http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/lblm/files/inorgchem-2017-56-8900.pdf

In this paper an interoperability solution is proposed, aiming to go from (building) construction models to energy simulation. Moreover, the energy simulation results will feed the KPI’s analysis of a designed building. The proposed solution will be used to translate different data formats allowing the communication between different systems in an automated environment. The solution presented in this paper exploits the concept of Plug’n’Interoperate (PnI), that is supported by the principle of self-configuration as to automate, as much as possible, the configuration and participation of systems into a shared interoperability environment. In order to validate this approach two different scenarios were taken into account, translating from a CAD (Computer- Aided Design) model data format to an energy simulation data format.

The nitric oxide radical ˙NO (NO) is a signalling molecule involved in several physiological processes in humans, including vasodilation, immune response, neurotransmission, platelet aggregation, apoptosis and gene expression. Undue normal conditions, NO synthases catalyse the formation of NO from l-arginine and dioxygen. Yet, upon a hypoxic event, when the decreased dioxygen concentration compromises NO synthase activity, cells can generate NO from another source: nitrite. Since the late 1990s, it has become clear that nitrite can be reduced back to NO under hypoxic/anoxic conditions. Simultaneously, it was realised that nitrite can exert a significant cytoprotective action in vivo during ischaemia and other pathological conditions. Presently, blood and tissue nitrite are recognised as NO “storage forms” that can be made available in order to maintain NO formation and ensure cell signalling and survival under challenging conditions. To reduce nitrite to NO, human cells can use different metalloproteins that are present in cells for carrying out other functions, including several haemic proteins and molybdoenzymes, forming what we refer to as “non-dedicated nitrite reductases”. In this chapter, two non-dedicated nitrite reductases—xanthine oxidase and myoglobin—will be described, and the human nitrate/nitrite/NO signalling pathway will be discussed within the cellular context and the nitrogen cycle scenario.

http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/lblm/files/rsc_book-denitrification-2017-chap_17.pdf

Molybdenum is essential to most organisms, being found in the active site of enzymes that catalyze redox reactions involving carbon, nitrogen and sulfur atoms of key metabolites. Some of the molybdenum-dependent reactions constitute key steps in the global biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur, with particular emphasis on the atmospheric dinitrogen fixation into ammonium. Presently, more than 50 molybdoenzymes are known. The great majority are prokaryotic, with eukaryotes holding only a restricted number of molybdoenzymes. Tungsten, probably because of its limited bioavailability, is less used, being found most often in anaerobic thermophilic prokaryotes.

This chapter provides an overview on the molybdo- and tungstoenzymes.
Their physiological context and significance will be described in Section 1.2,where the recent hypothesis that the lack of molybdenum could have been the limiting factor for the life evolution and expansion on early Earth will receive special attention (Section 1.2.1). A brief introduction to the chemical properties that shape the catalytically competent molybdenum/tungsten centres will be made in Section 1.3. In Section 1.4, the enzymes will be grouped in five main families (Sections 1.4.1 to 1.4.5), according to their metal/cofactor structure, and a general view on the structural (section (a)) and mechanistic (section (b)) versatility of each family will be presented. A brief account of novel heteronuclear centres containing molybdenum, whose physiological function is not yet fully understood, will be made in Section 1.4.6. A final outlook on our present knowledge about these enzymes will conclude this chapter.

http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/lblm/files/mo_w_enzymes-rsc_book-chap_1.pdf

