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Publications

2018

Application of bioelectrical impedance analysis in prediction of light kid carcass and muscle chemical composition

Authors
Silva, SR; Afonso, J; Monteiro, A; Morais, R; Cabo, A; Batista, AC; Guedes, CM; Teixeira, A;

Publication
ANIMAL

Abstract
Carcass data were collected from 24 kids (average live weight of 12.5 +/- 5.5 kg; range 4.5 to 22.4 kg) of Jarmelista Portuguese native breed, to evaluate bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) as a technique for prediction of light kid carcass and muscle chemical composition. Resistance (Rs, Omega) and reactance (Xc, Omega), were measured in the cold carcasses with a single frequency bioelectrical impedance analyzer and, together with impedance (Z, Omega), two electrical volume measurements (Vol(A) and Vol(B), cm(2)/Omega), carcass cold weight (CCW), carcass compactness and several carcass linear measurements were fitted as independent variables to predict carcass composition by stepwise regression analysis. The amount of variation explained by Vol(A) and Vol(B) only reached a significant level (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively) for muscle weight, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue content, even so with low accuracy, with VolA providing the best results (0.326 <= R-2 <= 0.366). Quite differently, individual BIA parameters (Rs, Xc and Z) explained a very large amount of variation in dissectible carcass fat weight (0.814 <= R-2 <= 0.862; P < 0.01). These individual BIA parameters also explained a large amount of variation in subcutaneous and intermuscular fat weights (respectively 0.749 <= R-2 <= 0.793 and 0.718 <= R-2 <= 0.760; P < 0.01), and in muscle chemical fat weight (0.663 <= R-2 <= 0.684; P < 0.01). Still significant but much lower was the variation in muscle, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue weights (0.344 <= R-2 <= 0.393; P < 0.01) explained by BIA parameters. Still, the best models for estimation of muscle, moisture, protein and fat-free soft tissue weights included Rs in addition to CCW, and accounted for 97.1% to 99.8% (P < 0.01) of the variation observed, with CCW by itself accounting for 97.0% to 99.6% (P < 0.01) of that variation. Resistance was the only independent variable selected for the best model predicting subcutaneous fat weight. It was also selected for the best models predicting carcass fat weight (combined with carcass length, CL; R-2 = 0.943; P < 0.01) and intermuscular fat weight (combined with CCW; R-2 = 0.945; P < 0.01). The best model predicting muscle chemical fat weight combined CCW and Z, explaining 85.6% (P < 0.01) of the variation observed. These results indicate BIA as a useful tool for prediction of light kids' carcass composition.

2018

Efficiency and Capital Structure in Portuguese SMEs

Authors
Fernandes, A; Vaz, CB; Monte, AP;

Publication
OPERATIONAL RESEARCH

Abstract
This paper aims to analyse the bi-directional relationship between technical efficiency, as a measure of companies' performance, and capital structure, under the agency cost theory as well as the pecking order and trade-off theory, to explain the capital structure decisions. The technical efficiency was estimated by the DEA method and corrected by using a suitable bootstrap to obtain statistical inferences. To test the agency cost hypothesis, asymmetric information hypothesis, risk-efficiency hypothesis and franchise value hypothesis (under pecking order and trade off theories framework), two models were applied using some determinants of capital structure such as size, profitability, tangibility, liquidity as control and explanatory variables through a truncated regression with bootstrapping. From an initial sample of 1024 small and medium sized companies from the interior of Portugal, for the period 2006-2009, a subsample of 210 SMEs from secondary and tertiary sectors was selected. The results suggest that medium sized companies have higher average bias-corrected efficiency than small companies; that short-term leverage is positively related to efficiency and that the companies in the sample follow pecking order theory.

2018

Pattern-based calculi with finitary matching

Authors
Alves, S; Dundua, B; Florido, M; Kutsia, T;

Publication
LOGIC JOURNAL OF THE IGPL

Abstract
Finitary matching problems are those that have finitely many solutions. Pattern calculi generalize the lambda-calculus, replacing the abstraction over variables by an abstraction over terms that are called patterns. Consequently, reduction requires solving a pattern matching problem. The framework described in this paper considers the case when such problems are finitary. It is parametrized by the solving function, which is responsible for computing solutions to the matching problems. A concrete instance of the function gives a concrete version of the pattern calculus. We impose conditions on the solving function, obtaining a generic confluence proof for a class of pattern calculi with finitary matching. Instances of the solving function are presented.

2018

Impact Analysis of Customized Feedback Interventions on Residential Electricity Load Consumption Behavior for Demand Response

Authors
Wang, F; Liu, LM; Yu, YL; Li, G; Li, J; Shafie khah, M; Catalao, JPS;

Publication
ENERGIES

Abstract
Considering the limitations of traditional energy-saving policies, a kind of energy conservation method called the Information Feedback to Residential Electricity Load Customers, which could impact the demand response capacity, has increasingly received more attention. However, most of the current feedback programs provide the same feedback information to all customers regardless of their diverse characteristics, which may reduce the energy-saving effects or even backfire. This paper attempts to investigate how different types of customers may change their behaviors under a set of customized feedback. We conducted a field survey study in Qinhuangdao (QHD), China. First, we conducted semi-structured interviews to classify four groups of customers of different energy-saving awareness, energy-saving potential, and behavioral variability. Then, 156 QHD households were surveyed using scenarios to collect feedback of different scenarios. Social science theories were used to guide the discussion on the behavior changes as a result of different feedback strategies and reveal the reasons for customers' behaviors. Using the Chi-Square test of independence, the variables that have strong correlations with the categories of residents are extracted to provide references for residents' classification. Finally, the practical implications and needs for future research are discussed.

2018

Industry 4.0 in Tamega e Sousa's region in a twofold perspective: industry vs IT enterprise

Authors
Freitas, R; Sousa, C;

Publication
2018 13TH IBERIAN CONFERENCE ON INFORMATION SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES (CISTI)

Abstract
The 4th industrial revolution is forcing industry towards its technological, productive and human requalification. In this paradigmatic shift, technology plays a key role and organisations must know, understand and dominate the intricacies of industry 4.0. However an issues arises: aren't we putting technology ahead of the processes ?. The truth is that 140 project are being implemented in different velocities in different companies and regions, even a small country like Portugal. Actually, despite of industries leaders agreed on the importance of the technological requalification (maybe pushed by the mediatism of the 4th industrial revolution), there is a lack of installed capability to embrace such projects. This concern is amplified when considering Portuguese sub regions. The impact of the 140 concept in the Portugues sub regions is the main motivation for his study on the Tamega e Sousa region. The study combines the perspective/situation of the industry and the software houses.. The way the 14.0 concept is being understood by the organisations in the Tamega and Sousa region, and the degree of preparation for the phenomenon is discussed in this paper. The awareness of the lack of preparation of the organisations for the adoption of 140. strategies or 14.0 projects 14.0, together with the inability of the region's software houses to reverse this situation, led to the presentation of a practical set of recommendations. The framework of recommendations pragmatically translates the different dimensions associated with the challenges inherent in 14.0.

2018

The Role of Gamification in Material and Immaterial Cultural Heritage

Authors
Cunha, CR; Mendonca, V; Morais, EP; Carvalho, A;

Publication
INNOVATION MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION EXCELLENCE THROUGH VISION 2020, 2018, VOLS I -XI

Abstract
Cultural heritage is a legacy that we herder from our ancestors and that we should deliver to our decedents. In this sense, the first steep that we should take, after preserve this heritage, is to develop solutions that enable effective and democratic ways to share and promote it. Unfortunately, this demand presents several constrains in what concerns to material heritage, most people will never be able to visit all the major civilizational cultural heritages. Also in the immaterial cultural heritage, to much ancestral knowledge is only owned and memorized buy elder people. This last issue leads to a forgetfulness of many traditions, legends, rituals and a whole set of cultural heritage that has not been previously digitized. For last, its important stand that legacy is related to the ability to give to the next generation something. This demand must start in early stages since people childhood. This paper review the concept of gamification and is potential to the fruition of cultural material and immaterial heritage exploring the affective relations between young people and games to discuss the potential of gamification for cultural heritage. Finally, this paper presents a conceptual model to frame gamification role in the cultural material and immaterial heritage context. We intend, in future work, explore the proposed model, using prototyping and user-data analysis.

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