Dyspnea is a common complaint in individuals with class II or III obesity. Such individuals present a pronounced reduction in expiratory reserve volume and an increase in the alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient. The correlations found suggest that obese individuals present dysfunction of the lower airways, and that obesity itself plays a role in the genesis of dyspnea.

Objective: To translate the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS) to Portuguese, to submit it to crosscultural adaptation for use in Brazil and to evaluate the test-retest reliability of the translated version. Methods: An English-language version of the MRSS was translated to Portuguese by Brazilian doctors who have thorough knowledge of the English language. A consensus version was produced by a multidisciplinary group including two pulmonologists, a psychiatrist and a psychologist. This version was back-translated to English by an American translator. Cross-cultural adaptation of the final version was evaluated in a sample of 20 healthy smokers. Testretest reliability was evaluated by applying the translated version of the scale in 54 healthy smokers on two distinct occasions, 15 days apart. Results: This translated version of the MRSS was well understood by 95% of the smokers, indicating excellent cross-cultural equivalence. The degree of reliability of the answers in two different occasions was almost perfect for two questions, substantial for ten questions, moderate for eight questions, and low for one question. The intraclass correlation coefficients of the motivational factors obtained on the two different occasions, calculated according to previously published theoretical models, were higher than 0.7 for six of the seven subscales. Conclusions:The Portuguese-language version of the MRSS shows satisfactory cross-cultural equivalence and test-retest reliability. It can be a useful tool in the evaluation and treatment of smokers in Brazil.Keywords: Smoking cessation; Scales; Translations; Validation studies. ResumoObjetivo: Traduzir, fazer a adaptação cultural e testar a confiabilidade teste-reteste de uma versão em língua portuguesa da Escala Razões Para Fumar Modificada (ERPFM) para uso no Brasil. Métodos: Uma versão em língua inglesa da ERPFM foi traduzida por médicos brasileiros com profundo conhecimento sobre a língua inglesa. Uma versão de consenso foi obtida por grupo multidisciplinar composto por dois pneumologistas, um psiquiatra e um psicólogo. Essa versão foi traduzida de volta ao inglês por um tradutor americano. A avaliação da adaptação cultural da versão final foi efetuada em uma amostra de 20 fumantes saudáveis. A avaliação da confiabilidade teste-reteste foi feita pela aplicação da versão traduzida da escala em 54 fumantes saudáveis em duas ocasiões separadas por 15 dias. Resultados: Essa versão traduzida da ERPFM exibiu excelente identidade cultural, sendo bem compreendida por 95% dos fumantes. Os graus de concordância das respostas em duas ocasiões distintas foram quase perfeito para duas questões, substancial para dez questões, moderado para oito questões e discreto para uma questão. Os valores dos coeficientes de correlação intraclasse dos fatores motivacionais em duas ocasiões, empregando-se modelos teóricos previamente publicados, foram superiores a 0,7 em seis dos sete domínios. Conclusões: A presente versão da ERPFM exibe identidade cultural e confiabilidade teste-retest...

Objective: To develop a new scale aimed at evaluating smoking motivation by incorporating questions and domains from the 68-item Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68) into the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS). Methods: Nine WISDM-68 questions regarding affiliative attachment, cue exposure/associative processes, and weight control were added to the 21 questions of the MRSS. The new scale, together with the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), was administered to 311 smokers (214 males; mean age = 37.6 ± 10.8 years; mean number of cigarettes smoked per day = 15.0 ± 9.2), who also provided additional information. We used exploratory factor analysis in order to determine the factor structure of the scale. The influence that certain clinical features had on the scores of the final factor solution was also analyzed. Results:The factor analysis revealed a 21-question solution grouped into nine factors: addiction, pleasure from smoking, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, handling, social smoking, weight control, and affiliative attachment. For the overall scale, the Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.83. Females scored significantly higher for addiction, tension reduction, handling, weight control, and affiliative attachment than did males. The FTND score correlated positively with addiction, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, social smoking, and affiliative attachment. The number of cigarettes smoked per day was associated with addiction, tension reduction, stimulation, automatism, affiliative attachment, and handling. The level of exhaled CO correlated positively with addiction, automatism, and affiliative attachment. Conclusions: The new scale provides an acceptable framework of motivational factors for smoking, with satisfactory psychometric properties and reliability. ResumoObjetivo: Desenvolver uma nova escala voltada para a avaliação da motivação para fumar, incorporando questões do 68-item Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68, Inventário Wisconsin dos Motivos de Dependência ao Fumo, de 68 itens) na Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS. Escala Razões para Fumar Modificada). Métodos: Nove questões do WISDM-68 relativas à associação estreita, exposição a gatilhos/ processos associativos e controle de peso foram incorporadas às 21 questões da MRSS. Um total de 311 fumantes (214 homens; idade média = 37,6 ± 10,8 anos; média de cigarros consumidos ao dia = 15,0 ± 9,2) responderam a nova escala, o Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND, Teste de Fagerström para Dependência de Nicotina) e outras questões. Empregamos a análise fatorial exploratória para determinar a estrutura fatorial da escala. A influência de algumas características clínicas nos escores da solução fatorial final foi também avaliada. Resultados: A análise fatorial revelou uma solução com 21 questões agrupadas em nove fatores: dependência, prazer de fumar, redução da tensão, estimulação, automatismo, manuseio, tabagismo social, controle de peso e assoc...

The USP-RSS subscales Addiction, Pleasure From Smoking, and Social Smoking were important factors for adolescent smoking. Comparisons with adult smokers stressed the importance of the component of Social Smoking. The identification of distinctive factors that drive teenagers to smoke might help in making decisions dealing with interventions aimed at smoking cessation and control.

The higher proportion of smokers among Black people in Brazil has been attributed to socioeconomic disparities, but genetic factors could also contribute for this finding. This study aimed at investigating associations between smoking status with genetically defined ethnic ancestry and socioeconomic features in Brazilians. Blood samples were collected from 448 volunteers (66.7% male; age: 37.1±11.4 years) classified as current smokers (CS: 60.9%), former smokers (FS: 8.9%) and never smokers (NS: 30.1%). Individual interethnic admixtures were determined using a 48 insertion-deletion polymorphisms ancestryinformative-marker panel. CS showed a lower amount of European ancestry than NS (0.837±0.243 X 0.883±0.194, p≤0.05) and FS (0.837±0.243 X 0.864±0.230, p≤0.05), and a higher proportion of African Sub-Saharan ancestry than FS (0.128±0.222 X 0.07±0.174, p≤0.05) and NS (0.128±0.222 X 0.085±0.178, p≤0.05). NS reported a higher number of years in school than CS (11.2±3.7 X 8.9±3.8, p≤0.001). CS were less common in economic Class A (30%) and more common in Class B (56.8%). In multivariate analysis, only lower number of school years and lower economic class were associated with higher chances for CS. The use of genetic molecular markers for characterizing ethnic background confirmed that socioeconomic disparities are the main determinants of higher smoking rates among Blacks in Brazil.

Objective. To characterize the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Brazilian version of the Modified Reasons for Smoking Scale (MRSS). MethOds. The sample consisted of 311 smokers (214 male; mean age: 37.6 ± 10.8 years), who came to Hemocentro de Ribeirão Preto to donate blood. Volunteers answered 21 items of the Brazilian version of the MRSS, Fagerström test, and the Brazilian Criterion of Economic Classification. Scores of MRSS items were evaluated based on their grouping, employing exploratory factorial analysis. The influence of clinical features over the final factorial solution scores was also investigated. Results. Factorial analysis led to the characterization of seven factors: dependence, stimulation, pleasure to smoke, hand-mouth activity, social interaction, tension reduction/relaxation, and habit/ automatism. Four questions were excluded due to factorial loadings below 0.3. The final version was made up of 17 items showing a minimal factorial loading of 0.376. Women showed high scores in dependence (3.5 X 3.1), tension reduction/relaxation (4.1 X 3.5), and hand-mouth activity (2.4 X 2.0). Lower Fagerström test scores were associated to low scores in dependence, tension reduction/ relaxation, habit/automatism and stimulation. cOnclusiOn: The Brazilian version of the MRSS, comprised of 17 items, showed satisfactory factorial structure and psychometric properties.

Alguns matizes desse percurso multifacetado são enfatizados pelos treze artigos que compõem o dossiê temático da obra. Os artigos, com focos diversos, além de discutirem questões pertinentes à diacronia da língua portuguesa, contribuem para a formação de um painel sobre a identidade linguística do português brasileiro e, consequentemente, motivam reflexões sobre as origens, características, formação vernácula lexical, morfologia, sintaxe e variação do português no Brasil. Os artigos, nessa perspectiva, trazem, à roda de discussões, assuntos concernentes aos estudos de diversos fenômenos significativos para a compreensão da história evolutiva da língua. A elaboração dos mesmos é resultado de leituras e investigações de estudiosos que acolhem a pesquisa em seu fazer pedagógico, com o objetivo de elucidar e argumentar sobre o importante papel da história para a compreensão do fenômeno linguístico como parte integrante da cultura de um povo. A obra, além da divulgação de estudos realizados com base em pesquisas pedagógicas que, ultrapassando a empiria, recorre ao conhecimento científico, constitui-se em instrumental passível de ser fonte de estudos para outros pesquisadores que também estejam preocupados em desvendar, ainda mais, sobre a trajetória da língua Portuguesa falada no Brasil.

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