Perfomer artist : perspective of the creative process in the studio as a place for artistic creation

A presente investigação concentra-se na análise do processo criativo do atelier com o objetivo de procurar entender socialmente o artista plástico e como tornar possível o seu reconhecimento, legitimação e consagração no campo artístico e cultural. Ao longo deste estudo podemos observar que a palavra artista é usada para designar o pintor, cuja atividade específica consiste em produzir obras de arte mediante a utilização dos recursos técnicos, materiais e expressivos com que a pintura se identifica. Sob ponto de vista metodológico, partimos do princípio que embora o atelier seja um lugar de criação e espaço do artista, também se pode adaptar num acervo de obras documentadas e expostas ao longo do processo criativo, como são referenciados nos estudos de caso de artistas consagrados, Rembrant, Henri Matisse, Francis Bacon e Paula Rego em processos criativos dos seus ateliers. Nesta perspetiva, verifica-se que a plenitude do atelier é considerada como um testemunho da vida do artista, no que concerne à disposição das obras e objetos de forma caótica ou organizada das várias etapas do processo criativo. No âmbito deste tema podemos concluir que a contribuição no processo criativo resulta da realidade objetiva do artista, funcionando como espelho de criação e objeto de análise pela sociedade que o visita, atribuindo-lhe a dinâmica e o verdadeiro sentido cósmico da existência do atelier.Abstract : This research focuses on the analysis of the studio's creative process with the aim of seeking to socially understand the visual artist and how to make their recognition, legitimization and consecration in the artistic and cultural field possible. Throughout this study we can observe that the word artist is used to designate the painter, whose specific activity consists of producing works of art through the use of technical, material and expressive resources with which painting identifies. From a methodological point of view, we assume that although the studio is a place of creation and space for the artist, it can also be adapted into a collectionof works documented and exhibited throughout the creative process, as referenced in case studies of artists renowned artists, Rembrant, Henri Matisse, Francis Bacon and Paula Rego in creative processes in their studios. From this perspective, it appears that the fullness of the studio is considered as a testimony to the artist's life, in terms of the arrangement of works and objects in a chaotic or organized way in the diferente stages of the creative process. Within the scope of this theme, we can conclude that the contribution to the creative process results from the objective reality of the artist, functioning as a mirror of creation and an object of analysis by the society that visits him, attributing to him the dynamics and the true cosmic meaning of the studio's existence

Connecting present and future soil erosion risk in the upper Tagus river region of Portugal

Autor correspondente: Duarte, António Canatário.Soil water erosion causes soil degradation, affecting its fertility and, consequently, leading to the loss of its productive capacity and may contribute to a process of desertification. Countries in the Mediterranean basin are under the influence of a climate pattern that is unfavorable to maintaining effective soil cover, with peak precipitation events occurring, and an increase in soil erosion rates is expected in changing scenarios. Climate, where the occurrence of extreme meteorological phenomena will be more frequent. The aim of this study is to evaluate the present situation and estimate the future soil erosion risk of in the upper region of the Portuguese part of the Tagus River basin, where agricultural use and livestock activities are dominant in soils that are highly susceptible to erosion. The soil loss estimation was carried out for the current situation and for the climatic conditions projected for 2050, considering two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5). We use the RUSLE methodology to determine the risk of soil water erosion. Although annual precipitation decreases for both RCPs, the erosivity index will increase in both scenarios. Our findings provide insights into the consequences of socioeconomic development options on physical land degradation and loss. To understand the process of soil water erosion, using modeling and other tools, is very important for the design of policy instruments that minimize the effects of climate change on soil.N/

Detection of Bagaza virus in Europe: A scoping review

The Bagaza virus (BAGV) belongs to the genus Orthoflavivirus (Ntaya serocomplex) and emerged in Europe, Spain, in 2010. The natural transmission cycle of this virus is perpetuated by Culex spp. mosquitoes and viraemic birds. The ability of BAGV to cause infection in several game birds from the family Phasianidae has been well-studied. BAGV is antigenically similar to other orthoflaviviruses from the Japanese encephalitis serocomplex, such as the West Nile and Usutu viruses, a circumstance which can lead to cross-reactivity in less specific serological techniques (e.g., ELISA). Severe implications in animal health has already been described, but some aspects of the dynamics of transmission and the limits of zoonotic potential of BAGV still need to be clarified. Further investigation focused on epidemiological surveillance in high-risk areas would be beneficial for prevention and control of new outbreaks. The present study is a systematic review of the BAGV reports in Europe.This work was supported by projects UIDB/00772/2020 (Doi: 10.54499/UIDB/00772/2020) and LA/P/0059/2020, funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)

