Teline monspessulana Can Harm the Chilean Native Tree Nothofagus obliqua: Effects on Germination and Initial Growth

Teline monspessulana is highly invasive in several countries around the world. This species pressurizes and displaces several native and endemic tree species in south-central Chile such as Nothofagus obliqua, the native species of greatest timber interest. We determined the effects induced by allelochemical stress of T. monspessulana on N. obliqua germination and initial growth. Germination was evaluated under in vitro conditions and in natural substrate obtained from sites inhabited by N. obliqua and from nearby areas invaded by T. monspessulana. Controls irrigated with tap water and treatments with aqueous extracts of aerial organs of the invasive species were used. Morphometric and morphological variables were evaluated, and the composition of alkaloids and phenols from the plant organs used for the aqueous extracts was determined. The substrates were also chemically characterized. Allelochemicals synthesized by T. monspessulana caused germination and growth inhibition and tissue-level alterations, as well as leaf and root damage in N. obliqua seedlings. In the aerial organs of T. monspessulana, the quinolizidine alkaloids aphylline, caulophylline, anagyrine, and sophocarpine were mainly detected. In addition, 21 phenolic compounds were identified, including gallic acid, vanillic acid, chlorogenic acid, p-coumaric acid, and quercetin. The phytotoxic potential of T. monspessulana can compromise the natural multiplication of N. obliqua and its survival from its first phenological stages. This interdisciplinary study model facilitated the clarification of the plant-plant relationship mediated by allelochemicals. The model can be replicated to investigate other interspecific interactions between invasive and native species.

[Training of health care workers on the Chronic Care Model]

BACKGROUND

The Chronic Care Model promotes the link between informed, activated patients with proactive and prepared health care teams.

AIM

To evaluate the effect of an intervention aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Chronic Care Model in the care provided by health teams to users with chronic diseases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Quasi-experiment study. Four health centers were randomly selected, divided into intervention and control groups, with 86 participants who met the selection criteria and agreed to participate in the study. A blended learning training program, lasting six months, was applied in intervened centers to incorporate the elements of the Chronic Care Model. The results were assessed using the questionnaire "Assessment of chronic illness care, internal client version 3.5" adapted to Chilean Spanish.

RESULTS

A significant post-intervention improvement in the global score of attention evaluation was observed in the group that received the intervention, changing from basic su- pport to reasonably good support. Also, specific improvements were seen in five sections of the attention assessment.

CONCLUSIONS

This intervention improved the evaluation of chronic disease care in the intervention group.

An Anaerobic Environment Drives the Harboring of Helicobacter pylori within Candida Yeast Cells

Simple Summary

Helicobacter pylori is a pathogen that is associated with a number of gastric pathologies and has adapted to the gastric environment. Outside this organ, stress factors such as oxygen concentration affect the viability of this bacterium. This study aimed to determine if changes in oxygen concentration promoted the entry of H. pylori into the interior of yeast cells of the Candida genus. Co-cultures of H. pylori and Candida strains in Brucella broth plus 5% fetal bovine serum were incubated under microaerobic, anaerobic, or aerobic conditions. Bacteria-like bodies (BLBs) were detected within yeast cells (Y-BLBs) by optical microscopy, identified by molecular techniques, and their viability evaluated by SYTO-9 fluorescence. Co-cultures incubated under the three conditions showed the presence of Y-BLBs, but the highest Y-BLB percentage was present in H. pylori J99 and C. glabrata co-cultures incubated under anaerobiosis. Molecular techniques were used to identify BLBs as H. pylori and SYTO-9 fluorescence confirmed that this bacterium remained viable within yeast cells. In conclusion, although without apparent stress conditions H. pylori harbors within Candida yeast cells, its harboring increases significantly under anaerobic conditions. This endosymbiotic relationship also depends mostly on the H. pylori strain used in the co-culture.

Abstract

Helicobacter pylori protects itself from stressful environments by forming biofilms, changing its morphology, or invading eukaryotic cells, including yeast cells. There is little knowledge about the environmental factors that influence the endosymbiotic relationship between bacterium and yeasts. Here, we studied if oxygen availability stimulated the growth of H. pylori within Candida and if this was a bacterial- or yeast strain-dependent relationship. Four H. pylori strains and four Candida strains were co-cultured in Brucella broth plus 5% fetal bovine serum, and incubated under microaerobic, anaerobic, or aerobic conditions. Bacteria-like bodies (BLBs) within yeast cells (Y-BLBs) were detected by microscopy. H. pylori was identified by FISH and by PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene of H. pylori from total DNA extracted from Y-BLBs from H. pylori and Candida co-cultures. BLBs viability was confirmed by SYTO-9 fluorescence. Higher Y-BLB percentages were obtained under anaerobic conditions and using H. pylori J99 and C. glabrata combinations. Thus, the H. pylori–Candida endosymbiotic relationship is strain dependent. The FISH and PCR results identified BLBs as intracellular H. pylori. Conclusion: Stressful conditions such as an anaerobic environment significantly increased H. pylori growth within yeast cells, where it remained viable, and the bacterium–yeast endosymbiotic relationship was bacterial strain dependent with a preference for C. glabrata.

