Possibilities of Enacting and Researching Epistemic Communities

This article explores what the concept of epistemic community can contribute to studies of science and technology and to existing analytical frames of epistemic cultures, technosocial network and community of practice. Reviewing conceptions of epistemic community in political science, organisational studies and feminist epistemologies I suggest that heuristic dimensions include a focus on historical contingencies and timings; on particular epistemic projects and technologies that work as boundary objects; and on epistemic responsibilities and stratifications. These dimensions are further explored in two research vignettes. The first vignette follows the mobilisation and expectations of the Czech synchrotron user community at a funding event as a focal point for examining epistemic responsibilities and the genderings of community. The second vignette follows a biographical narrative about being and becoming a member of an epistemic community and amplifies the importance of different configurations of community. I argue that the contours, distributions and textures of an epistemic community cannot be studied at a single analytical site such as the laboratory and conclude by outlining what can be gained by using a refined concept of epistemic communities and sketching some strategies for further research.Epistemic Community, Epistemic Responsibility, Epistemic Cultures, Community of Practice, Gendering of Community, Synchrotron User Community

GIS-based multicriteria analysis as decision support in flood risk management

In this report we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. This approach has the ability a) to consider also flood risks which are not measured in monetary terms, b) to show the spatial distribution of these multiple risks and c) to deal with uncertainties in criteria values and to show their influence on the overall assessment. It can furthermore be used to show the spatial distribution of the effects of risk reduction measures. The approach is tested for a pilot study at the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany. Therefore, a GISdataset of economic as well as social and environmental risk criteria is built up. Two multicriteria decision rules, a disjunctive approach and an additive weighting approach are used to come to an overall assessment and mapping of flood risk in the area. Both the risk calculation and mapping of single criteria as well as the multicriteria analysis are supported by a software tool (FloodCalc) which was developed for this task. --

Technoecologies of Solar Commoning: Activating the Immanent Potentials of Solar Infrastructure, Practices and Affect

In the context of accelerated climate crisis this article investigates the energetic-political possibilities of solar energy in the Czech Republic. In the absence of solar cooperatives, the article examines residential PV installations and a ground-mounted solar mono-plantation as a terrain for possible commoning. It proposes technoecologies as a framework and tool to not only focus on what solar infrastructure brings together, but also what is left out or disarticulated in specific arrangements but can be seen as infrastructure’s productive “limits” that entail possibilities for differential inclusion, regeneration, and care. Ethnographic technoecological analysis shows how unexpected plant growth within the plantation points to multispecies refuges transforming the electric monoculture, and how electrical rewiring could connect PV arrays to households in multiple occupancy buildings (paneláky) in ways that enable new forms of sharing and joyful squandering of electricity in times of energy abundance.In the context of accelerated climate crisis this article investigates the energetic-political possibilities of solar energy in the Czech Republic. In the absence of solar cooperatives, the article examines residential PV installations and a ground-mounted solar mono-plantation as a terrain for possible commoning. It proposes technoecologies as a framework and tool to not only focus on what solar infrastructure brings together, but also what is left out or disarticulated in specific arrangements but can be seen as infrastructure’s productive “limits” that entail possibilities for differential inclusion, regeneration, and care. Ethnographic technoecological analysis shows how unexpected plant growth within the plantation points to multispecies refuges transforming the electric monoculture, and how electrical rewiring could connect PV arrays to households in multiple occupancy buildings (paneláky) in ways that enable new forms of sharing and joyful squandering of electricity in times of energy abundance

Lizofoszfolipid mediátorok receptorai. Szfingo- és glicerolipid növekedési faktorokat kötő fehérjék azonosítása és jellemzése. = Identification and characterization of specific proteins for sphingo- and glycerolipid growth factors

A legegyszerűbb foszfolipidek, a lizofoszfatidsav (LPA) és a szfingozin-1-foszfát (S1P) jelátvivő molekulák, amelyek részt vesznek a sejtek túlélésének, osztódásának és mozgásainak szabályozásában az egyszerű organizmusoktól az emberig. Kutatásaink célja ezen foszfolipidek hatásmechanizmusának megismerése, a kölcsönható fehérjék azonosítása. Az LPA és az S1P hatását elsősorban sejtfelszíni receptorokon keresztül fejti ki. Az LPA-receptortípusokra szelektív aktiváló és gátló molekulák két új csoportját azonosítottuk és jellemeztük: a zsíralkohol-foszfátokat és az oligoprenil-foszfátokat. Sikeresen azonosítottuk az S1P1-es típusú receptor ligandkötésében résztvevő apoláros aminosavakat, teljessé téve ezzel korábbi munkánkat a kötőhely feltérképezésére. Eredményeink a lizofoszfolipid receptorok farmakológiai vizsgálatának új lehetőségeit teremtik meg. Az S1P különlegessége, hogy másodlagos hírvivő is. Egyértelmű bizonyítékot szolgáltattunk arra, hogy az S1P valóban intracellulárisan is képes a kalcium-ionok felszabadítására. Legújabban kimutattuk, hogy az S1P-rokon szfingozilfoszforilkolin köti és gátolja a kalcium hatását univerzálisan közvetítő kalmodulint. Az S1P a sejtben keletkezik, tehát sejtfelszíni receptorai aktiválásához ki kell jutnia onnan. Vizsgáltuk egyes ABC-transzporterek szerepét ebben a folyamatban. Kimutattuk, hogy az MRP1-fehérje az S1P egyik lehetséges kipumpálója. E fehérje működése során fellépő kooperatív kölcsönhatásokat is azonosítottunk. | The simplest phospholipids, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) are lipid mediators regulating survival, proliferation, and migration of cells. Our aim is to characterize the mechanisms of action of these phospholipids and to identify their interacting proteins. LPA and S1P exert their actions mainly through cell surface G protein-coupled receptors. We identified two new sets of LPA receptor subtype selective ligands: fatty alcohol phosphates and oligoprenyl phosphates. We also successfully completed the mapping of the ligand binding pocket of the S1P1 receptor, by determining the amino acids lining the hydrophobic part of the binding site. Our results make new pharmacologic interventions possible at lysophospholipid receptors. S1P is unique because it also acts as a second messenger. We provided strict evidence for the action of S1P on the intracellular calcium mobilization from endoplasmic reticulum, independent of cell surface receptors. Very recently we have shown that the related lipid sphingosylphosphorylcholine binds to and inhibits the actions of calmodulin, the ubiquitous calcium sensor of cells. S1P is formed inside cells by the action of sphingosine kinases. It should leave the cell to act as an autocrine/paracrine mediator. We investigated the role of ABC transporters in this process and identified MRP1 as a potential efflux pump for S1P. We also identified cooperative interactions between the ATP and drug binding sites of MRP1

Transexualidade e heteronormatividade: algumas questões para a pesquisa = Transexuality and heteronormativity: some topics for research

A heteronormatividade, desde uma perspectiva que enfatiza o caráter produtivo da linguagem, é problematizada como um padrão de sexualidade que regula o modo como a sociedade ocidental está organizada. Apesar da força dessa regulação há indivíduos que escapam à norma heterossexual. Um desses grupos é designado pelo discurso biomédico como transexuais. Estes indivíduos rompem com o que lhes é designado pela norma heterossexual e reconstroem seus corpos através da cirurgia de redesignação sexual. Paradoxalmente, ao mesmo tempo em que não se identificam com o que está socialmente designado para os seus corpos, estes indivíduos buscam adequar-se a norma heterossexual, redesenhando seus corpos e seus comportamentos. No âmbito dessa complexa problemática, este trabalho objetiva discutir esses processos, tomando como referência os estudos de gênero e culturais pós-estruturalistas, explorando especialmente a articulação corpo, sexualidade e heteronormatividad

As (des)construções de gênero e sexualidade no recreio escolar

In this study, from the slopes of Cultural Studies and Gender approaching the post-structuralism of Foucault, we aimed to understand how gender meanings that constitute different ways of being a boy or a girl in the playground area of a public school in Porto Alegre, Brazil are attributed. Through an ethnographic study, which lasted a year, and interviews with children, we focused on a second and a third basic education grades and identified an unofficial and unintended learning that occurs in the games of children, in which they learn ways to be boys and girls. In this context, we realized that there is an occupation of the schoolyard by gender, including occupancy and different ways of negotiation setting a geography of gender. We also observed a construction of sexuality in school, in which homosexuality is circumscribed to the detriment of the norm of heterosexuality.Neste estudo, a partir das vertentes dos Estudos Culturais e de Gênero que se aproximam do pós-estruturalismo de Foucault, procuramos compreender como são atribuídos significados de gênero que constituem modos diferenciados de ser menino ou menina no espaço do recreio de uma escola pública de Porto Alegre, no Brasil. Através de um trabalho etnográfico que teve a duração de um ano e com realização de entrevistas com crianças, focalizamos uma segunda e uma terceira série do ensino fundamental e identificamos uma aprendizagem não-oficial e não-intencional que ocorre nas brincadeiras das crianças, onde elas aprendem formas de ser meninos e meninas. Neste contexto, percebemos que existe uma ocupação dos espaços do pátio da escola segundo o gênero, que inclui diferentes maneiras de ocupação e negociação configurando uma geografia do gênero. Também observamos uma construção da sexualidade na escola, na qual a homossexualidade é circunscrita em detrimento da norma da heterossexualidade

As Mamas como Constituintes da Maternidade: uma história do passado?

This paper revisits some of the dimensions that allow us to situate historically the processthat Marilyn Yalom (1997) has called "politicization of women's breasts". In addition,information from educational material used in the National Campaign for the Incentiveof Breastfeeding will be discussed. The paper also relates the knowledge and practicesthat make up the concept of motherhood and the exercise of motherhood in the previouslymentioned campaign with this historical process in order to c1aim that contemporarylife has been influencing a new process or politicization of motherhood andbreastfeeding practices.Neste artigo retomo algumas das dimensões que permitem situar, historicamente, oprocesso que Marilyn Yalom (1997) denominou de "politização do seio feminino",para então discutir aspectos/informações extraídos de materiais educativos utilizadosno âmbito do Programa Nacional de Incentivo ao Aleitamento Matemo. Relaciono ossaberes e práticas que atravessam e conformam o ser mãe e o exercício da amamentação,no programa em questão, com esse processo histórico, para argumentar que nacontemporaneidade vem-se engendrando uma nova politização da maternidade e doaleitamento matemo

Jak v praxi ovlivnit spory o hranice? Proč se nepodařilo přírodovědce přesvědčit o významnosti genderu

Feministické bádání jako analytická tradice a intervencionistický projekt již dlouho zkoumá hranice, jež jsou hluboce vepsány do západního myšlení a pojetí racionality. Tento článek vychází z myšlenky, že schopnost v praxi destabilizovat hranice pokulhává za důmyslností analýz opakovaného utváření hranic. Jádrem feministické praxe je zájem zpochybňovat nákresy hranic a měnit to, co je považováno za přirozené, normální či skutečné. Mimo svůj vlastní „okrsek“ však feministé a feministky mohou být při tvoření těchto interferencí do přijímaných způsobů myšlení a jednání méně úspěšní. Článek se hlásí k feministické výzvě přijmout „neúspěch“ výzkumné intervence a prozkoumat to, jak „se může stát zdrojem nebo příležitostí pro nové (ač ne nutně účinnější) strategie, modely, interpretace a způsoby bytí“. Na příkladu prezentace o příležitostech a nebezpečích vědecké excelence autorka přezkoumává své vlastní intervence a intervence svých diskusních partnerů. Analýza je vedena úvahami o tom, jak lépe hovořit o genderu a genderování, jak ho pojmenovat, aniž bychom ho zredukovali na něco pevného a jednotného a zkoumané znovu vepsali do dominantních reprezentací

Educação, saúde e modos de inscrever uma forma de maternidade nos corpos femininos

This paper discusses mother's representation and identities that have been produced and circulate in tiealth education programs addressed to mother-child population. The methodological approach used is cultural analysis, whose theoretical basis is informed by feminist studies and cultural studies, from a post-structuralist perspective. This approach allows to understand health programs as pedagogical instances that produce, re-signify, and circulate certain ways of knowledge, how to live, and also as to value motherhood incontemporary times. The paper also examines ways by which the "pedagogy" engendered by a net of discourses and powers that institute these programs acts. These programs re-signify the mother-child relationship to inseribe the mother's body in a powerful regime of surveillance and regulation. Such strategy of power embodies in motherhood's exercise attributes related to a vast array of problems that globalized societies produce but doesn't know how to solve. The paper also proposes that contemporary times are engendering a new politicization of motherhood, in which health programs have important implications.Discuto, en este trabajo, representaciones e identidades de madre que vienen siendo producidas y/ o vehiculadas en eli ámbito de programas de educación en salud dirigidos a Ia populación materno-infantil. Utilizo ei abordaje de ei análisis cultural, tal como está viene siendo desarrollada por los Estudios Culturales y de Género, para analizar tales programas de salud, concebiéndolos como instancias pedagógicas que producen, resignifican y vehiculan determinados modos de conocer, vivir y valorar Ia maternidad en Ia contemporaneidad. Examino modos por los cuales Ia "pedagogia", engendrada por Ia tela de discursos y de poderes que inst ituye tales programas actúa, resignificando Ia relación madre-hijo para inscribir en ei cuerpo materno en un poderoso regimen de vigilancia y regulación. Tal estratégia de poder incorpora al ejercicio de Ia maternidad atributos relacionados con Ia resolución de una vasta gama de problemas que as sociedades globalizadas producen y no consiguen resolver. Argumento que en Ia contemporaneidad se vienen engendrando una nueva politización de Ia maternidad, en Ia cual programas de atención a Ia salud están bastante implicados.Discuto, neste trabalho, representações e identidades de mãe que vêm sendo produzidas e/ou veiculadas no âmbito de programas de educação em saúde voltados à população materno-infantil. Utilizo a abordagem da análise cultural, tal como esta vem sendo desenvolvida pelos Estudos Culturais e de Gênero, para analisar tais programas de saúde, concebendo-os como instâncias pedagógicas que produzem, ressignificam e veiculam determinados modos de conhecer, viver e valorar a maternidade na contempora-neidade. Examino modos pelos quais a "pedagogia" engendrada pela teia de discursos e de poderes que institui tais programas atua, ressignificando a relação mãe-filho para inscrever o corpo materno em um poderoso regime de vigilância e regulação. Tal estratégia de poder incorpora ao exercício da maternidade atributos relacionados com a resolução de uma vasta gama de problemas que as sociedades globalizadas produzem e não conseguem resolver. Argumento que na contem-poraneidade vem-se engendrando uma nova politização da maternidade, na qual programas de atenção à saúde estão bastante implicado

Mosquito communities and disease risk influenced by land use change and seasonality in the Australian tropics

Background: Anthropogenic land use changes have contributed considerably to the rise of emerging and re-emerging mosquito-borne diseases. These diseases appear to be increasing as a result of the novel juxtapositions of habitats and species that can result in new interchanges of vectors, diseases and hosts. We studied whether the mosquito community structure varied between habitats and seasons and whether known disease vectors displayed habitat preferences in tropical Australia. Methods: Using CDC model 512 traps, adult mosquitoes were sampled across an anthropogenic disturbance gradient of grassland, rainforest edge and rainforest interior habitats, in both the wet and dry seasons. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMS) ordinations were applied to examine major gradients in the composition of mosquito and vector communities. Results: We captured ~13,000 mosquitoes from 288 trap nights across four study sites. A community analysis identified 29 species from 7 genera. Even though mosquito abundance and richness were similar between the three habitats, the community composition varied significantly in response to habitat type. The mosquito community in rainforest interiors was distinctly different to the community in grasslands, whereas forest edges acted as an ecotone with shared communities from both forest interiors and grasslands. We found two community patterns that will influence disease risk at out study sites, first, that disease vectoring mosquito species occurred all year round. Secondly, that anthropogenic grasslands adjacent to rainforests may increase the probability of novel disease transmission through changes to the vector community on rainforest edges, as most disease transmitting species predominantly occurred in grasslands. Conclusion: Our results indicate that the strong influence of anthropogenic land use change on mosquito communities could have potential implications for pathogen transmission to humans and wildlife