Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2021-12-20"
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- A dinâmica de eventos e experiências em centros comerciaisPublication . Santos, Patrícia Alexandra do Rosário; Matos, NélsonO presente relatório procura descrever os desafios e oportunidades enfrentados na qualidade de gestor de experiências, no âmbito do estágio realizado no departamento de marketing do centro comercial MAR Shopping Algarve, entre outubro e dezembro de 2019. Foi elaborado um enquadramento teórico sobre o marketing de experiências, eventos, e as experiências em centros comerciais. Posteriormente foi apresentada e enquadrada a empresa, bem como os eventos realizados e acompanhados durante o período de estágio. A realização deste estágio permitiu não só aplicar e consolidar os conhecimentos adquiridos na componente académica do Mestrado, mas também ter oportunidade de adquirir conhecimento nesta que é a componente prática, experienciando a realidade e dinâmica do marketing numa superfície comercial de referência no Algarve. Neste sentido, o estágio, permitiu verificar que a partir dos eventos e experiências que proporciona aos seus visitantes, o MAR Shopping Algarve procura o apelo às emoções e a estimulação dos diferentes 5 sentidos, colocando em prática estratégias assentes na dinamização de experiências únicas e memoráveis para os seus visitantes. Este tipo de ações influenciam as intenções comportamentais dos consumidores, tornando-os em consumidores satisfeitos e leais, o que vai então ao encontro do seu posicionamento de “THE meeting place”.
- Morphodynamics of the Cacela inlet and ebb-tidal delta based on Sentinel 2 imagesPublication . Guélard-Ancilotti, Emile; Garel, Erwan; Ferreira, ÓscarThe main objective of this master thesis was to investigate and comprehend the short-term morphologic evolution of Cacela Inlet and ebb-tidal delta, based on Sentinel-2 satellite imagery from September 2015 to September 2020. The different observations made on Cacela inlet and ebb-tidal delta were analyzed and possibly related with computed waves data from SIMAR numerical model in order to observe the influence of prevailing hydrodynamic conditions that can act on it. Through the analysis of its barriers, inlet and ebb tidal delta features morphology and morphodynamics, this study produced a first morphological characterization of the system. Indeed, regarding its general observed morphology, it was characterized as a system with mixed energy influences showing characteristic morphological features produced by both tidal currents (e.g., almost constant well developed margin linear bars) and wave forcing (e.g., swash bars and ebb-tidal delta asymmetry). Moreover, the inlet evolution was related to the barriers morphodynamics, which was strongly influenced by the ebb delta shoals/channel behaviors. Those barriers showed quite unbalanced evolutions due to the shoals preferential welding to the downdrift barrier, and to an updrift barrier more exposed to the waves. Those processes were mostly governed by the combination of eastward longshore drift and mixed waves origins influence. However, the large and unusual morphological variability observed at Cacela ebb tidal delta was hardly related to wave activity, except for some large storm events. Among these, the Emma storm stands out as it was considered to have initiated or aided the present inlet position stability by straightening and shifting the unstable arcuate channel at the center of Cacela Inlet. This stability contrasts with Lacém Inlet’s (previous inlet separating Cabanas Island from Cacela Peninsula until its artificial closure and relocation through the opening of Cacela Inlet in 2011) that showed high (downdrift) migration, thus indicating successful inlet management.
- Dysregulation of intestinal physiology by Aflatoxicosis in the Gilthead Seabream (Sparus aurata)Publication . Barany, Andre; Oliva, Milagrosa; Gregorio, Silvia; Martínez-Rodríguez, Gonzalo; Mancera, Juan Miguel; Fuentes, JuanAflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a mycotoxin often present in food. This study aimed to understand the physiological effects of AFB1 on the seabream (Sparus aurata) gastrointestinal system. In a first in vitro approach, we investigated ion transport using the short-circuit current (Isc) technique in Ussing chambers in the anterior intestine (AI). Application of apical/ luminal AFB1 concentrations of 8 and 16μM to healthy tissues was without effect on tissue transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), and apparent tissue permeability (Papp) was measured using fluorescein FITC (4 kD). However, it resulted in dose-related effects on Isc. In a second approach, seabream juveniles fed with different AFB1 concentrations (1 and 2mg AFB1 kg−1 fish feed) for 85days showed significantly reduced gill Na+ /K+-ATPase (NKA) and H+-ATPase (HA) activities in the posterior intestine (PI). Moreover, dietary AFB1 modified Isc in the AI and PI, significantly affecting TER in the AI. To understand this effect on TER, we analyzed the expression of nine claudins and three occludins as markers of intestinal architecture and permeability using qPCR. Around 80% of the genes presented significantly different relative mRNA expression between AI and PI and had concomitant sensitivity to dietary AFB1. Based on the results of our in vitro, in vivo, and molecular approaches, we conclude that the effects of dietary AFB1 in the gastrointestinal system are at the base of the previously reported growth impairment caused by AFB1 in fish.
