Associations between energetic expenditure, physical activity and body composition: exploratory study with industrial workers

This study, which involved a target population comprised by 292 workers of different industrial areas (metalmechanics, foundry, chemical, wood, food), aimed to verify the association between energy expenditure-EE, physical activity level-PAL and body composition (Body Mass Index-BMI, Waist-Hip Ratio-WHR and Waist To Height Ratio, WTHR) of participants. The work was completed with the description of the variables relating to the gender of the individuals (male and female) and the activities carried out in the two sectors of industrial work (administrative sector and productive sector). In this research, the statistical technique of principal components analysis (PCA) and the hierarchical analysis of clusters (HCA) were used. Sociodemographic and anthropometric data were collected as well as the level of physical activity and energy expenditure were assessed. The vast majority of individuals who spend greater energy expenditure and has more intense physical activity were male. Most of these workers are in the production sector. We can confirm that that both, gender and labor activity, are factors that have influence on the EE and the PAL.

In silico constraint-based strain optimization methods: the quest for optimal cell factories

Shifting from chemical to biotechnological processes is one of the cornerstones of 21st century industry. The production of a great range of chemicals via biotechnological means is a key challenge on the way toward a bio-based economy. However, this shift is occurring at a pace slower than initially expected. The development of efficient cell factories that allow for competitive production yields is of paramount importance for this leap to happen. Constraint-based models of metabolism, together with in silico strain design algorithms, promise to reveal insights into the best genetic design strategies, a step further toward achieving that goal. In this work, a thorough analysis of the main in silico constraint-based strain design strategies and algorithms is presented, their application in real-world case studies is analyzed, and a path for the future is discussed.

Search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in final states with an energetic jet and large missing transverse momentum are reported. The search uses 20.3 fb−1 of s√=8 TeV data collected in 2012 with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. Events are required to have at least one jet with pT>120 GeV and no leptons. Nine signal regions are considered with increasing missing transverse momentum requirements between EmissT>150 GeV and EmissT>700 GeV. Good agreement is observed between the number of events in data and Standard Model expectations. The results are translated into exclusion limits on models with large extra spatial dimensions, pair production of weakly interacting dark matter candidates, and production of very light gravitinos in a gauge-mediated supersymmetric model. In addition, limits on the production of an invisibly decaying Higgs-like boson leading to similar topologies in the final state are presented.

Kinematic constraint equations

This chapter presents a general methodology for the formulation of the kinematic constraint equations at position, velocity and acceleration levels. Also a brief characterization of the different type of constraints is offered, namely the holonomic and nonholonomic constraints. The kinematic constraints described here are formulated using generalized coordinates. The chapter ends with a general approach to deal with the kinematic analysis of multibody systems.

Mortars with incorporation of PCM based in different binders: mechanical and thermal behavior

Currently we are witnessing a huge concern of society with the parameters of comfort of the buildings and the energetic consumptions. It is known that there is a huge consumption of non-renewable sources of energy. Thus, it is urgent to develop and explore ways to take advantage of renewable sources of energy by improving the energy efficiency of buildings. The mortars with incorporation of phase change materials (PCM) have the ability to regulate the temperature inside buildings, contributing to the thermal comfort and reduction of the use of heating and cooling equipment, using only the energy supplied by the sun. However, the incorporation of phase change materials in mortars modifies its characteristics. The main purpose of this study was mechanical and thermal characterization of mortars with incorporation of PCM in mortars based in different binders. The binders studied were aerial lime, hydraulic lime, gypsum and cement. For each type of binder a reference composition (0% PCM) and a composition with incorporation of 40% of PCM were developed. It was possible to observe that the incorporation of PCM in mortars caused differences in properties such as workability, compressive strength, flexural strength and adhesion, however leads to an improvement of thermal behavior.

Thermo-compression molding of chitosan with a deep eutectic mixture for biofilms development

Supplementary information available at: http://www.rsc.org/suppdata/c5/gc/c5gc02231b/c5gc02231b1.pdf

Algorithms and tools for in silico design of cell factories

PhD thesis in Bioengineering

The greener grass: da autorrepresentação em Alanis Morissette

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências da Literatura - Especialidade em Teoria da Literatura

Search for new phenomena in events with a photon and missing transverse momentum in pp collisions at s√=8 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Results of a search for new phenomena in events with an energetic photon and large missing transverse momentum with the ATLAS experiment at the LHC are reported. Data were collected in proton--proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 8 TeV and correspond to an integrated luminosity of 20.3 fb−1. The observed data are well described by the expected Standard Model backgrounds. The expected (observed) upper limit on the fiducial cross section for the production of such events is 6.1 (5.3) fb at 95% confidence level. Exclusion limits are presented on models of new phenomena with large extra spatial dimensions, supersymmetric quarks, and direct pair production of dark-matter candidates.

Generating timed trajectories foran autonomous robot

Tese de Doutoramento Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Electrónica e Computadores

Otimização com restrições de complementaridade: algoritmos e aplicações

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Industrial e de Sistemas (PDEIS)

Project management under uncertainty: a study on solution methods

Project Management involves onetime endeavors that demand for getting it right the first time. On the other hand, project scheduling, being one of the most modeled project management process stages, still faces a wide gap from theory to practice. Demanding computational models and their consequent call for simplification, divert the implementation of such models in project management tools from the actual day to day project management process. Special focus is being made to the robustness of the generated project schedules facing the omnipresence of uncertainty. An "easy" way out is to add, more or less cleverly calculated, time buffers that always result in project duration increase and correspondingly, in cost. A better approach to deal with uncertainty seems to be to explore slack that might be present in a given project schedule, a fortiori when a non-optimal schedule is used. The combination of such approach to recent advances in modeling resource allocation and scheduling techniques to cope with the increasing flexibility in resources, as can be expressed in "Flexible Resource Constraint Project Scheduling Problem" (FRCPSP) formulations, should be a promising line of research to generate more adequate project management tools. In reality, this approach has been frequently used, by project managers in an ad-hoc way.

A vegetação na envolvente exterior dos edifícios: impactos, condicionantes e estratégias de intervenção ecoeficientes

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Arquitectura

Implementação de um sistema MPPT em circuito integrado CMOS

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Eletrónica Industrial e Computadores

Development of a thermoelectric generator for the exhaust of a vehicle

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Mecânica