Necessitats formatives dels treballadors i treballadores immigrats en els sectors del servei domèstic, la construcció i l'hostaleria a Catalunya

L'article analitza la situació en el mercat laboral dels treballadors immigrants en els sectors del servei domèstic, la construcció i l'hostaleria a Catalunya, i posa l'èmfasi en el seu nivell de qualificació i en les necessitats de formació que se'n deriven. Des de mitjan anys noranta fins a final de 2007, el cicle expansiu de l'economia catalana va requerir mà d'obra estrangera per tal de sostenir un creixement molt intensiu en ocupació. Les dificultats del sistema educatiu en proveir la mà d'obra qualificada que requeria el sistema productiu i l'escassa exigència de qualificació de les empreses dels sectors més intensius en treball han generat un alentiment en el procés de consolidació del model qualificat de gestió de la mà d'obra. Aquesta situació pot ser superada amb un gran acord social i econòmic que impulsi la formació de la població activa i una major exigència de qualificació per part del sistema productiu.

Cardiovascular risk estimation and eligibility for statins in primary prevention comparing different strategies

Recommendations for statin use for primary prevention of coronary heart disease (CHD) are based on estimation of the 10-year CHD risk. It is unclear which risk algorithm and guidelines should be used in European populations. Using data from a population-based study in Switzerland, we first assessed 10-year CHD risk and eligibility for statins in 5,683 women and men 35 to 75 years of age without cardiovascular disease by comparing recommendations by the European Society of Cardiology without and with extrapolation of risk to age 60 years, the International Atherosclerosis Society, and the US Adult Treatment Panel III. The proportions of participants classified as high-risk for CHD were 12.5% (15.4% with extrapolation), 3.0%, and 5.8%, respectively. Proportions of participants eligible for statins were 9.2% (11.6% with extrapolation), 13.7%, and 16.7%, respectively. Assuming full compliance to each guideline, expected relative decreases in CHD deaths in Switzerland over a 10-year period would be 16.4% (17.5% with extrapolation), 18.7%, and 19.3%, respectively; the corresponding numbers needed to treat to prevent 1 CHD death would be 285 (340 with extrapolation), 380, and 440, respectively. In conclusion, the proportion of subjects classified as high risk for CHD varied over a fivefold range across recommendations. Following the International Atherosclerosis Society and the Adult Treatment Panel III recommendations might prevent more CHD deaths at the cost of higher numbers needed to treat compared with European Society of Cardiology guidelines.

Reflexions de Gabriele Turi sobre la biografia històrica

La tardor de 2006, Gabriele Turi1, professor d'Història contemporània a la Universitat de Florència, es va desplaçar fins a Barcelona per participar en un cicle de conferències. CERCLES. REVISTA D'HISTÒRIA CULTURAL va aprofitar l'ocasió per fer-li una entrevista. La dilatada trajectòria professional del professor Turi i l¿evolució dels seus treballs el converteixen en un observador privilegiat de l'evolució de lahistoriografia europea contemporània, especialment de la italiana.

Reflexions de Gabriele Turi sobre la biografia històrica

La tardor de 2006, Gabriele Turi1, professor d'Història contemporània a la Universitat de Florència, es va desplaçar fins a Barcelona per participar en un cicle de conferències. CERCLES. REVISTA D'HISTÒRIA CULTURAL va aprofitar l'ocasió per fer-li una entrevista. La dilatada trajectòria professional del professor Turi i l¿evolució dels seus treballs el converteixen en un observador privilegiat de l'evolució de lahistoriografia europea contemporània, especialment de la italiana.

Blood pressure modifies the association between serum adiponectin and uric acid, in a sex-dependent manner

Purpose: Plasma adiponectin and serum uric acid (SUA) levels are negatively correlated. To better understand the possible mechanisms linking adiponectin and uric acid, we analyzed whether the association between adiponectin and SUA differed by hypertension status (or blood pressure level) and by sex. Methods and materials: We analyzed data from the populationbased CoLaus study (Switzerland). Fasting plasma adiponectin levels were assessed by ELISA and SUA by uricase-PAP. Blood pressure (BP) was measured using a validated automated device and hypertension was defined as having office BP 140/90 mm Hg or being on current antihypertensive treatment. Results: In the 2897 men and 3181 women, aged 35-74, BMI (mean ± SD) was 26.6 ± 4.0 and 25.1 ± 4.8 Kg/m2, systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 132.2 ± 16.6 and 124.8 ± 18.3 mm Hg, median (interquartile range) plasma adiponectin was 6.2 (4.1-9.2) and 10.6 (6.9-15.4) mg/dL, and hypertension prevalence was 42.0% and 30.2%, respectively. The age- and BMI- adjusted partial correlation coefficients between log-adiponectin and SUA were 0.09 and 0.06 in normotensive men and women (P <0.01), and 0.004 (P = 0.88) and 0.15 (P <0.001) in hypertensive men and women, respectively. In median regression adjusted for BMI, insulin, smoking, alcohol consumption, menopausal status and HDL-cholesterol, there was a significant three-way interaction between SUA, SBP and sex for their effect on adiponectin (dependent variable, P = 0.005), as well as interactions between SBP and sex (P = 0.014) and between SUA and sex (P = 0.033). Conclusion: Plasma adiponectin and SUA are negatively associated, independently of BMI and insulin, in a population-based study in Caucasians. However, BP modifies this inverse relationship, as it was significant mainly in women with elevated BP. This observation suggests that the link between adiponectin and SUA may be mediated by sex hormones and the hypertension status.

Prognostic role of KRAS and BRAF in stage II and III resected colon cancer: results of the translational study on the PETACC-3, EORTC 40993, SAKK 60-00 trial.

PURPOSE: Mutations within the KRAS proto-oncogene have predictive value but are of uncertain prognostic value in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. We took advantage of PETACC-3, an adjuvant trial with 3,278 patients with stage II to III colon cancer, to evaluate the prognostic value of KRAS and BRAF tumor mutation status in this setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks (n = 1,564) were prospectively collected and DNA was extracted from tissue sections from 1,404 cases. Planned analysis of KRAS exon 2 and BRAF exon 15 mutations was performed by allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction. Survival analyses were based on univariate and multivariate proportional hazard regression models. RESULTS: KRAS and BRAF tumor mutation rates were 37.0% and 7.9%, respectively, and were not significantly different according to tumor stage. In a multivariate analysis containing stage, tumor site, nodal status, sex, age, grade, and microsatellite instability (MSI) status, KRAS mutation was associated with grade (P = .0016), while BRAF mutation was significantly associated with female sex (P = .017), and highly significantly associated with right-sided tumors, older age, high grade, and MSI-high tumors (all P < 10(-4)). In univariate and multivariate analysis, KRAS mutations did not have a major prognostic value regarding relapse-free survival (RFS) or overall survival (OS). BRAF mutation was not prognostic for RFS, but was for OS, particularly in patients with MSI-low (MSI-L) and stable (MSI-S) tumors (hazard ratio, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.4; P = .0003). CONCLUSION: In stage II-III colon cancer, the KRAS mutation status does not have major prognostic value. BRAF is prognostic for OS in MS-L/S tumors.

Underdiagnosed and undertreated: obesity in the portuguese population.

Comment on: Post RE, Mainous AG 3rd, Gregorie SH, Knoll ME, Diaz VA, Saxena SK. The influence of physician acknowledgment of patients' weight status on patient perceptions of overweight and obesity in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2011 Feb 28;171(4):316-21. PMID: 21357807.

Estudi sobre la investigació doctoral: 10 anys de tesis a Ciències de l'Educació a la Universitat de Barcelona (1979-1989)

L'estudi que seguidament descriurem va sorgir en el context del curs de doctorat "Models d'investigació a l'aula" dirigit per la Dra. J.M. Sancho del Departament de Didactica i Organització Escolar de la Universitat de Barcelona, la finalitat principal d'aquest era donar a coneixer la perspectiva de recerca qualitativa, naturalista o interpretativa mitjançant la planificació i la realització d'un treball de recerca. Els components de l'equip investigador, la majoria llicenciats en pedagogia i amb experiencia professional en el món de l'educació, actualment ens trobem en procés de realització de la tesi doctoral. Fruit de les nostres preocupacions i inquietuds del moment com a estudiants de tercer cicle, va sorgir la proposta d'investigar el fet mateix de realitzar una tesi doctoral, específicament des de Ciencies de l'Educació, tasca que tots, un dia o altre hauríem de finalitzar, en cas de voler aconseguir el desitjat grau de doctor.

Projections de l'utilisation des lits dans le canton de Vaud : hôpitaux de zone, 1990-2010

La projection utilise toujours le programme de simulation SIMULIT, dans sa treizième version. (...) Seule l'évolution démographique a été considérée dans les projections du nombre de lits: aucune des autres variables susceptibles de changer dans le futur n'a été prise en compte, ni celle en relation avec l'activité hospitalière elle-même (modification des taux d'hospitalisation, des durées de séjour, etc.), ni celles concernant l'état de santé de la population (modification de l'incidence ou de la prévalence des maladies). En d'autres termes, cette projection montre l'effet de l'évolution démographique sur l'activité hospitalière, si les caractéristiques de cette activité devaient rester celles observées dans les années 80. Il ne s'agit donc pas d'une prévision. [Auteurs, p. 1]