Exploration of the role of androgens and adipokines in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder in women being characterized by reproductive and metabolic abnormalities. Our hypothesis is that overproduction of ovarian androgens during early development is a key factor in the development of PCOS. The objective of the work in this thesis was to explore, using both an animal model of PCOS and human ovarian tissue, the role of androgens in the development of the ovarian abnormalities in PCOS and how these relate to disorders in fat metabolism. The expression of the key steroidogenic enzymes in androgen biosynthesis was determined in histological sections of polycystic and normal ovaries. Results supported the concept of intrinsic up-regulation of P450c17 enzyme in theca cells. In ovaries from ewes exposed prenatally to excess androgen, a similar disruption of P450c17 was observed along with increased androgen receptor expression and increased granulosa cell proliferation in preantral follicles. The interaction of adipokines and ovarian function was studied using both human ovarian tissue and bovine theca cells in culture. A significant decrease in the expression of the protein for adiponectin receptor 1 and 2 was detected in theca cells from polycystic ovaries in comparison with ovaries from normal women. In bovine theca cells, the administration of adiponectin, but not other adipokines (leptin, visfatin, resistin) resulted in a decrease in androstenedione production, accompanied by significant reduction of gene expression of key steroidogenic enzymes. In addition, the knockdown of genes for ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 was associated with higher rates of androstenedione secretion by theca cells. In summary, these results support the hypothesis that dysregulation of ovarian follicle development and androgen production can be induced by prenatal androgenisation. The results also provide evidence of a link between fat cell metabolism and steroidogenesis which is important in understanding the development of metabolic abnormalities in PCOS

Fairness: from the ethical principle to the practice of Machine Learning development as an ongoing agreement with stakeholders

This paper clarifies why bias cannot be completely mitigated in Machine Learning (ML) and proposes an end-to-end methodology to translate the ethical principle of justice and fairness into the practice of ML development as an ongoing agreement with stakeholders. The pro-ethical iterative process presented in the paper aims to challenge asymmetric power dynamics in the fairness decision making within ML design and support ML development teams to identify, mitigate and monitor bias at each step of ML systems development. The process also provides guidance on how to explain the always imperfect trade-offs in terms of bias to users

Human Development Index (HDI) and its family of indexes: an evolving critical review

O índice de desenvolvimento humano (IDH) atualmente é utilizado para diversos fins - desde instrumento para fins comparativos, tomada de decisões até como instrumento para elaboração de políticas públicas. Pela mídia, tem sido usado inclusive para acusar e culpar. Em decorrência disso, este artigovolta-se para os fundamentos que levaram à criação do IDH como um índice alternativo aos indicadores existentes previamente, como o PIB per capita e a renda que eram usados para medir desenvolvimento. Nosso foco principal é no IDH, analisando os aspectos técnicos e também sua evolução. Dado que o IDH se propunha a ser um índice alternativo, podemos dizer que obteve sucesso? Atualmente pode-se dizer que o IDH efetivamente se constitui num avanço, principalmente quando se considera a natureza multidimensional do desenvolvimento. Por outro lado, o IDH foi construído sobre um novo paradigma,que valoriza a avaliação das realizações humanas a partir dos fins e não meios do desenvolvimento. Neste sentido, ainda não se pode tomar o IDH como uma medida adequada de capacitações humanas.The human development index (HDI) is currently used for manypurposes, from a comparative index to a decision-making instrument for public policy decisions. It is also used as a ‘blaming and shaming’ index in the media. For this reason, in this paper we delve into the  foundations of the HDI, exploring to what extent it can be considered an alternative to the use ofthe gross national product (GNP) as the main measure of human development. Our focus is mainly on the HDI and its evolution and unsolved technical issues. Was the HDI successful as an alternative? Given that the established goal was to provide an alternative index to the unidimensional and income centred previous indicators, HDI represents indeed advancement, both in terms of the characterisation of the multidimensional nature of development and in terms of its refined theoretical basis. On the other hand, arguments claiming the introduction of a completely new paradigm, showing a change from the concentration on means towards the promotion of human ends, are far from being settled. The claim that HDI is a capability measure, consideredthe most basic human capabilities, also remains elusive

Rescuing human development from a lip-service syndrome

Motivation : Despite widespread attention and praise from policy -makers, practitioners and individual academics for the Human Development Report, the paradigm of human development has often lacked sustained academic and operational policy -making attention . Purpose: Investigating this undesirable disconnect and discussing the possible reasons behind it, this article reveals two fundamental challenges: to make more specific the rich concepts of human development and to relate them to the dominant concepts of development globally an d to motivate and guide the context -specific choices made within national and regional contexts. Approach and Methods: Addressing these challenges will require a more careful exploration of the theoretical and operational implications of the work of Sen and Nussbaum as well as their adoption by the Human Development Report Office at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Conclusions: To achieve this, the article makes some proposals both to UNDP and to academia for the future directions of this approach . Policy implications: The proposals seek to chart pathways out of the current economic stagnation and slowdown

