Utilização de cardioversores desfibrilhadores implantáveis em desportistas : revisão sistemática

Trabalho final de mestrado integrado em Medicina (Cardiologia), apresentado á Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de CoimbraAs recomendações internacionais excluem todos os atletas possuidores de um cardioversor desfibrilhador implantável (CDI) da prática de todos os desportos excepto os de baixa intensidade, inseridos na categoria IA (golf, bilhar, bowling). No entanto, estas recomendações são baseadas em consensos de peritos e a segurança ou riscos resultantes da prática desportiva nesta população ainda são largamente desconhecidos da comunidade médica. Foi realizada uma revisão sistemática da literatura existente na PubMed utilizando a seguinte expressão: “((sudden cardiac death) AND (sport OR physical exercise)) AND defibrillator”. Após a avaliação de critérios de inclusão e exclusão pre-definidos, foram selecionados 36 resultados que são explorados neste manuscrito. Resultados preliminares da utilização de CDI nesta população parecem atestar a sua segurança e eficácia. Estudos futuros, permitindo o seguimento de um maior número de desportistas por um período mais duradouro, poderão fornecer mais robustez e evidência mais forte a suportar estes achados. Entretanto, a abordagem ao desportista portador de CDI deve ser personalizada e adequada ao paciente, de acordo com a cardiopatia e tipo de desporto em questão. Uma abordagem generalista com desqualificação de quase todos os desportistas sem atender às suas especificidades pode prejudicar uma quantidade considerável de doentes aos quais será vedada a possibilidade de manter a sua profissão ou prática, para a qual poderiam eventualmente apresentar um risco baixo de Morte Súbita CardíacaInternational guidelines exclude all athletes with ICD (Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator) from the practice of sports, except those of low intensity, under the IA category (golf, billiards and bowling). Nevertheless, these guidelines are based on experts’ consensus and thus, the safety and risks of sports practice in this population are still largely unknown to the medical community. We performed a systematic review of the literature on PubMed, using the following search string: “((sudden cardiac death) AND (sport OR physical exercise)) AND defibrillator”. After evaluating pre-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 36 results, which are explored in this manuscript, were selected. Preliminary results of ICD utilization in this population seem to ensure the safety and efficacy of the device in this context. Further studies, with a longer follow-up and with a bigger samples, may provide stronger evidence to support these findings. Meanwhile, dealing with ICD patients and repeatedly disqualifying almost all of them from sports practice, without addressing their individual needs and specificities, may harm a considerable amount of patients, who will be prevented from keeping their jobs or hobbies, for which they may present a low risk of sudden cardiac death

Desarrollo de software para el diseño de antenas Yagi-Uda y reflector de esquina

The following document describes the development of a program for the design of Yagi-Uda and Corner Reflector antennas; it is understood by antenna any object designed to send and receive electromagnetic waves into free space. This work begins with a theoric study of the antennas: their characteristics, different types and their principal applications. The characteristics to be analyzed are the radiation patters in both planes, directivity and Front-to- Back gain, the last one is understood as the relationship in decibels between the gain in the direction of propagation and the gain in the opposite direction.En el presente documento se describe el desarrollo de un programa dedicado al diseño de antenas Yagi-Uda y Reflectores de Esquina; se entiende por antena a cualquier dispositivo diseñado con el objetivo de emitir o recibir ondas electromagnéticas hacia el espacio libre. Este trabajo inicia con un estudio teórico de antenas: sus características, diferentes modelos y sus principales aplicaciones. Las características que se van a analizar son los patrones de radiación en ambos planos, directividad y ganancia frente - espalda, entendiéndose la última como la relación en decibeles entre la ganancia en la dirección de propagación y la ganancia en la dirección opuesta

Estrutura Microfísica das Nuvens em Diferentes Ecossistemas da América do Sul.

Clouds directly affect meteorological conditions of the planet, by interacting with electromagnetic radiation from the sun, the earth’s surface and the atmosphere. Each cloud type interacts in a particular way, being extremely important that the total set of clouds at any location is well represented in atmospheric models, in order to generate more accurate results. The purpose of this paper is to initiate a characterization of cloud types as a function of their microphysical properties and evaluate the dependence on ecosystem and synoptic condition. The data were obtained through remote sensing, using the MODIS sensor and the variables: cloud particle effective radius, optical thickness, pressure and temperature of the cloud top. Several forms of distributions were found for six different ecosystems for the four seasons. It was noted that narrow and concentrated effective radius spectra are linked to deep convection clouds, while broader distributions can be usually associated to cold frontal systems. The amount of events analyzed was not enough to show clear patterns, although the results can lead to other directions in a future and more focused work

Guidelines for analysing the building energy efficiency using BIM

Introduction The benefits of Building Information Modelling (BIM) for the construction industry are already known and proved. One of the applications of BIM is to estimate buildings energy demand and foster the introduction of more efficient design alternatives. BIM creates information to support designers' decision-making and to allow them to compare and select the best options, enhancing buildings energy efficiency. With the increasing use of BIM and energy simulation tools, there is a need to establish a common and valid procedure for buildings energy assessment. Material and Methods By carrying out a building simulation with BIM, this paper identifies and describes the fundamental stages and requirements to perform a reliable, concise and fast energy assessment. These guidelines will consider Autodesk Revit as a BIM platform to create and prepare the building 3D model. Results The proposed guidelines cover all the required tasks for a BIM energy assessment, as the building modulation details and requirements, the software interoperability modes and restrictions and the comparison and selection of improvement measures. Inputs and advice are given regarding the use of some of the existing energy simulation BIM tools. Conclusions With the increasing number of studies addressing energy simulations with BIM, it is essential to define a set of requisites to precisely perform them. By identifying the minimum requirements and tasks, the proposed guidelines will support future studies in achieving more reliable and comparable results. The possibility to estimate and improve the energy demand of a building during the initial project stages allows for the opportunity to build high performance and more sustainable buildings. BIM capabilities might be an essential support to effectively improve the built environment energy efficiency and accomplish environmental goals.FCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(SFRH/BD/145735/2019

A systematic review of the role of BIM in building sustainability assessment methods

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is creating new opportunities for the Architecture, Engineering and Construction industry. One of them is the integration of the Building Sustainability Assessment (BSA) during the design process. Currently, an approach for using BIM to foster and optimise the application of BSA methods has not been clearly established yet, creating a knowledge gap on the application of BIM for sustainability assessment purposes. Thus, this paper analyses the current role of BIM to evaluate three BSA methods—LEED, BREEAM and SBTool. The current BIM applicability is assessed by performing a systematic review, where the criteria being assessed and the applied BIM software are identified. A comparison is made to determine which BSA method can currently take more advantage from BIM and to identify the number of assessed criteria from each one. Furthermore, the attractiveness of a BIM-based assessment for SBTool is analysed, facing the actual BIM scenario for LEED and BREEAM. Despite the restrictions, BIM use is increasing for sustainability purposes. Most of the analysed studies and identified software are still focused on the use of LEED for assessing sustainability during the design phase. However, BIM software capabilities can also support the assessment of the other BSA methods so that process replicability can happen. Among the most addressed criteria, the energy and material-related categories are the most eminent. Autodesk Revit is the most-used software. A BIM-based assessment for SBTool will have enough attractiveness. It can assess, at least, the same percentage of criteria as the other schemes, creating new opportunities to enhance building sustainability.This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, grant number SFRH/BD/145735/2019

BIM-based energy analysis and sustainability assessment - application to Portuguese buildings

Buildings are responsible for several negative impacts on the environment, most of them related to nonrenewable energy consumption, increasing the concern regarding buildings energy efficiency. In this context, computer software has been used to estimate the energy needs of the built environment, and the Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodology can be used to simplify this process. This study aims to validate a BIM-based framework to streamline the energy analysis of Portuguese buildings, based on the method of the national regulation for the thermal performance of residential buildings. Currently, designers need to spend considerable time assessing all the building characteristics and performing the mandatory calculations for energy performance analysis. It is also intended to link the results of the energy simulation with a Building Sustainability Assessment method—SBToolPT-H. The purpose is to demonstrate how it is possible to benefit from this approach to simultaneously improve building sustainability during the design stage. To do so, different case studies were modelled in Autodesk Revit and exported to a BIM energy tool to perform energy simulation analysis. The results were validated against the official assessment method of the Portuguese thermal regulation and were successfully used to assess the SBToolPT-H energy efficiency category. The research outcomes provide design teams with a reliable BIM-based framework to improve building energy performance and to develop thermal projects while enhancing building sustainability. It also increases the knowledge about the integration of sustainability assessment in the BIM environment, providing new insights for complete integration.This research was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the Regional Operation Programme of North (grant number SFRH/BD/145735/2019)

Estudos dos Processos Sinóticos e Microfísicos Associados a um Sistema Frontal que Atingiu o Extremo Sul do Brasil (Rio Grande do Sul) e Uruguai

O presente trabalho apresenta uma análise dos processos Sinóticos e Microfísicos da tempestade que ocorreu no dia 4 de maio de 2007, associada a um Complexo Convectivo de Mesoescala (CCM) embebido em um Sistema Frontal (SF), atingindo o extremo sul do Rio Grande do Sul e Uruguai. Este trabalho se direciona a entender os mecanismos dinâmicos, termodinâmicos e microfísicos, responsáveis pela ocorrência do evento e quais foram os precursores em grande escala que foram determinante na estrutura microfísica encontrada na tempestade. A análise microfísica da tempestade foi realizada utilizando dados do satélite CloudSat, que possui a bordo o Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR), um radar de alta precisão que faz o escaneamento vertical da nuvem, possibilitando uma visão tridimensional da tempestade em estudo. Os resultados mostraram que a região com maior taxa de precipitação apresentou valores elevados de conteúdo de gelo e grandes cristais de gelo próximo ao topo da nuvem. Foi verificado também, que o CCM observado foi composto principalmente por cristais de gelo e que sua estrutura microfísica foi fortemente influenciada pelos processos de grande escala

A stochastic modelling of the dynamical behaviour of highway bridge decks under traffic loads

In this paper an analysis methodology is developed to evaluate the dynamic response on highway bridge decks due to vehicles crossing on the rough pavement surfaces. The analysis methodology follows a statistical model running in the time domain. The mathematical model simulates the bridge structure and the vehicle series as a system, the vehicle-bridge system. The bridge deck follows a straight beam model made discrete by finite elements and nodal concentrated masses, with vertical translations and in-plane rotations as degrees of freedom. The vehicle simulation uses concentrated parameters of mass, stiffness and damping. Four different types of vehicles are modelled as rigid masses connected by springs and dampers with one, two, four or five degrees of freedom. According to each vehicle model, translational and rotational displacements are considered. The deck surface roughness is defined by a weakly stationary, second order and ergodic random process based on a well-known power spectrum density of road pavement profiles. The moving load is modelled by an infinite series of equal vehicles, regularly spaced, and running at constant velocity. Only steady-state response is considered. Response data are produced on reinforced concrete highway bridge decks made of a straight box girder cross section based on several spans and support arrangements. Conclusions are concerned with the fitness of the developed analysis methodology and the mathematical model adequacy. The influence of the vehicle type on the highway bridge decks dynamic behaviour was observed. The magnitude of the effects due to the interaction of the vehicles with an irregular pavement surface and their consequences about design and maintenance are investigated.Peer Reviewe