Cardiac involvement in human rabies: case report

A case of human rabies with cardiac involvement and viral inclusion bodies in the heart is presented. The Negri bodies were found in the Schwann cells of the right epicardial atrium, with secondary mononuclear cells inflammation. In the myocardium, an interstitial edema, proliferation of Anitschkov and rare mononuclear inflammatory cells were seen. There was no relevant cardiovascular signs or symptoms. The rarity of histological descriptions of Negri bodies in the heart is stressed, as well as the importance of cardiac involvement as a potential complication for cases with life prolonged by intensive care units, or in the end-stages of the disease.

Melhoria do processo produtivo numa metalomecânica

Este projeto foi realizado na Empresa Fernando Jesus Mourão & Cª Lda, durante o ano de 2012, e teve como objetivo a melhoria do processo produtivo. Esta melhoria assentou na identificação de possíveis pontos de desperdício, no estudo e avaliação de soluções e por fim na definição de propostas de melhoria globais que visem ajustar o fluxo do processo produtivo à procura e simultaneamente minimizar custos operacionais. De forma a atingir estas metas, foi feito um levantamento exaustivo do processo produtivo e das respetivas operações. Neste estudo, apesar do elevado numero de oportunidades de melhoria, foi possível identificar duas áreas que se revelaram criticas e fundamentais para a introdução da filosofia de melhoria continua na empresa. Estas áreas que são o objeto de estudo desta dissertação são: o corte laser e a organização do pavilhão 3. Uma vez identificados as áreas críticas, procedeu-se a uma análise e definição das ações de melhoria a empreender de modo a melhorar o fluxo produtivo e a sua organização, e simultaneamente reduzir custos. Na área de corte laser procurou-se implementar a filosofia de produção “Lean” nomeadamente através da ferramenta de análise PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act), como ferramenta auxiliar do estudo para elaborar um plano de ação, implementar as ações, analisar os resultados e procurar a manutenção dos mesmos. Na intervenção do pavilhão 3 foi usada a técnica dos 5S para organizar e agilizar o funcionamento do mesmo. Todo o trabalho assenta na filosofia Lean e nos seus princípios, tendo-se por isso utilizado as ferramentas especificas Lean na concretização das tarefas executadas no seu âmbito. Para medir os resultados, antes e depois das ações implementadas, foi utilizada o indicador de eficiência (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) para o caso do processo de corte laser. Após a implementação das medidas definidas no processo de corte laser foi possível observar uma melhoria do indicador OEE de cerca de 20 por cento. Por outro lado as melhorias implementadas através da ferramenta dos 5S no pavilhão 3, trouxe ganhos visíveis de aumento de produtividade que beneficiaram o tempo de resposta da empresa.

Speculative execution by using software transactional memory

Dissertação apresentada na Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia da Universidade Nova de Lisboa para a obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática.

Acute Hepatitis B in a patient previously positive for antibody to surface antigen (anti-HBs) determined by radioimmunoassay: case report and review of the literature

The determination of anti-HBs as a screening test before vaccination has been advisable in order to encounter immune individuals that don't need to receive vaccine protection. A case-report is presented and three other cases are reviewed from the literature. Anti-HBs was positive in these health-care personnels that developped typical acute B hepatitis. Different subtyping involving the d/y determinants were found in the first case, but false-positive anti-HBs even with high titres, determined by RIA, were found in the other cases. Concomitant determination of anti-HBc or absence of screening tests seem to be more reasonable policies until a low-cost and risk-free vaccine is produced.

Human and climatic change impact modelling on the habitat suitability for the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) – Case study: The proposed Mount Cameroon National Park

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

Integração da análise energética na gestão Industrial de uma refinaria de açúcar

Mestrado em Engenharia Química - Optimização Energética na Industria Química

On-line self-healing of circuits implemented on reconfigurable FPGAs

To boost logic density and reduce per unit power consumption SRAM-based FPGAs manufacturers adopted nanometric technologies. However, this technology is highly vulnerable to radiation-induced faults, which affect values stored in memory cells, and to manufacturing imperfections. Fault tolerant implementations, based on Triple Modular Redundancy (TMR) infrastructures, help to keep the correct operation of the circuit. However, TMR is not sufficient to guarantee the safe operation of a circuit. Other issues like module placement, the effects of multi- bit upsets (MBU) or fault accumulation, have also to be addressed. In case of a fault occurrence the correct operation of the affected module must be restored and/or the current state of the circuit coherently re-established. A solution that enables the autonomous restoration of the functional definition of the affected module, avoiding fault accumulation, re-establishing the correct circuit state in real-time, while keeping the normal operation of the circuit, is presented in this paper.

