Cultura e estresse psicológico

Examining the influence of cultural factors on psychological distress, relative to other (e.g. social and psychological) influences, has been difficult due to the incomplete development of a theory of culture that leads to the reliable and valid measurement of cultural factors in such a way that these can be incorporated into multivariate models. In this paper we present both such a theory and such a methodology, and apply it to the study of the community distribution of psychological distress in an urban area in Brazil. In this theory and method, culture is conceptualized as consisting of shared cultural models that are imperfectly realized in mundane behaviors. The link of cultural model and individual behavior is referred to as "cultural consonance". Here we show that cultural consonance in two different domains is associated with psychological stress, independently from covariates and possible confounding variables. Implications of the results for future research are also discussed.A análise da influência de fatores culturais no estresse psicológico (além dos sociais e psicológicos) tem sido dificultada em função do desenvolvimento incompleto de teorias culturais que resultem em medidas fidedignas e válidas de fatores culturais que possam ser incorporados a modelos multivariados. Neste artigo apresenta-se tanto tal teoria quanto uma metodologia e elas são aplicadas ao estudo da distribuição na comunidade das aflições psicológicas em uma área urbana do Brasil. Nesta teoria e metodologia, cultura é conceituada como modelos culturais compartilhados que são realizados de maneira imperfeita nos comportamentos cotidianos. A ligação do modelo cultural com o comportamento individual é colocada como "consonância cultural". Mostra-se que a consonância cultural em dois domínios diferentes está associada ao estresse psicológico independentemente de covariáveis e de outras variáveis intervenientes. São discutidas também as implicações destes resultados para pesquisas futuras

AXISYMMETRIC, THROTTLEABLE NON-GIMBALLED ROCKET ENGINE

A rocket engine assembly is provided for a vertically launched rocket vehicle. A rocket engine housing of the assembly includes two or more combustion chambers each including an outlet end defining a sonic throat area. A propellant supply for the combustion chambers includes a throttling injector, associated with each of the combustion chambers and located opposite to sonic throat area, which injects the propellant into the associated combustion chamber. A modulator, which may form part of the injector, and which is controlled by a controller, modulates the flow rate of the propellant to the combustion chambers so that the chambers provide a vectorable net thrust. An expansion nozzle or body located downstream of the throat area provides expansion of the combustion gases produced by the combustion chambers so as to increase the net thrust

La Consonancia Cultural, la Religion, y los Trastornos Psicologicos en una Comunidad Urbana

Consonância cultural é o grau em que os indivíduos se aproximam dos protótipos codificados nos modelos culturais. Consonância cultural baixa é associada a sofrimento psicológico. A religião pode moderar a associação entre consonância cultural e sofrimento psicológico. O Brasil apresenta uma diversidade religiosa, sendo, portanto, uma sociedade importante para examinar esta hipótese. Este estudo, realizado em Ribeirão Preto, Brasil, utilizou delineamento de métodos mistos. As medidas de consonância cultural foram derivadas de métodos etnográficos e aplicadas em um estudo de levantamento realizado com 271 participantes, selecionados de quatro estratos socias. Consonância cultural baixa mostrou-se associada a sofrimento psicológico alto em análise de regressão múltipla ( B = - 0,430, p < 0,001). Membros de igrejas protestantes pentecostais relataram menor sofrimento psicológico independente dos efeitos da consonância cultural ( B = - 0,409, p < 0,05). A religião não moderou o efeito da consonância. São discutidas as implicações desses resultados para o estudo da relação entre religião e saúde.Consonancia cultural es el grado en que individuos se acercan a prototipos codificados en modelos culturales. Consonancia cultural baja está asociada con alto nivel de trastornos psicológicos. La religión puede moderar la relación entre consonancia cultural y trastornos psicológicos. Brasil, con variación religiosa considerable, es una sociedad importante para examinar esta hipótesis. La investigación fue realizada en Ribeirão Preto, Brasil, utilizando un diseño de métodos mixtos. Medidas de consonancia cultural se obtuvieron utilizando métodos etnográficos y luego se aplican en una encuesta de 271 personas procedentes de cuatro estratos sociales. Consonancia cultural baja se asoció con una mayor angustia psicológica en el análisis de regresión múltiple ( B = -.430, p < .001). Los miembros de las iglesias protestantes pentecostales manifiestan una menor angustia psicológica independientemente del efecto de la consonancia cultural ( B = -.409, p < .05). La religión no moderó el efecto de la consonancia. Las implicaciones de estos resultados para el estudio de la relación entre religión y salud se discuten.Cultural consonance is the degree to which individuals approximate prototypes encoded in cultural models. Low cultural consonance is associated with higher psychological distress. Religion may moderate the association between cultural consonance and psychological distress. Brazil, with substantial variation in religion, is an important society for the examination of this hypothesis. Research was conducted in Ribeirão Preto, Brazil, using a mixed-methods design. Measures of cultural consonance were derived using ethnographic methods and then applied in a survey of 271 individuals drawn from four distinct social strata. Low cultural consonance was associated with higher psychological distress in multiple regression analysis ( B = -.430, p < .001). Members of Pentecostal Protestant churches reported lower psychological distress independently of the effect of cultural consonance ( B = -.409, p < .05). There was no buffering effect of religion. Implications of these results for the study of religion and health are discussed

Using Low-Dose Radiation to Potentiate the Effect of Induction Chemotherapy in Head and Neck Cancer: Results of a Prospective Phase 2 Trial

Purpose: Low-dose fractionated radiation therapy (LDFRT) induces effective cell killing through hyperradiation sensitivity and potentiates effects of chemotherapy. We report our second investigation of LDFRT as a potentiator of the chemotherapeutic effect of induction carboplatin and paclitaxel in locally advanced squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN). Experimental Design: Two cycles of induction therapy were given every 21 days: paclitaxel (75 mg/m2) on days 1, 8, and 15; carboplatin (area under the curve 6) day 1; and LDFRT 50 cGy fractions (2 each on days 1, 2, 8, and 15). Objectives included primary site complete response rate; secondary included overall survival, progression-free survival (PFS), disease-specific survival, and toxicity. Results: A total of 24 evaluable patients were enrolled. Primary sites included oropharynx (62.5%), larynx (20.8%), oral cavity (8.3%), and hypopharynx (8.3%). Grade 3/4 toxicities included neutropenia (20%), leukopenia (32%), dehydration/hypotension (8%), anemia (4%), infection (4%), pulmonary/allergic rhinitis (4%), and diarrhea (4%). Primary site response rate was 23/24 (95.8%): 15/24 (62.5%) complete response, 8/24 (33.3%) partial response, and 1/24 (4.2%) stable disease. With median follow-up of 7.75 years, 9-year rates for overall survival were 49.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 30.5-79.9), PFS was 72.2% (CI, 55.3-94.3), and disease-specific survival was 65.4% (44.3-96.4). Conclusion: Chemopotentiating LDFRT combined with paclitaxel and carboplatin is effective in SCCHN and provided an excellent median overall survival of 107.2 months, with median PFS not yet reached in this locally advanced SCCHN cohort. This compares favorably to prior investigations and caused fewer grade 3 and 4 toxicities than more intensive, 3-drug induction regimens. This trial demonstrates the innovative use of LDFRT as a potentiator of chemotherapy

A Cross-Cultural Perspective on Obesity and Health in Three Groups of Women: The Mississippi Choctaw, American Samoans, and African Americans

This study compares obesity as assessed by Body Mass Index (BMI) and the relationship of BMI to hypertension and diabetes in adult females from three populations, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw (N=50), American Samoa (N=155), and an African American community in West Alabama (N=367). These groups were surveyed in the early to mid 1990s. All three groups of women have very high levels of overweight and obesity, with the Samoans being most extreme in this regard. While there are indications that all three groups of women consume a calorically dense diet, low activity appears to be the most likely causal factor in the high rates of obesity. Relaxed negative attitudes toward an overweight/obese body image may also play a role in the high rates. The prevalences of hypertension and diabetes are alarmingly high in all three groups. There are, however, very different associations between BMI, hypertension, and diabetes in the three groups of women. The Samoans are substantially more obese (and older), but they have lower rates of hypertension than the African American women and lower rates of diabetes than the Choctaw women. While the genetic background of the three groups no doubt plays a role, it is also likely that a BMI of 30+, the common cutoff for obesity, means different things in these different populations. These results provide further support for the idea of variation in the relationship of BMI to disease in different populations

«Consonancia cultural»: una teoría y un método para el estudio de la cultura y la salud

