Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-07"
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- Southern African Stone Age archaeology and palaeontology in a mining context: the example of Gudrun Corvinus in the diamond mines of the Sperrgebiet, Namibia (1976–1980)Publication . Mesfin, Isis; Mussgnug, Ulla; Hallinan, EmilyMining operations in Africa have played a considerable role in the reconstruction of human evolution. These contributions would not have been possible without co-operation between the mining industry, archaeology and palaeontology. However, closer scrutiny of their initially fortuitous relationship reveals limitations and fundamental differences in approach. A compelling case study is that of palaeontologist and archaeologist Gudrun Corvinus, employed by Consolidated Diamond Mines in the Sperrgebiet region of Namibia between 1976 and 1980. Corvinus wrote numerous internal mine reports and scientific publications, but also left behind an exhaustive body of private records along with palaeontological and archaeological museum collections. By contrasting this legacy, this paper presents a rich narrative of her attempt to reconcile the fulfilment of her contract requirements with her scientific principles. It sketches a progressively conflict-laden relationship between her and the profit-centred management of a multi-national company. The scientific legacy of Gudrun Corvinus and the historiographical facts and ramifications of this loss of co-operation are discussed in terms of cultural heritage, scientific knowledge and dissemination. Assessing her fight in the naturally and culturally rich environment of the Sperrgebiet, the paper concludes by considering the threat that mining poses to Pleistocene heritage sites in Namibia.
- Distribution, identification and cytotoxicity of Gambierdiscus (Dinophyceae) in the Atlantic Selvagens Islands (Madeira, Portugal): a ciguatera gateway to EuropePublication . Godinho, Lia; Soliño, Lucia; Churro, Catarina; Timoteo, Viriato; Santos, Carolina; Gouveia, Neide; Diogène, Jorge; Reis Costa, PedroThe emerging threat of ciguatera poisoning (CP) in Europe has been associated with fish captured in the Canary Islands (Spain) and Selvagens Islands (Portugal). The first are heavily populated islands where numerous scientific studies have been carried out. Conversely, the Selvagens Islands are a nature reserve with low human pressure that have been rarely surveyed in terms of the marine benthic microalgae, including the epiphytic ciguatera-causing dinoflagellate species. To investigate the harmful microalgal diversity of the Selvagens Islands, a scientific cruise to these remote islands took place in September, 2018. The Gambierdiscus species composition and distribution, and the associated epiphytic dinoflagellate community, were assessed using artificial substrate devices. Gambierdiscus cells were found in all samples, reaching concentrations of up to 725 cells 100 cm(-2). G. australes was the only species identified after morphological and molecular analysis of the retrieved cultures. Species identification was confirmed by molecular characterization based on the LSU D8-D10 region. Nevertheless, phylogenetic studies indicated that some strains diverged from the G. australes clade suggesting genetic differentiation. Toxicity was estimated by neuro-2a cell-based assay in four strains, ranging from 2.46-83 fg of CTX1B eq. cell(-1). The epiphytic dinoflagellate community that co-occurred with Gambierdiscus comprised other toxic or potentially toxic dinoflagellates, such as Ostreopsis, Prorocentrum, Amphidinium and Coolia species. Oceanographic and meteorological data were also obtained to characterize the occurrence of Gambierdiscus. This study is the first stage in understanding the role of the Selvagens Islands in the incubation and proliferation of the ciguatera-causing dinoflagellates Gambierdiscus in the NE Atlantic.
- A deep learning approach to improving spectral analysis of fruit quality under interseason variationPublication . Yang, Jie; Luo, Xuan; Zhang, Xiaolei; Passos, Dário; Xie, Lijuan; Rao, Xiuqin; Xu, Huirong; Ting, K.C.; Lin, Tao; Ying, YibinModel updating for developed calibrations is critical for robust spectral analysis in fruit quality control. Existing methods have limitations that usually need sufficient samples for model recalibration and are mainly designed for conventional linear models. This study proposes a model fine-tuning approach to update nonlinear deep learning models using limited sample sizes for fruit detection under interseason variation. This approach provides RMSE of 0.407, 1.035, and 0.642, for predicting soluble solid content (%) or dry matter content (%), in the Cuiguan pear, Rocha pear, and Mango dataset. The proposed approach reduces at least 9.2%, 17.5%, and 11.6% of test RMSE in three datasets compared with conventional model updating methods, including the global model, recalibration, and slope/bias correction. The model fine-tuning approach shows improved reliability under different updating sample sizes, ranging from 5% to 20% proportions of the new season's samples. The utilization of cumulative data in multiple previous seasons enables further improved performance. This study potentially facilitates implementing high-performance deep learning approaches in on-site applications of fruit quality control.
- Temporal shifts in ostracode sexual dimorphism from the Late Cretaceous to the late Eocene of the U.S. Coastal PlainPublication . Samuels-Fair, Maya; Martins, Maria Joao Fernandes; Lockwood, Rowan; Swaddle, John P.; Hunt, GeneOstracodes of the superfamily Cytheroidea exhibit sexual dimorphism in the carapace such that males are more elongate than females. This sex difference is attributed to the need of the carapace to accommodate the large male copulatory apparatus, and the degree of dimorphism is an indication of male investment in reproduction. In this study, we examine trends in sexual dimorphism, as a proxy for sexual selection, from the Late Cretaceous to the late Eocene to better understand the long-term effects of the Cretaceous/Paleogene mass extinction. We used mixture models to identify sex clusters from digitized outlines of photographed specimens and estimated size and shape dimorphism as the difference in the mean log area and the mean log length-to-height ratio for male and female clusters. We found dimorphism exhibits a phylogenetic signal; families and genera tend to occupy various restricted subsets of dimorphism space. Previous work documented that the mean and variance in size and shape dimorphism decreased sharply at the Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary, and here we show that this fauna only partially returns to Cretaceous dimorphism patterns by the late Eocene. Most surprisingly, species with both high size and shape dimorphism, which occurred in a diverse set of taxa before the extinction, remain rare into the late Eocene. These trends suggest sexual selection may respond to several possible demographic and environmental factors, which warrant further investigation.
- Memorial do Convento e a conquista da notoriedade pelo escritor José SaramagoPublication . Carmo, Carina Infante doNuma resposta dada em entrevista a Carlos Payás, em 2006, José Saramago invoca o impacto que teve na sua trajetória a exoneração do cargo de director- adjunto do Jornal de Notícias, em novembro de 1975, levando-o a um decisivo salto no escuro que foi procurar ser escritor.
- The multi-annual residency of juvenile smooth hammerhead shark in an oceanic island nurseryPublication . Afonso, Pedro; Gandra, Miguel; Graça, Gonçalo; Macena, Bruno; Vandeperre, Frederic; Fontes, JorgeThe increased risk of local extinction becomes critical for sharks depending on the narrow and isolated coastal habitats of oceanic islands. This includes large pelagic oceanic sharks that use such habitats as nurseries, as previously hypothesized for the smooth hammerhead Sphyrna zygaena, the least known of cosmopolitan large hammerhead sharks. We used a combination of acoustic and satellite telemetry in a juvenile population of Faial and Pico islands, Azores, mid-north Atlantic, to confirm if this isolated archipelago holds nurseries, and to answer questions related to their function and spatial-temporal stability. Our long-term acoustic tracking data showed a cluster of individual core home ranges in specific areas of north shore Faial, and surface positions from five Argos-linked tagged individuals also showed a clustering overlap in those areas for up to 1 year. These patterns seem to reveal a true habitat preference within the Faial-Pico island (sub) population of juvenile smooth hammerhead shark, and thus constitute strong evidence for this area to be considered a nursery. Some individuals remained in this nursery for up to 4 years, especially during summers. Sharks also showed a strong diel behavior, typically using the inshore nurseries during the day and moving further offshore during the night, during which they increased activity and dove deeper, most possibly to feed. We speculate that a combination of increased feeding opportunities, expanded trophic niche, and reduced predatory pressure may be a key evolutionary driver for the existence, prolonged use, and even preference of coastal nurseries at oceanic islands by juvenile smooth hammerhead shark. Given that these nurseries may constitute essential fish habitat for this species, they should be explicitly included in spatial management measures at the local and regional scales, as they may also play a role of greater importance to the north Atlantic population of this oceanic species.
- Attention-based model and deep reinforcement learning for distribution of event processing tasksPublication . Mazayev, Andriy; Al-Tam, Faroq; Correia, NoéliaEvent processing is the cornerstone of the dynamic and responsive Internet of Things (IoT). Recent approaches in this area are based on representational state transfer (REST) principles, which allow event processing tasks to be placed at any device that follows the same principles. However, the tasks should be properly distributed among edge devices to ensure fair resources utilization and guarantee seamless execution. This article investigates the use of deep learning to fairly distribute the tasks. An attention-based neural network model is proposed to generate efficient load balancing solutions under different scenarios. The proposed model is based on the Transformer and Pointer Network architectures, and is trained by an advantage actorcritic reinforcement learning algorithm. The model is designed to scale to the number of event processing tasks and the number of edge devices, with no need for hyperparameters re-tuning or even retraining. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed model outperforms conventional heuristics in many key performance indicators. The generic design and the obtained results show that the proposed model can potentially be applied to several other load balancing problem variations, which makes the proposal an attractive option to be used in real-world scenarios due to its scalability and efficiency.
- Clear cell neoplasms of salivary glands: A diagnostic challengePublication . Skalova, Alena; Leivo, Ilmo; Hellquist, Henrik; Simpson, Roderick H.W.; Vander Poorten, Vincent; Willems, Stefan M.; Mosaieby, Elaheh; Slouka, David; Ferlito, AlfioThis review focuses on the heterogenous group of clear cell neoplasms of salivary glands and attempts to identify major differential diagnostic features. Within the head and neck region, clear cells are found most commonly in salivary gland tumors, but may also be seen in tumors of squamous or odontogenic epithelial origin, primary or metastatic carcinomas, benign or malignant melanocytic lesions, or benign or malignant mesenchymal tumors. Clear cells occur fairly commonly among a wide variety of salivary gland neoplasms, but mostly they constitute only a minor component of the tumor cell population. Clear cells represent a major diagnostic feature in two salivary gland neoplasms, epithelial-myoepithelial carcinoma and hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma. In addition, salivary gland neoplasms composed predominantly of clear cells could also include clear cell variants of other salivary neoplasms, such as mucoepidermoid carcinoma and myoepithelial carcinoma, but their tumor type-specific histologic features may only be available in limited nonclear cell areas of the tumor. Diagnosing predominantly clear cell salivary gland tumors is difficult because the immunoprofiles and morphologic features may overlap and the same tumor entity may also have a wide range of other histologic presentations. Many salivary gland tumors are characterized by tumor type-specific genomic alterations, particularly gene fusions of the ETV6 gene in secretory carcinoma, the MYB and MYBL1 genes in adenoid cystic carcinoma, the MAML2 gene in mucoepidermoid carcinoma, the EWSR1 gene in hyalinizing clear cell carcinoma, and others. Thus, along with conventional histopathologic examination and immunoprofiling, molecular and genetic tests may be important in the diagnosis of salivary gland clear cell tumors by demonstrating genetic alterations specific to them.
