The effect of adhesive thickness on the mechanical behavior of a structural polyurethane adhesive

One parameter that influences the adhesively bonded joints performance is the adhesive layer thickness. Hence, its effect has to be investigated experimentally and should be taken into consideration in the design of adhesive joints. Most of the results from literature are for typical structural epoxy adhesives which are generally formulated to perform in thin sections. However, polyurethane adhesives are designed to perform in thicker sections and might have a different behavior as a function of adhesive thickness. In this study, the effect of adhesive thickness on the mechanical behavior of a structural polyurethane adhesive was investigated. The mode I fracture toughness of the adhesive was measured using double-cantilever beam (DCB) tests with various thicknesses of the adhesive layer ranging from 0.2 to 2 mm. In addition, single lap joints (SLJs) were fabricated and tested to assess the influence of adhesive thickness on the lap-shear strength of the adhesive. An increasing fracture toughness with increasing adhesive thickness was found. The lap-shear strength decreases as the adhesive layer gets thicker, but in contrast to joints with brittle adhesives the decrease trend was less pronounced.

Analysis of the Out-Of-Plane Seismic Behavior of Unreinforced Masonry: A Literature Review

Although the issue of the out-of-plane response of unreinforced masonry structures under earthquake excitation is well known with consensus among the research community, this issue is simultaneously one of the more complex and most neglected areas on the seismic assessment of existing buildings. Nonetheless, its characterization should be found on the solid knowledge of the phenomenon and on the complete understanding of methodologies currently used to describe it. Based on this assumption, this article presents a general framework on the issue of the out-of-plane performance of unreinforced masonry structures, beginning with a brief introduction to the topic, followed by a compact state of art in which the principal methodologies proposed to assess the out-of-plane behavior of unreinforced masonry structures are presented. Different analytical approaches are presented, namely force and displacement-based, complemented with the presentation of existing numerical tools for the purpose presented above. Moreover, the most relevant experimental campaigns carried out in order to reproduce the phenomenon are reviewed and briefly discussed.

Lutzomyia longipalpis behavior and control at an urban visceral leishmaniasis focus in Argentina

During the earlier stages of visceral leishmaniasis transmission in Posadas City, Misiones, both the night activity and attraction to humans of Lutzomyia longipalpis were assessed, in order to provide preliminary recommendations. The impact of peridomestic deltamethrin spraying performed by local officials was also evaluated. Although Lu. longipalpis were found in traps located over a dog the entire night, 90% of the females were captured from 20.30h to 1.30h, and only landed on a human when he was at a distance of 1.5 m from the dog. Peridomestic spraying of deltamethrin (25 mg/m²) reduced the sand fly capture up to seven days post-intervention without dispersion in the border of the sprayed areas. These results support the recommendations about time-space focus of the protection measures: first half of the night, in the backyard, with pets and domestic animals kept at least 5 m from humans. The deltamethrin as it was used did not seem very effective in this scenario; neither did the eventual use of bed nets, at least in adults, due to the place/hour of sand fly higher activity. This study strengthens the need for a multidisciplinary approach to develop prevention strategies based both on biological and anthropological studies.

Correlation between the mechanical cycling behavior and microstructure in laser welded joints using NiTi memory shape alloys

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia de Materiais

Emotion-oriented interventions for environment and the facilitation of pro-environmental behavior

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ambiente, pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Spatial point pattern analysis of gorilla nest sites in the Kagwene Sanctuary, Cameroon: Towards understanding the nesting behavior of a critically endangered subspecies

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

Impulsive buying and self-regulation: the impact of hetero-impulsivity on consumers buying behavior

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de Informação.

Validating Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders Using the Sensory Profile and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1 –5)

The objective was to validate Regulatory Sensory Processing Disorders’ criteria (DC:0-3R, 2005) using empirical data on the presence and severity of sensory modulation deficits and specific psychiatric symptoms in clinical samples. Sixty toddlers who attended a child mental health unit were diagnosed by a clinical team. The following two groups were created: toddlers with RSPD(N = 14) and those with ‘‘other diagnoses in Axis I/II of the DC:0-3R00(OD3R) (N = 46). Independently of the clinical process, parents completed the Infant Toddler Sensory Profile (as a checklist for sensory symptoms) and the Achenbach Behavior Checklist for ages 1/2–5 (CBCL 1/2–5). The scores from the two groups were compared. The results showed the following for the RSPD group: a higher number of affected sensory areas and patterns than in the OD3R group; a higher percentage of sensory deficits in specific sensory categories; and a higher severity of behavioral symptoms such as withdrawal, inattention, other externalizing problems and pervasive developmental problems in CBCL 1/2–5. The results confirmed our hypotheses by indicating a higher severity of sensory symptoms and identifying specific behavioral problems in children with RSPD. The results revealed convergent validity between the instruments and the diagnostic criteria for RSPD and supported the validity of RSPD as a unique diagnosis. The findings also suggested the importance of identifying sensory modulation deficits in order to develop an early intervention to enhance the sensory capacities of children who do not fully satisfy the criteria for some DSM-IV-TR disorders.

Aggressive Pituitary Lesion with a Remarkably High Ki-67

Os raros tumores pituitários agressivos são chamados carcinomas quando são detectadas metástases, sejam sistêmicas e/ou em sistema nervoso central. Alguns casos estão associados com superprodução de hormônio, mas a maioria é diagnosticada em função dos sintomas locais. Essas neoplasias são geralmente refratárias aos tratamentos atuais. Uma mulher com 51 anos de idade apresentou dor de cabeça de início súbito, paralisia de braço esquerdo e hipoestesia facial esquerda. A tomografia e a ressonância magnética revelaram um tumor pituitário invadindo os seios esfenoidal e cavernoso esquerdos. Os dados laboratoriais excluíram hipersecreção hormonal. A paciente foi submetida à cirurgia transesfenoidal, e os achados histológicos mostraram uma neoplasia com Ki-67 estimado em 75%. As imagens excluíram tanto um tumor oculto primário quanto disseminação sistêmica ou do sistema nervoso central. Três semanas após a cirurgia, a condição neurológica apresentou piora com início de ataxia, ptose bilateral, oftalmoplegia e aumento do tamanho da lesão, levando à intervenção cirúrgica por craniotomia, seguida por apenas algumas sessões de radioterapia devido à progressão grave da doença. A paciente veio a óbito depois de quase dois meses das manifestações iniciais. O caso ilustra a agressividade de algumas lesões pituitárias, a eficácia limitada das modalidades atuais de tratamento, como a cirurgia ou a radioterapia, e as limitações da classificação atual de tumores pituitários. Até onde sabemos, esse caso corresponde a uma das neoplasias pituitárias mais agressivas descritas até hoje, com um nível muito alto de Ki-67 (75%) e sobrevida curta (2 meses). O nível de Ki-67 pode ser de valor prognóstico em tumores pituitários. A classificação da Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) para tumores pituitários deveria ser revisitada.

Behavior monitoring and behavioral exchange: an approach from geospatial technologies involving gamification techniques

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

The impact of corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior: The role of profit-seeking and altruistic perceived motives

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

Smart metering consumer behavior study in the Republic of Ireland: Further analyses on the consumers’ electricity consumptions and usage perceptions

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

The influence of traditional authority on voting behavior in Mozambique

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

Men’s purchase intention of shampoo: a model based on the theory of planned behavior and self-concept

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

Biting behavior of Anopheles mosquitoes in Costa Marques, Rondonia, Brazil

Mosquito collections were made in and near Costa Marques, Rondonia, Brazil, to determine anopheline anthropophilic/zoophilic behavior. Collections from a non-illuminated, bovine-baited trap and indoor and outdoor human-bait collections were compared. Anopheles darlingi and Anopheles deaneorum were more anthropophilic than the other anophelines collected. The remainder of the Anopheles species were collected much morefrequently in bovine-baited traps than in human-bait collections. Anopheles darlingi and An. deaneorum were more frequently collected inside houses than the other anopheline species. But, when collections were made in a house with numerous openings in the walls, there were few differences in the percentages of each species biting man indoors versus outdoors. Anopheles darlingi was the predominant mosquito collected, both inside and outside houses, and had the strongest anthropophilic feeding behavior of the anophelines present.