Interface entre arquitetura bioclimática e decisões projetuais

This research has as its object study focus bioclimatic in architecture and its conection with projects decisions, on what regards to environmental comfort for single-family dwelling. From the analysis of five architectural projects inserted in Natal/RN, warm-moist weather, this research gather informations regarding architectural features guided by shape and space arrengement, which embody important elements for the project design development. Computer simulations assisted as foundation to verify the efficiency grade for these projects strategies from shading analysis. Related strategies for the demands of natural ventilation circulation and thermal mass for refrigeration were analysed as well. Results show that there is an hierarchizing of priorities for the decisions made when it comes to shape and space disposition variables, as well as the way these variables will consider the bioclimatic demands. The analysis, even, show that there is no single way to respond to specific bioclimatic demands, as it points out the value of examination of the projectual solutions throughtout the conception process, in order to achieve an efficient project performance for the envimonment comfort

A matlab-based toolbox for the simulation and design of L1 adaptive controllers

This thesis introduces the L1 Adaptive Control Toolbox, a set of tools implemented in Matlab that aid in the design process of an L1 adaptive controller and enable the user to construct simulations of the closed-loop system to verify its performance. Following a brief review of the existing theory on L1 adaptive controllers, the interface of the toolbox is presented, including a description of the functions accessible to the user. Two novel algorithms for determining the required sampling period of a piecewise constant adaptive law are presented and their implementation in the toolbox is discussed. The detailed description of the structure of the toolbox is provided as well as a discussion of the implementation of the creation of simulations. Finally, the graphical user interface is presented and described in detail, including the graphical design tools provided for the development of the filter C(s). The thesis closes with suggestions for further improvement of the toolbox.

An evaluation of a sketching interface for interaction with concatenative sound synthesis.

This paper presents the evaluation of morpheme a sketching interface for the control of sound synthesis. We explain the task that was designed in order to assess the effectiveness of the interface, detect usability issues and gather participants’ responses regarding cognitive, experiential and expressive aspects of the interaction. The evaluation comprises a design task, where partici-pants were asked to design two soundscapes using the morpheme interface for two video footages. Responses were gathered using a series of likert type and open-ended questions. The analysis of the data gathered revealed a number of usability issues, however the performance of morpheme was satisfactory and participants recognised the creative potential of the interface and the synthesis methods for sound design applications.

Design of passive methane oxidation biosystems considering their response to the presence of capillary barrier effect

La construction des biosystèmes d’oxydation passive du méthane (BOPM) est une option économique et durable pour réduire les émissions de méthane des sites d’enfouissement de déchets et des effets subséquents du réchauffement climatique. Les BOPM sont constitués de deux couches principales: la couche d'oxydation du méthane (MOL) et la couche de distribution du gaz (GDL). L'oxydation du méthane se produit dans la MOL par les réactions biochimiques des bactéries méthanotrophes, et la GDL est construite sous la MOL pour intercepter et distribuer les émissions fugitives de biogaz à la base de la MOL. Fondamentalement, l'efficacité d'un BOPM est définie en fonction de l'efficacité d'oxydation du méthane dans la MOL. Par conséquent, il est indispensable de fournir des conditions adéquates pour les activités bactériennes des méthanotrophes. En plus des paramètres environnementaux, l'intensité et la distribution du biogaz influencent l'efficacité des BOPM, et ils peuvent rendre le matériau de la MOL - avec une grande capacité d'accueillir les activités bactériennes - inutilisables en termes d'oxydation du méthane sur place. L'effet de barrière capillaire le long de l'interface entre la GDL et la MOL peut provoquer des émissions localisées de méthane, due à la restriction ou la distribution non uniforme de l’écoulement ascendant du biogaz à la base de la MOL. L'objectif principal de cette étude est d'incorporer le comportement hydraulique non saturé des BOPM dans la conception des BOPM, afin d’assurer la facilité et la distribution adéquates de l'écoulement du biogaz à la base de la MOL. Les fonctions de perméabilité à l'air des matériaux utilisés pour construire la MOL des BOPM expérimentaux au site d’enfouissement des déchets de St Nicéphore (Québec, Canada), ainsi que celles d'autres de la littérature technique, ont été étudiés pour évaluer le comportement d'écoulement non saturé du gaz dans les matériaux et pour identifier le seuil de migration sans restriction du gaz. Ce dernier seuil a été introduit en tant que un paramètre de conception avec lequel le critère de conception recommandé ici, c’est à dire la longueur de la migration sans restriction de gaz (LMSG), a été défini. La LMSG est considérée comme la longueur le long de l'interface entre la GDL et la MOL où le biogaz peut migrer à travers la MOL sans restriction. En réalisant des simulations numériques avec SEEP/W, les effets de la pente de l'interface, des paramètres définissant la courbe de rétention d'eau, de la fonction de la conductivité hydraulique du matériau de la MOL sur la valeur de la LMSG (représentant la facilité d'écoulement du biogaz à l'interface) et de la distribution de l'humidité (et par conséquent celle du biogaz) ont été évalués. Selon les résultats des simulations, la conductivité hydraulique saturée et la distribution des tailles de pores du matériau de la MOL sont les paramètres les plus importants sur la distribution de l'humidité le long de l'interface. Ce dernier paramètre influe également sur la valeur du degré de saturation et donc la facilité du biogaz à la base de la MOL. La densité sèche du matériau de MOL est un autre paramètre qui contrôle la facilité d'écoulement ascendant du biogaz. Les limitations principales de la présente étude sont associées au nombre de matériaux de MOL testés et à l'incapacité de SEEP/W de considérer l'évapotranspiration. Toutefois, compte tenu des hypothèses raisonnables dans les simulations et en utilisant les données de la littérature, on a essayé de réduire ces limitations. En utilisant les résultats des expériences et des simulations numériques, des étapes et des considérations de conception pour la sélection du matériau de MOL et de la pente d'interface ont été proposées. En effet,le comportement hydraulique non saturé des matériaux serait intégré dans les nécessités de conception pour un BOPM efficace, de sorte que la capacité maximale possible d'oxydation du méthane du matériau de la MOL soit exploitée.

Optimization of the Ion Source-Mass Spectrometry Parameters in Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory and Analgesic Pharmaceuticals Analysis by a Design of Experiments Approach

The flow rates of drying and nebulizing gas, heat block and desolvation line temperatures and interface voltage are potential electrospray ionization parameters as they may enhance sensitivity of the mass spectrometer. The conditions that give higher sensitivity of 13 pharmaceuticals were explored. First, Plackett-Burman design was implemented to screen significant factors, and it was concluded that interface voltage and nebulizing gas flow were the only factors that influence the intensity signal for all pharmaceuticals. This fractionated factorial design was projected to set a full 2(2) factorial design with center points. The lack-of-fit test proved to be significant. Then, a central composite face-centered design was conducted. Finally, a stepwise multiple linear regression and subsequently an optimization problem solving were carried out. Two main drug clusters were found concerning the signal intensities of all runs of the augmented factorial design. p-Aminophenol, salicylic acid, and nimesulide constitute one cluster as a result of showing much higher sensitivity than the remaining drugs. The other cluster is more homogeneous with some sub-clusters comprising one pharmaceutical and its respective metabolite. It was observed that instrumental signal increased when both significant factors increased with maximum signal occurring when both codified factors are set at level +1. It was also found that, for most of the pharmaceuticals, interface voltage influences the intensity of the instrument more than the nebulizing gas flowrate. The only exceptions refer to nimesulide where the relative importance of the factors is reversed and still salicylic acid where both factors equally influence the instrumental signal. Graphical Abstract ᅟ.

MAIS(F) : Moodle : Android : interface simplificado para utilização de fóruns

É crescente a utilização dos dispositivos móveis com ecrãs maiores e melhores, mais memória, maiores capacidades multimédia e métodos mais refinados para introduzir dados. Dispositivos que integram comunicações, acesso à internet e diversos tipos de sensores possibilitarão, seguramente, abordagens inovadoras e criativas em atividades pedagógicas, em contraste com as utilizações atuais nos computadores pessoais. A análise das aplicações que atualmente integram os módulos do Moodle nos dispositivos móveis mostra que existe ainda um longo caminho a percorrer. As aplicações existentes têm, quase na sua totalidade, como objetivo adaptar o interface aos dispositivos móveis, o que é apenas o primeiro passo no sentido de aproveitar todas as potencialidades destes dispositivos. É, pois, possível imaginar um futuro próximo, onde as potencialidades dos dispositivos móveis darão origem a aplicações com um enorme potencial de aprendizagem, que advém do facto de os estudantes encontrarem conexões entre as suas vidas e a sua educação, através da realização de atividades em contexto no dispositivo móvel, sempre omnipresente. Com este trabalho de investigação e desenvolvimento pretende-se: a) avaliar o estado da arte do mobile learning, na área dos Learning Management System (LMS); b) refletir sobre as funcionalidades que deve oferecer uma aplicação para dispositivos móveis, com enfoque no sistema operativo Android, que permita a gestão e atualização dos fóruns e ficheiros do Moodle; c) conceber e produzir a referida aplicação, de acordo com as especificações consideradas relevantes; d) avaliar o seu impacto educativo e funcional. É demonstrado neste estudo que o recurso a dispositivos móveis potencia a aprendizagem baseada em LMS (Learning Management System), identificando-se as vantagens da sua utilização. São também apresentadas as funcionalidades da aplicação Mais(f), desenvolvida no âmbito da investigação, a avaliação da mesma pelos participantes no estudo, bem como as perspectivas futuras de utilização da aplicação Mais(f).

Design and validation of a novel generic platform for the production of tetravalent IgG1-like bispecific antibodies

International audience

Interface entre arquitetura bioclimática e decisões projetuais

This research has as its object study focus bioclimatic in architecture and its conection with projects decisions, on what regards to environmental comfort for single-family dwelling. From the analysis of five architectural projects inserted in Natal/RN, warm-moist weather, this research gather informations regarding architectural features guided by shape and space arrengement, which embody important elements for the project design development. Computer simulations assisted as foundation to verify the efficiency grade for these projects strategies from shading analysis. Related strategies for the demands of natural ventilation circulation and thermal mass for refrigeration were analysed as well. Results show that there is an hierarchizing of priorities for the decisions made when it comes to shape and space disposition variables, as well as the way these variables will consider the bioclimatic demands. The analysis, even, show that there is no single way to respond to specific bioclimatic demands, as it points out the value of examination of the projectual solutions throughtout the conception process, in order to achieve an efficient project performance for the envimonment comfort

O interface do Campo Grande

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura com Especialização em Urbanismo, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitectura.

DESIGN AND APPLICATION OF WIRELESS PASSIVE MAGNETOELASTIC RESONANCE AND MAGNETOHARMONIC FORCE SENSORS

The objective of the work described in this dissertation is the development of new wireless passive force monitoring platforms for applications in the medical field, specifically monitoring lower limb prosthetics. The developed sensors consist of stress sensitive, magnetically soft amorphous metallic glass materials. The first technology is based on magnetoelastic resonance. Specifically, when exposed to an AC excitation field along with a constant DC bias field, the magnetoelastic material mechanically vibrates, and may reaches resonance if the field frequency matches the mechanical resonant frequency of the material. The presented work illustrates that an applied loading pins portions of the strip, effectively decreasing the strip length, which results in an increase in the frequency of the resonance. The developed technology is deployed in a prototype lower limb prosthetic sleeve for monitoring forces experienced by the distal end of the residuum. This work also reports on the development of a magnetoharmonic force sensor comprised of the same material. According to the Villari effect, an applied loading to the material results in a change in the permeability of the magnetic sensor which is visualized as an increase in the higher-order harmonic fields of the material. Specifically, by applying a constant low frequency AC field and sweeping the applied DC biasing field, the higher-order harmonic components of the magnetic response can be visualized. This sensor technology was also instrumented onto a lower limb prosthetic for proof of deployment; however, the magnetoharmonic sensor illustrated complications with sensor positioning and a necessity to tailor the interface mechanics between the sensing material and the surface being monitored. The novelty of these two technologies is in their wireless passive nature which allows for long term monitoring over the life time of a given device. Additionally, the developed technologies are low cost. Recommendations for future works include improving the system for real-time monitoring, useful for data collection outside of a clinical setting.

Design principles for maximizing photovoltage in metal-oxide-protected water-splitting photoanodes

Metal oxide protection layers for photoanodes may enable the development of large-scale solar fuel and solar chemical synthesis, but the poor photovoltages often reported so far will severely limit their performance. Here we report a novel observation of photovoltage loss associated with a charge extraction barrier imposed by the protection layer, and, by eliminating it, achieve photovoltages as high as 630mV, the maximum reported so far for water-splitting silicon photoanodes. The loss mechanism is systematically probed in metal-insulator-semiconductor Schottky junction cells compared to buried junction p(+) n cells, revealing the need to maintain a characteristic hole density at the semiconductor/insulator interface. A leaky-capacitor model related to the dielectric properties of the protective oxide explains this loss, achieving excellent agreement with the data. From these findings, we formulate design principles for simultaneous optimization of built-in field, interface quality, and hole extraction to maximize the photovoltage of oxide-protected water-splitting anodes.