OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the potential of adhering to the American Heart Association\'s updated Life\'s Essential 8 (LE8) scores in delaying biological aging amid growing concerns about aging populations and related diseases.
METHODS: A total of 18 261 adults (≥ 20 years old) were examined using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data from 2005-2010 and 2015-2018. The LE8 includes 8 components, covering health behaviors and factors. Acceleration of biological aging was defined as an excess of biological/phenotypic age over chronological age, assessed by using clinical biomarkers. The association between LE8 score and biological aging was explored through regression analyses.
RESULTS: Each 10-point increase in LE8 scores was associated with a 1.19-year decrease in biological age and a 1.63-year decrease in phenotypic age. Individuals with high cardiovascular health (CVH) had a 90% reduction in their risk of accelerated aging based on biological age and an 81% reduction based on phenotypic age compared with individuals with low CVH. Bootstrap-based model estimates and weighted quantile sum regression suggested that health factors, particularly blood glucose, had strong impact on delaying aging. The association between smoking and biological aging seemed to differ depending on the definition of aging used. Among all subgroups, LE8 consistently correlated negatively with biological aging, despite observed interactions. Three sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of our conclusions.
CONCLUSIONS: A higher CVH is associated with a lower risk of biological aging. Maintaining elevated LE8 levels across demographics, regardless of cardiovascular history, is recommended to delay aging and promote healthy aging, with significant implications for primary health care.

Background: Cumulative exposure to violence can change the regulation of epigenetic and physiological markers. Although violence has been associated with accelerated cellular aging, little is known about associations with cardiac autonomic activity.Objective: The current study aimed to investigate the relationship of exposure to community and domestic violence (CDV) with vagal activity and epigenetic aging acceleration.Methods: A total of 86 adolescents (57% female) were evaluated and interviewed at two time-points in São Gonçalo (2014-2019), a Brazilian city with high levels of violence. Exposure to CDV was assessed in both time-points. GrimAge acceleration was calculated from saliva DNA methylation using Infinium HumanMethylation450K (Illumina) collected in the first assessment. Heart rate variability (HRV) was collected during two stress tasks at the second assessment.Results: The exposure to violence witnessed or directly experienced at home and in the community increased significantly (t = 4.87, p < .01) across two-time points, and males had reported higher violence exposure (t = 2.06, p = .043). Violence at 1st assessment was significantly associated with GrimAge acceleration (B = .039, p value = .043). Violence at both assessments were associated with HRV measured during the narration of the worst trauma (traumaHRV) (B = .009, p value = .039, and B = .007, p value = .024, 1st and 2nd assessment respectively). GrimAge acceleration was significantly associated with traumaHRV (B = .043, p value = .049), and HRV measured during a 3D roller coaster video (B = .061, p value = .024).Conclusions: We found relevant evidence that experiencing violence during adolescence is associated with epigenetic aging and stress-related vagal activity. Understanding these factors during this period could contribute to the development of early interventions for health promotion.HIGHLIGHTS Higher exposure to Community and domestic violence is associated with increased GrimAge acceleration.Higher GrimAge acceleration is associated with increased stress-related vagal activity.Exposure to community and domestic violence increased significantly over time.

OBJECTIVE: Studies assessing the effects of caffeine (CAF) on the cardiovascular system have demonstrated that CAF can delay cardiac recovery following exercise. This study intended to assess the impact of CAF intake before physical exercise on heart rate variability (HRV) and cardiovascular parameters.
METHODS: This is a prospective, crossover, controlled clinical trial conducted at the University of Pernambuco, Petrolina, PE, Brazil. The experimental protocol was split into three stages with a minimum of 48 hours between them. Exercises intensity was standardized based on the one repetition maximum test (1RM), obtaining the load of each volunteer for the intensity of 75% of 1RM. In the second and third phases, the control protocols were applied and 300 mg caffeine was given 45 minutes before training. HRV indices were determined at the subsequent times: 0 to 5 minutes of rest (before) and during 30 minutes of recovery (Rec) (after exercise), divided into six intervals, each of 5 minutes.
RESULTS: The final sample involved 30 volunteers. CAF delayed HRV recovery after resistance exercise. In general, CAF impaired recovery of HRV after resistance exercise. Significant changes were observed in the RMSSD, SDNN, TINN, SD1, low frequency and high frequency indices between the control and CAF group.
CONCLUSIONS: CAF protocol delayed parasympathetic regulation of heart rhythm following exercise, slowing recovery of HR, blood pressure and HRV indices after exercise.

