Japan: A Normal State?

This article seeks to demonstrate that Japan throughout time has made gradual adjustmentsthroughout time to increase its military capacities, in order to regain autonomy in relation toits defence. With this process of “adjustment”, without constitutional reforms, Japan presentlypossesses military capabilities that are similar to those of the primary global powers in termsof budget, technologically advanced military resources, manpower, and it masters the entirecycle for the production of a nuclear weapon. In an unstable regional scenario, entwinedwith the rise of threat to Japan’s strategic and economic security and with the increase of thepossibility of being abandoned by the United States, what is preventing Japan in claimingits defence autonomy and taking collective security actions? The first part of this reflectionintroduces some concepts that indicate the contradictions, paradoxes, and fundaments thatunderpin the construction of the Japanese security identity. The second part concentrates onthe analysis of the tendency of revision or of reinterpretation of the Japanese Constitutionwith regards to possessing Armed Forces as a foreign policy instrument.Este artigo propõe demonstrar que o Japão aplicou ao longo do tempo ajustes graduais decrescimento das suas capacidades militares para recuperar autonomia em sua própria defesa.Com este processo de “ajustes”, sem reformas constitucionais, Japão detém atualmentecapacidades militares similares às das principais potências mundiais em termos de orçamento,recursos materiais tecnologicamente avançados, contingentes humanos e domina todos os ciclos para produção da arma nuclear. Em um cenário regional instável, com a emergênciade riscos à sua segurança estratégica e econômica e com aumento da possibilidade de serabandonado pelos Estados Unidos, o que falta para o Japão assumir sua autonomia em defesae atuar em ações de segurança coletiva? O texto avalia, na primeira parte, alguns conceitosque apontam as contradições, paradoxos e fundamentos que embasam a construção daidentidade de segurança do Japão. E, na segunda, concentra-se na análise da tendência derevisão ou de reinterpretação da Constituição Japonesa no que tange ter Forças Armadascomo instrumentos de Política Externa

Japan : a nuclear state?

Japan is often seen as pacifist and as a defender of nuclear disarmament. This article, though, sustains that Japan is basing its security on extended nuclear deterrence, and on the possibility of acquiring nuclear weapons. In the first part of the article, the role of extended deterrence in the relationship with the U.S. is analyzed, and in the second, the history of the Japanese nuclear option since the end of the Second World War is reassessed

Hong Kong: Uma Pérola Oriental ou Ocidental?

The enactment of the Hong Kong National Security Act, July 2020, sparked accusations of breaches of commitments made in 1997 and US retaliation. The article reevaluates the process of Hong Kong’s handover to China under the principle of “one country, two systems” and emphasizes the role of social movements in demanding political, socioeconomic and cultural improvements. It concludes by pointing out the need for a overhaul of the Basic Law, for reforms, for the recovery of governmental legitimacy and that the Sino-American conflict contributed to an increase of tensions.A promulgação da Lei de Segurança Nacional de Hong Kong, julho de 2020, provocou acusações de rompimento de compromissos assumidos em 1997 e retaliações estadunidenses. O artigo reavalia o processo de devolução de Hong Kong à China sob o princípio de “um país, dois sistemas” e enfatiza o papel dos movimentos sociais reivindicando melhorias políticas, socioeconômicas e culturais. Conclui-se apontando a necessidade de uma reformulação da Lei Básica, de reformas, de recuperação da legitimidade governamental e que o conflito sino-americano contribuiu para ampliar as tensões

Dinâmicas da Cooperação China-África: perspectivas e controvérsias

This paper seeks to demonstrate that the motivations of China’s engagement in Africa go beyond the exploitation of natural resources, revealing political interests of international insertion, external recognition of its status as an international power and participation in the definition of the rules governing the International Order.A presente reflexão procura demonstrar que as motivações do engajamento da China no continente africano vão além da exploração de recursos naturais, revelando interesses políticos de inserção internacional, reconhecimento externo do seu status de potência e de participação na definição das regras da Ordem Internacional

The effect of fibroblast growth factors in grafted fascia into the vocal fold of rabbits

The human larynx is a very important organ for communication. Many conditions lead to scarring of the vocal folds, decreasing voice quality. Objective We aimed to determine whether fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) may influence tissue integration of grafted fascia into the vocal folds of an animal model. This is an experimental animal study with 12 adult rabbits that were submitted to a grafting fragment obtained from superficial cervical fascia into the vocal fold lamina propria, bilaterally. The right vocal fold was injected with FGFs. The animals were sacrificed after 1 month or 12 months, depending on the group they were assigned to, and a histological analysis of their vocal folds was performed. We analyzed the histological changes (such as the presence of fibrosis and neovascularization) induced by the acute or chronic inflammatory reactions. Results The FGFs induced acute inflammatory changes in all animals after 1 month of the initial experiment. The presence of FGFs triggered more fibrosis than the expected due to the surgical procedure itself when compared with the control side of all animals after 12 months of the initial experiment. Conclusions Fibroblast growth factors alone do not represent a good therapeutic option in phonosurgery, since we observed higher levels of fibrosis in the vocal fold lamina propria. Further studies combining more substances may be necessary to elucidate the best option to be used in this kind of surgery.231606

Comparison of the blood and lymphatic microvessel density of pleomorphic adenoma and basal cell adenoma

Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common tumor of the salivary gland, while basal cell adenoma (BCA) is an uncommon neoplasm. Blood and lymphatic vessels are crucial for tumor metabolism. The aim of this study was to compare the blood and lymphatic vascular density and vascular and endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in PA and BCA tumors. In addition, cell proliferation was evaluated in these tumors. Blood and lymphatic vessel content, VEGF expression, and cell proliferation were analyzed in 30 cases of PA and 13 cases of BCA by immu-nohistochemistry using antibodies for CD34, CD105, D2-40, VEGF, and Mcm-2. Regarding CD34 and CD105 expression, PA demonstrated a high vascularity and a low number of positive vessels, respectively. D2-40-positive lymphatic vessels were mainly located in the tumor capsules, with small intratumoral lymphatic vessels observed occasionally. VEGF expression revealed a remarkably heterogeneous immunoreactivity, alternating from weak or negative to positive or intense. BCA presented significantly higher CD34, CD34, CD105, D2-40, and VEGF expression compared to PA. No significant difference was found in cell proliferation between the tumors. Although PA and BCA are considered part of the same spectrum of differentiation, this study showed that the blood and lymphatic vascularization of these tumors is different.Pleomorphic adenoma (PA) is the most common tumor of the salivary gland, while basal cell adenoma (BCA) is an uncommon neoplasm. Blood and lymphatic vessels are crucial for tumor metabolism. The aim of this study was to compare the blood and lymphatic vas81721FAPESP - FUNDAÇÃO DE AMPARO À PESQUISA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO11/51549–

South-South relations and the English School of International Relations: Chinese and Brazilian ideas and involvement in Sub-Saharan Africa

The rise of large developing countries has led to considerable discussions of re-balancing global relations and giving greater priority to understanding South-South relations. This paper, in exploring the central ideas of Chinese and Brazilian foreign policy and the behavior of these two rising Southern countries toward Sub-Saharan Africa, argues that the English School of International Relations is well suited to understanding the intentions and actions that characterize South-South relations