Polyunsaturated fatty acids and type 2 diabetes: Impact on the glycemic control mechanism.

There is a growing mortality related to co-morbidities associated with diabetes mellitus. Intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) has been associated with low cardiometabolic risk and reduction of inflammatory process. The objective of this paper is to review the impact of PUFA intake on glycemic control in diabetic patients as well as to elucidate the possible mechanisms involved. Medline/PubMed electronic database was searched to identify studies published within last five years regarding the effect of PUFA intake on glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetics. The search terms used were "polyunsaturated fatty acid(s)," "PUFA," and "diabetes." We included only interventional studies that assessed the effects of PUFA intake on glucose metabolism - fasting glucose, serum insulin, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR assessment- in type 2 diabetics. Initially, 48 articles were identified, of which one was not available and 41 did not match the inclusion criteria. Within the selected studies, three articles showed an improvement in fasting blood glucose, two showed an increase in fasting glycemia, and there was no effect of intervention in one article only. Based on the analyzed clinical interventional studies, supplementation of 0.42-5.2-g PUFA/day for at least eight weeks may become an alternative treatment for type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly in Asian subjects.

[The construction of collective portfolios in traditional curriculums: an innovative approach in teaching-learning]. / Construção de portfólios coletivos em currículos tradicionais: uma proposta inovadora de ensino-aprendizagem.

Education to promote health has traditionally been based on knowledge transmission methodologies. However, the current scenario calls for the training of professionals with a critical-reflective profile, who are able to work in teams. We present the report of an innovative experience using the construction of collective portfolios as instruments of learning, changing attitudes and training of undergraduates, in a traditional subject-based curriculum structure context. It is a descriptive exploratory study, with a qualitative-quantitative approach, based on analysis of collective portfolios (n=9), built by Health Policy students, together with an open questionnaire to students who attended the course (n=58) and also the staging of focus groups (n=3). The use of collective portfolios mobilized students in critical and reflective thinking on Brazilian health policy - the Unified Health System - broadening the concept on the health-disease process and practices related to health services, prioritizing teamwork and the active search for knowledge building, stressing the exercise of otherness, resilience and empowerment.

Construção de portfólios coletivos em currículos tradicionais: uma proposta inovadora de ensino-aprendizagem / The construction of collective portfolios in traditional curriculums: an innovative approach in teaching-learning

Tradicionalmente, a educação em saúde se baseia em metodologias de transmissão de conhecimentos. Porém, agora se exige a formação de profissionais com perfil crítico-reflexivo e capazes de trabalhar em equipes. O que requer novas metodologias de ensino-aprendizagem, tendo na problematização um instrumento de transformação. É relatada experiência utilizando a construção de portfólios coletivos na aprendizagem, como mudança de atitudes e na avaliação de alunos de graduação, em contexto de estrutura curricular tradicional e por disciplinas. Estudo exploratório descritivo, com abordagem quali-quantitativa, fundamentado na análise de portfólios coletivos (n= 9), construídos pelos acadêmicos da disciplina Políticas de Saúde, complementado com a aplicação de um questionário aberto aos alunos (n=58) e com a realização de grupos focais (n=3). Os portfólios coletivos mobilizaram o pensamento crítico-reflexivo sobre a política do Sistema Único de Saúde, ampliando a concepção sobre o processo saúde-doença e as práticas relacionadas aos serviços de saúde, valorizando o trabalho em equipe e a busca ativa na construção do conhecimento, destacando-se os exercícios da alteridade, resiliência e empoderamento.

Education to promote health has traditionally been based on knowledge transmission methodologies. However, the current scenario calls for the training of professionals with a critical-reflective profile, who are able to work in teams. We present the report of an innovative experience using the construction of collective portfolios as instruments of learning, changing attitudes and training of undergraduates, in a traditional subject-based curriculum structure context. It is a descriptive exploratory study, with a qualitative-quantitative approach, based on analysis of collective portfolios (n=9), built by Health Policy students, together with an open questionnaire to students who attended the course (n=58) and also the staging of focus groups (n=3). The use of collective portfolios mobilized students in critical and reflective thinking on Brazilian health policy - the Unified Health System - broadening the concept on the health-disease process and practices related to health services, prioritizing teamwork and the active search for knowledge building, stressing the exercise of otherness, resilience and empowerment.