Development of a food-exchange model to replace saturated fat with MUFAS and n-6 PUFAS in adults at moderate cardiovascular risk

The recommendation to reduce saturated fatty acid (SFA) consumption to ≤10% of total energy (%TE) is a key public health target aimed at lowering cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Replacement of SFA with unsaturated fats may provide greater benefit than replacement with carbohydrates, yet the optimal type of fat is unclear. The aim was to develop a flexible food-exchange model to investigate the effects of substituting SFAs with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) or n-6 (ω-6) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on CVD risk factors. In this parallel study, UK adults aged 21-60 y with moderate CVD risk (50% greater than the population mean) were identified using a risk assessment tool (n = 195; 56% females). Three 16-wk isoenergetic diets of specific fatty acid (FA) composition (%TE SFA:%TE MUFA:%TE n-6 PUFA) were designed using spreads, oils, dairy products, and snacks as follows: 1) SFA-rich diet (17:11:4; n = 65); 2) MUFA-rich diet (9:19:4; n = 64); and 3) n-6 PUFA-rich diet (9:13:10; n = 66). Each diet provided 36%TE total fat. Dietary targets were broadly met for all intervention groups, reaching 17.6 ± 0.4%TE SFA, 18.5 ± 0.3%TE MUFA, and 10.4 ± 0.3%TE n-6 PUFA in the respective diets, with significant overall diet effects for the changes in SFA, MUFA, and n-6 PUFA between groups (P < 0.001). There were no differences in the changes of total fat, protein, carbohydrate, and alcohol intake or anthropometric measures between groups. Plasma phospholipid FA composition showed changes from baseline in the proportions of total SFA, MUFA, and n-6 PUFA for each diet group, with significant overall diet effects for total SFA and MUFA between groups (P < 0.001). In conclusion, successful implementation of the food-exchange model broadly achieved the dietary target intakes for the exchange of SFA with MUFA or n-6 PUFA with minimal disruption to the overall diet in a free-living population. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01478958.

Clinical risk factors for osteoporotic fractures in Brazilian women and men: the Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS)

The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS) is the first epidemiological study carried out in a representative sample of Brazilian men and women aged 40 years or older. The prevalence of fragility fractures is about 15.1% in the women and 12.8% in the men. Moreover, advanced age, sedentarism, family history of hip fracture, current smoking, recurrent falls, diabetes mellitus and poor quality of life are the main clinical risk factors associated with fragility fractures. The Brazilian Osteoporosis Study (BRAZOS) is the first epidemiological study carried out in a representative sample of Brazilian men and women aged 40 years or older with the purpose of identifying the prevalence and the main clinical risk factors (CRF) associated with osteoporotic fracture in our population. A total of 2,420 individuals (women, 70%) from 150 different cities in the five geographic regions in Brazil, and all different socio-economical classes were selected to participate in the present survey. Anthropometrical data as well as life habits, fracture history, food intake, physical activity, falls and quality of life were determined by individual quantitative interviews. The representative sampling was based on Brazilian National data provided by the 2000 and 2003 census. Low trauma fracture was defined as that resulting of a fall from standing height or less in individuals 50 years or older at specific skeletal sites: forearm, femur, ribs, vertebra and humerus. Sampling error was 2.2% with 95% confidence intervals. Logistic regression analysis models were designed having the fragility fracture as the dependent variable and all other parameters as the independent variable. Significance level was set as p < 0.05. The average of age, height and weight for men and women were 58.4 +/- 12.8 and 60.1 +/- 13.7 years, 1.67 +/- 0.08 and 1.56 +/- 0.07 m and 73.3 +/- 14.7 and 64.7 +/- 13.7 kg, respectively. About 15.1% of the women and 12.8% of the men reported fragility fractures. In the women, the main CRF associated with fractures were advanced age (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.06-2.4), family history of hip fracture (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.1-2.8), early menopause (OR = 1.7; 95% CI 1.02-2.9), sedentary lifestyle (OR = 1.6; 95% CI 1.02-2.7), poor quality of life (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-2.9), higher intake of phosphorus (OR = 1.9; 95% CI 1.2-2.9), diabetes mellitus (OR = 2.8; 95% CI 1.01-8.2), use of benzodiazepine drugs (OR = 2.0; 95% CI 1.1-3.6) and recurrent falls (OR = 2.4; 95% CI 1.2-5.0). In the men, the main CRF were poor quality of life (OR = 3.2; 95% CI 1.7-6.1), current smoking (OR = 3.5; 95% CI 1.28-9.77), diabetes mellitus (OR = 4.2; 95% CI 1.27-13.7) and sedentary lifestyle (OR = 6.3; 95% CI 1.1-36.1). Our findings suggest that CRF may contribute as an important tool to identify men and women with higher risk of osteoporotic fractures and that interventions aiming at specific risk factors (quit smoking, regular physical activity, prevention of falls) may help to manage patients to reduce their risk of fracture.

Pedagogisk dokumentation i förskolan : En intervjustudie om några förskollärares uppfattningar om begreppet pedagogisk dokumentation och dess innebörd

I dagens förskoleverksamhet är det i regel ett måste att dokumentera lärandeprocesser för att kunna uppfylla samtliga mål i utbildningsplaner och bistå med god utbildningskvalitet. Pedagogisk dokumentation – som grundades av Reggio Emilia – är ett utvärderingsverktyg som skall observera barnets lärandeprocesser samt förskollärarnas förhållningssätt. I vardagliga situationer i förskoleverksamheten har pedagogisk dokumentation många fördelar som kan kartlägga och ge bra förutsättningar genom att skapa förståelse för hur barn lär sig och utvecklas bäst. Syftet med denna studie var att genomföra en litteraturstudie i kombination med kvalitativa intervjuer som utgick ifrån följande frågeställningar: Hur definierar förskollärare begreppet dokumentation respektive pedagogisk dokumentation? Hur beskriver förskollärare arbetet med pedagogisk dokumentation? Och hur menar förskollärare att arbetet med pedagogisk dokumentation utvecklar verksamheten? Intervjuerna transkriberades och kategoriserades sedan kring hur förskollärarna använder pedagogisk dokumentation, hur synen på pedagogisk dokumentation ser ut samt vilka olika arbetssätt som används. Vid färdigställande av resultatet framgick det att tre av fyra respondenter upplevde pedagogisk dokumentation som något positivt och modernt. En respondent av fyra fann inte pedagogisk dokumentation som ett bra hjälpmedel för utvärdering, då verktyget kan vara oetiskt på så sätt att det kan användas som ett bedömningsverktyg på det enskilda barnet. Diskussionsavsnittet kopplar samman tidigare forskning med förskollärarnas svar kring hur de ser på pedagogisk dokumentation, hur de beskriver arbetet med pedagogisk dokumentation och hur arbetssättet kan utveckla verksamheten.

Knowledge translation in Uganda : a qualitative study of Ugandan midwives' and managers' perceived relevance of the sub-elements of the context cornerstone in the PARIHS framework

BACKGROUND: A large proportion of the annual 3.3 million neonatal deaths could be averted if there was a high uptake of basic evidence-based practices. In order to overcome this 'know-do' gap, there is an urgent need for in-depth understanding of knowledge translation (KT). A major factor to consider in the successful translation of knowledge into practice is the influence of organizational context. A theoretical framework highlighting this process is Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (PARIHS). However, research linked to this framework has almost exclusively been conducted in high-income countries. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the perceived relevance of the subelements of the organizational context cornerstone of the PARIHS framework, and also whether other factors in the organizational context were perceived to influence KT in a specific low-income setting. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted in a district of Uganda, where focus group discussions and semi-structured interviews were conducted with midwives (n = 18) and managers (n = 5) within the catchment area of the general hospital. The interview guide was developed based on the context sub-elements in the PARIHS framework (receptive context, culture, leadership, and evaluation). Interviews were transcribed verbatim, followed by directed content analysis of the data. RESULTS: The sub-elements of organizational context in the PARIHS framework--i.e., receptive context, culture, leadership, and evaluation--also appear to be relevant in a low-income setting like Uganda, but there are additional factors to consider. Access to resources, commitment and informal payment, and community involvement were all perceived to play important roles for successful KT. CONCLUSIONS: In further development of the context assessment tool, assessing factors for successful implementation of evidence in low-income settings--resources, community involvement, and commitment and informal payment--should be considered for inclusion. For low-income settings, resources are of significant importance, and might be considered as a separate subelement of the PARIHS framework as a whole.

A orientação das pessoas em relação à diversidade da força de trabalho: um estudo de caso na volvo do Brasil.

Este trabalho discute a orientação, no sentido de inclinação, de tendência, do indivíduo a reagir diante da diversidade da força de trabalho. Parte-se do pressuposto da inevitabilidade da diversidade e do potencial que dela advém para a geração de ganhos ou perdas à organização. Ou seja, cabe à gestão empresarial buscar a maximização dos efeitos positivos e a minimização das conseqüências negativas da diversidade. Observa-se, contudo, que as empresas estão investindo em programas de promoção da diversidade da força de trabalho sem conhecer a tendência de reação de seus empregados e dos seus times em relação à diversidade. Nesta situação, isto é, sem a identificação de quais dimensões da diversidade devem ser priorizadas e trabalhadas, não há como customizar ações, no âmbito dos programas organizacionais, com eficiência suficiente para preparar e estimular as pessoas para melhor reagirem diante do diverso. A questão que se traduz no problema de pesquisa é: como medir o grau com que os empregados da unidade paranaense da Volvo do Brasil estão inclinados a reagir, positiva ou negativamente, em relação à diversidade da força de trabalho, de forma a gerar informações para a gestão? Busca-se identificar os significados da diversidade da força de trabalho na Volvo. Dos debates e ensinamentos de Oracy Nogueira, Florestan Fernandes, Costa Pinto e Guerreiro Ramos, exploram-se as diferentes perspectivas sociológicas atribuídas aos determinantes do preconceito e da discriminação no Brasil. Discute-se a diversidade sob a ótica da teoria da contingência e do poder das organizações e, em contraponto, examina-se a questão com base na teoria substantiva da vida humana associada e no conceito de homem parentético, de Guerreiro Ramos. Quanto aos fins, esta pesquisa é exploratória, descritiva e metodológica. Quanto aos meios é uma pesquisa bibliográfica, documental, de campo, experimental e um estudo de caso. Utilizam-se procedimentos qualitativos e quantitativos. Conclui-se que o RTDI (reaction to diversity inventory), de De Meuse e Hostager (2001), ajustado, é um instrumento com o qual se pode medir o grau com que as pessoas estão propensas a reagir diante da diversidade da força de trabalho, de forma a gerar importantes informações para a gestão.

Consumo ético e sustentabilidade ambiental: estudo exploratório para conhecer comportamentos de aprendizagem, participação, responsabilidade e solidariedade do consumidor

O modelo de desenvolvimento sustentável trata de questões como a iniqüidade social, as limitações ambientais e a necessidade de compatibilizar o presente com as expectativas das gerações futuras. O consumo contemporâneo, hedonista e individualista, de troca de informações, de diferenciação social e de vocação consumista, parece dificultar que essas questões sejam ponderadas e se priorize a sustentabilidade ambiental. Como uma direção de comportamento em que o consumidor está orientado pelo senso de integração coletiva, de responsabilidade com os outros e o ambiente, o consumo ético estabelece uma ponte entre consumo contemporâneo e sustentabilidade. Como objetivo deste estudo, de caráter exploratório, busca-se conhecer tendências de comportamento para o consumo ético, um tema ainda incipiente no campo das ciências sociais. No levantamento bibliográfico, procurou-se integrar conteúdos que delimitassem a interdisciplinaridade entre consumo, desenvolvimento sustentável e ética, gerando as variáveis de estudo. Foram pesquisados estudantes como “líderes do amanhã” por sua influência nas organizações. A amostragem foi não probabilística por julgamento. O instrumento de pesquisa, baseado em escala de Likert de sete pontos, foi aplicado para alunos de graduação e pós-graduação em Administração. Foram utilizadas as análises multivariada fatorial e de agrupamento. Como resultado, obteve-se uma taxonomia da amostra pesquisada, como: “consciente cético”, “seguidor independente”, “teórico não praticante” e “individualista dissonante”. Este estudo reforça o achado prévio do levantamento bibliográfico de que há um paradoxo no individualismo contemporâneo, sendo concomitantemente consumista e ecológico. Também sugere a hipótese de que o sexo, trabalhar ou não e a escolaridade materna influenciam a aprendizagem do consumidor para questões ambientais, a decisão de participar em um pacto global sobre o consumo e a responsabilidade com as gerações futuras. Concluiu-se que a ética do discurso pode ser uma referência para a compreensão da troca de informações para o desenvolvimento sustentável e que o consumidor pesquisado não conforma um consumo ético, estabelecendo estágios de comportamento que não associam teoria e prática para a sustentabilidade ambiental

