Species richness of anthophilous butterflies of an Atlantic Forest fragment in Southeastern Brazil

The objectives of this study were to identify anthophilous butterflies on psychophilous flowers of four Asteraceae species in an Atlantic Forest fragment in Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Southeastern Brazil, and to determine whether there are species in common with other lepidopteran inventories of the Southeastern and Midwestern regions of Brazil. It is the first inventory of anthophilous butterflies of a semideciduous forest fragment in Zona da Mata, State of Minas Gerais. A total of 108 species were recorded, representing the fourth largest lepidopteran survey in this State. The results demonstrated that Asteraceae species may be important tools for monitoring anthophilous butterflies. The similarity with other inventories ranged from 1 to 92.55%. Fifteen species were reported for the first time in the State of Minas Gerais, and among them, Melanis alena and Thisbe irenea were observed in this study only.

Acompanhamento da construção do projecto de expansão do terminal de GNL de Sines: PETS

O presente relatório de estágio está inserido no âmbito do Trabalho Final de Mestrado do perfil de Edificações, relativo ao curso de Engenharia Civil do Instituto de Engenharia de Lisboa. Foi realizado um estágio com o período de dezasseis semanas na Somague Engenharia, integrado na obra pública do Projecto de Expansão do Terminal de GNL de Sines. O documento compreende o estudo e o acompanhamento da construção dos elementos principais do terminal, nomeadamente, o novo sistema de água do mar e o tanque de armazenagem de GNL. O Capítulo 2 descreve o funcionamento e apresenta os principais sistemas constituintes do terminal. O objectivo primordial deste trabalho tem como base o estudo dos recursos e da metodologia construtiva envolvida no sistema de adução de água do mar, no tanque de armazenagem e no sistema de rejeição de água do mar, apresentando os Capítulos 3,4 e 5, respectivamente. Os Capítulos 6 e 7 desenvolvem, respectivamente, a evolução construtiva verificada durante o período de estágio e os trabalhos realizados enquanto estagiário. Os Capítulos 3 e 5 são complementados pelos Anexos I e II, assim como pelos Apêndices I e II, respectivamente. Os anexos são utilizados como referência para as peças desenhadas, enquanto os apêndices são utilizados para um complemento ao desenvolvimento pormenorizado de algumas soluções.

Costo-efectividad de intervenciones para insuficiencia renal crónica terminal

OBJETIVO: Analisó el costo-efectividad en intervenciones para pacientes con insuficiencia renal crónica terminal (IRCT) en términos de los costos económicos de cada intervención, los años de vida ganados y la calidad de vida que generan tres alternativas comparables y mutuamente excluyentes: diálisis peritoneal contínua ambulatoria (DPCA), la hemodiálisis (HD) y el trasplante renal (TR). MÉTODO: El diseño del estudio fue de tipo longitudinal. Los costos de cada intervención se determinaron mediante la técnica de manejo de caso promedio. Las medidas para evaluar los criterios de efectividad elegidos fueron la probabilidad de sobrevida y el Año de Vida Ajustado por Calidad (QALY, Quality Adjusted Life Year) medido por el Indice de Rosser. RSULTADOS: Los costos de manejo anual de caso fueron: diálisis peritoneal $5,643.07, hemodiálisis $9,631.60 y trasplante $3,021.63. En cuanto a la efectividad, la sobrevida del injerto de trasplante renal resultó de 89,9% y 79,6% a uno y tres años respectivamente, mientras que los pacientes sometidos a DPCA tienen una sobrevida de 86,2% y 66,9% a un año y a tres años respectivamente. En cuanto a los QALY's, los resultados para cada intervención fueron: DPCA 0,879; HD 0,864; y para el TR 0,978. CONCLUSIÓN: La intervención más costo-efectiva resultó el trasplante renal con un coeficiente de 3,088.69, seguido de la DPCA y la hemodiálisis, cuyos coeficientes fueron de 6,416.95 y 11,147.68 respectivamente. Por lo tanto se recomienda promover y utilizar el trasplante renal como la intervención más costo-efectiva para pacientes con IRCT.

A two terminal optical signal and image processing p-i-n/p-i-n image and colour sensor

A two terminal optically addressed image processing device based on two stacked sensing/switching p-i-n a-SiC:H diodes is presented. The charge packets are injected optically into the p-i-n sensing photodiode and confined at the illuminated regions changing locally the electrical field profile across the p-i-n switching diode. A red scanner is used for charge readout. The various design parameters and addressing architecture trade-offs are discussed. The influence on the transfer functions of an a-SiC:H sensing absorber optimized for red transmittance and blue collection or of a floating anode in between is analysed. Results show that the thin a-SiC:H sensing absorber confines the readout to the switching diode and filters the light allowing full colour detection at two appropriated voltages. When the floating anode is used the spectral response broadens, allowing B&W image recognition with improved light-to-dark sensitivity. A physical model supports the image and colour recognition process.

