Growing-Related Changes in Arterial Properties of Healthy Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults Nonexposed to Cardiovascular Risk Factors: Analysis of Gender-Related Differences

The aims of our work were to determine normal aging rates for structural and functional arterial parameters in healthy children, adolescents, and young adults and to identify gender-related differences in these aging rates. Methods. 161 subjects (mean: 15 years (range: 4–28 years), 69 females) were studied. Subjects included had no congenital or chronic diseases, nor had they been previously exposed to traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Arterial parameters assessed were (1) central blood pressure (BP) and aortic pulse wave analysis, (2) arterial local (pressure-strain elastic modulus) and regional (pulse wave velocity, PWV) stiffness, and (3) arterial diameters and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). Simple linear regression models (age as the independent variable) were obtained for all the parameters and the resulting rates of change were compared between genders. Results. No gender-related differences were found in mean values of arterial structural and functional parameters in prepubertal ages (4–8 years), but they started to appear at ~15 years. Boys showed a greater rate of change for central systolic BP, central pulse pressure, CIMT, and carotid-femoral PWV. Conclusion. Gender-related differences in arterial characteristics of adults can be explained on the basis of different growing-related patterns between boys and girls, with no existing differences in prepubertal ages

Right ventricular-arterial uncoupling independently predicts survival in COVID-19 ARDS

Aim: To investigate the prevalence and prognostic impact of right heart failure and right ventricular-arterial uncoupling in Corona Virus Infectious Disease 2019 (COVID-19) complicated by an Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Methods: Ninety-four consecutive patients (mean age 64 years) admitted for acute respiratory failure on COVID-19 were enrolled. Coupling of right ventricular function to the pulmonary circulation was evaluated by a comprehensive trans-thoracic echocardiography with focus on the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) to systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PASP) ratio Results: The majority of patients needed ventilatory support, which was noninvasive in 22 and invasive in 37. There were 25 deaths, all in the invasively ventilated patients. Survivors were younger (62 ± 13 vs. 68 ± 12 years, p = 0.033), less often overweight or usual smokers, had lower NT-proBNP and interleukin-6, and higher arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2)/fraction of inspired O2 (FIO2) ratio (270 ± 104 vs. 117 ± 57 mmHg, p < 0.001). In the non-survivors, PASP was increased (42 ± 12 vs. 30 ± 7 mmHg, p < 0.001), while TAPSE was decreased (19 ± 4 vs. 25 ± 4 mm, p < 0.001). Accordingly, the TAPSE/PASP ratio was lower than in the survivors (0.51 ± 0.22 vs. 0.89 ± 0.29 mm/mmHg, p < 0.001). At univariate/multivariable analysis, the TAPSE/PASP (HR: 0.026; 95%CI 0.01–0.579; p: 0.019) and PaO2/FIO2 (HR: 0.988; 95%CI 0.988–0.998; p: 0.018) ratios were the only independent predictors of mortality, with ROC-determined cutoff values of 159 mmHg and 0.635 mm/mmHg, respectively. Conclusions: COVID-19 ARDS is associated with clinically relevant uncoupling of right ventricular function from the pulmonary circulation; bedside echocardiography of TAPSE/PASP adds to the prognostic relevance of PaO2/FIO2 in ARDS on COVID-19

Le esperienze europee del movimento globale

Il capitolo fa il punto sulle similitudini e le differenze delle mobilitazioni alterglobal in alcuni paesi europei

Le esperienze europee del movimento globale

Una panoramica delle dinamiche, delle componenti e delle culture del movimento alterglobal in Europa. Le ricerche, realizzate in Francia, Regno Unito, Spagna, Italia, Portogallo e Turchia, hanno cercato di individuare le più rilevanti caratteristiche comuni relative ai percorsi di costruzione dei significati culturali e politici prodotti dal movimento alterglobal, e di mettere in evidenza peculiarità nazionali che influiscono nel determinare le evoluzioni delle azioni su scala locale.An overview of the dynamics of the components and of the cultures of the alternative globalization movement in Europe. The research, carried out in France, UK, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Turkey, have sought to identify the most relevant features common to the paths of cultural and political construction of meanings produced by the alternative globalization movement, and to highlight national characteristics that influence in determining the evolution of the shares on the local scale

FRECUENCIA DE Brucella sp. EN PORCINOS, PROCEDENTES DE GRANJAS TECNIFICADAS Y NO TECNIFICADAS, BENEFICIADOS EN DOS MATADEROS DE LIMA.

The objective ofthis study was to determine the frequency of Brucella sp in pigs from well managed and poor managed farms ot the Lima valley, Peru. For this purpose, blood samples ofpigs from well managed (n = 222) and poor managed (n = 218) forms were collected at two slanghterhouses. Animals were of both sexes and older than 4 months of age. Antibodies against Brucella sp. were detected by the Rose Bengal test (RB) andComplementFixation (CF) test. The frecuencyof Brucella sp. was4.77 ± 1.81 % in the studied population. The frequency of Brucella sp. in well and poor managed pig farms were2.25 ± 1.47% (5/222) and 7.34± 3.34% (16/218)respectively, whenRB testwas used. However, only 2.75 + 1.76% (6/218) in poor managed farms had antibodies against Brucella sp when using the CF test. None of the animals from well managed farms resulted positive by CF test. This study indicate the presence of brucellosis in poor managed pigs farms, representing a risk for the pig industry and public health.El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo determinar la frecuencia de Brucella sp. en porcinos procedentes de granjas tecnificadas, que fueron beneficiados en dos mataderos de Lima. con este fin se tomaron muestras de sangre de porcinos de ambos sexos y mayores de cuatro meses, procedentes de granja de crianza tecnificada (n=222) y no tecnificadas (n=218), para la detección de anticuerpos contra Brucella sp. mediante la prueba de Rosa de Bengala como prueba tamiz y Fijación de Complemento (FC) como prueba confirmatoria. El 2.25±1.47% (5/222) y el 7.34±3.34% (16/218) de las muestras procedentes  de crianza tecnificada y no tecnificada, respectivamente tuvieron anticuerpos contra Brucella sp. mediante la prueba de Rosa de Bengala;  pero únicamente el 2.75±1.76% (6/218) de muestras pertenecientes a los animales de crianza no tecnificadas resulto positivo a la prueba de FC. no se detectaron animales serorreactores  en las granjas tecnificadas muestreadas. estos resultados demuestran la presencia de la Brucella sp. en porcinos de crianza no tecnificada constituyendo un riesgo para la crianza porcina y la salud pública