La hipótesis de la abuela / The hypothesis of the grandmother

Una característica que distingue al ser humano del resto de los animales es una larga vida posmenopáusica. Según la hipótesis de la abuela, la menopausia es una adaptación evolutiva. Es el resultado de la hipótesis del cese precoz de la reproducción para permitir una larga vida postreproductiva en la mujer. Esto ha tenido importantes implicaciones en nuestro pasado evolutivo en relación con la organización social, el largo periodo de aprendizaje de las crías humanas, y la dependencia de los padres y parientes para la alimentación y la protección de los niños pequeños

Long postmenopausal lifespans distinguish human from all other mammals. In the grandmother hypothesis, menopause is an evolutionary adaptation. It is about the stopping early reproduction hypothesis in order to create a post reproductive lifespan. Is has implications for past human social organization and it was important for extended learning and paternal provisioning and care of the children in human evolution

Antropometría y dieta en adolescentes de Badajoz / Anthropometrics and diet of adolescents in Badajoz (Spain)

Antecedentes: La obesidad no es un problema exclusivo de los adultos de los países desarrollados. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron analizar el estado antropométrico y el patrón alimentario e ingesta calórica diaria de adolescentes y jóvenes extremeños. Métodos: Compusieron la población objeto de estudio alumnos de secundaria, bachillerato y primer curso de facultad. Las medidas antropométricas realizadas fueron: peso, talla (índice de masa corporal [IMC]), pliegues cutáneos (porcentaje de peso graso [ por cientoPE]) y perímetros de cintura y cadera (índice cintura cadera [ICC]). Los datos se recogieron mediante encuesta retrospectiva de recuerdo de 24 h con presencia del encuestador. Resultados: Componen la muestra 246 personas, con un 54 por ciento de varones y un 45 por ciento de mujeres. La edad media es de 16,98 ñ 2,39 años. El IMC resultante fue de 22,37 ñ 3,5; con sobrepeso (IMC >= 25) se hallaron el 14 por ciento de los individuos y con obesidad (IMC > 30) el 3 por ciento; el IMC es significativamente superior en los mayores de 18 años (p < 0,05). El consumo calórico medio es de 2.244 ñ 761 kcal/día, superior (p < 0,01) en varones que en mujeres, en todas las comidas. Los hidratos de carbono proporcionan el 40,86 por ciento de las calorías, las proteínas el 17,55 por ciento y los lípidos el 41,58 por ciento. Conclusiones: a) Los sujetos con sobrepeso y obesidad representan el 17 por ciento de la muestra estudiada; b) los varones tienen una ingesta calórica superior que las mujeres en todas las comidas del día, siendo el total de 2.244 ñ 761 kcal; c) el 18 por ciento de las calorías ingeridas al día proceden del consumo entre horas, y d) el consumo de grasas y proteínas es más alto que el recomendado; el de glúcidos, menor (AU)

[Vascular risk factors in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Correlation between albuminuria and glycosylated hemoglobin]. / Factores de riesgo vascular en la diabetes mellitus no insulinodependiente. Correlación entre albuminuria y hemoglobina glicada.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared 23 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and 28 non-diabetic control subjects, seeking for associations between NIDDM and other cardiovascular risk factors. The relationship of the glycemic control with the risk factor profile was also assessed. RESULTS: The most outstanding results were: The diabetic group showed higher values in the proportion of subjects with diabetes family history (P < 0.01) and the levels of systolic blood pressure (P < 0.05), total cholesterol (P < 0.05), triglyceridemia (P < 0.001), and total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol ratio (P < 0.01). Within the diabetic group, a positive correlation (r = 0.68, P < 0.001) was found between the percent of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and the 24-hour urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). CONCLUSION: We conclude that NIDDM associates to other cardiovascular risk factors. The correlation of HbA1c with UAER suggests a possible relationship between poor diabetic control and some of the secondary diabetic complications.

Influence of diet and physical exercise on plasma lipid concentrations in an homogeneous sample of young Spanish Air Force pilots.

This study evaluates the influence of diet and physical exercise on plasma lipid concentrations--total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), and the TC:HDL-C ratio, in a homogeneous (age, sex and anxiety levels) group of young pilots divided into the following groups: A. uncontrolled diet and exercise programme; B. controlled diet and uncontrolled exercise programme; C. controlled diet and exercise programme (n = 90). The dietary intake was a typical Mediterranean diet, which was supervised by the Flight Surgeon. The exercise was based on a physical training programme for pilots, directed by the Physical Training Officer. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory test was performed to evaluate the anxiety levels. This test was supervised by a psychologist. The results showed a marked difference in all the lipid parameters studied between groups with an ad libitum diet versus groups with a controlled diet, this difference being demonstrated by TC and TG concentrations lower in the group with a controlled diet, than in the group with an ad libitum diet. A difference in HDL-C concentrations and TC:HDL-C ratio was found between groups with regular physical training (high HDL-C concentration and low TC:HDL-C ratio) versus groups with unlimited exercise (low HDL-C concentrations and high TC:HDL-C ratio). No differences in the state and trait of anxiety were found among any of the groups. Nevertheless, all the pilots showed a considerable increase in their anxiety state over their own anxiety trait.

A case of hemidiaphragmatic paralysis after an anti-G suit failure.

This paper reports a case of left hemidiaphragmatic paralysis in an instructor pilot and his later recuperation. This incident was provoked by a failure in the anti-G suit, which remained inflated after the aircraft completed the maneuver that had originated the inflation. The spontaneous recuperation of both the respiratory functional test and the neurophysiological pattern are consistent with a Type II Seddon's axonotmesis of the phrenic nerve. Considering the short time of regeneration (6 months), this lesion must have involved the distal portion of the phrenic nerve.

Relation between flight hours and peripheral nervous conduction velocity.

The peripheral nervous system is highly sensitive to variations in the internal medium. A neurophysiological study (peripheral nervous conduction velocity) and an enzymatic study (catalase and glutathione-peroxidase) were performed in both instructor and student pilots. Pilots do not show the age-dependent decrease in the peripheral sensory nervous conduction velocity observed in non-pilot subject controls. The sensory conduction velocity (SCV) was significantly (p less than 0.01) increased when hours of flight experience increased, yielding a positive correlation (r = 0.6461; p = 0.0016). A significant (p less than 0.01) increase in the erythrocite catalase and glutathione-peroxidase activities were observed in pilots vs. controls. The present data suggest that a chronically increased oxygen consumption could be the reason for the increase in peripheral nervous conduction velocity observed in pilots.