Avaliando a escrita do português L2: densidade de ideias e complexidade das frases

Abstract: Idea density and grammatical complexity were proposed as writing assessment parameters by Snowdon et al. (1996) and by Kemper et al. (2001) in the Nun Study (Snowdon 2001). The same parameters are used here to assess advanced Portuguese L2 writing in a learning context (C1/C2) in order to confirm them as valid assessment measures in a L2. Quality in writing is expected to translate into lexical precision and richness as well as sentence complexity. Results confirmed that reading has an influence on writing quality, insofar as the students who usually read are the ones who got the highest scores in both parameters. Results were nevertheless highly variable due to the heterogeneity of the group of participants. Both measures, idea density and grammatical complexity, were found to be correlated in two writing tasks, a synthesis and a writing prompt, which led to the conclusion that participants who write with lexical precision and richness also produce higher complexity sentences regardless of language and writing task variability.   Keywords: idea density; grammatical complexity; assessing writing; Portuguese L2.   Keywords: dyslexia; educational measurement; learning disabilities; validation study; psychometrics.Resumo: A densidade de ideias e a complexidade gramatical foram propostas como parâmetros de avaliação da escrita por Snowdon et al. (1996) e por Kemper et al. (2001) no Nun Study (Snowdon 2001). Os mesmos parâmetros são usados ​​aqui para avaliar a escrita de português avançado em L2 em contexto de aprendizagem (C1/C2), a fim de confirmá-los como medidas de avaliação válidas em uma L2. Espera-se que a qualidade na escrita se traduza em precisão e riqueza lexical, bem como em complexidade das frases. Os resultados confirmaram que a leitura tem influência na qualidade da escrita, na medida em que os alunos que costumam ler são os que obtiveram as maiores pontuações em ambos os parâmetros. Os resultados foram, no entanto, altamente variáveis ​​devido à heterogeneidade do grupo de participantes. Ambas as medidas, densidade de ideias e complexidade gramatical, foram correlacionadas em duas tarefas de escrita, uma síntese e uma escrita, o que levou à conclusão de que os participantes que escrevem com precisão e riqueza lexical também produzem sentenças de maior complexidade, independentemente da variabilidade da tarefa de linguagem e de escrita.   Palavras-chave: densidade de ideias; complexidade gramatical; avaliação da escrita; Português L2

Spatial Variability and Detection Levels for Chlorophyll-a Estimates in High Latitude Lakes Using Landsat Imagery

Monitoring lakes in high-latitude areas can provide a better understanding of freshwater systems sensitivity and accrete knowledge on climate change impacts. Phytoplankton are sensitive to various conditions: warmer temperatures, earlier ice-melt and changing nutrient sources. While satellite imagery can monitor phytoplankton biomass using chlorophyll a (Chl) as a proxy over large areas, detection of Chl in small lakes is hindered by the low spatial resolution of conventional ocean color satellites. The short time-series of the newest generation of space-borne sensors (e.g., Sentinel-2) is a bottleneck for assessing long-term trends. Although previous studies have evaluated the use of high-resolution sensors for assessing lakes’ Chl, it is still unclear how the spatial and temporal variability of Chl concentration affect the performance of satellite estimates. We discuss the suitability of Landsat (LT) 30 m resolution imagery to assess lakes’ Chl concentrations under varying trophic conditions, across extensive high-latitude areas in Finland. We use in situ data obtained from field campaigns in 19 lakes and generate remote sensing estimates of Chl, taking advantage of the long-time span of the LT-5 and LT-7 archives, from 1984 to 2017. Our results show that linear models based on LT data can explain approximately 50% of the Chl interannual variability. However, we demonstrate that the accuracy of the estimates is dependent on the lake’s trophic state, with models performing in average twice as better in lakes with higher Chl concentration (>20 µg/L) in comparison with less eutrophic lakes. Finally, we demonstrate that linear models based on LT data can achieve high accuracy (R2 = 0.9; p-value < 0.05) in determining lakes’ mean Chl concentration, allowing the mapping of the trophic state of lakes across large regions. Given the long time-series and high spatial resolution, LT-based estimates of Chl provide a tool for assessing the impacts of environmental change

