Building paths to success: a multilevel analysis of the effects of an emotional intelligence development program on the academic achievement of future teachers.

Introduction: The situation generated by the recent pandemic has had several effects on education, one of them being the necessary but hasty efforts of teachers and students to adapt to the demands of a virtual classroom environment. Thus, it is essential to promote the development of digital competencies in future teachers, enabling them to create effective learning situations in the digital medium. Moreover, the European university curriculum includes a set of specific competencies (specific to each degree) and a series of generic competencies, many of which are related to emotional intelligence. Our work emerges from these specific premises and the more general need to develop emotional skills and learning abilities in virtual environments for future educators. Methods: The sample comprised 240 students in higher education, pursuing a bachelor's degree in education at the University of Alicante, Spain (68.3% were female and average age of the participants was 19.43 years SD = 4.127). Using a quasi-experimental design with pretests, posttests, and a control group, we present the effects of an online program aimed at improving the emotional skills and academic achievement of future teachers in higher education. In this study, a 30-h emotional intelligence training program was implemented. Since the student sample was grouped into different classes, we analyzed, using a generalized linear mixed-effects model, whether students who took the program showed a significant improvement in their academic achievement at the end of their studies, compared to those who did not take it. Results: The findings show a significant improvement in the academic achievement at the end of the bachelor's degree studies of the students in the experimental group. Discussion: These results open up a field of possibilities for the implementation of this type of training using virtual environments, enabling interventions to enhance the emotional development of the teaching staff (and, subsequently, in their students), develop their teaching careers adequately, and employ the ideal strategies to address educational programs. Looking ahead, the integration of emotional development programs that incorporate emerging technology into university curricula could enhance the preparation of educators profoundly and create adaptable learning environments for contemporary students.

High life satisfaction reported among small-scale societies with low incomes.

Global polls have shown that people in high-income countries generally report being more satisfied with their lives than people in low-income countries. The persistence of this correlation, and its similarity to correlations between income and life satisfaction within countries, could lead to the impression that high levels of life satisfaction can only be achieved in wealthy societies. However, global polls have typically overlooked small-scale, nonindustrialized societies, which can provide an alternative test of the consistency of this relationship. Here, we present results from a survey of 2,966 members of Indigenous Peoples and local communities among 19 globally distributed sites. We find that high average levels of life satisfaction, comparable to those of wealthy countries, are reported for numerous populations that have very low monetary incomes. Our results are consistent with the notion that human societies can support very satisfying lives for their members without necessarily requiring high degrees of monetary wealth.

Baseline NT-proBNP levels as a predictor of short-and long-term prognosis in COVID-19 patients: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Up to 20% of COVID-19 patients can suffer COVID-19-related myocardial injury. Elevated cardiac biomarkers, such as hs-cTnT and NT-proBNP, have been related to worse short-term prognosis. However, data on NT-proBNP and long-term prognosis are scarce. We have evaluated the potential association of baseline age-adjusted NT-proBNP levels and outcomes at one-year follow-up in COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This was a single-center prospective study of 499 COVID-19 patients in whom NT-proBNP was assessed at hospital admission. NT-proBNP levels were age-adjusted and patients were classified as high or low NT-proBNP. Clinical and demographic characteristics, comorbidities, laboratory results, and in-hospital complications and mortality were compared between the two groups. Survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19 were followed up for one year from admission to detect readmissions and mortality. RESULTS: The 68 patients with high NT-proBNP levels at hospital admission were older, with more cardiovascular risk factors, cardiovascular disease, comorbidities, myocardial injury, and higher levels of inflammatory markers than patients with low NT-proBNP levels. They also had more in-hospital complications and a higher acute-phase mortality rate (60.3% vs. 10.2%, p < 0.001). High NT-proBNP levels were an independent marker of death during hospitalization (HR 1.95; CI 1.07-3.52). At one-year follow-up, high NT-proBNP levels were independently associated with mortality (HR 2.69; CI 1.47-4.89). Among survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19, there were no differences in hospital readmissions between those with high vs. low NT-proBNP levels, but survivors with high baseline NT-proBNP levels showed a higher 1-year mortality rate (7.4% vs. 1.3%, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: High age-adjusted NT-proBNP levels at the time of hospital admission for COVID-19 are associated with poor short and long-term prognosis. High NT-proBNP seems also to be related to worse prognosis in survivors of the acute phase of COVID-19. A closer follow-up on these patients may be crucial.

Exploring Soil Bacterial Diversity in Relation to Edaphic Physicochemical Properties of High-altitude Wetlands from Argentine Puna.

High Andean wetlands, particularly those known as vegas or bofedales, are essential conservation ecosystems due to their significant contribution to ecosystem services. The soil microbial communities in these ecosystems play a crucial role in fundamental processes such as decomposition and nutrient cycling, sustaining life in the region. However, at present, these microbial communities are poorly understood. In order to contribute to this knowledge, we aimed to characterize and compare the microbial communities from soils of seven Argentine Puna vegas and to analyze their association with soil physicochemical characteristics. Proteobacteria (Gamma and Alphaproteobacteria) was the dominant phylum across all vegas, followed in abundance by Actinobacteriota, Desulfobacterota, and Chloroflexi. Furthermore, the abundance of specific bacterial families and genera varied significantly between the vegas; some of them can be associated with plant growth-promoting bacteria such as Rhodomicrobium in La Quebradita and Quebrada del Diablo, Bacillus in Antofalla and Las Quinuas. Laguna Negra showed no shared ASVs with abundance in genera such as Sphingomonas and Pseudonocardia. The studied vegas also differed in their soil physicochemical properties; however, associations between the composition of microbial communities with the edaphic parameters measured were not found. These results suggest that other environmental factors (e.g., geographic, climatic, and plant communities' characteristics) could determine soil microbial diversity patterns. Further investigations are needed to be focused on understanding the composition and function of microorganisms in the soil associated with specific vegetation types in these high-altitude wetlands, which will provide valuable insights into the ecological dynamics of these ecosystems for conservation strategies.

The natural history of QTc interval and its clinical impact in coronavirus disease 2019 survivors after 1 year.

Background and objective: Prolonged QTc interval on admission and a higher risk of death in SARS-CoV-2 patients have been reported. The long-term clinical impact of prolonged QTc interval is unknown. This study examined the relationship in COVID-19 survivors of a prolonged QTc on admission with long-term adverse events, changes in QTc duration and its impact on 1-year prognosis, and factors associated with a prolonged QTc at follow-up. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study of 523 SARS-CoV-2-positive patients who were alive on discharge. An electrocardiogram was taken on these patients within the first 48 h after diagnosis and before the administration of any medication with a known effect on QT interval and repeated in 421 patients 7 months after discharge. Mortality, hospital readmission, and new arrhythmia rates 1 year after discharge were reviewed. Results: Thirty-one (6.3%) survivors had a baseline prolonged QTc. They were older, had more cardiovascular risk factors, cardiac disease, and comorbidities, and higher levels of terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide. There was no relationship between prolonged QTc on admission and the 1-year endpoint (9.8% vs. 5.5%, p = 0.212). In 84% of survivors with prolonged baseline QTc, it normalized at 7.9 ± 2.2 months. Of the survivors, 2.4% had prolonged QTc at follow-up, and this was independently associated with obesity, ischemic cardiomyopathy, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and cancer. Prolonged baseline QTc was not independently associated with the composite adverse event at 1 year. Conclusions: Prolonged QTc in the acute phase normalized in most COVID-19 survivors and had no clinical long-term impact. Prolonged QTc at follow-up was related to the presence of obesity and previously acquired chronic diseases and was not related to 1-year prognosis.

Gender Dimorphism in Hepatic Carcinogenesis-Related Gene Expression Associated with Obesity as a Low-Grade Chronic Inflammatory Disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) show clear evidence of sexual dimorphism, with a significantly higher incidence in males. Among the determining factors that could explain this sex-based difference, the specific distribution of fat by sex has been suggested as a primary candidate, since obesity is a relevant risk factor. In this context, obesity, considered a low-grade chronic inflammatory pathology and responsible for the promotion of liver disease, could lead to sexual dimorphism in the expression profile of genes related to tumor development. When we compared the expression levels of genes associated with the early stages of carcinogenesis in the liver between male and female diet-induced obesity (DIO) rats, we observed that the expression pattern was similar in obese male and female animals. Interestingly, the SURVIVIN/BIRC5 oncogene showed a higher expression in male DIO rats than in female DIO and lean rats. This trend related to sexual dimorphism was observed in leukocytes from patients with obesity, although the difference was not statistically significant. In conclusion, this study evidenced a similar pattern in the expression of most carcinogenesis-related genes in the liver, except SUVIVIN/BIRC5, which could be a predictive biomarker of liver carcinogenesis predisposition in male patients with obesity.

Immunomodulatory effect of a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet compared with bariatric surgery and a low-calorie diet in patients with excessive body weight.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Inflammation and oxidative stress are the most probable mechanistic link between obesity and its co-diseases with cancer among them. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the nutritional ketosis and weight loss induced by a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) modulates the inflammatory and oxidative stress profile, compared with a standard, balanced hypocaloric diet (LCD) or bariatric surgery (BS) in patients with obesity. METHODS: The study was performed in 79 patients with overweight or obesity and 32 normal-weight volunteers as the control group. Patients with obesity underwent a weight reduction therapy based on VLCKD, LCD or BS. The quantification of the circulating levels of a multiplexing test of cytokines and carcinogenesis/aging biomarkers, as well as of lipid peroxides and total antioxidant power, was carried out. RESULTS: First, we observed that pro-inflammatory cytokines increase, while anti-inflammatory cytokines decrease under excessive body weight. Relevantly, when patients underwent weight loss strategies, it was shown that energy-restricted and surgical strategies of weight loss induced changes in circulating cytokine and lipid peroxides. This effect was more notable in patients following the VLCKD than the LCD or BS and it was observed mainly in the ketosis phase of the intervention. Particularly, IL-11, IL-12, IL-2, INF-γ, INF-ß, Pentraxin-3 or MMP1 changed after VLCKD. Whereas, APRIL, TWEAK, osteocalcin and IL-28A increased after BS. CONCLUSION: As far as we know, this is the first study that evaluate the time-course of cytokines and oxidative stress markers after a VLCKD as compared with a standard LCD and BS. The observed results support the immunomodulatory effect of nutritional ketosis induced by a VLCKD synergistically with weight loss as a strategy to improve innate-immunity and to prevent infections and carcinogenesis in patients with obesity.

Epigenetic Effects of Healthy Foods and Lifestyle Habits from the Southern European Atlantic Diet Pattern: A Narrative Review.

Recent scientific evidence has shown the importance of diet and lifestyle habits for the proper functioning of the human body. A balanced and healthy diet, physical activity, and psychological well-being have a direct beneficial effect on health and can have a crucial role in the development and prognosis of certain diseases. The Southern European Atlantic diet, also named the Atlantic diet, is a unique dietary pattern that occurs in regions that present higher life expectancy, suggesting that this specific dietary pattern is associated with positive health effects. In fact, it is enriched with nutrients of high biological value, which, together with its cooking methods, physical activity promotion, reduction in carbon footprint, and promoting of family meals, promote these positive effects on health. The latest scientific advances in the field of nutri-epigenetics have revealed that epigenetic markers associated with food or nutrients and environmental factors modulate gene expression and, therefore, are involved with both health and disease. Thus, in this review, we evaluated the main aspects that define the Southern European Atlantic diet and the potential epigenetic changes associated with them based on recent studies regarding the main components of these dietary patterns. In conclusion, based on the information existing in the literature, we postulate that the Southern European Atlantic diet could promote healthy aging by means of epigenetic mechanisms. This review highlights the necessity of performing longitudinal studies to demonstrate this proposal.

DNA methylome in visceral adipose tissue can discriminate patients with and without colorectal cancer.

Adipose tissue dysfunction, particularly the visceral (VAT) compartment, has been proposed to play a relevant role in colorectal cancer (CRC) development and progression. Epigenetic mechanisms could be involved in this association. The current study aimed to evaluate if specific epigenetic marks in VAT are associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) to identify epigenetic hallmarks of adipose tissue-related CRC. Epigenome-wide DNA methylation was evaluated in VAT from 25 healthy participants and 29 CRC patients, using the Infinium HumanMethylation450K BeadChip. The epigenome-wide methylation analysis identified 170,184 sites able to perfectly separate the CRC and healthy samples. The differentially methylated CpG sites (DMCpGs) showed a global trend for increased methylated levels in CRC with respect to healthy group. Most of the genes encoded by the DMCpGs belonged to metabolic pathways and cell cycle, insulin resistance, and adipocytokine signalling, as well as tumoural transformation processes. In gene-specific analyses, involved genes biologically relevant for the development of CRC include PTPRN2, MAD1L1, TNXB, DIP2C, INPP5A, HDCA4, PRDM16, RPTOR, ATP11A, TBCD, PABPC3, and IER2. The methylation level of some of them showed a discriminatory capacity for detecting CRC higher than 90%, showing IER2 to have the highest capacity. This study reveals that a specific methylation pattern of VAT is associated with CRC. Some of the epigenetic marks identified could provide useful tools for the prediction and personalized treatment of CRC connected to excess adiposity.

Adipose tissue and blood leukocytes ACE2 DNA methylation in obesity and after weight loss.

BACKGROUND: Obesity was consistently associated with a poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19. Epigenetic mechanisms were proposed as the link between obesity and comorbidities risk. AIM: To evaluate the methylation levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) gene, the main entry receptor of SARS-CoV-2, in different depots of adipose tissue (AT) and leukocytes (PBMCs) in obesity and after weight loss therapy based on a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD), a balanced hypocaloric diet (HCD) or bariatric surgery (BS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA methylation levels of ACE2 were extracted from our data sets generated by the hybridization of subcutaneous (SAT) (n = 32) or visceral (VAT; n = 32) adipose tissue, and PBMCs (n = 34) samples in Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. Data were compared based on the degree of obesity and after 4-6 months of weight loss either by following a nutritional or surgical treatment and correlated with ACE2 transcript levels. RESULTS: As compared with normal weight, VAT from patients with obesity showed higher ACE2 methylation levels. These differences were mirrored in PBMCs but not in SAT. The observed obesity-associated methylation of ACE2 was reversed after VLCKD and HCD but not after BS. Among the studied CpG sites, cg16734967 and cg21598868, located at the promoter, were the most affected and correlated with BMI. The observed DNA methylation pattern was inversely correlated with ACE2 expression. CONCLUSION: Obesity-related VAT shows hypermethylation and downregulation of the ACE2 gene that is mirrored in PBMCs and is restored after nutritional weight reduction therapy. The results warrant the necessity to further evaluate its implication for COVID-19 pathogenesis.

Myocardial Injury as a Prognostic Factor in Mid- and Long-Term Follow-Up of COVID-19 Survivors.

Myocardial injury, which is present in >20% of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, is associated with increased short-term mortality, but little is known about its mid- and long-term consequences. We evaluated the association between myocardial injury with one-year mortality and readmission in 172 COVID-19 patients discharged alive. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of myocardial injury (defined by hs-cTn levels) on admission and matched by age and sex. We report mortality and hospital readmission at one year after admission in all patients and echocardiographic, laboratory and clinical data at six months in a subset of 86 patients. Patients with myocardial injury had a higher prevalence of hypertension (73.3% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.003), chronic kidney disease (10.5% vs. 2.35%, p = 0.06) and chronic heart failure (9.3% vs. 1.16%, p = 0.03) on admission. They also had higher mortality or hospital readmissions at one year (11.6% vs. 1.16%, p = 0.01). Additionally, echocardiograms showed thicker walls in these patients (10 mm vs. 8 mm, p = 0.002) but without functional disorder. Myocardial injury in COVID-19 survivors is associated with poor clinical prognosis at one year, independent of age and sex, but not with echocardiographic functional abnormalities at six months.

An Epigenetic Signature is Associated with Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Colorectal Cancer Tumors.

INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D has been widely associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) through different insights. This study aims to explore the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) and the global DNA methylation in tumor from CRC patients. METHODS AND RESULTS: A genome-wide DNA methylation analysis is conducted in 20 CRC patients under categorical (10 patients have 25(OH)D <30 ng mL-1 ; 10 patients with 25(OH)D ≥30 ng mL-1 ) and continuous models of 25(OH)D. A total of 95 differentially methylated CpGs (DMCpGs) are detected under the categorical model (false discovery rate (FDR) < 0.05), while 16 DMCpGs are found under the continuous model. Regional analysis showed eight vitamin D-associated differentially methylated regions (DMR). Between them, a DMR is the most significant at cAMP-Dependent Protein Kinase Inhibitor Alpha (PKIA) locus. Furthermore, seven genes, including PKIA gene, have more or equal than two significant DMCpGs. The protein networking analysis found pathways implicated in cell adhesion and extracellular matrix, as well as signaling transduction. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies novel epigenetic loci associated with serum 25(OH)D status. Interestingly, also, a positive association between vitamin D and DNA methylation in the CRC context is found, suggesting a role in CRC. Further studies are warranted to clarify and replicate these results.

Epigenetic landscape in blood leukocytes following ketosis and weight loss induced by a very low calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) in patients with obesity.

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms underlying the potential health benefits of a ketogenic diet are unknown and could be mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. OBJECTIVE: To identify the changes in the obesity-related methylome that are mediated by the induced weight loss or are dependent on ketosis in subjects with obesity underwent a very-low calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD). METHODS: Twenty-one patients with obesity (n = 12 women, 47.9 ± 1.02 yr, 33.0 ± 0.2 kg/m2) after 6 months on a VLCKD and 12 normal weight volunteers (n = 6 women, 50.3 ± 6.2 yrs, 22.7 ± 1.5 kg/m2) were studied. Data from the Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip methylomes of blood leukocytes were obtained at time points of ketotic phases (basal, maximum ketosis, and out of ketosis) during VLCKD (n = 10) and at baseline in volunteers (n = 12). Results were further validated by pyrosequencing in representative cohort of patients on a VLCKD (n = 18) and correlated with gene expression. RESULTS: After weight reduction by VLCKD, differences were found at 988 CpG sites (786 unique genes). The VLCKD altered methylation levels in patients with obesity had high resemblance with those from normal weight volunteers and was concomitant with a downregulation of DNA methyltransferases (DNMT)1, 3a and 3b. Most of the encoded genes were involved in metabolic processes, protein metabolism, and muscle, organ, and skeletal system development. Novel genes representing the top scoring associated events were identified, including ZNF331, FGFRL1 (VLCKD-induced weight loss) and CBFA2T3, C3orf38, JSRP1, and LRFN4 (VLCKD-induced ketosis). Interestingly, ZNF331 and FGFRL1 were validated in an independent cohort and inversely correlated with gene expression. CONCLUSIONS: The beneficial effects of VLCKD therapy on obesity involve a methylome more suggestive of normal weight that could be mainly mediated by the VLCKD-induced ketosis rather than weight loss.

Weight loss normalizes enhanced expression of the oncogene survivin in visceral adipose tissue and blood leukocytes from individuals with obesity.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Survivin is an oncogene associated with a decrease in apoptosis, an increase in tumor growth, and poor clinical outcome of diverse malignancies. A correlation between obesity, cancer, and survivin is reported in the literature. To date, the impact of weight loss on change in survivin levels is understudied. This study was aimed at: (1) comparing survivin levels in adipose tissue (AT) from lean and obese animal models and evaluating changes after weight loss induced by energy restriction and/or exercise; (2) comparing survivin levels in normal weighted and obese humans and evaluating changes in survivin levels after weight loss induced by a very-low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) or bariatric surgery in AT and/or blood leukocytes (PBL/PBMCs). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Survivin expression was evaluated in subcutaneous (SAT) and visceral (VAT) AT derived from animal models of monogenic (Zucker rats) and diet-induced obesity (Sprague Dawley rats and C57BL/6J mice) and after a 4-week weight-loss protocol of energy restriction and/or exercise. Plasma was used to measure the inflammatory status. Survivin expression was also evaluated in PBMCs from patients with obesity and compared with normal weight, in PBLs after VLCKD, and in SAT and/or PBLs after bariatric surgery. RESULTS: Survivin expression was specifically higher in VAT from obese that lean animals, without differences in SAT. It decreased after weight loss induced by energy restriction and correlated with adiposity and inflammatory markers. In humans, the correlation between being obese and higher levels of survivin was confirmed. In obese subjects, survivin levels were reduced following weight loss after either VLCKD or bariatric surgery. Particularly, a decrease in PBMCs expression (not in SAT one) was found after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss is effective in decreasing survivin levels. Also, PBL/PBMC should be regarded as appropriate mirror of survivin levels in VAT for the identification of an obesity-related protumoral microenvironment.

[Markers of myocardial injury in the prediction of short-term COVID-19 prognosis]. / Marcadores de daño miocárdico en la predicción del pronóstico a corto plazo de los pacientes con COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 is currently causing high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Information on cardiac injury is scarce. We aimed to evaluate cardiovascular damage in patients with COVID-19 and determine the correlation of high-sensitivity cardiac-specific troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with the severity of COVID-19. METHODS: We included 872 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 from February to April 2020. We tested 651 patients for high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and 506 for NT-proBNP on admission. Cardiac injury was defined as hs-TnT > 14 ng/L, the upper 99th percentile. Levels of NT-proBNP > 300 pg/mL were considered related to some extent of cardiac injury. The primary composite endpoint was 30-day mortality or mechanical ventilation (MV). RESULTS: Cardiac injury by hs-TnT was observed in 34.6% of our COVID-19 patients. Mortality or MV were higher in cardiac injury than noncardiac injury patients (39.1% vs 9.1%). Hs-TnT and NT-proBNP levels were independent predictors of death or MV (HR, 2.18; 95%CI, 1.23-3.83 and 1.87 (95%CI, 1.05-3.36), respectively) and of mortality alone (HR, 2.91; 95%CI, 1.211-7.04 and 5.47; 95%CI, 2.10-14.26, respectively). NT-ProBNP significantly improved the troponin model discrimination of mortality or MV (C-index 0.83 to 0.84), and of mortality alone (C-index 0.85 to 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial injury measured at admission was a common finding in patients with COVID-19. It reliably predicted the occurrence of mortality and need of MV, the most severe complications of the disease. NT-proBNP improved the prognostic accuracy of hs-TnT.

Markers of myocardial injury in the prediction of short-term COVID-19 prognosis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: COVID-19 is currently causing high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Information on cardiac injury is scarce. We aimed to evaluate cardiovascular damage in patients with COVID-19 and determine the correlation of high-sensitivity cardiac-specific troponin T (hs-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) with the severity of COVID-19. METHODS: We included 872 consecutive patients with confirmed COVID-19 from February to April 2020. We tested 651 patients for high-sensitivity troponin T (hs-TnT) and 506 for NT-proBNP on admission. Cardiac injury was defined as hs-TnT> 14ng/L, the upper 99th percentile. Levels of NT-proBNP> 300 pg/mL were considered related to some extent of cardiac injury. The primary composite endpoint was 30-day mortality or mechanical ventilation (MV). RESULTS: Cardiac injury by hs-TnT was observed in 34.6% of our COVID-19 patients. Mortality or MV were higher in cardiac injury than noncardiac injury patients (39.1% vs 9.1%). Hs-TnT and NT-proBNP levels were independent predictors of death or MV (HR, 2.18; 95%CI, 1.23-3.83 and 1.87 (95%CI, 1.05-3.36), respectively) and of mortality alone (HR, 2.91; 95%CI, 1.211-7.04 and 5.47; 95%CI, 2.10-14.26, respectively). NT-ProBNP significantly improved the troponin model discrimination of mortality or MV (C-index 0.83 to 0.84), and of mortality alone (C-index 0.85 to 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial injury measured at admission was a common finding in patients with COVID-19. It reliably predicted the occurrence of mortality and need of MV, the most severe complications of the disease. NT-proBNP improved the prognostic accuracy of hs-TnT.

Teacher Training Can Make a Difference: Tools to Overcome the Impact of COVID-19 on Primary Schools. An Experimental Study.

Overcoming the impact of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) on primary schools is an emerging need and priority in the current social welfare system. Accordingly, this study presents an empirical learning package to support teachers, who perform frontline work in schools, in coping with stress, preventing burnout, improving their information and communications technology (ICT) competency, and introducing the principles of emotional intelligence (EI) in the classroom. The participants included 141 primary school teachers (M = 38.4 years, SD = 6.84; 54.6% women). They were randomly assigned to an experimental or control group. The experimental group participated in the 14-week teacher training program, whereas the control group did not participate in the program or receive any other training during the intervention. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (time x group) was performed to identify the effects of the teacher training program. Teachers who participated in the training program evaluated it positively and showed significant differences compared to the control group in their abilities to cope with stress and avoid burnout, their ICT competency, and their introduction of EI in the classroom. Implications for supporting teachers are discussed.

ZNF577 Methylation Levels in Leukocytes From Women With Breast Cancer Is Modulated by Adiposity, Menopausal State, and the Mediterranean Diet.

The methylation levels of ZNF577 in breast tumors has been previously identified as a possible epigenetic mark of breast cancer associated with obesity. The aim of the current study was to investigate differences in methylation levels of ZNF577 depending on obesity, menopausal state and dietary pattern in blood leukocytes, a non-invasive sample. The methylation levels of ZNF577 of two CpG sites (CpGs) located in promoter and island previously identified as differentially methylated according to adiposity and menopausal state by 450 k array (cg10635122, cg03562414) were evaluated by pyrosequencing in DNA from the blood leukocytes of breast cancer patients [n = 90; n = 64 (71.1%) overweight/obesity and n = 26 (28.9%) normal-weight] and paired tumor tissue biopsies (n = 8 breast cancer patients with obesity; n = 3/5 premenopausal/postmenopausal women). Differences in methylation levels were evaluated at each CpGs individually and at the mean of the two evaluated CpGs. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was evaluated using the MEDAS-validated questionnaire, and the consumption of food groups of interest was also evaluated using the recommended intakes of the Sociedad Española de Nutricion Comunitaria. The methylation levels of ZNF577 were correlated between paired leukocytes and breast tumor biopsies (r = 0.62; p = 0.001). Moreover, higher methylation was found in leukocytes from patients with obesity (p = 0.002) and postmenopausal patients (p = 0.022) than patients with normal-weight or premenopausal, respectively. After adjusting for the body mass index and age, higher levels of ZNF577 methylation were also found in women with greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p = 0.017) or specific foods. Relevantly, the methylation levels of ZNF577 showed a good ability for fish consumption detection [area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.72; p = 0.016]. In conclusion, the association between methylation of ZNF577 and adiposity, menopausal state, and adherence to the Mediterranean diet can be detected in the blood leukocytes. The results guarantee the need of performing further studies in longer longitudinal cohorts in order to elucidate the role of ZNF577 methylation in the association between breast cancer, adiposity and dietary patterns.