2016
Authors
Abreu, PH; Silva, DC; Amaro, H; Magalhaes, R;
Publication
JOURNAL OF ENERGY ENGINEERING
Abstract
Climate change has raised consciousness of the need to use cleaner energy instead of fossil fuels. Meanwhile, a change of consciousness regarding resource use has to be achieved, which can be triggered by energy consumption monitoring studies that also provide useful recommendations for energy saving. Over time, researchers have identified behaviors by monitoring energy consumption in households, but these studies are usually limited to the number of monitored households and/or to the geographical region in which the monitoring takes place. In this research work, a study with a global reach is proposed to mitigate these limitations. Using a hierarchical clustering algorithm, three distinct groups were identified using the collected data, representative of distinct behaviors. The results illustrate several behaviors regarding energy consumption, like cold temperatures, seasonal behaviors, wake up hour, stay-at-home periods, and standby device consumption.
2016
Authors
Gomes, A; Correia, FB; Abreu, PH;
Publication
2016 IEEE FRONTIERS IN EDUCATION CONFERENCE (FIE)
Abstract
High failure and dropout rates are common in higher education institutions with introductory programming courses. Some researchers advocate that sometimes teachers don't use correct methods of assessment and that many students pass in programming without knowing how to program. In this paper authors describe the assessment methodology applied to a first year, first semester, Biomedical Engineering programming course (2015/2016). Students' programming skills were tested by playing a game in the first class, then they were assessed with three tests and a final exam, each with topics the authors considered fundamental for the students to master. A correlation analyses between the different types of tests and exam questions is done, to evaluate the most suitable, for assessing programming knowledge, showing that it is possible to use different question types as a pedagogical strategy, to assess student difficulty levels and programming skills, that help students acquire abstract, reasoning and algorithm thinking in an acceptable level. Also, it is shown that different forms of questions are equivalent to assess equal knowledge and that it is possible to predict the ability of a student to program at an early stage.
2016
Authors
Abreu, MH; Abreu, PH; Afonso, N; Pereira, D; Henrique, R; Lopes, C;
Publication
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
Abstract
Male breast cancer (MBC) patients seem to have inferior survival compared to female (FBC) ones, which is not fully explained by usual prognostic factors. Recurrence analysis could show differences in relapse patterns and/or in patients' approaches that justify these outcomes. Retrospective analysis of MBC patients treated in a cancer center between 1990 and 2014, looking for relapse. For each patient, three matched FBC patients were selected by: diagnosis' year, age (within 5 years), stage and tumors' type (only luminal-like were considered). Differences between cohorts were assessed by chi(2) test and hierarchical clustering was performed to define subgroups according to relapse local. Survival curves were calculated by Kaplan-Meier and compared using log-rank test. Statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. Groups were balanced according to age, histological grade, stage, expression of hormonal receptors and adjuvant treatments. Median time to recurrence was equivalent, p = 0.72, with the majority of patients presented with distant metastases, p = 0.69, with more lung involvement in male, p =0.003. Male patients were more often proposed to symptomatic treatment (21.1% vs. 4.4%, p = 0.02). Overall and from recurrence survivals were poorer for male, median: 5 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 4.1-5.9 years] and 1 year (95% CI: 0-2.1 years) vs. 10 years (95% CI: 7.8-12.2 years) and 2 years (95% CI: 1.6-2.4 years), p < 0.001 and p = 0.004, respectively, and this tendency remained in the five cluster subgroups, that identified five patterns of relapse, p = 0.003. MBC patients had the worst survival, even after controlling important factors, namely the local of relapse. Palliative systemic treatment had favorable impact in prognosis and its frequently avoidance in male could justify the outcomes differences.
