Improving blue economy through industry 4.0: a service science perspective

Desenvolver a Economia Azul pela Indústria 4.0: Uma Perspetiva Service Science O objetivo desta dissertação é a avaliação do impacto das tecnologias digitais “Indústria 4.0” (I4.0), na competitividade da Economia Azul (BE) na União Europeia (EU). Nos Relatórios de 2018 e 2018 sobre Economia Azul a Comissão Europeia apresentou os desafios e o potencial da BE, propondo diretrizes para políticas e, identificou os facilitadores da competitividade nos diferentes sectores da BE no espaço Europeu. Da revisão sistemática da literatura efetuada, verificou-se que a Service Science (S-S), é uma área científica emergente e interdisciplinar que combina a organização dos sistemas, o conhecimento tecnológico com a Sustentabilidade do Planeta, permitindo suportar cientificamente novas abordagens à criação de valor. Ainda da revisão de literatura, foram identificadas diferentes tecnologias digitais, designadas por tecnologias Indústria 4.0. Orientada pelo paradigma pragmatista e utilizando uma metodologia mista de convergência paralela, nesta investigação foi conceptualizado um modelo empírico. Da aplicação deste modelo a onze casos-de-estudo da BE, conclui-se que o impacto na competitividade setorial da BE Europeia poderá ser de 26,5%. Conclui-se ainda, nesta investigação, que as tecnologias I4.0 poderão representar uma oportunidade as empresas da BE, sendo por isso mesmo, recomendável a sua adoção

Tecnologias e Práticas Lean Thinking na Fileira das Rochas Ornamentais

O objeto de estudo desta dissertação é a avaliação do impacto das práticas e tecnologias lean thinking no negócio na fileira das Rochas Ornamentais (RO). Ainda que não seja o objeto de estudo desta investigação, existe desde 2004, uma verdadeira aliança entre o setor do Calçado e o setor das Rochas Ornamentais em Portugal, alicerçada em processos de fertilização cruzada e de partilha ativa de knowhow/ transferência de tecnologia. O setor das Rochas Ornamentais começou por importar o modelo de estratégia que estava a ser seguido pelo setor do Calçado, o qual, desde o Projeto Mobilizador FACAP (Fábrica Calçado Pedip), estava a adotar tecnologias lean thinking nas empresas e, com isso, a aportar flexibilidade e resposta rápida à sua capacidade produtiva. A “importação” do modelo FACAP pela fileira das RO, foi possível através de algumas das empresas tecnológicas que ao partilharam a atividade pelos dois setores atuaram como “agentes mobilizadores” que, sob o ambiente favorável do Centro Tecnológico da Calçado (CTCP) promoveu rede de investigação (Sistema de Ciência e Tecnologia). O primeiro grande impulso desta nova postura traduziu-se, assim, no Projeto Mobilizador JETSTONE (Pedra Flexível), que integrou, em consórcio, dez entidades do meio empresarial e científico nacional. Os resultados obtidos pelo projeto JETSTONE encorajaram a manutenção da aposta no caminho leanstone traçado, postura esta que deu origem à criação do Projeto Mobilizador INOVSTONE (Pedra Inovadora). Volvida uma década, verifica-se que, pese embora a retração doméstica, e mesmo ibérica, na procura de materiais de construção, as empresas de RO Portuguesas estão a responder positivamente aos novos desafios com que se deparam. Assim, o aumento anual das exportações da fileira das RO continua próximo dos 10%; várias das tendências tecnológicas para as RO são de origem Portuguesa; A cadeia de valor dos produtos em Pedra continua a subir e, estima-se que o VAB das exportações do setor, esteja já, acima dos 80%. É sobre este trajeto que esta dissertação se foca, e analisa. E tenta oferecer pistas de atuação

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Improving industry 4.0 through service science: a framework to the portuguese ornamental stone sector in BIM procurement contex

This thesis aims an exploratory evaluation of the Industry 4.0 (I4.0) impact on Portuguese Ornamental Stone (OS) firms’ response to the Threats resulting from the Building Information Modelling (BIM) procurement. The transition witnessed from the Third to the Fourth Industrial Age leads to the emergence of paradigms such as BIM, seeking efficiency in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) through a global approach and procurement oriented towards standardisable products and I4.0, where production comes to be supported by Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). Integrated in the AEC supply chain, the OS sector shows Portugal to be the eighth country in OS trade worldwide, and the second per capita, with its competitiveness based on the products customization. BIM represents threats for its sustainability, particularly in firms of the Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources (CPMR). The literature review showed that Service Science (S-S) is an inter-disciplinary scientific field that combines Organisation with Tchnological Knowledge, with a view to categorizing, innovating and creating value for Service-Systems. Guided by the pragmatic paradigm and using the mixed methodology of parallel convergence, this research focuses on conceptualization of a Service Science Framework (Inovstone4.0), to which was applied a representative sample of CPMR companies. This Framework has allowed to measure the evolution of Key Concern Indicators (KCI) indexed to stakeholders’ concerns, when operations shifts from the current best practices to I4.0 operattions. From the results, it has been found significant relief of stakeholder’s concerns, regarding the time to deliver, costs, footprint and products conformity, when in BIM procurement context, the production evolves to I4.0, allowing to conclude that in technical terms, the impact of I4.0 on the threats arising from BIM procurement in CPMR tends to be positive; RESUMO: DESENVOLVIMENTO DA INDÚSTRIA 4.0 PELA SERVICE SCIENCE Modelo para a aumentar a Competitividade do Setor das Rochas Ornamentais Português em Contexto de Procurement BIM O objeto de estudo desta tese é explorar o potencial impacto da Industria 4.0 (I4.0) como resposta às ameaças resultantes da generalização do Building Information Modelling (BIM), nas empresas de Rochas Ornamentais (RO) portuguesas. Na transição da Terceira para a Quarta Era Industrial a que assistimos, emergem paradigmas como o BIM, que busca a eficiência na Arquitetura Engenharia e Construção (AEC) por via de uma abordagem global e de um modelo de procurement orientado para produtos standarizados e a I4.0, cuja produção passa a ser suportada por Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). Integrado na cadeia de abastecimento da AEC, o setor das RO coloca Portugal como o oitavo país no comércio mundial de RO e segundo per capita, cuja competitividade provém da customização. Do procurement BIM, resultarão ameaças à sua sustentabilidade, nomeadamente nas empresas do Cluster Portugal Mineral Resources (CPMR). Da revisão de literatura verifica-se que a Service Science (S-S) é uma área científica interdisciplinar que combina organização e conhecimento tecnológico, com vista a categorizar, inovar e criar valor aos service-systems. Guiada pelo paradigma pragmatista e utilizando a metodologia mista paralela convergente, esta investigação centrou-se na conceptualização de um modelo S-S, que foi aplicado a uma amostra representativa das empresas do CPMR, permitiu medir de forma exploratória, a evolução das preocupações dos stakeholders, operacionalizadas por via de Key Concerns Indicators (KCI), quando as operações passam do estado atual, para o procurement BIM e produção I4.0. Dos resultados obtidos, verificou-se um alívio significativo das preocupações dos stakeholders quanto ao prazo de entrega, custo, sustentabilidade e qualidade dos produtos, quando as operações em contexto BIM evoluem para I4.0, permitindo concluir que em termos técnicos, o impacto da I4.0 sobre as ameaças resultantes do procurement BIM tende a ser positivo

Advancing genomics through the Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA)

The Global Invertebrate Genomics Alliance (GIGA), a collaborative network of diverse scientists, marked its second anniversary with a workshop in Munich, Germany in 2015, where international attendees focused on discussing current progress, milestones and bioinformatics resources. The community determined the recruitment and training of talented researchers as one of the most pressing future needs and identified opportunities for network funding. GIGA also promotes future research efforts to prioritise taxonomic diversity and create new synergies. Here, we announce the generation of a central and simple data repository portal with a wide coverage of available sequence data, via the compagen platform, in parallel with more focused and specialised organism databases to globally advance invertebrate genomics. This article serves the objectives of GIGA by disseminating current progress and future prospects in the science of invertebrate genomics with the aim of promotion and facilitation of interdisciplinary and international research.SCOPUS: er.jSCOPUS: re.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Association of Country Income Level With the Characteristics and Outcomes of Critically Ill Patients Hospitalized With Acute Kidney Injury and COVID-19

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been identified as one of the most common and significant problems in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. However, studies examining the relationship between COVID-19 and AKI in low- and low-middle income countries (LLMIC) are lacking. Given that AKI is known to carry a higher mortality rate in these countries, it is important to understand differences in this population. Methods: This prospective, observational study examines the AKI incidence and characteristics of 32,210 patients with COVID-19 from 49 countries across all income levels who were admitted to an intensive care unit during their hospital stay. Results: Among patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit, AKI incidence was highest in patients in LLMIC, followed by patients in upper-middle income countries (UMIC) and high-income countries (HIC) (53%, 38%, and 30%, respectively), whereas dialysis rates were lowest among patients with AKI from LLMIC and highest among those from HIC (27% vs. 45%). Patients with AKI in LLMIC had the largest proportion of community-acquired AKI (CA-AKI) and highest rate of in-hospital death (79% vs. 54% in HIC and 66% in UMIC). The association between AKI, being from LLMIC and in-hospital death persisted even after adjusting for disease severity. Conclusions: AKI is a particularly devastating complication of COVID-19 among patients from poorer nations where the gaps in accessibility and quality of healthcare delivery have a major impact on patient outcomes

Thrombotic and hemorrhagic complications of COVID-19 in adults hospitalized in high-income countries compared with those in adults hospitalized in low- and middle-income countries in an international registry

Background: COVID-19 has been associated with a broad range of thromboembolic, ischemic, and hemorrhagic complications (coagulopathy complications). Most studies have focused on patients with severe disease from high-income countries (HICs). Objectives: The main aims were to compare the frequency of coagulopathy complications in developing countries (low- and middle-income countries [LMICs]) with those in HICs, delineate the frequency across a range of treatment levels, and determine associations with in-hospital mortality. Methods: Adult patients enrolled in an observational, multinational registry, the International Severe Acute Respiratory and Emerging Infections COVID-19 study, between January 1, 2020, and September 15, 2021, met inclusion criteria, including admission to a hospital for laboratory-confirmed, acute COVID-19 and data on complications and survival. The advanced-treatment cohort received care, such as admission to the intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, or inotropes or vasopressors; the basic-treatment cohort did not receive any of these interventions. Results: The study population included 495,682 patients from 52 countries, with 63% from LMICs and 85% in the basic treatment cohort. The frequency of coagulopathy complications was higher in HICs (0.76%-3.4%) than in LMICs (0.09%-1.22%). Complications were more frequent in the advanced-treatment cohort than in the basic-treatment cohort. Coagulopathy complications were associated with increased in-hospital mortality (odds ratio, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.52-1.64). The increased mortality associated with these complications was higher in LMICs (58.5%) than in HICs (35.4%). After controlling for coagulopathy complications, treatment intensity, and multiple other factors, the mortality was higher among patients in LMICs than among patients in HICs (odds ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.39-1.51). Conclusion: In a large, international registry of patients hospitalized for COVID-19, coagulopathy complications were more frequent in HICs than in LMICs (developing countries). Increased mortality associated with coagulopathy complications was of a greater magnitude among patients in LMICs. Additional research is needed regarding timely diagnosis of and intervention for coagulation derangements associated with COVID-19, particularly for limited-resource settings

Liver injury in hospitalized patients with COVID-19: An International observational cohort study

Background: Using a large dataset, we evaluated prevalence and severity of alterations in liver enzymes in COVID-19 and association with patient-centred outcomes.MethodsWe included hospitalized patients with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection from the International Severe Acute Respiratory and emerging Infection Consortium (ISARIC) database. Key exposure was baseline liver enzymes (AST, ALT, bilirubin). Patients were assigned Liver Injury Classification score based on 3 components of enzymes at admission: Normal; Stage I) Liver injury: any component between 1-3x upper limit of normal (ULN); Stage II) Severe liver injury: any component & GE;3x ULN. Outcomes were hospital mortality, utilization of selected resources, complications, and durations of hospital and ICU stay. Analyses used logistic regression with associations expressed as adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI).ResultsOf 17,531 included patients, 46.2% (8099) and 8.2% (1430) of patients had stage 1 and 2 liver injury respectively. Compared to normal, stages 1 and 2 were associated with higher odds of mortality (OR 1.53 [1.37-1.71]; OR 2.50 [2.10-2.96]), ICU admission (OR 1.63 [1.48-1.79]; OR 1.90 [1.62-2.23]), and invasive mechanical ventilation (OR 1.43 [1.27-1.70]; OR 1.95 (1.55-2.45). Stages 1 and 2 were also associated with higher odds of developing sepsis (OR 1.38 [1.27-1.50]; OR 1.46 [1.25-1.70]), acute kidney injury (OR 1.13 [1.00-1.27]; OR 1.59 [1.32-1.91]), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (OR 1.38 [1.22-1.55]; OR 1.80 [1.49-2.17]).ConclusionsLiver enzyme abnormalities are common among COVID-19 patients and associated with worse outcomes