Key issues in determining the ethics of research subject payment: the special case of drug abuse epidemiology

The authors identify key issues that researchers, funding bodies, ethics committees and ethicists might consider in contemplating research subject payment ethics. They argue that what is missing from the broader debate is due consideration of ethics committee decision processes; research subject reasons for participation; and current research practices. The authors explore these issues and how they relate to existing guidelines on voluntary consent, and arguments that have been proposed for and against research subject payments. (non- author abstract)

Administrative practices supplement to the NIH Guidelines for research involving recombinant DNA molecules : policies and administrative procedures for recombinant DNA research subject to the NIH Guidelines /

"June 1979."

Protection of the individual as a research subject; grants, awards, contracts.

Mode of access: Internet.

Para além do biológico, o sujeito com a síndrome de Klinefelter

Este estudo traz à tona nossa intenção de pesquisa: Compreender a história de vida de um sujeito com a Síndrome de Klinefelter, o Ramon. A Síndrome de Klinefelter é muito peculiar e vem ganhando destaque na área médica, não por sua prevalência na população, mas por sua complexidade. Na área da educação, a produção acerca dessa síndrome é incipiente encontramos apenas um estudo em Portugal. No nosso país, no entanto, ressalta-se o ineditismo dessa pesquisa. Nesse estudo pensamos, juntamente com Lev Semionovich Vigotski e outros autores que imprimem em seus textos raízes sócio-históricas, num Ramon para além do biológico, ou seja, para além dos seus limites orgânicos: um sujeito rico em subjetividade que foi valorizada. Objetivamos, assim, compreender a subjetividade desse sujeito que é singular na coletividade, assim, pensar no Ramon é pensar nos outros, nos seus pares e nas intrínsecas redes de dialogismos tecidas na imensa trama que é a vida. Buscamos também observar como ocorreu a inclusão desse sujeito no âmbito escolar. A fim de atingir os objetivos traçados, utilizamos a perspectiva histórico-cultural do desenvolvimento humano atrelando os pressupostos dessa opção teórica à metodologia história de vida. Para entender os detalhes, os indícios, as miudezas, os resquícios da história de vida do sujeito que parecem insignificantes, mas que são imprescindíveis para se compreender alguns processos de grande dimensão, nos apoiamos no paradigma indiciário de Ginzburg. Nessa pesquisa, nossos encontros com esse jovem de 22 anos são descritos e analisados, levando em conta os aspectos subjetivos. Nesses encontros, ouvimos várias narrativas para compor a história de vida do sujeito pesquisado: a do próprio Ramon, da sua mãe Marlene e das professoras da APAE e da Educação de Jovens e Adultos, ouvimos, portanto, Ramon em diferentes contextos: em casa, na APAE, na escola de ensino comum (EJA) e na casa da professora da APAE. Para colher os dados, recorremos às entrevistas biográficas semiestruturadas, as quais foram adequadas à singularidade de cada sujeito ouvido. Todas as entrevistas foram gravadas e transcritas em sua totalidade e os dados obtidos foram analisados levando-se em conta o contexto histórico e social de Ramon, assim, observamos as relações dialógicas estabelecidas por Ramon com seus pares e tentamos compreendê-las para melhor entender a construção subjetiva desse sujeito que para além de biológico, é social, cultural, que aprende, apreende e que, para além disso...muito nos ensina!

Implementação do modelo de gestão estratégica baseado no "Balenced Scorecard" numa empresa interbancária de Serviços de Angola

RESUMO: Com a constante evolução das novas tecnologias de informação, as organizações têm necessidade de implementar novas ferramentas de gestão de forma a gerar vantagens competitivas, é neste sentido que esta dissertação visa propor a implementação do Modelo de Gestão estratégica baseado no Balanced Scorecard numa Empresa Interbancária de Serviços, com o objectivo de auxiliar na criação de capacidades competitivas, mediante uma avaliação de desempenho mais precisa e estruturada. Esta ferramenta surgiu como alternativa aos sistemas antigos e tradicionais cujo objectivo consistia no controlo das actividades realizadas pelos funcionários, sendo que esta metodologia veio colocar a estratégia no centro das atenções e não somente o controlo, mas só em 1992 é que ela foi reconhecida como um processo revolucionário que alterava todo o processo de gestão padrão nas empresas. Nesta dissertação ira se abordar alguns conceitos desta metodologia, enfatizando, o Mapa de Estratégia, vantagens pela obtenção desta metodologia; e um estudo prático da aplicação do Modelo de Gestão Estratégica na EMIS. Por fim, é de realçar que a grande importância que as empresas têm vindo a atribuir a esta metodologia e a investir nela, garante a sua relevância como tema de pesquisa num futuro próximo. ABSTRACT: With the constant development of new information technologies, organizations need to implement new management tools in order to generate competitive advantages, in this sense this thesis aims to propose the implementation of the Strategic Management Model based on Balanced Scorecard in a Company Interbank services with the aim of assisting in the creation of competitive capabilities through a performance assessment more precise and structured. This tool has emerged as an alternative to traditional legacy systems and was aimed at controlling the activities performed by employees, the methodology that has put the strategy in the spotlight instead of control, but not until 1992 was it recognized as a revolutionary process that changed the entire standard management process in companies. In this dissertation we discuss concepts of this methodology, emphasizing the strategic map for obtaining advantages from it, and a practical application of Strategic Management Model in EMIS. Finally, it is noteworthy that the great importance that companies have been giving to this methodology and the investment they have been doing on it, guarantees its relevance as a research subject in the near future.

Reconfigurable antenna for mobile devices

O trabalho descrito nesta dissertação de mestrado foca-se em geral na investigação de antenas impressas. São apresentados conceitos básicos, em conjunto com alguns exemplos desenvolvidos. No entanto, o principal foco prende-se com técnicas de miniaturização e reconfigurabilidade de antenas. A miniaturização de antenas é um tema de investigação de longa data, no entanto, novas técnicas e soluções são apresentadas regularmente. Nesta tese, é aplicada uma técnica recente, baseada na introdução de indutores encapsulados no elemento ressonante de uma antena, que permite miniaturizar um monopólio impresso com uma frequência de ressonância de 2.5 GHz. Outro assunto abordado neste trabalho é a reconfigurabilidade de antenas. Algumas das técnicas mais comuns na investigação actual são apresentadas e debatidas. Uma solução com recurso a díodos PIN é usada para estudar esta capacidade. Os conceitos e características deste tipo de componentes são apresentadas sendo feito o desenho e fabrico de um possível monopólio impresso reconfigurável para operação em dupla banda. Por fim, são combinadas as técnicas de miniaturização com inductor encapsulado e reconfigurabilidade através de díodos PIN, por forma a projectar uma antena reconfigurável muito pequena, para operação em duas bandas distintas. Os resultados são discutidos e com base nestes, algumas possíveis otimizações são propostas. The work reported in this dissertation is focused in the printed antenna research. Basic concepts of printed antennas are presented, along with a few examples that were developed. The main focus however, is around miniaturization and reconfigurability of antennas. Antenna miniaturization is a long time research subject, however, new techniques and solutions are presented everyday. In this thesis, a recent technique based on the introduction of chip inductors in the resonating element of a printed antenna is used in order to miniaturize a monopole with a resonating frequency at 2.5 GHz. Another issue approached in this work is antenna reconfigurability. Some common techniques used in antenna reconfiguration are presented and debated. A solution with PIN diodes is used to study this capability. The concepts and characteristics of this type of components are presented and an example of a reconfigurable printed monopole for dual-band operation is designed and fabricated. At last, miniaturization with chip inductor and reconfigurability through PIN diodes are used together to create a very small antenna for dual-band operation. The simulated and measured results are discussed and upon these, some possible optimizations are proposed.

Using data mining with time series data in short-term stocks prediction

Data Mining (DM) methods are being increasingly used in prediction with time series data, in addition to traditional statistical approaches. This paper presents a literature review of the use of DM with time series data, focusing on short- time stocks prediction. This is an area that has been attracting a great deal of attention from researchers in the field. The main contribution of this paper is to provide an outline of the use of DM with time series data, using mainly examples related with short-term stocks prediction. This is important to a better understanding of the field. Some of the main trends and open issues will also be introduced.

Visions on high-speed trains: a methodological analysis

Based on the report for the unit “Foresight Analysis Methods” of the PhD program on Technology Assessment in 2013. This unit was supervised by Prof. António Moniz. The paper had meanwhile contributions from the supervisor and Dr. Douglas Robinson.

Analysis of a controversial decision process: the case of the pumped hydro storage power plant Atdorf in Germany

Based on the report for the unit “Métodos Interactivos de Participação e Decisão A” (Interactive methods of participation and decision A), coordinated by Prof. Lia Maldonado Teles de Vasconcelos and Prof. Nuno Miguel Ribeiro Videira Costa. This unit was provided for the PhD Program in Technology Assessment in 2015/2016.

The names of things: terminology and the practice of art history

This paper aims to explore the ways in which standard art history terminology shapes the practice of art history by conditioning the interpretation of specific works of art and, in certain cases, the definition of a research subject (especially where questions of genre and periodization are concerned). Taking as a case study a painting by Georges de La Tour, the Peasant Couple Eating, I will argue that terms such as realism, realistic, naturalistic etc. used for its description and/or interpretation, far from constituting objective stylistic characterizations, shape our perception of the work in question. Bringing the question of social class to the center of the discourse on realism, I propose to show how the social divide between the painter and his subject matter (in this case, the peasants) is internalized in the painting’s style and meaning, and how it is fundamental for the understanding of its intentionality and function.

Semantic architecture for sensors

Based on the report for the unit “Sociology of New Information Technologies” of the Master on Computer Sciences at FCT/University Nova Lisbon in 2015-16. The responsible of this curricular unit is Prof. António Moniz

Concepções e práticas do trabalho da equipe multidisciplinar diante das crianças com necessidades educacionais especiais

Dissertação de mestrado em Educação Especial (área de especialização em Dificuldades de Aprendizagem Específicas)

Gender, sex and sexuality in two open access communication journals published in Portugal: a critical overview of current discursive practices

The links between gender, sex and sexuality and their relevance are theoretically and politically problematic (Richardson, 2007). One of the difficulties in understanding their interconnections is that these terms are often used differently and ambiguously by different authors (and even by the same authors). This article reports the results of an analysis of the articles published in open access communication journals with known impact factor, edited in Portugal and published between 2005 and 2012. The diverse conceptualisations of those three basic concepts and of their (inter)relationships within communication research are identified. The complexity and the intricate (and often implicit) nature of both the meanings of these categories and their relationships underlie and justify our attention and further research. What the findings suggest about the current communication research into gender issues published in the two journals surveyed is that the ‘Gender differences discourse’ (Sunderland, 2004) is the most pervasive discourse (also) in academic practice. Additionally, they show that gender and sex are mainly taken for a fact, not a question that is worth being studied. The editors of these journals, as well as the scholars submitting manuscripts, need to be more aware of the traditional nature of the theoretical and methodological choices that they make regarding gender- and sex-related issues, as well as of the relative lack of attention to sexuality as a research subject.

The housing evolution of Braga between late antiquity and the early meddle ages

The study of the domestic architecture evolution in Late Antiquity performs a fairly recent research subject within Hispanic historiography and represents one of the most significant results emerging from urban archaeology that has uncovered a relevant and innovative group of data related with the occupation of cities with Roman foundation between the fourth and eight centuries. In Braga the excavations conducted since 1976 identified remains of several domus that have been the object of systematic research studies in the past decade.2 In reality, the vast majority of the city Late Antiquity occupation continued to privilege areas where the previous domus of High Empire foundation were located. They were object of important reforms between the late third/early fourth centuries in a time when Bracara Augusta was elevated to capital of the new Callaecia province and endured an important urban renovation.