COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, outpatients, and deaths in Mexico by ethnicity and state-level income.

INTRODUCTION: Mexico is one of the countries that is most affected by mortality due to COVID-19. Once infected, the indigenous population living in the lower-income states had worse outcomes. Our objectives were to analyze outcomes by ethnic group, and determine the association between state-level income and the incidence, hospitalizations, outpatients, and death rates per 100,000 population. METHODOLOGY: We analyzed 1,037,567 confirmed COVID-positive cases from February 29 to November 13, 2020 recorded in the Mexican COVID-19 cases database. Sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes were analyzed. Data was allocated according to the state where the patients were treated. Statistical association between age-adjusted incidence and death rates with state-level GDP per capita (as a measure of income), were ascertained using Spearman correlations. Kruskal-Wallis tests examine the association of cumulative incidence, hospitalizations, outpatients, and death rates, with income quartiles. When significant, a follow-up analysis (Mann-Whitney) was conducted. RESULTS: Respective cumulative incidence rates and death rates were: 900.3 (non-indigenous) and 94.4 (indigenous), and 87.1 (non-indigenous) and 13.9 (indigenous). Spearman correlation coefficients of income with age-standardized incidence and death rates were 0.657 and 0.607 (p < 0.001 for both). Kruskal-Wallis H-Values indicate significant median differences by income in total population rates: cumulative incidence 13.47 (p < 0.01), hospitalizations 11.67 (p < 0.01), outpatients 12.86 (p < 0.01), and deaths 8.92 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Cumulative incidence, hospitalizations, outpatients, and mortality rates presented a reversed socioeconomic status health gradient in Mexico. Less adverse outcomes were observed in the lowest-income states compared to higher-income states.

Evaluation of microwave heating on the mechanical properties, ß-glucan, and fiber content of barley kernels.

BACKGROUND: Microwave heating may affect some non-starch polysaccharides of cereal kernels. This microwave effect can be positive for functional properties and the final product. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to explore the effects of microwave heating on mechanical properties, malt extract yield, wort viscosity, β-glucan of wort, and soluble, insoluble, and total dietary fiber in malting and feed barley. METHODS: The barley kernels were microwave heated for 4 and 8 s and compared with a control (0 s) with no microwave irradiation treatment. The mechanical properties were measured by compressive loadings; an Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy was used for kernel layers. β-glucan content in the barley kernel and wort was measured with a Mixed Linkage beta-glucan (K-BGLU Megazyme International; Wicklow, Ireland). Insoluble, soluble, and total dietary fiber was determined using 32-07 of AACC method. RESULTS: The thickness of barley kernel bran layers was related to the mechanical properties. The modulus of elasticity decreased after 4 s of heating but increased after 8 s. Irradiation affected non-starch polysaccharides, such as β-glucan and fiber. β-glucan decreased after 4 s as did wort viscosity. The insoluble and total dietary fiber followed the same trend as β-glucan, but the soluble fiber content increased with prolonged microwave heating. CONCLUSIONS: A few seconds of microwave heating is enough to increase barley’s value in the brewing industry and improve health benefits due to minor changes in the biochemical grain components.

Cereals as a Source of Bioactive Compounds with Anti-Hypertensive Activity and Their Intake in Times of COVID-19.

Cereals have phytochemical compounds that can diminish the incidence of chronic diseases such as hypertension. The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) participates in the modulation of blood pressure and is the principal receptor of the virus SARS-CoV-2. The inhibitors of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) and the block receptors of angiotensin II regulate the expression of ACE2; thus, they could be useful in the treatment of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. The inferior peptides from 1 to 3 kDa and the hydrophobic amino acids are the best candidates to inhibit ACE, and these compounds are present in rice, corn, wheat, oats, sorghum, and barley. In addition, the vitamins C and E, phenolic acids, and flavonoids present in cereals show a reduction in the oxidative stress involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The influence of ACE on hypertension and COVID-19 has turned into a primary point of control and treatment from the nutritional perspective. The objective of this work was to describe the inhibitory effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme that the bioactive compounds present in cereals possess in order to lower blood pressure and how their consumption could be associated with reducing the virulence of COVID-19.