Motion perception: seeing and deciding.

The primate visual system offers unprecedented opportunities for investigating the neural basis of cognition. Even the simplest visual discrimination task requires processing of sensory signals, formation of a decision, and orchestration of a motor response. With our extensive knowledge of the primate visual and oculomotor systems as a base, it is now possible to investigate the neural basis of simple visual decisions that link sensation to action. Here we describe an initial study of neural responses in the lateral intraparietal area (LIP) of the cerebral cortex while alert monkeys discriminated the direction of motion in a visual display. A subset of LIP neurons carried high-level signals that may comprise a neural correlate of the decision process in our task. These signals are neither sensory nor motor in the strictest sense; rather they appear to reflect integration of sensory signals toward a decision appropriate for guiding movement. If this ultimately proves to be the case, several fascinating issues in cognitive neuroscience will be brought under rigorous physiological scrutiny.

Rapid local synchronization of action potentials: toward computation with coupled integrate-and-fire neurons.

The collective behavior of interconnected spiking nerve cells is investigated. It is shown that a variety of model systems exhibit the same short-time behavior and rapidly converge to (approximately) periodic firing patterns with locally synchronized action potentials. The dynamics of one model can be described by a downhill motion on an abstract energy landscape. Since an energy landscape makes it possible to understand and program computation done by an attractor network, the results will extend our understanding of collective computation from models based on a firing-rate description to biologically more realistic systems with integrate-and-fire neurons.

Visual motion perception.

The primate visual motion system performs numerous functions essential for survival in a dynamic visual world. Prominent among these functions is the ability to recover and represent the trajectories of objects in a form that facilitates behavioral responses to those movements. The first step toward this goal, which consists of detecting the displacement of retinal image features, has been studied for many years in both psychophysical and neurobiological experiments. Evidence indicates that achievement of this step is computationally straightforward and occurs at the earliest cortical stage. The second step involves the selective integration of retinal motion signals according to the object of origin. Realization of this step is computationally demanding, as the solution is formally underconstrained. It must rely--by definition--upon utilization of retinal cues that are indicative of the spatial relationships within and between objects in the visual scene. Psychophysical experiments have documented this dependence and suggested mechanisms by which it may be achieved. Neurophysiological experiments have provided evidence for a neural substrate that may underlie this selective motion signal integration. Together they paint a coherent portrait of the means by which retinal image motion gives rise to our perceptual experience of moving objects.

Ecological chaos in the wake of invasion.

Irregularities in observed population densities have traditionally been attributed to discretization of the underlying dynamics. We propose an alternative explanation by demonstrating the evolution of spatiotemporal chaos in reaction-diffusion models for predator-prey interactions. The chaos is generated naturally in the wake of invasive waves of predators. We discuss in detail the mechanism by which the chaos is generated. By considering a mathematical caricature of the predator-prey models, we go on to explain the dynamical origin of the irregular behavior and to justify our assertion that the behavior we present is a genuine example of spatiotemporal chaos.

Percepção de professores sobre a influência genética e ambiental em comportamentos relevantes no processo educacional

Como as pessoas percebem as outras é relevante no processo de ensino aprendizagem e nas interações sociais como um todo. Essas percepções definem a maneira com que as pessoas reagem umas às outras. Em particular, a avaliação da percepção de professores colabora na compreensão das atitudes do professor diante dos comportamentos de seus alunos. O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a percepção de professores sobre a influência genética e ambiental em comportamentos relevantes no processo educacional: personalidade, inteligência, dificuldades de aprendizagem, problemas de comportamento e doenças mentais. Para tanto, o questionário The NatureNurture Question:Teachers perceptions of how genes and the environment influence educationally relevant behavior foi adaptado à língua portuguesa do Brasil e aplicado para 501 professores de todos os níveis de ensino, do estado de São Paulo. Os resultados demonstraram que os professores atribuíram influências genéticas e ambientais em proporções aproximadamente iguais considerando todos os domínios, personalidade e dificuldades e aprendizagem. Atribuíram maior influência genética à inteligência e doenças mentais, bem como maior influência ambiental aos problemas de comportamento. Metade dos participantes afirmou ter estudado aspectos da genética em sua formação para professor. A maioria dos professores declarou que ter um aluno com dificuldade de aprendizagem geneticamente influenciada afetaria seu método de instruí-lo. Os professores percebem que genes e ambiente criação são imprescindíveis nos comportamentos de seus alunos, reconhecendo, inclusive, a interatividade dos dois fatores, informações importantes para o delineamento de ações na formação dos mesmos possíveis intervenções no âmbito educacional.

Educação Alimentar e Nutricional na Atenção Primária à Saúde na perspectiva do profissional não nutricionista

Introdução: O Direito Humano a Alimentação Adequada (DHAA), na perspectiva da Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional (SAN), destacou-se devido à compreensão dos determinantes para a Promoção da Saúde (PS). A Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (EAN) é uma ferramenta capaz de promover a reflexão dos cidadãos sobre como realizar esse direito. No Brasil, o quadro de insegurança alimentar entre crianças e adolescentes torna os profissionais de saúde da Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) atores promissores para a reversão desse quadro, já que esses trabalham com os principais influenciadores desse público: a família. Objetivo: Analisar a atuação de profissionais de saúde não nutricionistas coordenadores de grupos educativos com conteúdo de alimentação e nutrição, desenvolvidos na APS do município de São Paulo. Métodos: Estudo qualitativo, com aplicação de entrevistas semiestruturadas e análise por meio do Discurso do Sujeito Coletivo. Foram levantados os dados a respeito da formação desses profissionais e identificadas suas percepções sobre seus papéis nos grupos que coordenam e a importância atribuída a eles. Resultados: A profissão dos 21 entrevistados reflete a atual configuração da Estratégia Saúde da Família. Há predominância de profissionais do sexo feminino com pós-graduação em temas de saúde coletiva. Foram identificadas 13 Ideias Centrais dividas em 2 Eixos Temáticos. Levantaram-se percepções contrárias e outras a favor aos referenciais teóricos trabalhados. Como favoráveis, identificou-se a valorização dos grupos como espaços de participação, troca de experiências e criação de vínculo entre seus membros, sendo o coordenador do grupo responsável pela condução desses. A importância na atuação interprofissional para o atendimento integral à saúde e atualização entre os profissionais também foi destacada. Já as desfavoráveis trouxeram a desvalorização das atividades em grupo, ou a atribuição de sua importância como forma de acesso a serviços, medicamentos ou informação, a identificação dos coordenadores como responsáveis por mudanças de comportamentos nos participantes, modelos a serem seguidos, e sendo considerados detentores do conhecimento, o que parece sobrecarregá-los, desmotivá-los e frustrá-los. Assim, alguns buscam seu reconhecimento trazendo atividades que agradam os usuários, independentemente da constatação das necessidades do território. Conclusões: A percepção dos profissionais parece refletir a forma em que atuam, evidenciando um momento heterogêneo sobre as formas de se abordar os aspectos relacionados à alimentação, além do despreparo para a coordenação de grupos. Dessa forma, recomenda-se a aproximação entre os campos da saúde e da educação, visando práticas mais significativas e libertadoras, bem como a reflexão sobre a formação desses profissionais, já que suas atuações parecem refletir a educação na qual foram moldados. Os princípios da PS, do DHAA, da SAN, da EAN e das características essenciais a um coordenador de grupos, devem ser trabalhados com esses atores, e, para tanto, como produto dessa pesquisa, sugeriu-se um curso de atualização.

Avaliação da percepção sobre interdisciplinaridade nas unidades de saúde USF Paranapiacaba, US Vila Helena e CEO Vila Guilherme

É necessário compreender que o indivíduo, no processo saúde-doença, precisa receber atenção completa, que envolva várias disciplinas atuando de forma conjunta, numa visão que envolve integralidade de ações (Saupe et al., 2007; Salvador et al., 2011). Uma das principais características dos serviços de saúde hoje em dia no país é o atendimento feito por equipes multiprofissionais, cujo entrosamento, entendimento e troca de saberes entre seus membros levam à interdisciplinaridade (Salvador et al., 2011), tema central deste trabalho de pesquisa. Atendimento interdisciplinar envolve trabalho recíproco, criando relações sociais horizontais, contrariamente ao que ocorre no modelo de assistência tradicional, hegemônico. Exige que o saber do outro seja ouvido e pensado, inclusive dos indivíduos e das comunidades assistidos (Leite; Veloso, 2008). Este estudo, do tipo quali-quantitativo, tem por objetivo analisar as percepções que trabalhadores e usuários de três unidades de saúde, com estratégias distintas de atendimento, apresentam sobre interdisciplinaridade. Busca-se destacar dificuldades e possíveis meios facilitadores para sua prática diária na perspectiva de profissionais de saúde e usuários dessas três unidades de saúde. Foram aplicados questionários com perguntas fechadas semiestruturadas e abertas, cujos resultados foram submetidos à análise quantitativa, pela técnica descritiva de análise de frequência, e análise qualitativa pela técnica hermenêutica dialética, conforme preconizada por Minayo (2004). À luz dessa modalidade qualitativa de pesquisa aplicada aos profissionais surgiram três categorias: Meios para aumento da interdisciplinaridade; Fatores que afetam a interdisciplinaridade, subdivididos em Incentivadores, Desmotivadores e Ambíguos; e Resultados da interdisciplinaridade. Em relação aos usuários, as categorias emergentes foram: Desinteresse; Visão assistencial individualista e Vantagens da interdisciplinaridade. Os resultados encontrados foram: todas as categorias profissionais sentiram falta de outros profissionais em grupos educativos. A ausência mais sentida foi assistente social (18,75%). A estratégia interdisciplinar mais lembrada foi \"reuniões\" (38,6%). Falta noção de que é necessário trocar informações de forma efetiva, compreensível e satisfatória para todos. Mostrou-se importante aproveitar esses momentos para discutir protocolos e rotinas. Instrumento relevante para aumentar as trocas entre os profissionais foi a capacitação (13,6%) que melhora o relacionamento em equipe ao diminuir inseguranças. Trocas de informações em equipe multidisciplinar podem transformála em interdisciplinar. Pertencimento foi fato importante para a interdisciplinaridade, assim como dialogar, tolerar, respeitar, ouvir, ser flexível e enxergar o que está além de si, com interação social, horizontal. Número reduzido de profissionais, tomar conhecimento dos resultados das decisões em equipe e corresponsabilidade também foram fatores de destaque. Mais de 70% dos usuários relatou não participar de grupos educativos, evidenciando o curativismo. Os usuários valorizaram o atendimento por mais de um profissional. Acolhimento prescinde da ação interdisciplinar. Nenhum modo de atendimento foi sugerido pelos usuários. A interdisciplinaridade favorece a relação entre a equipe e o usuário, diminui espera e aumenta resolução. Na US Vila Helena, a interdisciplinaridade prescindiu de reuniões de equipe para acontecer.

Attentional processes associated with victimization history and posttraumatic symptomatology in women exposed to intimate partner violence

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) puts women at risk for severe and chronic physical and mental health consequences, including elevations in IPV-related psychopathology and increased risk for future victimization. Previous research has examined attention as one of the key information processing mechanisms associated with elevated psychopathology and risk for victimization; however, the nature of attentional processing in response to IPV-related information in women exposed to IPV is poorly understood. Therefore, the current study aimed to further understanding of associations between attentional processing, IPV exposure, and related distress using measures of eye movement and subjective interpretations of IPV-related information. A sample of women exposed to IPV (n = 57) viewed sets of negative, positive, and neutral relationship images for 15 s each while having their eye movements monitored and later provided subjective ratings and interpretations of levels of risk and safety in those images. We examined associations of outcome measures with proximal victimization experiences and IPV-related psychopathology (i.e., depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and dissociation). Results indicated a bias to attend to negative relationship images relative to positive and neutral images, though this attention bias fluctuated over time and varied as a function of symptomatology such that depression corresponded with increases in attention to negative images over time and PTSD corresponded with decreases in attention to negative images. The general attention bias for negative images appeared to be explained by rumination on and/or difficulty disengaging from negative images, which was related to general elevations in psychopathology as well as exposure to revictimization by different perpetrators. Subjective interpretations and perception of danger cues were related to victimization history and level and type of IPV-related distress. We replicated these procedures with a sample of undergraduate students without IPV histories or related symptomatology (n = 33) and found that the overall attention bias for negative images was not replicated, despite general similarities in patterns of attention over time. Results therefore indicated associations between attentional processing and IPV exposure and related symptomatology. Implications for models of IPV-related psychopathology and attentional processing as well as directions for future study and interventions are discussed.

Worldwide violence against women legislation: an equity approach

OBJECTIVES: To describe the recommendations and interventions addressing violence against women (VAW) in vulnerable women (disabled, pregnant, ethnic minority, immigrant and older women) in key documents and laws enacted in different countries. METHODS: Content analysis of key documents for the development of VAW policies and laws: The United Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence Against Women Advance Version, the Model of Laws and Policies on Intrafamiliar Violence Against Women of the Pan-American Health Organization and Recommendation No. R(2002)5 of the Committee of Ministers of the European Council. The content of the 62 VAW laws was also analyzed. RESULTS: Key documents demonstrate the importance of eliminating any obstacle facing disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority or older women when accessing VAW services. Only 12 laws mention one or more of these groups of vulnerable women. Pregnant, disabled and ethnic minority women are the groups most often mentioned. In these laws, references to punitive measures, action plans and specific strategies to guarantee access to VAW resources are the most common interventions. CONCLUSION: Decisive interventions addressing the specific needs of disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority and older women are needed in order to achieve a broader equity approach in VAW legislation.

How do primary health care teams learn to integrate intimate partner violence (IPV) management? A realist evaluation protocol

Background: Despite the existence of ample literature dealing, on the one hand, with the integration of innovations within health systems and team learning, and, on the other hand, with different aspects of the detection and management of intimate partner violence (IPV) within healthcare facilities, research that explores how health innovations that go beyond biomedical issues—such as IPV management—get integrated into health systems, and that focuses on healthcare teams’ learning processes is, to the best of our knowledge, very scarce if not absent. This realist evaluation protocol aims to ascertain: why, how, and under what circumstances primary healthcare teams engage (if at all) in a learning process to integrate IPV management in their practices; and why, how, and under what circumstances team learning processes lead to the development of organizational culture and values regarding IPV management, and the delivery of IPV management services. Methods: This study will be conducted in Spain using a multiple-case study design. Data will be collected from selected cases (primary healthcare teams) through different methods: individual and group interviews, routinely collected statistical data, documentary review, and observation. Cases will be purposively selected in order to enable testing the initial middle-range theory (MRT). After in-depth exploration of a limited number of cases, additional cases will be chosen for their ability to contribute to refining the emerging MRT to explain how primary healthcare learn to integrate intimate partner violence management. Discussion: Evaluations of health sector responses to IPV are scarce, and even fewer focus on why, how, and when the healthcare services integrate IPV management. There is a consensus that healthcare professionals and healthcare teams play a key role in this integration, and that training is important in order to realize changes. However, little is known about team learning of IPV management, both in terms of how to trigger such learning and how team learning is connected with changes in organizational culture and values, and in service delivery. This realist evaluation protocol aims to contribute to this knowledge by conducting this project in a country, Spain, where great endeavours have been made towards the integration of IPV management within the health system.

Mapping and exploring health systems' response to intimate partner violence in Spain

Background: For a comprehensive health sector response to intimate partner violence (IPV), interventions should target individual and health facility levels, along with the broader health systems level which includes issues of governance, financing, planning, service delivery, monitoring and evaluation, and demand generation. This study aims to map and explore the integration of IPV response in the Spanish national health system. Methods: Information was collected on five key areas based on WHO recommendations: policy environment, protocols, training, monitoring and prevention. A systematic review of public documents was conducted to assess 39 indicators in each of Spain’s 17 regional health systems. In addition, we performed qualitative content analysis of 26 individual interviews with key informants responsible for coordinating the health sector response to IPV in Spain. Results: In 88% of the 17 autonomous regions, the laws concerning IPV included the health sector response, but the integration of IPV in regional health plans was just 41%. Despite the existence of a supportive national structure, responding to IPV still relies strongly on the will of health professionals. All seventeen regions had published comprehensive protocols to guide the health sector response to IPV, but participants recognized that responding to IPV was more complex than merely following the steps of a protocol. Published training plans existed in 43% of the regional health systems, but none had institutionalized IPV training in medical and nursing schools. Only 12% of regional health systems collected information on the quality of the IPV response, and there are many limitations to collecting information on IPV within health services, for example underreporting, fears about confidentiality, and underuse of data for monitoring purposes. Finally, preventive activities that were considered essential were not institutionalized anywhere. Conclusions: Within the Spanish health system, differences exist in terms of achievements both between regions and between the areas assessed. Progress towards integration of IPV has been notable at the level of policy, less outstanding regarding health service delivery, and very limited in terms of preventive actions.

Calibración de cámaras de tiempo de vuelo: ajuste adaptativo del tiempo de integración y análisis de la frecuencia de modulación

La percepción de profundidad se hace imprescindible en muchas tareas de manipulación, control visual y navegación de robots. Las cámaras de tiempo de vuelo (ToF: Time of Flight) generan imágenes de rango que proporcionan medidas de profundidad en tiempo real. No obstante, el parámetro distancia que calculan estas cámaras es fuertemente dependiente del tiempo de integración que se configura en el sensor y de la frecuencia de modulación empleada por el sistema de iluminación que integran. En este artículo, se presenta una metodología para el ajuste adaptativo del tiempo de integración y un análisis experimental del comportamiento de una cámara ToF cuando se modifica la frecuencia de modulación. Este método ha sido probado con éxito en algoritmos de control visual con arquitectura ‘eye-in-hand’ donde el sistema sensorial está compuesto por una cámara ToF. Además, la misma metodología puede ser aplicada en otros escenarios de trabajo.

Children Exposed to Intimate Partner Violence Against Women in Spain. A Quantitative Analysis

A growing number of authors have been suggesting the necessary incorporation of children in the analysis of gender violence and, specifically, in the analysis of intimate partner violence against women (IPV). Such incorporation would be relevant not only for reducing children's invisibility and vulnerability, but also for achieving a better understanding of the characteristics and dynamics of IPV. Based on these considerations, we present in this paper the results of a secondary analysis applied to the data obtained in the last Spanish Survey on Violence Against Women. The available information allows us to analyze: 1) the presence of children exposed to IPV, 2) the relationship between this presence and the probability of reporting the violence, and 3) women's perception about the parental role of the aggressors.

Validación de la versión española del cuestionario Physician Readiness To Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS)

Fundamentos: El Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS) es uno de los cuestionarios más completos en el contexto internacional para la valoración de la capacidad de respuesta frente a la violencia del compañero íntimo por los profesionales de Atención Primaria de Salud. El objetivo de este estudio fue determinar la fiabilidad, consistencia interna y validez de constructo de la versión española de este cuestionario. Métodos: Tras la traducción, retrotraducción y valoración de la validez de contenido del cuestionario, se distribuyeron en una muestra de 200 profesionales de medicina y enfermería de 15 centros de atención primaria de 4 Comunidades Autónomas en 2013 (Comunidad Valenciana, Castilla León, Murcia y Cantabria). Se calcularon los coeficientes alfa de Cronbach, los de correlación intraclase y rho de Spearman (test-retest). Resultados: la versión española del PREMIS incluyó 64 ítems. El coeficiente α de Cronbach fue superior a 0,7 o muy cercano a ese valor en la mayoría de los índices. Se obtuvo un coeficiente de correlación intraclase de 0,87 y un coeficiente de Spearman de 0,67 que muestran una fiabilidad alta. Todas las correlaciones observadas para la escala de opiniones, la única tratada como estructura factorial en el cuestionario PREMIS, fueron superiores a 0,30. Conclusiones: el PREMIS en español obtuvo una buena validez interna, alta fiabilidad y capacidad predictiva de las prácticas auto-referidas por médicos(as) y enfermeros(as) frente a casos de violencia del compañero íntimo en centros de atención primaria.

Applying the WHO recommendations on health-sector response to violence against women to assess the Spanish health system. A mixed methods approach

This methodological note describes the development and application of a mixed-methods protocol to assess the responsiveness of Spanish health systems to violence against women in Spain, based on the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. Five areas for exploration were identified based on the WHO recommendations: policy environment, protocols, training, accountability/monitoring, and prevention/promotion. Two data collection instruments were developed to assess the situation of 17 Spanish regional health systems (RHS) with respect to these areas: 1) a set of indicators to guide a systematic review of secondary sources, and 2) an interview guide to be used with 26 key informants at the regional and national levels. We found differences between RHSs in the five areas assessed. The progress of RHSs on the WHO recommendations was notable at the level of policies, moderate in terms of health service delivery, and very limited in terms of preventive actions. Using a mixed-methods approach was useful for triangulation and complementarity during instrument design, data collection and interpretation.