De la perrera municipal al centro de acogida de animales de compañía de Barcelona From the municipal dog pound to the pet shelter in Barcelona, Spain

El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar la evolución de la política y los servicios de salud pública relativos a los animales de compañía en la ciudad de Barcelona de 1983 a 2001. Partiendo de una actividad centrada en la custodia y la eutanasia de los animales sin dueño de Barcelona, y ofertando también servicios al resto de la provincia, se formula un Plan de Animales de Compañía para la ciudad y se reorienta la actividad, centrándola en los límites estrictos del municipio y el estímulo de la adopción. Se busca la participación de profesionales y entidades proteccionistas, se remodelan las instalaciones, se fomenta la tenencia responsable de animales, se crean colonias urbanas controladas de gatos y se estimulan las adopciones, redefiniendo la actividad con una mayor orientación al cliente. La evolución de la actividad desde 1998 refleja una notable disminución en el volumen de animales custodiados, así como en la proporción de los sacrificados. Esta disminución puede reflejar una mejora en el problema de los animales abandonados. Estos cambios se han traducido en una modificación positiva de las relaciones con los medios de comunicación y las entidades proteccionistas.<br>This article aims to present changes in public health policy and services related to pet dogs and cats in the city of Barcelona from 1983 to 2001. Initially the center's activity was limited to the custody and euthanasia of stray animals, serving not only the city but also the rest of the province. With the formulation of a city Plan for Pet Animals, the activities were redirected, concentrating on services within the city limits and stimulating adoption. Participation of both professional and humane organizations was sought, premises were renovated, responsible ownership of animals was promoted, controlled urban colonies of cats were established, and adoptions become the cornerstone of policy, centering the activity of the shelter toward its clients. Changes in the shelter's activity since 1998 reflects a clear decrease in the number of animals retained, as well as in the proportion subjected to euthanasia. This decrease may reflect an improvement in the problem of stray animals. These developments have also resulted in a positive change in the relationship with the media and animal welfare organizations

La cartera de servicios en una organización de salud pública Portfolio of services in a public health organization

La definición de la cartera de servicios ha sido uno de los elementos del proceso de mejora de la gestión de los servicios sanitarios en España, en curso, del que los servicios de salud pública se han mantenido en buena parte al margen. En este trabajo se analizan los servicios de salud p��blica a partir de la experiencia de la Agencia de Salud Pública de Barcelona. Se propone un esquema de categorización que permite distinguir entre los que son propiamente servicios productivos de salud pública, los que son asistenciales, los que tienen características de productos intermedios y los que son servicios de apoyo o de coordinación y enlace. Se exploran indicadores de productividad, resultado e impacto y de coste, y se formula un catálogo de servicios para una organización de salud pública con responsabilidades sobre una población y un territorio definidos.Health services in Spain are currently being improved. Definition of the services portfolio has been one of the elements in this process, from which public health services have been largely left out. In the present article public health services are examined from the perspective of the Public Health Agency of Barcelona. We propose a scheme to classify services into productive public health services, health care services, services that are intermediate products, support services, and liaison or coordinating services. Indicators of productivity, result, impact, and cost are explored, and a catalogue of services for a public health organization with a well defined population and area is proposed

Facial Anthropometric Measurements and Principles - Overview and Implications for Aesthetic Treatments

Facial anatomy is highly individual in each patient. Anthropometric measurements can be a useful tool to objectively analyze individual facial anatomy to allow for better comparability before and after treatments to ultimately improve standardization of facial procedures, both nonsurgical and surgical. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive overview over clinically relevant and feasible facial anthropometric measurements and principles for aesthetic medicine. A literature review was conducted to describe the most important and clinically relevant anthropometric measurements and principles for both the entire face and for three aesthetically relevant facial regions: the periorbital region, the nose, and the perioral region. A multitude of different anthropometric measurements and principles have been described in the literature for both the overall facial appearance and specific facial regions. Certain generally accepted anthropometric principles and proportions need to be respected to achieve aesthetic and harmonious results. For the overall facial appearance, a focus on symmetry, certain proportions, facial angles, and indices has been described. Principles and measurements were also described for the periorbital region, the nose, and the perioral region. Although attractiveness and aesthetic perception are subjective, objective evaluation of facial surface anatomy via anthropometric measurements can improve pre- and postinterventional analysis of the face and help the treating physician to individualize treatments, both nonsurgical and surgical

Regulatory Circuitry Governing Fungal Development, Drug Resistance, and Disease

Summary: Pathogenic fungi have become a leading cause of human mortality due to the increasing frequency of fungal infections in immunocompromised populations and the limited armamentarium of clinically useful antifungal drugs. Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Aspergillus fumigatus are the leading causes of opportunistic fungal infections. In these diverse pathogenic fungi, complex signal transduction cascades are critical for sensing environmental changes and mediating appropriate cellular responses. For C. albicans, several environmental cues regulate a morphogenetic switch from yeast to filamentous growth, a reversible transition important for virulence. Many of the signaling cascades regulating morphogenesis are also required for cells to adapt and survive the cellular stresses imposed by antifungal drugs. Many of these signaling networks are conserved in C. neoformans and A. fumigatus, which undergo distinct morphogenetic programs during specific phases of their life cycles. Furthermore, the key mechanisms of fungal drug resistance, including alterations of the drug target, overexpression of drug efflux transporters, and alteration of cellular stress responses, are conserved between these species. This review focuses on the circuitry regulating fungal morphogenesis and drug resistance and the impact of these pathways on virulence. Although the three human-pathogenic fungi highlighted in this review are those most frequently encountered in the clinic, they represent a minute fraction of fungal diversity. Exploration of the conservation and divergence of core signal transduction pathways across C. albicans, C. neoformans, and A. fumigatus provides a foundation for the study of a broader diversity of pathogenic fungi and a platform for the development of new therapeutic strategies for fungal disease