Diagnostic accuracy of blood biomarkers and non-invasive scores for the diagnosis of NAFLD and NASH: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Fatty liver disease is an important public health problem. Early diagnosis is critical to lower its rate of progression to irreversible/terminal stages. This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of non-invasive prediction scores for fatty liver disease (NAFLD and NASH) diagnosis in adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search was conducted in 10 databases, a qualitative synthesis of 45 studies, and quantitative analysis of the six most common scores. There were 23 risk scores found for NAFLD diagnosis and 32 for NASH diagnosis. The most used were Fatty Liver Index (FLI), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) to Platelet Ratio Index, Fibrosis-4 Index (FIB-4), AST/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, BARD score, and NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS). RESULTS: The results from the meta-analysis for FLI: Area under the curve (AUC) of 0.76 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 0.73, 0.80), sensitivity 0.67 (CI 95% 0.62, 0.72) and specificity 0.78 (CI 95% 0.74, 0.83). The AST to Platelet Ratio Index: AUC 0.83 (CI 95% 0.80, 0.86), sensitivity 0.45 (95% CI 0.29, 0.62), and specificity of 0.89 (95% CI 0.83, 0.92). The NFS: AUC of 0.82 (CI 95% 0.78, 0.85), sensitivity 0.30 (CI 95% 0.27, 0.33) and specificity 0.96 (CI 95% 0.95,0.96). CONCLUSIONS: The FLI for NAFLD and AST to Platelet Ratio Index for NASH were the risk scores with the highest prognostic value in the included studies. Further research is needed for the application of new diagnostic risk scores for NAFLD and NASH.

Analysis of musculoskeletal disorders-associated disability in Mexico from 1990 to 2021.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) affect 1.71 billion people worldwide and are the leading cause of disability. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the years lived with disability (YLD) attributed to MSD in Mexico between 1990 and 2021. MATERIAL AND METHODS: With estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, the YLDs due to MSD and their six categories were analyzed, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, neck pain, low back pain, as well as other MSDs. Patterns and trends in the number, crude rate, and YLD age-standardized rate were evaluated at the national and state levels, as well as by age group and gender. RESULTS: MSDs were the main cause of YLDs in Mexico between 1990 and 2021, with an increase of 57.3%, going from 1,458.4 to 2,293.7 per 100,000 population. Low back pain (840.6 YLD) showed the highest rate in 2021, while osteoarthritis had the largest increase. MSDs increased with age and, and except for gout, affected women more often. CONCLUSIONS: From 1990 to 2021, MSDs were the main cause of YLDs in Mexico, with a higher impact on adults and women. MSDs can appear early in life, hence the need for continuous interventions in order to preserve quality of life.

ANTECEDENTES: Los trastornos musculoesqueléticos (TME) afectan a 1710 millones de personas en todo el mundo y es la principal causa de discapacidad. OBJETIVO: Analizar los años vividos con discapacidad (AVD) por TME en México entre 1990 y 2021. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Con las estimaciones del estudio de la Carga Global de la Enfermedad 2021 se analizaron los AVD por TME y sus seis categorías: osteoartritis, artritis reumatoide, gota, dolor cervical, lumbalgia y otros TME. Se evaluaron patrones y tendencias del número, tasa cruda y tasa estandarizada por edad de los AVD a nivel nacional, estatal, por grupos de edad y sexo. RESULTADOS: Los TME constituyeron la principal causa de AVD en México entre 1990 y 2021, con un incremento de 57.3 %; pasaron de 1458.4 a 2293.7 por 100 000 habitantes. La lumbalgia (840.6 AVD) destacó con la mayor tasa en 2021 y la osteoartritis, con el mayor incremento. Los TME se incrementaron con la edad y, con excepción de la gota, afectaron más a las mujeres. CONCLUSIONES: De 1990 a 2021, los TME constituyeron la principal causa de AVD en México, con mayor impacto en adultos y mujeres. Los TME se evidencian desde edades tempranas, de ahí la necesidad de intervenciones continuas para preservar la calidad de vida.

Subjective Sexual Well-Being in Chilean Adults: Evaluation of a Predictive Model.

Research on sexuality has traditionally focused on sexual satisfaction, with studies into subjective sexual well-being being a recent phenomenon. This study sought to evaluate the relationship between sexual behavior, happiness, health, and subjective sexual well-being. The data were collected from 862 people aged between 18 and 50 years in Santiago, Chile, and were analyzed by logistic regression analysis. The results showed that sexual behavioral indicators (sexual frequency, sexual caresses, and touching), happiness, and perception of health taken as a whole predicted 47.4% of subjective sexual well-being (SSWB). Analysis of the four items of subjective sexual well-being separately showed that the dimension of physical satisfaction was associated with three variables of sexual behavior indicators with a prediction percentage of 33.5%, whereas emotional satisfaction was associated with three variables of sexual behavior indicators and happiness, with a percentage of prediction of 43.3%. Satisfaction with sexual function was associated with perception of health and one sexual behavior indicator, with a prediction percentage of 29.2% of this variable. The importance of sex was associated with three sexual behavior variables that predicted 26.2% of this variable. The results confirm that subjective sexual well-being can be predicted and that its four dimensions present a different behavior compared to the study predictors.

Hazelnut and Walnut Nutshell Features as Emerging Added-Value Byproducts of the Nut Industry: A Review.

The hard-shelled seed industry plays an important role in the global agricultural economy. In fact, only considering hazelnut and walnut, the global nut supply is over 5.6 tons. As a result considerable amounts are produced year by year, burnt or discarded as waste, bypassing a potential source of valuable compounds or features. This review deals with the recent scientific literature on their chemical composition as well as functional applications as an approach to sustain the utilization of the main byproduct derived from industry. Indeed, nutshells have received great interest due to their lignin, antioxidant, physical and mechanical features. It was found that these properties vary among cultivars and localities of plantation, influencing physical and structural features. The inconsistencies regarding the above-mentioned properties of nutshells lead to exploring the status of hazelnut and walnut shell applications in sustainable bio-economy chains. In fact, in terms of potential applications, the state of the art links their use to the construction industry and the manufacture of materials, such as resin or plastic composites, particleboards or construction panels, or vital infrastructure and as a filler in cement pavements. However, their current use continues bypassing their great antioxidant potential and their interesting chemical and mechanical features.

In vitro heterochronic parabiosis identifies pigment epithelium-derived factor as a systemic mediator of rejuvenation by young blood.

Several decades of heterochronic parabiosis (HCPB) studies have demonstrated the restorative impact of young blood, and deleterious influence of aged blood, on physiological function and homeostasis across tissues, although few of the factors responsible for these observations have been identified. Here we develop an in vitro HCPB system to identify these circulating factors, using replicative lifespan (RLS) of primary human fibroblasts as an endpoint of cellular health. We find that RLS is inversely correlated with serum donor age and sensitive to the presence or absence of specific serum components. Through in vitro HCPB, we identify the secreted protein pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) as a circulating factor that extends RLS of primary human fibroblasts and declines with age in mammals. Systemic administration of PEDF to aged mice reverses age-related functional decline and pathology across several tissues, improving cognitive function and reducing hepatic fibrosis and renal lipid accumulation. Together, our data supports PEDF as a systemic mediator of the effect of young blood on organismal health and homeostasis and establishes our in vitro HCPB system as a valuable screening platform for the identification of candidate circulating factors involved in aging and rejuvenation.

Paranasal sinuses computed tomography in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected invasive fungal rhinosinusitis.

Invasive fungal rhinosinusitis (IFR) is a complication that presents mainly in immunocompromised patients. Paranasal sinuses computed tomography (PCT) is frequently obtained during initial evaluation of suspected cases. The objective of the study was to determine the imaging findings that suggest IFR in patients with hematological malignancies. In the retrospective case/control study, we included 14 patients with hematological malignancies that developed IFR in the Hospital Clínico de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile between January 2005 and June 2009. Twenty patients with hematological malignancies, with suspected sinonasal infectious involvement requiring a PCT for initial evaluation, were chosen as the control group. Thirteen imaging parameters were compared between both groups. Osseous erosion and facial soft tissue thickening were statistically associated with the presence of IFR (p < 0.05). The presence of osseous erosion, facial soft tissue thickening, extrasinus extension or unilateral involvement had a positive predictive value of 100%, with an incidence among the total group of 12, 15, 9 and 9%, respectively. No patients with IFR had a normal PCT. Most PCTs in the initial evaluation of suspected IFR had nonspecific findings. The clinician must have a high index of suspicion and complement the workup with other diagnostic techniques to initiate appropriate treatment.

The effects of Chile's 2005 traffic law reform and in-country socioeconomic differences on road traffic deaths among children aged 0-14 years: A 12-year interrupted time series analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the effect of Chile's 2005 traffic law reform (TLR) on the rates of road traffic deaths (RTD) in children aged 0-14 years, adjusting for socioeconomic differences among the regions of the country. METHODS: Free-access sources of official and national information provided the data for every year of the study period (2002-2013) and for each of the country's 13 upper administrative divisions with respect to RTD in child pedestrians and RTD in child passengers (dependent variables), and the following control variables: the number of road traffic tickets processed, investment in road infrastructure, poverty, income inequality, insufficient education, unemployment, population aged 0-14 years, and prevalence of alcohol consumption in the general population. Interrupted time series analyses (level and slope change impact model), using generalized estimating equation methods, were conducted to assess the impact of the TLR (independent variable) on the dependents variables. RESULTS: There was a significant interaction between time and Chile's 2005 TLR for a reduction in child pedestrians (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.96) and passengers RTD (IRR for interaction 0.80, 95% CI 0.67-0.96) trends. In addition, in child pedestrians, RTD rates were affected by poverty (IRR 1.04, 95% CI 1.02-1.05), income inequality (IRR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.04), and unemployment (IRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90-0.98), whereas in the case of child passengers, poverty (IRR 1.05, 95% CI 1.01-1.08) and income inequality (IRR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91-0.95) were significant. CONCLUSIONS: Large-scale legislative actions can be effective road safety measures if they are aimed at promoting behavioral change in developing countries, improving the safety of children on the road. Additionally, regional socioeconomic differences are associated with higher RTD rates in this population, making this an argument in favor of road safety policies that consider these inequalities. The number of road traffic tickets processed and the investment in road infrastructure were not significant.

Safe mobility, socioeconomic inequalities, and aging: A 12-year multilevel interrupted time-series analysis of road traffic death rates in a Latin American country.

As the resources for road safety in developing countries are scarce and unevenly distributed, vulnerable road users -such as the elderly- may be particularly at risk of road traffic deaths. To date, the impact of road safety measures over the rate of road traffic deaths in older adults (60 years or older), considering the within-country socioeconomic inequalities, has not been explored in developing nations. This study takes the Chilean case as an example -with its 2005 traffic law reform as one of the road safety measures investigated-, in which open data available from official national sources for all its 13 regions over the 2002-2013 period were used for a multilevel interrupted time-series analysis. A statistically significant secular reduction of the rates of road traffic deaths in the elderly population was found (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 0.95, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.91 to 0.99), but no evidence for a significant intercept or slope change after the traffic law reform was observed. Regions with the highest number of traffic offenses prosecuted in local police courts had lower rates of road traffic deaths in older adults (IRR 0.95, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.00), and those regions in the third (IRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.16 to 2.25) and the fifth (IRR 1.66, 95% CI 1.08 to 2.54) quintiles of socioeconomic deprivation had higher rates of road traffic deaths in the elderly. Such findings strongly support the conceptualization of the road safety of seniors in developing countries as a social equity issue, with implications for the design of traffic regulations and road environments.

Hypotestosteronemia is an important factor for the development of hypertension: elevated blood pressure in orchidectomized conscious rats is reversed by different androgens.

PURPOSE: Hypotestosteronemia is an aging-associated disease. Little is known about experimental evidence linking androgen deficiency to hypertension. Various androgens are acute vasodilators, both in vitro and in vivo. We aimed to systematically investigate blood pressure (BP) in male normotensive intact or orchidectomized (ORX) Wistar and Wistar-Kyoto rats. Furthermore, we studied the acute antihypertensive responses of testosterone (TES), its precursor (DHEA), or its 5ß-reduced metabolite (5ß-DHT) in conscious, unrestrained, hypertensive Wistar rats caused by orchidectomy to determine their potency and efficacy. Similarly, the mechanism of their action mediated by nitric oxide (NO) was studied in vivo. METHODS: BP of ORX rats was evaluated weekly for 18 weeks by tail cuff plethysmography. Subsequently, BP of ORX Wistar rats was measured by chronic indwelling vascular catheters, arterial, and venous catheters were implanted under anesthesia for BP recording and androgen administration, respectively. Then, a dose-response curve of each androgen was performed. Likewise, the dose-response curve of 5ß-DHT, the most potent androgen, was repeated in the presence of a nonselective NO synthase inhibitor (L-NAME) or an inhibitor of endothelial NO synthesis (Endothelin-1). RESULTS: ORX rats progressively increased systolic/diastolic BP (167 ± 2.8/141 ± 3.3 mmHg) over 18 weeks. No difference was found between strains. The BP was reduced in a dose-dependent manner caused by i.v. bolus injection of each androgen, with a rank order of potency of: 5ß-DHT = DHEA>>TES. Dose-dependent antihypertension induced by 5ß-DHT in ORX rats was not abolished in the presence of L-NAME or Endothelin-1. CONCLUSIONS: These in vivo experimental findings reveal that hypotestosteronemia is a determining factor for the development of hypertension which is powerfully reduced by androgen administration, and 5ß-DHT induces a potent and effective antihypertensive response by a NO-independent mechanism.

Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS): Psychometric Properties and Discriminative Capacity in Several Chilean Samples.

We evaluated the factor structure, reliability, and discriminative capacity of the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) questionnaire in four different samples: two general adult populations (N = 1,548, N = 964), one adolescent population (N = 1,044), and young people with depressive symptomatology (N = 307). Exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) were performed with subsamples from Studies 1 (n = 773) and 2 (n = 527), finding that the two- and three-factor solutions had a good fit. In a confirmatory factor analysis, the two-factor solution resulted in an adequate fit in a second set of subsamples from both studies (n = 775, n = 517). In Study 3, we found good convergent and divergent validity with adequate and significant correlations found for depression (Beck's Depression Inventory), anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and neuroticism and extroversion (Big Five Inventory). In Study 4, the results of an EFA performed in a subsample (n = 154) found that the two- and three-factor solutions were appropriate with the former solution being confirmed in a second subsample (n = 153). Reliability was α = .85 for positive affect and α = .87 for negative affect. The PANAS questionnaire showed adequate indicators of validity and reliability in adult and adolescent populations as well as in a sample with depressive symptoms.

rs12416605:C>T in MIR938 associates with gastric cancer through affecting the regulation of the CXCL12 chemokine gene.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs are small regulatory RNAs with important roles in carcinogenesis. Genetic variants in these regulatory molecules may contribute to disease. We aim to identify allelic variants in microRNAs as susceptibility factors to gastric cancer using association studies and functional approaches. METHODS: Twenty-one single nucleotide variants potentially functional, because of their location in either the seed, mature or precursor region of 22 microRNAs, were selected for association studies. Genetic association with gastric cancer in 365 cases and 1,284 matched controls (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Cohort) was analysed using logistic regression. MicroRNA overexpression, transcriptome analysis, and target gene validation experiments were performed for functional studies. RESULTS: rs3746444:T>C, in the seed of MIR499A and mature MIR499B, associated with the cardia adenocarcinoma location; rs12416605:C>T, in the seed of MIR938, associated with the diffuse subtype; and rs2114358:T>C, in the precursor MIR1206, associated with the noncardia phenotype. In all cases, the association was inverse, indicating a protective affect against gastric cancer of the three minor allelic variants. MIR499 rs3746444:T>C and MIR1206 rs2114358:T>C are reported to affect the expression of these miRNAs, but the effect of MIR938 rs12416605:C>T is unknown yet. Functional approaches showed that the expression of MIR938 is affected by rs12416605:C>T and revealed that MIR938 could regulate a subset of cancer-related genes in an allele-specific fashion. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CXCL12, a chemokine participating in gastric cancer metastasis, is specifically regulated by only one of the rs12416605:C>T alleles. CONCLUSION: rs12416605 appears to be involved in gastric cancer by affecting the regulatory function of MIR938 on genes related to this cancer type, particularly on CXCL12 posttranscriptional regulation.

Assessment of speech perception: A survey of speech-language-hearing therapists on their most frequent practices / Evaluación de la percepción del habla: encuesta a profesionales de la Fonoaudiología sobre sus prácticas más frecuentes

ABSTRACT Purpose: to characterize the practices of speech-language-hearing pathologists in Chile, regarding speech perception assessment in children and adolescents. Methods: an exploratory cross-sectional study carried out using a self-administered online survey to investigate knowledge and quantify trends in the practice of speech perception assessment, based on six focus groups with speech-language-hearing pathologists. The instrument was disseminated through the researchers' social media and contact networks. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: a total of 121 people responded to the survey, all of them being speech-language-hearing pathologists. These professionals, in Chile, highly value speech perception in child development, however, a large percentage of them do not assess it. Those who carry it out, reported a wide range of assessment practices. Conclusion: the results highlight the need for standardizing certain speech-language-hearing methods and the importance of understanding the assessment strategies in use to point out opportunities to improve both the assessment and subsequent therapeutic processes.

RESUMEN Objetivo: caracterizar las prácticas de los profesionales de la Fonoaudiología en Chile en torno a la evaluación de la percepción del habla en niños, niñas y adolescentes. Métodos: se realizó un estudio exploratorio de diseño transversal mediante una encuesta online autoadministrada diseñada para indagar en los saberes y cuantificar tendencias en la práctica de la evaluación de la percepción del habla. La encuesta fue confeccionada en base a seis grupos focales realizados con profesionales fonoaudiólogos. La difusión del instrumento se realizó a través de redes sociales y redes de contacto de los investigadores. El análisis estadístico realizado fue de carácter descriptivo. Resultados: un total de 121 personas respondieron la encuesta, todos profesionales de la Fonoaudiología. Los profesionales de la Fonoaudiología en Chile otorgan un alto valor a la percepción del habla en el desarrollo infantil, no obstante, un gran porcentaje no la evalúa. Aquellos profesionales que lo realizan, revelan una amplia diversidad en las prácticas evaluativas. Conclusión: los resultados permiten visibilizar la necesidad de estandarizar ciertos métodos fonoaudiológicos y resaltar la importancia de comprender las estrategias evaluativas en uso para señalar oportunidades de mejora tanto en la evaluación como en los posteriores procesos terapéuticos.

Análisis de la discapacidad por trastornos musculoesqueléticos en México de 1990 a 2021 / Analysis of musculoskeletal disorders-associated disability in Mexico from 1990 to 2021

Resumen Antecedentes: Los trastornos musculoesqueléticos (TME) afectan a 1710 millones de personas en todo el mundo y es la principal causa de discapacidad. Objetivo: Analizar los años vividos con discapacidad (AVD) por TME en México entre 1990 y 2021. Material y métodos: Con las estimaciones del estudio de la Carga Global de la Enfermedad 2021 se analizaron los AVD por TME y sus seis categorías: osteoartritis, artritis reumatoide, gota, dolor cervical, lumbalgia y otros TME. Se evaluaron patrones y tendencias del número, tasa cruda y tasa estandarizada por edad de los AVD a nivel nacional, estatal, por grupos de edad y sexo. Resultados: Los TME constituyeron la principal causa de AVD en México entre 1990 y 2021, con un incremento de 57.3 %; pasaron de 1458.4 a 2293.7 por 100 000 habitantes. La lumbalgia (840.6 AVD) destacó con la mayor tasa en 2021 y la osteoartritis, con el mayor incremento. Los TME se incrementaron con la edad y, con excepción de la gota, afectaron más a las mujeres. Conclusiones: De 1990 a 2021, los TME constituyeron la principal causa de AVD en México, con mayor impacto en adultos y mujeres. Los TME se evidencian desde edades tempranas, de ahí la necesidad de intervenciones continuas para preservar la calidad de vida.

Abstract Background: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) affect 1.71 billion people worldwide and are the leading cause of disability. Objective: To analyze the years lived with disability (YLD) attributed to MSD in Mexico between 1990 and 2021. Material and methods: With estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study, the YLDs due to MSD and their six categories were analyzed, including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout, neck pain, low back pain, as well as other MSDs. Patterns and trends in the number, crude rate, and YLD age-standardized rate were evaluated at the national and state levels, as well as by age group and gender. Results: MSDs were the main cause of YLDs in Mexico between 1990 and 2021, with an increase of 57.3%, going from 1,458.4 to 2,293.7 per 100,000 population. Low back pain (840.6 YLD) showed the highest rate in 2021, while osteoarthritis had the largest increase. MSDs increased with age and, and except for gout, affected women more often. Conclusions: From 1990 to 2021, MSDs were the main cause of YLDs in Mexico, with a higher impact on adults and women. MSDs can appear early in life, hence the need for continuous interventions in order to preserve quality of life.

Stuttering intervention in children: an integrative literature review / Intervención de la tartamudez en niños: una revisión integrativa de la literatura

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe intervention methodologies implemented in recent years in stuttering children. Methods: a search was performed for empirical articles on interventions in stuttering children aged 2.5 to 7 years. The search was carried out in Embase, WOS, Pubmed, and Scopus, considering articles published between January 2014 and June 2020. Literature Review: 11 articles were selected out of the 1,099 retrieved. Different approaches were observed, of which the Lidcombe program showed the most evidence. Most studies were conducted on English-speaking children and participants were assessed regarding linguistic and non-linguistic aspects. All studies considered parental involvement in the intervention. No investigation took measurements for more than 24 months. Individual interventions predominated. Conclusion: good therapeutic results were found in all reviewed interventions. Research comparing two types of treatments did not find one to be superior to the other.

RESUMEN Objetivo: describir las metodologías de intervención implementadas durante los últimos años en niños con tartamudez Métodos: se realizó la búsqueda de artículos empíricos de tratamiento en niños con tartamudez entre los 2.5 a 7 años. Se consideraron artículos publicados entre enero del año 2014 a junio del año 2020. La búsqueda se realizó en las bases de datos Embase, WOS, Pubmed y Scopus. Junto a lo anterior se realizó un análisis de las referencias de los artículos seleccionados. Revisión de la Literatura: se seleccionaron 11 artículos de 1.099 revisados. Se observaron distintas propuestas de intervención de las cuales el Programa Lidcombe es el que mayor evidencia presenta. La mayoría de las investigaciones fueron realizadas en hablantes de lengua inglesa. Los participantes son evaluados tanto en aspectos lingüísticos como no lingüísticos. Todos consideraron la participación de los padres en la intervención. No hubo investigaciones con mediciones a más de 24 meses. Predomina la modalidad de intervención individual. Conclusión: se evidencian buenos resultados terapéuticos en todas las intervenciones revisadas. En las investigaciones que compararon dos tipos de tratamiento no se observó la superioridad de uno por sobre otro.

Affectivity as mediator of the relation between optimism and quality of life in men who have sex with men with HIV.

Background/Objective: Increased life expectancy has made quality of life the primary objective in the care of chronic patients and people living with HIV. It found evidence of the link between optimism, quality of life and well-being. This article aimed to determine whether affectivity in its two dimensions (positive and negative) played a mediating role in the association between optimism and quality of life in men living with HIV. Method: 116 men living with HIV (the average age was 36.8 years (SD=9.06), and the average time from the diagnosis was 8.2 years) responded to three instruments: Life Orientation Test revised version (LOT-R), the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL-Bref). Results: The results showed that positive affect had no mediating effect, whereas negative affect mediated the relation of optimism with two quality-of-life dimensions (overall quality of life and environment). Conclusion: In conclusion, negative affect was found to participate only partially, acting as a mediating variable.

Antecedente/Objetivos: El aumento de la esperanza de vida ha hecho de la calidad de vida (CV) el objetivo fundamental en el cuidado de pacientes crónicos y en personas que viven con VIH. Se ha encontrado evidencia del vínculo entre optimismo, calidad de vida y bienestar. El propósito del presente estudio fue determinar si la afectividad en sus dos dimensiones (positiva y negativa) desempeña un rol mediador en la asociación entre optimismo y calidad de vida en hombres viviendo con VIH que tienen sexo con hombres. Método: Cientodieciséis hombres con VIH (edad promedio fue de 36,8 años; DT = 9,06; tiempo medio desde el diagnóstico de 8,2 años) contestaron tres instrumentos: Life Orientation Test Revised Version (LOT-R), Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) y World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQoL-Bref). Resultados: Los resultados mostraron que el afecto positivo no tuvo efecto mediador, mientras el afecto negativo medió la relación entre optimismo y dos dimensiones de la calidad de vida (calidad de vida general y ambiente). Conclusiones: Se encontró que el afecto negativo participa parcialmente como una variable mediadora entre el optimismo y calidad de vida.

Perception of Safety and Liking Associated to the Colour Intervention of Bike Lanes: Contribution from the Behavioural Sciences to Urban Design and Wellbeing.

The perception of colour and its subjective effects are key issues to designing safe and enjoyable bike lanes. This paper addresses the relationship between the colours of bike lane interventions-in particular pavement painting and intersection design-and the subjective evaluation of liking, visual saliency, and perceived safety related to such an intervention. Utilising images of three real bike lane intersections modified by software to change their colour (five in total), this study recruited 538 participants to assess their perception of all fifteen colour-design combinations. A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) with the Bonferroni post hoc test was performed to assess the effect of the main conditions (colour and design) on the dependent variables (liking towards the intervention, level of visual saliency of the intersection, and perceived safety of the bike lane). The results showed that the colour red was more positively associated to the outcome variables, followed by yellow and blue. Additionally, it was observed that the effect of colour widely outweighs the effect of design, suggesting that the right choice and use of colour would increase the effectiveness on bike-lanes pavement interventions. Limitations and future directions are discussed.

Disfluencias típicas del habla en niños fluentes de Santiago de Chile / Typical speech dysfluencies in fluent children from Santiago de Chile

El estudio de la fluidez del habla, en distintas etapas del ciclo vital, es relevante porque contribuye tanto a la comprensión del desarrollo típico del habla como a la comprensión del habla patológica, lo que aporta al diagnóstico y al tratamiento. Los objetivos del trabajo son: a) determinar la presencia y distribución de las disfluencias en distintos grupos etarios y b) determinar si existe variación en la distribución de las disfluencias en relación con el género de los informantes. La muestra estuvo compuesta por 60 niños y adolescentes entre los 4.01 años y 15.0 años distribuidos en tres grupos. Los resultados indican que la prolongación de vocal fue la disfluencia más frecuente, mientras que la repetición de sílaba fue la menos presente en los grupos analizados. En el grupo de mujeres de menor edad hubo una cantidad significativamente alta de repetición de palabras. No se encontraron otras diferencias en relación con el género de los informantes. Finalmente, se discuten los resultados y algunas consideraciones relacionadas con la metodología en este tipo de investigaciones.

The study of fluency of speech, at different stages of the life cycle, is relevant in that it contributes both to the understanding of typical speech development and to the understanding of pathological speech, which is useful for diagnosis and treatment. The objectives of this work are a) to determine the presence and distribution of the disfluencies present in different age groups and b) to determine if there is variation in the distribution of disfluencies in relation to the gender of the informants. Thesample consisted of 60 children and adolescents between 4.01 years old and 15.0 years old distributed in three groups. The results indicate that vowel prolongation was the most frequent disfluency, while syllable repetition was the least present inthe groups analyzed. In the group of younger women, there was a significantly high amount of word repetition when comparing the presence of this disfluency in the other two groups. There were no more differences reported in relation to the gender ofthe informants. Finally, the results and some considerations related to the methodology in this type of research are discussed

