REACT study protocol: resilience after the COVID-19 threat (REACT) in adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19-related social isolation and stress may have significant mental health effects, including post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression. These factors are thought to disproportionately affect populations at risk of psychopathology, such as adolescents with a history of childhood adversity (CA). Therefore, examining which factors may buffer the impact of COVID-19-related stress and isolation in vulnerable adolescents is critical. The Resilience After the COVID-19 Threat (REACT) study assesses whether emotion regulation capacity, inflammation and neuroimmune responses to stress induced in the laboratory prior to the pandemic predict responses to COVID-19-related social isolation and stress in adolescents with CA. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms that enable vulnerable adolescents to maintain or regain good mental health when confronted with COVID-19. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We recruited 79 adolescents aged 16-26 with CA experiences from the Resilience After Individual Stress Exposure study in which we assessed emotion regulation, neural and immune stress responses to an acute stress task. Our sample completed questionnaires at the start of the UK lockdown ('baseline'; April 2020) and three (July 2020) and 6 months later (October 2020) providing crucial longitudinal information across phases of the pandemic progression and government response. The questionnaires assess (1) mental health, (2) number and severity of life events, (3) physical health, (4) stress perception and (5) loneliness and friendship support. We will use multilevel modelling to examine whether individual differences at baseline are associated with responses to COVID-19-related social isolation and stress. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has been approved by the Cambridge Psychology Research Ethics Committee (PRE.2020.037). Results of the REACT study will be disseminated in publications in scientific peer-reviewed journals, presentations at scientific conferences and meetings, publications and presentations for the general public, and through social media

DNA barcoding and microsatellites help species delimitation and hybrid identification in endangered galaxiid fishes

The conservation of data deficient species is often hampered by inaccurate species delimitation. The galaxiid fishes Aplochiton zebra and Aplochiton taeniatus are endemic to Patagonia (and for A. zebra the Falkland Islands), where they are threatened by invasive salmonids. Conservation of Aplochiton is complicated because species identification is hampered by the presence of resident as well as migratory ecotypes that may confound morphological discrimination. We used DNA barcoding (COI, cytochrome b) and a new developed set of microsatellite markers to investigate the relationships between A. zebra and A. taeniatus and to assess their distributions and relative abundances in Chilean Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. Results from both DNA markers were 100% congruent and revealed that phenotypic misidentification was widespread, size-dependent, and highly asymmetric. While all the genetically classified A. zebra were correctly identified as such, 74% of A. taeniatus were incorrectly identified as A. zebra, the former species being more widespread than previously thought. Our results reveal, for the first time, the presence in sympatry of both species, not only in Chilean Patagonia, but also in the Falkland Islands, where A. taeniatus had not been previously described. We also found evidence of asymmetric hybridisation between female A. taeniatus and male A. zebra in areas where invasive salmonids have become widespread. Given the potential consequences that species misidentification and hybridisation can have for the conservation of these endangered species, we advocate the use of molecular markers in order to reduce epistemic uncertainty

Compassionate communities: How to assess their benefit? A protocol of a collaborative study between different countries.

BACKGROUND Communities and local governments invest in compassionate communities (CCs) a great deal of time, money, effort, and work. However, it is not known whether the CCs are having the effect they are expected to have, so the value of continuing with these initiatives is unknown, and there is a need for a model for evaluating CCs to solve the question. OBJECTIVES To identify a set of core outcomes or benefits that should be measured to assess the impact of the CCs. DESIGN Multiple-methods study involving three communities, each in a different country (Argentina, Colombia, and Switzerland). METHODS AND ANALYSIS To identifying the set of core outcomes, which is the first step in developing the CC evaluation model, five phases will follow: online meetings, literature review, fieldwork, Delphi survey, and social transfer. We will involve members of the local communities of Bern, Buenos Aires, and Medellin at three different levels: (1) citizens (e.g. patients, caregivers, and family members), (2) organizations and institutions involved in the program implementation (e.g. health care organizations, churches, non-governmental organizations, and schools), and (3) political and governmental sectors. ETHICS The study will be conducted following existing international regulations and guidance such as the Declaration of Helsinki. The ethics committee of Pallium Latin America and the ethics committee of the canton of Bern considered our application exempt from the need for approval. Ethics approval in Bern and Buenos Aires is in the process of being obtained. The ethics committee of the Pontifical Bolivarian University approved this protocol. DISCUSSION We expect that this project will help bridge the gap in knowledge regarding the measurable impact of the CCs and enhance more CC development

Global network of computational biology communities: ISCB's regional student groups breaking barriers [version 1; peer review: Not peer reviewed]

Regional Student Groups (RSGs) of the International Society for Computational Biology Student Council (ISCB-SC) have been instrumental to connect computational biologists globally and to create more awareness about bioinformatics education. This article highlights the initiatives carried out by the RSGs both nationally and internationally to strengthen the present and future of the bioinformatics community. Moreover, we discuss the future directions the organization will take and the challenges to advance further in the ISCB-SC main mission: “Nurture the new generation of computational biologists”.Fil: Shome, Sayane. University of Iowa; Estados UnidosFil: Parra, Rodrigo Gonzalo. European Molecular Biology Laboratory; Alemania. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fatima, Nazeefa. Uppsala Universitet; SueciaFil: Monzon, Alexander Miguel. Università di Padova; ItaliaFil: Cuypers, Bart. Universiteit Antwerp; BélgicaFil: Moosa, Yumna. University of KwaZulu Natal; SudáfricaFil: Da Rocha Coimbra, Nilson. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Assis, Juliana. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Giner Delgado, Carla. Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona; EspañaFil: Dönertaş, Handan Melike. European Molecular Biology Laboratory. European Bioinformatics Institute; Reino UnidoFil: Cuesta Astroz, Yesid. Universidad de Antioquia; Colombia. Universidad Ces. Facultad de Medicina.; ColombiaFil: Saarunya, Geetha. University of South Carolina; Estados UnidosFil: Allali, Imane. Universite Mohammed V. Rabat; Otros paises de África. University of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Gupta, Shruti. Jawaharlal Nehru University; IndiaFil: Srivastava, Ambuj. Indian Institute of Technology Madras; IndiaFil: Kalsan, Manisha. Jawaharlal Nehru University; IndiaFil: Valdivia, Catalina. Universidad Andrés Bello; ChileFil: Olguín Orellana, Gabriel José. Universidad de Talca; ChileFil: Papadimitriou, Sofia. Vrije Unviversiteit Brussel; Bélgica. Université Libre de Bruxelles; BélgicaFil: Parisi, Daniele. Katholikie Universiteit Leuven; BélgicaFil: Kristensen, Nikolaj Pagh. Technical University of Denmark; DinamarcaFil: Rib, Leonor. Universidad de Copenhagen; DinamarcaFil: Guebila, Marouen Ben. University of Luxembourg; LuxemburgoFil: Bauer, Eugen. University of Luxembourg; LuxemburgoFil: Zaffaroni, Gaia. University of Luxembourg; LuxemburgoFil: Bekkar, Amel. Universite de Lausanne; SuizaFil: Ashano, Efejiro. APIN Public Health Initiatives; NigeriaFil: Paladin, Lisanna. Università di Padova; ItaliaFil: Necci, Marco. Università di Padova; ItaliaFil: Moreyra, Nicolás Nahuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentin

RAISE study protocol: a cross-sectional, multilevel, neurobiological study of resilience after individual stress exposure

Introduction: This paper describes the protocol for an ongoing project funded by the Royal Society, the Resilience After Individual Stress Exposure (RAISE) study; which aims to examine the factors and mechanisms that facilitate resilient functioning after childhood adversity (CA). Methods and analysis: We aim to recruit up to 200 participants. We will use dimension reduction techniques (principal component analysis) on standard-normally transformed individual parameters of mental health, social functioning and CA to calculate a composite measure of adaptive (ie, ‘resilient’) psychosocial functioning. To examine the neuroimmune responses to stress and their relationship with the brain and social environment, we will use a well validated functional MRI task; the Montreal imaging stress task and venepuncture. We will run group or dimensional comparisons in multiple levels of biological and psychological outcomes, as well as mediation and moderation analyses to study how key biological systems (ie, the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis and the immune system) interrelate and interact with brain function and social influences in order to facilitate resilient functioning after CA. We hypothesise that resilient functioning will be facilitated by reduced morning cortisol and cytokine levels before and after the stressor and improved neural responses to such stress, as well as increased gray matter volume in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, enhanced inhibitory control and emotion regulation, and more friendship and family support. Ethics and dissemination: This study has been reviewed and given favourable opinion by the National Research Ethics Service, NRES Committee East of England-Cambridge Central and external reviewers from the Royal Society (RGF\R1\180064 and RGF\EA\180029). The results of the RAISE study will be disseminated through (1) publications in scientific peer reviewed journals, (2) presentations on relevant scientific conferences and meetings, (3) publications and presentations for the general public and (4) through social media

Prospective individual patient data meta-analysis of two randomized trials on convalescent plasma for COVID-19 outpatients

Data on convalescent plasma (CP) treatment in COVID-19 outpatients are scarce. We aimed to assess whether CP administered during the first week of symptoms reduced the disease progression or risk of hospitalization of outpatients. Two multicenter, double-blind randomized trials (NCT04621123, NCT04589949) were merged with data pooling starting when = 50 years and symptomatic for <= 7days were included. The intervention consisted of 200-300mL of CP with a predefined minimum level of antibodies. Primary endpoints were a 5-point disease severity scale and a composite of hospitalization or death by 28 days. Amongst the 797 patients included, 390 received CP and 392 placebo; they had a median age of 58 years, 1 comorbidity, 5 days symptoms and 93% had negative IgG antibody-test. Seventy-four patients were hospitalized, 6 required mechanical ventilation and 3 died. The odds ratio (OR) of CP for improved disease severity scale was 0.936 (credible interval (CI) 0.667-1.311); OR for hospitalization or death was 0.919 (CI 0.592-1.416). CP effect on hospital admission or death was largest in patients with <= 5 days of symptoms (OR 0.658, 95%CI 0.394-1.085). CP did not decrease the time to full symptom resolution

Global age-sex-specific mortality, life expectancy, and population estimates in 204 countries and territories and 811 subnational locations, 1950–2021, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic: a comprehensive demographic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021

Background: Estimates of demographic metrics are crucial to assess levels and trends of population health outcomes. The profound impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations worldwide has underscored the need for timely estimates to understand this unprecedented event within the context of long-term population health trends. The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021 provides new demographic estimates for 204 countries and territories and 811 additional subnational locations from 1950 to 2021, with a particular emphasis on changes in mortality and life expectancy that occurred during the 2020–21 COVID-19 pandemic period. Methods: 22 223 data sources from vital registration, sample registration, surveys, censuses, and other sources were used to estimate mortality, with a subset of these sources used exclusively to estimate excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 2026 data sources were used for population estimation. Additional sources were used to estimate migration; the effects of the HIV epidemic; and demographic discontinuities due to conflicts, famines, natural disasters, and pandemics, which are used as inputs for estimating mortality and population. Spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression (ST-GPR) was used to generate under-5 mortality rates, which synthesised 30 763 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 1365 surveys and censuses, and 80 other sources. ST-GPR was also used to estimate adult mortality (between ages 15 and 59 years) based on information from 31 642 location-years of vital registration and sample registration data, 355 surveys and censuses, and 24 other sources. Estimates of child and adult mortality rates were then used to generate life tables with a relational model life table system. For countries with large HIV epidemics, life tables were adjusted using independent estimates of HIV-specific mortality generated via an epidemiological analysis of HIV prevalence surveys, antenatal clinic serosurveillance, and other data sources. Excess mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 was determined by subtracting observed all-cause mortality (adjusted for late registration and mortality anomalies) from the mortality expected in the absence of the pandemic. Expected mortality was calculated based on historical trends using an ensemble of models. In location-years where all-cause mortality data were unavailable, we estimated excess mortality rates using a regression model with covariates pertaining to the pandemic. Population size was computed using a Bayesian hierarchical cohort component model. Life expectancy was calculated using age-specific mortality rates and standard demographic methods. Uncertainty intervals (UIs) were calculated for every metric using the 25th and 975th ordered values from a 1000-draw posterior distribution. Findings: Global all-cause mortality followed two distinct patterns over the study period: age-standardised mortality rates declined between 1950 and 2019 (a 62·8% [95% UI 60·5–65·1] decline), and increased during the COVID-19 pandemic period (2020–21; 5·1% [0·9–9·6] increase). In contrast with the overall reverse in mortality trends during the pandemic period, child mortality continued to decline, with 4·66 million (3·98–5·50) global deaths in children younger than 5 years in 2021 compared with 5·21 million (4·50–6·01) in 2019. An estimated 131 million (126–137) people died globally from all causes in 2020 and 2021 combined, of which 15·9 million (14·7–17·2) were due to the COVID-19 pandemic (measured by excess mortality, which includes deaths directly due to SARS-CoV-2 infection and those indirectly due to other social, economic, or behavioural changes associated with the pandemic). Excess mortality rates exceeded 150 deaths per 100 000 population during at least one year of the pandemic in 80 countries and territories, whereas 20 nations had a negative excess mortality rate in 2020 or 2021, indicating that all-cause mortality in these countries was lower during the pandemic than expected based on historical trends. Between 1950 and 2021, global life expectancy at birth increased by 22·7 years (20·8–24·8), from 49·0 years (46·7–51·3) to 71·7 years (70·9–72·5). Global life expectancy at birth declined by 1·6 years (1·0–2·2) between 2019 and 2021, reversing historical trends. An increase in life expectancy was only observed in 32 (15·7%) of 204 countries and territories between 2019 and 2021. The global population reached 7·89 billion (7·67–8·13) people in 2021, by which time 56 of 204 countries and territories had peaked and subsequently populations have declined. The largest proportion of population growth between 2020 and 2021 was in sub-Saharan Africa (39·5% [28·4–52·7]) and south Asia (26·3% [9·0–44·7]). From 2000 to 2021, the ratio of the population aged 65 years and older to the population aged younger than 15 years increased in 188 (92·2%) of 204 nations. Interpretation: Global adult mortality rates markedly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, reversing past decreasing trends, while child mortality rates continued to decline, albeit more slowly than in earlier years. Although COVID-19 had a substantial impact on many demographic indicators during the first 2 years of the pandemic, overall global health progress over the 72 years evaluated has been profound, with considerable improvements in mortality and life expectancy. Additionally, we observed a deceleration of global population growth since 2017, despite steady or increasing growth in lower-income countries, combined with a continued global shift of population age structures towards older ages. These demographic changes will likely present future challenges to health systems, economies, and societies. The comprehensive demographic estimates reported here will enable researchers, policy makers, health practitioners, and other key stakeholders to better understand and address the profound changes that have occurred in the global health landscape following the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, and longer-term trends beyond the pandemic

Actas de las V Jornadas ScienCity 2022. Fomento de la Cultura Científica, Tecnológica y de Innovación en Ciudades Inteligentes

ScienCity es una actividad que viene siendo continuada desde 2018 con el objetivo de dar a conocer los conocimientos y tecnologías emergentes siendo investigados en las universidades, informar de experiencias, servicios e iniciativas puestas ya en marcha por instituciones y empresas, llegar hasta decisores políticos que podrían crear sinergias, incentivar la creación de ideas y posibilidades de desarrollo conjuntas, implicar y provocar la participación ciudadana, así como gestar una red internacional multidisciplinar de investigadores que garantice la continuación de futuras ediciones. En 2022 se recibieron un total de 48 trabajos repartidos en 25 ponencias y 24 pósteres pertenecientes a 98 autores de 14 instituciones distintas de España, Portugal, Polonia y Países Bajos.Fundación Española para la Ciencia y la Tecnología-Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades; Consejería de la Presidencia, Administración Pública e Interior de la Junta de Andalucía; Estrategia de Política de Investigación y Transferencia de la Universidad de Huelva; Cátedra de Innovación Social de Aguas de Huelva; Cátedra de la Provincia; Grupo de investigación TEP-192 de Control y Robótica; Centro de Investigación en Tecnología, Energía y Sostenibilidad (CITES

Determinación del perfil lipídico en adolescentes y niños del Centro Educativo Bilingüe Integral CEBIN

Debido a los cambios actuales de alimentación tanto en niños como en adolescentes y por consiguiente a sus hábitos de ejercicio se ha considerado realizar el estudio del perfil lipídico. Para el presente estudio hemos considerado únicamente las variables de Colesterol, Triglicéridos, HDL y LDL, los mismos que fueron establecidos mediante las técnicas colorimétricas y enzimáticas descritas por la casa comercial WIENER LAB para este tipo de determinaciones; sin dejar de lado las aportaciones de la literatura científica actual. Los objetivos que nos planteamos al inicio del proyecto son los siguientes: Determinar el perfil lipídico de los adolescentes y niños del centro educativo bilingüe integral. Estudiar el perfil lipídico en el grupo experimental. Proporcionar información básica de nutrición a los alumnos. Para el presente proyecto tuvimos alrededor de 220 niños y adolescentes, de edades comprendidas entre 5 y 17 años; paralelamente realizamos una encuesta de tipo informativa en la que indagamos a los participantes sobre sus hábitos alimenticios tanto en la institución educativa como en sus respectivos hogares. Como resultado del trabajo realizado, podemos obtener varias conclusiones siendo lo más importante los casos con valores altos en los adolescentes en comparación con los niños, lo que nos indica que a pesar de tener una mayor conciencia de los problemas que acarrea la mala alimentación no le dan la importancia requeridaBioquímico FarmacéuticoCuenc

Conocimiento de la madre adolescente sobre el desarrollo del lactante menor de un año residentes en el, sector "Los Mangos" de la ciudad de Milagro.

El Estudio: Conocimiento de la madre adolescente sobre el déficit en el desarrollo del lactante menor de un año de madres adolescentes que residen en el sector Los Mangos, de la ciudad de Milagro la inexperiencia de la madre y la falta de cuidado del infante en la etapa de lactancia, afecta directamente el desarrollo del niño menor de un año. Por lo que el Estado, a través de los gobiernos, debería implementar Proyectos de Educación Sexual para disminuir el índice de madres adolescentes, o a su vez, implementar programas educativos, mediante los cuales, se capacite a las madres adolescentes para cuidar de sus infantes, previniendo el bajo desarrollo del lactante. Pese a que esto sigue siendo un problema de salud que afecta directamente a la sociedad, no ha sido debidamente estudiado, ni se han aplicado políticas que beneficien a este sector de la población, es fácil y frecuente encontrar a nuestras adolescentes, que al convertirse en madres, se encuentran con problemas tales como: suspender sus estudios debido a la nueva responsabilidad adquirida; tener que insertarse al campo laboral a temprana edad; recurrencia en segundo y más embarazos, por la falta de cuidados; abandono de los padres adolescentes, entre otros aspectos Por lo que estas barreras disminuirían las posibilidades de que los padre adolescentes alcancen con éxito un proyecto de vida, afectando a tos niño menores de un año, en su crecimiento y desarrollo