Social Media in Emergent Brazil

Since the popularisation of the internet, low-income Brazilians have received little government support to help them access it. In response, they have largely self-financed their digital migration. Internet cafés became prosperous businesses in working-class neighbourhoods and rural settlements, and, more recently, families have aspired to buy their own home computer with hire purchase agreements. As low-income Brazilians began to access popular social media sites in the mid-2000s, affluent Brazilians ridiculed their limited technological skills, different tastes and poor schooling, but this did not deter them from expanding their online presence. Young people created profiles for barely literate older relatives and taught them to navigate platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Based on 15 months of ethnographic research, this book aims to understand why low-income Brazilians have invested so much of their time and money in learning about social media. Juliano Spyer explores this question from a number of perspectives, including education, relationships, work and politics. He argues that social media is the way for low-income Brazilians to stay connected to the family and friends they see in person on a regular basis, which suggests that social media serves a crucial function in strengthening traditional social relation

Fire without smoke and other phantoms of Ambon's violence: Media effects, agency, and the work of the imagination

Wetensch. publ. referee

Release of ATP in the ventral medulla during hypoxia in rats: role in hypoxic ventilatory response

P2X2 receptor subunits of the ATP-gated ion channels are expressed by physiologically identified respiratory neurons in the ventral respiratory column, implicating ATP in the control of respiratory activity. We now show that, during hypoxia, release of ATP in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) plays an important role in the hypoxic ventilatory response in rats. By measuring ATP release in real time at the ventral surface of the medulla with novel amperometric biosensors, we found that hypoxia (10% O2; 5 min) induced a marked increase in the concentration of ATP (~3 µM). This ATP release occurred after the initiation of enhanced respiratory activity but coincided with the later hypoxia-induced slowing of the respiratory rhythm. ATP was also released at the ventral surface of the medulla during hypoxia in peripherally chemodenervated animals (vagi, aortic, and carotid sinus nerve sectioned). By using horizontal slices of the rat medulla, we found that, during hypoxia, ATP is produced throughout the VLM in the locations corresponding to the ventral respiratory column. Blockade of ATP receptors in the VLM (microinjection of P2 receptor antagonist pyridoxal-5'-phosphate-6-azophenyl-2',4'-disulphonic acid; 100 µM) augmented the hypoxia-induced secondary slowing of the respiratory rhythm. Our findings suggest that ATP released within the ventral respiratory column is involved in maintenance of the respiratory activity in conditions when hypoxia-induced slowing of respiration occurs. These data illustrate a new functional role for ATP-mediated purinergic signaling in the medullary mechanisms controlling respiratory activity

Geoff Burnstock, purinergic signalling, and chemosensory control of breathing.

This article is the authors' contribution to the tribute issue in honour of Geoffrey Burnstock, the founder of this journal and the field of purinergic signalling. We give a brief account of the results of experimental studies which at the beginning received valuable input from Geoff, who both directly and indirectly influenced our research undertaken over the last two decades. Research into the mechanisms controlling breathing identified ATP as the common mediator of the central and peripheral chemosensory transduction. Studies of the sources and mechanisms of chemosensory ATP release in the CNS suggested that this signalling pathway is universally engaged in conditions of increased metabolic demand by brain glial cells - astrocytes. Astrocytes appear to function as versatile CNS metabolic sensors that detect changes in brain tissue pH, CO2, oxygen, and cerebral perfusion pressure. Experimental studies on various aspects of astrocyte biology generated data indicating that the function of these omnipresent glial cells and communication between astrocytes and neurons are governed by purinergic signalling, - first discovered by Geoff Burnstock in the 70's and researched through his entire scientific career

Social Media in Emergent Brazil

Since the popularisation of the internet, low-income Brazilians have received little government support to help them access it. In response, they have largely self-financed their digital migration. Internet cafés became prosperous businesses in working-class neighbourhoods and rural settlements, and, more recently, families have aspired to buy their own home computer with hire purchase agreements. As low-income Brazilians began to access popular social media sites in the mid-2000s, affluent Brazilians ridiculed their limited technological skills, different tastes and poor schooling, but this did not deter them from expanding their online presence. Young people created profiles for barely literate older relatives and taught them to navigate platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Based on 15 months of ethnographic research, this book aims to understand why low-income Brazilians have invested so much of their time and money in learning about social media. Juliano Spyer explores this question from a number of perspectives, including education, relationships, work and politics. He argues that social media is the way for low-income Brazilians to stay connected to the family and friends they see in person on a regular basis, which suggests that social media serves a crucial function in strengthening traditional social relation

Coexpression of rat P2X2 and P2X6 subunits in Xenopus oocytes.

Transcripts for P2X(2) and P2X(6) subunits are present in rat CNS and frequently colocalize in the same brainstem nuclei. When rat P2X(2) (rP2X(2)) and rat P2X(6) (rP2X(6)) receptors were expressed individually in Xenopus oocytes and studied under voltage-clamp conditions, only homomeric rP2X(2) receptors were fully functional and gave rise to large inward currents (2-3 microA) to extracellular ATP. Coexpression of rP2X(2) and rP2X(6) subunits in Xenopus oocytes resulted in a heteromeric rP2X(2/6) receptor, which showed a significantly different phenotype from the wild-type rP2X(2) receptor. Differences included reduction in agonist potencies and, in some cases (e.g., Ap(4)A), significant loss of agonist activity. ATP-evoked inward currents were biphasic at the heteromeric rP2X(2/6) receptor, particularly when Zn(2+) ions were present or extracellular pH was lowered. The pH range was narrower for H(+) enhancement of ATP responses at the heteromeric rP2X(2/6) receptor. Also, H(+) ions inhibited ATP responses at low pH levels (<pH 6.3). The pH-dependent blocking activity of suramin was changed at this heteromeric receptor, although the potentiating effect of Zn(2+) on ATP responses was unchanged. Thus, the rP2X(2/6) receptor is a functionally modified P2X(2)-like receptor with a distinct pattern of pH modulation of ATP activation and suramin blockade. Although homomeric P2X(6) receptors function poorly, the P2X(6) subunit can contribute to functional heteromeric P2X channels and may influence the phenotype of native P2X receptors in those cells in which it is expressed

Comércio e Investimento entre países amazônicos e Mercosul: potencialidades e problemas

Anais do I Encontro de Iniciação Científica e de Extensão da Unila - Sessão de Relações Internacionais - 05/06/12 - 08h00 às 12h00 - Unila-Centro - Sala 16 - 3o PisoO propósito desse projeto é colocar em perspectiva o atual modelo de integração física em curso na Amé - rica do Sul observando-se criticamente suas pretensões e efeitos. Buscaremos avaliar ainda, se estes pro - jetos estão servindo à construção de novas bases sustentáveis para um desenvolvimento moderno ou se estão apenas beneficiando a pequenos grupos minoritários economicamente privilegiados. Após ter sido realizada parte da revisão bibliográfica, que serviu como reflexão e compreensão da Iniciativa para a Inte - gração da Infraestrutura Regional Sul-Americana (IIRSA), entendemos que esta coordenação integrada de megaprojetos teve como princípio orientador o Regionalismo Aberto - modelo proposto pela Comissão Econômica para a América Latina e Caribe (CEPAL) na década de 90 do século passado. De acordo com a CEPAL, este seria um processo no qual a interdependência regional se tornaria crescente, a partir de acordos e políticas integracionistas, juntamente com desregulações e liberalizações - capazes de promover a competitividade dos países. A IIRSA, portanto, compreende uma gama de opiniões extremamente varia - das e complexas entre diferentes especialistas e autores. Dada a complexidade e abrangência do tema, de - cidimos delimitar os campos. O período a ser analisado compreenderá os anos de 2005 a 2011. Neste pe - ríodo, segundo a página online da IIRSA, foram concluídos cerca de 12% dos projetos, sendo que 30% encontram-se em fase de execução e outros 30% em pré-execução. Deparamo-nos em um período onde há relativa consolidação da Iniciativa, pois tendo sido acordada em 2000, espera-se que já existam efeitos e resultados significativos. Para proceder a análise dos dados, tomaremos como fonte os relatórios das empresas com participação mais significativa: Camargo Corrêa, Norberto Odebrecht e Andrade Gutierrez. Estas empresas têm empreendimentos volumosos dentre as obras contempladas pela carteira de projetos, são todas brasileiras e possuem forte poder econômico. Serão avaliados também, os relatórios do princi - pal financiador, o Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) e da IIRSA. Ao re - lacionarmos estes dados, buscaremos entender quem está se beneficiando de fato com a Iniciativa, que manteve sua distância do debate com a população civil e sofre acusações quanto a carência de planeja - mento e estudos de impactos. Por outro lado, buscaremos avaliar se a IIRSA tem apresentado bons resul - tados como o aumento de comércio intra regional, geração de empregos e plataformas de competitivida - de, desenvolvimento e facilitações logísticas para as empresas sul-americanas. Acreditamos que haja be - neficiamento das empreiteiras brasileiras, problema que se inicia desde seu financiamento, no entanto, há que se reconhecer a necessidade de viabilizar melhores infraestruturas na região.Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA

Impactos ambientais e sociais do IIRSA

Anais do I Encontro de Iniciação Científica e de Extensão da Unila - Sessão de Relações Internacionais - 05/06/12 - 08h00 às 12h00 - Unila-Centro - Sala 16 - 3o PisoEl 2000 la reunión de La Unión de Naciones Suramericanas (UNASUR) 12 estados inauguraron la Inte- gración de Infraestructura Regional Suramericana (IIRSA), para megaproyectos de infraestructura, articu - lación física, transporte, producción, distribución energética, uso productivo de agua y telecomunicacio - nes, financiados por: Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo (BID), Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF), el Banco de Desarrollo de Brasil (BNDES). En el marco de la Integración IIRSA, el presidente Morales firmó junto a Lula protocolo de financiamiento de la Carretera Villa Tunari - San Ignacio de Moxos, terri - torio denominado TIPNIS. Bolivia eje fundamental, en los corredores de tránsito, por su posición geográ - fica, es un país con relativa participación Regional en desigualdad de condiciones. Los Proyectos IIRSA hace que algunos países chicos como Bolivia estén en desventaja al negociar, dice un representante del Foro Boliviano sobre Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo (FOBOMADE): "Estos proyectos, buscan crear iden - tidades regionales con fines separatistas, modelo en contraposición a los ideales actuales bolivianos" (Mo - lina, P. Coordinadora Nacional del FOBOMADE, 2008). Bolivia tiene problemas: pobreza, marginalidad, y limitado acceso a los servicios básicos. Sectores afectados como las comunidades de pueblos indígenas de la Amazonía, que supuestamente estarían resguardados por el Convenio 169 de la Organización Inter - nacional del Trabajo (OIT), la Declaración de Derechos de Pueblos Indígenas, los más vulnerables. El Es - tado reconoció el Territorio Indígena Parque Nacional Isiboro Sécure (TIPNIS) Área Protegida; ley de la República. Los pueblos indígenas, la sociedad en general tienen derecho y obligación al resguardo del ter - ritorio y tierras que tradicionalmente han poseído, en este caso el TIPNIS. Una cantidad perceptible de los proyectos ha presentado movimientos de protesta, en las cuales el dialogo entre el gobierno y la población es divergente. Por eso pensamos que sería necesario buscar un punto neutro de negociación en la cual las poblaciones vulnerables puedan proponer formas viables y sustentables de implementación, así como la divulgación y la consulta previa pueda ceder al gobierno una legitimidad de acción dentro su propio terri - torio. La carretera Tunari - San Ignacio de Moxos, proyecto que atraviesa el centro del TIPNIS partiéndo - lo en dos, causa infinidad de impactos al la biodiversidad de este territorio en su mayoria irreversibles sin contar que es la fuente de agua más grande de Bolivia. La metodología adoptada fue la investigación bi - bliográfica y el levantamiento de datos empíricos, que aportó a nuestra investigación una visión amplia sobre las posiciones gubernamentales, sociales y teóricas, siendo base para continuar la búsqueda de alter - nativas viables profundizando más en el contraste social, ambiental, gubernamental e internacional que envuelve una integración regional equitativa.Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA

Social Media in Emergent Brazil

Since the birth of the internet, low-income Brazilians have received little government support to help them access it. In response, they have largely self-financed their digital migration. Internet cafés became prosperous businesses in working-class neighbourhoods and rural settlements, and, more recently, families have aspired to buy their own home computer with hire purchase agreements. As low-income Brazilians began to access popular social media sites in the mid-2000s, affluent Brazilians ridiculed their limited technological skills, different tastes and poor schooling, but this did not deter them from expanding their online presence. Young people created profiles for barely literate older relatives and taught them to navigate platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp. Based on 15 months of ethnographic research, this book aims to understand why low-income Brazilians have invested so much of their time and money in learning about social media. Juliano Spyer explores this question from a number of perspectives, including education, relationships, work and politics. He argues that the use of social media reflects contradictory values. Low-income Brazilians embrace social media to display literacy and upward mobility, but the same technology also strengthens traditional networks of support that conflict with individualism.

La CEPAL de los noventa: un análisis del viraje teórico y la propuesta de desarrollo para América Latina durante su etapa neoestructuralista

Anais do III Encontro de Iniciação Científica da Unila - Sessão de Relações Internacionais - 07/11/14 – 13h30 às 16h00 - Unila-PTI - Bloco 09 – Espaço 02 – Sala 02La Comisión Económica para América Latina y Caribe (CEPAL), institución perteneciente a la Organización de Naciones Unidas (ONU) desde 1948, fue capaz de construir en torno a su paradigma desarrollista una línea alternativa al pensamiento económico predominante de la época. A pesar de conseguir influenciar las decisiones estatales durante sus primeras décadas, la CEPAL fue perdiendo capacidad de impacto con la llegada de gobiernos dictatoriales, el ambiente de crisis y el avance sobre la región de las premisas neoliberales condensadas en el Consenso de Washington. Aquello supone un punto de inflexión en el recorrido estructuralista de la institución y se configura como elemento base del análisis aquí expuesto. Tomando la década de los 90 como evidencia de una nueva fase de la CEPAL, denominada neoestructuralista, se pretende analizar la propuesta cepalina para el desarrollo de los países de América Latina haciendo énfasis en la idea de transformación productiva con equidad y de regionalismo abierto, siendo este último clave para la comprensión de los procesos de integración regional que se llevaron a cabo a partir de entonces. Además de apoyarnos en los textos oficiales emitidos por la CEPAL y en otros recursos bibliográficos sobre el organismo, también hacemos uso de la Revista CEPAL para el análisis discursivo oficial de la institución, siendo su publicación cuatrimestral una fotografía panorámica del periodo analizado. Tras la revisión, se concluye que la propuesta de desarrollo para América Latina esbozada por la CEPAL durante los noventa fue una adecuación al nuevo contexto de la región y no significó un quiebre con la trayectoria inicial ni con sus teorías base. Así, los proyectos de integración latinoamericana promovidos por la Comisión tendieron a reforzar los vínculos comerciales entre los países para impulsar, en paralelo, una transformación interna en relación a la redistribución de ingresos y a la inclusión social.Bolsista Pibic UNILA; Universidade Federal da Integração Latino-Americana (UNILA