Abstract
Quality on the welfare services in caring, and the trend to minimize the economical and social-political costs that come with such practice, due to the population aging, are paramount nowadays, i.e., health care reform has become the leading policy issue in all latitudes. Indeed, the major thrust of all this research is the perception that escalating costs make the current structure and financing of health care unsustainable. The issue of sustainability is, therefore, the main subject of this paper. As a result, and in order to accomplish this goal, we decided to look to the problem from an user perspective, i.e., the system not only will provide different services, but will be also able to trace the ones more frequently used and to learn about the context in which they happen. As a result, we will have a system that will act and learn according to the preferences and habits of its users, and, simultaneously, will adapt to the environment with the objective of reducing the cost of its practices.

Abstract

Abstract
Innovative healthcare projects are arising in today's society, normally presenting as major advantage the reduction of care provider's costs. Being these advantage a legitimate one, we are trying to take it a step forward through the use of proactiveness, decision making techniques, idea generation, argumentation and quality, not only of the in transit information, but also of the provided service as well. With these objectives in mind, the VirtualECare project was born. In this paper we are going to briefly present the project and make a position of the actual developments in this first year of work.

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This letter proposes a new concept applied to state estimation based on replacing traditional regression models by a criterion of maximizing error correntropy introducing a novel way to identify and correct large errors.

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The present paper aims to present a Project included in a diversified programme and consequent implementation of a new Teaching/Learning model adapted to the Industrial Management and Engineering Degree (IMED) of the Management and Industrial Studies School (O'Porto Polytechnic Institute). Owning particular and specific characteristics, this model is based on the graduates' professional profile as well as on the work market dynamics, placing the student in the centre of the Learning Process, in opposition to the 'teacher centred' method (as conceived by the Bologna Treat). Diverse in the approach, the model includes differentiating factors when compared to the project based traditional model. Through the development and conception of practical Interdisciplinary Projects, centring knowledges and techniques from the different Industrial Management and Engineering areas, we seek a new way of implementing the 'Project Led Education' (PLE) bases, according to the Active Learning paradigm. This teaching/learning model aims to contribute to the Industrial Management and Engineering graduates' formation focused on a high level of performance and professional rectitude, to induce students' enthusiasm and motivation for acquiring scientific and technical knowledge, as well as to satisfy the diverse interest groups' expectations and promote the regional development.

Abstract