The Viable but Non-Culturable (VBNC) State, a Poorly Explored Aspect of Beneficial Bacteria.

Many bacteria have the ability to survive in challenging environments; however, they cannot all grow on standard culture media, a phenomenon known as the viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state. Bacteria commonly enter the VBNC state under nutrient-poor environments or under stressful conditions. This review explores the concept of the VBNC state, providing insights into the beneficial bacteria known to employ this strategy. The investigation covers different chemical and physical factors that can induce the latency state, cell features, and gene expression observed in cells in the VBNC state. The review also covers the significance and applications of beneficial bacteria, methods of evaluating bacterial viability, the ability of bacteria to persist in environments associated with higher organisms, and the factors that facilitate the return to the culturable state. Knowledge about beneficial bacteria capable of entering the VBNC state remains limited; however, beneficial bacteria in this state could face adverse environmental conditions and return to a culturable state when the conditions become suitable and continue to exert their beneficial effects. Likewise, this unique feature positions them as potential candidates for healthcare applications, such as the use of probiotic bacteria to enhance human health, applications in industrial microbiology for the production of prebiotics and functional foods, and in the beer and wine industry. Moreover, their use in formulations to increase crop yields and for bacterial bioremediation offers an alternative pathway to harness their beneficial attributes.

Design, methods and demographic findings of the DEMINVALL survey: a population-based study of Dementia in Valladolid, Northwestern Spain.

BACKGROUND: This article describes the rationale and design of a population-based survey of dementia in Valladolid (northwestern Spain). The main aim of the study was to assess the epidemiology of dementia and its subtypes. Prevalence of anosognosia in dementia patients, nutritional status, diet characteristics, and determinants of non-diagnosed dementia in the community were studied. The main sociodemographic, educational, and general health status characteristics of the study population are described. METHODS: Cross-over and cohort, population-based study. A two-phase door-to-door study was performed. Both urban and rural environments were included. In phase 1 (February 2009 - February 2010) 28 trained physicians examined a population of 2,989 subjects (age: ≥ 65 years). The seven-minute screen neurocognitive battery was used. In phase 2 (May 2009 - May 2010) 4 neurologists, 1 geriatrician, and 3 neuropsychologists confirmed the diagnosis of dementia and subtype in patients screened positive by a structured neurological evaluation. Specific instruments to assess anosognosia, the nutritional status and diet characteristics were used. Of the initial sample, 2,170 subjects were evaluated (57% female, mean age 76.5 ± 7.8, 5.2% institutionalized), whose characteristics are described. 227 persons were excluded for various reasons. Among those eligible were 592 non-responders. The attrition bias of non-responders was lower in rural areas. 241 screened positive (11.1%). DISCUSSION: The survey will explore some clinical, social and health related life-style variables of dementia. The population size and the diversification of social and educational backgrounds will contribute to a better knowledge of dementia in our environment.

Clinical impact of nailfold capillaroscopy in daily clinical practice. / Impacto clínico de la capilaroscopia periungueal en la práctica clínica diaria.

INTRODUCTION: Nailfold capillaroscopy (NC) is useful in the evaluation of Raynaud's phenomenon, associated with some connective tissue diseases and in the follow-up of patients with systemic sclerosis. Our study evaluates the impact of NC in the diagnosis, according to the reason for the request and profile of autoantibodies in daily clinical practice. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All patients that undergone at least one NC between June 2012 and December 2017 were included. Clinical records were reviewed and analysed in a dichotomous way (yes/no), to see whether the NC contributed to a change of diagnosis in subsequent consultations. In addition, demographic, clinical and laboratory data were collected, and the relationship with NC patterns evaluated. RESULTS: Of the 530 patients who had undergone at least one NC, 266 had Raynaud's phenomenon as primary indication for the technique. Of those, 20 patients (3.8%) had a diagnostic change in the post-NC consultation; 15 were diagnosed with systemic sclerosis, 4 with undifferentiated connective tissue disease and one with mixed connective tissue disease. All patients had, except for one patient diagnosed with undifferentiated connective tissue disease, positive antinuclear antibodies titres, 11 of them had disease specific antibodies (9 anti-centromere, one anti-Scl70 and other anti-RNPC). The positivity of antinuclear antibodies titres was associated with a higher probability of presenting a scleroderma pattern in the NC, and all patients with a specific rheumatological diagnosis had an abnormal NC. CONCLUSION: NC is a useful technique, but with limited impact in the diagnosis of connective tissue diseases. Autoantibody positivity is associated with a greater likelihood of presenting pathological NC patterns.

Skeletal and dental contributions to posterior crossbites.

The objective of this retrospective study was to compare skeletal and dental arch morphology of children with posterior crossbites with a control group of children without posterior crossbites. The study included 93 patients with a posterior crossbite (33 boys and 60 girls) and 97 patients without a posterior crossbite (50 boys and 47 girls). Skeletal and dental characteristics between the two groups were compared using measurements of dental casts, and lateral and posteroanterior cephalograms. Univariate analyses revealed that seven characteristics were significantly different between the crossbite and non-crossbite groups: mandibular plane angle, lower face height, skeletal maxillary to mandibular width ratio, maxillary intermolar width, mandibular intermolar width, maxillary to mandibular intermolar width ratio, and mandibular unit length. Using maxillary to madibular intermolar width ratio as the outcome measure, a stepwise variable selection technique, analyzed all 190 patients and found only two variables significantly associated with this measure: skeletal maxillary to mandibular width ratio and lower face height. The coefficient of multiple determination for this model was only 13%, indicating that these two variables accounted for only a small portion in the variation of the ratio between the maxillary and mandibular intermolar widths.

Conocimientos sobre prevención y factores de riesgo para cáncer de cuello uterino en un centro de educación técnica / Knowledge about prevention and risk factors for cervical cancer in a technical education center

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a public health problem. Objective: To determine the level of knowledge about prevention and risk factors for cervical cancer in women of a technical institute in the city of Cali, Colombia. Methods: Cross-sectional study with the participation of 131 women enrolled in any of the academic programs of the educational institution, to whom a structured survey was applied. Results: The general average of positive answers was 51.7%. The correct knowledge on prevention was calculated in 86.1%, while the knowledge of risk factors was estimated in 34.6%. Conclusions: We found a high level of knowledge regarding cytology and the vaccine against human papillomavirus in questions of preventive methods, but the knowledge on risk factors for the development of cervical cancer was low. These deficiencies could be related to low socioeconomic and academic levels in the population studied.

Introducción. El cáncer de cuello uterino es un importante problema de salud pública. Objetivo. Determinar el grado de conocimiento sobre prevención y factores de riesgo para cáncer de cuello uterino en mujeres de un instituto de educación técnica de la ciudad de Cali, Colombia. Métodos. Estudio de corte transversal, con la participación de 131 mujeres matriculadas en cualquiera de los programas académicos de la institución educativa, a quienes se les aplicó una encuesta estructurada. Resultados. El promedio general de respuestas positivas fue 51,7%. La media de acierto de las variables de conocimiento sobre prevención se calculó en 86,1%, mientras que el promedio de acierto de las variables sobre factores de riesgo se estimó en 34,6%. Conclusiones. Se encontró un nivel de conocimiento alto respecto a la citología y la vacuna contra el virus del papiloma humano como métodos de prevención, pero el nivel fue bajo cuando se consideraron los factores de riesgo para el desarrollo de cáncer de cuello uterino. Estas deficiencias podrían estar relacionadas con nivel socioeconómico y académico bajos en la población estudiada.

Conceptos biológicos farmacológicos del movimiento ortodóncico / Biologic and pharmacological concepts of orthodontic movement

Para producir movimiento dentario se han diseñado aparatos que actúan de manera diferente, pero todos con el mismo efecto celular. Muchas células del organismo están involucradas en la activación y en la respuesta del ligamento periodontal y hueso alveolar al movimiento dental. El mecanismo exacto por medio del cual los dientes se mueven todavía no ha sido determinado. El objetivo del presente artículo es hacer una revisión de varios estudios realizados sobre el (movimiento dentario ortodóntico que permita establecer algunas conclusiones sobre aspectos fisiológicos y farmacológicos que afecten dicho movimiento...