Public Health.

Background: High blood pressure (BP) level and variability has been linked to stroke, cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD), cognitive decline, and dementia. However, it is unclear whether sex/gender influences the association of BP level and variability with CSVD. Therefore, we aimed to examine sex-differences in the association of CSVD with 24-h BP level and variability.

Public Health.

Background: Cognitive impairment is associated with mortality. However, evidence using population-based studies is scarce, is limited to one cognitive assessment, and lacks the inclusion of non-fatal adverse health outcomes. Therefore, we aimed this study to (i) investigate the association of cognitive function with mortality and cardiovascular risk and (ii) determine whether cognitive tests improve the risk-stratification of endpoints beyond conventional risk factors.

Gender Data, Intersectionality, and a Feminist Politics of "Negotiated Refusal".

Gender and intersectional data are recognized as vital to addressing gender-based violence. We engage this thesis through a case study of a gender data project at the Colombia-Venezuela border. Coming from an underexplored vantage point in the literature, we trouble the assumption that more data are always better for advancing feminist objectives around GBV.

Public Health.

Background: Observational studies have reported cognitive domain alterations in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), affecting cognitive domains of information-processing speed, memory, attention, and executive function. Epidemiological observational studies have shown an association between higher blood pressure [HBP], low processing speed, short-term memory and learning, and delayed recall. Within the US Hispanic/Latino population, specifically Mexican Americans, cognition remains insufficiently studied.

Public Health.

Background: The increasing number of natural disasters and wars will result in complex emergencies affecting how individuals age. Additionally, the continued complex crises in certain areas of the globe exacerbates risks for chronic health conditions and poverty. Implementing ethical and community-engaged research in these complex humanitarian settings requires tailored approaches.

An African perspective to biodiversity conservation in the twenty-first century.

Africa boasts high biodiversity while also being home to some of the largest and fastest-growing human populations. Although the current environmental footprint of Africa is low compared to other continents, the population of Africa is estimated at around 1.5 billion inhabitants, representing nearly 18% of the world's total population.

Living conditions, nutrition, and maternal and child health in the Baniwa Indigenous people, Northwest Amazon, Brazil.

Epidemiological surveys by ethnic groups are scarce in Brazil. The health and nutrition conditions of indigenous peoples who face situations of social inequities and inequalities, negatively influence their health indicators. This study is the widest investigation on the subject ever carried out on the Baniwa ethnic group, one of the most numerous in the country.

Analysis of the Monophyletic Lineage of Avian Influenza H5N1 Which Circulated in Venezuelan Birds During the 2022-2023 Outbreak.

Avian influenza subtype H5N1 has caused outbreaks worldwide since 1996, with the emergence of the Guandong lineage in China. The current clade 2.3.

The Growing Phenomenon of 'Frozen' Virus Genome Sequences and Their Likely Origin in Research Facility Escapes.

'Frozen' virus genome sequences are sampled from outbreaks and have unusually low sequence divergence when compared to genome sequences from historical strains. A growing number of 'frozen' virus genome sequences are being reported as virus genome sequencing becomes more common. Examples of 'frozen' sequences include the 1977 H1N1 'Russian' flu; Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis Virus from Venezuela and Colombia in 1995; E71 sequences from a Hand, Foot and Mouth outbreak in 2007-2009 in China; and a polio strain isolated in 2014 from Anhui, China.

Fertilization for Growth or Feeding the Weeds? A Deep Dive into Nitrogen's Role in Rice Dynamics in Ecuador.

Rice ( L.) is a crucial crop for employment and agricultural output and heavily reliant on family labor. This study evaluated the effects of nitrogen levels (80, 120, and 160 kg·ha) on weed incidence and key agronomic variables, including vegetative growth, yield, and related traits, in Ecuador's primary rice-growing regions, Guayas and Los Ríos.

Biological Implications of the Intrinsic Deformability of Human Acetylcholinesterase Induced by Diverse Compounds: A Computational Study.

The enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) plays a crucial role in the termination of nerve impulses by hydrolyzing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh). The inhibition of AChE has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for the management of neurological disorders such as Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The potential of various compounds as AChE inhibitors was investigated.

Macromolecular interaction mechanism of the bacteriocin EntDD14 with the receptor binding domain (RBD) for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 and the JN.1 variant: Biomedical study based on elastic networks, stochastic Markov models, and macromolecular volumetric analysis.

Bacteriocins, a class of molecules produced by bacteria, exhibit potent antimicrobial properties, including antiviral activities. The urgent need for treatments against SARS-CoV-2 has proposed bacteriocins such as enterocin DD14 (EntDD14) as potential therapeutic agents. However, the mechanism of macromolecular interaction of EntDD14 for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 is not yet fully understood, and its efficacy against variants like JN.

Disseminated nocardiosis in a patient with AIDS and B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case report.

