Search

La exposición a las micotoxinas a través de los alimentos es un riesgo para la salud reconocido, que está recibiendo una creciente atención. El presente trabajo muestra el diseño y los principales resultados del primer estudio llevado a cabo en Cataluña (comunidad autónoma española situada al noreste de España) para evaluar la incidencia de las micotoxinas más importantes en alimentos que se comercializan en esta región, y para evaluar la exposición de la población a estos importantes contaminantes de los alimentos. Para alcanzar estos objetivos se determinaron, por un lado, los niveles de micotoxinas en los productos más susceptibles a la contaminación que se consumen con mayor frecuencia en esta región, principalmente alimentos a base de cereales, alimentos para bebés, frutos secos, especias, alimentos a base de manzana y productos lácteos. Por otra parte, se evaluó la ingesta alimentaria en todos los grupos de población con el fin de caracterizar y cuantificar la exposición de la población a las micotoxinas. Las micotoxinas analizadas fueron las aflatoxinas (AFs), B1, B2, G1, G2 y M1, el deoxinivalenol (DON), las fumonisinas (FBs) B1 y B2, la ocratoxina A (OTA), la patulina (PAT), las toxinas T-2 y HT-2, y la zearalenona (ZEA). En conjunto, 3,447 muestras fueron adquiridas en 2008 y 2009 en seis hipermercados y supermercados procedentes de las doce principales ciudades de Cataluña, lo que representaría el 72 % de la población. Las muestras se agruparon para obtener las muestras analíticas (n = 1,690), para determinar y cuantificar, entre una y once del total de las micotoxinas citadas. Éstas se extrajeron, purificaron y se determinaron siguiendo métodos validados que incluyen procedimientos de purificación por columnas de cromatografía de inmunoafinidad (IAC), y la determinación por cromatografía líquida de alta resolución (HPLC) con detector de diodos o detección de fluorescencia, o por cromatografía de gases con detección electroquímica o de masas, en función del caso. La ingesta de los alimentos relacionados se evaluó mediante un cuestionario de frecuencia específicamente desarrollado para la población catalana. Setenta y nueve personas mayores de 65 años, 720 adultos, 236 adolescentes, 68 niños, 166 padres de bebés fueron entrevistadas durante 2008 y 2009. Por sus hábitos alimentarios específicos se prestó una especial atención a dos grupos específicos: 56 personas de origen inmigrante y 70 personas celíacas. La exposición de la población a las micotoxinas se evaluó a través de la combinación de los datos de contaminación con los datos de consumo mediante metodología determinísta. Además, se evaluó la exposición de la población a la OTA y a las FBs mediante los respectivos biomarcadores en sangre y orina. Los resultados mostraron que la presencia de las micotoxinas estudiadas en Cataluña era baja y, por lo general, los niveles de concentración se encontraron por debajo de los niveles de seguridad correspondientes establecidos por la Comisión Europea. Las micotoxinas más importantes en el mercado catalán fueron la OTA y el DON, que se encuentran principalmente en las especias y los alimentos a base de cereales, respectivamente. Los estudios de evaluación de la exposición mostraron que para la población catalana en su conjunto no cabe esperar un riesgo alto para la salud derivado de las micotoxinas en base a los alimentos estudiados, en línea con lo observado en otros países europeos. Sin embargo, debe ponerse especial atención en el caso de los bebés, los niños y varios grupos étnicos, por ser los grupos más expuestos.

Objetivo: Determinar la asociación entre el conocimiento de daño a la salud y consumo de alcohol y tabaco en estudiantes de 5° de secundaria del colegio I.E.N “Centro Base San Juan” San Juan de Miraflores, Lima. Métodos: Estudio observacional, transversal, analítico, con enfoque cuantitativo. Se trabajó con una población de 140 estudiantes de 5° de secundaria del colegio I.E.N “Centro Base San Juan” San Juan de Miraflores, Lima y se midió el conocimiento de daño a la salud, mediante una encuesta validada que fue realizada en Chosica por Escalante, además de otras variables como violencia intrafamiliar, antecedente de consumo en los padres, bajo nivel académico. Se determinó la asociación usando la prueba de chi cuadrado, se usó un valor de p

