INTRODUCTION:Over the last 40 years, high smoking prevalence has been reported throughout Cuba, including in Cienfuegos city in the central part of the island. OBJECTIVE: Determine smoking prevalence and potential associated risk factors in Cienfuegos city for 2010-2011. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Cienfuegos city in the context of CARMEN (Collaborative Action for Risk Factor Prevention & Effective Management of Non-communicable Diseases), a PAHO multi-country initiative for a multidimensional approach to chronic non-communicable diseases. Participants totaled 2193 (aged 15-74 years), randomly selected through complex probabilistic three-stage sampling. Variables examined in relation to smoking included age, sex, skin color, civil status and educational level. RESULTS: Approximately 25% of those surveyed were smokers (30.3% of men and 21.0% of women). For men, prevalence was highest in the groups aged 25-34 and 55-64 years; for women, in the group aged 45-54 years. Concerning skin color, smoking rates were higher among black and mestizo persons (29.5%); and concerning civil status, higher among those who were separated, widowed or divorced (30.0%). Smoking prevalence fell with higher educational level; in keeping with that trend, the university-educated group had the lowest prevalence (16.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Although one in four Cienfuegos residents aged > 15 years smoked in 2010-2011, prevalence there is lower than in previous surveys. Knowledge of differences observed in age, sex, skin color, civil status and educational level can be useful for planning future smoking prevention and control actions.

Introducción: el poscondicionamiento isquémico (PCI) es una estrategia protectora contra la injuria por reperfusión con propiedades antiarrítmicas. La hipertrofia cardíaca secundaria a la hipertensión arterial aumenta el riesgo de sufrir arritmias y, además, reduce la respuesta a algunos tratamientos. Objetivo: determinar si el efecto antiarrítmico del PCI se mantiene en corazones hipertróficos. Método: los corazones aislados de ratas Wistar Kyoto (WKY) y de ratas espontáneamente hipertensas (SHR) de la misma edad, fueron perfundidos según la técnica de Langendorff y sometidos a 15 min de isquemia regional. Al momento de la reperfusión se dividieron en: a) WKY, b) WKY-PCI, c) SHR, d) SHR-PCI (n=13 por grupo). El PCI consistió en tres ciclos de 30 s de reperfusión y 30 s de isquemia, al inicio de la reperfusión. Se clasificaron las arritmias ventriculares observadas en el ECG. Se estimó la hipertrofia por el peso cardíaco relativo. Resultados: la hipertensión arterial en las ratas SHR provocó hipertrofia miocárdica. Todos los corazones sufrieron una alta incidencia de fibrilación ventricular al inicio de la reperfusión (SHR 92,3% y WKY 77%, ns). El PCI restituyó el ritmo sinusal en los corazones de las ratas normotensas (WKY-PCI 61,5% vs WKY 23,1%, p=0,0236 por test de <FONT FACE=Symbol>ji</font>2) y en los de las SHR (SHR-PCI 69,2% vs SHR 15,4%, p=0,0016 test de <FONT FACE=Symbol>ji</font>2). Conclusión: el PCI fue capaz de restituir el ritmo sinusal en la mayoría de los corazones que presentaron arritmias ventriculares de reperfusión y el efecto antiarrítmico se mantuvo en corazones hipertróficos provenientes de ratas SHR.

Introduction: ischemic postconditioning (IPC) is a protective strategy against reperfusion injury with antiarrhythmic properties. Cardiac hypertrophy secondary to hypertension increases the risk of arrhythmias and also reduces the response to some treatments. Objective: to determine whether the antiarrhythmic effect of IPC was maintained in hypertrophic hearts. Methods: isolated rat hearts from Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) of the same age, were perfused according to Langendorff technique and subjected to 15 min regional ischemia. At the moment of reperfusion, hearts were divided into: a) WKY, b) WKY-IPC, c) SHR, d) SHR-IPC (each group, n= 13). The IPC consisted of 3 cycles of 30 s of reperfusion and 30 s of ischemia at the onset of reperfusion. Ventricular arrhythmias were diagnosed using ECG records. Hypertrophy was estimated by relative heart weight. Results: hypertension in SHR induce myocardial hypertrophy. All hearts underwent a high incidence of ventricular fibrillation (SHR 92,3% and WKY 77%, ns). IPC restored sinus rhythm in the hearts of normotensive rats (WKY-PCI 61,5% versus WKY 23,1%, p = 0,0236 by <FONT FACE=Symbol>chi</font>2 test) and in those from SHR (SHR-PCI 69% versus SHR 15,4%, p = 0,0016 <FONT FACE=Symbol>chi</font>2 test). Conclusion: IPC is able to restore sinus rhythm from most of the hearts that developed reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias and the antiarrhythmic effect remains in hypertrophic hearts from SHR rats.

Background: Faculties’ training is a permanent goal in higher education institutions in Cuba. It is also approached as a guarantee that the teaching-learning process is increasingly improved. The validation of the resources and initiatives to be used is considered to be as important as the systematic training of faculties. Objective: To validate, by expert criteria, a graduate course aimed at teachers who work in the clinical courses of the curricula in Health Sciences. Methods: Surveys were administered to 27 experts through the use of the Régnier’s Abacus and Chernoff Faces. Finally, a triangulation of both methods and data to be evaluated was carried out. Results: The post-graduate course design was approved by the experts. The positive response rate reached over 94%, according to both methods. Adaptability of the design to other learning environments received the lowest grade, while the treatment of contents received the highest. The final triangulation between methods and results also showed a match of the positive evaluations obtained through the responses of both techniques. Conclusions: These methods have been widely used in educational research. In the case of their use along with that of experts’ criteria, they allow obtaining more objective answers that are less tainted by subjective elements inherent to qualitative methods.

Normal 0 21 false false false ES X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Fundamento: La superación del claustro de profesores es una meta permanente en los centros de educación superior de Cuba. Esta garantiza que el proceso de enseñanza aprendizaje se perfeccione cada vez más. Tan importante como la superación sistemática de los claustros docentes, es la validación de los recursos e iniciativas encaminadas a ello. Objetivo: Validar, mediante criterio de expertos, un diseño de diplomado dirigido a profesores que se desempeñan en el ciclo clínico de las Carreras en Ciencias de la Salud. Métodos: Se aplicaron encuestas a 27 expertos a través de la utilización de los métodos: el Ábaco de Régnier y las Caras de Chernoff. Finalmente, se realizó una triangulación de los datos a evaluar, con ambos métodos aplicados. Resultados: El diseño de diplomado quedó aprobado por el criterio de expertos. Las respuestas positivas alcanzaron un porcentaje por encima del 94 %, según ambos métodos. Solo con respecto a la adaptabilidad del diseño a otros contextos docentes, los expertos emitieron bajas calificaciones; mientras que la evaluación más alta fue otorgada a lo relacionado con el tratamiento de los contenidos. La triangulación final entre métodos y resultados, también evidenció gran concordancia en la evaluación positiva de las respuestas por ambas técnicas aplicadas. Conclusiones: Estos métodos han sido muy utilizados en investigaciones pedagógicas. En el caso de su vinculación a la aplicación del criterio de expertos, permite obtener respuestas con mayor objetividad y menos viciadas por elementos subjetivos, inherentes a los métodos cualitativos.