(Re)visitando a la madre (des)naturalizada : búsquedas y encuentros entre personas adoptadas en Chile y sus madres de origen

Este artículo es resultado de los proyectos FONDECYT N°3170338 "Adopciones en Chile: la construcción de narrativas sobre los orígenes y la identidad", REDI170133 "Investigación Interdisciplinaria sobre Políticas Reproductivas y Parentales", Programa Coope-ración Internacional (PCI), ambos financiados por la Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT) de Chile; y del Proyecto I+D CSO2015-64551-C3-1-R "Del control de la natalidad a la ansiedad demográfica: comunicación, secreto y anonimato en las tecnologías reproductivas del siglo XXI", MINECO/FEDER.En este artículo se presentan algunos resultados de una investigación cualitativa que explora y analiza las narrativas de un grupo de personas adultas que fueron adoptadas en Chile, que han buscado sus orígenes y que han establecido contacto con sus madres de origen. En sus narrativas, las personas entrevistadas adhieren, tensionan y/o desafían los principios y discursos que conforman las políticas y prácticas adoptivas hegemónicas, resignificando de formas diversas su experiencia de adopción en el proceso de (re)construcción de sus identidades y de reorganización de sus relaciones de parentesco. Se discuten las tensiones y ambivalencias que se juegan en los procesos de búsquedas de orígenes y los desafíos asociados.This paper presents some results of a qualitative research that explores and analyzes the narratives of a group of adults who were adopted in Chile, and who have searched for their origins and made contact with their birth mothers. In their narratives, the people interviewed adhere to, strain, and/or challenge the principles and discourses that make up hegemonic adoption policies and practices, resignifying their experience of adoption in various ways, as they (re)build their identities and reorganize their kinship relationships. It discusses the tensions and ambivalences that play out in the search for origins and the challenges associated with it

Dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding. Theoretical and empirical perspectives.

The thesis discusses dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding. The problem statement raises the need for knowledge of what dialogue is, competence in how to employ dialogue and adherence to the use of dialogue, for it to be a tool in peacebuilding. Through the ontological position of constructivism, I argue for a reconstruction of the term dialogue. The thesis aims to develop on a theoretical framework for defining dialogue. Dialogue is defined as a form of communication with the goal to understand the other. To inform and challenge the definition of dialogue, I collected empirical data from dialogue experts in Norway and data from the United Nations. Based on the data, I discuss dialogue as an attitude and a culture in the analysis. Further, the analysis discuss requirements, limitations and effects of dialogue. The thesis argues that change and cooperation are possible effects of dialogue, rather than integral parts of dialogue as a form of communication. I present Bernstein’s theory of framing as a measure to analyse dialogue as a tool in peacebuilding. Strong framing regulates ‘what can be said’, ‘where’ and ‘by whom’ and is thus a limitation for dialogue. Through Jakobson’s model of communication, I argue that dialogue attributes different meaning to the functions in language than other forms of communication. Dialogue has an emotive and relational function, including context, feelings and the whole person when understanding the other. Through Lotman’s theory on semiosphere, I inform that dialogue is an exchange of information, requiring both difference and similarities. Codes translate the information from the contexts of the sender and the receiver. Drawing on Lotman’s theory, I argue that there is a difference between translation and interpretation. Addressing hermeneutics, I argue that there is a difference between interpretation of text and interpretation in dialogue, drawing on Gadamer. Further, drawing on Habermas, I argue that interpretation is inhibiting in dialogue as I have the possibility to ask question to the subject. Peacebuilding is defined through Galtung and Lederach. Drawing on Smith’s pallet of peacebuilding, dialogue is defined as an integral part of peacebuilding. I argue that it is due to the goal of dialogue as understanding that dialogue can be a tool in peacebuilding. Understanding builds relations and can have positive effects. I take a critical view of dialogue used to achieve other goals, as a misuse of the term. Dialogue is thus a tool for understanding, which can be used as a tool in peacebuilding. Dialogue can be a sustainable tool in peacebuilding as it can contribute to adaptability, as defined by Lederach. The thesis further argues that the United Nations has a low visibility of their work and definition of dialogue

Measurement of cell traction forces with ImageJ.

Equipe Physique du Cytosquelette et de la morphogenèse (CytoMorpho)International audienceThe quantification of cell traction forces requires three key steps: cell plating on a deformable substrate, measurement of substrate deformation, and the numerical estimation of the corresponding cell traction forces. The computing steps to measure gel deformation and estimate the force field have somehow limited the adoption of this method in cell biology labs. Here we propose a set of ImageJ plug-ins so that every lab equipped with a fluorescent microscope can measure cell traction forces

A new micropatterning method of soft substrates reveals that different tumorigenic signals can promote or reduce cell contraction levels.

International audienceIn tissues, cell microenvironment geometry and mechanics strongly impact on cell physiology. Surface micropatterning allows the control of geometry while deformable substrates of tunable stiffness are well suited for the control of the mechanics. We developed a new method to micropattern extracellular matrix proteins on poly-acrylamide gels in order to simultaneously control cell geometry and mechanics. Microenvironment geometry and mechanics impinge on cell functions by regulating the development of intra-cellular forces. We measured these forces in micropatterned cells. Micropattern geometry was streamlined to orient forces and place cells in comparable conditions. Thereby force measurement method could be simplified and applied to large-scale experiment on chip. We applied this method to mammary epithelial cells with traction force measurements in various conditions to mimic tumoral transformation. We found that, contrary to the current view, all transformation phenotypes were not always associated to an increased level of cell contractility

Calificaciones y Empleo (no. 54 2007)

En Francia, los adultos se forman principalmente durante su horario de trabajo, con pocas perspectivas de obtener un diploma. Las relaciones entre el sistema educativo y el mercado de trabajo establecen un corte más claro entre la edad de los estudios y la de la actividad profesional que en cualquier otra parte de Europa. En 2004, sin embargo, una reforma hizo evolucionar claramente el sistema francés de formación continua. Las medidas instauradas, como el derecho individual a la formación o el período de profesionalización, han renovado los vínculos entre aprender y trabajar. Estas medidas, ¿bastarán para poner en movimiento las fronteras de la formación continua y a encaminar a Francia en la vía abierta por Europa, que busca crear un continuum de educación y de formación a lo largo de la vida?Hacia una apertura de las fronteras de la formación continu

Filiação e tecnologias de reprodução assistida: entre medicina e direito Filiation and usage of assisted reproductive technologies: between medicine and law

O presente trabalho tem o intuito de analisar os critérios jurídicos de determinação das relações parentais, propondo a reflexão sobre a paternidade ou maternidade homossexual como manifestação do direito à vida familiar. Para tanto, discute-se o impacto das seguintes inovações biotecnológicas: por um lado, a possibilidade de concepção fora do corpo humano, que ameaça quebrar o valor simbólico que sempre assimilou a categoria de genitor àquela de pai, ameaça esta que se apresenta de forma mais marcante quando a demanda pela reprodução assistida se dá por casais de mesmo sexo. Por outro, a disponibilidade de exames genéticos que permitem o acesso à verdade biológica com alto grau de confiabilidade, provocando verdadeiro embate entre o critério biológico de determinação da paternidade e o critério sócio-afetivo.<br>The present work aims to analyze the juridical criteria for determining the paternal-filial relations, proposing a reflection about homosexual paternity or maternity as a natural consequence of the right to family life. Along these lines, it is necessary to analyze the current discussion on the impact of biotechnological innovations on important issues, such as: the possibility of conception outside the human body, threatening to crush the symbolic value that has always assimilated the category of genitor to that of father, markedly when the demand for assisted reproduction is made by couples of the same sex; the availability of genetic exams that allow access to the biological truth with high level of trustworthiness, causing a real clash between the biological and the social-affective criteria for determination of paternity

Receptor-targeted lentiviral vectors are exceptionally sensitive toward the biophysical properties of the displayed single-chain Fv

An increasing number of applications require the expression of single-chain variable fragments (scFv) fusion proteins in mammalian cells at the cell surface membrane. Here we assessed the CD30-specific scFv HRS3, which is used in immunotherapy, for its ability to retarget lentiviral vectors (LVs) to CD30 and to mediate selective gene transfer into CD30-positive cells. Fused to the C-terminus of the type-II transmembrane protein hemagglutinin (H) of measles virus and expressed in LV packaging cells, gene transfer mediated by the released LV particles was inefficient. A series of point mutations in the scFv framework regions addressing its biophysical properties, which substantially improved production and increased the melting temperature without impairing its kinetic binding behavior to CD30, also improved the performance of LV particles. Gene transfer into CD30-positive cells increased ∼100-fold due to improved transport of the H-scFv protein to the plasma membrane. Concomitantly, LV particle aggregation and syncytia formation in packaging cells were substantially reduced. The data suggest that syncytia formation can be triggered by trans-cellular dimerization of H-scFv proteins displayed on adjacent cells. Taken together, we show that the biophysical properties of the targeting ligand have a decisive role for the gene transfer efficiency of receptor-targeted LVs