Integrating eye tracking in virtual reality for stroke rehabilitation

This thesis reports on research done for the integration of eye tracking technology into virtual reality environments, with the goal of using it in rehabilitation of patients who suffered from stroke. For the last few years, eye tracking has been a focus on medical research, used as an assistive tool  to help people with disabilities interact with new technologies  and as an assessment tool  to track the eye gaze during computer interactions. However, tracking more complex gaze behaviors and relating them to motor deficits in people with disabilities is an area that has not been fully explored, therefore it became the focal point of this research. During the research, two exploratory studies were performed in which eye tracking technology was integrated in the context of a newly created virtual reality task to assess the impact of stroke. Using an eye tracking device and a custom virtual task, the system developed is able to monitor the eye gaze pattern changes over time in patients with stroke, as well as allowing their eye gaze to function as an input for the task. Based on neuroscientific hypotheses of upper limb motor control, the studies aimed at verifying the differences in gaze patterns during the observation and execution of the virtual goal-oriented task in stroke patients (N=10), and also to assess normal gaze behavior in healthy participants (N=20). Results were found consistent and supported the hypotheses formulated, showing that eye gaze could be used as a valid assessment tool on these patients. However, the findings of this first exploratory approach are limited in order to fully understand the effect of stroke on eye gaze behavior. Therefore, a novel model-driven paradigm is proposed to further understand the relation between the neuronal mechanisms underlying goal-oriented actions and eye gaze behavior.

Comparative toxicity of antifouling compounds on the development of sea urchin

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

As ações de controle da tuberculose na atenção primária à saúde: a visão do doente

Tuberculosis is a disease of great impact on the world context today. In Brazil, the disease management was directed to the Primary Health Care, due to the determination of the Ministry of Health to decentralize health actions for primary care. Thus, since the actions of diagnosis, treatment and control of the disease should happen in this context, however, there are still many barriers that may hinder the realization of these determinations. This study aims to analyze the development of tuberculosis control activities conducted in the services of primary health care from the patient's vision. This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative study. The population consists of 517 tuberculosis patients treated in units of Primary Health Care in the city of Natal-RN; the sample consists of 93 TB patients. The collect instrument is structured, based in The Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT), validated in Brazil and adapted to assess attention to TB in Brazil, with modifications. This instrument was divided into blocks: the first one describes the socio-demographic information of patients with TB and the second one describes the health services working in control, diagnosis and treatment of TB, and includes issues related to the dimensions of primary care: access, bond, services, coordination of care, guidance to the community and family focus. For quantitative analysis, were built indicators for each item of the instrument. The response patterns are followed according to the Likert scale, which was assigned a value between one and five meant that the degree of preference relation (or agreement) of the statements. Values between 1 and 3 were considered unsatisfactory for the indicator, between 3 and less than 4, regular, and between 4 and 5, satisfactory. The results indicate that 62.37% of patients are male, 27.96% aged 41 to 50 years old, and 34.41% unemployed, with low education and low family income. It was found that the reference hospital services are the front door to the patient (59.14%), and are also the local diagnosis of the disease (72.04%). On access, the conditions satisfactory found are: the number of times the patients need to pick up the health care issue, the marking and the facility to get a consultancy in the HS, assistance provided without harm to the individual's attendance labor and facilities related to the proximity between the residence and services; were considered unsatisfactory conditions related to travel to the HS, and on hours and days of operation of services. As for the cast of services were satisfactory and regular actions related to the request for examination to become viable in the first HS, the availability of pot to perform smear and medicines for the treatment, as well as consultations control and receiving information about the disease and the treatment performed; it is considered unsatisfactory the performance of the home care for patients with TB by the HS that acts as a front door, for implementation of the Directly Observed Treatment (DOT), home visits during treatment, the provision of transportation allowance to the patient and the existence of groups for TB patients. Regarding the coordination of care, resulted in regular the action of referring the patient to other HS to obtain examinations, and as unsatisfactory referral to obtain medications. The relationship bond between patient and health team were considered satisfactory in the majority or regular. As for the family and community focus, is satisfactory only the indicator relating to questions from professionals to the patient about the existence of respiratory symptoms in the family. It is considered that there is need for greater commitment from government entities to the incentives required to TB control, as well as the availability of necessary inputs and training of human resources working in the PHC in the ongoing quest to strengthen primary care, as a place of broader host needs to contact the user with the actions and health professionals. It is recommended the adoption of management mechanisms possible to expand the capacity of the health PHC, promoting the service delivery to the user and ensuring attention to population health.

