Neuroendocrine Tumors (NETs): A population-based study of incidence and survival in Girona province, 1994-2004

Els tumors neuroendocrins (TNEs) són un grup de neoplàsies poc freqüents i heterogènies i amb un ampli espectre d’agressivitat. Hi ha molt poca informació epidemiològica a nivell mundial, l’objectiu d’aquest estudi ha estat el de reportar-ne les dades a la província de Girona. Hem inclòs tots els codis de la ICD-O3 que codifiquen un TNE, període 1994-2002. Hem identificat 698 tumors. Es reporten les dades tant de la casuística com les taxes d’incidència i supervivència de cada TNE per separat. Els resultats són consistents amb les publicacions europees. El fet d’haver reportat la incidència i la supervivència dels TNEs a Girona contribueix a un millor coneixement d’aquestes neoplàsies.

Thermal Constant of an Experimental Population of Muscina stabulans (Fallén 1817) (Diptera:Muscidae) in the Laboratory

A study was conducted to investigate the thermal constant in an experimental population of Muscina stabulans (Fallén 1817). A natural population was obtained from a livestock and their F1 generations were maintained at four constant temperatures (16°C, 20°C, 26°C and 31°C). The thermal constant was calculated by the hyperbole method using the base temperature, tb = 4.4°C and the thermal constant K = 35.3 GD. Ricker's geometric regression, considering tb = 7.8°C and K = 28.9 GD was also calculated.

Integrate Study of a Bolivian Population Infected by Trypanosoma cruzi, the Agent of Chagas Disease

A cross section of a human population (501 individuals) selected at random, and living in a Bolivian community, highly endemic for Chagas disease, was investigated combining together clinical, parasitological and molecular approaches. Conventional serology and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) indicated an active transmission of the infection, a high seroprevalence (43.3%) ranging from around 12% in < 5 years to 94.7% in > 45 years, and a high sensitivity (83.8%) and specificity of PCR. Abnormal ECG tracing was predominant in chagasic patients and was already present among individuals younger than 13 years. SAPA (shed acute phase antigen) recombinant protein and the synthetic peptide R-13 were used as antigens in ELISA tests. The reactivity of SAPA was strongly associated to Trypanosoma cruzi infection and independent of the age of the patients but was not suitable neither for universal serodiagnosis nor for discrimination of specific phases of Chagas infection. Anti-R-13 response was observed in 27.5% only in chagasic patients. Moreover, anti-R13 reactivity was associated with early infection and not to cardiac pathology. This result questioned previous studies, which considered the anti-R-13 response as a marker of chronic Chagas heart disease. The major clonets 20 and 39 (belonging to Trypanosoma cruzi I and T. cruzi II respectively) which circulate in equal proportions in vectors of the studied area, were identified in patients' blood by PCR. Clonet 39 was selected over clonet 20 in the circulation whatever the age of the patient. The only factor related to strain detected in patients' blood, was the anti-R-13 reactivity: 37% of the patients infected by clonet 39 (94 cases) had anti-R13 antibodies contrasting with only 6% of the patients without clonet 39 (16 cases).

Domiciliation Trend of Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus in Colombia

The present paper presents evidence of the domiciliation of Panstrongylus rufotuberculatus in La Gardenia, Colombia through the collection of 2 unhatched eggs, 81 nymphs and 10 adults (4 males and 6 females), from 2 rural houses. The transmission risk indicators of Trypanosoma cruzi by P. rufotuberculatus in La Gardenia, were: domiciliary infestation 7.5%, density 2.35, colonization 66.6%, overcrowding 31.33, natural infection 4.6%, and relative infection 2.5%. These results and findings in Peru and Argentina, show that P. rufotuberculatus has a potential success in domiciliation and could some day become an alternate vector of American trypanosomiasis.

Promoting Women's Health - A Population Investment For Ireland's Future

In line with its statutory brief, the Women's Health Council commissioned research to evaluate progress in achieving the objectives of the Department of Health and Children's 1997 Plan for Women's Health 1997-1999 the Plan) at national and regional level. This was used as the basis of a critique of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Plan to date and the development of proposals for:- building on the achievements to date- ensuring a dynamic role for the structures established as a result of the Plan, especially the regional Womenâ?Ts Health Advisory Committees (WHACs)- securing measurable health gain for women over the next 7-10 years.   Download document here

Dietary habits of the Irish population: results from SLÃÅN Annual Report 2003

Dietary habits of the Irish population: results from SLÃÂÅN Annual Report 2003 The National Nutritional Surveillance Centre was established in 1992, in the Department of Health Promotion, National University of Ireland,Galway. In 2003 the Centre moved to the Department of Public Health Medicine and Epidemiology, University College Dublin. Its main functions are to provide nutrition-related information to relevant organizations in an accessible form and to monitor trends in health status in relation to food supply, availability and consumption. Click here to download PDF 1.8mb

Dietary habits of the Irish population: results from SLÃÅN Annual Report 2003

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Population Ageing in Ireland Projections 2002-2021

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Health and Social Care Implications of Population Ageing In Ireland 1991-2011

This report has two main objectives. The first is to set out national and health board area population projections for Ireland in the period 1991-2011, with special reference to the elderly population. The second is to consider the implications of the predicted trends in the elderly population for health and social care services over the same period, taking account of official policy objectives and service norms for the health services. Download the Report here

Prevalence and genotypes of GB Virus C/Hepatitis G virus among blood donors in Central Brazil

A survey was conducted in a blood donor population of Central Brazil aiming to investigate the prevalence of GB virus C (GBV-C)/hepatitis G virus (HGV) infection and also to analyze the virus genotypes distribution. A total of 241 voluntary blood donors were interviewed at the State Blood Bank in Goiânia, State of Goiás, Brazil. Blood samples were collected and serum samples tested for GBV-C/HGV RNA by polymerase chain reaction. Genotypes were determined by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. Seventeen samples were GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive, resulting in a prevalence of 7.1% (95% CI: 4.2-11.1). A significant trend of GBV-C/HGV RNA positivity in relation to age was observed, with the highest prevalence in donors between 29-39 years old. Ten infected individuals were characterized by reporting parenteral (30%), sexual (18%), both (6%) and intrafamiliar (6%) transmission. However, 7 (40%) GBV-C/HGV RNA-positive donors did not mention any potential transmission route. RFLP analysis revealed the presence of genotypes 1 and 2 of GBV-C/HGV; more precisely, 10 (58.9%) samples were found belonging to the 2b subtype, 4 (23.5%) to the 2a subtype, and 3 (17.6%) to genotype 1. The present data indicate an intermediate endemicity of GBV-C/HGV infection among this blood donor population, and a predominant circulation of genotype 2 (subtype 2b) in Central Brazil.

Planning for an Ageing Population: Strategic Considerations

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Comparison of the clientele of an anonymous HIV test centre and persons tested in the general population.

This study compares the clientele of a Swiss anonymous test centre with the general population tested. Information was obtained through similar questionnaires submitted to two samples of HIV-tested people aged from 17 to 45 years: the first administered in the context of a general population telephone survey (n = 245) and the second completed during face-to-face interviews of the clientele of an anonymous test centre (n = 250). The test centre sample has higher proportions of younger and single people. Attenders for anonymous testing were more likely to have acquired a new regular partner during the year preceding the interview (48.0% versus 14.4%). These differences remain when controlling for age and gender. Decision to test comes mostly from the respondent's own initiative, but suggestion from a doctor is more frequent in the general population (23.8% versus 0.8%), whereas suggestion from partner or friends is more frequent in the anonymous centre (44.4% versus 3.0%). The anonymous test centre clientele is not different from the general population tested except for the relational situation and origin of decision for testing. The test centre has become a place where the general population finds a response to a situation-specific need for HIV testing.

SLÃÅN 2007: Dietary Habits of the Irish Population

SLÃÂÅN 2007: Dietary Habits of the Irish Population The third national Survey of Lifestyle, Attitudes and Nutrition (SLÃÂÅN) was conducted in 2007, following previous surveys in 1998 and 2002. The 2007 SLÃÂÅN survey involved a nationally representative sample of 10,364 respondents (62% response rate), of whom 9,223 (89%) completed a standard Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire adapted for use in the Irish population. Click here to download PDF 4mb

Should Trypanosoma cruzi be called "cruzi" complex? A review of the parasite diversity and the potential of selecting population after in Vitro culturing and mice infection

Morpho-biological diversity of Trypanosoma cruzi has been known since Chagas' first works in 1909. Several further studies confirmed the morphological differences among the parasite strains, which were isolated from different reservoirs and vectors, as well as from human beings. In the early sixties, antigenic differences were found in the parasite strains from various sources. These differences, coupled to the observation of regional variations of the disease, led to the proposal of the term cruzi complex to designate the taxon T. cruzi. Since then this protozoan has been typed in distinct biodemes, zymodemes and lineages which were consensually grouped into T. cruzi I, T. cruzi II and into non-grouped strains. T. cruzi genotypic characterization, initially carried out by schizodeme analysis and more recently by various other techniques, has shown a great diversity of the parasite strains. In fact, T. cruzi is formed by groups of heterogeneous sub-population, which present specific characteristics, including distinct histotropism. The interaction of the different infecting clones of the cruzi complex and the human host will determine the morbidity of the disease.

SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland - Findings from National Population Surveys

SLÃÅN: Injuries in Ireland – Findings from National Population Surveys Click to download PDF 982kb