Assessment of stiffness and fatigue tests in Portugal

In the last decade, quality control of asphalt mixtures for pavement construction on the main Portuguese national road network used, most of the time, four-point bending beam tests (4pb) results as a reference. Stiffness modulus and fatigue laws established with samples prepared in the laboratory are usually used as a reference for behaviour/quality control analysis of the samples coming from the construction site. There is however, with this procedure, not only a problem of real world representation but also a question of the compatibility of results coming, again most of the time, from different laboratories using different equipments. Trying to address the second problem, this paper presents the results obtained from four-point bending tests carried out in three different laboratories in Portugal, owning three different 4pb equip-ments, concerning the performance characterization of a typical Portuguese base course asphalt mixture. The paper finally discusses the variability of the results obtained and underlines the main inferences that could be extracted

Fractional bioheat equation

In this work we develop a new mathematical model for the Pennes’ bioheat equation assuming a fractional time derivative of single order. A numerical method for the solu- tion of such equations is proposed, and, the suitability of the new model for modelling real physical problems is studied and discussedCOMPETE, FEDER and Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)) through Projects UID/CTM/50025/2013, PTDC/EME- MFE/113988/2009 and EXPL/CTM-POL/1299/2013. M. Rebelo acknowledge financial funding by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through the project PEstOE/MAT/UI0297/2013 (Centro de Matemática e Aplicacões

Semi-analytical solutions for the poiseuille-couette flow of a generalised Phan-Thien-Tanner fluid

This work presents new analytical and semi-analytical solutions for the pure Couette and Poiseuille-Couette flows, described by the recently proposed (Ferras et al., A Generalised Phan-Thien-Tanner Model, JNNFM 2019) viscoelastic model, known as the generalised Phan-Thien-Tanner constitutive equation. This generalised version considers the Mittag-Leffler function instead of the classical linear or exponential functions of the trace of the stress tensor, and provides one or two new fitting constants in order to achieve additional fitting flexibility. The analytical solutions derived in this work allow a better understanding of the model, and therefore contribute to improve the modelling of complex materials, and will provide an interesting challenge to computational rheologists, to benchmarking and to code verification.This research was funded by FEDER through COMPETE2020-Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao (POCI) and by national funds through FCT-Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, I. P. through Projects PTDC/EMS-ENE/3362/2014, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016665, UID-MAT-00013/2013, and UID/MAT/00297/2013 as well as grant number SFRH/BPD/100353/2014. This work was partially supported by the Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) through the project UID/MAT/00297/2019 (Centro de Matematica e Aplicacoes)

Association of eNOS gene polymorphisms with renal disease in Caucasians with type 2 diabetes

AbstractAimIn this study we investigated if the −786T>C, the VNTR intron 4 a/b and the 894G>T (Glu298Asp) polymorphisms in the eNOS gene were associated with renal disease in 617 type 2 diabetic Caucasian-Brazilians. These polymorphisms were also examined in 100 Caucasian healthy blood donors.MethodsGenotyping of eNOS polymorphisms was performed by PCR or PCR-RFLP and haplotype frequencies were estimated using a Bayesian method. Logistic regression analysis was done to test for association of eNOS polymorphisms with susceptibility to renal involvement (microalbuminuria, macroalbuminuria or end-stage renal disease). This analysis was carried out assuming three diferent genetic models for the minor allele, adjusting for possible effect modifiers.ResultsGenotype and allele frequencies in patients with renal disease were not significantly different from those of patients with normoalbuminuria and healthy blood donors for all eNOS polymorphisms. Likewise, there were no differences in haplotype frequencies among healthy blood donors and type 2 diabetic patients with or without renal involvement (P>0.05 for all comparisons).ConclusionNo associations between the −786T>C, the VNTR intron 4 a/b and the 894G>T (Glu298Asp) polymorphisms in the eNOS gene and renal disease were observed in type 2 diabetic Caucasian-Brazilians

Development and assessment of an over-expanded engine to be used as an efficiency-oriented range extender for electric vehicles

