Ethics in a Quantum World

This forum invites a reflection on how we may understand ethics in global studies in light of the growing debate on thinking through quantum for the social sciences and humanities more broadly. Quantum principles such as entanglement and indeterminism challenge the notions of individuality and subjectivity and the validity of universal principles as sufficient guidelines for agency, all notions that constitute the foundations of modern deontological ethics. Science is not a separate sphere of society. Its concepts migrate across “disciplines” and end up constituting languages, accepted methodologies, and worldviews. The contributors to this special issue investigate how the shift from a Newtonian metaphysics to a quantum metaphysics may offer conceptual tools for transforming our understanding of causality, self and otherness, the human and the nonhuman, and how we may consequently live together in the world and act ethically in it

Political ecology of movement: trekking and territoriality among the Kayapó

One key strand of political ecology inquiry draws attention to different scalar aspects of territorial control and environmental governance, especially as they relate to inequity, power, and marginality in the rural South. Simultaneously, in the past several decades scholars have argued for a more meaningful engagement with space and place, as global forces of capitalism and geographies of difference make and unmake places in surprising and often violent ways. In this article, I interweave political ecology and anthropology of space and place approaches to territorial practices in the Brazilian Amazon to demonstrate how multiscalar politics of territorial retention and use are layered alongside local, spatial practices. In the Brazilian Amazon, indigenous rights are closely linked to the territorial demarcation and protection of federally defined Indigenous Lands. To that end, a general pattern has been observed across Amazonia that colonization and state-making agendas regarding territorial control have coincided to an increased sedentism of indigenous peoples. This narrative elides the present and ongoing importance local ideas about territories and place have for indigenous communities. Ethnographic data from research with the Kayapó, an indigenous group in Brazil, is presented to draw attention to the complexities of the local responses to the past several decades of change that have resulted in a federally defined territorial homeland and shifting spatial practices within those lands. The Kayapó response is a particularly well-suited case study for this type of analysis, as the tribe is known ethnographically for their fissioning and trekking patterns. I show that movement, mobility, and travel still figure into everyday practices in meaningful ways. While far from homogenous, movement through the landscape is part of responding to current demands to their ways of life. I also argue that travel also affirms the Kayapó notions of knowing (kukradjà), beauty (mê), and strength (tycht). Keywords: political ecology, Amazonia, travel, territoriality, space and plac

Role of targeted agents in neuroendocrine tumors: Results from a meta-analysis

5noBACKGROUND: Several randomized phase III trials in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) showed the clinical role of new targeted agents and their impact on tumor response and outcome of whose patients affected by advanced NET. In this study, we summarize the available clinical data related to clinical efficacy of targeted therapies in the treatment of advanced NETs. METHODS: A meta-analysis of randomized studies in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines was performed after searching the databases of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the ASCO University Meeting for relevant publications. RESULTS: One thousand 9 hundred and 8 cases were included in the meta-analysis; among these, 1012 were in the experimental arm and 896 were in the control arm. The pooled analysis of the use of target agents in NETs revealed significantly increased of progression free survival compared to control group (hazard ratio = 0.59, 95% CI:0.42-0.84; P = 0.003). Subgroup analysis of patients according to tumor site showed a difference in favor of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. Moreover, targeted therapies improved the overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.79, 95%CI: 0.63-0.98; P = 0.03), and response rate (hazard ratio = 3.33, 95% CI 2.02-5.49; P < 0.00001) in all types of NETs. CONCLUSION: Our analysis supports the routine use of targeted agents for treatment of neuroendocrine tumors with particular regards to the pancreatic neuroendocrine tumorspartially_openembargoed_20171001Roviello, Giandomenico; Zanotti, Laura; Venturini, Sergio; Bottini, Alberto; Generali, DanieleRoviello, Giandomenico; Zanotti, Laura; Venturini, Sergio; Bottini, Alberto; Generali, Daniel

The Structure of 2-Oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline Decarboxylase Provides Insights into the Mechanism of Uric Acid Degradation

The complete degradation of uric acid to (S)-allantoin, as recently elucidated, involves three enzymatic reactions. Inactivation by pseudogenization of the genes of the pathway occurred during hominoid evolution, resulting in a high concentration of urate in the blood and susceptibility to gout. Here, we describe the 1.8A resolution crystal structure of the homodimeric 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline decarboxylase, which catalyzes the last step in the urate degradation pathway, for both ligand-free enzyme and enzyme in complex with the substrate analogs (R)-allantoin and guanine. Each monomer comprises ten alpha-helices, grouped into two domains and assembled in a novel fold. The structure and the mutational analysis of the active site have allowed us to identify some residues that are essential for catalysis, among which His-67 and Glu-87 appear to play a particularly significant role. Glu-87 may facilitate the exit of the carboxylate group because of electrostatic repulsion that destabilizes the ground state of the substrate, whereas His-67 is likely to be involved in a protonation step leading to the stereoselective formation of the (S)-allantoin enantiomer as reaction product. The structural and functional characterization of 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline decarboxylase can provide useful information in view of the potential use of this enzyme in the enzymatic therapy of gout

O chocante e o local: critérios de noticiabilidade e fontes de informação para a produção de notícias sobre crimes em dois canais abertos de Córdoba

Los medios de comunicación son uno de los actores protagónicos en dar forma a las maneras de vincularnos con la temática del delito. Entre ellos, la televisión mantiene una vigencia central que la coloca como principal productora y distribuidora de este tipo de noticias. Desde un enfoque cualitativo, a partir de la revisión de antecedentes sobre la temática y el procesamiento de entrevistas realizadas en dos de los tres canales abiertos de la provincia de Córdoba (Canal 10, de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, y Canal 12, propiedad del Grupo Clarín), el artículo analiza aspectos relacionados con contenidos de delito e inseguridad y los modos de producción de dicha información. Específicamente, se ocupa de los criterios a los que los periodistas recurren para identificar la noticiabilidad de los acontecimientos delictivos y las fuentes que priorizan en sus coberturas. Para ello, se plantea una perspectiva comparativa de ambas señales, donde los eventos locales marcan la pauta informativa, algo que distingue particularmente a los canales cordobeses respecto a otros del interior con cabecera en Buenos Aires. La indagación muestra similitudes y diferencias en el tratamiento de las noticias sobre delito en dos medios con estructuras de propiedad también disímiles.Communication media are key players in shaping how we relate to the topic of crime. Among them, television stands center stage, being the main producer and distributor of news on this theme. Our article adopts a qualitative approach, reviewing previous work on the subject as well as interviews carried out at two of the three free-to-air channels available in the province of Cordoba (Channel 10, from the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, and Channel 12, owned by Grupo Clarín). In doing so, it analyzes crime and public security contents and the modes of production behind them. Specifically, this article focuses on the criteria employed by journalists when identifying the newsworthiness of criminal incidents and the sources they prioritize in their reporting. To this end, it adopts a comparative view of both free-to-air channels, in which local events guide everyday coverage, something that distinguishes these Cordoba-based channels from other provincial channels headquartered in Buenos Aires. Our review shows similarities and differences in the treatment of crime stories in the surveyed Cordoba-based channels, which also have dissimilar ownership structures.A mídia é um dos principais atores na definição das formas de vinculação com a temática do crime. Entre eles, a televisão mantém uma validade central que a coloca como principal produtora e distribuidora deste tipo de notícia. De una abordagem qualitativa, a partir da revisão de antecedentes sobre a temática e o processamento de entrevistas realizadas em dois dos três canais abertos da província de Córdoba (Canal 10 –da Universidade Nacional de Córdoba– e Canal 12 –propriedade do Grupo Clarín–), o artigo analisa aspectos relacionados ao conteúdo sobre crime e insegurança, e os modos de produção de tais informações. Especificamente, trata dos critérios aos quais os jornalistas se voltam para identificar a notoriedade de eventos criminais e as fontes que priorizam sua cobertura. Para isso, é proposta uma perspectiva comparativa dos dois canais, onde eventos locais definem a diretriz informativa, um aspecto que distingue aos canais de Córdoba em relação a outros das províncias argentinas com centro em Buenos Aires. O estudo mostra que existem semelhanças e diferenças no tratamento de notícias criminais em dois meios de comunicação com estruturas proprietárias, também diferentes.Fil: Rosenberg, Laura Alejandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Avellaneda. Departamento de Articulac. Transversal de Comunic. y Tecn. de la Info.; ArgentinaFil: Zanotti, Juan Martín. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin

The challenge for large-scale vapor-phase growths of not-catalyzed ZnO nanostructures: purity vs. yield

ZnO nanostructures are today a very important research topic because their proved (or even just "potential") properties promoted huge studies in many different application fields, such as optoelectronics, photovoltaics, spintronics, gas sensing, photocatalysis, piezo-electric applications, etc. Since a reproducible large-scale production is essential for a likely use of these nanostructures in any industrial application, large efforts have been done to control and stabilize their synthesis processes. Good results have been obtained in vapor phase growths of nanorods and nanowires, by mean of metal catalysts (such as Au, Pt or Ni particles). On the other side, large and controlled production of some ZnO nanostructures have been realized by wet chemical processes. Unfortunately both these approaches are intrinsically affected by the introduction of impurities in the nanocrystals\u27 structure. Indeed, even very low impurity levels may have a strong effect on the physical properties of these semiconducting nanostructures. Catalyst-free vapor-phase growth techniques should not be affected by the same impurity levels if high purity sources and gases are employed. Unfortunately, the synthesis control is generally more difficult in this kind of processes. In the present work authors show the results obtained in the optimization of three different growth processes, for a large-scale oriented production of (i) ZnO tetrapods, (ii) ZnO nanorods and (iii) ZnO long nanowires. All the described processes share a catalyst-free growth and the use of high purity metallic Zn, O2 and inert carrier gas (Ar) only. The properties of the obtained ZnO nanostructures have been characterized and, hence, pros and cons of the used approach have been discussed

Logical Identification of an Allantoinase Analog (puuE) Recruited from Polysaccharide Deacetylases

The hydrolytic cleavage of the hydantoin ring of allantoin, catalyzed by allantoinase, is required for the utilization of the nitrogen present in purine-derived compounds. The allantoinase gene (DAL1), however, is missing in many completely sequenced organisms able to use allantoin as a nitrogen source. Here we show that an alternative allantoinase gene (puuE) can be precisely identified by analyzing its logic relationship with three other genes of the pathway. The novel allantoinase is annotated in structure and sequence data bases as polysaccharide deacetylase for its homology with enzymes that catalyze hydrolytic reactions on chitin or peptidoglycan substrates. The recombinant PuuE protein from Pseudomonas fluorescens exhibits metal-independent allantoinase activity and stereospecificity for the S enantiomer of allantoin. The crystal structures of the protein and of protein-inhibitor complexes reveal an overall similarity with the polysaccharide deacetylase beta/alpha barrel and remarkable differences in oligomeric assembly and active site geometry. The conserved Asp-His-His metal-binding triad is replaced by Glu-His-Trp, a configuration that is distinctive of PuuE proteins within the protein family. An extra domain at the top of the barrel offers a scaffold for protein tetramerization and forms a small substrate-binding cleft by hiding the large binding groove of polysaccharide deacetylases. Substrate positioning at the active site suggests an acid/base mechanism of catalysis in which only one member of the catalytic pair of polysaccharide deacetylases has been conserved. These data provide a structural rationale for the shifting of substrate specificity that occurred during evolution