Guidelines for sustainable refurbishment of residential buildings

This paper gives an overview of the objectives in a research project currently under development, which is intended to provide a guideline for the sustainable refurbishment of existing residential buildings. It is based on the adaptation of the criteria defined in the methodology of evaluation and certification of sustainability of buildings: SBToolPT. Aiming to develop a guideline on sustainable refurbishment, the present research project investigates two different cases, in order to find out how the refurbishment is done and which possibilities and barriers there are to achieve a sustainable refurbishment. It also aims to find the best rehabilitation practices, and more sustainable solutions, which enhance the balance between environmental and economic benefits, suitable for the needs of the users. This paper identifies the aspects that should be improved and also identifies new parameters of evaluation, presenting a list of different indicators, while establishing new values for the conventional practices and best practices (benchmarks) applicable in the refurbishment of residential buildings. The final outcome of this research work is to give guidance on how to quantify the indicators of SBToolPT during a refurbishment project and also to help the residential building owners to understand the importance of implementing the principals of sustainable refurbishment

Expanding the Distribution of the Remarkable Ant Gnamptogenys vriesi Brandão & Lattke (Formicidae, Ectatomminae): First Record From Brazil

Gnamptogenys vriesi Brandão & Lattke is a rare ant originally described based on a worker and on a gyne collected in Morona Santiago province, in Ecuador. After the original description, few specimens of this species were collected in Ecuadorian territory. In this paper we reported the first record for Brazil, which resulted in a significant extension on the knowledge of the distribution of this species, which was currently considered to be restricted to Ecuador. In addition, we also provided images and a distribution map for this species

Modelando contágio financeiro através de cópulas

This article aims to test the hypothesis of contagion between the in-dices of nancial markets from the United States to Brazil, Japan andEngland for the period 2000 to 2009. Time varying copulas were used tocapture the impact of Sub-prime crisis in the dependence between mar-kets. The implemented model was a ARMA(1,0) st-ARCH(1,2) to themarginal distributions and Normal and Joe- Clayton (SJC) copulas forthe joint distribution. The results obtained allow to conclude that bothfor the gaussiana copula and for the SJC copula there is evidence of con-tagion between the American market and the Brazilian market. For theother two markets Londoner and Japanese, the evidence of the presenceof contagion between these markets and the American has not been suf- ciently clear in both copula

A power amplifier system for testing of distance relay operating characteristic

This paper describes a power amplifier system for testing of distance relay operating characteristic. This power amplifier is based on two three phase inverters with a neutral wire. The output power currents and voltages are controlled by a sliding mode controller. A developed matlab/simulink digital simulator generates the test signals. This test signals are converted in current and voltage references using a microcontroller to connect the digital simulator to the power converter amplifier. Experimental results from a laboratory prototype are presented and discussed

La gouvernance territoriale au Brésil : les institutions, les faits et les mythes

As análises recentes sobre as organizações e institucionalidades territorializadas têmdado grande destaque às formas de regulação capitalista do espaço, permitindo abrir areflexão sobre as diferenças de trajetórias históricas e de tipos de desenvolvimentoendógeno. No Brasil a criação surpreendente de organizações e instituições locais sob aforma de conselhos, comitês, agências e consórcios que ultrapassam os limitesmunicipais é parte desse quadro de análise da reação local às mudanças globais.Les analyses récentes des organisations et des institutions territorialisées mettent en relief les formes de régulation capitaliste de l’espace, ce qui permet d’ouvrir une réflexion sur les différentes trajectoires historiques modèles de développement endogène. Au Brésil la surprenante création d’ organisations et d’institutions locales sous la forme de conseils, comités, agences et consortiums qui dépassent les limites municipales fait partie de ce cadre d’ analyse de la réaction locale aux changements globaux

Erratum: Moreira, J., et al., Spin-Coated Polysaccharide-Based Multilayered Freestanding Films with Adhesive and Bioactive Moieties. Molecules 2020, 25, 840

Erratum: Moreira, J., et al., Spin-Coated Polysaccharide-Based Multilayered Freestanding Films with Adhesive and Bioactive Moieties. Molecules 2020, 25, 840. DOI: 10.3390/molecules25040840The authors wish to make changes to the published paper 11 j. 1. UV-Vis Analysis of Catechol-Modified Polymers In the original manuscript theie is a mistake concerning the word "Wavenumber" in the X-Coordinate in Figure 1. Tile corrected word is "Wavelength". Tlx- A uthors also wish to change mg«mL-l to mg ml-1 in the legend of Figure l;see corrected Figure 1 below. (Figure Presented).(undefined

Double-layer force suppression between charged microspheres

In this paper we propose a protocol to suppress double-layer forces between two microspheres immersed in a dielectric medium, being one microsphere metallic at a controlled potential ψ M and the other a charged one either metallic or dielectric. The approach is valid for a wide range of distances between them. We show that, for a given distance between the two microspheres, the double-layer force can be totally suppressed by simply tuning ψ M up to values dictated by the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation. Our key finding is that such values can be substantially different from the ones predicted by the commonly used proximity force approximation, also known as the Derjaguin approximation, even in situations where the latter is expected to be accurate. The proposed procedure can be used to suppress the double-layer interaction in force spectroscopy experiments, thus paving the way for measurements of other surface interactions, such as Casimir dispersion forces

Pre-selection of fibroblasts subsets prompt prevascularization of tissue engineered skin analogues

The papillary and reticular dermis harbors phenotypically distinct fibroblasts, whose functions such as maintenance of skin's microvasculature are also distinct. Thus, we hypothesized that pre-selection of the subpopulations of fibroblasts would benefit the generation of skin tissue engineered (TE) constructs, promoting their prevascularization in vitro. We first isolated papillary and reticular fibroblasts using fluorescence-activated cell sorting and studied the effect of their secretome and extracellular matrix (ECM) on human dermal microvascular endothelial cell (hDMEC) organization. Subsequently, we developed a bilayered 3D polymeric structure with distinct layer-associated features to house the subpopulations of fibroblasts, to generate a skin analogue. Both papillary and reticular fibroblasts were able to stimulate capillary-like network formation in a Matrigel assay. However, the secretome of the two subpopulations was substantially different, being enriched in VEGF, IGF-1, and Angio-1 in the case of papillary fibroblasts and in HGF and FGF-2 for the reticular subset. In addition, the fibroblast subpopulations deposited varied levels of ECM proteins, more collagen I and laminin was produced by the reticular subset, but these differences did not impact hDMEC organization. Vessel-like structures with lumens were observed earlier in the 3D skin analogue prepared with the sorted fibroblasts, although ECM deposition was not affected by the cell's pre-selection. Moreover, a more differentiated epidermal layer was obtained in the skin analogue formed by the sorted fibroblasts, confirming that its whole structure was not affected. Overall, we provide evidence that pre-selection of papillary and reticular fibroblasts is relevant for promoting the in vitro prevascularization of skin TE constructs.The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support from the Consolidator Grant “ECM_INK” (ERC-2016- COG-726061), to the FSE/POCH (Fundo Social Europeu através do Programa Operacional do Capital Humano) under the scope of the PD/169/2013, NORTE-08-5369-FSE-000037 (H.R. M.)

Soft culture substrates favor stem-like cellular phenotype and facilitate reprogramming of human mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hMSCs) through mechanotransduction

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) - FCT - grant FCT-UID/NEU/04539/2019. European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/FEDER) through the Operational Program Competitiveness Factors (Programa Operacional Factores de Competitividade) - COMPETE - funding through Project 'Stem cell based platforms for Regenerative and Therapeutic Medicine', Centro-07-ST24-FEDER-002008. M.G. acknowledges funding by the ERDF/FEDER through COMPETE and by national funds by FCT through grant FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-021150 - PTDC/SAU-889 ENB/119292/2010 and grant POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029516, co-financed by the ERDF/FEDER under the framework Competitiveness and Internationalization Operational Program (Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizacao -POCI), national funds through FCT/'Ministerio da Ciencia, Tecnologia e Ensino Superior' (FCT/MCTES) through the Portuguese State Budget. Grant PTDC/SAU-ENB/113696/2009 was attributed to R.P.N. R.D.M.T. and J.C. thank the support of FEDER funds through COMPETE and by national funds by FCT under the strategic project UID/FIS/04564/2016 and under POCI-01-0145-FEDER-031743 - PTDC/BIA-CEL/31743/2017. R.D.M.T. acknowledges FCT's support through the FCT Researcher Program.Biophysical cues influence many aspects of cell behavior. Stiffness of the extracellular matrix is probed by cells and transduced into biochemical signals through mechanotransduction protein networks, strongly influencing stem cell behavior. Cellular stemness is intimately related with mechanical properties of the cell, like intracellular contractility and stiffness, which in turn are influenced by the microenvironment. Pluripotency is associated with soft and low-contractility cells. Hence, we postulated that soft cell culture substrates, presumably inducing low cellular contractility and stiffness, increase the reprogramming efficiency of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We demonstrate that soft substrates (1.5 or 15 kPa polydimethylsiloxane – PDMS) caused modulation of several cellular features of MSCs into a phenotype closer to pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). MSCs cultured on soft substrates presented more relaxed nuclei, lower maturation of focal adhesions and F-actin assembling, more euchromatic and less heterochromatic nuclear DNA regions, and increased expression of pluripotency-related genes. These changes correlate with the reprogramming of MSCs, with a positive impact on the kinetics, robustness of colony formation and reprogramming efficiency. Additionally, substrate stiffness influences several phenotypic features of iPS cells and colonies, and data indicates that soft substrates favor full iPSC reprogramming.publishersversionpublishe