A Magnetic Force Microscopy Study of Patterned T-Shaped Structures.

The study of patterned magnetic elements that can sustain more than one bit of the information is an important research line for developing new routes in magnetic storage and magnetic logic devices. Previous Monte Carlo studies of T-shaped magnetic nanostructures revealed the equilibrium and evolution of magnetic states that could be found as a result of the strong configurational anisotropy of these systems. In this work, for the first time, such behavior of T-shaped magnetic nanostructures is experimentally studied. In particular, T-shaped Co nanostructures have been produced by electron beam lithography using a single step lift-off process over Si substrates. The existence of four magnetic stable states has been proven by Magnetic Force Microscopy (MFM) and the analysis was complemented by Micromagnetic Simulations. The results confirmed that even for what can be considered large structures, with µm sizes, such four stable magnetic states can be achieved, and therefore two magnetic bits of information can be stored. We also addressed how to write and read those bits.

Health services research, outcomes, and perinatal information systems.

The progress in information and communication technology, together with the search for the most effective and efficient ways to use the limited resources for health care, are opening new areas for research and development in perinatal care. Information systems and practice oriented by evidence-based medicine are modifying the operation of health services, and the quality of their management is being monitored by the success of their outcomes. As a study case, a Perinatal Information System widely used in Latin America and the Caribbean is discussed in some detail. Future challenges in the compatibility of information systems and databanks, the need for longer follow-up periods and measurement of health-related quality of life as outcomes for perinatal care, and the strategies to integrate all these concepts for the improvement of daily practice are discussed.

PIP: The success in information and communication technology, together with the search for the most effective and efficient ways to use the limited resources for health care, are opening new areas for research and development in perinatal care. The quality of the population-based databanks and individual patient care may benefit from improvements in the design of the clinical records. Information systems and practice oriented by evidence-based medicine are modifying the operation of health services, and the quality of their management is being monitored by the success of their outcomes. This paper discusses in detail the experiences of the two countries--Latin America and the Caribbean--in using the Perinatal Information System. Furthermore, this paper discusses the future challenges in the compatibility of information systems and databanks, the need for longer follow-up periods and measurement of health-related quality of life as outcomes for perinatal care, and the strategies to integrate all these concepts for the improvement of daily practice.

[Evaluation of vital statistics for the study of causes of death in Latin America]. / Evaluacion del uso de las estadisticas vitales para estudios de causas de muerte en America Latina.

"The present article attempts to take a deeper look at the most relevant aspects of the problems presented by the data on adult mortality and causes of death in Latin America.... Statistical coverage of registered deaths by age and sex is analysed, finding important differences among the countries and higher coverage in the registration of adult deaths than of younger ones.... Data quality on causes of death...showed some improvement during the period studied.... Reference is made to topics related to the analysis of causes of death [that] generally complicate the work, such as the heterogeneity of coverage and data quality at subnational levels, the compatibility among different revisions of the ICD, the use of ill-defined causes and, finally, access and management of basic information." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Tenth Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meeting on vaccine-preventable diseases.

PIP: In march 1992, participants met in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the 10th Meeting of the PAHO Technical Advisory Group (TAG) on Vaccine-Preventable Diseases. Immunization coverage for all vaccines exceeded 75%. In 1991, only 9 confirmed cases of wild poliovirus occurred out of 4000 stool specimens examined. These cases were in Colombia and Peru. Many national immunization days and mop-up operations complement routine immunization services and have contributed greatly to interruption of the wild poliovirus in the Americas. Social mobilization efforts and mass media campaigns have increased coverage rates nationally and regionally. Surveillance efforts continue to improve. Almost 20,000 health units in Latin America report each week on the existence or nonexistence of acute flaccid paralysis cases. TAG continues to prefer the oral polio vaccine for the eradication program in the Americas. Participants discussed issues pertaining to certification of polio eradication. Measles incidence in the Americas is still falling and intervals between outbreaks are growing. Some countries in the English-speaking Caribbean using a month long, mass vaccination strategy have apparently interrupted measles transmission. Since measles causes more deaths than any other vaccine preventable disease, PAHO's TAG places it as the highest priority. The proportion of neonatal tetanus cases that are being investigated is growing (1991=8% and 1990=35%). Participants challenged Venezuela and Panama to vaccinate 100% of reproductive age women in high risk areas before the next meeting. Inadequate data on pertussis prevents PAHO from measuring any changes in pertussis epidemiology. Some countries have set up systems to monitor adverse events associated with vaccination. Participants agreed that member nations should begin hepatitis B vaccination programs for high risk groups.^ieng

Small-area census data services by microcomputer: applications of REDATAM system in Latin America.

The authors describe a data retrieval system called REDATAM, Retrieval of Data for Small Area by Microcomputer. "The interactive REDATAM system, in English and Spanish versions, was created to solve the problem of providing small-area population and housing information by using an IBM or fully compatible microcomputer to store the microdata of an entire census on a hard disk (or laser disks for larger countries) and to permit any tabulation to be produced rapidly for any area down to city blocks or smaller....REDATAM may play an important role in the 1990 censuses in the Latin American and Caribbean countries since the system will permit the provision of timely small-area services (and at the national level in the Caribbean countries) before, as well as after, the regular data processing and publication of results are ready."

[The processing of population censuses in Latin America for the 1990 decade: a view into the future]. / El procesamiento de los censos de poblacion de America Latina en la decada de 1990: un vistazo al futuro.

"The purpose of this paper is to define the data processing methods that will be used in the 1990 population censuses in the different countries of Latin America.... The countries are divided into four groups, and procedures and methodologies are suggested for each of the main eight stages of a census processing." In general, microcomputers are recommended at the initial stages of processing census data, with the exception of data entry for populations over 10 million, for which the utilization of optical readers is recommended. For the final stages of consistency, tabulation, and data base management, microcomputers are recommended only for populations less than a million. (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Population information resources.

PIP: This article describes print and computerized services that are dedicated to bibliographic coverage of 1 or more areas of population studies. Major printed bibliographic information resources for population material include: ADOPT, DOCPAL Resumenes sobre Poblacion en America Latina, PIDSA Abstracts, Population Index and Review of Population Reviews. ADOPT is an annotated computer-aided current-awareness bibliographic journal which has been published monthly since January 1975 by the Regional Population Information Center of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). DOCPAL Resumenes is a computer-produced biannual collection of abstracts containing indexes and between 600 and 700 summaries of both published and unpublished population documents. PIDSA is intended to make available documentary information about population matters in sub-Saharan Africa. Population Index, 1 of the oldest and most definitive bibliographies in the demography field, is international in scope and is arranged as a classified and annotated bibliography of monographs, journal articles and 2ndary source material relevant to all aspects of demography. Review of Population Reviews, published 4 times a year, are annotated bibliographies containing summaries of articles that have been published in 83 periodicals in 37 countries. Cited articles are assigned subject-heading descriptors from the Population Multilingual Thesaurus. Major computerized information resources are: DOCPAL, DOCPOP, EBIS/POPFILE, MANPINS, POPLINE and POPULATION BIBLIOGRAPHY. DOCPAL was established to assist Latin Ameran countries in the collection, storage, processing and retrieval of population documents about Latin America. DOCPAL contains over 19,000 bibliographic citations. DOCPOP was established as the 1st Latin American national computerized population documentation system for Brazilian material. POPLINE is a computerized retrieval service cooperatively produced in the US which covers the worldwide literature on population and family planning. POPULATION BIBLIOGRAPHY consists of bibliographic records of the Carolina Population Center Library at the University of North Carolina. EBIS/PROFILE provides computerized literature search services using improved information processing techniques. The system enables interactive information retrieval using a combination of subject descriptors, free text, author names and words in other fields and can be utilized to generate various lists. MANPINS is a cooperative network of 28 population and other libraries in Peninsular Malaysia. Its data bank includes contributions from member libraries in the form of bibliographic information on monographs and journal articles.^ieng

Fundacao Sistema Estadual de Analise de Dados and the DOCPOP system.

PIP: The Fundacao Sistema de Analise de Dados (SEADE) is a non-profit organization related to the Government of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. It collects, organizes and processes data and information on population, education, health, finance, the economy, and agriculture. It conducts research to evaluate the status of social and economic variables and the effects of governmental action. It publishes a number of periodicals, provides reference services to the public, and operates 2 major computerized data bases. A 3rd computerized documentation system, SEADE/DOC, was created in 1982 for material relating to population matters. Between 1978 and 1981, about 600 population research projects and studies were developed by 14 Brazilian institutions which deal with teaching, research, and consultations in the area of population problems. (A list of these institutions is appended). The main objective of SEADE/DOCPOP is to solve the lack of up-to-date information on population in Brazil in computerized services. Other objectives are to improve the flow of population information among the different regions of Brazil, to participate in international population information systems, and to acquire technology and experience in the development and operation of the DOCPOP system in order to allow SEADE to extend the system to other fields. A description of the scope and volume of the documents to be included in SEADE/DOCPOP are contained in the article as well as a description of system design and development. The system should be in operation by July 1983; brief mention is made of future projects.^ieng

[PRODUCE: using data base technology to provide efficient access to population data]. / PRODUCE: la tecnologia de base de datos para el acceso eficiente a datos de poblacion

PIP: "This paper introduces CELADE's PRODUCE system which will use a database management system (DBMS) to provide efficient access to population census and survey micro-data.... Special emphasis is given to the usefulness of the transposed physical structure for the creation of population or statistical databases. An outline is given of how the RAPID DBMS will be integrated with existing statistical packages to make micro-data more cost-effectively available to the regional researchers and to investigators with CELADE."^ieng