Brazilian Science Research Articles

Decolonizar o pensamento decolonial

In the last decade, decolonial thinking has been gaining momentum in the field of human sciences in Brazil, above all through the introduction of theories produced by the Modernity/Coloniality Group and Boaventura de Sousa Santos. These authors have taken centre stage in the theoretical references of academic productions with this approach, producing a sense of hegemony over an epistemology that proposes to be counter-hegemonic. The aim of this theoretical-conceptual study is to highlight the most relevant criticisms of the hegemony and centrality acquired by the Group and Boaventura de Sousa Santos: the prominence of white men, the absence of Brazilian male and female authors among its exponents, the sidelining of gender and race issues, the predilection for epistemological studies and its excessive academicist tendency. Some contributions from other decolonial voices, positioned further south in the Global South, such as Silvia Rivera Cusicanqui and Ailton Krenak, are also analysed. It concludes that the existence of a hegemony in the decolonial field is an indication of the need to decolonise it, above all by seeking to listen to voices from further south in the Global South. It points to the need to bring different decolonial perspectives into radical dialogue, without fearing tensions or shying away from inflections.

Gender equity in soil science in Brazil: Still at the beginning of a long journey

ABSTRACT Current studies have highlighted a significant gender disparity in the field of soil science. However, the scarcity of research and data on this issue can hinder the urgent need to address it and effect meaningful changes. This was the first demographic survey of Brazilian soil science, focusing on gender composition over time at different academic and professional levels, as well as peer recognition. We examined the metrics of students and faculty from all Brazilian soil science graduate programs (2004-2021), as well as members, representatives, and awards of the Brazilian Soil Science Society (SBCS) (1947-2023). There is a concentration of graduate programs with the highest evaluation scores in the South and Southeast regions of the country, reflecting regional disparities in resources and infrastructure. In 2021, gender parity in doctoral enrollments was achieved, and women aged 25 to 29 became the majority of soil science students. However, the presence of women in faculty is still very low (19 % compared to men). Moreover, the proportion of women faculty members decreases as the hierarchical level increases, indicating that attrition occurs along the career ladder. The faculty shows a trend towards aging, especially among men, indicating a potential wave of retirements in the coming years. Women constitute only 30 % of SBCS affiliations, which are predominantly comprised of men professors. There has been a sharp decline in the overall number of affiliates over the past ten years, especially among students. Women are also a minority in the SBCS representative positions and are less recognized through its awards. There is a difference in thematic intersoil within soil science by gender, both at subdisciplines and at SBCS divisions and commissions, with women being more present in soil biology and men in soil physics and management. We emphasize the pressing need to address and correct the disparities and inequities found by our study, offering recommendations aiming at broader systemic and cultural reforms within the soil science community.

UNVEILING BRAZIL: SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REALITIES OF THE LATE '80S THROUGH BRÁULIO TAVARES' STUNTMIND

The present article aims to show how Brazilian Science Fiction provides an interesting reading of Brazil’s economic and political context and its social and cultural disturbances in the late 80s. With the end of the military regime, writers tended to explore the social context focusing on the contradictions of the process of modernization and its negative results for Brazilian society. In this context, writers did not hesitate to combine technology and cultural alienation in a Third World political perspective. By analyzing Bráulio Tavares’ “Stuntmind” it is possible to see his critique to the effects of globalization toward Brazilian culture, as well as toward Brazil’s political and economic development.

Data For a History of Behavior Analysis in Mato Grosso do Sul

Purpose: The present article aimed to characterize the diffusion of Behavior Analysis in Mato Grosso do Sul. Theoretical framework: The production of historical research in Behavior Analysis occurs througt diferente sources. One proposal for such a study is based on production in the area develped in different Brazilian states. Method/design/approach: Based on the historiography methodology, using resources from bibliometrics and scientometrics with mixed analysis on the contribution of the collection Dialogues in Behavior Analysis, a publication by organizers of the Behavior Analysis’s event in Mato Grosso do Sul. For this purpose, the four volumes of the collection published between 2016 and 2024 were analyzed. Results and discussion: The results show that 44 chapters were published, signed by 73 authors, affiliated with19 institutions, five of wich were from Mato Grosso do Sul, 13 from other states ando ne from Argentina. There were 15 authors who signed alone or co-authored 93% of the texts. Regarding the categroization of chapters, 52% were classified as conceptual texts, while only 11% were classified as basic research. Research implications: The study provides data for a characterization of Behavior Analysis in Mato Grosso do Sul. From the data, it is possible to identify strengths and weaknesses and plan activities to consolidate the area. Originality value: The collection proved to be very relevant for the dissemination of the area in the state, in addition to highlighting the scientific resistance of behavior analystis from Mato Grosso do Sul, who managed to maintain the production and launch of volumes even in the face of the pandemic scenario and difficulty faced by Brazilian science passed during the presidential term between 2019 and 2022.

Gender and the scissors graph of brazilian science

Women are underrepresented in science and their participation decreases as their career progresses; an international phenomenon clearly displayed in a scissors graph. This decrease is usually attributed to maternity, a lower number of publications, and less ability to receive grants. Here we present a comprehensive study of the Brazilian science and technology system, covering 8,877,626 people, and analyzing the participation of women from the undergraduate to ministerial levels. The study used different data-bases to develop relevant indicators of the participation of women, some of them over a period of 15 years. Our results suggest that the decrease of women as their career advances is due to a combination of barriers that need to be faced and eliminated to promote equity for better science.

Statistical Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors as Predictors of Performance in a Brazilian Science Fair

Statistical Analysis of Socio-Economic Factors as Predictors of Performance in a Brazilian Science Fair

As contribuições de Peregrino da Silva para a gênese da Ciência da Informação

The objective of this study is to highlight that the Brazilian historical perspective of Information Science can be understood through the efforts of librarian Manuel Cícero Peregrino da Silva from 1898 onwards and his actions in Librarianship, Bibliography and Documentation. These actions were crucial for what would become Information Science in Brazil, years later. The research also brings notes about the perspective of creating Information Science in Brazil from the development of the first Postgraduate Program in Information Science in the country and the life of Peregrino da Silva. The research is characterized as a bibliographic and exploratory study with a qualitative approach. The importance of the history of Brazilian Information Science is highlighted in considering the efforts of Peregrino da Silva and other professionals. Despite being fundamental, Brazilian Information Science does not emerge only from postgraduate studies in the country, it is necessary to recover its historical training antecedents. With marked relevance, Information Science has grown in training, theory and application, but even so, it is necessary to continue in the search for its scientificity and appreciation of its history.

Challenges of Innovation in the Health Economic-Industrial Complex: A Case Study on Implementation of Research Results in a Brazilian Science and Technology Institution

In addition to advancing scientific knowledge, science and technology institutions (STIs) must translate research outcomes into practical applications, thereby addressing societal needs and challenges. Consequently, this study examines the outcomes produced by a public STI, employing the morphology of the Health Economic-Industrial Complex (HEIC) as an analytical framework. Notably, 77.8% of these outcomes have benefited populations marginalized by public policies. The research underscores a robust correlation between the institution's capacity for technological innovation and the chemical and biotechnological industrial subsystems, particularly in diagnostics and diagnostic services. Significantly, the primary impact of these innovations manifests in formulating and enhancing public health policies, thereby directly influencing governmental initiatives aimed at bolstering the Unified Health System.

Scientific Research on Bioethanol in Brazil: History and Prospects for Sustainable Biofuel

Despite the recent need for sustainable energy resources, bioenergy gained its spotlight in the 2000s. Sugarcane is a significant crop in terms of sugar and energy capacity, and it can be an alternative energy source to mitigate the effects of climate change. Bioenergy production from sugarcane in Brazil is one of the most efficient options. This production lends a centrality to biofuels’ importance in confronting climate change effects. The present article reviews the Brazilian history of this crop as a biofuel source, focusing on plants as a biomass. We highlight the historical changes related to scientific, technological, industrial, and environmental advances since the beginning of the 20th century. We describe how creating governmental institutes and disseminating scientific knowledge strengthened public policies that led Brazil to occupy leadership positions in producing, distributing, and using bioenergy throughout the country. The compiled data show the improvements and the new approaches needed to improve ethanol sugarcane use. We performed a bibliometric analysis to evaluate Brazilian science’s contribution to this process compared to other countries. Brazil’s history of science and investment in sugarcane biofuel development for transportation may be divided into two phases: ethanol-only and flex-fuel cars. A third phase is starting, directed to the SAF and ethanol-to-hydrogen era.

The effectiveness of the Sirius School for high school teachers

The Sirius School for High School Teachers (ESPEM) is an in-service program for high school science teachers. It is held at the National Center for Research in Energy and Materials in Campinas, in partnership with the Brazilian Society of Physics. The program aims to enhance the skills of science teachers in high schools, facilitate the exchange of knowledge between teachers from all over Brazil, and produce updated teaching materials that promote Brazilian science and technology. To investigate how ESPEM contributes to the training of basic education teachers, and to assess the effectiveness of the program, we employed various data collection methodologies in a qualitative research study. Our objectives were: i) to identify the expectations of the participating teachers, ii) to evaluate the products generated during the program, and iii) to measure the achievement of the main goals of ESPEM. To achieve these objectives, we analyzed the letters of intent submitted by the selected participants before the program began. During the program, we conducted participant observation. After the program, we conducted semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group, and distributed questionnaires to the participants.

Stochastic modeling of a neutron imaging center at the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor

Neutron imaging is a non-destructive technique for analyzing a wide class of samples, such as archaeological or industrial material structures. In recent decades, technological advances have had a great impact on the neutron imaging technique, which has meant an evolution from simple radiographs using films (2D) to modern tomography systems with digital processing (3D). The 5 MW research nuclear reactor IEA-R1, which is located at the Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares (IPEN) in Brazil, possesses a neutron imaging instrument with 1.0×106n/cm2s in the sample position. IEA-R1 is over 60 years old and the future of neutron science in Brazil, including imaging, will be expanded to a new facility called the Brazilian Multipurpose Reactor (RMB, Portuguese acronym), which will be built soon. The new reactor will house a suite of instruments at the Neutron National Laboratory, including the neutron imaging facility, viz., Neinei. Inspired by recent author’s works, we model the Neinei instrument through stochastic Monte Carlo simulations. We investigate the sensitivity of the neutron imaging technique parameter (L/D ratio) with the neutron flux, and the results are compared to data from the Neutra (PSI), Antares (FRM II), BT2 (NIST) and DINGO (OPAL) instruments. The results are promising and provide avenues for future improvements.

An Intersectoral Approach to Hypertension Care: Solutions for Improving Blood Pressure Control in São Paulo, Brazil.

Hypertension is the leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and a major public health issue worldwide. In Brazil, it affects approximately 52.5% of the adult population. We describe the solutions package and the impact of a population health initiative in São Paulo city, following the CARDIO4Cities approach for the management of cardiovascular risk. Using a design thinking approach, interventions were developed with a coalition of local and international stakeholders to address needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and the health system. The resulting solution package was checked to comply with guidelines for non-communicable disease and hypertension management. Clinical impact was measured by extracting the hypertension cascade of care-monitored, diagnosis, treatment, and control-from medical records. Under the leadership of the municipal health authorities, nine solutions were piloted and scaled across the city. Solutions conform with local and international best-practices. Between October 2017 and December 2021, 11,406 patient records were analyzed. Results showed a 40% increase in monitored patients (patients with at least one blood pressure, BP, measurement); reduced proportions of patients diagnosed among those with available BP measurements (72%-53%) and treated among diagnosed (93%-85%); and an improvement in controlled patients among those receiving treatment (16%-27%). The solution package described in this study was correlated with increased BP control. The implementation methodology and results add to the body of real-world evidence supporting population health implementation science in Brazil and beyond.

Impact of Open Access Policy on Brazilian Science and Global Trends.

Open access (OA) publishing provides free online access to research articles without subscription fees. In Brazil, absence of financial support from academic institutions and limited government policies pose challenges to OA publication. Here, we used data from the Web of Science and Scopus to compare with global trends in journal accessibility and scientific quality metrics. Brazilian authors publish more OA articles, particularly in Global South journals. While OA correlates with quality for global authors, it had no impact on Brazilian science. To maximize impact, Brazilian authors should prioritize Q1 journals regardless of OA status. High-impact or Global North journal publication seems more relevant for Brazilian science than OA. Our findings indicate that the present open access policy has been ineffective to improve the impact of Brazilian science, providing insights to guide the formulation of scientific public policies.

Brazilian Student and Professor Mobility.

In this paper, we looked at the effect of mobility by students, post-doctorates and professors on science in Brazil. We analysed CAPES, CNPq, FAPESP and Incites data to examine the number of scholarships and their impact on posterior publishing. Decision trees, including the region of the country, length of stay by student and Professor, as well as institution abroad, were evaluated, along with logistic regressions. The number of incoming professionals to Brazil is still incipient. The number of undergrad students was not crucial in forming scientific ties, but the number of postgraduates (> 180 days) and professor stays (>90 days) was important. The highest impact factor of publications shows a greater probability of higher impact with more than six postgraduate students going to institutions in the global north region and professors staying for more than 90 days. Looking only at doctors and professors (Mobility after training), the country of most interest was the United States, followed by France and England, which are similar regarding professors. France had a greater emphasis on postdoctoral studies. Databases need to be improved to include factors such as gender and color/race as well as the origin of scholars from abroad.

Four years of the COVID-19 pandemic: how does Brazil deal with the impacts? A DOHaD perspective

Abstract Over the last few years, during the pandemic, the Brazilian population has suffered several problems, ranging from health to socioeconomic impacts. When we consider Brazilian science, there has been an undeniable scientific delay generated by the pandemic, especially in areas that are not related to the coronavirus. In this context, with the aim of fostering collaboration among researchers in the field of Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD) and enhancing the potential for implementing public health strategies to prevent noncommunicable chronic diseases, the Brazilian Association of Developmental Origins of Health and Diseases (DOHaD Brazil) was established in 2020. In this narrative, we explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil, focusing on its impacts on scientific research conducted in universities. Additionally, we underscore the significance of the DOHaD Brazil Association, particularly from the perspective of young researchers engaged in DOHaD research in Brazil.

Agenda de inovação na cadeia produtiva de flores, gramas e plantas ornamentais

Abstract Sectoral and Thematic Chambers are forums for dialogue created by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA), through which greater interaction with productive chains is sought, as well as the identification of opportunities and the definition of priority actions for developing Brazilian agriculture. The Thematic Chambers can contribute to the development of agriculture by identifying demands from the productive sector and linking them to proposals for research, development, and innovation by creating innovation agendas. For that, the analysis of productive chains and their practices allows a better understanding of agribusiness, which consequently enables the development of effective strategies to promote the growth and development of a sector. The objective of the agenda in Flower, Turfgrass, and Ornamental Plant is to present an analysis of the main problems and opportunities for innovation in the productive chains. A diagnosis of the current situation focusing on a vision for the future was required to prepare this Innovation Agenda. The methodological approach was divided and conducted through different analyses: a) Analysis of the evolution of the Flower and Ornamental Plant Market; b) Analysis of contributions, impact, and expectations of the links in the production chain; c) Mapping of human capital in Brazilian science with the potential to contribute to technological innovations for the market of flowers, grasses, and ornamental plants. The Innovation Agenda prioritizes the most relevant obstacles, establishes their level of importance, and identifies ten significant Innovation Challenges to be addressed by the public and private sectors of the country. Through the agenda, strategic actions are suggested for research, technology transfer, and public policies, which are essential for the technological development of the sector, without neglecting its socioeconomic and environmental sustainability. For each Innovation Challenge, Strategic Actions were suggested to be pursued, and Brazil has the technical competence distributed across the country, in nationally recognized universities and research institutes and enterprises.

Towards the Future through the Past? Present-day Singularities of the Brazilian Science Fiction Film

Towards the Future through the Past? Present-day Singularities of the Brazilian Science Fiction Film

Os “travailleurs de la mort” na obra de Flamínio Fávero

Forensic Entomology is the application of knowledge about insects and other arthropods when related to legal issues. Medical-Legal Entomology studies the entomological fauna that has a direct relationship with the human body, living or dead. In the book “Medicina Legal,” by Flamínio Fávero, a chapter dedicated to chronothanatognosis describes the applications of cadaveric fauna in determining time of death. Through Fávero’s work, we gain insight into the early development of this science in Brazil. Although he never conducted experiments or made personal observations involving insects, he compiles information from pioneering scientists in the field. The emergence of entomology applied to Legal Medicine in Brazil is associated with the figures of Hermann Lüderwaldt, Edgard Roquette-Pinto and Oscar Freire de Carvalho. The latter represents the researcher who most contributed to the initial years of cadaveric fauna studies in Brazil; the information he gathered forms the bulk of Flamínio’s main book.

Towards an Ontology to Structure Data on Women's Leadership in Computing in Brazil


 
 
 
 This paper proposes an ontology to structure data on female leadership in computer science in Brazil, with the goal of building an open and collaborative platform where data can be collected, organized, and classified to construct a folksonomy of the domain. The ontology aims to address competency questions in the domain, such as the contextual factors that motivate Brazilian women to pursue leadership positions in computer science, and the policies that promote such opportunities. The proposed ontology may benefit various users, including female computer science professionals, leaders, researchers, and policymakers.
 
 
 

Twenty years of research in Information Design: a section of Brazilian scientific production on digital media

With the increasing predominance of the use of digital artifacts, fast technological evolution, and the inherent complexity of the digital era, studies on how to communicate information are relevant since the beginning of the Information Society in the 1990s. With the efficiency of information communication as its central focus, Information Design (ID) can be an important area in the construction of knowledge about digital media. This article presents a systematic review of the Brazilian scientific production of digital media through the look of Information Design to record the development of ID in the country since the first CIDI+CONGIC event in 2003. The review pointed to some prominent themes in these decades, such as infographics and interfaces used for science and education. It also revealed some universities with an emphasis on the type of scientific production investigated. In addition, some difficulties were noticed at the conception of a registry of Brazilian science due to the change in terminologies and the evolution of theoretical approaches over time.