Validation of an early vascular aging construct model for comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment using external risk indicators for improved clinical utility: data from the EVasCu study.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) remain a major global health concern, necessitating advanced risk assessment beyond traditional factors. Early vascular aging (EVA), characterized by accelerated vascular changes, has gained importance in cardiovascular risk assessment. METHODS: The EVasCu study in Spain examined 390 healthy participants using noninvasive measurements. A construct of four variables (Pulse Pressure, Pulse Wave Velocity, Glycated Hemoglobin, Advanced Glycation End Products) was used for clustering. K-means clustering with principal component analysis revealed two clusters, healthy vascular aging (HVA) and early vascular aging (EVA). External validation variables included sociodemographic, adiposity, glycemic, inflammatory, lipid profile, vascular, and blood pressure factors. RESULTS: EVA cluster participants were older and exhibited higher adiposity, poorer glycemic control, dyslipidemia, altered vascular properties, and higher blood pressure. Significant differences were observed for age, smoking status, body mass index, waist circumference, fat percentage, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, diabetes prevalence, lipid profiles, arterial stiffness, and blood pressure levels. These findings demonstrate the association between traditional cardiovascular risk factors and EVA. CONCLUSIONS: This study validates a clustering model for EVA and highlights its association with established risk factors. EVA assessment can be integrated into clinical practice, allowing early intervention and personalized cardiovascular risk management.

Effect of adding PCSK9 inhibitors to lipid-lowering interventions on arterial stiffness: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of mortality, necessitates effective management of hypercholesterolemia, specifically elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). The emergence of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) has revolutionised lipid-lowering. PCSK9i demonstrates substantial LDL-C reduction and cardiovascular benefits, particularly in statin-intolerant or nonresponsive individuals. However, the potential pleiotropic effects of PCSK9i, especially on arterial stiffness, remain a subject of investigation. This systematic review and meta-analysis seek to provide a nuanced understanding of the potential pleiotropic effects of PCSK9i, specifically on arterial health. The primary objective was to analyse the influence of PCSK9i on arterial stiffness, extending beyond traditional lipid-lowering metrics and contributing to a more comprehensive approach to cardiovascular risk reduction. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted across major databases, clinical trial registries and grey literature. Inclusion criteria comprised adults in prospective cohort studies undergoing PCSK9i augmentation in lipid-lowering therapy, with a focus on arterial stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWv). Random-effects meta-analyses, sensitivity analyses and meta-regression models were employed to assess the pooled effect of adding PCSK9i to lipid-lowering interventions on arterial stiffness. RESULTS: Five studies (158 participants) met the inclusion criteria, demonstrating a significant reduction in PWv (mean difference: -2.61 m/s [95% CI: -3.70, -1.52]; ES: -1.62 [95% CI: -2.53, -.71]) upon adding PCSK9i to lipid-lowering interventions. Subgroup analysis and meta-regression models suggested potential sex-based and baseline PWv-dependent variations, emphasising patient-specific characteristics. CONCLUSION: The meta-analysis provides robust evidence that adding PCSK9i to lipid-lowering interventions significantly improves arterial stiffness, indicating broader vascular benefits beyond LDL-C reduction.

Prevalence and genotypic associations of epilepsy in Prader-Willi Syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of epilepsy and febrile seizures and their association with genotype, i.e., 15q11-q13 deletions, uniparental chromosome 15 disomy (UPD) and other mutations, in the population with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS). METHODS: A systematic search of Medline, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library was conducted. Studies estimating the prevalence of seizures, epilepsy and febrile seizures in the PWS population were included. Meta-analyses of the prevalence of epilepsy and febrile seizures and their association with genotype using the prevalence ratio (PR) were performed. RESULTS: Fifteen studies were included. The prevalence of epilepsy was 0.11 (0.07, 0.15), similar to the prevalence of febrile seizures, with a prevalence of 0.09 (0.05, 0.13). The comparison "deletion vs. UPD" had a PR of 2.03 (0.90, 4.57) and 3.76 (1.54, 9.18) for epilepsy and febrile seizures. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of seizure disorders in PWS is higher than in the general population. In addition, deletions in 15q11-q13 may be associated with a higher risk of seizure disorders. Therefore, active screening for seizure disorders in PWS should improve the lives of these people. In addition, genotype could be used to stratify risk, even for epilepsy, although more studies or larger sample sizes are needed.

