Effect of cylindrical filler aggregation on the electrical conductivity of composites

This work reports on the effect of carbon nanotube aggregation on the electrical conductivity and other network properties of polymer/carbon nanotube composites by modeling the carbon nanotubes as hard-core cylinders. It is shown that the conductivity decreases for increasing filler aggregation, and that this effect is more significant for higher cylinder volume fractions. It is also demonstrated, for volume fractions at which the giant component is present, that increasing the fraction of cylinders within clusters leads to a break of the giant component and the formation of a set of finite clusters. The decrease of the giant component with the increase of the fraction of cylinders within the cluster can be related to a decrease of the spanning probability due to a decrease of the number of cylinders between the clusters. Finally, it is demonstrated that the effect of aggregation can be understood by employing the network theory.

Ó sistema capitalista, quanto do teu Portugal são lavagens de capital?

Ouvimos também muitos a falar em branqueamento de capitais, crimes financeiros, abuso de informação, manipulação do mercado, etc.. Salvo o devido respeito, contudo, poucos sabem o quão difícil é a prova destes crimes! Sabiam que p.e. até meados de 2008, crimes como o abuso de informação ou a manipulação do mercado eram insusceptíveis de interferência nas comunicações?! Sabiam que até hoje, o Código dos Valores Mobiliários não prevê a criminalização das pessoas colectivas e, portanto, dos próprios bancos?! Abstract: We hear too many to talk about money laundering, financial crimes, insider trading, market manipulation, etc .. Unless all due respect, however, few know how hard it is to prove that the crimes! Standing knew that by mid-2008, crimes such as dealing or market manipulation were incapable of interference in communications ?! They knew that to date, the Securities Code does not provide for the criminalization of legal persons and therefore the banks themselves ?!

Automation & control remote laboratory: evaluating a cooperative methodology

This paper presents a study carried out in order to evaluate the students' perception in the development and use of remote Control and Automation education kits developed by two Universities. Three projects, based on real world environments, were implemented, being local and remotely operated. Students implemented the kits using the theoretical and practical knowledge, being the teachers a catalyst in the learning process. When kits were operational, end-user students got acquainted to the kits in the course curricula units. It is the author's believe that successful results were achieved not only in the learning progress on the Automation and Control fields (hard skills) but also on the development of the students soft skills, leading to encouraging and rewarding goals, motivating their future decisions and promoting synergies in their work. The design of learning experimental kits by students, under teacher supervision, for future use in course curricula by enduser students is an advantageous and rewarding experience.

Real-time hand tracking for rehabilitation and character animation

Hand and finger tracking has a major importance in healthcare, for rehabilitation of hand function required due to a neurological disorder, and in virtual environment applications, like characters animation for on-line games or movies. Current solutions consist mostly of motion tracking gloves with embedded resistive bend sensors that most often suffer from signal drift, sensor saturation, sensor displacement and complex calibration procedures. More advanced solutions provide better tracking stability, but at the expense of a higher cost. The proposed solution aims to provide the required precision, stability and feasibility through the combination of eleven inertial measurements units (IMUs). Each unit captures the spatial orientation of the attached body. To fully capture the hand movement, each finger encompasses two units (at the proximal and distal phalanges), plus one unit at the back of the hand. The proposed glove was validated in two distinct steps: a) evaluation of the sensors’ accuracy and stability over time; b) evaluation of the bending trajectories during usual finger flexion tasks based on the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results revealed that the glove was sensitive mainly to magnetic field distortions and sensors tuning. The inclusion of a hard and soft iron correction algorithm and accelerometer and gyro drift and temperature compensation methods provided increased stability and precision. Finger trajectories evaluation yielded high ICC values with an overall reliability within application’s satisfying limits. The developed low cost system provides a straightforward calibration and usability, qualifying the device for hand and finger tracking in healthcare and animation industries.

Crime Económico Não Esquecendo Crime Clássico

Fala-se hoje em dia muito e bem no crime económico e social. Crime de colarinho branco. Também crime da ocupação, profissional ou amadora. Falamos sobre direito penal económico e social. Fraude fiscal, corrupção, branqueamento de capitais, crimes da bolsa, abuso de posição dominante, etc.. Contudo, isto não podemos esquecer o crime clássico, furtos, roubos, danos, ofensas à integridade física, violação, tortura, ameaças, ofensas à honra, injúria ou difamação, abuso sexual (não apenas de crianças), violação, homicídios domésticos ou entre estranhos, etc.. § There is talk nowadays long and hard in the economic and social crime. White collar crime. Also crime of occupation, professional or amateur. We talk about economic and social criminal law. Tax fraud, corruption, money laundering, stock crimes, abuse of dominant position, etc .. However, this can not forget the classic crime, theft, robbery, damage, bodily harm, rape, torture, threats, insults to honor, slander or defamation, sexual abuse (not just children), rape, domestic or among strangers murders, etc ..