Contribution of graduate programs in plant breeding to the education of plant breeders in Brazil

The success of agribusiness in Brazil in recent decades is unquestionable. Although the country has always had favorable conditions for agriculture (land, water and climate), this success has only come about recently, due to scientific research, which has resulted in considerable increases in yield and in improvement of product quality, as well as making the occupation of new agricultural frontiers possible. A decisive factor for development of agriculture in the country was the creation of EMBRAPA in 1973, which, in a few years, led to considerable demand for researchers with training in graduate programs. Among them are plant breeders, who came to exercise their activity throughout the country and in all ecosystems. The training of plant breeders was only possible because, as from the middle of the 1960s, the country began a wide-ranging education program, with the creation of several graduate programs in genetics and plant breeding.

Prevalência e fatores associados à síndrome metabólica em usuários de unidades básicas de saúde em São Paulo - SP

OBJETIVO: Determinar a relação da síndrome metabólica (SM) com o nível socioeconômico, hábitos comportamentais, condições de saúde, antecedentes familiares de morbidades e áreas de residência. MÉTODOS: Trata-se de um estudo de corte transversal. A amostra aleatória foi constituída por usuários de duas Unidades Básicas de Saúde da cidade de São Paulo - Jardim Comercial (UBS1) e Jardim Germânia (UBS2) -, totalizando 452. Para o diagnóstico de SM utilizou-se o critério do Third Report of the National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (NCEP-ATP III). Na avaliação antropométrica foram aferidas medidas de peso, estatura, circunferências abdominal e do quadril. Foi utilizado questionário geral para obtenção de dados sociodemográficos, socioeconómicos, antecedentes familiares e pessoais de morbidades, hábitos comportamentais como tabagismo, etilismo e nível de atividade física. Foi estabelecida associação entre as variáveis explicativas de interesse e SM, empregando-se a regressão logística multivariada. RESULTADOS: Na UBS1, o percentual de SM foi de 56,1% e na UBS2, de 34,0%. Houve associação direta e significativa entre SM e idade, sexo feminino, cor, tabagismo, etilismo, nível de atividade física, estresse e antecedentes familiares de doença cardíaca e de diabetes mellitus. A escolaridade apresentou associação inversa: morar no bairro de menor nível socioeconómico aumentou a chance de SM. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados sugerem que as morbidades que compõem a SM são um grave problema de saúde pública nessa população.

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN CHILDHOOD ADVERSITY AND COMPONENTS OF METABOLIC SYNDROME IN ADULTS WITH MOOD DISORDERS: RESULTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL MOOD DISORDERS COLLABORATIVE PROJECT

Objective: We sought to determine whether a reported history of childhood adversity is associated with components of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP-III)-defined metabolic syndrome in adults with mood disorders. Method: This was a cross-sectional analysis of adult outpatients (N = 373; n = 230 female, n = 143 male; mean age [SD] = 42.86 [14.43]) from the International Mood Disorders Collaborative Project (University of Toronto and Cleveland Clinic) with DSM-IV-defined major depressive disorder and bipolar I/II disorder. Childhood adversity was measured with the Klein Trauma & Abuse-Neglect self-report scale. The groups with and without childhood adversity were compared to determine possible differences in the rates of metabolic syndrome and its components. Logistic and linear regressions adjusted for age, sex, education, employment status, and smoking were used to evaluate the association between childhood adversity and components of metabolic syndrome. Results: For the full sample, 83 subjects (22.25%) met criteria for metabolic syndrome. Individuals reporting a history of any childhood adversity had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure (systolic: p = 0.040; diastolic: p = 0.038). Among subjects with a history of sexual abuse, a significant proportion met criteria for obesity (45.28% vs. 32.88%; p = 0.010); a trend toward overweight was found for subjects with a history of physical abuse (76.32% vs. 63.33%; p = 0.074), although this relationship did not remain significant after adjusting for potential confounders. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall rate of dyslipidemia and/or metabolic syndrome between subjects with and without childhood adversity. Conclusion: The results herein provide preliminary evidence suggesting that childhood adversity is associated with metabolic syndrome components in individuals with mood disorders. Int'l. J. Psychiatry in Medicine 2012;43:165-177)

Componentes da síndrome metabólica na hipertensão arterial

Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar e comparar a prevalência da síndrome metabólica entre hipertensos e normotensos. Os aspectos adotados para a definição de síndrome metabólica foram os definidos pelo National Cholesterol Education Program/Adults Treatment Painel (NCEP-ATP III). Os dados referentes aos perfis clínicos e bioquímicos foram processados no programa SPSS para cálculo de frequências absolutas e porcentagens. Utilizou-se o teste t de Student para comparações das médias, sendo as diferenças consideradas estatisticamente significantes para p<0,05. A amostra foi composta por 93 participantes normotensos e 168 hipertensos. Identificou-se a presença de síndrome metabólica em 60,7% dos hipertensos e 18,3% dos normotensos. Os portadores de hipertensão arterial apresentam diferença significante nos valores de pressão arterial (p<0,001), circunferência abdominal (p<0,001), glicemia (p<0,05) e triglicérides plasmáticos (p<0,05). A frequência dos riscos cardiometabólicos associados à síndrome metabólica é maior na presença de doença hipertensiva.

HEALTH EDUCATION IN THE CARE TO CLIENTS OF THE BLOOD GLUCOSE SELF-MONITORING PROGRAM

This article reports, in a systemized and analytical way, the experience of an Outreach Program in the period between 2010 and 2011. The study focused on health education interventions as strategies to improve the adherence of individuals with insulin- dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM), clients of a blood glucose self-Monitoring program. In addition, we intended to contribute to the reorganization of the program's working processes in the unit. Health education strategies were used in both educational groups and home visits, thus permitting the provision of care that was more individualized. Data regarding the clients were organized on a spreadsheet and in files for the Family Health teams, which made it easier to identify the patients, including those who were absent, helping to decentralize the care. By using health education strategies, we intended to contribute to a more comprehensive and emancipatory care of the clients, aimed at a continuous reflection of the workers regarding their practices.