A framework for self-healing radiation-tolerant implementations on reconfigurable FPGAs

To increase the amount of logic available in SRAM-based FPGAs manufacturers are using nanometric technologies to boost logic density and reduce prices. However, nanometric scales are highly vulnerable to radiation-induced faults that affect values stored in memory cells. Since the functional definition of FPGAs relies on memory cells, they become highly prone to this type of faults. Fault tolerant implementations, based on triple modular redundancy (TMR) infrastructures, help to keep the correct operation of the circuit. However, TMR is not sufficient to guarantee the safe operation of a circuit. Other issues like the effects of multi-bit upsets (MBU) or fault accumulation, have also to be addressed. Furthermore, in case of a fault occurrence the correct operation of the affected module must be restored and the current state of the circuit coherently re-established. A solution that enables the autonomous correct restoration of the functional definition of the affected module, avoiding fault accumulation, re-establishing the correct circuit state in realtime, while keeping the normal operation of the circuit, is presented in this paper.

Extending the learning object definition to represent programming problems

The present generation of eLearning platforms values the interchange of learning objects standards. Nevertheless, for specialized domains these standards are insufficient to fully describe all the assets, especially when they are used as input for other eLearning services. To address this issue we extended an existing learning objects standard to the particular requirements of a specialized domain, namely the automatic evaluation of programming problems. The focus of this paper is the definition of programming problems as learning objects. We introduce a new schema to represent metadata related to automatic evaluation that cannot be conveniently represented using existing standards, such as: the type of automatic evaluation; the requirements of the evaluation engine; or the roles of different assets - tests cases, program solutions, etc. This new schema is being used in an interoperable repository of learning objects, called crimsonHex.

Defining programming problems as learning objects

Standards for learning objects focus primarily on content presentation. They were already extended to support automatic evaluation but it is limited to exercises with a predefined set of answers. The existing standards lack the metadata required by specialized evaluators to handle types of exercises with an indefinite set of solutions. To address this issue we extended existing learning object standards to the particular requirements of a specialized domain. We present a definition of programming problems as learning objects that is compatible both with Learning Management Systems and with systems performing automatic evaluation of programs. The proposed definition includes metadata that cannot be conveniently represented using existing standards, such as: the type of automatic evaluation; the requirements of the valuation engine; and the roles of different assets - tests cases, program solutions, etc. We present also the EduJudge project and its main services as a case study on the use of the proposed definition of programming problems as learning objects.

Protein folding, metal ions and conformational states: the case of a di-cluster ferredoxin

Dissertation presented to obtain the PhD degree in Biochemistry at the Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica, Universidade Nova de Lisboa

IVA : o regime de contabilidade de caixa e o ciclo de caixa das empresas

Mestrado em Fiscalidade

Human disease in ribeira valley, brazil caused by caraparu, a group c arbovirus - Report of a case

The clinical and laboratory data of a disease in a resident of Ribeira Valley, São Paulo State, southeastern Brazil, caused by an agent close or identical to Caraparu, a Group C arbovirus, was described. Although there is evidence of an intensive circulation of several arboviruses in the area, no diagnosis of human disease by these agents has been made, except the encephalitis cases caused by Rocio virus during an epidemic in 1975-1977. An antigenic difference between Caraparu strains isolated in São Paulo and in Pará States and a close antigenic relationship between Caraparu strain from São Paulo and Bruconha virus were suggested by the serological tests.

Comparison of internet usage habits in two generations of higher education students: a case study

Posters

A case study on the eco-efficiency performance of a composite processing industry: evaluation and quantification of potential improvements

In this study, an attempt was made in order to measure and evaluate the eco-efficiency performance of a pultruded composite processing company. For this purpose the recommendations of World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WCSD) and the directives of ISO 14301 standard were followed and applied. The main general indicators of eco-efficiency, as well as the specific indicators, were defined and determined. With basis on indicators’ figures, the value profile, the environmental profile, and the pertinent eco-efficiency ratios were established and analyzed. In order to evaluate potential improvements on company eco-performance, new indicators values and eco-efficiency ratios were estimated taking into account the implementation of new proceedings and procedures, at both upstream and downstream of the production process, namely: i) Adoption of a new heating system for pultrusion die-tool in the manufacturing process, more effective and with minor heat losses; ii) Recycling approach, with partial waste reuse of scrap material derived from manufacturing, cutting and assembly processes of GFRP profiles. These features lead to significant improvements on the sequent assessed eco-efficiency ratios of the present case study, yielding to a more sustainable product and manufacturing process of pultruded GFRP profiles.