Ergonomics and Usability – key factors in Knowledge Society

During the recent years human society evolved from the “industrial society age” and transitioned into the “knowledge society age”. This means that knowledge media support migrated from “pen and paper” to computer-based Information Systems. Due to this fact Ergonomics has assumed an increasing importance, as a science/technology that deals with the problem of adapting the work to the man, namely in terms of Usability. This paper presents some relevant Ergonomics, Usability and User-centred design concepts regarding Information Systems.

Organic versus conventional tomatoes: Influence on physicochemical parameters, bioactive compounds and sensorial attributes

The effect of organic and conventional agricultural systems on the physicochemical parameters, bioactive compounds content, and sensorial attributes of tomatoes (‘‘Redondo’’ cultivar) was studied. The influence on phytochemicals distribution among peel, pulp and seeds was also accessed. Organic tomatoes were richer in lycopene (+20%), vitamin C (+30%), total phenolics (+24%) and flavonoids (+21%) and had higher (+6%) in vitro antioxidant activity. In the conventional fruits, lycopene was mainly concentrated in the pulp, whereas in the organic ones, the peel and seeds contained high levels of bioactive compounds. Only the phenolic compounds had a similar distribution among the different fractions of both types of tomatoes. Furthermore, a sensorial analysis indicated that organic farming improved the gustative properties of this tomato cultivar.

Dual-phase inkjet printed electrochromic layers based on PTA and WOX/TiO2 nanoparticles for electrochromic applications

Thesis submitted in Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa for the degree of Master in Materials Engineering

Effects of lethal and non-lethal malaria on the mononuclear phagocyte system

The effects ofone non-lethal species ofmalarialparasite, Plasmodium yoelii, and one lethal species, P. berghei, on the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) of BALB/c mice were studied. P. yoelii caused a greater and more sustained expansion and activation of the MPS, and the two major populations of spleen phagocytic cells-red pulp and marginal zone macrophages - exhibited a greater increase in numbers in this infection. During the course of P. berghei mataria, the spleen was progressively occupied by haematopoietic tissue and, at the terminal stage of infection, an extensive depletion of lymphocytes and macrophages was apparent. The possibility was suggested that the outcome of mataria may be inftuenced by the particular way the parasite interacts with the MPS.

Safe reuse of treated urban wastewater in Praia, Cape Verde: a case study

Dissertação para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia e Gestão da Água

Optimization of wastewater quality in the Sines refinery

In order to address and resolve the wastewater contamination problem of the Sines refinery with the main objective of optimizing the quality of this stream and reducing the costs charged to the refinery, a dynamic mass balance was developed nd implemented for ammonia and polar oil and grease (O&G) contamination in the wastewater circuit. The inadequate routing of sour gas from the sour water stripping unit and the kerosene caustic washing unit, were identified respectively as the major source of ammonia and polar substances present in the industrial wastewater effluent. For the O&G content, a predictive model was developed for the kerosene caustic washing unit, following the Projection to Latent Structures (PLS) approach. Comparison between analytical data for ammonia and polar O&G concentrations in refinery wastewater originating from the Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) effluent and the model predictions of the dynamic mass balance calculations are in a very good agreement and highlights the dominant impact of the identified streams for the wastewater contamination levels. The ammonia contamination problem was solved by rerouting the sour gas through an existing clogged line with ammonia salts due to a non-insulated line section, while for the O&G a dynamic mass balance was implemented as an online tool, which allows for prevision of possible contamination situations and taking the required preventive actions, and can also serve as a basis for establishing relationships between the O&G contamination in the refinery wastewater with the properties of the refined crude oils and the process operating conditions. The PLS model developed could be of great asset in both optimizing the existing and designing new refinery wastewater treatment units or reuse schemes. In order to find a possible treatment solution for the spent caustic problem, an on-site pilot plant experiments for NaOH recovery from the refinery kerosene caustic washing unit effluent using an alkaline-resistant nanofiltration (NF) polymeric membrane were performed in order to evaluate its applicability for treating these highly alkaline and contaminated streams. For a constant operating pressure and temperature and adequate operating conditions, 99.9% of oil and grease rejection and 97.7% of chemical oxygen demand (COD) rejection were observed. No noticeable membrane fouling or flux decrease were registered until a volume concentration factor of 3. These results allow for NF permeate reuse instead of fresh caustic and for significant reduction of the wastewater contamination, which can result in savings of 1.5 M€ per year at the current prices for the largest Portuguese oil refinery. The capital investments needed for implementation of the required NF membrane system are less than 10% of those associated with the traditional wet air oxidation solution of the spent caustic problem. The operating costs are very similar, but can be less than half if reusing the NF concentrate in refinery pH control applications. The payback period was estimated to be 1.1 years. Overall, the pilot plant experimental results obtained and the process economic evaluation data indicate a very competitive solution through the proposed NF treatment process, which represents a highly promising alternative to conventional and existing spent caustic treatment units.

Valorization of agro-industrial wastes towards the production of rhamnolipids

In this work, oil mill wastewater (OMW), a residue generated during olive oil extraction, was evaluated as an inducer of rhamnolipid production. Using a medium containing as sole ingredients corn steep liquor (10%, v/v), sugarcane molasses (10%, w/v) and OMW (25%, v/v), Pseudomonas aeruginosa #112 produced 4.5 and 5.1 g of rhamnolipid per liter in flasks and reactor, respectively, with critical micelle concentrations as low as 13 mg/l. Furthermore, in the medium supplemented with OMW, a higher proportion of more hydrophobic rhamnolipid congeners was observed comparing with the same medium without OMW. OMW is a hazardous waste which disposal represents a serious environmental problem; therefore, its valorization as a substrate for the production of added-value compounds such as rhamnolipids is of great interest. This is the first report of rhamnolipid production using a mixture of these three agro-industrial by-products, which can be useful for the sustainable production of rhamnolipids.

Fatôres que afetam a determinação da vitamina C na goiaba (Psidium guajava L.)

In the present paper the authors deal with the content of ascorbic acid in guavas (Psidium guajava L.) and the methods of sampling used. Ascorbic acid was determined directly in the photoeletric colorimeter (EEL), after extraction with a 4 per cent solution of oxalic acid. Guavas from various parts of State of S.Paulo were used and the general mean found was around 100 mgm of ascorbic acid per 100 gm fresh weight of the material used for extraction. It was found that there is great variation in the ascorbic acid content according to the condition of the fruit: Ascorbic acid Condition content in Mean mgm/100 gm Green and hard 93,36 - 119,54 102,43 Small green 57,34 - 92,30 83,40 Firm ripe 71,28 - 115,98 90,32 Overripe 63,22 - 85,98 77,36 Of the diferent parts of the fruit, the skin has the highest content; the pulp between the skin and the parts containing the seeds, the "inner pulp" contains little and finallw the central parts, formed by the pulp between seeds, the "inter pulp" a engligible amount. The proportion of ascorbic acid found in the skin, inner pulp and inter pulp may be as high as 1.6: 1: 0. Furthermore, the section near the peduncule and the sepals are richer than equatorial crossections. It was proved that the amount and intensity of sun-light is at least one important factant factor determining differences in the ascorbic acid content of the fruit, which is higer in the parts which have received more light. A sharp decrease was found in the vitamin C content of ripe fruite stored in a home refrigerator. The periods of the preservation were 12-24-48-96 hours and the decrease of the ascorbic acid content m per cent was 23.4 - 42.0 - 66.8 - 76.4 of the initial content of 144.28 mgm/100 gm. The following five different methods of sampling in the determination of the amount of vitamin C were tested, with extraction in a Waring blendor: 1) whole fruit; 2,) sample taken form fruits cut into many small pieces; 3) half of a fruit divided by a crossection at equal distance from both ends; 4) half of fruit divided lenghtwise; 5) a transversal slice of about 1 cm. It was found that the two first methods geve the most reliable results.

