Plasmon-induced magneto-optical activity in nanosized gold disks.

In this Letter we show that nanostructures made out of pure noble metals can exhibit measurable magneto-optic activity at low magnetic fields. This phenomenon occurs when the localized surface plasmon resonance of the nanostructure is excited in the presence of a static magnetic field parallel to the propagation of incident light. The large magneto-optical response observed comes from an increase of the magnetic Lorentz force induced by the large collective movement of the conduction electrons in the nanostructures when the resonance is excited.

[Study of the introduction of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) in pediatrics and modification of the teaching methodology]. / Estudio sobre la introducción del Sistema de Transferencia de Créditos Europeo en Pediatría y modificaciones de la metodología docente.

INTRODUCTION: Spanish medical faculties have initiated the new curriculum reform process within the framework of the European Higher Education Area and are required to incorporate the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to new syllabi before 2010. OBJECTIVES: To test the introduction of the ECTS in pediatrics and modify the teaching methodology. STUDY DESIGN: The theoretical and practical programs were adapted; academic objectives and a student evaluation system were established. Students were surveyed on starting the second term of the 2004-05 academic year before the theory examination and again on terminating the academic year: a 5-point Likert-type scale was used for responses. Priorities for generic and specific competencies selected by students were compared with those selected by the National Deans Conference (NDC). The results were analyzed using non-parametric tests. RESULTS: Fifteen credits became 11 ECTS, with 297 student working hours. The theory program was reduced from 80 to 52 lessons. The students prepared 14 tutor-supervised case presentations. The teaching staff considered that learning of theory was similar to previous years (66 %) and that practical learning improved (73.3 %). The students thought the program should continue (73.2 %) but 98.8 % considered the workload excessive. The students believed that their practical training and their ability to prepare and make case presentations significantly improved during the semester. Academic performance was significantly higher than that in students of the previous year. Students agreed with NDC priorities for 9/9 general and 4/17 specific competencies. Estimation of workload by students was significantly higher than that by staff, and 73.3 % of the students believed that workload should be reduced and the examination system improved. CONCLUSIONS: Introducing the ECTS improved academic performance, practical training, and self-directed learning. The project was satisfactory for staff and students. Student workload was underestimated.

Estudio sobre la introducción del Sistema de Transferencia de Créditos Europeo en Pediatría y modificaciones de la metodología docente / Study of the introduction of the european credit transfer system (ECTS) in pediatrics and modification of the teaching methodology

Introducción Las Facultades Médicas españolas han comenzado el nuevo proceso de reforma curricular en el marco del proceso de implantación del Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior y deben incorporar el Sistema de Transferencia de Créditos Europeo (ECTS) a los nuevos planes del estudio antes de 2010. Objetivos El objetivo del trabajo fue experimentar la introducción de los créditos ECTS en la asignatura de Pediatría y modificar la metodología docente. Diseño del estudio Adaptación del programa teórico y práctico, estableciendo unos objetivos docentes y un sistema de evaluación. Se realizaron encuestas a los alumnos al inicio del segundo cuatrimestre del curso 2004-2005, antes de realizar el examen teórico de la asignatura y al finalizar el curso académico, utilizando para las respuestas una escala de tipo Likert con 5 grados. Se comparó la priorización de las competencias genéricas y específicas de los alumnos con la de los profesionales médicos en la encuesta de la Conferencia Nacional de Decanos (CND). Para el análisis de los resultados se aplicaron pruebas no paramétricas. Resultados Los 15 créditos actuales se transformaron en 11 ECTS, con 297 h de trabajo para los alumnos. Se redujo el programa teórico de 80 a 52 lecciones. Los alumnos prepararon y presentaron 14 casos clínicos, bajo la supervisión de sus tutores. Los profesores consideraron que el aprendizaje teórico había sido similar al de cursos anteriores (66,6 %) y había sido mejor el práctico (73,3 %). Los alumnos opinaron que el proyecto debía continuar (73,2 %), pero el 98,8 % consideraron que la carga de trabajo había sido excesiva. Los alumnos apreciaron de forma estadísticamente significativa que mejoró la docencia práctica y su capacidad para preparar y presentar casos clínicos. El rendimiento académico de los alumnos fue significativamente mejor que el de los alumnos del curso anterior. Los estudiantes estuvieron de acuerdo con la prioridad de competencias de la CND para 9/9 de las generales y 4/17 de las específicas. La estimación de horas de trabajo de los alumnos fue mayor por los alumnos que por los profesores. El 73,3 % de los alumnos contestaron que el proyecto debía mejorarse, reduciendo la carga de trabajo de los alumnos y mejorando el sistema de evaluación. Conclusiones La introducción de los ECTS mejoró el rendimiento académico, la formación práctica y el autoaprendizaje de los alumnos. La experiencia fue satisfactoria para profesores y alumnos. La estimación de la carga de trabajo de los alumnos fue subestimada

Introduction Spanish medical faculties have initiated the new curriculum reform process within the framework of the European Higher Education Area and are required to incorporate the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) to new syllabi before 2010. Objectives To test the introduction of the ECTS in pediatrics and modify the teaching methodology. Study design The theoretical and practical programs were adapted; academic objectives and a student evaluation system were established. Students were surveyed on starting the second term of the 2004-05 academic year before the theory examination and again on terminating the academic year: a 5-point Likert-type scale was used for responses. Priorities for generic and specific competencies selected by students were compared with those selected by the National Deans Conference (NDC). The results were analyzed using non-parametric tests. Results Fifteen credits became 11 ECTS, with 297 student working hours. The theory program was reduced from 80 to 52 lessons. The students prepared 14 tutor-supervised case presentations. The teaching staff considered that learning of theory was similar to previous years (66 %) and that practical learning improved (73.3 %). The students thought the program should continue (73.2 %) but 98.8 % considered the workload excessive. The students believed that their practical training and their ability to prepare and make case presentations significantly improved during the semester. Academic performance was significantly higher than that in students of the previous year. Students agreed with NDC priorities for 9/9 general and 4/17 specific competencies. Estimation of workload by students was significantly higher than that by staff, and 73.3 % of the students believed that workload should be reduced and the examination system improved. Conclusions Introducing the ECTS improved academic performance, practical training, and self-directed learning. The project was satisfactory for staff and students. Student workload was underestimated

[Food habits and dietary intake during the first year of life]. / Hábitos alimentarios e ingesta dietética en el primer año de vida.

OBJECTIVE: To determine feeding habits and dietetic ingestion du-ring the first year of life and to assess whether these are in accordance with dietetic recommendations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 171 healthy infants between 1 and 12 months old were studied. Two types of inquiry were carried out: 24-recall and weekly frequency of food. RESULTS: The percentage and duration of breastfeeding was low. Feeding with cows milk was more frequent than with breast milk from the age of 3 months. Thirty-eight per-cent of children had whole cows milk from the age of 6 months. Complementary feeding was introduced in accordance with international recommendations. The ingestion of energy and nutrients was also in accordance with the recommendations of the RDA during the first 6 months of life. In children aged 6-12 months, energy in-take was sufficient but diets were high in proteins and II-pIns and fairly high in carbohydrates. CONCLUSION: Ingestion of micronutrients and minerals are higher than is recommended except in the case of zinc.

Hábitos alimentarios e ingesta dietética en el primer año de vida / Dietetic ingestion and feeding habits during the first year of life

Scanear (AU)

Infarto agudo del miocardio. Comportamiento de la fase aguda en la unidad de terapia intensiva / Acute myocardium infarct. Behavior of the acute phase in an Intensive Therapy Unit

Se presentan los resultados de 3 años de trabajo en la Unidad de Terapia Intensiva (UTI), Sección de Coronarios de nuestro Hospital. Se estudian 629 pacientes ingresados por infarto agudo del miocardio. La mortalidad fue de un 17,48 porciento y sufre una grave limitante en su descenso, debido al fallo de bomba y a las complicaciones mecánicas. Se comparan resultados con períodos anteriores y con otras unidades del país

[Comparison of the levels of serum ferritin and other hematologic parameters in males and pre-menarche and post-menarche females]. / Comparación de los niveles de ferritina sérica y otros parámetros hematológicos en varones y hembras premenárquicas y postmenárquicas.

Our study group consisted of 43 healthy preadolescence and adolescence of which 17 were boys and 13 premenarcheal and 13 postmenarcheal girls. Haematocrit, haemoglobin, serum iron, transferrin saturation, total iron-binding capacity, latent iron-binding capacity and serum ferritin were analyzed. Authors found that post-menarcheal girls are at lower levels than boys and that menstrual blood loss is a significant factor in determining iron status.

Insuficiencia renal aguda en pacientes mayores de 60 años / Acute renal shutdown in patients over 60 years

Se estudian 108 pacientes mayores de 60 años diagnosticados con el síndrome de Insuficiencia Renal Aguda. El estudio comprende a 64 hombres y a 44 mujeres, con una edad promedio de 69,5 años. El síndrome se presentó con mayor frecuencia en pacientes intervenidos quirúrgicamente sobre vías biliares y urinarias. La mortalidad en esta serie es alta, aumentando paralelamente con el número de complicaciones; siendo las causas principales de muerte, la sepsis generalizada, respiratoria peritoneal y el sangramiento digestivo alto. Hubo una mortalidad mayor en el grupo quirúrgico y en los que presentaron la variedad oligúrica. Un porciento elevado de pacientes presentaban patologías previas al proceso causal de la IRA que tienen importancia en la evaluación del síndrome(AU)

[HLA haplotypes in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (21-hydroxylase deficiency]. / Haplotipos HLA en la hiperplasia suprarrenal congénita (deficiencia de 21-hidroxilasa).

In order to study HLA haplotypes in congenital adrenal hyperplasia secondary to 21 hydroxylase (21-OH) deficiency, HLA typing was performed in Three families with six affected members. HLA genotypes revealed that in family number 1, two of the three affected members with CAH 21-OH presented salt-losing syndrome and were genotypically identical for HLA A1, B15/A32, Bw35. Family number 2 had two affected members with CAH 21-OH and salt-losing and they were genotypically identical for HLA A11, Bw51/A29, B12. In family number 3, only one of three members presented CAH 21-OH without salt-losing and was HLA homozygous A29, B12/A29, B12; the other two family members were heterozygous with genotype HLA A2, B37/A29, B12. The study suggests that haplotype HLA A29, B12 is related to CAH 21-OH with or without salt-losing syndrome.

[Nephroblastoma on a horse-shoe kidney]. / Nefroblastoma en el riñón en herradura. Revisión a propósito de una nueva observación

A female child, 5 years 10/12 old, is presented with a nephroblastoma inserted on a horse-shoe kidney. She is in a satisfactory state 14 months after surgery. The authors emphasize the favorable outcome with a treatment of combined surgery, radiotherapy and vincristine.