Sistemas e interfaces em edifícios : caracterização e método de controlo de projectos para habitação colectiva

A presente dissertação tem como objectivo geral contribuir para a qualidade do projecto, através de um entendimento alargado da noção de sistemas em edifícios e suas interfaces, e pela proposta de um método de controlo do projecto. Os sistemas referem-se às diversas partes e funções em que o edifício se pode dividir, entendidos como estrutura, envelope (ou pele), instalações e interior. As interfaces em edifícios correspondem, por sua vez, aos dispositivos físicos ou lógicos que proporcionam a ligação ou adaptação entre sistemas do edifício e seus elementos. Inicialmente, define-se o enquadramento de matérias relevantes ao desenvolvimento do tema, contemplando-se a relação da arquitectura com as tecnologias da construção, o âmbito do projecto no processo construtivo e as questões relativas à qualidade na habitação. Apresentam-se referências que enquadram a noção de sistemas em edifícios, procedendo-se à sua classificação e desenvolvimento. Estabelece-se a noção de interface em edifícios, propõe-se uma classificação para a sua organização e para os modos que caracterizam a sua natureza, e desenvolve-se o seu âmbito. Elabora-se uma pesquisa através de entrevistas a especialistas de modo a identificar e a sistematizar os pontos críticos nas interfaces entre sistemas, servindo de base à definição do método proposto. Apresenta-se um método para controlo das interfaces em projectos de edifícios de habitação colectiva de construção nova. Por último, apresenta-se um estudo de caso em que são observados os parâmetros definidos no método, comprovando-se a sua aplicabilidade, embora se verifique a necessidade de proceder a melhoramentos futuros.The present thesis proposes a new method of project control in order to contribute to the area of quality in project. An examination of the current notions of building systems and its interfaces was also developed in order to better define this later terms. The systems refer to the buildings different parts and functions that can be divided; e.g. the structure, the envelope (or skin), services and interior. The Interfaces in buildings correspond, to the physical or logical devices that guarantee the links or adjustments between building systems and its elements. Firstly, it is defined the most important subjects of the development of the thesis, regarding the relation of architecture with construction technologies, the project scope in the construction process and the issues related to the quality in housing. Moreover, the references that justify the idea of systems in buildings are also presented, proceeding to their classification and development. A notion of interface in buildings is further established, such as a classification for its organization and for the means that characterises its nature, and the scope of the study. Several interviews with expertise were carried out in order to allow to identify the critical points on interfaces between systems. The results of the interviews were used as the foundations of the proposed methodology. The method aims to control interfaces in dwellings of new construction. Finally, the method was applied in a specific case study, which proved its applicability, therefore there are specific parameters that need to be improved in future

Development of a platform to align education and practice: bridging academia and the profession in Portugal

Limited fitness for practice may result from a mismatch between education and practice. Aiming to meet the common interests of academics and practitioners, the Portuguese Pharmaceutical Society (PPS) developed the Education and Practice Platform (EPP). The EPP includes one representative from each pharmacy faculty, and all Councils of Speciality Boards of Practice. Brainstorming with involved parties enabled sharing of interests, concerns and identifying a common path. Aims, mission, vision and values were set. The EPP's mission is to: act as an enabler to foster the quality and adequacy of education through sharing best practices, ultimately leading to facilitate professional integration, and to foster quality development in teaching practices with recognition for autonomy in freedom to teach and to learn. Its vision is an alignment of education and practice with the PPS' statutes to ensure validation of the competences defined for each practice area, and compliance with international guidance. Key performance indicators (KPIs) were set. Activities developed include the creation of a national forum to discuss education and practice, development of workshops on teaching methods and pharmacy internships, enhanced representation in international events and response to global and national requests. Ongoing work focuses on the creation of a common training framework in hospital and community pharmacy practice adapted to Portugal. The EPP is a worldwide case study, encouraging the development of discussion contributing to an open climate of sharing best practices, indirectly leading to foster a better alignment between education and practice. Many of these results are so far intangible in scientific terms but worth describing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Combustion instability and ash agglomeration in wood pellets boiler

The combustion instability and ash agglomeration in a wood pellet boiler were investigated in this study. The tests were conducted using the Taguchi method of orthogonal array L27(133). Several parameters are applied, including grate area (GA), primary to secondary air split ratio (SR), excess air (EA), and fuel power (P). Pine wood pellets were used, and the boiler’s nominal load was 20 kW. The results show that instability during combustion occurs since the fuel bed rises as the accumulation of the unburned wood pellets on the grate causes a slow combustion rate and pressure drop, which creates noise and disturbances. A good combination of the parameters applied to TN9 and TN20 can be useful in obtaining stable combustion. In addition, the ash agglomerations were influenced by the duration of the combustion and the temperature of the fuel bed. The largest size of the ash agglomeration was referred to as test number-TN26 (P: 16 kW, EA: 110%, SR: 30/70, and GA: 115 mm × 75 mm), which is 59 mm, and the duration time is 14,400 s (≈4 h).This work has been supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units, MEtRICs Project Scope: UIDB/04077/2020; Lelis Fraga was supported through a PhD Grant by Fundo de Desenvolvimento Capital Humano of the Government of Timor Leste

International revenue share fraud prediction on the 5G edge using federated learning

Edge computing and multi-access edge computing (MEC) are two recent paradigms of distributed computing that are growing due to the rise of the fifth-generation (5G) of broadband cellular networks. The development of edge computing and MEC architectures involves the hosting of applications close to the end-users, allowing: an improved privacy, given that critical data is not shared with other systems; a reduced communication latency; an improved application speed; and a more efficient energy use. However, many applications are challenged by edge computing and MEC. In the case of machine learning (ML) applications, there can be privacy rules that do not allow data to be shared among distinct edges. Additionally, the devices used to train ML models might present lower computational capabilities than traditional computers. In this work, we present a Federated ML architecture that uses decentralized data and light ML training techniques to fit ML models on the 5G Edge. Our system consists of edge nodes that train models using local data and a centralized node that aggregates the results. As a case study, an international revenue share fraud task is addressed by considering two real-world datasets obtained from a commercial provider of Telecom analytics solutions. We test our architecture using two iterations of a Federated ML method, then compare it with a centralized ML model that is currently adopted by the provider. The results show that the Federated Learning decentralized approach produces an excellent level of class discrimination and that the main models maintain the performance across two rounds of decentralized training and even surpass the existing centralized model. After validating the results with the Telecom provider, we have built a prototype technological architecture that can be deployed in a real-world MEC scenario.This work was executed under the project Opti-Edge: 5G Digital Services Optimization at the Edge, Individual Project, NUP: POCI-01-0247-FEDER-045220, co-funded by the Incentive System for Research and Technological Development, from the Thematic Operational Program Competitiveness of the national framework program - Portugal2020. We wish to thank the anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments

Aerobiologia do pólen de cupressáceas em Portugal

Introduction: Cupressaceae pollen type is considered a cause of pollen allergy in winter, throughout the world, mainly in the Mediterranean countries. Objective: To analyze the prevalence and aerobiological behavior of Cupressaceae pollen (Cupressaceae pollen type) in Portugal. Material and methods: This study used Cupressaceae pollen data of the Portuguese Aerobiology Network (RPA-SPAIC) and meteorological data, from 2002 to 2017, of 9 monitoring centers (mainland and islands). The influence of meteorological factors on Cupressaceae airborne pollen concentrations was analyzed by Spearman’s correlation. Results: Cupressaceae pollen type is one of the most abundant pollen types in the atmosphere of Portuguese cities with a representation in the pollen spectrum ranging from 5% (Portimão) to 24% (Coimbra and Vila Real). This pollen type was recorded during all year but, in average terms, Cupressaceae pollen season was of medium duration: in general began in December/ January and ended in March/April, depending on the region and the year. The highest pollen levels were observed in Vila Real, Évora and Coimbra. It was observed a clear influence of the meteorological variables on the Cupressaceae pollen counts, in particular of the temperature followed by global radiation and sunshine. Conclusion: Given the predominance of this pollen in the air over a long period of time and its allergenic potential, the dissemination of the information from this study is useful and relevant in order to correlate with possible sensitization and symptomatology of pollinosis. It should be noted that in Portugal, the highest levels of airborne Cupressacea pollen occur in winter and early spring and that allergy to this pollen type will certainly be more frequent during this period.publishersversionpublishe

Aerobiological and allergenic analysis of Amaranthaceae pollen in Alentejo Region (South Portugal)

Publisher Copyright: © 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Alergologia e Imunologia Clínica. Published by Publicações Ciência & Vida.In recent years, the relevance of pollen of Amaranthaceae plants family as cause of allergy has increased. The plants from this family have the ability to rapidly colonize areas under adverse conditions which has been increase in some regions of the world due to climate change. The objectives of this study were: 1) To analyze the prevalence and aerobiological behavior of Amaranthaceae pollen in the Alentejo region; 2) to analyze the influence of meteorological factors on atmospheric pollen concentrations; and 3) to assess the pollen levels of exposition. Material and methods: For the study, Amaranthaceae pollen data from the Évora monitoring station of the Portuguese Aerobiology Network, from 2001 to 2019, and meteorological data of Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere, were used. Results: Amaranthaceae pollen showed a low representativeness in the pollen spectrum of the atmosphere, always < 1%. The average pollen Index was 400 ± 112 pollen grains. Amaranthaceae pollen season occurred between April and October, with an average duration of 161 ± 16 days, and with two distinct peaks periods, one in the spring and the other in the summer. Correlations between daily pollen counts and meteorological parameters were obtained. Exposure levels above 10 grains/m3 were mostly recorded in May, but also in early June, in August and September. Conclusion: Despite the low representativeness in the pollen spectrum of the atmosphere, its presence in the air in low concentrations, this pollen type may be an im-portant cause of pollen allergy in region. Amaranthaceae pollen occurs in the air with other pollens with high allergological capacity simultaneously, with grasses and olive trees pollens, with which it presents cross-reactivity. This study shows the importance of Amaranthaceae pollen monitoring and its clinical usefulness for improving the quality of life of patients with pollen sensitization.publishersversionpublishe

Biosynthesis of antioxidant xanthan gum by Xanthomonas campestris using substrates added with moist olive pomace

Moist olive pomace (MOP) is a high moisture content by-product of the olive oil industry. Managing this recalcitrant residue (transport, storage, and drying) is a priority demanding investment in finding alternative valorisation routes. In this context, the biosynthesis of xanthan gum (XG) incorporating MOP in the substrate (0.0 %, 5.0 %, 10.0 %, 15.0 %, 20.0 %, 25.0 %, 30.0 % and 50.0 %) to induce bacterial stress was attempted. XG biosynthesis yield was quantified, and the product was characterised by structural analysis (FTIR), thermal behaviour (TG), rheology and antioxidant capacity. Relative to the control (sample with no added MOP), a significant increase in XG biosynthesis was found for concentrations up to 30.0 % MOP. In particular, for XG produced with 15 % MOP, a 50.91 % (p < 0.0001) increase was achieved, together with 395.78 % for viscosity. In general, XG produced with MOP presence showed antioxidant activity, a value-added property, especially for applications in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic areas. The results indicated that the stress imposed by the MOP induced a microbial response leading to XG production increase, structural and viscosity modifications, and antioxidant properties incorporation. Overall, this work points out a new MOP application contributing to the sustainability of the olive oil productive chain from a biobased circular economy perspective.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020 and UIDP/00690/2020), and SusTEC (LA/P/0007/2021). Project OleaChain “Skills for sustainability and innovation in the value chain of traditional olive groves in the Northern Inland of Portugal” (NORTE-06-3559-FSE-000188) for P.J.L. Crugeira and A.I.G. Rodrigues contracts. FCT for the PhD research grant of H.H.S. Almeida (SFRH/BD/148124/2019). National funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract of A. Santamaria-Echart.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio