A fotografia e o postal ilustrado: origens e influências

A história do bilhete-postal ilustrado e da imagem fotográfica, como formas de comunicação social, estão intimamente relacionadas. Neste texto propomo-nos esclarecer alguns dos aspetos mais significativos das afinidades entre ambos, da influência recíproca que ocorreu a vários níveis e se traduziu no aparecimento dos bilhetes-postais fotográficos e fotomecânicos.Texto financiado através de uma bolsa de Doutoramento (referência SFRH/BD/8197612011), atribuída pela FCT, com o apoio POPH.QREN / UE.FSE.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A counting multidimensional innovation index for SMEs

We developed a C ounting Multidimensional Innovation Index (MII) framework for measuring and benchmarking innovation of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) , groups of SMEs, industries , regions, and countries . The methodology behind the MII is similar to the methodology behind the United Nations Multi dimensional Poverty Index and follows the innovation definitions stipulated by the OECD Oslo Manual , cover ing dime n s ions and partial indicators suggested by this Ma nual and/or adapted from the In novation Union Scoreboard (IUS) and from the Global Innovation Index (GII) . T o illustrate the MII framework , a survey was conducted among SME s of the metalworking industry in Portugal .info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A counting multidimensional innovation index for SMEs

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to develop a multidimensional innovation index (MII) framework for measuring and benchmarking multidimensional innovation of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and groups of SMEs. Design/methodology/approach: A counting dual cut-off method is employed. First, output and input innovation profiles and composite scores of individual SMEs are computed. Second, a set of four composite innovation indices are generated characterizing the group of SMEs under analysis: MIIo and MIIi measure multidimensional output and input innovation, respectively; while MIIr and MIIa assess the ratio and average of MIIo and MIIi, respectively. To test the MII framework, a survey was conducted among SMEs of the metalworking industry in Portugal. Findings: In 2012, about 28.9 percent (42.2 percent) SMEs of the Portuguese metalworking industry were determined to be multidimensional output (input) innovative. The average percentage of dimensions for which output (input) innovative SMEs were innovative was 65.0 percent (66.0 percent). Thus, the industry MII vector was (MIIo; MIIi; MIIr; MIIa)¼ (0.188, 0.279, 0.674; 0.233). Significant differences were found across the industry, individual SMEs’ multidimensional output and input innovation scores, enabling the identification of groups of SMEs, which can be characterized and compared by computing the corresponding and specific MII vectors. Research limitations/implications: The research has limitations because of the small size of the sample and the benchmarking possibilities it provides. Originality/value The novelty of the MII framework lies in the counting dual cut-off method employed.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Efficient algorithm to study interconnected networks

Interconnected networks have been shown to be much more vulnerable to random and targeted failures than isolated ones, raising several interesting questions regarding the identification and mitigation of their risk. The paradigm to address these questions is the percolation model, where the resilience of the system is quantified by the dependence of the size of the largest cluster on the number of failures. Numerically, the major challenge is the identification of this cluster and the calculation of its size. Here, we propose an efficient algorithm to tackle this problem. We show that the algorithm scales as O(N log N), where N is the number of nodes in the network, a significant improvement compared to O(N^2) for a greedy algorithm, what permits studying much larger networks. Our new strategy can be applied to any network topology and distribution of interdependencies, as well as any sequence of failures.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure

Controlling percolation with limited resources

Connectivity - or the lack thereof - is crucial for the function of many man-made systems, from financial and economic networks over epidemic spreading in social networks to technical infrastructure. Often, connections are deliberately established or removed to induce, maintain, or destroy global connectivity. Thus, there has been a great interest in understanding how to control percolation, the transition to large-scale connectivity. Previous work, however, studied control strategies assuming unlimited resources. Here, we depart from this unrealistic assumption and consider the effect of limited resources on the effectiveness of control. We show that, even for scarce resources, percolation can be controlled with an efficient intervention strategy. We derive this strategy and study its implications, revealing a discontinuous transition as an unintended side-effect of optimal control.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, additional supplemental material (19 pages

Lisbon and its Region: Stereoscopic Photography, C. 1853-1890

This paper concerns the use of steroscopic photography in Lisbon and its region, especially in Sintra, from the 1850s to the end of the 1880s. We will synthetically address the documents and images generated by professional and amateur photographers, their context and their themes.  The first material about stereoscopic photography, the first stereoscopic images and the first imported stereoscopes arrived in Lisbon in the 1850s through photographers, most of them foreigners, who brought them for their local use. A very small number of professionals took stereoscopic portraits in studios. As of the late 1850s, some professionals and trained amateurs used this technique and portrayed the city and its region. At the end of that decade and the beginning of the next, stereoscopic photos were sold in photographic studios and in a specialised warehouse. Already in the 1850s, but mainly after the late 1860s, Parisian photographers and editors of stereoscopic photos also occasionally produced and sold images of Portugal, including Lisbon, and had them listed in their catalogues. In the 1860s and 1870s, stereoscopic photos were exhibited in shows, according to contemporary descriptions, although their precise technical nature was not always very clear. The occasional production and commercialisation of stereoscopic images continued into the 1870s and declined sharply in the 1880s. It was only at the end of the next decade, and above all during the start of the 20th century, would stereoscopic photography regain the interest of professionals and amateurs

The productivity of innovation in Portugal

We view innovation as a productive process, with outputs and inputs. We aim at compare the productivity of innovation across the twenty seven Member States of the European Union (EU-27), having a particular focus on Portugal. The data on inputs and outputs of innovation were collected from the Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010 report and covers the EU-27 Member States, from 2006 to 2010. The Total Factor Productivity index (TFP index) was used as the technique for data analysis. The choice of this technique was mainly determined by its flexibility and by data constraints. Two types of TFP indexes were computed: i) TFPt (time), which compares the productivity of innovation in each Member State with its productivity in a base year; ii) TFPs (space), which compares the productivity of innovation in each Member State with the productivity of the EU-27 average. Results show larger TFPs differences across Member States than TFPt differences. Concerning TFPt, there is a reduction of productivity of most of the Member States during the time length, which can be explained by the recent world financial crisis. This was the case of Portugal, where average TFPt in the time length is slightly below 1. The seven Member States that did not lose any productivity are mostly from Eastern Europe, Member Sates which have entered the European Union and accede to its structural funds more recently. Concerning TFPs, Portugal presents average TFPs well above 1. The Portuguese average TFPs value is close to the one of Germany and higher than the one of Sweden. The Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010 report classifies Portugal as Moderate innovator and Germany and Sweden as innovation leaders. We conclude that productivity of innovation in Portugal is similar to the one of Germany and higher than the one of Sweden. Differences between Portugal and those Member States, such as the ones reported in the Innovation Union Scoreboard 2010, can be explained by the fact of Portugal having fewer resources allocated to innovation and thus fewer outputs from innovation than Germany or Sweden have.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorização energética e material de efluentes de branqueamento de pasta kraft

Anaerobic digestion is a treatment process applied to organic solid waste and wastewater carried out by microorganisms under anaerobic conditions (without oxygen). In addition to treating wastewater, this process’s main product is biogas, a mixture of methane and carbon dioxide. On this assumption, it is easy to understand how this biological process can be an asset in the fight against climate change, as it not only produces renewable energy, but also contributes to reducing the negative impacts resulting from the discharge of organic waste into the environment. The main objective of this work was to study the acidogenic and methanogenic anaerobic processes applied to an industrial effluent with low biodegradability and with potentially inhibitory compounds for the production of materials, such as VFAs, and energy (methane), respectively. The effluent under study was the bleaching effluent from the Kraft pulp production process, denominated D0, which contains, among other recalcitrant materials, AOX compounds. The influence of operational parameters in maximization of these products and increasing the aerobic biodegradability of the treated effluent were also analyzed. To study the process of anaerobic digestion of the D0 effluent, two reactors with magnetic and mechanical agitation, and volumes of 1.75 l and 7 l, respectively, operating in the mesophilic temperature range were set up. Four runs were carried out, with different feed pH values: pH 3, 4, 6 and 7. The best results in sCOD and AOX removal efficiencies were obtained at influent pH 4, which removed 58% of the first and 63% of the second, using an HRT of 1.461 days (the lowest used in all operations) and 6 different loads (between 0.419 gCOD l−1 day−1 and 1.282 gCOD l−1 day−1). The production of methane was also better at this feed pH. The aerobic biodegradability of the effluent was improved in all four operations carried out, with the greatest increase also being achieved in the test with pH 4 in the feed (4.5 times increase). Therefore, this pH range in the feed is the most suitable for the treatment of this type of effluent.A digestão anaeróbia é um processo de tratamento aplicado a resíduos sólidos e efluentes líquidos orgânicos realizado por microrganismos sob condições anaeróbias (sem oxigénio). Para além do tratamento de uma água residual, este processo tem como principal produto o biogás, uma mistura de metano e dióxido de carbono. Neste pressuposto, é fácil de entender como este processo biológico pode ser uma mais-valia no combate às alterações climáticas, por produzir não só energia renovável, como também contribuir para a diminuição dos impactos negativos decorrentes da descarga de resíduos orgânicos no meio ambiente. O principal objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os processos anaeróbios acidogénico e metanogénico aplicados a um efluente industrial de baixa biodegradabilidade e com compostos potencialmente inibidores para a produção de materiais, como os AGVs, e energia (metano), respetivamente. O efluente em estudo foi o efluente do 1ºestágio do branqueamento do processo de produção da pasta Kraft, denominado D0, que contém, entre outros materiais recalcitrantes, compostos AOX. A influência dos parâmetros operacionais na maximização destes produtos e no aumento da biodegradabilidade aeróbia do efluente tratado também foi analisada. Para estudar o processo de digestão anaeróbia do efluente D0, foram montados dois reatores, agitados magnética e mecanicamente, e volumes de 1,75 l e 7 l, respetivamente, operando na faixa de temperatura mesofílica. Foram realizadas quatro operações, com diferentes valores de pH na alimentação: pH 3, 4, 6 e 7. Os melhores resultados na eficiência de remoção de sCOD e AOX foram obtidos a pH 4, no qual foram removidos 58% do primeiro e 63% do último, usando um TRH de 1,461 dias (o menor usado em todas as operações) e 6 cargas diferentes (entre 0,419 gCOD l−1 day−1 e 1,282 gCOD l−1 day−1). A produção de metano também foi a melhor neste pH de alimentação. A biodegradabilidade aeróbia do efluente foi melhorada em todas as operações realizadas, tendo o maior aumento sido também alcançado no ensaio com pH 4 na alimentação (aumento de 4, 5 vezes). Assim, esta faixa de pH na alimentação é a mais adequada para o tratamento deste tipo de efluente.Mestrado em Engenharia do Ambient