Thermoluminescence dating of Brazilian indigenous ceramics

Two indigenous ceramics fragments, one from Lagoa Queimada (LQ) and another from Barra dos Negros (BN), both sites located on Bahia state (Brazil), were dated by termoluminescence (TL) method. Each fragment was physically prepared and divided into two fractions, one was used for TL measurement and the other for annual dose determination. The TL fraction was chemically treated, divided in sub samples and irradiated with several doses. The plot extrapolation from TL intensities as function of radiation dose enabled the determination of the accumulated dose (D(ac)), 3.99 Gy and 1.88 Gy for LQ and BN, respectively. The annual dose was obtained through the uranium, thorium and potassium determination by ICP-MS. The annual doses (D(an)) obtained were 2.86 and 2.26 mGy/year. The estimated ages were similar to 1375 and 709 y for BN and LQ ceramics, respectively. The ages agreed with the archaeologists` estimation for the Aratu and Tupi tradition periods, respectively.

Information Flow for ALGOL-like Languages

In this paper we present an approach to information flow analysis for a family of languages. We start with a simple imperative language. We present an information flow analysis using a flow logic. The paper contains detailed correctness proofs for this analysis. We next extend the analysis to a restricted form of Idealised Algol, a call-by-value higher-order extension of the simple imperative language (the key restriction being the lack of recursion). The paper concludes with a discussion of further extensions, including a probabilistic extension of Idealised Algol.

Extending Agent Languages for Autonomy

BDI agent languages provide a useful abstraction for complex systems comprised of interactive autonomous entities, but they have been used mostly in the context of single agents with a static plan library of behaviours invoked reactively. These languages provide a theoretically sound basis for agent design but are very limited in providing direct support for autonomy and societal cooperation needed for large scale systems. Some techniques for autonomy and cooperation have been explored in the past in ad hoc implementations, but not incorporated in any agent language. In order to address these shortcomings we extend the well known AgentSpeak(L) BDI agent language to include behaviour generation through planning, declarative goals and motivated goal adoption. We also develop a language-specific multiagent cooperation scheme and, to address potential problems arising from autonomy in a multiagent system, we extend our agents with a mechanism for norm processing leveraging existing theoretical work. These extensions allow for greater autonomy in the resulting systems, enabling them to synthesise new behaviours at runtime and to cooperate in non-scripted patterns.

Adaptivity in programming languages

A programming style can be seen as a particular model of shaping thought or a special way of codifying language to solve a problem. An adaptive device is made up of an underlying formalism, for instance, an automaton, a grammar, a decision tree, etc., and an adaptive mechanism, responsible for providing features for self-modification. Adaptive languages are obtained by using some programming language as the device’s underlying formalism. The conception of such languages calls for a new programming style, since the application of adaptive technology in the field of programming languages suggests a new way of thinking. Adaptive languages have the basic feature of allowing the expression of programs which self-modifying through adaptive actions at runtime. With the adaptive style, programming language codes can be structured in such a way that the codified program therein modifies or adapts itself towards the needs of the problem. The adaptive programming style may be a feasible alternate way to obtain self-modifying consistent codes, which allow its use in modern applications for self-modifying code.

Conception of adaptive programming languages

Adaptive devices show the characteristic of dynamically change themselves in response to input stimuli with no interference of external agents. Occasional changes in behaviour are immediately detected by the devices, which right away react spontaneously to them. Chronologically such devices derived from researches in the field of formal languages and automata. However, formalism spurred applications in several other fields. Based on the operation of adaptive automata, the elementary ideas generanting programming adaptive languages are presented.

Adaptive languages and a new programming style

A programming style can be seen as a particular model of shaping thought or a special way of codifying language to solve a problem. Adaptive languages have the basic feature of allowing the expression of programs which self-modifying through adaptive actions at runtime. The conception of such languages calls for a new programming style, since the application of adaptive technology in the field of programming languages suggests a new way of thinking. With the adaptive style, programming language codes can be structured in such a way that the codified program therein modifies or adapts itself towards the needs of the problem. The adaptive programming style may be a feasible alternate way to obtain self-modifying consistent codes, which allow its use in modern applications for self-modifying code.

O impulso renovador: a atuação da Missão Indígena na Escola Militar do Realengo (1919-1922)

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo realizar uma análise da atuação de um grupo de instrutores na Escola Militar do Realengo no período compreendido entre os anos de 1919 e 1922, tomando por objeto as representações feitas por esses sujeitos, do que foi por eles atribuída como Missão Indígena. Os efeitos de sua atuação foram marcantes e se fizeram sentir por toda uma geração de oficiais do Exército Brasileiro, que ficou conhecida como a “geração do Realengo”. Embora constantemente lembrada pela historiografia militar, a Missão Indígena ainda foi muito pouco explorada em trabalhos acadêmicos, no que tange ao seu surgimento, à sua atuação na Escola Militar e ao envolvimento de alguns de seus membros no movimento tenentista. Dessa forma, o foco da pesquisa se concentrou na maneira como esse grupo de instrutores atuou e nas mudanças provocadas e percebidas pelos alunos em função dessa atuação, tanto na instrução como no regime militar diário da Escola Militar, estabelecimento de ensino que pretendia formar oficias “apolíticos” e que serviu de laboratório do Exército para experiências acerca de qual educação militar seria a ideal para a formação de seus quadros. A escolha do tema repousa no fato de a Missão ter sido constituída por um grupo de jovens oficiais subalternos e intermediários do Exército, dotados de elevada capacidade técnico-profissional e cujo perfil psicológico lhes conduziam a atuar em consonância com o ensino prático de caráter militar, inteiramente de acordo com as normas e regulamentos do Exército, sob a influência do rígido modelo alemão de instrução. Como instrumentos metodológicos foram utilizados os trabalhos de Michael Pollak, no que se refere à construção da memória e à institucionalização de determinadas narrativas, e de Maurice Halbwachs, no tocante à relação existente entre memória coletiva e espaço. Uma pesquisa realizada nos acervos documentais da Escola Militar do Realengo, pertencentes ao Arquivo Histórico do Exército, e nos arquivos pessoais e acervos de história oral do Centro de Pesquisa e Documentação História Contemporânea do Brasil, da Fundação Getúlio Vargas, possibilitou o acesso às fontes. Conclui-se que o esforço da Missão Indígena, voltado para a formação profissional da oficialidade do Exército Brasileiro, não esteve dissociado das inclinações para agir politicamente da geração que passou pela Escola do Realengo na década de 1920.

Relative abundance and population biology of the non-indigenous crab Charybdis hellerii (Crustacea: Brachyura: Portunidae) in a southwestern Atlantic estuary-bay complex

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Lévi-Strauss Mitológicas: Mito e música entre o largo e o prestíssimo

This study was elaborated based on our research of the work Mithologiques by the anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss (1908-2009), which affirms that languages, indigenous myths and music are related. He proposes that the understanding of myths occurs in a similar manner as with an orchestral score. In the course of his tetralogy we investigated the musical terms used in the analysis and in the division of the chapters, especially in the first volume of his work. Several compositional procedures and forms are named. Composers in pairs are categorized: Sebastian Bach for the code, Ludwig van Beethoven for the message, and Richard Wagner for the myths. In this deduction, we structured in parts: theme and variations, sonata and fugue with the aforementioned composers. Within the greatness of anthropological study, from among over 800 myths, we selected the first five of the indigenous tribe Bororo to discuss within the Theme and Variation segment. In the Sonata part there are two myths with the same theme: The wife of the jaguar which relates to the compositional structure, and four myths about The origin of women. Finally, in the segment related to the Fugue, we collected four myths that address The shortness of life. Honoring the many terms expressed in opposition, contrast, or symmetry under consideration in Levi-Strauss work, we entitled this thesis emphasizing the migration between the tempos Largo and Prestíssimo as these are oppositional presentations in music. Fifteen musical myths accompany the work supported by selected narratives. In light of this we questioned, we questioned: how are incest, murder and other events part of a society that elevates nature as an extension of life itself? And how did Lévi-Strauss think that anthropology harmonized with music? In the preparation of this study, philosophers like Peter Sloterdijk discuss the circular territory of Mythology

A questão do petróleo em terras indígenas: uma análise constitucional à luz do desenvolvimento sustentável

Recognizing the need to preserve a national ethnic minority, the Constitution, inspired by the pluralistic values of the Constitutional Law State, stipulated a series of rights and guarantees for the conservation of indigenous cultural singularity, disciplining in article 231 the Indians right to maintain their social organization, customs, languages, beliefs and traditions, as well as safeguarding the rights to the lands they traditionally occupy, and the exclusive use of the wealth existing in them, premise of ensuring their physical and cultural continuity, breaking decisively with the paradigm the assimilation of the Indian national civilization. However, despite the Indian policy of ethnic and cultural preservation, the Constitution allowed the exploitation of minerals in aboriginal territory, incorporated herein hydrocarbons, provided they meet certain predetermined requirements, leaving it to the legislature the discipline of ordinary matter. However, this law has not yet been published, with some projects in the National Congress, leaving thus precluding the indigenous subsurface oil exploration until the enactment of enabling legislation. Meanwhile, this paper carries out an integrated analysis of the constitutional protection of ethnic and cultural uniqueness of indigenous peoples, Convention Nº 169 of the International Labour Organization and the bill presented by Deputy Eduardo Valverde, in an attempt to consolidate sustainable development practices in the sector, through developing a system of social and environmental responsible oil exploration, aligning with national energy needs to maintain a balanced environment and preservation of socio-cultural organization of a minority so weakened and beaten over five centuries of domination

Male Homosexuality in Brazilian Indexing Languages: Some Ethical Questions

Studies on ethics in information organization have deeply contributed to the recognition of the social dimension of Information Science. The subject approach to information is linked to an ethical dimension because one of its major concerns is related to its reliability and usefulness in a specific discursive community or knowledge domain. In this direction, we propose, through an exploratory research design with qualitative and inductive characteristics, to identify the specific terminology that Brazilian indexing languages allow for terms relating to male homosexuality. We also analyzed the terms assigned to papers published in the Journal of Homosexuality, Sexualities and Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health between the years 2005 to 2009. From this analysis of terms and the Brazilian indexing languages, we see (1) the Brazilian context, (2) imprecision in the terminology, (3) indications of prejudices disseminated by political correctness, (4) biased representation of the subject matter, (5) and the presence of figures of speech.