946 and 2022. As a result, this “lost” species has long been one of the most poorly known birds in Colombia. We located a resident population of Santa Marta Sabrewing along the Guatapurí River near the Chemesquemena and Guatapurí villages in July 2022, and at its type locality, San José, in January 2023. Based on historical data and newly collected field observations, we assess the species’ status and describe aspects of its natural history and ecology. Our review indicates that the species has been frequently misidentified in the past, and that to date, documented evidence of its presence is limited to four localities, all of them restricted to the south-eastern slope of the SNSM, along the mid Guatapurí River basin. Consequently, this bird appears to represent a case of microendemism. This species is likely to remain listed as Critically Endangered until conclusive evidence suggests otherwise. Field observations indicate that the species is highly associated with watercourses, where males hold year-round territories and form leks. We obtained records of males in mid-elevation habitats (1,150–1,850 m) for 16 consecutive months between July 2022 and October 2023, suggesting that the species might not be an elevational migrant, as previously speculated. More information is needed to understand the species’ ecology so that effective conservation actions can be designed in collaboration with the indigenous communities with which the species coexists.
The World Health Organization and the Global Burden of Disease study estimate that almost 800 000 people die from suicide yearly. The role of non-traditional risk factors such as climate and high-altitude exposure are poorly understood.
Aims
This study aims to determine a potential relationship between altitude exposure and suicide rates among 221 cantons located at different altitudes ranging from 0 to 4300 m.
Method
We conducted an 11-year, country-wide, population-based analysis on age- and gender-standardised suicide rates in Ecuador, based on the official data from the National Institute of Statistics, using all available self-harm death codes (ICD-10 codes X60–X84).
Results
A total of 11 280 cases of suicide were reported during 2011–2021. Suicide rates were higher among men (11.48/100 000). In terms of elevation, suicide rates were significantly higher among people from high-altitude cantons (3.7/100 000) versus those from low-altitude cantons. When applying the International Society Mountain Medicine categorisation, suicide rates were significantly higher at moderate- (4.3/100 000), high- (3.6/100 000) and very-high-altitude cantons (4.4/100 000) when compared with low-altitude locations (2.5/100 000).
Conclusions
Ecuador is one of the few countries that has a vast range of cantons located at different altitudes. We found that living at higher elevations is positively associated with greater suicide rates. Although the rates are significantly greater as elevation increases, a clear linear relationship is not apparent, likely because of the interplay of socioeconomic factors, including urbanicity. The effect of chronic hypobaric hypoxia on mood cannot be ruled out, although the existence of causal mechanisms remains to be elucidated.
OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Preeclampsia increases cardiovascular (CV) risk, likely via persistent endothelial dysfunction and angiotensin II type 1 receptor autoantibodies (AT1R-Ab). We aim to assess coronary endothelial function (CEF) and AT1R-Ab levels in postpartum preeclampsia with a hypothesis this mediates CV risk. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We prospectively enrolled age and CV risk factor matched postpartum women. Coronary MRI was performed at rest and with isometric handgrip stress, an endothelial dependent stressor. CEF was quantified as % stress-induced change in coronary cross-sectional area (%CSA) and in coronary blood flow (%CBF). AT1R-Ab was measured using a novel antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Women with and without preeclampsia were similar in age (mean 32.7+5.0 years), BMI (mean 28.0+6.3 kg/m2) and race/ethnicity (58% White, 35% Black and 4% Hispanic). %CSA was lower with (-2.1+13.6) vs without preeclampsia (8.8+17.1), p=0.023. %CBF was also lower with (11.3 [-11.8, 25.2]) vs without preeclampsia (25.7 [-0.7, 62.9]), p=0.039. AT1R-Ab was higher among women with preeclampsia (p=0.029) and was inversely associated with %CBF (beta coefficient -4.6 [-8.9, -0.3], p=0.037) but not with %CSA. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Women with preeclampsia have elevated AT1R-Ab and impaired CEF demonstrated by insufficient coronary reserve with exercise. Coronary endothelial dysfunction and dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin pathway likely contribute to long-term CV risk and should be considered for targeted risk reduction.
The aim of the present study was to conduct a preliminary study of the Stanford Gender-Related Variables for Health Research (GVHR) adapted to the Spanish population, testing its factor structure, sex factorial invariance and relationship with health variables. Participants were 438 adults between 19–73 years old (M = 31.90, SD = 12.12) who completed the GVHR and measures of health-related quality of life, psychological health, and health-risk behaviors. The confirmatory factorial analysis of the GVHR indicated an acceptable fit to the 7-factor structure as proposed for the North American population. Emotional intelligence and independence factors had low internal consistency, therefore, a five-factor model was tenable in the Spanish population. Sex scalar invariance was tenable, indicating that the factors latent means can be meaningfully compared across sex. Univariate logistic regressions indicated that women reported worse mental and physical health and more health limitations, but this effect dissipated when gender variables were considered. Caregiver and work strain stood out as the variables related to gender that predicted worse health-related quality of life, psychological health, and health-risk behaviors. In conclusion, factorial structure of the GVHR may differ from one culture to another. Additionally, the variables related to gender in the GVHR give a better account of the differences in health compared to biological sex.
Se analizan los microrrestos biosilíceos recuperados en el sitio Fuerte Sancti Spiritus, primer asentamiento español que se estableció en la cuenca del Río de la Plata en el período de la colonización y conquista europea en América. Está emplazado en Puerto Gaboto, provincia de Santa Fe, Argentina, y consiste en una ocupación breve que se produjo entre mayo de 1527 y septiembre de 1529. La excavación se realizó de acuerdo con la metodología open area, por lo cual el muestreo estuvo distribuido en diferentes rasgos localizados en la planta del emplazamiento. Se analizaron 20 muestras según dos variables: tipo de rasgo y cronología, lo que permitió establecer que se cultivaba maíz, junto con trigo y probablemente cebada, introducidos, concordante con las fuentes etnohistóricas. El análisis permitió, también, estimar el contenido de los rasgos de acuerdo con el sedimento muestreado, posibilitando la caracterización de zonas de descarte, rellenos, niveles de uso y sedimento acumulado con posterioridad al abandono del asentamiento.
To assess the association between the consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPF) and diet quality among preschool children and women of reproductive age from Argentina.
Design:
Cross-sectional and nationally representative survey. The food items were classified according to the NOVA system. Consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains was estimated, and the energy and nutrients related to non-communicable disease (NCD) intake. Linear regression was used to assess the associations.
Setting:
Argentina.
Participants:
Children aged 2–5 years (n 7022), female adolescent aged 10–19 years (n 2165) and women aged 20–49 years (n 4414).
Results:
UPF represented more than a quarter of total energy intake, 27 % in children, 31 % in female adolescents and 26 % in women. Across all age groups, the major contributors to UPF consumption were cookies and pastries (about 6·0–7·0 %), soft drinks (about 2·7–3·7 %), candies (about 1·8–4·6 %), and juices (about 1·3–1·7 %). The consumption of fresh vegetables, fresh fruits and legumes was negatively associated with UPF consumption. A significant positive association was found between the dietary share of UPF and the dietary content of NCD-promoting nutrients such as free sugars and total saturated and trans-fats. In contrast, a significant negative association was found with the content of NCD-protective such as fibre and protein.
Conclusions:
UPF were associated with lower consumption of healthy foods and higher intake of nutrients related to NCD in children and women of reproductive age in Argentina. It is necessary to design food policies that simultaneously reduce the consumption of UPF while promoting the intake of fresh and whole foods to improve the dietary quality.
Echinostoma caproni (Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) is an intestinal trematode with no tissue phases in the definitive host that has been extensively used as an experimental model to study the factors that determine resistance against intestinal helminths. In E. caproni infections in mice, interleukin-25 (IL-25) plays a critical role and it is required for the resistance to infection. However, little is known on the factors that determine its production. Primary E. caproni infection in mice is characterized by the development of chronic infections and elevated worm recovery, in relation to a local Th1 response with elevated production of interferon-γ. However, partial resistance against secondary E. caproni infections in ICR (Institute of Cancer Research) mice is developed after the chemotherapeutic cure of a primary infection and the innately produced IL-25 after pharmacological treatment. In this paper, we analyse the potential role of intestinal microbiota in the production of IL-25, and the subsequent resistance to infection. For this purpose, we analysed the production of IL-25 under conditions of experimental dysbiosis and also the changes in the resident microbiota in primary infections, pharmacological curation and secondary infections. The results obtained showed that resident microbiota play a major role in the production of IL-25 and the appearance of members of the phylum Verrucomicrobia as a consequence of the curation of the primary infection could be related to the partial resistance to secondary infection.
In this note, we investigate some products of subgroups and vanishing conjugacy class sizes of finite groups. We prove some supersolubility criteria for groups with restrictions on the vanishing conjugacy class sizes of their subgroups.
In the present paper, we review two of the most neglected intestinal food-borne trematodiases: echinostomiasis, caused by members of the family Echinostomatidae, and gastrodiscoidiasis produced by the amphistome Gastrodiscoides hominis. Both parasitic infections are important intestinal food-borne diseases. Humans become infected after ingestion of raw or insufficiently cooked molluscs, fish, crustaceans, amphibians or aquatic vegetables. Thus, eating habits are essential to determine the distribution of these parasitic diseases and, traditionally, they have been considered as minor diseases confined to low-income areas, mainly in Asia. However, this scenario is changing and the population at risk are currently expanding in relation to factors such as new eating habits in developed countries, growing international markets, improved transportation systems and demographic changes. These aspects determine the necessity of a better understanding of these parasitic diseases. Herein, we review the main features of human echinostomiasis and gastrodiscoidiasis in relation to their biology, epidemiology, immunology, clinical aspects, diagnosis and treatment.
Food security status is a continuum ranging from high to very low food security. While marginal food security falls next to high food security on the spectrum, new quantitative research indicates marginal food security status is associated with negative health outcomes and poor academic performance among college students. Qualitative research focusing on college students experiencing marginal food security has not been conducted. The current study aims to qualitatively explore experiences of college students with marginal food security and to identify themes to better understand and provide context regarding how marginal food security impacts students.
Design:
Students were recruited for semi-structured interviews with questions designed to study the challenges associated with students’ food situations. All interviews were recorded and transcribed with themes identified via an inductive approach.
Setting:
A large public university on the US west coast.
Participants:
Thirty college students.
Results:
Key themes that emerged: purchasing cheap unhealthy foods, insufficient time to prepare and eat meals on a regular basis, stress and anxiety around the inability to eat healthy food and future health issues, self-perception of health when eating poorly along with physical symptoms and low academic motivation by not fully participating in their courses due to few healthy food options or missing meals.
Conclusion:
Marginal food security can potentially diminish students’ health and their capacity to learn and succeed in their coursework. The results emphasise that students experiencing marginal food security should not be grouped with students experiencing high food security.
Healthcare workers (HCWs) not fulfilling the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) case definition underwent severe acute respiratory coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) screening. Risk of exposure, adherence to personal protective equipment (PPE), and symptoms were assessed. In total, 2,000 HCWs were screened: 5.5% were positive for SARS-CoV-2 by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There were no differences in PPE use between SARS-CoV-2–positive and –negative HCWs (adherence, >90%). Nursing and kitchen staff were independently associated with positive SARS-CoV-2 results.
Data on short-term peripheral intravenous catheter–related bloodstream infections per 1,000 peripheral venous catheter days (PIVCR BSIs per 1,000 PVC days) rates from Latin America are not available, so they have not been thoroughly studied.
Methods:
International Nosocomial Infection Control Consortium (INICC) members conducted a prospective, surveillance study on PIVCR BSIs from January 2010 to March 2018 in 100 intensive care units (ICUs) among 41 hospitals, in 26 cities of 9 countries in Latin America (Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican-Republic, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama, and Venezuela). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Health Safety Network (NHSN) definitions were applied, and INICC methodology and INICC Surveillance Online System software were used.
Results:
In total, 10,120 ICU patients were followed for 40,078 bed days and 38,262 PVC days. In addition, 79 PIVCR BSIs were identified, with a rate of 2.06 per 1,000 PVC days (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.635–2.257). The average length of stay (ALOS) of patients without a PIVCR BSI was 3.95 days, and the ALOS was 5.29 days for patients with a PIVCR BSI. The crude extra ALOS was 1.34 days (RR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.0975–1.6351; P = .040).
The mortality rate in patients without PIVCR BSI was 3.67%, and this rate was 6.33% in patients with a PIVCR BSI. The crude extra mortality was 1.70 times higher. The microorganism profile showed 48.5% gram-positive bacteria (coagulase-negative Staphylococci 25.7%) and 48.5% gram-negative bacteria: Acinetobacter spp, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella spp (8.5% each one), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (5.7%), and Candida spp (2.8%). The resistances of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 0% to amikacin and 50% to meropenem. The resistance of Acinetobacter baumanii to amikacin was 0%, and the resistance of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus to oxacillin was 75%.
Conclusions:
Our PIVCR BSI rates were higher than rates from more economically developed countries and were similar to those of countries with limited resources.
Catholicism and Protestantism have different ways of promoting the family unit that could influence survival and fertility at a population level. Parish records in the Austrian village of Hallstatt allowed the reconstruction of Catholic and Protestant genealogies over a period of 175 years (1733–1908) to evaluate how religion and social changes affected reproduction and survival. Life history traits such as lifespan beyond 15 years, number of offspring, reproductive span, children born out of wedlock and child mortality were estimated in 5678 Catholic and 3282 Protestant individuals. The interaction of sex, time and religion was checked through non-parametric factorial ANOVAs. Religion and time showed statistically significant interactions with lifespan >15 years, number of offspring and age at birth of first child. Protestants lived longer, had a larger reproductive span and an earlier age at birth of first child. Before the famine crisis of 1845–1850, Protestants showed lower values of childhood mortality than Catholics. Comparison of the number of children born out of wedlock revealed small differences between the two religions. Religion influenced reproduction and survival, as significant differences were found between Catholics and Protestants. This influence could be explained in part by differential socioeconomic characteristics, since Protestants may have enjoyed better living and sanitary conditions in Hallstatt.
Patients with eating disorders (ED) or obesity show difficulties in tasks assessing decision-making, set-shifting abilities and central coherence.
Aims:
The aim of this study was to explore executive functions in eating and weight-related problems, ranging from restricting types of ED to obesity.
Method:
Two hundred and eighty-eight female participants (75 with obesity; 149 with ED: 76 with restrictive eating, 73 with bingeing-purging symptoms; and 64 healthy controls) were administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Iowa Gambling Task, and the Group Embedded Figures Test to assess set-shifting, decision-making and central coherence, respectively.
Results:
Participants with either obesity or ED performed poorly on tests measuring executive functioning compared with healthy controls, even after controlling for age and intelligence. Both participants with obesity and participants with ED showed a preference for global information processing.
Conclusions:
The findings suggest that treatments for obesity and ED would benefit from addressing difficulties in cognitive functioning, in addition to the more evident clinical symptoms related to eating, body weight and shape.
Southern and central regions of Argentina moved from being relatively poor in the sixteenth century to being the richest in the country today. Although there is some evidence of this reversal, the process of regional growth in Argentina in the first half of the twentieth century is, in the main, unknown. In this paper, we present an estimation of the GDPs of Argentina's 25 provinces in 1914: this is the first consistent estimation of this variable for any period before the 1950s. Our results confirm that in 1914 the city of Buenos Aires and some districts in Patagonia had the highest per capita GDP, and a comparison with the available data for 1953 shows strong persistence in incomes per capita in this period; sectoral analysis of provincial GDPs suggests that growth in the leading districts was driven by economies of agglomeration in some cases and land abundance in others.
To assess the validity of self-reported height and weight by parents of 4-year-old children and subjective weight perception.
Design:
Descriptive cross-sectional study.
Setting:
Paediatric population living in the Autonomous Community of Madrid.
Participants:
Children born in 2008–2009 examined at 47–59 months of age. Data were collected by paediatricians of the Madrid Primary Care Physicians Sentinel Network. Parents reported weight and height data. Prevalence of weight status categories was calculated using WHO and International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) reference criteria. Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) were estimated. The appraisal of their child’s weight perception and parental misperception were assessed.
Results:
For 2914 children, reported height was underestimated by −1·38 cm, weight by −0·25 kg and BMI was overestimated by +0·41 kg/m2 on average. The prevalence of obesity estimated with reported data was 2·7 times higher than that calculated with measured data (16·2 v. 6·0 %) according to WHO classification, and 3·6 times higher with IOTF classification. Sensitivity to identify obesity was 70·5 %, specificity was 87·3 % and PPV was 26·2 % (WHO classification). Half of the parents of pre-schoolers with obesity failed to identify their child’s weight status. Parental misperception among children classified as having overweight or obesity reached 93·0 and 58·8 %, respectively.
Conclusions:
Parents underestimated children’s height and weight, leading to an overestimation of the prevalence of obesity. Small inaccuracies in reported measures have an important effect for the estimation of population prevalences. Parents’ report of child weight status is unreliable. Parental awareness and acknowledgement of child weight status should be improved.
To assess the prevalence of five forms of malnutrition (wasting/underweight, overweight, obesity, stunting/short stature and anaemia) by socio-economic wealth (SEW) and educational level (EL) among children, adolescents and women of reproductive age in Argentina.
Design:
Analysis from a cross-sectional survey. Anthropometric indicators and prevalence of anaemia were estimated. SEW was classified according to the proportion of contributors in the household, employment status, EL and medical coverage. EL was categorized by years of formal education.
Setting:
National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2005.
Participants:
Children (n 27 015) <5 years, adolescent girls (n 1729) 11–19 years, women (n 4401) 20–49 years.
Results:
In Argentina, 26 % of households lived with unsatisfied basic needs and 23 % received at least one form of food assistance. Any form of malnutrition affected 23 % of children, 36 % of girls and 56 % of women. Children were especially affected by anaemia, overweight/obesity and stunting (15·2, 9·9, 7·4 %, respectively). Girls were affected by overweight/obesity, anaemia and stunting (22·5, 15·2, 6·2 %). Women were strongly affected by overweight/obesity, anaemia and stunting (43·8, 19·8, 10·5 %). Stunting or short stature was higher in low-SEW settings, doubling in prevalence between low and high levels, increasing four times among women in reproductive age (P < 0·05). Excess weight among children was higher in high-SEW settings, in women the tendency was inverse. Anaemia showed different tendency according to SEW.
Conclusions:
In 2005, Argentina had high rates of excess weight and anaemia, moderate prevalence of stunting and low frequency of wasting/underweight. All forms of malnutrition showed a strong relationship with socio-economic and educational inequality.
This project studies the early Roman non-wheel-thrown Aquitania-Tarraconensis-type (AQTA) pottery from the Bay of Biscay region. The ‘ollae’-type AQTA ceramics display clear evidence of specialised production, consumption and interregional exchange by both terrestrial and maritime routes throughout the region.
The main aim of the present study was to examine the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) and academic performance in children.
Design
School-based cross-sectional study. The DII was calculated based on dietary information obtained from a single 24h dietary recall. Academic performance was assessed by school records provided by the administrative services (i.e. Maths and Language).
Setting
Porto area (Portugal).
Subjects
A total of 524 children (277 girls) aged 11·56 (sd 0·86) years.
Results
The DII was associated with academic indicators (standardized β values ranging from −0·121 to −0·087; all P<0·05). Significant differences were found between quartiles of the DII (P<0·05); children in the fourth quartile had significantly lower scores in all academic indicators compared with children in the first quartile (score differences ranging from −0·377 to −0·292) after adjustment for potential confounders.
Conclusions
The inflammatory potential of diet may negatively influence academic performance. Children should avoid the consumption of a pro-inflammatory diet and adhere to a more anti-inflammatory diet to achieve academic benefits.
Using a unique data set comprised of original research of both the corporate Web sites of the Big Four—PwC, Deloitte, KPMG, and EY—and their affiliated law firms, as well as archival material from the legal and accountancy press, this article documents the rise and transformation of the Big Four legal service lines since the enactment of the Sarbanes Oxley Act of 2002. Moreover, it demonstrates that there are good reasons to believe that these sophisticated players will be even more successful in penetrating the corporate legal services market in the decades to come, as that market increasingly matures in a direction that favors the integration of law into a wider category of business solutions that these globally integrated multidisciplinary practices now champion. We conclude with some preliminary observations about the implications of the reemergence of the Big Four legal networks for the legal profession.