A precarização do trabalho e o adoecimento docente em instituições de ensino superior privadas/mercantis

Essa tese doutoral procurou entender a precarização do trabalho e o adoecimento docente em instituições de ensino superior privadas. E partiu de uma opção teórica que considera o trabalho fundamental para o processo de hominização e humanização do homem e adotando como método investigativo o materialismo histórico dialético. Nesse sentido, procurou investigar o seguinte problema: que relação pode ser estabelecida entre a precarização do trabalho e a saúde do docente em instituições da rede privada de ensino superior? A partir do problema levantado algumas questões norteadoras surgiram diante da necessidade de orientar melhor a coleta e análise de dados: a) as principais manifestações de doenças ocorridas entre os trabalhadores docentes em IES privadas possuem relação com a precarização do trabalho dos mesmos? e b) que fatores relacionados ao exercício do magistério podem estar associados ao desenvolvimento de determinadas doenças nos professores? Essas questões configuraram a tese aqui defendida: o trabalho docente, em razão de sua precarização, tem uma relação bem íntima com o processo de adoecimento dos professores. Para a efetivação do estudo realizou-se uma pesquisa empírica junto a docentes de uma instituição de ensino superior da rede privada, localizada no município de Belém, mediante o emprego de entrevistas semiestruturadas cujos objetivos perseguidos eram: a) identificar as principais manifestações de doenças ocorridas entre os trabalhadores docentes em IES privadas e b) analisar se as doenças que acometem os docentes de IES privadas têm relação com a precarização do trabalho dos mesmos. De um modo geral, os dados revelaram que há, realmente, uma forte relação entre o tipo de exercício laboral dos professores e o desenvolvimento de um latente processo de adoecimento. Algo percebido durante a identificação de diversas manifestações de doenças verificadas entre os trabalhadores docentes. No que tange as doenças físicas, destaca-se como a principal manifestada pelos docentes problemas relativos à corda vocal, algo que parece ser comum ao grupo de profissionais que utilizam com muita frequência, sem descanso e de forma inadequada, a voz. No que concerne especificamente às doenças mentais, encontrou-se forte indícios da presença de estresse e também da síndrome de burnout, fatores que tornam o trabalho docente algo embrutecedor e incompatível com a ativação de uma vida saudável e plena. Concluindo, entende-se então que, de um modo geral, os dados indicam pistas e sinais de que há uma relação muito próxima entra a precarização do trabalho e o desenvolvimento de processos de adoecimento entre os docentes envolvidos na pesquisa empírica.

Infrared LED irradiation photobiomodulation of oxidative stress in human dental pulp cells

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

Vulnerabilidade ao stress e estratégias de enfrentamento de líderes religiosos cristãos

Pós-graduação em Psicologia do Desenvolvimento e Aprendizagem - FC

Voice disorders in teachers: clinical, videolaryngoscopical, and vocal aspects

Dysphonia is more prevalent in teachers than among the general population. The objective of this study was to analyze clinical, vocal, and videolaryngoscopical aspects in dysphonic teachers. Ninety dysphonic teachers were inquired about their voice, comorbidities, and work conditions. They underwent vocal auditory-perceptual evaluation (maximum phonation time and GRBASI scale), acoustic voice analysis, and videolaryngoscopy. The results were compared with a control group consisting of 90 dysphonic nonteachers, of similar gender and ages, and with professional activities excluding teaching and singing. In both groups, there were 85 women and five men (age range 31-50 years). In the controls, the majority of subjects worked in domestic activities, whereas the majority of teachers worked in primary (42.8%) and secondary school (37.7%). Teachers and controls reported, respectively: vocal abuse (76.7%; 37.8%), weekly hours of work between 21 and 40 years (72.2%; 80%), under 10 years of practice (36%; 23%), absenteeism (23%; 0%), sinonasal (66%; 20%) and gastroesophageal symptoms (44%; 22%), hoarseness (82%; 78%), throat clearing (70%; 62%), and phonatory effort (72%; 52%). In both groups, there were decreased values of maximum phonation time, impairment of the G parameter in the GRBASI scale (82%), decrease of F0 and increase of the rest of acoustic parameters. Nodules and laryngopharyngeal reflux were predominant in teachers; laryngopharyngeal reflux, polyps, and sulcus vocalis predominated in the controls. Vocal symptoms, comorbidities, and absenteeism were predominant among teachers. The vocal analyses were similar in both groups. Nodules and laryngopharyngeal reflux were predominant among teachers, whereas polyps, laryngopharyngeal reflux, and sulcus were predominant among controls.

Stress responses to chemical alarm cues in Nile tilapia

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

Effects of moderate electrical stimulation on reactive species production by primary rat skeletal muscle cells: Cross talk between superoxide and nitric oxide production

The effects of a moderate electrical stimulation on superoxide and nitric oxide production by primary cultured skeletal muscle cells were evaluated. The involvement of the main sites of these reactive species production and the relationship between superoxide and nitric oxide production were also examined. Production of superoxide was evaluated by cytochrome c reduction and dihydroethidium oxidation assays. Electrical stimulation increased superoxide production after 1?h incubation. A xanthine oxidase inhibitor caused a partial decrease of superoxide generation and a significant amount of mitochondria-derived superoxide was also observed. Nitric oxide production was assessed by nitrite measurement and by using 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate (DAF-2-DA) assay. Using both methods an increased production of nitric oxide was obtained after electrical stimulation, which was also able to induce an increase of iNOS content and NF-?B activation. The participation of superoxide in nitric oxide production was investigated by incubating cells with DAF-2-DA in the presence or absence of electrical stimulation, a superoxide generator system (xanthinexanthine oxidase), a mixture of NOS inhibitors and SOD-PEG. Our data show that the induction of muscle contraction by a moderate electrical stimulation protocol led to an increased nitric oxide production that can be controlled by superoxide generation. The cross talk between these reactive species likely plays a role in exercise-induced maintenance and adaptation by regulating muscular glucose metabolism, force of contraction, fatigue, and antioxidant systems activities. J. Cell. Physiol. 227: 25112518, 2012. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Job satisfaction among control room operators of electrical systems

Shift workers from control centers of electrical systems are a group that has received little attention in Brazil. This study aimed to compare workers' job satisfaction at five control centers of a Brazilian company electrical system, and according to their job titles. Method: The Organization Satisfaction Index (OSI) questionnaire to assess job satisfaction was used. ANOVA was used to compare OSI means, according to job title and control center. The results showed that there is no difference in job satisfaction among job titles, but a significant difference was found according to the control center. A single organizational culture cannot be applied to several branches. It is required to implement actions that would result in job satisfaction improvements among workers of all studied control rooms centers. The high level of education of operators working in all centers might have contributed to the similar values of perceived satisfaction among distinct job titles.

Inhibition of cPLA(2) and sPLA(2) Activities in Primary Cultures of Rat Cortical Neurons by Centella asiatica Water Extract

Leaf extract of Centella asiatica has been used as an alternative medicine for memory improvement in the Indian Ayurvedic system of medicine for a long time. Although several studies have revealed its effect in ameliorating the cognitive impairment in rat models of Alzheimer's disease, the molecular mechanism of C. asiatica on neuroprotection still remains unexplained. In this study, we investigated the effects of C. asiatica water extract on activity of subtypes of phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) in primary cultures of rat cortical neurons and quantified by HPLC a possible molecule responsible for the activity. The cPLA(2) and sPLA(2) activities were inhibited in vitro by asiaticoside present in the water extract of C. asiatica. This extract may be a candidate for the treatment of neurodegenerative processes because of its pharmacological activity in the brain and its low toxicity, as attested by its long popular use as a natural product.

Women's subjective and objective health over time : the role of psychosocial conditions and physiological stress responses

Today, health problems are likely to have a complex and multifactorial etiology, whereby psychosocial factors interact with behaviour and bodily responses. Women generally report more health problems than men. The present thesis concerns the development of women’s health from a subjective and objective perspective, as related to psychosocial living conditions and physiological stress responses. Both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies were carried out on a representative sample of women. Data analysis was based on a holistic person-oriented approach as well as a variable approach. In Study I, the women’s self-reported symptoms and diseases as well as self-rated general health status were compared to physician-rated health problems and ratings of the general health of the women, based on medical examinations. The findings showed that physicians rated twice as many women as having poor health compared to the ratings of the women themselves. Moreover, the symptom ”a sense of powerlessness” had the highest predictive power for self-rated general health. Study II investigated individual and structural stability in symptom profiles between adolescence and middle-age as related to pubertal timing. There was individual stability in symptom reporting for nearly thirty years, although the effect of pubertal timing on symptom reporting did not extend into middle-age. Study III explored the longitudinal and current influence of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors on women’s self-reported health. Contemporary factors such as job strain, low income, financial worries, and double exposure in terms of high job strain and heavy domestic responsibilities increased the risk for poor self-reported health in middle-aged women. In Study IV, the association between self-reported symptoms and physiological stress responses was investigated. Results revealed that higher levels of medically unexplained symptoms were related to higher levels of cortisol, cholesterol, and heart rate. The empirical findings are discussed in relation to existing models of stress and health, such as the demand-control model, the allostatic load model, the biopsychosocial model, and the multiple role hypothesis. It was concluded that women’s health problems could be reduced if their overall life circumstances were improved. The practical implications of this might include a redesign of the labour market giving women more influence and control over their lives, both at and away from work.

Fault delineation and stress orientations from the analysis of background, low magnitude seismicity in Southern Apennines (Italy)

The aim of this work was to show that refined analyses of background, low magnitude seismicity allow to delineate the main active faults and to accurately estimate the directions of the regional tectonic stress that characterize the Southern Apennines (Italy), a structurally complex area with high seismic potential. Thanks the presence in the area of an integrated dense and wide dynamic network, was possible to analyzed an high quality microearthquake data-set consisting of 1312 events that occurred from August 2005 to April 2011 by integrating the data recorded at 42 seismic stations of various networks. The refined seismicity location and focal mechanisms well delineate a system of NW-SE striking normal faults along the Apenninic chain and an approximately E-W oriented, strike-slip fault, transversely cutting the belt. The seismicity along the chain does not occur on a single fault but in a volume, delimited by the faults activated during the 1980 Irpinia M 6.9 earthquake, on sub-parallel predominant normal faults. Results show that the recent low magnitude earthquakes belongs to the background seismicity and they are likely generated along the major fault segments activated during the most recent earthquakes, suggesting that they are still active today thirty years after the mainshock occurrences. In this sense, this study gives a new perspective to the application of the high quality records of low magnitude background seismicity for the identification and characterization of active fault systems. The analysis of the stress tensor inversion provides two equivalent models to explain the microearthquake generation along both the NW-SE striking normal faults and the E- W oriented fault with a dominant dextral strike-slip motion, but having different geological interpretations. We suggest that the NW-SE-striking Africa-Eurasia convergence acts in the background of all these structures, playing a primary and unifying role in the seismotectonics of the whole region.

Regulation der Stress-aktivierten Proteinkinasen durch den gentoxischen Benzo[a]pyren-Metaboliten BPDE

Polyzyklische aromatische Kohlenwasserstoffe (PAK) sind ubiquitäre Verschmutzungen der Umwelt und entstehen während der unvollständigen Verbrennung organischen Materials wie Holz, Kohle und Erdöl. Werden diese chemisch nicht reaktiven PAK in den Körper aufgenommen, durchlaufen sie eine Reihe von enzymatischen Umsetzungen, die unter der Bezeichnung Fremdstoffmetabolismus zusammengefasst werden. Die chemische Umsetzung des PAK und Prokarzinogens Benzo[a]pyren (B[a]P) führt u.a. zur Bildung des reaktiven Metaboliten B[a]P-7,8-dihydrodiol-9,10-epoxid (BPDE). BPDE ist stark elektrophil und kann auf Grund dieser Eigenschaft an nukleophile Makromoleküle wie Proteine und DNA binden. Die Bildung von BPDE-DNA-Addukten resultiert in der Entstehung von Mutationen und kann zur Tumorbildung führen. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Arbeit sollte die Wirkung von BPDE als Modellsubstanz für gentoxische Agenzien auf intrazelluläre Signalkaskaden und die Konsequenzen der BPDE-Exposition bezüglich der Zellaktivität untersucht werden. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass BPDE-Behandlung von Mausfibroblasten eine intrazelluläre Signalkaskade induziert, welche zur Aktivierung der Stressaktivierten Proteinkinasen (SAPK) JNK und p38 führt. An dieser Signalkaskade sind Src-ähnliche Kinasen beteiligt. BPDE-Behandlung führt in den untersuchten Mausfibroblasten zur Induktion von DNA-Einzelstrangbrüchen, deren Auftreten zeitlich mit der SAPK-Aktivierung korreliert. Die BPDEinduzierten DNA-Strangbrüche sind die Folge der Entfernung dieser Läsionen aus dem Genom durch die Nukleotidexzisionsreparatur (NER). Erkannt werden BPDE-DNA-Addukte durch die NERProteine XPA und XPC (Xeroderma Pigmentosum Komplementationsgruppe A und C). Nach der Erkennung von BPDE-DNA-Addukten kommt es zur Rekrutierung von Nukleasen, welche die vorliegende Läsion und umliegende Nukleotide aus dem Genom entfernen. In XPA- und XPCdefizienten Mausfibroblasten induziert BPDE daher keine DNA-Strangbrüche. Jedoch ist nur in XPCdefizienten Zellen, aber nicht in XPA-defizienten Zellen, die SAPK-Aktivierung drastisch reduziert. Behandlung von Mausfibroblasten mit Benzo[c]phenanthren-3,4-Diol-1,2-Epoxid, einem PAK, dessen DNA-Addukte schlecht durch NER-Faktoren erkannt und repariert werden, führt zu keiner SAPKAktivierung. Die Aktivierung von p38 und JNK scheint demnach abhängig zu sein von der Erkennung des primären DNA-Schadens. Die XPC-abhängige SAPK-Aktivierung schützt die Zellen vor BPDEabhängiger Toxizität, da sowohl XPC- als auch p38-defiziente Mausfibroblasten eine höhere Sensitivität gegenüber BPDE zeigen als korrespondierende Wildtypzellen. Zusamenfassend konnte in dieser Arbeit ein neuer Signalweg beschrieben werden, in dem DNASchäden, verursacht durch BPDE, über die XPC-abhängige DNA-Schadenserkennung, die Aktivierung der SAPK induziert. Diese Aktivierung der SAPK schützt vor BPDE-induzierter Toxizität.

Bedeutung von Rho-GTPasen bei der Regulation zellulärer Antworten auf genotoxischen Stress

SAPK/JNK regulieren nach genotoxischem Stress eine Vielzahl von Zielsubstraten, die bedeutsam für Reparatur und Überleben der Zelle sind, somit nehmen sie Einfluss auf das zelluläre Schicksal der Zelle. Ob DNA-Schäden eine Phosphorylierung von Stress-Kinasen nach sich ziehen ist bisher noch wenig untersucht. Mit reparaturdefizienten Zellen wurde der Einfluss von DNA-Schäden, durch Cisplatin/Transplatin/UV-C, auf die SAPK/JNK Aktivierung untersucht. Die Aktivierung der Stress-Kinasen erfolgte agenzspezifisch und abhängig von verschieden Reparaturfaktoren. Die Aktivierung korrelierte in reparaturdefizienten Zellen teilweise mit dem späten Auftreten von DNA-Strangbrüchen, war jedoch unabhängig von erhöhten initialen DNA-Schäden. Diese Befunde zeigten, dass die späte Aktivierung der SAPK/JNK DNA-schadensabhängig verläuft und das Cisplatin und Transplatin bei Verwendung von äquitoxischen Dosen zu einer vergleichbaren Aktivierung von SAPK/JNK führten. Die Hemmung der Rho-GTPasen sowohl durch Statine als auch mittels Clostridium difficile Toxin B zeigte weiterhin, dass Rho-GTPasen möglicherweise die späte DNA-schadensabhängige Aktivierung der Stress-Kinasen vermitteln. Die Hemmung von Rho-GTPasen durch physiologisch relevante Konzentrationen von Statinen führte in primären humanen Endothelzellen (HUVECs) zu einer Protektion vor IR-Strahlung und Doxorubicin. In beiden Fällen konnte eine Hemmung des pro-apoptotischen Transkriptionsfaktors p53 sowie der Chk1, welche einen Zellzyklusarrest reguliert, mit der Statin-Behandlung erreicht werden. Effektor-Caspasen wurden dabei durch den HMG-CoA-Reduktase Hemmer nicht beeinflusst. Ausschließlich bei dem Statin-vermittelten Schutz vor Doxorubicin kam es zu einer Reduktion von initialen DNA-Schäden, in Form von DNA-Strangbrüchen. Die IR-induzierten Strangbrüche in der DNA blieben von der Statin-Inkubation hingegen unbeeinflusst. Aufgrund ihrer protektiven Eigenschaften gegenüber IR- und Doxorubicin-induzierter Zytotoxizität in Endothelzellen und ihrer pro-apoptotischen Wirkung auf Tumorzellen könnten Statine möglicherweise die unerwünschten Nebenwirkungen von Zytostatika und einer Strahlentherapie günstig beeinflussen

Enhancing Workers’ Well-Being. Scientific and social relevance of managing stress in the workplace

Purpose. Despite work-related stress is one of the most studied topic in organizational psychology, many aspects as for example the use of different measures (e.g. subjective and objective, qualitative and quantitative) are still under debate. According to this, in order to enhance knowledge concerning which factors and processes contribute to create healthy workplaces, this thesis is composed by four different studies aiming to understand: a) the role of relevant antecedents (e.g. leadership, job demands, work-family conflict, social support etc.) and outcomes (e.g. workplace phobia, absenteeism etc.) of work-related stress; and b) how to manage psychosocial risk factors in the workplace. The studies. The first study focused on how disagreement between supervisors and their employees on leadership style (transformational and transactional) could affect workers well-being and work team variables. The second and third study used both subjective and objective data in order to increase the quality of the reliability of the results gained. Particularly, the second study focused on job demand and its relationship with objective sickness leave. Findings showed that despite there is no direct relationship between these two variables, job demand affects work-family conflict, which in turn affect exhaustion, which leads to absenteeism. The third study analysed the role of a new concept never studied before in organizational settings (workplace phobia), as a health outcome in the JD-R model, demonstrating also its relationship with absenteeism. The last study highlighted the added value of using the mixed methods research approach in order to detect and analyse context-specific job demands which could affects workers’ health. Conclusion. The findings of this thesis answered both to open questions in the scientific literature and to the social request of managing psychosocial risk factors in the workplace in order to enhance workers well-being.

Work-related behavior and experience patterns and predictors of mental health in German physicians in medical practice

Background and Objectives: Work-related stress and burnout among physicians are of increasing relevance. The aim of this study was to investigate work-related behavior and experience patterns and predictors of mental health of physicians working in medical practice in Germany. Methods: We surveyed a stratified, random sample of 900 physicians from different specialties. The questionnaire included the standardized instruments Work-related Behavior and Experience Pattern (AVEM) and the Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12). Results: Only one third of physicians reported high or very high general satisfaction with their job, but 64% would choose to study medicine again. Only 18% of physicians presented a healthy behavior and experience pattern. Almost 40% presented a pattern of reduced motivation to work, 21% were at risk of overexertion, and 22% at risk for burnout. Willingness to study medicine again, fulfilled job expectations, professional years, marital status, and behavior patterns were significant predictors of mental health and accounted for 35.6% of the variance in mental health scores. Job-related perceptions also had a significant effect on burnout. Conclusions: The strong influence of work-related perceptions suggests a need for realistic expectation management in medical education, as well as support in stress management and coping strategies during medical training.

Getting started with taiji: investigating students expectations and teachers appraisals of taiji beginners courses

In recent years, Taiji has been frequently investigated and considered as a stress management intervention. Although health care providers' appraisals and consumers' expectations are regarded as essential for treatment outcome, little attention has been drawn to this issue in Taiji research. In our study we have conducted two surveys to explore beginners' (n = 74) expectations and teachers' (n = 136) appraisals of their Taiji courses in general as well as more particularly related to stress management. Qualitative data analysis revealed that beginners mainly expected to learn a new method that is applicable in their daily life to foster peace of mind and to enhance their stress management. Congruently moderate-to-high improvements in stress management have also been found in quantitative analysis, whereby a lower educational level predicted higher expectations (P = 0.016). Taiji-teachers stated body- and mind-related benefits most frequently and appraised moderate-to-high improvements in stress management. Higher appraisals were predicted by a shorter teaching experience (P = 0.024). Our results inform about beginners' expectations and teachers' appraisals related to a Taiji-beginners course and highlight the role of educational background and teaching experience in shaping stress-management-related beginners' expectations and teachers' appraisals.