The Entre4Future project

This paper presents some of the results already achieved in the European project titled "Simulation for Entrepreneurship - ENTRE4FUTURE". Seven organizations from six different countries participate in this project. Organizations are from two different groups. We have a group of five educational organizations from Romania (project leader), Portugal, Spain, Austria and Denmark. The second group is constituted by two affiliates of chambers of commerce of Romania and Cyprus. The purpose of ENTRE4FUTURE is the exchange of professional experience in matters relating to teaching methodologies, with the curricula of the business simulation and the methodology used in the business simulation courses as an effective method in entrepreneurship for education among young people, the use of the innovative technologies in the business simulation courses between two levels of education - high school and university. The project had its start in 2014 and the end will be in 2016. By this time some results have already been achieved, which passed through the creation of the project website, the reports of the three meetings already held, the presentation of a new curricula for the business simulation courses and a first draft of the Good Practice Guide "Simulation for entrepreneurship".

LIVER BIOPSY: IMPORTANCE OF SPECIMEN SIZE IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND STAGING OF CHRONIC VIRAL HEPATITIS

Liver biopsy is the gold standard method for the grading and staging of chronic viral hepatitis, but optimal biopsy specimen size remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality of liver specimen (number of portal tracts) and to evaluate the impact of the number of portal tracts in the staging of chronic hepatitis. Material and Methods: 468 liver biopsies from consecutive patients with hepatitis C virus and hepatitis B virus infection from 2009 to 2010 were evaluated. Results: The length of fragment was less than 10 mm in 43 cases (9.3%), between 10 and 14 mm in 114 (24.3%), and ≥ 15 mm in 311 (64.4%); of these, in 39 (8.3%) cases were ≥ 20 mm. The mean representation of portal tracts was 17.6 ± 2.1 (5-40); in specimens ≥ 15 mm the mean portal tract was 13.5 ± 4.7 and in cases ≤ 15 mm was 11.4 ± 5.0 (p = 0.002). Cases with less than 11 portal tracts were associated with F3, and cases with 11 or more portal tracts with F2 (p = 0.001). Conclusion: this study demonstrated the good quality of liver biopsy and a relationship between the macroscopic size of the fragment and the number of portal tracts.

Periplasmic nitrate reductase revisited: a sulfur atom completes the sixth coordination of the catalytic molybdenum

J Biol Inorg Chem. 2008 Jun;13(5):737-53. doi: 10.1007/s00775-008-0359-6

Lean construction in rehabilitation works – suitability analysis and contribution for the definition of an implementation model

Proceedings IGLC-19, July 2011, Lima, Perú

Analysable software language translations

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Engenharia Informática

Adaptação cultural e contributo para a validação da escala petterns of activity measura - pain (POAM-P)

RESUMO: A dor lombar crónica (DLC) é uma das condições clínicas mais comuns e com elevados custos socioeconómicos no mundo ocidental. Estudos recentes indicam que os utentes com DLC apresentam diferentes padrões de atividade que influenciam os níveis de incapacidade funcional. Contudo, a evidência acerca destas associações é, ainda, limitada e inconclusiva. Em Portugal, não existe, do nosso conhecimento, nenhuma escala validada para a população portuguesa que meça estes padrões de atividade em utentes com DLC. Objetivos: Adaptar culturalmente a escala Patterns of Activity Measure – Pain (POAM-P) para a população portuguesa com dor lombar crónica inespecífica (DLCI) e contribuir para a sua validação. Metodologia: A versão original (inglesa) do POAM-P foi traduzida e adaptada para a língua portuguesa (POAM-P-VP) através de uma equipa multidisciplinar que incluiu tradutores, retrotradutores (cegos e independentes), peritos de diferentes áreas e utentes com DLCI, de acordo com as recomendações de linhas orientadoras atuais para este processo. A análise factorial e das propriedades psicométricas da POAM-P-VP contou com uma amostra de 132 utentes. A consistência interna foi analisada através do coeficiente alpha de Cronbach (α) e para a análise da fiabilidade teste-reteste recorreu-se ao coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (ICC:2,1). A análise da validade de construto convergente e discriminativa das componentes da POAM-P-VP foi conseguida através da aplicação da versão portuguesa da escala Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-13-VP), e recorrendo ao cálculo do coeficiente de Spearman. Todos os cálculos estatísticos foram realizados no software IBM SPSS Statistics (versão 20). Resultados: A análise factorial permitiu identificar três componentes da POAM-P-VP (evitamento, persistência excessiva e persistência consistente com a dor), sendo estruturalmente diferentes das subescalas do POAM-P original. Estas componentes apresentaram uma consistência interna boa a elevada. As componentes 1 e 2 apresentaram uma fiabilidade teste-reteste moderada a excelente, e a componente 3 uma fiabilidade teste-reteste pobre, limitando o seu poder de uso na prática clínica e em investigação. Relativamente à validade de construto, nenhuma das hipóteses estabelecidas no estudo apriori foram verificadas, não podendo aferir acerca da relação dos padrões de atividade com a cinesiofobia, medida pelo TSK-13-VP. Porém, a componente de evitamento da POAM-P-VP parece medir conteúdos partilhados com a TSK-13-VP (rs = 0.15, p<0.048). Conclusão: A adaptação e contributo para a validação da versão portuguesa da escala POAM-P constituiu um ponto de partida para a existência de um instrumento de medição de padrões de atividade de utentes portugueses com DLC, requerendo mais estudos para a sua validação. Apesar de algumas limitações, considera-se que este estudo é de grande importância para os fisioterapeutas e investigadores que buscam um maior conhecimento e efetividade das abordagens de intervenção em utentes com dor lombar crónica.-------------- ABSTRACT: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the most common clinical conditions as well as one with high economical costs within western countries. Recent studies have shown that patients with LBP present different patterns of activity which influence their levels of functional capacity. However, evidence on these associations is still limited and inconclusive. To our knowledge, there is in Portugal no valid scale for measuring these patterns of activity in CLBP patients. Purpose: Culturally adapt the Patterns of Activity Measure – Pain (POAM-P) scale to the Portuguese population with non-specific chronic low back pain (NSLBP) and contribute to its validation. Method: The original English version of POAM-P was blindly and independently translated, back translated and adapted to the Portuguese language (POAM-P-VP) by a multidisciplinary team of translators, experts from different fields, and patients with NSLBP, according to established guidelines for this process. Factorial and psychometric properties’ analysis of POAM-P-VP comprised a sample of 132 patients. The internal consistency was analyzed based on Cronbach's alpha-coefficient (α) and for test-retest reliability analysis the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) was used. The analysis of convergent and discriminant construct validity of POAM-P-VP components was achieved through the use of the Portuguese version of the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK-13-VP), using the Spearman coefficient calculation. All statistical calculations were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (v.20). Results: The factor analysis allowed for the identification of three components of POAM-P-VP (avoidance, excessive persistence and pain-contingent persistence), structurally different from the original POAM-P subscales. These components demonstrated a good to high level of internal consistency. Components 1 and 2 demonstrated moderate to excellent test-retest reliability, whereas component 3 presented low test-retest reliability thus limiting its clinical and investigative use. With regard to construct validity, none of the previously established hypothesis was verified, therefore not making it possible to assess the relation between activity patterns and kinesiophobia, measured by TSK-13-VP. However, the avoidance component of POAM-P-VP seems to share measurable contents with TSK-13-VP (rs = 0.15, p<0.048). Conclusion: The adaptation and contribution to the validation of the Portuguese version of POAM-P scale, sets a starting point to the existence of a useful instrument for measuring activity patterns in Portuguese CLBP patients, requiring further studies towards its validation. Despite some limitations, this study is considered of high importance to physiotherapists as well as investigators in search of deeper knowledge and effective practical approaches on chronic low back pain patients.

Lime mortars with ceramic wastes: characterization of components and their influence on the mechanical behaviour

Considering the fundamental importance of preserving the built heritage and of ensuring the good performance achieved by incorporating ceramic particles in lime mortars in ancient times, it is important to study solutions that use materials the available today, in order to produce mortars intended to repair and replace the old ones. Solutions incorporating industrial ceramic waste might be profitable for several reasons, namely for economic, environmental and technical aspects. In this paper, seven ceramic waste products collected from ceramics factories are characterized. Their mineralogy, dimensional features and pozzolanicity were determined. Three of these products, with different particle size fractions (obtained directly from milling, dust only and fragment fractions only), were selected, incorporated into air lime mortars, and their mechanical strength was determined. In the present work, evidence of mechanical efficiency, when common sand or air lime were partially replaced by ceramic wastes, was made clear, drawing attention to the sustainability of this type of mortars, hence, encouraging further research.

Adaptação cultural e contributo para a validação da pain attitudes and believes scale for physiotherapists (PABS-PT) para a população de fisioterapeutas portugueses

RESUMO: Introdução: Vários estudos têm encontrado evidência para a relação entre as crenças e atitudes dos profissionais de saúde, a sua abordagem de tratamento, referida como orientada segundo o modelo biomédico ou modelo biopsicossocial (Bishop, 2008; Mutsaers, 2012), e os resultados obtidos. É sugerido que, no tratamento da dor lombar crónica, os profissionais que orientam o seu raciocínio e prática segundo o modelo biomédico, tendem a obter piores resultados quando comparados com os obtidos pelos profissionais que orientam o seu raciocínio e prática segundo uma abordagem biopsicossocial. Esta área de estudo tem salientado a importância de desenhar instrumentos capazes de identificar a orientação preferencial dos profissionais de saúde no tratamento da dor crónica de natureza músculo-esquelética, entre os quais se encontra a “Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists” (PABS-PT). Objetivo: Adaptar culturalmente a PABS-PT para a população de fisioterapeutas portugueses que intervêm em utentes com dor (lombar) crónica, e contribuir para a sua validação Metodologia: A versão original (língua inglesa) do PABS-PT foi adaptada para a língua e cultura portuguesas, através das etapas definidas nas normas orientadoras estabelecidas para este processo (Beaton et al., 2002; MAPI Institute, 2001). A avaliação das propriedades psicométricas da versão portuguesa foi realizada com recurso a uma amostra de 202 fisioterapeutas e estudantes finalistas do curso de licenciatura em Fisioterapia. Inicialmente foi realizada a análise fatorial exploratória da escala através do método das componentes principais. Posteriormente avaliou-se a consistência interna das componentes obtidas com recurso ao alpha de Cronbach (α). Para analisar a validade de constructo foram correlacionadas as componentes obtidas com a versão portuguesa da “Health Care Providers’ Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale” (HC-PAIRS), recorrendo ao cálculo do coeficiente de Spearman. Resultados: O processo de adaptação cultural não revelou dificuldades importantes sendo considerado que a versão portuguesa da PABS-PT é de fácil compreensão e preenchimento, e os seus itens adequados para avaliar as crenças e atitudes dos fisioterapeutas portugueses relativas à intervenção na dor crónica músculo-esquelética. Os resultados revelaram uma estrutura fatorial de duas componentes, identificadas com as componentes da escala original que explicam 30,96% da variância total. A consistência interna encontrada é boa, para a componente biomédica (α de Cronbach = 0,826), mas muito fraca para a componente biopsicossocial (α de Cronbach= 0,589). Relativamente à validade convergente e discriminativa, foi encontrada uma associação estatisticamente significativa e positiva, entre as componentes 1 (biomédica) da versão nportuguesa da PABS e a HC-PAIRS (Rs = 0,481, p≤ 0,005), e negativa, fraca e significativa entre a pontuação total da componente 2 (biopsicossocial) e a HC-PAIRS (Rs = -0,038, p=0,612). Conclusão: A versão portuguesa do PABS-PT é de fácil compreensão e aparenta ser um instrumento válido para a medição da orientação preferencial dos fisioterapeutas, relativamente às suas atitudes e crenças na avaliação e tratamento de utentes com dor crónica de natureza músculo-esquelética. No entanto, a componente biopsicossocial requer uma análise mais aprofundada para que possa, com rigor, ser utilizada na definição de uma orientação preferencialmente biopsicossocial.--------------ABSTRACT: Introduction: Previous studies have found a relation between the beliefs and attitudes of health professionals, their treatment approach, which can follows a biomedical or a biopsychosocial orientation (Bishop, 2008; Mutsaers, 2012), and the outcomes obtained. Therefore, is suggested that the professionals who tend to approach chronic low back pain patients according to the biomedical model have worse outcomes than professionals who use a biopsychosocial approach in there clinical reasoning. This research field has highlighted the importance of developing measures capable of identifying the preferred orientation of health professionals in the treatment of chronic pain of musculoskeletal nature, including the “Pain Attitudes and Beliefs Scale for Physiotherapists” (PABS-PT). Objective: To cross culturally adapt and validate the PABS-PT for the Portuguese population of physiotherapists. Methodology: The original version (English version) of the PABS-PT was adapted to the Portuguese language and culture, through the guidelines established for these processes (Beaton et al., 2002; MAPI Institute, 2001). The psychometric evaluation of the Portuguese version was carried out on a sample of 202 p physiotherapist and final year students of the physiotherapy course. Initially, an exploratory factorial analysis was performed through the method of the main components. Then, the internal consistence of the main components was evaluated using the Cronbach’s alpha (α). The convergent construct validity was analysed through the correlation between the obtained components of PABS-PT and the Health Care Provider’s Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale (HC-PAIRS), using the Spearmen correlation coefficient. Results: No major difficulties were found during the cultural adaptation process of PABS-PT to Portugal, which means that the Portuguese version is easy to understand and fulfill, and items are appropriated to evaluate the beliefs and attitudes of the Portuguese physiotherapists who treat chronic pain of musculoskeletal origins. The results revealed a factorial structure of two components, as the original scale, explaining 30,96% of the total variance. Internal consistence results were good, for the biomedical component (Cronbach’s α = 0,826), but very weak for the biopsychosocial componente (Cronbach’s α = 0,589). Relatively to convergent and discriminative validity, a statistically significant association was found, between the components 1 (biomedical) of the Portuguese version of PABS-PT and the HC-PAIRS (Rs= 0,481, p≤ 0,005) and negative, weak and significant between the total score of component 2 (biopsychosocial) and the HC-PAIRS (Rs = -0,038, p=0,612). Conclusion: The Portuguese Version of PABS-PT is easy to understand and seems to be a valid instrument to measure the attitudes and beliefs of physiotherapists in the management of patients with chronic low back pain. However, the biopsychosocial component requires a further deep analysis to examine a preferable biopsychosocial orientation.

Parallelization of kinetic Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate AL3Sc precipitation

The present paper reports the precipitation process of Al3Sc structures in an aluminum scandium alloy, which has been simulated with a synchronous parallel kinetic Monte Carlo (spkMC) algorithm. The spkMC implementation is based on the vacancy diffusion mechanism. To filter the raw data generated by the spkMC simulations, the density-based clustering with noise (DBSCAN) method has been employed. spkMC and DBSCAN algorithms were implemented in the C language and using MPI library. The simulations were conducted in the SeARCH cluster located at the University of Minho. The Al3Sc precipitation was successfully simulated at the atomistic scale with the spkMC. DBSCAN proved to be a valuable aid to identify the precipitates by performing a cluster analysis of the simulation results. The achieved simulations results are in good agreement with those reported in the literature under sequential kinetic Monte Carlo simulations (kMC). The parallel implementation of kMC has provided a 4x speedup over the sequential version.

Design formula for the flexural strengthening of RC beams using prestressed CFRP reinforcement

Applying a certain prestress level to the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcement according to either externally bonded reinforcing (EBR) or near surface mounted (NSM) techniques can mobilize the strengthening potentialities of this high tensile strength composite material. For the prediction of the flexural behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) structures strengthened with prestressed EBR or NSM CFRPs, however, simplified analytical and design formulations still need to be developed as a guidance for engineers to design this type of strengthened structures by hand calculation without any programming help. Hence, the current work aims to briefly explain a developed simplified analytical approach, with a design framework, to predict the flexural behavior of RC beams flexurally strengthened with either prestressed EBR or NSM CFRP reinforcements. Moreover, an upper limit for the prestress level is proposed in order to optimize the ductility performance of the NSM prestressing technique. The good predictive performance of the analytical approaches was appraised by simulating the results of experimental programs composed of RC beams strengthened with prestressed NSM CFRP reinforcements.

Analytical approach for the flexural analysis of RC beams strengthened with prestressed CFRP

The objective of this paper is to propose a simplified analytical approach to predict the flexural behavior of simply supported reinforced-concrete (RC) beams flexurally strengthened with prestressed carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) reinforcements using either externally bonded reinforcing (EBR) or near surface mounted (NSM) techniques. This design methodology also considers the ultimate flexural capacity of NSM CFRP strengthened beams when concrete cover delamination is the governing failure mode. A moment–curvature (M–χ) relationship formed by three linear branches corresponding to the precracking, postcracking, and postyielding stages is established by considering the four critical M–χ points that characterize the flexural behavior of CFRP strengthened beams. Two additional M–χ points, namely, concrete decompression and steel decompression, are also defined to assess the initial effects of the prestress force applied by the FRP reinforcement. The mid-span deflection of the beams is predicted based on the curvature approach, assuming a linear curvature variation between the critical points along the beam length. The good predictive performance of the analytical model is appraised by simulating the force–deflection response registered in experimental programs composed of RC beams strengthened with prestressed NSM CFRP reinforcements.

Process simulation support in BPM tools: The case of BPMN

Due to the increasing acceptance of BPM, nowadays BPM tools are extensively used in organizations. Core to BPM are the process modeling languages, of which BPMN is the one that has been receiving most attention these days. Once a business process is described using BPMN, one can use a process simulation approach in order to find its optimized form. In this context, the simulation of business processes, such as those defined in BPMN, appears as an obvious way of improving processes. This paper analyzes the business process modeling and simulation areas, identifying the elements that must be present in the BPMN language in order to allow processes described in BPMN to be simulated. During this analysis a set of existing BPM tools, which support BPMN, are compared regarding their limitations in terms of simulation support.

Discrimination of Brazilian propolis according to the seasoning using chemometrics and machine learning based on UV-Vis scanning data

Propolis is a chemically complex biomass produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera) from plant resins added of salivary enzymes, beeswax, and pollen. The biological activities described for propolis were also identified for donor plants resin, but a big challenge for the standardization of the chemical composition and biological effects of propolis remains on a better understanding of the influence of seasonality on the chemical constituents of that raw material. Since propolis quality depends, among other variables, on the local flora which is strongly influenced by (a)biotic factors over the seasons, to unravel the harvest season effect on the propolis chemical profile is an issue of recognized importance. For that, fast, cheap, and robust analytical techniques seem to be the best choice for large scale quality control processes in the most demanding markets, e.g., human health applications. For that, UV-Visible (UV-Vis) scanning spectrophotometry of hydroalcoholic extracts (HE) of seventy-three propolis samples, collected over the seasons in 2014 (summer, spring, autumn, and winter) and 2015 (summer and autumn) in Southern Brazil was adopted. Further machine learning and chemometrics techniques were applied to the UV-Vis dataset aiming to gain insights as to the seasonality effect on the claimed chemical heterogeneity of propolis samples determined by changes in the flora of the geographic region under study. Descriptive and classification models were built following a chemometric approach, i.e. principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA) supported by scripts written in the R language. The UV-Vis profiles associated with chemometric analysis allowed identifying a typical pattern in propolis samples collected in the summer. Importantly, the discrimination based on PCA could be improved by using the dataset of the fingerprint region of phenolic compounds ( = 280-400m), suggesting that besides the biological activities of those secondary metabolites, they also play a relevant role for the discrimination and classification of that complex matrix through bioinformatics tools. Finally, a series of machine learning approaches, e.g., partial least square-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), and Decision Trees showed to be complementary to PCA and HCA, allowing to obtain relevant information as to the sample discrimination.

Mosaic maternal ancestry in the Great Lakes region of East Africa

The Great Lakes lie within a region of East Africa with very high human genetic diversity, home of many ethno-linguistic groups usually assumed to be the product of a small number of major dispersals. However, our knowledge of these dispersals relies primarily on the inferences of historical, linguistics and oral traditions, with attempts to match up the archaeological evidence where possible. This is an obvious area to which archaeogenetics can contribute, yet Uganda, at the heart of these developments, has not been studied for mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation. Here, we compare mtDNA lineages at this putative genetic crossroads across 409 representatives of the major language groups: Bantu speakers and Eastern and Western Nilotic speakers. We show that Uganda harbours one of the highest mtDNA diversities within and between linguistic groups, with the various groups significantly differentiated from each other. Despite an inferred linguistic origin in South Sudan, the data from the two Nilotic-speaking groups point to a much more complex history, involving not only possible dispersals from Sudan and the Horn but also large-scale assimilation of autochthonous lineages within East Africa and even Uganda itself. The Eastern Nilotic group also carries signals characteristic of West-Central Africa, primarily due to Bantu influence, whereas a much stronger signal in the Western Nilotic group suggests direct West-Central African ancestry. Bantu speakers share lineages with both Nilotic groups, and also harbour East African lineages not found in Western Nilotic speakers, likely due to assimilating indigenous populations since arriving in the region ~3000 years ago.

Clozapine-induced severe eosinophilia: report of a case with good outcome

INTRODUCTION: Clozapine is the antipsychotic of choice in the treatment of refractory schizophrenia. However, its side effects, such as eosinophilia, may preclude its use. METHODS: Case report and literature review. RESULTS: Young woman, 19 years old, diagnosed with hebefrenic schizophrenia, admitted at Unicamp's psychiatry ward after psychotic symptoms relapse. Clozapine was started after unsuccessful attempts with risperidon and olanzapine. By the fourth week of clozapine use, eosinophils began to increase. Drug titration was stopped, but eosinophils counts continued to rise up, reaching the mark of 5200/mm³. Due to severity of psychotic symptoms and to the good response obtained with clozapine, we decided to investigate organs involvement before withdrawing the medication. As the patient had no organs involvement, clozapine was maintained and one month after eosinophils peak, it was already normalized. CONCLUSION: Eosinophilia should not necessarily lead to clozapine's withdrawal. Patients who present eosinophilia must be at rigorous observation for organs involvement, and if there is no such involvement, clozapine might be maintained, considering the possible benign and transitory nature of the eosinophils count elevation.