Structural Optimisation: Biomechanics of the Femur

A preliminary iterative 3D meso-scale structural model of the femur was developed, in which bar and shell elements were used to represent trabecular and cortical bone respectively. The cross-sectional areas of the bar elements and the thickness values of the shell elements were adjusted over successive iterations of the model based on a target strain stimulus, resulting in an optimised construct. The predicted trabecular architecture, and cortical thickness distribution showed good agreement with clinical observations, based on the application of a single leg stance load case during gait. The benefit of using a meso-scale structural approach in comparison to micro or macro-scale continuum approaches to predictive bone modelling was achievement of the symbiotic goals of computational efficiency and structural description of the femur.Comment: Accepted by Engineering and Computational Mechanics (Proceedings of the ICE

Seller-buyer supply chain: a game theory framework

We present a game theoretical framework to study competition and collaboration scenarios in seller-buyer supply chains, representing a manufacturer that wholesales a product to a retailer who, in turn, retails to the final consumer. We study cooperative and non-cooperative scenarios, by considering in the first case a Stackelberg game under both the situations where one of the players, either the buyer or the seller, plays the leading role by taking the initiative and forcing the strategy of the other player, the follower. In the cooperative game, we analyse scenarios where the pro t of both players are increased when applying joint cooperative strategies. We also compute the Nash equilibria. This is undergoing work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis of a bakery production system using discrete simulation

The main objective of this study is to analyse different production scenarios of a company, and propose improvements with the use of discrete event simulation. We use a simulation tool, SIMIO software, to reproduce the existing production layout of the company. Our purpose is to gather relevant information about the actual production system behaviour, and to find strategies to increase the production level to meet the market demand. Based on initial simulation model, some production scenarios were developed involving the production of different products. The analysis of the developed models highlighted the need for improvements. Among the obtained results, the creation of different mixed production scenarios allowed to increase the production level while maintaining the current existing resources. The results of this work can be easily implemented in the company in order to increase the production level without increasing costs since they do not involve the purchase of new equipment. In conclusion, this study highlighted the ability of the simulation technique to analyse manufacturing processes throughout the creation of different scenarios providing insights on the production process improving the companies’ productive performanceinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação da predação de rato-preto Rattus rattus nas crias de cagarra Calonectris diomedea borealis na Ilha da Berlenga

Berlengas Archipelago is the most important area in mainland Portugal for breeding seabirds. The archipelago hosts the only known breeding population of the vulnerable Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea borealis in mainland Portuguese coastal waters. Although this population has already been the subject of many studies, little is known about its interaction with black rat Rattus rattus. Black rat and rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus are the only introduced mammals on the island, and the first is listed as one of the main predators of Cory’s Shearwater chicks. This study aimed to 1) evaluate the activity of black rat in two Cory’s Shearwater colonies and 2) report events of predation on chicks. For this, 54 and 20 nests were monitored daily in the colonies of Melreu and Furado Seco, respectively, between July 24 and August 6. Meanwhile, 16 photographic traps were installed within or at the entrance of 29 different nests in order to monitor rats’ activity. Despite not having obtained any record from direct predation of black rat, 2 chicks disappeared from the nest (with no photo trap) with a strong likelihood of being predated. Although in Melreu have been noticed a strong decrease in activity of black rat during development of chicks and Furado Seco not, the data presented here suggest a greater and more prolonged activity of rat at the second, which may indicate it’s under greater predatory pressure. Finnally it was found some evidences on possible impact by yellow-legged-gull on Cory’s shearwater chicks

Analysis of the workforce Skills for the factories of the future

Industry 4.0 is promoting the digitisation of manufacturing sector towards smart and more efficient factories, seen worldwide as the fourth industrial revolution. However, its complete adoption strongly depends on the skills that existing workforce and future professionals can have in the different dimensions of this multidisciplinary vision, contributing to increase the digital maturity level of companies from the industrial sector. Additionally, new job profiles are emerging to face the implementation of these innovative approaches, which implies the need for the re-qualification and up-skilling of existing workforce, particularly focusing the digital skills. In this context, this paper analyses the gap and impact in the non-technical and technical skills required for the successful transition into digitisation, particularly across six manufacturing areas covering the collaborative robotics (cobots), additive manufacturing, mechatronics and machine automation, data analytics, cybersecurity and humanmachine interface.This work is part of the FIT4FoF project that has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement nº 820701.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An annotated checklist of freshwater copepoda (crustacea, hexanauplia) from continental Ecuador and the Galapagos archipelago

