Starch analysis as a method to discover subsistence strategies in prehistoric Finland and Estonia

Ancient starch analysis is a microbotanical method in which starch granules are extracted from archaeological residues and the botanical source is identified. The method is an important addition to established palaeoethnobotanical research, as it can reveal ancient microremains of starchy staples such as cereal grains and seeds. In addition, starch analysis can detect starch originating from underground storage organs, which are rarely discovered using other methods. Because starch is tolerant of acidic soils, unlike most organic matter, starch analysis can be successful in northern boreal regions. Starch analysis has potential in the study of cultivation, plant domestication, wild plant usage and tool function, as well as in locating activity areas at sites and discovering human impact on the environment. The aim of this study was to experiment with the starch analysis method in Finnish and Estonian archaeology by building a starch reference collection from cultivated and native plant species, by developing sampling, measuring and analysis protocols, by extracting starch residues from archaeological artefacts and soils, and by identifying their origin. The purpose of this experiment was to evaluate the suitability of the method for the study of subsistence strategies in prehistoric Finland and Estonia. A total of 64 archaeological samples were analysed from four Late Neolithic sites in Finland and Estonia, with radiocarbon dates ranging between 2904 calBC and 1770 calBC. The samples yielded starch granules, which were compared with the starch reference collection and descriptions in the literature. Cereal-type starch was identified from the Finnish Kiukainen culture site and from the Estonian Corded Ware site. The samples from the Finnish Corded Ware site yielded underground storage organ starch, which may be the first evidence of the use of rhizomes as food in Finland. No cereal-type starch was observed. Although the sample sets were limited, the experiment confirmed that starch granules have been preserved well in the archaeological material of Finland and Estonia, and that differences between subsistence patterns, as well as evidence of cultivation and wild plant gathering, can be discovered using starch analysis. By collecting large sample sets and addressing the three most important issues – preventing contamination, collecting adequate references and understanding taphonomic processes – starch analysis can substantially contribute to research on ancient subsistence in Finland and Estonia.

Development of Imaging Mass Spectrometry Analysis of Lipids in Biological and Clinically Relevant Applications

La spectrométrie de masse mesure la masse des ions selon leur rapport masse sur charge. Cette technique est employée dans plusieurs domaines et peut analyser des mélanges complexes. L’imagerie par spectrométrie de masse (Imaging Mass Spectrometry en anglais, IMS), une branche de la spectrométrie de masse, permet l’analyse des ions sur une surface, tout en conservant l’organisation spatiale des ions détectés. Jusqu’à présent, les échantillons les plus étudiés en IMS sont des sections tissulaires végétales ou animales. Parmi les molécules couramment analysées par l’IMS, les lipides ont suscité beaucoup d'intérêt. Les lipides sont impliqués dans les maladies et le fonctionnement normal des cellules; ils forment la membrane cellulaire et ont plusieurs rôles, comme celui de réguler des événements cellulaires. Considérant l’implication des lipides dans la biologie et la capacité du MALDI IMS à les analyser, nous avons développé des stratégies analytiques pour la manipulation des échantillons et l’analyse de larges ensembles de données lipidiques. La dégradation des lipides est très importante dans l’industrie alimentaire. De la même façon, les lipides des sections tissulaires risquent de se dégrader. Leurs produits de dégradation peuvent donc introduire des artefacts dans l’analyse IMS ainsi que la perte d’espèces lipidiques pouvant nuire à la précision des mesures d’abondance. Puisque les lipides oxydés sont aussi des médiateurs importants dans le développement de plusieurs maladies, leur réelle préservation devient donc critique. Dans les études multi-institutionnelles où les échantillons sont souvent transportés d’un emplacement à l’autre, des protocoles adaptés et validés, et des mesures de dégradation sont nécessaires. Nos principaux résultats sont les suivants : un accroissement en fonction du temps des phospholipides oxydés et des lysophospholipides dans des conditions ambiantes, une diminution de la présence des lipides ayant des acides gras insaturés et un effet inhibitoire sur ses phénomènes de la conservation des sections au froid sous N2. A température et atmosphère ambiantes, les phospholipides sont oxydés sur une échelle de temps typique d’une préparation IMS normale (~30 minutes). Les phospholipides sont aussi décomposés en lysophospholipides sur une échelle de temps de plusieurs jours. La validation d’une méthode de manipulation d’échantillon est d’autant plus importante lorsqu’il s’agit d’analyser un plus grand nombre d’échantillons. L’athérosclérose est une maladie cardiovasculaire induite par l’accumulation de matériel cellulaire sur la paroi artérielle. Puisque l’athérosclérose est un phénomène en trois dimension (3D), l'IMS 3D en série devient donc utile, d'une part, car elle a la capacité à localiser les molécules sur la longueur totale d’une plaque athéromateuse et, d'autre part, car elle peut identifier des mécanismes moléculaires du développement ou de la rupture des plaques. l'IMS 3D en série fait face à certains défis spécifiques, dont beaucoup se rapportent simplement à la reconstruction en 3D et à l’interprétation de la reconstruction moléculaire en temps réel. En tenant compte de ces objectifs et en utilisant l’IMS des lipides pour l’étude des plaques d’athérosclérose d’une carotide humaine et d’un modèle murin d’athérosclérose, nous avons élaboré des méthodes «open-source» pour la reconstruction des données de l’IMS en 3D. Notre méthodologie fournit un moyen d’obtenir des visualisations de haute qualité et démontre une stratégie pour l’interprétation rapide des données de l’IMS 3D par la segmentation multivariée. L’analyse d’aortes d’un modèle murin a été le point de départ pour le développement des méthodes car ce sont des échantillons mieux contrôlés. En corrélant les données acquises en mode d’ionisation positive et négative, l’IMS en 3D a permis de démontrer une accumulation des phospholipides dans les sinus aortiques. De plus, l’IMS par AgLDI a mis en évidence une localisation différentielle des acides gras libres, du cholestérol, des esters du cholestérol et des triglycérides. La segmentation multivariée des signaux lipidiques suite à l’analyse par IMS d’une carotide humaine démontre une histologie moléculaire corrélée avec le degré de sténose de l’artère. Ces recherches aident à mieux comprendre la complexité biologique de l’athérosclérose et peuvent possiblement prédire le développement de certains cas cliniques. La métastase au foie du cancer colorectal (Colorectal cancer liver metastasis en anglais, CRCLM) est la maladie métastatique du cancer colorectal primaire, un des cancers le plus fréquent au monde. L’évaluation et le pronostic des tumeurs CRCLM sont effectués avec l’histopathologie avec une marge d’erreur. Nous avons utilisé l’IMS des lipides pour identifier les compartiments histologiques du CRCLM et extraire leurs signatures lipidiques. En exploitant ces signatures moléculaires, nous avons pu déterminer un score histopathologique quantitatif et objectif et qui corrèle avec le pronostic. De plus, par la dissection des signatures lipidiques, nous avons identifié des espèces lipidiques individuelles qui sont discriminants des différentes histologies du CRCLM et qui peuvent potentiellement être utilisées comme des biomarqueurs pour la détermination de la réponse à la thérapie. Plus spécifiquement, nous avons trouvé une série de plasmalogènes et sphingolipides qui permettent de distinguer deux différents types de nécrose (infarct-like necrosis et usual necrosis en anglais, ILN et UN, respectivement). L’ILN est associé avec la réponse aux traitements chimiothérapiques, alors que l’UN est associé au fonctionnement normal de la tumeur.

Espionage against Poland in the Documents and Analyses of the Polish Special Services (1944 - 1989) - as Illustrated by the Intelligence Activities of the USA

The text analyses the intelligence activity against Poland in the period 1944-1989. The paper also contains a case study, i.e. an analysis of the American intelligence service activity held against Poland. While examining the research thesis, the author used the documents and analyses prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In order to best illustrate the point, the author presented a number of cases of persons who spied for the USA, which was possible thanks to the analysis of the training materials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs directed to the officers of the Security Service and the Citizens’ Militia. The text tackles the following issues: (1) to what extent did the character of the socio-political system influence the number of persons convicted for espionage against Poland in the period under examination?, (2) what was the level of interest of the foreign intelligence services in Poland before the year 1990?, (3) is it possible to indicate the specificity of the U.S. intelligence activity against Poland? 1) The analysis of data indicates that the period 1946-1956 witnessed a great number of convictions for espionage, which is often associated with the peculiar political situation in Poland of that time. Up to 1953, the countries of the Eastern bloc had reproduced the Stalin’s system, which only ceased due to the death of Stalin himself. Since then, the communist systems gradually transformed into the system of nomenklatura. Irrespective of these changes, Poland still witnessed a wave of repressions, which resulted from the threats continuously looming over the communist authorities – combating the anti-communist underground movement, fighting with the Ukrainian Insurgent Army, the Polish government-in-exile, possible revisionism of borders, social discontent related to the socio-political reforms. Hence, a great number of convictions for espionage at that time could be ascribed to purely political sentences. Moreover, equally significant was the fact that the then judicial practice was preoccupied assessing negatively any contacts and relations with foreigners. This excessive number of convictions could ensue from other criminal-law provisions, which applied with respect to the crimes against the State, including espionage. What is also important is the fact that in the Stalin’s period the judiciary personnel acquired their skills and qualifications through intensive courses in law with the predominant spirit of the theory of evidence and law by Andrey Vyshinsky. Additionally, by the decree of 1944 the Penal Code of the Polish Armed Forces was introduced; the code envisaged the increase in the number of offences classified as penalised with death penalty, whereas the high treason was subject to the military jurisdiction (the civilians were prosecuted in military courts till 1955; the espionage, however, still stood under the military jurisdiction). In 1946, there was introduced the Decree on particularly dangerous crimes in the period of the State’s recovery, which was later called a Small Penal Code. 2) The interest that foreign intelligence services expressed in relation to Poland was similar to the one they had in all countries of Eastern and Central Europe. In the case of Poland, it should be noted that foreign intelligence services recruited Polish citizens who had previously stayed abroad and after WWII returned to their home country. The services also gathered information from Poles staying in immigrant camps (e.g. in FRG). The activity of the American intelligence service on the territory of FRG and West Berlin played a key role. The documents of the Ministry of Internal Affairs pointed to the global range of this activity, e.g. through the recruitment of Polish sailors in the ports of the Netherlands, Japan, etc. In line with the development in the 1970s, espionage, which had so far concentrated on the defence and strategic sectors, became focused on science and technology of the People’s Republic of Poland. The acquisition of collaborators in academic circles was much easier, as PRL opened to academic exchange. Due to the system of visas, the process of candidate selection for intelligence services (e.g. the American) began in embassies. In the 1980s, the activity of the foreign intelligence services concentrated on the specific political situation in Poland, i.e. the growing significance of the “Solidarity” social movement. 3) The specificity of the American intelligence activity against Poland was related to the composition of the residency staff, which was the largest in comparison to other Western countries. The wide range of these activities can be proved by the quantitative data of convictions for espionage in the years 1944-1984 (however, one has to bear in mind the factors mentioned earlier in the text, which led to the misinterpretation of these data). Analysing the data and the documents prepared by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, one should treat them with caution, as, frequently, the Polish counter-intelligence service used to classify the ordinary diplomatic practice and any contacts with foreigners as espionage threats. It is clearly visible in the language of the training materials concerned with “secret service methods of the intelligence activity” as well as in the documents on operational activities of the Security Service in relation to foreigners. The level of interest the USA had in Poland was mirrored in the classification of diplomatic posts, according to which Warsaw occupied the second place (the so-called Group “B”) on the three-point scale. The CIA experienced spectacular defeats during their activity in Poland: supporting the Polish underground anti-communist organisation Freedom and Independence and the so-called Munich-Berg episode (both cases took place in the 1950s). The text focuses only on selected issues related to the espionage activities against Poland. Similarly, the analysis of the problem has been based on selected sources, which has limited the research scope - however, it was not the aim of the author to present the espionage activity against Poland in a comprehensive way. In order to assess the real threat posed by the espionage activity, one should analyse the case of persons convicted for espionage in the period 1944-1989, as the available quantitative data, mentioned in the text, cannot constitute an explicit benchmark for the scale of espionage activity. The inaccuracies in the interpretation of data and variables, which can affect the evaluation of this phenomenon, have been pointed out in the text.

Na Estremadura do Neolítico antigo ao neolítico final : os contributos de um percurso pessoal

Apresenta-se síntese sobre o faseamento do Neolítico na Estremadura, território onde o Autor tem desenvolvido boa parte da sua investigação, tomando como referência as estações onde tem dirigido escavações ou em cujas publicações tem participado. A natureza e características das referidas estações e dos seus espólios, a par da respectiva cronologia absoluta, serão, assim, os elementos essenciais deste contributo, sem prejuízo da sua correlação e discussão num quadro mais alargado, com base na informação disponível para outras estações com interesse comparativo.

As Escadarias de Terraços do Ródão à Chamusca (Baixo Tejo) - Caracterização e Interpretação de Dados Sedimentares, Tectónicos, Climáticos e do Paleolítico

As unidades estratigráficas que resultaram da evolução do rio Tejo em Portugal, aqui analisadas em pormenor entre Vila Velha de Ródão e Chamusca, possuem distintas características sedimentares e indústrias líticas: uma unidade culminante do enchimento sedimentar (o ancestral Tejo, antes do início da etapa de incisão fluvial) - SLD13 (+142 a 262 m acima do leito actual; com provável idade 3,6 a 1,8 Ma), sem indústrias identificadas; terraço T1 (+76 a 180 m; ca. 1000? a 900 ka), sem indústrias; terraço T2 (+57 a 150 m; idade estimada em ca. 600 ka), sem indústrias; terraço T3 (+36 a 113 m; ca. 460 a 360? ka), sem indústrias; terraço T4 (+26 a 55 m; ca. 335 a 155 ka), Paleolítico Inferior (Acheulense) em níveis da base e intermédios mas Paleolítico Médio inicial em níveis do topo; terraço T5 (+5 a 34 m; 135 a 73 ka), Paleolítico Médio (com talhe Mustierense, Levallois); terraço T6 (+3 a 14 m; 62 a 32 ka), Paleolítico Médio final (Mustierense final); Areias da Carregueira (areias eólicas) e coluviões (+3 a ca. 100 m; 32 a 12 ka), Paleolítico Superior a Epipaleolítico; enchimento da planície aluvial (+0 a 8 m; ca. 12 ka a actual), Mesolítico e indústrias mais recentes. As diferenças na elevação (a.r.b.) das escadarias de terraços resultam de soerguimento diferencial, devido a falhas ativas. Numa dada escadaria datada, a projeção da elevação da superfície de cada terraço (a.r.b.) versus a sua idade permitiu estimar a idade do topo do terraço T2 (ca. 600 ka) e a provável idade do início da etapa de incisão (ca. 1,8 Ma). Obteve-se a duração da fase de agradação dos terraços baixos e médios: T6 – 30 ka; T5 – 62 ka; T4 – ca. 180 ka; T3 – ca. 100? ka. Conclui-se que durante o Plistocénico médio e final, as fases de incisão e alargamento do vale foram curtas (ca. 11-25 ka) e ocorreram durante períodos de nível do mar muito baixo, alternando com mais longas fases de inundação e agradação do vale durante níveis do mar mais altos. Estas oscilações eustáticas de causa climática estão sobrepostas a um contexto de soerguimento de longo termo, controlando o desenvolvimento das escadarias. Calculou-se que para os últimos ca. 155 ka as taxas de incisão de curto-termo apresentam valores (0,09 a 0,41 m/ka), aproximadamente, duplos dos calculados para o intervalo ca. 155 a 900 ka (0,04 a 0,28 m/ka). Este aumento na taxa de incisão deve estar relacionado com um aumento na taxa de soerguimento por intensificação da compressão devido à convergência entre as placas Africana e Eurasiática. Abstract: The terrace staircases of the Lower Tagus River (Ródão to Chamusca) – characterization and interpretation of the sedimentary, tectonic, climatic and Palaeolithic data The stratigraphic units that record the evolution of the Tagus River in Portugal (study area between Vila Velha de Ródão and Chamusca villages) have different sedimentary characteristics and lithic industries: a culminant sedimentary unit (the ancestral Tagus, before the drainage network entrenchment) – SLD13 (+142 to 262 m above river bed – a.r.b.; with probable age 3.6 to 1.8 Ma), without artefacts; T1 terrace (+76 to 180 m; ca. 1000? to 900 ka), without artefacts; T2 terrace (+57 to 150 m; top deposits with a probable age ca. 600 ka), without artefacts; T3 terrace (+36 to 113 m; ca. 460 to 360? ka), without artefacts; T4 terrace (+26 to 55 m; ca. 335 a 155 ka), Lower Paleolithic (Acheulian) at basal and middle levels but early Middle Paleolithic at top levels; T5 terrace (+5 to 34 m; 135 to 73 ka), Middle Paleolithic (Mousterian; Levallois technique); T6 terrace (+3 to 14 m; 62 to 32 ka), late Middle Paleolithic (late Mousterian); Carregueira Sands (aeolian sands) and colluvium (+3 a ca. 100 m; 32 to 12 ka), Upper Paleolithic to Epipaleolithic; alluvial plain (+0 to 8 m; ca. 12 ka to present), Mesolithic and more recent industries. The differences in elevation (a.r.b.) of the several terrace staircases results from differential uplift due to active faults. The age interval for each aggradation phase of T3 to T6 terraces was obtained: T3 – ca. 100? ka; T4 – ca. 180 ka; T5 – 62 ka; T6 – 30 ka. The intervals of river down-cutting and widening of the valley floor were short (ca. 11-25 ka) and coincided with periods of very low sea-level. The plotting of the elevation (a.r.b.) versus the age of each terrace surface allows to estimate the age of the T2 terrace (ca. 600 ka) and the probable age of the beginning of the incision stage (ca. 1.8 Ma). So, the high amplitude sea-level changes that characterized the Middle and Late Pleistocene strongly determined the episodic down-cutting phases of the river during the low stands sea levels that alternated with the flooding and aggradation phases of the incised valley during highstand sea levels. These climate related eustatic oscillations are superimposed onto a long term uplift pattern, controlling the river terrace staircase development. During the last ca. 155 ka, the short-term incision rates (0.09 a 0.41 m/ka) were twice the values determined for the interval 155 to 900 ka (0.04 to 0.28 m/ka). This increase in incision rate should be related with an increase in uplift rate resulting from an intensification of compression due to the convergence between African - Eurasian plates.

Catálogo de Serviços de TI

As Tecnologias de Informação são responsáveis pelas transformações que vivemos, pois permitiram a construção de um mundo global, quebraram fronteiras, gerando conhecimento de uma forma cada vez mais rápida o que levanta enormes desafios às organizações. Estas transformações originam a necessidade de as organizações procurarem soluções e inovarem o seu modelo de estratégia organizacional, para conseguirem sobreviver e agregarem valor ao negócio. As Tecnologias de Informação são parte integrante nos processos das empresas, levando à necessidade de estarem alinhados com a estratégia de Governance, procurando aumentar a confiabilidade das suas operações e o presente trabalho aborda a adoção das melhores práticas das frameworks orientadas para esta área nomeadamente o COBIT 5, a ITIL V3, introduzindo os conceitos de Governance de TI e Gestão de TI. A Design Science Research foi a metodologia de investigação adotada, pois permite a construção e operacionalização de artefactos para os SI e encontrar uma solução para a construção de um Catálogo de Serviços como fator diferenciador para o negócio. Para a construção de um Catálogo de Serviços, é proposto um método baseado nas melhores práticas para a área dos Sistemas de informação, em que este passa a ser o principal ponto de contacto, permitindo o registo dos pedidos, mas também a definição de tempos de resposta, custos, faturação de serviços e ainda a construção de um repositório de conhecimento. São definidos os processos que se consideram mais relevantes, são propostos artefactos para a construção do catálogo, é efetuada a modelação em BPMN dos processos inerentes ao registo de pedidos, pois desta forma facilita o entendimento, bem como a sua implementação.

Hyperlinks in e-books : expanding the functionality of end-notes

With its powerful search engines and billions of published pages, the Worldwide Web has become the ultimate tool to explore the human experience. But, despite the advent of the digital revolution, e-books, at their core, have remained remarkably similar to their printed siblings. This has resulted in a clear dichotomy between two ways of reading: on one side, the multi-dimensional world of the Web; on the other, the linearity of books and e-books. My investigation of the literature indicates that the focus of attempts to merge these two modes of production, and hence of reading, has been the insertion of interactivity into fiction. As I will show in the Literature Review, a clear thrust of research since the early 1990s, and in my opinion the most significant, has concentrated on presenting the reader with choices that affect the plot. This has resulted in interactive stories in which the structure of the narrative can be altered by the reader of experimental fiction. The interest in this area of research is not surprising, as the interaction of readers with the fabric of the narrative provides a fertile ground for exploring, analysing, and discussing issues of plot consistency and continuity. I found in the literature several papers concerned with the effects of hyperlinking on literature, but none about how hyperlinked material and narrative could be integrated without compromising the narrative flow as designed by the author. It led me to think that the researchers had accepted hypertextuality and the linear organisation of fiction as being antithetical, thereby ignoring the possibility of exploiting the first while preserving the second. All the works I consulted were focussed on exploring the possibilities provided to authors (and readers) by hypertext or how hypertext literature affects literary criticism. This was true in earlier works by Landow and Harpold and remained true in later works by Bolter and Grusin. To quote another example, in his book Hypertext 3.0, Landow states: “Most who have speculated on the relation between hypertextuality and fiction concentrate [...] on the effects it will have on linear narrative”, and “hypertext opens major questions about story and plot by apparently doing away with linear organization” (Landow, 2006, pp. 220, 221). In other words, the authors have added narrative elements to Web pages, effectively placing their stories in a subordinate role. By focussing on “opening up” the plots, the researchers have missed the opportunity to maintain the integrity of their stories and use hyperlinked information to provide interactive access to backstory and factual bases. This would represent a missing link between the traditional way of reading, in which the readers have no influence on the path the author has laid out for them, and interactive narrative, in which the readers choose their way across alternatives, thereby, at least to a certain extent, creating their own path. It would be, to continue the metaphor, as if the readers could follow the main path created by the author while being able to get “sidetracked” into exploring hyperlinked material. In Hypertext 3.0, Landow refers to an “Axial structure [of hypertext] characteristic of electronic books and scholarly books with foot-and endnotes” versus a “Network structure of hypertext” (Landow, 2006, p. 70). My research aims at generalising the axial structure and extending it to fiction without losing the linearity at its core. In creative nonfiction, the introduction of places, scenes, and settings, together with characterisation, brings to life the facts without altering them; while much fiction draws on facts to provide a foundation, or narrative elements, for the work. But how can the reader distinguish between facts and representations? For example, to what extent do dialogues and perceptions present what was actually said and thought? Some authors of creative nonfiction use end-notes to provide comments and citations while minimising disruption the flow of the main text, but they are limited in scope and constrained in space. Each reader should be able to enjoy the narrative as if it were a novel but also to explore the facts at the level of detail s/he needs. For this to be possible, end-notes should provide a Web-like way of exploring in more detail what the author has already researched. My research aims to develop ways of integrating narrative prose and hyperlinked documents into a Hyperbook. Its goal is to create a new writing paradigm in which a story incorporates a gateway to detailed information. While creative nonfiction uses the techniques of fictional writing to provide reportage of actual events and fact-based fiction illuminates the affectual dimensions of what happened (e.g., Kate Grenville’s The Secret River and Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall), Hyperbooks go one step further and link narrative prose to the details of the events on which the narrative is based or, more in general, to information the reader might find of interest. My dissertation introduces and utilises Hyperbooks to engage in two parallel types of investigation Build knowledge about Italian WWII POWs held in Australia and present it as part of a novella in Hyperbook format. Develop a new piece of technology capable of extending the writing and reading process.

Tecnologia e funcionalidade das peças esquiroladas do Paleolítico Superior de Vale Boi, Vila do Bispo

Dissertação de Mestrado, Arqueologia, Faculdade de Ciências Humanas e Sociais, Universidade do Algarve, 2016

Média-arte locativa e mapeamentos dinâmicos na compreensão de fluxos urbanos : o contributo do dispositivo móvel na atividade do caminhar como prática artística

O interesse pela análise de espaços urbanos através de dispositivos comunicacionais móveis (de meios digitais) – perspetivando a sua transformação contando com a participação colaborativa da população – traduz o enquadramento geral da investigação. As práticas artísticas, complementadas por métodos de estudo de cidades (capazes de abordarem a respetiva complexidade de modo multioperativo e flexível), foram integradas na pesquisa tendo em linha de conta o acentuado desenvolvimento que as mesmas têm conhecido para a compreensão da atual condição urbana. O resultado foca a hibridização de processos que permitem acrescentar conhecimento coletivo sobre estruturas urbanas, expresso em mapeamentos dinâmicos que promovem leituras aumentadas de realidades urbanas. Assente no enquadramento teórico e respetiva revisão da literatura (abrangendo áreas disciplinares da média-arte locativa, da análise urbana e dos mapeamentos dinâmicos), procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento de dois artefactos complementares, cuja elaboração implicou três fases: i) pré-produção; ii) produção; iii) pós-produção. Na primeira, conceptualizaram-se os artefactos, definindo-se critérios e especificando parâmetros de análise. Complementarmente, consideraram-se softwares a utilizar bem como a seleção de atores urbanos que participaram em experiências associadas à investigação. No que se refere à produção, encetaram-se diversas ações de apropriação e apreensão de espaços urbanos selecionados na Vila de Caminha, recorrendo à técnica do caminhar mediado pela tecnologia. Na terceira fase, a informação resultante foi analisada, comparada e sistematizada através de uma reflexão final. Registaram-se marcas e apropriações na Vila de Caminha, integrando abordagens da média-arte locativa, da morfologia urbana e tecnologias digitais. A partir desta metodologia, a resposta aos objetivos da investigação contribui para a colmatação da lacuna identificada no estado arte, dado demonstrar-se a relevância da convergência operativa entre a apreensão urbana e os fluxos informacionais e comunicacionais para o revelar de vivências espaciais urbanas quotidianas (passadas e presentes) que ocorrem sobre a estrutura física das cidades. Em síntese, as práticas artísticas, provindas da média-arte locativa, expressam – em mapeamentos dinâmicos e através de realidade aumentada – o devir coletivo de experiências individuais nos espaços das cidades, acrescentando histórias à sua memória e história urbana.

Les cultes domestiques dans la Grèce antique : catalogue raisonné d’autels domestiques

Si la religion grecque a fait l’objet de nombreuses études, les informations concernant les rites domestiques se font plus discrètes. Nous avons donc tenté de présenter les traces archéologiques de ses cultes domestiques en nous concentrant sur un élément bien précis, les autels. Nous vous proposons donc dans ce mémoire de présenter un catalogue raisonné des autels domestiques de la Grèce antique. Celui-ci répertorie 140 autels domestiques, qu’ils soient de types fixes (construits) ou portatifs (arulae). Une analyse quantitative et qualitative des informations colligées dans le catalogue fait suite à ce dernier. Nous pouvons tirer quelques conclusions partielles suite à l’analyse de notre catalogue. Il est possible d’affirmer qu’il existe beaucoup plus d’autels portatifs que d’autels fixes. Les arulae n’ont pour la plupart pas été trouvés in situ, contrairement aux autels construits. La grande majorité des autels se trouvent dans la cour de la demeure ou contre un mur extérieur de la maison. Les autels portatifs, eux se retrouvent aussi dans diverses pièces de la maison, dont la pastas. La majorité des autels portatifs sont faits de terre-cuite, alors que les fixes sont tous faits de différentes pierres. Peu importe le type, la majorité des autels sont rectangulaires plutôt que circulaires. Très peu d’autels sont dédiés spécifiquement à un dieu et ceux attribués à Zeus Herkeios le sont seulement par leur position dans la cour de la demeure et non à cause d’un décor ou d’objets affiliés. Les autels autant portatifs que fixes peuvent porter un décor, allant d’une simple moulure à un riche décor rappelant les grands autels monumentaux des sanctuaires. Certains sont par contre nus et ont même des faces non travaillées. Nous détaillons dans la dernière section le cas de Zeus Ktésios et Zeus Kataibatès, comme nous possédons beaucoup d’informations pertinentes sur ces deux divinités et nous pouvons donc nous attarder sur leur culte. Il est par contre difficile de recréer des rites domestiques complets. Pour ce faire, il faudrait avoir accès aux catalogues complets des artéfacts retrouvés sur chaque site. Nous pourrions ainsi créer des assemblages et mettre en liens ces objets et les autels et tenter d’interpréter et de reconstituer ces différents rites domestiques.

Spheres of Influence: A Few Reflections on the Concept

In the frame of the Ukrainian crisis the question of spheres of influence has returned to political discourse. This may be an awkward subject, but what if we only deny the existence of such power constellations as spheres of influence? Do spheres of influence exist, or are they relics of history, and mere rhetoric? And if they exist, where can we find them? The hypothesis in this article is that instead of being a tangible reality, spheres of influence are obscure and contested political constructions, which nevertheless can have an impact on political behaviour. To demonstrate this, the article will first introduce a few examples of the current use of the concept. Secondly, a few remarks follow concerning the different IR schools of thought, and conceptual history as a method. Next, the article turns to discussing a few dictionaries and the empirical material for the present inquiry, which consists of recent textbooks, i.e. the current political science curriculum in one particular university, at the University of Tampere, Finland. More empirical cases deal with the division of Africa, the post-WWII situation, and the Hungarian revolution of 1956.

Les cultes domestiques dans la Grèce antique : catalogue raisonné d’autels domestiques

Si la religion grecque a fait l’objet de nombreuses études, les informations concernant les rites domestiques se font plus discrètes. Nous avons donc tenté de présenter les traces archéologiques de ses cultes domestiques en nous concentrant sur un élément bien précis, les autels. Nous vous proposons donc dans ce mémoire de présenter un catalogue raisonné des autels domestiques de la Grèce antique. Celui-ci répertorie 140 autels domestiques, qu’ils soient de types fixes (construits) ou portatifs (arulae). Une analyse quantitative et qualitative des informations colligées dans le catalogue fait suite à ce dernier. Nous pouvons tirer quelques conclusions partielles suite à l’analyse de notre catalogue. Il est possible d’affirmer qu’il existe beaucoup plus d’autels portatifs que d’autels fixes. Les arulae n’ont pour la plupart pas été trouvés in situ, contrairement aux autels construits. La grande majorité des autels se trouvent dans la cour de la demeure ou contre un mur extérieur de la maison. Les autels portatifs, eux se retrouvent aussi dans diverses pièces de la maison, dont la pastas. La majorité des autels portatifs sont faits de terre-cuite, alors que les fixes sont tous faits de différentes pierres. Peu importe le type, la majorité des autels sont rectangulaires plutôt que circulaires. Très peu d’autels sont dédiés spécifiquement à un dieu et ceux attribués à Zeus Herkeios le sont seulement par leur position dans la cour de la demeure et non à cause d’un décor ou d’objets affiliés. Les autels autant portatifs que fixes peuvent porter un décor, allant d’une simple moulure à un riche décor rappelant les grands autels monumentaux des sanctuaires. Certains sont par contre nus et ont même des faces non travaillées. Nous détaillons dans la dernière section le cas de Zeus Ktésios et Zeus Kataibatès, comme nous possédons beaucoup d’informations pertinentes sur ces deux divinités et nous pouvons donc nous attarder sur leur culte. Il est par contre difficile de recréer des rites domestiques complets. Pour ce faire, il faudrait avoir accès aux catalogues complets des artéfacts retrouvés sur chaque site. Nous pourrions ainsi créer des assemblages et mettre en liens ces objets et les autels et tenter d’interpréter et de reconstituer ces différents rites domestiques.

Using Research Methods in Human Computer Interaction to Design Technology for Resilience

Research in human computer interaction (HCI) covers both technological and human behavioural concerns. As a consequence, the contributions made in HCI research tend to be aware to either engineering or the social sciences. In HCI the purpose of practical research contributions is to reveal unknown insights about human behaviour and its relationship to technology. Practical research methods normally used in HCI include formal experiments, field experiments, field studies, interviews, focus groups, surveys, usability tests, case studies, diary studies, ethnography, contextual inquiry, experience sampling, and automated data collection. In this paper, we report on our experience using the evaluation methods focus groups, surveys and interviews and how we adopted these methods to develop artefacts: either interface’s design or information and technological systems. Four projects are examples of the different methods application to gather information about user’s wants, habits, practices, concerns and preferences. The goal was to build an understanding of the attitudes and satisfaction of the people who might interact with a technological artefact or information system. Conversely, we intended to design for information systems and technological applications, to promote resilience in organisations (a set of routines that allow to recover from obstacles) and user’s experiences. Organisations can here also be viewed within a system approach, which means that the system perturbations even failures could be characterized and improved. The term resilience has been applied to everything from the real estate, to the economy, sports, events, business, psychology, and more. In this study, we highlight that resilience is also made up of a number of different skills and abilities (self-awareness, creating meaning from other experiences, self-efficacy, optimism, and building strong relationships) that are a few foundational ingredients, which people should use along with the process of enhancing an organisation’s resilience. Resilience enhances knowledge of resources available to people confronting existing problems.

Cellular ROS imaging with hydro-Cy3 dye is strongly influenced by mitochondrial membrane potential

Background: Hydrocyanines are widely used as fluorogenic probes to monitor reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in cells. Their brightness, stability to autoxidation and photobleaching, large signal change upon oxidation, pH independence and red/near infrared emission are particularly attractive for imaging ROS in live tissue. Methods: Using confocal fluorescence microscopy we have examined an interference of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) with fluorescence intensity and localisation of a commercial hydro-Cy3 probe in respiring and non-respiring colon carcinoma HCT116 cells. Results: We found that the oxidised (fluorescent) form of hydro-Cy3 is highly homologous to the common ΔΨm-sensitive probe JC-1, which accumulates and aggregates only in ‘energised’ negatively charged mitochondrial matrix. Therefore, hydro-Cy3 oxidised by hydroxyl and superoxide radicals tends to accumulate in mitochondrial matrix, but dissipates and loses brightness as soon as ΔΨm is compromised. Experiments with mitochondrial inhibitor oligomycin and uncoupler FCCP, as well as a common ROS producer paraquat demonstrated that signals of the oxidised hydro-Cy3 probe rapidly and strongly decrease upon mitochondrial depolarisation, regardless of the rate of cellular ROS production. Conclusions: While analysing ROS-derived fluorescence of commercial hydrocyanine probes, an accurate control of ΔΨm is required. General significance: If not accounted for, non-specific effect of mitochondrial polarisation state on the behaviour of oxidised hydrocyanines can cause artefacts and data misinterpretation in ROS studies.

Biomimetic topography in orthopaedic ceramic

The primary objective of this research was to perform an in vitro assessment of the ability of microscale topography to alter cell behaviour, with specific regard to producing favourable topography in an orthopaedic ceramic material suitable for implantation in the treatment of arthritis. Topography at microscale and nanoscale alters the bioactivity of the material. This has been used in orthopaedics for some time as seen with optimal pore size in uncemented hip and knee implants. This level of topography involves scale in hundreds of micrometres and allows for the ingrowth of tissue. Topography at smaller scale is possible thanks to progressive miniaturisation of technology. A topographic feature was created in a readily available clinically licensed polymer, Polycaprolcatone (PCL). The effect of this topography was assessed in vitro. The same topography was transferred to the latest generation composite orthopaedic ceramic, zirconia toughened alumina (ZTA). The fidelity of reproduction of the topography was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). These investigations showed more accurate reproduction of the topography in PCL than ZTA with some material artefacts in the ZTA. Cell culture in vitro was performed on the patterned substrates. The response of osteoprogenitor cells was assessed using immunohistochemistry, real-time polymerase chain reaction and alizarin staining. These results showed a small effect on cell behaviour. Finally metabolic comparison was made of the effects created by the two different materials and the topography in each. The results have shown a reproducible topography in orthopaedic ceramics. This topography has demonstrated a positive osteogenic effect in both polycaprolactone and zirconia toughened alumina across multiple assessment modalities.