Vaccine effectiveness in reducing COVID-19-related hospitalization after a risk-age-based mass vaccination program in a Chilean municipality: A comparison of observational study designs.

BACKGROUND: Case-control studies involving test-negative (TN) and syndrome-negative (SN) controls are reliable for evaluating influenza and rotavirus vaccine effectiveness (VE) during a random vaccination process. However, there is no empirical evidence regarding the impact in real-world mass vaccination campaigns against SARS-CoV-2 using TN and SN controls. OBJECTIVE: To compare in the same population the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on COVID-19-related hospitalization rates across a cohort design, TN and SN designs. METHOD: We conducted an unmatched population-based cohort, TN and SN case-control designs linking data from four data sources (public primary healthcare system, hospitalization registers, epidemiological surveillance systems and the national immunization program) in a Chilean municipality (Rancagua) between March 1, 2021 and August 31, 2021. The outcome was COVID-19-related hospitalization. To ensure sufficient sample size in the unexposed group, completion of follow-up in the cohort design, and sufficient time between vaccination and hospitalization in the case-control design, VE was estimated comparing 8-week periods for each individual. RESULTS: Among the 191,505 individuals registered in the primary healthcare system of Rancagua in Chile on March 1, 2021; 116,453 met the cohort study's inclusion criteria. Of the 9,471 hospitalizations registered during the study period in the same place, 526 were COVID-19 cases, 108 were TN controls, and 1,628 were SN controls. For any vaccine product, the age- and sex-adjusted vaccine effectiveness comparing fully and nonvaccinated individuals was 67.2 (55.7-76.3) in the cohort design, whereas it was 67.8 (44.1-81.4) and 77.9 (70.2-83.8) in the TN and SN control designs, respectively. CONCLUSION: The VE of a COVID-19 vaccination program based on age and risk groups tended to differ across the three observational study designs. The SN case-control design may be an efficient option for evaluating COVID-19 VE in real-world settings.

Measuring adolescents' level of interest in nature: a promising psychological factor facilitating nature protection.

Studies indicate that young people are more prepared to engage in pro-environmental behavior if they are interested in nature and recognize it as worthy of protection. However, a reliable instrument to measure adolescents' interest in nature is still lacking. Therefore, we developed a new metric, the Scale of Interest in Nature (SIN). It consists of 18 items, is based on Item-Response-Theory and was validated using the known group approach (N = 351 adolescents). Results indicate that adolescents' interest in nature correlates positively with their connection with nature, their intention to preserve nature and engagement in pro-environmental activities in their free time. Bivariate Pearson correlations between the SIN and the Connectedness to Nature Scale (INS), as well as the Environmental Values model (2-MEV) demonstrated the scale's construct validity. Hence, the SIN scale provides an economical way to measure adolescents' interest in nature in research contexts or environmental and sustainability education settings.

Retrieval-based skill learning: testing promotes the acquisition of scientific experimentation skills.

We investigated whether retrieval-based learning can facilitate the acquisition of cognitive skills, focusing on the control-of-variables strategy. This core scientific experimentation skill is regularly taught in science education classes because understanding it is essential for understanding experimental investigations in science. In the present study, participants initially read a text explaining the control-of-variables strategy. We compared the effects of subsequent retrieval practice and restudy of the text in performing a transfer test requiring the application of the control-of-variables strategy by judging the validity of a number of experimental designs. In addition, recall of the initially studied text was assessed as well. Repeated retrieval practice in combination with restudy opportunities resulted in better performance in both the transfer test and the recall test as compared to mere restudy or a single study opportunity. These findings demonstrate that retrieval practice is a useful tool for promoting deep conceptual learning.

Revisión bibliográfica del uso de láser de baja potencia como tratamiento en alteraciones del nervio alveolar inferior en osteotomía sagital de rama / Literature review of the use of low power laser therapy for treating inferior alveolar nerve disorder in sagittal ramus osteotomy

Una de las principales complicaciones al realizar la osteotomía sagital de rama, es la presencia de alteraciones sensitivas que se producen a nivel del nervio alveolar inferior. La parestesia luego de esta técnica reporta una incidencia entre el 85-87 por ciento, de los cuales entre el 0-24 por ciento queda con parestesia permanente. Dentro de los tratamientos utilizados para recuperar las alteraciones sensitivas se encuentra el uso de láser de baja frecuencia; el cual se utiliza para acelerar la recuperación sensitiva y la reparación neuronal, disminuir el dolor y restaurar el funcionamiento normal del nervio injuriado. Los objetivos de esta investigación fueron realizar una revisión bibliográfica sobre los resultados obtenidos en pacientes sometidos a osteotomía sagital de rama que presentaron alteraciones sensitivas y en cuyo tratamiento se utilizó el láser, y crear un protocolo de tratamiento con láser en pacientes sometidos a osteotomía sagital de rama madibular. Se realizó una revisión de artículos entre los años 1990-2010, utilizando buscadores como: EBSCO, Cochcrane, TripDataBase, Medline, Lilacs, Pubmed y Decs, además de una búsqueda en revistas científicas. Los resultados de los artículos seleccionados señalan el efecto beneficioso que conlleva el uso del láser, demostrando su eficacia en la recuperación precoz de la sensibilidad postoperatoria. El uso del láser de baja frecuencia es una alternativa favorable para pacientes con alteraciones sensitivas que fueron sometidos a cirugía sagital de rama, debido a su pronta, mejor y mayor recuperación de la sensibilidad...

A major complication that occurs at the sagittal ramus osteotomy, is the presence of damage occurring at the inferior alveolar nerve. An incidence of paresthesia after this technique reported at 85-87 percent, of which between 0-24 percent are left with permanent paresthesia. Among the treatments used to restore sensitivity is the use of low level laser therapy, which is used to speed recovery and repair sensitive neurons, reduce pain, and restore normal functioning to injured nerve. The aims were to undertake a literature review of empiric research on the results obtained in patients under going sagittal ramus osteotomy, who has sensory disturbances and in wich laser treatment was used, and create a laser treatment protocol in patients undergoing sagittal ramus osteotomy. A review of articles between the years 1990-2010, using search engines such as EBSCO, Cochcrane, Tripdatabase, Medline, Lilacs, Pubmed and Decs. The review also included a search in scientific journals. The results of the reviewed literature showed the beneficial effect of the use of laser, demonstrating its effectiveness in the early recovery of postoperative sensitivity. The use of low level laser therapy is a favorable alternative for patients with sensory impairment who underwent sagittal ramus osteotomy due to its rapid and greater sensitivity recovery...

Retinal cryptochrome in a migratory passerine bird: a possible transducer for the avian magnetic compass.

The currently discussed model of magnetoreception in birds proposes that the direction of the magnetic field is perceived by radical-pair processes in specialized photoreceptors, with cryptochromes suggested as potential candidate molecules mediating magnetic compass information. Behavioral studies have shown that magnetic compass orientation takes place in the eye and requires light from the blue-green part of the spectrum. Cryptochromes are known to absorb in the same spectral range. Because of this we searched for cryptochrome (CRY) in the retina of European robins, Erithacus rubecula, passerine birds that migrate at night. Here, we report three individually expressed cryptochromes, eCRY1a, eCRY1b, and eCRY2. While eCRY1a and eCRY2 are similar to the cryptochromes found in the retina of the domestic chicken, eCRY1b has a unique carboxy (C)-terminal. In light of the 'radical-pair' model, our findings support a potential role of cryptochromes as transducers for the perception of magnetic compass information in birds.

Light-dependent magnetoreception in birds: analysis of the behaviour under red light after pre-exposure to red light.

In previous experiments, migratory birds had been disoriented under 635 nm red light, apparently unable to use their magnetic compass. The present study with European robins, Erithacus rubecula, confirms these findings for red light at the levels of 6 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2) and 43 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2), suggesting that the disorientation under red light was not caused by the test light being below the threshold for magnetoreception. However, pre-exposure to red light for 1 h immediately before the critical tests under red light of 6-7 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2) enabled robins to orient in their seasonally appropriate migratory direction in spring as well as in autumn. Pre-exposure to darkness, by contrast, failed to induce orientation under red light. Under green light of 7 x 10(15) quanta s(-1) m(-2), the birds were oriented in their migratory orientation after both types of pre-exposure. These findings suggest that the newly gained ability to orient under red light might be based on learning to interpret a novel pattern of activation of the magnetoreceptors and hence may represent a parallel to the previously described enlargement of the functional window to new magnetic intensities. Mechanisms involving two types of spectral mechanisms with different absorbance maxima and their possible interactions are discussed.