Reshaping the teaching of anatomy: tensions affecting the introductory undergraduate course

Este artigo pretende iniciar a discussão da condição curricular da Anatomia Humana nos cursos médicos da atualidade frente a tensões que incidem sobre ela, que a podem estar levando a uma crise de manutenção de seu status sociocurricular. Baseamo-nos na análise bibliográfica e documental, conjugando as teorias sócio-históricas da construção dos currículos e disciplinas, a construção da Anatomia nos currículos médicos e condições gerais de apresentação da disciplina nestes currículos para elencarmos quatro tensões para a discussão: introdução de novas propostas de ensino-aprendizado; relação anatomia ensinada, anatomia pesquisada; expansão do ensino; reconfiguração do campo de inserção. Nossa análise nos leva a assinalar uma crise na retórica legitimadora da disciplina, com consequente redução do grau de importância sociocurricular e possível cristalização disciplinar.This article aims to launch a discussion on the current undergraduate course curriculum in Human Anatomy and the tensions affecting it, which could be placing the course's social and curricular status in jeopardy. Our study is based on a literature review and document analysis, combining social and historical theories with the development of course curricula and disciplines, Human Anatomy in medical curricula, and the general conditions in which this course is presented in curricula, in order to list four tensions for discussion: introduction of new teaching-learning proposals; the relationship between anatomy as taught and anatomy as research; the expansion of teaching; and reshaping the field for inclusion of anatomy. Our analysis reveals a crisis in the underlying rhetoric of the course, resulting in a reduction in its social and curricular importance and a possible crystallization of the discipline

Análise comparativa dos estimadores do surto de crescimento puberal: métodos de Martins e Sakima e Grave e Brown

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Martins and Sakima and Grave and Brown methods are useful for the study of pubertal growth spurt in children with cleft lip and palate. A total of 132 hand-wrist radiographs of patients from HRAC/USP aged 7 to 17 years old were analyzed, including girls and boys. Six radiographs of each age and gender were employed. These methods were applied to evaluating the stages of the hand-wrist ossification and epiphyseal formation, by graphic representation. The Martins and Sakima and the Grave and Brown methods revealed that the initial, peak and final stages of pubertal growth spurt occurred between 9 to 10, 12 and 15 years old, respectively, in the female gender. Similarly, in the male gender, both Martins and Sakima and Grave and Brown methods showed similar mean ages: 12, 14 and 16 years old for initial, peak and final stages of pubertal growth spurt, respectively. The Pearson's correlation test showed high and significant correlation (r = 0.99 and p < 0.001) between the methods investigated. In conclusion, the methods appeared to be highly and significantly correlated as regards the analysis of children with cleft lip and palate. Moreover, based on the literature and present results, it is possible to suggest that the two methods have shown similar pattern and may be used with equal efficiency for assessment of the pubertal growth spurt in children with cleft lip and palate.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar se os métodos de Martins e Sakima e Grave e Brown são aplicáveis para o estudo do surto de crescimento puberal (SCP) de crianças com fissuras lábio-palatais. Foram analisadas 132 radiografias carpais de pacientes do HRAC-USP, dos gêneros masculino e feminino, com a faixa etária de 7 a 17 anos, utilizando 6 radiografias de cada idade e gênero. Ambos os métodos estudam os estágios de ossificação dos ossos da mão e punho e os estágios que se encontram as epífises, através de gráficos. Com relação a este estudo, no gênero feminino, tanto para Martins e Sakima quanto para Grave e Brown, o início, pico e final do SCP ocorreram entre 9 e 10 anos, 12 anos e 15 anos, respectivamente. Da mesma forma, para o gênero masculino, Martins e Sakima e Grave e Brown mostraram médias de idade similares: 12, 14 e 16 anos para início, pico e final do SCP, respectivamente. O teste de correlação de Pearson mostrou uma alta e significativa correlação (r = 0,99 e P < 0,001) entre os métodos estudados. Em conclusão, esses dois métodos de avaliação do surto de crescimento e desenvolvimento apresentaram uma alta correlação quando aplicados na avaliação de crianças com fissuras lábio-palatais. Baseando-se na literatura e nos resultados dessa pesquisa, é possível sugerir que ambos os métodos podem ser aplicados nos pacientes com fissuras lábio-palatais para a obtenção do surto de crescimento puberal

Influência da temperatura, salinidade e luz sobre o crescimento do dinoflagelado Alexandrium tamarense (dinoflagellata, dinophyceae) da plataforma continental adjacente ao estuário da Lagoa dos Patos

The dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech potentially produces saxitoxins which can be accumulated through the food web and cause a serious disease called PSP (Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning) in higher-level consumers, including humans, birds and mammals. There were obtained 13 strains through cysts germination and motile cells isolation that were kept in culture, under constant conditions of temperature (20°C), light intensity (ca. 350 μmol.m-2.s-1), salinity (31) and nutrients (f/2 medium without silicate), until the experiments were carried out. Assays were performed to determine optimal environmental conditions for growth, after acclimation to respective test conditions. Although relatively high growth rates (0.3 div.day-1) were found under a wide range of temperature (7 to 25°C), light intensity (over 80 μmol.m-2.s-1) and salinity (7 to 32), highest growth rates up to 0.7 div day-1 were measured under restricted ranges of temperature (15 to 20°C), light intensity (above 150 μmol.m-2. s-1) and salinity (26 and 31). These growth rates are among the highest reported for Alexandrium tamarense under laboratory conditions and represent a potentiality for high cell concentrations during fast growth in the southern Brazilian coastal waters.O dinoflagelado Alexandrium tamarense (Lebour) Balech é uma das espécies potencialmente produtoras de saxitoxinas, as quais podem ser acumuladas ao longo da cadeia trófica e causar a síndrome denominada PSP (intoxicação paralisante por moluscos) em humanos, aves e mamíferos. A partir do isolamento de células móveis de A. tamarense proveniente da praia do Cassino, foi obtido um cultivo e a germinação de cistos de resistência coletados no sedimento originaram mais 12 cultivos. Todos estes foram mantidos sob condições controladas de temperatura (20°C), intensidade luminosa (350 μmol m-2 s-1), salinidade (31) e de nutrientes (meio de cultivo f/2, sem adição de silicato) até a realização dos experimentos. Foram realizados testes para verificação das condições ideais de crescimento, mediante aclimatação prévia às condições a serem testadas. Taxas de crescimento maiores do que 0,3 div dia-1 foram observadas em grande amplitude de variação de temperatura (7 a 25°C), irradiância (valores maiores do que 80 μmol m-2 s-1) e salinidade (7 a 32). Porém, as taxas máximas de crescimento, de até 0,7 div dia-1, ocorreram sob condições mais restritas (temperatura entre 15 e 20°C, irradiância acima de 200 μmol m-2 s-1 e salinidade entre 26 e 31). Estas taxas de crescimento estão entre os maiores valores encontrados para esta espécie, evidenciando a potencialidade que a população apresenta para desenvolver altas densidades celulares na costa sul do Brasil

Learning and Using Abstract Words: Evidence from Clinical Populations

Lorusso ML, Burigo M, Tavano A, et al. Learning and Using Abstract Words: Evidence from Clinical Populations. BioMed Research International. 2017;2017:1-8

VO2 and velocity in rct during continuous incremental treadmill test of uphill and dowhill

The etiology of the drift in VO2 in the respiratory compensatory threshold (RCT) during downhill running is unclear. It was investigated the velocities (VRCT) and VO2 in RCT (RCTVO2) in three different inclinations in the continuous incremental treadmill test (Tt). Eight sedentary women volunteered (24±2 years old) to undergo 10% downhill (DT), 10% uphill (UT) and near-level (NL) in Tt to exhaustion to determine the RCTVO2 and VRCT and peak VO2 on different days and were randomly allocated. VCO2 was examined as function of VE under the assumption that the RCT corresponds to the break point in the VE-VCO2 relationship. Peak VO2 was taken as the average of the highest five consecutive breaths attained in the individual work rates for the steps test in three different inclinations. It was used one-way ANOVA (Tukey’s post hoc test) to compare the differences. Statistical significance was set at P≤ 0.05. Peak VO2 was 34.62±4.20 mL.kg.min-1, 33.14±3.60 mL.kg.min-1 and 32.74±2.66 mL.kg.min-1 for NL, UT and DT respectively (P\u3e0.05). RCTVO2 was NL = 29.14±7.95 mL.kg.min-1, UT = 30.10±4.53 mL.kg.min-1 and DT = 29.70±3.00 mL.kg.min-1 (P\u3e0.05). VRCT was 10.38±1.92 km/h, 8.25±0.89 km/h and 12.88±1.46 km/h for NL, UT and DT respectively (P\u3c0.01). Tukey’s post hoc test find the following differences between NL vs UT (P\u3c0.05), NL vs DT (P\u3c0.05) and UT vs DT (P\u3c0.01). The drift in VO2 in the respiratory compensatory threshold during the three bouts appears unrelated biomechanical factors possibly due to a decoupling of neuromuscular and metabolic responses under the status of training

Ocorrência de cistos de dinoflagelados, com ênfase em espécies potencialmente nocivas, no sedimento próximo à desembocadura da Laguna dos Patos (RS)

Microalgae can from resting cysts under unfavorable environmental conditions for the vegetative cell, through sexual reproduction. The main functions of the cysts are the ability to survive under unfavorable conditions, allow the dispersion of the population to other areas and genetic recombination through sexual reproduction. Many harmful dinoflagellate species produce cysts during their life cycle, which sink to the bottom during the latest stage of a bloom. In order to detect dinoflagellate cysts, samplings were carried out in muddy sediment, close to the Pats Lagoon entrance, approximately from 32º04’ to 32º30’ S and 52º10’ to 51º49’W on the Southern Brazilian coast. Cysts of the potentially harmful dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense (up to 180 cysts.cm-3), Scriosiella trochoidea (up to 117 cysts.cm-3) and Gymnodinium cf. catenatum (up to 25 cysts.cm-3) were detected in the samples. Besides these species, other dinoflagellate cysts frequently detected in low concentrations were Protoperidinium cf. compressum, Protoperidinium cf. oblongum, Protoperidinium cf. claudicans, Protoperidinium cf. pentagonum, Protoperidinium cf. minutum, Polykrikos cf. schwartzii e Gonyaulax verior. Although relatively low cysts concentrations were found in the present work, under optimal growing conditions they could germinate and start microalgae blooms. However, deeper and muddy areas, more favorable to cysts settlement, were not sampled at this time and should be included in the next studies about these cysts in south Brazil.A formação de cistos de resistência em microalgas ocorre através da reprodução sexuada quando as condições ambientais encontram-se desfavoráveis oara as células vegetativas. As principais funções dos cistos de resistência são permitir a sobrevivência, a dispersão e a recombinação genética dos organismos. Muitas espécies potencialmente nocivas de dinoflagelados produzem cistos durante o seu ciclo de vida, os quais podem afundar durante o término de uma floração e ser acumulados no sedimento. Este trabalho teve por objetivo investigar a ocorrência de cistos de dinoflagelados em sedimento lamoso superficial, na área próxima à desembocadura da Laguna dos Patos, entre as latitudes 32º04’ e 32º30’ S e longitudes 52º10’ e 51º49’ W, no sul do Brasil (RS). Foram registrados cistos das espécies nocivas Alexandrium tamarense (até 180 cistos.cm-3), Scriosiella trochoidea (até 117 cistos.cm-3) e Gymnodinium cf. catenatum (máximo de 25 cistos.cm-3). Outros cistos de dinoflagelados freqüentemente observados em baixas concentrações foram Protoperidinium cf. compressum, Protoperidinium cf. oblongum, Protoperidinium cf. claudicans, Protoperidinium cf. pentagonum, Protoperidinium cf. minutum, Polykrikos cf. schwartzii e Gonyaulax verior. Apesar das concentrações relativamente baixas encontradas, sob condições ótimas para a germinação, crescimento e acúmulo de células, poderia ocorrer o início de florações a partir da germinação local dos cistos mais abundantes. Áreas profundas e lamosas, mais favoráveis ao acúmulo de cistos não foram encontradas neste estudo e deveriam ser incluídas em pesquisas futuras sobre cistos no sul do Brasil

Knockout mice reveal a role for protein tyrosine phosphatase H1 in cognition

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The present study has investigated the protein tyrosine phosphatase H1 (PTPH1) expression pattern in mouse brain and its impact on CNS functions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We have previously described a PTPH1-KO mouse, generated by replacing the PTP catalytic and the PDZ domain with a LacZ neomycin cassette. PTPH1 expression pattern was evaluated by LacZ staining in the brain and PTPH1-KO and WT mice (n = 10 per gender per genotype) were also behaviorally tested for CNS functions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In CNS, PTPH1 is expressed during development and in adulthood and mainly localized in hippocampus, thalamus, cortex and cerebellum neurons. The behavioral tests performed on the PTPH1-KO mice showed an impact on working memory in male mice and an impaired learning performance at rotarod in females.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These results demonstrate for the first time a neuronal expression of PTPH1 and its functionality at the level of cognition.</p

A Driving Force. On the Rhetoric of Images and Power

The volume comprises a selection of papers presented at the 5th Postgraduate International Conference organized by the Department of Philosophy and Cultural Heritage of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice (Venice, 4-6 October 2023): A Driving Force. On the Rhetoric of Images and Power. In the introduction to his well-known The Power of Images (1989), David Freedberg claims not only that images hold power over us, but they are also, inevitably, related to ‘power’ itself. Art is therefore a powerful and non-neutral tool. Its forms and expressions influence and manipulate the realm of the real. Throughout human history, the artist’s creative power gave form, substance, and meaning to otherwise inert matter. This process turned the artist into a demiurge. Furthermore, once images are given their final form, they circulate and live a life of their own. The 5th Postgraduate International Conference was aimed at investigating the rhetorical nature of the intersection between image and power. In 1979 Yuri Lotman claimed that “rhetoric” is the displacement of the structural principles of a given semiotic sphere into another semiotic sphere. The Tartu semiologist’s approach implies that the “correlation with different semiotic systems gives rise to a rhetorical situation in which a powerful source of elaboration of new meanings is contained”. In exploring these meanings from a multidisciplinary perspective, this volume investigates two main themes: the power of the image, as an autonomous device, endowed with a pervasive and persuasive character; the image as a form for representing power which addresses questions concerning the sense of authority, and its negation, namely a sense of dissidence and counter-narrations

Psychology hotsite: information of interest about craniofacial anomalies

Este artigo teve como objetivo obter dados para elaborar um hotsite de Psicologia, voltado a familiares e pacientes tratados no Hospital de Reabilitação de Anomalias Craniofaciais - Universidade de São Paulo, em Bauru, estado de São Paulo, abordando temas que envolvem malformações labiopalatais e suas consequências psicológicas. Foi realizada entrevista elucidativa com 200 pais/acompanhantes e 100 pacientes em tratamento no Hospital, buscando definir seus interesses e possibilidades de utilizar um hotsite, a caracterização do perfil do usuário, o conhecimento e confiabilidade na atuação do psicólogo, e o levantamento dos temas de interesse. O hotsite foi aceito pelos entrevistados, que não só relataram interesse nesse tipo de serviço, como também acreditam nele para a resolução de suas dúvidas e anseios. Os temas de interesse citados foram a atuação do psicólogo, os aspectos da malformação e o envolvimento psicoemocional. Os resultados indicam que é viável esse tipo de acompanhamento, atendendo às necessidades individuais, momentâneas e, por vezes, emergenciais dos usuários

Spatiotemporal variability of dissolved inorganic macronutrients along the northern Antarctic Peninsula (1996–2019)

The northern Antarctic Peninsula is a key region of the Southern Ocean due to its complex ocean dynamics, distinct water mass sources, and the climate-driven changes taking place in the region. Despite the importance of macronutrients in supporting strong biological carbon uptake and storage, little is known about their spatiotemporal variability along the northern Antarctic Peninsula. Hence, we explored for the first time a 24-year time series (1996–2019) in this region to understand the processes involved in the spatial and interannual variability of macronutrients. We found high macronutrient concentrations, even in surface waters and during strong phytoplankton blooms. Minimum concentrations of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN; 16 μmol kg−1), phosphate (0.7 μmol kg−1), and silicic acid (40 μmol kg−1) in surface waters are higher than those recorded in surrounding regions. The main source of macronutrients is the intrusions of Circumpolar Deep Water and its modified variety, while local sources (organic matter remineralization, water mass mixing, and mesoscale structures) can enhance their spatiotemporal variability. However, we identified a depletion in silicic acid due to the influence of Dense Shelf Water from the Weddell Sea. Macronutrient concentrations show substantial interannual variability driven by the balance between the intrusions of modified Circumpolar Deep Water and advection of Dense Shelf Water, which is largely modulated by the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) and to some extent by El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These findings are critical to improving our understanding of the natural variability of this Southern Ocean ecosystem and how it is responding to climate changes