Healthy Habits, Physical Activity, Stress, and Food Consumption Trends in Chilean Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased stress levels in the population due to radical lifestyle changes caused by containment measures. Studies suggest that high levels of stress may be related to the development of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). This study aims to explain how quarantine habits and lifestyles acted as risk factors for the frequency of this syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic. An observational study was conducted with 34 Chilean participants (average age 24.5 ± 3.85 years), of whom 21 (62%) were female. Surveys on consumption trends and lifestyles created by the authors were administered. Additionally, we used the global physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) and the depression anxiety stress scales (DASS-21) to assess psychological stress and the Rome IV criteria to assess IBS. Significant differences were found between individuals with better healthy habits compared to those with poor healthy habits. The former showed lower sedentary activity (32%, p = 0.005), only 27% were fast eaters (vs. 44%, p = 0.001), had shorter nap intervals (14% vs. 28%, p = 0.03), and higher vegetable consumption (p = 0.02). There were 20 cases (59%) of IBS, with a strong association with the female sex (p = 0.004), where females were 15 times more likely to develop it compared to males (p = 0.008). Additionally, when alcohol consumption was added to females, there was a higher likelihood of developing this syndrome (p = 0.009), as individuals who consumed alcohol were 12 times more likely to develop it compared to those who did not (p = 0.02). Among other factors, it was observed that 57% of those with the syndrome consumed drinks more often (p = 0.02) but consumed fewer nuts (p = 0.009). In conclusion, IBS has a multifactorial etiology, and correcting individual habits such as alcohol consumption could potentially prevent or delay its development. Therefore, it is important to maintain healthy lifestyles, regardless of non-modifiable factors such as gender, in order to better cope with this syndrome.

Salivary proteins offer insights into keratinocyte death during aphthous stomatitis. A case-crossover study.

BACKGROUND: The death of oral keratinocytes is a crucial step in the emergence of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS, also known as aphthae or aphthous ulcers). Since there are no experimental models available to research aphthous ulcers, little is understood about this process. We hypothesize that saliva can be a data bank of information that offers insights on epithelial damage. METHODS: In this case-crossover study, we assessed the salivary proteome of patients with RAS (n = 36) in the presence and absence of ulcers using discovery proteomics and bioinformatics. Additionally, we contrasted these patterns with those of healthy individuals (n = 31) who had no prior aphthous ulceration. RESULTS: Salivary proteome showed that during the ulcerative phase, controlled cell death was downregulated. Due to its ability to distinguish between individuals with and without ulcers, the ATF6B protein raises the possibility that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is responsible for the damage that leads to the death of oral keratinocytes. The high abundance of TRAP1 and ERN1 matches with this biological discovery. The type of death is immunogenic, according to the functional data found in a cell death database. CONCLUSION: We identified a cellular process that can lead to the death of oral keratinocytes in the etiopathogenesis process of RAS. Future studies should be conducted to identify what is responsible for the increase in ER stress signaling that would lead to an anti-cell death response.

Reference Intervals for Blood Biomarkers in Farmed Atlantic Salmon, Coho Salmon and Rainbow Trout in Chile: Promoting a Preventive Approach in Aquamedicine.

The mission of veterinary clinical pathology is to support the diagnostic process by using tests to measure different blood biomarkers to support decision making about farmed fish health and welfare. The objective of this study is to provide reference intervals (RIs) for 44 key hematological, blood biochemistry, blood gasometry and hormones biomarkers for the three most economically important farmed salmonid species in Chile (Atlantic salmon, coho salmon and rainbow trout) during the freshwater (presmolt and smolt age range) and seawater stages (post-smolt and adult age range). Our results confirmed that the concentration or activity of most blood biomarkers depend on the salmonid species, age range and/or the interaction between them, and they are often biologically related to each other. Erythogram and leukogram profiles revealed a similar distribution in rainbow trout and coho salmon, but those in Atlantic salmon were significantly different. While the activity of the most clinically important plasma enzymes demonstrated a similar profile in Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout, coho salmon demonstrated a significantly different distribution. Plasma electrolyte and mineral profiles showed significant differences between salmonid species, especially for rainbow trout, while Atlantic salmon and coho salmon demonstrated a high degree of similarity. Furthermore, electrolytes, minerals and blood gasometry biomarkers were significantly different between age ranges, suggesting a considerably different distribution between freshwater and seawater-farmed fish. The RIs of clinically healthy fish described in this study take into account the high biological variation of farmed fish in Chile, as the 3.059 individuals came from 78 different fish farms, both freshwater and seawater, and blood samples were collected using the same pre-analytical protocol. Likewise, our study provides the Chilean salmon farming industry with standardized protocols that can be used routinely and provides valuable information to improve the preventive vision of aquamedicine through the application of blood biomarkers to support and optimize health, welfare and husbandry management in the salmon farming industry.

First description of clinical presentation of piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) infections in salmonid aquaculture in Chile and identification of a second genotype (Genotype II) of PRV.

BACKGROUND: Heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI) is an emerging disease of marine-farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, first recognized in 1999 in Norway, and recently associated with piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) infection. To date, HSMI lesions with presence of PRV have only been described in marine-farmed Atlantic salmon in Norway. A new HSMI-like disease in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss associated with a PRV-related virus has also been reported in Norway. METHODS: Sampling of Atlantic salmon and coho salmon was done during potential disease outbreaks, targeting lethargic/moribund fish. Fish were necropsied and tissues were taken for histopathologic analysis and testing for PRV by RT-qPCR assay for segment L1 and conventional RT-PCR for PRV segment S1. The PCR products were sequenced and their relationship to PRV strains in GenBank was determined using phylogenetic analysis and nucleotide and amino acid homology comparisons. RESULTS: The Atlantic salmon manifested the classical presentation of HSMI with high PRV virus loads (low Ct values) as described in Norway. The coho salmon with low Ct values had myocarditis but only in the spongy layer, the myositis of red muscle in general was mild, and the hepatic necrosis was severe. Upon phylogenetic analysis of PRV segment S1 sequences, all the Chilean PRV strains from Atlantic salmon grouped as sub-genotype Ib, whereas the Chilean PRV strains from coho salmon were more diversified, grouping in both sub-genotypes Ia and Ib and others forming a distinct new phylogenetic cluster, designated Genotype II that included the Norwegian PRV-related virus. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge the present work constitutes the first published report of HSMI lesions with presence of PRV in farmed Atlantic salmon outside of Europe, and the first report of HSMI-like lesions with presence of PRV in coho salmon in Chile. The Chilean PRV strains from coho salmon are more genetically diversified than those from Atlantic salmon, and some form a distinct new phylogenetic cluster, designated Genotype II.

Caracterización histológica y morfológica del tracto digestivo de la merluza austral (Merluccius australis) / Histological and morphological characterization of the digestive tract of southern hake (Merluccius australis)

Las características anatómicas e histológicas del tracto alimentario de la merluza austral (Merluccius australis) se han estudiado con el fin de comprender la fisiología digestiva y formular alimentos balanceados adecuados. M. australis posee un esófago corto, un estómago en forma de y grande y un intestino corto. Histológicamente, el tracto digestivo está formado por cuatro capas: la mucosa, submucosa, muscularis y la serosa. El esófago es un órgano tubular corto de pared gruesa con una gran capacidad de distensión y abundantes células caliciformes secretoras de mucus que permite el paso de grandes presas. El estómago es grande y musculoso, con alta capacidad de distensión. No se observo la presencia de apéndices pilóricos. El intestino es corto y dividido en regiones: proximal, medio y distal. En la región anterior del intestino se observaron abundantes células caliciformes, que disminuyeron en la región media para finalmente dispersarse en la región posterior. Además, los enterocitos mostraron un aumento en la presencia de vacuolas supranuclear en la región posterior del intestino. Los resultados de este estudio anatómico e histológico indican que M. australis tiene un sistema digestivo similar a otros peces gadiformes, el cual está adaptado para digerir y absorber presas ricas en proteínas, principalmente pescados y crustáceos.

The anatomy and histology features of alimentary tract of southern hake (Merluccius australis) have been studied in order to understand the digestive physiology and formulate suitable feeds. M. australis has a short oesophagus, large y-shaped stomach and short intestine, and histologically, the digestive tract is formed by four layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. The oesophagus is a short tubular thick-walled organ with a great distension capacity and abundant mucus secreting goblet cells allowing the passage of large preys. The stomach is large and muscular with high capability for distension. Pyloric caeca were not present. The intestine is short and divided into a proximal middle and distal segment. In the anterior region of the intestine was observed abundant goblet cells, which decreased in the middle region and finally dispersed in the posterior region. Additionally, enterocytes showed an increase in the presence of supranuclear vacuoles at the posterior region of the intestine. The results of this anatomical and histological study indicate that M. australis has a digestive tract similar to other gadiform fishes, which is adapted to digest and absorb protein-rich preys, mainly fish and crustacean.