Tribos Urbanas da Praia: os casos dos thugs e dos rappers

Às ondas preocupantes da violência urbana com que a cidade da Praia deparou-se na última década do século passado, culpabilizou-se uma nova figura social emergente – os thugs. A eles estão associados os grupos de gangsta rap, surgidos na Praia no início os anos de 2000, subgénero musical do rap que tem funcionado como veículo por onde as reivindicações são transmitidas ao poder instituído e por onde se vangloria a vida desviante e/ou delinquente de alguns jovens resistentes nos bairros periféricos e semi-periféricos da capital, bairros esses auto-denominados de guetos. Neste artigo pretende-se analisar a relação existente entre o fenómeno thug e o gangsta rap, considerados como manifestações de descontentamento social, reivindicação político-social e demarcação identitária através da violência e da música, e apresentar uma breve reflexão sobre duas pesquisas etnográficas sobre as sociabilidades e estilos de vida juvenis na cidade da Praia, em Cabo Verde. Uma, teórica e empiricamente mais madura, iniciada em 2006, no seio de grupos de jovens associados a comportamentos delinquentes, auto e hetero-denominados thugs e, outra, em curso, no seio dos rappers, mais concretamente dos gangsta rappers.

Molecular epidemiology and evolution of HIV-1 in Portugal and portuguese speaking african countries

The aims of this thesis were to better characterize HIV-1 diversity in Portugal, Angola, Mozambique and Cape Verde and to investigate the origin and epidemiological history of HIV-1 in these countries. The impact of these issues in diagnosis, disease progression and susceptibility to ARV therapy was also investigated. Finally, the nature, dynamics and prevalence of transmitted drug resistance (TDR) was determined in untreated HIV-1 infected patients. In Angola, practically all HIV-1 genetic forms were found, including almost all subtypes, untypable (U) strains, CRFs and URFs. Recombinants (first and second generation) were present in 47.1% of the patients. HIV/AIDS epidemic in Angola probably started in 1961, the major cause being the independence war, subsequently spreading to Portugal. In Maputo, 81% of the patients were infected with subtype C viruses. Subtype G, U and recombinants such as CRF37_cpx, were also present. The results suggest that HIV-1 epidemic in Mozambique is evolving rapidly in genetic complexity. In Cape Verde, where HIV-1 and HIV-2 co-circulate, subtype G is the prevailed subtype. Subtypes B, C, F1, U, CRF02_AG and other recombinant strains were also found. HIV-2 isolates belonged to group A, some being closely related to the original ROD isolate. In all three countries numerous new polymorphisms were identified in the RT and PR of HIV-1 viruses. Mutations conferring resistance to the NRTIs or NNRTIs were found in isolates from 2 (2%) patients from Angola, 4 (6%) from Mozambique and 3 (12%) from Cape Verde. None of the isolates containing TDR mutations would be fully sensitive to the standard first-line therapeutic regimens used in these countries. Close surveillance in treated and untreated populations will be crucial to prevent further transmission of drug resistant strains and maximize the efficacy of ARV therapy. In Portugal, investigation of a seronegative case infection with rapid progression to AIDS and death revealed that the patient was infected with a CRF14_BG-like R5-tropic strain selectively transmitted by his seropositive sexual partner. The results suggest a massive infection with a highly aggressive CRF14_BG like strain and/or the presence of an unidentified immunological problem that prevented the formation of HIV-1-specific antibodies. Near full-length genomic sequences obtained from three unrelated patients enabled the first molecular and phylogenomic characterization of CRF14_BG from Portugal; all sequences were strongly related with CRF14_BG Spanish isolates. The mean date of origin of CRF14_BG was estimated to be 1992. We propose that CRF14_BG emerged in Portugal in the early 1990s, spread to Spain in late 1990s as a consequence of IDUs migration and then to the rest of Europe. Most CRF14_BG strains were predicted to use CXCR4 and were associated with rapid CD4 depletion and disease progression. Finally, we provide evidence suggesting that the X4 tropism of CRF14_BG may have resulted from convergent evolution of the V3 loop possibly driven by an effective escape from neutralizing antibody response.

Financiamento de Universidades Federais: a realidade brasileira

O presente estudo trata do financiamento de instituições federais de ensino superior brasileiro, no período de 2000 a 2004. Através desse artigo é possível conhecer a realidade do financiamento das universidades federais brasileiras da região sudeste do Brasil, abordando as maiores universidades públicas federais desse país. O estudo é realizado através de uma pesquisa do tipo descritiva interpretativa através do estudo de casos. Os resultados da pesquisa permitem concluir que as universidades federais estudadas são financiadas essencialmente com recursos do Governo Federal, sendo que, mais de 80% dos recursos obtidos são destinados ao pagamento de pessoal e encargos sociais, apenas um percentual pequeno é resultante de projectos com empresas e outros órgãos de fomento à pesquisa como (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior) - CAPES, (Secretaria de Educação Superior) - SESU e (Fundação de Desenvolvimento da Pesquisa) - FUNDEP.