In this paper I propose a new type of therapy for dementia patients called AIIT. AIIT concerns using artificially intelligent programs to mimic the likeness of a dementia patients' spouse or relative in hopes of providing them comfort and an alternative solution to them constantly reliving grief or being lied to in unsatisfactory ways. I establish the moral permissibility of AIIT through the moral parity claim, which is a conditional claim stating that if current dementia care practices are permissible, then AIIT ought to be as well. This means that AIIT is no more morally problematic than current dementia care practices. To make this claim I evaluate and compare AIIT to current practices from three different perspectives/potential harms. I first find AIIT to be less harmful to dementia patients than current practices since AIIT better preserves dementia patients' beliefs, emotions, and desires. I then conclude that AIIT does not pose a unique harm to the impersonated person, since 1) Many theories of wellbeing do not support the possibility of the deceased being harmed and 2) People with dementia are not commonly creating new impressions, and therefore harms committed to the impersonated person are extremely unlikely. Finally, I claim that AIIT would not cause additional harms to society given that current practices already harm relatives in a similar manner, also have the potential to pose problems if used outside of dementia care, and don't differ from AIIT in respect to affecting trust in the medical system. Having established moral parity, I conclude with a push for a stronger claim, the superior option claim, which states that AIIT is morally permissible by arguing for the antecedent of the moral parity claim. I argue for this by denying that we have an obligation to not deceive dementia patients since they have special conditions that do not allow them to apprehend the world accurately. / Master of Arts / AI is becoming increasingly popular, especially within the healthcare industry. I explore the intersection of AI and dementia care. Dementia is a debilitating illness that affects millions of people worldwide. In this paper, I propose a new therapy for dementia patients called AIIT. AIIT involves using artificially intelligent programs to simulate the likeness of a dementia patient's spouse or relative, with the goal of providing comfort and an alternative solution to their grief. I argue that AIIT is morally permissible on the grounds that it is not any worse than current practices in dementia care. At the end of the paper, I also argue that AIIT may have significant benefits and so we should employ AIIT when it is applicable.

Grandes extensões de áreas vêm sendo afetadas por metais pesados em concentrações que podem representar perigo ambiental. Em decorrência do aumento da atividade industrial e à agricultura altamente tecnificada, torna-se fundamental o monitoramento dos níveis de metais pesados nos solos, pois as plantas se comportam como mecanismo de transferência de contaminantes do solo para níveis mais altos da cadeia trófica. A ingestão de vegetais contendo elevadas concentrações de metais pesados é uma das principais vias de acesso desses elementos ao organismo. No corpo humano, os metais pesados depositam-se no tecido ósseo e gorduroso, causando possíveis efeitos nocivos à saúde humana. Lentamente liberados no organismo, podem provocar uma série de doenças. O projeto foi dividido em duas etapas, cada qual com um objetivo específico: 1ª determinar as concentrações de zinco, cobre, ferro e manganês em vegetais frequentemente consumidos no Estado de São Paulo e compará-las com os limites estabelecidos na legislação brasileira; calcular a ingestão diária de metais pesados essenciais para estimar o risco à saúde humana; 2ª avaliar os teores de zinco em hortaliças e nos solos dos campos de produção; identificar a cultura que apresentou maior potencial de translocação de zinco para a cadeia alimentar. As amostras vegetais foram coletadas na Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo e a concentração de metais pesados foi determinada por espectrometria de absorção atômica. Todos os vegetais analisados apresentaram concentrações de zinco e cobre muito abaixo do limite tolerável estabelecido pela legislação brasileira. Até o momento, não há nenhuma recomendação estabelecida de limite máximo de tolerância para ferro e manganês no Brasil. Quanto ao hábito de consumo da população do Estado de São Paulo, a ingestão diária de metais pesados está abaixo da máxima permitida, consequentemente o consumo desses alimentos pode ser considerado seguro, pois não estão em excesso. Porém, os valores reportados nesse estudo não atingiram a ingestão dietética recomendada (RDA) para homens e mulheres, o que poderia demonstrar um caso de deficiência nutricional nos indivíduos que fazem uso desse tipo de dieta. Algumas áreas agrícolas do Estado de São Paulo apresentaram teores totais zinco nos solos acima do valor de referência de qualidade, porém nenhuma área estudada atingiu os valores de prevenção e intervenção, estabelecidos pela CETESB. As hortaliças cultivadas nesses locais apresentaram teores de zinco inferiores ao limite máximo de tolerância, estabelecido pela ANVISA. A rúcula foi a hortaliça que mais acumulou zinco na parte comestível / Large areas have been affected by heavy metals in concentrations which may pose environmental hazard. Due to increased industrial activity and highly technical agriculture, it becomes critical to monitor the levels of heavy metals in soil, because plants behave as a mechanism for transfer of contaminants from soil to higher levels of the food chain. Ingestion of vegetables containing high concentrations of heavy metals is one of the main ways in which these elements enter the human body. Once in human body, heavy metals are deposited in the bone and fat tissues, causing potential harmful effects to human health. Slowly released into the body, heavy metals may cause an array of diseases. The project was divided in two stages, each one with a specific objective: 1st) to determine the concentrations of zinc, copper, iron and manganese in the most frequently consumed foodstuff in the São Paulo State, Brazil and to compare the heavy metal contents with the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation; to calculate the daily intake of heavy metals essential to estimate the risk to human health; 2nd) to evaluate the zinc content in leafy vegetables and soils at crop fields; to identify crop with the greatest potential for translocation of zinc into food chain. The vegetable samples were collected at São Paulo General Warehousing and Centers Company, and heavy metal content was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All vegetables sampled presented average concentrations of zinc and copper lower than the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation. So far, the Brazilian legislation has not established a permissible limit for iron and manganese contents. Regarding the consumption habit of the population in the São Paulo State, the daily ingestion of heavy metals is below the oral dose of reference, therefore, the consumption of these vegetables can be considered safe, because they are not in excess. However, the values reported in this study did not reach the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women, which could prove a case of nutritional deficiency in individuals who use this type of diet. Some agricultural areas of the São Paulo State showed soil total Zn concentrations above the benchmark of quality, but none of studied area reached prevention and intervention values, established by CETESB. The vegetables grown in these locations had Zn levels below the tolerance limits established by ANVISA. The rocket plant was the vegetables that more Zn accumulated in the edible part

O avanço da ocupação humana em direção às áreas periurbanas da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo representa sérios riscos aos principais mananciais de abastecimento de água dos municípios da região. A degradação da qualidade destes mananciais pode colocar em risco seu uso preponderante, o que é bastante crítico, visto que a RMSP já apresenta disponibilidade hídrica limitada, o que levou alguns municípios a procurarem formas complementares de abastecimento. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o estado trófico e a carga máxima admissível de fósforo do reservatório do Tanque Grande, um manancial superficial do município de Guarulhos, na Grande São Paulo, que é utilizado para abastecimento complementar do município, fornecendo água para cerca de 30.000 habitantes. Apesar de apresentar mais de 90% da área da bacia com cobertura vegetal, poucos habitantes e poucas áreas agrícolas, dados do monitoramento da CETESB indicaram concentrações de fósforo total elevadas, o que motivou a elaboração da pesquisa. Para avaliar o estado trófico do reservatório foram empregadas as metodologias de índice de estado trófico de Lamparelli e o Trophic State Index, além do índice de estado trófico de Carlson, para comparação entre as metodologias. O resultado destes índices subsidiou a análise de carga máxima admissível, cujos resultados foram comparados às estimativas de cargas pontuais e difusas de fósforo produzidas na área da bacia. Foi possível concluir que o reservatório tem apresentado melhora de estado trófico nos últimos anos e que é pouco provável que o processo de eutrofização esteja plenamente estabelecido no reservatório por conta de condições morfométricas, que propiciam boas condições de circulação da massa de água. / The advance of human occupation towards the peri-urban areas of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo poses serious risks to the main sources of water supply of the regions municipalities. The quality degradation of these sources may endanger its predominant use, which is quite critical since the MRSP already has limited water availability, which led some municipalities to seek additional forms of water supply. This study aimed to evaluate the trophic status and maximum permissible load of phosphorus in the Tanque Grande reservoir, which is used to supplement the water supply of Guarulhos municipality, providing water to approximately 30,000 inhabitants. Despite showing more than 90 % of the basin area with vegetation cover, few residents and few agricultural areas, monitoring data by the CETESB indicated high concentrations of total phosphorus, which motivated the development of the research. To assess the trophic status of the reservoir, the trophic state index of Lamparelli and the trophic state index of Lamparelli, Cunha and Calijuri were employed. The Carlsons trophic state index was also used to compare the methodologies. The result of these indices were used in the maximum permissible load assessment, and the results were compared to estimates of point and non-point loads of phosphorus produced in the basin area. It was concluded that the reservoir has shown improvement in trophic state in recent years and it is unlikely that the process of eutrophication is fully established in the reservoir, probably because of morphometric conditions, which can provide good mixing conditions to the water body.

O avanço da ocupação humana em direção às áreas periurbanas da Região Metropolitana de São Paulo representa sérios riscos aos principais mananciais de abastecimento de água dos municípios da região. A degradação da qualidade destes mananciais pode colocar em risco seu uso preponderante, o que é bastante crítico, visto que a RMSP já apresenta disponibilidade hídrica limitada, o que levou alguns municípios a procurarem formas complementares de abastecimento. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o estado trófico e a carga máxima admissível de fósforo do reservatório do Tanque Grande, um manancial superficial do município de Guarulhos, na Grande São Paulo, que é utilizado para abastecimento complementar do município, fornecendo água para cerca de 30.000 habitantes. Apesar de apresentar mais de 90% da área da bacia com cobertura vegetal, poucos habitantes e poucas áreas agrícolas, dados do monitoramento da CETESB indicaram concentrações de fósforo total elevadas, o que motivou a elaboração da pesquisa. Para avaliar o estado trófico do reservatório foram empregadas as metodologias de índice de estado trófico de Lamparelli e o Trophic State Index, além do índice de estado trófico de Carlson, para comparação entre as metodologias. O resultado destes índices subsidiou a análise de carga máxima admissível, cujos resultados foram comparados às estimativas de cargas pontuais e difusas de fósforo produzidas na área da bacia. Foi possível concluir que o reservatório tem apresentado melhora de estado trófico nos últimos anos e que é pouco provável que o processo de eutrofização esteja plenamente estabelecido no reservatório por conta de condições morfométricas, que propiciam boas condições de circulação da massa de água. / The advance of human occupation towards the peri-urban areas of the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo poses serious risks to the main sources of water supply of the regions municipalities. The quality degradation of these sources may endanger its predominant use, which is quite critical since the MRSP already has limited water availability, which led some municipalities to seek additional forms of water supply. This study aimed to evaluate the trophic status and maximum permissible load of phosphorus in the Tanque Grande reservoir, which is used to supplement the water supply of Guarulhos municipality, providing water to approximately 30,000 inhabitants. Despite showing more than 90 % of the basin area with vegetation cover, few residents and few agricultural areas, monitoring data by the CETESB indicated high concentrations of total phosphorus, which motivated the development of the research. To assess the trophic status of the reservoir, the trophic state index of Lamparelli and the trophic state index of Lamparelli, Cunha and Calijuri were employed. The Carlsons trophic state index was also used to compare the methodologies. The result of these indices were used in the maximum permissible load assessment, and the results were compared to estimates of point and non-point loads of phosphorus produced in the basin area. It was concluded that the reservoir has shown improvement in trophic state in recent years and it is unlikely that the process of eutrophication is fully established in the reservoir, probably because of morphometric conditions, which can provide good mixing conditions to the water body.

Grandes extensões de áreas vêm sendo afetadas por metais pesados em concentrações que podem representar perigo ambiental. Em decorrência do aumento da atividade industrial e à agricultura altamente tecnificada, torna-se fundamental o monitoramento dos níveis de metais pesados nos solos, pois as plantas se comportam como mecanismo de transferência de contaminantes do solo para níveis mais altos da cadeia trófica. A ingestão de vegetais contendo elevadas concentrações de metais pesados é uma das principais vias de acesso desses elementos ao organismo. No corpo humano, os metais pesados depositam-se no tecido ósseo e gorduroso, causando possíveis efeitos nocivos à saúde humana. Lentamente liberados no organismo, podem provocar uma série de doenças. O projeto foi dividido em duas etapas, cada qual com um objetivo específico: 1ª determinar as concentrações de zinco, cobre, ferro e manganês em vegetais frequentemente consumidos no Estado de São Paulo e compará-las com os limites estabelecidos na legislação brasileira; calcular a ingestão diária de metais pesados essenciais para estimar o risco à saúde humana; 2ª avaliar os teores de zinco em hortaliças e nos solos dos campos de produção; identificar a cultura que apresentou maior potencial de translocação de zinco para a cadeia alimentar. As amostras vegetais foram coletadas na Companhia de Entrepostos e Armazéns Gerais de São Paulo e a concentração de metais pesados foi determinada por espectrometria de absorção atômica. Todos os vegetais analisados apresentaram concentrações de zinco e cobre muito abaixo do limite tolerável estabelecido pela legislação brasileira. Até o momento, não há nenhuma recomendação estabelecida de limite máximo de tolerância para ferro e manganês no Brasil. Quanto ao hábito de consumo da população do Estado de São Paulo, a ingestão diária de metais pesados está abaixo da máxima permitida, consequentemente o consumo desses alimentos pode ser considerado seguro, pois não estão em excesso. Porém, os valores reportados nesse estudo não atingiram a ingestão dietética recomendada (RDA) para homens e mulheres, o que poderia demonstrar um caso de deficiência nutricional nos indivíduos que fazem uso desse tipo de dieta. Algumas áreas agrícolas do Estado de São Paulo apresentaram teores totais zinco nos solos acima do valor de referência de qualidade, porém nenhuma área estudada atingiu os valores de prevenção e intervenção, estabelecidos pela CETESB. As hortaliças cultivadas nesses locais apresentaram teores de zinco inferiores ao limite máximo de tolerância, estabelecido pela ANVISA. A rúcula foi a hortaliça que mais acumulou zinco na parte comestível / Large areas have been affected by heavy metals in concentrations which may pose environmental hazard. Due to increased industrial activity and highly technical agriculture, it becomes critical to monitor the levels of heavy metals in soil, because plants behave as a mechanism for transfer of contaminants from soil to higher levels of the food chain. Ingestion of vegetables containing high concentrations of heavy metals is one of the main ways in which these elements enter the human body. Once in human body, heavy metals are deposited in the bone and fat tissues, causing potential harmful effects to human health. Slowly released into the body, heavy metals may cause an array of diseases. The project was divided in two stages, each one with a specific objective: 1st) to determine the concentrations of zinc, copper, iron and manganese in the most frequently consumed foodstuff in the São Paulo State, Brazil and to compare the heavy metal contents with the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation; to calculate the daily intake of heavy metals essential to estimate the risk to human health; 2nd) to evaluate the zinc content in leafy vegetables and soils at crop fields; to identify crop with the greatest potential for translocation of zinc into food chain. The vegetable samples were collected at São Paulo General Warehousing and Centers Company, and heavy metal content was determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. All vegetables sampled presented average concentrations of zinc and copper lower than the permissible limits established by the Brazilian legislation. So far, the Brazilian legislation has not established a permissible limit for iron and manganese contents. Regarding the consumption habit of the population in the São Paulo State, the daily ingestion of heavy metals is below the oral dose of reference, therefore, the consumption of these vegetables can be considered safe, because they are not in excess. However, the values reported in this study did not reach the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) for men and women, which could prove a case of nutritional deficiency in individuals who use this type of diet. Some agricultural areas of the São Paulo State showed soil total Zn concentrations above the benchmark of quality, but none of studied area reached prevention and intervention values, established by CETESB. The vegetables grown in these locations had Zn levels below the tolerance limits established by ANVISA. The rocket plant was the vegetables that more Zn accumulated in the edible part

In recent years a number of cases of flight crew illumination by laser beam have been reported. Such events are considered dangerous for flight safety and for aviator´s health. If a human eye is illuminated by laser beam of high intensity such event can lead to temporary or permanent eye damage.

The diploma thesis is focused on the less used method of valuation of assets. It is an analysis of the highest and best use (HABU). The theoretical part of this thesis presents the basic law governing the valuation of assets, there are also explained the basic concepts and discribes the analysis of the highest and best use method. The practical part of the access method of valuation applied to a particular case.

[pt] A Portaria INMETRO número 291, de 7 de julho de 2021, estabelece um erro máximo admissível de 1,0 por cento para o valor final obtido pelo sistema dinâmico de medição de Gás Liquefeito de Petróleo (GLP), ou seja, a massa de GLP. Adicionalmente, o regulamento define, de forma univariada, erros máximos para grandezas associadas, como pressão estática, temperatura e massa específica. O objetivo desta dissertação foi propor a otimização dos critérios de aceitação da calibração de instrumentos associados ao sistema de medição de GLP, com base nos preceitos estabelecidos pela Portaria INMETRO número 291. A motivação deste estudo foi a necessidade de uma avaliação multivariada que visasse à otimização dos critérios-limites de aceitação da calibração desses instrumentos secundários no sistema de medição dinâmico de GLP. A aplicação das metodologias Planejamento de Experimentos do tipo Box-Behnken e Doehlert, e Análise de Superfícies de Respostas mostrou-se eficaz, pois os resultados obtidos definiram, de forma multivariada, critérios-limites otimizados para a calibração de cada um dos transmissores secundários supracitados. Por fim, concluiu-se que foi possível ultrapassar os valores-limite propostos e, ainda assim, manter a variável de saída (massa de GLP) dentro do erro máximo admissível de 1,0 por cento para o sistema de medição. Como consequência direta, evitou-se o descarte desnecessário de instrumentos que, inicialmente, não estariam dentro dos parâmetros exigidos, mantendo, ao mesmo tempo, o nível de confiabilidade requirido pela Portaria reguladora. / [en] INMETRO Ordinance No. 291, dated July 7, 2021, establishes a maximum permissible error of 1.0 percent for the final value obtained by the dynamic measurement system of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), i.e., the mass of LPG. Additionally, the regulation univariately defines maximum errors for associated quantities, such as static pressure, temperature, and density. The objective of this dissertation was to propose the optimization of the acceptance criteria for the calibration of instruments associated with the LPG measurement system, based on the principles established by INMETRO Ordinance No. 291. The motivation for this study was the need for a multivariate evaluation aimed at optimizing the acceptance criteria limits for the calibration of these secondary instruments in the dynamic LPG measurement system. The application of methodologies such as Box-Behnken and Doehlert experimental designs, and Response Surface Analysis, proved effective since the results obtained defined, in a multivariate manner, optimized criteria limits for the calibration of each of the above-mentioned secondary transmitters. Finally, it was concluded that it was possible to exceed the proposed limit values while still maintaining the output variable (LPG mass) within the maximum permissible error of 1.0 percent for the measurement system. As a direct consequence, unnecessary disposal of instruments that would initially not meet the required parameters was avoided, while maintaining the level of reliability required by the regulatory ordinance.

A proper normative interpretation is undoubtedly one of the pillars of Law, all this thanks that brings a juridical security level and predictability to all the parties involved. In that sense the author submits a critique about the criteria that have been emitted by the diverse public  organisms  in  environmental  material,  specifically  with  the  juridical  concept  of«environmental damage» in the excess inside Maximum Permissible Limit. Also the article presents an objective focus through a temporal development of diverse administrative resolutions, which are established as incorrect on the basis of a wide and forced interpretation about environmental damage, concept applied not only in a case with real effects, but also potential ones. Finally, this is provided by the author as a defect, that although actually exists a remedial intention, this must begin from a clear conceptual framework in normative and resolutive topics by equal. / Una debida interpretación normativa, se constituye sin duda alguna, como uno de los pilares del Derecho, ello gracias a que otorga un nivel de seguridad jurídica y predictibilidad a todas la partes involucradas. Es en ese sentido, que el autor sostiene una crítica sobre el criterio que han venido emitiendo en instancia administrativa diversos organismos públicos en materia ambiental, específicamente con respecto al concepto jurídico de «daño ambiental» en el exceso de los Límites Máximos Permisibles (LMP). El artículo nos presenta un enfoque objetivo con un desarrollo temporal de diversas resoluciones administrativas, las cuales manifiesta, son erróneas en base a una interpretación amplia y forzada de lo que es daño ambiental, concepto que se aplica no solo para aquellos supuestos con efectos reales, sino también potenciales. Finalmente, ello es señalado por el autor como un defecto, que si bien en la actualidad existe una intención de subsanarlo, esto debe partir principalmente de un marco conceptual claro tanto en el ámbito normativo como resolutivo.

As rails are vital parts of a track system, it is essential to ensure their safe and reliable operation. The present verification approaches and limit values regarding the permissible additional stresses of the rail under compression and tension considering track-bridge-interaction (TBI) were developed in the 1980s. However, with the rapid development of the railway industry and the increasing of train speeds, rail infrastructures are subjected to ever more frequent, greater loads and more complicated loading conditions, especially in the area of bridges. Moreover, the manufacturing technologies of railway components have been further developed. Taking all the aforementioned variations into account, the current verification approaches and limit values do not apply properly today and shall be updated. For this purpose, new investigations are carried out in this dissertation. As major parts of this cumulative dissertation, the published investigations are divided into three main blocks. The first block is the state of the art. In this block, a detailed background knowledge and a state of the art description of the permissible additional stresses in railway tracks due to TBI are given. Furthermore, the motivation for the studies within the scope of this dissertation is addressed. The second block deals with the rail resistance under compressive forces in ballastless track systems. Accordingly, numerical investigations on the behaviour of rails in ballastless track systems under compressive axial forces in the vicinity of bridge joints were performed. Experimental tests were also carried out on two 8.17 m long rails fixed with BSPFF-B-1 and SBS300-1 fasteners on the ÖBB-Porr slab track system. It was found that the rail resistance under longitudinal compressive loads can be largely increased. The third block focuses on the rail resistance under tension. First, extensive experiments were conducted on rail behaviour for up to five million cyclic loads in both vertical and transverse directions under different minimum stress levels. Subsequently, the sectioning method and the X-Ray diffraction method were applied to determine the residual stress distribution in the rail. Afterwards, the determined residual stress results and the fatigue test results are analysed together. As a result, a new comprehensive Smith-diagram, which took into account the actual rail residual stresses, up to five million load cycles in both vertical and transverse directions of the rail, was achieved. In addition, two studies are supplemented. One deals with the fatigue behaviour of rails for up to 50 million load cycles and the other concerns the fatigue behaviour of rails from a different batch for up to five million load cycles. Based on all these aforementioned investigations, it is concluded that the current limit values and approaches regarding the rail resistance in ballastless track systems under compression and tension considering TBI are too conservative. In the end, new verification approaches and limit values are proposed.