Search for dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks in √s = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

A search for weakly interacting massive particle dark matter produced in association with bottom or top quarks is presented. Final states containing third-generation quarks and miss- ing transverse momentum are considered. The analysis uses 36.1 fb−1 of proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at √s = 13 TeV in 2015 and 2016. No significant excess of events above the estimated backgrounds is observed. The results are in- terpreted in the framework of simplified models of spin-0 dark-matter mediators. For colour- neutral spin-0 mediators produced in association with top quarks and decaying into a pair of dark-matter particles, mediator masses below 50 GeV are excluded assuming a dark-matter candidate mass of 1 GeV and unitary couplings. For scalar and pseudoscalar mediators produced in association with bottom quarks, the search sets limits on the production cross- section of 300 times the predicted rate for mediators with masses between 10 and 50 GeV and assuming a dark-matter mass of 1 GeV and unitary coupling. Constraints on colour- charged scalar simplified models are also presented. Assuming a dark-matter particle mass of 35 GeV, mediator particles with mass below 1.1 TeV are excluded for couplings yielding a dark-matter relic density consistent with measurements

The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and knowledge of cardiovascular disease in African men in the North-West Province

MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major health problem worldwide. In South Africa, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is often underestimated. The prevalence of CVD is very high, especially in urban areas, where two thirds of Africans present with multiple risk factors for CVD. The surge in CVD seems largely caused by modifiable risk factors. Although several studies have been conducted on the high prevalence and burden of CVD, there is limited research investigating possible relationships between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge. In order to address the burden of CVD as a public health issue, it is necessary to determine the level of CVD knowledge to bridge the possible knowledge gap in the control and primary prevention of CVD. It is therefore important to get a clear understanding of the relationship between CV risk factors and knowledge of CVD to contribute to the development and implementation of primary prevention programmes to reduce the prevalence of CVD. The findings from the study may be useful in designing community based health promotion programmes to prevent and control CVD within primary health care settings. A clear and comprehensive understanding of how risk factors contribute to the development of the CVD may enable individuals to identify their risk factors, but also to take action to reduce their risk for developing CVD. AIM This study aimed to determine the relationship between CV risk factors and knowledge of CVD in a group of African men. METHODOLOGY This study is quantitative in nature and followed a descriptive correlational design to describe the relationship between CV risk factors and knowledge of CVD. The study included 118 African men employed at the Vaalharts Water Scheme, North-West Province, South Africa. For the purpose of the study, data was collected by means of questionnaires and individual health screening. Participants completed a general health questionnaire, as well as a Heart Disease Knowledge Questionnaire. Individual health screening included anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference and body mass index), blood pressure (BP), rapid testing of blood glucose and cholesterol. By using Pearson correlations we determined whether CVD knowledge scores relate to individual CV risk factors. RESULTS The mean CV knowledge score was 75%, with an acceptable Cronbach’s alpha of 0.64 (CA=0.64). One third of the group displayed moderate to high CV risk profiles. Participants had a mean BP of 146/92 mmHg, which falls in the hypertensive range of the European guidelines. Their fasting blood glucose levels of 5.8 ± 2.0mmol/L were higher than the normal cut-off of 5.6mmol/L. Their mean body mass index was 25.9 ± 5.9 kg/m2. Overall, we observed a lack of association between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge. Only one borderline significant association existed between triglycerides and CVD knowledge (r=0.167; p=0.071). CONCLUSIONS Despite African men having increased CV risk and a relatively good knowledge of CVD risk factors, there seems to be a disconnect between their CV risk and CVD knowledge. Furthermore, in this group of African men, this knowledge does not appear to translate to changes in their own perceived severity of risk factors. Our results suggest that a good CVD knowledge does not appear to influence changes in CV risk factor levels.Master

The relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and knowledge of cardiovascular disease in African men in the North-West Province

Background: South Africa has an established high prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), particularly amongst urban African communities. However, it was unknown whether African men's CVD knowledge was associated with their CV health profiles. Objective: To investigate the possible relationships between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge in a group of African men. Method: Questionnaires were completed by 118 African men from the North-West Province, South Africa, and health screening, including anthropometry, blood pressure, fasting blood sugar and cholesterol measurements, were done. Results: The mean CVD knowledge score was 75%. Participants' mean BP was 146/92 mmHg, falling within hypertensive ranges. Their mean fasting blood glucose of 5.8 ± 2.0 mmol/L exceeded the normal cut-off value of 5.6 mmol/L. There was a lack of association between CV risk factors and CVD knowledge, except for a borderline significant association between triglycerides and CVD knowledge (r = 0.167; p = 0.071), implying that men with higher CVD knowledge had higher levels of triglycerides. Conclusion: Despite African men's high CV risk and a relatively good understanding of CVD risk factors, there was no significant correlation between their CV risk factors and CVD knowledge

Vascular function and cardiovascular risk in a HIV infected and HIV free cohort of African ancestry : baseline profile, rationale and methods of the longitudinal EndoAfrica-NWU study

CITATION: Fourie, C. M. T., et al. 2020. Vascular function and cardiovascular risk in a HIV infected and HIV free cohort of African ancestry : baseline profile, rationale and methods of the longitudinal EndoAfrica-NWU study. BMC Infectious Diseases, 20:473, di:10.1186/s12879-020-05173-6.The original publication is available at https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.comBackground: People living with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (PLHIV) have an increased susceptibility to develop non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease (CVD). Infection with HIV contributes to the development of CVD independent of traditional risk factors, with endothelial dysfunction being the central physiological mechanism. While HIV-related mortality is declining due to antiretroviral treatment (ART), the number of deaths due to CVD is rising in South Africa - the country with the highest number of PLHIV and the world’s largest ART programme. The EndoAfrica study was developed to determine whether HIV infection and ART are associated with cardiovascular risk markers and changes in vascular structure and function over 18months in adults from different provinces of South Africa. This paper describes the rationale, methodology and baseline cohort profile of the EndoAfrica study conducted in the North West Province, South Africa. Methods: In this case-control study, conducted between August 2017 and June 2018, 382 volunteers of African descent (276 women; 106 men), comprising of 278 HIV infected and 104 HIV free individuals were included. We measured health behaviours, a detailed cardiovascular profile, and performed biomarker analyses. We compared baseline characteristics, blood pressure, vascular function and biochemical markers between those infected and HIV free. Results: At baseline, the HIV infected participants were older (43 vs 39 years), less were employed (21% vs 40%), less had a tertiary education (7% vs 16%) and their body mass index was lower (26 vs 29 kg/m2) than that of the HIV free participants. While the cardiovascular profile, flow-mediated dilation and pulse wave velocity did not differ, glycated haemoglobin was lower (p = 0.017) and total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, gammaglutamyltransferase and tobacco use were higher (all p < 0.047) in PLHIV. Conclusion: Despite PLHIV being older, preliminary cross-sectional analysis suggests that PLHIV being treated with ART do not have poorer endothelial or vascular function compared to the HIV free participants. More detailed analyses on the baseline and follow-up data will provide further clarity regarding the cardiovascular profile of South Africans living with HIV.https://bmcinfectdis.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12879-020-05173-6Publisher's versio