Interacting Microsoft Visual Basic Procedures (Macros) and GIS tools in order to access optimal location and maximum use of railways and railway infrastructures

Some parts of the Portuguese railway infrastructure have been neglected through time: Rural lines have been abandoned, investment in new infrastructure is sometimes delayed, and marketing strategies to keep or attract more users have not been pursued. Simultaneously, problems with urban congestion, pollution and mobility for the young, the elderly, the poor, and the handicapped are putting forward the discussion about new or more sustainable modes of transportation. Common sense of public officials, other lobbying groups, and the locals demand new, trendy train lines. And while some axes may have the potential to justify rail lines, others seem to lack population or funding to be enabled. One major problem in order to evaluate the worthiness of these rail projects has been the fact that very often the studies of travel demand and physical implantation are done separately. Travel demand analysis is done based on the four-step model (trip generation, distribution, modal split, and network assignment) using survey data and the network system, using a relatively wide zoning. The importance of interacting with other, finer, information (i.e. slope, density of population, environmental sensitivity, or other socio-economic and land use information) with the development of the travel analysis demand will enhance the analysis/results and increase the chance of proposing lines that are both optimal in location and will have the maximum use by the citizens. Off the shelf software is still unable to perform this kind of operations. Some perform the analysis using existing networks, and no information on the land is available besides the zoning system, other software propose lines accordingly to land slopes, but no trip information is included. GIS packages have the capacity to include the land information and some have some transportation analysis, but are lacking computation capabilities and algorithms to perform analysis similar to off-the-shelf transportation software. In order to develop this kind of integrated analysis it is important to have a good knowledge of the algorithms and analysis required by transportation and of the tools/opportunities offered by the GIS packages. This paper presents a methodology that integrates the transportation algorithms with the GIS functionalities, using excel macro-language. The result is an interaction of both travel demand analysis and site selection. The characteristics of the place constrain the travel demand analysis, but on its own the travel demand analysis define not only the buffer of the train line, but systematically enhance the shape of the line and the location of the stops each time the results of a phase of the travel demand analysis is outputted. This paper offers guidelines for those developing travel demand analysis including some site selection criteria, and it can be a starting point for those of whom intend to develop further application of in the GIS fields.

Application of kDNA as a molecular marker to analyse Leishmania infantum diversity in Portugal.

Around the Mediterranean basin Leishmania infantum is an important parasite causing canine leishmaniasis and visceral and cutaneous clinical forms in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised humans. Efficient monitoring and evaluation of epidemiology with discriminatory molecular markers are required. We investigated the genetic diversity of L. infantum in Portugal by polymerase chain amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of kinetoplastid DNA, as molecular marker. We analysed 120 Portuguese isolates of L. infantum plus 16 other non-Portuguese isolates (as a reference group) from humans, dogs and sand flies. The Portuguese population showed a high degree of polymorphism with a total of 13 profiles identified. The predominant profile was A, which was only detected in the Portuguese samples. The kinetoplastid DNA PCR-RFLP assay described here was suitable for use directly with biological samples and the profiles obtained were stable during long-term growth in vitro and in laboratory animals

Tratamento de efluentes da indústria de conservas de peixe por coagulação-floculação com diferentes coagulantes

Os principais problemas ambientais das indústrias de conservas de peixe são o elevado consumo de água e o elevado conteúdo de matéria orgânica, óleos e gorduras e sais nos seus efluentes. Cada vez mais há uma necessidade de se considerar o tratamento deste tipo de efluentes de forma a que estes cumpram os requisitos de qualidade ditados pela legislação. Assim, este trabalho tem como objectivo o estudo do tratamento primário de efluentes da indústria de conservas de peixe através de um tratamento por coagulação-floculação química. Para tal, testaram-se quatro coagulantes diferentes (um orgânico e três inorgânicos) e várias concentrações de cada um deles (100, 200 e 400 mg/L), de forma a seleccionar as melhores condições do processo. Contudo, observou-se que não existe um único coagulante óptimo, tudo depende do objectivo pretendido. Entre as condições estudadas pode-se afirmar que, se o objectivo for a maximização da remoção de óleos e gorduras, a melhor opção será a utilização de 200 mg/L de cloreto de polialumínio, atingindo remoções de 99,5%. Se o pretendido for a remoção de sólidos suspensos totais, é recomendada a utilização de 400 mg/L de cloreto de ferro, obtendo remoções de 85,8%.Este trabalho é parcialmente financiado pela FCT –Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia e pelo FEDER sob o programa COMPETE (Projecto PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2013) e pelo projecto ValorPeixe –Valorização de subprodutos e águas residuais da indústrias de conservas de peixe, projecto em co-promoção I&DT QREN, nº 13634, financiado pelo FEDER através do POFC – Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade, pelos quais os autores estão agradecidos. Os autores querem também agradecer à indústria de conservas de peixe em estudo pelas amostras de efluente e à Rivaz Química (Maia, Portugal) por cederem gentilmente o coagulante orgânico RIPOL 070. A autora Raquel O. Cristóvão quer também agradecer à FCT pela sua bolsa de pós-doutoramento (SFRH/BPD/81564/2011).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Design of laminated structures using piezoelectric materials

Composite structures incorporating piezoelectric sensors and actuators are increasingly becoming important due to the offer of potential benefits in a wide range of engineering applications such as vibration and noise supression, shape control and precisition positioning. This paper presents a finit element formulation based on classical laminated plate theory for laminated structures with integrated piezoelectric layers or patches, acting as actuators. The finite element model is a single layer triangular nonconforming plate/shell element with 18 degrees of freedom for the generalized displacements, and one electrical potential degree of freedom for each piezsoelectric elementlayer or patch, witch are surface bonded on the laminate. An optimization of the patches position is performed to maximize the piezoelectric actuators efficiency as well as, the electric potential distribuition is search to reach the specified structure transverse displacement distribuition (shape control). A gradient based algorithm is used for this purpose. The model is applied in the optimization of illustrative laminated plate cases, and the results are presented and discussed

Primary treatment optimization of a fish canning wastewater from a Portuguese plant

A sequence with three stages was optimized as a primary treatment for wastewaters from a fish canning industry of northern Portugal. Sedimentation tests were assessed at different times. The removal of a high fraction (75%) of oil and grease (O&G) and of some (48%) total suspended solids (TSS) occurred after a settling time of 1.5h. Coagulant dosage and pH value were optimized in the coagulation/flocculation treatment using several organic and inorganic coagulants. Best removal efficiencies (99.2% O&G, 85.8% TSS and 25.2% dissolved organic carbon (DOC)) were reached using 400mg/L of FeCl3 at raw pH wastewater. DAF was also tested, optimizing chamber pressure and recycle ratio. Removals of 94% for O&G and 43% for TSS were achieved. The coupling of the latter two processes was also investigated, but no improvement of the previous results was observed. The best approach proved to be a decantation process followed by coagulation/flocculation treatment. © 2014 The Authors

Calagem superficial em solo ácido no sistema plantio direto melhora a acidez do subsolo e beneficia o crescimento radicular e a produção de trigo

Crop root growth and grain yield can be affected by chemical modifications in the soil profile due to surface lime application. A field trial was carried out on a loamy dystrophic Typic Hapludox at Ponta Grossa, State of Paraná, Brazil, to evaluate root growth and grain yield of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. CD 104, moderately susceptible to Al), about 10 years after surface liming (0, 2, 4, and 6 Mg ha-1) and three years after surface re-liming (0 and 3 Mg ha-1), in a long-term no-till cultivation system. Soil acidity limited wheat root growth and yield severely, probably as a result of extended water deficits during the vegetative stage. Surface liming caused increases up to 66% in the root growth (0-60 cm) and up to 140% in the grain yield. Root density and grain yield were correlated positively with soil pH and exchangeable Ca2+, and negatively with exchangeable Al3+ and Al3+ saturation, in the surface and subsurface layers.A calagem na superfície do solo em plantio direto ocasiona modificações químicas no perfil que podem influenciar o crescimento do sistema radicular e a produção de grãos das culturas. O crescimento de raízes e a produção de trigo (Triticum aestivum L. cv. CD 104, moderadamente sensível ao Al), foram estudados cerca de 10 anos após a aplicação superficial de calcário (0, 2, 4 e 6 Mg ha-1) e três anos da reaplicação de calcário na superfície (0 e 3 Mg ha-1), em um Latossolo Vermelho distrófico textura média, manejado durante longo período no sistema plantio direto, em Ponta Grossa (PR). A acidez do solo limitou drasticamente o crescimento radicular e a produção de trigo, provavelmente por causa de prolongada falta de água ocorrida durante a fase de desenvolvimento vegetativo da cultura. A calagem na superfície ocasionou aumento de até 66% no crescimento radicular (0-60 cm) e de até 140% na produção de trigo. A densidade de raízes e a produção de trigo correlacionaram-se positivamente com o pH e o teor de Ca2+ trocável, e negativamente com o teor de Al3+ trocável e a saturação por Al3+, nas camadas superficiais e do subsolo

Tratamento de efluentes da indústria de conservas de peixe com vista à sua reutilização

É de grande interesse ambiental e económico estudar o tratamento de efluentes da indústria de conservas de peixe de forma a obter uma água com os requisitos de qualidade necessários para considerar a sua reutilização e/ou reciclagem para a unidade industrial. No entanto, o elevado conteúdo de sal tem sido um fator limitante, pois persiste mesmo após o tratamento convencional dos efluentes. Assim, foi estudado e otimizado um processo de clarificação por filtração rápida, osmose inversa e desinfeção UV, como tratamento de afinação do efluente previamente tratado, de modo a remover sólidos, sais e microrganismos remanescentes. Este tratamento de afinação permitiu alcançar eficiências de remoção de 78% de sólidos suspensos totais, 97,3% de carbono orgânico dissolvido, 99,8% de azoto total solúvel, 99,1% de condutividade, acima de 96% de aniões e catiões e 100% de bactérias heterotróficas (UFC), atingindo-se, como pretendido, água com os requisitos de qualidade necessários para ser reutilizada ou reciclada para a unidade industrial. Consequentemente, é possível uma redução da descarga de efluentes, uma limitação do uso de água e uma redução dos custos associados.Este trabalho é parcialmente suportado pelo projeto PEst C/EQB/LA0020/2013, financiado pela FEDER através do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade –COMPETE e pela Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia –FCT e pelo projeto em co-promoção I&DT QREN nº 13634, ValorPeixe – Valorização de Subprodutos e Águas Residuais da Indústria de Conservas de Peixe, financiado pela FEDER através do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade POFC aos quais os autores se encontram agradecidos. Os autores querem também agradecer à indústria de conservas em estudo pelas amostras de efluente. A autora Raquel O. Cristóvão agradece também à FCT pela bolsa de Pós-doutoramento (SFRH/BPD/81564/2011).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fish canning industry wastewater treatment for water reuse – a case study

The valorization of wastewaters from the fish canning industry is of great concern, not only because of the high quantities generated, but also economic and environmental benefits may result from a proper treatment approach of the waste generated while reducing costs related to wastewater discharge. A limiting factor for reuse and recycling treated fish canning wastewater into an industrial plant and also for other uses is the high salt content, which persists even after conventional treatment. So, the reuse of fish canning industrial wastewater was assessed by combining conventional treatments, such as sedimentation, chemical coagulation-flocculation and aerobic biological degradation (activated sludge process) followed by a polishing step by reverse osmosis (RO) and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection. In this investigation all these processes were optimized in order to remove essentially the effluent suspended particles (primary treatment), the organic matter content in the biological aerated reactor (secondary treatment) and, finally, the remaining salts and microorganisms (tertiary treatment). The overall removal efficiencies obtained were: 99.9% for dissolved organic carbon (DOC), 99.8% for oil and grease (O&G), 98.4% for total suspended solids (TSS), above 96% for anions and cations and 100% for heterotrophic bacteria expressed as colony-forming units (CFU). The final clarified effluent was found to have the quality requirements to be recycled or reused in the industrial plant, allowing the reduction of the effluent to be discharged, the water use and the costs of tap water for industrial use. As regards the energy and chemicals costs, to obtain a treated effluent to be reused in the process costs 0.85 V/m3. This value can be reduced by about 60% if the goal is only to meet the legislated standards for the effluent discharge into water bodies. Tap water for the industrial plant costs about 2.1 V/m3.This work is partially supported by project PEst-C/EQB/LA0020/2013,financed by FEDER through COMPETE - Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade and by FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia and by ValorPeixe - Valorizaçãode Sub-produtos e Águas Residuais da Indústria de Conservas de Peixe, project in co-promotion I&DT QREN, nº13634,financed by FEDER through POFC - Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade for which the authors are thankful. Raquel O. Cristóvão thanks FCT for the Post-doc Scholarship (SFRH/BPD/81564/2011).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Shape control of laminated panels using piezoelectric actuators

This paper presents a finite element formulation based on the classical laminated plate theory for laminated structures with integrated piezoelectric layers or patches, acting as actuators.The finite element model is a single layer trinaguular nonconforming plate/shell element with 18 degrees of fredom for the generalized displacements, and one electrical potential degree of freedom for each piezoelectric element elemenet layer or patch. An optimization of the patches position is perfomed to maximize the piezoelectric actuators efficiency as well as,the electric potential distribution is serach to reach the specified strusctura transverse displacement distribution is search to reach the specified structures trsnsverse displacement distribution (shape control). A gradient based algorithm is used for this purpose.Results are presented and discussed

Controlo activo de ressonância em estruturas piezolaminadas

Neste trabalho apresenta-se um modelo de elementos finitos baseado na teoria de deformação de corte de 3ª ordem, o qual é aplicado ao controlo activo de vibrações, incluindo o fenómeno de ressonância, em estruturas laminadas. Sensores e actuadores piezoeléctricos na forma de lâminas estão colocadas na superfície superior e inferior do laminado, permitindo assim um sistema de controlo, ligando os efeitos piézoeléctricos directo e converso, atrvés de um algoritmo baseado na realimentação com velocidade negativa. As estruturas são forçadas a vibrar num determinado modo, e a sua amplitude no tempo é calculada usando o método de Newmark. Apresenta-se uma aplicação ilustrativa