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Diet-related non-communicable diseases have an impact on sustainable development and have greatly influenced mortality worldwide, even nowadays, where they regained a greater relevance with COVID-19 pandemic emergence. Food habits and immunity have been closely related, and technological adaptions to produce healthier snacks are now on the global agenda of the food industry. As naturally functional raw materials, fruit and vegetables (F&V) effectively meet the high nutritional value and sensory appeal necessary to snacks design. This work aimed to harness the potential of such resources, including both native and introduced F&V species that confer visually attractive color to cold processed extrudates. The performance of different F&V processing methods was tested, for final blending with hydrocolloids resulting in sugarless confectionery-like extruded snacks. Liquid and dry milling of F&V yielded colorful pigment-rich ingredients, whose physical characteristics differed in terms of extraction efficiency, water activity, and moisture, with associated technological process advantages or handicaps. Formulas with different hydrocolloids were tested, and the one with the highest sensory acceptability was reported. © 2023 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.
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Epidemiological evidence has linked an array of sociodemographic and psychosocial factors with an increased risk of developing psychosis However, research in samples from low- and middle-income countries is still scarce. This study used a Mexican sample to explore (i) sociodemographic and psychosocial differences between individuals who screened positive for Clinical High-Risk for psychosis (CHRpositive group) and those who did not (Non-CHR group), and (ii) sociodemographic and psychosocial factors associated with screening positive for CHR. The sample consisted of 822 individuals from the general population. Findings showed that participants in the CHRpositive group were younger, had a lower educational level, and reported more mental health problems than the Non-CHR group. The CHR-positive group had a greater prevalence of medium/high risk associated with cannabis use, a higher prevalence of adverse experiences as well as higher levels of childhood maltreatment, poorer family functioning, and more COVID-related distress than the Non-CHR group. Findings of multivariate analysis showed that the variables associated with screening positive for CHR were: having an unhealthy family functioning, a higher risk associated with cannabis use, a lower level of education, having experienced a major natural disaster, violent or unexpected death of a relative or friend, higher levels of childhood maltreatment, and higher COVID-related distress. An older age was a protective factor for screening positive for CHR. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of examining potential psychosocial contributors to psychosis vulnerability across different sociocultural contexts to delineate risk and protective processes relevant to specific populations and better target preventive intervention efforts.
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Introduction: COVID-19 is a disease with gaps in its knowledge. It is required to explore its clinical manifestations over time and consequences for performance in the working population. Objective(s): To identify the clinico-epidemiological characteristics and the fitness to work in health workers convalescing from COVID-19. Material(s) and Method(s): A prospective longitudinal study was carried out on health workers in Havana. The population consisted of 40 workers who attended the COVID-19 convalescent consultation and were followed up in May 2022. Result(s): Dyspnea (18.8 %), insomnia (18.8 %), and arthralgia (12.5 %) persisted at the end of the year. Hypertension, obesity and bronchial asthma were the main comorbidities. In addition, 100 % of workers were fit for work. Conclusion(s): PostCOVID-19 symptoms deceased considerably 8 months after the onset of the disease;dyspnea, arthralgia, and insomnia persisted at the end of the year.Copyright © 2022 Universidad de Ciencias Medicas de La Hab. All rights reserved.
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Background: Long COVID can be developed by individuals after an infection with SARS-CoV-2 as described by the WHO. Although this condition is more commonly described in adults, it can occur in children and adolescents with a wide range of estimated prevalence of 1-25%. Little is known about the role of the immune system in long COVID. However, one of the main hypotheses about the underlying mechanism in long COVID is that there is an immune and inflammatory dysregulation that persists after the acute infection. The objective of this study is to compare immune cells populations, and inflammatory biomarkers in paediatric populations with and without long COVID. Method(s): We analyzed 55 blood samples from the pediaCOVID cohort (Hospital Germans Trias i Pujol), which includes more than 130 children diagnosed with long COVID and 23 controls. We measured different immune cell populations using spectral cytometry with a panel of 37 cellular markers, and 42 inflammatory markers using Luminex or ELISA. EdgeR was used for statistical analysis of the spectral data;p-values of inflammatory markers were calculated using the likelihood ratio test and they were corrected for multiple comparisons. Result(s): The study cohort had a median age of 14.3 (IQR, 12.5-15.2) and 69.1% female. Patients had at least 3 symptoms associated with long COVID (median [IQR];10 [7-16]). The most common symptom was asthenia/fatigue (98.2%). Compared to the control cohort, children with long COVID had increased numbers of CD4+CD8+ T cells, IgA+CD21+CD27+ memory B cells, and IgA+CD21-CD27- memory B cells, while CD4+ TEMRA cells (CD45RA+, CCR7-), intermediate monocytes (CD14+, CD16+) and classical monocytes (CD14+, CD16-) were decreased (all p< 0.05;q=n.s.). None of the 42 inflammatory biomarkers showed significant differences between children with and without long COVID. Conclusion(s): The results of this study suggest that specific populations of peripheral blood immune cells might be involved in the mechanisms underlying prolonged COVID in children and adolescents. The increase in both IgA+CD21-CD27- and IgA+CD21+CD27+ memory B cells could be associated with the persistence of viral antigen in the gut and/or gut dysbiosis. Moreover, the decrease in CD4+ TEMRA cells could be related to autoantibodies against G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), since this cell population can express GPR56, and autoantibodies against GPCRs were previously reported to be elevated in adults with long COVID.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has placed an unprecedented physical and mental burden on healthcare workers who are frequently at high risk of infection, particularly in low-income countries. Particularly, allergists who are frequently exposed to the airway and respiratory diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as changes in daily and occupational activities among healthcare professionals due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Colombia. Method(s): An observational, cross-sectional study was conducted between February and June 2021. The survey incorporated validated mental health tools such as the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and the Perceived Stress Scale-10. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with severe mental health outcomes. Result(s): Among 1345 healthcare workers the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress were 75.61%, 59.18%, and 53.09%, respectively. Anxiety (OR:1.44;95%CI:1.16-1.8), depression (OR:1.74;95%CI:1.27-2.37), and stress (OR:1.51;95%CI:1.18-1.94) were more frequent in women, and individuals who expressed fear of a negative outcome (death, sequelae) (OR:2.25;95%CI:1.60-3.25), (OR:1.49;95%CI:1.03-2.16) and (OR:2.36;95%CI:1.69-3.29) respectively. Allergists were morelikely to report symptoms of anxiety (76.47%), depression(43.14%), and stress (49.02%). Age was negatively associated with anxiety (OR:0.98;95%CI:0.98-0.99), stress (OR:0.98;95%CI:0.97-0.99), and depression (OR:0.97;95% CI:0.96-0.98). Reduction in consultations and surgeries (OR:1.01;95%CI:1.0-1.01) was positively associated with anxiety. Due to the pandemic, most specialists expected to incorporate drastic long-term (>1 year) changes in their clinical setting and daily activities. Conclusion(s): The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress is higher among Colombian healthcare workers compared to previous reports. Further research regarding these psychological outcomes is needed to achieve early mental health intervention strategies.
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Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 causes severe complications in subjects with risk factors: advanced age, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, among others. Patients with COVID-19 with severe disease have prolonged hospital stays, which causes dynapenia, muscle depletion, and sarcopenia, this induce a worse disease evolution and poor prognosis. Objective(s): Evaluate lung function in recovered COVID-19 with sarcopenia patients. Method(s): Cross-sectional study. 102 patients recovered from COVID-19 who required hospitalization wereincluded. Lung function was assessed using PIMAX, PEMAX, DLCO2 spirometry. Body composition was evaluated by electrical bioimpedance. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by appendicular muscle mass index (men: <7 kg / m, women <5.5 kg) and hand strength (men <27 kg, women <16 kg). Result(s): The population's average age was 44 years +/- 11.66, 58.88% were men, the subjects with sarcopenia had a higher prevalence of diabetes (26.32% vs 7.81%, p=0.039) hypertension (28.95% vs 12.5%, p = 0.039) compared with those without sarcopenia. Subjects with sarcopenia had worse respiratory parameters of FEV1(2.73lt vs 3.19lt, p=0.003), FEV1 post (2.70lt vs 3.24 lt, p=0.0005), FVC (3.19lt vs 3.9lt, p<0.001), FVCpost (3.22lt vs 3.90lt, p<0.001), FEV1/FVC (81.83 vs 84.17, p=0.040), DLCO (25.21 vs 31.83, p<0.001), and exercise tolerance (464.16 m vs 535.84 m, p<0.001) compared to the subjects withoout sarcopenia. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 recovered patients with a higher amount and sarcopenia developed a worse pulmonary and probably poor prognosis.
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Introduction: Physical conditioning develops conditional and coordinative capacities to improve physical performance through exercise. The 6-minute walk test (PC6M) assesses in an integrated manner the response of the respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic, musculoskeletal, and neurosensory systems to the stress imposed by exercise. Functional integration is analyzed by the maximum distance an individual can cover during six minutes of walking as fast as possible. Objective(s): To evaluate the effect of physical conditioning on the physical capacity of subjects recovered from COVID 19. Method(s): Clinical trial in subjects recovered from COVID-19 who required hospitalization during the acute phase, > 18 years were included. Subjects with musculoskeletal lesions were excluded. Physical capacity was assessed by PC6M. The intervention had a duration of 20 sessions of physical conditioning on cycle ergometer for arms and legs, treadmill and elliptical trainer. Result(s): Forty-two patients were evaluated, 56.41% of whom were men, with a mean age of 53.48 +/- 14.3 years. After 20 physical conditioning sessions, increase the physical capacity (434.58 +/- 89.10 vs. 546.63 +/- 101.34;p < 0.001), assessing dyspnea, fatigue, and saturation where no significant differences were found observed. Conclusion(s): An improvement in functional capacity was observed after 20 sessions.
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Background: COVID-19 vaccination has been suggested as very effective in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), but most studies assess antibody levels within a few weeks after vaccination and do not use the most recent recommendations as seroconversion cut-off. The objective of VACOVEII study is to evaluate the antibody response to vaccination at 6 months using these recommendations, the improvement after a booster dose and the effect of the immunosuppressive therapy (IST). We present the intermediate results of the study. Method(s): Spanish multicentre, prospective and case-control study. 18 years or older IBD patients fully vaccinated against COVID-19 were included. Those with previous COVID infection were not included, but not excluded for the next analyses if the infection was subsequent. Main outcomes were anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antibody (anti S) concentrations and rate of seroconversion (defined above the protection threshold of 260 BAU/mL), measured 6 months after vaccination at a single centralized laboratory. The effect of IST on the main outcomes was analysed, adjusted by age, vaccine type and COVID infection. Groups of treatment considered for the analysis were: Patients without IST (without treatment or under salicylates alone), anti-TNF in combination with immunomodulators (IMM), anti-TNF in monotherapy, IMM in monotherapy, ustekinumab and anti-integrin. Result(s): We included 313 patients with IBD (46.5% ulcerative colitis and 52.3% Crohn's disease, median age 49 years) vaccinated either with non-mRNA vaccines (14%) or mRNA vaccines (86%). Baseline therapy was: 124 patients without IST, 21 with anti-TNF plus IMM, 67 with anti-TNF in monotherapy, 54 with IMM in monotherapy, 28 with ustekinumab and 19 with anti-integrin. Mean anti S concentrations were significant lower in patients with anti-TNF compared with patients without IST (Figure 1). In multivariable analysis, lower antibody concentrations were independently associated with anti-TNF treatment, non-mRNA vaccines and older age. Within the patients with no COVID infection during the follow-up, we found very low rates of seroconversion in patients with anti-TNF (14.1%), ustekinumab (30.8%) and IMM in monotherapy (34.9%), compared with patients without IST (51.5%) (Table 1). In multivariable analysis, anti-TNF treatment, non-mRNA vaccines and older age were independently associated with lower rates of seroconversion, as well as ustekinumab and IMM in monotherapy (Table 2). Conclusion(s): COVID-19 vaccine-induced antibody seroconversion in patients with IBD, measured at 6 months and according to >260 BAU as protection threshold, is clearly lower than previously reported, with a profound impact by some IST therapies, mainly anti-TNF, besides age and type of vaccine.
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The study includes the analysis of cultural, commercial, and safety factors that affect the potential of the trade of the red sour pitaya (Stenocereus gummosus), as well as its characterization, consumer patterns, consumption channels, and the relevance, identity, and cultural value of the fruit in the Municipality of La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. The investigation has the objective of understanding the perception of the product in local knowledge, which is identified in the study area, where the wild fruit takes an added value in informal commercialization and is amalgamated with the local culture. For the analysis and data collection, a simple random sampling was conducted, on 227 economically active people with purchasing power. The method of applying the instrument was digital, limiting face-to-face contact with people due to the current Covid 19 pandemic. The exercise characterizes a population with mostly university studies, which consumes the product in a traditional way, which reflected a greater appreciation of the pitaya fruit, by older people.
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Background: Resilience in teachers allows them to face difficult situations to recover from adversity and there are gender differences. Likewise, artificial intelligence and the techniques associated with it have proven to be very useful in predicting educational variables and studying the interconnection between them after COVID-19. That said, the general objective of this research was to predict the levels of resilience in secondary school teachers through the design of an artificial neural network (ANN). Method: The Brief Resilient Coping Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the COVID-19 Stress Questionnaire were administered to 401 secondary school teachers (70.6% female) from schools in southeastern Spain, with a mean age of 44.36 years (SD = 9.38). Results: Differences were found in the configuration of the predictive models of resilience between male and female teachers, with the independent variables contrib-uting to different degrees depending on gender. Conclusions: It is highlighted the usefulness of ANNs in the educational setting and the need to design more adjusted programs. © 2023: Editum. Universidad de Murcia (Spain).
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The clinical course of COVID-19 may show severe presentation, potentially involving dynamic cytokine storms and T cell lymphopenia, which are leading causes of death in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Plasma exchange therapy (PLEX) effectively removes pro-inflammatory factors, modulating and restoring innate and adaptive immune responses. This clinical trial aimed to evaluate the impact of PLEX on the survival of patients with severe SARS-CoV-2 and the effect on the cytokine release syndrome. Hospitalized patients diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2 infection and cytokine storm syndrome were selected to receive 2 sessions of PLEX or standard therapy. Primary outcome was all-cause 60-days mortality; secondary outcome was requirement of mechanical ventilation, SOFA, NEWs-2 scores modification, reduction of pro-inflammatory biomarkers and hospitalization time. Twenty patients received PLEX were compared against 40 patients receiving standard therapy. PLEX reduced 60-days mortality (50% vs 20%; OR 0.25, 95%CI 0.071-0.880; p = 0.029), and this effect was independent from demographic variables and drug therapies used. PLEX significantly decreased SOFA, NEWs-2, pro-inflammatory mediators and increased lymphocyte count, accompanied with a trend to reduce affected lung volume, without effect on SatO2/FiO2 indicator or mechanical ventilation requirement. PLEX therapy provided significant benefits of pro-inflammatory clearance and reduction of 60-days mortality in selected patients with COVID-19, without significant adverse events.
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COVID-19 , Humans , COVID-19/therapy , COVID-19 Drug Treatment , Plasma Exchange , Respiration, Artificial , SARS-CoV-2ABSTRACT
Summary: Kikuchi-Fujimoto Disease (KFD) or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitys is a rare disorder characterized by subacute necrotizing regional lymphadenopathy. It is usually presented as painful cervical nodes and associated with fever, headache, night sweats, nausea, vomiting and sore throat. Etiology of KFD is still unclear, two theories have been proposed: infections and autoimmune origin. Due to recent reports of KFD related to COVID-19 vaccination, the novelty of the mechanism of these vaccines and the immunomodulated role of both matters, a literature and adverse event databases review was carried out in order to shed light on the relationship between these two matters. A search in the Spanish and the European adverse events databases (FEDRA and Eudravigilance) was performed. Search criteria were any drug and the diagnosis "Histiocytic necrotising lymphadenitis" according to the Medical Dictionary for Medical Activities version 25.0. All adverse events registered as June 2, 2022, were included. FEDRA encompassed two KFD reports, one related to a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Eudravigilance included a total of 62 KFD cases, 14 of them associated to COVID-19 vaccines and eight to other vaccines. Pharmacovigilance is of utter importance in detecting adverse events caused by new vaccines. More research is needed to establish a final connection between KFD and COVD-19 vaccines, but due to the physiopathology of the condition, how vaccines stimulate the immune system and the high number of reported KFD cases with vaccines given its rare incidence, it is plausible to think that both entities are related.
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Innovation is becoming a fundamental part of many sectors and environments, including universities, not only regarding their research but also how education is approached. In this line, one of the ways to achieve these objectives is based on a collaboration between society, which presents a need to be solved, and the University. This society-university integration is achievable via the Service-Learning methodology (SLM), which has always been based on establishing strong links between the educational world and society. This paper presents a SLM-based project linked to technological development for the health sector during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Specifically, undergraduate chemistry students, and Ph.D. students led by professors have presented part of their technological developments to people in society who are at risk of exclusion to help them understand aspects of infection as well as diagnosis of diseases. In short, the objective is to transfer in an enjoyable fashion, a set of technological developments and knowledge that can help society understand aspects related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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BACKGROUND: Acute respiratory distress syndrome, due to SARS-CoV-2, is a worldwide health problem. The neutrophil-lymphocyte index allows risk stratification in patients with severe and poor prognostic data, since it reflects the inflammatory state. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Index delta predicts mortality in patients with COVID-19. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal, comparative study in patients with COVID-19, older than 18 years, admitted to the ICU. We evaluated HAS, DM, obesity, COPD, asthma, PaO2/FiO2, tomographic severity. On admission and on days 3 and 7 we measured Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Index, SOFA and APACHE score. For statistical analysis, we performed ROC and Kaplan-Meyer curves. RESULTS: We included 180 patients with COVID-19, 63 died (35%). Delta INL1(Day1-day3)>4.11 was associated with mortality (AUC:0.633);sensitivity 55.56% and specificity 77.78%, CI95 0.55-0.70, for delta INL2 (Day1-day7)>8.95 (AUC:0.623);sensitivity 44.44% and specificity 84.62%, CI95 0.54-0.69. Difference in survival was observed for Delta1. SOFA scale >6, was associated with more days of mechanical ventilation and lower PaO2/FiO2 (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: INL delta between the day of ICU admission and the 3rd day of evolution is a predictor of mortality in critically ill patients.
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This work analyzes the effect that telework had on the lives of the teachers of the Multidisciplinary Unit of the Universidad Juarez Autonoma de Tabasco (UJAT) in Mexico, during the confinement by COVID-19, mainly in care work in homes with 15 years or less children. The main argument in this study is whether this way of working affected female teachers more than male teachers. The results show that female teachers assumed the main role of care and domestic tasks, reconciling these demands teleworking from home, at the expense of reducing their sleep hours and having their physical and mental health affected (stress, depression, anxiety).
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Vaccines are a preparation of microorganisms or their components, including proteins, carbohydrates, or nucleic acids, which are administered to an organism to induce immunity. The goal of a vaccine is to protect an individual against disease in the future. Unlike vector-based vaccines, protein-based vaccines elicit a specific immune response, and are more immunogenic than nucleic acid vaccines. Genomics, biotechnology, and bioinformatics tools allow even a more targeted design of vaccine candidates, which includes only those parts or epitopes of the relevant antigens in the domains of biological importance. The SARS-CoV-2 virus uses a mechanism of binding through the spike protein (S) to the angiotensin II converting enzyme (ACE2) that is expressed in several tissues in humans. Both, the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and the conformational structure of the S protein have been reported, increasing the possibilities of developing effective vaccines. Importantly, the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S protein is a highly conserved, immunodominant antigen and antibodies against it have neutralizing capacity. Most of the vaccines in development against SARS-CoV-2 include this domain in their design. In this chapter we will describe the COVID-19 vaccines based on protein antigens, the clinical trials carried out and the capacity for a more effective design through the use of bioinformatics and biotechnology tools. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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GEMS (Girls in Engineering, Math, and Science) is a free STEAM and programming summer camp and after-school robotics club that focuses on educating girls about the fields of STEM. GEMS is divided into two main programs: miniGEMS for rising fifth through eighth middle school students and megaGEMS for rising ninth through twelfth-grade high school students. This paper will provide an overview of a new program within megaGEMS called megaGEMS AEOP (Army Education Outreach Program) for rising eleventh and twelfth-grade high school girls. The camp was initially piloted in the Summer of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual four-week research camp. For Summer 2021, megaGEMS hosted the inaugural eight-week in-person Apprenticeship Research Camp from June 7-August 6, 2021, for eight rising juniors or seniors. This Apprenticeship Research Camp was held at the Autonomous Vehicle Systems (AVS) Research Laboratories located at the University of the Incarnate Word provided the students with an experiential research camp mentored by both faculty and graduate students in the science of autonomy. The camp was funded through two grants provided by the Army Education Outreach Program. Examples of projects included brain-computer interfacing, virtual reality, and Infrared and LIDAR sensor collection. One apprentice was able to obtain her FAA Part 107 UAS Operator license to collect images using a drone. The camp provided opportunities to expand soft skills, explore college-level research, and community outreach. The apprenticeship curriculum was implemented by undergraduate and graduate students which included: daily Python coding classes, developing quality research skills, improving public speaking, and introducing careers in STEAM. Local female STEM leaders were guest speakers and provided career advice. The program concluded with a research symposium where they presented their research in poster and presentation format. This paper will provide details about recruiting, lessons learned working with students and parents under COVID-19 restrictions and developing research agendas for high school students. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
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This paper introduces a hands-on laboratory curriculum for an undergraduate mechatronics course that delivers a team-based collaborative student experience for remote learning. COVID-19 pandemic created unexpected challenges for educators, where in-person teachings had to quickly transition to remote learning. This significantly impacted learning outcomes for hands-on laboratory courses by students not having access to laboratory equipment and the difficulty to follow the education practice “learn by doing” in the confines of their home. A remote laboratory curriculum is introduced with a series of hands-on mechatronic labs. Three individual student labs introduce how to operate a microcontroller, process infrared sensor signals, and program digital communication displays. Then two team-based collaborative labs explore how students can transmit/receive signals to control a servo using an ESP32 microcontroller with wireless communication over a bi-directional shared server. Then a course project on remote teleoperation is introduced for student-to-student collaboration at home. The learning experience gave students insight into a growing technological area, where teleoperation is in such fields as in-home healthcare, space and ocean exploration, and human-machine collaboration. Student survey results provided positive feedback on their ability to meet project requirements with the challenges of being at home instead of having an in-person learning environment. © American Society for Engineering Education, 2022.
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Objective: To characterize the food profile of the Older People of Ibero-America in times of the COVID 19 pandemic. Material and methods: Multicenter study in 12 Ibero-American countries, an online survey was applied that included sociodemographic questions and a Food Intake questionnaire that included the frequency of consumption for vegetables, sugary drinks, legumes, dairy products and portion of food. Results: The sample was made up of 624 participants, 72.1% (n= 450) of women. 54.7% of women do not consume sugary drinks, while in men 54% consume at least one glass a day (p=0.012). 35.6% of men consumed >= 3 legumes per week versus 23% of women (p=0.020). 37.3% of women consume >= 2 daily servings of dairy products, in men only 28.1% (p= 0.030). Women have a higher consumption of vegetables (44.7%, n= 201) compared to men (28.7%), (p=0.001). 17.4% of the total sample increased the size of the food portion, being higher in women (p=0.005). Conclusion: Women have healthier eating habits than men based on fruits, vegetables, on the other hand, the variation in size increases, especially in women.