Pandemia y desigualdad social: los barrios populares del conurbano bonaerense en el aislamiento social preventivo y obligatorio / Pandemic and social inequiality: the popular neighborhoods of the Buenos Aires suburbs in preventive social isolation

INTRODUCTION research studies the impact of the social isolation measures on the living conditions of the popular neighborhoods of the Buenos Aires suburbs, the family and community strategies and the state intervention in this context. METHODS it is based on two successive collaborative surveys carried out by the National University of General Sarmiento, that collected 80 and 129 short interviews with territorial and health leaders in the first and third phase of isolation, respectively. RESULTS quarantine compliance was medium and high. The problems ranked by the referents were: i) the discontinuity of household income from work; ii) the difficulty of access to basic food; iii) gender violence inside homes; and iv) restrictions on access to health services. DISCUSSION the important presence of the state through the transfer of monetary income and direct food assistance is highlighted, as well as the central role of the network of social organizations that is activated in the crisis. The quality and scope of assistance are heterogeneous between and within municipalities, depending not only on their volume but also on the articulation between different levels of management and particularly between these and social organizations

INTRODUCCIÓN el objetivo del estudio fue conocer el impacto de las medidas de aislamiento social obligatorio sobre las condiciones de vida de los barrios populares del conurbano bonaerense, así como la intervención estatal y las estrategias familiares y comunitarias que se despliegan en ese contexto. MÉTODOS se basa en dos relevamientos colaborativos sucesivos realizados por la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, en los que se reunieron 80 y 129 entrevistas cortas a referentes territoriales y sanitarios, en la primera y tercera fases del aislamiento, respectivamente. RESULTADOS se registró un acatamiento medio y alto a las medidas, y se identificaron los factores que dificultan su cumplimiento total. Las problemáticas jerarquizadas por las y los referentes fueron: i) la discontinuidad de ingresos laborales de los hogares, ii) la dificultad de acceso a la alimentación básica, iii) la violencia de género al interior de los hogares, y iv) las restricciones en el acceso a los servicios de salud. DISCUSIÓN se destacan tanto la presencia del Estado, mediante la transferencia de ingresos monetarios y de asistencia alimentaria directa, como el papel central del entramado de organizaciones sociales que se activa en la crisis. La calidad y el alcance de la asistencia son heterogéneas entre los municipios y al interior de estos, y dependen no sólo de su volumen, sino también de la articulación entre distintos niveles de gestión y, sobre todo, entre estos y las organizaciones sociales.

Pandemia y desigualdad Los barrios populares del conurbano bonaerense en el aislamiento social preventivo y obligatorio / Pandemic and social inequiality: the popular neighborhoods of the Buenos Aires suburbs in preventive social isolation

INTRODUCCIÓN: el objetivo del estudio fue conocer el impacto de las medidas de aislamiento social obligatorio sobre las condiciones de vida de los barrios populares del conurbano bonaerense, así como la intervención estatal y las estrategias familiares y comunitarias que se despliegan en ese contexto. MÉTODOS: se basa en dos relevamientos colaborativos sucesivos realizados por la Universidad Nacional de General Sarmiento, en los que se reunieron 80 y 129 entrevistas cortas a referentes territoriales y sanitarios, en la primera y tercera fases del aislamiento, respectivamente. RESULTADOS: se registró un acatamiento medio y alto a las medidas, y se identificaron los factores que dificultan su cumplimiento total. Las problemáticas jerarquizadas por las y los referentes fueron: i) la discontinuidad de ingresos laborales de los hogares, ii) la dificultad de acceso a la alimentación básica, iii) la violencia de género al interior de los hogares, y iv) las restricciones en el acceso a los servicios de salud. DISCUSIÓN: se destacan tanto la presencia del Estado, mediante la transferencia de ingresos monetarios y de asistencia alimentaria directa, como el papel central del entramado de organizaciones sociales que se activa en la crisis. La calidad y el alcance de la asistencia son heterogéneas entre los municipios y al interior de estos, y dependen no sólo de su volumen, sino también de la articulación entre distintos niveles de gestión y, sobre todo, entre estos y las organizaciones sociales.

Acceptability and uptake of HPV vaccine in Argentina before its inclusion in the immunization program: a population-based survey.

In Argentina, human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination was approved in 2006, but not included in the National Immunization Program. In 2008 a mass media campaign was carried out by a cancer Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), but it was stopped due to criticisms about the publicity. In October 2011 the Ministry of Health (MoH) has introduced HPV vaccination in the National Immunization Program. In this context, to assure high HPV vaccine coverage, evidence is needed on factors both associated to vaccine acceptability and uptake. In 2009-2010 we carried out a population-based survey among a representative sample of 1200 women aged 18-49 years from the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires. The objective was twofold: first to analyze socio-demographic determinants of women's knowledge on HPV vaccine and secondly, determinants of actual HPV vaccine uptake and acceptability in Argentina after the above-mentioned vaccine advertising shown in mass media in the year 2008. We analyzed vaccine uptake/acceptability separately for women and for their daughters aged 9-15, and willingness to vaccinate one's daughter younger than 9 to receive future HPV vaccination. Results of the 1200 women interviewed, 438 women (36.5%) knew the HPV vaccine and 303 (25%) remembered the mass media advertisement about HPV vaccination. When asked whether she would get vaccinated after having seen/heard the advertisement, around 75% (n=226) of women answered surely/probably yes. No significant differences in socio-demographic characteristics were found among women who would or not get vaccinated. When surveyed, 6 women had been vaccinated. Main reasons for non-vaccination were: "Doctor did not mention/recommend it" (34.1%) and "Vaccine is too expensive" (15.7%). No woman had had their 9-15 year-old daughter vaccinated. Among women who only had at least one daughter under 9 (n=278), 74% answered that they would get their daughter vaccinated if they were pre-adolescents. The conclusion is that, in Argentina, the potential acceptability of the vaccine is high, given that there is acceptance among the professional community, physicians recommend it, and vaccine is affordable.

Determinantes sociales del seguimiento y tratamiento de mujeres con PAP anormal en Avellaneda, provincia de Buenos Aires / Social determinants of follow-up and treatment of women with abnormal PAP smear. A study in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires province

INTRODUCCION: El adecuado seguimiento y tratamiento de las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer es un importante problema de salud pública.OBJETIVO: El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir los factores que influyen en el proceso de atención de las mujeres con Pap anormal.METODOS: Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa-cualitativa, con análisis de datos secundarios y de entrevistas a mujeres con Pap anormal que concurrieron a servicios públicos de salud y a los profesionales de salud de Avellaneda, provincia de Buenos Aires.RESULTADOS: De las mujeres entrevistadas, solo una había abandonado el proceso de atención. Casi el 50% había abandonado el servicio de origen y culminado su tratamiento en instituciones públicas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires o en la obra social. Tanto los médicos como las mujeres señalaron obstáculos institucionales, como demoras en la entrega de resultados o cancelación de cirugías. Los facilitadores identificados fueron el buen vínculo con los profesionales, que localizan a las mujeres para la entrega de resultados y usan redes informales para acortar los tiempos de espera.CONCLUSIONES: Si bien en esta población las barreras mencionadas no llevaron al abandono del proceso, generaron situaciones que atentan contra el derecho de acceso a la atención de la salud. Las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer están en una situación de extrema vulnerabilidad, por lo cual requieren de especial atención y de estrategias tendientes a facilitar su paso por el sistema de salud.

INTRODUCTION: Adequate follow-up and treatment of women with abnormal Pap smear is an important public health concern.OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to describe the determinants of follow-up and treatment of women diagnosed with an abnormal Pap smear.METHODS: A quali-quantitative research was performed. Information sources were medical records and questionnaires administered to women with an abnormal Pap smear that attended public health services, and to health professionals of Avellaneda in Buenos Aires province.RESULTS: Only one woman quit the follow-up and treatment. Almost 50% did not continue treatment at the same health service where they had the first Pap smear; they finished treatment in a public institution in Buenos Aires city or in a social security service. Results showed that both women and health professionals mentioned institutional obstacles, such as long waiting times and cancellation of surgeries. Positive aspects were attributed to a good doctor-patient relationship and to the behavior of professionals who track down women to give them the test results and who use informal networks to shorten waiting times.CONCLUSIONS: Although in this population the above mentioned barriers did not lead to treatment interruption, they proved to be detrimental to the right of women to access health services. Women with precancerous lesions and cancer are in a situation of extreme vulnerability, requiring a special attention and strategies geared to facilitating their passage through the health system.

Determinantes sociales del seguimiento y tratamiento de mujeres con PAP anormal en Avellaneda, provincia de Buenos Aires / Social determinants of follow-up and treatment of women with abnormal PAP smear. A study in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires province

INTRODUCCION: El adecuado seguimiento y tratamiento de las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer es un importante problema de salud pública.OBJETIVO: El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir los factores que influyen en el proceso de atención de las mujeres con Pap anormal.METODOS: Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa-cualitativa, con análisis de datos secundarios y de entrevistas a mujeres con Pap anormal que concurrieron a servicios públicos de salud y a los profesionales de salud de Avellaneda, provincia de Buenos Aires.RESULTADOS: De las mujeres entrevistadas, solo una había abandonado el proceso de atención. Casi el 50% había abandonado el servicio de origen y culminado su tratamiento en instituciones públicas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires o en la obra social. Tanto los médicos como las mujeres señalaron obstáculos institucionales, como demoras en la entrega de resultados o cancelación de cirugías. Los facilitadores identificados fueron el buen vínculo con los profesionales, que localizan a las mujeres para la entrega de resultados y usan redes informales para acortar los tiempos de espera.CONCLUSIONES: Si bien en esta población las barreras mencionadas no llevaron al abandono del proceso, generaron situaciones que atentan contra el derecho de acceso a la atención de la salud. Las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer están en una situación de extrema vulnerabilidad, por lo cual requieren de especial atención y de estrategias tendientes a facilitar su paso por el sistema de salud.

INTRODUCTION: Adequate follow-up and treatment of women with abnormal Pap smear is an important public health concern.OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to describe the determinants of follow-up and treatment of women diagnosed with an abnormal Pap smear.METHODS: A quali-quantitative research was performed. Information sources were medical records and questionnaires administered to women with an abnormal Pap smear that attended public health services, and to health professionals of Avellaneda in Buenos Aires province.RESULTS: Only one woman quit the follow-up and treatment. Almost 50% did not continue treatment at the same health service where they had the first Pap smear; they finished treatment in a public institution in Buenos Aires city or in a social security service. Results showed that both women and health professionals mentioned institutional obstacles, such as long waiting times and cancellation of surgeries. Positive aspects were attributed to a good doctor-patient relationship and to the behavior of professionals who track down women to give them the test results and who use informal networks to shorten waiting times.CONCLUSIONS: Although in this population the above mentioned barriers did not lead to treatment interruption, they proved to be detrimental to the right of women to access health services. Women with precancerous lesions and cancer are in a situation of extreme vulnerability, requiring a special attention and strategies geared to facilitating their passage through the health system.

Determinantes sociales del seguimiento y tratamiento de mujeres con PAP anormal en Avellaneda, Provincia de Buenos Aires / Social determinants of follow-up and treatment of women wiht abnormal PAP smear: a study in Avellaneda, Buenos Aires province

INTRODUCCIÓN: El adecuado seguimiento y tratamiento de las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer es un importante problema de salud pública. OBJETIVO: El objetivo de esta investigación fue describir los factores que influyen en el proceso de atención de las mujeres con Pap anormal. MÉTODOS: Se realizó una investigación cuantitativa-cualitativa, con análisis de datos secundarios y de entrevistas a mujeres con Pap anormal que concurrieron a servicios públicos de salud y a los profesionales de salud de Avellaneda, provincia de Buenos Aires. RESULTADOS: De las mujeres entrevistadas, solo una había abandonado el proceso de atención. Casi el 50% había abandonado el servicio de origen y culminado su tratamiento en instituciones públicas de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires o en la obra social. Tanto los médicos como las mujeres señalaron obstáculos institucionales, como demoras en la entrega de resultados o cancelación de cirugías. Los facilitadores identificados fueron el buen vínculo con los profesionales, que localizan a las mujeres para la entrega de resultados y usan redes informales para acortar los tiempos de espera. CONCLUSIONES: Si bien en esta población las barreras mencionadas no llevaron al abandono del proceso, generaron situaciones que atentan contra el derecho de acceso a la atención de la salud. Las mujeres con lesiones precancerosas y cáncer están en una situación de extrema vulnerabilidad, por lo cual requieren de especial atención y de estrategias tendientes a facilitar su paso por el sistema de salud.

INTRODUCTION: Adequate follow-up and treatment of women with abnormal Pap smear is an important public health concern. OBJECTIVE: This research aimed to describe the determinants of follow-up and treatment of women diagnosed with an abnormal Pap smear. METHODS: A quali-quantitative research was performed. Information sources were medical records and questionnaires administered to women with an abnormal Pap smear that attended public health services, and to health professionals of Avellaneda in Buenos Aires province. RESULTS: Only one woman quit the follow-up and treatment. Almost 50% did not continue treatment at the same health service where they had the first Pap smear; they finished treatment in a public institution in Buenos Aires city or in a social security service. Results showed that both women and health professionals mentioned institutional obstacles, such as long waiting times and cancellation of surgeries. Positive aspects were attributed to a good doctor-patient relationship and to the behavior of professionals who track down women to give them the test results and who use informal networks to shorten waiting times. CONCLUSIONS: Although in this population the above mentioned barriers did not lead to treatment interruption, they proved to be detrimental to the right of women to access health services. Women with precancerous lesions and cancer are in a situation of extreme vulnerability, requiring a special attention and strategies geared to facilitating their passage through the health system.

Advanced hybrid nanoparticles.

Methods for the development of bifunctional magnetic and optically tunable nanoparticles with a structural design involving a magnetic iron oxide core (Fe3O4/gamma-Fe2O3) surrounded by a thick silica shell and further covered with an outer shell of optically active nanoparticles (CdTe quantum dots or gold nanoparticles) are reported. These highly fluorescent, optically tunable, and magnetic core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized from a modified Stöber method combined with the Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly technique. Both types of particles were prepared through two main steps, including a controlled addition of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) to a dispersion of Fe3O4/gamma-Fe,O3 nanoparticles, which were thereby homogeneously incorporated as cores into monodisperse silica spheres. The second step involved the LbL assembly of polyelectrolytes and luminescent CdTe quantum dots or Au nanoparticles onto the surface of the silica-coated magnetite/maghemite particles, which (for CdTe) were finally covered with an outer, protective silica shell. These spherical particles have a typical diameter of 220 and 230 +/- 10 nm, a saturation magnetization (Ms) of 1.34 emu/g at room temperature and a strong excitonic photoluminescence or an intense surface plasmon band.

Formation of fractal-like structures driven by carbon nanotubes-based collapsed hollow capsules.

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) based hollow capsules were obtained by degradation under acidic conditions of core-shell nanocomposites build up upon adsorption of multilayers of CNTs (shell) onto melamine-formaldehyde (MF) spheres (core). By evaporation of the dispersions obtained, polymeric fractal patterns from the degradation products of the MF core were formed onto silicon wafers. The proposed mechanism for the formation of these structures is based on the role of the capsules as arrangements of heterogeneities that facilitate the dewetting of the liquid polymeric films.

Synthesis and characterization of large colloidal cobalt particles.

Large colloidal environmentally stable silica-coated cobalt particles were synthesized by combining the sodium borohydride reduction in aqueous solution and the Stöber method. Low size polydisperse cobalt spheres with an average size of 95 nm were synthesized by using a borohydride reduction method and were subsequently coated with a thin layer of silica by means of hydrolysis and condensation of tetraethylorothosilicate (TEOS) in an aqueous/ethanolic solution. The large uniform cobalt spheres consist of smaller metallic Co clusters, explaining the superparamagnetic behavior of the spheres. The particles were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM).

Optical properties of nanoparticle-based metallodielectric inverse opals.

Metallodielectric inverse opals were prepared by co-crystallizing silica-coated gold nanoparticles and polymer spheres, followed by removal of the crystal template. The inverse opals exhibit a distinct reflectance peak, which results from Bragg diffraction due to the highly ordered 3D macroporous structure. Photonic band-structure calculations indicate that the characteristic reflectance peaks observed are signatures of the directional gap at the L point. It is demonstrated that the optical properties (the position and magnitude of the electromagnetic bandgaps) of the gold-silica nanocomposite inverse opals can be engineered by varying the nanoparticle morphology (core size and shell thickness) and/or the nanoparticle volume-filling ratio of the composite. The use of metallodielectric nanoparticles to form inverse opals offers a versatile approach to prepare photonic materials that may exhibit absolute bandgaps.

Alignment of carbon nanotubes under low magnetic fields through attachment of magnetic nanoparticles.

The alignment of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) has been accomplished through deposition of uniform layers of magnetite/maghemite nanoparticles (diameter = 6-10 nm) and use of an external magnetic field. The coating of CNTs with magnetic nanoparticles was performed by combining the polymer wrapping and layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly techniques. The particle-coated MWNTs are superparamagnetic and can be aligned at room temperature on any substrate by deposition from an aqueous solution in an external field B = 0.2 T. The volume magnetization of the particle coated MWNTs is found to be enhanced by 17% compared to the pure particles in a powder indicating that either the adsorption process onto the CNTs changes the particle magnetization, or the MWNTs carry an intrinsic magnetization due to remaining Ni used as a catalyst for the growth process.

Water-based ferrofluids from FexPt1-x nanoparticles synthesized in organic media.

This paper describes an effective method to transfer oleic acid/oleylamine-capped colloidal FePt nanoparticles dispersed in hexane into water, using tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAOH) as a phase transfer agent. FexPt1-x nanoparticles with different compositions (x = 0.32, 0.40, 0.48, 0.60, 0.66, 0.69) in the size range of 2-4 nm were synthesized by a high-temperature organometallic route with oleic acid and oleylamine as stabilizers. The surface of such nanoparticles was modified through removal of the organic, hydrophobic layer and adsorption of TMAOH, which provides the nanoparticles with sufficient surface charge so that an electrostatic double layer builds up, and the FePt nanoparticles can be fully redispersed in aqueous solution, even with high concentrations. The water-dispersible FePt nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, electrophoretic mobility, X-ray diffraction, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.