Transformer-based language models for semantic search and mobile applications retrieval

Search engines are being extensively used by Mobile App Stores, where millions of users world-wide use them every day. However, some stores still resort to simple lexical-based search engines, despite the recent advances in Machine Learning, Information Retrieval, and Natural Language Processing, which allow for richer semantic strategies. This work proposes an approach for semantic search of mobile applications that relies on transformer-based language models, fine-tuned with the existing textual information about known mobile applications. Our approach relies solely on the application name and on the unstructured textual information contained in its description. A dataset of about 500 thousand mobile apps was extended in the scope of this work with a test set, and all the available textual data was used to fine-tune our neural language models. We have evaluated our models using a public dataset that includes information about 43 thousand applications, and 56 manually annotated non- exact queries. The results show that our model surpasses the performance of all the other retrieval strategies reported in the literature. Tests with users have confirmed the performance of our semantic search approach, when compared with an existing deployed solution.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Collaborative filtering for mobile application recommendation with implicit feedback

This paper introduces a novel dataset regarding the installation of mobile applications in users devices, and benchmarks multiple well-established collaborative filtering techniques, leveraging on the user implicit feedback extracted from the data. Our experiments use 3 snapshots provided by Aptoide, one of the leading mobile application stores. These snapshots provide information about the installed applications for more than 4 million users in total. Such data allow us to infer the users activity over time, which corresponds to an implicit measure of interest in a certain application, as we consider that installs reflect a positive user opinion on an app, and, inversely, uninstalls reflect a negative user opinion. Since recommendation systems usually use explicit rating data, we have filtered and transformed the existing data into binary ratings. We have trained several recommendation models, using the Surprise Python scikit, comparing baseline algorithms to neighborhood-based and matrix factorization methods. Our evaluation shows that SVD-based and KNN-based methods achieve good performance scores while being computationally efficient, suggesting that they are suitable for recommendation in this novel dataset.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

SPA: Web-based platform for easy access to speech processing modules

This paper presents SPA, a web-based Speech Analytics platform that integrates several speech processing modules and that makes it possible to use them through the web. It was developed with the aim of facilitating the usage of the modules, without the need to know about software dependencies and specific configurations. Apart from being accessed by a web-browser, the platform also provides a REST API for easy integration with other applications. The platform is flexible, scalable, provides authentication for access restrictions, and was developed taking into consideration the time and effort of providing new services. The platform is still being improved, but it already integrates a considerable number of audio and text processing modules, including: Automatic transcription, speech disfluency classification, emotion detection, dialog act recognition, age and gender classification, non-nativeness detection, hyperarticulation detection, dialog act recognition, and two external modules for feature extraction and DTMF detection. This paper describes the SPA architecture, presents the already integrated modules, and provides a detailed description for the ones most recently integrated.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Animal manures applied to soil: phosphorus bioavailability, losses to water and erosion

Comunicação oral da qual só está disponível o resumo.Phosphorus (P) is a non renewable resource which highlights the significance of developing and using alternative sources of P for a sustainable agriculture. Animal manure is an option but its application to soils to meet crop nitrogen needs requires careful management practices to minimize freshwater eutrophication. The aim of this work was to evaluate the partitioning of applied P between plant uptake, losses to water, and erosion losses when using different animal manures and a mineral P fertilizer. A field trial was conducted at an erosion experimental station. The treatments were: Control (0 kg P/ha); cattle manure; solid fraction of pig and duck slurry and superphosphate, each applied at a rate of 50 kg P/ha after Lolium sp was sown. Soil samples from each trial were collected over the 9-month study and the water extractable soil P determined. It was found that desorption of P from all additions rapidly increased soon after P application (2 weeks). After that water extractable soil P remained fairly constant. While duck slurry desorbed the largest concentration of P, all sources have the potential to desorb P that could accelerate eutrophication. Plant uptake of P was greater with cattle manure added and released the least amount of P to water compared with the other sources of P. The partitioning of applied P between plant uptake and losses to runoff and sediments ranged between 5-12 % with the higher values in Duck treatment. Animal manures significantly increased soil Olsen-P, plant production and P uptake relative to mineral fertilizer. Animal manures can be considered as a source of available P nevertheless to avoid eutrophication risks increase plant P use efficiency is also important

Pseudohypoparathyroidism type I-b with neurological involvement is associated with a homozygous PTH1R mutation

Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1b (PHP1b) is characterized by hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia, increased levels of circulating parathyroid hormone (PTH), and no skeletal or developmental abnormalities. The goal of this study was to perform a full characterization of a familial case of PHP1b with neurological involvement and to identify the genetic cause of disease. The initial laboratory profile of the proband showed severe hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and normal levels of PTH, which was considered to be compatible with primary hypoparathyroidism. With disease progression the patient developed cognitive disturbance, PTH levels were found to be slightly elevated and a picture of PTH resistance syndrome seemed more probable. The diagnosis of PHP1b was established after the study of family members and blunted urinary cAMP results were obtained in a PTH stimulation test. Integration of whole genome genotyping and exome sequencing data supported this diagnosis by revealing a novel homozygous missense mutation in PTH1R (p.Arg186His) completely segregating with the disease. Here, we demonstrate segregation of a novel mutation in PTH1R with a phenotype of PHP1b presenting with neurological symptoms, but no bone defects. This case represents the extreme end of the spectrum of cognitive impairment in PTH dysfunction and defines a possible novel form of PHP1b resulting from the impaired interaction between PTH and PTH1R

