Aims
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) on the incidence of heart failure (HF), a pre‐specified secondary outcome in the PREDIMED (PREvención con ...DIeta MEDiterránea) primary nutrition‐intervention prevention trial.
Methods and results
Participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease were randomly assigned to one of three diets: MedDiet supplemented with extra‐virgin olive oil (EVOO), MedDiet supplemented with nuts, or a low‐fat control diet. Incident HF was ascertained by a Committee for Adjudication of events blinded to group allocation. Among 7403 participants without prevalent HF followed for a median of 4.8 years, we observed 29 new HF cases in the MedDiet with EVOO group, 33 in the MedDiet with nuts group, and 32 in the control group. No significant association with HF incidence was found for the MedDiet with EVOO and MedDiet with nuts, compared with the control group hazard ratio (HR) 0.68; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41–1.13, and HR 0.92; 95% CI 0.56–1.49, respectively.
Conclusion
In this sample of adults at high cardiovascular risk, the MedDiet did not result in lower HF incidence. However, this pre‐specified secondary analysis may have been underpowered to provide valid conclusions. Further randomized controlled trials with HF as a primary outcome are needed to better assess the effect of the MedDiet on HF risk.
Trial registration: ISRCTN35739639.
The EYCN and the Power of Networking Soldá, Alice; Rodríguez‐García, Antonio M.
Chemistry : a European journal,
August 6, 2020, Letnik:
26, Številka:
44
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Networking is a symbiosis—it is about establishing, building and cultivating relationships that you will maintain over a long time and which may lead to mutually beneficial exchanges in your future. ...Your professional contacts might also become your close friends, since you frequently share the same experiences or merely have similar scientific and general interests or nerdy humour. Chemical societies are a fantastic way to expand your network and engaging or following the activities of the European Young Chemists Network (EYCN) might be the perfect starting point for you.
This review examines the current literature focused on nomophobia (objectives, methodological design, main variables, sample details, and measurement methods) in the Scopus and Web of Science ...databases. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA) guidelines. The initial sample consisted of 142 articles, of which 42 met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed in detail. The findings show that the current research is in an exploratory phase, with a greater predominance of descriptive, nonexperimental, and cross-sectional studies that explore the prevalence of nomophobia mainly in adolescents and university students. The most widely used measurement instrument is the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) proposed by Yildrim and Correia. In addition, the research suggests that nomophobia negatively affects personality, self-esteem, anxiety, stress, academic performance, and other physical and mental health problems. We are therefore faced with a health problem, which negatively affects a person, causing psychological problems and physical and behavioral changes.
Facilitation beyond species richness Vega‐Álvarez, Julia; García‐Rodríguez, José Antonio; Cayuela, Luis ...
The Journal of ecology,
March 2019, 2019-03-00, 20190301, Letnik:
107, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Facilitation studies have previously focused on the effects of plant–plant interactions on species richness and, more recently, on functional traits or phylogenetic aspects. Little is known, however, ...about the simultaneous effects that facilitation have on overall biodiversity, jointly considering taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity.
In this study, we investigated shrub facilitation on herb communities in a Mediterranean grassland over a 9‐year period (2007–2015), each year representing different water availability conditions. Taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity indices were estimated using generalised Hill numbers within the integrated framework of attribute diversity. We used generalised linear mixed models to analyse the effect of shrub cover on the different diversity indices along a water availability gradient.
Shrub cover had a positive effect on all attribute diversity indices, yet greater for abundant species. Shrubs also favoured survival of certain species (26.5% of total species), but above all they affected relative abundances of common species, filtering growth of dominant species (e.g., Poa bulbosa) and promoting evenness. Diversity indices accounting only for abundant (i.e., high coverage) species showed the strongest facilitation effects that peaked at mid‐range water availability conditions.
Synthesis. Our results suggest that shrubs are key in the maintenance of all three dimensions of biodiversity in the Mediterranean grasslands, promoting more even communities, and to a lower extent, also species richness. We show that shrub facilitation on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of herbaceous communities is maximum for abundant species at mid‐range values of water availability, in accordance with the humped‐back model. This study illustrates the need to evaluate different biodiversity dimensions from an integrated perspective, such as attribute diversity, to disentangle the role of facilitation in community assembly.
Our results suggest that shrubs are key in the maintenance of all three dimensions of biodiversity in the Mediterranean grasslands, promoting more even communities, and to a lower extent, also species richness. We show that shrub facilitation on taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic diversity of herbaceous communities is maximum for abundant species at mid‐range values of water availability, in accordance with the humped‐back model. This study illustrates the need to evaluate different biodiversity dimensions from an integrated perspective, such as attribute diversity, to disentangle the role of facilitation in community assembly.
Foreign Language
Los estudios de facilitación se han centrado en los efectos de las interacciones planta‐planta sobre la riqueza de especies, incidiendo recientemente en su repercusión sobre caracteres funcionales o aspectos filogenéticos. Sin embargo, se sabe poco acerca de los efectos simultáneos que tiene la facilitación sobre la biodiversidad en sentido amplio, considerando conjuntamente la diversidad taxonómica, funcional y filogenética.
En este estudio investigamos el papel facilitador del matorral en comunidades herbáceas de pastizal mediterráneo durante un periodo de 9 años (2007‐2015), en el que cada año representa diferentes condiciones de disponibilidad de agua. Utilizamos el concepto unificado de diversidad de atributos para calcular índices de diversidad taxonómica, funcional y filogenética derivados de la generalización de los números de Hill. Aplicamos modelos lineales generalizados mixtos para analizar el efecto de la cubierta arbustiva en los diferentes índices de diversidad a lo largo de un gradiente de disponibilidad de agua.
La cubierta arbustiva tuvo un efecto positivo en todos los índices de diversidad de atributos, siendo las especies abundantes las más beneficiadas. La presencia de matorral también favoreció la supervivencia de ciertas especies (26.5% del total de especies) aunque afectó sobre todo a la abundancia relativa de las especies comunes, promoviendo la equitatividad mediante la limitación del crecimiento de las dominantes (e.g., Poa bulbosa). Los efectos de la facilitación fueron más intensos para los índices de diversidad que consideraban sólo especies abundantes (de gran cobertura), alcanzando su máximo para valores medios de disponibilidad hídrica.
Síntesis. Nuestros resultados sugieren que la presencia de matorral es clave para conservar las tres dimensiones de la biodiversidad en los pastizales mediterráneos, dado que promueve comunidades más equitativas y en menor medida, incrementa la riqueza de especies. Demostramos que el efecto facilitador del matorral sobre la diversidad taxonómica, funcional y filogenética de comunidades herbáceas es más intenso para las especies abundantes a niveles intermedios de disponibilidad de agua, coincidiendo con el modelo “humped‐back”, que prevé respuestas unimodales. Este estudio ilustra la necesidad de evaluar las diferentes dimensiones de la biodiversidad desde un punto de vista integral, como el que nos proporciona la diversidad de atributos, para desentrañar el papel de la facilitación en el ensamblaje de las comunidades.
Phosphate limitation is important for production of antibiotics and other secondary metabolites in Streptomyces. Phosphate control is mediated by the two-component system PhoR-PhoP. Following ...phosphate depletion, PhoP stimulates expression of genes involved in scavenging, transport and mobilization of phosphate, and represses the utilization of nitrogen sources. PhoP reduces expression of genes for aerobic respiration and activates nitrate respiration genes. PhoP activates genes for teichuronic acid formation and reduces expression of genes for phosphate-rich teichoic acid biosynthesis. In Streptomyces coelicolor, PhoP repressed several differentiation and pleiotropic regulatory genes, which affects development and indirectly antibiotic biosynthesis. A new bioinformatics analysis of the putative PhoP-binding sequences in Streptomyces avermitilis was made. Many sequences in S. avermitilis genome showed high weight values and were classified according to the available genetic information. These genes encode phosphate scavenging proteins, phosphate transporters and nitrogen metabolism genes. Among of the genes highlighted in the new studies was aveR, located in the avermectin gene cluster, encoding a LAL-type regulator, and afsS, which is regulated by PhoP and AfsR. The sequence logo for S. avermitilis PHO boxes is similar to that of S. coelicolor, with differences in the weight value for specific nucleotides in the sequence.
The use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is generating the emergence of new pathologies such as nomophobia. The aim of this research was to analyze the prevalence of nomophobia ...among young people, as well as to check whether the level of nomophobia is higher in males or females and in those students who claim to have less healthy nutrition due to the use of their mobile phones. The research method was based on a correlational and predictive design with a quantitative methodology. The measurement tool used is the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). The participating sample was 1743 students between 12 and 20 years old from different educational stages of the Autonomous City of Ceuta (Spain). The results show that highest rates of nomophobia were found in relation to the inability to communicate and contact others immediately. About gender, women have higher rates of nomophobia than men. In relation to age, no significant differences were found; thus, the problem may affect all ages equally. Finally, students who think that their smartphone use is detrimental to their good nutrition show higher levels on the scale provided.
Substantial evidence suggests that consuming 1-2 servings of fish per week, particularly oily fish (e.g., salmon, herring, sardines) is beneficial for cardiovascular health due to its high n-3 ...polyunsaturated fatty acid content. However, there is some concern that the mercury content in fish may increase cardiovascular disease risk, but this relationship remains unclear.
The PREDIMED trial included 7477 participants who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease at baseline. In this study, we evaluated associations between mercury exposure, fish consumption and cardiovascular disease. We randomly selected 147 of the 288 cases diagnosed with cardiovascular disease during follow-up and matched them on age and sex to 267 controls. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to assess toenail mercury concentration. In-person interviews, medical record reviews and validated questionnaires were used to assess fish consumption and other covariates. Information was collected at baseline and updated yearly during follow-up. We used conditional logistic regression to evaluate associations in the total nested case-control study, and unconditional logistic regression for population subsets.
Mean (±SD) toenail mercury concentrations (μg per gram) did not significantly differ between cases (0.63 (±0.53)) and controls (0.67 (±0.49)). Mercury concentration was not associated with cardiovascular disease in any analysis, and neither was fish consumption or n-3 fatty acids. The fully-adjusted relative risks for the highest versus lowest quartile of mercury concentration were 0.71 (95% Confidence Interval CI, 0.34, 1.14; p
= 0.37) for the nested case-control study, 0.74 (95% CI, 0.32, 1.76; p
= 0.43) within the Mediterranean diet intervention group, and 0.50 (95% CI, 0.13, 1.96; p
= 0.41) within the control arm of the trial. Associations remained null when mercury was jointly assessed with fish consumption at baseline and during follow-up. Results were similar in different sensitivity analyses.
We found no evidence that mercury exposure from regular fish consumption increases cardiovascular disease risk in a population of Spanish adults with high cardiovascular disease risk and high fish consumption. This implies that the mercury content in fish does not detract from the already established cardiovascular benefits of fish consumption.
ISRCTN35739639 .
Psychosocial work factors are implicated in the development of stress and job satisfaction. This relationship has been scarcely studied in so-called singular activities, as is the case of ...professional drivers. This cross-sectional study of 601 professional drivers assesses psychosocial risks and job satisfaction using Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and Overall Job Satisfaction questionnaire models. The values of the psychosocial scales of professional drivers were compared with thresholds values of the Spanish working population. The relationships of the psychosocial scales with the level of job satisfaction were examined using logistic regression models, adjusted for age, gender, length of driving license and years of experience. In general, professional drivers have an unfavorable psychosocial environment compared to the average Spanish workers. The relationship between psychosocial scales and job satisfaction is observed, with the most influential variables being the meaning and development of work, integration in the company, social relations, esteem and level of psychological demands.
The regulatory proteins AfsR and PhoP control expression of the biosynthesis of actinorhodin and undecylprodigiosin in Streptomyces coelicolor. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays showed that ...PhoPDBD does not bind directly to the actII-ORF4, redD and atrA promoters, but it binds to the afsS promoter, in a region overlapping with the AfsR operator. DNase I footprinting studies revealed a PhoP protected region of 26 nt (PHO box; two direct repeats of 11 nt) that overlaps with the AfsR binding sequence. Binding experiments indicated a competition between AfsR and PhoP; increasing concentrations of PhoPDBD resulted in the disappearance of the AfsR-DNA complex. Expression studies using the reporter luxAB gene coupled to afsS promoter showed that PhoP downregulates afsS expression probably by a competition with the AfsR activator. Interestingly, AfsR binds to other PhoP-regulated promoters including those of pstS (a component of the phosphate transport system) and phoRP (encoding the two component system itself). Analysis of the AfsR-protected sequences in each of these promoters allowed us to distinguish the AfsR binding sequence from the overlapping PHO box. The reciprocal regulation of the phoRP promoter by AfsR and of afsS by PhoP suggests a fine interplay of these regulators on the control of secondary metabolism.
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