Explicit series solution for a glucose-induced electrical activity model of pancreatic beta-cells

In this work, we present the explicit series solution of a specific mathematical model from the literature, the Deng bursting model, that mimics the glucose-induced electrical activity of pancreatic beta-cells (Deng, 1993). To serve to this purpose, we use a technique developed to find analytic approximate solutions for strongly nonlinear problems. This analytical algorithm involves an auxiliary parameter which provides us with an efficient way to ensure the rapid and accurate convergence to the exact solution of the bursting model. By using the homotopy solution, we investigate the dynamical effect of a biologically meaningful bifurcation parameter rho, which increases with the glucose concentration. Our analytical results are found to be in excellent agreement with the numerical ones. This work provides an illustration of how our understanding of biophysically motivated models can be directly enhanced by the application of a newly analytic method.

Fly by data link: feasibility of a relative navigation solution for aviation relying on a future L-band data link

Trabalho final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Electrónica e Telecomunicações

Novel coordination polymers with (Pyrazolato)-based tectons: catalytic activity in the peroxidative oxidation of alcohols and cyclohexane

Coupling five rigid or flexible bis(pyrazolato)based tectons with late transition metal ions allowed us to isolate 18 coordination polymers (CPs). As assessed by thermal analysis, all of them possess a remarkable thermal stability, their decomposition temperatures lying in the range of 340-500 degrees C. As demonstrated by N-2 adsorption measurements at 77 K, their Langmuir specific surface areas span the rather vast range of 135-1758 m(2)/g, in agreement with the porous or dense polymeric architectures retrieved by powder X-ray diffraction structure solution methods. Two representative families of CPs, built up with either rigid or flexible spacers, were tested as catalysts in (0 the microwave-assisted solvent-free peroxidative oxidation of alcohols by t-BuOOH, and (ii) the peroxidative oxidation of cydohexane to cydohexanol and cydohexanone by H2O2 in acetonitrile. Those CPs bearing the rigid spacer, concurrently possessing higher specific surface areas, are more active than the corresponding ones with the flexible spacer. Moreover, the two copper(I)-containing CPs investigated exhibit the highest efficiency in both reactions, leading selectively to a maximum product yield of 92% (and TON up to 1.5 x 10(3)) in the oxidation of 1-phenylethanol and of 11% in the oxidation of cydohexane, the latter value being higher than that granted by the current industrial process.

A New Heuristic Providing an Effective Initial Solution for a Simulated Annealing approach to Energy Resource Scheduling in Smart Grids

An intensive use of dispersed energy resources is expected for future power systems, including distributed generation, especially based on renewable sources, and electric vehicles. The system operation methods and tool must be adapted to the increased complexity, especially the optimal resource scheduling problem. Therefore, the use of metaheuristics is required to obtain good solutions in a reasonable amount of time. This paper proposes two new heuristics, called naive electric vehicles charge and discharge allocation and generation tournament based on cost, developed to obtain an initial solution to be used in the energy resource scheduling methodology based on simulated annealing previously developed by the authors. The case study considers two scenarios with 1000 and 2000 electric vehicles connected in a distribution network. The proposed heuristics are compared with a deterministic approach and presenting a very small error concerning the objective function with a low execution time for the scenario with 2000 vehicles.

Standard commercial education robotic platform: intermediate solution to teaching robotics

Teaching robotics to students at the beginning of their studies has become a huge challenge. Simulation environments can be an effective solution to that challenge where students can interact with simulated robots and have the first contact with robotic constraints. From our previous experience with simulation environments it was possible to observe that students with lower background knowledge in robotics where able to deal with a limited number of constraints, implement a simulated robotic platform and study several sensors. The question is: after this first phase what should be the best approach? Should the student start developing their own hardware? Hardware development is a very important part of an engineer's education but it can also be a difficult phase that could lead to discouragement and loss of motivation in some students. Considering the previous constraints and first year engineering students’ high abandonment rate it is important to develop teaching strategies to deal with this problem in a feasible way. The solution that we propose is the integration of a low-cost standard robotic platform WowWee Rovio as an intermediate solution between the simulation phase and the stage where the students can develop their own robots. This approach will allow the students to keep working in robotic areas such as: cooperative behaviour, perception, navigation and data fusion. The propose approach proved to be a motivation step not only for the students but also for the teachers. Students and teachers were able to reach an agreement between the level of demand imposed by the teachers and satisfaction/motivation of the students.

