Relation between oral health and socioeconomic variables among schoolchildren aged 12 in the City of Manaus - AM

Studies have shown that the age of 12 was determined as the age of global monitoring of caries for international comparisons and monitoring of disease trends. The aimed was to evaluate the prevalence of dental caries, fluorosis and periodontal condition and their relation with socioeconomic factors among schoolchildren aged twelve in the city of Manaus, AM. This study with a probabilistic sample of 661 children was conducted, 609 from public and 52 from private schools, in 2008. Dental caries, periodontal condition and dental fluorosis were evaluated. In order to obtain the socioeconomic classification of each child (high, upper middle, middle, lower middle, low and lower low socioeconomic classes), the guardians were given a questionnaire. The mean decayed teeth, missing teeth, and filled teeth (DMFT) found at age twelve was 1.89. It was observed that the presence of dental calculus was the most severe periodontal condition detected in 39.48%. In relation to dental fluorosis, there was a low prevalence in the children examined, i.e., the more pronounced lines of opacity only occasionally merge, forming small white areas. The study showed a significant association of 5% among social class with dental caries and periodontal condition. In schoolchildren of Manaus there are low mean of DMFT and fluorosis, but a high occurrence of gingival bleeding.

Predicting the distribution of forest tree species using topographic variables and vegetation index in eastern Acre, Brazil

Species distribution modeling has relevant implications for the studies of biodiversity, decision making about conservation and knowledge about ecological requirements of the species. The aim of this study was to evaluate if the use of forest inventories can improve the estimation of occurrence probability, identify the limits of the potential distribution and habitat preference of a group of timber tree species. The environmental predictor variables were: elevation, slope, aspect, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and height above the nearest drainage (HAND). To estimate the distribution of species we used the maximum entropy method (Maxent). In comparison with a random distribution, using topographic variables and vegetation index as features, the Maxent method predicted with an average accuracy of 86% the geographical distribution of studied species. The altitude and NDVI were the most important variables. There were limitations to the interpolation of the models for non-sampled locations and that are outside of the elevation gradient associated with the occurrence data in approximately 7% of the basin area. Ceiba pentandra (samaúma), Castilla ulei (caucho) and Hura crepitans (assacu) is more likely to occur in nearby water course areas. Clarisia racemosa (guariúba), Amburana acreana (cerejeira), Aspidosperma macrocarpon (pereiro), Apuleia leiocarpa (cumaru cetim), Aspidosperma parvifolium (amarelão) and Astronium lecointei (aroeira) can also occur in upland forest and well drained soils. This modeling approach has potential for application on other tropical species still less studied, especially those that are under pressure from logging.

Sucesso escolar e percursos vocacionais na adolescência: variáveis pessoais e contextuais

Tese de Doutoramento Ciências da Educação (Especialidade em Psicologia da Educação)

VET: a strategic approach for economic, organisational and personal development in EU countries

Vocational Education and Training (VET) is a continuous long-term process of economic, organisational and personal development. It envisions the construction of dynamic skills to improve performance, productivity and organisational, personal and social development. This article focuses on generating skills. It frames training as a process of work-linked training and as a primary source for generating skills whilst seeking to boost creativity. It sheds light upon the discussion pertaining to learning transfer as a necessary condition to structure performance and competitiveness. It highlights the Learning Transfer System Inventory (LTSI), because it allows to measure the effectiveness of training and it identifies the organisations' weaknesses. The data used were collected from the Eurostat Database.

Personal and Social Performance (PSP) scale for patients with schizophrenia: translation to Portuguese, cross-cultural adaptation and interrater reliability

INTRODUCTION: Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder associated with impairment in social functioning. The most widely used scale to measure social functioning is the GAF (Global Assessment of Functioning), but it has the disadvantage of measuring at the same time symptoms and functioning, as described in its anchors. OBJECTIVES:Translation and cultural adaptation of the PSP, proposing a final version in Portuguese for use in Brazil. METHODS: We performed five steps: 1) translation; 2) back translation; 3) formal assessment of semantic equivalence; 4) debriefing; 5) analysis by experts. Interrater reliability (Intraclass correlation, ICC) between two raters was also measured. RESULTS: The final version was applied by two independent investigators in 18 adults with schizophrenia (DSM-IV-TR). The interrater reliability (ICC) was 0.812 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The translation and adaptation of the PSP had an adequate level of semantic equivalence between the Portuguese version and the original English version. There were no difficulties related to understanding the content expressed in the translated texts and terms. Its application was easy and it showed a good interrater reliability. The PSP is a valid instrument for the measurement of personal and social functioning in schizophrenia.

Predictive value of clinical and electrophysiological variables in patients with chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia

OBJECTIVE: Risk stratification of patients with nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (NSVT) and chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). METHODS: Seventy eight patients with CCC and NSVT were consecutively and prospectively studied. All patients underwent to 24-hour Holter monitoring, radioisotopic ventriculography, left ventricular angiography, and electrophysiologic study. With programmed ventricular stimulation. RESULTS: Sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT) was induced in 25 patients (32%), NSVT in 20 (25.6%) and ventricular fibrillation in 4 (5.1%). In 29 patients (37.2%) no arrhythmia was inducible. During a 55.7-month-follow-up, 22 (28.2%) patients died, 16 due to sudden death, 2 due to nonsudden cardiac death and 4 due to noncardiac death. Logistic regression analysis showed that induction was the independent and main variable that predicted the occurrence of subsequent events and cardiac death (probability of 2.56 and 2.17, respectively). The Mantel-Haenszel chi-square test showed that survival probability was significantly lower in the inducible group than in the noninductible group. The percentage of patients free of events was significantly higher in the noninducible group. CONCLUSION: Induction of SMVT during programmed ventricular stimulation was a predictor of arrhythmia occurrence cardiac death and general mortality in patients with CCC and NSVT.

All different or all the same? Exploring the diversity of professional practices in Portuguese school psychology

"Published online: 29 March 2016"

Factores de risco de abuso no relacionamento íntimo: Estudo de validação da versão portuguesa do questionário “Personal and Relationships Profile”

O presente artigo trata do estudo das características psicométricas da versão portuguesa do questionário “Personal and Relationships Profile" (PRP, Straus, Hamby, Boney-McCoy, & Sugarman, 1999). Este instrumento destina-se a avaliar os principais factores relacionados com a ocorrência de abuso no relacionamento com o companheiro; integra 21 sub-escalas substantivas e uma sub-escala de desejabilidade social. Foram participantes 551 estudantes universitários (60.3% do sexo feminino), na sua maioria com idades compreendidas entre os 19 e os 25 anos e com uma relação do tipo namoro. O questionário apresenta elevada consistência interna (α=.90), e as sub-escalas têm valores de alpha de Cronbach compreendidos entre .50 e .84. Confirma-se também a validade externa dado que um elevado número de sub-escalas do PRP, se encontra significativamente correlacionado com a escala de abuso físico sem sequelas (CT52). Os resultados obtidos confirmam a validade da versão portuguesa do questionário PRP, possibilitando a investigadores e práticos no âmbito das relações maritais um instrumento de screening para sinalização, aprofundamento e orientação das linhas de acção específicas no tratamento e/ou investigação dos principais factores associados à violência conjugal.

From perfect strangers to research partners: a study of relationships, resource sharing and perceived benefits within R&D cooperation networks

Doctoral thesis in Marketing and Strategy.

Behavior of cardiac variables in animals exposed to cigarette smoke

OBJECTIVE: To assess the behavior of cardiac variables in animals exposed to cigarette smoke. METHODS: Two groups of Wistar rats were studied as follows: control group (C), comprising 28 animals; and smoking group (S), comprising 23 animals exposed to cigarette smoke for 30 days. Left ventricular cardiac function was assessed in vivo with transthoracic echocardiography, and myocardial performance was analyzed in vitro in preparations of isolated left ventricular papillary muscle. The cardiac muscle was assessed in isometric contractions with an extracellular calcium concentration of 2.5 mmol/L. RESULTS: No statistical difference was observed in the values of the body variables of the rats and in the mechanical data obtained from the papillary muscle between the control and smoking groups. The values of left ventricular systolic diameter were significantly greater in the smoking animals than in the control animals (C= 3.39 ± 0.4 mm and S= 3.71 ± 0.51 mm, P=0.02). A significant reduction was observed in systolic shortening fraction (C= 56.7 ± 4.2% and S= 53.5 ± 5.3%, P=0.02) and in ejection fraction (C= 0.92 ± 0.02 and S= 0.89 ± 0.04, P=0.01). CONCLUSION: The rats exposed to cigarette smoke had a reduction in left ventricular systolic function, although their myocardial function was preserved.

Influence of skeletal muscle mass on ventilatory and hemodynamic variables during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of skeletal muscle mass on ventilatory and hemodynamic variables during exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). METHODS: Twenty-five male patients underwent maximum cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a treadmill with a ramp protocol and measurement of the skeletal muscle mass of their thighs by using magnetic resonance imaging. The clinically stable, noncachectic patients were assessed and compared with 14 healthy individuals (S) paired by age and body mass index, who underwent the same examinations. RESULTS: Similar values of skeletal muscle mass were found in both groups (CHF group: 3863 ± 874 g; S group: 3743 ± 540 g; p = 0.32). Significant correlations of oxygen consumption in the anaerobic threshold (CHF: r = 0.39; P= 0.02 and S: r = 0.14; P = 0.31) and of oxygen pulse also in the anaerobic threshold (CHF: r = 0.49; P = 0.01 and S: r =0.12; P = 0.36) were found only in the group of patients with chronic heart failure. CONCLUSION: The results obtained indicate that skeletal muscle mass may influence the capacity of patients with CHF to withstand submaximal effort, due to limitations in their physical condition, even maintaining a value similar to that of healthy individuals. This suggests qualitative changes in the musculature.

Predicciones de variables hidrológicas en la Región Central Argentina

Con el devenir de los siglos, la mención de inundación adquirió una connotación negativa; ya no se la asocia con el efecto benéfico que le atribuían los antiguos egipcios, o sea, con el concepto de recurso, sino con los eventuales perjuicios que produciría en márgenes densamente pobladas, es decir, con el concepto de riesgo. En si una predicción no especifica cuándo se producirá un suceso hipotético crítico, sino, cual será la magnitud de este dada su duración y probabilidad. Por lo tanto, se asume que sucederá en algún momento de un período plurianual, vinculado con la planificación del área potencialmente afectable, lo cual torna improcedente asignarle fecha y hora. Esto la diferencia de un pronóstico, que anticipa el monto y el tiempo de ocurrencia, con el objeto de informar acerca del acontecimiento o inminencia de un fenómeno peligroso real durante una emergencia hídrica. La presente propuesta tiene como objetivo principal abordar el génesis de los eventos hidrológicos extremos, mediante la formación de recursos humanos propios, quienes se verán fortalecidos gracias a la colaboración de equipos técnicos especializados ajenos a nuestra institución académica, siendo estos equipos pioneros en abordar la problemática planteada. A su vez, se pretende generar una importante base de datos hidrológicos, la cual será empleada para validar y generalizar técnicas predictivas, brindando herramientas técnicas de validez y robustez comprobada, a todos aquellos entes responsables Vulnerabilidad del sistemade la planificación del uso del suelo, la gestión integrada del recurso hídrico, la defensa civil y la salud pública entre otros.

Influencia de variables de cultura, estructura y redes de conversaciones organizacionales sobre el logro de resultados en procesos de cambio de Pymes de Córdoba

Nos proponemos describir, desde las perspectivas de cultura, estructura y redes de conversaciones organizacionales, la influencia que tienen la competencia comunicativa, el equipo de comunicación, la coherencia interna de la configuración estructural, el tipo de liderazgo, los valores y las presunciones básicas, sobre los procesos de cambio desarrollados en Pymes de Córdoba y con ello sobre el logro de los resultados esperados. El tipo de investigación propuesto es descriptiva en una primera instancia, con la posibilidad (depende de la factibilidad determinada oportunamente) de análisis correlacionales. El objeto de estudio son PYMES de Córdoba que hayan desarrollado algún proceso de cambio (organizacional, tecnológico, de equipamiento, etc.) en los últimos tres años. El muestreo será de tipo no probabilístico. Para selección de empresas, la técnica a aplicar será por conveniencia y, luego, para seleccionar los directivos y operarios se aplicará el muestreo por cuotas. El diseño de investigación que se aplicará es no experimental, transversal. Siguiendo metodológicamente a T. Kinnear y J. Taylor, el método de recolección de datos será la comunicación (basado en la interrogación de los miembros de la muestra seleccionada para el estudio) y la técnica que se aplicará será la administración de cuestionarios semi-estructurados, complementados con entrevistas semi-directivas.

Taller en el taller. Un estudio sobre la transmisión de conocimientos prácticos en la empresa

Los cambios sociales, económicos, culturales y tecnológicos experimentados en las últimas décadas del siglo XX han hecho aparecer nuevos escenarios y contextos educativos; y con ellos nuevos espacios y colectivos para la investigación y la intervención. La empresa se constituye en uno de los escenarios en los que se produce una transformación de valores y comportamientos en los cuales la capacitación es un instrumento de cambio. Este estudio se basa en la experiencia realizada en la empresa Lockhedd Martin Aircraft Argentina SA en el año 2006, en la cual se trabajó en un proyecto de intervención psicopedagógica sobre el problema de la transmisión de conocimientos del personal más experimentado al personal menos experimentado. En base a los resultados obtenidos, nos proponemos caracterizar el proceso de aprendizaje en situaciones de trabajo, analizando el comportamiento de las variables que intervienen en la transmisión de conocimiento en acción, en un contexto grupal y en el espacio del taller. Es un estudio descriptivo, longitudinal, desde un enfoque etnográfico con análisis cualitativo y cuantitativo de los datos. Los resultados nos permitirán elaborar una propuesta metodológica de generación, transferencia y documentación del conocimiento en la acción, en situaciones de trabajo y construido en un proceso grupal. Como actividad de formación el proyecto incluye alumnos de Trabajo Final de la Carrera de la Licenciatura en Psicopedagogía de la UBP.