Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2006-06"
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- Racismo na sociedade portuguesa contemporânea: «flagrante» ou «subtil»?Publication . Marques, João FilipeNos últimos trinta anos, a sociedade portuguesa sofreu profundas transformações. Entre muitas outras, destaca-se o facto de se ter tornado na sociedade de acolhimento para muitos imigrantes que transportam consigo as suas características culturais e identitárias, bem como os seus traços fenotípicos. Nas relações entre os portugueses e as colectividades históricas presentes no território, o racismo nem sempre está ausente. Esta comunicação procura precisamente fornecer algumas pistas para a compreensão dos fenómenos de carácter racista que são actualmente observáveis na sociedade portuguesa. A metodologia desta pesquisa utilizou as entrevistas não-directivas ou semi-directivas aos actores sociais que, duma forma ou de outra estavam mais próximos do racismo “vivido” em Portugal. As conclusões que aqui são apresentadas resultam portanto da análise de um conjunto de entrevistas feitas a dirigentes das principais associações de imigrantes, das associações ciganas, das ONGs de combate ao racismo e de defesa dos direitos humanos, aos representantes das principais uniões sindicais, aos responsáveis políticos pela integração dos imigrantes e das minorias étnicas e a cidadãos anónimos nacionais e estrangeiros. Uma das mais importantes pesquisas empíricas inteiramente consagradas ao racismo na sociedade portuguesa contemporânea teve como quadro teórico de base o modelo psicosociológico de Petigrew e Meertens que introduz a distinção entre “racismo flagrante” e “racismo subtil”. Trata-se da investigação levada a cabo por Jorge Vala e pelos seus colaboradores.[2] O modelo utilizado pela pesquisa mencionada parte da hipótese segundo a qual o pensamento do senso comum teria acompanhado as mutações observadas nos domínios científico e político e teria substituído as explicações biológicas do comportamento pelas explicações culturais. Uma das expressões desses “novo racismo” seria precisamente o deslocamento do tema das hierarquias raciais para o tema da absolutização das diferenças culturais, aparecendo este último sob a forma “velada” ou “subtil”. Segundo as conclusões da investigação referida, os preconceitos racistas dos “portugueses relativamente aos negros” obedecem aos mesmos esquemas encontrados noutras sociedades “formalmente anti-racistas”. Isto é, a forma mais explicita e biologizante do racismo, o “racismo flagrante” teria sido substituída, em Portugal, por um “racismo subtil”, mais normativo e de contornos culturalistas. Ora a pesquisa que aqui apresentamos obriga-nos a relativizar o alcance destes enunciados, ao demonstrar que há muito pouco de “subtil” em muitas manifestações de racismo que são observáveis na sociedade portuguesa. A própria insistência científica no paradigma do “racismo subtil” tem como “efeito perverso” a ocultação das manifestações mais “flagrantes” do fenómeno. O sociólogo pode com toda a legitimidade interrogar-se sobre o sentido da evacuação das características societais e históricas na produção e reprodução dos preconceitos raciais e do racismo. Não se trata de afirmar que as atitudes de racismo subtil, tal como elas são medidas pelos psicólogos sociais, não existam, trata-se de defender que estas não substituíram completamente os comportamentos de “racismo flagrante”. Por um lado, os ciganos são actualmente alvos de um racismo “flagrante” de características “diferencialistas” que se concretiza na sua violenta rejeição e afastamento. São a segregação e o desejo de expulsão desta comunidade que são preponderantes. Por outro lado, os imigrantes e os seus descendentes são sobretudo alvo de um racismo “desigualitário”, claramente urbano, mas em todo caso subsidiário dos preconceitos biologizantes herdados do passado colonial. Neste caso, são a inferiorização e a discriminação em múltiplos domínios da vida social, eventualmente também a violência verbal, que constituem as principais manifestações desta forma de racismo
- Using input-output analysis to estimate the regional economic impact of universities: a case studyPublication . Santos, Sérgio Pereira dos; Silva, João AlbinoThe role of higher education institutions in the economic development of the areas where they are located has long been recognised and its quantification has been the subject of analysis of several studies over the past three decades. In spite of the interest in this area of research, there is no universally accepted methodology for evaluating their impact. It is the main objective of this paper to contribute to the study of this theme through the discussion of some of the fundamental methodological aspects underlying the use of the input-output analysis in the evaluation of the economic impact of higher education institutions. This discussion is illustrated and supported by a case study in one of Portugal’s newer universities, the University of Algarve. Based on the input-output analysis, it was estimated that in 2003/04 the direct economic impact of the University of Algarve in the regional economy exceeded 75 million Euros. This direct impact was estimated to result in a total economic impact of around 100 million Euros, and consequently, in a multiplier effect of 1,34. In terms of employment, it was estimated that around 2370 jobs in the region are dependent of the University of Algarve, including 1360 directly employed by the university.
