Vêm de Belém e vêm da Grécia! Metamorfoses: fronteiras entre narrativas orais e os mitos

A metamorfose, de acordo com Jean Chevalier e Alan Gheerbrant, é definida neste estudo como a transformação física e/ou comportamental de um ser em outro, sem a perda da identidade e ciência do primeiro ser. Esta transformação é um fenômeno recursivo em diversas mitologias e culturas. O presente trabalho tem por objetivo estabelecer, numa abordagem comparativa, as correlações e diferenças entre o tema da metamorfose recorrente nos mitos gregos relatados por Homero, em sua Odisseia, nos mitos gregos descrevidos pelo poeta latino Publius Ovidius Naso, conhecido como Ovídio, em sua obra Metamorfoses, nos cinco primeiros livros, e entre as narrativas orais que referem casos de metamorfoses ocorridos no município de Belém do Pará, inventariadas no período de 1994 a 2004. Foram consideradas as obras Odisseia e Metamorfoses por serem ambas, respectivamente, expoentes da literatura ocidental de uma Grécia dos séculos VIII a VII a.C e de uma Grécia do século I d.C retratada pelo poeta latino Ovídio, e que carregam o tema da metamorfose. Isto porque o estudo prévio ratifica a formação de índices míticos não somente nas narrativas da mitologia grega, mas também nos casos de metamorfoses oriundos de Belém. Em todo o caso, nota-se a configuração espaço-temporal como entidades que sedimentam e organizam o mundo mítico, articulando tais dimensões a representações no mundo físico-espiritual. O tema da metamorfose, contudo, é conformado de forma diferenciada, conforme o contexto histórico-cultural de cada narrativa, o que é refletido na multiplicidade de símbolos e sentidos perseguidos por cada narrativa. A fim de enriquecer o estudo dos símbolos e do contexto histórico-geográfico dos mitos gregos abordados, utilizam-se como fonte complementar os manuais de Junito Brandão, a saber, a obra Mitologia de Junito Brandão, nos volumes I, II e III, bem como os dois volumes do Dicionário Mítico-Etimológico da Mitologia Grega. Para uma análise comparativa mais eficaz, precisou-se ir além do estudo contextual de produção e representação dos códigos subjacentes a cada narrativa, pois o mito, nas palavras de Ernest Cassirer, é experimentado na consciência, porém é anterior a ela; o homem vive o mito, logo, o mito é anterior ao homem, posto que à medida que toma consciência de sua existência e das relações que tece com o mundo, o homem se vale do mito para estabelecer relações de valor e sentido, bem como representações para singularizar suas experiências. Trata-se, portanto, de uma questão filosófica de vital importância, por isso, buscou-se, para este estudo lítero-narratológico, os fundamentos da Filosofia da mitologia, junto a considerações de uma Antropologia cultural, associado ao levantamento contextual-histórico do cosmo que constitui cada narrativa, a fim de lançar bases elucidativas sobre as relações do homem com seu mundo a partir de determinadas transformações. Sob este foco, diante da pesquisa prévia das narrativas que serão analisadas, percebeu-se que as metamorfoses apresentavam maiores ocorrências quando: 1) simbolizavam o mal na figura dos metamorfoseados; 2) apresentavam motivações de cunho sexual e 3) consistiam em explicações para acontecimentos do mundo físico-espiritual. Trata-se de uma divisão metodológica que objetiva viabilizar a organização e visualização do estudo comparado. Conclui-se, então, que além de possibilitar a leitura e o conhecimento dos mitos gregos e de relatos da Amazônia pelos símbolos constituídos na consciência mítica, este estudo pode servir como uma base para verificação do exercício literário da linguagem criadora por meio do narrar, bem como ampliar a compreensão do que seja e faz a consciência humana enquanto arrimo para a difusão de comportamentos e crenças compartilhados pelo indivíduo em sociedade.

