A device developed by a team of Portuguese scientists can save this plant of the nematode.

Elisabeth Borges, as part of her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Coimbra, has developed a device that enables early detection of the nematode, a disease that affects the pines. A dissertation that was recognized by the "Best Student Paper Award" and presented in "Biodevices 2013", an international conference of biodevices, which took place in Barcelona.

The gadget operates by electrical impedance spectroscopy, that is, the machine has two electrodes which are placed on the trunk about 30 centimeters of the soil. One of the poles injects a current or voltage and the other electrode collects the signal generated by this stimulation. Then in laboratory investigators analyze the data collected. This method is capable of identifying if a tissue is healthy or damaged, if the nematode is important, since the device is designed to detect alterations in the tree, however, does not indicators of what is the kind of disease. The technique developed by the research team at the University of Coimbra led by Elisabeth Borges is minimally invasive, faster and financially advantageous compared with other current laboratory techniques. At this time, tests are being conducted on other technological applications in order to improve the prototype to make it more accessible to the commercial market.

http://www.uc.pt/

New app at the service the national fruit culture.

The Impactwave installed in the technology park incubator of Óbidos developed a technological application that allows you to discover if the fruit is ripe enough to be harvested. A new system which avoids wasting five percent for each batch of fruit for commercialization. The application 'ultracarpo', based on the aggregation of an ultrasound device to the mobile phone (smartphone) in which is coupled an ultrasound device, which will allow the producer horticultural make a non-destructively diagnosis, the state of fruit maturation. Beyond this valence, it becomes possible to calculate automatically the size of the fruit and registration information, allowing the producer access to historical data and query statistics.
At a time when consumers are increasingly demanding in terms of quality and flavor of the fruit and vegetables, farmers feel pressured, to increase the degree brix (sugar levels) of their products. This process is even more pronounced at the time of harvest, which relies on specialized technical equipment and high cost, using destructive methods of products. The potential of ultracarpo aroused the interest of several organizations and some local producers, with whom Impactwave already established partnerships in order to have available raw materials, facilities, equipment and access to local production, storage and control, so that the company can perform the necessary tests.

http://www.pt-obidos.com/?p=2378

Jaime Freitas was pedagogue and director of the only private day-school of St. Vincent. A past he remembers well.

It all started with home schooling administered by Ms. Lucinda Andrade, I was one of those students and later the "parent" who signed the books that officialized the teaching that was given by her at home, let say it was illegal, but was one of few women of the island, the only one in São Vicente, who had finished high school in Funchal. A very unusual feat for those times, where women's place was at home caring for children. An inspection prevented her from being able to work and immediately there was a great reaction from the local population who had welcomed this teacher of the first letters and numbers to young people. Parents, Father Sousa, the representative of the chamber, Lucinda Andrade, the conservative-notary, Germano Gouveia, Daniel Drummond who was responsible for telecommunications and I got a precarious permission to found a college in 1964, the day-school of St. Vincent.

Initially the school was private, then went on to be subsidized by the central government so that everyone could have access, became free, which was very good for the local population. Everything was a challenge in the school; I remember that my greatest difficulty was to raise teachers to teach, particularly in the areas of physics, chemistry and math. The school holiday period was tapped to seek teachers. I even spent an entire night urging an engineer based in Funchal to come to San Vicente to teach, convinced him after a few drinks and even today when he sees me always talks about this episode, says I fooled him well. (Laughs) You must remember that at that time there was only one road that skirted the island, he had to get up at six in the morning to be at school at eight to teach all day and he was always kept saying he earned more doing the same in Funchal. In the classic we were defended, we had not one but four priests who covered Latin, Portuguese and history. Dona Lucinda Andrade who was a very cultured woman, scholar, spoke fluent French, was what he called the slap-holes, when there was someone missing to take a course she was the teacher designated for that purpose. If it wasn't for all this goodwill we could not have enough qualified people to teach all disciplines.

16 Researchers in the area of ​​study of art, history, anthropology and tourism, psychology, geophysical and culture studies focusing on artistic and literary discourse, coordinated by Ana Salgueiro, intend to answer the question which "(No) memory of disaster? Culture and natural hazards, disasters and resilience, Madeira, a case study "until 2014.

What led to this study?
Ana Salgueiro: Above all the fact that research does not have to be radically away from what are the problems of everyday life. When I talk about a study I am referring to the areas of social sciences, arts and humanities, because people make the mistake of considering that this kind of research that is carried develops a superficial knowledge, not applicable, not profitable, as in the case of economics and finance. What these people forget is that there is the creation of knowledge that can effectively give good results even from a financial standpoint, because it prevents spending. On the other hand, this project is structured in three lines of action, one for scientific research itself, another directed toward art projects and a third that includes the development of initiatives in schools. It is an attempt, through these projects, to create a more resilient culture, more appropriate attitudes that motivate these communities all together. There is another purpose which is to consider that art in parallel with scientific research can also be a powerful contribution in finding answers to natural disasters, as is the case in particular of Madeira.

What this study focuses specifically? Since there are many issues to address in this area of ​​natural disasters and an interdisciplinary team was created for this purpose.
AS: Exactly this is one of such problems which we will have to confront. This is a project and you said it well is multidisciplinary and transdisciplinary as possible. The methodology adapted is not equal for everyone, i.e. not require that all work the same way, it is according to our areas of research methodology and the studies will be different. What we try to do is a study of the memory of natural disasters in Madeira, essentially a cultural memory, built across multiple instruments, artistic and non-artistic binomials, which over time are being built by people and also by visitors. We have for example, a colleague who will work the discourse representation of the island in the German language, travel narratives, but also possibly some things that has to do with tourist propagation. Therefore, our work will look at the phenomena of cultural objects and see how the memory of these events was crystallized and were being recreated or deleted over time.

One of the aspects of the study is the art. How do you find these type responses in art?
AS: It exists. I had the opportunity to do an analysis and study of "art of open door" which is precisely a project born in 2010, the year of the disaster of 20th of February, but for what he could research it does not rises or begin to take shape with the catastrophe, but ultimately gain greater momentum due to the destruction that area suffered at the time. Thus, all phenomena and artistic objects integrated in this project had times when there was this integration of the natural disasters in Madeira. Notably, one of the ports where there was some reflection on the phenomena of alluvium, or at least can be read like that, the installation of 2012 addressed some fires that ravaged the island last summer.

Over the centuries Madeira had always floods that destroyed possessions and killed people and animals, all you have to do is just check some of the historical documents, or even the books "dictionary the islands of Madeira" and "Zarco island".
AS: This remark is very relevant, but we make the difference between what are histography and memory studies. We have historians working with us, they are developing an investigation into precisely the memory and not the history, because the last often relegates to the background, or completely ignores, features narratives of the disaster events in this case, to who wants to know these phenomena. So let's not focus on the analysis of documents, reports, narratives of disasters that were written in an official way, but we will cover the discourse that remained in the shade and that maybe are interesting from the standpoint of scientific analysis and may provide answers to some of the problems that local populations and civil protection faced. How to respond to disaster? In studying these memories we will seek to problems that triggered these disasters, memory responses that were given over time to such events.

It is one of the new fashion trends that are already a hit the streets.

Unlike the so-called patterned of the skin of animals, the animal print is a new trend that reached the streets and it is nothing more than the stamped faces of animals. This is great hit for the T-shirts, blouses, sweaters and even mini-dresses this spring-summer 2013. There are animals to suit all tastes, from cats, to birds and to fish almost in a 3D dimension that draw much attention for its strong tones and its format. They are very comfortable pieces of clothing, mostly cotton and are very versatile as they can be used with shorts, skirts and pants. It is an urban trend that has been the strong focus of the brands online sales and has achieved a great success with the younger women, because it is a fun and relaxed look that can be mixed with all kinds of fabrics, colors and standards. Its potential combinations permit that can be used either in a coordinated for the day and for the night, using and abusing accessories. The taste has no limits when it comes to dressing, but an advice ladies let's seek for balance, i.e., tones next to your hair or eyes color, because this trend is very strong in visual terms. Another reason that has contributed to the success of the animal faces relates to an economic factor, the clothes price is very affordable and requires zero maintenance, just wash and wear. If you want to renew your printed garments I leave here some suggestions for "alicein themood and "fab Europe".
https://www.facebook.com/Aliceinthemood

http://eu.fab.com/sale/5542/product/106835/?ref=social-shopper

Rui Soares it is an artist that expresses in his painting various artistic currents for such he established two aliases, Ralf S. which addresses the design of the real world, Antero S. that reflects the world around you in a more abstract interpretation and other works in his own name that are not more than a figurative representation of everyday life and landscapes of the island.

What leads you to use three different personalities for your paintings?
Rui Soares: I use two aliases, because they are different works. I love designing in sight around the island. It was a taste that I kept since college, drawing the human figure and landscapes, but it was bad to present a body of work that had nothing to do with what we learn in college, had to be new and the design of observation has anything of innovative. And then there was the need to create Ralf S. for the design of the real allying the everyday landscapes of Madeira and was a little out there.

How do they differ from each other?
RS: They are all much interconnected. I've always loved the aspect of the figurative, even when I sign Rui Soares, there is always something real. I never developed the very abstract, some works perhaps, but they are completely different things and then the result is other. The idea of ​​creating aliases appears not to shuffle people. There is a more symbolic painting more, another more real and it can create some confusion, there is not an art line itself. I, however, do not worry too much about it, I do what I like and do not appreciate the labels, whether I am a contemporary artist, or follow a route similar to what is done today.

But one of them has a very vivid color palette.
RS: Any of them. When I paint watercolors they also have a lot of color. It may be more watery, maybe technically is not being used in the best way, but as I said are things that do not concern me. I guess you could use all the techniques as we pleased.

It reflects the hues of the island that are very intense?
RS: It's also that, because even when we designed our island, I just print more color, both in the scenery as Antero S., that catches elements from the real, not abstract but maybe it walks in that direction.

It is a fiction show about the period after April 25th, 1974.

Representing this troubled period in the history of Portugal is a difficult task, more so when it addresses a sensitive subject as was the return home of the Portuguese who lived in the former colonies, more pejoratively known as returnees. I have never met nor the reality of Portuguese who were stripped of their lives in Africa, not the country that welcomed them with little open arms, as I was just a baby. "After Goodbye" more than a fiction show is the portrait of a nation in constant political and social turmoil, where it was necessary to cement the idea of ​​democracy. I think for the people who lived in the skin all these tragic events should still find it very painful to relive those moments through the characters of the series. For me as a viewer has been a real treat to see good fiction on national public television and I hope this trip back in time could help us heal some wounds still to heal.

Alexandre Rocha, a computer engineer, debuts in the world of writing with an historical novel about a little-known event in the Luso-Brazilian history who accompanied him for over 15 years and it finally became paper in the form of book.

Why you chose that particular period? For the obvious association to Brazil?
Alexandre Rocha: The story of this book is long. There are two times. It began in 1995 with the rebirth of Brazilian cinema through "Carlota Joaquina" of Carla Camurati, the film struck me for its history and then was in the Royal Portuguese Reading Cabinet, in Rio de Janeiro, and I remember finding a very old, tiny book, which talked about a conspiracy of noble men. I do not remember any history book school speaking of this event, which in fact happened, although it was too little to report. I took notes, but I never thought I would write a book. Some years after the first part of the book were written, in 1997, but have been dormant for a long time. Until recently, in 2010, took the initiative to restore the first part that was outdated in terms of grammar, was written by a teenager, who was then 20 years old and looking back at some of our work, I do not say renege, there is a certain inexperience in the writing and I only lacked to sit, rewrite and do the research that I thought relevant to finish it, because the story itself was always in my head. Although, is not a history book, is trying to bring a little romance to the story.

When you had the idea for this book, the interim between the present, the contemporary Brazil and the past, the Brazil of large farms, was something you thought from the beginning?
AR: Yes, particularly this type of theme, which is different, the occult, attracts me. I remember my godmother having at home numerous publications on the gender, planet magazine that is published until today, it dealt with the occult and all kinds of literature related to these issues. From the beginning, the end was written that way, I did not always write in an orderly fashion, redid much of the development of the story, but other chapters were well written and this particular one was one of them.