2016
Authors
Machado, P; Martins, T; Amaro, H; Abreu, PH;
Publication
LEONARDO
Abstract
Photogrowth is a creativity support tool for the creation of nonphoto-realistic renderings of images. The authors discuss its evolution from a generative art application to an interactive evolutionary art tool and finally into a meta-level interactive art system in which users express their artistic intentions through the design of a fitness function. The authors explore the impact of these changes on the sense of authorship, highlighting the range of imagery that can be produced by the system.
2016
Authors
Abreu, MH; Afonso, N; Abreu, PH; Menezes, F; Lopes, P; Henrique, R; Pereira, D; Lopes, C;
Publication
BREAST
Abstract
Purpose: Male Breast Cancer (MBC) remains a poor understood disease. Prognostic factors are not well established and specific prognostic subgroups are warranted. Patients/methods: Retrospectively revision of 111 cases treated in the same Cancer Center. Blinded-central pathological revision with immunohistochemical (IHQ) analysis for estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and androgen (AR) receptors, HER2, ki67 and p53 was done. Cox regression model was used for uni/multivariate survival analysis. Two classifications of Female Breast Cancer (FBC) subgroups (based in ER, PR, HER2, 2000 classification, and in ER, PR, HER2, ki67, 2013 classification) were used to achieve their prognostic value in MBC patients. Hierarchical clustering was performed to define subgroups based on the six-IHQ panel. Results: According to FBC classifications, the majority of tumors were luminal: A (89.2%; 60.0%) and B (7.2%; 35.8%). Triple negative phenotype was infrequent (2.7%; 3.2%) and HER2 enriched, non-luminal, was rare (<= 1% in both). In multivariate analysis the poor prognostic factors were: size >2 cm (HR: 1.8; 95% CI: 1.0-3.4years, p = 0.049), absence of ER (HR: 4.9; 95% CI: 1.7-14.3years, p = 0.004) and presence of distant metastasis (HR: 5.3; 95% CI: 2.2-3.1years, p < 0.001). FBC subtypes were independent prognostic factors (p = 0.009, p = 0.046), but when analyzed only luminal groups, prognosis did not differ regardless the classification used (p > 0.20). Clustering defined different subgroups, that have prognostic value in multivariate analysis (p = 0.005), with better survival in ER/PR+, AR-, HER2- and ki67/p53 low group (median: 11.5 years; 95% CI: 6.2-16.8 years) and worst in PR-group (median: 4.5 years; 95% CI: 1.6 -7.8 years). Conclusion: FBC subtypes do not give the same prognostic information in MBC even in luminal groups. Two subgroups with distinct prognosis were identified in a common six-IHQ panel. Future studies must achieve their real prognostic value in these patients.
2015
Authors
Sousa, R; Pedreiras, P; Goncalves, P;
Publication
PROCEEDINGS OF 2015 IEEE 20TH CONFERENCE ON EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES & FACTORY AUTOMATION (ETFA)
Abstract
Industrial Internet and Industrial Internet of Things are emerging concepts that concern the use of Internet technologies on industrial environments. The main objective of such architectural visions is allowing a tight and seamless integration between all the functional units and layers that compose industrial processes, from the lowest levels (e.g. field level devices such as sensors and actuators) to the higher layers, including management, logistics and maintenance. This kind of architecture promises, among other advantages, improving efficiency and flexibility, reduce installation and maintenance costs and reduce unplanned downtime. However, industrial processes often encompass functionalities like closed-loop control of physical processes that are highly critical and have strict timeliness requirements. These requirements are not satisfied by normal Ethernet-based systems. Standards such as IEEE AVB and TSN are addressing this problem, enhancing the real-time properties of Ethernet. However, considering the information presently available, such standards still present some limitations and inefficiencies. This paper reports the extension of HaRTES, an Ethernet-based real-time architecture originally developed for use at the lower layers of industrial scenarios, with MAC Bridge standard functionalities, to make it capable of being integrated on Industrial Internet of Things frameworks. The paper also presents preliminary results obtained with a prototype realization of the extended HaRTES switch.
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