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Vaginal dysbiosis, particularly bacterial vaginosis (BV), is associated with altered immune responses that may influence the formation of extracellular traps (ETs). This study aimed to characterize neutrophil and macrophage extracellular traps (NETs and METs) in vaginal discharge samples obtained from women with normal microbiota (NM) and BV, with particular emphasis on Gardnerella vaginalis (GV) detection. An ex vivo analysis was performed using vaginal smears from 14 patients previously classified according to the Nugent criteria. Immunofluorescence assays targeting neutrophil elastase (NE), citrullinated histone H3 (Citr-H3), CD15, and CD68 were conducted, and quantitative image analysis was performed using the TissueFAXS and StrataQuest platforms. NETs were classified into three morphotypes: spread (spr), diffuse (diff), and aggregated (agg). BV samples exhibited a substantially higher mean NET count than NM samples (842.43 vs. 91.86). The number of diffNETs was significantly higher in BV samples than in NM samples (p = 0.004), whereas GV-positive samples showed increased sprNET abundance compared with that in negative samples (248 vs. 8; p < 0.05). CD68⁺ cell counts were significantly higher in BV samples (p = 0.026), whereas no significant differences in NE or Citr-H3 fluorescence intensity were observed between groups. MET structures were also identified, suggesting macrophage involvement in the local immune response. Collectively, these findings indicate that vaginal dysbiosis and GV presence are associated with enhanced NET formation and distinct morphotype distributions, supporting a role for ETs in the immunopathology of BV.

Este estudio explora la seguridad alimentaria de personas trans y de género diverso en La Araucanía desde una perspectiva situada. Se realizó un estudio cualitativo, basado en entrevistas en profundidad de orientación etnográfica (octubre 2024–enero 2025), a personas usuarias del policlínico de género del Hospital de Temuco; las transcripciones se analizaron con codificación temática inspirada en teoría fundamentada y apoyo de Atlas.ti. Los resultados muestran que acceso, disponibilidad, biodisponibilidad situada y estabilidad se entrelazan con precariedad estructural, redes familiares, comunitarias e infraestructura doméstica. Los itinerarios de salud, incluida la terapia hormonal de afirmación de género, median decisiones cotidianas sobre qué y cómo comer; emergen estrategias adaptativas que resuelven urgencias, pero erosionan la estabilidad nutricional. La alimentación aparece como cuidado y afirmación identitaria. Se concluye que se requieren intervenciones de doble anclaje: medidas estructurales/territoriales que fortalezcan abastecimiento y servicios básicos, y acciones clínico-comunitarias que traduzcan recomendaciones en prácticas sostenibles.

Background and Objectives: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is an orthopedic condition in the pediatric population, affecting between 0.1% and 3% of infants. Chile has one of the highest incidences in South America, reaching 1 per 500 live births. Given the potential of adverse consequences of DDH on infant health, preliminary studies are needed to determine its prevalence in the population and assess its association with relevant risk factors. Materials and Methods: The study is single-center, conducted in a Chilean population. The sample size calculation determined the use of 100 pelvic radiographs, considering a 95% confidence level and a proportion of 0.5. The infants were between 90 and 150 days old. Information was collected on possible DDH-related risk factors. For the analysis, normality tests, Chi-square tests, independent samples t-tests, Mann–Whitney U tests, and multivariate analyses were applied. Results: The prevalence of DDH was determined to be 12%, affecting the left hip to a greater extent. Female infants had a higher frequency of DDH. A statistically significant association was found between the prevalence of DDH and the presence of asymmetry in the abduction of the hip joint (p = 0.023), acetabular roof obliquity (p = 0.003), left hip involvement (p = 0.002), and height at two months of age (p = 0.016). Conclusions: The prevalence of DDH in infants was higher than that reported in the literature. However, with regard to sex, the data coincide with those previously reported by other authors.

This study aimed to evaluate viral stability by probing molecular and structural changes in human coronavirus HCoV‐229E under different conditions using Raman spectroscopy coupled with multivariate analysis. Wild‐type and GFP‐tagged HCoV‐229E samples were stored at −20°C for 24, 168, and 504 h, and subjected to thermal treatments at 37°C for 120 min and 95°C for 10 min. Multivariate analyses, including principal component analysis (PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS‐DA), enabled clear discrimination between virus types, concentrations, and environmental conditions. The observed spectral variations reflect underlying molecular alterations associated with environmental stress. The OPLS‐DA models demonstrated strong performance, explaining up to 97% of the variance ( R ² Y ) with a predictive capacity of up to 95% ( Q ² ). These findings highlight the potential of Raman spectroscopy combined with multivariate analysis as a rapid and non‐destructive tool for investigating stability‐related molecular changes in coronaviruses under varying conditions.

Background: Access to oral health promotion for older adults is globally limited, especially in rural, low- and middle-income settings. Digital research often lacks theoretical foundation and focuses primarily on younger cohorts, yielding few randomized trials evaluating accessible tools for oral health education in older adults. Objective: This study aimed to develop a telehealth reinforcement strategy for oral health promotion to improve knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: A single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in 4 municipalities (2 urban and 2 rural) in La Araucanía, Chile. Eligible participants were functionally independent adults aged ≥60 years with smartphone and internet access; those with cognitive impairment, complete edentulism, or inability to use WhatsApp were excluded. Participants were recruited from regional databases and assessed using the Geriatric Dental Specialties Tele-platform, a teledentistry tool for older adults. Participants were randomized (1:1) to face-to-face instruction (comparator) or the same instruction plus 2 weeks of social cognitive theory–informed telehealth reinforcement (4 validated videos via WhatsApp). Clinicians and statistical advisors were blinded. Primary outcomes (oral health knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy) were measured via telephone-administered questionnaires at baseline and 6 weeks post intervention. Secondary outcomes included acceptability and self-reported behaviors. Analyses included hypothesis testing, multiple correspondence analysis, and k-means clustering. Results: A total of 120 older adults were randomized (comparator: n=59; telehealth: n=61), with 103 analyzed (comparator: n=51; telehealth: n=52). Both groups showed substantial within-group improvements in oral health knowledge (comparator: Cohen d=0.93, 95% CI 0.52-1.34; P<.001; telehealth: Cohen d=1.07, 95% CI 0.66-1.48; P<.001) and self-efficacy (comparator: r=0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.74; P<.001; telehealth: r=0.62, 95% CI 0.43-0.77; P<.001). In per-protocol analysis, telehealth improved dental caries knowledge (P=.03) and attitudes (P=.004), with no between-group differences in other domains (P>.05). In intention-to-treat analysis, telehealth showed a significant between-group difference for attitudes only (adjusted mean difference=0.91, 95% CI 0.34-1.48; P=.002), with no differences for overall oral health knowledge (P=.11) or self-efficacy (P=.59). Exploratory analyses indicated only the rural telehealth subgroup showed significant gains in attitudes (P=.003) and flossing (P<.001). Clustering suggested greater improvements among participants with higher baseline needs, predominantly rural, with fewer teeth. Telehealth demonstrated acceptability across multiple indicators (>80% for most measures) with no clinical adverse events; minor video-access issues occurred. Conclusions: Telehealth reinforcement provided significant advantages in oral health attitudes compared with face-to-face instruction. The intervention was acceptable and showed benefits among older adults with higher preventive needs, commonly seen in rural settings. By integrating theory-informed strategies into a familiar digital platform, this study adds evidence from rural and urban contexts, extending prior work on mobile oral health. It offers insights to address service gaps in underserved areas and highlights potential for feasible, context-aligned implementation. Future research should evaluate long-term effects, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05917548; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05917548

Background/Objectives: Mandibular asymmetry is a common morphological alteration in orthodontics and orthognathic surgery, generally diagnosed with panoramic radiographs despite their limitations. Automated processing systems offer a promising alternative for improving its detection and analysis. The aim of this study was to develop a pilot computational model to detect and measure mandibular asymmetry in the body and ramus by analyzing anatomical distances in digital panoramic radiographs of adults. Methods: This was a descriptive observational pilot study, carried out on 30 digital panoramic radiographs of young adult patients (15 men, 15 women). Three craniometric points (Condylion, Gonion and Gnathion) were used as references landmarks. An algorithm was implemented in Python^® (v3.12) with OpenCV to extract anatomical coordinates and calculate Euclidean distances (Go-Gn, Co-Go) from pixels to millimeters. Data were statistically analyzed in SPSS (v23.0) using normality tests, paired t-tests, Wilcoxon tests, and Mann–Whitney U tests (p < 0.05). Results: No significant differences were observed in mandibular lengths by sex, with men having greater lengths in both the body (80.63 mm vs. 73.86 mm) and the ramus (55.82 mm vs. 49.15 mm). In addition, significant differences were found in total mandibular ramus measurements (p = 0.023). A classification of asymmetry by severity was proposed (mild: ≤3 mm, moderate: 3–6 mm, severe: >6 mm), with mild asymmetries being the most frequently found. The model showed reliable processing capacity. Conclusions: This pilot study shows the feasibility of using Python for automated measurement of mandibular asymmetry in panoramic radiographs and highlights its future potential for neural network integration and diagnostic-epidemiological use.

Successful health management in older adults requires adequate nutrition, which is often compromised by oral health issues like edentulism. Tooth loss can reduce masticatory function, especially when rehabilitation treatments fail. The present study aims to generate initial information on the potential effects of the placement of mandibular mini-implants in patients with complete maxillary and mandibular dentures on mandibular kinetics, electromyographic activity, and quality of life. Participants with complete dentures, adequate mandibular bone height, and good general health were recruited. All underwent cone beam computed tomography for diagnosis and planning to place two mandibular mini-implants. Mandibular movements were analyzed using electromagnetic articulography and electromyography before treatment and five months after implant placement. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was assessed using the OHIP-7sp at baseline and six months post-treatment. Five subjects were included (mean age 69.7 ± 10.8 years). All mini-implants demonstrated a 100% initial success rate. At five months, significant improvements were observed in the vertical range of maximum opening, as well as in the area, trajectory, and range of frontal and sagittal movement envelopes (p < 0.05)—along with increased movement symmetry. OHRQoL also improved, with greater esthetic satisfaction, communication, and social engagement. Mandibular mini-implants improved mandibular movements and prosthetic stability, enhancing patients’ oral health-related quality of life without altering muscle activity.

BACKGROUND Access to oral health promotion for older adults is globally limited, especially in rural, low- and middle-income settings. Digital research often lacks theoretical foundation and focuses primarily on younger cohorts, yielding few randomized trials evaluating accessible tools for oral health education in older adults. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to develop a telehealth reinforcement strategy for oral health promotion to improve knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy in community-dwelling older adults. METHODS A single-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted in 4 municipalities (2 urban and 2 rural) in La Araucanía, Chile. Eligible participants were functionally independent adults aged ≥60 years with smartphone and internet access; those with cognitive impairment, complete edentulism, or inability to use WhatsApp were excluded. Participants were recruited from regional databases and assessed using the Geriatric Dental Specialties Tele-platform, a teledentistry tool for older adults. Participants were randomized (1:1) to face-to-face instruction (comparator) or the same instruction plus 2 weeks of social cognitive theory–informed telehealth reinforcement (4 validated videos via WhatsApp). Clinicians and statistical advisors were blinded. Primary outcomes (oral health knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy) were measured via telephone-administered questionnaires at baseline and 6 weeks post intervention. Secondary outcomes included acceptability and self-reported behaviors. Analyses included hypothesis testing, multiple correspondence analysis, and k-means clustering. RESULTS A total of 120 older adults were randomized (comparator: n=59; telehealth: n=61), with 103 analyzed (comparator: n=51; telehealth: n=52). Both groups showed substantial within-group improvements in oral health knowledge (comparator: Cohen d=0.93, 95% CI 0.52-1.34; P<.001; telehealth: Cohen d=1.07, 95% CI 0.66-1.48; P<.001) and self-efficacy (comparator: r=0.59, 95% CI 0.38-0.74; P<.001; telehealth: r=0.62, 95% CI 0.43-0.77; P<.001). In per-protocol analysis, telehealth improved dental caries knowledge (P=.03) and attitudes (P=.004), with no between-group differences in other domains (P>.05). In intention-to-treat analysis, telehealth showed a significant between-group difference for attitudes only (adjusted mean difference=0.91, 95% CI 0.34-1.48; P=.002), with no differences for overall oral health knowledge (P=.11) or self-efficacy (P=.59). Exploratory analyses indicated only the rural telehealth subgroup showed significant gains in attitudes (P=.003) and flossing (P<.001). Clustering suggested greater improvements among participants with higher baseline needs, predominantly rural, with fewer teeth. Telehealth demonstrated acceptability across multiple indicators (>80% for most measures) with no clinical adverse events; minor video-access issues occurred. CONCLUSIONS Telehealth reinforcement provided significant advantages in oral health attitudes compared with face-to-face instruction. The intervention was acceptable and showed benefits among older adults with higher preventive needs, commonly seen in rural settings. By integrating theory-informed strategies into a familiar digital platform, this study adds evidence from rural and urban contexts, extending prior work on mobile oral health. It offers insights to address service gaps in underserved areas and highlights potential for feasible, context-aligned implementation. Future research should evaluate long-term effects, adaptability, and cost-effectiveness. CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05917548; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05917548

Objectives: This study aims to describe and analyze the indications and clinical results of total TMJ replacement in participants with degenerative and/or inflammatory joint diseases, defining patient and intervention conditions. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention and reported according to the PRISMA Items update. The search strategy was from 1997 to July 2024 in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science. A search for gray literature was conducted in the databases Google Scholar and Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD), and there were no limitations on the language or study design. We incorporated studies involving human patients over 15 years of age with degenerative and/or inflammatory joint conditions who underwent joint prosthesis replacement, either concurrently or separately from orthognathic surgery, as an initial intervention or after prosthesis installation. Participants with a postoperative follow-up of 12 months or longer were included. A risk of bias analysis was performed for non-randomized studies using the ROBINS-I tool, and GRADE profiler (GRADEpro) software was used to assess the quality of evidence and synthesize the data. Results: All the selected studies performed postoperative follow-up with quantitative and qualitative parameters; 10 performed a follow-up of 2 to 5 years. The indication for joint prosthesis replacement due to system failure was only 4.07%. Concerning diagnoses, 579 presented degenerative and/or inflammatory joint diseases, with osteoarthritis being the most frequent, followed by osteoarthrosis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. The maximum mouth opening of the participants with TMJ disease presented an average of 24.32 ± 5.8 mm with a range of 18 to 36.4 mm. Of the 579 participants, the studies mention that they presented a soft to liquid diet and pain associated with decreased mandibular functionality. Conclusions: A total of 76.18% of the participants presented a range of moderate to severe pain associated with a decrease in functionality and, after joint replacement, all participants mentioned a decrease in pain or absence of pain, a change in diet by incorporating solid foods, and an increase in opening with an average of 40.74 ± 3.1 mm. Total joint replacement shows favorable long-term results. It is not possible to identify the best time to perform joint replacement surgery, considering the time since diagnosis of the disease, the time since the start of non-surgical treatment, or the number of previous surgeries.