Silent citizens: on silence and silencing in journalism

Constructivist approaches to journalism, which have dominated the field for most of the second half of the 20th century, underline how selection and ranking processes produce representations and interpretations of social reality. Theoretical perspectives such as agenda-setting or framing have been pointing to the ways production of news messages are shaped and issues are defined. Research inspired by these contributions does however seem to keep in an area of relative shade not so much what is said and published but what is not selected: the unsaid, the withheld, the untold of journalism. The reality that remains in silence, for not being noticed or for being silenced, is the reverse of the coin of what is made visible. In this paper, it is suggested that this situation opens up the debate to a relatively unknown continent, which could contribute to the larger discussion on the current crisis in journalism. It is our contention that ‘the untold’ might be at the confluence of different levels: the journalistic agenda-setting by news sources; the deterioration of working conditions of journalists, compromising the investigation; and the social capital asymmetries from important segments of the population, hampering the public word (speech?) and the right to communicate. In order to build a comprehensive picture of the potentialities and contradictions of journalism from the unsaid side, we would put forward the outline of a typology of journalism's silences, with particular emphasis on some aspects of "discursive discrimination" (Boréus, 2006), on the one hand, and on citizen silence in the process of journalistic production, on the other hand.

O noticiário de desporto na Antena 1: visibilidade dos três principais clubes de futebol nacional

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

Establishing guidelines for obtaining optimal cell sources to use in tendon tissue engineering strategies

Cell-based approaches in tissue engineering (TE) have been barely explored for the treatment of tendon and ligament (T/L) tissues, requiring the establishment of a widely available cell source with tenogenic potential. As T/L cells are scarce, stem cells may provide a good alternative. Understanding how resident cells behave in vitro, might be useful for recapitulating the tenogenic potential of stem cells for tendon TE applications. Therefore, we propose to isolate and characterize human T/L-derived cells (hTDCs and hLDCs) and compare their regenerative potential with stem cells from adipose tissue (hASCs) and amniotic fluid (hAFSCs)(1). T/L cells were isolated using different procedures and stem cells isolated as described elsewhere(1). Moreover, T/L cells were stimu- lated into the three mesenchymal lineages, using standard differentia- tion media. Cells were characterized for the typical stem cell markers as well as T/L related markers, namely tenascin-C, collagen I and III, decorin and scleraxis, using different complementary techniques such as real time RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. No differences were observed between T/L in gene expression and protein deposition. T/L cells were mostly positive for stem ness markers (CD73/CD90/CD105), and have the potential to differentiate towards osteogenesis, chondrogenesis and adipogenesis, demonstrated by the positive staining for AlizarinRed, SafraninO, ToluidineBlue and OilRed. hASCs and hAFSCs exhibit positive expression of all tenogenic mark- ers, although at lower levels than hTDCs and hLDCs. Nevertheless, stem cells availability is key factor in TE strategies, despite that it’s still required optimization to direct their tenogenic phenotype.

Multifunctional converter to interface renewable energy sources and electric vehicles with the power grid in smart grids context

This paper proposes a multifunctional converter to interface renewable energy sources (e.g., solar photovoltaic panels) and electric vehicles (EVs) with the power grid in smart grids context. This multifunctional converter allows deliver energy from the solar photovoltaic panels to an EV or to the power grid, and exchange energy in bidirectional mode between the EV and the power grid. Using this multifunctional converter are not required multiple conversion stages, as occurs with the traditional solutions, where are necessary two power converters to integrate the solar photovoltaic system in the power grid and also two power converters to integrate an off-board EV battery charger in the power grid (dc-dc and dc-ac power converters in both cases). Taking into account that the energy provided (or delivered) from the power grid in each moment is function of the EV operation mode and also of the energy produced from the solar photovoltaic system, it is possible to define operation strategies and control algorithms in order to increase the energy efficiency of the global system and to improve the power quality of the electrical system. The proposed multifunctional converter allows the operation in four distinct cases: (a) Transfer of energy from the solar photovoltaic system to the power grid; (b) Transfer of energy from the solar photovoltaic system and from the EV to the power grid; (c) Transfer of energy from the solar photovoltaic system to the EV or to the power grid; (d) Transfer of energy between the EV and the power grid. Along the paper are described the system architecture and the control algorithms, and are also presented some computational simulation results for the four aforementioned cases. It is also presented a comparative analysis between the traditional and the proposed solution in terms of operation efficiency and estimated cost of implementation.

A proactive intelligent decision support system for predicting the popularity of online news

"Lecture notes in computer science series, ISSN 0302-9743, vol. 9273"

'Como seiva viva em tronco forte'. A agência noticiosa Lusitânia e o projeto imperial do Estado Novo

O presente estudo pretende descrever as condições políticas e sociais em que foi criada e se desenvolveu a Lusitânia, uma agência noticiosa portuguesa, destinada a contribuir para o fortalecimento do Império português através da difusão do noticiário colonial na metrópole e deste nas colónias. Apesar da escassez de estudos existentes e de não ser conhecido o paradeiro dos arquivos da agência, é possível ainda, através de fontes indiretas, avaliar da importância e do papel ideológico desta agência na construção de um Portugal uno do Minho a Timor, como pretendiam o regime e o fundador da agência, Luís Lupi.

