Experimental results analysis of the energy conversion efficiency of thermoelectric generators

Thermoelectric generators can be used for conversion of heat to electricity wherever a temperature difference exists. Such differences of temperatures are available in many applications, often without being used. In the case of photovoltaic panels the temperature difference is in the order of 50 ºC. This study experimentally examines the performance of two commercial thermoelectric generators. The resistance, open circuit voltage and short circuit current are measured. The maximum power output and the overall conversion efficiency are calculated and the results of the two generators compared. Infrared thermographic pictures are taken in order to evaluate the temperature distribution over the generator induced by the experimental setup. It is shown that the power output as well as the conversion efficiency at temperature difference smaller than 50 ºC is very low and therefore the implementation of thermoelectric generators in combination with photovoltaic panels might not be economic.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Forças Armadas, Cultura Organizacional e Valores Partilhados: Estratégia, Profissionalismo Militar e Desafios na Gestão de Recursos Humanos do Exército

As Forças Armadas, fruto de constrangimentos financeiros adstritos ao Estado Português e também em consequência de contextos económicos adversos internacionais, têm sido sujeitas - à semelhança de outros organismos públicos e privados - a uma redução significativa dos seus efetivos, decorrente de vários factores que estão identificados, mas que carecem de explicações assertivas sobre as razões que materializam essas preocupações numa das áreas mais críticas da Instituição Castrense. Esta diminuição de efetivos tem implicado adaptações na gestão de recursos humanos nos Ramos das Forças Armadas, sendo que, no caso do Exército, o fenómeno de passagem à situação de Reserva tem revelado contornos sociais que merecem análise, naquilo que pode constituir uma rotura de paradigma com ligações aos clássicos modelos de profissionalismo militar. A visão, a missão e os valores partilhados no seio do Exército Português estão bem caraterizados e refletem todo o compasso histórico e as evoluções organizacionais que aconteceram ao longo de vários séculos, mas onde se destacam, para aquilo que é o cenário atual, sobretudo, as últimas quatro décadas. Não despiciendo, o Exército Português acompanhou a evolução da própria Estratégia, pois que era necessário aludir, até para efeitos de doutrina militar, a uma aferição do enquadramento conceptual que continuasse a reconhecer hoje, tal como no passado, que a Estratégia tem evoluído como Ciência, mas continua a ser, além de Ciência, uma Arte. E tudo isto, também perspetivado no que diz respeito às circunstâncias imprevistas das guerras, dos conflitos e das ameaças. Neste mundo globalizado em pleno século XXI, a Sociologia, a Gestão e a Estratégia apresentam contributos teóricos que se afiguram úteis para melhor explicar as preocupações ao nível de recursos no Exército Português, e que tendem a perspetivar propostas de melhoria que, no estrito sentido técnico, podem auxiliar a ação de comando e a tomada de decisão

Adaptive potential of hybridization among malaria vectors: Introgression at the immune locus TEP1 between Anopheles coluzzii and A. gambiae in 'Far-West' Africa

“Far-West” Africa is known to be a secondary contact zone between the two major malaria vectors Anopheles coluzzii and A. gambiae.We investigated gene-flow and potentially adaptive introgression between these species along a west-to-east transect in Guinea Bissau, the putative core of this hybrid zone. To evaluate the extent and direction of gene flow, we genotyped site 702 in Intron-1 of the para Voltage-Gated SodiumChannel gene, a species-diagnostic nucleotide position throughout most of A. coluzzii and A. gambiae sympatric range. We also analyzed polymorphismin the thioester-binding domain (TED) of the innate immunity-linked thioester-containing protein 1 (TEP1) to investigate whether elevated hybridization might facilitate the exchange of variants linked to adaptive immunity and Plasmodium refractoriness. Our results confirm asymmetric introgression of genetic material from A. coluzzii to A. gambiae and disruption of linkage between the centromeric "genomic islands" of inter-specific divergence. We report that A. gambiae from the Guinean hybrid zone possesses an introgressed TEP1 resistant allelic class, found exclusively in A. coluzzii elsewhere and apparently swept to fixation inWest Africa (i.e. Mali and Burkina Faso). However, no detectable fixation of this allele was found in Guinea Bissau, which may suggest that ecological pressures driving segregation between the two species in larval habitats in this region may be different from those experienced in northern and more arid parts of the species’ range. Finally, our results also suggest a genetic subdivision between coastal and inland A. gambiae Guinean populations and provide clues on the importance of ecological factors in intra-specific differentiation processes

Evaluación conductual y programa de asesoramiento personalizado a entrenadores (PAPE) de deportistas jóvenes

In this paper, we start by highlighting the importance of observing the behaviour of coaches at children and adolescents sporting events as an initial step prior to any psychological guidance or other form of intervention. Secondly, a review is made of behavioural interventions that has been carried out with basketball and soccer coaches. Thirdly, a description is made of the design, implementation and evaluation of the Programa de Asesoriamiento Personalizado a Entrenadores (PAPE) (Personalized Programme for Coaches Counselling), aimed at promoting a positive style of communication with players. In order to assess the coaches behaviour, Coaching Behaviour Assessment System (CBAS) was used and the coaches assessed the PAPE by completing a Training Programme Effectiveness Questionnaire. The results show that three of the four coaches changed their behaviour as was hoped, increasing the frequency of the supportive behaviors they gave and reducing punitiveness. By taking an individualized approach, the specific needs of each coach could be identified and worked on, without changing their individual style. Additionally, each coach could carry out a process of self-improvement

Applying a Genetic Algorithm to a m-TSP: Case Study of a Decision Support System for Optimizing a Beverage Logistics Vehicles Routing Problem

Route optimization has become an increasing problem in the transportation and logistics sector within the development of smart cities. This article aims to demonstrate the implementation of a genetic algorithm adapted to a Vehicle Route Problem (VRP) in a company based in the city of Covilhã (Portugal). Basing the entire approach to this problem on the characteristic assumptions of the Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (m-TSP) approach, an optimization of the daily routes for the workers assigned to distribution, divided into three zones: North, South and Central, was performed. A critical approach to the returned routes based on the adaptation to the geography of the Zones was performed. From a comparison with the data provided by the company, it is predicted by the application of a genetic algorithm to the m-TSP, that there will be a reduction of 618 km per week of the total distance traveled. This result has a huge impact in several forms: clients are visited in time, promoting provider-client relations; reduction of the fixed costs with fuel; promotion of environmental sustainability by the reduction of logistic routes. All these improvements and optimizations can be thought of as contributions to foster smart cities.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT—MCTES) for its financial support via the project UIDB/00151/2020 (C-MAST).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Strategic Management and Retention of Talent: Challenges in the Portuguese Army

Organizations are made up of people, their most important asset. The Armed Forces are no exception in this context, quite the opposite. Despite all the developments in military equipment, especially in the last century, the human component continues to be a determining factor in the overwhelming majority of the weapons systems. The investments that have been made to the military, in terms of academic, technical and operational training, have contributed to increasing their skills and abilities in a professional career that, today, is facing even more asymmetrical challenges. Different levels of motivation, different career aspirations linked to organizational constraints and different economic contexts, have led to an increasingly difficult strategic management of human resources in the military areas, such as the Portuguese Army. This article addresses the urgency of retaining talent in the Portuguese Army, at a time when this branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces is confronted with new assignments, missions and challenges

Efficacy and safety of primary, early and late needle-knife fistulotomy for biliary access

European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy recommends needle-knife fistulotomy (NKF) as the preferred precut technique. However, there is little information on whether NKF performed at different times is associated with different success and adverse event rates. We compared the outcomes of 3 different timings of NKF. This was an observational study conducted at 4 institutions and this was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. We included 330 consecutive patients submitted to NKF attempt for biliary access. Patients were divided into three groups: NKF as an initial procedure for biliary access (group A, n = 121); early NKF defined as after 5 min, 5 attempts, or 2 pancreatic passages (group B, n = 99); and late NKF: after at least 10 min of unsuccessful standard biliary cannulation (group C, n = 110). We assessed the success rate of biliary cannulation at initial ERCP, time to perform NKF until biliary cannulation, overall biliary cannulation rate (second ERCP when initial failure), adverse event rate, and predictors of post-ERCP pancreatitis (PEP). The initial cannulation rate was 98%, 91% and 94% for groups A, B and C respectively, p = 0.08, whereas overall biliary cannulation rate was 100%, 95% and 98%, p = 0.115. The adverse event rate/PEP was 4.1%/2.5%, 7.1%/4% and 10.9%/8.2%, for groups A, B and C respectively, (p = 0.197 and p = 0.190). Median time for creating the fistula was A = 4.0 min, B = 3.2 min, and C = 5.6 min, p < 000.1. Each additional minute spent attempting cannulation increased the odds ratio (OR) for PEP by 1.072, and patients with 3 or more risk factors for pancreatitis had a higher chance of PEP. In conclusion, the timing of NFK does not appear to influence success rates but late NFK is associated with a higher time to create a fistula and an increased risk of pancreatitis. Primary NFK is associated with a high rate of success and a low rate of PEP and deserves additional investigation.publishersversionpublishe

The last bastion? X-chromosome genotyping of Anopheles gambiae species-pair males from a hybrid zone reveals complex recombination within the major candidate ‘genomic island of speciation’

Speciation with gene flow may be aided by reduced recombination helping to build linkage between genes involved in the early stages of reproductive isolation. Reduced recombination on chromosome-X has been implicated in speciation within the Anopheles gambiae complex, species of which represent the major Afrotropical malaria vectors. The most recently diverged, morphologically-indistinguishable, species-pair, An. gambiae and An. coluzzii, ubiquitously display a ‘genomic island of divergence’ spanning over 4Mb from chromosome-X centromere, which represents a particularly promising candidate region for reproductive isolation genes, in addition to containing the diagnostic markers used to distinguish the species. Very low recombination makes the island intractable for experimental recombination studies, but an extreme hybrid zone in Guinea Bissau offers the opportunity for natural investigation of X-island recombination. SNP-analysis of chromosome-X hemizygous males revealed: (i) strong divergence in the X-island despite a lack of autosomal divergence; (ii) individuals with multiple-recombinant genotypes, including likely double crossovers and localized gene conversion; (iii) recombination-driven discontinuity both within and between the molecular species markers, suggesting that the utility of the diagnostics is undermined under high hybridization. The largely-, but incompletely-protected nature of the X-centromeric genomic island is consistent with a primary candidate area for accumulation of adaptive variants driving speciation with gene flow, whilst permitting some selective shuffling and removal of genetic variation

COVID-19 and sustainability in textile, apparel and fashion use: an assessment of trends

Apart from the many social and health problems it has caused, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a severe impact on most sectors of the economy worldwide. One of the areas where such impact is noticeable is the textile, apparel, and fashion (TAF) industry. The lockdowns and limited access to retailer outlets resulted in a considerable drop in consumption, creating problems related to the excess of stock, the decrease of sales, and the disposal of non-used items. This paper outlines the implications of the COVID-19 on the TAF sectors and European retailers. It analyzes how the current supply chains exacerbated stock control problems, and it reports on the changes in consumption during the pandemic. The worldwide restrictive measures implemented to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic were responsible for significant profit losses. Also, the decrease in consumption, caused by several geographically wide lockdowns, prompted a subsequent reduction in orders and sales, resulting in a significant number of constraints. The implementation of more environmentally friendly processes, including sustainable circularity as a competitiveness source to keep the TAF sectors in the loop and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, may help address the problems associated with the COVID-19 pandemic in the sustainability context, as reported in this paper.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Understory effect on tree and cork growth in cork oak woodlands

Research ArticleAim of study: Cork oak is one of the main forest tree species in Portugal that typically occurs in montado, where operational practices oriented to the tree, crop or animal management may influence several of the ecosystem components. This study aimed at contributing to fulfil the a lack of knowledge on the effect of these practices on the cork and wood growth, by comparing the wood diameter growth and the annual cork increment under two different understory management options. Material and methods: An experimental trial implemented on an uneven-aged cork oak pure stand during a cork rotation period of 9 years, was established with the specific goal of comparing understory management options: a yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetation. Cork samples were taken at the beginning and end of the period and were used to measure cork thickness and annual cork rings. The differences between treatments were assessed performing a non-parametric test and a more robust approach using linear mixed model. Precipitation and treatment levels were jointly considered on the analysis. Main results: A slight effect was found on the cork thickness regarding the treatment with lupine application. However, no distinct effect was found, regarding wood and the annual cork increment pattern. Additionally, annual cork ring width showed a positive correlation with precipitation and a negative correlation with ring age. Research highlights: The results of this study indicate no distinct pattern regarding the annual cork and wood increment when comparing the understory effect of yellow lupine pasture versus spontaneous vegetationinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio