Improvement of surface water quality variables modelling that incorporates a hydro-meteorological factor: a state-space approach

In this work it is constructed a hydro-meteorological factor to improve the adjustment of statistical time series models, such as state space models, of water quality variables by observing hydrological series (recorded in time and space) in a River basin. The hydro-meteorological factor is incorporated as a covariate in multivariate state space models fitted to homogeneous groups of monitoring sites. Additionally, in the modelling process it is considered a latent variable that allows incorporating a structural component, such as seasonality, in a dynamic way

Application of Change-Point Detection to a Structural Component of Water Quality Variables

In this study, methodologies were developed in statistical time series models, such as multivariate state-space models, to be applied to water quality variables in a river basin. In the modelling process it is considered a latent variable that allows incorporating a structural component, such as seasonality, in a dynamic way and a change-point detection method is applied to the structural component in order to identify possible changes in the water quality variables in consideration

Using udometric network data to estimate an environmental covariate

Manyhydrologicalandecologicalstudiesrecognizetheimportanceofcharacterizingthetemporalandspatialvari- ability of precipitation. In this study, geostatistical methodologies were developed in order to estimate a hydro-meteorological factor by (re)building the space-time distribution of the precipitation associated to monthly averages in a certain hydrological river basin that will be used in the modelling of surface water quality. A hydro-meteorological factor is constructed for each water quality monitoring site (WQMS), based on the analysis of the space-time behaviour of the precipitation observed in an udometric network located in a Portuguese river basin

Rural-Urban Economic Disparities among China’s Elderly

Some of the most controversial effects of China's post-1978 economic reforms have been on regional income disparities and on the divide between urban and rural development. How important are those income disparities? And how do they affect the elderly, who are perhaps the most vulnerable to the changes brought by China’s transition? What is the government’s role in providing income support? This paper examines the rural-urban disparities in income, expenditures, and government support among the elderly in China. We test for significant differences in levels and sources of income and in types of expenditures using a nationwide survey on rural and urban elderly conducted by China’s Elderly Scientific Research Center in 1992. This survey consists of two separate sets of responses, one for urban areas (9,889 respondents) and the other for rural areas (10,194 respondents), and provides demographic, socioeconomic, and health characteristics of the elderly. In addition, we propose to investigate the type and level of government income support programs at the local and state level. The findings are evaluated and policy implications discussed in the context of China’s transition to a market economy and choice of development strategies.

"Stalking" : prevalência junto de profissionais de saúde mental

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia (área de especialização em Psicologia da Justiça)O stalking é uma modalidade de vitimação relativa à experiência de alguém que é alvo, por parte de outra pessoa, de comportamentos de perseguição, intimidação, ameaça e/ou contactos e comunicações indesejadas, de forma continuada e persistente. O presente estudo tem como objetivos averiguar a prevalência da vitimação por stalking no contexto de uma relação profissional de apoio, especificamente, em profissionais com formação em Psicologia Clínica e Psicologia Forense/Justiça. Concomitantemente pretende recolher informação quanto à caracterização das dinâmicas da referida experiência de vitimação, ao nível dos comportamentos sofridos, duração e frequência dos mesmos e contexto profissional de ocorrência, bem como captar o perfil dos intervenientes e estratégias de coping usadas pelas vítimas. Por fim, procura identificar fatores sociodemográficos e profissionais associados à experiência de vitimação por stalking nesse contexto. Para tal, foi utilizado o IVS – Versão para profissionais de saúde mental (S. Costa & M. Matos, 2011) numa amostra de 129 participantes. Os resultados apontam que 9.3% dos profissionais já experienciaram comportamentos de stalking em algum momento da sua prática profissional, perpetrado por alguém que o profissional acompanhou/atendeu/avaliou (72.8%) ou por algum conhecido/familiar deste (27.3%). No entanto, verificou-se que a maioria dos participantes no momento do presente estudo não estava a vivenciar estes comportamentos abusivos. No que concerne ao perfil da vítima, estes eram sobretudo do sexo feminino, com uma idade média de 30 anos, e a maioria com uma média de 8 anos de experiência profissional, exercendo funções num contexto clínico do setor público nos distritos de Braga e Porto. Relativamente ao stalker apurou-se uma maior prevalência de clientes/avaliados do sexo masculino, solteiros ou separados/divorciados. De acordo com os profissionais vitimizados, estes foram movidos pelo desejo da obtenção de uma relação de intimidade com o profissional. Em 50% dos casos foi reportada a existência de psicopatologia nestes sujeitos. Foi também verificado uma perpetuação da conduta entre 1 e 6 meses e em média 2 a 3 comportamentos foram experienciados. Na maioria das situações, o stalking ocorreu durante o processo terapêutico/avaliativo patrocinando malestar essencialmente na saúde psicológica das vítimas, sendo que a maioria revelou sentir-se um pouco assustada com esta campanha de assédio persistente (75%). Em 58.3% dos casos a vítima recorreu a estratégia de negociação e em todos os cenários a rede de apoio informal foi acionada. Tendo em conta a importância das estratégias de prevenção para evitar cenários de stalking, reforçou-se a indicação de medidas a adotar pelos profissionais de saúde mental neste contexto.Stalking is a kind of victimization relative to someone's experience of being subject to stalking behaviors, intimidation, threats and/or undesired contact/communication by somebody else, in a continued and persistent fashion. This study aims to determine the prevalence of victimization due to stalking in the context of a professional support relationship, involving professionals with training in the areas of Clinical Psychology and Forensic/Justice Psychology. At the same time, it aims to gather information concerning the characterization of the dynamics of such victimization experiences at the level of the behaviors endured, their duration and frequency, and the professional context in which they occur, as well as to capture the profile of they key players and coping strategies employed by victims. Finally, it attempts to identify sociodemographic and occupational factors associated with the experience of victimization due to stalking in such a context. To that end, the IVS - Version for mental health professionals (S. Costa & M. Matos, 2011) was used in a sample of 129 participants. Results show that 9.3% of professionals have already experienced stalking behaviors at some point in their practice, perpetrated by someone he/she followed/evaluated (72,8%) or one of their acquaintances/family members (27,3%). However, most of the subjects were not still going through such abusive behaviors at the present time. Concerning the victim's profile, most were females with an average age of 30 years, an average of 8 years of professional experience, and exerted functions in a clinical context employed in the public sector in the districts of Braga and Porto. Regarding the stalker, most cases proved to be male clients/evaluated subjects, either single or separated/divorced. According to the victimized mental health professionals, the stalkers were motivated by the desire to obtain an intimate relationship with the professional. Stalker psychopathology was confirmed in 50% of the cases. A perpetuation of 1 to 6 months has also been reported, and an average of 2 to 3 occurrences were experienced. In most situations, stalking took place during the therapeutic/evaluative process leading to psychological malaise of the victims, most of them admitting to being a bit scared with this persistent campaign (75%). In 58,3% of cases the victim resorted to negotiation strategies and in every situation the informal support network was put to action. Keeping in mind the importance of prevention strategies to avoid stalking scenarios, the indication of measures to be adopted by mental health professionals in this context was emphasized.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) e da CIG - Comissão para a Cidadania e Igualdade de Género - Projeto “Stalking em Portugal: prevalência, impacto e intervenção” (PIHM/VG/0090/2008)FEDER através do Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade – COMPET

Calculation of the variance in surveys of the economic climate

Public opinion surveys have become progressively incorporated into systems of official statistics. Surveys of the economic climate are usually qualitative because they collect opinions of businesspeople and/or experts about the long-term indicators described by a number of variables. In such cases the responses are expressed in ordinal numbers, that is, the respondents verbally report, for example, whether during a given trimester the sales or the new orders have increased, decreased or remained the same as in the previous trimester. These data allow to calculate the percent of respondents in the total population (results are extrapolated), who select every one of the three options. Data are often presented in the form of an index calculated as the difference between the percent of those who claim that a given variable has improved in value and of those who claim that it has deteriorated. As in any survey conducted on a sample the question of the measurement of the sample error of the results has to be addressed, since the error influences both the reliability of the results and the calculation of the sample size adequate for a desired confidence interval. The results presented here are based on data from the Survey of the Business Climate (Encuesta de Clima Empresarial) developed through the collaboration of the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya) with the Chambers of Commerce (Cámaras de Comercio) of Sabadell and Terrassa.Economic climate, variances, sampling methods.

A state-space and clustering approach for analysing the water quality in a river basin

The aim of this contribution is to apply the state-space models to identify homogeneous groups of water quality monitoring sites based on compar- ison of temporal dynamics of the concentration of pollutants in the surface water of a river basin. This comparison is performed using the Kullback information, adapting the approach used in Bengtsson and Cavanaugh (2007). The purpose of our study is to identify spatial and temporal patterns

Calculation of the variance in surveys of the economic climate.

Public opinion surveys have become progressively incorporated into systems of official statistics. Surveys of the economic climate are usually qualitative because they collect opinions of businesspeople and/or experts about the long-term indicators described by a number of variables. In such cases the responses are expressed in ordinal numbers, that is, the respondents verbally report, for example, whether during a given trimester the sales or the new orders have increased, decreased or remained the same as in the previous trimester. These data allow to calculate the percent of respondents in the total population (results are extrapolated), who select every one of the three options. Data are often presented in the form of an index calculated as the difference between the percent of those who claim that a given variable has improved in value and of those who claim that it has deteriorated. As in any survey conducted on a sample the question of the measurement of the sample error of the results has to be addressed, since the error influences both the reliability of the results and the calculation of the sample size adequate for a desired confidence interval. The results presented here are based on data from the Survey of the Business Climate (Encuesta de Clima Empresarial) developed through the collaboration of the Statistical Institute of Catalonia (Institut d’Estadística de Catalunya) with the Chambers of Commerce (Cámaras de Comercio) of Sabadell and Terrassa.Economic climate, variances, sampling methods.

Comparação da análise cinemática do teste de Thomas Tradicional versus uma versão portuguesa do teste de Thomas

Projeto de Graduação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Licenciada em FisioterapiaIntrodução: A amplitude de movimento de uma articulação permite avaliar a flexibilidade muscular. A flexibilidade muscular normal é essencial para um correto posicionamento articular diminuindo o risco de lesões. O teste de Thomas é utilizado na prática clinica para verificar a flexibilidade dos extensores da anca. A frequência das patologias da articulação do joelho têm aumentado como consequência do aumento da idade da população ativa. O presente estudo, procura comparar uma nova proposta (portuguesa) de execução do teste Thomas, modificando a pega ao nível do joelho, com o teste Thomas original. Metodologia: Comparação da análise cinemática do teste de Thomas tradicional e da versão portuguesa do teste de Thomas numa amostra de 9 indivíduos saudáveis (3 sexo feminino e 6 sexo masculino). Resultados: Não se encontraram diferenças estatisticamente significativas na comparação da análise cinemática de ambos os testes. Conclusão: A versão portuguesa do teste de Thomas não parece ser se cinematicamente diferente quando comparado com a versão original do teste.Background: The joint range of motion of a joint allows the assessment of muscular flexibility. A normal muscle flexibility is essential for a correct articular positioning and to decrease the risk of injuries. The Thomas´ test is used in the clinical practice to verify flexibility on the hip extensors. The frequency of knee joint pathologies have increased as a consequence of the increase age of the active population. This studies aims to compare a new proposal (portuguese) of execution of the Thomas´s test, modifying the handle at the knee level with the original Thomas´s test. Methods: Comparison of the kinematic analysis of the original test with the new adaptation in a sample of 9 healthy individuals (3 females, and 6 males). Results: The results didn´t show significant differences in the comparison of the kinematic analysis of both tests. Conclusion: The use of the new test in alternative to the original Thomas test in the clinical practice that can be used without having discrepancies in the results.N/

Combining Statistical Methodologies in Water Quality Monitoring in a Hydrological Basin - Space and Time Approaches

In this work are discussed some statistical approaches that combine multivariate statistical techniques and time series analysis in order to describe and model spatial patterns and temporal evolution by observing hydrological series of water quality variables recorded in time and space. These approaches are illustrated with a data set collected in the River Ave hydrological basin located in the Northwest region of Portugal