On the nonparametric prediction of conditionally stationary sequences

We prove the strong consistency of estimators of the conditional distribution function and conditional expectation of a future observation of a discrete time stochastic process given a fixed number of past observations. The results apply to conditionally stationary processes (a class of processes including Markov and stationary processes) satisfying a strong mixing condition, and they extend and bring together the work of several authors in the area of nonparametric estimation. One of our goals is to provide further justification for the growing practical application of estimators in non-stationary time series and in other `non i.i.d.'~settings. Some arguments as to why such estimators should work very generally in practice, often in a nearly `optimal' way, are given. Two numerical illustrations are included, one with simulated data and the other with oceanographic data

Os estágios na formação dos estudantes do ensino superior: tópicos para um debate em aberto

O presente artigo traça uma panorâmica geral de como têm vindo a ser pensados e organizados os estágios no Ensino Superior. Objectivos do estágio, principais competências a desenvolver, modelos de acompanhamento e de supervisão, formas e critérios de avaliação, bem como alguns dos posicionamentos teóricos em relação a cada um destes aspectos, são questões debatidas ao longo do artigo. Apesar do crescente reconhecimento da importância do estágio na formação, dita mais profissionalizante, dos alunos do Ensino Superior, é certo que o debate em torno do mesmo não é suficientemente aprofundado, o que aliás se reflecte na fraca produção e sistematização de bibliografia relativa a esta temática. Espera-se, assim, dar o mote para uma discussão que, não se podendo circunscrever à Universidade, deve ter nela o seu principal promotor.Cet article aborde une perspective générale de comment sont pensés et organisés les stages au niveau des universités. Le but du stage, les compétences acquises, les modèles d'accompagnement et de supervision, les formes et les critères d'évaluation, ainsi que quelques théories concernant chacun de ces sujets representent quelqu'unes des questions discutées au long de cet article. Bien qu'il existe une reconnaissance de plus en plus importante du stage comme une formation dite plus professionelle des étudiants universitaires, il est vrai que ce thème n'est pas suffisamment exploré, d'ailleurs ceci se reflète au niveau d’une faible production bibliographique sur ce sujet. On espère ainsi ouvrir un débat qui, ne pouvant se restreindre à l'université, peut être lançé a partir de ce contexte.This article describes the different ways of organising and conceptualizing the practicum experience in Higher Education. Goals of the practicum, main competences to develop, models of supervision, assessment criteria and some of the theoretical background to these issues are discussed along the article. Despite the growing recognition of the importance of the practicum on the development of Higher Education students, the debate around this issue has not been thorough enough, as can be concluded from the scarce literature on this theme. We hope that our work can promote a more open discussion around it, a task to be undertaken not only within University but mainly by it.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

The effects of hospital clowning on physical and emotional states of pediatric patients during chemotherapy treatment

Background: Pediatric cancer treatments interfere with the patient’s life on physical, psychological, and social levels. Hospital Clowns (HCs) use nonpharmacological techniques to reduce the distress that hospital treatments can cause and increase children’s wellbeing, but few studies have analyzed their effects. Objective: This study examined the HC effects on the physical and emotional responses of pediatric patients during ambulatory chemotherapy. Given the variability in patients’ adjustments to cancer treatment, the role of a child’s age and temperament, and caregiver anxiety was considered in explaining the responses over and beyond the HC effects on patient outcomes. Method: Following a quasi-experimental design, 82 pediatric patients were assigned to one of two conditions: HC intervention versus control group (CG) in two separate trials. Pediatric patients self-reported of physical symptoms (pain, nausea, and fatigue) and emotional states (distress, happiness, and calm) were measured at baseline and post-chemotherapy in both trials. Caregivers provided information on children’s temperament and reported their own anxiety. Marginal Multilevel Modeling was used to examine the effects of the HC interventions on the outcomes by controlling caregiver anxiety, and child age and emotionality. Results: Compared to the CG, patients receiving the HC visit during chemotherapy reported higher levels of calm and happiness, and less fatigue, pain, and distress. HCs did not affect nausea. Conclusions: This study showed the importance of HCs as agents of supportive pediatric care, whose short-term effects during ambulatory chemotherapy seem to contribute to increasing the well-being of pediatric patients.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

O estágio na formação de professores: validação da versão reduzida do Inventário de vivências e percepções do estágio

No presente trabalho é apresentado o processo de validação da versão reduzida do Inventário de Vivências e Percepções do Estágio – versão para a formação de professores (Caires, Almeida & Vieira, 2009), uma escala de auto-relato construída com o objectivo de avaliar – na perspectiva do formando - os aspectos mais relevantes do seu estágio, uma experiência ocorrida no final do curso e correspondendo à estreia na docência. O Inventário foi aplicado a uma amostra de 295 estagiários, por via postal, um mês antes da conclusão do estágio. A versão reduzida é constituída por 28 itens, distribuídos por quatro factores, explicando 49% da variância total dos itens: Aprendizagem e supervisão (10 itens); Impacto físico e emocional (6 itens); Socialização e adaptação à instituição (6 itens); e Aspectos vocacionais (6 itens). O instrumento foi submetido a análise factorial confirmatória no programa EQS (versão 6.1) e os resultados evidenciam índices de ajustamento satisfatórios

A New Linear Logic for Deadlock-Free Session-Typed Processes

The π -calculus, viewed as a core concurrent programming language, has been used as the target of much research on type systems for concurrency. In this paper we propose a new type system for deadlock-free session-typed π -calculus processes, by integrating two separate lines of work. The first is the propositions-as-types approach by Caires and Pfenning, which provides a linear logic foundation for session types and guarantees deadlock-freedom by forbidding cyclic process connections. The second is Kobayashi’s approach in which types are annotated with priorities so that the type system can check whether or not processes contain genuine cyclic dependencies between communication operations. We combine these two techniques for the first time, and define a new and more expressive variant of classical linear logic with a proof assignment that gives a session type system with Kobayashi-style priorities. This can be seen in three ways: (i) as a new linear logic in which cyclic structures can be derived and a CYCLE -elimination theorem generalises CUT -elimination; (ii) as a logically-based session type system, which is more expressive than Caires and Pfenning’s; (iii) as a logical foundation for Kobayashi’s system, bringing it into the sphere of the propositions-as-types paradigm

Resolving Non-Determinism in Choreographies

Resolving non-deterministic choices of choreographies is a crucial task. We introduce a novel notion of realisability for choreographies –called whole-spectrum implementation– that rules out deterministic implementations of roles that, no matter which context they are placed in, will never follow one of the branches of a non-deterministic choice. We show that, under some conditions, it is decidable whether an implementation is whole-spectrum. As a case study, we analyse the POP protocol under the lens of whole-spectrum implementation

One-Pot Aqueous Synthesis of Fluorescent Ag-In-Zn-S Quantum Dot/Polymer Bioconjugates for Multiplex Optical Bioimaging of Glioblastoma Cells

Cancer research has experienced astonishing advances recently, but cancer remains a major threat because it is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant brain tumor, where the early diagnosis is vital for longer survival. Thus, this study reports the synthesis of novel water-dispersible ternary AgInS2 (AIS) and quaternary AgInS2-ZnS (ZAIS) fluorescent quantum dots using carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) as ligand for multiplexed bioimaging of malignant glioma cells (U-87 MG). Firstly, AgInS2 core was prepared using a one-pot aqueous synthesis stabilized by CMC at room temperature and physiological pH. Then, an outer layer of ZnS was grown and thermally annealed to improve their optical properties and split the emission range, leading to core-shell alloyed nanostructures. Their physicochemical and optical properties were characterized, demonstrating that luminescent monodispersed AIS and ZAIS QDs were produced with average sizes of 2.2 nm and 4.3 nm, respectively. Moreover, the results evidenced that they were cytocompatible using in vitro cell viability assays towards human embryonic kidney cell line (HEK 293T) and U-87 MG cells. These AIS and ZAIS successfully behaved as fluorescent nanoprobes (red and green, resp.) allowing multiplexed bioimaging and biolabeling of costained glioma cells using confocal microscopy