Tracking Body Composition Over a Competitive Season in Elite Soccer Players Using Laboratory- and Field-Based Assessment Methods.

ABSTRACT: Bongiovanni, T, Lacome, M, Rodriguez, C, and Tinsley, GM. Tracking body composition over a competitive season in elite soccer players using laboratory- and field-based assessment methods. J Strength Cond Res 38(3): e104-e115, 2024-The purpose of this study was to describe body composition changes in professional soccer players over the course of a competitive playing season and compare the ability of different assessment methods to detect changes. Twenty-one elite male soccer players (age: 23.7 ± 4.8 years; height: 185.0 ± 5.2 cm; body mass: 80.7 ± 5.5 kg; body fat: 12.8 ± 2.2%) playing for an Italian national second league (Serie B) championship team were assessed at 4 time points throughout a competitive season: T0 (mid-October), T1 (mid-December), T2 (mid-February), and T3 (end of April). Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), skinfolds (SKF), and bioelectrical impedance analysis were performed at each time point, and multiple SKF-based equations were applied. A modified 4-compartment (4C) model was also produced. Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance, relevant post hoc tests, and Pearson's correlations. Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, 4C, and the SKF-based equations of Reilly and Civar detected differences in fat-free mass (FFM) between time points, with the most differences observed for DXA. Fat-free mass increased from T0 values to a peak at T2, followed by a decrease by T3, although FFM values remained higher than T0. Fat-free mass gain was primarily driven by increases in the lower limbs. Fat-free mass changes between all methods were significantly correlated, with correlation coefficients of 0.70-0.97. No significant differences between time points were observed for absolute fat mass or body fat percentage, although significant correlations between several methods for change values were observed. Select laboratory and field methods can detect changes in FFM over the course of a season in elite, professional soccer athletes, with a more limited ability to detect changes in adiposity-related variables. For SKF in this population, the equation of Reilly is recommended.

An Atypical Presentation of Mpox Transmitted Between Transgender Men Through Oral Sex.

ABSTRACT: The current multicountry outbreak of mpox in 2022 is the first occurrence of widespread transmission in nonendemic countries. Prior cases in the United States involved exposure through foreign travel or direct contact with infected rodents. Reports of the current outbreak have predominately described spread through sexual encounters between cis-gender men who have sex with men. We report a unique case of mpox in which the transmission occurred through oral sex between 2 transgender men, with a short incubation period and progressive asynchronous emergence of lesions. Continued analysis of transmission routes and awareness will improve timely prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Assessing the reliability and cross-sectional and longitudinal validity of fifteen bioelectrical impedance analysis devices.

The purpose of this investigation was to expand upon the limited existing research examining the test-retest reliability, cross-sectional validity and longitudinal validity of a sample of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) devices as compared with a laboratory four-compartment (4C) model. Seventy-three healthy participants aged 19-50 years were assessed by each of fifteen BIA devices, with resulting body fat percentage estimates compared with a 4C model utilising air displacement plethysmography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioimpedance spectroscopy. A subset of thirty-seven participants returned for a second visit 12-16 weeks later and were included in an analysis of longitudinal validity. The sample of devices included fourteen consumer-grade and one research-grade model in a variety of configurations: hand-to-hand, foot-to-foot and bilateral hand-to-foot (octapolar). BIA devices demonstrated high reliability, with precision error ranging from 0·0 to 0·49 %. Cross-sectional validity varied, with constant error relative to the 4C model ranging from -3·5 (sd 4·1) % to 11·7 (sd 4·7) %, standard error of the estimate values of 3·1-7·5 % and Lin's concordance correlation coefficients (CCC) of 0·48-0·94. For longitudinal validity, constant error ranged from -0·4 (sd 2·1) % to 1·3 (sd 2·7) %, with standard error of the estimate values of 1·7-2·6 % and Lin's CCC of 0·37-0·78. While performance varied widely across the sample investigated, select models of BIA devices (particularly octapolar and select foot-to-foot devices) may hold potential utility for the tracking of body composition over time, particularly in contexts in which the purchase or use of a research-grade device is infeasible.

Influence of Upper-Extremity and Lower-Extremity Resistance Exercise on Segmental Body Composition and Body Fluid Estimates.

ABSTRACT: Rodriguez, C, Florez, CM, Prather, J, Zaragoza, J, Tinnin, M, Brennan, KL, Taylor, L, and Tinsley, GM. Influence of upper-extremity and lower-extremity resistance exercise on segmental body composition and body fluid estimates. J Strength Cond Res 37(5): 1042-1051, 2023-The purpose of this analysis was to determine if acute, localized resistance exercise (RE) artificially influences total and regional estimates of body composition from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA). Recreationally active male ( n = 14) and female ( n = 18) subjects completed 3 testing visits: rest (R), upper-extremity RE (U), and lower-extremity RE (L). Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were completed before exercise and 60 minutes after exercise. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was completed immediately before and after exercise and at 15, 30, and 60 minutes after exercise. Subjects were not allowed to intake fluid during the exercise session or during the postexercise assessment period. The effects of the acute RE session on DXA and BIA estimates were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models with a random intercept for subject. Condition by time interactions were observed for most BIA outcomes. Relative to the reference model (i.e., R condition at baseline), total body water and fat-free mass estimates were, on average, approximately 1 and approximately 1.2 kg higher, in the U condition. In contrast, lower-extremity RE exerted little or no impact on most BIA variables. Some DXA estimates exhibited time main effects, but the magnitude of changes was negligible. An acute bout of localized RE, particularly upper-extremity RE, can artificially influence BIA body fluid and composition estimates, whereas DXA may be robust to the acute biological error introduced by RE. Although body composition assessments should ideally be conducted under standardized conditions, DXA may be suitable in less standardized situations. In addition, BIA is differentially influenced by upper-extremity and lower-extremity resistance exercise.

Tracking changes in body composition: comparison of methods and influence of pre-assessment standardisation.

The present study reports the validity of multiple assessment methods for tracking changes in body composition over time and quantifies the influence of unstandardised pre-assessment procedures. Resistance-trained males underwent 6 weeks of structured resistance training alongside a hyperenergetic diet, with four total body composition evaluations. Pre-intervention, body composition was estimated in standardised (i.e. overnight fasted and rested) and unstandardised (i.e. no control over pre-assessment activities) conditions within a single day. The same assessments were repeated post-intervention, and body composition changes were estimated from all possible combinations of pre-intervention and post-intervention data. Assessment methods included dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), air displacement plethysmography, three-dimensional optical imaging, single- and multi-frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis, bioimpedance spectroscopy and multi-component models. Data were analysed using equivalence testing, Bland-Altman analysis, Friedman tests and validity metrics. Most methods demonstrated meaningful errors when unstandardised conditions were present pre- and/or post-intervention, resulting in blunted or exaggerated changes relative to true body composition changes. However, some methods - particularly DXA and select digital anthropometry techniques - were more robust to a lack of standardisation. In standardised conditions, methods exhibiting the highest overall agreement with the four-component model were other multi-component models, select bioimpedance technologies, DXA and select digital anthropometry techniques. Although specific methods varied, the present study broadly demonstrates the importance of controlling and documenting standardisation procedures prior to body composition assessments across distinct assessment technologies, particularly for longitudinal investigations. Additionally, there are meaningful differences in the ability of common methods to track longitudinal body composition changes.

Comparison of Indirect Calorimetry and Common Prediction Equations for Evaluating Changes in Resting Metabolic Rate Induced by Resistance Training and a Hypercaloric Diet.

ABSTRACT: Rodriguez, C, Harty, PS, Stratton, MT, Siedler, MR, Smith, RW, Johnson, BA, Dellinger, JR, Williams, AD, White, SJ, Benavides, ML, and Tinsley, GM. Comparison of indirect calorimetry and common prediction equations for evaluating changes in resting metabolic rate induced by resistance training and a hypercaloric diet. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3093-3104, 2022-The ability to accurately identify resting metabolic rate (RMR) changes over time allows practitioners to prescribe appropriate adjustments to nutritional intake. However, there is a lack of data concerning the longitudinal utility of commonly used RMR prediction equations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity of several commonly used prediction equations to track RMR changes during a hypercaloric nutritional intervention and supervised resistance exercise training program. Twenty resistance-trained men completed the study. The protocol lasted 6 weeks, and subjects underwent RMR assessments by indirect calorimetry (IC) preintervention and postintervention to obtain reference values. Existing RMR prediction equations based on body mass (BM) or dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry fat-free mass (FFM) were also evaluated. Equivalence testing was used to evaluate whether each prediction equation demonstrated equivalence with IC. Null hypothesis significance testing was also performed, and Bland-Altman analysis was used alongside linear regression to assess the degree of proportional bias. Body mass and FFM increased by 3.6 ± 1.7 kg and 2.4 ± 1.6 kg, respectively. Indirect calorimetry RMR increased by 165 ± 97 kcal·d -1 , and RMR:FFM increased by 5.6 ± 5.2%. All prediction equations underestimated mean RMR changes relative to IC, with magnitudes ranging from 75 to 155 kcal·d -1 , while also displaying unacceptable levels of negative proportional bias. In addition, no equation demonstrated equivalence with IC. Common RMR prediction equations based on BM or FFM did not fully detect the increase in RMR observed with resistance training plus a hypercaloric diet. Overall, the evaluated prediction equations are unsuitable for estimating RMR changes in the context of this study.

