Using data mining for prediction of hospital length of stay: an application of the CRISP-DM Methodology

Hospitals are nowadays collecting vast amounts of data related with patient records. All this data hold valuable knowledge that can be used to improve hospital decision making. Data mining techniques aim precisely at the extraction of useful knowledge from raw data. This work describes an implementation of a medical data mining project approach based on the CRISP-DM methodology. Recent real-world data, from 2000 to 2013, were collected from a Portuguese hospital and related with inpatient hospitalization. The goal was to predict generic hospital Length Of Stay based on indicators that are commonly available at the hospitalization process (e.g., gender, age, episode type, medical specialty). At the data preparation stage, the data were cleaned and variables were selected and transformed, leading to 14 inputs. Next, at the modeling stage, a regression approach was adopted, where six learning methods were compared: Average Prediction, Multiple Regression, Decision Tree, Artificial Neural Network ensemble, Support Vector Machine and Random Forest. The best learning model was obtained by the Random Forest method, which presents a high quality coefficient of determination value (0.81). This model was then opened by using a sensitivity analysis procedure that revealed three influential input attributes: the hospital episode type, the physical service where the patient is hospitalized and the associated medical specialty. Such extracted knowledge confirmed that the obtained predictive model is credible and with potential value for supporting decisions of hospital managers.

An agent-based model to assess the attractiveness of industrial estates

This article describes the main approaches adopted in a study focused on planning industrial estates on a sub-regional scale. The study was supported by an agent-based model, using firms as agents to assess the attractiveness of industrial estates. The simulation was made by the NetLogo toolkit and the environment represents a geographical space. Three scenarios and four hypotheses were used in the simulation to test the impact of different policies on the attractiveness of industrial estates. Policies were distinguished by the level of municipal coordination at which they were implemented and by the type of intervention. In the model, the attractiveness of industrial estates was based on the level of facilities, amenities, accessibility and on the price of land in each industrial estate. Firms are able to move and relocate whenever they find an attractive estate. The relocating firms were selected by their size, location and distance to an industrial estate. Results show that a coordinated policy among municipalities is the most efficient policy to promote advanced-qualified estates. In these scenarios, it was observed that more industrial estates became attractive, more firms were relocated and more vacant lots were occupied. Furthermore, the results also indicate that the promotion of widespread industrial estates with poor-quality infrastructures and amenities is an inefficient policy to attract firms.

Tube-jack and sonic testing for the evaluation of the state of stress in historical masonry

In the investigation and diagnosis of damages to historical masonry structures, the state of stress of the masonry is an important characteristic that must be determined with as much accuracy as possible. Flat-jack testing is a traditional method used to determine the state of stress in historical masonry structures. However, when irregular masonry is tested the method can cause damage to the masonry units and the accuracy of the method is reduced. An enhanced technique, called tube-jack testing, is being developed at the University of Minho to reduce the damage caused during testing and improve the accuracy when used on irregular masonry. This method uses multiple cylindrical jacks inserted in a line of holes drilled in the mortar joints of the masonry, avoiding damage to the masonry units. Concurrently with the development of tube-jack testing, the effect of stress state on sonic testing is being studied. Sonic testing is often used to determine locations of voids and damage in masonry. The focus of these studies was to determine if the state of stress is influencing the sonic test results. In this paper the results of tube-jack testing and sonic testing on masonry walls, built for the purpose of this study in the laboratory, loaded in compression is presented. The tube-jack testing is used to estimate the state of stress in the masonry and the sonic test results are evaluated based on the effect of the applied load on the wall. Future testing and study are suggested for continued development of these test methods.

Língua escrita e língua real: o que um corpus oral permite descobrir

Esta comunicação, baseando-se num extenso corpus oral que está a ser recolhido, procurará refletir de que modo a língua realizada oralmente nos permite perceber o que realmente são e como funcionam as línguas para além da dimensão formalizada da escrita. Pretende-se demonstrar que é a linguagem em uso que melhor evidencia muitos aspetos impossíveis de perceber por uma designada do sistema. Assim, procurar-se-á verificar até que ponto a verdadeira realização linguística da oralidade respeita a noção de frase e de norma, bem assim como especificamente realiza várias dimensões lexicais e pragmáticas.

Bullying escolar: da midiatização à invisibilidade. A (im)potência institucional diante do sofrimento ou das possibilidades de inclusão nas interações entre crianças

O presente artigo é o recorte de um estudo produzido numa escola pública portuguesa, com três turmas: pré-escola, 1º e 3º ano. Aborda crítica e propositivamente o contexto socializador institucional, com especial atenção a prática de bullying entre pares. O Material levantado através de grupos focais com crianças, observações do cotidiano escolar e, entrevistas à educadora, professores, assistente e auxiliares, revela o bullying enquanto fenômeno ativo nas três turmas. Entretanto, o discurso adulto, docente e da equipe técnica, exceção do que observa um professor, é coeso na referencia a um ambiente escolar livre dessa forma de violência. As narrativas infantis reconhecem-nas e, inicialmente as circunscrevem aos pares de etnia cigana, posteriormente, e nos desdobramentos da dialogicidade estabelecida, tratam de um protagonismo alargado para além de fatores étnicos, e, na primeira pessoa. Os dados gerados indicam haver relações entre um modelo escolar centrado no trabalho individual e no mérito acadêmico com os papeis sociais de cada criança. Baixo desempenho acadêmico e desinvestimento docente estão presentes no perfil das crianças vitimadas. Nos recreios, tempos e espaços preferidos pelas crianças, o que não representa menor investimento ou valor às ações e compromissos implicados no exercício do ofício de aluno, atos de bullying são facilmente perceptíveis. Órfãos do olhar curioso e interessado nas culturas infantis, produzidas no brincar, são um campo previsível de violências entre os pares. Também permitem observar um núcleo comum às crianças diretamente envolvidas com o bullying: vítimas e agressores enfrentam dificuldades para participar, com pleno envolvimento lúdico, de jogos e de brincadeiras. Perceber a criança real, nas suas especificidades, competências e direito de participação é um desafio posto a escola, não só para fazer frente às diversas formas de violência, mas especialmente para promover uma socialização inclusiva, de bem estar e de respeito ao que é próprio da infância.

Aggregating community resources of care and assistance services for the elderly population

Changes in population age structure are a major concern and represent a priority in the agendas and policies of the developed world, which are demanding for renewed models of social and healthcare as well as assistance services to the elderly population. Studies indicate that as far as possible these types of services should desirably be provided at the user’s home, and that ICT-based solutions can have tremendous impact on the delivery of new services. This paper highlight and discusses some of the main results of a project undertaken in a Portuguese Municipality that demonstrates the potential contribution of an e-Marketplace of care and assistance services to the well-being of elderly people. Studies undertaken allowed identifying the main services that should be provided by such e-Marketplace (termed GuiMarket), the relevance that the population grant to this platform and, conversely, the fact that the Digital Divide phenomena influences the potential utilization of this project (and alike projects). The findings support that there is a strong relation between age and qualifications, and between access to ICT and the intended use of GuiMarket.