O erro médico na imprensa portuguesa: quando os pacientes fazem parte da notícia

Esta investigação aborda a qualidade da produção noticiosa sobre o erro médico, como um fator essencial na construção do conhecimento público sobre o tema, com o objetivo de compreender que características definem tal produção e até que ponto poderão ser explicadas pela periodicidade e orientação editorial dos jornais; que conceito de erro médico é veiculado pela produção noticiosa sobre o tema; e quais são os protagonistas no discurso jornalístico sobre o erro médico. Foram analisadas as edições de três jornais portugueses, de 2008 a 2011, resultando num corpus de 266 (4,2%) artigos, que foram classificados de acordo com as seguintes variáveis: as fontes de informação citadas (o seu estatuto e especialidade, no caso dos médicos); os temas que são tratados; as características de enquadramento da informação publicada (tom, género jornalístico; e a presença e número de fontes de informação). Pela análise de conteúdo quantitativa, apurou-se que esse tema está em crescimento, essencialmente com notícias de tom negativo e fontes de informação habitualmente identificadas. Não há evidência para afirmar que a periodicidade e a orientação editorial expliquem as variações dessas características, a não ser relativamente ao número de fontes citadas. Vigoram as notícias centradas nos resultados dos erros (mortes ou lesões), provocados por "erros de omissão" e por "erros de comissão", envolvendo uma diversidade de protagonistas: são, tal como acontece na informação sobre saúde em geral, fontes oficiais e especializadas do campo da saúde. Destacam-se os médicos e os juristas e é dado relevo aos pacientes.

A relação entre jornalistas e leitores no online: análise do feedback do público durante a experiência de estágio no P3

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

O livro na revista: como revistas semanais brasileiras e portuguesas abordam livros e literatura

Dissertação de mestrado em Comunicação, Arte e Cultura

Extraction and characterization of polysaccharides from non-traditional Brazilian Amazon sources

[Excerpt] Cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum), tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum), peach palm (Bactris gasipaes) and abricó (American Mammea L.) are exotic fruits found in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. All of them are well known by the native populations, and for centuries the pulps have been used in the production of juices, deserts, jams, syrups, and alcoholic beverages, among others. Additionally, the fruit seeds have been used as animal feed, fertilizers or to plant new seedlings, but a great part of these seeds are usually discarded. (...)

As mulheres com VIH-SIDA no discurso jornalístico: um estudo feminista sobre a activação ideológica dos estereótipos

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

Os mass media como agentes educadores para a saúde

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

SIC Notícias: o lugar da política: estudo da programação semanal da SIC Notícias no período das 21 às 24 horas

Dissertação de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

Comunicar a Direito

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Informação e Jornalismo)

Aromatic amines sources, environmental impact and remediation

Aromatic amines are widely used industrial chemicals as their major sources in the environment include several chemical industry sectors such as oil refining, synthetic polymers, dyes, adhesives, rubbers, perfume, pharmaceuticals, pesticides and explosives. They result also from diesel exhaust, combustion of wood chips and rubber and tobacco smoke. Some types of aromatic amines are generated during cooking, special grilled meat and fish, as well. The intensive use and production of these compounds explains its occurrence in the environment such as in air, water and soil, thereby creating a potential for human exposure. Since aromatic amines are potential carcinogenic and toxic agents, they constitute an important class of environmental pollutants of enormous concern, which efficient removal is a crucial task for researchers, so several methods have been investigated and applied. In this chapter the types and general properties of aromatic amine compounds are reviewed. As aromatic amines are continuously entering the environment from various sources and have been designated as high priority pollutants, their presence in the environment must be monitored at concentration levels lower than 30 mg L1, compatible with the limits allowed by the regulations. Consequently, most relevant analytical methods to detect the aromatic amines composition in environmental matrices, and for monitoring their degradation, are essential and will be presented. Those include Spectroscopy, namely UV/visible and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR); Chromatography, in particular Thin Layer (TLC), High Performance Liquid (HPLC) and Gas chromatography (GC); Capillary electrophoresis (CE); Mass spectrometry (MS) and combination of different methods including GC-MS, HPLC-MS and CE-MS. Choosing the best methods depend on their availability, costs, detection limit and sample concentration, which sometimes need to be concentrate or pretreated. However, combined methods may give more complete results based on the complementary information. The environmental impact, toxicity and carcinogenicity of many aromatic amines have been reported and are emphasized in this chapter too. Lately, the conventional aromatic amines degradation and the alternative biodegradation processes are highlighted. Parameters affecting biodegradation, role of different electron acceptors in aerobic and anaerobic biodegradation and kinetics are discussed. Conventional processes including extraction, adsorption onto activated carbon, chemical oxidation, advanced oxidation, electrochemical techniques and irradiation suffer from drawbacks including high costs, formation of hazardous by-products and low efficiency. Biological processes, taking advantage of the naturally processes occurring in environment, have been developed and tested, proved as an economic, energy efficient and environmentally feasible alternative. Aerobic biodegradation is one of the most promising techniques for aromatic amines remediation, but has the drawback of aromatic amines autooxidation once they are exposed to oxygen, instead of their degradation. Higher costs, especially due to power consumption for aeration, can also limit its application. Anaerobic degradation technology is the novel path for treatment of a wide variety of aromatic amines, including industrial wastewater, and will be discussed. However, some are difficult to degrade under anaerobic conditions and, thus, other electron acceptors such as nitrate, iron, sulphate, manganese and carbonate have, alternatively, been tested.