Aflatoxins Contamination in Maize Products from Rural Communities in San Luis Potosi, Mexico

Background: Aflatoxins are a group of mycotoxins that have been associated with hepatic damage and cancer. Aflatoxins B1 and B2 are secondary metabolites produced by fungi Aspergillus. These toxins can be found in a variety of commodities, especially in maize, and have been studied around the world due to their effects in human health. The Latin American population is especially exposed to aflatoxins given that maize products can be found in traditional diets all over the continent. Interestingly, in Mexico, chronic hepatic diseases and cirrhosis are leading causes of death in adult population. Methods: In order to observe the effect of physical variables like temperature and humidity, this study was conducted collecting samples in four different seasons, in two communities in the State of San Luis Potosi, in Mexico. The content of aflatoxins in tortillas was measured using immunoaffinity columns prior to HPLC-FLD analysis. Findings: Results showed that 18% of samples exceeded the Mexican limits for AFB1; whereas, 26% of the samples exceeded the limits of the European Union for AFB1. The AFB1 was detected in 80% of samples in one site and higher concentrations were found in samples collected during fall and winter seasons. Conclusions: Lack of control in storing practices is the principal cause for the contamination of maize. Considering that maize products are part of the staple diet of Mexican population, our results show that AFB1 detection has to be declared a public health priority. Detection and prevention of aflatoxins through a surveillance program, may avoid chronic health effects.<p class="abstract"

Latitude gradient influences the age of onset of rheumatoid arthritis : a worldwide survey

The age of onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an important outcome predictor. Northern countries report an age of RA onset of around 50 years, but apparently, variability exists across different geographical regions. The objective of the present study is to assess whether the age of onset of RA varies across latitudes worldwide. In a proof-of-concept cross-sectional worldwide survey, rheumatologists from preselected cities interviewed 20 consecutive RA patients regarding the date of RA onset (RAO, when the patient first noted a swollen joint). Other studied variables included location of each city, rheumatologist settings, latitudes (10A degrees increments, south to north), longitudes (three regions), intracountry consistency, and countries' Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI). Data from 2481 patients (82% females) were obtained from 126 rheumatologists in 77 cities of 41 countries. Worldwide mean age of RAO was 44 +/- 14 years (95% CI 44-45). In 28% of patients, RA began before age 36 years and before age 46 years in 50% of patients. RAO was 8 years earlier around the Tropic of Cancer when compared with northern latitudes (p <0.001, 95% CI 3.5-13). Multivariate analysis showed that females, western cities, and latitudes around the Tropic of Cancer are associated with younger age of RAO (R (2) 0.045, p <0.001). A positive correlation was found between the age of RAO and IHDI (r = 0.7, p <0.01, R (2) 0.5). RA often begins at an early age and onset varies across latitudes worldwide. We postulate that countries' developmental status and their geographical and geomagnetic location influence the age of RAO.Peer reviewe

Design and baseline characteristics of the finerenone in reducing cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in diabetic kidney disease trial

Background: Among people with diabetes, those with kidney disease have exceptionally high rates of cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality and progression of their underlying kidney disease. Finerenone is a novel, nonsteroidal, selective mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist that has shown to reduce albuminuria in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) while revealing only a low risk of hyperkalemia. However, the effect of finerenone on CV and renal outcomes has not yet been investigated in long-term trials. Patients and Methods: The Finerenone in Reducing CV Mortality and Morbidity in Diabetic Kidney Disease (FIGARO-DKD) trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of finerenone compared to placebo at reducing clinically important CV and renal outcomes in T2D patients with CKD. FIGARO-DKD is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, event-driven trial running in 47 countries with an expected duration of approximately 6 years. FIGARO-DKD randomized 7,437 patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate >= 25 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and albuminuria (urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio >= 30 to <= 5,000 mg/g). The study has at least 90% power to detect a 20% reduction in the risk of the primary outcome (overall two-sided significance level alpha = 0.05), the composite of time to first occurrence of CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for heart failure. Conclusions: FIGARO-DKD will determine whether an optimally treated cohort of T2D patients with CKD at high risk of CV and renal events will experience cardiorenal benefits with the addition of finerenone to their treatment regimen. Trial Registration: EudraCT number: 2015-000950-39; ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02545049

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years

Omecamtiv mecarbil in chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, GALACTIC‐HF: baseline characteristics and comparison with contemporary clinical trials

Aims: The safety and efficacy of the novel selective cardiac myosin activator, omecamtiv mecarbil, in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is tested in the Global Approach to Lowering Adverse Cardiac outcomes Through Improving Contractility in Heart Failure (GALACTIC‐HF) trial. Here we describe the baseline characteristics of participants in GALACTIC‐HF and how these compare with other contemporary trials. Methods and Results: Adults with established HFrEF, New York Heart Association functional class (NYHA) ≥ II, EF ≤35%, elevated natriuretic peptides and either current hospitalization for HF or history of hospitalization/ emergency department visit for HF within a year were randomized to either placebo or omecamtiv mecarbil (pharmacokinetic‐guided dosing: 25, 37.5 or 50 mg bid). 8256 patients [male (79%), non‐white (22%), mean age 65 years] were enrolled with a mean EF 27%, ischemic etiology in 54%, NYHA II 53% and III/IV 47%, and median NT‐proBNP 1971 pg/mL. HF therapies at baseline were among the most effectively employed in contemporary HF trials. GALACTIC‐HF randomized patients representative of recent HF registries and trials with substantial numbers of patients also having characteristics understudied in previous trials including more from North America (n = 1386), enrolled as inpatients (n = 2084), systolic blood pressure &lt; 100 mmHg (n = 1127), estimated glomerular filtration rate &lt; 30 mL/min/1.73 m2 (n = 528), and treated with sacubitril‐valsartan at baseline (n = 1594). Conclusions: GALACTIC‐HF enrolled a well‐treated, high‐risk population from both inpatient and outpatient settings, which will provide a definitive evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this novel therapy, as well as informing its potential future implementation

Phytochemical characterization of essential oil from Ocimum selloi

Ocimum selloi Benth, planta nativa do Brasil de uso medicinal, tem sido utilizada como antidiarréico, antiespasmódico e antiinflamatório. O rendimento dos óleos essenciais das inflorescências, contendo flores e sementes, foi de 0,6% e das folhas, coletadas em duas épocas do ano, foi de 0,25% (junho/00) e 0,20% (janeiro/01), respectivamente. Os óleos essenciais das inflorescências e folhas apresentaram como constituintes majoritários o trans-anethol (41,34%, 45,42%, 58,59%) e methyl chavicol (27,10%, 24,14%, 29,96%).Ocimum selloi Benth, a native plant of Brazil, has medicinal uses as anti-diarrheic, antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory product. The yield of essential oils of the inflorescences, containing flowers and seeds, was 0.6%, and the yield of leaves, collected in two different seasons, was 0.25% (June 2000) and 0.20% (January 2001), respectively. The essential oils of the inflorescences and leaves presented as major constituents trans-anethol (41.34%, 45.42%, 58.59%) and methyl chavicol (27.10%, 24.14%, 29.96%).Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP

Nuevas propuestas de organización popular urbana en Quito

Esta cartilla se publica con el apoyo del proyecto Haciendo Ciudad auspiciado por n(o)vib - OXFAM NETHERLANS. La idea inicial de esta cartilla fue realizar una compilación de los trabajos de quienes participan en la Escuela de Formación para Líderes Populares Urbanos Haciendo ciudad, iniciada en el año 2003 en el Centro de Investigaciones CIUDAD, con el fin de realizar un seguimiento al trabajo organizativo de los líderes. El trabajo final del semestre en la Escuela consistía en realizar una reseña de las organizaciones a las cuales cada uno de ellos está representando en este espacio.Introducción; 1. El ambiente social en el que aparecen y se crían las nuevas formas de organización social; 2. La ciudad y las formas de organización social; 3. Las nuevas formas de organización social; 4. Las nuevas formas de organización social: características y paradojas; Organización familiar Carapungo, Oswaldo Peralta; Colectivo Ciudadano Quito para todos, Jorge Calderón; Colectivo Juvenil La Hueca. Carcelén Bajo, Kacho Alvarado; Proyecto de clasificación de desechos sólidos en la urbanización Las Orquídeas, sector Monjas, Lira Calvas, Lilia Rodríguez, Cecilia García, Juan Carlos Gavilanes, Oscar Ortiz y Carlos Sánchez; Escuela Permanente de Mujeres Líderes, Sara Proaño, Germania Rivadeneira y Susana Ver

Agroclimatic zoning methodology for agricultural production systems in dry Caribbean region of Colombia

The agricultural sector in Colombia and especially, small-scale agriculture subsector in the Colombian Caribbean has been very vulnerable to the negative impacts of climate variability in part due to the poor existence and lack of access to agroclimatic information. The objective was to build a methodology for agroclimatic zoning for crops growing in Colombian dry Caribbean. To achieve this goal, a case study of tomato crop growing in the municipality of Repelon (Atlantico, Colombia) was selected. The methodology was based in the combination of crop-specific soil suitability assessment and the monthly probability of a humidity condition occurrence in the soil for tomato production under water deficit. Probability was constructed through water balances generated from the Palmer drought severity index, calculated for each month of crop production cycle during the 1980 to 2011 series. The resulting maps show defined areas called Productive Niches with lower limitations per soil and low probabilities of soil water deficit in the growth of tomato crop in the municipality. The methodology can be used to delineate areas suitable for planting tomato or other crops in climate variability events in the dry Caribbean region of Colombi