Design of pedestrian network friendliness maps

This article introduces the concept of pedestrian, or walking friendliness, and presents a methodology for obtaining maps thereof. Walking friendliness is a quality of walking indicator, defined for any given origin in a city, which combines accessibility measures, based on impedance between that origin and destinations, with performance scores for the pedestrian infrastructure linking those origins and destinations. The methodology uses geographic information systems to obtain walking friendliness values and represent them in a map. The approach is demonstrated through a case study for the city of Coimbra, Portugal, for which friendliness maps were derived. The procedure and maps that were produced can be scaled to any size of city.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

User-interface technologies for the industrial environment: towards the cyber-factory

In the past few years the so-called gadgets like cellular phones, personal data assistants and digital cameras are more widespread even with less technological aware users. However, for several reasons, the factory-floor itself seems to be hermetic to this changes ... After the fieldbus revolution, the factory-floor has seen an increased use of more and more powerful programmable logic controllers and user interfaces but the way they are used remains almost the same. We believe that new user-computer interaction techniques including multimedia and augmented rcaliry combined with now affordable technologies like wearable computers and wireless networks can change the way the factory personal works together with the roachines and the information system on the factory-floor. This new age is already starting with innovative uses of communication networks on the factory-floor either using "standard" networks or enhancing industrial networks with multimedia and wireless capabilities

A survey of techniques and technologies for web-based real-time interactive rendering

When exploring a virtual environment, realism depends mainly on two factors: realistic images and real-time feedback (motions, behaviour etc.). In this context, photo realism and physical validity of computer generated images required by emerging applications, such as advanced e-commerce, still impose major challenges in the area of rendering research whereas the complexity of lighting phenomena further requires powerful and predictable computing if time constraints must be attained. In this technical report we address the state-of-the-art on rendering, trying to put the focus on approaches, techniques and technologies that might enable real-time interactive web-based clientserver rendering systems. The focus is on the end-systems and not the networking technologies used to interconnect client(s) and server(s).Siemens; Bertelsmann mediaSystems GmbH; Eptron Multimedia; Instituto Politécnico do Porto - ISEP-IPP; Institute Laboratory for Mixed Realities at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, LMR; Mälardalen Real-Time Research Centre (MRTC) at Mälardalen University in Västerås; Q-Systems

Ecologia alimentar da gaivota-de-audouin (Larus audouinii) e da gaivota-de-patas-amarelas (Larus mmichahellis) no sul de Portugal

A gaivota-­‐de-­‐audouin (Larus audouinii), colonizador recente em Portugal, nidifica no Algarve, Ilha da Barreta, em simpatria com a gaivota-­‐de-­‐patas-­‐amarelas (Larus michahellis), não tendo sido avaliada, até à data, a potencial competição entre ambas as espécies. Durante o período de reprodução de 2014, através de egagrópilas e amostras de sangue, recolhidas na ilha da Barreta, estudou-­‐se a ecologia alimentar de ambas as espécies e avaliou-­‐se a potencial competição pelos recursos alimentares. Na dieta de L. audouinii o peixe foi a categoria alimentar que apresentou valores mais significativos, destacando-‐se Scomberesox saurus. A L. michahellis apresentou uma dieta mais generalista, embora também com uma predominância de peixe, em especial de Sardina pilchardus e Micromesistius poutassou. Verificou-­‐se uma correlação positiva na variação temporal da abundância de presas presentes na dieta das duas espécies. Apesar de existir um elevado número de presas comuns para ambas as espécies, não se verificou sobreposição nas dietas; ABSTRACT: Audouin’s Gull (Larus audouinii) is a recent colonizer in Portugal that breeds in Algarve, Barreta Island, in sympatry with Yellow-­‐legged Gull (Larus michahellis). To date it has never been evaluated the potential competition between both species. During the breeding season of 2014, the feeding ecology of both species was studied through the analyses of pellets and blood samples collected at Barreta Island and it was evaluated the potential competition for food resources. In Audoin’s Gull diet, fish was the prey item that presented higher values, especially the species Scomberesox saurus. Yellow-legged Gull presented a more generalist diet although it also presented predominance for fish, especially Sardina pilchardus and Micromesistius poutassou. A positive correlation was found in the temporal variation in abundance of prey in the diet of both species. Although there are a great number of preys common to both species, there was no overlap in their diets

Primary and hospitalar health care: Building a happy marriage

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and EconomicsWe address the potential integration of the Hospital Dr. Fernando Fonseca E.P.E. with the Primary Care Units in its geographical coverage area in a Local Health Unit. We apply semi-structured interviews in order to understand how to best implement this model of local organization in the referred case. We classify the interviews of each unit according to pre-determined criteria and suggest measures to be implemented. Results demonstrate that the hospital is more able to promptly assume a change process towards the new organizational model when compared to the primary care units. Moreover, we reached the conclusion that the achievement of the expected benefits to the whole depends heavily on local characteristics and implementation process. There is the need to invest in key elements such as the maintenance and renewal of infrastructures and in a common information system. Albeit these investments do not assure the achievement of the benefits of an integrated management system per se, they are essential in the process of constructing an unique entity

The effects of aerobic interval training on heart rate recovery after cardiac resynchronization therapy

Background: Heart failure is characterized by an autonomic nervous system dysfunction which leads to sympathetic overactivation and parasympathetic imbalance, culminating in central and peripheral dysfunction. In advanced HF, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and exercise training seem toimprove these conditions and result in improved functional and clinical parameters. A growing body of evidence supports the benefits of aerobic interval training (AIT) in other several HF populations, but less is known about its influence on autonomic function. Here we assessed the effects of AIT on the heart rate recovery (HRR), an indicator of parasympathetic activity. All participants had HF with a reduced ejection fraction, and six days before the intervention, underwent cardiac surgery. Our objective was to compare if the additive effect of AIT to CRT could indeed result in improved vagal reactivation, measured by the difference between the peak heart rate and the HRR at one minute (HRR1diff). Methods: Twenty-nine stable patients (aged 68.96 ± 9.92; VEF< 27 ; and a V O2Peak= 15 mL.kg-1.min-1) who were receiving optimal medical treatment, were randomized either to the control group, or the AIT group. The AIT group exercised twice a week, and began each session with a 10 minute warm-up (50-60% of the peak heart rate), followed by four intervals of 2-minutes (90-95% of the peak heart rate) and a 2-minute recovery (60-70% of the peak heart rate). After the first month, the 2-minute intervals were changed to 4-minute intervals and 3-minutes recovery. After cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to maximal volitional exertion, using the modified Bruce protocol, patients were seated and the HRR was immediately assessed. Results: After the six months of intervention our main effects were significant for V O2Peak (p= .010) and CPET duration (p= .025). Thus, after testing for simple main effects, only the AIT group depicted significant changes in the post-intervention for: V O2Peak (p= .013), CPET duration (p= .020), heart rate reserve (p= .035), peak pulse pressure (p= .036), and the HRR1diff (p= .025). Conclusions: After six months of intervention, the simple main effects suggest that AIT could improve vagal reactivation, assessed through HRR1diff, in patients that underwent CRT and were engaged in optimal medical treatment. Our findings also suggest that differences between groups in exercise capacity could be due to peripheral factors.Contexto: A insuficiência cardíaca (IC) é caraterizada por uma disfunção do sistema nervoso autónomo (SNA) que conduz a uma hiperativação simpática e desiquilíbrio parassimpático, culminando em disfunções centrais e periféricas. Nos casos mais avançados de IC, a terapêutica de ressincronização cardíaca (TRC) e o exercício parecem melhorar estas condições e, outros parâmetros clínicos e funcionais. O emergir de evidência robusta valoriza o treino intervalado aeróbio (TIA) em várias populações com IC, sabendo-se pouco acerca da sua influência sobre o SNA. Nesta análise, avaliámos os efeitos do TIA sobre a frequência cardíaca de recuperação (FCR), um indicador de ativação parasimpática. Todos os participantes possuíam uma fração de ejeção diminuída para ventrículo esquerdo, e colocaram o implante cardíaco seis dias antes do início da intervenção. O nosso objetivo foi o de avaliar se o TIA adicionado à TRC poderia melhorar a reativação vagal, medida pela diferença entre a frequência cardíaca pico e a FCR no primeiro minuto (FCR1dif). Métodos: Vinte e nove participantes idade 68 96 9 92; FEVE< 27 ; e o V O2Pico= 15 mL.kg-1.min-1) que estavam a receber tratamento médico otimizado (TMO), foram randomizados diferencialmente para os grupos de TIA e de controlo. O grupo de TIA realizou duas sessões de treino semanais, iniciando as mesmas com 10 minutos de aquecimento (50 a 60% da FC pico), seguido de quatro intervalos de 2 minutos (90 a 95% da FC pico) e 2 minutos de recuperação ativa (60 a 70% da FC pico). Depois de concluído o segundo mês, os intervalos de 2 minutos foram substituídos por intervalos de 4 minutos, enquanto os intervalos de recuperação por outros de 3 minutos. Recorrendo à prova de stress cardiopulmonar (PSCP), a qual foi efetuada até a capacidade volitiva máxima usando o protocolo de Bruce modificado, a FCR foi avaliada imediatamente a seguir ao mesmo. Resultados: A seguir aos seis meses de interven o, os efeitos principais foram significativos para V O2Pico (p= .010) e a duração da PSCP (p= .025). Contudo, depois de se testarem os simple main effects, apenas o grupo de TIA apresentou altera es significativas no per odo pós-interven o para: V O2Pico (p= .013), duração da PSCP (p= .020), frequência cardíaca de reserva (p= .035), pressão de pulso pico (p= .036), e FCR1dif (p= .025). Conclusões: Depois de seis meses de intervenção, os simple main effects sugerem-nos que o TIA pode melhorar a reativação vagal, medida pela FCR1dif a seguir ao exercício em pacientes que se encontram em TRC e TMO. Os resultados sugerem-nos ainda que as diferenças encontradas na capacidade funcional devem-se a fatores periféricos

The importance of mobile and online services in the Portuguese restaurant industry : a current overview of restaurant search and online reservation platforms

Currently, restaurants in Portugal have at their disposal a set of mobile and online services designed with the purpose of increasing their promotion, refine their management and, ultimately, improve their performance. There are already many restaurants in the country taking advantage from these services, in particular restaurant search and online reservation platforms, to attract new customers and build customer loyalty. In order to have a better glimpse of the market outlook, a market research was conducted, analyzing which restaurant search and online reservation platforms exist in the country and what they offer to restaurants. In addition, interviews with restaurant managers were made, collecting a sample of opinions and data regarding the importance of these platforms in the restaurants’ business. From the analysis performed, it is clear that restaurant search and discovery platforms influence the promotion and management of the restaurants in the country. Regarding restaurant online reservation platforms, these have importance not only at the promotion and management levels but may also influence the revenue of establishments. However, the importance of these platforms varies depending on the type of restaurant it is – fast food, fast casual, casual dining or fine dining restaurant – and it can be either positive or negative

A mobile tour guide app for sustainable tourism

Portugal has had a flourishing tourism sector for the past few years. In fact, Portugal’s tourism boom has made the industry one of the biggest contributors to the national economy and the largest employer. In the year 2019, Portugal had a total of 27 million tourists, surpassing once again the record established in the previous year. However, tourism also brings a series of unintended negative side effects, such as overcrowding. The Santa Maria Maior historic district in Lisbon is being particularly affected by this problem. The work undertaken in this dissertation is part of the Sustainable Tourism Crowding project, that aims to mitigate the overcrowding phenomenon in this district, by fostering a balanced distribution of visitors while promoting the visitation of sustainable points of interest. This dissertation focuses on developing a mobile app prototype targeted at tourists, through which these sustainable walking tour recommendations can be delivered. To validate the functional requirements of the prototype, more specifically the trip creation process, a series of unit tests, integration tests, and manual tests were developed. To evaluate the usability of the prototype, a user-centered approach was adopted during the design stage, in which two usability techniques were conducted with members of ISCTE’s research center ISTAR and partners from the Junta de Freguesia de Santa Maria Maior, that guided and validated the decisions made. The achieved prototype contains mechanisms for measuring tourists’ adherence to the recommended tours using the Dynamic Time Warping algorithm, which raises new research opportunities on tourists’ behaviour.O desenvolvimento próspero do setor turístico em Portugal nos últimos anos fez da indústria um dos maiores contribuintes para a economia nacional e o maior empregador do país. No ano de 2019, Portugal recebeu um total de 27 milhões de turistas, ultrapassando uma vez mais uma vez o recorde estabelecido no ano anterior. No entanto, o turismo traz também uma série de efeitos secundários negativos não intencionais, tais como overcrowding. A freguesia histórica de Santa Maria Maior em Lisboa está a ser particularmente afetada por este problema. O trabalho desenvolvido nesta dissertação faz parte do projeto de pesquisa Sustainable Tourism Crowding, que visa mitigar o fenómeno de overcrowding nesta freguesia, promovendo uma distribuição equilibrada dos visitantes e incentivando a visita de pontos de interesse sustentáveis. Esta dissertação foca-se no desenvolvimento de uma aplicação móvel protótipo destinada a turistas, através do qual recebem recomendações de visitas sustentáveis. Para validar os requisitos funcionais do protótipo, mais especificamente o processo de criação de visitas, foram desenvolvidos testes unitários, testes de integração, e testes manuais. Para avaliar a usabilidade do protótipo, foi adotada uma abordagem centrada no utilizador durante a fase de conceção, em que foram utilizadas duas técnicas de usabilidade em parceria com o ISTAR (centro de investigação do ISCTE) e com a Junta de Freguesia de Santa Maria Maior, cujos resultados guiaram e validaram as decisões tomadas. O protótipo desenvolvido contém mecanismos para medir a aderência dos turistas às recomendações sugeridas através do algoritmo Dynamic Time Warping, proporcionando novas oportunidades de pesquisa nesta área