Chinese engagement for Global Governance: aiming for a better room at the table?

The text defends the thesis that China is aware that its process of modernization is still recent and needs more growth, maturation and consolidation to assume the role and responsibilities of a regional or even a global leader. This text pursues an understanding about the Chinese stance in relation to the negotiations for the redefinitions of the International Order and the International System (and, hence, Global Governance) and, secondly, seeks to perceive the reactions of non-developed and developed countries in relation to Chinese strategies.

Synthesis of meeting and recommendations from the Net-Biome round table discussion on "motivated" science on biodiversity management and use in support of overseas sutainable development

Net-Biome Final Meeting (Paris, 15 & 16 February, 2012).

Invisible cities: the table of contents and the labyrinths of reality

In Invisible Cities (1972), Italo Calvino contrasts a rigid outline structure with a flexible textual content. The tension comprised by the numerical structure proposed in the table of contents stands out against the set of polissemic texts which make up the subject matter of the book. The opposition between form and content point to a fruitful dichotomy in the conception of the novel linked to the theories of the open and closed work. This essay will investigate the structural construction of Invisible Cities by looking at its table of contents, seeking to discuss some models of formalistic representation proposed by the criticism and the specific contribution they may, or may not, provide. The objective is to analyse the pertinence of such theories in the light of historical and cultural approaches. Aiming to uncover possible meanings which arise from the debate, this essay will question to what extent structural complexities can be considered literary if they are not ultimately related to the culture in which a text is found.

The periodic table: contest and exhibition

The systemization and organization of ideas and concepts is an integral part of science. In chemistry, the organization of the periodic table of the chemical elements in the 1860s was one of the greatest scientific breakthroughs ever made and in fact during the 20th century it became a universally recognized scientific icon (1). The periodic table is the fundamental classificatory scheme of the elements and summarizes the realm of chemistry (2). Simply knowing the position of an element in the periodic table tells us about its properties and is usually enough to predict how the element will behave in a wide variety of different situations or reactions (1). Based on this potential mine of information, it is possible to make reliable predictions of the properties of the compounds that each element forms. Nowadays, the concept of the periodic table is starting to interact with other sciences and reports of periodic tables of amino acids (3), genetic codes (4), protein structures (5), and biology (6) can be found in the specialized literature. Symbiosis between science and art, for example, “The Periodic Table of The Elephants” (7), can also be seen. To appeal to a better understanding of the periodic table, the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Instituto Politécnico do Porto and the Centro de Química da Universidade do Porto promoted a contest and exhibit with the goal of stimulating a wide and heterogeneous audience, ranging from young children and their parents to graduate students from several disciplines, to explore the nature of this icon. Imaginative educational activities such as contests (8–10), games (11, 12), and puzzles (13–15) provided a way to communicate with the general public with the goal of attracting students to science. This also constituted an interesting, informative, and entertaining alternative to non-interactive lectures. Simultaneously, artistic creativity was combined with scientific knowledge.

Interactive light and sound table: an EPS@ISEP project

Interactive products are appealing objects in a technology-driven society and the offer in the market is wide and varied. Most of the existing interactive products only provide either light or sound experiences. Therefore, the goal of this project was to develop a product aimed for children combining both features. This project was developed by a team of four thirdyear students with different engineering backgrounds and nationalities during the European Project Semester at ISEP (EPS@ISEP) in 2012. This paper presents the process that led to the development of an interactive sound table that combines nine identical interaction blocks, a control block and a sound block. Each interaction block works independently and is composed of four light emitting diodes (LED) and one infrared (IR) sensor. The control is performed by an Arduino microcontroller and the sound block includes a music shield and a pair of loud speakers. A number of tests were carried out to assess whether the controller, IR sensors, LED, music shield and speakers work together properly and if the ensemble was a viable interactive light and sound device for children.

Shaking table tests of a two-storey log house

This paper presents the findings of an experimental campaign that was conducted to investigate the seismic behaviour of log houses. A two-storey log house designed by the Portuguese company Rusticasa® was subjected to a series of shaking table tests at LNEC, Lisbon, Portugal. The paper contains the description of the geometry and construction of the house and all the aspects related to the testing procedure, namely the pre-design, the setup, instrumentation and the testing process itself. The shaking table tests were carried out with a scaled spectrum of the Montenegro (1979) earthquake, at increasing levels of PGA, starting from 0.07g, moving on to 0.28g and finally 0.5g. The log house did not suffer any major damage and remained in working condition throughout the entire process. The preliminary analysis of the overall behaviour of the log house is also discussed.

Diagnostic value of the tilt-table test for the assessment of syncope in children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE - To assess the diagnostic value, the characteristics, and feasibility of tilt-table testing in children and adolescents. METHODS - From August 1991 to June 1997, we retrospectively assessed 94 patients under the age of 18 years who had a history of recurring syncope and presyncope of unknown origin and who were referred for tilt-table testing. These patients were divided into 2 groups: group I (children) - 36 patients with ages ranging from 3 to 12 (mean of 9.19±2.31) years; group II (adolescents) - 58 patients with ages ranging from 13 to 18 (mean of 16.05±1.40) years. We compared the positivity rate, the type of hemodynamic response, and the time period required for the test to become positive in the 2 groups. RESULTS - The positivity rates were 41.6 % and 50% for groups I and II, respectively. The pattern of positive hemodynamic response that predominated in both groups was the mixed response. The mean time period required for the test to become positive was shorter in group I (11.0±7.23 min) than in group II (18.44±7.83 min). No patient experienced technical difficulty or complications. CONCLUSION - No difference was observed in regard to feasibility, positivity rate, and pattern of positive response for the tilt-table test in children and adolescents. Pediatric patients had earlier positive responses.

Comparison between tilt-table testing results performed during different periods of the day

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the influences of circadian variations on tilt-table testing (TTT) results by comparing the positivity rate of the test performed during the morning with that of the test performed in the afternoon and to evaluate the reproducibility of the results in different periods of the day. METHODS: One hundred twenty-three patients with recurrent unexplained syncope or near-syncope referred for TTT were randomized into 2 groups. In group I, 68 patients, TTT was performed first in the afternoon and then in the morning. In group II, 55 patients, the test was performed first in the morning and then in the afternoon. RESULTS: The TTT protocol was the prolonged passive test, without drug sensitization. Twenty-nine (23.5%) patients had a positive result in at least one of the periods. The positivity rate for each period was similar: 20 (16.2%) patients in the afternoon and 19 (15.4%) in the morning (p=1.000). Total reproducibility (positive/positive and negative/negative) was observed in 49 (89%) patients in group I and in 55 (81%) in group II. Reproducibility of the results was obtained in 94 (90.4%) patients with first negative tests but in 10 (34%) patients with first positive tests. CONCLUSION: TTT could be performed during any period of the day, and even in the 2 periods to enhance positivity. Considering the low reproducibility rate of the positive tests, serial TTT to evaluate therapeutic efficacy should be performed during the same period of the day.

The Total fiscal cost of indirect taxation: an approximation using Catalonia's recent input-output table

In this note we quantify to what extent indirect taxation influences and distorts prices. To do so we use the networked accounting structure of the most recent input-output table of Catalonia, an autonomous region of Spain, to model price formation. The role of indirect taxation is considered both from a classical value perspective and a more neoclassical flavoured one. We show that they would yield equivalent results under some basic premises. The neoclassical perspective, however, offers a bit more flexibility to distinguish among different tax figures and hence provide a clearer disaggregate picture of how an indirect tax ends up affecting, and by how much, the cost structure.