Nutrition-related knowledge scarcely leads to any eating habit changes. The case of working-class mothers in Andalusia, Spain

Muchas políticas de salud pública dirigidas a la prevención consisten en campañas informativas. Estas campañas parten de la idea de que la información es la clave para cambiar las prácticas de la población: provistos de la información necesaria, los sujetos cambiarían sus hábitos de vida para que fueran más saludables. Sin embargo, múltiples estudios han impugnado esta creencia: así, existe una gran distancia entre lo que se conoce sobre nutrición y las prácticas de alimentación cotidianas. Analizamos esta dinámica general en el caso de las madres de clases populares a partir de los resultados de una investigación cualitativa realizada en Andalucía sobre prácticas y discursos en torno a la alimentación. Aquí también nos encontramos con una gran distancia entre lo que se conoce sobre nutrición y las prácticas de alimentación cotidianas. En el artículo se analizan las razones de esta discordancia, así como las dinámicas que llevan a continuas distorsiones y reinterpretaciones de los mensajes difundidos por las autoridades sanitarias. A partir de estos análisis se proponen algunas recomendaciones de cara a la política de salud pública: en vez de campa- ñas informativas generales, serían más eficaces acciones más localizadas o que incidieran en las condiciones materiales de vida

Una crítica de la sociología de la educación crítica

La mayoría de la sociología de la educación crítica es una simple inversión de la sociología funcionalista clásica en su explicación del sistema escolar. La escuela se explica en ambos casos por su función de reproducción del orden social. Se analizan y critican algunos de los recursos retóricos que apuntalan este tipo de explicación, poniendo en evidencia asimismo su inadecuación con la evidencia empírica existente. Se propone una alternativa a partir de los análisis de Weber y de Archer, para explicar el sistema escolar como un campo autónomo, multi-integrado y perpetuamente inestable.Most of the sociology of education, that presents itself as critical, is just an inversion of classical funcionalist sociology in its explanation of the educative system. School is explained in both cases by its function of reproduction of the social order. Some of the rethorical ressources, upon which this kind of explanation is founded, are analyzed and criticized as explanations which lack also of adequation with empirical evidence. An alternative theoretical model is proposed, founded on the analyses of Weber and Archer, to explain the school system as an autonomous, multi-integrated and continually unstable field

Los empleos y los paros de los jóvenes.

Sin resume

The spectrum of arterial compression at the thoracic outlet

ObjectiveIn the absence of ischemic events, arterial pathology at the thoracic outlet (TO) is rarely identified because findings of chronic arterial pathology may be masked by symptoms of neurogenic compression. This study describes the clinical presentations and significance of arterial compression at the TO.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of the clinical records and imaging studies of 41 patients with objective findings of arterial compression at the TO. Sixteen were diagnosed from 1990 to 2003, during which 284 patients underwent surgery for TO decompression with selective arterial imaging; 25 were diagnosed from 2003 to 2009, and 62 underwent TO surgical decompressions.ResultsSubclavian artery stenosis, with or without poststenotic dilatation (PSD), was found in 26 patients (63%), subclavian artery aneurysms in 12 (29%), chronic subclavian occlusion in 1(2.4%), and axillary artery compression in 2 (5%). Chronic symptoms difficult to discern from neurogenic compression were present in 27 patients (66%; 24 had subclavian stenoses or PSD, or both, 1 had subclavian occlusion, and 2 had axillary artery compression); 13 (32%) presented with acute ischemia (11 had aneurysms and 2 had PSDs), and 1 asymptomatic patient had a subclavian aneurysm. Osteoarticular anomalies were found in 27 patients (66%), including 19 cervical ribs, 4 first rib anomalies, and 4 clavicular or first rib fractures, or both. Among 27 patients with subclavian aneurysms or PSD, 21 (78%) had a bone anomaly. Arterial pathology was deemed significant in 30 patients (73%) and mild or moderate in 11 (21%). Symptoms in 23 of these patients were compatible with neurogenic compression without clinical suspicion of arterial pathology, but 13 (56%) harbored a significant arterial anomaly.ConclusionsThe incidence of arterial pathology secondary to compression at the TO may be underestimated, and in the absence of obvious ischemia, significant arterial pathology may not be suspected. Two-thirds of patients with arterial compression have associated bone anomalies. Therefore, routine arterial imaging seems advisable for patients evaluated for TO syndrome in the presence of a bone anomaly at the TO or an examination that shows an arterial abnormality. In the absence of these signs, however, arterial pathology may be overlooked in patients with symptoms suggestive of neurogenic compression. Further study is needed to elucidate the incidence, natural history, and clinical relevance of arterial compression and PSD at the TO

Constant rate thermal analysis for thermal stability studies of polymers

This paper explores the relationship between the shapes of temperature-time curves obtained from experimental data recorded by means of constant rate thermal analysis (CRTA) and the kinetic model followed by the thermal degradation reaction. A detailed shape analysis of CRTA curves has been performed as a function of the most common kinetic models. The analysis has been validated with simulated data, and with experimental data recorded from the thermal degradation of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), poly(1,4-butylene terephthalate) (PBT), polyethylene (PE) and poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC). The resulting temperature-time profiles indicate that the studied polymers decompose through phase boundary, random scission, diffusion and nucleation mechanisms respectively. The results here presented demonstrate that the strong dependence of the temperature-time profile on the reaction mechanism would allow the real kinetic model obeyed by a reaction to be discerned from a single CRTA curve.Junta de Andalucía TEP-03002Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación MAT 2008-06619/MA

Las tallas grandes perjudican seriamente la salud. La frágil legitimidad de las prácticas de adelgazamiento entre las madres de clases populares

The article defends an analysis that considers discourses as strategic moves. It takes as an example the discursive oscillations and contradictions on weight control of working class mothers: the intention to lose weight is asserted and denied. These contradictions are due to their difficult position between two contradictory norms: the slimness norm and the value of the sacrificed good mother. The tension between both norms allows us to understand discourse oscillations, as well as practices. These try to balance the care of the self with the legitimacy of the good mother.El artículo defiende la potencialidad de un análisis que considere los discursos como jugadas estratégicas. Para ello parte de las oscilaciones y contradicciones en los discursos de madres de clases populares en torno al control del peso: la pretensión de adelgazar se afirma y se niega. Estas contradicciones se deben a su difícil posición entre dos normas contradictorias: la norma de delgadez y el valor de buena madre entregada. La tensión entre ambas nos permite entender las oscilaciones del discurso, pero también sus prácticas. Éstas intentan conciliar el cuidado de sí con la legitimidad de la buena madre