• 2018-2022close
• 2018 close

This project aims to develop innovative techniques integrating advanced materials for the simultaneous seismic and energy retrofitting of the European masonry building stock. Upgrading the existing masonry EU buildings is becoming progressively more important due to: (1) their poor seismic performance during recent earthquakes (i.e. Italy, Greece) that have resulted in significant economic losses, severe injuries and loss of human lives; and (2) their low energy performance which increases significantly their energy consumption (buildings are responsible for 40% of EU energy consumption). Since replacing the existing buildings with new is prohibitively expensive and has also huge environmental and social impact, their lifetime extension requires considering both seismic and energy retrofitting. It is noted that the annual cost of repair and maintenance of existing European building stock is estimated to be about 50% of the total construction budget, currently standing at more than €300 billion. To achieve cost effectiveness, SPEctRUM explores a novel approach, proposing for the first time a hybrid structural-plus-energy retrofitting solution which combines inorganic textile-based composites with thermal insulation systems for masonry building envelopes. The effectiveness of the proposed retrofitting system will be validated experimentally and analytically. Moreover, a common approach for the buildings performance classification will be proposed, allowing to assess whether energy efficiency and disaster-resilient practices should be integrated. Eventually, draft guidelines and recommendations for determining future research design on concurrent seismic and energy retrofitting of EU masonry buildings envelopes will be proposed.

Surface currents in the ocean are measured well over broad scales, by satellite altimetry and sporadic ocean drifters. However, these measurement methods do not resolve smaller scale processes including submesoscale eddies, filaments, and higher time varying processes like surface wind-driven events under variable forcing. One oceanographic case where these small scale processes are likely to be critical is in shelf-edge exchange. Over the UK shelf edge, continental shelf-deep water exchange processes are important for replenishing surface nutrients to fuel biological productivity. Around Greenland, shelf waters are very fresh, due to recent ice melt from the Greenland Ice Sheet and Arctic, and the cross-shelf exchange of these freshwaters can influence or even shutdown deep convection and the overturning circulation. At the shelf, there is often a boundary current following the slope which presents a barrier to cross-shelf exchange, except under the influence of surface wind-driven processes or until the boundary current becomes unstable and sheds eddies. These processes are opaque to coarse satellite measurements, and cannot be resolved by sparsely distributed individual drifters. Traditional ocean drifters float near the surface of the oceans, following the currents. They regularly determine their position from GPS satellites, and transmit their position and other measured quantities (temperature, conductivity) via satellite communications. These drifters are about the size of a beach-ball, weigh 20 kg, and cost > £1000/unit. To investigate time-varying smaller scale processes, 100s of drifters would be needed, representing an enormous cost. We propose the development of micro-drifters - the size of a tennis ball, < 500 g and O(£200/unit) - to enable process-based oceanographic studies requiring large numbers of drifters.

Phyllanthus emlica L. (Euphorbiaceae), a shrub or tree growing in subtropical and tropical areas of the People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, and the Malay Peninsula, has been used widely for its anti-inflammatory and antipyretic effects in many local traditional medicinal systems, such as Chinese herbal medicine. A team of chemists working in Japan and China isolated a number of discrete substances from the roots of the plant, and determined the molecular structure of these compounds through careful spectroscopic and chemical analysis. The core of a number of these compounds, named phyllaemblic acid, has a structure similar to a number of related compounds with potent biological activity, and contains a five and a six-membered ring system containing oxygen joined together at a single carbon atom (a "spirocycle"). A chemical synthesis of phyllaemblic acid would allow for further investigations into its potential biological activity, but has never been previously reported. This project will address the first total synthesis of the natural product by exploiting an element of symmetry (a mirror plane) within a section of the molecule. This greatly simplifies its total synthesis since the molecule can conveniently be derived from two portions of similar complexity, only one of which is "chiral" (has a non-superimposable mirror image). This strategy will be extended to the first syntheses of the more complex related natural products phyllaemblicins A-C, which contain phyllaemblic acid attached to different sugars through an ester group. Again the biological activity of these natural products has barely been investigated and will be made possible through total synthesis. Stereoselective synthesis remains central to modern organic chemistry, and new methodology must continually be developed in order to prepare more structurally complex materials. Beneficiaries in the UK include the pharmaceutical industry, which requires new means to efficiently prepare chiral molecules. UK academia will also benefit from the high impact the combination of new methodology applied to a major natural product synthesis has within the international organic chemistry community - it is still relatively rare that the first synthesis of a natural product emanates from these shores. The novel diastereotopic group selection strategy central to this project will further encourage other groups to consider such potentially powerful reactions in their own research. A large number of new "natural product like" compounds will be produced in this study that may have beneficial biological activity themselves, which may ultimately increase the quality of life in the UK. Natural product synthesis represents an ideal training for a PhD student in modern organic chemistry, as by its very nature it involves exposure to and mastery of a wide range of transformations and theories. The PhD student on this project will develop the experience and expertise required to enter a career in either the pharmaceutical industry or in academia.

Legionella spp. causes acute respiratory infection in humans called Legionnaires' Disease (LD). As aquatic environments are the most important source for Legionella infections it is important from a public health perspective to survey water systems for the presence of Legionella [1]. In recent years, the occurence rate of LD has been reported to be on the increase in many countries [2] and Portugal is not an exception with several media cases being reported very recently [3,4]. The standard method for the detection of Legionella in environmental samples is culture on BCYE agar supplemented with L-cysteine. However, it is very time-consuming and fraught with limitations, since it cannot detect viable but non-culturable cells (VBNC). In other hand, the molecular methods based on PCR overestimate results as it detects both live and killed Legionella [2]. Additionally PCR requires special equipment for nucleic acid extraction and amplification steps, which limit its use to centralised laboratories, hindered the price for testing. In this project we will attempt the development of a NAM-Based ISH method (ColorISH) for the rapid (3h) detection of Legionella cell densities in water samples. This project intended to give insights for the future development of a point-of-use method that can potentially be used to monitor water samples in loco, using a simple and portable detection equipment (e.g. spectrophotometer). To accomplish the ambitious goals of this project, a team with extensive expertise in complementary areas of knowledge was gathered, supplying the consortium with the necessary know-how on mimics and colorimetric methods. The group at FEUP/LEPABE, that includes the PI of the project (Laura Cerqueira) has extensive know-how working with NAM properties and applications, and was involved in the creation of one of the most promising biotechnological companies in Portugal, named Biomode, that recently raised 1.6M€ in venture capital and sells PNA-FISH kits for the detection of pathogens (www.biomode-sa.com). They will be responsible to design nucleic acid mimics sequences and develop the FISH protocols that will be used to develop the colorimetric method. The group at INIAV, that includes Co-PI (Carina Almeida), will be giving advice on the development of colorimetric method and will be responsible to test the performance and robustness of the method. The setup of this project also has the goal of establishing a long-lasting collaboration that will not only strengthen the National Science and Technology System (SCTN) but also to promote collaborations with the industry.The project will also contribute to train two young researchers in the area of molecular biology/microbiology. A Legionella spp. é uma bactéria causadora de infecção respiratória em humanos designada por Doença dos Legionários (DL). Uma vez que os ambientes aquáticos são as mais importantes fontes de infecção por Legionella, é pertinente de uma perspectiva de saúde publica monitorizar a sua presença em sistemas de água [1]. Nos últimos anos a ocorrência de DL tem crescido em muitos países [2] e Portugal não é exceção, tendo sido reportados alguns casos recentemente [3,4]. O conhecimento sobre a epidemiologia de DL é baseado sobretudo na informação recolhida nos surtos. O método standard utilizado para detectar Legionella em amostras ambientais é a cultura em BCYE agar suplementado com L-cisteína. No entanto este método é muito moroso e bastante limitado uma vez que não consegue detectar células viáveis mas não cultiváveis (VBNC). Por outro lado, os métodos moleculares baseados em PCR sobrestimam os resultados uma vez que detectam tanto células vivas como mortas [2]. Precisam também de equipamento especial o que limita o seu uso em laboratórios centralizados, tendo consequentemente preços mais elevados. O objectivo deste projeto é desenvolver um método de ISH com o uso de NAMs (ColorISH) para a detecção rápida (3h) de densidades celulares de Legionella em amostras de água. Este projeto pretende ser a base para um futuro desenvolvimento de um método pronto a usar que pode ser potencialmente utilizado no local usando apenas um sistema de detecção simples e portátil (espectrofotómetro). Para cumprir com os objectivos ambiciosos deste projeto em tão curto prazo, uma equipa com vasta experiência em áreas complementares de conhecimento foi seleccionada fornecendo ao consórcio o know-how necessário sobre NAMs e métodos colorimétricos. O grupo da FEUP/LEPABE, que inclui o IR do projeto (Laura Cerqueira), tem um vasto know-how sobre propriedades e aplicações de NAMs. O grupo está envolvido na criação de uma das empresas biotecnológicas mais promissoras em Portugal, a Biomode, que recentemente angariou 1,6M€ em capital de risco e vende kits de PNA-FISH para a detecção de microrganismos patogénicos (www.biomode-sa.com). Eles serão responsáveis por desenhar as sequências de NAMs e desenvolver os protocolos de ISH que serão usados no método colorimétrico. O grupo do INIAV, que inclui o Co-PI (Carina Almeida) acompanhará o desenvolvimento do método colorimétrico e será responsável por testar o seu desempenho e robustez. O projeto também contribuirá para treinar dois jovens investigadores na interface biologia molecular/microbiologia. Este projeto tem também o objectivo de estabelecer uma colaboração de longa duração que não só irá fortalecer o SCTN, mas também promover colaborações com a industria. O projeto também contribuirá para treinar dois jovens investigadores na interface biologia molecular/microbiologia.