The attractant, but not the trap design, affects the capture of Drosophila suzukii in berry crops.

Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is recognized as an invasive pest in Europe and North America. In Mexico, it is one of the main insect pests of soft-skinned fruits such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, plums, and guava. Previous studies have shown that D. suzukii uses visual and chemical cues during host plant searching. This knowledge has been used to develop traps and attractants for monitoring D. suzukii. In this study, five trap designs were evaluated to monitor D. suzukii under field conditions. Traps were baited with SuzukiiTrap®, Z-Kinol, an attractant based on acetoin and methionol, or apple cider vinegar (ACV) enriched with 10% ethanol (EtOH) with the synergistic action of carbon dioxide (CO2). Our results suggested that the attractant was the determining factor in capturing D. suzukii, while trap design seemed to play a modest role. We found that traps baited with Z-Kinol captured the highest number of D. suzukii compared to that caught by traps baited with SuzukiiTrap®, or ACV + EtOH + CO2. The highest catch numbers occurred in blackberry, followed by strawberry, raspberry, and blueberry. Traps captured more females than males. The results obtained may be useful for monitoring D. suzukii populations in Mexico and elsewhere, particularly in states where soft fruit crops are a component of agricultural activities.

On the Neural and Mechanistic Bases of Self-Control.

Intertemporal choice requires a dynamic interaction between valuation and deliberation processes. While evidence identifying candidate brain areas for each of these processes is well established, the precise mechanistic role carried out by each brain region is still debated. In this article, we present a computational model that clarifies the unique contribution of frontoparietal cortex regions to intertemporal decision making. The model we develop samples reward and delay information stochastically on a moment-by-moment basis. As preference for the choice alternatives evolves, dynamic inhibitory processes are executed by way of asymmetric lateral inhibition. We find that it is these lateral inhibition processes that best explain the contribution of frontoparietal regions to intertemporal decision making exhibited in our data.

Expression of recombinant enhanced green fluorescent protein provides insight into foreign gene-expression differences between Mut+ and MutS strains of Pichia pastoris.

Pichia pastoris is a very popular yeast for recombinant protein production, mainly due to the strong, methanol-inducible PAOX1 promoter. Methanol induction however poses several drawbacks. One approach to improve processes is to use MutS strains with reduced methanol catabolic ability. Various reports claim that MutS allows higher recombinant protein production levels than Mut+ but scarcely elaborate on reasons for differences. In this study, enhanced green fluorescent protein was used as a PAOX1 -driven reporter for the investigation of expression differences between Mut+ and MutS strains. Mut+ exhibited higher responses to methanol, with faster growth (0.07 vs. 0.01 hr-1 ) and higher consumption of methanol (2.25 vs. 1.81 mmol/gDCW .hr) and oxygen (2.2 vs. 0.66 mmol/gDCW .hr) than MutS. Mut+ yielded more biomass than MutS (2.3 vs. 1.3 gDCW /L), and carbon dioxide analysis of bioreactor off-gas suggested that considerable amounts of methanol were consumed by Mut+ via the dissimilatory pathway. In contrast, it was demonstrated that the MutS population switched to an induced state more rapidly than Mut+. In addition, MutS exhibited 3.4-fold higher fluorescence levels per cell (77,509 vs. 23,783 SFU) indicative of higher recombinant protein production. The findings were verified by similar results obtained during the expression of a lipase. Based on the differences in response to methanol versus recombinant protein production, it was proposed that higher energy availability occurs in MutS for recombinant protein synthesis, contrary to Mut+ that uses the energy to maintain high levels of methanol catabolic pathways and biomass production.

Adolescent impatience decreases with increased frontostriatal connectivity.

