Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha e o projeto MAT�� : no trilho de uma hist��ria extraordin��ria

A ideia de que as Matem��ticas de Portugal (e de Espanha) atravessaram, depois de um per��odo ��ureo nos Descobrimentos, um longo deserto onde n��o foi poss��vel florescerem Mestres, nem escolas, nem cultura cient��fica, nem investiga����o de relevo foi, durante muito tempo, reiteradamente veiculada, inclusiv�� atrav��s de alguns dos nossos mais referenciados historiadores da Matem��tica, como �� o caso de Gomes Teixeira ou de Rey Pastor. Mas a verdade �� que o estudo da Hist��ria das Matem��ticas em Portugal tem, na ��ltima d��cada, vivido um interesse crescente onde sobressaem, em particular, uma leitura menos enviesada sobre, por exemplo, o papel educativo dos Jesu��tas ou a publica����o das obras completas de Pedro Nunes. Est��-se assim a contribuir para uma compreens��o mais completa da Hist��ria geral de Portugal, de que a Hist��ria da Ci��ncia e da Cultura faz parte. Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha (1744-1787) foi figura de proa no s��culo XVIII portugu��s. Sab��amo-lo matem��tico que, sem nunca ter sa��do de Portugal, havia sido capaz de antecipar, em mais de 50 anos, os esfor��os de matem��ticos franceses e alem��es para fundar a Matem��tica com rigor. Sab��amo-lo tamb��m autor de uma vasta e diversificada obra de ineg��vel import��ncia matem��tica mas, igualmente, autor de textos po��ticos. Agora, com o projecto que denomin��mos de MAT2, centramo-nos em Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha e pretendemos, se poss��vel, ir ainda mais al��m. Partimos de uma descoberta, ��rdua mas com final feliz, em um Arquivo de fam��lia: o da Casa de Mateus. Sentimo-nos, com esta ���sorte���, privilegiados e gratos por nos ter sido gentilmente concedido o acesso a um vasto conjunto de documentos ��nicos (di��rios de viagens, notas de aulas e correspond��ncia) que incluem mem��rias aut��grafas e in��ditas de Anast��cio da Cunha. Organiz��mo-nos, cientes do trabalho ��rduo que temos pela frente, multi e interdisciplinarmente englobando a Matem��tica (nas suas m��ltiplas especializa����es) e a Hist��ria (incluindo a da Matem��tica) mas tamb��m contando com a F��sica, a Inform��tica, os estudos militares ou a Arquiv��stica e as Humanidades; reunimos acad��micos, mais e menos veteranos, com investigadores jovens e junt��mos val��ncias nacionais e estrangeiras. No presente artigo daremos conta do percurso trilhado, at�� agora, pelo projecto MAT2.

Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha e a cria����o da Casa Pia de Lisboa

As modernas ideias cient��ficas e tecnol��gicas da Europa mais desenvolvida transpoem fronteiras e institucionalizam-se em Portugal com a denominada Reforma Pombalina da Universidade de Coimbra (1770-72), no reinado de D. Jos��. Mais: n��o s�� chega a Portugal o pensamento moderno da ��poca como, antecipando a reforma do ensino universit��rio no resto da Europa, o ensino universit��rio portugu��s faz uma aposta clara nas ci��ncias matem��ticas, f��sicas e naturais, bem como num ensino experimental/laboratorial. Anos mais tarde, no reinado de D. Maria, surgem outros projectos educativos e cient��ficos igualmente modernos tais como o da cria����o de uma Academia Real da Marinha (1779) ou o de uma Academia Real das Ci��ncias (1779) e idealiza-se um projeto, porventura, ainda mais revolucion��rio: o da cria����o de uma institui����o de ensino ��� tamb��m de ci��ncias ditas superiores ��� destinada, na sua g��nese, a orf��os e desvalidos �� qual se chamou Casa Pia de Lisboa (1780), e que alguns autores reportam como sendo uma ���universidade plebeia���. Com base em documenta����o aut��grafa, ainda in��dita, recentemente descoberta nos Fundos Setecentistas do Arquivo da Casa de Mateus, exploraremos o papel fundamental que Jos�� Anast��cio da Cunha (1744-1787) ��� militar, matem��tico e poeta ��� desempenhou na concep����o do Plano de Estudos para a institui����o; em particular para o col��gio de S. Lucas, consagrado ��s classes cient��ficas.

O Display da morte na fic����o de Jos�� Saramago

Tese de Doutoramento em Ci��ncias da Literatura (��rea de especializa����o em Literatura Portuguesa).

Short-term corneal changes with gas-permeable contact lens wear in keratoconus subjects: a comparison of two fitting approaches

Purpose: To evaluate changes in anterior corneal topography and higher-order aberrations (HOA) after 14-days of rigid gas-permeable (RGP) contact lens (CL) wear in keratoconus subjects comparing two different fitting approaches. Methods: Thirty-one keratoconus subjects (50 eyes) without previous history of CL wear were recruited for the study. Subjects were randomly fitted to either an apical-touch or three-pointtouch fitting approach. The lens��� back optic zone radius (BOZR) was 0.4 mm and 0.1 mm flatter than the first definite apical clearance lens, respectively. Differences between the baseline and post-CL wear for steepest, flattest and average corneal power (ACP) readings, central corneal astigmatism (CCA), maximum tangential curvature (KTag), anterior corneal surface asphericity, anterior corneal surface HOA and thinnest corneal thickness measured with Pentacam were compared. Results: A statistically significant flattening was found over time on the flattest and steepest simulated keratometry and ACP in apical-touch group (all p < 0.01). A statistically significant reduction in KTag was found in both groups after contact lens wear (all p < 0.05). Significant reduction was found over time in CCA (p = 0.001) and anterior corneal asphericity in both groups (p < 0.001). Thickness at the thinnest corneal point increased significantly after CL wear (p < 0.0001). Coma-like and total HOA root mean square (RMS) error were significantly reduced following CL wearing in both fitting approaches (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: Short-term rigid gas-permeable CL wear flattens the anterior cornea, increases the thinnest corneal thickness and reduces anterior surface HOA in keratoconus subjects. Apicaltouch was associated with greater corneal flattening in comparison to three-point-touch lens wear.

Exploring the properties of genetically engineered silk-elastin-like protein films

Free standing films of a genetically engineered silk-elastin-like protein (SELP) were prepared using water and formic acid as solvents. Exposure to methanol-saturated air promoted the formation of aggregated ��-strands rendering aqueous insolubility and improved the mechanical properties leading to a 10-fold increase in strain-to-failure. The films were optically clear with resistivity values similar to natural rubber and thermally stable up to 180�����C. Addition of glycerol showed to enhance the flexibility of SELP/glycerol films by interacting with SELP molecules through hydrogen bonding, interpenetrating between the polymer chains and granting more conformational freedom. This detailed characterization provides cues for future and unique applications using SELP based biopolymers.

Development of elastin-like recombinamer films with antimicrobial activity

In the present work we explored the ABP-CM4 peptide properties from Bombyx mori for the creation of biopolymers with broad antimicrobial activity. An antimicrobial recombinant protein-based polymer (rPBP) was designed by cloning the DNA sequence coding for ABP-CM4 in frame with the N-terminus of the elastin-like recombinamer consisting of 200 repetitions of the pentamer VPAVG, here named A200. The new rPBP, named CM4-A200, was purified via a simplified nonchromatographic method, making use of the thermoresponsive behavior of the A200 polymer. ABP-CM4 peptide was also purified through the incorporation of a formic acid cleavage site between the peptide and the A200 sequence. In soluble state the antimicrobial activity of both CM4-A200 polymer and ABP-CM4 peptide was poorly effective. However, when the CM4-A200 polymer was processed into free-standing films high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi was observed. The antimicrobial activity of CM4-A200 was dependent on the physical contact of cells with the film surface. Furthermore, CM4-A200 films did not reveal a cytotoxic effect against both normal human skin fibroblasts and human keratinocytes. Finally, we have developed an optimized ex vivo assay with pig skin demonstrating the antimicrobial properties of the CM4-A200 cast films for skin applications.

A systematic study of the structural and magnetic properties of Mn-, Co-, and Ni-Doped Colloidal Fe3O4 nanoparticles

A series of colloidal MxFe3-xO4 (M = Mn, Co, Ni; x = 0���1) nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 6.8 to 11.6 nm was synthesized by hydrothermal reaction in aqueous medium at low temperature (200 ��C). Energy-dispersive X-ray microa-nalysis and inductively coupled plasma spectrometry confirms that the actual elemental compositions agree well with the nominal ones. The structural properties of obtained nanoparticles were investigated by using powder X-ray diffraction, Raman scattering, M��ssbauer spectroscopy, and electron microscopy. The results demonstrate that our synthesis technique leads to the formation of chemically uniform single-phase solid solution nanoparticles with cubic spinel structure, confirming the intrinsic doping. Magnetic studies showed that, in comparison to Fe3O4, the saturation magnetization of MxFe3-xO4 (M = Mn, Ni) decreases with increasing dopant concentration, while Co-doped samples showed similar saturation magnetizations. On other hand, whereas Mn- and Ni-doped nanoparticles exhibits superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature, ferromagnetism emerges for CoxFe3-xO4 nanoparticles, which can be tuned by the level of Co doping.

Layer-by-layer technique to developing functional nanolaminate films with antifungal activity

The layer-by-layer (LbL) deposition method was used to build up alternating layers (five) of different polyelectrolyte solutions (alginate, zein-carvacrol nanocapsules, chitosan and chitosan-carvacrol emulsions) on an aminolysed/charged polyethylene terephthalate (A/C PET) film. These nanolaminated films were characterised by contact angle measurements and through the determination of water vapour (WVTR) and oxygen (O2TR) transmission rates. The effect of active nanolaminated films against the Alternaria sp. and Rhizopus stolonifer was also evaluated. This procedure allowed developing optically transparent nanolaminated films with tuneable water vapour and gas properties and antifungal activity. The water and oxygen transmission rate values for the multilayer films were lower than those previously reported for the neat alginate or chitosan films. The presence of carvacrol and zein nanocapsules significantly decreased the water transmission rate (up to 40 %) of the nanolaminated films. However, the O2TR behaved differently and was only improved (up to 45 %) when carvacrol was encapsulated, i.e. nanolaminated films prepared by alternating alginate with nanocapsules of zein-carvacrol layers showed better oxygen barrier properties than those prepared as an emulsion of chitosan and carvacrol. These films containing zein-carvacrol nanocapsules also showed the highest antifungal activity (30 %), which did not significantly differ from those obtained with the highest amount of carvacrol, probably due to the controlled release of the active agent (carvacrol) from the zein-carvacrol nanocapsules. Thus, this work shows that nanolaminated films prepared with alternating layers of alginate and zein-carvacrol nanocapsules can be considered to improve the shelf-life of foodstuffs.

Recordando o Prof. Doutor Jos�� de Azevedo Ferreira 20 anos ap��s a sua morte

Artigo de jornal (2015): ��Recordando o Prof. Doutor Jos�� de Azevedo Ferreira 20 anos ap��s a sua morte��, in Di��rio do Minho, Caderno Cultura, pp. IV-VI, 10 de junho de 2015.

A sem��ntica cognitiva e suas conex��es com as ci��ncias da linguagem e com aspectos socioculturais - Entrevista com Jos�� de Sousa Teixeira (Universidade do Minho)

N��mero tem��tico: A sem��ntica cognitiva em foco