BACKGROUND: Exercise with flexible poles provides fast eccentric and concentric muscle contractions. Although the literature reports significant muscle chain activity during this exercise, it is not clear if a single bout of exercise induces cardiac changes. In this study we assessed the acute effects of flexible pole exercise on cardiac autonomic regulation.
METHODS: The study was performed on 22 women between 18 and 26 years old. We assessed heart rate variability (HRV) in the time (SDNN, RMSSD and pNN50) and frequency (HF, LF and LF/HF ratio) domains and geometric indices of HRV (RRTri, TINN, SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio). The subjects remained at rest for 10 min and then performed the exercises with the flexible poles. Immediately after the exercise protocol, the volunteers remained seated at rest for 60 min and HRV was analyzed.
RESULTS: We observed no significant changes in time domain (SDNN: p=0.72; RMSSD: p=0.94 and pNN50: p=0.92) or frequency domain indices (LF [nu]: p=0.98; LF [ms(2)]: p=0.72; HF [nu]: p=0.98; HF [ms(2)]: p=0.82 and LF/HF ratio: p=0.7) or in geometric indices (RRTri: p=0.54; TINN: p=0.77; SD1: p=0.94; SD2: p=0.67 and SD/SD2: p=0.42) before and after a single bout of flexible pole exercise.
CONCLUSIONS: A single bout of flexible pole exercise did not induce significant changes in cardiac autonomic regulation in healthy women.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the association between both, body mass index and aerobic fitness, with cardiovascular disease risk factors in children.
METHODS: Cross-sectional study, carried out in Itaúna-MG, in 2010, with 290 school children ranging from 6 to 10 years-old of both sexes, randomly selected. Children from schools located in the countryside and those with medical restrctions for physical activity were not included. Blood sample was collected after a 12-hour fasting period. Blood pressure, stature and weight were evaluated in accordance with international standards. The following were considered as cardiovascular risk factors: high blood pressure, high total cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides and insulin levels, and low HDL. The statistical analysis included the Spearman\'s coefficient and the logistic regression, with cardiovascular risk factors as dependent variables.
RESULTS: Significant correlations were found, in both sexes, among body mass index and aerobic fitness with most of the cardiovascular risk factors. Children of both sexes with body mass index in the fourth quartile demonstrated increased chances of having high blood insulin and clustering cardiovascular risk factors. Moreover, girls with aerobic fitness in the first quartile also demonstrated increased chances of having high blood insulin and clustering cardiovascular risk factors.
CONCLUSIONS: The significant associations and the increased chances of having cardiovascular risk factors in children with less aerobic fitness and higher levels of body mass index justify the use of these variables for health monitoring in Pediatrics.

The angiotensin type 2 receptor, AT2R, has been described as having opposite effects to the angiotensin type 1 receptor, AT1R. Although the quantities of the AT2R found in the adult are low, its expression rises in pathological situations. The AT2R has three major signaling pathways: activation of serine/threonine phosphatases (promoting apoptosis and antioxidant effects), activation of the bradykinin/NO/cGMP pathway (promoting vasodilation), and activation of phospholipase A2 (associated with regulation of potassium currents). The AT2R appears to have effects in vascular remodeling, atherosclerosis prevention and blood pressure lowering (when associated with an AT1R inhibitor). After myocardial infarction, the AT2R appears to decrease infarct size, cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis, and to improve cardiac function. However, its role in the heart is controversial. In the kidney, the AT2R promotes natriuresis. Until now, treatment directed at the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system has been based on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin type 1 receptor blockers. The study of the AT2R has been revolutionized by the discovery of a direct agonist, C21, which promises to become part of the treatment of cardiovascular disease.

The first anatomical lexicon was established in old Egypt, Alexandría by the priests who ritually offered all the parts of the human corpses to their gods. About 500 years b. C. studies of comparative anatomy began due to the physician Alcmeon of Croton, author of the text seriously starting the history of scientific pathology according to Laín Entralgo. It was only during the III century b. C. that dissections of human corpses began at the famous Alexandrian School of Medicine in Ptolemaic Egypt. During the Roman era and in high Middle Ages, physicians carried out anatomical studies in humans in order to dismiss or confirm poisoning suspicions or to extrapolate their flindings in animals (monkeys, pigs, etc) to humans. However, in low Middle Ages (XIV century), direct studies in human corpses were performed once again. These studies reached their pinnacle in the XVI century allowing the discovery of the lesser blood circulation and later of the greater blood circulation. The XVII century saw the coming of microscopic anatomy and the XVIII century witnessed the zenith of pathological anatomy. These studies developed during the following century into clinical-anatomical comparison. Today the help of technological studies is mandatory.