Creencias sesgadas respecto al grado de "dureza" de algunas drogas en estudiantes universitarios

El objetivo de esta investigación es evaluar las creencias de los estudiantes universitarios respecto a la dureza de diez drogas: anfetaminas, café, heroína, barbitúricos, marihuana, ansiolíticos, tabaco, alcohol, cocaína y té. Ciento cincuenta y cinco estudiantes de Psicología debían indicar si creían que estas sustancias eran o no drogas duras. Los resultados indican que aunque existe consenso a la hora de clasificar como drogas duras a la heroína y la cocaína y como drogas blandas al tabaco, el café y el té, no existe acuerdo respecto a la clasificación de las otras sustancias. Asimismo se observa que aunque la OMS clasifica el alcohol como una droga altamente peligrosa, menos de la mitad de sujetos lo consideran una droga dura. En general los sujetos tienden a considerar las drogas legales como menos duras independientemente de si los efectos nocivos para la salud. Estos resultados adquieren relevancia cuando lo que se pone en juego es la fiabilidad y validez de los datos obtenidos en diferentes investigaciones que utilizan habitualmente esos conceptos

The value of using short-format podcasts to enhance learning and teaching

This paper presents the findings of a podcasting trial held in 2007-2008 within the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Sydney, Australia. The trial investigates the value of using short-format podcasts to support assessment for postgraduate and undergraduate students. A multi-method approach is taken in investigating perceptions of the benefits of podcasting, incorporating surveys, focus groups and interviews. The results show that a majority of students believe they gained learning benefits from the podcasts and appreciated the flexibility of the medium to support their learning, and the lecturers felt the innovation helped diversify their pedagogical approach and support a diverse student population. Three primary conclusions are presented: (1) most students reject the mobile potential of podcasting in favour of their traditional study space at home; (2) what students and lecturers value about this podcasting design overlap; (3) the assessment-focussed, short-format podcast design may be considered a successful podcasting model. The paper finishes by identifying areas for future research on the effective use of podcasting in learning and teaching.

Riesgo de accidentes biológicos en estudiantes de la salud: revisión de la literatura en los últimos 14 años.

Introducción: Todos los trabajadores del área de la salud están en riesgo de padecer un accidente biológico. No obstante los estudiantes de estas aéreas, pueden presentar más riesgo porque apenas están en formación y no tienen la práctica o experiencia suficiente. Existen varios artículos que han estudiado la incidencia y prevalencia de accidentes biológicos en los trabajadores del área de la salud, Sin embargo, sobre esta problemática de la población estudiantil del área de la salud, se encuentra menos literatura. Por lo tanto con esta revisión sistemática se busca analizar y actualizar este tema. Métodos: Se realizó una revisión de la literatura científica de artículos publicados en los últimos 14 años, en relación con la prevalencia de accidentes biológicos en estudiantes de medicina, odontología, enfermería y residentes del área de la salud a nivel mundial. Se llevó a cabo la búsqueda en la base de datos de Pubmed, encontrando un total de 100 artículos, escritos en inglés, francés, español o portugués. Resultados: Las prevalencias encontradas sobre accidentes biológicos en estudiantes fueron las siguientes: en países europeos a nivel de enfermería los valores oscilan entre 10.2 % a 32%, en medicina fueron del 16%-58.8%, y en odontología del 21 %. En países asiáticos, se encontró que en enfermería el porcentaje varía de 49%-96 %, en medicina van del 35% -68%, y en odontología varia de 68.a 75.4%. En Norte América, en medicina las cifras fluctúan alrededor del 11-72.7 % y en odontología giran alrededor del 19.1%. Finalmente respecto a Suramérica la prevalencia fue de 31.2 a 46.7% en medicina, y del 40% en enfermería. Conclusiones: Por lo anterior se pudo concluir que, la prevalencia de accidentes biológicos en los estudiantes del área de la salud es elevada y varía según el continente en el que se encuentren.

Escola Mãe Hilda: um estudo sobre a pedagogia da (re)construção da identidade negra

RESUMO: Objetivo - apresentar o contributo da Escola Mãe Hilda para a afirmação da identidade afro-brasileira na população estudantil da Cidade do Salvador. Especificamente: a) conhecer os fundamentos pedagógicos-curricular da Escola Mãe Hilda; b) analisar os materiais didáticos utilizados pela Escola Mãe Hilda; c) apresentar as metodologias de trabalho da Escola Mãe Hilda. Metodologia - quanto ao percurso metodológico, em razão da questão básica desta dissertação, optou-se por realizar pesquisa qualitativa de natureza etnográfica, envolvendo uma abordagem empírica voltada para a abordagem de distúrbios identitários, em suas diversas dimensões na auto-estima de afro-descendentes. Foram estudados aspectos que envolvem o currículo, a sala de aula e atividades a que estão expostas as crianças da Escola Mãe Hilda. Resultados - examinando- se os conteúdos dos Cadernos de Educação do Ilê Aiyê como proposta pedagógica da Escola Mãe Hilda, observou- se que seus fudamentos dão ressignificação aos alunos, em termos de superação de distúrbios identitários, isto é , proporcionar o desenvolvimento e construção da identidade negra naqueles afro-descendentes, devido à valorização estética do universo cultural africano e afro-brasileiro, reconhecendo a África como uma das matrizes legítimas da cultura humana, em geral, e da brasileira, em particular. Conclusão- a pedagogia da (re) construção da identidade negra na Escola Mãe Hilda pode contribuir para a desconstrução dos distúrbios identitários; sendo assim, recomendada para escolas em Salvador-Bahia e em outras regiões do Brasil. ABSTRACT: Objective- study Escola Mãe Hilda (EMH - Mother Hilda School) contribution to the affirmation of an African-Brazilian identity in Bahia’s black student population. In particular: a) understand EMH’s pedagogical and curricula core; b) analyze teaching materials used at EMH; c) show EMH’s work methodology. Methodology- due to the very nature of this dissertation’s basic inquiry, ethnography in nature qualitative research targeted at identity disturbances in its various dimensions regarding African descendents self-esteem was performed. Aspects regarding EMH curriculum and classroom activities were studied. The choice of ethnography as an observation tool followed empirical analysis of whether Ilê Aiyê’s Educational Booklets as adopted by EMH aids students with identity disturbances and how it promotes the development of a black identity in those black descendants. Results- it has been observed that EMH utilizes methodological and pedagogical resources such as: story-telling, written reports, images, objects, dances, music, letters, myths, gestures, legends, craftsmanship, and clothing as vehicles to re-assign students self esteem, as well as, build their critical and self-aware knowledge of black descendants identity. Conclusion.- EMH pedagogical work, by encompassing various types of cultural and artistic expressions, as detailed in the aforementioned booklets, values African and Brazilian-African references. This aesthetic valuation therefore promotes an identity ressignification and the reintegration of the black descendent since it works within the symbolic and cultural universe of the African and African-Brazilian culture recognizing Africa as a legitimate matrix of human culture, in general, and of Brazilian in particular. Conclusively, EMH black identity (re)construction pedagogy can contribute to deconstruct identity disturbances; and as such, can be recommended to be adopted at other schools in Salvador, Bahia and other regions in Brazil.

Students’ perception of the safety and value of a herbal vs. a conventional medicine for treating insomnia

University students suffer from variable sleep patterns including insomnia;[1] furthermore, the highest incidence of herbal use appears to be among college graduates.[2] Our objective was to test the perception of safety and value of herbal against conventional medicine for the treatment of insomnia in a non-pharmacy student population. We used an experimental design and bespoke vignettes that relayed the same effectiveness information to test our hypothesis that students would give higher ratings of safety and value to herbal product compared to conventional medicine. We tested another hypothesis that the addition of side-effect information would lower people’s perception of the safety and value of the herbal product to a greater extent than it would with the conventional medicine.

Motorcycle accident risk could be inflated by a time to arrival illusion

Purpose. Drivers adopt smaller safety margins when pulling out in front of motorcycles compared with cars. This could partly account for why the most common motorcycle/car accident involves a car violating a motorcyclist's right of way. One possible explanation is the size-arrival effect in which smaller objects are perceived to arrive later than larger objects. That is, drivers may estimate the time to arrival of motorcycles to be later than cars because motorcycles are smaller. Methods. We investigated arrival time judgments using a temporal occlusion paradigm. Drivers recruited from the student population (n = 28 and n = 33) saw video footage of oncoming vehicles and had to press a response button when they judged that vehicles would reach them. Results. In experiment 1, the time to arrival of motorcycles was estimated to be significantly later than larger vehicles (a car and a van) for different approach speeds and viewing times. In experiment 2, we investigated an alternative explanation to the size-arrival effect: that the smaller size of motorcycles places them below the threshold needed for observers to make an accurate time to arrival judgment using tau. We found that the motorcycle/car difference in arrival time estimates was maintained for very short occlusion durations when tau could be estimated for both motorcycles and cars. Conclusions. Results are consistent with the size-arrival effect and are inconsistent with the tau threshold explanation. Drivers estimate motorcycles will reach them later than cars across a range of conditions. This could have safety implications.

Postprandial lipoprotein lipase, insulin and gastric inhibitory polypeptide responses to test meals of different fatty acid composition: comparison of saturated, n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids

OBJECTIVE: The present study was carried out to investigate effects of meals, rich in either saturated fatty acids (SFA), or n-6 or n-3 fatty acids, on postprandial plasma lipid and hormone concentrations as well as post-heparin plasma lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity. DESIGN: The study was a randomized single-blind study comparing responses to three test meals. SETTING: The volunteers attended the Clinical Investigation Unit of the Royal Surrey County Hospital on three separate occasions in order to consume the meals. SUBJECTS: Twelve male volunteers with an average age of 22.5 +/- 1.4 years (mean +/- SD), were selected from the University of Surrey student population; one subject dropped out of the study because he found the test meal unpalatable. INTERVENTIONS: Three meals were given in the early evening and postprandial responses were followed overnight for 11h. The oils used to prepare each of the three test meals were: a mixed oil rich in saturated fatty acids (SFA) which mimicked the fatty acid composition of the current UK diet, corn oil, rich in n-6 fatty acids and a fish oil concentrate (MaxEPA) rich in n-3 fatty acids. The oil under investigation (40 g) was incorporated into the test meals which were otherwise identical [208 g carbohydrates, 35 g protein, 5.65 MJ (1350 kcal) energy]. Postprandial plasma triacylglycerol (TAG), gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), and insulin responses, as well as post-heparin LPL activity (measured at 12 h postprandially only) were investigated. RESULTS: Fatty acids of the n-3 series significantly reduced plasma TAG responses compared to the mixed oil meal (P < 0.05) and increased post-heparin LPL activity 15 min after the injection of heparin (P < 0.01). A biphasic response was observed in TAG, with peak responses occurring at 1 h and between 3-7 h postprandially. GIP and insulin showed similar responses to the three test meals and no significant differences were observed. CONCLUSION: We conclude that fish oils can decrease postprandial plasma TAG levels partly through an increase in post-heparin LPL activity, which however, is not due to increased GIP or insulin concentrations.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-6 and n-3 series: effects on postprandial lipid and apolipoprotein levels in healthy men

OBJECTIVE: The present study was carried out to determine effects of test meals of different fatty acid compositions on postprandial lipoprotein and apolipoprotein metabolism. DESIGN: The study was a randomized, single blind design. SETTING: The study was carried out in the Clinical Investigation Unit of the Royal Surrey County Hospital. SUBJECTS: Twelve male normal subjects with an average age of 22.4 +/- 1.4 years (mean +/- SD) were selected from the student population of the University of Surrey; one subject dropped out of the study because he found the test meal unpalatable. INTERVENTIONS: The subjects were given three evening test meals on three separate occasions, in which the oils used were either a mixed oil (rich in saturated fatty acids and approximated the fatty acid intake of the current UK diet), corn oil (rich in n-6 fatty acids), or fish oil (rich in n-3 fatty acids) 40 g of the oil under investigation were incorporated into a rice-based test meal. Triacylglycerol-rich lipoproteins-triacylglycerol (TRL-TAG), TRL-cholesterol (TRL-cholesterol), plasma-TAG, plasma cholesterol (T-C), and serum apolipoprotein A-I and B (apo A-I and B) responses were measured. Postprandial responses were followed for 11 h. RESULTS: Postprandial plasma-TAG responses, calculated as incremental areas under the response curves (IAUC) were significantly reduced following the fish oil meal [365.5 +/- 145.4 mmol/l x min (mean +/- SD)[ compared with the mixed oil meal (552.0 +/- 141.7 mmol/l x min) (P < 0.05) and there was a strong trend towards the same direction in the TRL-TAG responses. In all instances, plasma-and TRL-TAG showed a biphasic response with increased concentrations occurring at 1h and between 3 and 7h postprandially. TRL-cholesterol, T-C, and serum apo A-I and B responses to the three meals were similar. CONCLUSIONS: The findings support the view that fish oils decrease postprandial lipaemia and this may be an important aspect of their beneficial effects in reducing risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Further work is required to determine the mechanisms responsible for this effect.

Remote control systems laboratory

Control systems theory can be a discipline difficult to learn without some laboratory help. With the help of focused laboratories this discipline turns to be very interesting to the students involved. The main problem is that laboratories aren't always available to students, and sometimes, when they are available, aren't big enough to a growing student population. Thus, with computer networks growing so fast, why don't create remote control labs that can be used by a large number of students? Why don't create remote control labs using Internetⓒ Copyright ?2001 IFAC Keywords: Remote Control, Computer Networks, Database, Educational Aids, Laboratory Education, Communication Control Applications.

Teaching and learning Chinese: heritage language classroom discourse in Montreal

This paper explores issues of teaching and learning Chinese as a heritage language in a Chinese heritage language school, the Zhonguo Saturday School, in Montreal, Quebec. With a student population of more than 1000, this school is the largest of the eight Chinese Heritage Language schools in Montreal. Students participating in this study were from seven different classes (grade K, two, three, four, five, six, and special class), their ages ranging from 4 to 13 years. The study took place over a period of two years between 2000 and 2002. Focusing on primary level classroom discourse and drawing on the works of Vygotsky and Bakhtin, I examine how teachers and students use language to communicate, and how their communication mediates teaching, learning and heritage language acquisition. Data sources include classroom observations, interviews with students and their teachers, students’ writings, and video and audio taping of classroom activities. Implications for heritage language development and maintenance are discussed with reference to the findings of this study.

Effects of a multi-session Cognitive Bias Modification program on interpretative biases and social anxiety symptoms in a sample of Iranian socially-anxious students

This study examines the effects of a multi-session Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) program on interpretative biases and social anxiety in an Iranian sample. Thirty-six volunteers with a high score on social anxiety measures were recruited from a student population and randomly allocated into the experimental and control groups. In the experimental group, participants received 4 sessions of positive CBM for interpretative biases (CBM-I) over 2 weeks in the laboratory. Participants in the control condition completed a neutral task matched the active CBM-I intervention in format and duration but did not encourage positive disambiguation of socially ambiguous scenarios. The results indicated that after training the positive CBM-I group exhibited more positive (and less negative) interpretations of ambiguous scenarios and less social anxiety symptoms relative to the control condition at both 1 week post-test and 7 weeks follow-up. It is suggested that clinical trials are required to establish the clinical efficacy of this intervention for social anxiety.

Viljan till fysisk aktivitet : En intervention avsedd att stimulera ungdomar att bli fysiskt aktiva

Jenny Isberg (2009): Viljan till fysisk aktivitet – en intervention avsedd att stimulera ungdomar att bli fysiskt aktiva. Örebro Studies in Sport Sciences 6, 141 pp. Physical education (PE) at school may play an important role in the process of becoming physically active in the adolescence and in developing a physically active lifestyle. The opportunities for teachers to provide positive physical activity experiences to the student population extend regularly over the school terms. For some students, PE can be the only opportunity they have to be physically active. Therefore it is important that the students become motivated to practice physical activity and know the purpose with physical activity. The overall purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the possibilities to motivate youth, 12-16 years old, to practice physical activity and hopefully to stimulate them to continue to be physically active in young adulthood. The sample consisted of 122 Swedish compulsory school students (12-16 years old), 51 girls and 71 boys, who were either physically inactive, physically active but not formal members of sport clubs, or physically active and members of a sport club. They used a self-monitoring instrument to describe their physical activity and we compared their self-reported physical activity with their actual VO2 capacity and physical status. The self-monitoring instrument was further validated against an activity monitor, RT3. The intervention lasted one and a half years, and four to five years later a follow-up study was done. Using a quasi-experimental design, the three groups of participants were compared with youths who did not use the self-monitoring instrument. The main findings were that the associations between the accelerometer counts and the activities the students recorded in the self-monitoring instrument were high. The participants  in Group 1 (physically inactive) continued exercising nearly to the same extent as during the intervention while youths in a matched control group did not develop regular physical activity habits. Concerning Group 2 (exercisers), participants in the intervention group were more physically active both during the intervention and at follow-up, compared with a matched control group of exercisers who did not use the self-monitoring instrument. In Group 3 (sport team members), there was no difference between the intervention group and a matched control group after the intervention or at follow-up.  The conclusion of these main findings was that when someone motivates students to continue being physically active and to change their physical activity patterns in a positive direction, the self-monitoring instrument can be a door-opener for youths who are physically inactive or regularly active outside sports clubs.

Educação e trabalho nos planos nacionais de desenvolvimento no periodo 1970/1980: um estudo introdutório sobre a realidade da Sudam

Este estudo faz uma análise crítica da educação e do trabalho nos Planos Nacionais de Desenvolvimento, via açoes coordenadas pela Superintendência do Desenvolvimento da Amazônia (Sudam), com sua política de desenvolvimento regional, que significa expansão da acumulação capitalista - desenvolvimento em nome da região. A natureza "verdadeira" desta relação (educação e trabalho), no plano real, está contida muito mais nos programas econômicos do que nos formalmente enquadrados como educativos. Se a Amazônia dependesse do ensino formal para modificação das estruturas dominantes e para transformação das relações antagônicas de apropriação e expropiaçao, permaneceria inalterada, como ocorreu até 1960, antes da construção da rodovia Belém-Brasília e implantação dos grandes projetos de desenvolvimento deslanchados pelo Estado. A política de desenvolvimento regional dirigiu-se a favor da classe dominante, que tem seu locus hegemônico no Centro-Sul do Brasil. A ação pedagógica dos grandes projetos econômicos - pedagogia do capital - foi tão ou mais efetiva do que a da escola, exatamente pela "ausência" desta na Amazônia. A rede escolar da região está em torno de 11.626 escolas para atender a uma população escolarizável de cerca de 2 milhões de crianças. Na zona rural se atende a 37% da demanda. Hoje, pouco ou quase nada se tem de uma típica comunidade amazônica: o espaço-homem ou homem-espaço é outro, com pletamente diferente; novos hábitos foram incorporados, há novas maneiras de viver e/ou morrer, próprias do "urbano"; os tipos e formas de produção também se transformaram, as culturas de subsistência, por exemplo, estão sendo gradativamente substituídas por outras de maior valor para exportação, corno café, cacau, pimenta-do-reino, juta etc.; as tradições culturais estão sendo vilipendiadas, até no tratamento de doenças, através da alopatia convencional; há descaracterização das manifestações folclóricas etc. Todas essas transformações ocorridas se integram ao projeto maior de desenvolvimento, como produto da entrada da Amazônia no mundo do "progresso". As ações implementadas pelo Estado se articulam e se completam nos empreendimentos econômicos da iniciativa privada. Em suma, trata-se de um "progresso" que, ao contrário de representar um meio de melhoria das condições de vida, representa para a grande maioria dos trabalhadores urna radicalização da degradação destas condições.

Estabelecimentos isolados de ensino superior: um estudo das fundações educacionais de SC

Este estudo centra-se na análise das Instituições Isoladas de Ensino Superior. O universo da análise são as Fundações Educacionais de Santa Catarina e suas unidades de ensino superior. Estas Fundações, instituídas pelos poderes públicos Estadual e Municipais, foram responsáveis pelo processo de interiorização e regionalização do ensino superior em Santa Catarina, detendo, à época da pesquisa, mais de 2/3 do alunado deste nível de ensino. A legislação sobre o ensino superior, vigente em nosso País, adota a Universidade como norma e o Estabelecimento Isolado como exceção. Mas a exceção, segundo a lei, estatisticamente, ocupa posição modal. A Universidade e o Estabelecimento Isolado são realidades distintas e, normalmente, situadas em ambientes diferentes. Se diferente é a realidade de ambas não se pode enquadrá-las no mesmo "figurino" conceptual. O Estabelecimento Isolado de Ensino Superior deve buscar sua identidade institucional, sua vocação. Na busca da identidade dos Estabelecimentos Isolados de Ensino Superior, é analisada a experiência de Santa Catarina, através de suas Fundações Educacionais. A análise aborda essas instituições sob três aspectos: seus objetivos, sua estrutura organizacional e as formas de interação com o meio ambiente. A análise dos objetivos situa-se numa tríplice dimensão: os fins e funções do Ensino Superior, preconizados pela Lei, os fins e funções das Fundações Educacionais e suas unidades de ensino, expressos em seus documentos legais, e os resultados alcançados por estas instituições. Tanto na análise dos objetivos propostos, como dos resultados alcançados, são enfocados os três tipos de participantes: o pessoal docente admi-nistrativo das Instituições, os alunos e as comunidades a que servem. Estabelecem-se relações entre os objetivos propostos frente aos alcançados e as aspirações do pessoal docente-administrativo frente às dos alunos e comunidades, visando avaliar a coerência entre o proposto e o alcançado e a discrepância dos objetivos dos participantes. Para explicar a falta de coerência encontrada entre objetivos e resultados, são analisadas a estrutura formal e as práticas administrativas das instituições. Parte-se do pressuposto de que estruturas formais sofisticadas, além de complexidade da organização, geram "formalismos", entendidos como a discrepância entre o prescrito e os comportamentos. Os " formalismos" tendem a explicar a falta de coerência entre o proposto e o alcançado, no campo dos objetivos. Os dados mostram existir relação entre tipo de estrutura (formal-concreto) e coerência de objetivos com resultados. Para explicar as discrepâncias dos objetivos dos participantes, são analisadas as interações com o ambiente, entendidas como a atuação das IES sobre o meio e deste sobre aquelas, em termos de "trocas". Encontra-se, aqui, também, relação entre as variáveis analisadas. Os dados obtidos levam a conclusões no sentido da busca de vocação própria, da especificidade das Instituições Isoladas do Ensino Superior. São levantadas alternativas de ação, na busca da identidade das IES isoladas, propondo novos e mais aprofundados estudos sobre o assunto.

Prevalence of strabismus among students in Natal-RN - Brazil

To estimate the prevalence of strabismus in Natal, Brazil, among elementary and high school students of the public and private educational systems, in addition to detecting etiological factors. Methods: 1024 students were randomly selected and submitted to a questionnaire and a complete ophthalmologic examination, by professors and resident physicians in Ophthalmology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte. Results: Of 1024 students, 1015 were examined; 29 were found to have strabismus (2.9%), 20 of whom had manifest exotropia (2%), 2 had intermittent exotropia (0.2%), 6 had esotropia (0.6%) and 1 had V anisotropies (0.1%). Conclusions: The strabismus prevalence of the student population of Natal falls within the range of the worldwide population. There was ocular lesion in only one student (retinochoroiditis scar on the posterior pole in both eyes) related to strabismus