L’impianto cocleare come potenziatore cognitivo? Una prospettiva neuroetica sulle obiezioni della comunità sorda

Riassunto: L’impianto cocleare (IC) è una neuroprotesi che consente un recupero parziale dell’udito nella persona sorda. Nonostante la sua generale efficacia nel contrastare alcuni dei problemi legati alla sordità, il suo utilizzo è stato fortemente osteggiato da quella parte della comunità sorda che vede nella sordità una forma di identità culturale e non una patologia. Questo articolo inquadra in una prospettiva neuroetica le preoccupazioni della comunità sorda – difficilmente comprensibili agli udenti – esaminando le analogie fra il rifiuto dell’IC e il disagio che si osserva nella popolazione generale relativamente al Potenziamento Cognitivo (PCog). Nel PCog, individui sani insoddisfatti delle proprie prestazioni, o comunque desiderosi di migliorarle, ricorrono ad interventi artificiali per potenziare le proprie funzioni cognitive. L’analisi evidenzia come, nel rifiutare l’IC, la comunità sorda possa voler tutelare un insieme di valori non così diverso da quello che la comunità generale richiama spesso nelle sue preoccupazioni rispetto alla diffusione dei PCog.Parole chiave: Impianto cocleare; Potenziamento cognitivo; Sordità; Cultura sordaThe cochlear implant as cognitive enhancement? A neuroethical perspective on some issues raised by the deaf community Abstract: The cochlear implant (CI) is a neuroprosthesis that allows for partial recovery of auditory function in individuals who are deaf. Despite its general efficacy, its use has been strongly opposed by a part of the deaf community that perceives deafness as a form of cultural identity, rather than a pathology. This article considers the concerns of the deaf community – which are often difficult for hearing people to understand – from a neuroethics perspective, proposing that such opposition to CI is analogous to the general population’s unease with regard to Cognitive Enhancement (CE). CE allows healthy individuals who are unsatisfied with – or would like to improve – their performance to use artificial interventions that enhance cognitive functions. The analysis reveals that, when opposing CIs, the deaf community may be protecting a set of values similar to those that the general community often evokes when voicing concerns about CE diffusion.Keywords: Cochlear Implant; Cognitive Enhancement; Deafness; Deaf Cultur

Atração de investimentos em startups deep techs: : o efeito da sustentabilidade

Objective: This study aims to understand the resources that explain the attraction of investment in deep tech startups and investigate the role of sustainability as a factor in investment attraction. Methodology/Approach: Using primary data, logistic regression analysis was applied to a sample of 220 deep tech startups located in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Originality/Relevance: The involvement of deep tech startups is crucial in addressing sustainability challenges, yet the extent to which this factor explains investment in startups remains uncertain. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV), this research contributes to the literature by elucidating the resources that drive investments from different stakeholder groups, including partners, government, and third-party investors in deep tech startups. Main Findings: Third-party private investors are attracted to startups that possess unique resources in the market. The investment by partners is driven by proprietary technology, while government investment is influenced by the superior performance of the startup. However, no association between sustainability and investment attraction was observed. Theoretical/Methodological Contributions: This study provides insights into the literature on investments and resources by specifically examining how different resources guide investment decisions. Furthermore, it makes a critical contribution by highlighting the absence of a relationship between investments and sustainability. Social/Managerial Contributions: For entrepreneurs of deep tech startups, this study underscores the importance of valuing and emphasizing different resources based on the intended type of investment, whether from partners, third-party investors, or the government. For investors in deep tech startups, it emphasizes the significance of actively directing investments toward businesses that aim to address socio-environmental issues.Propósito del estudio: comprender qué características explican la atracción de inversiones para las startups deep techs y si la sostenibilidad es uno de los factores de atracción de inversiones. Metodología/enfoque: Con base en datos primarios, se aplicó un análisis de regresión logística a una muestra de 220 startups deep techs en el Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Originalidad/relevancia: los desafíos de sostenibilidad requieren la participación de nuevas startups deep techs, pero es cuestionable si este factor explica la inversión en nuevas empresas. Con base en Resource-Based View (RBV), la investigación avanza en la literatura para explicar qué recursos explican las inversiones de grupos de socios, gobierno y terceros en startups deep techs. Principales resultados: La inversión privada de terceros es atraída por startups que cuentan con recursos únicos en el mercado. La inversión propia de los socios está impulsada por tecnología patentada. Y la inversión del gobierno para un rendimiento superior de la startup. Sin embargo, no existe una asociación entre la sostenibilidad y la atracción de inversiones. Contribuciones teóricas/metodológicas: Este estudio contribuye a la literatura que relaciona inversión y recursos, al mostrar específicamente cómo diferentes recursos dirigen diferentes inversiones. También contribuye, de manera puntual y crítica, al resaltar la falta de asociación entre inversión y sostenibilidad. Contribuciones sociales / de gestión: para los emprendedores de startups deep techs, el estudio revela que se deben valorar diferentes recursos según la inversión prevista, ya sea de socios, terceros o gobierno. Para los inversionistas en startups deep techs, es importante dirigir de manera proactiva más inversiones a empresas que tienen como objetivo resolver problemas socioambientales.Objetivo do estudo: Entender quais recursos explicam a atração de investimento para startup deep techs, e se a sustentabilidade é um dos fatores de atração de investimento. Metodologia/abordagem: A partir de dados primários, aplicou-se análise de regressão logística em uma amostra de 220 startups deep techs do Estado de São Paulo, Brasil. Originalidade/relevância: Os desafios de sustentabilidade exigem a participação das startups deep techs, porém é questionado se esse fator explica o investimento em startups. Com base na Resource-Based View (RBV), a pesquisa avança na literatura para explicar quais recursos explicam os investimentos dos grupos de sócios, governo e terceiros nas startups deep techs. Principais resultados:  O investimento privado de terceiros é atraído por startups que tem recursos únicos no mercado. O investimento dos próprios sócios é impulsionado pela tecnologia proprietária. E o investimento governamental pelo desempenho superior da startup. Contudo, não existe uma associação da sustentabilidade com a atração de investimento. Contribuições teóricas/metodológicas: Este estudo contribui para a literatura que relaciona investimento e recursos, ao mostrar especificamente como diferentes recursos direcionam diferentes investimentos. Contribui, também, de forma pontual e crítica ao evidenciar a ausência de associação entre investimento e sustentabilidade. Contribuições sociais / para a gestão: Para os empreendedores de startups deep techs, o estudo revela que diferentes recursos devem ser valorizados de acordo com o investimento que se pretende, seja de sócios, terceiros e governamental. Para os investidores em startups deep techs, fica a importância de direcionar de maneira propositiva mais investimentos para negócios que visam resolver problemas socioambientais

Higher insulin sensitivity in EDL muscle of rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet inhibits the caspase-3 and ubiquitin-proteasome proteolytic systems but does not increase protein synthesis

Compared with the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle of control rats (C), the EDL muscle of rats fed a low-protein, high-carbohydrate diet (LPHC) showed a 36% reduction in mass. Muscle mass is determined by the balance between protein synthesis and proteolysis; thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate the components involved in these processes. Compared with the muscle from C rats, the EDL muscle from LPHC diet-fed rats showed a reduction (34%) in the in vitro basal protein synthesis and a 22% reduction in the in vitro basal proteolysis suggesting that the reduction in the mass can be associated with a change in the rate of the two processes. Soon after euthanasia, in the EDL muscles of the rats fed the LPHC diet for 15 days, the activity of caspase-3 and that of components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (atrogin-1 content and chymotrypsin-like activity) were decreased. The phosphorylation of p70S6K and 4E-BP1, proteins involved in protein synthesis, was also decreased. We observed an increase in the insulin-stimulated protein content of p-Akt. Thus, the higher insulin sensitivity in the EDL muscle of LPHC rats seemed to contribute to the lower proteolysis in LPHC rats. However, even with the higher insulin sensitivity, the reduction in p-E4-BP1 and p70S6K indicates a reduction in protein synthesis, showing that factors other than insulin can have a greater effect on the control of protein synthesis

Формирование эмоциональной культуры как компонента инновационной культуры студентов

Homozygosity has long been associated with rare, often devastating, Mendelian disorders1 and Darwin was one of the first to recognise that inbreeding reduces evolutionary fitness2. However, the effect of the more distant parental relatedness common in modern human populations is less well understood. Genomic data now allow us to investigate the effects of homozygosity on traits of public health importance by observing contiguous homozygous segments (runs of homozygosity, ROH), which are inferred to be homozygous along their complete length. Given the low levels of genome-wide homozygosity prevalent in most human populations, information is required on very large numbers of people to provide sufficient power3,4. Here we use ROH to study 16 health-related quantitative traits in 354,224 individuals from 102 cohorts and find statistically significant associations between summed runs of homozygosity (SROH) and four complex traits: height, forced expiratory lung volume in 1 second (FEV1), general cognitive ability (g) and educational attainment (nominal p<1 × 10−300, 2.1 × 10−6, 2.5 × 10−10, 1.8 × 10−10). In each case increased homozygosity was associated with decreased trait value, equivalent to the offspring of first cousins being 1.2 cm shorter and having 10 months less education. Similar effect sizes were found across four continental groups and populations with different degrees of genome-wide homozygosity, providing convincing evidence for the first time that homozygosity, rather than confounding, directly contributes to phenotypic variance. Contrary to earlier reports in substantially smaller samples5,6, no evidence was seen of an influence of genome-wide homozygosity on blood pressure and low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, or ten other cardio-metabolic traits. Since directional dominance is predicted for traits under directional evolutionary selection7, this study provides evidence that increased stature and cognitive function have been positively selected in human evolution, whereas many important risk factors for late-onset complex diseases may not have been

Genetic insights into resting heart rate and its role in cardiovascular disease

Resting heart rate is associated with cardiovascular diseases and mortality in observational and Mendelian randomization studies. The aims of this study are to extend the number of resting heart rate associated genetic variants and to obtain further insights in resting heart rate biology and its clinical consequences. A genome-wide meta-analysis of 100 studies in up to 835,465 individuals reveals 493 independent genetic variants in 352 loci, including 68 genetic variants outside previously identified resting heart rate associated loci. We prioritize 670 genes and in silico annotations point to their enrichment in cardiomyocytes and provide insights in their ECG signature. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses indicate that higher genetically predicted resting heart rate increases risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, but decreases risk of developing atrial fibrillation, ischemic stroke, and cardio-embolic stroke. We do not find evidence for a linear or non-linear genetic association between resting heart rate and all-cause mortality in contrast to our previous Mendelian randomization study. Systematic alteration of key differences between the current and previous Mendelian randomization study indicates that the most likely cause of the discrepancy between these studies arises from false positive findings in previous one-sample MR analyses caused by weak-instrument bias at lower P-value thresholds. The results extend our understanding of resting heart rate biology and give additional insights in its role in cardiovascular disease development

Personalized medicine in Brazil: a new paradigm, old problems

Purpose – Personalized medicine (PM) encompasses a set of procedures, technologies and medications;the term became more prominent from the 2000s onwards and stems from the mapping of the humangenome. The purposes of this study were to analyse the development stage of the process oftechnological innovation for PM and the obstacles that prevent PM from being adopted in the publichealth system in Brazil.Design/methodology/approach – As a research method, this paper opts for a case study carried out atthe Hospital das Clínicas, which belongs to São Paulo Medical School. In total, 22 in-depth interviews werecarried out at the hospital to identify current practices in PM, future prospects and barriers imposed to theadoption of PM technologies in public health.Findings – Personalized or precision medicine is already a reality for a small portion of the Brazilianpopulation and is gradually gaining ground in public health care. One finding is that such changes areoccurring in a disjointed manner in an incomplete and under development health innovation system. Theanalysis pointed out that the obstacles identified in Brazil are the same as those faced by high-incomecountries such as regulation, lack of clinical studies and need to adapt clinical studies to PM. They appear inall stages of the innovation cycle, from research to widespread use.Research limitations/implications – The research method was a case study, so the findings cannot beextrapolated to other contexts. A limited number of professionals were interviewed, their opinions may notreflect those of their organizations.Originality/value – There are several studies that discuss how health-care systems in high-incomecountries could incorporate these new technologies, but only a few focuses on low or middle-income countriessuch as Braz

Successful university spin offs: a multicase study of companies originated from the Escola Politécnica of USP and COPPE of UFRJ

Spin offs universitárias são empreendimentos gerados a partir de ativos de conhecimento desenvolvidos em uma universidade, com o objetivo de transformar aqueles conhecimentos em produtos ou serviços a serem comercializados. É uma das formas de transferência de tecnologia da universidade para a sociedade. Por seus potenciais impactos sobre localidades, países, competitividade, cultura empreendedora, difusão das inovações, geração de empregos qualificados e renda, as spin offs universitárias são objeto de interesse de diversos atores. Quais os fatores que influenciam o sucesso de empresas spin offs brasileiras foi a pergunta que norteou esta pesquisa. A metodologia utilizada foi qualitativa, através do estudo multicasos de oito empresas spin offs de sucesso geradas a partir do conhecimento produzido em duas instituições acadêmicas de engenharia: a Escola Politécnica da Universidade de São Paulo e a COPPE da Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro. Foram realizadas 25 entrevistas com empreendedores e atores das universidades, complementadas com a coleta e análise de dados públicos. O modelo conceitual desenvolvido é multiníveis e composto por seis camadas: o contexto nacional; o contexto regional; a universidade; a instituição acadêmica; o laboratório ou grupo de pesquisa e, por fim, as empresas spin offs. As principais conclusões do trabalho foram que todos as camadas afetam o sucesso das empresas. No contexto nacional, o marco regulatório brasileiro é favorável à geração e desenvolvimento das spin offs, apesar de apresentar dubiedades, ser recente e ainda estar incompleto. As instituições federais nacionais possuem linhas de crédito que são acessadas pelas empresas. Na análise do contexto regional foi confirmada a importância das condições de fatores regionais que influenciaram o desenvolvimento das empresas, que utilizaram para seu desenvolvimento fontes de financiamento, acessaram clientes inovadores, rede de fornecedores e investidores das suas respectivas regiões. Não se confirmou uma conclusão da literatura de que as condições regionais seriam mais importantes que as nacionais, talvez esta seja uma das particularidades do caso brasileiro. Com relação às universidades, apesar de contarem com as suas organizações de apoio, como Núcleo de Inovação Tecnológica, incubadoras e parques tecnológicos, não possuem políticas e ações claras de apoio ao empreendedorismo acadêmico e os ambientes regulatórios estão incompletos. A mesma falta de ações claras e a incompletude de regulamentação foi observada nas duas instituições acadêmicas - em uma delas as ações e políticas são mais desenvolvidos. As instituições acadêmicas possuem alto relacionamento com empresas e suas atividades de ensino e pesquisa são de excelência, as mesmas características foram observadas nos laboratórios. Com relação às empresas spin offs, 50% tiveram sua gênese espontânea e 50% planejada, as equipes empreendedoras em 37,5% dos casos eram mistas, composta por pesquisadores e profissionais experientes e 62,5% born global. Como contribuições, salienta-se a necessidade de sanar as dubiedades e complementar os ambientes regulatórios federal, regional e da universidade; criar programas de apoio ao empreendedorismo acadêmico nas instituições acadêmicas; reconhecer e cultivar seus casos de spin offs de sucesso pelos atores da universidade; fortalecer os NITs das universidade para que possam realizar adequadamente sua missão.Academic spin offs are companies funded by entrepreneurs from a knowledge asset created in a university, in order to transform that knowledge in products and services. It is an alternative of technology transfer from the university to society. University spin-offs are object of interest of many actors because of their potential impacts on regions, countries, competitiveness, entrepreneurial culture, diffusion of innovations, generation of qualified jobs and income. \"What factors influence the success of Brazilian spin off companies?\" That was the guide question to this research. The methodology was qualitative; through a multi-case study of eight spin off successful companies. The eight cases were generated from the knowledge produced in two academic engineering institutions: the Escola Politécnica of the University of São Paulo and COPPE of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. We carried out 25 interviews with entrepreneurs and actors of the universities, complemented by the collection and analysis of public data. The conceptual model was developed from the literature review, it is multilevel and composed of six layers: the national context; the regional context; the university; the academic institution; the laboratory and the spin-off company. The main conclusions were that all factors affect the success of companies. In the national context, the Brazilian regulatory framework supports the generation and development of spin-offs, despite having ambiguities, being new and still incomplete. The national federal institutions have credit lines that are accessed by the companies. In the regional context, the analysis confirms the importance of the regional conditions that affected the development of the firms. These firms accessed credit lines, innovative customers, suppliers and investors networks of the regions. Whereas in the literature the conclusion of regional conditions were more important than national conditions, it was not confirmed in this research, perhaps this is one of the peculiarities of the Brazilian case. Regarding universities, despite both count on their support organizations such as the Technology Transfer Offices, incubators and science parks, they do not have clear policies and actions to support the academic entrepreneurship and the regulatory environments are incomplete. Similar unclear actions and regulatory incompleteness were observed in both academic institutions - in one of them actions and policies are more developed. Both have intense relationship with companies and their academic and research activities achieve high standards, the same characteristics were observed in the laboratories. Regarding the spin off companies, 50% had their spontaneous genesis, in 37.5% the entrepreneurial teams were mixed, consisting of researchers and experienced professionals and 62.5% were born global. Some contributions of the study were the need to: remove the ambiguities and complement federal, regional and university regulatory environments; create programs to support the academic entrepreneurship in academic institutions; know, recognize and cultivate spin offs success stories by the university actors; and strengthen the technology transfer offices in the universities so that they can properly carry out their missions

EUROPEAN SHARING (AND COLLABORATIVE) CITIES: L’ESPERIENZA DELLE CITTÀ ITALIANE

This article deals with the role of cities in two perspectives, topdown and bottom-up, with reference to the impact of the platform’s economy on city governance and to urban experiences that give rise to collaborative administrative models. The Italian experience of collaborative administration is analyzed, in its strong and weak points, among the principle of subsidiarity, assuming that even the collaboration between administrations and from the legislator could improve its use

LE CITTÀ COLLABORATIVE ED ECO-SOSTENIBILI. Strumenti per un percorso multidisciplinare

La collaborazione tra cittadini e amministrazione per finalità di interesse generale è ormai riconosciuta come nuovo modello di organizzazione e di azione delle città, da tempo protagoniste, sia nello scenario internazionale che interno, della progettazione e attuazione di interventi e politiche di inclusione sociale, tutela dell’ambiente, lotta ai cambiamenti climatici, sviluppo sostenibile fondati sulla partecipazione fattiva della cd. società solidale. Questo volume, frutto di una collaborazione consolidata tra le autrici, si propone di fornire una lettura sistematica di questo fenomeno in chiave multidisciplinare (diritto comparato, amministrativo e scienza politica), utile agli studiosi, agli operatori e agli studenti per comprendere gli elementi costitutivi di questo modello, gli strumenti normativi e di policy di cui si compone e le sue applicazioni concrete, attuali e future, nell’ottica della costruzione di città sempre più collaborative ed ecosostenibili