Cyber-Pedagogy: Human Instrumentalization and Machine Mastery

The use of virtual and digital technological resources is a phenomenon that crosses humanity in such an intense way that it often interferes with the existential naturalness of individuals and allows to launch to the world, even if in a subtle and gradual way, a relationship of mastery of the machine with the mankind. The work aims to make the reader aware of the problem of the human-machine relationship and bring paths and reflections based on a perspective of studies and debates in the field of Philosophy, about this functioning in which it can generate a subservient behavior of the human as the creator of digital functions. but that loses this domain due to the self-development of the machine. The study\u27s methodology is bibliographic research, as well as references to films and series such as Akira (1988); Neon Genenis Evangelion (1995) and Ghost In The Shell (1995) that address this issue and serve as a basis for analyzing the facts raised as problematic. The main result of the research was the discussions based on the term Cyber-pedagogy, which is replaced and empowered from a neologistic perspective that attributes this term to a pedagogical operation in which the autopoietic machine educates the individual and can subject him/her to a process of human instrumentalization, of which the human would be an instrument for the use of the machine and digital resources by losing its essence as the creator of the virtual digital resource

O discurso midiático e a relevância da capa do habeas corpus do ex-presidente da República Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva no julgamento da prisão após a segunda instância no Supremo Tribunal Federal

This article aims to analyze the discourses produced by the media, in the context of the trials, about arrest after second instance, of Habeas Corpus 152.752 of former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and of the Declaratory Actions of Constitutionality n° 43, 44 and 54. To do so, we adopt Fairclough's (2001) Critical Discourse Analysis methodological approach. The study observed the representations of Journalism before the trial of a process involving the political figure of the former president of the Republic. As a result, we found the construction of ideological discourses that exposed the image and credibility of justice, especially due to the relevance of the procedural cover and the repercussion of the condemnation or not of ex-president Lula in an election year.Este artigo tem como objeto a análise dos discursos produzidos pela mídia, no contexto dos julgamentos, sobre prisão após a segunda instância, do Habeas Corpus 152.752 do ex-presidente Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva e das Ações Declaratória de Constitucionalidade n° 43, 44 e 54. Para tanto, adotamos a abordagem metodológica da Análise de Discurso Crítica de Fairclough (2001). O estudo observou as representações do Jornalismo ante o julgamento de um processo envolvendo a figura política do ex-presidente da República. Como resultado, encontramos a construção de discursos ideológicos que expuseram a imagem e a credibilidade da justiça, sobretudo, pela relevância da capa processual e na repercussão da condenação ou não do ex-presidente Lula em um ano eleitoral

COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE A CENTRAL DO CIDADÃO DO SUPREMO TRIBUNAL FEDERAL BRASILEIRO E O PROVEDOR DE JUSTIÇA EUROPEU

A análise da Central do Cidadão, como um instrumento de relação entre judiciário e comunidade é fundamental, pois se trata do órgão máximo do judiciário. O crescente número de atendimentos, que chegou a 100 mil em 2012 expõe a necessidade da população, no aspecto de comunicação com o órgão. O presente trabalho teve por objetivo expor as características da Central do Cidadão, como instrumento de democracia direta, como também utilizar o Direito Comparado, a fim de verificar as relações existentes entre o instrumento utilizado no Brasil com o Provedor de Justiça Europeu, utilizado na União Europeia. Foram identificados os aspectos positivos e negativos da utilização da Central do Cidadão, como fonte de comunicação social, descrevendo suas ações perante a sociedade, como também, avaliar as semelhanças e diferenças com o Provedor de Justiça Europeu. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Central do Cidadão. Democracia Direta. Ouvidoria.

Reduction in BACE1 decreases body weight, protects against diet-induced obesity and enhances insulin sensitivity in mice

Insulin resistance and impaired glucose homoeostasis are important indicators of Type 2 diabetes and are early risk factors of AD (Alzheimer's disease). An essential feature of AD pathology is the presence of BACE1 (β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1), which regulates production of toxic amyloid peptides. However, whether BACE1 also plays a role in glucose homoeostasis is presently unknown. We have used transgenic mice to analyse the effects of loss of BACE1 on body weight, and lipid and glucose homoeostasis. BACE1−/− mice are lean, with decreased adiposity, higher energy expenditure, and improved glucose disposal and peripheral insulin sensitivity than wild-type littermates. BACE1−/− mice are also protected from diet-induced obesity. BACE1-deficient skeletal muscle and liver exhibit improved insulin sensitivity. In a skeletal muscle cell line, BACE1 inhibition increased glucose uptake and enhanced insulin sensitivity. The loss of BACE1 is associated with increased levels of UCP1 (uncoupling protein 1) in BAT (brown adipose tissue) and UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA in skeletal muscle, indicative of increased uncoupled respiration and metabolic inefficiency. Thus BACE1 levels may play a critical role in glucose and lipid homoeostasis in conditions of chronic nutrient excess. Therefore strategies that ameliorate BACE1 activity may be important novel approaches for the treatment of diabetes

A Novel Photoconductive PVK/SiO_2 Interpenetrated Network Prepared by the Sol−Gel Process

In this work, we describe the preparation of a novel photoconductive sol−gel material based on an organic/inorganic interpenetrating network (IPN). The composition of the sol−gel photoconductive material mimics the well-known polymeric one based on poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) as the charge-transporting matrix and 2,4,7-trinitro-9-fluorenone (TNF) as the sensitizer. The resulting photoconductive material (PVK/SiO_2 IPN) shows a photosensitivity of 10^-11 cm/(Ω W) in range to that reported for some analogue polymeric compounds and the highest ever reported for hybrid sol−gel materials

Frequency-dependent tuning of the human vestibular "sixth sense" by transcranial oscillatory currents

Objective: The vestibular cortex is a multisensory associative region that, in neuroimaging investigations, is activated by slow-frequency (1-2 Hz) galvanic stimulation of peripheral receptors. We aimed to directly activate the vestibular cortex with biophysically modeled transcranial oscillatory current stimulation (tACS) in the same frequency range. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects and one rare patient with chronic bilateral vestibular deafferentation underwent, in a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial, to tACS at slow (1 or 2 Hz) or higher (10 Hz) frequency and sham stimulations, over the Parieto-Insular Vestibular Cortex (PIVC), while standing on a stabilometric platform. Subjective symptoms of motion sickness were scored by Simulator Sickness Questionnaire and subjects' postural sways were monitored on the platform. Results: tACS at 1 and 2 Hz induced symptoms of motion sickness, oscillopsia and postural instability, that were supported by posturographic sway recordings. Both 10 Hz-tACS and sham stimulation on the vestibular cortex did not affect vestibular function. As these effects persisted in a rare patient with bilateral peripheral vestibular areflexia documented by the absence of the Vestibular-Ocular Reflex, the possibility of a current spread toward peripheral afferents is unlikely. Conversely, the 10 Hz-tACS significantly reduced his chronic vestibular symptoms in this patient. Conclusions: Weak electrical oscillations in a frequency range corresponding to the physiological cortical activity of the vestibular system may generate motion sickness and postural sways, both in healthy subjects and in the case of bilateral vestibular deafferentation. Significance: This should be taken into account as a new side effect of tACS in future studies addressing cognitive functions. Higher frequencies of stimulation applied to the vestibular cortex may represent a new interventional option to reduce motion sickness in different scenarios

Water adsorption in porous TiO_2–SiO_2 sol–gel films analyzed by spectroscopic ellipsometry

High refractive index TiO_2–SiO_2 thin films were prepared by the sol–gel method and the optical properties were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry. The results of the optical analysis were related with the TiO_2–SiO_2 molar ratio of the porous films. It was obtained that the higher is the TiO_2 molar ratio, the higher is the refractive index and the lower is the thickness under the same deposition conditions. In fact, when the TiO_2–SiO_2 molar ratio varies from 70–30% to 100–0%, the refractive index and the thickness vary from ~1.85 to ~1.95 λ=500 nm and from ~65 nm to ~40 nm, respectively. The water adsorption in the pores of the material produces a change in the refractive index of the film. The variation of the optical properties with the environmental relative humidity was also studied. In addition, information about the size and the shape of the pores was extracted from the water adsorption isotherms measured by ellipsometry

MAGE-A cancer/testis antigens inhibit MDM2 ubiquitylation function and promote increased levels of MDM4

Melanoma antigen A (MAGE-A) proteins comprise a structurally and biochemically similar sub-family of Cancer/Testis antigens that are expressed in many cancer types and are thought to contribute actively to malignancy. MAGE-A proteins are established regulators of certain cancer-associated transcription factors, including p53, and are activators of several RING finger-dependent ubiquitin E3 ligases. Here, we show that MAGE-A2 associates with MDM2, a ubiquitin E3 ligase that mediates ubiquitylation of more than 20 substrates including mainly p53, MDM2 itself, and MDM4, a potent p53 inhibitor and MDM2 partner that is structurally related to MDM2. We find that MAGE-A2 interacts with MDM2 via the N-terminal p53-binding pocket and the RING finger domain of MDM2 that is required for homo/hetero-dimerization and for E2 ligase interaction. Consistent with these data, we show that MAGE-A2 is a potent inhibitor of the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of MDM2, yet it does not have any significant effect on p53 turnover mediated by MDM2. Strikingly, however, increased MAGE-A2 expression leads to reduced ubiquitylation and increased levels of MDM4. Similarly, silencing of endogenous MAGE-A expression diminishes MDM4 levels in a manner that can be rescued by the proteasomal inhibitor, bortezomid, and permits increased MDM2/MDM4 association. These data suggest that MAGE-A proteins can: (i) uncouple the ubiquitin ligase and degradation functions of MDM2; (ii) act as potent inhibitors of E3 ligase function; and (iii) regulate the turnover of MDM4. We also find an association between the presence of MAGE-A and increased MDM4 levels in primary breast cancer, suggesting that MAGE-A-dependent control of MDM4 levels has relevance to cancer clinically