São Salvador do Mundo. Interpretação de um edifício medieval através da Arqueologia da Arquitetura

O presente trabalho debruça-se sobre o edifício medieval de São Salvador, listado no “Inventário do Património Arquitetónico” com a designação de “Capela Românico-Gótica de Sobral de Monte Agraço/Capela do Salvador”. Fazendo uso da disciplina da Arqueologia da Arquitetura, e das suas metodologias, através das análises do sistema de medidas utilizado no edifício, das marcas de canteiro presentes nos seus paramentos, e da sua estratigrafia vertical, o objetivo deste trabalho passa por identificar as várias fases construtivas do edifício, traçando uma linha evolutiva do edificado desde a sua origem até à atualidade. O cruzamento dos dados da Arqueologia da Arquitetura com as informações provenientes da pesquisa de documentação histórica, referente ao objeto de estudo, oferece novas perspetivas sobre o edifício e todas as funcionalidades associadas a este durante a sua vida. Espera-se que através desta abordagem, seja possível conhecer em definitivo, o papel que o edifício medieval de São Salvador teve na origem da povoação de Montagraço.

O Castro do Jarmelo em época medieval: o contributo da arqueologia para o seu estudo

A presente investigação aborda o estudo do Castro do Jarmelo (Guarda) em época medieval. Trata-se de um povoado fortificado que se formou no cimo de um hilseberg o que lhe confere um amplo domínio visual e controlo do planalto mesetanho para além de óptimas condições naturais de defesa. O período cronológico analisado estende-se entre o século IX/X até aos meados do século XV, período que em termos macro-espaciais engloba o avanço e consolidação da fronteira cristã para sul, a criação e desenvolvimento do reino de Portugal e a crise dinástica que levaria à instalação da dinastia joanina no trono de Portugal. A investigação desenvolvida assentou em diferentes mas complementares abordagens. Inicialmente compilaram-se os dados proporcionados pelas fontes históricas medievais já estudadas por outros autores. De seguida procedeu-se ao estudo exaustivo dos materiais exumados das duas intervenções arqueológicas realizadas neste sítio. Igualmente se efectuaram visitas ao local e suas imediações de forma a se aprofundar o conhecimento das estruturas militares, civis e religiosas presentes neste povoado. Por fim, foram realizadas prospecções circunscritas a alguns locais que referências bibliográficas, toponímicas, ou fornecidas pela população local indiciavam a presença de eventuais vestígios de época medieval. A conjugação dos diferentes dados obtidos permitiu, embora ainda num estado embrionário, atestarem-se as diferentes valências do sítio, ou seja, o seu caracter habitacional, militar e religioso. Quanto à relação entre o Castro e os territórios envolventes os resultados alcançados são ainda muito limitados. Todavia tanto na Alta Idade Média como na Baixa Idade Média é perceptível reconhecerem-se matrizes de povoamento, em que se denota um papel de destaque e primazia do Castro do Jarmelo sobre o território envolvente.

Estudo Arqueológico dos Códices Iluminados do Fundo Laurbanense. As Intervenções de Conservação num Corpus Medieval

O códice medieval chega-nos, materialmente, como resultado de uma sobreposição de intervenções, induzidas pela necessidade de conservar e transmitir o seu conteúdo intelectual, espiritual e artístico. As sucessivas alterações na aparência dos códices iluminados do fundo medieval do Mosteiro de Lorvão, sobretudo ao nível das encadernações, constitui matéria para uma análise estratigráfica, que nos propomos desenvolver e sistematizar. Este estudo, de modelo arqueológico, utiliza os elementos codicológicos, enquanto elementos de linguagem visual, integrados num determinado sistema cronológico, permitindo descrever o processo de transformação desses manuscritos, ao longo do tempo. Complementamos o estudo arqueológico dos códices laurbanenses com a análise das manchas de manuseamento, sedimentadas sobre as margens do suporte de pergaminho, durante a leitura e acesso continuados. Caracterizadas pelo grau de saturação e interpretadas quanto à sua distribuição no corpo de texto, ampliam a perspectiva sobre o estado de conservação do manuscrito medieval e significado do ‘dano’. Esta abordagem, pretende contribuir com novos dados, de carácter interdisciplinar, para o estudo dos códices medievais, assim como para a reflexão teórica sobre a caracterização e conservação destas alterações temporais.

Inventário e Georreferenciação do mundo funerário rupestre medieval no Centro de Portugal

O presente relatório resultou do estágio efetuado na DGPC, no âmbito da componente não-letiva do Mestrado em Arqueologia. O seu propósito centrou-se no Inventário e Georreferenciação das manifestações funerárias rupestres medievais, enquadradas na região do Centro de Portugal. Este trabalho possibilitou a atualização e introdução de inúmeras ocorrências, respeitantes a sepulturas e necrópoles escavadas na rocha, na base de dados da DGPC – o Endovélico. A concretização deste objetivo assentou essencialmente na consulta de bibliografia especializada, assim como de relatórios técnico-científicos. Ao constar do Endovélico, a informação inserida afigura-se como um contributo para o conhecimento e divulgação deste tipo de património medieval, auxiliando, inevitavelmente, no que concerne à sua salvaguarda e proteção. O processamento e sistematização da vasta informação inventariada e georreferenciada possibilitou o desenvolvimento de uma análise, na perspetiva das sepulturas escavadas na rocha como fenómeno funerário alto-medieval. Esta permitiu a criação de uma imagem, ainda que incompleta, dos tipos de agrupamentos existentes e da relação entre as sepulturas e as zonas envolventes, com lugar numa parte do território de Viseu.

Safety and occlusion rates of surgical treatment of unruptured intracranial aneurysms: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature from 1990 to 2011.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Surgical clipping of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs) has recently been challenged by the emergence of endovascular treatment. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis on the surgical treatment of UIAs, in an attempt to determine the aneurysm occlusion rates and safety of surgery in the modern era. METHODS: A detailed protocol was developed prior to conducting the review according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Electronic databases spanning January 1990-April 2011 were searched, complemented by hand searching. Heterogeneity was assessed using I(2), and publication bias with funnel plots. Surgical mortality and morbidity were analysed with weighted random effect models. RESULTS: 60 studies with 9845 patients harbouring 10 845 aneurysms were included. Mortality occurred in 157 patients (1.7%; 99% CI 0.9% to 3.0%; I(2)=82%). Unfavourable outcomes, including death, occurred in 692 patients (6.7%; 99% CI 4.9% to 9.0%; I(2)=85%). Morbidity rates were significantly greater in higher quality studies, and with large or posterior circulation aneurysms. Reported morbidity rates decreased over time. Studies were generally of poor quality; funnel plots showed heterogeneous results and publication bias, and data on aneurysm occlusion rates were scant. CONCLUSIONS: In studies published between 1990 and 2011, clipping of UIAs was associated with 1.7% mortality and 6.7% overall morbidity. The reputed durability of clipping has not been rigorously documented. Due to the quality of the included studies, the available literature cannot properly guide clinical decisions.

Congenital heart disease in pregnancies complicated by maternal diabetes mellitus. An international clinical collaboration, literature review, and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Investigation of the incidence and distribution of congenital structural cardiac malformations among the offspring of mothers with diabetes type 1 and of the influence of periconceptional glycemic control. METHODS: Multicenter retrospective clinical study, literature review, and meta-analysis. The incidence and pattern of congenital heart disease in the own study population and in the literature on the offspring of type 1 diabetic mothers were compared with the incidence and spectrum of the various cardiovascular defects in the offspring of nondiabetic mothers as registered by EUROCAT Northern Netherlands. Medical records were, in addition, reviewed for HbA(1c) during the 1st trimester. RESULTS: The distribution of congenital heart anomalies in the own diabetic study population was in accordance with the distribution encountered in the literature. This distribution differed considerably from that in the nondiabetic population. Approximately half the cardiovascular defects were conotruncal anomalies. The authors' study demonstrated a remarkable increase in the likelihood of visceral heterotaxia and variants of single ventricle among these patients. As expected, elevated HbA(1c) values during the 1st trimester were associated with offspring fetal cardiovascular defects. CONCLUSION: This study shows an increased likelihood of specific heart anomalies, namely transposition of the great arteries, persistent truncus arteriosus, visceral heterotaxia and single ventricle, among offspring of diabetic mothers. This suggests a profound teratogenic effect at a very early stage in cardiogenesis. The study emphasizes the frequency with which the offspring of diabetes-complicated pregnancies suffer from complex forms of congenital heart disease. Pregnancies with poor 1st-trimester glycemic control are more prone to the presence of fetal heart disease.

Chondromas of the spine: report of two cases and review of the literature.

We report two cases of vertebral chondroma presenting with spinal cord compression. In one case there was ultimate malignant transformation.

Vincristine and intestinal pseudo-obstruction in children: report of 5 cases, literature review, and suggested management.

Summary: Intestinal pseudo-obstruction is a rare complication resulting from a variety of disorders. Symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and malnutrition. Vincristine-related pseudo-obstruction has been reported in the literature, but its description in children and recommendations for management are lacking. A review of the literature revealed 21 reported pediatric cases of vincristine-related pseudo-obstruction. Most have, however, been attributed to a drug interaction with itraconazole, accidental vincristine overdose, or liver failure. Potential genetic causes are rarely addressed. We present here 5 cases of pseudo-obstruction related to vincristine without any identifiable predisposing factors, and a suggested algorithm for management

L'entretien motivationnel, une nouvelle "panacée" dans la prise en charge de patients toxicodépendants ? Une revue de littérature [Motivational interviewing, the new "panacea" for treatment of substance use disorders ? A review of literature]

Cet article aborde l'entretien motivationnel (EM), considéré comme un style thérapeutique centré sur le client et directif, visant à développer la motivation au changement par l'exploration et la résolution de l'ambivalence (Miller, W.R., Rollnick, S., 2002. Motivational interviewing: preparing people for change. The Guilford Press, New York, p. 25). Après une brève présentation théorique de ce style thérapeutique, nous présentons un survol des principaux résultats empiriques relatifs à la question de son efficacité dans la prise en charge des troubles liés à l'utilisation de substances psychoactives. Malgré un corpus important de travaux qui mettent en évidence les effets de l'EM, la question des « ingrédients actifs » reste encore relativement peu explorée. Quelques hypothèses permettant de mieux comprendre le succès de l'EM sont évoquées.

Spectrum of digoxin-induced ocular toxicity: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Digoxin intoxication results in predominantly digestive, cardiac and neurological symptoms. This case is outstanding in that the intoxication occurred in a nonagenarian and induced severe, extensively documented visual symptoms as well as dysphagia and proprioceptive illusions. Moreover, it went undiagnosed for a whole month despite close medical follow-up, illustrating the difficulty in recognizing drug-induced effects in a polymorbid patient. CASE PRESENTATION: Digoxin 0.25 mg qd for atrial fibrillation was prescribed to a 91-year-old woman with an estimated creatinine clearance of 18 ml/min. Over the following 2-3 weeks she developed nausea, vomiting and dysphagia, snowy and blurry vision, photopsia, dyschromatopsia, aggravated pre-existing formed visual hallucinations and proprioceptive illusions. She saw her family doctor twice and visited the eye clinic once until, 1 month after starting digoxin, she was admitted to the emergency room. Intoxication was confirmed by a serum digoxin level of 5.7 ng/ml (reference range 0.8-2 ng/ml). After stopping digoxin, general symptoms resolved in a few days, but visual complaints persisted. Examination by the ophthalmologist revealed decreased visual acuity in both eyes, 4/10 in the right eye (OD) and 5/10 in the left eye (OS), decreased color vision as demonstrated by a score of 1/13 in both eyes (OU) on Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates, OS cataract, and dry age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). Computerized static perimetry showed non-specific diffuse alterations suggestive of either bilateral retinopathy or optic neuropathy. Full-field electroretinography (ERG) disclosed moderate diffuse rod and cone dysfunction and multifocal ERG revealed central loss of function OU. Visual symptoms progressively improved over the next 2 months, but multifocal ERG did not. The patient was finally discharged home after a 5 week hospital stay. CONCLUSION: This case is a reminder of a complication of digoxin treatment to be considered by any treating physician. If digoxin is prescribed in a vulnerable patient, close monitoring is mandatory. In general, when facing a new health problem in a polymorbid patient, it is crucial to elicit a complete history, with all recent drug changes and detailed complaints, and to include a drug adverse reaction in the differential diagnosis.

Verrucous Carcinoma of the Vulva: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Verrucous carcinoma of the vulva is a rare lesion (1). Affecting essentially postmenopausal women, this lesion is a distinct and particular entity in vulval carcinoma classification and its scalability is uncertain and unpredictable. Here, we present a case concerning a 48-year-old patient, without follow-up after a condyloma acuminate of the vulva (large left lip). The origin of this case will be discussed in this article. The treatment decided was only surgical. A review of literature shows the rarity of this lesion of the female genital tract.

Memory mixed with desire : a preliminary study of philosophy and literature in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Milan Kundera

Memory Mixed with Desire: A preliminary study of Philosophy and Literature in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Milan Kundera Robert Spinelli Brock University, Department of Philosophy This thesis studies intertextuality in the works of Friedrich Nietzsche and Milan Kundera through the primary themes of memory and forgetting. The thesis starts with two introductory chapters that delineate memory according to Nietzsche and Kundera respectively. From here, I move into a discussion of Nietzsche's Ubermensch as an example of the type of forgetting that Nietzsche sees as a cure for the overabundance of memory that has led to Christian morality. Next, I explore the Kunderan concept of kitsch as the polar opposite of what Nietzsche has sought in his philosophy, finishing the chapter by tying the two thinkers together in a Kunderan critique of Nietzsche. The thesis ends with a chapter devoted to the Eternal Return beginning with an exegesis of Nietzsche's idea and ending with a similar exegesis of Kundera's treatment of this thought. What I suggest in this chapter is that the Eternal Return might itself be a form of kitsch even in its attempt to revalue existence.

Emptying the bell jar: an exploration of adolescent responses to a women's literature unit /

This study examines adolescent student responses to a women's literature unit taught within a grade 12 Writer's Craft course. Current research (Gilligan, 1989, Pipher, 1994 & Slack, 1999) suggests that there is a great under-representation of female authors in the high school literature curriculum. The use of women's literature may draw attention to important literary figures who are historically overlooked within the curriculum. It gives voice to a marginalized group and presents students with alternative subjects and heroes. It encourages students to develop a critical perspective and reevaluate assumptions about institutions, ideologies, language and culture. It also allows me, as a teacher, to reflect on my own teaching practices and explore alternate feminist pedagogical principles and teaching styles encouraging multiplicity of voices, deconstruction of power relations, and alternative assessment tools within the classroom. As an educator, it is important for me to teach curriculum that is relevant and meaningful to students and help them become critical, self-reflective thinkers. It is also important for me to assist students in their exploration of self and encourage them to expand their awareness of historical, social and global issues. Sylvia Plath's (1963) The belljar is used as the primary text taught within this unit. In this novel, the bell jar is a central image that signifies entrapment and isolation. "To the person in the bell jar, blank and stopped as a dead body, the world itself is the bad dream"(p.l 54). As a metaphor, the bell jar resonates with young readers in a variety of ways.