Le cycle hydrosocial et la fluoration de l'eau : la production des eaux fluorées

La fluoration artificielle de l’eau est une méthode employée en tant que moyen de prévention de la carie dentaire. Il s’agit d’un traitement de l’eau dont le but est d’ajuster de façon « optimale » la concentration en fluorure dans l’eau potable pour la prévention de la carie dentaire, par l’ajout d’un composé fluoré. La fluoration de l’eau fait l’objet d’un débat de société depuis le début des années 1950. La théorie du cycle hydrosocial nous invite à réfléchir sur la manière dont l’eau et la société se définissent et se redéfinissent mutuellement dans le temps et dans l’espace. Cette théorie nous permet d’aborder l’étude du sujet de la fluoration avec une nouvelle perspective d’analyse. Il y a peu d’études en sciences sociales qui portent sur le sujet de la fluoration, généralement abordé d’un point de vue des sciences de la santé. Nous proposons de décrire le processus de production des eaux fluorées dans un contexte hydrosocial. Ce mémoire est structuré en quatre chapitres. Nous commençons par familiariser le lecteur avec la théorie du cycle hydrosocial. Ensuite, nous faisons une mise en contexte de la fluoration de l’eau, d’une part en présentant un état des lieux, et d’autre part en présentant ce en quoi consiste la pratique de la fluoration de l’eau. Après avoir familiarisé le lecteur avec les thèmes généraux concernant la fluoration de l’eau, nous proposons de reconstituer une histoire hydrosociale de la fluoration. Cette histoire nous permet de mettre en évidence les relations hydrosociales desquelles découle la production des eaux fluorées. L’histoire hydrosociale de la fluoration comporte une phase contemporaine que nous abordons en présentant les principales idées de l’opposition à la fluoration artificielle de l’eau à l’aide notamment d’une analyse iconographique d’images portant sur le thème de la fluoration. Finalement, nous discutons des implications de la théorie du cycle hydrosocial pour étudier la problématique de la fluoration.

El rol del medialab en la Educación Artística Superior pública ecuatoriana: primeras experiencias en arte, ciencia y tecnología

La educación artística universitaria pública en el Ecuador adolece de materias ligadas al estudio del espacio convergente actual entre arte, ciencia y tecnología y sus respectivas prácticas creativas. Ante esta situación, que denota cierto anquilosamiento bajo técnicas y perfiles tradicionales, son los nuevos medialabs creados en los últimos años en el contexto de las Facultades de Arte de la Universidad de Cuenca y de la Universidad Central del Ecuador (Quito), los que vienen implementando las primeras prácticas en este sentido, cubriendo así las carencias curriculares de dichas carreras en lo que a cultura digital, arte y nuevos medios se refiere. Este estudio analiza las características de estos centros y la metodología seguida para introducir el arte y las nuevas tecnologías de forma pionera en el país. 

La costruzione condivisa dello spazio pubblico. Architettura e programmi sociali per Zingonia.

L’innovazione non è solamente l’applicazione e l’uso di nuovi device tecnologici ma, anche, un nuovo approccio capace di gestire le sfide sociali delle nostre città. In esse gli spazi pubblici sono i luoghi che per primi possono essere portatori di nuovi valori, nuovi modi di vivere e di agire sulle città. Sono spazi di sperimentazione dove possiamo imparare ad interagire con (e rispettando) i diversi attori. L’intervento architettonico in questi ambiti diventa il mezzo per favorire l’evoluzione positiva dell’attuale stato fisico e sociale. La progettazione si sta, però, evolvendo trasformandosi sempre più in una strategia in grado di apprendere dagli eventi e dalle contingenze. Gli interventi proposti nella mia tesi di laurea, seguendo questo approccio, vogliono portare una riqualificazione degli spazi urbani pubblici di Zingonia, una realtà estremamente complessa e stimolante. Zingonia è nata come New town nel 1964 ed oggi appare come un quartiere metropolitano degradato e pericoloso senza Comune, una periferia senza centro, uno dei più sorprendenti e complessi laboratori d’immigrazione in Italia. L’insieme di piccoli interventi proposti sono azioni che vogliono incrementare la percezione di un luogo “sicuro”, tentando di abbassare alcune barriere mentali e fisiche. I risultati concreti di questi interventi sono altrettanto importanti quanto i risultati sociali e psicologici percepiti dai partecipanti. La strategia adottata prevede il coinvolgimento degli user in tutto il processo, promuovendo interventi di autocostruzione “DIY-Do it yourself”. Questo approccio è rilevante perchè l’azione di creazione genera un legame molto importante con lo spazio e attiva il dialogo con gli altri partecipanti che è alla base dello sviluppo di una comunità. Le persone vengono così coinvolte in un educazione pratica dell’estetica del paesaggio diventando consapevoli del proprio potere nel cambiare ciò che le circonda.

The Plastic Coupled Map Lattice: a Novel Image‐processing Paradigm

Coupled map lattices (CML) can describe many relaxation and optimization algorithms currently used in image processing. We recently introduced the ‘‘plastic‐CML’’ as a paradigm to extract (segment) objects in an image. Here, the image is applied by a set of forces to a metal sheet which is allowed to undergo plastic deformation parallel to the applied forces. In this paper we present an analysis of our ‘‘plastic‐CML’’ in one and two dimensions, deriving the nature and stability of its stationary solutions. We also detail how to use the CML in image processing, how to set the system parameters and present examples of it at work. We conclude that the plastic‐CML is able to segment images with large amounts of noise and large dynamic range of pixel values, and is suitable for a very large scale integration(VLSI) implementation.

Topics in equilibrium and nonequilibrium thermodynamics: computing crystalline free energies and engineering Maxwell’s demon.

This dissertation covers two separate topics in statistical physics. The first part of the dissertation focuses on computational methods of obtaining the free energies (or partition functions) of crystalline solids. We describe a method to compute the Helmholtz free energy of a crystalline solid by direct evaluation of the partition function. In the many-dimensional conformation space of all possible arrangements of N particles inside a periodic box, the energy landscape consists of localized islands corresponding to different solid phases. Calculating the partition function for a specific phase involves integrating over the corresponding island. Introducing a natural order parameter that quantifies the net displacement of particles from lattices sites, we write the partition function in terms of a one-dimensional integral along the order parameter, and evaluate this integral using umbrella sampling. We validate the method by computing free energies of both face-centered cubic (FCC) and hexagonal close-packed (HCP) hard sphere crystals with a precision of $10^{-5}k_BT$ per particle. In developing the numerical method, we find several scaling properties of crystalline solids in the thermodynamic limit. Using these scaling properties, we derive an explicit asymptotic formula for the free energy per particle in the thermodynamic limit. In addition, we describe several changes of coordinates that can be used to separate internal degrees of freedom from external, translational degrees of freedom. The second part of the dissertation focuses on engineering idealized physical devices that work as Maxwell's demon. We describe two autonomous mechanical devices that extract energy from a single heat bath and convert it into work, while writing information onto memory registers. Additionally, both devices can operate as Landauer's eraser, namely they can erase information from a memory register, while energy is dissipated into the heat bath. The phase diagrams and the efficiencies of the two models are solved and analyzed. These two models provide concrete physical illustrations of the thermodynamic consequences of information processing.

Run-time profiling of Algol 68-R programs using DIDYMUS and SCAMP

Information concerning the run-time behaviour of programs ("program profiling") can be of the greatest assistance in improving program efficiency. Two software devices have been developed for use on ICL 1900 Series machines to provide such information. DIDYMUS is probabilistic in approach and uses multi- tasking facilities to sample the instruction addresses used by a program at run time. It will work regardless of the source language of the program and matches the detected addresses against a loader map to produce a histogram. SCAMP is restricted to profiling Algol 68-R programs, but provides deterministic information concerning those language constructs that are monitored. Procedure calls to appropriate counting routines are inserted into the source text in a pre-pass prior to compilation. The profile information is printed out at the end of the program run. It has been found that these two approaches complement each other very effectively.

Le cycle hydrosocial et la fluoration de l'eau : la production des eaux fluorées

La fluoration artificielle de l’eau est une méthode employée en tant que moyen de prévention de la carie dentaire. Il s’agit d’un traitement de l’eau dont le but est d’ajuster de façon « optimale » la concentration en fluorure dans l’eau potable pour la prévention de la carie dentaire, par l’ajout d’un composé fluoré. La fluoration de l’eau fait l’objet d’un débat de société depuis le début des années 1950. La théorie du cycle hydrosocial nous invite à réfléchir sur la manière dont l’eau et la société se définissent et se redéfinissent mutuellement dans le temps et dans l’espace. Cette théorie nous permet d’aborder l’étude du sujet de la fluoration avec une nouvelle perspective d’analyse. Il y a peu d’études en sciences sociales qui portent sur le sujet de la fluoration, généralement abordé d’un point de vue des sciences de la santé. Nous proposons de décrire le processus de production des eaux fluorées dans un contexte hydrosocial. Ce mémoire est structuré en quatre chapitres. Nous commençons par familiariser le lecteur avec la théorie du cycle hydrosocial. Ensuite, nous faisons une mise en contexte de la fluoration de l’eau, d’une part en présentant un état des lieux, et d’autre part en présentant ce en quoi consiste la pratique de la fluoration de l’eau. Après avoir familiarisé le lecteur avec les thèmes généraux concernant la fluoration de l’eau, nous proposons de reconstituer une histoire hydrosociale de la fluoration. Cette histoire nous permet de mettre en évidence les relations hydrosociales desquelles découle la production des eaux fluorées. L’histoire hydrosociale de la fluoration comporte une phase contemporaine que nous abordons en présentant les principales idées de l’opposition à la fluoration artificielle de l’eau à l’aide notamment d’une analyse iconographique d’images portant sur le thème de la fluoration. Finalement, nous discutons des implications de la théorie du cycle hydrosocial pour étudier la problématique de la fluoration.

Apoio geoespacial a uma operação NEO

No âmbito das obrigações que o Estado Português tem em garantir a segurança dos seus cidadãos, é efetuada, em países ou regiões onde há comunidades nacionais, uma avaliação quanto ao risco de vida para os cidadãos nacionais que aí residam ou aí se encontrem, entendendo-se, à luz do direito internacional consuetudinário, que é legítima a eventual execução de intervenção militar de extração de nacionais não combatentes dessas zonas de risco. Este trabalho pretende contribuir para uma reflexão sobre o apoio geoespacial a uma operação de extração de cidadãos nacionais não combatentes, que se denomina NEO (non-combatant evacuation operation). Dada a importância do conhecimento holístico do ambiente operacional para os comandantes militares, os Sistemas de Informação Geográfica desempenham um papel fundamental em termos da análise, contextualização e visualização da informação geoespacial, sendo um precioso sistema de apoio à decisão. A tomada de decisão é efetuada com os contributos de várias áreas de conhecimento, sendo fundamental que o planeamento seja efetuado com base na mesma informação geoespacial, evitando a existência de uma multitude de dados geoespaciais nem sempre coerentes, atualizados e acessíveis a todos os que deles necessitam, pretendendo-se com este trabalho fornecer um contributo para resolver este problema. Aborda-se também a escassez dos dados geográficos nas zonas em que este tipo de operações se poderá desenrolar, a pertinência e a adequabilidade de utilização de dados espaciais abertos, os modelos de dados, bem como a forma como a informação pode ser disponibilizada.

Lithosphere Thickness, Heat Flow and Moho Depth in the South of Portugal

Abstract In the last years, several models have been presented trying to obtain lithosphere and Moho thickness in the Iberian Peninsula, using data related to geoid elevation and topography, gravity, seismicity and thermal analysis. The results obtained show a decrease in the thickness of the crust and the lithosphere in the SW part of the Iberian Peninsula. Density anomalies in the crust are also referred. Data obtained in the region was collected and deviations from average values used were detected. In this work, models were made taking into account the specific characteristics of the region. Heat flow, thermal conductivity, heat production, topography, gravity, seismic and geological data available for the region, were used to adjust the model. The results show that this region is different from other parts of the Iberian Peninsula and a special attention must be given to it. This work shows the importance of trying to know and understand the thermal structure of the region.

Proposta de valorização de espaço aberto público da aldeia da Luz

A construção da barragem do Alqueva causou várias transformações na paisagem ao nível sócioeconómico e ecológico. A submersão da antiga aldeia da Luz foi resultado desta construção, com consequente construção de uma nova aldeia. Um acontecimento que é marcante na história do Alqueva. O objetivo do trabalho de projeto é valorizar os espaços abertos públicos da nova aldeia e espaço envolvente. Esta estratégia assentou no reconhecimento e valorização dos sistemas ecológicos e culturais aí presentes, e na valorização do potencial turístico que lhe está associada. A metodologia do trabalho inclui uma análise das aldeias e realização de um inquérito à população (habitantes, residentes ocasionais e visitantes) com o fim de melhor responder aos seus anseios no presente. O trabalho culmina com a Proposta de Valorização de Espaço Aberto Público para a aldeia da Luz e espaço próximo envolvente e com o Plano de Estrutura Ecológica e Cultural (urbana e rural); Aldeia da Luz: towards the open public spaces valorization ABSTRACT: The construction of the Alqueva dam has caused several landscape transformations, in the socioeconomical, ecological matter. The submersion of the old Luz village was a direct result of this construction, with the consequent construction of a new Luz village. An event, which is remarkable in the Alqueva history. The project work objective is to value the public open spaces of the new village and its surrounding space. This strategy settled on the recognition and appreciation of the existing ecological and cultural systems, and in the touristic potential that is associated with it. The work methodology includes analysis of the villages and a survey fulfilment targeting the population (habitants, occasional residents and visitors) with the intent of better answering their current desires. The work culminates with the Public Open Space Appreciation Proposal for the Luz village and nearby surrounding space, and with the Ecological and Cultural Structures Plan (urban and rural).

A national English curriculum far all Australian youth: Making it work for teacher and students everywhere

The authors draw on some powerful practitioner research they have been associated with recently to nvision ways in which a national curriculum might redress the inequities experienced by Australia's most disadvantaged young people.

But does it work? Effectiveness of scientific visualisations in high school chemistry and physics instruction.

Scientific visualisations such as computer-based animations and simulations are increasingly a feature of high school science instruction. Visualisations are adopted enthusiastically by teachers and embraced by students, and there is good evidence that they are popular and well received. There is limited evidence, however, of how effective they are in enabling students to learn key scientific concepts. This paper reports the results of a quantitative study conducted in Australian physics and chemistry classrooms. In general there was no statistically significant difference between teaching with and without visualisations, however there were intriguing differences around student sex and academic ability.

Livable housing design: Is it likely to work?

The need for accessible housing in Australia is acute. Both government and the community service sector recognise the importance of well designed accessible housing to optimise the integration of older people and people with disability, to encourage a prudent use of scarce health and community services and to enhance the liveability of our cities. In 2010, the housing industry, negotiated with the Australian Government and community representatives to adopt a nationally consistent voluntary code (Livable Housing Design) and a strategy to provide minimal level of accessibility in all new housing by 2020. Evidence from the implementation of such programs in the United Kingdom and USA, however, serves to question whether this aspirational goal can be achieved through voluntary codes. Minimal demand at the point of new sale, and problems in the production of housing to the required standards have raised questions regarding the application of program principles in the context of a voluntary code. In addressing the latter issue, this paper presents early findings from the analysis of qualitative interviews conducted with developers, builders and designers in various housing contexts. It identifies their “logics in use” in the production of housing in response to Livable Housing Design’s voluntary code and indicates factors that are likely to assist and impede the attainment of the 2020 aspirational goal.

Teamwork in first year law units : can it work?

Since the 1980s, higher education in Australia has undergone significant change which has led to the belief that universities should cultivate students’ generic skills and attributes. For example, Achieving Quality states that generic skills ‘should represent the central achievements of higher education as a process’ (Higher Education Council, 1992, p 20). The CALD Standards for Australian Law Schools also recognise that tertiary curricula should ‘seek to develop knowledge, understanding, skills, and values’ (Council of Australian Law Deans, 2009, [2.3]. See also AQF Council, 2010, pp 32-5, 40-2; AQF Council, 2011, p 45-50). This more instrumentalist view of education is similarly exhibited by students (Saulwick and Muller, 2006, pp 7, 34). No longer does the modern graduate expect their university degree to equip them solely with the content knowledge of their discipline, but also with the skills and attributes relevant to their career and prospective employment.

Asking for it? Practices and structures that perpetuate employee silence in pursuing customised work arrangements

A component of broader scholarship addressing the social context in which individuals work, has focused on the role of ‘employee voice’ in determining flexible-work outcomes (Donnelly et al., 2012). Employee voice incorporates a spectrum of practices designed to give employees a say in organisational decisions (Dundon et al., 2004). This paper extends work on voice and workplace flexibility in two ways. First, it focuses not simply on ‘voice’ but on its antithesis, employee silence, which is defined (following Van Dyne et al., 2003) as the intentional withholding of ideas and opinions. We utilise an alternative reading of silence to the majority of literature which interprets it as a product of employee motivation, by focusing on the role of management and by adopting a framework which considers silence as a control dialectic (Donaghey et al., 2011). Second, the study examines silence with respect to preferences for customising the terms/conditions of employment beyond narrowly defined notions of ‘flexible work��� (e.g., reduced hours; home-working). The study utilises 30 telephone interviews with employees who had been previously identified as ‘discontent non-requesters’ (Skinner and Pocock, 2011: 75), that is they had expressed a desire to request flexible working provisions, but had not done so. Interviewees were asked to articulate the reasons for, and consequences of, their silence. The findings reveal nuanced workplace practices and structures that close down possibilities for employee voice and perpetuate silence on matters relating to customising work. They also illustrate a disjuncture between espoused organizational goals and everyday practices and norms encountered in workplaces.