Effect of academic psychological stress in post-graduate students: The modulatory role of cortisol on superoxide release by neutrophils

Experimental and clinical evidence shows that neutrophils play an important role in the mechanism of tissue injury in immune complex diseases through the generation of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we examined the influence of academic psychological stress in post-graduate students on the capacity of their blood neutrophils to release superoxide when stimulated by immune complexes bound to nonphagocytosable surfaces and investigated the modulatory effect of cortisol on this immune function. The tests were performed on the day before the final examination. The state-trait anxiety inventory questionnaire was used to examine whether this stressful event caused emotional distress. In our study, the psychological stress not only increased plasma cortisol concentration, but it also provoked a reduction in superoxide release by neutrophils. This decrease in superoxide release was accompanied by diminished mRNA expression for subunit p47(phox) of the phagocyte superoxide-generating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-oxidase. These inhibitory effects were also observed by in vitro exposure of neutrophils from control volunteers to 10(-7) M hydrocortisone, and could be prevented by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist RU-486. These results show that in a situation of psychological stress, the increased levels of cortisol could inhibit superoxide release by neutrophils stimulated by IgG immune complexes bound to nonphagocytosable surfaces, which could attenuate the inflammatory state.

Formação docente no ensino superior de Química: contribuições dos programas de aperfeiçoamento de ensino

The literature on the challenges of teacher education in undergraduate chemistry teaching is limited. In the present study, the application of didactic proposals elaborated by two authors of this paper, graduate students and teaching assistants of the teaching improvement program at University of São Paulo, was investigated in terms of their contribution to the teaching assistants' education and undergraduate students' receptivity toward them. Such proposals were based on the jigsaw cooperative learning strategy and applied in two undergraduate courses. The results indicate students' good receptivity and suggest their importance to teaching assistants' education.

Resgate histórico do controle do tabagismo na Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo: relato de uma experiência

A ação da Faculdade de Saúde Pública da Universidade de São Paulo na luta contra o tabagismo teve início em 1975, quando a instituição participou da III Conferência Mundial de Fumo e Saúde, realizada em New York (EUA). Depois de três décadas de trabalho ininterrupto, ela recebeu, em 2008, da Secretaria de Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, o selo prata de certificação de ambiente livre do tabaco. Nesse espaço de tempo, ao lado de um trabalho educativo, realizado corpo a corpo com docentes, funcionários e alunos, foram realizadas pesquisas, treinamentos e desenvolvido toda uma programação orientada pelo Ministério da Saúde / Instituto Nacional do Câncer. Foram também produzidas inúmeras monografias de mestrado, teses de doutorado e de livre docência, tendo como tema o tabagismo do ponto de vista educativo, social, médico e sanitário. Este artigo pretendeu fazer o relato dessa trajetória

BEYOND SAMUELSON`S CHAPTER ON RAMSEY

Paul Anthony Samuelson proposed and practiced a program for the Whig history of economics. One such example is his account of Frank Ramsey`s contribution to optimal taxation in 1927. For him, and mainly for the public finance economists who rediscovered later Ramsey`s contribution, Ramsey was a genius ahead of his time who used a mathematics too advanced for his contemporaries and was thus rediscovered only in the 1970S, when economists became more mathematically literate. In such rediscovery, a memorandum that Samuelsom wrote in 1951 for the us Treasury became central. I examine Samuelson`s account and challenge it in some respects and explore the historical context of the emergence of the optimal taxation literature in the 1970S. Additional, I analyze the canonization of Ramsey in this field, stressing Samuelson`s role in this process as a professor who liked telling stories about economists, especially about Ramsey, to his graduate students.

A new graphic format to facilitate the understanding of technological innovation models: the seesaw of competitiveness

Many models exist in the literature to explain the success of technological innovation. However, no studies have been made regarding graphic formats representing the technological innovation models and their impact, or on the understanding of these models by non-specialists in technology management. Thus, the main objective of this paper is to propose a new graphic configuration to represent the technological innovation management. Based on the literature, the innovation model is presented in the traditional format. Next, the same model is designed in the graphic format - named `the see-saw of competitiveness` - showing the interfaces among the identified factors. The two graphic formats were compared by a group of graduate students in terms of the ease in understanding the conceptual model of innovation. The statistical analysis shows that the seesaw of competitiveness is preferred.

Inserção de graduados em fonoaudiologia de uma universidade pública em programas de pós-graduação

OBJETIVO: caracterizar a inserção de egressos do Curso de Fonoaudiologia da Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) - Marília, em Programas de Pós-Graduação (PPG) Stricto Sensu brasileiros. MÉTODO: foram utilizadas listas de graduados e Curriculum Vitae do egresso e do orientador. RESULTADOS: dos 537 formados, 16,57% cursaram/estavam cursando PPG e destes, 98,88% em mestrado e 37,08% também em doutorado. Na grande área de conhecimento, 50% dos egressos de mestrado vincularam-se predominantemente a programas em Ciências da Saúde, 31,80% em Ciências Humanas e 13,64% em Linguística, Letras e Artes. No doutorado, 33, 33% em Ciências Humanas, 30,30% em Ciências da Saúde e em Linguística, Letras e Artes. Quanto à área de conhecimento, predominou a vinculação, no mestrado, de 30,68% em Fonoaudiologia, 28,41% em Educação, 13,64% em Linguística e 9,09% em Medicina I; e, no doutorado, de 33,33% em Educação, 30,30% em Linguística e 9,09% em Fonoaudiologia; 55,68% dissertações e 51,52% teses focalizaram a linguagem. A UNESP predominou com 39,77% no mestrado e 48,48% no doutorado. Predominou a vinculação a Programas com conceito 4 para 52,27% dos egressos do mestrado e 45,45% do doutorado. Quando constou a informação (55,68%), todos receberam fomento. O Teste de Razão de Verossimilhança não indicou diferenças significativas dos percentuais obtidos entre o mestrado e o doutorado. CONCLUSÃO: os resultados superaram os apresentados para o mesmo Estado, mostraram a característica interdisciplinar da Ciência Fonoaudiológica e o predomínio de temática em linguagem.

Mentors, students, and the undergraduate medical course: a virtuous circle

BACKGROUND: Mentoring Programs have been developed in several medical schools, but few studies have investigated the mentors'perspective. PURPOSES: To explore mentors'perceptions regarding their experience. METHODS: Mentors at a medical school were invited to participate in an in-depth interview including questions on satisfaction, difficulties, and perception of changes resulting from the program. RESULTS: Mentors' satisfaction and difficulties are strongly associated with students'involvement in the activity. Mentors believe changes observed in students were more related to life issues; for some mentors, there is no recognition or awareness of the program. However, most of the mentors acknowledged important changes in relation to themselves: as teachers, faculty members, and individuals. CONCLUSION: Attendance is crucial for both the mentoring relationship and strengthening of the program. Students involved in the activity motivate mentors in teaching and curriculum development, thereby creating a virtuous circle and benefiting undergraduate medical education as a whole.

Drug consumption among medical students in São Paulo, Brazil: influences of gender and academic year

OBJECTIVE: To analyze alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among medical students. METHOD: Over a five-year period (1996-2001), we evaluated 457 students at the Universidade de São Paulo School of Medicine, located in São Paulo, Brazil. The students participated by filling out an anonymous questionnaire on drug use (lifetime, previous 12 months and previous 30 days). The influence that gender and academic year have on drug use was also analyzed. RESULTS: During the study period, there was an increase in the use of illicit drugs, especially inhalants and amphetamines, among the medical students evaluated. Drug use (except that of marijuana and inhalants) was comparable between the genders, and academic year was an important influencing factor. DISCUSSION: Increased inhalant use was observed among the medical students, especially among males and students in the early undergraduate years. This is suggestive of a specific behavioral pattern among medical students. Our findings corroborate those of previous studies. CONCLUSION: Inhalant use is on the rise among medical students at the Universidade de São Paulo School of Medicine. Because of the negative health effects of illicit drug use, further studies are needed in order to deepen the understanding of this phenomenon and to facilitate the development of preventive measures.

Factors associated with depression symptoms in high school students in São Paulo, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess factors associated with depression symptoms in high school students. METHODS: A cross-sectional study involving high school students was conducted in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, 2001. A total of 724 students aged 14-18 years answered questionnaires on life and health conditions. Another questionnaire was applied to working (44.8%) and unemployed (22.9%) students to collect information on working conditions. Factors associated to depressive disorders were analyzed using multiple logistic regression controlled for occupational status. RESULTS: Overall prevalence rate of depression was 7.5%. Rates according to gender were 39 (10.3%) in females and 15 (4.3%) in males. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that factors associated with depressive disorders were: poor self-perception of health (OR=5.78), being female (OR = 2.45), and alcohol consumption (OR=2.35). CONCLUSIONS: The study results showed that sociodemographic, lifestyle and health variables were associated with symptoms of depression in this population. These ndings suggest that it is important to have mental health professionals available in high schools for early detection of mental conditions and student counseling.

Work and excessive sleepiness among Brazilian evening high school students: effects on days off

Previous studies have revealed that students who work and study build up sleep deficits during the wrkweek, which can trigger a sleep rebound during days off. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of working on sleepiness during days off working / non-working on sleepiness days off among high school students. The study population, aged 14-21 years, attended evening classes in São Paulo, Brazil. For the study, the students completed questionaires on living conditions, health, and work; wore actigraphs; and completed the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS). To predict sleepiness, a logistic regression analysis was performed. Excessive sleepiness was observed on the first day off among working students. Results suggest that working is a significant predictor for sleepiness and that two shifts of daily systematic activities, study and work, might lead to excessive daytime sleepiness on the first day off. Further, this observed excessive sleepiness may reflect the sleep debt accumulated during the workweek

Methods and Participant Characteristics of a Randomized Intervention to Promote Physical Activity and Healthy Eating Among Brazilian High School Students: The Saude na Boa Project

Background: A cross-cultural, randomized study was proposed to observe the effects of a school-based intervention designed to promote physical activity and healthy eating among high school students in 2 cities from different regions in Brazil: Recife and Florianopolis. The objective of this article is to describe the methodology and subjects enrolled in the project. Methods: Ten schools from each region were matched and randomized into intervention and control conditions. A questionnaire and anthropometry were used to collect data in the first and last month of the 2006 school year. The sample (n = 2155 at baseline; 55.7% females; 49.1% in the experimental group) included students 15 to 24 years, attending nighttime classes. The intervention focused on simple environmental/organizational changes, diet and physical activity education, and personnel training. Results: The central aspects of the intervention have been implemented in all 10 intervention schools. Problems during the intervention included teachers' strikes in both sites and lack of involvement of the canteen owners in schools. Conclusions: The Saude no Boa study provides evidence that public high schools in Brazil represent an important environment for health promotion. Its design and simple measurements increase the chances of it being sustained and disseminated to similar schools in Brazil.

Effectiveness of a School-Based Intervention on Physical Activity for High School Students in Brazil: The Saude na Boa Project

Background: We evaluated the effectiveness of a school-based intervention on the promotion of physical activity among high school students in Brazil: the Saude no Boa project. Methods: A school-based, randomized trial was carried out in 2 Brazilian cities: Recife (northeast) and Florianopolis (south). Ten schools in each city were matched by size and location, and randomized into intervention or control groups. The intervention included environmental/organizational changes, physical activity education, and personnel training and engagement. Students age 15 to 24 years were evaluated at baseline and 9 months later (end of school year). Results: Although similar at baseline, after the intervention, the control group reported significantly fewer d/wk accumulating 60 minutes+ moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) in comparison with the intervention group (2.6 versus 3.3, P < .001). The prevalence of inactivity (0 days per week) rose in the control and decreased in the intervention group. The odds ratio for engaging at least once per week in physical activity associated with the intervention was 1.83 (95% CI = 1.24-2.71) in the unadjusted analysis and 1.88 (95% CI = 1.27-2.79) after controlling for gender. Conclusion: The Saude no Boa intervention was effective at reducing the prevalence of physical inactivity. The possibility of expanding the intervention to other locations should be considered.

Students' collective knowledge construction in the virtual learning environment ""ToLigado - your school interactive newspaper""

Introduction. The ToLigado Project - Your School Interactive Newspaper is an interactive virtual learning environment conceived, developed, implemented and supported by researchers at the School of the Future Research Laboratory of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Method. This virtual learning environment aims to motivate trans-disciplinary research among public school students and teachers in 2,931 schools equipped with Internet-access computer rooms. Within this virtual community, students produce collective multimedia research documents that are immediately published in the portal. The project also aims to increase students' autonomy for research, collaborative work and Web authorship. Main sections of the portal are presented and described. Results. Partial results of the first two years' implementation are presented and indicate a strong motivation among students to produce knowledge despite the fragile hardware and software infrastructure at the time. Discussion. In this new environment, students should be seen as 'knowledge architects' and teachers as facilitators, or 'curiosity managers'. The ToLigado portal may constitute a repository for future studies regarding student attitudes in virtual learning environments, students' behaviour as 'authors', Web authorship involving collective knowledge production, teachers' behaviour as facilitators, and virtual learning environments as digital repositories of students' knowledge construction and social capital in virtual learning communities.

Oral Health Promotion Through an Online Training Program for Medical Students

The objective of this study was to compare the impact on knowledge and counseling skills of face-to-face and Internet-based oral health training programs on medical students. Participants consisted of 148 (82 percent) of the 180 invited students attending their fifth academic year at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brasil, in 2007. The interventions took place during a three-month training period in the clinical Center for Health Promotion, which comprised part of a clerkship in Internal Medicine. The students were divided into four groups: 1) Control Group (Control), with basic intervention; 2) Brochure Group (Br), with basic intervention plus complete brochure with oral health themes; 3) Cybertutor Group (Cy), with basic intervention plus access to an Internet-based training program about oral health themes; and 4) Cybertutor + Contact Group (Cy+C), the same as Cy plus brief proactive contact with a tutor. The impact of these interventions on student knowledge was measured with pre- and post assessments, and student skills in asking and counseling about oral health were assessed with an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). Multivariate logistic regression models were applied to identify the odds ratios of scoring above Control's medians on the final assessment and the OSCE. In the results, Cy+C performed significantly better than Control on both the final assessment (OR 9.4; 95% CI 2.7-32.8) and the OSCE (OR 5.6; 95% CI 1.9-16.3) and outperformed all the other groups. The Cy+C group showed the most significant increase in knowledge and the best skills in asking and counseling about oral health.