Cluster-based analogue ensembles for hindcasting with multistations

The Analogue Ensemble (AnEn) method enables the reconstruction of meteorological observations or deterministic predictions for a certain variable and station by using data from the same station or from other nearby stations. However, depending on the dimension and granularity of the historical datasets used for the reconstruction, this method may be computationally very demanding even if parallelization is used. In this work, the classical AnEn method is modified so that analogues are determined using K-means clustering. The proposed combined approach allows the use of several predictors in a dependent or independent way. As a result of the flexibility and adaptability of this new approach, it is necessary to define several parameters and algorithmic options. The effects of the critical parameters and main options were tested on a large dataset from real-world meteorological stations. The results show that adequate monitoring and tuning of the new method allows for a considerable improvement of the computational performance of the reconstruction task while keeping the accuracy of the results. Compared to the classical AnEn method, the proposed variant is at least 15-times faster when processing is serial. Both approaches benefit from parallel processing, with the K-means variant also being always faster than the classic method under that execution regime (albeit its performance advantage diminishes as more CPU threads are used).This work has been partially supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/05757/2020

A Influência da facilitação da passagem de pé para sentado no alcance funcional

Objetivo: Verificar se a realização da facilitação da passagem de pé para sentado, influência a atividade mioelétrica (RMS), do grande dentado e do tricípite braquial, e no membro inferior do reto femoral e do bicípite femoral no alcance funcional do membro superior em indivíduos saudáveis e determinar os tempos de ativação dos músculos grande dentado, tricípite braquial, reto femoral e bicípite femoral. Relevância: O conceito de Bobath carece de evidência científica, o propósito deste trabalho, pensamos ser um modesto contributo para tal. Amostra: Constituída por 15 indivíduos saudáveis com uma média de idade de 20,67 (DP=1,35), em que foi aplicada a facilitação da posição de pé para sentado, e outros 15 indivíduos saudáveis com uma média de idades de 20,40 (DP=0,99), em que não foi aplicada qualquer técnica. Materiais e Métodos: Em ambos os grupos foram recolhidos através da eletromiografia de superfície os dados referentes à atividade dos 2 músculos do membro superior, e 2 músculos do membro inferior durante o alcance funcional, posterior à facilitação da posição de pé para sentado (grupo 2), e sentar ativamente (grupo 1). Análise estatística: Para a análise descritiva dos dados foram utilizadas medidas de dispersão e tendência central. Foi utilizado o teste de Kruskal-Wallis para comparar os tempos de ativação muscular e os RMS referentes a cada músculo testado, entre o grupo 1 e o grupo 2 (p≤0,05). Resultados: Foram encontradas diferenças significativas na comparação do tempo de ativação muscular do reto femoral entre o grupo 1 e o grupo 2 (p=0,001) e na comparação do tempo de ativação muscular do bicípite femoral entre o grupo 1 e o grupo 2 (p=0,001). Conclusão: Este estudo comprova, que na tarefa de alcance funcional com a execução da facilitação obtêm-se RMS e tempos de ativação muscular diferentes em comparação com a realização da mesma tarefa de forma ativa

Using analog ensembles with alternative metrics for hindcasting with multistations

This study concerns making weather predictions for a location where no data is available, using meteorological datasets from nearby stations. The hindcast with multiple stations is performed with different variants of the Analog Ensemble (AnEn) method. In addition to the traditional Monache metric used to identify analogs in datasets from one or two stations, several new metrics are explored, namely cosine similarity, normalization, and k-means clustering. These were analyzed and benchmarked to find the ones that bring improvements. The best results were obtained with the k-means metric, yielding between 3% and 30% of lower quadratic error when compared against the Monache metric. Also, by making the predictors to include two stations, the performance of the hindcast improved, decreasing the error up to 16%, depending on the correlation between the predictor stations.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on preschool children and preschools in Portugal.

Problem Statement:The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant changes in the life routines of preschool children, both during lockdown and post-lockdown periods. Approach:An online survey completed by parents, in-loco assessment scales filled in by a researcherand semi-structured interviews with preschool teacherswere used to investigate the effects of the adjustments, which occurred in preschool children?s lives, in the lockdown and post lockdown periods.Purpose:To characterize the levels of physical activity that Portuguese children had during the lockdown period and to understand what changed in their school routines in the post-lockdown period, regarding the organization of school spaces and routines.Results:Parents reported that children aged 3 to 5spent most of their time during lockdownundertaking sedentary activities (72% of their daily activities). In the post-lockdown period,results indicate that in June there was an increase in the number of preschools with a poor quality of environment compared to the pre-pandemic period (October/November).Taking into account the measures implemented in preschools to prevent the COVID-19 transmission,teachers were of the opinion that limiting the number of children sharing material was the worst measure imposed, since it hampered children?s socialization. Conversely, increasing the use of the outdoor space was deemed positive because it improved children?s happiness and action possibilities outside.Conclusions: TheCOVID-19pandemic has had a clear impact on Portuguese children?s overall levels of physical activity during lockdown. In some schools, the implementation of health guidelines has also led to further negative effects on children?s play opportunities. However, many schools seem to be successful in finding strategies to ensure a healthy balance between promoting children?s physical activity and ensuring risk control.4811-99FE-2ECD | Luis Paulo Rodriguesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Software COLETASELETIVA: Um sistema computacional educativo para conscientização da importância da coleta seletiva

Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar o COLETASELETIVA – software educativo para conscientização da importância da coleta seletiva. Trata-se de um software composto de dois módulos: um com informações técnicas sobre coleta seletiva mostrando sua importância na educação ambiental e para o meio ambiente e com informações sobre tipos de materiais recicláveis; e outro com um jogo educativo interativo onde é possível colocar movimentar diversos tipos de lixos recicláveis para as respectivas lixeiras, verificando se cada um foi colocado na lixeira corretamente. Em um experimento inicial o software foi utilizado por alunos do ensino fundamental e médio possibilitando algumas reflexões iniciais do produto

Introducing portable digital devices into science museum outreach activities: how diverse can it be?

Centro Ciência Viva do Algarve (CCVAlg) is an Interactive Science Museum located in southern Portugal, which mission is to promote scientific and technological culture among the population and especially the youth community. Besides the interactive modules in the permanent exhibition, we design and deploy a wide range of science activities inside and outside our facilities. However, as we are nowadays facing a society (and a science environment) more and more “digital”, the use of technological tools and channels to carry out this mission cannot be ignored, otherwise it will give a biased and obsolete view of today´s reality regarding the techniques and methodologies that the XXI century scientific community uses. On this basis, CCVAlg´s strategy for the last couple of years has been to try to overcome such technological gap introducing and developing new methodologies for our activities. Having this in mind, we approached a Portuguese hardware manufacturer and achieved to forge a partnership that granted 10 detachable tablets with several specific sensors and add-ons that allowed us to design new and innovative outreach activities. The integration of the received devices into the Center´s educational offer allowed us to diversify the pedagogical offer and to involve cerca 3300 participants in the new activities. This type of collaboration reinforces the fact that Science museums should play a key role as strategic partners in the implementation of Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) pilot projects.Mobility grant from project 2018-I-PT01-KA104-047194info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Recursos Humanos no Setor Sucroalcooleiro do Estado de São Paulo, 2006-2007

Este trabalho analisou o mercado de trabalho do setor sucroalcooleiro, com destaque o perfil sócio-econômico das ocupações envolvidas neste setor, os impactos decorrentes do processo de mecanização por conta das questões ambientais. Apresentou também uma discussão sobre a requalificação e realocação da mão-de-obra. A análise utilizou dados sobre emprego formal do Cadastro Geral de Empregados e Desempregados (CAGED) e de levantamentos sobre mecanização do Instituto de Economia Agrícola/Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral. Os resultados mostraram que o índice atual de mecanização da área colhida da cana-de-açúcar (41%) no Estado de São Paulo e o baixo nível de instrução dos cortadores de cana revelaram-se pontos relevantes para formulação de políticas a fim de mitigar os efeitos da mecanização. This study examined the labour market ‘sucroalcooleiro’ (sugar and alcohol) the industry, with particular the socio-economic profile of occupations involved in this sector, the impacts arising from the process of mechanization on account of environmental issues. The study showed a discussion about the retraining and relocation of labour-intensive. The analysis used data on the formal employment of Cadastro Geral de Empregados e Desempregados (CAGED) and drawing on mechanization of the Instituto de Economia Agrícola/Coordenadoria de Assistência Técnica Integral. The results showed that the current index of mechanization of the area harvested sugar cane (41%) in the State of Sao Paulo and the low level of education of the cane cutters proved to be relevant points for the formulation of policies to mitigate the effects of mechanization.setor sucroalcooleiro, emprego, índice de mecanização, sucroalcooleiro sector, employment, index of mechanization, Agribusiness, Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Spontaneous cytokine production in children according to biological characteristics and environmental exposures.

BACKGROUND: Environmental factors are likely to have profound effects on the development of host immune responses, with serious implications for infectious diseases and inflammatory disorders such as asthma. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate the effects of environmental exposures on the cytokine profile of children. METHODS: The study involved measurement of T helper (Th) 1 (interferon-gamma), 2 [interleukin (IL)-5 and IL-13], and the regulatory cytokine IL-10 in unstimulated peripheral blood leukocytes from 1,376 children 4-11 years of age living in a poor urban area of the tropics. We also assessed the impact of environmental exposures in addition to biological characteristics recorded at the time of blood collection and earlier in childhood (0-3 years before blood collection). RESULTS: The proportion of children producing IL-10 was greater among those without access to drinking water [p < 0.05, chi-square test, odds ratio (OR) = 1.67]. The proportion of children producing IL-5 and IL-10 (OR = 10.76) was significantly greater in households that had never had a sewage system (p < 0.05, trend test). CONCLUSIONS: These data provide evidence for the profound effects of environmental exposures in early life as well as immune homeostasis in later childhood. Decreased hygiene (lack of access to clean drinking water and sanitation) in the first 3 years of life is associated with higher spontaneous IL-10 production up to 8 years later in life

Desenvolvimento de Jogos Utilizando XNA: um Exemplo com o Jogo SpaceX

A área de jogos eletrônicos tem crescido cada vez mais. Pode-se, nos dias atuais, encontrar jogos em diversos dispositivos: computadores pessoais, consoles domésticos e dispositivos móveis. O desenvolvimento de um jogo não é uma tarefa fácil, pois envolve diversas áreas de conhecimento e também diversas subáreas da computação. A área de desenvolvimento de jogos desperta muita curiosidade e interesse em muitos programadores, entretanto a maioria das instituições de ensino superior com cursos na área de computação não apresentam o foco ou disciplinas específicas para o desenvolvimento de jogos, principalmente em Curso de Sistemas de Informação. Esta foi uma das motivações para o desenvolvimento deste trabalho. Este artigo apresenta o framework XNA e as suas principais funcionalidades para desenvolvimento de jogos eletrônicos interativos. Como resultado e exemplificação o artigo também apresenta o desenvolvimento de um jogo 2D, chamado SpaceX