Both as a theoretical concept and a method for the study of culture, ‘cultural consonance’ is wellestablished in the cognitive anthropological literature of the United States. It is also well represented in Latin American literature, but generally not in European anthropology. To date, cultural consonance has mainly been used in research into the relationship between culture and health, but it is perfectly applicable to other cultural domains. The theoretical source of this concept is the theory of cultural consensus and it seeks to resolve, in an operational manner, some of the classic dilemmas of the concept of culture. This paper seeks to demonstrate its theoretical and methodological utility and to present its current state of development in medical anthropological investigations into the relationship between culture and health. In short, we seek to highlight and disseminate the potential of ‘cultural consonance’ for the study of culture, both within the area of medical anthropology and beyond.La consonancia cultural, como concepto teórico y método para el estudio de la cultura, tiene ya una sólida trayectoria en la literatura antropológica norteamericana de orientación cognitiva, con apreciables ejemplos también en la antropología latinoamericana, aunque muchos menos en la europea. Por ahora, la consonancia cultural ha sido empleada mayoritariamente en la investigación sobre las relaciones entre cultura y salud, pero podría ser perfectamente aplicable a otros dominios culturales. Tiene su fuente teórica primordial en la teoría del consenso cultural y trata como ésta de resolver, operativamente, algunos de los dilemas clásicos del concepto de cultura. Este artículo pretende mostrar su utilidad teórica y metodológica, y dar cuenta del estado en que se encuentra su desarrollo científico, a través de diversas investigaciones en el campo de la antropología médica. En otras palabras, queremos poner de relieve y difundir las potencialidades de la consonancia cultural para el estudio de la cultura, tanto en ése como en otros campos de la investigación antropológica

Distance from a cultural model of substance use risk, internalization, and self-stigma in urban Brazil

IntroductionA cognitive theory of culture as socially distributed cultural models has proven useful in research. Cultural models exist in two forms: the model shared by individuals in a social group, and individual versions of that model modified by personal experience. In previous research we documented a shared cultural model of substance use risk among a general population sample in urban Brazil. Here we examine how this model is distributed among persons under treatment for substance use/misuse and the implications for perceived and self-stigma.MethodsA convenience sample of 133 persons under treatment rated the influence of risk factors for substance use/misuse. The configuration of those ratings and the cultural distance of persons under treatment from the general population model were calculated. Degree of stigma perceived in the wider society and degree of self-stigma were also assessed.ResultsPersons under treatment aggregate risk factors to a greater extent than the general population. Using a cultural distance metric, the more distant persons under treatment are from the general population model, the lower their self-stigma regarding substance use.DiscussionSome individuals under treatment separate their understanding of substance use/misuse from shared perspectives in the wider society, which in turn reduces self-stigma. These findings add an additional perspective on the relationship of culture and the individual

Galaxy Zoo: The Environmental Dependence of Bars and Bulges in Disc Galaxies

We present an analysis of the environmental dependence of bars and bulges in disc galaxies, using a volume-limited catalogue of 15810 galaxies at z<0.06 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey with visual morphologies from the Galaxy Zoo 2 project. We find that the likelihood of having a bar, or bulge, in disc galaxies increases when the galaxies have redder (optical) colours and larger stellar masses, and observe a transition in the bar and bulge likelihoods, such that massive disc galaxies are more likely to host bars and bulges. We use galaxy clustering methods to demonstrate statistically significant environmental correlations of barred, and bulge-dominated, galaxies, from projected separations of 150 kpc/h to 3 Mpc/h. These environmental correlations appear to be independent of each other: i.e., bulge-dominated disc galaxies exhibit a significant bar-environment correlation, and barred disc galaxies show a bulge-environment correlation. We demonstrate that approximately half (50 +/- 10%) of the bar-environment correlation can be explained by the fact that more massive dark matter haloes host redder disc galaxies, which are then more likely to have bars. Likewise, we show that the environmental dependence of stellar mass can only explain a small fraction (25 +/- 10%) of the bar-environment correlation. Therefore, a significant fraction of our observed environmental dependence of barred galaxies is not due to colour or stellar mass dependences, and hence could be due to another galaxy property. Finally, by analyzing the projected clustering of barred and unbarred disc galaxies with halo occupation models, we argue that barred galaxies are in slightly higher-mass haloes than unbarred ones, and some of them (approximately 25%) are satellite galaxies in groups. We also discuss implications about the effects of minor mergers and interactions on bar formation.Comment: 20 pages, 18 figures; references updated; published in MNRA

Mapping of the SZ effect in the cluster Cl 0016+16 with the Ryle Telescope

We have mapped the high-redshift (z = 0.546) cluster Cl 0016+16 with the Ryle Telescope at 15 GHz. The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich decrement is clearly detected, and resolved. We combine our data with an X-ray image from ROSAT, and a gas temperature from ASCA to estimate the Hubble Constant H0 = 69 +21/-16 km/s/Mpc for an Omega_M=1.0 cosmology or H0 = 84 +25/-19 km/s/Mpc for Omega_M=0.3 and Omega_Lambda=0.7.Comment: 10 pages, 2 tables, 6 figures Submitted to MNRA