A diagnostic model for overweight and obesity from untargeted urine metabolomics of soldiers.

Soldiers in active military service need optimal physical fitness for successfully carrying out their operations. Therefore, their health status is regularly checked by army doctors. These inspections include physical parameters such as the body-mass index (BMI), functional tests, and biochemical studies. If a medical exam reveals an individual's excess weight, further examinations are made, and corrective actions for weight lowering are initiated. The collection of urine is non-invasive and therefore attractive for frequent metabolic screening. We compared the chemical profiles of urinary samples of 146 normal weight, excess weight, and obese soldiers of the Mexican Army, using untargeted metabolomics with liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-MS). In combination with data mining, statistical and metabolic pathway analyses suggest increased S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) levels and changes of amino acid metabolites as important variables for overfeeding. We will use these potential biomarkers for the ongoing metabolic monitoring of soldiers in active service. In addition, after validation of our results, we will develop biochemical screening tests that are also suitable for civil applications.

Diseño, validación y aplicación de un instrumento de evaluación de las competencias profesionales para realizar las funciones esenciales de la salud pública / Design, validation and application of an instrument for the evaluation of the professional competences for making the essential functions of public health

Introducción: Las funciones esenciales de la salud pública se han definido como las condiciones que permiten un mejor desempeño de su práctica. Competencia profesional es un conjunto de conocimientos, habilidades y actitudes necesarias para que un profesional de la salud pública desarrolle adecuadamente las funciones y actividades que le son propias. Objetivo: Diseñar, validar y aplicar un instrumento para evaluar las competencias profesionales necesarias para realizar las funciones esenciales de la salud pública que poseen los graduados de los cursos de posgrado en salud pública de la Escuela Militar de Graduados de Sanidad. Sujetos y métodos: Se realizó un estudio observacional, analítico y transversal, y se analizó estadísticamente. Resultados: Se diseñó un instrumento con excelente validez de contenido (IVC = 0,94) y fiabilidad elevada (alfa de Cronbach = 0,94). El 81,59% de los graduados de la Maestría en Salud Pública tenía las 56 competencias profesionales necesarias para realizar las funciones esenciales de la salud pública. Por otro lado, el 53,21% de graduados del Curso Técnico Especializado en Salud Pública las tenía. Conclusiones: Se diseñó un instrumento válido y fiable para evaluar las competencias profesionales para realizar las funciones esenciales de la salud pública, y se evaluaron dichas competencias en los graduados de los cursos de posgrado en salud pública. Este instrumento, adaptado a circunstancias particulares, puede aplicarse a otros cursos de posgrado en salud pública

Introduction: The essential functions of public health have been defined as the conditions that allow a better performance of the practice of public health. Professional competence is a set of knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary for a public health professional to adequately develop the functions and activities that are his own. Aim: To design, validate and apply an instrument to evaluate the professional competences necessary to perform the essential functions of public health, possessed by graduates of postgraduate courses in public health of the Military School of Graduates of Health. Subjects and methods: An observational, analytical and transversal study was carried out. It was analyzed statistically. Results: An instrument with excellent content validity (IVC = 0.94) and high reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.94) was designed. 81.59% of the graduates of the master’s degree in public health had the 56 professional competences necessary to carry out the essential functions of public health. On the other hand, 53.21% of graduates of the technical course specialized in public health had them. Conclusions: A valid and reliable instrument was designed to evaluate the professional competences to carry out the essential functions of public health and those competences were evaluated in the graduates of the postgraduate courses in public health. This instrument, adapted to particular circumstances, can be applied to other postgraduate courses in public health