Estudos sôbre a alimentação mineral do cafeeiro, X: extração de macronutrientes na colheita pelas variedades "Mundo Novo", "Caturra" e "Bourbon Amarelo"

This paper deals with the determination of the content of macronutrients in pulp and beans of three coffee varieties, namely 'Mundo Novo', 'Caturra Amarelo' and 'Bourbon Amarelo'. Samples were collected in plantations located in the three types of soils herein most of S. Paulo, Brazil, coffee is grown, that is, "terra roxa legítima" (Ribeirão Preto), "massapé-salmourão" (Mocóca), and "arenito de Bauru" (Pindorama). The following main conclusions were drawn after statistical analysis of data obtained hereby. There is no statistical difference among the three varieties . Average contents of macronutrients, as per cent of the dry matter, are the following: N P K Ca Mg S bean 1,71 0,10 1,53 0,27 0,15 0,12 pulps 1.78 0,14 3,75 0,41 0,13 0,15 Samples collected in Mocóca ("massapé-salmourão") had lower N and K contents, probably due to lack of availability of these elements in the soil, as suggested by its analysis. Results obtained in this work are in good agreement with data described elsewhere. Out of the total of elements contained in the whole fruit the following proportions are exported as clean coffee: N - 2/3, P and K - 1/2, Ca, Mg and S - 1/3. It is clear therefore that a substantial amount of elements absorbed from the soil remains in the pulp or in the dry hulls which result from processing. From this fact raises the interest of using these residues as fertilizer in the coffee plantations.

Recombinant " Physcomitrella patens " as a sensitive tool to study heat sensing and heat-shock signal transduction in plants

SUMMARY When exposed to heat stress, plants display a particular set of cellular and molecular responses, such as chaperones expression, which are highly conserved in all organisms. In chapter 1, I studied the ability of heat shock genes to become transiently and abundantly induced under various temperature regimes. To this aim, I designed a highly sensitive heat-shock dependent conditional gene expression system in the moss Physcomitrella patens, using the soybean heatinducible promoter (hsp17.3B). Heat-induced expression of various reporter genes was over three orders of magnitude, in tight correlation with the intensity and duration of the heat treatments. By performing repeated heating/cooling cycles, a massive accumulation of recombinant proteins was obtained. Interestingly, the hsp17.3B promoter was also activated by specific organic chemicals. Thus, in chapter 2, I took advantage of the extreme sensitivity of this promoter to small temperature variations to further address the role of various natural and organic chemicals and develop a plant based-bioassay that can serve as an early warning indicator of toxicity by pollutants and heavy metals. A screen of several organic pollutants from textile and paper industry showed that chlorophenols as well as sulfonated anthraquinones elicited a heat shock like response at noninducing temperatures. Their effects were synergistically amplified by mild elevated temperatures. In contrast to standard methods of pollutant detection, this plant-based biosensor allowed to monitor early stress-responses, in correlation with long-term toxic effect, and to attribute effective toxicity thresholds for pollutants, in a context of varying environmental cues. In chapter 3, I deepened the study of the primary mechanism by which plants sense mild temperature variations and trigger a cellular signal leading to the heat shock response. In addition to the above described heat-inducible reporter line, I generated a P. patens transgenic line to measure, in vivo, variations of cytosolic calcium during heat treatment, and another line to monitor the role of protein unfolding in heat-shock sensing and signalling. The heat shock signalling pathway was found to be triggered by the plasma membrane, where temperature up shift specifically induced the transient opening of a putative high afimity calcium channel. The calcium influx triggered a signalling cascade leading to the activation of the heat shock genes, independently on the presence of misfolded proteins in the cytoplasm. These results strongly suggest that changes in the fluidity of the plasma membrane are the primary trigger of the heatshocksignalling pathway in plants. The present thesis contributes to the understanding of the basic mechanism by which plants perceive and respond to heat and chemical stresses. This may contribute to developing appropriate better strategies to enhance plant productivity under the increasingly stressful environment of global warming. RÉSUME Les plantes exposées à des températures élevées déclenchent rapidement des réponses cellulaires qui conduisent à l'induction de gènes codant pour les heat shock proteins (HSPs). En fonction de la durée d'exposition et de la vitesse à laquelle la température augmente, les HSPs sont fortement et transitoirement induites. Dans le premier chapitre, cette caractéristique aété utilisée pour développer un système inductible d'expression de gènes dans la mousse Physcomitrella patens. En utilisant plusieurs gènes rapporteurs, j'ai montré que le promoteur du gène hsp17.3B du Soja est activé d'une manière. homogène dans tous les tissus de la mousse proportionnellement à l'intensité du heat shock physiologique appliqué. Un très fort taux de protéines recombinantes peut ainsi être produit en réalisant plusieurs cycles induction/recovery. De plus, ce promoteur peut également être activé par des composés organiques, tels que les composés anti-inflammatoires, ce qui constitue une bonne alternative à l'induction par la chaleur. Les HSPs sont induites pour remédier aux dommages cellulaires qui surviennent. Étant donné que le promoteur hsp17.3B est très sensible à des petites augmentations de température ainsi qu'à des composés chimiques, j'ai utilisé les lignées développées dans le chapitre 1 pour identifier des polluants qui déclenchent une réaction de défense impliquant les HSPs. Après un criblage de plusieurs composés, les chlorophénols et les antraquinones sulfonés ont été identifiés comme étant activateurs du promoteur de stress. La détection de leurs effets a été réalisée seulement après quelques heures d'exposition et corrèle parfaitement avec les effets toxiques détectés après de longues périodes d'exposition. Les produits identifiés montrent aussi un effet synergique avec la température, ce qui fait du biosensor développé dans ce chapitre un bon outil pour révéler les effets réels des polluants dans un environnement où les stress chimiques sont combinés aux stress abiotiques. Le troisième chapitre est consacré à l'étude des mécanismes précoces qui permettent aux plantes de percevoir la chaleur et ainsi de déclencher une cascade de signalisation spécifique qui aboutit à l'induction des gènes HSPs. J'ai généré deux nouvelles lignées afin de mesurer en temps réel les changements de concentrations du calcium cytosolique ainsi que l'état de dénaturation des protéines au cours du heat shock. Quand la fluidité de la membrane augmente après élévation de la température, elle semble induire l'ouverture d'un canal qui permet de faire entrer le calcium dans les cellules. Ce dernier initie une cascade de signalisation qui finit par activer la transcription des gènes HSPs indépendamment de la dénaturation de protéines cytoplasmiques. Les résultats présentés dans ce chapitre montrent que la perception de la chaleur se fait essentiellement au niveau de la membrane plasmique qui joue un rôle majeur dans la régulation des gènes HSPs. L'élucidation des mécanismes par lesquels les plantes perçoivent les signaux environnementaux est d'une grande utilité pour le développement de nouvelles stratégies afin d'améliorer la productivité des plantes soumises à des conditions extrêmes. La présente thèse contribue à décortiquer la voie de signalisation impliquée dans la réponse à la chaleur.

Using group role-playing games with gifted children and adolescents: A psychosocial intervention model

Gifted children develop asynchronously, often advanced for their age cognitively, but at or between their chronological and mental ages socially and emotionally (Robinson, 2008). In order to help gifted children and adolescents develop and practice social and emotional self-regulation skills, we investigated the use of an Adlerian play therapy approach during pen-and-paper role-playing games. Additionally, we used Goffman's (1961, 1974) social role identification and distance to encourage participants to experiment with new identities. Herein, we propose a psychosocial model of interactions during role-playing games based on Goffman's theory and Adlerian play therapy techniques, and suggest that role-playing games are an effective way of intervening with gifted children and adolescents to improve their intra- and interpersonal skills. We specifically targeted intrapersonal skills of exercising creativity, becoming self-aware, and setting individual goals by raising participants' awareness of their privately logical reasons for making decisions and their levels of social interest. We also targeted their needs and means of seeking significance in the group to promote collaboration and interaction skills with other gifted peers through role analysis, embracement, and distancing. We report results from a case study and conclude that role-playing games deserve more attention, both from researchers and clinical practitioners, because they encourage change while improving young clients' social and emotional development.

Disseny i muntatge d'un sistema de depuració ciclònica per reciclatge de paper

El projecte s’emmarca dins de l’àmbit de la indústria paperera, i dins el procés defabricació del paper es centra concretament amb l’etapa de la depuració ciclònica, una etapa en la qual es pretenen eliminar aquelles partícules sòlides que acompanyen la pasta de paper i que no són desitjables ja que afecten les característiques del paper i el funcionament de la resta d’equips del procés de fabricació. Es presenta una demanda de projecte per part del grup LEPAMAP (Laboratori d’Enginyeria Paperera i Materials Polímers) sobre el disseny d’una instal•lació de depuració ciclònica, mitjançant un hidrocicló, per realitzar activitats de recerca. Un hidrocicló és un equip que separa gràcies a la força centrífuga del flux d’entrada i pel seu disseny amb forma de con invertit. Així doncs, els objectius bàsics d’aquest projecte són dissenyar una instal•lació de depuració adequada per depurar una pasta de paper de possibles contaminants sòlids, la qual cosa implica el disseny d’una bomba centrífuga per impulsar el flux cap a l’interior de l’hidrocicló, dipòsits per emmagatzemar i preparar la suspensió, un agitador per mantenir en tot moment la homogeneïtat de la suspensió i uns dispositius de mesura i control per mesurar i controlar variables com el cabal, la pressió o el volum.El segon objectiu tracta de posar en marxa la instal•lació i comprovar si aquest equip,l’hidrocicló, separa correctament les partícules sòlides del flux de pasta.Paral•lelament s’ha estudiat quins són els equips de depuració més importants a laindústria paperera així com les etapes més importants que formen part del procés de fabricació del paper

Prediction of the bulking phenomenon in wastewater treatment plants

The control and prediction of wastewater treatment plants poses an important goal: to avoid breaking the environmental balance by always keeping the system in stable operating conditions. It is known that qualitative information — coming from microscopic examinations and subjective remarks — has a deep influence on the activated sludge process. In particular, on the total amount of effluent suspended solids, one of the measures of overall plant performance. The search for an input–output model of this variable and the prediction of sudden increases (bulking episodes) is thus a central concern to ensure the fulfillment of current discharge limitations. Unfortunately, the strong interrelationbetween variables, their heterogeneity and the very high amount of missing information makes the use of traditional techniques difficult, or even impossible. Through the combined use of several methods — rough set theory and artificial neural networks, mainly — reasonable prediction models are found, which also serve to show the different importance of variables and provide insight into the process dynamics

SF 2088 Convenience Fees Analysis and Recommendations, November 16, 2011

As an expansion of SF2088, the Department of Administrative Services-Information Technology Enterprise (DAS-ITE) was asked to further analyze the potential costs and savings if the current practice of charging credit card and overhead fees (“value-added fees”) were to be eliminated. Value-added fees reflect the costs an agency incurs while providing online services, and those costs will always exist.. DAS-ITE researched these costs and identified ways of making the associated fees less burdensome to the citizens of Iowa. The three alternatives provide different ways in which agencies can recover those costs; they could be borne by either an annual appropriation or adjustment of the online service “price” to include the fees within the cost of the online transaction. An additional alternative is presented to leave the current value-added fee practices in place. Recognition must also be made of the fact that traditional forms of conducting business with the State of Iowa, face-to-face and paper-based transactions, are inherently more costly. These delivery channels are effectively subsidized by the agency as a “cost of doing business” and the associated expense of the transactions is not passed on to the customer.

Evaluation of reclamation technologies for wastewater reuse

Reclamation and reuse of wastewater require the use of tools that minimize risks to health and natural ecosystems. There are various types of such tools, among which HACCP (hazardanalysis and critical control points) and barrier systems are gainingimportance. The research reported here aims to determine andevaluate the most efficient combinations of different treatmentsystems—barriers—for the reclamation of secondary effluentsfrom urban sewage treatment plants, and for obtaining water ofsufficient quality for reuse in accordance with existing legislation,in which water disinfection has become one of the keys tocompliance. Several conventional and non-conventional reclamationtechnologies are evaluated. The results lead us to recommendtreatment lines for the different reclaimed water uses established inthe Spanish legislation.