Raw material depletion and scenario assessment in European Union – A circular economy approach

Nowadays the production systems are linear and the consumption patterns are essentially based on products with a short life cycle, which contribute to increase the demand for raw materials and environmental impacts. The Circular Economy (CE) is playing a major role among scholars and practitioners. Many aspects are now defining this new trending paradigm such as the roles of product development, transformation and remanufacturing/recycling, and/or management of waste, ensuring the economic and environmental benefits. The increasing demand causes instability of the prices and markets, and there is also the risk of supply rupture. This is very unsustainable and puts at risk countries’ development. In this work we analyze and assess some EU critical raw material (CRM), considering existing global reserves and production. Correlation between several parameters was also analyzed. Under this assumption one scenario was considered to assess the depletion of two CRM. China is the main supplier in 15 out of 25 CRM considered in this analysis and its average percentage is 65%. Phosphate rock presents the highest value and antimony the lowest for depletion indicator. It was possible to conclude that no significant correlation was found between depletion, self-sufficiency and economic importance indicators.The Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, Portugal (FCT) , (Project UID/QUI/50006/2013) is acknowledged for the financial funding.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Housing and Setting Constraints: The Portuguese Evidence

In the last few decades, Portugal has witnessed an extraordinary quantitative and qualitative transformation in housing provision. The pace of housing construction was so extensive that the contemporary real estate market is currently characterized by an excessive supply, vis-à-vis the resident population. In this study, we discuss the impact of the financial process on the housing sector in comparison with tenancy. We consider transaction prices of the housing assignments, either through acquisition or through tenancy. The recent shock resulting from the pandemic situation did not slow down house prices but caused a slight drop in rents. The model used proposes to analyze the fluctuations in prices and rents in the face of external shocks. In the residential market, the estimation is complex due to the many heterogeneous attributes of residential assets. Non-fluctuating variables, such as size, location, and external demand for homes, explain a large part of the variation in price levels included in the model.This research was funded by Cooperativa de Ensino Universitário, C.R.L., Rua de Santa Marta, nº 56, 1150-297, Lisboa, Portugal.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Direct calculation of the ionic mobility in superionic conductors

We describe an approach based on non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations to calculate the ionic mobility of solid ion conductors such as solid electrolytes from first-principles. The calculations are carried out in finite slabs of the material, where an electric field is applied and the dynamic response of the mobile ions is measured. We compare our results with those obtained from diffusion calculations, under the non-interacting ion approximation, and with experiment. This method is shown to provide good quantitative estimates for the ionic mobilities of two silver conductors, $\alpha$-AgI and $\alpha$-RbAg$_4$I$_5$. In addition to being convenient and numerically robust, this method accounts for ion-ion correlations at a much lower computational cost than exact approaches

Implementación de la metodología flipped learning en un contexto e-learning : un estudio exploratorio en el curso "Cátedra Minuto de Dios", de la Universidad Minuto de Dios

A partir de la reflexión que se da en los escenarios educativos, con relación a los usos efectivos que hacen los docentes y estudiantes con la mediación de las TIC en los procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje. Este proyecto de investigación se centró en la implementación de la metodología flipped learning dentro de un contexto e-learning para conocer sus posibilidades y alcances. La revisión documental realizada para este proyecto mostró que la implementación de esta metodología en ambientes completamente virtuales ha sido poco explorada; sin embargo, algunos estudios referenciados muestran que en los ambientes virtuales, esta metodología puede ofrecer cambios importantes para el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Para tal fin, se diseñó e implementó una unidad didáctica desde esta metodología en un curso virtual de la Universidad Minuto de Dios. A través de un estudio exploratorio se indagó por la percepción de estudiantes y docentes tras la experiencia formativa con dicha implementación. Los resultados muestran aspectos favorables como: mayor participación activa de los estudiantes; esto también propicia un mejor escenario para la asesoría y la retroalimentación en doble vía; mejora el compromiso y dedicación a la clase por parte de los tutores; se percibe mayor motivación y compromiso por parte de los estudiantes; de igual manera, se dinamiza el uso de los recursos de comunicación y recursos dispuestos en el aula. Estos aspectos mencionados emergentes del proyecto de investigación, brindan luces para establecer caminos que favorezcan mejores resultados en el proceso formativo con mediación de las TIC, en este contexto específico y como referente para otros contextos similares.Bearing in mind the reflection that takes place in the educational context, concerning to the effective use teachers and students make with the intervention of ICT in the teaching and learning processes. This research project focused on the implementation of flipped learning methodology inside an e-learning context to know its possibilities and breadth. The theoretical review carried out for this research showed that the implementation of these methodology totally virtual environments has been little explored; however, some referenced studies show that in virtual environments, this methodology can offer important changes for the teaching-learning process. For this purpose, a didactic unit was designed and implemented from this methodology in a virtual course at University Minuto de Dios. Through an exploratory study, it was inquired about the perception of students and teachers after the formative experience with that implementation. The results showed encouraging aspects such as: better active participation of students; it also provides better scenarios for tutoring and feedback in double way; it improves the commitment and dedication to the class by tutors; it was perceived better motivation and students’ commitment. In the same way, it encourages the use of communication resources and the resources arranged in the classroom. These mentioned aspects, emerging from the research project, provide ideas to establish the way to get better results in the training process mediated by ICT, in this specific context and as a reference for other similar contexts.Magíster en EducaciónMaestrí

Noción antropo-teológica de las tentaciones de Jesús en el evangelio de Mateo (4, 1-11)

La experiencia de Jesús en el desierto siendo tentado, es mucho más que un simple dato cronológico en su vida, expresa de manera sumaria y anticipada su misión mesiánica desde dentro de la condición humana, para redimirla y liberarla. Estas, las tentaciones , son experiencias humanas universales y no solo vivencias enmarcadas en lo religioso, que piden ser asumidas asertivamente por cuanto implican. Acercarse detenidamente a la manera como Jesús asume la tentación , aspecto vital en su persona, permite construir un nuevo tipo de relación frente a lo religioso, un horizonte de comprensión más humano que trasciende los conceptos y encaja con la vida cotidiana experiencial. La manera como Jesús asume las tentaciones en su humanidad son un aliciente para la Iglesia en su lucha contra el pecado y sus tendencias negativas al mal. Esto pasa por analizar la antropología misma de la tentación, entendiendo que históricamente, muchos acercamientos a esta realidad se han establecido desde una visión espiritualista o reduccionista que encapsula el valor real de la tentación desde una perspectiva negativa y, por ende, impide una vivencia auténtica y asertiva como lo expone el relato bíblico en la persona de Jesús.The experience of Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted, is much more than a simple chronological fact in His life, it expresses, in a anticipated and summarized way, His messianic mission from within human condition in order to be redeemed and liberated. The temptations are universal human experiences, they are not only experiences that are framed in a religious environment, asking to be assertively taken by what they involve. Approaching carefully in the manner Jesus assumes the temptations, vital aspect in His person, it allows to build a new sort of relation to the religious, a more human horizon of understanding that transcends the concepts and fits with the experiential daily life. The way how Jesus assumes the human temptations in his humanity are an incentive to the Church in its fight against sin, and its negative trends to do evil. This happens to analyze the anthropology of the temptation in itself, understanding that historically many approaches to this reality have established from a spiritualistic or reductionist view that encapsulates the real value of the temptation from a negative perspective, and thus, it prevents an authentic and assertive experience such as it is exposed in the biblical account about Jesus' person.Licenciado (a) en TeologíaPregrad

Agroecologia no território norte do Espírito Santo: uma análise à luz do desenvolvimento territorial sustentável

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Filosofia e Ciências Humanas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Sociologia Política, Florianópolis, 2017.A dissertação focaliza a experiência do assim chamado Movimento Agroecológico do Território Norte do Estado do Espírito Santo, à luz do enfoque de Desenvolvimento Territorial Sustentável (DTS). Os conceitos de habilidade social e empreendedorismo institucional foram incorporados a este enfoque visando aprofundar a compreensão do papel-chave que vem sendo desempenhado por algumas lideranças deste movimento na crítica da hegemonia alcançada pelo modelo de modernização agrícola em detrimento de práticas agroecológicas ancoradas territorialmente. Os resultados da pesquisa confirmam a existência de uma dinâmica de desenvolvimento agroecológico ainda embrionária, da qual participam grupos heterogêneos em conflito. Eles estão organizados em duas coalizões sociopolíticas distintas: por um lado, os defensores da assim chamada agricultura orgânica e, por outro, os adeptos do modelo agroecológico strito sensu. A argumentação desenvolvida coloca em destaque que a atuação dos empreendedores institucionais, avaliada por meio do conceito de habilidade social, tem se mostrado decisiva na conformação desta dinâmica ao longo do tempo e mais especificamente no fomento de processos cooperativos na coalizão agroecológica. Mesmo levando-se em conta os obstáculos e as incertezas que cercam o fortalecimento gradual deste movimento no atual contexto de evolução da política de desenvolvimento rural no Brasil, conclui-se que esta experiência vem enriquecer o potencial transformador embutido na rede brasileira e latino-americana de sistemas agroalimentares localizados e baseados no enfoque de desenvolvimento territorial sustentável.Abstract : The dissertation focuses on the experience of the so-called Agroecological Movement of the Northern Territory of the State of Espírito Santo, in light of the Sustainable Territorial Development (DTS) approach. The concepts of social skills and institutional entrepreneurship were incorporated into this approach in order to deepen the understanding of the key role played by some of the leaders of this movement in the critique of the hegemony reached by the agricultural modernization model in detriment of territorially anchored agroecological practices. The results of the research confirm the existence of an embryonic agroecological development dynamic, involving heterogeneous groups in conflict. They are organized in two distinct sociopolitical coalitions: on the one hand, the proponents of so-called organic agriculture and, on the other hand, the adherents of the agroecological model strito sensu. The argument developed emphasizes that the performance of institutional entrepreneurs, evaluated through the concept of social skill, has been decisive in the conformation of this dynamics over time and more specifically in the promotion of cooperative processes in the agroecological coalition. Even taking into account the obstacles and uncertainties surrounding the gradual strengthening of this movement in the current context of the evolution of rural development policy in Brazil, it is concluded that this experience enriches the transformative potential embedded in the Brazilian and Latin American network of agro-food systems located and based on the sustainable territorial development approach

Representational fidelity in distributed and remote lab environment

Studentima danas nedostaju realna iskustva o kompleksnim tehničkim konceptima uprkos činjenici da industrija, kao primarni korisnik, stalno ukazuje akademskoj zajednici na potrebu i značaj realnog praktičnog iskustva. Naš odgovor na to je kreiranje i testiranje Distribuirane daljinski upravljane laboratorije posvećene aktivnom učenju. U ovom istraživanju, sprovedeni su eksperimenti o reprezentativnoj tačnosti za dva tipa korisničkih interfejsa (Wall and Window) sa dva vida prezentacije (na desktop računaru i putem video bima). Predložen sistem daljinskog upravljanja omogućio je studentima iz Beograda, Srbije dinamičku interakciju sa realnim proizvodnim procesom u laboratoriji u Minju, Portugal. Ovo istraživanje daje prednost Wall interfejsu, na polju jasnoće pomeranja i doslednosti ponašanja objekta. Kod Wall interfejsa postoje slabije korelacije između mera reprezentativne tačnosti, a određenu prednost treba dati i desktop vidu prezentacije.Students today lack the real experiences needed to make sense of complex technical concepts although industry is one of the primary customers that constantly challenges academia to make curricula more relevant to professional practice. Our response to these influences was to create and test idea of Distributed and Remote Lab dedicated to active learning. In this survey, the experiments on representational fidelity measures are performed on two types of 'client' user interface (Wall and Window) in two modes of presentation (Desktop and Video beam) of the distributed manufacturing system. The proposed remote system has allowed students from Belgrade, Serbia to dynamically interact with a real manufacturing process held in Minho's Lab, Portugal, to carry out a remote experimental practice. This survey gives advantage to Wall interface, in the fields of smooth display of view changes and object motion and consistency of object behaviour. There are also weaker correlations between representational fidelity measures when Wall interface is used and certain advantage on desktop presentation mode

Transfusão de plaquetas: do empirismo ao embasamento científico

Despite major advances in Brazilian blood transfusion therapy with a growing number of scientific publications, an increased number of repeat donors and a decline in serological ineligibility, a lack of conformity in the application of pre-transfusion tests that may compromise transfusion safety is still observed at transfusion agencies in the fringes of the blood transfusion therapy system. Additionally, although high rates of platelet transfusion refractoriness and significant rates of alloimmunization have been demonstrated in the international literature, few Brazilian centers have been concerned with the study of platelet alloimmunization and even fewer centers have evaluated the efficacy of platelet concentrate transfusion. As more than one million Brazilians, including many repeat blood donors, are listed in the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry (Redome), why not grant transfusion therapy services access to the HLA typing of these blood and marrow donors after obtaining their consent? And why not make use of the Redome data to evaluate the HLA compatibility of donors for alloimmunized patients who are candidates for bone marrow transfusion and who have already been typed? These measures, together with the identification of ABO and HPA antigens, will permit a complete assessment of platelet immunology, will guarantee the transfusion safety of this blood component, and will put Brazil at the same level as the so-called developed countries in terms of transfusion medicine