<p>Eosinophil granulocytes are tissue dwelling leukocytes that are implicated in host defence, particularly against helminthic parasites; they also participate in most inflammatory disorders. Although eosinophils have important roles in host defence mechanisms, their actions can also be harmful to the host as in the allergic inflammation where lung epithelium is destructed due to the release of toxic granule proteins. </p><p>The focus of the present thesis work has been to characterize the molecular and functional heterogeneity of the granule protein Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP). We investigated a coding ECP gene polymorphism (arg97thr) in an African population endemically exposed to the <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> parasite and found a correlation between ECP genotype and disease manifestations; ECP^97arg was more effective in terms of host defence against the parasite, but was also correlated to development of liver fibrosis in infected subjects. </p><p>We purified ECP^97arg and ECP^97thr from healthy blood donors and showed that they differ in their cytotoxic activities; ECP^97arg was cytotoxic whereas ECP^97thr was non-cytotoxic. They did not differ in terms of RNase activity or in their ability to stimulate fibroblast-mediated collagen gel contraction. </p><p>We developed a new SELDI-TOF MS assay to enable the study of the structure of ECP in more detail and showed that ECP is produced in several glycosylated forms, and that the degree of glycosylation determines the cytotoxic activity. Enzymatic deglycosylation significantly enhanced the cytotoxic activity of highly glycosylated ECP-variants.</p><p>To summarize, in this thesis we demonstrated that the cytotoxic activity of ECP is dependent on both a gene polymorphism and post-translational modifications, and that the cytotoxic activity is distinct from other functions of ECP. We speculate that ECP is synthesised in heavily glycosylated variants as a means to protect the host from its harmful effects and that ECP is activated by deglycosylation when required at the site of inflammation.</p>

Thesis (Ph.D. (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a virtually incurable B cell malignancy of the bone marrow. One important part of tumor progression and an obstacle for successful therapy is resistance to apoptosis. To combat this resistance, the mechanisms of apoptosis and survival in MM must be better defined. In this thesis, we identified Fas up-regulation as a mechanism underlying interferon (IFN)-mediated sensitization to Fas-induced apoptosis in the MM cell line U-266-1970. IFN treatment induced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)1 but, intriguingly, also attenuated activation of MM survival factor Stat3. Exploring the role of Stat1 further, we established sub-lines of U-266-1970 with a stable over-expression of Stat1 and of its active mutant Stat1C. These sub-lines displayed a decreased expression and activation of Stat3, and an altered expression of apoptosis-related genes Harakiri, Bcl-2 and Mcl-1. In a drug library screening, Stat1 over-expression was associated with an increased sensitivity to Fas-induced apoptosis and, conversely, an increased resistance to several drugs, including the cyclin dependent kinase (cdk)1 inhibitor CGP74514A. We conclude that Stat1 over-expression does not confer a general resistance or sensitivity to apoptosis in MM, but may strongly affect the response to some specific drugs. We also explored the effects of picropodophyllin (PPP), an inhibitor of the insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), in MM. PPP selectively inhibited the IGF-I RTK activity without inhibiting the insulin RTK activity. Furthermore, PPP potently induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in all MM cell lines and patient samples tested, also in the presence of survival factors IGF-I and IL-6. We conclude that PPP has great therapeutic potential in MM Finally, we examined the expression and regulation of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) in a panel of MM cell lines and patient samples. The glucocorticoid dexamethasone, which is used in MM therapy, induced a transient up-regulation and a subsequent down-regulation of c-IAP2, as well as a down-regulation of XIAP, possibly influencing the sensitivity to apoptosis induced by this drug. Supporting this notion, abrogation of IGF-IR signaling by PPP, which sensitizes MM cells to dexamethasone-induced apoptosis, enhanced the down-regulation of c-IAP2 and XIAP.

Eosinophil granulocytes are tissue dwelling leukocytes that are implicated in host defence, particularly against helminthic parasites; they also participate in most inflammatory disorders. Although eosinophils have important roles in host defence mechanisms, their actions can also be harmful to the host as in the allergic inflammation where lung epithelium is destructed due to the release of toxic granule proteins. The focus of the present thesis work has been to characterize the molecular and functional heterogeneity of the granule protein Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP). We investigated a coding ECP gene polymorphism (arg97thr) in an African population endemically exposed to the Schistosoma mansoni parasite and found a correlation between ECP genotype and disease manifestations; ECP97arg was more effective in terms of host defence against the parasite, but was also correlated to development of liver fibrosis in infected subjects. We purified ECP97arg and ECP97thr from healthy blood donors and showed that they differ in their cytotoxic activities; ECP97arg was cytotoxic whereas ECP97thr was non-cytotoxic. They did not differ in terms of RNase activity or in their ability to stimulate fibroblast-mediated collagen gel contraction. We developed a new SELDI-TOF MS assay to enable the study of the structure of ECP in more detail and showed that ECP is produced in several glycosylated forms, and that the degree of glycosylation determines the cytotoxic activity. Enzymatic deglycosylation significantly enhanced the cytotoxic activity of highly glycosylated ECP-variants. To summarize, in this thesis we demonstrated that the cytotoxic activity of ECP is dependent on both a gene polymorphism and post-translational modifications, and that the cytotoxic activity is distinct from other functions of ECP. We speculate that ECP is synthesised in heavily glycosylated variants as a means to protect the host from its harmful effects and that ECP is activated by deglycosylation when required at the site of inflammation.

The aim of this thesis titled "Zeolites as key-components for electronics and biomedicine" is the synthesis, functionalization and applications of zeolite-L particles for applications in electronics and biomedicine. This thesis is organized into 8 chapters, starting in chapter 1 with giving a general overview about nanotechnology and biomedicine. After that the concept of using nanocontainer in biomedicine are briefly discussed. In the following the nanocontainer zeolite-L is introduced and a summary of zeolite- L for applications in nanomedicine is given. Finally, the self-assembly of zeolites in monolayers and their further functionalization is discussed. Chapter 2 describes the zeolite-L synthesis, functionalization and their assembly into functional materials in detail. Three different types of zeolite-L have been used in this thesis: Nanozeolite-L particles with a size of just a few tenths of nanometers, disc-shaped zeolite-L with a diameter of around 200 nm and micrometer sized crystals with a length of about 1000 nm. Then different methods to functionalize the crystals with the desired groups and to obtain specific properties of the crystals are reported. In detail, the exchange with different counter cations, the insertion of guest molecules and the functionalization of the external crystal surface are reported. Finally the assembly into monolayers and their further functionalization by soft lithography is discussed. [...]

The process for the incorporation, integration or collaboration of traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa was marred by an array of mixed attitudes from all the parties concerned, namely traditional healers, patients, biomedical personnel, and the policy makers. The variety of approaches for inclusion of the traditional healers into the National Health Care System of South Africa was a further indication of the complexity of the situation. The possibility of functioning together between traditional healers and biomedical personnel existed before 1990 when the two groups met in Johannesburg in 1986 to discuss ways by which functioning together can be established. A series of meetings and discussions followed after which came the promulgation of the Chiropractors Homeopaths and Allied Health Services Professionals Act of 1996, which gives traditional healers their due recognition but does not include them as part of health care providers. The process of functioning together is a recommendation made by the World Health Organization and the most used terms for this functioning together is, incorporation, integration and collaboration. The process of incorporation can be realised by ensuring that both biomedical personnel and traditional healers remain autonomous, not controlling each other, respecting the existence of one another, as well as each other's own methods of healing. Integration was another method whereby the two health care systems can function together, even though integration differs in context from incorporation. Integration means that the traditional healers will have to function within the health care system under the directions of the biomedical personnel, whereby the patient receives a combination of both treatment methods depending on the problem or diagnosis. The third modality of getting the two health care systems to function together could be by collaboration. Collaboration was seen as a two sided effort whereby the healing methods of one are brought to fore and the most effective one is chosen to cure the patient's identified problem at that time. For the process of functioning together to be meaningful, it was necessary to get the government to review licensing the traditional healer's practices, so as to identify the healing techniques that are of value and use these to treat the patients. It was not really possible to clearly separate the three approaches because they all addressed the issue of having the two health care systems function together to increase health care services and fulfil the patients' health needs. For the purpose of this research the word incorporation was used. In South Africa the traditional healer is identified as the health care choice of 80-9036 of the black population. If this large number of black people uses traditional healing, then it becomes necessary to investigate the manner in which the traditional healer can be utilized effectively in the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa to render the services that the patient needs for his/her health needs. It is for this reason that the researcher aimed at investigating the existing models of incorporation of traditional healers, the perceptions and attitudes of the traditional healers, biomedical personnel, patients and the policy makers regarding incorporation, their views on how this incorporation should be achieved, as well as how the incorporation of traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa could be realised. A qualitative research design and theory generating approach was followed, and the research was conducted in two stages. In stage one qualitative research, participants were traditional healers, biomedical personnel, patients and policy makers, selected by means of non-probable purposive voluntary sampling. Data was collected by means of conducting semi-structured interviews with all the participants in the three identified provinces of South Africa. Field notes were recorded after each interview session. Data analysis was achieved by open coding. A co-coder and the researcher analysed the data independently after which consensus discussions took place to finalise the analysed data. Ethical principles were applied according to the guidelines of the Democratic Nurses Organisation of South Africa and the Department of Health. The second stage which was a theory generation approach, was used to formulate a model for the incorporation of the traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South African. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

The process for the incorporation, integration or collaboration of traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa was marred by an array of mixed attitudes from all the parties concerned, namely traditional healers, patients, biomedical personnel, and the policy makers. The variety of approaches for inclusion of the traditional healers into the National Health Care System of South Africa was a further indication of the complexity of the situation. The possibility of functioning together between traditional healers and biomedical personnel existed before 1990 when the two groups met in Johannesburg in 1986 to discuss ways by which functioning together can be established. A series of meetings and discussions followed after which came the promulgation of the Chiropractors Homeopaths and Allied Health Services Professionals Act of 1996, which gives traditional healers their due recognition but does not include them as part of health care providers. The process of functioning together is a recommendation made by the World Health Organization and the most used terms for this functioning together is, incorporation, integration and collaboration. The process of incorporation can be realised by ensuring that both biomedical personnel and traditional healers remain autonomous, not controlling each other, respecting the existence of one another, as well as each other's own methods of healing. Integration was another method whereby the two health care systems can function together, even though integration differs in context from incorporation. Integration means that the traditional healers will have to function within the health care system under the directions of the biomedical personnel, whereby the patient receives a combination of both treatment methods depending on the problem or diagnosis. The third modality of getting the two health care systems to function together could be by collaboration. Collaboration was seen as a two sided effort whereby the healing methods of one are brought to fore and the most effective one is chosen to cure the patient's identified problem at that time. For the process of functioning together to be meaningful, it was necessary to get the government to review licensing the traditional healer's practices, so as to identify the healing techniques that are of value and use these to treat the patients. It was not really possible to clearly separate the three approaches because they all addressed the issue of having the two health care systems function together to increase health care services and fulfil the patients' health needs. For the purpose of this research the word incorporation was used. In South Africa the traditional healer is identified as the health care choice of 80-9036 of the black population. If this large number of black people uses traditional healing, then it becomes necessary to investigate the manner in which the traditional healer can be utilized effectively in the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa to render the services that the patient needs for his/her health needs. It is for this reason that the researcher aimed at investigating the existing models of incorporation of traditional healers, the perceptions and attitudes of the traditional healers, biomedical personnel, patients and the policy makers regarding incorporation, their views on how this incorporation should be achieved, as well as how the incorporation of traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South Africa could be realised. A qualitative research design and theory generating approach was followed, and the research was conducted in two stages. In stage one qualitative research, participants were traditional healers, biomedical personnel, patients and policy makers, selected by means of non-probable purposive voluntary sampling. Data was collected by means of conducting semi-structured interviews with all the participants in the three identified provinces of South Africa. Field notes were recorded after each interview session. Data analysis was achieved by open coding. A co-coder and the researcher analysed the data independently after which consensus discussions took place to finalise the analysed data. Ethical principles were applied according to the guidelines of the Democratic Nurses Organisation of South Africa and the Department of Health. The second stage which was a theory generation approach, was used to formulate a model for the incorporation of the traditional healers into the National Health Care Delivery System of South African. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Nursing))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Esta pesquisa visa problematizar a síndrome pré-menstrual (SPM) enquanto entidade biomédica a-histórica tornada evidente a partir do preenchimento de critérios diagnósticos. O ponto de partida é a hipótese de que o modelo biomédico de explicação da SPM incorpora e reproduz os padrões sociais vigentes que insistem em visões estereotipadas dos gêneros em função da diferenciação biológica dos sexos. A partir de uma reflexão sobre a construção do fato científico e da preponderância do discurso biomédico na compreensão dos corpos, emoções e comportamentos femininos, analisamos as mudanças históricas ocorridas nessa visão considerada reducionista. No final do século XVIII e início do XIX, a essência da feminilidade era localizada no útero; a partir de meados do século XIX, os ovários passaram a ser considerados a fonte das doenças das mulheres, inclusive as nervosas e mentais. No início do século XX começou a ocorrer uma mudança nos discursos biomédicos e a essência da feminilidade passou a ser localizada em substâncias químicas denominadas hormônios. Desde então o organismo feminino tornou-se cada vez mais representado como controlado pelos hormônios, reificando a crença de que as mulheres são cíclicas e em determinados períodos, instáveis, irracionais e, portanto, não confiáveis. Essa ênfase nos hormônios coincide com a primeira descrição, em 1931, do que era chamado tensão pré-menstrual. Na década de 1950, a terminologia mudou para síndrome pré-menstrual. Inicialmente foi compreendida como diretamente produzida pelos hormônios femininos, mas não há evidência empírica que comprove esta hipótese. Após 80 anos de pesquisas, não se encontrou um marcador biológico ou teste bioquímico que possa ser utilizado para o diagnóstico. Os próprios critérios diagnósticos não são consensuais entre os pesquisadores, pois foram descritos mais de 200 sintomas que incidem de forma variada e inconstante. Não se conhece ainda o mecanismo etiopatogênico e alguns autores questionam a própria existência da síndrome enquanto entidade biomédica e apresentam visões feministas e sócio-culturais para a compreensão do fenômeno. Muitas mulheres, entretanto, afirmam ter TPM (nomenclatura mais comum nos meios leigos). Para aprofundar esta questão e ampliar nossa compreensão, a análise de artigos biomédicos recentes (2000 a 2011) sobre a SPM foi confrontada com a experiência direta ou indireta da TPM em mulheres de camadas médias da população. Com este objetivo, foram analisados artigos científicos sobre a SPM selecionados a partir de um levantamento no PubMed, ferramenta de buscas online, e realizadas entrevistas individuais em profundidade, abertas, semi-estruturadas com mulheres em idade reprodutiva selecionadas através do sistema de amostragem conhecido como bola de neve (snow ball). Após a análise tanto dos artigos científicos quanto das entrevistas, concluímos que apesar de pressupostos comuns que a biologia determina diferenças de gênero naturais e universais entre homens e mulheres a SPM dos artigos biomédicos e a TPM das mulheres não coincidem. Sem desconsiderar as sensações desagradáveis, os problemas e o sofrimento das mulheres que afirmam ter TPM, os resultados deste estudo apontam para uma realidade complexa que enseja mais pesquisa em direção a descrições menos reducionistas destas experiências femininas / This research aims at putting in doubt the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) problem as an ahistorical biomedical entity made evident from the fulfilling of diagnostic criteria. The starting point is the hypothesis that the biomedical model for the explanation of PMS incorporates and reproduces the existing social patterns that insist in stereotypical views of genders due to the biological differentiation of sexes. Upon reflecting about the construction of the scientific fact and the prevalence of the biomedical statement in the understanding of the female body, emotion and behavior, we analyzed historical changes of this vision, regarded as reductionist. At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, the essence of womanhood was located in the womb; from the mid 19th century, the ovaries began to be considered the root of womens diseases, including nervous and mental ones. At the beginning of the 20th century a change in the biomedical statements started to happen and the essence of womanhood was then located in chemical substances denominated hormones. Since then the female body became more and more represented as one controlled by hormones, reifying the belief that women are cyclical and in some moments, unstable, irrational and, therefore, not trustworthy. This emphasis on hormones coincides with the first description, in 1931, of what was called premenstrual tension. In the 1950s, the terminology changed to premenstrual syndrome. Initially, it was understood as being directly produced by the female hormones, but there is no empirical evidence that proves this hypothesis. After 80 years of research, no biological marker or biochemical test that could be used for this diagnosis has been found. The very diagnostic criteria are not consensual among researchers, as more