The psychosocial aspects of Oscar Niemeyers’ Architecture in Brasília

Neste artigo, refletimos sobre critérios de usuários de prédios públicos na avaliação psicossocial da arquitetura de Niemeyer em Brasília. Adotamos a formulação de Moscovici (1961/1976) como referencial teórico principal, que considera o fenômeno das representações sociais como um tipo de conhecimento/prática social do senso comum a respeito de produções acadêmicas e profissionais. Participaram da pesquisa 71 usuários de ambos os sexos e três níveis de escolaridade, segundo finalidade declarada no prédio, seja para turismo/lazer, seja para trabalho, esporádico ou regular. Pedimos aos participantes que fizessem desenhos do prédio por dentro e por fora, e os descrevessem, verbalmente. Eles foram contatados no próprio local do prédio, segundo estivessem no Congresso Nacional, Teatro Nacional ou Catedral. Os prédios foram descritos através dos seguintes temas/ atitudes: físico-espacial e apropriação individual/social por fora (ambos temas considerados como favoráveis), enquanto prevaleceram descrições neutras e desfavoráveis sobre os mesmos temas por dentro. Os resultados foram modulados por escolaridade, gênero, tipo de prédio, tipo de usuário. As estratégias de apreensão foram material, acabamento, parte, interligação, elemento plástico, estrutura e circulação. Foram discutidos dois aspectos do fenômeno: importância coletiva da obra de Niemeyer para a história da cidade de Brasília como capital do país e sua inserção dentro do modernismo abstracionista.   Palavras-chave: arquitetura; representações sociais; psicologia social; Oscar Niemeyer.  In this article, we reflected on building user’s criteria for psychosocial assessment of Oscar Niemeyer’s architecture in Brasilia. We adopted Moscovici’s formulation as our theoretical reference, which considers the social representations’ phenomenon as a kind of common sense social knowledge/practice to face academic/professional productions. The 71 participants were from both genders and three different schooling levels, and distributed according to their main purpose in the building, whether for tourism/leisure or work/sporadic or regular users. We asked participants to draw the building, separately, from the outside and from the inside, and then they were required to provide a verbal description of their own drawings. Participants were approached at the following buildings: National Congress, National Theater or Cathedral. The buildings were described through the following themes/attitudes: physical-spatial and individual/social appropriation from the outside (both those themes were considered as favorable), while neutral and unfavorable attitudes prevailed about the same themes from the inside. The results were modulated by dimensions such as schooling, gender, type of building, type of users, among others. Users’general apprehension strategy in order of frequency was as follows: material, finish, part, interconnection, plastic element, structure and circulation. We discussed two basic aspects of the phenomenon: the collective importance of Niemeyer’s work to the history of the city of Brasilia as the capital of Brazil and its insertion within the frames of the international abstractionist modernism movement.     Keywords: architecture; social representations; social psychology; Oscar Niemeyer

Grupo sociocultural y participación política en el País Vasco.Un análisis psicosocial integrativo

En este artículo se analiza el problema de la identidad vasca de acuerdo al marco teórico de la psicosociología. A través de un estudio de campo, los autores destacan dos vertientes antagónicas con respecto a esta problemática: una afirma que es suficiente saber/usar la lengua vasca y compartir la cultura vasca y otra defiende que ella es resultado de una identidad distinta, que debe de ser mantenida separada y autónoma. La consecuencia es, en el primer caso, un ejercicio de "inclusión amplia" -asociado a los que votan por mantener el País Vasco ligado a España- y, en el segundo, uno de "ruptura y demarcación de fronteras intergrupales" - asociado a los que ansían mantenerlo separado y autónomo.The article analyzes the Basque identity's problem from a psycho-sociological theoretical frame. Trough a case study, the authors assert that there are basically two competing representations of the Basque identity: one which states that it is enough to know/use the language and share the Basque culture; the other supports that it is the result of a distinct identity, to be kept separated and autonomous. The first one, defends a "wide inclusiveness" -associated to the maintenance of the Basque Country's link to Spain- while the second one maintain a "rupture and delimitation of intergroup boundaries" - connected to the intention to keep it separated and autonomous

La cuestión del sujeto individual y grupal en sociedades multiculturales en transformación

El objetivo de este trabajo es examinar la emergencia de dos actores sociales contemporáneos importantes, aunque no siempre considerados: los individuos y los grupos minoritarios social y culturalmente activos en los espacios privado y público. Se adopta como principal referencia de análisis la teoría de las representaciones sociales de Moscovici, según la cual los individuos y grupos en la vida social moderna y urbana, tienden a construir su destino a partir de la acción y el pensamiento. Según resultados de investigaciones en Brasil, fue posible observar que individuos y grupos étnicos minoritarios sin poder fueron los que más mostraron búsqueda de autonomía, diferenciación y demarcación de fronteras sociales. El autor sugiere realizar investigaciones y adoptar políticas públicas que permitan una mayor promoción de esas orientaciones sociales.The objective of this work was to reflect on two important and less considered present-day phenomena: the emergence of active sociocultural minority individuals and groups, whether in private or in public realms. As main theoretical reference it adopted the Moscovicisocial representations' theory, according to which individuals and groups, in the modern and urban social life, tend to actively build their destiny by means of behavior and thought. According to the results of sets of research made in Brazil, it was possible to verify that ethnic and sociocultural, whether individual or group, minorities were those that showed more motivation to seek autonomy, differentiation and social boundaries' demarcation. The author suggest that it is necessary to investigate and to adopt public policies that will allow a promotion of these tendencies in society

Representations and communications about HIV/aids prevention in ordinary popular environment

 We aimed at verifying correspondences between sexual identity, sexual and preventive practices, including means of persuasion used to talk the sexual partner into using condoms. Questionnaires revolving around these questions were applied in public schools of Brasilia. We analyzed answers in the light of the social representations’ approach. Participants in the research were 291 youngsters. When describing themselves in terms of sexual identity, married women tended to underline mainly social norms, whereas single women mentioned more sexual practices. Threat to force the use of condoms was more drawn upon among single people, while single women also used seduction. Finally, single women also deployed imposition more often than married women, but single men used this form twice as often (14,64%).Keywords: social representations; HIV/aids prevention; sexual identity. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar correspondências entre identidade sexual, prática sexual e preventiva, incluindo modo de persuasão usado para convencer o(a) parceiro(a) sexual sobre o uso de preservativo. Aplicamos questionários em escolas públicas de Brasília a respeito desses assuntos. Analisamos as respostas à luz da abordagem das representações sociais. Participaram da pesquisa 291 jovens. Mulheres casadas ao descreverem-se em termos de identidade sexual tenderam a ressaltar mais normas sociais, enquanto as solteiras mencionaram mais práticas sexuais. A ameaça para o uso do preservativo foi mais usada entre solteiros, mas as mulheres solteiras também usaram a sedução. Enfim, mulheres solteiras empregaram mais imposição que as casadas, mas os homens solteiros utilizaram o dobro desta forma (14,64%).Palavras-chave: representações sociais; prevenção ao HIV/aids; identidade sexual.El objetivo de este trabajo fue verificar correspondencias entre la identidad sexual, práctica sexual y preventiva, incluyendo el modo de persuasión usado para convencer a la pareja sexual sobre el uso del preservativo. Aplicamos cuestionarios sobre dichos asuntos en escuelas públicas de la ciudad de Brasilia. Analizamos las respuestas a la luz del abordaje de las representaciones sociales. 291 jóvenes participaron en la investigación. Al describirse en términos de identidad sexual, las mujeres casadas tendieron a resaltar más normas sociales, mientras que las solteras mencionaron más prácticas sexuales. La amenaza para el uso del preservativo fue más utilizada entre solteros, aunque las mujeres solteras también usaron seducción. Finalmente, las mujeres solteras emplearon imposición más que las casadas, pero los hombres solteros utilizaron el doble de esta forma (14,64%). Se sugiere la necesidad de un trabajo educativo de deconstrucción de identidades sexuales como principal estrategia para enfrentar la epidemia de manera duradera. La eficacia de las formas de persuasión interpersonal debe ser más estudiada.  

Propaganda política através do rádio nas eleições gerais de 1994 no Brasil: modelos de influência social

This study presents some results of research on official campaign broadcasting and its repercussions in society. Three types of self- presentation/social representations of candidates were observed: individual qualities (majority group and personal traits), popular identification (nationalism, trade unionism and other minority contents), leadership (rigidity and flexibility). The candidates strategies were mainly to converge or diverge regarding the themes proposed by relevant opponents, to the detriment of political culture developed by society, which representedpolitical proposals in a different way. Plano Real is discussed as a trigger social desires and aspirations, impeding another possible explanations.L ’article presente quelques résultats d 'une recherche sur la propagande éléctorale au Brésil, 1994, à trovers la radio et ses répércussions dans la societé. Les stratégies des candidats ont été celles de s ’approcher ou de se distinguer par rapport aux sujets proposes par les oppositeurs. L'article discute aussi le “Plano Real ” en tant que déclancheur de désirs et d 'espoirs de la société.Este estudo apresenta algumas inferências de estratégias de influência política a partir da observação de propaganda eleitoral pelo rádio e suas repercussões na sociedade. Quatro tipos de auto- apresentação/representação social de candidatos foram observados: qualidades individuais (traços pessoais e grupais majoritários), identificação popular (nacionalismo, sindicalismo, e outros conteúdos minoritários), liderança (rigidez e flexibilidade). As estratégias dos candidatos foram sobretudo de se aproximar/convergire/ou discutir/ distinguir-se em relação aos temas propostos por oponentes relevantes, em detrimento da cultura política desenvolvida pela sociedade, que representou as propostas políticas de modo discrepante. O Plano Real foi discutido como deflagrador de desejos e aspirações da sociedade, dificultando outros temas de serem considerados

OTIMIZAÇÃO DA PERFORMANCE DA LINHA DE PRODUÇÃO MEDIANTE A IMPLANTAÇÃO DA MANUTENÇÃO PRODUTIVA TOTAL

Análises realizadas em unidades produtivas, permitem verificar a ocorrência de quebra de equipamentos, interrompendo a linha de produção, afetando diretamente os indicadores de performance, aumentando os custos e reduzindo a produtividade. Com a implantação e utilização da metodologia da Manutenção Produtiva Total é possível a otimização do processo produtivo. Essa metodologia compreende um abrangente conjunto de atividades de manutenção que visam melhorar a performance e a produtividade dos equipamentos de uma fábrica. O objetivo desse trabalho é analisar a performance de uma  linha de produção de alimentos, antes da implantação da Manutenção produtiva Total e comparar esses dados com aqueles obtidos após sua implantação, para verificar se houve melhorias. A metodologia utilizada será o da pesquisa qualitativa combinada com a quantitativa utilizando a estratégia do estudo de caso em uma indústria alimentícia localizada no interior do estado de São Paulo. O desenvolvimento desse trabalho permitiu constatar que com a implantação da Manutenção Produtiva Total houve um aumento em todos os índices de performance da linha de produção analisada. Esse trabalho é relevante pois, além de orientar a empresa foco do estudo de caso,  servirá de orientação para outras empresas que buscam melhorar a produtividade e a qualidade dos processos produtivos.

Metabolomics applied to maternal and perinatal health : a review of new frontiers with a translation potential

The prediction or early diagnosis of maternal complications is challenging mostly because the main conditions, such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, fetal growth restriction, and gestational diabetes mellitus, are complex syndromes with multiple underlying mechanisms related to their occurrence. Limited advances in maternal and perinatal health in recent decades with respect to preventing these disorders have led to new approaches, and “omics” sciences have emerged as a potential field to be explored. Metabolomics is the study of a set of metabolites in a given sample and can represent the metabolic functioning of a cell, tissue or organism. Metabolomics has some advantages over genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics, as metabolites are the final result of the interactions of genes, RNAs and proteins. Considering the recent “boom” in metabolomic studies and their importance in the research agenda, we here review the topic, explaining the rationale and theory of the metabolomic approach in different areas of maternal and perinatal health research for clinical practitioners. We also demonstrate the main exploratory studies of these maternal complications, commenting on their promising findings. The potential translational application of metabolomic studies, especially for the identification of predictive biomarkers, is supported by the current findings, although they require external validation in larger datasets and with alternative methodologies

The food patterns of a multicenter cohort of Brazilian nulliparous pregnant women

Assessment of human nutrition is a complex process, in pregnant women identify dietary patterns through mean nutrient consumption can be an opportunity to better educate women on how to improve their overall health through better eating. This exploratory study aimed to identify a posteriori dietary patterns in a cohort of nulliparous pregnant women. The principal component analysis (PCA) technique was performed, with Varimax orthogonal rotation of data extracted from the 24-h dietary recall, applied at 20 weeks of gestation. We analysed 1.145 dietary recalls, identifying five main components that explained 81% of the dietary pattern of the sample. Dietary patterns found were: Obesogenic, represented by ultra-processed foods, processed foods, and food groups rich in carbohydrates, fats and sugars; Traditional, most influenced by natural, minimally processed foods, groups of animal proteins and beans; Intermediate was similar to the obesogenic, although there were lower loads; Vegetarian, which was the only good representation of fruits, vegetables and dairy products; and Protein, which best represented the groups of proteins (animal and vegetable). The obesogenic and intermediate patterns represented over 37% of the variation in food consumption highlighting the opportunity to improve maternal health especially for women at first mothering

Profile of calories and nutrients intake in a Brazilian multicenter study of nulliparous women

Objective: To assess the calorie intake and nutritional content of the maternal diet in regions with different culinary traditions and typical foods, and to understand the nutritional profile so as to provide information about the consumption of this population and promote maternal and perinatal health. Methods: From a cohort of 1145 pregnant women with diverse socio-backgrounds we analyzed the dietary characteristics profile according to three guidelines and compared the differences between regions of Brazil. Results: Women from the northeast had the lowest level of income, occupation, education, and age (P < 0.001). Intakes of unprocessed/minimally processed foods and processed foods were more prevalent in women from the northeast than in southern/southeastern women (P < 0.001). The consumption of dairy products and vegetables was less than the recommended intake, with lower intake in southern/southeastern women (P < 0.001). This study showed a lower consumption of dairy and vegetables, with a shortfall of vitamins K and D, iron, calcium, folate, magnesium, and chromium from natural and fortified foods. We observed a greater consumption of unprocessed or minimally processed food in women from the northeast of Brazil. Conclusion: Our findings indicate the importance of differentiating the source of calorie intake between regional nutritional guidance and the diversity of local cuisine

Identification of earlier predictors of pregnancy complications through wearable technologies in a Brazilian multicentre cohort : Maternal Actigraphy Exploratory Study I (MAES-I) study protocol

Introduction Non-invasive tools capable of identifying predictors of maternal complications would be a step forward for improving maternal and perinatal health. There is an association between modification in physical activity (PA) and sleep–wake patterns and the occurrence of inflammatory, metabolic, pathological conditions related to chronic diseases. The actigraphy device is validated to estimate PA and sleep–wake patterns among pregnant women. In order to extend the window of opportunity to prevent, diagnose and treat specific maternal conditions, would it be possible to use actigraphy data to identify risk factors for the development of adverse maternal outcomes during pregnancy? Methods and analysis A cohort will be held in five centres from the Brazilian Network for Studies on Reproductive and Perinatal Health. Maternal Actigraphy Exploratory Study I (MAES-I) will enrol 400 low-risk nulliparous women who will wear the actigraphy device on their wrists day and night (24 hours/day) uninterruptedly from 19 to 21 weeks until childbirth. Changes in PA and sleep–wake patterns will be analysed throughout pregnancy, considering ranges in gestational age in women with and without maternal complications such as pre-eclampsia, preterm birth (spontaneous or provider-initiated), gestational diabetes, maternal haemorrhage during pregnancy, in addition to perinatal outcomes. The plan is to design a predictive model using actigraphy data for screening pregnant women at risk of developing specific adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes