Ankle brachial index (ABI) in a cohort of older women in the Philippines: Prevalence of peripheral artery disease and predictors of ABI

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is rising in low and middle-income countries, but studies of CVD epidemiology in such settings often focus on risk factors rather than measures of disease progression. Here we use the ankle brachial index (ABI) to assess the prevalence of peripheral artery disease (PAD) among older women living in Metropolitan Cebu, Philippines, and relationships between ABI and CVD risk factors and body composition. Methods: ABI was measured using the Doppler technique in 538 female participants in the 2015 Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey (mean age 58 years, range 47-78 years). ABI was related to a panel of CVD risk factors measured in 2005 and 2012, and to 2012 body composition measures. Results: The prevalence of PAD (1.8%) was among the lowest reported in any comparably-aged sample, and only 9.9% of participants had an ABI indicating borderline PAD risk. Smoking (P < 0.011) and use of CVD medications (P < 0.0001) predicted lower ABI (indicating higher PAD risk), which was also lower in relation to 2012 systolic blood pressure (P < 0.054). ABI was unrelated to other CVD risk factors. An apparent protective relationship between body mass index (BMI) and ABI, noted in previous studies, was found to be confounded by protective relationships between ABI and fat free mass, height, and grip strength (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of PAD is low in Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey participants, and ABI was related to few CVD risk factors. Past reports of lower PAD risk in relation to BMI may reflect confounding by lean mass, which has protective relationships with ABI

Collider aspects of flavour physics at high Q

This review presents flavour related issues in the production and decays of heavy states at LHC, both from the experimental side and from the theoretical side. We review top quark physics and discuss flavour aspects of several extensions of the Standard Model, such as supersymmetry, little Higgs model or models with extra dimensions. This includes discovery aspects as well as measurement of several properties of these heavy states. We also present public available computational tools related to this topic.Comment: Report of Working Group 1 of the CERN Workshop ``Flavour in the era of the LHC'', Geneva, Switzerland, November 2005 -- March 200

Experimental pancreas transplantation: the consequences of the portocaval shunt on the blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon Transplante experimental de pâncreas: as consequências da derivação portocava na glicemia sanguínea, na insulina plásmica e no glucagon

The consequences of the bypass of the portal venous effluent into the systemic circulation on the blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon in immediate postoperative period of rats submitted to pancreas transplantation were studied. Forty outbred male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to two experimental groups: group NC included 20 non-diabetic control rats, submitted to simulated operating (sham-operated), and group PT included 20 diabetic rats that received heterotopic pancreas transplantation from normal donor Wistar rats. For 7 days prior and 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 hours after transplantation blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon were recorded. These parameters were also concurrently recorded for NC rats. Diabetes was induced by i.v. alloxan administration; PT rats were immunosuppressed with cyclosporin A. NC rats presented normal values of blood glucose, plasma insulin, and glucagon over the course of experiment. A marked hyperinsulinemia was found in peripheral venous blood of PT rats, being plasma insulin significantly higher than that for NC rats (P<0.01) beginning 72- h after transplant. The plasma glucagon, elevated in pre-transplant period, did not change after transplant. Despite hyperinsulinemia and hyperglucagonemia, the blood glucose levels were elevated up to 6- h after transplant, but were within normal levels following this period. Beginning at 12- h after transplant the blood glucose levels observed in PT rats did not differ significantly to NC rats until the sacrifice.<br>A proposição foi realizada, no período pós-operatório imediato, em 40 ratos Wistar, distribuídos por sorteio em doi grupos: grupo NC, vinte ratos correspondentes ao grupo controle, não diabético, submetidos a operação simulada e o grupo PT, 20 ratos correspondentes ao grupo diabético que recebeu transplante de pâncreas heterotópico de ratos Wistar normais. Durante sete dias, antes do transplante, e 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96 horas após, determinava-se a glicose sanguínea, a insulina plasnática e o glucagon. Estes parâmetros eram obtidos também do grupo NC. Diabetes mellitus experimental era induzida pela administração intravenosa de aloxana. O grupo PT era imunosuprimido com ciclosporina A. O grupo NC apresentou níveis normais de glicose sanguínea, de insulina plásmica e de glucagon, durante todo o experimento. Foi encontrada nítida hiperinsulinemia no sangue venoso periférico do grupo PT. A insulina plasmática era significantemente maior no grupo PT comparada ao grupo NC começando 72 horas após o transplante. O glucagon plasmático, elevado no período pré-transplante, não se alterou após o transplante. Apesar de hiperinsulinemia e hiperglucagonemia, os níveis de glicose sanguínea eram elevados 6 horas após o transplante e mantiveram-se normais após este período. Considerando-se os níveis de glicose sanguínea 12 horas pós-transplante, não houve diferença estatisticamente significante entre os grupos PT e NC, até o sacrifício

Potencial erosivo da chuva no vale do rio doce, região centro leste do estado de Minas Gerais: primeira aproximação Erosive potential of rainfall at Rio Doce Valley, central-east region of Minas Gerais state: first approach

Entre os fatores climáticos que interferem na erosão hídrica, a precipitação pluvial, expressa pela erosividade da chuva, é o de maior importância. Portanto, seu conhecimento torna-se fundamental na recomendação de práticas de manejo e conservação do solo que visem à redução da erosão hídrica. Nesse contexto, os objetivos deste trabalho foram: a) determinar a erosividade da chuva e sua distribuição, na região do Vale do Rio Doce, MG, para nove sub-regiões; b) estimar o índice EI30 mensal, no período de 1969 a 2005, para os municípios de Ferros e Guanhães e c) determinar o tempo de retorno dos índices mensais e anuais de erosividade. O valor médio de erosividade obtido foi de 12.913 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 ano-1, sendo classificado como muito alto. Entre as sub-regiões, os valores de erosividade variaram de 8.243 a 26.676 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 ano-1. O período crítico em relação à erosão hídrica, em razão da ocorrência de chuvas erosivas, é de janeiro-março e novembro-dezembro, contribuindo com 88,6% da erosividade anual. De abril a outubro, praticamente inexiste a ocorrência de erosividade crítica. Os valores máximos individuais estimados para os tempos de retorno de 1, 10, 50 e 150 anos foram de 5.508, 15.534, 18.110, 19.632 e 5.542, 17.653, 20.954, 22.931 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 ano-1, para Ferros e Guanhães, respectivamente. A determinação dos valores de erosividade ao longo do ano permite identificar os meses nos quais os riscos de perdas de solo e água são mais elevados, o que exerce relevante papel no planejamento das práticas conservacionistas.<br>Among the climatic factors that interfere in water erosion, precipitation, expressed by the rainfall erosivity, is of great importance. Therefore, its knowledge becomes fundamental for the recommendation for soil management and conservation practices that seek the reduction of water erosion. In that context, the objectives of this work were: a) to determine the rainfall erosivity and its distribution at Rio Doce Valley, Minas Gerais State, for nine sub-regions, b) to estimate the monthly EI30 index in the period from 1969 to 2005 for Ferros and Guanhães counties, and c) to determine the return periods of the monthly and yearly erosivity indexes. The average erosivity value obtained was 12.913 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 year-1, being classified as very high. Among the sub-regions, the erosivity values varied from 8.243 to 26.676 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 year-1. The critical periods in relation to water erosion due to the occurrence of erosive rains are January-March and November-December, contributing with 88.6% of the annual erosivity. From April to October, the occurrence of critical erosivity practically does not exist. The estimated individual maximum values for the return periods of 1, 10, 50, and 150 years were of 5.508, 15.534, 18.110, 19.632, and 5.542, 17.653, 20.954, 22.931 MJ mm ha-1 h-1 year¹ for Ferros and Guanhães, respectively. The determination of the erosivity values throughout the year allows to identify the months in which the risks of soil and water losses are higher, which is important for planning the conservation practices