This study analysed news stories from the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo in three time periods during the first year of the pandemic in Brazil. Through content analysis, in the context of a theoretical framework that includes elements of public communication of science, community health and critical epidemiology, we sought to identify trends and changes in the topics reported and concluded that there is a change of focus with the evolution of the pandemic and limitations are observed to address scientific issues.

Aegiphila brachiata is a forest native Brazilian species, known as peloteiro, with high capacity for biomass production and resistance to disturbances, having potential use in degraded ecosystems. Seeing the scarcity of studies on the species, we aimed to determine the morphobiometric characteristics of fruits, seeds and seedlings; and evaluate its germination potential. We determined physical characteristics of fruits and seeds, morphological description of seeds, germination stages and seedling development. Germination was in a completely randomized design (factorial scheme), with three temperatures (20, 25, and 30°C) and two methods of overcoming dormancy (partial and total endocarp removal). Fruits are indehiscent, fleshy, with persistent calyx. The pyrene is constituted by endocarp and seeds. Germination is hypogeal, and seedling cryptocotyledonary. Results show that removing the endocarp with the unprecedented methodology used is a suitable method to overcome mechanical dormancy (with 25 and 30°C), showing potential of the method for applicability in several species.

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 pandemic and Brazil has been among the countries with the highest rates of infections and deaths. The aim of this study is to examine the relationship between socio-economic determinants and mortality caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus in Brazilian states, in order to understand these taking into account existing regional and socio-economic differences. Socio-economic determinants and mortality in the first year of the pandemic were used in a cluster analysis, a principal component analysis and a linear regression. There is a difference between the Brazilian states, especially between the south and north. Age, sanitation, income, education and the availability of respirators, as well as the division of the cluster itself, act as explanatory variables for mortality. The results indicate that epidemic diseases are the result of a set of socio-economic factors.

Cutting is an extremely used and diffused propagation technique, as it allows to propagate plants with low rates of germination and viability of the seeds, in addition to bringing homogeneity to planting. During the process of cutting, to be able to obtain the best results, there are several factors and variables to be chosen from. Therefore, the objective of this study was to review the state of the art on the propagation by cutting of shrub-tree species, comparing results obtained by different seasons of the year, type of cutting (herbaceous, semi-hardwood and hardwood), and the presence or absence of leaves. From the analyzed characteristics, a tendency in the results was investigated, seeking to simplify future studies in the cutting area by reducing the choices of variables to be made. The literature search was done using four groups of keywords in english on the data bases of SCIELO and CAPES portal. The groups of keywords used were “propagation and native species”, “propagation and number of leaves”, “propagation and season” and “propagation and types of cutting”. After the search and refinement of the articles, 64 were selected for this study. The literature review showed the prevalence of positive results using herbaceous cuttings with leaves during spring or summer, being these variables recommended for the propagation via cutting of shrub-tree species.

Aegiphila brachiata Vell. (Lamiaceae), known as peloteiro, is a shrub-tree species native to Mata Atlântica from the southern region of Brazil, with a potential use for reforestation of degraded areas, as food and as medicinal plant. However, there are few studies that elucidate its propagation, both sexual and asexual. In this study, we seek to elaborate a protocol for the vegetative propagation by cuttings of A. brachiata. For this, two experiments were installed herbaceous cuttings (Experiment I) and semi-hard cuttings (Experiment II). The material was collected from 20 adult trees in Bocaiuva do Sul (Paraná, Brazil). Both experiments were collected in two seasons spring (October/2019) and summer (January/2020). The cuttings were treated with different concentrations of indole butyric acid (IBA) (0 mg L-1 ; 3000 mg L-1 ; 6000 mg L-1 ; 9000 mg L-1 ; 12000 mg L-1) and maintained during 60 days in a green house. The variables analyzed were percentage of rooted cuttings, number and length of the three longer roots per cutting, percentage of cuttings alive, with callus, dead, with buds and maintenance of leaves. On Experiment I, the survival rate was 20 %. A significant difference was observed in the seasons for callus formation, that was higher during summer (17.7 % against 4,3 % during spring). The application of IBA, under the studied conditions, did not lead to any significant difference in the analyzed variables. Experiment II showed 100 % mortality. Therefore, it was not possible to determine a viable cutting protocol for Aegiphila brachiata due to the low rooting rate.

After months of waiting, the longed for vaccines against COVID-19 finally arrived for Christmas. A window of hope opened with the possibility of the end of the pandemic and the return to “normality”. However, we cannot be taken by this momentary happiness because COVID-19 and other pandemics will continue to pose an international public health issue and the longed for vaccines still need to prove their efficiency, as they came under the wings of emergency. The emergency measures in the development of vaccines imply speeding the process of clinical trials, and transforming successive phases into simultaneous ones, leaving unspoken the long terms effects that can arise, and are only visible after years of investigation during long-term clinical trials. Governmental agencies of each country, which are responsible for the approval of the vaccines, and even the World Health Organization, accept vaccines with 50% efficiency in clinical trials, which does not necessarily mean 50% efficiency when used in massive vaccination with no age restriction or impediment of those with previous conditions. Manny uncertainties arise about the vaccines developed, and unknowns are still to be knowns, answers that will only be available after years from massive vaccination.

The development of radars dates back to a few years before World War II, and its name derives from an acronym Radio Detection and Ranging. In this work, taking the case of radar technology in Argentina, we present some challenges to achieve technological autonomy in peripheral countries. In Argentina, the production of national radars occurred much later than in industrialized countries. Until the early 2000s, the radarization policies in Argentina were not effective, and many of the plans that started were discontinued. However, even late in the international context, Argentina stands out as pioneer on radar technology in the Latin American context. Examining the case of radars in Argentina, we can discuss some crucial issues in the area of science and technology, such as technology transfer, scientific dependence and dual technology. Given the dual characteristic of radars, geopolitical issues and historical moments constitute a central point in their development. From the analysis carried out, we can conclude the importance and prominent role of Argentina in the Latin American context with respect to radar technology. In a few years they passed from having a small portion of the national territory covered by radars to covering practically the entire national area, a change that occurred only after the beginning of national production of radars. The importance of technological autonomy in Argentina and the central role played by the INVAP Company are also highlighted. Finally, it is necessary to reflect on the need for continuous and systematic support from the state to allow for technological autonomy in cases such as the one analyzed in this paper. In high-tech areas, the achievements of peripheral countries are threatened by the accelerated dynamics of innovation led by central countries.

The objective is to evaluate the germination potential and cutting technique of Aegiphila brachiata (peloteiro), as well as the age influence of the mother plant and the indolebutyric acid and Azospirillum brasilense use on adventitious rooting influence. Thus, was performed the physical characterization of the seed lot and then the germination test, with and without seed scarification and with three gibberellin concentrations (0, 50 and 100 mg L-1 GA3) (Experiment I). For cutting, two experiments were carried out with cuttings coming from young (Experiment II) and adult (Experiment III) trees. For both experiments, the cuttings were submitted to treatments with indolebutyric acid (0, 1500, 3000 and 6000 mg L-1) and solution composed of Azospirillum brasilense (50% and 100%), kept in a greenhouse for 30 days. There was no germination of any seed, and was identified a barrier in the endocarp to the radicle emission. The cutting technique by cuttings from young trees is recommended for seedling production of the species (53.75% rooting), requiring application of 6000 mg L-1 IBA. The Azospirillum brasilense use was not efficient at the root induction. Cuttings from adult trees are not recommended for peloteiro (Aegiphila brachiata Vell.) seedling production due the low rooting rates (10%) and high mortality (68.33%).