An evaluation of isotopic (d2H) methods to provide estimates of avian breeding and natal dispersal

Natal and breeding dispersal represents an important component of animal demography and metapopulation theory. This phenomenon also has implications for conservation and management because understanding movements of individuals potentially allows the identification of key habitats that may be acting as population sources or sinks. Intrinsic markers such as stable isotope abundance in tissues that can be associated with provenance can provide a coarse but pragmatic solution to understanding such movements. Different methodologies have been proposed to quantify natal and breeding dispersal by using stable isotope analyses of keratinous tissues (hair, feathers), each of them with their own advantages and limitations. Here, we compared results provided by four different methods to estimate dispersal (three already published and one novel) in animals using stable isotope measurements. We used a single large dataset of feather δ2H values from golden-winged warblers (Vermivora chrysoptera) representing five different populations breeding in North America to compare model results. We propose one method as the most adequately supported by data, and we used this method to demonstrate how biological factors explaining dispersal status can be identified and geographical origins of immigrants inferred. Our results point to a generalized methodological approach to using stable isotope data to study immigration and dispersal in birds and other animals

Baja concordancia entre la información clínica de atención primaria y hospital

Objectives: To measure the diagnostic agreement between Primary Care (PC) and hospital information systems, in order to assess the usefulness of health care records for research purposes. Setting: Cross-sectional retrospective study integrating PC and hospital diagnostic information for the Aragon population admitted to hospital in 2010. Participants: 75.176 patients were analysed. Interventions: Similarities, differences and the kappa index were calculated for each of the diagnoses recorded in both information systems. Main measurements: The studied diseases included COPD, diabetes, hypertension, cerebrovascular disease, ischaemic heart disease, asthma, epilepsy, and heart failure. Results: Diagnostic concordance was higher in men and between 45 and 64 years. Diabetes was the condition showing the highest concordance (kappa index: 0.75), while asthma had the lowest values (kappa index: 0.34). Conclusions: The low concordance between the diagnostic information recorded in PC and in the hospital setting calls for urgent measures to ensure that healthcare professionals have a comprehensive picture of patient''s health problems

Dietary acid load and risk of gastric cancer: a case-control study

Objective: The dietary acid load can contribute to metabolic acidosis, which is closely linked to cancer development through mechanisms of inflammation and cell transformation. However, very limited epidemiologic evidence is linking diet-dependent acid load and cancer risk. Since no published studies focused on dietary acid load and gastric cancer (GC) risk, we explored this association in the present study. Patients and Methods: A case-control study was performed in 1370 patients (274 cases and 1096 age-frequency, sex, and urban/rural residence matched controls) through a multi-topic inquiry, including a food frequency questionnaire. Food-derived nutrients were calculated from available databases. The dietary acid load was calculated based on two validated measures: Potential Renal Acid Load (PRAL) score and Net Endogenous Acid Production (NEAP) score. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by unconditional logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: We found direct, significant associations between dietary acid load and GC risk: (OR=1.74, 95% CI 1.13-2.66) and (OR=1.90, 95% CI 1.26-2.84) for highest PRAL and NEAP, respectively. Both risk estimates also displayed linear trends. Both acid load scores were directly associated with animal-based foods (mainly meat) and inversely associated with the intake of plant-based foods. Conclusions: A high dietary acid load may contribute to GC development. To the best of our knowledge, the present is the first epidemiologic case-control study analyzing associations of dietary acid load and GC risk in a Western population. Further research is warranted to confirm our findings

Dietary acid load and risk of cancer: new insights from a nationwide case-control study

Objective: Dietary acid load can contribute to metabolic acidosis, which is closely linked to cancer development through inflammation and cell transformation mechanisms. However, limited epidemiologic evidence is still linking diet-dependent acid load and cancer risk. Since we published nine studies specifically focusing on dietary acid load and the risk of cancer development, we decided to explore its potential role more deeply through the analysis of all databases combined. Materials and methods: A case-control study was performed on 13270 subjects (3736 cases and 9534 age-frequency and residence-matched controls) drawn from the major public hospitals in Uruguay. Participants were interviewed through a multi-topic questionnaire, including a food frequency questionnaire. Food-derived nutrients were calculated from available databases. The dietary acid load was calculated based on validated measures, including Potential Renal Acid Load and Net Endogenous Acid Production scores. Odds ratios (OR) were estimated by logistic regression, adjusting for potential confounders. Results: We found significant and direct associations between dietary acid load and cancer risk (OR= 1.44 and OR= 1.64 for the highest scores). The estimated methionine intake was found also significantly and directly associated (OR= 1.97), while the plant fiber was significantly and inversely associated (OR= 0.49). Conclusions: Results confirm that an acidogenic dietary style may increase the risk of cancer. Our findings suggest that both Met and plant fiber intakes might be independent factors influencing the risk linked to acid-base disbalance which turn into a metabolic stress, but acting in opposite directions. Furthermore, Met intake displayed comparable odds ratios as the scores themselves

Sleep and academic performance: correlational study in Ecuadorian children and adolescents during covid-19 confinement

El sueño como una necesidad biológica de los seres vivos no solo posibilita la recuperación física y psicológica, también se asocia a funciones cognitivas complejas como la memoria y el aprendizaje. Bajo esa premisa y dados los cambios bruscos en la vida de las personas durante el período de confinamiento por el COVID -19, se desarrolló un estudio para determinar el nivel de correlación entre la calidad del sueño y el rendimiento académico. Participaron 402 niños y adolescentes ecuatorianos de 8 a 15 años. Se utilizó el registro de calificaciones finales de los educandos, se recogieron datos sociodemográficos y se aplicó el Test de Trastornos del Sueño de Bruni para medir cómo y hasta dónde una variable influía sobre la otra. Se encontró una correlación fuerte (0,76; < .001) entre la calidad del sueño y el rendimiento académico y diferencias significativas < .001 en el rendimiento académico de los grupos de escolares que descansaban más y aquellos lo hacían menos.Sleep as a biological need of living beings not only enables physical and psychological recovery, but is also associated with complex cognitive functions such as memory and learning. Under this premise and given the abrupt changes in people's lives during the period of confinement by COVID-19, a study was developed to determine the level of correlation between the quality of sleep and academic performance. A total of 402 Ecuadorian children and adolescents between 8 and 15 years of age participated. The students' final grade records were used, sociodemographic data were collected and the Bruni Sleep Disorders Test was applied to measure how and to what extent one variable influenced the other. A strong correlation (0.76; < .001) was found between sleep quality and academic performance and significant differences < .001 in the academic performance of the groups of schoolchildren who rested more and those who rested less