'It’s not just Instagram models' : exploring the gendered political potential of young women’s Instagram use

With over one billion monthly users worldwide (Constine, 2018) and being embedded in the everyday lives of many young people, Instagram has become a common topic of discussion both in popular media and scholarly debates. As young women are amongst the predominant active users of Instagram (WeAreSocial, 2019) and the demographic stereotypically associated with online self-representation (Burns, 2015), Instagram carries an underlying gendered political potential. This is manifested through online political practices such as hashtag activism (Highfield, 2016), as well as through Instagram’s use of user-generated content to challenge existing politics of representation, broadening the scope of who is considered photographable (Tiidenberg, 2018). This article explores how this gendered political potential is understood by young women using Instagram. This research is based on 13 in-depth interviews with a theoretical sample of female ‘ordinary’ Instagram users (i.e., not celebrities or Insta-famous), aged 18–35. Our findings illustrate how the perception of political potential is grounded in the participants’ understanding of Instagram as an aesthetically-oriented platform (Manovich, 2017). Most participants recognised the potential for engaging in visibility politics (Whittier, 2017), representing a wider diversity of femininities often absent from popular media. However, this was seen as tempered by the co-existence of idealised beauty conventions and the politics of popularity within social media (Van Dijck & Poell, 2013). Furthermore, this political potential is accompanied by the possibility of receiving backlash or being dismissed as a slacktivist (Glenn, 2015). As Instagram becomes a central part of contemporary visual cultures, this article seeks to critically explore the nuanced ways in which young women’s everyday experiences of Instagram intersect with broader cultural and political questions of gender representation

The rise and fall of short-term rentals: using app data to evaluate the impact of Covid-19 on local economic activity

We study the causal impact of COVID-19’s negative shock on short-term rentals in Lisbon’s local economy. Our difference-in-differences strategy uses a treatment relying on the pre-pandemic short-term rentals intensity, at the parish level, using unexploited app data, between 2018Q3 and 2020Q3. The number of likes and comments measure the economic activity level. The results suggest that likes and comments fell by 48.6%and 56.1%, for Cafes, and by 69.6% and 56.1%, for Pastries. Likes and comments fellin restaurants of treated are as vis-`a vis in comparison areas. Our results are robust to including Porto and other exercises restricting the sample period

How FinTechs and their partnerships with financial institutions are closing the banking gap : challenges and opportunities faced towards greater financial inclusion

FinTechs have been on the forefront of the financial services industry’s reshape. There is a sound potential impact of such technologies worldwide, and more specifically among the 1.7 billion adults who constitute the unbanked, who lack affordable, useful and sustainable access to financial services and products. Financial inclusion has been on key players’ agendas for the past few years, considered to be key in reducing poverty and boosting prosperity worldwide. While financial institutions have long enjoyed a centrality in customers’ financial lives, and FinTechs threaten it by replacing parts of their value chains with innovative solutions, this competitive mindset becomes a cooperative one when developing economies are the target, where accessing unbanked populations requires the cooperation between both players, in order to reach a profitable and effective solution that brings together the know-how and trust afforded by banks and the innovative skills brought by FinTechs. In this work, we have analyzed how partnerships have been made possible and what constitute their challenges, as despite allowing to overcome several constraints that impeded the unbanked to be served, finding the right partner, efficiently working together and effectively scaling innovation, is not always straightforward. Many services provided by partnerships have not yet been through a complete financial cycle, and their benefits to financial inclusion take time to flourish. But one can already conclude that if both players are able to partner successfully, overcoming culture, working methods and ambition’s differences, financial inclusion will continue to be targeted and one day, hopefully, fully addressed

Propagation and Molecular Characterization of Chlamydia trachomatis strains isolated in Portugal

Chlamydia trachomatis é uma bactéria intracelular que infeta exclusivamente o Homem. Constitui o principal agente etiológico bacteriano de infeções sexualmente transmissíveis e, na ausência de tratamento, pode evoluir para complicações clínicas graves, como a infertilidade tubária. C. trachomatis foi classificada em 15 genótipos, os quais causam preferencialmente infeções oculares (A-C), infeções genitais (D-K) ou linfogranuloma venéreo (LGV) (L1-L3). A tipagem das estirpes de clamídia baseia-se na principal proteína da membrana externa (MOMP) codificada pelo gene ompA. O estudo do genoma de C. trachomatis tem permitido identificar diferenças genéticas entre estirpes; no entanto, os mecanismos de adaptação e virulência não estão ainda bem definidos mas, tal tem sido observado noutras bactérias, podendo decorrer de mecanismos de variação de fase. No presente estudo foi realizada a tipagem de 278 amostras clínicas com base na sequência do gene ompA, através de técnicas de nested-PCR, de sequenciação pelo método de Sanger e de análise de similaridades das sequências obtidas relativamente a sequências de estirpes protótipo de C. trachomatis; tal processo possibilitou identificar variantes genotípicas previamente descritas assim como novas variantes, sugerindo a existência de um contínuo processo de adaptação na bactéria. Os genótipos mais frequentes foram o E, D e F, tal como descrito na maioria dos estudos em populações heterossexuais femininas; contudo um número apreciável (26) de estirpes do genótipo L2 foi igualmente detetado, em particular em amostras anorretais masculinas, o que está igualmente de acordo com o descrito em populações de homens que têm sexo com homens. Tal constatação revela a necessidade de um método de identificação expedita dos genótipos LGV, pelo que contribuímos para a implementação de uma metodologia mais rápida que a tradicional genotipagem-ompA. Pretendemos ainda contribuir para a avaliação da virulência das estirpes de C. trachomatis e para tal, realizamos um estudo preliminar de identificação de potenciais alvos genéticos sujeitos a variação de fase, com recurso à sequenciação de nova geração (NGS). Este estudo constitui um contributo para a vigilância epidemiológica das infeções por C. trachomatis em Portugal, uma situação pouco conhecida, um contributo para a celeridade da identificação de casos de LGV e um contributo para a avaliação da virulência das estirpes de C. trachomatis, pela identificação de alterações em genes potencialmente relacionados com a variação de fase.Chlamydia trachomatis is an intracellular bacterium that exclusively infects humans. It is the main bacterial etiological agent of sexually transmitted infections and, in the absence of treatment, may lead to serious clinical complications such as tubal infertility. C. trachomatis was classified into 15 genotypes, which preferentially cause ocular infections (A-C), genital infections (D-K) or lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) (L1-L3). Typing of chlamydial strains is based on the major outer membrane protein (MOMP), which is encoded by the ompA gene. The study of the genome of C. trachomatis allowed identifying genetic differences between strains, and although the mechanisms of adaptation and virulence still require proper definition, these mechanisms may derive from mechanisms of phase variation, as has been observed in other bacteria. In the present study, 278 clinical samples were typed based on their ompA gene sequence, determined by using a nested-PCR technique, Sanger method sequencing and gene sequence similarity analysis regarding the ompA-sequence of C. trachomatis prototype strains. This procedure allowed to identify genotypic variants previously described, as well as new variants, suggesting the existence of a continuous process of adaptation in the bacterium. The most frequent genotypes in our study were E, D and F; this finding is in accordance to the described in most of the studies held in female heterosexual populations. However, an appreciable number (26) of L2 strains was also detected, in particular in male anorectal samples, which is an in agreement with the described for men who have sex with men. The number of L2 strains reveals the need for an expeditious LGV-genotype identification method. Thus, we contributed to the implementation of a methodology that should provide faster identification of LGV strains in comparison to the traditional ompA-genotyping. We also intended to contribute to the evaluation of the virulence of C. trachomatis strains and for this, we participated in a preliminary study of identification of potential genetic targets subjected to phase variation, using a new generation sequencing (NGS) approach This study contributes to the epidemiological surveillance of C. trachomatis infections in Portugal, a poorly known situation, contributes to a faster identification of LGV cases, and contributes to the evaluation of virulence of C. trachomatis strains by identifying changes in genes potentially related to phase variation

Inteligência emocional e otimismo em sujeitos adultos

Trabalho apresentado em CONGRESSO “INVESTIGAÇÃO EM QUALIDADE DE VIDA, INOVAÇÃO E TECNOLOGIA”, Rio Maior, 2016.Atualmente, com o surgimento da psicologia positiva, temas como a Inteligência Emocional e o Otimismo aparecem como fatores que permitem o sucesso e otimização do funcionamento do indivíduo e da comunidade e a sua respetiva qualidade de vida e bem-estar. Quer para o desenvolvimento como para o pensamento positivo do ser humano, é relevante salientar a Inteligência Emocional e o Otimismo como potenciadores e promotores das suas aptidões. O objetivo do presente estudo é avaliar as relações entre Inteligência Emocional e Otimismo tendo em conta as variáveis sociodemográficas recolhidas. A amostra é constituída por 175 sujeitos com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 87 anos (33,53 ± 16,768). Os constructos Inteligência Emocional e o Otimismo foram avaliados recorrendo à Escala de Inteligência Emocional (Rego & Fernandes, 2005) e Escala sobre o Otimismo (Oliveira, 1998), respetivamente. Os resultados obtidos são analisados e discutidos em função das variáveis sociodemográficas consideradas.Today, with the emergence of positive psychology, topics such as emotional intelligence and optimism appear as factors that enable success and optimize the functioning of the individual and the community, and their respective quality of life and well-being. Whether for development as for positive thinking of the human being, it is important to point out emotional intelligence and optimism as enhancers and promoters of their skills. The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between emotional intelligence and optimism in view of the collected sociodemographic variables. The sample consists of 175 subjects aged 18 to 87 years (33.53 ± 16.768). Emotional Intelligence and Optimism were evaluated using the Emotional Intelligence Scale (Rego and Fernandes, 2005) and the Scale on Optimism (Oliveira, 1998), respectively. The results are analyzed and discussed in terms of the sociodemographic variables considered.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

detection for yeast and bacteria in wood slabs by RNA FISH

The deterioration of cultural heritage objects and assets (mural paintings, statues, and many other art objects made of wood, stone, paper, ceramic, glass, inter alia) can be caused by microorganisms [1]. One of the most important steps for applying adequate conservation and protection measures is early identification and monitorization of microbial colonization. The conventional culture-based methods used so far have become insufficient to detect/identify the biodeteriogenic agents. Thus, molecular techniques have started to attract considerable interest [2,3]. Our group is focused on detecting and identifying microorganisms that cause biodeterioration on artworks using the RNA-FISH molecular technique [4]. It is a simple, rapid and promising molecular technique enabling the detection, visualization and identification of the viable microorganisms of interest [5,6]. As any other technique, RNA-FISH has its own minimum Limit Of Detection (LOD) and for ensuring the reliability of RNA-FISH analyses, determination of the associated LODs is imperative. Thus, the aim of this work was to determine the LOD for yeast and bacteria in wood slabs by RNA-FISH. Universal probes for targeting eukaryotes (EUK516) and bacteria (EUB338) labeled with Cy3 or Atto-647N dyes were used.This work was co-financed by ALT20-03-0246-FEDER-000004-ALENTEJO 2020 project and by FCT through the project PTDC/BBB-IMG/0046/2014 and grants SFRH/BD/118028/2016 and SFRH/BPD/100754/2014

How does learning about the spatial environment modulate the defensive responses of Drosophila Melanogaster?

Dissertação de Mestrado apresentada no ISPA – Instituto Universitário Para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Neurociências Cognitivas e ComportamentaisA capacidade de percepcionar e de responder a ameaças iminentes é crucial para assegurar a sobrivência dos animais e a prepetuação das espécies. Notavelmente, sabe-se muito pouco sobre como é que os animais selecionam comportamentos defensivos especificos (e.g. freeze vs fuga) e sobre como é que certas variáveis, tais como a familiaridade com o contexto espacial, modulam estas decisões. Para estudar como é que a familiaridade com o contexto afecta a selecção dos comportamentos de defesa, apresentámos, a moscas da fruta, um estímulo designado de looming – uma sombra que se expande mimetizando um objecto de grandes dimensões em rota de colisão – num ambiente onde a fuga não era possível. Nestas condições, as moscas tipicamente correm or freezam. Deste modo, hipotetizámos que o nível de familiaridade com o contexto pode ter um impacto na seleção dos comportamentos de defesa. Para testar isto, analizámos os comportamentos defensivos da D. melanogaster exposta aos loomings num ambiente inescapável enquanto manipulávamos a expressão de genes relacionados com a memória e com a aprendizagem (rutabaga, foraging e S6KII). Os nossos resultados mostraram que moscas com uma expressão diminuída ou aumentada destes genes, adoptam estratégias de defesa diferentes quando comparadas com os controlos. As primeiras freezam menos enquanto que as segundas freezam mais, o que sugere que a capacidade de aprender e memorizar características específicas do contexto é importante para a seleção dos comportamentos de defesa. Esta descoberta suporta a hipótese de que a aprendizagem durante o período de exploração do ambiente onde o animal se encontra tem um papel importante na seleção de respostas de defesa e identifica 3 genes que estão, muito provavelmente, envolvidos neste processo, aumentanto assim o nosso conhecimento sobre como é que a familiaridade relativa ao contexto contribui para uma seleção adaptativa de estratégias defensivas.The ability to perceive and respond to imminent threats is crucial to assure animal survival and species perpetuation. Remarkably, very little is known about how animals select particular defensive behaviors (e.g. freeze vs. flight) and how specific variables, such as spatial context familiarity, modulate these decisions. To study how context familiarity affects the selection of defensive behaviors we exposed fruit flies to a looming stimulus – an expanding shadow mimicking a large object on collision course – in an inescapable environment. In such conditions, flies will typically run or freeze. Importantly, depending on the time they have to explore their spatial context, different strategies are adopted such that the longer the exploration, the more they freeze. Therefore, we hypothesized that the level of familiarity with the context may impact defensive behavior selection. To test this, we analyzed the defensive behaviors of D. melanogaster exposed to inescapable looming while manipulating the expression of memory and learning genes (rutabaga, foraging and S6KII). Our results show that flies with reduced or increased expression of these genes, adopt different defensive strategies when compared to controls. The former freeze less while the latter freeze more, suggesting that the ability to learn and memorize specific context features is important for defensive behavior selection. These finding lend further support to the hypothesis that learning during environment exploration plays an important role in the selection of defensive responses, and identifies 3 genes which are likely to be involved in that process, thereby increasing our understanding about how spatial environment familiarity contributes to the adaptive selection of defensive strategies

"Hello my lovelies!": Conflicted feminisms and the neoliberalisation of portuguese activist influencer practices

Since 2019, Portuguese psychologist, sexologist, and self-identified feminist Tânia Graça has been gaining popularity on her Instagram account by advocating for women’s sexual empowerment, pleasure, and women’s rights more broadly. In the context of a still largely conservative Portuguese society, these issues have, until recently, failed to gain significant expression both in mainstream popular culture and in popular online feminist content. Grounded on a direct unstructured observation of @taniiagraca’s account, this chapter addresses the growing popularity of feminist discourses on Portuguese social media, critically exploring Tânia Graça’s Instagram presence as an example of activist influencer practices – marred by tensions between its essentially feminist aims and Instagram’s dominant logics of popularity, visibility, and commercial success. This chapter explores how playful and accessible iterations of online feminism, such as Tânia’s, can quickly rise to popularity, fitting particularly well into Instagrammable conventions and aesthetics. Its embodiment of feminist politics – focused on issues of bodily experiences and pleasurable sexual experimentation, and visually expressed through practices of self-representation – also brings forward tensions with Instagram’s platform politics, which often deplatform ‘objectionable’ content and can constrain sexual self-expression. In addition, this chapter foregrounds how popular feminist expressions can rely on gendered conventions of communication, privileging a personal and intimate tone to build a sense of perceived interconnectedness with followers. This aligns with notions of popular and spectacular feminism that tend to privilege ‘cute’ expressions of feminism and centre individual issues, in line with expressions of neoliberal feminism. In this way, this chapter explores the complexities and tensions that mark Instagram as a site for contemporary feminist practices and discourses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The red lipstick movement: exploring #vermelhoembelem and feminist hashtag movements in the context of the rise of far-right populism in Portugal

During the 2021 Portuguese presidential election campaign, far-right candidate André Ventura insulted the feminine presentation of left-wing candidate Marisa Matias, linking her use of red lipstick to a perceived lack of professionalism and implied sexualization. The Portuguese public reacted to this insult by launching the feminist hashtag movement—#VermelhoEmBelem (translated as #RedInBelem), which quickly became one of the few national feminist hashtag movements to reach widespread visibility, receiving national and transnational support. This article offers a critical analysis of the #VermelhoEmBelem movement, grounded on a direct unstructured observation of the cross-platform hashtag—mainly across Twitter and Instagram—complemented by an analysis of news articles about the movement. By focusing on #VermelhoEmBelem, this article explores the relationship between feminist action, gendered discourses, and far-right populist politics. It foregrounds how gendered insults can generate a wave of feminist solidarity and anti-fascist sentiments, which was reified through online self-representations of people of various genders with their lips painted red. Yet, it highlights how hashtag movements can encompass significant tensions—mobilising both widespread support and sexist backlash, carrying the potential for symbolic and consciousness-raising impact, while having limited impact on the results of the Portuguese elections the movement derived from.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Desenvolvimento e Estudo da Validade Facial do Questionário de Motivações para Revelar/Não Revelar a Parentalidade Não-Genética por Doação de Gâmetas

Introdução: A parentalidade é um papel muito valorizado socialmente. No entanto, para casais com infertilidade o desempenho deste papel pode implicar tratamentos de fertilidade, alguns deles com recurso a gâmetas de dador. Para os casais que recorrem a gâmetas de dador, surge uma outra preocupação: contar à criança a origem da sua conceção ou manter segredo. Ainda que as motivações que influenciam este processo de decisão tenham sido alvo de estudo, em Portugal a investigação relativa a este tema é escassa. Objetivos: A presente investigação pretendeu desenvolver e estudar a validade facial do Questionário de Motivações para Revelar/Não Revelar a Parentalidade não Genética por Doação de Gâmetas (QMRDG), o qual se destina a avaliar as principais motivações que influenciam o processo de tomada de decisão dos pais que recorrem a gâmetas de dador relativamente a contar ou não contar ao/à seu/sua filho/a a origem da sua conceção. Pretendeu-se ainda explorar a relação entre os sintomas emocionais negativos e o sentido de competência parental nos diferentes grupos em estudo (pais que já contaram à criança, pais que decidiram não contar e pais que ainda não contaram). Metodologia: Estudo exploratório conduzido numa amostra de 21 participantes que recorrem a tratamento de fertilidade com recurso a gâmetas de dador, tendo tido filhos resultantes desse mesmo tratamento, com idades compreendidas entre os 30 e 49 anos. Os participantes preencheram um conjunto de questionários numa plataforma online, tendo o estudo sido divulgado pela Associação Portuguesa de Fertilidade. Resultados: Os dados obtidos indicam que a maioria dos pais ainda não contou ao/à seu/sua filho/a sua origem genética devido ao facto de a criança ser ainda muito pequena, encontrando-se estes com intenção de revelar à criança. Dos pais que já contaram, as motivações que mais influenciaram a decisão basearam-se na falta de motivos para omitir, na importância dada à honestidade, no direito do conhecimento das origens genéticas e na transparência no seio familiar. Face às motivações para não contar, das que mais influenciaram os pais salienta-se a pouca importância dada à genética. O QMRDG revelou possuir validade facial não tendo sido reportada a existência de itens ambíguos ou de difícil compreensão. Discussão: A tendência dos pais no presente estudo foi de contar ao/à seu/sua filho/a a origem da sua conceção, sendo também esta a tendência reportada em estudos mais recentes. Verificou-se a existência de algumas limitações no estudo, nomeadamente o tamanho da amostra. No entanto, o QMRDG mostrou possuir validade facial, podendo constituir-se como um instrumento útil na prática clínica e na investigação com pessoas que estejam a realizar tratamento de fertilidade com recurso a gâmetas de dador. / Introduction: Parenting is a highly valued social role. However, for couples dealing with infertility this role can involve fertility treatments, and for some of them donorassisted reproduction. For couples who use third party reproduction, another concern can emerge: tell the child about the donor conception, or preserve secrecy. Although arguments for decision making have been studied, in Portugal research on this topic is scanty. Objectives: The current study sought out to develop and study the facial validity of Motivations for Disclosing/Not Disclosing Non-genetic Parenthood through Gamete Donation (QMRDG), which is designed to assess motivations that influence the decision-making process of parents who use gamete donation regarding tell or not to tell to his/her son/daughter his/her conception. The existence of differences concerning emotional negative symptoms and parenting sense of competence in three groups (parents that already disclosed, parents that decided not to disclose and parents that did not decide what to do) was also explored. Methods: This exploratory study was conducted in sample of 21 participants who undergone third-party reproduction treatment and became parents. Participants´ age ranged from 30 to 49 years. Participants completed a set of questionnaires through an online platform. The study was advertised by Associação Portuguesa de Fertilidade. Results: Data showed that most parents did not disclose to their child their donor conception due to the fact that the child is still very young, but their intention seems to be to disclose in the future. For parents who have disclosed, core motivations for that decision are based on the lack of reasons for omitting, on the importance of honesty, on the right to know genetic origins and on transparency in the family. Concerning motivations for not disclosing the little importance given to genetics emerges as one of the most important ones. QMRDG revealed good facial validity. The existence of ambiguous or difficult to understand items has not been reported. Discussion: In our study parent’s tendency was to disclose to his/her son/daughter his/her donor conception and this is also the trend reported in recent studies. There are some methodological limitations that should be considered mainly due to the sample size. However, the QMRDG proved to be an instrument showing facial validity, and it can be a useful tool in clinical practice and research with people who are pursuing fertility treatment with gamete donation