Quais relações estabelecidas entre ensino de química, educação ambiental e o enfoque CTS?: um estado da arte de alguns periódicos nacionais

This work presents results of art state that searched articles to bring in its wake the relationship between Teaching of Chemistry (TC), Environmental Education (EE) and the Teaching of Chemistry directed from the Science Technology and Society (STS) standpoint. The research was carried by articles surveying in major magazines Brazilian Environmental Education and a reference in the research magazine of Science Education, being performed a qualitative analysis of those items that were identified. It was noted that little is produced on the subject of interest within this field, in mid-1998 to June 2012. In the articles analyzed did not find a perspective that allied relationship STS and EE, or EE, STS and TC. Nine articles were found in relation EE and TC, and TC and three articles STS, constituting two thematic axes: Relationship between Environmental Education and the Teaching of Chemistry and Relationship between Science and Technology Society and Chemistry Teaching, The discussion was given from the contents that comprised the categories created. The first axis involved: a) Teacher of Chemistry and EA b) Contents of Chemistry and EE, and c) Concepts and practices of EE Chemistry teachers. The second axis of the categories are: a) formative processes and conceptions of chemistry teachers in STS: b) Analysis of TC practice focusing STS. There were works produced by the same authors, who mostly used the same theme in different magazines for publication only changing the perspective of analyzing the results. Finally, a scenario indicates that restricted thematic research and the need to advance with future work

Uso de composto de poda de árvore e lodo de esgoto como substratos na formação de mudas de sangra d'água (Croton urucurana Baill.) irrigadas com três lâminas de água

Pós-graduação em Agronomia (Ciência do Solo) - FCAV

Investigando concepções e propondo ações formativas para a natureza da ciência

Apresenta os resultados de uma investigação que explorou as percepções de alunos de Ensino Médio de uma escola pública de um município do interior paulista quanto à natureza da ciência. A partir desse diagnóstico, que revelou distorções, foi elaborado um minicurso que tem como base a história da atomística, a partir da qual se faz emergir as concepções da História e Filosofia da Ciência. O minicurso explora, ainda, uma abordagem situações envolvendo questões éticas na ciência. Pretende-se, a partir desse minicurso, fornecer contribuições que favoreçam a clarificação das distorções, estimulando o pensamento crítico para questões pertinentes a temas envolvendo as relações entre ciência, tecnologia, sociedade e ambiente.

Gestão integrada de resíduos sólidos urbanos nos municípios da UGRHI- 14 Alto Paranapanema: interfaces concretas e potencialidades

Pós-graduação em Geografia - FCT

Diet formulation techniques and lysine requirements of 1-to 22-day-old broilers

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nanotecnologia e nanociência em livros didáticos de física do nível médio: discursos sobre a tecnologia e a educação científica e tecnológica

In this contribution, we analyze conceptual approaches to nanotechnology and nanoscience in recent issues of secondary education of Brazilian physics textbooks. We analyzed fifteen collections of Physics textbooks of recent editions, however, only two books, belonging to different collections incorporate considerations about nanotechnology and nanoscience in their approaches. We focus our analysis on three aspects, namely: the place dedicated to approaches to nanoscience and nanotechnology, notions about technology and its contributions to critical scientific education. This is a qualitative research; it was used as conceptual approaches the Philosophy of Technology, The Discourse Analysis (DA) and Science, Technology, Society (STS) concepts. We found that in two examined textbooks the approaches to nanoscience and nanotechnology is a complementary description of modern physics, associated with quantum theory. In this context, the concepts of nanoscience and nanotechnology focus superficially in the genesis of the field and some possible areas of applications. It was not identified in all textbooks warnings about the potential risks to human health and the environment from the use of nanotechnology and nanoscience. We understand that textbooks approaches about nanotechnology and nanoscience round a instrumental technological perspective, however keep away from the scientific and technological critical education.

Uma Crítica Geográfica ao Conceito de Território na PNAS: por um diálogo entre Geografia e Serviço Social

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

A política brasileira de exportação de armas no contexto da revitalização da base industrial de defesa

Pós-graduação em Relações Internacionais (UNESP - UNICAMP - PUC-SP) - FFC

Interleukin-18 and interferon-gamma polymorphisms are implicated on proviral load and susceptibility to human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interferon-gamma (IFN-?) exert important functions in both innate and adaptive immune responses against intracellular pathogens and viruses. Previous studies suggested that host genetic factors, including cytokines gene polymorphisms, could be involved in the pathogenesis of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Thus, we analyzed -137C/G and -607A/C of the IL-18 promoter and +874T/A of the IFN-? in DNA samples from 98 HTLV-1-infected individuals exhibiting or not clinical symptoms and 150 healthy control individuals. The IL-18 promoter -607CC genotype was significantly lower in HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (HAC) and HTLV-1-infected individuals (HAC + HAM/TSP) than healthy control group. In contrast, the -607AC genotype was significantly higher in HAC and HTLV-1-infected individuals group compared to the healthy control group. The -137G/-607A IL-18 haplotype was higher in infected group than healthy control group, and the -137C/-607C IL-18 haplotype was increased in the healthy control group compared to the others. Finally, the IFN-? polymorphism analysis showed that the HTLV-1-infected individuals with +874AT genotype presented higher proviral load than +874AA genotype. These data indicate that the IL-18-607AC genotype and -137G/-607A haplotype could be a risk factor for HTLV-1 infection, whereas the protective effect could be conferred by -607CC genotype and -137C/-607C haplotype. Also, the IFN-? could be implicated on the proviral load levels.

Pathogen-Induced Proapoptotic Phenotype and High CD95 (Fas) Expression Accompany a Suboptimal CD8(+) T-Cell Response: Reversal by Adenoviral Vaccine

MHC class la-restricted CD8(+) T cells are important mediators of the adaptive immune response against infections caused by intracellular microorganisms. Whereas antigen-specific effector CD8(+) T cells can clear infection caused by intracellular pathogens, in some circumstances, the immune response is suboptimal and the microorganisms survive, causing host death or chronic infection. Here, we explored the cellular and molecular mechanisms that could explain why CD8(+) T-cell-mediated immunity during infection with the human protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is not optimal. For that purpose, we compared the CD8(+) T-cell mediated immune responses in mice infected with T. cruzi or vaccinated with a recombinant adenovirus expressing an immunodominant parasite antigen. Several functional and phenotypic characteristics of specific CD8(+) T cells overlapped. Among few exceptions was an accelerated expansion of the immune response in adenoviral vaccinated mice when compared to infected ones. Also, there was an upregulated expression of the apoptotic-signaling receptor CD95 on the surface of specific T cells from infected mice, which was not observed in the case of adenoviral-vaccinated mice. Most importantly, adenoviral vaccine provided at the time of infection significantly reduced the upregulation of CD95 expression and the proapoptotic phenotype of pathogen-specific CD8(+) cells expanded during infection. In parallel, infected adenovirus-vaccinated mice had a stronger CD8(+) T-cell mediated immune response and survived an otherwise lethal infection. We concluded that a suboptimal CD8(+) T-cell response is associated with an upregulation of CD95 expression and a proapoptotic phenotype. Both can be blocked by adenoviral vaccination.

Biological evaluation of hydroxynaphthoquinones as anti-malarials

Abstract Background The hydroxynaphthoquinones have been extensively investigated over the past 50 years for their anti-malarial activity. One member of this class, atovaquone, is combined with proguanil in Malarone®, an important drug for the treatment and prevention of malaria. Methods Anti-malarial activity was assessed in vitro for a series of 3-alkyl-2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinones (N1-N5) evaluating the parasitaemia after 48 hours of incubation. Potential cytotoxicity in HEK293T cells was assessed using the MTT assay. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential of Plasmodium were measured using the fluorescent dye Mitrotracker Red CMXROS. Results Four compounds demonstrated IC50s in the mid-micromolar range, and the most active compound, N3, had an IC50 of 443 nM. N3 disrupted mitochondrial membrane potential, and after 1 hour presented an IC50ΔΨmit of 16 μM. In an in vitro cytotoxicity assay using HEK 293T cells N3 demonstrated no cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 16 μM. Conclusions N3 was a potent inhibitor of mitochondrial electron transport, had nanomolar activity against cultured Plasmodium falciparum and showed minimal cytotoxicity. N3 may serve as a starting point for the design of new hydroxynaphthoquinone anti-malarials.

Implications of purinergic receptor-mediated intracellular calcium transients in neural differentiation

Purinergic receptors participate, in almost every cell type, in controlling metabolic activities and many physiological functions including signal transmission, proliferation and differentiation. While most of P2Y receptors induce transient elevations of intracellular calcium concentration by activation of intracellular calcium pools and forward these signals as waves which can also be transmitted into neighboring cells, P2X receptors produce calcium spikes which also include activation of voltage-operating calcium channels. P2Y and P2X receptors induce calcium transients that activate transcription factors responsible for the progress of differentiation through mediators including calmodulin and calcineurin. Expression of P2X2 as well as of P2X7 receptors increases in differentiating neurons and glial cells, respectively. Gene expression silencing assays indicate that these receptors are important for the progress of differentiation and neuronal or glial fate determination. Metabotropic receptors, mostly P2Y1 and P2Y2 subtypes, act on embryonic cells or cells at the neural progenitor stage by inducing proliferation as well as by regulation of neural differentiation through NFAT translocation. The scope of this review is to discuss the roles of purinergic receptor-induced calcium spike and wave activity and its codification in neurodevelopmental and neurodifferentiation processes.

Tumors as complex organs: are cancers manageable through the modification of their microenvironment?

FAPESP (Center for Cell-based Therapy Research), Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia- Redoxoma and UICC-Yamagiwa Yoshida Grant.

Diet-Sensitive Sources of Reactive Oxygen Species in Liver Mitochondria: Role of Very Long Chain Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenases

High fat diets and accompanying hepatic steatosis are highly prevalent conditions. Previous work has shown that steatosis is accompanied by enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which may mediate further liver damage. Here we investigated mechanisms leading to enhanced ROS generation following high fat diets (HFD). We found that mitochondria from HFD livers present no differences in maximal respiratory rates and coupling, but generate more ROS specifically when fatty acids are used as substrates. Indeed, many acyl-CoA dehydrogenase isoforms were found to be more highly expressed in HFD livers, although only the very long chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) was more functionally active. Studies conducted with permeabilized mitochondria and different chain length acyl-CoA derivatives suggest that VLCAD is also a source of ROS production in mitochondria of HFD animals. This production is stimulated by the lack of NAD+. Overall, our studies uncover VLCAD as a novel, diet-sensitive, source of mitochondrial ROS.

Conceito de responsabilidade social de gestores e empregados

Este trabalho visou a avaliar a concepção de responsabilidade social de gestores e empregados de algumas empresas que participam da Política Nacional de Integração da Pessoa com Deficiência. A amostra foi constituída por 57 sujeitos, divididos em dois grupos: gestores e empregados. O grupo de gestores foi formado por 19 profissionais de recursos humanos, e o grupo de empregados, por 38 profissionais com deficiência. Os sujeitos foram solicitados a escrever as associações evocadas pelas palavras responsabilidade social em um período de 90 segundos. A partir dos dados coletados, as respostas dos sujeitos foram agrupadas em oito categorias: preocupação com o ambiente, inclusão social, solidariedade, respeito, compromisso social, sentimentos e atitudes positivos, coletividade e outras respostas. A análise estatística do Qui-quadrado permitiu rejeitar a hipótese nula com um alto grau de probabilidade. Verificou-se que o maior número de respostas associadas ao conceito de responsabilidade social concentrou-se nas categorias inclusão social, sentimentos/atitudes positivos e preocupação com o meio ambiente que, em conjunto, englobaram pouco mais da metade (52%) do total das respostas. A fim de avaliar o grau de associação entre as respostas dos gestores e dos empregados, foi calculado o coeficiente de correlação posto-ordem de Spearman. Os resultados permitiram identificar uma rede de conceitos associados ao conceito de responsabilidade social, tal como previsto por uma das teorias sobre formação de conceitos: a visão teórica.