Brazilian Institutions Research Articles

Prevalence of anticipatory nausea and vomiting in breast cancer patients undergoing highly emetogenic chemotherapy.

Anticipatory nausea and vomiting are unpleasant symptoms observed before undergoing chemotherapy sessions. Less is known about the occurrence of symptoms since the advent of the new neurokinin-1 antagonist. This prospective cohort study was performed at a single Brazilian Institution. This study included breast cancer patients who received doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide chemotherapy and an appropriate antiemetic regimen (dexamethasone 10 mg, palonosetron 0.56 mg, and netupitant 300 mg in the D1 followed by dexamethasone 10 mg 12/12 h in D2 and D4). Patients used a diary to record nausea, vomiting, and use of rescue medication in the first two cycles of treatment. The prevalence of anticipatory nausea and vomiting was assessed before chemotherapy on day 1 of C2. From August 4, 2020, to August 12, 2021, 60 patients were screened, and 52 patients were enrolled. The mean age was 50.8 (28-69) years, most had stage III (53.8%), and most received chemotherapy with curative intent (94%). During the first cycle, the frequency of overall nausea and vomiting was 67.31%, and that of severe nausea and vomiting (defined as grade>4 on a 10-point visual scale or use of rescue medication) was 55.77%. Ten patients had anticipatory nausea and vomiting (19.23%). The occurrence of nausea and vomiting during C1 was the only statistically significant predictor of anticipatory nausea and vomiting (OR=16, 95%CI 2.4-670.9, p=0.0003). The prevalence of anticipatory nausea is still high in the era of neurokinin-1 antagonists, and failure of antiemetic control in C1 remains the main risk factor. All efforts should be made to control chemotherapy-induced nausea or nausea and vomiting on C1 to avoid anticipatory nausea.

A comparison of performances of Brazilian and Chinese Universities in academic and industrial products using the “U-Multirank”

AbstractBackground and aimsThe present work studies the performances of Brazilian and Chinese Universities considering academic and industrial related products. A comparison of the behavior of Universities that belong to these two countries are important, because they have similar characteristics and both of them are considered to be emergent countries, being part of the group known as BRICS.MethodsThe data is obtained from the “U-Multirank” in the years from 2017 to 2020, which are recent, but not yet affected by the pandemic, since the results for the year 2020 were obtained in 2019. This ranking used 36 Indicators in those years, with some of them related to academic production (number of papers published, citations received by the papers, etc); while some others are related to industrial products (number of patents obtained, citations made in patents, etc). This analysis is made for the average performances of Brazilian, Chinese and all the universities listed in the “U-Multirank” in the years under study.ResultsThe results show the number of institutions listed every year and the average grades of Brazilian and Chinese institutions, as well as the world averages, in all the Indicators studied.ConclusionsThe results show that Chinese Institutions have a good balance in terms of quantity and quality of academic researches, with both numbers ahead of world averages. Brazil is better in quantity of publications compared to quality, having grades similar to China in number of publications and well above world averages, but the indicators “Citation Rate” and “Top-cited” publications are well below world and Chinese averages.

Incidence of thromboembolism and associated factors in multiple myeloma patients treated with immunomodulatory drugs: a retrospective analysis in Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

The use of immunomodulators in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM) patients has been associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE). Due to the increase in mortality of cancer patients, venous thromboembolism is an important concern for newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of thromboembolic events and evaluate associated risk factors among Brazilian NDMM patients using immunomodulators. Real-life retrospective cohort study in two Brazilian institutions with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients treated with immunomodulators from January 2009 to December 2019. Data was collected from patients' medical records for the period of 1 year, and Cox regression was performed to identify risk factors on the development of VTE. We included 131 patients of which there was a mean age of 61.5 years (SD 11.3), 51.9% female, and predominantly using thalidomide (97.7%) as immunomodulator. We found 9 VTE episodes among our patients, with a 12-month cumulative incidence of 6.97% (95% CI 3.41-12.24). Associated factors after multivariate analysis were recent sepsis, recent traumatic injury, previous VTE, and thromboprophylaxis. Our real-life retrospective cohort presented a low incidence of VTE among Brazilian NDMM patients treated with immunomodulators.

Coffee Growing with Remotely Piloted Aircraft System: Bibliometric Review

Remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPASs) have gained prominence in recent decades primarily due to their versatility of application in various sectors of the economy. In the agricultural sector, they stand out for optimizing processes, contributing to improved sampling, measurements, and operational efficiency, ultimately leading to increased profitability in crop production. This technology is becoming a reality in coffee farming, an essential commodity in the global economic balance, mainly due to academic attention and applicability. This study presents a bibliometric analysis focused on using RPASs in coffee farming to structure the existing academic literature and reveal trends and insights into the research topic. For this purpose, searches were conducted over the last 20 years (2002 to 2022) in the Web of Science and Scopus scientific databases. Subsequently, bibliometric analysis was applied using Biblioshiny for Bibliometrix software in R (version 2022.07.1), with emphasis on the temporal evolution of research on the topic, performance analysis highlighting key publications, journals, researchers, institutions, countries, and the scientific mapping of co-authorship, keywords, and future trends/possibilities. The results revealed 42 publications on the topic, with the pioneering studies being the most cited. Brazilian researchers and institutions (Federal University of Lavras) have a strong presence in publications on the subject and in journals focusing on technological applications. As future trends and possibilities, the employment of technology optimizes the productivity and profitability studies of coffee farming for the timely and efficient application of aerial imaging.

Dynamic transmission modeling of COVID-19 to support decision-making in Brazil: A scoping review in the pre-vaccine era

Brazil was one of the countries most affected during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, in a pre-vaccine era, and mathematical and statistical models were used in decision-making and public policies to mitigate and suppress SARS-CoV-2 dispersion. In this article, we intend to overview the modeling for COVID-19 in Brazil, focusing on the first 18 months of the pandemic. We conducted a scoping review and searched for studies on infectious disease modeling methods in peer-reviewed journals and gray literature, published between January 01, 2020, and June 2, 2021, reporting real-world or scenario-based COVID-19 modeling for Brazil. We included 81 studies, most corresponding to published articles produced in Brazilian institutions. The models were dynamic and deterministic in the majority. The predominant model type was compartmental, but other models were also found. The main modeling objectives were to analyze epidemiological scenarios (testing interventions’ effectiveness) and to project short and long-term predictions, while few articles performed economic impact analysis. Estimations of the R0 and transmission rates or projections regarding the course of the epidemic figured as major, especially at the beginning of the crisis. However, several other outputs were forecasted, such as the isolation/quarantine effect on transmission, hospital facilities required, secondary cases caused by infected children, and the economic effects of the pandemic. This study reveals numerous articles with shared objectives and similar methods and data sources. We observed a deficiency in addressing social inequities in the Brazilian context within the utilized models, which may also be expected in several low- and middle-income countries with significant social disparities. We conclude that the models were of great relevance in the pandemic scenario of COVID-19. Nevertheless, efforts could be better planned and executed with improved institutional organization, dialogue among research groups, increased interaction between modelers and epidemiologists, and establishment of a sustainable cooperation network.

Meaning of Problem in School Mathematics: From Exercise and Application to the Learning-Triggering Problem

