Prevalencia de anormalidades estructurales cardiacas en pacientes con enfermedad isqu��mica. Bogot�� 2007 ��� 2009

Introducci��n: Las enfermedades cardiovasculares son la causa de muerte m��s frecuente en el mundo desarrollado, la mayor��a de ��stas se relacionan con alteraciones de las arterias coronarias, sin embargo un subgrupo de pacientes presentan como causa de isquemia cardiaca alteraciones estructurales. Material y m��todos: Estudio Descriptivo. Se utiliz�� la base de datos recolectada en un servicio de hemodinamia de Bogot�� durante dos a��os. Se aplicaron criterios de inclusi��n y exclusi��n y se determinaron cuatro grupos et��reos, a todos los pacientes se les practic�� cateterismo cardiaco diagn��stico. Las variables analizadas fueron: diagn��stico de referencia, antecedentes y resultados del cateterismo incluyendo presencia de anomal��as estructurales como las valvulopatias, el origen an��malo de las coronarias y los puentes mioc��rdicos. Para el an��lisis descriptivo se utiliz�� reporte de prevalencias y para el an��lisis de asociaciones se utilizaron tablas de contingencia y el estad��stico de prueba Chi cuadrado, no se realiz�� an��lisis multivariado debido a que no se encontraron asociaciones estad��sticamente significativas. Resultados: La edad promedio de los pacientes fue de 62 a��os (DS= 10,5), la representaci��n del g��nero masculino fue del 61,7%, la prevalencia de angina estable fue del 61,6%, los 3 antecedentes m��s prevalentes fueron: hipertensi��n arterial (41,4%), la hiperlipidemia (19,1%) y la Diabetes Mellitus (17,7%). La prevalencia de las alteraciones estructurales en la poblaci��n de estudio de manera general fue del 12,9%, y su distribuci��n por tipo fue: 1,4% para puentes mioc��rdicos, 0,7% para origen an��malo de las arterias coronarias y 10,8% de enfermedad valvular. Conclusiones: Se encontr�� una asociaci��n entre los antecedentes m��dicos y la presencia de valvulopatias cardiacas. Se evidenci�� que el g��nero no tiene relaci��n con la presencia de alteraciones card��acas a pesar de la mayor participaci��n de hombres en la poblaci��n de estudio. Las limitantes de este estudio se relacionaron con el tama��o de muestra, debido a la baja prevalencia de las anomal��as estructurales medidas.

Peer Tutors in the School of Medicine

Since 2003 the School of Medicine at the Universidad del Rosario in Bogot��, Colombia, offers to the students a program named Peer Tutors. The program���s objectives are: to generate a social interaction mechanism that favors knowledge construction side by side with advanced peers; to promote the development of ethical, moral and coexistence oriented values through an academic experience, and to generate a space to explore specific academic interests and teacher��s potential. This article presents the theoretic frame that supports the importance of social interaction in knowledge construction, as well as some indicators that allow a first appraisal of the program. Several achievements that account for the synergic value of an experience that not only fulfills the function of initiating a process of teaching formation and academic support, but that also builds a proactive attitude before learning, are highlighted.

Some Topics in Relation to Jos�� Celestino Mutis and Medicine

Jos�� Celestino Mutis showed different interest areas of study and worked in multiple knowledge fields: mathematics, mineralogy, astronomy, zoology and botanic, the one in which is best known. However, he was a medical doctor, whit profound an up to date knowledge. He studied at Sevilla University, and in the Royal College of Cadiz. He arrived to the ���Nuevo Reino de Granada��� as personal medical doctor of the the viceroy Pedro Mess��a de la Cerda and during 47 years, period of time he lived there, he always exercised his profession. We showed a special interest in the study of cinchona and the only work he published was El Arcano de la quina. He advised in public health many viceroys and he contributed in different fields but particularly in the prevention of smallpox by inoculation. He played a decisive role in the reopening of the medical school of the Colegio Mayor de Nuestra Se��ora del Rosario. Some of his achievements justifies the appellative ���Father of the Medicine in Colombia���.

Evaluaci��n de la ciencia y tecnolog��a como instrumento de intervenci��n del Estado en la Pol��tica Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnolog��a e Innovaci��n

El uso de instrumentos y directrices en la pol��tica p��blica para la modelaci��n de los resultados de la actividad cient��fica y tecnol��gica ha sido frecuente en el Estado colombiano. Este trabajo bajo la ���teor��a de la regulaci��n��� de Black, examina el Modelo de Medici��n de Grupos de Investigaci��n y de calificaci��n de Revistas Cient��ficas ���Publindex- de Colciencias, como instrumentos de intervenci��n del Estado, fundados en el uso de indicadores bibliom��tricos y cienciom��tricos. Para ello, se da respuesta a interrogantes referidos a la auto-organizaci��n de la ciencia; su relaci��n con el Modelo de Grupos de Investigaci��n, la influencia que dicho modelo tiene sobre la libertad de investigaci��n; las implicaciones que tiene el otorgar categor��a o status a los Grupos por actos estatales y la conveniencia de que el Estado tenga un sistema de incentivos para el examen de informaci��n cient��fica y t��cnica originada en indicadores cient��ficos, entre otros. Se busca en s��ntesis, aportar elementos que permitan, desde una perspectiva sist��mica e interdisciplinaria explicar algunas de las razones por las cuales los elementos involucrados en la estructuraci��n de la normativa de ciencia y tecnolog��a, pueden inducir a afectaciones negativas y positivas en el quehacer cient��fico y tecnol��gico.

Loudness discomfort levels: A retrospective study comparing data from Pascoe (1988) and Washington University School of Medicine

Loudess discomfort levels (LDLs) were gathered from three Washington University School of Medicine sites, for a total of 325 subjects (total ears=454). These levels were compared to mean LDLs reported by Pascoe (1988). The results revealed that the mean LDL measured at WUSM (ie., the IHAFF procedure) is significantly different that the LDL reported by Pascoe (1988).

Students��� perception of the safety and value of a herbal vs. a conventional medicine for treating insomnia

University students suffer from variable sleep patterns including insomnia;[1] furthermore, the highest incidence of herbal use appears to be among college graduates.[2] Our objective was to test the perception of safety and value of herbal against conventional medicine for the treatment of insomnia in a non-pharmacy student population. We used an experimental design and bespoke vignettes that relayed the same effectiveness information to test our hypothesis that students would give higher ratings of safety and value to herbal product compared to conventional medicine. We tested another hypothesis that the addition of side-effect information would lower people���s perception of the safety and value of the herbal product to a greater extent than it would with the conventional medicine.

The imminent availability of a potent weight-loss medicine in pharmacies: public perception of effectiveness

Orlistat is an effective weight-loss medicine, which will soon be available for purchase in pharmacies. We used a factorial experiment and found that informing people about the availability for purchase of this medicinal product previously only available on prescription resulted in higher ratings of perceived value and effectiveness compared to a natural health supplement even though we used the same statement about effectiveness. This positive perception of orlistat was not impaired by the provision of side-effect information. Orlistat will soon be available in pharmacies. Health professionals must act to prevent its misuse by those not overweight.