Genetic Characterization of Non-Lymphogranuloma venereum Chlamydia trachomatis Indicates Distinct Infection Transmission Networks in Spain.

Chlamydia trachomatis infection is an important public health problem. Our objective was to assess the dynamics of the transmission of this infection, analysing the distribution of circulating ompA genotypes and multilocus sequence types of C. trachomatis in Spain as a function of clinical and epidemiological variables. During 2018 and 2019, we genetically characterized C. trachomatis in tertiary hospitals in six areas in Spain (Asturias, Barcelona, Gipuzkoa, Mallorca, Seville and Zaragoza), with a catchment population of 3.050 million people. Genotypes and sequence types were obtained using polymerase chain reaction techniques that amplify a fragment of the ompA gene, and five highly variable genes (hctB, CT058, CT144, CT172 and pbpB), respectively. Amplicons were sequenced and phylogenetic analysis was conducted. We obtained genotypes in 636/698 cases (91.1%). Overall and by area, genotype E was the most common (35%). Stratifying by sex, genotypes D and G were more common among men, and genotypes F and I among women (p < 0.05). Genotypes D, G and J were more common in men who have sex with men (MSM) than in men who have sex with women (MSW), in whom the most common genotypes were E and F. The diversity index was higher in sequence typing (0.981) than in genotyping (0.791), and the most common sequence types were ST52 and ST108 in MSM, and ST30, ST148, ST276 and ST327 in MSW. Differences in genotype distribution between geographical areas were attributable to differences in population characteristics. The transmission dynamics varied with sexual behaviour: the predominant genotypes and most frequent sequence types found in MSM were different to those detected in MSW and women.

[Multicomponent treatment of tobacco in primary care: Follow-up over 5years]. / Tratamiento multicomponente del tabaquismo en Atención Primaria: seguimiento transcurridos más de 5 años.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effectiveness of a multicomponent treatment for smoking cessation carried out in primary care and to evaluate the evolution of the consumption of tobacco that the people who participated had, more than 5 years after the end of the treatment. DESIGN: Longitudinal study of 307 participants in a multicomponent program in group format of tobacco cessation. EMPLACEMENT: Santander (Spain) Primary Care Health Center. PARTICIPANTS: Smokers from the basic health zone who wanted to quit smoking between 2006 and 2012 and requested help. INTERVENTIONS: Multicomponent treatment of 5face-to-face sessions and follow-up for up to 12 months. PRIMARY MEASUREMENTS: The activity was evaluated in 263 participants more than 5years after the end of treatment. The results of continuous and punctual withdrawal were obtained by self-declaration and the data recorded in the medical record. The punctual was also validated with co-oximetry. RESULTS: After a year 42.7% of participants declared continuous abstinence. From 5 to 12 years later, the continuous declared abstinence further than 12 months was 40.7%. They did not smoke again since the end of the treatment 66 people; 68.0% of those who relapsed made new attempts and 45.5% of them requested help to quit smoking. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed multi-component treatment is effective. Abstinence at 12 months predicts long-term maintenance and participating in disabling groups favors further attempts in case of relapse and the request for help to quit smoking.

Problematic use of WhatsApp and adolescents: What educational role do parents play? / Uso problemático de WhatsApp entre adolescentes: ¿Qué papel educativo juegan los padres y las madres?

The goal of this study is to understand the relationship between the problematic use of WhatsApp among young adolescents and parental mediation. The rise of mobile phone use among young people is a cause for concern, especially among parents themselves. The literature suggests that parents have a certain amount of room for maneuver through different parental strategies (parental mediation) to maximize the benefits of technology and reduce its possible risks, although this has not been sufficiently analyzed in the case of problematic use of the mobile phone and its applications. This study therefore examined three different parental mediation strategies (restrictive, modeling and stimulation) and their possible impact on the problematic use of WhatsApp. The sample comprised 1,144 13- and 14-year-old students during three academic years (2015-2018) in 17 schools in 7 Spanish provinces. One of the novelties of the study was the use of adolescent voices to understand the parental mediation of their parents. The results showed a direct relationship between the level of restrictive mediation and a problematic use of WhatsApp. In addition, the number of mobile phones that students have enjoyed, as well as whether parents use their mobile phone during dinner, also has a positive relationship with the problematic use of WhatsApp. These results are useful for understanding a responsible use of the mobile phone, as well as to guide parents about the problematic use of WhatsApp among adolescents.

El objetivo del presente estudio es comprender la relación entre el uso problemático del WhatsApp entre jóvenes adolescentes y la mediación parental. El auge del uso del teléfono móvil entre los jóvenes es motivo de preocupación, especialmente entre los propios padres y madres. La literatura sugiere que los progenitores disponen de cierto margen de maniobra a partir de distintas estrategias parentales (mediación parental) para maximizar los beneficios de la tecnología, y reducir sus posibles riesgos, sin ser suficientemente analizadas en el caso del uso problemático del móvil y sus aplicaciones. Por este motivo, este estudio examina tres distintas estrategias de mediación parental (restrictiva, modelado y estimulación) y su posible impacto en el uso problemático del WhatsApp. Para ello, se empleó una muestra de 1.144 estudiantes de 13 y 14 años durante tres cursos académicos (2015-2018) en 17 colegios de 7 provincias españolas. Una de las novedades del estudio es el uso de las voces de los adolescentes para comprender la mediación parental de sus padres. Los resultados muestran una relación entre el nivel de mediación restrictiva y un uso problemático de WhatsApp. Además, el número de móviles que han gozado los estudiantes, así como si los padres cenan con el móvil durante la cena también tiene una relación positiva con el uso problemático de WhatsApp. Estos resultados son útiles para entender un uso responsable del teléfono móvil, así como para orientar a padres sobre el uso problemático de WhatsApp entre adolescentes.

BOPHY-Fullerene C60 Dyad as a Photosensitizer for Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy.

A novel BOPHY-fullerene C60 dyad (BP-C60 ) was designed as a heavy-atom-free photosensitizer (PS) with potential uses in photodynamic treatment and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated applications. BP-C60 consists of a BOPHY fluorophore covalently attached to a C60 moiety through a pyrrolidine ring. The BOPHY core works as a visible-light-harvesting antenna, while the fullerene C60 subunit elicits the photodynamic action. This fluorophore-fullerene cycloadduct, obtained by a straightforward synthetic route, was fully characterized and compared with its individual counterparts. The restricted rotation around the single bond connecting the BOPHY and pyrrolidine moieties led to the formation of two atropisomers. Spectroscopic, electrochemical, and computational studies disclose an efficient photoinduced energy/electron transfer process from BOPHY to fullerene C60 . Photodynamic studies indicate that BP-C60 produces ROS by both photomechanisms (type I and type II). Moreover, the dyad exhibits higher ROS production efficiency than its individual constitutional components. Preliminary screening of photodynamic inactivation on bacteria models (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli) demonstrated the ability of this dyad to be used as a heavy-atom-free PS. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that not only a BOPHY-fullerene C60 dyad is reported, but also that a BOPHY derivative is applied to photoinactivate microorganisms. This study lays the foundations for the development of new BOPHY-based PSs with plausible applications in the medical field.

Desertomycin G, a New Antibiotic with Activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Human Breast Tumor Cell Lines Produced by Streptomyces althioticus MSM3, Isolated from the Cantabrian Sea Intertidal Macroalgae Ulva sp.

The isolation and structural elucidation of a structurally new desertomycin, designated as desertomycin G (1), with strong antibiotic activity against several clinically relevant antibiotic resistant pathogens are described herein. This new natural product was obtained from cultures of the marine actinomycete Streptomyces althioticus MSM3, isolated from samples of the intertidal seaweed Ulva sp. collected in the Cantabrian Sea (Northeast Atlantic Ocean). Particularly interesting is its strong antibiotic activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis clinical isolates, resistant to antibiotics in clinical use. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on a member of the desertomycin family displaying such activity. Additionally, desertomycin G shows strong antibiotic activities against other relevant Gram-positive clinical pathogens such as Corynebacterium urealyticum, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis, and Clostridium perfringens. Desertomycin G also displays moderate antibiotic activity against relevant Gram-negative clinical pathogens such as Bacteroides fragilis, Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria meningitidis. In addition, the compound affects viability of tumor cell lines, such as human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7) and colon carcinoma (DLD-1), but not normal mammary fibroblasts.

Pharmacological Potential of Phylogenetically Diverse Actinobacteria Isolated from Deep-Sea Coral Ecosystems of the Submarine Avilés Canyon in the Cantabrian Sea.

Marine Actinobacteria are emerging as an unexplored source for natural product discovery. Eighty-seven deep-sea coral reef invertebrates were collected during an oceanographic expedition at the submarine Avilés Canyon (Asturias, Spain) in a range of 1500 to 4700 m depth. From these, 18 cultivable bioactive Actinobacteria were isolated, mainly from corals, phylum Cnidaria, and some specimens of phyla Echinodermata, Porifera, Annelida, Arthropoda, Mollusca and Sipuncula. As determined by 16S rRNA sequencing and phylogenetic analyses, all isolates belong to the phylum Actinobacteria, mainly to the Streptomyces genus and also to Micromonospora, Pseudonocardia and Myceligenerans. Production of bioactive compounds of pharmacological interest was investigated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques and subsequent database comparison. Results reveal that deep-sea isolated Actinobacteria display a wide repertoire of secondary metabolite production with a high chemical diversity. Most identified products (both diffusible and volatiles) are known by their contrasted antibiotic or antitumor activities. Bioassays with ethyl acetate extracts from isolates displayed strong antibiotic activities against a panel of important resistant clinical pathogens, including Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as fungi, all of them isolated at two main hospitals (HUCA and Cabueñes) from the same geographical region. The identity of the active extracts components of these producing Actinobacteria is currently being investigated, given its potential for the discovery of pharmaceuticals and other products of biotechnological interest.

Branimycins B and C, Antibiotics Produced by the Abyssal Actinobacterium Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans M-227.

Two new antibiotics, branimycins B (2) and C (3), were produced by fermentation of the abyssal actinobacterium Pseudonocardia carboxydivorans M-227, isolated from deep seawater of the Avilés submarine Canyon. Their structures were elucidated by HRMS and NMR analyses. These compounds exhibit antibacterial activities against a panel of Gram-positive bacteria, including Corynebacterium urealyticum, Clostridium perfringens, and Micrococcus luteus, and against the Gram-negative bacterium Neisseria meningitidis. Additionally, branimycin B displayed moderate antibacterial activity against other Gram-negative bacteria such as Bacteroides fragilis, Haemophilus influenzae, and Escherichia coli, and branimycin C against the Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

[Social determinants of health and convergence in health agendas of regional agencies in South America]. / Determinantes sociales de la salud y convergencias en agendas de salud de organismos regionales de América del Sur.

