Questões históricas acerca do refúgio e alto comissariado das Nações Unidas para refugiados como instrumento internacional de concretização de direitos diante dos desafios atuais

O instituto internacional do refúgio é tema de grande relevância, pois visa garantir proteção de forma ampla a pessoas que se encontram em situação extremamente vulnerável. Sua concessão se relaciona tanto com a soberania do Estado acolhedor quanto com a do Estado de origem do refugiado. No entanto, princípios inerentes à condição humana, como a igualdade, permitem a interferência internacional e legitimam a existência de órgãos mundiais de apoio ao solicitante de refúgio. O objetivo do presente artigo é apresentar os eventos históricos que culminaram com a criação do Alto Comissariado das Nações Unidas para Refugiados (ACNUR) e analisar o trabalho deste órgão como instrumento garantidor e fiscalizador de concessão de refúgio, enfatizando-se a recente Declaração de Nova York

Construçao da conhecimento escolar cientifico na perspectiva da complexidade

A escola também é um espaço para o desenvolvimento social, político, cultural, entre outros, visto seu potencial em formar cidadãos mais críticos, que pode atuar e transformar seu meio. Para isso, o conhecimento escolar científico a ser produzido requer uma aproximação da realidade discente e de seu mundo, o que, de certo, vai ao encontro de um ensino pautado na perspectiva mais complexa. Com o intuito de contribuir na promoção desse tipo de formação, esse trabalho investiga os argumentos que os alunos vão construindo ao longo de aulas de Física voltadas à problemática do Aquecimento Global. O objetivo é identificar alguns elementos que caracterizam o nível de complexidade nas ideias produzidas ao longo das aulas. Metodologicamente, a pesquisa acompanha e analisa a construção dos argumentos dos alunos durante vinte aulas, procurando apontar seus desenvolvimentos através da produção escrita. Dos resultados, foi possível identificar aspectos que mostram que a construção do conhecimento escolar é altamente dinâmica e flexível, visto que as ideias são construídas e desconstruídas ao longo da pesquisa, partindo de níveis de complexidade mais baixos e alcançando níveis mais altos ou se estabelecendo em níveis intermediário

Capacidade gerencial e habilidade política dos empresários de transporte por ônibus de Belo Horizonte: mito ou realidade?

O sistema de transporte por ônibus em Belo Horizonte, comparado ao de outras capitais brasileiras, apresenta algumas particularidades, como seu elevado número de empresas e o predomínio de empresas de médio porte. Este artigo discute o processo de evolução das empresas de Belo Horizonte, destacando questões como a diferença em relação ao padrão nacional de concentração, o desenvolvimento da capacidade gerencial e da habilidade política dos transportadores mineiros, e o papel do órgão gestor nesses processos. Optou-se pelo enfoque político das organizações, privilegiando-se as relações de trabalho e de poder entre os diversos atores do sistema. Pôde-se concluir que os empresários belo-horizontinos destacam-se como articuladores na criação e no desenvolvimento de suas empresas, como pioneiros na diversificação e expansão geográfica de seus negócios e como lideranças políticas e empresariais nacionais. A partir de um processo de profissionalização e expansão no setor em Belo Horizonte, ocorreu a articulação da classe, inicialmente para fazer frente ao poder público local, expandindo-se nacionalmente. Esse processo permitiu a alavancagem e a padronização da gestão empresarial

Is the BCG Vaccine Safe for Undernourished Individuals?

Cellular immunity is critical for protection against tuberculosis, but its integrity is compromised during undernutrition. The present study was designed to evaluate if the attenuated mycobacterium BCG is a safe vaccine for undernourished individuals. An experimental model of undernutrition was established by subjecting BALB/c mice to dietary restriction. These animals received 70% of the amount of food consumed by the healthy control group and exhibited physiological alterations compatible with malnutrition, including body weight loss, reduced levels of triglycerides and glucose, and reduced lymphocyte numbers. Undernourished mice were immunized with BCG, and the mycobacterial loads in lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lungs, and thymus were determined. A much higher proportion of undernourished mice exhibited bacterial dissemination to the lymph nodes, spleen and liver. In addition, only undernourished animals had bacteria in the lungs and thymus. Concomitant with higher mycobacterial loads and more widespread BCG dissemination in undernourished mice, production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 was also diminished in these mice. Taken together, these results indicate that BCG infection is more severe in undernourished mice. Whether a similar phenomenon exists in undernourished children or not remains to be thoroughly investigated

Is the BCG vaccine safe for undernourished individuals?

Cellular immunity is critical for protection against tuberculosis, but its integrity is compromised during undernutrition. The present study was designed to evaluate if the attenuated mycobacterium BCG is a safe vaccine for undernourished individuals. An experimental model of undernutrition was established by subjecting BALB/c mice to dietary restriction. These animals received 70% of the amount of food consumed by the healthy control group and exhibited physiological alterations compatible with malnutrition, including body weight loss, reduced levels of triglycerides and glucose, and reduced lymphocyte numbers. Undernourished mice were immunized with BCG, and the mycobacterial loads in lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lungs, and thymus were determined. A much higher proportion of undernourished mice exhibited bacterial dissemination to the lymph nodes, spleen and liver. In addition, only undernourished animals had bacteria in the lungs and thymus. Concomitant with higher mycobacterial loads and more widespread BCG dissemination in undernourished mice, production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 was also diminished in these mice. Taken together, these results indicate that BCG infection is more severe in undernourished mice. Whether a similar phenomenon exists in undernourished children or not remains to be thoroughly investigated

Is the BCG Vaccine Safe for Undernourished Individuals?

Cellular immunity is critical for protection against tuberculosis, but its integrity is compromised during undernutrition. The present study was designed to evaluate if the attenuated mycobacterium BCG is a safe vaccine for undernourished individuals. An experimental model of undernutrition was established by subjecting BALB/c mice to dietary restriction. These animals received 70% of the amount of food consumed by the healthy control group and exhibited physiological alterations compatible with malnutrition, including body weight loss, reduced levels of triglycerides and glucose, and reduced lymphocyte numbers. Undernourished mice were immunized with BCG, and the mycobacterial loads in lymph nodes, spleen, liver, lungs, and thymus were determined. A much higher proportion of undernourished mice exhibited bacterial dissemination to the lymph nodes, spleen and liver. In addition, only undernourished animals had bacteria in the lungs and thymus. Concomitant with higher mycobacterial loads and more widespread BCG dissemination in undernourished mice, production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 was also diminished in these mice. Taken together, these results indicate that BCG infection is more severe in undernourished mice. Whether a similar phenomenon exists in undernourished children or not remains to be thoroughly investigated

Commercial Bovine Proteoglycan Is Highly Arthritogenic and Can Be Used as an Alternative Antigen Source for PGIA Model

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic autoimmune disease. It affects mainly the joints, causing synovitis, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion. Many experimental models are used to study the mechanisms involved in immunopathogenesis and new therapies for this disease. Proteoglycan-induced arthritis (PGIA) is a widely used model based on the cross-reactivity of injected foreign (usually human) PG and mice self-PG. Considering the complexity of the extraction and purification of human PG, in this study we evaluated the arthritogenicity of bovine PG that is commercially available. Bovine PG was highly arthritogenic, triggering 100% incidence of arthritis in female BALB/c retired breeder mice. Animals immunized with bovine PG presented clinical symptoms and histopathological features similar to human RA and other experimental models. Moreover, bovine PG immunization determined higher levels of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in arthritic mice compared to healthy ones. As expected, only the arthritic group produced IgG1 and IgG2a antibodies against PG. Thus, commercial bovine PG can be used as an alternative antigenic source to PGIA for the study of many RA aspects, including the immunopathogenesis of the disease and also the development of new therapies

Persistent Inflammation in the CNS during Chronic EAE Despite Local Absence of IL-17 Production

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an artificially induced demyelination of the central nervous system (CNS) that resembles multiple sclerosis in its clinical, histopathological, and immunological features. Activated Th1 and Th17 cells are thought to be the main immunological players during EAE development. This study was designed to evaluate peripheral and local contribution of IL-17 to acute and chronic EAE stages. C57BL/6 mice were immunized with MOG plus complete Freund's adjuvant followed by pertussis toxin. Mice presented an initial acute phase characterized by accentuated weight loss and high clinical score, followed by a partial recovery when the animals reached normal body weight and smaller clinical scores. Spleen cells stimulated with MOG produced significantly higher levels of IFN-γ during the acute period whereas similar IL-17 levels were produced during both disease stages. CNS-infiltrating cells stimulated with MOG produced similar amounts of IFN-γ but, IL-17 was produced only at the acute phase of EAE. The percentage of Foxp3+ Treg cells, at the spleen and CNS, was elevated during both phases. The degree of inflammation was similar at both disease stages. Partial clinical recovery observed during chronic EAE was associated with no IL-17 production and presence of Foxp3+ Treg cells in the CNS

Dietary restriction abrogates antibody production induced by a DNA vaccine encoding the mycobacterial 65 kDa heat shock protein

Abstract\ud \ud \ud \ud Background\ud \ud Protein-calorie malnutrition (PCM) is the most common type of malnutrition. PCM leads to immunodeficiency and consequent increased susceptibility to infectious agents. In addition, responses to prophylactic vaccines depend on nutritional status. This study aims to evaluate the ability of undernourished mice to mount an immune response to a genetic vaccine (pVAXhsp65) against tuberculosis, containing the gene coding for the heat shock protein 65 from mycobacteria.\ud \ud \ud \ud Methods\ud \ud Young adult female BALB/c mice were fed ad libitum or with 80% of the amount of food consumed by a normal diet group. We initially characterized a mice model of dietary restriction by determining body and spleen weights, hematological parameters and histopathological changes in lymphoid organs. The ability of splenic cells to produce IFN-gamma and IL-4 upon in vitro stimulation with LPS or S. aureus and the serum titer of specific IgG1 and IgG2a anti-hsp65 antibodies after intramuscular immunization with pVAXhsp65 was then tested.\ud \ud \ud \ud Results\ud \ud Dietary restriction significantly decreased body and spleen weights and also the total lymphocyte count in blood. This restriction also determined a striking atrophy in lymphoid organs as spleen, thymus and lymphoid tissue associated with the small intestine. Specific antibodies were not detected in mice submitted to dietary restriction whereas the well nourished animals produced significant levels of both, IgG1 and IgG2a anti-hsp65.\ud \ud \ud \ud Conclusion\ud \ud 20% restriction in food intake deeply compromised humoral immunity induced by a genetic vaccine, alerting, therefore, for the relevance of the nutritional condition in vaccination programs based on these kinds of constructs.The present study was supported by a scholarship award to Larissa L. W. Ishikawa by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil.The present study was supported by a scholarship award to Larissa L. W. Ishikawa by the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil

Desgaste físico e mental de auxiliares de enfermagem: uma análise sob o enfoque gerencial

Seeking a better understanding of job stress, auxiliary nurses were evaluated in General Hospitals Belo Horizonte. The emotional stress which accompanies auxiliary nurses caring for the sick and easing physical and mental suffering affects their own mental state and physical health. Elements that cause suffering and diseases can be attenuated or intensified depending on labor relations. However, organizations have not been concerned about working conditions. This paper suggests some protective safety and health measures that can improve labor relations and consequently reduce the suffering of working in hospitals.Buscando comprender mejor el trabajo en organizaciones de salud, fue realizada una investigación en hospitales generales contemplando algunos grupos ocupacionales. Se supone que una actividad ligada a dolor, sufrimiento y muerte interfiere en la organización, gestión, condiciones de trabajo y que de manera general, expone a los trabajadores de esas organizaciones a un desgaste físico y mental intenso. Se notó también, que tanto las organizaciones como los propios grupos ocupacionales aún tienen escasa conciencia sobre estos problemas, desenvolviendo pocas formas de regulación o atenuación de los conflictos decorrentes. El artículo presenta un análisis específico sobre el grupo de auxiliares de enfermería y sugiere, a título de conclusión medidas que pueden mejorar esa situación.Buscando melhor compreender o trabalho em organizações de saúde. Foi realizada uma pesquisa em hospitais gerais contemplando alguns grupos ocupacionais. Supõe-se que a atividade de lidar com dor, sofrimento e morte interfere na organização, gestão, condições de trabalho e que de maneira geral, expõe os trabalhadores dessas organizações a um desgaste físico e mental intenso. Percebeu-se, no entanto, que tanto as organizações quanto os próprios grupos ocupacionais têm ainda pouca consciência sobre estes problemas, desenvolvendo poucas formas de regulação ou atenuação dos conflitos daí decorrentes. O artigo apresenta uma análise específica sobre o grupo de auxiliares de enfermagem e sugere, a título de conclusivo, algumas medidas que podem melhorar essa situação