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This article aims to identify some socio cultural changes in native families that can be associated with the beginning of rural tourism activities at their farm, “Pousada do Cavalinho” (Horse´s Inn). This is a fancy name to preserve the identity of interviewees according to social sciences ethics. These changes were observed using participative observation method and interviews were held in order to learn from the actors´ voice. Basic concepts in this research are rural tourism, puriactivity as a way to cope with rural production problems in Brazil, and tourism as a factor of cultural change

O trabalho busca, através da atualidade do conceito de indústria cultural, demonstrar as contribuições da Teoria Crítica para os estudos de comunicação, em particular, para a identificação do processo de heteronomia cultural, hierarquização dos artefatos e universalização de padrões estéticos. Toma como referência a produção jornalística para verificar, na construção da notícia, a apropriação da racionalidade técnica e explora a questão da violência na perspectiva de que ela não se esgota com o enunciado da mensagem, mas deve ser compreendida também nas condições de sua produção. A estetização da realidade, a mediação tecnológica e a relação entre sensibilidade e experiência complementam a exposição.

The cumulative and definitive nature of chronic cardiotoxicity of anthracyclines requires a preventive strategy of early diagnosis. The authors undertook a prospective study of the association of echocardiography, mitral Doppler and pulsed Doppler tissue imaging of the left ventricular lateral and posterior walls in the context of this problem in 20 patients without cardiac disease undergoing cancer chemotherapy including anthracyclines. Doppler echocardiography was performed before the first session of chemotherapy and at the end of treatment, 6 +/- 4 months later. After a total cumulative dose of 227 +/- 91 mg/m2 of doxorubicine, there were no changes in left ventricular ejection fraction but a significant decrease in mitral E wave velocity (p = 0.04) and in E/A ratio (p = 0.01), suggesting early changes in left ventricular relaxation. The Doppler tissue examination confirmed the presence of radial and longitudinal abnormalities in myocardial relaxation (decreases in myocardial E wave velocities of the posterior and lateral walls of the left ventricle, p = 0.02 and p = 0.01, respectively). The peak velocity of the myocardial systolic wave (Sm) was significantly decreased in the lateral wall (p = 0.02) and approached statistical significance in the posterior wall (p = 0.07). These results suggest concomitant changes in myocardial systolic and diastolic function with moderate doses of anthracyclines. Therefore, pulsed Doppler tissue examination enables earlier detection of left ventricular cardiotoxicity with anthracyclines than classical echocardiographic parameters.

Nutritional assistance was given by percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy to 174 patients with neurological diseases (80 cases), tumours of the ear, nose and throat (ENT) region (70 cases) or malnutrition (24 elderly people). These patients had either deglutition disorders with inhalation or severe malnutrition, or could not tolerate a nasogastric tube. The endoscopic catheter (Bioser) was installed by the pull technique under general anaesthesia (26 percent), neuroleptanalgesia (16 percent), premedication (14 percent) or without sedation (44 percent). Installation was possible in 98 percent of the cases. Twenty-nine percent of the patients were treated in an outpatient clinic. The problems encountered (21 percent) were mainly due to blockade of the flange and rupture of the thread. Transoperative accidents, such as dyspnoea, bleeding or cardiac arrest, all without sequelae, were noted in 5 percent of the cases. The catheter remained in situ for a mean period of 3.9 +/- 0.3 months (range: 0.1 to 20 months). The following complications were observed: short-term (15 percent), hyperthermia (5), local infection (6), abscess of the abdominal wall (3), meteorism (9), pneumoperitoneum (1), subocclusion (2); long-term (25 percent), inflammatory reactions (13), leakage (19), catheter displacement (8) and catheter rupture (3). Local infections were more frequent in patients with ENT tumours than in the others. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is a fast and reliable technique preferable to surgical gastrostomy. Complications are frequent (46 percent) but usually minor (42 percent). Contra-indications must be respected, and the catheter must be introduced with the utmost care.