OBJECTIVE: Characterize areas of interinstitutional cooperation and converging health agendas of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Health Council of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), and the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in South America based on social determinants of health. METHODS: A qualitative study based on official documentary sources from the three organizations, using a comparative analysis of the health agendas of these agencies and the Rio Political Declaration on Social Determinants of Health (2011). Information was systematized using an analytical matrix that identifies convergences in the respective agendas. RESULTS: Development of the health agendas of these agencies is influenced by various international forces such as Member States' foreign policy, international cooperation strategies and models, and the institutions' political and strategic guidelines. These agendas reveal efforts to strengthen blocs, cooperation mechanisms, and coordinated programmatic actions. CONCLUSIONS: The agendas of PAHO/WHO, the UNASUR Health Council, and ACTO point towards opportunities for convergence in various programmatic areas, emphasizing social determinants of health. Based on the overall agreements of the Rio Declaration as an analytical framework with recommendations in five decision-making spheres, structural cooperation actions can be carried out in the region's countries, jointly mediated by these agencies.

Photodynamic inactivation of bacteria using novel electrogenerated porphyrin-fullerene C60 polymeric films.

A porphyrin-fullerene C60 dyad (TCP-C60) substituted by carbazoyl groups was used to obtain electrogenerated polymeric films on optically transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. This approach produced stable and reproducible polymers, holding fullerene units. The properties of this film were compared with those formed by layers of TCP/TCP-C60 and TCP/ZnTCP. Absorption spectra of the films presented the Soret and Q bands of the corresponding porphyrins. The TCP-C60 film produced a high photodecomposition of 2,2-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)bis(methylmalonate), which was used to detect singlet molecular oxygen O2((1)Δg) production in water. In addition, the TCP-C60 film induced the reduction of nitro blue tetrazolium to diformazan in the presence of NADH, indicating the formation of superoxide anion radical. Moreover, photooxidation of L-tryptophan mediated by TCP-C60 films was found in water. In biological media, photoinactivation of Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated depositing a drop with 2.5 × 10(3) cells on the films. After 30 min irradiation, no colony formation was detected using TCP-C60 or TCP/TCP-C60 films. Furthermore, photocytotoxic activity was observed in cell suspensions of S. aureus and Escherichia coli. The irradiated TCP-C60 film produced a 4 log decrease of S. aureus survival after 30 min. Also, a 4 log reduction of E. coli viability was obtained using the TCP-C60 film after 60 min irradiation. Therefore, the TCP-C60 film is an interesting and versatile photodynamic active surface to eradicate bacteria.

Development of a recommendation system and data analysis in personalized medicine: an approach towards healthy vascular ageing.

Purpose: Understanding early vascular ageing has become crucial for preventing adverse cardiovascular events. To this respect, recent AI-based risk clustering models offer early detection strategies focused on healthy populations, yet their complexity limits clinical use. This work introduces a novel recommendation system embedded in a web app to assess and mitigate early vascular ageing risk, leading patients towards improved cardiovascular health. Methods: This system employs a methodology that calculates distances within multidimensional spaces and integrates cost functions to obtain personalized optimisation of recommendations. It also incorporates a classification system for determining the intensity levels of the clinical interventions. Results: The recommendation system showed high efficiency in identifying and visualizing individuals at high risk of early vascular ageing among healthy patients. Additionally, the system corroborated its consistency and reliability in generating personalized recommendations among different levels of granularity, emphasizing its focus on moderate or low-intensity recommendations, which could improve patient adherence to the intervention. Conclusion: This tool might significantly aid healthcare professionals in their daily analysis, improving the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases.

An ambipolar PEDOT-perfluorinated porphyrin electropolymer: application as an active material in energy storage systems.

