Chromatic reintegration of historical mortars with lime-based pozzolanic consolidant products

3rd Historic Mortars Conference, 11-14 September 2013, Glasgow, Scotland

Study of the valorisation of the solid by-products obtained in the co-pyrolysis of different wastes

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de doutor em Energia e Bioenergia

Establishing a cell biology platform: isolation and preservation of human blood products

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Genética Molecular e Biomedicina

Data fusion with computational intelligence techniques: a case study of fuzzy inference for terrain assessment

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrotécnica e de Computadores, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Durability to marine environment of innovative products for consolidation and chromatic reintegration of historical renders

9th International Masonry Conference 2014, 7-9 July, Universidade do Minho, Guimarães

Aspectos sociodemográficos da soroprevalência de marcadores do vírus da hepatite A no povoado de Cavunge, região do semi-árido do Estado da Bahia

No Povoado de Cavunge, semi-árido da Bahia, foi realizado estudo sobre as hepatites com objetivo de avaliar a prevalência de portadores de IgG anti-VHA. Foram avaliados 891 moradores e 85,9% foram soropositivos. A prevalência foi semelhante entre os sexos. Na zona urbana houve aumento da prevalência com a idade.

Uso da dessalinização no abastecimento de água para o consumo humano em regiões com climas áridos ou semi-áridos

O presente trabalho tem como principal objetivo desenvolver um processo de conceção preliminar tendo em vista o abastecimento de água potável à Cidade Assomada, na ilha de Santiago, Cabo Verde, a partir de uma nova estação dessalinizadora a ser instalado no Concelho de Calheta de São Miguel, na Ilha de Santiago. Este projeto terá uma vida útil de 25 anos prevendo-se que no horizonte do projeto venha a servir um total de cerca de 16 000 habitantes para um caudal de dimensionamento de 3156 m3/dia. O caudal de água de abastecimento será disponibilizado numa estação dessalinizadora em estudo que irá utilizar a técnica da osmose inversa e apresenta uma relação de custo-benefício ótima com baixo custo de investimento e de energia, para além de apresentar de fácil operação e manutenção. No presente trabalho é apresentado o estado da arte relativamente à dessalinização da água do mar, e é apresentado em detalhe todo o processo a ser implementado na estação que irá servir a Cidade de Assomada. Em complemento à estação dessalinizadora é igualmente apresentado o estudo do respectivo sistema adutor até à Cidade de Assomada, tendo em consideração critérios de natureza técnica e económica. O dimensionamento técnico-económico teve por objetivo a escolha do diâmetro mais económico a que corresponde o menor valor do somatório dos respetivos encargos de instalação e de exploração associados. Assim, e em resumo, o sistema de abastecimento à Cidade de Assomada será pois integrado por uma captação de água do mar através de dois furos instalados junto à costa, uma estação de tratamento de água, do tipo dessalinizadora um sistemas adutor com dois patamares de bombagem um reservatório de distribuição terminal, seguindo posteriormente a água de abastecimento diretamente para a nova rede de distribuição de toda a Cidade.

A semi-automatic approach to code smells detection

Eradication of code smells is often pointed out as a way to improve readability, extensibility and design in existing software. However, code smell detection remains time consuming and error-prone, partly due to the inherent subjectivity of the detection processes presently available. In view of mitigating the subjectivity problem, this dissertation presents a tool that automates a technique for the detection and assessment of code smells in Java source code, developed as an Eclipse plugin. The technique is based upon a Binary Logistic Regression model that uses complexity metrics as independent variables and is calibrated by expert‟s knowledge. An overview of the technique is provided, the tool is described and validated by an example case study.

Immunodiagnosis of human neurocysticercosis by using semi-purified scolex antigens from Taenia solium cysticerci

Crude antigen and semi-purified proteins from scolices of Taenia solium cysticerci were evaluated for the immunodiagnosis of human neurocysticercosis neurocysticercosis. Semi-purified proteins obtained by electrophoresis on polyacrylamide gel and by electroelution were tested by means of the immunoenzymatic reaction against sera from normal individuals and from patients with neurocysticercosis or other parasitic diseases. The 100kDa protein provided 100% sensitivity and specificity in the immunodiagnosis. When 95 or 26kDa proteins were used, 95 and 100% sensitivity and specificity were obtained, respectively. The assays involving crude antigen and sera from normal individuals or from patients with neurocysticercosis, diluted to 1:256, gave excellent agreement with those in which 100, 95 or 26kDa proteins were tested against the same serum samples diluted to 1:64. (Kappa: 0.95 to 1.00). Crude scolex antigen may be useful for serological screening, while 100, 95 or 26kDa protein can be used in confirmatory tests on neurocysticercosis-positive cases.

Consolidation and chromatic reintegration of historical renders with lime-based pozzolanic products

Historical renders are exposed to several degradation processes that can lead to a wide range of anomalies,such as scaling, detachments, and pulverization. Among the common anomalies, the loss of cohesion and of adhesion are usually identified as the most difficult to repair; these anomalies still need to be deeply studied to design compatible, durable, and sustainable conservation treatments. The restitution of render cohesion can be achieved using consolidating products. Nevertheless, repair treatments could induce aesthetic alterations, and, therefore, are usually followed by chromatic reintegration. This work aims to study the effectiveness of mineral products as consolidants for lime-based mortars and simultaneously as chromatic treatments for pigmented renders. The studied consolidating products are prepared by mixing air lime,metakaolin, water, and mineral pigments. The idea of these consolidating and coloring products rises from a traditional lime-based technique, the limewash, widely diffused in southern Europe and in the Mediterranean area. Consolidating products were applied and tested on lime-based mortar specimens with a low binder–aggregate ratio and therefore with reduced cohesion. A physico-mechanical, microstructural, and mineralogical characterization was performed on untreated and treated specimens, in order to evaluate the efficacy and durability of the treatments. Accelerated aging tests were also performed to assess consolidant durability, when subjected to aggressive conditions. Results showed that the consolidants tested are compatible, effective, and possess good durability.

Antimicrobial resistance and investigation of the molecular epidemiology of Listeria monocytogenes in dairy products

INTRODUCTION: Listeria monocytogenes is a ubiquitous microorganism in nature and is responsible for listeriosis, an infectious disease caused by consumption of contaminated food. METHODS: Molecular characterization was performed on 19 strains of Listeria monocytogenes (serovars 1/2a, 1/2b, 4b and 4c), isolated from dairy products in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The molecular techniques applied were random amplification of polymorphic DNA and restriction enzyme analysis. In addition to the molecular analysis, the antimicrobial resistance profile was determined. RESULTS: The strains studied showed a low degree of diversity. In relation to the antimicrobial resistance profile of those microorganisms from the samples analyzed, all of them were susceptible to the antimicrobials tested. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular techniques that were used presented good discriminatory power for the strains studied. Furthermore, all of the samples that were analyzed were susceptible to the antimicrobials tested.

Contra os semi-sábios — notas sobre a racionalidade nos Pensamentos de Pascal

Ao longo dos Pensamentos, Pascal expressa a sua antipatia filosófica por alguns tipos de pensadores. Um desses tipos de pensadores corresponde à figura do "demi-savant". Os "demi-savants", ou semi-sábios, caracterizam-se essencialmente por uma pretensão de saber fracassada: são homens que julgam estar na posse de um saber que na verdade não possuem. O objectivo desta investigação é fixar, com o maior detalhe possível, o que está em causa na denúncia dos semi-sábios — um aspecto pouco trabalhado no âmbito dos estudos sobre o pensamento de Pascal. A primeira parte da investigação consiste assim na delimitação formal da categoria semi-sábios. Quais são as notas definitórias destes pensadores? Que tipo de erro está em jogo na sua atitude? Que opiniões fazem de alguém um semi-sábio? Estas perguntas acabam rapidamente por nos levar a outras, que dizem directamente respeito à tentativa de determinação do poder de fogo da razão humana. Com efeito, o fundamento filosófico da crítica aos semi-sábios é o diagnóstico arrasador que Pascal faz da capacidade da nossa razão na tarefa do conhecimento — de tal modo que estudar o problema que os semi-sábios representam é estudar sob um determinado ângulo o problema geral da procura da verdade. Nesse sentido, depois de esclarecido o significado da designação semi-sábio, analisamos dois argumentos apresentados nos Pensamentos que visam contestar a compreensão habitualmente constituída acerca das possibilidades do homem na tarefa do conhecimento. Procuramos ainda, por último, desfazer possíveis equívocos quanto à fixação da posição de Pascal no campo da epistemologia. Embora haja poucas referências aos semi-sábios nos textos que compõem os Pensamentos, trata-se de uma figura que funciona como ponto de cruzamento de vários aspectos relevantes de um problema que está no centro do projecto apologético de Pascal: o problema do modo de apuramento da verdade.

A semi-nested PCR assay for molecular detection of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in tissue samples

INTRODUCTION: Paracoccidioidomycosis is a systemic infection caused by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis. METHODS: In this study, a semi-nested PCR for paracoccidioidomycosis diagnosis was developed. The primers ITS1 and ITS4 were used in the first reaction, while the primers MJ03 and ITS1 primer were used in the second reaction. The semi-nested PCR was used to investigate biopsies of five patients with oral lesions that resembled paracoccidioidomycosis. RESULTS: The semi-nested PCR was positive for four samples and negative for a sample from a patient later diagnosed with leishmaniasis. CONCLUSIONS: The new semi-nested PCR describe is useful for paracoccidioidomycosis diagnosis.

Structured products in the current low interest rate environment

Directed Research Internship

Pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009: epidemiological analysis of cases in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil

IntroductionThe year 2009 marked the beginning of a pandemic caused by a new variant of influenza A (H1N1). After spreading through North America, the pandemic influenza virus (H1N1) 2009 spread rapidly throughout the world. The aim of this study was to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cases of pandemic influenza in a tropical/semi-arid region of Brazil.MethodsA retrospective study analyzed all suspected cases of pandemic influenza (H1N1) 2009 reported in the Ceará State through the National Information System for Notifiable Diseases during the pandemic period between 28 April, 2009 and November 25, 2010.ResultsA total of 616 suspected cases were notified, 58 (9.4%) in the containment phase and 558 (90.6%) in the mitigation phase. Most cases were of affected young people resident in the City of Fortaleza, the largest urban center in the State of Ceará. The most frequent symptoms presented by the cases with confirmed infection were fever, cough, myalgia, arthralgia, and nasal congestion. Mortality rate was 0.0009/1,000 inhabitants and lethality was 5.6%. Deaths were observed only in the mitigation phase. Mortality rates were similar for both sexes but were higher in the age group under 5 years.ConclusionsThe study suggests that the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic in this tropical/semi-arid region had a lower magnitude when compared to states in the Southern and Southeastern regions of Brazil.