RESUMO
Introduction: A higher number of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) metrics is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular-related and all-cause mortality. However, the change in CVH metrics has rarely been studied in sub-Saharan Africa. We investigated the level and changes of CVH metrics and their correlates among Beninese adults between 2008 and 2015. Methods: Secondary analysis was performed on data obtained from Benin's 2008 and 2015 WHO Stepwise surveys (STEPS). In total, 3617 and 3768 participants aged 25-64 years were included from both surveys, respectively. CVH metrics were assessed using the American Heart Association definition, which categorised smoking, fruit and vegetable consumption, physical activity, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), total cholesterol (TC) and glycaemia into 'ideal', 'intermediate' and 'poor' CVH. The prevalence of ideal CVH metrics was standardised using the age and sex structure of the 2013 population census. Results: Few participants met all seven ideal CVH metrics, and ideal CVH significantly declined between 2008 and 2015 (7.1% (95% CI 6.1% to 8.1%) and 1.2% (95% CI 0.8% to 1.5%), respectively). The level of poor smoking (8.0% (95% CI 7.1% to 8.9%) and 5.6% (95% CI 4.8% to 6.3%)) had decreased, whereas that of poor BP (25.9% (95% CI 24.5% to 27.4%) and 32.0% (95% CI 30.0% to 33.5%)), poor total cholesterol (1.5% (95% CI 1.0% to 1.9%) and 5.5% (95% CI 4.8% to 6.2%)) and poor fruit and vegetable consumption (34.2% (95% CI 32.4% to 35.9%) and 51.4% (95% CI 49.8% to 53.0%)) significantly increased. Rural residents and young adults (25-34 years) had better CVH metrics. Conclusion: The proportion of adults with ideal CVH status was low and declined significantly between 2008 and 2015 in Benin, emphasising the need for primordial prevention targeting urban areas and older people to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease risk factors.
RESUMO
Dynamic mechanical interactions between adhesion complexes and the cytoskeleton are essential for axon outgrowth and guidance. Whether planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins, which regulate cytoskeleton dynamics and appear necessary for some axon guidance, also mediate interactions with membrane adhesion is still unclear. Here we show that Vangl2 controls growth cone velocity by regulating the internal retrograde actin flow in an N-cadherin-dependent fashion. Single molecule tracking experiments show that the loss of Vangl2 decreased fast-diffusing N-cadherin membrane molecules and increased confined N-cadherin trajectories. Using optically manipulated N-cadherin-coated microspheres, we correlated this behavior to a stronger mechanical coupling of N-cadherin with the actin cytoskeleton. Lastly, we show that the spatial distribution of Vangl2 within the growth cone is selectively affected by an N-cadherin-coated substrate. Altogether, our data show that Vangl2 acts as a negative regulator of axonal outgrowth by regulating the strength of the molecular clutch between N-cadherin and the actin cytoskeleton.
