ABSTRACT
Abstract In the present perspective, some parallels are drawn between a career as a scientist in Brazil and the ability of microorganisms to form a biofilm. Do these connections really exist? Definitely the answer is YES. Over billions of years, microbial biofilms have evolved in order to form a cohesive, well-structured, organized and dynamic community, which is characterized by its resistant/resilient profile to several environmental stressors. Adapting to constant change is a necessary attribute for survival and perpetuation of all live organisms, which are key signatures present in the hereditary molecule. Brazilian scientists are faced with many stressful situations along their journey in academia, which requires constant adaptability, reorganization and, above all, resilience. Can we take some lessons from what we know about the biofilm lifestyle developed by microorganisms? The answer is yes!
Resumo Na perspectiva atual, alguns paralelos são traçados entre a carreira de cientista no Brasil e a capacidade dos microrganismos de formarem biofilme. Essas conexões realmente existem? Definitivamente a resposta é SIM. Ao longo de bilhões de anos, os biofilmes microbianos evoluíram para formar uma comunidade coesa, bem estruturada, organizada e dinâmica, que se caracteriza por seu perfil de resistência/resiliência a diversos estressores ambientais. Adaptar-se a mudanças constantes é um atributo necessário para a sobrevivência e perpetuação de todos os organismos vivos, que são assinaturas-chave presentes na molécula de hereditariedade. Nesse sentido, os cientistas brasileiros se deparam com diversas situações estressantes ao longo de suas trajetórias na academia, exigindo constante adaptabilidade, reorganização e, acima de tudo, resiliência. Podemos tirar algumas lições do que sabemos sobre o estilo de vida do biofilme desenvolvido por microrganismos? A resposta é sim!
Subject(s)
Humans , Biofilms , Life Style , BrazilABSTRACT
Women have always played an important role in the development of toxicology all over the world. Specifically in Brazil, toxicology has had greater female representation than other countries, but women's participation at high hierarchical levels is low. Although more than 62% of the members of the Brazilian Society of Toxicology are women, only 7 out of the 22 presidents have been women throughout its 48 years of existence. This article aims to celebrate women in the field of toxicology in Brazil, based on interviews with five of these scientists who have changed the field of toxicology in Brazil as we know it today, each in their specific sub-areas. These women are: Dr. Ester de Camargo Fonseca Moraes, Dr. Silvia Berlanga de Moraes Barros, Dr. Alice Aparecida da Matta Chasin, Dr. Gisela de Aragão Umbuzeiro, and Dr. Tania Marcourakis. They are not only pioneers but they are also examples of admirable persistence in fighting the adversities presented to them. They broke the glass ceiling and opened doors for future generations of women in science. We hope that this article helps inspire women in their careers in toxicology.
Subject(s)
Humans , Female , Toxicology/trends , BrazilABSTRACT
O objetivo do artigo é traçar a história do campo da Alimentação e Nutrição em Saúde Coletiva (ANSC) no Brasil, procurando descrever os contextos que possibilitaram sua construção, consolidação e ressignificação; identificar os cientistas brasileiros que contribuíram com este processo e abordar os paradigmas que nortearam a atuação destes cientistas. Como critérios metodológicos de análise foram estabelecidos três cortes transversais, correspondentes a contextos da história deste campo: o primeiro referente ao período 1930 a 1963; o segundo entre 1964 a 1984 e o terceiro considera o período 1985 a 2010. Depreende-se que o campo da ANSC assumiu a atual configuração a partir de meados de 1970, no interior do chamado movimento sanitário brasileiro, cujo ideário principal foi a realização da reforma sanitária e a construção do Sistema Único de Saúde. Reafirma-se a importância do caráter multidisciplinar bem como a premissa do relevante papel do campo da ANSC na garantia do direito humano à alimentação saudável, um componente do conjunto de condições necessárias à promoção da saúde, prevenção de doenças, vigilância e recuperação da saúde e melhoria da qualidade de vida de todos os brasileiros.
This paper aims to trace the history of the scientific field of Food and Nutrition in Public Health in Brazil (FNPH), trying to describe the contexts that allowed the construction, consolidation and redefinition of the field, to identify the Brazilian scientists who contributed to this process and address the scientific concepts or paradigms that guided the actions of these scientists. As methodological criteria of analysis three cross sections corresponding to contexts of history in this field were established: the first one covers the period from 1930 to 1963, the second one between 1964 and 1984 and the third one considers the period from 1985 to 2010. We conclude that the field of FNPH assumed the current configuration from the mid-1970's, within the so-called Brazilian health movement, whose main ideas were the achievement of health reform and the construction of the Unified Health System. We reaffirm the importance of multidisciplinary character and the premise of the important role of the field of FNPH in ensuring the human right to healthy food, a component of the set of conditions necessary for health promotion, disease prevention, surveillance and health recovery and improvement of quality of life for all Brazilians.