Morphology vs. Word Order in the Acquisition of V-to-I

This article presents an experiment on children's sensitivity to two phenomena associated with V-to-I: morphology and word order. It is shown that children are highly sensitive to morphology, but accept ungrammatical sentences in which verb and adverb are in the wrong order. These results on children's accuracy contrast with those reported for production. An analysis is proposed for explaining this asymmetry, discussing the notion of trigger in acquisition

Desafios de Témis, Trabalhos dos Homens (“Constitucionalismo, Constituição Mundial e Sociedade de Risco”)

O artigo centra-se na análise de algumas mutações da constituição no quadro de uma “sociedade de risco”. Por um lado, num tempo marcado pela “tecnociência”, recorta-se uma constituição à/da distância (Fernverfassung), discutindo-se os seus efeitos transtemporais e transterritoriais. Por outro, partindo da possibilidade de cortar o tradicional cordão umbilical entre Estado e constituição, defende-se a emergência de novos parâmetros constitucionais, nomeadamente de uma constituição mundial, num tempo em que tem de se tomar a sério o bem comum da Humanidade

Disclosing the aggregation mechanism of β2-microglobulin in amyloid disease

Protein β2-microglobulin (β2-m) is the causative agent of dialysis-related amyloidosis (DRA), a prevalent pathology affecting individuals undergoing long-term hemodialysis. The goal of this PhD project is to explore the early stage of the aggregation mechanism of β2-m with molecular simulations, using two model systems: the ΔN6 variant, a cleaved form lacking the six N-terminal residues, which is a major component of ex vivo amyloid plaques from DRA patients, and the single point D76N mutant, recently identified as the cause of an hereditary systemic amyloidosis affecting visceral organs. Methodologically, the main goal of this research project is the development of a Monte Carlo Ensemble Docking method with a cost function that considers shape, hydrophobic and electrostatic complementarity, the major drivers of protein-protein association. The D76N mutant populates two folding intermediates called I1 and I2, which display an unstructured C-terminus and two unstructured termini, respectively. The ΔN6 variant populates one folding intermediate, with an unstructured N-terminus. Protein-protein docking simulations predict an essential role for the termini and for the DE-loop (both variants), EF-loop (D76N mutant) and BC-loop (ΔN6 variant) in the dimerization mechanism of β2-m. The terminal regions are more relevant under acidic conditions while the BC-, DE- and EF-loops gain importance at physiological pH. Our results recapitulate experimental evidence according to which Phe30 and His31 (BC-loop), Arg45 (CD-loop), and Trp60 and Phe62 (DE-loop) are dimerization hotspots (i.e. residues triggering dimerization). Additionally, we predicted the involvement of new residues such as Tyr10 (A-strand), Lys75 (EF-loop), and Trp95 and Arg97 (C-terminus), thus providing new testable predictions to guide the research on β2-m amyloidogenesis. Finally we predicted that β2-m tetramerization is mainly driven by the self-association of dimers via the N- and C-terminal regions and the DE-loop, and identify Arg3 (N-terminus), Tyr10, Arg45, Phe56 (D-strand), Trp60 and Arg97 as essential residues in the process

Análise dos amplificadores de guitarra a válvulas Bassman 5F6-A e Champ 5F1

Engenharia Eletrónica e TelecomunicaçõesEsta dissertação tem como principal objetivo estudar e analisar os amplificadores de guitarra a válvulas Bassman 5F6-A e Champ 5F1. O estudo detalhado do Bassman é realizado de forma analítica e recorrendo ao simulador de circuitos eletrónicos LTSpice. Por sua vez para a análise do Champ, para além da simulação do circuito, procedeu- -se montagem de um kit, cujo estudo é efetuado a partir de medições e testes práticos. Os resultados práticos são analisados e comparados com os obtidos a partir da simulação no LTSpice.This dissertation main purpose is the study and analysis of the guitar vacuum tube ampli ers Bassman 5F6-A and Champ 5F1. The detailed study of the Bassman is performed analytically and using the electronic circuit simulator LTSpice. In turn for Champ analysis, in addition to the circuit simulation, a kit was builded and the study is made from practical tests and measurements. The practical results are analyzed and compared with those obtained from the simulation in LTSpice

Polyploid lineages in the genus Porphyra

Whole genome duplication is now accepted as an important evolutionary force, but the genetic factors and the life history implications affecting the existence and abundance of polyploid lineages within species are still poorly known. Polyploidy has been mainly studied in plant model species in which the sporophyte is the dominant phase in their life history. In this study, we address such questions in a novel system (Porphyra, red algae) where the gametophyte is the dominant phase in the life history. Three Porphyra species (P. dioica, P. umbilicalis, and P. linearis) were used in comparisons of ploidy levels, genome sizes and genetic differentiation using flow cytometry and 11 microsatellite markers among putative polyploid lineages. Multiple ploidy levels and genome sizes were found in Porphyra species, representing different cell lines and comprising several cytotype combinations among the same and different individuals. In P. linearis, genetic differentiation was found among three polyploid lineages: triploid, tetraploid and mixoploids, representing different evolutionary units. We conclude that the gametophytic phase (n) in Porphyra species is not haploid, contradicting previous theories. New hypotheses for the life histories of Porphyra species are discussed.FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, Portugal) [SFRH/BPD/109452/2015, NORIGENOMICS - PTDC/MAR/099698/2008, UID/Multi/04326/2013, BIODIVERSA/004/2015-MARFOR

Caracterização de Puccinia hemerocallidis causadora do primeiro surto de ferrugem de lírio-de-um-dia na Europa

Daylily (Hemerocallis spp.) is an ornamental plant widely used in gardens. Daylily rust, caused by the fungus Puccinia hemerocallidis, has disseminated through all continents only in the 21th century, except in Europe, where it has been considered a quarantine disease by the European Plant Protection Organisation. In Portugal, since November 2015, typical rust symptoms were observed in daylily plants in gardens in Lisbon, Alentejo, Algarve and Madeira, attaining high prevalence, incidence and severity. The causal agent was identified as P. hemerocallidis and the Koch’s postulates were fulfilled. Phylogenetic data suggest that this fungus may have been introduced from North America. Using flow cytometry, the genome size of the P. hemerocallidis populations present in Portugal was estimated to be 345 Mbp (0.3533 pg DNA/1C). For such analysis Rhamnus alaternus was validated as a DNA standard, exhibiting a nuclear content of 0.680 pg DNA/2C. The identification of this disease in diverse locations in Portugal represents a threat to European breeding and nursery industries, since there are the appropriate conditions for inoculum maintenance and propagation from Portugal to the rest of Europeinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cape Verde: The Case for Euroization

After 10 years of a fixed exchange rate against the euro and a deepening integration with the European Union (EU), the authorities of Cape Verde maintain a strong commitment to nominal stability and are now considering the official euroization of the country. Compared to the current pegging, euroization could be costly if the economic conditions of Cape Verde were to require control over the interest rates and the exchange rate. Given the strong economic and financial integration between Cape Verde and Europe, and the fact that Cape Verde records inflation rates at levels that are similar to those of the European Monetary Union (EMU), the relevant issue is whether the European Central Bank (ECB) monetary policy fits the needs of Cape Verde. In order to answer this question, we empirically assess the synchronization between the business cycle of Cape Verde and the business cycle of the EMU. For that purpose, we compute output gaps and then use conventional correlation measures as well as other indicators recently suggested in the literature. Replicating the methodology for each of the current 27 EU members, our results show that Cape Verde ranks better than several EU countries and even better than some EMU countries. We thus argue that there is a strong case for the euroization of Cape Verde. Euroization would secure the benefits already attained with the pegging to the euro and would warrant additional benefits, most likely with no relevant costs stemming from inappropriate ECB monetary policies.Africa, Cape Verde, European Monetary Union, Euroization, Business Cycles

Impact of WLABEL exploitation on electricity learning: analysis of the students’ conceptual evolution

From studies whose objectives were the diagnostic of students’ conceptions and the development of teaching strategies to promote conceptual change, we designed a learning environment (WLABEL – Windows Electricity Laboratory) that aims the promotion of conceptual change in electricity. In this contribution, we briefly present the learning environment. The main purpose of the paper is to describe the qualitative studies carried out to evaluate the impact of WLABEL in students’ conceptual development. Since we have used several instruments, special attention is dedicated to the data triangulation carried out and to the analysis processes. In the last section a synthesis of the results is also presented.From studies whose objectives were the diagnostic of students’ conceptions and the development of teaching strategies to promote conceptual change, we designed a learning environment (WLABEL – Windows Electricity Laboratory) that aims the promotion of conceptual change in electricity. In this contribution, we briefly present the learning environment. The main purpose of the paper is to describe the qualitative studies carried out to evaluate the impact of WLABEL in students’ conceptual development. Since we have used several instruments, special attention is dedicated to the data triangulation carried out and to the analysis processes. In the last section a synthesis of the results is also presented