The relationship between maternal health risk behaviors and child health in South Africa.

Over 50,000 children under age five die in South Africa every year due to acute respiratory infections, diarrhea, malnutrition and HIV/AIDS. Many of these deaths are preventable with timely immunization and better domestic sanitation and hygiene. Mothers are usually the main caregivers for young children, and they are the first to notice when their child is sick. Moreover, research across many developing countries reports a strong relationship between maternal childcare practices and child health. This study interrogates whether there is an association between mothers who adopt health risk behaviors for themselves and the health outcomes of their children, as evidenced by timing of child immunizations and maternal reports of incidence of diarrhea and cough in the two weeks prior to data collection. The study is anchored on the theoretical debate about the extent to which individual agency versus social structure determine the choice of healthy or risky lifestyles and the implications this may have on an individual’s dependent children. The theoretical framework is based on Cockerham’s (2005) proposed Health Lifestyle Paradigm, which conceptualizes a person’s dispositions or preferences (Bourdieu’s habitus) as shaped by the interplay of choices and chances, and ultimately resulting in the adoption of healthy or risky lifestyles. The framework has been extended to include maternal health-related practices on behalf of their children that may impact their health outcomes. Maternal health risk behaviors are proxied by smoking, alcohol consumption, risky sexual practices and whether she is following treatment for a diagnosed condition, all relevant factors in the South African context. The data come from the 1998 South African Demographic and Health Survey (SADHS). This study is limited to the subsample of 2,440 children under age five that are matched with a mother in the same household. Logistic regression models are used to ascertain the existence and nature of the association between maternal health behaviors and child outcomes net of other socioeconomic and demographic variables. The main findings are that there are significant associations between maternal health risk behaviors and her child’s health outcomes. Maternal alcohol consumption is associated with delays in immunization, and children of mothers who do not take medications for a diagnosed condition are significantly more likely to have had diarrhea or respiratory infections in the last two weeks. Data limitations prevent disentangling whether these findings are due to internalized maternal practices or overwhelming constraining structures that limit access to healthcare for both mother and child. Policy ramifications and needs for future research are discussed

The Threat of Climate Change on Alpine Birds and Their Habitats.

Alpine birds are high-elevation specialists with unique adaptations such as delayed and reduced breeding and the physiological ability to withstand hypoxic, arid, and windy conditions—unfortunately, their populations are expected to decline due to anthropogenic climate change. These birds are short-migrating species, usually only migrating vertically up to the highest peaks for the breeding season. With the changing landscape and climate, scientists have been trying to understand the risk alpine birds face and whether they will change their distribution or decline. Abiotic changes such as drastic retreating of glaciers, reduced snowpack, increased temperatures, and increased precipitation as rain are shrinking the available breeding and foraging habitat of alpine birds. Indirectly, these abiotic changes are triggering biotic changes; for example, forest and shrub vegetation are invading alpine tundra, and snowpack decline is reducing snowbed habitat available for foraging. Additionally, the environmental cues triggered at lower elevations are becoming increasingly mismatched with higher elevation conditions, causing birds to migrate earlier to regions that are still completely covered in snow. Studies focused on understanding alpine bird responses to climate change have found heterogeneity in the birds’ responses. Unfortunately, this complicates conservation efforts because it limits our ability to apply one species’ response to another. Going forward, conservation efforts should focus on understanding specific bird ecology and on restoring and protecting alpine habitats

Heart murmur with unusual diagnosis

This study was supported by Comunidad de Madrid through the programme AORTASANA‐CM; B2017/BMD‐3676 cofinanced by the European Social Fund.S

Calidad microbiológica de la miel en la Región Pampeana (Argentina) a lo largo del proceso de extracción

