A multilayered effective medium model for the roughness effect on the Casimir force

A multilayered effective medium model is proposed to calculate the contribution of surface roughness to the Casimir force. In this model the rough layer has its optical properties derived from an effective medium approximation, with the rough layer considered as the mixing of voids and solid material. The rough layer can be divided into sublayers consisting of different volume fractions of voids and solid material as a function of the roughness surface profile. The Casimir force is then calculated using the generalizations of the Lifshitz theory for multilayered planar systems. Predictions of the Casimir force based on the proposed model are compared with those of well known methods of calculation, usually restricted to be used with large scale roughness. It is concluded that the effect of short scale roughness as predicted by this model is considerably larger than what could be expected from the extrapolation of the results obtained by the other methods

Drogas antipsicóticas e a síndrome metabólica: podemos evitá-la?

Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Laboratory of Molecular EndocrinologyFleury Institute Diabetes CenterUNIFESP, EPM, Laboratory of Molecular EndocrinologySciEL

Evaluation and characterization of portuguese maize landraces. Enhancing genetic diversity

O Programa de Melhoramento Participativo (PPB) “VASO” (Vale do Sousa em Portugal) teve início nos anos 80 com o propósito de valorizar as variedades tradicionais de milho português, cuja principal aptidão gastronómica é broa de milho. A ESAC-IPC (Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra) apoiada pela ADERSOUSA deu continuidade ao trabalho de PPB “VASO” com agricultores e stakeholders do Vale do Sousa. Garante a multiplicação de sementes e testa o potencial agronómico das variedades tradicionais de milho português. Estes esforços de pré-melhoramento pretendem colmatar necessidades urgentes da agricultura biológica em maior diversidade e disponibilidade de sementes.O estudo tem como objetivo: caracterizar fenotipicamente e testar o comportamento agronómico e adaptativo das variedades tradicionais de milho português em dois ensaios; Agricultura Biológica vs. Convencional: em dois locais distanciados em 1,3 km, com o objetivo de comparar dois sistemas agrícolas - agricultura biológica versus agricultura convencional (50 acessos); Ensaio PPB On-farm: em duas explorações de agricultores no Vale do Sousa (10 acessos).O germoplasma utilizado incluiu 52 variedades tradicionais portuguesas de milho: 9 populações de polinização aberta, 1 população compósita (CCP) derivada de PPB "VASO" e 40 populações de milho tradicional dos Açores, obtidas numa missão de recolha em 1979, mantidas ex situ no BPGV (Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal) até 2018. (Bettencourt e Gusmão, 1982; Mendes-Moreira et al, 2017).Os dados registados incluíram Produção e avaliações fenotípicas utilizando o descritor HUNTERS.A produtividade variou de 2,1 Mg / ha a 10,5 Mg / ha, com valores significativamente maiores em Macieira de Lixa. O CCP BulkAzores2 alcançou estabilidade de rendimento em todos os locais, indicando que populações heterogêneas tem potencial de amortecer o efeito do negativo ambiente. As populações testadas mostraram diferenças fenotípicas significativas na altura da planta, altura da inserção da espiga e doenças de caule, revelando diversidade e potencial para se adaptar à agricultura biológica e a áreas marginais, onde o uso de populações heterogêneas pode aumentar a rede de ambientes destinados ao cultivo de milho.The Participatory Plant Breeding Program “VASO” (Sousa Valley in Portugal) started in the 80s with the purpose of valorizing Portuguese maize Landraces for farmers’ needs, which included the use of maize for maize bread. ESAC-IPC (Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra) supported by ADERSOUSA carry on the “VASO” PPB work with farmers and stakeholders from Sousa Valley, ensured seed multiplication, and test the agronomic potential of the maize Landraces derived from PPB "VASO" to meet the needs of sustainable agriculture in the context of climate change.The study aims to: phenotypically characterize, test the agronomic behavior and adaptation of the Landraces and CCPs in two trials; Organic vs Conventional: in two locations distance 1.3 km and intended to compare two agriculture systems low input organic agriculture versus conventional agriculture (50 accessions); On-farm PPB trial: in two farmer’s locations in Sousa Valley (10 accessions).The germplasm used included 52 maize Landraces: 9 open-pollinated populations, 1 composite cross population (CCP) derived from PPB "VASO", and 40 maize populations from the Azores, that were obtained in a collecting mission in 1979, kept ex-situ in BPGV (Banco Português de Germoplasma Vegetal) until 2018, then multiplied at ESAC low input organic field. (Bettencourt and Gusmão, 1982; Mendes-Moreira et al, 2017).Registered data included Grain yield and Phenotypic evaluations using HUNTERS descriptor (Plant Height, Uniformity, Leaf aNgle, Tassel, Ear placement, Root and Stalk lodging) Grain yield ranged from 2,1 Mg/ha to 10,5 Mg/ha, with significantly higher values in Macieira de Lixa. The CCP BulkAzores2 achieved yield stability across environments, indicating that heterogeneous populations had the potential to buffer the environment effect. In addition, the tested populations showed significant phenotypic differences among populations for Plant Height, Ear placement, and Stalking lodging, unveiling diversity and breeding potential to adapt to sustainable agriculture and to low input marginal areas, where the use of heterogeneous populations can extend the network of suitable maize environments

Instantaneous Gratification and Common Property Resource Games

Treballs Finals del Màster d'Economia, Facultat d'Economia i Empresa, Universitat de Barcelona, Curs: 2016-2017, Tutors : Jesús Marín Solano ; Jorge Navas RódenesWe compute the cooperative and noncooperative solutions for sophisticated agents with Instantaneous-Gratification discounting in infinite horizon, as an extension of the work of Harris & Laibson (2013) and Zou, Chen & Wedge (2014). This research contributes to the existing literature to the extent that we compute multi-agent sophisticated solutions with Instantaneous-Gratification discounting in infinite time, and we place the results of the Instantaneous-Gratification model in context of the management of renewable natural resources. The conclusions withdrawn are applicable for resources of any kind and are suitable for settings where the temporal horizon is unlimited, but the duration of the short-run is large enough to dodge the future. The discussion of this work is useful for policy implementation towards exploitation of renewable natural resources under different forms of ownership

Projeto de estudo de viabilidade para a implantação de um restaurante de nutrição saudável em Florianópolis- SC

TCC (graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Sócio Econômico, Curso de Administração.0 trabalho está direcionado na área do empreendedorismo e trata de um estudo de viabilidade para se implantar um restaurante de nutrição saudável em Florianópolis/ Sc. 0 objetivo do trabalho é elaborar um projeto para a implantação de um restaurante de nutrição saudável de baixa caloria na região da trindade em Florianópolis, Estado de Santa Catarina. 0 empreendimento está inserido em um Mercado em crescimento mundial e trás um diferencial, que 6 a qualidade dos alimentos, escolhidos para que os clientes tenham uma alimentação completa com baixa caloria. A metodologia no trabalho é do tipo descritiva, pois expõe as características do empreendimento. Para fundamentar o estudo foram utilizados livros de autores especializados nas áreas abordadas no trabalho. Com relação aos aspectos mercadológicos verificou-se que hi demanda para viabilizar o negócio, além disso pode-se saber as características do público potencial para o restaurante. Já com relação aos aspectos econômico- financeiros encontramos no cenário realista ótimos resultados, um lucro liquido mensal de 8.799,36 reais, uma taxa de retorno do investimento de 8,86% ao mês e o prazo de retorno do investimento de 11,3 meses. A partir dos dados levantados durante a pesquisa pode-se verificar que o empreendimento pode ser viabilizado

Stainless steel plate girders subjected to shear buckling at normal and elevated temperatures

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10694-016-0602-6Numerical simulations have been widely applied, for the determination of the resistance of steel structural elements, when experimental analysis are not possible (due to cost or size limitations) or when parametric studies with high number of variables are needed. However, the numerical models must be properly validated with experimental tests in order to deliver reliable studies. With the purpose of studying the behaviour of stainless steel plate girders in fire situation, a total of 34 experimental tests from the literature have been numerically modelled. The tested girders had different configurations: rigid and non-rigid end posts, 2 and 4 panels, and transversal and longitudinal stiffeners were considered. Comparative analyses between those experimental and numerical results have been done. Good approximations to the experimental results at normal temperatures have been achieved with differences on average lower than 5%. Afterwards, the developed numerical model has been used to perform a sensitivity analysis on the influence of the initial geometric imperfections at both normal and elevated temperatures, considering different values for its maximum amplitudes, concluding that 10% of the web thickness is an appropriate value for the maximum amplitude of the geometric imperfections when modelling experimental tests. The effect of the residual stresses has also been analysed, being obtained differences lower than 2%. Finally, comparisons between the numerical results and the Eurocode 3 design procedures have been performed considering different uniform elevated temperatures.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Three-dimensional electrospun constructs for wound healing applications

This thesis embraces the opportunity to develop a wound dressing substrate that not only attends the functional requirements of a wound dressing, but also avoids the need of secondary dressings. Novel electrostatically driven self-assembled fibrous based materials made of poly(ε-caprolactone) are manufactured, resulting in asymmetrical materials with enhanced topographies. Such constructs are characterized by a flat bottom side and a top side populated with fibrous-based microsized protrusions, which have a median inter-protusion distance of 528 μm and a median peak density of 73 peaks per cm2. For the first time, it is provided a full explanation of the underlying fabrication phenomena, suggesting new routes to other polymers such as gelatin or chitosan. After the characterization of the proposed substrates, such materials are functionalized by layer-by-layer. Several combinations of polyelectrolytes (chitosan, gelatin, alginate, hyaluronic acid, poly-1, linear polyethyleneimine and dextran sulphate) and layer numbers (n = 1, 3, 5 or 10) are tested regarding the physicochemical properties of the generated multi-layered films, as well as the cellular adhesion on these constructs. It is intended to formulate, test and control, the underlying phenomena that avoids the cellular adhesion and proliferation within the used dressing. As prepared these materials are capable of withstanding (11.0 ± 0.3)×104 kg per m2 after 14 days of hydration. Their unique asymmetry promotes unidirectional liquid uptake (from the top side towards the inner structure of the materials), while being impermeable to potential external liquid-forms of infection at its bottom side. Nevertheless, such constructs also observed the high porosity (89.9%) and high surface area (1.44 m2.g-1) characteristic of traditional electrospun mats. The selected coating reduced cellular adhesion on the constructs throughout the generation of a rubbery film layer, which would also provide a means to tailor water vapor transmission and swelling ratio for different wound environments specifications (e.g. ischemic wounds, I/II/III-degree burns, etc.). As a showcase, functionalized wound dressing substrates were able to achieve 90 ± 0.5 % of wound closure within 48 hours

Key success factors of replicated social businesses

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsNowadays, social business ventures are still a relatively unknown kind of organization in our society and does not exist a lot of research about them (Lampking, 2009). By combining a social purpose with a for-profit mindset, these initiatives become an effective way to respond to previously unsatisfied social needs (Seelos and Mair, 2005) which contrasts to a traditional view as inefficient, ineffective and unresponsive organizations (Dees, 2001). Thus, taking advantage of the lack of awareness about how these organizations operate, this work project intends to increase the knowledge about them. To perform it, this work project intends to analyze and understand the key success factors of the business models of successful social business ventures, indentifying their common patterns that allow them to be effective

The Genetic Bases of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

The pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is complex, but it is secondary to a combination of insulin resistance and pancreatic beta-cell dysfunction that manifests itself as inadequate insulin secretion in the face of hyperglycemia. Several studies have established a clear genetic predisposition for T2DM. Some genes for monogenic forms of diabetes have been identified (MODY, mitochondrial diabetes). However, few genes were found to be associated with diabetes in the more common forms of T2DM. In these T2DM forms, a variety of environmental factors play a major role in the clinical expression of disease. This article addresses the clinical and genetic advances in the genetic bases of T2DM.A patogênese do diabetes mellitus tipo 2 (DM2) é complexa, associando fatores genéticos e fatores ambientais. A hiperglicemia é secundária à combinação de defeitos tanto na sensibilidade à insulina quanto na disfunção das células beta-pancreáticas. Vários estudos estabeleceram claramente a importância dos fatores genéticos na predisposição ao DM2. No momento, conhecemos alguns genes implicados em formas monogênicas de diabetes (MODY, diabetes mitocondrial). No entanto, nas formas mais comuns da doença de caráter poligênico, conhecemos apenas poucos genes que são associados à doença de uma forma reprodutível nos diferentes grupos populacionais estudados. Cada um destes poligenes apresenta um papel isolado muito pequeno, atuando na modulação de fenótipos associados ao diabetes. Nestas formas tardias poligênicas de DM2 é evidente a importância dos fatores ambientais que modulam a expressão clínica da doença. Nesta revisão abordamos os avanços mais relevantes das bases genéticas do DM2.Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP) Escola Paulista de Medicina Departamento de MedicinaUNIFESP, EPM, Depto. de MedicinaSciEL