Predicting IQ of biologically "at risk" children from age 3 to school entry:sensitivity and specificity of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale IV

Predictive validity of the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale Fourth Edition (S-B IV) from age 3 years to ages 4-5 years was evaluated with biologically "at risk" children without major sensory or motor impairments (n = 236). Using the standard scoring, children with full scale IQ <or = 84 on the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence at age 4-5 years were poorly identified (sensitivity 54%) from the composite S-B IV score at age 3. However, sensitivity improved greatly to 78% by including as a predictor the number of subtests the child was actually able to perform at age 3 years. Measures from the Home Screening Questionnaire and ratings of mother-child interaction further improved sensitivity to 83%. The standard method for calculating the composite score on the S-B IV excludes subtests with a raw score of 0, which overestimates cognitive functioning in young biologically high risk children. Accuracy of early identification was improved significantly by considering the number of subtests the child did not perform at age 3 years.

Analysis of electric vehicle charging using the traditional generation expansion planning analysis tool WASP-IV

Electric vehicles (EV) are proposed as a measure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in transport and support increased wind power penetration across modern power systems. Optimal benefits can only be achieved, if EVs are deployed effectively, so that the exhaust emissions are not substituted by additional emissions in the electricity sector, which can be implemented using Smart Grid controls. This research presents the results of an EV roll-out in the all island grid (AIG) in Ireland using the long term generation expansion planning model called the Wien Automatic System Planning IV (WASP-IV) tool to measure carbon dioxide emissions and changes in total energy. The model incorporates all generators and operational requirements while meeting environmental emissions, fuel availability and generator operational and maintenance constraints to optimize economic dispatch and unit commitment power dispatch. In the study three distinct scenarios are investigated base case, peak and off-peak charging to simulate the impacts of EV’s in the AIG up to 2025.

Electron impact excitation of the Fe-peak ions Ni III and Ni IV

Accurate determination of electron excitation rates for the Fe-peak elements is complicated by the presence of an open 3d-shell in the description of the target ion, which can lead to hundreds of target state energy levels. Furthermore, the low energy scattering region is dominated by series of Rydberg resonances, which require a very fine energy mesh for their delineation. These problems have prompted the development of a suite of parallel R-matrix codes. In this work we report recent applications of these codes to the study of electron impact excitation of Ni III and Ni IV.

Calibration and validation of hydrodynamic, salt and heat transport models for Ria de Aveiro lagoon (Portugal)

Ria deAveiro is a very complex shallow water coastal lagoon located on the northwest of Portugal. Important issues would be left unanswered without a good understanding of hydrodynamic and transport processes occurring in the lagoon. Calibration and validation of hydrodynamic, salt and heat transport models for Ria de Aveiro lagoon are presented. The calibration of the hydrodynamic model was performed adjusting the bottom friction coefficient, through the comparison between measured and predicted time series of sea surface elevation for 22 stations. Harmonic analysis was performed in order to evaluate the model's accuracy. To validate the hydrodynamic model measured and predicted SSE values were compared for 11 stations, as well as main flow direction velocities for 10 stations. The salt and heat transport models were calibrated comparing measured and predicted time series of salinity and water temperature for 7 stations, and the RMS of the difference between the series was determined. These models were validated comparing the model results with an independent field data set. The hydrodynamic and the salt and heat transport models for Ria de Aveiro were successfully calibrated and validated. They reproduce accurately the barotropic flows and can therefore adequately represent the salt and heat transport and the heat transfer processes occurring in Ria deAveiro.

Describing vocal performance of Portuguese cantadeiras of Alto Minho

Portugal has strong musical traditions, which have been perpetrated by decades through folkloristic activities. In folk groups from Alto Minho (north of Portugal), folk singing is mostly performed by cantadeiras, amateur female solo singers who learn this style orally. Their vocal characteristics are distinctive when compared with other regions of the country; however, deep understanding of these vocal practices is still missing. The present work aims at studying Alto Minho cantadeira’s vocal performance in a multidimensional perspective, envisioning social, cultural and physiological understanding of this musical style. Thus, qualitative and quantitative data analyses were carried out, to: (i) describe current performance practices, (ii) explore existent perceptions about most relevant voice features in this region, (iii) investigate physiological and acoustic properties of this style, and (iv) compare this style of singing with other non-classical singing styles of other countries. Dataset gathered involved: 78 groups whose members were telephone interviewed, 13 directors who were asked to fill in a questionnaire on performance practices, 1 cantadeira in a pilot study, 16 cantadeiras in preliminary voice recordings, 77 folk group members in listening tests, and 10 cantadeiras in multichannel recordings, including audio, ELG, air flow and intra-oral pressure signals. Data were analysed through thematic content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics, hierarchical principal components, and multivariate linear regression models. Most representative voices have a high pitched and loud voice, with a bright timbre, predominance of chest register without excessive effort, and good text intelligibility with regional accent. High representativeness levels were obtained by few cantadeiras; these sing with high levels of subglottal pressure and vocal fold contact quotient, predominance of high spectrum energy and vocal loudness, corroborating indications of prevalence of pressed phonation. These vocal characteristics resemble belting in musical theatre and share similarities with country (USA) and ojikanje (Croatia) singing. Strategies that may contribute to the preservation of this type of singing and the vocal health of current cantadeiras are discussed, pointing at the direction of continuous education among folk groups, following practices that are already adopted elsewhere in Europe.

Advanced monitoring of South Portugal water bodies towards WFD

The challenge on implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) fosters the development of new monitoring methods and approaches. It is now commonly accepted that the use of classical monitoring campaigns in discrete point is not sufficient to fully assess and describe a water body. Due to this the WFD promote the use of modelling techniques in surface waters to assist all phases of the process, from characterisation and establishment of reference conditions to identification of pressures and assessment of impact. The work presented in this communication is based on these principles. A classical monitoring of the water status of the main transitional water bodies of Algarve (south of Portugal) is combined with advanced in situ water profiling and hydrodynamic, water quality and ecological modelling of the systems to build a complete description of its state. This approach extends spatially and temporally the resolution of the classical point sampling. The methodology was applied during a 12 month program in Ria Formosa coastal lagoon, the Guadiana estuary and the Arade estuary. The synoptic profiling uses an YSI 6600 EDS multi-parameter system attached to a boat and a GPS receiver to produce monthly synoptic maps of the systems. This data extends the discrete point sampling with laboratory analysis performed monthly in several points of each water body. The point sampling is used to calibrate the profiling system and to include variables, such as nutrients, not measured by the sensors. A total of 1427 samplings were performed for physical and chemical parameters, chlorophyll and microbiologic contamination in the water column. This data is used to drive the hydrodynamic, transport and ecological modules of the MOHID water modelling system (www.mohid.com), enabling an integrate description of the water column.

Application of DPSIR framework integrated with multiple regression model to simulate Guadiana catchment - estuary continuum, south eastern Iberia

Dissertação de Mestrado, Gestão da Água e da Costa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, 2010

A alga invasora Sargassum muticum e as macrófitas nativas do Sul de Portugal

Dissertação de Mestrado, Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Universidade do Algarve, 2007

Seasonal variations in gross biochemical composition, percent edibility, and condition index of the clam Ruditapes Decussatus cultivated in the Ria Formosa (South Portugal)

The grooved carpet shell clam, Ruditapes decussatus (L. 1758), is one of the most popular and profitable molluscs exploited in rearing plots in the Mediterranean. However, annual catch has been declining steadily since the early nineties. In order to understand the seasonality of its nutritional value, thus providing an improved basis for economical valuation of the resource, gross biochemical composition, percentage edibility and condition index were investigated during a year with monthly periodicity in a commercially exploited population of the clam Ruditapes decussatus in the Ria Formosa, a temperate mesotidal coastal lagoon located in the south of Portugal. Our results show that total and non-protein nitrogen co-varied during the year, resulting in a protein content that peaked in the warmest months. Although complementary in summer, carbohydrate and lipid contents showed irregular annual trends. The observed seasonality was comparable to that shown by studies elsewhere at similar latitudes, and are underpinned by the reproductive cycle of the species. Our results show the clams to be at their prime nutritional value at the beginning of summer, when protein content peaks.

Absorption coefficient of particulate matter on the south-west coast of Europe: a contribution to the validation of the MERIS-Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer sensor

Dissolved oxygen (DO) is one of the most important environmental variables of water quality, especially for marine life. Consequently, oxygen is one of the Chemical Quality Elements required for the implementation of European Union Water Framework Directive. This study uses the example of the Ria Formosa, a meso-tidal lagoon on the south coast of Portugal to demonstrate how monitoring of water quality for coastal waters must be well designed to identify symptoms of episodic hypoxia. New data from the western end of the Ria Formosa were compared to values in a database of historical data and in the published literature to identify long-term trends. The dissolved oxygen concentration values in the database and in the literature were generally higher than those found in this study, where episodic hypoxia was observed during the summer. Analysis of the database showed that the discrepancy was probably related with the time and the sites where the samples had been collected, rather than a long-term trend. The most problematic situations were within the inner lagoon near the city of Faro, where episodic hypoxia (<2 mg dm3 DO) occurred regularly in the early morning. These results emphasise the need for a balanced sampling strategy for oxygen monitoring which includes all periods of the day and night, as well as a representative range of sites throughout the lagoon. Such a strategy would provide adequate data to apply management measures to reduce the risk of more persistent hypoxia that would impact on the ecological, important natural resource. economic and leisure uses of this important natural resource.

Assessment of reserve effect in a marine protected area: the case study of the Professor Luiz Saldanha Marine Park (Portugal)

Dissertação de mest., Biologia Marinha (Ecologia e Conservação Marinhas), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2011