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O objetivo deste estudo é recolher informações sobre os obstáculos, benefícios, principais práticas e lições aprendidas com a adoção e revisão do sistema de gestão da qualidade ISO 9001:2015, pelas indústrias do setor da metalomecânica, transformação de madeiras, construção civil e obras públicas sediadas em Portugal. Para o efeito adotou-se uma metodologia quantitativa, e foi utilizado o questionário de Fonseca et al., (2019). Foram contactadas 1105 empresas destes três setores de atividade tendo sido obtidas 114 respostas. Concluiu-se, comparativamente a estudos anteriores multissetoriais, que o recurso a formação e consultores externos para a implementação da ISO 9001:2015, facilitam o processo de implementação e certificação da norma nos três setores. Concluiu-se ainda que os recursos humanos devem merecer especial atenção pois revela-se que o planeamento das mudanças e resistência às mesmas surge como a principal dificuldade sentida pelas empresas em estudo, com a implementação das ferramentas da qualidade, seguida da determinação dos riscos e oportunidades que trazem as maiores dificuldades, porém também dos maiores benefícios, relativamente ao processo de certificação. Também aqui se reafirmam a adoção do pensamento baseado no risco e identificação das partes interessadas relevantes como as abordagens que as organizações consideraram mais benéficas. Sugerem-se investigações futuras sobre os critérios e requisitos de TIC que os sistemas informáticos de apoio à qualidade deveriam ter para dar suporte à documentação e processo dos sistemas de gestão da qualidade.

Intrusion Detection Systems play a crucial role in a network. They can detect different network attacks and raise warnings on them. Machine Learning-based IDSs are trained on datasets that, due to the context, are inherently large, since they can contain network traffic from different time periods and often include a large number of features. In this paper, we present two contributions: the study of the importance of Feature Selection when using an IDS dataset, while striking a balance between performance and the number of features; and the study of the feasibility of using a low-capacity device, the Nvidia Jetson Nano, to implement an IDS. The results, comparing the GA with other well-known techniques in Feature Selection and Dimensionality Reduction, show that the GA has the best F1-score of 76%, among all feature/dimension sizes. Although the processing time to find the optimal set of features surpasses other methods, we observed that the reduction in the number of features decreases the GA processing time without a significant impact on the F1-score. The Jetson Nano allows the classification of network traffic with an overhead of 10 times in comparison to a traditional server, paving the way to a near real-time GA-based embedded IDS.

A parametric investigation of several unbraced steel frames with regular and irregular geometry subjected to elevated temperatures is carried out in this study to determine the most accurate procedure and buckling lengths to be considered during the structural design under a fire situation. In such conditions, the stiffness and strength of steel decrease considerably due to high temperatures, and uncertainty remains in the application of the fire design rules of Eurocode 3 Part 1-2 (EN 1993-1-2) for unbraced frames as no information is given regarding the treatment of the deformed geometry (the so-called second-order effects). More precisely, it is unclear in the norm whether the verification based on the buckling length concept could be used or if a second-order analysis to calculate the internal forces is sufficient to ensure the stability of the frame in case of fire. Based on the linear buckling analysis of the steel frames accounting for the temperature development during a fire, recommendations for the appropriate buckling lengths to be used are given. Finally, it is demonstrated that using the recommended buckling lengths together with the design rules of EN 1993-1-2 leads to results in favor of safety when compared to the results obtained with the finite element method. On the other hand, it is concluded that using second-order internal forces and the real length of the columns as the buckling length, as suggested for room temperature design, yielded results outside safety when compared with the finite element method, and this analysis and verification procedure should not be used for the case of fire.

Resumo As tecnologias da informação e comunicação têm influência cada vez maior na área da saúde, sendo o aumento significativo do recurso à teleconsulta um reflexo disso. Os benefícios que essa modalidade de prestação de serviços de saúde ocasiona são inquestionáveis, a começar pelo facto de auxiliarem a enfrentar os desafios contemporâneos que assolam os sistemas de saúde em todo o mundo. Todavia, a sua crescente utilização vem sublinhar a importância de salvaguardar questões éticas relacionadas com a autonomia, equidade, privacidade e qualidade da relação entre o utente e o profissional de saúde. Este artigo pretende estimular uma reflexão acerca dos desafios éticos que se colocam antes, durante e após o uso da teleconsulta, com o intuito de otimizar e modelar a sua utilização.

In a very early stage of implementation of a comprehensive experimental campaign for indoor radon assessment, a pre-evaluation selection of the variables that play a leading role in influencing expected results must be insightfully assessed, by stimulating compatibility between Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and energy efficiency. Hence, a practical methodology for variable selection based on an analysis of historic data plays a key role concerning radon potential assessment, while never losing sight of the building energy performance. Given the circumstances, this work is focused on the design of a qualitative pre-diagnosis model for the evaluation of radon potential in indoor environments, for different energy efficiency scenarios, by considering a set of relevant variables carefully selected to characterize occupants’ risk exposure. A prior survey was done to identify all relevant characteristics that most affect both Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) and building energy efficiency, mainly concerning local geology, thermal insulation, ventilation schemes, energy equipment, renewable energy assets, and occupancy schedules. The selected parameters will be afterward weighted and combined into performance indicators through an evidence-based literature review. In the current early stage, the requirements to drive the software development are presented, together with a software architecture proposal. Finally, it is expected that this pre-diagnosis model will allow a more refined sample selection for indoor radon assessment, by choosing the most susceptible variables that influence radon potential in a given scenario and making it compatible with the building energy efficiency.

The need to ensure the confidentiality and integrity of data generated in industrial systems and applications has been increasingly highlighted over the years, due to the clear as well as urgent requirements of not disclosing sensible proprietary information, and ensuring that data is kept immutable since it is generated. Based on these background requirements, this paper discusses a system that promotes data privacy and immutability in industrial weighing systems. In this sense, the proposed solution includes a protocol definition for a secure IoT (Internet of Things) communication and an architecture for a blockchainbased platform that: i) automates the process of complying with standardized weighing guidelines; and ii) increases data traceability, promoting both its confidentiality and immutability. Additionally, to demonstrate the proposed system’s compliance with the established goals, a proof of concept was assembled, and functional tests conducted. The main conclusions withdrawn from the results obtained show that: i) the process of registering and verifying weighing guidelines is properly automated by means of Machine-to-Machine secure transactions; ii) the solution is able to ensure that the data registered is authentic and iii) that it has been transmitted without any eavesdropping, can not be erased and is kept private.

Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are rare inherited lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs) caused by deficient activity in one of the enzymes responsible for glycosaminoglycans lysosomal degradation. MPS II is caused by pathogenic mutations in the IDS gene, leading to deficient activity of the enzyme iduronate-2-sulfatase, which causes dermatan and heparan sulfate storage in the lysosomes. In MPS VI, there is dermatan sulfate lysosomal accumulation due to pathogenic mutations in the ARSB gene, leading to arylsulfatase B deficiency. Alterations in the immune system of MPS mouse models have already been described, but data concerning MPSs patients is still scarce. Herein, we study different leukocyte populations in MPS II and VI disease patients. MPS VI, but not MPS II patients, have a decrease percentage of natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes when compared with controls. No alterations were identified in the percentage of T, invariant NKT, and B cells in both groups of MPS disease patients. However, we discovered alterations in the naïve versus memory status of both helper and cytotoxic T cells in MPS VI disease patients compared to control group. Indeed, MPS VI disease patients have a higher frequency of naïve T cells and, consequently, lower memory T cell frequency than control subjects. Altogether, these results reveal MPS VI disease-specific alterations in some leukocyte populations, suggesting that the type of substrate accumulated and/or enzyme deficiency in the lysosome may have a particular effect on the normal cellular composition of the immune system.

The present work aims to identify changes in the macroinvertebrate community of the Tagus estuary (Portugal) due to improvements in water quality and to climate change. Data was collected over a period of 16 years (1998–2014) from different sites located along the estuarine gradient. The AZTI Marine Biotic Index (AMBI) was used to assess the ecological quality status based on benthic invertebrate communities and identify possible variations associated with changes in water quality. The overall distribution of each species was examined to detect possible changes associated with climate, based on species’ affinity for more temperate or subtropical climates. Results demonstrate that there was an overall improvement of AMBI scores during the assessment period. The analysis of the geographical distribution of benthic species seems to indicate that there has been an increase of species which prefer subtropical climates in the shallower waters of the estuary, whereas in the deeper estuarine sections the propensity is for species that prefer temperate climates.

Collaborative Manufacturing Scheduling (CMS) is not yet a properly explored decision making practice, although its potential for being currently explored, in the digital era, by combining efforts among a set of entities, either persons or machines, to jointly cooperate for solving some more or less complex scheduling problem, namely occurring in job shop manufacturing environments. In this paper, an interoperable scheduling system integrating a proposed scheduling model, along with varying kinds of solving algorithms, are put forward and analyzed through an industrial case study. The case study was decomposed in three application scenarios, for enabling the evaluation of the proposed scheduling model when envisioning the prioritization of internal–makespan-or external–number of tardy jobs-performance measures, along with a third scenario assigning a same importance or weight to both kinds of performance measures. The results obtained enabled us to realize that the weighted application scenario permitted reaching more balanced, thus a potentially more attractive global solution for the scheduling problem considered through the combination of different kinds of scheduling algorithms for the resolution of each underlying sub problem according to the proposed scheduling model. Besides, the decomposition of a global more complex scheduling problem into simpler sub-problems turns them easier to be solved through the different solving algorithms available, while further enabling to obtain a wider range of alternative schedules to be explored and evaluated. Thus, contributing to enriching the scheduling problem-solving process. A future exploration of the application in other types of manufacturing environments, namely occurring in the context of extended, networked, distributed or virtual production systems, integrating an increased and variable set of collaborating entities or factories, is also suggested.

Endothelial cells (ECs) are an important component of the tumor microenvironment, playing key roles in tumor development and progression that span from angiogenesis to immune regulation and drug resistance. Heterotypic tumor spheroids are one of the most widely used in vitro tumor microenvironment models, presenting improved recapitulation of tumor microenvironments compared to 2D cultures, in a simple and low-cost setup. Heterotypic tumor spheroid models incorporating endothelial cells have been proposed but present multiple limitations, such as the short culture duration typically obtained, the use of animal-derived matrices, and poor reproducibility; the diversity of culture conditions employed hinders comparison between studies and standardization of relevant culture parameters. Herein, we developed long-term cultures of triple heterotypic spheroids composed of the HCC1954 tumor cell line, human fibroblasts, and ECs. We explored culture parameters potentially relevant for EC maintenance, such as tumor cell line, seeding cell number, cell ratio, and agitation vs. static culture. In HCC1954-based spheroids, we observed maintenance of viable EC for up to 1 month of culture in agitation, with retention of the identity markers CD31 and von Willebrand factor. At the optimized tumor cell:fibroblast:EC ratio of 1:3:10, HCC1954-based spheroids had a higher EC area/total spheroid area at 1 month of culture than the other cell ratios tested. EC maintenance was tumor cell line-dependent, and in HCC1954-based spheroids it was also dependent on the presence of fibroblasts and agitation. Moreover, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) supplementation was not required for maintenance of EC, as the factor was endogenously produced. ECs co-localized with fibroblasts, which accumulated preferentially in the core of the spheroids and secreted EC-relevant extracellular matrix proteins, such as collagen I and IV. This simple model setup does not rely on artificial or animal-derived scaffolds and can serve as a useful tool to explore the culture parameters influencing heterotypic spheroids, contributing to model standardization, as well as to explore molecular cross talk of ECs within the tumor microenvironment, and potentially its effects on drug response.

INTRODUÇÃO: A Rede CUF em 18 de março, disponibilizou o Hospital CUF Infante Santo (HCIS) como hospital de referência para os doentes com COVID-19 na área da grande Lisboa. O internamento do doente não crítico (IDNC) ficou a cargo de uma equipa médica dedicada (EMD) constituída por médicos do Cluster Tejo, sob coordenação da Medicina Interna. Este estudo reporta as principais características demográficas e clínicas da população internada no IDNC. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Estudo retrospetivo analisando os doentes admitidos entre 27 de março e 7 de maio de 2020, no IDNC. Os critérios para diagnóstico de COVID-19 basearam-se na confirmação laboratorial e/ou critérios de diagnóstico imagiológicos. Excluíram-se da análise os doentes inicialmente suspeitos, mas cujo diagnóstico final encontrado foi outro. Clinicamente, o doente não crítico foi definido como tendo um Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) entre 0-2. Os dados foram coletados do processo clínico eletrónico e da base de dados criada para seguimento destes doentes. Apresentam-se as características demográficas, clínicas, exames complementares, terapêutica e resultados. RESULTADOS: Incluíram-se 44 doentes, média de idades 67 anos, 52,3% homens. Divididos em grupos de acordo com a apresentação, com pneumonia em 75%, os restantes com outra apresentação. Proveniência: domicílio 81,8%, residência sénior 11,4% e outro hospital 8%. Fatores de risco para doença mais grave foram: Idade > 65 anos, 56,8%, hipertensão arterial 59%, doença respiratória crónica 15,9%, obesidade 15,9%, neoplasia ativa 13,6%, diabetes 11,4%, cardiopatia isquémica 11,4%, insuficiência cardíaca 6,8%, imunossupressão 6,8%, com índice de comorbilidades de Charlson média de 3.6. Agravamento clínico significativo com necessidade de escalar cuidados em três doentes (6,8%), em dois (4,5%) com ventilação mecânica invasiva, adicionalmente registado um óbito (2,3%). Demora média de internamento 10 dias, três (6,8%) doentes foram transferidos para outro hospital e 40 (91%) tiveram alta. DISCUSSÃO: A casuística apresentada representa o primeiro grupo de doentes não críticos internados com COVID-19 na Rede CUF da Região de Lisboa. Houve evolução e mortalidade intra-hospitalar abaixo do expectável para as características desta população, nomeadamente perante a presença de fatores de risco para doença mais grave e elevado índice de comorbilidades. CONCLUSÃO: A interpretação dos resultados obtidos fica condicionada ao pequeno tamanho da amostra e às incertezas ainda existentes nesta nova doença.

The progress of next-generation sequencing has lead to the availability of massive data sets used by a wide range of applications in biology and medicine. This has sparked significant interest in using modern Big Data technologies to process this large amount of information in distributed memory clusters of commodity hardware. Several approaches based on solutions such as Apache Hadoop or Apache Spark, have been proposed. These solutions allow developers to focus on the problem while the need to deal with low level details, such as data distribution schemes or communication patterns among processing nodes, can be ignored. However, performance and scalability are also of high importance when dealing with increasing problems sizes, making in this way the usage of High Performance Computing (HPC) technologies such as the message passing interface (MPI) a promising alternative. Recently, MetaCacheSpark, an Apache Spark based software for detection and quantification of species composition in food samples has been proposed. This tool can be used to analyze high throughput sequencing data sets of metagenomic DNA and allows for dealing with large-scale collections of complex eukaryotic and bacterial reference genome. In this work, we propose MetaCache-MPI, a fast and memory efficient solution for computing clusters which is based on MPI instead of Apache Spark. In order to evaluate its performance a comparison is performed between the original single CPU version of MetaCache, the Spark version and the MPI version we are introducing. Results show that for 32 processes, MetaCache-MPI is 1.65× faster while consuming 48.12% of the RAM memory used by Spark for building a metagenomics database. For querying this database, also with 32 processes, the MPI version is 3.11× faster, while using 55.56% of the memory used by Spark. We conclude that the new MetaCache-MPI version is faster in both building and querying the database and uses less RAM memory, when compared with MetaCacheSpark, while keeping the accuracy of the original implementation.

Radon (222Rn) is a well-known source of indoor air contamination since in its gaseous form it is a reported source of ionizing radiation that belongs to the group of rare gases. Radon occurs naturally in soils and rocks and results from the radioactive decay of its longer-lived progenitors, i.e., radium, uranium, and thorium. Radon releases itself from the soil and rocks, which mainly occurs in outdoor environments, not causing any kind of impact due to its fast dilution into the atmosphere. However, when this release occurs in confined and poorly ventilated indoor environments, this release can result in the accumulation of high concentrations of radon gas, being recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the second cause of lung cancer, after smoking. Assessing the indoor radon concentration demands specific know-how involving the implementation of several time-consuming tasks that may include the following stages: (1) radon potential assessment; (2) short-term/long-term radon measurement; (3) laboratory data analysis and processing; and (4) technical reporting. Thus, during stage 1, the use of indirect methods to assess the radon occurrence potential, such as taking advantage of existent natural radiation maps (which have been made available by the uranium mineral prospecting campaigns performed since the early 1950s), is crucial to put forward an ICT (Information and Communication Technology) platform that opens up a straightforward approach for assessing indoor radon potential at an early stage, operating as a pre-diagnosis evaluation tool that is of great value for supporting decision making towards the transition to stage 2, which typically has increased costs due to the need for certified professionals to handle certified instruments for short-term/long-term radon measurement. As a pre-diagnosis tool, the methodology proposed in this article allows the assessment of the radon potential of a specific building through a WebGIS-based platform that adopts ICT and Internet technologies to display and analyze spatially related data, employing a multicriteria approach, including (a) gamma radiation maps, (b) built environment characteristics, and (c) occupancy profile, and thus helping to determine when the radon assessment process should proceed to stage 2, or, alternatively, by eliminating the need to perform additional actions.

O ressurgimento de microorganismos multirresistentes resultantes do desadequado uso de antibióticos obrigam a um maior exercício na aplicabilidade de antibióticos face aos múltiplos padrões de resistências. O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar o consumo de antibióticos num hospital distrital, ao longo de 3 anos, e relacioná-lo com a microbiologia local e respectiva variabilidade durante os 3 anos. No período analisado, no Centro Hospitalar Médio Tejo (CHMT), assistiu-se a uma diminuição da utilização da Amoxicilina / Clavulanto contrapondo com o aumento da Piperacilina / Tazobactam, em sentido oposto à utilização de antibióticos na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos (UCI). Contudo, tanto na UCI como no CHMT, observou-se um aumento dos microorganismos epidemiologicamente importantes face à evidente mudança de hábitos prescritivos.

The immune microenvironment of breast cancer (BC) is composed by high macrophage infiltrates, correlated with the most aggressive subtypes. Tumour-associated macrophages (TAM) within the BC microenvironment are key regulators of immune suppression and BC progression. Nevertheless, several key questions regarding TAM polarisation by BC are still not fully understood. Recently, the modulation of the immune microenvironment has been described via the recognition of abnormal glycosylation patterns at BC cell surface. These patterns rise as a resource to identify potential targets on TAM in the BC context, leading to the development of novel immunotherapies. Herein, we will summarize recent studies describing advances in identifying altered glycan structures in BC cells. We will focus on BC-specific glycosylation patterns known to modulate the phenotype and function of macrophages recruited to the tumour site, such as structures with sialylated or N-acetylgalactosamine epitopes. Moreover, the lectins present at the surface of macrophages reported to bind to such antigens, inducing tumour-prone TAM phenotypes, will also be highlighted. Finally, we will discuss and give our view on the potential and current challenges of targeting these glycan-lectin interactions to reshape the immunosuppressive landscape of BC.

Bone marrow contains endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) that, upon pro-angiogenic stimuli, migrate and differentiate into endothelial cells (ECs) and contribute to re-endothelialization and neo-vascularization. There are currently no reliable markers to characterize EPCs, leading to their inaccurate identification. In the past, we showed that, in a panel of tumors, some cells on the vessel wall co-expressed CD14 (monocytic marker) and CD31 (EC marker), indicating a putative differentiation route of monocytes into ECs. Herein, we disclosed monocytes as potential EPCs, using in vitro and in vivo models, and also addressed the cancer context. Monocytes acquired the capacity to express ECs markers and were able to be incorporated into blood vessels, contributing to cancer progression, by being incorporated in tumor neo-vasculature. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) push monocytes to EC differentiation, and this phenotype is reverted by cysteine (a scavenger and precursor of glutathione), which indicates that angiogenesis is controlled by the interplay between the oxidative stress and the scavenging capacity of the tumor microenvironment.

Complex foot deformity correction with conventional techniques has many limitations including neurovascular problems, skin problems, stiffness, and limb shortening. Ilizarov methodology on the contrary is not limited by deformity magnitude and permits a comprehensive approach to foot deformity correction treating all deformities simultaneously, either in foot or leg, combining techniques of soft tissue distraction, bone lengthening, and arthrodesis. Nevertheless, Ilizarov methodology is not exempted from problems and difficulties. It is a technically demanding procedure with a long learning curve. For the patient, treatment time is long, the frame is uncomfortable, pin infection is frequent, and other complication rates are also high. However, if proper technique is used including preoperative planning, preconstruction of the frame, careful ambulatory handling, and this method can be useful in the management of difficult cases and in certain circumstances, the sole method to correct complex foot deformities.

A actinomicose pulmonar é uma situação clínica rara mas de diagnóstico importante e nem sempre fácil. Trata-se de uma infecção crónica supurativa causada por uma bactéria anaeróbia gram-positiva microfilamentosa designada por Actinomyces. Apresenta-se o caso clínico de um homem de 32 anos, previamente saudável, sem co-morbilidades, que desenvolve um quadro de febre, associada a tosse produtiva e toracalgia direita. Verificou-se a existência de alterações radiológicas sugestivas de pneumonia lobar superior direita. Iniciou terapêutica antibiótica com amoxicilina/clavulanato, com melhoria clínica e analítica, contudo com persistência do achado radiológico, acabando por realizar tomografia computorizada que revelou tratar-se de condensação lobar superior direita com características discretamente expansivas. A investigação etiológica permitiu identificar o agente responsável, o Actinomyces. Os autores fazem uma breve revisão desta patologia.Pulmonary Actinomycosis is a rare clinical situation whose diagnosis is important but not always easy to make. It is a chronic infection caused by the anaerobic grampositive filamentous bacterium Actinomyces. We present a case report of a 32 year-old man previously healthy with no co-morbidities, with fever, productive cough and chest pain, with radiological evidence of right superior lobar pneumonia. He began antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin/clavulanate, with good clinical and analytic response, but the radiological finding persisted. Thoracic computerized tomography revealed discretely expansive right lobar condensation. The epidemiological investigation identified actinomyces. The authors present this case and a brief review of this disease.

Resumo: A actinomicose pulmonar é uma situação clínica rara mas de diagnóstico importante e nem sempre fácil. Trata-se de uma infecção crónica supurativa causada por uma bactéria anaeróbia gram-positiva microfila-mentosa designada por Actinomyces.Apresenta-se o caso clínico de um homem de 32 anos, previamente saudável, sem co-morbilidades, que de-senvolve um quadro de febre, associada a tosse produtiva e toracalgia direita.Verificou-se a existência de alterações radiológicas sugestivas de pneumonia lobar superior direita.Iniciou terapêutica antibiótica com amoxicilina/cla-vulanato, com melhoria clínica e analítica, contudo com persistência do achado radiológico, acabando por realizar tomografia computorizada que revelou tratar-se de condensação lobar superior direita com características discretamente expansivas.A investigação etiológica permitiu identificar o agente responsável, o Actinomyces.Os autores fazem uma breve revisão desta patologia.Rev Port Pneumol 2007; XIII (2): 275-280 Abstract: Pulmonary Actinomycosis is a rare clinical situation whose diagnosis is important but not always easy to make. It is a chronic infection caused by the anaerobic gram-positive filamentous bacterium Actinomyces.We present a case report of a 32 year-old man previously healthy with no co-morbidities, with fever, productive cough and chest pain, with radiological evidence of right superior lobar pneumonia.He began antibiotic therapy with amoxicillin/clavula-nate, with good clinical and analytic response, but the radiological finding persisted. Thoracic computerized tomography revealed discretely expansive right lobar condensation.The epidemiological investigation identified actinomyces. The authors present this case and a brief review of this disease.Rev Port Pneumol 2007; XIII (2): 275-280 Palavras-chave: Actinomicose pulmonar, Actinomyces, Key-Words: Pulmonary actinomycosis, Actinomyces