The holm oak Myrto communis-Quercetum rotundifoliae in Alentejo - Portugal. Post-fire vegetation recovery in two stations (Forest Perimeter of Contenda and Aljustrel)

Abstract This work, developed in the Southern mainland Portugal, Alentejo, focused in the Forest Perimeter of Contenda (38º 01’ N e 7º 13’ W) and Aljustrel (37º 53’ N e 08º 07’ W), where holm oak forests belonging to the Myrto communis-Quercetum rotundifoliae Rivas Goday in Rivas Goday, Borja, Esteve, Galiano, Rigual & Rivas-Martínez 1960 have been identified. The Forest Perimeter of Contenda is subjected to the Forest Regime. Here, the field surveys were carried in an area destined to the maintenance of a healthy population of deer for hunting by means of sustainable management activities with minimal impacts on the ecosystem. In Aljustrel, the study area is not significantly disturbed by forestry or agricultural activities, so it has been maintained as a refuge for small game hunting species

Syntaxonomical checklist of Forest Perimeter of Contenda (Low Alentejo) – Portugal

Abstract The Forester Perimeter of Contenda (38 º 01 'N and 7 º 13' W) located in the Sierra Morena extreme west, limited on the east and south by the border between Portugal and Spain and north and west by the Arroyo, Murtigão and Pais Joanes streams. It has a total area of 5270.5ha, divided into three distinct areas: North Contenda, Intermediate Zone and South Contenda, subject to the Forest Regime. It belongs to the Santo Aleixo da Restauração parish, Moura municipality, Beja district and Alentejo province

Evaluation of HFT's In Vitro and effects on the cells viability

Tese de mestrado. Engenharia Biomédica. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 200

Impacto das disfunções musculoesqueléticas no estado funcional de pessoas consideradas saudáveis

Musculoskeletal impairments represent a huge burden on the health of people around the world, as they affect the structure and function of muscles, bones and joints, which triggers changes in movement patterns. These changes will lead to a decline in functional status, with consequent repercussions on quality of life. The aim of this study was to determine the impact that musculoskeletal impairments have on functional status through four functional tests. This cross-sectional study was carried out in community institutions, senior schools, sports centers and day care centers, participants aged 40 years or older were included. Sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics were collected, musculoskeletal disorders were self-reported, and then, functional status was assessed. The functional status of the upper limbs was assessed with handgrip strength with a dynamometer and lower limbs was assessed with isometric quadriceps muscle strength with a handheld dynamometer, the 1-minute stand to stand test (1min.STS) and the 5 times sit to stand test (5STS). 545 participants were included in the study, of which, 56 (10.6%) had musculoskeletal impairment. The main factors associated with decreased functional status were being a woman, older age, high BMI and medication consumption. In conclusion, this study shows a relationship between people who had musculoskeletal dysfunction and a lower performance in functional status compared to those without impairment. It also demonstrates that age, BMI, medication, and sex differences influence the outcome of functional tests that lead to a decline in functional status. Physiotherapy can help raise awareness of this issue and the implementation of health programs, namely through exercise to improve people's function and quality of life over time.As disfunções musculoesqueléticas representam uma enorme sobrecarga para a saúde das pessoas em todo o mundo, uma vez que afetam a estrutura e função de músculos, ossos e articulações, o que desencadeia alterações nos padrões de movimento. Estas alterações vão originar um declínio no estado funcional, com repercussões consequentes na qualidade de vida. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar o impacto que as disfunções musculosqueléticas apresentam no estado funcional através de quatro testes funcionais. Este estudo transversal foi realizado em instituições comunitárias, escolas de terceira idade, centros desportivos e centros de dia, foram incluídos participantes com idade superior ou igual a 40 anos. As características sociodemográficas e antropométricas foram recolhidas, as disfunções musculosqueléticas foram autorreferidas e, em seguida, o estado funcional foi avaliado. O estado funcional dos membros superiores foi avaliado com a força de preensão manual com um dinamómetro e dos membros inferiores foi avaliado com a força muscular isométrica do quadríceps com o dinamómetro de mão, o teste de levantar e sentar 1 minuto (1min.STS) e o teste de sentar e levantar 5 vezes (5STS). 545 participantes foram incluídos no estudo, destes, 56 (10.6%) apresentavam disfunção musculosquelética. Os principais fatores associados ao estado funcional diminuído foram ser mulher, idade superior, alto IMC e o consumo de medicação. Em conclusão, este estudo mostra uma relação entre pessoas que apresentavam disfunção musculoesquelética e um menor desempenho no estado funcional em comparação com aquelas sem comprometimento. Também demonstra que a idade, o IMC, a medicação e diferenças de sexo influenciam o resultado dos testes funcionais que levam a um declínio do estado funcional. A fisioterapia pode ajudar na consciencialização para esta temática e na implementação de programas de saúde, nomeadamente, através do exercício para melhoria da função e qualidade de vida das pessoas ao longo do tempo.Mestrado em Fisioterapi

Dissolved organic nitrogen behaviour during denitrification with suspended and attached biomass

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia do Ambiente, perfil Engenharia SanitáriaIn a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) represents an important fraction of N in the final effluent. The purpose of this study was to analyze DON changes along denitrification with suspended and attached biomass. Denitrification batch experiments were carried out with activated sludge and biological (kaldnes) carriers. In the batch tests with kaldnes it was used two different mixing velocities to evaluate its influence in DON concentrations. For the batch tests were evaluated COD and DOC concentrations. A comparison of the fate of DON during a denitrification process and the original effluent DON concentration was made. DON determinations oscillate in a range from 0.1 to 1.9 mg/l during a denitrification test. The comparison between DON determinations and the original effluent confirm that DON has a significant portion (about 20%) of the effluent N. The results obtained indicate that DON has a constant behavior along the denitrification process

On the multi-mode, multi-skill resource constrained project scheduling problem (MRCPSP-MS)

In this paper we describe an extension of the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). A literature review is presented to place our research in its proper context. The problem presented here belongs to the class of the optimization scheduling problems with multi-level (or multi-mode) activities. This means that the activities can be scheduled at different modes, each mode using a different resource level, implying different costs and durations. Each activity must be allocated exactly one unit of each required resource and the resource unit may be used at any of its specified levels. The processing time of an activity is given by the maximum of the durations that would result from a specific allocation of resources. The objective is to find the optimal solution that minimizes the overall project cost, while respecting a delivery date. A penalty is included for tardiness beyond the specified delivery date. We present a formal description of the problem and a mathematical model for it. We also introduce the implementation algorithm for the problem. The implementation was designed using the JAVA language, and the algorithm proposed is based on a branch and bound procedure, using breadth-first search (BFS) project network traversing, among some heuristic rules to filter large subsets of fruitless candidates relative to resource levels combinations.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

On the multi-mode, multi-skill resource constrained project scheduling problem : computational results

This paper is concerned with an extension of the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP) which belongs to the class of the optimization scheduling problems with multi-level (or multi-mode) activities. We developed a practical tool, useful to represent multi-mode projects, and to find a solution for the problem on hand – select the best mode for each resource in each activity in order to minimize the total cost, considering the resource cost, a penalty for tardiness and a bonus for early completion. We implemented an adaptation of a filtered beam search (FBS) algorithm to this problem, using the C# programming language. A “filtered beam” search is a heuristic Branch and Bound (BaB) procedure that uses breadth first search but only the top “best” nodes are kept. We give some of the most important solution details and we report on further computational results, by testing the application for different problem sizes

Multi-mode resource constrained project scheduling problem including multi-skill labor (MRCPSP-MS): model and a solution method

The problem that we address in this chapter is an extension of the Resource-Constrained Project Scheduling Problem (RCPSP). It belongs to the class of project scheduling problems with multi-level (or multi-mode) activities, that permit an activity to be processed by resources operating at appropriate modes, where each mode belongs to a different resource level and incurs different cost and duration. Each activity must be allocated exactly one unit of each required resource, and the resource unit may be used at any of its specified levels. The processing time of an activity is given by the maximum of the durations that would result from different resources allocated to that activity. The objective is to find an optimal solution that minimizes the overall project cost, given a delivery date. A penalty is incurred for tardiness beyond the specified delivery date, or a bonus is accrued for early completion. We present a mathematical programming formulation as an accurate problem definition. A Filtered Beam Search (FBS)-based method is used to solve the problem. It was implemented using the C# language. Results of our experimentations on the use of this method are also presented.(undefined

INITIAL EFFORTS IN THE STUDY OF THE RICE PADDY’S COMMUNITIES

Rice cultivation has been introduced in Portugal in the late twelfth century, playing in the present, an important role in the maintenance of particular wetland habitats of adventitious communities. Conversely, it is important to study related alien species, with invasive potential, since they may became major threats to natural habitats. Thus, this work constitutes an initial effort to systematize the knowledge on structure and composition of the paddy fields’ vegetation in the Lower Sado, including several species and plant communities which are still poorly studied or understood. It was focused on the lower River Sado (South Portugal), an area traditionally devoted to rice cultivation, with Mediterranean pluviseasonal oceanic macrobioclimate, Upper thermomediterranean thermothype, and Upper dry ombrothype. Biogeographically it is inserted in the Coastal Lusitan-Andalusian Province, Sadensean-Dividing Portuguese Subprovince, and Ribatagan-Sadensean Sector. Herborizations, and 110 phytosociological relevés fallowing the classic sigmatist method of Braun-Blanquet, were made in bunds not submitted to the application of herbicides, during the months of June and July of 2010, in 7 localities: Alcácer do Sal, Comporta, Rio de Moinhos, Santa Catarina, São Romão, Torrão and Tróia. The Raunkjaer system was used to identify physiognomic types. Belonging to 26 families, 69 taxa of adventitious flora were identified. Physiognomic types included 28 therophytes, 24 hemicryptophytes, 13 cryptophytes, 2 phanerophytes and 2 chamaephytes. Biogeographically, holarctic species predominate (84%), followed by neotropical (9%) and paleotropical (6%). Also, were recognized 10 alien species and 1 of undetermined origin. Three phytosociological associations were identified: a.Thypho angustifoliae-Phragmitetum australis, b.Oryzo sativae-Echinochloetum cruris-galli, c. Paspaletum dilatato-distichi, and three communities accepted: d.a community of Digitaria sanguinalis, a community of Leersia oryzoides and Echinochloa crus-galli, and a community of Paspalum paspalodes and Lolium perenne. These associations and communities are inserted in four phytosociological classes: a.Phragmites-Magnocaricetea, b.Oryzetea sativae, c.Stellarietea media, and d.Molinio-Arrhenateretea, respectively