Analyzing social media discourse - an approach using semi-supervised learning

The ability to handle large amounts of unstructured information, to optimize strategic business opportunities, and to identify fundamental lessons among competitors through benchmarking, are essential skills of every business sector. Currently, there are dozens of social media analytics’ applications aiming at providing organizations with informed decision making tools. However, these applications rely on providing quantitative information, rather than qualitative information that is relevant and intelligible for managers. In order to address these aspects, we propose a semi-supervised learning procedure that discovers and compiles information taken from online social media, organizing it in a scheme that can be strategically relevant. We illustrate our procedure using a case study where we collected and analysed the social media discourse of 43 organizations operating on the Higher Public Polytechnic Education Sector. During the analysis we created an “editorial model” that character izes the posts in the area. We describe in detail the training and the execution of an ensemble of classifying algorithms. In this study we focus on the techniques used to increase the accuracy and stability of the classifiers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

EduBridge social - bridging social networks and learning management systems

The exponential growth of social media usage and the integration of digital natives in Higher Education Institutions (HEI) have been posing new challenges to both traditional and technology-mediated learning environments. Nowadays social media plays an important, if not central, role in society, for professional and personal purposes. However, it’s important to highlight that in the mind of a digital native, social media is not just a tool, it is a place that is as real and as natural as any real-life world place where formal/informal social interactions happen. Still, formal higher education contexts are still mostly imprisoned in locked up institutional Learning Management Systems (LMS), while a new world of social connections grows and develops itself outside schools. One of the main reasons we believe to be persisting in the origin of the matter is the absence of a suitable management, monitoring and analysis tools to legitimize and to efficiently manage the relationship with stud ents in social networks. In this paper we discuss the growing relevance of the “Social Student Relationship Management” concept and introduce the EduBridge Social system, which aims at connecting the most commonly used LMS, Moodle, and the most popular social network, Facebook.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Avaliação e Melhoramento das Propriedades Anti-Soiling do Couro utilizado no Setor Automóvel

The present thesis was written at Stahl Holdings, B.V., in Waalwijk- Netherlands, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master’s in chemical engineering of the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). Stahl formulated the theme of the project, along with the interested company. The results obtained from this project contributed to increase Stahl’s internal knowledge and share it with the interested parties. This project started with the formulation of a coating system, followed by its application, consecutive tests and results evaluation. This thesis regards the study of the anti-soiling properties of a Clean Top, by evaluating the impregnation resistance to indigo and pen ink. The tests were conducted according to the dye ingress standard of a specific OEM, soiling of a specific OEM and European VDA, using a Martindale abrasion tester, a Crockmeter and a Datacolor TM’s hardware and software. There were four samples tested, being two of them brown, two beige, and one of each color had Clean Top has the anti-soiling coat. It was expected that the application of a last anti-soiling system would show better results to the soiling and dye ingress tests, and that its performance changed over time. The worst results were shown by the dye ingress standard and lighter colors. The application of Clean Top improves greatly the anti-soiling properties, with small to no variation over time.Esta tese foi escrita na Stahl Holdings, B.V., em Waalwijk- Holanda, como requisito parcial de finalização do mestrado em Engenharia Química, do Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP). A Stahl planeou o projeto, juntamente com a empresa interessada. Os resultados obtidos contribuíram para aumentar o conhecimento interno da Stahl e partilhar com as partes interessadas. O projeto começou com a formulação de um acabamento, seguido pela sua aplicação, testes consecutivos e avaliação de resultados. Esta tese apresenta o estudo das propriedades anti-mancha de um topcoat, testando a resistência à penetração de indigo e tinta de caneta. Os testes forem realizados de acordo com as normas de impregnação de corante de uma montadora específica, manchamento de uma montadora específica e a norma europeia VDA, utilizando o equipamento de abrasão de Martindale, um crockmeter e o equipamento e programa da DatacolorTM. Era esperado que a aplicação de uma última camada de anti-soiling mostrasse resultados substancialmente melhores ao manchamento e à penetração de corante, e a sua performance mudasse com o tempo. Os piores resultados foram obtidos na norma do dye ingress e em cores claras. A aplicação do Clean Top melhora consideravelmente as propriedades anti-soiling, com pouca a nenhuma variação com o tempo

Diferenças na intensidade de alteração química de sedimentos Pliocénicos a norte e sul do Mondego

Procede-se a uma análise comparativa de características mineralógicas e geoquímicas (elementos maiores), usadas na definição de intensidade de altyeração química, de sedimentos pliocénicos colhidos na margem Atlântica a norte e sul do rio Mondego. Ainda que se note alguma influência da granulometria dos sedimentos nas características composicionais, as unidades a norte do Mondego revelam sempre alteração química menos intensa que as unidades a sul do Mondego. Estas diferenças justificam-se por proveniência distinta e não devem ter qualquer significado climático

Influence of Biopsychosocial Factors on the Survival of the Elderly in Northeast Brazil—A Prospective Study

Background. Identifying the risk factors peculiar to each population has a great relevance, because it enables health policy formulators to analyze information accurately and by doing so, define objectives and action programs aimed at a qualitative and economically feasible solution to the problem. Thus, this study aimed at identifying the risk factors for survival in elderly in a city in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (RN), Brazil. Methods. A prospective study was carried out, where 310 elderly persons were selected to form a baseline. The follow-up was 53 months. The predictive variables were divided into sociodemographic, physical health, neuropsychiatric and functional capacity. Statistical analysis was performed using bivariate analysis, survival analysis, followed by Cox regression in the multivariate analysis. Results. A total of 60 (19.3%) elderly individuals died during the follow-up. The survival mean was 24.8 months. In the Cox analysis, dependence in basic activities of daily living (HR = 3.55), cognitive deficit (HR = 4.22) and stroke (HR = 3.35) continued as independent risk factors for death. Discussion. The risk factors found in the study can be interpreted as the primary predictors for death among elderly members of the community

Waste mud characterization : a contribuition to quarries environmental impact mitigation and to a sustainable use of a natural resource

Poster apresentado no 32nd International Geological Congress, Florença, Itália, 20-28 Ag. 2004.In the northeast Portugal region (Trás-os-Montes), fluvial Cenozoic deposits are an important source of raw materials used in the construction industry. These deposits are mainly composed by gravel and sandy to muddy-gravel bodies, with some muddy-sand and clay bodies. These deposits are preserved in hilltops due to topographic inversion. The deposits are quarried for the extraction of sand and gravel. This coarse fraction is separated from the silt-clay matrix (mud) by wet sieving. The mud matrix consists on about 20-60% of the extracted material. After the wet sieving process, the mud is located in settling tanks, usually placed in abandon areas of the quarries, or in a neighbor area. Because almost all the quarries are placed on hilltops, these tanks are usually found there or in the slopes of the hills. There are some environmental impacts associated to this extractive industry. Landscape degradation due to the decreasing of the topographic level, associated with the visual impact of the quarries and mud tanks. The instability of some mud tanks is another hazard, due to the potential occurrence of mass movements. The mud also reduces the soil development and the vegetation growth. Therefore, soil recovery is a difficult process constituting a negative effect on land populations. To know the main characteristics of these waste muds, compositional studies and technological tests were performed. The results indicate suitability for application in ceramic construction industry (manufacture of bricks, tiles and other related materials). The compositional and technological characterization of these waste muds indicate their potential as a useful sub-product. The use of the waste muds in the ceramic construction industry will increment the economic value of these deposits as a natural resource. This procedure will also contribute to the mitigation of the environmental impact caused by this extractive industry. This approach can be implemented in other quarries contributing to the sustainable use of this natural resource.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - POCTI/CTA/38659/2001. FEDER

Uma Objectividade Elementar, para uma Subjectividade Artística

Num universo, onde todos os conceitos são questionados, todos os valores ponderados, e onde a cada dia assistimos a (re)avaliações e (re)validações no domínio das artes, interessa também problematizar a sua função comunicativa. O humano, fruidor de arte (simultaneamente objectiva e subjectiva), analisa toda a objectividade informacional contida na obra, daí resultando uma significação pessoal, e subjectiva, caracterizando o processo artístico como “não comunicativo”. Não se prestará, portanto, à frustração, qualquer intenção por parte do criador, de transformar as suas obras, em objectos, para veicularem mensagem

Reação do mercado de capitais à divulgação de demonstrações contábeis: um estudo das companhias abertas listadas no Brasil

In the context of the investment market, accounting statements play a fundamental role since they provide important information regarding the company to market analysts and investors, from its performance to the possible prospects for expansion or retraction. The success of investments in the capital market is directly linked to the investor's possibility to make good choices when investing. Therefore, the more subsidies he has to perform his analyzes, the greater his chances of gain, which highlights the importance of accounting statements as a source of information for this investor. In light of the foregoing, this study aimed to identify how the disclosure of the accounting statements affects the behavior of the Brazilian capital market. More specifically, it was sought to assess the association between the disclosure of these statements and the price, the trading volume and liquidity of shares. 64 publicly held companies listed on the IBOVESPA that disclosed statements for the 4th quarter of 2018 and the 1st and 2nd quarters of 2019 formed the sample. In the analysis of the data, it was observed, in general, that in the period from D-1 to D+1 occurred the biggest variations in the opening and closing prices of the trading sessions, and the highest quotation reached in the analyzed period was on the day called “D” day. Regarding the average and maximum prices, referring to share prices, it was observed that they increased on the dates close to the disclosure of the statements and that, after this period, there was a decrease in these values, following the same logic of the opening and closing prices shares of the companies in the sample. One of the explanations for the increase in share prices, until the day of the presentation of the accounting statements, and then the reduction of these prices in the following week, may be the fact of the capital market, when following the forecasts of analysts regarding the economic performance and financial future of the companies, anticipating the security pricings and establishing a price considered fair even before the disclosure of the accounting statements.Pesquisa sem auxílio de agências de fomentoTrabalho de Conclusão de Curso (Graduação)No contexto do mercado de investimentos as demonstrações contábeis exercem papel fundamental, visto que proporcionam aos analistas de mercado e investidores informações importantes referentes à empresa, desde o seu desempenho até as possíveis perspectivas de expansão ou retração. O sucesso dos investimentos no mercado de capitais está diretamente ligado à possibilidade do investidor realizar boas escolhas no momento de investir. Sendo assim, quanto mais subsídios ele tiver para executar as suas análises, maiores serão as suas chances de ganho, o que realça a importância das demonstrações contábeis como fonte de informações para este investidor. Diante do exposto, este estudo teve como objetivo geral identificar como a divulgação das demonstrações contábeis afeta o comportamento do mercado de capitais brasileiro. Mais especificamente, buscou-se avaliar a associação entre a divulgação destas demonstrações e o preço, o volume de negociações e a liquidez das ações. A amostra foi formada por 64 companhias abertas listadas no IBOVESPA que divulgaram demonstrativos relativos ao 4º trimestre de 2018 e ao 1º e 2º trimestres de 2019. Na análise dos dados, observou-se, de forma geral, que no período de D-1 à D+1 ocorreram as maiores variações nos preços de abertura e fechamento dos pregões, sendo que a maior cotação atingida no período analisado foi no dia denominado como dia “D”. Com relação aos preços médio e máximo, referentes às cotações das ações, observou-se que estes aumentaram nas datas próximas à divulgação das demonstrações e que, após este período, houve uma diminuição nesses valores, seguindo a mesma lógica dos preços de abertura e fechamento das ações das companhias da amostra. Uma das explicações para o acréscimo das cotações das ações, até o dia da apresentação das demonstrações financeiras, e depois a redução desses preços na semana seguinte, pode ser o fato de o mercado de capitais, ao acatar as previsões de analistas quanto ao desempenho econômico e financeiro futuro das empresas, antecipar as precificações dos títulos e estabelecer um preço considerado justo antes mesmo da divulgação das demonstrações contábeis