Análisis del tipo de técnicas, puntuaciones y sanciones en el Campeonato de Europa de Judo Senior

Agradecimentos: SPRINT - Sport Physical Activity and Health Research & Innovation Center, Portugal Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development (CIDESD), Portugal Department of Sports and Well-being, School of Education, Castelo Branco, Portugal Department of Sport Sciences, Sport Sciences School of Rio Maior, Rio Maior, PortugalIntroducción: El judo es un deporte de combate olímpico dividido en categorías de peso y sexo. Los combates tienen una duración de cuatro minutos en ambos sexos, y cuando las puntuaciones o amonestaciones para ambos competidores son las mismas, se produce empate entre los judocas y el combate se decide mediante la Técnica de Oro. Es por ello que, la duración de los combates y de la competición, puede tener repercusiones en los judocas, tanto desde el punto de vista técnico, táctico, físico, fisiológico y psicológico, entre otros. Objetivo: El estudio tuvo como propósito determinar el predominio de las acciones técnicas, puntuaciones y penalizaciones en función de la duración del combate y la fase de la competición en el Campeonato de Europa de Judo Senior 2021. Metodología: Se observaron 398 combates en todas las categorías de peso y en ambos sexos (230 hombres y 168 mujeres). Para el registro de las técnicas se utilizó la clasificación Kodokan de judo. Se anotaron las puntuaciones y penalizaciones, a lo largo del combate y durante la Técnica de Oro, en las distintas fases de la competición. Resultados: La mayoría de los combates terminaron en el tiempo reglamentario (79,15%) y un menor porcentaje se resolvieron en la Técnica de Oro (20,85%). A medida que se avanza en la fase de competición hay una tendencia a que los combates se decidan mediante la Técnica de Oro. Conclusiones: El tiempo de combate y la fase de competición influyen tant o en el tipo de técnicas empleadas, las puntuaciones obtenidas y las penalizaciones recibidas.Abstract: Introduction: Judo is an Olympic combat sport divided into weight and gender categories. Bouts last four minutes for both genders, and when the scores or warnings for both competitors are the same, the match is decided by the Golden Technique. Therefore, the duration of bouts and competitions can have repercussions for judokas, both from a technical-tactical, physical, psychological, and/or physiological perspective. Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of technical actions, scores, and penalties based on bout duration and competition phase at the 2021 European Senior Judo Championships. Methodology: 398 bouts were observed across all weight categories and both genders (230 men and 168 women). The Kodokan judo classification was used to record the techniques. Scores and penalties were recorded throughout the bout, as in the Golden Technique, at the different stages of the competition. Results: The majority of bouts ended within regulation time (79.15%), and a smaller percentage were resolved in the Golden Technique (20.85%). As the competition phase progresses, there is a tendency for bouts to be decided by the Golden Technique. Conclusions: The bout time and the competition phase influence both the type of techniques used, the scores obtained, and the penalties received.Este trabajo fue apoyado por la Fundación Portuguesa para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FCT), I.P., proyecto número UI/04045.N/

Estágio na Empresa Casanova: relatório de estágio

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Design de Interiores e Mobiliário.O estágio curricular foi concretizado na cidade de São Pedro do Sul, na freguesia de Carvalhais, distrito de Viseu, na empresa Cruz & Oliveira – Carpintaria e Mobiliário Lda. Este relatório será apresentado à Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas para obtenção do grau Mestre em Design de Interiores e Mobiliário. O estágio proporcionou à mestranda a oportunidade de aplicar os conhecimentos adquiridos ao longo do percurso académico e adquirir novas aprendizagens. Com essas novas aprendizagens, foi possível evoluir tanto a nível pessoal quanto profissional, ao ter contato com o mundo do trabalho e receber apoio de uma equipa disposta a compartilhar as suas experiências e conhecimentos. Este relatório pretende mostrar o processo de desenvolvimento dos trabalhos efetuados ao longo do estágio, apresentando as metodologias utilizadas para solucionar os problemas encontrados durante a execução dos projetos. Ao longo dos seis meses de estágio, foram desenvolvidos vários projetos na área do Design de Mobiliário, que é o foco principal da empresa. Um dos pontos chave que ajudaram no desenvolvimento dos projetos, foi o facto da empresa constituir uma carpintaria com zona de produção, permitindo acompanhar o projeto desde a medição em obra até à montagem final na casa do cliente. O estágio proporcionou a oportunidade de desenvolver projetos utilizando modelações tridimensionais como Fusion 360, Revit e Solidworks, além de modelação bidimensional como AutoCad. Foram elaborados desenhos técnicos que foram encaminhados para a produção, iniciando assim o processo de fabrico.Abstract: The curricular internship took place in the city of São Pedro do Sul, in the parish of Carvalhais, Viseu district, at the company Cruz & Oliveira Lda., with the aim of completing the master's degree in Interior Design and Furniture. All the knowledge acquired during the academic career was put into practice along with the new knowledge obtained during the internship. With this new experiences I was able to evolve on a personal and professional level, by having contact with the working world and having the support and contribution of a good team work with the willingness and good manners to share their experiences and useful knowledge with me. Was a very positive evolution and progressively I was able to overcome my obstacles. The purpose of this report is to show the development process of all the work carried out during the internship period, presenting the work methodologies used to solve the problems that were encountered throughout the execution of the projects. Over the four months of the internship, several projects were carried out in the area of Furniture design, being the company's focus. One significant matter is the company is a carpentery and this gave me the opportunity to follow the development of projects from scratch to the final product in their production area, it gave me the chance to develop projects using the modeling learned throughout the academic career. I developed my skills at interior design using three-dimensional software such as Fusion 360, Revit, Solidworks and two-dimensional software such as AutoCad, making the respective technical drawings which was delivered to production and starting the manufacturing process

Estudo de caso

Trabalho de Projeto apresentado à Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Intervenção Social Escolar.O presente trabalho enquadra-se no plano curricular do Mestrado em Intervenção Social Escolar da Escola Superior de Educação de Castelo Branco e trata de uma investigação sobre o processo de integração e desempenho escolar de alunos filhos de imigrantes PALOP de origem africana a frequentar o ensino básico (primeiro, segundo e terceiro ciclos) em Portugal. A educação e o direito a uma educação de qualidade, em que todos somos chamados, de forma mais direta ou indireta a contribuir, são essenciais para uma sociedade mais justa e mais coesa. É, por isso, muito importante conhecer a realidade escolar para, posteriormente, se poder atuar de forma fundamentada. Uma educação de qualidade para Todos é uma questão multidimensional complexa, difícil de estudar no seu todo. Temos, por isso, que a analisar por partes; neste sentido, o nosso trabalho debruça-se sobre os alunos PALOP oriundos de países africanos. O problema “Qual a integração e o desempenho escolar de alunos filhos de imigrantes PALOP de origem africana a frequentarem o ensino básico em Portugal?” divide-se em quatro objetivos: (1) Compreender a integração de alunos filhos de imigrantes de países PALOP de origem africana no contexto educativo português; (2) Conhecer o desempenho escolar destes alunos no contexto educativo português; (3) Identificar as principais dificuldades educativas/de aprendizagem; (4) Propor diretrizes com vista a um plano de intervenção para melhorar a integração e o desempenho escolar destes alunos. Em síntese, a finalidade deste estudo consiste em analisar a integração e o desempenho escolar de alunos filhos de imigrantes de países PALOP de origem africana e formas de os melhorar. De forma a recolher dados, foram construídos e validados dois instrumentos -inquéritos por questionário - um dirigido aos alunos PALOP a frequentar o ensino básico nas diversas escolas de um agrupamento, e outro dirigido aos seus professores/diretores de turma. Recolhidos os inquéritos dirigidos aos alunos, foram organizados os dados em tabelas para posterior análise. Os dados obtidos através dos questionários aplicados aos professores foram também organizados e analisados. Os dados recolhidos foram, posteriormente, cruzados para se compreender de forma mais completa e profunda a situação escolar destes alunos e poder propor eventuais medidas que possam mitigar problemas detetados. Os resultados apontam para uma integração geral dos alunos na escola positiva, particularmente ao nível do 1.º ciclo, mas não tanto no 3.º ciclo do ensino básico, embora apontem algumas sugestões de melhoria. Globalmente, gostam da escola e consideram que os professores os apoiam quando apresentam dificuldades académicas. Poucos são os alunos que ficaram retidos em algum ano escolar, mas apontam algumas dificuldades a certas disciplinas curriculares.Abstract: This work is part of the curricular plan of the Master's Degree in Social Intervention at the Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco and deals with an investigation into the integration process and school performance of PALOP students of African origin attending basic education (first, second and third cycles) in Portugal. Education and the right to high quality education, to which we are all called, directly or indirectly, to contribute towards, are essential for a fairer, more cohesive society. Therefore, it is very important to understand the school reality in order to subsequently act in a well-founded manner. High quality education for everyone is a complex, multidimensional issue that is difficult to study as a whole. Consequently, we have to analyze it in parts, hence our work focusing on PALOP students coming from African countries. The problem “What is the integration and academic performance of African students from PALOP countries attending basic education in Portugal?” is divided into four objectives: (1) Understanding the level of integration of students whose parents are immigrants from PALOP countries in the Portuguese educational context; (2) Understanding the academic performance of these students in the Portuguese educational context; (3) Identifying their main educational/learning difficulties; (4) Proposing guidelines for an intervention plan to improve the integration and academic performance of these students. In summary, the purpose of this study is to identify levels of integration and academic performance of students who are children of immigrants from PALOP countries and ways to improve them. In order to collect data, two instruments were constructed and validated - questionnaires - one aimed at PALOP students attending basic education in various schools, and the other aimed at their teachers/class tutor. Once the surveys directed at students were collected, the data was organized into tables for later analysis. The data obtained through the questionnaires applied to teachers were also organized and analyzed. The data collected was subsequently cross-referenced to understand the school situation of these students in a more complete and in-depth manner and to be able to propose possible measures that could mitigate the problems detected. The results point to an overall positive integration of students in school, particularly at the 1st cycle level, but not so much in the 3rd cycle, although they point to some suggestions for improvement. In general, these students enjoy school and find teachers supportive when they have academic difficulties. Few students were held back in any academic year, but they pointed out some difficulties in certain curricular subjects

Gait and dual-task performance in older adults with suspected cognitive impairment: Effects of an 8-week exercise program

The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Évora (protocol code GD24725/2023, approval date: 21 September 2023).Gait performance in aging relies heavily on cognitive resources, yet the extent to which short-term interventions can mitigate dual-task costs in institutionalized populations remains understudied. This study aimed to compare single and dual-task gait performance between older adults with and without suspected cognitive impairment and to evaluate the effects of an 8-week multicomponent exercise program on functional mobility. Methods: Institutionalized older adults (n = 42) were stratified into two groups: suspected cognitive impairment (n = 26) and no suspected impairment (n = 16), based on MMSE and Clock Drawing Test screening. Participants performed the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and Dual-Task TUG (TUG-DT) at baseline and post-intervention. Results: At baseline, the suspected impairment group exhibited significantly poorer performance on both tests (p < 0.001) compared to the non-impaired group. Following the 8-week intervention, the suspected impairment group demonstrated large, significant improvements in both TUG (r = −0.73) and TUG-DT (r = −0.59), whereas the non-impaired group remained stable. Notably, while the single-task TUG showed the greatest responsiveness to the exercise program, the TUG-DT continued to reveal a significant cognitive-motor load. Conclusions: Multicomponent exercise effectively enhances functional mobility in cognitively vulnerable older adults, reversing declines in both single and dual-task conditions. Significance: These findings support the implementation of dual-task screening to unmask latent functional deficits and validate the use of accessible, short-term multicomponent exercise programs as a vital strategy to preserve autonomy in institutionalized older adults.N/

Big Data-based recommendation systems

Introduction: With the exponential growth of data, digital platforms increasingly rely on Big Data technologies to personalize user experiences and improve the accuracy of item recommendations. Recommendation systems play a critical role in e-commerce, entertainment, and social media by analyzing user interactions, behaviors, and preferences. However, the complexity of large-scale data processing and the diversity of filtering techniques pose significant challenges to achieving high performance and scalability. Objectives: This study aims to analyze how Big Data technologies are applied in modern recommendation systems, emphasizing their role in enhancing personalization and system performance. The work seeks to identify the main data collection strategies, algorithms, and tools adopted in recent research, as well as to assess how these systems address challenges related to scalability and real-time processing. Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted using the IEEE Xplore database, focusing on articles published between 2015 and 2025. The search targeted studies combining Big Data and recommendation systems within e-commerce contexts. Out of 49 retrieved publications, 10 met the inclusion criteria, and 5 were ultimately selected after applying exclusion filters. Each selected paper was analyzed regarding its objectives, employed algorithms, data sources, and achieved outcomes. Results: The reviewed studies demonstrate a wide variety of approaches and technologies, including Hadoop and Spark frameworks for large-scale data processing, deep learning models such as DeepLearning4j for real-time prediction, and classical data mining algorithms like K-Means, Apriori, and FP-Growth. Hybrid methods combining collaborative and content-based filtering were shown to overcome limitations such as the cold start and data sparsity problems. Scalability was addressed through distributed processing and optimization techniques like network pruning and parallel computation. These systems achieved higher recommendation precision and responsiveness across different e-commerce and media applications. Conclusions: The analysis confirms that Big Data–driven recommendation systems are essential for enhancing user engagement and conversion in digital platforms. By integrating data mining, machine learning, and distributed processing technologies, these systems deliver efficient, adaptive, and context-aware recommendations. Future developments should continue exploring hybrid and deep learning–based approaches to further improve scalability, personalization, and computational performance in increasingly complex digital ecosystems

Block-chain-based smart contracts e-ticketing platform

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Tecnologia do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Engenharia Informática - Área de Especialização em Desenvolvimento de Software e Sistemas InterativosOs Smart contracts ou contratos inteligentes, são uma inovação fundamental da cadeia de blocos, comportam-se como acordos digitais que se executam, de forma autónoma, termos predefinidos. Estes contratos são seguros, descentralizados, transparentes e imutáveis, estando estes preparados para uma vasta aplicação e em diversos sectores, como a venda de bilhetes para eventos, agilizando transações e reduzir a fraude. Nesta dissertação propõe-se um projeto com o objetivo de explorar a utilização de contratos inteligentes na comercialização de bilhetes eletrónicos para eventos e com isto reduzir a especulação na venda de bilhetes e as redundâncias de papel, bem como a aplicação prática desta solução. Esta solução obriga assim à conceção, execução e depuração de contratos inteligentes utilizando Solidity na cadeia de blocos (blockchain)Ethereum. Para responder a estes desafios, foi especificamente desenvolvida uma aplicação funcional, tendo como alvo vendedores de bilhetes, compradores e organizadores de eventos. Os resultados deste desenvolvimento demonstraram a viabilidade e aplicabilidade dos Smart contracts para processos de emissão de bilhetes transparentes e eficientes, embora atualmente limitados a um ambiente local. Contudo, estes fornecem uma base sólida para melhorias futuras e uma adoção mais ampla. Em resumo, este projeto destacou o potencial e a viabilidade das cadeias de blocos e dos Smart contracts para transformar a emissão de bilhetes para eventos, garantindo segurança, escalabilidade e confiança do utilizador.Abstract: Smart contracts, a fundamental innovation of blockchain technology, are digital agreements that automatically execute predefined terms. These contracts are secure, decentralized, transparent, and immutable, making them suitable for a range of sectors, including event ticket sales, where they can streamline transactions and reduce fraud. This dissertation proposes a project aimed at exploring the use of smart contracts in the sale and marketing of event tickets. The main objective is to reduce ticket speculation and paper redundancies, covering the design, execution, and debugging of smart contracts using Solidity on the Ethereum blockchain. To respond to these challenges, a functional application was specifically developed, targeting ticket sellers, buyers and event organizers. The results of this development demonstrated the feasibility and applicability of Smart contracts for transparent and efficient ticketing processes, although currently limited to a local environment. However, they provide a solid foundation for future improvements and wider adoption. In summary, this project highlighted the potential and viability of blockchains and Smart contracts to transform event ticketing, ensuring security, scalability and user trust

A revisit of plant food waste along food supply chains: Impacts and perspectives

More than one billion tons of the food produced in the world ends up being wasted every year, accounting for about one-third of the food produced globally. For this reason, the problem of food waste management has been the focus of the different actors intervening in the food supply chains, who recognize that food waste has not only environmental but also economic and social impacts. This review focuses on foods of plant origin wasted at different stages of their life, namely primary production, transformation/processing, transportation, sales, catering and the domestic level. It addresses the subject from multiple angles, considering the environmental, economic and social perspectives. The review was based on a search carried out within scientific databases, for example, ScienceDirect, Scopus and the Web of Science. The results highlighted that in the generation and management of food waste from plant origin, there is a clear difference between developed and developing countries, with these last showing higher losses in production, principally the transportation and storage of the foods. Contrarily, in developed countries, excess food produced and not consumed is the strongest contributor to food waste. Valorization of agricultural waste and industrial residues for application into animal feed or agricultural fertilizers, or through the recovery of valuable compounds for industrial purposes, are some of the ways to deal with food waste while generating additional economic value and reducing environmental impact. However, there is still a need to modify processes and behaviors to reduce food waste and improve the sustainability of supply chains. Therefore, it is crucial to conduct research to identify and report food waste so that stakeholders can contribute positively to solving this problem