Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Gestión del conocimiento: perspectiva multidisciplinaria. Volumen 12

El libro “Gestión del Conocimiento. Perspectiva Multidisciplinaria”, Volumen 12, de la Colección Unión Global, es resultado de investigaciones. Los capítulos del libro, son resultados de investigaciones desarrolladas por sus autores. El libro cuenta con el apoyo de los grupos de investigación: Universidad Sur del Lago “Jesús María Semprúm” (UNESUR), Zulia – Venezuela; Universidad Politécnica Territorial de Falcón Alonso Gamero (UPTAG), Falcón – Venezuela; Universidad Politécnica Territorial de Mérida Kleber Ramírez (UPTM), Mérida – Venezuela; Universidad Guanajuato (UG) - Campus Celaya - Salvatierra - Cuerpo Académico de Biodesarrollo y Bioeconomía en las Organizaciones y Políticas Públicas (C.A.B.B.O.P.P), Guanajuato – México; Centro de Altos Estudios de Venezuela (CEALEVE), Zulia – Venezuela, Centro Integral de Formación Educativa Especializada del Sur (CIFE - SUR) - Zulia - Venezuela, Centro de Investigaciones Internacionales SAS (CIN), Antioquia - Colombia.y diferentes grupos de investigación del ámbito nacional e internacional que hoy se unen para estrechar vínculos investigativos, para que sus aportes científicos formen parte de los libros que se publiquen en formatos digital e impreso

Risk profiles and one-year outcomes of patients with newly diagnosed atrial fibrillation in India: Insights from the GARFIELD-AF Registry.

BACKGROUND: The Global Anticoagulant Registry in the FIELD-Atrial Fibrillation (GARFIELD-AF) is an ongoing prospective noninterventional registry, which is providing important information on the baseline characteristics, treatment patterns, and 1-year outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). This report describes data from Indian patients recruited in this registry. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 52,014 patients with newly diagnosed AF were enrolled globally; of these, 1388 patients were recruited from 26 sites within India (2012-2016). In India, the mean age was 65.8 years at diagnosis of NVAF. Hypertension was the most prevalent risk factor for AF, present in 68.5% of patients from India and in 76.3% of patients globally (P < 0.001). Diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD) were prevalent in 36.2% and 28.1% of patients as compared with global prevalence of 22.2% and 21.6%, respectively (P < 0.001 for both). Antiplatelet therapy was the most common antithrombotic treatment in India. With increasing stroke risk, however, patients were more likely to receive oral anticoagulant therapy [mainly vitamin K antagonist (VKA)], but average international normalized ratio (INR) was lower among Indian patients [median INR value 1.6 (interquartile range {IQR}: 1.3-2.3) versus 2.3 (IQR 1.8-2.8) (P < 0.001)]. Compared with other countries, patients from India had markedly higher rates of all-cause mortality [7.68 per 100 person-years (95% confidence interval 6.32-9.35) vs 4.34 (4.16-4.53), P < 0.0001], while rates of stroke/systemic embolism and major bleeding were lower after 1 year of follow-up. CONCLUSION: Compared to previously published registries from India, the GARFIELD-AF registry describes clinical profiles and outcomes in Indian patients with AF of a different etiology. The registry data show that compared to the rest of the world, Indian AF patients are younger in age and have more diabetes and CAD. Patients with a higher stroke risk are more likely to receive anticoagulation therapy with VKA but are underdosed compared with the global average in the GARFIELD-AF. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION-URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01090362

Exposición ocupacional a plomo y cadmio en personal de salud

In order to contribute to the prevention of the potentially serious consequences of chronic exposure to lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd), the current status of occupational exposure to these metals among a group of workers of a Public Hospital of the Metropolitan Area of Santiago is described.Biochemical parameters related to the exposure to Pb and Cd were measured at the time of problem detection and two years after the implementation of preventive measures.The present is a study involving a unique historic cohort, using secondary information. Initial findings were average blood levels of lead and ZPP and cadmium in urine within the normal range; after the preventive intervention a significant variation in these parameters was observed, thus indicating the effectiveness of the intervention. Functional testings of the organs potentially affected by the exposure did not show alterations or significant variations between pre and postpreventive intervention analysis. The present work demonstrates that that lead and cadmium intoxications are a current problem within the Chilean healthcare occupational environment and that preventive measures implemented to protect workers are effective, especially if the problem is detected early, before chronic intoxication-derived consequences are observed.Con el fin de contribuir a evitar las consecuencias potencialmente graves derivadas de la exposición crónica a plomo y cadmio, se describe la situación de exposición ocupacional a estos metales de un grupo de trabajadores de un hospital público de la Región Metropolitana. Se describen parámetros bioquímicos relacionados con la exposición a Pb y Cd al momento de detectarse el problema y al cabo de dos años de haber implementado medidas protectoras. Se trata de un estudio de cohorte histórico único, usando información secundaria. Inicialmente se encuentra niveles promedio de plomo en sangre, ZPP y cadmio en orina dentro del rango normal; después de la intervención se observa una variación significativa en estos parámetros lo cual señala la efectividad de la intervención preventiva. Los exámenes funcionales de órganos o sistemas potencialmente afectados por la exposición no muestran alteraciones ni variaciones significativas pre y post intervención. Se pone en evidencia que las intoxicaciones por plomo y cadmio son un problema presente en el ámbito laboral chileno y que las medidas de protección aplicadas a los trabajadores son eficaces, especialmente si se detecta precozmente el problema, antes de que se evidencien repercusiones derivadas de la intoxicación crónica

Fire Scars: remotely sensed historical burned area and fire severity in Chile between 1984-2018

The Landscape Fire Scars Database for Chile makes publicly available for the first time a historical high-resolution (~30 m) burned area and fire severity product for the country. The georeferenced database is a multi-institutional effort containing information on more than 8,000 fires events between July 1984 and June 2018. Using Google Earth Engine (GEE), we reconstructed the fire scar area, perimeter, and severity for each fire. We also provide the Landsat mosaic image of pre- and post-fire events, including the NDVI and NBR indexes. In the related paper, we release the GEE code to reproduce our database or enable the international community to reconstruct another individual burned areas and fire severity data, with minimum input requirements. In the summary file is the list of reconstructed fire events. The identification number (ID) relates the initial information of the wildfires with fire scar and severity data