The attenuation surface for contrast sensitivity has the form of a witch’s hat within the central visual field

Over the full visual field, contrast sensitivity is fairly well described by a linear decline in log sensitivity as a function of eccentricity (expressed in grating cycles). However, many psychophysical studies of spatial visual function concentrate on the central ±4.5 deg (or so) of the visual field. As the details of the variation in sensitivity have not been well documented in this region we did so for small patches of target contrast at several spatial frequencies (0.7–4 c/deg), meridians (horizontal, vertical, and oblique), orientations (horizontal, vertical, and oblique), and eccentricities (0–18 cycles). To reduce the potential effects of stimulus uncertainty, circular markers surrounded the targets. Our analysis shows that the decline in binocular log sensitivity within the central visual field is bilinear: The initial decline is steep, whereas the later decline is shallow and much closer to the classical results. The bilinear decline was approximately symmetrical in the horizontal meridian and declined most steeply in the superior visual field. Further analyses showed our results to be scale-invariant and that this property could not be predicted from cone densities. We used the results from the cardinal meridians to radially interpolate an attenuation surface with the shape of a witch's hat that provided good predictions for the results from the oblique meridians. The witch's hat provides a convenient starting point from which to build models of contrast sensitivity, including those designed to investigate signal summation and neuronal convergence of the image contrast signal. Finally, we provide Matlab code for constructing the witch's hat.

Proteção em sistemas elétricos com geração distribuída utilizando a transformada wavelet

A typical electrical power system is characterized by centr alization of power gene- ration. However, with the restructuring of the electric sys tem, this topology is changing with the insertion of generators in parallel with the distri bution system (distributed gene- ration) that provides several benefits to be located near to e nergy consumers. Therefore, the integration of distributed generators, especially fro m renewable sources in the Brazi- lian system has been common every year. However, this new sys tem topology may result in new challenges in the field of the power system control, ope ration, and protection. One of the main problems related to the distributed generati on is the islanding formation, witch can result in safety risk to the people and to the power g rid. Among the several islanding protection techniques, passive techniques have low implementation cost and simplicity, requiring only voltage and current measuremen ts to detect system problems. This paper proposes a protection system based on the wavelet transform with overcur- rent and under/overvoltage functions as well as infomation of fault-induced transients in order to provide a fast detection and identification of fault s in the system. The propo- sed protection scheme was evaluated through simulation and experimental studies, with performance similar to the overcurrent and under/overvolt age conventional methods, but with the additional detection of the exact moment of the fault.

Problematiken med estimering i projekt inom agil systemutveckling : Analys och undersökning av agil systemutveckling hos SDC

In today’s society, IT-Companies often have a hard time estimating changed requirements. This leads to that the clients’ confidence is negatively affected and is one of the main reasons why this has to be improved. The goal with this study was to find out what the most common problems regarding this issue are in IT-companies that works with agile software development. By analyzing one IT-company through a SWOT- and pareto-analysis the most common problems have been ascertained. The SWOT analysis have been created through interviews with selected employees to get a better understanding of the problems that the IT-company is facing. Furthermore was the pareto-analysis based on a survey that was sent out to many different employees to prioritize the problems. The reason why the survey was sent to different employees was to get a more objective input. The study showed that there was many different problems that needed attention. The most important problems was that the communication towards the client regarding requirements needed to be improved, better communication internally between different departments needed to be established, a method to quickly adapt and estimate change in requirements needed to be implemented and finally a method regarding witch key employees whom need to attend the planning of the program backlog. These problems have then been studied through interviews with other IT-companies and through a literature study. The conclusions that where drawn was that the client needs to be involved and updated through the whole project. Constant monitoring and communication regarding changed requirements needs to be processed and mediated. High standards needs to be set early towards the client in order to obtain as clear an image of the requirements as possible. Many different parties need to attend to the planning process for the program backlog before the start of the project. The client needs to be aware of that changed requirements will arise and that this will lead to that the first estimation may not necessarily be absolute. As long as the client is held up to date as well as participant through the whole project and problems are detected and mediated early, change in requirements should not be a huge problem. This is after all the purpose of being agile.

Fatores que influenciam a aceitação de práticas avançadas de gestão de segurança da informação: um estudo com gestores públicos estaduais no Brasil

This study examines the factors that influence public managers in the adoption of advanced practices related to Information Security Management. This research used, as the basis of assertions, Security Standard ISO 27001:2005 and theoretical model based on TAM (Technology Acceptance Model) from Venkatesh and Davis (2000). The method adopted was field research of national scope with participation of eighty public administrators from states of Brazil, all of them managers and planners of state governments. The approach was quantitative and research methods were descriptive statistics, factor analysis and multiple linear regression for data analysis. The survey results showed correlation between the constructs of the TAM model (ease of use, perceptions of value, attitude and intention to use) and agreement with the assertions made in accordance with ISO 27001, showing that these factors influence the managers in adoption of such practices. On the other independent variables of the model (organizational profile, demographic profile and managers behavior) no significant correlation was identified with the assertions of the same standard, witch means the need for expansion researches using such constructs. It is hoped that this study may contribute positively to the progress on discussions about Information Security Management, Adoption of Safety Standards and Technology Acceptance Model

Promoção do envolvimento e da cooperação entre as famílias de alunos que frequentam uma unidade de apoio à multideficiência e a escola

Projeto de Intervenção apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ciências de Educação - Especialidade em Educação Especial

Terrenos de marinha: terras públicas com função social? um estudo da orla marítima de natal

This work has as its theme the social function of terrenos de marinha. Theresearch universe is the terrenos de marinha of Natal coastline, focusing on thefulfillment of its social function. Prescribed by law since the colonial period with thepurpose of protecting the coast and free movement of people and goods, theywere swathes of land not available to private use by individuals. With the transitionfrom the allotments system to the purchase and sale, regard to land access,crystallized with the creation of the Land Law in the nineteenth century, the land isheld as merchandise and terrenos de marinha, following this logic, also acquireexchange value and become capable of enjoyment by private individuals, with thecondition of tax payments to the state. This is seen until the twentieth century,when in 1988, primarily because of the Federal Constitution promulgation, begins anew cycle when is possible to use on terrenos de marinha the principle of thesocial function of property. From this perspective this study aims to identify thesocial function of terrenos de marinha in Natal, focusing on the public destinationand the use value of the city coastline. To this end, it was made a data collection inthe on-line information system of the Federal Heritage Department of Rio Grandedo Norte (SPU / RN) and in the terrenos de marinha areas, in order to find out ifthey had public or private use, or if they were empty lots, as well as if thepopulation access to the shore exist. Interviews with managers of the SPU weremade. The empirical study showed that the social function of terrenos de marinhain the city of Natal still didn´t happen, considering the constant existence of vacantlots in their areas, the lack of access in significant portions of the coastline and thereduced areas directed to common use along the coastline, minimizing its potentialof enjoyment by the population. It concludes by pointing to the existence of a newtransition phase on the terrenos de marinha, in witch, gradually, come up lawprovisions in the legal system and public policies to expand the purely taxcollection function attributed to this land for two centuries. In this direction, thesocial function of terrenos de marinha is embodied in concomitant adjustment ofthe tax collection function and the rescue of coastline use value, national heritageand a place for sociability and social relations development

Análise de estratégias de compreensão leitora no 4.º ano do ensino básico

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em Ensino do 1.º e 2.º Ciclos do Ensino Básico

Avaliação do potencial cancerigénico de microcistinas (cianotoxinas)

Tese de doutoramento em Farmácia (Toxicologia), apresentada à Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de Lisboa, 2009.

Influência da profundidade e dos parâmetros ambientais sobre o desenvolvimento de Gracilaria birdiae (Rhodophyta, Gracilariales) em viveiro de camarão

This study evaluates the influence of depth and environmental parameters on the development of Gracilaria birdiae Plastino & Oliveira (Gracilariaceae Rhodophyta) in an organic shrimp pound (Litopenaeus vannamei) under euthrophical conditions. PVC structures (module) witch four ropes laden with 150 g of macroalgae each, were kept during 35 days at three different depths (surface, 10 and 20 cm depth). Wet biomass weighing and environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, turbidity, pH, transparence, precipitation, evaporation, insolation, accumulated solar radiation, nitrite, nitrate, ammonium and orthophosphate) were measured weekly. At all three proposed depths, the macroalgae displayed a higher biomass at the end of experiment than at the initial inoculations. The module kept at a 10 cm depth presented the greatest average biomass (186,3), followed by that kept at 20 cm (180,4 g) and the surface module (169,9 g). Biomass variations showed algae to suffer the direct effects of depths. Biomass loss was associated with the factors that influence light penetration, such as sediment deposits above the thallus, rate of evaporation and precipitation. The smallest loses occurred in the algae kept on surface (0,16%), followed by the algae kept at 20 cm (0,20%) and 10 cm (0,22%). The specific growth rate (SGR) of G. birdiae showed no significant difference between the three depths nor the sample periods. Nevertheless, the modules kept at 10 and 20 cm depths presented similar growth evolution, both growing 0,38%·per day-1, while the module kept on surface had an average SGR of 0,36%·day-1. The models related to growth rate demonstrated temperature, salinity, pH, orthophosphate, ammonium, precipitation and turbidity as the principal environmental parameters influencing the development of G. birdiae

A study of fish ice cream formulation by use of silver carp proteins instead of milk proteins

Fish is a valuable nutritional source witch use of it in daily meal has a beneficial role on nutritional needs supply and also causes mental and physical health especially in people who have protein and food deficiencies. Unfortunately, per capita consumption of sea foods in Iran is 5.5Kg witch is very lower than world standards. So, study on fish ice cream formulation, by use of fish protein concentrate (FPC) instead of milk protein, had done to make variation in sea foods products and also increase per capita consumption of these kinds of foods. FPC has very high protein concentration and a lot of necessary Also it's protein is very digestible amino acids like lysine and methionine with highly biological value and it's PER in compare with casein PER is high. At first fish protein concentrate type A produced from silver carp in three steps by the extraction with isopropyl alcohol solvent and heat. Microbiological and physicochemical specifications of produced FPC by rules of FDA and FAO were accepted. Finally according to panel test results, substitution of 30 percent of milk with FPC is acceptable. Also microbiological and physicochemical specifications of product were tested and results in compare with national standards of Iran were accepted.

Contributo para a definição de um projecto de intervenção contra o excesso de peso e a obesidade infantil no Externato João Alberto Faria

Este estudo caracteriza a incidência do excesso de peso e da obesidade no Externato João Alberto Faria (Arruda dos Vinhos), procurando identificar as variáveis que os determinam e definir um projecto de intervenção na área da educação para a saúde no âmbito dos estilos de vida saudáveis e do combate ao excesso de peso e à obesidade. Dos 432 alunos que participaram no estudo, 53,7°/o eram do sexo feminino e 46,3% do sexo masculino. Os resultados relativos ao índice de Massa Corporal (IMC) dos alunos indicaram que, na população em estudo, 31,7% dos alunos apresentavam peso em excesso, dos quais 10,5% eram obesos. A prevalência de excesso de peso e obesidade era superior nos alunos mais novos e nas raparigas, no entanto os rapazes eram mais obesos. Em virtude dos resultados, identificaram-se como áreas de intervenção, a melhoria dos hábitos alimentares, o aumento dos níveis de actividade física e a diminuição das catividades de lazer sedentárias dos alunos, bem como intervenções ao nível das crenças, atitudes e comportamentos dos alunos e dos pais. O projecto de intervenção apresentado tem como objectivo reduzir a prevalência do excesso de peso e obesidade infantil através da aquisição e desenvolvimento de atitudes e comportamentos que visem a promoção e adopção de hábitos e estilos de vida saudáveis. É sabido que mudar atitudes e comportamentos, nomeadamente, os que dizem respeito a mudança de estilos de vida, é um processo difícil e que leva tempo, sendo fundamental uma abordagem integrada que afecte as várias dimensões das causas do problema em que se pretende intervir. ABSTRACT; This study characterizes the incidence of overweight and obesity in Externato João Alberto Faria (Arruda dos Vinhos). lts aim was to identify the variables that causes it and to define a project of intervention in the health educational field related to healthy lifestyles and against overweight and childhood obesity. 432 students participated in the survey: 53,7% females and 46,3% males. The results as far as students Body Mass Index are concerned show that within the surveyed people 31,7% were overweight and 10,5% were obese. Overweight and obesity have more evidence in the younger students and in the girls' group, despite the fact that boys were more obese. Such results lead to the intervention in certain areas: improving eating habits, increasing physical activity, diminishing sedentary hobbies and also interfering in the beliefs and attitudes of children and their parents. The intervention project presented has the following goal: to reduce the prevalence of overweight and childhood obesity through the acquisition and development of attitudes and behaviours witch aim at de promotion and adoption of healthy habits and lifestyles. Changing attitudes and behaviours related to the improving of lifestyles is difficult and takes time. Therefore, the need for an integrated approach is crucial in order to affect the several causes of the problem in witch we want to intervene.

Reação das crianças do pré-escolar à agressividade das personagens de ficção : ogres e bruxas nos contos tradicionais

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico.

Ambiente para aquisição e processamento de sinal eletromiográfico de superfície

In this work, a platform to the conditioning, digitizing, visualization and recording of the EMG signals was developed. After the acquisition, the analysis can be done by signal processing techniques. The platform consists of two modules witch acquire electromyography (EMG) signals by surface electrodes, limit the interest frequency band, filter the power grid interference and digitalize the signals by the analogue-to- digital converter of the modules microcontroller. Thereby, the data are sent to the computer by the USB interface by the HID specification, displayed in real-time in graphical form and stored in files. As processing resources was implemented the operations of signal absolute value, the determination of effective value (RMS), Fourier analysis, digital filter (IIR) and the adaptive filter. Platform initial tests were performed with signal of lower and upper limbs with the aim to compare the EMG signal laterality. The open platform is intended to educational activities and academic research, allowing the addition of other processing methods that the researcher want to evaluate or other required analysis.

Metodologia para a implementação de um sistema de apoio à decisão no sistema nacional de saúde baseado nos indicadores para a saúde

Actualmente, o SIS depara-se com problemas relativos à normalização e qualidade de dados, interoperabilidade entre instituições e inexistência de sistemas que suportem e agilizem o processo da decisão estratégica no sector. Numa primeira fase, este trabalho caracteriza e clarifica o papel das diversas instituições que colaboram com o MS, a forma como é gerida a informação e o conhecimento e os pressupostos do PNS enquanto documento agregador de indicadores que permitem avaliar o estado da saúde em Portugal. Com base na caracterização do sector e na importância orientadora do PNS, apresenta-se uma metodologia que organiza e desenvolve um modelo de metadados, baseados nos indicadores para a saúde, presentes no PNS. A sua importância para o sector é evidente uma vez que permite servir de suporte ao futuro desenvolvimento de aplicações estratégicas de apoio à decisão, salvaguardando a implementação e a divulgação do PNS e dos seus indicadores. ABSTRACT; Currently, the SIS comes across with problems related with normalization and quality of data, cooperation between institutions and the inexistence of systems that support and speed the process of strategical decisions in the sector. ln a first phase, this work characterizes and simplifies the role of each institution that collaborates with MS, the form as it is managed the information and the knowledge and the fundamentals of PNS, as a document witch aggregates pointers that allow the evaluation of the state of health in Portugal. On the basis of this characterization and the orienting importance of PNS, this work demonstrates a metadata methodology that organizes and develops a model, based on health pointers, indicated in PNS. Its importance for the sector is evident because it can support future developments of strategical applications, safeguarding the implementation and the analysis of PNS and its pointers.

Qualidade de vida em portadores crónicos do vírus da hepatite B

Dissertação de Mestrado realizada apresentada no Instituto Superior de Psicologia Aplicada para obtenção de grau de Mestre na especialidade de Psicologia Clínica em Clínica