Assessing L2 Portuguese writing: idea density and sentence complexity = Avaliando a escrita do português L2: densidade de ideias e complexidade das frases

densidade de ideias e a complexidade gramatical foram propostas como parâmetros de avaliação da escrita por Snowdon et al. (1996) e por Kemper et al. (2001) no Nun Study (Snowdon 2001). Os mesmos parâmetros são usados aqui para avaliar a escrita de português avançado em L2 em contexto de aprendizagem (C1/C2), a fim de confirmá-los como medidas de avaliação válidas em uma L2. Espera-se que a qualidade na escrita se traduza em precisão e riqueza lexical, bem como em complexidade das frases. Os resultados confirmaram que a leitura tem influência na qualidade da escrita, na medida em que os alunos que costumam ler são os que obtiveram as maiores pontuações em ambos os parâmetros. Os resultados foram, no entanto, altamente variáveis devido à heterogeneidade do grupo de participantes. Ambas as medidas, densidade de ideias e complexidade gramatical, foram correlacionadas em duas tarefas de escrita, uma síntese e uma escrita, o que levou à conclusão de que os participantes que escrevem com precisão e riqueza lexical também produzem sentenças de maior complexidade, independentemente da variabilidade da tarefa de linguagem e de escrita.Idea density and grammatical complexity were proposed as writing assessment parameters by Snowdon et al. (1996) and by Kemper et al. (2001) in the Nun Study (Snowdon 2001). The same parameters are used here to assess advanced Portuguese L2 writing in a learning context (C1/C2) in order to confirm them as valid assessment measures in a L2. Quality in writing is expected to translate into lexical precision and richness as well as sentence complexity. Results confirmed that reading has an influence on writing quality, insofar as the students who usually read are the ones who got the highest scores in both parameters. Results were nevertheless highly variable due to the heterogeneity of the group of participants. Both measures, idea density and grammatical complexity, were found to be correlated in two writing tasks, a synthesis and a writing prompt, which led to the conclusion that participants who write with lexical precision and richness also produce higher complexity sentences regardless of language and writing task variability

Simulação de atitude de um satélite de órbita baixa

Tese de mestrado em Engenharia Física, apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa, através da Faculdade de Ciências, 2012Este documento apresenta o resultado de investigações conduzidas no âmbito do projeto ODySSea, cujo trabalho serve de base a esta dissertação. No seu curso, desenvolveu-se, em MATLAB, o simulador SAPS, cujo principal objetivo é o estudo da dinâmica de atitude aplicado a satélites pequenos em órbitas baixas. A estrutura deste trabalho integra, portanto, duas partes distintas; a primeira, dizendo respeito ao movimento de translação de um satélite, e a segunda, relativa ao seu movimento rotacional. O simulador desenvolvido é eficiente na determinação e representação de forças ambientais, como magnética, aerodinâmica e gravítica, usando para tal modelos sofisticados. No caso do problema do controlo de atitude, usam-se, sobretudo, os torques gravítico e magnético. Após abordagem do problema no caso de um único satélite, simula-se, então, uma formação de satélites e é concretizado um estudo que analisa o problema específico de satélites com seguimento.This document presents studies done on the ODySSea project. The work done on this project is the basis for this master thesis. In its course, it was conceived, in MATLAB, the SAPS simulator, where the main objective is to study the attitude dynamics of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The structure of the project integrates two different parts: the first, concerning the orbital motion of the satellite, and the second, concerning its rotational motion. The simulator is efficient on the determination and representation of environmental forces such as magnetic, aerodynamic and gravitational, using sophisticated models for this purpose. Specially applied to the attitude control problem, gravitational and magnetic torques are used. Following this problem for one satellite, simulations for a formation of satellites and a study for the specific problem of trailing satellites are done

A changing Amazon rainforest: Historical trends and future projections under post-Paris climate scenarios

Despite the progress in sustainable development strategies, the role of the Amazon rainforest as a carbon sink faces increasing disturbances that may have a critical impact on global climate. Understanding the vulnerability of the Amazon rainforest to climate change is a major challenge, considering the complex interaction between human and natural systems. This paper aims, via an interdisciplinary approach, to assess the observed evolution and possible future of the Amazon rainforest, considering different global climate and socio-economic scenarios. By comparing historical with plausible future developments, we present key knowledge to inform mitigation and regional adaptation policy considerations. As an entry point, historical trends of annual mean temperature and precipitation were analysed. In a second step, the same assessment was made for the mean annual NDVI sum (a proxy of yearly plant productivity), representing vegetation strength. For these purposes, a 34-year period (1982–2015) was considered. Trends were analysed based on non-parametric Mann-Kendall and Sen's methods. With this representation of the past, the next step focused on future scenarios. The most plausible global emission pathways were evaluated via the comparison of ten assessments of the possible effects of the mitigation action plans of national governments, as stated in the National Determined Contributions (NDCs). Results indicate a strong consensus that if either current policies, unconditional or conditional NDCs are fulfilled, the limit of global warming by “well below 2 °C” will be exceeded. In this context, climate projections for the Amazon suggest, among other results, an increase in the range of 1.3 °C (lower limit under SSP1-2.6) to 6.5 °C (upper limit under SSP5-8.5). Unlike temperature, positive and negative anomalies are expected for precipitation depending on location. Despite the uncertainty regarding the projections, possible changes such as forest diebacks and savannization may take place, namely in southeastern Amazon, by the end of the century. Overall, this study highlights the importance of carefully considering the combination of different factors, such as deforestation, to guarantee rainforest resilience under climate-driven changes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

