315 research outputs found

    Novos serviços interactivos para televisão digital

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    Esta Dissertação decorre da conclusão do Mestrado Integrado em Engenharia Informática e Computação e foi proposta pela empresa MOG Solutions. Pretende-se com este trabalho desenvolver formas que possibilitem produtores de conteúdo audiovisual introduzirem conteúdos interativos complementares, recorrendo a uma camada de anotação de dados e a software para Smart TVs.A televisão tem vindo a perder importância relativa devido, principalmente, a dispositivos alternativos de consumo de conteúdos com acesso à Internet, como computadores, tablets ou smartphones. Estes dispositivos possibilitam formas de interação com os conteúdos que não são possíveis com o modelo atual de televisão, levando a uma perda de espetadores, que se traduz em perda de receita e em decréscimo da qualidade do produto final. Embora se tenha tentado desenvolver serviços complementares, estas soluções necessitavam de equipamento adicional e eram de difícil implementação e sincronização com o sinal linear.Pretende-se com esta dissertação conceber e desenvolver uma solução de interatividade, no contexto do consumo de conteúdo televisivo linear em Smart TVs, que evite a complexidade e o problema de sincronismo referido. Para atingir este objetivo, um número de desafios necessita de ser considerado, nomeadamente:* Identificação do tipo de interatividade que deve ser oferecido ao utilizador;* Identificação do tipo de metadados e como representá-los;* Definição de como adicionar estes metadados adicionais ao sinal linear de TV;* Especificação de uma camada de software para tratar os metadados do lado do cliente e da forma de envio e execução nesse mesmo lado;* Criação de um protótipo que demonstre as possibilidades das soluções propostas, simplificando e permitindo a interação dos consumidores com o conteúdo adicional.Como propostas de implementação da solução, sugere-se a utilização de uma extensão do MPEG-7 para anotação de conteúdos e a utilização da norma HbbTV para envio de uma aplica- ção genérica para a Smart TV do cliente. Esta aplicação desenvolvida em HTML terá a função de receber as anotações, processá-las e convertê-las numa interface usável pelo utilizador. Os ele- mentos adicionais, tais como imagens, tanto deverão poder ser descarregados da Internet, como virem embebidos na aplicação.Como caso de uso demonstrativo são fornecidas informações complementares a um anúncio publicitário e é introduzida essa mesma publicidade num momento temporal específico de um programa de televisão. Para avaliar o cumprimento dos objetivos é avaliado se a informação complementar chega ao cliente, se é apresentada de acordo com o especificado nos metadados e se está sincronizada com a programação linear.This Dissertation is associated with the conclusion of the MSc in Informatics and Computing Engineering and it was proposed by the company Mog. The aim of this work is to develop new tools to allow producers of audiovisual content to insert additional interactive content in Smart TVs, using a layer of metadata and software.The television has been losing relative importance, mainly due to alternative content consumption devices with Internet access, like computers, tablets or smartphones. These devices allow new ways of interaction with content that are not possible with the current television model, leading to a loss of viewers that translates into loss of revenue and decrease in the quality of the final product. The development of complementary services has been tried, but these solutions required additional equipment and revealed to be difficult to implement and synchronize with the linear signal.The aim of this Dissertation is to design and develop a solution of interactivity in the context of linear television consumption in Smart TVs. The solution must also avoid complexity and synchronization problem referred. To achieve this goal, a number of challenges need to be addressed notably:* Identification of the type of interactivity that should be offered to the user;* The type of metadata required and how to represent it;* How to add this additional metadata to the linear TV signal;* Specification of a software layer to handle the metadata at the client side and how to deliver it to and run it in the client;* Creation of a prototype to demonstrate the possibilities of the proposed solutions, streamlining the TV enhanced content to the consumers and allowing them to interact with it.We suggest the use of an extension to MPEG-7 to annotate the content and the HbbTV standard to send a generic HTML application to client's Smart TV. This application will receive, process and convert the metadata to an interface usable by the user. The additional assets, like images, can be downloaded from the Internet or can be embedded with the application.As a demonstrative use case, complementary information to an ad is showed, and the same ad is associated with a specific temporal moment of a television program. To assess the fulfilment of the objectives, it is verified if the complementary information reaches the client, if it is presented according the specified in the metadata and if it is synchronized with the linear programming

    Comparing psychopathological symptoms in portuguese football fans and non-fans

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    The present study aims to characterize football fans and non-fans and to compare their psychopathological symptoms with the latest normative values for the Portuguese population from Canavarro in 2007. Results showed that football fans and non-fans are mostly male, have an affective relationship, are childless, have secondary education or a high degree, and are employed or students; fans are more likely to be male, dating, unemployed, to have elementary education and be younger than non-fans. Football fans present significantly higher psychopathological symptoms than non-fans in somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, hostility, paranoid ideation and psychoticism and all psychopathological indexes. Football fans present values very close to those of populations with emotional distress in hostility and are above the mean of the general population in obsession–compulsion, hostility, paranoid ideation and psychoticism.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Impact of dietary inclusion of wine and olive oil waste extracts on physiological and health status of seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

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    Aquaculture is the only way to satisfy the growing global demand for seafood without depleting natural fisheries resources. Disease outbreaks are major threats to aquaculture production. The use of antibiotics or chemotherapeutics has been a common practice to combat infectious diseases that threaten production and induce high economic losses. This practice promotes high environmental harmful impacts and risks to human health (e.g., antibiotic-resistant bacteria). Thus, the development of nutritional strategies, such as natural functional supplements (FS) that preserve fish's health and well-being while preventing potential zoonotic disease and antibiotics use, is highly recommended to achieve the economical and sustainability of aquaculture. Wine and olive oil industry by-products (such as grape marc (GM) and olive pomace (OP)) are a source of high-value bioactive molecules, such as antioxidant and phenolic compounds. Thus, the valorisation of these agro-industrial by-products into new FS for aquafeeds is of high practical interest, contributing to the circular economy. The present study aims to evaluate the prospective beneficial effects of a previous optimised antioxidant-rich extract of a GM and OP mixture (WO) on seabass physiological and health status. For this purpose, two similar plant-based diets were formulated, including 0 (control diet) and 0.4% of WO extract (WO diet), corresponding to 0 and 91.1 of total antioxidants (m TE/g diet), respectively. After feeding seabass with these diets for ten weeks, the fish haematological, biochemical and immunological were assessed. The results demonstrated that 0.4% optimised WO extract decreases the mean corpuscular volume (control 159 ±53; WO 119± 9, p=0.042) in seabass. Other immunological parameters are being performed further to understand this extract's impact on seabass health status.Project SPO3 (ref.POCI-01-0145-FEDER-030377;FCT); project InovFeed(ref. MAR02.01.01-FEAMP-0111;Mar2020)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Addressing ageism : be active in aging: study protocol

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    Ageism refers to stereotyping (how we think), prejudice (how we feel), and discrimination (how we act) against people based on their age. It is a serious public health issue that can negatively impact older people’s health and quality of life. The present protocol has several goals: (1) adapt the Ambivalent Ageism Scale for the general Portuguese population and healthcare professionals; (2) assess the factorial invariance of the questionnaire between general population vs. healthcare professionals; (3) evaluate the level of ageism and its predictors in the general population and evaluate the level of ageism and its predictors in healthcare professionals; (4) compare the levels of ageism between groups and the invariance between groups regarding the explanatory model of predictors of ageism. This quantitative, cross-sectional, descriptive, observational study will be developed in partnership with several Healthcare Professional Boards/Associations, National Geriatrics and Gerontology Associations, and the Universities of the Third Age Network Association. The web-based survey will be conducted on a convenience sample recruited via various social media and institutional channels. The survey consists of three questionnaires: (1) Demographic data; (2) Ambivalent Ageism Scale; (3) Palmore-Neri and Cachioni questionnaire. The methodology of this study will include translation, pilot testing, semantic adjustment, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, and multigroup analysis of the Ambivalent Ageism Scale. Data will be treated using International Business Machines Corporation (IBM®) Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS). Descriptive analysis will be conducted to assess the level of ageism in the study sample. The ageism levels between the two groups will be compared using the t-student test, and two Structural Equation Modeling will be developed to evaluate the predictors of ageism. Assessing ageism is necessary to allow healthcare professionals and policymakers to design and implement strategies to solve or reduce this issue. Findings from this study will generate knowledge relevant to healthcare and medical courses along with anti-ageism education for the Portuguese population.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

    Aripiprazole offsets mutant ATXN3-induced motor dysfunction by targeting dopamine D2 and serotonin 1A and 2A receptors in C. elegans

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    The atypical antipsychotic aripiprazole is a Food and Drug Administration-approved drug for the treatment of psychotic, mood, and other psychiatric disorders. Previous drug discovery efforts pinpointed aripiprazole as an effective suppressor of Machado–Joseph disease (MJD) pathogenesis, as its administration resulted in a reduced abundance and aggregation of mutant Ataxin-3 (ATXN3) proteins. Dopamine partial agonism and functional selectivity have been proposed as the main pharmacological mechanism of action of aripiprazole in the treatment of psychosis; however, this mechanism remains to be determined in the context of MJD. Here, we focus on confirming the efficacy of aripiprazole to reduce motor dysfunction in vivo, using a Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model of MJD, and on unveiling the drug targets required for its positive action against mutant ATXN3 pathogenesis. We employed pharmacogenetics and pharmacological approaches to identify which dopamine and serotonin receptors are critical for aripiprazole-mediated improvements in motor function. We demonstrated that dopamine D2-like and serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors play important roles in this process. Our findings strengthen the relevance of dopaminergic and serotoninergic signaling modulation against mutant ATXN3-mediated pathogenesis. The identification of aripiprazole’s cellular targets, relevant for MJD and perhaps other neurodegenerative diseases, may pave the way for prospective drug discovery and development campaigns aiming to improve the features of this prototypical compound and reduce side effects not negligible in the case of aripiprazole.This work was funded by FEDER through the Competitiveness Internationalization Operational Program (POCI) and by National funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), under the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-0 31987, NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000023, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Program (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and by ICVS Scientific Microscopy Platform, member of the national infrastructure PPBI—Portuguese Platform of Bioimaging (PPBI-POCI-01-0145-FEDER-022122; by National funds through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT)—project UIDB/50026/2020 and UIDP/50026/2020). Additionally, this project was supported by the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF). A.J., J.P.-S., D.V.-C., and J.D.S. were supported by the FCT individual fellowships SFRH/BD/76613/2011, PD/BDE/127834/2016, SFRH/BD/147826/2019, and PD/BD/128074/2016, respectively

    Biometric genetics in cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) I: phenotypic and genotypic relations among production components

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    In the semi-arid region of Paraíba, cowpea has low productivity due to irregular rainfall and poor use of production technologies. An extensive study aimed at selecting more productive cultivars was conducted using biometric models. This first work had the following objectives: i. Quantify direct and indirect effects of primary and secondary components on grain production; ii. Identify variables with greater potential for cultivar selection in the semiarid region of Paraíba and iii. Determine the most appropriate selection strategies for the evaluated variables. The experiment was conducted in an experimental field. The influence of 6 primary and 6 secondary production components was evaluated on grain yield. Data were subjected to ANOVA. Genetic parameters, correlations and path analysis were estimated. Given the strong direct phenotypic and genotypic effects, pod yield results the most promising variable for higher grain yield selection. Direct and simultaneous selections are the most suitable strategies for the set of evaluated variables. However, further studies on selection indices are necessary to maximize genetic gains. Highlights Variables with greater potential were identified for the selection of superior cultivars of cowpea in the semiarid region of Paraíba. The pod yield variable (PP) seems promising for cultivar selection considering higher grain yield (GY).In the semi-arid region of Paraíba, cowpea has low productivity due to irregular rainfall and poor use of production technologies. An extensive study aimed at selecting more productive cultivars was conducted using biometric models. This first work had the following objectives: i. Quantify direct and indirect effects of primary and secondary components on grain production; ii. Identify variables with greater potential for cultivar selection in the semiarid region of Paraíba and iii. Determine the most appropriate selection strategies for the evaluated variables. The experiment was conducted in an experimental field. The influence of 6 primary and 6 secondary production components was evaluated on grain yield. Data were subjected to ANOVA. Genetic parameters, correlations and path analysis were estimated. Given the strong direct phenotypic and genotypic effects, pod yield results the most promising variable for higher grain yield selection. Direct and simultaneous selections are the most suitable strategies for the set of evaluated variables. However, further studies on selection indices are necessary to maximize genetic gains. Highlights Variables with greater potential were identified for the selection of superior cultivars of cowpea in the semiarid region of Paraíba. The pod yield variable (PP) seems promising for cultivar selection considering higher grain yield (GY)

    Biometric genetics in Cowpea beans (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) II: estimates of genetic gains through selection indices

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    Low cowpea productivity (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) in the semi-arid region of Paraíba is due, among other factors, to poor-quality cultivars. This research tested biometric models intending to increase productivity of superior cultivars with the following objectives: i. Estimate genetic gains in production components; ii. Identify the selection index model providing the greatest gains through simultaneously selecting a set of variables, and iii. Select cultivars with higher productivity. The experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Agrifood Science and Technology Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande. Eight cultivars and 13 variables were evaluated. Data were subjected to ANOVA and means were grouped using the Scott and Knott test. Genetic gains were estimated by correlated response, classic selection index, rank sum and index based on desired gains. Direct selection of the secondary pod yield component provides significant genetic gains in main grain yield. Among the methodologies used, the classic selection index provided greater distribution of genetic gains for main grain yield and primary production components. These results allow concluding that Costela de vaca, BRS Marataoã and Paulistinha cultivars should be selected for cultivation and commercial exploitation in the semiarid region of Paraíba. Highlights: Direct selection of the secondary pod yield component provides significant genetic gains in main grain yield. The classic selection index provided greater distribution of genetic gains for main grain yield and primary production components. Cultivars were selected for cultivation and commercial exploitation in the semi-arid region of Paraíba.Low cowpea productivity (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) in the semi-arid region of Paraíba is due, among other factors, to poor-quality cultivars. This research tested biometric models intending to increase productivity of superior cultivars with the following objectives: i. Estimate genetic gains in production components; ii. Identify the selection index model providing the greatest gains through simultaneously selecting a set of variables, and iii. Select cultivars with higher productivity. The experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Agrifood Science and Technology Center of the Federal University of Campina Grande. Eight cultivars and 13 variables were evaluated. Data were subjected to ANOVA and means were grouped using the Scott and Knott test. Genetic gains were estimated by correlated response, classic selection index, rank sum and index based on desired gains. Direct selection of the secondary pod yield component provides significant genetic gains in main grain yield. Among the methodologies used, the classic selection index provided greater distribution of genetic gains for main grain yield and primary production components. These results allow concluding that Costela de vaca, BRS Marataoã and Paulistinha cultivars should be selected for cultivation and commercial exploitation in the semiarid region of Paraíba. Highlights: Direct selection of the secondary pod yield component provides significant genetic gains in main grain yield. The classic selection index provided greater distribution of genetic gains for main grain yield and primary production components. Cultivars were selected for cultivation and commercial exploitation in the semi-arid region of Paraíba

    MAMMALS IN PORTUGAL : A data set of terrestrial, volant, and marine mammal occurrences in P ortugal

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    Mammals are threatened worldwide, with 26% of all species being includedin the IUCN threatened categories. This overall pattern is primarily associatedwith habitat loss or degradation, and human persecution for terrestrial mam-mals, and pollution, open net fishing, climate change, and prey depletion formarine mammals. Mammals play a key role in maintaining ecosystems func-tionality and resilience, and therefore information on their distribution is cru-cial to delineate and support conservation actions. MAMMALS INPORTUGAL is a publicly available data set compiling unpublishedgeoreferenced occurrence records of 92 terrestrial, volant, and marine mam-mals in mainland Portugal and archipelagos of the Azores and Madeira thatincludes 105,026 data entries between 1873 and 2021 (72% of the data occur-ring in 2000 and 2021). The methods used to collect the data were: live obser-vations/captures (43%), sign surveys (35%), camera trapping (16%),bioacoustics surveys (4%) and radiotracking, and inquiries that represent lessthan 1% of the records. The data set includes 13 types of records: (1) burrowsjsoil moundsjtunnel, (2) capture, (3) colony, (4) dead animaljhairjskullsjjaws, (5) genetic confirmation, (6) inquiries, (7) observation of live animal (8),observation in shelters, (9) photo trappingjvideo, (10) predators dietjpelletsjpine cones/nuts, (11) scatjtrackjditch, (12) telemetry and (13) vocalizationjecholocation. The spatial uncertainty of most records ranges between 0 and100 m (76%). Rodentia (n=31,573) has the highest number of records followedby Chiroptera (n=18,857), Carnivora (n=18,594), Lagomorpha (n=17,496),Cetartiodactyla (n=11,568) and Eulipotyphla (n=7008). The data setincludes records of species classified by the IUCN as threatened(e.g.,Oryctolagus cuniculus[n=12,159],Monachus monachus[n=1,512],andLynx pardinus[n=197]). We believe that this data set may stimulate thepublication of other European countries data sets that would certainly contrib-ute to ecology and conservation-related research, and therefore assisting onthe development of more accurate and tailored conservation managementstrategies for each species. There are no copyright restrictions; please cite thisdata paper when the data are used in publications.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
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