Fractional Order Processing of Satellite Images

Nowadays, satellite images are used in many applications, and their automatic processing is vital. Conventional integer grey-scale edge detection algorithms are often used for this. This study shows that the use of color-based, fractional order edge detection may enhance the results obtained using conventional techniques in satellite images. It also shows that it is possible to find a fixed set of parameters, allowing automatic detection while maintaining high performance

Fractional order color image processing

Many image processing algorithms make use of derivatives. In such cases, fractional derivatives allow an extra degree of freedom, which can be used to obtain better results in applications such as edge detection. Published literature concentrates on grey-scale images; in this paper, algorithms of six fractional detectors for colour images are implemented, and their performance is illustrated. The algorithms are: Canny, Sobel, Roberts, Laplacian of Gaussian, CRONE, and fractional derivative

Avaliação de desempenho de protocolos de gestão

Mestrado em Engenharia Electrónica e TelecomunicaçõesUma rede de computadores actual pode ser formada por milhares de equipamentos que apresentam características distintas e estão distanciados, quer entre si, quer em relação à entidade responsável por gerir a rede. Ao longo dos anos têm surgido soluções de gestão distintas, visando responder às necessidades impostas por este processo evolutivo e também pelo constante aumento dos requisitos computacionais. Perante estes factos é necessário fazer um balanço entre as vantagens e desvantagens desta evolução e assim poder escolher a solução que melhor responda aos desafios. ABSTRACT: A computer network can now be formed by thousands of equipments with different characteristics usually scattered in a vast geographic area. Over the years they have been proposed different management solutions, aimed to meet the needs imposed by the evolutionary process and also by the constant increase in computational requirements. In this context it is necessary to make a balance between the advantages and disadvantages of these developments and thus to be able to choose the solution that best meets the challenges

Point of care prehospital ultrasound in Basic Emergency Services in Portugal

Background and Aims: The Point of Care Ultrasound and Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in Resource‐Limited Settings are differentiated diagnostic methods using ultrasound, essential in urgent patients screening, allowing better guidance in the diagnostic process and therapeutic approach. This study intends to observe the impact of these techniques in two Basic Emergency Services (SUB) in Portugal. Methods: A longitudinal study was carried out in two remote locations in Portugal (SUB N and SUB S). Data were collected by trained radiographers in each location, and a total of 972 exams were considered. Imaging findings were documented by exam type, the exam normality and the resolution after exam. χ 2 and Cramer's V tests were performed to check significant correlations between the variables. Results: Regarding the type of echographic findings, 289 (29.7%) were considered normal, 628 (64.6%) were classified as abnormal and 55 (5.7%) were considered inconclusive. As for the type of resolution, 58% had local resolution, 24% were referred to a hospital emergency service and 18% referred to ambulatory care. Regarding the Location versus Resolution after exam versus Findings variables, it was verified a stronger statistically significant association for the exams considered “Abnormal” (Cramer´s V = 0.414; p < 0.001). In the variables Location versus Findings versus Resolution after exam, it was verified a stronger statistical significance for “Referral to Ambulatory” (Cramer V = 0.443; p < 0.001) although Referral for Hospital (Cramer V = 0.252; p = 0.003) or Local Resolution (Cramer V = 0.252; p < 0.001) also had a moderate association strength. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is a useful diagnostic tool for patients screening, having an influence on patient management in remote settings. Given the limited literature in Portugal about this matter, further research and literature will be needed to support and complement the results of this study.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sebastião Sanhudo : imprensa, humor, caricatura e o Porto da segunda metade do século XIX à primeira metade do século XX

Este trabalho de investigação tem como desiderato promover o conhecimento da pessoa de Sebastião Sampaio de Sousa Sanhudo e da sua heterogénea obra. Partimos do geral para o particular, por forma a enquadrar melhor a sua vida e a sua vasta produção. Elaboramos um primeiro capítulo onde tratamos de fazer a história da imprensa, com especial incidência sobre os séculos XVIII, XIX e XX. Aí damos conta dos múltiplos progressos, ou recuos, gerados ao longo do tempo, desta arte, pois que ela é o suporte material, sobre o qual se plasmam as edições no geral e no particular – aqui no atinente às publicações humorísticas ilustradas, bem como aos aperiódicos de carácter solidário e humanístico nas quais o autor interveio. O segundo capítulo verte um vasto estudo sobre toda a história do humor no geral e da caricatura no particular. Procuramos enquadrar as artes do humor não só no que ao periodismo de humor ilustrado concerne, mas fazemo-lo inserindo-as num plano mais alargado, cotejando com todas as áreas onde o humor se explanou, ao longo do tempo, para que se compreenda, cabalmente, a sua posição e relevância respectiva. O terceiro capítulo diligencia um olhar historiado sobre a cidade Invicta – através das transformações sociais, comerciais, económicas, culturais, higieno-sanitárias, histórico-sociológicas, nas novidades geradas pelo progresso material, urbanísticas, na vivência hodierna das gentes e instituições portuenses –, naquilo, do muito, que a cidade tinha, e talvez ainda conserve, como único ou muito genuíno. Incluímos aquele que ponderamos ser o mais actual levantamento, sistematização e estudo sobre os cafés históricos do Porto, em todas as suas vertentes, dada a sua vasta relevância social. O capítulo derradeiro elabora um exame sobre a vida e a obra de Sebastião Sanhudo. Percorremos a sua vida, a sua formação académica e a sua actividade como industrial litógrafo, atestando da relevância e singularidade, quer da sua indústria, quer daquele que foi um dos mais lídimos retratistas e litógrafos. Escrutinamos toda a vasta, e heteróclita, produção artística daquele que possuiu um dos mais longevos periódicos humorísticos ilustrados, analisando cada uma das suas produções, revelando da sua capital importância, e destaque, no panorama do humor ilustrado e da caricatura.This research has the desideratum to promote an insight into Sebastião Sampaio de Sousa Sanhudo and its heterogeneous work as a caricaturist, lithographer and publisher. To achieve that we started from the general to the particular, in order to better portrait his life and his vast production. In the first chapter we synthesize a history of the press, focusing on the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. We registered this art’s multiple advances, or setbacks, generated over time, for this is the medium used to shape general or specific issues – in particular with regard to humorous illustrated publications and aperiodic titles of solidarity and humanistic character in which the author intervened. The second chapter sheds a comprehensive study on the entire history of humor in general and caricature in particular. We seek to portrait the art of humor in illustrated humor journalism by inserting it into a broader plan, comparing it with all the areas where humor was spread, over time, in order to fully understand its position and relevance. The third chapter presents an historical insight of the city of Porto – through its social, commercial, economic, cultural, health and hygiene, historical and sociological changes, the urban novelties and those generated by material progress, and the coeval experience of its people and the city’s institutions –, revealing a great part of what constituted the city, perhaps still preserved till nowadays as unique or very genuine. In this chapter we also include what could be considered as the most updated research, systematization and study of the historic cafés of Porto, in all its aspects, given their vast social relevance. The last chapter elaborates a survey on the life and works of Sebastião Sanhudo. We follow his life, education and activity as an industrial lithographer, attesting the relevance and uniqueness of his craftsmanship. He was indeed one of the most authentic portraitists and lithographers of his time. We also scrutinize all the vast, and ill-assorted, artistic production of the man that edited one of the very few longest-lived humorous illustrated periodicals, analyzing each of its productions, revealing its capital importance and prominence in the panorama of illustrated humor and caricature in Portugal

Architecture proposal for deploying and integrating intelligent models in ABI

The integration of Adaptive Business Intelligence systems in healthcare has garnered significant attention due to their potential to manage the ever-growing volume of healthcare data and enhance the quality of care provided to society. ABI systems also play a crucial role in supporting hospital administrators in making strategic decisions. To facilitate the transparency and interoperability of these solutions, the scientific community has embarked on various studies to develop technologic architectures capable of meeting the complex requirements of healthcare settings. One of the key challenges in adopting this technology is the creation and integration of prediction and optimization models in an automated and semi-autonomous manner. This article presents a novel and robust microservices architecture designed to streamline the deployment of intelligent models and seamlessly integrate them within the ABI system. This paper begins by introducing the problem of deploying and integrating intelligent models into ABI systems, providing essential context on ABI systems within the healthcare domain. Subsequently, it details the proposed architecture, outlining its technical approaches and highlighting the advantages it brings to the healthcare ecosystem. Finally, the paper concludes by summarizing the contributions and future directions for research in this critical area, emphasizing the potential impact of this architecture on improving healthcare intelligence systems.This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, within the Project Scope: UIDB/00319/202

Aluminum recovery from water treatment sludges

Aluminum sulfate and polyaluminum chloride are widely used as coagulants in water treatment plants. A chemical sludge containing aluminium hydroxide, adsorbed organic matter and other water insoluble impurities is obtained after the flocculation-clarification process. In Portugal, an estimated amount of 66 000 ton/yr. (wet wt.) water treatment sludge is being disposed of on land or at municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills. Government restrictions to this practice as well as increasing deposition costs and the potential harmful impacts proceeding from the high aluminium content of the sludge have been leading to significant research efforts in order to evaluate different treatment alternatives, namely involving aluminium recovery and subsequent reuse. Despite membrane-based separation and liquid ion ex-change processes have been studied for that purpose, the traditional acidic and alkaline extraction methods may be still explored to obtain a product susceptible of use as coagulant for industrial waste-water treatment purposes. Centrifuged chemical sludge from a water treatment plant using polyaluminium chloride as coagulant was characterised in terms of humidity, volatile matter, Al, Fe, Mn, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Ni and Zn. The dry sludge organic content is about 29% and the major elements determined are aluminium (~ 12.6%), iron (~ 2%) and manganese (~ 0.14%). The aluminium recovery was investigated both by acidic and alkaline leaching processes. Concentrated H2SO4 was selected as the acidic leaching medium and the process efficiency was evaluated at different operating conditions. The ratio dry sludge/sulphuric acid solution was varied between 0.5 and 2%, the pH ranged from 1.0 to 4.5, different stirring and settling times were established and the aluminium, iron and manganese dissolution was assessed. A similar study was performed at pH values between 10.0 and 13.6 using 2N/10N NaOH as the extracting solution and operating conditions as those of the acid extraction procedure. Whereas maximum alu-minium recovery using H2SO4 was about 61% at pH=1.0, the alkaline extraction led to aluminium recoveries of about 71% at pH = 13.6 (2% dry sludge in suspension, 90 min stirring time and 45 min settling time). Decreasing the sludge dosage to 0.5%, aluminium extraction increased to 87.4% at pH=13. As expected, acid extraction led to a higher Fe (18.2%) and Mn (42.1%) dissolution as com-pared with alkaline extraction at pH=13.6 (Fe=2.1% and Mn=3.2%)

Discrepancies between Screening Sonography and Ultrasound in Emergency Department - A case report

Introduction: This case report presents a discrepancy in sonographic findings between a screening sonography performed by a Sonographer in the Basic Emergency Service (BES) and a subsequent ultrasound performed by a Radiologist physician in a Referral Hospital (RH). The aim of this report is to discuss the possible reasons for the discrepancy and its implications for patient care. Case Presentation: A patient with a history of epigastric pain and vomiting underwent screening sonography in a BES, which suggested Intrahepatic Biliary Dilatation Duct (IHBD) and main pancreatic duct dilatation. The patient was subsequently referred to the RH for further evaluation. However, the Radiologist in the RH did not confirm any of the initial suspicions from BES through a normal ultrasound procedure. The discrepancy raises questions regarding the quality of the screening ultrasound, misinterpretation of the BES images, or the potential for ambiguity in the point of care ultrasound (POCUS) exam. Conclusion: The differences in sonographic findings between BES and RH, in this case, suggest that the improvement of the patient's clinical condition and therapeutic interventions may have contributed to the discrepancy. Further investigation and standardization of POCUS training and interpretation may improve diagnostic accuracy and patient outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Species Diversity and Endemicity in the Angolan Leguminosae Flora

Angola has a great diversity of species and ecosystems and a high level of endemism. However, knowledge of the native flora remains very incomplete and outdated. Leguminosae is the largest family in the country, including many species which are of local or more regional economic importance. Based on an extensive review of bibliographic sources, natural history collections, and online databases, the checklist of Angolan Leguminosae plants was updated, including data on their native distribution, conservation status, and principal uses. The endemic taxa were the subject of additional investigation, including the main habitat, the number of collections preserved in herbaria, and the locality of the first collection. We identified 953 Leguminosae taxa occurring in Angola, of which 165 are endemic to the country. Among the 180 genera found, Crotalaria (136) and Indigofera (96) have the highest number of taxa. Almost half of the studied species have important applications, mainly in traditional medicine (385), forage (267), timber (188), and food (120). Nevertheless, only 27.7% have been assessed according to the IUCN Red List and 10 species are classified as threatened. Thirty-three endemics are known only from the type specimen, revealing the lack of knowledge on these species and the need for further field research. More than 30 type specimens were collected in the Serra da Chela, which highlights the importance of this region for biodiversity conservation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A New Perylene Salt: Diperylenium(1+) Bis[quinoxaline-2,3-dithiolato(2 -)-S,S']cuprate(III)

A new perylene salt, (C20H12)2[Cu(C8H4N2S2)2],(per)2[Cu(qdt)2], has been prepared by electrocystallization and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure consists of tetramerized stacks of perylene species along the c axis, with three crystallographically independent interplanar distances, 3.50(1), 3.42(1) and 3.55(1)A. These tetramers are flanked by a centrosymmetrically related pair of [Cu(qdt)2]- anions