RESUMO

O rápido desenvolvimento das nanotecnociências e a crença de que representam ameaças à sobrevivência no planeta têm levado grupos da sociedade civil organizada a pedir moratória para as pesquisas nanotecnocientíficas, baseando-se no princípio de precaução. Constata-se que esse princípio suscita debates em torno do conceito, da sua forma de aplicação e de suas implicações bioéticas. Alguns termos como “risco”, “perigo”, “dano”, “incerteza”, “ignorância”, “prevenção” e “precaução” são tomados como sinônimos, o que pode levar a decisões políticas por vezes “exageradas”. Aplicado quase sempre como medida de tutela do meio ambiente, o princípio de precaução tem se tornado importante instrumento regulatório das tecnociências, por se acreditar que, junto com os potenciais benefícios, trazem ameaças à vida e ao planeta. As tecnociências não são entes autônomos, mas, sim, pensados, criados e manejados pelo ser humano. Portanto, não há que atribuir um risco inerente a todo e qualquer produto tecnocientífico.

The rapid development of the nano-techno-sciences and the belief that they represent threats to the survival of the planet have led groups of organized civil society to request moratoria on nano-techno-scientific research, based on the principle of precaution. This article takes off from the finding that this principle provokes debates around its concept, its form of application and its bioethical implications. Here terms such as risk/danger, uncertainty/ignorance, and prevention/precaution are confounded as synonyms - which can lead to policy decisions that are at times "exaggerated." Applied almost always as a measure of stewardship of the environment, the principle has become an important regulatory principle of the techno-sciences, because it is believed that together with the potential benefits, they bring threats to life on the planet. The techno-sciences are not autonomous, but rather entities conceived, created and managed by human beings. Thus there is no way to attribute an inherent risk to any and all techno-scientific products.

El rápido desarrollo de las nanotecnociencias y la creencia de que representan amenazas a la supervivencia en el planeta, ha llevado a grupos de la sociedad civil organizada a pedir una moratoria para las investigaciones nanotecnocientíficas, en base al principio de precaución. El artículo parte de la constatación de que este principio suscita debates en torno a su conocimiento, su forma de aplicación y sus implicaciones bioéticas. Algunos términos como riesgo/peligro/daño, incertidumbre/ignorancia, prevención/precaución son confundidos como sinónimos, lo que puede conducir a decisiones políticas, a veces, “exageradas”. Aplicado casi siempre como medida de tutela del medio ambiente, el principio se ha tornado un importante instrumento regulatorio de las tecnociencias por creerse que, junto con los potenciales beneficios, traen amenazas a la vida y al planeta. Las tecnociencias no son entes autónomos, sino que son pensadas, creadas y manejadas por el ser humano. Por lo tanto, no hay que atribuir un riesgo inherente a todo y cualquier producto tecnocientífico.

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RESUMO

A RT-PCR assay was developed for early and accurate detection of Papaya meleira virus (PMeV) in the latex from infected papayas. The meleira disease is characterized by an excessive exudation of more fluidic latex from fruits, leaves and stems. This latex oxidises and gives the fruit a "sticky" texture. In the field, disease symptoms are seen almost exclusively on fruit. However, infected plants can be a source of virus for dissemination by insects. Primers specific for PMeV were designed based on nucleotide sequences of the viral dsRNA obtained using a RT-RAPD approach. When tested for RT-PCR amplification, one of these primers (C05-3') amplified a 669-nucleotide fragment using dsRNA obtained from purified virus particles as a template. The translated sequence of this DNA fragment showed a certain degree of similarity to the amino acid sequence of RNA-dependent RNA polymerases from other dsRNA viruses. When used as the single primer in two RT-PCR kits available commercially, primer C05-3' also amplified the DNA fragment from papaya latex of infected, but not from healthy plants. The RT-PCR-based method developed in this study could simplify early plant disease diagnosis, assist in monitoring the dissemination of the pathogen within and between fields, and assist in guiding plant disease management.

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