Deliverable JRA1.1: Evaluation of current network control and management planes for multi-domain network infrastructure

This deliverable includes a compilation and evaluation of available control and management architectures and protocols applicable to a multilayer infrastructure in a multi-domain Virtual Network environment.The scope of this deliverable is mainly focused on the virtualisation of the resources within a network and at processing nodes. The virtualization of the FEDERICA infrastructure allows the provisioning of its available resources to users by means of FEDERICA slices. A slice is seen by the user as a real physical network under his/her domain, however it maps to a logical partition (a virtual instance) of the physical FEDERICA resources. A slice is built to exhibit to the highest degree all the principles applicable to a physical network (isolation, reproducibility, manageability, ...). Currently, there are no standard definitions available for network virtualization or its associated architectures. Therefore, this deliverable proposes the Virtual Network layer architecture and evaluates a set of Management- and Control Planes that can be used for the partitioning and virtualization of the FEDERICA network resources. This evaluation has been performed taking into account an initial set of FEDERICA requirements; a possible extension of the selected tools will be evaluated in future deliverables. The studies described in this deliverable define the virtual architecture of the FEDERICA infrastructure. During this activity, the need has been recognised to establish a new set of basic definitions (taxonomy) for the building blocks that compose the so-called slice, i.e. the virtual network instantiation (which is virtual with regard to the abstracted view made of the building blocks of the FEDERICA infrastructure) and its architectural plane representation. These definitions will be established as a common nomenclature for the FEDERICA project. Other important aspects when defining a new architecture are the user requirements. It is crucial that the resulting architecture fits the demands that users may have. Since this deliverable has been produced at the same time as the contact process with users, made by the project activities related to the Use Case definitions, JRA1 has proposed a set of basic Use Cases to be considered as starting point for its internal studies. When researchers want to experiment with their developments, they need not only network resources on their slices, but also a slice of the processing resources. These processing slice resources are understood as virtual machine instances that users can use to make them behave as software routers or end nodes, on which to download the software protocols or applications they have produced and want to assess in a realistic environment. Hence, this deliverable also studies the APIs of several virtual machine management software products in order to identify which best suits FEDERICA’s needs.Postprint (published version

Cheese: Food Perception and Food Choice

In light of the increasing interest in the economic and socio-political impact of the ‘traditional food’ trend, it is essential to understand the determinant factors that lead to traditional consumer choices. The standardization of sensory quality evaluation methods marks the pressing need for food product certification, particularly foods with specific sensory characteristics, such as those with a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO). Consumer perception of particular foods, especially for foods that are culturally and socially contingent, such as cheese, must be understood as both a psychophysical reflex and a learned social practice. Consumers create their own perceptions based on the overall intrinsic or extrinsic cheese characteristics, mainly sensory characteristics that reflect others' attributes. These characteristics are normally linked to the specific cheese manufacture process. Some patents propose the use of adapted cheesemaking equipment (EP1982582A2), suitable for the manufacture of small-scale cheeses, such as some PDO cheese. Thus, sensory evaluation of any kind of cheese is based, in the initial phase, on knowledge of the sensory methods for cheese evaluation and, in a second phase, on the familiarity of the cheese characteristics and verbalization of desirable and undesirable attributes. This paper presents a case study based on the traditional food product, Évora cheese, assembled with PDO cheeses, whose sensory and physicochemical quality attributes are essential in order to obtain this designation and ensure the genuine properties that characterize them, as well as ascertaining exactly how they are perceived and further accepted by the consumer

Skewness in Financial Returns: Evidence from the Portuguese Stock Market (in English)

This paper addresses the issue of symmetry in financial returns. The return distributions of the major stocks traded on the Portuguese market and included in the PSI-20 Index are examined for periods from four to nine years. The results show that the symmetry of the returns is rejected against several alternative distributions. Statistically significant differences between returns below and above the mean are detected, which provides additional evidence of skewness in the return distributions. In addition, as observed in other studies, it is interesting to note that such results are similar to other low-capitalization and low-volume markets, which also exhibit asymmetric return distributions.stock markets, skewness, financial returns

Deliverable DJRA1.2. Solutions and protocols proposal for the network control, management and monitoring in a virtualized network context

This deliverable presents several research proposals for the FEDERICA network, in different subjects, such as monitoring, routing, signalling, resource discovery, and isolation. For each topic one or more possible solutions are elaborated, explaining the background, functioning and the implications of the proposed solutions.This deliverable goes further on the research aspects within FEDERICA. First of all the architecture of the control plane for the FEDERICA infrastructure will be defined. Several possibilities could be implemented, using the basic FEDERICA infrastructure as a starting point. The focus on this document is the intra-domain aspects of the control plane and their properties. Also some inter-domain aspects are addressed. The main objective of this deliverable is to lay great stress on creating and implementing the prototype/tool for the FEDERICA slice-oriented control system using the appropriate framework. This deliverable goes deeply into the definition of the containers between entities and their syntax, preparing this tool for the future implementation of any kind of algorithm related to the control plane, for both to apply UPB policies or to configure it by hand. We opt for an open solution despite the real time limitations that we could have (for instance, opening web services connexions or applying fast recovering mechanisms). The application being developed is the central element in the control plane, and additional features must be added to this application. This control plane, from the functionality point of view, is composed by several procedures that provide a reliable application and that include some mechanisms or algorithms to be able to discover and assign resources to the user. To achieve this, several topics must be researched in order to propose new protocols for the virtual infrastructure. The topics and necessary features covered in this document include resource discovery, resource allocation, signalling, routing, isolation and monitoring. All these topics must be researched in order to find a good solution for the FEDERICA network. Some of these algorithms have started to be analyzed and will be expanded in the next deliverable. Current standardization and existing solutions have been investigated in order to find a good solution for FEDERICA. Resource discovery is an important issue within the FEDERICA network, as manual resource discovery is no option, due to scalability requirement. Furthermore, no standardization exists, so knowledge must be obtained from related work. Ideally, the proposed solutions for these topics should not only be adequate specifically for this infrastructure, but could also be applied to other virtualized networks.Postprint (published version

Honey volatiles as a fingerprint for botanical origin: a review on their occurrence on monofloral honeys

Honeys have specific organoleptic characteristics, with nutritional and health benefits, being highly appreciated by consumers, not only in food but also in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. Honey composition varies between regions according to the surrounding flora, enabling its characterization by source or type. Monofloral honeys may reach higher market values than multifloral ones. Honey's aroma is very specific, resulting from the combination of volatile compounds present in low concentrations. The authentication of honey's complex matrix, according to its botanical and/or geographical origin, represents a challenge nowadays, due to the different sorts of adulteration that may occur, leading to the search for reliable marker compounds for the different monofloral honeys. The existing information on the volatiles of monofloral honeys is scarce and disperse. In this review, twenty monofloral honeys and honeydews, from acacia, buckwheat, chestnut, clover, cotton, dandelion, eucalyptus, fir tree, heather, lavender, lime tree, orange, pine, rape, raspberry, rhododendron, rosemary, strawberry tree, sunflower and thyme, were selected for volatile comparison purposes. Taking into consideration the country of origin, the technique of isolation and analysis, the five main volatiles from each of the honeys are compared. Whereas some compounds were found in several types of monofloral honey, and thus not considered good volatile markers, some monofloral honeys revealed characteristic volatile compounds independently of their provenance.Funding: SFRH/BD/117013/2016, UID/AGR/00690/2019, UID/AMB/50017/2019, MED (UIDB/05183/2020), FEDER, PT2020 PACompete 2020info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Change management practices : impact on attitudes and perceived results with change

Dissertação (mestrado)—Universidade de Brasília, Instituto de Psicologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Psicologia Social, do Trabalho e das Organizações, 2015.As práticas de gestão de mudança são intervenções organizacionais que facilitam a promulgação de processos de mudança nas empresas. O presente estudo testa a relação entre o uso das práticas de gestão da mudança e seus impactos sobre a atitude e sobre os resultados percebidos com a mudança. A amostra contou com 214 participantes de organizações brasileiras (58,5% mulheres e 40,5% homens). Os instrumentos utilizados foram a escala de percepção de mudanças organizacionais, avaliando os resultados transformacionais e transacionais percebidos; a escala de atitudes em relação a mudanças – avaliando ceticismo, temor e aceitação das mudanças e o questionário de avaliação das práticas de gestão de mudança organizacional, para avaliar cinco práticas de mudança organizacional (diagnóstico e alinhamento, liderança, comunicação, compensação e incentivos e treinamento). Como resultado verificou-se que as práticas de gestão de mudança impactam parcialmente as atitudes e os resultados percebidos com a mudança.Change management practices are organizational interventions that facilitate the enactment of change processes in companies. This study tests the relationship between the use of change management practices and their impacts on attitude and on the results perceived by the change. The sample had 214 participants from Brazilian organizations (58.5% women and 40.5% men). The instruments used were the change organizational perception scale, assessing transformational and transactional perceived results; the attitudes of scale in relation to changes - assessing opposition, fear and acceptance of change and the Questionnaire Assessment of Organizational Change Management Practices to evaluate five organizational change practices (diagnosis and alignment, leadership, communication, compensation and incentives and training). As a result, it was found that change management practices affect attitudes and results perceived by the change partly

Situando o processo de construção de significados biológicos : ou de quando os alunos reconhecem as inter-relações estruturais e funcionais da célula

Neste estudo articulamos as noções de aprendizagem situada (Lave; Wenger, 1995) e de engajamento disciplinar produtivo (Engle; Conant, 2002) à perspectiva de aprendizagem em Ciências como processo de significação que se realiza em torno de movimentos de natureza cognitiva denominadospráticas epistêmicas. Caracteriza-se a aprendizagem como processo social e cognitivo. Esta perspectiva orienta a análise de uma sequência interativa extraída de um conjunto de aulas de Biologia de uma turma de 1° ano do Ensino Médio-técnico. A sequência evidencia os movimentos dos alunos deaproximação entre sistemas explicativos distintos para explicarem um fenômeno científico. O estudo aponta a importância do engajamento desses alunos em atividades de caráter investigativo para que a compreensão mais ampla e profunda em ciências tome lugar

Genetic and ecological consequences of a shifted phenology in a forest defoliator

Doutoramento em Engenharia Florestal e dos Recursos Naturais - Instituto Superior de AgronomiaThaumetopoea pityocampa is a major pine defoliatior over the Mediterranean Basin. An atypical population with a shifted phenology, ongoing an allochronic differentiation process, was recently discovered in Mata Nacional Leiria, Portugal. The shifted population reproduces in spring achieving its larval development during summer (SP), whereas the sympatric typical population reproduces in summer and has winter larval development (WP). They are reproductively isolated through time, although sharing the same space and host species. General objectives of this work were to characterize the current and potential distribution range of this population, its spatial/temporal genetic and demographic patterns, and ecological adaptations. Field monitoring of presence/absence of SP nests throughout Leiria showed that it is expanding to North and South. Current distribution is restricted to coastal areas, along ca. 120 x 20 km area. Distribution models predict that its distribution will be restricted to coastal areas, due to unsuitable climate inland, being the maximal temperatures of the summer months the main constraint. A phylogeographic study confirmed high SP differentiation from other Portuguese populations. A spatio-temporal sampling along two geographic transects in Leiria zone revealed high stability in time of the genetic composition and structure. A striking demographic result showed that SP tends to apparently displace the WP from the coastal zones suggesting a possible competition phenomenon. Gene flow between the two populations was shown to remain low, even if some SP males actually emerge late. Ecological differentiation was assessed at egg and larval stages. The effect of a wide range of high temperatures on egg survival and development showed higher performances of the SP. Furthermore, SP larvae showed a better ability to cope with host plant water stress, evidencing adaptation to summer feeding activity. This study highlights intra-specific variations on the response of this insect to environmental constraints evidencing ecological adaptation following allochronic differentiationN/

A retrospective review of aortic Stenosis in 274 dogs in Scotland : clinical presentation and diagnosis

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina Veterinária.In the dog, aortic stenosis (AS) is classified as a congenital heart defect; however, its nature is progressive and some authors believe it to be acquired. In reviews, it has been reported as the most common congenital cardiac defect in Europe. Anatomically, it is classified as sub-valvular, valvular or supra-valvular. Boxers, Newfoundland dogs, Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, are among the breeds considered to be predisposed to some forms of this defect. The present retrospective review encompasses 274 dogs with aortic stenosis, examined and diagnosed by a mobile cardiology referral practice in Scotland in a period of 11 years. Diagnostic classification, signalment, clinical, electrocardiographic, and echocardiographic features were obtained from records. A statistical analysis was performed in order to characterize the sample and to assess relationships between variables. The majority of the dogs in the sample were Boxers (40.51%), followed by Golden Retrievers (12.77%), Labrador Retrievers (6.20%) and German Shepherd Dogs (4.74%). Contrarily to current information, the anatomical classification of AS in this study was mostly valvular (47.08%), followed by sub-valvular fixed lesions (30.66%). There were 40.51% dogs with clinical signs at presentation, the most frequent motive for consultation was a recently detected heart murmur (46.72%), and the most common clinical sign at presentation was intolerance to exercise (27.44%), followed by syncope (24.45%). There were slightly more males (56.57%) than females in the sample and a relationship between haemodynamic severity and gender was established, as males were more severely affected than females. The mean age at presentation was three years, and the age of dogs in the sample ranged from one month to 14 years of age. Although it is a congenital defect, its progressive nature could contribute to this age distribution. Most dogs had murmurs on auscultation and murmur intensity was associated with haemodynamic severity. The presence of echocardiographic findings, such as post-stenotic dilation (2.55%), concentric left ventricular hypertrophy (23.44%), aortic valve leaflet thickening (39.11%), and aortic regurgitation (63.14%) were related with severity. The presence of concurrent heart disease was common in the sample. Concomitant congenital defects found were pulmonic stenosis (4.74%), tricuspid valve dysplasia (17.42%) and mitral valve dysplasia (40.15%). Finally, we emphasize that a scientific consensus for diagnosis guidelines of aortic stenosis is much warranted.RESUMO - No cão, a estenose aórtica (EA) é classificada como um defeito cardíaco de origem congénita; contudo a sua natureza é progressiva e alguns autores consideram-na uma doença adquirida. Na Europa, é o defeito cardíaco congénito mais frequente. Quanto à localização anatómica das lesões, a EA é classificada como sub-valvular, valvular or supra-valvular. Cães das raças Boxer, Terranova, Golden Retriever e Pastor Alemão estão entre as que são consideradas como predispostas a alguns tipos espefícicos desta malformação. Este estudo retrospectivo incluiu 274 cães com estenose aórtica, examinados e diagnosticados por uma unidade móvel de referência em cardiologia na Escócia, durante um período de 11 anos. Variáveis como classificação em termos de diagnóstico, identificação do paciente, sinais clínicos, electrocardiográficos e ecocardigráficos foram obtidos a partir de relatórios. A análise estatística foi realizada com o fim de caracterizar a amostra e avaliar a relação entre variáveis. A maioria dos cães da amostra eram de raça Boxer (40.51%), Golden Retriever (12.77%), Labrador (6.20%) e Pastor Alemão (4.74%). Em contraste com dados de outros estudos, em termos de classificação anatómica de lesões, a EA valvular representou a maioria dos casos (47.08%), enquanto que a estenose subvalvular fixa apenas foi representada por 30.66% dos casos. Em termos da apresentação clínica, 40.51% dos cães apresentavam sinais, sendo que o mais frequente foi intolerância ao exercício (27.44%), seguido por síncope (24.45%). O estímulo iatrotrópico mais frequente foi a detecção de sopros em clínicas de primeira opinião (46.72%). A amostra apresenta um número ligeiramente maior de machos (56.57%) em relação a fêmeas, e uma relação entre o estadio da doença e o género foi estabelecida. A média da idade à apresentação foi de três anos, e neste contexto, a idade da amostra variou entre um mês e 14 anos. Embora se trate de um defeito congénito, a sua natureza progressiva pode justificar esta distribuição etária. A maioria dos cães apresentou um sopro à ausculatação, o qual foi relacionado com a estadio da doença. A presença de achados ecocardiográficos como a dilatação pós-estenótica (2.55%), hipertrofia concêntrica do ventrículo esquerdo (23.44%), espessamento dos folhetos valvulares da válvula aórtica (39.11%) e regurgitação aótica (63.14%) apresentaram também uma relação com o estadio da doença. A presença de doença concomintante na amostra foi frequente. A frequência de defeitos cardíacos congénitos associados na amostra por ordem crescente foi: estenose pulmonar (4.74%), displasia da válvula tricúspide (17.52%) e displasia da válvula mitral (40.15%). Por fim, enfatizamos que um novo consenso científico para directrizes de diagnóstico é relevante e necessário.N/

Influence of overweight on routine parameters of renal function in dogs

Dissertação de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina VeterináriaObesity is one of the most common nutritional disorders in dogs and its prevalence has grown exponentially in recent years alongside with obesity in humans. It is from an accumulation of adipose tissue in such a way that it affects the patient health. In humans, a chronic increase of body weight is a risk factor to develop renal dysfunction. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of weight gain on renal function in dogs. Renal function was determined using traditional markers of renal dysfunction (blood urea nitrogen and creatinine, urine specific gravity and urine protein-creatinine ratio). A total of 16 beagles were studied, 8 non-obese, which kept a stable ideal body weight, and the remaining 8, gradually increased weight for 24 weeks. Both groups were fed a commercial adult maintenance diet high in fat and protein. The obese group was fed 1.3 times more than the maintenance energy requirements, resulting in an average of 0.328 kg increase in weight per month. Renal markers were measured at times 1, 12 and 24 weeks and the results did not showed a significant difference between the groups. These results suggest that the degree of overweight that was achieved in this study did not cause renal dysfunction based on routine kidney markers.RESUMO - A INFLUÊNCIA DO EXCESSO DE PESO EM PARÂMETROS DE AVALIAÇÃO DA FUNÇÃO RENAL DE ROTINA - A obesidade, uma das doenças nutricionais mais comuns em cães tendo a sua prevalência crescido exponencialmente nos últimos anos, a par com a obesidade nos humanos. É uma doença crónica que advém do excesso de acumulação de tecido adiposo de tal forma que afeta a saúde. No homem, uma condição corporal aumentada é um fator de risco para disfunção renal. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar o efeito do aumento de peso sobre a função renal em cães. A função renal foi determinada através de marcadores renais convencionais de insuficiência renal (ureia e creatinina sérica, densidade urinária, rácio proteína-creatinina de urina). Um total de 16 beagles foram usados, 8 não obesos que mantiveram um peso corporal estável, e os 8 restantes, que aumentaram progressivamente o peso durante 24 semanas. Ambos os grupos foram alimentados com uma dieta comercial de manutenção, rica em gordura e proteína. Ao grupo obeso foi fornecido 1,3 vezes mais que os requisitos energéticos de manutenção, fazendo com que este grupo aumenta-se 0,328kg mais por mês. Os marcadores renais foram medidos às 1, 12 e 24 semanas em ambos os grupos, não tendo demonstrado diferenças significativas, sugerindo que o grau de excesso de peso obtido neste estudo não causa alterações na função renal.N/