Regulamento de concepção de instalações frigoríficas: instrumentos de eficácia energética

A actual problemática energética e as alterações climáticas estão na ordem do dia. Por esta razão, é de todo pertinente que se actue nos diferentes consumidores de energia, com o objectivo de melhorar a eficiência energética. A refrigeração industrial é um desses consumidores, sendo responsável pelo consumo de 1,4% de toda a energia eléctrica consumida do País. Possivelmente, a forma mais eficaz de se alcançar uma refrigeração eficiente, passa pela implementação de um regulamento de concepção, utilização e manutenção de instalações frigoríficas industriais. É de realçar, que a implementação do mesmo trás grandes vantagens, não só para o ambiente e proprietário da instalação, como também para o nosso País. Neste trabalho, procurou-se analisar diversos factores que influenciam o consumo energético de uma instalação tipificada, para permitir traçar linhas directoras para a elaboração do referido regulamento

Biological effects of acrylic engineered particulate-systems

Polymeric particulate-systems are of great relevance due to their possible biomedical applications, among them as carriers for the nano- or microencapsulation of drugs. However, due to their unique specific properties, namely small size range, toxicity issues must be discarded before allowing its use on health-related applications. Several polymers, as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), have proved to be suitable for the preparation of particulate-systems. However, a major drawback of its use refers to incomplete drug release from particles matrix. Recent strategies to improve PMMA release properties mention the inclusion of other acrylic polymers as Eudragit (EUD) on particles formulation. Though PMMA and EUD are accepted by the FDA as biocompatible, their safety on particle composition lacks sufficient toxicological data. The main objective of this thesis was to evaluate the biological effects of engineered acrylic particulate-systems. Preparation, physicochemical characterization and in vitro toxicity evaluation were assessed on PMMA and PMMA-EUD (50:50) particles. The emulsification-solvent evaporation methodology allowed the preparation of particles with spherical and smooth surfaces within the micrometer range (±500 nm), opposing surface charges and different levels of hydrophobicity. It was observed that particles physicochemical properties (size and charge) were influenced by biological media composition, such as serum concentration, ionic strength or pH. In what concerns to the in vitro toxicological studies, particle cellular uptake was observed on different cell lines (macrophages, osteoblasts and fibroblasts). Cytotoxicity effects were only found after 72 h of cells exposure to the particles, while no oxidative damage was observed neither on osteoblasts nor fibroblasts. Also, no genotoxicity was found in fibroblast using the comet assay to assess DNA damage. This observation should be further confirmed with other validated genotoxicity assays (e.g. Micronucleus Assay). The present study suggests that the evaluated acrylic particles are biocompatible, showing promising biological properties for potential use as carriers in drug-delivery systems.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - EXCL/CTM-NAN/0166/201

Preparing students for the software industry new demands

A solid preparation in terms of soft skills and state- of-the-art technical skills in Software Engineering (SE) is a goal for the academy. It also contributes to reducing the gap between Software Engineering education and the software industry's new demands. Generally, in computer science or computer engineering courses, there are separate subjects to teach requirements engineering, analysis, design, coding, or validation. However, integrating all these subjects usually requires experience in developing a complete project. This article describes aspects of an active and collaborative learning approach involving academia and industry actors. The approach presented in this article involved staff from a software company in collaboration with staff from an academic institution. It resulted in a student being involved in an entire software development project. The student was involved in an agile team of faculty and Information Technology (IT) professionals. The Scrum agile framework was followed, and the product was developed using a Low-code development platform. This article presents the approach, details of the project design and implementation, results achieved, lessons learned, and guidelines for the future. The results show that this agile, full-stack approach allows students to develop cutting- edge technical and non-technical skills.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Uma Olympia moderna : Roma 1960

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Arquitectura, Universidade Lusíada de Lisboa, 2020Exame público realizado em 1 de Março de 2021Na presente dissertação, investigamos sobre a arquitectura e a sua relação com o pretexto Olímpico. A isto, une-se o meu interesse pelo movimento racionalista em Itália e os seus intervenientes. Para questionar, temos de relacionar. Nesse sentido a leitura crítica aqui realizada inicia-se na cidade grega de Olympia por altura dos primeiros Jogos da Antiguidade e termina na Olympia moderna realizada em Roma. Neste contexto, tratamos de entender as relações entre a arquitectura e os fundamentos do movimento Olímpico Moderno lançado por Pierre de Coubertin, ao mesmo tempo que descobrimos a Roma Olímpica, pensada e construída a dois tempos. A leitura da composição arquitectónica, é portanto, indispensável no decorrer do estudo, como tal, Stadio dei Marmi, Palazzetto dello Sport e Vilaggio Olimpico, definem os três momentos, por nós escolhidos, onde dissertamos sobre a arquitectura e a sua capacidade de nos falar através do espaço.In this dissertation, we investigate the architecture and its relationship with the Olympic pretext. This is coupled with my interest in the rationalist movement in Italy and its protagonists. To question, we have to relate. In this sense, the critical reading carried out here begins at the greek city of Olympia at the time of the first Games and ends at Modern Olympia held in Rome. In this context, we try to understand the relationship between architecture and the foundations of the Modern Olympic movement launched by Pierre de Coubertin, at the same time that we discovered Olympic Rome, designed and built in two moments. The reading of the architectural composition, therefore, is essential during the study, as such, Stadio dei Marmi, Palazzetto dello Sport and Vilaggio Olimpico, define the three moments where we talk about architecture and its ability to speak to us through space

Electrospun Asymmetric Membranes as Promising Wound Dressings: A Review

Despite all the efforts that have been done up to now, the currently available wound dressings are still unable to fully re-establish all the structural and functional properties of the native skin. To overcome this situation, researchers from the tissue engineering area have been developing new wound dressings (hydrogels, films, sponges, membranes) aiming to mimic all the features of native skin. Among them, asymmetric membranes emerged as a promising solution since they reproduce both epidermal and dermal skin layers. Wet or dry/wet phase inversion, scCO2-assisted phase inversion, and electrospinning have been the most used techniques to produce such a type of membranes. Among them, the electrospinning technique, due to its versatility, allows the development of multifunctional dressings, using natural and/or synthetic polymers, which resemble the extracellular matrix of native skin as well as address the specific requirements of each skin layer. Moreover, various therapeutic or antimicrobial agents have been loaded within nanofibers to further improve the wound healing performance of these membranes. This review article provides an overview of the application of asymmetric electrospun membranes as wound dressings displaying antibacterial activity and as delivery systems of biomolecules that act as wound healing enhancers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Erros de distribuição em dose unitária: tipos e causas

Os erros de medicação são um problema de saúde pública com uma repercussão económica importante, afectando a qualidade de vida dos utentes e os custos em saúde. Ao nível da farmácia hospitalar, “que tem como principal função a dispensa dos medicamentos aos doentes de acordo com a prescrição médica, nas quantidades e especificações solicitadas, de forma segura e no prazo requerido, promovendo o uso seguro e racional do medicamento,” o erro de distribuição é definido como a discrepância entre a ordem prescrita pelo médico e o atendimento dessa ordem, podendo gerar oportunidades de erros de administração. Os erros classificam-se em função da etapa do circuito do medicamento em que ocorrem: prescrição, distribuição e administração. A distribuição de medicamentos em sistema de dose unitária (DMDU) está descrita como imperativo para aumentar a segurança no circuito do medicamento, prevendo uma distribuição diária de medicamentos, em dose individual unitária, para um período de 24 horas. Sempre que possível, a DMDU deverá apoiar-se em equipamentos semi-automáticos, para redução dos erros. Sendo a qualidade e segurança uma preocupação crescente e uma prioridade dos sistemas de saúde, os profissionais de saúde devem intervir activamente na melhoria dos sistemas de utilização dos medicamentos para garantir a segurança do doente. Consequentemente, vários estudos têm sido desenvolvidos para verificar os tipos de erros mais frequentes em farmácia hospitalar. Objectivo do estudo: identificar os principais erros de distribuição em dose unitária descritos na literatura nos últimos 5 anos e as suas causas, através de uma revisão sistemática

A eficiência das PPP no sector hospitalar em Portugal

Mestrado em Ciências EmpresariaisNas últimas décadas, temos assistido à proliferação de novos instrumentos de gestão pública, nomeadamente das parcerias público-privadas (PPP). A saúde tem sido uma das principais áreas-alvo deste modelo de gestão, mais concretamente a nível hospitalar. Em Portugal, cabe ao parceiro privado, para além da gestão da infraestrutura, a gestão dos serviços clínicos e a prestação dos cuidados de saúde, tornando estas parcerias ainda mais complexas e multifacetadas. Apesar da utilização das PPP no sector da saúde, existe alguma controvérsia sobre se este modelo é realmente mais eficiente que o público. Neste sentido, o presente estudo tem como objectivo a comparação da eficiência entre a gestão dos hospitais em regime de PPP em Portugal - Braga, Vila Franca de Xira, Loures e Cascais e a dos hospitais públicos, no período entre 2013 e 2017. Para este efeito, foi selecionado um grupo homogéneo de hospitais comparáveis que incluiu 30 hospitais públicos e os 4 hospitais PPP. Para a avaliação da eficiência, foram utilizadas duas abordagens - Econométrica e Análise Envoltória de Dados (DEA). Em ambas as metodologias, testou-se o efeito do tipo de gestão na eficiência dos hospitais analisados. A eficiência hospitalar foi traduzida por rácios e scores no âmbito da metodologia econométrica e da análise DEA, respectivamente. Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que os hospitais PPP foram, em média, mais eficientes que os públicos no período analisado.Over the last decades, we have witnessed the proliferation of new public management models, such as public-private partnerships (PPP). Health has been one of the main target areas of this management model, specifically at the hospital level. In Portugal, the private partner is also responsible for the clinical service management and health care delivery, in addition to infrastructure management, making these partnerships even more complex and multifaceted. Albeit the popularity of PPP in healthcare, there is still some controversy whether this model is more efficient than the public one. In this context, the present study aims to compare the efficiency between the management of the 4 PPP hospitals in Portugal - Braga, Vila Franca de Xira, Loures and Cascais and the public hospitals, between 2013 and 2017. For this purpose, a homogeneous group of comparable hospitals was selected, including 30 public hospitals and the 4 PPP hospitals. For efficiency evaluation, two approaches were used - Econometric and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). In both methodologies, the effect of management type on hospital efficiency was tested. Hospital efficiency was explained by ratios and scores within the econometric methodology and DEA analysis, respectively. The results showed that PPP hospitals were, on average, more efficient than public hospitals over the analyzed period.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Correlations between biomechanical variables and sprint time of 30m

Introduction: Sprinting contributes to successful performance in the wide range of sporting activities. It’s known that sprinting speed is defined with the frequency and the length of strides (Čoh, Tomažin & Rausavljević, 2007). According Bezodias et al. (2008) the frequency of stride (FS) was a more important contributor to the velocity increase in sprint performance, however for Mackala (2007) the length of stride (LS) was a more significant variable. The aim of this study is to determine if different types of heating can interfere with the frequency and length variability of the stride. Methods: 22 young men participated in this study (age: 19.32±1.43 years; height: 176±67cm; weight: 68.48±9.91kg). The study followed a randomized protocol and the subjects were submitted to three warm-up protocols: without warm-up, typical warm-up and warm-up with post-activation potentiation (PAP). Results: The results reveal a strong correlations between the sprint time of 30m and the frequency of stride and length of stride. Discussion: Regardless of the type of warm-up, we can observe that the frequency and length stride are relevant factors that contribute to sprint time performance. The results corroborated with other studies indicating that maximum speed results from an optimal ratio between stride frequency and stride length. Conclusion: The frequency and length of stride were shown to be two influential factors in the sprint time of 30m. We suggest that future studies include exercises on warm-up that stimulate the frequency and amplitude of stride, in order to verify which of the variables has the greatest impact on sprint performance.N/

Correlations between biomechanical variables and sprint time of 30m

Sprinting contributes to successful performance in the wide range of sporting activities. It’s known that sprinting speed is defined with the frequency and the length of strides (Čoh, Tomažin & Rausavljević, 2007). According Bezodias et al. (2008) the frequency of stride (FS) was a more important contributor to the velocity increase in sprint performance, however for Mackala (2007) the length of stride (LS) was a more significant variable. The aim of this study is to determine if different types of heating can interfere with the frequency and length variability of the stride. Methods: 22 young men participated in this study (age: 19.32±1.43 years; height: 176±67cm; weight: 68.48±9.91kg). The study followed a randomized protocol and the subjects were submitted to three warm-up protocols: without warm-up, typical warm-up and warm-up with post-activation potentiation (PAP). Results: The results reveal a strong correlations between the sprint time of 30m and the frequency of stride and length of stride. Discussion: Regardless of the type of warm-up, we can observe that the frequency and length stride are relevant factors that contribute to sprint time performance. The results corroborated with other studies indicating that maximum speed results from an optimal ratio between stride frequency and stride length. Conclusion: The frequency and length of stride were shown to be two influential factors in the sprint time of 30m. We suggest that future studies include exercises on warm-up that stimulate the frequency and amplitude of stride, in order to verify which of the variables has the greatest impact on sprint performance

Validity analysis of one-repetition maximum strength test for determining the hamstrings-to-quadriceps ratio

One of the approaches to evaluate injury prediction is the hamstrings-to-quadriceps peak torque conventional ratio (H:Q ratio). The gold standard for assessment of muscle strength in vivo is by isokinetic dynamometry; however, the one-repetition maximum strength test (1-RM) presents high correlation with isokinetic data. This study aimed to compare measures of H:Q ratio in young adults obtained by dynamometry and 1-RM testing. No significant differences were observed in the H:Q ratio when comparing 1-RM and dynamometry testing. However, there was a significant and strong correlation between the measurements obtained in the two tests. Despite this correlation, data from both tests are not equal as the H:Q ratio obtained from 1-RM test presents a systematic error. Nonetheless, the results can enhance the applicability of 1-RM test in clinical settings.