The occult, certain mysticism appears in the book because you are originally from Brazil. It is a strong component of Brazilian culture.
AR: The customs of the black people, the whole culture of orishas were covered in the magazine that I mentioned earlier. This was not a publication made by charlatans quite the contrary, they tried to approach the occult in a very scientific manner and I remember having read great works on these subjects. At the time I kept in my mind this theme of the orishas, in particular, the exu, which is an entity that is closer to men, making a comparison with the monotheistic religions in Catholic culture would be associated with the devil. When I wrote the book I was researching African culture in Brazil, because it is an important aspect of the story. I remember a book that struck me "the boy's mill" of José Luiz do Rego. This works for me, was essential, is a classic of Brazilian literature, where I picked up this memory of what the Brazilian northeast, what it was this familiarity with the slaves, I tried to recreate a bit of this time. The Portuguese side, there is a scathing critique, irony and some who are unfamiliar with the writing of Eça de Queirós, which for me is by far my favorite writer, recognize a certain similarity, which I was trying to drink out of passion and love for his work. Then I tried to pass a common vision of the Portuguese, in this sense, one of the characters, Alberto, is a metaphor of who are these people, their simplicity, their loyalty and friendship, although there is also extreme, because Theophilus, is the anti- hero.

I noticed that you use a terminology when talking about the everyday on the farm. Had to do a lot of research to understand and be able to describe the dynamics of a producing cane sugar farm?
AR: Mostly the "boy's mill" was a great inspiration. I remember a part where the protagonist, Miguel Herculano shows the farm and talk to Maria Carolina of the machinery and various spaces. The studies I have been done were research on the internet, I'm also connected to the world of technology, through the professional side, and I graduated in computer engineering. One of the positive reviews made to me is that I did not include all the literature I consulted and I think it is very relevant, so for the next book I'm writing down all the references, whether virtual or real.

The character Miguel Herculaneum has a very adventurous and eventful life, his love life, on the other hand, is not so happy, due to the curse of the slave. You always had this idea in mind?
AR: The curse of the slave is only a part. I leave it to the attention of the reader, is the curse of the slave real? Is it decisive? These things really happened because of it? The book, of course, implies that, yes, but maybe not. I already had in mind the encounter of those two characters at the end, Miguel and Maria Carolina, obviously I had not structured every detail in my head, these were born thru the research, in particular the Portuguese side that was not properly written, was further worked. The final was already decided; sometimes the endings are not always happy. I tried to look out for realism; it would be convenient to finish a book beautifully and sweet. It seemed to me that was more normal, although there were days when I sat down to write and I did do not know what I would do, throughout this process of reading and reflection. Writing is not only inspiration is hard work, there were days I have felt this difficulty. The life of the character Miguel resulted of some of that writing process.

This was the first novel you published?
AR: Let's say yes. I came to the world of writing, because someone helped me, gave me a hand and that person was Professor Isabel Sodré, my teacher in the technique school of Brazil, who looked at my work and helped me to do a review on my writing and I learned a lot with this whole process. A short novel was published in a small technology fair, when I was 15, but I can say that this was the first serious book, this is my first work.

The conspiracy of nobles is everything you dreamed? There is nothing more to add? Or withdraw?
AR: It is very difficult to say if there is anything else to add or withdraw, as I said, the book is as I imagined. Up to the cover I already had a preconceived idea, and when the publisher decided that part and I was somewhat apprehensive, but then I in the end I was very surprised with the result, I felt very calm when I saw it, had a very simple layout and very good taste. I do not know if I have this distance, because I'm working on something different now to look back and think. I'm in another wave. Do not know if I'll ever be one of disbelieve his work, I have an immense affection for the book, is like a child.

Said earlier that you are developing a new book, is it a new historical novel?
AR: Yes it will be a historical novel, not so deeply creased as "a conspiracy of nobles", but willingly I am enter willingly in a hornet's nest that is to write about the theme of the Spanish Civil War. It is very difficult to write about this era, because it is a time of extremes here and I want to mix a bit of assay and the historical novel. I have tried to carry this vision of time, through a critical perception. It has two stories; one current and one more that brings us to this point, there will be an interconnection through the characters and once more the mystical side.

Will edit a book for next year?
AR: I have not a certain date; I' m researching and writing when time allows me. It is difficult to reconcile the writing with my professional life. "The conspiracy of nobles" was written over five months was a difficult time, I worked in a factory in Vila do Conde, which closed Quimonda and I was not working at this time, I thought it was an opportunity to write, I've involved myself in this project the whole time without stopping. Today it is more difficult when you are working, the time that I use is the excess, I work driving on passion, and I do it only because I love it. Nowadays it is very difficult to live of the writing of books, there are rare exceptions.

If you could choose, would you leave the engineering in favor of the writing? Or you always kept these two parallel worlds?
AR: I think that I kept the two worlds, because it is very difficult for me not to be sitting at the computer, I just get dredged by it. I am a creature of two worlds; it would be difficult to separate.

What is your favorite literary genre?
AR: The historical novel and the essay. Now I have lots of books on the Spanish Civil War, although the literature is very present, with Eça de Queirós and Jose Luiz do Rego. I'm a prose writer by nature.

It is a film of 1988 of John Canijo based on real facts.

It all started with a newspaper article about a crime involving a woman, her husband and her lover, this seems a perfectly banal love triangle right? But it is not. Delilah decides to turn her life around into a kind of escape from her everyday violence, through a radical change in her physical appearance and in her way of being. All results in the violent death of her husband and prison for the two lovers, but this is a "small detail" not very relevant for this movie, the message, I think, more importantly is, Delilah is no longer the victim and during this metamorphosis she realizes the power he wields with her sexuality and her femininity and you may even argue that it does not for the best reasons, yes, I agree, but she creates a character who hides the fragile and insecure woman from whom emerges the self-assured femme fatale in her back high heels. John Canijo decides to tell this story to demystify the idea of the Portuguese bland costumes, which he manages to prove. However, what remains is that he is also a director of women that generously gives them free rein to develop characters so rich and complex. Not an easy film, there is a scene that still brings me chills and a certain disgust, but here is my praise to the work of actress Ana Burstoff who composed a woman on the edge, which ends up making a mistake that she will pay. Good movie!

It is one of the towering mountains of Madeira. Adjacent to the red peak.

From the ground looks like a colossus that ignores out of pure disdain our pathetic smallness. The Cidran, as is known imposes respect, if not only by the fact, that it's a proud mountain of 1676 meters high, admonished by time. Its volcanic wrinkles hide the terraces conquered by man at the cost of much sweat and strength of arms, from where they draws sustenance each day, a hard daily and difficult life shrouded in legends and mysteries that occur along the path that runs it thru. Land of shepherds the Nuns Valley was always fed, as is the prerogative of any isolate locality, by stories that we do not know whether they are true's or lies but it fuel the conversations of the people in times of rain and fog. This story was told by one of these men, burned by the harshness of the sun and hands callused from hard rock...

A shepherd of the Corral had a very special dog named Cidran was the best partner a man could have, loyal friend, good drover and always ready for another workday. One day a sheep got lost and Cidran find it on the brink of the precipice. As he approached, the dog slipped and was swallowed by the void; its owner maddened by the loss, cursed the mountain and shouted that he would rather surrender his soul to the devil than to lose his dog. The Demon heard his request and granted him the will, so he turned the poor man into a beast who is still heard on nights of bad weather and the rock won so its name with this unfortunate episode. However, for the more skeptical and less interested with Legend, the Madeira elucidate, a kind of encyclopedia of everything that refers to the island, states that the name cidran comes from a lemon grass rarely tree, "cidreira" in Portuguese, of Asian origin, introduced and cultivated throughout this volcanic grooves, which was then picked up and sold to bakeries in Funchal. What is certain is that there are almost no sign of the lemon grass bushes. The howls of lamentation, these still are heard, but the Cidran was never to be seen.