Background: There are, in the school context, especially in mathematics education, different historical and cultural meanings that are being produced and impregnated in the term Problem, as well as different understandings regarding the roles of Problems in teaching practices, which justifies studies focused on to the analysis of the implications of such conceptual meanings in the training of teachers who teach mathematics. Objectives: The aim is to answer the question: What are the meanings of Problem present in research and publications that dialogue with training for teaching mathematics? What would be, specifically, the meaning of Problem from a cultural-historical perspective? Design: The research was carried out with students of the degree course in mathematics of a Brazilian public institution, in which they participated in a training movement that had Problems as mediators. In the context of that research, theoretical and bibliographical studies were developed to understand ideas impregnated in didactic-pedagogical proposals that exalt the importance of Problems in teaching practices. We recognise these ideas as meanings based on the analysis that considers the theoretical and methodological assumptions of the cultural-historical theory. Setting and participants: Publications that circulated in the context of the training course for mathematics teachers were analysed, which contextualised the research that gave rise to this clipping about the understandings of the authors of those texts regarding their understanding of the possible relationships between the Problem and the teaching of mathematics. Data collection and analysis: The texts were selected from the bibliographies present in the teaching plans of the subjects of that degree course or that were used as a textual reference during the formative experiment carried out to produce research data and were analysed according to the assumptions of the cultural-historical theory to the concept of meaning. Results: The results point to the constitution of meanings according to which the Problems are usually adopted, in teaching practices, as lessons already presented or as opportunities to apply concepts in supposedly everyday situations. There is also a process of meaning from which the Problems are understood, from a cultural-historical perspective, as triggers of mathematics learning. Conclusions: The main conclusion points to the understanding that the Problems play, historically and culturally, some roles in mathematics teaching practices, among which, three stand out: they are opportunities to practice lessons already taught; they are opportunities to apply techniques, algorithms, or definitions in simulated situations (problem solving); or they are learning-triggering problems.

Service innovation within public universities: implementing new service operations for social and racial inclusion

PurposeThis study aims to explore the configuration of a public university service innovation: the phenotypic evaluation of self-declared black and brown applicants for access to college undergraduate courses through racial quota in a Brazilian federal higher education institution (HEI).Design/methodology/approachBy using qualitative methods and collecting data through semistructured interviews, this case study raises new explanatory aspects about service innovation in a noncommercial context.FindingsDiversity in team composition and users’ sense of belonging emerged as unprecedented aspects of service innovation. The present study also coined another concept not verified in the literature: service cross-coproduction.Research limitations/implicationsRegarding the limitations of the study, the technological dimension, despite having been shown to underlie the political–administrative process of innovations in services, given its importance reinforced by the literature and the current temporal context itself, did not emanate from the data collected. In addition, the fact that the service innovation investigated has occurred recently prevented longitudinal research that could detail the effects of phenotypic evaluation on institutional performance indicators.Practical implicationsThe ethical–methodological care used in the interaction and preservation of the psychological integrity of the users in the case study proved to be subject to systematization and has great potential to enhance the service experience of the users through the humanization of the service delivery process. The linkage of the user’s perception to the phenotypic diversity of people working in the new service provision highlights the importance of incorporating themes such as the diversity of teams’ composition and representative bureaucracy to the scientific production of service innovation and their role in coproduction. The findings suggest that the resource allocation supply of basic goods and services needed to provide the new service reduces the individual risk of academic community members involved with innovation. Further studies could explore this relation.Social implicationsAmong the internal factors that influenced the configuration of service innovation, the idea of diversity in the team’s composition stood out. It based the phenotypic evaluation commission’s diverse constitution on gender, race, occupation and even nationality. It conferred greater legitimacy on service innovation, increasing the representation of groups that may not feel represented in public service delivery processes.Originality/valueThe results of the phenotypic evaluation case point to a new coproduction form emanating from the constitutive diversity of the phenotypic evaluation board members. This new type of coproduction is directly related to the complex, integrated and interdependent nature of the services that complement each other to enable the achievement of the objectives of a public university.

Gastrointestinal Parasites Affecting Non-Human Primates That Are Kept Ex Situ and Their Handlers in Different Brazilian Institutions: Diagnosis and Analysis of Risk Factors.

Determining gastrointestinal parasites' frequency in non-human primates (NHPs) and handlers in different Brazilian institutions, and associate it with management information. Different institutions in São Paulo (A), Brasília (B), Rio de Janeiro (C), Pará (D) and Santa Catarina (E) were included in the study. Fecal samples were processed by using coproparasitological techniques; information about NHP handling and professionals' routine were collected through the use of questionnaires. In total, 33.1% of 511 NHP samples were positive for parasites; the Entamoebidae Group and Strongyloides sp.-compatible eggs were the most detected protozoa and helminths, respectively. The Entamoebidae Group was mainly diagnosed in Alouatta from Institutions E and D, and was also the only parasite detected in handlers. Strongyloides-compatible eggs were mostly evident in fecal samples collected from Cebidae from Institutions B and D. Some risk factors associated with parasite infection were a high number of animals in the same enclosure and their use for research protocol purposes, whereas quarantine, a post-infection vacant period in enclosures and antiparasitic supply were categorized as protective factors against these agents' infection. Parasites showing different transmission routes but concomitantly circulating in NHP institutions located in different Brazilian regions were identified in the current study, with an emphasis on those presenting zoonotic potential.

Cosmopolitan democracy and polycentrism of power - Initial debates

The world is currently experiencing a democratic deficit of representative institutions resulting from the context of globalization and the polycentrism of power. In this article, we will analyze the model of cosmopolitan democracy as conceived by David Held, Anthony McGrew and Daniele Archibugi. To do so, firstly, we will present the foundations of the cosmopolitan democratic model of the researched authors. Then, we will deal with the concrete institutional proposals presented by them. Finally, we will discuss the main limitations and criticisms of the analyzed model. Based on these considerations, we face the research problem: what is the potential of the cosmopolitan democracy project to supply the democratic deficit of the Brazilian representative institutions resulting from globalization and the polycentrism of power?

Diffusion-weighted imaging in pediatric extracranial germ cell tumors.

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) comprise a rare and heterogeneous group of neoplasms presenting different clinical and histological characteristics, leading to a challenging scenario in clinical practice. Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been suggested as an indirect marker of tumor density and cellularity and could be used to monitor therapeutic response. However, its role in pediatric GCTs needs to be clarified. Here, we evaluated the features of DWI in pediatric extracranial GCTs in a reference Brazilian institution. We included 43 pediatric patients with primary GCTs treated between 2008 and 2022 in Hospital de Amor de Barretos. The patients' MRI images included T1-weighted without contrast, T2-weighted, DWI and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps. DWI was evaluated in the section that exhibited the greatest restricted diffusion in the largest hypersignal area of the image. The lowest ADC value was determined to define the region of interest (ROI). We used a small ROI, avoiding necrotic, adipose tissue, noisy or nonenhancing lesion voxels as recommended. ROI determination was established by visual inspection by two radiologists in accordance. We used two values of b (b = 50 mm2/s or b = 800) for ADC values. The highest mean ADC (mADC) value was observed in pure teratomas (1,403.50 ± 161.76 x10-3 mm2/s; mean ± SD) compared to other histologies (yolk sac, mixed teratoma, dysgerminoma and mixed GCT) of GCT (p<0.001). Furthermore, ROC analysis determined a cutoff mADC value of 1,179.00 x 10-3 mm2/s that differentiated pure teratomas from the other GCT histologies with a sensitivity of 95.8% and a specificity of 92.9% (AUC = 0.979; p<0.01). A significant increase in mADC was observed for malignant GCTs in treatment (1,197.00 ± 372.00 mm2/s; p<0.001) compared to that exhibited at the time of diagnosis (780.00 ± 168.00 mm2/s; mean ± SD. Our findings suggest that mADC assessment could be used as a tool to distinguish pure teratomas from malignant CGT histologies at diagnosis. Additionally, we demonstrated reasonable evidence that it could be used as a complementary tool to monitor treatment response in patients with malignant GCT.

Evaluation of Capacity for Implementation of Pediatric-to-Adult Care Transition for Sickle Cell Disease in Brazil

Background In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), such as Brazil, survival rates for sickle cell disease (SCD) patients are approaching 80%. As more adolescents with SCD survive into adulthood, it is essential to establish proper preparation and integration into adult care. Healthcare Transition (HCT) programs can assist in transitioning pediatric patients with chronic illnesses into adult care, but such programs are not yet available in Brazil. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the capacity for implementing HCT practices before initiating such a program. Methods We undertook an assessment of the capacity for HCT implementation using the Context Assessment for Community Health (COACH) tool andmeasured the level of transition practices using the Current Assessment of HCT Activities for Transitioning Youth to an Adult Health Care Clinician (GotTransition HCT activities scale). These tools were administered at two institutions in the two largest cities in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. As a comparison, data was collected from an institution in the United States (US) with a well-functioning HCT program. The COACH tool, a validated measure of resource capacity, consists of 49 items with eight subscales which were adapted to HCT: resources, community engagement, work commitment, informal payment, leadership, work culture, monitoring services (5-point scale, lower values reflecting less capacity), and sources of knowledge (0-1 scale, lower values reflecting less capacity). GotTransition, an assessment of current health care skills for transition to adult care, consists of eight components scored on a 1-4 scale with higher scores representing higher engagement with transition activities. Survey participants were healthcare staff caring for children and adults with SCD. Surveys were completed on the online platform Qualtrics from February to July 2023. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS version 9.4. Results 86 staff from the SCD clinics completed the COACH tool (26 from the US and 60 from the Brazilian institutions). Of those, 78% were female and 38% were aged 40-54. 55 participants (64%) identified the role of physician or high-level/advanced care provider, the remaining were psychologists, social workers, and community partners (Table 1). Completion rate was 81% (26 out 32) for the US and 75% (60 out of 80) for the Brazilian institutions. Overall, COACH showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α range: 0.69-0.93). The lowest-scored subscales by all institutions were community participation and unofficial payments, with average scores of 2.96 and 2.33, respectively. The highest-rated subscales were leadership and work culture, with average scores of 3.99 and 3.97, respectively. Resource availability, work commitment, and community participation were lower in Brazil, relative to the US, (2.94, 3.03 vs. 4.08, p&amp;lt;0.0001 and 3.68, 3.49 vs 4.25 p=0.03, and 2.57, 2.85 vs 3.64 p=0.04 respectively). No significant differences in occupation were noted across all subscales (p&amp;gt;0.05). A total of 15 SCD clinic leaders, all physicians (3 from the US and 12 from the Brazilian institutions) across the three institutions completed the GotTransition HCT activities survey. Overall scores were approximately twice higher in US than in Brazilian institutions (15.29, 15.8 vs 30.33), with all subdomains scoring lower for the Brazilian institutions (Table 2). Discussion Implementation of HCT programs is a high priority in Brazil, given the growing survival rates for children with SCD. Our data highlights a well-connected community of healthcare workers, but also reveals that the current level of HCT activities for SCD in Brazil is low. This underscores the urgent need for transition intervention. The key facilitators for successful HCT implementation in Brazil are strong leadership and a motivated workforce. However, community participation and finances are weak points that require implementation strategies during program implementation. Compared to the US, both Brazilian institutions scored significantly lower on all components needed for transition, emphasizing the need for intervention. This project is the first to evaluate the readiness for HCT implementation in a low- and middle-income country. Designing a context-specific HCT program that suits low-resource settings will improve outcomes for individuals with SCD in the country.

Produção científica sobre a saúde da população ribeirinha no território brasileiro: estudo bibliométrico

Objective: to measure scientific production on the riverside population’s health in Brazilian territory. Method: a bibliometric study, with data collected in March and April 2023, using different databases, via the Virtual Health Library, PubMed, Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel Journal Portal and the online scientific library. Search strategies were developed with descriptors and keywords. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed, and Bradford’s, Lotka’s and Zipf’s bibliometric laws were applied. Results: the sample consisted of 35 documents, predominantly quantitative original articles, published in English and Portuguese, in from 2019 to 2022. Due to their publication numbers, five authors and four Brazilian institutions were highlighted. Four most influential journals, four most representative keywords and the main terms used in writing the objectives of selected studies were identified. Conclusion: it was evident that scientific production has increased in recent years, but it is necessary to strengthen the volume of studies on the topic.

Developments in Leishmaniasis diagnosis: A patent landscape from 2010 to 2022.

The current study aims to contribute to the understanding of leishmaniasis diagnosis by providing an overview of patent filings in this field and analyzing whether the methods revealed are consistent with the needs described by the scientific community, in special the main gaps detected by the World Health Organization's 2021-2030 Roadmap for Neglected Tropical Diseases. To this aim, a patent search was carried out focusing on documents disclosing leishmaniasis diagnostic methods supported by experimental evidence and with earliest priority date from 2010 onwards. Our results show that patenting activity is low and patent families are often formed by individual filings. Most R&D activity occurs in Brazil, which is also the main market of protection. Brazilian academic institutions are the main patent drivers, and collaboration between different institutions is rare. Most patent families describe immunological methods based on ELISA assays, using antibodies directed to K39 and homologues. kDNA is the primary gene for molecular testing. Experimental evidence of test performance in fulfilling critical diagnostic gaps is usually absent. The patent scenario suggests that leishmaniasis diagnostic gaps need to be more closely addressed to drive innovation directed to the control and/or elimination of leishmaniasis. From the public policy point of view, the following strategies are suggested: (i) strengthening collaborative networks, (ii) enhancing the participation of the private sector, and (iii) increasing funding, with special focus on the remaining diagnostic gaps.

Linear algebra in engineering: a study of specialized knowledge of Chilean and Brazilian teachers

Abstract The objective of this paper is to establish comparisons between the Linear Algebra (LA) approach practiced in Engineering courses offered by Chilean and Brazilian Higher Education Institutions and, for that, teachers from both countries were interviewed. From a methodological point of view, the research consists of two case studies. For the analysis of the interviews, we used the precepts of Content Analysis. The data were qualitatively analyzed considering the MTSK theoretical model. In this analysis, we sought to identify what specialized knowledge these teachers have regarding AL and about its teaching and learning. The results have shown that, in relation to the Mathematical Knowledge (MK) domain, which refers to content knowledge, the Knowledge of Topics subdomain (KoT), linked to the way that teachers know the topics they teach, is the most present among interviewees. In the Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK) domain, covering specific pedagogical knowledge linked to Mathematics, the Knowledge of Mathematics Teaching (KMT), regarding strategies, teaching theories, resources and materials, and Knowledge of Mathematics Learning Standards (KMLS) subdomains, concerning the curricular specifications and the moments in which the student must or can learn certain content and with what level of depth prevail.

The Hipátia Model: Paths toward the Brazilian Archival Digital Preservation Era

ABSTRACTThis paper presents how Brazilian judiciary organizations are advancing towards a preserved digital environment, and how this process is improving the country's legal system. First, it analyzed the legal norms published by some of the most relevant Brazilian institutions and how these norms fostered the major courts to immediately start projects related to digital preservation. Second, the major challenges faced by these organizations while fulfilling the legal requirements were listed, and a general strategy to attend to them was defined. Subsequently, a model was established to fulfill these requirements. The model was structured to consider the possibilities of future expansion. As the main result of this research, a model capable of setting archival digital preservation projects was designed for the first time, enabling their consequent application by judiciary institutions in Brazil.

Catalog of the Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) deposited in the entomological collections of the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amaznia (INPA) and the Universidade Federal do Amazonas (UFAM), Manaus, Brazil, with an illustrated key for the genera occurring in Brazil (except Aeneolucentia, Jermaniella, and Pandona).

This paper presents a species catalog of leaf beetles of the subfamily Chrysomelinae (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) deposited in two important Brazilian institutions in the state of Amazonas (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amaznia and Universidade Federal do Amazonas), providing their respective type localities, geographic distributions, as well as illustrations for all listed species (including pictures of the types of Platyphora imperialis (Stl, 1858), Platyphora excellens (Stl, 1859), Platyphora sanguinipennis (Jacoby, 1895), and Platyphora olivenca (Bechyn, 1954)), and new locality records, predators, parasites, parasitoids, and host plant for some species. In addition, we provide the first illustrated key for the genera occurring in Brazil (except Aeneolucentia, Jermaniella, and Pandona).

The Internationalization of brazilian postgraduate programs : a strategic approach

This paper looks at the reasons behind internationalization in Brazilian Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and different mechanisms that can be used by the institutions themselves, financing agencies, as well as individual researchers to improve the international impact of their research and the production of quality alumni to solve problems posed by society. We question why institutions and researchers should consider the internationalization of research and teaching, and an operational approach is proposed. The need for strategic priorities and partnerships is highlighted as well as methods for monitoring and evaluating these methods. We also show that institutions should question how initiatives fit within the institution’s mission and overall strategy, and how they can go about framing and deciding upon various forms of internationalization.

Potential Factors for Retention and Intent to Drop-out in Brazilian Computing Programs

Motivation : Enrollments in Brazilian computing degrees are at an all-time high, but graduation numbers have not increased at the same rate. Moreover, enrollment growth has mainly attracted male students, steadily expanding the gender gap in Brazilian computing programs. Such high attrition rates have a great economic impact and may disproportionately affect women and students of color. Previous works investigated reasons for student drop-out and retention in specific courses or barriers to entrance in computing programs in narrower contexts or in a single institution. Objectives : We investigate potential actionable factors for intent to drop out in computing programs and what factors might lead students to remain in a computing program in several Brazilian institutions. We investigated how such factors may be affected by students’ race/ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status. Method : We analyzed Likert-style answers from an online survey with 3,193 students currently enrolled in Brazilian computing programs. Results : The results show that students value salary/job-related factors as the most important factors to potentially remain in a computing program. The excess of theoretical courses and the difficulty of programming and mathematics courses are the top-ranked factors by students to potentially abandon a computing degree. However, while there is little effect of gender, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status in retention factors, potential drop out factors such as a the fact that it is a male-dominated field, harassment, and the difficulty of courses were rated as more important by women. Also, costs and the difficulty of courses are relevant factors for the intent to drop out when analyzing students’ race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Discussion : We explore the implications of our findings for Computing programs, particularly (but not restricted to) the Brazilian context. We conjecture reasons for such students’ perspectives regarding intent to drop out and retention factors and provide recommendations of actions for instructional designers, curriculum developers, and other key stakeholders to address issues related to gender, students’ wellness, perceived authenticity of courses, and other relevant factors. Since we only observed small interactions between race/ethnicity and retention and intent to drop out factors, which may indicate a lack of sensitivity from the instrument, we present suggestions to address such limitations in future work.

Latin American Scientific Production on Transsexuality in Scopus, 2010-2022

The term transsexuality continues to be hotly debated in the literature and for many has become a scientific void. We sought to analyze the scientific production on transsexuality in Scopus, 2010-2022. Under a retrospective descriptive design, 624 articles were studied. It was found that 85.58% were research articles. Brazil has more research on the subject (41.83%); institutions in Brazil, Peru and Argentina have the highest production, and AIDS and Behavior and Plos One are the journals with the largest publications. The authors belong to Brazilian and Peruvian institutions. Research on transsexuality is minimal, so further research is needed.&#x0D; &#x0D; Received: 10 April 2023 / Accepted: 22 August 2023 / Published: 5 September 2023

Resistindo ao Racismo: Narrativas de Vida e Carreira de Universitários Negros

Abstract The present study aimed to identify how racism appears in the lives and careers of Black undergraduate students in a Brazilian Public Higher Education Institution. For this purpose, this study conducted 27 narrative interviews with self-declared black undergraduates, which were analyzed using the technique of thematic Biography and Narrative Analysis. The results indicated that despite the existence of distinctions between the undergraduates’ trajectories, usually caused by socioeconomic differences, racism similarly impacts their lives and careers, presenting itself in three frequent themes, named by the researchers as: “Experiences with Racism”, “Awareness of Racism”, and “Management of Racism”. It was found that, although there are distinctions between experiences, motivated especially by socioeconomic origin and available opportunities, all participants manage the effects of racism, individually and collectively, leading them to changes in career prospects, to enable the construction of viable professional trajectories to achieve their ambitions.