Abstract

Abstract
Mobility redefinition is essential in any City/Region, towards attaining sustainable mobility in terms of the triple bottom line dimensions (economic, social and environmental). Therefore, it is urgent to improve and to create a more inclusive system towards enhancing public transport, based on population needs and using viable infrastructures and alternatives. Aiming to identify recent keys mobility systems, this paper presents an overview of various solutions adopted in public transports area, in some regions of the world with points in common with Alto Minho' Region and/or to the Region headquarters (Viana do Castelo). Furthermore, it is intended to identify and discuss those innovative combinations of transport modes currently employed, that could positively impact the Alto Minho Region transportation system. The overall assessment will support the definition of the main criteria to design a novel and efficient transport system, fully adapted to this region characteristics and population's needs. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to propose a viable and efficient public transport system that meets the region's sustainability requirements, along with the opportunity to involve the population, the transport companies and the different stakeholders, as well as the policy makers.

Abstract
The optical immersion clearing is an effective method to reduce light scattering in tissues, but to optimize each treatment, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms involved. Since these treatments are intended to be temporary, it is also important to know if the mechanisms involved are reversible. Various studies have been made to evaluate and characterize the mechanisms of optical clearing. In all cases studied, two major mechanisms were observed—the tissue dehydration and the refractive index matching mechanisms. Some particular studies have reported that the agents used in treatments also dissolve proteins and suggested that protein dissolution is also a clearing mechanism. All these mechanisms have been reported as reversible, both on ex vivo or on in vivo studies. We make an analysis on these studies and present a method based on ex vivo collimated transmittance and thickness measurements to characterize the major clearing mechanisms—tissue dehydration and refractive index matching. Although this method can only be made with ex vivo tissues, alternative measurements are suggested for in vivo characterization of the clearing mechanisms. © 2019, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

Abstract
E-learning at the University of Tras-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) is at a very early stage, with the total number of courses available being very low. This is due to the lack of teacher training, lack of technical support, lack of specific tools and lack of institutional support policies, among others. An exception to this is the existence of a platform for teaching support, named SIDE - side.utad.pt, developed at UTAD and which has been systematically used over the last decade. However, SIDE works more like a teaching management platform (e.g. student management, assessment schedules management, attendance management, schedules management, etc.) rather than as a platform for dissemination and management of online content and courses. Recently, we have elsewhere presented a model of a system that is capable of responding to the training needs identified at UTAD, and we have been using it at UTAD. Here, we present the perspectives of the students, using a survey with 23 questions based on a Likert scale, with a 5 points interval, with 1 being the lowest value (or dissatisfaction) and 5 being the maximum (or excellence) value, being the intermediate point considered satisfaction. The questions were grouped in 5 classes: platform, teaching, tests/exams, devices/hardware and global appreciation. The 78 validated answers and their results will be presented and discussed. For the first class, platform, it was concluded that most of the students consider the platform easy to use and that it adapts to the contents that are taught in the various curricular units of the different degrees of study, and that they feel comfortable using and working with the platform and that they recommended higher use by their teachers.

Abstract
This article presents a review of the numerical techniques employed in simulating plasmonic optical sensors based on metal-dielectric nanostructures, including examples, ranging from conventional D-type fiber sensors, to those based on photonic crystal D-type fibers and incorporating metamaterials, nanowires, among other new materials and components, results and applications. We start from the fundamental physical processes, such as optical and plasmonic mode coupling, and discuss the implementation of the numerical model, optical response customization and their impact in sensor performance. Finally, we examine future perspectives.

Abstract
Photovoltaic energy is one of the clean and efficient energies which has been developing quickly in the last years. As the penetration of solar plants is increasing in the electricity network, new problems have arisen in network operation. This paper models a high penetration factor of solar energy in the electricity network and investigates the impact of solar energy growth on both the generation schedule of different power plants and in the natural gas transmission network. Fuel management of gas power plants is modeled through simulation of the natural gas transmission network. To this end, an increase in the penetration of solar energy in the electricity network inevitably leads to a sudden increase in the output of gas fired units and a linear and integrated model with the electricity and the natural gas transmission networks has been presented to analyze both of them at the same time to better depict the impact of a high penetration of the solar energy in natural gas transmission grids. In this method, natural gas transmission network and Security Constrained Unit Commitment (SCUC) are presented in a single level program. Gas network constraints are linearized and added to the SCUC problem. The stress imposed on the gas network due to a sudden increase in the load of the electricity network is investigated. Conclusions are duly drawn.