Background: Disseminated nocardiosis is a rare and potentially fatal disease, with a higher incidence in immunocompromised patients, such as those living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or hematological malignancies, including lymphoma. Information on Nocardia spp. infection in Venezuela is limited.

[Exploring the sexual and reproductive health of migrant adolescents in Chile: insights from the 10th National Youth Survey].

Unlabelled: Migration is a phenomenon with an impact on the health of adolescents. Barriers to accessing health services expose them to risks such as sexual violence, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections/HIV.

Objective: To analyze variables of sexual and reproductive health in migrant and Chilean adolescents.

Very low prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein 2 (pfhrp2) gene deletion in the Brazil, Venezuela, and Guyana tri-border.

Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTs) have been an important diagnostic tool for detecting P. falciparum malaria in resource-limited settings. Most tests are designed to detect the Histidine-rich Protein 2 (HRP2).

Galactokinase and galactose metabolism in Leishmania spp.

In Leishmania, the nucleotide-sugar UDP-galactose can be synthesized by a salvage pathway, the Isselbacher route, involving phosphorylation of galactose and the action of UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase. The first enzyme of the pathway, galactokinase, has yet to be studied in this parasite. Here, we report a molecular and biochemical characterization of this enzyme in Leishmania mexicana.

Key concepts and a world-wide look at plant recruitment networks.

Plant-plant interactions are major determinants of the dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems. There is a long tradition in the study of these interactions, their mechanisms and their consequences using experimental, observational and theoretical approaches. Empirical studies overwhelmingly focus at the level of species pairs or small sets of species.

SETTING AN AGENDA FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE THOUGHT OF ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860) IN CONTEMPORARY PSYCHIATRY, PSYCHOLOGY, AND PSYCHOTHERAPY.

There is a growing interest in the German thinker Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), sometimes referred to as "the psychologist of the "will", but scarce empirical research has been conducted on the relevance of his philosophy for psychology and psychiatry. Following his death, philosophers, psychologists, psychiatrists, artists, writers, and natural scientists commended him. However, he was harshly criticized by others, notably by Friedrich Nietzsche and Martin Heidegger.

Effects of climate change on the occurrence and distribution of Western equine encephalitis virus in South America.

Objectives: The Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) is a globally relevant vector-borne pathogen that causes encephalitis. The role of environmental variables in the epidemiology of WEEV has become greater in the context of climate change. In December 2023, a significant resurgence of WEEV began in South America, with major ongoing outbreaks in Argentina and Uruguay.

Global Health and Peace: The Elusive Path with a Focus on Palestine, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

The interrelationality of health and peace is complex, multifactorial, and imbued with political and economic challenges. Peace and health outcomes reflect shared fundamental values related to the achievement of a balanced holistic condition on the individual and collective level. This causal relationship between social inequity and health requires special attention be paid to the impact of political instability and structural violence on undermining health systems in conflict zones.

Clinical outcomes from robotic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair in patients under and over 70 years old: a single institution retrospective cohort study with a comprehensive systematic review on behalf of TROGSS - The Robotic Global Surgical Society.

Aim: This study aimed to assess and compare outcomes of robotic inguinal hernia repair (RIHR) in patients under and over 70 years old, performed by a fellowship-trained robotic surgeon at a single institution.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients undergoing robotic primary transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair between 2020 and 2022 was conducted. Patients were categorized into two age groups: those under 70 years and 70 years and older.

A population study of Toxoplasma gondii in the Amazon region expands current knowledge of the genetic diversity in South America.

Previous studies have reported high diversity between and within populations of Toxoplasma gondii in South America. In the present study, isolates of T. gondii from chickens were obtained from the Amazon region.

A comparative study of Venezuelan immigrants' pre- and post-migration concerns for their children in the United States and Colombia.

Research suggests that forced migration may lead to cultural stress and psychological distress. However, little is known about immigrant parents' pre- and post-migration concerns for their children's welfare. The present study examined the concerns of Venezuelan parents who migrated to the United States versus those who migrated to Colombia, and whether post-migration concerns were related to cultural stressors, mental health, and cultural identity.

Clinicopathological and molecular insights into odontogenic tumors associated with syndromes: A comprehensive review.

The association between genetic syndromes and odontogenic tumors encompasses several entities, reflecting the intricate interplay between genetic factors and the development of these lesions. The present study aimed to comprehensively investigate the associations between genetic syndromes and odontogenic tumors. We delineated the diverse spectrum of syndromic connections, including key syndromes such as Gardner syndrome, Gorlin syndrome, Schimmelpenning syndrome, and others.

Post-cholecystectomy total bile duct strictures: Cases for magnetic compression anastomosis.

Bile duct injuries are a serious issue, and their surgical treatment carries the risk of morbidity and mortality. In selected cases, non-surgical treatments are possible, even for total strictures. We outline the technique and results of using magnetic compression anastomosis (MCA) to treat post-cholecystectomy bile duct stricture (PCBDS), in two female patients.