Risk and resilience: exploring the potential of LGBTQ third sector and academic partnership

The Risk and Resilience Explored [RaRE] Project (2010–2016) was a collaborative process involving a third sector agency, university partners and volunteers to better understand the risk and resilience factors associated with specific mental health issues among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people. In this article, we discuss the project’s collaborative ethos, based on a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. We explain how the CBPR approach benefitted from including academic partners from the onset of the project, as well as from the direct and indirect engagement of community volunteers. We then explore some of our experience of third sector and academic partner collaboration in more depth, highlighting topic summaries salient to this partnership: support and continuity, upskilling of staff and volunteers for mutual benefit, accessible communication across sectors, and aligning priorities. We conclude by setting out recommendations based on our experience for those interested in developing similarly collaborative projects

"I am getting old and that takes some getting used to" : Dimensions of body image for older men

“I am getting old and that takes some getting used to”: dimensions of body image for older men

Psychology of Sexualities: Past, present and future directions

Psychology of sexualities: Past, present and future directions

Saúde e desenvolvimento adolescente: relação entre tomada de decisão, comportamento sexual, autoestima e imagem corporal

A individuação e conquista de autonomia são tarefas da adolescência, as quais dificultadas no domínio económico pelo prolongamento desta fase do ciclo de vida, encontram expressividade no domínio da sexualidade. O presente trabalho teve como objetivos caracterizar a capacidade de tomar decisões por parte de adolescentes no final do ensino básico português, identificar comportamentos sexuais dos adolescentes e relacionar a atividade sexual com a auto-estima e a imagem corporal. Aplicou-se um questionário a 188 alunos, sendo 94 do sexo feminino e 94 do sexo masculino, com média de idades de 14,47 anos. Os dados recolhidos foram tratados e analisados estatisticamente com recurso ao programa SPSS, tendo sido efetuada uma análise descritiva e uma análise inferencial. Os resultados indicam boas capacidades de tomar decisões autónomas, auto-estima positiva e satisfação com a imagem corporal. Em termos de comportamentos sexuais, constatou-se que apenas 16,7% dos adolescentes afirmaram ser já sexualmente ativos, evidenciando indicadores positivos no respeitante a parceiros, motivos da iniciação sexual e uso de meios contracetivos/preventivos. O grupo dos jovens sexualmente ativos foi o que apresentou valores médios de auto-estima e de imagem corporal mais elevados. Esta amostra de adolescentes revelou assim algumas competências de ação para a sexualidade saudável.The individuation and autonomy conquest are tasks of the adolescence, which hindered in the economic field by prolonging this phase of the life cycle, acquire expressiveness in the sexuality domain. The objectives of the present work were to characterize the decision-making skills by adolescents at the end of the Portuguese basic school, to identify adolescents’ sexual behavior and to relate sexual activity with self-esteem and body image. A questionnaire was applied to 188 students, 94 females and 94 males, with mean age of 14.47 years. The collected data were processed and analyzed statistically using the SPSS program, having been made a descriptive analysis and an inferential analysis. The results indicate good capacity to take autonomous decisions, positive self-esteem and satisfaction with body image. In terms of sexual behaviour, it was noted that only 16.7% of teens stated already sexually active, highlighting positive indicators with regard to partners, reasons for sexual initiation and use of contraception/prevention means. The group of sexually active adolescents presented higher average values of self-esteem and body image. This sample of adolescents revealed so some action skills for healthy sexuality.CIEC - Centro de Investigação em Estudos da Criança, UM (UI 317 da FCT

Expression of SATB1 protein in the ductal breast carcinoma tissue microarrays — preliminary study

Abstract: Special AT-rich sequence-binding protein 1 (SATB1) is a nuclear matrix protein which interacts with specific regions of DNA, ensuring its proper organization and function in the cell. The expression of SATB1 was primarily found in thymocytes, but its increased levels were observed in various types of cancers. However, the knowledge of the function and application possibilities of this protein is still limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of SATB1 protein using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray (TMA) technique and determine its possible relationship with the proliferative marker Ki-67, estrogen a (ER) and progesterone (PR) receptors as well as grade of histological malignancy (G). The study was performed on material of 48 archival invasive ductal breast cancers (IDC). The TMAs were prepared with the use of 0.6 mm diameter punches. Immunohistochemical reactions were carried out using antibodies against Ki-67, ER, PR and SATB1 proteins. The intensity of the nuclear reaction was evaluated using a light microscope and computer-assisted image analysis. Expression of Ki-67 and SATB1 protein was observed in 89.58% and 31.25% of cancer cases, respectively. 62.5% of tumors were classified as ER-positive, and 47.92% as PR-positive. Statistical analysis showed a moderate positive correlation between Ki-67 and SATB1 expression (r = 0.291, p = 0.045 independently on the receptor status, and r = 0.392, p = 0.032 in ER-negative tumors). The expression of the Ki-67 antigen increased with higher grade of histological malignancy (G). The results suggest that SATB1 protein may play an indirect role in the cell proliferation and should be evaluated in relation to the other markers. Further studies concerning determination of its role in cancer progression and metastasis, in terms of application as therapeutic target and prognostic marker, are recommended

Risk and resilience : exploring the potential of LGBTQ third sector and academic partnership

The Risk and Resilience Explored [RaRE] Project (2010–2016) was a collaborative process involving a third sector agency, university partners and volunteers to better understand the risk and resilience factors associated with specific mental health issues among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ) people. In this article, we discuss the project’s collaborative ethos, based on a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. We explain how the CBPR approach benefitted from including academic partners from the onset of the project, as well as from the direct and indirect engagement of community volunteers. We then explore some of our experience of third sector and academic partner collaboration in more depth, highlighting topic summaries salient to this partnership: support and continuity, upskilling of staff and volunteers for mutual benefit, accessible communication across sectors, and aligning priorities. We conclude by setting out recommendations based on our experience for those interested in developing similarly collaborative projects

The Internet profiles of men who have sex with men within bareback websites

The Internet has become a venue for men who have sex with men to search for sexual partners. Some of these men intentionally seek unprotected anal intercourse with other men (‘bareback’ sex). This paper focuses on the creation, use, and content of Internet personal profiles of men who have sex with men in the greater New York City metropolitan area who use bareback sites for sexual networking. We used a mixedmethods approach to examine data from a cybercartography of Internet sites conducted during the first phase of the research (199 personal profiles) and from in-depth interviews conducted during its second phase (120 men who have sex with men who sought partners online for bareback sex). Results indicate that men generally followed offline stereotypical patterns in their online profiles. However, men who disclosed being HIV-positive were more likely to include face and head pictures. Overall, the images they used were heavily sexualised in accordance with group norms perceived and reinforced by the websites’ design and imagery. Bottom-identified men tended to be more explicit in the exposition of their sexual and drug use interests online. This paper highlights how certain virtual and social performances play upon and reinforce other, in the flesh, performances