Review of Neurepyris Kieffer, 1905 (Hymenoptera, Bethylidae), a new synonym of Pristocera Klug, 1808

The genus Neurepyris Kieffer, 1905 is revised. The adult male holotypes N. rufiventer Kieffer, 1913 from Eritrea and N. tagala (Ashmead, 1905) from the Philippines are redescribed and illustrated. Both species are transferred from the subfamily Epyrinae to Pristocerinae because they have the metanotum well developed medially. Neurepyris rufi venter is transferred to Pristocera Klug, 1808 because the hypopygium is deeply divided into two apical lobes, the subdiscoidal and cubital veins do not reach the border of the forewing, the pronotal disc has the anterior region slightly elevate medially, and the stigma is elongate. Neurepyris tagala is transferred to Apenesia Westwood, 1874 because the basal tooth of mandible is not curved inward, the median lobe of clypeus is not depressed near the antennal insertions, and the aedeagus consists of one lamina. The genus Neurepyris is considered a junior synonym of Pristocera because its type species is N. rufiventer

Análise de opiniões expressas nas redes sociais

As redes sociais são cada vez mais utilizadas no nosso dia-a-dia. O recente aumento de popularidade deste tipo de serviço veio trazer novas funcionalidades e aplicações. Os utilizadores contribuem com as suas opiniões e conhecimentos, formando um repositório de informação de grandes proporções. Esta informação é cada vez mais utilizada por empresas, que vêem nas redes sociais uma forma de promover os seus produtos junto do público ou analisar de que forma os mesmos são considerados. O estudo apresentado neste artigo aplicou técnicas de Análise Sentimental para verificar se a informação existente em duas redes sociais (Facebook e Twitter) pode ser utilizada para estimar valores que podem vir a ser obtidos na comercialização de bens ou serviços a serem lançados no mercado.The social networks have been increasingly used. Their popularity brought new features and applications. In social networks users contribute with their opinions and knowledge, forming a huge information repository. The use of this information by companies, which consider social networks as a way of promoting their products, has been rising. This study, through the use of Sentimental Analysis, sustain the conclusion that the information obtained from social networks (Facebook and Twitter) can be used to determine values that can be obtained in the commercialization of goods or services to be launched in the market

Molecule: sistema de organização e visualização de Tags

Diversas plataformas permitem que os utilizadores rotulem recursos com tags e partilhem informação com outros utilizadores. Assim, foram desenvolvidas várias formas de visualização das tags associados aos recursos, com o intuito de facilitar aos utilizadores a pesquisa dos mesmos, assim como a visualização do tag space. De entre os vários conceitos desenvolvidos, a nuvem de tags destaca-se como a forma mais comum de visualização. Este documento apresenta um estudo efetuado sobre as suas limitações e propõe uma forma de visualização alternativa. Sugere-se também uma nova interpretação sobre como pesquisar e visualizar informação associada a tags, diferindo assim do método de pesquisa direta do termo na base de dados que atualmente é maioritariamente utilizado. Como resultado desta implementação, obteve-se uma solução viável e inovadora, o sistema Molecule, para vários dos problemas associados à tradicional nuvem de tags.Several platforms allow users to tag resources and share information. Over time various forms of tags visualization have been developed in order to facilitate the visualization of the tag space and the search and retrieval of resources. The tag cloud stands out as the most common form of tags visualization. This paper presents a study carried out on their limitations and proposes an alternative. It also suggests a new interpretation on how to search and view information associated with tags, thus differing from the method of direct search term in the database that is currently used mostly. As a result of this interpretation, a viable and innovative system was achieved, Molecule, that overcome some of the problems associated with the traditional tag cloud

Sustainable construction: construction and demolition waste reconsidered

Although the construction sector has suffered a great increase and development in later decades acting as the main economic leading force in many European countries, it has produced, nevertheless, a great problem regarding the increase in the generation of construction and demolition waste (C&DW). This, together with the fact that in many European countries the amount of recycled and reused C&DW is still quite low has engendered a serious environmental problem and an urge to develop strategies and management plans to solve it. As it is well known, demolition waste has quite a potential for reuse, although a correct and available development within the construction industry is, to a great extend, still missing due to the lack of sustainable and practical mechanisms provided. This article summarizes the different applications that are presently prospering in the elaboration of alternative uses for C&DW and proposes various measures and strategies to improve the processing of this waste. In order to be environmentally more effective, a conscious and thoughtful management plan needs to be implemented. More precisely, this study unfolds a holistic approach towards waste, in which ethical, and environmental as well as new applications in construction issues interact in order to improve the situation in an attempt to come closer to the future goal of achieving a sustainable growth

Chronic Inflammation in Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome

The increasing incidence of obesity and the metabolic syndrome is disturbing. The activation of inflammatory pathways, used normally as host defence, reminds the seriousness of this condition. There is probably more than one cause for activation of inflammation. Apparently, metabolic overload evokes stress reactions, such as oxidative, inflammatory, organelle and cell hypertrophy, generating vicious cycles. Adipocyte hypertrophy, through physical reasons, facilitates cell rupture, what will evoke an inflammatory reaction. Inability of adipose tissue development to engulf incoming fat leads to deposition in other organs, mainly in the liver, with consequences on insulin resistance. The oxidative stress which accompanies feeding, particularly when there is excessive ingestion of fat and/or other macronutrients without concomitant ingestion of antioxidant-rich foods/beverages, may contribute to inflammation attributed to obesity. Moreover, data on the interaction of microbiota with food and obesity brought new hypothesis for the obesity/fat diet relationship with inflammation. Beyond these, other phenomena, for instance psychological and/or circadian rhythm disturbances, may likewise contribute to oxidative/inflammatory status. The difficulty in the management of obesity/metabolic syndrome is linked to their multifactorial nature where environmental, genetic and psychosocial factors interact through complex networks

Endoscopic and surgical management of anastomotic leakages following gastroesophageal cancer surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Contexto e objetivos: As deiscências anastomóticas (DA) são uma das complicações pós-operatórias mais temidas da cirurgia gastroesofágica. As DA podem ser tratadas com recurso a métodos conservadores, endoscópicos (como terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo e colocação de próteses) ou cirúrgicos, mas a melhor abordagem ainda é controversa. O objetivo da nossa meta-análise foi a comparação a) entre intervenções endoscópicas e cirúrgicas e b) entre diferentes tratamentos endoscópicos para a DA após cirurgia oncológica gastroesofágica. Métodos: Revisão sistemática e meta-análise, com pesquisa em 3 bases de dados online (MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge e Scopus) de estudos que avaliassem tratamentos cirúrgicos e endoscópicos da DA após cirurgia oncológica gastroesofágica. Resultados: Um total de 32 estudos englobando 1080 pacientes foram incluídos. Comparativamente à intervenção cirúrgica, a terapêutica endoscópica associou-se a uma menor mortalidade intra-hospitalar (35.8% [95% CI 23.9-48.5%] versus 6.4% [95% CI 3.8-9.6%]), apesar do sucesso clínico, duração do internamento hospitalar e duração do internamento na unidade de cuidados intensivos (UCI) ser semelhante em ambos os grupos. Comparativamente às próteses endoscópicas, a terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo associou-se a uma menor taxa de complicações (OR 0.348 [95% CI 0.127-0.954]) e uma menor duração do internamento na UCI (diferença média -14.77 dias [95% CI -26.57 to -2.98]) e do tempo até resolução da DA (17.6 dias [95% CI 14.1-21.2] versus 39.4 days [95% CI 27.0-51.8]). Não houve diferenças significativas em termos de sucesso clínico, mortalidade, reintervenções e duração do internamento hospitalar. Conclusões: O tratamento endoscópico (em comparação com a intervenção cirúrgica) e a terapêutica endoscópica por vácuo (em comparação com as próteses endoscópicas) são mais seguros e efetivos. Porém, estudos comparativos mais robustos são necessários para confirmar estes benefícios.Background and objectives: Anastomotic leakage (AL) is one of the most feared postoperative complications of gastroesophageal surgery. AL can be managed by conservative, endoscopic (such as endoscopic vacuum therapy and stenting) or surgical methods, but optimal treatment remains controversial. The aim of our meta-analysis was to compare a) endoscopic and surgical interventions and b) different endoscopic treatments for AL following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Methods: Systematic review and meta-analysis, with search in three on-line databases (MEDLINE, ISI Web of Knowledge and Scopus) for studies evaluating surgical and endoscopic treatments for AL following gastroesophageal cancer surgery. Results: A total of 32 studies comprising 1080 patients were included. Compared with surgical intervention, endoscopic treatment was associated with lower in-hospital mortality (35.8% [95% CI 23.9-48.5%] versus 6.4% [95% CI 3.8-9.6%]), although clinical success, hospital length of stay and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay were similar in both groups. Compared with stenting, endoscopic vacuum therapy was associated with a lower rate of complications (OR 0.348 [95% CI 0.127-0.954]) and shorter ICU length of stay (mean difference -14.77 days [95% CI -26.57 to -2.98]) and time until AL resolution (17.6 days [95% CI 14.1-21.2] versus 39.4 days [95% CI 27.0-51.8]). There were no significant differences in terms of clinical success, mortality, reinterventions, and hospital length of stay. Conclusions: Endoscopic treatment (in comparison to surgical intervention) and endoscopic vacuum therapy (in comparison to stenting) are safer and more effective. However, more robust comparative studies are needed to confirm these benefits

Afluentia: suporte à comunicação para afasia fluente

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by brain damage (eg, stroke) that affects a person’s ability to communicate. Involves different degrees of impairment and it can manifest by difficulties in speaking fluently or difficulty finding words (anomia), but can also entail impairment in spoken language comprehension, inability to repeat words or phrases, impairments in written expression (agraphia), in reading comprehension (alexia) or a combination of any of these difficulties. It can thus result in limitations in the way the person with aphasia interacts with others, for instance, to express how they are feeling as well as their needs, making it hard for them to have a more independent life or have their difficulties addressed. Additionally, this condition also has a strong impact in the life of those around them (e.g., family, carers) as the difficulties of communication, should anything happen, can lead to fear of leaving these patients unattended. Several challenges arise when addressing the communication needs of people with aphasia deriving from the diverse and idiosyncratic nature of their condition and although assisted communication tools have been proposed in the literature (e.g. using pictograms), the characteristics of aphasia often render them as partial solutions. In this sense, this project focuses on understanding the characteristics and needs of aphasic patients and also on the proposal of technology-mediated communication tools that address them in their daily lives. This work adopts a user-centered design and development approach to explore how people with aphasia can be supported in their day-today communication resorting to technology mediation. It was thus achieving an iterative design with the development and evaluation of a proof-of-concept solution for communication aspects, which was progressively implemented and refined having in consideration the identified requirements and the continuous evaluation of the proposed solutions, carried out with a focus group composed by a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) and a Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Expert. After a first version of the system was achieved, an evaluation phase with Speech and Language Therapists with a strong experience with patients with aphasia took place in order to understand and validate the achieved application, which led to more refinement phases. At its current stage of development, evaluation results show a good level of usability and satisfaction and establish Afluentia as promising ground for further evolving the research on communication mediated by technology to support people with aphasia.A afasia é um distúrbio da linguagem provocada por danos cerebrais (por exemplo, acidente vascular cerebral) e que afeta a capacidade de comunicação de uma pessoa. Envolve diferentes graus de deficiência e pode-se manifestar por dificuldades em falar fluentemente ou dificuldade em encontrar palavras (anomia), mas também pode acarretar prejuízo na compreensão da linguagem falada, incapacidade de repetir palavras ou frases, deficiências na expressão escrita (agrafia), na compreensão da leitura (alexia) ou numa combinação de qualquer uma dessas dificuldades. Pode assim resultar em limitações na forma como a pessoa com afasia interage com outras para, por exemplo, exprimir como se está a sentir assim como as suas necessidades, impossibilitando que tenha uma vida mais independente ou tenha as suas dificuldades abordadas. Além disso, a afasia também tem um forte impacto na vida das pessoas ao redor do afásico (por exemplo, familiares, cuidadores), pois as dificuldades de comunicação da pessoa com afasia podem levar ao medo de deixála desacompanhada por aqueles que a rodeiam. Vários desafios surgem ao abordar as necessidades de comunicação de pessoas com afasia decorrentes da natureza diversa e idiossincrática da sua condição e embora ferramentas de comunicação assistida tenham sido propostas na literatura (por exemplo, usando pictogramas), as características da afasia geralmente tornam essas soluções parciais. Nesse sentido, este projeto foca-se na compreensão das características e necessidades dos pacientes afásicos e também na proposta de ferramentas de comunicação mediada por tecnologia que os abordem, no seu cotidiano. Este trabalho adota uma abordagem de design e desenvolvimento centrada no utilizador de modo explorar como as pessoas com afasia podem ser apoiadas na sua comunicação quotidiana recorrendo à mediação tecnológica. Foi assim conseguindo um design iterativo com desenvolvimento e avaliação de uma solução de prova de conceito para aspectos de comunicação, que foi progressivamente implementada e aperfeiçoada tendo em consideração os requisitos identificados e a avaliação contínua das soluções propostas, realizada com um grupo de foco composto por uma Terapeuta da Fala e um Especialista em Interacção Humano Computador. Após a obtenção de uma primeira versão do sistema, uma fase de avaliação com Terapeutas da Fala com forte experiência com pacientes com afasia também ocorreu de modo a entender e validar a aplicação alcançada, o que levou a mais fases de refinamento. Na sua atual fase de desenvolvimento, os resultados da avaliação mostram um bom nível de usabilidade e satisfação e definem o Afluentia como um terreno promissor para evoluir ainda mais a pesquisa em comunicação mediada por tecnologia de suporte a pessoas com afasia.Mestrado em Engenharia de Computadores e Telemátic

Concepts and approaches of material and immaterial in new art media

Some of the art of the 20th and 21st centuries is what is understood as such by means of an essentially conceptual approach, a different contact with the materials. They are more and more numerous and diversified and their exploration possibilities and their potential richness must be understood. Materiality in Art has been questioned since Marcel Duchamp. The Dada Movement and the Suprematists were the first to make their way through paths leading to different experiences of Immateriality in Art. The Suprematists insisted that from the material to the immaterial is just a step, and they made several attempts to release Art from material realization. As a consequence, new ways should be discovered to reach what is the essence of Art, the expression of a pure spirituality. With the new Technologies, the increasing artificialization and dematerialization of plastic material reinforce a trend to a form of conceptualization and rationalization of part of the current artistic production. Among the components of the immaterial we can find the transparent materials, – glass, light –, as well as the ones that result from speed and movement, making the shapes explode and diluting the materials in a never-ending metamorphosis process – kinetic energy, video –, what results from the spirit and the thought, – language, concept –, what is necessary to the operating method of the virtual work – computers, the internet, holography

Anemia and IBD: Current Status and Future Prospectives

Anemia is a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), usually recognized at diagnosis and during flare‐ups. However, the exact prevalence of anemia associated to IBD (IBD‐A) is unknown. Despite its major clinical relevance and quality of life impact in both adult and pediatric IBD patients, it has been for long time neglected. It is mostly multifactorial, being a unique example of the combination of chronic iron deficiency (ID) and anemia of chronic disease (ACD). The current management of IBD‐A represents a paradigm shift in clinical practice, involving several challenges. A pro‐active approach is recommended and with the new generation of available iron compounds and recent guidelines, the ultimate goal will be the improvement of the patients’ quality of life. Sound data are still lacking, concerning the best treatment/prevention approach for IDA/ID. Based on current evidence, oral iron therapy might be preferred in mild IDA, whereas intravenous iron may be advantageous in more severe IDA/flaring IBD. Long‐term prospective clinical trials are needed, to optimize treatment schedule and to better define the clinical and hematological long‐term outcomes, both in adults and in children. They should demonstrate the efficacy, safety, and tolerance profile of different available iron formulas, as well as their cost‐efficacy ratio

Competition between for-profit and non-profit organizations

Apesar da importância do setor sem fins lucrativos na economia, pouca análise tem sido feita sobre se o comportamento deste setor é distinto do setor com fins lucrativos. Para proceder a esta análise, iremos examinar um modelo de concorrência em duopólio para comparar os resultados de equilíbrio que surgem em mercados onde duas organizações com fins lucrativos competem com os resultados de equilíbrio que surgem nos mercados onde uma organização com fins lucrativos compete com uma organização sem fins lucrativos. Os resultados parecem sugerir que a concorrência entre organizações com e sem fins lucrativos pode ser prejudicial para a organização com fins lucrativos, dependendo da natureza da concorrência. No entanto, esta concorrência entre organizações com e sem fins lucrativos irá sempre melhorar o bem-estar dos consumidores e da sociedade como um todo, devido ao aumento da quantidade produzida em equilíbrio assim como da diminuição dos preços em equilíbrio. Finalmente, através da análise dos resultados concluímos que a existência de isenções fiscais concedidas à organização sem fins lucrativos não gera concorrência desleal.Despite the importance of non-profit sector in the economy, little analysis has been made as to whether the behaviour of such sector differs from that of for-profit sector. To so do, we examine a duopoly model of competition to compare the equilibrium outcomes that arise in markets in which two for-profit organizations compete with those equilibrium outcomes that arise in the markets in which a for-profit organization competes with a non-profit organization. The results seem to suggest that competition between a for-profit and a non-profit organization may be detrimental to the for-profit organization, depending on the nature of competition. However, it always welfare improving for consumers and the society as a whole, due to the increase on equilibrium output and the decrease on equilibrium prices. Finally, the results also seem to suggest that any eventual tax exemptions given to the non-profit organization do not generate unfair competition