A randomised clinical trial of the effect of low-level laser therapy for perineal pain and healing after episiotomy: A pilot study

Objective: to evaluate the effects of low-level laser therapy for perineal pain and healing after episiotomy. Design: a double-blind, randomised, controlled clinical trial comparing perineal pain scores and episiotomy healing in women treated with low-level laser therapy (LLLT) and with the simulation of the treatment. Setting: the study was conducted in the Birth Centre and rooming-in units of Amparo Maternal, a maternity service located in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants: fifty-two postpartum women who had had mediolateral episiotomies during their first normal delivery were randomly divided into two groups of 26: an experimental group and a control group. Intervention: in the experimental group, the women were treated with LLLT. Irradiation was applied at three points directly on the episiotomy after the suture and in three postpartum sessions: up to 2 hrs postpartum, between 20 and 24 hrs postpartum and between 40 and 48 hrs postpartum. The LLLT was performed with diode laser, with a wavelength of 660 nm (red light), spot size of 0.04 cm(2), energy density of 3.8 J/cm(2), radiant power of 15 mW and 10 s per point, which resulted in an energy of 0.15 J per point and a total energy of 0.45 J per session. The control group participants also underwent three treatment sessions, but without the emission of radiation (simulation group), to assess the possible effects of placebo treatment. Main outcomes: perineal pain scores, rated on a scale from 0 to 10, were evaluated before and immediately after the irradiation in the three sessions. The healing process was assessed using the REEDA scale (Redness, Edema, Echymosis, Discharge Aproximation) before each laser therapy session and 15 and 20 days after the women's discharge. Findings: comparing the pain scores before and after the LLLT sessions, the experimental group presented a significant within-group reduction in mean pain scores after the second and third sessions (p=0.003 and p<0.001, respectively), and the control group showed a significant reduction after the first treatment simulation (p=0.043). However, the comparison of the perineal pain scores between the experimental and control groups indicated no statistical difference at any of the evaluated time points. There was no significant difference in perineal healing scores between the groups. All postpartum women approved of the low-level laser therapy. Conclusions: this pilot study showed that LLLT did not accelerate episiotomy healing. Although there was a reduction in perineal pain mean scores in the experimental group, we cannot conclude that the laser relieved perineal pain. This study led to the suggestion of a new research proposal involving another irradiation protocol to evaluate LLLT's effect on perineal pain relief. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Institutional Processes and Discursive Strategies: Rhetoric and Vocabulary Analysis of CSR and Sustainability

The candidate tackled an important issue in contemporary management: the role of CSR and Sustainability. The research proposal focused on a longitudinal and inductive research, directed to specify the evolution of CSR and contribute to the new institutional theory, in particular institutional work framework, and to the relation between institutions and discourse analysis. The documental analysis covers all the evolution of CSR, focusing also on a number of important networks and associations. Some of the methodologies employed in the thesis have been employed as a consequence of data analysis, in a truly inductive research process. The thesis is composed by two section. The first section mainly describes the research process and the analyses results. The candidates employed several research methods: a longitudinal content analysis of documents, a vocabulary research with statistical metrics as cluster analysis and factor analysis, a rhetorical analysis of justifications. The second section puts in relation the analysis results with theoretical frameworks and contributions. The candidate confronted with several frameworks: Actor-Network-Theory, Institutional work and Boundary Work, Institutional Logic. Chapters are focused on different issues: a historical reconstruction of CSR; a reflection about symbolic adoption of recurrent labels; two case studies of Italian networks, in order to confront institutional and boundary works; a theoretical model of institutional change based on contradiction and institutional complexity; the application of the model to CSR and Sustainability, proposing Sustainability as a possible institutional logic.

EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE PATTERN ON SPARK IGNITED FLAME KERNEL DEVELOPMENT

Fuel-lean combustion and exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) in spark ignition engines improve engine efficiency and reduce emission. However, flame initiation becomes more difficult in lean and dilute fuel-air mixture with traditional spark discharge. This research proposal will first provide an intensive review on topics related to spark ignition including properties of electrical discharge, flame kernel behavior and spark ignition modeling and simulation. Focus will be laid on electrical discharge pattern effect as it is showing prospect in extending ignition limits in SI engines. An experimental setup has been built with an optically accessible constant volume combustion vessel. Multiple imaging techniques as well as spectroscopy will be applied. By varying spark discharge patterns, preliminary test results are available on consequent flame kernel development. In addition to experimental investigation of spark plasma and flame kernel development, spark ignition modeling with detailed description of plasma channel is also proposed for this study.

La lírica románica medieval y renacentista en la formación en Letras : El caso de la UNLP (1900-1990)

Propuesta de investigación enmarcada en la postulación para las Becas de Investigación. Estado de la cuestión y primeras aproximaciones para la revisión de la formación en Letras en torno a los estudios sobre lírica románica medieval y renacentista

La lírica románica medieval y renacentista en la formación en Letras : El caso de la UNLP (1900-1990)

Propuesta de investigación enmarcada en la postulación para las Becas de Investigación. Estado de la cuestión y primeras aproximaciones para la revisión de la formación en Letras en torno a los estudios sobre lírica románica medieval y renacentista

La lírica románica medieval y renacentista en la formación en Letras : El caso de la UNLP (1900-1990)

Propuesta de investigación enmarcada en la postulación para las Becas de Investigación. Estado de la cuestión y primeras aproximaciones para la revisión de la formación en Letras en torno a los estudios sobre lírica románica medieval y renacentista

Reducing Stigma toward Sexual Minorities: Acceptance-Based versus Traditional Safe Zone Training.

Homophobia continues to exist in society. Homonegative attitudes are often implicit and can be acquired without direct training, which makes them particularly resistant to change. Relational Frame Theory (RFT) is a behavior analytic account of learning processes and can explain these processes of indirect learning. RFT also suggests therapeutic processes for dismantling stigma using a therapy model named Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). This paper reviews previous research on traditional multicultural training, and addresses its shortcomings. Specifically, this paper makes the argument that traditional models encourage experiential avoidance and thus further perpetuate the processes that maintain stigma. While a handful of studies have examined stigma interventions using ACT, no ACT studies have been completed specifically on the stigma towards gay and lesbian individuals. This paper concludes with a research proposal for such a study.

Campañas de sensibilización para la conciliación de la vida laboral y familiar: una propuesta de investigación para la igualdad de género

From a gender perspective, protection and advertising political actions about work-family should promote sharing responsibilities between sexes. Next to political action and specific measures, the project of equal opportunities needs a long-term strategy based on the education on equality. This article proposes the methodologic exposition of a study based on these premises. It facilitates and explains the protocol used for the analysis of the audio-visual advertising campaigns on conciliation emitted by the Woman’s Institute. The evaluation of the actions is focused on the effectiveness from the point of view of mass media. It provides some data that illustrates the proposed study. Finally, it considers the difficulties of the available sources of information.

Land resource analysis /

Research proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation, Research Applied to National Needs (RANN).

O PAPEL DAS PUBLICAÇÕES E DOS COLPORTORES NA INSERÇÃO DO ADVENTISMO NO BRASIL

Esta pesquisa se constitui em uma investigação para avaliar o papel das publicações, dos colportores e da colportagem na inserção do adventismo no Brasil. Pretende-se identificar os efeitos da invenção da imprensa e o valor da página impressa para o protestantismo, bem como analisar os propósitos missiológicos que marcaram o surgimento do ministério de publicações, da colportagem e dos colportores na nascente Igreja Adventista. O trabalho visa também estabelecer os conceitos da teologia de missão, o processo de amadurecimento e finalmente o avanço missionário dos adventistas no cenário da expansão protestante na segunda metade do século 19, tanto em âmbito mundial como na América do Sul. Além desses objetivos, esta pesquisa apresenta a chegada do protestantismo ao Brasil e se propõe a analisar como a imigração alemã contribuiu para que os adventistas alcançassem seus propósitos missionais, uma vez que as primeiras publicações estavam impressas em língua alemã e chegaram às colônias dessa origem étnico-linguística. Com base nessa proposta de investigação, espera-se demonstrar claramente o papel que as publicações e os colportores tiveram no processo de implantação da Igreja Adventista no Brasil. Para realização deste estudo, utilizou-se o método histórico com coleta de dados através de investigação bibliográfica e documental, sendo a pesquisa definida como qualitativa, básica e exploratória.

A ATUAÇÃO DA PROMOÇÃO DE VENDAS EM MEIOS INTERATIVOS (E-PROMOTION)

A proposta de pesquisa se baseia no tema comunicação integrada de marketing pela abordagem da atuação da competência comunicacional, promoção de vendas, na internet e do surgimento do e-promotion, como extensão da mensagem do ponto-de-venda. O objetivo é verificar como estas novas tecnologias de comunicação, especificamente a internet, estão modificando a forma de fazer promoção de vendas. A metodologia a ser aplicada no projeto consiste em uma pesquisa qualitativa com caráter exploratório através de uma pesquisa bibliográfica concisa que pretende investigar as muitas obras referentes aos temas de comunicação, promoção de vendas, marketing digital e e-commerce, no estudo de caso múltiplo de empresas que utilizam as promoções offline e o e-promotion como ferramenta comunicacional. A conclusão apontou para ações híbridas e aparente ausência de promoções que atuam em sua totalidade no ambiente offline.(AU)

INFLUÊNCIA DA COMUNICAÇÃO POLÍTICA NO SISTEMA DE VOTAÇÃO ELETRÔNICO BRASILEIRO

A velocidade da informação e do conhecimento instaurou na sociedade contemporânea uma constante busca pela melhoria dos processos informacionais, com vistas a garantir maior rapidez nos processamentos e resultados. No universo público, as exigências caminham de modo similar, sob o olhar do eleitor cidadão, portanto, a proposta da pesquisa é promover um panorama do sistema eletrônico de votação brasileiro, mais precisamente a Urna Eletrônica e transitar desde a concepção do projeto nos idos da década de 90 até o momento atual, apontando um olhar científico para as ações comunicacionais do Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE), no sentido de promover campanhas publicitárias para fomentar a conscientização do sistema informatizado de voto pelos eleitores, supostamente mais rápido e eficiente. A pesquisa utiliza para fins descritivos múltiplas visões da comunicação da urna: por intermédio do órgão mantenedor, os políticos, diretamente envolvidos no pleito competitivo e os consultores políticos, atuantes nas estratégias de bastidores das campanhas eleitorais. Essa diversidade de visões e posições acerca da credibilidade do sistema busca propiciar a pesquisa um caráter de macro compreensão dos impactos de um sistema informatizado em um ambiente democrático.(AU)

EDUCACÃO E ECONOMIA SOLIDARIA: UM ESTUDO DE VIVÊNCIA DE CIDADANIA

A proposta desta pesquisa pressupõe que cada um de nós, e especificamente cada educador da associação em estudo, desenvolva sua ação educativa conforme suas convicções profundas sobre o ser humano, o mundo e a sociedade. Com qual consciência isso é vivido, é uma dúvida. Pode ocorrer que o indivíduo não tenha essa percepção. Pode ocorrer também que a pessoa pense fazer algo coerente, mas, na realidade, está agindo até contra suas próprias convicções, sem, contudo, ter consciência disso. Esta análise situa-se na perspectiva da educação popular não-formal que é desenvolvida pela Associação de Promoção Humana e Resgate da Cidadania, conhecida como Centro de Formação Profissional Padre Leo Commissari . Trata-se de uma pesquisa de pesquisa de tipo qualitativo para investigar o perfil dos educadores, e identificar sua concepção de ser humano, de mundo, de sociedade e de educação. O quadro teórico é alicerçado na visão de ser humano e de educação, segundo Paulo Freire, e na visão e identidade do ser brasileiro, de acordo com Darcy Ribeiro. A metodologia usada para a investigação é a observação participante, por meio dos jogos psicodramaticos do Psicodrama, de Jocob Levy Moreno, especialmente a teoria da Matriz de Identidade e da Ação. Tal analise permitiu identificar que os educadores participantes apresentam uma visão de ser humano contraditório, retraído e incompleto, reprodutor de uma sociedade dividida em classes. A educação, identificada como uma pilastra de garantia da vida, impregnada pela conserva cultural, parece contradizer uma vontade política de transformação.

Reflection and reflexivity in reviewing and evaluating CDIO:an empirical approach to evaluation

Facilitated by an Engineer and a Social Scientist, both of whom have expertise in Engineering Education Research and Evaluation (EERE), this interactive workshop is divided into three main sections, each one focusing on a different area of evaluation. It will build on research conducted at Aston University School of Engineering and Applied Science to explore and critique the value of introducing CDIO across the first year undergraduate curriculum. Participants will be invited to consider the pedagogical and engineering related challenges of evaluating the academic and practical value of CDIO as a strategy for learning and teaching in the discipline. An empirical approach to evaluation developed by the researchers to provide empirically grounded evidence of the pedagogical and vocational value of CDIO will form the theoretical and conceptual basis of the workshop. This approach is distinctive in that it encapsulates both engineering and social science methods of evaluation. It is also contemporaneous in nature, with the researchers acting as a ‘fly on the wall’ capturing data as the programme unfolds. Through facilitated discussion and participation, the workshop will provide colleagues with the opportunity to develop a cross-disciplinary, empirically grounded research proposal specifically for the purposes of critically evaluating CDIO. It is anticipated that during the workshop, colleagues will work together in small groups. Suitable pedagogical approaches and tools will be suggested and a purposefully developed Engineering Education Research Guide, written by the workshop facilitators, will be given to all participants to inform and support the Workshop approach.

Incorporating an Ipad to Facilitate Letter Recognition and Enhance Academic Achievement

The Annual South Florida Education Research Conference is a presentation of scholarly work by students and faculty of member institutions and the community.