Theoretical Foundations and the Book's Roadmap

This collection places children's issues at the centre of understandings of human development. Using Amartya Sen's 'Capability Approach', the contributors to this book draw on new tools and theoretical perspectives to understand the role of children in human development. Looking at a wide range of themes including child poverty, microfinance, disability, education, the built environment, the role of emotions and promoting children's active participation, this study furthers the capability approach as a key theoretical perpsective in understanding children and development

Indicadores de Extensão Universitária: Investigação da sua Importância e Uso na Percepção dos Gestores nas Universidades Públicas Brasileiras

TCC (Graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro Socioeconômico. Ciências Contábeis.A extensão oferece à comunidade projetos que viabilizem a solução de problemas vivenciados por ela e troca de saberes entre os envolvidos e auxilia na formação de alunos e professores. Esta pesquisa teve por objetivo conhecer a percepção dos gestores quanto à importância atribuída à utilização de modelos de gestão, de indicadores de desempenho e à sua efetiva utilização na gestão da extensão universitária. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva desenvolvida por meio de questionários enviados para gestores de extensão das universidades públicas brasileiras. Os resultados apontam que: i) a maioria dos gestores (86%) percebe importante a utilização de modelos de gestão e indicadores; ii) embora os gestores apontem elevado grau de importância, a maioria das atividades de extensão causou estranheza sobre estes aspectos: quantidade de ações (20%); promoção de eventos envolvendo a comunidade (23%); projetos de pesquisa abordando necessidades locais (20%) foram julgados como pouco importante por um grupo de gestores; iii) quanto à utilização dos indicadores e das métricas ‘adequadas’, foi possível afirmar que algumas instituições consideram os indicadores importantes, mas, na prática, não os utilizam, bem como priorizam a quantificação de atividades em detrimento da qualidade. Esperava-se que aspectos como resultados obtidos, qualidade da integração, benefícios produzidos à comunidade e satisfação dos envolvidos fossem apontados. Isso não ocorreu

A Poset-Generalizability Method for Human Development Indicators

AbstractThe paper introduces a poset-generalizability perspective for analysing human development indicators. It suggests a new method for identifying admissibility of different informational spaces and criteria in human development analysis. From its inception, the Capability Approach has argued for informational pluralism in normative evaluations. But in practice, it has turned its back to other (non-capability) informational spaces for being imperfect, biased or incomplete and providing a mere evidential role in normative evaluations. This paper offers the construction of a proper method to overcome this shortcoming. It combines tools from poset analysis and generalizability theory to put forward a systematic categorization of cases with different informational spaces. It provides illustrations by using key informational spaces, namely, resources, rights, subjective well-being and capabilities. The offered method is simpler and more concrete than mere human development guidelines and at the same time it avoids results based on automatic calculations. The paper concludes with implications for human development policies and an agenda for further work.</jats:p

Modelo para o estabelecimento de ações de desenvolvimento em arranjos produtivos locais a partir de fatores de competitividade e demandas do arranjo

A evolução empresarial faz com que os mercados tornem-se cada vez mais disputados. Para ganhar destaque neste ambiente, é necessário fazer-se competitivo e uma das maneiras de alcançar esse objetivo é a associação entre empresas. Dentre as possibilidades associativas mais recorrentes, é possível encontrar o modelo do arranjo produtivo local (APL). O setor de máquinas e equipamentos serve como base da indústria e caracteriza-se por sua diversificação e movimentação da economia. No estado do Rio Grande do Sul, é responsável por boa parte do PIB e a grande maioria das empresas do setor concentram-se no eixo Porto Alegre - Serra Gaúcha. Este trabalho propõe o estabelecimento de um modelo de ações de desenvolvimento em APLs através da identificação de fatores de sucesso e competitividade em APLs existentes, levantamento de demandas estratégicas do arranjo produtivo local de máquinas e equipamentos do estado do RS e a aplicação do modelo Diamante da Competitividade desenvolvido por Porter. O estudo foi capaz de gerar uma abordagem abrangente, pois integra o ponto de vista da análise de competitividade, das demanda em arranjos emergentes e a proposição de ações de desenvolvimento vinculadas.The business evolution makes the markets become hardly disputed. To gain prominence in this environment, we need to be competitive and one of the ways for this is the business association. Among the most recurrent associative possibilities, we can find the arranjo produtivo local (APL) model. The industrial machinery and equipment sector serves as the industry base and is characterized by its diversification and drive the economy. In the Rio Grande do Sul state, is responsible for most of the GDP and many companies of this sector are concentrated in the Porto Alegre - Serra Gaucha region. This work proposes the establishment of a development actions model in APLs by identifying success factors and competitiveness in APLs, survey of strategic demands in the APL of machinery and equipment of Rio Grande do Sul state and the application of Porter's Diamond Model. The study was able to generate a wide approach, because it integrates the point of view of competitiveness analysis with strategic demands of emerging clusters and proposes development actions linked