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The benefits of collaborative learning are well documented. However, most of the research has been done with children beyond the ages of early childhood. This could be due to the common and erroneous belief that young children have not developed the capacity to work collaboratively toward a given aim. In this paper we show how small group co-located collaborative learning on a single display computer improves oral language, logical-mathematical and social skills in pre-school children. Considering that early childhood teachers have a responsibility to provide a supportive environment, teacher mediation is essential in order to achieve collaborative learning. Thus, teachers were trained in the use of the technology and strategies for effective collaborative learning. The study was implemented in 10 kindergarten classrooms with 268 children between the ages of 5 and 6 years old. A group of 5 kindergarten classrooms with equivalent characteristics participated as a comparison group. During the four-month intervention, children worked on collaborative activities at least twice a week. A quasi-experimental approach was used to assess the implementation, including pre- and post-testing. The data showed differences in the learning of oral language, logical-mathematical and social skills, with the experimental group demonstrating significantly greater achievement.

Role Game is a co-located CSCL video game played by three students sitting at one machine sharing a single screen, each with their own input device. Inspired by video console games, Role Game enables students to learn by doing, acquiring social abilities and mastering subject matter in a context of co-located collaboration. After describing the system's ludic and gaming structure, we present an experiment conducted in a kindergarten situation, whose results are subjected to a usability analysis. We conclude that a console video game for learning applications such as Role Game can easily be operated by 6-year-old students who are yet to learn to read or operate a computer. Console multiplayer games designed for learning are shown to be a powerful device for collaborative work in the classroom while maintaining its attractiveness to the gamer. They are consistent with the need to align learning software with the school curriculum, creating a socio-technical environment that can support meta-design and social creativity in an educational setting. Our findings thus confirm McFarlane's view that they "provide a forum in which learning arises as a result of tasks stimulated by the content of the games, knowledge is developed through the content of the game and skills are developed as a result of playing the game". (Contains 6 figures and 2 tables.)

Examines the association of primary Pneumocytis carinii infection and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) based on autopsy lung specimens from pediatric patients in Santiago, Chile. Pathogenic role of P. carinii in some infants with SIDS; Evidence of primary infection by P. carinii in immunocompetent infants and children.

Human infection by Cyclospora cayetanensis, namely cyclosporiasis, can cause a wide range of symptoms in immunocompetent patients, from mild to severe diarrhea. Immunocompromised patients can present with chronic diarrhea and it has been recognized as a cause of traveler's diarrhea. We report three patients who traveled from Chile to Peru, who presented upon returning with prolonged traveler's diarrhea. A literature review about cyclosporiasis is presented, with emphasis on the clinical, epidemiological, diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of this disease.

Background: The diagnosis of celiac disease is based in clinical features, serology and intestinal biopsy. There are recent reports that antiglutaminase antibodies have a good correlation with anti endomisial antibodies., Aim: To assess the sensitivity and specificity of antitransglutaminase antibodies in the diagnosis of celiac disease and their correlation with antiendomisial antibodies., Material and Methods: Forty nine patients with celiac disease (mean age 30 years, 12 male) were studied. Thirty were symptomatic and 19, asymptomatic. As controls, 34 subjects (mean age 27 years, seven male), with normal duodenal biopsies, were studied. Sera was processed for the determination of antigliadin IgA by ELISA, antiendomisium IgA by indirect immunofluorescence, and antitransglutaminase IgA by ELISA., Results: Antigliadin antibodies had a sensitivity of 73%, a specificity of 96%, a positive predictive value of 93% and a negative predictive value of 82% for the diagnosis of celiac disease. Antiendomisium and antitransglutaminase antibodies had a specificity and positive predictive value of 100%, sensitivities of 89 and 92% respectively and negative predictive values of 92 and 94% respectively. No significant differences in the diagnostic yield of antiendomisium and antitransglutaminase antibodies, were observed., Conclusions: In this group of patients, antitransglutaminase antibodies had a high concordance with antiendomisium antibodies, for the diagnosis of celiac disease. Considering that the determination of antitransglutaminase antibodies is of lower cost and less complicated than antiendomisium antibodies, it is a useful tool for the diagnosis and follow up of patients with celiac disease.