Matrix fraction descriptions in convolutional coding

Doutoramento em MatemáticaOs objectos de estudo desta tese são os códigos convolucionais sobre um corpo, constituídos por sequências com suporte compacto à esquerda. Aplicando a abordagem comportamental à teoria dos sistemas, é obtida uma nova definição de código convolucional baseada em propriedades estruturais do próprio código. Os codificadores e os formadores de síndrome de um código convolucional são, respectivamente, as representações de imagem e as representações de núcleo do código. As suas estruturas e propriedades são estudadas, utilizando representações matriciais fraccionárias (RMF's). Seguidamente, são analisados os codificadores e formadores de síndrome minimais de um código convolucional, sendo apresentada uma parametrização simples das suas RMF's. Mostra-se também como obter todos os codificadores minimais de um código convolucional por aplicação de realimentação estática do estado e précompensação. De modo análogo, obtêm-se todos os formadores de síndrome minimais utilizando injecção da saída e pós-compensação. Finalmente, estudam-se os codificadores desacoplados de um código convolucional, que estão directamente ligados à sua decomposição. Apresenta-se um algoritmo para determinação de um codificador desacoplado maximal, que permitirá obter a decomposição máxima do código. Quando se restringe a análise dos codificadores desacoplados aos minimais, obtém-se um codificador canónico desacoplado e parametriza-se, utilizando RMF's, todos os codificadores minimais que apresentam grau máximo de desacoplamento.The objects of study of this thesis are the convolutional codes over a field, constituted by left compact sequences. To define a convolutional code we consider the behavioral approach to systems theory, and present a new definition of convolutional code, taking into account its structural properties. Matrix Fractions Descriptions (MFD’s) are used as a tool for investigating the structure of the encoders and the syndrome formers of a convolutional code, which are, respectively, the image and the kernel representations of the code. Next, we concentrate on the study of the minimal encoders and syndrome formers, and obtain a simple parametrization of their MFD’s. We also show that static feedback and precompensation allow to obtain all minimal encoders of the code. The same is done for the minimal syndrome formers, using output injection and postcompensation. Finally, we analyse the decoupled encoders of a convolutional code, which are associated with code decomposition. We provide an algorithm to determine a maximally decoupled encoder, and, consequently, the finest decomposition of the code. Restricting to minimal decoupled encoders, we first obtain a canonical decoupled one, and parametrize, via MFD’s, all minimal decoupled encoders realizing the finest decomposition of the code

Matrix Fraction Descriptions in Convolutional Coding

Doutoramento em MatemáticaOs objectos de estudo desta tese são os códigos convolucionais sobre um corpo, constituídos por sequências com suporte compacto à esquerda. Aplicando a abordagem comportamental à teoria dos sistemas, é obtida uma nova definição de código convolucional baseada em propriedades estruturais do próprio código. Os codificadores e os formadores de síndrome de um código convolucional são, respectivamente, as representações de imagem e as representações de núcleo do código. As suas estruturas e propriedades são estudadas, utilizando representações matriciais fraccionárias (RMF's). Seguidamente, são analisados os codificadores e formadores de síndrome minimais de um código convolucional, sendo apresentada uma parametrização simples das suas RMF's. Mostra-se também como obter todos os codificadores minimais de um código convolucional por aplicação de realimentação estática do estado e précompensação. De modo análogo, obtêm-se todos os formadores de síndrome minimais utilizando injecção da saída e pós-compensação. Finalmente, estudam-se os codificadores desacoplados de um código convolucional, que estão directamente ligados à sua decomposição. Apresenta-se um algoritmo para determinação de um codificador desacoplado maximal, que permitirá obter a decomposição máxima do código. Quando se restringe a análise dos codificadores desacoplados aos minimais, obtém-se um codificador canónico desacoplado e parametriza-se, utilizando RMF's, todos os codificadores minimais que apresentam grau máximo de desacoplamento.The objects of study of this thesis are the convolutional codes over a field, constituted by left compact sequences. To define a convolutional code we consider the behavioral approach to systems theory, and present a new definition of convolutional code, taking into account its structural properties. Matrix Fractions Descriptions (MFD’s) are used as a tool for investigating the structure of the encoders and the syndrome formers of a convolutional code, which are, respectively, the image and the kernel representations of the code. Next, we concentrate on the study of the minimal encoders and syndrome formers, and obtain a simple parametrization of their MFD’s. We also show that static feedback and precompensation allow to obtain all minimal encoders of the code. The same is done for the minimal syndrome formers, using output injection and postcompensation. Finally, we analyse the decoupled encoders of a convolutional code, which are associated with code decomposition. We provide an algorithm to determine a maximally decoupled encoder, and, consequently, the finest decomposition of the code. Restricting to minimal decoupled encoders, we first obtain a canonical decoupled one, and parametrize, via MFD’s, all minimal decoupled encoders realizing the finest decomposition of the code

Composição do leite e diagnóstico de mastite em caprinos

Background:   Milk is one of the most used foodstuffs by humans in their diet. The quality of goat milk is already regulated by Law, which takes into consideration its physical-chemical and microbiological composition parameters. Several factors contribute for the alteration of the physical-chemical and microbiological parameters of caprine milk. These include breed, age, lactation phase and diet, among others. The health status of animals may interfere in the quality of the milk produced, both regarding food safety and milk processing and, for that reason, the identification of mastitis-causing agents is important, so that prevention and control measures can be implemented. The present study aimed at analyzing the occurrence of mastitis and the milk composition of dairy goats in a semi-intensive production system. Materials, Methods & Results: In a private goat farm with a flock composed of 32 female animals of breeds such as Saanen and Anglo-Nubian, raised on a semi-confined system, the diagnosis of mastitis was made through methods such as California Mastitis Test (CMT), Somatic Cells Count (SCC) and bacterial isolation. A total of 136 milk samples were analyzed, which were individualized per teat. Additionally, the study determined the volume of milk produced individually and the chemical composition of milk samples (fat, raw protein, lactose and total solids). In 37 (27.2%) samples, subclinical mastitis caused by CNS was identified. A negative response to CMT was observed in 125 (91.92%) samples. Only four samples presented a coincidence (OR=1.239) between CMT and bacterial isolation (P=0.7470). It was observed that the daily milk production ranged between 207.90 mL and 2.68 L. Moreover, it became clear that the milk production in half of the teats with subclinical mastitis was smaller (P=0.0026). A tendency to a significant reduction (p< 0.001) in the percentage of fat and total solids was verified. The lactose percentage remained stable during the four months, and that of protein showed a tendency to reduction (

Composição e abundância de macrófitas num troço do rio Ovelha

As macrófitas fluviais são um grupo relevante para a avaliação ecológica dos rios. Numa amostragem realizada num troço de 100 m do rio Ovelha, localizado a 217 m de altitude, na freguesia de Fornos, Marco de Canaveses, estudou-se a abundância, composição e distribuição das macrófitas. Verificou-se que o troço estudado é pobre em macrófitas, apresentando uma riqueza específica baixa, o que poderá estar relacionado, sobretudo, com o substrato rochoso. Considerando os resultados obtidos é fundamental que, futuramente, sejam estudadas as macrófitas conjuntamente com outros elementos biológicos, no sentido de se proceder a uma correta monitorização do estado ecológico do rio Ovelha.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Author Correction: Ionizing radiation modulates human macrophages towards a pro-inflammatory phenotype preserving their pro-invasive and pro-angiogenic capacities.

This Article contains an error in the description of the data presented in Figure 2. Each blot demonstrating a protein of interest, or of its phosphorylated form, is matched with the expression of β-actin, used as loading control. The majority of the proteins were separated in different gels, apart from proteins p105, p50 and Bcl-xL which were run in the same gel and have the same loading control. As a result, the Figure 2 legend, “Ionizing radiation induces macrophage NF-κB activation and increases Bcl-xL expression. (A) Evaluation of RelA phosphorylation (Ser536) and RelB, cRel, p100/p52 and p105/p50 subunit expression, 1 and 6 h after irradiation (2, 6 and 10 Gy). (B) RelB nuclear translocation 6 h after macrophage irradiation (10 Gy). Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and β-actin were used as loading controls for nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, respectively. (C) Evaluation of Bcl2 and Bcl-xL expression after macrophage irradiation. Western blot images are representative of protein expression/phosphorylation status in distinct donors (at least n = 4), evaluated in two independent experiments.” should read: “Ionizing radiation induces macrophage NF-κB activation and increases Bcl-xL expression. (A) Evaluation of RelA phosphorylation (Ser536) and RelB, cRel, p100/p52 and p105/p50 subunit expression, 1 and 6 h after irradiation (2, 6 and 10 Gy). (B) RelB nuclear translocation 6 h after macrophage irradiation (10 Gy). Histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) and β-actin were used as loading controls for nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions, respectively. (C) Evaluation of Bcl2 and Bcl-xL expression after macrophage irradiation. Western blot images are representative of protein expression/phosphorylation status in distinct donors (at least n = 4), evaluated in two independent experiments. The β-actin loading control of the panels comprised by p105, p50 (2A) and Bcl-xL (2C) is the same, since proteins were separated in the same gel electrophoresis.

Núcleo Académico da Terapia Ocupacional (NATO) da Rede Académica de Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia (RACS)

O livro de atas da 1ª Conferência Lusófona de Terapia Ocupacional é uma iniciativa do Núcleo de Terapia Ocupacional da RACS. COMISSÃO ORGANIZADORA Presidente – Dalila Dias – Instituto Superior de Ciências de Saúde (ISCISA), Moçambique Élia Silva Pinto – Escola Superior de Saúde de Alcoitão (ESSA), Portugal Elisabete Roldão – Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico de Leiria (ESSLei), Portugal Filomena de Araújo – Instituto Superior de Ciências de Saúde (ISCISA), Moçambique Fortunato Venguele – Instituto Superior de Ciências de Saúde (ISCISA), Moçambique Jaime Ribeiro – Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico de Leiria (ESSLei), Portugal Maria João Trigueiro – Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Portugal Patrícia Santos – Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Portugal Paula Portugal – Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Portugal Vítor Simões-Silva – Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Portugal COMISSÃO DE HONRA Cristina Prudêncio – Presidente da Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Portugal Dulce Gomes – Coordenadora do Curso de Licenciatura em Terapia Ocupacional da Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico de Leiria (ESSLei), Portugal Elisabete Roldão – Presidente da Associação Portuguesa de Terapeutas Ocupacionais (APTO), Portugal Isabel Ferreira – Coordenadora do Departamento de Terapia Ocupacional da Escola Superior de Saúde do Alcoitão (ESSA), Portugal Joaquim Faias – Coordenador do Curso de Licenciatura em Terapia Ocupacional da Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico do Porto (ESS|P.Porto), Portugal Jorge Torgal – Diretor da Escola Superior de Saúde de Alcoitão (ESSA), Portugal Rui Fonseca-Pinto – Diretor da Escola Superior de Saúde do Politécnico de Leiria (ESSLei), Portugal Susana Pestana – Coordenadora do Curso de Licenciatura em Terapia Ocupacional da Escola Superior de Saúde do Instituto Politécnico de Beja (IPBeja), Portugal Paginação e Edição Gráfica: Jaime RibeiroA 1ª Conferência Lusófona de Terapia Ocupacional ocorreu no dia 9 de julho de 2021, em modo virtual (vídeo conferência). Esta conferência surgiu do Núcleo Académico da Terapia Ocupacional (NATO) da Rede Académica de ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia (RACS). Pretendeu dinamizar e disseminar a produção científica em Terapia Ocupacional, em língua portuguesa. Pretendeu também contribuir significativamente para a discussão dos temas mais atuais e emergentes e contar com a participação de investigadores e profissionais do mundo lusófono. Só com partilha de conhecimento científico é possível fazer progredir a profissão e sustentar a prática em evidência sólida de forma a promover conhecimento e reconhecimento da Terapia Ocupacional. Nesta primeira edição, em formato virtual, no seguimento da pandemia que assolou o planeta, foram apresentados assincronamente 15 pósteres em formato vídeo e disponibilizados em https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKUR7eWoyi2QAmZdHuB8qapIIA3PGxPVf . Foram também apresentadas de forma síncrona 14 comunicações livres que resultaram em 13 artigos completos que foram publicados na RevSALUS - Revista Científica Internacional da Rede Académica das Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia – RACS - https://revsalus.com/index.php/RevSALUS . Uma comunicação oral encontra-se em artigo completo neste livro. Neste livro de Atas encontram-se publicados os resumos dos artigos completos publicados na RevSalus assim com os artigos curtos que originaram os vídeo-pósteres. Com mais de 100 participantes internacionais, esta edição obteve um sucesso considerável atendendo à sua novidade e constrangimentos pandémicos. O futuro augura-se frutífero e preenchido numa rede lusófona que expande de forma sustentável. Sucessos para a Terapia Ocupacional e para a Rede Académica das Ciências da Saúde da Lusofonia.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Viral genetic clustering and transmission dynamics of the 2022 mpox outbreak in Portugal

Pathogen genome sequencing during epidemics enhances our ability to identify and understand suspected clusters and investigate their relationships. Here, we combine genomic and epidemiological data of the 2022 mpox outbreak to better understand early viral spread, diversification and transmission dynamics. By sequencing 52% of the confirmed cases in Portugal, we identified the mpox virus sublineages with the highest impact on case numbers and fitted them into a global context, finding evidence that several international sublineages probably emerged or spread early in Portugal. We estimated a 62% infection reporting rate and that 1.3% of the population of men who have sex with men in Portugal were infected. We infer the critical role played by sexual networks and superspreader gatherings, such as sauna attendance, in the dissemination of mpox virus. Overall, our findings highlight genomic epidemiology as a tool for the real-time monitoring and control of mpox epidemics, and can guide future vaccine policy in a highly susceptible population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Social distancing measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic: potential impacts and challenges in Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged researchers and policy makers to identify public safety measures forpreventing the collapse of healthcare systems and reducingdeaths. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the impact of social distancing measures on the epidemic and discusses the implementation of these measures in Brazil. Articles on the effect of social distancing on COVID-19 were selected from the PubMed, medRXiv and bioRvix databases. Federal and state legislation was analyzed to summarize the strategies implemented in Brazil. Social distancing measures adopted by the population appear effective, particularly when implemented in conjunction with the isolation of cases and quarantining of contacts. Therefore, social distancing measures, and social protection policies to guarantee the sustainability of these measures, should be implemented. To control COVID-19 in Brazil, it is also crucial that epidemiological monitoring is strengthened at all three levels of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). This includes evaluating and usingsupplementary indicators to monitor the progression of the pandemic and the effect of the control measures, increasing testing capacity, and making disaggregated notificationsand testing resultstransparentand broadly available

SARS-CoV-2 introductions and early dynamics of the epidemic in Portugal

Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal was rapidly implemented by the National Institute of Health in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic, in collaboration with more than 50 laboratories distributed nationwide. Methods By applying recent phylodynamic models that allow integration of individual-based travel history, we reconstructed and characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of SARSCoV-2 introductions and early dissemination in Portugal. Results We detected at least 277 independent SARS-CoV-2 introductions, mostly from European countries (namely the United Kingdom, Spain, France, Italy, and Switzerland), which were consistent with the countries with the highest connectivity with Portugal. Although most introductions were estimated to have occurred during early March 2020, it is likely that SARS-CoV-2 was silently circulating in Portugal throughout February, before the first cases were confirmed. Conclusions Here we conclude that the earlier implementation of measures could have minimized the number of introductions and subsequent virus expansion in Portugal. This study lays the foundation for genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Portugal, and highlights the need for systematic and geographically-representative genomic surveillance.We gratefully acknowledge to Sara Hill and Nuno Faria (University of Oxford) and Joshua Quick and Nick Loman (University of Birmingham) for kindly providing us with the initial sets of Artic Network primers for NGS; Rafael Mamede (MRamirez team, IMM, Lisbon) for developing and sharing a bioinformatics script for sequence curation (https://github.com/rfm-targa/BioinfUtils); Philippe Lemey (KU Leuven) for providing guidance on the implementation of the phylodynamic models; Joshua L. Cherry (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health) for providing guidance with the subsampling strategies; and all authors, originating and submitting laboratories who have contributed genome data on GISAID (https://www.gisaid.org/) on which part of this research is based. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not reflect the view of the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the United States government. This study is co-funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia and Agência de Investigação Clínica e Inovação Biomédica (234_596874175) on behalf of the Research 4 COVID-19 call. Some infrastructural resources used in this study come from the GenomePT project (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022184), supported by COMPETE 2020 - Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalisation (POCI), Lisboa Portugal Regional Operational Programme (Lisboa2020), Algarve Portugal Regional Operational Programme (CRESC Algarve2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), and by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Intricate macrophage-colorectal cancer cell communication in response to radiation

Both cancer and tumour-associated host cells are exposed to ionizing radiation when a tumour is subjected to radiotherapy. Macrophages frequently constitute the most abundant tumour-associated immune population, playing a role in tumour progression and response to therapy. The present work aimed to evaluate the importance of macrophage-cancer cell communication in the cellular response to radiation. To address this question, we established monocultures and indirect co-cultures of human monocyte-derived macrophages with RKO or SW1463 colorectal cancer cells, which exhibit higher and lower radiation sensitivity, respectively. Mono- and co-cultures were then irradiated with 5 cumulative doses, in a similar fractionated scheme to that used during cancer patients' treatment (2 Gy/fraction/day). Our results demonstrated that macrophages sensitize RKO to radiation-induced apoptosis, while protecting SW1463 cells. Additionally, the co-culture with macrophages increased the mRNA expression of metabolism- and survival-related genes more in SW1463 than in RKO. The presence of macrophages also upregulated glucose transporter 1 expression in irradiated SW1463, but not in RKO cells. In addition, the influence of cancer cells on the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory macrophage markers, upon radiation exposure, was also evaluated. In the presence of RKO or SW1463, irradiated macrophages exhibit higher levels of pro-inflammatory TNF, IL6, CCL2 and CCR7, and of anti-inflammatory CCL18. However, RKO cells induce an increase of macrophage pro-inflammatory IL1B, while SW1463 cells promote higher pro-inflammatory CXCL8 and CD80, and also anti-inflammatory VCAN and IL10 levels. Thus, our data demonstrated that macrophages and cancer cells mutually influence their response to radiation. Notably, conditioned medium from irradiated co-cultures increased non-irradiated RKO cell migration and invasion and did not impact on angiogenesis in a chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. Overall, the establishment of primary human macrophage-cancer cell co-cultures revealed an intricate cell communication in response to ionizing radiation, which should be considered when developing therapies adjuvant to radiotherapy