Profesionales de la salud y aborto: transiciones y disputas en Uruguay (2000-2012)

Unsafe and illegal abortion is a critical issue in most countries at Latin America and the Caribbean region. The recognition of sexual and reproductive rights as human rights that is observed in the international, regional and national levels has not been exempt from conflicts. The Uruguayan case provides important evidence in this regard. The thesis examines health professionals’ perceptions and perspectives related to their care practices with women and abortion in a legal context that considered abortion as a crime, between 2002 and 2012 in Uruguay. The results allow us to understand the complex relationship between the different levels involved in the policy process. Health professionals’ practices are an analyzer of the covenants and conflicts that are recorded in the social field.El aborto ilegal e inseguro es un asunto crítico en la mayoría de los países de América Latina y el Caribe. El reconocimiento de los derechos sexuales y reproductivos como derechos humanos a nivel internacional, regional y nacional no ha estado controversias. El caso uruguayo ofrece importantes evidencias a este respecto. La tesis aborda el análisis de los esquemas de percepción y apreciaciones de los/as profesionales sobre sus prácticas de atención a mujeres en situación de aborto, en un contexto que consideraba el aborto como delito, entre los años 2002-2012 en Uruguay. Los resultados permiten comprender la compleja relación entre los distintos niveles del proceso de la política, con foco en el análisis de las prácticas profesionales, las cuales son consideradas un analizador de los pactos y conflictos que se registran en el campo social

Human-Robot Dichotomy

This paper belongs to the area of roboethics and responsible robotics. It discusses the conceptual and practical separation of humans and robots in designing and implementing robots into real-world environments. We argue here that humans are often seen as a component that is only optional in design thinking, and in some cases even an obstacle to the successful robot performance. Such an approach may vary from viewing humans as a factor that does not belong to the robotics domain, through attempts to ‘adjust’ humans to robot requirements, to the overall replacement of humans with robots. Such separation or exclusion of humans poses serious ethical challenges, including the very exclusion of ethics from our thinking about robots

Competitividad e infraestructura portuaria de la Costa Atlántica (Puerto de Cartagena Puerto de Barranquilla) frente al Puerto de Miami

A continuación, se presentan los factores estratégicos de más importancia que enfocados adecuadamente y con una administración eficaz de los recursos generarán mucho más valor a la actividad portuaria de la Costa Atlántica Colombiana: Aprovechamiento de los recursos existentes: Las vías existentes, terrestres y fluviales proporcionan alto valor al manejo de la mercancía. Inversión en mejora y mantenimiento generará mejora en tiempos de transporte. Capacitación continua y la adquisición de nueva tecnología: Adquirir tecnología es vital, pero capacitar al talento humano es el otro 50% del trabajo para poder rendir un 100% y hacer de la inversión un dinero valido. Firma de Tratados de cooperación Puertos Hermanos: el enriquecimiento de conocimiento es primordial, compartir experiencias, generar encuentros que permitan realizar alianzas de cooperación en donde sea posible alcanzar estándares mundiales de desarrollo para ampliar el mercado. Crear oportunidad de negocio para clientes: generar un ambiente seguro para la carga de las líneas navieras es la mejor cara para el mercado portuario, que vean en cada puerto una oportunidad de crecimiento e inversión. Gobierno: Trabajar de la mano con el apoyo del gobierno para generar sinergia y crear mejores oportunidades de negocio con otros países.Down below, it is present the most important strategic factors that focused adequately and with an effective administration of the resources could generate much more value to the port activity of the Atlantic Colombian Coast: To take advantage of the existing resources: The existing, terrestrial and fluvial routes provide high value to the managing of the goods. Investment in improvement and maintenance will generate improvement in times of transporting. Continue training and acquisition of new technology: To acquire technology is vital, but to qualify to the human talent is other one 50 % of the work to be able to exhaust 100 % and that way it does the investment a money validated. Signature of Agreements of cooperation Ports Brothers: the enrichment of knowledge is basic, to share experiences, to generate meetings that allow realizing alliances of cooperation where it is possible to reach world standards of development to extend the market. To create opportunity of business for clients: to generate a sure environment for the pack of the shipping lines is the best image for the port market, which it can be seen in each port an opportunity of growth and investment. Govern: To work hand by hand with the support of the government to generate synergy and to create better opportunities of business with other countries.Centro de Estudios Empresariales para la Perdurabilida

Does the Missouri Safe Schools Act Past the Test - Expelling Disruptive Students to Keep Missouri\u27s Schools Safe

The Missouri Court of Appeals for Easter District of Missouri interpreted the Missouri Safe Schools Act of 1996 in Hamrick ex rel. Hamrick v. Affton School District Board of Education to require a public school to admit for enrollment a student who had been expelled from a non-public school. Shortly after the court’s decision, the Missouri General Assembly amended the dispositive language of Section 167.171.4. It is not clear that public school districts in Missouri can deny enrollment to students suspended or expelled from both public and non-public schools. This Law Summary discusses whether the statutory change furthers the goas of the Missouri Safe Schools Act and whether legislation is a sufficient mechanism for effectuating safety in Missouri’s schools

Neurogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells: Relevance of different signaling molecules, transcription factors, and key marker genes

Since numerous diseases affect the central nervous system and it has limited self-repair capability, a great interest in using stem cells as an alternative cell source is generated. Previous reports have shown the differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells in neuron-like cells and it has also been proved that the expression pattern of patterning, proneural, and neural factors, such as Pax6, Mash1, Ngn2, NeuroD1, Tbr2 and Tbr1, regulates and defines adult neurogenesis. Regarding this, we hypothesize that a functional parallelism between adult neurogenesis and neuronal differentiation of human adipose-derived stem cells exists. In this study we differentiate human adipose-derived stem cells into neuron-like cells and analyze the expression pattern of different patterning, proneural, neural and neurotransmitter genes, before and after neuronal differentiation. The neuron-like cells expressed neuronal markers, patterning and proneural factors characteristics of intermediate stages of neuronal differentiation. Thus we demonstrated that it is possible to differentiate adipose-derived stem cells in vitro into immature neuron-like cells and that this process is regulated in a similar way to adult neurogenesis. This may contribute to elucidate molecular mechanisms involved in neuronal differentiation of adult human non-neural cells, in aid of the development of potential therapeutic tools for diseases of the nervous system.Fil: Cardozo, Alejandra Johana. Hospital Italiano; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gomez, Daniel Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Quilmes. Departamento de Ciencia y Tecnología. Laboratorio de Oncología Molecular; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Argibay, Pablo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Hospital Italiano; Argentin

Theoretical and methodological models for the analysis of the urban space occupation

En el área de las ciencias sociales se han escrito diversos postulados teóricos sobre la construcción del conocimiento, algunos de los cuales son atribuidos a la “antropología social”, como una ciencia social aplicada a las formas de sociedad altamente industrializadas en Occidente para referir los fenómenos sociales, que hacen comprender al “mundo real” y las relaciones sociales, determinantes para manifestar la posibilidad de desplegarse, de fabricar su espacio y su tiempo (Popper, 1969; Garfinkel, 1967; Callon, 2000).El presente análisis aborda el significado y comprensión del espacio, explicando su origen, su evolución y transformación, producto de la interacción del hombre sobre la naturaleza; la metodología empleada para su desarrollo se fundamenta en el método cualitativo y bajo el enfoque “progresivo-regresivo”, que se vierte el proceso de reflexión teórica sobre las diversas metodologías que se dirigen al entendimiento de que el proceso de ocupación del espacio; los resultados muestran que acciones de la sociedad sobre el territorio, a través de mecanismos sociales y procesos formales e informales, son determinantes en la configuración del espacio, asimismo, que no existe un espacio único, sino una diversidad y heterogeneidad de formas y tipos de espacio, que responden a las relaciones sociales que se desarrollan en él; la aportación se centra en la construcción de un modelo teórico-metodológico para su aplicación a casos empíricos

Empirical Testing of the Evolutionary Theories of Aging Using Laboratory-Evolved Yeast Mutants with Extended Lifespan

