Long-Term Average Spectrum Characteristics of Portuguese Fado-Canção from Coimbra.

Descriptions of acoustical characteristics of Fado, a Portuguese urban style sung in Lisbon and Oporto, are scarce, particularly concerning Fado-Canção, a related style sung in Coimbra. The present study aims at describing long-term average spectrum (LTAS) parameters of 16 professional singers while singing and reading the lyrics of a typical Fado-Canção. LTAS parameters were investigated in terms of: (1) equivalent sound level (L); (2) spectral differences between 3 frequency bands 0-2, 2-5, and 5-8 kHz; and (3) quantification of spectral prominence between 2 and 4 kHz, calculated as the level difference between the peak in this frequency region and a reference trendline between 1 and 5 kHz, henceforth Formant Cluster Prominence (FCP).

Video segmentation based on motion coherence of particles in a video sequence.

This work describes an approach for object-oriented video segmentation based on motion coherence. Using a tracking process based on adaptively sampled points (namely, particles), 2-D motion patterns are identified with an ensemble clustering approach. Particles are clustered to obtain a pixel-wise segmentation in space and time domains.

Interactive modeling and evaluation of tumor growth.

This paper addresses the need to quantify tumor growth and detect changes as this information is relevant to manage the patient treatment and to aid biotechnological efforts to cure cancer (Silva et al. 2008). An interactive tumor segmentation technique is used to recover the shape and size of tumors without imposing shape constraints.

Efficacy of 2,6-dichlorophenol lure to control Dermacentor nitens.

This study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the efficacy of a 2,6-dichlorophenol (2,6-DCP) lure to control Dermacentor nitens (Acari: Ixodidae). Slow-release formulations of the pheromone formulated with and without cypermethrin were prepared. Olfactometer bioassays were used to define the best dose of the pheromone and to evaluate the effect of cypermethrin with 2,6-DCP attractiveness.