http://docentes.fct.unl.pt/lblm/files/ica-2017-455-350.pdf

A new stem cheloniid turtle, Cabindachelys landanensis, gen. et sp. nov., is represented by a nearly complete skull and partial hyoid collected in lower Paleocene shallow marine deposits, equivalent to the offshore Landana Formation, near the town of Landana in Cabinda, Angola. A partial chelonioid carapace previously reported from this locality is referred here to C. landanensis. Cabindachelys landanensis possesses clear synapomorphies of Pan-Cheloniidae, including a rod-like rostrum basisphenoidale, V-shaped basisphenoid crest, and secondary palate, but also retains a reduced foramen palatinum posterius, unlike most other pan-cheloniids. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that C. landanensis forms a weakly-supported clade with Erquelinnesia gosseleti, Euclastes acutirostris, Euclastes wielandi and Terlinguachelys fischbecki, although a close relationship between the protostegid T. fischbecki and these durophagous pan-cheloniids is unlikely. The Paleocene–Eocene strata near Landana have produced a number of turtle fossils, including the holotype specimen of the pleurodire Taphrosphys congolensis. A turtle humerus collected c. 1 m above the holotype skull of C. landanensis differs from humeri of chelonioids and Taphrosphys, indicating that a third turtle taxon is present at Landana. Cheloniid fossil material is rare in the Landana assemblage, in comparison with the abundant remains of Taphrosphys congolensis found throughout the stratigraphic section. This disparity implies that C. landanensis preferred open marine habitats, whereas Taphrosphys congolensis spent more time in nearshore environments. The appearance of new durophagous species such as C. landanensis in the early Paleocene reflects the rapid radiation of pan-cheloniids as they diversified into open niches following the K–Pg extinction.

In this note, we consider the semigroup $O(X)$ of all order endomorphisms of an infinite chain $X$ and the subset $J$ of $O(X)$ of all transformations $\alpha$ such that $|Im(\alpha)|=|X|$. For an infinite countable chain $X$, we give a necessary and sufficient condition on $X$ for $O(X) = < J >$ to hold. We also present a sufficient condition on $X$ for $O(X) = < J >$ to hold, for an arbitrary infinite chain $X$.

This paper uses the combinatorics of Young tableaux to prove the plactic monoid of infinite rank does not satisfy a non-trivial identity, by showing that the plactic monoid of rank n cannot satisfy a non-trivial identity of length less than or equal to n. A new identity is then proven to hold for the monoid of n×n upper-triangular tropical matrices. Finally, a straightforward embedding is exhibited of the plactic monoid of rank 3 into the direct product of two copies of the monoid of 3×3 upper-triangular tropical matrices, giving a new proof that the plactic monoid of rank 3 satisfies a non-trivial identity.

AbstractThe behaviour of standard boltedsteel connections submitted to monotonic loads, through the use of numerical models, is presented in the current paper.The bolted connections allow speed up constructive processes in an increasingly competitive and globalized world in which the costs are a decisive factor in the development of a project. The use of computational tools in the analysis of bolted connections becomes determinant, mainly for new solutions or solutions less explored in terms of design codes.Throughout the years, bolted connections have been suffering transformations resulting from research activities performed by many authors. Rivets have been replaced by bolts, the main achievement being the pre-stressed bolts. Methodologies based on finite element analyses were proposed for double shear bolted connection. The non-linear behaviour of these connections is investigated and their performances are compared. In the numerical modelling of the bolted connection, linear elastic and elastoplastic analyzes reveal that there are two slip levels associated with local non-linearities caused by the contact pairs, which vary with clamping stresses.

The teacher's knowledge of the mathematical fidelity of technology and the impact it has on the teacher’s practice is the focus of this article. Based on the conceptualization of Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics with Technology (KTMT), and involving the teaching of Functions at the 10th grade, we analyze: the situations of lack of mathematical fidelity considered by the teacher in the classes, the way how the teacher manages students' contact with this kind of situations, and how the teacher supports students when they are faced with a lack of mathematical fidelity. The conclusions reached point to: some devaluation of the situations of lack of mathematical fidelity, with only one type of situation being explicitly addressed; a careful selection of tasks, in order to ensure that these situations do not occur too soon; a focus on the identification by the students of this type of situation, suggesting what they can do to confirm the suspicion but without effective implementation of the process. As a consequence, knowledge of mathematical fidelity does not necessarily have a relevant impact on teacher’s practice and it is not easily transformed into a deep teacher’s KTMT.

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