Tube-jack and sonic testing for the evaluation of the state of stress in historical masonry

In the investigation and diagnosis of damages to historical masonry structures, the state of stress of the masonry is an important characteristic that must be determined with as much accuracy as possible. Flat-jack testing is a traditional method used to determine the state of stress in historical masonry structures. However, when irregular masonry is tested the method can cause damage to the masonry units and the accuracy of the method is reduced. An enhanced technique, called tube-jack testing, is being developed at the University of Minho to reduce the damage caused during testing and improve the accuracy when used on irregular masonry. This method uses multiple cylindrical jacks inserted in a line of holes drilled in the mortar joints of the masonry, avoiding damage to the masonry units. Concurrently with the development of tube-jack testing, the effect of stress state on sonic testing is being studied. Sonic testing is often used to determine locations of voids and damage in masonry. The focus of these studies was to determine if the state of stress is influencing the sonic test results. In this paper the results of tube-jack testing and sonic testing on masonry walls, built for the purpose of this study in the laboratory, loaded in compression is presented. The tube-jack testing is used to estimate the state of stress in the masonry and the sonic test results are evaluated based on the effect of the applied load on the wall. Future testing and study are suggested for continued development of these test methods.

Segurança contra incêndios na reabilitação sustentável de edifícios antigos

Dissertação de mestrado em Construção e Reabilitação Sustentáveis

Acordo Ortográfico da Língua Portuguesa e o significado da lusofonia: análise comparativa

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Sociologia da Comunicação e da Informação).

Ashbya gossypii beyond industrial riboflavin production: a historical perspective and emerging biotechnological applications

The filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii has been safely and successfully used for more than two decades in the commercial production of riboflavin (vitamin B2). Its industrial relevance combined with its high genetic similarity with Saccharomyces cerevisiae together promoted the accumulation of fundamental knowledge that has been efficiently converted into a significant molecular and in silico toolbox for its genetic engineering. This synergy has enabled a directed and sustained exploitation of A. gossypii as an industrial riboflavin producer. Although there is still room for optimizing riboflavin production, the recent years have seen an abundant advance in the exploration of A. gossypii for other biotechnological applications, such as the production of recombinant proteins, single cell oil and flavour compounds. Here, we will address the biotechnological potential of A. gossypii beyond riboflavin production by presenting (a) a physiological and metabolic perspective over this fungus; (b) the molecular toolbox available for its manipulation; and (c) commercial and emerging biotechnological applications for this industrially important fungus, together with the approaches adopted for its engineering.

Emotional aspects of childhood career development: importance and future agenda

Childhood is a central period for career and social-emotional development. However, the literature covering childhood career development and the role of emotions in careers is scarce. In this article, we advocate for the consideration of emotions in childhood career development. Emotional aspects of children’s career exploration, key-figures and interests, as well as of childhood antecedents of lifelong career processes are presented. Relations between childhood emotion, behavior, functioning and learning are also presented. Conclusions center on a call for focused study of the role of emotion in childhood career development and how such an agenda will advance the literature.

Seismic retrofit of masonry-to-timber connections in historical constructions

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Civil.

A cooperação transfronteiriça como oportunidade de desenvolvimento das regiões de fronteira. Da Raia Ibérica à euroregião Galiza-Norte de Portugal

Tese de Doutoramento em Geografia Humana.

Historical analysis of the Brazilian cervical cancer screening program from 2006 to 2013: a time for reflection

BACKGROUND: The Cervical Cancer Database of the Brazilian National Health Service (SISCOLO) contains information regarding all cervical cytological tests and, if properly explored, can be used as a tool for monitoring and managing the cervical cancer screening program. The aim of this study was to perform a historical analysis of the cervical cancer screening program in Brazil from 2006 to 2013. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The data necessary to calculate quality indicators were obtained from the SISCOLO, a Brazilian health system tool. Joinpoint analysis was used to calculate the annual percentage change. RESULTS: We observed important trends showing decreased rates of low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL) and an increased rate of rejected exams from 2009 to 2013. The index of positivity was maintained at levels below those indicated by international standards; very low frequencies of unsatisfactory cases were observed over the study period, which partially contradicts the low rate of positive cases. The number of positive cytological diagnoses was below that expected, considering that developed countries with low frequencies of cervical cancer detect more lesions annually. CONCLUSIONS: The evolution of indicators from 2006 to 2013 suggests that actions must be taken to improve the effectiveness of cervical cancer control in Brazil.

Recommendations on quality control and quality assurance in cervical cytology

Objective: We aimed to critically evaluate the importance of quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA) strategies in the routine work of uterine cervix cytology. Study Design: We revised all the main principles of QC and QA that are already being implemented worldwide and then discussed the positive aspects and limitations of these as well as proposing alternatives when pertinent. Results: A literature review was introduced after highlighting the main historical revisions, and then a critical evaluation of the principal innovations in screening programmes was conducted, with recommendations being postulated. Conclusions: Based on the analysed data, QC and QA are two essential arms that support the quality of a screening programme.

Logificação da Psicologia o itinerário intelectual de Edmundo Curvelo sobre a Mente, a Lógica e a Filosofia

Tese de Doutoramento em Filosofia - Especialidade de Filosofia da Mente

Discurso mediático e sociedade: repensar a Análise Crítica do Discurso

A análise do discurso jornalístico e do seu enraizamento social tem conhecido avanços significativos nas últimas duas décadas, especialmente devido ao surgimento e desenvolvimento da Análise Crítica do Discurso. No entanto, há três aspectos importantes que merecem mais investigação: o plano temporal na análise do discurso, as estratégias discursivas dos atores sociais, e os efeitos extra e supra-textual do discurso mediatizado. Em primeiro lugar, a compreensão da biografia dos assuntos públicos exige uma análise longitudinal dos textos mediatizados e dos seus contextos sociais, mas a maioria das formas de análise do discurso jornalístico não tem em conta a sequência temporal dos textos e as suas implicações. Em segundo lugar, como a representação mediática das questões sociais é, em grande medida, função da construção discursiva de eventos, problemas e posições por diferentes atores sociais, as estratégias discursivas que eles empregam numa variedade de arenas e canais ‘antes’ e ‘depois’ dos textos jornalísticos precisam de ser examinados. Em terceiro lugar, o facto de que muitos dos modos de operação do discurso são extra- ou supra-textuais requer que se tenha em consideração vários processos sociais ‘fora’ do texto. Este trabalho tem como objetivo produzir um contributo teórico e metodológico para a integração destas questões em análise do discurso, propondo um quadro analítico que combina uma dimensão textual com uma contextual.

Media(ted) discourse and society: rethinking the framework of critical discourse analysis

The analysis of journalistic discourse and its social embeddedness has known significant advances in the last two decades, especially due to the emergence and development of Critical Discourse Analysis. However, three important aspects remain under-researched: the time plane in discourse analysis, the discursive strategies of social actors, and the extra- and supra-textual effects of mediated discourse. Firstly, understanding the biography of public matters requires a longitudinal examination of mediated texts and their social contexts but most forms of analysis of journalistic discourse do not account for the time sequence of texts and its implications. Secondly, as the media representation of social issues is, to a large extent, a function of the discursive construction of events, problems and positions by social actors, the discursive strategies that they employ in a variety of arenas and channels ‘‘before’’ and ‘‘after’’ journalistic texts need to be examined. Thirdly, the fact that many of the modes of operation of discourse are extra- or supra-textual calls for a consideration of various social processes ‘‘outside’’ the text. This paper aims to produce a theoretical and methodological contribution to the integration of these issues in discourse analysis by proposing a framework that combines a textual dimension with a contextual one

Descentralização e flexibilidade organizacional: implicações para a gestão de recursos humanos

Dissertação de mestrado em Estudos de Gestão

Georeferencing historical documents: the case of the Dume Boundary

Much of the information of historical documents about the territory and property are defined on textual form. This information is mostly geographic and defines territorial areas, its limits and boundaries. For the treatment of this data, we have defined one information system where the treatment of the documental references for the study of the settlement and landscape implies a systematization of the information, normalization, integration and graphic and cartographic representation. This methodology was applied to the case study of the boundary of the monastery-diocese of Dume, in Braga - Portugal, for which there are countless documents and references to this site, but where the urban pressure has mischaracterized very significantly the landscape, making the identification of territorial limits quite difficult. The work carried out to give spatial and cartographic expression to the data, by defining viewing criteria according to the recorded information, proved to be a central working tool in the boundary study and in understanding the dynamics of the sites in the various cultural periods.