Brazilian Students and Working Capital: An Analysis of Their Decisions When Using Virtual Market Business Games

This study aims to demonstrate that data from business games can be an important resource for improving efficiency and effectiveness of learning. The proposal presented here was developed from preliminary studies of data from Virtual Market games that pointed the possibility of identifying gaps in learning by analyzing the decisions of students. This proposal helps students to refine their learning processes and equips tutors with strategies for teaching and student assessment. The proposal also complements the group discussion and/or debriefing, which are widely used to enhance learning mediated by games. However, from a management perspective the model has the potential to be erroneous and miss opportunities, which cannot be detected because of the dependence on the characteristics of the individual, such as ability to communicate and work together. To illustrate the proposed technique, data sets from two business games were analyzed with the focus on managing working capital and it was found that students had difficulties managing this task. Similar trends were observed in all categories of students in the study-undergraduate, postgraduate and specialization. This discovery led us to the analysis of data for decisions made in the performance of the games, and it was determined that indicators could be developed that were capable of indentifying inconsistencies in the decisions. It was decided to apply some basic concepts of the finance management, such as management of the operational and non-operational expenditures, as well as production management concepts, such as the use of the production capacity. By analyzing the data from the Virtual Market games using the indicator concept, it was possible to detect the lack of domain knowledge of the students. Therefore, these indicators can be used to analyze the decisions of the players and guide them during the game, increasing their effectiveness and efficiency. As these indicators were developed from specific content, they can also be used to develop teaching materials to support learning. Viewed in this light, the proposal adds new possibilities for using business games in learning. In addition to the intrinsic learning that is achieved through playing the games, they also assist in driving the learning process. This study considers the applications and the methodology used.

Mastalgia cíclica pré-menstrual: placebo versus outras drogas

Os autores definem mastalgia cíclica pré-menstrual, (MCPM), repassam os principais mecanismos do ciclo celular da mama, e com base nestes conhecimentos propõem a sua classificação em três tipos, segundo a fisiologia do ciclo mamário: tipo 1 - caracterizado pela distensão localizada de ductos e adensamento do tecido conjuntivo em volta de pequenas dilatações. tipo II - caracterizado pelo edema intersticial, e tipo III - caracterizado pela combinação dos dois processos etiopatogênicos. OBJETIVO: Por meio de estudo prospectivo, aleatório, triplo cego e controlado, comparar a ação de placebo com associação de vitaminas A-D-E e doses baixas de ácido acetilsalicílico. MÉTODOS: Foram observadas 259 portadoras de MCPM, acompanhadas durante seis meses para estudo comparativo das drogas empregadas no alívio da dor. Destas, foram selecionadas 81 pacientes por critérios rigorosos, divididas em três grupos de 27, que receberam, respectivamente, aspirina, associação de vitaminas e placebo. A dor foi classificada em grau I (sem dor), grau II (dor moderada) e grau III (dor intensa). Os métodos estatísticos realizados mostraram que o número de pacientes em cada grupo era satisfatório. Foi empregado o teste de Tukey para comparação dos resultados e significância a 5%. RESULTADOS: As características clínicas, idade, peso, altura e IMC, antecedentes obstétricos e duração da amamentação foram semelhantes nos três grupos. Houve redução de intensidade da dor nos três grupos, principalmente naquele que recebeu placebo. CONCLUSÃO: O estudo realizado, segundo metodologia aceitável, porque foi prospectivo, controlado, triplo cego e aleatório, não mostrou diferenças significativas no tratamento da mastalgia cíclica pré-menstrual entre aspirina e associação de vitaminas, mas revelou superioridade do placebo.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children with obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring

Objective: To evaluate the systemic blood pressure (BP) during daytime and nighttime in children with sleep breathing disorders (SBD) and compare parameters of BP in children with diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) to those one with primary snoring (PS).Methods: Children, both genders, aged from 8 to 12 years, with symptoms of SBD realized an overnight polysomnography followed by a 24 h recording of ambulatory BP.Results: All subjects presented with a history of snoring 7 nights per week. Children who have apnea/hipoapnea index >= four or a apnea index >= one presented a mean BP of 93 +/- 7 mmHg and 85 +/- 9 mmHg diurnal and nocturnal respectively whereas children who have a apnea/hipoapnea < four or a apnea index < one presented 90 +/- 7 mmHg and 77 +/- 2 mmHg. Eight children out of fourteen, from OSA group, lost the physiologic nocturnal dipping of the blood pressure. Among OSA children 57% were considered non-dippers. Two (16%) have presented absence of nocturnal dipping among children with primary snoring. The possibility of OSA children loosing physiologic blood pressure dipping was 6.66 higher than the possibilities of patients from PS group.Discussion: Our results indicate that children with sleep apnea syndrome exhibit a higher 24 h blood pressure when compared with those of primary snoring in form of decreased degree of nocturnal dipping and increased levels of diastolic and mean blood pressure, according to previous studies in literature. OSA in children seems to be associated to the development of hypertension or other cardiovascular disease. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Autogenous demineralized dentin matrix for tissue engineering applications: Radiographic and histomorphometric studies

Purpose: This work evaluated the osteoconductive properties of autogenous demineralized dentin matrix (ADDM) on surgical bone defects in the parietal bone of rabbits, using the guided bone regeneration technique and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane. Materials and Methods: Surgical bone defects were created in 24 adult rabbits and repaired with either ADDM and PTFE (experimental group) or PTFE alone (control group). The ADDM had been obtained from the central incisors of the experimental rabbits. The rabbits were sacrificed after 15, 30, 60, and 90 days and the defects examined radiographically and histologically. Results: Radiographically, the defects in the experimental animals achieved radiopacity more quickly than the defects in the control group. Discussion: After 15, 30, 60, and 90 days of observation following surgery, the ADDM slices appeared to stimulate new bone formation. The dentin slices were completely incorporated into the new bone tissue and were resorbed during the bone repair. Conclusions: Bone repair was accelerated on the bone defects treated with ADDM when compared to the control group.

A prática pedagógica de professores do ensino fundamental na perspectiva de uma educação de qualidade para todos

Pós-graduação em Educação - FCT

Expressão de sofrimento psíquico, itinerário terapêutico e alternativas de tratamento: a voz de mulheres atendidas no serviço de saúde mental de um Centro de Saúde Escola

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Promoção da saúde por meio de atividades educativas sobre hábitos de sono

A good night sleep is part of a healthy lifestyle. However, children and adolescents replace sleeping hours by several other activities. This project aimed to disseminate information about sleeping and stimulate some reflections about the risk factors to health arising frompersonal and collective habits. A group of 1014 junior high school students from five schools in the city of Assis-SP, participated in the project. The students visited an exhibition about the theme "sleeping and health" and took part of group assignments. Issues related to sleeping and alternatives to promote healthy sleeping habits in day-life context were discussed. The activities were planned and executed by six trainees under the supervision of the responsible teacher. The majority of the visitors reported pleasure (90% of students) and interest in the subject; (85%) enjoyed learning new information about it (93%). Among the activities performed, 25% of visitors particularly enjoyed playful educational activities, 19% the oral presentation and 23% all the activities without distinction. Group discussion on everyday situations encouraged the adolescents to reevaluate previous experiences and knowledge that were not always consistent with current scientific knowledge. Undergraduate students had a rich practical opportunity that stimulated them to create health education strategies for adolescents. Some adolescents got more involved in the activities and others were more stimulated by the change of school routine. The activities were feasible and can be designed according to the target public. Certainly individual experience was sporadic and we suggest that future projects might be improved by stimulating bigger schools and more teachers to participate.

O grupo como produtor de singularidades: o processo subjetivo como forjador de singularidades frente às pessoas que vivem com as DSTs

The personal experience respective is a description of an psychosocial intervention effectuated in the year of 2007 in an institution not government, in the city of Taubaté, with a group of women infected with the virus HIV. We will present in the short form our work, which happened through a therapeutic group, that had as device, the production of new process of subjectivizing with these women in the conduction of them condition of life after the infection with the virus HIV. To determine our actions use the theoretical assumptions of genealogy, of psychology and the theory of institutional operating group with emphasis on aspects of group discussion. During approximately twelve meetings with the denser group work topics such as social violence (inequality of rights, prejudice and stigma), treatment of the condition of serum positive when marked by ambivalence to treatment and the use of defense mechanisms: denial, projection and omnipotence, the weak and intense physical and mental suffering resulting from this process.We end our exhibition while presenting the discursive constructions and, consequently, the multiforms singular potentialities of the group that appeared with our psychosocial interventions.

Gestão da saúde no trabalho: uma experiência institucional

This article aims to disseminate the results of a university action which occurred through the Extension Course entitled Management and Health at Work, conducted from March to September 2011 and offered by “Coordenadoria de Saúde e Segurança do Trabalhador e Sustentabilidade Ambiental” (a kind of Workers' health and safety and environmental sustainability agency) - an agency managed by “Pró-Reitoria de Administração - PRAd/Unesp”. This action had the audience of the technical and administrative staff of the several Institutes (Units) of UNESP in positions of Leadership and Supervision. The course was proposed to equip managers to deal with issues related to health and safety at work in daily labor. Six hundred managers of all UNESP Institutes participated in the course. The meetings were logistically designed respecting the proximity of the participants’ Institutes. The methodology adopted was based on qualitative techniques such as group discussion, role-plays, analysis of film, reading and discussing texts, together with the preparation of a proposal for health promotion by the participants. As a result it was considered that the course offered a convenient and timely opportunity to reflect on and discuss the theme of health and safety at UNESP, as well as to make leaders and managers effective agents to implement programs of disease prevention and health promotion at work.

Towards global consensus on outcome measures for atopic eczema research: results of the HOME II meeting

The use of nonstandardized and inadequately validated outcome measures in atopic eczema trials is a major obstacle to practising evidence-based dermatology. The Harmonising Outcome Measures for Eczema (HOME) initiative is an international multiprofessional group dedicated to atopic eczema outcomes research. In June 2011, the HOME initiative conducted a consensus study involving 43 individuals from 10 countries, representing different stakeholders (patients, clinicians, methodologists, pharmaceutical industry) to determine core outcome domains for atopic eczema trials, to define quality criteria for atopic eczema outcome measures and to prioritize topics for atopic eczema outcomes research. Delegates were given evidence-based information, followed by structured group discussion and anonymous consensus voting. Consensus was achieved to include clinical signs, symptoms, long-term control of flares and quality of life into the core set of outcome domains for atopic eczema trials. The HOME initiative strongly recommends including and reporting these core outcome domains as primary or secondary endpoints in all future atopic eczema trials. Measures of these core outcome domains need to be valid, sensitive to change and feasible. Prioritized topics of the HOME initiative are the identification/development of the most appropriate instruments for the four core outcome domains. HOME is open to anyone with an interest in atopic eczema outcomes research.

Directions for advancing the study of work transitions in the 21st century

Objectives: The purpose of this article is to share the details, outcomes and deliverables from an international workshop on work transitions in London, Ontario, Canada. Participants: Researchers, graduate students, and community group members met to identity ways to advance the knowledge base of strategies to enhance work participation for those in the most disadvantaged groups within society. Methods: A participatory approach was used in this workshop with presentations by researchers and graduate students. This approach included dialogue and discussion with community members. In addition, small group dialogue and debate, world cafe discussions, written summaries of group discussion and reflection boards were used to bring new ideas to the discussion and to build upon what we know. Findings: Two research imperatives and six research recommendations were identified to advance global dialogue on work transitions and to advance the knowledge base. Occupational justice can be used to support future research directions in the study of work transitions. Conclusions: Moving forward requires a commitment of community of researchers, clinicians and stakeholders to address work disparities and implement solutions to promote participation in work.

Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in children with obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring

Objective: To evaluate the systemic blood pressure (BP) during daytime and nighttime in children with sleep breathing disorders (SBD) and compare parameters of BP in children with diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSA) to those one with primary snoring (PS). Methods: Children, both genders, aged from 8 to 12 years, with symptoms of SBD realized an overnight polysomnography followed by a 24 h recording of ambulatory BP. Results: All subjects presented with a history of snoring 7 nights per week. Children who have apnea/hipoapnea index >= four or a apnea index >= one presented a mean BP of 93 +/- 7 mmHg and 85 +/- 9 mmHg diurnal and nocturnal respectively whereas children who have a apnea/hipoapnea < four or a apnea index < one presented 90 +/- 7 mmHg and 77 +/- 2 mmHg. Eight children out of fourteen, from OSA group, lost the physiologic nocturnal dipping of the blood pressure. Among OSA children 57% were considered non-dippers. Two (16%) have presented absence of nocturnal dipping among children with primary snoring. The possibility of OSA children loosing physiologic blood pressure dipping was 6.66 higher than the possibilities of patients from PS group. Discussion: Our results indicate that children with sleep apnea syndrome exhibit a higher 24 h blood pressure when compared with those of primary snoring in form of decreased degree of nocturnal dipping and increased levels of diastolic and mean blood pressure, according to previous studies in literature. OSA in children seems to be associated to the development of hypertension or other cardiovascular disease. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multicenter randomized trial of cell therapy in cardiopathies – MiHeart Study

Abstract Background: Cardiovascular diseases are the major cause of death in the world. Current treatments have not been able to reverse this scenario, creating the need for the development of new therapies. Cell therapies have emerged as an alternative for cardiac diseases of distinct causes in experimental animal studies and more recently in clinical trials. Method/Design: We have designed clinical trials to test for the efficacy of autologous bone marrow derived mononuclear cell therapies in four different cardiopathies: acute and chronic ischemic heart disease, and Chagasic and dilated cardiomyopathy. All trials are multicenter, randomized, double-blind and placebo controlled. In each trial 300 patients will be enrolled and receive optimized therapy for their specific condition. Additionally, half of the patients will receive the autologous bone marrow cells while the other half will receive placebo (saline with 5% autologous serum). For each trial there are specific inclusion and exclusion criteria and the method for cell delivery is intramyocardial for the chronic ischemic heart disease and intracoronary for all others. Primary endpoint for all studies will be the difference in ejection fraction (determined by Simpson's rule) six and twelve months after intervention in relation to the basal ejection fraction. The main hypothesis of this study is that the patients who receive the autologous bone-marrow stem cell implant will have after a 6 month follow-up a mean increase of 5% in absolute left ventricular ejection fraction in comparison with the control group. Discussion: Many phase I clinical trials using cell therapy for cardiac diseases have already been performed. The few randomized studies have yielded conflicting results, rendering necessary larger well controlled trials to test for efficacy of cell therapies in cardiopathies. The trials registration numbers at the NIH registry are the following: Chagasic cardiomyopathy (NCT00349271), dilated cardiomyopathy (NCT00333827), acute myocardial infarction (NCT00350766) and Chronic Ischemic Heart Disease (NCT00362388).

"Water users must be efficient producers". Women's access to and use of land in Chókwè irrigation scheme, Mozambique

The irrigation scheme Eduardo Mondlane, situated in Chókwè District - in the Southern part of the Gaza province and within the Limpopo River Basin - is the largest in the country, covering approximately 30,000 hectares of land. Built by the Portuguese colonial administration in the 1950s to exploit the agricultural potential of the area through cash-cropping, after Independence it became one of Frelimo’s flagship projects aiming at the “socialization of the countryside” and at agricultural economic development through the creation of a state farm and of several cooperatives. The failure of Frelimo’s economic reforms, several infrastructural constraints and local farmers resistance to collective forms of production led to scheme to a state of severe degradation aggravated by the floods of the year 2000. A project of technical rehabilitation initiated after the floods is currently accompanied by a strong “efficiency” discourse from the managing institution that strongly opposes the use of irrigated land for subsistence agriculture, historically a major livelihood strategy for smallfarmers, particularly for women. In fact, the area has been characterized, since the end of the XIX century, by a stable pattern of male migration towards South African mines, that has resulted in an a steady increase of women-headed households (both de jure and de facto). The relationship between land reform, agricultural development, poverty alleviation and gender equality in Southern Africa is long debated in academic literature. Within this debate, the role of agricultural activities in irrigation schemes is particularly interesting considering that, in a drought-prone area, having access to water for irrigation means increased possibilities of improving food and livelihood security, and income levels. In the case of Chókwè, local governments institutions are endorsing the development of commercial agriculture through initiatives such as partnerships with international cooperation agencies or joint-ventures with private investors. While these business models can sometimes lead to positive outcomes in terms of poverty alleviation, it is important to recognize that decentralization and neoliberal reforms occur in the context of financial and political crisis of the State that lacks the resources to efficiently manage infrastructures such as irrigation systems. This kind of institutional and economic reforms risk accelerating processes of social and economic marginalisation, including landlessness, in particular for poor rural women that mainly use irrigated land for subsistence production. The study combines an analysis of the historical and geographical context with the study of relevant literature and original fieldwork. Fieldwork was conducted between February and June 2007 (where I mainly collected secondary data, maps and statistics and conducted preliminary visit to Chókwè) and from October 2007 to March 2008. Fieldwork methodology was qualitative and used semi-structured interviews with central and local Government officials, technical experts of the irrigation scheme, civil society organisations, international NGOs, rural extensionists, and water users from the irrigation scheme, in particular those women smallfarmers members of local farmers’ associations. Thanks to the collaboration with the Union of Farmers’ Associations of Chókwè, she has been able to participate to members’ meeting, to education and training activities addressed to women farmers members of the Union and to organize a group discussion. In Chókwè irrigation scheme, women account for the 32% of water users of the familiar sector (comprising plot-holders with less than 5 hectares of land) and for just 5% of the private sector. If one considers farmers’ associations of the familiar sector (a legacy of Frelimo’s cooperatives), women are 84% of total members. However, the security given to them by the land title that they have acquired through occupation is severely endangered by the use that they make of land, that is considered as “non efficient” by the irrigation scheme authority. Due to a reduced access to marketing possibilities and to inputs, training, information and credit women, in actual fact, risk to see their right to access land and water revoked because they are not able to sustain the increasing cost of the water fee. The myth of the “efficient producer” does not take into consideration the characteristics of inequality and gender discrimination of the neo-liberal market. Expecting small-farmers, and in particular women, to be able to compete in the globalized agricultural market seems unrealistic, and can perpetuate unequal gendered access to resources such as land and water.

Long-term consequences of an intensive care unit stay in older critically ill patients: design of a longitudinal study

Background Modern methods in intensive care medicine often enable the survival of older critically ill patients. The short-term outcomes for patients treated in intensive care units (ICUs), such as survival to hospital discharge, are well documented. However, relatively little is known about subsequent long-term outcomes. Pain, anxiety and agitation are important stress factors for many critically ill patients. There are very few studies concerned with pain, anxiety and agitation and the consequences in older critically ill patients. The overall aim of this study is to identify how an ICU stay influences an older person's experiences later in life. More specific, this study has the following objectives: (1) to explore the relationship between pain, anxiety and agitation during ICU stays and experiences of the same symptoms in later life; and (2) to explore the associations between pain, anxiety and agitation experienced during ICU stays and their effect on subsequent health-related quality of life, use of the health care system (readmissions, doctor visits, rehabilitation, medication use), living situation, and survival after discharge and at 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Methods/Design A prospective, longitudinal study will be used for this study. A total of 150 older critically ill patients in the ICU will participate (ICU group). Pain, anxiety, agitation, morbidity, mortality, use of the health care system, and health-related quality of life will be measured at 3 intervals after a baseline assessment. Baseline measurements will be taken 48 hours after ICU admission and one week thereafter. Follow-up measurements will take place 6 months and 12 months after discharge from the ICU. To be able to interpret trends in scores on outcome variables in the ICU group, a comparison group of 150 participants, matched by age and gender, recruited from the Swiss population, will be interviewed at the same intervals as the ICU group. Discussion Little research has focused on long term consequences after ICU admission in older critically ill patients. The present study is specifically focussing on long term consequences of stress factors experienced during ICU admission.