gvSIG An Open Source GIS solution for the Android Platform

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Desenvolvimento de um biossensor para Ácido Glutâmico

A presente dissertação tem com objetivo o desenvolvimento de um biossensor com base nos polímeros de impressão molecular para a deteção de uma molécula alvo, o ácido glutâmico que é convertido em glutamina pela glutamina sintetase, recorrendo à potenciometria. Nas células neoplásicas a glutamina não é sintetizada podendo-se considerar que o ácido glutâmico é um potencial agente anti-cancro. A técnica de impressão molécular utilizada foi a polimerização em bulk, combinando a acrilamida e a bis acrilamida com o ácido glutâmico. Para se verificar se a resposta potenciométrica obtida era de facto da molécula alvo foram preparados em paralelo com os sensores, materiais de controlo, ou seja, moléculas sem impressão molécular (NIP). Para se controlar a constituíção química dos vários sensores nomeadamente, do NIP e do polímero de impressão molecular (MIP) antes e após a remoção bem como a molécula foram realizados estudos de Espetroscopia de Infravermelhos de Transformada de Fourier (FTIR), Scanning electron microscope (SEM) e Espetroscopia de Raios X por dispersão em energia (EDS). Os materiais desenvolvidos foram aplicados em várias membranas que diferiam umas das outras, sendo seletivas ao ião. A avaliação das características gerais das membranas baseou-se na análise das curvas de calibração, conseguidas em meios com pHs diferentes, comparando os vários elétrodos. O pH 5 foi o que apresentou melhor resultado, associado a uma membrana que continha um aditivo, o p-tetra-octilphenol, e com o sensor com percentagem de 3%. Posto isto, testou-se em material biológico, urina, com as melhores características quer em termos de sensibilidade (18,32mV/década) quer em termos de linearidade (1,6x10-6 a 1,48x10-3 mol/L). Verificou-se ainda que aplicando iões interferentes na solução, estes não interferem nesta, podendo ser aplicados na amostra sem que haja alteração na resposta potenciométrica. O elétrodo é capaz de distinguir o ácido glutâmico dos restantes iões presentes na solução.

As oportunidades de financiamento 2014-2020 e a sua importância para as empresas - Relatório de Estágio na empresa Smarteurope - Funding Solution Company, Lda

Com o presente relatório pretende-se descrever o estágio curricular realizado na entidade Smarteurope – Funding Solution Company, Lda. entre Fevereiro e Dezembro de 2015, entidade que se dedica à prestação de serviços de consultoria e gestão. Este relatório está estruturado em 4 partes fundamentais: enquadramento teórico, apresentação, caracterização e descrição do contexto da organização; descrição das atividades realizadas; e por último a conclusão e reflexão sobre as competências adquiridas.

Gestão do ciclo de vida das aplicações: análise do SAP Solution Manager

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de Informação

Mo and W bis-MGD enzymes: nitrate reductases and formate dehydrogenases

J Biol Inorg Chem (2004) 9: 791–799 DOI 10.1007/s00775-004-0573-9

Study and characterization of the ZnPc:C60/MoOx interface in organic solar cells by means of photoelectron spectroscopy

Dissertation to obtain the academic degree of Master in materials engineering submitted to the Faculty of science and engineering of Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Financing green development: 'Climate Bonds’ as a solution for institutional investors engagement

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Plux: Designing a solution for growth in the sports sector

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Mota-Engil: A solution to turnover its negative stock market performance

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Finance from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Mainroad: Information technology investment solution

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics