Leonor Bezerra Guerra

Cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression protects cardiac noradrenergic nerve terminals from damage by Trypanosoma cruzi infection in adult rats

Trypanosoma cruzi-infected juvenile rats develop severe cardiac sympathetic denervation in parallel with acute myocarditis. This aspect has not been studied in adult rats, thought to be resistant to this infection. The mechanism involved in T. cruzi-induced neuronal damage remains to be completely elucidated. In juvenile rats, the mortality during the acute phase depends on T. cruzi populations, ranging from 30% to 100%. Therefore, studies of mechanisms through hazardous procedures such as immunosuppression are restricted. The current paper shows that adult rats infected with T. cruzi (Y strain) develop severe acute myocarditis and cardiac sympathetic denervation, despite null mortality and virtual absence of patent parasitaemia followed by negative haemoculture. Recovery from the myocarditis and denervation occurred but PCR studies showed persistence of parasite DNA at least until day 111 post inoculation. Immunosuppression by cyclophosphamide treatment increased the parasitaemia, prevented the acute myocarditis and the sympathetic denervation without significant alteration of the myocardial parasitism. These results argue against a direct role for parasite-derived products and implicate the inflammatory cells in the denervation process. As previous studies in juvenile animals have discarded an essential role for radiosensitive cells, the macrophages remain as the possible effectors for the T. cruzi-induced neuronal damage.

O ensino-aprendizagem da anatomia humana: avaliação do desempenho dos alunos após a utilização de mapas conceituais como uma estratégia pedagógica

EnglishAbstract The aim of this study was to implement and evaluate the impact of the development of Concept Maps (MC), as a pedagogical strategy in teaching of Human Anatomy, one of the course subjects of Physical Therapy, from Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). A total of 298 students, enrolled regularly, participated of the study over six semesters. The mean analysis of the final scores of the students, prior to the expansion of the MC Project, showed decrease of average score over the semester, which was reversed when the MC were implemented systematically. The implementation of MC were also capable of promoting a significant reduction in the failure rate. Thus, we conclude that the use of MC seems to have contributed to improving student performance and also the approval rating in the discipline of Anatomy, especially after the systematization of its use by the Teaching Project supported by the institution. portuguesResumo O objetivo deste estudo foi implementar e avaliar o impacto da elaboracao de Mapas Conceituais (MC) como estrategia pedagogica no ensino-aprendizagem da Anatomia Humana, uma das disciplinas do curso de Fisioterapia da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Participaram do estudo 298 alunos regularmente matriculados, ao longo de seis semestres. A analise das medias das notas finais dos alunos, anteriores a ampliacao do projeto dos MC, demonstrou decrescimo dessas medias ao longo dos semestres, o que foi revertido quando o projeto de ensino de MC foi implementado sistematicamente. A implementacao dos MC tambem foi capaz de promover uma reducao significativa no indice de reprovacao. Assim, concluimos que o uso de MC parece ter contribuido para melhorar o desempenho dos alunos e tambem o indice de aprovacao na disciplina de Anatomia Humana, principalmente apos a sistematizacao do seu uso atraves do Projeto de Ensino apoiado pela Pro-Reitoria de Graduacao da Instituicao.

O ensino e a aprendizagem da criança com paralisia cerebral: ações pedagógicas possíveis no processo de alfabetização

The aim of this study was to investigate and analyze the dialogue between rehabilitation professionals and educators in the construction and development of pedagogical strategies in the child with cerebral palsy’s education. This is a case study with qualitative methodological approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a teacher of elementary school at the beginning and end of the school year and were held bimonthly meetings between health professionals (rehabilitation) and education (teacher). Were also used data from medical records regarding the child’s attendance at Sarah Network of Hospitals. The data were analyzed considering: the knowledge and pedagogical practices of the teacher on inclusion and cerebral palsy; the results of the dialogue process between the health and education fields, and the teacher’s pedagogical practice. The results identified the conceptual changes of the teacher on the process of inclusion and of cerebral palsy. Changes were identified in the pedagogical practice and the construction of new strategies based on the knowledge acquired during the dialogues.

O desenvolvimento da consciência fonológica em crianças com Síndrome de Down pode facilitar a alfabetização e contribuir para a inclusão no ensino regular

As leis educacionais asseguram o direito das criancas ao ensino fundamental a partir dos seis anos, propiciando a elas a exposicao antecipada a estrategias pedagogicas que visam a alfabetizacao. A inclusao escolar de criancas com Sindrome de Down (SD) acontece ja na educacao infantil e se torna cada vez mais frequente, possibilitando oportunidades impares para o desenvolvimento cognitivo dessas, o que inclui a alfabetizacao. A diversidade de aprendizes com necessidades educacionais individuais, sem o devido apoio de uma equipe interdisciplinar, dificulta a aquisicao da leitura e escrita de forma igualitaria. O desconhecimento, por parte dos educadores, dos pre-requisitos cognitivos minimos necessarios a alfabetizacao, tambem contribui para o seu insucesso. Um desses pre-requisitos e a consciencia fonologica, pouco trabalhada intencionalmente ja na educacao infantil. Estrategias que visam orientar educadores no desenvolvimento objetivo da consciencia fonologica em criancas com SD podem facilitar a alfabetizacao e contribuir para a inclusao escolar. Ou sera possivel incluir pedagogicamente essa populacao sem que ocorram adaptacoes curriculares e um trabalho interdisciplinar efetivo?