Incorporation of Limosilactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C with Anti-Helicobacter pylori and Immunomodulatory Activities in Various Ice Cream Bases

Limosilactobacillus fermentum UCO-979C is a probiotic strain possessing anti-Helicobacter pylori and immunomodulatory activity. The aim of this work was to examine if this strain maintains its probiotic properties and its viability when added to dairy-based ice creams (cookies and cream, Greek yogurt, and chocolate with brownie) or to fruit-based ice creams (pineapple and raspberry) stored at −18 °C for 90 days. The probiotic anti-H. pylori activity using the well diffusion test, its immunomodulatory activity was measured using transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β₁) cytokine production by human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells, and its viability was measured using the microdrop technique. Assays were performed in triplicate. The L. fermentum UCO-979C strain maintained strong anti-H. pylori activity in dairy-based ice creams and mild activity in fruit-based ice cream. The production of pro-inflammatory cytokine TGF-β₁ on AGS cells was higher in the probiotic recovered from Greek yogurt ice cream, maintaining a viability exceeding 10⁷ colony-forming units/mL. The addition of the probiotic to ice creams did not significantly influence the physicochemical properties of the product. These data show the great potential of the L. fermentum UCO-979C strain in producing probiotic dairy-based and fruit-based ice creams.

Estudio de la validez y fiabilidad del Test de Repetición Fonético-Fonológica (TREFF) como instrumento para evaluar el desempeño fonético-fonológico en niños chilenos

En la actualidad, se requiere un mayor repertorio de pruebas válidas y confiables que evalúen el desempeño fonético-fonológico en niños chilenos. El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la validez y fiabilidad del Test de Repetición Fonético-Fonológica (TREFF). La validación fue llevada a cabo mediante un juicio de expertos y la fiabilidad fue determinada mediante el análisis estadístico de la estabilidad temporal y la concordancia intra- e interjueces. Para este proceso, se aplicó el instrumento en una población infantil perteneciente al nivel sociocultural medio alto, con un desarrollo fonético-fonológico acorde a lo esperado para su edad. El análisis de las respuestas fue realizado por tres jueces evaluadores, quienes determinaron si el niño o la niña lograba producir los elementos evaluados. Respecto a la validación, el instrumento fue modificado considerando las sugerencias de los expertos. En cuanto a la fiabilidad, los resultados obtenidos demostraron estabilidad temporal y un alto grado de concordancia a nivel intra- e interjueces. El estudio permite concluir que el test TREFF cumple con los criterios de validez y fiabilidad.

Chilean Rhubarb, Gunnera tinctoria (Molina) Mirb. (Gunneraceae): UHPLC-ESI-Orbitrap-MS Profiling of Aqueous Extract and its Anti-Helicobacter pylori Activity

The full UHPLC-MS metabolome fingerprinting and anti-Helicobacter pylori effect of Gunnera tinctoria (Molina) Mirb. (Nalca) total extract (GTE) and fractions prepared from its edible fresh petioles were evaluated. The activity of G. tinctoria against H. pylori strains ATCC 45504 and J99 was assessed in vitro by means of agar diffusion assay, Minimum Inhibition Concentration (MIC), and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC), while killing curve and transmission electronic microscopy (TEM) were conducted in order to determine the effect of the plant extract on bacterial growth and ultrastructure. Additionally, the inhibitory effect upon urease was evaluated using both the Jack Bean and H. pylori enzymes. To determine which molecules could be responsible for the antibacterial effects, tentative identification was done by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap®-HR-MS). Furthermore, the total G. tinctoria extract was fractionated using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC), giving four active fractions (1-4). It was determined that the crude extract and centrifugal partition chromatography fractions of G. tinctoria have a bactericidal effect being the lowest MIC and MBC = 32 μg/ml. In the killing curves, fraction one acts faster than control amoxicillin. In the urease assay, F3 exhibited the lowest IC50 value of 13.5 μg/ml. Transmission electronic microscopy showed that crude G. tinctoria extract promotes disruption and separation of the cellular wall and outer membrane detachment on H. pylori causing bacterial cell death.

ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE SURVEILLANCE OF HELICOBACTER PYLORI AT THE BIOBÍO REGION (CHILE) IN A DECADE

BACKGROUND

Helicobacter pylori infection in Chile remains as a public and private health-care system's challenge, with a prevalence of the infection over 70%. Nowadays, antibiotic treatment of the infection is mandatory to prevent the arising of severe associated diseases but failures in the eradication therapy mainly due to clarithromycin resistance has been observed worldwide and first line eradication therapy seems to be not effective anymore in several geographical areas. Thus, health-care systems are committed to maintain an epidemiological surveillance upon the evolution of the antibiotic resistance of this priority 2 pathogen.

OBJECTIVE

This work reports a 10 years surveillance of the primary antibiotic resistance of H. pylori clinical isolates at the Biobío region-Chile, and the evolution of resistance toward amoxicillin, clarithromycin, levofloxacin, metronidazole, and tetracycline among the species.

METHODS

H. pylori strains were investigated during the periods 2005-2007 (1435 patients analysed) and 2015-2017 (220 patients analysed) by inoculating a saline homogenate biopsy onto the surface of Columbia agar (Oxoid, Basingstoke, UK) - supplemented with 7% horse red blood cells plus DENT inhibitor (Oxoid, Basingstoke, UK) - following by incubation at 37ºC under 10% CO2 atmosphere for five days. Antibiotic resistance pattern of the isolates was assessed using the disk diffusion test in Müeller-Hinton agar supplemented with 7% horse red blood cells followed by incubation for further three days under 10% CO2 atmosphere. Statistical analysis was done using the SPSS v22 software and P values <0.05 were considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of 41% of 1435 patients were detected to be infected with H. pylori by bacteriological culture in 2005-2007 period, meanwhile 32.7% from 220 patients were also infected in 2015-2017 period. The clinical isolates of H. pylori are mostly susceptible to amoxicillin and tetracycline (both over 98% of strains), but less susceptible to levofloxacin in both periods analysed (over 79% of the strains). On the other hand, metronidazole continuous showing the highest score of resistant isolates (over 40% of resistant strains), although an 18% fewer resistant strains were observed in 2015-2017 period. Clarithromycin, the key antibiotic in eradication therapies, has an increased frequency of resistant strain isolated in the decade (22.5% in 2005-2007 and 29.2% in 2015-2017). Multidrug resistant strains (two, three and four antibiotics) were also detected in both periods with the highest scores for simultaneous resistance to clarithromycin-metronidazole (18%) and clarithromycin-metronidazole-levofloxacin (12.5%) resistant strains. According to gender, the isolates resistant to amoxicillin, clarithromycin and metronidazole were more frequent in female, with a specific increment in amoxicillin and clarithromycin resistance.

CONCLUSION

The frequency of clarithromycin resistance (29.2%) detected in 2015-2017 suggests that conventional triple therapy is no longer effective in this region.

Spatiotemporal variation in phenolic levels in galls of calophyids on Schinus polygama (Anacardiaceae)

The expression of plant secondary metabolism is strongly controlled by plant both in time and space. Although the variation of secondary metabolites, such as soluble and structural phenolics (e.g., lignins), has been largely observed in gall-inducing insects, and compared to their non-galled host organs, only a few datasets recording such variation are available. Accordingly, the relative importance of spatiotemporal variability in phenolic contents, and the influence of gall developmental stages on the original composition of host organs are poorly discussed. To address this knowledge gap, we histochemically determined the sites of polyphenol and lignin accumulation, and the polyphenol contents in three developmental stages of two calophyid galls and their correspondent host organs. Current results indicate that the compartmentalization of phenolics and lignins on Schinus polygama (Cav.) Cabrera follows a similar pattern in the two-calophyid galls, accumulating in the outer (the external tissue layers) and in the inner tissue compartments (the cell layers in contact with the gall chamber). The non-accumulation in the median compartment (median parenchyma layers of gall wall with vascular bundles, where gall inducer feeds) is important for the inducer, because its mouth apparatus enter in contact with the cells of this compartment. Also, the concentration of phenolics has opposite dynamics, decreasing in leaf galls and increasing in stem galls, in temporal scale, i.e., from maturation toward senescence. The concentration of phenolics in non-galled host organs, and in both galls indicated the extended phenotype of Calophya rubra (Blanchard) and C. mammifex Burckhardt & Basset (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Psylloidea: Calophyidae) over the same host plant metabolic potentiality.

A validation of the construct and reliability of an emotional intelligence scale applied to nursing students

OBJECTIVE:

The current study aimed to validate the construct and reliability of an emotional intelligence scale.

METHOD:

The Trait Meta-Mood Scale-24 was applied to 349 nursing students. The process included content validation, which involved expert reviews, pilot testing, measurements of reliability using Cronbach's alpha, and factor analysis to corroborate the validity of the theoretical model's construct.

RESULTS:

Adequate Cronbach coefficients were obtained for all three dimensions, and factor analysis confirmed the scale's dimensions (perception, comprehension, and regulation).

CONCLUSION:

The Trait Meta-Mood Scale is a reliable and valid tool to measure the emotional intelligence of nursing students. Its use allows for accurate determinations of individuals' abilities to interpret and manage emotions. At the same time, this new construct is of potential importance for measurements in nursing leadership; educational, organizational, and personal improvements; and the establishment of effective relationships with patients.