SOUTHERN JOURNAL OF SCIENCES

Background: Transgender and gender-diverse individuals experience health inequities that may increase cardiometabolic risk. Gender-affirming hormone therapy has been associated with changes in body composition, lipid metabolism, and cardiovascular risk markers. However, limited evidence is available regarding dietary habits and cardiovascular risk profiles in transgender populations in Latin America. Objective: To evaluate cardiovascular risk factors and cardioprotective food consumption among transgender adults receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy. Methods: A quantitative, observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted in transgender adults undergoing gender-affirming hormone therapy in Mendoza, Argentina. Eighty-seven participants completed surveys regarding sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, nutritional counseling, and consumption of cardioprotective foods. We assessed anthropometric indicators and biochemical parameters related to cardiovascular risk. Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 8. Data were analyzed using Spearman correlation, the chi-square test, and the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: A high prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors was identified, including overweight, sedentary behavior, smoking, and low intake of cardioprotective foods. More than half of the participants had never received nutritional counseling. No statistically significant differences were observed between transgender women and transgender men in the evaluated anthropometric and biochemical variables. Nevertheless, significant correlations were identified between body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and atherogenic lipid markers. Dietary quality showed limited associations with cardiovascular risk indicators, although higher dietary quality was positively associated with HDL cholesterol levels in transgender men. Conclusion: The study highlights the presence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors in transgender individuals receiving gender-affirming hormone therapy and emphasizes the importance of integrating nutritional assessment and cardiometabolic monitoring into comprehensive transgender healthcare. These findings support the need for inclusive nutritional interventions and longitudinal studies addressing cardiovascular health in transgender populations.

Background: Vector-borne diseases are increasingly important because they are emerging and re-emerging. Of the 867 tick species reported worldwide, 10% (86 species) have public health implications; 58 parasitize dogs, and 12 have been documented in Argentina. Tick-borne agents are increasingly relevant in the Cuyo region, with implications for both public health and domestic animal health. In Mendoza, the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex and Amblyomma tigrinum have been documented. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether one tick genus predominated over the other, compared with previous studies in the region. Methods: We collected ticks from dogs attending municipal vaccination campaigns and veterinary clinics in several departments of the Greater Mendoza area (Ciudad/Capital, Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, and Guaymallén). Specimens were preserved in 70% (v/v) ethanol in sealed containers until analysis. Identification was performed using a stereomicroscope and the taxonomic keys of Nava. Results: The highest number of ticks was obtained from Ciudad/Capital, followed by Luján de Cuyo, Godoy Cruz, and Guaymallén. A total of 439 specimens were collected and classified by genus, species, and sex. Of these, 94.46% (415 ticks) corresponded to the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex, including 193 females (43.96%) and 222 males (50.5%). The remaining 5.48% (24 ticks) were identified as Amblyomma tigrinum, including 17 females (3.89%) and 7 males (1.59%). Discussion: These findings confirm the marked predominance of the Rhipicephalus sanguineus complex among ticks collected from dogs in the Greater Mendoza area.

Background: In 2026, the CFQ/CRQ System turns 70 (Law No. 2,800/1956), overseeing a sector responsible for ~11% of industrial GDP, but it lacked a chronological reconstruction based on its own official primary records. Aim: To reconstruct the System's legal genesis, establish a documented official chronology of its presidencies, and discuss current regulatory challenges. Methods: Historiographical-descriptive documentary research based on normative sources and unprecedented access to the internal record "Galeria de Presidentes," provided by the CFQ Presidency Office in 2026. Results: Eight substantive presidencies and interim periods (1957–2026) were detailed, substantiating the interim exercise by Oscar Bergstron Lourenço (1963–1964) and Juvenal Dória's inauguration in 1964. The System now comprises 21 regional councils and over 230,000 registrants. The study identified under-documentation of Hebe Martelli's trajectory (the only female president) and an open divergence regarding the number of regional councils created in 1957. Discussion: Normative Resolution No. 36/1974 remains the milestone for professional attributions. Recent regulations revisit historical challenges, such as attributing competencies to hybrid curricula and establishing chemical safety as a public good, requiring anticipation of energy, materials, and digital transitions. Limitations: The chronology relies on institutional records that the authors did not independently audit against primary archives. Conclusions: Access to primary records consolidated the documentary memory of the System's seventy years, whose legacy lies in adapting the regulatory framework to technological transformations.