Mulheres na ciência: divulgando possibilidades de carreira científica com escolares

Women made great contributions for scientific development, but still remaining the invisibility and lack in disclosing the researches realized by them. Noticing how the difference between men and women scientists still prevailing, especially in STEM areas (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), the Physiology Research Group of UNIPAMPA idealized actions with the aim to disclosing with high school public school students, the researches made by women in the city of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul State/Brazil, emphasizing theirs contribuitions to science. To realize this initiative, three women professors of Federal University of Pampa, which acting in STEM area, were invited to participate in this proposal. The activity was divided in two steps: the first was realized at the high school, initianting with a brief presentation of the professor’s trajectory; after that we made a moment of dialogue with the students; the second step happened at the university, where the students visited the professor’s laboratories. The research sample was composed: in the first step by 49 students (27 girls and 22 boys), 15-18-old, and; in the second step by 42 students (22 girls and 20 boys). During the first part of school’s activities, to verify the student’s knowledge and position about the thematic, a questionnaire was applied before and after the activity. In the first evaluation, only 2 students (4%) known quote a women scientist’s name; the others 47 students (96%) left the question in blank. After the action, the percent of students which are able to respond this question increased to 84%. In the end of the second part, another questionnaire was applied, containing questions about the interest and opinion of the activities realized in the laboratories. The final score given by the participants to the visit, considering a scale from 0 to 10, was 9. Our results emphasized the young’s unfamiliarity about the female participation in science and the potential of disclosure actions to arousing their interest for scientific research.Las mujeres hacen grandes contribuiciones para el desarollo científico, pero aún persiste la invisibilidad y la falta de divulgación de busquédas realizadas por ellas. Percebiendo como la diferencia entre hombres y mujeres cientistas aún prevalece especialmente en las áreas STEM (del inglés Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), el Grupo de Pesquisa en Fisiología de la UNIPAMPA idealizó acciones con el objectivo de divulgar con alumnas y alumnos de una escuela pública secundarista, las investigaciones realizadas por mujeres en la ciudad de Uruguaiana, Província del Rio Grande do Sul, destacando sus contribuiciones para la ciencia. Para la realización desta iniciativa, trés professoras de la Universidad Federal del Pampa, que actuan en la área STEM, fueran invitadas a participar de la propuesta. La actividad fue dividida en dos etapas: la primera etapa fue realizada en la escola, contando con una breve apresentación de la carrera de las professoras y después un momento de diálogo con las alumnas y alumnos presentes; la segunda etapa aconteció em la universidad, dónde los estudiantes visitaran los laboratórios de las investigadoras. La muestra de la investigación fue compuesta: en la primera etapa por 49 alumnos (27 niñas y 22 niños) con una edad entre 15 a 18 años y; en la segunda etapa por 42 alumnos (22 niñas y 20 niños). Durante la primera parte de las actividades en la escuela, para poder verificar el conocimiento y posicionamiento de los estudiantes sobre la temática, un cuestionario fue aplicado antes y después de la actividad. En la primera avaliación, solamente 2 alumnos (4%) supieran citar un nombre de una investigadora mujer; los otros 47 alumnos (96%) dejaran la cuestión en blanco. Después de la acción, el número de estudiantes que conseguieron responder esa pregunta subió para 84%. En la segunda etapa, otro cuestionario fue aplicado, con preguntas sobre el interés y la opinión de las actividades realizadas en los laboratórios. La média final dada por los participantes a la iniciativa de la visita, considerando una escala de 0 a 10, fue de 9. Nuestros resultados destacan el desconocimiento de nuestros jóvenes sobre la participación feminina em las ciencias y el potencial de la divulgación para despertar en ellos el interés por la investigación científica.As mulheres fazem grandes contribuições para o desenvolvimento científico, mas ainda persiste a invisibilidade e a falta de divulgação das pesquisas realizadas por elas. Percebendo como a diferença entre homens e mulheres cientistas ainda prevalece especialmente nas áreas STEM (do inglês Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), o Grupo de Pesquisa em Fisiologia da UNIPAMPA idealizou ações com o objetivo de divulgar junto a alunas e alunos de uma escola pública de ensino médio, as pesquisas realizadas por mulheres na cidade de Uruguaiana-RS, destacando suas contribuições para a ciência. Para a realização da iniciativa, três docentes da Universidade Federal do Pampa, que atuam na área STEM, foram convidadas a participar da proposta. A atividade foi dividida em duas etapas: a primeira etapa foi realizada na escola, contando com uma breve apresentação da trajetória das professoras e depois uma roda de conversa com as alunas e alunos presentes; a segunda etapa aconteceu na universidade, onde os estudantes visitaram os laboratórios das pesquisadoras. A amostra da pesquisa foi composta: na primeira etapa por 49 alunos (27 meninas e 22 meninos) com uma faixa etária de 15 a 18 anos e; na segunda etapa por 42 alunos (22 meninas e 20 meninos). Durante a primeira parte das atividades na escola, para poder verificar o conhecimento e posicionamento dos estudantes acerca da temática, um questionário foi aplicado antes e depois da atividade. Na primeira avaliação, somente 2 alunos (4%) souberam citar um nome de uma pesquisadora mulher; os outros 47 alunos (96%) deixaram a questão em branco. Após a ação, o percentual que conseguiram responder essa pergunta subiu para 84%. Ao final da segunda etapa, outro questionário foi aplicado, com perguntas sobre o interesse e a opinião acerca das atividades realizadas nos laboratórios. A nota média final dada pelos participantes à iniciativa da visita, considerando uma escala de 0 a 10, foi de 9.  Nossos resultados destacam o desconhecimento dos nossos jovens sobre a participação feminina na ciência e o potencial da divulgação para despertar neles o interesse pela pesquisa científica

Educação Física e Ensino Remoto Emergencial: Percepções de Diferentes Sujeitos

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted Brazilian society, triggering measures to prevent the disease, restricting spaces considered to be high risk and inducing the closing of schools for an indefinite period. Thus, the Ministry of Education, through Ordinance No. 544, replaced in-person classes with remote classes during the pandemic, thus configuring emergency remote teaching. Institutionalized, this teaching encourages questions and uncertainties about its effects on the pedagogical process, mainly related to Physical Education due to its particular learning character. Thus, this work investigated the perceptions and impressions of different subjects involved in the teaching-learning process of school PE in the face of emergency remote teaching. Data collection took place by invitation, through a mixed questionnaire with ten open and closed questions, applied virtually. We used descriptive statistics of frequency and percentage and Bardin's Content Analysis (2011) for data analysis. The findings show that there are significant differences in perceptions about emergency remote teaching and its effects on the school process, dividing opinions and impressions on the subject. In addition, the data show more consistent perceptions regarding the loss of teacher/student relationships in the pedagogical process, access difficulties and the growth of students' physical inactivity during this period. Finally, despite the difficulties faced, the subjects characterize emergency remote teaching as a partially positive strategy for learning the curricular component Keywords: Physical education. Emergency remote learning. Perceptions. Subjects. A pandemia da COVID-19 impactou a sociedade brasileira, desencadeando medidas de prevenção à doença, restringindo espaços considerados de alto risco e induzindo o fechamento de escolas por tempo indeterminado. Desse modo, o Ministério da Educação através da Portaria nº 544, substituiu as aulas presenciais por remotas durante a pandemia, configurando assim o ensino remoto emergencial. Institucionalizado, este ensino fomenta questionamentos e incertezas sobre seus efeitos no processo pedagógico, principalmente relacionados à Educação Física devido seu caráter particular de aprendizado. Assim, este trabalho investigou percepções e impressões de diferentes sujeitos envolvidos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem da EF escolar frente ao ensino remoto emergencial. A coleta de dados ocorreu por convite, através de questionário de caráter misto com dez questões entre abertas e fechadas, aplicadas de forma virtual. Utilizamos estatística descritiva de frequência e porcentagem e Análise de Conteúdo de Bardin (2011) para análise dos dados. Os achados mostram que há diferenças expressivas nas percepções sobre o ensino remoto emergencial e seus efeitos no processo escolar, dividindo opiniões e impressões sobre a temática. Além disso, os dados apresentam percepções mais concordantes referentes à perda nas relações entre professor/aluno no processo pedagógico, dificuldades de acesso e sobre o crescimento da inatividade física dos alunos nesse período. Por fim, apesar das dificuldades enfrentadas, os sujeitos caracterizam o ensino remoto emergencial como uma estratégia parcialmente positiva para o aprendizado do componente curricular.  Palavras-chave: Educação física. Ensino remoto emergencial. Percepções. Sujeitos

Antioxidant activity elicited by low dose of caffeine attenuates pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures and oxidative damage in rats

AbstractAlthough caffeine supplementation has a beneficial effect on people with neurological disorders, its implications for oxidative damage related to seizures are not well documented. Thus the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two weeks caffeine supplementation (6mg/kg; p.o.) on seizures and neurochemical alterations induced by pentylenetetrazol (PTZ 60mg/kg i.p.). Statistical analyses showed that long-term rather than single dose caffeine administration decreased the duration of PTZ-induced seizures in adult male Wistar rats as recorded by cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) and behavioral analysis. The quantification of EEG recordings also revealed that caffeine supplementation protected against a wave increase induced by PTZ. Neurochemical analyses revealed that caffeine supplementation increased glutathione (GSH) content per se and protected against the increase in the levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and oxidized diclorofluoresceine diacetate (DCFH-DA). Also, caffeine prevent the decrease in GSH content and Na+, K+-ATPase activity induced by PTZ. Our data also showed that the infusion of L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO; 3.2μmol/site i.c.v), an inhibitor of GSH synthesis, two days before injecting PTZ reversed the anticonvulsant effect caused by caffeine. BSO infusion also decreased GSH content and Na+, K+-ATPase activity. However, it increased DCFH-DA oxidation and TBARS per se and reversed the protective effect of caffeine. Results presented in this paper support the neuroprotective effects of low long-term caffeine exposure to epileptic damage and suggest that the increase in the cerebral GSH content caused by caffeine supplementation may provide a new therapeutic approach to the control of seizure

The scientific initiation from the point of view of high school students as fellows of the High School Program of Scientific Inititation in neurophysiology area in an institution of the interior of Rio Grande do Sul state (Brazil)

Scientific initiation (SI) consists in an opportunity, thought university, for students to expand their knowledge. In the Federal University of Pampa (Unipampa), the Institutional Program for Scientific Initiation Scholarships for High School Students (PIBIC/EM) was implemented in 2014 and there are still no indicators about the performance of the program and the high school students ("junior SI"). In this way, the aim of this work is to report, under the perspectives of five high school students that were junior SI thought CNPq PIBIC-EM in neurophysiology area, their expectations, experiences and the impacts of the junior SI in their lives. In order to evaluate the participation of high school students in the SI program a semi-structured interview was conducted after 1 year of involvement in the program. The students were very interested and participative during the period of involvement in the research groups and, in the light of their reports, we considered that this was a experience that positively impacted their lives

Caffeine Intake May Modulate Inflammation Markers in Trained Rats

Caffeine is presented in many commercial products and has been proven to induce ergogenic effects in exercise, mainly related to redox status homeostasis, inflammation and oxidative stress-related adaptation mechanisms. However, most studies have mainly focused on muscle adaptations, and the role of caffeine in different tissues during exercise training has not been fully described. The aim of this study was therefore, to analyze the effects of chronic caffeine intake and exercise training on liver mitochondria functioning and plasma inflammation markers. Rats were divided into control, control/caffeine, exercise, and exercise/caffeine groups. Exercise groups underwent four weeks of swimming training and caffeine groups were supplemented with 6 mg/kg/day. Liver mitochondrial swelling and complex I activity, and plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activities were measured. An anti-inflammatory effect of exercise was evidenced by reduced plasma MPO activity. Additionally, caffeine intake alone and combined with exercise decreased the plasma AChE and MPO activities. The per se anti-inflammatory effect of caffeine intake should be highlighted considering its widespread use as an ergogenic aid. Therefore, caffeine seems to interfere on exercise-induced adaptations and could also be used in different exercise-related health treatments