The rural population is potentially exposed to several environmental risks. Environmental risk management is a recurring challenge in rural educational communities that are far from large urban areas. Assessing and identifying the knowledge on prevention and response to environmental risks and natural disasters is fundamental for planning and designing educational programs for communities to face disasters. This article presented the practical application of a participatory methodology to obtain information about the knowledge and experience in the prevention and attention of environmental threats and natural disasters in the rural school Las Huacas, village of Quintana, municipality of Popayán, in the region of Cauca, Colombia. The diagnosis methodology consisted of three phases: preparatory, fieldwork and analytical. The participatory diagnosis allowed the construction of instruments and tools for social interaction, the conduction of dynamic workshops and the systematisation of the collected information. The results evidenced the lack of knowledge on environmental disasters and how parents and children must face them. The absence of communication facilities implied a high degree of vulnerability, which was compensated with the awareness, commitment and participation in the processes led by the educational community. The next challenge is the participatory construction of a scholar environmental risk-management plan supported on appropriated information and communication technologies. CONTRIBUTION: This article presents the practical application of a participatory methodology to obtain information about the rural context and the knowledge and experience in the prevention and attention of environmental threats and natural disasters in a rural school in Cauca, Colombia. areas Huacas Quintana Popayán Cauca Colombia phases preparatory analytical interaction them vulnerability awareness community riskmanagement technologies CONTRIBUTION

Abstract Invasive Streptococcus pyogenes diseases represent the most severe form of infection produced by this microorganism. Early diagnosis and treatment are important, due to its potential severity. Etiological confirmation of invasive infection is performed by culture, which takes between 18 and 48 h. We tested a rapid immunochromatographic assay directly from clinical samples from normally sterile sites and positive blood culture bottles when pos-itive cocci chains were observed by Gram staining. Eighty samples were analyzed. The rapid test was positive in 35 samples: in 34 of them S. pyogenes was confirmed by culture. The immunochromatographic method showed 97.1% sensitivity and 97.8% specificity. The strept A® immunochromatographic rapid test allows to obtain reliable results in less than 10min and is accessible to any microbiology laboratory. This study demonstrates the potential use of a rapid immunochromatographic method directly from clinical samples and positive blood cultures.

Resumen La enfermedad invasiva por Streptococcus pyogenes representa la forma más grave de infección producida por este microorganismo y requiere un rápido diagnóstico, a fin de instaurar un tratamiento adecuado. La confirmación etiológica de esta infección se realiza por cultivo, lo que puede llevar entre 18 y 48 h. En este estudio ensayamos una prueba inmunocromatográfica rápida directamente de muestras clínicas de sitios normalmente estériles y de botellas de hemocultivos positivos cuando la coloración de Gram evidenció cocos gram positivos en cadena. Se analizaron 80 muestras. La prueba rápida fue positiva en 35 muestras: en 34 de ellas se confirmó la presencia de S. pyogenes por cultivo. La sensibilidad y la especificidad de la prueba fueron del 97,1 y el 97,8%, respectivamente. La prueba inmunocromatográfica rápida monteBIO Strep A® permite obtener resultados confiables en menos de 10 min y es accesible para cualquier laboratorio de microbiología. Este estudio demuestra la utilidad de dicha prueba para ser practicada directamente en muestras clínicas y botellas de hemocultivos positivos.

SUMMARY: To evaluate in an integral way the morphometric parameters of the atlas (C1) vertebra in the Mexican population of relevance in performing surgical procedures of the craniocervical junction in order to provide quantitative and essential data for its realization. For this study, a total of 576 dry C1 vertebrae of contemporary Mexican population were used. Eleven measurements were carried out regarding the morphology of C1. The measurements were made bilaterally using a millimeter digital vernier with an accuracy of 0.01 millimeters and a statistical analysis was applied. A total of 576 atlas vertebrae (C1) were measured bilaterally, all our measurements were reported in millimeters. The average width of the lateral masses was 14.87 mm ± 1.38 mm. The average height of the lateral masses was 4.05 mm ± 0.93 mm. The average width of the transverse foramen was 5.93 mm ± 0.98 mm. The average length of the transverse foramen was 6.96 mm ± 0.98 mm. The average height of the transverse foramen was 5.76 mm ± 1.31 mm. The average width of the groove of the vertebral artery was 18.87 mm ± 1.3 mm. The average distance between the midline and the medial edge of the vertebral artery groove on the anterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 12.47 mm ± 3.14 mm. The average distance between the midline and the medial border of the vertebral artery groove on the posterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its upper face was 18.75 mm ± 3.94 mm. The average distance between the midline and the lateral border of the vertebral artery groove on the anterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 19.7 mm ± 2.52 mm. The average distance between the midline and the lateral border of the vertebral artery groove on the posterior surface of the posterior arch of C1 on its superior surface was 29.52 mm ± 3.23. Our study shows that the measurements made in our population present differences with respect to what is currently reported in the literature. It is necessary to have knowledge of vertebral morphology in our population to reduce the error window when performing surgical procedures involving this segment.

RESUMEN: Evaluar de manera integral los parámetros morfométricos de la vértebra atlas (C1) en la población mexicana de relevancia en la realización de procedimientos quirúrgicos de la unión craneocervical con el fin de proveer datos cuantitativos indispensables para su realización. Para este estudio se utilizaron un total de 576 vértebras C1 secas de población mexicana contemporánea. Se realizaron 11 mediciones respecto a la morfología de C1. Las mediciones se efectuaron bilateralmente utilizando un vernier digital milimétrico con una precisión de 0,01 milímetros y se aplicó un análisis estadístico. Un total de 576 vértebras atlas (C1), fueron medidas de manera bilateral, todas nuestras mediciones se reportaron en milímetros. El promedio del ancho de las masas lateral fue de 14,87 mm ± 1,38 mm. El promedio de la altura de las masas laterales fue de 4,05 mm ± 0,93 mm. El promedio del ancho del foramen transverso fue de 5,93 mm ± 0,98 mm. El promedio del largo del foramen transverso fue de 6,96 mm ± 0,98 mm. El promedio de la altura del foramen transverso fue de 5,76 mm ± 1,31 mm. El promedio del ancho del surco de la arteria vertebral fue de 18,87 mm ± 1,3 mm. El promedio de la distancia entre la línea media y el margen medial del surco de la arteria vertebral sobre la superficie anterior del arco posterior de C1 en su cara superior fue de 12,47 mm ± 3,14 mm. El promedio de la distancia entre la línea media y el margen medial del surco de la arteria vertebral sobre la superficie posterior del arco posterior de C1 en su cara superior fue de 18,75 mm ± 3,94 mm. El promedio de la distancia entre la línea media y el margen lateral del surco de la arteria vertebral sobre la superficie anterior del arco posterior de C1 en su cara superior fue de 19,7 mm ± 2,52 mm. El promedio de la distancia entre la línea media y el margen lateral del surco de la arteria vertebral sobre la superficie posterior del arco posterior de C1 en su cara superior fue de 29,52 mm ± 3,23. Nuestro estudio demuestra que las mediciones realizadas en nuestra población presentan diferencias significativas respecto a lo reportado actualmente en la literatura. Es necesario contar con un conocimiento de la morfología vertebral en nuestra población para disminuir la ventana de error al realizar procedimientos quirúrgicos que involucren este segmento.

Infections after cardiovascular surgery are an important cause of morbidity and mortality. This paper described the study of risk factors associated with development of infections. This is a prospective study, setting in a Hospital JP Garrahan, a tertiary and referral center of Buenos Aires, Argentina. All patients with cardiac surgeries between 1/11/01 to 1/1/ 2002 were included. The median age of p was 30 months (r: 1-212 m), 184 p (53%) were boys, 21% (75) had underlying disease, being the genetic disorders or undernutrition the most frequent, 56 p (16%) had previous surgery, 36 p (10%) had received previous antibiotics and 30 (9%) of them had previous infection, An ASA score higher than or equal to 3 was found in 308 p (88%). Median hospital stay before surgery was 1 day (r1-120 d), 88 p (25%) nedeed inotropic support with epinephrine, 147 p (42%) needed mechanical ventilation during a median time of 4 days (r: 1-66d).Drainage with thorax opened was done in 339p (97%) for a median time of 2 days (r:1-7d). Total hospital stay was between 1 and 120 days (median 5 days). Postsurgical infections developed in 38 of 350p (11%). Superficial wound infection in 4 p (1%), 5 p (1.5%) had deep infection, 3p (1%) had mediastinitis and 26 p (7.5%) had other nonsurgical infections Eleven p (3%) died. By multivariate study underlying diseases (p<0.012) OR 4.22 (CI 1.38-12.8), inotropic support with epinephrine (p<0.027) OR 4.04 (CI 1.17-13.9) and postoperative stay longer than 12 days were found to be risk factors for infections. We concluded that presence of underlying diseases, longer hospitalization and inotropic support were risk factors for infections.

Erythromycin (ERY) resistance in Streptococcus pyogenes has recently emerged as a problem of growing concern all through the world. We are presenting the comparison of results of the continuous surveillance of erythromycin resistance in S. pyogenes performed since 1989 in the Hospital de Pediatría J.P.Garrahan of Buenos Aires City, with independently observed rates in other five centers of Buenos Aires and seven centers of six other Argentinian cities, obtained between 1999 and 2001. A significant increase of erythromycin resistance was observed among S. pyogenes isolated in the Hospital Garrahan (6.6% in 1998-1999 to 9.9% in 2000). Similar trends were also detected in other centers of other Argentinian cities when recent data were compared to results of a multicenter study performed in 1995. However, lower rates of resistance were recorded in Mendoza, Cipolletti and Neuquén in comparison with data of 1995, 1998 and 1998 respectively. The reason of such decreasing resistance rates deserves to be investigated. The average of ERY-resistance rates obtained in the surveyed centers was 6.7% (range 0.5 - 14.1%). Control of antimicrobial use should be performed to warrant the future effectiveness of macrolide antibiotics regarding the positive association between use and resistance. These results also suggest that susceptibility tests for macrolides should be performed whenever S. pyogenes is isolated in Argentina.

La resistencia a la eritromicina en Streptococcus pyogenes ha emergido en los últimos tiempos como un problema creciente en todo el mundo. En este trabajo se presenta la comparación de los resultados de la vigilancia continua de la resistencia a la eritromicina que se viene realizando en el Hospital de Pediatría J.P.Garrahan de Buenos Aires desde 1989, con resultados independientes de otros cinco centros de la ciudad de Buenos Aires y siete de otras seis ciudades argentinas, obtenidos entre 1999 y 2001. Se observó un aumento significativo en el Hospital Garrahan (6.6% en 1998-1999 a 9.9% en el año 2000) y una tendencia similar en otros centros de diversas ciudades argentinas si se comparan estos datos con los de un estudio multicéntrico realizado en 1995. No obstante, se registraron menores porcentajes de resistencia en Mendoza, Neuquén y Cipolletti, en relación a lo hallado en 1995, 1998 y 1998 respectivamente. La razón de esta disminución merece ser investigada. El porcentaje promedio de resistencia a eritromicina obtenido en los distintos centros participantes de este estudio fue de 6.7% (rango 0.5-14.1%). Debe efectuarse un control en el uso de estos antibióticos para garantizar la efectividad futura de los macrólidos, teniendo en cuenta la asociación estrecha entre uso y resistencia. Estos resultados sugieren que deberían realizarse pruebas de sensibilidad a los macrólidos para todos los aislamientos de S. pyogenes en la Argentina.