Elaboration of Geotechnical Thematic Maps in Urban Areas

In urban areas it is difficult to access natural terrain due to strong human intervention. Therefore, any exposure of the natural terrain is considered an important source of geological and geotechnical data collection. The Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has been responsible to provide great development in geotechnical cartography, particularly in urban environment, using geographic databases and new analysis tools. Our goal is to create a geographical database that will allow and/or improve the elaboration of geotechnical thematic maps, using cartographic data of open platforms combined with free and open source GIS software. In the presented study our focus was related with the identification of the granite alteration degree...Through the geographical database, along with the geological map of the study area, the areas related to the degree of granite alteration were identified and delimited. The data were collected through  “Street  View”  which results from the integration of a specific module in the GIS software (QGIS). The obtained data were validated by direct observation and were photographically recorded. This approach proved to be an effective method, with no significant differences when compared with direct observations. The methods’ limitations are the quality of some “Street View” images, and the existent subjectivity related to the observer in the identification of the degree of alteration of the rocky massif. Its advantage is to reduce the data collection’s time and the possibility of comparing the same place at different time points

Integration of Flight Simulator 2002 with an epidemic multicast protocol

Multi-player games are increasingly popular in the Internet. This growing interest results in the need to support a high number of participants, which raises the issue of scalability, namely in what regards the ability to offer good performance in such a large-scale setting. This paper addresses the issue of designing middleware solutions to support large-scale multi-player applications. In particular, we are interested in studying the feasibility of using epidemic multicast protocols for information dissemination in multi-player games based on a peer-to-peer architecture. We have integrated a comercial multiplayer game, the Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, with an epidemic multicast protocol appropriate to this kind of applications, the NEEM. The paper describes how this integration was achieved and presents evaluation results of the resulting prototype

Synthesis and reactivity of a 1,4-dihydropyrazine derivative

N,N-Bis-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-2,5-bis-methoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydropyrazine can be obtained in high yield by treatment of the methyl ester of N-(4-toluenesulfonyl)-N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-alpha,beta-didehydroalanine with dimethylaminopyridine and potassium carbonate. This compound was used as substrate in Michael addition reactions with several types of nucleophiles. The electrochemical behaviour of this pyrazine derivative was also studied by cyclic voltammetry and by controlled potential electrolysis.We wish to thank the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia for financial support (project no. POCTI/1999/QUI/32689)

Characterization of the peripheral vascular function by a hemodynamical response to a passive postural change in the lower limb

Revista Lusófona de Ciências e Tecnologias da SaúdeO estudo da função vascular periférica tem beneficiado do desenvolvimento de diversas técnicas e metodologias de avaliação o as quais permitem caracterizar a função com um mínimo de invasibilidade. O estudo do significado de diversas variáveis transcutâneas tem ajudado a melhor compreender as complexas relações que regem a perfusão dos tecidos in vivo. No presente estudo procurámos avaliar o perfil de resposta de um grupo de indivíduos saudáveis jovens de ambos os sexos (n=23, 22,4 ± 2,2 anos), a uma manobra dinâmica (provocação) envolvendo a variação postural passiva do membro inferior (A: elevação da perna e B: decúbito dorsal) de modo a caracterizar a função vascular periférica por meio de variáveis transcutâneas (tc). A perfusão local medida por Fluxometria de Laser Doppler (LDF) , a Perda Trans-epidérmica de água (PTEA) as pressões parciais de oxigénio e dióxido de carbono transcutâneos e a oximetria de pulso foram escolhidas e, um intervalo de confiança de 95% adoptado. LDF, PTEA e tcpO 2 são, manifestamente, as variáveis que melhor permitem seguir o processo em cada fase experimental. Em A foram registadas, durante a provocação, diferenças significativas na perfusão sanguínea e na pressão transcutânea de oxigénio e PTEA, especialmente nas mulheres, enquanto que o perfil de resposta obtido em B foi idêntico em ambos os grupos e comparável B hiperémia reactiva. Qualquer dos protocolos permitiu evidenciar uma relação inversamente recíproca entre a PTEA e o LD. Os resultados obtidos confirmam a utilidade destas metodologias na avaliação da função vascular periférica, confirmando as relações entre PTEA e LDF as quais devem ser adequadamente aprofundadas.The study of the peripheral vascular function benefits from the development of several evaluation techniques and methodologies which allow for the characterization of the function without invasion of the tissue. The study of the meaning of several transcutaneous variables has helped to understand the complex relationships that rule the perfusion of the tissues in vivo. In the present study, we attempted to evaluate the profile of response of a group of healthy young individuals from both genders (n=23, 22,4 ± 2,2 years), to a dynamic maneuver (provocation) involving the postural passive change of the inferior member (A: elevation of the leg and B: dorsal decubitus), to perform the characterization of the peripheral vascular function through transcutaneous variables (tc). The local perfusion, measured by Laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF), the Trans Epidermal Water Loss (TEWL), the transcutaneous partial pressures of oxygen and carbon and the pulse oximetry were chosen and a confidence interval of 95% was adopted. LDF, TEWL and tcpO2 are, clearly, the variables that allow for a better follow up of the process in each experimental phase. In A, during the provocation, significant differences in the blood perfusion and in the oxygen transcutaneous pressure and TEWL were registered, especially in women. The profile response obtained in B was identical in both groups and comparable to the reactive hyperemia. Any of the protocols allowed to evidence an inversely reciprocal relationship between TEWL and LDF. The obtained results confirm the usefulness of these methodologies in the evaluation of the peripheral vascular function, confirming the relationships between TEWL and LDF, which should be appropriately studied

