Qualified intervention/qualifying formation

An education promoting scientific literacy (SL) that prepares the citizens to a responsible citizenship has persisted as an argument across discussions on curricula design. The ubiquity of science and technology on contemporary societies and the ideological requirement of informed democratic participation led to the identification of relevant categories that drive curriculum reforms towards a humanistic approach of school science. The category ‘Science as culture’ acquires in the current work a major importance: it enlightens the meaning of scientific literacy. Looking closely to the French term, culture scientifique et tecnologique, turns science simultaneously into a cultural object and product that can be both received and worked at different levels and within several approaches by the individuals and the communities. On the other hand, nonformal and informal education spaces gain greater importance. Together with the formal school environment these spaces allow for an enrichment and diversification of learning experiences. Examples of nonformal spaces where animators can develop their work may be science museums or botanical gardens; television and internet can be regarded as informal education spaces. Due to the above mentioned impossibility of setting apart the individual or community-based experiences from Science and Technology (S&T), the work in nonformal and informal spaces sets an additional challenge to the preparation of socio-cultural animators. Socio-scientific issues take, at times, heavily relevance within the communities. Pollution, high tension lines, spreading of diseases, food contamination or natural resources conservation are among the socio-scientific issues that often call upon arguments and emotions. In the context of qualifying programmes on socio-cultural animation (social education and community development) within European Higher Education Area (EHEA) the present study describes the Portuguese framework. The comparison of programmes within Portugal aims to contribute to the discussion on the curriculum design for a socio-cultural animator degree (1st cycle of Bologna process). In particular, this study intends to assess how the formation given complies with enabling animators to work, within multiple scenarios, with communities in situations of socio-scientific relevance. A set of themes, issues and both current and potential fields of action, not described or insufficiently described in literature, is identified and analysed in the perspective of a qualified intervention of animators. One of these examples is thoroughly discussed. Finally, suggestions are made about curriculum reforms in order, if possible, to strongly link the desired qualified intervention with a qualifying formation.

Fondements épistémologiques et représentations sociales d’enseignants d’histoire du secondaire à l’égard de l’enseignement de l’histoire et de la formation citoyenne

Cette thèse s’intéresse aux fondements épistémologiques et à la vision que des enseignants d’histoire au secondaire entretiennent à l’égard de l’enseignement de l’histoire et de la formation citoyenne. La réflexion s’inscrit dans le contexte de la refonte des programmes d’enseignement de l’histoire qui engage dorénavant les maîtres d’histoire à éduquer à la citoyenneté démocratique. Ce projet éducationnel repose sur le postulat suivant : l’apprentissage de l’histoire, de sa pensée et de sa méthode permet de former des individus capables de réflexion critique autonome et informée. Cette vision de l’enseignement de l’histoire implique que les élèves s’exercent à la pensée historienne, à l’analyse des sources et à la construction d’interprétations historiques. Ce faisant, ils développeraient une compréhension du monde fondée sur la maîtrise de concepts et une pensée complexe, ce qui servirait de ce fait la citoyenneté. La recherche a par ailleurs démontré que les maîtres avaient recours à des méthodes pédagogiques plus traditionnelles (Charland, 2003; Martineau, 1997). C’est donc à des changements de pratiques qu’appelle le ministère de l’Éducation. Or un tel changement ne se déclare pas « d’en haut ». Les convictions des maîtres sont lentes à se transformer et ce sont elles qui déterminent la formation historienne et citoyenne que recevront les élèves. Nous en avons fait notre objet d’étude pour cette recherche en recourant à la théorie des représentations sociales. Nous avons adopté le modèle du noyau central (Abric, 1994) et celui des principes organisateurs qui permet d’identifier les relations existantes entre plusieurs représentations. Nous avons effectué une recherche exploratoire de type qualitative. Des entretiens individuels semi-dirigés d’une durée moyenne de 120 minutes ont été réalisés avec un échantillon comptant 18 enseignants d’histoire au secondaire de Montréal, de Québec et de communautés amérindiennes du Québec. L’outil de cueillette et d’analyse des données s’inspire grandement des développements méthodologiques réalisés par la recherche sur les représentations sociales (évocation hiérarchisée continuée ou limitée, schémas conceptuels) (Abric, 1994; 1997). Les résultats permettent d’identifier les fondements épistémologiques et didactiques, le contenu et la structure, de même que les relations existant entre les représentations de l’enseignement de l’histoire et de la formation à la citoyenneté. Ils ont également mis en lumière les convictions idéologiques et pédagogiques des maîtres d’histoire.

The gay subject in business and its discursive formation: an exploration on power, knowledge and sexuality

Issues related to the reality of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals are being incorporated into institutional and social discourses, and show the challenges that must be overcome towards citizenship. The inclusion of gay rights in the domain of institutions like the United Nations and the Brazilian Secretariat of Human Rights are a response to broader movements that places the gay subject as an important topic of debate in the social-political sphere. In this scenario, some institutions deserve close attention from researchers related to gay issues, the business environment being a good example. In this domain, diversity has become an important topic of debate between scholars, where the question of sexual identity in most cases does not appear. The literature that actually focuses on the theme is explored through approaches that are not able to break with universalisms and a normatized vocabulary. Therefore, this research explores discursive structures related to sexuality and examines the meanings construed throughout these structures as described by gay individuals working in business. Furthermore, it investigates patterns of discursive normative structures and consequential challenges faced by gay people in the working environment, and also complements the current debate both in the socio-political sphere and in academic reality on LGBT challenges. The Foucauldian notions of discourse, knowledge and power, and the main concepts of queer theory are incorporated to the analysis, as well as concepts related to the politics of post-colonial sexuality, subordination, and hegemonic forces, together with role of reflexivity in modernity and its impacts on secularized mental structures. The research design takes a phenomenological approach and bases its knowledge claim on a participatory perspective, where the sample chosen for data collection consisted of gay individuals working in the business environment, aiming at generate categories of meanings through the description of their experiences.

Initiatives d’activisme en formation initiale de professeurs: préparer à l’action et à la transformation.

L’action collective raisonnée, connue sous le nom d’activisme, orientée vers la résolution de problèmes de la société, offre des possibilités d'apprentissage tout au long de la vie et permet aux étudiants de développer des connaissances du domaine de la science et de la technologie. Dans une société où les découvertes scientifiques et les progrès technologiques sont constants, les potentialités de cette approche sont également reconnues dans la formation de citoyens responsables, capables d'agir et de résoudre des problèmes, tout en essayant d'influencer d'autres citoyens à prendre des décisions sur les problèmes complexes tels que ceux que présentent les questions socialement vives. Considérant que la formation de jeunes et d’adultes plus responsables et scientifiquement informés est fondamentale, cette recherche-action visait: a) à munir les futurs enseignants de compétences dans la conception, la mise en oeuvre et l'évaluation des activités orientées vers l'action sociopolitique sur les questions socialement vives; b) promouvoir chez les participants les valeurs de citoyenneté et de sensibilisation à l'environnement; c) identifier les difficultés et le potentiel de ces initiatives; d) comprendre l'impact de ce type d'expérience éducative chez les futurs enseignants. Les participants à l'étude étaient des étudiants préparant une licence en éducation élémentaire (futurs professeurs des écoles primaires et maternelles) dans le contexte de la discipline d’Éducation à l’Environnement. L'analyse des narratives produites par les futurs enseignants a permis de constater que tous avaient développé des compétences au niveau de la planification et de l'intervention dans la société, en recourant à différents types d'initiatives. Cette expérience de formation a ainsi permis, aux participants le développement de capacités à l'action et à la transformation sociale et environnementale. Il a également été possible de sensibiliser le public-cible des actions réalisées par les futurs enseignants à agir de façon plus responsable sur l'environnement.

Program Ações Locais (Local Action) and Citizenship: A Shared Management experience in the Historic Town of São Paulo City

Shared management between businesses, governments and society in the historic town of São Paulo city began concurrently with the growth of nonprofit organizations (NGOs) in the 1990s. The program Ações Locais, coordinated by the NGO Associação Viva o Centro is housed in this context and its mission is to bring together individuals, businesses and local governments for economic, social and political development as to build up the citizenship in that area. This study provides a historical background on formation of Brazilian citizenship and, from that reference, analyzes the performing citizenship in the program Ações Locais. The main conclusion of the analysis identified that the program have been consolidated, despite the enormous quotidian difficulties, especially in the social inclusion actions for the poor. The dilemma about how bring in the excluded segments of the population may indicate a new field of research and future studies.

