O ajustamento psicossocial de jovens com consumos de substâncias psicoativas em escolas profissionais do grande Porto

Tese de Doutoramento em Estudos da Criança (Área de Especialidade Psicologia do Desenvolvimento e Educação)

A lusofonia na blogosfera: da “comunidade imaginada” à “comunidade imaginativa”?

Publicado em "Colonialismos, pós-colonialismos e lusofonias: atas do IV Congresso Internacional em Estudos Culturais". ISBN 978-989-8015-18-1

Colónias de som: O papel da rádio na expressão sonora das lusofonias

Funcionando hoje como uma presença discreta e talvez não tanto como um meio de comunicação de primeiro plano, a rádio tem, no entanto, desempenhado um papel fundamental na construção de comunidades sonoras no espaço lusófono. Estreitamente ligada à indústria da música, mais do que qualquer outro meio, a rádio tem manifestado neste domínio uma excecionalidade nem sempre devidamente reconhecida. Numa altura em que estamos todos centrados na imagem como forma quase absoluta de expressão, parecemos esquecer que uma dimensão muito significativa da nossa identidade se faz através da sonoridade que há nas coisas e nos lugares. Ao reconhecer, portanto, que as lusofonias também são constituídas por esta alma invisível, procuraremos nesta comunicação construir um argumento em torno das potencialidades da rádio para o reforço de laços históricos e simbólicos. Desenvolveremos a este título uma atenção particular ao conceito de rádio comunitária, tomando como exemplo a Rádio Ás, uma emissora online que resulta de uma parceria entre três municípios – Aveiro-Portugal; Santa Cruz (Cabo Verde); e São Bernardo do Campo (Brasil) – e se define como um veículo da lusofonia. O objetivo é pensar as estações de rádio como colónias de som habitadas por um espírito que só o ouvido pode conhecer.

Hibridação e pós-colonialismo

A hibridização refere-se a um modo de conhecimento e de ação associados com o híbrido. E esta última idéia denota os interstícios, a rede de relacionamentos, os lugares e as instâncias que, à medida que fundem as suas essências e experiências, geram novas produções e reproduções de si mesmos. O hibridismo é percebido por várias escolas de pensamento e por muitos autores literários como uma das principais armas contra o colonialismo. Isto é especialmente verdadeiro para os teóricos do pós-colonialismo, como Edward Said e Homi Bhabha. Se o entendimento do hibridismo é fundamental para a reflexão que os Estudos Pós-Coloniais empreendem sobre a nossa sociedade intercultural, também é verdade que essa escola de pensamento mostra-se, ela própria, híbrida desde as suas origens. Na verdade, na nossa era pós-colonial, os textos literários e até mesmo a escrita científica (histórica, sociológica, etc ) exibem uma natureza cada vez intercultural. Mas como podem estes ‘Estudos Híbridos’, de que uma manifestação recente é a Hibridologia, através de um historiador, um sociólogo, um antropólogo ou um crítico literário, detectar tais significados públicos polissémicos que conduzem a uma mais intensa comunicação intercultural? Uma das respostas possíveis pode ser a seguinte hipótese: além da leitura e escrita de saberes especializados, os conceitos comuns (um termo central na fenomenologia sociológica de Alfred Schutz), utilizados por pessoas comuns de diferentes origens culturais numa base diária, pode constituir uma das chaves para a compreensão mútua entre as diferentes culturas hoje interligadas nas nossas sociedades pós-coloniais globais.

“Quem quer ser apagado?”: Representações da história e a descolonização do pensamento

As representações da história “universal” veiculadas pelos media e disseminadas nas enciclopédias ditas globais, são talvez um dos mais evidentes exemplos do quanto ainda há a fazer para descolonizar o conhecimento. Assim, urge dar voz a diferentes narrativas sobre a história mundial, de modo a tornar visíveis as versões de pessoas e grupos que foram sistematicamente “apagados” da história durante o período colonial e que continuam, muitas das vezes, invisíveis nas narrativas dominantes em período dito pós- colonial. Neste artigo examinamos os resultados de um inquérito realizado junto de jovens em Moçambique e em Portugal. Em ambos os países, investigámos as representações sociais sobre a história mundial. As convergências e divergências nas representações da história mundial, nomeadamente no que se refere ao período colonial, são discutidas tendo em conta o papel das identidades nacionais na estruturação das memórias coletivas.

