The role of evolutive elastic properties in the performance of a sheet formed spring applied in multimedia car industry

The manufacturing process and the behavior of a sheet formed spring manufactured from an aluminum sheet is described and investigated in this work considering the specifications for the in-service conditions. The sheet formed spring is intended to be applied in car multimedia industry to replace bolted connections. Among others, are investigated the roles of the constitutive parameters and the hypothesis of evolutive elastic properties with the plastic work in the multi-step forming process and in working conditions.This research was sponsored by:a) Portugal Incentive System for Research and Technological Development. Project in co-promotion no 36265/2013 (Project HMIExcel - 2013-2015), andb) FCT with the reference project UID/EEA/04436/2013, by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI) with the reference project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006941.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Conservation of limpet populations: a heavily exploited resource in Azores, NE-Atlantic

10th International Temperate Reefs Symposium, The University of Western Australia, 12-17 de janeiro.Limpet harvesting in Azores (NE Atlantic) has been taking place probably since the islands were first colonized in the XV century. Limpet species are highly exploited and populations from most islands have declined steadily bringing about catastrophic effects on coastal communities. Despite their economic importance limpets are also ecologically key species and require prioritizing conservation strategies. Patellid limpets are broadcast spawners which go through a planktonic larval stage in their life cycle. They are benthic as adults and the larva is the only phase during their life-cycle which has the ability to disperse over assumed large spatial distances. However, there is now mounting evidence that gene flow between islands and mainlands can be low, even for species with a relatively long planktonic larval stage. Low levels of larval exchange may thus limit the success of conservation objectives expected upon migration and recruitment. In dispersive isolated oceanic islands such as the Macaronesian Islands, the Azores Archipelago in particular, is not clear whether limpet populations from different islands form a single meta-population or, in contrast, populations on each island are isolated from the rest. Knowledge on this scenario is crucial for the management and conservation of exploited populations of limpets. Here we have developed and described species-specific multiplexed microsatellite markers for the limpets Patella candei and Patella aspera using whole genome shotgun 454 sequencing. These genetic tools have allowed the study of the population genetic structure and evolutionary history of patellid species in the archipelago of Azores. Genetic studies, alongside with biological, ecological and oceanographic information, represent an important contribution for the understanding of population dynamics by allowing testing hypothesis about larval dispersal patterns, recruitment and life history traits, population connectivity, genetic diversity, and population equilibrium

Portuguese consensus document statement in diagnostic and management of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome

Among thrombotic microangiopathies (TMA), the hemolytic uremic syndrome associated with dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway (aHUS) is one of the most challenging diseases a nephrologist can face. By the end of the XXth century, the complement’s role was unraveled with the discovery that mutations in the factor H coding gene were responsible for aHUS. But it was the acknowledgment that pharmacological C5-9 blockage provided a cure for aHUS that fostered the interest of the nephrology community in the genetics, pathophysiology and therapeutics of, not only of aHUS, but TMA in general. The molecular genetics of aHUS is technically demanding and, as such, in Portugal (alike many other European countries) a single laboratory emerged as a national reference center. The fact that all samples are evaluated in a single center provides a unique opportunity for data collection and a forum for discussion for all those interested in the field: immunologists, molecular geneticists, pathologists and nephrologists. The current consensus document emerged from such a discussion forum and was sponsored by the Portuguese Society of Nephrology. The goal is more to portray the Portuguese picture regarding the diagnostic approach and therapeutic options than to extensively review the state of the art of the subject. The accompanying documents that are published as supplementary data are in line with that goal. They range from the informed consent and clinical form to be sent together with the biological samples for genetic testing, to the appendix regarding the actual sampling and storing conditions. The document is also intended to set an example for future documents and independente discussion forums on other kidney diseases for which emerging diagnostic and/or therapeutic strategies are reaching clinical practice.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Serious games for the human behaviour analysis in emergency evacuation scenarios

This paper describes an experiment designed to elicit human behaviour when facing the urgent need of exiting an unknown building. This work is part of a larger effort to devise the methodological approach underlying the implementation of simulation of pedestrians and elicitation of their emergent dynamics, an experimental framework coined SPEED. To validate our experimental setup, a group of 16 experts on fire safety, emergency planning and building evacuation were consulted. The experts were solicited to answer a questionnaire, rating their gaming experiences and validating the questions in the form to be presented to subjects. Their comments were valuable inputs used in the development of the experiment described in this paper. A sample of 62 subjects was then used to test our approach, which consists in having the subjects answering a questionnaire and later on playing a Serious Game resorting to the Unity3D game engine. Some specific scenarios were carefully designed and presented to subjects, both in the questionnaire and in the game environment to maintain consistency of answers. Preliminary results are promising, showing that the challenge made players think about the various situations that might happen when facing an emergency. They are also implied to reason on their stream of decisions, such as which direction to take considering the environment and some adverse situations, such as smoke, fire and people running on the opposite direction of the emergency signage.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Determinação espectrofotométrica de dipirona em um sistema FIA empregando um microssistema analítico construído com LTCC.

Nos últimos anos um grande interesse no desenvolvimento de microssistema para análises totais (?-TAS) tem sido amplamente descrito na literatura, pois é possível integrar várias etapas analíticas em um mesmo dispositivo como: introdução e pré-tratamento da amostra, reações químicas, separação analítica e detecção. Recentemente, um novo material denominado cerâmica verde ou LTCC (Low temperature co-fired ceramics)1,2 está sendo utilizado como uma tecnologia alternativa para a fabricação de ?-TAS, devido a possibilidade de construir estruturas tridimensionais utilizando múltiplas camadas de cerâmica verde, canais com dimensão reduzida sem limitação geométrica, além de um baixo custo de fabricação. O objetivo deste trabalho foi à aplicação de um microssistema analítico construído com LTCC para a determinação espectrofotométrica de dipirona em formulações farmacêuticas empregando um sistema FIA

Experiência de um serviço de pediatria no apoio pós-operatório a correção da escoliose

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sistema miniaturizado composto por um microssistema, reator em fase sólida e um minifotômetro aplicados para a determinação de uréia.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um microssistema em fluxo por multicomutação. Para isto, foi empregado um reator em fase sólida (RFS), um microssistema construído com LTCC (Low Temperature Co-fired Ceramics)1 e um minifotômetro como detector. O emprego da tecnologia LTCC tem como principais características o baixo custo, a facilidade de construir estruturas em 3D e a possibilidade de integrar diversos tipos de detectores em um mesmo substrato. O minifotômetro foi acoplado diretamente ao microssistema tornando o sistema de detecção portátil e simples. Para verificação de sua aplicabilidade, foi avaliada a reação de Berthelot visando a quantificação de uréia em leite, um importante parâmetro para avaliar as condições nutricionais dos animais

Growth Characteristics of Kikuyu Grass with Different Sources and Doses of Phosphorus

Growth is defined as the increase in size, volume and mass as a function of time. Growth analysis allows evaluating the final growth of the plant as a whole and the contribution of the different organs in total growth (Benincasa, 1988). The experiment had as objective to evaluate specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area per unit of leaf DM, leaf area ratio (LAR), leaf area per unit of whole plant DM, leaf weight ratio (LWR), leaf weight per unit of plant weight, leaf area index (LAI), leaf area per unit of soil area, leaf/stem ratio (LSR), leaf weight per unit stem weight, of 35 days old kikuyu grass with different sources and doses of P