O primeiro congresso português para o progresso das ciências

Mestrado em MatemáticaO objectivo desta dissertação é estudar a contribuição da Matemática no Primeiro Congresso Luso-Espanhol para o Progresso das Ciências realizado, em conjunto, pela Associação Portuguesa para o Progresso das Ciências e pela Associação Espanhola para o Progresso das Ciências em 1921. A importância desta análise prende-se ao facto deste ter sido a primeira iniciativa, após a Implantação da I República Portuguesa, para terminar com o isolamento científico do país. Para se compreender a dimensão deste congresso, expomos alguns aspectos essenciais da história de Portugal e Espanha incidindo, sobretudo, nas mudanças ocorridas no Ensino Superior. Apresentamos, de um modo muito resumido, o processo da criação das Associações para o Progresso das Ciências nalguns países europeus e como estas conduziram ao aparecimento das sociedades científicas. Depois desta exposição falamos acerca das Associações Portuguesa e Espanhola, referindo os objectivos que as moviam e de que modo é que se reflectiram na realização de congressos mistos. Analisamos a secção dedicada à Matemática, procedendo a um estudo, mais pormenorizado, de um artigo de J. Pedro Teixeira. Fazemos, ainda, uma breve alusão ao Congresso Luso-Espanhol para o Progresso das Ciências, realizado em Salamanca em 1923. ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to study the contribution of Mathematics to the First Portuguese-Spanish Congress for the Progress of Sciences, jointly organized by the Portuguese Association for the Progress of Sciences and the Spanish Association for the Progress of Sciences in 1921. The importance of this analysis is based on the fact that it was the first initiative after the Implantation of the 1st Portuguese Republic to finish with the scientific isolation of the country. To understand the dimension of this Congress, we expose some essential aspects of the history of Portugal and Spain, particularly related to the changes in Higher Education. We survey the process of creation of associations for the progress of sciences in some European countries and how they led to the emergence of specialized scientific societies. After this survey we consider the Portuguese and Spanish Associations, mention their objectives and how those were reflected in the organization of the joint congresses. We analyse the section of Mathematics, including a more detailed study of an article by J. Pedro Teixeira. Very concisely, we mention the Portuguese-Spanish Congress for the Progress of Sciences, realized at Salamanca in 1923

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved