The Symbolism of Space in African Children’s and Youth Literature

Cet article intitulé tente d’analyser la portée référentielle de certains espaces qu’occupe l’intrigue. Il s’agira de voir l’approche qu’en font différents auteurs et leur impact sur l’imaginaire de l’enfant. L’étude se fera sous les dimensions toponymique et topographique permettant de mieux comprendre l’enjeu de ces espaces dans la socialisation de l’enfant

The application of clustering analysis to international private indebtedness

The main goal of this paper is to apply a combination of statistical and connectionist schemes to examine, via clustering analysis, private indebtedness in different countries. Thirty-nine such experiences are used. The relationship between private debts and some macroeconomic variables are discussed in some detail. The clustering performance is improved by taking advantage of specific properties and capacities of each method. The procedures are also applied to a controlled numerical example.

O design inclusivo e o portador de deficiência visual : a estimulação sensorial na arquitectura através da terapia Snoezelen

Somos rodeados por arquitetura mas nem sempre a vivemos da melhor forma, nem sempre sabemos tirar o melhor partido do que nos rodeia e nem sempre o que nos rodeia é o melhor para nós nem o que nos faz mais felizes. Esta realidade é ainda maior para indivíduos portadores de deficiência. Nota-se, hoje em dia, uma crescente preocupação para que as casas, e não só os espaços comerciais e públicos, sejam acessíveis a todas as pessoas. Pensando nisto, muitos profissionais da área da Arquitectura, Engenharia e Design de Interiores, desenvolvem os seus projetos levando em conta o design universal ou inclusivo. Os princípios deste design não são exclusivos às pessoas portadoras de deficiência, a aplicação dos mesmos pode garantir, por exemplo, que uma mesma pessoa resida na mesma casa dos 0 aos 80 anos. As necessidades mudam ao longo da nossa vida. Uma casa inclusiva é por isso uma casa para toda a vida

Central and Systemic Responses to Methionine-Induced Hyperhomocysteinemia in Mice

Hyperhomocysteinemia has been considered a risk factor for neuropsychiatric disorders, but the mechanisms involved in this process have not been completely elucidated. the aim of this study was to analyze the influence of hyperhomocysteinemia induction by methionine supplementation considering different levels and periods of exposure in mice. for this purpose, methionine supplementation at concentrations of 0.5 and 1% were administered in water to increase homocysteinemia in male C57BL/6 mice, and was maintained for 3 time periods (2, 4 and 6 months of treatment). the results from one-carbon metabolism parameters, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) concentrations and behavioral evaluation were compared. the 0.5% supplementation was efficient in increasing plasma homocysteine levels after 2 and 6 months. the 1% supplementation, increased plasma homocysteine after 2, 4 and 6 months. Little influence was observed in cysteine and glutathione concentrations. Frontal cortex BDNF levels showed a lack of treatment influence in all periods; only the expected decrease due to increasing age was observed. Moreover, the only behavioral alteration observed using a novel object recognition task was that which was expected with increasing age. We found that responses to hyperhomocysteinemia varied based on how it was reached, and the length of toxicity. Moreover, hyperhomocysteinemia can affect the normal pattern of one carbon metabolism during age increase in mice. These findings allow the establishment of a reliable animal model for studies in this field.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Psychobiol, São Paulo, BrazilFAPESP: 2010/00075-2FAPESP: 2011/15699-4Web of Scienc

Double exposure on the northern coast of the São Paulo State, Brazil

This paper examines how double exposure to both socio-economic and environmental stressors and the interaction between the two affect the population of the Northern coast of the São Paulo State, Brazil based on the conceptual and analytical framework developed by R. Leichenko and K.L. O’Brien. It provides a useful way to examine the multiple and overlapping processes of global change and, in particular, the places and the ways in which the economic and the non-economic interact. Interactions between economic and environmental change shape local landscapes of vulnerability and a major challenge for understanding vulnerability involves identifying how economic and environmental processes interact in particular places and how these interactions shape the effects of some global change processes and drive others. Pathways to increased vulnerability are multidimensional, so that socio-economic conditions may mediate the impacts of environmental change, but changing environmental conditions may also alter socio-economic capacities to maintain particular livelihood strategies. By analysing case studies of four municipalities that compound the region we found that people’s resilience, in general, are largely determined by the socio-economic context and the social vulnerability. Our finding indicate that socio-economic change brought about in the last three decades due to intense urbanization, tourism exploitation and increasingly economic activities have altered people’s livelihood and deepened social problems. We argue that the cross-scale nature of the problem and the cross-level interactions of these processes pose significant challenges for governance structures and institutions in place in the region that fail to address the roots of vulnerability and consequences of a changing environment.draft versio