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Objective: To determine if introducing age as another explanatory variable in an ecological regression model relating crude rates of cancer incidence and a deprivation index provides better results than the usual practice of using the standard incidence ratio (SIR) as the response variable, introducing the non-standardized index, and not including age in the model., Methods: Relative risks associated with the deprivation index for some locations of cancer in Spain's Girona Health Region were estimated using two different models. Model 1 estimated relative risks with the indirect method, using the SIR as the response variable. Model 2 estimated relative risks using age as an explanatory variable and crude cancer rates as the response variable. Two scenarios and two sub-scenarios were simulated to test the properties of the estimators and the goodness of fit of the two models., Results: The results obtained from Model 2's estimates were slightly better (less biased) than those from Model 1. The results of the simulation showed that in all cases (two scenarios and two sub-scenarios) Model 2 had a better fit than Model 1. The probability density for the parameter of interest provided evidence that Model 1 leads to biased estimates., Conclusions: When attempting to explain the relative risk of incidence of cancer using ecological models that control geographic variability, introducing age as another explanatory variable and crude rates as a response variable provides less biased results.

In the period between puberty and maturity takes place the process of brain maturation. Hormone levels induce changes in neurons and direct the architecture and structural functionality thus affecting patterns of development of different brain areas. The onset of puberty brings with it the invasion of the female brain by high levels of hormones, cyclic surges of estrogen and progesterone in addition to steroids produced in situ. Control centers of emotions (amygdala), memory and learning (hippocampus) and sexual activity (hypothalamus) are modified according to the cyclical concentrations of both hormones. Sex hormones stimulate multimodal actions, both short and longer terms, because neurons in various brain areas have different types of receptors, membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear. The composition of emergency contraceptive pill (postcoital pill) with high hormonal content raises the urgency of a thorough knowledge about the possible effect that the lack of control of the menstrual cycle in a time of consolidation of brain maturation, can bring in structuring and development of brain circuitry. Changes in the availability of sex steroids during puberty and adolescence underlie psychiatric disorders whose prevalence is typically feminine, such as depression, anxiety disorders. It is a fundamental ethical duty to present scientific data about the influence of estrogen in young female brain maturation, both for full information to potential users, and also to induce the appropriate public health measures.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify geographical differences in mortality from liver cirrhosis in men living in the province of Zaragoza, Spain, as well as its possible association with socioeconomic factors. The utility of the MEDEA project's deprivation index in rural areas was also explored., Methods: Census tracts were used in Zaragoza city as analysis units and municipalities were used for the rest of the province. Crude and smoothed standardized mortality ratios were calculated for each analysis unit through a Bayesian generalized mixed linear model. A deprivation index was obtained and was included in the model in quartiles. An exploratory analysis was also conducted, including a rural index in the province of Zaragoza., Results: In Zaragoza city, mortality from liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases [code 571 of the 9th International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and K70, K72.1, K73, K74, K76.1.9 of the ICD-10] increased as the deprivation index increased. Mortality in the most deprived areas was twice that in the less deprived areas (relative risk [RR] 2.09, credible interval (CI): 1.53-2.83). In the rest of the province, geographical differences in mortality could not be explained by the deprivation index used. Nevertheless, municipalities with the highest values in the rural index showed a RR of 0.47 (CI: 0.18-0.92) compared with those with the lowest values., Conclusions: In Zaragoza city, mortality from liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases was higher in the most deprived census tracts than in the most affluent areas. This association was not found in the rest of the province, probably because of the low variability explained by the deprivation index. Municipalities with high rural values had the lowest risk of death from these diseases., (Copyright © 2010 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the impact of using data from the National Death Index (NDI) of Spain to estimate breast cancer survival rates among residents of Girona and Zaragoza diagnosed in 1995-1999., Methods: This was an observational, longitudinal epidemiologic study, using two population-based cancer registries. Data collected were of female residents of Girona or Zaragoza who had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1995-1999. Observed and relative 5-year survival rates were estimated, first using the information available from the Girona and Zaragoza cancer registries, and then with the inclusion of NDI data. The 5-year relative survival rate and corresponding 95% Confidence Intervals were estimated using the Hakulinen method. The Kaplan-Maier method and Log Rank test were used to compare survival curves., Results: No statistically significant difference in survival curves was observed in Girona for the data obtained before and after cross-matching with the NDI. However, there was a significant difference in Zaragoza. A comparison of the relative survival rates of each of the two registries before NDI cross-matching showed differences of 3.9% (5-year) and 16.1% (10-year) between the two, whereas after the cross-match, the difference was only 0.5% (5-year) and 1.2% (10-year)., Conclusions: In Spain it is imperative that there be systematic use of NDI data to supplement cancer registries, so that comparisons of relative survival rates between registries can be improved.

The effects of pargyline administration during three days on male rats for stress reaction caused by hypercapnia, taking into account the contents of noradrenaline in the left auricle, the right auricle, the ventricle, the spleen and the hypothalamus have been studied. The stress by CO2 only produces a significant depletion of noradrenaline at the hypothalamus level. The administration of pargyline (50 mg/kg/day) induces significant increases in the content of noradrenaline in all the tissues. The increases in noradrenaline content are greater when the pargyline is given before the stress.