Dawn of autonomous vehicles: review and challenges ahead

This paper reviews the state of the art on autonomous vehicles as of 2017, including their impact at socio-economic, energy, safety, congestion and land-use levels. This impact study focuses on the issues that are common denominators and are bound to arise independently of regional factors, such as (but not restricted to) change to vehicle ownership patterns and driver behaviour, opportunities for energy and emissions savings, potential for accident reduction and lower insurance costs, and requalification of urban areas previously assigned to parking. The challenges that lie ahead for carmakers, law and policy makers are also explored, with an emphasis on how these challenges affect the urban infrastructure and issues they create for municipal planners and decision makers. The paper concludes with strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats analysis that integrates and relates all these aspects.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quest for Sustainability: Life-Cycle Emissions Assessment of Electric Vehicles Considering Newer Li-Ion Batteries

The number of battery electric vehicle models available in the market has been increasing, as well as their battery capacity, and these trends are likely to continue in the future as sustainable transportation goals rise in importance, supported by advances in battery chemistry and technology. Given the rapid pace of these advances, the impact of new chemistries, e.g., lithium-manganese rich cathode materials and silicon/graphite anodes, has not yet been thoroughly considered in the literature. This research estimates life cycle greenhouse gas and other air pollutants emissions of battery electric vehicles with different battery chemistries, including the above advances. The analysis methodology, which uses the greenhouse gases, regulated emissions, and energy use in transportation (GREET) life-cycle assessment model, considers 8 battery types, 13 electricity generation mixes with different predominant primary energy sources, and 4 vehicle segments (small, medium, large, and sport utility vehicles), represented by prototype vehicles, with both battery replacement and non-replacement during the life cycle. Outputs are expressed as emissions ratios to the equivalent petrol internal combustion engine vehicle and two-way analysis of variance is used to test results for statistical significance. Results show that newer Li-ion battery technology can yield significant improvements over older battery chemistries, which can be as high as 60% emissions reduction, depending on pollutant type and electricity generation mix. This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, grant number UID/Multi/00308/2019, INESC-Coimbra R&D project “Alternative Fuel Vehicles”. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Document type: Articl

A multicriteria methodology for estimating consumer acceptance of alternative powertrain technologies

A multicriteria methodology for estimating consumer acceptance of vehicles with alternative powertrain technologies is presented. The approach is based on the non-compensatory ELECTRE TRI method and compares hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and electric vehicles to conventional models. Criteria considered are ownership costs and restrictions to vehicle use, which apply mainly to electric vehicles. The methodology is applied to a case study of 94 vehicles of different market segments and alternative powertrains. The analysis is carried out per segment and considers two driver profiles, city and all-purpose, and a baseline scenario for all cases. Output is tested for statistical significance, with powertrain technology as disaggregating factor, and a sensitivity analysis on the base scenario is also carried out, as well as a comparison with results derived by a compensatory multicriteria method (TOPSIS). Results show that conventional vehicles are the top choice for the small vehicles segment, due to lower purchase prices and higher use flexibility. For medium sized vehicles, all powertrain technologies are competitive for city drivers, whereas for all-purpose drivers, use restrictions for electric vehicles make these less attractive. The baseline scenario and sensitivity analysis highlight that opting for an electric vehicle depends strongly on the driver's use flexibility needs. As such, an electric vehicle can be either very attractive or outright unusable, regardless of financial considerations. It is also seen that plug-in hybrids do not present any significant advantage, as compared to other, non-electric choices, due to their higher purchase prices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion"Transport Policy" - Ano 2020, vol. 85, p. 18-3

A case study driven integrated methodology to support sustainable urban regeneration planning and management

Urban regeneration involves the integrated redevelopment of urban deprived areas, covering physical, socio-economic and environmental aspects of cities, and it is concerned with interventions on early/inner-ring suburbs and historic centers, which are under pressure from population growth and sustainable development policies. The planning and management of urban regeneration interventions usually depend on the city and regional context. Although these interventions involve multiple issues and stakeholders, common characteristics can be identified, thus appealing for a holistic vision and coordination among the various dimensions of the problem. Based on the above context, and on the experience from a large-scale urban regeneration project, this article introduces an integrated methodology to support the planning and management of urban regeneration interventions. The methodology proposes a flexible baseline that can be adapted to urban regeneration projects of different contexts and dimensions, and defines steps, the corresponding stakeholders, and the teams’ engagement, in an integrated framework to plan and oversee urban regeneration actions towards more sustainable and resilient interventions.This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, grant number UID/MULTI/00308/2019.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aspectos socioeconômicos, indicadores de qualidade e proposta de aproveitamento tecnológico do leite bovino produzido em unidades de produção de base familiar de Pato Branco - PR

The dairy cattle has been established as an important socioeconomic activity in family farms across the country. Such activity has been considered as warranty of survival of families in the country region promoting their social reproduction. As one of the main food available for people, the production of milk has been demanding technologies to guarantee its quality under physicochemical and microbiological aspects, among others. Within this context, this research presents a socioeconomic approach of bovine milk farmers who live in a community in the interior of Pato Branco district, in the southwest area of Paraná state, with the intention of understanding the families’ characteristics, specific aspects in the production of milk, and what this activity has represented concerning socioeconomic terms for these families, as well as the quality of the produced milk. The present study carried out three work phases. Initially, a diagnosis of 26 families of the Independence community was accomplished, with the intention of obtaining information regarding their social and economic reality, and important aspects regarding the development of dairy activity. In the second phase, samples of milk were collected in the properties with the objective of evaluating its physicochemical, microbiological quality, as well as in relation to the presence of residues of medicines for veterinary use, antibiotic residues and aflatoxins. Water used in the dairy was also collected to evaluate its microbiological quality. The third phase involved the elaboration of handmade cheeses similar to Boursin, as a proposal of technological use of the milk, together with a research of sensorial evaluation and intention of purchase of the developed products. The researched community has potential for the dairy cattle activity, presenting high dairy productivity. Regarding the quality of the milk, the research demonstrated needs of improvements in the handling and hygiene concerning the milking of the animals, among other factors related to the use of the available technological knowledge. The development of a differentiated product was possible, which can be considered as an alternative of income and rescue of the community's culture in the production of cheeses, consisting of a proposal of economic and social development for the family based production units.A bovinocultura de leite vem se estabelecendo como importante atividade socioeconômica na agricultura familiar em todo o país. Tal atividade tem sido considerada como garantia de sobrevivência de famílias no campo promovendo sua reprodução social. Como um dos principais alimentos disponíveis para a humanidade, a produção de leite tem exigido tecnologias para garantir sua qualidade sob aspectos físico-químicos e microbiológicos, entre outros. Dentro deste contexto, esta pesquisa apresenta uma abordagem socioeconômica de agricultores produtores de leite bovino que residem em uma comunidade do interior do município de Pato Branco na Região Sudoeste do estado do Paraná, buscando conhecer as características das famílias e aspectos específicos na produção de leite e o que a atividade tem representado nas referidas famílias em termos socioeconômicos, bem como a qualidade do leite produzido. O presente estudo compreendeu três fases de trabalho. Inicialmente foi realizado um diagnóstico de 26 famílias da comunidade Independência, com o intuito de obter informações referente a realidade social, econômica e aspectos de desenvolvimento da atividade leiteira. Na segunda fase, foram coletadas amostras de leite nas propriedades com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade físico-química, microbiológica, bem como, pesquisa de resíduos fármacos de uso veterinário, resíduos antibióticos e aflatoxinas. A qualidade microbiológica da água, usada na atividade leiteira, também foi avaliada. A terceira fase compreendeu a elaboração de queijos artesanais análogo ao Boursin, como proposta de aproveitamento tecnológico do leite, sendo feita pesquisa de avaliação sensorial e intenção de compra dos produtos desenvolvidos. A comunidade pesquisada tem potencial para a atividade de bovinocultura de leite, apresentando elevada produtividade leiteira. No que se refere à qualidade do leite, a pesquisa demonstrou necessidades de melhorias no manejo e higiene na realização das ordenhas dos animais, entre outros fatores relacionados ao uso dos conhecimentos tecnológicos disponíveis. Foi possível o desenvolvimento de um produto diferenciado, o qual pode ser considerado uma alternativa de renda e resgate da cultura da comunidade na fabricação de queijos, consistindo em uma proposta de desenvolvimento econômico e social para as unidades de produção de base familiar

Metodologia de análise de acessibilidade e atratividade dos equipamentos turísticos da zona centro de Portugal

Congresso realizado em Coimbra de 24-26 de Outubro 2018.O turismo em Portugal tem vindo a crescer, sendo fundamental para a economia do país. Este crescimento depende da existência de atrações turísticas e de infraestruturas de transporte para as aceder. Sendo certo que sem atrações não existe turismo, estas apenas podem ser visitadas se as infraestruturas permitirem aos turistas viagens rápidas e cómodas. Baseado nestas duas facetas, o presente trabalho apresenta uma metodologia de análise das atrações turísticas na região centro de Portugal. Para tal, avaliou-se a atratividade de uma forma sistemática e a acessibilidade pela determinação de impedâncias origens-destino. De seguida, aplicou-se o método multicritério de análise de dominância para definir conjuntos de atrações com diferentes níveis de dominância (frentes de Pareto). No final averigua-se quais as regiões que mais beneficiariam com o desenvolvimento das infraestruturas de transporte para o seu complemento com a atividade turística.Trabalho parcialmente financiado pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, sob a ref.ª PEst-OE/EEI/UI308/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

O endividamento, relativo à habitação, das famílias residentes num bairro social, em Lisboa

O endividamento relativo à habitação, das famílias residentes no parque habitacional público da cidade de Lisboa, é um fenómeno que afecta mais de 40% dos agregados. Este constitui um dos maiores problemas de gestão da autarquia e um desafio para o Serviço Social. A presente investigação visa melhorar a prática profissional dos assistentes sociais que trabalham num gabinete de bairro da empresa que gere a habitação social de Lisboa. Através desta será obtido um corpo sólido de conhecimentos da realidade social, que optimizará a intervenção profissional junto das famílias com dívida, referente a habitação social. Face ao exposto, o objectivo geral é explorar e descrever os factores que originam o endividamento, relativo à habitação, das famílias residentes no bairro social da Horta Nova, em Lisboa. O endividamento é um fenómeno multifacetado, pelo que optou-se por analisá-lo a partir de variáveis: demográficas, económicas, psicológicas, sociais, habitacionais e institucionais. Para o efeito, foi levado a cabo um estudo exploratório, apoiado numa abordagem qualitativa. Os dados foram obtidos através de entrevistas em profundidade, realizadas a uma amostra constituída por 14 agregados residentes no bairro da Horta Nova. Os dados destas foram tratados através da análise de conteúdo com o auxílio do programa informático Atlas.ti.The indebtedness concerning housing, of families living in social housing, in the city of Lisbon, is a phenomenon which affects more than 40% of households. This is one of the major problems of municipal management and a challenge for the Social Work. This research aims to improve the professional practice of social workers who work in a company’s office that manages social housing. Through this will be achieved a solid knowledge of social reality, which will optimise the professional intervention with families with debt, related with social housing. In light of the above, the general objective is to explore and describe the factors that cause the indebtedness concerning housing of the families residing in the neighbourhood of Horta Nova, in Lisbon. Indebtedness is a multifaceted phenomenon, so we opted to analyze it from demographical, economic, psychological, social, residential and institutional variables. It conducted an exploratory study, joined in a qualitative methodology. The data were obtained through in-depth interviews, conducted a sample consisting of 14 households in the neighbourhood of Nova Horta. These data were processed through content analysis with the aid of computer program Atlas.ti

Prova do Suor no Diagnóstico Laboratorial da Fibrose Quistica

Objectivo: Apresentar a casuística da Prova do Suor, no período de 2009 a 2013 da UDR do DPS do INSA, I.P. Lisboa , e o estudo do gene CFTR, efetuado na Unidade de Genética Molecular, Departamento de Genética Humana, INSA, I.P. Lisboa