A 7-month multi-disciplinary healthy lifestyle intervention effectively improved cardiometabolic risk profile of firefighters.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the effect of a 7-month healthy lifestyle intervention on cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) among male career military firefighters (FFs). METHODS: 49 FFs participated in a 7-month workplace multi-disciplinary healthy lifestyle intervention designed to reduce CMRF through exercise, diet, and improved sleep. Medical assessments, accelerometry, and surveys at the beginning and end determined program effectiveness. RESULTS: At the end of the intervention period, there was a significant improvement in measures of body composition and blood glucose. The prevalence of hypertension also decreased significantly (p < 0.01). The 57% of participants who fully adhered to the program had significantly greater improvements across multiple CMRF. Participants increased their physical activity and improved their diet following the intervention. CONCLUSION: This healthy lifestyle intervention was effective in changing behavior and lowering cardiometabolic risk among FFs.

Exploring the synergistic effect of palladium nanoparticles and highly dispersed transition metals on carbon nitride/super-activated carbon composites for boosting electrocatalytic activity.

In the present work, multifunctional electrocatalysts formed by palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) loaded on Fe or Cu-containing composite supports, based on carbon nitride (C3N4) and super-activated carbon with a high porosity development (SBET 3180 m2/g, VDR 1.57 cm3/g, and VT 1.65 cm3/g), were synthesised. The presence of Fe or Cu sites favoured the formation of Pd NPs with small average particle size and a very narrow size distribution, which agreed with Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations showing that the interaction of Pd clusters with C3N4 flakes is weaker than with Cu- or Fe-C3N4 sites. The electroactivity was also dependent on the composition and, as suggested by preliminary DFT calculations, the Pd-Cu catalyst showed lower overpotential for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) while bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction/ oxygen evolution reaction (ORR/OER) behaviour was superior in Pd-Fe sample. The Pd-Fe electrocatalyst was studied in a zinc-air battery (ZAB) for 10 h, showing a performance similar to a commercial Pt/C + RuO2 catalyst with a high content of precious metal. This study demonstrates the synergistic effect between Pd species and transition metals and shows that transition metals anchored on C3N4-based composite materials promote the electroactivity of Pd NPs in HER, ORR and OER due to the interaction between both species.

Precocidad de inicio del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas y su relación con otros comportamientos de riesgo para la salud en adolescentes chilenos / Association between early onset of psychoactive drug use and health risk behaviors in chilean adolescents

BACKGROUND: Adolescents are more prone to develop health risk behaviors. Among these, early consumption of psychoactive drugs is relevant. AIM: To assess the association between early consumption of illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol, suicide behaviors, risky sexual behaviors, eating habits and physical activity in school age adolescents from Valparaiso, Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The online world survey of scholar health to identify the health risk behaviors was answered by 550 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years, from a public educational institution at Valparaiso, Chile. Results: Early consumption of alcohol, smoking and illicit drug use was reported by 59, 57 and 44% of respondents, respectively. The frequency of psychoactive drug consumption during the last month, risky sexual behaviors and missing breakfast was higher among those with an early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking. The frequency of suicidal risk behaviors and low consumption of fruits and vegetables was higher among those with an early onset of illicit drug use and smoking. A low physical activity level was associated with early smoking onset. Health risk behaviors were associated with early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking is associated with health risk behaviors in Chilean adolescents.

[Association between early onset of psychoactive drug use and health risk behaviors in chilean adolescents]. / Precocidad de inicio del consumo de sustancias psicoactivas y su relación con otros comportamientos de riesgo para la salud en adolescentes chilenos.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents are more prone to develop health risk behaviors. Among these, early consumption of psychoactive drugs is relevant. AIM: To assess the association between early consumption of illicit drugs, tobacco and alcohol, suicide behaviors, risky sexual behaviors, eating habits and physical activity in school age adolescents from Valparaiso, Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The online world survey of scholar health to identify the health risk behaviors was answered by 550 adolescents aged 15 to 18 years, from a public educational institution at Valparaiso, Chile. RESULTS: Early consumption of alcohol, smoking and illicit drug use was reported by 59, 57 and 44% of respondents, respectively. The frequency of psychoactive drug consumption during the last month, risky sexual behaviors and missing breakfast was higher among those with an early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking. The frequency of suicidal risk behaviors and low consumption of fruits and vegetables was higher among those with an early onset of illicit drug use and smoking. A low physical activity level was associated with early smoking onset. Health risk behaviors were associated with early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking. CONCLUSIONS: Early onset of alcohol and illicit drug consumption and smoking is associated with health risk behaviors in Chilean adolescents.

[Evaluation of a general education course on sexuality for university students]. / Educación sexual en las carreras de la salud del Campus Eloísa Díaz de la Universidad de Chile.

BACKGROUND: Education on human sexuality was instituted in Eloisa Díaz Campus in 1946. From 2018 an online self-learning general education course on sexuality was started. AIM: To know the degree of knowledge about sexuality and the perception about the course of 586 students (42% women) who approved the course. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The Myths and False beliefs and Self-perception on sexuality tests were applied to students at the onset and the end of the course. They also anonymously evaluated the course. RESULTS: In the first assessment, the proportion of correct answers about sexuality and reproduction were 47 and 40% respectively. In the second assessment, 70% of respondents had open criteria about sexuality and 90% rejected traditional criteria. In the anonymous assessment, 95% estimated that the objectives of the course were accomplished. Its quality was considered good or excellent by 95% of respondents. CONCLUSIONS: This course was well accepted by students and corrects their knowledge gaps in sexuality. Despite the social unrest during 2019 and the pandemic during 2020, the course was successfully completed by most students.

Can Wolf Spider Mothers Detect Insecticides in the Environment? Does the Silk of the Egg-Sac Protect Juveniles from Insecticides?

The use of pesticides for plague control in agroecosystems generates a threat to wildlife and a major problem for human health. Pesticide compounds are also an important source of water and atmosphere contamination. Although insecticides are effective on their target organisms, they often affect organisms that are not their target. The aim of the present study was to research the effects of 3 types of neurotoxic insecticides-a pyrethroid (cypermethrin), a neonicotinoid (imidacloprid), and an organophosphate (chlorpyrifos)-on behavioral and physiological parameters of Pardosa saltans spider (Lycosidae). Our study analyzed for the first time the exploratory behavior of the spider mothers in the presence of these 3 insecticides on their egg-sacs and also on the ground. We also evaluated the oxidative stress effects on the juveniles hatched in the egg-sac protected by silk in relation to variations in detoxification enzymes (catalase, glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase, and glutathione peroxidase) and lipid peroxidation (reactive oxygen species [ROS]). The results show that these insecticides are repellents for mothers (cypermethrin is the most repellent), and maternal behavior is modified after detection of an insecticide on their egg-sac but mothers do not abandon their egg-sacs. These neurotoxic insecticides affect the juveniles inside their egg-sac. Cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos caused more oxidative stress in juveniles than did imidacloprid. The ROS generated by these insecticides seemed to be adequately eliminated by the juveniles' antioxidant systems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2861-2873. © 2021 SETAC.

Effect of dermatological consultation on survival in patients with checkpoint inhibitor-associated cutaneous toxicity.

BACKGROUND: Cutaneous immune-related adverse events (cirAEs) are a common side-effect of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). However, prior work examining these toxicities in detail has considered only the fraction of events evaluated by dermatologists. Associations between dermatology referral, cirAE treatment and survival outcomes remain underexplored across care settings. OBJECTIVES: To comprehensively categorize cirAE patterns among all patients treated with immunotherapy at our institution, and to evaluate: (i) the effect of dermatology referral on cirAE treatment and (ii) the impact of cirAE treatment on survival. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of patients with cancer who initiated ICI therapy between 1 January 2016 and 8 March 2019 and developed one or more cirAEs, as screened for using International Classification of Diseases 10th revision codes and confirmed via manual chart review (n = 358). All relevant information documented prior to 31 March 2020 was included. RESULTS: CirAEs evaluated by dermatologists were significantly more likely to be treated than cirAEs that were not referred (odds ratio 6·08, P < 0·001). Patients who received any cirAE treatment had improved progression-free survival [hazard ratio (HR) 0·59, P = 0·001] and overall survival (HR 0·58, P = 0·007) compared with those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: CirAEs evaluated by dermatologists were significantly more likely to be treated than cirAEs that were not referred, and patients who received any treatment for a cirAE had improved survival outcomes.

Educación sexual en las carreras de la salud del Campus Eloísa Díaz de la Universidad de Chile / Evaluation of a general education course on sexuality for university students

Background: Education on human sexuality was instituted in Eloisa Díaz Campus in 1946. From 2018 an online self-learning general education course on sexuality was started. Aim: To know the degree of knowledge about sexuality and the perception about the course of 586 students (42% women) who approved the course. Material and Methods: The Myths and False beliefs and Self-perception on sexuality tests were applied to students at the onset and the end of the course. They also anonymously evaluated the course. Results: In the first assessment, the proportion of correct answers about sexuality and reproduction were 47 and 40% respectively. In the second assessment, 70% of respondents had open criteria about sexuality and 90% rejected traditional criteria. In the anonymous assessment, 95% estimated that the objectives of the course were accomplished. Its quality was considered good or excellent by 95% of respondents. Conclusions: This course was well accepted by students and corrects their knowledge gaps in sexuality. Despite the social unrest during 2019 and the pandemic during 2020, the course was successfully completed by most students.

Appendiceal hernia: an extremely rare condition.

Appendix-associated hernias are extremely rare. They have been described sporadically in the literature, mostly as inguinal hernias. Appendix-associated incisional hernias are even more unusual. High clinical awareness is needed as complications can arise if misdiagnosis or delay occurs. We present an 80-year-old man with acute appendicitis in an incisional hernia. After successful surgery, the patient made a full recovery.

Yebes 40 m radio telescope and the broad band NANOCOSMOS receivers at 7 mm and 3 mm for line surveys.

CONTEXT: Yebes 40m radio telescope is the main and largest observing instrument at Yebes Observatory and it is devoted to Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) and single dish observations since 2010. It has been covering frequency bands between 2 GHz and 90 GHz in discontinuous and narrow windows in most of the cases, to match the current needs of the European VLBI Network (EVN) and the Global Millimeter VLBI Array (GMVA). AIMS: Nanocosmos project, a European Union funded synergy grant, opened the possibility to increase the instantaneous frequency coverage to observe many molecular transitions with single tunnings in single dish mode. This reduces the observing time and maximises the output from the telescope. METHODS: We present the technical specifications of the recently installed 31.5 - 50GHz (Q band) and 72 - 90.5 GHz (W band) receivers along with the main characteristics of the telescope at these frequency ranges. We have observed IRC+10216, CRL 2688 and CRL 618, which harbour a rich molecular chemistry, to demonstrate the capabilities of the new instrumentation for spectral observations in single dish mode. RESULTS: The results show the high sensitivity of the telescope in the Q band. The spectrum of IRC+10126 offers a signal to noise ratio never seen before for this source in this band. On the other hand, the spectrum normalised by the continuum flux towards CRL 618 in the W band demonstrates that the 40 m radio telescope produces comparable results to those from the IRAM 30 m radio telescope, although with a smaller sensitivity. The new receivers fulfil one of the main goals of Nanocosmos and open the possibility to study the spectrum of different astrophysical media with unprecedented sensitivity.

The expression of the transcription factor TAF1 is modified by the HPV16 E2 protein.

High-risk human papillomaviruses (e.g., HPV16 and 18) are associated with cervical cancer occurrence and development. The early viral gene E2 encodes a protein involved in several key processes in HPV biology, such as replication, genome segregation, and viral gene transcription. E2's presence also affects the expression of a variety of cellular genes involved in a wide range of biological processes, including cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, which are mediated by E2's interaction with cellular proteins. In this report, a lentiviral system was used to express the HPV16 E2 gene in the HPV-negative C-33A cell line for several weeks. E2 expression was measured by RT-qPCR and its biological activity was evaluated using a reporter gene. In HPV16 E2-positive cells, we observed a statistically significant increase in mRNA and protein levels of TAF1 and p27, a basal transcription factor and one of its target genes, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that the viral protein HPV16 E2 upregulates TAF1 expression. This suggests that E2's expression promotes a transcriptionally-favorable cellular environment that allows HPV to successfully complete its replication cycle. Keywords: HPV16; E2 protein; transcription; TAF1 regulation.

Hábitos alimentarios, obesidad y calidad de vida relacionada con la salud en adolescentes chilenos / Association between eating habits and health related quality of life among school age adolescents

Background: Adolescence is considered a nutritionally vulnerable period of life, since their eating habits are influenced by factors that can promote the consumption of non-nutritious food. Aim: To analyze the relation between eating habits, obesity, and the perception of Health-Related Quality of Life in school-aged adolescents. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 550 adolescents aged 16 ± 1 years (60% women) attending a public education institution in Valparaíso, Chile. The Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) for eating habits and the KIDSCREEN-27 survey for health-related quality of life were self-administered online. The answers were anonymous. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the variables, which was adjusted for age and sex. Results: Ten percent of men and 6% of women were obese. Those with an inadequate consumption of fruits had a worst perception of their physical well-being, autonomy and relationship with their parents. Psychological well-being and school environment were perceived worst among those that did not consume breakfast. Obese respondents also reported a poorest physical health. Conclusions: Inadequate eating habits and obesity have a negative effect of health-related quality of life among adolescents.

Calidad de la educación sexual recibida en el contexto escolar y su asociación a conductas sexuales en adolescentes chilenos, según datos VIII Encuesta Nacional de la Juventud / Quality of sexual education received in the school context and its association with sexual behaviors in Chilean adolescents, according to data from the VIII National Youth Survey

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la calidad de la educación sexual recibida en el contexto escolar y su asociación a conductas sexuales en adolescentes chilenos. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal y analítico. La muestra correspondió a adolescentes de ambos sexos de 15 a 19 años, se obtuvo de una base de datos con representación nacional. Se evaluó la calidad de la educación sexual recibida en el contexto escolar como buena, regular y mala. Se realizó análisis descriptivo y de asociación entre las variables. Se calculó OR (Odds ratio) y RRR (Relative-risk ratios) ajustado por sexo, edad en años cumplidos, grupo socioeconómico y zona. RESULTADOS: La muestra correspondió a 1.049 adolescentes sexualmente activos, de estos el 21,83% correspondió al grupo con evaluación mala, 44,16% con evaluación regular y 34,01% con evaluación buena. La razón entre adolescentes que no usaron condón en la última relación sexual versus usaron condón, es 1,64 veces mayor en los adolescentes con evaluación mala de la educación sexual recibida (OR: 1,64; IC95%: 1,01 - 2,68). La razón entre adolescentes que tuvieron dos o más parejas sexuales en el último año versus ninguna o una, es 2,15 veces mayor en los adolescentes con evaluación mala de la educación sexual recibida (OR: 2,15; IC95%: 1,30 - 3,56). CONCLUSIÓN: Los participantes de este estudio evalúan la educación sexual recibida mayoritariamente como regular, existiendo una asociación con las conductas sexuales. Es importante realizar estudios en profundidad que permitan conocer por qué los adolescentes evalúan sólo como regular la educación sexual recibida en el sistema escolar.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of the sexual education received in the school context and its association with sexual behaviors in Chilean adolescents. METHODS: Cross-sectional and analytical study. The sample corresponded to adolescents of both sexes from 15 to 19 years old, it was obtained from a database with national representation. The quality of the sexual education received in the school context was evaluated as good, regular and bad. Descriptive and association analysis were performed between the variables. OR (Odds ratio) and RRR (Relative-risk ratios) adjusted for sex, age in completed years, socioeconomic group and area were calculated. RESULTS: The sample corresponded to 1,049 sexually active adolescents, of these, 21.83% corresponded to the group with bad "Evaluation", 44.16% with regular "Evaluation" and 34.01% with good "Evaluation". The ratio among adolescents who did not use a condom in the last sexual relationship versus those who used a condom is 1.64 times higher in adolescents with a poor evaluation of sexual education received (OR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.01 - 2.68). The ratio among adolescents who had two or more sexual partners in the last year versus those who had neither or one, is 2.15 times higher in adolescents with poor evaluation of sexual education received (OR: 2.15; 95% CI: 1.30 - 3.56). CONCLUSION: The participants of this study evaluate the sexual education received mostly as regular, with an association with sexual behaviors. It is important to conduct in-depth studies that allow us to know why adolescents evaluate the sexual education received in the school system as regular only.