The regulation of the planning phase of public procurement: reflections on the legal regime and guidelines of European law

Neste artigo, procura-se delimitar a relevância jurídica que a fase de planeamento possui para a prossecução dos objetivos do direito europeu da contratação pública e, a essa luz, analisar as normas constantes das Diretivas de contratação pública que se dirigem expressamente à fase de planeamento, em particular o regime dos anúncios de pré-informação e das consultas preliminares ao mercado. Nesta análise, são também consideradas algumas orientações resultantes de instrumentos de soft law sobre a forma de processamento desta fase pelas entidades adjudicantes. A final, conclui-se que a abordagem europeia quanto à regulamentação da fase de planeamento não parece ser suficiente para potenciar os efeitos positivos que um efetivo planeamento pode ter nas restantes fases da contratação pública.This paper seeks to highlight the impact of planning on achieving the main purposes of the European Directives on public procurement, and to examine their rules pertaining to the planning phase and preliminary information notices and market consultations. It also examines some of the guidelines on key aspects to consider when undertaking the planning phase. This research argues that the European regulatory approach to the planning phase is insufficient to enhance the positive impacts that effective planning may have on the outcome of public procurement.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A regulamentação da fase de planeamento da contratação publica: reflexões sobre o regime legal e as orientações do direito europeu

This paper seeks to highlight the impact of planning on achieving the main purposes of the European Directives on public procurement, and to examine their rules pertaining to the planning phase and preliminary information notices and market consultations. It also examines some of the guidelines on key aspects to consider when undertaking the planning phase. This research argues that the European regulatory approach to the planning phase is insufficient to enhance the positive impacts that effective planning may have on the outcome of public procurement.El artículo busca resaltar la relevancia de la fase de planificación para lograr los propósitos de las directivas de contratación pública y examinar las regulaciones que abordan de forma expresa la fase de planeación, es decir, las normas relativas a avisos de información previa y consultas preliminares de mercado. El análisis también considera algunas pautas sobre los aspectos principales que deben tenerse en cuenta al abordar la fase de planeación. Se argumenta que el enfoque regulatorio europeo para la fase de planeación es insuficiente para mejorar los impactos positivos que una planificación efectiva puede tener en el resultado de la contratación pública.Neste artigo, procura-se delimitar a relevância jurídica que a fase de planeamento possui para a prossecução dos objetivos do direito europeu da contratação pública e, a essa luz, analisar as normas constantes das Diretivas de contratação pública que se dirigem expressamente à fase de planeamento, em particular o regime dos anúncios de pré-informação e das consultas preliminares ao mercado. Nesta análise, são também consideradas algumas orientações resultantes de instrumentos de soft law sobre a forma de processamento desta fase pelas entidades adjudicantes. A final, conclui-se que a abordagem europeia quanto à regulamentação da fase de planeamento não parece ser suficiente para potenciar os efeitos positivos que um efetivo planeamento pode ter nas restantes fases da contratação pública

Computing retinal contour from optical biometry

Purpose. To describe a new methodology that derives horizontal posterior retinal contours from partial coherence interferometry (PCI) and ray tracing using the corneal topography. Methods. Corneal topography and PCI for seven horizontal visual field eccentricities correspondent to the central 60 degrees of the posterior pole were obtained in 55 myopic eyes. A semicustomized eye model based on the subject’s corneal topography and the Navarro eye model was generated using Zemax-EE software. The model was used to compute the optical path length in the seven directionswhere PCImeasurementswere obtained.Vitreous chamber depth was computed using the PCI values obtained at each of those directions. Matlab software was developed to fit the best conic curve to the set of points previously obtained. We tested the limit in the accuracy of the methodology when the actual cornea of the subject is not used and for two different lens geometries. Results. A standard eye model can induce an error in the retina sagitta estimation of the order of hundreds of micrometers in comparison with the semicustomized eye model. However, the use of a different lens model leads to an error of the order of tens of micrometers. The apical radius and conic constant of the average fit were j11.91 mm and j0.15, respectively. In general, a nasal-temporal asymmetry in the retina contour was found, showing mean larger values of vitreous chamber depth in the nasal side of the eye. Conclusions. The use of a semicustomized eye model, together with optical path length measured by PCI for different angles, can be used to predict the retinal contour within tenths of micrometers. This methodology can be useful in studies trying to understand the effect of peripheral retinal location on myopia progression as well as modeling the optics of the human eye for a wide field.This study has been funded by FEDER through the COMPTETE Program and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of projects PTDC/SAU-BEB/098391/2008, PTDC/SAU-BEB/098392/2008, and the Strategic Project PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011. NL was also supported by a Fundacion Seneca de la Region de Murcia grant 15312/PI/10. RN was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economia y Competitividad and European Union grant FIS2011-22496 and by the Government of Aragon group E99. We thank Larry N. Thibos for his comments on the manuscript

The effect of microplastics pollution in microalgal biomass production: a biochemical study

Microplastics (MPs) are widely spread throughout aquatic systems and water bodies. Given that water quality is one of the most important parameters in the microalgal-based industry, it is critical to assess the biochemical impact of short- and long-term exposure to MPs pollution. Here, the microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum was exposed to water contaminated with 0.5 and 50 mg L-1 of polystyrene (PS) and/or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). Results show that the microalgal cultures exposed to lower concentrations of PS displayed a growth enhancement of up to 73% in the first stage (days 3-9) of the exponential growth phase. Surprisingly, and despite the fact that long-term exposure to MPs contamination did not impair microalgal growth, a steep decrease in biomass production (of up to 82%) was observed. The production of photosynthetic pigments was shown to be pH-correlated during the full growth cycle, but cell density-independent in later stages of culturing. The extracellular carbohydrates production exhibited a major decrease during long-term exposure. Still, the production of extracellular proteins was not affected by the presence of MPs. This pilot laboratory-scale study shows that the microalgal exposure to water contaminated with MPs disturbs its biochemical equilibrium in a time-dependent manner, decreasing biomass production. Thus, microalgal industry-related consequences derived from the use of MPs-contaminated water are a plausible possibility.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Strategies to regulate myopia progression with contact lenses: a review

Purpose: Higher myopic refractive errors are associated with serious ocular complications that can put visual function at risk. There is respective interest in slowing and if possible stopping myopia progression before it reaches a level associated with increased risk of secondary pathology. The purpose of this report was to review our understanding of the rationale(s) and success of contact lenses (CLs) used to reduce myopia progression. Methods: A review commenced by searching the PubMed database. The inclusion criteria stipulated publications of clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of CLs in regulating myopia progression based on the primary endpoint of changes in axial length measurements and published in peerreviewed journals. Other publications from conference proceedings or patents were exceptionally considered when no peer-review articles were available. Results: The mechanisms that presently support myopia regulation with CLs are based on the change of relative peripheral defocus and changing the foveal image quality signal to potentially interfere with the accommodative system. Ten clinical trials addressing myopia regulation with CLs were reviewed, including corneal refractive therapy (orthokeratology), peripheral gradient lenses, and bifocal (dual-focus) and multifocal lenses. Conclusions: CLs were reported to be well accepted, consistent, and safe methods to address myopia regulation in children. Corneal refractive therapy (orthokeratology) is so far the method with the largest demonstrated efficacy in myopia regulation across different ethnic groups. However, factors such as patient convenience, the degree of initial myopia, and non-CL treatments may also be considered. The combination of different strategies (i.e., central defocus, peripheral defocus, spectral filters, pharmaceutical delivery, and active lens-borne illumination) in a single device will present further testable hypotheses exploring how different mechanisms can reinforce or compete with each other to improve or reduce myopia regulation with CLs.Supported in part by FEDER through the COMPETE Program and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of projects PTDC/SAU-BEB/098391/2008, PTDC/SAU-BEB/ 098392/2008, and the Strategic Project PEST-C/FIS/UI607/2011

Errors associated with IOLmaster biometry as a function of internal ocular dimensions

To evaluate the error in the estimation of axial length (AL) with the IOLMaster partial coherence interferometry (PCI) biometer and obtain a correction factor that varies as a function of AL and crystalline lens thickness (LT). Methods: Optical simulations were produced for theoretical eyes using Zemax-EE software. Thirty-three combinations including eleven different AL (from 20 mm to 30 mm in 1 mm steps) and three different LT (3.6 mm, 4.2 mm and 4.8 mm) were used. Errors were obtained comparing the AL measured for a constant equivalent refractive index of 1.3549 and for the actual combinations of indices and intra-ocular dimensions of LT and AL in each model eye. Results: In the range from 20 mm to 30 mm AL and 3.6---4.8 mm LT, the instrument measurements yielded an error between −0.043 mm and +0.089 mm. Regression analyses for the three LT condition were combined in order to derive a correction factor as a function of the instrument measured AL for each combination of AL and LT in the theoretical eye. Conclusions: The assumption of a single ‘‘average’’ refractive index in the estimation of AL by the IOLMaster PCI biometer only induces very small errors in a wide range of combinations of ocular dimensions. Even so, the accurate estimation of those errors may help to improve accuracy of intra-ocular lens calculations through exact ray tracing, particularly in longer eyes and eyes with thicker or thinner crystalline lenses.(undefined

Calcinata – Produção de argamassa à base de cal a partir da calcinação de lamas carbonatadas provenientes da indústria das rochas ornamentais

Workshop Divulgação de Resultados de Progresso do Projecto Calcinata. Projecto nº 7223

Produção de argamassa à base de cal a partir da calcinação de lamas carbonatadas provenientes da indústria das rochas ornamentais

O presente trabalho apresenta uma alternativa de utilização para os resíduos provenientes do corte e polimento de rochas ornamentais carbonatadas gerados nas fábricas de processamento e/ou provenientes das pedreiras de mármore localizadas no Anticlinal de Estremoz e de calcário, no Maciço Calcário Estremenho - Portugal. Os resíduos, denominados por lamas carbonatadas ou “natas”, apresentam forte capacidade de ligação com agregados e permitem a sua utilização como matéria-prima em argamassas, que posteriormente poderão ser utilizadas para produção de compósitos de origem pétrea de base mais sustentável. Atualmente, os ligantes mais utilizados para produção destes são as resinas poliéster e epóxi, esta última apresentando como principal desvantagem o elevado custo de aquisição. O estudo efetuado no Departamento de Geociências da Universidade de Évora e iniciado no âmbito do projeto “Calcinata - Produção de argamassa à base de cal a partir da calcinação de lamas carbonatadas provenientes da indústria das rochas ornamentais (mármores e calcários)”, pretende demonstrar a viabilidade da aplicação técnica deste material acrescentando-lhe valor económico, para que deixe de ser encarado como resíduo e passe a ser classificado como subproduto da indústria extrativa e transformadora de rochas ornamentais carbonatadas.Ao projeto Calcinata ALT20-03-0247-FEDER-072239, projeto com ‘cofinanciamento’ do ALENTEJO 2020, Portugal 2020 e União Europeia através do Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER)