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The present review addresses the most relevant applications developed using the Visible Human Project. We describe the origins of the Project and the procedure used for the collection of anatomical images of the cadavers from a man and a woman. Thousands of sections from these cadavers have been used in different ways, ranging from the generation of anatomical atlases to the construction of three-dimensional images for simulations and virtual training in surgery. We also include a broad review of the literature and some Internet addresses where information concerning the different uses made of the project compiled by the National Library of Medicine can be sought. Currently, the Visible Human Project is the best and most used digital reference concerning human anatomy, its application being broadest within the field of education. Nevertheless, its applications and uses have surpassed all expectations and the images are now being used in a huge area of disciplines such as art, industry, surgery, etc (AU)

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The diversity of Salmonella serotype Virchow organisms causing human salmonellosis in a Spanish region over 1990-1996 was studied by genetic and phenotypic procedures. Isolates showing identical DNA fingerprintings (ribotypes, RAPD-, REP- and ERIC-types) were clustered into the same lineage. Eight lineages were defined, of which only one caused diseases throughout the studied period. Eleven phage types (PTs) were represented, the most frequent being PTs 8, 19, 31, throughout the study period, and PT4a only during 1994. Class I integrons with variable regions of 1000-, 1600-, and 2300-bp in size were respectively present in 24, 3 and 5 multiresistant isolates; 43.5% of isolates were susceptible to antimicrobials, the rest were grouped into 17 R-profiles, including from one up to eight resistances. Plasmids could be recovered from 71.5% of isolates and grouped into 25 plasmid profiles (with 1-7 plasmids each); a 3.6 kb cryptic-plasmid and a 60 kb virulence-plasmid were those most frequently found. Phage type, presence and size of integrons, and resistance profile were used to differentiate 39 clones. During the period studied 135 cases of Virchow salmonellosis were identified; 93 were apparently sporadic whereas the remainder were associated with four outbreaks. Infants under 1 year constituted the most frequent age group, with 30 gastroenteritis and two septicaemia episodes. In the four outbreaks, different clones falling into the prevalent lineage were implicated but each clone was involved in only one outbreak.

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While breast cancer mortality rates are subsiding or beginning to decline in many western countries, in Spain they are increasing. We have studied breast cancer mortality rates in Asturias (Spain) by using the age-period-cohort model for the period of 1975-1994. There was an increase in the adjusted rates. The increase of relative risk of death in the period 1990-1994, in relation to that in 1975-1979, was 43%. There is a tendency for successive cohorts to have higher age-specific rates than previous cohorts. Trends in breast cancer mortality rates have been driven predominantly by birth cohort rate trends over the last decades in Asturias, suggesting that the changes in breast cancer mortality have been largely influenced by changes in aetiological factors.

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INTRODUCTION: The suicide is actually a significant public health issue. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present work studies the mortality rates by suicide registered in Asturias between the years 1975 and 1994, being based on the data published by National Statistics Institute. RESULTS: The average annual suicide rate of the period was of 10.75 per 100,000 inhabitants, with a proportion man/woman of 2.3/1. The suicide rate increases with the age, so that the suicides of people older than 70 years meant 27% of the total of suicides in man and 36% of the total in women. A gradual increase of the phenomenon was evidenced in the temporary analysis, the standardized average annual rate went from 7.51 in 1974 to 12.91 in 1994. The annual rates increased in all the groups of age, but especially in young men and women in the decade of 40. The most used method of suicide was hanging, followed by throwing and immersion. It was evidenced a temporary trend to the increase of suicides by poisoning, shot by gun and throwing from a high place. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The raise of suicide rates could be influenced by sociological factors, desinstitutionalization in mental health and accessibility to suicide methods. It is important to design prevention programs adapted to local characteristics.

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BACKGROUND: Retrospective study of the Salmonella sp. strains and human salmonellosis episodes registered in the Public Health Laboratory of the Principado de Asturias, Spain, over the seven year period 1990-1996. MATERIAL AND METHODS: All strains were serotyped; strains of serotypes Typhi and Typhimurium were also phage typed. The strains were grouped according to: sample of origin, age group; season of the year; time distribution, and epidemiological presentation (sporadic episode or outbreak). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: A total of 3,255 Salmonella isolates were registered and conserved in the period under study. They were adscribed to 45 serotypes, being Enteritidis, Typhimurium, Virchow and Hadar (57.1, 26.6, 4.5 and 2%, respectively) the most frequent. 3,193 isolates were collected from clinical samples (corresponding to 3,067 patients), 32 from environmental water or sewage, 28 from food and 2 from animal stools. Relevant epidemiological findings were: the most affected age group was children under 4 years old (32.3%), the season with highest incidence was the summer. The most frequent clinical presentation was the sporadic episode of gastroenteritis (97%). Seventy five outbreaks (22 communitary and 53 family) were registered, being associated with six serotypes: Enteritidis (76%), Typhimurium, Virchow, Hadar, Infantis and Coehl.

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Flow Cytometry (FC) has been incorporated into cancer research in relation to its prognostic value together with histological parameters and TNM stages. We have studied by means of FC the cell cycle of 132 samples from male patients with Squamous Cell Lung Carcinoma (SQCLC). All of the patients received curative surgery and the clinical follow-up was 60 months. The clinical and cytometric parameters were evaluated in order to predict the patients' outcome. The presence of tumoural recurrence and the tumoural stage showed statistical significance associated with survival. The multivariant analysis reveals radiotherapy (p = 0.004) as protective variable and the high S-phase fraction (SPF) (p = 0.001) and stage IIIA (p = 0.012) as risk factors. The SPF appears as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival time. We can build a prognostic index representative of different prognostic groups, which allows us to improve the individual monitoring of these patients.

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An epidemiological survey was carried out in 1992 to study the dental health status of schoolchildren aged 6, 9 and 12 in Asturias, Spain. It focused on the caries prevalence, dmtf, DMFT, restoration indices and dental treatment needs of this population. A representative sample of 1839 subjects, randomly selected and proportionally assigned by age group (6, 9 and 12) with the classroom as the sample unit, was examined. Analysis of the data showed that in 6-year-old children the caries prevalence in primary teeth was 45.8%. The mean caries indices were 2.10 dmft and 0.25 DMFT. At 9 years old the prevalence of caries in primary teeth was 62.8% and in the permanent teeth 49.1%. The mean level of caries was 2.38 dmft and 1.50 DMFT. At 12 years old the caries prevalence in permanent teeth was 71% and in first molars 64.2%. The mean caries experienced was 3.30 DMFT. In all groups the D-component constituted the major part of the caries index. The results for girls were higher than for boys in almost all age groups. Surface fillings were the treatment most required in all age groups.

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An epidemiological survey was carried out in 1992 researching dental caries and treatment needs in an adult population in Oviedo, Spain. A representative sample of 261 subjects, randomly obtained and stratified by age, was examined. Results show a dental decay prevalence of 99.6%; 12.5 DMFT index with 2.9, 7.5 and 2.1 mean values for D, M and F components. Women and the lower social class showed the highest DMFT index. Treatment needs reach a mean value of 12.1 teeth per person. Pontics are the most needed treatment, the mean value increases with age while the differences among age groups and social classes are statistically significant. The next most needed dental treatment is filling of one surface which decreases with age, is the same for men and women and higher among the middle social class; the differences are statistically significant among the social classes.

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Epidemiological and clinical features of 17 cases (13 children) of yersiniosis treated in a hospital over a four-year period, as well as factors associated with virulence, antibiotic resistance and plasmids in Yersinia enterocolitica strains from these patients were studied. The proportion of Y. enterocolitica was 3.57% of all fecal cultures positive for enteric pathogens, with 13 sporadic episodes and one outbreak. In 11 cases the infection was unimicrobial. The clinical presentation was: gastroenteritis (14 cases), pseudoappendicitis (1 case) and asymptomatic (2 cases). Eight cases needed hospital care, and 8 required antimicrobial treatment. None of the isolated bacterial strains produced pyrazinamidase, hemolysins, elastase, fibrinolysine, colicines or aerobactin. Eight strains showed calcium dependence, 7 of them exhibited autoagglutination, serum resistance, crystal violet binding and carried a 42 MDa plasmid related with virulence. Two strains carried a 3.3 MDa R-plasmid that encoded streptomycin-sulfadiazine resistance. The restriction analysis showed that the virulence plasmids constitute one variety and R-plasmids another.

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