Extreme weather conditions dashboard

Our planet Earth is changing due to the action of Man. Several factors influence the functioning of our planet, such as the constant need for human evolution, population growth and many others. Due to this, more and more we have extreme atmospheric events. There is an increasing need to become aware of this problem and take action both in terms of what we can do to prevent the destruction of our planet and prevent when these extreme events happen. The objective of this thesis is based on this last point. To combat the lack of a system in Portugal capable of helping the general public in extreme weather conditions, we created an atmospheric dashboard. The goals were that this dashboard was simple to use, open to the general public, with high spacial resolution (currently the smallest area used is the municipality, here we use an even smaller geographic area), flexible, and scalable so that new data sources or new variables could be added to the existing ones in the future without affecting the correct functioning of the system. This system uses meteorological data and relates them to other variables such as the age of the population, the thermal conditions of buildings, number of deaths, among others. The combination of all these data leads to the calculation of a risk index associated with each zone. The results show that the application has excellent portability, as it was easily installed on another device thanks to the virtualization offered by Docker. In terms of scalability, although did no tests at this level. However, during the application development, there was the need to add new data sources. Considering that the application is modularised, there was no problem with the existing or new data sources. Users see great potential in the application in terms of usability for prevention by the population during extreme weather events. Another positive aspect was that they liked the layout of the elements in the interface, namely the fact that the map area is the most prominent and most visible area in the dashboard. It also helped us get some feedback on what could be improved, such as using more distinct colors to present the level of risk or even improving the connection between the different views of the application. The results are positive and encourage further development of the application, applying the suggestions obtained from user testing

Os incentivos à produção cinematográfica e audiovisual e Portugal : uma análise comparativa entre o incentivo fiscal à produção cinematográfica e o incentivo à produção cinematográfica e audiovisual através do fundo de apoio ao turismo e ao cinema

Mestrado em Economia e Políticas PúblicasO presente trabalho consiste numa análise comparativa entre as duas políticas públicas de incentivo à produção cinematográfica e audiovisual em Portugal, o Incentivo Fiscal à Produção Cinematográfica, que vigorou durante 2017, e o Incentivo à Produção Cinematográfica e Audiovisual através do Fundo de Apoio ao Turismo e ao Cinema, que vigora desde 2018. Num primeiro momento, compara-se a estrutura regulatória de ambos os incentivos para determinar se o mais recente mecanismo de incentivo é mais competitivo que o anterior mecanismo de incentivo fiscal. Na sequência desta análise qualitativa, a segunda parte da nossa análise comparativa servirá para verificar a hipótese que o estabelecimento de um mecanismo teoricamente mais competitivo teria como consequência de facto um impacto fiscal e económico mais positivo.The present work consists of a comparative analysis between the two incentive public policies for cinematographic and audiovisual production in Portugal, the Tax Incentive for Film Production, active during 2017, and the Cinematographic and Audiovisual Production Incentive through the Tourism and Cinema Support Fund., into force since 2018. At first, the regulatory structure of both incentives is compared to determine whether the latest incentive mechanism is more competitive than the previous mechanism. Following this qualitative analysis, the second part of our comparative analysis will serve to verify the hypothesis that the establishment of a theoretically more competitive mechanism would consequently have a more positive fiscal and economic impact.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Dos Indícios e dos vestígios no âmbito das medidas cautelares e de Polícia

A preservação e a recolha dos meios de prova como medida cautelar e de polícia suscitam um elevado número de questões que se manifestam quotidianamente na actividade de polícia criminal. O art. 171.º, n.º 1 – ex vi art. 249.º do CPP – estabelece a inspecção judiciária dos vestígios e dos indícios criminais deixados no locus dellicti, de forma a apurar os responsáveis pela infracção criminal. Esta inspecção aliada à escorreita gestão do local do crime determina, não raras vezes, o sucesso ou insucesso da investigação, consequentemente, do processo-crime e, assim, das finalidades do processo penal. Envoltos nas medidas cautelares e de polícia, subjazem os perigos de desjudiciarização da fase pré-processual que, face à “subalternização da AJ”, constituem uma efectiva debilidade de protecção dos direitos, liberdades e garantias daqueles que se “vêem a braços” com um processo-crime. Outras questões se exteriorizam, em consequência de controvérsias jurídico-operativas parcamente discutidas na jurisprudência. Os indícios e os vestígios, susceptíveis de recolha por parte do OPC, constituirão o objecto do processo e, adiante, o thema probandum, pelo que carecem de uma densificação que viabilize uma interpretação coerente ao longo do CPP, por exemplo, quando vertidos nos conceitos “indícios suficientes” ou “fortes indícios”. O juízo probabilístico dos “indícios suficientes” na fase de inquérito ou na fase de instrução deve compreender uma intensidade tão forte quanto a requerida para julgamento por ser o entendimento que mais respeita a realidade estrutural do processo penal e os direitos fundamentais das pessoas envolvidasThe preservation and collection of evidence as a precautionary police measure raise a large number of issues that arise in the daily activities of the criminal police. The article 171.º, nr. 1 - ex vi article 249.º of the CPP - establishes the judicial inspection of traces and clues left in criminal locus dellicti in order to determine those responsible for the criminal offense. This inspection coupled with appropriate management determines the success or failure of criminal investigation, therefore, of the criminal proceedings and thus the very purposes of criminal proceedings. Wrapped in protective police measures, dejudicialisation underlies the dangers of the pre-trial, given the fact that the AJ is not yet involved. This is a weakness to effective protection of the rights, freedoms and guarantees of those who face with criminal proceedings. Other issues are externalized as a result of legal disputes not enough discussed in jurisprudence. The signs and traces, which can be collected by the OPC, form the object of the proceedings and, further, the thema probandum and therefore require a densification that allows for a consistent interpretation throughout the CPP, for example, when poured on concepts like "sufficient evidence" or "strong indications". The probabilistic judgment of "sufficient evidence" in the investigation stage or phase should comprise an intensity as strong as required for trial for being understanding that most respects the structural reality of the criminal proceedings and the basic rights of those involved

Population structure of the broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) in natural and man-made water bodies associated with a silvicultural landscape

The broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) is a South American crocodilian with a wide geographical distribution. Water bodies originally occupied by the species have suffered extreme anthropogenic pressure; however, the broad-snouted caiman has a high adaptive capacity to colonize man-made habitats such as decanting pounds and artificial reservoirs for agriculture or livestock. In this context, the present study aimed at identifying the population structure of the broad-snouted caiman in a silvicultural landscape in southeastern Brazil. Fifty-two caimans of various classes were captured with baited traps and steel cable snares at night. The estimated population size was 51 individuals. The population density was estimated to be 2.6 individuals/ha with a linear density of 11.3 individuals/km. The intermediate values of linear density estimates herein compared with other areas, suggesting that silvicultural landscapes can be relevant for broadsnouted caiman conservation. Therefore, the role of silvicultural landscapes in crocodilian conservation should be taken into consideration for environmental certification processes related to forestry in the Neotropics.Fil: Marques, Thiago Simon. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Bassetti, Luís Antonio Bochetti. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Lara, Neliton Ricardo Freitas. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Millan, Cristian Honora. Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho; BrasilFil: Piña, Carlos Ignacio. Provincia de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Universidad Autónoma de Entre Ríos. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia de Tecnología a la Producción; ArgentinaFil: Verdade, Luciano Martins. Universidade de Sao Paulo; Brasi

ERGONOMIC ANALYSIS OF PRUNING TREES IN CONFLICT WITH POWER LINES

Ergonomic analysis of pruning trees in conflict with power lines. Pruning trees in conflict with power lines is associated with several ergonomic risks due to postural issues and exposure to environmental conditions, such as noise and vibration in work activities. Additionally, there are life-threatening risks from falls or contact with power lines. The objective of this work was to apply the Ergonomic Workplace Analysis (EWA) method and assess the exposure of workers involved in pruning of trees conflicting with power lines to noise and vibration. The survey was conducted considering outsourced employees that provide services to an electric utility company in the state of Bahia, Brazil. The results obtained through EWA showed a regular risk rate, with concerning aspects, such as verbal communication (dialogue among workers regarding technical/operational issues), irregular posture of back, arms, and shoulders, high attention demand, and activity limitations. Quantitative analysis showed 84.9 dB (A-weighted) for noise and 2.440 m s-2 for vibration, both close to the action level. The pole saw vibration reached 3.703 m s-2, exceeding the tolerance limit. The importance of breaks, at-work exercises, and training is emphasized as ergonomic measures. A rotation system should be implemented in tree pruning activities to reduce exposure to vibration

Enhancing lactone biosynthesis in Ashbya gossypii: towards sustainable production from diverse carbon sources

Lactones are volatile organic compounds sourced from lipid metabolism, with diverse applications, especially fragrances and flavours, being naturally present in fruits such as strawberries and peaches. Traditional lactone production is attained by biotransformation of hydroxylated fatty acids, which relies on limited precursor resources, such as vegetable or fish oils. However, the filamentous fungus Ashbya gossypii can naturally synthesize y-lactones de novo from varied carbon sources [1]. This extended range of substrates can enable its production from several renewable resources. This study aims to enhance lactone biosynthesis by improving its biosynthetic pathway in A. gossypii strains and optimising production conditions. Different A. gossypii strains were genetically modified to intensify lactone biosynthesis, with emphasis on the enzymes like desaturases, involved in fatty acid synthesis. The fermentation conditions were optimized considering factors like C/N ratio, different carbon sources, nutritional supplementation, and oxygenation levels. These optimal conditions were then evaluated in a bioreactor configuration, which increased total lactone content over 2-fold. Finally, we successfully demonstrated the feasibility of using different wastes for lactone production. This study not only underscores the potential of recombinant A. gossypii strains in elevating lactone production but also introduces sustainable avenues for lactone synthesis using waste products. These findings provide promising insights for commercial lactone production and future applications.This study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UIDB/04469/2020 unit, the ESSEntial Project (PTDC/BII-BTI/1858/2021), and PhD grant 2023.04144.BD to M.Finfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Adenoid bacterial colonization in a paediatric population

Adenoids play a key role in both respiratory and ear infection in children. It has also been shown that adenoidectomy improves these symptoms in this population. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate adenoid bacterial colonization and document a possible relation with infectious respiratory disease. A prospective observational study was designed to evaluate the proposed hypothesis in a paediatric population submitted to adenoidectomy by either infectious or non-infectious indications and compare these two cohorts. A total of 62 patients with ages ranging from 1 to 12 years old were enrolled in the study. Adenoid surface, adenoid core and middle meatus microbiota were compared. A close association between adenoid colonization and nasal infection was found, supporting that adenoids may function as bacterial reservoir for upper airway infection. The obtained results also contribute to explain the success of adenoidectomy in patients with infectious indications.Nacional de Saúde Dr. Ricardo Jorge (Grant 2015DDI1143)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A GARANTIA CONSTITUCIONAL À TUTELA INTERDITAL: A ESPECIFICIDADE DA TUTELA ESPECÍFICA

A Constituição Federal assegura o direito a tutelas específicas aptas a garantir os direitos fundamentais. No direito romano, a tutela interdital era utilizada, sobretudo, para a efetiva proteção dos direitos absolutos. Desta forma, pelas suas peculiaridades, deve servir de base à construção de novas técnicas aptas a proteger os direitos mais caros à sociedade atual

Improving efficiency in a hybrid warehouse: a case study

Logistics has assumed a determining position in the supply chain of each organization. This paper concerns the work carried out in a bus manufacturing organization with the aim of improving efficiency in its hybrid warehouse. A hybrid warehouse could be considered as one that mixes several different activities (reception, storage area, picking, shipping, supply to production lines and production preparation tasks) and brings together many different materials or raw materials and components. This factor led to the appearance of innumerable management methods to improve employee performance. These are intended to meet the needs of their customers, from the motto "do more with less". The work developed in a hybrid warehouse allows to detect logistic complaints related to communication failures between employees, the reduced efficiency in the activities like the check of raw materials or components and respective picking, the lack of space for their reception and storage, and the non-compliance of the FIFO stock management system. It is imperative that organizations can redefine internal spaces and flows, generating a more efficient and intuitive work and admit an opportunity for improvements in terms of space and content management, and hence, cost savings for an organization. The combination of Lean tools was implemented, and the results have been checked, showing a significant impact in the hybrid warehouse, with annual gains through the optimization of several activities: employee turnover (decrease by 50%), check and picking times (decrease about 75 minutes/picking) and better working conditions for employees.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

2D cloud template matching - a comparison between iterative closest point and perfect match

Self-localization of mobile robots in the environment is one of the most fundamental problems in the robotics field. It is a complex and challenging problem due to the high requirements of autonomous mobile vehicles, particularly with regard to algorithms accuracy, robustness and computational efficiency. In this paper we present the comparison of two of the most used map-matching algorithm, which are the Iterative Closest Point and the Perfect Match. This category of algorithms are normally applied in localization based on natural landmarks. They were compared using an extensive collection of metrics, such as accuracy, computational efficiency, convergence speed, maximum admissible initialization error and robustness to outliers in the robots sensors data. The test results were performed in both simulated and real world environments.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio