Cohort Profile: The Cohorts Consortium of Latin America and the Caribbean (CC-LAC)

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are characterized by much diversity in terms of socio-economic status, ecol�ogy, environment, access to health care,1,2 as well as the fre�quency of risk factors for and prevalence or incidence of non-communicable diseases;3–7 importantly, these differen�ces are observed both between and within countries in LAC.8,9 LAC countries share a large burden of non�communicable (e.g. diabetes and hypertension) and cardio�vascular (e.g. ischaemic heart disease) diseases, with these conditions standing as the leading causes of morbidity, dis�ability and mortality in most of LAC.10–12 These epidemio�logical estimates—e.g. morbidity—cannot inform about risk factors or risk prediction, which are relevant to identify pre�vention avenues. Cohort studies, on the other hand, could provide this evidence. Pooled analysis, using data from mul�tiple cohort studies, have additional strengths such as in�creased statistical power and decreased statistical uncertainty.13 LAC cohort studies have been under-repre�sented,14 or not included at all,15–17 in international efforts aimed at pooling data from multiple cohort studies. We therefore set out to pool data from LAC cohorts to address research questions that individual cohort studies would not be able to answer. Drawing from previous successful regional enterprises (e.g. Asia Pacific Cohort Studies Collaboration),18,19 we established the Cohorts Consortium of Latin America and the Caribbean (CC-LAC). The main aim of the CC-LAC is to start a collaborative cohort data pooling in LAC to ex�amine the association between cardio-metabolic risk actors (e.g. blood pressure, glucose and lipids) and non�fatal and fatal cardiovascular outcomes (e.g. stroke or myocardial infarction). In so doing, we aim to provide re�gional risk estimates to inform disease burden metrics, as well as other ambitious projects including a cardiovascular risk score to strengthen cardiovascular prevention in LAC. Initial funding has been provided by a fellowship from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Global Health Research at Imperial College London (Strategic Award, Wellcome Trust–Imperial College Centre for Global Health Research, 100693/Z/12/Z). Additional funding is being provided by an International Training Fellowship from the Wellcome Trust (214185/Z/18/Z). At the time of writing, the daily operations and pooled database are hosted at Imperial College London, though a mid-term goal is to transfer this expertise and operations to LAC. The collaboration relies fundamentally on a strong regional network of health researchers and practitioners

Impact of common cardio-metabolic risk factors on fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease in Latin America and the Caribbean: an individual-level pooled analysis of 31 cohort studies

Background: Estimates of the burden of cardio-metabolic risk factors in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) rely on relative risks (RRs) from non-LAC countries. Whether these RRs apply to LAC remains un- known. Methods: We pooled LAC cohorts. We estimated RRs per unit of exposure to body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC) and non-HDL cholesterol on fatal (31 cohorts, n = 168,287) and non-fatal (13 cohorts, n = 27,554) cardiovascular diseases, adjusting for regression dilution bias. We used these RRs and national data on mean risk factor levels to estimate the number of cardiovascular deaths attributable to non-optimal levels of each risk factor. Results: Our RRs for SBP, FPG and TC were like those observed in cohorts conducted in high-income countries; however, for BMI, our RRs were consistently smaller in people below 75 years of age. Across risk factors, we observed smaller RRs among older ages. Non-optimal SBP was responsible for the largest number of attributable cardiovascular deaths ranging from 38 per 10 0,0 0 0 women and 54 men in Peru, to 261 (Dominica, women) and 282 (Guyana, men). For non-HDL cholesterol, the lowest attributable rate was for women in Peru (21) and men in Guatemala (25), and the largest in men (158) and women (142) from Guyana. Interpretation: RRs for BMI from studies conducted in high-income countries may overestimate disease burden metrics in LAC; conversely, RRs for SBP, FPG and TC from LAC cohorts are similar to those esti- mated from cohorts in high-income countries

R2D2: ¿Un modelo efectivo para incorporar las TIC en el salón de clases de la enseñanza de un idioma extranjero?

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in English language teaching have become effective tools to boost meaningful learning. In an EFL environment, the need to apply a model to incorporate web tools and free apps in the classroom takes prominence for teachers at the university level. The present study is an attempt at determining the effectiveness of the implementation of the Read-Reflect-Display and Do (R2D2) model by Bonk and Zhang (2006) through the design and application of a booklet of activities used by a group of 14 students of the Associate’s program in English and 17 students of the Bachelor’s degree in English Teaching at Universidad Nacional, Brunca Branch. Due to its nature, this research encompasses a case study with a descriptive scope. The design and implementation will be analyzed through an empirical predictive and retrospective evaluation considering the administration of a teacher and a student questionnaire and a focus group. The instruments were administered to 31 students and 7 teachers. The results of the analysis led to conclude that the model implemented in the booklet of activities proposed was effective to integrate ICTs to the learning process of a second language and, at the same time, innovate with the techniques used to incorporate the didactic strategies in this type of class. In order to safeguard the effectiveness of the R2D2 model, it is worth considering the teacher’s interest and willingness to use the technologies involved.Las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en la enseñanza del inglés han llegado a ser herramientas efectivas para promover el aprendizaje significativo. En un ambiente de la enseñanza del inglés como idioma extranjero, la necesidad de aplicar un modelo para incorporar herramientas web y aplicaciones gratuitas en una clase adquiere particular relevancia para los docentes de universidad. El presente estudio intenta determinar la efectividad de la implementación del modelo Leer-Reflexionar-Demostrar y Hacer (R2D2 por sus siglas en inglés) creado por Bonk y Zhang (2006) a través del diseño y aplicación de un folleto con actividades en un grupo de 14 estudiantes de la carrera Diplomado en Inglés y 17 estudiantes de la carrera Enseñanza del Inglés en la Universidad Nacional, Sede Regional Brunca. Debido a su naturaleza, esta investigación es un estudio de caso con un alcance descriptivo. El diseño y la implementación serán analizados mediante una evaluación empírica predictiva y una evaluación retrospectiva tomando en cuenta la aplicación de un cuestionario dirigido a los estudiantes y a los docentes y un grupo focal. Los instrumentos fueron administrados a 31 estudiantes y a siete profesores. Los resultados del análisis concluyeron que el modelo implementado en la guía didáctica propuesta fue efectivo para integrar las TIC al proceso de aprendizaje de una segunda lengua, asimismo se innova con las técnicas usadas para incorporar las estrategias didácticas en este tipo de clase. Es importante considerar como un aspecto clave en la efectividad del modelo que la persona docente tenga interés y disposición por utilizar estas tecnologías.Universidad de Costa RicaSede Regional Brunca, Campus Pérez Zeledó

Memoria del I Congreso Internacional de Lingüística Aplicada CONLA UNA 2013: Reaching out for Teachers’ Excellence

Compilado y editado por M.A. Cinthya Olivares Garita M.A. Lena Barrantes ElizondoEste documento contiene las ponencias que están en la memoria digital del I Congreso Internacional de Lingüística Aplicada (CONLA) 2013 realizado los días 4, 5 y 6 de febrero del 2013 en la Sede Regional Brunca de la Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. La selección de ponencias se llevó a cabo por medio de los criterios en común de los académicos del área de idiomas que conforman la comisión científica del congreso.This document contains the papers that are in the digital memory of the I International Congress of Applied Linguistics (CONLA) 2013 held on February 4, 5 and 6, 2013 at the Brunca Regional Headquarters of the Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica. The selection of papers was carried out by means of the common criteria of the academics in the area of languages that make up the scientific committee of the congress.Universidad Nacional, Costa RicaSede Regional Brunca, Campus Pérez Zeledó