O global e o local nos processos de prescrição e realização do currículo e na promoção do conhecimento universal. O caso da Universidade de Cabo Verde

Na abordagem da problemática do currículo e do seu desenvolvimento no contexto do ensino superior, tem-se enfatizado a centralidade do conhecimento científico, com a consequente tradução do global e do local na produção científica, bem como nas prescrições e nas práxis curriculares. Entretanto, a tendência para, à escala internacional, prevalecerem lógicas hegemónicas e mercadológicas na prescrição e aferição do conhecimento válido, e a existência de gritantes assimetrias entre os países centrais e da periferia na produção científica constituem sérios desafios na promoção de uma educação e de um ensino superior pautados por perspetivas contra-hegemónicas e humanistas. No entanto, não é suficiente a denúncia do hegemonismo científico e curricular, nem mesmo a reivindicação, a nível dos discursos, quer de um maior protagonismo dos países periféricos na promoção do património mundial do conhecimento, quer de uma mais efetiva autonomia das universidades na conceção dos currículos e projetos de formação. Nesta conferência, sustenta-se que não só é possível aliar-se o global e o local nos processos de formulação das opções curriculares e dos projetos de formação, mediante a instauração de lógicas idiossincráticas, democráticas e emancipadoras na tradução do desígnio nacional de desenvolvimento dos países da periferia, como existe um vasto potencial de oportunidades de inovação, adaptação e recriação do currículo no contexto das atividades académicas, com a consequente promoção das epistemologias dos referidos países, como contribuição para a valorização do património universal do conhecimento.

Global Genomic Diversity of Human Papillomavirus 6 Based on 724 Isolates and 190 Complete Genome Sequences.

Human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV6) is the major etiological agent of anogenital warts and laryngeal papillomas and has been included in both the quadrivalent and nonavalent prophylactic HPV vaccines. This study investigated the global genomic diversity of HPV6, using 724 isolates and 190 complete genomes from six continents, and the association of HPV6 genomic variants with geographical location, anatomical site of infection/disease, and gender. Initially, a 2,800-bp E5a-E5b-L1-LCR fragment was sequenced from 492/530 (92.8%) HPV6-positive samples collected for this study. Among them, 130 exhibited at least one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), indel, or amino acid change in the E5a-E5b-L1-LCR fragment and were sequenced in full. A global alignment and maximum likelihood tree of 190 complete HPV6 genomes (130 fully sequenced in this study and 60 obtained from sequence repositories) revealed two variant lineages, A and B, and five B sublineages: B1, B2, B3, B4, and B5. HPV6 (sub)lineage-specific SNPs and a 960-bp representative region for whole-genome-based phylogenetic clustering within the L2 open reading frame were identified. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lineage B predominated globally. Sublineage B3 was more common in Africa and North and South America, and lineage A was more common in Asia. Sublineages B1 and B3 were associated with anogenital infections, indicating a potential lesion-specific predilection of some HPV6 sublineages. Females had higher odds for infection with sublineage B3 than males. In conclusion, a global HPV6 phylogenetic analysis revealed the existence of two variant lineages and five sublineages, showing some degree of ethnogeographic, gender, and/or disease predilection in their distribution. IMPORTANCE: This study established the largest database of globally circulating HPV6 genomic variants and contributed a total of 130 new, complete HPV6 genome sequences to available sequence repositories. Two HPV6 variant lineages and five sublineages were identified and showed some degree of association with geographical location, anatomical site of infection/disease, and/or gender. We additionally identified several HPV6 lineage- and sublineage-specific SNPs to facilitate the identification of HPV6 variants and determined a representative region within the L2 gene that is suitable for HPV6 whole-genome-based phylogenetic analysis. This study complements and significantly expands the current knowledge of HPV6 genetic diversity and forms a comprehensive basis for future epidemiological, evolutionary, functional, pathogenicity, vaccination, and molecular assay development studies.

Small RNA as global regulator of carbon catabolite repression in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

In the metabolically versatile bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the RNA-binding protein Crc is involved in catabolite repression of a range of degradative genes, such as amiE (encoding aliphatic amidase). We found that a CA-rich sequence (termed CA motif) in the amiE translation initiation region was important for Crc binding. The small RNA CrcZ (407 nt) containing 5 CA motifs was able to bind the Crc protein with high affinity and to remove it from amiE mRNA in vitro. Overexpression of crcZ relieved catabolite repression in vivo, whereas a crcZ mutation pleiotropically prevented the utilization of several carbon sources. The sigma factor RpoN and the CbrA/CbrB two-component system, which is known to maintain a healthy carbon-nitrogen balance, were necessary for crcZ expression. During growth on succinate, a preferred carbon source, CrcZ expression was low, resulting in catabolite repression of amiE and other genes under Crc control. By contrast, during growth on mannitol, a poor carbon source, elevated CrcZ levels correlated with relief of catabolite repression. During growth on glucose, an intermediate carbon source, CrcZ levels and amiE expression were intermediate between those observed in succinate and mannitol media. Thus, the CbrA-CbrB-CrcZ-Crc system allows the bacterium to adapt differentially to various carbon sources. This cascade also regulated the expression of the xylS (benR) gene, which encodes a transcriptional regulator involved in benzoate degradation, in an analogous way, confirming this cascade's global role.

Global radiolarian zonation for the Pliensbachian, Toarcian and Aalenian

Jurassic radiolarians from 220 samples in Queen Charlotte Islands, B.C., Williston Lake, B.C., east-central Oregon, Baja California Sur, southern Spain, Austria, Slovenia, Turkey, Oman, Japan and Argentina were studied in order to construct global zonation for the Pliensbachian, Toarcian and Aalenian stages. Well-preserved faunas from continuous stratigraphic sections in Queen Charlotte Islands provide the most detailed record for this time interval, and all collections are tied to North American ammonite zones or assemblages. Collections from nearly all other areas lack independent dating except for early Toarcian carbon-isotope dating in Slovenia and late Aalenian ammonites in Spain. A database of 197 widely distributed updated taxonomic species was used to construct a Unitary Association (UA) zonation for the interval. A global sequence of 41 UAs was obtained for the top of the Sinemurian to the base of the Bajocian. The first and the last UAs represent the Late Sinemurian and the Early Bajocian respectively. The remaining 39 UAs were merged into nine zones (four Early Pliensbachian, one Late Pliensbachian, one Early Toarcian, one Middle-Late Toarcian, and two Aalenian) according to prominent radiolarian faunal breaks and ammonite data. The new zones are the Canutus tip pen - Katroma clara Zone (latest Sinemurian/earliest Pliensbachian); Zartus mostleri - Pseudoristola megaglobosa, Hsuum mulleri - Trillus elkhornensis and Gigi fustis - Lantus sixi zones (Early Pliensbachian); Eucyrtidiellum nagaiae - Praeparvicingula tlellensis Zone (Late Pliensbachian); Napora relica - Eucyrtidiellum disparile Zone (Early Toarcian); Elodium pessagnoi - Hexasaturnalis hexagonus Zone (Middle and Late Toarcian); Higumastra transversa - Napora nipponica Zone (early Aalenian); and Mirifusus proavus - Transhsuum hisuikyoense Zone (late Aalenian). These zones can be correlated worldwide and link previously established UA zonations for the Hettangian-Sinemurian and the Middle to Upper Jurassic. The new zonation allows high-resolution dating in the studied interval and provides a solid basis for analyzing faunal turnovers and the paleobiogeography of Jurassic radiolarians. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gene-Age Interactions in Blood Pressure Regulation: A Large-Scale Investigation with the CHARGE, Global BPgen, and ICBP Consortia.

Although age-dependent effects on blood pressure (BP) have been reported, they have not been systematically investigated in large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs). We leveraged the infrastructure of three well-established consortia (CHARGE, GBPgen, and ICBP) and a nonstandard approach (age stratification and metaregression) to conduct a genome-wide search of common variants with age-dependent effects on systolic (SBP), diastolic (DBP), mean arterial (MAP), and pulse (PP) pressure. In a two-staged design using 99,241 individuals of European ancestry, we identified 20 genome-wide significant (p ≤ 5 × 10(-8)) loci by using joint tests of the SNP main effect and SNP-age interaction. Nine of the significant loci demonstrated nominal evidence of age-dependent effects on BP by tests of the interactions alone. Index SNPs in the EHBP1L1 (DBP and MAP), CASZ1 (SBP and MAP), and GOSR2 (PP) loci exhibited the largest age interactions, with opposite directions of effect in the young versus the old. The changes in the genetic effects over time were small but nonnegligible (up to 1.58 mm Hg over 60 years). The EHBP1L1 locus was discovered through gene-age interactions only in whites but had DBP main effects replicated (p = 8.3 × 10(-4)) in 8,682 Asians from Singapore, indicating potential interethnic heterogeneity. A secondary analysis revealed 22 loci with evidence of age-specific effects (e.g., only in 20 to 29-year-olds). Age can be used to select samples with larger genetic effect sizes and more homogenous phenotypes, which may increase statistical power. Age-dependent effects identified through novel statistical approaches can provide insight into the biology and temporal regulation underlying BP associations.

The second law of thermodynamics and the global climate system : A review of the maximum entropy production principle

The long-term mean properties of the global climate system and those of turbulent fluid systems are reviewed from a thermodynamic viewpoint. Two general expressions are derived for a rate of entropy production due to thermal and viscous dissipation (turbulent dissipation) in a fluid system. It is shown with these expressions that maximum entropy production in the Earth s climate system suggested by Paltridge, as well as maximum transport properties of heat or momentum in a turbulent system suggested by Malkus and Busse, correspond to a state in which the rate of entropy production due to the turbulent dissipation is at a maximum. Entropy production due to absorption of solar radiation in the climate system is found to be irrelevant to the maximized properties associated with turbulence. The hypothesis of maximum entropy production also seems to be applicable to the planetary atmospheres of Mars and Titan and perhaps to mantle convection. Lorenz s conjecture on maximum generation of available potential energy is shown to be akin to this hypothesis with a few minor approximations. A possible mechanism by which turbulent fluid systems adjust themselves to the states of maximum entropy production is presented as a selffeedback mechanism for the generation of available potential energy. These results tend to support the hypothesis of maximum entropy production that underlies a wide variety of nonlinear fluid systems, including our planet as well as other planets and stars

Intervenciones de identidad territorial en el proceso global de construcción de imagen de marca de los destinos turísticos

La competitividad emergente entre destinos turísticos ha puesto de manifiesto la necesidad de enfatizar las estrategias de comunicación –con el fin de crear un valor añadido intangible para el potencial cliente- encaminadas a crear una imagen favorable de los espacios que se pretenden promocionar, mediante el diseño de acciones de comunicación con objetivos que van más allá del mero interés promocional o informativo. En este sentido, tanto los emplazamientos que conciben el turismo como una solución de diversificación económica (destinos emergentes), como las localizaciones geográficas que ya disponen de una cierta solera en relación a su tradición turística (destinos maduros), aúnan esfuerzos en aras de consolidar una identidad territorial acorde con sus posibilidades turísticas. Si además se tiene en cuenta que, en la actualidad, el consumo de imágenes percibidas a priori representa, de antemano, un primer viaje simbólico previo a un posterior viaje real, se puede llegar a vislumbrar el papel decisivo que desempeña la interpretación del consumidor (creación de imaginarios individuales y colectivos) en un escenario global de comercialización del territorio. Por tanto, el valor añadido en una situación de dura competencia entre destinos, radica en los valores que se asocian a la imagen de marca turística, que representa la primera carga de sensaciones y emociones que percibe el potencial turista y/o visitante antes de decidirse por uno u otro destino.

La Interpretación del paisaje como instrumento de comunicación con la sociedad. Aportaciones de la semiótica y de los procesos de participación pública

La recién creada Ley del Paisaje de Catalunya responde, en primer lugar, a una nueva toma en consideración del paisaje como activo físico y cultural a preservar. El Observatorio del Paisaje de Catalunya es el ente encargado de gestionar dicha ley, mediante la redacción de los denominados Catálogos del Paisaje. Resulta especialmente interesante ahondar en el apartado que hace referencia a la delimitación de los valores simbólicos e identitarios del paisaje, los cuales serán implementados mediante procesos de participación pública, vehiculados, en su mayor parte, a través de Internet y de entrevistas a agentes sociales interesados (stakeholders). La semiótica, por su parte, se consolida como la ciencia general de los signos y representa, en este caso, un auténtico descodificador de la capacidad de evocación comunicativa del paisaje hacia la población. Esta comunicación dará a conocer los procesos –en esencia comunicacionales- mediante los cuales se ha intentado hacer aflorar los valores intangibles de los paisajes de Catalunya.

Regulatory RNA as mediator in GacA/RsmA-dependent global control of exoproduct formation in Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0.

In Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0, an antagonist of root-pathogenic fungi, the GacS/GacA two-component system tightly controls the expression of antifungal secondary metabolites and exoenzymes at a posttranscriptional level, involving the RNA-binding protein and global regulator of secondary metabolism RsmA. This protein was purified from P. fluorescens, and RNA bound to it was converted to cDNA, which served as a probe to isolate the corresponding chromosomal locus, rsmZ. This gene encoded a regulatory RNA of 127 nucleotides and a truncated form lacking 35 nucleotides at the 3' end. Expression of rsmZ depended on GacA, increased with increasing population density, and was stimulated by the addition of a solvent-extractable extracellular signal produced by strain CHA0 at the end of exponential growth. This signal appeared to be unrelated to N-acyl-homoserine lactones. A conserved upstream element in the rsmZ promoter, but not the stress sigma factor RpoS, was involved in rsmZ expression. Overexpression of rsmZ effectively suppressed the negative effect of gacS and gacA mutations on target genes, i.e., hcnA (for hydrogen cyanide synthase) and aprA (for the major exoprotease). Mutational inactivation of rsmZ resulted in reduced expression of these target genes in the presence of added signal. Overexpression of rsmA had a similar, albeit stronger negative effect. These results support a model in which GacA upregulates the expression of regulatory RNAs, such as RsmZ of strain CHA0, in response to a bacterial signal. By a titration effect, RsmZ may then alleviate the repressing activity of RsmA on the expression of target mRNAs.

B2B Integration in Global Supply Chains: An Identification of Technical Integration Scenarios

The competitiveness of businesses is increasingly dependent on their electronic networks with customers, suppliers, and partners. While the strategic and operational impact of external integration and IOS adoption has been extensively studied, much less attention has been paid to the organizational and technical design of electronic relationships. The objective of our longitudinal research project is the development of a framework for understanding and explaining B2B integration. Drawing on existing literature and empirical cases we present a reference model (a classification scheme for B2B Integration). The reference model comprises technical, organizational, and institutional levels to reflect the multiple facets of B2B integration. In this paper we onvestigate the current state of electronic collaboration in global supply chains focussing on the technical view. Using an indepth case analysis we identify five integration scenarios. In the subsequent confirmatory phase of the research we analyse 112 real-world company cases to validate these five integration scenarios. Our research advances and deepens existing studies by developing a B2B reference model, which reflects the current state of practice and is independent of specific implementation technologies. In the next stage of the research the emerging reference model will be extended to create an assessment model for analysing the maturity level of a given company in a specific supply chain.

The effects of physiologically plausible connectivity structure on local and global dynamics in large scale brain models.

Functionally relevant large scale brain dynamics operates within the framework imposed by anatomical connectivity and time delays due to finite transmission speeds. To gain insight on the reliability and comparability of large scale brain network simulations, we investigate the effects of variations in the anatomical connectivity. Two different sets of detailed global connectivity structures are explored, the first extracted from the CoCoMac database and rescaled to the spatial extent of the human brain, the second derived from white-matter tractography applied to diffusion spectrum imaging (DSI) for a human subject. We use the combination of graph theoretical measures of the connection matrices and numerical simulations to explicate the importance of both connectivity strength and delays in shaping dynamic behaviour. Our results demonstrate that the brain dynamics derived from the CoCoMac database are more complex and biologically more realistic than the one based on the DSI database. We propose that the reason for this difference is the absence of directed weights in the DSI connectivity matrix.

La sociedad paralela: asistentes y asistidos

La autora propone un análisis de los mecanismos identitarios de afiliación y diferenciación utilizados entre los asistentes y asistidos sociales del mundo de la inmigración en la Cataluña de los últimos treinta años y que ha configurado lo que viene a denominar la "sociedad paralela". Con este objeto hará referencia a la génesis histórica del fenómeno y a una serie de variables de tipo económico, cultural y politico subyacentes que constituyen los motores reales de su evolución. Igualmente, considera necesario examinar como se efectúa la producción social del extranjero, asi como su categorización en este mismo escenario, revisando, a su vez, la pertinencia teórica de algunos conceptos aplicados en el marco de los diferentes modelos de integración de los inmigrantes interiores y exteriores. En el proceso de jerarquización simbólica y política inherente a toda dinámica de las representaciones de identidad y alteridad, se construyen las bases sociales del dominio que la sociedad de "acogida" ejerce sobre los grupos foráneos, interiorizando éstos el discurso dominante orientado a confundir diversidad cultural con diferencia esencial y legitimadora de las desigualdades de que son víctima. La conciencia alienada del "Nosotros" en relación a los "otros", que se traduce en determinadas atribuciones sociales de los grupos, se desarrolla en el cuadro de unas fronteras simbólicas cuyos limites solo se moverán en función de los intereses objetivos que la mayoria nacional autóctona tenga de aumentar o disminuir la distancia social respecto a las minorías inmigradas. Por Último, profundizando en la naturaleza de los intercambios entre ambos grupos (distinguiendo la especificidad de los inmigrantes extracomunitarios en el contexto señalado) para extraer las oportunas conclusiones, hace un breve repaso de lo que ha significado el proyecto politico y la identidad cultural del nacionalisrno catalán desde su aparición hasta nuestros dias.