Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited Helicobacter pylori SS1 in Meriones unguiculatus.

Searching for bacterial probiotics active upon Helicobacter pylori continue to be an important clinical challenge because of the increased prevalence of this highly priority pathogen in humans. In this work, we assess the in vivo anti-H. pylori SS1 (cagA+/vacAs2m2+) properties of a previously isolated human gastric probiotic strain Lactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C by using a Meriones unguiculatus (Mongolian gerbil) model. Animals were administered with a saline suspension of L. fermentum UCO-979C or H. pylori SS1 as negative and positive control for H. pylori colonisation controls, prior to assayed the challenge group that was administered with these two species per animal for detecting protective activity of the probiotic strain against colonisation. The results showed that L. fermentum UCO-979C strongly inhibited the colonisation of H. pylori decreasing up to 87% of the colonisation in the antrum by the pathogen, suggesting that this probiotic strain has a strong probiotic activity against H. pylori in the most valuable animal model for in vivo assays nowadays.

Autoeficacia del cuidador familiar de la persona en estado crítico / Self-efficacy of the familial caregiver towards the person in critical status / Auto eeficácia do cuidador familiar da pessoa em estado crítico

Introducción: El cuidador familiar cuestiona su capacidad para cuidar cuando la persona que cuida sufre una descompensación aguda de la enfermedad crónica y requiere hospitalización en una unidad de pacientes críticos. En esta situación, se hace fundamental determinar la autoeficacia o capacidad del cuidador para organizar y ejecutar un cuidado que sea eficaz y que permita prevenir conductas riesgosas, tanto para su salud como para la de su familiar. Objetivo: Conocer la percepción de autoeeficacia del cuidador familiar de la persona en estado crítico por descompensación de su enfermedad crónica, que se encuentra en las Unidades de Paciente Crítico del Hospital Dr. Guillermo Grant Benavente de Concepción, y relacionarla con sus características biopsicosociales y con los indicadores de morbilidad de la persona hospitalizada. Metodología: Estudio cuantitativo, correlacional y de corte transeccional. Se aplicó la Escala de Autoeficacia para el Cuidado, la Escala de Autoestima y un cuestionario semiestructurado a 97 cuidadores familiares. Resultados: La autoeficacia fue mayor en los cuidadores hombres y se obtuvo una relación estadísticamente significativa con edad, nivel de estudios, autoestima, conocimiento del tratamiento y duración de la enfermedad. Conclusiones: Se observó cómo algunas características biopsicosociales del cuidador e indicadores de morbilidad de la persona en estado crítico se relacionan con su percepción de autoeeficacia e influyen en su decisión de adoptar una conducta promotora de salud frente a su autocuidado y el de su familiar.

Introduction: The familial caregivers question their capacity to care when patients suffer acute decompensations due to their chronic illnesses and require hospitalization in critical patients units. In these situations, it is fundamental to determine the caregiver self-efficacy in organizing and providing care which is effective and allows the prevention of risk-posing behaviors, both from the patients as well as from the patients' families. Objective: To explore the self-efficacy perception of familial caregivers towards the persons in critical status admitted to Critical Patient Units of the ''Dr. Guillermo Grant Benavente de Concepción'' hospital, as well as the related associations with bio-psycho-social characteristics and morbidity indicators. Methodology: This is a quantitative, correlational and trans-sectional study. A Care Self-Efficacy scale, a Self-Esteem scale, and a semi-structured questionnaire were conducted with 97 familial caregivers. Results: Self-Efficacy was higher among male caregivers, and statistically significant relations with age, level of studies, self-esteem, knowledge of the treatment, and illness duration were found. Conclusions: It was observed that some bio-psycho-social characteristics of the caregiver, as well as some morbidity indicators of the person in critical status, were associated to the caregivers' perception of their self-efficacy, and to the patients' strength to adopting health-promoting conducts towards themselves and their families.

Introdução: O cuidador familiar questiona a sua capacidade para cuidar quando o paciente sofre uma descompensação aguda da doença crónica e requer hospitalização em una unidade de pacientes críticos. Nesta situação, faz-se fundamental determinar a auto eficácia ou capacidade do cuidador para organizar e executar um cuidado que seja eficaz e que permita prevenir condutas arriscadas, tanto para sua saúde como a de seu familiar. Objetivo: Conhecer a percepção de auto eficácia do cuidador familiar com o paciente em estado crítico por descompensação de sua patologia crónica, que se encontra nas Unidades de Paciente Crítico do Hospital Dr. Guillermo Grant Benavente de Concepción, e relacioná-la com suas caraterísticas biopsicossociais e com os indicadores de mobilidade da pessoa hospitalizada. Metodologia: Estudo quantitativo, correlacional e de corte transeccionado. Aplicou-se a Escala de Auto eficácia para o Cuidado, a Escala de Autoestima e um questionário semiestruturado a 97 cuidadores familiares. Resultados: A auto eficácia foi maior nos cuidadores homens e obteve-se uma relação estatisticamente significativa com idade, nível de estudos, autoestima, conhecimento do tratamento e duração da doença. Conclusões: Observou-se como algumas caraterísticas biopsicossociais do cuidador e indicadores de mobilidade da pessoa em estado crítico, relacionam-se com sua percepção de auto eficácia e influenciam em sua decisão de adoptar uma conduta promotora de saúde perante a seu autocuidado e de seu familiar.

Marine fungi isolated from Chilean fjord sediments can degrade oxytetracycline.

Salmon farming is the main economic activity in the fjords area of Southern Chile. This activity requires the use of antibiotics, such as oxytetracycline, for the control and prevention of diseases, which have a negative impact on the environment. We analyzed the abilities of endemic marine fungi to biodegrade oxytetracycline, an antibiotic used extensively in fish farming. We isolated marine fungi strains from sediment samples obtained from an area of fish farming activity. The five isolated strains showed an activity on oxytetracycline and were identified as Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma deliquescens, Penicillium crustosum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Talaromyces atroroseus by a scanning electron microscopy and characterized by molecular techniques. Results showed significant degradation in the concentration of oxytetracycline at the first 2 days of treatment for all strains analyzed. At 21 days of treatment, the concentration of oxytetracycline was decreased 92 % by T. harzianum, 85 % by T. deliquescens, 83 % by P. crustosum, 73 % by R. mucilaginosa, and 72 % by T. atroroseus, all of which were significantly higher than the controls. Given these results, we propose that fungal strains isolated from marine sediments may be useful tools for biodegradation of antibiotics, such as oxytetracycline, in the salmon industry.

Angiofibroma nasofaríngeo juvenil: estudio de 6 casos en el Hospital Carlos van Buren de Chile / Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma: study of 6 cases in the Carlos van Buren Hospital in Chile

Introducción: El angiofibroma nasofaríngeo juvenil es una neoplasia vascular benigna y localmente agresiva, que se desarrolla casi exclusivamente en adolescentes de sexo masculino. Sus manifestaciones clínicas habituales son epistaxis y obstrucción nasal. Objetivo: Dar a conocer la experiencia en el Servicio de Otorrinolaringología del Hospital Carlos van Buren de pacientes con angiofibroma operados por vía endoscópica y abierta entre los años 2008 y 2015. Material y método: Estudio descriptivo retrospectivo de pacientes con diagnóstico de angiofibroma nasofaríngeo juvenil que ingresaron al Servicio de Otorrinolaringología del Hospital Carlos van Buren entre los años 2008 y 2015. Resultados: Hubo un total de 6 casos. La edad de los pacientes fluctuó entre los 12 y los 29 años, el 100% fueron pacientes masculinos. Los síntomas de presentación más frecuente fueron epistaxis recurrente y obstrucción nasal, presentes en 5/6 de los pacientes. La totalidad de los casos fueron estudiados con TC, RM y angiografía. El manejo en todos los casos fue con embolización endovascular 48 horas previo a la resección. Conclusión: Los resultados obtenidos se correlacionan con la literatura. El abordaje endoscópico sigue siendo de elección. Este tiene como ventajas menores pérdidas sanguíneas intraoperatorias, una disminución del número días de hospitalización y las tasas de recurrencia.

Introduction: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a benign vascular neoplasm, locally aggressive that develops almost exclusively in adolescent males. Its usual clinical manifestations are epistaxis and nasal obstruction. Aim: To show the experience in the Department of Otolaryngology Hospital Carlos van Buren of angiofibromas operated by endoscopic and open surgery between the years 2008 and 2015, and review of the literature. Material and Method: Retrospective descriptive study of patients diagnosed with juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma admitted in the Department of Otolaryngology Hospital Carlos van Buren, Valparaiso between 2008 and 2015. Results: A total of 6 cases were identified. The age of patients ranged from 12 to 29 years. The most common presenting symptoms were recurrent epistaxis and nasal obstruction, both present in 5/6 of patients. All the cases were studied with CT, MRI and angiography. All cases had pre-surgical endovascular embolisation48 hours prior to excision. Conclusions: The results correlate with those seen in the literature. The endoscopic approach is the better option, because of its lower intraoperative blood loss, days of hospitalization and recurrence.

Effects of aeration and natural zeolite on ammonium removal during the treatment of sewage by mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands.

The objective was to evaluate the effects of intermittent artificial aeration cycles and natural zeolite as a support medium, in addition to the contribution of plants (Schoenoplectus californicus) on NH4(+)-N removal during sewage treatment by Constructed Wetlands (CW). Two lines of Mesocosm Constructed Wetland (MCW) were installed: (a) gravel line (i.e. G-Line) and (b) zeolite line (i.e. Z-Line). Aeration increased the NH4(+)-N removal efficiency by 20-45% in the G-Line. Natural zeolite increased the NH4(+)-N removal efficiency by up to 60% in the Z-Line. Plants contributed 15-30% of the NH4(+)-N removal efficiency and no difference between the G-Line and the Z-Line. Conversely, the NH4(+)-N removal rate was shown to only increase with the use of natural zeolite. However, the MCW with natural zeolite, the NH4(+)-N removal rate showed a direct relationship only with the NH4(+)-N influent concentration. Additionally, relationship between the oxygen, energy and area regarding the NH4(+)-N removal efficiency was established for 2.5-12.5 gO2/(kWh-m(2)) in the G-Line and 0.1-2.6 gO2/(kWh-m(2)) in the Z-Line. Finally, it was established that a combination of natural zeolite as a support medium and the aeration strategy in a single CW could regenerate the zeolite's adsorption sites and maintain a given NH4(+)-N removal efficiency over time.

Enhanced phosphorus removal from sewage in mesocosm-scale constructed wetland using zeolite as medium and artificial aeration.

Phosphorus (P) contained in sewage maybe removed by mesocosm-scale constructed wetlands (MCW), although removal efficiency is only between 20% and 60%. P removal can be enhanced by increasing wetland adsorption capacity using special media, like natural zeolite, operating under aerobic conditions (oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) above +300 mV). The objective of this study was to evaluate P removal in sewage treated by MCW with artificial aeration and natural zeolite as support medium for the plants. The study compared two parallel lines of MCW: gravel and zeolite. Each line consisted in two MCW in series, where the first MCW of each line has artificial aeration. Additionally, four aeration strategies were evaluated. During the operation, the following parameters were measured in each MCW: pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen and ORP. Phosphate (PO4(-3) - P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD), five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), total suspended solids (TSS) and ammonium. (NH4(+) - N) were evaluated in influents and effluents. Plant growth (biomass) and proximate analysis for P content into Schoenoplectus californicus were also performed. The results showed that PO4(-3) - P removal efficiency was 70% in the zeolite medium, presenting significant differences (p < .05) with the results obtained by the gravel medium. Additionally, aeration was found to have a significant effect (p < .05) only in the gravel medium with an increase in up to 30% for PO43 - P removal. Thus, S. californicus contributed to 10-20% of P removal efficiency.

Performance of 14 full-scale sewage treatment plants: comparison between four aerobic technologies regarding effluent quality, sludge production and energy consumption.

The performance of 14 Full-Scale Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) was evaluated. STPs were divided into four aerobic technologies: a) Aerated Lagoon (AL), and three configurations of activated sludge technologies, b) conventional (CAS), c) Extended Aeration (EA), d) Sequencing Batch Reactor (SBR). Comparison between these configurations were made regarding: a) control parameters, organic loading rate (OLR), Mixed Liquor Volatile Suspended Solids (MLVSS) concentrations, Food to Microorganism ratio (F/M), sludge age (theta(c)), Hydraulic Retention Time (HRT) and return sludge ratio (R); b) effluent quality, through 5-day Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen (TKN), Total Phosphorus (TP); and c) indicators related to sludge production (on a dry basis) and electrical energy consumption. Also, complementary costs analyses were made. The results show that in terms of effluent quality, for all configurations organic matter (BOD5 and COD) and TKN removal efficiency were up to 90%, while TSS and TP were up to 90% and 50%, respectively. However, CAS, EA, SBR, and AL had stability problems with effluent concentrations. The results of the electrical energy consumption and sludge production analyses show that SBRs reduce these indicators by 40%. Cost analysis showed that CAS, EA, SBR and AL had similar cost structures, with more than 50% of total operating and maintenance cost being related to electrical energy and sludge management. Therefore, SBR could be defined as the configuration with a more stable performance.

Síndrome de Sotos: nueva mutación «sin sentido» del gen NSD1 que presenta cutis laxa neonatal / Sotos syndrome: a novel nonsense mutation in nsd1 gene, presenting with neonatal cutis laxa

El síndrome de Sotos se caracteriza por sobrecrecimiento con facies peculiar, macrocefalia, talla alta y alteraciones del desarrollo psicomotor. Presentamos a un paciente de 20 meses de edad con diagnóstico confirmado por genética molecular con detección de mutación nonsense en el gen NSD1 no descrita previamente, exhibiendo cutis laxa como la característica fenotípica más llamativa en el periodo neonatal. Esta asociación se había descrito previamente en 3 pacientes con diagnóstico clínico de síndrome de Sotos sin diagnóstico molecular confirmatorio. En nuestro paciente, la presencia de cutis laxa llevó al diagnóstico diferencial con los defectos congénitos de glucosilación. En el seguimiento posnatal presentó una somatometría con perímetro cefálico y talla mayores de p97 (cercano a p50 al nacimiento), junto con el desarrollo de rasgos fenotípicos característicos del síndrome de Sotos durante los primeros meses de vida, los que proporcionaron la clave para el diagnóstico clínico y la investigación molecular (AU)

Sotos syndrome is an overgrowth condition characterized by facial gestalt, macrocephaly, excessive height, and different degrees of developmental delay. We report the case of a 20-month-old boy with a confirmatory molecular study, showing a novel nonsense mutation in NSD1 gene, presenting cutis laxa as the main phenotypic trait in the neonatal period. This association has been previously described in 3 patients with a clinical diagnosis of Sotos syndrome, without confirmatory molecular analysis. Our patient was tested for congenital disorders of glycosilation as part of the cutis laxa differential diagnosis. During the postnatal follow-up period the head circumference and height became greater than 97th percentile (having been close to the 50th in the newborn period). These facts and the progressive development of characteristic phenotypic features of Sotos syndrome during the first months of life gave us the clue for the clinical diagnosis and the molecular investigation (AU)

[Sotos syndrome: a novel nonsense mutation in NSD1 gene, presenting with neonatal cutis laxa]. / Síndrome de Sotos: nueva mutación «sin sentido¼ del gen NSD1 que presenta cutis laxa neonatal.

Sotos syndrome is an overgrowth condition characterized by facial gestalt, macrocephaly, excessive height, and different degrees of developmental delay. We report the case of a 20-month-old boy with a confirmatory molecular study, showing a novel nonsense mutation in NSD1 gene, presenting cutis laxa as the main phenotypic trait in the neonatal period. This association has been previously described in 3 patients with a clinical diagnosis of Sotos syndrome, without confirmatory molecular analysis. Our patient was tested for congenital disorders of glycosilation as part of the cutis laxa differential diagnosis. During the postnatal follow-up period the head circumference and height became greater than 97(th) percentile (having been close to the 50(th) in the newborn period). These facts and the progressive development of characteristic phenotypic features of Sotos syndrome during the first months of life gave us the clue for the clinical diagnosis and the molecular investigation.

[Impact of hypertensive disease of pregnancy on intrauterine growth retardation]. / Impacto del sindrome hipertensivo del embarazo en el retardo del crecimiento intrauterino.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine growth retardation, associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy, is responsible for a higher perinatal mortality and morbidity. AIM: To assess obstetrical, perinatal and neonatal features of intrauterine growth retardation associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: One hundred thirty seven newborns with intrauterine growth retardation, whose mothers had hypertensive disease of pregnancy, were compared to 165 similar newborns but whose mothers did not have the disease. RESULTS: The incidence of intrauterine growth retardation associated to hypertensive disease of pregnancy was 45.4%. Maternal obesity at the start and end of pregnancy, a pregestational weight over 65 kg and a weight increment of more than 20 kg during pregnancy were risk factors for hypertensive disease of pregnancy with relative risks of 1.76, 1.62, 1.62 and 2.09 respectively. Relative risks for cesarean section and prematurity were also higher among women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy. Intrauterine growth retardation associated to maternal hypertension was symmetrical and severe in 37.9% of newborns. All seven neonatal deaths occurred in newborns with severe retardation. CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal and perinatal morbidity and mortality are higher in newborns with intrauterine growth retardation. Hypertensive disease of pregnancy was associated with a twice higher incidence of asymmetrical intrauterine growth retardation.