One and One and One

One and One and One is a collaborative project organized by Tim Renshaw with Outside Architecture. The work in the exhibition explored the incomplete and addresses it as an active process that opens up architectural and spatial structure to new forms of experience.

In vitro morphogenesis and cell suspension culture establishment in Piper solmsianum C. DC. (Piperaceae)

In vitro morphogenesis and cell suspension culture establishment in Piper solmsianum C. DC. (Piperaceae)). Piper solmsianum is a shrub from Southeast Brazil in which many biologically active compounds were identified. The aim of this work was to establish a cell suspension culture system for this species. With this in mind, petiole and leaf explants obtained from in vitro plantlets were cultured in the presence of different plant growth regulator combinations (IAA, NAA, 2,4-D and BA). Root and indirect shoot adventitious formation, detected by histological analysis, was observed. Besides the different combinations of plant growth regulators, light regime and the supplement of activated charcoal (1.5 mg.l(-1)) were tested for callus induction and growth. Cultures maintained in light, on a 0.2 mg.l(-1) 2,4-D and 2 mg.l(-1) BA supplemented medium, and in the absence of activated charcoal, showed the highest calli fresh matter increment. From a callus culture, cell suspension cultures were established and their growth and metabolite accumulation studied. The achieved results may be useful for further characterization of the activated secondary metabolites pathways in in vitro systems of P. solmsianum.

Poverty as an Abuse of Human Rights in Ghana. : A grass roots perspective on poverty and human rights.

The study aimed at getting a grass root opinion on poverty and why Ghana is still poor after 50 years of independence in spite of her richness in natural resources, second largest producer of cocoa in the word and appreciable stable political environment. The opinions of the ordinary people in the Bia district and their observed living conditions was analysed in line with theoretical basis of the study and previous studies to justify the stance that poverty should be considered as an abuse of human rights. It was concluded based on position of informants and previous data available that though many factors have been raised by previous scholars as the cause of poverty, the actions and inactions of both internal and external power-holders is the main source of poverty in Ghana. It was proposed that for poverty to be reduced in a sustainable way there should be strong civil society groups and active citizens through civic education to hold power-holders accountable. Until the actions and inactions of power-holders which have subjected many Ghanaians into intergenerational poverty are seen as human rights abuse, the rights of many Ghanaians would be constantly abused. This will eventually defeat the promotion of human rights culture in Ghana.

Borlänge and Falun Brundtland cities

Development of an infrastructure for Brundtland Renewable Energy Network - BREN is a European Commission Alterner Project with Contract no XVII/4. 1030/Z96-032.The project has its origin in the UN-report “Our Common Future”, 1989. A change in and reduction of the use of energy was fundamental in order to reach the goals which the report proposed. Denmark decided on an action plan on how energy consumption could be reduced “Energi 2000 - Handlingsplan för en bäredygtig udvikling”. The ministries of energy in Denmark and Schleswig Holstein both agreed to start an energy saving project in a smaller town. The project was called “Brundtlandby” and the two first were Toftlund in South Jutland and Bredstedt in North Friesland. After a short period a further two German Cities, Rheinsberg and Viernheim, and Rajec in Slovakia joined the group. A network for the exchange of knowledge and experience between the cities was formed. The network, Brundtland City Project, inspired the participating cities in the continuing work with energy saving measures. The Brundtland City Project was presented at an international conference “Cities and Energy” in Trondheim, Norway,in December 1995. Great interest was shown in the project and it was decided that a network should be developed in northern European countries as a pilot project to be enlarged with other European countries later on. A steering committee was formed with representatives from the nordic countries.An application was sent to the European Commission, Alterner Program, and was approved in Juli 1996. The project was subdivided into nine activities. Activity 1, consisted of summarising the experiences of the Brundtland City Project in Toftlund, Denmark and the Brundtland Cities network in Slovakia, Germany and Denmark. The Scandinavian part started with Activity 2, to engage municipalities/cities in Finland, Norway and Sweden in the project. The Solar Energy Research Center, SERC, Högskolan Dalarna was appointed as co-ordinator for the Swedish part. The project was presented at a seminar on the 30th September for representatives from the municipalities of Borlänge and Falun. On the 10th of December 1996 the two municipalities accepted the invitation to join the Northern network. Pelle Helje, Borlänge Energi, has been informant for the municipality of Borlänge and Anders Goop, Department of Urban Planninginformant for the municipality of Falun with Jan Kaans, Estates department providing information to the basis for the Newsletter.Reports on the work in Borlänge and Falun municipalities have been made to Brundtland Center Denmark on three occasions; Activities 2-5, 16-12-1997, Activities 6-7, including parts of activities 8-9, 03-03-1998, and the basis for the Newsletter, 01-07-1998. The Nordic reports have been compiled at the Brundtland Center Denmark for submission to the European Commission. English has been the common language. After the report of activities 2 - 5 the participants wereinvited to a project meeting and a workshop at Brundtland Center the 23rd and 24th March 1998.This was the first occasion the participants in the project met and the network thus took a moreconcrete form. It also was decided that the next meeting should be in Borlänge in August 1998,with Borlänge Energi and Solar Energy Research Center SERC as organisers. As BrundtlandCentre Denmark was wound up for financial reasons, the project meeting in Borlänge wascancelled.Compilation of the Final Report was carried out by Esbensen Consultants in October 1998Future development of the networkIt is intended to continue the work with the Brundtland City Network as an “EU Thermie Bproject”and the network will be enlarged with the addition of four new Brundtland Cities from Austria, Germany, Italy and Great Britain. In addition the village of Putja in Estonia will join the network but this will be financed by the EU-Phare programme.

Muslims' participation in Ethiopian Civil Society: findings from field research in Addis Ababa

This thesis is an investigation into the Ethiopian Civil Society, with a focus on Muslims’participation and activities. This research is the result of a series of interviews carried on in AddisAbaba during my staying there thank to a scholarship from Pavia University.Chapter One is a general introduction of the study, presenting the object, the methodology anduse of sources as well as the state of the current research of the topics covered by this research.Chapter Two is a framework chapter about Islām in Ethiopia offering an historical perspective aswell as focusing on its characteristics and current developments. Chapter Three deals withEthiopian Civil Society characteristics and with its legal framework. Chapter Four constitutes thecore of this research: in it, I collected the findings of my research describing the presence ofMuslims into Ethiopian Civil Society. I analyzed the activities and characteristics of the differentorganizations and associations that I met in Addis Ababa, their self-representation concerningtheir being related with Islām and their opinions on Muslims’ marginalization and lack of nonpoliticizationin Ethiopia. A set of conclusions constitutes the last section of the thesis.

Corpos diferenciados e o processo de criação da performance Kahlo em Mim Eu E(m) Kahlo

The dissertation intends to develop an investigation on the artistic existence in human beings with different bodies in society at different historical moments. In this regard and based on this scenario, the study develops a description of the stigmas production and how they are established, spread and interfere with the sociability among human beings regarded as normal and those with different bodies. Regarding the scenic arts, the text describes about the participation of artists with different bodies in the scene, specifically the freak show and postdramatic theater. The text also investigates aspects of the biography and the work of mexican artist Frida Kahlo, which underpin methodological proceedings and produce contribution to the creative process of performance Kahlo em mim Eu e(m) Kahlo , which is to investigate the practice of the scene in this dissertation

A alteração do tipo penal de adulteração de combustíveis: reflexo da constitucionalização do direito penal no mercado de combustíveis

The neoconstitutionalism led to a process of ethical revaluation of the normative systems and the process of constitutionalization of the many fields of law. This study examines the consequences of this process in criminal law, so important a Law field for the protection of the most valuable assets by the society, including the fundamental guarantees, thus emphasizing the necessity of protection of the collective and individual rights, which are guided by the observance of the defendants individual rights in the course of criminal proceedings and the search for the best efficiency of penal protection, according to the corollaries of defense against the state (prohibition of the excess or Übermassverbot) and the provision of rights by the state (prohibition of insufficient protection or Untermassverbot). The offense of fuel adulteration is taken as an object of study, since it is a vital market to a nation dependent of people and good s movement for their living, driven by fossil and biofuels. Such a crime affects essential legal interests to the development of society, interests such as the environment, consumer relations and economic order, particularly the principle of free competition. This paper seeks to analyze the need of a greater efficiency of this particular criminal protection, once concluded the conduct harm and social fear as a consequence by it as growing, and therefore having its former crime type, engraved in Article 1 of Law No. 8.176/1991, rewritten in compliance with the criminal law s principle of legality. Thus, the reformation proposals and legislative creation involving this crime were observed, with emphasis on the bill No. 2498/2003, which keeps it as blank heterogeneous criminal norm, kind of penal normative whose constitutionality is raised, including the forethought of criminal responsibility in the perpetrating of the offense as culpable and subsequently increasing the applicable minimum penalty, as well as the inclusion of new activities in the typical nucleus

Retrospective study of thoracolumbar ventral fenestration through intercostal thoracotomy and paracostal laparotomy in the dog

Foram analisados os resultados da fenestração ventral dos discos toracolombares em 29 cães agrupados segundo a raça, sexo, peso, idade, graus de déficits neurológicos, duração dos sinais, discos intervertebrais envolvidos, tempo para recuperação e porcentagem de sucesso. A raça Dachshund representou 55,18% (n = 16), cães sem raça definida, 13,8% (n = 4), Poodle e Basset Hound e Cocker Spaniel Inglês 6,89% cada (n = 6), e Pastor Alemão, Beagle e Pinscher, 3,45% cada (n = 3), sendo 51,72%, machos e 48,28%, fêmeas, com idade média de 68,03 meses. O grau de déficits neurológicos correspondeu a: 13,8% dos cães pertencentes ao GI (dor), 41,8% ao GII (paresia), 27,6% ao GIII (paraplegia com dor profunda presente) e 17,2% ao GIV (paraplegia com dor profunda ausente). Os sinais clínicos variaram em duração entre 2 e 60 dias, correspondendo às médias de 18,5 (GI), 12,3 (GII), 8,28 (GIII) e 4,2 dias (GIV). A porcentagem de discos intervertebrais acometidos foi: T10/11 (10,81%), T11/12 (24,33%), T12/13 (40,55%), T13/L1 (16,21%) e L1/2, L2/3 e L3/4, 2,7% cada. O tempo médio de recuperação, em dias, foi: 16 (GI), 19,1 (GII), 20,6 (GIII) e 30,6 (GIV), onde 100% dos animais dos grupos I, II e III recuperaram ambas as funções neurológicas e motoras. O grupo IV apresentou 80% de sucesso. Conclui-se que a fenestração ventral produz excelentes resultados pós-operatórios desde que bem selecionados os casos.

Experience generalization for multi-agent reinforcement learning

On-line learning methods have been applied successfully in multi-agent systems to achieve coordination among agents. Learning in multi-agent systems implies in a non-stationary scenario perceived by the agents, since the behavior of other agents may change as they simultaneously learn how to improve their actions. Non-stationary scenarios can be modeled as Markov Games, which can be solved using the Minimax-Q algorithm a combination of Q-learning (a Reinforcement Learning (RL) algorithm which directly learns an optimal control policy) and the Minimax algorithm. However, finding optimal control policies using any RL algorithm (Q-learning and Minimax-Q included) can be very time consuming. Trying to improve the learning time of Q-learning, we considered the QS-algorithm. in which a single experience can update more than a single action value by using a spreading function. In this paper, we contribute a Minimax-QS algorithm which combines the Minimax-Q algorithm and the QS-algorithm. We conduct a series of empirical evaluation of the algorithm in a simplified simulator of the soccer domain. We show that even using a very simple domain-dependent spreading function, the performance of the learning algorithm can be improved.

DC and AC side harmonics in CCC converters

The capacitor-commutated converter (CCC) has frequently been used in the conception of HVDC systems connected to busbars with low short circuit level. This alternative arrangement, in substitution to the conventional ones, guarantees less sensitive operational conditions to problems related with the commutation failure in the inverters besides supplying part of the reactive energy to be compensated. Studies related with its performance in steady and transient states have been presented in several works, however its behavior as harmonic source is still little explored. This work presents preliminary studies focusing the generation of characteristic harmonics by this type of converter. Subjects related with the amplification of the harmonic magnitudes are investigated and compared considering similar arrangements of conventional static converters (LCC) and CCC schemes. It is also analyzed the harmonic generation on the dc side of the installation and its influence on the ac side harmonics. The results are obtained from simulations in the time domain in PSpice environment and they clearly illustrate the operational differences between the L CC and the CCC schemes with regard to characteristic harmonic generation.

Opinion of hepatic transplant waiting list patients regarding split liver transplantation

Background. Split liver transplantation (SLT) increases organ supply for hepatic transplantation. Long-term patient survival and complication rates seem to be equivalent between orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and SLT. There are controversies among transplant physicians due to an ethical dilemma between benefiting individual needs or those of society. Barshes and Goss (Am J Transplant 5:2047, 2005) demonstrated that the majority of adult liver transplant candidates are favorable to SLT. The aim of our study was to evaluate the opinions of patients at a Brazilian university hospital regarding SLT.Materials and Methods. A questionnaire with 14 questions was applied to 50 patients included in a hepatic transplant waiting list regarding SLT.Results. The overall attitudes of 66% of the participants were classified as utilitarian, 31% were classified as self-preserving, and 3% were undecided. Ninety-one percent of patients would be willing to share even if their expected survival after SLT was shorter than that with OLT. For 77% of patients, children must have priority over adults. However, 83% were unaware of the donors for pediatric transplantations.Conclusions. SLT is a consistent solution for organ demand despite controversies among transplant physicians. The present study demonstrated that most patients were favorable to SLT. In conclusion, attitudes toward graft sharing are not barriers to SLT.

Diesel Degradation in Soil by Fenton Process

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Uma brasileira: a outra história de Julia Mann

O texto parte da recente valorização da origem brasileira de Julia Mann, a matriarca da célebre família de escritores alemães, para discutir o tema da nacionalidade associado às categorias de gênero e raça. Discutimos a historicidade de categorias sociais e como estas determinam a auto-compreensão dos indivíduos. A sociedade alemã do século XIX caracterizou Julia como brasileira e, apesar do estigma que isto representava, ela utilizou-se desta origem exótica como forma de autocompreensão e resistência.