A EXPANSÃO E AS POSSIBILIDADES DE DEMOCRATIZAÇÃO DO ENSINO SUPERIOR NO BRASIL

Diante da expansão e diversificação recentes do sistema de ensino superior brasileiro, este artigo discute as possíveis tendências à sua modernização e democratização. O artigo busca desenvolver questões fundamentalmente  associadas aos valores socialmente atribuídos aos diplomas do ensino superior, principalmente na relação entre o domínio quase absoluto de uma visão patrimonialista sobre o ensino superior e o esgarçamento dos conteúdos científicos e (ou) pedagógicos associados aos diversos diplomas. O patrimonialismo aparece na preferência pelo bacharelado, em detrimento dos diplomas de licenciatura e tecnológicos, nas vocações socialmente marcadas, nos horários e turnos dos diferentes cursos e modalidades, no desinteresse pelas áreas técnicas e na pedagogia do cultivo. Mais ainda, o patrimonialismo aparece na dialética entre saberes e a força social dos diplomas. A possível instalação de um credencialismo radical no Brasil permite analisar a relação entre o domínio patrimonial e a cultura profissional, indicando os limites da democratização do sistema de ensino superior. Palavras-chave: Ensino Superior. Credenciais. Cultura profissional. Patrimonialismo.THE EXPANSION AND DEMOCRATIZATION POSSIBILITIES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN BRAZIL Antonio Augusto Pereira Prates Maria Ligia de Oliveira Barbosa Given the expansion and diversification of the recent Brazilian higher education system, this article discusses possible trends for its modernization and democratization. The article seeks to develop issues on the values socially assigned to higher education diplomas. It focuses mainly on the relationship between the almost absolute dominance of a patrimonial vision on higher education and the fraying of scientific/or pedagogical contents associated with various diplomas. Patrimonialism appears in the preference by BA at the expense of license and technological diplomas; in vocations socially marked; in the schedules and shifts of different courses; in the lack of interest on technical areas and in the pedagogy of cultivation. Moreover, the patrimonial view appears in the Dialectic of Knowledge and the Social Force of diplomas. The possible installation of a radical credentialism in Brazil allows for the analysis of the relationship between patrimonial dominance and the professional culture, indicating the limits of the higher education system democratization. Key words: Higher Education. Credentials. Professional culture. Patrimonialism.L’EXPANSION ET LES POSSIBILITÉS D’ DE DÉMOCRATISATION DE L’ENSEIGNEMENT SUPÉRIEUR AU BRÉSIL Antonio Augusto Pereira Prates Maria Ligia de Oliveira Barbosa Compte tenu de l’expansion et la diversification récentes du systèm d’enseignement supérieur au Brésil, cet article examine les tendances possibles pour la modernisation et la démocratisation de ce système. L’article cherche à développer des questions associées aux valeurs socialement attribuées à des diplômes d’enseignement supérieur. Il analyse principalement la relation entre la domination d’une vision patrimoniale sur l’enseignement supérieur et l’effilochage du contenu pédagogique et/ou scientifique associé à divers diplômes. Le patrimonialisme apparaît dans la préférence pour le diplôme académique au détriment des certificats pour professeurs ou pour les techniciens; des vocations socialement marquées; les horaires de différents cours; le manque d’intérêt par les domaines techniques; et de la pédagogie de l’homme cultivé. En outre, le patrimonialisme apparaît dans la dialectique entre la connaissance et la force sociale et les diplômes. L’installation possible d’un “diplômanie” radical au Brésil permet d’analyser la relation entre la domination patrimoniale et la culture professionnelle, indiquant les limites de la démocratisation du système d’éducation supérieures. Mots-Clés: Enseignement supérieur. Diplômes. Culture professionnelle. Domination traditionnelle. Publicação Online do Caderno CRH no Scielo: http://www.scielo.br/ccrh  Publicação Online do Caderno CRH: http://www.cadernocrh.ufba.br

A importância das diretrizes clínicas no manejo da pancreatite aguda

Introdução: A pancreatite aguda (PA) pode ser edematosa, caracterizada por inflamação sem necrose ou falência de órgãos, ou necro-hemorrágica, associada a complicações locais. Os principais fatores de risco são litíase biliar e uso excessivo de álcool, bem como fatores genéticos, tabagismo e diabetes tipo 2. A incidência anual de PA varia de 13 a 45/100.000 pessoas. Nos últimos anos, houve aumento de sua incidência mundial associado a significativa morbimortalidade, o que ressalta a importância de diretrizes para seu diagnóstico, manejo e tratamento. Objetivos: Estabelecer as principais diretrizes para diagnóstico, prognóstico e manejo de PA. Métodos: Foram usados artigos gratuitos a partir de 2015 que avaliam a importância de escores no manejo da PA nas bases de dados PubMed, Scielo e Google Acadêmico. As palavras-chaves usadas foram “acute pancreatitis scoring systems”, sendo encontrados 35 artigos. Resultados: Diversos escores são usados na estratificação da gravidade de PA. O Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Examination (APACHE-II) avalia 12 critérios fisiológicos, idade e presença de condição crônica, tendo a vantagem de possibilitar a análise nas primeiras 24 horas, embora com baixo valor preditivo. O Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS II), utilizado com maior frequência em unidade de terapia intensiva (UTI), avalia 12 variáveis relativas às primeiras 24 horas, idade e comorbidades prévias. Porém, esses dois escores não possuem especificidade significativa para PA. Já os critérios de Ranson abrangem 11 parâmetros, sendo 5 avaliados na admissão e 6 nas primeiras 48 horas de evolução, e são mais específicos. Segundo esse escore, uma pontuação entre 5 e 6 tem índice de mortalidade de 40%, podendo chegar a 100% quando a pontuação for entre 7 e 9. Além disso, os critérios prognósticos de Imrie (Glasgow modificado) articulam marcadores clínicos, laboratoriais e radiológicos específicos de PA, com sensibilidade de 72% e especificidade de 84%, sendo usados na predição de PA de causa alcoólica e biliar. Mede 8 parâmetros, de modo que a presença de 3 ou mais índices em 48 horas tem alta especificidade na indicação de PA de evolução grave. Conclusão: Desse modo, a PA, de crescente incidência e morbimortalidade, pode ter seu prognóstico mensurado por diversos escores, os quais não predizem a gravidade quando avaliados isoladamente, o que requer investigação conjunta das diversas diretrizes clínicas de forma a obter estratificação de risco mais acurada

Fatores associados ao óbito entre pacientes com câncer internados por COVID-19 em Mato Grosso

Objective: To analyze the prognostic factors for death by COVID-19 in cancer patients. Methods: Retrospective study based on data recorded in the case notification system for COVID-19 hospitalizations in Mato Grosso. Reported cases of COVID-19 admitted between April 2020 and June 2021 with cancer were evaluated. Absolute and relative frequencies of sociodemographic, hospital care and comorbidity variables were calculated, as well as mean, median and standard deviation of age and length of stay. The odds ratio and its respective 95% confidence interval, crude and adjusted, were estimated using a logistic regression model. Results: 948 cancer patients hospitalized by covid-19 in Mato Grosso were considered, with a mean age of 59.7 years. The proportion of deaths was 34.5% and the mortality rate was 3.73 person-day (95%CI: 3.35; 4.16), with a median time between admission and death of 18 days. The chance of death was greater among patients aged 60 years or older, with chronic lung disease, who were admitted to ICU beds and required mechanical ventilation at the time of admission. Patients hospitalized from April to December 2020 and January to March 2021 had a greater chance of death when compared to those hospitalized between April and June 2021. Conclusions: The chance of deaths due to COVID-19 was greater among hospitalized cancer patients before the period of vaccination of this group in the state and among those older and admitted in worse clinical conditions.Objetivo: Analisar os fatores prognósticos para o óbito por COVID-19 em pacientes com câncer. Métodos: Estudo retrospectivo a partir dos dados registrados no sistema de notificação de casos de internações por COVID-19 de Mato Grosso. Foram avaliados casos notificados de COVID-19 internados entre abril de 2020 a junho de 2021 com câncer. Foram calculadas as frequências absolutas e relativas das variáveis sociodemográficas, de assistência hospitalar e comorbidades, assim como média, mediana e desvio-padrão da idade e tempo de internação. Estimou-se o Odds Ratio e seu respectivo intervalo de confiança de 95%, bruto e ajustados, por meio modelo de regressão logística. Resultados: Foram considerados 948 pacientes com câncer internados por COVID-19 em Mato Grosso, com média de idade de 59,7 anos. A proporção de óbitos foi de 34,5% e taxa de mortalidade foi de 3,73 pessoa-dia (IC95%: 3,35; 4,16), com mediana de tempo entre admissão e óbito de 18 dias. Foi maior a chance de óbito entre os pacientes com 60 anos ou mais de idade, com doença pulmonar crônica, que internaram em leitos de UTI e necessitaram de ventilação mecânica no momento da internação. Os pacientes internados no período de abril a dezembro de 2020 e janeiro a março de 2021 apresentaram maior chance de óbito quando comparados aos internados entre abril e junho de 2021. Conclusões: Foi maior a chance de óbitos por COVID-19 entre pacientes com câncer internados antes do período de vacinação deste grupo no estado e entre aqueles mais velhos e admitidos em piores condições clínicas

Galectin-3, histone deacetylases, and Hedgehog signaling:Possible convergent targets in schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis

Schistosomiasis affects approximately 240 million people in the world. Schistosoma mansoni eggs in the liver induce periportal fibrosis and hepatic failure driven by monocyte recruitment and macrophage activation, resulting in robust Th2 response. Here, we suggested a possible involvement of Galectin-3 (Gal-3), histone deacetylases (HDACs), and Hedgehog (Hh) signaling with macrophage activation during Th1/Th2 immune responses, fibrogranuloma reaction, and tissue repair during schistosomiasis. Gal-3 is highly expressed by liver macrophages (Kupffer cells) around Schistosoma eggs. HDACs and Hh regulate macrophage polarization and hepatic stellate cell activation during schistosomiasis-associated fibrogenesis. Previously, we demonstrated an abnormal extracellular matrix distribution in the liver that correlated with atypical monocyte-macrophage differentiation in S. mansoni-infected, Gal-3-deficient (Lgals3-/-) mice. New findings explored in this review focus on the chronic phase, when wild-type (Lgals3+/+) and Lgals3-/- mice were analyzed 90 days after cercariae infection. In Lgals3-/- infected mice, there was significant inflammatory infiltration with myeloid cells associated with egg destruction (hematoxylin and eosin staining), phagocytes (specifically Kupffer cells), numerically reduced and diffuse matrix extracellular deposition in fibrotic areas (Gomori trichrome staining), and severe disorganization of collagen fibers surrounding the S. mansoni eggs (reticulin staining). Granuloma-derived stromal cells (GR cells) of Lgals3-/- infected mice expressed lower levels of alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and eotaxin and higher levels of IL-4 than Lgals3+/+ mice (real-time PCR). The relevant participation of macrophages in these events led us to suggest distinct mechanisms of activation that culminate in defective fibrosis in the liver of Lgals3-/- infected mice. These aspects were discussed in this review, as well as the possible interference between Gal-3, HDACs, and Hh signaling during progressive liver fibrosis in S. mansoni-infected mice. Further studies focused on macrophage roles could elucidate these questions and clear the potential utility of these molecules as antifibrotic targets

Prime Focus Spectrograph - Subaru's future -

The Prime Focus Spectrograph (PFS) of the Subaru Measurement of Images and Redshifts (SuMIRe) project has been endorsed by Japanese community as one of the main future instruments of the Subaru 8.2-meter telescope at Mauna Kea, Hawaii. This optical/near-infrared multi-fiber spectrograph targets cosmology with galaxy surveys, Galactic archaeology, and studies of galaxy/AGN evolution. Taking advantage of Subaru's wide field of view, which is further extended with the recently completed Wide Field Corrector, PFS will enable us to carry out multi-fiber spectroscopy of 2400 targets within 1.3 degree diameter. A microlens is attached at each fiber entrance for F-ratio transformation into a larger one so that difficulties of spectrograph design are eased. Fibers are accurately placed onto target positions by positioners, each of which consists of two stages of piezo-electric rotary motors, through iterations by using back-illuminated fiber position measurements with a wide-field metrology camera. Fibers then carry light to a set of four identical fast-Schmidt spectrographs with three color arms each: the wavelength ranges from 0.38 {\mu}m to 1.3 {\mu}m will be simultaneously observed with an average resolving power of 3000. Before and during the era of extremely large telescopes, PFS will provide the unique capability of obtaining spectra of 2400 cosmological/astrophysical targets simultaneously with an 8-10 meter class telescope. The PFS collaboration, led by IPMU, consists of USP/LNA in Brazil, Caltech/JPL, Princeton, & JHU in USA, LAM in France, ASIAA in Taiwan, and NAOJ/Subaru.Comment: 13 pages, 11 figures, submitted to "Ground-based and Airborne Instrumentation for Astronomy IV, Ian S. McLean, Suzanne K. Ramsay, Hideki Takami, Editors, Proc. SPIE 8446 (2012)

Novel Zinc-Related Differentially Methylated Regions in Leukocytes of Women With and Without Obesity

INTRODUCTION: Nutriepigenetic markers are predictive responses associated with changes in “surrounding” environmental conditions of humans, which may influence metabolic diseases. Although rich in calories, Western diets could be linked with the deficiency of micronutrients, resulting in the downstream of epigenetic and metabolic effects and consequently in obesity. Zinc (Zn) is an essential nutrient associated with distinct biological roles in human health. Despite the importance of Zn in metabolic processes, little is known about the relationship between Zn and epigenetic. Thus, the present study aimed to identify the epigenetic variables associated with Zn daily ingestion (ZnDI) and serum Zinc (ZnS) levels in women with and without obesity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a case-control, non-randomized, single-center study conducted with 21 women allocated into two groups: control group (CG), composed of 11 women without obesity, and study group (SG), composed of 10 women with obesity. Anthropometric measurements, ZnDI, and ZnS levels were evaluated. Also, leukocyte DNA was extracted for DNA methylation analysis using 450 k Illumina BeadChips. The epigenetic clock was calculated by Horvath method. The chip analysis methylation pipeline (ChAMP) package selected the differentially methylated regions (DMRs). RESULTS: The SG had lower ZnS levels than the CG. Moreover, in SG, the ZnS levels were negatively associated with the epigenetic age acceleration. The DMR analysis revealed 37 DMRs associated with ZnDI and ZnS levels. The DMR of PM20D1 gene was commonly associated with ZnDI and ZnS levels and was hypomethylated in the SG. CONCLUSION: Our findings provide new information on Zn's modulation of DNA methylation patterns and bring new perspectives for understanding the nutriepigenetic mechanisms in obesity