Balanced Scorecard como ferramenta de avaliação da consistência estratégica: um estudo em instituição de ensino superior privada

This Master of Science Thesis investigates in an exploratory modeling the idea of strategy consistency applying as an assessment tool a model of performance indicators of a higher education institution based on the balanced scorecard (BSC). It is carried on a review of conceptual BSC perspective hierarchy models and of studies on higher education institution in Brazil and worldwide. From a BSC model with three indicators at each perspective is carried on a case study with directors and coordinators of a private higher education institution with a descriptive and multivariate analysis using cluster analysis. The main findings point to a different perception of respondents on the importance level of the perspectives with a higher importance level given to Learning and Growth and Process that to Customer and Financial. Particularly, the financial perspective got a importance level significantly lower that the others, what suggests an inconsistency on the strategy deployment on the institution considered in terms of the perception of the managerial levels of the importance level of the perspectives

Avaliação da produção de sedimento na bacia hidrográfica do rio Potengi através do modelo SWAT

Anthropic disturbances in watersheds, such as inappropriate building development, disorderly land occupation and unplanned land use, may strengthen the sediment yield and the inflow into the estuary, leading to siltation, changes in the reach channel conformation, and ecosystem/water quality problems. Faced with such context, this study aims to assess the applicability of SWAT model to estimate, even in a preliminary way, the sediment yield distribution along the Potengi River watershed, as well as its contribution to the estuary. Furthermore, an assessment of its erosion susceptibility was used for comparison. The susceptibility map was developed by overlaying rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, the slope of the terrain and land cover. In order to overlap these maps, a multi-criteria analysis through AHP method was applied. The SWAT was run using a five year period (1997-2001), considering three different scenarios based on different sorts of human interference: a) agriculture; b) pasture; and c) no interference (background). Results were analyzed in terms of surface runoff, sediment yield and their propagation along each river section, so that it was possible to find that the regions in the extreme west of the watershed and in the downstream portions returned higher values of sediment yield, reaching respectively 2.8 e 5.1 ton/ha.year, whereas central areas, which were less susceptible, returned the lowest values, never more than 0.7 ton/ha.ano. It was also noticed that in the west sub-watersheds, where one can observe the headwaters, sediment yield was naturally forced by high declivity and weak soils. In another hand, results suggest that the eastern part would not contribute to the sediment inflow into the estuary in a significant way, and the larger part of the sediment yield in that place is due to anthropic activities. For the central region, the analysis of sediment propagation indicates deposition predominance in opposition to transport. Thus, it s not expected that isolated rain storms occurring in the upstream river portions would significantly provide the estuary with sediment. Because the model calibration process hasn t been done yet, it becomes essential to emphasize that values presented here as results should not be applied for pratical aims. Even so, this work warns about the risks of a growth in the alteration of natural land cover, mainly in areas closer to the headwaters and in the downstream Potengi River

Validade e reprodutibilidade do Wii Balance Board para avaliação do equilíbrio vertical estático: um novo método de avaliação.

The Wii Balance Board (WBB) began to be investigated as a low-cost alternative for assessing static balance in vertical posture. However, studies employed methodological procedures that did not eliminate result variability between the tests and equipment used. Objective: Determine the validity and reproducibility of the WBB as an instrument for assessing static balance in the vertical position, using simultaneous data analysis and superimposed equipment. Methods: This is an accuracy study of 29 healthy young individuals of both sexes aged 18 to 30 years. Subjects were assessed 24h apart (test-retest), using unipodal and bipodal support tests, with eyes closed and open. To that end the WBB was placed on top of a force platform (FP) and data (postural sway) were collected simultaneously on both devices. Validity and reproducibility were analyzed using the interclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Finally, Bland-Altman analysis was applied to assess agreement. Results: The sample was composed of 23 women and 6 men, with mean age of 24.2±6.3 years, 60.7±6.3 kg and 1.64±4.2 m. The validity of the WBB compared to the FP was excellent for all 4 tasks proposed (ICC = 0.93 0.98). The reproducibility analyzed by test-retest was excellent for the bipodal support tasks (ICC = 0.93-0.98) and only moderate for the unipodal support tests (ICC = 0.46 0.70). Graphic analysis exhibited good agreement between the devices, since most of the measures were within the limits of agreement. Conclusion: this study proved the validity and reproducibility of the Wii Balance Board as an instrument for assessing static balance in vertical posture, using simultaneous analysis with superimposed equipment. Thus, the WBB has been increasingly used by physical therapists and other health professionals in their clinical practice, as both a rehabilitation and assessment tool

Desempenho perceptual-auditivo e ortográfico de consoantes fricativas na aquisição da escrita

OBJETIVO: Verificar os desempenhos perceptual-auditivo e ortográfico de escolares no que se refere à identificação de contrastes entre as fricativas do Português Brasileiro, e investigar em que medida esses dois tipos de desempenhos se relacionam. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados de desempenho perceptual-auditivo e de desempenho ortográfico extraídos de 20 crianças das duas primeiras séries do ensino fundamental de uma escola pública do município de Mallet (PR). A coleta de dados de percepção auditiva foi feita com base no Instrumento de Avaliação da Percepção de Fala (PERCEFAL), com o uso do software Perceval. Já a coleta de dados de ortografia foi feita por meio de um ditado das mesmas palavras que compõem o instrumento PERCEFAL. RESULTADOS: Foram observadas: maior acurácia perceptual-auditiva do que ortográfica; tendência de menor tempo de resposta e de menor variabilidade nos acertos perceptuais-auditivos do que nos erros; não correspondência de erros de percepção-auditiva e ortografia, já que, na percepção, o maior percentual de erros envolveu o ponto de articulação das fricativas, enquanto que, na ortografia, o maior percentual envolveu o vozeamento. CONCLUSÃO: Embora se mostrem relacionados, os desempenhos perceptual-auditivo e ortográfico não apresentam correspondência termo a termo. Portanto, na prática clínica, a atenção deve-se voltar não apenas para os aspectos que aproximam esses dois desempenhos, mas, também, para os aspectos que os diferenciam.

Perfil audiológico de indivíduos portadores da síndrome de Goldenhar

A síndrome de Goldenhar é uma anomalia congênita rara, de etiologia ainda desconhecida e caracterizada por uma tríade clássica de alterações oculares, auriculares e vertebrais. FORMA DE ESTUDO: Estudo de série. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Este trabalho foi realizado com 30 indivíduos portadores da síndrome de Goldenhar regularmente matriculados no HRAC, de ambos os gêneros, com faixa etária variando de 8 a 34 anos de idade. OBJETIVO: foi caracterizar o perfil audiológico dos indivíduos portadores dessa síndrome, garantindo assim um melhor tratamento e orientação para os mesmos, assim como também estabelecer a freqüência do comprometimento auditivo contralateral nos indivíduos com o clássico envolvimento unilateral. A avaliação audiológica do estudo constou de ATL, timpanometria, EOA-T e BERA. RESULTADO: de acordo com os resultados concluímos que 34% (=10) dos indivíduos apresentaram como característica de seu perfil audiológico perda auditiva do tipo sensório-neural mista com grau variando de moderado a profundo (7 uni e 3 bilaterais); 13% (n=4) apresentaram perda do tipo condutiva (bilateralmente) com grau de leve a severo e 3% (n=1) apresentaram ou perda do tipo sensório-neural profundo unilateral. Encontramos 40% (n=12) com audição normal bilateralmente e em 10% (n=3) não foi possível estabelecer a característica do perfil audiológico por utilizarmos como avaliação apenas o BERA como pesquisa de limiar eletrofisiológico. Dos doze (12) indivíduos com malformação de OE unilateral encontramos apenas dois (02) com comprometimento auditivo na orelha contralateral, sendo um do tipo misto de grau severo e um condutivo de grau moderado. Com relação a variável sexo encontramos predominância maior da síndrome de Goldenhar no gênero feminino (57%) do que no masculino (43%), mas considerado estatisticamente sem significância, assim como também o lado anatomicamente afetado, que foi predominantemente o direito.

The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire overseas: Evaluations and applications of the SDQ beyond Europe

Background During the few years that have passed since it became available, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) has been extensively evaluated and widely applied to assess behaviour disorders of children and adolescents in European countries. In contrast, relatively few reports have published SDQ results obtained in other parts of the world, although its briefness and availability in over 40 languages make this instrument particularly attractive for international collaborations and cross-cultural comparisons concerning clinical and epidemiological issues. Objectives This initial overview summarises some of these non-European experiences with the SDQ by presenting a selection of projects that have either psychometrically evaluated this novel questionnaire, applied it to screen for behaviour disorders, or employed its parent-, teacher- or self-rated versions as research tools. Since a large part of the mentioned studies are ongoing or have only recently been completed, much of the work reported here is still unpublished. Conclusions Across a huge variety of cultures and languages, experience gained with the SDQ in other continents has supported European evidence of good psychometric properties and clinical utility of this questionnaire. Since worldwide usage of the SDQ can be expected to increase in the future, more international coordination is encouraged, in order to fully exploit the promising potentials of this versatile assessment tool and systematically investigate cross-cultural differences and similarities in child and adolescent behaviour.