Chip level simulation of the downlink in UTRA-FDD

The specifications of UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access (UTRA) for the physical layer of the downlink make use of orthogonal variable spreading factor (OVSF) codes to preserve the orthogonality between downlink channels of different rates and spreading factors. This technique minimises the downlink intra-cell interference. In order to control the inter-cell interference, every base station multiplies the global downlink signal with a cell specific Gold code (scrambling code). Then, while the inter-cell interference may be modelled using the Gaussian hypothesis (that is: replacing the real interference with a Gaussian noise of the same power), the intra-cell interference requires detailed chip level simulations. In this paper we present results of a chip level simulation of the downlink UTRA physical layer. The objective is to evaluate the raw (uncoded) mean bit error rate (BER) of the system in a realistic environment and conditions. Then, by knowing the BER requirements of the different services, one can easily obtain the maximum capacity in terms of simultaneous connections at any combination of bit rates.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

El éxito escolar del alumnado gitano : centros escolares y familias gitanas en la encrucijada

¿Qué mirada proyectamos sobre la escolarización del alumnado gitano? ¿Cómo influyen en su continuidad académica las expectativas de las personas que les rodean? ¿Qué factores hacen más probable el éxito escolar de las chicas y chicos gitanos? Durante los tres últimos años un equipo interdisciplinar de cinco comunidades autónomas (1) hemos investigado esta realidad. En este artículo ofrecemos una síntesis de los resultados obtenidos en dicho estudio (realizado a partir del análisis de las historias de vida y entrevistas en profundidad con gitanas y gitanos con continuidad académica)

El proceso de inclusión en un aula de comunicación y lenguaje. Percepciones de la comunidad educativa

Actualmente la inclusión es una de las mayores prioridades tanto del ámbito educativo como de la sociedad en general. El trabajo que exponemos se enmarca en el seno del debate abierto en torno a las distintas opiniones y creencias existentes sobre el tema. Concretamente, mostramos los resultados obtenidos en un estudio de caso, al evaluar las percepciones del profesorado y familias del alumnado de un aula de Comunicación y Lenguaje valenciana, sobre el proceso de inclusión realizado a lo largo de sus cinco años de funcionamiento. A través de un diseño de investigación mixto utilizamos instrumentos de recogida de datos cualitativos tales como la entrevista y la observación participante así como de la encuesta entre los cuantitativos, aplicados a una muestra conformada por las familias del alumnado del aula y el profesorado del centro. Entre las conclusiones destacamos que, tanto en las familias como en el profesorado, el aula ha tenido una buena acogida y que se trabaja para mejorar la inclusión de su alumnado; aunque se desprende de las entrevistas y el cuestionario que las respuestas no han sido unánimes y que la acogida del aula y alumnado han provocado reacciones diversas

Idosos agricultores em Trás-os-Montes: modos de vida, razões de permanência em meio rural

O processo de industrialização, acarretando um êxodo massivo, despovoou as sociedades rurais e, mesmo nos países em que a reestruturação e modernização do sector agrícola ocorreu, questões como a sucessão, ou melhor a ausência desta, nas explorações agrícolas estão cada vez mais na ordem do dia. Para além deste despovoamento, há um envelhecimento da população, sobretudo nas zonas mais deprimidas do ponto de vista da dinâmica das actividades, e com particular incidência na população activa do sector agrícola. Em Portugal as zonas do interior estão sem dúvida entre estas. Em Trás-os- Montes os indivíduos com mais de 65 anos representavam 11% da população em 1981, aumentando para 16% em 1991. As projecções demográficas apontam para o reforço desta tendência: aquele indicador rondará os 21% em 20101. A actividade agrícola permanece a principal ocupação da maior parte da população idosa em Trás-os-Montes. Os produtores com mais de 55 anos representavam 59% do total em 1989 e, dez anos, passados são já 64,3%.Alto Patrocínio da Presidência da República; Governo Civil de Vila Real; Governo Civil de Bragança; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia;ICN - Instituto da Conservação da Natureza;Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária; Instituto de Hidráulica, Eng. Rural e Ambiente; Gabinete de Planeamento e Política Agro-Alimentar; Delegação Regional da Cultura do Norte;Região de Turismo do Nordeste Transmontano;PPART;Carefour Bragança; Arquivo Distrital de Vila Real; Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Dour

Software tool for optimising indoor/outdoor coverage in a construction site

A system architecture, an empirical propagation model, and a software combined with a CAD tool, have been designed to offer mobile communication services to construction sites. Results have been validated by measurements.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

A qualitative study about palliative care patients’ experiences of comfort: implications for nursing diagnosis and interventions

Background and objective:Comfort is a complex experience, particularly important to palliative care patients. Although it is listed in nursing classifications and taxonomies there is a gap between theory and practice. Thus, little research has been done about patient’s perceptions and experiences in this context of care. This paper aims to analyze palliative care patients’ experiences about comfort.Methods:Qualitative study with fifteen participants, using in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews, tape-recorded,transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretative content analysis.Results:Five main themes have been identified. Holistic comfort may be a difficult outcome for many end-of-life patients but the context of provision of care, the presence of family, the way information is managed, the search for meaning in life, and the need to keep life under control were perceived as important determinants for comfort.Conclusions:This study provides a general overview about comfort experiences and the main discomforts of hospitalized patients who are suffering from chronic and incurable diseases. Findings highlight comfort as a complex intervention within multidisciplinary palliative care team and this is supporting the nursing diagnosis “Impaired Comfort” as a syndrome. The study adds a contribution to the accuracy and completeness of nursing classifications and nursing practice in palliative care.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Personalidad, sexo y comunicación mediada por ordenador a través de Internet

Previous research about computer-mediated communication (CMC) focused on variables as gender. There is little information about differences in CMC related to personality, most are speculations based on the assumption that introvertive traits are specially appropriate for CMC. Results of this study are consistent with this predictions, because introverted participants sent as messages to the Internet forums analysed as extroverted, and their messages contained more information. In relation with gender, it was found that men sent longer messages that women, but there was not more information in them.La investigación sobre diferencias individuales en  comunicación mediada por ordenador (CMO) se ha ocupado, hasta el momento, de variables personales como el sexo, y no hay practicamente información empírica relacionada con la personalidad. Sí que existen algunas especulaciones basadas en la presuposición de una buena adaptación de los rasgos propios de la personalidad introvertida a las características propias de la CMO. Los resultados de esta investigación coinciden en gran rnedida con las predicciones formuladas a partir de esas especulaciones. Las personas introvertidas encuentran en la CMO un entorno apropiado para la interacción social. En cuanto a diferencias entre los sexos, se encuentra, coincidiendo parcialmente con la literatura previa, una mayor extensión de los rnensajes de los varones, pero no una mayor cantidad de información en los misrnos

Importance of gender in students demand for higher education in tourism: The case study of a tourism and hospitality higher education institution

The importance of the scientific area of tourism, particularly in higher education, requires an analysis and interpretation of its evolution in Portugal. Assuming the widespread recognition of tourism and leisure transversal influence in the contemporary society, one considers the need for rigorous studies on the implications of gender issues in knowledge production in higher education institutions (HEI). Therefore, this study intends to understand the trends in students’ demand for a degree in the tourism field and the importance of gender in higher education, and also their implication in the tourism sector labour market. This study is aimed mainly at interpreting the concern to understand the need and importance of studies on gender issues in tourism higher education, from different perspectives. To determine that the image of an HEI and the students’ demand for this field of study may rely on a policy and strategy that include these relevant gender issues, both in an educational and in an employment perspective, which is also a purpose of this study. In the tourism sector, according to Costa, Carvalho and Breda (2011, p. 39), the Portuguese reality is vertically segregated and, despite being a feminised sector, men occupy most top-level positions. Moreover, tourism workers, particularly female workers, are in general subject to poorer conditions of employment, such as low-pay, long working hours and more precarious contracts. The data [collected by these authors] hint at a very wide gender pay gap in the tourism industry. Costa, Carvalho, Caçador and Breda (2012, p. 70) also analysed the higher education and the labour market in the tourism sector and concluded that although women prevail among tourism graduates in Portugal, men earn higher salaries and fill most top-level positions in the tourism sector. [Their] study diagnose[d] disparities between male and female tourism graduates in the following domains: areas of activity, positions, and salary

Linking perceptions of organizational support to temporary agency workers’ well-being

Purpose – This research focused on agency work. Previous studies highlighted the importance of motivations to understand workers’ attitudes, behaviors and well-being. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to analyze the contribution of perceptions of support from organizations to autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment, the relationship of motivations with workers’ well-being and the mediating role ofmotivations between perceptions of organizational support (POS) and workers’ well-being. Design/methodology/approach – The hypotheses were tested with a sample of 3,983 temporary agency workers and using structural equation modeling. Findings – The authors verified that POS from the agency contributed to both autonomous motivation and controlled motivation for temporary agency employment, whereas POS from the client company only contributed to autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment. Moreover, autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment was positively associated with workers’ well-being. Contrary to expectations, controlled motivation for temporary agency employment was not significantly associated with workers’ well-being. As predicted, autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment was a mediator in the relationship between POS and workers’ well-being. Research limitations/implications – The study relies on self-reported data, and it does not have a longitudinal design. Practical implications – An important implication of this research study is that organizations, through the support provided to the workers, may contribute positively to increase workers’ autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment, and, in turn, more autonomous motivation for temporary agency employment relates to higher levels of workers’ well-being. Originality/value – The study innovates by including in the same model variables that may contribute to workers’ motivation for temporary agency employment as well as the outcomes that may arise from workers’ motivation for temporary agency employment.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

eHealth in palliative care: introducing a prototype to monitor comfort in palliative care patients at home

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio