Rethinking Validity in Qualitative Research from a Social Constructionist Perspective: From Is this Valid Research? To What Is this Research Valid for?

This article theorizes the issue of validity that is premised upon social constructionist assumptions, particularly as it is applied to the assessment of qualitative research. As a social construction, validity must thus be interrogated for its discursive function within the social sciences. I will argue that, as a criterion of assessment, validity polices the social science enterprise and thus, functions as a practice of power through the de/legitimation of social knowledge, research practice, and experiential possibilities. This critique will lead into a reformulation of validity that actively recognizes and negotiates its practice of power. Within this reformulation, research findings are conceptualized as representations and should be scrutinized for their realist, critical, deconstructive, and reflexive narrative function. Put simply, assessing qualitative research entails multiple and contradictory readings of its representational failures and successes. Therefore, validity is no longer conceived as a determination (i.e., is valid versus is not valid) but a continual process of interrogation. This new framework will be applied to my Masters thesis research that explored domestic violence and relationship abuse among gay males. Implications for research practice are discussed

On the mechanics of “false vaults”: new analytical and computational approaches

The aim of this paper is to present new analytical and computational approaches for assessing the structural safety of “false vaults” structures like Trulli, and more generally for corbelled structures. In particular, the proposed procedure is capable of taking into account the three-dimensional behavior of such complex masonry structures

A New Ultrasonic Immersion Technique for the Evaluation of Damage Induced Anisotropy in Composite Materials

We present a theoretical and experimental approach for the characterization of the damage induced anisotropy superimposed to the constitutive anisotropy of fiber-reinforced composite materials. The proposed theoretical model has been developed in the framework of the Continuum Damage Mechanics theory and allows for determining a tensorial damage measure based on the change of the elastic moduli of the composite material. Moreover, the model is general since it is applicable independently of the fibers reinforcement nature, of the presence of cracks, interlaminar voids and delamination, of the geometry of this cracks, and from of failure mechanisms of the composite materials. We perform damage experiments by employing an innovative goniometric device designed and built at our laboratory (Laboratorio “M. Salvati”), and aimed at the mechanical characterization of materials. In particular, by rotating the sample into a water tank, we measure the ultrasonic “natural” velocities of the undamaged composite material along suitable propagation directions. This allow us for classifying the degree of symmetry of the material and for determining the elastic constants, also in highly anisotropic materials. Then we measure the ultrasonic velocities of the artificially damaged composite and we determine again the elastic moduli. The comparison between the elastic moduli of the damaged and the undamaged composite allows us for the characterization of the anisotropic tensorial damage measure

Fold-Saddle Bifurcation in Non-Smooth Vector Fields on the Plane

This paper presents results concerning bifurcations of 2D piecewise-smooth dynamical systems governed by vector fields. Generic three parameter families of a class of Non-Smooth Vector Fields are studied and its bifurcation diagrams are exhibited. Our main result describes the unfolding of the so called Fold-Saddle singularity

Age-related testosterone decline in a Brazilian cohort of healthy military men

INTRODUCTION: Androgen decline in the aging man has become a topic of increasing clinical relevance worldwide, as the reduction in testosterone levels has been reported to be accompanied by loss of muscle mass, accumulation of central adiposity, impaired mobility and increase risk of bone fractures. Although well-established in studies conducted in developed countries, progressive decline in serum testosterone levels with age has been poorly investigated in Brazil. AIM: To determine the pattern of blood testosterone concentrations decline with age in a cohort of Brazilian healthy military men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed data on serum testosterone measurements of healthy individuals that had undergone a routine check-up at the Military Biology Institute. Blood samples were obtained early in the morning, and total testosterone concentration was determined using a commercial chemoluminescent immunoassay. Mean values were analyzed in five age groups: 70 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Mean total testosterone levels. RESULTS: 1,623 subjects were included in the analysis; mean age was 57 years (24 to 87), and mean testosterone level was 575.5 ng/dL (25.0 to 1308.0 ng/dL). The evaluation of age-related changes in total testosterone levels revealed a progressive reduction in serum levels of this hormone with increasing age. Testosterone levels below 300 ng/dL were reported in 321 participants, a prevalence of nearly 20% in the study population. CONCLUSION: In agreement with other findings, a reduction of total testosterone levels with age was reported for healthy Brazilian men.Federal University of São Paulo Escola de Saúde do ExércitoEscola de Saúde do ExércitoBrazilian Society of UrologyUNIFESP, Escola de Saúde do ExércitoSciEL

Trabalho, tempo livre e lazer: o elogio à educação e a cultura

In this essay we propose a discussion about the directions that define, nowadays, work, free time and leisure. However incoherent it may be and in the opposite direction of what we would like it to be, it is the work that dictates, more and more, the rules that lead us to use our time out of itself. Therefore, free time is not significant, it doesn´t get enough importance and it is placed in lower levels in the process of our existence. So, we want to emphasize its importance, as a fundamental stage in the process of human development. Emphasizing the compliment to education as a possibility to become aware about the individual, and the compliment to culture as a way to provide people the condition to add and to improve themselves and, consequently, the world, through their free actions and criticism (creative and pleasurable).CIEC – Research Centre on Child Studies, UM (FCT R&D 317

A neuronal network of mitochondrial dynamics regulates metastasis.

The role of mitochondria in cancer is controversial. Using a genome-wide shRNA screen, we now show that tumours reprogram a network of mitochondrial dynamics operative in neurons, including syntaphilin (SNPH), kinesin KIF5B and GTPase Miro1/2 to localize mitochondria to the cortical cytoskeleton and power the membrane machinery of cell movements. When expressed in tumours, SNPH inhibits the speed and distance travelled by individual mitochondria, suppresses organelle dynamics, and blocks chemotaxis and metastasis, in vivo. Tumour progression in humans is associated with downregulation or loss of SNPH, which correlates with shortened patient survival, increased mitochondrial trafficking to the cortical cytoskeleton, greater membrane dynamics and heightened cell invasion. Therefore, a SNPH network regulates metastatic competence and may provide a therapeutic target in cancer

Self-Equilibrium state of V-Expander Tensegrity Beam

In this paper, we study an innovative class of tensegrity beams, obtained by a suitable assembly of elementary V-Expander tensegrity cells along a longitudinal axis in the three-dimensional space. Tensegrity structures, made by struts in compression and cables in tension, are an innovative structures by itself: they are similar only in appearance to conventional pin-joint structures (trusses), and their mechanics is strongly related to initial feasible self-stress states induced in absence of external loads. In particular, from a kinematical point of view these self-stress states avoid the activation of possible infinitesimal mechanisms. By a numerical study, we analyze the feasible self-stress states for lightweight tensegrity beams made by a suitable assembly of V-Expander elementary cells. Moreover, we analyze the influence on the feasible self-stress states of the addition of struts or cables starting from the simplest V-Expander configuration

Use of the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing tool to evaluate the healing of chronic leg ulcers

INTRODUCTION: In the present study, we aimed to describe the evolution of the healing of chronic leg ulcers using the Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) tool. METHODS: The data were collected from July 2010 to May 2011. The inclusion of patients in the study followed the order of arrival. The lesion was evaluated weekly according to the PUSH tool. RESULTS: The study included 15 (30%) patients with diabetes and foot ulcers and 35 (70%) patients with venous ulcers. At the beginning of the data collection process, the average ulcer length and width were 9.26 cm² (range, 12.1-24.0 cm²). At 9 months of treatment, the average ulcer length and width was 2.04 cm² (range, 0.3-0.6 cm²). At the beginning of the study, the average amount of exudate was 1.71 (moderate amount), whereas at 9 months after the beginning of treatment, the average amount of exudate was 0.14 (absence of exudate). At 9 months of treatment, 19 (38%) patients had closed ulcers, 17 (34%) had ulcers with granulation tissue, and 14 (28%) had ulcers with epithelialized tissue. CONCLUSIONS: Use of the PUSH tool enabled monitoring of the ulcer healing process through the evaluation of length vs. width, exudate amount, and type of tissue present in the wound, thus favoring the selection of the correct dressing for each stage of wound healing.INTRODUÇÃO: O objetivo deste estudo é descrever a evolução da cicatrização de úlcera crônica de perna, utilizando o instrumento Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH). MÉTODO: Os dados foram coletados no período de julho de 2010 a maio de 2011. A inclusão dos pacientes no estudo obedeceu à ordem de chegada. A lesão foi avaliada semanalmente, sendo aplicada a escala PUSH. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos no estudo 15 (30%) pacientes diabéticos com pé ulcerado e 35 (70%) pacientes com úlcera venosa. No início da coleta dos dados, a média do comprimento e da largura foi de 9,26, caracterizando que a lesão mensurava de 12,1 cm² a 24 cm². Com 9 meses de tratamento, a úlcera apresentou média de comprimento e de largura de 2,04, caracterizando que a lesão mensurava de 0,3 cm² a 0,6 cm². Com relação à quantidade do exsudato, no início da coleta de dados a média foi de 1,71, caracterizando que a lesão apresentava quantidade moderada e, 9 meses após o início do tratamento, houve redução do exsudato, com média de 0,14, significando ausência de exsudato. Aos 9 meses de tratamento, 19 (38%) pacientes apresentavam úlcera fechada; 17 (34%), úlceras com tecido de granulação; e 14 (28%), tecido epitelizado. CONCLUSÕES: O instrumento PUSH possibilitou acompanhar o processo de cicatrização da lesão por meio da avaliação de comprimento versus largura, quantidade do exsudato e tipo de tecido existente na ferida, favorecendo, assim, a escolha da cobertura ideal para cada fase da cicatrização.Universidade do Vale do SapucaíUNIVÁSUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPMSciEL