Physical Activity and Obesity Risk in Adults in Colombia: The Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate longitudinal associations between physical activity levels and obesity in adults in Colombia, where participation in large amounts of light-intensity physical activity is a necessity for many people. METHODS: Participation in moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity was assessed from 2005 to 2009, and obesity was assessed from 2011 to 2019 in men and women from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Total physical activity level was categorized as low (<600 MET·min·wk -1 ), medium (600-3000 MET·min·wk -1 ), or high (>3000 MET·min·wk -1 ; 600 MET·min·wk -1 is equivalent to 150 min of moderate activity or 75 min of vigorous activity per week). Obesity was defined as body mass index ≥30 kg·m -2 . Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, smoking, socioeconomic status, diet, alcohol, sedentary time, and sleep. RESULTS: The main analysis included 3086 men and women aged 51 ± 9 yr at baseline (mean ± SD). Compared with the low physical activity group, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for obesity was 0.67 (0.53-0.85) in the medium physical activity group and 0.78 (0.62-0.98) in the high physical activity group after adjustment for potential confounders. Smoking is probably a major confounder, and it is noteworthy that similar associations were observed in participants who reported never smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The PURE study is the only prospective cohort study in Colombia. The present analysis is important because it suggests that even the busy people of Colombia could substantially reduce their risk of obesity by participating in moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity.

From E-Waste to High-Value Materials: Sustainable Synthesis of Metal, Metal Oxide, and MOF Nanoparticles from Waste Printed Circuit Boards.

The exponential growth of electronic waste (e-waste) has raised significant environmental concerns, with projections indicating a surge to 74.7 million metric tons of e-waste generated by 2030. Waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), constituting approximately 10% of all e-waste, are particularly intriguing due to their high content of valuable metals and rare earth elements. However, the presence of hazardous elements necessitates sustainable recycling strategies. This review explores innovative approaches to sustainable metal nanoparticle synthesis from WPCBs. Efficient metal recovery from WPCBs begins with disassembly and the utilization of advanced equipment for optimal separation. Various pretreatment techniques, including selective leaching and magnetic separation, enhance metal recovery efficiency. Green recovery systems such as biohydrometallurgy offer eco-friendly alternatives, with high selectivity. Converting metal ions into nanoparticles involves concentration and transformation methods like chemical precipitation, electrowinning, and dialysis. These methods are vital for transforming recovered metal ions into valuable nanoparticles, promoting sustainable resource utilization and eco-friendly e-waste recycling. Sustainable green synthesis methods utilizing natural sources, including microorganisms and plants, are discussed, with a focus on their applications in producing well-defined nanoparticles. Nanoparticles derived from WPCBs find valuable applications in drug delivery, microelectronics, antimicrobial materials, environmental remediation, diagnostics, catalysis, agriculture, etc. They contribute to eco-friendly wastewater treatment, photocatalysis, protective coatings, and biomedicine. The important implications of this review lie in its identification of sustainable metal nanoparticle synthesis from WPCBs as a pivotal solution to e-waste environmental concerns, paving the way for eco-friendly recycling practices and the supply of valuable materials for diverse industrial applications.

Modified montmorillonite-bacterial cellulose composites as a novel dressing system for pressure injury.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of bacterial cellulose hydrogel (BCH) incorporated into montmorillonite (MMT) and its underlying mechanisms of action on a skin wound healing mouse model following pressure injury model. Komagataeibacter hansenii was used to obtain 5 cm in diameter and 0.8 mm of thickness circular bacterial cellulose (BC) sheets, which were incorporated with MMT by deposition ex-site using a 0.1% MMT suspension (100 rpm for 24 h at 28 °C). Afterward, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the bacterial cellulose hydrogel incorporated into montmorillonite (BCH-MMT). The pressure injury model was assessed by macroscopic and histological analysis in male Swiss mice. Both, BC and BCH-MMT, showed a typical FTIR spectrum of cellulosic substrates with pronounces bands around 3344, 2920, 1637, and 1041 cm-1 while microparticles of MMT dispersed uniformly throughout BC were revealed by SEM photographs. Animals treated with BCH-MMT showed significant healing of pressure ulcers as demonstrated by reduced area of redness and spontaneous hyperalgesia, lower amounts of in-site inflammatory cells (to the same level as the positive control Dersani®) and ultimately, complete epidermis re-epithelialization and tissue regeneration. Altogether, these findings suggest that a modified BCH-MMT film could serve as scaffolding for skin tissue engineering and potentially as a novel dressing material for pressure injury.

Estudo do potencial de adsorção de íons de ferro de água contaminada com drenagem ácida de mina utilizando geopolímero à base de cinza da casca de arroz e resíduo cerâmico / Removal of iron ions from water contaminated with acid mine drainage by geopolymer derived from rice husk ash and ceramic residue

Resumo A drenagem ácida de mina da mineração de carvão é um dos mais graves problemas ambientais que existem atualmente e é caracterizada, principalmente, por apresentar elevada acidez, baixo pH e expressiva concentração de metais tóxicos, como ferro, Mn e muitos outros, afetando diretamente mananciais e rios. Em busca de uma alternativa que pudesse melhorar, de forma eficiente e econômica, os níveis de acidez e ferro da água impactada pela drenagem ácida de mina, foi desenvolvido um adsorvente geopolimérico à base de materiais residuais da indústria cerâmica e do beneficiamento de arroz (cinzas da casca de arroz). O objetivo desta pesquisa foi avaliar a eficiência do geopolímero na remoção de íons ferro em água contaminada com drenagem ácida de mina. Foram avaliados aspectos de dosagem do adsorvente, efeito da temperatura, concentrações iniciais de ferro, cinética e parâmetros termodinâmicos do processo de adsorção. O percentual de ferro removido foi de 92,76%, à temperatura de 25 °C, em um período de 20 min, com uma concentração de adsorvente de 4 g L-1. A capacidade máxima de adsorção de ferro pelo geopolímero foi de 7,18 mg.g-1. O principal mecanismo de adsorção ocorreu em razão da quimissorção, que segue o modelo cinético de pseudossegunda ordem. O geopolímero se mostrou como uma alternativa eficiente ao tratamento de água contaminada com drenagem ácida de mina.

Abstract Acid mine drainage is a worldwide problem and is characterized by high acidity, low pH and expressive concentration of heavy metals, such as iron, Mn and many others, directly affecting water sources and rivers. In search of an alternative that could efficiently and economically improve the levels of acidity and water iron impacted by acid mine drainage, a geopolymeric adsorbent based on residual materials was developed: from the ceramic industry and rice processing (rice husk ash). In this work, it was evaluated the efficiency of the geopolymer in removing iron ions in water contaminated with acid mine drainage. Aspects of adsorbent dosage, temperature effect, initial iron concentrations, kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of the adsorption process were evaluated. The percentage of iron removed was 92.76%, at a temperature of 25 °C, for 20 min, with an adsorbent concentration of 4 g L-1, with the maximum capacity for adsorption of iron by the geopolymer being 7.18 mg.g-1. The main mechanism of adsorption occurred due to chemisorption, which follows the kinetic model of pseudo-second order. Geopolymer appears potentially useful an efficient alternative in the treatment of water contaminated with acid mine drainage.

The Development of a Novel, Standards-Based Core Curriculum for Community Facing, Clinic-Based Community Health Workers.

Introduction: Historically, CHW trainings have been developed to support community-based CHWs. When CHWs have been trained to engage with patients, typically such trainings have been for short term grant funded projects, focusing on a specific health intervention and not for long term, ongoing engagement of CHWs employed in clinical settings. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first such effort to describe the development of a standards-based training curriculum for clinic-based CHWs using a novel conceptual framework. Methods: Our conceptual approach for curricular development has several innovative features including: (1) a foundational consultation process with CHW national experts to inform curricular development approach, process and content; (2) utilization of the CHW Consensus Project (C3 Project) to provide curricular standards and guide learning objectives; (3) integration of three key stakeholder group perspectives (patients, healthcare teams, and healthcare systems); (4) use of popular education principles, aiming to foster a collaborative learning process; (5) integration of adult learning principles which build on learners' experiences, culminating in a modified apprenticeship model and (6) collaboration with clinical partners throughout planning and development of the curriculum. Results: The resulting standards-based curriculum is comprised of 10 modules, which span three areas of focus: (1) Establishing a professional CHW identity and competencies; (2) Outlining the context, processes and key actors in health care settings with whom CHWs will engage; and (3) Identifying the main forces that shape health and health care outcomes of patients/families and communities. Discussion: We highlight four lessons from our curriculum development process that may help other such efforts. First, curricular development should utilize CHW standards, existing training materials, and community-focused principles to inform curricular content and learning outcomes. Second, curricula should support training delivery using experience-based, participatory approaches, consistent with adult education and popular education principles. Third, training development for clinical settings should also draw from clinical CHW experiences and input. Fourth, curricula should support training for key stakeholders and champions in clinical organizations to improve organizational readiness for integrating CHWs into healthcare teams and health systems. Our results contribute to growing research on effective CHW training methods for clinical settings.

Rememorando la contribución de Goldstein y Brown al estudio del metabolismo del colesterol: a un cuarto de siglo del Premio Nobel de Medicina / The contribution of Goldstein and Brown to the study of cholesterol metabolism

Background: In December 1985, the Nobel Prize of Medicine was awarded to Drs. Joseph L. Goldstein and Michael S. Brown for their fundamental scientific work on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism mediated by the low density lipoprotein receptor pathway. This article briefly reviews the academic and research accomplishments of Drs. Brown and Goldstein as a tribute to these physician-scientists for their well-deserved award and enormous contribution to biomedical science worldwide.

[The contribution of Goldstein and Brown to the study of cholesterol metabolism]. / Rememorando la contribución de Goldstein y Brown al estudio del metabolismo del colesterol: a un cuarto de siglo del Premio Nobel de Medicina.

In December 1985, the Nobel Prize of Medicine was awarded to Drs. Joseph L. Goldstein and Michael S. Brown for their fundamental scientific work on the regulation of cholesterol metabolism mediated by the low density lipoprotein receptor pathway. This article briefly reviews the academic and research accomplishments of Drs. Brown and Goldstein as a tribute to these physician-scientists for their well-deserved award and enormous contribution to biomedical science worldwide.

[Latent autoimmune diabetes in adults]. / Diabetes autoinmune (latente) del adulto.

Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults (LADA) is the term used to describe adults who have a slowly progressive form of diabetes mellitus (DM) of autoimmune etiology, but that may be treated initially without insulin. Although it shares some immunological and genetic aspects with type 1 DM, it affects an age group that is typically affected by type 2 DM. Therefore, it could be considered an intermediate type. Diagnosis is based on clinical and laboratory criteria: age of onset, initial response to oral hypoglycemic agents and the presence of specific antibodies for diabetes. Although the definitive treatment is insulin, glitazones may be useful in early stages of the disease. Currently, its management represents a challenge for the physician, including specialists, and it is a form of DM to keep in mind.