Neurotoxins from Clostridium botulinum (serotype A) isolated from the soil of Mendoza (Argentina) differ from the A-Hall archetype and from that causing infant botulism.

The type A of neurotoxin produced by Clostridium botulinum is the prevalent serotype in strains of Mendoza. The soil is the main reservoir for C.botulinum and is possibly one of the infection sources in infant botulism. In this study, we characterized and compared autochthonous C. botulinum strains and their neurotoxins. Bacterial samples were obtained from the soil and from fecal samples collected from children with infant botulism. We first observed differences in the appearance of the colonies between strains from each source and with the A Hall control strain. In addition, purified neurotoxins of both strains were found to be enriched in a band of 300 kDa, whereas the A-Hall strain was mainly made up of a band of ∼600 kDa. This finding is in line with the lack of hemagglutinating activity of the neurotoxins under study. Moreover, the proteolytic activity of C. botulinum neurotoxins was evaluated against SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptor) proteins from rat brain. It was observed that both, SNAP 25 (synaptosomal-associated protein 25) and VAMP 2 (vesicle-associated membrane protein) were cleaved by the neurotoxins isolated from the soil strains, whereas the neurotoxins from infant botulism strains only induced a partial cleavage of VAMP 2. On the other hand, the neurotoxin from the A-Hall strain was able to cleave both proteins, though at a lesser extent. Our data indicate that the C.botulinum strain isolated from the soil, and its BoNT, exhibit different properties compared to the strain obtained from infant botulism patients, and from the A-Hall archetype.

[Quality of professional life (QoPL) among primary care workers in area 7 of the Madrid Autonomous Region]. / Estudio de la Calidad de Vida Profesional en trabajadores de Atención Primaria del Área 7 de la Comunidad de Madrid.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the QoPL as perceived by Primary Care workers in the Primary Care Area 7 and to describe the progress since 2004. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cross - sectional study carried out in the Primary Care Area 7 in June 2008. Participants were all primary care workers (n=1003). Main measurements were: the CVP-35 questionnaire (anonymous and self-administered) and socio-demographic and professional variables that could be associated with QoPL. Results were compared to those obtained in previous years (2004-2006). RESULTS: Positive answers: 47%. By dimension, average scores were: perception of demands: 6.09, managerial support: 5.10 and intrinsic motivation: 7.56. Nurses, physiotherapists, and nursing assistants had significantly higher scores in intrinsic motivation, managerial support and quality of life. The individuals who carried out management activities had higher scores in managerial support and intrinsic motivation items. Slight improvements were seen in perception of demands, managerial support and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: Item analysis allows us to develop improvement plans and subsequently evaluate their results. In this sense, we observed slight improvements, according to planned strategies, based on perceived demands in previous years. Some of these strategies have been recently introduced, so future evaluations using the CVP-35 questionnaire are needed in order to analyse their effectiveness.

Coordinación asistencial entre atención primaria y especializada. Satisfacción con el proyecto especialista consultor / Coordination between primary and specialist care. Satisfaction with the consulting specialist project

Conocer la satisfacción de los médicos con el proyecto especialista consultor en el Área 7, y su opinión respecto a éste. Explorar la opinión de estos médicos sobre los problemas y soluciones en la relación entre atención primaria (AP) y atención especializada (AE). Material y métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal mediante cuestionario autoadministrado. Población de estudio: Médicos de AP del Área 7 de Madrid (n=304). Variables Demográficas y profesionales, relacionadas con la satisfacción con el desarrollo del proyecto, relacionadas con la percepción general del proyecto, el beneficio potencial para los pacientes y con la opinión acerca de las dificultades en la relación AP-AE y las posibles soluciones. Resultados: La tasa de respuesta fue del 56% (contestaron el cuestionario 170 médicos). Respecto a la satisfacción con el proyecto, la puntuación global fue de 8,9 sobre 10. Al 83% de los médicos de AP les resultó fácil el contacto con el especialista de referencia, y el 90% refirió que las cuestiones planteadas se habían resuelto de forma satisfactoria. La herramienta peor valorada para establecer comunicación fue el teléfono. El 27% de los médicos de AP refirió registrar las actividades del proyecto siempre y el 39%, casi siempre. Resultados: En cuanto a la opinión sobre el proyecto, los encuestados reconocieron el mayor beneficio potencial para el proceso diagnóstico y valoraron la necesidad del proyecto en el área con un 9, su utilidad con 9,1 y la prioridad con un 8,7. El 74% de los médicos opinó que sería de interés incorporar un consultor de otra especialidad. Resultados: Los problemas de coordinación AP-AE priorizados fueron la falta de comunicación y diálogo y la masificación de la asistencia. La solución más valorada fue la historia única informatizada (AU)

Objective: To find out the level of satisfaction and opinions of doctors on the specialist consultant project (SCP) in Area 7. To report on these opinions on the difficulties and possible solutions in inter-relationships between of primary health care and specialised care. Material and Methods: Transversal descriptive study using a self-administered questionnaire. Study population: Doctors working in a primary health care district of Madrid (Area 7). Variables: Demographic and professional variables, including their satisfaction after the implementation of the SCP, their general opinion of SCP, potential benefits and their opinions on the difficulties and possible solutions in interrelationships between primary health care and specialised care. Results: A total of 170 (56%) doctors working in primary health care responded. As regards satisfaction with the SCP, the overall score in the evaluation was 8.9, (0 to 10). The majority of primary health care doctors (83%) found it easy to contact the specialist and 90% said that problems were solved satisfactorily. The telephone was the worst communication tool. Only 27% of primary health care doctors said they always register SCP activities, and 39% register them almost always. Results: They thought that the most useful part of this project was the potential benefit on diagnosis. The SCP need score was 9, SCP usefulness 9.1 and priority 8.7. A large majority (74%) of primary health care doctors thought it would be of great interest to incorporate consultants from other specialisations. Results: The main coordination problems found where the lack of communication, and overcrowding. The most valued solution to these problems is the computerised clinical history (AU)

[Coordination between primary and specialist care. Satisfaction with the consulting specialist project]. / Coordinación asistencial entre atención primaria y especializada. Satisfacción con el proyecto especialista consultor.

OBJECTIVE: To find out the level of satisfaction and opinions of doctors on the specialist consultant project (SCP) in Area 7. To report on these opinions on the difficulties and possible solutions in inter-relationships between of primary health care and specialised care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Transversal descriptive study using a self-administered questionnaire. STUDY POPULATION: Doctors working in a primary health care district of Madrid (Area 7). VARIABLES: Demographic and professional variables, including their satisfaction after the implementation of the SCP, their general opinion of SCP, potential benefits and their opinions on the difficulties and possible solutions in interrelationships between primary health care and specialised care. RESULTS: A total of 170 (56%) doctors working in primary health care responded. As regards satisfaction with the SCP, the overall score in the evaluation was 8.9, (0 to 10). The majority of primary health care doctors (83%) found it easy to contact the specialist and 90% said that problems were solved satisfactorily. The telephone was the worst communication tool. Only 27% of primary health care doctors said they always register SCP activities, and 39% register them almost always. They thought that the most useful part of this project was the potential benefit on diagnosis. The SCP need score was 9, SCP usefulness 9.1 and priority 8.7. A large majority (74%) of primary health care doctors thought it would be of great interest to incorporate consultants from other specialisations. The main coordination problems found where the lack of communication, and overcrowding. The most valued solution to these problems is the computerised clinical history. CONCLUSIONS: Doctors are very satisfied with this project. They considered the project to be very useful, necessary and a priority, with high potential benefit in several areas of patient care. As quality improvement areas we stress the importance of continuing to promote SCP, of adequate telephone communications and to assess a new easy to fill-in register system.

Neutralizing antibodies against IFN beta in patients with multiple sclerosis: a comparative study of two cytopathic effect tests (CPE) for their detection.

Neutralizing antibodies (NABs) against IFN beta should be measured in specialized laboratories, using a test of inhibition of the cytopathic effect (bioassay or CPE test), based on the capacity of IFNss to block the infection of live monolayer-cultured cells by a virus, depending on the presence or absence of NABs. The European Federation of Neurological Societies (EFNS) considers this assay to be the gold standard. However, the various different ways to perform this assay complicate comparison of the results between laboratories. The World Health Organization (WHO) has published several recommendations to perform this assay using the A549 cell line and the murine encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV). In order to validate the results previously obtained in our laboratory with HEP2/VSV, we undertook a comparative analysis of the two bioassays, HEP2/VSV and A549/EMCV, to assess whether the use of different cell lines and viruses influences sensitivity. We also calibrated the A549/EMCV assay with a reference IFNss. Our results confirm that the bioassay with HEP2/VSV is as sensitive as the assay with A549/EMCV and that a significant association and correlation exist in the results between both assays. Thus, past results with HEP2/VSV in our laboratory could be comparable with those obtained with A549/EMCV in both our laboratory and others.

¿Tenemos el enemigo en casa? El niño y la televisión / Are we living with the enemy? The child and television

La comunicación es el proceso de transmisión y recepción de ideas, información y mensajes. Se lleva a cabo a través de unos medios propios, los medios de comunicación; en los últimos veinte años, sobre todo, se caracteriza por la disminución de los tiempos de transmisión de la información a distancia y del mayor acceso a dicha información. Los medios de comunicación influyen en todas las edades, pero de una manera especial en la infancia y la adolescencia, y pueden llegar a ser, sobre todo la televisión (TV), el sustituto de los padres y el principal profesor de los niños, llegando en ocasiones el tiempo de TV a superar el escolar' y con un impacto muy importante en la salud y la conducta de la infancia2. Hemos realizado una búsqueda bibliográfica, de forma especial en internet, sobre la influencia de todos los medios, pero a efectos didácticos, fundamentalmente de la TV, por ser el más importante en la infancia y en la adolescencia (AU)