Developments of serious games in education

As Human Computer Interaction technologies evolve, they are supporting the generation of innovative solutions in a broad range of domains. Among them, Serious Games are defined as new type of computer game that is capable of stimulating users to learn, by playing and competing against themselves, against other users or against a computer application. While it could be applied to a broad range of fields and ages, these games are becoming especially relevant in educational contexts and for the most recent generation of students that is growing in a new technological environment, very different from the one we had some years ago. However, in order to become fully accepted as a teaching/learning tool in both formal and informal contexts, this technology has still to overcome several challenges. Given these considerations, this chapter makes a state-of-the-art review of several works that were done in this field, followed by the description of two real world projects, helping to understand the applicability of this technology, but also its inherent challenges.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

SheepIT, an E-Shepherd System for Weed Control in Vineyards: Experimental Results and Lessons Learned

Weed control in vineyards demands regular interventions that currently consist of the use of machinery, such as plows and brush-cutters, and the application of herbicides. These methods have several drawbacks, including cost, chemical pollution, and the emission of greenhouse gases. The use of animals to weed vineyards, usually ovines, is an ancestral, environmentally friendly, and sustainable practice that was abandoned because of the scarcity and cost of shepherds, which were essential for preventing animals from damaging the vines and grapes. The SheepIT project was developed to automate the role of human shepherds, by monitoring and conditioning the behaviour of grazing animals. Additionally, the data collected in real-time can be used for improving the efficiency of the whole process, e.g., by detecting abnormal situations such as health conditions or attacks and manage the weeding areas. This paper presents a comprehensive set of field-test results, obtained with the SheepIT infrastructure, addressing several dimensions, from the animals’ well-being and their impact on the cultures, to technical aspects, such as system autonomy. The results show that the core objectives of the project have been attained and that it is feasible to use this system, at an industrial scale, in vineyards.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Examining the dark side of motivation on life satisfaction in college students: does grit matter?

Even though teachers can have an important effect on the regulation of student behavior, the existing scientific literature has hardly explored the simultaneous influence of personal traits and social factors to promote student well-being. This study examined the mediating role of amotivated behavior and the relationship with teacher controlling behaviors, grit, and satisfaction with life. A total of 474 college students (female= 135; male= 339) participated in the study. All participants completed a multi-section survey assessing the constructs under analysis. Results from the structural model analysis displayed acceptable fit and amotivation played a mediating role in the relationship between grit-perseverance and life satisfaction but not for grit-passion. These findings provide evidence regarding adequate teacher behavior and the importance of measuring student grit in the classroom setting. These findings provide new insights into the understanding of teacher motivational behaviors and student learning processes that influence student behavioral regulations and affective outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Utilização de Plataformas Abertas em SIG para Fins Geotécnicos

A difusão dos Sistemas de Informação Geográfica (SIG), intensificada na última década do século passado, veio proporcionar um passo significativo no desenvolvimento da cartografia geotécnica, nomeadamente em meios urbanos, por recurso à utilização de bases de dados geográficas, novas ferramentas de análise e mais recentemente softwares livres de código aberto. O objetivo deste trabalho é criar uma base de informação geográfica viável para a elaboração de cartografia geotécnica, através de um programa informático de SIG livre e de código aberto, com fontes cartográficas não tradicionais, dando-se preferência a plataformas abertas. Utilizou-se como software o QGis e como fontes cartográficas, o Google maps, Bing maps e o OpenStreetMap, para o qual foi utilizado o módulo “OpenLayers plugin”. Este modelo é constituído por um input cartográfico constituído pela carta geológica da área em estudo e por cartografia livre existente em arquivos web. Como output obtiveram-se várias saídas gráficas, entre as quais o cruzamento da topografia (rede viária, limites, etc.) com a carta geológica e a área que delimita a Zona Urbana da Guarda

NEEM: network-friendly epidemic multicast

Epidemic, or probabilistic, multicast protocols have emerged as a viable mechanism to circumvent the scalabil- ity problems of reliable multicast protocols. However, most existing epidemic approaches use connectionless transport protocols to exchange messages and rely on the intrinsic robustness of the epidemic dissemination to mask network omissions. Unfortunately, such an approach is not network- friendly, since the epidemic protocol makes no effort to re- duce the load imposed on the network when the system is congested. In this paper, we propose a novel epidemic protocol whose main characteristic is to be network-friendly. This property is achieved by relying on connection-oriented transport connections, such as TCP/IP, to support the com- munication among peers. Since during congestion mes- sages accumulate in the border of the network, the pro- tocol uses an innovative buffer management scheme, that combines different selection techniques to discard messages upon overflow. This technique improves the quality of the information delivered to the application during periods of network congestion. The protocol has been implemented and the benefits of the approach are illustrated using a com- bination of experimental and simulation results