A Framework for Evaluating Land Use and Land Cover Classification Using Convolutional Neural Networks

Analyzing land use and land cover (LULC) using remote sensing (RS) imagery is essential for many environmental and social applications. The increase in availability of RS data has led to the development of new techniques for digital pattern classification. Very recently, deep learning (DL) models have emerged as a powerful solution to approach many machine learning (ML) problems. In particular, convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are currently the state of the art for many image classification tasks. While there exist several promising proposals on the application of CNNs to LULC classification, the validation framework proposed for the comparison of different methods could be improved with the use of a standard validation procedure for ML based on cross-validation and its subsequent statistical analysis. In this paper, we propose a general CNN, with a fixed architecture and parametrization, to achieve high accuracy on LULC classification over RS data from different sources such as radar and hyperspectral. We also present a methodology to perform a rigorous experimental comparison between our proposed DL method and other ML algorithms such as support vector machines, random forests, and k-nearest-neighbors. The analysis carried out demonstrates that the CNN outperforms the rest of techniques, achieving a high level of performance for all the datasets studied, regardless of their different characteristics.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2014-55894-C2-1-RMinisterio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2017-88209-C2-2-

Electronic health record portals adoption by health care consumers

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor in Information Management Specialization in Information and Decision SystemsElectronic Health Record (EHR) portals, also called EHR patient portals, have received great attention and investment at the government level worldwide, like the multi-billion dollar US initiative, named meaningful use program. According to the literature review, there is still a lack of studies that address the topic of understanding why people adopt and use EHR Portals, making this a field of knowledge that requires more research. According to the findings in the literature review the complexity of EHR portals requires having a patient-centred model that should be able to cover additional dimensions related with health behaviour, confidentiality concerns, and innovation drivers. Potential adoption differences between countries with different regulations in their health care systems should also be tested. With this dissertation, we contribute to a better understanding of the factors that lead health care consumers to use and adopt EHR portals. To this end we develop four empirical studies. In the first empirical study (Chapter 3) we tested the Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) in Portugal. Being a consumer- centred model, it was important to evaluate its feasibility to study the EHR portals adoption determinants by the health care consumers. Several constructs in the model helped explain the adoption of EHR portals: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence and habit. With habit a consumer specific construct from UTAUT2 having the most relevant impact in both behavioural intention and use. UTAUT2 showed its importance as a consumer-focused model identifying the factors that drive health care consumers to use EHR portals. In the second empirical study (Chapter 4) -also tested in Portugal- we extended the UTAUT2 model by adding a health specific construct, self-perception. This construct showed its relevance by being a statistically significant predictor of behavioural intention, demonstrating the usefulness of including a construct derived from the Health Belief Model (HBM), in a technology applied in the field of health care. In the third empirical study (Chapter 5) we performed a cross-country analysis between US and Portugal combining UTAUT2 with the Concern for Information Privacy (CFIP) framework. We made an assessment of the potential differences between the determinants of adoption between the two countries with different health care regulations and health care models. In the US there is no national health system (NHS) coverage and the patients need to have an expensive private insurance or pay directly to the health care provider to have health care support, while in Portugal there is universal health coverage. It was hypothesized and confirmed via the price value construct that the value that the US health care consumers give to a tool like EHR portals is statistically significantly greater than the Portuguese health care consumers. It was also expected that confidentiality concerns in US are greater than in Portugal, due to the less strict regulation in US regarding patient data confidentiality. This was measured by the CFIP framework, but confidentiality concerns were not an issue in either US or Portugal. Social influence, hedonic motivation, and price value were predictors only in the US group. With this study we verified the importance to perform cross-country evaluations when studying EHR portals adoption. In the fourth empirical study (Chapter 6) we used the evidence from the previous empirical studies plus the literature review to propose a new research model that integrates constructs from UTAUT2, HBM, and the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. In this study, we performed a national survey based on randomly generated mobile phone numbers, when in the previous empirical research, we targeted our sample to educational institutions. We used a two-phase sampling approach. In the first phase, we asked potential respondents if they were users of EHR portals and if yes, if she/he was interested in replying to our main survey (second phase). From this sample regarding the question to identify the users of EHR portals, we obtained 8.6% EHR portals usage in the adult Portuguese population. A relevant contribution from our study to understand the usage of this type of technology at country level. All three theories contributed with constructs that help to understand EHR portals adoption. The final research model obtained the best results from the all of the empirical studies executed in this dissertation with 76.0% of variance explained in behavioural intention and 61.8% of variance explained in use behaviour. In this dissertation’s conclusions (Chapter 7), we provide more detailed insights about the overall contributions of this dissertation, managerial implications to develop and implement better EHR portals, limitations and avenues for future research about EHR portals.Os Portais de Registo de Saúde Eletrónicos (PRSE), também denominados portais do doente, têm recebido bastante atenção e investimentos a nível governamental em todo o Mundo, tendo como exemplo a iniciativa multibilionária “meaningful use program” nos Estados Unidos da América. De acordo com a revisão da literatura, ainda existe uma lacuna no estudo das razões pelas quais as pessoas adotam e usam os PRSE, fazendo desta uma área de conhecimento que necessita de mais investigação. De acordo com a revisão da literatura, a complexidade dos PRSE, requere um modelo centrado no doente e que seja capaz de cobrir dimensões adicionais relacionadas com o comportamento na saúde, preocupações de confidencialidade e inovação. Potenciais diferenças na adoção entre países com diferentes regulamentações nos sistemas de saúde também deverão ser testadas. Com esta dissertação procuramos contribuir para um melhor conhecimento dos fatores que levam os consumidores na saúde a usar e adotar PRSE. Com este propósito desenvolvemos quatro estudos empíricos. No primeiro estudo empírico (Capítulo 3), testamos em Portugal o modelo de “Extended Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology” (UTAUT2). Sendo um modelo centrado no consumidor, era importante avaliar a sua adequação para estudar os determinantes de adoção dos PRSE pelos consumidores na saúde. Vários fatores no modelo ajudaram a explicar a adoção dos PRSE: expectativa de desempenho, expectativa de esforço, influência social e hábito. Sendo o hábito um fator especifico da área do consumidor do UTAUT2, demonstrou este fator o impacto mais relevante tanto na intenção de uso como no uso efetivo. O UTAUT2 demonstrou a sua importância como um modelo centrado no consumidor, identificando os fatores que influenciam os consumidores na saúde a usarem PRSE. No segundo estudo empírico (Capítulo 4), também testado em Portugal, estendemos o modelo de UTAUT2, adicionando um fator especifico da saúde, auto- perceção. Este fator demonstrou a sua relevância, tendo uma influência estatisticamente significativa sobre a intenção de uso, demonstrando a utilidade de incluir um fator derivado do “Health Belief Model”(HBM), numa tecnologia aplicada à saúde. No terceiro estudo empírico (Capítulo 5), executamos uma análise entre os Estados Unidos da América e Portugal combinando o UTAUT2 e o “Concern For Information Privacy” (CFIP). Foi feita uma avaliação das potenciais diferenças entre os dois países, com diferentes regulamentações e modelos de saúde, no que diz respeito aos determinantes de adoção. Nos Estados Unidos não existe um sistema nacional de saúde e os doentes têm de ter um seguro privado de saúde bastante dispendioso ou pagarem diretamente as suas despesas ao prestador dos cuidados de saúde, por sua vez em Portugal existe uma cobertura universal dos cuidados de saúde. Foi testada e confirmada a hipótese através do fator preço-valor, que nos Estados Unidos da América, o valor que os consumidores na saúde dão aos PRSE é maior do que em Portugal, sendo esta diferença estatisticamente significativa. Também seria esperado que as preocupações com a confidencialidade fossem maiores nos Estados Unidos da América do que em Portugal, devido a uma regulamentação menos restritiva nos Estados Unidos da América relativamente à confidencialidade dos dados clínicos dos doentes. Utilizamos o CFIP para este propósito, no entanto as preocupações relativamente à confidencialidade, não demonstraram ser um problema tanto nos Estados Unidos da América como em Portugal. A influência social, motivação hedónica e preço-valor, foram fatores relevantes apenas nos Estados Unidos da América. Com este estudo, verificamos que é importante fazer comparações entre países para estudar a adoção de PRSE. No quarto estudo empírico (Capítulo 6), utilizamos a evidência dos estudos empíricos anteriores e da revisão da literatura para propor um novo modelo que integra fatores do UTAUT2, HBM e “Diffusion of Innovation” (DOI). Neste estudo foi feita uma sondagem nacional, utilizando uma amostra aleatória de números de telemóvel, enquanto que nos estudos empíricos anteriores, utilizamos amostras obtidas em instituições com fins educacionais. No processo de amostragem utilizamos duas fases. Na primeira fase perguntamos aos inquiridos se eram utilizadores de PRSE e só depois se a reposta fosse afirmativa se estariam interessados em responder ao inquérito principal do estudo (segunda fase). Desta amostragem e relativamente à questão utilizada para identificar utilizadores de PRSE obtivemos 8.6% de uso na população adulta portuguesa. Uma contribuição importante do nosso estudo para o entendimento da utilização deste tipo de tecnologia ao nível de um país. As três teorias contribuíram com fatores que ajudam a compreender a adoção de PRSE. O modelo final obteve os melhores resultados de todos os estudos empíricos desta dissertação com 76.0% da variância explicada em intenção de uso e 61.8% da variância no uso. Nas conclusões desta dissertação (Capítulo 7), é descrito em maior detalhe todas as contribuições desta dissertação, implicações para decisões de gestão relativamente ao desenvolvimento e implementação de melhores PRSE e limitações e novos caminhos de investigação a ser seguidos para os PRSE

Exploraty Multivariate Statistical Methods Applied to Pharmaceutical Industry CRM Data

Dissertação apresentada como requisito parcial para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Estatística e Gestão de InformaçãoAn analysis of the current CRM systems in the Pharmaceutical Industry, the way the pharmaceutical companies developed them and a comparison between Europe and United States was done in this study. Overall the CRM in the pharmaceutical industry is far-behind, when compared with other business areas, like consumer goods, finance (banking) or insurance companies, being pharmaceutical CRM specifically less developed in Europe when compared to United States. One of the big obstacles for the success of CRM in the pharmaceutical industry is the poor analytics applied to the current CRM programs. Improving Sales and Marketing Effectiveness by apllying, multivariate exploratory statistical methods, specifically Factor Analysis and Clustering into pharmaceutical CRM data from a Portuguese pharmaceutical company was the main goal of this thesis. Their overall usefulness when applied to the business was demonstrated, and specifically in relation to the cluster methods, SOMs outperformed the hierarchical methods by producing a more meaningful business solution

Feeding habits of the two-banded sea bream (Diplodus vulgaris) and the black sea bream (Spondyliosoma gantharus) (Sparidae) from the south-west coast of Portugal

The stomach contents of Diplodus vulgaris and Spondyliosoma cantharus were: analysed using three simple methods (numeric, gravimetric and frequency of occurrence) and a composite index (I.R.I - Index of Relative Importance). To compare the species, the Schoener index was used. The diet of D. vulgaris consisted mainly of ophiuroids, polychaetes, amphipods and echinoids, while polychaetes, amphipods and hydrozoans dominated in the case of S. cantharus. There were some size-related differences in S. cantharus feeding. Diet overlap was relatively slight, with significant differences in feeding between the two species, notably in terms of greater consumption of echinoderms by D. vulgaris and hydrozoans by S. cantharus. As is the case for the majority of sea breams, D. vulgaris and S. cantharus are characterised by a diverse diet in terms of prey reflecting available prey items in their environment

Evolution of cooperation under indirect reciprocity and arbitrary exploration rates

Cooperation has been recognized as an evolutionary puzzle since Darwin, and remains identified as one of the biggest challenges of the XXIst century. Indirect Reciprocity (IR), a key mechanism that humans employ to cooperate with each other, establishes that individual behaviour depends on reputations, which in turn evolve depending on social norms that classify behaviours as good or bad. While it is well known that different social norms give rise to distinct cooperation levels, it remains unclear how the performance of each norm is influenced by the random exploration of new behaviours, often a key component of social dynamics where a plethora of stimuli may compel individuals to deviate from pre-defined behaviours. Here we study, for the first time, the impact of varying degrees of exploration rates - the likelihood of spontaneously adopting another strategy, akin to a mutation probability in evolutionary dynamics - in the emergence of cooperation under IR. We show that high exploration rates may either improve or harm cooperation, depending on the underlying social norm at work. Regarding some of the most popular social norms studied to date, we find that cooperation under Simple-standing and Image-score is enhanced by high exploration rates, whereas the opposite occurs for Stern-judging and Shunning.The authors thank Vitor V. Vasconcelos for fruitful discussions. This research was supported by Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (FCT) through grants SFRH/BD/94736/2013, PTDC/EEI-SII/5081/2014, PTDC/MAT/STA/3358/2014 and by multiannual funding of CBMA and INESC-ID (under the projects UID/BIA/04050/2013 and UID/CEC/50021/2013) provided by FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Biomechanical analysis of gait with double backpack

When observing the gait associated with the transportation of backpacks by children and adults, there were differences in posture and gait when compared to gait without back overload. Over time, the problem seems to get worse. Access to information technology, contrary to expectations, has aggravated the problem because people carry in their daily lives more electronic equipment of a non-negligible weight. If we take as example of the military soldiers, they carry some of the material in a bag next to their chest. Using a backpack type double backpack, studies suggest its performance is better than traditional transport. This solution has not been systematically studied for the civilian population .The goal of this work is to study the problem of the transport of a non-negligible load, on the back, during a distance corresponding to a journey. Check for the advantages of using a double backpack. The method used is biomechanics. Will be analyzed the several parameters of gait in particular will be used electromyography, thermography and kinetics. For this study, we will take healthy young adults with ages between 18 to 30 and it is expected to confirm the advantages of using double backpack by the civilian population for the transport of high loads minimizing possible future injuries.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Equity research Galp Energia SGPS SA : Mozambique - Galp’s greener future is a real option

Mestrado em FinançasEste projeto é um Equity Research da Galp Energia S.G.P.S., S.A. (GALP.LS), com um foco particular nas atividades e projetos da GALP em Moçambique. Foi elaborado no âmbito do Mestrado em Finanças do ISEG e segue as diretrizes do CFA Institute. Apenas informação de cariz público até à data de 12 de novembro foi considerada. A GALP é uma empresa portuguesa que atua na indústria do petróleo e gás natural. A empresa está presente em alguns dos projetos Upstream mais lucrativos do mundo e é líder de mercado em Portugal no segmento de Downstream. Para a avaliação da empresa, decidimos aplicar a metodologia FCFF (soma das partes). O resultado é uma recomendação de COMPRA com um preço-alvo de €12,06 por ação, implicando um potencial de subida de + 26% relativamente ao preço de fecho de 9 de março de 2020. Adicionalmente ao projeto original, foi feita uma análise complementar aos dois projetos de gás natural da GALP em Moçambique - Coral South FLNG e Rovuma LNG. Embora estes projetos tenham sido considerados na nossa avaliação inicial, esta análise fornece uma visão mais aprofundada de cada um deles, bem como, sugere algumas adaptações à nossa avaliação inicial devido a mudanças no mercado e nas condições económicas. Finalmente, um novo método de avaliação para o projeto Rovuma LNG é sugerido - avaliar o projeto usando uma abordagem de Opções Reais.This project is an Equity Research of Galp Energia S.G.P.S., S.A. (GALP.LS), with a particular focus on GALP's activities and projects in Mozambique. The Equity Research was conducted following ISEG's Master in Finance framework and follows the CFA Institute guidelines. Only public information until November 12th, was considered. GALP is a Portuguese company that operates in the Oil & Gas industry. The company is present in some of the most profitable Upstream projects in the world and is market leader in Portugal in the Downstream segment. For the valuation of the company, we decided to apply a SoP Free Cash Flow to the Firm approach. We reached a BUY recommendation with a price target of €12.06/sh, implying a +26% upside potential from the March 9th, 2020 closing price. Following the original research, a complementary analysis of GALP's two natural gas projects in Mozambique - Coral South FLNG and Rovuma LNG- was carried out. Although these projects were considered in our initial valuation, this complementary analysis provides a a more in depth look to each of them, as well as, suggesting some adaptations to our initial valuation due to changes in market and economic conditions. Finally, a new valuation method for the Rovuma LNG project is suggested - valuing the project using a Real Options approach.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio