Poder sobre as periferias : A Casa de Bragança e o governo das terras no Alentejo (1640-1668)

Esta dissertação estuda as relações políticas entre a casa de Bragança e os poderes locais nos concelhos de Vila Viçosa, Arraiolos e Monsaraz, entre 1640 e 1668, a partir da prerrogativa jurisdicional de confirmar as vereações. A reconstituição dos autos eleitorais permitiu comparar o procedimento eleitoral que era seguido nas terras da casa de Bragança com o que era seguido na maioria dos concelhos do reino e avaliar comparativamente o peso da autoridade da casa de Bragança, do rei e de outros donatários sobre as terras. De seguida, a identificação dos diversos intervenientes no processo eleitoral permitiu caracterizar socialmente as elites locais e avaliar os níveis de coincidência das escolhas para os senados camarários entre as comunidades (periferias) e a Junta da Casa de Bragança (centro). Conclui-se que esta casa senhorial detinha privilégios que lhe reforçavam significativamente a capacidade de dominação sobre as suas áreas jurisdicionais. Summary; This dissertation studies the political relations between the House of Bragança and the local authorities in Vila Viçosa, Arraiolos and Monsaraz, between 1640 and 1668, considering the legal privilege of confirming councilors and other members of town halls senates. The recovery of different electoral documents led to the comparison of electoral procedures in lands ruled by the House of Bragança and those followed in most of the kingdom, and allowed a comparative study of the authority of the House of Bragança, the king and other landlords over its properties. Then, by identifying the different participants of the electoral process, we made a social characterization of local elites and analyzed the similarities of nominations to local town halls senates made by the different communities (peripheral) and by the House of Bragança's administrative council (central power). We concluded that this House detained certain privileges, which reinforced the dominance over the lands within its judicial authority.

1 Notice du Huanxi yuanjia 歡喜冤家 (Anon., 1640), chap. 8

International audience

Tragicomedia de Polidoro y Casandrina (Ms. II-1591 de la Real Biblioteca) edición y estudio

La Tragicomedia de Polidoro y Casandrina nos era completamente desconocida hasta que el manuscrito único en el que se nos ha conservado fue descubierto por Stefano Arata en la Real Biblioteca de Madrid en 1988. Arata [1988] dio entonces noticia de su hallazgo en un breve pero sustancioso artículo publicado en la revista Celestinesca, donde adscribió la obra al ciclo literario que conforman las continuaciones directas de la Celestina y, dado que el códice nos la presenta anónima y sin título, la bautizó con el que todavía mantiene.1 Hizo además un primer análisis codicológico y paleográfico, y, a partir de la alusión a la conquista del peñón de Vélez de la Gomera por don García de Toledo (V, f. 32r), situó su redacción en los años siguientes a 1564.2 En fin, aprovechó para anunciar que estaba preparando una edición del texto. Como «proyecto actual» (PA), aparece explícitamente mencionada en la ficha correspondiente al estudioso sici-liano del Anuario áureo II (Gorsse, Jammes y Vitse, 1990: 13-14), mientras que en el Anuario áureo III parece esconderse bajo un marbete más genérico: «La Celestina y el teatro del siglo XVI» (Jammes, Mir y Vitse, 1993: 16). No sabemos si acabó abandonan-do el proyecto o si los otros muchos trabajos que se le fueron cruzando le impidieron concluir este, pero, cuando la muerte le sobrevino infaustamente en 2001 (cf. Pedrosa, 2001), su Polidoro aún no se había publicado. En 2009, le pedí a mi directora de tesis, Ana Vian Herrero, que intercediese por mí ante Laura Arata para que me permitiera consultar los documentos que conservase de las investigaciones de su hermano sobre la Tragicomedia; Laura nos respondió rápida y amabilísimamente, pero su búsqueda en los archivos de Stefano había sido infructuosa: no quedaba nada. Tras la nota de Arata, el siguiente acercamiento a nuestra obra se debe a Vian Herrero [1997: 228-238], quien la incluyó en un estudio sobre el funcionamiento del conjuro amatorio en la Celestina y sus continuaciones trágicas, es decir, aquellas que tienen un final desgraciado.

Fragmentos inéditos sobre los indios de Tucurrique en 1591: una fuente valiosa par el estudio de la Historia Colonial de Costa Rica

Introducción El estudio de la dinámica social de los cacicazgos costarricenses y su desestructuración como consecuencia de la conquista española se ve muchas veces obstaculizado por la escasa información disponible. Las fuentes escritas primarias son relativamente pocas y se  encuentran en su mayoría publicadas en colecciones de documentos, lo que ha representado una valiosa ayuda a los estudiosos del periodo. Sin embargo, siempre quedan lagunas de información sobre temas específicos que son esenciales para el investigador. Por eso el descubrimiento de datos que nos e conocían ni se habían publicado constituye un feliz y  afortunado acontecimiento. Tal  es la situación que hoy nos motiva a incluir  en estas páginas algunos fragmentos inéditos de un  documento fundamental par el estudio de las sociedades indígenas costarricenses del Valle Central a finales  del siglo XV.

The Behavior of Hydroxyl Units of Synthetic Goethite and its Dehydroxylated Product Hematite

The behavior of the hydroxyl units of synthetic goethite and its dehydroxylated product hematite was characterized using a combination of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) during the thermal transformation over a temperature range of 180-270 degrees C. Hematite was detected at temperatures above 200 degrees C by XRD while goethite was not observed above 230 degrees C. Five intense OH vibrations at 3212-3194, 1687-1674, 1643-1640, 888-884 and 800-798 cm(-1), and a H2O vibration at 3450-3445 cm(-1) were observed for goethite. The intensity of hydroxyl stretching and bending vibrations decreased with the extent of dehydroxylation of goethite. Infrared absorption bands clearly show the phase transformation between goethite and hematite: in particular. the migration of excess hydroxyl units from goethite to hematite. Two bands at 536-533 and 454-452 cm(-1) are the low wavenumber vibrations of Fe-O in the hematite structure. Band component analysis data of FTIR spectra support the fact that the hydroxyl units mainly affect the a plane in goethite and the equivalent c plane in hematite.

Measuring episodic memory: A novel approach with an indefinite number of alternative forms

Both clinical practice and clinical research settings can require successive administrations of a memory test, particularly when following the trajectory of suspected memory decline in older adults. However, relatively few verbal episodic memory tests have alternative forms. We set out to create a broad based memory test to allow for the use of an essentially unlimited number of alternative forms. Four tasks for inclusion in such a test were developed. These tasks varied the requirement for recall as opposed to recognition, the need to form an association between unrelated words, and the need to discriminate the most recent list from earlier lists, all of which proved useful. A total of 115 participants completed the battery of tests and were used to show that the test could differentiate between older and younger adults; a sub-sample of 73 participants completed alternative forms of the tests to determine test-retest reliability and the amount of learning to learn.

Correlating vehicle forces and track profile

A research project was conducted at Queensland University of Technology on the relationship between the forces at the wheel-rail interface in track and the rate of degradation of track. Data for the study was obtained from an instrumented vehicle which ran repeatedly over a section of Queensland Rail's track in Central Queensland over a 6-month period. The wheel-rail forces had to be correlated with the elements of roughness in the test track profile, which were measured with a variety of equipment. At low frequencies, there was strong correlation between forces and profile, as expected, but diminishing correlation as frequencies increased.

An application of near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy to the study of natural halotrichites : halotrichite, apjohnite and wupatkiite

Near-infrared (NIR) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy have been used to determine the mineralogical character of isomorphic substitutions for Mg2+ by divalent transition metals Fe, Mn, Co and Ni in natural halotrichite series. The minerals are characterised by d-d transitions in NIR region 12000-7500 cm-1. NIR spectrum of halotrichite reveals broad feature from 12000 to 7500 cm-1 with a splitting of two bands resulting from ferrous ion transition 5T2g ® 5Eg. The presence of overtones of OH- fundamentals near 7000 cm-1 confirms molecular water in the mineral structure of the halotrichite series. The appearance of the most intense peak at around 5132 cm-1 is a common feature in the three minerals and is derived from combination of OH- vibrations of water molecules and 2 water bending modes. The influence of cations like Mg2+, Fe2+, Mn2+, Co2+, Ni2+ shows on the spectra of halotrichites. Especially wupatkiite-OH stretching vibrations in which bands are distorted conspicuously to low wave numbers at 3270, 2904 and 2454 cm-1. The observation of high frequency 2 mode in the infrared spectrum at 1640 cm-1 indicates coordination of water molecules is strongly hydrogen bonded in natural halotrichites. The splittings of bands in 3 and 4 (SO4)2- stretching regions may be attributed to the reduction of symmetry from Td to C2v for sulphate ion. This work has shown the usefulness of NIR spectroscopy for the rapid identification and classification of the halotrichite minerals.

Predicting adolescents’ use of social networking sites from an extended theory of planned behaviour perspective

The popularity of social networking sites (SNSs) among adolescents has grown exponentially, with little accompanying research to understand the influences on adolescent engagement with this technology. The current study tested the validity of an extended theory of planned behaviour model (TPB), incorporating the additions of group norm and self-esteem influences, to predict frequent SNS use. Adolescents (N = 160) completed measures assessing the standard TPB constructs of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioural control (PBC), and intention, as well as group norm and self-esteem. One week later, participants reported their SNS use during the previous week. Support was found for the standard TPB variables of attitude and PBC, as well as group norm, in predicting intentions to use SNS frequently, with intention, in turn, predicting behaviour. These findings provide an understanding of the factors influencing frequent engagement in what is emerging as a primary tool for adolescent socialisation.

Formalin fixation affects equilibrium partitioning of an ionic contrast agent-microcomputed tomography (EPIC-[mu]CT) imaging of osteochondral samples

Equilibrium Partitioning of an Ionic Contrast agent with microcomputed tomography (EPIC-[mu]CT) is a non-invasive technique to quantify and visualize the three-dimensional distribution of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in fresh cartilage tissue. However, it is unclear whether this technique is applicable to already fixed tissues. Therefore, this study aimed at investigating whether formalin fixation of bovine cartilage affects X-ray attenuation, and thus the interpretation of EPIC-[mu]CT data.Design Osteochondral samples (n = 24) were incubated with ioxaglate, an ionic contrast agent, for 22 h prior to [mu]CT scanning. The samples were scanned in both formalin-fixed and fresh conditions. GAG content was measured using a biochemical assay and normalized to wet weight, dry weight, and water content to determine potential reasons for differences in X-ray attenuation.Results The expected zonal distribution of contrast agent/GAGs was observed for both fixed and fresh cartilage specimens. However, despite no significant differences in GAG concentrations or physical properties between fixed and fresh samples, the average attenuation levels of formalin-fixed cartilage were 14.3% lower than in fresh samples.Conclusions EPIC-[mu]CT is useful for three-dimensional visualization of GAGs in formalin-fixed cartilage. However, a significant reduction in X-ray attenuation for fixed (compared to fresh) cartilage must be taken into account and adjusted for accordingly when quantifying GAG concentrations using EPIC-[mu]CT.

Vibrational spectroscopic study of the antimonate mineral bindheimite Pb2Sb2O6(O,OH)

Raman spectroscopy complimented with infrared spectroscopy has been used to characterise the antimonate mineral bindheimite Pb2Sb2O6(O,OH). The mineral is characterised by an intense Raman band at 656 cm-1 assigned to SbO stretching vibrations. Other lower intensity bands at 664, 749 and 814 cm-1 are also assigned to stretching vibrations. This observation suggests the non-equivalence of SbO units in the structure. Low intensity Raman bands at 293, 312 and 328 cm-1 are assigned to the OSbO bending vibrations. Infrared bands at 979, 1008, 1037 and 1058 cm-1 may be assigned to δ OH deformation modes of SbOH units. Infrared bands at 1603 and 1640 cm-1 are assigned to water bending vibrations, suggesting that water is involved in the bindheimite structure. Broad infrared bands centred upon 3250 cm-1 supports this concept. Thus the true formula of bindheimite is questioned and probably should be written as Pb2Sb2O6(O,OH,H2O)