Improving housing quality as markefing strategy

Prospective housing clients in Portugal face up a marked lack of information on the characteristics of housing products, which most often turn out to be very different of their expectations. This lack of information does not allow them to relate adequately quality and cost. Furthermore, housing products are not adequately differentiated owing to an inefficient approach to the market from the part of different actors in the property sector, which makes difficult the understanding of the true needs and wishes of the client. Nowadays, in a highly competitive housing market, it is increasingly needed to weigh the quality of supply, for housing investment is one of the most important decisions of the Portuguese households. Due to the fact that competition on that market is almost exclusively based on price, there is a need for change in the culture of the housing sector that would promote adequate strategies of marketing and quality. This research project has as the main aim to develop a support tool for the construction enterprises in the housing sector in order to improve the value of their products/services and, to a certain extent, the competitiveness of the sector. The model, which is specifically developed for the town of Bragança, is based on information collected from users in newly occupied housing. It was done through the use of a questionnaire- survey conducted on respondents from fourteen multi-family housing, which were built by four contractors/developers

Management of Research Data in Image Format: An Exploratory Study on Current Practices

Research data management is the basis for making data more Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. In this context, little attention is given to research data in image format. This article presents the preliminary results of a study on the habits related to the management of images in research. We collected 107 answers from researchers using a questionnaire. These researchers were PhD students, fellows and university professors from Life and Health Sciences, Exact Sciences and Engineering, Natural and Environmental Sciences and Social Sciences and Humanities. This study shows that 83.2% of researcher use images as research data, however, its use is generally not accompanied by a guidance document such as a research data management plan. These results provide valuable insights into the processes and habits regarding the production and use of images in the research context. (c) 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG

Current extraction techniques towards bioactive compounds from brewers spent grain A review

Background: Brewers spent grain is one of the most abundant by-products of the brewing industry and is rich in various bioactive compounds (phenolic acids, insoluble dietary fiber and proteins). While at the present brewers spent grain is mainly used as animal feed its rich nutritional content makes it an interesting alternative for food applications. Scope and approach: As the range of applications of the bioactive compounds extracted from by-products has been growing in recent years, there is the need to obtain and characterize these bioactive compounds. Extraction methods (supercritical carbon dioxide, autohydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, solvent extraction, ultrasound assisted extraction, dilute acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis, microwave assisted extraction) have been developed and are always being subjected to new approaches to allow better extraction yields of the bioactive compounds. Key findings and conclusions: This review aims to provide a better understanding of the current advantages and limitations of brewers spent grain extraction processes and to provide a background of brewers spent grain composition and applications.The authors would like to thank to the projects Co-promoção,NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004 and OCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684.Furthermore, the authors would also acknowledge the FCT projects UID/Multi/50016/2019, UID/BIO/04469/2013. The author T. Bonifácio-Lopes would also like to acknowledge the grant UMINHO/BD/11/2016.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Influence of arterial mechanical properties on carotid blood flow: comparison of CFD and FSI studies

Carotid artery blood flow is studied to compare models with rigid and elastic walls. Considering a patient-specific geometry and transient boundary conditions. In the case of rigid walls, only the fluid (blood) behavior is considered, in a typical Computational Fluid Dynamics study. With the elastic walls, the reciprocal influence of both fluid and solid (blood and artery) are taken into account, constituting a Fluid-Structure Interaction study. Further more, the study of the influence of mechanical properties of the artery, which become stiffer with the progression of atherosclerosis, on blood flow is also presented, an innovative approach relative to the work done in this field. Results show that the carotid sinus is the preferential zone to develop atherosclerosis, given its low values of Time-Averaged Wall Shear Stress. Additionally, it is fundamental to consider the arterial wall as elastic bodies, given that the rigid model overestimates the flow velocity and Wall Shear Stress. On the different mechanical properties of the vessel, its influence is minimal in the Time-Averaged Wall Shear Stress profiles. However, given the results of the displacement and velocity profiles, their inclusion in blood flow simulations in stenosed arteries should be considered.This work was supported by FEDER funds through the COMPETE program with the reference project PTDC/SEM-TEC/3827/2014. Additionally, this work is supported by FCT with the reference projects UID/EEA/04436/2019, UID/CEC/00319/2019 and UID/EMS/04077/2019

Brewers spent grain as a potential source of antioxidants: characterization of extracts

NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000004 and OCI-01-0145-FEDER-006684. Furthermore, the authors would also acknowled ge the FCT project UID/BIO/04469/2013 and would also like to thank the scientific collaboration of CBQF under the FCT project UID/Multi/50016/2013. The author T. Bonifácio - Lopes would like to acknowledge the grant UMINHO/BD/11/201info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Parametric modelling of walls: Visual permeability to urbanity

Visually impermeable boundaries growth of residential multifamily buildings in Boa Viagem (Recife-BR) increases urban environment of buildings that ignore streets and pedestrians. Minimizing it, without disturbing the private use, this work consists in modelled walls defined by cobogós (typical hollow elements of the region), manipulated to guarantee some privacy and visual permeability at the same time. With Space Syntax tools and support, part of the neighborhood is analyzed both in its actual configuration, and after the post-supposed interventions. Analysis supported the design work decisions, making increase of visual range in public spaces possible, as a way of stimulate the urbanity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Active and sedentary behaviors in youth (6-14 years old): Data from the IAN-AF survey (2015-2016)

Background: Strategic health interventions must be guided by effective surveillance systems that monitor population trends and patterns, therefore we aimed to provide youth's (6–14 years) national prevalence estimates of physical activity (PA), active outdoor play (AOP), sedentary behaviur (SB), and structured PA (SPA). Methods: Measures of moderate-to-vigorous PA, SB, AOP, and SPA, were obtained for 719 participants in 2 groups (6–9 and 10–14 years) using diaries and questionnaires. National estimates were calculated, by sex, region, and parental education. Results: While 54% (95%CI: 47.4–61.3) of youth meet PA recommendations, the prevalence is lower for the older group (P = .034). Similarly, AOP decreases with age both on weekends, from 94.3% (95%CI: 90.8–97.8) to 68.7% (95%CI: 62.2–75.1), and on weekdays from 84% (95%CI: 76.5–91.5) to 64.8% (95%CI: 59–70.6). Watching TV for ≥2 h/day is extremely high on weekends [71.3% (95%CI: 65.4–77.2)] and more prevalent in boys than girls on weekdays (P = .043). Higher parental education significantly increased SPA and active time. Time in SB was greater in boys [7.26 h (95%CI: 6.87–7.65)] than girls [6.48 h (95%CI: 6.09–6.87)] and increased with age (P < .001). Conclusions: Almost half of the youth failed to achieve PA guidelines, whereas 71% exceeded recommended TV time on weekends, suggesting the urgency of intervention measures.This study was conducted in the context of the IAN-AF, National Food, Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey funded by the EEAGRANTS programme-initiatives in Public Health (EEA-GRANTS PT06_00088SI3). AP and JM were supported by grants: FCT: UID/DTP/00617/2019 and AP by SFRH/BPD/ 105071/2014

Nursing training in Brazil and in Portugal: similarities and specificities

Objective: To identify similarities/specificities in the nursing training in Brazil and in Portugal. This is a documentary research conducted in two higher education institutions, in January 2013. Method: It was focused on the National Curriculum Guidelines and on the Bologna Process. Results: Common points: objectives and profile of the newly-trained nurses grounded on competencies; teaching of education in/for health. Brazilian specificity: universal admission; three disciplines focused on research; mandatory discipline related to elderly care; two optional disciplines: Alternative therapies and Brazilian Language of Signs; insertion of complementary activities, actions in teaching/research/extension; basis of teaching: compliance with the Brazilian Unified Health System. Portuguese Specificity: admission with regionalized medical certificate; grounded on the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System; compulsory disciplines: Clinical Reasoning in Nursing; Family Nursing; Development throughout life; Rehabilitative Nursing and Prospects of development of the Nursing; two optional disciplines: entrepreneurship and arts; basis of teaching: clinical teaching. Conclusions: There are similarities and specificities between the surveyed courses

Physico-chemical surface characterization of a bacterial population isolated from a milking machine

The hydrophobicity of 26 species of bacteria representative of the main genera isolated from a rubber short milk tube, which is a constituent of a cluster from a milking machine, was determined. The materials forming the cluster namely rubber, stainless steel (SS) 316, stainless steel (SS) 304, glass and polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) were also assayed in terms of hydrophobicity. In relation with the hydrophobicity of bacteria, all the strains of Lactobacillus lactis lactis as well as of Enterococcus faecalis are hydrophobic. Concerning Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus sciuri, some are hydrophobic and others are hydrophilic. All the materials are hydrophobic, being rubber, SS 316 and SS 304 the most hydrophobic surfaces while glass is the less hydrophobic. The free energy of adhesion between the bacteria and the materials in aqueous medium was calculated and used to predict which material of the cluster has a higher ability for biofilm formation and by this way contribute for milk contamination due to the release of bacteria from the deposit. For all the situations studied, adhesion is thermodynamically favourable to SS 316, SS 304 and rubber and less favourable to PMMA and glass.Ministério da Agricultura, do Desenvolvimento Rural e das Pescas (INIAP) - Project AGRO 205