Vol.1

No.1 Suppl (C)ISSN 1349−5240

October, 2004

Journal of Medical Safety
http://www.urmpm.org/JMS/
2004 Meeting’s Program and Abstracts(E-version)

Official Journal of ‘Union of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine‘(URMPM Special Conference in Latin).
Date: September 25-27, 2004

Place San Jose, Costa Rica

The Conference homepage is as follows.
http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/~jsrmpm/CRConf2004/index.html

The program has been available in the following URL.
http://plaza.umin.ac.jp/~jsrmpm/CRConf2004/main.html#topics

URMPM Special International Conference in Latin"Advances in Health Risk Management Strategy and Decision Science"www.jsrmpm.org/CRConf2004

Period:Place:

August 25 morning – August 27 noon
The conference hall, Congress Center of the Investigation City,The School of Nutrition, The University of Costa Rica,
San Jose, Costa Rica

Program and Abstracts

By
Union of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine (URMPM)
www.urmpm.org

Conference Committees

International Presidential Committee
Former vice-President & Prof. Leda Muñoz Garcia (University of Costa Rica, Honor Presidentof URMPM Special Conference in Latin -2004, Costa Rica)
Prof. Ryoji Sakai (WHRMC, EPFL, USM, SU, et al. Chairperson of Union of Risk Management
for Preventive Medicine, Atlantic Society of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine, andJapan Society of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine).
Director, Prof. Stephan Morgenthaler (EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland. President of Union of
Risk Management for Preventive Medicine)Dr. Kjell Andersson (Karinta Konsult, Sweden. President of Altantic Society of Risk
Management for Preventive Medicine).
Deputy Dean, Prof. Rusli B. Nordin (USM, Malaysia. Chairperson of Asia Pacific Society of Risk
Management for Preventive Medicine)Prof. Banwari L. Meel MD, FCCP (University of Transkei, Health Sciences, South Africa.
President of 'URMPM Africa')
Prof. Alexander Pivovarov (Ukrainian State Chemical-Technology University, Ukraine,
Chairperson of URKSRMPM)
Dr. Anwarul Azim Majumder (Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medicine, Malaysia,
Chairperson of Bangladeshi Society)

Conference Coordinator
Ms. Shirley V. V. Chaves (International Secretary of Union of Risk Managementfor Preventive
Medicine. Costa Rica. & World Health Risk Management Center, Tokyo, Japan).

International Scientific Committee
Prof. S. F Adel (Emeritus, MIT, Chemistry, USA)
Dr. K. Anderson (Karinata Konsult, Sweden)
Dr. D. Amaratunga (RW Johnson Research Center, USA)
Prof. J. E. Banta (George Washington University, Global Health, USA)
Prof. A. Caplan (University of London, Social Anthropology, UK)
Prof. X. Chen (Chinese Academy of Science, Economics, China)
Dr. J. DeGeorge (former US.FDA, Drug Safety, USA)
Dr. L. Edler (German Cancer Research Center, Germany)
Dr. B. Eliasson (ABB Research Lab., Energy, Switzerland)Prof. G. Gray (Harvard University, Harvard Center for Risk Analysis, USA)

Prof. K. Hanaki (The University of Tokyo, Urban Engineering, Japan)
Prof. K. Hanaoka (The University of Tokyo, Anesthesia, Japan)
Prof. Y. Hayashi (Vist., Kitazato University., Food Safety, Japan)
President H. Q. Jin (Sanren University, Public Health, Chinese Congressman, China)
Prof. H. Ieda (The University of Tokyo, Social Infrastructure, Japan)
Prof. H. Karaki (Emeritus, The University of Tokyo, Food Safety Committee, Cabinet Office,Japan)
Prof. V. K. Ilyin (Russian Federation State Research Center – Institute for Biomedical
Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia)
Dr. K. Kogi (The Institute of Science of Labour, Occupational Health, Japan)
President K. Kurokawa (Science Council of Japan, Emeritus Prof. University of Tokyo)
Prof. R. Lofstedt (King's College London, King's Center for Risk Management, UK)
Prof. B. Malbert (Chalmers University of Technology, Urban Design, Sweden)
President K. Maekawa (Kanto Central Hospital, Emeritus Prof. The University of Tokyo, Acute
Medicine, Japan)
Former Prof. N. Maruchi (Shinshyu University, Public Health, Japan)
General Director & Prof. Patricia Sedo Masis (University of Costa Rica, School of Nutrition,
Costa Rica)
Dr. J. Matsubara (Nuclear Safety Commission, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan)
Prof. N. Matsubara (The University of Tokyo, Statistics, Japan)
Prof. K. Matsushima (The University of Tokyo, Molecular Preventive Medicine, Japan)
Prof. P.D. McGorry (University of Melbourne, Psychiatry, Australia)
Dr. V. Molak (GAIA, Risk Management, USA)
Prof. M. Molina (MIT, Nobel laureate, USA)
Prof. R. Monson (Hardavd University, Occupational Health, USA)
Prof. & Vice Chancellor, S.M.J. Mortazvi (Rafsanjan University of Medical Science, Iran)Prof. Y. Murakami (Dean of International Christian University, Emeritus. Prof. of the
University of Tokyo, Japan)
Prof. K. Nobutomo (Kyushu University, Medical Service System, Japan)
Dr. R. Nomura (Chairperson of National Institute of Minamata Disease, Japan)
Prof. A. Ohmura (ETHZ, Climate Science, Switzerland)Prof. N. Onodera (Seitoku University, Public Health, Japan)
Prof. R. Otsuka (The University of Tokyo, Human Ecology, Japan)
Prof. K. Polenske (MIT, Economics, USA)
Prof. K.G. Rampal (Division of Occupational Health, UKM, Malaysia)
Y. Bhg. Prof. Datuk Dzulkifli Bin Abdul Razak (Vice Chancellor, Universiti Sains Malaysia,
Malaysia)
General Director & Prof. Floribeth Viquez Rodriguez (University of Costa Rica, Centro Nacionalde Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos, Costa Rica)
Prof. M. Sadakata (The University of Tokyo, System Chemistry, Japan)
Prof. H. Sakurai (Emeritus, Keio University, Occupational Medicine, Japan Industrial Safety
and Health Association)
Dr. A. H. Samad (Medical Advisor, ExxonMobil, Malaysia, Chairman of Society of Occupational
and Environmental Medicine, Malaysia)
Prof. T. Sasazuki (International Medical Center of Japan, Immunology, Japan)
Prof. V. Shakin (Russian Academy of Science, Mathematics, Russia)
Prof. H. Siegmann (Stanford University, Physics, USA)
Prof. S. Simazaki (Kyorin University, Chairman of Japanese Association for Acute Medicine,Japan)
Prof. K. Sudo (The University of Tokyo, Disaster reduction, Japan)
Prof. T. Takemoto (Emeritus, Nagasaki University, Public Health, Japan)

Prof. N.Taylor (Cambridge University, Anthropology, UK)
Prof. W. Thilly (MIT, Environment, USA)
Prof. M. Tsuruki (President of Jyumonji Women's University, Emeritus. Prof. of the Universityof Tokyo, Japan)
Prof. D. Vogel (UC. Berkeley, Politics, USA)
Dr. J.Virelizier (Institut Pasteur, Viral Immunology, Paris, France)
Prof. & Director, Danuta Wasserman (Karolinska Institute, School of Public Health, Sweden)
Prof. W. Willett (Harvard University, Nutrition, USA)
Prof. B. Winblad (Karolinska Institute, Geriatric Neurology, Sweden)
Prof. S. A. Wongkhomthong (Mahidol University, ASIAN Center, Thailand)Prof. M. Yabuuchi (The University of Tokyo, Sociopsychology, Japan)
Prof. K. Yamamoto (The University of Tokyo, Chemical Safety, Japan)
Prof. I. Yasui (The University of Tokyo, Industrial Engineering, Japan)
Prof. Y. Yasuoka (The University of Tokyo, Earth Environment Monitoring, Japan)
President Y. Yazaki (International Medical Center of Japan, Emeritus Prof. The University ofTokyo), et al.

International Program Committee(Chairing board)
General Director & Prof. Patricia Sedo Masis (University of Costa Rica, School of Nutrition,
Costa Rica)
General Director, Rodolfo Henandez Gomez (Hospital Nacional de Niños, Costa Rica)(From Costa Rica)
Prof. Mary Meza (University of Costa Rica, School of Infirmary)
General Director & Prof. Floribeth Viquez Rodriguez (University of Costa Rica, Centro Nacionalde Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos)
Director & Prof. Xinia Fernandez (University of Costa Rica, Postgraduate Graduate Programon Nutrition for Health)
Dr. Victor Alvarez Porras (Teleclub, Channel 13)(Oversea members)
Prof. Bruno Gottstein (University of Bern, Institute of Parasitology, Bern, Switzerland)Prof. Taro Shirakawa (Editor in Chief of URMPM official journal; ‘HEALTH’; Chairperson of
Graduate School of Public Health, The University of Kyoto, Dept. Health Promotion and Human
Behavior, Japan)
Prof. Zourgui Lazhar (Vice-President of URMPM Africa, Faculty of Sciences Gafsa, Universit deSfax pour le Sud, Biochimistry and Immuno toxicology, Cit Zarrouk, Tunisia)
Prof. Kremenchuts'kyy Gennadiy (Dniepropetrovsk State Medical Academy, Microbiology,
Virology and Immunology, Ukraine)
Dr. Nathalie de Marcellis-Warin (Montreal University, Center for Interuniversity Research andAnalysis on Organization, Risk Management Research Group, Quebec, Canada)Prof. Yoon Shin Kim (Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea)
Prof. Frida Marina Fisher (University of Sao Paulo, Dept. Environ. Health, Brazil)

International Organizing Committee(Chairperson board)
Prof. Kazuyuki Serada (URMPM Secretary General, Showa University, Anesthesia, Tokyo,
Japan)
Prof. Omrane Belhadj (Faculty of Science, Tunis, Tunisia)(From Costa Rica)
Dr. Julio Bejarano (Instituto sorbe Alcoholismo y Farmacodependency)
Dr. Giselle Amador Nuñez (Instituto sorbe Alcoholismo y Farmacodependency)
Dr. Sandra Murillo (Technical Coordinator of the Institute of Nutrition of Central America andPanama INCAP/OPS)Dr. Jelena Macan (Institute of Medical Reseasrch Occuptional Health)Dr. Daisy Maria Corrales Diaz (CCSS, Institute of Social Insurance)
Mrs. Carmen Chaves
Mrs. Katsuko Hojo (Katuko Travel Agency, San Jose)(Oversea members)
Dr. Stephan Abunkum (Ghana)
Dr. Daberat Perez (Universidat Metropolitana, Chili)
Dr. Jian Sun (institute of Health Economics, Emononton, Canada)
Dr. Ogorodnikov Igor gennadievich (Ogorodnikov and Partners, Russia)
Dr. Mehdi Russel (Keele University, The Center for Health Planning and Management,
Staffordshire, UK)
Dr. Najla Alfaiedh (faculte des Science de Sfax. Tunisie)
Dr. Kvetoslava Rimarova (Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice,Slovakia)
Assist. Prof. Lin Naing (Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Dental Sciences, Malaysia)
Dr. Jelena Macan (Inst. for Med. Res. & Occup. Health, Croatia)
Assoc. Prof. Kazuo Aoki (Oita University, Medical School, Japan)
Assoc. Prof. Hiroyuki Watanabe (Showa University, Yokohama North Hosptial, Internal
Medicine, Japan)
Associate Prof. Dr. Mohamad Wijayanuddin Ali (Chemical Engineering Department Universiti
Teknologi, Malaysia)
Associate Prof. & Director, Rahmat Awang (Universiti Sains Malaysia. Director of National
Poison Centre, Malaysia, and Secretary of the Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology,
Malaysia)
Associate Professor and Chairman, Joon Pil Cho (Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou
University Hospital, Korea)
Dr. Gilbert Lau (Deputy Director, Health Sciences Authority Centre for Forensic Medicine,Singapore)
Associate Prof. & Director, Irma R. Makalinao (University pf the Philippines College ofMedicine, Pharmacology & Toxicology, National Poison Control and Information Service,
Philippine)
Lecture. Mazian Abdullash (University of Sains Malaysia)
International PR Committee
Mrs. Carmen Chaves (Costa Rica)

Program (August 25, 2004)

Place:

The conference hall, Congress Center of the Investigation City,The School of Nutrition, The University of Costa Rica

Opening Remarks(August 25, am 8:20-8:30) Prof. Leda Muñoz Garcia
Former Vice-Rector, The University of Costa Rica
Honor President of the URMPM Special Conference in Costa Rica.

(August 25, am 8:30-8:40) Prof. Ryoji Sakai
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, etc., URMPM Chairperson.
President of the URMPM Special Conference in Costa Rica.

Greeting Address(Chairperson) Prof. Leda Muñoz Garcia, Costa Rica.

(August 25, am 8:40-9:00) Rector & Prof. Yamileth Gonzalez
The University of Costa Rica.

Welcome Addresses(Chairperson) Prof. Ryoji Sakai, Japan.

(August 25, am 9:00-9:10) Prof. Tadanori Inomata
Ambassador, Japan Embassy in Costa Rica,
Former Prof. of Kobe University, Japan)(August 25, am 9:10-9:20) Prof. Viacheslav K Ilyin
Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, Russia(August 25, am 9:20-9:30) Prof. Banwari L. Meel
President, African Society of Risk Management for Preventive Medicine
University of Transkei, School of Medicine, South Africa

Memorial Address (1)(Chairpersons) Prof. Alcira Castillo Martinez, Costa Rica.

(August 25, am 9:30-10:30) Dr. Maria del Rocio Saenz Madrigal
Health Minister, Costa Rica Government
Topic: Risk Management Strategy for Preventive Health Control.

(August 25, am 10:30-10:45) Coffee BreakMemorial Address (2)(August 25, am 10:45-11:15) Prof. Leda Muñoz Garcia (Former Vice-Rector, The
University of Costa Rica), Prof. General Director & Prof.
Patricia Sedo Masis (University of Costa Rica, School of
Nutrition), and Dr. Mario Leon (Director of EBAIS program(38 centres of Health in Montes de Oca and Curridabat),
University of Costa Rica)
Topic: Promotion of Health and Prevention – Challenge for the Training of
Nutritionists.

Title: PROMOTION OF HEALTH AND PREVENTION: CHALLENGES FOR THE
TRAINING OF NUTRITIONISTS
Author(s): *Leda Muñoz Garcia Ph D1, Patricia Sedo Masis M Sc.1, Dr. Mario Leon2
Affiliation(s): 1. School of Nutrition, University of Costa Rica.
2. Director of EBAIS program (38 centers of Health in Montes de Oca and Curridabat)
The School of Nutrition at the University of Costa Rica is the main training and research
institution in Human Nutrition in Costa Rica, with an emphasis on heath promotion andprevention. The health and education conditions of the country have evolved positively and in asignificant way from the 1940´s, with the enforcement of the Social Guarantees Law, and otherstrategies, resulting in a departure from the traditional situation prevailing in the otherCentral American countries. To illustrate this point, the Human Development Index presented
yearly by the United Nations rates the country in the 43th position, out of 177 countries
examined, below only to Chile and Argentina of all the Latin American countries. However,changes in life styles and intense migration processes, together with increased life expectancy,
decreased fertility rates, among other factors, have defined an epidemiologic profile in which
traditional infectious diseases and nutritional deficiencies, coexist with chronic degenerative
diseases and malnutrition due to excesses (energy, fats, etc).
As a result, the two main causes of mortality are cardio vascular diseases and tumors, withgastric cancer representing the first cause within the tumor category, and the highest
prevalence in the world. Obesity, as an associated co-mobility factor is present in 80 % of themain pathologies conforming the morbi-mortality pattern of the country.
This represents a challenging scenario for heath professionals, requiring a multidisciplinary
approach to health and disease, in which the communities and individuals should actively
participate, to build healthier communities, to manage risks appropriately and to promotehealthier life styles. The Ministry of Heath has defined those as priorities in the National Foodand Nutrition Policy for the 2003-2006 period.
In order to prepare the future professionals with the best possible training to respond to thispanorama, the School of Nutrition has defined four strategic challenges that should guide theTraining and Research Programs.
1) An integrated health approach to a population living in a society with high violence
levels, insecurity, imported lifestyles that negatively affect food consumption patterns,
physical activity levels, smoking and use of drugs, and that promotes individuality andweakens
cultural identity, having a vision of health based on disease andpharmacological drugs.
2) The prevalence of multiple pathologies coexisting in the same individual or groups, withclinical signs and treatments overlapping and significantly affecting the quality of live,
specially if heath services are not opportune and integrated.
3) Nutritional strategies should be analyzed together with the food and education
problems, to favor positive changes in groups and persons.
4) Inter-institutional coordination is required to effectively monitor food security;
epidemiological changes and nutritional status of the population, and to evaluate thesocial and health impact of specific programs such as complementary food programs.
The University, as a center of knowledge generation and professional training, has a strategicrole to play.

Educational Lecture (1)(Chairpersons) Prof. Patricia Sedo Masis, Costa Rica.

(August 25, am 11:15-11:45) Prof. Ryoji Sakai
URMPM Chairperson, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, etc.
Topic: Safety Sciences in Medicine.

Educational Lecture (2)(Chairperson) Prof. Patricia Sedo Masis, Costa Rica.

(August 25, am 11:45-pm12:15) Dr. Victor Alvarez Porras
Teleclub, Channel 13, Costa Rica

Topic: Health Education Staring from Infancy as a Fundamental Element in Preventive
Medicine for Developing Country. Spanish*
Author(s): Dr. Victor Alvarez Porras
Teleclub, Channel 13, Costa Rica
For the last 30 years I have been a television medical talk show host on shows that ran for 20
minutes each week – a 10 minute talk on a particular topic and 10 minutes to answer questions
via telephone call-ins from viewers. This experience coupled with my 35 years in pediatricpractice have led me to conclude that one of the greatest problems in the field of preventive
medicine is the lack of information available to the general public. This is true even in fields
that should long since have been addressed, especially by the beginning of the 21st century.
Symptoms, diagnosis, risk factors, treatment and prognosis of diseases in third world countries
are all exceedingly well documented in studies and well known to those charged with publichealth. This, however, is not true of the general public. They are not informed regarding basic
knowledge about their state of health, even when the symptoms are evident and of course, evenless so with regard to how to prevent the development of disease.
In spite of all the economic effort expended, the situation has not improved as anticipated overthe last 50 years. This is due in large measure to the ignorance of a vast percentage of the
population, particularly in the lower economic classes, but the privileged classes are not exempt
either. A 96% literacy rate does not directly correspond to 96% eradication of ignorance. I don’t
believe that the solution lies in building more hospitals, buying more medicine or even in more
health professionals. These solutions are applicable once the onset of disease has occurred, a far
more critical level than we wish to address at this point. In fact, what we are seeking is just the
opposite – to rid us of the necessity for these services by supplying populations with the
instruments necessary to stop problems before they start. Clearly the solution lays in striving
for a well-educated population with regard to health matters.
I feel that one of the solutions most at hand with regard to methodology, would be to incorporate
preventive health policies within the educational systems already in existence in our countries
and further reinforce them. We must make it possible for children to learn from infancy, thatthey are the owners of their own body and that, if they are not sufficiently familiar with how
their body works and what they need to do keep it at its best, they will suffer dire healthconsequences throughout their lives. One way to take best advantage of educational
opportunities already available in our educational systems, would be to include healtheducation within all required educational programs at all levels: day care, preschool, primaryschool, high school and even the university. Health education should be made available forstudents, as well as teachers and parents.
The challenge today is to transmit the greatest amount of useful information to our populations
with regard to health care in our daily lives. We will look at some practical situations where
this has been successfully achieved.

Business Meeting

Extended Business Meeting by the URMPM Society Presidents and all
new executive members. – Chaired by R. Sakai.

(August 25, pm 12:15- 13:00) At Congress Center.
Place: Meeting room in the Investigation City in the University of Costa Rica

(August 25, pm 12:15-13:00) Lunch

Keynote Address (1)(Chairpersons) Dr. Victor Alvarez Porras, Costa Rica.

(August 25, pm 13:00-13:30)

Prof. Viacheslav K Ilyin1*, Kostrov S.V.1, Dr. Lauriniavichius K.S.2, Dr.
Starkova L.V.2, Dr. Chuvilskaya3, Dr. Velikodvorskaya G.S3, Ogorodnikov
I.G4.
1. Russian Federation State Research Center – Institute for Biomedical
Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
2. Institute for Molecular Genetics Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow,
Russia3. Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology o0f microorganisms, Russian
Academy of Sciences, Puschino, Russia,
4. Company “Ogorodnikov and Partners”, Moscow, Russia
Topic: Biodegradation of Plant Residuals and Cellulose Wipes Using Microbial
Associations and Strains.

Title: BIODEGRADATION OF PLANT RESIDUALS AND CELLULOSE WIPES USINGMICROBIAL ASSOCIATIONS AND STRAINS
Author(s): Ilyin V.K., Kostrov S.V.*, Lauriniavichius K.S.**, Starkova L.V., Chuvilskaya**,
Velikodvorskaya G.S.*, Ogorodnikov I.G***.
Affiliation(s): Russian Federation State Research Center – Institute for Biomedical Problems,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia / Institute for Molecular Genetics Russian
Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia / Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology o0f
microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, Puschino, Russia / Company “Ogorodnikov andPartners”, Moscow, Russia
The waste management strategy for the future should meet the benefits of humanity safety,
respect principals of planet ecology, and compatibility with other habitability systems. For these
purpose the waste management technologies, relevant to application of the biodegradation
properties of bacteria are of great value. Biological treatment method is based upon thebiodegradation of organic substances by various microorganisms.
The objectives of our study were: to evaluate effectiveness of microbial biodegradation ofvegetable non-edible residuals and disposed cotton-made hygienic wipes, using artificial
inoculum; to study peculiarities of biogas, possibilities to optimize or to reduce the share ofmethane.
First phase of investigations concerned degradation of non-edible residuals using selectedbacterial association, used as inoculum for launcing of substrate biodegradation.
The diminution rate of organic gained 76% from initial mass took part within 9 days offermentation. The biogas production achieved 46 l per 1 kg of substrate. The microbial studies ofbiodegradation process revealed following peculiarities: (i) gradual quantitative increasing of
Lactobacillus sp. (from 103 to 105 colony forming units (CFU) per ml); (ii)activation of Clostridia
sp. (from 102 to 104 CFU/ml); (iii) elimination of aerobic conventional pathogens(Enterobacteriaceae, Protea sp., staphylococci). Chromatography analysis revealed constantpresence of carbon dioxide (up to 90.9%). There were traces of methane (0.1-0.4%).
However, when we optimized the methane production in "boiling layer" using methanogenic
granules, the amount of methane in biogas reached 80-90%.
Other investigations concerned biodegradation of disposed cotton-made wipes used for personal
hygiene. The investigations consisted of 2 parts. First – active cellulases were chosen. The
average diminution rate of dry mass, however, did not exceeded 15%. Then, while cocultivationof Clostridia termophilic strain, which produced cellulose, the substrate dry mass sufficiently
decreased (up to 90%) . The obtained solution of olygosaccarides was a good substrate formethanogenic bacteria.
The results of the study are applicable for optimization of environmental health as well as forlife support of people in artificially modified environment (spaceships and other confined
habitats).
There are evidences, that specifically modified (treated by hard UV or by neutron stream) liquid
media can optimize cultivation of microbes. The current investigations are directed to learn thepossibility of liquid substances, treated this way, to accelerate biodegradation of substrates.

Session (1)Precautionary principle in health risk management strategy.
(Chairpersons) Prof. Viacheslav K Ilyin, Russia.
(August 25, pm 13:30-13:55)
Topic: Usefulness of a Program: “Strengthening Public Health in Costa Rica”
President, Ronald Melendez Arce (Director of Board, National Council for
Scientific and Technological Research; CONICIT, Costa Rica)(August 25, pm 13:55-14:20)
Topic: Physical, Chemical, and Micro-Biological Risk Management in Food
Industries of Costa Rica. Spanish*
General Director & Prof. Floribeth Viquez Rodriguez (University of Costa
Rica, Centro Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos, Costa Rica)(August 25, pm 14:20-14:45)
Topic: SARS : A Wake-up Call for Medical Education!
Dr. A. Azim Majumder (President, Bangladesh Society, University of
Science Malaysia, Malaysia)(August 25, pm 14:45-15:10)
Topic: Health promotion, Health Protection and Preventive Medicine
Education at Secondary and University Level in Slovakia with Impact
on Praxis in Primary Health Care.
Dr. Kvetoslava Rimarova (Institute of Histology and Embryology,
Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia)(August 25, pm 15:10-15:35)
Topic: Risk Management of Chronic Life Long Infection of Healicobacter
Pylori in the Tropics and the Subtropics – Learn from theInvestigation in Tanzania and Dominican Republic.
Dr. Kazuo Aoki (Oita University, Japan), Prof. Junichi Misumi (Oita
University, Japan), Dr. Mercedes Castro (Dominican Republic), Dr.
Mildre Disla (Dominican Republic), Dr. Paul Kihaile (Tanzania), Dr.
Thomas Nyambo (Tanzania).
(August 25, pm 15:35-16:00) Session Discussion(August 25, pm 16:00-16:15) Coffee BreakTitle: USEFULNESS OF A PROGRAM: “STRENGTHENING PUBLIC HEALTH RESEARCH
IN COSTA RICA”
Author(s): President, Ronald Melendez Arce
Affiliation(s): Consejo Nacional para Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICIT)(President, Board of Directors, National Council for Scientific and Technological Research(CONICIT) )Public health is a recurrent topic in the public policy agendas of the Latin American
governments. Without doubt, programs implemented in support of the third world countries
contribute greatly to the scientific and technological development of the countries.
Accordingly, the National Council for Science and Technology Research executed the program“Strengthening public health research in Costa Rica”, which has been financed with resourcesfrom the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), from the Ministry of Science andTechnology (MICIT), through the Incentives Fund, and from CONICIT. The program started in
February, 2002, received cooperation from Dr. Rodrigo Zeledón Araya, former president of
CONICIT’S Governing Board and researcher in the field of public health, in order to achieve agood program design and improved implementation. Dr. Zeledon’s observations, comments, andrecommendations were undoubtedly very valuable.
The principal objective of the program was to strengthen the development of biomedical, clinical,
and public health research in Costa Rica.
Thus, in coordination with the Ministry of Health, four public health priority areas in Costa
Rica were defined, namely: Health policies and reforms, Health systems and services, Disease
prevention and promotion of health, environmental health.
Resources were allocated to research on:• Prevention of traffic accidents and family and community violence, in all manifestations• Prevention and control of cervical cancer and tumors of high prevalence in the country,
stomach cancer, prostate cancer, and breast cancer with emphasis on early detection, timely
diagnosis and treatment.
• Prevention, control, and eradication of new, emerging, and re-emerging diseases: dengue,cholera, malaria, and other diarrhea, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted diseases, andAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), hatavirosis, and leptospirosis.
• Prevention, control, and eradication of immunopreventable diseases and insertion of new
vaccines in the basic vaccinations schedule. Adult vaccination• Food communicable diseases• Any Costa Rican citizen by birth or naturalization, embarked in a post-graduate program or
working in the country in the area of medical sciences, would be eligible for financing. Two
components were defined: research projects by post-graduate students (Component A) andcollaborative research projects shared by national researchers and with others fromcountries of the region (Component B).
The research projects were executed over a period of no more than 24 months, with a maximum
financial allocation of US$5 000,00 (Component A) and US$10 000,00 (Component B).
A Scientific Advisory Committee created specifically for the purpose, studied and maderecommendations on the proposals. Said Committee received support from CONICIT for theevaluation of proposals and to define evaluation criteria and follow-up.
The CONICIT Governing Board or the Incentives Fund Commission members were jointly
responsible of approving or rejecting the proposals, while taking into consideration therecommendations issued by the Scientific Advisory Committee.
Thus, this program was executed supporting 21 research projects, some of which are currently
in their final stage, and today all are part of the experience accrued and a significant
contribution to public health research in Costa Rica.

Title: MICRO-BIOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL, AND CHEMICAL RISK ASSESSMENT IN THE
FOOD INDUSTRY OF COSTA RICA
Author(s): Fernando Aguilar & Floribeth Viquez*
Affiliation(s): Centro Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia de Alimentos (CITA), San Jose, Costa
Rica
STUDY PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk assessment (physical, chemical andmicrobiological) in the Costar Rican food industry and put it in a numerical way so that it could
be compared to an ideal.
MATERIALS & METHODS:
A representative sample of 87 companies (small, medium and large) from different food industry
sectors was used. Data was evaluated using a tool developed by CITA, called “DiagnosticoTecnologico Cuantitativo” (DTC) (Quantitative Technological Diagnosis), based on Codex
Alimentarius’ regulations, which allows to determinate company’s technological level. Eachdiagnosis was done by two food technologists trained on its use, in a visit on a normal operation
day. The DTC consists of more than 700 variables, 150 of which are related to microbiologicalrisk assessment, 44 to chemical and 38 to physical risk assessment. A 100% grade represents
the ideal risk assessment and it means the enterprise has a full control on it.
RESULTS:
Accomplishment average of 52,0%, 49,5% and 48,3% were determined for microbiological,
physical and chemical risk assessment.
DISCUSSION:
Microbiological risk assessment refers to company’s ability to control any biological agent, or its
metabolic products, that can represent a potential hazard to consumers; chemical risk
assessment refers to its capacity to control any chemical substance present in food in a natural,
intentional or accidental way that could be potentially harmful to consumer’s health in a short,medium or long term; physical risk assessment refers to its capacity to control any foreignmaterial that can cause choking, injury or any other health problem to consumers. Results showthat overall risk assessment (microbiological, physical and chemical) is near 50 %. Also a 98,2%
maximum accomplishment and a 11,3% minimum were observed. These results reveal the large
variation in risk assessment of enterprises evaluated, small companies being the ones with thelowest grades.
CONCLUSIONS:
Results show the need for technical support programs mainly oriented to small and medium
enterprises (SME’s), in order to make them more competitive.

Title: SARS: A WAKE UP CALL FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION!
Author(s): Dr. Md. Anwarul Azim Majumder, Lecturer, Department of Medical Education &Sayeeda Rahman, PhD Student, Department of Pharmacology
Affiliation(s): School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, School of Medical Sciences,
Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) epidemic has emerged to be a global publichealth threat and presented a number medical education implications to be considered. The
outbreak has disclosed the weaknesses of health care services to manage the disease as well as
established the dedication of medical profession to care for the sick – all these bring the healthprofessionals in the limelight. Much have been discussed and debated about SARS since its
outbreak, however, the role and importance of medical education to control and prevent it was
not highlighted. As SARS is a relatively new medical problem, health care professionals shouldbe trained adequately to prevent and manage the disease as well as educate the public about its
transmission, management and prevention. Health professionals are central to managing anddelivering health services. Even with adequate funds and resources, a country’s ability toabsorb them to fight against SARS or other deadly infections will be constrained without
appropriate human resources for health. The paper discusses the various issues in relation tocurriculum planning for SARS and any other novel infections.

Title: HEALTH PROMOTION, HEALTH PROTECTION AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINEEDUCATION AT SECONDARY AND UNIVERSTY LEVEL IN SLOVAKIA WITH IMPACT ON
PRAXIS IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
Author(s): Rimarova, K.*
Affiliation(s): Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Košice, Slovakia
Study purpose: First part of the study is going to evaluate education for nurses, medical doctors
and public health professionals in Slovakia with the question if offered teaching curricula aresufficient for the field of health promotion and health protection. The aim of sequel study thestudy was to evaluate Knowledge, Attitude and Practice approaches of primary health careteams in the field of health promotion and also to establish the needs for further healthpromotion training. The results from collected questionnaires gave a basic information about
aspects of health promotion status in Slovak republic.
Materials and methods: The paper presents review about all preventive, social and publichealth teaching aspects in the education for nurses, medical and dental physicians, publichealth professionals. The schools for nurses and Medical faculties have compatible andequivalent criteria The next questionnaires study collected questionnaires from the membersof primary health care teams it means G.P.s, paediatricians and nurses. Data processing fromthis cross-sectional epidemiological study in 658 questionnaires with 17 questions or opinions
KAP - (8 Knowledge, 6 Attitude, 3 Practice). Data processing was in software Epi-Info andresults are in Excell.
Results: First group of questions for participants were about basic Knowledge from healthpromotion: health dimensions, vaccination, screening, prevention in hypertension, counting
BMI index, definition of health education, steps in health promotion planning. Knowledge
question are quite sufficient in the both groups of university and non-university (nurses)
educated workers.
The next group of questions is monitoring the Attitude and approach of health care workers to
own health, about effect of health care, community development and health education. In thisquestions the proportion between attitude in physicians and nurses is has no significant
differences.
Practice questions show a large problem where the physicians and nurses are not able toanswer a question “why they cannot do more for health promotion”. The answers given in thequestionnaire do not give them a right explanation and for health promotion in the primary
health care team. In the primary health care which has been fist in process of privatization is aproblem with preventive measures and their payment from the side of
In the KAP test
analysis there are no age statistical difference, the primary health care workers were divided
into 3 age groups (20-35, 36-49, 50 and more)
K - Knowledge questions show sufficient knowledge of prevention and health promotion among
primary health care workers more expressed, of course, in the group of nurses also there aresufficient curricula on both university and secondary school level.
2. A - Attitude questions show higher preference of curative measures in the work of PHT,
preference of health aspects in the community development and responsibility both physicians
and patient for own health.
3. P - Practice questions show problem in the system of proportion between preventive andcurative measures where is stressed the shortage of time to make a preventive measure andalso a lack of education and legal gaps
Conclusions: The results of KAP test show also priorities, advantages and disadvantages in the
education of health promotion which seems to be from curricula very sufficient but there is alower practical output among nurses and physicians. There is need to base a new projects
providing financial support for a training of health promotion which should improve situationin the Slovak Republic.

Title: RISK MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC LIFE LONG INFECTION OF HELICOBACTERPYLORI IN THE TROPICS AND THE SUBTROPICS – LEARNING FROM THE
INVESTIGATIONS IN TANZANIA AND DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Author(s): Kazuo Aoki, Junichi Misumi, Mercedes Castro, Mildred Disla, Paul Kihaile, Thomas
Nyambo.
Affiliation(s): Division of Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Oita University, JapanSTUDY PURPOSE:
The purpose of this study was to determine basic precautionary measures to prevent a precancerous lesion for
gastric cancer, chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) in the tropics (Tanzania) and the subtropics (Dominican
Republic). First, the prevalences of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) in the general populations of Tanzania,
Dominican Republic, Japan and China were clarified in surveys on the upper intestinal diseases and gastriccancer done in 1991 and in 1996/1997. Secondly, we clarified some correlations between some factors related tosocioeconomic status, living environments, education level, and health indicators, and the prevalences of CAG
and H. pylori infection among these four countries.
MATERIALS & METHODS:
This study on prevalence of HP, CAG and serum gastrin values took place in both Japan in 1991, China in
1996/1997, Tanzania in 2002 and the Dominican Republic in 2001/2002 and was similar to our earlier studies(Aoki et al. Environ Health Prev Med 1996; 1:136-146. / J Phys Fit Nutr Immunol 2004; 14 (in press), and thesame protocol was used. Also, the same method of random subjects selection and study design were used as
described in our previous study. Briefly, after randomly choosing the subjects, those with chronic illnesses were
excluded from the study (Aoki et al. J Phys Fit Nutr Immunol 2004; 14 (in press)). The numbers eligible for the
study were; 859 from Japan, 1,741 China; 573 Tanzania and 1,215 Dominican Republic. The prevalences of H.
pylori and CAG were age-adjusted to the World population in 1995.
RESULT:
The prevalences of H. pylori infection and CAG were 53.0% and 0.318, 77.6% and 0.109, 86.2% and 0.262, and62.1% and 0.205 in Japan, China, Tanzania and Dominican Republic respectively. In Tanzania, the prevalenceof H. pylori infection was extremely high (> 80%) in the age group less than 30 years compared to that (about50%) in the same age class in Dominican Republic. The prevalences of H. pylori increased in Japan, Dominican
Republic, China, and Tanzania in order. This tendency of prevalences of H. pylori infection agreed by and large
with socioeconomic status, health index, and educational level, etc.
DISCUSION:
The prevalences of H. pylori infection largely differed between Tanzania and Dominican Republic although bothcountries are located in the tropics and the subtropics. The prevalence of H. pylori infection was 86.2% in thegeneral population in Tanzania compared to 62.1% in Dominican Republic. The prevalence rates for H. pylori
were closely related with socioeconomic status among four countries. In four countries studied, the increase
tendency of prevalence of H. pylori in Japan, Dominican Republic, China, and Tanzania was in inverse
proportion to socioeconomic status, health index, and educational level. In general, this result was consistent
with many previous reports in which, the prevalence of H. pylori infection varied depending on the ethnic group,
the diffusion of purification plant and sewerage, sanitary condition, food hygiene, educational level, andsocioeconomic status in each countries, and good status and/or condition for these items were in inverse
proportion to the prevalence of H. pylori infection.
Although the mortality and prevalence for gastric cancer in the tropical Tanzania and Dominican Republic, are
not high compared with those in Japan and China we are worried that the strong correlation between H. pylori
infection and gastric cancer shown in our study, may in future lead to increase in mortality and prevalence ofgastric cancer as the average life span increases in the tropics. Currently in the tropics they pay attention only
to acute infectious diseases such as HIV and malaria but it is important to consider reducing mortality andprevalence for gastric cancer in twenty or forty years. Lack of funds makes prevention of all the above factors
difficult in developing world and therefore high priority should be given to the improve education on foodhygiene and simultaneously to expedite the development of vaccine for H. pylori infection.
CONCLUSIONS:In developing countries like Tanzania where HP infection is high (~90%), it is expensive and difficult to do both
gastrointestinal tract examination and treatment with expensive antibiotics and therefore development of a
vaccine to prevent HP infection is a good alternative that should be considered by researchers.

Session (2)Environmental and ecological risk management for health prevention.
(Chairpersons) Prof. Banwari L. Meel, South Africa. Dr. Kazuo Aoki, Japan.
(August 25, pm 16:15-16:40)
Topic: Impact of the Nickel Chroride in the Vital Functions and Heat Chock
Proteins.
AFAIEDH NajLa.*1 ;ALLAGUI,M.S.1;CROUTE,F.2; SOLEILHAVOUP,J.2;
AYADI, F.M.3; GUERMAZI, F.4 and EL FEKI, A.1
1 . Labo.Eco Physiologie Animale, Faculté des sciences de Sfax -Tunisie
2 . Labo.de Biolgie Cellulaire et Pollution, faculté de Médecine de Toulouse Purpon-France
3 . Labo. Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax- Tunisie
4 . Labo. Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax – Tunisie(August 25, pm 16:40-17:05)
Topic: Impact of Intermittent Fasting on the Sexual Functions of Nickel in the
Rat.
Kamel JAMMOUSSI (3) Fatma Makni Ayadi(3) Fadhel GUERMAZI (4), et Abdelfattah EL
FEKI(1)

1 : Labo.Eco Physiologie Animale, Faculté des sciences de Sfax -Tunisie
2 : Labo.de Biolgie Cellulaire et Pollution, faculté de Médecine de ToulousePurpon-France
3 : Labo. Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax- Tunisie
4 : Labo. Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax - Tunisie(August 25, pm 17:05-17:30)
Topic: CADMIUM EFFECT ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF
JAPANESE QUAIL S´ KIDNEYS
Drs. Tatiana Kimaková1, Kamila Bernasovska2, Beata Korenekova3
Kvetoslava Rimarova2
1. Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
2.Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
3. Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine,
Kosice, Slovakia(August 25, pm 17:30-17:50) Session Discussion(August 25, pm 7:00- pm 9:00) Banquet for the registered participants and theinvited guests.

Title: IMPACT OF THE NICKEL CHLORIDE IN THE VITAL FUNCTIONS AND HEATCHOCK PROTEINS
Author(s): AFAIEDH N.*1 ;ALLAGUI,M.S.1;CROUTE,F.2; SOLEILHAVOUP,J.2;
AYADI, F.M.3; GUERMAZI, F.4 and EL FEKI, A.1
Affiliation(s): 1: Labo.Eco Physiologie Animale, Faculté des sciences de Sfax –Tunisie
2 : Labo.de Biolgie Cellulaire et Pollution, faculté de Médecine de ToulousePurpon-France
3 : Labo. Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax- Tunisie
4 : Labo. Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax – Tunisie
Nickel chloride is considered as one of the most important pollutants of the environment since
its atmospheric and terrestrial extension. On the other hand, it is the fact of being at the originof numerous diseases.
As the objective is to prove that Nickel chloride could manifest the cytotoxic effects in the vitalfunctions and upon the expression of heat shock proteins.
For that raison, Nickel choloride is administrated (4mg/Kg) orally or through injection to maleand female rats.
The exploration of the kidney function is achieved by the determination of urea and creatinine
in blood and by histology of kidney .
The exploration of sexual function is achieved through the determination of sexual organ
weight and by the determination of the testosterone level in the serum, and by ovary andtesticular histology .
Our results show that Nickel chloride could have an impact on the renal function. This is
illustrated by the decrease of the kidney weight and increase of the creatinine and urea level inblood, and by structural alteration of the cortical zone of kidney.
Concerning its impact on the sexual function, we observe for the male rats a decrease in thenumber and the mobility of spermatozoids , as well as the variation of testosterone level. For
the female rats, the ovary histology shows a decrease in the number of follicular cells.
As far as the impact of Nickel chloride on the expression of heat shock proteins is concerned, we
have found the inhibition of the expression of heat shock protein (HSP72) and the activation of
the expression of other heat shock proteins (HSP73 and Grp94).
Our conclusion is that the Nickel chloride could react as an oxidative stress through its cytotoxic
effects.

Title: IMPACT OF INTERMITTENT FASTING ON THE SEXUAL FUNCTIONS OF NICKELIN THE RAT
Author(s): NajLa HFAÏEDH (1), Mohamed Salah ALIAGUI(1), Françoise CROUTE(2), Jean
Pierre SOLEILHAVOUP (2)Affiliation(s): 1 : Labo.Eco Physiologie Animale, Faculté des sciences de Sfax -Tunisie
2 : Labo.de Biolgie Cellulaire et Pollution, faculté de Médecine de ToulousePurpon-France
3 : Labo. Biochimie, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax- Tunisie
4 : Labo. Biophysique, Faculté de Médecine de Sfax – Tunisie
Abstract:
A significant decrease of human fertility was revealed by recent epidemiological studies. Thisphenomenon could be in part due to the increasing environmental contamination by chemicals.
In parallel, experimental and epidemiological studies indicated that some caloric restriction
could improve both health and life span.
In this frame, our study was designed to compare the incidence of nickel poisoning, in
combination with either ad libitum feeding or intermittent starvation, upon mating andreproduction in rats.
Wistar male and female rats were either fed ad libitum (N ) or fed one day over two(intermittent fasting, J). Half of each group was then submitted to nickel poisoning.
We have used 200 rats male and female of "wistar" descent and bodily weight around 180 g formales and 130 g for the female. These rats are distributed in two groups : some nourished daily(N) and others nourished one day over two (J) during a month . At the end of this month, eachgroup is it self split into two subgroups : one receiving tap water as drinkable water (group NO
and JO). The other receiving the water enriched by the chloride of nickel at the rate of 100 mg
NiCL2/l (group NNi and JNi). The intermittent fasting goes on in parallel to treatment during 2,
4, 10, 16, 30 and 60 days. For the exploration of the MDA, the nickel is administered byinjection at the rate of 4 mg NiCl2/kg during 1, 3, 5 and 10 days.
Under our experimental conditions, nickel poisoning was found to induce an atrophy of thesomniferous tubules, a decrease of spermatozoids counting with presence of abnormal.
Spermatozoids, and a decrease of plasma testosterone level. in female , a decrease in thenumber of mature follicles was observed.
Surprisingly, similar adverse effects, i.e., decrease of normal spermatozoids counting anddecrease of plasma testosterone level, were observed in male rats submitted to intermittent
fasting.
Analysis of inter-groups mating revealed that eggs implantation was much reduced both innickel-treated and intermittently-starved rats. The lowest pregnancy index was found in NNi
females mated with NO males. The lowest number of eggs implantation was observed in NO
females mated with NNi males. Effects of nickel poisoning and of intermittent starvation were
not found to be additive.
Increase of MDA level in NNi rats, and to a lower extent in JNi rats, suggests that nickel
poisoning results in peroxidation at the level of uterus and ovaries.
Our results indicate that intermittent fasting and nickel poisoning decrease rat fertility bydifferent mechanisms. We postulate that intermittent fasting could increase over expression ofstress proteins which could partly protect the organism from the nickel-induced oxidative stress.

Title: CADMIUM EFFECT ON MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES OF JAPANES QUAIL S´
KIDNEYS
Author(s): Kimaková, T. 1, Bernasovska, K.2, Korenekova, B. 3,Rimarova, K. 2*
Affiliation(s): 1 Institute of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice,Slovakia
2 Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
3 Research Institute of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine,
Kosice, Slovakia
Study purpose: Cadmium belongs to the group of heavy metal and is widely used in industry
and also in agriculture as a contaminated part of artificial man-made fertilisers. Cadmium
affects human health through occupational and environmental exposure. In mammals, it exerts
multiple toxic effects. Revised multiple mechanisms are discussed, such as modulation of gene
expression and signal transduction interference with enzymes of the cellular antioxidant system
and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), inhibition of DNA, repair and DNA
methylation, role in apoptosis and disruption of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion.
Cadmium affects both gene transcription and translation. In humans, extended exposure to low
Cd concentration levels results in adverse effects to the kidneys, bones, lungs, testes, theimmune, nervous, and the cardiovascular systems. Once Cd is sequestered inside the body, it
becomes bio-concentrated and has the potential of affecting human health. Very sensitive
indicator of environmental burden with trace elements are animals and humans living in
polluted area. The aim of the present study was determination of Cd effect on Japanese quails´ inner organs on the level of morphologic and histological changes.
Materials and methods: In bio-animal experimental essay have been used two groups of poultry– each group per 6 animals. The “first” group was control. In the second experimental group,
cadmium (Cd2+) in the form of water solution CdCl2 was administered daily in dose 0,12 mg
Cd/ day and animal. Poultry were fed complete feed mixture for poultry HYD 10 set as fullvalue feed. Water and feed mixture were provided ad libitum. The broiler chicks were kept incages on favourable microclimatic conditions for growing. The samples were obtained on 58th
day of experiment. The mean weight of Japanese quails during the experiment was 170g. The
experimental conditions complied with the requirements for ethical standards of welfare andanimal treatment. Ethical committee of UVM declared presented trial. The samples of kidney
were fixed by 4% formaldehyde and dehydrated in graded alcohol solution, embedded in paraffin
wax, sectioned, dewaxed and mounted on glass slides. Sections were stained routinely withhaematoxylin and eosin.
Results: In the exposed group of quail’s kidney, vacuolisation of cytoplasm was observed. The
histological picture of the kidneys shown, that epithelial cells were desquamated in the lumenof the tubules. These results are in agreement with literature sources where similar pictures
were observed: dysfunction and damage of kidney, mainly in the proximal tubules. The levelsof Cd deposition in tissues depend in the type of tissue, but this element is deposited mostly inliver and kidney tissues.
Conclusions: In conclusion, the present study suggests that cadmium exposure may alter innerorgans and tissues of poultry. Analysis for the presence of environmental pollutants - mainly
residues of trace elements like Cd, Hg, Pb in animals tissues that are used as human food isimportant in an ecological sense because enables us to evaluate the effects of environmental
pollution.

Program (August 26, 2004)

Place:

The conference hall, Congress Center of the Investigation City,The School of Nutrition, The University of Costa Rica

Keynote Address (2)(Chairpersons) Dr. Victor Alvarez Porras, Costa Rica.

(August 26, am 9:30-10:00) Prof. & Director, Alcira Castillo Martinez
University of Costa Rica, Faculty of Medicine, School of Public Health
Topic: Improvement of Health Management in the Local Health Level in Costa
Rica. - An Experience of Training. Spanish*Title: IMPROVEMENT OF HEALTH MANAGEMENT IN THE LOCAL LEVEL IN COSTA
RICA: AN EXPERIENCE OF TRAINING
Author(s): Prof. Dr. Alcira Castillo Martinez
Affiliation(s): University of Costa Rica, Faculty of Medicine, Director of the Public Health School,
San Jose, Costa Rica.
STUDY PURPOSE: Identify and analyze the problems of the health management in the firstlevel of primary attention of the health services of Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social to
improve an enabling plan for the professionals on health.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Analysis and explanation of the problems of management on thefirst level of primary attention on health. Identification of critical knots, their determinations
and conditions. Thematic and pedagogic design of the educational offering.
RESULT: The Reform of Health sector begins in Costa Rica in 1994 with the re-organization of
the model of attention with emphasis on the first level of attention, it cause organizing,
administrative, technical, ideological, and technological changes which make impact on theactions and traditional practices of the health management. All this implies the appearance ofproblems in health management, relative to lack of knowledge and human resources practices
in the analysis of the local health situation, the strategically planning of actions on health, theincorporation of the population with social participation, and problems relative to the technicalapproaching of health primary attention with integral perspective.
DISCUSION: Working on the first level of primary attention requires of the development ofcapabilities relative to abilities, attitudes and human resources knowledge, specially, from theprofessionals who attend the persons and the population groups, taking into consideration theirneeds and health problems, using the institutional and community resources; so on, thecommunity focus, the cultural sensibility to understand the material conditions and the culture
perceived by the persons around, how to build and keep the health, as well as the developmentof the quality and security of the attention, are the conditions to improve the way to humanize
and guarantee the continuity of the health attention with the services of other attention levels
and with community nets. By other way, it is also required the development of the capabilities
for the orientation to change, considering this as a risk and achievement element in the dailylabor; the ability to practice influence with knowledgements and positive attitudes to makepotency in the active participation of people in health management, and the ability of working
as a whole to generate the collective management in making total decisions results the creationof favorable environments for the total actions among the health professionals and thecommunity.
CONCLUSIONS: The factors obtained from the research process improve the qualification
process with the methodology of distance education in which the offering of contents isorganized with modulates of auto-learning, which redefine this aspects of knowledge,
methodology and techniques of attention process of integral health, relative to the found main
health problems and health management; particularly, we deepen on the theory and practice inthe twelve different modulates that conform the Special Course of post graduate in Health Local
Management, with 170 hours of presence study, plus the hours of auto-study, which is given indecentralized way in all of the health regions of the country, since eight years ago. Action which
serves as example of the work as a whole between the University and the academy with thehealth services to attend with greater efficacy and equity the concrete problems of healthmanagement in the health local level.

Session (3)Resource allocation and marketing in health risk management.

(Chairpersons) Prof. Zourgui Lazhar, Tunizia. Dr. Jian Sun, Canada.

(August 26, am 10:00-10:25)
Topic: Biodegradation of Plant Residuals and Cellulose Wipes Using Microbial
Associations and Strains.
Prof. Viacheslav K Ilyin1, Ogorodnikov I.G2*, Esiev S S, and Tiurina D.A.1.
1. Russian Federation State Research Center – Institute for Biomedical
Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
2. Company “Ogorodnikov and Partners”, Moscow, Russia(August 26, am 10:25-10:35) Coffee Break(August 26, am 10:35-11:00)
Topic: Nutrition for Health Promotion: Challenges of Graduate Programs inCentral America.
Prof. Xinia Elena Fernandez (University of Costa Rica, Graduate
Program on Human Nutrition, School of Nutrition, Costa Rica)(August 26, am 11:00-11:25)
Topic: Applying Burden of Disease Measures to Assess the National Health
Insurance Performance in Iran.
Dr. Mehdi Russel (Keele University, The Center of Health Planning andManagement, Staffordshire, UK)(August 26, am 11:25-11:45) Session Discussion

Title: BIODEGRADATION OF PLANT RESIDUALS AND CELLULOSE WIPES USINGMICROBIAL ASSOCIATIONS AND STRAINS
Author(s): Ilyin V.K., Ogorodnikov I.G.*, Esiev S.S., Tiurina D.A.
Affiliation(s): Russian Federation State Research Center – Institute for Biomedical Problems,
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia*Company “Ogorodnikov and Partners”, Moscow, Russia
The efficiency of usage of ultraviolet-treated water in cultural media for microorganisms,
participated in production of food stuff was studied.. The activity of growth and development
and also different properties of lactobacilli, bifidobacteria and bakery yeasts were analyzed. The
frequency of genetic transfer of Escherichia coli markers in liquid nutrient media were
estimated.
It was shown that under the influence of ultraviolet treated water the propagation of
microorganisms, their restoration from liophylised phase is accelerated. The colonies whichwere grown on the media which contain water, treated by ultraviolet, has increased number ofcolony forming units. The colonies, which were grown on agarised media, containing modified
water, has a tendency of increased production of some enzymes (bacteriocines, beta-lactamase,hemolysin).
Conjugation, performed in the broth based on water, treated by ultraviolet revealed no changes
in plasmids transfer frequency. The number of colony forming units of yeasts also depended on
ultraviolet-treated water in media, as well as on amount of nutrient substances.
Probably one of the leading mechanisms of acquired modifications of bacterial characteristics,
based on modification of electric conductivity in modified media.
The application of ultraviolet-treated water may be recommended for production of foodstuffs indifferent processes, which are used by microorganisms and nutrient media.

Title:NUTRITION FOR HEALTH PROMOTION:
CHALLENGES OF GRADUATEPROGRAMS IN CENTRAL AMERICA
Author(s): Fernandez, Xinia Elena, Ph.D.
Affiliation(s): : Graduate Program on Nutrition, School of Nutrition, University of Costa Rica;
Health Research Institute, University of Costa Rica
The nutritional transition in developing countries such as Costa Rica has brought many
challenges to society. Latin American countries are facing a double burden of nutritional
disease of children that affects health throughout the life course. Most countries of the region
are at different stages of the demographic transition with varying combinations of deficiency
disease with a rapid emergence of diet related chronic disease. Costa Rica as a case isexperiencing a very fast demographic transition where fertility rates and mortality rates are
decreasing and life expectancy is as high as in some developed countries. These changes resultin a significant increment of the elderly group and with it all the requirements for assisting theneeds of this important group of the population. There is a need to solve pending problems
related to malnutrition from insufficiency in the intake of protein, energy and macronutrients,
at the same time as obesity and chronic disease are rising and in many cases coexisting even in
the lower socioeconomic groups.
For many years health programs have been directed to those showing symptoms of disease andsignificant percentages of the budget of health systems used for treatment and medications.
Health Promotion and Prevention Programs are scarce.
Considering the general goal of the World Strategy for Diet, Physical Activity and Healthproposed by OMS that is to promote and protect health through sustainable community,
national and worldwide activities as a mean to reduce morbidity and mortality related tounhealthy diets and lack of physical activity, the world strategy proposes four areas that must
be addressed to achieve the goal:-Reduction of risk factors through Health Promotion and Prevention of disease throughactivities that focus on a healthy diet and promotion of physical activity. Education and social
communication are key for achieving this.
-Food Policy should be compatible to the protection and promotion of health. There is a need forfood and nutrition programs and incentives for agriculture and production of healthy foods.
-National Policy should support healthy diet and physical activity programs for all citizens withspecial attention to infants and children-Nutrition Surveillance and Permanent Evaluation are required to follow up policies andprograms-Research and continuous training should be central in the process of health promotion.
Research should be done at all levels (community, government, private sector and universities,etc). In order to do this, health professionals need to be involved on a permanent process ofimprovement-Advocacy and funding seeking need to be part of all health promotion and prevention activities
The Graduate Program on Human Nutrition at the School of Nutrition at the University of
Costa Rica currently offers a Master Program (72 cr.) on Nutrition for Health Promotion that is
unique in Central America. The program includes courses in three main areas: Nutrition,
Research and Health Promotion.
At this time, the Master program is located only in Costa Rica but we have a regionalization
plan to extend our coverage to the Central American countries. To do so, we are currently
implementing a pedagogical platform that will use distance education, bimodal education andeventually virtual education to reach all countries in Central America. This presentation will
focus on how a Master Program would provide professionals with the best skills to face thechallenge of promoting health through Nutrition. Support is needed to support theregionalization project and to open opportunities to Central American professionals.

Title: APPLYING BURDEN OF DISEASE MEASURES TO ASSESS THE NATIONALHEALTH INSURANCE PERFORMANCE IN IRAN
Author(s): Dr RUSSEL, Mehdi
Affiliation(s): Keele University, Keele, Staffordshire, UK

Background Using DALYs as an indicator to prioritise the health service delivery and reducethe burden of disease for the public is a policy for resource reallocation and essential package
determination for insurance carriers in Iran.
Methods
A cross sectional study was designed to compare several measures of the burdenof disease including DALY, YLL, mortality, and hospital days with the amount of National
Health Insurance (NHI) carriers disbursed, in Iran in 2000. With the use of correlation
coefficient test the relation between these measures and NHI expenditures calculated and withthe use of regression test predicted funs calculated and compared with actual expenditures.
Results
The result of this study showed that there was no strong relation between the
NHI expenditures and DALY (r= 0.41, p=0.09), but there were strong relations between theamounts of NHI reimbursements with YLL(r=0.52, P<0.05), Morality(r=0.67, P< 0.01) andhospital days (r=0.90, P<0.01). However there were significant correlations between total
expenditures (total of NHI and coinsurance payment) with YLL(r=0.49, P<0.05)
mortality(r=0.65, P<0.01) and hospital days(r=0.91, P<0.01).
The differences between actual and predicted expenditures for each disease, with DALY, YLL
and mortality as independent variable calculated by using the regression tests. It shows thegroups of disorders either received less or more resources than predicted.
Comparing each group of disorders’ DALY, with the resources dispersed for them (cost per
DALY) was shown that Diabetes mellitus, musculoskeletal diseases, maternal conditions, senseorgan disorders received considerably generous resources and, perinatal conditions, congenitalabnormalities, nutritional deficiencies was relatively under funded.
Conclusions The NHI expenditures for diseases classification is not associated with the DALY,
however, other measure of burden of disease yield different conclusions.

The First General Assembly of Pan American Society in the URMPM(August 26, am 11:45- pm 12:10) At Conference Hall of the Congress Center

The First General Assembly of Pan American Society of Risk Management for
Preventive Medicine.

–Chaired by Prof. Leda Muñoz Garcia, and R. Sakai.

(August 26, pm 12:10-13:10) Lunch

Educational Lecture (3)(Chairpersons) Prof. Banwari L. Meel, South Africa.

(August 26, pm 13:10-13:40) Dr. Nathalie de Marcellis-Warrin
Montreal University, Center for Interuniversity Research and Analysis
on Organization, Risk Management Research Group, Quebec, Canada)
Topic: Patient Safety Legislation in Quebec (Canada) - Principle and Practice.

Title:PATIENT SAFETY LEGISLATION IN QUEBEC (CANADA):

PRACTICE

PRINCIPLES AND

Author(s): de Marcellis-Warin, Nathalie
Affiliation(s): Ecole Polytechnique de Montreal and CIRANO, Montreal, Canada
STUDY PURPOSE:
During the past decade patient safety has emerged as a major health policy issue. In 1999, theInstitute of Medicine (IOM) concluded in its report To Err is Human: Building a Safer Systemthat medical errors are the eighth leading cause of death in the United States. To address the
problem, there has been a steadily growing and forceful call for legislation that will facilitate
the reporting of health care errors and so that such errors can be identified and analyzed to
improve patient safety by preventing future errors. All governments, and not only in the UnitedStates, tried to develop strategies to ensure safe environment for patients. This study presents
an overview of the patient safety legislation that was passed in Quebec (province of Canada) in
December 2002. Bill 113 made amendments to the Act respecting health services and social
services as regards the safe provision of health services and social services. The legislation
enforces the goal of improving patient safety by creating a mandatory reporting of any accident
and incident. Moreover, every institution is required to form a risk management committee,
responsible for seeking, developing and promoting means to ensure the safety of users and to
reduce the incidence of adverse effects and accidents related to the provision of health services
and social services.
MATERIALS & METHODS:First, we study the purpose and the need for patient safety legislation, second, we present the
principles of the legislation and third, the implementation of such a legislation in practice. We
examine how the legislation might impact healthcare facilities and the needs created:
standardized report forms; investment in information technology; protection of reported
information; use of accident analysis tool; contains of local and provincial registers of incident
and accident; data analysis tools;…. We made a survey on incident/accident reporting in Quebec
Healthcare facilities to analyse the current situation. We worked closely with the ministry ofhealth to help in implementing this law, and to propose tools with which these implementations
could most effectively take place (e.g. incident/accident report forms and an accident analysistool).
RESULT:
The implementation process of the law is very long and works are still in progress. We present
the different steps of this process and the difficulties met by the ministry of health and by thehealthcare facilities. We analyze the results of the survey and show disparities and similarities
between healthcare facilities.
DISCUSION:
The purpose of this legislation is to encourage a culture of safety and quality in the healthcare
system for the purposes of improving the quality of medical care and patient safety. We discuss
the effect of the mandatory reporting and the future goal of this provincial register ofincident/accident.
CONCLUSIONS:
We present the future agenda of the implementation and make policy recommendations forother patient safety legislation.

Session (4)Individual factors – behavior, public acceptance, risk perception, ethics.
(Chaipersons) Dr. Hiroyuki Watanabe, Japan.

(August 26, pm 13:40-14:05)
Topic: The Impact of Ethnic and Social Factors on Reproductive Parameters of
Newbornes and Mother’s from East Slovakia.
Dr. Rimarova Kvetoslava1* , Ostro Alexander2, Bernasovska Kamila1,
Holéczyova Gabriela1, Petrasova Darina3

1. Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
2. IInd Gynecologic clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
3. Institute of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia(August 26, pm 14:05-14:30)
Topic: Back Ground for Falls of Admission Patients.
Dr, Hiroyuki Watanabe (Showa University, Japan), Prof. Kazuyuki
Serada (Showa University, Japan), Dr. Kumiko Kasuya (Showa
University, Japan), Dr. Mieko Matsumoto (Showa University, Japan)(August 26, pm 14:30-14:55)
Topic: Mistake patients: its background and prevention
Watanabe, HA.*, Serada, K., Kozuka, K., Kato, K., Kawana, Y., Muto,
T. (Department of Medicine, Anesthesia, Medical Informatics, Pharmacy
and Nursing, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama,Japan)(August 26, pm 14:55-15:20) Session Discussion(August 26, pm 15:20-15:35) Coffee BreakTitle:THE IMPACT OF ETHNIC AND SOCIAL FACTORS ON REPRODUCTIVE
PARAMETERS OF NEWBORNS AND MOTHERS FROM EAST SLOVAKIA
Author(s): Rimarova K.1*, Ostro A.2, Bernasovska K.1, Holeczyova G.1, Petrasova Darina3
Affiliation(s): 1 Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
2 IInd Gynecologic clinic, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
3 Institute of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
Study purpose: According to the classic categorization the Romanies – Gypsies belong the White race called also
Caucasians, Euro-Asiatic or Indo-Europeans. The Gypsies do not represent a united entity.
The gypsies
minority, particularly females, and their health parameters are completely different from other populationgroups. Gypsies minorities create in the former socialist – East and Central European countries important
political, social, integrating but also health status problems. Knowledge about health of gypsies is only from a
few scientific studies, because general governmental statistics of morbidity, mortality, basic health do notallow to divide population on white and gypsies, so we need planned and structural research, we need datacollection for epidemiological studies to create results about worsening health condition among gypsies,
including reproductive parameters and females health status.
The second part of the study included evaluation of social factors due to standardized data collection fromgynecologic and obstetrical reports.
Material and methods: I. Data from 234 maternal and newborn obstetrics reports were retrospectively
collected on regional Gynecologic and obstetrical center in Kosice. Maternal reports included 234 females ofboth white (173) and gypsies (61) ethnic. Newborn medical reports included data about birth weight, birthlength, chest and head circumference, Apgar score for newborn vitality. Maternal reports and interviews
included basic social health data (smoking, marital status, education, employment, economic activity, coffee
drinking). Reproductive parameters ( f.e. premature delivery, low gestation age, interruption, spontaneousabortion, parity, mother’s weight increase, complications during pregnancy) were collected also from maternaland gynecologic reports.
II. Data from 722 maternal reports (only official statistic data) have been evaluated due to difference of social
status, There is a great impact of education on reproductive parameters, also on the numbers of children in thefamily, gestational age, factor where a strong impact is Databases and statistical analysis outputs werecreated in STATA. All associations are expressed as OR or adjusted OR ratios with 95% confidence interval(Mantel-Haenszel) in logistic regression model. Data of newborns are adjusted for sex of newborn, mother’s age,marital status., smoking, employment, education level and smoking. Reproductive parameters data areadjusted for mother’s age, marital status., smoking, employment, education level and smoking. Data of basicsocial factors as difference between gypsies and white are expressed as RR without adjustment.
Results: Study I. Statistical analysis can define for the group of gypsies mothers significant differences inunemployment rate, low education level, low marital status, low mother’s age.
Statistical multi-logistic analysis of newborn reports shows statistically significant lower birth weight ofgypsies then white. Low birth weight LBW is higher among gypsies group -adjusted OR of LBW is 3,03 (p<0,05). Other parameters of newborns also shows great difference in lower birth length, low head and chest
circumference but not statistically significant. Apgar score for newborn vitality has no differences between
white and gypsies.
Adjusted OR of reproductive parameters for gypsies are not statistically significant comparing to white females,
but shows negative trends in the health of gypsies mothers. They have lower gestational age, more frequentpremature delivery, more frequent multiparity – number of deliveries, more frequent spontaneous abortion,tendency for lower pregnancy weight increase in mothers. Prenatal gynecological disorders are higher in thegroup of gypsies mothers.
Study II. The mother’s education had a significant effect on the number of deliveries. The family status of themother - (life with or without partner) has strong relationship on gestational age: adjusted OR for low
gestational age OR = 2, 82.
Conclusions: The results of our two retrospective cross-sectional studies are showing a great differences
between white females and gypsies females reproductive parameters and also well know social factors impact.
The study is still ongoing as a part of the research grant VEGA1/9310/02 and is proposing to collect more datafrom gynecologic clinic.
The last question is the reason for such as health inequities” is it a question of ethnic origin or a question ofdifferent social status in the study where is an ethnic difference.

Title: BACK GROUND FOR FALLS OF ADMISSION PATIENTS
Author(s): Hiroyuki Watanabe, Kazuyuki Serada, Kumiko Kasuya, Mieko Matsumoto
Affiliation(s): Department of Medicine, Anesthesia, and Nursing, Showa University Northern
Yokohama Hospital
PURPOSE: It is reported that an average span of Japanese life is longest in the world. An
average age of admission patients is also higher. The incidents of falls occupy a high position inreport of Japanese ministry of health, labor and welfare. We studied the back ground of falls ofadmission patients in our hospital.
MATERIALS & METHODS: The incident reports for falls from April 2001 to March 2003 werestudied. The risk of falls was evaluated by assessment score sheet on admission and graded tothree steps. Grade 1 is to have possibility of falls. Grade 2 is to have possibility to fall easily.
Grade 3 is to have possibility to fall frequently. The time they were found was analyzed fromthe incident reports. It was studied the drugs which are related to fall were administrated or
not before falls. They were analgesia, anesthetic drugs, sedatives, sleeping pills, psychotropic
drugs, narcotics, diuretics, αblockers and laxatives. The effect of behaviors for toilet and using awheelchair was analyzed. The diseases of the patients with fall were examined.
RESUTS: There were 375 incident reports for falls from April 2001 to March 2003. The mean
age of their patients was 71±16 years old. The ratio of male and female was 211:164. There were
113 falls of Grade 1, 118 falls of Grade 2 and 138 falls of Grade 3. There were 197 falls from18:00 to 7:00 and 176 ones from 7:00 to 18:00. The most frequent time was from 3:00 to 7:00 andthe most fewest time was from 18:00 to 21:00. While there were 215 falls of drug
administrations containing analgesia, anesthetic drugs, sedatives, sleeping pills, psychotropic
drugs, narcotics, diuretics or αblockers, there were 160 falls of no administrations of them. The
mean age of the former group was 71±14 years old and m:f was 115:100. The proportion of therisk group was 77 patients with grade 1(35.8%), 59 patients with grade 2(27%) and 76 patientswith grade 3(35.3%). There were 68 (32%) and 31(14%)falls associated with toilet andwheelchair respectively. The mean age of the latter group was 69±20 years old and m:f was
96:64. The proportion of the risk group was 36 patients with grade 1(22.5%), 59 patients withgrade 2(36.9%) and 62 patients with grade3 (38.8%). There were 59(37%) and 16(10%) falls
associated with toilet and wheelchair respectively. The diseases of the all patients with fallshowed digestive disease of 22.4%, psychiatric disease of 18.6%, respiratory disease of 12.2%,
and orthopedic disease of 11.5%. The former group showed psychiatric disease of 25.6%,
digestive disease of 24.3%, orthopedic disease of 11.8%, respiratory disease of 11.1%, andnervous system disease of 9.8%. The latter group showed digestive disease of 20.2%, nervous
system disease of 14.8%, respiratory disease of 13.6%, orthopedic disease of 11.1% andpsychiatric disease of 9.9%.
DISCUSSION: The mean age, behavior of toilet and using a wheelchair, and proportion of ahigh risk group showed no distinct difference between both groups. The group without drug
administrations occupied a little less than a half of falls. The digestive diseases of relatively
large proportion were found among both groups. It means that not simple but complex factors
are contained in the causes of falls.
CONCLUSIONS: All aged person has risk of falls. The risk of falls does not depend on a kind of
disease and a grade of risk evaluation of falls.

Title: MISTAKE PATIENTS: ITS BACKGROUND AND PREVENTION
Author(s): Watanabe, HA.*, Serada, K., Kozuka, K., Kato, K., Kawana, Y., Muto, T.
Affiliation(s): Department of Medicine, Anesthesia, Medical Informatics, Pharmacy andNursing, Showa University Northern Yokohama Hospital, Yokohama, JapanSTUDY PURPOSE: It is a first step of diagnosis and treatment to identify patients correctory.
However wrong medication or surgery after mistaking patients has been sometimes announced.
We studied the background and prevention of mistaking patients.
MATERIALS & METHODS: .Our hospital was opened on April 1 in 2001. We used thedefinition of incident as described as follows. The incident means wrong behaviors which were
found not to be done to patients or which had no harm effects to patients after done. It isannounced that all hospital staff has right to submit incident reports and does not receive
disadvantage. The incident reports for mistaking patients from April 2001 to March 2004 werestudied. The kinds of behaviors and causes for mistake patients were analyzed.
RESULT: There were 4220 incidents in all and 88 incidents for mistaking patients from 2001 to
2003. The proportion of the incident for mistaking patients to all incidents was 2%. The
incidents for mistaking patients occurred on drip infusion with frequency of 28%, on medication
with frequency of 23%, on venipuncture with frequency of 11%, on examinations of x-ray andendoscope with frequency of 10%, on getting specimens with frequency of 5%, and on interview
in outpatient department with frequency of 3%. They occurred on nursing, on delivering meal,and on recording in electronic chart with frequency of 2% respectively, and on operation, on
radiation therapy, on injection, on dispensing medicine, on delivery medicine, on tube feedingwith frequency of 1% respectively. The causes of mistaking patients were missing ofconfirmation (76.1%), wrong thought (17.0%), transmission failure of information between
hospital staffs (4.5%) and input error into electronic medical record (1.1%). Mistaking patients
occurred when patient’s name on the label of the infusion bottle, on the label of the specimen
sample collecting tube and/or on the wrist band was not confirmed. When a staff confirmed to apatient “You were Mr. or Mrs. A.”, the patient replied “Yes” even if he or she was not Mr. or Ms.
A. We should say to patients “please tell us your name”. We introduced confirmation by bar code
just before drip infusion was performed in the wards from January in 2002. The incident for
mistaking patients on drip infusion showed markedly decrease in 2003. There was only one
incident after introduction of bar code, though there were 23 incidents before introduction.
DISCUSSION: When a doctor called a patient into an examination room in the outpatient
department, another patient entered the room. A patient is strained in a hospital andsometimes does wrong behavior. It is sometimes difficult for aged patient to communicate. It
is important to make patients tell their name and confirm their identification cards.
Confirmation of patients by bar code is useful. It is expected to extend the use not only on drip
infusion but also on medication and on examinations. There are some problems on ourconfirmation system by bar code. The confirmation at midnight sometimes disturbs the sleep ofpatients. The present material of the wrist band is poisoned for the skin of the new born baby.
There is no attached place on the body for premature baby. Development of new material of thewrist band and new confirmation methods of a living body is expected.
CONCLUSIONS: It is needed to make patients tell their name and confirm their identification
cards or their wrist band. Confirmation of patients by using bar code contributes to decrease
the risk for mistaking patients.

Session (5)Drug safety and drug addict prevention.
(Chairpersons) Prof. Alcira Castillo Martinez, Costa Rica.

(August 26, pm 15:35-16:00)
Topic: A study on alcohol-related-traumatic-deaths in Transkei region, South
Africa.
Prof. Banwari L. Meel (President, African Society of Risk Management for
Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Transkei, South
Africa)(August 26, pm 16:00-16:25)
Topic: Consumo de drogas en Costa Rica. Evaluación de una década deinvestigación (Drugs Consume in Costa Rica. Evaluation of a Decade
Investigation). Spanish*
Dr. Julio Bejarano (Instituto sobre Alcoholismo y Farmacodependencia,
Costa Rica)(August 26, pm 16:25-16:50) Session Discussion(August 26, pm 7:00- pm 9:00) Farewell party by the registered participantsTitle: A STUDY ON ALCOHOL-RELATED-TRAUMATIC-DEATHS IN TRANKSEI, REGION,
SOUTH AFRICA
Author(s): B. L. Meel MBBS, MD, DHSM (Natal), DOH (Wits)
Affiliation(s): Department of forensic medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Transkei
P/bag X1 UNITRA, Umtata 5100, South Africa
Background: Worldwide, alcohol abuse is on the increase, with more people becoming alcohol
dependent and larger quantities of alcohol being consumed.1 Alcohol abuse cost South Africa atleast R9-billion a year, with half of all the murders, road accidents and more than 60% of
hospital trauma cases, the result of drunkenness.2 The use of alcohol and drugs like cannabis,
mandrax, and herbs are common in this part of South Africa. This study was an effort to unfold
the underlying cause/s of drug related deaths, and also to determine some remedial measures.
Objective: To study the incidence of drug or alcohol related deaths in the Transkei.
Method: This is a record review of the medico legal register of Umtata General Hospitalmortuary from 1993 to 2001.
Results: Deaths as a result of poisoning have increased from 4% to 28% over the past 9 years(1993-2001), with males predominating over females (66% cf. 34%). Alcohol consumption
contributed directly or indirectly to at least 50% of cases of traumatic deaths. However, theexact impact and circumstances of alcohol or drugs related deaths are not clear, but alcohol is
the main underlying cause of violence. It has also contributed to the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS.
Conclusion: Alcohol and drugs have significantly contributed to the causation of deaths inTranskei. It has increased five fold in the last 9-years in parallel with the incidence of
HIV/AIDS. There is a need for a prospective study to understand alcohol and drug related
mortality in the area.
References:
1. Spring S. Alcohol abuse increasing worldwide, warns church health official, 2000
Medical Research Council report. Boozing costs SA R9billion published in Sunday times,
September 28, 200, page 5.

Title: DRUGS CONSUMPTION IN COSTA RICA.
INVESTIGATIONEVALUATION OF A DECADE OF

Author(s): Julio Bejarano
Affiliation(s): Instituto sobre Alcoholismo y Farmacodependencia (IAFA), Costa RicaIn this presentation, the main results of the national studies about alcohol, tobacco, and illicit
drugs consumption performed in the years of 1990, 1995, and 2000 on Costa Rican population
between the ages of 12 and 70 years are analyzed. The mentioned studies constitute a sequenceof prevalent transverse researches, of which general goal is the analyzes of the nature and thecharacteristics of the psychoactive substances ingestion in Costa Rica with basis on theproceedings of uniformed researches.
The showing cases (one apartmental and the other by person) were based on the cartography of
the Instituto Costarricense de Estadisticas y Censos, and the selection of each interviewed
person was made by a multiple-stages and very probable process. The utilized instrument
consists of nine sections, five of them are used to obtain information about prevalentconsumption (life, year, month) of lawful and illicit drugs, age of the beginning, associatedproblems, and reasons of ingestion and cessation. In the section of alcohol consumption AUDIT
was incorporated as a newness element. A section attains opinions from the interviewed people
about the danger of drugs, the legalization of their production and consumption, the easiness toget drugs, the quantity of friends who consume them, etc.
With regard to active alcohol consumption (or of the latest month) we observe stability on theprevalent level, same that in the 2000 year was equal to 26.6%. The level of tobacco
consumption shows itself very similar with regard to the year of 1995 (16%) but significantly
lower, compared with what was found on 1990 (18.7%). The active marijuana consumption was
also reduced in relation to the 90 year (1,14% to 0,4%) meanwhile cocaine and crack
consumption were stable (0.2 to 0.1% respectively). The levels of incidence on tobacco
consumption are the highest (from 14 to 21.2 x 1000 residents), meanwhile those on alcohol kept
similar (115.6 and 111.1 x 1000 residents).
Several differences about gender and variable socio-demographics are commented, besides therelation with other national studies in different populations.
The results reveal that the consumption/abuse of alcohol and tobacco persist as the mostimportant ones, even the perception of the people suggest a main concern of the illegal drugs.
Nevertheless the previous information, we should indicate that the reduction on the generalprevalent alcohol consumption throughout the decade is a positive aspect, as well as the
reduction of the consumption of tobacco and marijuana. These achievements can have arelation to the actions on the preventive and public politic order implemented in the latest
decades.

Program (August 27, 2004)

Place:

The conference hall, Congress Center of the Investigation City,The School of Nutrition, The University of Costa Rica

Session (6)Biology in food safety.

(Chairpersons) Dr. Ronald Melendez, Costa Rica. Dr. Kvetoslava Rimarova,
Slovakia(August 27, am 8:30-8:55)
Topic: Ochratoxin A and Their Analogues and Human Chronic Nephropathy
in Libya and Tunisia.
Prof. Zourgui Lazhar (Facultte des Sciences de Gafsa, Tunizia)(August 27, am 8:55-9:20)
Topic: β-Lactamase Mediated Resistance to β-Lactamantibiotics inPseudomonas Aeruginosa.
Prof. Omrane Belhadj (Facultte des Sciences de Tunis, Tunizia), et al.
(August 27, am 9:20-9:45)
Topic: Terpenoid of Inula Viscosa Induces Mitochondrial-Independent
Apoptosis-Like Cell Death in Yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae.
Prof. Omrane Belhadj (Facultte des Sciences de Tunis, Tunizia), et al.
(August 27, am 9:45-10:10)
Topic: Identification pf Plasmid from Escherichia coli encoded Restriction,
Modification System: Plasmid Preventive.
Hadeer Lazim 1, Jytte Josephsen2, Assia Ben Hassen3, Lazhar Zourgui4 andOmrane Belhadj1*
1 Laboratoire Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus
Universitaire 1060 Tunis, Tunisia
2 Department of Food Sciences, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural
University,
D-1958 Frederiksberg C, Danmark.
3 Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Centre National de Greffe de Moelle osseuse,
Bab Saadoun Tunis, Tunisia.
4 Faculté des sciences de Gafsa- Tunisia(August 27, am 10:10-10:30) Session Discussion(August 27, am 10:30-10:40) Coffee breakTitle: OCHRATOXIN A AND THEIR ANALOGUESNEPHROPATHY IN LIBYA AND TUNISIA

AND

HUMAN

CHRONIC

Author(s): ZOURGUI L*1.3.;CHERIF A2.; KHALIFA F3.; ACHOUR A2.; EMETRIS R3.; andBACHA H.2
Affiliation(s): 1: Faculté des sciences de Gafsa , cité Zarroug 2112, Gafsa, Tunisia
2: Laboratoire de Recherche sur les substances Biologiquement Compatibles(LRSBC), Faculté de Médecine Dentaire, Rue Avicenne, 5019 Monastir, Tunisia.
3: Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine-El Fateh University, TripoliLibya
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin produced by species of Aspergillus and penicillum genera.
Human exposure to OTA has been investigated in several European countries, in North
America, in Japan and in North Africa. OTA is being increasingly considered as the main causal
agent of Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN) and of other resembling Chronic Interstitial
Nephropathies (CIN) such as the “Tunisian CIN”. In Tunisia and Libya, OTA has been found ina several cereals and home made food. This toxin was more frequently detected and at higher
concentrations in blood and food of people having a kidney failure characterized as CIN (1). In
addition, our study showed many additional fluorescent migration lines by TLC and additional
peaks by HPLC, in the course of sample treatments and analysis. In other respects, Hadidane etal. (2) reported the presence of three natural analogues of ochratoxin A in which thephenylalanine moiety has been replaced by serine, hydroxyproline or lysine. These analogues
were isolated from Aspergillus ochraceus culture on wheat and characterised by HPLC andmass-spectrometrv analysis. Our study showed the presence of at least twelve analogues of pheOTA. These ochratoxins are: phenylalanine-OTA, glycine-OTA, valine-OTA, leucine-OTA,
serine-OTA, threonine-OTA, cysteine-OTA, methionine-OTA, glutamic acid-OTA, tyrosine-OTA,
lysine-OTA and proline-OTA. The fact that other natural analogues of OTA having different
aminoacids are found in foodstuffs and in human blood, may be considered as an additional risk
factor since some of them (synthesized chemically) tested were found to be as toxic as OTA invitro and in cell culture (3) and may exhibit synergistic effects. Another synergistic effect ispossible when OTA or its analogues are associated with other mycotoxins (4).
References:
1- Bacha et al. (1993). Human ochratoxicosis and its pathologies, Ed E.E Creppy, M.
Castegnaro and G. Dirheimer, p. 111, INSERM/John Libbey Eurotext.
2- Hadidane et al. (1992). Isolation and structure determination of natural analogues of the
mycotoxin Ochratoxin A, produced by Aspergillus ochraceus, Toxicology, 76: 233.
3- Creppy et al. (1983). Comparative study of effect of Ochratoxin A analogues on yeast
aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and in growth and protein synthesis in hepatoma cells,
Toxicol. Lett., 19: 217.
Bacha et al. (1988). Monitoring and identification of fungal toxins in food products, animal feed
and cereals in Tunisia, J. Stored Prod. Res., 24:199.

Title: β-LACTAMASE MEDIATED RESISTANCE TO
PSEUDOMONAS AERUGINOSA

β-LACTAM ANTIBIOTICS IN

Author(s): REJIBA, S.1, BELHADJ,C.1; ZOURGUI,L.2; BEN MEHREZ, K.1 and
BELHADJ,O.1*
Affiliation(s): 1- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Technobiology - Faculty of sciences Tunis–TUNISIA
2- Faculty of sciences Gafsa -TUNISIA
β-lactam resistance is an increasing concern worldwide; the most frequent mechanism of
resistance is β -lactamase-independant. The involvement of β-lactamases in resistance to βlactams was investigated in clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. All strains had an
inducible basic β-lactamase which hydrolysed cephalothin. This enzyme is the chromosomal
cephalosporinase
produced by the species. Secondary β-lactamase activities againstcarbenicillin and ticarcillin were detected in three strains and they were presumablycarbenicillinases. One strain of P. aeruginosa produced an extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBL) of pI 7.6, hydrolysing penicillin and cephalosporins.

Title: TERPENOID OF INULA VISCOSA INDUCES MITOCHONDRIAL-INDEPENDENTAPOPTOSIS-LIKE CELL DEATH IN YEAST SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE
Author(s): AOUIDA, M.1; ORAN. S.,A. 2; ZOURGUI,L.3 and BELHADJ,O.1 *Affiliation(s): 1: Laboratory of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Faculty of sciences TunisTUNISIA
2: Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences Amman- JORDAN
3: Faculty of Sciences Gafsa-TUNISIA
Apoptosis is a cell death process that important role in a wide variety of developmental andnormal physiological processes in animal species, and causes diseases when inappropriately
controlled. Although yeast do not possess the proteases ultimately responsible for themorphological events recognized as apoptosis unicellular eucaryotes can serve as powerful tool
apoptosis researchers.
In our laboratory we have shown that cytotoxic drug bleomycin (BIM), a compound currently
used in “anticancer therapy” with ability to induce a very high cytotoxicity when yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains FY67 and YPH-1. this cytotoxicity was manifested by growtharrest and cell death. The results suggest that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae there is anapoptosis-like cell death independent of cerevisiae strains FY67 and YPH-1 constitue a good
powerful in our laboratory for testing different Jordanian Badia plants compounds effects on
the apoptosis and studying the molecular of the transduction signal cascade of this natural
event.
In this study we have shown that the hydro soluble Inula viscose extract contains compoundable to induce a very high cytotoxicity as bleomycin on the two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains.
To characterize the cell death process induced by the plant extract, we undertook morphologicalanalysis of cells treated. Electron microscopy analysis of control yeast cells, without treatment,
showed typical morphology for normal cell, with central vacuole, several mitochondria, andhomogeneous nuclear chromatin. In contrast, cell treated, develop a variety of morphologicalabnormalities: cell shrinkage and chromatin condensation. This observation was confirmed by
DNA fluorescence microscopy using propidium iodide. Furthermore, treated cells showed rapid
DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal-sized fragments. This situation is somehow
reminiscent of an apoptosis-like cell death with the plant extract presumably plying the role of
the relevant endonuclease synthesis.
Similar study has been done on petite yeast strains lacking functional mitochondria, showed
extract-induced morphological and biochemical characteristic of apoptosis.
Our biochemical study is now focusing on the chemical analysis of the plant extract. The active
compound is a terpenoid molecule related to the farnesyl family. The study is running bydifferent techniques that will be discussed.

Title: Identification pf Plasmid from Escherichia coli encoded Restriction, Modification System:
Plasmid Preventive.
Author(s): Hadeer Lazim1, Jytte Josephsen2, Assia Ben Hassen3, Lazhar Zourgui4 and Omrane
Belhad1*
Affiliation(s): 1Laboratoire Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Campus Universitaire
1060 Tunis, Tunisia
2Department of Food Sciences, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University,
D-1958 Frederiksberg C, Danmark,3Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Centre National de Greffe de Moelle osseuse,
Bab Saadoun Tunis, Tunisia.
4Faculté des sciences de Gafsa-

Eco1524I specific endonuclease enzyme of a Type II Restriction-Modification system is isolated
from Escherichia coli 1524a. The bacterium has been characterized as a strain highly resistantto phage attack. It has been isolated from patient in « Laboratoire de Microbiologie, Centre
National de Greffe de Moelle osseuse, Bab Saadoun Tunis, Tunisia ». Eco1524I enzyme
recognizes a 6-pb palindromic nucleotides sequence 5’AGG ↓ CCT 3’ and cleaves as indicated by
the arrow producing blunt end. Comparing to the type II restriction enzymes known, theEco1524I is an isoschizomer of StuI. This protein is found and isolated from E.coli for the firsttime and presented a specific property that distinguishes it from the original StuI. The
Eco1524I R-M system is located on the E.coli 1524a plasmid. The Genetic evidence for thismaterial support plasmid was obtained by co-transformation. This report focuses on physicaland functional aspect of the 4.8 kb plasmid, which has genes of R-M system. Plasmid have beencloned and expressed, and active enzymes have been produced in E.coli XL. Both the restriction
endonucléase and methyltransferase were found to be encoded on this 2.2 kb cloned andsequenced fragment from the indicated plasmid.

Session (7)Preventive clinical medicine.
(Chairpersons) Prof. Omrane Belhadj, Tunisia.

(August 27, am 10:40-11:05)
Topic: Effectiveness of Haemolymph against Scorpion Venom
Prof. Lazhar ZOURGUI1,2*, Dr. Massaoud MAAMMAR1 , Prof. Omrane.
BELHADJ3 and Dr. Ramadan EMETRIS1
1: Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine- EL- Fateh university
Tripoli- LIBYA
2: Faculté des sciences de Gafsa – TUNISIA
3: Faculté des sciences de Tunis – TUNISIA(August 27, am 11:05-11:30)
Topic: Predicting Hospitalization of Seniors with Chronic Disease Score.
Dr. Jian Sun1*, Katherine Gooch1, Larry W Svenson2, Song Gao3, Kelly
Novak1, Cy Frank3
1Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton, Canada
2Alberta Health and Wellness, Edmonton, Canada
3University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada(August 27, am 11:30-11:55)
Topic: Influence of Gender and Obesity on Cardiovascular Risk Factors in theGroup of University Students.
DR. Kvetoslava Rimarova.1*, Kamila Bernasovska1, Gabriela Holeczyova.1,
Darina Petrasova.2
1. Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
2 .Institute of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia(August 27, am 11:55-12:15) Session Discussion

Title: EFFECTIVENESS OF HAEMOLYMPH AGAINST SCORPION VENOM
Author(s): Lazhar ZOURGUI1,2* ; Massaoud
Ramadan EMETRIS1MAAMMAR1 ; Omrane. BELHADJ3 andAffiliation(s): 1: Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine- EL- Fateh university TripoliLIBYA
2: Faculté des sciences de Gafsa – TUNISIA
3: Faculté des sciences de Tunis – TUNISIAThe scorpion envenomation is an important problem in the south of Libya, every year we notemore than hundreds of accidents which are sometimes fatal. The utilisation of the imported
anti-venom is not sufficient. Some peoples use other methods of treatments for example plant
extract, the organic solvent and the scorpion haemolymph….etc.
Our results indicate that scorpion haemolymph provides some protection against scorpion
envenomation. The comparative studies using the haemolymph fresh, stored and treated byprotease show that the factor responsible for this protection is a protein. Utilisation ofhomospecific haemolymph or mixed haemolymph from different scorpion species provide thesame protection against scorpion envenomation this is indicate that the haemolymph fromdifferent scorpion species.
It is important to say that the utilisation of scorpion haemolymph as a treatment of scorpion
envenomation will be very beneficial mainly for men who live far away from the hospital anddon’t have a specific poly-antivenom. We can also use as a first aids.

Title: PREDICTING HOSPITALIZATION OF SENIORS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE SCORE
Author(s): Sun J1*, Gooch K1, Svenson LW2, Gao S3, Novak K1, Frank C3
Affiliation(s): 1Institute of Health Economics, Edmonton, Canada;
Wellness, Edmonton, Canada; 3University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada

2Alberta

Health and

STUDY PURPOSE: Derive the Chronic Disease Scores (CDS) with automated pharmacy data in
Alberta, Canada.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Different types of medications prescribed during 2001/2002 for thetreatment and management of chronic conditions were obtained from Alberta Blue Cross (ABC)claims database. The medications were clustered into 25 therapeutic classes to indicate thepresence of a chronic illness based on the criteria proposed by Clark (1995). The study
population was composed of all Alberta residents aged 65 or over who were registered with theAlberta Health Care Insurance Plan (AHCIP) continuously from June 30, 2001 to June 30, 2002.
Individuals were excluded if they had been diagnosed with any malignancy, tuberculosis or HIV
during the study period. Hospitalization rate and three outcomes for estimating CDS: total cost,
outpatient care cost and the number of primary care visits in 2002/2003, were derived from
AHCIP databases. Linear regression models were utilized to estimate CDS scores.
RESULT: Records for a random one half sample of 221,230 seniors were used to estimate theempirical weights for calculating CDS. The remaining one half of the population was used as avalidation sample. Odds ratios for hospitalization from predicted CDS increased with eachpercentile group. The risk of hospitalization increased 10-fold for persons with a predicted total
cost score in the 90-100th percentile over those with score in the 0-10th percentile.
CONCLUSIONS: We estimated CDS using Alberta data. The results show that these models
can be generally used to predict hospitalizations for senior populations.

Title: INFLUENCE OF GENDER AND OBESITY ON CARDIOVASCULAR RISK FACTORSIN THE GROUP OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Author(s): Rimarova K.1*, Bernasovska K.1, Holeczyova G.1, Petrasova D.2
Affiliation(s): 1 Institute of Hygiene, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
2 Institute of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Kosice, Slovakia
Study purpose: The aim of the study was the investigation of gender risk factors and obesity risk factors on
cardiovascular diseases in the group of students from Medical Faculty UPJŠ (in Košice).
There is a fact that cardiovascular disease are more frequent in the group of elderly males then females. The
study should claim this hypothesis in the group of university medical students. The study evaluates risk
factors difference in particularly young population where the risk is very low and population has very high levelof adaptation and biologic reparation. Second hypothesis evaluates risk of obese persons on blood parameters
and also the changes in lifestyle pattern and eating habits.
Material and methods: Data from repeated cross-sectional studies were collected from 1104 students (426males, 678 females), mean age 23,5 years. Analysis included personal questionnaires with positive family
history, life style factors, eating habits, physical activity, alcohol, sleeping , reported stress, smoking. The
questionnaires included also data about reported eating habits and nutritional opinions. The other sets ofevaluation were anthropometrical characteristics – body weight, body height, BMI index, WHR index,
percentage of body fat form skin-fold measurements. The rest of parameters included blood pressure, total
blood cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, tryglycerides, vitamin C blood level. Blood test sample were created from457 students. Statistical analysis was based on Epi-Info and STATA including program. All statisticalassociations are expressed as adjusted OR ratios with 95% confidence interval (Mantel-Haenszel). OR are
adjusted on age, place of residence (home or residence hall), smoking and marital status.
Results: The results claim a higher incidence of risk etiological factors in the group of males compared withfemales. The values of HDL cholesterol, blood pressure: systolic and diastolic, BMI are statistically higher in themales group. Adjusted OR of systolic blood pressure higher than 120mmHg compared males and females was
7,2, in diastolic BP higher then 80mmHg was OR 4,85. Also higher Body Mass Index results were more
frequent in the males group (OR=4,35).
The total blood cholesterol exceeded standards more in females than in females: adjusted OR=0,81, but results
are not statistically significant. Protective HDL cholesterol levels are significantly better in females OR= 2,98.
There are no intersexual differences in blood vitamin C level, triglycerides, WHR and percentage of body fat.
In reported nutritional and eating habits all scores are negative for males, they use sugar and salt more
frequently, they eat higher amount of animal fat, they report unhealthy eating habits. Smoking has higher
prevalence in males, adjusted OR=2,2. All trend for body weight control and decrease are also expressed morenegative in males. Statistically positive for males group are better physical activity, less reported stress at
school and private life, and also better reported physical condition.
In nutritional habits were disproportion when were compared with RDA (recommended daily allowances),
exceeded were external cholesterol, fat intake, energy intake. Low intake was in fibre, some vitamins andminerals. Recommended daily allowances were exceeded more frequently in the males group, particularly fat,cholesterol and proteins intake.
Considering obese group of students - they have no significant difference between total blood cholesterol, but
obesity “as is well known” has great impact on blood pressure increasing systolic as well as diastolic. Also obese
group has a significantly higher risk concerning eating habits.
Conclusions: The results show higher cardiovascular hazard in the group of very young males and in the groupof obese students, where is a high level of adaptation. The parameters are not pathological but in thecomparison wit the same age group of females by OR is still higher statistical risk for males. Positive
correlation of external risk factors with internal biological factors shows importance of early and effective
preventive measurements, particularly in the group of young „high risk persons“. The results are part of VEGA
grant – Ministry of Education in Slovak Republic 1/1177/04. The factor for consideration is unique very highlevel of education what is making the whole examined group of medical students still less risky than the restof population which might have lower level education, which might be influence by working stress and low
level of health promotion thinking an behaviour.

Closing Remarks(August 27, pm 12:15-12:30)
General Director & Prof. Patricia Sedo Masis (University of Costa Rica, School of
Nutrition, Costa Rica)

Prof. Banwari L. Meel (President, African Society of Risk Management for
Preventive Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Transkei, South Africa)(August 27, pm 12:30-13:30) Lunch(August 27, pm 13:30-15:30) Scientific Tour in the University of Costa Rica.