Estudo da influ��ncia da carga espec��fica na fragmenta����o de rocha gran��tica no desmonte em bancada

Mestrado em Engenharia Geot��cnica e Geoambiente

Spatio-temporal land use/land cover changes analysis and monitoring in the Valencia Municipality, Spain

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

Reactivity of human fetal and adult immortalized hepatocytes to potentially toxic bilirubin and bile acid species

Disserta����o apresentada para a obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Gen��tica Molecular e Biomedicina, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ci��ncias e Tecnologia

A new approach to assess defragmentation strategies in dynamically reconfigurable FPGAs

Fragmentation on dynamically reconfigurable FPGAs is a major obstacle to the efficient management of the logic space in reconfigurable systems. When resource allocation decisions have to be made at run-time a rearrangement may be necessary to release enough contiguous resources to implement incoming functions. The feasibility of run-time relocation depends on the processing time required to set up rearrangements. Moreover, the performance of the relocated functions should not be affected by this process or otherwise the whole system performance, and even its operation, may be at risk. Relocation should take into account not only specific functional issues, but also the FPGA architecture, since these two aspects are normally intertwined. A simple and fast method to assess performance degradation of a function during relocation and to speed up the defragmentation process, based on previous function labelling and on the application of the Euclidian distance concept, is proposed in this paper.

Run-time defragmentation for dynamically reconfigurable hardware

Reconfigurable computing experienced a considerable expansion in the last few years, due in part to the fast run-time partial reconfiguration features offered by recent SRAM-based Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), which allowed the implementation in real-time of dynamic resource allocation strategies, with multiple independent functions from different applications sharing the same logic resources in the space and temporal domains. However, when the sequence of reconfigurations to be performed is not predictable, the efficient management of the logic space available becomes the greatest challenge posed to these systems. Resource allocation decisions have to be made concurrently with system operation, taking into account function priorities and optimizing the space currently available. As a consequence of the unpredictability of this allocation procedure, the logic space becomes fragmented, with many small areas of free resources failing to satisfy most requests and so remaining unused. A rearrangement of the currently running functions is therefore necessary, so as to obtain enough contiguous space to implement incoming functions, avoiding the spreading of their components and the resulting degradation of system performance. A novel active relocation procedure for Configurable Logic Blocks (CLBs) is herein presented, able to carry out online rearrangements, defragmenting the available FPGA resources without disturbing functions currently running.

Influ��ncia dos par��metros geot��cnicos na qualidade do desmonte de maci��os rochosos fracturados

Uma das opera����es envolvidas no desmonte de maci��os rochosos �� a perfura����o. A forma como esta �� executada �� determinante para o sucesso do desmonte. Quando realizada correctamente o desmonte produz uma boa fragmenta����o, reduzindo a sobrescava����o. Assim, a correcta escolha das ferramentas de perfura����o assume um papel preponderante para os custos do desmonte em maci��o rochosos. Esta disserta����o ir�� centrar-se nos par��metros Geol��gicos, Geot��cnicos e Geomec��nicos e nos desvios de perfura����o. O objectivo geral deste trabalho �� perceber a interdepend��ncia dos par��metros geol��gicogeot��cnicos e geomec��nicos do maci��o rochoso com os desvios de perfura����o, bem como estudar os ��ngulos de intersec����o entre os furos e as descontinuidades que originam o desvio. O estudo dos par��metros do maci��o rochoso aliado a uma perfura����o alinhada �� salientado com o intuito de uma abordagem de geoengenharia integrada dos maci��os rochosos.

High-resolution correlation of coastal cliff sections in the Lagos- Portimao Formation (Lower - Middle Miocene, central Algarve, Portugal)

This paper describes a high-resolution stratigraphic correlation scheme for the early to middle Miocene Lagos-Portim��o Formation of central Algarve, southern Portugal. The Lagos Portim��o-Formation of central Algarve is a 60 m thick package of horizontally bedded siliciclastics and carbonates. The bryozoan and mollusc dominated biofacies is typical of a shallow marine, warm-temperate climatic environment. We define four stratigraphic marker beds based on biofacies, lithology, and gamma-ray signatures. Marker bed 1 is a reddish shell bed composed predominantly of bivalve shells in various stages of fragmentation. Marker bed 2 is a fossiliferous sandstone / sandy rudstone characterized by bryozoan masses. Marker bed 3 is also a fossiliferous sandstone with abundant larger foraminifers and foliate bryozoans. Marker bed 4 is composed of three distinct layers; two fossiliferous sandstones with an intercalated shell bed. The upper sandstone unit displays thickets of the bryozoan Celleporaria palmate associated with the coral Culizia parasitica. This stratigraphic framework allows to correlate isolated outcrops within the stratigraphic context of the Lagos-Portim��o Formation and to establish high resolution chronostratigraphic Sr-isotopic dating.

Pathology of periportal fibrosis involution in human schistosomiasis

Optical and electron microscopical evidences of focal matrix degradation were frequently seen in liver sections of periportal fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis mansoni in man. The material came from 14 wedge hepatic biopsies taken from patients with chronic advanced hepatosplenic disease and undergoing operations for the relief of portal hypertension. Besides the presence of focal areas of rarefaction, fragmentation and dispersion of collagen fibers, the enlarged portal spaces also showed hyperplasia of elastic tissue and disarray of smooth muscle fibers following destruction of portal vein branches. Eggs were scanty in the tissue sections, and matrix degradation probably represented involuting changes related to the progressive diminution of parasite-related aggression, which occurs spontaneously with age or after cure by chemotherapy. The changes indicative of matrix degradation now described are probably the basic morphological counterpart of periportal fibrosis involution currently being documented by ultrasonography in hepatosplenic patients submitted to curative chemotherapy.

O futuro da lideran��a de topo na administra����o p��blica portuguesa. For��as motrizes e cen��rios poss��veis.

Disserta����o de mestrado em Administra����o P��blica, orientada pelo Professor Doutor J. A. Oliveira Rocha apresentada na Escola de Economia e Gest��o da Universidade do Minho, em 2006.

Electron driven reactions in complexes embedded in superfluid helium droplets

A thesis submitted to the University of Innsbruck for the doctor degree in Natural Sciences, Physics and New University of Lisbon for the doctor degree in Physics, Atomic and Molecular Physics

Spatial metrics and Landsat data for urban landuse change detection: case of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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

Immunological status of ENL (Erythema Nodosum Leprosum) patients: its relationship to bacterial load and levels of circulanting IL-2R

Recent data suggest that the clinical course of reactional states in leprosy is closely related to the cytokine profile released locally or systemically by the patients. In the present study, patients with erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) were grouped according to the intensity of their clinical symptoms. Clinical and immunological aspects of ENL and the impact of these parameters on bacterial load were assessed in conjunction with patients' in vitro immune response to mycobacterial antigens. In 10 out of the 17 patients tested, BI (bacterial index) was reduced by at least 1 log from leprosy diagnosis to the onset of their first reactional episode (ENL), as compared to an expected 0.3 log reduction in the unreactional group for the same MDT (multidrug therapy) period. However, no difference in the rate of BI reduction was noted at the end of MDT among ENL and unreactional lepromatous patients. Accordingly, although TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor) levels were enhanced in the sera of 70.6% of the ENL patients tested, no relationship was noted between circulating TNF-alpha levels and the decrease in BI detected at the onset of the reactional episode. Evaluation of bacterial viability of M. leprae isolated from the reactional lesions showed no growth in the mouse footpads. Only 20% of the patients demonstrated specific immune response to M. leprae during ENL. Moreover, high levels of soluble IL-2R (interleukin-2 receptor) were present in 78% of the patients. Circulating anti-neural (anti-ceramide and anti-galactocerebroside antibodies) and anti-mycobacterial antibodies were detected in ENL patients' sera as well, which were not related to the clinical course of disease. Our data suggest that bacterial killing is enhanced during reactions. Emergence of specific immune response to M. leprae and the effective role of TNF-alpha in mediating fragmentation of bacteria still need to be clarified.

A influ��ncia das caracter��sticas geomec��nicas dos maci��os fracturados no desvio da perfura����o

A perfura����o �� uma das opera����es envolvidas no desmonte de rocha com explosivos. A forma como esta opera����o �� executada �� determinante para o sucesso do desmonte. Quando �� realizada correctamente o desmonte produz superf��cies limpas com o m��nimo de sobrescava����o e perturba����o. A selec����o das ferramentas de perfura����o �� um dos factores preponderantes para os custos do desmonte de maci��os rochosos. A forma como a perfura����o �� executada �� determinante para a boa fragmenta����o do maci��o rochoso. Este estudo ir�� centrar���se na perfurabilidade do maci��o, linearidade dos furos e desenvolvimento de metodologias do ciclo de perfura����o. O objectivo geral deste trabalho �� demonstrar a interdepend��ncia entre os par��metros geol��gicos e geot��cnicos do maci��o rochoso e as tecnologias de perfura����o de forma a optimizar tanto t��cnica como economicamente. O controlo geomec��nico do desmonte do maci��o rochoso atrav��s de uma perfura����o alinhada �� salientado com o intuito de uma abordagem de geoengenharia integrada nos maci��os rochosos.

Altera����o do paradigma da gest��o dos cuidados �� pessoa com infec����o VIH : um modelo centrado nos cuidados de sa��de prim��rios

RESUMO - A infec����o por VIH �� reconhecida mundialmente como um problema de sa��de p��blica, apesar de todos os esfor��os e recursos despendidos e dos avan��os cient��ficos conseguidos nos ��ltimos anos. Portugal, apesar do registo da diminui����o de novos casos de infec����o VIH, encontra-se no 4.�� lugar (dos pa��ses da Uni��o Europeia) em termos de incid��ncia de infec����o por VIH (dados de 2008). Esta situa����o, juntamente com a crescente constata����o dos custos elevados para o tratamento desta infec����o, da variabilidade de pr��ticas e a fragmenta����o dos cuidados, motivou a reflex��o sobre modelos alternativos de organiza����o de cuidados, inspirados em modelos de gest��o da doen��a e idealmente centrados nos cuidados de sa��de prim��rios. O presente trabalho teve como objectivos analisar os modelos de organiza����o de cuidados prestados �� pessoa com VIH, nos pa��ses desenvolvidos, a n��vel dos cuidados de sa��de prim��rios e compreender o n��vel de adequa����o dos resultados encontrados, para a realidade portuguesa. Para os alcan��ar foi realizada uma revis��o da literatura e a realiza����o de entrevistas a profissionais de sa��de. Nos artigos analisados na revis��o da literatura, verificou-se consenso em torno de um modelo baseado em cuidados partilhados, entre os prestadores prim��rios e os diferenciados. Foram ainda referenciados m��ltiplos factores e condi����es que ter��o de ser assegurados para uma poss��vel implementa����o do modelo. Quanto aos entrevistados verificou-se uma opini��o favor��vel em rela����o ao modelo de cuidados partilhados, mostrando-se expectantes e despertos para a necessidade de mudan��a, perspectivando uma maior integra����o do actual estado de organiza����o dos cuidados para a pessoa com VIH. Estes ind��cios reflectem a relev��ncia de maior investiga����o sobre o modelo de cuidados partilhados.

The role of halouracils in radiotherapy studied by electron transfer in atom-molecule collisions experiments

Disserta����o para obten����o do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia F��sica