The rise of Western rationalism: Paul Feyerabend’s story

I summarise certain aspects of Paul Feyerabend’s account of the development of Western rationalism, show the ways in which that account is supposed to run up against an alternative, that of Karl Popper, and then try to give a preliminary comparison of the two. My interest is primarily in whether what Feyerabend called his ‘story’ constitutes a possible history of our epistemic concepts and their trajectory. I express some grave reservations about that story, and about Feyerabend’s framework, finding Popper’s views less problematic here. However, I also suggest that one important aspect of Feyerabend’s material, his treatment of religious belief, can be given an interpretation which makes it tenable, and perhaps preferable to a Popperian approach.

Effects of targeted delivery of propionate to the human colon on appetite regulation, body weight maintenance and adiposity in overweight adults

Objective The colonic microbiota ferment dietary fibres, producing short chain fatty acids. Recent evidence suggests that the short chain fatty acid propionate may play an important role in appetite regulation. We hypothesised that colonic delivery of propionate would increase peptide YY (PYY) and glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion in humans, and reduce energy intake and weight gain in overweight adults. Design To investigate whether propionate promotes PYY and GLP-1 secretion, a primary cultured human colonic cell model was developed. To deliver propionate specifically to the colon, we developed a novel inulin-propionate ester. An acute randomised, controlled cross-over study was used to assess the effects of this inulin-propionate ester on energy intake and plasma PYY and GLP-1 concentrations. The long-term effects of inulin-propionate ester on weight gain were subsequently assessed in a randomised, controlled 24-week study involving 60 overweight adults. Results Propionate significantly stimulated the release of PYY and GLP-1 from human colonic cells. Acute ingestion of 10 g inulin-propionate ester significantly increased postprandial plasma PYY and GLP-1 and reduced energy intake. Over 24 weeks, 10 g/day inulin-propionate ester supplementation significantly reduced weight gain, intra-abdominal adipose tissue distribution, intrahepatocellular lipid content and prevented the deterioration in insulin sensitivity observed in the inulin-control group. Conclusions These data demonstrate for the first time that increasing colonic propionate prevents weight gain in overweight adult humans

I killed my father, I ate human flesh, I quiver with joy: an obsession with Pier Paolo Pasolini

Group show, curated by Invisible Exports Gallery. Featuring work by Michael Bilsborough, Lizzi Bougatsos, BREYER P-ORRIDGE, Asger Carlsen, Troels Carlsen, Walt Cassidy, Andy Coolquitt, Vaginal Davis, Carlton DeWoody, Joey Frank, Paul Gabrielli, Ludovica Gioscia, Luis Gispert, Terence Hannum, Karen Heagle, Timothy Hull, Doug Ischar, Brian Kenny, Jeremy Kost, Aaron Krach, Yeni Mao, Leigha Mason, Mark McCoy, Robert Melee, Lucas Michael, Jennifer Needleman, Brent Owens, Paul P., Paolo Di Paolo, Franklin Preston, John Russell, Xaviera Simmons, Duston Spear, Scott Treleaven, Ramon Vega, Jordan Wolfson, Dustin Yellin

Everything is about to happen: an ongoing archive of artists’ books, as part of The Library Vacine

Group exhibition of artists books curated by Gregorio Magnani, including Frozen Tears I - III (2003-7). Including books by Kasper Andreasen, Linus Bill and Adrien Horni, blisterZine, Daniel Gustav Cramer, Arnaud Desjardin, Michael Dean, Karl Holmqvist, Louis Luthi, Sara MacKillop, Dan Mitchell, Kristen Mueller, Sophie Nys, Simon Popper, Preston is my Paris, Alessandro Roma, Karin Ruggaber, John Russell, Erik Steinbrecher, Peter Tillessen, Erik van der Weijde

Talent on the move: creative human capital migration patterns in UK

The last decade has seen an increasing number of contributions, from both academics and policy makers, focusing on the role of higher education in developing human capital (Charles, 2003; Cramphorn & Woodlhouse, 1999; Preston & Hammond, 2006) and hence contributing to local and regional growth (Faggian & McCann, 2006; Mathur, 1999; Moretti, 2004). Within this broader literature, the role played by more ‘scientific’ types of human capital, such as STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates and science parks (Bozeman, Dietz, & Gaughan, 2001; Linderlöf & Löfsten, 2004; Löfsten & Lindelöf, 2005), has also been explored. Little attention has been paid so far, to the role played by more ‘creative’ types of human capital. This chapter aims at filling this gap, in light of the central role that the term ‘creative’ took in policy and academic discourses in the UK (Comunian & Faggian, 2011; Comunian & Gilmore, 2015; DCMS, 2006; Powell, 2007; Universities UK, 2010).

Early changes in apoplast composition associated with defence and disease in interactions between Phaseolus vulgaris and the halo blight pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola

The apoplast is the arena in which endophytic pathogens such as Pseudomonas syringae grow and interact with plant cells. Using metabolomic and ion analysis techniques, this study shows how the composition of Phaseolus vulgaris leaf apoplastic fluid changes during the first six hours of compatible and incompatible interactions with two strains of Pseudomonas syringae pv. phaseolicola (Pph) that differ in the presence of the genomic island PPHGI-1. Leaf inoculation with the avirulent island-carrying strain Pph 1302A elicited effector-triggered immunity (ETI) and resulted in specific changes in apoplast composition, including increases in conductivity, pH, citrate, γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) and K+, that are linked to the onset of plant defence responses. Other apoplastic changes, including increases in Ca2+, Fe2/3+ Mg2+, sucrose, β-cyanoalanine and several amino acids, occurred to a relatively similar extent in interactions with both Pph 1302A and the virulent, island-less strain Pph RJ3. Metabolic footprinting experiments established that Pph preferentially metabolizes malate, glucose and glutamate, but excludes certain other abundant apoplastic metabolites, including citrate and GABA, until preferred metabolites are depleted. These results demonstrate that Pph is well-adapted to the leaf apoplast metabolic environment and that loss of PPHGI-1 enables Pph to avoid changes in apoplast composition linked to plant defences.

Detection of Paraquat in Oral Fluid, Plasma, and Urine by Capillary Electrophoresis for Diagnosis of Acute Poisoning

FAPESP

‘Being in a womb’ or ‘playing musical chairs’ : the impact of place and space on infant feeding in NICUs

Background: Becoming a parent of a preterm baby requiring neonatal care constitutes an extraordinary life situation in which parenting begins and evolves in a medical and unfamiliar setting. Although there is increasing emphasis within maternity and neonatal care on the influence of place and space upon the experiences of staff and service users, there is a lack of research on how space and place influence relationships and care in the neonatal environment. The aim of this study was to explore, in-depth, the impact of place and space on parents’ experiences and practices related to feeding their preterm babies in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs) in Sweden and England. Methods: An ethnographic approach was utilised in two NICUs in Sweden and two comparable units in England, UK. Over an eleven month period, a total of 52 mothers, 19 fathers and 102 staff were observed and interviewed. A grounded theory approach was utilised throughout data collection and analysis. Results: The core category of ‘the room as a conveyance for an attuned feeding’ was underpinned by four categories: the level of ‘ownership’ of space and place; the feeling of ‘at-homeness’; the experience of ‘the door or a shield’ against people entering, for privacy, for enabling a focus within, and for regulating socialising and the; ‘window of opportunity’. Findings showed that the construction and design of space and place was strongly influential on the developing parent-infant relationship and for experiencing a sense of connectedness and a shared awareness with the baby during feeding, an attuned feeding. Conclusions: If our proposed model is valid, it is vital that these findings are considered when developing or reconfiguring NICUs so that account is taken of the influences of spatiality upon parent’s experiences. Even without redesign there are measures that may be taken to make a positive difference for parents and their preterm babies.

Ação social das empresas privadas: uma metodologia para avaliação de resultados

In the recent years Corporate Social Action (CSA) has become more and more relevant to corporate context. The aim is to benefit both poor communities and the donnor companies, as it meets the needs of their salient stakeholders. Nevertheless, there still exists considerable scepticism concerning CSA. In order to become a solid management practice, it is critcal to evidence the attained results. Up to now, the focus has been on process evaluation, that is, on the policies companies are adopting. Literature revision has shown a great need of studies related to results identification in this field. Therefore, using stakeholders` framework (according to Wood, 1991; Donaldson and Preston, 1995; Hopkins, 1997; Hamil, 1999), we have developped a methodology to evaluate CSA results, based on public and private effectiveness criteria. As we applied it to assess Xerox social action in Brazil we were able to identify the attainment degree of expected results related to the benefitted community (Mangueira) and also to some Xerox salient stakeholders (employees and clients).

Educação e cidadania: uma contribuição ao ensino de estudos sociais

O trabalho concebe cidadão enquanto indivíduo datado e situado historicamente, sujeito da construção de sua realidade social. Cidadania surge, então, como resultado da luta do homem em prol da conquista de espaços de participação política e social na Comunidade, à medida que, mantendo-se a perspectiva do Estado Liberal, amplia-se a base democrática da sociedade. Tem como pressuposto que, principalmente em suas séries iniciais, face a seu caráter iminentemente formativo, estaria a Escola comprometida com a formação do cidadão. Para tal, faz-se necessário que, â seleção de conteúdos e metodoloqias apropriados, alie-se a vontade política de prover a mesma de uma proposta curricular voltada não só para o atendimento dos interesses imediatos da sociedade, mas que, ao mesmo tempo, contemple o objetivo maior de ampliar seu espaço de participação política e social. Dentre os conteúdos escolares, foram priorizados os Estudos Sociais por serem os mesmo os que possibilitam ao indivíduo a compreensão de sua realidade, a partir do conhecimento das relações sociais que os homens estabelem na vida em conunidade. O interesse pela área de conhecimento dos Estudos Sociais norteou o trabalho no sentido de pesquisar a origem e o papel que os mesmos desempenham na educação. Assim, remete-se à Escola Norte-americana, onde foi possível comprovar a importância atribuída aos Estudos Sociais na formação para a cidadania. A partir da conceituação, delimitação da área de abrangência e definição de objetivos foi possível resgatar as principais tendências através das quais os Estudos Sociais configuraram-se nos programas escolares norte-americanos, sempre voltados à preservação do modelo de sociedade democrática já consagrado, naquele país. Percebe-se, assim, o perfil conservador que perpassa os conteúdos e metodologias das diferentes correntes através das quais o ensino dos Estudos Sociais evoluiu. Centrando o interesse em investigar como articulam-se Estado e Educação para promover a cidadania, surgem alguns momentos históricos- 1930, 1964 e o atual, como pontos de referência ao estudo dos textos constitucionais, na tentativa de traçar um perfil do cidadão que serve aos interesses do Estado Brasileiro à medida que mesmo assume feições variadas, dentro do mesmo estilo autoritário. No mesmo sentido, tenta-se perceber como a escola no Brasil atende aos propósitos de inclusão/exclusão do indivíduo no universo da participação política e social. Retrocedendo à década de 30, resgata-se a primeira tendência através da qual manifestou-se entre nós o ensino dos Estudos Socias. A partir de então, pode-se constatar a resistência que a perspectiva de Dewey para o ensino das Ciências Sociais, aqui introduzida por Anísio Teixeira, iria sofrer por parte de alguns setores, até os mesmos virem a ser oficialmente adotados pela Lei 5692/71. A introdução dos Estudos Sociais nos programas escolares deu ensejo à formulação de diversas propostas curriculares pautadas por outras tendências, como a Tecnicista, representada, por Miachaellis, Preston e Bruner e a Cognitivista, representada por Piaget. A crítica ao tecnicismo aponta o fracaso de nosso Sistema de Ensino em relação aos seus objetivos, entre eles o compromisso para com a formação para a cidadania. Os anos 80 oferecem a perspectiva de uma educação mais crítica, voltada para superar os problemas de uma sociedade em busca da expansão de sua base democrática. Para isto, necessário se faz a vontade política de dotar a Escola de uma proposta curricular capaz de promover o homem a cidadão. O trabalho analisa então, a Proposta Curricular do Município do Rio de Janeiro, onde os Estudos Sociais são apresentados como uma disciplina em que o conhecimento se organiza a partir da reconstrução crítica da realidade social do indivíduo, permitindo ao mesmo ser o sujeito da construção de sua história. Conclui apontando algumas diretrizes necessárias à consecução de um programa de ensino de Estudos Sociais que vai além do mero repassar de conteúdos, mas coloca o homem como sujeito da construção do saber.