Plant-based diets and risk of frailty in community-dwelling older adults: the Seniors-ENRICA-1 cohort

Frailty is a geriatric syndrome that leads to increased risk of hospitalization, disability, and death. The effect of plant-based diets defined by the quality of their plant foods is unclear. Our objective is to study the association between two plant-based diet indices and the occurrence of frailty among community-dwelling older adults in Spain. We analyzed data from 1880 individuals aged ≥ 60 years from the Spanish Seniors ENRICA-1 cohort. We used a validated diet history to build two indices: (a) the healthful Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI) where healthy plant foods received positive scores, whereas less-healthy plant foods and animal foods received reverse scores; and (b) the unhealthful Plant-based Diet Index (uPDI), with positive scores to less-healthy plant foods and reverse scores to animal and healthy plant foods. Incident frailty was defined with the Fried phenotype. Study associations were summarized with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) obtained from multivariable logistic models. After 3.3 years of follow-up, 136 incident frailty cases were ascertained. Comparing the highest vs. the lowest tertile of adherence, the OR [95% CI] for frailty was 0.43 (0.25–0.74; p-trend =.003) for the hPDI, and 2.89 (1.73–4.84; p-trend <.001) for the uPDI. Higher consumption of healthy plant foods was inversely associated with frailty (0.39 [0.23–0.66; p-trend < 0.001]); higher consumption of unhealthy plant foods was associated with higher frailty risk (2.40 [1.23–4.71; p-trend =.01]). In older adults, the hPDI was associated with lower risk of frailty, while the opposite was found for the uPDIOpen Access funding provided thanks to the CRUE-CSIC agreement with Springer Nature. This work was supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III; the Secretary of R+D+I; the European Regional Development Fund/European Social Fund (FIS grant numbers 19/319, 20/896, FI29/00162 to MDV); the National Plan on Drugs (grant number 2020/17); Fundación Soria Melguizo (MITOFUN project); Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (grant number RYC 2018- 02069I to MSP); Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (FPI contract to ACC). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscrip

Immunogenicity of Mycobacterial Extracellular Vesicles Isolated From Host-Related Conditions Informs About Tuberculosis Disease Status

Tuberculosis (TB) still represents a major global health problem affecting over 10 million people worldwide. The gold-standard procedures for TB diagnosis are culture and nucleic acid amplification techniques. In this context, both lipoarabinomannan (LAM) urine test and rapid molecular tests have been major game changers. However, the low sensitivity of the former and the cost and the prohibitive infrastructure requirements to scale-up in endemic regions of the latter, make the improvement of the TB diagnostic landscape a priority. Most forms of life produce extracellular vesicles (EVs), including bacteria despite differences in bacterial cell envelope architecture. We demonstrated that Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative agent of TB, produces EVs in vitro and in vivo as part of a sophisticated mechanism to manipulate host cellular physiology and to evade the host immune system. In a previous serology study, we showed that the recognition of several mycobacterial extracellular vesicles (MEV) associated proteins could have diagnostic properties. In this study, we pursued to expand the capabilities of MEVs in the context of TB diagnostics by analyzing the composition of MEVs isolated from Mtb cultures submitted to iron starvation and, testing their immunogenicity against a new cohort of serum samples derived from TB+ patients, latent TB-infected (LTBI) patients and healthy donors. We found that despite the stringent condition imposed by iron starvation, Mtb reduces the number of MEV associated proteins relative to iron sufficient conditions. In addition, TB serology revealed three new MEV antigens with specific biomarker capacity. These results suggest the feasibility of developing a point-of-care (POC) device based on selected MEV-associated proteins

Healthy lifestyle, metabolomics and incident type 2 diabetes in a population-based cohort from Spain

Background: The contribution of metabolomic factors to the association of healthy lifestyle with type 2 diabetes risk is unknown. We assessed the association of a composite measure of lifestyle with plasma metabolite profiles and incident type 2 diabetes, and whether relevant metabolites can explain the prospective association between healthy lifestyle and incident type 2 diabetes. Methods: A Healthy Lifestyle Score (HLS) (5-point scale including diet, physical activity, smoking status, alcohol consumption and BMI) was estimated in 1016 Hortega Study participants, who had targeted plasma metabolomic determinations at baseline examination in 2001-2003, and were followed-up to 2015 to ascertain incident type 2 diabetes. Results: The HLS was cross-sectionally associated with 32 (out of 49) plasma metabolites (2.5% false discovery rate). In the subset of 830 participants without prevalent type 2 diabetes, the rate ratio (RR) and rate difference (RD) of incident type 2 diabetes (n cases = 51) per one-point increase in HLS was, respectively, 0.69 (95% CI, 0.51, 0.93), and - 8.23 (95% CI, - 16.34, - 0.13)/10,000 person-years. In single-metabolite models, most of the HLS-related metabolites were prospectively associated with incident type 2 diabetes. In probit Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression, these prospective associations were mostly driven by medium HDL particle concentration and phenylpropionate, followed by small LDL particle concentration, which jointly accounted for ~ 50% of the HLS-related decrease in incident type 2 diabetes. Conclusions: The HLS showed a strong inverse association with incident type 2 diabetes, which was largely explained by plasma metabolites measured years before the clinical diagnosis.This work was supported by the Strategic Action for Research in Health sciences [PI10/0082, PI13/01848, PI14/00874, PI16/01402, PI11/00726, PI16/609, PI16/1512, PI18/287, PI19/319 and PI20/00896], the GUTMOM Project (JPI-A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life INTIMIC-085, State Secretary of R + D + I PCIN-2017-117), the Cátedra de Epidemiología y Control del Riesgo Cardiovascular at UAM (#820024), the State Agency for Research (PID2019-108973RB-C21 and C22), the Valencia Government (GRUPOS 03/101; PROMETEO/2009/029 and ACOMP/2013/039), the Castilla-Leon Government (GRS/279/A/08) and European Network of Excellence Ingenious Hypercare (EPSS- 037093) from the European Commission; CIBER Fisiopatología Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN) (CIBER-02-08-2009, CB06/03 and CB12/03/30016). MSP holds a Ramón y Cajal contract (RYC-2018-025069-I) from the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities. MDV holds a “Predoctoral Training in Health Research” contract (FI20/00162) from the Carlos III Health Institute. MGP and ADR received the support of a fellowship from “la Caixa” Foundation (ID 100010434, fellowship codes LCF/BQ/IN18/11660001, and LCF/BQ/DR19/11740016, respectively). PO received the support of a Sara Borrell contract from the Carlos III Health Institute (reference CD16/00255). The Strategic Action for Research in Health Sciences, CIBEROBN are initiatives from Carlos III Health Institute Madrid and co-funded by the European Social Fund “The ESF - investing in your future”. The State Agency for Research and Carlos III Health Institute belong to the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. The funding bodies had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of results, manuscript preparation or in the decision to submit this manuscript for publication.S

Ambient temperature and subsequent COVID-19 mortality in the OECD countries and individual United States

Epidemiological studies have yielded conflicting results regarding climate and incident SARS-CoV-2 infection, and seasonality of infection rates is debated. Moreover, few studies have focused on COVD-19 deaths. We studied the association of average ambient temperature with subsequent COVID-19 mortality in the OECD countries and the individual United States (US), while accounting for other important meteorological and non-meteorological co-variates. The exposure of interest was average temperature and other weather conditions, measured at 25 days prior and 25 days after the first reported COVID-19 death was collected in the OECD countries and US states. The outcome of interest was cumulative COVID-19 mortality, assessed for each region at 25, 30, 35, and 40 days after the first reported death. Analyses were performed with negative binomial regression and adjusted for other weather conditions, particulate matter, sociodemographic factors, smoking, obesity, ICU beds, and social distancing. A 1 °C increase in ambient temperature was associated with 6% lower COVID-19 mortality at 30 days following the first reported death (multivariate-adjusted mortality rate ratio: 0.94, 95% CI 0.90, 0.99, p = 0.016). The results were robust for COVID-19 mortality at 25, 35 and 40 days after the first death, as well as other sensitivity analyses. The results provide consistent evidence across various models of an inverse association between higher average temperatures and subsequent COVID-19 mortality rates after accounting for other meteorological variables and predictors of SARS-CoV-2 infection or death. This suggests potentially decreased viral transmission in warmer regions and during the summer season

Experiencias en el aula: segundo encuentro de prácticas pedagógicas innovadoras

Experiencias de profesores en su quehacer en los distintos ambientes de aprendizaje presenciales y a distancia.La segunda entrega de Experiencias en el aula es una publicación anual que recoge las ponencias ganadoras presentadas en el Segundo Encuentro de Prácticas Pedagógicas Innovadoras, organizado por el Centro de Excelencia Docente aeiou, de la Vicerrectoría General Académica de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO Todas las ponencias publicadas en la segunda entrega de Experiencias en el aula fueron seleccionadas por evaluadores externos durante la convocatoria al Segundo Encuentro de Prácticas Pedagógicas Innovadoras en el que fueron presentadas; este evento, organizado por el Centro de Excelencia Docente aeiou, y la Vicerrectoría General Académica de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios- UNIMINUTO, tuvo lugar los días 9 y 10 de octubre de 2017

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social Apuestas para el desarrollo regional.

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social: apuestas para el desarrollo regional [Edición 1 / Nov. 6 - 7: 2019 Bogotá D.C.]El Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social “Apuestas para el Desarrollo Regional”, se llevó a cabo los días 6 y 7 de noviembre de 2019 en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. como un evento académico e investigativo liderado por la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios -UNIMINUTO – Rectoría Cundinamarca cuya pretensión fue el fomento de nuevos paradigmas, la divulgación de conocimiento renovado en torno a la Responsabilidad Social; finalidad adoptada institucionalmente como postura ética y política que impacta la docencia, la investigación y la proyección social, y cuyo propósito central es la promoción de una “sensibilización consciente y crítica ante las situaciones problemáticas, tanto de las comunidades como del país, al igual que la adquisición de unas competencias orientadas a la promoción y al compromiso con el desarrollo humano y social integral”. (UNIMINUTO, 2014). Dicha postura, de conciencia crítica y sensibilización social, sumada a la experiencia adquirida mediante el trabajo articulado con otras instituciones de índole académico y de forma directa con las comunidades, permitió establecer como objetivo central del evento la reflexión de los diferentes grupos de interés, la gestión de sus impactos como elementos puntuales que contribuyeron en la audiencia a la toma de conciencia frente al papel que se debe asumir a favor de la responsabilidad social como aporte seguro al desarrollo regional y a su vez al fortalecimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social Apuestas para el desarrollo regional.

Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social: apuestas para el desarrollo regional [Edición 1 / Nov. 6 - 7: 2019 Bogotá D.C.]El Congreso Internacional de Responsabilidad Social “Apuestas para el Desarrollo Regional”, se llevó a cabo los días 6 y 7 de noviembre de 2019 en la ciudad de Bogotá D.C. como un evento académico e investigativo liderado por la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios -UNIMINUTO – Rectoría Cundinamarca cuya pretensión fue el fomento de nuevos paradigmas, la divulgación de conocimiento renovado en torno a la Responsabilidad Social; finalidad adoptada institucionalmente como postura ética y política que impacta la docencia, la investigación y la proyección social, y cuyo propósito central es la promoción de una “sensibilización consciente y crítica ante las situaciones problemáticas, tanto de las comunidades como del país, al igual que la adquisición de unas competencias orientadas a la promoción y al compromiso con el desarrollo humano y social integral”. (UNIMINUTO, 2014). Dicha postura, de conciencia crítica y sensibilización social, sumada a la experiencia adquirida mediante el trabajo articulado con otras instituciones de índole académico y de forma directa con las comunidades, permitió establecer como objetivo central del evento la reflexión de los diferentes grupos de interés, la gestión de sus impactos como elementos puntuales que contribuyeron en la audiencia a la toma de conciencia frente al papel que se debe asumir a favor de la responsabilidad social como aporte seguro al desarrollo regional y a su vez al fortalecimiento de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible

Experiencias en el aula: segundo encuentro de prácticas pedagógicas innovadoras

Experiencias de profesores en su quehacer en los distintos ambientes de aprendizaje presenciales y a distancia.La segunda entrega de Experiencias en el aula es una publicación anual que recoge las ponencias ganadoras presentadas en el Segundo Encuentro de Prácticas Pedagógicas Innovadoras, organizado por el Centro de Excelencia Docente aeiou, de la Vicerrectoría General Académica de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO Todas las ponencias publicadas en la segunda entrega de Experiencias en el aula fueron seleccionadas por evaluadores externos durante la convocatoria al Segundo Encuentro de Prácticas Pedagógicas Innovadoras en el que fueron presentadas; este evento, organizado por el Centro de Excelencia Docente aeiou, y la Vicerrectoría General Académica de la Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios- UNIMINUTO, tuvo lugar los días 9 y 10 de octubre de 2017