Stressful life events and occupational accidents

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between stressful life events and occupational accidents. Methods: This was a population-based case-control study, carried out in the city of Botucatu, in southeast Brazil. The cases consisted of 108 workers who had recently experienced occupational accidents. Each case was matched with three controls. The cases and controls answered a questionnaire about recent exposure to stressful life events. Results: Reporting of environmental problems, being a victim of assault, not having enough food at home and nonoccupational fatigue were found to be risk factors for work-related accidents with estimated incidence rate ratios of 1.4 [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.1-1.7], 1.3 (95% CI 1.1 1-1.7), 1.3 (95% CI 1.1-1.6), and 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-1.7) respectively. Conclusions: The findings of the study suggested that nonwork variables contribute to occupational accidents, thus broadening the understanding of these phenomena, which can support new approaches to the prevention of occupational accidents.

Mortality, fertility and family planning: Dominica and St. Lucia

Includes bibliography

Living kidney donors - a prospective study of quality of life before and after kidney donation

Although the safety of living kidney donation has been well established, prospective studies examining the physical and psychosocial aspects of the donor's quality of life are still scarce. Thus, the purpose of this prospective work was to assess the quality of life of 50 consecutive donors before and after kidney transplantation. All donors were asked to respond to both a donor questionnaire and the short-form 36-item health survey (SF-36). Interviews were individually conducted before, three months after, and over one yr after transplantation. Donation was considered a positive experience by all patients and had no impact on any physical or psychosocial aspect of the donor's life. Improved self-esteem and better quality of life after donation were reported in 52% of the cases. All donors would donate again and encouraged donation. SF-36 data indicated improvement in post-donation mental and physical scores among living donors closely related to recipient. Overall, most donors had a positive experience, felt no changes in quality of life, experienced enhanced self-esteem, would donate again, and recommended donation. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

The State, the community and society in social development

President Cardoso delivered this address at the First Regional Conference in Follow-up to the World Summit for Social Development, held in Sao Paulo from 6 to 9 April 1997. On that occasion President Cardoso reviewed the issues examined at the World Summit, with special emphasis on poverty and the search for an environmentally sound, democratic form of development that will lead to a greater degree of social equity. Within this context, he discussed the relationship between economic and social factors, devoting particular attention to State reform, education, competitiveness and job creation. He also outlined the situation in Brazil with regard to economic development, education and health services, the neeed for agrarian reform based on the principle of equity, and respect for human rights. In concluding his statement, he stressed the need to overcome the traditional division between community and society and between the public and private spheres. To that end, he called for a re-examination of ethical considerations, not as an empty discussion of morality but rather as an effective means of motivating action for change.

A survey of DNA methylation across social insect species, life stages, and castes reveals abundant and caste-associated methylation in a primitively social wasp

DNA methylation plays an important role in the epigenetic control of developmental and behavioral plasticity, with connections to the generation of striking phenotypic differences between castes (larger, reproductive queens and smaller, non-reproductive workers) in honeybees and ants. Here, we provide the first comparative investigation of caste- and life stage-associated DNA methylation in several species of bees and vespid wasps displaying different levels of social organization. Our results reveal moderate levels of DNA methylation in most bees and wasps, with no clear relationship to the level of sociality. Strikingly, primitively social Polistes dominula paper wasps show unusually high overall DNA methylation and caste-related differences in site-specific methylation. These results suggest DNA methylation may play a role in the regulation of behavioral and physiological differences in primitively social species with more flexible caste differences. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

Symptom dimensions, clinical course and comorbidity in men and women with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The study aimed to compare male and female patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) across symptom dimensions, clinical course and comorbidity. A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 858 adult OCD patients (DSM-IV) from the Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders. Patients were evaluated using structured interviews, including the Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DY-BOCS) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I disorders (SCID-I). The sample was composed of 504 women (58.7%) and 354 men (41.3%) with a mean age of 35.4 years-old (range: 18-77). Men were younger, more frequently single and presented more tics, social phobia and alcohol use disorders. Among men, symptom interference occurred earlier and symptoms of the sexual/religious dimension were more common and more severe. Conversely, women were more likely to present symptoms of the aggressive, contamination/cleaning and hoarding dimension and comorbidity with specific phobias, anorexia nervosa, bulimia, trichotillomania, skin picking and compulsive buying. In the logistic regression, female gender remained independently associated with the aggressive and contamination/cleaning dimensions. In both genders the aggressive dimension remained associated with comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder, the sexual/religious dimension with major depression and the hoarding dimension with tic disorders. Gender seems to be relevant in the determination of OCD clinical presentation and course and should be considered an important aspect when defining more homogeneous OCD subgroups. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.

Quality of life profile and correlated factors in chronic leg ulcer patients in the mid-west of São Paulo State, Brazil

BACKGROUND: Chronic leg ulcer may have an impact on patients' quality of life.OBJECTIVES:This study aimed to identify the impact of leg ulcers on patient's quality of life using the Dermatology Life Quality Index and to define the main factors correlated with this perception.METHOD:Cross-sectional, non-probabilistic sampling study. We included patients with chronic leg ulcers being treated for at least 3 months. A sociodemographic and clinical survey was conducted to assess the profile of the ulcers. We administered a screening for depressive symptoms and the Dermatology Life Quality Index. We performed a descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square test and Mann-Whitney test for categorical data, Pearson for numeric variables, and multiple regression for categorical data.RESULTS:Forty-one patients were assessed. Their mean age was 61.78 years. Venous ulcers (48.8%) were the most prevalent. Seventy-three percent of the sample perceived no impact/low impact on quality of life in the past week, and 26.8% perceived moderate/high impact. A multiple regression analysis identified the causes of lesion, pain related to the ulcers, time of onset, and severity of the depressive symptoms as the variables that had an influence on quality of life.CONCLUSIONS:The majority of the sample perceived low or no impact of the condition on the quality of the life. The variables etiology of the lesion (p<0.001), pain related to the ulcers (p=0.001), time of onset (p=0.006), and severity of the depressive symptoms (p<0.001) had an influence on the quality of life, suggesting the need for further studies with more robust designs to confirm the causal relationship between these characteristics and quality of life.

Environment and dispersal paths override life strategies and residence time in determining regional patterns of invasion by alien plants

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

IANR Recognition Luncheon, Dinsdale Family Faculty Awards, and IANR Team Award Presentations

What a pleasure it is to come together to recognize and celebrate Outstanding work of members of our IANR community. Today we celebrate excellence as we present two Dinsdale Family Faculty Awards, as well as our IANR Team Award.

Life cycle and reproductive traits of marine podonids (Cladocera, Onychopoda) in a coastal subtropical area

We studied the temporal distribution and reproductive biology of marine podonids during two consecutive years off Ubatuba, southeast coast of Brazil. Podonid specimens and their eggs and embryos were counted, measured and classified into categories. Pseudevadne tergestina was the most abundant species, and was more abundant in surface layers, in warm seasons, when the water column was stratified because of bottom intrusions of the cold and nutrient-rich South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) onto the inner shelf. Evadne spinifera had a similar temporal and vertical distribution, but with lower abundance and frequency. Pleopis schmackeri did not show a clear seasonal distribution, but preferred bottom layers. Pleopis polyphemoides and Podon intermedius occurred in low abundances, and only under SACW influence. Parthenogenetic females were dominant among all podonid species. Gamogenetic females of P. polyphemoides and P. intermedius were observed, but males of neither species occurred. This suggests that in tropical and subtropical regions, P. tergestina, E. spinifera and P. schmackeri reproduce through parthenogenesis during most of the year.

Relationships between gender, age, family conditions, physical and mental health, and social isolation of elderly caregivers

Background: In an aging population an increasing number of elderly caregivers will be called upon to provide care over a long period, during which time they will be burdened both by caregiving and by the physiological effects of their own aging. Among them there will be more aged male caregivers, who will probably be less prepared than women to become caregivers. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between caregivers' gender, age, family income, living arrangements and social support as independent variables, and depressive symptoms, comorbidities, level of frailty, grip strength, walking speed and social isolation, as dependent variables. Methods: 176 elderly people (123 women) were selected from a sample of a population-based study on frailty (n = 900), who had cared for a spouse (79.3%) and/or parents (31.4%) in the past five years (mean age = 71.8 +/- 4.86 years; mean monthly family income in minimum wages = 4.64 +/- 5.14). The study used questionnaires and self-report scales, grip strength and walking speed tests. Results: 65% of participants evaluated caregiving as being very stressful. Univariate analyses of regression showed low family income as a risk factor for depression; being female and low perceived social support as a risk for comorbidities; being 80 years of age and above for low grip strength; and being male for social isolation indicated by discontinuity of activities and social roles. In multivariate analyses of regression, poverty arose as a risk factor for depression and being female for comorbidities. Conclusions: Gender roles, age, income and social support interacted with physical and emotional health, and with the continuity of social participation of elderly caregivers. Special attention must be given to male caregivers.

Life-cycle and host preference of Amblyomma ovale (Acari: Ixodidae) under laboratory conditions

This study evaluated for the first time the life cycle of Amblyomma ovale in the laboratory. For this purpose, larvae and nymphs were exposed to Gallus gallus (chickens), Cavia porcellus (guinea pigs), Rattus norvegicus (wistar rats), Oryctolagus cuniculus (domestic rabbits), Calomys callosus (vesper mouse), and Didelphis albiventris (white-eared opossum). Nymphs were also exposed to Nectomys squamipes (South American water rat). Adult ticks were fed on dogs. The life-cycle of A. ovale in laboratory could be completed in an average period of ca. 190 days, considering prefeeding periods of 30 days for each of the parasitic stages. Vesper mice were the most suitable host for A. ovale larvae, whereas water rats were the most suitable host for A. ovale nymphs. Our results, coupled with literature data, strongly indicate that small rodents have an important role in the life history of A. ovale. Chickens (the only avian host used in the present study) showed to be moderately suitable hosts for subadult A. ovale ticks, indicating that wild birds might have a secondary role in the life history of A. ovale. Domestic dogs showed to be highly suitable for the adult stage of A. ovale, in agreement with literature data that indicate that the domestic dog is currently one of the most important hosts of A. ovale adult ticks in Latin America.