Coordination Chemistry of the (eta(6)-p-Cymene)ruthenium(II) Fragment with Bis-, Tris-, andTetrakis(pyrazol-1-yl)borate Ligands: Synthesis, Structural, Electrochemical, and CatalyticDiastereoselective Nitroaldol Reaction Studies

Novel [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)(kappa(2)-L)X] and [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)(kappa(3)-L)]X center dot nH(2)O complexes (L = bis-, tris-, or tetrakis-pyrazolylborate; X = Cl, N-3, PF6, or CF3SO3) are prepared by treatment of [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)Cl-2](2) with poly-(pyrazolyl)borate derivatives [M(L)] (L in general; in detail L = Ph(2)Bp = diphenylbis-(pyrazol-1-yl)borate; L = Tp = hydrotris(pyrazol-1-yl)borate; L = pzTp = tetrakis(pyrazol-1-yl)borate; L = Tp(4Bo) = hydrotris(indazol-1-yl)borate, L = T-p4Bo,T-5Me = (5-methylindazol-1-yl)borate; L = Tp(Bn,4Ph) = hydrotris(3-benzyl-4-phenylpyrazol-1-yl)borate; M = Na, K, or TI) and characterized by analytical and spectral data (IR, ESIMS, H-1 and C-13 NMR). The structures of [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)(Ph(2)Bp)Cl] (1) and [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)(Tp)Cl] (3) have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Electrochemical studies allowed comparing the electron-donor characters of Tp and related ligands and estimating the corresponding values of the Lever E-L ligand parameter. The complexes [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)-(kappa(2)-L)X] and [Ru(eta(6)-p-cymene)(kappa(3)-L)]X center dot nH(2)O act as catalyst precursors for the diastereoselective nitroaldol reaction of benzaldehyde and nitroethane to the corresponding beta-nitroalkanol (up to 82% yield, at room temperature) with diastereoselectivity toward the formation of the threo isomer.

Steroselective synthesis of imidazolidin-4-ones from α-amino amides of the antimalarial primaquine and substituted benzaldehydes

Imidazolidin-4-ones are commonly employed as skeletal modifications in bioactive oligopeptides, either as proline surrogates or for protection of the N-terminal amino acid against aminopeptidase-catalysed hydrolysis . We have been working on the synthesis of imidazolidin-4-ones of the antimalarial primaquine , through acylation of primaquine with an α-amino acid and subsequent reaction of the resulting α-aminoamide with a ketone or aldehyde. Thus, when using racemic primaquine, an optically pure chiral α-amino acid and an aldehyde as starting materials, four imidazolidin-4-one diastereomers are to be expected (Scheme 1). However, we have recently observed that imidazolidin-4-one synthesis was stereoselective when 2-carboxybenzaldehyde (2CBA)* was used, as only two diastereomers were produced2. Computational studies have shown that the imine formed prior to ring closure had, for structures derived from 2CBA, a quasi-cyclic rigid structure2. This rigid conformation is stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen bond involving the C=O oxygen atom of the 2-carboxyl substituent in 2CBA and the N-H group of the α-amino amide moiety2. These findings led us to postulate that the 2-carbonyl substituent in the benzaldehyde moiety was the key for the stereoselective synthesis of the imidazolidin-4-ones2.

The complete sequence of a 9000 bp fragment of the right arm of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VII contains four previously unknown open reading frames

We report the sequence of a 9000 bp fragment from the right arm of Saccharomyces cerevisiae chromosome VII. Analysis of the sequence revealed four complete previously unknown open reading frames, which were named G7587, G7589, G7591 and G7594 following standard rules for provisional nomenclature. Outstanding features of some of these proteins were the homology of the putative protein coded by G7589 with proteins involved in transcription regulation and the transmembrane domains predicted in the putative protein coded by G7591.

Estudo geotécnico dos solos do vale do Leça no âmbito de uma obra de requalificação portuária

A expansão da área ocupada pelo Porto de Leixões (Matosinhos e Leça da Palmeira), sobre solos muito compressíveis, de origem fluvial e marinha, leva a que seja necessário recorrer à engenharia para encontrar soluções adequadas à utilização de obras dos fins em vista. Assim, na zona do porto são muitos os projectos de engenharia civil/geotécnica executados nestes solos. Como exemplo, podem citar-se a Consolidação do Terrapleno e Construção dos Caminhos de Rolamento do Terminal de Contentores TC4S, a Reabilitação de um troço com 110m, do Cais Sul e do Cais Nascente da Doca nº 4 e a Construção da Portaria Principal do Porto de Leixões, todos no vale fóssil do rio Leça. São vastos os métodos a usar para o melhoramento destes solos, a colocação de colunas de brita, com o objectivo de reforçar o solo, aumentando a sua capacidade de carga e funcionando como drenos verticais, para solucionar o problema das deformações excessivas durante e após o final da obra, uma alternativa consiste em induzir a aceleração da consolidação da camada de solo mole, o uso de pré-carregamento e drenos verticais são usuais. Quando o tempo de concretização da obra exige que o aterro seja utilizado de imediato, uma solução viável é a colocação de estacas, que transferem o peso do aterro, ou parte dele, para camadas mais competentes. Também se pode proceder à retirada do solo original e substituí-lo por outro de qualidade superior. A mais recente técnica de melhoria de solos por injecção - jet grouting - é utilizada em diversas situações, incluindo obras provisórias e definitivas. O presente trabalho visa descrever, em função dos diversos factores, o comportamento do solo face aos vários métodos utilizados e os objectivos pretendidos que serão abordados no enquadramento empírico do trabalho.

