A global experiment on motivating social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic

Finding communication strategies that effectively motivate social distancing continues to be a global public health priority during the COVID-19 pandemic. This cross-country, preregistered experiment (n = 25,718 from 89 countries) tested hypotheses concerning generalizable positive and negative outcomes of social distancing messages that promoted personal agency and reflective choices (i.e., an autonomy-supportive message) or were restrictive and shaming (i.e., a controlling message) compared with no message at all. Results partially supported experimental hypotheses in that the controlling message increased controlled motivation (a poorly internalized form of motivation relying on shame, guilt, and fear of social consequences) relative to no message. On the other hand, the autonomy-supportive message lowered feelings of defiance compared with the controlling message, but the controlling message did not differ from receiving no message at all. Unexpectedly, messages did not influence autonomous motivation (a highly internalized form of motivation relying on one’s core values) or behavioral intentions. Results supported hypothesized associations between people’s existing autonomous and controlled motivations and self-reported behavioral intentions to engage in social distancing. Controlled motivation was associated with more defiance and less long-term behavioral intention to engage in social distancing, whereas autonomous motivation was associated with less defiance and more short- and long-term intentions to social distance. Overall, this work highlights the potential harm of using shaming and pressuring language in public health communication, with implications for the current and future global health challenges

4to. Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad. Memoria académica

Este volumen acoge la memoria académica de la Cuarta edición del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad, CITIS 2017, desarrollado entre el 29 de noviembre y el 1 de diciembre de 2017 y organizado por la Universidad Politécnica Salesiana (UPS) en su sede de Guayaquil. El Congreso ofreció un espacio para la presentación, difusión e intercambio de importantes investigaciones nacionales e internacionales ante la comunidad universitaria que se dio cita en el encuentro. El uso de herramientas tecnológicas para la gestión de los trabajos de investigación como la plataforma Open Conference Systems y la web de presentación del Congreso http://citis.blog.ups.edu.ec/, hicieron de CITIS 2017 un verdadero referente entre los congresos que se desarrollaron en el país. La preocupación de nuestra Universidad, de presentar espacios que ayuden a generar nuevos y mejores cambios en la dimensión humana y social de nuestro entorno, hace que se persiga en cada edición del evento la presentación de trabajos con calidad creciente en cuanto a su producción científica. Quienes estuvimos al frente de la organización, dejamos plasmado en estas memorias académicas el intenso y prolífico trabajo de los días de realización del Congreso Internacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación para la Sociedad al alcance de todos y todas

A functional polymorphism in the promoter region of MAOA gene is associated with daytime sleepiness in healthy subjects

Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is one of the main causes of car and industrial accidents and it is associated with increased morbidity and alterations in quality of life. Prevalence of EDS in the general population around the world ranges from 6.2 to 32.4%, with a heritability of 38–40%. However, few studies have explored the role of candidate genes in EDS. Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene has an important role in the regulation of neurotransmitter levels and a large number of human behaviors. We hypothesized that a functional VNTR in the promoter region of the MAOA gene might be associated with daytime sleepiness in healthy individuals. The Epworth sleepiness scale (ESS) was applied to 210 Colombian healthy subjects (university students), which were genotyped for MAOA-uVNTR. MAOA-uVNTR showed a significant association with ESS scores (p = 0.01): 3/3 genotype carriers had the lowest scores. These results were supported by differences in MAOA-uVNTR frequencies between diurnal somnolence categories (p = 0.03). Our finding provides evidence for the first time that MAOA-uVNTR has a significant association with EDS in healthy subjects. Finally, these data suggest that functional variations in MAOA gene could have a role in other phenotypes of neuropsychiatric relevance

Theory of Inpatient Circadian Care (TICC): A Proposal for a MiddleRange Theory

The circadian system controls the daily rhythms of a variety of physiological processes. Most organisms show physiological, metabolic and behavioral rhythms that are coupled to environmental signals. In humans, the main synchronizer is the light/dark cycle, although non-photic cues such as food availability, noise, and work schedules are also involved. In a continuously operating hospital, the lack of rhythmicity in these elements can alter the patient’s biological rhythms and resilience. This paper presents a Theory of Inpatient Circadian Care (TICC) grounded in circadian principles. We conducted a literature search on biological rhythms, chronobiology, nursing care, and middle-range theories in the databases PubMed, SciELO Public Health, and Google Scholar. The search was performed considering a period of 6 decades from 1950 to 2013. Information was analyzed to look for links between chronobiology concepts and characteristics of inpatient care. TICC aims to integrate multidisciplinary knowledge of biomedical sciences and apply it to clinical practice in a formal way. The conceptual points of this theory are supported by abundant literature related to disease and altered biological rhythms. Our theory will be able to enrich current and future professional practice

Common functional polymorphisms in SLC6A4 and COMT genes are associated with circadian phenotypes in a South American sample

The molecular study of circadian rhythms in humans could be an excellent approach to understand the relation between genes and behavior. It is possible that variations in genes involved in neurotransmission and/or synaptic plasticity, such as catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and serotonin transporter (SLC6A4) could be of particular interest in understanding human circadian phenotypes. The aim of this study is to analyze the possible and novel associations of the functional polymorphisms in COMT and SLC6A4 genes (Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR) and circadian phenotypes in healthy Colombian subjects. 191 university students were genotyped for two functional polymorphisms in COMT and SLC6A4 genes (rs4680 and rs4795541). We applied two scales to measure phenotypic patterns of human circadian rhythms: Composite Scale of Morningness (CSM) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). We found a significant association between 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and morning preference score (CSM) (p = 0.027) using an overdominant genotypic model and association of COMT Val158Met with daytime sleepiness (ESS scores) (p = 0.038) in a genotypic recessive model. These results were supported by differences in genotype frequencies between circadian typologies for SLC6A4 gene (p = 0.007) and categories of diurnal sleepiness for COMT gene (p = 0.032). Our results suggest, for the first time, a significant relationship between functional SLC6A4 and COMT polymorphisms with specific human circadian phenotypes: morning preference and diurnal sleepiness. These results need to be replicated in other populations. Further study of functional polymorphisms in other synaptic genes could be of relevance for the identification of novel candidate genes for circadian phenotypes, and related endophenotypes of neuropsychiatric importance, in healthy humans

A novel association of two non-synonymous polymorphisms in PER2 and PER3 genes with specific diurnal preference subscales

The circadian system is responsible for the generation and maintenance of physiological and behavioral rhythms in mammals and allows synchronization with the environment. Different polymorphisms in clock genes have been studied in healthy humans, providing inconsistent results in different populations. In this study, we evaluated the possibility that two non-synonymous polymorphisms in PER2 (p.Gly1244Glu, rs934945) and PER3 (p.Met1028Thr, rs2640909) genes might be associated with diurnal preference in healthy Colombian subjects. A total of 209 Colombian university students were genotyped for two functional polymorphisms in PER2 and PER3 genes (rs934945 and rs2640909). We applied the composite scale of morningness (CSM) to measure phenotypic patterns of human diurnal preference. Additionally, we extracted from the CSM three subscale scores (“morningness”, “activity planning” and “morning alertness”).We used a false discovery rate approach (q values)for correction of multiple testing. PER2 (rs934945) showed a significant association with two CSM subscale scores: “activity planning” and “morning alertness”. For PER3 (rs2640909), we observed an association with the “morningness” CSM subscale scores. We found a significant association between novel and functional polymorphisms in PER2 and PER3 genes with specific CSM subscales for diurnal preference. We showed for the first time the association of rs934945 with “morning alertness” and rs2640909 with “morningness”. We suggest that these results should be replicated in order to confirm the association in other populations. Finally, the study of additional novel functional polymorphisms in other clock genes could be of relevance for a deep understanding of circadian phenotypes and neuropsychiatric disorder

Theory of inpatient circadian care (TICC): A proposal for a middle-range theory

The circadian system controls the daily rhythms of a variety of physiological processes. Most organisms show physiological, metabolic and behavioral rhythms that are coupled to environmental signals. In humans, the main synchronizer is the light/dark cycle, although non-photic cues such as food availability, noise, and work schedules are also involved. In a continuously operating hospital, the lack of rhythmicity in these elements can alter the patient’s biological rhythms and resilience. This paper presents a Theory of Inpatient Circadian Care (TICC) grounded in circadian principles. We conducted a literature search on biological rhythms, chronobiology, nursing care, and middle-range theories in the databases PubMed, SciELO Public Health, and Google Scholar. The search was performed considering a period of 6 decades from 1950 to 2013. Information was analyzed to look for links between chronobiology concepts and characteristics of inpatient care. TICC aims to integrate multidisciplinary knowledge of biomedical sciences and apply it to clinical practice in a formal way. The conceptual points of this theory are supported by abundant literature related to disease and altered biological rhythms. Our theory will be able to enrich current and future professional practice.Fil: Camargo Sanchez, Andrés. Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales; ColombiaFil: Niño, Carmen L.. Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales; ColombiaFil: Sánchez, Leonardo. Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales; ColombiaFil: Echeverri, Sonia. Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota; ColombiaFil: Gutiérrez, Diana P.. Fundacion Santa Fe de Bogota; ColombiaFil: Duque, Andrés F.. Marly Clinic; ColombiaFil: Pianeta, Oscar. Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales; ColombiaFil: Jaramillo Gómez, Jenny A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Pilonieta, Martin A.. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Cataño, Nhora. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Arboleda, Humberto. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Agostino, Patricia. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Cronobiología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Alvarez Baron, Claudia P.. University of Wisconsin; Estados UnidosFil: Vargas, Rafael. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana; Colombi

La carga de enfermedad en España: resultados del Estudio de la Carga Global de las Enfermedades 2016

Background and objectives: The global burden of disease (GBD) project measures the health of populations worldwide on an annual basis, and results are available by country. We used the estimates of the GBD to summarise the state of health in Spain in 2016 and report trends in mortality and morbidity from 1990 to 2016. Material and methods: GBD 2016 estimated disease burden due to 333 diseases and injuries, and 84 risk factors. The GBD list of causes is hierarchical and includes 3 top level categories, namely: (1) communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional diseases;(2) non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and (3)injuries. Mortality and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs), risk factors, and progress towards the sustainable development goals (SDGs) are presented based on the GBD 2016 data in Spain. Results: There were 418,516 deaths in Spain in 2016, from a total population of 46.5 million, and 80.5% of them occurred in those aged 70 years and older. Overall, NCDs were the main cause of death: 388,617 (95% uncertainty interval 374,959–402,486), corresponding to 92.8% of all deaths. They were followed by 3.6% due to injuries with 15,052 (13,902–17,107) deaths, and 3.5% communicable diseases with 14,847 (13,208–16,482) deaths. The 5 leading specific causes of death were ischaemic heart disease (IHD, 14.6% of all deaths), Alzheimer disease and other dementias (13.6%), stroke (7.1%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (6.9%), and lung cancer (5.0%). Remarkable increases in mortality from 1990 to 2016 were observed in other cancers, lower respiratory infections, chronic kidney disease, and other cardiovascular disease, among others. On the contrary, road injuries moved down from 8th to 32nd position, and diabetes from 6th to 10th. Low back and neck pain became the number one cause of DALYs in Spain in 2016, just surpassing IHD, while Alzheimer disease moved from 9th to 3rd position. The greatest changes in DALYs were observed for road injuries dropping from 4th to 16th position, and congenital disorders from 17th to 35th; conversely, oral disorders rose from 25th to 17th. Overall, smoking is by far the most relevant risk factor in Spain, followed by high blood pressure, high body mass index, alcohol use, and high fasting plasma glucose. Finally, Spain scored 74.3 of 100 points in the SDG index classification in 2016, and the main national drivers of detrimental health in SDGs were alcohol consumption, smoking and child obesity. An increase to 80.3 points is projected in 2030. Conclusion: Low back and neck pain was the most important contributor of disability in Spain in 2016. There has seen a remarkable increase in the burden due to Alzheimer disease and other dementias. Tobacco remains the most important health issue to address in Spain.Antecedentes y objetivo: El estudio de la carga global de las enfermedades, conocido como GBD por sus siglas en inglés (global burden of disease), mide la salud poblacional en todo el mundo de forma anual y sus resultados están disponibles por país. Utilizamos las estimaciones GBD para resumir el estado de salud poblacional en España en 2016 y describir las tendencias en morbimortalidad de 1990 a 2016. Material y métodos: GBD 2016 estima la carga debida a 333 enfermedades y lesiones, y a 84 factores de riesgo. La lista de causas de GBD es jerárquica e incluye 3 categorías de nivel superior: 1) enfermedades transmisibles, maternas, neonatales y nutricionales; 2) enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT), y 3) accidentes. Se presentan la mortalidad, los años de vida ajustados por discapacidad (AVAD), los factores de riesgo y el progreso hacia los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible (ODS) a partir de los datos de GBD 2016 en España. Resultados: En 2016 en España hubo 418.516 muertes, de una población total de 46,5 millones, y el 80,5% de ellas ocurrieron en personas de 70 años o más. Las ENT fueron la principal causa de muerte (92,8%), con 388.617 (intervalo de incertidumbre del 95% 374.959–402.486), seguidas de los accidentes (3,6%), con 15.052 (13.902–17.107), y de las enfermedades transmisibles (3,5%), con 14.847 (13.208–16.482) muertes. Las 5 principales causas específicas de muerte fueron la cardiopatía isquémica (CI), con el 14,6% de todas las muertes, la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias (13,6%), el accidente cerebrovascular (7,1%), la enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica (6,9%) y el cáncer de pulmón (5,0%). Se observaron incrementos notables en la mortalidad de 1990 a 2016 en otros cánceres, infecciones respiratorias del tracto inferior, enfermedad renal crónica y otras enfermedades cardiovasculares, entre otros. Por el contrario, los accidentes de tráfico bajaron del puesto 8 al 32 y la diabetes del 6 al 10. Los dolores de espalda y cervicales se convirtieron en la causa principal de AVAD en España en 2016, superando a la CI, mientras que la enfermedad de Alzheimer pasó del puesto 9 al 3. Los mayores cambios en AVAD se observaron para accidentes de tráfico, que cayeron de la posición 4 a la posición 16, y los trastornos congénitos, de la 17 a la 35; por el contrario, los trastornos orales aumentaron, pasando del puesto 25 al 17. En general, fumar es, con mucho, el factor de riesgo más relevante en España, seguido de presión arterial alta, índice de masa corporal alto, consumo de alcohol y glucemia alta en ayunas. Finalmente, España obtuvo 74,3 sobre 100 puntos en la clasificación del índice ODS en 2016, y los principales determinantes de salud nacionales relacionados con los ODS fueron el consumo de alcohol, el tabaquismo y la obesidad infantil. Se proyecta un aumento a 80,3 puntos en 2030. Conclusión: Los dolores de espalda y cervical fueron el contribuyente más importante de discapacidad en España en 2016. Hubo un aumento notable de la carga poblacional debida a la enfermedad de Alzheimer y otras demencias. El tabaco sigue siendo el riesgo para la salud más importante que debe abordarse en España