Introducción: modelos, imágenes y representaciones

This text provides an overview of the articles published in this issue. The notions of image and/or model are central for all their arguments; and all recognize that these notions are both polysemic and vague, because they reflect a multiplicity of meanings, interests and contexts, and serve for transmitting meaning between different contexts. The articles fall into two groups. Those in the first group share an emphasis on images as amplifiers of our capacities of representation, perception, calculation, evocation, synthesis, structuration, and making links between different conceptual territories. Those in the second group share a view of scientific knowledge that emphasizes the function of models in legitimated and consensual knowledgeEste texto pasa revista a los artículos publicados en este número. Todas las contribuciones reconocen que las nociones de imagen y/o modelo (centrales para los argumentos en todos los artículos) son a la vez polisémicas y vagas, pues obedecen a multiplicidad de significados, intereses y contextos y sirven como transmisoras de significado entre contextos distintos, las contribuciones se clasifican en dos grupos. El primero de ellos comparte el énfasis en las imágenes como ampliadoras de nuestras capacidades de representación, percepción, cálculo, evocación, síntesis, estructuración y vinculación entre territorios conceptuales ajenos. En el segundo, se comparte una reflexión sobre el conocimiento científico, que enfatiza el rol de los modelos de conocimiento legítimo y consensuad

Apoyo Social en Mujeres Inmigrantes de Valparaíso, Chile

Social support is a protection resource for the quality of life of immigrant women and a form of social capital. The objective was to identify the frequency and satisfaction of the social support perceived and received by immigrant women from the Valparaíso Health Centers. The study was cross-sectional associative and the technique was the social survey. The Perceived and Received Social Support Questionnaire (ASORPE) and questions on sociodemographic characteristics were applied to 227 immigrant women between 18 and 44 years old. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used. Marital status, education, years in Chile, type of housing, number of people with whom she lives, migratory status and having been diagnosed with a disease are related to the frequency and satisfaction of perceived and received social support from immigrant friends, Chileans, family and others. The social support provided by the networks of immigrant groups, whether informational, material or emotional support, constitutes social capital for their communities, enabling the existence of bonds of trust between relatives, immigrant and non-migrant friends, contributing to their integration into the society of reception.El apoyo social es un recurso para la calidad de vida de mujeres inmigrantes y constituye capital social. El objetivo fue identificar frecuencia y satisfacción del apoyo social percibido y recibido por mujeres inmigrantes de Centros de Salud de Valparaíso. Estudio con diseño no experimental, transversal, descriptivo, mediante una encuesta social. Se aplicó el Cuestionario de Apoyo Social Percibido y Recibido y preguntas sociodemográficas a 227 mujeres de entre 18 y 44 años. Se utilizaron estadística descriptiva, r de Pearson y análisis de varianza. Los resultados sugieren que el país de nacimiento, estado civil, educación, años en Chile, motivos de migración, vivienda, número de personas con que vive, trabajo, situación migratoria y diagnóstico de enfermedades se relacionan con frecuencia y satisfacción del apoyo social percibido y recibido. El apoyo social informacional, material o emocional, proveniente de redes de inmigrantes contribuye a su integración en la sociedad de acogida.  

Molecular, genetic and transcriptional evidence for a role of VvAGL11 in stenospermocarpic seedlessness in grapevine

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Stenospermocarpy is a mechanism through which certain genotypes of <it>Vitis vinifera </it>L. such as Sultanina produce berries with seeds reduced in size. Stenospermocarpy has not yet been characterized at the molecular level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genetic and physical maps were integrated with the public genomic sequence of <it>Vitis vinifera </it>L. to improve QTL analysis for seedlessness and berry size in experimental progeny derived from a cross of two seedless genotypes. Major QTLs co-positioning for both traits on chromosome 18 defined a 92-kb confidence interval. Functional information from model species including <it>Vitis </it>suggested that <it>VvAGL11</it>, included in this confidence interval, might be the main positional candidate gene responsible for seed and berry development.</p> <p>Characterization of <it>VvAGL11 </it>at the sequence level in the experimental progeny identified several SNPs and INDELs in both regulatory and coding regions. In association analyses performed over three seasons, these SNPs and INDELs explained up to 78% and 44% of the phenotypic variation in seed and berry weight, respectively. Moreover, genetic experiments indicated that the regulatory region has a larger effect on the phenotype than the coding region. Transcriptional analysis lent additional support to the putative role of <it>VvAGL11's </it>regulatory region, as its expression is abolished in seedless genotypes at key stages of seed development. These results transform <it>VvAGL11 </it>into a functional candidate gene for further analyses based on genetic transformation.</p> <p>For breeding purposes, intragenic markers were tested individually for marker assisted selection, and the best markers were those closest to the transcription start site.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We propose that <it>VvAGL11 </it>is the major functional candidate gene for seedlessness, and we provide experimental evidence suggesting that the seedless phenotype might be caused by variations in its promoter region. Current knowledge of the function of its orthologous genes, its expression profile in <it>Vitis </it>varieties and the strong association between its sequence variation and the degree of seedlessness together indicate that the D-lineage MADS-box gene <it>VvAGL11 </it>corresponds to the <it>Seed Development Inhibitor locus </it>described earlier as a major locus for seedlessness. These results provide new hypotheses for further investigations of the molecular mechanisms involved in seed and berry development.</p

Global variation in diabetes diagnosis and prevalence based on fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but these measurements can identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening, had elevated FPG, HbA1c or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardized proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed and detected in survey screening ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the age-standardized proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c was more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global shortfall in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022: a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

Background Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI &lt;18·5 kg/m2) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). For school&#x2;aged children and adolescents, we report thinness (BMI &lt;2 SD below the median of the WHO growth reference) and obesity (BMI &gt;2 SD above the median). Findings From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesit

Worldwide trends in underweight and obesity from 1990 to 2022 : a pooled analysis of 3663 population-representative studies with 222 million children, adolescents, and adults

A list of authors and their affiliations appears online. A supplementary appendix is herewith attached.Background: Underweight and obesity are associated with adverse health outcomes throughout the life course. We estimated the individual and combined prevalence of underweight or thinness and obesity, and their changes, from 1990 to 2022 for adults and school-aged children and adolescents in 200 countries and territories. Methods: We used data from 3663 population-based studies with 222 million participants that measured height and weight in representative samples of the general population. We used a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends in the prevalence of different BMI categories, separately for adults (age ≥20 years) and school-aged children and adolescents (age 5–19 years), from 1990 to 2022 for 200 countries and territories. For adults, we report the individual and combined prevalence of underweight (BMI 2 SD above the median). Findings: From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity in adults decreased in 11 countries (6%) for women and 17 (9%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 that the observed changes were true decreases. The combined prevalence increased in 162 countries (81%) for women and 140 countries (70%) for men with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. In 2022, the combined prevalence of underweight and obesity was highest in island nations in the Caribbean and Polynesia and Micronesia, and countries in the Middle East and north Africa. Obesity prevalence was higher than underweight with posterior probability of at least 0·80 in 177 countries (89%) for women and 145 (73%) for men in 2022, whereas the converse was true in 16 countries (8%) for women, and 39 (20%) for men. From 1990 to 2022, the combined prevalence of thinness and obesity decreased among girls in five countries (3%) and among boys in 15 countries (8%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80, and increased among girls in 140 countries (70%) and boys in 137 countries (69%) with a posterior probability of at least 0·80. The countries with highest combined prevalence of thinness and obesity in school-aged children and adolescents in 2022 were in Polynesia and Micronesia and the Caribbean for both sexes, and Chile and Qatar for boys. Combined prevalence was also high in some countries in south Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where thinness remained prevalent despite having declined. In 2022, obesity in school-aged children and adolescents was more prevalent than thinness with a posterior probability of at least 0·80 among girls in 133 countries (67%) and boys in 125 countries (63%), whereas the converse was true in 35 countries (18%) and 42 countries (21%), respectively. In almost all countries for both adults and school-aged children and adolescents, the increases in double burden were driven by increases in obesity, and decreases in double burden by declining underweight or thinness. Interpretation: The combined burden of underweight and obesity has increased in most countries, driven by an increase in obesity, while underweight and thinness remain prevalent in south Asia and parts of Africa. A healthy nutrition transition that enhances access to nutritious foods is needed to address the remaining burden of underweight while curbing and reversing the increase in obesity.peer-reviewe

Global variations in diabetes mellitus based on fasting glucose and haemogloblin A1c

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) are both used to diagnose diabetes, but may identify different people as having diabetes. We used data from 117 population-based studies and quantified, in different world regions, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes, and whether those who were previously undiagnosed and detected as having diabetes in survey screening had elevated FPG, HbA1c, or both. We developed prediction equations for estimating the probability that a person without previously diagnosed diabetes, and at a specific level of FPG, had elevated HbA1c, and vice versa. The age-standardised proportion of diabetes that was previously undiagnosed, and detected in survey screening, ranged from 30% in the high-income western region to 66% in south Asia. Among those with screen-detected diabetes with either test, the agestandardised proportion who had elevated levels of both FPG and HbA1c was 29-39% across regions; the remainder had discordant elevation of FPG or HbA1c. In most low- and middle-income regions, isolated elevated HbA1c more common than isolated elevated FPG. In these regions, the use of FPG alone may delay diabetes diagnosis and underestimate diabetes prevalence. Our prediction equations help allocate finite resources for measuring HbA1c to reduce the global gap in diabetes diagnosis and surveillance.peer-reviewe