Population well-being and the COVID-19 vaccination program in Chile: evidence from Google Trends.

OBJECTIVE: We analyze the dynamics of the mental well-being of the Chilean population in response to the progress of the vaccination strategy implemented by the government. STUDY DESIGN: This study aims at investigating the possibility of using Google Trends as an instrument for tracking mental well-being of the Chilean population. METHODS: We use the volume of searches for keywords in Google Trends (GT) related to Anguish, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress as a proxy for population well-being. Using event study methods, we analyze social attention reactions to news about the vaccination program. We implement a Difference-in-Difference-in-Differences estimation to estimate changes in population welfare by socio-economic status induced by the progress of inoculation. RESULTS: We show that social attention to mental health problems is sensitive to news about the vaccination program. Moreover, and most importantly, we find that mental well-being responds positively to the percentage of inoculated people. This phenomenon appear to be permanent and affected by socio-economic status, with the wealthier population experiencing greater improvements than the less wealthy. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 vaccination program in Chile, social attention to mental health problems appears to be sensitive to news about the vaccination program. There is also strong evidence of socio-economic status-induced heterogeneity in population responses to program implementation. The above phenomena appears to be permanent and cannot be attributed to either socio-economic segregation in access to vaccines or to the highly stratified schedule of the vaccination program.

Prevalence, geographic distribution and phenotypic differences of Piscirickettsia salmonis EM-90-like isolates.

Early reports accounted for two main genotypes of Piscirickettsia salmonis, a fish pathogen and causative agent of piscirickettsiosis, placing the single isolate EM-90 apart from the prototypic LF-89 and related isolates. In this study, we provide evidence that, contrary to what has been supposed, the EM-90-like isolates are highly prevalent and disseminated across Chilean marine farms. Molecular analysis of 507 P. salmonis field isolates derived from main rearing areas, diverse hosts and collected over 6 years, revealed that nearly 50% of the entire collection were indeed typed as EM-90-like. Interestingly, these isolates showed a marked host preference, being recovered exclusively from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) samples. Although both strains produce undistinguishable pathological outcomes, differences regarding growth kinetics and susceptibility to the antibiotics and bactericidal action of serum could be identified. In sum, our results allow to conclude that the EM-90-like isolates represent an epidemiologically relevant group in the current situation of piscirickettsiosis. Based on the consistency between genotype and phenotype exhibited by this strain, we point out the need for genotypic studies that may be as important for the Chilean salmon industry as the continuous surveillance of antimicrobial susceptibility patterns.

Comprehensive antibiotic susceptibility profiling of Chilean Piscirickettsia salmonis field isolates.

Antibiotics have been extensively used against infections produced by Piscirickettsia salmonis, a fish pathogen and causative agent of piscirickettsiosis and one of the major concerns for the Chilean salmon industry. Therefore, the emergence of resistant phenotypes is to be expected. With the aim of obtaining a landscape of the antimicrobial resistance of P. salmonis in Chile, the susceptibility profiles for quinolones, florfenicol and oxytetracycline (OTC) of 292 field isolates derived from main rearing areas, different hosts and collected over 5 years were assessed. The results allowed for the determination of epidemiological cut-off values that were used to characterize the pathogen population. This work represents the first large-scale field study addressing the antimicrobial susceptibility of P. salmonis, providing evidence of the existence of resistant types with a high incidence of resistance to quinolones. Remarkably, despite the amounts and frequency of therapies, our results disclosed that the issue of resistance to florfenicol and OTC is still in the onset.

Effectiveness of disinfectant treatments for inactivating Piscirickettsia salmonis.

This short communication investigated in vitro differences between commercial disinfectants types (n = 36), doses of application, and time of action in the elimination of Piscirickettsia salmonis, the most important bacterium affecting farmed salmon in Chile. Seven different treatments were examined, including active and inactive chlorine dioxides, glutaraldehyde, hypochlorite disinfectants and detergents, peracetic acid, peroxides and other miscellaneous methods A 3 replicate set of each of the sample groups was stored at 20 °C and 95% relative humidity and retested after 1, 5 and 30 min with varying doses (low, recommended and high doses). Multiple comparison tests were performed for the mean log CFU/ml among different disinfectant types, dose (ppm) and time of exposure (minutes) on the reduction of P. salmonis. Overall, disinfection using peracetic acid, peroxides, and both active and inactive chlorine dioxides caused significantly higher reduction of >7.5 log CFU/ml in samples, compared to other tested sanitizers. The lowest reduction was obtained after disinfection with hypochlorite detergents. As expected, as doses and time of action increase, there was a significant reduction of the overall counts of P. salmonis. However, at lowest doses, only use of paracetic acids resulted in zero counts. Implementation of effective protocols, making use of adequate disinfectants, may enhance biosecurity, and ultimately, mitigate the impact of P. salmonis in farmed salmon.

Nutritional determinants of plasma total homocysteine distribution in the Canary Islands.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to define plasma homocysteine reference values in healthy individuals in the Canary Islands and to determine its relations to folate and vitamin B12 intakes and concentrations. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Population-based representative sample of 557 participants, aged 18-65 years, from the Canary Islands Nutrition Survey (ENCA). SUBJECTS: All participants completed two 24-h dietary recalls and a general questionnaire collecting socio-demographic and health-related lifestyle information. INTERVENTIONS: Plasma homocysteine and serum vitamin B12 levels were measured by immunoassay, whereas folate levels through an automated ionic capturing method. RESULTS: Median plasma homocysteine was 11.9 micromol/l, higher in men (13.1 micromol/l) than in women (10.9 micromol/l) (P<0.001) and positively associated with age in both sexes (P<0.001). The prevalence of hyperhomocysteinaemia (> or = 15 micromol/l), 21.4%, was also greater in men (32.2%) than in women (13.4%). There were significant negative correlations between plasma homocysteine and serum (r=-0.32, P<0.001) and erythrocyte (r=-0.26, P<0.001) folate, as well as serum vitamin B12 (r=-0.28, P<0.001) concentrations. When divided in quartiles of vitamin intakes or concentrations, men with the lowest vitamin B12 and folate serum values had significantly higher plasma homocysteine concentrations than those in the other three quartiles. In women, hyperhomocysteinaemia was higher in the lowest quartiles of folate intake and serum and erythrocyte folate concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide further evidence that hyperhomocysteinaemia is a sensitive marker of inadequate folate and vitamin B12 status, allowing for the identification of those with greatest need for nutritional interventions.

Face morphology: Can it tell us something about body weight and fat?

This paper proposes a method for an automatic extraction of geometric features, related to weight parameters, from 3D facial data acquired with low-cost depth scanners. The novelty of the method relies both on the processing of the 3D facial data and on the definition of the geometric features which are conceptually simple, robust against noise and pose estimation errors, computationally efficient, invariant with respect to rotation, translation, and scale changes. Experimental results show that these measurements are highly correlated with weight, BMI, and neck circumference, and well correlated with waist and hip circumference, which are markers of central obesity. Therefore the proposed method strongly supports the development of interactive, non obtrusive systems able to provide a support for the detection of weight-related problems.

Serum manganese concentrations in a representative sample of the Canarian population.

Serum manganese (Mn) concentrations of 368 individuals 6-75 yr of age (179 males and 189 females) living in the Canary Islands were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The mean manganese concentration was 1.06+/-0.62 microg/L, ranging between 0.19 and 3.33 microg/L. Most of the analyzed samples (63.3% of the samples) fall within the reference interval (0.54-1.76 microg/L) for apparently healthy people. Individuals from Fuerteventura presented with mean Mn concentrations significantly higher than individuals from the rest of the islands. This could be attributed to differences in the Mn content of soil and/or differences in dietary habits of the population. Serum Mn concentration did not vary with gender, and individuals younger than 18 yr old had the highest mean Mn concentration, compared to the rest of the age groups considered. No relation to socioeconomic status, educational level, and tobacco or alcohol consumption was found. However, the serum Mn concentration tended to decrease when increasing the consumption of wine or beer. Sportsmen presented significantly higher serum Mn concentrations than the rest.

Mediterranean diet and metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study in the Canary Islands.

OBJECTIVE: Assessment of relation between metabolic syndrome (MS) and Mediterranean diet (MD) adherence. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. ATP III definition of MS was used. Adherence to MD was assessed with a Food Frequency Questionnaire. Intakes of cereal, fruit, legumes, vegetables, fish, nuts, monounsaturated to saturated ratio, alcohol from red wine, whole-fat dairy products and red meat were considered. SETTING: Representative sample of population from the Canary Islands (Spain) participating in the Canarian Nutrition Survey (ENCA). SUBJECTS: 578 adults>18 years. RESULTS: Of the subjects, 24.4% presented MS. Once adjusted, MD adherence was not related to MS prevalence, but subjects in the third tertile of adherence presented 70% lower prevalence of the blood pressure criteria and 2.5 times more prevalence of the glycaemia criteria with respect to the first tertile. Red meat intake was associated with higher prevalence of blood pressure criteria. Moderate alcohol intake from red wine was associated with lower prevalence of these criteria in women and lower prevalence of HDL cholesterol criteria in men. Fruit intake showed a protective effect on triglyceride criteria, whereas vegetable intake was associated with higher prevalence of this criterion. Cereals' intake showed a protective effect over insulin resistance measured by high insulinaemia level. Fruit intake showed a significative protective effect over high Homeostasis Model Assessment index. Whole-fat dairy products showed a significant protective effect on the glycaemia criteria. High monounsaturated to saturated fatty acid intake showed a protective effect on insulin resistance. CONCLUSIONS: Some components of the MD showed a protective effect on the MS and its components.

Mediterranean diet and depression.

OBJECTIVE: The adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ensures an adequate intake of B vitamins and w-3 fatty acids. A protective role on depression has been suggested for both nutrients. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis from the SUN (Seguimiento Universidad de Navarra) prospective cohort study. Data from 9670 participants (4211 men and 5459 women) were analised. Logistic regression analyses were fitted to assess the association between B-vitamins and w-3 fatty acids intake (quintiles) and the prevalence of depression. RESULTS: Folate intake was inversely associated with depression prevalence among men, especially smokers. Among women, B12 vitamin intake was inversely associated with depression, especially among smokers and physically active women. No significant associations were observed for w-3 fatty acids intake. CONCLUSIONS: The adherence to a Mediterranean Dietary Pattern ensures an adequate intake of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cereals, legumes or fish, important sources of nutrients linked to depression prevention.

Influencia de la postura corporal en la prevalencia de las disfunciones craneomandibulares / Influence of body posture in the prevalence of craniomandibular dysfunctions

Background: Postural alterations of the shoulders, dorsal spine and hips could have an influence on the development of craniomandibular dysfunctions. Aim: To study the influence of body posture on the prevalence of craniomandibular dysfunction. Subjects and methods: One hundred thirty six dental students and 41 patients assisting to the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) clinic at the Freie Universität at Berlin, were studied. Masticator, cervical muscles, temporomandibular joints and occlusions were clinically examined. The position of shoulders and hips was measured with the use of an acromiopelvimeter. Results: No relationship was found between postural alterations of the hips and shoulders, articular noises and sensibility or pain while palpating the temporomandibular joints. Among students, a relationship between postural alterations of the shoulders and the sensibility or pain while palpating the TMJ, was observed. When all muscles were considered, a significant relationship between asymmetric shoulders or hips and muscular pain while palpating was observed among students. Conclusions: Some symptoms, especially muscular sensibility is more pronounced in people with hip and shoulder asymmetries. This relation is more pronounced in dental students than in patients

Divertículo de Meckel / Meckel's diverticulum

Con los propósitos de describir la incidencia de divertpiculo de Meckel en necropsias de niños fallecidos por otras causas, las principales formas de presentación clínica de la afección y la correlación de las manifestaciones con la presencia de mucosa heterotópica en la anomalía, se revisaron todas las 3244 autopsias realizadas entre los años 1970 y 1995 en un hospital pediátrico de Santiago metropolitano y los registros clínicos de 66 pacientes a los cuales se les extirpó un divertículo de Meckel en el mismo período. Se encontró divertículo de Meckel en 45 niños (28 varones, proporción m: f= 1,6: 1) sometidos a necropsia (1,38 por ciento). En el mismo período se extirparon divertículos de Meckel sintomáticos a 66 pacientes (49 varones, proporción m: f= 2,8: 1) entre 14 días y 14 años de edad, 33 (50 por ciento) consultaron por hemorragia digestiva, 18 (27 por ciento) por obstrucción intestinal, 11 por síntomas que simulaban apendicitis aguda y 4 hernia inguinal. En todos los casos que sugerían apendicitis el divertículo mostraba signos de inflamación y en 10 estaba perforado. Sólo en uno de 23 casos de hallazgo en autopsia en que fue posible el examen microscópico se encontró mucosa ectópica (gástrica). En 45 de los 66 divertículos extirpados por dar síntomas clínicos se encontró mucosa gástrica y en 57 por ciento de ellos la afección se manifestó por hemorragia digestiva. En 4 pacientes se encontró mucosa pancreática y en una un mixoma. En 54 de 66 pacientes fue posible identificar mucosa gástrica o bandas dependientes del divertículo, por lo que la presencia de ambas constituye a nuestro juicio una indicación de extirpación en caso de hallazgo incidental durante cirugía abdominal

Experiencia de la reparación de hernias incisionales en el Hospital Base de Osorno / The results of incisional hernia repair in the Osorno Base Hospital

Nuestro objetivo es describir el perfil biodemográfico y analizar cómo fueron reparadas las hernias incisionales por los cirujanos del Hospital Base de Osorno entre enero de 2000 y julio de 2004. Se presenta una serie de casos de 201 pacientes intervenidos por hernia incisional, 35 hombres (17,4 por ciento) y 166 mujeres (82.6 por ciento) con edad promedio de 58 años, con IMC promedio de 34 y alta frecuencia de cirugía de urgencia. Un 96 por ciento no presentó infecciones del sitio operatorio. La mayoría fueron reparadas con cierre primario y solo un 11.5 por ciento de los pacientes reparados fue reforzado con malla. Un 36.8 por ciento de los pacientes tenían recidiva de hernia incisional previa. No hay diferencias biodemógraficas entre la población con hernia incisional reparada por primera vez y el grupo con recidiva de hernia incisional. Nuestros resultados no son bueno en la reparación de hernias incisionales, son parte del reflejo de las características propias de los pacientes como son la obesidad y las enfermedades crónicas, además son pacientes que se reparan en su gran mayoría de urgencia donde las condiciones no siempre son las mejores.

Características antropométricas del recién nacido chileno en la IX Región / Antropometric characteristics of the chilean newborn in the IX Region

En muchos países se han realizados observaciones sobre la antropometría del recién nacido (RN), con el propósito de tener conceptos más exactos de su desarrollo y establecer normas para características tales como talla, peso y circunferencia craneana. Esto motivó a realizar un estudio antropométrico de estas características, para lo cual se registraron las correspondientes mediciones en 327 recién nacidos chilenos, de los cuales 154 eran mapuches y 173 no mapuches, de ambos sexos, provenientes de los hospitales de Temuco, Galvarino, Nueva Imperial, Carahue y Puerto Saavedra de IX Región, Chile. Los registros se realizaron dentro de las primeras 6 horas de vida y para ello se confeccionó una ficha. La talla promedio obtenida fue de 49.7 ± 2.2 cm, con rangos que variaron entre 49.0 y 54.0 cm; el peso promedio fue de 3.55 ± 4.6 kg con una variación de 2.370 y 4.860 kg y el perímetro cefálico promedio fue de 34.6 ± 1.7 cm con una variación entre 31.0 y 51.0 cm. El peso fue mayor en recién nacidos mapuches que en no mapuches. El perímetro cefálico es levemente mayor en recién nacidos masculinos que en femeninos.

Puentes de miocardio sobre arterias coronarias en individuos chilenos / Myocardial bridges over coronary arteries in chilean patients

Durante años, las arterias coronarias han sido objeto de numerosos estudios. En las últimas décadas, la investigación se ha orientado hacia la relación existente entre la musculatura cardíaca y ramos de las arterias coronarias. Algunos de estos vasos poseen segmentos, que penetran en el interior del músculo cardíaco y luego de un recorrido variable, retornan a la superficie. Esta porción de miocardio que cubre a la arteria durante una parte del trayecto, se conoce como "puente de miocardio". Este, posee gran interés para la clínica cardiológica por su relación con infartos, ISHIMORI & RAIZNER (1979); arteriosclerosis, EDWARDS (1961); angina, NOBLE (1976) y muerte súbita, CHEITLIN (1980). Se estudiaron 25 corazones, de individuos chilenos, escogidos al azar, en ambos sexos y de edades variables y sin aparente patología cardíaca, provenientes del Servicio de Anatomía Patológica y Medicina Legal de la ciudad de Temuco. Las piezas fueron inyectadas con Látex Neopreno 650 (Dupont), realizando posteriormente una cuidadosa desección de los ramos arteriales, con el propósito de observar los puentes. Se observaron puentes de miocardio en los ramos: interventricular anterior, marginal derecho, marginal izquierdo, interventricular posterior y del cono, los cuales se comparan con los hallazgos hechos entre otros, por GEIRINGER (1951); EDWARDS (1956); POLACEK (1959, 1960); PENTHER (1977); TEIXEIRA (1979); DECOURT (1980); BOHM (1980); BEZERRA (1982)

Métodos de medición de la flexibilidad de isquiotibiales: análisis crítico / Methods of messuring flexibility in hamstrings muscles: a critical analysis

Propósito: La flexibilidad como cualidad física debe ser considerada por su influencia en la motricidad humana. Su complejidad se hace evidente desde su definición debido a las variables involucradas en ella, por tal motivo, se trata de definir el alcance conceptual de su significado, los isquiotibiales por sus características anatómicas y biomecánicas se utilizan frecuentemente para el estudio de esta cualidad física. El propósito de este trabajo, es realizar un análisis comparativo entre diferentes métodos de medición de flexibilidad en isquiotibiales. Resultados: Se revisaron 10 test de evaluación de flexibilidad de isquiotibiales clasificándolos en dos modalidades: test de sentarse y alcanzar y test en posición supina, presentando confiabilidad similar y mayor validez los test en posición supina. En la bateria de test de sentarse y alcanzar, la modificación para protección de columna (MBS) reúne el mayor número de ventajas comparativas. Conclusiones: En base al material recopilado, no se logró un acuerdo en la definición de flexibilidad. Las propiedades pasivas del grupo muscular isquiotibial son un buen traductor en el estudio de la flexibilidad. Hay aspectos metodológicos y técnicos que requieren mayor desarrollo y profundización en lo que se refiere a los test goniométricos.