Information Society, Teaching, and Learning: Education Reforms in Brazil

This article examines the subject matter of learning within the context of information society, through an inquiry concerning both the reforms in education adopted in Brazil in the last thirty years and their results. It provides a revision on the explanations of school failure based on assumptions of learning problems due to cognitive and linguistic deficits. From the guidelines related with written school forms as well as the constant cultural oppression accomplished inside the school, the article claims the necessity of changing the psychological and pedagogic views that, under the label of democratic practices, determine school institutions and its daily life, by means of instrumental relations with knowledge that disregard the reading practices which are congenial to popular culture.

History teaching today: wanderings, gains and losses

This article analyzes traditions of debate about the teaching of history in Brazil since the 1964-1984 dictatorship. It discusses the changes, continuities, achievements and losses in the history of the discipline. It emphasizes the importance of school culture, the necessary continuity of the school as an institution and dialogue with non-school forms of education.

Teaching Psychodynamics to Psychiatric Residents through Psychiatric Outpatient Interviews

Objective: This study evaluates whether a course that was designed for first-year psychiatric residents and that specifically addressed psychodynamic principles fostered residents` progress in knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding these concepts. Methods: The course was given in the 2005 academic year to all residents (N = 18) in their first psychiatric postgraduate year at the Department and Institute of Psychiatry, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The residents were assessed in the first and last sessions of the course through a written test that was blindly rated by two independent judges. Residents were also interviewed to observe whether psychodynamic concepts had been integrated into actual practice. Their responses were subjected to content analysis. Significance was tested using analysis of variance or nonparametric tests when necessary. Agreement between the judges was tested using intraclass correlation coefficients. Results: The judges demonstrated a high level of agreement. The difference in mean scores before and after the course was such that the total score increased by a mean of 2.5 points (total test score was 10 points). Additionally, residents started to undergo personal psychotherapy after the course. They reported that this course had markedly improved their relationship with patients. They emphasized the opportunities for self-reflection and gaining insights into themselves and patient treatment issues. Conclusion: This initial study indicates that this educational method can effectively promote psychodynamic knowledge, skills, and appropriate attitudes for managing psychiatric outpatients among residents. The course was very well received by the residents, and a similar method can easily be instituted within other residency programs that pursue integrated teaching methods.

Cybertutor: a teaching tool in Dermatology

It was developed a teaching tool in Dermatology for undergraduate medical students, using an interactive website, the Cybertutor. Clinical cases, lectures and updated bibliography were selected. Photographies of dermatological lesions were taken from ambulatory patients. The topics of the lectures were based on the current curriculum of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. The Cybertutor is a dynamic and modern teaching tool, allowing constant innovation.

Women`s opinions about mode of birth in Brazil: a qualitative study in a public teaching hospital

Objective: to describe women`s feelings about mode of birth. Design: exploratory descriptive design. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a questionnaire that had been developed previously (categorical data and open-and closed-ended questions). Qualitative analysis of the results was performed through a context analysis technique. Setting: the largest public university hospital in Brazil. Participants: 48 women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Findings: most women expressed a preference for vaginal birth, as they perceived that they would have a faster recovery. Women who expressed a preference for caesarean section did so because of lack of pain during the birth and the need for tubal sterilisation. The majority of women considered it important to have experience with a mode of birth in order to choose a preference. Complications associated with maternal illness were very influential in the decision-making process. Key conclusions: these results provide a useful first step towards the identification of aspects of women`s feelings about modes of birth. Most women expressed a preference for vaginal birth. Further exploration of women`s feelings regarding parturition and the decision-making process is required. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Robotic Surgery: History and Teaching Impact

Context: The purpose of this article is to review the history of robotic surgery, its impact on teaching as well as a description of historical and current robots used in the medical arena. Summary of evidence: Although the history of robots dates back to 2000 years or more, the last two decades have seen an outstanding revolution in medicine, due to all the changes that robotic surgery has made in the way of performing, teaching and practicing surgery. Conclusions: Robotic surgery has evolved into a complete and self-contained field, with enormous potential for future development. The results to date have shown that this technology is capable of providing good outcomes and quality care for patients. (C) 2011 AEU. Published by Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.

Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in patients from a teaching hospital in Brazil: is it possible?

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cost-effective intra-oral appliance for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome built into a large teaching hospital. Out of 20 evaluated and treated patients, 14 concluded the study: eight men and six women, with a mean age of 42-46 (mean + SD) years and mean body mass index of 27.66. Inclusion criteria were mild or moderate apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) according to a polysomnographic study. All patients were treated with the monobloco intra-oral appliance. They were then submitted to a follow-up polysomnographic study after 60 days using the appliance. An orofacial clinical evaluation was carried out with the Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) questionnaire and with clinical evaluation questionnaire devised by the Orofacial Pain Team before and 60 days after fitting the intra-oral appliance. The AHI showed a statistically meaningful (p = 0.002) reduction from 15.53 to 7.82 events per hour, a non-statistically significant oxygen saturation increase from 83.36 to 84.86 (p = 0.09), and Epworth`s sleepiness scale reduction from 9.14 to 6.36 (p = 0.001). Three patients did not show any improvement. The most common side effect during the use of the appliance/device was pain and facial discomfort (28.57%), without myofascial or temporomandibular joint pain as evaluated by the RDC/TMD questionnaire. The intra-oral device produced a significant reduction of the apnea-hypopnea index during the study period with the use of the monobloco intra-oral appliance. Patients did not show prior myofascial pain or 60 days after use of the intra-oral appliance.

The teaching of History meets its past: memories of teaching staff during the civil-military dictatorship

The civil-military dictatorship, which took power in 1964, influenced the daily activities of schools and teachers. Many transformations occurred during this period, including the new legislation enacted under Law 5692/71 and changes which occurred due to the vigilance which teachers felt when working. The memories analyzed here of teachers from public schools in Sao Paulo show different perceptions of this surveillance, involving various forms of acceptance or resistance. The purpose of this article is to show that although there was no direct repression of schools, unlike in the universities, teachers at the elementary school also felt constrained and this can be seen in their educational practices and teaching concepts.

Effect of laser phototherapy on recurring herpes labialis prevention: an in vivo study

Alternative treatment for recurrent labial infection by herpes simplex virus (HSV) have been considered. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of laser phototherapy in prevention and reduction of severity of labial manifestations of herpes labialis virus. Seventy-one patients, divided into experimental (n = 41) and control (n = 30) groups were followed up for 16 months. Patients in the control group were treated topically with aciclovir and patients in the experimental group were subjected to laser phototherapy (one session per week, 10 weeks): 780 nm, 60 mW, 3.0 J/cm(2) or 4.5 J/cm(2) on healthy (no HSV-1 infection) and affected (with HSV-1 infection) tissues. Patients in the experimental group presented a significant decrease in dimension of herpes labialis lesions (P = 0.013) and inflammatory edema (P = 0.031). The reduction in pain level (P = 0.051) and monthly recurrences (P = 0.076) did not reach statistical significance. This study represents an in vivo indication that this treatment should be further considered as an effective alternative to therapeutic regimens for herpes labialis lesions.

Tooth Tissue Engineering: Optimal Dental Stem Cell Harvest Based on Tooth Development

Our long-term objective is to devise reliable methods to generate biological replacement teeth exhibiting the physical properties and functions of naturally formed human teeth. Previously, we demonstrated the successful use of tissue engineering approaches to generate small, bioengineered tooth crowns from harvested pig and rat postnatal dental stem cells (DSCs). To facilitate characterizations of human DSCs, we have developed a novel radiographic staging system to accurately correlate human third molar tooth developmental stage with anticipated harvested DSC yield. Our results demonstrated that DSC yields were higher in less developed teeth (Stages 1 and 2), and lower in more developed teeth (Stages 3, 4, and 5). The greatest cell yields and colony-forming units (CFUs) capability was obtained from Stages 1 and 2 tooth dental pulp. We conclude that radiographic developmental staging can be used to accurately assess the utility of harvested human teeth for future dental tissue engineering applications.