The development of functional organic materials is crucial for the advancement of various fields, such as optoelectronics, energy storage, sensing, and biomedicine. In this context, we successfully prepared a stable ambipolar perfluoroporphyrin-based polymeric film by electrochemical synthesis. Our strategy involved the synthesis of a novel tetra-pentafluorophenyl porphyrin covalently linked to four 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) moieties. The resulting monomer, EDOT-TPPF16, was obtained through a straightforward synthetic approach with a good overall yield. The unique molecular structure of EDOT-TPPF16 serves a dual function, with EDOT moieties allowing electropolymerization for polymeric film formation, while the electron-acceptor porphyrin core enables electrochemical reduction and electron transport. The electrochemical polymerization permits the polymer (PEDOT-TPPF16) synthesis and film formation in a reproducible and controllable manner in one step at room temperature. Spectroelectrochemical experiments confirmed that the porphyrin retained its optoelectronic properties within the polymeric matrix after the electrochemical polymerization. The obtained polymeric material exhibited stable redox capabilities. Current charge-discharge cycles and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of the electrochemically generated organic film demonstrated that the polymer could be applied as a promising active material in the development of supercapacitor energy storage devices.

Physicochemical changes in Amaranthus spp grains, flour, isolated starch, and nanocrystals during germination and malting.

Amaranth is a pseudocereal that contains between 50 and 60% starch, gluten-free protein, and essential amino acids. This study investigates the physicochemical changes in Amaranthus spp. grains, flour, isolated starch and nanocrystals during germination and malting. The moisture content increased from 8.9% to 41% over 2 h of soaking. The percentage of germination increased rapidly, reaching 96% after 60 h, a remarkable advantage over other cereals. The nutrient composition varied, including protein synthesis and lipid degradation. Lipid concentration decreased during malting, except for soaking, which increased by 62%. Scanning electron microscopy shows that germination does not cause morphological changes on the outer surface of the grains, while transmission electron microscopy indicates the presence of isolated nanocrystals with orthorhombic crystal structure confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The viscosity profile shows a decrease in peak viscosity. Therefore, amaranth is a potential pseudocereal that can be used as an additive in the production of fermented beverages.

Effect of Botulinum Toxin Injections in the Treatment of Spasticity of Different Etiologies: An Umbrella Review.

BACKGROUND: Spasticity is a very common neurological sequelae that significantly impacts the quality of life of patients, affecting more than 12 million people worldwide. Botulinum toxin is considered a reversible treatment for spasticity, but due to the large amount of available evidence, synthesis seems necessary. Therefore, we conducted an overview of existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses to evaluate the effect of botulinum toxin injections in the treatment of spasticity of different etiologies. METHODS: A systematic search of different databases, including Pubmed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science, was performed from inception to February 2024. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) and their respective 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the effect of botulinum toxin compared to that of the control treatment using the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS). All the statistical analyses were performed using STATA 15 software. RESULTS: 28 studies were included in the umbrella review. The effect of botulinum toxin injections on spasticity, as measured by the MAS, was significantly lower in all but three studies, although these studies also supported the intervention. The SMDs reported by the meta-analyses ranged from -0.98 to -0.01. CONCLUSION: Botulinum toxin injections were effective at treating spasticity of different etiologies, as indicated by the measurements on the MAS. This implies an improvement in muscle tone and, consequently, in the patient's mobility and quality of life.

Effectiveness of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in Treatment of Spasticity of Different Aetiologies: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Spasticity is a motor disorder characterised by exaggerated movements of the tendons and accompanied by hyperreflexia and hypertonia. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is used as a treatment for spasticity, although more evidence is needed on the effectiveness of this therapy in the treatment of spasticity. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness ESWT in the treatment of upper and lower limbs spasticity in both children and adults through different aetiologies. Methods: A systematic search was performed in different databases from inception to December 2023. Random-effects meta-analysis was used to estimate the efficacy of ESWT on spasticity using the Modified Ashworth Scale. Results: Sixteen studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The effect of ESWT on spasticity measured with the Modified Ashworth Scale shows a significant decrease in spasticity in the upper limbs and in the lower limbs in adults with chronic stroke and in children with cerebral palsy, is more effective immediately after application, and maintains its effect up to 12 weeks post treatment. Conclusions: These findings are important for clinical practice since they show evidence that ESWT is effective in reducing spasticity in both children and adults.

Exploring the Association between Mediterranean Diet Adherence and Arterial Stiffness in Healthy Adults: Findings from the EvasCu Study.

(1) Background: Previous evidence has indicated a connection between a Mediterranean diet and cardiovascular disease. However, evidence for subclinical markers of cardiovascular disease, such as arterial stiffness, is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet (MD), as assessed by the MEDAS-14 questionnaire, and arterial stiffness, as assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity, in healthy adults and according to sex. (2) A cross-sectional study including 386 healthy participants was performed in the EVasCu study. Adjusted and unadjusted differences in adherence to the MD and arterial stiffness were determined using Student's t test and ANCOVA for the total sample and according to sex. (3) Results: Our results showed that individuals with a high adherence to the MD had a greater arterial stiffness, both in the total sample and in females, although this difference was not significant after adjusting for possible confounding variables, such as age. (4) Conclusions: Our findings indicated that, in the unadjusted analyses, healthy subjects with a high adherence to the MD showed a greater arterial stiffness. When these analyses were adjusted, no significant differences were shown in a-PWv according to the categories of MD adherence.

Phenotypic and Genotypic Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Chlamydia trachomatis Isolates from Patients with Persistent or Clinical Treatment Failure in Spain.

The aim of this multicentre project (seven hospitals across the Spanish National Health Service) was to study the phenotypic and genotypic susceptibility of C. trachomatis to the main antimicrobials used (macrolides, doxycycline, and quinolones) in isolates from patients with clinical treatment failure in whom reinfection had been ruled out. During 2018-2019, 73 clinical isolates were selected. Sixty-nine clinical specimens were inoculated onto confluent McCoy cell monolayers for phenotypic susceptibility testing. The minimum inhibitory concentration for azithromycin and doxycycline was defined as the lowest concentration associated with an at least 95% reduction in inclusion-forming units after one passage in the presence of the antibiotic compared to the initial inoculum for each strain (control). Sequencing analysis was performed for the genotypic detection of resistance to macrolides, analysing mutations in the 23S rRNA gene (at positions 2057, 2058, 2059, and 2611), and quinolones, analysing a fragment of the gyrA gene, and searching for the G248T mutation (Ser83->Ile). For tetracyclines, in-house RT-PCR was used to test for the tet(C) gene. The phenotypic susceptibility testing was successful for 10 isolates. All the isolates had minimum inhibitory concentrations for azithromycin ≤ 0.125 mg/L and for doxycycline ≤ 0.064 mg/L and were considered sensitive. Of the 73 strains studied, no mutations were found at positions T2611C or G248T of the gyrA gene. We successfully sequenced 66 isolates. No macrolide resistance-associated mutations were found at positions 2057, 2058, 2059, or T2611C. None of the isolates carried the tet(C) gene. We found no evidence for genomic resistance in this large, clinically relevant dataset.

A multi-firearm, multi-orientation audio dataset of gunshots.

Early detection of firearm discharge has become increasingly critical for situational awareness in both civilian and military domains. The ability to determine the location and model of a discharged firearm is vital, as this can inform effective response plans. To this end, several gunshot audio datasets have been released that aim to facilitate gunshot detection and classification of a discharged firearm based on acoustic signatures. However, these datasets often suffer from a lack of variety in the orientations of recording devices around the source of the gunshot. Additionally, these datasets often suffer from the absence of proper time synchronization, which prevents the usage of these datasets for determining the Direction of Arrival (DoA) of the sound. In this paper, we present a multi-firearm, multi-orientation time-synchronized audio dataset collected in a semi-controlled real-world setting - providing us a degree of supervision - using several edge devices positioned in and around an outdoor firing range.