Portugal as a country exporting talent: Image of young high-skilled Portuguese people working outside Portugal

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

How Does Cultural Context Stimulate Creativity: A study of African Musicians in Lisbon, Portugal

The 21st century bodes an interesting time for companies and individuals alike with an increased focus on using creativity as a way to stimulate innovation to create competitive advantage. Several studies have looked at how creativity is stimulated within a corporate environment or how creativity is stimulated by people in a specific place. This study aimed to look at how the contextual environment fosters creativity in individuals and groups. With the increase in popularity of African and world music In Europe over the last ten years it was decided that the context of Lisbon, Portugal be used with a specific focus on African musicians living there and working in the Lisbon music scene. It became apparent themes of Creative crossovers, Geographical Location, a dynamic environment, Entrepreneurial encouragement and the presence of open-minded and flexible individual were involved in Lisbon’s ability to foster and empower creative individuals.

Evaluation of natural foci of Panstrongylus megistus in a forest fragment in Porto Alegre, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Introduction Panstrongylus megistus is commonly found in wild environments of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The aim of this study was to characterize the network of refuges used by triatomine in a forest fragment of Porto Alegre and to identify Trypanosoma cruzi infection, associated hosts and the epidemiological importance of both hosts and triatomines. Methods Techniques including the spool-and-line method and active searching (transects) were used to identify natural foci. Results The food source for each triatomine was determined using the precipitin test, and the infection of marsupials was determined by xenodiagnosis. A total of 33 adults (domestic environment) and 27 nymphs (wild environment) of P. megistus were found in addition to 43 Didelphis albiventris specimens. The infection rates of triatomine adults, triatomine nymphs and opossums with T. cruzi I were 64%, 73% and 69%, respectively. Birds, rodents and opossums were the main resources used by triatomine. Conclusions This work presents the first characterization of a natural focus of P. megistus in Rio Grande do Sul. The natural characteristics of this focus and its implication in the transmission of T. cruzi are discussed.

Updating of the hierarchical rock mass rating (HRMR) system and a new subsystem developed for weathered granite formations

The RMR system is still very much applied in rock mechanics engineering context. It is based on the evaluation of six weights to obtain a final rating. To obtain the final rating a considerable amount of information is needed concerning the rock mass which can be difficult to obtain in some projects or project stages at least with accuracy. In 2007 an alternative classification scheme based on the RMR, the Hierarchical Rock Mass Rating (HRMR) was presented. The main feature of this system was the adaptation to the level of knowledge existent about the rock mass to obtain the classification of the rock mass since it followed a decision tree approach. However, the HRMR was only valid for hard rock granites with low fracturing degrees. In this work, the database was enlarged with approximately 40% more cases considering other types of granite rock masses including weathered granites and based on this increased database the system was updated. Granite formations existent in the north of Portugal including Porto city are predominantly granites. Some years ago a light rail infrastructure was built in the city of Porto and surrounding municipalities whi h involved considerable challenges due to the high heterogeneity levels of the granite formations and the difficulties involved in their geomechanical characterization. In this work it is intended to provide also a contribution to improve the characterization of these formations with special emphasis to the weathered horizons. A specific subsystem applicable to the weathered formations was developed. The results of the validation of these systems are presented and show acceptable performances in identifying the correct class using less information than with the RMR system.

Assessment of liposome disruption to quantify drug delivery in vitro

Efficient liposome disruption inside the cells is a key for success with any type of drug delivery system. The efficacy of drug delivery is currently evaluated by direct visualization of labeled liposomes internalized by cells, not addressing objectively the release and distribution of the drug. Here, we propose a novel method to easily assess liposome disruption and drug release into the cytoplasm. We propose the encapsulation of the cationic dye Hoechst 34,580 to detect an increase in blue fluorescence due to its specific binding to negatively charged DNA. For that, the dye needs to be released inside the cell and translocated to the nucleus. The present approach correlates the intensity of detected fluorescent dye with liposome disruption and consequently assesses drug delivery within the cells.

Analysis of a Local HIV-1 Epidemic in Portugal Highlights Established Transmission of non-B and -G Subtypes

Existing data supports Portugal as the Western Europe country with highest HIV-1 subtype diversity. However, detailed phylogenetic studies of Portuguese HIV-1 epidemics are still scarce. Thus, our main goal was to analyze the phylodynamics of a local HIV-1 infection in the Portuguese region of Minho. Molecular epidemiological analysis was applied to data from 289 HIV-1 infected individuals followed in the reference Hospital of the province of Minho, Portugal, in which isolated viruses had been sequenced between 2000 and 2012. Viruses of the G (29.1%) and B (27.0%) subtypes were the most frequent, followed by recombinant forms (17.6%), C (14.5%), F1 (7.3%) and A1 (4.2%) subtypes. Multinomial logistic regression revealed that the odds of being infected with A1 and F1 subtype increased over the years when compared with B, G, C or recombinant viruses. As expected, polyphyletic patterns suggesting multiple and old introductions of subtypes B and G were found. However, transmission clusters of non-B and -G viruses among native individuals were also found with the dates of the most recent common ancestor estimated to the early 2000s. Our study supports that the HIV-1 subtype diversity in the Portuguese region of Minho is high and has been increasing in a manner that is apparently driven by factors other than immigration and international travel. Infections with A1 and F1 viruses in the region of Minho are becoming established and were mainly found in sexually transmitted clusters, reinforcing the need for more efficacious control measures targeting this infection route.

Indoor biological agents: evaluation of primary schools environments

Dissertação de mestrado em Human Engineering

Impact of an educational hands-on project on the antimicrobial, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties of plants on Portuguese students' awareness, knowledge, and competences

Promoting environmental and health education is crucial to allow students to make conscious decisions based on scientific criteria. The study is based on the outcomes of an Educational Project implemented with Portuguese students and consisted of several activities, exploring pre-existent Scientific Gardens at the School, aiming to investigate the antibacterial, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties of plant extracts, with posterior incorporation in soaps and creams. A logo and a webpage were also created. The effectiveness of the project was assessed via the application of a questionnaire (pre- and post-test) and observations of the participants in terms of engagement and interaction with all individuals involved in the project. This project increased the knowledge about autochthonous plants and the potential medical properties of the corresponding plant extracts and increased the awareness about the correct design of scientific experiments and the importance of the use of experimental models of disease. The students regarded their experiences as exciting and valuable and believed that the project helped to improve their understanding and increase their interest in these subjects and in science in general. This study emphasizes the importance of raising students’ awareness on the valorization of autochthonous plants and exploitation of their medicinal properties.

Estudo da cabeceira da Sé do Porto

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Aplicação da metodologia ROC na avaliação de desempenho de índices de gravidade clínica em unidades de neonatologia de Portugal

Tese de Doutoramento em Engenharia Industrial e de Sistemas

Influence of chitosan coating on protein-based nanohydrogels properties and in vitro gastric digestibility

Chitosan coating was applied in Lactoferrin (Lf)-Glycomacropeptide (GMP) nanohydrogels by layer-by-layer coating process. A volume ratio of 0.1 of Lf-GMP nanohydrogels (0.2 mg.mL-1, at pH 5.0) to chitosan (1 mg.mL-1, at pH 3) demonstrated to be the optimal condition to obtain stable nanohydrogels with size of 230 ± 12 nm, a PdI of 0.22 ± 0.02 and a -potential of 30.0 ± 0.15 mV. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images showed that the application of chitosan coating in Lf-GMP did not affect the spherical shape of nanohydrogels and confirmed the low aggregation of nanohydrogels in solution. The analysis of chemical interactions between chitosan and Lf-GMP nanohydrogels were performed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and by circular dichroism (CD) that revealed that a specific chemical interaction occurring between functional groups of protein-based nanohydrogels and active groups of the chitosan was established. The effect of chitosan coating on release mechanisms of Lf-GMP nanohydrogels at acid conditions (pH 2, 37 ºC) was evaluated by the encapsulation of a model compound (caffeine) in these systems. Linear Superposition Model was used to fit the experimental data and revealed that Fick and relaxation mechanisms are involved in caffeine release. It was also observed that the Fick contribution increase with the application of chitosan coating. In vitro gastric digestion was performed with Lf-GMP nanohydrogels and Lf-GMP nanohydrogels with chitosan coating and it was observed that the presence of chitosan improve the stability of Lf and GMP (proteins were hydrolysed at a slower rate and were present in solution by longer time). Native electrophoreses revealed that the nanohydrogels without coating remained intact in solution until 15 min and with chitosan coating remained intact until 60 min, during gastric digestion.

Georeferencing historical documents: the case of the Dume Boundary

Much of the information of historical documents about the territory and property are defined on textual form. This information is mostly geographic and defines territorial areas, its limits and boundaries. For the treatment of this data, we have defined one information system where the treatment of the documental references for the study of the settlement and landscape implies a systematization of the information, normalization, integration and graphic and cartographic representation. This methodology was applied to the case study of the boundary of the monastery-diocese of Dume, in Braga - Portugal, for which there are countless documents and references to this site, but where the urban pressure has mischaracterized very significantly the landscape, making the identification of territorial limits quite difficult. The work carried out to give spatial and cartographic expression to the data, by defining viewing criteria according to the recorded information, proved to be a central working tool in the boundary study and in understanding the dynamics of the sites in the various cultural periods.

Ecology of colonizing populations of the figfly Zaprionus indianus (Diptera, Drosophilidae) in Porto Alegre, Southern Brazil

Ecological parameters such as trophic niche overlap and niche breadth were computed from the frequency of all drosophilid species collected in 2001 and 2002, in the urban area of Porto Alegre city, Brazil. Independently of place, drosophilids community composition and components breeding or feeding sites, the highest frequencies of Zaprionus indianus (Gupta, 1970) were obtained during seasons with higher average temperatures, especially during summer. From a total of the 19,146 individuals of Z. indianus sampled, 80% were found in this season. The data of trophic niche breadth suggest a higher opportunism of adult flies in feeding substrate use, but the females are still selective in oviposition substrate choice. For the values of niche overlap, only for some species, did we find any correlation between these and species richness and/or number of resources, and the most of the correlation values considering breeding and feeding sites were positive. The colonization of Z. indianus in Porto Alegre could be leading to adjustments in the survival strategies of the resident species, but it is possible that many species have conditions for coexisting with the invader.

The prevalence of norovirus, astrovirus and adenovirus infections among hospitalised children with acute gastroenteritis in Porto Velho, state of Rondônia, western Brazilian Amazon

Although viruses are well-established causes of acute gastroenteritis, few data on the circulation of these pathogens in Porto Velho, state of Rondônia, Brazil, are available. Thus, faecal samples from hospitalised diarrhoeic children, under six years of age, were collected and tested for the presence of norovirus (NoV), adenovirus (AdV) and astrovirus (AstV) from February 2010-February 2012. Specimens were screened by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and viruses were found in 10.7% (63/591) of the cases. NoV, AdV and AstV were detected in 7.8%, 2% and 0.8% of the samples, respectively. NoV infection was observed at all ages and was most prevalent in zero-18-month-old children (84.7%; p = 0.002). A higher incidence of NoV was detected from February-April 2010, when it was found in 52.2% of the cases. Co-infections involving these viruses, rotavirus and enteropathogenic bacteria were detected in 44.4% (28/63) of the children with viral diarrhoea. Nosocomial infections were demonstrated in 28.6% (18/63) of the cases in which viruses were detected. The present paper reports, for the first time, the circulation of NoV and AstV among the paediatric population of Porto Velho and it contributes to our understanding of the roles of these pathogens in gastrointestinal infections.

Capacity to within one bit of a class of Gaussian multicast channels with interference

This paper studies the fundamental operational limits of a class of Gaussian multicast channels with an interference setting. In particular, the paper considers two base stations multicasting separate messages to distinct sets of users. In the presence of channel state information at the transmitters and at the respective receivers, the capacity region of the Gaussian multicast channel with interference is characterized to within one bit. At the crux of this result is an extension to the multicast channel with interference of the Han-Kobayashi or the Chong-Motani-Garg achievable region for the interference channel.