The CoLaus study: a population-based study to investigate the epidemiology and genetic determinants of cardiovascular risk factors and metabolic syndrome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cardiovascular diseases and their associated risk factors remain the main cause of mortality in western societies. In order to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in the Caucasian population of Lausanne, Switzerland, we conducted a population-based study (Colaus Study). A secondary aim of the CoLaus study will be to determine new genetic determinants associated with CVRFs.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Single-center, cross-sectional study including a random sample of 6,188 extensively phenotyped Caucasian subjects (3,251 women and 2,937 men) aged 35 to 75 years living in Lausanne, and genotyped using the 500 K Affymetrix chip technology.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m²), smoking, hypertension (blood pressure ≥ 140/90 mmHg and/or treatment), dyslipidemia (high LDL-cholesterol and/or low HDL-cholesterol and/or high triglyceride levels) and diabetes (fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7 mmol/l and/or treatment) were present in 947 (15.7%), 1673 (27.0%), 2268 (36.7%), 2113 (34.2%) and 407 (6.6%) of the participants, respectively, and the prevalence was higher in men than in women. In both genders, the prevalence of obesity, hypertension and diabetes increased with age.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of major CVRFs is high in the Lausanne population in particular in men. We anticipate that given its size, the depth of the phenotypic analysis and the availability of dense genome-wide genetic data, the CoLaus Study will be a unique resource to investigate not only the epidemiology of isolated, or aggregated CVRFs like the metabolic syndrome, but can also serve as a discovery set, as well as replication set, to identify novel genes associated with these conditions.</p

Thrombotic and bleeding complications in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and severe COVID-19: a study of ERIC, the European Research Initiative on CLL

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) may be more susceptible to COVID-19 related poor outcomes, including thrombosis and death, due to the advanced age, the presence of comorbidities, and the disease and treatment-related immune deficiency. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of thrombosis and bleeding in patients with CLL affected by severe COVID-19. METHODS: This is a retrospective multicenter study conducted by ERIC, the European Research Initiative on CLL, including patients from 79 centers across 22 countries. Data collection was conducted between April and May 2021. The COVID-19 diagnosis was confirmed by the real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for SARS-CoV-2 on nasal or pharyngeal swabs. Severe cases of COVID-19 were defined by hospitalization and the need of oxygen or admission into ICU. Development and type of thrombotic events, presence and severity of bleeding complications were reported during treatment for COVID-19. Bleeding events were classified using ISTH definition. STROBE recommendations were used in order to enhance reporting. RESULTS: A total of 793 patients from 79 centers were included in the study with 593 being hospitalized (74.8%). Among these, 511 were defined as having severe COVID: 162 were admitted to the ICU while 349 received oxygen supplementation outside the ICU. Most patients (90.5%) were receiving thromboprophylaxis. During COVID-19 treatment, 11.1% developed a thromboembolic event, while 5.0% experienced bleeding. Thrombosis developed in 21.6% of patients who were not receiving thromboprophylaxis, in contrast to 10.6% of patients who were on thromboprophylaxis. Bleeding episodes were more frequent in patients receiving intermediate/therapeutic versus prophylactic doses of low-molecular-weight heparin (LWMH) (8.1% vs. 3.8%, respectively) and in elderly. In multivariate analysis, peak D-dimer level and C-reactive protein to albumin ratio were poor prognostic factors for thrombosis occurrence (OR?=?1.022, 95%CI 1.007?1.038 and OR?=?1.025, 95%CI 1.001?1.051, respectively), while thromboprophylaxis use was protective (OR?=?0.199, 95%CI 0.061?0.645). Age and LMWH intermediate/therapeutic dose administration were prognostic factors in multivariate model for bleeding (OR?=?1.062, 95%CI 1.017-1.109 and OR?=?2.438, 95%CI 1.023-5.813, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CLL affected by severe COVID-19 are at a high risk of thrombosis if thromboprophylaxis is not used, but also at increased risk of bleeding under the LMWH intermediate/therapeutic dose administration

Thermal Tolerance of Cyclops bohater (Crustacea: Copepoda); Selection of Optimal and Avoided Conditions in Experimental Conditions

Temperature adaptations of ectothermic species as well as the plasticity of their thermal strategies are important for survival during temperature fluctuations, in particular, caused by global warming. The critical thermal maximum (CTM)&mdash;the values of the water temperature at which heat shock was noted (loss of motor activity in case of copepods) was determined under laboratory conditions. The &ldquo;chronic&rdquo; method was used to identify the temperature preferences of the copepods in which a group of test organisms are placed into a thermogradient apparatus. The main result is that in the experiment for individuals of the summer generation C. bohater, the optimal thermal conditions (FTP) were within 6&ndash;11 &deg;C. Summer generation of this copepod in natural water bodies develops at a temperature of 5&ndash;12 &deg;C, which is close to FTP in the experiment. At the same time, the thermal resistance of C. bohater (CTM 31.5 &deg;C) was found to be the lowest among the species of the genus Cyclops. The differences between the thermal preferences of the winter and summer generations expand the temperature of normal performance (TNP) range and indicate a high physiological plasticity of the C. bohater population. This property is likely to allow C. bohater to survive as the climate continues to warm

Thermal Tolerance of <i>Cyclops bohater</i> (Crustacea: Copepoda); Selection of Optimal and Avoided Conditions in Experimental Conditions

Temperature adaptations of ectothermic species as well as the plasticity of their thermal strategies are important for survival during temperature fluctuations, in particular, caused by global warming. The critical thermal maximum (CTM)—the values of the water temperature at which heat shock was noted (loss of motor activity in case of copepods) was determined under laboratory conditions. The “chronic” method was used to identify the temperature preferences of the copepods in which a group of test organisms are placed into a thermogradient apparatus. The main result is that in the experiment for individuals of the summer generation C. bohater, the optimal thermal conditions (FTP) were within 6–11 °C. Summer generation of this copepod in natural water bodies develops at a temperature of 5–12 °C, which is close to FTP in the experiment. At the same time, the thermal resistance of C. bohater (CTM 31.5 °C) was found to be the lowest among the species of the genus Cyclops. The differences between the thermal preferences of the winter and summer generations expand the temperature of normal performance (TNP) range and indicate a high physiological plasticity of the C. bohater population. This property is likely to allow C. bohater to survive as the climate continues to warm

Red de tutoría : una opción alternativa para ofrecer educación integral a poblaciones adultas vulnerables

El proyecto de jóvenes y adultos está soportado en unos fundamentos que facilitan visualizar el norte del proyecto con estrategia Red de Tutoría y que permiten ver una propuesta integradora y prospectiv

Recommendations about the use of soft starters for energy saving in induction motors at partial loads

Los arrancadores suaves se utilizan en la industria para controlar la corriente y el par en el arranque de los motores asincrónicos. Algunos fabricantes sugieren una función de ahorro de energía para motores trabajando con cargas parciales. En este trabajo se demuestra que debido a la distorsión de la onda que producen los arrancadores, se incrementan las pérdidas para cargas superiores al 40%, y por lo tanto, solo deben instalarse para el arranque suave, y no para ahorrar energíaSoft starters are used in industry to control the current and torque at startup of asynchronous motors. Some manufacturers suggest an energy saving function for motors working with partial loads. In this work, it is demonstrated that due to the distortion of the wave produced by the starters, losses increase for loads higher than 40%. Therefore, they must only be installed for soft start, and not to save energyIntroducción. Efecto de la reducción de la tensión sobre las pérdidas. Evaluación experimental de la eficiencia. Conclusiones. Referencias bibliográfica