Estudos sobre o subdesenvolvimento capitalista: as teorias de Paul A. Baran, Andre G. Frank e Ruy M. Marini

The underdevelopment is a high relevance subject in researches and studies for the general social sciences. In this monographic paper, the marxist analysis perspective of the phenomenon approached is considerate of great importance to make a deep overlook, historical and structural, about the origins and solutions possibilities for the issues caused by it over several countries. Has been done here a theoretical analysis of three studious marxist authors of the subject: Paul A. Baran, Andre G. Frank and Ruy M. Marini. How they thought underdevelopment? Which were their scientific contributions to this theme? The main goal of this paper is to do a comparative analysis of these authors, synthesize their considerations about the underdevelopment issues and organized a theoretical and conceptual framework for a better understanding of the matters in capitalist development/underdevelopment relationship. To accomplish that, we elected four variables that supports this comparative exercises, they are: the origins, the causes, the consequences and the way-out of the underdevelopment conditions. This monographic work was made through studies of some principals books and articles of the cited authors as well as the reading of others authors that commented their theories and concepts. The considerations about the underdevelopment vitality under a world capitalist logical, rescues the debate on the transformation of this entire society project for another, been this movement the only way possible to reverse the path of the world people’s history and the major part of humankind that still lives into the “necessity kingdom”

Rio - Paris: primórdios da publicação da Literatura Brasileira chez Garnier

This article brings to light the latest research on the activities of Baptiste-Louis Garnier, French bookseller and publisher established in Rio de Janeiro, in his relations with the French publishing world: methods, procedures, books, authors and publishers. Cultural exchanges between these two systems helped to consolidate the canon of authors and works of Brazilian Literature in the nineteenth century. The study of these relationships can give full account of some information scholars have provided us and contributes to a better understanding of the process of production and circulation of literary works in Brazil.

Evolutionary trends in Iridaceae: new cytogenetic findings from the New World

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Ensino de Ciências nos anos iniciais do ensino fundamental: o que dizem os professores

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

L'illusione della scrittura, le metamorfosi del labirinto. Le città invisibili di Calvino e il modello ovidiano.

Résumé: Par le biais de cette thèse, nous nous aventurons dans le monde des Villes invisibles d'Italo Calvino à travers un voyage qui nous portera à affronter des thèmes tels que l'insuffisance du langage pour décrire les multiples formes de la réalité ; l'importance de la relation entre l'oeil et l'esprit ; les instruments déployés par Italo Calvino pour atteindre son objectif: toucher du doigt l'essence même de la réalité. Pour ce faire, l'écrivain puisera dans une tradition séculaire d'oeuvres littéraires, y compris et surtout Ovide et ses Métamorphoses, qui fera l'objet dune étude plus poussée étant donné que Calvino et lui partagent la conviction que l'art et l'illusion qu'il comporte nous guident vers une réalité nouvelle. Nous finirons par l'étude de certains concepts récurrents dans la littérature en général, mais surtout dans celle de l'écrivain. Des thèmes comme l'échiquier, le labyrinthe ou encore la carte nous apparaissent comme autant de moyens employés par Calvino pour comprendre notre monde. Le tout à travers un voyage initiatique qui nous permettra non seulement de mieux comprendre la réalité dans laquelle nous vivons et par conséquent nous-même, mais aussi d'entrer dans l'esprit de l'auteur sans toutefois oublier que nous ne pouvons qu'effleurer la surface de ce dernier. Abstract: Through this thesis, we will enter the world of Italo Calvino's Invisible cities in a trip that will bring us to analyse subjects such as the language inadequacy when it comes to describing reality and its multiple forms ; the importance of the link between the eye and the mind ; the tools used by Italo Calvino in order to achieve his goal: reach the very essence of reality. To do so, the writer will make full use of a tradition that comes from centuries of literary books, included and most of all Ovid and his Metamorphoses, which we will study more deeply as Calvino shares with him the belief that art and illusion that derives from it, bring us towards a new reality. Finally, we will analyse some topics which are generally recurrent not only in literature, but also in Calvino's work. Topics such as chessboard, labyrinth, map that are may different ways used by Calvino to understand our world. All of this will take us through an initiatory trip that will allow us not only to better understand the reality we live in and therefore ourselves, but also to enter the writer's mind without however forgetting that we cannot but only scratch the surface of the latter.

Sul sentiero meno battuto: Proposta di traduzione di sei albi illustrati che si allontanano dagli stereotipi sui temi di genere, multiculturalismo e disabilita

This thesis focuses on the translation of six picture books that challenge and subvert – each one in its peculiar way – typical stereotypes found in Children’s Literature. I think that stereotyping is an all-important theme in picture books because these books are the ones that will introduce children to literature and young readers have the right to find in it every kind of model. Showing children a variety of characters that reflects the multiple forms of reality will allow them to choose which kind of person to be. In my opinion, this freedom is much needed especially here, in Italy, in this moment of history. This work also studies the stereotypes that have appeared – and are still present, to some extent – in Children’s Literature, the ways in which they are dangerous for young readers, and how they have changed over time. I centered my research on three major themes that have been subject to stereotyping: race, disability and gender. I searched for the right books to translate paying attention not only to the themes they focused on but also to how they dealt with such themes, the tone of each picture book and, obviously, its quality. The selection resulting from my research reflects a diverse world and a celebration of difference. Before actually translating them, I engaged in a deep analysis of their structures, themes and meanings, so that I would be able to enter the ‘world’ of the book and to understand its ‘secrets’ better. This analysis proved to be fundamental during the translation phase and allowed me to make conscious translation choices that I have explored in the part dedicated to the commentary of the translation.

Real-World Performance of Longitudinal Barriers Struck by Large Trucks

Outside of relatively limited crash testing with large trucks, very little is known regarding the performance of traffic barriers subjected to real-world large truck impacts. The purpose of this study was to investigate real-world large truck impacts into traffic barriers to determine barrier crash involvement rates, the impact performance of barriers not specifically designed to redirect large trucks, and the real-world performance of large-truck-specific barriers. Data sources included the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (2000-2009), the General Estimates System (2000-2009) and 155 in-depth large truck-to-barrier crashes from the Large Truck Crash Causation Study. Large truck impacts with a longitudinal barrier were found to comprise 3 percent of all police-reported longitudinal barrier impacts and roughly the same proportion of barrier fatalities. Based on a logistic regression model predicting barrier penetration, large truck barrier penetration risk was found to increase by a factor of 6 for impacts with barriers designed primarily for passenger vehicles. Although large-truck-specific barriers were found to perform better than non-heavy vehicle specific barriers, the penetration rate of these barriers were found to be 17 percent. This penetration rate is especially a concern because the higher test level barriers are designed to protect other road users, not the occupants of the large truck. Surprisingly, barriers not specifically designed for large truck impacts were found to prevent large truck penetration approximately half of the time. This suggests that adding costlier higher test level barriers may not always be warranted, especially on roadways with lower truck volumes.

Sarcoptes-World Molecular Network (Sarcoptes-WMN): integrating research on scabies

Parasites threaten human and animal health globally. It is estimated that more than 60% of people on planet Earth carry at least one parasite, many of them several different species. Unfortunately, parasite studies suffer from duplications and inconsistencies between different investigator groups. Hence, groups need to collaborate in an integrated manner in areas including parasite control, improved therapy strategies, diagnostic and surveillance tools, and public awareness. Parasite studies will be better served if there is coordinated management of field data and samples across multidisciplinary approach plans, among academic and non-academic organizations worldwide. In this paper we report the first 'Living organism-World Molecular Network', with the cooperation of 167 parasitologists from 88 countries on all continents. This integrative approach, the 'Sarcoptes-World Molecular Network', seeks to harmonize Sarcoptes epidemiology, diagnosis, treatment, and molecular studies from all over the world, with the aim of decreasing mite infestations in humans and animals.

A Method for Assessing the Sustainability of Design in Developing World Projects

Projects for the developing world usually find themselves at the bottom of an engineer’s priority list. There is often very little engineering effort placed on creating new products for the poorest people in the world. This trend is beginning to change now as people begin to recognize the potential for these projects. Engineers are beginning to try and solve some of the direst issues in the developing world and many are having positive impacts. However, the conditions needed to support these projects can only be maintained in the short term. There is now a need for greater sustainability. Sustainability has a wide variety of definitions in both business and engineering. These concepts are analyzed and synthesized to develop a broad meaning of sustainability in the developing world. This primarily stems from the “triple bottom line” concept of economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Using this model and several international standards, this thesis develops a metric for guiding and evaluating the sustainability of engineering projects. The metric contains qualitative questions that investigate the sustainability of a project. It is used to assess several existing projects in order to determine flaws. Specifically, three projects seeking to deliver eyeglasses are analyzed for weaknesses to help define a new design approach for achieving better results. Using the metric as a guiding tool, teams designed two pieces of optometry equipment: one to cut lenses for eyeglasses and the other to diagnose refractive error, or prescription. These designs are created and prototyped in the developed and developing worlds in order to determine general feasibility. Although there is a recognized need for eventual design iterations, the whole project is evaluated using the developed metric and compared to the existing projects. Overall, the success demonstrates the improvements made to the long-term sustainability of the project resulting from the use of the sustainability metric.

Public Drinking in the Early Modern World: Voices from the Tavern, 1500-1800

Until recently the role of the public drinking house has been approached from elitist, folkloric and anecdotal perspectives. The work of a new generation of social historians, however, has raised the tavern’s profile in the academic consciousness and confirmed its position within the mainstream of social and cultural history. It is now recognized that an understanding of the centrality of public drinking to the development of both elite and popular culture is vital to studies of social behaviour. The study of taverns has also been at the forefront of emerging interest in the history of consumption and material culture, and has contributed to a richer understanding of economic history. Constructions of gender and identity are also visible through research into the patterns of behaviour and discourse in and around the public house. This four-volume reset edition presents a wide-ranging collection of primary sources which uncover the language and behaviour of local and state authorities, of peasants and town-dwellers, and of drinking companions and irate wives. The documents are translated and set in their social and historical context, providing a multidisciplinary collection that will be of great importance to scholars of all areas of social and cultural history of the early modern period. The vast majority of this material is published here for the first time, ensuring that the collection will open up new avenues of research. Volume 1 draws heavily from the Parisian police archives and includes inspectors’ reports, complaints by the general public and details of court cases to build a picture of drinking in early modern France. Volumes 2 and 3 address public drinking in the Holy Roman Empire through a variety of chronicles, civic ordinances, court records, travel reports and surveys of public houses. Volume 4 locates taverns within a broader analysis of America’s public houses, drawing on visual material as well as journal entries, business reports and newspaper articles. Each volume is accompanied by editorial introductions and is annotated to provide readers with a high-quality resource of scholarly material.

Learning real-world stimuli in a neural network with spike-driven synaptic dynamics

We present a model of spike-driven synaptic plasticity inspired by experimental observations and motivated by the desire to build an electronic hardware device that can learn to classify complex stimuli in a semisupervised fashion. During training, patterns of activity are sequentially imposed on the input neurons, and an additional instructor signal drives the output neurons toward the desired activity. The network is made of integrate-and-fire neurons with constant leak and a floor. The synapses are bistable, and they are modified by the arrival of presynaptic spikes. The sign of the change is determined by both the depolarization and the state of a variable that integrates the postsynaptic action potentials. Following the training phase, the instructor signal is removed, and the output neurons are driven purely by the activity of the input neurons weighted by the plastic synapses. In the absence of stimulation, the synapses preserve their internal state indefinitely. Memories are also very robust to the disruptive action of spontaneous activity. A network of 2000 input neurons is shown to be able to classify correctly a large number (thousands) of highly overlapping patterns (300 classes of preprocessed Latex characters, 30 patterns per class, and a subset of the NIST characters data set) and to generalize with performances that are better than or comparable to those of artificial neural networks. Finally we show that the synaptic dynamics is compatible with many of the experimental observations on the induction of long-term modifications (spike-timing-dependent plasticity and its dependence on both the postsynaptic depolarization and the frequency of pre- and postsynaptic neurons).

Real-world context, interest, understanding, and retention

This study investigated the use of real-world contexts during instruction in a high school physics class - through building file folder bridges- and the resulting effect upon student interest in the subject matter, level of understanding, and degree of retention. In particular, the study focused upon whether increases in student interest were attained through the use of real-world contexts, and if the elevated interest level led to a higher degree of subject matter understanding than would be achieved using more traditional teaching methods. The study also determined whether using real-world contexts ultimately resulted in achievement of greater levels of knowledge retention by students. Class observations during traditionally taught units and during units that incorporated real-world contexts, along with a post-graduation questionnaire, were used to assess differences in student interest levels. Student pre- and post-unit test scores were evaluated and compared to determine if statistical differences existed in levels of understanding resulting from the different teaching methods. The post-graduation questionnaire results provided evidence of retention that could be related back to teaching methods. The results of this study revealed the importance of incorporating real-world contexts into science and mathematics courses. Students better understood the relevance of the lessons, which led to higher levels of interest and greater understanding than was achieved through more traditional teaching methods. The use of real-world contexts improved knowledge retention.