Stories told by plants on graveyards in Northern Angola.

BACKGROUND: Worldwide, different traditions of symbolic statements in graveyards can be found. However, studies on sub-Saharan Africa are rare. For BaKongo cemeteries, it is only known that they traditionally do not exhibit plants for decoration purposes. Our study wanted to inspect the influence of Portuguese culture due to the long shared colonial past. METHODS: During 2015 and 2019, plant use in 87 graveyards in 13 municipalities of the province Uíge was documented. Five expert interviews with the village eldest in five municipalities completed the data collection. RESULTS: While 24% of the graveyards didn´t have any planting, 27 plant species were found in the remaining ones, including a high percentage of alien species (59%), mainly from the Americas. The most abundant plant species are Euphorbia tirucalli (23%) and Agave sisalana (22%). With increasing distance from the city Uíge (especially towards the Democratic Republic of the Congo), the utilization of living plants in cemeteries is decreasing except along the road. In most of the cases, just one plant species per gravesite was found. CONCLUSIONS: This unexpected high number of plants might be interpreted as a strong evidence of outside influence. Cultural symbols of the BaKongo cosmology and Christianism appear to coexist or coalesce. Furthermore, plants are used as a marker for graveyards. Modern influences like the use of concrete in proximity to urban areas indicate a certain wealth.

Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Profile Fitness Mapping Neck Questionnaire to Brazilian Portuguese: Internal Consistency, Reliability, and Construct and Structural Validity.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to adapt and evaluate the psychometric properties of the ProFitMap-neck to Brazilian Portuguese. METHODS: The cross-cultural adaptation consisted of 5 stages, and 180 female patients with chronic neck pain participated in the study. A subsample (n = 30) answered the pretest, and another subsample (n = 100) answered the questionnaire a second time. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity (hypothesis testing and structural validity) were estimated. For construct validity, the scores of the questionnaire were correlated with the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), and the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS: Internal consistency was determined by adequate Cronbach's α values (α > 0.70). Strong reliability was identified by high intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC > 0.75). Construct validity was identified by moderate and strong correlations of the Br-ProFitMap-neck with total NDI score (-0.56 50%, Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin index > 0.50, eigenvalue > 1, and factor loadings > 0.2. CONCLUSION: Br-ProFitMap-neck had adequate psychometric properties and can be used in clinical settings, as well as research, in patients with chronic neck pain.

Spiritual and religious beliefs as risk factors for the onset of major depression: an international cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported weak associations between religious or spiritual belief and psychological health. However, most have been cross-sectional surveys in the U.S.A., limiting inference about generalizability. An international longitudinal study of incidence of major depression gave us the opportunity to investigate this relationship further. METHOD: Data were collected in a prospective cohort study of adult general practice attendees across seven countries. Participants were followed at 6 and 12 months. Spiritual and religious beliefs were assessed using a standardized questionnaire, and DSM-IV diagnosis of major depression was made using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI). Logistic regression was used to estimate incidence rates and odds ratios (ORs), after multiple imputation of missing data. RESULTS: The analyses included 8318 attendees. Of participants reporting a spiritual understanding of life at baseline, 10.5% had an episode of depression in the following year compared to 10.3% of religious participants and 7.0% of the secular group (p<0.001). However, the findings varied significantly across countries, with the difference being significant only in the U.K., where spiritual participants were nearly three times more likely to experience an episode of depression than the secular group [OR 2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.59­4.68]. The strength of belief also had an effect, with participants with strong belief having twice the risk of participants with weak belief. There was no evidence of religion acting as a buffer to prevent depression after a serious life event. CONCLUSIONS: These results do not support the notion that religious and spiritual life views enhance psychological well-being.

Padrões de nupcialidade na economia cafeeira de São Paulo (1860-1930) / Marriage patterns in São Paulo coffee economy (1860-1930) / /Patrones de nupcialidad en la economía cafetera de Sao Paulo (1860-1930)

O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar e discutir as pautas matrimoniais vigentes em um município típico da economia cafeeira paulista, entre 1860 e 1930, tomando tal variável como indicador do vigor da identidade étnica e do grau de assimilação dos estrangeiros na sociedade local. São Carlos foi fundado em 1857 e conformou-se, a partir da penúltima década do século XIX, como um município bastante representativo da economia cafeeira que se desenvolveu no Estado. De fato, com uma mão de obra inicialmente composta por escravos negros, a partir dos anos 1880 o município passou a receber expressivas levas de imigrantes europeus - italianos, portugueses, espanhóis e outros numericamente menos significativos - para trabalhar nas plantações de café, a ponto de, em 1894, ter recebido o maior contingente de imigrantes de todo o interior paulista. A partir de uma análise dos 15.011 registros paroquiais de casamento observados no período, o trabalho discute a evolução das preferências matrimoniais desses diversos grupos que, ao lado de brasileiros brancos e negros, conformaram uma população estimada em 60 mil indivíduos em 1930. Os dados analisados indicam que a origem nacional atuou como condicionante muito significativo das opções matrimoniais efetivamente concretizadas até pelo menos final dos anos 1920. Assim, as evidências colhidas apontam que pelo menos as primeiras duas gerações de indivíduos de origem imigrante, que viveram em São Carlos até a Grande Depressão do final da década de 1920, mostraram-se bastante resistentes ao processo de assimilação, pelo menos sob o ângulo das pautas matrimoniais.

This paper discusses marriage patterns in a representative city in the state of São Paulo during the coffee economy of 1860-1930. It takes these patterns as indicators of the strength of ethnic identities and of the assimilation of European immigrants in the local society. The city of São Carlos was founded in 1857 and by the late 19th century, it can be seen as fairly typical of the coffee economy that developed in the state of São Paulo. In fact, with a workforce initially composed of African slaves, from the 1880s the city began to receive significant waves of European immigrants - Italians, Portuguese, Spanish and other less numerically significant - for work on coffee plantations, to the point that, in the year of 1894, it received the highest number of immigrants in all of the state, except for the capital. From an analysis of 15,011 parish registers of marriage observed in the period, this paper discusses the evolution of marriage preferences among diverse groups that, alongside black and white Brazilians, conformed an estimated population of 60,000 individuals in 1930. The data analyzed indicate that national origin served as very significant determinant of marital options effectively implemented until at least the late 1920s. Thus, the evidence gathered indicates that at least the first two generations of persons of immigrant origins, living in São Carlos until the Great Depression in the late 1920s, were quite resistant to the process of assimilation, at least in regards to marriage patterns.

El objetivo de este trabajo es presentar y discutir las pautas matrimoniales vigentes en un municipio típico de la economía cafetera paulista, entre 1860 y 1930, tomando tal variable como un indicador del vigor de la identidad étnica y del grado de asimilación de los extranjeros en la sociedad local. San Carlos fue fundado en 1857 y se convirtió, a partir de la penúltima década del siglo XIX, en un municipio bastante representativo de la economía cafetera que se desarrolló en el estado de Sao Paulo. De hecho, con una mano de obra inicialmente compuesta por esclavos negros, a partir del año 1880 y en adelante, el municipio pasó a recibir ingentes masas de inmigrantes europeos - italianos, portugueses, españoles y otros numéricamente menos significativos- para trabajar en las plantaciones de café, hasta el punto de que, en 1894, había recibido el mayor contingente de inmigrantes de todo el interior del estado de Sao Paulo. A partir de un análisis de los 15.011 registros parroquiales de matrimonio observados en el período, el trabajo discute la evolución de las preferencias matrimoniales de esos diversos grupos que, junto a los brasileños blancos y negros, conformaron una población estimada en 60 mil individuos en 1930. Los datos analizados indican que el origen nacional actuó como un condicionante muy significativo en las opciones matrimoniales, efectivamente consumadas en matrimonios, hasta por lo menos final de los años veinte del siglo pasado. Así pues, las evidencias recogidas apuntan a que por lo menos las primeras dos generaciones de individuos de origen inmigrante, que vivieron en San Carlos hasta la Gran Depresión del final de la década de 1920, se mostraron bastante resistentes al proceso de asimilación, por lo menos bajo el ángulo de las pautas matrimoniales.

A genetic historical sketch of European Gypsies: The perspective from autosomal markers.

In this study, 123 unrelated Portuguese Gypsies were analyzed for 15 highly polymorphic autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs). Average gene diversity across the 15 markers was 76.7%, which is lower than that observed in the non-Gypsy Portuguese population. Subsets of STRs were used to perform comparisons with other Gypsy and corresponding host populations. Interestingly, diversity reduction in Gypsy groups compared to their non-Gypsy surrounding populations apparently varied according to an East-West gradient, which parallels their dispersion in Europe as well as a decrease in complexity of their internal structure. Analysis of genetic distances revealed that the average level of genetic differentiation between Gypsy groups was much larger than that observed between the corresponding non-Gypsy populations. The high rate of heterogeneity among Gypsies can be explained by strong genetic drift and limited intergroup gene flow. However, when genetic relationships were addressed through principal component analysis, all Gypsy populations clustered together and was clearly distinguished from other populations, a pattern that suggests their common origin. Concerning the putative ancestral genetic component, admixture analysis did not reveal strong Indian ancestry in the current Gypsy gene pools, in contrast to the high admixture estimates for either Europeans or Western Asians.

Cross-cultural perspectives on research participation and informed consent.

This study examined Portuguese Canadian and Caribbean Canadian immigrants' perceptions of health research and informed consent procedures. Six focus groups (three in each cultural group) involving 42 participants and two individual interviews were conducted. The focus groups began with a general question about health research. This was followed by three short role-plays between the moderator and the assistant. The role-plays involved a fictional health research study in which a patient is approached for recruitment, is read a consent form, and is asked to sign. The role-plays stopped at key moments at which time focus group participants were asked questions about their understanding and their perceptions. Focus group transcripts were coded in QSR NUDIST software using open coding and then compared across cultural groups. Six overriding themes emerged: two were common in both the Portuguese and Caribbean transcripts, one emphasized the importance of trust and mistrust, and the other highlighted the need and desire for more information about health research. However, these themes were expressed somewhat differently in the two groups. In addition, there were four overriding themes that were specific to only one cultural group. In the Portuguese groups, there was an overwhelming positive regard for the research process and an emphasis on verbal as opposed to written information. The Caribbean participants qualified their participation in research studies and repeatedly raised images of invasive research.

Cultural diversity and mental health. Towards integrative practice.

Adopting an integrative approach to mental health is especially important when working with people from diverse cultural backgrounds. In order to render culturally sensitive practice, we need to be immersed in the philosophical, contextual, and experiential considerations of the cultural group with whom we work. Comprehensive assessment and intervention involves bridging disciplines to gain a more holistic appreciation for the group's situation and experience. Thus, we have taken a transdisciplinary approach (a) to provide a framework for understanding and improving mental health in the context of cultural diversity and (b) to promote legitimate practice, or the unity of reflection, research, and action, in mental health in different cultures. We provide an example of how we use this framework in our work with the Portuguese immigrant community. The framework is not only limited to assessing the needs of individuals but draws on anthropology, philosophy, political science, and religious studies to understand the social, cultural, moral, and religious domains. In addition, community psychologists and social activists provide models of how to intervene at community or societal levels. The unique contribution of the integrative practice framework is that merges considerations that are typically studied in isolation. Needs, norms, context, values, and social change are not always studied in an integrative fashion. Thus, the article offers a way of considering seemingly disparate but highly complementary practice deliberations.

Anticholinergic toxicity associated with lupine seeds as a home remedy for diabetes mellitus.

We describe a case of sparteine intoxication associated with using a preparation from lupine seeds. A female patient of Portuguese origin presented to the emergency department with classic anticholinergic signs after ingestion of a lupine seed extract. She took the preparation with the belief it represented a cure for her recently diagnosed diabetes. Analysis of the patient's lupine bean extract identified the preponderant compound as oxo-sparteine by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Intoxication by lupine seeds rarely occurs in human beings. To our knowledge, no medical or toxicologic evidence supports a belief that lupine extract could lower serum glucose levels. This case highlights the need for emergency care providers to be aware of the health hazards that can be associated with the use of such home remedies.

[Selenium content in the blood cattle from Venezuela. I. Central and Portugueste zones]. / Contenido de selenio en sangre de bovinos de Venezuela I. Zona central y Portuguesa.

Whole blood concentrations of selenium were determined in 776 dairy cows and calves from 28 farms located in three States (Aragua, Carabobo and Guárico) of the central zone of Venezuela and in Portuguesa State. Selenium levels largely varied according to both the geographic distribution and animals breed. Cattle from Guárico State showed the lowest average concentration (0.21 ppm) and those from Portuguesa the highest one (0.67 ppm). A group of animals from Turén (a District of Portuguesa State) showed the highest average concentration (1.64 ppm, range 1.02 +/- to 3.24 ppm). Concentrations of this magnitude in animals under grazing conditions could be related to high levels of selenium either in the soil or in the pasture. It is concluded that such animals are localized inaseleniferous zone (Turén). It must be noted that Jaffé et al. (op. cit.) found high levels of selenium in sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum) from this area and in blood and urine samples of children from Villa Bruzual, a little town of Turén. The results of this wok significantly differ from those obtained in other countries (of Europe and North America), where animals are managed under conditions very different from those of the tropical areas like Venezuela. The role this factor is discussed. This is the first report on blood levels in large animals of economical importance in Venezuela.