A evolução do retalho de artigos desportivos on-line no século XXI: Projecto Sport Zone on-line

A partir da formulação das perguntas “Qual a evolução do retalho de artigos desportivos on-line?” e “Quais as formas de adquirir vantagem competitiva neste mercado?”, esta investigação verifica em que medida as empresas de retalho de artigos desportivos nacionais e internacionais tem adaptado a utilização de ferramentas Web 2.0, 3.0 e filosofias emergentes, na forma de interagir com os cibernautas portugueses, e quais as formas futuras de alcançar melhores resultados neste canal. As conclusões retiradas do quadro teórico e metodológico serviram para a elaboração de um plano inovador para aplicação na empresa Sport Zone.From the formularization of the questions “Which is the evolution of the sportive goods e-tailing?” and “Which are the forms to acquire competitive advantage in this market?”, this investigation verifies whether the national and international companies of sporting goods retail have adapted the use of tools related to Web 2.0, 3.0 and emergent philosophies, in the interaction with Portuguese internet users, and which are the steps to reach better future results in this canal. The conclusions drawn, from the theoretical and methodological framework, were used to create an innovative plan for implementation in the company Sport Zone

Automatic vehicle detection and classification

This paper presents a proposal for an automatic vehicle detection and classification (AVDC) system. The proposed AVDC should classify vehicles accordingly to the Portuguese legislation (vehicle height over the first axel and number of axels), and should also support profile based classification. The AVDC should also fulfill the needs of the Portuguese motorway operator, Brisa. For the classification based on the profile we propose:he use of Eigenprofiles, a technique based on Principal Components Analysis. The system should also support multi-lane free flow for future integration in this kind of environments

Integrated vehicle classification system

This paper presents an integrated system for vehicle classification. This system aims to classify vehicles using different approaches: 1) based on the height of the first axle and_the number of axles; 2) based on volumetric measurements and; 3) based on features extracted from the captured image of the vehicle. The system uses a laser sensor for measurements and a set of image analysis algorithms to compute some visual features. By combining different classification methods, it is shown that the system improves its accuracy and robustness, enabling its usage in more difficult environments satisfying the proposed requirements established by the Portuguese motorway contractor BRISA

As sociedades portuguesas, com a designação comercial de sociedades anónimas, manipulam a informação financeira?

Mestrado em Análise FinanceiraO presente estudo baseou-se numa metodologia, designada por M-Score, que permite identificar as empresas que manipulam o relato financeiro, mais especificamente as que se encontram mais propensas a manipular os resultados, das que não manipulam. O modelo M-score foi aplicado a um total de 9.787 empresas, mais concretamente, sociedade anónimas, no período estabelecido de 2013 a 2018. Conclui-se que 7% e 14% das sociedades anónimas manipulam os seus resultados através da aplicação do modelo M-score de 5 e de 8 variáveis, respetivamente. Comprovou-se ainda que M-Score de Beneish (1999) apresenta uma grande taxa de assertividade, quando comparado com relatórios de auditoria. No entanto, o modelo apresenta baixos indicadores de sensibilidade. Para averiguar a sensibilidade do modelo, gerou-se uma simulação de cenários no qual o valor do cut-off do modelo foi alterado para três cenários diferentes. Através dessa simulação de cenários constatou-se que provavelmente o valor de cut-off não se encontra otimizado para o relato financeiro português.The present study was based on a methodology, called M-Score, which allows the identification of companies that handle financial reporting, more specifically, which are more likely to manipulate results, than those that do not. The M-score model was applied to a total of 9.787 companies, more specifically, limited liability companies, between the period of 2013 to 2018. It is concluded that 7% and 14% of public limited companies manipulate their results through the application of the M-score model of 5 and 8 variables, respectively. In addition, it was also shown that Beneish's (1999) model has a high rate of assertiveness when compared to audit reports. However, the model has low sensitivity indicators. To ascertain the sensitivity of the model, a simulation of scenarios was generated in which the cut-off value of the model was changed to three different scenarios. Through this simulation of scenarios, it was found that the cut-off value is probably not optimized for portuguese financial reporting.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Constraints to tuberculosis control in the prisional system

RESUMO - A população nas prisões está a aumentar na maioria dos países do mundo e tem sido relacionada com algumas das taxas mais elevadas de tuberculose (TB) registradas em toda a população humana. Os surtos de tuberculose nas prisões são há muito, do conhecimento geral mas a aplicação de diretrizes específicas tem sido incompleta e heterogénea devido a diversos obstáculos específicos que têm sido levantados. O risco infeccioso dos presos, a falta de condições estruturais, o estilo de vida da prisão, o impacto da estratificação hierárquica não oficial dos presos, a descontinuação e disarticulação terapêutica entre as instituições de cuidados médicos foram alguns dos problemas encontrados. O controlo eficaz da TB em ambiente prisional exigirá uma atenção renovada e uma mais elevada consciencialização política conducente a reformas significativas ao nível do parque prisional.ABSTRACT - Prison population is rising in the majority of the countries in the world, and has been related to some of the highest tuberculosis (TB) rates ever registered in any human population. Prison outbreaks have been known to occur but the implementation of specific guidelines was always incomplete and heterogeneous due to specific obstacles posed. Inmates’ infectious risk, lack of structural conditions, prison’s lifestyle, impact of inmate nonofficial hierarchical stratification, therapeutic discontinuation and disarticulation between healthcare institutions were some of the encountered problems. Managing prison TB effectively will demand a renewed attention and a higher political awareness to major reforms in prisons.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Plano de negócios da plataforma online "Table & Friends"

Projeto / JEL: M10, M30Esta dissertação apresenta o plano de negócios da “Table & Friends”, uma plataforma online que permite a qualquer pessoa juntar-se a jantares temáticos ou criar os seus próprios. Em Janeiro de 2012, foi lançada a primeira versão da plataforma, enfocando Portugal como mercado-teste. Após algumas iterações, o modelo de negócio evoluiu, tendo-se voltado para o mercado global, com um maior enfoque em países como o Reino Unido, Espanha, Alemanha e França. Numa primeira parte, esta tese embarca numa revisão da literatura. A proposta que se apresenta é enquadrada na análise existente à inovação de serviço. Nesta base teórica consideram-se tópicos ligados ao conceito de “start-up”; metodologias “lean” para rápida iteração de protótipos e controlo de custos, as bases teóricas da definição e evolução do modelo de negócio. Defende-se que a proposta “Table & Friends” seja uma solução comercial e de marketing apropriada a uma “sociedade informacional em rede”. Segue-se uma análise de mercado, onde é exposto um nexo de tendências que se afiguram relevantes. Aborda-se as dinâmicas dos mercados online, o potencial de penetração do Facebook, a crescente adoção das compras e transações por via electrónica e o sector da restauração. É também feita uma breve análise da concorrência e “co-opetição”. Por fim é analisado o plano de negócio, marketing e especificações tecnológicas, sendo feita uma avaliação financeira. Opta-se pela sua aprovação, uma vez que apresenta um RLE de 317.578 euros no final do segundo ano.This dissertation presents and explains the business plan of “Table & Friends”, an online platform that allows anyone to create or join themed dinners. At the end of January 2012, the first version of the platform was launched, using Portugal as its test market. This dissertation presents the evolution of the business model as well as the business new approach that was designed to be global, having as main markets United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and France. This dissertation starts with a review of several literatures regarding service innovation and is then linked to evolving business models, entrepreneurship in star-ups, lean methodologies for an agile iteration of prototypes and cost control. It defends that Table & Friends can become a commercial and marketing solution tailored to a networked and informed society. This theoretical framing is then followed by a market analysis, where a nexus of relevant tendencies is exposed. It dwells through the dynamics of the online markets as well as Facebook penetration potential, the growth of online purchases worldwide and the global market of restaurants with online presence. After this, the dissertation explores the competition and coopetition. Finally there is an analysis regarding the business plan, marketing plan and technological specifications. After this analysis, the financial evaluation is shown, presenting a net profit of 317.578 euros by the end of year two

Musicoterapia em Oncologia

Nesta tese é explorada a temática da musicoterapia e a possibilidade de esta ter um efeito positivo nos doentes oncológicos. É abordada a história da musicoterapia, desde os primórdios da civilização até à sociedade moderna. São analisados o funcionamento das sessões de musicoterapia e o papel do musicoterapeuta. No que diz respeito à oncologia, apresentam-se vários temas em discussão: demografia e mortalidade da doença oncológica, sintomas de cancro e efeitos secundários da terapia, respetivamente, e é avaliado o efeito que a música pode ter na qualidade de vida, sobejamente afetada pela doença oncológica.This work explores the thematic of music therapy and the possibility of a positive effect on the cancer patients. The history of music therapy is explored, from the very beginning of civilization to modern society. The way a music therapy session is conducted and the very role of the music therapist is analysed. In the oncology section, there are several issues to be discussed: the demographics and mortality of cancer, the symptoms and adverse effects of cancer and its therapy, respectively, and the effect that music can have on the patient’s quality of life, sorely affected by the disease

One millennium of historical freshwater fish occurrence data for Portuguese rivers and streams

The insights that historical evidence of human presence and man-made documents provide are unique. For example, using historical data may be critical to adequately understand the ecological requirements of species. However, historical information about freshwater species distribution remains largely a knowledge gap. In this Data Descriptor, we present the Portuguese Historical Fish Database (PHish–DB), a compilation of 2214 records (557 at the basin scale, 184 at the sub-basin scale and 1473 at the segment scale) resulting from a survey of 194 historical documents. The database was developed using a three-scale approach that maximises the inclusion of information by allowing different degrees of spatial acuity. PHish database contains records of 25 taxonomical groups and covers a time span of one millennium, from the 11th until the 20th century. This database has already proven useful for two scientific studies, and PHish further use will contribute to correctly assess the full range of conditions tolerated by species, by establishing adequate benchmark conditions, and/or to improve existing knowledge of the species distribution limits.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Write-erase and read paper memory transistor

Applied Physics Letters, Vol.93, issue 20We report the architecture and the performances of a memory based on a single field-effect transistor built on paper able to write-erase and read. The device is composed of natural multilayer cellulose fibers that simultaneously act as structural support and gate dielectric; active and passive multicomponent amorphous oxides that work as the channel and gate electrode layers, respectively,complemented by the use of patterned metal layers as source/drain electrodes. The devices exhibit a large counterclockwise hysteresis associated with the memory effect, with a turn-on voltage shift between 1 and −14.5 V, on/off ratio and saturation mobilities of about 104 and 40 cm2 V−1 s−1, respectively, and estimated charge retention times above 14 000 h

An Intelligent Weather Station

Accurate measurements of global solar radiation, atmospheric temperature and relative humidity, as well as the availability of the predictions of their evolution over time, are important for different areas of applications, such as agriculture, renewable energy and energy management, or thermal comfort in buildings. For this reason, an intelligent, light-weight, self-powered and portable sensor was developed, using a nearest-neighbors (NEN) algorithm and artificial neural network (ANN) models as the time-series predictor mechanisms. The hardware and software design of the implemented prototype are described, as well as the forecasting performance related to the three atmospheric variables, using both approaches, over a prediction horizon of 48-steps-ahead.QREN SIDT [38798]; University of Algarve [032/2015]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio