[Epidemiology of premature deaths in Chile between 2001 and 2010]. / Epidemiología de las muertes prematuras en Chile en la década 2001-2010.

BACKGROUND: Years of potential life lost (YPLL) is a parameter that allows to analyze premature deaths. AIM: To study the causes, differences by gender, geographic variations and the trend of premature deaths in the last decade in Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Using death databases published by the Ministry of Health, YPLL were calculated for the decade 2001-2010, using the method proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. RESULTS: The standardized annual average YPLL rate in Chile in the study period was 4.703 per 100,000 inhabitants. Trauma, cancer and cardiovascular diseases accounted for 68% of YPLL. The male/female YPLL ratio was 2.07; for trauma and mental disorders, the male/female ratio for YPLL was over 5; for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases the male/female ratio was over two. Regions with a higher proportion of rural areas had higher YPLL rates. CONCLUSIONS: The main causes of YPLL are potentially preventable. Further studies should be carried out to identify risk factors for premature death.

Epidemiología de las muertes prematuras en Chile en la década 2001-2010 / Epidemiology of premature deaths in Chile between 2001 and 2010

Background: Years of potential life lost (YPLL) is a parameter that allows to analyze premature deaths. Aim: To study the causes, differences by gender, geographic variations and the trend of premature deaths in the last decade in Chile. Material and Methods: Using death databases published by the Ministry of Health, YPLL were calculated for the decade 2001-2010, using the method proposed by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Results: The standardized annual average YPLL rate in Chile in the study period was 4.703 per 100,000 inhabitants. Trauma, cancer and cardiovascular diseases accounted for 68% of YPLL. The male/female YPLL ratio was 2.07; for trauma and mental disorders, the male/female ratio for YPLL was over 5; for cardiovascular and respiratory diseases the male/female ratio was over two. Regions with a higher proportion of rural areas had higher YPLL rates. Conclusions: The main causes of YPLL are potentially preventable. Further studies should be carried out to identify risk factors for premature death.

Fast detection of Piscirickettsia salmonis in Salmo salar serum through MALDI-TOF-MS profiling.

Piscirickettsia salmonis is a pathogenic bacteria known as the aetiological agent of the salmonid rickettsial syndrome and causes a high mortality in farmed salmonid fishes. Detection of P. salmonis in farmed fishes is based mainly on molecular biology and immunohistochemistry techniques. These techniques are in most of the cases expensive and time consuming. In the search of new alternatives to detect the presence of P. salmonis in salmonid fishes, this work proposed the use of MALDI-TOF-MS to compare serum protein profiles from Salmo salar fish, including experimentally infected and non-infected fishes using principal component analysis (PCA). Samples were obtained from a controlled bioassay where S. salar was challenged with P. salmonis in a cohabitation model and classified according to the presence or absence of the bacteria by real time PCR analysis. MALDI spectra of the fish serum samples showed differences in its serum protein composition. These differences were corroborated with PCA analysis. The results demonstrated that the use of both MALDI-TOF-MS and PCA represents a useful tool to discriminate the fish status through the analysis of salmonid serum samples.

Caries experience and use of dental services in rural and urban adults and older adults from central Chile.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a relationship between the use of dental services and caries experience in adults and older adults from central Chile. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A sample of 453 adults, 35-44 years of age, and 438 older adults, 65-74 years of age, was interviewed and examined using World Health Organisation (WHO) methods. Sociodemographic variables were also registered. Caries experience was assessed using the Decayed, Missing and Filled teeth (DMFT) index. Multiple linear regression models were used to determine whether there was an association between the independent variables and caries experience. RESULTS: Caries prevalence was 99.6% for adults [DMFT score = 14.89 (±6.16)] and 99.8% for older adults [DMFT score = 25.68 (±6.49)]. Less than half of the population - 41.7% of adults and 31.5% of older adults - received dental care. Regardless of the age group, there were no differences in the DMFT score between those who received and those who did not receive attention (P > 0.05). When the DMFT findings were analysed in greater detail, people who received dental care and urban participants had more fillings (P < 0.05) than did those who were not provided with attention or lived in rural areas, who, in turn, had more missing teeth (P < 0.05). A higher educational level was associated with a decrease of 1.15 DMFT points (P = 0.003) in the group of older adults. CONCLUSIONS: Adults and older adults from the Maule Region showed severe dental damage from caries. Although rurality and use of services do not seem to affect caries experience, they are associated with differences in fillings and missing teeth.

Seasonal variation and resin composition in the Andean tree Austrocedrus chilensis.

Little is known about the changes in resin composition in South American gymnosperms associated with the different seasons of the year. The diterpene composition of 44 resin samples from seven Austrocedrus chilensis (Cupressaceae) trees, including male and female individuals, was investigated in three different seasons of the year (February, June and November). Twelve main diterpenes were isolated by chromatographic means and identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The diterpene composition was submitted to multivariate analysis to find possible associations between chemical composition and season of the year. The principal component analysis showed a clear relation between diterpene composition and season. The most characteristic compounds in resins collected in summer were Z-communic acid (9) and 12-oxo-labda-8(17),13E-dien-19 oic acid methyl ester (10) for male trees and 8(17),12,14-labdatriene (7) for female trees. For the winter samples, a clear correlation of female trees with torulosic acid (6) was observed. In spring, E-communic acid (8) and Z-communic acid (9) were correlated with female trees and 18-hydroxy isopimar-15-ene (1) with male tree resin. A comparison between percent diterpene composition and collection time showed p < 0.05 for isopimara-8(9),15-diene (2), sandaracopimaric acid (4), compound (7) and ferruginol (11).

Evaluation of the neuromuscular compartments in the peroneus longus muscle through electrical stimulation and accelerometry.

BACKGROUND: Muscles are innervated exclusively by a nerve branch and possess definite actions. However, mammalian skeletal muscles, such as the trapezius, the medial gastrocnemius, and the peroneus longus, are compartmentalized. In the peroneus longus muscle, multiple motor points, which innervate individual neuromuscular compartments (NMC), the superior (S-NMC), anteroinferior (AI-NMC), and posteroinferior (PI-NMC), have been described. The contribution of each neuromuscular compartment to the final action of the muscle is fundamental for the rehabilitation of patients afflicted by neurological and muscle dysfunctions. Interventions are often based on electrical principles that take advantage of the physiological characteristics of muscles and nerves to generate therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of stimulating the different neuromuscular compartments (NMCs) of the peroneus longus muscle on the motor threshold (MT) and acceleration of the foot. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study comprising 37 subjects. The three NMCs of the peroneus longus muscle were stimulated, and the acceleration of the foot and the motor threshold of each NMC were evaluated. A repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni corrections of two intra-subjects factors was performed. RESULTS: The stimulation of the different NMCs did not result in any differences in MT (F=2.635, P=0.079). There were significant differences between the axes of acceleration caused by the stimulation of the different NMCs (F=56,233; P=0.000). The stimulation of the posteroinferior compartment resulted in the greatest acceleration in the X-axis (mean 0.614; standard deviation 0.253). CONCLUSIONS: The posteroinferior compartment primarily contributes to the eversion movement of the foot. NMCs have specific functional roles that contribute to the actions of the muscles to which they belong.

Evaluation of the neuromuscular compartments in the peroneus longus muscle through electrical stimulation and accelerometry

BACKGROUND: Muscles are innervated exclusively by a nerve branch and possess definite actions. However, mammalian skeletal muscles, such as the trapezius, the medial gastrocnemius, and the peroneus longus, are compartmentalized. In the peroneus longus muscle, multiple motor points, which innervate individual neuromuscular compartments (NMC), the superior (S-NMC), anteroinferior (AI-NMC), and posteroinferior (PI-NMC), have been described. The contribution of each neuromuscular compartment to the final action of the muscle is fundamental for the rehabilitation of patients afflicted by neurological and muscle dysfunctions. Interventions are often based on electrical principles that take advantage of the physiological characteristics of muscles and nerves to generate therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of stimulating the different neuromuscular compartments (NMCs) of the peroneus longus muscle on the motor threshold (MT) and acceleration of the foot. METHOD: This is a cross-sectional study comprising 37 subjects. The three NMCs of the peroneus longus muscle were stimulated, and the acceleration of the foot and the motor threshold of each NMC were evaluated. A repeated measures analysis of variance with Bonferroni corrections of two intra-subjects factors was performed. RESULTS: The stimulation of the different NMCs did not result in any differences in MT (F=2.635, P=0.079). There were significant differences between the axes of acceleration caused by the stimulation of the different NMCs (F=56,233; P=0.000). The stimulation of the posteroinferior compartment resulted in the greatest acceleration in the X-axis (mean 0.614; standard deviation 0.253). CONCLUSIONS: The posteroinferior compartment primarily contributes to the eversion movement of the foot. NMCs have specific functional roles that contribute to the actions of the muscles to which they belong. .

[Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in the Seventh Region of Chile]. / Prevalencia de diabetes mellitus en la VII región de Chile.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Latin America is not well known. AIM: To study the real prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and its associated risk factors in the VII region of Chile. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A probabilistic sample of 1,325 subjects over the age of 20, stratified by age and differentiated by place of residence was studied. The criteria of the World Panel of Experts convened by the World Health Organization in 1997, was used to define the presence of diabetes (two fasting blood glucose values over 126 mg/dl or a blood glucose over 200 mg/dl, 2 hours after a 75 g carbohydrate oral load). RESULTS: The global prevalence estimated for DM in this population was 5.39%. The calculated prevalence in subjects between 20 and 44 years was 1.88% (CI 0.39-3.37); between 45 and 64 years, 10.75% (CI 8.35-13.14); 65 years or older 11.30% (CI 8.00-14.60), p < 0.05. The prevalence was 5.8% in urban areas and 4.5% in rural areas. Forty five percent of diabetics were not aware of their condition. Forty eight percent of diabetics and 31% of non diabetics were hypertensive (p < 0.01), whereas 47.8% of diabetics and 24.6% of non diabetics had at least one diabetic parent (p < 0.01). Smoking was less frequent in diabetics than in non diabetics (15.7 and 24.3% respectively, p < 0.05). Ninety percent of both diabetics and non diabetics were sedentary. DISCUSSION: Health care systems require an epidemiological monitoring system to provide information about the prevalence of diabetes mellitus and to control the evolution of patients.