Energy resource management in smart grids considering an Intensive use of electric vehicles

The introduction of electricity markets and integration of Distributed Generation (DG) have been influencing the power system’s structure change. Recently, the smart grid concept has been introduced, to guarantee a more efficient operation of the power system using the advantages of this new paradigm. Basically, a smart grid is a structure that integrates different players, considering constant communication between them to improve power system operation and management. One of the players revealing a big importance in this context is the Virtual Power Player (VPP). In the transportation sector the Electric Vehicle (EV) is arising as an alternative to conventional vehicles propel by fossil fuels. The power system can benefit from this massive introduction of EVs, taking advantage on EVs’ ability to connect to the electric network to charge, and on the future expectation of EVs ability to discharge to the network using the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capacity. This thesis proposes alternative strategies to control these two EV modes with the objective of enhancing the management of the power system. Moreover, power system must ensure the trips of EVs that will be connected to the electric network. The EV user specifies a certain amount of energy that will be necessary to charge, in order to ensure the distance to travel. The introduction of EVs in the power system turns the Energy Resource Management (ERM) under a smart grid environment, into a complex problem that can take several minutes or hours to reach the optimal solution. Adequate optimization techniques are required to accommodate this kind of complexity while solving the ERM problem in a reasonable execution time. This thesis presents a tool that solves the ERM considering the intensive use of EVs in the smart grid context. The objective is to obtain the minimum cost of ERM considering: the operation cost of DG, the cost of the energy acquired to external suppliers, the EV users payments and remuneration and penalty costs. This tool is directed to VPPs that manage specific network areas, where a high penetration level of EVs is expected to be connected in these areas. The ERM is solved using two methodologies: the adaptation of a deterministic technique proposed in a previous work, and the adaptation of the Simulated Annealing (SA) technique. With the purpose of improving the SA performance for this case, three heuristics are additionally proposed, taking advantage on the particularities and specificities of an ERM with these characteristics. A set of case studies are presented in this thesis, considering a 32 bus distribution network and up to 3000 EVs. The first case study solves the scheduling without considering EVs, to be used as a reference case for comparisons with the proposed approaches. The second case study evaluates the complexity of the ERM with the integration of EVs. The third case study evaluates the performance of scheduling with different control modes for EVs. These control modes, combined with the proposed SA approach and with the developed heuristics, aim at improving the quality of the ERM, while reducing drastically its execution time. The proposed control modes are: uncoordinated charging, smart charging and V2G capability. The fourth and final case study presents the ERM approach applied to consecutive days.

Factors related to inadequate cervical cancer screening in two Brazilian state capitals

OBJECTIVE:To analyze factors associated with cervical cancer screening failure. METHODS:Population-based cross-sectional study with self-weighted two-stage cluster sampling conducted in the cities of Fortaleza (Northeastern Brazil) and Rio de Janeiro (Southeastern Brazil) in 2002. Subjects were women aged 25-59 years in the last three years prior to the study. Data were analyzed through Poisson regression using a hierarchical model. RESULTS: The proportion of women who did not undergo the Pap smear test in Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro was 19.1% (95% CI: 16.1;22.1) and 16.5% (95% CI: 14.1;18.9), respectively. Higher prevalence ratios of cervical cancer screening failure in both cities were seen among women with low education and low per capita income, old age, unmarried, who never underwent mammography, clinical breast examination, and blood glucose and cholesterol level testing. Smokers also had lower screening rates compared to non-smoker women and this difference was only statistically significant in Rio de Janeiro. CONCLUSIONS:The study findings point to the need of intervention focusing particularly women in worse socioeconomic conditions and access to healthcare, old-aged and unmarried. Education activities must prioritize screening of asymptomatic women and early diagnosis for symptomatic women and access to adequate diagnostic methods and treatment should be provided.

Reasserting curriculum design through virtual learning environments : The case of MAPE

II European Conference on Curriculum Studies. "Curriculum studies: Policies, perspectives and practices”. Porto, FPCEUP, October 16th - 17th.

A realidade virtual como factor de atracção para a engenharia

O objectivo da Realidade Virtual é simples de entender mas muito difícil de implementar: criar ambientes completamente indiferenciáveis do mundo real com os quais se possa interagir de um modo natural. Desde a criação do Sensorama por Morton Heiling em 1962, passando pela difusão do conceito pelo público geral na década de 90 até os dias de hoje, a evolução da Realidade Virtual tem sido constante. Este conjunto de tecnologias tem estado envolvido por uma certa descrença por parte da sociedade, motivada pelas grandes expectativas que lhe foram atribuídas e pelo estado de desenvolvimento do hardware aquando do seu auge. No entanto, actualmente assiste-se a um ressurgimento do seu interesse no público geral com a introdução de imagem estereoscópica no cinema ou o sucesso dos controladores da consola Nintendo Wii. Hoje em dia as suas aplicações são muito variadas: desde o treino de pilotos de avião ao tratamento de fobias, passando pela industria do entretenimento e a visita virtual de locais com interesse histórico ou turístico. O objectivo desta tese de mestrado é explorar uma área que ainda não tem sido muito abrangida pela Realidade Virtual e que cobre também aspectos educacionais e lúdicos de modo a ser um factor de atracção para os estudantes do ensino secundário: a simulação de instrumentos musicais. Para tal foi implementado um sistema capaz de simular instrumentos musicais de percussão (uma bateria) utilizando imagem estereoscópica, som posicional e interfaces com o utilizador realistas. Os resultados obtidos nas sessões de avaliação efectuadas por alunos recentemente ingressados no ensino superior demonstram que o sistema desenvolvido, bem como a inovação em interfaces do utilizador com os dispositivos electrónicos de uma forma geral, constituem um meio efectivo na sua motivação para a escolha de um curso na área da engenharia.

Molecular screening of 246 Portuguese Aspergillus isolates among different clinical and environmental sources

Clinical and environmental samples from Portugal were screened for the presence of Aspergillus and the distributions of the species complexes were determined in order to understand how their distributions differ based on their source. Fifty-seven Aspergillus isolates from clinical samples were collected from 10 health institutions. Six species complexes were detected by internal transcribed spacer sequencing; Fumigati, Flavi, and Nigri were found most frequently (50.9%, 21.0%, and 15.8%, respectively). β-tubulin and calmodulin sequencing resulted in seven cryptic species (A. awamorii, A. brasiliensis, A. fructus, A. lentulus, A. sydowii, A. tubingensis, Emericella echinulata) being identified among the 57 isolates. Thirty-nine isolates of Aspergillus were recovered from beach sand and poultry farms, 31 from swine farms, and 80 from hospital environments, for a total 189 isolates. Eleven species complexes were found in these 189 isolates, and those belonging to the Versicolores species complex were found most frequently (23.8%). There was a significant association between the different environmental sources and distribution of the species complexes; the hospital environment had greater variability of species complexes than other environmental locations. A high prevalence of cryptic species within the Circumdati complex was detected in several environments; from the isolates analyzed, at least four cryptic species were identified, most of them growing at 37ºC. Because Aspergillus species complexes have different susceptibilities to antifungals, knowing the species-complex epidemiology for each setting, as well as the identification of cryptic species among the collected clinical isolates, is important. This may allow preventive and corrective measures to be taken, which may result in decreased exposure to those organisms and a better prognosis.

Fast screening procedure for antibiotics in wastewaters by direct HPLC-DAD analysis

Growing concern about the contamination of wastewaters by antibiotics demands fast but sensitive analytical methodologies, for the screening of a large number of samples. The purpose of this work was to develop a simple methodology, using direct injection of the samples, by HPLC with diode array detection (DAD), for a multiresidue analysis of five antibiotics of different classes. Wastewater from an urban water treatment plant was selected as a model to study possible coelution of interfering compounds. The linearity interval ranged from 40 to 400 µg/L for amoxicillin (Amox), metronidazole (Metro), cefazolin (Cefa), and chloramphenicol (Chloram) and from 20 to 200 µg/L for sulfamethoxazole (Sulfa), with LODs lower than 14 µg/L. Repeatability, expressed by the CV of six repeated injections, ranged from 1 to 8%, while the intermediate precision varied between 2 and 11%. The recovery ranged from 90 to 109%. This method enables the fast screening of a large number of samples, with an expanded uncertainty in the 1–22% range. The advantage of the proposed method is to significantly reduce the number of samples to be analyzed by more complex methods.

Screening of carbamates and ureas in fresh and processed tomato samples using micowave-assisted extraction and liquid chromatography

An analytical method, based on microwave-assisted extraction and liquid chromatography with diode array detection, for the determination of six carbamate and three urea pesticides in fresh and processed tomato samples is described. Significant parameters affecting extraction efficiency were optimized. Under optimum microwave-assisted extraction conditions (20mL acetonitrile, for 10 minutes, at 60º C), pesticides were extracted with recoveries ranging from 57.6 to 102% (RSDs<7%). Quantification limits between 6.5 and 39.6 µg=kg were obtained. A total number of 28 different fresh tomato samples and 6 processed tomato products were analysed. Confirmation of suspicious samples was performed by LC-MS.

A remote virtual experiment in mechanical engineering

Conferência: 2nd Experiment at International Conference (Exp at)- Univ Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal - Sep 18-20, 2013

Reply to letter to the Editor: Expert opinion on best practice guidelines and competency framework for visual screening in children

The aim of this study was to describe experts’ perception of best-practice guidelines and competency framework for visual screening in children. This study uses qualitative data and shows individual/ group conceptualization. The use of evidence from qualitative studies has traditionally been a fundamental source of knowledge in the clinical and social sciences.

Screening of grapes and wine for azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and trifloxystrobin fungicides by HPLC with diode array detection

The Quinone outside Inhibitors (QoI) are one of the most important and recent fungicide groups used in viticulture and also allowed by Integrated Pest Management. Azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and trifloxystrobin are the main active ingredients for treating downy and powdery mildews that can be present in grapes and wines. In this paper, a method is reported for the analysis of these three QoI-fungicides in grapes and wine. After liquid–liquid extraction and a clean-up on commercial silica cartridges, analysis was by isocratic HPLC with diode array detection (DAD) with a run time of 13 min. Confirmation was by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME), followed by GC/MS determination. The main validation parameters for the three compounds in grapes and wine were a limit of detection up to 0.073mg kg-1, a precision not exceeding 10.0% and an average recovery of 93% ±38.

Reproducibility of simulated myocardial lesions simulated on a virtual phantom

Human virtual phantoms are being widely used to simulate and characterize the behavior of different organs, either in diagnosis stages but also to enable foreseeing the therapeutic effects obtained on a certain patient. In the present work a typical patient’s heart was simulated using XCAT2©, considering the possibility of a lesion and/or anatomical alteration being affecting the myocardium. These simulated images, were then used to carry out a set of parametric studies using Matlab©. Although performed in controlled sceneries, these studies are very important to understand and characterize the performance of the methodologies used, as well as to determine to what extent the relations between the perturbation introduced at the myocardium and the resulting simulated images can be considered conclusive.

Hearing evaluation of portuguese school communities: school‑based audiology and hearing screening

Introduction: Hearing loss h sone raised impact in the development and academic progress of a child. In several developed countries, early detection is part of the national health plan through universal neonatal hearing screening (UNHS) and also with school hearing screening programs (SHSP), but only a few have published national data and revised protocols. Currently in Portugal, the UNHS is implemented in the main district hospitals but not the SHPS, as well we still do not make use of concrete data nor publication of studies on the national reality. Objectives: The incidence of the hearing loss and of otological problems was studied in school communities in the north of the country with 2550 participants between 3 and 17 years old. Methods: Statistical data collected within the schools with a standard auditory hearing screening protocol. All participants were evaluated with the same protocol, an audiological anamnesis, otoscopy and audiometric exam screening (500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 Hz) were fulfilled. Results: Different otological problems were identified and the audiometric screening exam counted auditory thresholds that outpointed uni and bilateral hearing loss in about 5.7% of the cases. Conclusions: The study has demonstrated that auditory school screening should take place as early as possible and be part of the primary health care to identify and direct children to appropriate rehabilitation, education and attendance. Thus, reducing high costs with late treatment.

Analysis of the combined exposure to noise and ototoxic substances—pilot study

Abstract: Ototoxic substances have been associated to damage of the auditory system, and its effects are potentiated by noise exposure. The present study aims at analyzing auditory changes from combined exposure to noise and organic solvents, through a pilot study in the furniture industry sector. Audiological tests were performed on 44 workers, their levels of exposure to toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene were determined and the levels of noise exposure were evaluated. The results showed that workers are generally exposed to high noise levels and cabin priming filler and varnish sector workers have high levels of exposure to toluene. However, no hearing loss was registered among the workers. Workers exposed simultaneously to noise and ototoxic substances do not have a higher degree of hearing loss than those workers exposed only to noise. Thus, the results of this study did not show that the combined exposure to noise and the organic solvent is associated with hearing disorders.

Combined mutation differential evolution to solve systems of nonlinear equations

This paper presents a differential evolution heuristic to compute a solution of a system of nonlinear equations through the global optimization of an appropriate merit function. Three different mutation strategies are combined to generate mutant points. Preliminary numerical results show the effectiveness of the presented heuristic.

Workload balancing in distributed virtual reality environments

Virtual Reality (VR) has grown to become state-of-theart technology in many business- and consumer oriented E-Commerce applications. One of the major design challenges of VR environments is the placement of the rendering process. The rendering process converts the abstract description of a scene as contained in an object database to an image. This process is usually done at the client side like in VRML [1] a technology that requires the client’s computational power for smooth rendering. The vision of VR is also strongly connected to the issue of Quality of Service (QoS) as the perceived realism is subject to an interactive frame rate ranging from 10 to 30 frames-per-second (fps), real-time feedback mechanisms and realistic image quality. These requirements overwhelm traditional home computers or even high sophisticated graphical workstations over their limits. Our work therefore introduces an approach for a distributed rendering architecture that gracefully balances the workload between the client and a clusterbased server. We believe that a distributed rendering approach as described in this paper has three major benefits: It reduces the clients workload, it decreases the network traffic and it allows to re-use already rendered scenes.