[How to identify adverse events in emergency services? A guide agreed for the screening]

OBJECTIVE

Since a third of adverse events (AE) occur outside hospital, the Emergency Services are a suitable place to look at their incidence. We considered designing a screening guide, adapted to the conditions of the emergency services, to identify AE.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A qualitative technique was applied (nominal group) in which 14 professionals participated. They analysed which factors of intrinsic risk, extrinsic risk, and alert conditions, were suitable for a screening guide of AE in emergency services. The session was chaired by a specialist in these types of techniques.

RESULTS

Consensus was high in that the most frequent AE in emergencies were those related to medicines, diagnostic tests and with the correct identification of the reason for emergency. With respect to screening guide, the group proposed adding alcohol abuse, patient social problems, cognitive deterioration, basal autonomy and disability. In relation to extrinsic risk factors, they pointed to the need of including defibrillation, spinal tap or drainage implantation. With respect to the alert conditions form, the professionals agreed in that all the criteria seemed correct and suitable, except for that related to damage relation childbirth or amniocentesis.

CONCLUSIONS

By using this technique we have managed to validate materials already recognized, and widely used in our country. The screening guide was considered useful, with slight modifications in some risk factors and alert conditions. The professionals agreed that the MRF2 modular questionnaire is appropriate for the characterisation of AE in emergencies.

[Characteristics of the neuropsychological performance in patients with HIV infection]

OBJECTIVE

To describe the characteristics of the neuropsychological performance of patients with HIV infection in the different stages of the infection.

METHODS

A clinical sample made up of 122 patients was obtained: asymptomatic seropositive subjects: Stage A (n = 30), Stage B (n = 17), Stage C or AIDS: Stage C (n = 41) and seronegative subjects: Control Group (n = 34). All the subjects underwent the same evaluation procedure: neuropsychological assessment, an interview on sociodemographic and clinical aspects. The results were compared based on the serological situation and clinical stage.

RESULTS

Performance of the seropositive subjects was lower than that of the seronegative ones (Group Control) in all the studied factors: 1) Visual memory (F = 12.83; p < 0.000); 2) Attention/psychomotor speed (F = 18.25; p < 0.000); 3) verbal intelligence/abstract reasoning (F = 11.97; p < 0.000); 4) Verbal memory for texts (F = 6.43; p < 0.000); and 5) verbal memory for digits and words (F = 6.27; p < 0.001). Inside the group of seropositive subjects, the patients with AIDS (Phase C) presented the lowest levels of execution in all the factors. The functions demonstrating the worse performance were those of: Attention/psychomotor speed, visual memory and verbal intelligence/abstract reasoning.

CONCLUSIONS

Neuropsychological performance is clearly diminished in the advanced phases of the disease, this not being as clear in the asymptomatic phases. In view of the characteristics of the neuropsychological performance observed in the early stages of the infection, we consider that these cannot used as reliable predictors of more severe future neuropsychological alterations characteristic of the most advanced phases of HIV infection.

Electronic band effects on the spin disorder resistivity of Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds

We present a study of the spin disorder resistivity ([Formula: see text]) and the electronic specific heat coefficient (γ) in Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds, with x = 0.00, 0.05, 0.10, 0.20 and 0.30. The experimental results show a strongly nonlinear dependence of [Formula: see text] on the average de Gennes factor (G(av)) which, in similar intermetallic compounds, is usually attributed to the existence of spin fluctuations on the Co 3d bands. Values of γ were found around 110 mJ mol(-1) K(-2) for the Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds, much larger than 38.4 mJ mol(-1) K(-2) found for the isostructural nonmagnetic Y(4)Co(3) compound. Using a novel type of analysis we show that the ratio [Formula: see text] follows a well-defined linear dependence on G(av), which is expected when appropriate dependencies with the effective electron mass are taken into account. This indicates that band structure effects, rather than spin fluctuations, could be the main cause for the strong electron scattering and γ enhancement observed in the Gd(4)(Co(1-x)Cu(x))(3) compounds. A discussion on relevant features of magnetization and electrical resistivity data, for the same series of compounds, is also presented.

Transporte de terneros en España. Aspectos técnicos, administrativos y de bienestar según el destino

Para conocer en detalle como se transporta el ganado vacuno en España según el destino del viaje, entre los años 2004 y 2005 se entrevistaron 44 operadores representativos del sector (27 mataderos, 10 comerciantes y 7 mercados) mediante cuestionarios que recogían información relativa a 119 parámetros. Más del 80% de los viajes fueron de animales cebados/para cebo, y algo más de un 3% de los viajes transportaban animales cebados/para cebo y reproductores. Los transportes a matadero cargaron en un menor número de explotaciones (1,2 vs. 1,4 granjas; p

[Retrorectal cystic hamartoma (tailgut cyst): radiologic and pathologic findings]

Cystic hamartoma is a rare congenital lesion that presents as a presacral mass. It arises from remnants of the embryonic postanal gut. It is more common in women and usually presents in middle age. It is usually asymptomatic. It is difficult to distinguish the imaging appearance of cystic hamartoma from that of many other presacral cysts; therefore, histologic analysis is essential for the definitive diagnosis. Complete surgical excision is indicated to establish the diagnosis and avoid complications (infection and malignant transformation).