A range extender (RE) is a device used in electric vehicles (EVs) to generate electricity on-board, enabling them to significantly reduce the number of required batteries and/or extend the vehicle driving range to allow occasional long trips. In the present work, an efficiency-oriented RE based on a small motorcycle engine modified to the efficient over-expanded cycle, was analyzed, tested and simulated in a driving cycle. The RE was developed to have two points of operation, ECO: 3000 rpm, very high efficiency with only 15 kW; and BOOST: 7000 rpm with 35 kW. While the ECO strategy was a straightforward development for the over-expansion concept (less trapped air and a much higher compression ratio) the BOOST strategy was more complicated to implement and involved the need for throttle operation. Initially the concepts were evaluated in an in-house model and AVL Boost® (AVL List Gmbh, Graz, Austria), and proved feasible. Then, a BMW K75 engine was altered and tested on a brake dynamometer. The running engine proved the initial concept, by improving the efficiency for the ECO condition in almost 40% in relation to the stock engine and getting well over the required BOOST power, getting to 35 kW, while keeping an efficiency similar to the stock engine at the wide open throttle (WOT). In order to protect the engine during BOOST, the mixture was enriched, while at ECO the mixture was leaned to further improve efficiency. The fixed operation configuration allows the reduction, not only of complexity and cost of the RE, but also the set point optimization for the engine and generator. When integrated as a RE into a typical European light duty vehicle, it provided a breakthrough consumption reduction relatively to existing plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) in the market in the charge sustaining mode. The very high efficiency of the power generation seems to compensate for the loss of efficiency due to the excess electricity production, which must be stored in the battery. The results indicate that indeed it is possible to have an efficient solution, in-line with the electric mobility sustainability paradigm, which can solve most of the shortcomings of current EVs, notably those associated with batteries (range, cost and charging time) in a sustainable way.This Research was funded by MIT-Portugal EDAM, FCT, ERDF through Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade-COMPETE and National funds through PIDDAC, Project references MIT-Pt/EDAM-SMS/0030/2008 (MOBI-MPP-Assessment and Development of Integrated Systems for Electric Vehicles of the), UID/EMS/04077/2019 (MEtRICs -Mechanical Engineering and Resource Sustainability Centre Strategig Project) and grant numbers SFRH/BPD/89553/2012 (F.P. Brito) and SFRH/BSAB/142994/2018 (J Martins). AVL LIST GmbH provided free of charge an AVL Boost license through the University Partnership Program

Contribution for the vulnerability assessment of water pipe network systems

Water pipe network systems are key public utilities which require being robust, protected and preserved. Knowing their weaknesses will help these processes. The theory of vulnerability of water pipe networks can contribute in this context because it is able to map the vulnerable parts of this type of system. The meaning of vulnerability has been defined as being the disproportionateness of the failure consequences in relation to the initial damage and, in particular, its theoretical concepts. The main objectives of this paper are to briefly introduce this theory, to illustrate its application highlighting its potential. The application of the theory is presented using an example of a simple water pipe network. In a real water supply utility, where the vulnerabilities of WPN components are less evident, the identification of the most vulnerable ones may play an important contribution as support decision during WPN design period and for a sustainable infrastructure asset management. Further work is in progress to account for different type of damage and consequences and thus manage risks due to failure scenarios not identified by the classical theories

Contribution for the vulnerability assessment of water pipe network

Water pipe network systems are key public utilities which require being robust, protected and preserved. Knowing their weaknesses will help these processes. The theory of vulnerability of water pipe networks can contribute in this context because it is able to map the vulnerable parts of this type of system. The meaning of vulnerability has been defined as being the disproportionateness of the failure consequences in relation to the initial damage and, in particular, its theoretical concepts. The main objectives of this paper are to briefly introduce this theory, to illustrate its application highlighting its potential. The application of the theory is presented using an example of a simple water pipe network. In a real water supply utility, where the vulnerabilities of WPN components are less evident, the identification of the most vulnerable ones may play an important contribution as support decision during WPN design period and for a sustainable infrastructure asset management. Further work is in progress to account for different type of damage and consequences and thus manage risks due to failure scenarios not identified by the classical theories.(undefined

Evolution of qualitative and quantitative lipid profiles of high-pressure-processed serra da estrela cheese throughout storage

