[Reduction in Helicobacter pylori infection among patients referred for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in Santiago, Chile, between 2010-2020].

Unlabelled: Latin America presents a high prevalence of Helicobacter pylori(Hp) infection. Between1996-2003, the prevalence in Santiago, Chile, was 70%; recent studies indicate a decreasein this infection. Updating the frequency of Hp is crucial due to its associated health impact.

Clinical features and prognosis of malignant small bowel tumors: Experience from a university hospital in Chile.

Background: Small bowel tumors (SBT) are infrequent and represent a small proportion of digestive neoplasms. There is scarce information about SBT in Latin America.

Aim: To describe the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and survival of malignant SBTs.

Implementation of the updated Sydney system biopsy protocol improves the diagnostic yield of gastric preneoplastic conditions: Results from a real-world study.

Background: The updated Sydney system biopsy protocol (USSBP) standardizes the sampling of gastric biopsies for the detection of preneoplastic conditions (e.g., gastric intestinal metaplasia [GIM]), but the real-world diagnostic yield is not well-described.

Comparing flickering and pulsed chromatic pupil light responses.

The pupil light reflex (PLR) can serve as a biomarker of the photoreceptor function. Protocols for chromatic PLR consider mostly pulsed stimulation. A more sophisticated and promising technique is based on the PLR to flickering stimulation.

Evaluation of trefoil factor 3 as a non-invasive biomarker of gastric intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer in a high-risk population.

Background: Adenocarcinoma is preceded by chronic atrophic gastritis, gastric intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia. Trefoil factor 3 (TFF3) is a peptide secreted by goblet cells, which is abundantly present in intestinal metaplasia.

Aim: To evaluate the utility of serum TFF3 as a non-invasive biomarker for the diagnosis of intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer.

Natural variation in colony inbreeding does not influence susceptibility to a fungal pathogen in a termite.

Reduced genetic diversity through inbreeding can negatively affect pathogen resistance. This relationship becomes more complicated in social species, such as social insects, since the chance of disease transmission increases with the frequency of interactions among individuals. However, social insects may benefit from social immunity, whereby individual physiological defenses may be bolstered by collective-level immune responses, such as grooming or sharing of antimicrobial substance through trophallaxis.

Reduced Environmental Microbial Diversity on the Cuticle and in the Galleries of a Subterranean Termite Compared to Surrounding Soil.

Termites are intimately tied to the microbial world, as they utilize their gut microbiome for the conversion of plant cellulose into necessary nutrients. Subterranean termites must also protect themselves from the vast diversity of harmful microbes found in soil. However, not all soil microbes are harmful, such as Streptomyces and methanotrophic bacteria that some species of termites harbor in complex nest structures made of fecal material.

Increased genetic diversity from colony merging in termites does not improve survival against a fungal pathogen.

In some species of social insects the increased genetic diversity from having multiple breeders in a colony has been shown to improve pathogen resistance. Termite species typically found colonies from single mated pairs and therefore may lack the flexibility to buffer pathogen pressure with increased genetic diversity by varying the initial number of reproductives. However, they can later increase group diversity through colony merging, resulting in a genetically diverse, yet cohesive, workforce.

Relationship of Geographic Altitude with Foveal Avascular Zone Metrics and Vascular Density Values Assessed by OCT Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate variations in vascular density (VD) and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) metrics in relation to geographic altitude in healthy subjects from 6 Latin American cities.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Participants: Healthy volunteers from 6 Latin American cities.

Validation of the Simplified Criteria for the Diagnosis of Autoimmune Hepatitis in Chilean-Hispanic Patients.

Introduction And Aim: In 2008 the International autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) Group proposed the simplified diagnostic criteria for this disease. The original cohort study was performed in 11 international centers, but validation studies are scarce in Latin-America. The aim of this study is validate these criteria in Hispanic patients.

Awareness of heart attack and stroke symptoms among Hispanic male adults living in the United States.

There is evidence that Hispanic men are a high risk group for treatment delay for both heart attack and stroke. More targeted research is needed to elucidate this specific population's knowledge of warning signs for these acute events. This study sought to describe within-group disparities in Hispanic men's knowledge of heart attack and stroke symptomology.