Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2017-11"
Now showing 1 - 10 of 91
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Ways to open innovation: main agents and sources in the Portuguese casePublication . Fernandes, Silvia; Cesário, Marisa; Barata, J. M.Facing increasing open innovation trends, Portuguese enterprises are considering the related processes and impacts. Thus, this work aims to identify the sectors whose enterprises most engage in open innovation (such as cooperation on this issue) and which sources/agents are most used. This is analyzed by sector and type of innovation as an interesting way of differentiation for better open innovation strategy delineation. Using the data from the Community Innovation Survey (CIS-2012), it first appraises the nature of the innovation process, either cooperative or firm-based, as the starting level of analysis. Then, it differentiates the results by sector illustrating which cooperation sources/agents are most used (scope) and relative intensity of use (scale). This is important to assess levels of openness and related factors. Results show that main innovating sectors in Portugal are of three types: research-based, knowledge-based and service-based. They reveal an increasing focus on knowledge and services, trends that have been leading to more active openness towards innovation. For instance, health and construction are increasing their openness for innovating and internationalizing processes. However, Portuguese innovation is still more firm-based (in-house) than cooperation-based, especially concerning new products' launching. This work and future analyzes around it can contribute to encourage the open innovation strategy in more sectors of the economy as an easy and effective way to cope with rapid trends and changes. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- The mediterranean overflow in the Gulf of Cadiz: a rugged journeyPublication . Sanchez-Leal, Ricardo F.; Jesus Bellanco, Maria; Miguel Fernandez-Salas, Luis; Garcia-Lafuente, Jesus; Gasser-Rubinat, Marc; Gonzalez-Pola, Cesar; Hernandez-Molina, Francisco J.; Pelegri, Josep L.; Peliz, Alvaro; Relvas, Paulo; Roque, David; Ruiz-Villarreal, Manuel; Sammartino, Simone; Carlos Sanchez-Garrido, JoseThe pathways and transformations of dense water overflows, which depend on small-scale interactions between flow dynamics and erosional-depositional processes, are a central piece in the ocean's large-scale circulation. A novel, high-resolution current and hydrographic data set highlights the intricate pathway travelled by the saline Mediterranean Overflow as it enters the Atlantic. Interaction with the topography constraints its spreading. Over the initial 200 km west of the Gibraltar gateway, distinct channels separate the initial gravity current into several plunging branches depth-sorted by density. Shallow branches follow the upper slope and eventually detach as buoyant plumes. Deeper branches occupy mid slope channels and coalesce upon reaching a diapiric ridge. A still deeper branch, guided by a lower channel wall marked by transverse furrows, experiences small-scale overflows which travel downslope to settle at mid-depths. The Mediterranean salt flux into the Atlantic has implications for the buoyancy balance in the North Atlantic. Observations on how this flux enters at different depth levels are key to accurately measuring and understanding the role of Mediterranean Outflow in future climate scenarios.
- On asynchronous parallelization of order-based GA over grid-enabled heterogenous commodity hardwarePublication . Valente de Oliveira, JOSÉ; Baltazar, Sérgio; Daniel, HelderIn real-world applications, the runtime of genetic algorithms (GAs) can be computationally demanding, an issue that can be mitigated using parallelization. The study evaluates the parallelization of order-based GAs using the island model in an asynchronous heterogeneous computing environment. The island model allows for a considerable number of migration topologies. The study offers a systematic review of the studies on migration topologies and observes that no study is available yet on the performance of these migration topologies over asynchronous heterogeneous environments. Based on a statistical analysis of a comprehensive set of experiments, using real-world TSPLIB instances, the study researches the question: What is the fastest island model topology for order-based genetic algorithm, in an asynchronous distributed heterogeneous grid-enabled commodity computing environment, without losing significant fitness comparatively to the correspondent sequential panmictic implementation of the same algorithm?. Moreover, a new speedup index, the expected root speedup, is also proposed. A diversity of topology types and characteristics are considered: the single node, star, ring, cartwheel, rooted ordered tree, rooted full binary tree, coordinated tree-ring, and feedforward fully connected layered type. Different number of nodes are also considered. While some of the types of topologies are well known, the coordinated tree-ring topology is a novelty. These types of topologies allow us to assess three notable cases: (i) no migration (isolated island), (ii) migration toward the coordinator only, and (iii) migration flows to, and from, the coordinator.
- Memristors using solution-based IGZO nanoparticlesPublication . Rosa, Jose; Kiazadeh, Asal; Santos, Lidia; Deuermeier, Jonas; Martins, Rodrigo; Gomes, Henrique L.; Fortunato, ElviraSolution-based indium-gallium-zinc oldde (IGZO) nanoparticles deposited by spin coating have been investigated as a resistive switching layer in metal-insulator-metal structures for nonvolatile memory applications. Optimized devices show a bipolar resistive switching behavior, low programming voltages of +/- 1 V, on/off ratios higher than 10, high endurance, and a retention time of up to 104 s. The better performing devices were achieved with annealing temperatures of 200 degrees C and using asymmetric electrode materials of titanium and silver. The physics behind the improved switching properties of the devices is discussed in terms of the oxygen deficiency of IGZO. Temperature analysis of the conductance states revealed a nonmetallic filamentary conduction. The presented devices are potential candidates for the integration of memory functionality into low-cost System-on-Panel technology.
- The influence of planning and response inhibition on cognitive functioning of Non-Psychotic unipolar depressed suicide attemptersPublication . Moniz, Marco; Jesus, Saul Neves de; Pacheco, Andreia; Gonçalves, Eduardo; Viseu, J.; Brás, Marta; Silva, Dina; Batista, SilviaDepression is one of the main risk factors for suicide. However, little is known about the intricate relationships among depressive symptomatology in unipolar depression, suicide risk, and the characteristics of executive dysfunction in depressed patients. We compared 20 non-psychotic unipolar depressed suicide attempters to 20 matching depressed non-attempters and to 20 healthy controls to further investigate the possible differences in neuropsychological performance. Depressed subjects were controlled for current suicidal ideation, and their neuropsychological profile was assessed using a range of measures of executive functioning, attention, verbal memory, processing speed, and psychomotor speed. Depressed groups were outperformed by healthy controls. Depressed attempters presented more cognitive impairment than depressed non-attempters on a simple Go/No-go response inhibition task and performed better than non-attempters on the Tower of London planning task. Depressed attempters were clearly distinguished by a deficit in response inhibition (Go/No-go commission errors). The normative planning performance (Tower of London extra moves) of the suicide attempters was unexpected, and this unanticipated finding calls for further research. Normative planning may indicate an increased risk of suicidal behavior.
- On the presence of the Ponto-Caspian hydrozoan Cordylophora caspia (Pallas, 1771) in an Iberian estuary: highlights on the introduction vectors and invasion routesPublication . Seyer, Thomas; Morais, Pedro; Amorim, Katherine; Leitão, Francisco; Martins, Flavio; Teodosio, MariaSeveral non-native invertebrate and vertebrate species have been detected in the Guadiana Estuary (SW-Iberian Peninsula, Europe) during the 21st century. In June 2015, the non-native hydroid Cordylophora caspia (Pallas, 1771) was detected for the first time in this estuary, which motivated an assessment of its distribution during late Spring and Summer 2016. The main goals of this paper were to: i) report the presence of Cordylophora caspia and its distribution in the Guadiana Estuary, ii) record the substrates colonized, salinity, and water temperatures at locations where the species was detected, iii) evaluate possible introduction vectors and invasion routes; and iv) discuss the potential impacts and management options. Cordylophora caspia occupied a 25-km stretch of the estuary with salinities between 0.2 and 13.8 and occupied a variety of human-made substrates. Shipping was the most likely introduction vector of C. caspia, which might have originated from populations in the Atlantic Ocean or the Mediterranean Sea. Currently, the potential ecological impacts are likely low since the population size is small due to an apparent shortage of suitable habitat. Economic effects are minimal at present because there are no major industries along the basin extracting water from the estuary. An integrated ecohydrological approach-i.e. freshets released from dams to control the populations of Cnidaria-was proposed to minimize or mitigate the potential negative effects of this species in the Guadiana Estuary.
- Public health and disaster medicine education: defining a new medical curricula in PortugalPublication . De Oliveira, A. Pinto; Palmeirim, Ana FilipaDisasters are serious public health problems that have increased over the last century.Many governments and scientific institutions agree that disaster medicine education should be included in the standard medical curriculum.
- ESI-MS of Cucurbituril Complexes Under Negative PolarityPublication . Rodrigues, Maria A. A.; Mendes, Debora C.; Ramamurthy, Vaidhyanathan; Da Silva, José PauloElectrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) is a powerful tool to study host-guest supramolecular interactions. ESI-MS can be used for detailed gas-phase reactivity studies, to clarify the structure, or simply to verify the formation of complexes. Depending on the structure of the host and of the guest, negative and/or positive ESI are used. Here we report the unexpected formation of host-guest complexes between cucurbit[n]urils (n = 7, 8, CB[n]) and amine, styryl pyridine, and styryl pyridine dimer cations, under negative ESI. Non-complexed CB[n] form double charged halide (Br-, Cl-, F-) adducts. Under negative ESI, halide ions interact with CB[n] outer surface hydrogen atoms. One to one host-guest complexes (1:1) of CB[n] with positive charged guests were also observed as single and double charged ions under negative ESI. The positive charge of guests is neutralized by ion-pairing with halide anions. Depending on the number of positive charges guests retain in the gas phase, one or two additional halide ions are required for neutralization. Complexes 1:2 of CB[8] with styryl pyridines retain two halide ions in the gas phase, one per guest. Styryl pyridine dimers form 1:1 complexes possessing a single extra halide ion and therefore a single positive charge. Negative ESI is sensitive to small structural differences between complexes, distinguishing between 1:2 complexes of styryl pyridine-CB[8] and corresponding 1:1 complexes with the dimer. Negative ESI gives simpler spectra than positive ESI and allows the determination of guest charge state of CB[n] complexes in the gas phase.
- Fatty acid profiles of the main lipid classes of green seaweeds from fish pond aquaculturePublication . Cardoso, Carlos; Ripol, Andrea; Afonso, Claudia; Freire, Margarida; Varela, João; Quental-Ferreira, Hugo; Pousao-Ferreira, Pedro; Bandarra, NarcisaThe lipid composition of five species of green seaweeds (Chaetomorpha linum, Rhizoclonium riparium, Ulva intestinalis, Ulva lactuca, and Ulva prolifera) grown in fish pond aquaculture systems was studied. In particular, the overall fatty acid (FA) profile and the FA profile of each main lipid class found in these seaweed species were thoroughly analyzed. It was found that every seaweed had a specific FA profile, whose specificities were rendered more obvious with the study of the FA profile per lipid class. However, between U.lactuca and U.intestinalis, there were only minor differences. Nonetheless, it was possible to identify significant differences between the palmitic acid content in the phospholipid (PL) and glycolipid (GL) classes of each seaweed. A clear distinction between the FA profiles of R.riparium and C.linum, which belong to the Cladophorales order, and those of Ulva genus, Ulvales order, was also determined. Moreover, there were also differences among lipid classes, yielding large contrasts between PLs+GLs and triacylglycerols (TAGs) as well as between monoacylglycerols (MAGs) and free fatty acids (FFAs). This study also found evidence supporting the location of particular FAs in specific TAG positions. FA profiles have the potential to be used as a chemotaxonomic tool in green seaweeds, providing a simple method to check authenticity of seaweed used as food.
- Is filter packing important in a small-scale vermifiltration process of urban wastewater?Publication . Lourenco, N.; Nunes, L.Nowadays, natural resources are under increasing stress which fosters wastewater reuse planning and emphasizes on the decentralized wastewater treatment. Vermifiltration has been described as a viable alternative to treat domestic and urban wastewater, but few studies have focused on the impact of different filter packings on vermifiltration performance. This study evaluates the effect of vermicompost and sawdust in a single-stage vermifilter (VF) for urban wastewater treatment. After an acclimation period of 45 days, urban wastewater from a combined sewage collection system was applied continuously for 24 h. Earthworm stock density was of 20 g L-1, HRT of 6 h, HLR of 0.89 m(3) m(-2) day(-1) and OLR of 7.38 g BOD5 day(-1). System performance was assessed by the removal efficiencies of BOD5, COD, TSS, NH4 (+), TN and TP, and fecal coliforms and helminth eggs elimination. Vermicompost (VE) and sawdust (SE) were tested, using an earthworm abundance of 20 g L-1. Treatment efficiencies were 91.3% for BOD5, 87.6% for COD, 98.4% for TSS and 76.5% for NH4 (+) in VE, and 90.5% for BOD5, 79.7% for COD, 98.4% for TSS and 63.4% for NH4 (+) in SE. Earthworms contributed to reduce NH4 (+) and TN removal and to increase NO3 (-) concentration. No treatment was able to eliminate fecal coliforms down to guidelines values for wastewater irrigation as helminth eggs were completely eliminated. Single-stage vermifiltration system using both filter packings is inconsistent and cannot meet EU guideline values for discharge in sensitive water bodies and WHO guidelines for irrigation with treated wastewater.