Academic stress in master’s students and its modulatory variables: a between-groups design

The present investigation tries to establish the descriptive profile of the academic stress of the students of the masters in education and to identify which sociodemographic and situational variables play a modulator role. This investigation is based on the Person-Surroundings Research Program and the systemical cognitive model of academic stress. The study can be characterized as transectional, correlational and non experimental. The collection of the information was made through the SISCO inventory of Academic Stress which was applied to 152 students. The main results suggest that 95% of the master students report having felt academic stress a few times but with medium-high intensity. Variables gender, civil state, attending masters and institutional support of the attending masters act as modulators in academic stress.

Why our brains cherish humanity: Mirror neurons and colamus humanitatem

Commonsense says we are isolated. After all, our bodies are physically separate. But Seneca’s colamus humanitatem, and John Donne’s observation that “no man is an island” suggests we are neither entirely isolated nor separate. A recent discovery in neuroscience—that of mirror neurons—argues that the brain and the mind is neither built nor functions remote from what happens in other individuals. What are mirror neurons? They are brain cells that process both what happens to or is done by an individual, and, as it were, its perceived “reflection,” when that same thing happens or is done by another individual. Thus, mirror neurons are both activated when an individual does a particular action, and when that individual perceives that same action done by another. The discovery of mirror neurons suggests we need to radically revise our notions of human nature since they offer a means by which we may not be so separated as we think. Humans unlike other apes are adapted to mirror interact nonverbally when together. Notably, our faces have been evolved to display agile and nimble movements. While this is usually explained as enabling nonverbal communication, a better description would be nonverbal commune based upon mirror neurons. I argue we cherish humanity, colamus humanitatem, because mirror neurons and our adapted mirror interpersonal interface blur the physical boundaries that separate us.

Children treated in psychoanalytical psychotherapy for learning problems

A clinical psychotherapy needs to turn its gaze to the current demands, and update its practice in empirical studies. The objective of this research is to ascertain the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of children treated in psychotherapy by learning problems. We conducted a retrospective documentary study with records of 2106 children treated between 1979 and 2007 in two outpatient psychological care of the city of Porto Alegre, southern Brazil. The results showed that demand for Learning Problems is the fourth largest cause of psychotherapeutic care. There was no statistically significant difference regarding gender. Children with learning problems come to psychotherapy more frequently in the early stages of elementary school, around 7 years old. Increased demand for psychotherapy of children with learning problems takes place in May. Perhaps, learning difficulties can be understood simultaneously as a symptom global, in which other aspects, besides the uniqueness of the subject are involved. We conclude that individual and social aspects involved in Learning Problems may be useful in the clinical management of these children by professionals who are dedicated to meeting this particular clientele. One must be aware of ongoing partnership which should be placed between psychologist and pedagogue. Both professionals, education and health, account for components of the child to know

Visual processing of concentric sine-wave gratings in adolescents and adults

The aim of this study was to compare the contrast visual processing of concentric sinusoidal gratings stimuli between adolescents and adults. The study included 20 volunteers divided into two groups: 10 adolescents aged 13-19 years (M=16.5, SD=1.65) and 10 adults aged 20-26 years (M=21.8, SD=2.04). In order to measure the contrast sensitivity at spatial frequencies of 0.6, 2.5, 5 and 20 degrees of visual angle (cpd), it was used the psychophysical method of two alternative forced choice (2AFC). A One Way ANOVA performance showed a significant difference in the comparison between groups: F [(4, 237)=3.74, p<.05]. The post-hoc Tukey HSD showed a significant difference between the frequencies of 0.6 (p <.05) and 20 cpd (p<.05). Thus, the results showed that the visual perception behaves differently with regard to the sensory mechanisms that render the contrast towards adolescents and adults. These results are useful to better characterize and comprehend human vision development.

Efecto de la frecuencia léxica y silábica en afasia anómica

Objetivo: este estudio compara el desempeño de dos grupos de participantes con y sin afasia anómica en tareas de decisión léxica (TDL) y de deletreo en relación con el efecto de las variables de frecuencia léxica y silábica. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio prospectivo con un diseño 2x2x2, donde se administraron la TDL, en la cual cada participante debía decidir si el estímulo presentado correspondía a palabra o pseudopalabra y la tarea de deletreo, donde los participantesdebían deletrear de forma oral cada una de las palabras presentadas auditivamente. Resultados: para la TDL, el grupo experimental presentó mayor porcentaje de error en los estímulos de alta frecuencia silábica, mientras que el control tuvo más errores en aquellos de baja frecuencia silábica. En cuanto a los tiempos de reacción, el grupo experimental tardó más que los controles en resolver la tarea. La tarea de deletreo no mostró diferencia de ejecución por grupos ni condiciones(frecuencia léxica y silábica). Conclusiones: los resultados del presente estudio demuestran el efecto de facilitación de la frecuencia léxica y la inhibición que genera la frecuencia silábica alta, ampliamente soportada por la investigación en población normatizada mediante diferentes lenguajes.

Determination of the Anthropometric and Physical Qualities Profile in Footballers Children of Bogotá

Objective. The objective of this study is to define the profile anthropometric and of basic physical qualities, in 306 children in 7-16 yearold ages. Method. Is carried out anthropometric mensurations of weight (kg) and it height (m), IMC (weight (kg)/it height (m2), percentage of corporal fat, besides the test of Course Navatte, horizontal jump without impulse, Sit and Reach to each one of the fellows. Results. The results were analyzed from the statistical point of view with measures of central tendency, you uses the stocking, the typical standard deviation as I calculate of variability, with a p <0,05 like significant difference. You identifies the variable anthropometric and of physical qualities finding differences in the population as for the percentage of corporal fat, the power aerobic, the flexibility and the explosive force in inferior members. Conclusions. Differences are shown in the opposing values and this can be influenced, for nutritional, socioeconomic factors and for the type of used training.

A prediction model for establishing the disability degree in adults with spinal cord injury: results based on WHO-DAS II perspective

Objective: To establish a prediction model of the degree of disability in adults with Spinal CordInjury (SCI ) based on the use of the WHO-DAS II . Methods: The disability degree was correlatedwith three variable groups: clinical, sociodemographic and those related with rehabilitation services.A model of multiple linear regression was built to predict disability. 45 people with sci exhibitingdiverse etiology, neurological level and completeness participated. Patients were older than 18 andthey had more than a six-month post-injury. The WHO-DAS II and the ASIA impairment scale(AIS ) were used. Results: Variables that evidenced a significant relationship with disability were thefollowing: occupational situation, type of affiliation to the public health care system, injury evolutiontime, neurological level, partial preservation zone, ais motor and sensory scores and number ofclinical complications during the last year. Complications significantly associated to disability werejoint pain, urinary infections, intestinal problems and autonomic disreflexia. None of the variablesrelated to rehabilitation services showed significant association with disability. The disability degreeexhibited significant differences in favor of the groups that received the following services: assistivedevices supply and vocational, job or educational counseling. Conclusions: The best predictiondisability model in adults with sci with more than six months post-injury was built with variablesof injury evolution time, AIS sensory score and injury-related unemployment.

Evaluación fisioterapéutica en el diagnóstico diferencial de la Distonía Ocupacional

Introducción: Las autoras presentan una propuesta de evaluación fisioterapéutica con el fin de contribuir al diagnóstico diferencial en los desórdenes de movimiento de origen ocupacional en la mano, para lo cual se seleccionaron dos desórdenes del movimiento relacionados con mecanismos de repetición: distonía del escritor y síndrome de túnel del carpo. Materiales y métodos: A través de una revisión de artículos científicos se establecieron las características clínicas y etiológicas de cada entidad, así como los parámetros evaluativos que se incluirían en el instrumento. Resultados: De acuerdo con la diferencia etiológica y clínica de este tipo de desórdenes, pruebas como la tensión neural para el nervio mediano, el test de provocación, el test de sensibilidad superficial y cortical, y la dinamometría permiten determinar diferencias clínicas específicas para cada condición de salud. Conclusiones: La propuesta de evaluación clínica fisioterapéutica a través de este instrumento se convierte en la primera aproximación en fisioterapia que contribuye al diagnóstico diferencial en los desórdenes de movimiento ocupacional entre el síndrome de túnel del carpo y las distonías ocupacionales de la mano.