Medição de celulose em partículas do aerossol interior

Mestrado em Engenharia do AmbienteAs concentrações de partículas em suspensão na atmosfera (PM10) e o seu conteúdo em “celulose livre” foram determinadas em amostras recolhidas em três locais distintos do concelho de Aveiro. Para as recolhas de partículas utilizaram-se dois amostradores de baixo caudal, com tempos de amostragem que variaram entre 12 e 24 h e com funcionamento simultâneo em ambiente interior e exterior. As concentrações de partículas foram determinadas por gravimetria, enquanto a “celulose livre” foi determinada por sacarificação enzimática e análise sob a forma de D-glucose. As concentrações médias de PM10 no ar interior e exterior foram 29,4 e 20,4 μg m-3, respectivamente. Por sua vez, as concentrações médias de “celulose livre” no ar interior e exterior foram 1,47 e 0,12 μg m-3, respectivamente. Os correspondentes teores de celulose nas partículas do aerossol foram, em média, 5,6 e 1,1 %, indicando que este polímero contribuía de um modo mais expressivo para a massa de partículas em suspensão no ar interior do que no ar exterior: A explicação para estes resultados parece residir nas fontes de partículas em ambientes interiores, nomeadamente a manipulação de vestuário e carpetes contendo algodão na sua composição. Para um dos ambientes interiores procedeu-se ainda à determinação simultânea das concentrações de “celulose livre” em partículas com duas classes de tamanhos (PM2,5 e PM10). Os resultados obtidos mostraram que a maior parte da “celulose livre” se encontrava associada à fracção grosseira do aerossol (PM2,5-10). ABSTRACT: The atmospheric concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) and the corresponding content of "free cellulose" were determined in samples taken at three different locations in the municipality of Aveiro. Indoor and outdoor aerosol particles were collected simultaneously with low volume samplers, during 12 to 24 h sampling periods. The concentration of particles was determined by gravimetry, while the "free cellulose" content was determined by enzymatic saccharification followed by analysis in the form of D-glucose. The average concentrations of PM10 were 29,4 and 20,4 μg m-3, in indoor and outdoor air, respectively. In turn, the average concentrations of "free cellulose" were 1,47 and 0,12 μg m-3, respectively. The corresponding content of cellulose in aerosol particles was, on average, 5,6% and 1,1%, suggesting that this polymer is a greater contributor to the indoor aerosol mass than to the outdoor aerosol mass. The explanation for these results seems to lie in inddor aerosol sources, particularly the manipulation of garments and carpets, which contain a significant amount of cotton in their composition. For one of the indoor locations “free cellulose” was additionally determined in two aerosol particle classes (PM2,5 and PM10). The results have shown that the major part of “free cellulose” was associated with the aerosol coarse fraction (PM2,5-10)

Drilling process of composite laminates : a tool based analysis

The distinctive characteristics of carbon fibre reinforced plastics, like low weight or high specific strength, had broadened their use to new fields. In order to join different components by using bolts, rivets or screws, one of the machining operations needed in composite structures is drilling. Usually, it is accepted that drilling can be carried out using conventional tools and machinery with adaptations. However, this operation can lead to different kind of damages being delamination the most severe as it can reduce the mechanical strength. The main mechanism responsible for delamination occurrence is the indentation caused by the drill chisel edge. It is accepted that a drilling process that reduces the thrust force exerted by the drill chisel edge during machining can decrease the risk of delamination. In this work, two combinations of the drilling process are compared: tool material HSS, WC and PCD and geometry twist, Brad and step. The parameters considered for analysis include: thrust force, delamination extension open-hole strength and bearing strength. Statistical techniques are used in the evaluation. The work performed shows that a proper combination of the factors involved, like tool material, drill geometry or cutting parameters, can help to reduce the occurrence of delamination

Integrating factors associated with complex wound healing into a mobile application: findings from a cohort study

Complex, chronic or hard-to-heal wounds are a prevalent health problem worldwide, with significant physical, psychological and social consequences. This study aims to identify factors associated with the healing process of these wounds and develop a mobile application for wound care that incorporates these factors. A prospective multicentre cohort study was conducted in nine health units in Portugal, involving data collection through a mobile application by nurses from April to October 2022. The study followed 46 patients with 57 wounds for up to 5 weeks, conducting six evaluations. Healing time was the main outcome measure, analysed using the Mann–Whitney test and three Cox regression models to calculate risk ratios. The study sample comprised various wound types, with pressure ulcers being the most common (61.4%), followed by venous leg ulcers (17.5%) and diabetic foot ulcers (8.8%). Factors that were found to impair the wound healing process included chronic kidney disease (U = 13.50; p = 0.046), obesity (U = 18.0; p = 0.021), non-adherence to treatment (U = 1.0; p = 0.029) and interference of the wound with daily routines (U = 11.0; p = 0.028). Risk factors for delayed healing over time were identified as bone involvement (RR 3.91; p < 0.001), presence of odour (RR 3.36; p = 0.007), presence of neuropathy (RR 2.49; p = 0.002), use of anti-inflammatory drugs (RR 2.45; p = 0.011), stalled wound (RR 2.26; p = 0.022), greater width (RR 2.03; p = 0.002), greater depth (RR 1.72; p = 0.036) and a high score on the healing scale (RR 1.21; p = 0.001). Integrating the identified risk factors for delayed healing into the assessment of patients and incorporating them into a mobile application can enhance decision-making in wound care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Thrombus aspiration in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction: results of a national registry of interventional cardiology

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the impact of thrombus aspiration (TA) during primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) in 'real-world' settings. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study, using data from the National Registry of Interventional Cardiology (RNCI 2006-2012, Portugal) with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients treated with P-PCI. The primary outcome, in-hospital mortality, was analysed through adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: We assessed data for 9458 STEMI patients that undergone P-PCI (35% treated with TA). The risk of in-hospital mortality with TA (aOR 0.93, 95%CI:0.54-1.60) was not significantly decreased. After matching patients through the propensity score, TA reduced significantly the risk of in-hospital mortality (OR 0.58, 95%CI:0.35-0.98; 3500 patients). CONCLUSIONS: The whole cohort data does not support the routine use of TA in P-PCI, but the results of the propensity-score matched cohort suggests that the use of selective TA may improve the short-term risks of STEMI..info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Data sources for drug utilization research in Latin American countries—A cross-national study: DASDUR-LATAM study

Purpose: Drug utilization research (DUR) contributes to inform policymaking and to strengthen health systems. The availability of data sources is the first step for conducting DUR. However, documents that systematize these data sources in Latin American (LatAm) countries are not known. We compiled the potential data sources for DUR in the LatAm region. Methods: A network of DUR experts from nine LatAm countries was assembled and experts conducted: (i) a website search of the government, academic, and private health institutions; (ii) screening of eligible data sources, and (iii) liaising with national experts in pharmacoepidemiology (via an online survey). The data sources were characterized by accessibility, geographic granularity, setting, sector of the data, sources and type of the data. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results: We identified 125 data sources for DUR in nine LatAm countries. Thirty-eight (30%) of them were publicly and conveniently available; 89 (71%) were accessible with limitations, and 18 (14%) were not accessible or lacked clear rules for data access. From the 125 data sources, 76 (61%) were from the public sector only; 46 (37%) were from pharmacy records; 43 (34%) came from ambulatory settings and; 85 (68%) gave access to individual patient-level data. Conclusions: Although multiple sources for DUR are available in LatAm countries, the accessibility is a major challenge. The procedures for accessing DUR data should be transparent, feasible, affordable, and protocol-driven. This inventory could permit a comparison of drug utilization between countries identifying potential medication-related problems that need further exploration.Fil: Lopes, Luciane C.. University Of Sorocaba; BrasilFil: Salas, Daiana Maribel. University of Pennsylvania; Estados UnidosFil: Osorio de Castro, Claudia Garcia Serpa. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Freitas Leal, Lisiane. McGill University; CanadáFil: Doubova, Svetlana V.. Mexican Institute of Social Security; MéxicoFil: Cañás, Martín. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche; Argentina. Federación Médica de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Dreser, Anahi. Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública; MéxicoFil: Acosta, Angela. Universidad ICESI; ColombiaFil: Oliveira Baldoni, Andre. Federal University of São João Del-Rei; BrasilFil: de Cássia Bergamaschi, Cristiane. University of Sorocaba; BrasilFil: Marques Mota, Daniel. Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency; BrasilFil: Gómez Galicia, Diana L.. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos; MéxicoFil: Sepúlveda Viveros, Dino. Universidad de Chile; ChileFil: Narvaez Delgado, Edgard. No especifíca;Fil: da Costa Lima, Elisangela. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Chandia, Felipe Vera. Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile; ChileFil: Ferre, Felipe. Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais; BrasilFil: Marin, Gustavo Horacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Olmos, Ismael. State Health Services Administration; UruguayFil: Zimmermann, Ivan R.. Universidade do Brasília; BrasilFil: Fulone, Izabela. University of Sorocaba; BrasilFil: Roldán Saelzer, Juan. Instituto de Salud Pública; ChileFil: Sánchez Salgado, Juan Carlos. No especifíca;Fil: Castro Pastrana, Lucila I.. Universidad de Las Américas de Puebla; MéxicoFil: de Souza, Luiz Jupiter Carneiro. Fundación Oswaldo Cruz; BrasilFil: Machado Beltrán, Manuel. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Tolentino Silva, Marcus. University of Sorocaba; BrasilFil: Mena, María Belén. Universidad Central del Ecuador; EcuadorFil: de França Fonteles, Marta Maria. Universidade Federal do Ceara; BrasilFil: Urtasun, Martín Alejandro. Universidad Nacional Arturo Jauretche; Argentina. Federación Médica de la Provincia de Buenos Aires; Argentin

Commentaries on viewpoint : physiology and fast marathons

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Spreading remote lab usage: A system — A community — A Federation

Experiments have been at the heart of scientific development and education for centuries. From the outburst of Information and Communication Technologies, virtual and remote labs have added to hands-on labs a new conception of practical experience, especially in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education. This paper aims at describing the features of a remote lab named Virtual Instruments System in Reality, embedded in a community of practice and forming the spearhead of a federation of remote labs. More particularly, it discusses the advantages and disadvantages of remote labs over virtual labs as regards to scalability constraints and development and maintenance costs. Finally, it describes an actual implementation in an international community of practice of engineering schools forming the embryo of a first world wide federation of Virtual Instruments System in Reality nodes, under the framework of a project funded by the Erasmus+ Program.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities

AimAmazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types.LocationAmazonia.TaxonAngiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots).MethodsData for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran's eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny.ResultsIn the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R2 = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R2 = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types.Main ConclusionNumerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (&gt;66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions

Geography and ecology shape the phylogenetic composition of Amazonian tree communities

Aim: Amazonia hosts more tree species from numerous evolutionary lineages, both young and ancient, than any other biogeographic region. Previous studies have shown that tree lineages colonized multiple edaphic environments and dispersed widely across Amazonia, leading to a hypothesis, which we test, that lineages should not be strongly associated with either geographic regions or edaphic forest types. Location: Amazonia. Taxon: Angiosperms (Magnoliids; Monocots; Eudicots). Methods: Data for the abundance of 5082 tree species in 1989 plots were combined with a mega-phylogeny. We applied evolutionary ordination to assess how phylogenetic composition varies across Amazonia. We used variation partitioning and Moran\u27s eigenvector maps (MEM) to test and quantify the separate and joint contributions of spatial and environmental variables to explain the phylogenetic composition of plots. We tested the indicator value of lineages for geographic regions and edaphic forest types and mapped associations onto the phylogeny. Results: In the terra firme and várzea forest types, the phylogenetic composition varies by geographic region, but the igapó and white-sand forest types retain a unique evolutionary signature regardless of region. Overall, we find that soil chemistry, climate and topography explain 24% of the variation in phylogenetic composition, with 79% of that variation being spatially structured (R$^{2}$ = 19% overall for combined spatial/environmental effects). The phylogenetic composition also shows substantial spatial patterns not related to the environmental variables we quantified (R$^{2}$ = 28%). A greater number of lineages were significant indicators of geographic regions than forest types. Main Conclusion: Numerous tree lineages, including some ancient ones (>66 Ma), show strong associations with geographic regions and edaphic forest types of Amazonia. This shows that specialization in specific edaphic environments has played a long-standing role in the evolutionary assembly of Amazonian forests. Furthermore, many lineages, even those that have dispersed across Amazonia, dominate within a specific region, likely because of phylogenetically conserved niches for environmental conditions that are prevalent within regions

Chapter 1

Experimenting is fundamental to the training process of all scientists and engineers. While experiments have been traditionally done inside laboratories, the emergence of Information and Communication Technologies added two alter-natives accessible anytime, anywhere. These two alternatives are known as virtual and remote labs, and are sometimes indistinguishably referred as online labs. Sim-ilarly to other instructional technologies, virtual and remote labs require some ef-fort from teachers in integrating them into curricula, taking into consideration sev-eral factors that affect their adoption (i.e. cost) and their educational effectiveness (i.e. benefit). This chapter analyses these two dimensions and sustains the case where only through international cooperation it is possible to serve the large num-ber of teachers and students involved in engineering education. It presents an ex-ample in the area of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, based on a remote lab named Virtual Instruments System in Reality, and it then describes how a number of European and Latin-American institutions have been cooperating under the scope of an Erasmus+ project2, for spreading its use in Brazil and Argentina.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio