Aproximacíon Teórico-Conceptual a la Metáfora y el Símbolo

La metáfora y el símbolo constituyen eje central de esta investigación, la cual en principio no pretende ser un estudio exhaustivo de estos conceptos, tarea que requeriría muchos años de indagación y búsqueda, al ser éste un primer acercamiento a un controvertido, sugerente e interesante problema que se encuentra no sólo en las raíces de nuestro lenguaje, sino también de nuestro pensamiento y por tanto del devenir filosófico. El recurso de la metáfora y el símbolo, no sólo es propio de la literatura sino común a toda obra humana. Tal es el caso de los mitos, las alegorías, la poesía, las obras de teatro, los ensayos —que a menudo los contienen— y los modelos a escalas tanto teóricos como reales con los que trabaja la ciencia para luego, transferir lo peculiar de la ficción heurística a la realidad.

Heritability of left ventricular structure and function in Caucasian families.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the heritability as well as genetic and environmental correlations of left ventricular (LV) structural and functional traits in complex pedigrees of a Caucasian population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We randomly recruited 459 white European subjects from 52 families (50% women; mean age 45 years). LV structure was measured by M-mode and 2D echocardiography and LV function was measured by conventional Doppler and tissue Doppler imaging (TDI). Other measurements included blood pressure, anthropometric, and biochemical measurements. We estimated the heritability of LV traits while adjusting for covariables, including sex, age, body height and weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and heart rate. With full adjustment, heritability of LV mass was 0.23 (P= 0.025). The TDI-derived mitral annular velocities Ea and Aa showed moderate heritability (h(2)= 0.36 and 0.53, respectively), whereas the mitral inflow A peak had weak heritability (h(2) = 0.25) and the E peak was not heritable (h(2) = 0.11). We partitioned the total phenotypic correlation when it reached significance, into a genetic and an environmental component. The genetic correlations were 0.61 between the E and Ea peaks and 0.90 between the A and Aa peaks. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated moderate heritability for LV mass as well as the mitral annular Ea and Aa peaks. We also found significant genetic correlations between the E and Ea peaks and between the A and Aa peaks. Our current findings support the ongoing research to map and detect genetic variants that contribute to the variation in LV mass and other LV structural and functional phenotypes.

A Influência do Género no Comportamento da Criança, do Pré-Escolar, Perante o Conflito

A personalidade tem vindo a assumir diferentes conceptualizações ao longo da evolução, análise e compreensão do comportamento humano. Neste trabalho, nós definimo-la como uma organização dinâmica dos traços no interior do eu, formados a partir dos genes particulares que herdamos, das existências singulares que experimentamos e das percepções individuais que temos do mundo, capazes de tornar cada indivíduo único em sua maneira de ser, de sentir e de desempenhar o seu papel social. O género (M/F) é a variável ou o fenómeno que abriga a personalidade, nas suas vertentes masculina e feminina, manifesta-a a todo o momento e dá-lhe sentido de interpretação e análise. O conflito é o motor que interfere nas acções do género visando a orientação da personalidade humana dando-lhe formas diversas. Se a esses ingredientes adicionarmos um outro, muito peculiar, crianças do ensino pré-escolar (0-6 anos de idade) em formação da personalidade, construímos um barril de pólvora, cujo rastilho vai ficando cada vez mais curto com “intrusões” da família, dos meedia e dos agentes de educação da infãncia (educadores de infância). O terreno é deveras minado, mas é sobre ele que trabalhamos com esta tese, tendo, para tal, projectado os seguintes objectivos: Diagnosticar os constrangimentos inerentes ao comportamento das crianças no pré-escolar, perante o conflito, tendo em conta o género, explicar as razões que estão na base da assunção dos diferentes tipos de comportamentos e assumir novos horizontes de investigação neste campo específico da educação. Considerando a natureza do trabalho e os objectivos do estudo, optamos pela estratégia de investigação descritiva, recorrendo à técnica de estudo de caso, numa abordagem qualitativa. Estando o trabalho dividido em termos da sua execução em duas partes, uma primeira, conceptual e metodológica e uma segunda empírica e analítica, e, sendo esta a primeira parte, em que se andou à volta da definição do “estado da arte”, das variáveis em análise, chegamos às seguintes conclusões: Terminada a revisão teórica, concluímos que a personalidade enquanto campo de estudo está muito desenvolvida, embora os principais investigadores não arrisquem verdades absolutas. Uma outra conclusão é que há muitas conceptualizações à volta do tema, possibilitando um terreno fértil para futuras acções e tomadas de decisão no campo da investigação científica. Uma terceira conclusão é que as respostas que encontramos na literatura, à volta do tema, se bem que a respondam, não são conclusivas. Isso obriga-nos a ir para o campo à procura de um outro perfil (empírico) que seja posto em confronto com o agora desenhado.

Local distribution of blackfly (Diptera, Simuliidae) larvae in two adjacent streams: the role of water current velocity in the diversity of blackfly larvae

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of water velocity speed on the local distribution and taxocenosis structure of blackfly larvae. The larvae were collected from two adjacent streams located in the municipality of Angra dos Reis (RJ): Caputera River and one of its tributaries. Riffle litter patches were sampled randomly using a 30 x 30 cm quadrat. Four blackfly species were found: Simulium incrustatum s. l. Lutz, 1910; Simulium (Inaequalium) sp. ; Simulium pertinax s. l. Kollar, 1832 and Simulium subpallidum s. l. Lutz, 1909. Among these species, Simulium pertinax s. l. was clearly associated with higher water current speeds, while Simulium subpallidum s. l. showed association with lower water velocities, and Simulium (Inaequalium) sp. had a relatively constant distribution along the water current gradient.

O poder local em Timor em contexto multicultural

O trabalho que agora se apresenta é fruto, antes de mais, de uma relação especial com Timor. Não necessariamente pela dimensão histórica das várias presenças naquele território mas, e acima de tudo, pela relação pessoal e afectiva com alguns dos responsáveis políticos e religiosos daquele jovem país. Um convite, formulado em 2007 por Xanana Gusmão, levou-nos a calcorrear todo o território num curto espaço de três semanas, corria o Verão de 2008. O objectivo era a análise, no terreno, da viabilidade da instalação de um poder local num país recentemente tornado independente. Timor, fruto da sua história e, muito em especial, das características antropológicas do seu povo, é uma nação assumidamente multicultural. Das origens ancestrais das suas comunidades, dos reinos dispersos que pulverizam o pequeno território, das suas lideranças e dos vários dilectos, associados à longa e marcante presença portuguesa, bem como outras ocupações de países estrangeiros, com destaque para a Indonésia, resulta um caldo cultural, a todos os níveis peculiar. Aqui e acolá ouvimos o povo, entrevistámos e reunimos com os 432 chefes de suco existentes no país, entrevistámos chefes de aldeia e anciãos, reunimos com políticos, sacerdotes, professores e jornalistas. Interpretámos, ou tentámos interpretar, as condicionantes e os cuidados que se devem observar na preparação do quadro jurídico para reger a municipalidade em Timor: as suas vertentes electivas, funcionais, financeiras e fiscalizadoras. Revistámos a História de Timor e passámos por Cabo Verde, país de referência internacional ao nível da sua gestão pública, muito em especial a autárquica. Fizemos, também, óbvia referência à história do poder local em Portugal. Das consultas, do muito que observámos e estudámos, resulta um desinteressado contributo para a implementação do poder local em Timor, com as conclusões que incorporam alertas e sugestões.

O poder local em Timor em contexto multicultural

This study, now on presentation, comes as a result of a special relationship established with East Timor. Not necessarily through the several historical presences in that territory but, above all, through the emotional and personal relationships with some of the political and religious leaders of this young country. An invitation, made in 2007 by Xanana Gusmão, led us throughout the whole territory in a short time of three weeks, running the summer of 2008. Its purpose was the analysis, on the ground, of the possibility of installing local administration in a country which had recently became independent. Timor, as a result of its history, but mostly of the anthropological characteristics of its people, is an openly multicultural nation. The ancestral origins of their communities, its scattered kingdoms that spray along such a small territory, its leaders and many dialects, associated with the long portuguese presence, as well as other occupations made by foreign countries, especially Indonesia, became a cultural melting pot truly unique. Here and there we heard the people and interviewed and met the 432 local elected leaders of the country. We interviewed village elders and meet with politicians, priests, teachers and journalists. We have interpreted, or tried to, the actual conditions and cautions that must be observed in preparing the legal framework to govern the municipality in East Timor: its elective, functional, financial and oversight aspects. We have reviewed Timor’s history and took Cape Verde’s example as an international reference on its public administration, mostly its local authorities. We made also the obvious reference to the portuguese local government’s history. From search, and much of the observed and studied, remains a selfless contribution to the implementation of local government in East Timor, with alerts that incorporate conclusions and suggestions.

Estudo do Ruído Sísmico no Arquipélago de Cabo Verde

Traditionally the study of Earth's internal structure has been based on analysis of seismic waves recorded during the occurrence of earthquakes. Recently, some researchers have shown to be possible to use ambient seismic noise (generally generated by ocean storms) to obtain dispersion curves with satisfactory results. Moreover, the use of ambient seismic noise measurement has advantages because they are independent of the earthquake-station geometry. This study aims to determine the dispersion curves of Rayleigh waves from the analysis of ambient seismic noise records, obtained in Cape Verde archipelago, whose origin and structure has attracted interest from several researchers. Analyzing the data collected between November 2007 and September 2008, Green's functions were determined. The analysis of these functions allowed to construct energy diagrams and to measure dispersion curves of group velocities between pairs of stations.

Colonic movements in healthy subjects as monitored by a Magnet Tracking System.

The Magnet Tracking System (MTS) is a minimally-invasive technique of continuous evaluation of gastrointestinal motility. In this study, MTS was used to analyse colonic propulsive dynamics and compare the transit of a magnetic pill with that of standard radio-opaque markers. MTS monitors the progress in real time of a magnetic pill through the gut. Ten men and 10 women with regular daily bowel movements swallowed this pill and 10 radio-opaque markers at 8 pm. Five hours of recordings were conducted during 2 following mornings. Origin, direction, amplitude and velocity of movements were analysed relative to space-time plots of the pill trajectory. Abdominal radiographs were taken to compare the progress of both pill and markers. The magnetic pill lay idle for 90% of its sojourn in the colon; its total retrograde displacement accounted for only 20% of its overall movement. Analysis of these movements showed a bimodal distribution of velocities: around 1.5 and 50 cm min(-1), the latter being responsible for 2/3 of distance traversed. There were more movements overall and more mass movements in males. Net hourly forward progress was greater in the left than right colon, and greater in males. The position of the magnetic pill correlated well with the advancement of markers. MTS showed patterns and propulsion dynamics of colonic segments with as yet unmet precision. Detailed analysis of slow and fast patterns of colonic progress makes it possible to specify the motility of colonic segments, and any variability in gender. Such analysis opens up promising avenues in studies of motility disorders.

An experimental study of discharge partitioning and flow structure at symmetrical bifurcations

Recent research has examined the factors controlling the geometrical configuration of bifurcations, determined the range of stability conditions for a number of bifurcation types and assessed the impact of perturbations on bifurcation evolution. However, the flow division process and the parameters that influence flow and sediment partitioning are still poorly characterized. To identify and isolate these parameters, three-dimensional velocities were measured at 11 cross-sections in a fixed-walled experimental bifurcation. Water surface gradients were controlled, and systematically varied, using a weir in each distributary. As may be expected, the steepest distributary conveyed the most discharge ( was dominant) while the mildest distributary conveyed the least discharge ( was subordinate). A zone of water surface super-elevation was co-located with the bifurcation in symmetric cases or displaced into the subordinate branch in asymmetric cases. Downstream of a relatively acute-angled bifurcation, primary velocity cores were near to the water surface and against the inner banks, with near-bed zones of lower primary velocity at the outer banks. Downstream of an obtuse-angled bifurcation, velocity cores were initially at the outer banks, with near-bed zones of lower velocities at the inner banks, but patterns soon reverted to match the acute-angled case. A single secondary flow cell was generated in each distributary, with water flowing inwards at the water surface and outwards at the bed. Circulation was relatively enhanced within the subordinate branch, which may help explain why subordinate distributaries remain open, may play a role in determining the size of commonly-observed topographic features, and may thus exert some control on the stability of asymmetric bifurcations. Further, because larger values of circulation result from larger gradient disadvantages, the length of confluence-diffluence units in braided rivers or between diffluences within delta distributary networks may vary depending upon flow structures inherited from upstream and whether, and how, they are fed by dominant or subordinate distributaries. Copyright (C) 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The Value of Private Information within Evolving Groups

This note offers an analytical framework aimed at explaining how individual agents purposefully act with the goal of managing the value of their information sets. Agents undertake a process of private accumulation of information, which takes into account the non-rival nature of this peculiar entity. Non rivalry introduces an externality that might trigger long-term endogenous fluctuations. The dynamics of interaction, namely the possibility of entering or exiting the group to which the individuals belong, wil l determine time trajectories for the information flows that are unique for the specific conditions of interaction that are being considered at a given momentEste artigo apresenta uma estrutura analítica que tem por objetivo explicar como é que os agentes individuais atuam, de modo intencional, com o propósito de gerir o valor da informação que detêm. Os agentes prosseguem um processo de acumulação privada de informação, o qual toma em consideração a natureza não rival desta entidade que detém características específicas. A não rivalidade introduz uma externalidade que pode despoletar flutuações endógenas de longo prazo. A dinâmica de interação, nomeadamente a possibilidade de entrar ou sair do grupo a que os indivíduos pertencem, vai determinar a formação de trajetórias no tempo para os fluxos de informação, as quais são únicas para as condições particulares de interação que estão a ser consideradas num determinado momento.

A non-quasi-competitive Cournot oligopoly with stability

This paper presents a classical Cournot oligopoly model with some peculiar features: it is non--quasi--competitive as price under N-poly is greater than monopoly price; Cournot equilibrium exists and is unique with each new entry; the successive equilibria after new entries are stable under the adjustment mechanism that assumes that actual output of each seller is adjusted proportionally to the difference between actual output and profit maximizing output. Moreover, the model tends to perfect competition as N goes to infinity, reaching the monopoly price again.

How to recognize opportunities: Heterarchical search in a Wall Street trading room

Our task in this paper is to analyze the organization of trading in the era of quantitativefinance. To do so, we conduct an ethnography of arbitrage, the trading strategy that bestexemplifies finance in the wake of the quantitative revolution. In contrast to value andmomentum investing, we argue, arbitrage involves an art of association - the constructionof equivalence (comparability) of properties across different assets. In place of essentialor relationa l characteristics, the peculiar valuation that takes place in arbitrage is based on an operation that makes something the measure of something else - associating securities to each other. The process of recognizing opportunities and the practices of making novel associations are shaped by the specific socio-spatial and socio-technical configurations of the trading room. Calculation is distributed across persons and instruments as the trading room organizes interaction among diverse principles of valuation.

Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera, Hesperioidea) from Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil: 70 years of records with special reference to faunal composition of Vila Velha State Park

Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera, Hesperioidea) de Ponta Grossa, Paraná, Brazil: 70 anos de registros com especial referência à composição faunística do Parque Estadual de Vila Velha. O município de Ponta Grossa se destaca por apresentar originalmente uma paisagem peculiar onde capões isolados de Floresta Ombrófila Mista são interligados por grandes extensões de fitofisionomias estépicas, também denominadas campos. No entanto, ambos os ecossistemas atualmente se encontram altamente ameaçados pela ocupação humana, restando na região o Parque Estadual de Vila Velha, cuja composição florística tem sido recentemente relacionada com o bioma Cerrado. Poucos trabalhos são dedicados à caracterização da fauna dos campos e sua relação com outras fitofisionomias estépicas brasileiras, motivo que suscitou a realização deste estudo. Após reunir informações de coletas realizadas por mais de 70 anos, são listadas 225 espécies de Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera, Hesperioidea) presentes no município, entre elas 162 indicadoras de ambientes florestais e 53 de áreas abertas. O Parque Estadual de Vila Velha contribui para a conservação de 65% delas enquanto sua composição se mostra intimamente relacionada tanto aos Pampas como ao Cerrado, em detrimento de hábitats florestais. Tal relação é dada provavelmente pela localização geográfica de Vila Velha, visto que a similaridade da fauna de Hesperiidae se encontrou influenciada pelas distâncias geográficas das amostras no presente estudo. A flora de Vila Velha também deve afetar diretamente a composição observada de Hesperiidae, uma vez que uma grande parte de suas espécies são também encontradas em áreas de Cerrado. No entanto, estudos em ambientes campestres brasileiros ainda se fazem necessários, especialmente em enclaves de Cerrado no Paraná e em São Paulo, para que se adquira um melhor entendimento da dinâmica de suas comunidades.

Fish ecology in Lake Banyoles (NE Spain): a tribute to Ramon Margalef

Lake Banyoles is the second largest lake in the Iberian Peninsula and due to this relative uniqueness, its peculiar geological origin, and its considerable age attracted the early attention of the late Professor Ramon Margalef. One of the first papers by Margalef was on the biota of Lake Banyoles and two of the first four Ph.D. theses that he supervised were about the limnology of this lake. Unfortunately, the uniqueness of this lake also implied that it was the first place of introduction into the Iberian Peninsula of several exotic fish species, early in the XXth Century and nowadays the lake fish assemblage is dominated by invasive species, and some native ones have been extirpated. Although the limnological studies in Lake Banyoles were pioneering within the Iberian Peninsula, studies on fish ecology of the lake did not start until 1989. Thereafter, four Ph.D. theses have been completed on different aspects of the fish assemblages of Lake Banyoles. The aim of this paper is to provide a short overview of this research, largely brought about by the considerable limnological information previously available for this lake, thanks to the insightful, pioneering work of Professor Margalef

Notes on social wasps of the group of Mischocyttarus(Omega) punctatus (Ducke), with description of six new species (Hymenoptera, Vespidae, Polistinae)

ABSTRACTA revision of the taxonomic status and an identification key for wasp species of the genus Mischocyttarus related to M. punctatus (Ducke, 1904) are presented here. Six new species are proposed (M. tayrona Silveira sp. nov.; M. anchicaya Silveira sp. nov.; M. caxiuana Silveira sp. nov.; M. verissimoi Silveira sp. nov.; M. rodriguesi Silveira sp. nov.; M. ryani Silveira sp. nov.), raising to nine the number of species in the M. punctatus group. The highest diversity of the group concentrates in northern South America, in Andean areas and Amazonia. New information concerning the very peculiar nests of these wasps is also given.