Multiactinide Analysis with Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for Ultratrace Determination in Small Samples: Application to an in Situ Radionuclide Tracer Test within the Colloid Formation and Migration Experiment at the Grimsel Test Site (Switzerland).

The multiactinide analysis with accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) was applied to samples collected from the run 13-05 of the Colloid Formation and Migration (CFM) experiment at the Grimsel Test Site (GTS). In this in situ radionuclide tracer test, the environmental behavior of 233U, 237Np, 242Pu, and 243Am was investigated in a water conductive shear zone under conditions relevant for a nuclear waste repository in crystalline rock. The concentration of the actinides in the GTS groundwater was determined with AMS over 6 orders of magnitude from ∼15 pg/g down to ∼25 ag/g. Levels above 10 fg/g were investigated with both sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICPMS) and AMS. Agreement within a relative uncertainty of 50% was found for 237Np, 242Pu, and 243Am concentrations determined with the two analytical methods. With the extreme sensitivity of AMS, the long-term release and retention of the actinides was investigated over 8 months in the tailing of the breakthrough curve of run 13-05 as well as in samples collected up to 22 months after. Furthermore, the evidence of masses 241 and 244 u in the CFM samples most probably representing 241Am and 244Pu employed in a previous tracer test demonstrated the analytical capability of AMS for in situ studies lasting more than a decade.

Estratificación epidemiológica de riesgo / Epidemiological stratification of the risk

Fundamento: la estratificación la origina las unidades agregadas denominadas estratos, donde estas unidades presentan similitudes y diferencias entre sí. En diferentes países, la estratificación de riesgo emerge como enfoque estratégico. Desde la década de los 90 se ha incorporado al esquema de estratificación el enfoque epidemiológico de riesgo como base para la toma de decisiones.Objetivo: ofrecer elementos para la planificación y aplicación sobre la estratificación epidemiológica del riesgo.Método: se realizó un análisis bibliográfico que incluyó la búsqueda de investigaciones propias del tema así como documentos rectores y conferencias publicados, utilizando la herramienta artículos relacionados, en las bases de datos Medline-Pubmed, con el término estratificación epidemiológica del riesgo.Resultados: la bibliografía revisada coincide en la necesidad de aplicar los conceptos de estratificación epidemiológica de riesgo en el estudio de eventos sanitarios para la toma de decisiones. Se brindan elementos para la planificación y aplicación de la misma.Conclusiones: la decisión final sobre cuál método emplear y qué variables utilizar, se presenta como un dilema para el investigador, pues cualquiera de ellos puede servir perfectamente para los fines propuestos. Una vez conformados los estratos según la metodología escogida, se estará en condiciones de diseñar las estrategias de intervención para cada uno de ellos(AU)

Background: aggregate units called stratums originate stratification; these units present similarities and differences among them. In some countries, the stratification of the risk appears as a strategic approach. Since the 90's, the epidemiological approach of the risk as a basis for the taking of decisions has been incorporated to the stratification system.Objective: to offer elements for the planning and application based on the epidemiological stratification of the risk. Method: a bibliographical analysis was conducted including the search of investigations related to the theme and published guiding documents and conferences. The tool of related articles was used to search in the data bases Medline and PubMed. The term used was epidemiological stratification of the risk.Results: the revised bibliography coincides with the necessity of applying the concepts of epidemiological stratification of the risk in the study of public health events for the taking of decisions. Elements for its planning and application are offered.Conclusions: the final decision about which method and variables to use is presented as a dilemma for the researchers since any of them can be perfectly good for the proposed aims. Once the stratums are made according to the chosen methodology, the conditions to design the strategies of intervention for each of them will be ready(AU)

Estratificación epidemiológica de riesgo / Epidemiological stratification of the risk

Fundamento: la estratificación la origina las unidades agregadas denominadas estratos, donde estas unidades presentan similitudes y diferencias entre sí. En diferentes países, la estratificación de riesgo emerge como enfoque estratégico. Desde la década de los 90 se ha incorporado al esquema de estratificación el enfoque epidemiológico de riesgo como base para la toma de decisiones. Objetivo: ofrecer elementos para la planificación y aplicación sobre la estratificación epidemiológica del riesgo. Método: se realizó un análisis bibliográfico que incluyó la búsqueda de investigaciones propias del tema así como documentos rectores y conferencias publicados, utilizando la herramienta artículos relacionados, en las bases de datos Medline-Pubmed, con el término estratificación epidemiológica del riesgo. Resultados: la bibliografía revisada coincide en la necesidad de aplicar los conceptos de estratificación epidemiológica de riesgo en el estudio de eventos sanitarios para la toma de decisiones. Se brindan elementos para la planificación y aplicación de la misma. Conclusiones: la decisión final sobre cuál método emplear y qué variables utilizar, se presenta como un dilema para el investigador, pues cualquiera de ellos puede servir perfectamente para los fines propuestos. Una vez conformados los estratos según la metodología escogida, se estará en condiciones de diseñar las estrategias de intervención para cada uno de ellos.

Background: aggregate units called stratums originate stratification; these units present similarities and differences among them. In some countries, the stratification of the risk appears as a strategic approach. Since the 90's, the epidemiological approach of the risk as a basis for the taking of decisions has been incorporated to the stratification system. Objective: to offer elements for the planning and application based on the epidemiological stratification of the risk. Method: a bibliographical analysis was conducted including the search of investigations related to the theme and published guiding documents and conferences. The tool of related articles was used to search in the data bases Medline and PubMed. The term used was epidemiological stratification of the risk. Results: the revised bibliography coincides with the necessity of applying the concepts of epidemiological stratification of the risk in the study of public health events for the taking of decisions. Elements for its planning and application are offered. Conclusions: the final decision about which method and variables to use is presented as a dilemma for the researchers since any of them can be perfectly good for the proposed aims. Once the stratums are made according to the chosen methodology, the conditions to design the strategies of intervention for each of them will be ready.

Vigilancia epidemiológica en salud / Epidemiological vigilance on health

Fundamento: la vigilancia epidemiológica contribuye a diseñar estrategias para impedir la propagación de enfermedades y por otro planificar recursos que conlleven a elevar el estado de salud de la población. Esta ha sido y es una preocupación de directivos, estados y países. Conocer el nivel de salud, identificar sus desviaciones y desarrollar acciones en cada unidad es un objetivo estratégico para el sector. Objetivo: analizar la literatura científica sobre vigilancia epidemiológica en función de la aplicación de este concepto en la práctica de la salud pública en Cuba. Método: se realizó un análisis bibliográfico que incluyó la búsqueda en los idiomas inglés y español de investigaciones propias del tema, así como documentos rectores y conferencias, se utilizó como herramienta artículos relacionados en las bases de datos Medline-Pubmed, con el término de vigilancia epidemiológica, como objetivo de esta investigación, revisándose los textos completos de las publicaciones seleccionadas. Resultados: la bibliografía revisada coincide en la necesidad de aplicar los conceptos de la vigilancia epidemiológica en el estudio de eventos sanitarios para la toma de decisiones. Para que una organización sea eficiente debe tener adecuada vigilancia epidemiológica. Conclusiones: con esta revisión bibliográfica se pudo mostrar múltiples elementos teóricos que se pueden considerar para realizar la vigilancia epidemiológica, así como ayudar a la selección del alcance y objetivos del sistema de vigilancia epidemiológica a implementar para el diseño de estrategias en el campo de la salud.

Background: epidemiological vigilance contributes to design strategies for preventing diseases and planning options that contribute to improve the health of the population. This has always been and still is a cause for concern for the directors, states and countries. Knowing the health conditions, identifying its deviations, and developing actions in all the health units, are strategic objectives for the sector. Objective: to analyse the scientific literature related to epidemiologic vigilance for the application of this concept in the practice of Public Health in Cuba. Method: a bibliographic review was made including the search of investigations related to the theme in English and in Spanish, as well as guiding documents and lectures. As a tool, articles listed in the data bases Medline-Pubmed were used. The used term was epidemiologic relevance. Results: the reviewed bibliography coincides with the need of applying the concepts of epidemiological vigilance in the study of public health events for the making of decisions. Conclusions: by means of this bibliographic review, multiple theoretical elements to take into account when making the epidemiological vigilance were shown. These theoretical elements can be taken into consideration for selecting the scope and the objectives of the system of epidemiological vigilance to be selected for the design of strategies in Public Health.

Multicenter assessment of the revisit risk for a further drug-related problem in the emergency department in cocaine users (MARRIED-cocaine study).

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Emergency departments (EDs) in Spanish hospitals daily attend a large number of patients for adverse reactions or clinical complications resulting from cocaine use. After discharge, some of these patients revisit the ED for the same reason within a year. The objective of the present study was to quantify the rate of such revisits and identify the factors associated with them. METHOD: We performed a retrospective, multicenter study with cohort follow-up and without a control group, conducted in the EDs of six Spanish hospitals during 12 months (January-December 2009). We included all ED patients attended for cocaine-related symptoms who reported recent cocaine use and those with cocaine-positive urine analysis by immunoassay without declared consumption. Twelve independent variables assessed for each hospital ED were collected: sex, age, place of consumption, month, day, and time of consumption, mode of arrival at the ED, discharge diagnosis, psychiatric assessment on the ED episode, concomitant drugs, destination on discharge, and history of previous ED visits related with drug use and alcohol use. The dependent variable was a subsequent visit to the ED associated with drug use, identified using the computerized hospital admissions system. RESULTS: The study included 807 patients, of whom 6.7% revisited the ED within 30 days, 11.9% within 3 months and 18.9% within 1 year. The variables significantly associated with ED revisits were: presence of clinical manifestations directly related to cocaine (p < 0.05), ED attendance on a working day (p < 0.05), history of ED visits related with the consumption of alcohol (p < 0.001) or drugs (p < 0.001), and the need for urgent consultation with a psychiatrist (p < 0.001), although only the last four were independent predictors in multivariate analysis. We derived a score based on these variables to predict risk of revisits (MARRIED-score, ranging from 0 to 400 points), which had a reasonably good predictive value for revisit (area under ROC of 0.75; 95% CI 0.71-0.79).

Urgencias en consumidores de cannabis / Emergencies in cannabis users

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