Constraints-led approach and synergetic behaviour in volleyball performance

O objetivo desta tese foi investigar a Abordagem Baseada nos Constrangimentos (ABC) e comportamento sinergético no voleibol. Enquadrados pela dinâmica ecológica investigámos conceitos teóricos relacionados com o comportamento sinergético individual e coletivo e aplicamos a ABC em equipas de voleibol. Inicialmente, apresentámos uma revisão narrativa dos princípios da ABC e pedagogia não-linear sugerindo dois exemplos para aplicação em treino. De seguida, produzimos dois artigos de opinião sobre o papel das estruturas de biotensegridade no comportamento sinergético individual e coletivo. Nos estudos experimentais implementámos a ABC para guiar os atletas através das fases de “Search”, “Discover” e “Exploit”. Primeiro, numa equipa de cadetes feminina manipulámos os constrangimentos da tarefa de forma a respeitar as diferenças individuais e comparar a precisão no remate após o treino, assim como, analisar a estratégia temporal na estrutura coordenativa da corrida e chamada de remate. Os resultados mostram que respeitar as diferenças individuais promovem melhor performance (i.e., na precisão do remate) e que congelar os graus de liberdade numa componente da estrutura coordenativa da chamada foi a estratégia associada com mais precisão no remate. De seguida, implementámos um estudo com jogadoras peritas para comparar frequências de contacto na defesa entre o jogo formal, a estratégia tradicional de defesa e a estratégia de coletivamente atender a variáveis especificadoras no decorrer da jogada. Adicionalmente, medimos a sincronização da defesa em situações de sucesso e insucesso defensivo. Resultados mostram que coletivamente atender a variáveis especificadoras no decorrer da jogada promove maior frequência de contactos e que as jogadas de sucesso defensivo estão associadas a alterações na sincronização no decorrer da jogada. Por último, com jogadores jovens de elite comparámos os efeitos na performance de ataque entre treinar de acordo com os princípios da ABC e com uma abordagem tradicional. Também tivemos como objetivo predizer quais as variáveis espácio-temporais que foram exploradas pelos jogadores nos ataques com sucesso. Resultados mostram um aumento da performance com a ABC e que variabilidade na chamada e consistência no ponto de contacto da bola aumenta a probabilidade de atacar com sucesso.The aim of this thesis was to research the Constraints-led Approach (CLA) and synergetic behaviour in volleyball performance. Grounded on ecological dynamics framework we researched theoretically concepts related to individual and collective synergetic behaviour and experimentally implemented the CLA with volleyball teams. First, we presented a narrative review on the principles of CLA and nonlinear pedagogy providing two practical examples to apply to the sub-phase of volleyball attack. Next, we advanced a position statement and a novel hypothesis on the crucial role of biotensegrity structures in individual and collective coordinative structurers (i.e., synergies). In the experimental studies we implemented CLA to guide the performers trough the phases of “Search”, “Discover” and “Exploit”. First, with a team of young female volleyball players we manipulate task constraints to accommodate individual differences and compare spike accuracy after training as well as understand time strategies in the coordinative structure of the horizontal approach. Results show that accommodating individual differences enhances performance (i.e., spike accuracy) and freezing degrees of freedom maintaining high variability in a component of the coordinative structure of the horizontal approach was the strategy of movement re-organization associated with higher spike accuracy. Next, we implemented a study with expert female volleyball players to compare frequencies of defensive ball contacts between real game, traditional defense strategy and “online” attunement to specifying variables. Additionally, we measure group synchronization in successful and unsuccessful defense situations. Results show that collectively attuning to relevant information promotes significant higher frequencies of defense ball contact than pre-determined strategies of action and successful defensive plays are associated with “online” significant changes in group synchronization. Finally, with young male elite volleyball players we aimed to compare the effects of training based on CLA principles to a traditional approach on attack performance. Also, aimed to predict what spatial temporal variables were exploited by the players to achieve successful attacks. Results showed a significant improvement in attack performance for CLA, and we found that variability at the end of the planting step and consistency at ball contact increased the chances of a successful attack

Structure and Function of Human Matrix Metalloproteinases

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a macromolecules network, in which the most abundant molecule is collagen. This protein in triple helical conformation is highly resistant to proteinases degradation, the only enzymes capable of degrading the collagen are matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). This resistance and maintenance of collagen, and consequently of ECM, is involved in several biological processes and it must be strictly regulated by endogenous inhibitors (TIMPs). The deregulation of MMPs activity leads to development of numerous diseases. This review shows MMPs complexity.publishersversionpublishe

Cascas de árvores e seus extractos taninosos: propriedades e aplicações

De forma a dar uma contribuição para o desenvolvimento de processos tendentes ao aproveitamento da casca de pinheiro bravo, recurso abundante em Portugal, é apresentada, de uma forma resumida, a importância que os extractos da casca ou do cerne ricos em taninos de algumas espécies florestais têm hoje em dia, assim como as próprias cascas. Inclui-se uma definição do termo taninos e aborda-se a sua química. Discutem-se as suas principais aplicações actuais, sejam as já implantadas a nível industrial, sejam os últimos resultados de investigação, no que diz respeito ao curtimento de peles, aos adesivos para madeira, a produtos farmacêuticos e biocidas, a resinas de troca iónica, a painéis de casca e a combustíveis

Big Data in the Cloud: A Survey

Big Data has become a hot topic across several business areas requiring the storage and processing of huge volumes of data. Cloud computing leverages Big Data by providing high storage and processing capabilities and enables corporations to consume resources in a pay-as-you-go model making clouds the optimal environment for storing and processing huge quantities of data. By using virtualized resources, Cloud can scale very easily, be highly available and provide massive storage capacity and processing power. This paper surveys existing databases models to store and process Big Data within a Cloud environment. Particularly, we detail the following traditional NoSQL databases: BigTable, Cassandra, DynamoDB, HBase, Hypertable, and MongoDB. The MapReduce framework and its developments Apache Spark, HaLoop, Twister, and other alternatives such as Apache Giraph, GraphLab, Pregel and MapD - a novel platform that uses GPU processing to accelerate Big Data processing - are also analyzed. Finally, we present two case studies that demonstrate the successful use of Big Data within Cloud environments and the challenges that must be addressed in the future

Linking benefits to balanced scorecard strategy map

In this paper the authors propose a link between the Benefits Dependency Network, from a Benefits Management approach, and a Strategy Map, from Balanced Scorecard, to improve the management of business benefits and to ensure that actions taken along the investment life-cycle lead to foreseen benefits realization. The goal of this integration is to build a framework that combines useful features of both methods. We sustain that they can be complementary. As a Strategy Map is committed with strategic alignment, communication and monitoring of strategy execution at all levels of an organization, a Benefits Dependency Network is aimed at explaining how benefits are going to be obtained through organizational change. Using the results of a case-study research, we explain how a Strategy Map can cross with the Benefits Dependency Network. The integrated contribution is meant to increase the investments effectiveness, giving to stakeholders the confidence on a clearer delivery path for their expected benefitsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Linking benefits to maturity models

Many organizations today need to deliver more complex products and services in a better, faster, and cheaper way. The business problems that some companies address require enterprise-wide solutions that call for an integrated approach and an effective management of organizational resources to achieve business objectives with an acceptable level of risk. A maturity model is a process improvement approach that provides organizations with the essential elements of effective change. It can be used to guide process improvement across a project, a division, or an entire organization. Maturity models help integrate traditionally separate organizational functions, set process improvement goals and priorities, provide guidance for quality processes, and provide benchmark for appraising current processes outcomes. The benefits management approach emerges as a complement to traditional management practices and proposes a continuous mapping of benefits, implementing and monitoring intermediate results. Benefits management reinforces the distinction between project results and business benefits. Based on a case study the authors show how a set of business objectives can be obtained from identifying, structuring and monitoring business benefits, supported by information technology enablers and organizational transformations, and as a result of a certain maturity level. The authors also state that the main focus of an investment success lies not only in technology implementation, but mainly in changes in organizational performance and business efficiency by means of improved processes and modifications in the way the work is done. We emphasize that the integration between a Maturity Model and a Benefits Management approach can increase the effectiveness of projects, programs or portfolios outcomes. Besides, this linkage can also improve decision-makers confidence that the investments done match the desired maturity stages and will then, with more probability, collect more value for businessesinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Áquila Earthquake (2009): influence of seismic source model and structure to modeling the strong ground motions

O sismo, ocorrido em 6 de Abril de 2009 (Mw 6,3) junto à cidade de Áquila (Itália), provocou uma grande destruição. Uma das consequências deste evento foi o impacto na opinião pública em torno da capacidade científica para a estimação da perigosidade sísmica e a necessidade de criação de sistemas de alerta sísmico. A determinação dos mecanismos de fonte sísmica de eventos sísmicos ocorridos e registados permite melhores caracterizações dos movimentos sísmicos para uma determinada área de estudo e consequentemente melhores cenários de risco. Se a região em estudo possuir propriedades físicas específicas e muito distintas de local para local, capazes de provocar alterações locais dos movimentos sísmicos (efeitos de sítio), torna-se imperativo uma caracterização bem definida do meio de propagação das ondas sísmicas de forma a poder sintetizar informação capaz de contribuir para a boa estimação da perigosidade sísmica. No âmbito deste trabalho pretende-se estudar a influência do mecanismo de fonte sísmica e da estrutura na modelação de movimentos sísmicos no caso de Áquila. A metodologia adoptada consiste na determinação da distribuição de deslizamentos sobre o plano de falha e utilização desta informação na modelação de sismogramas sintéticos (com recurso ao algoritmo E3D). Será igualmente estabelecida uma comparação de resultados considerando-se um meio com e sem bacia e considerando-se uma fonte pontual e uma fonte extensa

Will diesel’s demise burn up oil & gas share prices? : Insights from Repsol

The winds of change are blowing in the oil and gas industry. Recent years events have put pressure in the fuel-power cars thanks to the growing awareness of their harmful effects on the environment, forcing governments throughout the world to act, implementing new policies aiming to counterbalance this problem. As these events are still quite recent, it cannot be accurately predicted what will happen to fossil fuels, specifically diesel, since fuels are of very high importance in the modern world, the most plausible trend is the detachment of diesel engines. Operating in all areas of the industry, an imposing company in this sector is Repsol, considered one of the largest oil companies in the world. Taking into consideration the high degree of volatility presented in this industry, this dissertation does not pretend to provide a buy or sell recommendation but assess the impact that the foreseeable outcomes might bring. Three different points of view will be presented with the intention of analysing the predictions that were made, about possible market movements in relation to diesel in the coming years. To estimate the value of Repsol’s shares the FCFF method was developed for each approach. This resulted in a share price value of 20.47€ in the neutral scenario, 11.52€ in the negative scenario and 23.84€ in the positive scenario.Os ventos de mudança sopram na indústria do petróleo e do gás. Recentes eventos têm colocado pressão nos carros movidos a diesel devido à crescente consciencialização dos efeitos negativos que estes provocam no ambiente, forçando governos por todo o mundo a agir através da implementação de novas políticas com o objetivo de contrabalançar este problema. Sendo estes eventos ainda recentes, não se pode prever com exatidão o que irá acontecer aos combustíveis fósseis, mais especificamente ao diesel, visto que os combustíveis representam uma importância muito elevada no mundo moderno, a tendência mais plausível corresponde ao distanciamento dos motores movidos a diesel. Com operações em todas as áreas da indústria, uma empresa imponente neste setor é a Repsol, considerada uma das maiores empresas petrolíferas do mundo. Tendo em consideração o elevado grau de volatilidade apresentado neste setor, esta dissertação não pretende fornecer uma recomendação de compra ou venda, mas avaliar o impacto que as antevisões que têm sido feitas podem trazer. Para isso, apresenta três pontos de vista com a intenção de analisar as previsões em relação aos possíveis movimentos do mercado no que respeita ao diesel no futuro próximo. Para estimar o valor das ações da Repsol o método FCFF foi desenvolvido para cada uma das abordagens. Isso resultou em um valor de preço da ação de 20,47€ no cenário neutro, 11,52€ no cenário negativo e 23,84€ no cenário positivo

Restorative materials without Bis-GMA – myth or reality?

Abstract in proceedings of the Fourth International Congress of CiiEM: Health, Well-Being and Ageing in the 21st Century, held at Egas Moniz’ University Campus in Monte de Caparica, Almada, from 3–5 June 2019.This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Geophysical prospection of antique structural traces from São Francisco (Évora) Royal Palace with the use of georradar and laser scanner.

In the place where currently there is the D. Manuel Palace, in Évora, will have been the Royal Palace of S. Francisco, one of the residences of the Portuguese monarchy between the sixteenth and seventeenth century. The building began to decline in 1616 and has been adapted to other occupations, abandoned and destroyed by re. Between this building and the market there are archaeological remains, discovered during the execution of urban works. The current building was the result of several changes on what’s left, the last one on the front of its facade, which were removed monumental stairs that there is photographic record. This work intends to show the existence of ancient palace remains, integrated into the structures that currently exist within the research effective methods of application of geophysical techniques in Archaeology. To realize the goal, it proceeded to carry out geophysical prospecting with georadar, in areas adjacent to the palace, and with laser scanner, in order to integrate the results of georadar a three-dimensional representation of the current building. The results show the existence of structures that have corresponded to the palace staircase and remains consistent with the view that the palace would be extended to the side where there is the current market