Poker learner: modelação de jogadores através de data mining

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Informação

Assistive locomotion strategies for active lower limb devices

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Biomédica (área de especialização em Eletrónica Médica)

Checagem corporal, atitude alimentar inadequada e insatisfação com a imagem corporal de jovens universitários

OBJETIVO: O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a checagem corporal, a atitude alimentar inadequada e a insatisfação corporal em universitários de ambos os sexos. MÉTODOS: Participaram 587 indivíduos (311 homens). Foram avaliados os comportamentos de checagem (mulheres - Body Checking Questionnaire; homens - Male Body Checking Questionnaire), as atitudes alimentares inadequadas (Eating Attitudes Test-26) e a insatisfação corporal (Body Shape Questionnaire). Massa corporal e estatura foram autorreferidas para o cálculo do índice de massa corporal (IMC). Foi realizada estatística descritiva, inferencial e teste qui-quadrado (teste exato de Fisher) utilizando o software Statistic 8.0 e adotado nível de significância de 5%. RESULTADOS: A checagem corporal está associada às atitudes alimentares inadequadas e à insatisfação corporal, independentemente do sexo do indivíduo. Foram encontradas diferenças entre o sexo feminino e masculino para as variáveis avaliadas, sendo maior a frequência entre as mulheres. CONCLUSÃO: Concluiu-se que a checagem corporal é um comportamento presente e de alta frequência em universitários com risco para o transtorno alimentar e também naqueles insatisfeitos com sua imagem corporal.

O estudo da aplicação de acabamentos funcionais de barreira UV em fibras previamente ativadas por plasma

Tese de Doutoramento Engenharia Têxtil

Predicting SO2 pollution incidents by means of additive models with optimum variable selection

The aim of this paper is to predict time series of SO2 concentrations emitted by coal-fired power stations in order to estimate in advance emission episodes and analyze the influence of some meteorological variables in the prediction. An emission episode is said to occur when the series of bi-hourly means of SO2 is greater than a specific level. For coal-fired power stations it is essential to predict emission epi- sodes sufficiently in advance so appropriate preventive measures can be taken. We proposed a meth- odology to predict SO2 emission episodes based on using an additive model and an algorithm for variable selection. The methodology was applied to the estimation of SO2 emissions registered in sampling lo- cations near a coal-fired power station located in Northern Spain. The results obtained indicate a good performance of the model considering only two terms of the time series and that the inclusion of the meteorological variables in the model is not significant.

Atuação dos enfermeiros na emergência pré-hospitalar em situações de paragem cárdio-respiratória

Dissertação de mestrado em Enfermagem da Pessoa em Situação Crítica

Patente farmacêutica: especificidades e tutela

Dissertação de mestrado em Direito dos Contratos e da Empresa

Reliability of the interpretation of coronary angiography by the simple visual method

OBJECTIVE: Evaluation of inter and intraobserver reproducibility of by the visual method interpretation of cineangiogram in a clinically based context. METHODS: Five interventional cardiologists analyzed 11 segments of 8 coronary cineangiograms at a two month apart sessions. The percent luminal reduction by the lesions were analyzed by two different classifications: in one (A) the lesions were graded in 0% = absent, 1-50% = mild, 51 - 69 = moderate, and > or = 70% = severe; the other classification (B) was a dichotomic one : <70% = nonsignificant and > or = 70%=significant lesions. The agreement were measured by the kappa (k) index. RESULTS: Interobserver agreement was moderate for classification A (1st measurement, k = 0.36 -- 0.63, k m = 0.49; 2nd measurement, k = 0.39-0.68, k m = 0.52) and good for classification B (1st measurement, k = 0.55-0.73, k m = 0.63; 2nd measurement, k = 0.37-0.82, k m = 0.61). Intraobserver levels of agreement were k = 0.57-0.95 for classification A and 0.62-1.0 for classification B. CONCLUSION: The higher level of reproducibility obtained by adopting the dichotomous criteria usually considered for ischemic limits demonstrates that in the present clinical context, the reliability of the simple visual method is adequate for the identification of patients with clinically significant lesions and candidates for myocardial revascularization procedures.

Estimação da função de sobrevivência em dados de eventos recorrentes com censura pela direita

Dissertação de mestrado em Estatística

Reliability of the information about the history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Differences in regard to sex, age, and educational level. The pró-saúde study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the intraobserver reliability of the information about the history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. METHODS: A multidimensional health questionnaire, which was filled out by the interviewees, was applied twice with an interval of 2 weeks, in July '99, to 192 employees of the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), stratified by sex, age, and educational level. The intraobserver reliability of the answers provided was estimated by the kappa statistic and by the coefficient of intraclass correlation (CICC). RESULTS: The general kappa (k) statistic was 0.75 (95% CI=0.73-0.77). Reliability was higher among females (k=0.88, 95% CI=0.85-0.91) than among males (k=0.62, 95% CI=0.59-0.65).The reliability was higher among individuals 40 years of age or older (k=0.79; 95% CI=0.73-0.84) than those from 18 to 39 years (k=0.52; 95% CI=0.45-0.57). Finally, the kappa statistic was higher among individuals with a university educational level (k=0.86; 95% CI=0.81-0.91) than among those with high school educational level (k=0.61; 95% CI=0.53-0.70) or those with middle school educational level (k=0.68; 95% CI=0.64-0.72). The coefficient of intraclass correlation estimated by the intraobserver agreement in regard to age at the time of the diagnosis of hypertension was 0.74. A perfect agreement between the 2 answers (k=1.00) was observed for 22 interviewees who reported prior prescription of antihypertensive medication. CONCLUSION: In the population studied, estimates of the reliability of the history of medical diagnosis of hypertension and its treatment ranged from substantial to almost perfect reliability.

Hierarchical modelling of timber reference properties using probabilistic methods: Maximum Likelihood Method, Bayesian Methods and Probability Networks

In recent decades, an increased interest has been evidenced in the research on multi-scale hierarchical modelling in the field of mechanics, and also in the field of wood products and timber engineering. One of the main motivations for hierar-chical modelling is to understand how properties, composition and structure at lower scale levels may influence and be used to predict the material properties on a macroscopic and structural engineering scale. This chapter presents the applicability of statistic and probabilistic methods, such as the Maximum Likelihood method and Bayesian methods, in the representation of timber’s mechanical properties and its inference accounting to prior information obtained in different importance scales. These methods allow to analyse distinct timber’s reference properties, such as density, bending stiffness and strength, and hierarchically consider information obtained through different non, semi or destructive tests. The basis and fundaments of the methods are described and also recommendations and limitations are discussed. The methods may be used in several contexts, however require an expert’s knowledge to assess the correct statistic fitting and define the correlation arrangement between properties.

Escore de risco Dante Pazzanese para síndrome coronariana aguda sem supradesnivelamento do segmento ST

FUNDAMENTO: Em síndrome coronariana aguda (SCA), é importante estimar a probabilidade de eventos adversos. OBJETIVO: Desenvolver um escore de risco em uma população brasileira com SCA sem supradesnivelamento do segmento ST (SST). MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados prospectivamente 1.027 pacientes em um centro brasileiro de cardiologia. Um modelo de regressão logística múltipla foi desenvolvido para prever o risco de morte ou de (re)infarto em 30 dias. A acurácia preditiva do modelo foi determinada pelo C statistic. RESULTADOS: O evento combinado ocorreu em 54 pacientes (5,3%). O escore foi criado pela soma aritmética de pontos dos preditores independentes, cujas pontuações foram designadas pelas respectivas probabilidades de ocorrência do evento. As seguintes variáveis foram identificadas: aumento da idade (0 a 9 pontos); antecedente de diabete melito (2 pontos) ou de acidente vascular cerebral (4 pontos); não utilização prévia de inibidor da enzima conversora da angiotensina (1 ponto); elevação da creatinina (0 a 10 pontos); e combinação de elevação da troponina I cardíaca e depressão do segmento ST (0 a 4 pontos). Foram definidos quatro grupos de risco: muito baixo (até 5 pontos); baixo (6 a 10 pontos); intermediário (11 a 15 pontos); e alto risco (16 a 30 pontos). O C statistic para a probabilidade do evento foi de 0,78 e para o escore de risco em pontuação de 0,74. CONCLUSÃO: Um escore de risco foi desenvolvido para prever morte ou (re)infarto em 30 dias em uma população brasileira com SCA sem SST, podendo facilmente ser aplicável no departamento de emergência.

Об использовании некоторых статистических методов для прогнозирования долговременных изменений температуры воздуха (на примере города Тбилиси)

Рассмотрены три метода статистического прогнозирования ожидаемых изменений среднегодовой температуры воздуха в Тбилиси на ближайшие 50 лет до 2056 года (линейное прогнозирование, прогнозирования сглаженных функций с учетом двух периодичностей в ряде наблюдений, линейное прогнозирование с учетом одной периодичности в ряде наблюдений).

Proposal Intensity Adequacy of Expiratory Effort and Heart Rate Behavior During the Valsalva Maneuver in Preadolescents

Background: When performing the Valsalva maneuver (VM), adults and preadolescents produce the same expiratory resistance values. Objective: To analyze heart rate (HR) in preadolescents performing VM, and propose a new method for selecting expiratory resistance. Method: The maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) was measured in 45 sedentary children aged 9-12 years who subsequently performed VM for 20 s using an expiratory pressure of 60%, 70%, or 80% of MEP. HR was measured before, during, and after VM. These procedures were repeated 30 days later, and the data collected in the sessions (E1, E2) were analyzed and compared in periods before, during (0-10 and 10-20 s), and after VM using nonparametric tests. Results: All 45 participants adequately performed VM in E1 and E2 at 60% of MEP. However, only 38 (84.4%) and 25 (55.5%) of the participants performed the maneuver at 70% and 80% of MEP, respectively. The HR delta measured during 0-10 s and 10-20 s significantly increased as the expiratory effort increased, indicating an effective cardiac autonomic response during VM. However, our findings suggest the VM should not be performed at these intensities. Conclusion: HR increased with all effort intensities tested during VM. However, 60% of MEP was the only level of expiratory resistance that all participants could use to perform VM. Therefore, 60% of MEP may be the optimal expiratory resistance that should be used in clinical practice.

Relevance to Home Blood Pressure Monitoring Protocol of Blood Pressure Measurements Taken Before First- Morning Micturition and in the Afternoon

Background: The importance of measuring blood pressure before morning micturition and in the afternoon, while working, is yet to be established in relation to the accuracy of home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM). Objective: To compare two HBPM protocols, considering 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (wakefulness ABPM) as gold-standard and measurements taken before morning micturition (BM) and in the afternoon (AM), for the best diagnosis of systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), and their association with prognostic markers. Methods: After undergoing 24-hour wakefulness ABPM, 158 participants (84 women) were randomized for 3- or 5-day HBPM. Two variations of the 3-day protocol were considered: with measurements taken before morning micturition and in the afternoon (BM+AM); and with post-morning-micturition and evening measurements (PM+EM). All patients underwent echocardiography (for left ventricular hypertrophy - LVH) and urinary albumin measurement (for microalbuminuria - MAU). Result: Kappa statistic for the diagnosis of SAH between wakefulness-ABPM and standard 3-day HBPM, 3-day HBPM (BM+AM) and (PM+EM), and 5-day HBPM were 0.660, 0.638, 0.348 and 0.387, respectively. The values of sensitivity of (BM+AM) versus (PM+EM) were 82.6% × 71%, respectively, and of specificity, 84.8% × 74%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values were 69.1% × 40% and 92.2% × 91.2%, respectively. The comparisons of intraclass correlations for the diagnosis of LVH and MAU between (BM+AM) and (PM+EM) were 0.782 × 0.474 and 0.511 × 0.276, respectively. Conclusions: The 3 day-HBPM protocol including measurements taken before morning micturition and during work in the afternoon showed the best agreement with SAH diagnosis and the best association with prognostic markers.