Browsing by Author "Oliveira, Pedro"
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- Altered environmental perception by parental stress and depression vulnerability: impact on mothers and offspringPublication . Alves, Renata L.; Portugal, Camila C.; Lopes, Igor M.; Oliveira, Pedro; Alves, Cecília J.; Barbosa, Fernando; Summavielle, Teresa; Magalhães, Ana; Summavielle, TeresaDepressive mothers often find the mother-child interaction to be challenging. Parental stress may further impair mother-child attachment, which may increase the risk of negative developmental consequences. We used rats with different vulnerability to depression (Wistar and Kyoto) to investigate the impact of stress (maternal separationMS) on maternal behaviour and adolescent offspring cognition. MS in Kyoto dams increased pup-contact, resulting in higher oxytocin levels and lower anxiety-like behaviour after weaning, while worsening their adolescent offspring cognitive behaviour. Whereas MS in Wistar dams elicited higher quality of pup-directed behaviour, increasing Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in the offspring, which seems to have prevented a negative impact on cognition. Hypothalamic oxytocin seems to impact the salience of the social environment cues (as negative for Kyoto) leading to different coping strategies. Our findings highlight the importance of contextual and individual factors in the understanding of the oxytocin role in modulating maternal behaviour and stress regulatory processes.
- Application of digital technologies in the assempbly control of steel structuresPublication . Oliveira, Rosário; Ribeiro, Diogo; Oliveira, Pedro; Gavina, RuiIn the industrialization of the construction of metallic structures, quality control procedures are required, both for manufacture and assembly. The structural control and validation in the construction phase aims to identify the geometric deviations that may occur during its assembly, as well as to ensure the compliance with all requirements and tolerances essential to the operation of the structure. In this context, the application of digital technologies emerges as a resource to support stakeholders in the construction process, since these quality control procedures, although essential, are characterized as being time-consuming, difficult to document and prone to error. After the study of the technologies associated with automation and geometric verifications of the objects, the methodology followed was the analysis of a case study, by comparison of the structural models of manufacture and assembly. A steel structure was analyzed, using computational tools and digital survey technologies. The results obtained allowed to conclude that the use of digital technologies contributes positively to the automation of control procedures and geometric validation of metallic structures, both in the manufacturing and assembly phases.
- Childhood cancer: incidence and spatial patterns in the city of Campinas, Brazil, 1996-2005Publication . Oliveira Friestino, Jane Kelly; Mendonça, Denisa; Oliveira, Pedro; Oliveira, Carla Maria; Moreira Filho, Djalma De CarvalhoThis article analyzes cancer incidence and spatial patterns in children and adolescents (0-19 years of age) residing in the city of Campinas in Southeastern Brazil who were diagnosed from 1996-2005. Cancers were classified according to the Third International Classification of Childhood Cancer (ICCC-3) Groups. The four most common groups were studied: leukemias, lymphomas, and central nervous system and soft tissue neoplasms. Age-standardized incidence rates were calculated using the world standard population. A spatial Bayesian hierarchical regression model (controlling for data heterogeneity and spatial autocorrelation) was fitted, assuming that the number of cancer cases follows a Poisson distribution. A total of 180 cases were diagnosed during the study period. Overall, the crude incidence rate was 54.2 per million and the age-standardized incidence rate was 56.5 per million. Although some regions present higher incidence rates, considering the spatial heterogeneity and the spatial autocorrelation, no statistically significant differences in the relative risks were observed.
- Early-life stress affects drug abuse susceptibility in adolescent rat model independently of depression vulnerabilityPublication . Alves, Renata L.; Oliveira, Pedro; Lopes, Igor M.; Portugal, Camila C.; Alves, Cecília J.; Barbosa, Fernando; Summavielle, Teresa; Magalhães, AnaThe development of substance abuse problems occurs due to a diverse combination of risk factors. Among these risks, studies have reported depression and early-life stress as of importance. These two factors often occur simultaneously, however, there is a lack of understanding of how their combined effect may impact vulnerability to drug abuse in adolescence. The present study used rats with different vulnerability to depression (Wistar and Wistar-Kyoto) to investigate the impact of maternal separation (MS) on emotional state and drug addiction vulnerability during the adolescence period. Mothers and their litters were subjected to MS (180 min/day) from postnatal day 2 to 14. The offspring emotional state was assessed by observing their exploratory behavior. Drug abuse vulnerability was assessed through conditioning to cocaine. MS impacted the emotional state in both strains. Wistar responded with increased exploration, while Wistar-Kyoto increased anxiety-like behaviours. Despite the different coping strategies displayed by the two strains when challenged with the behavioural tests, drug conditioning was equally impacted by MS in both strains. Early-life stress appears to affect drug abuse vulnerability in adolescence independently of a depression background, suggesting emotional state as the main driving risk factor.
- EMMON: a WSN system architecture for large scale and dense real-time embedded monitoringPublication . Tennina, Stefano; Braga, Pedro; Alves, Mário; Ciriello, Vincenzo; Oliveira, Pedro; Bouroche, Mélanie; Gomes, Ricardo; Mirza, Farrukh; Carrozza, Gabriella; Cahill, VinnyWireless sensor networks (WSNs) have attracted growing interest in the last decade as an infrastructure to support a diversity of ubiquitous computing and cyber-physical systems. However, most research work has focused on protocols or on specific applications. As a result, there remains a clear lack of effective, feasible and usable system architectures that address both functional and non-functional requirements in an integrated fashion. In this paper, we outline the EMMON system architecture for large-scale, dense, real-time embedded monitoring. EMMON provides a hierarchical communication architecture together with integrated middleware and command and control software. It has been designed to use standard commercially-available technologies, while maintaining as much flexibility as possible to meet specific applications requirements. The EMMON architecture has been validated through extensive simulation and experimental evaluation, including a 300+ node test-bed, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest single-site WSN test-bed in Europe to date.
- Estatística espacial aplicada aos estudos de incidência de câncerPublication . Friestino, Jane Kelly Oliveira; Mendonça, Denisa; Oliveira, Pedro; Oliveira, Carla M.; Ferraz, Rosemeire de Olanda; Filho, Djalma de Carvalho Moreira; Oliveira, Carla MariaO Sistema de Informação Geográfica (SIG) como ferramenta em estudos epidemiológicos tem se tornado algo frequente na área da Saúde Coletiva. Em estudos sobre incidência de câncer, o uso da análise espacial ainda é incipiente no país, entretanto possuí grande potencial para auxílio nos modelos de planejamento em saúde. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar um método empírico de análise de padrões espaciais para os casos de incidência de cânceres considerados raros que acometem a população com idades entre 0 e 19 anos, discutindo a aplicabilidade da estatística espacial e as possíveis utilizações da interpretação da disposição espacial dos eventos. Utilizou-se o SIG para georreferenciar as taxas de incidências de casos de cânceres de alguns grupos da Classificação Internacional de Câncer Infantil (CICI), ajustadas por idade e sexo, segundo os Centros de Saúde de suas residências. Foram estimadas as razões padronizadas de incidência (Standardized Morbidity Ratio-SMR). Para controlar a instabilidade das taxas devido ao pequeno número de casos, foi feita uma suavização pelo método Empirical Bayes. Comparando as taxas anuais, suavizadas pelo referido método Bayesiano, constatou-se diferenças entre elas quanto à distribuição espacial, com concentração destas nas regiões Sudoeste e Noroeste do município de Campinas. Conclui-se que o uso de estatística espacial como ferramenta de apoio à decisão, permite identificar a distribuição de casos de cânceres do grupo da CICI, contribuindo para o planejamento em saúde.
- Hybrid fuzzy Monte Carlo and logic programming model for distribution network reconfiguration in the presence of outagesPublication . Vale, Zita; Canizes, Bruno; Soares, João; Oliveira, Pedro; Sousa, Tiago; Silva, Marco; Soeiro, Alexandre; Khodr, H. M.This paper presents a methodology for distribution networks reconfiguration in outage presence in order to choose the reconfiguration that presents the lower power losses. The methodology is based on statistical failure and repair data of the distribution power system components and uses fuzzy-probabilistic modelling for system component outage parameters. Fuzzy membership functions of system component outage parameters are obtained by statistical records. A hybrid method of fuzzy set and Monte Carlo simulation based on the fuzzy-probabilistic models allows catching both randomness and fuzziness of component outage parameters. Once obtained the system states by Monte Carlo simulation, a logical programming algorithm is applied to get all possible reconfigurations for every system state. In order to evaluate the line flows and bus voltages and to identify if there is any overloading, and/or voltage violation a distribution power flow has been applied to select the feasible reconfiguration with lower power losses. To illustrate the application of the proposed methodology to a practical case, the paper includes a case study that considers a real distribution network.
- O impacto das lesões músculoesqueléticas na qualidade de sono, em trabalhadores fabrisPublication . Machado, Bruno; Monteiro, Joana; Vieira, Ágata; Brochado, Gabriela; Oliveira, Pedro; Ferreira, Sara; Lopes, SofiaAs lesões músculo-esqueléticas relacionadas com o trabalho afetam trabalhadores, resultando em dor, limitações funcionais e redução da produtividade podendo interferir na qualidade do sono. Caracterizar os trabalhadores de uma empresa e analisar a associação entre a sintomatologia músculoesquelética e a qualidade do sono. Estudo observacional analítico transversal com 47 trabalhadores de uma empresa de etiquetas, que preencheram um questionário de caracterização da amostra, o Questionário Nórdico Músculo-Esquelético e o Índice de Sono de Pittsburgh. 93,6% trabalhadores realizava movimentos repetitivos e 89,4% deles relataram que a região das mãos era a mais afetada. A sintomatologia na região lombar foi a maior responsável pela interrupção das atividades (37,8%) tendo sido autoreportada com maior intensidade de dor no grupo com pobre qualidade de sono. O coeficiente de correlação de Spearman entre a qualidade de sono e a dor lombar, mostrou uma correlação positiva, não estatisticamente significativa (p=0,290). A maioria dos trabalhadores é do sexo feminino, trabalha na posição de pé e mais de metade apresenta excesso de peso. A sintomatologia da região lombar foi a mais autoreportada, sendo a qualidade de sono pobre na maioria dos trabalhadores. A fisioterapia permite reduzir gastos, absenteísmo e aumentar a eficiência do trabalho.
- Intelligent Micro Grid Management using a Multi-Agent approachPublication . Oliveira, Pedro; Pinto, Tiago; Praça, Isabel; Vale, Zita; Morais, HugoRecent changes in electricity markets (EMs) have been potentiating the globalization of distributed generation. With distributed generation the number of players acting in the EMs and connected to the main grid has grown, increasing the market complexity. Multi-agent simulation arises as an interesting way of analysing players’ behaviour and interactions, namely coalitions of players, as well as their effects on the market. MASCEM was developed to allow studying the market operation of several different players and MASGriP is being developed to allow the simulation of the micro and smart grid concepts in very different scenarios This paper presents a methodology based on artificial intelligence techniques (AI) for the management of a micro grid. The use of fuzzy logic is proposed for the analysis of the agent consumption elasticity, while a case based reasoning, used to predict agents’ reaction to price changes, is an interesting tool for the micro grid operator.
- Load Control Timescales Simulation in a Multi-Agent Smart Grid PlatformPublication . Oliveira, Pedro; Gomes, Luis; Pinto, Tiago; Faria, Pedro; Vale, Zita; Morais, HugoEnvironmental concerns and the shortage in the fossil fuel reserves have been potentiating the growth and globalization of distributed generation. Another resource that has been increasing its importance is the demand response, which is used to change consumers’ consumption profile, helping to reduce peak demand. Aiming to support small players’ participation in demand response events, the Curtailment Service Provider emerged. This player works as an aggregator for demand response events. The control of small and medium players which act in smart grid and micro grid environments is enhanced with a multi-agent system with artificial intelligence techniques – the MASGriP (Multi-Agent Smart Grid Platform). Using strategic behaviours in each player, this system simulates the profile of real players by using software agents. This paper shows the importance of modeling these behaviours for studying this type of scenarios. A case study with three examples shows the differences between each player and the best behaviour in order to achieve the higher profit in each situation.
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