Soil Moisture Deficit as a predictor of the trend in soil water status of grass fields

Nutrient loss from agricultural land following organic fertilizer spreading can lead to eutrophication and poor water quality. The risk of pollution is partly related to the soil water status during and after spreading. In response to these issues, a decision support system (DSS) for nutrient management has been developed to predict when soil and weather conditions are suitable for slurry spreading. At the core of the DSS, the Hybrid Soil Moisture Deficit (HSMD) model estimates soil water status relative to field capacity (FC) for three soil classes (well, moderately and poorly drained) and has potential to predict the occurrence of a transport vector when the soil is wetter than FC. Three years of field observation of volumetric water content was used to validate HSMD model predictions of water status and to ensure correct use and interpretation of the drainage classes. Point HSMD model predictions were validated with respect to the temporal and spatial variations in volumetric water content and soil strength properties. It was found that the HSMD model predictions were well related to topsoil water content through time, but a new class intermediate between poor and moderate, perhaps ‘imperfectly drained’, was needed. With correct allocations of a field into a drainage class, the HSMD model predictions reflect field scale trends in water status and therefore the model is suitable for use at the core of a DSS.

Using ancestry-informative markers to identify fine structure across 15 populations of European origin

The Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 3 anorexia nervosa genome-wide association scan includes 2907 cases from 15 different populations of European origin genotyped on the Illumina 670K chip. We compared methods for identifying population stratification, and suggest list of markers that may help to counter this problem. It is usual to identify population structure in such studies using only common variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) >5%; we find that this may result in highly informative SNPs being discarded, and suggest that instead all SNPs with MAF >1% may be used. We established informative axes of variation identified via principal component analysis and highlight important features of the genetic structure of diverse European-descent populations, some studied for the first time at this scale. Finally, we investigated the substructure within each of these 15 populations and identified SNPs that help capture hidden stratification. This work can provide information regarding the designing and interpretation of association results in the International Consortia. 

Clarifying the acquis humanitaire: a transnational legal perspective on the internalization of humanitarian norms

Although the international obligations and institutional frameworks for disaster response are not yet settled, as evidenced by the International Law Commission’s work on the protection of persons in the event of disasters and the on-going promotion of disaster laws by the Red Cross Movement; the diverse source and nature of such initiatives suggests that the international community is engaged in a process of norm creation, elaboration and interpretation reflecting a desire for legal clarity in humanitarian operations. Situated within the framework of transnational law, this paper argues that an acquis humanitaire, based on the principle of humanity, encapsulates the evolving body of law and practice specifically relating to the protection of persons in times of humanitarian crisis in both armed conflicts and natural or human-made disasters. Reflecting the non-traditional, non-statist, dynamic and normative basis of transnational legal process, as elaborated by Harold Koh, the constant flow of ideas and principles between the national, regional and international spheres provides an analytical framework for the on-going transnational dialogues on the social, political and legal internalization of humanitarian norms. Drawing on the internalization of humanitarian norms within the United Kingdom, this paper concludes that as the international community examines the codification of a universal legal framework for the protection of persons in the event of disasters it is necessary to understand the transnational process of interpretation and internalization of humanitarian norms, and how this may vary across different regions and countries.

An Event Driven Fusion Approach for Enjoyment Recognition in Real-time

Social signals and interpretation of carried information is of high importance in Human Computer Interaction. Often used for affect recognition, the cues within these signals are displayed in various modalities. Fusion of multi-modal signals is a natural and interesting way to improve automatic classification of emotions transported in social signals. Throughout most present studies, uni-modal affect recognition as well as multi-modal fusion, decisions are forced for fixed annotation segments across all modalities. In this paper, we investigate the less prevalent approach of event driven fusion, which indirectly accumulates asynchronous events in all modalities for final predictions. We present a fusion approach, handling short-timed events in a vector space, which is of special interest for real-time applications. We compare results of segmentation based uni-modal classification and fusion schemes to the event driven fusion approach. The evaluation is carried out via detection of enjoyment-episodes within the audiovisual Belfast Story-Telling Corpus.

An Intelligent Threat Prevention Framework with Heterogeneous Information

Three issues usually are associated with threat prevention intelligent surveillance systems. First, the fusion and interpretation of large scale incomplete heterogeneous information; second, the demand of effectively predicting suspects’ intention and ranking the potential threats posed by each suspect; third, strategies of allocating limited security resources (e.g., the dispatch of security team) to prevent a suspect’s further actions towards critical assets. However, in the literature, these three issues are seldomly considered together in a sensor network based intelligent surveillance framework. To address
this problem, in this paper, we propose a multi-level decision support framework for in-time reaction in intelligent surveillance. More specifically, based on a multi-criteria event modeling framework, we design a method to predict the most plausible intention of a suspect. Following this, a decision support model is proposed to rank each suspect based on their threat severity and to determine resource allocation strategies. Finally, formal properties are discussed to justify our framework.

The Science of a Lost Medieval Graveyard: The Ballyhanna Research Project

he Science of Lost Medieval Gaelic Graveyard tells the story of the discovery in 2003 of a graveyard and the foundations of a small forgotten stone church at Ballyhanna, in Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, as part of the N15 Bundoran–Ballyshannon Bypass archaeological works. This led to the excavation of one of the largest collections of medieval burials ever undertaken on this island. Over 1,200 individuals were excavated from the site at Ballyhanna during the winter of 2003–4, representing 1,000 years of burial through the entire Irish medieval period. The discovery led to the establishment of a cross-border research collaboration—the Ballyhanna Research Project—between Queen’s University Belfast and the Institute of Technology, Sligo, which has brought to life this lost Gaelic graveyard.

This book shows how cutting-edge scientific research may aid our understanding and interpretation of archaeology and reveal new insights into past societies. For example, the use of ancient DNA analysis represented the first biomolecular archaeological evaluation of a medieval population to date and provided evidence that cystic fibrosis was much less prevalent in the medieval period than today. The Science of Lost Medieval Gaelic Graveyard is about a community who lived in Gaelic Ireland, about their lifestyles, health and diet. It tells us of their deaths and of their burial traditions, and through examining all of these aspects, it reveals the ebb and flow of their lives.

The book is accompanied by a CD-ROM which includes supplementary information from the Ballyhanna Research Project and the original excavation and survey reports for all of the archaeological sites on the N15 Bundoran–Ballyshannon Bypass.

Early childhood neurodevelopment after intrauterine growth restriction: a systematic review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Children who experienced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) may be at increased risk for adverse developmental outcomes in early childhood. The objective of this study was to carry out a systematic review of neurodevelopmental outcomes from 6 months to 3 years after IUGR.

METHODS: PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Maternity and Infant Care, and CINAHL databases were searched by using the search terms intrauterine, fetal, growth restriction, child development, neurodevelopment, early childhood, cognitive, motor, speech, language. Studies were eligible for inclusion if participants met specified criteria for growth restriction, follow-up was conducted within 6 months to 3 years, methods were adequately described, non-IUGR comparison groups were included, and full English text of the article was available. A specifically designed data extraction form was used. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using well-documented quality-appraisal guidelines.

RESULTS: Of 731 studies reviewed, 16 were included. Poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes after IUGR were described in 11. Ten found motor, 8 cognitive, and 7 language delays. Other delays included social development, attention, and adaptive behavior. Only 8 included abnormal Doppler parameters in their definitions of IUGR.

CONCLUSIONS: Evidence suggests that children are at risk for poorer neurodevelopmental outcomes following IUGR from 6 months to 3 years of age. The heterogeneity of primary outcomes, assessment measures, adjustment for confounding variables, and definitions of IUGR limits synthesis and interpretation. Sample sizes in most studies were small, and some examined preterm IUGR children without including term IUGR or AGA comparison groups, limiting the value of extant studies.

Genomic markers for decision making:What is preventing us from using markers?

The advent of novel genomic technologies that enable the evaluation of genomic alterations on a genome-wide scale has significantly altered the field of genomic marker research in solid tumors. Researchers have moved away from the traditional model of identifying a particular genomic alteration and evaluating the association between this finding and a clinical outcome measure to a new approach involving the identification and measurement of multiple genomic markers simultaneously within clinical studies. This in turn has presented additional challenges in considering the use of genomic markers in oncology, such as clinical study design, reproducibility and interpretation and reporting of results. This Review will explore these challenges, focusing on microarray-based gene-expression profiling, and highlights some common failings in study design that have impacted on the use of putative genomic markers in the clinic. Despite these rapid technological advances there is still a paucity of genomic markers in routine clinical use at present. A rational and focused approach to the evaluation and validation of genomic markers is needed, whereby analytically validated markers are investigated in clinical studies that are adequately powered and have pre-defined patient populations and study endpoints. Furthermore, novel adaptive clinical trial designs, incorporating putative genomic markers into prospective clinical trials, will enable the evaluation of these markers in a rigorous and timely fashion. Such approaches have the potential to facilitate the implementation of such markers into routine clinical practice and consequently enable the rational and tailored use of cancer therapies for individual patients. © 2010 Macmillan Publishers Limited. All rights reserved.

Ultra-high-resolution Observations of MHD Waves in Photospheric Magnetic Structures

Here we review the recent progress made in the detection, examination, characterisation and interpretation of oscillations manifesting in small-scale magnetic elements in the solar photosphere. This region of the Sun's atmosphere is especially dynamic, and importantly, permeated with an abundance of magnetic field concentrations. Such magnetic features can span diameters of hundreds to many tens of thousands of km, and are thus commonly referred to as the `building blocks' of the magnetic solar atmosphere. However, it is the smallest magnetic elements that have risen to the forefront of solar physics research in recent years. Structures, which include magnetic bright points, are often at the diffraction limit of even the largest of solar telescopes. Importantly, it is the improvements in facilities, instrumentation, imaging techniques and processing algorithms during recent years that have allowed researchers to examine the motions, dynamics and evolution of such features on the smallest spatial and temporal scales to date. It is clear that while these structures may demonstrate significant magnetic field strengths, their small sizes make them prone to the buffeting supplied by the ubiquitous surrounding convective plasma motions. Here, it is believed that magnetohydrodynamic waves can be induced, which propagate along the field lines, carrying energy upwards to the outermost extremities of the solar corona. Such wave phenomena can exist in a variety of guises, including fast and slow magneto-acoustic modes, in addition to Alfven waves. Coupled with rapid advancements in magnetohydrodynamic wave theory, we are now in an ideal position to thoroughly investigate how wave motion is generated in the solar photosphere, which oscillatory modes are most prevalent, and the role that these waves play in supplying energy to various layers of the solar atmosphere.

A criança pinta o céu de “verde”. Até que ponto lhe devemos dizer que o céu é azul?

Relatório de estágio apresentado para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino pré-escolar e 1º ciclo do ensino básico

A cartografia educacional de um território como fator enriquecedor da oferta educativa. O caso da localidade de São José da Lamarosa

Com a elaboração da cartografia educacional do território da localidade de São José da Lamarosa, concelho de Coruche, pretendia-se identificar e caraterizar, com algum pormenor, as aprendizagens institucionais que estiveram disponíveis nesse território, no período 2005-2010. Aspirava-se identificar o potencial formador das várias instituições da sociedade civil, nos contextos formais e não formais de educação, assim como o seu contributo para a qualificação da população. Realizou-se uma primeira abordagem teórica, fundamentada nos contributos de diversos autores no campo de estudo em análise, tomando por base as palavras-chave estabelecidas e registadas nesta página. A fim de realizar o estudo empírico optou-se por uma metodologia de complementaridade entre o cariz qualitativo e o cariz quantitativo, com aproximação ao estudo de caso, optando-se por uma análise de dados efetuada de forma descritiva e interpretativa. A recolha de dados realizou-se através da aplicação de inquérito por questionário aplicado. Depois da recolha, análise e interpretação dos dados recolhidos estabeleceram-se algumas considerações, realçando-se o importante potencial formador das instituições inquiridas, que organizaram e disponibilizaram atividades propensas a situações de aprendizagem, e que constituíram uma maior valia para o território. Salientou-se ainda a necessidade de uma reestruturação organizacional a nível das instituições mais ativas do território, no sentido de se estabelecerem parcerias mais consistentes, contribuindo para a real qualificação do território. No final da dissertação expressaram-se recomendações e sugestões que poderão potenciar futuras investigações; ### Abstract: The cartography educational territory of the village of São José da Lamarosa aims to identify and characterize, in some detail, learned that were available at that territory in the period of 2005-2010. The aim of this study is to identify the potential forming for the various civil society institutions in formal and non-formal education, as well as it’s contribute to the population quality. Held to the first theoretical approach, based on the contributions from various authors on the field study analysis, established and make registered based to the keywords on this page. In the order to perform the empirical study chosen complementary methodology between the qualitative and quantitative methods, with the case study approach, opting for a data analysis performed in descriptive and interpretative. Collection data was realized through by the applicable questionnaires. After the collection, analysis and interpretation data had to settle down some considerations, underlying the important potential trainers from some institutions that organized and provided prone learning activities, which constitute the greater value to the territory. Also mention for the needs of some restructuring organizational within the more active institutions in that territory, in order to establish more consistent partnerships, to contribute for the real territory qualification. At the end of this thesis will express some recommendations and suggestions that may useful for the future research.

Cartografia educacional da Freguesia de Vila Nova de São Bento

O presente trabalho visa conhecer e caracterizar as aprendizagens promovidas pelas principais instituições da freguesia de Vila Nova de S. Bento (concelho de Serpa), avaliando a presença relativa dos contextos formais, não – formais e informais. Realizámos uma abordagem teórica, com o intuito de precisar alguns conceitos chave como aprendizagem, ambientes de aprendizagem e território. Para concretizar o trabalho empírico, e tendo como base as questões subjacentes à investigação, utilizámos uma metodologia mista (quantitativa/qualitativa) com uma aproximação conceptual ao estudo de caso. O instrumento utilizado na recolha de dados foi o inquérito por questionário aplicado. Fizemos uma recolha, análise e interpretação de dados que nos permitiram inferir:  As instituições objecto do nosso estudo constituem um potencial educativo no território analisado;  Estas instituições desenvolvem um conjunto de actividades de aprendizagem que poderão ser um recurso para o território;  Estabelecida uma relação de diálogo com a escola e outros parceiros locais, será possível potenciar novas ofertas educativas neste território. Terminámos este trabalho, com a apresentação de algumas recomendações e sugestões, que poderão vir a integrar novas investigações; ### Abstract: The present study aims to now and characterizes the learning’s promoted by the main institutions in the town of Vila Nova de S. Bento (Serpa), evaluating the relative presence of formal, non-formal and informal contexts. We made a theoretical approach, aiming to precise some key concepts, like learning ambient and territories. To realise the empiric work, and having as base subjacent questions to the investigation, we used a mixed methodology (quantitative/qualitative) as a conceptual approach to the case study. The instrument used in the recollection of data was an inquiry by applied questioner. We made a recollection, analysis and interpretation of data witch permitted as to infer:  The institutions which we observed in our study have an educative potential,  These institutions developed a series of learning activities that might be a good source for the territory,  Establishing a relationship between the school and the other local partners, it will be possible to potentiate the learning offers. We end this study by presetting some recommendations and suggestions that might be integrated in new investigations.

Cartografia da oferta educativa e formativa destinada à população adulta do concelho de Vendas Novas na última década (2000 a 2010)

A presente dissertação constitui-se num estudo desenvolvido na área da educação de adultos, tendo como questão central: qual a oferta educativa e formativa certificada dirigida à população adulta do concelho de Vendas Novas, no período de 2000 a 2010? Procurámos dar resposta a esta questão, reflectindo sobre os conceitos relativos à Educação e Aprendizagem ao Longo da Vida e traçando uma breve retrospectiva das políticas educativas que nortearam este sector da educação. Atendendo à natureza do objecto em estudo, seguiu-se uma metodologia qualitativa, tendo a recolha de dados recaído sobre documentos oficiais produzidos por instâncias locais e regionais. Para a sua análise e interpretação, recorreu-se à técnica de análise de conteúdo, com o objectivo de destacar o seu conteúdo, quer evidente, quer latente. Os resultados emanados deste estudo permitiram-nos concluir efectivamente que as ofertas formativas colocadas ao dispor da população do concelho de Vendas Novas, durante a década de 2000 – 2010, foram muito diversificadas e procuraram, não só dar resposta às necessidades de formação/qualificação diagnosticadas, mas também dar cumprimento às orientações políticas nacionais e internacionais, em matéria de educação de adultos; ABSTRACT:This dissertation is the result of a study carries out in the area of adult education, having as central concern the mapping of the certified educational and training offer for adults in the county of Vendas Novas, in the period between 2000 and 2010. We tried to answer this question, reflecting on the concepts relating to education and lifelong learning and plotting a brief review of educational policies that guided this sector of education. Due to the nature of the subject under study, was followed a qualitative methodology, and data collection has relied on official documents produced by local and regional authorities. For the analysis and interpretation of data, we used the technique of content analysis, in order to highlight its content, either obvious or latent. The results emanating from this study allowed us to conclude that the provision of educational and training offer made available to the population of the county of Vendas Novas, during the decade 2000 - 2010, was very diverse and sought to address not only the training / qualification needs diagnosed, but also to comply with the national and international guidelines, in the field of adult education.

Escola e comunidade: missão ou miragem no combate ao insucesso e abandono escolares, no período 1997/2007, no Concelho do Alandroal

Este estudo procurou conhecer a realidade do insucesso/abandono escolares no Concelho de Alandroal, no período de 1997-2007, identificando as causas das duas problemáticas e as medidas educativas de resolução, a partir de uma amostra de 41 sujeitos. Pretendemos identificar e caracterizar os episódios de insucesso e abandono escolares protagonizados por um grupo de alunos que iniciaram o seu percurso escolar em 1996/1997, no Concelho de Alandroal. No corpus teórico deste estudo, procedemos à revisão da literatura e à análise de normativos legais que abordam e regulamentam esta temática, de maneira a olhar para ela, de forma reflexiva. Ao nível do corpus empírico, utilizámos uma metodologia quantitativa/qualitativa, no sentido de obtermos o melhor conhecimento e interpretação desta realidade. Os resultados permitem concluir que existe uma relação entre as causas individuais, familiares, escolares e do meio envolvente que levaram ao insucesso e abandono escolares. Sublinhou-se a importância da implementação de medidas educativas adequadas e a sua relação com as instituições do concelho de Alandroal que levaram parte dos sujeitos a concluir o ensino obrigatório com sucesso; ABSTRACT: This study aimed to know the reality of failure / dropping out of school in the Municipality of Alandroal in the period 1997-2007, identifying the causes of both problems and educational measures of resolution, from a sample of 41 subjects. We intend to identify and characterize the episodes of school failure and dropping out staged by a group of students who started their schooling in 1996/1997, Municipality of Alandroal. In the theoretical corpus of this study, we carried out the literature review and analysis of legal norms that regulate and address this issue in order to look at her reflectively. In terms of empirical corpus, we used a method quantitative / qualitative, in order to obtain a better understanding and interpretation of reality. The results indicate that there is a relationship between the causes of individual, family, school and environment that led to failure and early school leaving. It underlined the importance of implementing appropriate educational measures and their relationship with the institutions of the county of Alandroal that led the subjects to complete the compulsory education successfully.