Adolescence is a developmental period associated with an increase in impulsivity. Impulsivity is a multidimensional construct, and in this study we focus on one of the underlying components: impatience. Impatience can result from (i) disregard of future outcomes and/or (ii) oversensitivity to immediate rewards, but it is not known which of these evaluative processes underlie developmental changes. To distinguish between these two causes, we investigated developmental changes in the structural and functional connectivity of different frontostriatal tracts. We report that adolescents were more impatient on an intertemporal choice task and reported less future orientation, but not more present hedonism, than young adults. Developmental increases in structural connectivity strength in the right dorsolateral prefrontal tract were related to increased negative functional coupling with the striatum and an age-related decrease in discount rates. Our results suggest that mainly increased control, and the integration of future-oriented thought, drives the reduction in impatience across adolescence.

Why more is better: Simultaneous modeling of EEG, fMRI, and behavioral data.

The need to test a growing number of theories in cognitive science has led to increased interest in inferential methods that integrate multiple data modalities. In this manuscript, we show how a method for integrating three data modalities within a single framework provides (1) more detailed descriptions of cognitive processes and (2) more accurate predictions of unobserved data than less integrative methods. Specifically, we show how combining either EEG and fMRI with a behavioral model can perform substantially better than a behavioral-data-only model in both generative and predictive modeling analyses. We then show how a trivariate model - a model including EEG, fMRI, and behavioral data - outperforms bivariate models in both generative and predictive modeling analyses. Together, these results suggest that within an appropriate modeling framework, more data can be used to better constrain cognitive theory, and to generate more accurate predictions for behavioral and neural data.

[Functional dyspepsia in students of eigth peruvians medical schools. Influence of the habits]. / Dispepsia funcional en estudiantes de ocho facultades de medicina peruanas. Influencia de los hábitos.

Functional dyspepsia impacts on quality of life. Due to its multifactorial etiology its characterization proves difficult, especially in populations at risk such as medical students. Objetives: To determine if behavioral and harmful habits of medical students from eight universities of Peru were associated to functional dyspepsia. Methods: Multicentric, cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire was taken among students enrolled in eight medical faculties in Peru. Functional dyspepsia was measured using a validated test; diet characteristics, alcohol, tobacco, coffee or energy drinks consumption were considered behavioral habits. Furthermore, others from the social and educational sphere were measured. Bivariate and multivariate statistical analyses were made. Results: From a total of 1.923 students, the median of the ages was 20, 55% were women and 24% suffered from functional dyspepsia. Factors which diminished the frequency of functional dyspepsia were masculine gender (aPR:0,75; 95%CI:0.64-0.87; p < 0,001), hours spent studying (aPR:0,97; 95%CI:0,96-0,99; p < 0,001) and eating following a fixed schedule (aPR:0,80; 95%CI:0,67- 0,95; p = 0,013); however, having failed a course increases the frequency of functional dyspepsia (aPR:1.24; 95%CI:1.13-1.37; p < 0,001)adjusted for age, as well as difficulties to fall asleep and depression. Conclusion: Many medical students suffered from functional dyspepsia, this being related to several behavioral variables; therefore further studies as well as educational institutions' intervention is required, due to the short and long term problems that may arise from this situation.

Connectivity strength of dissociable striatal tracts predict individual differences in temporal discounting.

Large individual differences exist in the ability to delay gratification for the sake of satisfying longer-term goals. These individual differences are commonly assayed by studying intertemporal preferences, as revealed by choices between immediate and delayed rewards. In the brain, reward-based and goal-oriented decisions are believed to rely on the striatum and its interactions with other cortical and subcortical networks. However, it remains unknown which specific cortical-striatal tracts are involved in intertemporal decision making. We use connectivity analyses in both structural and functional MRI to further our understanding of the relationship between distinct corticostriatal networks and intertemporal preferences in humans. Our results revealed distinct striatal pathways that are differentially related to delay discounting. Structural and functional connectivity between striatum and lateral prefrontal cortex was associated with increased patience, whereas connectivity between subcortical areas and striatum was associated with increased impulsivity. These findings provide novel insights into how the anatomy and functioning of striatal circuits mediate individual differences in intertemporal choice.

The neural basis of value accumulation in intertemporal choice.

Making intertemporal choices (choosing between rewards available at different points in time) requires determining and comparing the subjective values of available rewards. Several studies have found converging evidence identifying the neural systems that encode subjective value in intertemporal choice. However, the neural mechanisms responsible for the process that produces intertemporal decisions on the basis of subjective values have not been investigated. Using model-based and connectivity analyses of functional magnetic resonance imaging data, we investigated the neural mechanisms underlying the value-accumulation process by which subjective value guides intertemporal decisions. Our results show that the dorsomedial frontal cortex, bilateral posterior parietal cortex, and bilateral lateral prefrontal cortex are all involved in the accumulation of subjective value for the purpose of action selection. Our findings establish a mechanistic framework for understanding frontoparietal contributions to intertemporal choice and suggest that value-accumulation processes in the frontoparietal cortex may be a general mechanism for value-based choice.

Skeletal muscle estimation: A review of techniques and their applications.

Quantifying skeletal muscle size is necessary to identify those at risk for conditions that increase frailty, morbidity, and mortality, as well as decrease quality of life. Although muscle strength, muscle quality, and physical performance have been suggested as important assessments in the screening, prevention, and management of sarcopenic and cachexic individuals, skeletal muscle size is still a critical objective marker. Several techniques exist for estimating skeletal muscle size; however, each technique presents with unique characteristics regarding simplicity/complexity, cost, radiation dose, accessibility, and portability that are important factors for assessors to consider before applying these modalities in practice. This narrative review presents a discussion centred on the theory and applications of current non-invasive techniques for estimating skeletal muscle size in diverse populations. Common instruments for skeletal muscle assessment include imaging techniques such as computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, peripheral quantitative computed tomography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and Brightness-mode ultrasound, and non-imaging techniques like bioelectrical impedance analysis and anthropometry. Skeletal muscle size can be acquired from these methods using whole-body and/or regional assessments, as well as prediction equations. Notable concerns when conducting assessments include the absence of standardised image acquisition/processing protocols and the variation in cut-off thresholds used to define low skeletal muscle size by clinicians and researchers, which could affect the accuracy and prevalence of diagnoses. Given the importance of evaluating skeletal muscle size, it is imperative practitioners are informed of each technique and their respective strengths and weaknesses.

Biomechanical analysis of complications following T10-Pelvis spinal fusion: A population based computational study.

Proximal junctional kyphosis (PJK) and proximal junctional failure (PJF) are challenging complications of long fusion constructs for the treatment of adult spinal deformity. The objective of this study is to understand the biomechanical stresses proximal to the upper instrumentation of a T10-pelvis fusion in a large patient cohort. The pre-fusion models were subject-specific thoracolumbar spine models that incorporate the height, weight, spine curvature, and muscle morphology of 250 individuals from the Framingham Heart Study Multidetector CT Study. To create post-fusion models, the subject-specific models were further modified to eliminate motion between the intervertebral joints from T10 to the pelvis. OpenSim analysis tools were used to calculate the medial lateral shear force, anterior posterior shear force, and compressive force on the T9 vertebra during the static postures. Differences between pre-fusion and post-fusion T9 biomechanics were consistent between increased segmental mobility and unchanged segmental mobility conditions. For all static postures, compression decreased (p < 0. 0005). Anterior-posterior shear force significantly increased (p < 0. 0005) during axial twist and significantly increased (p < 0. 0005) during trunk flexion. Medial lateral shear force significantly increased (p < 0. 0005) during axial twist. This computational study provided the first use of subject-specific models to investigate the biomechanics of long spinal fusions. Patients undergoing T10-Pelvis fusion were predicted to have increased shear forces and decreased compressive force at the T9 vertebra, independent of change in segmental mobility. The computational model shows potential for the investigation of spinal fusion biomechanics to reduce the risk of PJK or PJF.

Certainty of Evidence Assessment in Systematic Reviews Published by High-Impact Sports Science Journals: A Meta-epidemiological Study.

BACKGROUND: Assessing certainty of evidence is a key element of any systematic review. The aim of this meta-epidemiology study was to understand the frequency and ways with which certainty of evidence is assessed in contemporary systematic reviews published in high-impact sports science journals. METHODS: We searched PubMed and relevant journal web sites from 1 August 2016 to 11 October 2022 for systematic reviews published in the top-ten highest-impact journals within the 2020 Journal Citation Report for the Sports Sciences category. Pairs of independent reviewers screened items using a priori established criteria. RESULTS: Of 1250 eligible documents, 258 (20.6%) assessed the certainty of evidence, defined as using two or more distinct domains to provide an overall rating of the trustworthiness of findings across studies. Nine methods were cited for assessing certainty, with the most common being the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach (61.6%). The proportion of systematic reviews assessing certainty of evidence appeared to increase over the 6-year timeframe analyzed. Across all reviews analyzed, a large majority addressed the domains of risk of bias, imprecision, and inconsistency of the results. Other certainty domains including indirectness/applicability were less commonly assessed. DISCUSSION: Only one in five recent contemporary systematic reviews in the field of exercise and sports science assessed certainty of evidence. Organizational and institutional education on methods for assessing evidence may help further increase uptake of these methods and improve both the quality and clinical impact of systematic reviews in the field.

Mobile phone applications for 3-dimensional scanning and digital anthropometry: a precision comparison with traditional scanners.

BACKGROUND: The precision of digital anthropometry through 3-dimensional (3D) scanning has been established for relatively large, expensive, non-portable systems. The comparative performance of modern mobile applications is unclear. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Forty-six adults (age: 23.3 ± 5.3 y; BMI: 24.4 ± 4.1 kg/m2) were assessed in duplicate using: (1) a mobile phone application capturing two individual 2D images, (2) a mobile phone application capturing serial images collected during a subject's complete rotation, (3) a traditional scanner with a time of flight infrared sensor collecting visual data from a subject being rotated on a mechanical turntable, and (4) a commercial measuring booth with structured light technology using 20 infrared depth sensors positioned in the booth. The absolute and relative technical error of measurement (TEM) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for each method were established. RESULTS: Averaged across circumferences, the absolute TEM, relative TEM, and ICC were (1) 0.9 cm, 1.5%, and 0.975; (2) 0.5 cm, 0.9%, and 0.986; (3) 0.8 cm, 1.5%, and 0.974; and (4) 0.6 cm, 1.1%, and 0.985. For total body volume, these values were (1) 2.2 L, 3.0%, and 0.978; (2) 0.8 L, 1.1%, and 0.997; (3) 0.7 L, 0.9%, and 0.998; and (4) 0.8 L, 1.1%, and 0.996, with segmental volumes demonstrating higher relative errors. CONCLUSION: A 3D scanning mobile phone application involving full rotation of subjects in front of a smartphone camera exhibited similar reliability to larger, less portable, more expensive 3D scanners. In contrast, larger errors were observed for a mobile scanning application utilizing two 2D images, although the technical errors were acceptable for some applications.

Performing publics of science in the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study in Austria, Bolivia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Portugal.

Research about science and publics in the COVID-19 pandemic often focuses on public trust and on identifying and correcting public attitudes. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 209 residents in six countries-Austria, Bolivia, Germany, Italy, Mexico, and Portugal-this article uses the concept of performativity to explore how participants understand, and relate to science, in the COVID-19 context. By performativity, we mean the ways by which participants understand themselves as particular sorts of publics through identification with, and differentiation from, various other actors in matters that are perceived as controversies surrounding science: COVID-19 vaccination, media communication of science, and the interactions between governments and scientists. The criteria used to construct the similarities and differences among publics were heterogeneous and fluid, showing how epistemic beliefs about the nature of, and trust in, scientific knowledge are intermingled with social and cultural memberships embedded in specific contexts and across disparate places.

High Prevalence of Familial Hypercholesterolemia Due to the Founder Effect of the LDLR c.2271del Variant in Communities of Oaxaca, Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: In Mexico, familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is underdiagnosed, but population screening in small communities where at least one homozygous patient has already been detected results in a useful and inexpensive approach to reduce this problem. Considering that we previously reported nine homozygous cases from the state of Oaxaca, we decided to perform a population screening to identify patients with FH and to describe both their biochemical and genetic characteristics. METHODS: LDL cholesterol (LDLc) was quantified in 2,093 individuals from 11 communities in Oaxaca; either adults with LDLc levels ≥170 mg/dL or children with LDLc ≥130 mg/dL were classified as suggestive of FH and therefore included in the genetic study. LDLR and APOB (547bp fragment of exon 26) genes were screened by sequencing and MLPA analysis. RESULTS: Two hundred and five individuals had suggestive FH, with a mean LDLc of 223 ± 54 mg/dL (range: 131-383 mg/dL). Two pathogenic variants in the LDLR gene were detected in 149 individuals: c.-139_-130del (n = 1) and c.2271del (n = 148). All patients had a heterozygous genotype. With the cascade screening of their relatives (n = 177), 15 heterozygous individuals for the c.2271del variant were identified, presenting a mean LDLc of 133 ± 35 mg/dL (range: 60-168 mg/dL). CONCLUSIONS: The FH frequency in this study was 7.8% (164/2093), the highest reported worldwide. A founder effect combined with inbreeding could be responsible for the high percentage of patients with the LDLR c.2271del variant (99.4%), which allowed us to detect both significant biochemical heterogeneity and incomplete penetrance; hence, we assumed the presence of phenotype-modifying variants.