An annotated checklist of the free-living freshwater Copepoda recorded in different regions in Ecuador (including the Amazon, the Andes, the coastal region, and the Galapagos Islands) is here provided. We revised all published records, critically evaluated the validity of each taxon and provided short taxonomic and biogeographical remarks for each one. A total of 27 taxa have been reported, including species and records at the generic level only. The species and taxa identified only up to the generic level belong to five families and 14 genera. The Cyclopoida is the most diverse group with 16 records belonging to species (or identified to the generic level only) and eight genera, followed by the Harpacticoida with six species, one identification to the generic level only, and four genera, and Calanoida with four species belonging to two genera. A total of 18 taxa are recorded for the Andes. Six have been recorded in the Amazon, two are recorded for the coastal region, and six for the Galapagos. One species is shared between the Amazon and the Andes. One species is shared between the coastal region and the Amazon. Seventeen are only reported from the Andes and four are only reported from the Amazon. At the current status of the knowledge, any attempt to analyze and generalize distributional patterns of copepods in Ecuador is premature due to the scarcity of available information, and evidently there is an urgent need for more extensive field collections. A few working hypothesis for future studies are identified

Characterization of an extinct seabird colony on the island of Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde) and its potential for future recolonizations

Islands worldwide have sufered seabird extinctions after the arrival of humans and the alien species they introduced. On Santa Luzia (Cabo Verde), an uninhabited island of 35 km2 ,the presence of an impressive quantity of petrel bones in coastal dunes suggested the previous existence of an important seabird colony. Yet, these remains had not been identifed and no seabird extinctions have been reported for the island. This paper characterizes the extinct seabird colony of Santa Luzia and discusses the chronology and possible causes of its demise. A total of 130 grid points in a 5 km2 area and 38 supplementary points within and outside the main study area were excavated to collect bone remains. A total of 1318 anatomical elements, identifed as White-faced Storm Petrel Pelagodroma marina eadesorum (85.3% of the minimum number of individuals, MNI), Boyd’s Shearwater Pufnus lherminieri boydi (11.8% MNI) and Cape Verde Storm Petrel Hydrobates jabejabe (2.9% MNI), were found in 18% of the sampling points, within 1.25 km2 . Neither of the two former species currently breeds on Santa Luzia. In addition, two bones of the Cape Verde Shearwater Calonectris edwardsii and Pterodroma sp. were detected in the supplementary points. Radiocarbon dating of White-faced Storm Petrel (n=10) and Boyd’s Shearwater bones (n=13) suggests that the colony probably went extinct during the frst half of the twentieth century. The recent extinction of these species on Santa Luzia might be consequent on the arrival of humans and their domestic animals on the island. We estimate that the extinct seabird populations must have been at least hundreds of thousand strong, far larger than current populations of the same species in Cabo Verde. We suggest that, following feral cat eradication, Santa Luzia has a signifcant potential for seabird restorationFundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis and optimisation of a production line using discrete simulation

This study presents a simulation-based procedure to analyse a production line of a metalworking company. We use a simulation tool, ProModel R software, to reproduce the existing production line layout of the company best-selling product which represents about 70% of the total sales. Our purpose is to get information about the existing system behaviour, and to find strategies to increase actual production level to meet the market’s demand. Based on an initial simulation model, different production scenarios were proposed and results have shown that it is possible to increase the production level allowing to meet the increasing demand for the product. The following changes in the production system were considered: (i) the use of intermediate stock of work-in-process items, (ii) the introduction of new equipment, and (iii) a mixed strategy where the introduction of new equipment is combined with the use of intermediate stock of work-in-process items. In summary, this research exhibits the flexibility of the simulation technique to address manufacturing problems throughout the creation of different scenarios providing some of the behaviour of the systems allowing the anticipation of final outputs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio