Research on the Portuguese building stock and its impacts on energy consumption – an average u-value approach

The article aims to evaluate the Portuguese building stock energy policies and strategy for energy saving in buildings among the EU members. It was found out the average heat transfer coefficients of the main structural elements of Portuguese Buildings and analyzed the U-values of this elements considering different time periods. The fundamentals of this study were funded by the Agency for Development and Innovation (ADI) and co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) through the Operational Program for Competitiveness Factors (POFC) assigned to the Building Physics and Construction Technology Laboratory with the reference SB Tool SPT_2011_4

Cashew apple bagasse as new feedstock for the hydrogen production using dark fermentation process.

Cashew apple bagasse (CAB) has been studied as feedstock for the biohydrogen production using Clostridium roseum and the dark fermentation process. Pretreatment with alkaline hydrogen peroxide (CAB-AHP) on raw material and the acid and enzymatic hydrolysis have been taken into account to evaluate the H2 yields. Results show that the acid hydrolysate obtained from CAB produced higher H2 molar yield (HMY) (15 mmolH2/Lhydrolysate) than the acid hydrolysate from CAB-AHP (4.99 mmolH2/Lhydrolysate), These HMY were noticeably higher than values obtained from the enzymatic hydrolysate of CAB-AHP (1.05 mmolH2/Lhydrolysa) and the enzymatic hydrolysate of CAB (0.59 mmolH2/Lhydrolysa). The maximum biohydrogen productivity (12.57 mLH2/L.h) was achieved using the acid hydrolysate from CAB, with a H2 content of about 72% vol, that could be satisfactory in view of an energetic applications of the biogas. Results suggest that CAB could be considered for the hydrogen production process, providing an appropriate destination for this lignocellulosic biomass, and consequently, reducing the environmental impact it can exert

Antifouling Marine Coatings with a Potentially Safer and Sustainable Synthetic Polyphenolic Derivative

The development of harmless substances to replace biocide-based coatings used to prevent or manage marine biofouling and its unwanted consequences is urgent. The formation of biofilms on submerged marine surfaces is one of the first steps in the marine biofouling process, which facilitates the further settlement of macrofoulers. Anti-biofilm properties of a synthetic polyphenolic compound, with previously described anti-settlement activity against macrofoulers, were explored in this work. In solution this new compound was able to prevent biofilm formation and reduce a pre-formed biofilm produced by the marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas tunicata. Then, this compound was applied to a marine coating and the formation of P. tunicata biofilms was assessed under hydrodynamic conditions to mimic the marine environment. For this purpose, polyurethane (PU)-based coating formulations containing 1 and 2 wt.% of the compound were prepared based on a prior developed methodology. The most effective formulation in reducing the biofilm cell number, biovolume, and thickness was the PU-based coating containing an aziridine-based crosslinker and 2 wt.% of the compound. To assess the marine ecotoxicity impact of this compound, its potential to disrupt endocrine processes was evaluated through the modulation of two nuclear receptors (NRs), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma), and pregnane X receptor (PXR). Transcriptional activation of the selected NRs upon exposure to the polyphenolic compound (10 mu M) was not observed, thus highlighting the eco-friendliness towards the addressed NRs of this new dual-acting anti-macro- and anti-microfouling agent towards the addressed NRs

Sulfated small molecules targeting EBV in Burkitt lymphoma: from in silico screening to the evidence of in vitro effect on viral episomal DNA

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infects more than 90% of the world population. Following primary infection, Epstein– Barr virus persists in an asymptomatic latent state. Occasionally, it may switch to lytic infection. Latent EBV infection has been associated with several diseases, such as Burkitt lymphoma (BL). To date, there are no available drugs to target latent EBV, and the existing broad-spec trum antiviral drugs are mainly active against lytic viral infection. Thus, using computational molecular docking, a virtual screen of a library of small molecules, including xanthones and flavonoids (described with potential for antiviral activity against EBV), was carried out targeting EBV proteins. The more interesting molecules were selected for further computational analysis, and sub sequently, the compounds were tested in the Raji (BL) cell line, to evaluate their activity against latent EBV. This work identified three novel sulfated small molecules capable of decreasing EBV levels in a BL. Therefore, the in silico screening presents a good approach for the development of new anti-EBV agents.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Stability studies of Hg implanted YBa2_{2}Cu3_{3}O6+x_{6+x}

High quality YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO) superconducting thin films were implanted with the radioactive $^{197m}$Hg (T$_{1/2}$ = 24 h) isotope to low fluences of 10$^{13}$ atoms/cm$^{2}$ and 60 keV energy. The lattice location and stability of the implanted Hg were studied combining the Perturbed Angular Correlation (PAC) and Emission Channeling (EC) techniques. We show that Hg can be introduced into the YBCO lattice by ion implantation into unique regular sites. The EC data show that Hg is located on a highly symmetric site on the YBCO lattice, while the PAC data suggests that Hg occupies the Cu(1) site. Annealing studies were performed under vacuum and O$_{2}$ atmosphere and show that Hg starts to diffuse only above 653 K

Stability and diffusion of Hg implanted YBa2_{2}Cu3_{3}O6+x_{6+x}

The radioactive isotope $^{197m}$Hg was implanted at 60 keV with low fluences (10$^{13}$ ions/cm$^{2}$ ) into YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{6+x}$ (YBCO) superconducting thin films at ISOLDE/CERN. We report on the Hg dynamics and stability inside the YBCO lattice as a function of annealing temperature up to 890 K in vacuum or O$_{2}$ atmosphere. The perturbed angular correlation (PAC) technique was used for probing the Hg behavior at the atomic scale, while by monitoring the sample's activity in situ the Hg outdiffusion was studied. We found that Hg ions occupy unique lattice sites and that Hg should be bound to two apical oxygens. Hg diffusion occurs only for annealing temperatures above 653 K, in vacuum. The Hg migration energy was estimated to be EM = 1.58 $\pm$ 0.15 eV

Studies of colossal magnetoresistive oxides with radioactive isotopes

We propose to study Colossal Magnetoresistive (CMR) oxides with several nuclear techniques, which use radioactive elements at ISOLDE. Our aim is to provide local and element selective information on some of the doping mechanisms that rule electronic interactions and magnetoresistance, in a complementary way to the use of conventional characterisation techniques. Three main topics are proposed: \\ \\ a) Studies of local [charge and] structural modifications in antiferromagnetic LaMnO$_{3+ \delta}$ and La$_{1-x}$R$_{x}$MnO$_{3}$ with R=Ca and Cd, doped ferromagnetic systems with competing interactions: - research on the lattice site and electronic characterisation of the doping element. \\ \\ b) Studies of self doped La$_{x}$R$_{1-x}$MnO$_{3+\delta}$ systems, with oxygen and cation non-stoichiometry: -learning the role of defects in the optimisation of magnetoresistive properties. \\ \\ c) Probing the disorder and quenched random field effects in the vicinity of the charge or orbital Ordered/Ferromagnetic phase instability: - Investigating the local environment of ions at the Mn site, which trigger the ferromagnetic phase. Our approach to study these problems, combines complementary techniques such as Perturbed Angular Correlation, Emission Channeling and Electrical/Magnetic Measurements in pellets, single crystals and high quality thin films of CMR oxides doped with radioactive isotopes. Preliminary results obtained in La Cd MnO$_{3+x}$ pellets and thin films implanted with $^{111m}$Cd are also presented