Enrichment of the Phenotypic and Genotypic Data Warehouse analysis using Question Answering systems to facilitate the decision making process in cereal breeding programs

Currently there are an overwhelming number of scientific publications in Life Sciences, especially in Genetics and Biotechnology. This huge amount of information is structured in corporate Data Warehouses (DW) or in Biological Databases (e.g. UniProt, RCSB Protein Data Bank, CEREALAB or GenBank), whose main drawback is its cost of updating that makes it obsolete easily. However, these Databases are the main tool for enterprises when they want to update their internal information, for example when a plant breeder enterprise needs to enrich its genetic information (internal structured Database) with recently discovered genes related to specific phenotypic traits (external unstructured data) in order to choose the desired parentals for breeding programs. In this paper, we propose to complement the internal information with external data from the Web using Question Answering (QA) techniques. We go a step further by providing a complete framework for integrating unstructured and structured information by combining traditional Databases and DW architectures with QA systems. The great advantage of our framework is that decision makers can compare instantaneously internal data with external data from competitors, thereby allowing taking quick strategic decisions based on richer data.

Distribución de la gineta (Geneta geneta Linnaeus, 1758) en el Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola (C. Valenciana)

Este trabajo de investigación es pionero y original ya que nunca antes se ha realizado un estudio de la gineta (Genetta genetta) dentro del ámbito valenciano y más concretamente sobre la relación de su distribución con los factores geográficos que la condicionan en el PN Sierra de Mariola. Un mejor conocimiento de su ocupación en el espacio será de interés para la definición de medidas de gestión de fauna del Parque. Utilizando técnicas de fototrampeo se han recopilado 95.372 imágenes con algún contacto animal. De estas imágenes, el 0,10% de las fotografías registradas son de gineta y se ha detectado su presencia en 8 de las 63 cuadrículas (4 Km2) del PN Sierra de Mariola (12,70%). Este estudio ha permitido integrar la información recopilada en campo con las bases de datos existentes para concluir que la situación de la gineta en Sierra de Mariola no es preocupante.

An authoring tool for decision support systems in context questions of ecological knowledge

Decision support systems (DSS) support business or organizational decision-making activities, which require the access to information that is internally stored in databases or data warehouses, and externally in the Web accessed by Information Retrieval (IR) or Question Answering (QA) systems. Graphical interfaces to query these sources of information ease to constrain dynamically query formulation based on user selections, but they present a lack of flexibility in query formulation, since the expressivity power is reduced to the user interface design. Natural language interfaces (NLI) are expected as the optimal solution. However, especially for non-expert users, a real natural communication is the most difficult to realize effectively. In this paper, we propose an NLI that improves the interaction between the user and the DSS by means of referencing previous questions or their answers (i.e. anaphora such as the pronoun reference in “What traits are affected by them?”), or by eliding parts of the question (i.e. ellipsis such as “And to glume colour?” after the question “Tell me the QTLs related to awn colour in wheat”). Moreover, in order to overcome one of the main problems of NLIs about the difficulty to adapt an NLI to a new domain, our proposal is based on ontologies that are obtained semi-automatically from a framework that allows the integration of internal and external, structured and unstructured information. Therefore, our proposal can interface with databases, data warehouses, QA and IR systems. Because of the high NL ambiguity of the resolution process, our proposal is presented as an authoring tool that helps the user to query efficiently in natural language. Finally, our proposal is tested on a DSS case scenario about Biotechnology and Agriculture, whose knowledge base is the CEREALAB database as internal structured data, and the Web (e.g. PubMed) as external unstructured information.

Situación del arruí — Ammotragus lervia (Pallas, 1777)— en la sierra de Mariola (SE español): Distribución y aspectos ecológicos

El principal objetivo de esta investigación es conocer aspectos ecológicos y distribución del arruí — Ammotragus lervia (Pallas, 1777)— dentro de la sierra de Mariola. El área de estudio es un parque natural de 17.500 hectáreas situado en el sur de la Comunidad Valenciana. Un mejor conocimiento de su distribución será de interés para la definición de medidas de gestión de fauna del parque. En 2009, utilizando técnicas de fototrampeo, se recopilaron 29.941 imágenes con algún contacto animal. De estas imágenes, el 0,09% de las fotografías registradas son de arruí y se ha detectado su presencia en 7 de las 63 cuadrículas (2 × 2 km) del Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola (el 11,11%). El periodo de muestreo se prolongó desde agosto de 2008 hasta mayo de 2010. Este estudio ha permitido integrar la información recopilada en campo con las bases de datos existentes para confirmar la colonización y la expansión del arruí en la sierra de Mariola.

Distribución del tejón – Meles Meles (Linneo, 1758) en el Parque Natural de la Sierra de Mariola (Comunidad Valenciana)

Este trabajo de investigación es pionero y original ya que nunca antes se ha realizado un estudio del tejón (Melesmeles) dentro del ámbito valenciano y más concretamente sobre la relación de su distribución con los factores geográficos que la condicionan en el Parque Natural Sierra de Mariola. Un mejor conocimiento de su ocupación en el espacio será de interés para la definición de medidas de gestión de fauna del Parque. En 2009, utilizando técnicas de fototrampeo se recopilaron 29.941 imágenes con algún contacto animal. De estas imágenes, el 0,16% de las fotografías registradas son de tejón y se ha detectado su presencia en 6 de las 63 cuadrículas (4 Km2) del Parque Natural Sierra de Mariola (9,38%). Este estudio ha permitido integrar la información recopilada en campo con las bases de datos existentes para concluir que la situación del tejón en Sierra de Mariola no es preocupante.

Implementation Feasibility of a Digital Nervous System for the Construction Industry: For Efficient and Effective Information Management across the Project Lifecycle

The construction industry has long been considered as highly fragmented and non-collaborative industry. This fragmentation sprouted from complex and unstructured traditional coordination processes and information exchanges amongst all parties involved in a construction project. This nature coupled with risk and uncertainty has pushed clients and their supply chain to search for new ways of improving their business process to deliver better quality and high performing product. This research will closely investigate the need to implement a Digital Nervous System (DNS), analogous to a biological nervous system, on the flow and management of digital information across the project lifecycle. This will be through direct examination of the key processes and information produced in a construction project and how a DNS can provide a well-integrated flow of digital information throughout the project lifecycle. This research will also investigate how a DNS can create a tight digital feedback loop that enables the organisation to sense, react and adapt to changing project conditions. A Digital Nervous System is a digital infrastructure that provides a well-integrated flow of digital information to the right part of the organisation at the right time. It provides the organisation with the relevant and up-to-date information it needs, for critical project issues, to aid in near real-time decision-making. Previous literature review and survey questionnaires were used in this research to collect and analyse data about information management problems of the industry – e.g. disruption and discontinuity of digital information flow due to interoperability issues, disintegration/fragmentation of the adopted digital solutions and paper-based transactions. Results analysis revealed efficient and effective information management requires the creation and implementation of a DNS.

Boston, Massachusetts Region, Digital Elevation Model with Bathymetry

This raster layer represents surface elevation and bathymetry data for the Boston Region, Massachusetts. It was created by merging portions of MassGIS Digital Elevation Model 1:5,000 (2005) data with NOAA Estuarine Bathymetric Digital Elevation Models (30 m.) (1998). DEM data was derived from the digital terrain models that were produced as part of the MassGIS 1:5,000 Black and White Digital Orthophoto imagery project. Cellsize is 5 meters by 5 meters. Each cell has a floating point value, in meters, which represents its elevation above or below sea level.

Examining Adolescent Sport Dropout and Prolonged Engagement from a Developmental Perspective

This study examined youth sport dropout and prolonged engagement from a developmental perspective focusing on physical and psychosocial factors. Twenty-five dropout and 25 engaged adolescent swimmers, matched on key demographic variables, participated in a retrospective interview. Results indicated that dropouts were involved in fewer extra-curricular activities, less unstructured swimming play, and received less one-on-one coaching throughout development. Dropouts reached several developmental milestones (i.e., started training camps, started dry land training, and were top in club) earlier than engaged athletes. Dropouts were more likely to have had parents who were high-level athletes in their youth, were more likely to be the youngest in their training group, and were less likely to have a best friend at swimming. Findings are discussed in relation to past research; future directions and implications for researchers, sport programmers, coaches, and parents are suggested.

Prática de ensino supervisionada em Educação Pré-escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

O trabalho que aqui apresentamos incide sobre a Prática de Ensino Supervisionada [PES], integrada no plano de estudos do Mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico, da Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Temos como finalidade refletir sobre a ação desenvolvida ao longo dos estágios profissionalizantes que se realizaram em contexto de Educação Pré-Escolar [EPE], num grupo vertical com 25 crianças de 3, 4 e 5 anos de idade e, em contexto de 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico [1.º CEB], numa turma de 1.º ano de escolaridade, com 20 crianças de 6 e 7 anos de idade. No decorrer da nossa ação educativa tivemos em consideração o desenvolvimento integral da criança e promovemos uma pedagogia de participação que valorizava a criança e a sua ação, através de uma linha pedagógica integradora, em que articulamos os saberes das diversas áreas de conteúdo e disciplinares. Ao integrarmos os jogos na ação pedagógica, conseguimos relacioná-los com a problemática da nossa pesquisa e responder à questão norteadora deste trabalho: Quais as implicações dos jogos no processo de ensino-aprendizagem e nas relações das crianças na Educação Pré-Escolar e do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico? O estudo enquadra-se, essencialmente, numa abordagem qualitativa onde utilizamos como principais técnicas e instrumentos de recolha de dados a observação participante e naturalista, grelhas de observação, notas de campo, registo fotográfico e áudio e, entrevista à educadora e professora cooperantes. Em termos de resultados pensamos poder concluir que em ambos os contextos, o jogo foi uma boa estratégia de ensino-aprendizagem, visto que houve grande entusiasmo, envolvimento e interesse por parte das crianças, incentivando-as na aprendizagem dos diferentes conteúdos. Podemos ainda aferir que o jogo favoreceu positivamente as interações e relações das crianças.

Experiências de aprendizagem cooperativa numa turma de ensino profissional da Região Autónoma da Madeira

Relatório da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, Mestrado em Ensino da Economia e Contabilidade, Universidade de Lisboa, 2016

Cartografias do invisível : para uma redefinição da serigrafia como meio operativo : a dissimulação da repetição

This dissertation searches for new possibilities into the way of operating with screen printing, as well as its importance in the context of the operational methods of the visual arts, based on a personal project of painting. To this end, we resource to the mapping and the linear drawings of city maps as a way to reflect upon its use in contemporary art. Also, we establish a connection between the way these cities organize themselves and the theories of the rhizome by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari; the cartography and the grids of Rosalind Krauss, with the artistic aim to build screen printing matrixes; and also the function in gesture of making ‘printings’ with the conjectures of Didi-Huberman. We investigate also the consequences of a mode of doing by resourcing to screen printing with respect to the construction of visual metaphors in painting

Análise da qualidade de energia de um parque eólico com ligação à rede eléctrica

Tese de mestrado integrado em Engenharia da Energia e do Ambiente, apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa, através da Faculdade de Ciências, 2016

«Cidadania em Movimento» - Projeto de iIntervenção socioeducativa no bairro Las Palmeras em Córdoba, Espanha

Trabalho de projeto para a obtenção do grau de Mestre na área de Educação Social e Intervenção Comunitária

Effects of plant functional traits on soil stability: intraspecific variability matters

This data set describes different vegetation, soil and plant functional traits (PFTs) of 15 plant species in 30 sampling plots of an agricultural landscape in the Haean-myun catchment in South Korea. We divided the data set into two main tables, the first one includes the PFTs data of the 15 studied plant species, and the second one includes the soil and vegetation characteristics of the 30 sampling plots. For a total of 150 individuals, we measures the maximum plant height (cm) and leaf size (cm**2), which means the leaf surface area for the aboveground compartment of each individual. For the belowground compartment, we measured root horizontal width, which is the maximum horizontal spread of the root, rooting length, which is the maximum rooting depth, root diameter, which is the average root diameter of a the whole root, specific root length (SRL), which is the root length divided by the root dry mass, and root/shoot ratio, which is the root dry mass divided by the shoot dry mass. At each of the 30 studied plots, we estimated three different variables describing the vegetation characteristics: vegetation cover (i.e. the percentage of ground covered by vegetation), species richness (i.e. the number of observed species) and root density (estimated using a 30 cm x 30 cm metallic frame divided into nine 10 cm x 10 cm grids placed on the soil profile), as we calculated the total number of roots that appear in each of the nine grids and then we converted it into percentage based on the root count, following. Moreover, in each plot we estimated six different soil variables: Bulk density (g/cm**3), clay % (i.e. percentage of clay), silt % (i.e. percentage of silt), soil aggregate stability, using mean weight diameter (MWD), penetration resistance (kg/cm**2), using pocket penetrometer and soil shear vane strength (kPa).

Bellingshausen Sea bathymetric compilation

The southern Bellingshausen Sea (SBS) is a rapidly-changing part of West Antarctica, where oceanic and atmospheric warming has led to the recent basal melting and break-up of the Wilkins ice shelf, the dynamic thinning of fringing glaciers, and sea-ice reduction. Accurate sea-floor morphology is vital for understanding the continued effects of each process upon changes within Antarctica's ice sheets. Here we present a new bathymetric grid for the SBS compiled from shipborne echo-sounder, spot-sounding and sub-ice measurements. The 1-km grid is the most detailed compilation for the SBS to-date, revealing large cross-shelf troughs, shallow banks, and deep inner-shelf basins that continue inland of coastal ice shelves. The troughs now serve as pathways which allow warm deep water to access the ice fronts in the SBS. Our dataset highlights areas still lacking bathymetric constraint, as well as regions for further investigation, including the likely routes of palaeo-ice streams. The new compilation is a major improvement upon previous grids and will be a key dataset for incorporating into simulations of ocean circulation, ice-sheet change and history. It will also serve forecasts of ice stability and future sea-level contributions from ice loss in West Antarctica, required for the next IPCC assessment report in 2013.