Smoking and alcohol use are risky behaviors that can start early in life.
To determine the lifetime prevalence of tobacco and alcohol use in adolescents aged 10 to 14 years and related factors.
A ...survey about smoking and alcohol use was answered by 1,392 teenagers aged 10 to 14 years (46% women) from seven schools in a small city near Santiago. Personal, family, and school factors were evaluated through self-report scales. Smoking and alcohol use, as dichotomous dependent variables, were defined as having consumed any of these substances throughout life. Prevalence was calculated as percentages with 95% confidence intervals. Association analyses were conducted using multivariable logistic regression models.
Six and eleven percent of participants reported having smoked and used alcohol in their life, respectively. Smoking was associated with age, having behavioral problems, mothers smoking, perceiving that parents had drug problems, and not living with both parents. Alcohol use was mainly associated with age, having behavioral problems, perceiving that other students consumed drugs, alcohol use by both parents, and perceiving a lack of family support.
Tobacco and alcohol use is highly prevalent in adolescents aged 10-14 years. There were common risk factors for smoking and alcohol use such as age and having behavioral problems, while other factors were more specific such as mothers smoking, or parental alcohol use.
Studies have highlighted the importance of non-coding RNA regulation in plant-microbe interaction. However, the roles of sugarcane microRNAs (miRNAs) in the regulation of disease responses have not ...been investigated. Firstly, we screened the sRNA transcriptome of sugarcane infected with
. Conserved and novel miRNAs were identified. Additionally, small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) were aligned to differentially expressed sequences from the sugarcane transcriptome. Interestingly, many siRNAs aligned to a transcript encoding a copper-transporter gene whose expression was induced in the presence of
, while the siRNAs were repressed in the presence of
. Moreover, a long intergenic non-coding RNA was identified as a potential target or decoy of miR408. To extend the bioinformatics analysis, we carried out independent inoculations and the expression patterns of six miRNAs were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR). Among these miRNAs, miR408-a copper-microRNA-was downregulated. The cleavage of a putative miR408 target, a laccase, was confirmed by a modified 5'RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends) assay. MiR408 was also downregulated in samples infected with other pathogens, but it was upregulated in the presence of a beneficial diazotrophic bacteria. Our results suggest that regulation by miR408 is important in sugarcane sensing whether microorganisms are either pathogenic or beneficial, triggering specific miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms accordingly.
BACKGROUNDThe COVID-19 pandemic posed a great strain in health services. AIMTo describe the epidemiological and clinical features of patients with SARS-CoV-2 admitted to a regional hospital in ...southern Chile between April and August 2020. MATERIAL AND METHODSClinical records of all hospitalized patients with RT-PCR (+) for SARS-CoV-2 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTSDuring the study period 226 patients aged 55 ± 18 years (55% men) were admitted. The main comorbidities were high blood pressure in 45%, diabetes in 31% and obesity in 21%. The main symptoms were dyspnea in 70%, cough in 69%, fever in 62% and myalgia in 47%. Pneumonia was the main cause of admission in 66%. Images on admission were compatible with pneumonia in 81%, and with a typical COVID-19 pattern in 84%. In 76% there was five-lobe involvement. Eighty-seven cases (39%) were admitted to critical care, with an APACHE score of 10.9 ± 7.1. Invasive mechanical ventilation was used in 16%, 30% required prone position and 13%, a high-flow nasal cannula. The mean stay in critical care was 13.3 days. The mean duration of invasive mechanical ventilation was 14.1 days. Antimicrobials were used in 55% and dexamethasone in 36%. Twenty-two (9.7%) patients aged 71.7 ± 14 died. A Charlson comorbidity index > 3, heart failure and connection to invasive mechanical ventilation were independent risk factors for death. An age > 65 years alone and other comorbidities were not risk factors. CONCLUSIONSViral pneumonia is the main cause of hospitalization for COVID-19, usually extensive and bilateral. The greater severity and poor prognosis of these patients are mainly related to comorbidities.
Seven eg95-related genes were found in the G6 genotype. They encode three proteins showing considerable differences with the EG95 vaccine from G1. Display omitted
► There are at least seven ...eg95-related genes in the genotype of the G6 genotype of Echinococcus granulosus. ► These genes appear to encode three proteins. ► These proteins show considerable differences with the EG95 vaccine from G1. ► EG95 proteins from G6 may have different antigenic epitopes compared with the current vaccine. ► Data presented provide the information for the development of a G6 genotype-specific vaccine.
Cystic echinococcosis in humans and livestock animals is caused by infection with the cestode parasite Echinococcus granulosus. A number of genotypes of the parasite (designated G1–G10) are known to exist, with the genotype cluster G1–G3 and genotype G6 being responsible for the majority of humans infections. A recombinant vaccine has been developed for use in livestock to prevent infection with E. granulosus. The vaccine is based on the antigen EG95 which is expressed in the early larval stage (oncosphere) of the parasite. The EG95 antigen was originally cloned from the G1 genotype of E. granulosus and the protein has been found to be encoded by members of a small family of related genes in this genotype. Reliable information has not been available about the likely efficacy of the EG95 vaccine against genotypes other than G1. In this study, genomic DNA cloning techniques were used to characterize seven eg95-related gene fragments from the G6 genotype of E. granulosus. Three proteins appear to be encoded by these genes. Considerable differences were found between the EG95 related proteins from the G6 genotype compared with the EG95 protein from the G1 genotype. These differences suggest that the EG95-related proteins from the G6 genotype may have different antigenic epitopes compared with the current vaccine antigen. Data presented in this study have implications for future vaccine design and provide the information that would enable a G6 genotype-specific vaccine to be developed against E. granulosus, should this be considered a desirable addition to the available tools for control of cystic echinococcosis transmission.
Previous studies in spatial propositional reasoning showed that adults use a particular strategy for making representations and inferences from indeterminate descriptions (those consistent with ...different alternatives). They do not initially represent all the alternatives, but construct a unified mental representation that includes a kind of mental footnote. Only when the task requires access to alternatives is the unified representation re-inspected. The degree of generalisation of this proposal to other perceptual situations was evaluated in three experiments with children, adolescents and adults, using a perceptual inference task with diagrammatic premises that gave information about the location of one of three possible objects. Results obtained with this very quick perceptual task support the kind of representation proposed from propositional spatial reasoning studies. However, children and adults differed in accuracy, with the results gradually changing with age: indeterminacy leads adults to require extra time for understanding and inferring alternatives, whereas children commit errors. These results could help inform us of how people can make inferences from diagrammatic information and make wrong interpretations.
•In a perceptual task, indeterminacy is represented by annotated mental models.•Indeterminacy increases errors, even though alternatives do not need to be considered.•Errors are reduced with development, but indeterminate premises still need longer.
This report summarizes the outcomes of a meeting on cystic echinococcosis (CE) in animals and humans in Chile held in Santiago, Chile, between the 21st and 22nd of January 2016. The meeting ...participants included representatives of the Departamento de Zoonosis, Ministerio de Salud (Zoonotic Diseases Department, Ministry of Health), representatives of the Secretarias Regionales del Ministerio de Salud (Regional Department of Health, Ministry of Health), Instituto Nacional de Desarrollo Agropecuario (National Institute for the Development of Agriculture and Livestock, INDAP), Instituto de Salud Pública (National Institute for Public Health, ISP) and the Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (Animal Health Department, SAG), academics from various universities, veterinarians and physicians. Current and future CE control activities were discussed. It was noted that the EG95 vaccine was being implemented for the first time in pilot control programmes, with the vaccine scheduled during 2016 in two different regions in the South of Chile. In relation to use of the vaccine, the need was highlighted for acquiring good quality data, based on CE findings at slaughterhouse, previous to initiation of vaccination so as to enable correct assessment of the efficacy of the vaccine in the following years. The current world's-best-practice concerning the use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool for the screening population in highly endemic remote and poor areas was also discussed.
The coast of central Chile has multiple rivers with a marked seasonal discharge variability. Few studies have addressed primarily the seasonal variability of river plume extension and vertical ...structure. Here, we have analyzed the effects of multiple river outflows on the hydrography (salinity and density) and meridional transports off central Chile. This study is focused on synoptic and intraseasonal scales of variability using eight years of semi-realistic model outputs. Our results reveal that the plume spreading is much broader during winter than spring. Wind-driven changes in plume shapes modulate the geostrophic component of the flow field off Biobío and Itata rivers in winter (spring) after downwelling (upwelling) favorable winds. The geostrophic flow was important off Mataquito and Maule rivers after upwelling-favorable winds, primarily in spring. The stratification in winter was mostly associated with the freshwater content in all coastal regions and showed a rapid response to the wind stress forcing. The mixing through wind stress decreased in spring, modifying the stratification and uncoupling the wintertime variability between stratification and freshwater.
•A ROMS model correctly reproduces the dispersion of river plumes off central Chile.•The geostrophic flow associated with plumes modulates a southward transport.•The stratification of the shelf is primarily modulated by the freshwater plumes.•The daily wind variability controls the synoptic pulses of meridional transport.
Health-promoting behaviors are important to prevent diseases and prolong life in the population. People develop these behaviors throughout life. However, better benefits for health are obtained with ...an early development.
To determine the prevalence of health-promoting behaviors among early adolescents and its associated factors.
Cross-sectional survey performed in 1,465 students of high, medium and low socio-economic status, attending fifth to eighth grades of schools located in a small Chilean city. Participants answered a questionnaire that gathered information about frequency of health-promoting behaviors such as health responsibility and nutrition, physical exercise and stress management, life appreciation, social support and different personal, school and familial factors.
A higher frequency of health-promoting behaviors was associated with better academic achievement, better school commitment, and higher perception of school membership. It also was associated with a better perception of health status and a higher conformity with physical appearance.
Health promoting behaviors in these children are related to a better academic achievement and a higher integration with school environment.
PDF
