Evaluating the efficiency of a vegetal coagulant in the treatment of industrial effluents

The present work aims at evaluating the efficiency of an organic polymer from vegetal source used as coagulant for treating different types of industrial effluents. This coagulant (Flox-QT) is obtained from the Black Acacia (Acacia mearnsii). The effluents studied were produced in petrochemical, leather, cork stoppers, metalworking, olive oil, glue, paint (printing), textile and paper industries. The parameters analyzed in the effluents before and after treatment were selected according to the type of wastewater and included pH, conductivity, apparent colour, turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and some metals. The coagulant proved to be efficient for almost all effluents tested. The best results were obtained for the paper industry wastewater, with 91% removal of chemical oxygen demand and 95% of total suspended solids removal. The estimated cost of this treatment would be only 0.24 Euro per cubic meter of treated effluent, only regarding the price of the coagulant and the required dosage. The use of this coagulant is also adequate for the valorisation of the sludge obtained, which in this case could be recycled for paper production.

Pittosporum Undulatum and Hedychium Gardnerianum: nutritive value and secondary metabolites on cattle reproductive performances

Hedychium gardnerianum (HG) and Pittospporum undulatum (PU) are invasive plants all over the world, being in the Azores supplied to cattle on periods of shortage food. As these plants produce secondary metabolites, including a diverse range of phytochemicals compounds, the aim of the presente study is to identify how these metabolites can be related to animal’s reproductive performances. For such purpose, plants were harvested on winter, compounds extracted by method of decoction and analysed by combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry as well as highperformance liquid chromatography. For nutritive evaluations, Van Soest and Weende methodologies were used. In HG quercetin-3, 4'-di-O-betaglucopyranoside, myricetin rhamnoside, quercetin rhamnoside, and gibberellin A1 and A8 were identified, while for PU were found cafeic acid derivatives, including dicaffeoylquinic acid and caffeoylquinic acid. In nutritional terms, these plants can be considered as poor, presenting percentages of dry matter (DM%) of 16.34% and 40.39%, respectively for HG and PU. Values for ash 10.4%, crude protein (CP) 7.75%, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) 64.5, acid detergent fiber (ADF) 34.69%, acid detergent lignin (ADL) 3.47% and ether extract (EE) 2.03% were found for HG. For PU values were ash 6.64%, CP 6.11%, NDF 43.84%, acid ADF 35.57%, ADL 3.56% and EE 2.71%. This study clearly indicated that, besides their low nutritive values, these plants can be used to feed ruminants, especially when pasture lacks. Nevertheless, as some compounds, namely the caffeoylquinic and dicaffeoylquinic acids, are known to be associated to physiological reproductive mechanisms, one could speculate that these compounds can be directly or indirectly associated to reproductive performances in bovine fed with these plants.

Evaluating P-NET message's response time with fixed priority queuing at application process level

P-NET is a multi-master fieldbus standard based on a virtual token passing scheme. In P-NET each master is allowed to transmit only one message per token visit. In the worst-case, the communication response time can be derived considering that, in each token cycle, all stations use the token to transmit a message. In this paper, we define a more sophisticated P-NET model, which considers the actual token utilisation. We then analyse the possibility of implementing a local priority-based scheduling policy to improve the real-time behaviour of P-NET.

Evaluating the duration of message transactions in broadcast wired/wireless fieldbus networks

Determining the response time of message transactions is one of the major concerns in the design of any distributed computer-controlled system. Such response time is mainly dependent on the medium access delay, the message length and the transmission delay. While the medium access delay in fieldbus networks has been thoroughly studied in the last few years, the transmission delay has been almost ignored as it is considered that it can be neglected when compared to the length of the message itself. Nevertheless, this assumption is no longer valid when considering the case of hybrid wired/wireless fieldbus networks, where the transmission delay through a series of different mediums can be several orders of magnitude longer than the length of the message itself. In this paper, we show how to compute the duration of message transactions in hybrid wired/wireless fieldbus networks. This duration is mainly dependent on the duration of the request and response frames and on the number and type of physical mediums that the frames must cross between initiator and responder. A case study of a hybrid wired/wireless fieldbus network is also presented, where it becomes clear the interest of the proposed approach

Evaluating Android OS for embedded real-time systems

Since its official public release, Android has captured the interest from companies, developers and the general audience. From that time up to now, this software platform has been constantly improved either in terms of features or supported hardware and, at the same time, extended to new types of devices different from the originally intended mobile ones. However, there is a feature that has not been explored yet - its real-time capabilities. This paper intends to explore this gap and provide a basis for discussion on the suitability of Android in order to be used in Open Real-Time environments. By analysing the software platform, with the main focus on the virtual machine and its underlying operating system environments, we are able to point out its current limitations and, therefore, provide a hint on different perspectives of directions in order to make Android suitable for these environments. It is our position that Android may provide a suitable architecture for real-time embedded systems, but the real-time community should address its limitations in a joint effort at all of the platform layers.

