Formar melhor para um melhor cuidar

A formação surge como uma ajuda ao desenvolvimento humano, adoptando uma posição abrangente que inclui o aluno e o próprio professor (Kohlberg e Mayer, 1972), em que o resultado obtido é menos importante do que a disponibilidade gerada durante o percurso, para que o aluno possa continuar a evoluir ao longo da vida. Esta perspectiva desenvolvimentalista, antecipava já, a tendência actual que defende que a educação deve constituir para cada indivíduo uma forma de promover o máximo desenvolvimento das suas potencialidades, através de experiências de aprendizagem de complexidade crescente. A formação não é apenas uma instância de mediação das relações formador/formando ou equipa de formadores/grupo de formandos, mas uma instância de auto-mediação do formando com o seu mundo subjectivo, mediador do grupo de formação com as suas subjectividades, mediador do grupo com um projecto de acção através do qual ele se exterioriza (Correia, 1997: 25)

Traditional ecological knowledge supports ecosystem-based management in disturbed coastal marine social-ecological systems

A growing number of studies suggest a participatory ecosystem approach to support decision-making toward resilience and sustainability in social-ecological systems. Social-ecological resilience (SER) principles and practices are recommended to manage natural crises. However, it is necessary to broaden our understanding of SER on human-induced disturbances driven by economic development projects. In this paper we present the social-ecological system of Araçá Bay (Brazil), a small-scale fishery community that has experienced successive disturbances due to development projects since the 1930s. There was a lack of studies about the impacts of development projects in this bay. As part of a major project that aimed to build an ecosystem-based management plan for Araçá Bay through a participatory planning process, we focused on investigating fishers’ traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to understand Araçá Bay’s small-scale fisheries social-ecological system. The objectives were to: (1) investigate fishers’ TEK regarding management practices and linked social mechanisms, human-induced disturbances and their consequences for the social-ecological system, ecosystem goods and services, and future threats; and (2) provide information based on TEK to the participatory planning process and analyze its contribution to Araçá Bay’s ecosystem-based management plan. Combined methods were used during 3 years of intense research-action (2014–2017): in-depth ethno-oceanographic interviews with expert fishers; monitoring Araçá Bay participatory meetings; and participant observation. Genuine local practices and social mechanisms from traditional culture were recorded, as well as TEK about 57 target fish species and methods to protect habitats and natural resources. Fishers also reported ecosystem disturbances and recovery processes. TEK was codified through SWOT analysis to assist the participatory planning process. Ecosystem services and threats based on TEK were brought to the participatory process, acknowledged by the participants, and incorporated into the management plan. TEK analysis proved to be an important methodology to provide historical environmental data regarding the impacts of development projects and support planning in disturbed ecosystems. In order to support coastal marine ecosystem-based management strategies toward SER and sustainability, researchers and practitioners should consider traditional territories in planning, recognize local practices and social mechanisms, and consider TEK on ecosystem goods and services and on historical human-induced disturbances

PET-Derived Radiomics and Artificial Intelligence in Breast Cancer: A Systematic Review

Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous malignancy that still represents the second cause of cancer-related death among women worldwide. Due to the heterogeneity of BC, the correct identification of valuable biomarkers able to predict tumor biology and the best treatment approaches are still far from clear. Although molecular imaging with positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) has improved the characterization of BC, these methods are not free from drawbacks. In recent years, radiomics and artificial intelligence (AI) have been playing an important role in the detection of several features normally unseen by the human eye in medical images. The present review provides a summary of the current status of radiomics and AI in different clinical settings of BC. A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus was conducted, including all articles published in English that explored radiomics and AI analyses of PET/CT images in BC. Several studies have demonstrated the potential role of such new features for the staging and prognosis as well as the assessment of biological characteristics. Radiomics and AI features appear to be promising in different clinical settings of BC, although larger prospective trials are needed to confirm and to standardize this evidence

Media use during adolescence: the recommendations of the Italian Pediatric Society.

BACKGROUND: The use of media device, such as smartphone and tablet, is currently increasing, especially among the youngest. Adolescents spend more and more time with their smartphones consulting social media, mainly Facebook, Instagram and Twitter because. Adolescents often feel the necessity to use a media device as a means to construct a social identity and express themselves. For some children, smartphone ownership starts even sooner as young as 7 yrs, according to internet safety experts. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the evidence on media use and its consequences in adolescence. RESULTS: In literature, smartphones and tablets use may negatively influences the psychophysical development of the adolescent, such as learning, sleep and sigh. Moreover, obesity, distraction, addiction, cyberbullism and Hikikomori phenomena are described in adolescents who use media device too frequently. The Italian Pediatric Society provide action-oriented recommendations for families and clinicians to avoid negative outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Both parents and clinicians should be aware of the widespread phenomenon of media device use among adolescents and try to avoid psychophysical consequences on the youngest

Chemistry in Context for engineering students at UCT: Transformation from a villain to a princess

The Universidad Católica de Temuco (Araucanía region, Chile) has experienced substantial changes in recent years: today, young people with a poor academic background, who are also digital natives, are enrolled in it. In this scenario, fostering deep learning in all students, the teachers have been given the task of implementing active learning methodologies with ICT incorporation. Specifically, the faculty that teaches “Chemistry in Context” to engineering students decided to transform (re-design) of this course, which included the implementation of active learning strategies such as the flipped classroom, instead of traditional lectures, and guided inquiry to change the laboratory work. This article explains how the new strategies were implemented, and it shows results which were obtained by contrasting students’ performance (based on the grades) before and after the transformation process. After the transformation, the approval rate nearly doubled and the dropout rate reduced from 40% to 17% in 2017. In the case of the laboratory work, although the tasks were more complex guided inquiry showed much better grades. These results can be attributed to the students working to build their learning, to the fact that the laboratory grade had a more significant percentage of the final grade and to the fact that students had to do all the experimental work as a mandatory activity otherwise they would fail the course. It was found that the flipped classroom will be successful if students value autonomous work and act accordingly. La Universidad Católica de Temuco (Araucanía, Chile) ha experimentado fuertes cambios en los años recientes: hoy, ingresan a ella jóvenes con un bajo capital académico, que, además, son “nativos digitales”. En este escenario, en pos de generar aprendizajes significativos en sus estudiantes, los docentes han debido implementar metodologías de aprendizaje activo con uso de las TIC. Este fue el caso de los profesores que imparten “Química en Contexto” a estudiantes de ingeniería. El año 2013 decidieron hacer una transformación de la asignatura, implementando Flipped Classroom para el trabajo en aula e indagación guiada para el trabajo de laboratorio. Este artículo explica cómo fue implementada la transformación y presenta un análisis comparado de los resultados, en el que se contrasta el desempeño de los estudiantes (basado en notas) en los períodos anterior y posterior. Con la transformación, la tasa de aprobación se duplicó y la tasa de deserción disminuyó sistemáticamente desde un 40% (en 2014) a un 17% (en 2017). En general, hubo una mejora de los resultados en los diferentes tipos de evaluaciones. La mejora más importante se observó en el trabajo de laboratorio, aun cuando el nivel de exigencia fue mayor, lo que se atribuyó a los siguientes hechos: (i) con la metodología indagación guiada, los estudiantes construyeron sus propios aprendizajes; (ii) la nota de laboratorio tuvo mayor peso en la nota final; y (iii) los estudiantes no tenían la posibilidad de no hacer, pues esto implicaba reprobación inmediata. Se constató que una implementación exitosa de Flipped Classroom depende de que el estudiante dé una máxima valoración al trabajo autónomo y actúe en consecuencia

Benzodifuran-based fluorescent brighteners: A novel platform for plant cell wall imaging

Herein we designed three novel fluorescent brightening agents based on a benzodifuran skeleton. The compounds are colorless fluorophores emitting in the blue region with an improved water solubility and ability to interact with living cells. A complete understanding of the emission mechanisms was achieved by Density Functional Theory study based on X-ray crystallographic analysis. The fluorescence quantum yields were measured in different solvents and at different pH values. The ability of the different fluorophores to stain cell compartments of plant root samples was tested in water- and glycerol-based solutions. Through fluorescence microscopy technique two probes with a different functionalized branching chain proved to be efficient stains for plant root cell wall. The cationic probe has no harmful effect on plant tissues and is suitable for in vivo fluorescent visualization of plant root cell boundaries. This study sheds light on the potential use of brighteners containing a central benzodifuran core as tools for imaging of fixed and alive plant tissues

Brazilian spring wheat germplasm as source of genetic variability.

As part of a Canada-Brazil germplasm exchange, 106 modern and ancient Brazilian spring wheat cultivars have been genotyped and phenotypically evaluated in Canada since 201

Development and Evaluation of the Magnetic Properties of a New Manganese (II) Complex: A Potential MRI Contrast Agent

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive powerful modern clinical technique that is extensively used for the high-resolution imaging of soft tissues. To obtain high-definition pictures of tissues or of the whole organism this technique is enhanced by the use of contrast agents. Gadolinium-based contrast agents have an excellent safety profile. However, over the last two decades, some specific concerns have surfaced. Mn(II) has different favorable physicochemical characteristics and a good toxicity profile, which makes it a good alternative to the Gd(III)-based MRI contrast agents currently used in clinics. Mn(II)-disubstituted symmetrical complexes containing dithiocarbamates ligands were prepared under a nitrogen atmosphere. The magnetic measurements on Mn complexes were carried out with MRI phantom measurements at 1.5 T with a clinical magnetic resonance. Relaxivity values, contrast, and stability were evaluated by appropriate sequences. Studies conducted to evaluate the properties of paramagnetic imaging in water using a clinical magnetic resonance showed that the contrast, produced by the complex [Mn(II)(L’)2] × 2H2O (L’ = 1.4-dioxa-8-azaspiro[4.5]decane-8-carbodithioate), is comparable to that produced by gadolinium complexes currently used in medicine as a paramagnetic contrast agent

From Biowaste to Lab-Bench: Low-Cost Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for RNA Extraction and SARS-CoV-2 Diagnostics

The gold standard for diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) virus is based on real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using centralized PCR facilities and commercial viral RNA extraction kits. One of the key components of these kits are magnetic beads composed of silica coated magnetic iron oxide (Fe2O3 or Fe3O4 ) nanoparticles, needed for the selective extraction of RNA. At the beginning of the pandemic in 2019, due to a high demand across the world there were severe shortages of many reagents and consumables, including these magnetic beads required for testing for SARS-CoV-2. Laboratories needed to source these products elsewhere, preferably at a comparable or lower cost. Here, we describe the development of a simple, low-cost and scalable preparation of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) from biowaste and demonstrate their successful application in viral RNA extraction and the detection of COVID-19. These MNPs have a unique nanoplatelet shape with a high surface area, which are beneficial features, expected to provide improved RNA adsorption, better dispersion and processing ability compared with commercial spherical magnetic beads. Their performance in COVID-19 RNA extraction was evaluated in comparison with commercial magnetic beads and the results presented here showed comparable results for high throughput PCR analysis. The presented magnetic nanoplatelets generated from biomass waste are safe, low-cost, simple to produce in large scale and could provide a significantly reduced cost of nucleic acid extraction for SARS-CoV-2 and other DNA and RNA viruses.Le Yu, Penelope Adamson, Pei Lay Yap, Tran Tung, Shaheer Makar, Mark Turra, Geoff Higgins, and Dusan Losi