Brazilian Research Groups Research Articles

Adaption and validation of simplified Chinese version of the Low Back Pain Knowledge questionnaire (sC-LKQ).

Low back pain (LBP) knowledge questionnaire (LKQ) was developed by a Brazilian research group in 2009. It has been cross-culturally adapted to many languages with good reliability and validity. This work aimed to translate and validate the LKQ into a simplified Chinese version and to evaluate the self-efficacy in LBP among Chinese participants from China and Hungary. A total of 431 people participated in this research, which lasted from September 2021 to June 2022 and was conducted on the Credamo online platform. The simplified Chinese LKQ (sC-LKQ) was generated through translation and cross-cultural adaptation guidelines. The participants were selected to fill out demographic questions, the sC-LKQ, and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ). The reliability and validity of the data were evaluated using SPSS 28.0. The sC-LKQ showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha was 0.79), and the intraclass correlation value was 0.85. There were five components in the questionnaire with good construct validity. The scores of RMDQ had negatively correlated with sC-LKQ. In the Chinese population, the sC-LKQ demonstrated excellent psychometric qualities and could be used to evaluate self-efficacy in clinical practice and research.

Rachlin's extended self: Influences on a Brazilian research group.

We pay tribute to Rachlin's work stating that researching and writing for posterity is an act of self-control and altruism. We show how Rachlin's work influenced a series of seminars at the University of São Paulo (Brazil) based on his book from 1989, Judgment, Decision, and Choice. This influence is illustrated through two empirical exercises conducted during our seminars, where students were actively involved in data collection and analysis. The first exercise is about judgment of randomness involving coin tossing. The second is a replication of a procedure by Jones and Rachlin (2006) about social discounting of monetary quantities. We use these empirical examples to highlight some of Rachlin's major contributions to the science of behavior and their implications to our seminars and to ourselves as researchers.

Metabolism and Signaling of Plant Mitochondria in Adaptation to Environmental Stresses.

The interaction of mitochondria with cellular components evolved differently in plants and mammals; in plants, the organelle contains proteins such as ALTERNATIVE OXIDASES (AOXs), which, in conjunction with internal and external ALTERNATIVE NAD(P)H DEHYDROGENASES, allow canonical oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to be bypassed. Plant mitochondria also contain UNCOUPLING PROTEINS (UCPs) that bypass OXPHOS. Recent work revealed that OXPHOS bypass performed by AOXs and UCPs is linked with new mechanisms of mitochondrial retrograde signaling. AOX is functionally associated with the NO APICAL MERISTEM transcription factors, which mediate mitochondrial retrograde signaling, while UCP1 can regulate the plant oxygen-sensing mechanism via the PRT6 N-Degron. Here, we discuss the crosstalk or the independent action of AOXs and UCPs on mitochondrial retrograde signaling associated with abiotic stress responses. We also discuss how mitochondrial function and retrograde signaling mechanisms affect chloroplast function. Additionally, we discuss how mitochondrial inner membrane transporters can mediate mitochondrial communication with other organelles. Lastly, we review how mitochondrial metabolism can be used to improve crop resilience to environmental stresses. In this respect, we particularly focus on the contribution of Brazilian research groups to advances in the topic of mitochondrial metabolism and signaling.

A review toward contaminants of emerging concern in Brazil: Occurrence, impact and their degradation by advanced oxidation process in aquatic matrices.

This work presents data regarding the occurrence and treatment of Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs) in Brazil in the past decade. The literature review (2011-2021) revealed the detection of 87 pharmaceutical drugs and personal care products, 58 pesticides, 8 hormones, 2 illicit drugs, caffeine and bisphenol A in distinct matrices (i.e.: wastewater, groundwater, sea water, rainwater, surface water, drinking water and hospital effluent). Concentrations of CECs varied from ng-μg L-1 depending on the location, compound and matrix. The inefficiency of conventional wastewater treatment methods on the removal of CECs and lack of basic sanitation in some regions in the country aggravates contamination of Brazilian aquatic environments and poses potential environmental and health risks. Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) are pointed out as viable and efficient alternatives to degrade CECs and prevent environmental contamination. A total of 375 studies involving the use of AOPs in Brazilian aqueous matrices were published in the last decade. Fenton and photo-Fenton processes, photo-peroxidation, ozonation, electrochemical advanced oxidation and heterogeneous photocatalysis are some of the AOPs applied by Brazilian research groups. Although many works discuss the importance of applying these technologies for CECs removal in real treatment plants, most of these studies assess the treatment of distilled water or simulated effluent. Therefore, the conduction of studies applying AOPs in real matrices are critical to drive the implementation of these processes coupled to conventional water and wastewater treatment in real plants in order to prevent the contamination of environmental matrices by CECs in Brazil.

The risk of fake controversies for Brazilian environmental policies

Fake controversies have influenced policy making on health and environmental issues for decades, resulting in major implementation setbacks worldwide. As a case study, in this paper we examine fake controversies produced by a small group of active Brazilian researchers that have seriously impacted environmental conservation, particularly in issues related to deforestation and climate change. Based on the literature, we develop a typology of strategies deployed in fake controversies, which include manufacturing uncertainty, misusing scientific credentials, and disregarding scientific literature. Afterwards, we examine the influence of this group of contrarians at the National Congress. We then analyze the fake controversies promoted by these contrarians and argue that, to properly understand them, we need to consider a strategy so far overlooked in the literature: the manufacture of “pseudo-facts”, namely, affirmations at odds with the established literature but that strives to appear as scientific facts. Unlike other contexts, in which contrarians have mainly sought to cast doubt on consensual issues by arguing that there are still considerable uncertainties surrounding them, in Brazil pseudo-facts on deforestation have been produced and published outside the peer-reviewed literature. We conclude the study with recommendations on how to oppose fake scientific controversies that threaten environmental conservation in general.

The Brazilian compound library (BraCoLi) database: a repository of chemical and biological information for drug design.

The Brazilian Compound Library (BraCoLi) is a novel open access and manually curated electronic library of compounds developed by Brazilian research groups to support further computer-aided drug design works, available on https://www.farmacia.ufmg.br/qf/downloads/ . Herein, the first version of the database is described comprising 1176 compounds. Also, the chemical diversity and drug-like profiles of BraCoLi were defined to analyze its chemical space. A significant amount of the compounds fitted Lipinski and Veber's rules, alongside other drug-likeness properties. A comparison using principal component analysis showed that BraCoLi is similar to other databases (FDA-approved drugs and NuBBEDB) regarding structural and physicochemical patterns. Furthermore, a scaffold analysis showed that BraCoLi presents several privileged chemical skeletons with great diversity. Despite the similar distribution in the structural and physicochemical spaces, Tanimoto coefficient values indicated that compounds present in the BraCoLi are generally different from the two other databases, where they showed different kernel distributions and low similarity. These facts show an interesting innovative aspect, which is a desirable feature for novel drug design purposes.

A Brief History of Giant Viruses' Studies in Brazilian Biomes.

Almost two decades after the isolation of the first amoebal giant viruses, indubitably the discovery of these entities has deeply affected the current scientific knowledge on the virosphere. Much has been uncovered since then: viruses can now acknowledge complex genomes and huge particle sizes, integrating remarkable evolutionary relationships that date as early as the emergence of life on the planet. This year, a decade has passed since the first studies on giant viruses in the Brazilian territory, and since then biomes of rare beauty and biodiversity (Amazon, Atlantic forest, Pantanal wetlands, Cerrado savannas) have been explored in the search for giant viruses. From those unique biomes, novel viral entities were found, revealing never before seen genomes and virion structures. To celebrate this, here we bring together the context, inspirations, and the major contributions of independent Brazilian research groups to summarize the accumulated knowledge about the diversity and the exceptionality of some of the giant viruses found in Brazil.

Knowledge networks in Brazil’s health sciences

AbstractThis study aims to analyze the network of interactions of Brazilian medical research groups, identifying key actors and their roles in generating and diffusing knowledge. Social network analysis was applied, with data from the Research Groups Directory Census of the National Council of Scientific and Technological Development, from 2016. The main results show (1) the central role of universities, public institutes, and university hospital research groups; (2) the importance of scientific infrastructure and research capability of scientists in knowledge production; (3) the minor role of the industry, denoting the fragility of university–industry interactions; (4) spatial concentration of network actors, mostly located in the south and southeast of Brazil; and (5) a great opportunity to expand flows and cooperation. Regarding these results, the recent budgetary cuts in science and technology resources since 2016 seem to be a misguided and detrimental strategy as these resources are essential for future technological and industrial development.

Brazilian Foods and Territories Digital Platform: Conceptual Bases for Development / Plataforma Digital Alimentos e Territórios Brasileiros: Bases Conceituais para o Desenvolvimento

There is limited and segmented access to information regarding the diversity of responsible and sustainable agrifood products in Brazil. There is a growing need to bridge the communication gap between farmers and consumers who wish to consume such differentiated products. This article aims to present the conceptual bases for the development of a Brazilian Digital Platform for Food and Territories involved bibliographic research methodology, analysis of international platforms and technical-scientific discussions between Brazilian and French research groups. The main result obtained was the modeling of the digital platform based on a multiscale view associated with the confluence of six conceptual aspects: Territories, Localized Food Systems, Brazilian Regional Foods, Adding Value, Consumer Empowerment, Technological and Knowledge Convergence. The results contribute to the physical development of the Platform, with literature and insights on digital innovations in agrifood for researchers, developers, public and private managers, creating new development opportunities for Brazilian rural territories.

A Validation Study of NOVA Classification for Ultra-Processed Food on the USDA Food and Nutrient Database

Abstract Objectives In the last years, a group of Brazilian researchers has proposed a new food classification system, named NOVA, based on the extent of food processing. However, the feasibility of such classification has been debated, together with its cross-cultural validity. The present work assessed the NOVA classification feasibility, conducting a validation study on the USDA Food Composition Database. Methods Two independent reviewers rated each food reported in the 2015–2016 USDA Food and Nutrient Database to be or not ultra-processed food (UPF) according to the criteria presented in the manuscripts published by Monteiro CA et al. in 2016 and 2019 presenting the NOVA classification. A third independent reviewer solved disagreements. The Cohen's Kappa was calculated to evaluate the agreement between the two independent reviewers. Results The agreement between the reviewers was only moderate, with a Cohen's Kappa of 0.58. The disagreement pertained mainly the mixed dishes since it was difficult for the two independent reviewers to rate (UPF or not) the single food components of the mixed dishes. Conclusions Such work provides insights on the difficulties encountered in applying the NOVA classification to a real-word food database outside the cultural context in which the NOVA classification was developed. Funding Sources N/A.

Understanding photosynthesis in a spatial-temporal multiscale: The need for a systemic view.

In October 2020, at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a group of young Brazilian photosynthesis researchers organized the 1st Brazilian Symposium on Photosynthesis. The event was free and online, with the presence of important guest speakers from all over the world, who discussed their recent works on topics related to the future and perspectives of photosynthesis research. Summarizing the expectations of this symposium we highlighted the importance of adopting a systemic perspective for a better understanding of photosynthesis as a complex and dynamic process. Plants are modular and self-regulating presenting metabolic redundancy and functional degeneration. Among the various biological processes, photosynthesis plays a crucial role in promoting the direct conversion of light energy into carbon skeletons for support growth and productivity. In the past decades, significant advances have been made in photosynthesis at the biophysical, biochemical, and molecular levels. However, this myriad of knowledge has been insufficient to answer crucial questions, such as: how can we understand and eventually increase photosynthetic efficiency and yield in crops subjected to adverse environment related to climate-changing? We believe that a crucial limitation to the whole comprehension of photosynthesis is associated with a vastly widespread classic reductionist view. Moreover, this perspective is commonly accompanied by non-integrative, simplistic, and descriptive approaches to investigate a complex and dynamic process as photosynthesis. Herein, we propose the use of new approaches, mostly based on the Systems Theory, which certainly comes closer to the real world, such as the complex systems that the plants represent.

Systems Approach: A Shortcut to the Ocean We Want

The ocean is a unique system connecting ecological, economic, social, and cultural components, through which goods and services regulate the planetary condition and support the development of mankind. However, its increasing use has followed the exponential growth of the global economic system, outpacing humanity’s ability to develop the knowledge necessary to establish a basis for its proper use. Hence, there is an added perception that our necessary knowledge about the functioning of the ocean for its appropriate planning and management, advances at a slow pace, with which the ocean would be losing quality and sustainability. Systemic views of the ocean tend to highlight dominant components and processes instead of structural details, establishing a quality shortcut to the knowledge where society can understand current and future ocean conditions. To achieve the desired ocean health and sustainability, we propose the formation of a base of knowledge of the marine and coastal environments, capable of supporting best practices and policies for planning and management. We drew from the interdisciplinary research developed by the Brazilian research group “Ecosystem-Based Marine and Coastal Management (Eco-MCM), ” which has been developing projects based on three fundamental steps: (1) systemic analysis of the marine and coastal environments, highlighting their ecosystems, ecosystem services, social and economic benefits produced by the services and the stakeholders benefited; (2) modeling of the studied systems, and (3) propositional phase to incorporate models to support the practices and policies for their planning, management, and governance. As such, they are aligned with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) challenges and outcomes.

Correlations between Information Science research groups in Brazil: an approach based on keywords

Analyzing correlations between research groups has been increasingly appealing in recent years. The identification of proximity between different research projects can not only contribute to triggering new partnerships, but also optimize resources and share results. In Brazil, the Lattes Curriculum System of the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development is a rich source of information about the academic and professional life of professors, researchers, and students. Lattes curricula present information, much of it up-to-date, in a semi-structured text format. This paper intends to identify correlations between Brazilian research groups in Information Science through the analysis of keywords contained in the informative summaries and in the descriptions of the research projects found in the Lattes curricula of the participants of these groups. The analysis presented below was made with the application of text mining techniques to the Lattes curricula of researchers linked to 27 graduate programs in Information Science from 24 Brazilian institutions of higher education, totaling 399 curricula analyzed. Among the results obtained, it was possible to identify some existing research trends between the groups and link them to the areas of Information Science, Archivology, Library Science, and Museology. It was also possible to identify the most used research terms at the moment. In addition, the analysis of the occurrence of the terms allowed to identify the areas that concentrate most of the research in Information Science in Brazil, as well as to realize that there is a propensity of researchers to use certain terms to describe their research and their informative summaries.

Special Issue: Heredity and Evolution in an Ibero-American Context

Special Issue: Heredity and Evolution in an Ibero-American Context

Perfil dos autores brasileiros com publicações científicas em periódicos de acesso aberto

In the current state of scientific development, identifying how the results of scientific and technological investigations are being published allows us to understand how scientific communication has been used to disseminate the studies carried out and the results achieved. In this scenario, the publication of articles in open access journals appears as an important and interesting mechanism for the dissemination of scientific research, since it facilitates and enables access to them, considering that there are no barriers, especially financial ones, to access the contents of this type of publication. Thus, this work aims to present a characterization of the group of Brazilian researchers who have published articles in open access journals. To this end, the Lattes Platform curricula is used as a data source to initially identify researchers with publications of articles in open access journals and, subsequently, draw a portrait of the profile of these researchers, such as areas of expertise, levels of training and geographic distribution.

Internationalization at Home, COIL and Intercomprehension

This study aims to explore the concept, benefits, challenges and activities related to Internationalization at Home (IaH), defined as the integration of international/intercultural dimensions into the formal/informal curriculum in domestic learning environments (Beelen & Jones, 2015), as an alternative for more inclusive activities in higher education, within the process of internationalization. The study also offers a review of studies carried out mainly in Brazil by a Brazilian research group. Considering the importance of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in current practices of education and international exchange, this study explores possibilities of approaches such as COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning), allied with the Intercomprehension approach (IA) to suggest the development of more multilingual and inclusive activities, which foster IaH as an alternative to current and hegemonic internationalization practices. The paper concludes with some suggestions for the incorporation of such approaches, assuming that IaH should be prioritized in the internationalization agenda once it caters for a larger audience and, as such, is more inclusive and democratic.

Brazilian Design Management research groups: themes and tendencies

This work presents a systematic review of the Design Management research in the whole country of Brazil. Focusing on existent research groups, it sought to characterize a current design management research scenario. To do so, a systematic review was done considering the design management groups registered at National Council of Scientific Development – CNPq. As result, it was found 53 research groups located in thirteen Brazilian Federal States working with nine different research themes. The results made possible to discuss the group’s geographical distribution, the progress of the studies, the growth of the groups over time. It also suggests, towards the advancement in the area, the creation of a research network.

Gene therapy for refractory angina and cell therapy for heart failure: experience of a Brazilian research group.

Cell therapy has shown impressive effects in experimental cardiomyopathy models. To a lesser extent, gene therapy has also been studied. In both cases, translation to clinical therapy has been disappointing. This paper is intended to describe the experience and achievements of a multicenter working group located in Porto Alegre, southern Brazil, in experimental and translational research projects for cell-based and gene therapy methods in the treatment of dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathies. The results of preclinical and clinical studies showed that bone marrow mononuclear stem cells indeed have an effect in improving myocardial perfusion and contractile function, but the overall results are poorly translated to the clinical level. Gene therapy studies with direct myocardial injections of naked VEGF 165 plasmid showed improvement in myocardial perfusion and function in animal models. A randomized clinical trial found that this method is safe and improved myocardial perfusion, but the benefits disappeared after 1 year. An animal experiment associating VEGF 165 with angiopoietin was undertaken in mini pigs to extend the durability of that therapy. In conclusion, our efforts to better understand the mechanisms and functions of gene and cell-based therapies in cardiology resulted in significant findings and propose a future look at cell-free therapeutic approaches.

Cenários de pesquisa com e sobre crianças, mídia, imagens e corporeidade

Ao pensar a relação entre mídia, imagens e corporeidades na pesquisa com e sobre crianças, o texto discute alguns cenários e práticas culturais das infâncias contemporâneas a partir do olhar da educação. Apresenta-se os fundamentos teórico-metodológicos que têm orientado investigações desenvolvidas num grupo de pesquisa brasileiro nos últimos quatro anos, em sintonia com abordagens presentes em outros contextos nacionais e internacionais. Numa compreensão de pesquisa como espaço de reflexão crítica e instância pedagógica, as investigações escolhidas para compor o recorte do artigo entrelaçam os temas mídia, imagem e corporeidade com a atenção aos direitos das crianças, à ludicidade, às autorias infantis e aos desafios das práticas culturais na cultura digital. Entre tais desafios, destaca-se a necessidade de considerar a escuta às vozes, aos silêncios e às performances das crianças como forma privilegiada para construir metodologias participativas. Sinaliza-se também a importância de desconstruir certas retóricas redutoras presentes no debate social e dar visibilidade à riqueza do já considerável corpo de pesquisas sobre imagem, mídia e corporeidade na infância. Por fim, o texto enfatiza o papel da articulação interdisciplinar entre pesquisadores que atuam com estes temas, de modo a fortalecer a pesquisa voltada a qualificar a mediação educativa diante das mudanças culturais contemporâneas.

Características da colaboração científica entre grupos de pesquisa de áreas de exatas, vida e humanas

Resumo Este estudo caracteriza a colaboração científica (CC) entre grupos de pesquisa (GP), atuantes nas áreas de exatas, vidas e humanas, abordando motivos da colaboração; dinâmica de interação; facilitadores, desafios, problemas e dificuldades enfrentados; principais resultados alcançados; e conteúdo aprendido. A pesquisa, de natureza teórico-empírica, descritiva e qualitativa, pautou-se em revisão bibliográfica para situar o panorama de estudos acerca dessa temática. Os dados coletados com base em roteiro de entrevista semiestruturado foram organizados em categorias definidas a priori e submetidos a análise de conteúdo. Os resultados indicam a necessidade de parcerias para atender a editais de fomento ou visando principalmente: 1) à ampliação de estudos e pesquisas, com diversificação de perspectivas teóricas e metodológicas, com o objetivo de obter maior conhecimento a respeito do tema, além do aproveitamento e troca de conhecimentos e experiência de outros integrantes da CC; e 2) ao compartilhamento de recursos financeiros e equipamentos. Contribuem para a formação de parcerias a proximidade entre as linhas de pesquisa e o conhecimento prévio dos pesquisadores, decorrente de situações de formação ou interação em eventos. Há sobreposição entre desafios, problemas, aspectos dificultadores e facilitadores, sendo a presença ou ausência de algumas condições determinante de como aquele aspecto é percebido. Entre os principais resultados estão o melhor aproveitamento de recursos, a melhoria da qualidade e a ampliação da produção e da disseminação do conhecimento. Além de focar o tema em contexto de GP brasileiros de diferentes áreas do conhecimento, o estudo contribui com a identificação de conteúdos aprendidos na atuação em CC.