We recently conducted a multistep selection of long-lived yeast mutants by a lasting exposure to lithocholic acid, a longevity-extending natural compound. Three selected long-lived mutant strains, called 3, 5 and 12, were able to maintain their extended lifespans following numerous passages in medium lacking lithocholic acid. In studies described in this thesis I demonstrated that the greatly extended longevity of each of the three long-lived yeast mutants evolved under laboratory conditions is a dominant polygenic trait caused by mutations in more than two genes. To empirically validate evolutionary theories of programmed or non-programmed aging and age-related death, I investigated if the dominant mutations that extend longevity of each of the three long-lived yeast mutants evolved under laboratory conditions influence early-life fitness when each of these mutants grows and ages alone, in the absence of a parental wild-type yeast strain that does not carry longevity-extending mutations. My studies revealed that these mutations (1) do not affect such key traits of early-life fitness as the exponential growth rate, efficacy of post-exponential growth and fecundity of yeast cells; and (2) enhance such key traits of early-life fitness as cell susceptibility to chronic exogenous stresses, mitochondria-controlled apoptosis triggered by a brief exposure to exogenous hydrogen peroxide, and lipoptotic form of death triggered by a short-term exposure to exogenous palmitoleic acid. These findings provide irrefutable proof of evolutionary theories of aging based on the concept of programmed aging and age-related death and invalidate evolutionary theories of non-programmed aging and age-related death. I then examined if the dominant mutations that extend longevity of each of the three long-lived yeast mutants evolved under laboratory conditions influence the relative fitness of each of these mutants in a direct competition assay with a parental wild-type strain. This assay mimics under various laboratory conditions the process of natural selection within a mixed population of yeast cells that (1) exhibit different longevity-defining genetic backgrounds; (2) differ in their lifespans if grow as a genetically homogenous cell population; and (3) compete for nutrients and other environmental resources. I found that in a population of mixed cells grown on 1% ethanol the dominant mutations that extend longevity of the three long-lived yeast mutants 3, 5 and 12 reduce the relative fitness of each of them in a direct competition assay with a parental wild-type strain. Based on these findings, I concluded that under laboratory conditions mimicking the process of natural selection within an ecosystem composed of yeast cells having different longevity-defining genetic backgrounds, each of the three long-lived mutants is forced out of the ecosystem by a parental wild-type strain exhibiting shorter lifespan. My findings imply that (1) yeast cells have evolved some mechanisms for limiting their lifespan upon reaching a certain chronological age; and (2) these mechanisms drive the evolution of yeast longevity towards maintaining a finite yeast lifespan within ecosystems. I hypothesize that these mechanisms may consist in the ability of a parental wild-type strain to secrete into an ecosystem certain compounds (small molecules and/or proteins) that slow down growth and/or kill long-lived yeast mutants within this ecosystem

Rediscovering the philosophical importance of Jose Ingenieros

This thesis is the first presentation of the philosophical ideas of Jose Ingenieros in English. The works of this Latin American philosopher have never been translated. Until now, his ideas have been limited to Spanish speakers. My aim is to contribute to the rediscovery of Ingenieros and to incorporate his ideas presented in El Hombre Mediocre and Hacia una Moral sin Dogmas to the current philosophical and sociopolitical discourse. In this thesis, I present the impact of Ingenieros life and his radical moral philosophy. I also explore the relationship between him and Ralph Waldo Emerson. In addition, I explain why this link bridges a gap between Latin American philosophy and American pragmatism. Furthermore, I analyze the philosophical implications of Ingenieros moral account, which states that there is a hierarchy of men: inferior, mediocre and superior, and that it is the duty of the superior to inspire and promote the perfection of the inferior. I analyze possible objections to his account of idealistic elitism, but ultimately argue that recognizing these differences does not lead to pessimistic effects. I will argue that, if applied correctly, his account overcomes many of the challenges of egalitarianism, the opposing view that claims that men are equal in moral value

Variações genéticas, de metilação e desfechos perinatais em recém-nascidos com exposição pré-natal a crack/cocaína no Rio Grande do Sul

O consumo de crack/cocaína no Brasil é um problema de saúde pública que se agrava nos últimos anos. Tanto fatores epigenéticos, como polimorfismos de suscetibilidade a teratógenos são uma área ainda pouco explorada e em estudos com exposição pré-natal à cocaína em humanos. Estudos em ratos mostram mudanças na metilação do gene da proteína quinase C épsilon (PRKCε) nos corações da prole exposta à cocaína. Por outro lado o gene ABCB1 que codifica a glicoproteína P pode influenciar o efeito pré-natal do crack/cocaína, dado que já foi associado com menor proteção fetal contra potenciais teratógenos. Assim, os principais objetivos do presente estudo foram: (1) investigar o padrão de metilação do DNA da região reguladora do gene PRKCε em bebês expostos ao crack/cocaína em comparação com bebês não expostos e; (2) estudar em pares mãe-bebê de expostos e não expostos, o polimorfismo C3435T do gene ABCB1 e a presença de desfechos adversos perinatais. A metilação foi avaliada através da conversão por bissulfito em amostras de DNA de 19 bebês expostos e 12 não expostos, porém não foi detectada metilação em nenhum destes. O polimorfismo de ABCB1 foi testado em 45 mulheres usuárias de crack e 43 bebês, e em 89 mulheres não usuárias e 42 bebês. Nas mulheres autodeclaradas brancas foi encontrada diferença entre as frequências alélicas (T:0,59 usuárias; 0,36 não usuárias; p=0,019). Em num modelo de alelo de risco dominante (CT+TT), a diferença se manteve (p=0,042), sugerindo que a presença do alelo T possa estar associada ao consumo de droga. Não foi encontrada associação entre o polimorfismo da mãe ou do bebê e a presença de desfechos adversos perinatais no bebê (baixo peso, crescimento fetal intrauterino, prematuridade). No entanto, genótipos com o alelo T foram mais frequentes em mães brancas cujos bebês foram hospitalizados (p<0,001) e nos bebês hospitalizados (p<0,001). Isto pode indicar que a presença do alelo T estaria envolvido numa maior vulnerabilidade do bebê ao uso de substâncias durante a gravidez. Estudos com números amostrais maiores serão necessários para confirmar esta hipótese.Crack cocaine use in Brazil is a public health problem that has worsened in recent years. Epigenetic factors and polymorphisms of susceptibility to teratogens have not yet been explored in studies with humans exposed to crack/cocaine. Studies in rats show changes in the promoter methylation of the protein kinase C epsilon (Prkce) gene in the hearts of exposed offspring. On the other hand, the ABCB1 gene encoding the P-glycoprotein may influence the prenatal effect of crack/cocaine, since it has been associated with less fetal protection against potential teratogens. Therfore, the main objectives of the present study were: (1) to investigate the DNA methylation pattern of the regulatory region of the PRKCε gene in babies exposed to crack / cocaine compared to the methylation patterns of unexposed babies; (2) to study the C3435T polymorphism of the ABCB1 gene in exposed and unexposed mother-infant pairs and the presence of adverse perinatal outcomes. Methylation was evaluated in 19 exposed and 12 exposed infants, but no methylation was detected in either group. The ABCB1 polymorphism was tested in 45 female crack users and 43 babies, and in 89 non-users women and 42 babies. A difference was found between the allelic frequencies in self-reported white women (T:0.59 users; 0.36 nonusers, p=0.019). In a dominant risk allele model (CT+TT), this difference persisted, suggesting that the presence of the T allele associated with drug use. No association was found between the polymorphisms of the mother or the baby and the presence of adverse outcomes in the infants (low birth weight, fetal intrauterine growth, prematurity). However, genotypes with the T allele were more frequent in white mothers whose infants were hospitalized (p<0.001) and in hospitalized infants (p <0.001). This may be an indication that the presence of the T allele would be involved in a greater vulnerability of the baby to the use of substances during pregnancy. Studies with larger samples will be needed to confirm this hypothesis

The Use of Magnetic Susceptibility as a Technique to Measure the Impact of Wildfires on Archaeological Heritage

Wildfires are one of the main threats of natural areas and often fires can affect protected or heritage areas and properties, in which the preservation requirements demand the use of non-destructive techniques (NDTs). The magnetic susceptibility is an NDT that provides information on the mineralogical composition of the materials but has never been applied to the evaluation of fires. Here, we combine laboratory with field analysis to test the applicability of the magnetic susceptibility for the assessment of the impacts of wildfires. The laboratory results showed an increase in the magnetic susceptibility with the temperature, more evident in the samples heated to 600 °C and above. The in situ measures revealed a spatial variation in the magnetic susceptibility, which was related to the behaviour of the fire in the area. The samples were later analysed with other magnetic destructive techniques that were used to confirm the mineralogical processes that occurred in the materials. The increase in the susceptibility values were due to the formation of iron oxides. The destructive analysis also showed the presence of minerals such as hematite and magnetite in the samples. Overall, the study allowed a first approach to test the magnetic susceptibility as a simple and fast way to measure the impacts of wildfires