- Gestão estratégica da região de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo - Relatório 3Publication . Sousa, Vanessa Duarte de; Ferreira, António FonsecaO projecto “Gestão Estratégica da RLVT”, desenvolvido pela Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo, constitui uma experiência inovadora no campo da aplicação prática da monitorização da gestão estratégica de uma região. Estes seis anos de trabalho e de vida do projecto, com a edição de vários documentos e relatórios que em muito têm servido para melhorar os processos de decisão, a definição de estratégias e de prioridades para o desenvolvimento da nossa Região – contribuíram decisivamente para uma nova fase de reflexão e de apoio à elaboração da “Estratégia Regional, Lisboa 2020” e ao Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa (2007-2013). O “Relatório 3”, que segue a lógica dos anteriores (Relatório 0, 1 e 2), e se baseia na actualização estatística dos indicadores que sustentam as principais dimensões de análise seleccionadas em cada um dos domínios de monitorização definidos – Território, Pessoas e Organizações - apresenta dados até 2003/2004.
- Genomic DNA isolation from green and brown algae (Caulerpales and Fucales) for microsatellite library constructionPublication . E, Varela-Álvarez; Andreakis, N.; Lago-Lestón, Asunción; Pearson, G. A.; Serrão, Ester; Procaccini, G.; Duarte, C. M.; Marbà, N.A method for isolating high-quality DNA is presented for the green algae Caulerpa sp. (C. racemosa, C. prolifera, and C. taxifolia) and the brown alga Sargassum muticum. These are introduced, and invasive species in Europe, except for the native C. prolifera. Previous methods of extraction, using cetyl trimethyl ammonium bromide or various commercial kits, were used to isolate genomic DNA but either no DNA or DNA of very low quality was obtained. Genomic libraries were attempted with Caulerpa sp. on three occasions and either the restriction enzyme, the Taq polymerase, or the T4 ligase was inhibited, probably by the large amount of polysaccharides in these algae. The method presented here consists of the rapid isolation of stable nuclei, followed by DNA extraction. Yields of 6–10 μg genomic DNA from 1 g fresh blades were obtained. After genomic DNA was isolated from fresh material, the quality was checked by agarose gel. Quantification of DNA concentration was performed using UV spectrophotometric measurement of the A260/A280 ratio. The DNA was suitable for PCR, cloning, and hybridization. The DNA isolated using this method allowed successful construction of microsatellite libraries for Caulerpa species and S. muticum. The technique is inexpensive and appropriate for the isolation of multiple samples of DNA from a small amount of fresh material.
- Dynamics of black spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo) mean length: evaluating the influence of life history parameters, recruitment, size selectivity and exploitation ratesPublication . Erzini, Karim; Salgado, M.; Castro, MargaridaStochastic simulations were used to evaluate the influence of recruitment pattern (log-normal, decreasing), size selectivity (normal, logistic model) and fishing mortality pattern (abrupt, continuous increase in fishing mortality) on the evolution of mean length and the dispersion of mean length for a relatively long-lived deep-water species, the black spot sea bream (Pagellus bogaraveo). An abrupt increase in fishing mortality resulted in mean size decreasing and stabilizing at a lower level while a steady increase in fishing mortality caused the continuous decrease in mean size that has been reported for many long-lived species. Decrease in mean size was greatest for logistic model simulations and for cases where fish were susceptible to capture at a small size. Logistic selectivity, with decreasing recruitment and increasing fishing mortality over time, resulted in mean length and variability in mean length trends similar to that observed for the Strait of Gibraltar fishery. Furthermore, it was found with the declining recruitment that moderate increases in fishing mortality can result in significant decreases in mean length. Given the importance of mean size as an indicator of the state of a resource, these simulations are a useful alternative or complement to standard fisheries assessment methods, helping to provide information on exploitation patterns and rates that can be used for conservation and management.
- Identification of an osteocalcin isoform in fish with a large acidic prodomainPublication . Laizé, Vincent; S B Viegas, Carla; Price, P. A.; Cancela, LeonorOsteocalcin is a small, secreted bone protein whose gene consists of four exons. In the course of analyzing the structure of fish osteocalcin genes, we recently found that the spotted green pufferfish has two possible exon 2 structures, one of 15 bp and the other of 324 bp. Subsequent analysis of the pufferfish cDNA showed that only the transcript with a large exon 2 exists. Exon 2 codes for the osteocalcin propeptide, and exon 2 of pufferfish osteocalcin is ∼3.4-fold larger than exon 2 previously found in other vertebrate species. We have termed this new pufferfish osteocalcin isoform OC2. Additional studies showed that the OC2 isoform is restricted to a unique fish taxonomic group, the Osteichthyes; OC2 is the only osteocalcin isoform found so far in six Osteichthyes species, whereas both OC1 and OC2 isoforms coexist in zebrafish and rainbow trout. The larger size of the OC2 propeptide is due to an acidic region that is likely to be highly phosphorylated and has no counterpart in the OC1 propeptide. We propose 1) that OC1 and OC2 are encoded by distinct genes that originated from a duplication event that probably occurred in the teleost fish lineage soon after divergence from tetrapods and 2) that the novel OC2 propeptide could be, if secreted, a phosphoprotein that participates in the regulation of biomineralization through its large acidic and phosphorylated propeptide.
- Matched-field tomography using an acoustic oceanographic buoyPublication . Soares, C.; Jesus, S. M.The Acoustic Oceanographic Buoy (AOB) is a light acoustic receiving device that is being developed in the framework of a joint research project and tested during the Maritime Rapid Environmental Assessment (MREA) sea trials. One of the AOB’s application is in Matched-Field Tomography (MFT) when a reduced number of receivers is available in opposition to traditional systems used in tomography. One problem of chief importance in MFT is the degree of uniqueness of the problem’s solution which is highly dependent on the number of receivers and on the number of free parameters. This paper studies the possibility of using matched-field processors with reduced ambiguity levels in comparison to conventional processors with application to acoustic data collected during the MREA sea trials. Two aspects are investigated: (a) the choice of an explicit broadband data model, where the exploitation of the spectral coherence of the acoustic field is seen as a mean to reduce the ambiguity level of the cost function used in the optimization; (b) conventional and high-resolution methods based on the proposed broadband model are implemented and compared.
- Plano de desenvolvimento social de São Brás de Alportel 2006/2010 e Plano de Ação 2006/2007Publication . Sousa, Vanessa Duarte de; Biel, Filipa Capelo; Oliveira, NunoO presente documento apresenta os principais elementos de estratégia e de ação para o concelho de São Brás de Alportel. O Plano de Desenvolvimento Social é estruturado para o período de 2006/2010 e o plano de ação para o ano 2006/2007.
- Time-variable blood flow averaged waveformsPublication . Leiria, A.; da Cruz Silva Andrade Madeira e Carvalho de Moura, Maria Margarida; Evans, D. H.; Ruano, M. GraçaThe computation of the average of random signals is addressed in this article. These averaging techniques are particularly relevant for Doppler blood flow clinical evaluation and research that usually accesses clinical indicators related to maximum and mean frequency, bandwidth and power variation over time. A novel technique is presented and compared to one previously described in the literature (Kitney and Giddens, "Analysis of blood velocity waveforms by phase shift averaging and autoregressive spectral estimation'', J. Biomech. Eng., 105, 398 - 404, 1983.). While the latter method is an iterative one, which sometimes does not converge, the former is a sequential technique, guaranteeing convergence. Clinical Doppler blood flow signals were averaged using both methods and the resulting waveforms were evaluated against the original signals, emphasising the impact on the relevant spectral parameters. The results obtained showed that, except for the maximum error in the computation of power variation over time, the errors produced are reduced by the proposed new algorithm.