New roles for farming in a differentiated countryside: the Portuguese example

Throughout Europe, the role of farming as the private provider of public goods and services increasingly valuated by society is today generally acknowledged. Furthermore, in the turn towards rural development concerns, multifunctionality as an attribute of rural space has emerged, justifying the territorial approach of farming. The situation facing the multifunctionality demand is nevertheless not the same in all European regions, which by all means is getting strengthened in the transition towards post-productivism. In some regions, there is a productivist orientation and production has a dominant economic role, while others will need to be supported on other functions to survive economically and socially, or may be best suited to environmental functions alone. The vocation of the rural territories is different, and thus also the functions they are able to support. This paper discusses the concept of multifunctionality of the rural areas, and defines a possible methodological approach towards the identification of the different types of rural areas in Europe, based on the identification of ideal types, through the analysis of selected indicators. The empirical application has been developed for the Portuguese Ministry of Agriculture, aiming at assessing the differentiated characteristics and dynamics of the Portuguese rural territory. Analyzing data from 1990 and 2000, at municipal level, three dimensions have been considered: the land cover, the agricultural sector and the rural community. Combining the three analyses, it was possible to identify different vocations of the rural space, and the role that farming could have in the future for the multifunctionality of the territory. Accordingly, the municipalities have been grouped in types, pre-defined as ideal types. This was a first attempt to understand the differentiation of the rural territory in Portugal. For decision-making it should be further developed. It nevertheless shows that there is clear differentiation concerning the possible landscape functions to be developed between regions and a possible way to assess. It also shows that a territorial approach to agriculture may be the key for the maintenance of the sector in many areas where production by itself, as it has been know until now, may be severely threatened

Orbit Representations from Linear mod 1 Transformations

We show that every point $x_0\in [0,1]$ carries a representation of a $C^*$-algebra that encodes the orbit structure of the linear mod 1 interval map $f_{\beta,\alpha}(x)=\beta x +\alpha$. Such $C^*$-algebra is generated by partial isometries arising from the subintervals of monotonicity of the underlying map $f_{\beta,\alpha}$. Then we prove that such representation is irreducible. Moreover two such of representations are unitarily equivalent if and only if the points belong to the same generalized orbit, for every $\alpha\in [0,1[$ and $\beta\geq 1$

Using Cost Observation to Regulate Bureaucratic Firms

We study regulation of a bureaucratic provider of a public good in the presence of moral hazard and adverse selection. By bureaucratic we mean that it values output in itself, and not only profit. Three different financing systems are studied - cost reimbursement, prospective payment, and the optimal contract. In all cases, the output level increases with the bureaucratic bias. We find that the optimal contract is linear in cost (fixed payment plus partial cost-reimbursement). A stronger preference for high output reduces the tendency of the firm to announce a high cost (adverse selection), allowing a more powered incentive scheme (a lower fraction of the costs is reimbursed), which alleviates the problem of moral hazard.Procurement, Regulation, Adverse selection, Moral hazard, Bureaucracy

Fronteiras e desafios da interculturalidade

A diversidade étnica e cultural que carateriza a população dos países ocidentais, coloca questões e desafios variados, a que os diversos estados procuram responder. As soluções para os diferentes problemas devem conciliar os princípios da liberdade e da igualdade, pilares básicos da democracia e nem sempre são fáceis de alcançar. Porém, a variedade de culturas que compõe esses países constitui um património multicultural conjunto, que deve ser respeitado e preservado e é nesse pressuposto que as resoluções devem ser encontradas. Não basta que uma sociedade seja multicultural. A diversidade só representará uma riqueza se as várias comunidades estiverem interligadas entre si e as relações que mantiverem forem de parceria, flexibilidade e interdependência. É essa a ideia que deve estar por detrás de qualquer decisão, pois ela é a chave que abre fronteiras, ultrapassa desafios e consegue construir e conservar sociedades interculturais

Colloque international - Paysages de la vie quotidienne: Regards croisés entre la recherche et l’action

S’il est vrai que la très grande majorité des populations européennes vit aujourd’hui dans des espaces urbains ou périurbains, il est difficile d’affirmer que les paysages qu’elles vivent aient fait l’objet d’une attention particulièrement exigeante de la part de l’action politique. Ces paysages sont souvent considérés comme dégradés et peu amènes, et portent souvent les stigmates de l’exclusion sociale et de la détérioration des conditions de vie. Le colloque que le ministère français de l’écologie, de l’énergie, du développement durable et de la mer, la Généralitat de Catalunya, la Communauté d’Agglomération de Perpignan, les villes de Perpignan et de Girona se proposent d’organiser en 2011 a précisément l’objectif de reconsidérer ces paysages qui sont vécus quotidiennement par des millions de citoyens européens ou des autres continents sous l’angle d’une part des projets d’amélioration dont ils ont pu être les objets, sous l’angle des « valeurs particulières qui sont attribuées par les acteurs et les populations concernés » et d’autre part, sous l’angle de la mobilisation de ces derniers pour les revaloriser. Les nombreux pays membres du Conseil de l’Europe qui ont ratifié la Convention Européenne du Paysage se sont engagés notamment à donner une place privilégiée aux paysages du quotidien et « à mettre en place des procédures de participation du public, des autorités locales et régionales, et des autres acteurs concernés par la conception et la réalisation des politiques du paysage ». Qu’en est-il réellement ? Quelle est la place que les procédures mises en œuvre par les institutions publiques et les collectivités territoriales ont accordée à la négociation et à la participation des acteurs dans l’amélioration de la qualité des paysages ? Parmi ces expériences, quelles sont celles qui permettent d’affirmer que ces formes de négociation et de participation sont un gage de réussite ? Et au-delà des projets relevant des institutions politiques, qu’en est-il de ceux que développe le milieu associatif qui entend contribuer à l’amélioration du paysage cadre de vie des populations. Par ailleurs, les projets d’aménagement paysager, parfois dénommé projet de paysage ou les opérations de planification territoriale à dimension paysagère sont de plus en plus considérés comme des processus qui évoluent en se nourrissant des enseignements que l’expérience collective d’analyse et d’action apporte. Le projet d’aménagement paysager conçu comme processus dans le temps et dans l’espace exige-t-il des méthodes particulières et lesquelles ? Enfin, les paysages du quotidien sont fortement affectés par l’ensemble des projets d’aménagement du territoire ou de développement économique : qu’en est-il alors de la dimension paysagère ? Ces diverses questions ne sont pas adressées uniquement à la communauté scientifique. Elles interrogent également les acteurs institutionnels et politiques et les praticiens du paysage. Ce colloque est donc ouvert au dialogue entre les méthodes opérationnelles et les méthodes cognitives. Cette ouverture porte évidemment une double exigence : d’une part de donner la parole aux « fabricants » de paysage, quels qu’ils soient (professionnels, élus, experts, membres d’ONG ou simples habitants) mais également aux chercheurs et surtout de favoriser le dialogue entre ces deux catégories. D’autre part, de fournir au débat les données qui permettent d’évaluer l’efficacité des méthodes mises en œuvre et parmi celles-ci les méthodes fondées sur la participation ou l’échange et le partage de la connaissance ou des objectifs de l’action. Mais lorsque l’on évoque l’efficacité, il ne s’agit pas de restreindre la question de la qualité des paysages à leur seul aspect esthétique. Il s’agit également de savoir si les méthodes mises en œuvre dans des projets ont permis d’accéder aux exigences du développement durable et en particulier si elles ont pu garantir l’équité sociale générationnelle et intergénérationnelle ou la qualité des milieux et de la biodiversité ; tout en permettant aux individus et aux catégories sociales de trouver leur place au sein de la société et de penser l’avenir avec optimisme, pour eux-mêmes et pour leurs descendants. Comment se croisent et s’interpellent réciproquement les notions de paysage et de développement durable ? Comment notamment est prise en compte la dimension temporelle dans les projets et les politiques publiques ? Quelles conséquences sur les projets, leur mode de production et leur gouvernance ? Comment ces notions sont elles intégrées dans les pratiques professionnelles ? Si d’emblée, cette proposition a mis l’accent sur les paysages de forte densité démographique, c'est-à-dire a priori urbains et périurbains, il ne faudrait cependant pas croire que les paysages ruraux, de montagne ou du littoral sont exclus de la réflexion collective. Ils sont également vécus quotidiennement par leurs habitants et ils entretiennent avec les premiers des relations qui portent en elles-mêmes des complémentarités ou des antagonismes qu’il s’agira de justifier et de mettre à jour. Ils sont porteurs, comme les paysages urbains de nombreuses expériences de participation et de négociation sociale

Scarless laparoscopic repair of epigastric hernia in children

Background Despite the small size of the incision, the scar left by open repair of epigastric hernia in children is unaesthetic. Few laparoscopic approaches to epigastric hernia repair have been previously proposed, but none has gain wide acceptance from pediatric surgeons. In this study, we present our experience with a scarless laparo- scopic approach using a percutaneous suturing technique for epigastric hernia repair in children. Methods Ten consecutive patients presenting with epi- gastric hernia 15 mm or further from the umbilicus were submitted to laparoscopic hernia repair. A 5-mm 308-angle laparoscope is introduced through a umbilical trocar and a 3-mm laparoscopic dissector is introduced through a stab incision in the right flank. After opening and dissecting the parietal peritoneum, the fascial defect is identified and closed using 2–0 polyglactin thread through a percutaneous suturing technique. Intraoperative and postoperative clinical data were collected. Results All patients were successfully submitted to la- paroscopic epigastric hernia repair. Median age at surgery was 79 months old and the median distance from the um- bilicus to the epigastric defect was 4 cm. Operative time ranged from 35 to 75 min. Every hernia was successfully closed without any incidents. Follow-up period ranges from 2 to 12 months. No postoperative complications or recurrence was registered. No scar was visible in these patients. Conclusion This scarless laparoscopic technique for epi- gastric hernia repair is safe and reliable. We believe this technique might become gold standard of care in the near future

Navegação semântica aplicada a passagens estreitas em cadeira de rodas inteligente

With the development of robotics technology, new opportunities for improving the quality of life of people with mobility impairments arise. The IntellWheels project was born with the goal of developing a hardware and software kit that can turn a motorized wheelchair into an autonomous Intelligent Wheelchair. This dissertation fits into this project on the topic of indoor navigation with the goal of adding a semantic layer to the navigation framework. Semantic in robotics is the ability of a robot to understand its environment. In the case of an Intelligent Wheelchair, this is especially important considering it is a robot that carries a passenger. A solution was developed where concepts of semantic navigation are used to tackle the problem of crossing narrow passages, building an additional mapping layer where these passages are automatically detected and marked on the map and an extra planning layer that takes in this semantic information and makes decisions for controlling the lower-level planners. In order to validate this solution tests, in both simulated and real-world environments, were performed to verify if the individual components worked as intended. This thesis resulted in an improvement of the indoor navigation capabilities of the framework and is a base for further development in the area of semantic navigation of Intelligent Wheelchairs.Com o desenvolvimento da tecnologia em robótica, surgem novas oportunidades para melhorar a qualidade de vida de pessoas com problemas de mobilidade. O projeto IntellWheels nasce com o objetivo de criar um kit de hardware e software capaz de transformar uma cadeira de rodas motorizada numa cadeira de rodas inteligente e autónoma. Esta dissertação encaixa neste projeto no tópico de navegação em ambientes interiores com o objetivo de adicionar uma camada semântica à framework de navegação. Em robótica, semântica é a capacidade de um robô entender o seu ambiente. No caso de uma cadeira de rodas inteligente, isto é especialmente importante tendo em conta que transporta um passageiro. Uma solução foi desenvolvida em que conceitos de navegação semântica são usados para abordar o problema de atravessar passagens estreitas, construindo uma camada adicional de mapeamento em que estas passagens são automaticamente identificadas e marcadas no mapa e uma camada extra de planeamento que recebe esta informação e toma decisões controlando os planeadores de nível mais baixo. Para validar esta solução, foram realizados testes, em ambiente simulado e ambiente real para verificar se os componentes individuais funcionavam como pretendido. Esta dissertação resultou numa melhoria das capacidades de navegação em ambientes interiores da framework e é uma base para futuros desenvolvimentos na área de navegação semântica para cadeiras de rodas inteligentes.Mestrado em Engenharia de Computadores e Telemátic

The CAP towards 2020:for a balanced territorial development

THis conference adresses de need for a more territorially based CAP for the next framework programme, considering the diversity and differentiation of farming systems in Europ

Cartographic representation of spatiotemporal phenomena

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia InformáticaThe field of geovisual analytics focuses on visualization techniques to analyze spatial data by enhancing human cognition. However, spatial data also has a temporal component that is practically disregarded when using conventional geovisual analytic tools. Some proposals have been made for techniques to analyze spatiotemporal data, but most were made for specific use cases, and are hard to abstract for other situations. There was a need to create a method to describe and compare the existing techniques. A catalog that provides a clear description of a set of techniques that deal with spatiotemporal data is proposed. This allows the identification of the most useful techniques depending on the required criteria. The description of a technique in the catalog relies on the two frameworks proposed. The first framework is used for describing spatiotemporal datasets resorting to data scenarios, a class of datasets. Twenty three data scenarios are described using this framework. The second framework is used for describing analytical tasks on spatiotemporal data, nine different tasks are described using this framework. Also, in this document, is the proposal of two new geovisual analytical techniques that can be applied to spatiotemporal data: the attenuation & accumulation map technique and the overlapping spatiotemporal windows technique. A prototype was developed that implements both techniques as a proof of concept.research project “GIAP - GeoInsight Analytics Platform (LISBOA-01-0202-FEDER- 024822)”, funded by Comissão de Coordenação e Desenvolvimento Regional de Lisboa e Vale do Tejo (PORLisboa), included in Sistema de Incentivos à Investigação e Desenvolvimento Tecnológico (SI I&DT), through a MSc research fellowship from FCT-UN