El conocimiento de la Edad del Hierro en la región cantábrica sigue siendo deficitario respecto a las regiones circundantes, siendo patentes los grandes vacíos de información. Un claro ejemplo lo tenemos en las cerámicas, escasamente tratadas por la literatura arqueológica. Además, los contados estudios sobre vasijas prerromanas siguen realizándose desde la perspectiva tipologicista del historicismo-cultural y desde la sistemática confusión de aquellas producciones con las de la cerámica común romana o con la cerámica altomedieval. En el presente trabajo se plantea una revisión y sistematización de los datos publicados para el sector centro-occidental cantábrico desde la perspectiva teórico-metodológica de las cadenas tecnológico-operativas (CTO). Posteriormente se presentan una serie de áreas alfareras o grupos arqueológicos. En el último punto se plantean unas hipótesis interpretativas que tienen en cuenta los sistemas sexo-género y las particularidades sociológicas de los grupos castreños septentrionales.

El evento de pesca colectiva Iye Fia Rafue o barbasqueada entre los Uitoto del Departamento del Amazonas presenta valiosa información sobre su mundo simbólico, su noción de intercambio y reciprocidad y, su concepto de ecología y trabajo comunitario. El presente artículo describe la puesta en escena del rito "la fiesta de los peces" en el que la comunión íntima con la naturaleza y, en especial con el mundo acuático como fuente de vida, purificación y centro de regeneración, se hace visible en un conglomerado de correspondencias que involucran todo su universo simbólico. Se proporcionan datos lingüísticos sobre morfología y clasificadores propios del léxico relacionado con la fauna y flora acuática, lo que nos proporciona información prodigiosa sobre la capacidad descriptiva y el potencial semántico de ésta lengua amazónica.

En este escrito se destaca la importancia de la historia oral como fuente de información para comprender los orígenes de la toponimia. Concretamente, se relata el mito nofikuaí komuiyagaí, la historia uitota de la creación de los raudales, en la cual se hallan no sólo las raíces de la toponimia de un sector de la amazonia colombiana sino también los fundamentos míticos de la identidad de las etnias que habitan la región y sus reglas, costumbres y valores.

Esta comunicación es el fruto del proyecto del mismo nombre (2007PID-UB/39) concedido por la Universitat de Barcelona (U.B.) en la última convocatoria 2007 a los profesores del Grupo de Innovación Docente Economia i Optimació amb nous enfocaments tecnològics (EO@net), que son los autores de la comunicación.En la comunicación se propone un método de evaluación continua que se ha implementado en la asignatura Matemática Económica I de la U.B. por segundo año consecutivo. El objetivo del método es estimular el aprendizaje de la asignatura y mejorar, por tanto, los resultados académicos. En esta comunicación se estudian los resultados y se contrastan con los que se obtuvieron el primer año de aplicación.Además, en este último curso nos propusimos aumentar el nivel de conocimientos entre los alumnos que pudiesen seguir la evaluación continua, intentando que el alumnado hiciese un esfuerzo inicial de adecuar sus conocimientos previos al nivel de ingreso deseable en la universidad.

El alto porcentaje de suspensos en la asignatura de Matemáticas Económicas I de la licenciatura de Economía de la Universitat de Barcelona en las últimas convocatorias de enero y la proximidad de la implantación del nuevo sistema de créditos europeo llevaron al Departament de Matemàtica Econòmica, Financera i Actuarial a plantear la posibilidad de introducir un nuevo sistema de evaluación que no se basara en una única prueba final. Esta posibilidad fue considerada por el conjunto de profesores de la asignatura como un reto: estimular el aprendizaje del estudiante mediante el proceso de evaluación. Se concretó un primer cambio del sistema de evaluación en el curso 2005-2006, introduciendo una serie de pruebas escritas y la presentación de trabajos que posibilitasen a cada profesor poner una nota de curso además de la nota que el alumno obtuviese en el examen final. Sin embargo, los resultados no fueron los esperados. En el presente curso (2006 – 2007) hemos diseñado un nuevo sistema de evaluación que intenta evitar los inconvenientes que observamos en el anterior, manteniendo nuestro objetivo de estimular el aprendizaje y de mejorar los porcentajes de aprobados. Nos proponemos en esta comunicación examinar los resultados y comparar los dos sistemas.

