The therapeutic dimension of research about spirituality: Particularities of cancer, mental health and infertility.

Healthcare is moving from a biomedical paradigm into a holistic paradigm, which includes all dimensions and needs of patients and families. Health conditions may trigger a spiritual journey for believers or non-believers bringing to light the nature of the human being and its vulnerable condition. Healthcare professionals are full participants in this life and health scenario and have an unquestionable duty related to the provision of spiritual care, on the basis of legislation, ethical codes, and on research evidence. Researchers are seizing better and broader knowledge about spirituality in healthcare, and research about this phenomenon is growing internationally. But, spirituality is considered complex, an area of intimacy and deep subjective meaning. These factors may raise some ethical concerns when submitting research projects to the ethics committees. In this paper, the authors share their experience in research about spirituality in the beginning of life issues/infertility and with adults with severe health conditions, and describe participants' perspectives on research engagement.

Investigación sobre plantas medicinales realizada por estudiantes de medicina en Perú / Investigação sobre plantas medicinais realizada por estudantes de medicina no Peru / Medicinal plant research conducted by medical students in Peru

Con el objetivo de determinar la contribución a la investigación sobre plantas medicinales por estudiantes de medicina en Perú se realizó un estudio bibliométrico, utilizando como fuente de análisis los libros de resúmenes de los Congresos Científicos Nacionales de estudiantes de Medicina realizados en Perú durante los años 2005 al 2011. Se seleccionaron las investigaciones en ciencias básicas que tuvieron como objeto las propiedades medicinales de las plantas. El 17,4% (95/546) de las investigaciones fueren sobre plantas medicinales, el modelo de experimentación en e173,7% era in vivo; en su mayoría el tipo de extracto usado fue el acuoso (29,5%), el alcohólico y/o hidroalcohólico (20,0%) y el aceite esencial (12,6%);se reportaron 21 posibles utilidades medicinales; e1 15,8% de las investigaciones fue pubflcada en alguna revista científica. Concluimos que existe interés hacia el estudio de plantas medicinales desde el pregrado médico, siendo necesario el apoyo de 103 centros educativos para su desarrollo y la comunicación de resultados a través de la publicación (AU)

Como objectivo de determinar a contribuiçao para a investigaçao de plantas medicinais realizada por estudantes de medicina no Peru foi feito um estudo bibliometrico, utilizando como fonte de anélise os livros de resumes dos Congressos Nacionais Cientificos de estudantes de medicina realizados no Peru durante os anos de 2005 a 2011. Foram selecionadas as investigaçoes em ciencias básicas que tiveram como objectivo as propriedades medicinais das plantas. Verificou-se que 17,4% (95/546) das investigaçoes foram sobre plantas medicinais, o modelo experimental em 73,7% foi in vivo; na sua maioria o tipo de extracto utilizado foi o aquoso (29,5%), o alcoólico e/ou hidroalcoólico (20,0%) e o oleo essencial (12,6%); reportaram-se 21 possiveis utilizaçoes medicinais; 15,8% das investigagoes foram publicadas em alguma revista científica. Concluiu-se que ha interesse no estudo de plantas medicinais desde a formaçao medica, sendo necessário o apoio dos centros educativos para o seu desenvolvimento e a comunicaçao de resultados atraves de publicaçoes (AU)

In order to determine the contribution in medicinal plant research conducted by medical students in Peru a bibliometric study was conducted, using as source of analysis the abstract books of the National Scientific Congress of medical students conducted in Peru during the years 2005 to 2011. Research in basic sciences which were aimed at the medicinal properties of plants were selected. As results, 17.4% (95/546) of the investigations were about medicinal plants, experimental model in vivo was 73.7%; mostly type used was the aqueous extract (29.5%), the alcohol-hidroalcohol (20.0%) and essential oil (12.6%); 21 reported possible medicinal utilities; 15.8% of all the investigations was published in a scientific journal. We conclude that there is interest in research on medicinal plants. We conclude that there is interest in the study of medicinal plants in undergraduate medical students. Support of schools for their development and communication of results through the publication is required (AU)

Plantas medicinais abortivas utilizadas por mulheres de UBS: etnofarmacologia e análises cromatográficas por CCD e CLAE / Abortive medicinal plants used by women of Basic Health Units: ethnopharmacology and cromatographic analysis by TLC and HPLC

O emprego de plantas medicinais refere-se a uma prática milenar, seja na medicina alternativa para cura de diversas doenças, ou como método abortivo. No entanto, a população em geral desconhece os grandes riscos que a cometem. Neste sentido este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o índice de consumo de plantas medicinais por mulheres de uma Unidade Básica de Saúde (UBS), na tentativa de identificar quais as espécies mais frequentemente ingeridas inclusive em período gestacional. Através de um questionário de caráter explorativo com 48 mulheres observou-se que a maioria das entrevistadas tinha filhos e as plantas medicinais mais citadas foram "boldo" (Peumus boldus), "carqueja" (Baccharis trimera) e "sene" (Cassia angustifolia), as quais eram empregadas principalmente em dores estomacais ou como digestivos (53%), para resfriados (23%), cólicas menstruais (4%) ou para menstruar (2%). Outra parte do trabalho constituiu a análise visual e química de espécies de plantas medicinais citadas pelo público feminino entrevistado, bem como, outras utilizadas popularmente com propriedades abortivas. Análises visuais comparativas de amostras de plantas medicinais de quatro estabelecimentos comerciais diferentes denominadas Grupo A-C, mostraram a ausência de controle de qualidade com relação às especificações nas embalagens, e separação do material vegetal a ser consumido. Através de análises dos perfis químicos destas amostras por cromatografia em camada delgada (CCD) e cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (CLAE) indicaram que aquelas pertencentes ao Grupo C diferiram significativamente em relação àquelas de mesma identificação, exceto no que se refere ao boldo do Chile, cujas amostras apresentaram-se bastante similares com relação à constituição química.

The use of medicinal plants corresponds to an ancient practice, either as an alternative medicine for the cure of several diseases, or as a method of abortion. Nevertheless, the population in general does not know the risks involved in the use of medicinal plants. In this sense, the purpose of the study was to evaluate the consumption rate of medicinal plants by women in a Basic Health Unit (BHU), on order to identify which plant species have been most frequently consumed by them, including during the pregnancy. Through an exploratory questionnaire with 48 women, it was observed that most part of the interviewees had children and the most of them cited Peumus boldus, Baccharis trimera and Cassia angustifolia, which were mainly used for stomach aches or digestives (53%), for colds (23%), menstrual cramps (4%) or to menstruate (2%). The remaining part of the study consisted in the visual and chemical analysis of the plant species cited by the interviewees, including other species that have been popularly used as a method of abortion. Comparative visual analysis of medicinal plants (Group A-C) from four different shops showed the absence of quality control concerning packing specifications and the separation of the plant material to be consumed. The analysis of the chemical profiles of these samples by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) indicated that those species belonging to the Group C were significantly different from those plants having the same identification, except for Peumus boldus, whose samples were similar in terms of chemical composition.

[Tissue bank of the National Centre for Tumour Disease. An innovative platform for translational tumour]. / Gewebebank des Nationalen Zentrums für Tumorerkrankungen. Innovative Plattform für die translationale Tumorforschung.

The tissue bank of the National Centre for Tumour Diseases (NCT) in Heidelberg, Germany, was founded in 2005 by the University Hospital of Heidelberg and the German Cancer Research Centre as a section of the NCT. It is a nonprofit organization with a completely evaluated legal and ethical framework and supports the Comprehensive Cancer Centre concept. Its main aim is the acquisition and characterization of fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded human tissues according to the standards of good scientific practice and the promotion of interdisciplinary tumour research of the comprehensive cancer centre and its cooperating partners. It also offers expert project assistance: a project leader can submit a short proposal, and the tissue collecting/preparing process will be performed in cooperation with a specialised pathologist and, if applicable, an experienced clinical researcher. The tissue bank is also a central platform for further developing of innovative technologies for tissue handling, e.g. multi-tissue-array and virtual microscopy, with links to digital image analysis and bioinformatics. Thus, the NCT tissue bank represents a model for innovative biobanking and for institutions with active interdisciplinary cancer research.

Development of a new arbitrary waveform defibrillator for cardiac electrophysiology research.

The innovative arbitrary waveform defibrillator for animal research presented in this paper is based on two power linear amplifiers in bridge configuration. It is capable of delivering 10 J shocks of arbitrary shape and duration. The system can be used to test new waveforms by comparing them to traditional ones, in in-vitro experiments. The system is battery operated, has an isolated output, and is PC controlled. Loads with impedance ranging from 10 to 25 ohms can be connected. A maximum of +/-130 V, 10A can be delivered to the loads. Effective voltage and current are measured and collected in the PC. Examples of waveforms as well as preliminary results from experiments of isolated rabbit hearts are presented.