Fake news classification in European Portuguese language

All over the world, many initiatives have been taken to fight fake news. Governments (e.g., France, Germany, United Kingdom and Spain), on their own way, started to take actions regarding legal accountability for those who manufacture or propagate fake news. Different media outlets have also taken plenty initiatives to deal with this phenomenon, such as the increase of the discipline, accuracy and transparency of publications made internally. Some structural changes have been made in those companies and in other entities in order to evaluate news in general. Many teams were built entirely to fight fake news, the so-called “fact-checkers”. Those teams have been adopting different types of techniques in order to do those tasks: from the typical use of journalists, to find out the true behind a controversial statement, to data-scientists, in order to apply forefront techniques such as text mining, and machine learning to support journalist’s decisions. Many of those entities, which aim to maintain or rise their reputation, started to focus on high standards of quality and reliable information, which led to the creation of official and dedicated departments of fact-checking. In the first part of this work, we contextualize European Portuguese language regarding fake news detection and classification, against the current state-of-the-art. Then, we present an end-to-end solution to easily extract and store previously classified European Portuguese news. We used the extracted data to apply some of the most used text minning and machine learning techniques, presented in the current state-of-the-art, in order to understand and evaluate possible limitations of those techniques, in this specific context.Um pouco por todo o mundo foram tomadas várias iniciativas para combater fake news. Muitos governos (França, Alemanha, Reino Unido e Espanha, por exemplo), à sua maneira, começaram a tomar medidas relativamente à responsabilidade legal para aqueles que fabricam ou propagam notícias falsas. Foram feitas algumas mudanças estruturais nos meios de comunicação sociais, a fim de avaliar as notícias em geral. Muitas equipas foram construídas inteiramente para combater fake news, mais especificamente, os denominados "fact-checkers". Essas equipas têm vindo a adotar diferentes tipos de técnicas para realizar as suas tarefas: desde o uso dos jornalistas para descobrir a verdade por detrás de uma declaração controversa, até aos cientistas de dados, que através de técnicas mais avançadas como as técnicas de Text Minning e métodos de classificação de Machine Learning, apoiam as decisões dos jornalistas. Muitas das entidades que visam manter ou aumentar a sua reputação, começaram a concentrar-se em elevados padrões de qualidade e informação fiável, o que levou à criação de departamentos oficiais e dedicados de verificação de factos. Na primeira parte deste trabalho, contextualizamos o Português Europeu no âmbito da detecção e classificação de notícias falsas, fazendo um levantamento do seu actual estado da arte. De seguida, apresentamos uma solução end-to-end que permite facilmente extrair e armazenar notícias portuguesas europeias previamente classificadas. Utilizando os dados extraídos aplicámos algumas das técnicas de Text Minning e de Machine Learning mais utilizadas, apresentadas na literatura, a fim de compreender e avaliar as possíveis limitações dessas técnicas, neste contexto em específic

Contributos para a compreensão do processo de empatia e do seu desenvolvimento

A presente investigação tem como objectivo estudar a empatia numa perspectiva desenvolvimental, para perceber as relações entre empatia, vinculação e regulação emocional, aferindo se esta pode ser transmitida de pais para filhos. A amostra é constituída por 609 sujeitos, 406 adultos e 203 crianças. Os instrumentos utilizados nos adultos foram o Índice de Reactividade Interpessoal, adaptado para a população portuguesa por Limpo, Alves & Castro (2010); a Escala de Vinculação do Adulto, adaptada por Canavarro, Dias & Lima (2006) e o Questionário de Regulação Emocional, adaptado por Vaz & Martins (2008). Nas crianças, utilizou-se a Escala de Avaliação de Empatia, adaptada por Veiga & Santos (2011). Concluiu-se que existem relações significativas entre empatia, vinculação e regulação emocional, embora sem mediação por parte desta última; a dimensão afectiva da empatia ganha preponderância, principalmente a preocupação empática e o desenvolvimento empático nas crianças parece estar muito dependente desta dimensão afectiva; Abstract: Contributions to the understanding of the process of empathy and its development This investigation has two purposes: study possible relationships between empathy, attachment and self-regulation and understand if empathy can be transmitted between parents and children, all considering a developmental approach. This investigation used 609 subjects, 406 adults and 203 children. In adults were administered Índice de Reactividade Interpessoal, adapted for portuguese population by Limpo, Alves & Castro (2010); Escala de Vinculação do Adulto, adapted by Canavarro, Dias & Lima (2006) and Questionário de Regulação Emocional, adapted by Vaz & Martins (2008). In children were administered Escala de Avaliação de Empatia, adapted by Veiga & Santos (2011). The results showed significant relations between empathy, attachment and selfregulation, without mediation effect by the latter; affective dimension has preponderance, especially empathic concern and empathic development in children seems to be very dependent on this affective dimension

In-season training load quantification of one-, two- and three-game week schedules in a top European professional soccer team

Top European soccer teams that play in UEFA competitions often participate in one, two- or three-games per week. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure optimal match-day performance and full recovery. The aim of this study was to quantify internal and external training load (TL) within five microcycles: M1 and M2 - one-game weeks; M3 and M4 - two-game weeks; M5 - three-game week). Thirteen elite soccer players participated in this study. A global positioning system (GPS) was used to measure the total distance covered and distances of different exercise training zones (1-5), the session ratings of perceived exertion (s-RPE) scores and the amount of creatine kinase (CK) created during daily training sessions for the 2015-2016 in-season period. The data were analysed with respect to the number of days prior to a given match. The main results indicate that there was a significant difference in training intensity for zone 1 between M2 and M4 (4010.2 ± 103.5 and 4507.6 ± 133.0 m, respectively); a significant difference in training intensity for zone 3 between M1 and M5 (686.1 ± 42.8 and 801.2 ± 61.2 m, respectively); a significant difference in the duration of the training sessions and matches between M2 and M5 (69.2 ± 2.1 and 79.6 ± 2.3) and M3 and M5 (69.7 ± 1.0 and 79.6 ± 2.3); and finally, there was a significant difference in CK between M3 and M2 (325.5 ± 155.0 and 194.4 ± 48.9). Moreover, there was a significant decrease in TL in the last day prior to a match, for all microcycles and all variables. There was no significant difference with respect to s-RPE. This study provides the first report of daily external and internal TLs and weekly accumulated load (training sessions and match demands) during one, two, and three-game week schedules in a group of elite soccer players. Expected significant differences are found in daily and accumulated loads for within- and between-game schedules. A similar pattern is exhibited for one- and two-game week microcycles regarding the day before the match, which exhibits a decrease in all variables. Despite the different number of games played per week, TL remain similar between microcycles for zone 2 and 5, plus s-RPE.This project was supported by the National Funds through FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (UID/DTP/04045/2013) and the European Fund for Regional Development (FEDER) allocated by European Union through the COMPETE 2020 Programme (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-006969)—competitiveness and internationalization (POCI). The authors disclose funding received for this work from any of the following organizations: National Institutes of Health (NIH); Welcome Trust; Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI); and other(s).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Global optimal eBURST analysis of multilocus typing data using a graphic matroid approach

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Multilocus Sequence Typing (MLST) is a frequently used typing method for the analysis of the clonal relationships among strains of several clinically relevant microbial species. MLST is based on the sequence of housekeeping genes that result in each strain having a distinct numerical allelic profile, which is abbreviated to a unique identifier: the sequence type (ST). The relatedness between two strains can then be inferred by the differences between allelic profiles. For a more comprehensive analysis of the possible patterns of evolutionary descent, a set of rules were proposed and implemented in the eBURST algorithm. These rules allow the division of a data set into several clusters of related strains, dubbed clonal complexes, by implementing a simple model of clonal expansion and diversification. Within each clonal complex, the rules identify which links between STs correspond to the most probable pattern of descent. However, the eBURST algorithm is not globally optimized, which can result in links, within the clonal complexes, that violate the rules proposed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we present a globally optimized implementation of the eBURST algorithm – goeBURST. The search for a global optimal solution led to the formalization of the problem as a graphic matroid, for which greedy algorithms that provide an optimal solution exist. Several public data sets of MLST data were tested and differences between the two implementations were found and are discussed for five bacterial species: <it>Enterococcus faecium</it>, <it>Streptococcus pneumoniae</it>, <it>Burkholderia pseudomallei</it>, <it>Campylobacter jejuni </it>and <it>Neisseria spp.</it>. A novel feature implemented in goeBURST is the representation of the level of tiebreak rule reached before deciding if a link should be drawn, which can used to visually evaluate the reliability of the represented hypothetical pattern of descent.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>goeBURST is a globally optimized implementation of the eBURST algorithm, that identifies alternative patterns of descent for several bacterial species. Furthermore, the algorithm can be applied to any multilocus typing data based on the number of differences between numeric profiles. A software implementation is available at <url>http://goeBURST.phyloviz.net</url>.</p

Technical and Economic Assessment of a 450 W Autonomous Photovoltaic System with Lithium Iron Phosphate Battery Storage

This paper presents a study about an autonomous photovoltaic system making use of the novel Lithium Iron Phosphate as a battery pack for isolated rural houses. More particularly, this paper examines the behavior and efficiency of a low-cost isolated photovoltaic system for typical rural houses near Luena in Angola. The proposed system (solar panel, batteries, controller, and inverter) has been projected having in mind the required household daily load of 1,300 Wh and available solar irradiance. The initial batteries charging revealed to be essential to not only ensure a long battery life but using a balanced pack it was possible to achieve more stored energy. On-site, the polycrystalline solar panels used showed a daily average efficiency of 10.8%, with the total system having 75% efficiency. This result was adjusted to the average temperature in Angola. This way, it was made an extrapolation to the monthly irradiation values in Angola. The results achieved showed good energy production during almost all year except January and December, which revealed critical production values of 1,356 Wh and 1,311 Wh, respectively. These values are too close to the daily consumed energy and indicate the addition of a 2nd alternative source of energy (wind generator, diesel generator, etc.) to be explored further

From old indexes to new technologies

Funding Information: This work was supported by FEDER, Portugal2020, and co‐financed by Lisboa2020 and Alentejo2020 (ALT20‐03‐0247‐FEDER‐113469 and LISBOA‐01‐0247‐FEDER‐113469), ‘Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia’—FCT iNOVA4Health (UIDB/Multi/04462/2020), European Commission Marie Skłodowska‐Curie Action H2020 (mtFOIE GRAS, grant agreement n. 734719) and the Sociedade Portuguesa de Diabetologia. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.Background: Diabetes is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease. However, glycemia and glycated hemoglobin have been the focus of diabetes diagnosis and management for the last decades. As diabetes management goes far beyond glucose control, it has become clear that assessment of other biochemical parameters gives a much wider view of the metabolic state of each individual, enabling a precision medicine approach. Methods: In this review, we summarize and discuss indexes that have been used in epidemiological studies and in the clinical practice. Results: Indexes of insulin secretion, sensitivity/resistance and metabolism have been developed and validated over the years to account also with insulin, C-peptide, triglycerides or even anthropometric measures. Nevertheless, each one has their own objective and consequently, advantages and disadvantages for specific cases. Thus, we discuss how new technologies, namely new sensors but also new softwares/applications, can improve the diagnosis and management of diabetes, both for healthcare professionals but also for caretakers and, importantly, to promote the empowerment of people living with diabetes. Conclusions: In long-term, the solution for a better diabetes management would be a platform that allows to integrate all sorts of relevant information for the person with diabetes and for the healthcare practitioners, namely glucose, insulin and C-peptide or, in case of need, other parameters/indexes at home, sometimes more than once a day. This solution would allow a better and simpler disease management, more adequate therapeutics thereby improving patients' quality of life and reducing associated costs.publishersversionepub_ahead_of_prin

Práticas, consumos e riscos digitais dos jovens estudantes moçambicanos: relatório do inquérito UAL/UEM

Este relatório expõe os resultados de um inquérito por questionário aplicado a jovens moçambicanos. Esta investigação, realizada por investigadores do Núcleo de Investigação em Práticas e Competências Mediáticas - NIP-COM da Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa, insere-se num projeto mais amplo, que tem como propósito estabelecer uma rede de investigação em práticas mediáticas em distintos países, abarcando numa primeira fase diferentes realidades e contextos de Portugal, México, Cabo Verde, Angola e Moçambique

Tools repository for the management of water distribution systems

Trabalho apresentado em 20º ENASB, 24 a 26 de novembro 2022, Carcavelos, PortugalNo presente artigo apresenta-se um conjunto de ferramentas, disponíveis em código aberto, para a gestão de sistemas de distribuição de água, desenvolvidas no âmbito dois projetos de investigação, financiados pela Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), o projeto DECIdE (https://decide.ips.pt/) e o projeto WISDom (https://wisdom.ips.pt/). No âmbito do projeto DECIdE, foram desenvolvidas ferramentas que permitem importar e tratar dados, através de ficheiros exportados de sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG), em formato shapefile, folhas de cálculo com medições para o cálculo de balanços hídrico e energético e, também, de indicadores de desempenho de sistema, como por exemplo, perdas por quilómetro de conduta. No projeto WISDom, foram desenvolvidas ferramentas para a localização ótima de sensores de pressão, para o processamento de dados de caudal, para identificação de zonas críticas da rede de distribuição e para priorização de condutas para intervenções de reabilitação. Estas ferramentas são úteis para apoiar os técnicos das entidades gestoras na operação dos sistemas e são um passo na direção da transformação digital.This paper presents a set of open source tools for the management of water distribution systems, developed in two research projects funded by the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), namely the DECIdE project ( https://decide.ips.pt/) and the WISDom project (https://wisdom.ips.pt/). In the first project, developed tools allow importing data, through files exported from geographic information systems, in shapefile format, and spreadsheets containing measurements for the calculation of water and energy balances and also system performance indicators, such as real losses per pipe kilometer. In WISDom project, the developed applications allow the optimal location of pressure sensors, processing flow data, identifying critical areas of the distribution network and prioritizing pipes for rehabilitation interventions. These tools are useful to support water utility experts in the daily operation of the systems and are a step-forward towards digital transformation.N/