Desde hace tiempo se ha considerado que existeuna relación entre “El lobo y los siete cabritillos”y “Caperucita Roja”, especialmente si tenemosen cuenta las versiones de los hermanos Grimm.El germen de “El lobo y los siete cabritillos” seencuentra en una fábula incluida en colecciones dela Antigüedad Tardía y de la Edad Media. En cambio,“Caperucita Roja” posee una historia completamentedistinta, ajena al género de la fábula, ligada yaen la antigüedad clásica y en época medieval a ritosde iniciación femenina. A pesar de que la comparaciónde ambas tradiciones arroja una luz nuevasobre la cuestión y demuestra que el origen de losdos cuentos es diferente, sin embargo la utilizaciónde la fábula del lobo y el cabritillo en sermonesmedievales cristianos con una moraleja destinada alas muchachas demuestra que probablemente ya enesa época se produjo un acercamiento debido a lautilización pedagógica y moral que el cristianismohizo de todo tipo de relatos.

El evento de pesca colectiva Iye Fia Rafue o barbasqueada entre los Uitoto del Departamento del Amazonas presenta valiosa información sobre su mundo simbólico, su noción de intercambio y reciprocidad y, su concepto de ecología y trabajo comunitario. El presente artículo describe la puesta en escena del rito “la fiesta de los peces” en el que la comunión íntima con la naturaleza y, en especial con el mundo acuático como fuente de vida, purificación y centro de regeneración, se hace visible en un conglomerado de correspondencias que involucran todo su universo simbólico. Se proporcionan datos lingüísticos sobre morfología y clasificadores propios del léxico relacionado con la fauna y flora acuática, lo que nos proporciona información prodigiosa sobre la capacidad descriptiva y el potencial semántico de ésta lengua amazónica.

La microtia es un defecto congénito caracterizado por la ausencia de alguna de las partes de la oreja o de la oreja completa, que puede afectar incluso el conducto auditivo externo. Se presenta en 1 de cada 10.000 a 20.000 recién nacidos vivos. Es un defecto congénito del cual hay muy pocas publicaciones, no hay un tipo de herencia definido, es multifactorial, no se ha descubierto el gen que cause esta patología y sólo se conocen los genes de los síndromes a los que se encuentra asociado. A pesar de lo que se cree no se ha encontrado relación entre malformaciones renales y microtia. Esta patología se presenta con mayor incidencia en regiones por encima de los 2.000 m.s.n.m. (metros sobre el nivel del mar). El tratamiento es multidisciplinario requiriendo interacción de varias especialidades donde se le pueda brindar al paciente una mejor asesoría y calidad de vida.

Background: Acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding (ALGIB) is a common cause of hospitalization. Recent guidelines recommend the use of prognostic scales for risk stratification. However, it remains unclear whether risk scores are more accurate than some simpler prognostic variables., Objective: To compare the predictive values of haemoglobin alone and the Oakland score for predicting outcomes in ALGIB patients., Design: Single-centre, retrospective study at a University Hospital. Data were extracted from the hospital's clinical records. The Oakland score was calculated at admission. Study outcomes were defined according to the original article describing the Oakland score: safe discharge (the primary Oakland score outcome), transfusion, rebleeding, readmission, therapeutic intervention and death. Area under the receiver operating characteristics (AUROC) curve and accuracy using haemoglobin and the Oakland score were calculated for each outcome., Results: Two hundred and fifty-eight patients were included. Eighty-four (32.6%) needed transfusion, 50 (19.4%) presented rebleeding, 31 (12.1%) required therapeutic intervention, 20 (7.8%) were readmitted and six (2.3%) died. There were no differences in the AUROC curve values for haemoglobin versus the Oakland score with regard to safe discharge (0.82 (0.77-0.88) vs 0.80 (0.74-0.86), respectively) or to therapeutic intervention and death. Haemoglobin was significantly better for predicting transfusion and rebleeding, and the Oakland score was significantly better for predicting readmission., Conclusion: In our study, the Oakland score did not perform better than haemoglobin alone for predicting the outcome of patients with ALGIB. The usefulness of risk scores for predicting outcomes in clinical practice remains uncertain., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objectives: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disorder is the most common congenital heart disease. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of 0- to 18-year olds with BAV in a population-based registry., Methods: Data from all pediatric patients were obtained from the Spanish registry for pediatric patients with bicuspid aortic valve (REVAB) (< 18 years). For data analysis, patients with BAV were divided into 2 groups by their features: isolated BAV and BAV with associated congenital heart disease., Results: We included 1681 patients from 33 hospitals. Males accounted for 69.6% (n = 1158). Valve morphology was horizontal in 63.4% (n = 1012) and pure (Sievers type 0) in 28.4% (n=469). Isolated BAV was present in 63.7% (n=1060), and concomitant left-sided obstructive lesions in 23.4% (n=390). Interventions were required in 8.6% (n=145)., Conclusion: These data represent the first large, population-based description of the clinical presentations and outcomes of patients enrolled in the Spanish registry for pediatric patients with bicuspid aortic valve., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U.)

Objective: Review the available scientific literature on the relationship between the use of social networks and risk factors for the development of eating disorders, such as low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and/or idealization of thinness, in the Spanish population., Design: A systematic review of scientific literature published between 2010 and 2022 was carried out., Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science., Selection of Studies: Only original articles were included, published in Spanish or English, that measured at least one variable of use of social networks and at least one risk factor for eating disorders in the Spanish population., Data Extraction: The PRISMA 2009 statement was used as a guide. The quality of selected articles was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist., Results: Twelve cross-sectional studies that met the inclusion criteria were identified. Evidence suggests that the use and frequency of use of social networks is significantly associated with body dissatisfaction (p≤0,01), drive for thinness (p≤0,001), and low self-esteem (p≤0,05) in adolescents and young adults in the Spanish population., Conclusions: Users of social networks, mainly those based on images, are exposed to factors that could increase their risk of developing an eating disorder., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal, and dietary exposure is the main one in humans, especially fish consumption. In order to reduce Hg exposure, maximum levels in fish products have been established. We aimed to describe total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations in fish species consumed in Comunitat Valenciana, as well as factors associated and their tendency during the period 2011-2017., Methods: A retrospective descriptive study of Hg levels in fish meat samples in Comunitat Valenciana between 2011 and 2017 and their temporal trend was carried out, both in general and by fish groups. Data comes from Generalitat Valenciana's Health Surveillance of Food Program. We created multivariate linear regression models to evaluate the association between sampling year, fish group and origin and THg (n=560) / MeHg (n=206) concentrations. The average annual trend of THg and MeHg levels throughout the period was evaluated., Results: The median was 0.20 mg/kg for THg and 0.14 mg/kg for MeHg. Swordfish, fresh tuna/albacore and canned tuna, in that order, showed the highest concentrations. Global tendency of THg levels was descending when adjusting by swordfish annual percentage. When we analized the tendency in swordfish, we observed a 7% decrease on average per year., Conclusions: Global temporal trend of THg levels in fish in Comunitat Valenciana during the period 2011-2017 is descending after adjusting by the relative weight of swordfish over the total number of samples by year. We observe a descending tendency when studied by species (swordfish).

