Analysis of the variability properties of the stars in the PLATO Input Catalogue

openPLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is the European Space Agency (ESA)’s mission scheduled for 2026 with the core goal to find and characterize rocky planets in the habitable zone of solar-like stars. In the first public release of the all-sky PLATO Input Catalogue (asPIC1.1) the stellar samples optimised for the mission’s scientific requirements have been defined and they include M dwarfs and FGK dwarf and subgiant target stars. The final observing strategy will be settled two years before launch; the optimal PLATO sky fields will be those that maximize the number of the most suitable targets for the detection of transiting exoplanets. This work aims to evaluate the variability (intrinsic and extrinsic) of PLATO targets, in order to characterize them before the final sky fields and targets selection. We exploited the largest whole-sky variability analysis to date based on coherent photometric, astrometric, and spectroscopic data from the third data release of ESA’s Gaia mission, Gaia DR3. We cross-matched by the unique identifier source_id all the PIC sources included in two wide sky regions at ecliptic latitudes |β| > 38◦, which envelope every allowed choice of the PLATO sky fields, with the Gaia DR3 variable sources categorized into 11 specific classes. From this operation it resulted that the sources included in the considered sub-samples from the PLATO Input Catalogue can be distinguished into the following variability types: planetary transits hosts, short-timescale variables, eclipsing binaries, solar-like stars, upper Main Sequence oscillators, RR Lyrae stars, Cepheids and long period variables. Their properties have been investigated and the light-curves for exemplary sources from each variability class have been extracted, showing the pulsating, rotating or binary nature of the targets. We furthermore focused on the relevance of these sources for the PLATO space mission (in relation to both the primary objectives and the complementary science) and for future research prospects.PLATO (PLAnetary Transits and Oscillations of stars) is the European Space Agency (ESA)’s mission scheduled for 2026 with the core goal to find and characterize rocky planets in the habitable zone of solar-like stars. In the first public release of the all-sky PLATO Input Catalogue (asPIC1.1) the stellar samples optimised for the mission’s scientific requirements have been defined and they include M dwarfs and FGK dwarf and subgiant target stars. The final observing strategy will be settled two years before launch; the optimal PLATO sky fields will be those that maximize the number of the most suitable targets for the detection of transiting exoplanets. This work aims to evaluate the variability (intrinsic and extrinsic) of PLATO targets, in order to characterize them before the final sky fields and targets selection. We exploited the largest whole-sky variability analysis to date based on coherent photometric, astrometric, and spectroscopic data from the third data release of ESA’s Gaia mission, Gaia DR3. We cross-matched by the unique identifier source_id all the PIC sources included in two wide sky regions at ecliptic latitudes |β| > 38◦, which envelope every allowed choice of the PLATO sky fields, with the Gaia DR3 variable sources categorized into 11 specific classes. From this operation it resulted that the sources included in the considered sub-samples from the PLATO Input Catalogue can be distinguished into the following variability types: planetary transits hosts, short-timescale variables, eclipsing binaries, solar-like stars, upper Main Sequence oscillators, RR Lyrae stars, Cepheids and long period variables. Their properties have been investigated and the light-curves for exemplary sources from each variability class have been extracted, showing the pulsating, rotating or binary nature of the targets. We furthermore focused on the relevance of these sources for the PLATO space mission (in relation to both the primary objectives and the complementary science) and for future research prospects

Nuevas políticas, nuevas miradas y metodologías de evaluación : ¿cómo evaluar el retorno social de las políticas culturales?

El cambio en los objetivos y en los instrumentos de intervención de las políticas públicas no siempre comporta el desarrollo de nuevas perspectivas y metodologías para su evaluación. El caso de las políticas culturales ejemplifica esta realidad. Por un lado, han adquirido un rol fundamental en el desarrollo territorial que busca integrar una economía del conocimiento con la cohesión social, la gobernanza y la sostenibilidad. Sin embargo, su perspectiva de evaluación continúa centrada en criterios estéticos, de consumo cultural o, simplemente, en las externalidades de la cultura. Así, este artículo contribuye al desarrollo de metodologías para evaluar de forma científica el retorno social de las políticas culturales, su valor público y los beneficios producidos para la ciudadanía.Change in policy objectives and instruments does not always entail the development of new perspectives and strategies for policy evaluation. Cultural policies exemplify these circumstances. On the one hand, they have achieved a crucial role in the territorial development which tries to integrate knowledge economy with social cohesion, governance, and aesthetic and cultural consumption criteria, or simply in culture externalities. Thus, this article contributes to the development of methodologies that evaluate scientifically the social return of cultural policies, their public value and benefits for citizen

Role of Chemokine Network in the Development and Progression of Ovarian Cancer: A Potential Novel Pharmacological Target

Ovarian cancer is the most common type of gynecologic malignancy. Despite advances in surgery and chemotherapy, the survival rate is still low since most ovarian cancers relapse and become drug-resistant. Chemokines are small chemoattractant peptides mainly involved in the immune responses. More recently, chemokines were also demonstrated to regulate extra-immunological functions. It was shown that the chemokine network plays crucial functions in the tumorigenesis in several tissues. In particular the imbalanced or aberrant expression of CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4 strongly affects cancer cell proliferation, recruitment of immunosuppressive cells, neovascularization, and metastasization. In the last years, several molecules able to target CXCR4 or CXCL12 have been developed to interfere with tumor growth, including pharmacological inhibitors, antagonists, and specific antibodies. This chemokine ligand/receptor pair was also proposed to represent an innovative therapeutic target for the treatment of ovarian cancer. Thus, a thorough understanding of ovarian cancer biology, and how chemokines may control these different biological activities might lead to the development of more effective therapies. This paper will focus on the current biology of CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in the context of understanding their potential role in ovarian cancer development

O significado da morte perinatal – depoimentos de mães

Os autores se propõem a desvelar facetas do significado da morte perinatal aos olhos das mães. Para tanto, recorrem a uma metodologia qualitativa que lhes possibilita uma análise compreensiva de depoimentos de mães hospitalizadas que estão vivenciando essa situação. As convergências dessas falas são analisadas e possibilitam a identificação de algumas unidades significativas que podem se constituir em subsídio para nortear o planejamento de assistência à mãe de forma que a sua situcionalidade seja contemplada

BIODIVERSIDADE E DIREITOS HUMANOS: OS DESAFIOS DO ACORDO KUNMING-MONTREAL

O artigo explora os impactos do Acordo Quadro de Biodiversidade Global de Kunming-Montreal, adotado por ocasião da 15ª Conferência das Partes da Convenção da Biodiversidade das Nações Unidas. O objetivo principal da pesquisa consiste em demonstrar os aspectos inovadores do acordo e verificar os desafios para alcance das metas estabelecidas. As metas ambiciosas do acordo atendem a urgência de proteção da biodiversidade diante da ameaça acelerada da extinção de espécies. Desta forma, a pesquisa desenvolvida é relevante considerando a importância do acordo para a vida no planeta. Os objetivos específicos referem-se a examinar as implicações do acordo no cenário brasileiro. Para tanto, são analisadas a meta de proteção de 30% da superfície terrestre até 2030, considerando as particularidades das terras indígenas, e a meta da redução do uso de pesticidas na agricultura. O estudo conclui que o Acordo Kunming Montreal estabelece um novo marco para a proteção da biodiversidade, mas que a efetiva implementação das metas dependerá do grau de comprometimento dos países signatários. No caso do Brasil, os desafios são ainda maiores considerando o cenário de violações sistemáticas de direitos dos povos indígenas e o envenenamento consentido do meio ambiente. O método utilizado foi o dedutivo com a técnica de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental

El auge del crowdfunding en la esfera cultural.¿Nueva arquitectura de la producción compartida o simple reformulación de la fragilidad y precariedad del sector?

Las experiencias vinculadas al crowdfunding, particularmente en la esfera cultural, se han expandido de manera inimaginable apenas hace unos años. Este fenómeno no puede desvincularse de la gran transformación que representa internet en múltiples aspectos y campos de la actividad social, económica y política. Junto a la producción privada y mercantil, se han generado nuevos espacios para la producción y el intercambio sociales. Lo importante es comprobar hasta qué punto esos nuevos espacios de viabilidad, tanto técnica como económica, encuentran el eco adecuado en el entorno social y en sus prácticas. El auge del crowdfunding en la esfera cultural ¿representa una nueva arquitectura de la producción compartida o más bien implica una simple reformulación de la fragilidad y precariedad del sector? A través del análisis de la actividad de distintas plataformas de crowdfunding, este artículo responde a esta pregunta y propone cuatro dimensiones para el análisis del retorno social o valor público del crowdfunding. Concluimos que el crowdfunding incorpora elementos de innovación en relación a las dinámicas de intermediación consolidadas en el sector cultural, pero puede conllevar también la reproducción de sus reglas institucionales y statu quo.Crowdfunding experiences, especially in the cultural field, have expanded in an unthinkable manner in the last few years. This phenomenon is linked to the major transformation of the Internet in many aspects of social, economic and political activity. Together with private and commercial production, new spaces for production and social exchange have been created. However, it is crucial to verify the degree to which these new spaces of technical and economic feasibility find the right results in social return and its practices. Does the rise in crowdfunding in the cultural field represent a new-shared production or is it merely a fragile and precarious reformulation of the sector? By analysing the activities of several crowdfunding platforms this article answers these questions and proposes four dimensions to study the social return and public value of crowdfunding. We conclude that crowdfunding not only incorporates innovation to the well-established intermediary dynamics of the cultural sector, but can also reproduce the institutional rules and status quo