Speed control of induction machine based on direct torque control method

Disserta����o para obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Electrot��cnica e de Computadores

Algorithm for the Parkinson���s disease behavioural models characterization using a biosensor

Disserta����o para obten����o do Grau de Mestre em Engenharia Biom��dica

An��lise comparada da classifica����o ���pixel a pixel��� e orientada por objecto de uma imagem WorldView 2 de Maputo, Mo��ambique

O desenvolvimento das tecnologias associadas �� Detec����o Remota e aos Sistemas de Informa����o Geogr��fica encontram-se cada vez mais na ordem do dia. E, gra��as a este desenvolvimento de m��todos para acelerar a produ����o de informa����o geogr��fica, assiste-se a um crescente aumento da resolu����o geom��trica, espectral e radiom��trica das imagens, e simultaneamente, ao aparecimento de novas aplica����es com o intuito de facilitar o processamento e a an��lise de imagens atrav��s da melhoria de algoritmos para extrac����o de informa����o. Resultado disso s��o as imagens de alta resolu����o, provenientes do sat��lite WorldView 2 e o mais recente software Envi 5.0, utilizados neste estudo. O presente trabalho tem como principal objectivo desenvolver um projecto de cartografia de uso do solo para a cidade de Maputo, com recurso ao tratamento e �� explora����o de uma imagem de alta resolu����o, comparando as potencialidades e limita����es dos resultados extra��dos atrav��s da classifica����o ���pixel a pixel���, atrav��s do algoritmo M��xima Verossimilhan��a, face ��s potencialidades e eventuais limita����es da classifica����o orientada por objecto, atrav��s dos algoritmos K Nearest Neighbor (KNN) e Support Vector Machine (SVM), na extrac����o do mesmo n��mero e tipo de classes de ocupa����o/uso do solo. Na classifica����o ���pixel a pixel���, com a aplica����o do algoritmo classifica����o M��xima Verosimilhan��a, foram ensaiados dois tipos de amostra: uma primeira constitu��da por 20 classes de ocupa����o/uso do solo, e uma segunda por 18 classes. Ap��s a fase de experimenta����o, os resultados obtidos com a primeira amostra ficaram aqu��m das espectativas, pois observavam-se muitos erros de classifica����o. A segunda amostra formulada com base nestes erros de classifica����o e com o objectivo de os minimizar, permitiu obter um resultado pr��ximo das espectativas idealizadas inicialmente, onde as classes de interesse coincidem com a realidade geogr��fica da cidade de Maputo. Na classifica����o orientada por objecto foram 4 as etapas metodol��gicas utilizadas: a atribui����o do valor 5 para a segmenta����o e 90 para a fus��o de segmentos; a selec����o de 15 exemplos sobre os segmentos gerados para cada classe de interesse; bandas diferentemente distribu��das para o c��lculo dos atributos espectrais e de textura; os atributos de forma Elongation e Form Factor e a aplica����o dos algoritmos KNN e SVM. Confrontando as imagens resultantes das duas abordagens aplicadas, verificou-se que a qualidade do mapa produzido pela classifica����o ���pixel a pixel��� apresenta um n��vel de detalhe superior aos mapas resultantes da classifica����o orientada por objecto. Esta diferen��a de n��vel de detalhe �� justificada pela unidade m��nima do processamento de cada classificador: enquanto que na primeira abordagem a unidade m��nima �� o pixel, traduzinho uma maior detalhe, a segunda abordagem utiliza um conjunto de pixels, objecto, como unidade m��nima despoletando situa����es de generaliza����o. De um modo geral, a extrac����o da forma dos elementos e a distribui����o das classes de interesse correspondem �� realidade geogr��fica em si e, os resultados s��o bons face ao que �� frequente em processamento semiautom��tico.

Land cover mapping analysis and urban growth modeling using remote sensing techniques

The rapid growth of big cities has been noticed since 1950s when the majority of world population turned to live in urban areas rather than villages, seeking better job opportunities and higher quality of services and lifestyle circumstances. This demographic transition from rural to urban is expected to have a continuous increase. Governments, especially in less developed countries, are going to face more challenges in different sectors, raising the essence of understanding the spatial pattern of the growth for an effective urban planning. The study aimed to detect, analyse and model the urban growth in Greater Cairo Region (GCR) as one of the fast growing mega cities in the world using remote sensing data. Knowing the current and estimated urbanization situation in GCR will help decision makers in Egypt to adjust their plans and develop new ones. These plans should focus on resources reallocation to overcome the problems arising in the future and to achieve a sustainable development of urban areas, especially after the high percentage of illegal settlements which took place in the last decades. The study focused on a period of 30 years; from 1984 to 2014, and the major transitions to urban were modelled to predict the future scenarios in 2025. Three satellite images of different time stamps (1984, 2003 and 2014) were classified using Support Vector Machines (SVM) classifier, then the land cover changes were detected by applying a high level mapping technique. Later the results were analyzed for higher accurate estimations of the urban growth in the future in 2025 using Land Change Modeler (LCM) embedded in IDRISI software. Moreover, the spatial and temporal urban growth patterns were analyzed using statistical metrics developed in FRAGSTATS software. The study resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 96%, 97.3% and 96.3% for 1984, 2003 and 2014���s map, respectively. Between 1984 and 2003, 19 179 hectares of vegetation and 21 417 hectares of desert changed to urban, while from 2003 to 2014, the transitions to urban from both land cover classes were found to be 16 486 and 31 045 hectares, respectively. The model results indicated that 14% of the vegetation and 4% of the desert in 2014 will turn into urban in 2025, representing 16 512 and 24 687 hectares, respectively.

Development and modulation of magnetic responsive supported ionic liquid membranes

The work presented in this thesis aims at developing a new separation process based on the application of supported magnetic ionic liquid membranes, SMILMs, using magnetic ionic liquids, MILs. MILs have attracted growing interest due to their ability to change their physicochemical characteristics when exposed to variable magnetic field conditions. The magnetic responsive behavior of MILs is thus expected to contribute for the development of more efficient separation processes, such as supported liquid membranes, where MILs may be used as a selective carrier. Driven by the MILs behavior, these membranes are expected to switch reversibly their permeability and selectivity by in situ and non-invasive adjustment of the conditions (e.g. intensity, direction vector and uniformity) of an external applied magnetic field. The development of these magnetic responsive membrane processes were anticipated by studies, performed along the first stage of this PhD work, aiming at getting a deep knowledge on the influence of magnetic field on MILs properties. The influence of the magnetic field on the molecular dynamics and structural rearrangement of MILs ionic network was assessed through a 1H-NMR technique. Through the 1H-NMR relaxometry analysis it was possible to estimate the self-diffusion profiles of two different model MILs, [Aliquat][FeCl4] and [P66614][FeCl4]. A comparative analysis was established between the behavior of magnetic and non-magnetic ionic liquids, MILs and ILs, to facilitate the perception of the magnetic field impact on MILs properties. In contrast to ILs, MILs show a specific relaxation mechanism, characterized by the magnetic dependence of their self-diffusion coefficients. MILs self-diffusion coefficients increased in the presence of magnetic field whereas ILs self-diffusion was not affected. In order to understand the reasons underlying the magnetic dependence of MILs self-diffusion, studies were performed to investigate the influence of the magnetic field on MILs��� viscosity. It was observed that the MIL��s viscosity decreases with the increase of the magnetic field, explaining the increase of MILs self-diffusion according to the modified Stokes- Einstein equation. Different gas and liquid transport studies were therefore performed aiming to determine the influence of the magnetic behavior of MILs on solute transport through SMILMs. Gas permeation studies were performed using pure CO2 andN2 gas streams and air, using a series of phosphonium cation based MILs, containing different paramagnetic anions. Transport studies were conducted in the presence and absence of magnetic field at a maximum intensity of 1.5T. The results revealed that gas permeability increased in the presence of the magnetic field, however, without affecting the membrane selectivity. The increase of gas permeability through SMILMs was related to the decrease of the MILs viscosity under magnetic field conditions.(...)

Children, space, and the urban street: an ethnomathematics posture

Dissertation presented for the PhD Degree in Education Science ��� Curricular Theory and Science Teaching, by Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ci��ncias e Tecnologia

The intersection of people, technology and local space. PPGIS and Web in practice for participatory planning

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies

Visualization of clusters in geo-referenced data using three-dimensional self-organizing maps

Disserta����o apresentada como requisito parcial para obten����o do grau de Mestre em Estat��stica e Gest��o de Informa����o

Automated illustration of multimedia stories

Submitted in part fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Computer Science

Classifica����o autom��tica de textos baseada em ontologias

Disserta����o de Mestrado em Engenharia Inform��tica

China's space program : a new tool for PRC "soft power" in international relations?

When China launched an anti-satellite (ASAT) weapon in January 2007 to destroy one of its inactive weather satellites, most reactions from academics and U.S. space experts focused on a potential military ���space race��� between the United States and China. Overlooked, however, is China���s growing role as global competitor on the non-military side of space. China���s space program goes far beyond military counterspace applications and manifests manned space aspirations, including lunar exploration. Its pursuit of both commercial and scientific international space ventures constitutes a small, yet growing, percentage of the global space launch and related satellite service industry. It also highlights China���s willingness to cooperate with nations far away from Asia for political and strategic purposes. These partnerships may constitute a challenge to the United States and enhance China���s ���soft power��� among key American allies and even in some regions traditionally dominated by U.S. influence (e.g., Latin America and Africa). Thus, an appropriate U.S. response may not lie in a ���hard power��� counterspace effort but instead in a revival of U.S. space outreach of the past, as well as implementation of more business-friendly export control policies.

FROM NON-PLACE TO PLACE: A STUDY OF EUROPEAN PUBLIC SPACE AS A SPACE OF IDENTITY

Master Erasmus Mundus Crossways in European Humanities

Epidemiologia da mal��ria em Cabo Verde - Factores gen��ticos humanos e estrutura populacional do mosquito vector

A mal��ria, doen��a parasit��ria complexa que resulta da interac����o entre parasita, hospedeiros humano e vector, constitui um dos principais problemas de sa��de a n��vel mundial. �� semelhan��a de outras doen��as parasit��rias e infecciosas a mal��ria tem um papel importante na evolu����o, tendo j�� sido demonstrado o papel da varia����o gen��tica humana na resist��ncia �� infec����o. Ap��s quase meio s��culo de controlo, a mal��ria persiste na ilha de Santiago onde, apesar da baixa endemicidade, os indiv��duos apresentam geralmente manifesta����es moderadas, s��o diagnosticadas infec����es abaixo do n��vel detect��vel pela microscopia e o vector se encontra muito pr��ximo da popula����o supostamente suscept��vel, desconhecendo-se a frequ��ncia dos principais polimorfismos gen��ticos humanos mais relacionados com a doen��a e a estrutura populacional do mosquito vector. Os objectivos gerais de trabalho desta tese assentam 1) no estudo dos dois cl��ssicos factores gen��ticos do hospedeiro humano relacionados com a mal��ria, nomeadamente os afectos �� anemia das c��lulas falciformes, �� defici��ncia em G6PD e a an��lise dum prov��vel envolvimento da PK e 2) na an��lise gen��tica das popula����es do mosquito vector, tentando contribuir para a compreens��o da epidemiologia da doen��a na Ilha, e para a escolha de medidas de controlo apropriadas. Os trabalhos incidiram na detec����o do alelo respons��vel pela hemoglobina S, de polimorfismos no gene da G6PD e da PK em indiv��duos n��o aparentados (Infectados e n��o Infectados) com an��lise da sua prov��vel associa����o com a infec����o e, ainda, na genotipagem de loci microssat��lites de Anopheles arabiensis com recurso a t��cnicas baseadas na PCR. Relativamente �� anemia falciforme, a frequ��ncia dos portadores do tra��o (indiv��duos HbAS) e do alelo HbS foi 6% e 5%, respectivamente, e para as variantes da G6PD, 0,8% para G6PDA- e 0,0% para a G6PDMed, n��o tendo sido encontrado associa����o entre os gen��tipos desses dois factores e a presen��a de infec����o. No que concerne ao gene PKLR n��o foi encontrada uma associa����o clara entre os polimorfismos analisados e o estado de infec����o, mas foi detectado um acentuado desequil��brio de linkage entre os loci, apenas nos N��o Infectados, o que pode significar que essa regi��o do gene, aparentemente conservada, tenha sido seleccionada por fornecer protec����o contra a infec����o e/ou doen��a. A diversidade gen��tica das popula����es de A. arabiensis em onze loci microssat��lites foi moderada com valores m��dio de He, variando de 0,481 a 0,522 e a Rs de 4 a 5. O valor da diferencia����o gen��tica baseado em 7 loci polim��rficos foi baixo (FST=0,012; p<0,001) mas significativo, variando entre 0,001 e 0,023 entre os pares de popula����es. N��o foram detectados os alelos de resist��ncia associados ao gene Kdr. A baixa frequ��ncia dos alelos associados �� G6PD (A- e Med) tem implica����es importantes nas estrat��gias de controlo definidas pelo Programa Nacional de Luta contra o Paludismo (PNLP), uma vez que a primaquina pode continuar a ser administrada como complemento aos regimes terap��uticos, em caso de necessidade. A popula����o de A. arabiensis em Santiago revelou-se relativamente homog��nea e com uma estrutura reduzida o que pode, por um lado, representar uma desvantagem por permitir uma prov��vel dispers��o dos genes de resist��ncia. Por outro lado, essa relativa homogeneidade poder�� representar uma vantagem para a introdu����o de um programa de controlo baseado na liberta����o de mosquitos transg��nicos.

Modulation of inflammatory mediators by Opuntia ficus-indica and Prunus avium bioproducts using an in vitro cell-based model of intestinal inflammation

Dissertation to obtain a Master Degree in Biotechnology

Molecular modulation of brain development and function: lessons from ���old��� and ���new���

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology