Operational optimisation of water supply networks using a fuzzy system

This paper presents a fuzzy system to control the pressure in a water distribution network, by using valves and controlling the rotor speed of the pumping systems. The variable frequency drive tracks the minimum head of the pumping system, while the control valves have the function of eliminating the excess pressure at various points of the network. The control system can track any reference pressure value and there is no limit for the number of monitored points. Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the fuzzy system’s efficiency. By extrapolating the results achieved in the experimental setup to a real hydraulic network with leakages and no pressure control, the volumetric losses could be reduced by more than 56%. The experiments showed that the system is robust enough to control the pressure of an experimental setup of water distribution. Besides, the proposed system can be easily applied to similar water supply systems and would help to reduce the consumption of water and electricity, as well as to reduce the maintenance costs

Factors associated with cardiovascular disease risk among employees at a portuguese higher education institution

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and to assess the CVD risk (CVDRisk) in a sample of workers at a specific workplace: a higher education institution in Portugal. Data were collected using a questionnaire (e.cuidHaMUs.QueST®) with 345 HEI workers from June 2017-June 2018 with a high response rate (93.3%). Two constructs of risks for CVD were considered: (i) metabolic risk and hypertension (CVDRisk1); and (ii) modifiable behavioural risk (CVDRisk2). Logistic regression analyses were used to establish a relationship between risk indexes/constructs (CVDRisk1 and CVDRisk2) and groups of selected variables. The most prevalent CVD risk factor was hypercholesterolaemia (43.2%). Sixty-eight percent of participants were in the construct CVDRisk1 while almost half of the respondents were in CVDRisk2 (45.2%). The consumption of soft drinks twice a week or more contributed to a significantly increased risk of CVD in CVDRisk1. Lack of regular exercise and lack of daily fruit consumption significantly increased the risk of CVD in CVDRisk2. The challenge to decision makers and the occupational medical community is to incorporate this information into the daily practices of health surveillance with an urgent need for health promotional education campaigns in the workplace.publishe

Seborrheic keratoses and severe hypoinsulinemic hypoglycemia associated with insulin grow factor 2 secretion by a malignant solitary fibrous tumor

A rare sign of some malignant tumors is a sudden eruption of multiple seborrheic keratoses called Leser-Trelat sign. Overproduction of insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF2) or its precursor is the main mechanism related to non-islet cell tumor hypoglycemia. Doege-Potter syndrome is the name given to paraneoplastic hypoinsulinemic hypoglycemia in presence of a solitary fibrous tumor. This report describes a case of a patient with hypoinsulinemic hypoglycemia and Leser-Trelat sign associated with a malignant solitary fibrous tumor with IGF2 secretion. Both conditions have improved after tumor excision.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Div Endocrinol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Div Endocrinol, Escola Paulista Med, Sao Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc

SPECTRAL PROJECTED GRADIENT METHOD WITH INEXACT RESTORATION FOR MINIMIZATION WITH NONCONVEX CONSTRAINTS

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)This work takes advantage of the spectral projected gradient direction within the inexact restoration framework to address nonlinear optimization problems with nonconvex constraints. The proposed strategy includes a convenient handling of the constraints, together with nonmonotonic features to speed up convergence. The numerical performance is assessed by experiments with hard-spheres problems, pointing out that the inexact restoration framework provides an adequate environment for the extension of the spectral projected gradient method for general nonlinearly constrained optimization.31316281652Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq [E-26/171.164/2003 - APQ1]FAPESP [01/04597-4, 06/53768-0

Simultaneous determination of natural and synthetic steroid estrogens and their conjugates in aqueous matrices by liquid chromatography / mass spectrometry

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of nine free and conjugated steroid estrogens was developed with application to environmental aqueous matrices. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was employed for isolation and concentration, with detection by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) using electrospray ionisation (ESI) in the negative mode. Method recoveries for various aqueous matrices (wastewater, lake and drinking water) were determined, recoveries proving to be sample dependent. When spiked at 50 ng/l concentrations in sewage influent, recoveries ranged from 62-89 % with relative standard deviations (RSD) < 8.1 %. In comparison, drinking water spiked at the same concentrations had recoveries between 82-100 % with an RSD < 5%. Ion suppression is a known phenomenon when using ESI; hence its impact on method recovery was elucidated for raw sewage. Both ion suppression from matrix interferences and the extraction procedure has bearing on the overall method recovery. Analysis of municipal raw sewage identified several of the analytes of interest at ng/l concentrations, estriol (E3) being the most abundant. Only one conjugate, estrone 3-sulphate (E1-3S) was observe

Decadal changes of the Western Arabian sea ecosystem

Historical data from oceanographic expeditions and remotely sensed data on outgoing longwave radiation, temperature, wind speed and ocean color in the western Arabian Sea (1950–2010) were used to investigate decadal trends in the physical and biochemical properties of the upper 300 m. 72 % of the 29,043 vertical profiles retrieved originated from USA and UK expeditions. Increasing outgoing longwave radiation, surface air temperatures and sea surface temperature were identified on decadal timescales. These were well correlated with decreasing wind speeds associated with a reduced Siberian High atmospheric anomaly. Shoaling of the oxycline and nitracline was observed as well as acidification of the upper 300 m. These physical and chemical changes were accompanied by declining chlorophyll-a concentrations, vertical macrofaunal habitat compression, declining sardine landings and an increase of fish kill incidents along the Omani coast

Coeficientes técnicos e avaliação econômica para o sistema de produção melhorado da pupunha para palmito no Acre.

A pupunha (Bactris gasipaes Kunth) é uma palmeira que apresenta várias alternativas de utilização: fruto cozido para consumo humano, fabricação de ração, farinha, óleo e palmito, sendo este último, o principal responsável pela expansão da área cultivada com a cultura no Acre (1 .004 ha), podendo a atividade tornar-se uma oportunidade de negócio para pequenos e médios produtores. O cultivo da pupunha para produção de palmito torna-se promissor devido à sua precocidade, rusticidade e elevado perfilhamento, além de permitir melhor controle da qualidade do produto final, quando comparado com o palmito de açaí (Euterpe oleracea) proveniente da exploração extrativa. Ressalta-se ainda o apelo ecológico de seu cultivo, uma vez que contribui para diminuir a pressão dessa atividade predatória. Pretende-se com este trabalho propor um sistema para produção de palmito que contemple as tecnologias de fácil assimilação pelos produtores e que sejam recomendadas pela pesquisa, relacionando as necessidades de materiais, equipamentos e serviços, passíveis de ser utilizados pelos pequenos produtores do Acre.bitstream/item/116573/1/12186.pd

Descriptive?Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) in adults with imported severe Plasmodium falciparum?malaria: A 10 year-study in a Portuguese tertiary care hospital

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a severe complication of malaria that remains largely unstudied. We aim to describe the development of ARDS associated with severe P. falciparum malaria, its management and impact on clinical outcome.B910-DDDF-6BB2 | Lu?s Carlos Carvalho da Gra?aN/