A modified debugging infrastructure to assist real time fault injection campaigns

Fault injection is frequently used for the verification and validation of the fault tolerant features of microprocessors. This paper proposes the modification of a common on-chip debugging (OCD) infrastructure to add fault injection capabilities and improve performance. The proposed solution imposes a very low logic overhead and provides a flexible and efficient mechanism for the execution of fault injection campaigns, being applicable to different target system architectures.

Web survey system to discover the actual role of experience in learning in higher education: a case study

March 19 - 22, 2006, S��o Paulo, BRAZIL World Congress on Computer Science, Engineering and Technology Education

Alian��as estrat��gicas: an��lise do sector exportador de produtos portugu��s

Disserta����o de Mestrado em Finan��as Empresariais

Tourism mobile and recommendation systems - a state of the art

Recommendation systems have been growing in number for the last fifteen years. To evolve and adapt to the demands of the actual society, many paradigms emerged giving birth to even more paradigms and hybrid approaches. Mobile devices have also been under an incredible growth rate in every business area, and there are already lots of mobile based systems to assist tourists. This explosive growth gave birth to different mobile applications, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. Since recommendation and mobile systems might as well be integrated, this work intends to present the current state of the art in tourism mobile and recommendation systems, as well as to state their advantages and disadvantages.

A probabilistic methodology for distributed generation location in isolated electrical service area

Distributed generation unlike centralized electrical generation aims to generate electrical energy on small scale as near as possible to load centers, interchanging electric power with the network. This work presents a probabilistic methodology conceived to assist the electric system planning engineers in the selection of the distributed generation location, taking into account the hourly load changes or the daily load cycle. The hourly load centers, for each of the different hourly load scenarios, are calculated deterministically. These location points, properly weighted according to their load magnitude, are used to calculate the best fit probability distribution. This distribution is used to determine the maximum likelihood perimeter of the area where each source distributed generation point should preferably be located by the planning engineers. This takes into account, for example, the availability and the cost of the land lots, which are factors of special relevance in urban areas, as well as several obstacles important for the final selection of the candidates of the distributed generation points. The proposed methodology has been applied to a real case, assuming three different bivariate probability distributions: the Gaussian distribution, a bivariate version of Freund���s exponential distribution and the Weibull probability distribution. The methodology algorithm has been programmed in MATLAB. Results are presented and discussed for the application of the methodology to a realistic case and demonstrate the ability of the proposed methodology for efficiently handling the determination of the best location of the distributed generation and their corresponding distribution networks.

Recommendation & mobile systems - a state of the art for tourism

Recommendation systems have been growing in number over the last fifteen years. To evolve and adapt to the demands of the actual society, many paradigms emerged giving birth to even more paradigms and hybrid approaches. These approaches contain strengths and weaknesses that need to be evaluated according to the knowledge area in which the system is going to be implemented. Mobile devices have also been under an incredible growth rate in every business area, and there are already lots of mobile based systems to assist tourists. This explosive growth gave birth to different mobile applications, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. Since recommendation and mobile systems might as well be integrated, this work intends to present the current state of the art in tourism mobile and recommendation systems, as well as to state their advantages and disadvantages.

O Contributo da auditoria interna para uma gest��o eficaz

Com a globaliza����o da economia e o crescimento dos mercados financeiros, surge cada vez mais a necessidade de obter informa����o ��til e atempada, que permita aos gestores das organiza����es tomar as melhores decis��es para a consecu����o dos objectivos e para o desenvolvimento de estrat��gias. �� neste contexto que a auditoria interna assume um papel relevante, indo ao encontro dos interesses dos gestores, na medida em que audita n��o s�� os procedimentos relativos ao reporte financeiro, como tamb��m todos os outros procedimentos de controlo interno, contribuindo assim para um controlo mais amplo e completo em toda a organiza����o. O presente trabalho tem como objectivo verificar at�� que ponto a auditoria interna contribui para uma gest��o eficaz das organiza����es. Para tal, realizaram-se pesquisas sobre os principais conceitos, fun����es e procedimentos relacionados com auditoria interna e a sua rela����o com a gest��o das organiza����es. Seguidamente, procedeu-se �� explica����o da metodologia praticada e �� exposi����o do caso emp��rico, que teve como base a elabora����o de dois question��rios basicamente semelhantes, que foram enviados ��s 200 empresas que apresentaram maior Volume de Neg��cios, retiradas do universo das ���1000 MAIORES EMPRESAS��� a actuarem no mercado portugu��s durante o ano de 2010. Esses question��rios tiveram como objectivo cruzar as opini��es de gestores e auditores, a fim de concluir se existe ou n��o um contributo da auditoria interna para uma gest��o eficaz. Na posse da informa����o recolhida foi poss��vel ressaltar o contributo da auditoria interna como ferramenta indispens��vel para uma gest��o eficaz, no sentido que procura adequar os custos, aumentar a produtividade, auxiliar no processo de gest��o dos riscos e no processo de tomada de decis��o, de modo a tornar as organiza����es mais competitivas e garantindo-lhes um crescimento sustentado.

Visualiza����o personalizada sens��vel ao contexto e ��s emo����es

Mestrado em Engenharia Inform��tica

O Controlo interno e as autarquias locais

Disserta����o de Mestrado apresentada ao Instituto de Contabilidade e Administra����o do Porto para a obten����o do grau de Mestre em Auditoria, sob orienta����o do Prof�� Especialista Carlos Quelhas Martins

Machine Learning Algorithms at Myocardial Perfusion Imaging - a Preliminary Study

Introduction: A major focus of data mining process - especially machine learning researches - is to automatically learn to recognize complex patterns and help to take the adequate decisions strictly based on the acquired data. Since imaging techniques like MPI ��� Myocardial Perfusion Imaging on Nuclear Cardiology, can implicate a huge part of the daily workflow and generate gigabytes of data, there could be advantages on Computerized Analysis of data over Human Analysis: shorter time, homogeneity and consistency, automatic recording of analysis results, relatively inexpensive, etc.Objectives: The aim of this study relates with the evaluation of the efficacy of this methodology on the evaluation of MPI Stress studies and the process of decision taking concerning the continuation ��� or not ��� of the evaluation of each patient. It has been pursued has an objective to automatically classify a patient test in one of three groups: ���Positive���, ���Negative��� and ���Indeterminate���. ���Positive��� would directly follow to the Rest test part of the exam, the ���Negative��� would be directly exempted from continuation and only the ���Indeterminate��� group would deserve the clinician analysis, so allowing economy of clinician���s effort, increasing workflow fluidity at the technologist���s level and probably sparing time to patients. Methods: WEKA v3.6.2 open source software was used to make a comparative analysis of three WEKA algorithms (���OneR���, ���J48��� and ���Na��ve Bayes���) - on a retrospective study using the comparison with correspondent clinical results as reference, signed by nuclear cardiologist experts - on ���SPECT Heart Dataset���, available on University of California ��� Irvine, at the Machine Learning Repository. For evaluation purposes, criteria as ���Precision���, ���Incorrectly Classified Instances��� and ���Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) Areas��� were considered. Results: The interpretation of the data suggests that the Na��ve Bayes algorithm has the best performance among the three previously selected algorithms. Conclusions: It is believed - and apparently supported by the findings - that machine learning algorithms could significantly assist, at an intermediary level, on the analysis of scintigraphic data obtained on MPI, namely after Stress acquisition, so eventually increasing efficiency of the entire system and potentially easing both roles of Technologists and Nuclear Cardiologists. In the actual continuation of this study, it is planned to use more patient information and significantly increase the population under study, in order to allow improving system accuracy.

O papel da press��o positiva durante a broncofibroscopia: ventila����o n��o invasiva vs v��lvula de press��o positiva cont��nua

Introdu����o: A realiza����o de broncofibroscopia (BF) a doentes com insufici��ncia Respirat��ria grave tem riscos e muitas vezes est�� contra-indicada. A aplica����o de ventila����o mec��nica n��o invasiva (VMNI) para assistir a ventila����o espont��nea durante a BF pode ser constituir uma boa alternativa . Objectivo: Comparar a utiliza����o de VMNI e do CPAP Boussignac (CB), durante a BF, em doentes hipox��micos e/ou hiperc��pnicos. Materiais e Metodos: 9 pacientes (1feminino) com hipoxemia definida por PaO2/FiO2<200 com necessidade de (BF) foram eleg��veis para o estudo. Cinco indiv��duos foram randomizados para o grupo VMNI (G1) e 4 para o grupo CB (G2). Resultados: A press��o parcial arterial de oxig��nio (PaO2) melhorou no grupo total: 65,9 (21,9) vs de 94,4 (75,9) p��s BF, p=0,03, assim como a rela����o PaO2/FiO2: 131,7 (129,0) e 150,7 (161, 3), p��s BF, p=0,04. A satura����o perif��rica de O2 m��dia durante a BF n��o foi significativamente diferente comparando os dois grupos: 96,1 (6,9) no G1 vs 97,3 (0,3) no G2, (p=0,62). No G1, 1 paciente foi intubado. Conclus��o: Estes resultados sugerem que a press��o positiva tem um papel importante como t��cnica coadjuvante da BF em pacientes hipox��micos graves (PaO2/FiO2<200). Neste estudo preliminar nenhuma vantagem da VMNI vs CB.

Application of wetland systems in the treatment of acid rock mine drainage

The presented work was conducted within the Dissertation / Internship, branch of Environmental Protection Technology, associated to the Master thesis in Chemical Engineering by the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto and it was developed in the Aquatest a.s, headquartered in Prague, in Czech Republic. The ore mining exploitation in the Czech Republic began in the thirteenth century, and has been extended until the twentieth century, being now evident the consequences of the intensive extraction which includes contamination of soil and sub-soil by high concentrations of heavy metals. The mountain region of Zlat�� Hory was chosen for the implementation of the remediation project, which consisted in the construction of three cells (tanks), the first to raise the pH, the second for the sedimentation of the formed precipitates and a third to increase the process efficiency in order to reduce high concentrations of metals, with special emphasis on iron, manganese and sulfates. This project was initiated in 2005, being pioneer in this country and is still ongoing due to the complex chemical and biological phenomenon���s inherent to the system. At the site where the project was implemented, there is a natural lagoon, thereby enabling a comparative study of the two systems (natural and artificial) regarding the efficiency of both in the reduction/ removal of the referred pollutants. The study aimed to assist and cooperate in the ongoing investigation at the company Aquatest, in terms of field work conducted in Zlat�� Hory and in terms of research methodologies used in it. Thereby, it was carried out a survey and analysis of available data from 2005 to 2008, being complemented by the treatment of new data from 2009 to 2010. Moreover, a theoretical study of the chemical and biological processes that occurs in both systems was performed. Regarding the field work, an active participation in the collection and in situ sample analyzing of water and soil from the natural pond has been attained, with the supervision of Engineer, Irena ��upikov��. Laboratory analysis of water and soil were carried out by laboratory technicians. It was found that the natural lagoon is more efficient in reducing iron and manganese, being obtained removal percentages of 100%. The artificial lagoon had a removal percentage of 90% and 33% for iron and manganese respectively. Despite the minor efficiency of the constructed wetland, it must be pointed out that this system was designed for the treatment and consequent reduction of iron. In this context, it can conclude that the main goal has been achieved. In the case of sulphates, the removal optimization is yet a goal to be achieved not only in the Czech Republic but also in other places where this type of contamination persists. In fact, in the natural lagoon and in the constructed wetland, removal efficiencies of 45% and 7% were obtained respectively. It has been speculated that the water at the entrance of both systems has different sources. The analysis of the collected data shows at the entrance of the natural pond, a concentration of 4.6 mg/L of total iron, 14.6 mg/L of manganese and 951 mg/L of sulphates. In the artificial pond, the concentrations are 27.7 mg/L, 8.1 mg/L and 382 mg/L respectively for iron, manganese and sulphates. During 2010 the investigation has been expanded. The study of soil samples has started in order to observe and evaluate the contribution of bacteria in the removal of heavy metals being in its early phase. Summarizing, this technology has revealed to be an interesting solution, since in addition to substantially reduce the mentioned contaminants, mostly iron, it combines the low cost of implementation with an reduced maintenance, and it can also be installed in recreation parks, providing habitats for plants and birds.

Automatiza����o dum carrinho de compras

Olhando para a necessidade de auxiliar o movimento dos carrinhos de compras nas grandes superf��cies, surgiu a ideia de desenvolver um sistema de accionamento flex��vel, que pudesse ser adaptado a diferentes tipos de carrinhos. O sistema deveria ser tamb��m de baixo custo e ter potencial de industrializa����o. Como em qualquer sistema de accionamento el��ctrico foi necess��rio dimensionar e seleccionar um controlador e um motor, no entanto, dados os requisitos relativos �� adaptabilidade do sistema foi necess��rio um esfor��o significativo para o desenvolvimento dos componentes mec��nicos de trac����o e transmiss��o. Considerando os requisitos de portabilidade foi tamb��m desenvolvido um sistema de alimenta����o a partir de baterias e feito um estudo preliminar relativo ao sistema de carregamento de baterias a ser instalado nos locais de utiliza����o. Ap��s a concep����o, foi constru��do um prot��tipo que depois foi instalado num carrinho de compras. Os testes realizados demonstraram a viabilidade do sistema, quer pelo aux��lio que podem dar aos utilizadores, quer pela flexibilidade e potencial de comercializa����o.

Dosimetria das exposi����es em imagiologia cl��nica

A import��ncia da radia����o ionizante na pr��tica m��dica, n��oo s�� como diagn��stico mas tamb��m como terapia, ganhou, no ��ltimo meio s��culo, uma import��ncia fulcral. Devido aos efeitos secund��rios da radia����o ao ser humano, torna-se fundamental definir regras para aumentar a seguran��a de todos os seus utilizadores, surgindo assim a radioprotec����o. Nesse sentido a Comunidade Europeia da Energia At��mica (EURATOM) define directrizes para os pa��ses membros da Comunidade Europeia de forma a poder orient��-los nesse processo. Torna-se assim importante registar e monitorizar os valores de dose de radia����o num exame radiol��gico para o aumento de seguran��a dos pacientes e t��cnicos. O presente trabalho desenvolvido no ��mbito da disciplina anual Disserta����o/Projecto/ Est��gio Profissional do Mestrado em Computa����o e Instrumenta����o M��dica teve como objectivo registar esses valores atrav��s da comunica����o com medidores de doses. A luz do dia-a-dia da Dr. Campos Costa - Consult��rio de Tomogra a Computarizada S.A, �� apresentada nesta tese uma aplica����o computacional capaz de obter os valores de dose de um estudo radiol��gico a um paciente e guard��-los numa base de dados projectada exclusivamente para esse fim. Os resultados obtidos s��o animadores uma vez que provam ser poss��vel automatizar a monitoriza����o desses valores atrav��s de aplica����es com ferramentas capazes de auxiliar os respons��veis por essa monitoriza����o em qualquer centro cl��nico.

Agrupamento de dados visual interactivo

Com a crescente gera����o, armazenamento e dissemina����o da informa����o nos ��ltimos anos, o anterior problema de falta de informa����o transformou-se num problema de extrac����o do conhecimento ��til a partir da informa����o dispon��vel. As representa����es visuais da informa����o abstracta t��m sido utilizadas para auxiliar a interpreta����o os dados e para revelar padr��es de outra forma escondidos. A visualiza����o de informa����o procura aumentar a cogni����o humana aproveitando as capacidades visuais humanas, de forma a tornar percept��vel a informa����o abstracta, fornecendo os meios necess��rios para que um humano possa absorver quantidades crescentes de informa����o, com as suas capacidades de percep����o. O objectivo das t��cnicas de agrupamento de dados consiste na divis��o de um conjunto de dados em v��rios grupos, em que dados semelhantes s��o colocados no mesmo grupo e dados dissemelhantes em grupos diferentes. Mais especificamente, o agrupamento de dados com restri����es tem o intuito de incorporar conhecimento a priori no processo de agrupamento de dados, com o objectivo de aumentar a qualidade do agrupamento de dados e, simultaneamente, encontrar solu����es apropriadas a tarefas e interesses espec��ficos. Nesta disserta����o �� estudado a abordagem de Agrupamento de Dados Visual Interactivo que permite ao utilizador, atrav��s da interac����o com uma representa����o visual da informa����o, incorporar o seu conhecimento pr��vio acerca do dom��nio de dados, de forma a influenciar o agrupamento resultante para satisfazer os seus objectivos. Esta abordagem combina e estende t��cnicas de visualiza����o interactiva de informa����o, desenho de grafos de for��as direccionadas e agrupamento de dados com restri����es. Com o prop��sito de avaliar o desempenho de diferentes estrat��gias de interac����o com o utilizador, s��o efectuados estudos comparativos utilizando conjuntos de dados sint��ticos e reais.