Hydrogeophysical Characterization of Anisotropy in the Biscayne Aquifer Using Geophysical Methods

The anisotropy of the Biscayne Aquifer which serves as the source of potable water for Miami-Dade County was investigated by applying geophysical methods. Electrical resistivity imaging, self potential and ground penetration radar techniques were employed in both regional and site specific studies. In the regional study, electrical anisotropy and resistivity variation with depth were investigated with azimuthal square array measurements at 13 sites. The observed coefficient of electrical anisotropy ranged from 1.01 to 1.36. The general direction of measured anisotropy is uniform for most sites and trends W-E or SE-NW irrespective of depth. Measured electrical properties were used to estimate anisotropic component of the secondary porosity and hydraulic anisotropy which ranged from 1 to 11% and 1.18 to 2.83 respectively. 1-D sounding analysis was used to models the variation of formation resistivity with depth. Resistivities decreased from NW (close to the margins of the everglades) to SE on the shores of Biscayne Bay. Porosity calculated from Archie's law, ranged from 18 to 61% with higher values found along the ridge. Higher anisotropy, porosities and hydraulic conductivities were on the Atlantic Coastal Ridge and lower values at low lying areas west of the ridge. The cause of higher anisotropy and porosity is attributed to higher dissolution rates of the oolitic facies of the Miami Formation composing the ridge. The direction of minimum resistivity from this study is similar to the predevelopment groundwater flow direction indicated in published modeling studies. Detailed investigations were carried out to evaluate higher anisotropy at West Perrine Park located on the ridge and Snapper Creek Municipal well field where the anisotropy trend changes with depth. The higher anisotropy is attributed to the presence of solution cavities oriented in the E-SE direction on the ridge. Similarly, the change in hydraulic anisotropy at the well field might be related to solution cavities, the surface canal and groundwater extraction wells.

Secure and Privacy-aware Data Collection and Processing in Mobile Health Systems

Healthcare systems have assimilated information and communication technologies in order to improve the quality of healthcare and patient's experience at reduced costs. The increasing digitalization of people's health information raises however new threats regarding information security and privacy. Accidental or deliberate data breaches of health data may lead to societal pressures, embarrassment and discrimination. Information security and privacy are paramount to achieve high quality healthcare services, and further, to not harm individuals when providing care. With that in mind, we give special attention to the category of Mobile Health (mHealth) systems. That is, the use of mobile devices (e.g., mobile phones, sensors, PDAs) to support medical and public health. Such systems, have been particularly successful in developing countries, taking advantage of the flourishing mobile market and the need to expand the coverage of primary healthcare programs. Many mHealth initiatives, however, fail to address security and privacy issues. This, coupled with the lack of specific legislation for privacy and data protection in these countries, increases the risk of harm to individuals. The overall objective of this thesis is to enhance knowledge regarding the design of security and privacy technologies for mHealth systems. In particular, we deal with mHealth Data Collection Systems (MDCSs), which consists of mobile devices for collecting and reporting health-related data, replacing paper-based approaches for health surveys and surveillance. This thesis consists of publications contributing to mHealth security and privacy in various ways: with a comprehensive literature review about mHealth in Brazil; with the design of a security framework for MDCSs (SecourHealth); with the design of a MDCS (GeoHealth); with the design of Privacy Impact Assessment template for MDCSs; and with the study of ontology-based obfuscation and anonymisation functions for health data.

O efeito da hidroterapia na dor, qualidade de vida e funcionalidade em pacientes com fibromialgia

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciado em Fisioterapia

Avalição do impacto de uma biblioteca universitária

Neste estudo apresenta-se uma avaliação do impacto da Biblioteca da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto (FCUP), na perspetiva dos estudantes e observando alguns dados relativos ao uso da Biblioteca FCUP. A investigação recorre a uma análise de métodos mistos, isto é, avalia dados qualitativos, que descrevem mas não mensuram as características, em especial as ações humanas, e dados quantitativos que apresentam forma numérica e revelam uma quantidade certa podendo ser sujeitos a manipulação estatística. A «Notícias da Biblioteca», uma newsletter publicada bimestralmente pela Biblioteca FCUP, inclui uma seção denominada “Voz do Utilizador”, onde são incluídos pequenos textos de opinião da autoria dos utilizadores, escolhidos aleatoriamente e, que frequentam as instalações destes serviços da FCUP. Aplicando a Norma Internacional ISO16439:2014 (E) – Information and documentation – Methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries, examinaram-se vinte textos de opinião, sobre a biblioteca, redigidos por estudantes de várias nacionalidades, publicados de janeiro de 2013 a dezembro de 2014, na «Notícias da Biblioteca». Investigaram-se ainda 7 entrevistas. Apelando à Estatística Descritiva efetuaram-se tabelas de contingência que são úteis para conhecer a relação entre os dados em função de determinados grupos, isto é, observar a frequência de uma variável em função das categorias de outra variável. Com as tabelas de contingência obtém-se percentagens em função dos efeitos do impacto da biblioteca e dos grupos de estudantes e analisa-se a relação entre eles. O estudo utilizou ainda alguns dados estatísticos indicadores que mostram o impacto, a saber, indicadores de desempenho relativos ao uso da biblioteca – número de visitas per capita e número de empréstimos per capita. Estas avaliações em bibliotecas fornecem informações úteis para as chefias de topo, para o desenvolvimento de novos projetos e a otimização do impacto e desempenho destes serviços das instituições de Ensino Superior./ This study presents an impact assessment of the Library of the Faculty of Science, University of Porto (FCUP), from the students’ point of view and some statistical data collected from the FCUP Library use. We used a mixed methods research, i.e., qualitative data, that describes but does not measure characteristics, in particular human actions, and quantitative data represented by numbers that indicate exact amounts which can be statistically manipulated. The newsletter «Notícias da Biblioteca» published, bimonthly, by the FCUP Library includes a section called “User Voice” where we can find opinion texts expressed by library users, randomly chosen, and who usually go to the library. Applying International Standard ISO16439: 2014 (E) - Information and documentation - Methods and procedures for assessing the impact of libraries, we examined 20 opinion texts written by students of various nationalities, published from January 2013 to December 2014, in «Notícias da Biblioteca» During this period of time, we have taken seven interviews. Using the principles of Descriptive Statistics, we produced Contingency Tables to determine how the data relates in terms of certain groups, i.e., to observe the frequency of the dependent variable on another categorical variable. Working with the Contingency Tables allowed us to obtain percentages according to the effects of the impact of the library in various groups of students and study the relationship between them. This study also used some statistical data that show the impact of the library within the institution, such as: performance indicators relating to the use of the library - number of visits per capita and number of loans per capita. These assessment impact studies in libraries provide useful data for the top management, to develop new projects, thus maximizing the impact and performance of these services of higher education institutions.

Integração e recuperação paisagística em pedreiras

Esta dissertação, elaborada no âmbito da obtenção do grau de mestre em Arquitetura Paisagista, tem como tema a “Integração e Recuperação Paisagística em Pedreiras”, a qual foi desenvolvida com base no trabalho de investigação desenvolvido, enquanto colaborador no Centro Tecnológico da Pedra Natural de Portugal (CEVALOR) localizado em Borba, desde o ano 2000, até à atualidade. A recuperação de pedreiras pode ser caracterizada, como um processo de intervenção local, inserido no âmbito da gestão visual, da conservação e de valorização da paisagem. Para realizar o processo de recuperação, não só é necessário o correto enquadramento legal, como entender o contexto paisagístico, que permite avaliar os impactes visuais potenciais e propor medidas de mitigação adequadas. O conteúdo metodológico desta dissertação apresenta a análise, interpretação e caracterização estrutural da paisagem assim como da avaliação do impacte visual, assim como as opções de recuperação com vista à sua integração das pedreiras na paisagem; Abstract: Integration and landscape reclamation in quarries This dissertation concerning the theme “landscape integration and rehabilitation of quarries” aims to obtain the master degree in landscape architecture, as the result of my research as a collaborator at CEVALOR since the year of 2000. The integration and rehabilitation of quarries can be described has a process of local intervention within the fields of visual management, conservation and amelioration of the landscape. In order to accomplish the rehabilitation process, not only is necessary to consider all legal obligations but understand the landscape context, through the analysis of the visual quality and the assessment of the visual impacts in order to propose the most adequate mitigation measures. This dissertation presents a methodological approach that describes the process of landscape analysis, landscape visual impact assessment and the feasible rehabilitation options regarding the visual integration of quarries in the landscape.

Evaluating social and environmental impacts at Embrapa.

A strategic planning process has been implemented at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Agency (Embrapa) to introduce sustainable development objectives in all steps of agricultural Research and Development. An essential component of the institutional mission statement hence devised has called for the systematic assessment of social and environmental impacts (in addition to the traditionally studied economic ones) of all technology innovations resulting from R&D. The proposed approach emphasizes the interest of promoting close interaction between R&D teams and technology-adopting producers, under actual field contexts, in order to improve both the technology development and the demand probing processes. Given the multiplicity of technological applications ensuing from Embrapa?s very broad research encompassment, and the variety of environmental and productive contexts involved, a customized impact assessment system has been proposed. Directed at the appraisal of agricultural technology development research projects (ex-ante) as well as their ensuing innovations (ex-post), the Ambitec-Agro System comprises a set of integrated socio-environmental indicators, constructed in modules suited to Agricultural, Animal husbandry, and Agro-industrial activities, besides a specific module for Social Impact Assessment. The system has been routinely applied in technology appraisal in all of Embrapa?s Units, as a basis for their institutional performance evaluations, and toward the formulation of the annual Social Balance Report. Following the inception of this institutional technology appraisal initiative, several methodological innovations have been proposed within Embrapa, including technical improvements and applicability adaptations of the Ambitec-Agro system, and approaches to further-reaching objectives, such as the sustainable development of rural communities, and the environmental management of agricultural activities.

Impacto da agricultura intensiva de cana-de-açúcar sobre as propriedades do solo e da água subterrânea - estudo de caso em Ribeirão Preto - SP.

A agricultura brasileira tem se destacado, entre as demais, pelo uso indiscriminado de insumos, contribuindo sistematicamente para o desequilíbrio do agroecossistema. Nas áreas de cultivo intensivo, particularmente naquelas com a monocultura de cana-de-açúcar, e intensa a utilização de maquinas e agroquímicos que intervêm de maneira quantitativa e qualitativa nos meios biótico, físico e químico do agroecossistema. A avaliação do efeitos provocados pelas atividades agrícolas no próprio meio (fatores intrínsecos) e no meio externo (fatores extrínsecos) requer a aplicação de metodologia que estabeleça uma relação casual entre a ação "potencialmente poluidora" e a degradação efetivamente verificada. Nesse contexto, adotou-se uma microbacia de uso agrícola intensivo na região de Ribeirão Preto - SP, onde há facilidade de compatibilização das variáveis dentro do sistema, condição que permite a compreensão das interações dos elementos entre si e com o todo, servindo de modelo para estudo de áreas análogas. A região de Ribeirão Preto e abastecida com água proveniente de mananciais subterrâneos vulneráveis, como é o caso do aquífero Botucatu. Em decorrência desse fato, tornam-se relevantes os aspectos relacionados à qualidade da água dos lençóis subterrâneos e as práticas agrícolas adotadas na região. Um diagnóstico socioeconômico se constitui em ferramenta importante na caracterização dos sistema de produção em uso na área, podendo orientar as demais atividades de pesquisa, estabelecendo-se épocas de coletas de água e solo para analise. O presente trabalho pretende desenvolver metodologia de avaliação de impacto ambiental em microbacias, aplicando o conhecimento da realidade, e propor a adoção de medidas mitigadoras ou preventivas de contaminação e ainda a orientação de políticas públicas para o setor.

Urban expansion and tha environmental problem: a landscape approach in Rio de Janeiro City, Brazil.

2008

Supporting land use change modelling with automated monitoring of land use dynamics in the La Plata River Basin.

2008

Territorial planning of Juquiá municipality (State of São Paulo, Brazil), using an integrated analysis of the land cover and slope.

2008

Soil carbon stock and origin in tropical soil under sugar cane management afther deforestation.

2008

Land quality monitoring systems that integrate local and technical knowledge contribute to sustainability valuation in agricultural landscapes.

2008

Sensor TTC - the La Plata River basin application: policy cases, main land use change drivers and case studies.

2008

Security and privacy of resource constrained devices

The thesis aims to present a comprehensive and holistic overview on cybersecurity and privacy & data protection aspects related to IoT resource-constrained devices. Chapter 1 introduces the current technical landscape by providing a working definition and architecture taxonomy of ‘Internet of Things’ and ‘resource-constrained devices’, coupled with a threat landscape where each specific attack is linked to a layer of the taxonomy. Chapter 2 lays down the theoretical foundations for an interdisciplinary approach and a unified, holistic vision of cybersecurity, safety and privacy justified by the ‘IoT revolution’ through the so-called infraethical perspective. Chapter 3 investigates whether and to what extent the fast-evolving European cybersecurity regulatory framework addresses the security challenges brought about by the IoT by allocating legal responsibilities to the right parties. Chapters 4 and 5 focus, on the other hand, on ‘privacy’ understood by proxy as to include EU data protection. In particular, Chapter 4 addresses three legal challenges brought about by the ubiquitous IoT data and metadata processing to EU privacy and data protection legal frameworks i.e., the ePrivacy Directive and the GDPR. Chapter 5 casts light on the risk management tool enshrined in EU data protection law, that is, Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) and proposes an original DPIA methodology for connected devices, building on the CNIL (French data protection authority) model.

Impact performance prediction of injection-molded talc-filled polypropylene through thermomechanical environment assessment

Due to the fact that different injection molding conditions tailor the mechanical response of the thermoplastic material, such effect must be considered earlier in the product development process. The existing approaches implemented in different commercial software solutions are very limited in their capabilities to estimate the influence of processing conditions on the mechanical properties. Thus, the accuracy of predictive simulations could be improved. In this study, we demonstrate how to establish straightforward processing-impact property relationships of talc-filled injection-molded polypropylene disc-shaped parts by assessing the thermomechanical environment (TME). To investigate the relationship between impact properties and the key operative variables (flow rate, melt and mold temperature, and holding pressure), the design of experiments approach was applied to systematically vary the TME of molded samples. The TME is characterized on computer flow simulation outputsanddefined bytwo thermomechanical indices (TMI): the cooling index (CI; associated to the core features) and the thermo-stress index (TSI; related to the skin features). The TMI methodology coupled to an integrated simulation program has been developed as a tool to predict the impact response. The dynamic impact properties (peak force, peak energy, and puncture energy) were evaluated using instrumented falling weight impact tests and were all found to be similarly affected by the imposed TME. The most important molding parameters affecting the impact properties were found to be the processing temperatures (melt andmold). CI revealed greater importance for the impact response than TSI. The developed integrative tool provided truthful predictions for the envisaged impact properties.