Structuring depressive discourse: A descriptive narrative process

This study aimed to evaluate the importance of a descriptive narrative process of the significance involved in a depressive phenomenon. The research population consisted of 324 adult and adolescent patients of both genders, located in the central area of the city of Paraiba, for clinical and psychological health care. For surveyed patients, suffering and or psychological pain were the most common complaints. A sample of 159 patients was taken, including male and female adolescents and adults. Data were collected through a narrative interview. Shutz' procedure was used for information analysis. The obtained data offered the opportunity to review concepts, discuss life history and listen to narrative positioning episodes of manifested depression. The narratives were considered to be a determinant factor to consider inherent conflicts.

Work of gravediggers and health

Gravediggers have death as object of their work. Their activities are painful, physically and mental demanding, as well as unhealthy. Literature is scarce about this theme. The aim of this study is to evaluate gravediggers' work activities and health consequences. The methodological frame which guided this study was Dejours' psychic suffering and its association with the psychodynamic aspects of work. Data collection took place in April-May 2011 in one public and one private cemetery of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Four male workers, aged between 45 to 60 years old were interviewed. Their work activities were observed during a workday. Participants reported their life dreams, defense mechanisms and frustration. The discourse of gravediggers showed serious problems associated to physical and mental demands, public invisibility and/or social devaluation of work. The most important physical symptom was body pain. In spite this is a preliminary study, it was possible to raise a number of work stressors and health outcomes of gravediggers, an " invisible" worker of our society.

Anaerobic energy expenditure and mechanical efficiency during exhaustive leg press exercise

[EN] Information about anaerobic energy production and mechanical efficiency that occurs over time during short-lasting maximal exercise is scarce and controversial. Bilateral leg press is an interesting muscle contraction model to estimate anaerobic energy production and mechanical efficiency during maximal exercise because it largely differs from the models used until now. This study examined the changes in muscle metabolite concentration and power output production during the first and the second half of a set of 10 repetitions to failure (10RM) of bilateral leg press exercise. On two separate days, muscle biopsies were obtained from vastus lateralis prior and immediately after a set of 5 or a set of 10 repetitions. During the second set of 5 repetitions, mean power production decreased by 19% and the average ATP utilisation accounted for by phosphagen decreased from 54% to 19%, whereas ATP utilisation from anaerobic glycolysis increased from 46 to 81%. Changes in contraction time and power output were correlated to the changes in muscle Phosphocreatine (PCr; r = -0.76; P<0.01) and lactate (r = -0.91; P<0.01), respectively, and were accompanied by parallel decreases (P<0.01-0.05) in muscle energy charge (0.6%), muscle ATP/ADP (8%) and ATP/AMP (19%) ratios, as well as by increases in ADP content (7%). The estimated average rate of ATP utilisation from anaerobic sources during the final 5 repetitions fell to 83% whereas total anaerobic ATP production increased by 9% due to a 30% longer average duration of exercise (18.4 +/- 4.0 vs 14.2 +/- 2.1 s). These data indicate that during a set of 10RM of bilateral leg press exercise there is a decrease in power output which is associated with a decrease in the contribution of PCr and/or an increase in muscle lactate. The higher energy cost per repetition during the second 5 repetitions is suggestive of decreased mechanical efficiency.

Carga óptima para el desarrollo de la potencia máxima en jóvenes tenistas durante ejercicios de media sentadilla y press banca

Programa de doctorado: Ciencias de la actividad física, salud y rendimiento deportivo