Acquisition age of lateral and rhotic phonemes: the opinion of Speech and Language Therapists from Santiago, Chile / Edades de adquisición de fonemas lateral y róticos en niños: un estudio de opinión de fonoaudiólogos de Santiago de Chile

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe at which age do speech and language therapists consider the / l /, / ɾ /, / r / phonemes should be acquired; to describe the criteria used by speech and language therapists to consider a phoneme as acquired; and to investigate the diagnostic criteria used by these professionals. Methods: this is an analytical cross-sectional study in which an online questionnaire was completed by 151 speech and language therapists from the Metropolitan region of Chile. The questionnaire included questions regarding the aims of this study. Results: around a 30% of respondents considered the /l/ phoneme to be acquired between 3,6-4,6 years, a 72% agreed on the /ɾ/ phoneme to be acquired from 4,0 to 4,11 and a 40% declared the acquisition of the /r/ phoneme between 5,6-5,11. When determining a phoneme as acquired, a 46.3% of interviewees referred to do it only when it was produced always and a 30% declared to consider as such when produced more than 50% of the times. When exposed to a real case, respondents provided three different diagnostic options. Conclusion: results showed a wide age range in which speech and language therapists consider the lateral and rhotic phonemes to be acquired, showing no consensus. There are diverse criteria to determine when each phoneme is acquired. Similarly, different opinions were evidenced regarding when a disorder would be defined as phonologic or articulatory.

RESUMEN Objetivo: describir la edad en que consideran que deben estar adquiridos los fonemas / l /, / ɾ /, / r /; describir el criterio que utilizan fonoaudiólogos para considerar un fonema adquirido; e indagar sobre los criterios diagnósticos que utilizan estos profesionales. Métodos: se realizó un estudio transversal analítico mediante un cuestionario validado, presentado de manera online, a 151 fonoaudiólogos de la Región Metropolitana de Chile, con preguntas referidas a los objetivos presentados. Resultados: aproximadamente un 30% de los encuestados consideró que el fonema /l/ se adquiría entre 3,6-4,6 años, /ɾ/ entre 4,0-4,11 un 72% y /r/ entre 5,6-5,11 un 40%. El 46,3% considera que un fonema está adquirido cuando se dice siempre y un 30% cuando lo dice más del 50% de las veces. Ante el relato de un caso, los encuestados eligieron tres opciones diagnósticas diferentes Conclusión: se observa que existe una amplia variedad de rango etario en la que los fonoaudiólogos creen que deben adquirirse los fonemas lateral y róticos no encontrándose un consenso. Existe una alta variedad de criterios respecto a cuándo considerar un fonema como adquirido. También existen distintas concepciones sobre cuándo un trastorno se considerará articulatorio o fonológico.

Longitudinal analysis of participants in the KEEP Mexico's chronic kidney disease screening program.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) is a free screening and educational program aimed at detecting chronic kidney disease (CKD) among adult individuals who are at high-risk (those with diabetes, hypertension, or family history of these conditions or CKD). Confirmation of CKD diagnosis requires persistence of albuminuria or estimated GFR <60 mL/min for at least 3 months. We undertook this study to determine in a follow-up KEEP done at least 1 year after a baseline KEEP the following: 1) CKD incidence among individuals who initially tested negative for CKD, 2) transitions between CKD stages among individuals who initially tested positive for CKD. METHODS: A random sample of KEEP participants was invited to participate in a follow-up KEEP between 2008 and 2010. Paired analyses were conducted to compare CKD stages between baseline and follow-up KEEP. RESULTS: A total of 434 individuals with a mean age of 49 years and 77% females participated in the study. Overall CKD prevalence in the baseline KEEP was 24%, and most patients were unaware of the diagnosis. In the follow-up KEEP, CKD incidence was 14%. The percentage of patients who tested positive for CKD in the baseline KEEP and who remained positive regardless of stage in the follow-up KEEP was 40% for those with stage 1 at baseline, 52% for those with stage 2, 65% for those with stage 3, and 100% for those with stages 4 or 5. CONCLUSIONS: Screening for CKD among high-risk individuals is uncommon. KEEP is an effective program for detecting CKD.