32 research outputs found
Adiponectin circulating levels and 10-year (2002–2012) cardiovascular disease incidence:the ATTICA Study
Purpose: Adiponectin is an adipokine with anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular-protective properties. Existing epidemiological evidence is conflicting on the exact relationship between adiponectin and long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Our aim was to prospectively assess whether circulating adiponectin is associated with long-term incident CVD. Methods: A population-based, prospective study in adults (>18 years) without previous CVD history (ATTICA study). Circulating total adiponectin levels were measured at baseline (2001–2002) in a sub-sample (n = 531; women/men: 222/309; age: 40 ± 11 years) of the ATTICA cohort and complete 10-year follow-up data were available in 366 of these participants (women/men: 154/212; age: 40 ± 12 years). Results: After adjusting for multiple factors, including age, sex, body mass index, waist circumference, smoking, physical activity, Mediterranean diet adherence, hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia, our logistic regression analysis indicates that an increase in circulating total adiponectin levels by 1 unit was associated with 36% lower CVD risk (relative risk [RR]: 0.64, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42–0.96; p = 0.03). Further adjusting for interleukin-6 plasma levels had no significant impact (RR: 0.60, 95% CI 0.38–0.94; p = 0.03), while additional adjustment for circulating C-reactive protein (CRP) modestly attenuated this association (RR: 0.63, 95% CI 0.40–0.99; p = 0.046). Conclusions: In our study, elevated circulating total adiponectin levels were associated with lower 10-year CVD risk in adults without previous CVD, independently of other established CVD risk factors. This association appeared to be modestly attenuated by CRP, yet was not mediated by interleukin-6 which is the main endocrine/circulating pro-inflammatory cytokine
Chemical contamination assessment in mangrove-lined Caribbean coastal systems using the oyster Crassostrea rhizophorae as biomonitor species
This paper aims to contribute to the use of mangrove
cupped oyster, Crassostrea rhizophorae, as a biomonitor
species for chemical contamination assessment in
mangrove-lined Caribbean coastal systems. Sampling was
carried out in eight localities (three in Nicaragua and five in
Colombia) with different types and levels of contamination.
Oysters were collected during the rainy and dry seasons of
2012–2013 and the tissue concentrations of metals, polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and persistent organic pollutants
(POPs) were determined. Low tissue concentrations of
metals (except Hg) and PAHs; moderate-to-high tissue concentrations
of Hg, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), and
dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs); detectable levels
of chlorpyrifos, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (mainly
CB28, CB118, CB138 and CB 153) and brominated diphenyl
ethers 85 (BDE85); and negligible levels of musks were recorded
in Nicaraguan oysters. A distinct profile of POPs was
identified in Colombia, where the tissue concentrations of
PCBs and synthetic musk fragrances were low to moderate,
and Ag, As, Cd, Pb, and PAHs ranged from moderate to extremely
high. Overall, the values recorded for HCHs, DDTs
and PCBs in Nicaraguan mangrove cupped oysters greatly
exceeded the reference values in tissues of C. rhizophorae
from the Wider Caribbean Region, whereas only the levels
of PCBs were occasionally surpassed in Colombia. Different
contaminant profiles were distinguished between oysters from
Nicaragua and Colombia in radar plots constructed using the
main groups of contaminants (metals, PAHs, musks, PCBs,
and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs)). Likewise, integrated
pollution indices revealed differences in the levels of contaminants.
Moreover, the profiles and levels in oyster tissues also
varied with season. Thus, principal component analysis clearly
discriminated Nicaraguan and Colombian localities and, especially
in Colombia, seasonal trends in chemical contamination
and differences amongst localities were evidenced. The geographical
and environmental disparity of the studied scenarios
may represent to a large extent the diversity of mangrove-lined
Caribbean coastal systems and therefore the present results
support the use of C. rhizophorae as suitable biomonitor species
at Caribbean regional scale, where seasonal variability
is a major factor controlling pollutant mobility and
bioavailability