Federative dynamics in the EU under the influence of EU citizenship rights in times of crisis

The federative debate has been tied to the history of the EU integration from the start. Even though the EU is a polity in formation, the comparison with the state model has limited usefulness in assessing the evolution of federative dynamics in the EU. In the context of the EU, federalism should not be regarded as a static arrangement, but rather as a process that has been unfolding despite or because of EU integration setbacks. By the same token, EU citizenship is necessarily distinct from national citizenship. Our purpose in this article is to understand the federative dynamics of the EU in relation to the emergence of a “community of rights”. We also aim to establish if, and how, the on-going crisis has triggered a change in the EU federative process as a result of the weakening/strengthening of citizenship rights.

Culturable Bacterial Diversity From A Feed Water Of A Reverse Osmosis System, Evaluation Of Biofilm Formation And Biocontrol Using Phages.

Biofilm formation on reverse osmosis (RO) systems represents a drawback in the application of this technology by different industries, including oil refineries. In RO systems the feed water maybe a source of microbial contamination and thus contributes for the formation of biofilm and consequent biofouling. In this study the planktonic culturable bacterial community was characterized from a feed water of a RO system and their capacities were evaluated to form biofilm in vitro. Bacterial motility and biofilm control were also analysed using phages. As results, diverse Protobacteria, Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were identified. Alphaproteobacteria was the predominant group and Brevundimonas, Pseudomonas and Mycobacterium the most abundant genera. Among the 30 isolates, 11 showed at least one type of motility and 11 were classified as good biofilm formers. Additionally, the influence of non-specific bacteriophage in the bacterial biofilms formed in vitro was investigated by action of phages enzymes or phage infection. The vB_AspP-UFV1 (Podoviridae) interfered in biofilm formation of most tested bacteria and may represent a good alternative in biofilm control. These findings provide important information about the bacterial community from the feed water of a RO system that may be used for the development of strategies for biofilm prevention and control in such systems.

Epiretinal Membrane Formation Associated With Idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia: Case Report.

A 46-year-old woman complained of blurred and distorted vision in both eyes. Ophthalmic examination showed that visual acuity was 20/200 for the right eye and counting fingers left eye. Fundoscopy revealed perimacular hemorrhages, aneurismal dilatation of the vessels in the posterior pole, and a white and elevated lesion adjacent to vascular changes. We report a case of idiopathic macular telangiectasia and epiretinal membrane that occurs concomitantly. To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes an association between idiopathic macular telangiectasia and epiretinal membrane formation.

Prominent Role Of Platelets In The Formation Of Circulating Neutrophil-red Cell Heterocellular Aggregates In Sickle Cell Anemia.

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G-quadruplex Formation Enhances Splicing Efficiency Of Pax9 Intron 1.

G-quadruplexes are secondary structures present in DNA and RNA molecules, which are formed by stacking of G-quartets (i.e., interaction of four guanines (G-tracts) bounded by Hoogsteen hydrogen bonding). Human PAX9 intron 1 has a putative G-quadruplex-forming region located near exon 1, which is present in all known sequenced placental mammals. Using circular dichroism (CD) analysis and CD melting, we showed that these sequences are able to form highly stable quadruplex structures. Due to the proximity of the quadruplex structure to exon-intron boundary, we used a validated double-reporter splicing assay and qPCR to analyze its role on splicing efficiency. The human quadruplex was shown to have a key role on splicing efficiency of PAX9 intron 1, as a mutation that abolished quadruplex formation decreased dramatically the splicing efficiency of human PAX9 intron 1. The less stable, rat quadruplex had a less efficient splicing when compared to human sequences. Additionally, the treatment with 360A, a strong ligand that stabilizes quadruplex structures, further increased splicing efficiency of human PAX9 intron 1. Altogether, these results provide evidences that G-quadruplex structures are involved in splicing efficiency of PAX9 intron 1.

Lazer como pratica educativa : as possibilidades para o desenvolvimento humano

Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Faculdade de Educação Física

Flavoring agents present in a dentifrice can modify volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) formation in morning bad breath

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a flavor-containing dentifrice on the formation of volatile sulphur compounds (VSCs) in morning bad breath. A two-step, blinded, crossover, randomized study was carried out in 50 dental students with a healthy periodontium divided into two experimental groups: flavor-containing dentifrice (test) and non-flavor-containing dentifrice (control). The volunteers received the designated dentifrice and a new toothbrush for a 3 X/day brushing regimen for 2 periods of 30 days. A seven-day washout interval was used between the periods. The assessed parameters were: plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), organoleptic breath scores (ORG), VSC levels (as measured by a portable sulphide monitor) before (H1) and after (H2) cleaning of the tongue, tongue coating (TC) wet weight and BANA test from TC samples. The intra-group analysis showed a decrease in ORG, from 3 to 2, after 30 days for the test group (p < 0.05). The inter-group analysis showed lower values in ORG, H1 and H2 for the test group (p < 0.05). There was no difference between the amount of TC between groups and the presence of flavor also did not interfere in the BANA results between groups (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that a flavor-containing dentifrice seems to prevent VSCs formation in morning bad breath regardless of the amount of TC in periodontally healthy subjects.

Endodontic treatment of dental formation anomalies

PURPOSE: Dental fusion is defined as the union of two dental germs at some stage of their development. The aim of this article is to report the endodontic treatment of two clinical cases of dental fusion. CASE DESCRIPTION: In the first case, the patient was referred by an orthodontist for endodontic treatment of tooth 12, which was fused to 13. Surgical separation and later replacement of the involved elements in the dental arch was indicated. In the second case, the patient sought dental attendance due to spontaneous pain. In the radiographic exam, gemination in tooth 11 and fusion of 21 with a supernumerary tooth was observed. The fused teeth were endodontically treated, and patients were referred to other dental specialties to reestablish esthetics and function. CONCLUSION: The dentist must be able to diagnose, differentiate and treat these dental anomalies adequately, with the goal of maintaining patients' oral health.

Characterization of oil shale residue and rejects from irati formation by electron paramagnetic resonance

In this study, sedimentary organic matter of oil shale rejects, calschist, shale fine and the so called retorted shale from Irati formation was characterized. EPR was used to analyse the samples regarding loss of signal in g = 2.003 associated to the organic free radical with the calcined samples and washing with hydrogen peroxide. The radical signal was detected in all samples, however, for the calschist and shale fine samples another signal was identified at g = 2.000 which disappeared when the sample was heated at 400 ºC. Hydrogen peroxide washing was also performed and it was noted that after washing the signal appeared around g = 2.000 for all samples, including retorted shale, which might be due to the quartz E1 defect.

Marine influence in the Barreiras Formation, State of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil

Tidal processes were important for deposition of the Barreiras Formation located in northern Brazil, while correlatable deposits in northeastern Brazil have been traditionally related to continental environments. Facies analysis in southern Alagoas revealed that the Barreiras Formation consists of cross-stratified conglomerates and sandstones (facies Sx and Cgx), compound cross-stratified sandstones (facies Cx), and heterolithic beddings (facies H). A significant portion of these deposits occurs within channel morphologies displaying fining and thinning upward successions. An abundance of sedimentary features is comparable to those from the northern Brazilian counterpart. These include: tidal bundles; herringbone cross-stratification; heterolithic beddings with sandstone and mudstone beds in sharp contacts; and ichnofossils mostly consisting of Ophiomorpha nodosa, Skolithos and Planolites. Altogether, these features point to a marginal marine depositional setting dominated by tidal processes, which are related to an estuarine system, an interpretation also provided for the Barreiras Formation in northern Brazil. The widespread occurrence of deposits with unambiguous evidence of tidal processes in the Barreiras Formation of northern Brazil, and now in the State of Alagoas, leads to argue that the early/middle Miocene worldwide marine transgression might have left a much more widespread sedimentary record along the Brazilian coast than currently regarded.