Impact of a longitudinal course on medical professionalism on the empathy of medical students.

Objective: Medical education should enhance empathy. We examined, using self-assessment instruments and standardized patients (SPs), the impact on empathy, of a multi-year intervention (years 4-6 of medical training) that uses reflective learning approaches.

Methods: 241 final-year medical students participated; 110 from the 2018 graduation class (non-intervention group) and 131 from the 2019 graduation class (intervention group).

Development and validation of a low-cost laparoscopic simulation box.

Introduction: The acquisition of laparoscopic technique skills in an operating room is conditioned by the expertise of the tutor and the number of training interventions by the trainee. For students and surgeons to use a laparoscopic simulator to train their skills, it must be validated beforehand.

Methods: A laparoscopic simulator box was designed, along with 6 interchangeable training games.

Validation of the Jefferson Scale of Patient Perception of Physician Empathy Spanish (Spain) Version in Primary Care.

Background And Objectives: Empathy is considered a prerequisite for a successful physician-patient relationship. The Jefferson Scale of Patient Perceptions of Physician Empathy (JSPPPE) is a regularly-used, patient-rated measure of physician empathy. The aim of this study is to translate and analyze the reliability and validity of the JSPPPE Spanish (Spain) version (Sp-JSPPPE) in primary care in order to use it with medical trainees.

Development and validation of a low-cost laparoscopic simulation box.

Introduction: The acquisition of laparoscopic technique skills in an operating room is conditioned by the expertise of the tutor and the number of training interventions by the trainee. For students and surgeons to use a laparoscopic simulator to train their skills, it must be validated beforehand.

Methods: A laparoscopic simulator box was designed, along with 6 interchangeable training games.

Reliability and validity of the Spanish (Spain) version of the consultation and relational empathy measure in primary care.

Background: Empathy is an essential competence in the medical field. There are no validated patient-rated empathy measures in Spanish (Spain). The Consultation and Relational Empathy (CARE) measure is a widely used patient-rated measure of physician empathy.

Validation of a Sensor-Fitted Simulator for Upper Airway Examination.

Objective: To validate a simulator for upper airway examination, fitted with sensors, for use as an academic tool for learning how to conduct examination of the upper airway and for evaluation of that learning.

Study Design: Validation study.

Setting: Undergraduate medical education.

Matrix metalloproteinase-10 plays an active role in microvascular complications in type 1 diabetic patients.

Aims/hypothesis: The role of metalloproteinase-10 (MMP-10) in type 1 diabetes is not known. We hypothesise that it plays a role in the onset and progression of diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy.

Methods: Serum MMP-10 levels from 269 patients with type 1 diabetes were measured, and their association with microvascular complications was analysed.

A randomized trial of cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for medical students: voice advisory mannequin compared to guidance provided by an instructor.

Introduction: Current European Resuscitation Guidelines 2010 recommend the use of prompt/feedback devices when training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We aimed to assess the quality of CPR training among second-year medical students with a voice advisory mannequin (VAM) compared to guidance provided by an instructor.

Methods: Forty-three students received a theoretical reminder about CPR followed by a 2-minute pretest on CPR (compressions/ventilations cycle) with Resusci Anne SkillReporter (Laerdal Medical).

Hyperhomocysteinaemia induced by dietary folate restriction causes kidney oxidative stress in rats.

Diet is the most common cause of mild hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy), which occurs in approximately 5-7 % of the general population. Since HHcy causes endothelial damage by oxidative stress in different organs, the present study was designed to examine whether HHcy might be involved in renal oxidative stress. Twenty-five male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups: one (n 13) was fed ad libitum a folate-free diet (FF) and the other (n 12) was fed the same diet supplemented with folic acid (control, CO).

Effects of protein vs. carbohydrate-rich diets on fuel utilisation in obese women during weight loss.

Background: Energy restriction is a common therapeutic approach for weight reduction, but the most effective macronutrient distribution of the hypoenergetic diet as well as the role of the metabolic processes involved require further investigations.

Objective: To study the effect of a high protein (HP) hypoenergetic diet compared with a high carbohydrate (HC) hypoenergetic diet on fuel utilisation changes during the weight loss process in obese women.

Design: Eleven obese (BMI>30) women were randomly assigned to a 10w dietary intervention study comparing HP (30% protein) or HC (55% carbohydrate) energy restricted diets providing 30% energy fat content.

Hematotesticular barrier is altered from early stages of liver cirrhosis: effect of insulin-like growth factor 1.

Aim: The pathogenesis of hypogonadism in liver cirrhosis is not well understood. Previous results from our laboratory showed that IGF-1 deficiency might play a pathogenetic role in hypogonadism of cirrhosis. The administration of IGF-1 for a short period of time reverted the testicular atrophy associated with advanced experimental cirrhosis.

In vivo assessment of the mitochondrial response to caloric restriction in obese women by the 2-keto[1-C]isocaproate breath test.

The 2-keto[1-(13)C]isocaproate breath test has been proposed as a tool to detect mitochondrial dysfunction in alcoholic liver disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the 2-keto[1-(13)C]isocaproate breath test could detect in vivo dynamic changes on mitochondrial activity due to caloric restriction in obese women. Fifteen obese women (body mass index [BMI] > 30 kg/m(2)) participated in the study at baseline.

Fatal case of Trichoderma harzianum infection in a renal transplant recipient.

We describe the second known case of human infection by Trichoderma harzianum. A disseminated fungal infection was detected in the postmortem examination of a renal transplant recipient and confirmed in culture. The only other reported infection by this fungus caused peritonitis in a diabetic patient.

[Ectopic ovarian pregnancy].

Ovarian ectopic pregnancy is a rare form of ectopic pregnancy, with an estimated incidence ranging from 0.5% to 3% of the extrauterine pregnancies. For a correct diagnosis of the ovarian pregnancy, the traditional criteria proposed by Spiegelberg in 1878 must be fulfilled.