Surveillance of COVID-19 vaccines: A comprehensive analysis of the first immunization drive in Ecuador.

The initial phase of the COVID-19 vaccination in Ecuador occurred between April and November 2021. Initially, it focused on priority populations, including health professionals and other front-line workers. During this period, there was limited knowledge about the vaccine's adverse effects. A non-probability, observational study was conducted among university staff in Guayaquil, Ecuador, who received the AstraZeneca vaccine (n = 423) between April and November 2021. This study aimed to compare the acute adverse reactions by doses and to report the incidence of long-term adverse reactions within the AstraZeneca group. As a result, comparing acute adverse reactions between doses, the odds ratio for local pain, headache, muscle pain, fever, and chills are statistically higher after the first dose than the second dose. Survival curves indicated these symptoms appeared mainly within the first 6 h post-vaccination. This is the first pharmacovigilance study from Ecuador that analyzes survival probabilities for the AstraZeneca vaccine's adverse effects.

Food insecurity as a risk factor for obesity: A review.

Obesity is considered a 21st-century epidemic and it is a metabolic risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, some types of cancer, among others. Thus, its prevention and treatment are important public health concerns. Obesity within the context of food insecurity adds an additional layer of complexity to the current obesity epidemic. Efficient policies and interventions ought to take into consideration the effects of food insecurity on the risks of developing obesity among food insecure households. This review aims to analyze the recent available evidence around the obesity - food insecurity paradox. Most of the literature has consistently shown that there is a significant association between food insecurity and obesity, specifically in women of high-income countries. However, mechanisms explaining the paradox are still lacking. Even though researchers have tried to analyze the issue using different individual and societal variables, these studies have failed to explain the mediatory mechanisms of the food insecurity-obesity relationship since the proposed mechanisms usually lack strength or are purely theoretical. The research focus should shift from cross-sectional models to other research designs that allow the exploration of pathways and mechanisms underlying the food insecurity and obesity relationship, such as longitudinal studies, which will hopefully lead to consecutive research testing the effectiveness of different approaches and scale up such interventions into diverse contexts among those affected by obesity and the different degrees of food insecurity.

Differences in Capacity of High-Amylose Resistant Starch, Whole-Grain Flour, and a Combination of Both to Modify Intestinal Responses of Male Sprague Dawley Rats Fed Moderate and High Fat Diets.

Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) responses to a high-amylose resistant starch (RS) product were compared to those observed when RS was combined with whole grain (WG) and to controls with low RS intake in rats fed moderate or high fat diets. Regardless of fat intake, rats fed RS or WG + RS diets had higher cecum weights, higher intestinal quantities of short chain fatty acids, and lower intestinal content pH, and their GIT cells had increased gene expression for gluconeogenesis and barrier function compared to controls. Whereas RS resulted in greater GIT content acetate and propionate and lowest pH, the WG + RS diets yielded higher butyrate. Rats fed the RS diet with MF had higher cecum weights than those fed either the RS diet with HF or the WG + RS diet with either MF or HF. Diets containing combinations of RS and other dietary fibers should be considered for RS-mediated GIT benefits.

Obese ZDF rats fermented resistant starch with effects on gut microbiota but no reduction in abdominal fat.

SCOPE: To determine if whole-grain (WG) flour with resistant starch (RS) will produce greater fermentation than isolated RS in obese Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) rats, and whether greater fermentation results in different microbiota, reduced abdominal fat, and increased insulin sensitivity. METHODS AND RESULTS: This study utilized four groups fed diets made with either isolated digestible control starch, WG control flour (6.9% RS), isolated RS-rich corn starch (25% RS), or WG corn flour (25% RS). ZDF rats fermented RS and RS-rich WG flour to greatest extent among groups. High-RS groups had increased serum glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) active. Feeding isolated RS showed greater Bacteroidetes to Firmicutes phyla among groups, and rats consuming low RS diets possessed more bacteria in Lactobacillus genus. However, no differences in abdominal fat were observed, but rats with isolated RS had greatest insulin sensitivity among groups. CONCLUSIONS: Data demonstrated ZDF rats (i) possess a microbiota that fermented RS, and (ii) WG high-RS fermented better than purified RS. However, fermentation and microbiota changes did not translate into reduced abdominal fat. The defective leptin receptor may limit ZDF rats from responding to increased GLP-1 and different microbiota for reducing abdominal fat, but did not prevent improved insulin sensitivity.

Simultaneous delivery of antibiotics neomycin and ampicillin in drinking water inhibits fermentation of resistant starch in rats.

SCOPE: Antibiotics ampicillin 1 g/L and neomycin 0.5 g/L were added to drinking water before or during feeding of resistant starch (RS) to rats to inhibit fermentation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a preliminary study, antibiotics and no RS were given prior to rats receiving a transplant of cecal contents via gavage from donor rats fed RS (without antibiotics) or a water gavage before feeding resistant starch to both groups. Antibiotics given prior to feeding RS did not prevent later fermentation of RS regardless of either type of gavage. In the second study, antibiotics were given simultaneously with feeding of RS. This resulted in inhibition of fermentation of RS with cecal contents pH >8 and low amounts of acetate and butyrate. Rats treated with antibiotics had reduced Bifidobacteria spp., but similar Bacteroides spp. to control groups to reduce acetate and butyrate and preserve the production of propionate. Despite reduced fermentation, rats given antibiotics had increased glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and cecum size, measures that are usually associated with fermentation. CONCLUSIONS: A simultaneous delivery of antibiotics inhibited fermentation of RS. However, increased GLP-1 and cecum size would be confounding effects in assessing the mechanism for beneficial effects of dietary RS by knocking out fermentation.