The Cuban Health Virtual University is a network of teaching health institutions that works according to the Network learning Model. Among its services there is a repository of educational resources. The aim of this paper is to characterize and explain the strategy implemented to revitalize it. Taking as starting point the conceptualization of open educational resources and learning objects, the repository and the actions to ensure the consistent supply of materials are described. In conclusion, the need of mobilizing the teaching staff to share and reuse the educational resources through training activities in creating learning objects and using the service and Copyleft licenses is stressed. The virtual university should move towards creating a network of interoperable institutional repositories to share the resources produced and reused in teaching and research.

La Universidad Virtual de Salud de Cuba es una red de instituciones académicas de salud que funciona según el modelo de aprendizaje en red. Entre sus servicios está el repositorio de recursos educativos. El objetivo de este trabajo es caracterizarlo y exponer la estrategia que se realiza para revitalizarlo. Tomando como punto de partida la conceptualización de recursos educativos abiertos y de objetos de aprendizaje, se describe el repositorio y se enuncian las acciones para garantizarle el aporte sistemático de materiales. Como conclusión se enfatiza la necesidad de movilizar a los docentes para que compartan y reutilicen los recursos educativos a través de acciones de capacitación en la creación de objetos de aprendizaje y en la utilización del servicio y de las licencias Copyleft. La UVS debe avanzar hacia la creación de una red de repositorios institucionales e interoperables donde se compartan los recursos producidos y reutilizados en la docencia y la investigación.

With the appearance and mass use of the Internet arised the Open Educational Recourses (OER) as an advantageous way of use of information and communications technologies depending the teaching. In present setting and as a consequence of the social development, raise the OERs. The aim of this paper is to expose the major features of the OERs and the copyrights protection with the Creative Commons permissions in the materials created for teaching. As well, the use of the different permissions terms and the implications for professors are alleged.

Con la aparición y masificación del uso de Internet surgieron los Recursos Educativos Abiertos (REA) como una forma ventajosa de utilizar las tecnologías de la información las comunicaciones en función de la docencia. En este escenario y como consecuencia del desarrollo social, surge el movimiento de recursos educativos abiertos. En este trabajo se exponen las principales características de los REA y la protección del derecho de autor con las licencias Creative Commons en los materiales creados para la docencia. Asimismo se argumentan las implicaciones que tiene para los docentes el uso de los diferentes términos de las licencias.

The Virtual University of Health is defined as an academic, dynamic, and interactive institution, open for the access to the information and group work, as well as a resource for distance education with the integration and application of the new information and communication technologies. The characteristics of this educational modality are enunciated, and an outline of its evolution since the project was approved and declared operational in 1997, is made. The three stages of the Virtual University of Health since its creation to date are defined, and the potentialities of its new site as a space for network formation are described. The main advantages of the Plone site are revealed as a work tool of the Virtual University of Health in its current stage, and the milestones on which network learning is supported are specified. Details are provided with respect to the products and services offered in its different sections. Finally, a succinct statistical analysis is presented of the visits to the site of the Virtual University of Health in the period September- December 2007, and the challenges to be faced in the near future are briefly commented.

Se define la Universidad Virtual de Salud como una institución académica interactiva, dinámica y abierta para el acceso a la información y al trabajo en grupo y también como recurso para la educación a distancia con la integración y aplicación de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación. Se enuncian las características y se esboza la evolución de esta modalidad educativa desde que en 1997 se aprobó el proyecto para su puesta en funcionamiento. Se definen las tres etapas por las que ha transitado la Universidad Virtual de Salud desde su creación hasta la fecha y se describen las potencialidades de su nuevo portal como espacio para la formación en red. Se revelan las principales ventajas de la plataforma Plone como herramienta de trabajo de la Universidad Virtual de Salud en su etapa actual y se enumeran los pilares en que se sustenta en ella el aprendizaje en red. Se ofrecen detalles respecto a los productos y servicios de sus diferentes secciones. Por último, se presenta un sucinto análisis estadístico sobre las visitas efectuadas al sitio de la Universidad Virtual de Salud en el período septiembre- diciembre de 2007 y se comentan brevemente los retos que debe enfrentar en el futuro inmediato.

OBJETIVO: Estudar a prevalência de sibilância recorrente e os principais fatores associados em crianças menores de 13 anos da área urbana da Cidade de Rio Grande, Estado do Rio Grande do Sul. MÉTODO: Através de visitas domiciliares e aplicação de questionários padronizados por entrevistadores treinados, investigou-se a presença de sibilância recorrente em uma coorte iniciada em 1997 como parte de um estudo transversal de base populacional que enfocou a morbidade por doenças respiratórias em crianças entre 0 a 5 anos. Foram obtidas informações sobre as condições socioeconômicas e de moradia da família, assistência à gestação e ao parto e padrão de morbidade atual e pregressa das crianças. A análise estatística consistiu no cálculo da razão de chances (odds ratio, OR) com ajuste através de regressão logística não-condicional para potenciais fatores de confusão, conforme modelo hierárquico previamente definido. RESULTADOS: Das 775 crianças estudadas em 1997, 685 foram localizadas em 2004 (perda de 11,6%). Nesse grupo, a prevalência de sibilância recorrente atual foi de 27,9%. Os fatores de risco após a análise ajustada foram: rinite atual (OR = 45,7; IC95%: 24,2 a 86,5), uso de fogão a lenha para cozinhar (OR = 2,7; IC95%: 1,4 a 4,9), antecedente pessoal de infecção respiratória aguda (OR = 2,1; IC95%: 1,3 a 3,5), aleitamento artificial (OR = 2,1; IC95%: 1,1 a 3,8), antecedente de asma em irmãos (OR = 1,9; IC95%: 1,2 a 3,2), antecedente de asma na mãe (OR = 1,8; IC95%: 1,1 a 2,9) e menos de seis consultas de pré-natal (OR = 1,6; IC95%: 1,1 a 2,4). Escolaridade do pai < 9 anos completos representou fator de proteção para sibilância recorrente (OR = 0,6; IC95%: 0,4 a 0,9). CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugerem que o manejo de sibilância recorrente e asma deve contemplar a investigação e o tratamento conjunto de rinite. As ações para minimizar os efeitos da sibilância recorrente devem incluir programas educativos e terapêuticos enfocados na asma.

OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of and major factors associated with recurrent wheezing in children younger than 13 years of age in the urban area of Rio Grande, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. METHODS: The presence of recurrent wheezing was investigated in a cohort as part of a cross-sectional study that was begun in 1997 that focused on the morbidity from respiratory diseases in children then between 0 and 5 years of age. During home visits in 2004 a standardized questionnaire given by trained interviewers was used to obtain information concerning the family's socioeconomic and living conditions, maternal care during pregnancy and delivery, and children's current and previous morbidity patterns. The statistical analysis included the calculation of the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI), with nonconditional logistic regression adjustment for potential confounding factors, according to a predefined hierarchical model. RESULTS: Of the 775 children studied in 1997, 685 were located in 2004 (loss of 11.6%). In this group, the prevalence of recurrent wheezing at the time of the interview was 27.9%. After adjustment, the risk factors were: current rhinitis (OR = 45.7; 95% CI: 24.2 to 86.5), use of wood stove for cooking (OR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.4 to 4.9), child's history of acute respiratory infection (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.3 to 3.5), bottle feeding (OR = 2.1; 95% CI: 1.1 to 3.8), history of asthma in siblings (OR = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.2 to 3.2), maternal history of asthma (OR = 1.8; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.9), and fewer than six prenatal medical consultations (OR = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.4). Paternal schooling < 9 years was a protective factor against recurrent wheezing (OR = 0.6; 95% CI: 0.4 to 0.9). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the management of recurrent wheezing and asthma must consider checking for and simultaneously treating rhinitis. The measures to minimize the effects of recurrent wheezing should include educational and treatment programs focusing on asthma.