Measuring and evaluating the impacts of TOD measures: searching for evidence of TOD characteristics in Azambuja train line

TOD (Transit Oriented Development) is typically defined as a high density mixed area (residential and commercial) within easy walking distance of a high capacity public transport station (typically within an 800m buffer area). TOO is viewed as a set of strategies to increase the use of public transport, increasing walking activity, containing urban sprawl, and creating more liveable places. It is believed that this type of combined strategies will improve sustainable growth. This work is an exploratory work for evidence of TOD characteristics in train station areas in Azambuja train line, setting further methodologies to evaluate the success of TOD areas.

Evaluating the use of in-store measures in retail food stores and restaurants in Brazil

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE To assess inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, and construct validity of retail food store, open-air food market, and restaurant observation tools adapted to the Brazilian urban context.METHODS This study is part of a cross-sectional observation survey conducted in 13 districts across the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2010-2011. Food store and restaurant observational tools were developed based on previously available tools, and then tested it. They included measures on the availability, variety, quality, pricing, and promotion of fruits and vegetables and ultra-processed foods. We used Kappa statistics and intra-class correlation coefficients to assess inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities in samples of 142 restaurants, 97 retail food stores (including open-air food markets), and of 62 restaurants and 45 retail food stores (including open-air food markets), respectively. Construct validity as the tool’s abilities to discriminate based on store types and different income contexts were assessed in the entire sample: 305 retail food stores, 8 fruits and vegetable markets, and 472 restaurants.RESULTS Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were generally high, with most Kappa values greater than 0.70 (range 0.49-1.00). Both tools discriminated between store types and neighborhoods with different median income. Fruits and vegetables were more likely to be found in middle to higher-income neighborhoods, while soda, fruit-flavored drink mixes, cookies, and chips were cheaper and more likely to be found in lower-income neighborhoods.CONCLUSIONS The measures were reliable and able to reveal significant differences across store types and different contexts. Although some items may require revision, results suggest that the tools may be used to reliably measure the food stores and restaurant food environment in urban settings of middle-income countries. Such studies can help .inform health promotion interventions and policies in these contexts.

Designing market-based instruments for biodiversity conservation: learning with the Australian experience and evaluating Portugal's potential

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Gestão de Sistemas Ambientais

Evaluating the combination of relaxation and argumentation in ontology matching negotiation

No decorrer dos últimos anos, os agentes (inteligentes) de software foram empregues como um método para colmatar as dificuldades associadas com a gestão, partilha e reutilização de um crescente volume de informação, enquanto as ontologias foram utilizadas para modelar essa mesma informação num formato semanticamente explícito e rico. À medida que a popularidade da Web Semântica aumenta e cada vez informação é partilhada sob a forma de ontologias, o problema de integração desta informação amplifica-se. Em semelhante contexto, não é expectável que dois agentes que pretendam cooperar utilizem a mesma ontologia para descrever a sua conceptualização do mundo. Inclusive pode revelar-se necessário que agentes interajam sem terem conhecimento prévio das ontologias utilizadas pelos restantes, sendo necessário que as conciliem em tempo de execução num processo comummente designado por Mapeamento de Ontologias [1]. O processo de mapeamento de ontologias é normalmente oferecido como um serviço aos agentes de negócio, podendo ser requisitado sempre que seja necessário produzir um alinhamento. No entanto, tendo em conta que cada agente tem as suas próprias necessidades e objetivos, assim como a própria natureza subjetiva das ontologias que utilizam, é possível que tenham diferentes interesses relativamente ao processo de alinhamento e que, inclusive, recorram aos serviços de mapeamento que considerem mais convenientes [1]. Diferentes matchers podem produzir resultados distintos e até mesmo contraditórios, criando-se assim conflitos entre os agentes. É necessário que se proceda então a uma tentativa de resolução dos conflitos existentes através de um processo de negociação, de tal forma que os agentes possam chegar a um consenso relativamente às correspondências que devem ser utilizadas na tradução de mensagens a trocar. A resolução de conflitos é considerada uma métrica de grande importância no que diz respeito ao processo de negociação [2]: considera-se que existe uma maior confiança associada a um alinhamento quanto menor o número de conflitos por resolver no processo de negociação que o gerou. Desta forma, um alinhamento com um número elevado de conflitos por resolver apresenta uma confiança menor que o mesmo alinhamento associado a um número elevado de conflitos resolvidos. O processo de negociação para que dois ou mais agentes gerem e concordem com um alinhamento é denominado de Negociação de Mapeamentos de Ontologias. À data existem duas abordagens propostas na literatura: (i) baseadas em Argumentação (e.g. [3] [4]) e (ii) baseadas em Relaxamento [5] [6]. Cada uma das propostas expostas apresenta um número de vantagens e limitações. Foram propostas várias formas de combinação das duas técnicas [2], com o objetivo de beneficiar das vantagens oferecidas e colmatar as suas limitações. No entanto, à data, não são conhecidas experiências documentadas que possam provar tal afirmação e, como tal, não é possível atestar que tais combinações tragam, de facto, o benefício que pretendem. O trabalho aqui apresentado pretende providenciar tais experiências e verificar se a afirmação de melhorias em relação aos resultados das técnicas individuais se mantém. Com o objetivo de permitir a combinação e de colmatar as falhas identificadas, foi proposta uma nova abordagem baseada em Relaxamento, que é posteriormente combinada com as abordagens baseadas em Argumentação. Os seus resultados, juntamente com os da combinação, são aqui apresentados e discutidos, sendo possível identificar diferenças nos resultados gerados por combinações diferentes e possíveis contextos de utilização.

Enterprise information portals: potential for evaluating research for knowledge management and human capital assets using social network analysis

Paper presented at the ECKM 2010 – 11th European Conference on Knowledge Management, 2-3 September, 2010, Famalicão, Portugal. URL: http://www.academic-conferences.org/eckm/eckm2010/eckm10-home.htm

Evaluating the quality and the success of online courses

Measuring the quality of a b-learning environment is critical to determine the success of a b-learning course. There are a lot of materials related to the quality process, namely different approaches and perspectives but none of them is specific of the product of a b-learning context. In this paper we identify the indicators that should be analyzed in order to determine the quality of a b-learning course, since its success reflect not only the student’s perception, but also what should be taken into account. B-Learning environments are relatively new and combine educational characteristics with technological elements that support the learning process and the training delivery. Our main objective is to know what a high quality b-learning environment is in students’’ perception and what are the main quality dimensions of these courses, in the perspective of the products and services offered. After a literature review concerning the quality process and in particular the b-learning quality field, a structure that provides the main elements that should be evaluated by students when we are measuring the quality and the success of b-learning product/services was created. The structure obtained was applied to a case study of the Polytechnic Institute of Oporto. Results presented will help institutions to deliver services with more quality and improve their long-term competitiveness.

A comprehensive high-throughput FTIR spectroscopy-based method for evaluating the transfection event: estimating the transfection efficiency and extracting associated metabolic responses

Reporter genes are routinely used in every laboratory for molecular and cellular biology for studying heterologous gene expression and general cellular biological mechanisms, such as transfection processes. Although well characterized and broadly implemented, reporter genes present serious limitations, either by involving time-consuming procedures or by presenting possible side effects on the expression of the heterologous gene or even in the general cellular metabolism. Fourier transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy was evaluated to simultaneously analyze in a rapid (minutes) and high-throughput mode (using 96-wells microplates), the transfection efficiency, and the effect of the transfection process on the host cell biochemical composition and metabolism. Semi-adherent HEK and adherent AGS cell lines, transfected with the plasmid pVAX-GFP using Lipofectamine, were used as model systems. Good partial least squares (PLS) models were built to estimate the transfection efficiency, either considering each cell line independently (R 2 ≥ 0.92; RMSECV ≤ 2 %) or simultaneously considering both cell lines (R 2 = 0.90; RMSECV = 2 %). Additionally, the effect of the transfection process on the HEK cell biochemical and metabolic features could be evaluated directly from the FT-IR spectra. Due to the high sensitivity of the technique, it was also possible to discriminate the effect of the transfection process from the transfection reagent on KEK cells, e.g., by the analysis of spectral biomarkers and biochemical and metabolic features. The present results are far beyond what any reporter gene assay or other specific probe can offer for these purposes.

Targeting specific nutrient deficiencies in proteinrestricted diets: some practical facts in PKU dietary management

Among aminoacidopathies, phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most prevalent one. Early diagnosis in the neonatal period with a prompt nutritional therapy (low natural-protein and phenylalanine diet, supplemented with phenylalanine-free amino acid mixtures and special low-protein foods) remains the mainstay of the treatment. Data considering nutrient contents of cooked dishes is lacking. In this study, fourteen dishes specifically prepared for PKU individuals were analysed, regarding the lipid profile and iron and zinc contents. These dishes are poor sources of essential nutrients like Fe, Zn or n-3 fatty acids, reinforcing the need for adequate supplementation to cover individual patients’ needs. This study can contribute to a more accurate adjustment of PKU diets and supplementation in order to prevent eventual nutritional deficiencies. This study contributes to a better understanding of nutrient intake from PKU patients’ meals, showing the need for dietary supplementation.

Antibody response in cattle after vaccination with inactivated and attenuated rabies vaccines

Despite the absence of current official reports showing the number of cattle infected by rabies, it is estimated that nearly 30,000 bovines are lost each year in Brazil. In order to minimize the important economic losses, control of the disease is achieved by eliminating bat colonies and by herd vaccination. In this study, we compare the antibody response in cattle elicited by vaccination with an attenuated ERA vaccine (AEvac) and an inactivated-adjuvanted PV (IPVvac) vaccine. The antibody titers were appraised by cell-culture neutralization test and ELISA, and the percentage of seropositivity was ascertained for a period of 180 days. IPVvac elicited complete seropositivity rates from day 30 to day 150, and even on day 180, 87% of the sera showed virus-neutralizing antibody titers (VNA) higher than 0.5IU/ml. There were no significant differences between the VNA titers and seropositivity rates obtained with IPVvac in the two methods tested. AEvac, however, elicited significantly lower titers than those observed in the group receiving inactivated vaccine. In addition, the profiles of antirabies IgG antibodies, evaluated by ELISA, and VNA, appraised by cell-culture neutralization test, were slightly different, when both vaccines were compared.