Rethinking Gender in Revolutions and Resistance. Lessons from the Arab World, edited by Maha El Said, Lena Meari, & Nicola Pratt. London: Zed Books, 2015, 262 pp.

https://thekeep.eiu.edu/herbarium_specimens_byname/16496/thumbnail.jp

La construcción de una narrativa web sobre la guerra colonial portuguesa: una perspectiva crítica sobre la Wikipedia

As part of recent research into the Portuguese colonial war in the sphere of memory studies, this article seeks to fill a gap in the underexplored field of digital memories. It aims, firstly, to explore the processes through which discourses about the Portuguese colonial war are produced in the Portuguese version of Wikipedia, looking at its dynamics and mechanisms of construction, including formal and informal rules; and secondly, to analyse that discourse using theoretical and methodological considerations from critical discourse analysis (CDA), complemented with concepts of absence and silence, which enable a reflection on the relationship between power, knowledge and memory. The article also explores the limits of Wikipedia as regards the formation of collaborative narratives about the past, arguing that they are marked by the reproduction of Eurocentric narratives which circulate in political, educational and media discourses, and also by the memories of more conservative sectors of Portuguese society, such as war veterans and former settlers returning from the colonies (the so-called retornados). These narratives mask the colonial violence and resistance to it that preceded the colonial war and depoliticize the struggle of the national liberation movements.Como parte de una investigación reciente sobre la guerra colonial portuguesa en el ámbito de los estudios de memoria, este artículo busca llenar un vacío en el campo de las memorias digitales poco explorado. Pretende, en primer lugar, explorar los procesos mediante los cuales se producen discursos sobre la guerra colonial portuguesa en la versión portuguesa de Wikipedia, analizando los mecanismos de construcción y dinámicas, incluso las reglas formales e informales; y, en segundo lugar, analizar ese discurso utilizando consideraciones teóricas y metodológicas del análisis crítico del discurso (CDA). Esto se complementa con conceptos de ausencia y silencio, que permiten una reflexión sobre la relación entre poder, conocimiento y memoria. El artículo también explora los límites de Wikipedia en lo que respecta a la formación de narrativas colaborativas sobre el pasado, argumentando que están marcadas por la reproducción de narrativas eurocéntricas que circulan en los discursos mediáticos, políticos y educativos, y también por las memorias de sectores más conservadores de la sociedad portuguesa, como los excombatientes y ex colonos que regresaron de las colonias (los llamados “retornados”). Estas narrativas enmascaran la violencia colonial y la resistencia que precedió a la guerra colonial, y despolitizan la lucha de los movimientos de liberación

Future increase in temperature more than decrease in litter quality can affect microbial litter decomposition in streams

The predicted increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration for this century is expected to lead to increases in temperature and changes in litter quality that can affect small woodland streams, where water tempera- ture is usually low and allochthonous organic matter con- stitutes the basis of the food web. We have assessed the individual and interactive effect of water temperature (5 and 10°C) and alder litter quality produced under ambient CO2 levels (ambient litter) or under CO2 concentrations predicted for 2050 (elevated litter) on litter decomposition and on fungal activity and assemblage structure. Litter decomposition rates and fungal respiration rates were sig- nificantly faster at 10 than at 5°C, but they were not affected by litter quality. Litter quality affected mycelial biomass accrual at 5 but not at 10°C, while increases in temperature stimulated biomass accrual on ambient but not on elevated litter. A similar pattern was observed for conidial production. All variables were stimulated on ele- vated litter at 10°C (future scenario) compared with ambient litter at 5°C (present scenario), but interactions between temperature and litter quality were additive. Temperature was the factor that most strongly affected the structure of aquatic hyphomycete assemblages. Our results indicate that if future increases in atmospheric CO2 lead to only slight modifications in litter quality, the litter decomposition and fungal activities and community struc- ture will be strongly controlled by increased water tem- perature. This may have serious consequences for aquatic systems as faster litter decomposition may lead to food depletion for higher trophic levels

Changes in dominance among species in aquatic hyphomycete assemblages do not affect litter decomposition rates

Fresh waters are threatened worldwide by water pollution and extraction, changes in ripar- ian vegetation and global warming. Changes in com- munity dominance are expected as an early outcome of anthropogenic stresses, later followed by a reduc- tion in species number and changes in species iden- tity, which might impair ecosystem processes. Here, we addressed the effect of changes in dominance among species in fungal assemblages on the decom- position of alder leaves and associated fungal activ- ity. In laboratory microcosms, we inoculated alder leaf discs with 2 fungal assemblages, each composed of 3 species known to dominate communities during early decomposition (early assemblage) and late decomposition (late assemblage). For each assem- blage type, the identity of the dominant species was tentatively manipulated by inoculating the micro- cosms with distinct proportions of conidia in 4 inoc- ula: an even inoculum and 3 uneven inocula (each dominated by a different species). Over the incuba- tion time, all early assemblages became dominated by the same aquatic hyphomycete species, while manipulation of the number of conidia in the inocula successfully determined the dominant species in late assemblages. Total conidial production and respira- tion rates differed among early assemblages, but no differences were found in litter decomposition and associated fungal variables among late assemblages. The absence of a relationship between community dominance/identity of the dominant species and community performance/litter mass loss suggests that assemblages, even those composed of a low number of species, have the capacity to buffer changes in processes due to changes in species dominance

“One-pot” enzymatic conversion of CO2 to methanol

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologi

Biblioteca Digital Infantil “Ícones da cidade”

A biblioteca, o livro infantil, o digital e as novas tecnologias são os termos que resumem a temática do projeto tese que apresento de seguida, e que me encaminham ao longo de um projeto para a criação de uma Biblioteca digital infantil, uma coleção de cinco livros digitais em que a memória é enaltecida. Uma coleção de livros Digitais não digitalizados, feitos originalmente para o digital, cinco livros sobre cinco ícones da Cidade das Caldas, de cinco autores e ilustradores das Caldas ou com ligações à cidade. É na infância que as crianças começam a criar uma relação com o mundo e com os objetos que a rodeiam. Os livros são um desses objetos, considerados ferramentas fundamentais para o seu desenvolvimento. A presença do livro no universo onde a criança se movimenta, principalmente no meio familiar e escolar, sempre com a orientação de um adulto, desempenha um papel de enorme relevância no percurso a percorrer no seu futuro (Bastos, 1999). Também Alice Vieira defende que as histórias e personagens que levam ao sonho e ao imaginário ajudam “as crianças a tornarem-se adultos” (Santos, 2007). Em plena era digital, em que todos estamos em rede e em que as novas tecnologias fazem parte do nosso quotidiano, torna-se um desafio para os pais e educadores incentivarem os mais jovens para a leitura. Perante crianças e jovens que nasceram e crescem com o apelo tecnológico fará todo o sentido utilizálo para os incentivar à leitura. Com o acompanhamento dos pais em casa e dos educadores na sala de aula, a utilização de livros digitais pode revelar-se uma forma interessante de envolver os mais jovens com os livros. Na obra intitulada “Learning to Live” de 2009, Jane Finnis ressalta a importância de o mundo digital ser utilizado como um meio de atração para a cultura, a tecnologia está cada vez mais a evoluir devendo ser utilizada pelas instituições culturais (como os museus e as bibliotecas), para chegar a mais público. A autora diz que não quer viver num mundo online sem cultura, considerando que deve estar disponível para consumo em todos os meios possíveis, e nos meios que as crianças e os jovens mais frequentam, o digital (Bellamy & Oppenheim, 2009). O projeto tese divide-se em duas fases, uma teórica e de investigação, relacionada com o estudo do tema e estudos de caso. A segunda fase de componente mais prática, consiste na conclusão do estudo elaborado, onde será criado o projeto a partir de todas as fases de programação do mesmo. A programação de uma biblioteca digital infantil com o objetivo de incentivar à leitura, proporcionando às crianças uma experiência diferente de ler um livro, considerando que são duas experiências diferentes e que não se anulam, acabando por coexistir, o livro digital e o livro impresso

TACTOPI: a playful approach to promote computational thinking to visually impaired children

Tese de mestrado em Informática, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 2021The use of playful activities is common in introductory programming settings. Visually, these activities tend to be stimulating enough. However, these are not accessible for visually impaired children. This work presents TACTOPI - a system that consists of a tangible environment that provides navigation skills training and enriches sensorial experiences using sound, visual and tactile elements; It allows the learning of introductory concepts of computational thinking embedded in playful activities with storytelling that promote environmental education for children with visual impairments from 4 to 7 years old. The map is modular, customizable and has a docking system to place the elements allowing a fun tactile interaction. Another essential element is the 3D printed helm containing a joystick and buttons for the child to control and pre-program the instructions to be played by the robot. A study was carried out using a qualitative questionnaire to evaluate the system. Suggestions were collected from respondents experienced with blind children about the suitability, relevance and accessibility of this system for these children. From the results, it is possible to conclude that this is a tool that, despite some limitations, is efficient to introduce computational thinking; interactive elements that support activities in other disciplines and contexts; a tool that ensures accessibility and supports task training for the development of blind children