High-pressure processing (HPP) can be used as a nonthermal pasteurization technique to overcome microbial safety issues of the raw ewes’ milk Serra da Estrela cheese without negatively influencing its quality, in particular, the lipid composition partly responsible for Serra da Estrela cheese’s sensorial and textural attributes. The aim of this work was to assess HPP’s effect (600 MPa/6 min and 450 MPa/6 and 9 min) on the qualitative and quantitative lipid profiles of Serra da Estrela cheese during 15 months of refrigerated storage. Total triglycerides content (65–66 g TG/100 g) was similarly determined for HPP-treated (450 MPa/6 min) and control cheeses. Similar total contents of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids were reported for all cheeses during storage. A high total conjugated linoleic acid content (1.29–1.65 g FA/100 g fat) was quantified in all cheeses during storage; all cheeses revealed similar atherogenic and thrombogenic indices (~2.3 and ~2.6, respectively). HPP can be used to process Serra da Estrela cheese at conditions that assure microbial safety without influencing cheese lipid profiles.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Structural configurations of thin dried polyaniline films on gold(111) from scanning tunneling microscopy

The early stages of growth of polyaniline films electrodeposited on Au were studied by conventional electrochemical techniques, X-ray diffraction and ex situ scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). From high resolution STM imaging it appears that the first step of polyaniline formation involves the adsorption of aniline monomers on Au(111) terraces leading to domains with hexagonal arrays involving a phenyl-phenyl distance in the range 0.70 nm ⩽ d ⩽ 1.0 nm. The second step corresponds to the initiation of the polymer growth yielding typically 10 × 10 nm2 crystalline domains consisting of either 0.45 × 0.6 nm2 rectangular arrays or 0.75 × 0.45 nm2 arrays forming 120 ° angles. The crystalline domains coexist with highly disordered polymer domains. At advanced stages of growth, the formation of polymer fibers 2 nm in average width takes place leading to a full substrate coverage by a polymer deposit with an irregular surface.Instituto de Investigaciones Fisicoquímicas Teóricas y Aplicada

Design and Optimization of Microbial Fuel Cells and Evaluation of a New Air-Breathing Cathode Based on Carbon Felt Modified with a Hydrogel—Ion Jelly®

Funding Information: This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia projects DSAIPA/DS/0117/2020, UIDB/04565/2020, and UIDP/04565/2020, by the Associate Laboratory Institute for Health and Bioeconomy—i4HB project LA/P/0140/2020. This work was supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020). We also thank Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) for funding (SFRH/BD/77568/2011 (R.N.L.C.); SFRH/BPD/80293/2011 (R.M.A.)). C.M.C. acknowledges FCT for the Ciência 2008 Program; S.V.R. acknowledges the financial support from FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) for a postdoctoral research grant (FRH/BPD/33864/2009). This work was supported by the Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV, financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020 and UIDP/50006/2020); the Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences—iBB, financed by FCT (UID/BIO/04565/2013); and from Programa Operacional Regional de Lisboa 2020 (Project N. 007317). Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.The increased demand for alternative sustainable energy sources has boosted research in the field of fuel cells (FC). Among these, microbial fuel cells (MFC), based on microbial anodes and different types of cathodes, have been the subject of renewed interest due to their ability to simultaneously perform wastewater treatment and bioelectricity generation. Several different MFCs have been proposed in this work using different conditions and configurations, namely cathode materials, membranes, external resistances, and microbial composition, among other factors. This work reports the design and optimization of MFC performance and evaluates a hydrogel (Ion Jelly®) modified air-breathing cathode, with and without an immobilized laccase enzyme. This MFC configuration was also compared with other MFC configuration performances, namely abiotic and biocathodes, concerning wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Similar efficiencies in COD reduction, voltage (375 mV), PD (48 mW/m2), CD (130 mA/m2), and OCP (534 mV) were obtained. The results point out the important role of Ion Jelly® in improving the MFC air-breathing cathode performance as it has the advantage that its electroconductivity properties can be designed before modifying the cathode electrodes. The biofilm on MFC anodic electrodes presented a lower microbial diversity than the wastewater treatment effluent used as inocula, and inclusively Geobacteracea was also identified due to the high microbial selective niches constituted by MFC systems.publishersversionpublishe