Avaliação e optimização operacional: estudo do terminal de contentores de Alcântara

Trabalho Final de Mestrado para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica - Ramo Manutenção e Produção

Endothelialization of chitosan porous conduits via immobilization of a recombinant fibronectin fragment (rhFNIII7–10)

The present study aimed to develop a pre-endothelialized chitosan (CH) porous hollowed scaffold for application in spinal cord regenerative therapies. CH conduits with different degrees of acetylation (DA; 4% and 15%) were prepared, characterized (microstructure, porosity and water uptake) and functionalized with a recombinant fragment of human fibronectin (rhFNIII7–10). Immobilized rhFNIII7–10 was characterized in terms of amount (125I-radiolabelling), exposure of cell-binding domains (immunofluorescence) and ability to mediate endothelial cell (EC) adhesion and cytoskeletal rearrangement. Functionalized conduits revealed a linear increase in immobilized rhFNIII7–10 with rhFNIII7–10 concentration, and, for the same concentration, higher amounts of rhFNIII7–10 on DA 4% compared with DA 15%. Moreover, rhFNIII7–10 concentrations as low as 5 and 20 lgml 1 in the coupling reaction were shown to provide DA 4% and 15% scaffolds, respectively, with levels of exposed cell-binding domains exceeding those observed on the control (DA 4% scaffolds incubated in a 20 lgml 1 human fibronectin solution). These grafting conditions proved to be effective in mediating EC adhesion/cytoskeletal organization on CH with DA 4% and 15%, without affecting the endothelial angiogenic potential. rhFNIII7–10 grafting to CH could be a strategy of particular interest in tissue engineering applications requiring the use of endothelialized porous matrices with tunable degradation rates.

Caracterização de estruturas portuárias: caso de estudo: ampliação do Terminal XXI, Sines

Relatório de Estágio para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Civil

Ensaio de síntese crítica acerca do Cretácico terminal e do Paleogénico de Portugal

A synthetic essay about portuguese Late Cretaceous (Upper Campanian-Maastrichtian) and Paleogene is presented. This does include most of the so far known data, a critical approach to the problems of such formations, and to previous works on them. Our viewpoints (party original) are exposed in a shorter text in French where most of the discussion was suppressed (see reference in Resumo).

Le Crétacé terminal de Beira Litoral, Portugal: remarques stratigraphiques et écologiques,étude complémentaire de Rosasia soutoi (Chelonii, Bothremydidae)

The synthetic study of the uppermost Cretaceous of the Beira Litoral (fauna, flora) confirms its upper Campanian-Maastrichtian age. It shows the presence of a tropical to subtropical climate in an area constituted by a low coastal plain only occasionally linked to the sea, saturated with fresh water and possessing accordingly, a predominantely freshwater fauna (Viso, Aveiro); this plain changed towards the interior into a drier more forested zone with a more abundant terrestrial fauna which includes mammals (Taveiro). A thorough study of the chelonian Rosasia, abundant on the coastal plain, was made possible thanks to the discovery of a skull: it demonstrates that the genus belongs to the family Bothremydidae, revalided here. The composition of this family is presented, its phylogenetic and paleobiogeographic relation with the other pleurodires are analyzed, and its diagnosis established. The family is constituted of three groups; Rosasia belongs to one of these, the Bothremys group.

Analyse paléoécologique des formations récifales du golfe de Skoura (bordure méridionale du sillon Sud rifain; SE de Fés; Maroc). Implications paléogéographiques: communications Atlantique - Méditerranée au Miocène Terminal

The reef levels of the gulf of Skoura belong to the reef formation of the Upper Miocene of the South-Rifan straits. A detailed analysis of the vertical distribution of various forms of colonies has led to the establishment of precise coral morphologies zonation. This palaeoecological approach leads us to distinguish between two environments in the Skoura gulf, probably corresponding to two reef episodes. The palaeogeographical implications (relationships between the Atlantic ocean and the Mediterranean sea) will be pointed out.

Eficiência energética no terminal multipurpose do porto de Sines

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 e Sistemas Ambientais