Determinação de atributos verbais para a análise sensorial: Estudo para a avaliação táctil de tecidos finos de lã

Através das tarefas apresentadas neste trabalho, procurou-se definir um conjunto de adjectivos que permitissem uma descrição consistente das propriedades tácteis de um conjunto de tecidos, durante provas de análise sensorial. Os atributos foram seleccionados recorrendo a participantes não – especialistas, uma estratégia distinta da habitual em estudos de análise sensorial. Procurou-se ainda definir rigorosamente os adjectivos utilizados previamente à introdução dos produtos a avaliar. Desta forma, as primeiras tarefas realizadas exploram os adjectivos de forma puramente conceptual, sendo introduzidos os tecidos a avaliar apenas na fase final do estudo de vocabulário, procurando validar os atributos seleccionados na ausência dos tecidos. Através de quatro tarefas – identificação categorial, caracterização do produto, clarificação de significado e eliminação de conceitos sobrepostos – foi possível isolar 8 atributos, bons descritores dos tecidos finos de lã, referentes a propriedades diferenciadas: delicado, grosso, leve, liso, macio, maleável, quente e resistente

Genetic Stratigraphy of Key Demographic Events in Arabia

The issue of admixture in human populations is normally addressed by genome-wide (GW) studies, and several approaches have been developed to date admixture events [1,2,3,4,5]. Admixed populations bear chromosomes with segments of DNA from all contributing source groups, the size of which decreases over successive generations until recombination renders them undetectably short. Several algorithms attempt to date admixture events by inferring the size of the nuclear ancestry segments, and these can work well when dating recent episodes in human history, such as the sub-Saharan African input into the New World [6], but they fail to detect several known episodes that took place at earlier times, such as the African input into Iberia [1] and genetic exchanges across the Red Sea [7]. Simulations with the suite of methods available at the ADMIXTOOLS package indicated that these methods could detect admixture events as early as 500 generation ago, but real data did not allow the tracing of such old events [8]. A recent improved algorithm, called GLOBETROTTER, has been used to tackle the detection of the co-occurrence of several mixture events by decomposing each chromosome into a series of haplotypic chunks and then analysing each chunk independently [3], but the problem of detecting ancient events remains. Its application to the systematic screening of worldwide admixture events was able to reveal around 100 events, but all occurring over only the past 4,000 years [3

Impact of Surface Roughness on the Self-Assembling of Molecular Films onto Gold Electrodes for Label-Free Biosensing Applications

The properties of molecular films assembled over gold electrode surfaces are prone to reflect fabrication characteristics. Here we show the importance of controlling electrode surface characteristics of a gold interface destined to label-free electrochemical biosensing applications and how to decrease the effect of the roughness on the properties of the interface by using redox composite materials within 5 to 10 nm in thickness. This controlling of surface characteristics allows us to fabricate reproducible, disposable printed circuit board microelectrodes for label-free electrochemical capacitive assays, which are specifically aimed at applications in point-of-care molecular diagnostic devices. We demonstrate that both the electrochemical roughness factor and the mechanical roughness root mean square of the surface are useful parameters for the quality control of molecularly assembled films and the chemical modification of the surface. For instance, the measured ionic capacitance of gold interfaces is linear as a function of an electrochemical roughness factor lower than ca. 2. On the other hand, roughness factor values higher than ca. 2 lead to a random ionic capacitance outcome. A similar trend of presenting reproducible or irreproducible electrochemical behaviour, wherein a roughness threshold exists, is perceived for charge transfer resistance whether the interfacial redox activity is blocked with a dielectric molecular layer. It was also demonstrated that redox reversibility of gold interfaces is sensitive to the roughness root mean square. Finally, we also confirmed that if the roughness is controlled below a well-defined threshold or if a film thickness (within 5 to 10 nm) is assembled over the surface, the sensing properties are reproducible in micro-fabricated printed circuit board electrodes used in assaying C-reactive protein in human serum. This is an important upshot that permit the microfabrication of cost-effective microelectrodes for label-free electrochemical capacitive biosensors, within the capability to be further integrated into Lab-on-PCB microsystems

Field and Molecular Epidemiology: How Viral Sequencing Changed Transmission Inferences in the First Portuguese SARS-CoV-2 Infection Cluster

Field epidemiology and viral sequencing provide a comprehensive characterization of transmission chains and allow a better identification of superspreading events. However, very few examples have been presented to date during the COVID-19 pandemic. We studied the first COVID-19 cluster detected in Portugal (59 individuals involved amongst extended family and work environments), following the return of four related individuals from work trips to Italy. The first patient to introduce the virus would be misidentified following the traditional field inquiry alone, as shown by the viral sequencing in isolates from 23 individuals. The results also pointed out family, and not work environment, as the primary mode of transmission.This work was funded by Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT; Research4COVID19 projects 198_596862267, 617_613735895, 186_596855206). FCT also financed the PhD grant to NP (SFRH/BD/136299/2018) and post-doc grant to VF (SFRH/BPD/114927/2016)

Smart Polymers in Drug Delivery Applications

Acknowledgements: The authors sincerely acknowledge the financial supports of the UGC, New Delhi under UPE-FARI Program [F.No. 14-3/2012 (NS/PE)] and the DST, New Delhi under DST-PURSE-Phase-II Program [F.No. SR/PURSE Phase 2/13(G)]. Furthermore, this research was supported by the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 program (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-023423), and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UID/Multi/04044/2013) and PAMI (ROTEIRO/0328/2013; Nº 022158).The most important components of living cells such as carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids are the polymeric molecules. Nature utilizes polymers both as constructive elements and as a part of the complicated cell machinery of living things. The rapid advancement in biomedical research has led to many creative applications for biocompatible polymers. With the development of newer and more potent drugs, a parallel expansion in more sophisticated drug delivery systems becomes mandatory. Smart polymeric drug delivery systems can respond to environmental changes and consequently, alter their properties reversibly enabling an efficient and safe drug delivery. This review comprehensively discusses various aspects of these polymers classified in different categories as per the type of stimulus.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An Agent-based Architecture for AI-Enhanced Automated Testing for XR Systems, a Short Paper

This short paper presents an architectural overview of an agent-based framework called iv4XR for automated testing that is currently under development by an H2020 project with the same name. The framework's intended main use case of is testing the family of Extended Reality (XR) based systems (e.g. 3D games, VR sytems, AR systems), though the approach can indeed be adapted to target other types of interactive systems. The framework is unique in that it is an agent-based system. Agents are inherently reactive, and therefore are arguably a natural match to deal with interactive systems. Moreover, it is also a natural vessel for mounting and combining different AI capabilities, e.g. reasoning, navigation, and learning

Smart Materials for Biomedical Applications: The Usefulness of Shape-Memory Polymers

Acknowledgments: This research work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science & Technology (FCT) through the Project references CMUP-ERI/TIC/0021/2014 and UID/Multi/04044/2013. In addition, the authors would like to thank Portuguese National Innovation Agency (ANI) through the Project reference POCI-01-0247-FEDER-017963 and European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 program (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-023423). The authors (MYK and GBH) acknowledge the financial support of UGC, New Delhi under UPE-FAR-I Program [F. No. 14-3/2012 (NS/PE)] and DST, New Delhi under DST-PURSE-Phase-II Program [F. No. SR/PURSE Phase 2/13(G)].This review describes available smart biomaterials for biomedical applications. Biomaterials have gained special attention because of their characteristics, along with biocompatibility, biodegradability, renewability, and inexpensiveness. In addition, they are also sensitive towards various stimuli such as temperature, light, magnetic, electro, pH and can respond to two or more stimuli at the same time. In this manuscript, the suitability of stimuli-responsive smart polymers was examined, providing examples of its usefulness in the biomedical applications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

FTIR-ATR, FT-RAMAN and GC-FID assessment of discrimination of aged wine spirits under different conditions

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Travelling colourful patterns in self-organized cellulose-based liquid crystalline structures

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s)Cellulose-based systems are useful for many applications. However, the issue of self-organization under non-equilibrium conditions, which is ubiquitous in living matter, has scarcely been addressed in cellulose-based materials. Here, we show that quasi-2D preparations of a lyotropic cellulose-based cholesteric mesophase display travelling colourful patterns, which are generated by a chemical reaction-diffusion mechanism being simultaneous with the evaporation of solvents at the boundaries. These patterns involve spatial and temporal variation in the amplitude and sign of the helix´s pitch. We propose a simple model, based on a reaction-diffusion mechanism, which simulates the observed spatiotemporal colour behaviour.publishersversionpublishe

Critical success factors of University-Industry R&D collaborations

University-industry R&D collaborations (UICs) play a vital role in stimulating open innovation that leads to new products, processes, and services that creates value for customers and broader societal impact. UICs, however, commonly fail to meet these stakeholders’ benefits. This study identifies thirty-four critical success factors (CSFs) for improving UIC success. The study includes a systematic literature review and a longitudinal UIC case study between Bosch Car Multimedia in Portugal and University of Minho, a multi-million Euro R&D collaboration from 2013 to 2021. The importance of the CSFs is discussed in the context of the UIC lifecycle. A survey among researchers and industry practitioners involved in R&D collaborative projects was completed to confirm the analysis of the empirical results. This paper provides UIC managers with CSFs, which, when addressed competently, can provide a basis for successful UIC projects and sustainable university-industry collaborationsThe authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020), SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021), ALGORITMI60 (UIDB/00319/2020) and CEMMPRE (UIDB/00285/2020).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio