Race and Health Disparities Among Seniors in Urban Areas in Brazil

White seniors report better health than Black seniors in urban areas in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This is the case even after controlling for baseline health conditions and several demographic, socio-economic and family support characteristics. Furthermore, adjusted racial disparities in self-reported health are larger than the disparities found using alternative measures of functional health. Our empirical research in this paper suggests that the two most important factors driving racial disparities in health among seniors (in our sample) are historical differences in rural living conditions and current income. Present economic conditions are more relevant to racial disparities among poor seniors than among rich seniors. Moreover, racial differences in health not attributable to observable characteristics are more important when comparing individuals in the upper half of the income distribution.

Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health in Latin America and the Caribbean

There is increasing awareness that race and ethnicity play an important role in the poverty and social marginalization of Latin American and Caribbean populations.Health Care

Iglesia y política en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Un acercamiento desde la diócesis de Cali

El vínculo entre política y religión ha sido una constante en la historia. Para el caso colombiano, la intervención de la Iglesia Católica en asuntos de índole socio-político ha generado gran controversia y ha marcado de manera definitiva el rumbo de las relaciones entre el poder temporal y espiritual. Situación esta que se ratifica a nivel regional, la postura de la Diócesis de Cali a través de los comunicados de su obispo, monseñor Luis Adriano Díaz, y sus medios de información, frente a temas tan relevantes a nivel nacional como la caída de la hegemonía conservadora en 1930, la reforma religiosa de López Pumarejo y la propaganda anticomunista y antiprotestante. Se busca en este trabajo, dar nuevas luces de la historia política nacional, desde la información de archivos regionales, como el de diócesis de Cali, que hasta el presente permanecen inéditos

Porous Titanium surfaces to control bacteria growth: mechanical properties and sulfonated polyetheretherketone coating as antibiofounling approaches

Here, titanium porous substrates were fabricated by a space holder technique. The relationship between microstructural characteristics (pore equivalent diameter, mean free-path between pores, roughness and contact surface), mechanical properties (Young’s modulus, yield strength and dynamic micro-hardness) and bacterial behavior are discussed. The bacterial strains evaluated are often found on dental implants: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The colony-forming units increased with the size of the spacer for both types of studied strains. An antibiofouling synthetic coating based on a sulfonated polyetheretherketone polymer revealed an effective chemical surface modification for inhibiting MRSA adhesion and growth. These findings collectively suggest that porous titanium implants designed with a pore size of 100–200 µm can be considered most suitable, assuring the best biomechanical and bifunctional anti-bacterial properties.University of Seville VI Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia—US 2018, I.3A

Balancing porosity and mechanical properties of titanium samples to favor cellular growth against bacteria

Two main problems limit the success of titanium implants: bacterial infection, which restricts their osseointegration capacity; and the stiffness mismatch between the implant and the host cortical bone, which promotes bone resorption and risk of fracture. Porosity incorporation may reduce this difference in stiffness but compromise biomechanical behavior. In this work, the relationship between the microstructure (content, size, and shape of pores) and the antibacterial and cellular behavior of samples fabricated by the space-holder technique (50 vol % NH4HCO3 and three ranges of particle sizes) is established. Results are discussed in terms of the best biomechanical properties and biofunctional activity balance (cell biocompatibility and antibacterial behavior). All substrates achieved suitable cell biocompatibility of premioblast and osteoblast in adhesion and proliferation processes. It is worth to highlighting that samples fabricated with the 100–200 μm space-holder present better mechanical behavior—in terms of stiffness, microhardness, and yield strength—which make them a very suitable material to replace cortical bone tissues. Those results exposed the relationship between the surface properties and the race of bacteria and mammalian cells for the surface with the aim to promote cellular growth over bacteria.University of Seville (Spain) VI Plan Propio de Investigación y Transferencia—US 2018, I.3A

Family Support and Diabetes: Patient's Experiences From a Public Hospital in Peru.

Family support is crucial for managing chronic conditions but it is often overlooked when designing behavioral interventions in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As part of the formative phase of a feasibility randomized control trial (RCT), we conducted 20 semistructured interviews with people with T2DM from Lima, Peru. Based on such results, we describe the support people with T2DM receive from their families and the role that such support has in their efforts to implement diabetes management practices. We learned that participants receive support from family members, but mostly from their spouses and children. Their relatives encourage them and motivate them to fight for their health, they also provide instrumental support by preparing healthy meals, reminding them to take medications, and sharing physical activity. Participants also reported controlling actions which were not always "well received." Thus, any intervention supporting self-management practices need to work with key family members. We support the literature that suggests that interventions should target family members to ensure improved T2DM self-management practices

Obtained and characterization of composite materials W-Cu for electrical contact

9 páginas, 5 figuras, 4 tablas.-- Nota técnica.[ES] En el Centro de Investigaciones Metalúrgicas (CIME), cubano, se fabrican por pulvimetalurgia, calzos de material compuesto volframio-cobre, que se utilizan en los contactos eléctricos de los paneles de control de las grúas pórtico que operan en el puerto de Ciudad de La Habana. El material base que se utiliza contiene un 70 % en masa de polvo de cobre electrolítico y polvo de volframio (30 %), que se obtiene por reducción del óxido de volframio. Los polvos se someten a las etapas de mezclado, prensado y sinterización obteniéndose un material compuesto con las fases metálicas formadas por partículas libres de volframio ocluidas en una matriz de cobre, que no interaccionan entre sí. Este material compuesto proporciona al calzo de ajuste las siguientes propiedades: alta temperatura de fusión, alta electrotermoconductividad y resistencia a la corrosión, alta resistencia mecánica y a la erosión eléctrica, baja soldabilidad y estabilidad durante su explotación. Sin embargo, al no reaccionar las partículas de volframio con el cobre, el material compuesto comenzará a fundir a la temperatura del cobre; por otro lado y, por la misma razón la resistencia a la corrosión debe ser similar a la del cobre puro. Los calzos de ajuste se fijan a los cuerpos de cobre de alta pureza mediante una soldadura de una aleación de plata, la cual no afecta las buenas cualidades del cobre, como elasticidad, resistencia a la tracción, conductividad térmica y eléctrica, así como resistencia a la corrosión.[EN] In the Cuban Metallurgical Research Center (CIME), are manufactured by powder metallurgy, shims of adjustment of a W-Cu composite material, that are used in the electrical contacts of the panels of control of the portico derricks that operate in the port of Havana City. The base material used has a composition of 70 % in mass electrolytic copper powder and wolfram powder of (30 %) that is obtained by reduction from the oxide from wolfram. The powders are submitted to the stages of mixed, pressed and agglomeration and is obtained a composite material with free particles of W occluded in a counterfoil of Cu matrix, that do not interact and they provide the following properties: high melting temperature, high electro and thermo conductivity and corrosion resistance, high mechanical and electrical strengtheners, decrease weldability and stability during their development. However, when not reacting the volframio particles with the copper, the compound material will begin to fuse to the temperature of the copper, on the other hand and for the same reason the resistance to the corrosion should be similar to that of the pure copper. The shims of adjustment are fixed to the bodies of high purity copper welding with a silver alloy, the one which provides the maximum qualities of the Cu, as elasticity, breaking strength, thermal and electrical conductivities, as well corrosion resistance.Peer reviewe

Porphyromonas gingivalis Placental Atopobiosis and Inflammatory Responses in Women With Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes

The microbiome modulates inflammation at the fetal maternal interface on both term and preterm labor. Inflammophilic oral bacteria, such as Porphyromonas gingivalis, as well as urogenital microorganisms (UGM) could translocate to the placenta and activate immune mechanisms in decidual tissue that is associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO). This study establishes the associations between the presence of microbes in the placenta and placental cytokine patterns in women who presented APO, e.g., low birth weight (LBW), preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM), preterm birth (PTB) and other clinical signs related to Chorioamnionitis (CA). A total of 40 pregnant women were included in the study and divided into five groups according to placental infection (PI) and APO, as follows: (1) women without PI and without APO (n = 17), (2) women with P. gingivalis-related PI and APO (n = 5), (3) women with P. gingivalis-related PI and without APO (n = 4), (4) women with PI related to UGM and APO (n = 5) and (5) women without PI with APO (n = 9). Obstetric, clinical periodontal status evaluation, and subgingival plaque sampling were performed at the time of delivery. Placental levels of interleukin IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-15, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, IL-12p70, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 α (MCP-1α), granzyme B, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) were determined using a multiplex flow cytometry assay. All patients showed a predominant Th-1 cytokine profile related to labor, characterized by IFN-γ overexpression. The analysis by groups suggests that Th-1 profile was trending to maintain cytotoxic cell activity by the expression of IL-15 and granzyme B, except for the group with P. gingivalis-related PI and APO, which exhibited a reduction of IL-10 and IL-17F cytokines (p < 0.05) and a Th-1 profile favoring macrophage activation by MCP-1 production (p < 0.05). This study confirms a pro-inflammatory pattern associated with labor, characterized by a Th-1 profile and the activity of cytotoxic cells, which is enhanced by PI with UGM. However, PI associated with P. gingivalis suggests a switch where the Th-1 profile favors an inflammatory response mediated by MCP-1 and macrophage activity as a mechanistic explanation of its possible relationship with adverse outcomes in pregnancy

Factors associated with consumption of fruits and vegetables among Community Kitchens customers in Lima, Peru.

Community Kitchens (CKs) are one of the main food providers to low-income families in Peru and may encourage healthier diets. We aimed to determine the prevalence of fruit and vegetable consumption and associated sociodemographic and behavioral factors among CKs customers. A cross-sectional study enrolling customers of 48 CKs in two areas of Lima, Peru, was performed. The self-reported amount of fruits and vegetables consumed (< 5 vs. ? 5 servings/day) was the outcome. The exposures were grouped in sociodemographic variables (i.e. age, gender, education level, etc.), and self-reported intention to change eating- and exercise-related habits in the last four weeks just prior to the interview. Prevalence ratios (PR) were estimated using Poisson regression. Data from 422 subjects were analyzed, 328 females (77.9%), mean age 43.7 (± 14.5) years. Only 36 (8.5%; 95% CI 5.9%-11.2%) customers reported consuming ? 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. This pattern was 4-fold more likely among those with higher levels of education (? 12 vs. < 7 years), and 64% less common for migrants relative to non-migrants. In terms of intentions to change habits, those who reported having tried to reduce sugar consumption or to eat more fruits were up to 90% more likely to meet the ? 5 servings/day target. A substantial gap in the consumption of ? 5 servings of fruits and vegetables/day was found among CKs customers that does not appear to be dependent on familial income. The profiles reported in this study can inform appropriate strategies to increase healthier eating in this population