How would tourists use Green Spaces? Case Studies in Lisbon

EntretextosThis report provides in a relative condensed format the results of small-scale study undertaken in Lisbon during the Meeting of the CyberParks Project (www.cost.eu/COST_Actions/tud/Actions/TU1306). CyberParks is a COST Action coordinated by the Universidade Lusófona at the CeiED - Interdisciplinary Research Centre for Education and Development. The Project aims at creating a research platform on the relationship between Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and the production of public open spaces, and their relevance to sustainable urban development. The impacts of this relationship are being explored from social, ecological, urban design and technological perspectives. Based on the supposition that the participants of the Meeting are tourists visiting Lisbon, a survey was carried out on the topic how people actually use and how they would use public spaces. This survey is also the first approach to the case study areas chosen in Lisbon: Parque Quinta das Conchas and Jardim da Estrela. Both green spaces will be subject of further studies in the forthcoming years. This study employed (1) a questionnaire for measuring the user’s experience and preferences, and (2) two different tracking devices that utilise GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems), in our case the GPS for satellite positioning technologies. It also presents the results of a study on the relevance of wi-fi in Lisbon’s public spaces. Even considering that the surveys in Lisbon’s green spaces are a first exercise within the work programme of CyberParks they show important outcomes. On the one hand, regarding the technologies used and their potential for research and on the other hand the findings about Lisbon’s green spaces. It should be noted that the conducted surveys and the gathered data are statistically not representative, but can be characterised as an empirical case and as a showcase, as how tourists tend to use a green space. The results shows that surveys benefit from multiple research methods and from combining insights.Este relatório apresenta, em formato condensado, os resultados de um estudo de pequena escala realizado em Lisboa durante o Seminário do Projeto CyberParks. CyberParks é uma Ação COST coordenada pela Universidade Lusófona/CeiED - Centro de Estudos Interdisciplinares em Educação e Desenvolvimento. O projeto visa a criação de uma plataforma de debate sobre a relação entre as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) e a produção de espaços públicos, e da sua relevância para o desenvolvimento urbano sustentável. Os impactos dessa relação estão a ser explorados a partir de perspetivas sociais, ecológicas, tecnológicas e de desenho urbano. Na sua etapa exploratória, este estudo assenta na suposição de que os participantes do Seminário são turistas de visita a Lisboa. A partir dos dados recolhidos pelos investigadores envolvidos na ação COST, foi realizada uma análise à forma como diferentes indivíduos usam, e como poderão usar, diferentes espaços públicos verdes. Este estudo apresenta, portanto, a primeira abordagem às áreas de estudos selecionadas em Lisboa. São elas o Parque Quinta das Conchas e o Jardim da Estrela. Ambos os espaços verdes serão objeto de novos estudos nos próximos anos. Neste primeiro estudo exploratório foram empregues: (1) um questionário, para aferir a experiência de um potencial utilizador e as suas preferências, e (2) dois dispositivos diferentes de rastreamento que utilizam tecnologia GNSS (Sistemas de Navegação Global por Satélite) e, no nosso caso, o GPS para as tecnologias de posicionamento por satélite. Ele também apresenta os resultados de um estudo realizado sobre a relevância do wi-fi em espaços públicos na cidade de Lisboa. Mesmo considerando que os estudos realizados nos espaços verdes representam um primeiro exercício no âmbito do programa de trabalho do CyberParks em Lisboa, são aqui revelados resultados importantes. Por um lado, o recurso às tecnologias utilizadas e seu potencial para a investigação e, por outro lado, os resultados sobre a vivência dos espaços verdes. Deve-se notar que os dados recolhidos não são estatisticamente representativos, mas evidenciam um caso empírico de como turistas tendem a usar um espaço verde urbano. A combinação do questionário com novos métodos digitais resultou num grande ganho de conhecimento, recobrindo as áreas de estudo sob a perspetiva de um turista, para além de maiores informações sobre as potencialidades e limites da tecnologia digital como ferramenta de investigação. Os resultados mostram que a investigação no campo social pode se beneficiar da combinação de vários métodos e técnicas

Preferência dos percevejos barriga-verde, Dichelops furcatus (f.) e Dichelops melacanthus (Dallas) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) por plantas cultivadas e não-cultivadas.

Orientador: Antônio Ricardo Panizzi

Green spaces – a key resources for urban sustainability. The GreenKeys approach for developing green spaces

Following the principles of sustainable development all urban development programmes set down ideas and ideals to develop our cities in a more long-lasting way, especially concerning the environment and the social dimension. These programmes result from a process of searching for and then offering a better quality of life. Green space assumes a key role for improving the quality of urban life - not only because of their ecological and environmental functions but also of their relevance for public health, societal well-being and economic benefits they can provide. Urban green spaces are therefore key resources for sustainable cities. Starting with this principle the GreenKeys Project developed a methodology to approach better green space qualities. Then if we are unable to demonstrate effectively the value that green spaces deliver we risk green spaces remaining on the periphery of public policy priorities and unable to attract more resources. The article presents and discusses the results and outcomes of the GreenKeys Project. Especially the GreenKeys proposal for supporting the formulation of an Urban Green Space Strategy is widely discussed

Encapsulation of model actives in fluid gels

The present thesis seeks to extend the knowledge on fluid gel formulations and their potential applications by investigating how these systems can be utilised for the encapsulation of small molecular weight bioactives. This work builds upon previous studies on hydrocolloid-based fluid gels which have shown that these systems can be produced at an industrial scale and can alter food texture. In general, the two main objectives of this research are: - To investigate the encapsulation of bioactives during the production process of alginate fluid gels and to assess the impact of process parameters on the encapsulation and release behaviours of bioactives of/from these materials. - To study the effect of freeze-drying on alginate fluid gels properties and to evaluate this technique for the encapsulation of bioactives in fluid gels particles. In addition, the freeze-drying of these systems was studied as a way to extend the shelf-lives of the encapsulated actives as well as of the whole formulations. This thesis considers first the microstructure and the formation of alginate fluid gels in order to understand the impact of specific formulation constituents (alginate and CaCl2) and processing conditions used during their production, on the final properties of the materials. Small molecular weight model actives were then encapsulated within alginate fluid gels, during their production, confirming that the presence of the actives does not interfere with the alginate fluid gels formation mechanism nor with their final particle dimensions and/or rheological properties. The encapsulation efficiency of all actives was initially very low, but significantly increased upon storage in the case of hydrophobic actives only. The encapsulation mechanism of hydrophobic actives into alginate fluid gel particles was investigated. It was concluded that hydrophobic actives were selectively encapsulated due to the formation of active-matrix hydrophobic interactions that significantly increased upon storage. Release analyses, conducted under sink conditions, revealed that the (hydrophobic) active fraction entrapped within alginate fluid gel particles does not migrate into the used aqueous acceptor phase. Release experiments conducted in simulated gastric fluids revealed the partial release of the fraction of actives encapsulated into alginate fluid gel particles, due to the disruption of the gel network when exposed to acidic conditions. iii Freeze-drying studies of alginate fluid gels were performed and their rehydration revealed that, in general, the properties of these systems, i.e. particle size and rheological behaviour, were not significantly affected by this process. In addition, the encapsulation and release behaviour of actives, loaded in these systems before freeze-drying, were not altered by the drying process. Dried materials showed to be able to extend the shelf-life of both easy-degradable bioactives loaded as well as of the alginate fluid gel matrix, due to water removal. In conclusion, the research presented here promotes current understanding on fluid gel formulations by investigating the use of alginate fluid gels as nano/microcarriers for bioactives. Overall, this work extends the potential applications of hydrocolloid-based fluid gels to include their utilisation for the development of novel encapsulation and release approaches of bioactives relevant to the foods area

Insights and Next Challenges for the Italian Educational System to Teach Sustainability in a Global Context

Education is recognized as a dimension in which a more sustainable future can be promoted and supported. It is described both as a specific goal under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and as a goal within other SDGs. Since sustainability can be taught at all levels of education, students progressively acquire a variable knowledge of these issues and find academic, professional and social contexts in which they are expected to implement this knowledge. Italian universities could gradually adapt to incorporate this knowledge through specific courses, the integration of sustainability in learning programs, and the promotion of sustainable behaviors. This offers a unique opportunity to integrate sustainability in didactic activities and in the whole academic environment, presenting the university as a model for a more sustainable life. The same path can be followed by other institutions engaged in lifelong learning and improving general education and sustainability literacy. This essay presents a general diagnosis of the current situation in the global and national integration of sustainability in education, the level of knowledge of Italian students and teaching staff about sustainability, why this knowledge should be enhanced, and how lifelong learning can harmoniously continue the process to achieve such integration

Dimensionamento e detalhamento automático de pilares retangulares submetidos à flexão composta oblíqua

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Civil.Neste trabalho são estudados procedimentos para o dimensionamento e detalhamento automático de pilares de concreto armado submetidos à flexão composta oblíqua, esforços cortantes e torsores, cumprindo as prescrições normativas da NBR 6118:2003. São estudados pilares retangulares com índice de esbeltez l £ 90 e com armadura distribuída de forma simétrica ao longo das faces. Para isso é desenvolvido um programa no Visual Basic 6.0 denominado de PDOP (abreviação de "Programa para Dimensionamento Otimizado de Pilares"). São apresentadas todas as etapas de dimensionamento que vêm depois da obtenção dos esforços solicitantes em cada lance de pilar de uma estrutura, incluindo: cálculo das combinações de carregamentos, cálculo das excentricidades, verificação da resistência e detalhamento das armaduras longitudinais e estribos. O dimensionamento em relação às solicitações normais é feito por um processo de verificação, baseado na obtenção dos momentos resistentes alterando-se a profundidade da linha neutra, por iteração, até que se obtenha equilíbrio das forças normais (processo da linha neutra). São desenvolvidas ferramentas gráficas de visualização dos resultados através da construção de diagramas bi e tridimensionais com o objetivo de realizar estudos comparando o tempo de processamento e a precisão dos resultados de variações no procedimento de dimensionamento, considerando várias combinações de carregamento. Neste trabalho é proposta uma seqüência de cálculo conveniente para programação, que permite que sejam testadas todas as soluções possíveis para cada lance de pilar. Depois são apresentadas algumas ferramentas usadas para facilitar a escolha da melhor solução em função de alguns critérios básicos de escolha: consumo de material e disposições construtivas

L'alba del diritto commerciale. Considerazioni sull'antica Lex Mercatoria: un diritto "Tailor-Made" inventato dai mercanti per il mercato

openT.DOR.14/15.