The Battle Over Abortion Rights in Brazil's State Arenas, 1995-2006

This article proposes a relational approach to the study of abortion law reform in Brazil. It focuses on the interaction of pro-choice and anti-abortion movements in different state arenas and political contexts. It details the emergence of a strategic action field on abortion during the Brazilian re-democratization process and the National Constituent Assembly. We offer analysis on pro-choice and anti-abortion mobilization in state arenas-mainly in the executive and legislative powers-during the two terms of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso (FHC), 1995-1998 and 1999-2002, and the first term of President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva (Lula), 2003-2006. We then map political resources for mobilization, such as legislative bills, public policy norms, and judicial decisions, and track legal continuities and changes. Finally, we analyze anti-abortion reaction, which was consolidated through an increased conservative presence in congress after 2006, and discuss how the abortion debate has migrated from congress to the Supreme Court and the public sphere.Research Council of NorwayGetulio Vargas Fdn, Sch Law, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilBrazilian Ctr Anal & Planning CEBRAP, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sociol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Sociol, Sao Paulo, BrazilResearch Council of NorwayWeb of Scienc

Technical research innovations of the US national security system

Since the Second World War the US defense has been a major participant in the development of radical innovations in information and communication technologies (ICT’s), most famously probably the digital computer and the internet. A regularly present, but less known creator of R&D innovations is the intelligence community. To understand the role and impact of defense and intelligence-related research for driving ICT innovations, we analyzed which technological paradigms were promoted by US defense and intelligence agencies and the development of these research trajectories over time. Using bibliographic analysis, we clustered 82,239 scientific papers funded by the US national security system, published between 2009–2017, in research fronts, and after that aggregated the research fronts into technological paradigms. Our analysis identified main technological paradigms promoted by the US defense’s sectoral system of innovation, such as quantum science and graphene as fields that could generate high impact in the new generation of radical technologies. The efforts of intelligence agencies was highly concentrated on quantum science, social forecasting, computer cognition and signal processing. Our research highlights the role of US security players in shaping research fields

Social forecasting: a literature review of research promoted by the United States National Security System to model human behavior

The development of new information and communication technologies increased the volume of information flows within society. For the security forces, this phenomenon presents new opportunities for collecting, processing and analyzing information linked with the opportunity to collect a vast and diverse amount data, and at the same time it requires new organizational and individual competences to deal with the new forms and huge volumes of information. Our study aimed to outline the research areas funded by the US defense and intelligence agencies with respect to social forecasting. Based on bibliometric techniques, we clustered 2688 articles funded by US defense or intelligence agencies in five research areas: a) Complex networks, b) Social networks, c) Human reasoning, d) Optimization algorithms, and e) Neuroscience. After that, we analyzed qualitatively the most cited papers in each area. Our analysis identified that the research areas are compatible with the US intelligence doctrine. Besides that, we considered that the research areas could be incorporated in the work of security forces provided that basic training is offered. The basic training would not only enhance capabilities of law enforcement agencies but also help safeguard against (unwitting) biases and mistakes in the analysis of data

Fostering the Adoption of DMP in Small Research Projects through a Collaborative Approach

In order to promote sound management of research data the European Commission, under the Horizon 2020 framework program, is promoting the adoption of a Data Management Plan (DMP) in research projects. Despite the value of a DMP to make data findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable (FAIR) through time, the development and implementation of DMPs is not yet a common practice in health research. Raising the awareness of researchers in small projects to the benefits of early adoption of a DMP is, therefore, a motivator for others to follow suit. In this paper we describe an approach to engage researchers in the writing of a DMP, in an ongoing project, FrailSurvey, in which researchers are collecting data through a mobile application for self-assessment of fragility. The case study is supported by interviews, a metadata creation session, as well as the validation of recommendations by researchers. With the outline of our process we also outline tools and services that supported the development of the DMP in this small project, particularly since there were no institutional services available to researcher

Desenvolvimento e otimização de estruturas condutoras de base polimérica para engenharia de tecidos

Dissertação de mestrado em Biofísica e BionanossistemasA engenharia de tecidos é uma área científica com o objetivo de corrigir as falhas que existem a nível de regeneração e substituição de órgãos e/ou tecidos danificados impossíveis de recuperar. Através da utilização de células do indivíduo, fornecendo os estímulos necessários e numa estrutura apropriada é possível formar um novo tecido totalmente viável e funcional. Neste trabalho pretendeu-se desenvolver uma estrutura híbrida utilizando como base um polímero piezoelétrico, o poli(fluoreto de vinilideno) (PVDF), revestido com polímeros condutores: o polipirrole (Ppy) e a polianilina (PANI), com o objetivo de fornecer às células os estímulos biofísicos necessários ao seu correto desenvolvimento. As fibras de PVDF foram produzidas pelo método de electrospinning de duas formas diferentes: orientadas (O) e não orientadas (NO). O diâmetro médio das fibras O e NO situa-se no intervalo dos 700-800 nm. Estas fibras possuem uma estrutura semicristalina e uma fase β no intervalo dos 80-95% o que indica uma elevada quantidade de piezoeletricidade presente nestas fibras. As propriedades mecânicas das fibras foram avaliadas e verificou-se que as fibras O possuíam um módulo de Young superior quando o stress é aplicado ao longo da direção das fibras, indicativo da morfologia anisotrópica das fibras. As fibras NO são isotrópicas e mostravam a mesma resposta independentemente da direção da aplicação da força. Posteriormente, as fibras foram revestidas com polímero condutor através da polimerização por método químico. As fibras com uma biocompatibilidade e condutividade apropriadas foram caraterizadas a nível morfológico e quanto às suas propriedades mecânicas. As fibras revestidas com Ppy e dopadas com cloreto de sódio apresentaram os melhores resultados para aplicações em engenharia de tecidos pois eram biocompatíveis, condutoras, e possuíam um revestimento uniforme à volta das fibras. Além disso, o processo de deposição não modificou significativamente as suas propriedades mecânicas. Essas amostras foram também submetidas a testes de proliferação celular, em condições estáticas, onde se verificou que as células proliferaram apesar de aderirem menos comparativamente às fibras sem revestimento.Tissue engineering is a research field with the objective to correct the flaws that exist in the regeneration and replacement of damaged organs/tissues that are impossible to recover. Using the cells from the patient, providing necessary stimulus in appropriate structure, it is possible to form a tissue viable and completely functional. In this work was developed a hybrid structure using as a base a piezoelectric polymer, poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) coated with conductive polymers, polypyrrole (PPy) and polyaniline (PANI), with the objective to provide to the cells the biophysical stimulus needed for their functional development. The PVDF fibers were produced by electrospinning in two different ways: oriented (O) and random (NO). The diameter of O and NO fibers is in the range of 700-800 nm. These fibers have a semicrystalline structure and a β phase between 80-95% which indicates a high amount of the piezoelectric phase present in the fibers. The mechanical properties of the fibers were evaluated and it was found that O fibers show a higher Young Modulus when the stress is applied along the direction of the fibers, indicative of the anisotropic morphology of the fiber mats. The NO fibers are isotropic and show the same response independently of the direction of application of the applied force. Then, the fibers were coated with a conductive polymer through polymerization by chemical method. The fibers with proper biocompatibility and conductivity were submitted to characterization process at the level of morphology and their mechanical properties. The fibers coated with Ppy and doped with sodium chloride were the ones with the best results for tissue engineering applications as they are biocompatible, conductive, and show a uniform coating around the fibers. Furthermore, their mechanical properties are not significantly modified by the deposition process. This fibers were submitted to cellular proliferation, in static assays, where it was verified that the cells proliferate, although the cells adhere less than the fibers without coating

Immune Response Regulation by Leishmania Secreted and Nonsecreted Antigens

Leishmania infection consists in two sequential events, the host cell colonization followed by the proliferation/dissemination of the parasite. In this review, we discuss the importance of two distinct sets of molecules, the secreted and/or surface and the nonsecreted antigens. The importance of the immune response against secreted and surface antigens is noted in the establishment of the infection and we dissect the contribution of the nonsecreted antigens in the immunopathology associated with leishmaniasis, showing the importance of these panantigens during the course of the infection. As a further example of proteins belonging to these two different groups, we include several laboratorial observations on Leishmania Sir2 and LicTXNPx as excreted/secreted proteins and LmS3arp and LimTXNPx as nonsecreted/panantigens. The role of these two groups of antigens in the immune response observed during the infection is discussed

Sobre Espaços Públicos e Privados no Trabalho Doméstico em Pelotas/RS

Este artigo apresenta alguns aspectos referentes aos espaços ocupados pelas trabalhadoras domésticas em Pelotas/RS, observando traços que permanecem desde o período escravista até a contemporaneidade. Com uma perspectiva interdisciplinar, porém centrada nos preceitos da Arqueologia, buscamos compreender como ocorrem as relações entre domésticas e contratantes nesses espaços. Para as análises, observamos os espaços entendidos como públicos e privados através das narrativas das interlocutoras, na tentativa de entender como o mundo material está presente nas interações sociais

Antioxidant and neuroprotective effects of Hyptis suaveolens,Hyptis pectinata and Hyptis marrubioides in Caenorhabditiselegans

The increasing trend for the use of natural products as sources of pharmacologically active molecules has changed attitudes in the population. Given the existing demand, a credible scientific analysis and validation of the effect of these natural products is necessary. The genus Hyptis Jacq. (Lamiaceae) has about 300 species with wide distribution, among which Hyptis suaveolens, Hyptis pectinata and Hyptis marrubioides (HS, HP, HM, respectively) are used in folk medicine and are commercialized in street markets for treatment of several diseases. This study aims to evaluate the neuroprotective activity, as well as to elucidate some of the cellular mechanisms involved in the pharmacological action of HS/HP/HM plant extracts using Caenorhabditis elegans, as an animal model. For this purpose, we used a C. elegans model of Machado-Joseph disease (MJD), expressing a human mutant ATXN-3 and a C. elegans model of frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism-17 (FTDP-17), expressing a mutant form of tau protein, and tested ethanolic leaf extracts from HS, HP, and HM. Our data showed that chronic treatment with 1 mg/ mL of HS/HP/HM extracts had a beneficial impact in these diseases since it significantly ameliorated the locomotor defects exhibited by C. elegans. Moreover, with C. elegans model of MJD, the chronic treatment with the Hyptis extracts also increased the animals survival. We observed, in both models, a significant protection against jugloneinduced oxidative damage (by more than 50%), after chronic treatment with these extracts. Using C. elegans reporter strains we also observed a higher induction of gst-4, in HS/HP/HM extract-treated animals upon exposure to oxidative damage. Our findings support an antioxidant and neuroprotective activity of HS, HP e HM, suggesting the activating specific antioxidant enzymes like gst-4.This work was supported by national funds from FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under the projects PTDC/AGR-ALI/105169/2008, PEst-OE/AGR/UI4033/2014, and INTERACT—ISAC project, no. NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000017, cofinanced by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through NORTE 2020 (North Regional Operational Program 2014/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effect of Camphorquinone Concentration in Physical-Mechanical Properties of Experimental Flowable Resin Composites

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of camphorquinone concentration in physical-mechanical properties of experimental flowable composites in order to find the concentration that results in maximum conversion, balanced mechanical strength, and minimum shrinkage stress. Model composites based on BISGMA/TEGDMA with 70% wt filler loading were prepared containing different concentrations of camphorquinone (CQ) on resin matrix (0.25%, 0.50%, 1%, 1.50%, and 2% by weight). Degree of conversion was determined by FTIR. Surface hardness was assessed before and after 24 h ethanol storage and softening rate was determined. Depth of cure was determined by Knoop hardness evaluation at different depths. Color was assessed by reflectance spectrophotometer, employing the CIE-Lab system. Flexural strength and elastic modulus were determined by a three-point bending test. Shrinkage stress was determined in a Universal Testing Machine in a high compliance system. Data were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test (alpha = 0.05). The increase in CQ concentration caused a significant increase on flexural strength and luminosity of composites. Surface hardness was not affected by the concentration of CQ. Composite containing 0.25% wt CQ showed lower elastic modulus and shrinkage stress when compared to others. Depth of cure was 3 mm for composite containing 1% CQ and 2 mm for the other tested composites. Degree of conversion was inversely correlated with softening rate and directly correlated with elastic modulus and shrinkage stress. In conclusion, CQ concentration affects polymerization characteristics and mechanical strength of composites. The concentration of CQ in flowable composite for optimized polymerization and properties was 1% wt of the resin matrix, which allows adequate balance among degree of conversion, depth of cure, mechanical properties, and color characteristics of these materials.Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Diadema, SP, BrazilUniv Anhanguera Sao Paulo UNIAN, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilCSIC, ICTP, Madrid, SpainUniv Metropolitana Santos UNIMES, Santos, SP, BrazilUniv Mogi das Cruzes, NPT, Mogi das Cruzes, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Diadema, SP, BrazilFAPESP: 2015/16569-8Web of Scienc