[Measurement, monitoring and knowledge of blood pressure: May Measurement Month, Colombia 2017]. / Medición, control y conocimiento de la presión arterial: Iniciativa Mayo Mes de la Medición Colombia 2017.

AIM: To describe the findings of implementing May Measurement Month 2017 in the adult Colombian population to raise awareness of the importance of blood pressure measuring, monitoring, and awareness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: May Measurement Month is a cross-sectional survey that follows the directives of the International Society of Hypertension and the World Hypertension League, which gathers information on cardiovascular risk factors and blood pressure readings. Its implementation in Colombia was lead by the Santander Ophthalmological Foundation (FOSCAL) and the Latin American Society of Hypertension (LASH) with the support of the Colombian Network for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes (RECARDI). RESULTS: Data was collected from 11 departments on 21,797 people, 58.7% of whom were female, with an average age of 40.5±17.7 years. The overall prevalence of high blood pressure (HBP) was 20.8% (self-reported antihypertensive treatment or systolic blood pressure reading [systolic blood pressure≥140mmHg]). Of the total number of hypertensives, 46.5% had systolic blood pressure readings classified as uncontrolled (systolic blood pressure<140mmHg), and 26.4% were unaware that they were hypertensive who, in this report, we consider to be new cases of HBP. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of (elevated) blood pressure is high in this young adult population, whose lack of awareness of HBP is also high, and HBP in those aware of their condition is poorly controlled. These results highlight the need to implement effective detection programmes for hypertensive patients and to establish standardised treatments to improve HBP control as a strategy to reduce cardiovascular events.

From Crowdsourcing to Extreme Citizen Science: Participatory Research for Environmental Health.

Environmental health issues are becoming more challenging, and addressing them requires new approaches to research design and decision-making processes. Participatory research approaches, in which researchers and communities are involved in all aspects of a research study, can improve study outcomes and foster greater data accessibility and utility as well as increase public transparency. Here we review varied concepts of participatory research, describe how it complements and overlaps with community engagement and environmental justice, examine its intersection with emerging environmental sensor technologies, and discuss the strengths and limitations of participatory research. Although participatory research includes methodological challenges, such as biases in data collection and data quality, it has been found to increase the relevance of research questions, result in better knowledge production, and impact health policies. Improved research partnerships among government agencies, academia, and communities can increase scientific rigor, build community capacity, and produce sustainable outcomes.

Genetic Polymorphisms in Cytokine Genes in Colombian Patients with Ocular Toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by infection with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which has the capacity to infect all warm-blooded animals worldwide. Toxoplasmosis is a major cause of visual defects in the Colombian population; however, the association between genetic polymorphisms in cytokine genes and susceptibility to ocular toxoplasmosis has not been studied in this population. This work evaluates the associations between polymorphisms in genes coding for the cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) (rs1799964, rs1800629, rs1799724, rs1800630, and rs361525), interleukin 1ß (IL-1ß) (rs16944, rs1143634, and rs1143627), IL-1α (rs1800587), gamma interferon (IFN-γ) (rs2430561), and IL-10 (rs1800896 and rs1800871) and the presence of ocular toxoplasmosis (OT) in a sample of a Colombian population (61 patients with OT and 116 healthy controls). Genotyping was performed with the "dideoxynucleotide (ddNTP) primer extension" technique. Functional-effect predictions of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were done by using FuncPred. A polymorphism in the IL-10 gene promoter (-1082G/A) was significantly more prevalent in OT patients than in controls (P = 1.93e-08; odds ratio [OR] = 5.27e+03; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.18 to 8.739; Bonferroni correction [BONF] = 3.48e-07). In contrast, haplotype "AG" of the IL-10 gene promoter polymorphisms (rs1800896 and rs1800871) was present at a lower frequency in OT patients (P = 7e-04; OR = 0.10; 95% CI = 0.03 to 0.35). The +874A/T polymorphism of IFN-γ was associated with OT (P = 3.37e-05; OR = 4.2; 95% CI = 2.478 to 7.12; BONF = 6.07e-04). Haplotype "GAG" of the IL-1ß gene promoter polymorphisms (rs1143634, rs1143627, and rs16944) appeared to be significantly associated with OT (P = 0.0494). The IL-10, IFN-γ, and IL-1ß polymorphisms influence the development of OT in the Colombian population.

Representaciones sociales del grupo exhabitantes de calle, acerca de los procesos de fortalecimiento para la inclusión social / Social representations from group who lived on street, on strenghening processes for social inclusion

La investigación se desarrolló desde los parámetros conceptuales de la psicología comunitaria, el tema central fue el fortalecimiento. Se pretendieron explicar las representaciones sociales de un grupo de exhabitantes de calle, acerca de los procesos de fortalecimiento para la inclusión social: La metodología de análisis fue cualitativa, utilizándose la técnica de la triangulación, en la recolección de datos, se emplearon las entrevistas semiestructuradas y un muestreo de cinco hombres exhabitantes de calle. El Atlas Ti se empleó como complemento al análisis de información, haciéndose lectura de los textos y elaboración de categorías, en los diagramas se describió el texto interpretativo narrándose lo encontrado. Los resultados, evidencian diferencias entre pensamientos pasados y actuales, caracterizados por un interés por si mismo, recuperar a la familia, mantener relaciones afectivas duraderas y no hacer daño a otros. En el fortalecimiento son importantes los factores de: 1. reconocimiento de las familias al ver cómo han sido capaces de salir de la calle 2. Desarrollo de pautas de convivencia en la conformación del grupo Asoantorcha, permitiéndoles generar relaciones sociales de apoyo y equidad. 3. Perseverancia, para asumir día a día sin droga. 4. Creencias religiosas que proporcionaron pautas de comportamiento y reencuentro espiritual. Se concluye que son muchos los factores que los limitan: la situación actual del país, la violencia, el desplazamiento y el desempleo influyen negativamente en la implementación de programas sociales duraderos que ofrezcan oportunidades reales a las personas en condición de habilitabilidad en calle.

This research was developed from the conceptual standpoint of Community Psychology, with Strengthening as its central axis. We intend to explain the Social Representations held by a group of former homeless persons, Asoantorcha, about strengthening processes for social inclusion. A qualitative strategy with triangulation was used, and semi structured interviews were used for data collection, with five formerly homeless male participants. Atlas. TI was used as a complement for information analysis and category creation. Results suggest clear differences between current and previous thoughts. Factors found in the process of strengthening include: 1) the recognition of made by families upon learning that the participants were able to abandon the streets and to face a new life; 2) perseverance, to embrace each day without drugs and without; and 3) religious beliefs, which gave them behavioral patterns and a spiritual meeting. As a conclusion, it must pointed out that many factors set limits to these people, not because they don’t want to move ahead, but because of the current situation of violence, forced migration and unemployment in the country. This situation has a negative influence on the implementation of social programs that may offer real opportunities for homeless people.

[Guidelines for the clinical management of neuropathic pain (II)]. / Guías de práctica clínica del dolor neuropático (II).

INTRODUCTION: Up to 5% of the population suffers from neuropathic pain (NP). A bibliographical search in several databases revealed that, to date, there are no protocols to guide physicians who are not specialists in pain that enable them to treat NP and thus improve patients' quality of life. AIMS: The aim of this study is to provide Spanish-speaking physicians who are not specialists in pain with a set of guidelines for the treatment of NP. A bibliographical search was performed in order to base the results and conclusions on the evidence-based medicine methodology. DEVELOPMENT: First, we review the most effective clinical and paraclinical methods for diagnosing NP, and the LANSS pain scale is reported as the most appropriate method of clinically evaluating NP. The anatomical paths and the physiology of pain are then described and we review the molecular variables involved. Finally, we point out the current therapeutic options and propose an algorithm for the treatment of NP. CONCLUSIONS: There is no specific set of guidelines for the treatment of NP. At the present time, the keystone of NP treatment consists in the use of antidepressant and anticonvulsive drugs. There is a need for further clinical trials to prove the effectiveness of using combined medication.

[Guidelines for the clinical management of neuropathic pain (I). Protocol]. / Guías de práctica clínica del dolor neuropático (I). Protocolo.

AIMS: The aim of this study is to develop a set of guidelines for the clinical management of neuropathic pain (NP), a disorder suffered by up to 5% of the population, specifically for use by the Spanish-speaking community, in order to improve the quality of medical care and to standardise the treatments offered in medical centres. DEVELOPMENT: The paper describes the methodology used to search for guidelines concerning the clinical management of NP in databases, written communications and other resources, and the results of this search are presented. The research group is split into three groups: anatomical-physiological, diagnosis and therapeutic approach, each of which defines the nature of the papers that used to design the protocol.

National practice characteristics and utilization of pathologists' assistants.

OBJECTIVE: To obtain descriptive information regarding the practice characteristics and utilization of US pathologists' assistants. DESIGN: A self-administered, mailed, voluntary, anonymous questionnaire was distributed to a cross-sectional sample of 515 US pathologists' assistants registered as members of the American Association of Pathologists' Assistants. The questionnaire contained items relating to subject demographics, practice characteristics, specific task performance, and amount of time spent per day on the performance of specific tasks. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the data in terms of measures of central tendency and dispersion. RESULTS: The response rate was 66.8%. The majority of questionnaires sent and received were from East Coast regions. Of all respondents, 46.6% were women, 57.6% were less than 40 years old, and 60.0% had been practicing 10 years or less. Over half (54.0%) had a master's degree. Almost the entire sample reported working 30 or more hours per week, with 43.4% reporting working more than 40 hours per week. The majority reported earning annual salaries between $56 000 and $75 000. Although task analysis of responses revealed a wide range of responses, the majority of the sample reported spending most of their daily time performing surgical specimen gross examinations (median 300 min/d). Approximately half of respondents also reported spending up to 90 minutes per day on nonspecific tasks such as logging specimens and answering the phone. Most respondents reported spending more daily time on such nonspecific tasks than on autopsy prosection or research. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this national survey provides the first description of pathologists' assistants across the United States. These data provide a useful tool for tracking changes in the profession.

Pulmonary valve papillary fibroelastoma. A case report and review of the literature.

Papillary fibroelastomas are rare and benign cardiac tumors that typically affect the cardiac valves. To the best of our knowledge, the English literature contains only 1 case report of pulmonary valve fibroelastoma diagnosed by echocardiogram and confirmed by surgical resection. There is a paucity of pathology literature on this subject. We describe an additional case of pulmonary valve fibroelastoma diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed by pathologic examination in a patient who also had a thymoma.

Pathologists' assistants practice: a measurement of performance.

Despite their widespread utilization, little is known about the quality of pathologists' assistants' services. Pathologists' assistants' performance was compared with pathology residents' performance using the metrics of lymph node retrieval and tissue resubmission rates. Lymph node retrieval was calculated by retrospective review of surgical pathology reports from a sample of axillary dissection, mastectomy, and colorectal specimens. Tissue resubmission rates were calculated by retrospective review of a sample of general surgical pathology reports. Pathologists' assistants retrieved a significantly greater total number of lymph nodes compared with pathology residents; however, there was no difference in the total number of positive lymph nodes retrieved. Cases for which pathologists' assistants performed the gross examination had a significantly decreased resubmission rate compared with those performed by residents. In this setting, the gross examination performance of pathologists' assistants was equivalent to or superior to that of pathology residents. These results provide the first information available relating to pathologists' assistants' performance in surgical pathology.

Utilizacion del proceso de enfermeria en el ejercicio clinico profesional en seis instituciones prestadoras de servicios de salud en Santafé de Bogotá / Use of nursing process in professional clinical practice in six health institutions of Santafé de Bogotá

El proceso de Enfermería (PE) es una metodología creada por los profesionales de Enfermería para mejorar la calidad de atención que prestamos a nuestros usuarios. Este método de trabajo ha sufrido diferentes cambios desde sus inicios, modificaciones que han beneficiado a los enfermeros de ayer y de hoy al lograr la vinculación del paciente como ente participativo de su cuidado en los niveles de promoción, prevención, tratamiento y rehabilitación, para que el individuo adquiera el equilibrio entre mente y cuerpo que se traduce en el término de Salud. También el PE ha proporcionado ganancia profesional, ya que trabajar con un método estructuradoposibilita la unificación de criterios entre Enfermeros, nos encamina hacia el desarrollo y crecimiento de nuestra profesión "La Enfermería." Esta investigación determina cuál es la utilizacibn de esta metodología en seis instituciones prestadoras de salud en Santa fé de Bogotá con miras a que nuevos compañeros continúen una propuesta que lieve a su institucionalización por los beneficios descritos anteriormente y de otros contemplados dentro del marco teórico de este estudio

The usefulness of pathologists' assistants.

The usefulness of pathologists' assistants (PAs) has not been assessed rigorously. Data from a time-motion self-report log generated by an Allegheny General Hospital (Pittsburgh, PA) PA and from the corresponding surgical specimen logs were reviewed to determine the daily distribution of PA time and multiple parameters of practice for gross examination of specimens. Using these data in specific scenarios, PA and non-PA practices were compared. The majority of the PA's time (56.5%) was spent performing gross examination of surgical biopsy specimens. The average cost of gross examination per specimen for a PA and a pathologist was $4.37 and $15.19, respectively. In this practice setting, $91,970.00 is saved per year by the use of a PA. The use of PAs instead of pathologists results in considerable practice cost savings ($560,000 in a practice of 50,000 specimens) or saves pathologists time to perform other necessary functions. PAs are highly useful in an era of cost containment.

Correlates of alcohol and drug use among low-income Hispanic immigrant childbearing women living in the USA.

Alcohol and drug use is a widespread and serious problem with deleterious consequences for the health and well-being of childbearing-age women and their children. Little information exists regarding etiological factors for substance use among Hispanic childbearing-age women immigrating to the United States (USA). This research provides a correlational analysis of factors associated with alcohol and drug use. The Social Stress Model for Substance Use Prevention provided the conceptual framework for this cross-sectional, interview-administered survey of 60 low-income predominantly Mexican-American women. The outcome variable was alcohol and drug use (alcohol, cigarettes, marijuana, cocaine and opiates). Independent variables included the major constructs of the model: stress, social support, social influences, personal competencies and community resource utilization patterns. Findings suggested that the levels of drug use were lower among this study sample than in the general USA population regardless of pregnancy status. Bivariate correlations demonstrate that women with higher drug use indices had more lenient attitudes regarding drug use and were more likely to have family and friends that used alcohol and drugs. Although drug use was relatively low among this sample of women, both women who used alcohol themselves and women whose partners used alcohol and drugs reported significantly higher levels of stress, weaker social support and poorer levels of self esteem. Implications for practice and future research are suggested.

[Relations between the maxillary sinus and upper maxillary process. Anatomotopographic study]. / Relaciones entre seno maxilar y apófisis alveolar maxilar superior. Estudio anatomotopográfico.

The anatomic proximity of the antral floor and superior alveolar processes favors the propagation of infections from teeth to neighboring structures, as was pointed out first by John Hunter. A radiologic and anatomic study was made of these anatomic relations and the bony substance between the alveolar ridge and maxillary sinus was measured. No firm criteria for normality could be established because of the variability of the maxillary sinus. Variations in environmental and developmental conditions easily modify its morphology.

Relationship of CDC group EO-2 and psychrobacter immobilis.

Thirty strains of microorganisms previously classified in the CDC group EO-2 were studied to determine the relationship of this group and the recently proposed Psychrobacter immobilis. Results of transformation studies indicated that 9 of the 30 studied strains should be reclassified as P. immobilis. While transformation studies should be used to identify the Psychrobacter genus definitively, some presumptive characteristics useful in differentiating the CDC group EO-2 and P. immobilis were observed. The Psychrobacter genus, compared with the CDC group EO-2, grew well at 25 degrees C, lightly or not at all at 35 degrees C, and not at all at 42 degrees C, grew in nutrient broth without NaCl and with only one exception grew in 6% NaCl, usually did not produce acid from adonitol, dextrin, fructose, or D-mannitol, did not demonstrate the O-shaped cellular morphology, and usually possessed an odor resembling that noted from a phenylethyl alcohol blood agar plate.