- Friendly lords implementing an artificial intelligence social architecture in Mount& Blade II: BannerlordPublication . Ricardo, David Cristóvão; Dias, João Miguel de Sousa de AssisDespite living in a golden age for video games where there is an increase in the development and popularity of new technologies, such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, and constant improvements being made on immersion, either through rich storytelling, high graphical fidelity or even gameplay itself, one area that is generally lacking on innovation is the social interaction of Non-Playable Characters. The credibility of these virtual characters (usually called NPCs) requires that they have human characteristics, such as emotions and the ability to think and make decisions depending on their own will. One of the most important characteristics is the ability to socialize and interact with each other. The main objective of this work was to implement a Social Architecture of Artificial Intel ligence in the game Mount&Blade II: Bannerlord to enhance the credibility of NPCs, making them socially more active and interesting, and improving the User Experience. In the game in which this study takes place (respectively Mount&Blade II: Bannerlord), although there are plenty of NPCs in the world, these are extremely limited, predictable and rarely demonstrate social behaviors. It also addresses some socio-emotional architectures such as CiF and FAtiMA. While FA tiMA is more focused on the generation of emotions, and how those emotions may affect the behaviour of characters, CiF has an explicit representation of social relations between NPCs and how the can influence behaviour. Due to this, the system architecture used as the basis for our model is the CiF architecture, also used before in some popular games like Skyrim and Conan Exiles. It is a system designed to be able to generate social behavior for the social agents, in this case the virtual characters. Instead of looking static and appearing to be clones of each other, the NPCs will appear more natural, making them more interesting and believable from the point of view of social interaction. One of the major differences between the CiF model and the developed model, named Comme il Faut - Bannerlord (CiF-BL), was, respectively, an addition of a centralized component, which will manage about which NPCs will be able to engage in interactions, how many Social Interactions will be able to take place at the same time, when these are started and finished From CiF-BL’s perspective, the player is just another character, and just as NPCs will want to interact with each other, they will also want to interact with the player. To do this work, it was necessary to adapt the game’s existing dialog system to make CiF BL’s changes possible. Adding the options that allow the player to interact socially with an NPC and vice-versa. It was also necessary to adapt and implement another game system, responsible for signaling and informing the most relevant locations and characters. This adaptation was responsible for making it possible to visualize the interactions between the different NPCs. Thus, during the time that the user is present in the virtual world, the virtual characters will no longer have a totally irrelevant and figurative role in the game, and will have a greater social participation. With the goal of appearing more believable, natural, and, to look more like "living beings". The developed model was validated and evaluated through user tests. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 restrictions that occurred during the execution of this thesis, it was not possible to conduct a controlled in-person evaluation (which would be the ideal way to evaluate our work). Instead, a mod was produced and released online to the Bannerlords player and modding community. The only difference between the mod and the base version of the game was the CIF-BL model used to control the NPCs. The mod was called "Friendly Lords" and released in 18th of August 2021, both in NexusMods and in ModDB. The mod was announced on social networks, such as Reddit, in groups that were related to the game. Participants were voluntarily invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire regarding their gaming experience, and the answers were collected. From the analysis of these same answers, very favorable results were obtained for the objectives we defined. However, overall, the feedback from players and the community has been very positive about the mod and its modifications to the game. Some examples are that it looks promising, that they want active development, and that are grateful to help bring new life to the game. People give suggestions and constructive feedback to implement in the mod and help get a better experience. Meanwhile, some players have shown more interest and offered to collaborate directly in the development, either for more dialogue options between the NPCs, or to translate the mod respectively into Turkish which is the native language of the studio currently developing the game. In short, using the social architecture implemented in the game, the Credibility of NPCs and the Social Presence improved by more than 30%, having successfully achieved the goals. This document describes in more detail the process of researching, implementing and testing the model. To improve this work and the Artificial Intelligence social architecture, it would be necessary to at least add more personality traits and a greater number of different social interactions, for the NPCs to have a greater diversity in terms of their social behavior.
- Incentivos ao Investimento e o seu impacto na gestão financeira das empresas beneficiárias: um estudo exploratórioPublication . Pereira, Paulo Jorge Teixeira; Coelho, Luís; Peixinho, RúbenEste trabalho de investigação aborda o acesso aos sistemas de incentivo (SI) financiados pelos fundos comunitários e atribuídos às empresas que realizam investimentos em inovação e empreendedorismo empresarial, em especial às PME. Os principais objetivos foram identificar os prazos efetivos decorrentes das várias fases do acesso a esta fonte de financiamento e, à luz do que é estabelecido na legislação em vigor, identificar a existência de desvios que comprometam a gestão financeira dos projetos de investimento apoiados. A investigação utilizou uma abordagem quantitativa para desenvolver um estudo exploratório que analisa os dados públicos disponíveis, complementado com uma amostra representativa de uma base de dados privada com informação referente a todos os procedimentos de 76 projetos de investimento candidatos aos sistemas de incentivo à inovação e empreendedorismo do Portugal 2020. Os principais resultados demonstram que o processo de atribuição dos SI às empresas se revela demorado obrigando a que, durante a execução do investimento, haja necessidade de alterar o modelo de financiamento dos projetos, o que comporta custos adicionais de natureza financeira. Para além de não ser possível estabelecer um padrão de abertura dos concursos, observa-se que também os prazos referentes à análise, decisão, pagamentos e conclusão dos projetos, não correspondem, na maior parte das vezes, ao que está previsto na legislação aplicável.
- A promoção de competências pessoais e emocionais em contexto escolar: contributos da técnica da meditação transcendental em sala de aulaPublication . Leal, Pedrina Conceição Pia Pires; Vieira, Luís SérgioA Meditação Transcendental (MT) pretende provar que é eficaz na promoção da aprendizagem inclusiva e na capacitação do aluno para obter sucesso na educação e desenvolver o seu pleno potencial, independentemente das origens socioeconômicas, ao mesmo tempo que ajuda os professores a lidarem com a diversidade. Apesar da técnica da MT existir já há muitos anos, ainda é pouco praticada, principalmente em contexto escolar, nomeadamente no mundo ocidental. Ainda com poucas investigações empíricos em Portugal, este estudo tem a intenção de estudar os contributos da prática da MT em contexto escolar na autoeficácia e no sucesso académico em estudantes do ensino básico português. Assim, avaliamos os contributos da técnica “Quiet Time” ou “Tempo de Silêncio” em contexto escolar, na melhoria de variáveis associadas ao processo de aprendizagem (por exemplo, hábitos de estudo, satisfação com a escola) e no incremento da autoeficácia, nomeadamente na autoeficácia para a aprendizagem autorregulada e para a autoeficácia para o sucesso académico. Ainda, os seus benefícios para o incremento da satisfação com a vida e para o aumento da experiência emocional positiva. Por último, com a melhoria de competências sociais e de relação interpessoal em contexto escolar. Este estudo tem um cariz longitudinal com um desenho metodológico quasi-exprimental com dois momentos (pré-teste; pós-teste), com um intervalo de seis meses. A amostra para esta investigação é constituída por 53 alunos do ensino básico, dos 1.º a 3.º ciclos, organizados em dois grupos, um grupo experimental e um grupo de controlo.
- Estudo do papel da ataxin-2 no envelhecimento neuronalPublication . Revez, Margarida Inês de Goes e; Nóbrega, Clévio; Carmo Silva, SaraThe aging process is a set of changes that occur in the entire organism as a consequence of degenerative damage that affects biological, molecular, and physiological processes. The hypothalamus plays an important role in several physiological functions associated with the aging process. There are several mediators involved in the process of regulating these functions, one of which is Ataxin-2. Ataxin-2 is a cytoplasmic protein with an important role in the RNA metabolic process, regulation of translation, stress granule assembly, calcium homeostasis and insulin signalization, among others. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Ataxin-2 expression in the hypothalamus, assessing molecular and physiological characteristics of the aging process. For that, C5BL/J6 mice were randomly divided into three groups and subsequently submitted to stereotaxic injections of lentiviral vectors encoding for human ATX2 and for GFP (as control). There were three experimental groups: one with non-injected mice, one with mice injected with Ataxin-2, and one with mice injected with GFP. Results show that Ataxin-2 caused the mice to gain weight and the tissues of the mice injected with Ataxin-2 revealed to be like young mice histology, with Ataxin-2 reducing the levels of inflammation on a molecular level. These data could suggest that Ataxin-2 delays the aging process, proving to have a very important role in regulating molecular and physiological functions in the hypothalamus during that process. However, further investigation is needed to establish Ataxin-2 as a regulatory aging mediator.