New study on the 1941 Gloria Fault earthquake and tsunami

The M similar to 8.3-8.4 25 November 1941 was one of the largest submarine strike-slip earthquakes ever recorded in the Northeast (NE) Atlantic basin. This event occurred along the Eurasia-Nubia plate boundary between the Azores and the Strait of Gibraltar. After the earthquake, the tide stations in the NE Atlantic recorded a small tsunami with maximum amplitudes of 40 cm peak to through in the Azores and Madeira islands. In this study, we present a re-evaluation of the earthquake epicentre location using seismological data not included in previous studies. We invert the tsunami travel times to obtain a preliminary tsunami source location using the backward ray tracing (BRT) technique. We invert the tsunami waveforms to infer the initial sea surface displacement using empirical Green's functions, without prior assumptions about the geometry of the source. The results of the BRT simulation locate the tsunami source quite close to the new epicentre. This fact suggests that the co-seismic deformation of the earthquake induced the tsunami. The waveform inversion of tsunami data favours the conclusion that the earthquake ruptured an approximately 160 km segment of the plate boundary, in the eastern section of the Gloria Fault between -20.249 and -18.630 degrees E. The results presented here contribute to the evaluation of tsunami hazard in the Northeast Atlantic basin

Reproductive notes and larval development of Macrogenioglottus alipioi (Anura: Odontophrynidae) from the northern Atlantic forest

Macrogenioglottus alipioi é uma espécie rara, alocada em um gênero monotípico, habitante da serapilheira de florestas da região Neotropical, com ampla distribuição no leste do Brasil. Apresentamos alguns dados reprodutivos dessa espécie, a partir de uma população encontrada ao norte do rio São Francisco, no nordeste brasileiro. Incluímos informações a respeito do amplexo, desova, cantos de anúncio e de soltura, em conjunto com a descrição do seu desenvolvimento larval. Indivíduos adultos foram observados apenas após chuvas fortes e contínuas, em poça temporária no interior da mata. Machos cantam em coro na margem da poça. O canto de anúncio consiste em uma única nota pulsátil sem diferenças significativas das demais populações da espécie, mas que prontamente difere Macrogenioglottus dos demais Odontophrynidae. O amplexo é do tipo axilar. Uma fêmea depositou 298 ovos pigmentados em um saco plástico. O girino adquire o seu maior tamanho do estágio 39, sendo o maior girino dentre aqueles das demais espécies na família. No final da metamorfose o comprimento rostro–cloacal juvenil é equivalente ao comprimento total do girino em estágio 26–27, indicando um crescimento posmetamórfico substancial até atingir a idade adulta. Também fornecemos dados dos tamanhos dos machos e fêmeas. A peculiaridade de alguns caracteres larvais e, principalmente, de alguns atributos do canto, corrobora a distinção sistemática de Macrogenioglottus.The neotropical monotypic genus Macrogenioglottus, described to enclose M. alipioi, is a forest leaf litter frog with a wide geographic distribution in eastern Brazil, despite being considered a rare species. Herein, we present some reproductive data of this species from a population of the north of the São Francisco River, Northeastern Brazil. We present information on the amplexus, egg clutch, advertisement, and release calls, along with a description of its larval development. Adults were observed only after heavy and continuous rains, in a temporary pond located inside the forest. Males call in chorus at the edge of the pond. The advertisement call consists of a pulsatile single note, with no substantial variation in relation to the other population of the species, but which promptly differs this genus from the remaining Odontophrynidae. The amplexus is axillary. One female deposited 298 pigmented eggs in a plastic bag. The tadpole reaches its larger size at Stage 39, being the largest tadpole within the family. At the end of metamorphosis, the froglet snout–vent length is equivalent to tadpole total length at stage 26–27, indicating substantial postmetamorphic growth until adulthood. Data on body size of males and females are also provided. The uniqueness of some larval traits and mainly on some call attributes supports the systematic distinction of Macrogenioglottus

Description of the Tadpole of Proceratophrys renalis (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1920) (Anura: Cycloramphidae)

The tadpole of Proceratophrys renalis is described based on specimens from Maceió, State of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. At stage 35 the body is slightly dorso-ventrally depressed, ovoid in lateral, dorsal, and ventral views. Oral disc is ventral with lateral emarginations, surrounded by a single row of marginal papillae with a large gap on the upper labium. Labial tooth row formula is 2(2)/3(1). The analysis of internal oral anatomy revealed two possible characters that readily distinguish P. renalis from P. boiei, supporting the recent ressurection of P. renalis. Comparisons with available descriptions of the larvae for other species in the genus are provided