Caregivers’ burden experienced by relatives living with a person suffering from schizophrenia

Abstract: Schizophrenia is a complex chronic disease that turns the affected person into a dependent and disorganized patient. This pathology is responsible for a major burden on the family members who are in charge of taking care of that person. Analyze to what extant can socio-demographic, clinical and environmental variables interfere with the burden felt by family members who live with someone suffering from schizophrenia; to analyze the relationship between a depressive mood state and the burden on the family members who live with a person suffering from schizophrenia were our objectives. As a methodology, quantitative and non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive and correlational study. The data collection was done through socio-demographic questionnaires; Vaz Serra and Pio Abreu’s Portuguese version of Beck Depression Inventory (1973); Zarit Burden Interview adapted by Sequeira (2007). 95 informal caregivers taking care of schizophrenic patients were assessed. Participants are mainly female (66%), aged 40 or over (79%) and 36 % are the patients’ mothers. Gender, age and existing family ties variables interfered significantly with the impact caused on the caregiver’s burden. There was a statistically significant correlation between the depressive symptomatology and the burden experienced by the family caregivers. Family/ informal caregiver experience several difficulties when they have to go through a daily process of taking care of a family member suffering from schizophrenia. This situation may cause exhaustion, conflicts, emotional suffering and even depressive symptomatology. This burden of care grows stronger as the patients are older, when they are male and when there are no families ties binding patient and caregiver. These variables must be taken into account in these caregivers’ service plans.

Caracterização reológica das diferentes fases de extrato de inulina de raízes de chicória, obtidas por abaixamento de temperatura

Inulin is a functional food ingredient, generally employed as sugar or fat substitute in food systems. This ingredient can be found in several vegetal products, including chicory roots. As the solubility of inulin is susceptible to temperature changes, the product suffers a fractionalization resulting in two phases when cooled, originating a precipitated phase, more viscose, and a liquid phase, of lesser viscosity. The study of rheological properties of different phases of inulin extract is important for equipment designing, such as mixer and bombs. In this work, rheological behavior at three different temperatures (25; 40 and 50 ºC) was determined for liquid and precipitated phases of inulin liquid extract, extracted from chicory roots by hot water diffusion and cooled at two different temperatures (8 and -10 ºC), suffering phases separation. The precipitated phase was analyzed in two conditions: pure and with the addition of microencapsulating agents (maltodextrin and hydrolized starch). All of them presented a linear behavior, similar to that of the Plastics of Bingham. Some of them, however, were not an adequate fit to this model.

Machado de assis's epilepsy

Machado de Assis (1839-1908) is considered the most important Brazilian writer and a great universal literary figure. Little is know about his medical, personal and family history. He hid his «disease» as much as possible. Machado referred to «strange things» having happened to him in his childhood. He described seizures as «nervous phenomena», «absenses», «my illness». Laet observed a seizure and described it as: «... when Machado approached us and spoke to me in disconnected words. I looked at him in surprise and found his features altered. Knowing that from time to time he had nervous problems,... and only permitted Machado take the Laranjeiras Street car, when I saw that he was completely well». A photographically documented seizure is shown. Alencar wrote, «The preoccupation with health was frequent: either he was having the consequences of a fit or was foreboding one». It is clear that Machado presented localized symptomatic epilepsy with complex partial seizures secondarily generalized of unknown etiology. The seizures which began in infancy or childhood had remission in adolescence and then recurred in his thirties and became more frequent in his later years. His depression got markedly worse with age. In our opinion, the greatest consequence of Machado's epilepsy, was his psychological suffering due to the prejudice of the times. Despite this Machado showed all his genius, which is still actual and universal.

Qualidade de vida na empresa : conceitos e práticas em uso (no segmento do comércio de bens e serviços na cidade de São Paulo)

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

As atividades ludicas e a criança com paralisia cerebral : o jogo, o brinquedo e a brincadeira no cotidiano da criança e da familia

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Proposta de ensino de polybat para pessoas com paralisia cerebral

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Análise biomecânica da postura durante a ortostase e a locomoção

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Manejando o lazer em areas de potencial ecoturistico : o caso do Colegio Agricola de Jundiai/RN

Universidade Estadual de Campinas . Faculdade de Educação Física

Insights into preventive measures for dental erosion

Dental erosion is defined as the loss of tooth substance by acid exposure not involving bacteria. The etiology of erosion is related to different behavioral, biological and chemical factors. Based on an overview of the current literature, this paper presents a summary of the preventive strategies relevant for patients suffering from dental erosion. Behavioral factors, such as special drinking habits, unhealthy lifestyle factors or occupational acid exposure, might modify the extent of dental erosion. Thus, preventive strategies have to include measures to reduce the frequency and duration of acid exposure as well as adequate oral hygiene measures, as it is known that eroded surfaces are more susceptible to abrasion. Biological factors, such as saliva or acquired pellicle, act protectively against erosive demineralization. Therefore, the production of saliva should be enhanced, especially in patients with hyposalivation or xerostomia. With regard to chemical factors, the modification of acidic solutions with ions, especially calcium, was shown to reduce the demineralization, but the efficacy depends on the other chemical factors, such as the type of acid. To enhance the remineralization of eroded surfaces and to prevent further progression of dental wear, high-concentrated fluoride applications are recommended. Currently, little information is available about the efficacy of other preventive strategies, such as calcium and laser application, as well as the use of matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors. Further studies considering these factors are required. In conclusion, preventive strategies for patients suffering from erosion are mainly obtained from in vitro and in situ studies and include dietary counseling, stimulation of salivary flow, optimization of fluoride regimens, modification of erosive beverages and adequate oral hygiene measures.

Oral health in Brazil - Part II: Dental Specialty Centers (CEOs)

The concepts of health promotion, self-care and community participation emerged during the 1970s and, since then, their application has grown rapidly in the developed world, showing evidence of effectiveness. In spite of this, a major part of the population in the developing countries still has no access to specialized dental care such as endodontic treatment, dental care for patients with special needs, minor oral surgery, periodontal treatment and oral diagnosis. This review focuses on a program of the Brazilian Federal Government named CEOs (Dental Specialty Centers), which is an attempt to solve the dental care deficit of a population that is suffering from oral diseases and whose oral health care needs have not been addressed by the regular programs offered by the SUS (Unified National Health System). Literature published from 2000 to the present day, using electronic searches by Medline, Scielo, Google and hand-searching was considered. The descriptors used were Brazil, Oral health, Health policy, Health programs, and Dental Specialty Centers. There are currently 640 CEOs in Brazil, distributed in 545 municipal districts, carrying out dental procedures with major complexity. Based on this data, it was possible to conclude that public actions on oral health must involve both preventive and curative procedures aiming to minimize the oral health distortions still prevailing in developing countries like Brazil.

Effects of uterine cervix constriction on Wistar rats

PURPOSE: To verify if uterine cerclage can induce craniosynostosis or any cranial deformity in new born Wistar rats. METHODS: One pregnant female Wistar rat underwent laparotomy on day 18 of gestation and the uterus cervix was closed with a 3-0 nylon suture to avoid delivery, that occurs normally on the 21 day. The suture was released after 48 hours beyond the normal gestation period. The female rat delivered 11 pups. Six surviving rats from the delivery (group A - constrained group). Two rats were born from another mother and in the same age were used as control group (group B - 2 nonconstrained controls) were allowed to grow. They were sacrificed 1.2 years after their birth all the eight animals. Linear measurement, routine histology and computed tomography of the skull were performed at the time of their death to evaluate the cranial asymmetries by mesurements of the anatomical landmarks of the craniofacial skeleton of the rats on the two groups and compared then. RESULTS: We did not observe statistically significant differences in any of the compared measurements (p>0.05) obtained through the morphologic and radiologic methods. Histologic examinations did not reveal any sign of premature fusion or suture imbrications. Critical decrease in longitudinal body size was noticed as the limbs too in all the animals of group A. CONCLUSION: Constriction of uterine cervix leads to fetus suffering, even death for a few animals, associated to small body size, but not to craniosynostosis.

Avaliação manométrica anal de crianças com encoprese

INTRODUÇÃO: A constipação crônica é doença comum na infância, ocorrendo em 5 a 10% dos pacientes pediátricos, considerada a segunda maior causa de procura nos consultórios de pediatria, sendo a encoprese decorrente de constipação grave associada à impactação fecal no reto. Dentre os exames diagnósticos, a manometria anal é utilizada para a avaliação de pacientes com distúrbios funcionais, como a constipação intestinal e a incontinência fecal, em alguns serviços para a avaliação de pacientes com encoprese, pois pode trazer informações sobre o mecanismo evacuatório e possíveis lesões esfincterianas anais. OBJETIVO: Verificar alterações manométricas em pacientes com encoprese. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado estudo de 40 manometrias anais de crianças constipadas com encoprese (G1) e 12 crianças constipados sem encoprese (G2). Foram obtidos os seguintes dados: pressões de repouso, contração e evacuação do canal anal e ampola retal, ponto de maior pressão, reflexo inibitório anal e sensibilidade retal. As manometrias foram realizadas com o aparelho Alacer de perfusão com 8 canais. RESULTADOS: Não foram encontradas diferenças nas pressões de repouso, contração e evacuação do canal anal entre os grupos. Chamou-nos a atenção a ausência de necessidade de maior volume retal para desencadear o reflexo inibitório anal. Não houve diferença da incidência de anismus entre os dois grupos, demonstrando que não se trata de fator importante na manutenção da encoprese, mas sim da constipação. CONCLUSÃO: Não houve necessidade de maior volume para desencadear o reflexo inibitório anal. O anismus não foi diferente entre os dois grupos, não sendo importante na manutenção da encoprese.

Avaliação da memória de trabalho em crianças com transtorno do déficit de atenção e hiperatividade

Esse projeto investigou as habilidades cognitivas da Memória de Trabalho de crianças e adolescentes com o “Transtorno do Déficit de Atenção e Hiperatividade” (TDAH). Foi aplicado teste TIHC - Teste Infantil de Habilidades Cognitivas informatizado, avaliando principalmente cinco habilidades cognitivas Raciocínio Indutivas (RI), Memória de Armazenamento Auditiva (MAA) e Visual e Memória de Trabalho Auditiva (MTA) e Visual (MTV) usando o modelo de Cattell-Horn-Carroll. O teste foi aplicado em 62 sujeitos sendo 32 com TDAH do Hospital das Clínicas-SEPIA-USP e 30 sujeitos controle “normal” do Ensino Fundamental da rede municipal de 1ª à 8ª séries com idades entre 7 e 15 anos, de ambos os sexos. As análises executadas indicaram a existência de diferenças em diversos aspectos relacionados à memória nos tipos peculiares de crianças com TDAH. Verificou-se que as crianças com TDAH obtiveram bom desempenho nas provas de memória visual em detrimento as provas de memória auditiva. A correlação dos resultados do TIHC verificara que o tempo de reação da prova de memória de armazenamento visual manteve uma correlação significativa com a prova de cálculo.

A reabilitação neuropsicológica sob a ótica da psicologia comportamental

CONTEXTO: A reabilitação neuropsicológica é um dos componentes do tratamento de clientes* com lesões cerebrais e/ou distúrbios neurológicos e neuropsiquiátricos. Os programas de reabilitação podem se beneficiar do emprego de procedimentos** comportamentais, principalmente porque a ciência da análise do comportamento dispõe de ferramentas valiosas para a modificação do comportamento e o auxílio nos processos de aprendizagem. OBJETIVOS: Este artigo objetiva discursar sobre a interação entre as áreas de reabilitação neuropsicológica e análise do comportamento. MÉTODOS: Inicia-se esta empreitada apresentando o que é a reabilitação neuropsicológica, passando pela clarificação do emprego de procedimentos comportamentais tanto na avaliação como na reabilitação neuropsicológicas e quais os cuidados necessários na preparação de um programa. RESULTADOS: Objetiva-se, assim, despertar o interesse pelo desenvolvimento de novos estudos neste vasto campo e chamar a atenção dos neuropsicólogos para a importância da aquisição de conhecimentos básicos em análise do comportamento. CONCLUSÃO: Isso parece ser conseqüência não da escassez de estudos sobre o emprego de procedimentos comportamentais em programas de reabilitação neuropsicológica, mas sim da falta de percepção, por parte dos profissionais de reabilitação, de que muitos procedimentos por eles empregados são comportamentais. Ou pode ainda refletir um desconhecimento sobre a existência da vertente da neuropsicologia comportamental, ou ainda ser apenas reflexo dos preconceitos de que a análise do comportamento é alvo.

Análise das relações dos supervisores com suas equipes nas organizações de trabalho

Este artigo apresenta uma modalidade de intervenção grupal para análise das relações dos supervisores com os membros de suas equipes nas organizações de trabalho públicas e privadas. Foi desenvolvida para aplicação fora das organizações, incluindo técnica, método e enquadre, além de discutir evidências de sofrimento psíquico e mecanismos de defesa e de propor reflexões sobre liderança e outras estratégias para gestão das relações.