Relatório de estágio curricular na Novesem Portugal, Lda

Mestrado em Biomedicina FarmacêuticaIn recent years, pharmaceutical industry companies (Pharmaceutical Industry or Pharmaceutical Labs) have been requesting the participation of/partnership with CROs, mostly due to the lack of resources or business strategy in order to achieve a temporal flexibility in their processes, and also to save resources. Nowadays, CROs are considered an integral and fundamental part of clinical research and they are scattered all over the world. These are multidisciplinary companies that make diversity of offers and solutions their main strengths. The present work aims to report the various activities in a company providing services in clinical research.As empresas da indústria farmacêutica (a Industria Farmacêutica ou os laboratórios farmacêuticos) têm vindo nos últimos anos a solicitar uma maior participação/parceria de Clinical Research Organizations (CROs), muito por falta de recursos próprios ou estratégia comercial, de forma a conseguirem uma agilidade temporal nos seus processos bem como poupança de recursos. Hoje em dia, as CROs são consideradas como parte integrante e fundamental da investigação clínica e estão espalhadas um pouco por todo o mundo. São empresas multidisciplinares que fazem da diversidade de ofertas e soluções os seus pontos fortes. O presente trabalho propõe relatar as diversas actividades desenvolvidas numa empresa de prestação de serviços na área da investigação clínica

Imunobiossensores capacitivos interdigitais com camadas sensíveis micro e nano-estruturadas

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em BiotecnologiaNo presente trabalho foi desenvolvido um sistema de imunodeteção, baseado num biossensor capacitivo que integra um par de microelétrodos interdigitais (transdutor). À superfície dos microeléctrodos testaram-se dois tipos de matrizes de suporte diferentes para imobilização de anticorpos – membrana comercial de Fluoreto de Polivinilideno (PVDF) e camada de nanopartículas de Óxido de Zinco (nanobastonetes de ZnO). O objetivo da utilização destas matrizes específicas foi maximizar a distribuição dos anticorpos detetores ao longo da região de interação do campo elétrico criado pelo transdutor. A abordagem inovadora deste trabalho (maximizar a distribuição dos anticorpos através da utilização de matrizes de suporte sobre o transdutor) pretende ser uma alternativa simples e económica à utilização de nanoelétrodos, mais dispendiosos e de fabrico complexo. As membranas de PVDF foram alvo de estudo sobre a influência de um pré-tratamento com álcool na capacidade de difusão dos antigénios na membrana, bem como do processo de bloqueamento da membrana com Albumina do soro bovino e leite magro em pó – habitualmente usados em imunoensaios para aumentar a especificidade de ligação do antigénio ao anticorpo. A deposição da camada de nanobastonetes de ZnO foi realizada durante quatro intervalos de tempo diferentes (1,5, 3, 5 e 7 horas), de forma a selecionar as condições para maior revestimento da área superficial do transdutor. Como modelos representativos das interações anticorpo/antigénio foram utilizados dois sistemas distintos: anticorpo anti-PfHsp70 e respetivo antigénio PfHsp70 (Plasmodium falciparum Heat Shock Protein 70); anticorpo anti-HRP e respetivo antigénio HRP (Peroxidase de Rábano). Cada sensor foi analisado por Espectroscopia de Impedância (de 40 Hz a 110 MHz), de forma a detetar alterações de capacidade e impedância resultantes da interação anticorpo/antigénio. Os sensores com membrana de PVDF registaram variações de capacidade baixas (inferiores a 1 pF), mas foram capazes na sua maioria de distinguir entre soluções sem e com antigénio. Nos sensores com nanobastonetes de ZnO, a presença do antigénio HRP produziu um sinal distinto em relação aos controlos negativos (solução tampão e antigénio não-específico). Em todos os sensores (com PVDF e ZnO), a maior variação da capacidade na presença do antigénio foi observada entre 1 e 10 kHz, sugerindo que este intervalo de frequências é ideal para imunodeteção por Espectroscopia de Impedância

Enriching MATLAB with aspect-oriented features for developing embedded systems

This article presents an approach to enrich the MATLAB language with aspect-oriented modularity features, enabling developers to experiment different implementation characteristics and to acquire runtime data and traces without polluting their base MATLAB code. We propose a language through which programmers configure the low-level data representation of variables and expressions. Examples include specifically-tailored fixed-point data representations leading to more efficient support for the underlying hardware, e.g., digital signal processors and application-specific architectures, without built-in floating point units. This approach assists developers in adding handlers and monitoring features in a non-invasive way as well as configuring MATLAB functions with optimized implementations. Different aspect modules can be used to retarget common MATLAB code bases for different purposes and implementations. We validate the proposed approach with a set of representative examples where we attain a simple way to explore a number of properties. Experiment results and collected aspect-oriented software metrics lend support to the claims on its usefulness.This work was partially supported by FCT (Portuguese Science Foundation) under the project AMADEUS (POCTI, PTDC/EIA/70271/2006)

Updating predictors of endoscopic recurrence after ileocolic resection for Crohn disease

Background/Aims: Identifying predictors of endoscopic recurrence (ER) has become very important to guide the decision of postoperative strategy. This study aimed to determine the rate of endoscopic recurrence until 12 months after ileocolic resection for Crohn disease (CD) in a cohort and identify its possible predictors. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study that included patients with CD who underwent ileocolic resection between 2003 and 2014. ER was defined according to the Rutgeerts' score, defined as i2, i3, or i4 at ileocolonoscopy that was performed 6-12 months after surgery. The patients were classified into two groups according to the Rutgeerts' score: non-ER (Rutgeerts i0/i1) and ER (Rutgeerts >= i2). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed, including significant variables on univariable analysis, to identify ER predictors. Results: Forty-two patients were included. The mean period of the first postoperative colonoscopy was 9 months, and ER was observed in 25 patients (59.5%). The perianal disease and shorter duration of CD were the only ER predictors (p=0.024; OR, 8.36; 95% CI, 1.329-52.642 and p=0.039; OR, 0.965; 95% CI, 0.933-0.998, respectively). Conclusion: Endoscopic recurrence affects almost two-thirds of patients with CD after ileocolic resection, with perianal involvement and a shorter duration of disease being significant risk factors. These factors may indicate a more aggressive disease associated with rapid progression and support the need of intensive early treatment to improve patients' outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unified power converter based on a dual-stator permanent magnet synchronous machine for motor drive and battery charging of electric vehicles

An electric vehicle (EV) usually has two main power converters, namely one for the motor drive system and another for the battery-charging system. Considering the similarities between both converters, a new unified power converter for motor drive and battery charging of EVs is propounded in this paper. By using a single unified power converter, the cost, volume, and weight of the power electronics are reduced, thus also making possible a reduction in the final price of the EV. Moreover, the proposed unified power converter has the capability of bidirectional power flow. During operation in traction mode, the unified power converter controls motor driving and regenerative braking. Additionally, during operation in battery-charging mode, with the EV plugged into the electrical power grid, the unified power converter controls the power flow for slow or fast battery charging (grid-to-vehicle (G2V) mode), or for discharging of the batteries (vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mode). Specifically, this paper presents computer simulations and experimental validations for operation in both motor-driving and slow battery-charging mode (in G2V and V2G modes). It is demonstrated that the field-oriented control used in the traction system presents good performance for different values of mechanical load and that the battery-charging system operates with high levels of power quality, both in G2V and in V2G mode.This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation of Science and Technology (FCT) (in Portuguese, Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work was also supported by the FCT Project DAIPESEV PTDC/EEIEEE/30382/2017 and by the FCT Project newERA4GRIDs PTDC/EEI-EEE/30283/2017. T.J.C.S. is supported by the doctoral scholarship SFRH/BD/134353/2017 granted by the FCT

A review on power electronics technologies for power quality improvement

Nowadays, new challenges arise relating to the compensation of power quality problems, where the introduction of innovative solutions based on power electronics is of paramount importance. The evolution from conventional electrical power grids to smart grids requires the use of a large number of power electronics converters, indispensable for the integration of key technologies, such as renewable energies, electric mobility and energy storage systems, which adds importance to power quality issues. Addressing these topics, this paper presents an extensive review on power electronics technologies applied to power quality improvement, highlighting, and explaining the main phenomena associated with the occurrence of power quality problems in smart grids, their cause and effects for different activity sectors, and the main power electronics topologies for each technological solution. More specifically, the paper presents a review and classification of the main power quality problems and the respective context with the standards, a review of power quality problems related to the power production from renewables, the contextualization with solid-state transformers, electric mobility and electrical railway systems, a review of power electronics solutions to compensate the main power quality problems, as well as power electronics solutions to guarantee high levels of power quality. Relevant experimental results and exemplificative developed power electronics prototypes are also presented throughout the paper.This work has been supported by FCT-Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work has been supported by the FCT Project DAIPESEV PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017 and by the FCT Project newERA4GRIDs PTDC/EEIEEE/30283/2017

Comparative analysis of Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) power transfer configurations without additional power converters

This paper presents a comparative analysis of power transfer configurations towards vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) battery charging operation without using additional power converters, i.e., using just the on-board battery chargers of two electric vehicles (EVs). Three access interfaces were considered, namely the ac power grid interface, the dc-link interface and the dc battery interface, which allow the establishment of eight V2V configurations. The defined configurations are described and verified through computational simulations. A comparison is performed based on quantitative data, i.e., power transfer efficiency for a given output power range, and qualitative data, i.e., flexibility and safety. According to the obtained results, it can be concluded that each V2V configuration has its pros and cons regarding efficiency, number of possible quadrant operation and need for additional equipment.This work has been supported by FCT –Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologiawith-in the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2019. This work has been supported by the FCT Project DAIPESEV PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017, and by FCTProject new-ERA4GRIDs PTDC/EEI-EEE/30283/2017. Mr. Tiago J. C. Sousa is supported by the doctoral scholarship SFRH/BD/134353/2017 granted by the Portuguese FCT agency

Battery charging station for electric vehicles based on bipolar dc power grid with grid-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-vehicle operation modes

This paper proposes an electric vehicle (EV) battery charging station (EV-BCS) based on a bipolar dc power grid with the capabilities of returning energy back to the power grid (vehicle-to-grid – V2G mode), as well as to perform power transfer between different EVs connected to the EV-BCS without drawing power from the power grid (vehicle-to-vehicle – V2V mode), besides the traditional battery charging operation (grid-to-vehicle – G2V mode). The proposed EV-BCS is modular, using three-level bidirectional dc-dc converters. In this paper, for simplicity reasons, only two converters, and hence two EVs, are considered in order to validate the previously referred operation modes. Furthermore, unbalanced operation from the EVs side is also considered for all the operation modes, aiming to consider a real scenario of operation. Simulation results verify the correct operation of the EV-BCS in all cases, with balanced and unbalanced current consumption from the EVs resulting always in balanced currents from the bipolar dc power grid side

Power quality phenomena in electrified railways: Conventional and new trends in power quality improvement toward public power systems

Nowadays, railway electrification is the most efficient way to power the trains. However, power quality (PQ) phenomena toward public power systems (PPSs) have always a main concern to the railway operators, especially when the single phase traction power system is interconnected to the three phase PPS. The last decades have witnessed an on going evolution of PQ improvement and traction power supply systems, contributing to diminish the negative impacts of AC railway networks on PQ of the three phase PPS. In this context, this paper presents a global overview of the PQ phenomena in AC railway electrification, as well as the impacts of the potential hazards on the safe operation of electrified railways. The paper also reviews PQ improvement methods from the early use of AC railway electrification until the emergence of the new power electronics devices in railways industry.Mohamed Tanta was supported by FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia) PhD grant with a reference PD/BD/127815/2016. This work has been supported by COMPETE: POCI-01-0145–FEDER–007043 and FCT within the Project Scope: UID/CEC/00319/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Experimental validation of a three-phase induction motor operating with a three-phase bidirectional variable speed drive

The three-phase induction motor is the main electric motor used in industrial applications, contributing significantly to the industrial electricity consumption. Additionally, the traditional variable speed drivers, due to the internal constitution based on a passive rectifier, contribute to accentuate power quality problems on the grid side. In this context, this paper presents thesimulation, implementation and subsequent experimental verification of an electronic variable speed drive for three-phase induction motors, which is composed by a three-phase ac-dc converter on the grid side and by a three-phase dc-ac converter on the motor side. With the proposed solution, besides driving the motor, it is possible to mitigate power quality problems on the grid side (e.g., current harmonics and reactive power) associated with the use of diode-bridge ac-dc converters in the conventional variable speed drives. Besides, with the proposed solution, a bidirectional operation is possible, allowing to deliver to the power grid the energy generated in motor braking processes. As demonstrated along the paper, with the proposed variable speed drive it is possible to control the motor speed (including the rotation direction), and to achieve operation with sinusoidal currents and unitary power factor on the grid side. A laboratory prototype was developed, allowing to perform experimental validation and to verify the main functionalities of the variable speed driveUIDB/00319/2020, PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017, PTDC/EEI-EEE/28813/2017. FCT– Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work has been supported by the FCT Project DAIPESEV PTDC/EEI-EEE/30382/2017, and by the FCT Project QUALITY4POWER PTDC/EEI-EEE/28813/201