Cryoglobulins are immunoglobulins that precipitate at cold temperatures. Their presence can be related to a type of vasculitis referred to as cryoglobulinemia. This condition, especially mixed cryoglobulinemia, has been associated with viral infections like hepatitis C virus in 60%-90% of cases, but it has also been reported in relation to connective tissue diseases, usually resulting in a more severe course. We describe the case of a patient with seronegative polyarthritis who developed acute arterial ischemia in association with cryoglobulinemia, with a good response to rituximab therapy., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Within the framework of the PaSQ (Patient Safety and Quality care) Project, this hospital decided to implement a multifaceted hospital-wide Hand Hygiene (HH) intervention based on a multimodal WHO approach over one year, focusing on achieving a sustained change in HH cultural change in this hospital., Material and Methods: Setting: University Hospital Marqués de Valdecilla, Santander (Spain), a tertiary hospital with 900 beds. Intervention period: 2014. An action plan was developed that included the implementation of activities in each component of the 5-step multimodal intervention. An observation/feedback methodology was used that included the provision of performance and results feedback to the staff. A 3/3 strategy (non-blinded direct observation audits performed during 3 randomised days every 3 weeks with pro-active corrective actions at the end of each observation period). HH compliance, alcohol-based hand-rub (ABHR) consumption, and rate of MRSA infection, were monitored during the intervention., Results: Hospital ABHR consumption increased during the study period: from 17.5 to 19.7mL/patient-days. In the intervention units, this consumption was 24.8mL pre-intervention, 42.5mL during the intervention, and 30.4mL two months post-intervention. There were 137 evaluation periods in 30 different days, in which a total of 737 health-care workers were observed and 1,870 HH opportunities. HH compliance was 54.5%, ranging between 44.8% and 69.9%. The incidence of MRSA infection decreased during the intervention in the selected units, from 13.2 infections per 10,000 patient-days pre-intervention to 5.7 three months post-intervention., Conclusions: Our HH strategy, supported by a 3/3 strategy increased alcohol-based hand-rub consumption and compliance. A reduction in MRSA infections was observed., (Copyright © 2016 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Background: Depression, alexithymia, and lack of assertiveness interfere with individual psychosocial functioning and may result in longer hospitalization stay and poorer therapeutic results., Aim: To analyze the psychosocial functioning in acute and chronic patients and its association with psychological, clinical and sociodemographic variables., Material and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study that included 80 inpatients of both sexes with organic pathology, aged between 18 to 70 years old, without any current psychiatric disorder. Clinical and sociodemographic data were collected from a semi-structured interview and hospital records. Beck Depression Inventory-IA, Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20 and Rathus Assertiveness Scale were administered., Results: Fifty five percent of patients had some degree of depression, 33% alexithymia and 34% lack of assertiveness. The levels of depression, alexithymia and lack of assertiveness in chronic patients were significantly higher than those observed in acute patients. Women and participants older than 60 years exhibited the highest degrees of depression. Alexithymia and lack of assertiveness were associated with a lower educational level. A negative significant correlation between alexithymia and assertiveness scores was observed among acute patients., Conclusions: Participants with chronic diseases had a lower psychosocial functioning. Less educated patients showed more alexithymic and less assertive features. We emphasized the need of a better management of these aspects by the health team, since social functioning might interfere with the outcome of physical illnesses.

Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy is a condition associated with fetal morbidity and mortality. Ursodeoxycholic acid has been proposed as a treatment alternative, but its use remains controversial. Searching in Epistemonikos database, which is maintained by screening 30 databases, we identified three systematic reviews including eight randomized trials. We combined the evidence using meta-analysis and generated a summary of findings table following the GRADE approach. We concluded ursodeoxycholic acid reduces prematurity risk and need for admission in neonatal intensive care units. It might also reduce maternal pruritus.

Bacterial superinfection is a known complication among patients affected by viral respiratory tract infections. Streptococcus pyogenes, a major bacterial agent involved in acute tonsillopharyngitis, skin and soft tissue infections, was reported as a co-infecting microorganism during the 2009 A H1N1 influenza pandemic. We report a 65-year-old male patient who evolved with multifocal pneumonia and multiple organ failure with a fatal outcome. Influenza A H1N1 was detected by a polymerase chain reaction-based technique from a tracheal aspirate sample. S. pyogenes was identified by a rapid test from a nasopharyngeal sample and isolated afterwards from a positive blood culture.

Objective: To study the frequency of retinal toxicity and associated risk factors in a cohort of patients treated with antimalarials and seen at a tertiary level hospital., Material and Methods: Retrospective study of 40 patients treated with antimalarials, who were referred to ophthalmology for the study of retinal toxicity during 2011. Data collection included type of antimalarial prescribed, daily and cumulative doses, presence of rheumatic disease, corticosteroid use, associated diseases and ophthalmologic examination. Retinal toxicity was confirmed if two of the following tests were altered: fundus examination, visual field with a macular pattern, changes in spectral domain optical coherence tomography and full-field electroretinography., Results: Toxic retinopathy was detected in 13.1% of patients (95% confidence interval 5-21%) and a trend for a higher risk was observed in case of chloroquine (CQ) treatment. Among the patients with retinopathy, the mean cumulative dose was 229 g for CQ and 111 g for Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), and the mean daily dose of CQ was 250 mg and 333 mg for HCQ. Arterial hypertension had a statistically significant effect on retinopathy development., Conclusions: Toxic retinopathy defined by ophthalmological evaluation was detected in 13.1% of patients. A trend for a higher risk was observed in case of chloroquine treatment., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Soft tissue infection due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis can affect muscle, tendons, fascia, bursa and synovial tissue. Tuberculous trochanteric bursitis is a rare entity that usually affects immunocompromised patients. Manifestations usually occur insidiously, which delays diagnosis and treatment. We present the case of an immunocompetent young woman who came to our department for chronic left hip pain. The study confirms the diagnosis of tuberculous trochanteric bursitis. This case demonstrates the importance of considering a possible infectious origin of bursitis in immunocompetent patients., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.)

Inflammatory myxohyaline tumor of the distal extremities is an extremely rare low-grade sarcoma with a tendency to produce local recurrence after surgical excision, but with a low metastatic potential. We present the case of a 49-year-old woman with a slow-growing asymptomatic tumor on the right pretibial region that was initially considered to be a lipoma. Histopathology revealed the presence of a polymorphic inflammatory infiltrate within a myxoid and hyaline matrix. Interspersed between the inflammatory cells were 3 different populations of neoplastic cells: atypical spindle-shaped cells; bizarre epithelioid cells, some of which were multinucleated and resembled the virocytes or Reed-Sternberg cells; and cells with abundant, vacuolated cytoplasm, similar to lipoblasts. These clinical-pathologic findings led to a diagnosis of inflammatory myxohyaline tumor of the distal extremities. Although the tumor was excised with wide surgical margins, local recurrence developed after 3 months and was treated with re-excision and radiotherapy., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier España, S.L. y AEDV. All rights reserved.)

Unlabelled: The efficacy of carotid endartectomy (CE) in cerebrovascular accidents produced by carotid stenosis can be evaluated with the cerebral perfusion with single photon emission tomography, using statistical parametric mapping (SPM)., Material and Methods: Twelve patients with significant carotid stenosis who underwent endartectomy were included in the study. All underwent a cerebral perfusion study with 99mTc-etilen cisteinato dietilester (ECD) at baseline and after the endartectomy. Using SPM, the baseline/post-surgery study was compared independently with the control group made up of 20 patients and the corresponding parametric statistical mappings were obtained. Changes in extension (k(E) or voxel number) and intensity (change in the T value) of the significantly hypoperfused zones and direction of these changes were evaluated., Results: In the group of 12 patients, improvement of the post-surgical cerebral perfusion was observed in 5 patients with an average 50.56% decrease in the extension of the hypoperfused zones and average 30.9% decrease of intensity. Four patients showed an average 85.53% increase in the extension of cerebral hypoperfusion and of 34.21% in intensity. No significant changes between both studies were found in three patients., Conclusions: SPM has been shown to be a useful tool that makes it possible to objectify the cerebral brain flow changes produced after the surgical intervention, evaluating the changes in extension and intensity of the significantly hypoperfused zones., (Copyright 2009 Elsevier España, S.L. y SEMNIM. All rights reserved.)

Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse the relationship between left ventricular ejection fractions (EF) obtained using four different instruments., Material and Methods: Eighty-five EF values were analysed. Gated acquisition was performed with the same gammacamera (SOPHA) using 99mTc-labelled red cells. Each EF was obtained using four processing systems: NXT (SOPHA), Entegra (Gems), Odyssey (Philips) and Esoft (Siemens), always working in automated mode. The paired student's t-test, Spearman correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare methods, and Deming regression was applied., Results: Mean values and standard deviations for each program were: NXT: 61 +/- 9; Entegra: 60 +/- 10; Odyssey: 60 +/- 9; Esoft: 60 +/- 10. Although no significant differences were found as a whole and the values were linearly related, the methods are not interchangeable., Conclusions: The same program should be used in the follow-up of each patient, which is now easily achievable by means of the DICOM standard.

Objectives: To determine the ICUs of Spain that fill out nursing discharge report, analyze what information they supply and know how the information on the patients is provided by the ICUs that do not use this record., Material and Methods: Observational descriptive study. The nursing discharge reports issued by the ICUs were analyzed. For the units that did not fill them out, it was documented how they provided information on the patient to the ward., Results: A total of 259 ICU (83%) responded and 176 (68%) filled out the nursing discharge report, which was sent with the patient's history in all the units. A total of 99% of the reports included information on the eating and elimination needs and 7% on living according to beliefs in their structure. One hundred percent requested information on the perception/control and nutritional/metabolic patterns; 1% on sexuality/reproduction. Forty three (54%) of the 79 ICU (30%) that did not fill out a nursing discharge report accompanied the patient to the ward and gave an oral report. In all, 242 ICU (93%) provided information to the ward professionals added to that contained in the clinical history., Conclusions: a) the nursing professionals in a significant number of intensive care units filled out a discharge report when the patient was transferred to the ward; b) assessment of basic biological aspects prevailed in these reports over psychological and socioculture aspects; c) the units that did not fill out a discharge report accompany the patient to the ward or give a report by telephone of the patient's situations to the destination ward; and d) most of the ICUs guarantee the continuity of nursing cares when the patient is discharged, either by filling out a nursing discharge report, accompanying the patient to the ward or calling by telephone to the ward's professionals.

Unlabelled: Nursing staff that have recently arrived to the ICU, nurses and students, may feel anxiety and fear due to lack of skill and/or knowledge of the techniques, the service's organization and the diseases treated., Objectives: 1. To know the intensive care aspects that pose greater difficulties to the professionals newly incorporated into the ICU of the Hospital General Universitario of Alicante 2. To provide these professionals with a written guide that responds to the needs and situations that they face day to day. 3. Inform the nursing students, prior to the onset of their practice activities in the ICU, on a combination of basic procedures that make it possible to take better advantage of them. 4. Communicate and facilitate access to the information contained in the guide to the maximum., Material and Methods: The professional workers who had recently received their degress and who worked in the ICU during the summery were surveyed to determine the techniques or procedures that posed the greatest difficulties. A <> was designed in paper and electronic form., Results: The respiratory, Swan-Ganz catheter, defibrillation, cardiac arrhythmias and insertion of temporal pacemakers were the subjects posing the greatest difficulty. A total of 92% of the colleagues would re-chose their practices in the ICU; 33% liked working as a team most., Conclusions: 1. The technology used in the ICU poses problems for the recently arrived colleagues. 2. The guide may be used by the new professionals and students as work tool and contribute to communication between the university and the hospital. 3. The use of Internet to communicate the work done by the Nursing professionals offers great advantages and should be used as one more tool.

The aim of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of the intraosseal route in providing emergency vascular access, especially in children, when vascular access through peripheral or central routes is difficult or impossible. A literature review revealed that the intraosseal route provides rapid, easy and effective access to the vascular system, especially in children under the age of 6 years. This route is indicated when, in emergencies, peripheral or central cannulation is too slow and the child's life is at risk. The most appropriate sites of insertion are the proximal or distal segments of the tibia and the distal segment of the femur. The administration of fluids, electrolytes and drugs through the intraosseal route is similar to that through the venous route. Complications are rare, the most serious being compartmental syndrome. In addition to providing an alternative route for the infusion of drugs and other substances into the bloodstream, the intraosseal route also provides access to the vascular system when samples for laboratory investigations are required. In conclusion, the intraosseal route provides rapid, safe and easy access to the vascular system. Complications are infrequent and there are few contraindications.