Participatory Online Platforms and the Construction of Citizen���s Autonomy in Health Issues

The goal of the present study is mapping the nature of possible contributions of participatory online platforms in citizen actions that may contribute in the fight against cancer and its associated consequences. The research is based on the analysis of online solidarity networks, namely the ones residing on Facebook and the blogosphere, that citizens have been gradually resorting to. The research is also based on the development of newer and more efficient solutions that provide the individual (directly or indirectly affected by issues of oncology) with the means to overcome feelings of impotence and fatality. In this chapter, the authors summarize the processes of usage of these decentralized, freer participatory platforms by citizens and institutions, while attempting to unravel existing hype and stigma; the authors also provide a first survey of the importance and the role of institutions in this kind of endeavor; lastly, they present a prototype, developed in the context of the present study that is specifically dedicated to addressing oncology through social media.

Design de A����es Culturais Participativas: um Caso de Estudo no Centro Hist��rico da Cidade do Porto

In this paper we present the methodologies and preliminary conclusions of the first phase of the work of construction of audiovisual narratives related to the project ���Manobras no Porto���, which will serve as a case study for the main research project entitled: ���The Museum of All: Institutional Communication Practices in a Participatory Networked World���. The main objective of this research project is to understand how the use of collective and participatory creation of identities and narratives can contribute to get audiences engaged with cultural institutions and events. We intend to identify the effects and measure the dynamics of participation of audiences in the construction of audiovisual objects, and understand how these may influence the reconfiguration of the missions of the institutions and cultural projects, in the development of societies.

Cytogenetic and identification of the nucleolus organizer region in Heliconia bihai (L.) L.

The genus Heliconia is not much studied and the number of existing species in this genus is still uncertain. It is known that this number relies between 150 to 250 species. In Brazil, about 40 species are native and known by many different names. The objective of this paper was to characterize morphometrically and to identify the NOR (active nucleolus organizer regions) by Ag-NOR banding of chromosomes of Heliconia bihai (L) L. Root meristems were submitted to blocking treatment in an amiprofos-methyl (APM) solution, fixed in methanol-acetic acid solution for 24 hours, at least. The meristems were washed in distilled water and submitted to enzymatic digestion with pectinase enzyme. The slides were prepared by dissociation of the root meristem, dried in the air and also on hot plate at 50��C. Subsequently, some slides were submitted to 5% Giemsa stain for karyotype construction and to a solution of silver nitrate (AgNO3) 50% for Ag-NOR banding. The species H. bihai has 2n = 22 chromosomes, 4 pairs of submetacentric chromosomes and 7 pairs of metacentric chromosomes, and graded medium to short (3.96 to 0.67 μM), with the presence of active NOR in pairs 1 and 2 and interphase cells with 2 nucleoli. These are the features of a diploid species.

Climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp & paper industries in Brazil: insights from an international perspective

This article focuses on the results of the final stage of research into the climate strategies of firms in the automotive and pulp-and-paper industries in Brazil, a country that is becoming increasingly important also in terms of climate change issues. In the first stage, the Climate Strategy Model (CSM) was developed to assess whether firms were adopting the necessary practices to assure the successful implementation of climate strategies. In the second, the CSM was applied to firms in the above mentioned industries that were chosen because of their important role in the domestic economy. In the final stage, interviews with executives of these firms were conducted to identify root causes of climate strategy implementation deficiencies and obtain new insights from an international perspective.

Development of a penetration test for timber impregnation products for use in old buildings

This paper studies the application of commercial biocides to old maritime pine timber structures (Pinus pinaster Ait.) that have previously been impregnated with other products. A method was developed in the laboratory to be used in situ to determine the impregnation depth achieved by a new generation biocide product applied to timber from an old building. This timber had once been treated with an unknown product difficult to characterize without extensive analysis. The test was initially developed in laboratory conditions and later tested on elements of the roof structure of an 18th century building. In both cases the results were promising and mutually consistent with penetration depths for some treatments reaching 2.0 cm. The application in situ proved the tests viability and simplicity of execution giving a clear indication on the feasibility of possible re-treatments.

On the Suitability of Suffix Arrays for Lempel-Ziv Data Compression

Lossless compression algorithms of the Lempel-Ziv (LZ) family are widely used nowadays. Regarding time and memory requirements, LZ encoding is much more demanding than decoding. In order to speed up the encoding process, efficient data structures, like suffix trees, have been used. In this paper, we explore the use of suffix arrays to hold the dictionary of the LZ encoder, and propose an algorithm to search over it. We show that the resulting encoder attains roughly the same compression ratios as those based on suffix trees. However, the amount of memory required by the suffix array is fixed, and much lower than the variable amount of memory used by encoders based on suffix trees (which depends on the text to encode). We conclude that suffix arrays, when compared to suffix trees in terms of the trade-off among time, memory, and compression ratio, may be preferable in scenarios (e.g., embedded systems) where memory is at a premium and high speed is not critical.

Environmental life cycle assessment of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregates

The majority of worldwide structures use concrete as its main material. This happens because concrete is economically feasible, due to its undemanding production technology and case Of use. However, it is widely recognized that concrete production has a strong environmental impact in the planet. Natural aggregates use is one of the most important problems of concrete production nowadays, since they are obtained from limited, and in some countries scarce, resources. In Portugal, although there are enough stone quarries to cover coarse aggregates needs for several more years, Supplies of fine aggregates are becoming scarcer, especially in the northern part of the country. On the other hand, as concrete structures' life cycle comes to an end, an urgent need emerges to establish technically and economically viable solutions for demolition debris, other than for use as road base and quarry fill. This paper presents a partial life cycle assessment (LCA) of concrete made with fine recycled concrete aggregates performed with EcoConcrete tool. EcoConcrete is a tailor-made, interactive, learning and communications tool promoted by the Joint Project Group (JPG) on the LCA of concrete, to qualify and quantify the overall environment impact of concrete products. It consists of an interactive Excel-spreadsheet in which several environmental inputs (material quantities, distances from origin to production Site, production processes) and outputs (material, energy, emissions to air, water, soil or waste) are collected in a life cycle inventory, and are then processed to determine the environmental impact (assessment) of the analysed concrete, in terms of ozone layer depletion, smog or "greenhouse" effect.

Cidade digital

A Resolu����o do Conselho de Ministros n.�� 120/2008, de 30 de Julho, definiu como prioridade estrat��gica para o Pa��s, no sector das comunica����es electr��nicas, a promo����o do investimento em redes de nova gera����o. Com o objectivo de dar execu����o ��s orienta����es estrat��gicas estabelecidas, o Decreto -Lei n.�� 123/2009, de 21 de Maio, veio estabelecer um conjunto de obriga����es aplic��veis ao Estado, ��s Regi��es Aut��nomas, ��s autarquias locais, empresas p��blicas, concession��rias e, genericamente, ��s entidades que detenham infra-estruturas que se integrem em dom��nio p��blico, de forma a garantir a todas empresas de comunica����es electr��nicas, o acesso ��s infra-estruturas aptas ao alojamento de redes de comunica����es electr��nicas. Em Portugal, o caminho a ser tra��ado at�� as redes de nova gera����o passa pela, abertura eficaz e n��o discriminat��ria de todas as condutas e outras infra-estruturas aptas ao alojamento de redes de comunica����es electr��nicas, elabora����o de regras t��cnicas aplic��veis ��s infra-estruturas de telecomunica����es em loteamentos, urbaniza����es e conjuntos de edif��cios, adop����o de solu����es que eliminem ou atenuem as barreiras verticais �� instala����o de fibra ��ptica e que evitem a monopoliza����o do acesso aos edif��cios pelo primeiro operador. Neste ��mbito, excluem-se, pela sua especial natureza e fins a que est��o afectas, as redes privativas dos ��rg��os pol��ticos de soberania, do Minist��rio da Defesa Nacional, das for��as e servi��os de seguran��a, de emerg��ncia e de protec����o civil. Assim, este trabalho visa apresentar procedimentos aplic��veis ��s infra-estruturas de telecomunica����es para elabora����o de um cadastro de todas as infra-estruturas, p��blicas e privadas, aptas ao alojamento de redes de comunica����es electr��nicas, e propor instru����es t��cnicas para as condi����es e direitos de acesso, constru����o e interven����o sobre estas infra-estruturas.

Reasoning and proof in classroom (9th grade)

This paper is research oriented and pretends to contribute toward giving empirical evidence about how students develop their reasoning and how they achieved to a proof construction in school context. Its main theme is epistemology. It describes the way in which four students in 9th Grade explored a task related with the discovery of symmetry axes in various geometric figures. The proof constructed by students had essentially an explaining function and it was related with the symmetry axes of regular polygons. The teacher���s role in meaning negotiation of the proof and its need is described through illustrative episodes. The paper presents part of a study which purpose is to analyse the nature of mathematical proof in classroom, its role and the nature of the relationship between the construction of a proof and the social interactions. Assuming a social perspective, attention is focussed on the social construction of knowledge and on the structuring resources that shape mathematical experience. The study���s methodology has an interpretative nature. One outcome of the study discussed here is that students develop first a practical understanding with no awareness of the reasons founding mathematical statements and after a theoretical one leading them to a proof elaboration.

Revestimento vin��lico em pavimentos: caracter��sticas, execu����o e patologia

O desenvolvimento industrial, tecnol��gico e econ��mico, conduziu ao aparecimento de solu����es construtivas e de revestimentos dispon��veis no mercado da constru����o, cada vez mais eficientes e economicamente vantajosas. Uma dessas solu����es �� o revestimento vin��lico em pavimentos, utilizado a n��vel mundial principalmente em escrit��rios, hospitais e escolas. A sua resist��ncia ao tr��fego pedonal e facilidade de aplica����o e manuten����o fazem dele um revestimento de elei����o. No entanto esta aparente versatilidade acaba por colocar dificuldades aos profissionais do projecto, da constru����o e da reabilita����o de edif��cios, em particular na escolha das melhores solu����es para cada tipo de utiliza����o. �� pois importante que estes profissionais disponham de orienta����es pr��ticas para que fa��am as suas escolhas de um modo objectivo. O presente trabalho prop��e o desenvolvimento de uma an��lise aprofundada deste tipo de material, onde s��o abordadas as suas exig��ncias funcionais, modo de aplica����o e patologia associada, tentando evitar-se deste modo a ocorr��ncia de eventuais erros sistem��ticos e recorrentes.

Refor��o estrutural de uma edifica����o pombalina: acompanhamento em obra

Este trabalho Final de Mestrado consiste na elabora����o de um relat��rio de est��gio que reportar�� o acompanhamento por parte do discente de um refor��o estrutural de uma edifica����o pombalina. Desta forma s��o definidas as principais caracter��sticas construtivas destas edifica����es, fazendo um enquadramento hist��rico-cultural e urban��stico do edif��cio alvo deste trabalho. Uma vez estudado um tipo de constru����o especial, s��o mencionados diversos sistemas e metodologias de refor��o que se adequam ��s caracter��sticas singulares destas constru����es, ilustrando-se procedimentos e t��cnicas que normalmente s��o utilizadas na reabilita����o. Procedeu-se ao relato dos trabalhos executados na obra, desde a demoli����o dos elementos degradados e dissonantes com esta tipologia construtiva, a um estudo mais pormenorizado ao solo de funda����o encontrado na zona da edifica����o e solu����es de funda����o adoptadas. S��o descritas neste trabalho quais as medidas adoptadas no refor��o da estrutura da edifica����o, evidenciando os procedimentos e t��cnicas aplicadas pela empresa. No final deste trabalho, foi efectuada uma modela����o do edif��cio da Rua do Carmo num software de an��lise estrutural SAP 2000, com o objectivo de modelar de forma aproximada a real geometria do edif��cio e, atrav��s da introdu����o das variadas ac����es actuantes na estrutura, fazer determinadas considera����es do comportamento da mesma face ��s solicita����es impostas. Pretendeu-se ainda estabelecer uma rela����o entres os resultados obtidos e as t��cnicas de refor��o utilizadas na reabilita����o destes edif��cios.

New Steel Alloys for the Design of Heat Recovery Steam Generator Components of Combined Cycle Gas Plants

Demand for power is growing every day, mainly due to emerging economies in countries such as China, Russia, India, and Brazil. During the last 50 years steam pressure and temperature in power plants have been continuously raised to improve thermal efficiency. Recent efforts to improve efficiency leads to the development of a new generation of heat recovery steam generator, where the Benson once-through technology is applied to improve the thermal efficiency. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the mechanical behavior of a high pressure superheater manifold by applying finite element modeling and a finite element analysis with the objective of analyzing stress propagation, leading to the study of damage mechanism, e.g., uniaxial fatigue, uniaxial creep for life prediction. The objective of this paper is also to analyze the mechanical properties of the new high temperature resistant materials in the market such as 2Cr Bainitic steels (T/P23 and T/P24) and also the 9-12Cr Martensitic steels (T/P91, T/P92, E911, and P/T122). For this study the design rules for construction of power boilers to define the geometry of the HPSH manifold were applied.

Development of an in situ penetration test for the uptake of preservatives in applied wood

This paper concerns the study of biocides application in old timber structures of maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ail.), previously impregnated with other products. A method was developed in laboratory to determine in situ the penetration depth of a product applied superficially. As initial treatment, three traditional products for sawn timber for buildings were used and, for new treatments, two newer, more environmentally benign products were used. Their ability to penetrate the pre-treated surfaces was evaluated after 1, 2 and 3 applications at 24 hours intervals and the results obtained are presented. Finally, the applicability of the developed test to the in-situ evaluation of timber structures is also discussed.