than 200 symptoms that take place in a variable and inconstant manner have been described. The etiopathogenic mechanism is still not known and some authors question the very existence of the syndrome as a biomedical entity and present feminist and socio-cultural views for the understanding of the phenomenon. A great number of women, however, claim to have PMT (most common nonprofessional nomenclature). In order to expand this subject and increase our understanding, the analysis of recent biomedical articles (2000 to 2011) about PMS was confronted with the direct or indirect experience of PMT in women of the average general population. With this in mind, scientific articles about PMS, selected from cited research in PubMed - an online search engine tool - were analyzed, and in depth, open and semi-structured individual interviews were performed with women in reproductive age, who were selected by using the sampling system known as snow ball. After analyzing the articles, as well as the interviews, we conclude that in spite of common assumptions that biology determines natural and universal gender differences between men and women the PMS of the biomedical articles and womens PMT do not match. Without undermining the unpleasant sensations, the problems, and the suffering of women that claim to have PMT, the results of this study point to a complex reality which requires more research aiming at reaching less reductionist descriptions of these female experiences

Submitted by Cristiane de Melo Shirayama (cristiane.shirayama@unifesp.br) on 2018-05-07T21:42:56Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Karine Assumpção.pdf: 4084155 bytes, checksum: a08861e5570fc71384e8e355f5eb49cc (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Cristiane de Melo Shirayama (cristiane.shirayama@unifesp.br) on 2018-05-10T19:56:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Karine Assumpção.pdf: 4084155 bytes, checksum: a08861e5570fc71384e8e355f5eb49cc (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-10T19:56:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Karine Assumpção.pdf: 4084155 bytes, checksum: a08861e5570fc71384e8e355f5eb49cc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-06-27 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / A partir da análise das problemáticas envolvidas nas relações de negociação de cura estabelecidas antes e depois do Subsistema de Saúde Indígena do Sistema Único de Saúde (SASISUS) no Brasil, o foco desta dissertação recai sobre a relação existente, há quase cinquenta anos, entre os profissionais de saúde não-indígenas do Projeto Xingu, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), atualmente parte integrante da Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), e as populações indígenas, principalmente os povos que vivem no Baixo, Médio e Leste Xingu. Assim, através de observações participativas em locais de ação do Projeto Xingu, tanto em São Paulo como na Terra Indígena do Xingu (TIX), além de entrevistas com os protagonistas, foi possível perceber como, no movimento concomitante de acessar seus códigos e incorporar alguns códigos indígenas, os profissionais ligados ao Projeto Xingu ressignificam a biomedicina, as políticas públicas em saúde e a formação biomédica. Ao experimentarem os valores e noções indígenas, se tornando branquígenas, os profissionais não-indígenas há mais tempo envolvidos nessa relação começam a enxergar o limiar entre salvar vidas e salvar (respeitar) a diversidade cultural, transitando de um a outro lado dessa liminaridade através do conceito ampliado de saúde e de bem-estar (cultural). Tornam-se, assim, mediadores políticos especialistas em problemas de comunicação (comunicose), “doença” endêmica em contextos interculturais como o da saúde indígena. / From an analysis of the problems involving healing negotiation established before and after the Indigenous Health Subsystem of the Unified Health System in Brazil, this study focuses on the relationship established nearly fifty years ago among non-indigenous health professionals of the Xingu Project, of the Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), currently part of São Paulo Federal University (UNIFESP), and the indigenous people, especially those living in the Lower, Middle and East of Xingu. Thus, through active observations at the Xingu Project, both in São Paulo and in the Xingu Indigenous Land, along with interviews with the protagonists, it was possible to see that, with a concomitant movement of accessing their codes and incorporating some Indian codes, the professionals associated with the Xingu Project resignify biomedicine, the public health policies and biomedical education itself. As the non-indigenous professionals who have been involved longer in this relationship experience the indigenous values and ideas , (becoming branquígenas) they begin to see the threshold between saving lives and saving (respecting ) cultural diversity , moving from one side to another of this liminality through an expanded concept of health and (cultural) wellness. These professionals thus become political mediators, experts in communication problems (comunicose), that is endemic "disease" in intercultural contexts such as indigenous health.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Rio de Janeiro / Esta pesquisa visa problematizar a síndrome pré-menstrual (SPM) enquanto entidade biomédica a-histórica tornada evidente a partir do preenchimento de critérios diagnósticos. O ponto de partida é a hipótese de que o modelo biomédico de explicação da SPM incorpora e reproduz os padrões sociais vigentes que insistem em visões estereotipadas dos gêneros em função da diferenciação biológica dos sexos. A partir de uma reflexão sobre a construção do fato científico e da preponderância do discurso biomédico na compreensão dos corpos, emoções e comportamentos femininos, analisamos as mudanças históricas ocorridas nessa visão considerada reducionista. No final do século XVIII e início do XIX, a essência da feminilidade era localizada no útero; a partir de meados do século XIX, os ovários passaram a ser considerados a fonte das doenças das mulheres, inclusive as nervosas e mentais. No início do século XX começou a ocorrer uma mudança nos discursos biomédicos e a essência da feminilidade passou a ser localizada em substâncias químicas denominadas hormônios. Desde então o organismo feminino tornou-se cada vez mais representado como controlado pelos hormônios, reificando a crença de que as mulheres são cíclicas e em determinados períodos, instáveis, irracionais e, portanto, não confiáveis. Essa ênfase nos hormônios coincide com a primeira descrição, em 1931, do que era chamado tensão pré-menstrual. Na década de 1950, a terminologia mudou para síndrome pré-menstrual. Inicialmente foi compreendida como diretamente produzida pelos hormônios femininos, mas não há evidência empírica que comprove esta hipótese. Após 80 anos de pesquisas, não se encontrou um marcador biológico ou teste bioquímico que possa ser utilizado para o diagnóstico. Os próprios critérios diagnósticos não são consensuais entre os pesquisadores, pois foram descritos mais de 200 sintomas que incidem de forma variada e inconstante. Não se conhece ainda o mecanismo etiopatogênico e alguns autores questionam a própria existência da síndrome enquanto entidade biomédica e apresentam visões feministas e sócio-culturais para a compreensão do fenômeno. Muitas mulheres, entretanto, afirmam ter TPM (nomenclatura mais comum nos meios leigos). Para aprofundar esta questão e ampliar nossa compreensão, a análise de artigos biomédicos recentes (2000 a 2011) sobre a SPM foi confrontada com a experiência direta ou indireta da TPM em mulheres de camadas médias da população. Com este objetivo, foram analisados artigos científicos sobre a SPM selecionados a partir de um levantamento no PubMed, ferramenta de buscas online, e realizadas entrevistas individuais em profundidade, abertas, semi-estruturadas com mulheres em idade reprodutiva selecionadas através do sistema de amostragem conhecido como bola de neve (snow ball). Após a análise tanto dos artigos científicos quanto das entrevistas, concluímos que apesar de pressupostos comuns que a biologia determina diferenças de gênero naturais e universais entre homens e mulheres a SPM dos artigos biomédicos e a TPM das mulheres não coincidem. Sem desconsiderar as sensações desagradáveis, os problemas e o sofrimento das mulheres que afirmam ter TPM, os resultados deste estudo apontam para uma realidade complexa que enseja mais pesquisa em direção a descrições menos reducionistas destas experiências femininas / This research aims at putting in doubt the premenstrual syndrome (PMS) problem as an ahistorical biomedical entity made evident from the fulfilling of diagnostic criteria. The starting point is the hypothesis that the biomedical model for the explanation of PMS incorporates and reproduces the existing social patterns that insist in stereotypical views of genders due to the biological differentiation of sexes. Upon reflecting about the construction of the scientific fact and the prevalence of the biomedical statement in the understanding of the female body, emotion and behavior, we analyzed historical changes of this vision, regarded as reductionist. At the end of the 18th century and the beginning of the 19th century, the essence of womanhood was located in the womb; from the mid 19th century, the ovaries began to be considered the root of womens diseases, including nervous and mental ones. At the beginning of the 20th century a change in the biomedical statements started to happen and the essence of womanhood was then located in chemical substances denominated hormones. Since then the female body became more and more represented as one controlled by hormones, reifying the belief that women are cyclical and in some moments, unstable, irrational and, therefore, not trustworthy. This emphasis on hormones coincides with the first description, in 1931, of what was called premenstrual tension. In the 1950s, the terminology changed to premenstrual syndrome. Initially, it was understood as being directly produced by the female hormones, but there is no empirical evidence that proves this hypothesis. After 80 years of research, no biological marker or biochemical test that could be used for this diagnosis has been found. The very diagnostic criteria are not consensual among researchers, as more than 200 symptoms that take place in a variable and inconstant manner have been described. The etiopathogenic mechanism is still not known and some authors question the very existence of the syndrome as a biomedical entity and present feminist and socio-cultural views for the understanding of the phenomenon. A great number of women, however, claim to have PMT (most common nonprofessional nomenclature). In order to expand this subject and increase our understanding, the analysis of recent biomedical articles (2000 to 2011) about PMS was confronted with the direct or indirect experience of PMT in women of the average general population. With this in mind, scientific articles about PMS, selected from cited research in PubMed - an online search engine tool - were analyzed, and in depth, open and semi-structured individual interviews were performed with women in reproductive age, who were selected by using the sampling system known as snow ball. After analyzing the articles, as well as the interviews, we conclude that in spite of common assumptions that biology determines natural and universal gender differences between men and women the PMS of the biomedical articles and womens PMT do not match. Without undermining the unpleasant sensations, the problems, and the suffering of women that claim to have PMT, the results of this study point to a complex reality which requires more research aiming at reaching less reductionist descriptions of these female experiences