Repositorio académico de acceso abierto (Univ. Autonóma de Chile)
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New Evidence on BPA’s Role in Adipose Tissue Development of Proinflammatory Processes and Its Relationship with Obesity
No full textBisphenol A (BPA) is a xenobiotic with endocrine disruptor properties which interacts with various receptors, eliciting a cellular response. In the plastic industry, BPA is widely used in the production of polycarbonate and epoxy-phenolic resins to provide elastic properties. It can be found in the lining of canned foods, certain plastic containers, thermal printing papers, composite dental fillings, and medical devices, among other things. Therefore, it is a compound that, directly or indirectly, is in daily contact with the human organism. BPA is postulated to be a factor responsible for the global epidemic of obesity and non-communicable chronic diseases, belonging to the obesogenic and diabetogenic group of compounds. Hence, this endocrine disruptor may be responsible for the development of metabolic disorders, promoting in fat cells an increase in proinflammatory pathways and upregulating the expression and release of certain cytokines, such as IL6, IL1β, and TNFα. These, in turn, at a systemic and local level, are associated with a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, which allows the perpetuation of the typical physiological complications of obesity. © 2023 by the authors.Universidad Autónoma de Chil
Commonalities between the Atacama Desert and Antarctica rhizosphere microbial communities
No full textPlant-microbiota interactions have significant effects on plant growth, health, and productivity. Rhizosphere microorganisms are involved in processes that promote physiological responses to biotic and abiotic stresses in plants. In recent years, the interest in microorganisms to improve plant productivity has increased, mainly aiming to find promising strains to overcome the impact of climate change on crops. In this work, we hypothesize that given the desertic environment of the Antarctic and the Atacama Desert, different plant species inhabiting these areas might share microbial taxa with functions associated with desiccation and drought stress tolerance. Therefore, in this study, we described and compared the composition of the rhizobacterial community associated with Deschampsia antarctica (Da), Colobanthus quitensis (Cq) from Antarctic territories, and Croton chilensis (Cc), Eulychnia iquiquensis (Ei) and Nicotiana solanifolia (Ns) from coastal Atacama Desert environments by using 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. In addition, we evaluated the putative functions of that rhizobacterial community that are likely involved in nutrient acquisition and stress tolerance of these plants. Even though each plant microbial rhizosphere presents a unique taxonomic pattern of 3,019 different sequences, the distribution at the genus level showed a core microbiome with a higher abundance of Haliangium, Bryobacter, Bacillus, MND1 from the Nitrosomonadaceae family, and unclassified taxa from Gemmatiamonadaceae and Chitinophagaceae families in the rhizosphere of all samples analyzed (781 unique sequences). In addition, species Gemmatirosa kalamazoonesis and Solibacter usitatus were shared by the core microbiome of both Antarctic and Desert plants. All the taxa mentioned above had been previously associated with beneficial effects in plants. Also, this microbial core composition converged with the functional prediction related to survival under harsh conditions, including chemoheterotrophy, ureolysis, phototrophy, nitrogen fixation, and chitinolysis. Therefore, this study provides relevant information for the exploration of rhizospheric microorganisms from plants in extreme conditions of the Atacama Desert and Antarctic as promising plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Copyright © 2023 Contreras, Leal, Bruna, Nuñez-Montero, Goméz-Espinoza, Santos, Bravo, Valenzuela, Solis, Gahona, Cayo, Dinamarca, Ibacache-Quiroga, Zamorano and Barrientos.Chilean National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development; Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, FONDECYT, (1210563); Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, ANID, (FSEQ210003)Universidad Autónoma de Chil
Nursing students' experiences of a home visiting programme for older adults with multimorbidity (VISITAME project): A phenomenological study
No full textIntroduction: Nursing students should acquire competence in promoting self-care in older adults with chronic multimorbidity, but opportunities for clinical practice are limited. The implementation of a home visiting programme to community-dwelling older adults with chronic multimorbidity could contribute to nursing students' acquisition of this competence. Objective: The aim of our study was to understand the experience of nursing students participating in a home visiting programme to community-dwelling older adults with chronic multimorbidity. Design: Qualitative study based on Gadamer's hermeneutic phenomenology. Method: Twenty-two in-depth interviews were conducted with nursing students participating in a home visiting programme. Data were recorded, transcribed and analysed following the procedure developed by Fleming. Results: Three main themes were extracted in the data analysis process: (1) ‘living the theory. Experience as a catalyst for learning’, (2) ‘the home visiting programme as a tool for promoting competence in caring for older adults’, and (3) ‘when learning sparks interest in working with older adults’. Conclusion: The home visiting programme to community-dwelling older adults has an important impact on the personal and professional development of nursing students. The experience of the home visiting programme leads to deep learning that sparks interest in caring for older adults. The implementation of a home visiting programme could be a beneficial strategy for the acquisition of competence to promote health and self-care. © 2023 The AuthorsMinisterio de Ciencia e Innovación, MICINN, (AEI/10.13039/501100011033); Universidad de Almería, UALUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
Lessons learnt from the first large-scale biodegradable FAD research experiment to mitigate drifting FADs impacts on the ecosystem
No full textDrifting Fish Aggregating Devices (dFADs) are currently made with synthetic and non-biodegradable materials contributing to the increase of marine litter and other potential ecosystem impacts. Tuna RFMOs have promoted the research and progressive replacement of existing FADs by non-entangling biodegradable FADs (bioFADs). Here, we present the results of the first large-scale biodegradable FAD project in the Indian Ocean to develop and implement the use of non-entangling biodegradable dFADs. The bioFAD tested were fully non-entangling without netting minimizing completely the risk of entanglement. Tested bioFADs significantly contribute to the reduction of the synthetic plastic-based materials, increase the use of biodegradable materials and reduce the total material weight used in FADs, reducing their overall ecosystem impacts. The results of testing 771 bioFADs in real fishing conditions, showed that the fishing performance regarding presence/absence of tuna around dFADs, first day of tuna detection, proportion of FADs occupied by tuna, biomass aggregation underneath the FADs and catch per set between bioFADs and conventional dFADs were similar. This provides support for the efficacy of bioFADs regardless of the degradation experienced by the biodegradable materials tested. Although some bioFADs lasted up to one year, the degradation of the biodegradable material was important and some bioFADs lost their original structure after the study period, suggesting the need to find alternative designs for bioFADs that will suffer less structural stress than those bioFADs made of biodegradable material but with conventional design. The lessons learnt in this large-scale trial will contribute to refining the future designs of biodegradable FADs. © 2022 The AuthorsAsociación Nacional de Armadores de Buques Atuneros Congeladores; FAO-GEF; ORTHONGEL; Organización Productores Asociados Grandes Atuneros Congeladores; Organization Des Producteurs de Thon Congelé et Surgelé; Provision of Scientific Advice for Fisheries Beyond EU Waters, (EASME/EMFF/2016/008); Seychelles Fishing Authority; Tuna Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation, (GCP/GLO/365/GFF); European Commission, ECUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
Self-Reported Moderate-to-Vigorous Physical Activity: Its Association with Health-Related Quality of Life in a Large Cohort of People with Chronic Diseases
No full textThe aim of this study was to investigate the dose–response relationship between physical activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in a large population-based sample of people with chronic disease. We analysed the data of 29,271 adults (15,315 women) who were diagnosed with chronic diseases and participated in the Welsh Health Survey (Wales, UK; data collection 2011–2015). Participants were classified, based on their weekly minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), into four groups as follows: inactive (no MVPA), insufficiently active (<150 min/week), sufficiently active (≥150–<300), and very active (≥300). The main outcome was HRQoL measured via the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). This study found a curvilinear association between MVPA and HRQoL and a dose–response relationship for the perception of general health and vitality domains. Compared to inactive participants, those who were very active had higher HRQoL scores (coefficient = 12.54; 95% confidence interval [CI] 11.39–13.70), followed by sufficiently active (coefficient = 11.70; 95% CI 10.91–12.49) and insufficiently active (coefficient = 9.83; 95% CI 9.15–10.51) participants. The fully adjusted regression model showed curvilinear associations between MVPA and the domains of SF-36. Future research should find ways to motivate people with chronic diseases to engage in physical activity. The evidence to support regular exercise in individuals with chronic diseases in all age groups is strong and compelling, and patients should be encouraged to regularly devote more time to physical activity in order to improve their health and well-being. © 2023 by the authors.Deanship of Scientific Research, University of Jordan, DSR, (NU/RG/MRC/12/17)Universidad Autónoma de Chil
Uso de la Wii Balance Board como mecanismo de reconocimiento y clasificación del riesgo de caídas en el adulto mayor
No full textIntroduction: In clinical practice, the functional tests used to assess the risk of falls require precision techniques and elements that avoid subjectivity. The use of the Wii Balance Board (WBB) is an alternative to the above, since it is an inexpensive, portable tool that allows extracting variables that are related to the phenomenon under study. Objective: To classify the variables derived from the center of pressure (CoP) during the evaluation of postural control through the WBB, in older adults with and without risk of falls. Methods: A descriptive research design was used. A total of 40 older adults were studied, 20 with and 20 without risk of falls. Postural control was evaluated using the WBB, extracting kinetic and kinematic variables, which allowed the implementation of an attribute selector and the SVM algorithm (SVMs, Support Vector Machines), identifying older adults at risk of falls. Results: The variables that best allow us to classify older adults with and without risk of falling were speed, displacement and mean force. A two-class classifier was built, whose best performance was the Kappa index 0.95 (almost perfect agreement strength), 98% sensitivity, and 100% specificity. Conclusions: The use of WBB can be considered a low-cost alternative for the evaluation of the risk of falls in older adults. © Copyright 2023.Universidad Andrés Bello, UNABUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
Desarrollo de un PCR Múltiple para la Detección de Genes Metalo-Beta-Lactamasa en Pseudomonas aeruginosa
No full textThe appearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains with multi-resistance to antibiotics is a clinical problem of great relevance. The methods for detecting these resistances are laborious and slow, which is a complication when treating patients promptly. In this work, we developed a simple method for simultaneous detection of several carbapenem resistance genes using a multiplex PCR assay. The PCR assay developed, followed by electrophoretic separation of fragments, allows to simultaneously identify the presence of 6 antibiotic resistance genes: bla-VIM (261 bp), bla-IMP (587 bp), bla-SPM (648 bp), bla-GIM-1 (753 bp), bla-NDM-1 (813 bp) and bla-KPC (882 bp). We analyzed 7 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa obtained in Chile, finding the resistance genes bla-VIM, bla-IMP, bla-SPM, bla-GIM, and bla-NDM in 5 of them. We found a perfect correlation between the detection of various resistance genes by PCR and the results obtained by antibiograms. Interestingly, 2 of the strains possessed 3 different resistance genes simultaneously. Finally, in this work, we found the presence of 3 genes never described before in clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa in Chile (bla-IMP, bla-SPM, and bla-GIM-1). We developed a rapid multiplex PCR test for the simultaneous detection of up to 6 antibiotic resistance genes of the metallo--lactamase family in P. aeruginosa. © 2023, Universidad de la Frontera. All rights reserved.Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, UAdeC, (DIUA189-2020); Fondo Nacional de Desarrollo Científico y Tecnológico, FONDECYT, (11090182, 11181270); Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, ANIDUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
A qualitative study into the experience of living with acalculia after stroke and other forms of acquired brain injury
No full textAcalculia, an acquired disability following a brain injury, involves difficulty processing numerical information and/or calculations. Acalculia is not routinely screened for, and as a result there is a lack of understanding about the nature and prevalence and the impact of the condition. This qualitative study was initiated by stroke survivors with a strong interest in acalculia. Sixteen stroke/brain injury survivors with acalculia and seven carers were interviewed using semi-structured online interviews. Participants ranged in age, gender, time post-onset, country of residence and numeracy level prior to brain injury. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: Awareness and Diagnosis; Emotional and Practical Impact (independence); Support, Coping Strategies and Self-training. Participants and carers repeatedly referred to the lack of awareness and treatment for acalculia and the impact acalculia has had on their lives and independence. Practical impacts included managing money, making appointments, using timetables, organizing social activities and employment, and managing medication. Our results highlight the urgent need to develop suitable assessments and interventions for acalculia and the scope for this to be Patient, Carer and Public involvement (PCPI)-led. The data also reveal useful strategies and suggestions regarding effective timing, targets and approaches for intervention. © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.Manchester Metropolitan University, MMUUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
Revisiting the bonding evolution theory: a fresh perspective on the ammonia pyramidal inversion and bond dissociations in ethane and borazane
No full textThis work offers a comprehensive and fresh perspective on the bonding evolution theory (BET) framework, originally proposed by Silvi and collaborators [X. Krokidis, S. Noury and B. Silvi, Characterization of elementary chemical processes by catastrophe theory, J. Phys. Chem. A, 1997, 101, 7277-7282]. By underscoring Thom's foundational work, we identify the parametric function characterizing bonding events along a reaction pathway through a three-step sequence to establish such association rigorously, namely: (a) computing the determinant of the Hessian matrix at all potentially degenerate critical points, (b) computing the relative distance between these points, and (c) assigning the unfolding based on these computations and considering the maximum number of critical points for each unfolding. In-depth examination of the ammonia inversion and the dissociation of ethane and ammonia borane molecules yields a striking discovery: no elliptic umbilic flag is detected along the reactive coordinate for any of the systems, contradicting previous reports. Our findings indicate that the core mechanisms of these chemical reactions can be understood using only two folds, the simplest polynomial of Thom's theory, leading to considerable simplification. In contrast to previous reports, no signatures of the elliptic umbilic unfolding were detected in any of the systems examined. This finding dramatically simplifies the topological rationalization of electron rearrangements within the BET framework, opening new approaches for investigating complex reactions. © 2023 The Royal Society of Chemistry.FONDECYT-ANID, (1181582, 1221383, 1231018); Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica, CONICYT; Fondo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, FONACYT; Agencia Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo, ANIDUniversidad Autónoma de Chil
Corrigendum: Students' perceptions of excellence in Chilean high-performing public schools (Frontiers in Education, (2022), 6, (732295), 10.3389/feduc.2021.732295)
No full textIn the published article, the Funding statement was missing. The correct Funding statement appears below. Copyright © 2023 Quaresma, Allende, Villalobos and Araneda.Universidad Autónoma de Chil