Which soft lens power is better for piggyback in keratoconus? Part II

Purpose: To evaluate how soft lens power affects rigid gas-permeable (RGP) lens power and visual acuity (VA) in piggyback fittings for keratoconus. Methods: Sixteen keratoconus subjects (30 eyes) were included in the study. Piggyback contact lens fittings combining Senofilcon-A soft lenses of −6.00, −3.00, +3.00 and +6.00 D with Rose K2 RGP contact lenses were performed. Corneal topography was taken on the naked eye and over each soft contact lens before fitting RGP lenses. Mean central keratometry, over-refraction, RGP back optic zone radius (BOZR) and estimated final power as well as VA were recorded and analyzed. Results: In comparison to the naked eye, the mean central keratometry flattened with both negative lens powers (p < 0.05 in all cases), did not change with the +3.00 soft lens power (p = 1.0); and steepened with the +6.00 soft lens power (p = 0.02). Rigid gas-permeable over-refraction did not change significantly between different soft lens powers (all p > 0.05). RGP’s BOZR decreased significantly with both positive in comparison with both negative soft lens powers (all p < 0.001), but no significant differences were found among negative- or positive-powers separately (both p > 0.05). Estimated RGP’s final power increased significantly with positive in comparison with negative lens powers (all p < 0.001), but no significant differences were found among negative or positive lens powers separately (both p > 0.05). Visual acuity did not change significantly between the different soft lens powers assessed (all p > 0.05). Conclusion: The use of negative-powered soft lenses in piggyback fitting reduces RGP lens power without impacting VA in keratoconus subjects.

Development of a methodology to incorporate risk and uncertainty in electricity power planning

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial

Development of a thermoelectric generator for the exhaust of a vehicle

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Mecânica

Repository power: how repositories can support Open Access mandates

Many funding agencies have Open Access mandates in place, but how often are scientific publications as outputs linked to funding details? The benefits of linking funding information to publications as part of the deposit workflow can assist in adhering to Open Access mandates. This paper examines how OpenAIRE – Open Access Infrastructure for Research in Europe – can ease monitoring Open Access and reporting processes for funders, and presents some results and opportunities. It also outlines how it relies on cleaned and curated repository content, a vital cog in the ever turning wheel of the global scholarly landscape, and the benefits it brings.

Importance of contact lens power and thickness in oxygen transmissibility

PURPOSE: The aim of this work was to study the central and peripheral thickness of several contact lenses (CL) with different powers and analyze how thickness variation affects CL oxygen transmissibility. METHODS: Four daily disposable and five monthly or biweekly CL were studied. The powers of each CL were: the maximum negative power of each brand; -6.00 D; -3.00 D; zero power (-0.25 D or -0.50 D), +3.00 D and +6.00 D. Central and peripheral thicknesses were measured with an electronic thickness gauge. Each lens was measured five times (central and 3mm paracentral) and the mean value was considered. Using the values of oxygen permeability given by the manufacturers and the measured thicknesses, the variation of oxygen transmissibility with lens power was determined. RESULTS: For monthly or biweekly lenses, central thickness changed between 0.061 ± 0.002 mm and 0.243 ± 0.002 mm, and peripheral thickness varied between 0.084 ± 0.002 mm and 0.231 ± 0.015 mm. Daily disposable lenses showed central values ranging between 0.056 ± 0.0016 mm and 0.205 ± 0.002 mm and peripheral values between 0.108 ± 0.05 and 0.232 ± 0.011 mm. Oxygen transmissibility (in units) of monthly or biweekly CL ranged between 39.4 ± 0.3 and 246.0 ± 14.4 and for daily disposable lenses the values range between 9.5 ± 0.5 and 178.1 ± 5.1. CONCLUSIONS: The central and peripheral thicknesses change significantly when considering the CL power and this has a significant impact on the oxygen transmissibility. Eyecare practitioners must have this fact in account when high power plus or minus lenses are fitted or when continuous wear is considered.

Quantifying, generating and mitigating radio interference in Low-Power Wireless Networks

Doctoral Programme in Telecommunication - MAP-tele

Modelação, simulação e implementação de agitação acústica para aplicações em microfluídica

Tese de Doutoramento (Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Biomédica)

Listening to the public: enacting power : citizen access, Standing and influence in public participation discourses

Public participation in environmental governance is typically associated with citizen access to power despite many closures and limitations having been identified in participatory processes. This article proposes an analytical framework to analyse discursive practices involved in public consultation processes. Critical Discourse Analysis is used to examine and appraise citizens’ access, standing and influence. We apply that framework to a ‘notice and comment’ process on a hydroelectric power plan in Portugal and show that it was discursively managed to justify the decision of constructing 10 large dams and to reject critical or alternative views. Citizens’ access, standing and influence were constrained through diverse discursive practices which (re)produced very unequal power relationsbetween policy proponents and participating individuals. More generally, the article illustrates the potential of Critical Discourse Analysis to assess voice(s) in policy processes. Focusing on argumentative, interactional and rhetorical levels, and how they are interwoven in public consultation discourses, the proposed framework is conceivably applicable in other studies.

O planeamento civil de emergência no novo paradigma da segurança

Dissertação de Mestrado em Estratégia

El impacto de las normas y de la ideología sobre el procesamiento emocional, motivacional y cognitivo del comportamiento político de las elites de poder y la ciudadanía de Córdoba. Norms and ideologies impact on the emotional, motivational and cognitive processesing of power elite and citizen political behavior in Cordoba.

El presente estudio pretende arribar a la construcción de un modelo explicativo del comportamiento político a partir de la contribución que los marcos sociales (norma sociales, normas de ciudadanía, ideología, confianza política) y sociocognitivos (inteligencia afectiva, interés político, eficacia política, conocimiento político, sentimiento de comunidad) mostraron, en términos de relaciones entre las variables, sobre el mismo. Nuestra atención se centra no sólo al comportamiento político de la ciudadanía -que es donde se desarrollaron la mayor parte de los estudios-, sino a las elites de poder constitutivas del sistema político (jueces, legisladores provinciales y representantes de instituciones del gobierno y de organismos no gubernamentales). Asimismo, pretende establecer las diferencias que puedan evidenciarse en torno a la relación de estas variables con el comportamiento político entre los distintos colectivos estudiados en el ámbito de la ciudad de Córdoba. Para ello se realizara una primera etapa de estudio instrumental, con el objeto de analizar las propiedades psicométricas de los instrumentos a utilizar en la operacionalización de las variables. Para ello se tomara una muestra accidental de 250 personas entre 18 y 65 años de edad. Posteriormente, se realizarán dos etapas de estudio ex post facto, con la finalidad de construir los modelos planteados. En la primera de ellas, se trabajará con una muestra accidental de 100 representantes de los grupos de poder estudiados y en la segunda con una muestra probabilística de 500 ciudadanos cordobeses entre 18 y 65 años de edad.

Analisis De Mercados De Energía Eléctrica Competitivos Con Participación De Energía Eólica. Competitive Electricity Markets Analisis with Wind Power Generation.

La utilización de energía eólica es un hecho cada vez más común en nuestro mundo como respuesta a mitigar el creciente aumento de demanda de energía, los aumentos constantes de precio, la escasez de combustibles fósiles y los impactos del cambio climático, los que son cada día más evidentes.Consecuentemente, el interés por la participación de esta nueva forma de generación de energía en sistema eléctrico de potencia ha aumentado considerablemente en los últimos años. La incorporación de generación de origen eólico en el sistema eléctrico de potencia requiere de un análisis detallado del sistema eléctrico en su conjunto, considerando la interacción entre parques y unidades de generación eólica, plantas de generación convencional y el sistema eléctrico de potencia. La integración de generación de origen renovable en el sistema eléctrico de potencia convencional presenta nuevos desafíos los que pueden ser atribuidos a características propias de este tipo de generación, por ejemplo la fluctuación de energía debido a la naturaleza variable del viento, la naturaleza distribuida de la generación eólica y las características constructivas y método de conexión de los distintos modelos de turbinas eólicas al sistema.La finalidad de este proyecto de investigación consiste en investigar el impacto sobre un mercado de sistema eléctrico competitivo causado por el agregado de generación de origen eolico. Como punto de partida se pretende realizar modelos de plantas de generacion eolica para luego incorporarlos a los modelos de sistemas eléctricos y realizar estudios de de despacho económico, flujo de cargas, análisis transitorio y estudios dinámicos del sistema.

Fisiología de la Transferencia Pasiva de Inmunidad en Equinos. Physiology of the Transfer of Passive Immunity in Equine.

El reconocimiento temprano de anormalidades en la transferencia pasiva de inmunidad en equinos es importante para un manejo satisfactorio de los potrillos. La placenta de la yegua, epiteliocorial, no permite el pasaje de inmunoglobulinas.(Igs). La ingesta de calostro es vital ya que provee las Igs necesarias para alcanzar una concentración sérica de IgG mayor a 800 mg por ciento. Se considerara falla parcial con niveles de IgG entre 400 y 800 mgpor ciento; y total con niveles menores a 400 mg por ciento. La absorción de las Igs es máxima hasta 8 hs después del nacimiento y disminuye hasta hacerse nula a las 24 hs posparto. Los objetivos son: a) estudiar la cinética de la transferencia pasiva de Igs determinando la concentración de IgG sérica en potrillos en el primer trimestre de vida. b) relacionar la concentración de IgG del suero y calostro de la yegua con la concentración sérica de IgG en el potrillo. c) Relacionar en calostro la concentración de inmunoglobulina G con la densidad específica y la determinación semicuantitativa de inmunoglobulina G. d) Relacionar en el suero del potrillo a las 18 - 24 hs posparto la concentración de inmunoglobulina G con la densidad específica y la determinación semicuantitativa de inmunoglobulina G. Material y método: Diseño de estudio: de cohorte, observacional, descriptivo. Animales: 70 yeguas y 70 potrillos de raza Puro Polo. Calostros: 70 muestras Toma de muestras: Yeguas: se tomará una muestra de sangre en el periparto y una muestra de calostro posparto, antes del calostrado del potrillo. Potrillos: se tomarán muestras de sangre seriadas: al nacimiento (precalostrado), 6 hs posparto, 12 hs, 18 hs y 24 hs posparto y a los 21, 60 y 90 días posparto. Determinación de IgG (Suero y calostro): a) Técnica de inmunodifusión radial simple, los resultados se expresará en mg por ciento, en muestras seriadas en intervalos de tiempo preestablecidos. b)Refractometría (con refractómetro Modelo RHC-200/ATC- Arcano). c) Test de gluteralehído, Inmuno -G test. Análisis estadístico: Comparaciones de medias con prueba t apareada o de diferencia de medias, Se considera p significativa < 0,05. Se realizará un análisis de componentes principales. Se correlacionará la concentración de Ig G de suero y calostro de la yegua con la concentración en suero de potrillo. Con los resultados de este trabajo se determinarán los valores de inmunoglobulina en las yeguas y potrillos y su comportamiento en el tiempo, y se validará la sensibilidad y especificidad de las técnicas diagnósticas utilizadas. Los resultados permitirán obtener conocimientos para un manejo racional, desde la perspectiva inmunológica, de los potrillos, al establecer mediante técnicas cuantitativas y semicuantitativas los niveles de Igs séricos alcanzados, favoreciendo un diagnóstico precoz de inmunodeficiencia por fracaso de la transferencia de anticuerpos que pondría en riesgo la vida del potrillo.

Coordinación socio-política. Redes de influencia y estructuras de poder en CórdobaSocio-political coordination. Influence Networks and power structures in Córdoba.

Los mecanismos de producción y reproducción de la influencia política es una importante área de estudio de la ciencia política en las últimas décadas. En la misma se han disputado diferentes teorías, desde las que plantean la influencia predominante de grupos de poder y sectores corporativos tanto en las decisiones del estado como en las no decisiones, hasta los que plantean que existe la puja de diferentes intereses dentro del Estado pero que no existe ningún grupo predominante. El análisis de redes (network analysis) permite estudiar este objeto mediante la observación de la estructura de relaciones de los actores influyentes dentro de la política provincial. En esta area de estudio, este proyecto propone estudiar de qué manera se produce y reproduce la influencia política en la Provincia de Córdoba.Las hipótesis que plantea el proyecto son las siguientes: H1- La estructura del poder socio-político provincial adquiere una configuración reticular en la que existe un núcleo de actores que representan intereses tradicionales organizados y permite un escaso acceso de nuevas organizaciones que defienden intereses sociales difusos. H2- En el proceso de influencia sociopolítica provincial operan mecanismos de influencia interpersonales directos e indirectos (Brokerage) que permiten a los actores acceder e influir en los decisores públicos. H3- En el proceso de influencia socio-política interviene una diversidad de recursos de poder que los actores utilizan para influir las políticas públicas. Para esto se propone como objetivos del proyecto los siguientes: 1- Identificar y analizar la estructura de poder e influencia que subyace a la política provincial. 2- Analizar los intereses, actores y sectores incluidos y excluidos de la estructura de influencia política. 3- Analizar los mecanismos y recursos de producción y reproducción del poder y la influencia. 4- Analizar las áreas de política del estado provincial que resultan lugar de influencia de los actores y sectores que configuran la estructura de poder socio-política. 5- Analizar el sistema de decisión colectiva (policy domain) en dos áreas de política provincial. 6- Analizar los recursos que posibilitan a los actores ejercer poder e influencia en las áreas de políticas estudiadas. Para la verificación empírica de las hipótesis se realiza un diseño de investigación que incluye el mapeo y análisis de dos tipos de redes políticas diferentes, la "red de influencia en la política provincial" y la red de influencia en un "área de políticas públicas". La reconstrucción de las redes políticas se realizará mediante entrevistas semi-estructuradas a actores sociales y políticos en un muestreo no probabilístico de tipo "bola de nieve". La investigación pretende realizar un aporte a la comprensión de la coordinación política y, en tal sentido, espera alcanzar una adecuada descripción y comprensión de los procesos de influencia y de estructuración del poder en la Provincia de Córdoba.

Impact of wind power generation on the electricity supply industry

The objective of this dissertation is to investigate the effect wind energy has on the Electricity Supply Industry in Ireland. Wind power generation is a source of renewable energy that is in abundant supply in Ireland and is fast becoming a resource that Ireland is depending on as a diverse and secure of supply of energy. However, wind is an intermittent resource and coupled with a variable demand, there are integration issues with balancing demand and supply effectively. To maintain a secure supply of electricity to customers, it is necessary that wind power has an operational reserve to ensure appropriate backup for situations where there is low wind but high demand. This dissertation examines the affect of this integration by comparing wind generation to that of conventional generation in the national grid. This is done to ascertain the cost benefits of wind power generation against a scenario with no wind generation. Then, the analysis examines to see if wind power can meet the pillars of sustainability. This entails looking at wind in a practical scenario to observe how it meets these pillars under the criteria of environmental responsibility, displacement of conventional fuel, cost competitiveness and security of supply.

Transfer of radionuclides from soil to vegetation in selected Irish ecosystems

This thesis details the findings of a study relating the transfer of 238U, 228Ra (232Th), 226Ra, and 137Cs from soil to vegetation in an Atlantic blanket bog, upland blanket bog and semi-natural grassland situated along the north-west coast of Ireland. The results of this study provide information on the uptake of these radionuclides by the indigenous vegetation found present in these ecosystems. The ecosystems chosen are internationally recognizable ecosystems and provide a wide variety of vegetation species and contrasting soil physiochemical properties which allow the influence of these parameters on radionuclide uptake to be assessed. The levels of radionuclides in the soil and vegetation were measured using gamma spectrometry, alpha spectrometry and ICP-MS. The nutrient status of the vegetation and soil physiochemical properties were measured using atomic absorption, flame photometry and other analytical techniques. The results of the study indicate that the uptake of 238U and 228Ra (232Th) by vegetation from all three ecosystems was negligible as the levels in all vegetation was below the limits of detection for the methods used in this study. These results appear to indicate that the vegetation studied do not possess the ability to accumulate significant levels of these radionuclides however this assumption cannot be upheld in the case of the Atlantic blanket bog as the levels in the soil of this ecosystem were too low for detection. Similar results were obtained for 226Ra uptake in both the Atlantic blanket bog and grassland for all vegetation with the exception of H. lanatus from the grassland ecosystem. Radium-226 uptake in upland blanket bog was higher and was detectable in the majority of vegetation indigenous to this ecosystem. Transfer factor values ranged from 0.07 to 2.35 and the TF values for E. tetralix were significantly higher than all other vegetation studied. This species of heather demonstrated the ability to accumulate 226Ra to a greater extent than all other vegetation. The uptake of 226Ra by upland blanket bog vegetation appears to be significantly influenced by a range of soil physiochemical properties. The nutrient status of the vegetation, in particular the calcium content in the vegetation appears to have a negative impact on the uptake of this radionuclide. Potassium-40 was detectable in all vegetation present in the three ecosystems and the levels in the grassland soil were significantly higher than the levels in both bogland soils. Transfer factor values for Atlantic blanket bog vegetation ranged from 0.9 to 13 .8 and were significantly higher in E. vaginatum in comparison to C. vulgaris. Potassium-40 TF values for upland blanket bog vegetation on average ranged from 1.4 for C. vulgaris (stems) to 5.2 for E. vaginatum and were statistically similar for all species of vegetation. Transfer factor values for grassland vegetation ranged from 0.7 to 3.8 and were also statistically similar for all species of vegetation indicating that the transfer of 40K to vegetation within the upland bog and grassland ecosystem is not dependent on plant species. Comparisons of 40K TF values for all three ecosystems indicate that the uptake in E. vaginatum from the Atlantic blanket bog was statistically higher than all other vegetation studied. This appears to indicate that E. vaginatum has the ability to accumulate 40K, however, this species of vegetation was also present in the upland blanket and did not demonstrate the same behaviour. The uptake of 40K by vegetation from all three ecosystems was significantly affected by a range of soil physiochemical properties and in some cases the results were contradictory in nature possibly indicating that the affect of these parameters on 40K uptake is species dependent. The most obvious trend in the data was the influence of soil CEC and magnesium levels in vegetation on 40K TF values. A positive correlation was apparent between the CEC of the soil and 40K uptake in vegetation from both the Atlantic blanket bog and grassland ecosystem. A similar trend was apparent between magnesium levels in vegetation and 40K TF values for the upland blanket bog and grassland vegetation. Caesium-13 7 levels were found to be significantly higher in the two bogland soils in comparison to the grassland soil and levels of 137Cs decreased with increasing soil depth. Transfer factor values for Atlantic blanket bog vegetation ranged from 1.9 to 9.6 and TF values were significantly higher in the leaves o f C. vulgaris in comparison to all other vegetation from this ecosystem. Caesium-13 7 TF values for the upland blanket bog vegetation on average ranged from 0.29 for E. tetralix to 1.6 for C. vulgaris. Uptake by the leaves of C. vulgaris was significantly higher than all other vegetation present thereby supporting the trend found within the Atlantic blanket bog vegetation. These results appear to indicate that the leaves of C. vulgaris have the ability to accumulate significant quantities of 137Cs and also that the uptake of 137Cs by this vegetation is dependent on plant compartment as the stems of this vegetation contained significantly lower levels than the leaves in both ecosystems. The uptake of 137Cs by grassland vegetation was very low and was only detectable in a fraction of the vegetation sampled. Caesium-137 TF values for grassland vegetation were in general lower than 0.02. The impact of soil physiochemical properties and nutrient status of vegetation on 137Cs uptake by vegetation appears to be complex and in some cases contradictory. The most apparent trend in the data was the positive influence of vegetation nutrients on 137Cs uptake in particular the magnesium levels present in the vegetation and to a lesser extent the calcium levels present. The results in general indicate that the uptake of 226Ra, 40K and 137Cs by the chosen vegetation is varied and complex and is significantly dependent on the species of vegetation, soil radionuclide concentration, soil physiochemical properties and the nutrient status of the vegetation.