Micronutrients intake associated with DNA damage assessed by in a human biomonitoring study

Nutrition science has evolved into a multidisciplinary field that applies molecular biology and integrates individual health with the epidemiologic investigation of population health. Nutritional genomics studies the functional interaction of food and its components, macro and micronutrients, with the genome at the molecular, cellular, and systemic level. Diet can influence cancer development in several ways, namely direct action of carcinogens in food that can damage DNA, diet components (macro or micronutrients) that can block or induce enzymes involved in activation or deactivation of carcinogenic substances. Moreover, inadequate intake of some molecules involved in DNA synthesis, repair or methylation can influence mutation rate or changes in gene expression. Several studies support the idea that diet can influence the risk of cancer; however information concerning the precise dietary factor that determines human cancer is an ongoing debate. A lot of epidemiological studies, involving food frequency questionnaires, have been developed providing important information concerning diet and cancer, however, diet is a complex composite of various nutrients (macro and micronutrients) and non-nutritive food constituents that makes the search for specific factors almost limitless.

Constrains on the structure of Maio Island (Cape Verde) by a three-dimensional gravity model: Imaging partially exhumed magma chambers

We propose a 3-D gravity model for the volcanic structure of the island of Maio (Cape Verde archipelago) with the objective of solving some open questions concerning the geometry and depth of the intrusive Central Igneous Complex. A gravity survey was made covering almost the entire surface of the island. The gravity data was inverted through a non-linear 3-D approach which provided a model constructed in a random growth process. The residual Bouguer gravity field shows a single positive anomaly presenting an elliptic shape with a NWSE trending long axis. This Bouguer gravity anomaly is slightly off-centred with the island but its outline is concordant with the surface exposure of the Central Igneous Complex. The gravimetric modelling shows a high-density volume whose centre of mass is about 4500 m deep. With increasing depth, and despite the restricted gravimetric resolution, the horizontal sections of the model suggest the presence of two distinct bodies, whose relative position accounts for the elongated shape of the high positive Bouguer gravity anomaly. These bodies are interpreted as magma chambers whose coeval volcanic counterparts are no longer preserved. The orientation defined by the two bodies is similar to that of other structures known in the southern group of the Cape Verde islands, thus suggesting a possible structural control constraining the location of the plutonic intrusions.

Properties of patchy colloidal particles close to a surface: a Monte Carlo and density functional study

We investigate the behavior of a patchy particle model close to a hard-wall via Monte Carlo simulation and density functional theory (DFT). Two DFT approaches, based on the homogeneous and inhomogeneous versions of Wertheim's first order perturbation theory for the association free energy are used. We evaluate, by simulation and theory, the equilibrium bulk phase diagram of the fluid and analyze the surface properties for two isochores, one of which is close to the liquid side of the gas-liquid coexistence curve. We find that the density profile near the wall crosses over from a typical high-temperature adsorption profile to a low-temperature desorption one, for the isochore close to coexistence. We relate this behavior to the properties of the bulk network liquid and find that the theoretical descriptions are reasonably accurate in this regime. At very low temperatures, however, an almost fully bonded network is formed, and the simulations reveal a second adsorption regime which is not captured by DFT. We trace this failure to the neglect of orientational correlations of the particles, which are found to exhibit surface induced orientational order in this regime.

Electric vehicles as a mean to reduce, energy, emissions and electricity costs

Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which obtain their fuel from the grid by charging a battery, are set to be introduced into the mass market and expected to contribute to oil consumption reduction. This research is concerned with studying the potential impacts on the electric utilities of large-scale adoption of plug-in electric vehicles from the perspective of electricity demand, fossil fuels use, CO2 emissions and energy costs. Simulations were applied to the Portuguese case study in order to analyze what would be the optimal recharge profile and EV penetration in an energy-oriented, an emissions-oriented and a cost-oriented objective. The objectives considered were: The leveling of load profiles, minimization of daily emissions and minimization of daily wholesale costs. Almost all solutions point to an off-peak recharge and a 50% reduction in daily wholesale costs can be verified from a peak recharge scenario to an off-peak recharge for a 2 million EVs in 2020. A 15% improvement in the daily total wholesale costs can be verified in the costs minimization objective when compared with the off-peak scenario result.

Perspetivas dos professores do ensino básico e secundário face ao desempenho da profissão: perplexidades e desafios

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ciências da Educação, especialidade Supervisão em Educação

Linux based mobile: operating systems

Trabalho de Projeto para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática e de Computadores

Os modelos na compreensão dos números racionais fracionários

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ensino do 1.º e do 2.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

JPEG decoder implementation on FPGA using dynamic partial reconfiguration

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electrónica e telecomunicações

Transcranial magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound: neurosurgery applications

Mestrado em Radiações Aplicadas às Tecnologias da Saúde

Use of quantitative structure-property relationships to study the solvation process of 18-crown-6

Solution enthalpies of 18-crown-6 have been obtained for a set of 14 protic and aprotic solvents at 298.15 K. The complementary use of Solomonov's methodology and a QSPR-based approach allowed the identification of the most significant solvent descriptors that model the interaction enthalpy contribution of the solution process (Delta H-int(A/S)). Results were compared with data previously obtained for 1,4-dioxane. Although the interaction enthalpies of 18-crown-6 correlate well with those of 1,4-dioxane, the magnitude of the most relevant parameters, pi* and beta, is almost three times higher for 18-crown-6. This is rationalized in terms of the impact of the solute's volume in the solution processes of both compounds. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lisboa, cidade cenográfica: memorando do projecto

Lisboa, cidade cenográfica é uma instalação que resulta dum processo de sucessivos registos de momentos, experiências e vivências da cidade de Lisboa, com diferentes narrativas. Através do método de assemblage de elementos retirados à rua e reconstruindo composições de blocos volumétricas que incluem desde imagens gráficas, à presença de fontes de luz e de som, e texturas várias, produzi uma instalação destinada a ser ocupada, como se do próprio processo de deambulação por uma cidade se tratasse – neste caso Lisboa. A instalação final, – Lisboa, cidade cenográfica -, constitui em si uma maqueta, como ponto de partida para um outro processo, quase interminável, que conduzisse a uma outra instalação que nos engolisse e se apoderasse da nossa presença. Manipulando diferentes escalas, composições e morfologias de espaço obter-se-ia uma instalação quase infindável, como a própria cidade. A actual instalação é como a síntese dum Fóssil Urbano. Na observação e captação de imagens da cidade houve a preocupação de efectuar a diferentes horas do dia. Os sons utilizados na instalação, foram gravados nas ruas de Lisboa e incluem desde sinos de igreja, ao chilrear de pássaros, aos aviões que sobrevoam, ao trânsito e respectivas buzinas e sirenes de ambulâncias, entre outros. No âmbito do desenvolvimento do projecto e desta Memória Descritiva, tive a preocupação de pedir a algumas pessoas – Cartas de Lisboa -, testemunhando o modo como habitam ou habitaram a cidade. Nos headphones presentes na instalação, ouve-se o poema Lisbon Revisited (1923), de Álvaro de Campos, completando assim o som ambiente de Lisboa, cidade cenográfica. Aquele poema só audível daquele modo, acaba por se sobrepor assim, dum modo subtil, aos outros sons ambiente (exteriores aos headphones).

Retificador trifásico controlado com fator de potência quase unitário

Dissertação de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Eletrotécnica Ramo Automação e Eletrónica Industrial

Retificador monofásico com fator de potência quase unitário

Dissertação para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Eletrotécnica Ramo de Automação e Eletrónica Industrial

Inferência de percursos dos utentes de um transporte coletivo

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Redes de Comunicações e Multimédia

Generalized synchronization in a system of several non-autonomous oscillators coupled by a medium

An abstract theory on general synchronization of a system of several oscillators coupled by a medium is given. By generalized synchronization we mean the existence of an invariant manifold that allows a reduction in dimension. The case of a concrete system modeling the dynamics of a chemical solution on two containers connected to a third container is studied from the basics to arbitrary perturbations. Conditions under which synchronization occurs are given. Our theoretical results are complemented with a numerical study.