A dye sensitized TiO2 photodetector has been integrated with a DNA detection method based on non-cross-linking hybridization of DNA-functionalized gold nanoparticles, resulting in a disposable colorimetric biosensor. We present a new approach for the fabrication of dye sensitized TiO2 photodetectors by an inkjet printing technique-a non-contact digital, additive, no mask and no vacuum patterning method, ideal for cost efficient mass production. The developed biosensor was compared against a dye sensitized photodetector fabricated by the traditional {"}doctor blade{"} method. Detection of gold nanoparticle aggregation was possible for concentrations as low as 1.0 nM for the {"}doctor blade{"} system, and 1.5 nM for the inkjet printed photodetector. The demonstrated sensitivity limits of developed biosensors; are comparable to those of spectrophotometric techniques (1.0 nM). Our results show that a difference higher than 17% by traditional photodetector and 6% by inkjet printed in the photoresponses for the complementary and non-complementary gold nanoprobe assays could be attained for a specific DNA sequence from Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the etiologic agent of human tuberculosis. The decrease of costs associated with molecular diagnostic provided by a platform such as the one presented here may prove of paramount importance in developing countries. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This paper reports the design, preparation and characterization of cellulose affinity membranes for antibody purification using a new methodology. Cellulose membranes were prepared from polymer-ionic liquid solutions, namely 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride {([BMIM][Cl])}, by the water induced phase inversion process. After functionalization with a synthetic ligand 2-(3-aminophenol)-6-(4-amino-1-naphthol)-4-chloro-s-triazine (ligand 22/8), these were evaluated as affinity supports for human immunoglobulin G {(IgG).} Membranes were characterized in terms of morphology {(SEM)}, porosity (mercury porosimetry), hydrophilicity (contact angle measurement), transport properties (permeability) and mechanical performance {(DMA).} Membranes prepared with varying cellulose contents (5 and 10&\#xa0;wt.% cellulose in ionic liquid solutions) lead to films with different properties. The 10&\#xa0;wt.% cellulose membrane presented enhanced morphological and mechanical properties, however, the morphology of this membrane was significantly altered after ligand coupling. Adsorption isotherms for human {IgG} onto 10&\#xa0;wt.% matrix activated with ligand 22/8 were obtained. Preliminary results showed that the bovine serum albumin {(BSA)}, a model impurity, did not adsorb onto the membrane while up to 6&\#xa0;mg {IgG/g} was bound and 2&\#xa0;mg {IgG/g} recovered.

We report a spectroscopic study of the network of reactions of a flavylium dye encapsulated in the one-dimensional channels of zeolite L. The positively charged 7,4'-dihydroxyflavylium (AH(+)) is easily incorporated and remains stable in zeolite L channels. Once encapsulated, the flavylium exhibits a red shift in the excitation spectrum comparative to aqueous solutions. Moreover, contrary to the observed behavior in water, no excited state proton transfer takes place in the loaded crystals, corroborating the encapsulation of AH(+). The trans-chalcone (Ct) form from the same flavylium network could also be encapsulated inside the zeolite L, using toluene with 20% triethylamine as solvent and K(+) as counter ion of the negative framework of the zeolite. The encapsulation of Ct is confirmed by changes on the excitation spectrum and by a blue shift in the emission. The encapsulated Ct was shown to generate AH(+) when the Ct-loaded crystals were suspended in water, which proves that isomerization, tautomerization and dehydration reactions take place inside the zeolite L.

A presente Dissertação trata do tema da Construção Sustentável, dando especial enfoque aos Processos Operativos existentes e ao caminho a percorrer para a elaboração de um Processo Operativo enquadrado especificamente dentro dos princípios da Construção Sustentável. Através de uma revisão bibliográfica, procedeu-se ao resumo da evolução dos métodos, técnicas, materiais e fins da construção, desde o início da Humanidade até à actualidade. Apresentou-se, de seguida, o enquadramento geral da realidade nacional e internacional no que respeita à construção de edifícios sustentáveis, tendo em conta as novas premissas para a construção, os novos métodos e os novos processos associados à Construção Sustentável. Neste âmbito, foram analisadas as soluções legislativas vigentes e as propostas analíticas de diversas entidades que se debruçam sobre este tema da Construção Sustentável, enquanto vertente especializada da problemática mais abrangente intrínseca ao aperfeiçoamento e aplicação do conceito de Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Este estudo, integrando uma observação profunda do ciclo de vida do edifício e das especificidades de cada uma das fases que o integram, permitiu cumprir o já referido objectivo primordial da presente Dissertação, contribuindo para o estudo, análise e elaboração de um modelo de investigação que permita avaliar ou elaborar um Processo Operativo para a Construção Sustentável. Desta forma, a presente Dissertação representa um avanço no desenvolvimento de um Processo Operativo para a Construção Sustentável adaptado à realidade da construção em Portugal.

Sustainability has been one of society’s main objectives to ensure the satisfaction of
present generations without compromising the satisfaction of future generations.
Construction, being one of the most important industries, consumes an innumerous amount
of materials and resources, and most of these, are non-renewable resources. This
mismanagement of resources in construction has made it necessary to change the ways of
traditional construction leading to sustainable construction.
Water is one of the most important and essential resources to human life and all life
on earth. The impact of buildings throughout their life cycle (planning, construction, operation
and deconstruction), water consumption manly during the operation phase, and currently has
very high consumption patterns.
Presently there are already several certification systems for sustainable construction,
systems like BREEAM and LEED. These are usually an international reference in the
sustainable construction. In Portugal the LIDERA system is unique and includes a category
for the use of water in dwellings.
This study contains a set of measures to reduce water consumption leading to a more
efficient use of this resource in residential buildings. The measures presented are based on
user’s sensitivity and awareness, systems of rainwater and grey water recycling and use of
efficient devices and leakage reduction. The measures are analyzed and compared in terms
of consumption patterns for the device and its effective reduction in water consumption.
There is also a proposal of equipment and systems to be installed in new buildings and
existing buildings in order to reduce water consumption.

The construction industry is currently undergoing a transition phase through which it is trying to
correct the excess of resource consumption occurred during the last two centuries. This industry is
responsible for the consumption of most non-renewable resources, a high consumption of energy and
for and excessive production of waste in all phases of its production process. Thus, the existence of a
building process based on the principle of Sustainable Development capable of reducing the negative
impacts resulting from the current activity is of enormous importance to the society.
One of the present solutions, which is wide spread nearly all over the world, is the process of
rehabilitation of existing buildings with change in use. This process alone can reduce the creation of
demolition waste and resource consumption associated with new construction. When complemented
with a set of sustainable actions, it ensures the reduction of energy consumption and resources
throughout the utilization phase and improves the health of the built environment.
Thus, in order to contribute to the improvement of building´s characteristics and consequently to
society´s quality of life, a building construction process of change in use, based on the principle of
sustainable construction, is presented. This process consists of a set of actions that encompass all
phases of the building’s lifecycle.

By means of molecular dynamics simulations, dynamical properties of racemic ibuprofen glass-forming liquid are investigated at different temperatures from 360 to 500 K. The origin of the peculiar low amplitude Debye-type relaxation observed experimentally by dielectric relaxation spectroscopy is addressed (Bras, A. R.; Noronha, J. P.; Antunes, A. M. M.; Cardoso, M. M.; Schönhals, A.; Affouard, F.; Dionisio, M.; Correia, N. T. J. Phys. Chem. B 2008, 112, 11087). Single and total dipolar autocorrelation functions are calculated. It is found that the behavior of the total dipole correlation is dominated at short and long times by the single function. It mainly originates from the antiparallel dipoles correlations in agreement with a value of the Kirkwood correlation factor slightly smaller than unity. The simulation suggests that the long time Debye-type decay of the dipole−dipole correlation is dominated by the internal cis−trans conversion of the O═C—O—H group coupled to the change of the intermolecular linear/cyclic HB structures. The overall rotation of the molecules is about 1−2 decades faster than the cis to trans transformation, so all the O═C—O—H group environments are equal on average. The effective rotational potential energy barriers of the O═C—O—H groups due to the surroundings are thus averaged and dipolar relaxation follows a simple Debye law. It is found that cyclic dimers inhibit the cis to trans conversion unlike the linear dimers and trimers which favor this conversion and stabilize the trans isomer. It is well in line with the very low amplitude of the dielectric strength associated with the Debye relaxation observed experimentally and its increase when the liquid is maintained isothermally above the melting temperature since this amplitude mainly relates to the low fraction of ibuprofen molecules in the trans conformation. A comparison is made with the Debye-type relaxation found in microstructured monohydroxy alcohols.

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A software tool for the analysis of the High-Resolution Electrocardiogram (HR-ECG) for Arrhythmia detection is introduced. New algorithms based on Wavelet analysis are presented and compared with the classic Simson protocol over the P and QRS segments of the Electrocardiogram (EEG). A novel procedure based on a two step wavelet analysis and synthesis is performed in order to obtain a frequency description of the P, T or QRS segments. This frequency ?signature? is useful for the detection of otherwise asymptomatic Arrhythmia patients. The tool has been developed in Matlab, and deployed for a standalone C application.

The last decades have witnessed a steady increase of the social and political awareness for the need of monitoring and controlling environmental and industrial processes. In the case of nitrite ion, due to its potential toxicity for human health, the European Union has recently implemented a number of rules to restrict its level in drinking waters and food products. Although several analytical protocols have been proposed for nitrite quantification, none of them enable a reliable and quick analysis of complex samples. An alternative approach relies on the construction of biosensing devices using stable enzymes, with both high activity and specificity for nitrite. In this paper we review the current state-of-the-art in the field of electrochemical and optical biosensors using nitrite reducing enzymes as biorecognition elements and discuss the opportunities and challenges in this emerging market.

he lack of drinking water involves the entire world population and should be viewed as an inherent reality that must be investigated and solved.
This dissertation analyzes the implications that the consumption of drinking water has in the world and its consequences in Portugal. In order to focus the work in the area of Civil Engineering, the thesis studies the consumption of water and its efficiency in buildings, as well as measures that contribute to an increased efficiency for this consumption, both in terms of passive devices as in terms of water reuse, could it be rainwater or waste water.
The study of the efficiency of water consumption in residential buildings is done separately for family buildings and for multifamily buildings, thus discriminating which are the most efficient measures to reduce consumption in each one. Based on this division it is possible to verify that the use of rainwater is a measure that can reduce water consumption and should be implemented in family buildings. Moreover, reuse of waste water shows that it is possible to reduce and even get a surplus of water for use in toilets and irrigation of green spaces adjacent. This measure despite being highly efficient needs normative studies in order to be properly dimensioned and ensure an acceptable water quality, i.e., colorless, odorless and without toxic waste to the population.
The last chapter describes activities with the aim of increasing the efficiency of urban consumption, separately for each one of the phases of the building life cycle and finally presents a table summarizing the implementation of the different methodologies proposed.

Increasing levels of environmental pollution and destruction of the planet, as
well as the future of societies, have been prominent themes in our time.
Concern about the sustainable future of ecosystems and future generations
brings to each sector of activity the need to define a process of sustainable development
and measures that ought to be implemented.
In the construction sector this is a major issue, since it consumes a great part of
natural resources, and leads to high emissions of pollutants. Likewise, this sector
determines the mode of living of human beings, as well as their comfort and health.
The work herein presented has the purpose to study how, and what systems and
procedures should be implemented to ensure techniques for sustainable construction,
and consequently achieve the principles of sustainable development into its
components: environment, society and economy.
The national reality of professionals will also be referred to, thus contributing to
a practice of sustainable construction, complementary to what currently exists both
national and internationally.
Thus, this study aims to reflect on the importance of certification, systems and
procedures, to ensure compliance of construction with the sustainability goals.

Currently, the buildings are one of the elements that mostly contribute to
environmental degradation.
Regarding the natural resources consumption and the environmental comfort, the
building efficiency level means that, actually, the same residential built environment can be
considered unsustainable.
Thereby, it is important to know, determine and identify the specific residential
buildings problems in order to contribute in solving this situation.
After knowing the major residential buildings problems and those causes, it is needed
to adapt the rehabilitation process to the traditional concept of sustainable construction, which
can be achieved by the evaluation and certification systems of the construction sustainability.
This thesis aims at contributing to the buildings rehabilitation process which it is
intended to be conducted in a sustainable method, based on the presented issue.