Qual o significado de “Diáspora” em tempo de globalização? A relação controversa entre Império, lusofonia e “portugalidade”

O que significa falar, hoje, em diáspora? A dispersão, associada à origem do conceito, ainda serve de significado em tempo de globalização? Existe apenas uma ou várias diásporas? Com este artigo pretendemos observar a evolução do conceito de “diáspora” à luz da ideia de Said (1994) de que o fim do colonialismo não impediu que o imperialismo persistisse. Relacionamos as problematizações sobre diáspora feitas, entre outros, por Cohen (1997), Hall (1998), Bhabha (1998), Riggs (2000) e Morier- Genoud & Cahen (2013), chegando ao caso português e à ideia de lusofonia. A interculturalidade, que promove a interpenetração identitária, está patente na diáspora? O que acontece quando se associa a diáspora à “portugalidade”? Eduardo Lourenço (1999) é cáustico em relação à ideia de diáspora, afirmando mesmo ser uma aberração que a nossa longa gesta emigrante seja percebida enquanto tal. E, mesmo que se parta da ideia de que “o sentido é o uso” (Wittgenstein, 1958), a ‘naturalização’ de determinadas realidades, ideologicamente alinhadas, pode incrementar equívocos e impedir uma dimensão ética, que acontece quando o ‘outro’ entra em cena (Eco, 1997).

Comportamentos de risco na juventude: Uma perspetiva de género e interseccional

Tese de Doutoramento em Psicologia - Especialidade em Psicologia Social

Avaliação de Desempenho e Associações de Profissionais: o poder do associativismo nos processos de avaliação de desempenho

Dissertação de mestrado em Sociologia Organizações e Trabalho

Reduction in left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients treated with enalapril, losartan or the combination of enalapril and losartan

OBJECTIVE: To compare the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with moderate hypertension treated with enalapril, losartan or a combination of the two drugs at lower doses. METHODS: Patients of both sexes with moderate hypertension confirmed by ambulatory monitoring of arte-rial blood pressure and with left ventricular hypertrophy on echocardiogram were assigned to three groups: enalapril (35 mg/day, n=15), losartan (175 mg/day, n=15) and enalapril+losartan (15 mg+100 mg/day, n=16). The patients received the drugs for 10 months. RESULTS: The three therapeutic regimens were equally effective in reducing blood pressure and left ventricular mass index (LVMI, g/m²): 141±3.9 to 123±3.6 in the enalapril group (p<0.05), from 147±3.8 to 133±2.8 in the losartan group (p<0.05), and from 146±3.0 to 116±4.0 in the enalapril+losartan group (p<0.05). However, the percent reduction of LVMI was significantly greater (p<0.01) in the enalapril+losartan group (20.5±5.0%) than in enalapril (12.4±3.2%) and the losartan (9.1±2.1%) groups. Normalization of LVMI was obtained in 10 out of the 16 patients who received enalapril+ losartan, in 6 out of the 15 patients who received only enalapril and in 4 out of the 15 patients treated with losartan. CONCLUSION: The combination of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and an angiotensin II receptor antagonist (AT1 receptor antagonist) in patients produced an additional effect on the reduction of left ventricular hypertrophy. This finding may depend on a more complete inhibition of the cardiac renin-angiotensin.

Risk factors for atherosclerosis in an elderly out patient population in the City of São Paulo

OBJECTIVE: To analyze in out clinic elderly patients of both sexes for the prevalence of risk factors for atherosclerosis and study their association with the complications of atherosclerosis. METHODS: Five hundred and sixteen outpatients, 152 men and 364 women, 60 years or older, were studied. The prevalences of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, cigarette smoking and obesity were determined in both sexes and compared using the chi-square test. The association between these factors and the presence of atherosclerotic complications was analyzed by logistic regression. RESULTS: The comparative analysis of the factors in both sexes showed that hypertension, total cholesterol > or = 240mg/dL, LDL-cholesterol > or = 160mg/dL, and body mass index >27.5 were more frequent among women, but HDL-cholesterol <35mg/dL and cigarette smoking were more frequent among men, and no difference occurred between sexes in relation to the frequency of triglycerides > or = 250mg/dL and diabetes mellitus. After adjustment of the variables in the regression model, we observed that in the total of elderly patients, risk factors for complications of atherosclerosis were: triglycerides > or = 250mg/dL, hypertension, and male sex. Among men, the risk factors were: LDL-cholesterol > or = 160mg/dL, diabetes mellitus, HDL-cholesterol <35mg/dL and hypertension. Among women, the risk factors were: tryglicerides > or = 250mg/dL and hypertension. CONCLUSION: The results showed that, in the elderly, the risk factors for atherosclerosis persist, but with different behaviors between men and women. The study suggests that the relative importance of the risk factors can change with the aging process.

Trends in mortality due to ischemic heart disease in the municipality of Goiania, Brazil, during the years between 1980 and 1994

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the trends of specific, standardized coefficients of mortality due to ischemic heart disease according to sex and age during the years 1980 and 1994 in the municipality of Goiania, GO, Brazil. METHODS: Data on deaths were retrieved from the Information on Mortality System of the Ministry of Health; population data were obtained from the Foundation of the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The trends of the specific coefficients were analyzed by triennia of the historical series, including individuals of both sexes from 25 years of age on, partitioned into 6 age groups of ten years intervals. The population data corresponding to the year 1980 were used as the standard for the calculation of each age group coefficient. Analyses were carried out by straight linear regression. RESULTS: Coefficients were greater for males in each triennium of the series and increased with age in both sexes. The study of the trends of the specific age coefficients of both sexes revealed a stable pattern of evolution up to the age of 65-74 years (P>0.05). From 75 years on, a clear-cut decline in mortality due to ischemic heart disease was shown by both sexes. The standardized coefficients also showed a significant decline (p<=0.05). CONCLUSION: The municipality of Goiânia is at present in a stage of epidemiological transition similar to that of developed countries, even though the observed decline is predominantly influenced by the mortality of older individuals (75 years of age or older).

Structural and functional characteristics of rat hearts with and without myocardial infarct. Initial experience with doppler echocardiography

OBJECTIVE: To assess by Doppler echocardiography the structural and functional alterations of rat heart with surgical induced extensive myocardial infarction. METHODS: Five weeks after surgical ligature of the left coronary artery, 38 Wistar-EPM rats of both sexes, 10 of them with extensive infarction, undergone anatomical and functional evaluation by Doppler echocardiography and then euthanized for anatomopathological analysis. RESULTS: Echocardiography was 100% sensible and specific to anatomopathological confirmed extensive miocardial infarction. Extensive infarction lead to dilatation of left ventricle (diastolic diameter: 0.89cm vs.0.64cm; systolic: 0.72cm vs. 0.33cm) and left atrium (0.55cm vs. 0.33cm); thinning of left ventricular anterior wall (systolic: 0.14cm vs. 0.23cm, diastolic: 0.11cm vs. 0.14cm); increased mitral E/ A wave relation (6.45 vs. 1.95). Signals of increased end diastolic ventricle pressure, B point in mitral valve tracing in 62.5% and signs of pulmonary hypertension straightening of pulmonary valve (90%) and notching of pulmonary systolic flow (60%) were observed in animals with extensive infarction. CONCLUSION: Doppler echocardiography has a high sensitivity and specificity for detection of chronic extensive infarction. Extensive infarction caused dilatation of left cardiac chambers and showed in Doppler signals of increased end diastolic left ventricular pressure and pulmonary artery pressure.

Is female sex an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether female sex is a factor independently related to in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Of 600 consecutive patients (435 males and 165 females) with acute myocardial infarction, we studied 13 demographic and clinical variables obtained at the time of hospital admission through uni- and multivariate analysis, and analyzed their relation to in-hospital death. RESULTS: Females were older (p<0.001) and had a higher incidence of hypertension (p<0.001). Males were more frequently smokers (p<0.001). The remaining risk factors had a similar incidence among both sexes. All variables underwent uni- and multivariate analysis. Through univariate analysis, the following variables were found to be associated with in-hospital death: female sex (p<0.001), age >70 years (p<0.001), the presence of previous coronary artery disease (p=0.0004), previous myocardial infarction (p<0.001), infarction in the anterior wall (p=0.007), presence of left ventricular dysfunction (p<0.001), and the absence of thrombolytic therapy (p=0.04). Through the multivariate analysis of logistic regression, the following variables were associated with in-hospital mortality: female sex (p=0.001), age (p=0.008), the presence of previous myocardial infarction (p=0.02), and left ventricular dysfunction (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for all risk variables, female sex proved to be a variable independently related to in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction.

Trends in the risk of mortality due to cardiovascular diseases in five Brazilian geographic regions from 1979 to 1996

OBJECTIVE - To analyze the trends in risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases in the northern, northeastern, southern, southeastern, and central western Brazilian geographic regions from 1979 to 1996. METHODS - Data on mortality due to cardiovascular, cardiac ischemic, and cerebrovascular diseases in 5 Brazilian geographic regions were obtained from the Ministry of Health. Population estimates for the time period from 1978 to 1996 in the 5 Brazilian geographic regions were calculated by interpolation with the Lagrange method, based on the census data from 1970, 1980, 1991, and the population count of 1996, for each age bracket and sex. Trends were analyzed with the multiple linear regression model. RESULTS - Cardiovascular diseases showed a declining trend in the southern, southeastern, and northern Brazilian geographic regions in all age brackets and for both sexes. In the northeastern and central western regions, an increasing trend in the risk of death due to cardiovascular diseases occurred, except for the age bracket from 30 to 39 years, which showed a slight reduction. This resulted from the trends of cardiac ischemic and cerebrovascular diseases. The analysis of the trend in the northeastern and northern regions was impaired by the great proportion of poorly defined causes of death. CONCLUSION - The risk of death due to cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and cardiac ischemic diseases decreased in the southern and southeastern regions, which are the most developed regions in the country, and increased in the least developed regions, mainly in the central western region.

Detection of Altered Risk Factors in Hospitalized Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

OBJECTIVE: To assess biochemical, anthropometric, and dietary variables considered risk factors for coronary artery disease. METHODS: Using anthropometrics, dietary allowance, and blood biochemistry, we assessed 84 patients [54 males (mean age of 55± 8 years) and 30 females (mean age of 57±7 years)], who had severe ( > or = 70% coronary artery obstruction) and nonsevere forms of coronary artery disease determined by cardiac catheterization. The severe form of the disease prevailed in 70% of the males and 64% of the females, and a high frequency of familial antecedents (92% ' 88%) and history of acute myocardial infarction (80% ' 70%) were observed. Smoking predominated among males (65%) and diabetes mellitus among females (43%). RESULTS: Males and females had body mass index and body fat above the normal values. Females with nonsevere lesions had HDL > 35 mg/dL, and this constituted a discriminating intergroup indicator. Regardless of the severity of the disease, hyperglycemia and hypertriglyceridemia were found among females, and cholesterolemia > 200 mg/dL in both sexes, but only males had LDL fraction > 160 mg/dL and homocysteine > 11.7 mmol/L. The male dietary allowance was inadequate in nutrients for homocysteine metabolism and in nutrients with an antioxidant action, such as the vitamins B6, C, and folate. Individuals of both sexes had a higher lipid and cholesterol intake and an inadequate consumption of fiber. The diet was classified as high-protein, high-fat, and low-carbohydrate. CONCLUSION: The alterations found had no association with the severity of lesions, indicating the need for more effective nutritional intervention.