Este estudio evaluó la calidad microbiológica de la miel dentro de varias plantas de extracción de miel y la calidad del medio ambiente de las mismas en la Región Pampeana (Argentina). Se trabajó con 163 muestras de miel provenientes de 8 plantas de extracción. Se cuantificaron hongos y levaduras, bacterias aeróbicas mesófilas, bacterias esporuladas y esporas de clostridios. Asimismo, se determinó la presencia de Salmonella spp., Shigella spp. y coliformes fecales. Los resultados mostraron que por g de miel, 89 muestras tuvieron menos de 10 UFC de hongos y levaduras, 69 tuvieron entre 10 y 50 UFC y 2 alcanzaron 65,5 UFC. Ochenta y uno por ciento de las muestras presentaron menos de 30 UFC de bacterias aeróbicas mesófilas por g de miel mientras que solo 7 tuvieron entre 50 y 54,25 UFC. Se obtuvieron 36 muestras de miel directamente de tambor: los conteos de bacterias aeróbicas mesófilas fueron ≤ 30 UFC/g de miel en 25 muestras (69,4%); los valores de hongos y levaduras estuvieron entre 10 y 50 UFC en 20 muestras (55,5%) y solo se detectaron coliformes totales. No se observaron coliformes fecales, esporas de clostridios así como tampoco Salmonella spp. y Shigella spp. y se obtuvieron menos de 50 esporas de Bacillus spp./g en miel de los tambores. Se concluye que la calidad microbiológica de la miel en las plantas de extracción no presentó riesgo sanitario. Los resultados fueron entregados a los dueños de las mismas como aporte para que valoren la importancia de reforzar la aplicación de buenas prácticas de manejo y saneamiento.In this work we determined the microbiological quality of honey at different processing points and the environmental quality within honey houses, in order to enlarge and complete a research we started in 2009. Mould and yeast (MY), aerobic mesophilic heterotrophic bacteria (CHMB), spore forming bacteria and spores of clostridia number as well as the presence of Shigella spp., Salmonella spp. and fecal coliforms were determined in 163 samples of honey from eight honey houses of the Pampas Region (Argentina). Results showed that 89 samples had ≤10 cfu of MY g-1 while 69 ranged from 10 to 50 cfu g-1, except two that reached 65.5 cfu g-1. Eighty one percentage of the samples showed ≤30 cfu of CHMB g-1 while only seven samples had between 50 and 54.25 cfu g-1. Thirty six samples of honey were obtained from drums: in 25 samples (69.4%) counts of CHMB were less than ≤30 cfu g-1 of honey; in 20 samples (55.5%) values of MY were between 10 and 50 cfu g-1 of honey and total coliforms were only detected in 20 samples from 2014. Fecal coliforms, spores of clostridia as well as Salmonella spp. and Shigella spp were not detected in honey from drums and less than 50 spores of Bacillus spp. g-1 of honey were observed. We can conclude that the microbiological honey quality at honey houses did not show sanitary risks. The information given to the honey house owners would help them to understand the need of applying proper honey handling and sanitation practices.Fil: Fernandez, Leticia Andrea. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Ghilardi, Carolina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Hoffmann, Betiana. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Busso, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Centro de Recursos Naturales Renovables de la Zona Semiarida; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Gallez, Liliana María. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; Argentin

Predicting Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Low-Risk Individuals Ideal Cardiovascular Health Score and Fuster-BEWAT Score

BACKGROUND The ideal cardiovascular health score (ICHS) is recommended for use in primary prevention. Simpler tools not requiring laboratory tests, such as the Fuster-BEWAT (blood pressure [B], exercise [E], weight [W], alimentation [A], and tobacco [T]) score (FBS), are also available. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of ICHS and FBS in predicting the presence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis. METHODS A total of 3,983 participants 40 to 54 years of age were enrolled in the PESA (Progression of Early Subclinical Atherosclerosis) cohort. Subclinical atherosclerosis was measured in right and left carotids, abdominal aorta, right and left iliofemoral arteries, and coronary arteries. Subjects were classified as having poor, intermediate, or ideal cardiovascular health based on the number of favorable ICHS or FBS. RESULTS With poor ICHS and FBS as references, individuals with ideal ICHS and FBS showed lower adjusted odds of having atherosclerotic plaques (ICHS odds ratio [OR]: 0.41; 95\% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31 to 0.55 vs. FBS OR: 0.49; 95\% CI: 0.36 to 0.66), coronary artery calcium (CACS) >= 1 (CACS OR: 0.41; 95\% CI: 0.28 to 0.60 vs. CACS OR: 0.53; 95\% CI: 0.38 to 0.74), higher number of affected territories (OR: 0.32; 95\% CI: 0.26 to 0.41 vs. OR: 0.39; 95\% CI: 0.31 to 0.50), and higher CACS level (OR: 0.40; 95\% CI: 0.28 to 0.58 vs. OR: 0.52; 95\% CI: 0.38 to 0.72). Similar levels of significantly discriminating accuracy were found for ICHS and FBS with respect to the presence of plaques (C-statistic: 0.694; 95\% CI: 0.678 to 0.711 vs. 0.692; 95\% CI: 0.676 to 0.709, respectively) and for CACS >= 1 (C-statistic: 0.782; 95\% CI: 0.765 to 0.800 vs. 0.780; 95\% CI: 0.762 to 0.798, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Both scores predict the presence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis with similar accuracy, highlighting the value of the FBS as a simpler and more affordable score for evaluating the risk of subclinical disease. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation.The PESA study was co-funded by Fundacion Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC) and Banco Santander. Funding was also provided by Institute of Health Carlos III (PI15/02019) and European Regional Development Fund. CNIC is supported by the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness and Pro CNIC Foundation; and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). This work is part of a project that received funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant 707642 and American Heart Association grant 14SFRN20490315. Dr. Bueno has received research funding from Instituto de Salud Carlos III (PIE16/00021), AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen, and Novartis; is a consultant for Abbott, AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer, and Novartis; and has received speakers fees and travel and attendance support from AstraZeneca, Bayer, Bristol-Myers Squibb-Pfizer, Ferrer, Novartis, Servier, and Medscape. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose. Matthew Budoff, MD, served as Guest Editor for this paper.S

Phosphate, microbiota and ckd

Phosphate is a key uremic toxin associated with adverse outcomes. As chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses, the kidney capacity to excrete excess dietary phosphate decreases, triggering compensatory endocrine responses that drive CKD-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD). Eventu-ally, hyperphosphatemia develops, and low phosphate diet and phosphate binders are prescribed. Recent data have identified a potential role of the gut microbiota in mineral bone disorders. Thus, parathyroid hormone (PTH) only caused bone loss in mice whose microbiota was enriched in the Th17 cell-inducing taxa segmented filamentous bacteria. Furthermore, the microbiota was required for PTH to stimulate bone formation and increase bone mass, and this was dependent on bacterial production of the short-chain fatty acid butyrate. We review current knowledge on the relationship between phosphate, microbiota and CKD-MBD. Topics include microbial bioactive compounds of special interest in CKD, the impact of dietary phosphate and phosphate binders on the gut microbiota, the modulation of CKD-MBD by the microbiota and the potential therapeutic use of microbiota to treat CKD-MBD through the clinical translation of concepts from other fields of science such as the optimization of phosphorus utilization and the use of phosphate-accumulating organisms.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 860329, FIS/Fondos FEDER (PI18/01366, PI20/00744, PI19/00815, DTS18/00032, ERA-PerMed-JTC2018 (KIDNEY ATTACK AC18/00064 and PERSTIGAN AC18/00071, ISCIII-RETIC REDinREN RD016/0009), Sociedad Española de Nefrología, FRIAT, Comunidad de Madrid en Biomedicina B2017/BMD-3686 CIFRA2-C

Pseudomonas spp. isolates with high phosphate-mobilizing potential and root colonization properties from agricultural bulk soils under no-till management

Seven phosphate-mobilizing pseudomonads were isolated, identified, and characterized in terms of their biofertilizer potential and root-colonizing properties. Pseudomonas protegens (ex-fluorescens) CHA0 was used for comparative purposes. Four isolates (LF-MB1, LF-P1, LF-P2, and LF-P3) clustered with members of the "Pseudomonas fluorescens complex," whereas the other three (LF-MB2, LF-V1, and LF-V2) clustered with members of the "Pseudomonas putida/Pseudomonas aeruginosa complex." Assays in buffered liquid growth medium supplemented with tricalcium phosphate enabled the separation of the isolates into two groups: group A (LF-P1, LF-P2, LF-P3, and LF-V1) solubilized P from 151 up to 182 μg mL -1, and group B (LF-MB1, LF-MB2, and LF-V2) solubilized less than 150 μg P mL -1. All isolates displayed acid and alkaline phosphatase activities. With the exception of LF-MB2, all isolates were able to degrade phospholipids from lecithin. Additionally, all isolates exhibited extracellular protease activity, and four isolates produced hydrogen cyanide, two traits that are related to biocontrol of phytopathogens. To study root colonization in non-sterile soil, isolates were doubly tagged with gfp and a tetracycline resistance cassette. After 15 days of competition with the indigenous bacterial flora, all tagged isolates colonized soybean roots at counts ranging from 7. 6 × 10 5 to 1. 7 × 10 7 CFU g -1. The results indicate that there are already efficient phosphate-mobilizing pseudomonads adapted to agricultural bulk soils under no-till management in Argentina and thus having excellent potential for use as biofertilizers.Fil: Fernandez, Leticia Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Agaras, Betina Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Investigación en Interacciones Biológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zalba, Pablo. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Departamento de Agronomía; ArgentinaFil: Wall, Luis Gabriel. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Investigación en Interacciones Biológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Valverde, Claudio Fabián. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Investigación en Interacciones Biológicas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Calcinación de huesos: análisis de cambios de color con fines forenses

Introducción: Los cambios morfológicos que experimentan los huesos sometidos a elevadas temperaturas presentan un reto para los laboratorios forenses y antropológicos. El cambio producido en ellos puede verse influenciado por la temperatura y tiempo de exposición al calor. Objetivo: correlacionar cambios del color en el hueso con la temperatura de incineración. Material y métodos. Un total de 32 huesos largos de 5 centímetros de longitud fueron calcinados en un horno de mufla. Ocho de ellos fueron sometidos a 200 °C: 4 durante 30 minutos y otros 4 durante 60 minutos. Otros 8 se expusieron a 400 °C: 4 durante 30 minutos y los otros 4 durante 60 minutos. Ocho más se sometieron a 600 °C: 4 durante 30 minutos y 4 durante 60 minutos. Los 8 restantes se sometieron a 800 °C e igualmente divididos en un grupo de 4 sometido durante un tiempo de 30 minutos y otros 4 durante 60 minutos Además, 4 se utilizaron como control. Con ayuda de lupas y fotografías se realizó un examen visual donde se describió el color de la cortical y medula del hueso. También, se midió el cambio de color con un espectrofotómetro portátil. Finalmente se realizó estudio de correlación entre los cambios de color y la exposición a la temperatura y tiempos. Resultados. Los huesos sometidos a 200 ºC mostraron un color marrón mientras que a 400 el color fue negro en el 100% de casos. A 600 y 800 ºC viraban a gris y blanco con tonos azulados. Los resultados mostraron alteraciones del color significativas en los valores de Blanqueamiento (WI) y Crominancia (y). Además, se observa correlación significativa entre el color y la temperatura tanto en los huesos sometidos durante 30 como a 60 minutos en los mismos parámetros anteriores. . Conclusión. De acuerdo con estos resultados, el análisis colorimétrico de los huesos incinerados puede ayudar a estimar la temperatura de exposición siendo la temperatura el factor más influyente.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Calcinación de dientes y huesos: estudio morfológico con fines forenses

INTRODUCCIÓN: Los cambios físicos y morfológicos (macro y microscópicos) que experimentan los dientes y huesos sometidos a altas temperaturas han sido motivo de nuestros estudios en los últimos años. El cambio producido en ellos pueden verse influenciados por una serie de factores externos como la temperatura y el tiempo en el que han permanecido expuestos. Por ello, el objetivo de este estudio es conocer los cambios morfológicos que se originan en la calcinación de dientes y huesos a diferentes temperaturas. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Diez muestras mineralizadas (4 dientes y 6 huesos largos) divididas en dos grupos se someten a 200 y 400 ºC durante 30 minutos en un horno de mufla (Nabertherm LT 40/12, Nabertherm GmbH, Germany). Posteriormente, se observaron mediante un Microscopio Multizoom Nikon modelo AZ 100 con objetivo 2 y zoom 1 asociado a un a un ordenador (PC) donde está instalado el programa Nis-Elements diseñado para la captación, almacenaje y tratamiento de fotografías. RESULTADOS: Las fisuras longitudinales se inician en el 100% de los dientes sometidos a 200 ºC durante 30 minutos tanto a nivel coronal como radicular. A esta misma temperatura y tiempo no se observa fisuras en los huesos largos. A 400 ºC se originan fracturas “en casquete” del esmalte en el molar y fractura radicular y coronal en el premolar. Además, se inician las fisuras a nivel medular de los huesos. CONCLUSIONES: Según este estudio, ante la misma temperatura y tiempo de calcinación los dientes se fisuran y fracturan antes que los huesos largos.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech