Molecular mobility, composition and structure analysis in glycerol plasticised chitosan films

This study was developed with the purpose to investigate the effect of polysaccharide/plasticiser concentration on the microstructure and molecular dynamics of polymeric film systems, using transmission electron microscope imaging (TEM) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques. Experiments were carried out in chitosan/glycerol films prepared with solutions of different composition. The films obtained after drying and equilibration were characterised in terms of composition, thickness and water activity. Results show that glycerol quantities used in film forming solutions were responsible for films composition; while polymer/total plasticiser ratio in the solution determined the thickness (and thus structure) of the films. These results were confirmed by TEM. NMR allowed understanding the films molecular rearrangement. Two different behaviours for the two components analysed, water and glycerol were observed: the first is predominantly moving free in the matrix, while glycerol is mainly bounded to the chitosan chain. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On lattices from combinatorial game theory modularity and a representation theorem: finite case

We show that a self-generated set of combinatorial games, S. may not be hereditarily closed but, strong self-generation and hereditary closure are equivalent in the universe of short games. In [13], the question "Is there a set which will give a non-distributive but modular lattice?" appears. A useful necessary condition for the existence of a finite non-distributive modular L(S) is proved. We show the existence of S such that L(S) is modular and not distributive, exhibiting the first known example. More, we prove a Representation Theorem with Games that allows the generation of all finite lattices in game context. Finally, a computational tool for drawing lattices of games is presented. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An SEM investigation of the pozzolanic activity of a waste catalyst oil refinery

The most active phase of the fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalyst, used in oil refinery, is zeolite-Y which is an aluminosilicate with a high internal and external surface area responsible for its high reactivity. Waste FCC catalyst is potentially able to be reused in cement-based materials - as an additive - undergoing a pozzolanic reaction with calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) formed during cement hydration [1-3]. This reaction produces additional strength-providing reaction products i.e., calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and hydrous calcium aluminates (C-A-H) which exact chemical formula and structure are still unknown. Partial replacement of cement by waste FCC catalyst has two key advantages: (1) lowering of cement production with the associated pollution reduction as this industry represents one of the largest sources of man-made CO2 emissions, and (2) improving the mechanical properties and durability of cement-based materials. Despite these advantages, there is a lack of fundamental knowledge on pozzolanic reaction mechanisms as well as spatial distribution of porosity and solid phases interactions at the microstructural level and consequently their relationship with macroscopical engineering properties of catalyst/cement blends. Within this scope, backscattered electron (BSE) images acquired in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with Energy-Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and by X-ray diffraction were used to investigate chemical composition of hydration products and to analyse spatial information of the microstructure of waste FCC catalyst blended cement mortars. For this purpose mortars with different levels of cement substitution by waste catalyst as well as with different hydration ages, were prepared. The waste FCC catalyst used is produced by the Portuguese refinery company Petrogal S.A.

Pt/Carbon materials as Bi-Functional catalysts for N-decane hydroisomerization

The activity and selectivity of bi-functional carbon-supported platinum catalysts for the hydroisomerization of n-alkanes have been studied. The influence of the properties of the carbon support on the performance of the catalysts were investigated by incorporating the metallic function on a series of carbons with varied porosity (microporous: GL-50 from Norit, and mesoporous: CMK-3) and surface chemistry (modified by wet oxidation). The characterization results achieved with H-2 chemisorption and TEM showed differences in surface metal concentrations and metal-support interactions depending on the support composition. The highest metal dispersion was achieved after oxidation of the carbon matrix in concentrated nitric acid, suggesting that the presence of surface functional sites distributed in inner and outer surface favors a homogeneous metal distribution. On the other hand, the higher hydrogenating activity of the catalysts prepared with the mesoporous carbon pointed out that a fast molecular traffic inside the pores plays an important role in the catalysts performance. For n-decane hydroisomerization of long chain n-alkanes, higher activities were obtained for the catalysts with an optimized acidity and metal dispersion along with adequate porosity, pointing out the importance of the support properties in the performance of the catalysts.

Liquid crystal beads constrained on thin cellulosic fibers: Electric field induced microrotors and N-I transition

We directly visualize the response of nematic liquid crystal drops of toroidal topology threaded in cellulosic fibers, suspended in air, to an AC electric field and at different temperatures over the N-I transition. This new liquid crystal system can exhibit non-trivial point defects, which can be energetically unstable against expanding into ring defects depending on the fiber constraining geometries. The director anchoring tangentially near the fiber surface and homeotropically at the air interface makes a hybrid shell distribution that in turn causes a ring disclination line around the main axis of the fiber at the center of the droplet. Upon application of an electric field, E, the disclination ring first expands and moves along the fiber main axis, followed by the appearance of a stable "spherical particle" object orbiting around the fiber at the center of the liquid crystal drop. The rotation speed of this particle was found to vary linearly with the applied voltage. This constrained liquid crystal geometry seems to meet the essential requirements in which soliton-like deformations can develop and exhibit stable orbiting in three dimensions upon application of an external electric field. On changing the temperature the system remains stable and allows the study of the defect evolution near the nematic-isotropic transition, showing qualitatively different behaviour on cooling and heating processes. The necklaces of such liquid crystal drops constitute excellent systems for the study of topological defects and their evolution and open new perspectives for application in microelectronics and photonics.

Envelhecimento ativo e saúde dos idosos de Loures: uma perspetiva multidisciplinar

A OMS define o envelhecimento ativo como o processo de otimizar as oportunidades de saúde, de participação na sociedade e de segurança a fim de melhorar a qualidade de vida à medida que as pessoas vão envelhecendo. O envelhecimento ativo permite que as pessoas realizem o seu potencial, nas várias vertentes da sua vida. A doença crónica é um dos fatores que fragilizam este processo nesse sentido, a promoção do envelhecimento ativo exige uma abordagem multidimensional e multidisciplinar que permita aos individuo idoso, um envelhecimento com uma maior qualidade de vida. Objetivo do estudo: caracterizar e avaliar aspetos da saúde, no envelhecimento da população idosa do concelho de Loures.

Rising stars: da ESTeSL para o mundo da radiologia

Serão apresentadas duas experiências que estudantes de radiologia da ESTeSL tiveram no estrangeiro: a experiência que as estudantes tiveram no seu ERASMUS em Viena de Áustria no 2º semestre de 2014/15 e o decorrer da Summer School OPTIMAX2015, em que as estudantes participaram em agosto de 2015, em Groningen, nos Países Baixos. Falar-se-á um pouco sobre os estudos em radiologia. Discutir-se-ão os desafios que são habitualmente apresentados a um estudante aquando da realização do seu artigo final de investigação, como se podem prevenir e ultrapassar esses obstáculos e construir um artigo científico de qualidade.

Comparação da dose calculada entre a tomoterapia helicoidal e a arcoterapia de intensidade modulada em glioblastomas multiformes

Objetivo do estudo - Comparar a dose calculada nos órgãos de risco (OR’s) e no volume alvo de planeamento (PTV), entre a tomoterapia helicoidal (TH) e a arcoterapia de intensidade modulada (RapidArc®), em glioblastomas multiformes (GBM).

Comparação do movimento respiratório adquirido com TC 4D e com o sistema Calypso em cancro de pulmão: estudo de caso

Objetivo do estudo - Comparar as amplitudes respiratórias segundo os eixos x, y e z adquiridos com a tomografia computorizada (TC) 4D e o sistema Calypso® em cancro de pulmão.

Desenvolvimento de modelo para a melhoria do planeamento da manutenção

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Implementação de um programa de fiabilidade de aeronaves

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

Avaliação do potencial eólico para geração de energia eléctrica

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica /Energia

A palavra do corpo em João Mota : um estudo sobre a presença, o corpo e a palavra nos espetáculos "Cyrano de Bergerac" e "Play Strindberg" : dissertação

Dissertação submetida à Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Artes Performativas - especialização em Interpretação

Estudo de retardantes de chama, isentes de halogéneos, em espumas de poliuretano monocomponente

Estágio de natureza profissional para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Química

A multiplicação e a divisão de números naturais: uma análise de manuais escolares de 1.º ciclo

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Educação Matemática na Educação Pré-escolar e nos 1.º e 2.º ciclos do Ensino Básico