Efectividad del ayuno intermitente en dos protocolos sobre perfil lipídico, composición corporal y presión arterial en adultos. Una revisión sistemática

El ayuno intermitente se ha popularizado como una estrategia alternativa para el control de peso y disminución de algunos parámetros bioquímicos. El propósito de esta revisión sistemática fue evaluar la efectividad del ayuno intermitente en dos protocolos: ayuno en días intermitentes (ADA) y ayuno restringido en el tiempo (ART), sobre el perfil lipídico, composición corporal y presión arterial en adultos. Método: Revisión sistemática basada en ensayos controlados aleatorios consultados en las bases de datos: Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials, Proquest y PubMed. Se estudió a adultos mayores de 18 años con cualquier estado nutricional. La intervención correspondió a ayuno intermitente de al menos 16 horas. Se evaluaron riesgos de sesgos según la colaboración de Cochrane. Resultados: Se analizaron seis ensayos clínicos, encontrándose que el protocolo ADA, presente en cuatro de ellos, generó cambios en las variables: triglicéridos, c-HDL, c-LDL, colesterol total, peso, masa magra, masa grasa y presión arterial sistólica, mientras que el protocolo ART, presente en los dos restantes, provocó cambios en las variables: peso, masa grasa, masa magra, triglicéridos, colesterol total, c-LDL, c-HDL y glicemia. Conclusión: La evidencia disponible con ensayos clínicos nos permite sugerir que los protocolos ADA y ART pueden ser una dieta alternativa para adultos. Sin embargo, el ajuste calórico y una adecuada educación sobre estilos de vida saludable muestran resultados similares. Sin perjuicio a esto, el AI puede ser una alternativa para aquellos a quienes les es difícil seguir un patrón dietético con restricción calórica diaria.

Intermittent fasting has become popular as an alternative strategy for weight control and the reduction of some biochemical parameters. The purpose of this systematic review (SR) was to evaluate the effectiveness of intermittent fasting in two protocols: intermittent days fasting (ADA) and time-restricted fasting (ART), on lipid profile, body composition and blood pressure among adults. Methods: SR based on randomized controlled trials consulted in the following databases: Web of Science, Scopus, Library Cochrane, Clinical Trials, Proquest and PubMed. Adults over 18 years of age with any nutritional status were studied. The intervention corresponded to intermittent fasting of at least 16 hours. Risk of bias were assessed according to the Cochrane collaboration. Results: Six clinical trials were analyzed, finding that the ADA protocol, present in four of them, generated changes in the variables: triglycerides, c-HDL, c-LDL, total cholesterol, weight, lean mass, fat mass and systolic blood pressure, while the ART protocol, present in the remaining two, caused changes in the variables: weight, fat mass, lean mass, triglycerides, total cholesterol, c-LDL, c-HDL and glycemia. Conclusion: The available evidence with clinical trials allows us to suggest that the ADA and ART protocols can be an alternative diet for adults. However, caloric adjustment and adequate education on healthy lifestyles show similar results. Notwithstanding this, intermittent fasting may be an alternative for those who find it difficult to follow a dietary pattern with daily caloric restriction.

Consumo de alcohol en mujeres embarazadas y lactantes: factores de riesgo y protección asociados / Alcohol use in pregnant and breastfeeding women: associated risk and protective factors

ABSTRACT Objetivo Examinar la ocurrencia del consumo de alcohol en mujeres embarazadas o en periodo de lactancia de la provincia de Córdoba (Argentina) y los factores de riesgo/ protección que explican ese consumo. Metodología Participaron 475 mujeres (202 embarazadas y 273 lactantes) entre 18-47 años que completaron una encuesta en línea, que indagó sobre su consumo de alcohol y una serie de factores de riesgo y protección para el consumo de alcohol. Resultados El 93,1% y 68,1% de las mujeres embarazadas y lactantes indicaron que no consumían alcohol en su condición. Se observó un perfil más riesgoso en mujeres lactantes. En embarazadas, solo la percepción de riesgo permitió explicar su consumo. En lactantes, la percepción de riesgo, el consumo de convivientes, la indicación de no beber en su condición por parte de familiares/amistades y la aprobación del consumo de alcohol en otras mujeres lactantes permitieron explicar su consumo. Discusión Estos resultados ponen en evidencia la necesidad de brindar información clara y precisa sobre los riesgos asociados al consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y, especialmente, la lactancia y la necesidad de incorporar cuatro actores sociales en las campañas preventivas: los profesionales de la salud, los/las convivientes, la familia y las amistades de la mujer gestante/lactante.

ABSTRACT Objective This work examined alcohol use and risk and protective factors related among pregnant and breastfeeding women from Córdoba (Argentina). Methodology In total, 475 women (202 pregnant and 273 breastfeeding) between 18-47 years old participated. Participants completed an online survey that measured alcohol use and the occurrence of different risk and protective factors for alcohol use. Results The 93,1% of pregnant and 68,1% of breastfeeding women reported no alcohol use. A riskier profile was observed in breastfeeding women. Among pregnant women, only risk perception explained their alcohol use. Among breastfeeding women, risk perception, alcohol use of the persons they live with, the recommendation of not drinking in their condition by relatives or friends and alcohol use approval in other breastfeeding women explained their alcohol use. Discussion Our results highlight the need to provide clear and precise information about the risks associated with alcohol use during pregnancy and, specially, breastfeeding and the need to incorporate four social actors in prevention campaigns: health professionals and cohabitants, family and friends of the pregnant or breastfeeding woman.

Polymeric Composite of Magnetite Iron Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Application in Biomedicine: A Review.

A broad spectrum of nanomaterials has been investigated for multiple purposes in recent years. Some of these studied materials are magnetics nanoparticles (MNPs). Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) are MNPs that have received extensive attention because of their physicochemical and magnetic properties and their ease of combination with organic or inorganic compounds. Furthermore, the arresting of these MNPs into a cross-linked matrix known as hydrogel has attracted significant interest in the biomedical field. Commonly, MNPs act as a reinforcing material for the polymer matrix. In the present review, several methods, such as co-precipitation, polyol, hydrothermal, microemulsion, and sol-gel methods, are reported to synthesize magnetite nanoparticles with controllable physical and chemical properties that suit the required application. Due to the potential of magnetite-based nanocomposites, specifically in hydrogels, processing methods, including physical blending, in situ precipitation, and grafting methods, are introduced. Moreover, the most common characterization techniques employed to study MNPs and magnetic gel are discussed.

Hydrogels Classification According to the Physical or Chemical Interactions and as Stimuli-Sensitive Materials.

Hydrogels are attractive biomaterials with favorable characteristics due to their water uptake capacity. However, hydrogel properties are determined by the cross-linking degree and nature, the tacticity, and the crystallinity of the polymer. These biomaterials can be sorted out according to the internal structure and by their response to external factors. In this case, the internal interaction can be reversible when the internal chains are led by physicochemical interactions. These physical hydrogels can be synthesized through several techniques such as crystallization, amphiphilic copolymers, charge interactions, hydrogen bonds, stereo-complexing, and protein interactions. In contrast, the internal interaction can be irreversible through covalent cross-linking. Synthesized hydrogels by chemical interactions present a high cross-linking density and are employed using graft copolymerization, reactive functional groups, and enzymatic methods. Moreover, specific smart hydrogels have also been denoted by their external response, pH, temperature, electric, light, and enzyme. This review deeply details the type of hydrogel, either the internal structure or the external response. Furthermore, we detail some of the main applications of these hydrogels in the biomedicine field, such as drug delivery systems, scaffolds for tissue engineering, actuators, biosensors, and many other applications.

Consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia: rol de profesionales de salud / Alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding: health professionals' role

Dada la prevalencia del consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia y la implicancia de esta práctica para la salud de los/as bebés, se indagó sobre la información que comparten profesionales de la salud a mujeres (embarazadas o en período de lactancia) sobre el consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia. Para ello, se llevó a cabo un estudio observacional transversal mediante una encuesta en línea. Completaron la encuesta completa 86 profesionales de la salud (Medad=43.22, DS=9.10) y 32 sólo las preguntas sobre consumo y lactancia (n total para encuesta de lactancia=118 profesionales; Medad=44.5, DS=8.77). Los resultados arrojaron que la mayoría de los/as profesionales destaca la importancia de abordar el consumo de alcohol durante el embarazo y la lactancia, pero hay quienes permiten el consumo de alcohol durante estos períodos, a pesar de considerarse de riesgo entre moderado y alto para el/la bebé. Se concluye, entonces, que hay una necesidad de mayor formación profesional en el tema (AU)

The high prevalence of alcohol consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding has been reported. The use of alcohol during pregnancy and breastfeeding is prejudicial for babies' health. This study inquired about the information that health professionals share with women about alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Therefore, a cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online survey. 86 health professionals (Mage=43.22, SD=9.10) completed the full survey and 32 health professionals completed only the questions about breastfeeding and alcohol use (total sample for these questions=118, Mage=44.5, SD=8.77). The results showed that almost every professional highlights the importance of approaching alcohol use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but some allow alcohol use during these periods despite the fact that a large group considered that alcohol use has moderate to high risk for the baby. The conclusions of the study are that results showed the need for more professional training on alcohol drinking risk during pregnancy and breastfeeding (AU)

Changes in Alcohol Use during the COVID-19 Pandemic among Young Adults: The Prospective Effect of Anxiety and Depression.

Health measures instantiated to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have imposed significant constraints for the population and impacted on drinking habits and mental health. This study longitudinally compared changes in alcohol consumption before and after the COVID-19 outbreak and the impact of sociodemographic and mental health variables on such changes among a community sample of young adults. Data were collected in the context of a larger, ongoing longitudinal study. The sample consisted of 305 young adults from Spain aged between 18 and 26 years (mean age = 21.27, (SD = 2.21), female = 53.4%; college students = 61.6%) who completed first (November-2019 and February-2020; i.e., before the outbreak of COVID-19) and second follow-up questionnaires (March 2021, a year after the COVID-19 outbreak). Alcohol use (quantity and drinking frequency), depression and anxiety symptoms were measured. Quantity and frequency of alcohol use decreased from the pre- to post-COVID-19 period. A decrease in drinking frequency was observed among college students, but not in noncollege peers. Although we found no effect of pre-COVID-19 anxiety on alcohol use changes, those with more depressive symptoms at the pre-COVID assessment were more resistant to decreasing their drinking quantity and frequency after the COVID-19 outbreak. This information will be of value when designing interventions aimed at reducing harmful alcohol use and highlights the role of mental health status when identifying high risk populations of young-adults during this, and future, public health crises.

Interaction between Filler and Polymeric Matrix in Nanocomposites: Magnetic Approach and Applications.

In recent years, polymer nanocomposites produced by combining nanofillers and a polymeric matrix are emerging as interesting materials. Polymeric composites have a wide range of applications due to the outstanding and enhanced properties that are obtained thanks to the introduction of nanoparticles. Therefore, understanding the filler-matrix relationship is an important factor in the continued growth of this scientific area and the development of new materials with desired properties and specific applications. Due to their performance in response to a magnetic field magnetic nanocomposites represent an important class of functional nanocomposites. Due to their properties, magnetic nanocomposites have found numerous applications in biomedical applications such as drug delivery, theranostics, etc. This article aims to provide an overview of the filler-polymeric matrix relationship, with a special focus on magnetic nanocomposites and their potential applications in the biomedical field.

ELSA cohorte 2014: clases de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y marihuana en estudiantes universitarios argentinos / ELSA 2014 Cohort: Classes of Alcohol, Tobacco and Marijuana Use Among Argentinian College Students / Cohort ELSA 2014: classes de consumo de álcool, tabaco e maconha em estudantes universitários argentinos

El consumo de sustancias es altamente prevalente en estudiantes universitarios de Argentina y el mundo. Diferenciar consumidores con diversos patrones de consumo de sustancias es importante para identificar aquellos más vulnerables a avanzar hacia un consumo patológico. Por ello, el objetivo fue identificar, mediante Análisis de Clases Latentes (ACL) aplicado a diferentes indicadores de consumo de alcohol, tabaco y marihuana, las clases de consumidores y observar si dichas clases diferían en la densidad de familiares con abuso de alcohol y otros indicadores de consumo. El análisis se realizó en un total de 4.497 estudiantes de primer año que completaron instrumentos para medir: 1-consumo de alcohol, 2-consecuencias negativas del consumo de alcohol y 3-historia familiar de abuso de alcohol. Así se identificaron cuatro clases de consumidores: 1-catm: Consumo Elevado de Alcohol, Consumo de Tabaco y Marihuana; 2-cmea: Consumo Moderado/Elevado de Alcohol, Sin Consumo de Otras Sustancias; 3-cmba: Consumo Moderado/Bajo de Alcohol, Sin Consumo de Otras Sustancias; y 4-sc: Sin Consumo de Sustancias. Los miembros de las clases catm y cmea reportaron niveles de consumo de alcohol significativamente más elevados que el resto de las clases. Los integrantes de catm presentaron consumo extremo de alcohol. Las clases sc y catm exhibieron mayor densidad de familiares con abuso de alcohol que las otras clases. La mayor parte de los encuestados fueron clasificados en categorías de consumo de alto riesgo, caracterizadas por co-uso de sustancias o por consumo elevado de alcohol. Estos patrones de consumo se han asociado a numerosas consecuencias negativas

Substance use is highly prevalent among college students in Argentina and the world. Differentiating users with different patterns of substance use is important to iden-tify those at a higher vulnerability to progress towards pathological use.The aims were to identify, by means of Latent Class Analysis applied to different alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use indicators, the classes of substance use and analyze whether these classes exhibit differences in the density of relatives with a history of alcohol abuse and other alcohol use indicators. A total of 4.497 freshmen completed instruments to measure: 1- alcohol, tobacco, and marijuana use, 2- alcohol related negative consequences, and 3- family history of alcohol abuse. Four classes of substance users were identified: 1- hatm: heavy alcohol use, with tobacco and marijuana use, 2- mha: moderate/high alcohol use, without other substances, 3- mla: moderate/low alcohol use, without other substances, and 4- ns: no substance use. The mem-bers of the hatm and mha classes reported significantly hi-gher levels of alcohol use than the rest of the classes. hatmmembers presented extreme binge drinking. The ns and hatm classes exhibited a higher density of relatives with a history of alcohol abuse than the other classes. Most students were classified into high-risk consumption classes, characterized by co-use of substances or by heavy alcohol use. These patterns of substance use have been associated with a variety of negative consequences

O consumo de substâncias é altamente prevalente em estudantes universitários na Argentina e no mundo. Di-ferenciar usuários com diferentes padrões de consumo de substâncias é importante para identificar aqueles mais vulneráveis à transição para um consumo pato-lógico. Para isso, o objetivo foi identificar, por meio da Análise de Classe Latente aplicada a diferentes indicadores de consumo de álcool, tabaco e maconha, as classes de consumidores, e observar se essas clas-ses diferiam na densidade de parentes com consumo abusivo de álcool e outros indicadores de consumo. A análise foi realizada comalunos do primeiro ano (n = 4.497) que completaram os instrumentos para medir: 1-consumo de álcool, 2-consequências negativas do consumo de álcool e 3-histórico familiar de abuso de álcool. Foram identificadas quatro classes de usuários: 1-catm: alto consumo de álcool, consumo de tabaco e maconha; 2-cmea: consumo moderado / alto de álcool, sem consumo de outras substâncias; 3-cmba: consumo moderado / baixo de álcool, sem consumo de outras substâncias; e 4-sc: nenhum uso de substância. Os membros das classes catm e cmea relataram níveis significativamente mais elevados de consumo de ál-cool do que o resto das classes. Os membros do catmapresentaram consumo extremo de álcool. As classes sc e catm apresentaram maior densidade de familia-res com abuso de álcool do que as demais classes. A maioria dos entrevistados foi classificada em catego-rias de consumo de alto risco, caracterizadas pelo uso concomitante de substâncias ou pelo alto consumo de álcool. Esses padrões de consumo têm sido associados a inúmeras consequências negativas.

Harm Reduction Strategies and Drug-Related Negative Consequences in the Dance Music Scene: The Moderating Role of Polysubstance Use.

INTRODUCTION: Although simultaneous polysubstance use (SPU) is associated with greater harms than concurrent polysubstance use (CPU), no previous research has examined the effectiveness of harm reduction strategies in reducing drug-related harms in people who use drugs simultaneously and whether these strategies have a differential impact on drug-related negative consequences according to SPU patterns. Objectives: to examine the relationship between SPU patterns, harm reduction strategies and drug-related consequences experienced among people who attend dance music settings, and to examine the moderating role of SPU patterns in the relationship between harm reduction strategies and drug-related negative consequences Methods: a web-based survey was used to gather data from 649 substance-using attendees at dance music settings (mean age = 26.2, 68% male). The survey collected data on: settings of last party attended, drug use, harm reduction strategies used and drug-related negative consequences experienced during last party attended. Results: Latent class analysis identified two SPU profiles: Moderate SPU and Severe SPU. Participants in the severe SPU class experienced more drug-related negative consequences at their last party in comparison with those in the moderate SPU class. Regardless of SPU pattern, avoiding binge drinking was related to fewer drug-related negative consequences, whilst avoiding mixing stimulants was related to fewer drug-related negative consequences only among those participants in the severe simultaneous polysubstance use class. Conclusions: These findings could help to inform the design of messages and tailored interventions aimed at minimizing drug-related negative consequences among people who use multiple substances in the dance music scene.

ELSA 2014 Cohort: Risk Factors Associated With Heavy Episodic Drinking Trajectories in Argentinean College Students.

Heavy episodic drinking (HED) is highly prevalent in college students. In Argentina, there is a notable lack of longitudinal studies examining drinking trajectories. The present study identified HED trajectories in Argentinean college students during the first 3 years of college (seven waves) and examined the association between risk factors for alcohol use and HED trajectories. The sample was composed of 1,240 college students [63.1% women, aged 18-25 years (M = 19.1 ± 1.7)] who completed at least three waves (the first data collection and ≥2 follow-ups). For 3 years, participants completed seven surveys that measured HED frequency, age of drinking onset, drunkenness occurrence, trait impulsivity, family history of alcohol abuse, stressful life events, and perceived peer's drinking. Latent Class Growth Analysis (LCGA) and Multinomial Logistic Regression (MLR) were used to identify the pattern and number of HED trajectories and to explore which risk factors better distinguished between the trajectories, respectively. Six HED trajectories were identified: Heavy Stable Frequency, Moderate Stable Frequency, Moderate Decreasing Frequency, Stable Infrequent, Decreasing Infrequent, and No-HED. Younger age of drinking onset, alcohol intoxication, greater perception of peer drinking frequency and higher levels of impulsivity (i.e., sensation seeking, lack of premeditation, and positive urgency) increased the probability of belonging to the trajectories with more frequent HED. These trajectories partially coincide with those identified in studies from other cultures. Unlike previous studies, we did not find a trajectory with increasing/ascending HED frequency. This may be related to contextual/cultural variables unique to Argentina, like differences in the age when the peak in alcohol consumption is reached or the legal minimum age to buy alcoholic beverages in this country, and the idiosyncratic elements that characterize college life in Argentina. This work represents a step forward in the identification of risk factors differentiating between different HED trajectories, and help understand changes in alcohol use during college, in an understudied population.

ELSA cohort 2014: association of age of first drink and progression from first drink to drunkenness on alcohol outcomes in Argentinean college freshmen.

Background: College freshman are at-risk for hazardous alcohol drinking and for experiencing alcohol-related negative consequences. This is exacerbated in those featuring an early age of first alcohol use or of first drunkenness. It remains unclear which of these milestones is more strongly associated with alcohol outcomes. Objective: We examined, in Argentinean college drinkers (n = 4088; 43% men; racially and ethnically homogeneous), the association of age at drinking onset and progression to drunkenness (drunkenness naïve [Drunk-Naïve]; No-Delay [same age of first alcohol use and first alcohol intoxication]; one year of delay between age of first alcohol use and first alcohol intoxication; ≥2years of delay) on several alcohol outcomes. Methods: A survey measured substance use, age at drinking and drunkenness onset and alcohol-related consequences. Results: Alcohol consumption per drinking occasion was significantly greater in men than in women. An early drinking onset (alcohol use before age 13) and lifetime drunkenness independently exacerbated alcohol consumption per drinking occasion and during the last year. In men, Early-Onset was associated with a greater number of alcohol-related consequences when the delay between Early-Onset and the first drunkenness episode was 1 or ≥2 years yet did not significantly alter the number of negative consequences in Drunk-naïve or No-delay drinkers. In women, Early-Onset significantly enhanced the number of negative consequences when the delay was two years, but not when the delay was one-year or in Drunk-naïve or No-delay drinkers. Conclusions: The window between the first contact with alcohol and the first episode of drunkenness is a critical period to reduce alcohol-related problems.

The Spanish version of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire (B-YAACQ): a Rasch model analysis.

The present work was aimed at analyzing the psychometric properties of the Spanish Brief YAACQ in a sample of Argentinean college students applying the Item Response Theory. Participants were 302 college students (59.9% females) who reported drinking alcohol within the last month. The B-YAACQ was translated into Spanish and the psychometric properties of this Spanish version were analyzed applying the Rasch Model, as well as testing group difference and conducting correlational analyses. The verification of the global fit of the data showed adequate indexes for the persons and items. The reliability estimate of the items was very high (.97), while the reliability estimate of the persons was modest (.65). All but one item had adequate fit indexes. B-YAACQ scores were strongly related to measures of hazardous alcohol drinking, including frequency of drunkenness episodes and frequency of heavy episodic drinking, indicating concurrent validity. The item content along the severity continuum was fairly similar to that found with US and Dutch samples. Three items had a gender bias against men and another three items showed a gender bias against women, indicating the presence of differential item functioning cancellation. The map of items and persons suggests that these 24 items do not provide a full coverage of the continuum of alcohol problems at the lower levels of the continuum. Overall, results from the present study suggest that the Spanish B-YAACQ offers a brief and efficient way to identify alcohol problems in Spanish-speaking college students.

Contribution of time of drinking onset and family history of alcohol problems in alcohol and drug use behaviors in Argentinean college students.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to analyze independent and potential interactive effects of age at drinking onset and family history of alcohol abuse on subsequent patterns of alcohol drinking, alcohol-related problems and substance use. METHODS: Participants were college students (60.3% females, mean age = 20.27 ± 2.54 years) from the city of Córdoba, Argentina. Several measures were used to assess alcohol, tobacco and drug use. The Spanish version of the Brief Young Adult Alcohol Consequences Questionnaire was used to assess alcohol-related problems. Factorial analyses of variance, or its non-parametric equivalent, were performed to explore differences in substance use behaviors and alcohol-related problems in subjects with early or late drinking onset and with or without family history of alcohol abuse. Chi-square tests were conducted to analyze the association between these two risk factors and categorical measures of alcohol, tobacco and drug use. RESULTS: Early onset of drinking was associated with amount of consumption of alcohol including up to hazardous levels, as well as tobacco and drug use. However, the frequency of alcohol problems and frequency of episodes of alcohol intoxication were only related to age of onset in those with a positive family history of alcohol problems. CONCLUSION: Delaying drinking debut is particularly important in the prevention of future alcohol problems in those adolescents who have a family history of such problems.