Illness Experiences of Chilean Women With Sjögren's Syndrome: The Patient Perspective.

OBJECTIVE: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) challenges everyday functioning and well-being. The aim of this study was to structure and summarize the life experiences of Chilean women with SS in an integrated model. METHODS: Interviews from a previous study yielded 75 experiences of living with SS. A sample of 30 women with SS sorted these experiences by content and rated their level of agreement with each experience. A hierarchical cluster analysis was used to structure the experiences of the participants with SS in a comprehensive overview. A team-based consensus analysis was used to define the number of clusters. The level of agreement was examined with Wilcoxon's signed rank test. RESULTS: Ten clusters were identified and grouped into 6 main categories: symptoms (clusters: mucosal dryness and related symptoms), social environment, emotion management (clusters: fears and sadness), information (clusters: uncertainty and lack of knowledge), coping strategy (clusters: resilience and self-care), and health staff relationship. The clusters that describe the more common experiences among patients were resilience, self-care, uncertainty, lack of knowledge, health staff relationship, and mucosal dryness. CONCLUSION: This study provided an integrated and structured overview of disease experiences comprising both biomedical and psychosocial aspects as being of vital importance for the health of patients with SS. The overview can be used to get a quick impression of disease experiences that are important for an individual patient, in a therapeutic goal setting, and in the construction and evaluation of medical and nonmedical interventions or education.

Larval development and osteology of Callanthias platei (Teleostei: Callanthiidae) from Desventuradas Islands, South Pacific.

Larvae of the Juan Fernández Splendid Perch, Callanthias platei Steindachner, 1898 (Teleostei: Callanthiidae), are described for the first time. The five available specimens, ranging from 3 mm notochord length (NL) to 6.1 mm standard length (SL), were collected with plankton nets near Desventuradas Islands, Southeast Pacific, during the austral spring of 2015 and 2016. The larvae are deep bodied with a narrow caudal peduncle, a large head and a triangular, coiled gut. The pigmentation is scarce in preflexion larvae but increases after flexion. All individuals have several groups of head spines: anterior and posterior preopercular, interopercular, subopercular, opercular and supracleithral. The formation of all fins occurs early in development, with the pectoral fins appearing first and the pelvic fins last. The osteological development of the skull, vertebral column, fins, and scales are described.

Niche partitioning and morphospace in early stages of two sympatric Diogenichthys species (Myctophidae).

Diet and morphospace of larval stages of two sympatric lanternfish Diogenichthys atlanticus and D. laternatus from the south-east Pacific Ocean were compared and the covariance between both variables was assessed for each species. Diogenichthys atlanticus stomach contents consisted mainly of copepod nauplii and digested remains and this species had a broader niche than D. laternatus, in which stomach contents were highly digested. No dietary overlap was found between both species. The covariance between skull shape and diet for D. atlanticus was given by a wider mouth gape related to the presence of copepod nauplii, whilst for D. laternatus, a shorter snout and posteriorly displaced eye were related to the presence of highly digested stomach contents. Interspecific differences between diets and skull shapes suggest that both species may have undergone morphological or niche divergence to avoid competition, such as feeding at different hours or depth stratification.

Evaluación clínica objetiva estructurada sobre competencias comunicativas y psicosociales en odontología / Objective structured clinical examination of or about health communication and psychosocial factors in Dentistry

Introducción: La Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad de Chile, en el contexto de su innovación curricular, desarrolló una evaluación clínica objetiva estructurada de carácter formativo utilizando la metodología de pacientes simulados y enfocada a las habilidades comunicacionales que debe tener el estudiante para el adecuado desarrollo de una entrevista clínica. Objetivo: Describir el desempeño, en cuanto a habilidades comunicacionales e identificación de factores psicosociales, durante la realización de esta actividad, de estudiantes de segundo año. Sujetos y métodos: Estudio no experimental, transversal, descriptivo, con un muestreo intencionado de 32 estudiantes. Los pacientes simulados y el grupo de pares evaluaron el desempeño de los 32 estudiantes. Se realizaron análisis descriptivos a través de tablas de frecuencia y se evaluó la diferencia en la percepción de desempeño entre paciente simulado y grupo de pares mediante chi al cuadrado. Resultados: Los estudiantes no lograron un buen desempeño al indagar por aspectos socioemocionales del paciente, ni al asegurarse de que el paciente comprendiera las indicaciones del dentista. La percepción de los pacientes simulados y los pares observadores difiere en casi todos los aspectos evaluados, menos en la amabilidad del estudiante participante. Conclusiones: Los pacientes simulados son más estrictos a la hora de evaluar las habilidades comunicacionales y psicosociales de los estudiantes, en comparación con el grupo de pares. La consideración de los factores psicosociales y las habilidades comunicacionales constituyen un factor débil al término del segundo año de formación del odontólogo

Introduction: The School of Dentistry of the Universidad de Chile has done an objective structured clinical evaluation centered on communicative competencies that a student should have for the proper development of a clinical interview. Aim: To describe the perception of achievement, in the matter of communicative and psychosocial competencies in students of second grade acting in this activity, on the career of dentistry at Universidad de Chile. Subjects and methods: This is a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive study, with a purposive sampling of 32 students. The simulated patients and the group of pairs evaluated the achievement of 32 students on the activity. Descriptive analysis was done through frequency tables. In addition, the difference on perception of achievement between simulated patient and group of pairs was evaluated through chi-squared test. Results: The students did not achieve a satisfactory performance when socioemotional attributes were probed, neither when verifying patient's understanding about dentist's indications. The perception of simulated patients and observer pairs disagrees on almost all attributes assessed, excepting the kindness of the performing student. Conclusions: Simulated patients are more stringent when they evaluate communicative and psychosocial abilities of the students, contrasting with the group of pairs. Psychosocial and communicative attributes are still a weakness on dentist's preparation

Larval fish feeding ecology, growth and mortality from two basins with contrasting environmental conditions of an inner sea of northern Patagonia, Chile.

During austral spring 2011, a survey was carried out in the inland sea (41°30'-44°S) of north Patagonia, South Pacific, studying a northern basin (NB: Reloncaví Fjord, Reloncaví Sound and Ancud Gulf) characterized by estuarine regime with stronger vertical stratification and warmer (11-14 °C) and most productive waters, and a southern basin (SB: Corcovado Gulf and Guafo mouth), with more oceanic water influence, showed mixed conditions of the water column, colder (11-10.5 °C) and less productive waters. Otolith microstructure and gut content analysis of larval lightfish Maurolicus parvipinnis and rockfish Sebastes oculatus were studied. Larval M. parvipinnis showed similar growth rates in both regions (0.13-0.15 mm d(-1)), but in NB larvae were larger-at-age than in SB. Larval S. oculatus showed no differences in size-at-age and larval growth (0.16 and 0.11 mm d(-1) for NB and SB, respectively). M. parvipinnis larvae from NB had larger number of prey items (mostly invertebrate eggs), similar total volume in their guts and smaller prey size than larvae collected in SB (mainly calanoid copepods). Larval S. oculatus had similar number, volume and body width of prey ingested at both basins, although prey ingestion rate by size was 5 times larger in NB than in SB, and prey composition varied from nauplii in NB to copepodites in SB. This study provides evidence that physical-biological interactions during larval stages of marine fishes from Chilean Patagonia are species-specific, and that in some cases large size-at-age correspond to increasing foraging success.

Síndrome de Moebius: descripción de una serie de 6 casos / Moebius syndrome: description of a 6 cases series

La parálisis facial y del nervio abducens congénita fue descrita como entidad clínica en 1888. Esta definición se amplió a parálisis facial unilateral o bilateral completa o incompleta, limitación de abducción ocular, disfunción de otros pares craneales, defectos oro-faciales, músculoesqueléticos y del desarrollo. Los criterios de diagnóstico varían y la entidad sigue siendo subdiagnosticada. El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizar el cuadro clínico de pacientes con diagnóstico de Síndrome de Moebius, a través de la revisión de seis casos en control en dos Policlínicos de Neurología Infantil. En este grupo, fueron motivo de consulta: falta de esfuerzo respiratorio, hipomimiafacial, trastorno de alimentación. En dos casos hubo uso de misoprostrol durante el embarazo. Los hallazgos del examen incluyeron parálisis facial bilateral (5), unilateral (1), alteración bilateral de abducción ocular (6). Otras malformaciones asociadas fueron: paladar alto, microretrognatia, fisurapalatina, criptorquidia, polidactilia bilateral y pie bot. El conocimiento extendido de las características mínimas para el diagnóstico y de la variedad de manifestaciones de el Síndrome de Moebius, facilitan su reconocimiento y tratamiento oportuno.

Congenital facial and abducens nerves palsy were first described as a clinical entity in 1888. Later the definition was expanded to unilateral or bilateral facial palsy, limitation of ocular abduction, other cranial nerves involvement, orofacial, musculoskeletal or developmental defects. Diagnostic criteria vary among authors and the condition remains probably underdiagnosed. The aim of this study is to characterize the clinical features of Moebius Syndrome in a group of six patients diagnosed and controlled at two Child Neurology Outpatients Clinics. In this group, the main complaint at first consultation was: lack of respiratory effort, facial hypomimia, eating disorder. The use of misoprostol during pregnancy was identified in two cases. Findings on physical examination included bilateral (5) and unilateral (1) facial palsy, bilaterally impaired conjugate gaze (6).Other associated findings were: high palate, microretrognathia, cleft palate, polydactyly, bilateral cryptorchidism and clubfoot. The extended knowledge of minimal criteria required for Moebius Syndrome diagnosis, as well as other associated features, will facilitate recognition and timely treatment.

Homolactic fermentation from glucose and cellobiose using Bacillus subtilis.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUNG: Biodegradable plastics can be made from polylactate, which is a polymer made from lactic acid. This compound can be produced from renewable resources as substrates using microorganisms. Bacillus subtilis is a Gram-positive bacterium recognized as a GRAS microorganism (generally regarded as safe) by the FDA. B. subtilis produces and secretes different kind of enzymes, such as proteases, cellulases, xylanases and amylases to utilize carbon sources more complex than the monosaccharides present in the environment. Thus, B. subtilis could be potentially used to hydrolyze carbohydrate polymers contained in lignocellulosic biomass to produce chemical commodities. Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cellulosic fraction of agroindustrial wastes produces cellobiose and a lower amount of glucose. Under aerobic conditions, B. subtilis grows using cellobiose as substrate. RESULTS: In this study, we proved that under non-aerated conditions, B. subtilis ferments cellobiose to produce L-lactate with 82% of the theoretical yield, and with a specific rate of L-lactate production similar to that one obtained fermenting glucose. Under fermentative conditions in a complex media supplemented with glucose, B. subtilis produces L-lactate and a low amount of 2,3-butanediol. To increase the L-lactate production of this organism, we generated the B subtilis CH1 alsS- strain that lacks the ability to synthesize 2,3-butanediol. Inactivation of this pathway, that competed for pyruvate availability, let a 15% increase in L-lactate yield from glucose compared with the parental strain. CH1 alsS- fermented 5 and 10% of glucose to completion in mineral medium supplemented with yeast extract in four and nine days, respectively. CH1 alsS- produced 105 g/L of L-lactate in this last medium supplemented with 10% of glucose. The L-lactate yield was up to 95% using mineral media, and the optical purity of L-lactate was of 99.5% since B. subtilis has only one gene (lctE) that exclusively encodes a L-lactate deshydrogenase. CONCLUSION: This study shows that by taking advantage of the cellobiose utilization capability and osmotic stress high resistance of B. subtilis, a robust process for L-lactate production can be developed.

A reliable biomarker derived from plasmalogens to evaluate malignancy and metastatic capacity of human cancers.

Antigen tumor markers employed in monitoring therapeutical approaches are limited by their specificity (Sp) and sensitivity (Se). The aim of this study was to investigate the suitability of a lipid tumor marker derived from ether-linked phospholipids and to compare it with others usually assayed in clinical practice. Complex lipids from normal and pathological breast, lung, and prostate tissue were isolated and analyzed by TLC and c-GLC methods. Results were compared as pooled samples, or by means of the averaged percent changes with respect to the composition observed in the normal tissue of the same patient. Sp, Se, negative-predictive (NPV) and positive- predictive values (PPV) were established for conventional markers and for the proposed lipid-derived marker. Results demonstrated that the content of monoenoic fatty acyl chains was significantly increased in total lipids, phosphatidylethanolamine, and especially in ethanolamine-containing ether lipids of neoplastic tissues with respect to their corresponding normal ones. Major changes were observed in the plasmalogen sub-fraction where the ratio monoenoic/saturated fatty acids can distinguish with high Se normal tissues from either benign or neoplastic tissues from breast, lung, or prostate lesions. Analyses of fatty acyl chains from ethanolamine-containing plasmalogens provided a reliable tumor marker that correlated with high Se and linearity with metastases spreading. This fact may be useful in prognosis of the most frequently observed human cancers.