The use of information and communication technologies in Latin American dentists: a cross-sectional study from Ecuador.

BACKGROUND: The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide the tools for enabling fast and reliable real-time communications, as well as the transfer of information between dental professionals and their patients. However, little is known about the frequency and preference of ICTs among Latin-American dentists. Our study aims to fill this gap by assessing different aspects related to ICTs, mainly the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers among Ecuadorian dentists. METHODS: An anonymous, cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among 342 Ecuadorian dentists. The final questionnaire included 13 items related to the frequency of use, perceptions, and barriers of ICTs. Bivariate analysis was performed by using chi-squared testing to explore the association between the independent variables and the intended use of ICTs, as well as to characterize the perceptions and barriers related to ICTs. RESULTS: In general, most participants reported the use of ICTs to communicate with colleagues (99.7%), and patients (96.2%), while only 63.5% reported using ICTs to obtain academic information in their daily practice. WhatsApp was rated as the most used ICT for communicating with colleagues and patients. A majority of participants considered that ICTs can be useful for facilitating continuing dental education (92.1%), searching new work opportunities (91.5%), promoting health (90.1%), working with colleagues and other health professionals (91.2%), promoting their professional services (90.6%), and for resolving clinical cases (87.7%). On the subject of barriers, privacy and security concerns about personal and/or patient information was the biggest concern among dentists (65%), followed by lack of time to learn how to use and/or use ICTs (48%), lack of mobile internet access (28.1%), and lack of internet access at work (24.9%). CONCLUSION: In our study, we found that Ecuadorian dentists had a high usage rate of ICTs, mainly for communicating with other colleagues and patients, while the academic use of technology remains a comparatively underused application. Most of the participants surveyed had a positive perception towards ICTs, while privacy and security concerns were identified as the main barrier. Older age was associated with a less favourable perception toward ICTs, as well as an increased likelihood of reporting barriers related to the use of technology.

Unveiling motives for dentistry studies: psychometric validation of a comprehensive questionnaire among aspiring dental students.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to develop and validate a questionnaire for dental students in Ecuador to assess their reasons to study dentistry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 25-item questionnaire was developed by the authors based on similar studies and a qualitative study. The questionnaire had five theoretical factors: economic, professional, vocational, social and academic reasons for study. In the first two samples, exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify the structure, and the models obtained were compared with confirmatory factor analysis in the third sample. RESULTS: Three samples were used, sample A with 201 participants, sample B with 623 participants, and sample C with 596 participants. Two-thirds of the participants were female and almost one-third were from coast region. The EFA applied in sample A resulted in a five-factor model with 18 items; in contrast, a three-factor model was obtained from sample B. According to the CFA in sample C, the best model was explained by three factors: labor, vocational and academic reasons. Considering two items to cross-load in labor and vocational factors, which are theoretically justified. CONCLUSION: This study presents a 12-item questionnaire that assesses labor, vocational and academic reasons for studying dentistry in an Ecuadorian population.

On the properties of calcium-induced permeability transition in neonatal heart mitochondria.

Permeability transition was examined in heart mitochondria isolated from neonate rats. We found that these mitochondria were more susceptible to Ca(2+)-induced membrane leakiness than mitochondria from adult rats. In K(+) containing medium, at 25 °C, mitochondria were unable to accumulate Ca(2+). Conversely, in Na(+) containing medium, mitochondria accumulated effectively Ca(2+). At 15 °C mitochondria accumulated Ca(2+) regardless of the presence of K(+). Kinetics of Ca(2+) accumulation showed a similar Vmax as that of adult mitochondria. Lipid milieu of inner membrane contained more unsaturated fatty acids than adult mitochondria. Aconitase inhibition and high thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) indicate that oxidative stress caused mitochondrial damage. In addition, proteomics analysis showed that there is a considerable diminution of succinate dehydrogenase C and subunit 4 of cytochrome oxidase in neonate mitochondria. Our proposal is that dysfunction of the respiratory chain makes neonate mitochondria more susceptible to damage by oxidative stress.

Reacción de la saliva de infantes con síndrome diarreico con antígenos de cepas de escherichia coli enterotoxigénicas Ecet-tl / Reaction of the saliva of infants with syndrome diarrheic with antigens of underground of escherichia coli enterotoxigenicas Ecet-tl

La toxina termolábil (TL) de escherichia coli enterotoxigénica (ECET) ha sido intensamente estudiada. Sin embargo, los sistemas de detección existentes son complejos y costosos. Tratando de contribuir en este sentido, en este trabajo se examinaron las heces y la saliva de infantes de menos de cinco años, que presentaron síndrome diarreicos agudos. Dichos exámenes incluyeron el aislamiento de cepas de ECET a partir de las heces y la evaluación inmunoquímica de la saliva de dichos pacientes a través de doble inmunodifusión (DID) y contrainmunoelectroforesis (CEI). Se aisló una cepa ECET de uno de los 17 pacientes (<6 por ciento), y a través de DID se detectó la reacción positiva en más del 93 por ciento de las muestras de saliva, usando la cepa de referencia ECET-1022 como antígeno, y en más del 56 por ciento cuando se utilizó la cepa aislada en este trabajo, ECET-5 como antígeno. Por lo anteriormente expuesto, el análisis de la saliva a través de DID, puede representar una alternativa en el diagnóstico de la enfermedad diarreica por E. coli enterotoxigénica