Identificação dinâmica e análise do comportamento sísmico de um quarteirão localizado na Cidade da Horta - Ilha do Faial

O presente artigo aborda uma parte de um trabalho em curso relativo à análise do comportamento sísmico de todo um quarteirão da cidade da Horta, na ilha do Faial, Açores, afectado pelo sismo de 9 de Julho de 1998. Apresenta-se o resultado de uma análise numérica preliminar para aferir a sensibilidade ao tipo de modelação e às propriedades dos materiais, realizada ao nível local de uma casa e também ao nível global do quarteirão. Após uma identificação prévia das zonas mais vulneráveis do quarteirão, refere-se a realização de uma campanha experimental de medições de vibração ambiental in situ, cujos resultados permitiram obter frequências e modos de vibração de alguns edifícios do quarteirão e calibrar as modelações numéricas que aqui se apresentam

Análise dinâmica de um quarteirão localizado na Cidade da Horta - Ilha do Faial

O comportamento de um edifício localizado no interior de um quarteirão, émanifestamente diferente do de um edifício situado, por exemplo, numa freguesia rural.Assim, os edifícios em banda que formam um quarteirão interactuam uns com os outros,dado que se encontram ligados entre si através das paredes meeiras que são comuns a cadapar de casas. Este facto condiciona o comportamento individual de cada um de per si e o doconjunto, levando a que qualquer intervenção, feita ou a fazer num dos edifícios, tenha de terem consideração os efeitos favoráveis ou desfavoráveis que poderá originar nos outros.Procurando compreender esta interacção entre os elementos que o constituem,modelou-se um quarteirão da cidade da Horta - Faial e uma das casas que o compõem comvista ao estudo do seu comportamento dinâmico e sísmico. Nesta comunicação apresenta-seos principais resultados obtidos das análises dinâmicas efectuadas até ao presente

Seismic analysis of a building block located in an urban area of the Faial Island of Azores

This paper presents part of an ongoing research on the seismic behaviour of a whole building block at Horta (a town in the Faial Island - Azores), hit by an earthquake on July, 9th 1998. The outcome of a preliminary numerical analysis carried out locally on a single building and globally on the whole block is presented, in order to assess sensitivity both to the modelling type and material properties. After a preliminary identification of the most vulnerable areas of this block, an experimental campaign of in situ ambient vibration tests was performed. Through the results, both frequencies and vibration modes of some of the block buildings were obtained, which allowed calibrating the numerical modelling presented herein. Furthermore, numerical seismic analyses were performed for some houses of the block considering the actually recorded accelerograms during that earthquake. The first results obtained to date are briefly addressed and discussed in terms of stress and drift values due to seismic action

Análise sísmica de um quarteirão

The following paragraphs report on the study of the seismic response of a urban building block in Faial, Azores, located in Horta downtown, next to the Town Hall. The work fits within the framework of studying strengthening schemes suitable for the reconstruction process of a town damaged by an earthquake action and includes numerical modelling of all the block buildings with calibration of material/structural parameters based on ambient vibration tests. The study aims at understanding a number of issues likely to influence the global block behaviour and the local response of individual houses, namely the group effect of adjacent buildings, the in-plan stiffness of floors and/or roofs and the presence of localized strengthening interventions in selected zones of the block

The looming tide of nontuberculous mycobacterial infections in Portugal and Brazil

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are widely disseminated in the environment and an emerging cause of infectious diseases worldwide. Their remarkable natural resistance to disinfectants and antibiotics and an ability to survive under low-nutrient conditions allows NTM to colonize and persist in man-made environments such as household and hospital water distribution systems. This overlap between human and NTM environments afforded new opportunities for human exposure, and for expression of their often neglected and underestimated pathogenic potential. Some risk factors predisposing to NTM disease have been identified and are mainly associated with immune fragilities of the human host. However, infections in apparently immunocompetent persons are also increasingly reported. The purpose of this review is to bring attention to this emerging health problem in Portugal and Brazil and to emphasize the urgent need for increased surveillance and more comprehensive epidemiological data in both countries, where such information is scarce and seriously thwarts the adoption of proper preventive strategies and therapeutic options.We acknowledge the support of FEDER through COMPETE and of National Funds through FCT - Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia grants FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028359 [PTDC/BIA-MIC/2779/2012] and UID/NEU/04539/2013.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Role playing games and emotions in dispute resolution environments

Electronic contracting, mostly through software agents, led to an impressive growth in electronic transactions, but also in the number of disputes arising out of these transactions. Paper-based courts are however unable to efficiently deal with this increase in disputes. On the other hand, current Online Dispute Resolution methodologies are impersonal and cold, leaving aside important information such as the disputants’ body language and emotions. In that sense, in this paper we propose the creation of environments for dispute resolution that can complement the existing tools with important context information. This, we believe, will lead to dispute resolution tools that will more efficiently achieve mutually satisfactory outcomes.The work described in this paper is included in TIARAC - Telematics and Artificial Intelligence in Alternative Conflict Resolution Project (PTDC/JUR/71354/2006), which is a research project supported by FCT (Science & Technology Foundation), Portugal

Preliminary seismic analysis and strengthening proposals of two churches in Azores

This paper covers the seismic behaviour modelling and numeric analysis of two church structures on Pico Island, Azores, affected by the Faial earthquake on 9 July 1998. The observed damages are first described and some modelling options for the analysis are discussed, particularly in what concerns the way of including the roof as a means of bracing the bearing walls. Frequencies and vibration modes are analysed and discussed for the different types of modelling. Seismic calculations are performed considering the actually recorded accelerograms of that earthquake, and the obtained results are compared with the really observed structural damages, in order to propose suitable strengthening techniques based on a better understanding of structural aspects most directly responsible for the damages. In this context, analysis and discussion are included concerning the influence of modelling type on the peak principal stresses and their zones of occurrence. By comparing those results with the actual damages, it is possible to assess the realism of the modelling hypotheses and then infer which one is most suitable. Based on those conclusions, some strategies are proposed to rehabilitate and strengthen the two churches structures

Técnicas de Reforço a Usar numa Construção Tradicional Danificada pelo Sismo de 9/7/98 na Ilha do Faial, Açores

Este trabalho pretende evidenciar as técnicas de reparação e reforço que estão a ser implementadas na reconstrução das moradias da Ilha do Faial, que foram afectadas pelo sismo de 9 de Julho de 1998 nos Açores.Para o efeito apresenta-se o caso de um edifício de habitação e comércio situado no centro da cidade da Horta, fazendo a sua descrição estrutural e dos danos sofridos na sequência daquele sismo. A estrutura foi numericamente analisada sob a acção dos acelerogramas registados no Observatório do Príncipe de Mónaco, situado na Cidade da Horta, Faial, Açores, sendo apresentados alguns dos resultados obtidos.Em face de tais resultados da análise sísmica e da compreensão dos danos observados, são propostas técnicas de reforço que irão ser implementadas nas obras de reconstrução daquelas moradias

Análise sísmica da Igreja da Madalena na Ilha do Pico

As Igrejas dos Açores são peças arquitectónicas de rara beleza que ao longo dos anos têm sofrido danos com a ocorrência dos sismos, apresentando, contudo, um comportamento que se poderá considerar razoável. A ocorrência de danos em determinado tipo de elementos e a sua localização é sempre objecto de alguma discussão, sendo por isso indispensável a modelação de alguns casos reais, com consequente análise sísmica para uma melhor interpretação desses danos. Por outro lado, o reforço destas estruturas deverá servir para preservar o património construído, evitando-se porém intervenções demasiado intrusivas, que poderão mesmo conduzir a alterações das suas características dinâmicas tornando-as muito mais vulneráveis.Procurando compreender o comportamento deste tipo de estruturas fez-se a análise sísmica da Igreja da Madalena, situada na freguesia do mesmo nome na Ilha do Pico, apresentando-se nesta comunicação os principais resultados obtidos, a análise desses resultados e uma solução de reforço

Bacillary Angiomatosis in a HIV-positive Patient with Poor Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy

Bacillary angiomatosis is a systemic disease caused by Bartonella (B.) henselae and B. quintana. Today it is a rare disease that occurs predominantly in patients with poor adherence to antiretroviral therapy or with late diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We report on the case of a 40-year-old Caucasian female with HIV-1 and hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection diagnosed 17 years ago. She presented to the emergency department with an erythematous, painless nodule located on the left naso-genian fold. In the next few weeks the disease disseminated to the oral and left tarsal mucosa and to the palm of the left hand. The histopathological findings were suggestive of bacillary angiomatosis which was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The patient was treated with clarithromycin 500 mg bid per os for 3 months, with complete remission of the mucocutaneous lesions. Bacillary angiomatosis is a potentially fatal disease. Early diagnosis and treatment are critical in reducing the morbidity and mortality associated with it.</p