Sex differences and correlates of poor glycaemic control in type 2 diabetes: a cross-sectional study in Brazil and Venezuela.

OBJECTIVE: Examine whether glycaemic control varies according to sex and whether the latter plays a role in modifying factors associated with inadequate glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Brazil and Venezuela. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a cross-sectional, nationwide survey conducted in Brazil and Venezuela from February 2006 to June 2007 to obtain information about glycaemic control and its determinants in patients with diabetes mellitus attending outpatient clinics. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level was measured by liquid chromatography, and patients with HbA1c ≥7.0% (53 mmol/mol) were considered to have inadequate glycaemic control. The association of selected variables with glycaemic control was analysed by multivariate linear regression, using HbA1c as the dependent variable. RESULTS: A total of 9418 patients with T2D were enrolled in Brazil (n=5692) and in Venezuela (n=3726). They included 6214 (66%) women and 3204 (34%) men. On average, HbA1c levels in women were 0.13 (95% CI 0.03 to 0.24; p=0.015) higher than in men, after adjusting for age, marital status, education, race, country, body mass index, duration of disease, complications, type of healthcare, adherence to diet, adherence to treatment and previous measurement of HbA1c. Sex modified the effect of some factors associated with glycaemic control in patients with T2D in our study, but had no noteworthy effect in others. CONCLUSIONS: Women with T2D had worse glycaemic control than men. Possible causes for poorer glycaemic control in women compared with men include differences in glucose homeostasis, treatment response and psychological factors. In addition, sex modified factors associated with glycaemic control, suggesting the need to develop specific treatment guidelines for men and women

Antiretroviral therapy: the association between knowledge and the compliance

Objective: identifying the association between knowledge about antiretroviral therapy and the level of compliance to adults’ treatment in outpatient clinics. Method: a cross-sectional study carried out in the Countryside of Pernambuco in 2013. Study participants were 256 adults under antiretroviral therapy. There were used three data collection instruments. For comparison analysis of qualitative variables the Pearson’s chi-squared test was used. It was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital under number 205.799. Results: 70,3% of people with regular and low level of compliance to the antiretroviral were detected and 84,8% with a regular level of knowledge. A significant association between the level of knowledge and the level of compliance with the treatment was identified (p<0,001). Conclusion: the knowledge level about antiretroviral therapy seems to influence the compliance with treatment, suggesting that the health professionals intensify their educational actions in health by involving the theme. It is recommended further studies in this field of research

Between soft power and sharp power: China’s public diplomacy in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic

The research aims to identify how China articulated soft and sharp power while fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The main argument is that the articulation be tween soft and sharp power is an inherent characteristic of Chinese public diplo macy. This argument features soft power as a power style operating not only in the international dimension, but also in the domestic dimension. After China’s contex tualization, the analytical matrix was built from the operationalization of key con cepts, namely public diplomacy, soft power and sharp power, paying attention to Chinese characteristics. The case study was led with data collected from primary and secondary sources. Besides the indication of paths for future developments, the conclusion summarizes how Chinese public diplomacy managed soft and sharp power with positive results in the international sphere and suggests that incorporat ing sharp power to diplomatic toolbox may be useful.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estrés ocupacional y el mundo del trabajo actual : repercusiones en la vida cotidiana de las enfermeras

Trata-se de um estudo interpretativo, com abordagem qualitativa, que teve como objetivo analisar as repercussões do estresse ocupacional na vida cotidiana das enfermeiras de uma instituição hospitalar pública, no contexto do mundo do trabalho atual. O marco teórico conceitual foi referente ao mundo do trabalho atual, ao processo de trabalho em saúde e à cotidianidade, a partir dos estudos de Antunes, Mendes Gonçalves e Heller. Utilizou-se como técnica de coleta de informações a história oral temática. O campo de pesquisa foi uma instituição hospitalar pública sediada na cidade de Natal, Estado do Rio Grande do Norte. O período correspondeu ao ano de 2005. A análise das informações foi realizada com base em elementos do método dialético. Os achados apontam que em relação ao fenômeno do estresse ocupacional, as enfermeiras reconheceram a sua existência e a relação do mesmo com o trabalho realizado, definindo-o, principalmente, como a sensação de estar no limite, na iminência do descontrole e como cansaço físico e mental. Conclui-se que o estresse ocupacional decorrente de um processo de trabalho hospitalar, marcado por condições precárias de trabalho e pelo aumento da jornada de trabalho, tem fortes repercussões no cotidiano profissional e pessoal das enfermeiras entrevistadas. _______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTIt is an interpretative study, with qualitative approach, that had as objective to analyze the repercussions of the occupational stress in the nurses' daily life, in a public hospital institution, in the context of the world of the current work. The conceptual theoretical mark was based in the approach social report, focusing the discussion regarding the world of the current work, to the work process in health and to the day-to-dayness, starting from Antunes' studies, Mendes Gonçalves and Heller. It was used as technique of information collection the thematic oral history. The survey was conducted in a public hospital placed in Natal city, State of Rio Grande do Norte, during the year of 2005. The analysis of the information was accomplished with base in elements of the dialectic method. The discoveries appear that in relation to the phenomenon of the occupational stress, the nurses recognized their existences and the relationship of the same with the accomplished work, defining it, mainly, as the sensation of being in the limit, in the imminence of the disarray and as physical and mental fatigue. It is concluded that the occupational stress due to a process of hospital work, marked by precarious conditions of work and for the increase of the work day, it has strong repercussions in the daily professional and personal of the interviewed nurses. _______________________________________________________________________________ RESUMENEste es un estudio interpretativo con abordaje cualitativo que tuvo como objetivo analizar las repercusiones del estrés ocupacional en la vida cotidiana del enfermero en una institución hospitalaria pública, en el contexto del mundo del trabajo actual. El marco teórico conceptual fue basado en la discusión referente al mundo del trabajo actual, relacionado al proceso de trabajo en salud y cotidianidad, a partir de los estudios de Antunes , Mendes Gonçalves y Heller. Fue adoptada como técnica de recolección de la información, la historia oral temática. La investigación fue llevada a cabo en un hospital público ubicado en Natal, província de Rio Grande do Norte, en el año de 2005. El análisis de las informaciones fue realizada con base en elementos del método dialéctico. Los hallazgos apuntan que en relación al fenómeno del estrés ocupacional, las enfermeras reconocieron la existencia y la relación de lo mismo en el trabajo realizado, definiendo el estrés como la sensación de estar en el límite, en la inminencia del descontrol y como cansancio físico y mental. Se concluye que el estrés ocupacional se desarrolla en un proceso de trabajo hospitalario, marcado por condiciones precarias de trabajo y por el aumento de la jornada de trabajo, presentando fuertes repercusiones en lo cotidiano de la vida profesional y personal de las enfermeras entrevistadas

Construction and validation of a questionnaire for the analysis of bioethical conceptions

In this paper we describe the stages of a quantitative questionnaire development that allows the investigation of conceptions about bioethical values inherent to the scientific activity. This questionnaire was statistically and semantically validated and developed according to the Likert scale. The relevance of this instrument is given by the fact that, unlike what happens in European countries, quantitative research in Brazil has little educational traditions. Therefore, this work is intended to subsidize the use of quantitative methods in Education research that lack such tools.CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, UM (FCT R&D 317

Sex workers' peer support during the COVID-19 pandemic: lessons learned from a study of a portuguese community-led response

To respond to the consequences felt by the COVID-19 pandemic, a community-led intervention was developed by the Portuguese national Movement of Sex Workers. With this exploratory study, we aimed to document their work and analyze their perceptions of this impact. To do so, we interviewed them individually, between May and August of 2020. Additionally, we analysed an Excel Sheet that contained the needs assessment and the support provided by the Movement. The content analysis of both suggests that the impact of the pandemic might have been exacerbated by the social inequalities caused by the prostitution stigma and characteristics such as gender, migration status, race, and socioeconomic status. This study calls for the inclusion of sex workers’ voices in the design of policies and responses related to the commerce of sex. The consolidation of a Portuguese Movement of Sex Workers is also noted

Feeding and fecundity of planorbidae bred in the laboratory: IV - Helisoma duryi (Wetherby, 1879). (Putmonata, Planorbidae)

After experiments with two types of food, lettuce and "aquariol" (i.e., animal protein flour for ornamental fish) both isolated and in association, in the breeding of Helisoma (Seminolina) duryi (Wetherby, 1879), the following results: were obtained: 1. Snails fed on fresh lettuce yielded, at the end of 17 weeks, 826 egglavings or, better, 17,707 eggs. 2. Specimens fed on "aquariol" produced 534 egg clutches or 11,361 eggs. 3. Snails fed on both fresh lettuce and "aquariol" happened to provide 1,355 egglayings or 34,645 eggs. 4. On the average, each batch of 15 snails or three group of 5 ones (each specimen displyaing 10-14 mm diameter) liberated 95.5, 148.8 and 291.1 eggs/day, in accordance with their type of meal - lettuce, "aquariol" or both foods in association - the number of daily egglayings being, respectively, 4.5, 6.9 and 8.4. 5. The studied specimens were descendent from a strain suposed to be recently introduced in Formosa county, State of Goiás (Brasil) from elsewhere in the Nearctic region (North America). Some remarks on eventual measures for the biological control of Biomphalaria species through the Helisoma duryi, are put forward, since for some time now biological and ecological investigations have been going on.Utilizando dois tipos distintos de alimentos: "Aquariol" (alimento utilizado para alimentar peixes ornamentais) e alface, isolados e associados, na criação de Helisoma (Seminolina) duryi (Wetherby, 1879) em laboratório, foi verificado que; 1. Os caramujos alimentados com alface fresca liberaram, em 17 semanas, 826 desovas on 17.707 ovos. 2. Os especimens alimentados com "aquariol" depuseram 534 desovas on 11.361 ovos. 3. O oferecimento dos dois materiais associados resultou no aumento da fertilidade, obtendo-se, assim, 1.355 desovas ou 34.645 ovos. 4. Em termos médios, cada conjunto de quinze exemplares (com 10 a 14 mm de diâmetro) liberou, diariamente, 95,5 - 148,8 e 291,1 ovos/dia, segundo o tipo de alimento consumido: "aquariol", alface fresca, ou ambos associados. O número de desovas/dia, na mesma ordem enunciada, foi de 4,5 - 6,9 e 11,4, respectivamente. 5, Os exemplares utilizados descendiam de uma cepa supostamente recém introduzida no município de Formosa, GO (Brasil)e originária da Região Neártica (EUA). Foi comentada a possibilidade de controle biológico de diferentes espécies de Biomphalaria através de H. duryi - questão sobre a qual vêm desenvolvendo investigações biológicas e ecológicas

Brazilian teachers’ conceptions about creationism and evolution

The identification of teachers’ conceptions about evolution is important because it enables understanding, for example, how they cope with issues related to the creationism versus evolution conflict inside the classroom. This work was developed within the framework of the European project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN, which considers that scientific knowledge and teachers’ attitudes and values can influence teaching practices. A questionnaire was designed for 19 countries in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. This current paper extends the BIOHEAD-CITIZEN project to a South American country, Brazil, aiming to assess the evolutionist and creationist conceptions of six groups of in-service and future teachers. The questions on evolution were worked out as dependent variables and multivariate analysis was carried out. The results agree with previous results obtained from 12 other countries, in that in-service and future biology teachers give more importance to natural selection and the evolutionary process than other groups of teachers. Compared with those countries, however, the total Brazilian sample shows a higher percentage of creationist conceptions, particularly for Brazilian biology teachers and future teachers. As discussed herein, this may not be an obstacle to teaching evolution as these teachers accept both creationism and evolutionism concomitantly.Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança da Universidade do Minho (CIEC) - UI 317 da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT