Mercantilização do ensino superior, crise trabalhista e pandemia do COVID-19

This article aimed to analyze the commodification of higher education and the impact of digital technologies and the coronavirus pandemic on the level of learning and work of university professors. The methodology used was a bibliographical review – with content analysis (theoretical-deductive and dialectic), in a qualitative and quantitative way. The conclusion was that the process of commodification of higher education, the economic crises and the COVID-19 pandemic boosted the implementation of the virtual class system, in hybridity with face-to-face classes, impacting the quality of teaching and the work of teachers. university students, who started to face difficulties with the volume of work, with the mastery of new digital tools and with the challenge of maintaining the level of engagement and learning of students

A TERCEIRIZAÇÃO E OS DIREITOS SOCIAIS NA ERA DIGITAL

The article addresses the growing precariousness of work resulting from outsourcing in the digital age, where employee subordination can be disguised, compromising the configuration of employment relationships. Exploring the intersection between outsourcing and technology, the study reveals how work flexibility is exploited to obscure the employment relationship. In this context, economic crises exacerbate this process, leading to the deterioration of social rights. The article highlights the importance of understanding this dynamic and proposes the need to balance technological innovation with the protection of workers' rights, in order to preserve the dignity and stability of labor relations in the midst of digital transformations and economic adversities.El artículo aborda la creciente precariedad del trabajo derivada de la subcontratación en la era digital, donde la subordinación de los empleados puede disfrazarse, comprometiendo la configuración de las relaciones laborales. Al explorar la intersección entre la subcontratación y la tecnología, el estudio revela cómo se explota la flexibilidad laboral para oscurecer la relación laboral. En este contexto, las crisis económicas exacerban este proceso, provocando el deterioro de los derechos sociales. El artículo destaca la importancia de comprender esta dinámica y propone la necesidad de equilibrar la innovación tecnológica con la protección de los derechos de los trabajadores, a fin de preservar la dignidad y estabilidad de las relaciones laborales en medio de transformaciones digitales y adversidades económicas.O artigo aborda a crescente precarização do trabalho resultante das terceirizações na era digital, onde a subordinação do empregado pode ser dissimulada, comprometendo a configuração dos vínculos empregatícios. Explorando a interseção entre terceirizações e tecnologia, o estudo revela como a flexibilidade do trabalho é explorada para obscurecer a relação empregatícia. Nesse contexto, as crises econômicas exacerbam esse processo, levando à deterioração dos direitos sociais. O artigo destaca a importância de compreender essa dinâmica e propõe a necessidade de equilibrar a inovação tecnológica com a proteção dos direitos dos trabalhadores, a fim de preservar a dignidade e a estabilidade das relações de trabalho em meio às transformações digitais e às adversidades econômicas.O artigo aborda a crescente precarização do trabalho resultante das terceirizações na era digital, onde a subordinação do empregado pode ser dissimulada, comprometendo a configuração dos vínculos empregatícios. Explorando a interseção entre terceirizações e tecnologia, o estudo revela como a flexibilidade do trabalho é explorada para obscurecer a relação empregatícia. Nesse contexto, as crises econômicas exacerbam esse processo, levando à deterioração dos direitos sociais. O artigo destaca a importância de compreender essa dinâmica e propõe a necessidade de equilibrar a inovação tecnológica com a proteção dos direitos dos trabalhadores, a fim de preservar a dignidade e a estabilidade das relações de trabalho em meio às transformações digitais e às adversidades econômicas

Glycoengineered nanoparticles enhance the delivery of 5-fluoroucil and paclitaxel to gastric cancer cells of high metastatic potential

Gastric cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with half of patients developing metastasis within 5 years after curative treatment. Moreover, many patients cannot tolerate or complete systemic treatment due severe side-effects, reducing their effectiveness. Thus, targeted therapeutics are warranted to improve treatment outcomes and reduce toxicity. Herein, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles loaded with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and paclitaxel were surface-functionalized with a monoclonal antibody targeting sialyl-Lewis A (sLeA), a known glycan mediating hematogenous metastasis. Nanoparticles, ranging from 137 to 330 nm, enabled the controlled release of cytotoxic drugs at neutral and acid pH, supporting potential for intravenous and oral administration. Nanoencapsulation also reduced the initial toxicity of the drugs against gastric cells, suggesting it may constitute a safer administration vehicle. Furthermore, nanoparticle functionalization significantly enhanced targeting to sLeA cells in vitro and ex vivo (over 40% in comparison to non-targeted nanoparticles). In summary, a glycoengineered nano-vehicle was successfully developed to deliver 5-FU and paclitaxel therapeutic agents to metastatic gastric cancer cells. We anticipate that this may constitute an important milestone to establish improved targeted therapeutics against gastric cancer. Given the pancarcinomic nature of the sLeA antigen, the translation of this solution to other models may be also envisaged.publishe

Multidifferential study of identified charged hadron distributions in ZZ-tagged jets in proton-proton collisions at s=\sqrt{s}=13 TeV

Jet fragmentation functions are measured for the first time in proton-proton collisions for charged pions, kaons, and protons within jets recoiling against a $Z$ boson. The charged-hadron distributions are studied longitudinally and transversely to the jet direction for jets with transverse momentum 20 $< p_{\textrm{T}} < 100$ GeV and in the pseudorapidity range $2.5 < \eta < 4$. The data sample was collected with the LHCb experiment at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 1.64 fb$^{-1}$. Triple differential distributions as a function of the hadron longitudinal momentum fraction, hadron transverse momentum, and jet transverse momentum are also measured for the first time. This helps constrain transverse-momentum-dependent fragmentation functions. Differences in the shapes and magnitudes of the measured distributions for the different hadron species provide insights into the hadronization process for jets predominantly initiated by light quarks.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-013.html (LHCb public pages

Study of the B−→Λc+Λˉc−K−B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-} decay

The decay $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ is studied in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of $\sqrt{s}=13$ TeV using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 5 $\mathrm{fb}^{-1}$ collected by the LHCb experiment. In the $\Lambda_{c}^+ K^{-}$ system, the $\Xi_{c}(2930)^{0}$ state observed at the BaBar and Belle experiments is resolved into two narrower states, $\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}$ and $\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}$, whose masses and widths are measured to be $$m(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = 2924.5 \pm 0.4 \pm 1.1 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ m(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = 2938.5 \pm 0.9 \pm 2.3 \,\mathrm{MeV}, \\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2923)^{0}) = \phantom{000}4.8 \pm 0.9 \pm 1.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},\\ \Gamma(\Xi_{c}(2939)^{0}) = \phantom{00}11.0 \pm 1.9 \pm 7.5 \,\mathrm{MeV},$$ where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. The results are consistent with a previous LHCb measurement using a prompt $\Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ sample. Evidence of a new $\Xi_{c}(2880)^{0}$ state is found with a local significance of $3.8\,\sigma$, whose mass and width are measured to be $2881.8 \pm 3.1 \pm 8.5\,\mathrm{MeV}$ and $12.4 \pm 5.3 \pm 5.8 \,\mathrm{MeV}$, respectively. In addition, evidence of a new decay mode $\Xi_{c}(2790)^{0} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} K^{-}$ is found with a significance of $3.7\,\sigma$. The relative branching fraction of $B^{-} \to \Lambda_{c}^{+} \bar{\Lambda}_{c}^{-} K^{-}$ with respect to the $B^{-} \to D^{+} D^{-} K^{-}$ decay is measured to be $2.36 \pm 0.11 \pm 0.22 \pm 0.25$, where the first uncertainty is statistical, the second systematic and the third originates from the branching fractions of charm hadron decays.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-028.html (LHCb public pages

Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles (MISEV2023): From basic to advanced approaches

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), through their complex cargo, can reflect the state of their cell of origin and change the functions and phenotypes of other cells. These features indicate strong biomarker and therapeutic potential and have generated broad interest, as evidenced by the steady year-on-year increase in the numbers of scientific publications about EVs. Important advances have been made in EV metrology and in understanding and applying EV biology. However, hurdles remain to realising the potential of EVs in domains ranging from basic biology to clinical applications due to challenges in EV nomenclature, separation from non-vesicular extracellular particles, characterisation and functional studies. To address the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly evolving field, the International Society for Extracellular Vesicles (ISEV) updates its 'Minimal Information for Studies of Extracellular Vesicles', which was first published in 2014 and then in 2018 as MISEV2014 and MISEV2018, respectively. The goal of the current document, MISEV2023, is to provide researchers with an updated snapshot of available approaches and their advantages and limitations for production, separation and characterisation of EVs from multiple sources, including cell culture, body fluids and solid tissues. In addition to presenting the latest state of the art in basic principles of EV research, this document also covers advanced techniques and approaches that are currently expanding the boundaries of the field. MISEV2023 also includes new sections on EV release and uptake and a brief discussion of in vivo approaches to study EVs. Compiling feedback from ISEV expert task forces and more than 1000 researchers, this document conveys the current state of EV research to facilitate robust scientific discoveries and move the field forward even more rapidly

Measurement of the ratios of branching fractions R(D∗)\mathcal{R}(D^{*}) and R(D0)\mathcal{R}(D^{0})

The ratios of branching fractions $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})\equiv\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(\bar{B}\to D^{*}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})\equiv\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\tau^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\tau})/\mathcal{B}(B^{-}\to D^{0}\mu^{-}\bar{\nu}_{\mu})$ are measured, assuming isospin symmetry, using a sample of proton-proton collision data corresponding to 3.0 fb${ }^{-1}$ of integrated luminosity recorded by the LHCb experiment during 2011 and 2012. The tau lepton is identified in the decay mode $\tau^{-}\to\mu^{-}\nu_{\tau}\bar{\nu}_{\mu}$. The measured values are $\mathcal{R}(D^{*})=0.281\pm0.018\pm0.024$ and $\mathcal{R}(D^{0})=0.441\pm0.060\pm0.066$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The correlation between these measurements is $\rho=-0.43$. Results are consistent with the current average of these quantities and are at a combined 1.9 standard deviations from the predictions based on lepton flavor universality in the Standard Model.Comment: All figures and tables, along with any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2022-039.html (LHCb public pages

Global investments in pandemic preparedness and COVID-19: development assistance and domestic spending on health between 1990 and 2026

Background The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gaps in health surveillance systems, disease prevention, and treatment globally. Among the many factors that might have led to these gaps is the issue of the financing of national health systems, especially in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), as well as a robust global system for pandemic preparedness. We aimed to provide a comparative assessment of global health spending at the onset of the pandemic; characterise the amount of development assistance for pandemic preparedness and response disbursed in the first 2 years of the COVID-19 pandemic; and examine expectations for future health spending and put into context the expected need for investment in pandemic preparedness. Methods In this analysis of global health spending between 1990 and 2021, and prediction from 2021 to 2026, we estimated four sources of health spending: development assistance for health (DAH), government spending, out-of-pocket spending, and prepaid private spending across 204 countries and territories. We used the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)'s Creditor Reporting System (CRS) and the WHO Global Health Expenditure Database (GHED) to estimate spending. We estimated development assistance for general health, COVID-19 response, and pandemic preparedness and response using a keyword search. Health spending estimates were combined with estimates of resources needed for pandemic prevention and preparedness to analyse future health spending patterns, relative to need. Findings In 2019, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, US$9·2 trillion (95$7·3 trillion (95% UI 7·2–7·4) in 2019; 293·7 times the $24·8 billion (95$43·1 billion in development assistance was provided to maintain or improve health. The pandemic led to an unprecedented increase in development assistance targeted towards health; in 2020 and 2021, $1·8 billion in DAH contributions was provided towards pandemic preparedness in LMICs, and$37·8 billion was provided for the health-related COVID-19 response. Although the support for pandemic preparedness is 12·2% of the recommended target by the High-Level Independent Panel (HLIP), the support provided for the health-related COVID-19 response is 252·2% of the recommended target. Additionally, projected spending estimates suggest that between 2022 and 2026, governments in 17 (95% UI 11–21) of the 137 LMICs will observe an increase in national government health spending equivalent to an addition of 1% of GDP, as recommended by the HLIP. Interpretation There was an unprecedented scale-up in DAH in 2020 and 2021. We have a unique opportunity at this time to sustain funding for crucial global health functions, including pandemic preparedness. However, historical patterns of underfunding of pandemic preparedness suggest that deliberate effort must be made to ensure funding is maintained

Inducing techniques for quantitative recurrence and applications to Misiurewicz maps and Doubly intermittent maps

We prove an abstract result establishing that one can obtain the convergence of Rare Events Point Processes counting the number of orbital visits to a sequence of shrinking target sets from the convergence of corresponding point processes for some induced system and matching shadowing shrinking sets inside the base of the inducing scheme. We apply this result to prove a dichotomy for two classes of non-uniformly hyperbolic interval maps: Misiurewicz quadratic maps and doubly intermittent maps. The dichotomy holds in the sense that the shrinking target sets may accumulate in any individual point ζ chosen in the phase space and then one either obtains a limiting homogeneous Poisson process at every non-periodic point ζ or a limiting compound Poisson process with geometric multiplicity distribution at every periodic point. We also highlight the reconstruction performed in order to recover the multiplicity distribution for a periodic orbit sitting outside the base of the induced map

Aberrantly Glycosylated GLUT1 as a Poor Prognosis Marker in Aggressive Bladder Cancer

Muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) remains a pressing health concern due to conventional treatment failure and significant molecular heterogeneity, hampering the development of novel targeted therapeutics. In our quest for novel targetable markers, recent glycoproteomics and bioinformatics data have pinpointed (glucose transporter 1) GLUT1 as a potential biomarker due to its increased expression in tumours compared to healthy tissues. This study explores this hypothesis in more detail, with emphasis on GLUT1 glycosylation patterns and cancer specificity. Immunohistochemistry analysis across a diverse set of human bladder tumours representing all disease stages revealed increasing GLUT1 expression with lesion severity, extending to metastasis, while remaining undetectable in healthy urothelium. In line with this, GLUT1 emerged as a marker of reduced overall survival. Revisiting nanoLC-EThcD-MS/MS data targeting immature O-glycosylation on muscle-invasive tumours identified GLUT1 as a carrier of short glycosylation associated with invasive disease. Precise glycosite mapping uncovered significant heterogeneity between patient samples, but also common glycopatterns that could provide the molecular basis for targeted solutions. Immature O-glycosylation conferred cancer specificity to GLUT1, laying the molecular groundwork for enhanced targeted therapeutics in bladder cancer. Future studies should focus on a comprehensive mapping of GLUT1 glycosites for highly specific cancer-targeted therapy development for bladder cancer