Intervención internacional a través de los medios de comunicación en sociedades posguerra: Perspectivas a partir de las epistemologías del sur

Over the past two decades, international intervention in post-war settings has strictly followed liberal assumptions and practices. Efforts to build and shape the media in the aftermath of armed conflict are no exception. In setting the foundations for the rule of law, liberal democracy and free market, external actors have (re)defined what constitutes the mediascape – that is, the various spheres of communication within public discourse – and how to (re)construct it. Imprinted with modernity’s tenets and western assumptions about the public space, this approach has understood the mediascape narrowly as limited to traditional, established, liberal media, serving to validate particular actors and processes whilst obscuring, neglecting and shutting off global diversity. Law and technology, this paper argues, are the two main axes through which legitimation and exclusion are effected. A myopic focus on legal and technological aspects of the media reduces a rich space of local discourses, norms and practices to western-like media legislation, training and outlets, narrowing in turn the sites for addressing violence and building peace.Durante las últimas dos décadas, la intervención internacional en contextos posguerra ha seguido estrictamente los supuestos y prácticas liberales. Los esfuerzos para construir y dar forma a los medios de comunicación después de los conflictos armados no son una excepción. Al sentar las bases del estado de derecho, de la democracia liberal y del libre mercado, los actores externos han definido lo que constituye el paisaje mediático, es decir, las diversas esferas de la comunicación en el discurso público y cómo reconstruirlo. Imbuido con los principios de la modernidad y los supuestos occidentales sobre el espacio público, este enfoque ha entendido el panorama mediático estrechamente como limitado a los medios tradicionales, establecidos y liberales, sirviendo para validar actores y procesos particulares mientras oscurece, descuida y cierra la diversidad global. El derecho y la tecnología, sostiene este documento, son los dos ejes principales a través de los cuales se efectúan la legitimación y la exclusión. Un enfoque miope en los aspectos legales y tecnológicos de los medios de comunicación que reduce un rico espacio de discursos, normas y prácticas locales a la legislación, la formación y los medios de comunicación de los medios occidentales, reduciendo a su vez los sitios para abordar la violencia y construir la paz

Brazil’s rising profile in United Nations peacekeeping operations since the end of the cold war

Brazil’s engagement in United Nations (UN)-mandated peacekeeping operations dates from 1956. Since then the country has participated in 46 of 65 UN peacekeeping operations, deploying 11,669 personnel in total. Yet until 2004-05, with the UN’s peacekeeping mission in Haiti, Brazilian contributions to such operations were mainly symbolic, military based and concentrated in Portuguese-speaking countries. Recent changes in the size, type and geographical distribution of Brazil’s participation in peace operations echo the reorientation of the country’s foreign policy in its search for a more globalised political influence, especially under Lula da Silva’s presidency. In particular, peacekeeping under UN aegis has enabled Brazil to showcase its perceived added value in terms of its expertise on stabilisation, track record on development and conflict mediation, and advocacy for the Global South. Aspiring to become a world power, Brazil has assumed a role in peace and security that is more consistent with enhanced international responsibility. Yet, as this report highlights, this transformation has been characterised by dilemmas that are a product of the country’s simultaneous legitimation and contestation of the international power structures in which it operates

Dramatização e saber integrado: a linguagem adquirida em contexto

Mestrado em Línguas, Literaturas e CulturasO trabalho de pesquisa investiga e reflete sobre a forma como os alunos adquirirem/aprendem Inglês como língua estrangeira, baseando-se nas teorias de aprendizagem que enfatizam o carater complexo e laborioso da aprendizagem, envolvendo o controle de variáveis linguísticas e extralinguísticas (Stern, 1983; Halliday,1975; Bakhtin, 1997). Reflete-se ainda, sobre como os métodos tradicionais de ensino-aprendizagem estão a dar lugar a novas formas de aprendizagem – baseada em projetos. Como professora de Inglês, a pesquisadora sempre se preocupou com a forma como os alunos aprendem a língua estrangeira, bem como quais as estratégias de aprendizagem mais eficazes. Alguns dos esforços encetados nesta procura pelo sucesso educativo, incluem experiências utilizando a aprendizagem baseada em projetos. O tipo de projeto recorrentemente usado, com resultados muito positivos tem sido o ensino da língua, através de dramatizações. O estudo baseia-se na abordagem qualitativa da língua e materializa-se na análise de características da linguagem oral no texto dramático The History Boys, de Alan Bennett. O texto contém elementos/características da linguagem oral e permite à pesquisadora mostrar os benefícios do ensino da linguagem oral sobre a escrita, no âmbito de um contexto autêntico. Este trabalho argumenta ainda a favor do abandono dos modelos tradicionais de ensino-aprendizagem. A análise dos dados é realizada no âmbito da caracterização de elementos da linguagem oral ( Halliday 1989, p. 31) e traços de conversação definidos por de Biber (1988, p.430). A partir da análise e discussão dos dados, é possível perceber que a linguagem oral é mais simples e mais natural, do que a escrita, logo mais fácil de adquirir pelos aprendentes. Quanto à transposição didática dos resultados do estudo, acredita-se que o ensino através do teatro, permite não só acrescentar motivação ao contexto da sala de aula, mas também facilitar a perceção de alguns aspetos específicos da linguagem, que incluem léxico, sintaxe e estrutura - difíceis de entender, quando estudados fora do contexto. Estes e outros aspetos da linguagem e comunicação, tornam-se ainda mais explícitos através de recursos para-linguísticos, tais como entonação, acentuação, gestos, etc. A competência da comunicação é desenvolvida - o que é muito importante quando se aprende LE, tendo em conta a dificuldade em oferecer uma razão plausível para usá-la com um propósito comunicativo.This research reflects on how students acquire and learn English as a foreign language (S/EFL), based on the learning theories, which emphasize that learning is a complex, laborious and heterogeneous task, involving control of several linguistic and extra-linguistic variables (Stern, 1983; Halliday, 1975; Bakhtin,1997). It also reflects on how traditional teacher-centred methods are very rapidly giving space to new ways of teaching/learning based on projects. As a teacher of English, the researcher is concerned about how students learn, and which learning strategies are more effective in the foreign language class. Some of the efforts spent in this quest for success, include experiences using task-based learning, i.e. Projects. One type of project often used, with very effective results is teaching EFL through drama. The study is based on a qualitative approach to language and is anchored on the analysis of features of spoken grammar within the play the History Boys, by Alan Bennett. The text provides elements of natural language and allows the researcher to show the benefits of teaching spoken rather than written language in an authentic context. This work also argues in favour of abandoning traditional models of teaching The data analysis is performed using Halliday’s ( 1989, p. 31) features of spoken language and Biber’s (1988, p. 430) Conversational traits. From the analysis, and discussion of data, it is possible to perceive that spoken language is simpler and more natural than written language, therefore easier for students to acquire. As to the didactic transposition of the results of the study, it is believed that teaching through drama does not only provide motivation in the classroom environment but also helps learners to realize some specific aspects of the language, which include lexis, syntax and structure - which is difficult to understand, when studied out of context. These, and other aspects of the language and communication, become even more explicit through paralinguistic features, such as intonation, stress, gesture, etc. The ability to speak language is developed - which is very important when learning EFL with the difficulty of providing an authentic reason to use it for a communicative purpose

DIAGNOSING DEATH BY DROWNING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF BLOOD MARKERS BY INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETRY

Investigation of bodies recovered out of water is a complex but frequent medico-legal task. The key problem is if the victim died due to drowning or by the means of other cause and placed in water. At the moment, the diagnosis of drowning is based on some unspecific findings during autopsy (lung distension and the presence of froth in upper airways and lungs) and the results of laboratory tests. Our project aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the determination by ICP-MS of trace elements (TE) in blood of the cardiac cavities of corpses found in aquatic environment as a tool to increase the certainty of the diagnostic of death by drowning. Blood samples were collected from 18 cadavers found in water, from 2006-2008, in Oporto area. The advantage of ICP-MS compared to other instrumental analytical techniques is clear and it proved to be useful. It allowed us to perform a multielemental analysis of blood, and the results highlight the importance of this kind of approach, compared to previous studies where we are dependent on the results of a single TE

Experiência de ensino do jornalismo: Modelo pedagógico da Universidade de Coimbra

Propõe-se, neste artigo, refletir sobre o ensino universitário do Jornalismo à luz da experiência científico-pedagógica da Universidade de Coimbra. Tendo sido nesta instituição que se criou, em 1993, a primeira licenciatura portuguesa em Jornalismo, reflete-se criticamente sobre as diversas alterações a que foi sujeito o seu plano curricular, com particular ênfase para o modelo recentemente implementado, que prevê um percurso de formação de banda larga, fundamentalmente interdisciplinar. Idealizado segundo uma forte matriz Humanista — a que se mantém fiel, apesar das sucessivas adaptações — o curso da Universidade de Coimbra aposta na ideia de que uma formação em jornalismo implica uma componente cultural forte, capaz de dotar os diplomados com competências ao nível da criatividade, do pensamento crítico, além de conhecimento fora da área específica da formação jornalística. Esta matriz compagina-se com os resultados de alguns estudos relativamente recentes (como o de Carpenter, 2009) que revelam que os empregadores, na área do jornalismo e da comunicação de massas, procuram candidatos com competências que transcendem o saber fazer da prática profissional. Embora o debate sobre o ensino do Jornalismo seja inesgotável, tendo acompanhado a profissão desde que esta se autonomizou há mais de um século, o objetivo que parece mais avisado almejar – depois de muitas universidades norte-americanas terem arrepiado caminho na viragem do século após terem retirado tempo ao ensino mais teórico em detrimento de um ensino mais vocacionado para a prática e para as necessidades imediatas do mercado de trabalho (Huang, 2009) – é o de tentar alcançar um equilíbrio entre as competências tecnológicas e as competências de pensamento

O impacto da música no ensino-aprendizagem da língua inglesa no 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

O presente relatório de investigação pretende evidenciar a importância da aprendizagem do Inglês como língua estrangeira na infância e o impacto da música enquanto estratégia para a sua implementação. A música é considerada, por alguns estudiosos, um recurso didático-pedagógico relevante na aprendizagem de uma língua estrangeira, pois tem efeitos benéficos na aquisição das quatro competências específicas da língua (neste caso: listening, speaking, reading e writing), facilita a aquisição da pronúncia, da entoação e do vocabulário, torna a interação em sala de aula mais fluída através de situações reais de comunicação e desperta emoções que fazem com que as crianças criem uma relação afetiva com a língua. Em suma, a música beneficia o processo de aprendizagem da língua inglesa, agindo como elemento motivador e facilitador. Este estudo de caso realizou-se no âmbito da unidade curricular de Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, inserida no plano de estudos do Mestrado em Ensino de Inglês no 1.º ciclo do ensino básico, e teve como público-alvo duas turmas do 1.º ciclo do ensino básico. Foi construído um conjunto de materiais para observação em sala de aula e a análise dos dados recolhidos permite concluir da importância da música na prática pedagógica.This research report aims to highlight the importance of learning English as a foreign language in childhood and the impact of music as a strategy for its implementation. Music is considered by some scholars to be a relevant didactic-pedagogical resource in learning a foreign language, as it has beneficial effects on the acquisition of the four specific language skills (in this case: listening, speaking, reading and writing), it facilitates the acquisition pronunciation, intonation and vocabulary, makes classroom interaction more fluid through real communication situations and arouses emotions that cause children to create an affective relationship with the language. In short, music benefits the process of learning the English language, acting as a motivating and facilitating element. This case study was carried out within the scope of the Supervised Teaching Practice curricular unit, inserted in the study plan of the Master in Teaching English in the 1st cycle of basic education, and had as target audience two classes of the 1st cycle of basic education. A set of materials for observation in the classroom was built and the analysis of the data collected allows us to conclude the importance of music in pedagogical practice

THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF IRON AND FERRITIN METABOLISM IN NORMAL AND NEOPLASTIC CELLS

Iron (Fe) is essential for cell growth and replication as many Fe-containing proteins catalyse key reactions involved in energy metabolism (cytochromes, mitochondrial aconitase and Fe-S proteins of the electron transport chain), respiration (hemoglobin and myoglobin) and DNA synthesis (ribonucleotide reductase). If not appropriately shielded, Fe could participate in one-electron transfer reactions that lead to the production of extremely toxic free radicals. The Fe storage protein, ferritin, is essential to protect cells against Fe-mediated oxidative stress by accommodating excess Fe into its protein shell (Xu et al., 2005). However, despite intensive research over the last few decades, many questions relating to intracellular Fe metabolism, e.g. Fe release from ferritin remain unanswered. Therefore, it is important to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Fe trafficking in cells. At the beginning of my candidature, little was understood regarding the effect of anti-cancer agents, anthracyclines on the Fe-regulated genes, including transferrin receptor-1 (TfR1), N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (Ndrg1) and ferritin. Furthermore, the mechanisms of ferritin-Fe release and anthracycline-mediated ferritin-Fe accumulation are unclear. The work presented in Chapters 3 and 4 has addressed these issues. Apart from the studies examining the molecular interactions of anthracyclines with Fe, a mouse model with perturbed Fe metabolism was used and the marked alterations of protein expression in the heart of this knockout mouse model was discussed in Chapter 5. Chapter 3 Anthracyclines are effective anti-cancer agents. However, their use is limited by cardiotoxicity, an effect linked to their ability to chelate iron (Fe) and perturb Fe metabolism (Xu et al., 2005). These effects on Fe-trafficking remain poorly understood, but are important to decipher as treatment for anthracycline cardiotoxicity utilises the chelator, dexrazoxane. Incubation of cells with doxorubicin (DOX) up-regulated mRNA levels of the Fe-regulated genes, transferrin receptor-1 (TfR1) and N-myc downstream-regulated gene-1 (Ndrg1). This effect was mediated by Fe-depletion, as it was reversed by adding Fe and was prevented by saturating the anthracycline metal-binding site with Fe. However, DOX did not act like a typical chelator, as it did not induce cellular Fe mobilisation. In the presence of DOX and 59Fe-transferrin, Fe-trafficking studies demonstrated ferritin-59Fe accumulation and decreased cytosolic-59Fe incorporation. This could induce cytosolic Fe-deficiency and increase TfR1 and Ndrg1 mRNA. Up-regulation of TfR1 and Ndrg1 by DOX was independent of anthracycline-mediated radical generation and occurred via HIF-1α-independent mechanisms. Despite increased TfR1 and Ndrg1 mRNA after DOX treatment, this agent decreased TfR1 and Ndrg1 protein expression. Hence, the effects of DOX on Fe metabolism were complex due to its multiple effector mechanisms. Chapter 4 The Fe storage protein, ferritin, can accommodate up to 4500 atoms of Fe in its protein shell (Harrison and Arosio, 1996). However, the underlying mechanism of ferritin-Fe release remains unknown. Previous studies demonstrated that anti-cancer agents, anthracyclines, led to ferritin-59Fe accumulation (Kwok and Richardson, 2003). The increase in ferritin-59Fe was shown to be due to a decrease in the release of Fe from this protein. It could be speculated that DOX may impair the Fe release pathway by preventing the synthesis of essential ferritin partner proteins that induce Fe release. In this study, a native protein purification technique has been utilised to isolate ferritin-associated partners by combining ultra-centrifugation, anion-exchange chromatography, size exclusion chromatography and native gel electrophoresis. In addition to cells in culture (namely, SK-Mel-28 melanoma cells), liver taken from the mouse was used as a physiological in vivo model, as this organ is a major source of ferritin. Four potential partner proteins were identified along with ferritin, e.g. aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, member L1 (ALDH1L1). Future studies are required to clarify the relationship of these proteins with cellular Fe metabolism and ferritin-Fe release. Chapter 5 A frequent cause of death in Friedreich’s ataxia patients is cardiomyopathy, but the molecular alterations underlying this condition are unknown. We performed two dimensional electrophoresis to characterise the changes in protein expression of hearts using the muscle creatine kinase frataxin conditional knockout (KO) mouse. Pronounced changes in the protein expression profile were observed in 9-week-old KO mice with severe cardiomyopathy. In contrast, only a few proteins showed altered expression in asymptomatic 4-week-old KO mice. In hearts from frataxin KO mice, components of the iron-dependent complex-I and -II of the mitochondrial electron transport chain and enzymes involved in ATP homeostasis (creatine kinase, adenylate kinase) displayed decreased expression. Interestingly, the KO hearts exhibited increased expression of enzymes involved in the citric acid cycle, catabolism of branched-chain amino acids, ketone body utilisation and pyruvate decarboxylation. This constitutes evidence of metabolic compensation due to decreased expression of electron transport proteins. There was also pronounced up-regulation of proteins involved in stress protection, such as a variety of chaperones, as well as altered expression of proteins involved in cellular structure, motility and general metabolism. This is the first report of the molecular changes at the protein level which could be involved in the cardiomyopathy of the frataxin KO mouse

Telephone-based screening tools for mild cognitive impairment and dementia in aging studies : a review of validated instruments

The decline of cognitive function in old age is a great challenge for modern society. The simultaneous increase in dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases justifies a growing need for accurate and valid cognitive assessment instruments. Although in-person testing is considered the most effective and preferred administration mode of assessment, it can pose not only a research difficulty in reaching large and diverse population samples, but it may also limit the assessment and follow-up of individuals with either physical or health limitations or reduced motivation. Therefore, telephone-based cognitive screening instruments can be an alternative and attractive strategy to in-person assessments. In order to give a current view of the state of the art of telephone-based tools for cognitive assessment in aging, this review highlights some of the existing instruments with particular focus on data validation, cognitive domains assessed, administration time and instrument limitations and advantages. From the review of the literature, performed using the databases EBSCO, Science Direct and PubMed, it was possible to verify that while telephone-based tools are useful in research and clinical practice, providing a promising approach, the methodologies still need refinement in the validation steps, including comparison with either single instruments or neurocognitive test batteries, to improve specificity and sensitivity to validly detect subtle changes in cognition that may precede cognitive impairment.This work was funded by the European Commission (FP7): "SwitchBox" (Contract HEALTH-F2-2010-259772). Teresa C. Castanho and Liliana Amorim are recipients of doctoral fellowships from the Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) and the MyHealth project (Contract DoIT-13853), respectively. Nadine C. Santos is a recipient of a postdoctoral fellowship by the Switchbox project

Portuguese oncologists’ practices regarding female fertility preservation: Which barriers most relate to these practices?

This study aims to investigate the current practice patterns of Portuguese oncologists with different clinical specialties regarding female fertility preservation (FP) and to determine the relative endorsement of different barriers to these practices. A total of 111 doctors with different clinical specialties assisting female cancer patients of childbearing age at Portuguese clinical institutions completed a self-report questionnaire to assess their current practice patterns regarding female FP and their perceptions of the barriers to these practices. Although the majority of the oncologists reported discussing the reproductive future with their patients, 2.8% and 7.2% of these clinicians reported never informing about the risk of infertility and about FP, respectively, and 75.8% of the participants have referred fewer than ten patients to a reproductive medicine doctor. Time with patients was the strongest endorsed barrier to these practices. A stronger endorsement of the barriers "oncologists' communication skills" and "patient-related factors" was related to a lower frequency of informing about both the risk of cancer-related infertility and about FP. It is important to overcome the intrinsic barriers that emerged as being the most relevant to oncologists' FP practices and that can be modified, namely the lack of communication skills and the oncologists' perceptions of their patients' characteristics