Modelling and structural analysis of Ponte do Infante

The subject of this thesis is to make a check calculation of the Ponte do Infante. One of the six bridges making the connection between Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. All calculations are made according to the most recent versions of the Eurocodes together with the Belgian/Portuguese National Annexes. A 3D model was made according to the original plans (from the original designer) and in situ observation. Calculations are made with finite element software: SCIA Engineer. Simplifications have been made from reality, which are discussed inside the paper. The loads applied onto the bridge are calculated manually according to the Eurocodes. Final results and conclusion regarding the different checks are drawn in the last chapter. The results lead to a better understanding of how the bridge was designed and how the loads are properly distributed throughout the structure.O tema desta tese é fazer um cálculo de verificação da Ponte do Infante. Uma das seis pontes que fazem a ligação entre Porto e Vila Nova de Gaia. Todos os cálculos são feitos de acordo com as versões mais recentes dos Eurocódigos, juntamente com os Anexos Nacionais Belga / Português. Um modelo 3D foi feito de acordo com os planos originais (do designer original) e observação in situ. Os cálculos são feitos com o software de elementos finitos: SCIA Engineer. Simplificações foram feitas a partir da realidade, que são discutidas no documento. As acções aplicadas na ponte são calculadas manualmente de acordo com os Eurocódigos. Os resultados finais e as conclusões sobre as diferentes verificações são extraídos no último capítulo. Os resultados levaram a uma melhor compreensão de como a ponte foi projetada e como as cargas estão devidamente distribuídas por toda a estrutura

Assessing the National Library of Medicine’s Informationist Awards

Objective: To understand the experience of the informationist recipients of NLM-funded Administrative Supplements for Informationist Services and gather evidence for their impact on NIH-funded biomedical research Methods: A mixed methods approach consisting of a survey of principal investigators and a focus group of informationists. Results: Informationists appeared to have a positive impact on their team’s research, especially in the areas of data storage, data management planning, data organization, and literature searching. In addition, many informationists felt that their involvement increased their research skills and made them true research partners. Assessing their own impact was a challenge for the award recipients, and questions remain about the best evaluation methods. The overall experience of the informationists and researchers was mixed but largely positive. Conclusion: The NLM-funded informationist supplement award appears to be a successful mechanism for immersing informationists into research teams and improving data management in the supported projects

The brazilian leadership in South America: an aspiration ofshort duration

El presente artículo se propone analizar la dinámica en la postura brasileña frente a Sudamérica y la integración sudamericana desde el 1993. Con este objetivo principal, la investigación está dirigida a responder las interrogantes siguientes: ¿cuáles han sido los principales intereses brasileños –estructurales y coyunturales– en promover la integración sudamericana a partir de 1993?; ¿cómo se manifestó la priorización de Sudamérica por la cancillería brasileña en el proyecto regional sudamericano?; y ¿por qué en la actualidad la integración sudamericana nuevamente ha perdido parte de su importancia en la agenda exterior brasileña?This paper analyzes the dynamics of the Brazilian political position to South America and the South American integration process since 1993. Through this scope, our research wants to answer the following questions: Which were the main Brazilian interests –at the structural and cojunctural level- in its promoting of South American integration since 1993?; How did the Brazilian Ministry of External Affairs put South America in the top of its priorities?; Why the South American integration process lost part of its meaning in the Brazilian Foreign Policy again

L’Union européenne entre austérité et protection de l’accès aux soins

Presque tous les États membres de l’Union européenne (UE) ont connu un recul de leur produit intérieur brut ces dernières années. Selon Eurostat, près de 26,2 millions de personnes étaient sans emploi en décembre 2013. Le chômage touche en moyenne 23,2 % des moins de 25 ans, mais frappe particulièrement les jeunes en Espagne (54,3 %) et en Grèce (59,2 %). La réaction politique la plus évidente à cette crise est l’austérité – « Vivons selon nos moyens ». Pourtant, l’impact d’une crise économiq..

El rol de Brasil en la integración regional sudamericana del siglo XXI: 2000-2012.

Al llegar a Sudamérica hace más de ocho años, me hice una serie de preguntas sobre la nueva realidad a la cual me estuve incorporando. Una de ellas fue por qué, considerando el mayor grado de homogeneidad a nivel cultural-lingüístico e histórico en comparación con Europa y la ausencia de conflictos regionales masivos en el siglo pasado, los países de la región no habían logrado una mayor integración entre sí.Tesi

Choledocholithiasis: repetitive thick-slab single-shot projection magnetic resonance cholangiopancreaticography versus endoscopic ultrasonography

This prospective study compares repetitive thick-slab single-shot projection magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) with endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) for the detection of choledocholithiasis. Fifty-seven consecutive patients (36 women, mean age 61) referred for suspected choledocholithiasis underwent MRCP, followed by EUS. Each procedure was performed by different operators blinded to the results of the other investigation. MR technique included a turbo spin-echo T2-weighted axial sequence with selective fat saturation (SPIR/TSE, TE=70ms, TR=1,600ms), followed by coronal dynamic MRCP. The same thick-slab slice was sequentially acquired 12 times as breath-hold single-shot projection imaging (SSh, TE=900ms, TE=8,000ms) centred on the common bile duct (CBD). Two experienced radiologists independently and blindly evaluated MR images for the detection of CBD stones. Their inter-observer agreement kappa was determined. Secondly, the two observers read MR images in consensus again. CBD stones were demonstrated in 18 out of 57 patients (31.6 %) and confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiography (ERCP, n=17) or intraoperative cholangiography (n=1). Clinical follow-up served as the "gold standard” in patients with negative results without following invasive procedure (n=28). Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive and negative predictive value for MRCP resulting from consensus reading were 94.9%, 94.4%, 94.7%, 97.4% and 89.5%, respectively. Corresponding values of EUS were 97.4%, 94.4%, 96.5%, 97.4% and 94.4%. Inter-observer agreement kappa was 0.81. Repetitive thick-slab single-shot projection MRCP is an accurate non-invasive imaging modality for suspected choledocholithiasis and should be increasingly used to select those patients who require a subsequent therapeutic procedure, namely ERC

Evaluation of the performances of a single-use duodenoscope: Prospective multi-center national study

Objectives: A single-use duodenoscope (SUD) has been recently developed to overcome issues with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)-related cross-infections. The aim was to evaluate SUD safety and performance in a prospective multi-centre study. Methods: All consecutive patients undergoing ERCP in six French centers were prospectively enrolled. All procedures were performed with the SUD; in case of ERCP failure, operators switched to a reusable duodenoscope. Study outcomes were the successful completion of the procedure with SUD, safety and operators’ satisfaction based on a VAS 0–10 and on 22 qualitative items. The study protocol was approved by French authorities and registered (ID-RCB: 2020-A00346-33). External companies collected the database and performed statistical analysis. Results: Sixty patients (34 females, median age 65.5 years old) were enrolled. Main indications were bile duct stones (41.7%) and malignant biliary obstruction (26.7%). Most ERCP were considered ASGE grade 2 (58.3%) or 3 (35.0%). Fifty-seven (95.0%) procedures were completed using the SUD. Failures were unrelated to SUD (one duodenal stricture, one ampullary infiltration, and one tight biliary stricture) and could not be completed with reusable duodenoscopes. Median operators’ satisfaction was 9 (7–9). Qualitative assessments were considered clinically satisfactory in a median of 100% of items and comparable to a reusable duodenoscope in 97.9% of items. Three patients (5%) reported an adverse event. None was SUD-related. Conclusions: The use of a SUD allows ERCP to be performed with an optimal successful rate. Our data show that SUD could be used for several ERCP indications and levels of complexity

Polynomial approximation of quasipolynomials based on digital filter design principles

This contribution is aimed at a possible procedure approximating quasipolynomials by polynomials. Quasipolynomials appear in linear time-delay systems description as a natural consequence of the use of the Laplace transform. Due to their infinite root spectra, control system analysis and synthesis based on such quasipolynomial models are usually mathematically heavy. In the light of this fact, there is a natural research endeavor to design a sufficiently accurate yet simple engineeringly acceptable method that approximates them by polynomials preserving basic spectral information. In this paper, such a procedure is presented based on some ideas of discrete-time (digital) filters designing without excessive math. Namely, the particular quasipolynomial is subjected to iterative discretization by means of the bilinear transformation first; consequently, linear and quadratic interpolations are applied to obtain integer powers of the approximating polynomial. Since dominant roots play a decisive role in the spectrum, interpolations are made in their very neighborhood. A simulation example proofs the algorithm efficiency. © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016