Evaluation of Nosocomial Infection Risk Using a Hybrid Approach

Nosocomial infections have severe consequences for the patients and the society in general, being one of the causes that increase the length of stay in healthcare facilities. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to be preventive, being aware of how probable is to have that kind of infection, although it is hard to do with traditional methodologies and tools for problem solving. Therefore, this work will focus on the development of a decision support system that will cater for an individual risk evaluation tool with respect to catch nosocomial infections. The Knowledge Representation and Reasoning procedures used will be based on an extension to the Logic Programming language, allowing the handling of incomplete and/or default data. The computational framework in place will be centered on Artificial Neural Networks. It may be emphasized that in addition to the nosocomial infections risk evaluation, it is provided the Degree-of-Confidence that one has on such a happening

Modular Parcel-Locker Optimization Algorithm

Este projeto foi desenvolvido em contexto teórico com o intuito de criar uma ferramenta de apoio à decisão na alocação de cacifos para entrega de encomendas com o objetivo de otimizar a utilização de recursos das empresas que prestam estes serviços. Neste projeto foi desenvolvido um algoritmo linear inteiro em junção com heurística de modo a resolver um problema de alocação de cacifos modulares. Estas torres de cacifos podem ter várias configurações pois permitem a integração de cacifos de 3 tamanhos diferentes. O objetivo é criar uma ferramenta que em função de uma determinada procura, retorne o número de torres de no máximo 3 configurações que nos melhor ajudarão a diminuir a rotura com o menor número de torres possível. Após a criação deste algoritmo 3 iterações do problema foram estudadas, a primeira onde o modelo tinha como objetivo responder á média da procura, o segundo onde o objetivo era responder ao dia em que mais espaço era necessário e o terceiro onde o objetivo era responder a 95% da procura gerada pela função que a gerou. Os resultados foram estudados e comentadosThis project was developed in a theoretical context in order to create a decision support tool in the allocation of lockers for parcel delivery with the objective of optimizing the use of resources of the companies that provide these services. In this project, an integer linear algorithm was developed in conjunction with heuristics in order to solve a modular locker allocation problem. The locker-towers can have several configurations as they allow the integration all of lockers of 3 different sizes. The objective is to create a tool that, depending on a specific demand, returns the number of towers of a maximum of 3 configurations that will best help us to reduce the breakage with the least number of towers possible. After the creation of this algorithm, 3 iterations of the problem were studied, the first where the model aimed to respond to the average demand, the second where the objective was to respond to the day when more space was needed and the third where the objective was to respond to 95% of the demand generated by the function that generated it. The results were studied and commente

Time scaling internal state predictive control of a solar plant

The control of a distributed collector solar field is addressed in this work, exploiting the plant's transport characteristic. The plant is modeled by a hyperbolic type partial differential equation (PDE) where the transport speed is the manipulated flow, i.e. the controller output. The model has an external distributed source, which is the solar radiation captured along the collector, approximated to depend only of time. From the solution of the PDE, a linear discrete state space model is obtained by using time-scaling and the redefinition of the control input. This method allows overcoming the dependency of the time constants with the operating point. A model-based predictive adaptive controller is derived with the internal temperature distribution estimated with a state observer. Experimental results at the solar power plant are presented, illustrating the advantages of the approach under consideration

Web service based multi-channel application

The paper presents an application using a purpose-created web service that is consumed in a multi-channel environment. The service clients span over the common web interface, a JAVA-enabled GSM 2.5G mobile phone, and a Microsoft® Windows® application. The web service provides basic message passing functionality

Major roads have a negative impact on the Tawny Owl Strix aluco and the Little Owl Athene noctua populations

The increasing road networks threaten ecosystems by direct effects such as increased mortality due to collision with vehicles and by various indirect effects leading to road avoidance. We censused Tawny Owls Strix aluco and Little Owls Athene noctua in 2005, 2007 and 2009 in a rural landscape in Southern Portugal in order to study the effects of roads and habitat characteristics on Tawny Owl density and Little Owl presence. The presence of both owl species in the 70 census locations was coherent among years. Our results showed that Tawny Owl density near major roads was lower, with the negative effects extending possibly up to 2 km. The probability of Little Owl presence was also negatively affected by the proximity to major roads. The negative effects of roads were significant even considering habitat preferences and spatial autocorrelation, which had the most marked effect on the density or presence of both owls. The reduced occupancy by Tawny Owls and Little Owls of habitats near major roads may be caused by several factors, including increased mortality, disturbance caused by high traffic density, and increased fragmentation. Traffic noise in particular may affect intra-specific communication and hunting efficiency. Consequently, habitat near roads may represent lower-quality territories for owls

Complicações orbitárias de sinusite aguda em Pediatria: experiência de oito anos

Objectives: Acute sinusitis accounts for up to 82% of orbital infection cases. Infection spreads very quickly, especially through the ethmoid sinus, and orbital complications may arise even under antibiotic therapy. The aim of this study was to describe an 8-year hospital experience with these children. Methods: All cases of acute sinusitis with orbital complications admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology of Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra between 2010 and 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Sixty-four patients met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 9 ± 4.7 years. Male:female ratio was 1.67:1. Most subjects were admitted in the winter period (57.8%), with 2.9 ± 2.5 days of clinical evolution. The mean Lund Mackay score was 10.6 ± 4.9, with maxillary and ethmoid being the most prevalent involved sinuses (96.4% and 94.6%, respectively), and was inversely correlated with age (p<0.05). Preseptal cellulitis was the most common complication (56.3%). Abscesses were identified in 18.7% of patients, but only four (6.25%) required surgery. Seven cases (10.9%) recurred shortly after hospital discharge and required prolonged antibiotic course. All patients recovered well, without further complications. Conclusion: Results showed that orbital complications of sinusitis respond well to high doses of endovenous antibiotherapy and patients tend to recover without local comorbidities. Close monitoring of these patients during the first months after hospital discharge is crucial to prevent early relapse.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Apresentação de uma Modelização por Elmentos Finitos Lineares do Tipo Axial

Nesta comunicação é apresentado um método de emparelhamento modal, baseado em princípios físicos, para o estabelecimento de correspondências e para o cálculo de descritores canónicos de forma. O método tem por base a ideia de descrever objectos em termos de simetrias generalizadas utilizando para tal os modos próprios de cada objecto. A descrição modal resultante é utilizada para o reconhecimento de objectos e sua caracterização; para tal,as similaridades entre duas formas são expressas em termos do valor da energia de deformação necessária para as alinhar. O emparelhamento modal também pode ser utilizado para a combinação linear de modelos segundo princípios físicos e, assim, sintetizar-se formas em termos de uma combinação pesada de formas protótipos deformadas segundo os seus modos. No geral, modos fornecem um ordenamento das deformações de uma forma do global para o local e assim permite a selecção dos tipos de deformações a considerar no alinhamento e na comparação de objectos.Em contraste com outras técnicas, as quais requerem que a correspondência seja determinada com uma forma protótipo inicial, o método utiliza uma modelação por intermédio de elementos finitos axiais que permite a determinação dos modos próprios de cada objecto directamente a partir dos seus dados pontuais.Uma implementação da técnica proposta foi por nós realizada para uma plataforma PC em ambiente MS WINDOWS 95/NT utilizando o ambiente integrado de desenvolvimento MS VISUAL C++ 5.0.Também serão apresentados os resultados experimentais obtidos na deformação modal de formas, de emparelhamento de formas, na estimativa de deslocamentos para os dados que não foram devidamente emparelhados pela abordagem modal, de determinação da transformação rígida existente e de medição da deformação elástica envolvida.Uma discussão sobre a influência dos vários parâmetros envolvidos no método e dos tipos das formas em estudo será apresentada no fim desta comunicação

Experience of a predictive adaptive controller on pilot and industrial plants with transport phenomena

The existing experience on using MUSMAR, a predictive adaptive controller, on industrial and large scale pilot plants with transport phenomena is discussed. The processes to control have been selected because their dynamics depends not only on time, but also on space, being therefore described by partial differential equations, and implying increase difficulties for the controller. Case studies on an industrial boiler, an arc-welding machine, a distributed collector solar field and a water distribution canal are used to illustrate the main difficulties and the corresponding solutions when using MUSMAR. These include plant model uncertainty and start-up adaptation transients, large and uncertain plant i/o transport delay, existence of un-modelled dynamics, closed-loop response shaping and constraints. The emphasis of the presentation is on the practical impact of the theoretical properties of the MUSMAR algorithm and on their illustration by means of actual experiments on the real processes mentioned above

Barreiras à internacionalização : o caso das empresas portuguesas no mercado belga

As empresas portuguesas têm-se tornado cada vez mais internacionais, quer por necessidade, devido ao contexto desfavorável vivido em Portugal (e no resto do mundo), nos últimos tempos, quer devido ao progresso tecnológico que possibilitou a globalização dos mercados internacionais. Contudo, ainda continuam a existir bastantes barreiras à internacionalização empresarial. Posto isto, um dos principais objetivos desta tese é compreender quais são as principais barreiras à internacionalização no mercado belga (uma vez que o meu estágio teve lugar na Embaixada de Portugal em Bruxelas), para as empresas portuguesas. A diplomacia económica tem sido cada vez mais reconhecida como um instrumento para eliminar barreiras à internacionalização. Neste contexto, esta tese tem, também, o objetivo de averiguar qual o papel da embaixada e da delegação da AICEP nesta matéria. Para alcançar estes dois objetivos foi realizado um questionário online a empresas portuguesas presentes no mercado belga através de diferentes formas de internacionalização, e entrevistas às duas entidades de diplomacia económica referidas acima. As conclusões do estudo apontam como principais dificuldades e necessidades, para as empresas portuguesas neste mercado, o estabelecimento de contactos e parcerias com empresas belgas, assim como a falta de informação relacionadas com o mercado. Recomendando-se um aumento da cooperação da AICEP e da Embaixada com entidades privadas, como Câmaras de Comércio e Associações Empresariais, para que estes serviços (de informação) sejam fornecidos de uma forma mais eficiente.Portuguese companies have become increasingly international, by necessity, due to the unfavorable context in Portugal (and the rest of the world) in recent times, or due to the technological progress that has made possible the globalization of international markets. However, there are still many barriers to business internationalization. That said, one of the main objectives of this thesis is to understand the main barriers to internationalization in the Belgian market (since my internship took place at the Portuguese Embassy in Brussels), for Portuguese companies. Economic diplomacy has been increasingly recognized as an instrument to remove barriers to internationalization. In this context, this thesis also has the objective of ascertaining the role of the embassy and the AICEP delegation in this matter. To achieve these two objectives, an online questionnaire was conducted for Portuguese companies in the Belgian market through different modes of internationalization, and interviews with the two economic diplomacy entities mentioned above. The conclusions of the study point out as the main difficulties and needs, for Portuguese companies in this market, the establishment of contacts and partnerships with Belgian companies, as well as the lack of information related to the market. It is recommended to increase the cooperation of AICEP and the Embassy with private entities, such as Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations, so that these (information) services are provided in a more efficient way

Problema de atribuição de vigilâncias de exames a docentes

O presente trabalho foi realizado com o intuito de resolver o problema de alocação de vigilantes a exames do Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, no departamento de Engenharia Mecânica. O modelo apresentado faz a atribuição das vigilâncias de uma forma hierárquica, utilizando vários critérios, desde a regência da unidade curricular até à simples vigilância. Devido ao facto de estar implementado informaticamente, apresenta reduzidos tempos na formulação e obtenção de uma solução, o que o torna uma boa ferramenta para a criação de cenários alternativos. Em suma, o modelo proposto neste trabalho apresenta soluções de melhor qualidade, em que a distribuição de afetações é proporcional entre os docentes, e o seu tempo de obtenção é muito reduzido em comparação com a alternativa atual.The present study was performed in order to solve the problem of allocating vigilantes to examinations in the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto, in the department of Mechanical Engineering. The model presented makes the allocation of surveillances in a hierarchical manner, using various criteria, since the regency of course to the simple vigilance. Due to it being implemented on a computer, the model presents reduced time in formulating and obtaining a solution, which makes it a good tool for the creation of alternative scenarios. In sum, the proposed model presents better quality solutions, in which the distribution of the affectations is equitable among teachers, and require much less time to obtain compared to the current alternative