Physical Connectivity Between the NE Atlantic Seamounts

Within the Portuguese Exclusive Economic Zone, the Great Meteor and Madeira-Tore complexes are highly productive areas, which are likely to be classified as marine protected areas (MPAs) due to their ecological vulnerability. This was the main focus of the BIOMETORE project and, framed on it, the aim of the present study was to investigate the physical connectivity between both seamount complexes. Using the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model coupled with the Connectivity Modeling System (CMS) (a Lagrangian tool), a series of experiments was conducted in order to determine the influence of the main oceanographic phenomena governing the area in: (i) the origin of the particles that reach each complex, (ii) their capacity to capture and retain incoming particles, and (iii) the physical connectivity between them as well as the intra-connectivity within each seamount system. Due to the geographical location of both groups of seamounts, the Azores Current (AzC) and its associated eddies were identified as the main transport pathways, its influence being stronger at intermediate waters and decreasing with depth. Notwithstanding, the Great Meteor and the MadeiraTore were mainly affected by the AzC southward and eastward branches, respectively, resulting in a non-significant connectivity between the two groups. Meanwhile, the inter-connectivity between seamounts slightly varied with depth at the Great Meteor complex while increasing at Madeira-Tore. In addition, the Plateau, Irving, and Cruiser (PIC) seamounts from the Great Meteor complex and Gorringe and Coral from the Madeira-Tore complex proved to incorporate the regional connectivity routes. Although containing the three smallest seamounts, Madeira-Tore showed the higher capturing capacity per square kilometer, highlighting the influence of the "sticky water effect." In the Great Meteor complex, the "seamount effect" seems to be the main phenomenon responsible for the greater retention and self-recruitment abilities of these seamounts. The presented results provide valuable information for the design of a MPA to preserve these vulnerable habitat

Learning based on interdisciplinary projects with students from several engineering courses: case study on energy sustainability

The study of environmental and energy issues are as important as the specific disciplines of engineering courses. Within this context, the Environmental Sciences course provided the students an analysis of the relationship between the specific disciplines of their courses with relevant environmental issues, using the Project-Based Learning Methodology. Students were sorted into teams of ten from different Engineering courses and encouraged to create a project with feasible solutions for economy of energy and use of more sustainable energy sources. As a result, three projects were proposed: 1. Development of an application where the consumers can analyze their electricity consumption and the best way to save it, using mobile platforms like Android®, IOS® and Windows Phone®. 2. "Recharge your ideas": project for the installation of an individual photovoltaic system, which is an individual and non-interconnected electrical energy generating system, in order to provide clean and sustainable energy in a safe and satisfactory way at the University campus. 3. "Low cost solar heater": developed to serve lowincome rural communities. A prototype was made to estimate all necessary costs to make it and what would be the return in economy for the residences. With the development of these projects, it is perceived that interdisciplinarity is fundamental to the understanding of the themes developed, requiring the effort of students and teachers from the most diverse areas of engineering. The solution to most of the current problems in different areas of knowledge requires a more effective dialogue between disciplines and between professionals towards more adequate and self-sustainable solutions. To the students in particular, these activities promoted a practical experience and theoretical approach of different processes of Science and Technology and the opportunity to act in the solution of problems based on the knowledge acquired in the course in the resolution of real environmental and energy problems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Optimized planning of different crops in a field using optimal control in Portugal

Climate change is a proven fact. In the report of 2007 from IPCC, one can read that global warming is an issue to be dealt with urgently. In many parts of the world, the estimated rise of temperature (in a very near future) is significant. One of the most affected regions is the Iberian Peninsula, where the increasing need for water will very soon be a problem. Therefore, it is necessary that decision makers are able to decide on all issues related to water management. In this paper, we show a couple of mathematical models that can aid the decision making in the management of an agricultural field at a given location. Having a field, in which different crops can be produced, the solution of the first model indicates the area that should be used for each crop so that the profit is as large as possible, while the water spent is the smallest possible guaranteeing the water requirements of each crop. Using known data for these crops in Portugal, including costs of labour, machines, energy and water, as well as the estimated value of the products obtained, the first mathematical model developed, via optimal control theory, obtains the best management solution. It allows creating different scenarios, thus it can be a valuable tool to help the farmer/decision maker decide the crop and its area to be cultivated. A second mathematical model was developed. It improves the first one, in the sense that it allows considering that water from the rainfall can be collected in a reservoir with a given capacity. The contribution of the collected water from the rainfall in the profit obtained for some different scenarios is also shown.The authors were supported by POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006933-SYSTEC, PTDC/EEI-AUT/2933/2014, POCI-01-0145–FEDER-016858 TOCCATTA and POCI-01-0145-FEDER-028247 To Chair–funded by FEDER funds through COMPETE2020—Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalizaça˜ o (POCI) and by national funds (PIDDAC) through FCT/MCTES, which is gratefully acknowledged. Financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Financing UID/FIS/04650/2013 is also acknowledged. The authors also thank SMARTEGOV Project (P2020 NORTE-45-2015-23) Harnessing EGOV for smart governance. Acknowledgments The authors acknowledge the Department of Mathematics, the Centre of Physics, INESC TEC, from the University of Minho, Systec—Research Center for Systems and Technologies, from the University of Porto, UNU-EGOV Portugal and LEMA-ISEP, Instituto Politécnico do Porto.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Team-based learning in an engineering course: An experience in Brazil

Team-Based Learning (TBL) is an active learning strategy, used for the first time in medical education, and its use in Engineering Education is still not well established as in health science education. This work is about an experience of use of TBL in two consecutive years (2017 and 2018) in undergraduate Engineering course in a public university in Brazil. The objectives are to describe an experience using TBL, its impact over students' performance and perception of students and teacher about this approach. Initially, students were divided into groups from 5 to 7 members. The subject of the courses was divided into 4 modules, each one of 4 weeks. Each module started with the Readiness Assurance Process - RAP (pre-class individual assignment, e.g. readings), followed by in-class Individual Readiness Assurance Test - iRAT, and Team Readiness Assurance Test - tRAT. Both tests were applied using Information Technology tools, in this case either Socrative, or Kahoot or Plickers. During classes, students performed activities designed to develop students' critical thinking skills, applying concepts learned from RAP. Moreover, the students had to perform processes of self and peer-assessment. Average scores from the RAP were statistically higher in tRAT (group tests) than in iRAT (individual tests) (t-test; p≤0.05), in both years, indicating that teamwork and peer-instruction were important to achieve a greater understanding of the subject. The perception of the students about TBL was collected by an end of class questionnaire. For 81% of the students, TBL methodology was better than teacher centred classes. Another point to be highlighted was the use of Information Technology tools for feedback, approved by 100% of the students who answered the inquiry. As suggestions for future improvements emerged the need to improve the didactic material for pre-class studies.This work has been supported by FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope UIDCEC003192019

Grass Phl p5 aeroallergen quantification in outdoor air samples: correlation with pollen counts

Currently allergen exposure is estimated from pollen counts in air samples. However, there is not yet enough evidence to establish this technique as a reliable indicator of allergen exposure. Presently, there are a few reliable and sensitive ELISA methods that allow allergen quantification in environmental air samples but none is known to quantify Poaceae allergens. The aim of this work was to develop a novel approach to quantify Phl p5, one of the main allergen from Phleum pratense

Comparação entre a concentração atmosférica de Phl p5 e as contagens polínicas de gramíneas

A exposição a alergenos de gramíneas é actualmente calculada a partir de contagens polínicas dos respectivos tipos polínicos, efectuadas em amostras de ar atmosférico segundo uma metodologia normalizada e assente em equipamentos tipo HIRST. Não existe ainda suficiente evidência de que tais contagens representem uma boa estimativa da exposição aos aeroalergenos deste tipo polínico pelo que, neste estudo, se procurou analisar a relação entre tais contagens e a concentração de um dos alergenos polínicos mais importantes

Quantification of Phl p5 aeroallergen from outdoor air samples using an improved ELISA method

airborn pollen quantification in outdoor air sample

Supressão do Campo Eléctrico Atmosférico aquando do sismo de Sousel, M = 4.1

In recent years different phenomena associated with seismic events have been referred in the literature. These include: unusual ultra-low-frequency electromagnetic emissions; anomalies in radio transmissions; variation of the ionosphere total electron content; and anomalous levels of different geochemical elements (in particular radon) in the earthquake preparation zone. Recent works shown the possibility of enhanced air ionization, with consequent atmospheric electricity perturbations, in the preparatory stage of seismic events. They relate possible atmospheric electrical field anomalies during the earthquake preparation with surface air ionization through radon emanations. In fact, this work presents the observation of a significant suppression of the vertical component of the atmospheric electrical field that occurred in Évora (Portugal) soon before the M = 4.1 Sousel earthquake of 27 March 2010. The observation is reported, followed by the analysis and interpretation. Preliminary conclusions and plans for future works are drawn

Comparison between Poaceae pollen counts and ambient Phl p 5 concentration in Évora, south Portugal

Airborne pollen of grasses (Poaceae family) is the main aeroallergen in many european countries, namely in Portugal. Grasses includes many herbaceous species with an anemophyllous pollination

Influence of seismic activity in the atmospheric electrical field in Lisbon (Portugal) from 1961 until 1991

The atmospheric electric field (AEF) can be influenced by different factors like cosmic radiation, radioactivity and aerosols [1]. Two innovative works have shown the possibility of enhanced air ionization, with consequent AEF perturbations, in the preparatory stage of earthquakes (EQ): Freund et al. [2] base their arguments on charge separation generated in the stressed volume followed by positive charges flow that reach surface and ionize the air within the boundary layer; Harrison et al. [3] relate possible AEF anomalies during the EQ preparation with surface air ionization through radon emanations. It is clear that AEF plays a role in many of the studied electromagnetic seismic precursors, but systematic preearthquake AEF measurements are still lacking. There are reports of AEF anomalies [4], but no clear conclusions could yet be drawn. Hence we believe that in near future a deeper inspection of AEF is required since it could be vital for a better comprehension of these phenomena. Here we consider hourly values of the AEF recorded at Portela-Lisbon meteorological station (38º47’N, 9º08’W) in the period 1961–1991. They were recorded with a Benndorff electrograph at 1m-height probe. The data series was interrupted in 1975–1977 when the electrometer was switched off for maintenance. The continuous and reliable data of AEF observed are used to study the correlation between possible anomalies in AEF and occurrence of eleven EQ with magnitude (M) above three. These verify the condition that the distance between the AFE sensor to the EQ epicentre lies inside the EQ preparation radius, R = 100:43M [5]. The influences of meteorological variables (relative humidity, precipitation, wind intensity and cloudiness) are considered too. We also analyze the atmospheric radon concentration in the same period since radon is important to estimate the alteration of the AEF conditions in response to the crustal behaviour. In fact, EQ’s originate many factures in the Earth surface that create many pathways for radon in the crust thus enhancing its migration [6], which may lead to the enormous release into the atmosphere and consequently decrease in the AEF. We are just starting a very careful study and for the moment we do not have clear proves to confirm or denied an EQ-AEF correlation. Nevertheless, it is important to mention that a previous case study has given interesting results [7]