Psicologia, diretrizes curriculares e processos educativos na Amazônia: um estudo da formação de psicólogos

Este estudo objetiva analisar a formação de psicólogos frente às Diretrizes Curriculares Nacionais para os Cursos de Psicologia no que tange aos processos educativos. Realizamos revisão da literatura pertinente ao tema, pesquisa documental e empírica com alunos, professores e coordenador de curso, utilizando questionário, entrevistas e adotando a estratégia de triangulação a partir das categorias: perfil sociocultural; nível de conhecimento acerca das mudanças oriundas das Diretrizes para o curso de Psicologia; percepção na qualidade da prática docente; nível de satisfação com relação à própria formação universitária, tomando como referência os conhecimentos, habilidades e competências adquiridas. Apresenta contribuições para a compreensão da formação de psicólogos no campo da educação na Amazônia no Ensino Superior, centrada na construção de um profissional de pensamento e prática críticos, capaz de analisar as transformações nos vários contextos educacionais e escolares, utilizando referenciais que permitam a compreensão do fenômeno educativo na sua complexidade.

Proposal for the teaching of the chemical control of supragingival biofilm

The mechanical control of supragingival biofilm is accepted as one of the most important measures to treat and prevent dental caries and periodontal diseases. Nevertheless, maintaining dental surfaces biofilm-free is not an easy task. In this regard, chemical agents, mainly in the form of mouthwashes, have been studied to help overcome the difficulties involved in the mechanical control of biofilm. The aim of this paper was to discuss proposals for the teaching of supragingival chemical control (SCC) in order to improve dentists' knowledge regarding this clinical issue. Firstly, the literature regarding the efficacy of antiseptics is presented, clearly showing that chemical agents are clinically effective in the reduction of biofilm and gingival inflammation when used as adjuvant agents to mechanical control. Thus, it is suggested that the content related to SCC be included in the curricular grid of dental schools. Secondly, some essential topics are recommended to be included in the teaching of SCC as follows: skills and competencies expected of a graduate dentist regarding SCC; how to include this content in the curricular grid; teaching-learning tools and techniques to be employed; and program content.

Effect of the bilateral hip bone density measurement on clinical practice in elderly subjects

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether the addition of the measurement of bilateral hip bone mineral density (BMD) has an impact on indications for osteoporosis (OP) treatment in community-dwelling elderly individuals, based on criteria from the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF). Methods: In total, 605 consecutive community-dwelling elderly individuals who were 65 years and older were evaluated. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry was used to determine the lowest T-score in the lumbar spine + unilateral hip, the bilateral hips, and the lumbar spine + bilateral hips. Risk factors associated with the lowest T-score in these three conditions were applied to indicate treatment in accordance with NOF criteria. McNemar`s test was used to assess the difference of adding bilateral hip BMD measurements. Results: There was a significant difference in the frequency of pharmacological indication using NOF criteria together with the lowest T-score for the three tests (72.8% for lumbar spine + bilateral hips and 71.2% for lumbar spine + unilateral hip; p=0.002). A higher frequency of treatment indication was also observed for lumbar spine + unilateral hip (71.2%) compared to bilateral hips (61.1%) (p<0.001). The discrepancies in treatment appeared to be more evident in women when analyzed by gender distribution. Conclusion: Our finding supports the theory that evaluation of the bilateral hips with the lumbar spine seems to be more sensitive measure for identifying patients with an osteoporosis treatment indication. Furthermore, despite the well-known artifact in the lumbar spine, this site should not be excluded when determining the indication for OP treatment in elderly people. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Single nucleotide polymorphism C/T-13910, located upstream of the lactase gene, associated with adult-type hypolactasia: Validation for clinical practice

Objectives: To validate C/T-13910 polymorphism associated with primary hypolactasia for clinical practice. Design and methods: Lactose breath test and PCR-RFLP for the C/T-13910 polymorphism were performed. Results: Twenty-seven of 28 patients with genotype CC had positive breath tests, all twenty-two patients with genotypes CT or TT had negative breath tests. Agreement of tests was high (p<0.0001; Kappa Index 0.96). Conclusion: C/T-13910 polymorphism detection may be a new tool for primary hypolactasia diagnosis. (C) 2008 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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.

Balancing the role of the dental school in teaching, research and patient care; including care for underserved areas

Inequalities within dentistry are common and are reflected in wide differences in the levels of oral health and the standard of care available both within and between countries and communities. Furthermore there are patients, particularly those with special treatment needs, who do not have the same access to dental services as the general public. The dental school should aim to recruit students from varied backgrounds into all areas covered by the oral healthcare team and to train students to treat the full spectrum of patients including those with special needs. It is essential, however, that the dental student achieves a high standard of clinical competence and this cannot be gained by treating only those patients with low expectations for care. Balancing these aspects of clinical education is difficult. Research is an important stimulus to better teaching and better clinical care. It is recognized that dental school staff should be active in research, teaching, clinical work and frequently administration. Maintaining a balance between the commitments to clinical care, teaching and research while also taking account of underserved areas in each of these categories is a difficult challenge but one that has to be met to a high degree in a successful, modern dental school.