O processo de avaliação dos níveis de bem-estar espiritual: um contributo para a sua validação

This study was designed to analyze the results of translation / validation of the Spiritual Assessment Scale and study its psychometric properties. The original instrument, called Spiritual Assessment Scale was developed by Elizabeth O’Brien (1999), with the aim of assessing the spiritual Well-Being. There was a study of methodological research, starting from the Spiritual Assessment Scale. The instrument was validated in a sample of 210 patients. After the analysis of homogeneity items, 2 items were removed from the original scale, staying the Spiritual Assessment Scale formed by nineteen items. The scale is composed by three factors corresponding to the three concepts that make up the Spiritual Well-Being (Personal Faith, Religious Practice and Spiritual Contentment). The results tell us this is a reliable and valid scale for assessment of the Spiritual Well-Being, although it suggests the need for further studies of revalidation. O presente estudo teve como objectivo analisar os resultados da tradução/validação da Escala de Avaliação Espiritual e estudar as suas propriedades psicométricas. O instrumento original, denominado Spiritual Assessment Scale foi desenvolvido por Elizabeth O’Brien (1999), com o objectivo de avaliar o bem-estar espiritual. Partindo da Spiritual Assessment Scale, procedeu-se a um estudo de investigação metodológica. O instrumento foi validado numa amostra de 210 pacientes. Após a análise da homogeneidade dos itens, suprimiram-se dois itens da escala original, ficando a escala de avaliação espiritual constituída por dezanove itens. A escala é composta por três factores correspondentes aos três conceitos que compõem o Spiritual Well-Being (Fé Pessoal, Prática Religiosa e Paz Espiritual). Os resultados indiciaram estarmos perante uma escala fiável e válida para a avaliação do bem estar-espiritual, embora se sugira a necessidade de novos estudos de revalidação

How to prepare for, respond to and recover from na earthquake? Seismic risk perception in the Azores

18th Society for Risk Analysis (SRA) Europe conference: From the Everyday to the Extraordinary, Karlstad, Sweden, 28th June - 1st July 2009.Throughout the Azores' history damaging earthquakes have caused considerable physical and human losses in the archipelago. Knowing the important role that seismic risk perception can play on decisions made on earthquake risk mitigation a study (TOPOI METUS. Social cosmographies of danger. Risk perception of natural hazards) was carried out to address the Azoreans understanding of seismic risk profile, patrimonial and economic vulnerability to that risk, and risk management. Such knowledge can contribute to improve the communication of risk messages and, at a more global level, inform civil defence policies and their implementation. Based on data produced along thirty in-depth extensive interviews conducted in five of the nine islands of the archipelago, this presentation focuses on findings of perceptions regarding dimensions of risk management (i.e. information and actions taken before a crisis, and during the response and recovery phases of a disaster situation). Particular attention is given to communication aspects such as "Who do people trust?" and "What forms, strategies, and means of communication do people value most?" Preliminary results seem to point out to a generalized sense of not needing more information in order to be better prepared to face crises and to the inexistence of a culture of precaution towards major disasters. The rationales underlying those perspectives are discussed

Acomodação, Apego ou Evitamento? Risco sísmico percepcionado por açoreanos e governance do risco em fases de pré-ocorrência

X Congresso de Psicologia Ambiental. Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa, Portugal, 28 a 30 de Janeiro de 2009

Distinct Glycolysis Inhibitors Determine Retinal Cell Sensitivity to Glutamate-Mediated Injury

In this study, we analyzed how distinct glycolysis inhibitors influenced the redox status of retinal cells, used as a neuronal model. Three different approaches were used to inhibit glycolysis: the cells were submitted to iodoacetic acid (IAA), an inhibitor of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, to 2-deoxy-glucose (DG) in glucose-free medium, which was used as a substitute of glucose, or in the absence of glucose. The redox status of the cells was evaluated by determining the reduction of MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide). By the analysis of dose-response curves of MTT reduction, IAA showed values of IC50 = 7.02 × 10-5 M, whereas DG showed values of IC50 = 7.42 × 10-4 M. Upon 30 min-incubation, glucose deprivation, per se, did not significantly affect MTT reduction. We also evaluated the reduction of MTT as an indicator of cell injury by exposing the cells to 100 µM glutamate during the decrement of glycolysis function. In the presence of glutamate, for 2 h, there was a decrease in MTT reduction, which was potentiated in the presence of DG (10-20% decrease), in the presence of IAA (about 30% decrease) or in glucose-free medium (about 30% decrease). Major changes observed by the MTT assay, upon exposure to glutamate, indicative of changes in the redox status of retinal cells, were concomitant with variations in intracellular ATP. Under glucose deprivation, endogenous ATP decreased significantly from 38.9 ± 4.4 to 13.3 ± 0.7 nmol/mg protein after exposure to 100 µM glutamate. The results support a different vulnerability of retinal cells after being exposed to distinct forms of glycolysis inhibition

Science, society, politics, and the media: joining efforts to manage the risk of termite infestation in the Azores

SRA 2008 Annual Meeting. Sunday, 7 December 2008 to Wednesday, 10 December 2008.Termites are well-established and serious pests of structural wood infestation in different parts of the world. Presently, in the Azores archipelago (Portugal), the drywood termite Cryptotermes brevis (Insecta, Isoptera) has been referred to four of the nine islands, and the damages to the buildings and other artefacts are severe and constitute a serious threat, especially in its main towns. In order to control the situation there has been a considerable scientific and political investment to survey and classify the infestation, and to develop mitigation strategies, over the last five years. Nevertheless, the infestation is far from being controlled and, also, most of the Azorean citizens are still unaware of the dangers and risks associated to this urban pest. If, however, effective educational and management practices are initiated soon, the losses from C. brevis can be greatly reduced. Therefore, the major aims of this research project are: (i) to understand people’s perspectives about the consequences of the termite infestation and their appraisal about the effectiveness of the proposed and existing management strategies; (ii) to understand the functions of the media in the making of public opinion; (iii) to develop simple ways of communicating complex technical information according to people’s perception of who is accountable and trustworthy, in order to avoid misunderstandings between science, politics, managers and society; (iv) to develop and implement devices focused on the communication between the population and the main stakeholders, to promote the involvement of citizens and their commitment as essential partners of the termite control. This paper aims to integrate data from the abovementioned stakeholders in order to identify communication problems, to create adequate strategies to solve conflicts, to facilitate dialogue and partnerships among stakeholders and to promote termite risk literacy. Data was gathered using several techniques, including interviews, descriptive-interpretative analysis of media, scientific discourses and existing operational programs. Data shows that the lack of integration among stakeholders is the most obvious barrier to be overcome by the communication devices to implement

Insulin restores metabolic function in cultured cortical neurons subjected to oxidative stress

We previously demonstrated that insulin has a neuroprotective role against oxidative stress, a deleterious condition associated with diabetes, ischemia, and age-related neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the effect of insulin on neuronal glucose uptake and metabolism after oxidative stress in rat primary cortical neurons. On oxidative stress, insulin stimulates neuronal glucose uptake and subsequent metabolism into pyruvate, restoring intracellular ATP and phosphocreatine. Insulin also increases intracellular and decreases extracellular adenosine, counteracting the effect of oxidative stress. Insulin effects are apparently mediated by phosphatidylinositol 3-K and extracellular signal-regulated kinase signaling pathways. Extracellular adenosine under oxidative stress is largely inhibited after blockade of ecto-5'-nucleotidase, suggesting that extracellular adenosine results preferentially from ATP release and catabolism. Moreover, insulin appears to interfere with the ATP release induced by oxidative stress, regulating extracellular adenosine levels. In conclusion, insulin neuroprotection against oxidative stress-mediated damage involves 1) stimulation of glucose uptake and metabolism, increasing energy levels and intracellular adenosine and, ultimately, uric acid formation and 2) a decrease in extracellular adenosine, which may reduce the facilitatory activity of adenosine receptor

Child obesity: blessings for the family table, in the children's name we say. Family enrolment in risk communication - a local tryout in the Azorean islands

19th Society for Risk Analysis-Europe Conference Risk, Governance & Accountability. Kings College, Londres, Inglaterra, 21-23 June 2010

Insulin and IGF-1 improve mitochondrial function in a PI-3K/Akt-dependent manner and reduce mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species in Huntington’s disease knock-in striatal cells

Akt, protein kinase B; ARE, antioxidant response element; Erk, extracellular signal-regulated kinase; CBP, CREB-binding protein; CREB, cAMP response-element (CRE) binding protein; CDK, cyclin-dependent kinase; DHE, dihydroethidium; Drp1, dynamin-related protein 1 or dynamin 1-like (DNM1L); GCL, glutamate-cysteine ligase; GCLc, glutamate-cysteine catalytic subunit; GPx, glutathione peroxidase; GSH, glutathione, reduced form; GSSG, glutathione oxidized form; IGF-1, Insulin-like growth factor 1; IGF1R, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor; IR, insulin receptor; IRS, insulin receptor substrate; H2DCFDA, 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate; HKII, hexokinase type II; HD, Huntington’s disease; HO-1, heme oxygenase; Hsp60, heat shock 60 kDa protein 1 (chaperonin); mHtt, mutant huntingtin; mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA; MT-COII, mitochondrial-encoded cytochrome c oxidase II; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin; NDUFS3, NADH dehydrogenase (ubiquinone) Fe–S protein 3, 30 kDa (NADH-coenzyme Q reductase); NQO1, NAD(P)H dehydrogenase [quinone] 1; Nrf2, nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2; PI-3K, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; PGC-1α, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator 1α; ROS, reactive oxygen species; SDHA, succinate dehydrogenase complex, subunit A, flavoprotein (Fp); SOD, superoxide dismutase; Tfam, transcription factor A, mitochondrial; TMRM, tetramethylrhodamine methyl ester; Tom20, translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 20 homolog (yeast); Tom40, translocase of outer mitochondrial membrane 40 homolog (yeast)