Nitrogen (N) : from science to society. A science communication project

O Azoto (N): da ciência para a sociedade é um projecto de comunicação de ciência que tem por objecNvo consciencializar os jovens para as ameaças que o azoto (N) em excesso traz para a humanidade. Pode ser dividido em duas partes. Uma, de invesNgação, sobre a análise de resultados de uma consulta pública realizada entre professores, usando o método qualitaNvo do focus group, para compreender a sua sensibilidade e propostas de solução para minimizar o excesso de N no ambiente. Os resultados obNdos foram instrumentais para o desenvolvimento da segunda parte. Esta segunda parte é uma proposta de projecto a submeter ao Horizon 2020, no âm-­‐ bito da “Science with and for Society “. Nela se propõe uma abordagem educaNva trans-­‐disciplinar, conseguida através da interacção entre docentes do secundário, e do ensino superior, associação de pais e organizações cívicas não governamentais, com vista à consciencialização dos jovens para as ameaças do N em excesso no meio ambiente, fazendo o enquadramento cien@fico e fornecendo abordagens tecnológi-­‐ cas. A inovação desta proposta baseia-­‐se: (i) no acompanhamento e desenvolvimen-­‐ to profissional dos docentes do secundário, (ii) na moNvação dos estudantes a de-­‐ senvolver o seu próprio estudo e pesquisa com a tutoria dos docentes, da escola e do ensino superior, e (iii) no desenvolvimento de capacidades de comunicação dos jo-­‐ vens para exercer uma cidadania acNva em prol da minimização das ameaças do N.

Gas gap heat switch for CryoFree project

Cryogen-free superconducting magnet systems have become popular during the last two decades for the simple reason that with the use of liquid helium is rather cumbersome and is a scarce resource. Some available CFMS uses a mechanical cryocooler as cold source of the superconductor magnet. However, the cooling of the sample holder is still made through an open circuit of helium. A thermal management of a completely cryogen-free system is possible to be implemented by using a controlled gas gap heat switch (GGHS) between the cryocooler and the variable temperature insert (VTI). This way it would eliminate the helium open circuit. Heat switches are devices that allow to toggle between two distinct thermal states (ON and OFF state). Several cryogenic applications need good thermal contact and a good thermal insulation at different stages of operation. A versatile GGHS was designed and built with a 100 mm gap and tested with helium as exchange gas. An analytic thermal model was developed and a good agreement with the experimental data was obtained. The device was tested on a crycooler at 4 to 80 K ranges. A 285 mW/K thermal conductance was measured at ON state and 0.09 mW/K at OFF. 3000 ON/OFF thermal conductance ratio was obtained at 4 K with helium.

Standardization of project management processes

Software development is a discipline that is almost as old as the history of computers. With the advent of the Internet and all of its related technologies, software development has been on high demand. But, and especially in SME (small and medium enterprise), this was not accompanied with a comparable effort to develop a set of sustainable and standardized activities of project management, which lead to increasing inefficiencies and costs. Given the actual economic situation, it makes sense to engage in an effort to reduce said inefficiencies and rising costs. For that end, this work will analyze the current state of software development’s project management processes on a Portuguese SME, along with its problems and inefficiencies in an effort to create a standardized model to manage software development, with special attention given to critical success factors in an agile software development environment, while using the best practices in process modeling. This work also aims to create guidelines to correctly integrate these changes in the existing IS structure of a company.

Predicting the impacts of climate change on the distribution and conservation of endemic forest land snails of Madeira Island

Climate change is emerging as one of the major threats to natural communities of the world’s ecosystems; and biodiversity hotspots, such as Madeira Island, might face a challenging future in the conservation of endangered land snails’ species. With this thesis, progresses have been made in order to properly understand the impact of climate on these vulnerable taxa; and species distribution models coupled with GIS and climate change scenarios have become crucial to understand the relations between species distribution and environmental conditions, identifying threats and determining biodiversity vulnerability. With the use of MaxEnt, important changes in the species suitable areas were obtained. Laurel forest species, highly dependent on precipitation and relative humidity, may face major losses on their future suitable areas, leading to the possible extinction of several endangered species, such as Leiostyla heterodon. Despite the complexity of the biological systems, the intrinsic uncertainty of species distribution models and the lack of information about land snails’ functional traits, this analysis contributed to a pioneer study on the impacts of climate change on endemic species of Madeira Island. The future inclusion of predictions of the effect of climate change on species distribution as part of IUCN assessments could contribute to species prioritizing, promoting specific management actions and maximizing conservation investment.

Res Publica: Citizenship and Political Representation in Portugal, 1820-1926

The term res publica (literally “thing of the people”) was coined by the Romans to translate the Greek word politeia, which, as we know, referred to a political community organised in accordance with certain principles, amongst which the notion of the “good life” (as against exclusively private interests) was paramount. This ideal also came to be known as political virtue. To achieve it, it was necessary to combine the best of each “constitutional” type and avoid their worst aspects (tyranny, oligarchy and ochlocracy). Hence, the term acquired from the Greeks a sense of being a “mixed” and “balanced” system. Anyone that was entitled to citizenship could participate in the governance of the “public thing”. This implied the institutionalization of open debate and confrontation between interested parties as a way of achieving the consensus necessary to ensure that man the political animal, who fought with words and reason, prevailed over his “natural” counterpart. These premises lie at the heart of the project which is now being presented under the title of Res Publica: Citizenship and Political Representation in Portugal, 1820-1926. The fact that it is integrated into the centenary commemorations of the establishment of the Republic in Portugal is significant, as it was the idea of revolution – with its promise of rupture and change – that inspired it. However, it has also sought to explore events that could be considered the precursor of democratization in the history of Portugal, namely the vintista, setembrista and patuleia revolutions. It is true that the republican regime was opposed to the monarchic. However, although the thesis that monarchy would inevitably lead to tyranny had held sway for centuries, it had also been long believed that the monarchic system could be as “politically virtuous” as a republic (in the strict sense of the word) provided that power was not concentrated in the hands of a single individual. Moreover, various historical experiments had shown that republics could also degenerate into Caesarism and different kinds of despotism. Thus, when absolutism began to be overturned in continental Europe in the name of the natural rights of man and the new social pact theories, initiating the difficult process of (written) constitutionalization, the monarchic principle began to be qualified as a “monarchy hedged by republican institutions”, a situation in which not even the king was exempt from isonomy. This context justifies the time frame chosen here, as it captures the various changes and continuities that run through it. Having rejected the imperative mandate and the reinstatement of the model of corporative representation (which did not mean that, in new contexts, this might not be revived, or that the second chamber established by the Constitutional Charter of 1826 might not be given another lease of life), a new power base was convened: national sovereignty, a precept that would be shared by the monarchic constitutions of 1822 and 1838, and by the republican one of 1911. This followed the French example (manifested in the monarchic constitution of 1791 and in the Spanish constitution of 1812), as not even republicans entertained a tradition of republicanism based upon popular sovereignty. This enables us to better understand the rejection of direct democracy and universal suffrage, and also the long incapacitation (concerning voting and standing for office) of the vast body of “passive” citizens, justified by “enlightened”, property- and gender-based criteria. Although the republicans had promised in the propaganda phase to alter this situation, they ultimately failed to do so. Indeed, throughout the whole period under analysis, the realisation of the potential of national sovereignty was mediated above all by the individual citizen through his choice of representatives. However, this representation was indirect and took place at national level, in the hope that action would be motivated not by particular local interests but by the common good, as dictated by reason. This was considered the only way for the law to be virtuous, a requirement that was also manifested in the separation and balance of powers. As sovereignty was postulated as single and indivisible, so would be the nation that gave it soul and the State that embodied it. Although these characteristics were common to foreign paradigms of reference, in Portugal, the constitutionalization process also sought to nationalise the idea of Empire. Indeed, this had been the overriding purpose of the 1822 Constitution, and it persisted, even after the loss of Brazil, until decolonization. Then, the dream of a single nation stretching from the Minho to Timor finally came to an end.

Provide instructions and resources for assessment and training in earth building: the Pirate project

This publication reflects the views only of the authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

New Opportunities for Development Journalism: Enlarging the Public Sphere with ICTs

The present study examines new opportunities offered by the introduction of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to enhance the development journalism practice, in order to enlarge the public sphere and empower ordinary people to participate more actively in public debate on issues affecting their development. The analysis of the achievements and challenges faced by 32 radio stations under the UNESCO project “Empowering Local Radios with ICTs” offers an overview of the introduction of ICTs in different contexts, within and among seven countries in Sub- Saharan Africa. Even though the lack of ICTs access and knowledge is still a concern in the developing world, especially in rural areas, these new tools can be adapted to each context and foster a more pluralistic and participative media in order to address people’s needs and promote social change.

O contributo da farmácia comunitária no envelhecimento ativo

RESUMO: A população mundial está a envelhecer de forma sustentada. O setor das farmácias em Portugal está a passar por um conjunto de alterações que conduzirá a uma ação mais interventiva ao nível da prestação de cuidados de saúde. Deste modo delineou-se um estudo descritivo, transversal e exploratório sem intervenção, de carácter qualitativo e quantitativo que compara diferentes grupos etários com o objectivo de compreender melhor o papel do farmacêutico no âmbito do envelhecimento das populações. Pretendemos assim optimizar práticas e serviços que podem ser realizados nas farmácias e alertar os utentes, para gerir melhor a sua condição de saúde, sensibilizando-os para o próprio processo de envelhecimento. Como principais resultados destacamos o papel de intervenção crucial da farmácia, quer pela sua acessibilidade quer pela contribuição que pode ter para a condição de saúde das populações. Pela amostra estudada em 100% das farmácias são feitos despistes e controlo da hipertensão arterial e hipercolesterolemia, factores fundamentais no controlo da aterosclerose e das doenças cardiovasculares. Podemos ainda concluir que a farmácia pode ser o elemento de otimização, revisão e reconciliação das terapêuticas dos resistentes em lares e ao domicílio, junto da população 65+. Em termos das pessoas idosas, o nosso estudo indicia que, apesar da crise sócio económica dos últimos anos, continuam a tomar os medicamentos mais essenciais, o que se relaciona com a política do medicamento implementada. Este trabalho pretende também, contribuir para o desenvolvimento de uma rede de competências da farmácia ao nível do envelhecimento ativo, podendo ser uma oportunidade futura.--------------ABSTRACT: World population is getting older in a sustained way. Portuguese community pharmacies are going through a change process, leading to a higher intervention in healthcare delivery. The study designed is descriptive, transversal and exploratory, with no intervention, with a qualitative and quantitative component that compares different age groups. The purpose is to better understand pharmacists’ role in population aging. One of our main goals is to optimize practices and services with potential to be performed in pharmacies and aware patients to better manage their health, becoming more conscious of their aging process. As main results we highlight the intervention of pharmacies, not only by its accessibility but also sustained on the unique contribution pharmacies deliver in the best benefit of populations’ health condition. In the sample studied, 100% of pharmacies perform screening and vigilance of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia, essential for the control of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. We may also determine the importance of pharmacies intervention over therapeutics optimization, revision and reconciliation in nursing homes and in domicile, mostly focusing patients over 65. In what concerns to elderly population our study indicates that, despite social and economic crises of recent years, the elderly keeps taking its essential medicines, which is related with medicines politics implemented at the present moment. This project intends to pay a relevant contribution to the development of a group of core competencies in pharmacies, related to the promotion of an active and healthy aging process, which represents an important future opportunity for Portuguese Pharmacies.

Real-time collaborative editing of OutSystems DSL models

Real-time collaborative editing systems are common nowadays, and their advantages are widely recognized. Examples of such systems include Google Docs, ShareLaTeX, among others. This thesis aims to adopt this paradigm in a software development environment. The OutSystems visual language lends itself very appropriate to this kind of collaboration, since the visual code enables a natural flow of knowledge between developers regarding the developed code. Furthermore, communication and coordination are simplified. This proposal explores the field of collaboration on a very structured and rigid model, where collaboration is made through the copy-modify-merge paradigm, in which a developer gets its own private copy from the shared repository, modifies it in isolation and later uploads his changes to be merged with modifications concurrently produced by other developers. To this end, we designed and implemented an extension to the OutSystems Platform, in order to enable real-time collaborative editing. The solution guarantees consistency among the artefacts distributed across several developers working on the same project. We believe that it is possible to achieve a much more intense collaboration over the same models with a low negative impact on the individual productivity of each developer.

eHealth e a adoção da inovação em assisted living technologies : o caso das demências

RESUMO - Assistimos hoje a um contexto marcado (i) pelo progressivo envelhecimento das sociedades ocidentais, (ii) pelo aumento da prevalência das doenças crónicas, de que as demências são um exemplo, (iii) pelo significativo aumento dos custos associados a estas patologias, (iv) por orçamentos públicos fortemente pressionadas pelo controlo da despesa, (v) por uma vida moderna que dificulta o apoio intergeracional, tornando o suporte proporcionado pelos filhos particularmente difícil, (vi) por fortes expectativas relativamente à prestação de cuidados de saúde com qualidade. Teremos assim de ser capazes de conseguir melhorar os serviços de saúde, ao mesmo tempo que recorremos a menos recursos financeiros e humanos, pelo que a inovação parece ser crítica para a sustentabilidade do sistema. Contudo a difusão das Assistive Living Technologies, apesar do seu potencial, tem sido bastante baixa, nomeadamente em Portugal. Porquê? Hamer, Plochg e Moreira (2012), no editorial do International Journal of Healthcare Management, enquadram a Inovação como “podendo ser imprevisível e mesmo dolorosa, pelo que talvez possamos não ficar surpreendidos se surgirem resistências e que, inovações bastante necessárias, capazes de melhorar os indicadores de saúde, tenham sido de adoção lenta ou que tenham mesmo sido insustentáveis”. Em Portugal não há bibliografia que procure caracterizar o modelo de difusão da inovação em eHealth ou das tecnologias de vivência assistida. A bibliografia internacional é igualmente escassa. O presente projeto de investigação, de natureza exploratória, tem como objetivo principal, identificar barreiras e oportunidades para a implementação de tecnologias eHealth, aplicadas ao campo das demências. Como objetivos secundários pretendemse identificar as oportunidades e limitações em Portugal: mapa de competências nacionais, e propor medidas que possa acelerar a inovação em ALT, no contexto nacional. O projeto seguirá o modelo de um estudo qualitativo. Para o efeito foram conduzidas entrevistas em profundidade junto de experts em ALT, procurando obter a visão daqueles que participam do lado da Oferta- a Indústria; do lado da Procura- doentes, cuidadores e profissionais de saúde; bem como dos Reguladores. O instrumento utilizado para a recolha da informação pretendida foi o questionário não estruturado. A análise e interpretação da informação recolhida foram feitas através da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo. Os resultados da Análise de Conteúdo efetuada permitiram expressar a dicotomia barreira/oportunidade, nas seguintes categorias aqui descritas como contextos (i) Contexto Tecnológico, nas subcategorias de Acesso às Infraestruturas; Custo da Tecnologia; Interoperabilidade, (ii) Contexto do Valor Percecionado, nas subcategorias de Utilidade; Eficiência; Divulgação, (iii) Contexto Político, compreendendo a Liderança; Organização; Regulação; Recursos, (iv) Contexto Sociocultural, incluindo nomeadamente Idade; Literacia; Capacidade Económica, (v) Contexto Individual, incluindo como subcategorias, Capacidade de Adaptação a Novas tecnologias; Motivação; Acesso a equipamentos (vi) Contexto Específico da Doença, nomeadamente o Impacto Cognitivo; Tipologia Heterogénea e a Importância do Cuidador. Foi proposto um modelo exploratório, designado de Modelo de Contextos e Forças, que estudos subsequentes poderão validar. Neste modelo o Contexto Tecnológico é um Força Básica ou Fundamental; o Contexto do Valor Percecionado, constitui-se numa Força Crítica para a adoção de inovação, que assenta na sua capacidade para oferecer valor aos diversos stakeholders da cadeia de cuidados. Temos também o Contexto Político, com capacidade de modelar a adoção da inovação e nomeadamente com capacidade para o acelerar, se dele emitir um sinal de urgência para a mudança. O Contexto Sociocultural e Individual expressam uma Força Intrínseca, dado que elas são características internas, próprias e imutáveis no curto-prazo, das sociedade e das pessoas. Por fim há que considerar o Contexto Específico da Doença, nesta caso o das demências. Das conclusões do estudo parece evidente que as condições tecnológicas estão medianamente satisfeitas em Portugal, com evidentes progressos nos últimos anos (exceção para a interoperabilidade aonde há necessidade de maiores progressos), não constituindo portanto barreira à introdução de ALT. Aonde há necessidade de investir é nas áreas do valor percebido. Da análise feita, esta é uma área que constitui uma barreira à introdução e adoção das ALT em Portugal. A falta de perceção do valor que estas tecnologias trazem, por parte dos profissionais de saúde, doentes, cuidadores e decisores políticos, parece ser o principal entrave à sua adoção. São recomendadas estratégias de modelos colaborativos de Investigação e Desenvolvimento e de abordagens de cocriação com a contribuição de todos os intervenientes na cadeia de cuidados. Há também um papel que cabe ao estado no âmbito das prioridades e da mobilização de recursos, sendo-lhe requerida a expressão do sentido de urgência para que esta mudança aconteça. Foram também identificadas oportunidades em diversas áreas, como na prevenção, no diagnóstico, na compliance medicamentosa, na terapêutica, na monitorização, no apoio à vida diária e na integração social. O que é necessário é que as soluções encontradas constituam respostas àquilo que são as verdadeiras necessidades dos intervenientes e não uma imposição tecnológica que só por si nada resolve. Do estudo resultou também a perceção de que há que (i) continuar a trabalhar no sentido de aproximar a comunidade científica, da clínica e do doente, (ii) fomentar a colaboração entre centros, com vista à criação de escala a nível global. Essa colaboração já parece acontecer a nível empresarial, tendo sido identificadas empresas Portuguesas com vocação global. A qualidade individual das instituições de ensino, dos centros de investigação, das empresas, permite criar as condições para que Portugal possa ser país um piloto e um case-study internacional em ALT, desde que para tal pudéssemos contar com um trabalho colaborativo entre instituições e com decisões políticas arrojadas.

Groundwater quality, vulnerability and potential assessment in Kobo Valley development project, Ethiopia

This study deals with investigating the groundwater quality for irrigation purpose, the vulnerability of the aquifer system to pollution and also the aquifer potential for sustainable water resources development in Kobo Valley development project. The groundwater quality is evaluated up on predicting the best possible distribution of hydrogeochemicals using geostatistical method and comparing them with the water quality guidelines given for the purpose of irrigation. The hydro geochemical parameters considered are SAR, EC, TDS, Cl-, Na+, Ca++, SO4 2- and HCO3 -. The spatial variability map reveals that these parameters falls under safe, moderate and severe or increasing problems. In order to present it clearly, the aggregated Water Quality Index (WQI) map is constructed using Weighted Arithmetic Mean method. It is found that Kobo-Gerbi sub basin is suffered from bad water quality for the irrigation purpose. Waja Golesha sub-basin has moderate and Hormat Golena is the better sub basin in terms of water quality. The groundwater vulnerability assessment of the study area is made using the GOD rating system. It is found that the whole area is experiencing moderate to high risk of vulnerability and it is a good warning for proper management of the resource. The high risks of vulnerability are noticed in Hormat Golena and Waja Golesha sub basins. The aquifer potential of the study area is obtained using weighted overlay analysis and 73.3% of the total area is a good site for future water well development. The rest 26.7% of the area is not considered as a good site for spotting groundwater wells. Most of this area fall under Kobo-Gerbi sub basin.

Continuous improvement logidtics project: A study on the increase of the finished goods warehouse of Unilever at Sta. Iria

This project is called Improvement Logistics Project and aims to study an opportunity of expansion of the output in 80% of the Unilever warehouse at Sta. Iria via an increase in exportations for the next two years. This has been done using the Distibuidora Luís Simões tariff rates as basis of comparison for the as-is and to-be situations. For this matter, an allocation of all the costs of the warehouse is prepared and described with the goal of comparing the differences with and without expansion. The results show that a better outcome is achieved with the investment, but the warehouse is yet to prove its efficiency against the distribution company.

Strategic account management: the path to gain customer loyalty

The account management field works closely with the sales team, serving as the customer’s primary point of contact. This project’s purpose was to understand if shifting the account management from brand centric to customer centric, would be the best fit for a Portuguese Pharmaceutical company. This customer centric approach - Strategic Account Management (SAM) - was studied, understanding the implicated trade-offs to the company. The workforce was probed about the project and their comments were analyzed. The conclusion points to an implementation of SAM and proposes the adaptations to follow in order to smooth the change.

Cost-to-serve customers’ optimization: Macro project Unilever – Jerónimo Martins

The objective of this work project is to analyse and discuss the importance of the “Cost to Serve” as a differentiation key factor, by accessing cost to serve customers of a Portuguese subsidiary of a multinational company, which is operating in the sector of fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) – Unilever – Jerónimo Martins (UJM). I will also suggest and quantify key proposals to decrease costs and increase customers’ value. Hence, the scope of this work project is focused on logistics and distribution processes of the company supply chain.

O contrato de Project Finance

Currently, Angola portrays a notorious economic growth and due to recent innovative legislations, it has become the major investment attracting pole, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, having, thus, an extraordinary potentiality for a rapid and sustainable development, likely to place her in outstanding positions in the world economic ranking. Yet, such economic growth entails demanding levels of intensive investment in infrastructure, what has been reported of the Angolan Government to be unable to respond to, save if recurring to very high index of external debt, poisoning, in this way, the future budgeting of the country. Due to these infrastructure investment shortages, the cost of production remains highly onerous and the cost of life extremely unaffordable. On this account, the current study disserts about the contract of Project Finance; an alternative finance resource given as a viable solution for the private financing of infrastructure, aiming to demonstrate that such contractual figure, likewise the experience of several emerging economies and others, is a contract bid framework to take into account in today’s world. It refers to a financing technique – through which the Government may satisfy a common need (for example, the construction of a public domain or public servicing), without having to pay neither offer any collateral – based on a complex legal-financial engineering, arranged throughout a coalition of typical and atypical agreements, whereby it is mandatory to look back at the basic concepts of corporate law. More than just a simple financial study, the dissertation at stake analyses the nature and legal framework of Project Finance, which is a legally atypical and innominate contract, concluding that there is a relevant need for regulating and devoting a special legal regime in the Angolan jurisdiction for this promising legal form in the contemporary corporate finance world.