Sensors Network as an Added Value for the Characterization of Spatial and Temporal Air Quality Patterns at the Urban Scale.

Within the scope of the Aveiro STEAM City project, an air quality monitoring network was installed in the city of Aveiro (Portugal), to evaluate the potential of sensors to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of air quality in the city. The network consists of nine sensors stations with air quality sensors (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, O3 and CO) and two meteorological stations, distributed within selected locations in the city of Aveiro. The analysis of the data was done for a one-year measurement period, from June 2020 to May 2021, using temporal profiles, statistical comparisons with reference stations and Air Quality Indexes (AQI). The analysis of sensors data indicated that air quality variability exists for all pollutants and stations. The majority of the study area is characterized by good air quality, but specific areas-associated with hotspot traffic zones-exhibit medium, poor and bad air quality more frequently. The daily patterns registered are significantly different between the affected and non-affected road traffic sites, mainly for PM and NO2 pollutants. The weekly profile, significative deltas are found between week and weekend: NO2 is reduced on the weekends at traffic sites, but PM10 is higher in specific areas during winter weekends, which is explained by residential combustion sources.

Using low-cost sensors to assess real-time comfort and air quality patterns in indoor households.

People spend most of their time in indoor environments without knowing about the air quality in these spaces. In this study, indoor low-cost sensors were used (for 5 months) to assess the comfort and air quality patterns in two indoor households. To strengthen the robustness of the considered approach and build confidence in the obtained comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ) levels, the sensor measurements were also compared against information from reference monitoring equipment; in which, high correlation coefficients were obtained (> 0.85) and also low errors (on average 22%). The IAQ results were strongly influenced by the residents' activity and behaviour, the outdoor weather conditions, and indoor/outdoor air pollution sources. Overall, the recommended values of temperature and relative humidity for the occupant's comfort in indoor environments were not fulfilled. The highest particulate matter (PM) levels were recorded at the weekend (on average +14% higher), while maximum CO2 and CO levels were obtained on the weekdays (on average +9% higher). PM daily profiles followed the outdoor concentrations with the maximum levels at the end of the night and the lowest values in the early morning/mid-afternoon. The highest and lowest CO2 concentrations were registered in the early morning (< 1536 ppm) and mid-afternoon (< 627 ppm), respectively, while the CO daily profiles showed a high impact of outdoor emissions, with the minimum concentrations up to 0.81 mg m-3 (at 10 a.m. or 6 p.m.), and a maximum concentration of 1.87 mg m-3 (at 10 p.m.). Real-time comfort conditions and IAQ levels are a powerful approach to providing fast decisions to minimise human exposure and prevent negative health impacts.

Construction and validation of an observation tool of the imbalance pass in futsal / Construção e validação de uma ferramenta de análise do passe de desequilíbrio no futsal

Abstract This study aimed to construct a tool for observing the imbalance pass in futsal through Microsoft Excel® software and to establish its content validity and intra- and interobserver reliability based on the calculation of the content validity coefficient (CVC) and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). For the construction of the tool, futsal specialists (n = 10) with an average age of 44.1 ± 12.34 years and 19 ± 7.21 years of experience in the field participated in the study. 60% of the specialists have international-level expertise and 50% are active in practice and in academic field (higher education professor). According to the methodology, 23 items were proposed to assess the imbalance pass in futsal. CVC was calculated based on language clarity, practical pertinence and theoretical relevance for each item of the instrument and for the instrument as a whole; ICC was calculated based on intra- and interobserver agreement. Language clarity, practical pertinence and theoretical relevance revealed a result of 0.92, 0.93 and 0.95, respectively, and the values ​​for intra- and interobserver agreement reliability were excellent according to the literature (> 0.75). Thus, it is concluded that the items proposed in the tool obtained satisfactory psychometric properties.

Resumo Este estudo teve como objetivo construir uma ferramenta de observação do passe de desiquilíbrio no futsal por meio do software Microsoft Excel® e estabelecer sua validade de conteúdo e confiabilidade intra e interobservador, a partir do cálculo do coeficiente de validade de conteúdo (CVC) e do coeficiente de correlação intraclasse (CCI). Para construção da ferramenta participaram do estudo especialistas de futsal (n=10) com média de idade de 44,1±12,34 anos de experiência na área de 19±7,21 anos, sendo 60% dos especialistas com nível internacional e 50% atuantes na prática e no ambiente acadêmico (professor do ensino superior). Propuseram-se 23 itens para avaliação do passe de rutura no futsal. Foi calculado o CVC, a partir da clareza da linguagem, da pertinência prática e da relevância teórica, para cada item do instrumento e para o instrumento como um todo, o ICC foi calculado a partir da concordância intra e interobservador. O resultado para clareza da linguagem foi de 0,92, para pertinência prática foi de 0,93 e para relevância teórica foi de 0,95, e os valores para confiabilidade da concordância intra e interobservador foram excelentes de acordo com a literatura (>0,75). Conclui-se que os itens propostos na ferramenta obtiveram propriedades psicométricas satisfatórias.