Estudo para produção de misturas com betume borracha a menores temperaturas

As misturas com betume borracha precisam de temperaturas mais elevadas no seu processo de fabrico e compactação devido à maior viscosidade deste ligante betuminoso modificado com borracha granulada de pneus usados. Caso contrário, o betume borracha poderá não garantir o correto envolvimento dos agregados e a necessária trabalhabilidade da mistura para a sua correta compactação. As consequências previsíveis relacionam-se com uma maior sensibilidade à água, o que reduz a durabilidade destas misturas e potencia a ocorrência de desagregações superficiais no pavimento. No entanto, o uso de tecnologias temperadas que permitem reduzir as temperaturas de produção e compactação das misturas betuminosas, pode ser uma solução mais sustentável para produção das misturas com betume borracha a menores temperaturas, desde que isso não afete o seu desempenho. Este trabalho consiste no estudo da utilização de uma dessas tecnologias para produzir misturas com betume borracha a menores temperaturas. Assim, estudou-se o efeito que a aplicação de um aditivo surfactante tem nas propriedades dos ligantes com e sem borracha. Em seguida estudou-se a redução de temperatura de produção. Por fim comparou-se o desempenho de misturas betuminosas com betume borracha normais e temperadas. No estudo concluiu-se que é possível reduzir bastante a temperatura de fabrico sem comprometer o desempenho da mistura com betume borracha

O cultivo de Trigo de Duplo Propósito e os efeitos da adubação nitrogenada na produção de biomassa e grãos.

O sistema de cultivo de Trigo de Duplo Propósito (TDP) utiliza cultivares para a produção de grãos e forragem (visando o consumo animal) proporcionando ao triticultor um adicional à sua renda. A adubação nitrogenada é essencial, nesse sistema para aumentar a eficiência o trigo (planta C3) na produção de biomassa. Esse trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar a resposta do cultivar Frontana ao sistema de TDP e às diferentes doses de adubação nitrogenada, bem como, quantificar a sua produção de grãos e de forragem e analisar o rendimento econômico gerado nesse sistema. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o de blocos ao acaso com parcelas subdivididas tendo quatro blocos, quatro tratamentos nas parcelas (Doses de N: 0, 60, 90 e 120 kg/ha) e cinco nas subparcelas (Cortes: 1 a 4). Em cada dose de N, dentro de cada corte, a produtividade de grãos não foi afetada. A forragem do cultivar estudado apresentou maior rentabilidade econômica no sistema TDP, com a realização de um corte e a aplicação de 60 Kg de N/ha seguida de aplicação de 90 Kg de N/ha, a produção exclusiva de grãos teve maior rentabilidade com a adição de 120 Kg de N/ha

Resposta de acessos de Solanum melongena ao Tomato chlorotic mottle virus (ToCMoV inoculado via Bemisia tabaci).

Resumo 753-1

Study of sardine oil antioxidant properties for the development of topical therapeutic formulations

Sardine is one of the most common fish of the Portuguese coast with important nutritional features. Sardine oil is also a natural source of nutrients with proven benefits for human health, being rich in omega-3 fatty acids, particularly EPA and DHA (polyunsaturated fatty acids-PUFAs) [1]. Several studies show that there is a direct link between a diet enriched in omega-3 and the prevention of diseases such as cardiovascular disease, inflammatory conditions, mental disorders and prevention of various types of cancer [2]. The aim of this work was to characterize the antioxidant role of sardine oil for the development of topical applications. To evaluate the antioxidant effect of sardine oil on skin, human fibroblasts (BJ-5ta), human melanocytes (A375) and human keratinocytes (NCTC2544) were used. Concentrations of oil higher than 8 mg/ml affected significantly the cell viability while for lower concentrations the effect was reduced. The lowest concentrations, 0.5 and 4 mg/ml, were tested to evaluate the protective role of sardine oil in situation of induced oxidative stress. These two concentrations were able to protect cells from damage with a higher effect measured for the fibroblasts. Moreover the incubation of cells with the sardine oil was able to activate a transcription factor Nuclear factor-erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) which plays a crucial role in the coordinated induction of genes encoding many stress-responsive and cytoprotective enzymes and related proteins [3]. These results open the opportunity to develop new therapeutic and cosmetic applications based on sardine-derived compounds. Their incorporation in topical creams may contribute to a better treatment of inflammation and in the prevention of skin aging