Event-based Vision meets Deep Learning on Steering Prediction for Self-driving Cars

Event cameras are bio-inspired vision sensors that naturally capture the dynamics of a scene, filtering out redundant information. This paper presents a deep neural network approach that unlocks the potential of event cameras on a challenging motion-estimation task: prediction of a vehicle's steering angle. To make the best out of this sensor-algorithm combination, we adapt state-of-the-art convolutional architectures to the output of event sensors and extensively evaluate the performance of our approach on a publicly available large scale event-camera dataset (~1000 km). We present qualitative and quantitative explanations of why event cameras allow robust steering prediction even in cases where traditional cameras fail, e.g. challenging illumination conditions and fast motion. Finally, we demonstrate the advantages of leveraging transfer learning from traditional to event-based vision, and show that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms based on standard cameras.Comment: 9 pages, 8 figures, 6 tables. Video: https://youtu.be/_r_bsjkJTH

Does earnings management influence dividend policies? An approach with unlisted firms

The goal of this paper is to analyze whether the firms’ dividend policy is influenced by the existence of earnings management practices, particularly under different ownership contexts. In the paper, three well-known discretionary accruals methodologies are applied to measure earnings management. The empirical study relies on an innovative set of 4,258 unlisted private companies, representing a panel of around 20 thousand observations distributed over the period 2013-2017. The study is focused only in one European country to avoid different institutional and country characteristics that could bias the findings. Our firs result reveals a positive statistically significant relationship between the earnings management and dividend policy, meaning that private non-listed companies managing earnings are more likely to distribute a higher level of dividends. However, a deeper analysis shows that the ability of earnings management practices to predict the dividend policy is driven by ownership concentration. Spliting the sample, we find that the positive influence of earnings management on dividend policy in non-listed private companies is statistically significant only in companies whose shareholders have control (more than 50% of share capital) as opposed to firms with non-concentrated ownership. Our results contribute for the literature around the quality of financial reporting, lengthening these thematic to include non-listed companies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

WhatsApp and audio misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic

Given user choices and the commercial offerings of internet providers, WhatsApp has increasingly become established as a new standard for communication by audio, image, and text. This paper explores the role of misinformation during the Covid-19 pandemic by using content disseminated through WhatsApp, thereby making three main contributions: a discussion about the potential shift toward nontextual and nonvisual forms of misinformation; the new social role of audio, namely related to the critique of policies and political actors during the early stage of the Covid-19 pandemic; and the questioning of the First Draft News disinformation conceptual model by proposing a complementary approach that focuses only on factuality. Conclusions were drawn after conducting a content analysis of 988 units of Covid-19-related audio files, images, videos, and texts shared via WhatsApp during the early stage of the pandemic. A typology was identified to address distinct claims that focus on five different topics (society, policy and politics, health science, pandemic, and other), as well as audio messaging trending as a novel format for spreading misinformation. The results help us to contextualize and discuss a potential shift toward nontextual and nonvisual forms of misinformation, reflecting the increasing adoption of the audio format among WhatsApp users and making WhatsApp a fertile environment for the circulation and dissemination of misinformation regarding Covid-19-related themes. In a society characterized by the rapid consumption of information, the idea that content must have a degree of falsehood to mislead is an indicator of the distance between theoretical models and social reality. This indicator is important to identify true content as potential misinformation on the basis of its factuality.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

What’s next?: Quatro tendências a considerar para o futuro da desinformação

O Seminário de Jovens Cientistas da Academia das Ciências de Lisboa lançou o livro “Como Dialogar Com Quem Não Quer Ouvir?”, uma compilação de textos que abordam temáticas como a polarização política, desinformação e confiança na ciência. Esta coletânea de reflexões interdisciplinares de filósofos, cientistas das ciências naturais e sociais, jornalistas e comunicadores de ciência, discute fenómenos como a crise da democracia, notícias falsas, teorias da conspiração e crenças associadas ao negacionismo da ciência. São propostas abordagens e soluções para estes problemas, destacando a importância da divulgação científica e do desenvolvimento de estratégias para mitigar a desinformação. “Como Dialogar Com Quem Não Quer Ouvir?” é uma obra relevante para investigadores, comunicadores de ciência, jornalistas e interessados em combater a desinformação e promover um diálogo construtivo na sociedade. Editada por Gonçalo Marcelo, Pedro Matos Pereira, Ana Sanchez e Mara de Sousa Freitas, a obra conta com contribuições de Michel Renaud (prefácio), Renato Janine Ribeiro, Richard Kearney, Nelson Ferreira, Carlos Fiolhais, Ana Delicado, Vera Novais, Inês Narciso, Joana Gonçalves-Sá e Cristina Mendonça, e Maria Manuela Chaves (posfácio).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Developing a site-conditions map for seismic hazard Assessment in Portugal

The evaluation of site effects on a broad scale is a critical issue for seismic hazard and risk assessment, land use planning and emergency planning. As characterization of site conditions based on the shear-wave velocity has become increasingly important, several methods have been proposed in the literature to estimate its average over the first thirty meters (Vs30) from more extensively available data. These methods include correlations with geologic-geographic defined units and topographic slope. In this paper we present the first steps towards the development of a site–conditions map for Portugal, based on a regional database of shear-wave velocity data, together with geological, geographic, and lithological information. We computed Vs30 for each database site and classified it according to the corresponding geological-lithological information using maps at the smallest scale available (usually 1:50000). We evaluated the consistency of Vs30 values within generalized-geological classes, and assessed the performance of expedient methodologies proposed in the literature

Social media disinformation in the pre-electoral period in Portugal

Since the North American presidential election of 2016, the role of social media on the propagation of misleading news and its instrumentalization by partisan groups has raised concerns. In this article we analyse the contents of 47 Facebook pages and 39 Facebook groups prior to the Portuguese parliamentary election of 6th of October of 2019 to track disinformation. Groups and pages to monitor were selected through a process that combined the number of fans or members, the proportion of political content, and the number of posts per week. We concluded that disinformative content was prevalent in the pages and groups monitored, that several political actors had a relevant influence on the debate and that most disinformation stemmed from the spinning of both mainstream and non-mainstream news to serve a political purpose

The websites adoption in the Spanish agrifood firms

Currently, the use of websites in the firms of the Spanish agrifood sector has not become widespread despite the possible benefits to be derived from their adequate integration and management within the firms. Among these advantages, the increase in the quality of the services offered and the improvement in the relations with their stakeholders should be highlighted. In this context, the objective of the present work is to determine to what extent websites are used by firms in the agrifood sector of Spain, analysing the background which explains why they are adopted and the consequences of introducing them. To do so, a theoretical framework is posed which allows these factors to be identified, and an empirical study is carried out with Spanish agrifood firms. The results of the work indicate that the adoption of websites will be favoured when the directors of the firm are higher qualified, the firm is bigger in size, the firm’s function is distribution, and when the relative advantage and technology compatibility is perceived, among others. Technology adoption consequences analysis suggests that the benefits of adoption are related with improving the relationships with suppliers, customers, owning partners and, in general, the quality of the services offered by the firm

Genètica i Esport

Els últims avenços en l’estudi del genoma humà estan afectant diverses àrees de les ciències relacionades amb l’esport. En els últims anys s’ha observat que el nombre d’articles apareguts en les revistes científiques relacionats amb la genètica i l’esport ha experimentat un increment exponencial, aquest fet fa palesa una inquietud creixent en el món científic pel coneixement i les possibilitats de la genètica aplicada a diferents àrees de l’esport. Paral·lelament als estudis tècnics van apareixent veus que alerten dels possibles problemes ètics que poden sorgir de l’aplicació de modificacions genètiques a l’esport. Organismes com el Comitè Olímpic Internacional, la World Anti-Doping Agency, el United States President’s Council on Bioethics i l’Australian Law Reforms Comissió han estat revisant els últims desenvolupaments en investigació genètica i s’han plantejat diferents arguments sobre la seva aplicació legal a l’esport. Normalment, les notícies que apareixen a la premsa no especialitzada presenten un panorama poc encoratjador, gairebé sempre s’associa la genètica a noves formes de dopatge. Per tal de conèixer la realitat actual traient-ne dramatisme i buscant la informació més objectiva hem reunit dos especialistes en medicina de l’esport que estan immergits en treballs d’investigació relacionats amb la genètica i l’esport i un investigador en genètica i biologia molecular no relacionat amb el món de l’esport. Junts hem preparat les cinc preguntes que creiem que poden aportar més informació sobre la situació actual. Las respostes definitives han estat resumides a partir de les aportacions de cada un dels especialistes invitats atès que hem observat que hi ha hagut una coincidència total en les respostes

Genética y Deporte

Los últimos avances en el estudio del genoma humano están afectando a diversas áreas de las ciencias relacionadas con el deporte. En los últimos años se ha observado que el número de artículos aparecidos en las revistas científicas relacionados con la genética y el deporte ha sufrido un incremento exponencial. Este hecho pone de manifiesto una inquietud creciente en el mundo científico por el conocimiento y las posibilidades que la genética aplicada a distintas áreas del deporte. Paralelamente a los estudios técnicos están apareciendo voces que alertan de los posibles problemas éticos que pueden surgir de la aplicación de modificaciones genéticas en el deporte. Organismos como el Comité Olímpico Internacional, la World Anti-Doping Agency, el United States President’s Council on Bioethics y el Australian Law Reforms Comisión han estado revisando los últimos desarrollos en investigación genética y se han planteado diferentes argumentos sobre su aplicación legal en el deporte. Normalmente, las noticias que aparecen en la prensa no especializada presentan un panorama poco alentador: casi siempre se asocia la genética a nuevas formas de doping. Con el fin de conocer la realidad actual, quitando dramatismo y buscando la información más objetiva, hemos reunido a dos especialistas en medicina del deporte (Nicolás Terrados y Gil Rodas) que están inmersos en trabajos de investigación relacionados con la genética y el deporte y a un investigador en genética y biología molecular no relacionado con el mundo del deporte (Narciso Campos). Juntos hemos preparado las cinco preguntas que creemos que pueden aportar más información sobre la situación actual. Las respuestas definitivas han sido resumidas a partir de las aportaciones de cada uno de los especialistas invitados, ya que hemos observado que ha habido total coincidencia en las respuestas

Dynamics of (dis)informative content circulation about COVID-19 on WhatsApp, the news media and social media

A pandemia provocada pela COVID-19 trouxe para um lugar de destaque a desinformação em saúde, quer ao nível direto do seu impacto e à perda de vidas humanas, quer na consciencialização das populações acerca da sua existência e da sua perigosidade. Um ano transcorrido, analisam-se comparativamente dois momentos distintos com divulgação viral de conteúdo desinformativo relacionado com a COVID-19 em Portugal: um no início da pandemia, em março de 2020, e outro mais recente, em fevereiro de 2021. Em ambos os momentos, conteúdos informativos gerados no WhatsApp foram partilhados em redes abertas, como o Facebook e o Twitter e chegaram à agenda dos media. O que nos leva à pergunta de partida: “Como é que evolui a reação dos utilizadores e dos stakeholders, nesses dois momentos, perante desinformação com origem no Whatsapp?” Procuramos identificar diferenças nos processos de divulgação e partilha de conteúdo desinformativo e nas reações dos utilizadores e stakeholders envolvidos, direta ou indiretamente, nos mesmos. A principal conclusão é que o WhatsApp permanece a plataforma de divulgação privilegiada de conteúdo desinformativo da COVID-19 em Portugal, com um evidente desenvolvimento da consciencialização e envolvimento da sociedade civil no combate da mesma.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio