Perinatal Periodontal Disease Reduces Social Behavior in Male Offspring

Objective: Our objective was to verify whether prenatal maternal periodontitis is a risk factor for the development of central nervous system disorders in rats. Methods: Periodontitis was induced by placing a ligature around the upper and lower first molars in 9 female Wistar rats (experimental group); 9 rats were left unligated (control group). The maternal general activity in an open field was observed on gestational day (GD) 0, GD 4, and GD 14, and the maternal performance was assessed on the second day after birth. The pups' play behavior was assessed on postnatal day 30. The relative level of reelin was measured in the frontal cortex by real-time PCR analysis. Results: The results showed that, compared with the control group, (1) the general activity in female rats with periodontitis was decreased, (2) the maternal performance of these rats was not modified by periodontitis, (3) the play behavior of pups from dams with periodontitis was decreased, and (4) there were no differences in the frontal cortex reelin levels of pups from dams with periodontitis. Conclusions: We conclude that pre- and postnatal periodontitis induces maternal sickness behavior and reduces the pups' play behavior without interference with frontal cortex reelin expression. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel

Social aspects of dental caries in the context of mother-child pairs

The relationship between mother and child in the context of oral health has traditionally been exposed by the scientific literature in microbiology, which lacks a broad and necessary discussion of health and illness seen as processes, both biological and social. Objective: Investigate the family social determinants associated with the caries history of children and the need for dental treatment (NDT) among their mothers was the objective of this study. Material and Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional study of mother-child pairs living in southern Brazil. Data collection occurred in public institutions of early childhood education. The instruments included a structured questionnaire administered to mothers and clinical oral examinations of the mothers and children. The social variables considered were marital status, maternal education, number of children, income, employment status, and frequency of visits to a dental professional. The measured outcomes were the maternal NDT and child caries history. Data were analyzed by the chi-square test (chi 2) and by discriminant analysis. Results: The final sample consisted of 272 mother-child pairs and it was found that the greatest need for treatment was among mothers with low educational level and low family income who rarely or never visited a dentist. Tooth decay was less frequent in only child, and most frequent in children of mothers with low educational attainment, and in children in lower income households who rarely or never visited the dentist. The social determinants of caries in children and of the maternal NDT were similar. It follows that the maternal NDT and caries history among children were strongly associated with maternal education (p<0.0001), household income (p<0.0001), and frequency of visits to a dental professional (0.0018). Caries history among children was also associated with number of children in the household (p<0.0001). Conclusions: The results suggest that the caries experience in children depended less on the family social variables than on the maternal NDT.

Risk factors that may signify a propensity to the use of drugs in students at a public university

Introduction: We sought to evaluate the risk factors that may increase the propensity to use licit and illicit drugs among students at a public university. Methods: The project involved students (n = 268) enrolled in the first and fourth years of courses in the areas of the social and biological sciences at a public university. Data collection was conducted by means of self-administered, semistructured questionnaires, based on such standardized assessment instruments as Audit, Assist, Cage and Duse. Collected data were analyzed quantitatively by calculating the percentages and evaluating the data in terms of categories of risk, classifying them by age, gender, religion, schooling, use (before or after entering university) and contexts of use. By means of this survey the researchers were able to correlate the use of drugs to the risk factors that might increase the students’ propensity to use these substances. Results: The results revealed a high proportion of current drug-using students, but showed no significant differences between the first and fourth year students as regards contexts of use. However, 67% of students regarded the university environment as encouraging the use of drugs. Students pointed to such major risk factors as friends’ and fellow-students’ influence, university parties, excessive curiosity and desire to experiment. Conclusion: Due to the high rate of drug use among university students, by the determination of the risk factors related to the university environment and also knowing that the process of addiction is one of growing chemical dependence, the importance of the development and implementation of public health policies at all levels, especially in terms of approaches and specific interventions addressing this population, should be noted.

Critical discourses on resilience: exploring alternatives strategies used by young people at-risk

The concept of resilience is often situated in a dominant discourse that reflects medical and developmentalist epistemology, in Western models, with the ideology of white people, and middle class hegemonic norms. Behavior that falls outside of the normal, or what is socially acceptable, is associated with riskiness and tacitly if not explicitly labeled as pathological, and then, not resilient. However, the context of social injustice of many young people at-risk can have drastic effects on them. When we offer institutions such as schools that do not understand their needs, they may refuse our services and some of them may engage in antisocial activities, since they are looking for personal validation, pathways to recognize themselves, and places and organizations that contribute to the building of their social identity. This paper analyses how the denial of support and resources for the wellbeing of young people can lead them to situations that are socially unacceptable, such as sexual exploitation and drug trafficking. The main argument is that these activities, in the absence of conventional mechanisms, may bring some benefit to the subjects. Benefits may be in material conditions, though strongly marked by issues of social inequality; or subjective, in gaining relationships with people outside the normative places and institutions for young people. Unconventional circumstances produce unconventional attitudes that are expressed in alternative forms of resilience.

Chuva, vulnerabilidade social e percepção do risco na cidade de São Paulo: impactos de eventos extremos nos bairros da Freguesia do Ó e do M’Boi Mirim

The city of São Paulo has, since the beginning of the expansion of its urban sprawl, represented relations of conflicts and contradictions between society and nature. Once the way society relates to nature is defined by how the social agents themselves correlate in certain social and historical contexts, the ways of interaction between the social and natural elements will be different according to the forms of production and appropriation of the urban space. Even more evident is the case of the great national metropolis, given its demographic dimensions and historical conditions, the process of urban expansion follows a logic where spaces of better quality for housing are occupied by those of better financial conditions. Thus, although there are exceptions, the poorest people live in places less desirable, in less resilient environments of lower environmental quality, relating to nature and its phenomena with greater risks. These risks are reflected here as recurring flooding, mudslides and landslides for which the rain is constantly blamed. So we have a situation where it is clear that a weather phenomenon differently interacts with different social groups. In this context, the study was conducted to compare extreme events occurred in two regions of São Paulo: the Freguesia do O, in the north side, and M'Boi Mirim, in the south side. Both are regions with large number of risk areas and are in the same urban climate unit. However, they present different conditions of social vulnerability. With the investigation of each extreme rain event occurred in the two regions, in the period of 2000-2010, supplemented by field research, we tried to observe how far the rain, with his intensity and volume, can, in fact, be related to the accidents.

A relevância das redes de apoio social durante a infância

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Políticas públicas e vulnerabilidade social: uma reflexão teórica a partir de experiência de estágio

This article provides a theoretical reflection on the relationship between public policies and the social vulnerability of children and adolescents, based on the supervised internship of students of Psychology at UNESP/Campus Assis. The work revealed the need to examine the implications that social vulnerability concepts and public policies have in this area of professional activity. The study indicated the importance of addressing the ways that social vulnerability arises, and suggested possible contributions that psychology could make in the social sphere. The work highlights the need for the future psychologist to deepen his/her knowledge of these issues in order to develop a critical professional attitude that breaks from the approach in which individuals and/or their families are considered responsible for the processes that maintain them at risk.

Como se forja o menor: tramas da atenção psicossocial e da proteção social

This essay aims to contribute to discuss public policies of social protection and practice guidelines for psychosocial care. Targeting children and underage adolescents whose documents, even though permeated with egalitarian discourses and promoted actions aimed at the construction of autonomy, continue endorsing welfare guardianship and addressed to the people classified as at-risk through biopolitical, disciplinary and security technologies based on a minority logic. The essay problematizes the ways in which psychology has found legitimacy in practices that eventually looms confinement practices which aspire to move away from, as was evidenced by documents and practices.

A política de assistência social desenvolvida nos CRAS de Sertãozinho para a prevenção da violência doméstica contra crianças e adolescentes

Pós-graduação em Serviço Social - FCHS

Adolescent vulnerability to cardiovascular consequences of chronic social stress: Immediate and long-term effects of social isolation during adolescence

It has been demonstrated that disruption of social bonds and perceived isolation (loneliness) are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Adolescence is proposed as a period of vulnerability to stress. Nevertheless, the impact of chronic social stress during this ontogenic period in cardiovascular function is poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the impact in cardiovascular function of social isolation for 3 weeks in adolescent and adult male rats. Also, the long-term effects of social isolation during adolescence were investigated longitudinally. Social isolation reduced body weight in adolescent, but not in adult animals. Disruption of social bonds during adolescence increased arterial pressure without affecting heart rate and pulse pressure (PP). Nevertheless, social isolation in adulthood reduced systolic arterial pressure and increased diastolic arterial pressure, which in turn decreased PP without affecting mean arterial pressure. Cardiovascular changes in adolescents, but not adults, were followed by facilitation of both baroreflex sensitivity and vascular reactivity to the vasodilator agent acetylcholine. Vascular responsiveness to either the vasodilator agent sodium nitroprusside or the vasoconstrictor agent phenylephrine was not affected by social isolation. Except for the changes in body weight and baroreflex sensitivity, all alterations evoked by social isolation during adolescence were reversed in adulthood after moving animals from isolated to collective housing. These findings suggest a vulnerability of adolescents to the effects of chronic social isolation in cardiovascular function. However, results indicate minimal cardiovascular consequences in adulthood of disruption of social bonds during adolescence. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2015.

Dos sujeitos e lugares da punição: da passagem do/a jovem perigoso/a para o/a jovem em perigo: um estudo das dimensões do dispositivo da gestão dos riscos e de controle social da juventude

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Circo social: uma ação da educação física na educação não formal

This work is the fruitful result of the desire to conduct a collaborative investigation through Circus Arts with children and adolescents at social (vulnerability) risk. Thus, the very objective of the rese arch was to analyze and understand Social Circus action possibilities on non-formal education as a (viable) job option for Physical Education teachers. This research was developed through qualitative research using Field Notes as the main instrument for the meetings' data collection, which took place from May to December 2015. In general terms, the research was divided into three phases, the former was carried out at a state school through the Escola da Família Program, (which consists of the opening of all public schools on weekends, offering to the communities extra activities) and the latter two in Shelter Homes for adolescents. The results showed that there were some (considerable) difficulties throughout and some gaps in our society that become evident on the poor. Furthermore, the results also confirm the possibility of the Physical Education teachers' participation in other sectors of the society, through the non-formal Education perspective and the possibility of Social Circus as the (fundamental) instrument of this action