Impact of Dietary Habit, Iodine Supplementation and Smoking Habit on Urinary Iodine Concentration During Pregnancy in a Catalonia Population.

(1) Background: The nutritional status of women during pregnancy can have a considerable effect on maternal and fetal health, and on the perinatal outcome. Aim: to assess the changes occurring in dietary iodine intake, potassium iodide supplementation, and smoking habit, and the impact of these changes on the urinary iodine concentration (UIC) during pregnancy in a population of women in Catalonia (Spain). (2) Methods: Between 2009-2011, an observational study included a cohort of women whose pregnancies were monitored in the public health system in the Central and North Metropolitan areas of Catalonia.

Impact of school-based nutrition and physical activity intervention on body mass index eight years after cessation of randomized controlled trial (AVall study).

Background & Aims: The prevalence of obesity and overweight among children is increasing, representing a new and pressing societal problem. Excess weight in childhood is an independent risk factor for adult obesity. Although school-based interventions are generally considered effective in the short term, few studies analyze their longterm impact.

Iodine nutritional status of women in their first trimester of pregnancy in Catalonia.

Background: Sufficient iodine intake is needed during pregnancy to ensure proper fetal development. The iodine levels of women in their first trimester of pregnancy in Catalonia are currently unknown. This data would help to determine whether our public health services should establish recommendations or interventions in this line.

Increasing Cervical Cancer Screening Coverage: A Randomised, Community-Based Clinical Trial.

Background: Opportunistic cervical cancer screening can lead to suboptimal screening coverage. Coverage could be increased after a personalised invitation to the target population. We present a community randomized intervention study with three strategies aiming to increase screening coverage.

The problematic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in adolescents by the cross sectional JOITIC study.

Background: The emerging field of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has brought about new interaction styles. Its excessive use may lead to addictive behaviours. The objective is to determine the prevalence of the problematic use of ICT such as Internet, mobile phones and video games, among adolescents enrolled in mandatory Secondary Education (ESO in Spanish) and to examine associated factors.

Rationale of the Spanish FRAX model in decision-making for predicting osteoporotic fractures: an update of FRIDEX cohort of Spanish women.

Background: The FRAX® tool estimates the risk of a fragility fracture among the population and many countries have been evaluating its performance among their populations since its creation in 2007. The purpose of this study is to update the first FRIDEX cohort analysis comparing FRAX with the bone mineral density (BMD) model, and its predictive abilities.

Methods: The discriminatory ability of the FRAX was assessed using the 'area under curve' of the receiver operating characteristic (AUC-ROC).

Understanding the discriminant factors that influence the adoption and use of clinical communities of practice: the ECOPIH case.

Background: The aim of the study presented in this article is to analyse the discriminant factors that have an influence on the use of communities of practice by primary and specialist healthcare professionals (physicians and nurses) for information sharing. Obtaining evidence from an ex-ante analysis to determine what factors explain healthcare professionals' clinical community of practice use allows aspects of its use to be identified.

Methods: A theoretical model based on a modified technology acceptance model was used as the analysis tool, and a discriminant analysis was performed.

[The Questionnaire of Experiences Associated with Video games (CERV): an instrument to detect the problematic use of video games in Spanish adolescents].

The aim of this study is to validate the Video Game-Related Experiences Questionnaire (CERV in Spanish). The questionnaire consists of 17 items, developed from the CERI (Internet-Related Experiences Questionnaire - Beranuy and cols.), and assesses the problematic use of non-massive video games.

Analysis of three strategies to increase screening coverage for cervical cancer in the general population of women aged 60 to 70 years: the CRICERVA study.

Background: Cervical cancer is a frequently diagnosed cancer in women worldwide. Despite having easy preventive and therapeutic approaches, it is an important cause of mortality among women.

Methods: The CRICERVA study is a cluster clinical trial which assigned one of three interventions to the target population registered in Cerdanyola, Barcelona.

Impact of the implementation of an online network support tool among clinicians of primary health care and specialists: ECOPIH Project.

Background: There has been created an online communication tool with the objective to improve the communication among different levels of care, between Primary Care clinicians and Specialists. This tool is web 2.0 based technology (ECOPIH project).

[Access and use of new information and telecommunication technologies among teenagers at high school, health implications. JOITIC Study].

Objective: To determine ICT accessibility and use among the adolescents attending High School and to analyse related factors.

Design: Cross-sectional multicentric study.

Setting: High Schools participating in the Community Health «Salut i Escola» Programme.

Increased MLL gene rearrangements in amniocytes from fetuses of mothers who smoke.

We assess the possible genotoxic effect of maternal smoking on amniotic fluid cells, based on the presence of an increasing of structural abnormality of the 11q23 band bearing the MLL gene rearrangements. In this observational and prospective study cultured amniocytes were obtained from 20 control and 20 women who smoke (>10 cigarettes/day for >10 years and during pregnancy). We performed fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis in amniocytes.

Assessment of a school-based intervention in eating habits and physical activity in school children: the AVall study.

Background: Obesity has become a global public health problem, which also affects children. It has been proposed that the educational interventions during childhood could be a key strategy in the prevention of obesity.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of an intervention on food habits and physical activity in school children.

Nutritional status of iodine in pregnant women in Catalonia (Spain): study on hygiene-dietetic habits and iodine in urine.

Background: It is a priority to achieve an adequate nutritional status of iodine during pregnancy since iodine deficiency in this population may have repercussions on the mother during both gestation and post partum as well as on the foetus, the neonate and the child at different ages. According to the WHO, iodine deficiency is the most frequent cause of mental retardation and irrreversible cerebral lesions around the world. However, few studies have been published on the nutritional status of iodine in the pregnant population within the Primary Care setting, a health care level which plays an essential role in the education and control of pregnant women.

Cluster randomized trial in smoking cessation with intensive advice in diabetic patients in primary care. ITADI Study.

Background: It is a priority to achieve smoking cessation in diabetic smokers, given that this is a group of patients with elevated cardiovascular risk. Furthermore, tobacco has a multiplying effect on micro and macro vascular complications. Smoking abstinence rates increase as the intensity of the intervention, length of the intervention and number and diversity of contacts with the healthcare professional during the intervention increases.

Treponema pallidum distribution patterns in mucocutaneous lesions of primary and secondary syphilis: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

To study the different patterns of Treponema pallidum distribution in primary and secondary syphilis, 34 biopsy specimens of 8 patients with primary and 26 with secondary syphilis were assessed. Histopathological features, silver stain, and immunohistochemical T pallidum polyclonal antibody expression were investigated. The number and distribution of spirochetes were evaluated, and ultrastructural studies were performed.

Relationship of classical and non-classical risk factors with genetic variants relevant to coronary heart disease.

Background: In addition to the well established cardiovascular risk factors, evidence suggests a possible role of genetic and non-classical risk factors in the development and progression of atherothrombosis. We aimed to determine the relationship of classical and non-classical cardiovascular risk factors with candidate gene polymorphisms potentially involved in cardiovascular risk in the general Mediterranean population.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Association of time elapsed since the last coronary event with health services utilization.

Background: Patients with chronic illness use health services more often but little is known about the use that coronary heart disease patients make of primary care.

Objective: To determine whether the time elapsed and the perceived quality of life following a major acute coronary event are associated with utilization rate of primary care services.

Design: Cross-sectional, multicentre study.

[Paraoxonase 1 gene 192 polymorphism, physical activity and lipoprotein in women].

Background And Objective: Regular physical activity is associated with an increase in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), whose antioxidant and protective effect for coronary artery disease is well known. Paraoxonase-1 (PON1) is an enzyme related with the antioxidant activity of HDL. The PON1 gene has several genetic polymorphisms; one of them locates in codon 192, whose alleles Q and R are associated with low and high PON1-activity, respectively.