- Left ventricular non-compaction: challenges in the etiopathogenesis and risk stratification of sudden cardiac death in clinical practicePublication . Marques, NunoIn their study published in this issue of the Journal,1 Oliveira et al. elegantly described a family of patients with left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC), illustrating the challenges in clinical practice regarding etiological investigation and risk stratification of sudden cardiac death in these patients. A family history of LVNC has been described in about 30% of cases2 and a pathogenic mutation has been found in nearly one-third.3 Although LVNC is a genetically heterogeneous cardiomyopathy, sarcomere mutations represent more than half of the known genetic causes, especially in adults, and MYH7 is one of the most commonly mutated genes.2 Nevertheless, the causal relation between genetic variants and the LVNC phenotype remains to be ascertained in the majority of cases. This case report underlines the importance of a specialized cardiomyopathy team in the systematic genetic and clinical screening of family relatives and the interpretation of the clinical significance of genetic variants in LVNC.
- Concentrating solar cookers in urban areas: establishing usefulness through realistic intermediate temperature rating and gradingPublication . Sagade, Atul A.; Apaolaza-Pagoaga, Xabier; Ruivo, Celestino; Carrillo-Andrés, AntonioConcentrating Solar Cookers (CSCs) are well-known for fast cooking and can significantly contribute to attaining the United Nation's sustainable development goals. CSCs attain intermediate temperatures (120-240 degrees C) and are suitable for several cooking applications. The realistic rating and grading of CSCs is inevitable for establishing their usefulness in urban areas, which is the main objective of the present work. This paper reveals the experimental results of two existing concentrating solar cookers with different geometries and aperture areas. The first cooker is a shallow satellite antenna parabolic dish, and the other is a small deep parabola. Cooker Opto-thermal Ratio (COR) acts as a thermal performance parameter, and glycerin as a test load for their performance evaluation.The mean values of COR for the cookers, CSC1, and CSC3, are 0.180 and 0.092, respectively. The typical theoretical values of maximum achievable fluid temperature are 192.9 and 113.9 degrees C, respectively, and that for reference time are 23.8 and 60.5 min for CSC1 and CSC3, respectively. COR identifies the variation in the performance of CSCs based on a design change. The objective parameters enable realistic intra-cooker performance comparison of the CSCs at intermediate temperatures. The results depict that the existing designs of CSCs can be graded appropriately using COR and provide new insights into their performance at intermediate temperatures realistically. TPP-based realistic rating and grading of existing designs of solar cookers enable their effortless selection as per end-user requirements and help in the faster propagation of solar cooking technology in urban and semi-urban areas.
- Vibriosis outbreaks in aquaculture: addressing environmental and public health concerns and preventive therapies using gilthead seabream farming as a model systemPublication . Sanches-Fernandes, Gracinda M. M.; Sá-Correia, Isabel; Da Silva Costa, RodrigoBacterial and viral diseases in aquaculture result in severe production and economic losses. Among pathogenic bacteria, species belonging to the Vibrio genus are one of the most common and widespread disease-causing agents. Vibrio infections play a leading role in constraining the sustainable growth of the aquaculture sector worldwide and, consequently, are the target of manifold disease prevention strategies. During the early, larval stages of development, Vibrio species are a common cause of high mortality rates in reared fish and shellfish, circumstances under which the host organisms might be highly susceptible to disease preventive or treatment strategies such as vaccines and antibiotics use, respectively. Regardless of host developmental stage, Vibrio infections may occur suddenly and can lead to the loss of the entire population reared in a given aquaculture system. Furthermore, the frequency of Vibrio-associated diseases in humans is increasing globally and has been linked to anthropic activities, in particular human-driven climate change and intensive livestock production. In this context, here we cover the current knowledge of Vibrio infections in fish aquaculture, with a focus on the model species gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata), a highly valuable reared fish in the mediterranean climatic zone. Molecular methods currently used for fast detection and identification of Vibrio pathogens and their antibiotic resistance profiles are addressed. Targeted therapeutic approaches are critically examined. They include vaccination, phage therapy and probiotics supplementation, which bear promise in supressing vibriosis in land-based fish rearing and in mitigating possible threats to human health and the environment. This literature review suggests that antibiotic resistance is increasing among Vibrio species, with the use of probiotics constituting a promising, sustainable approach to prevent Vibrio infections in aquaculture.
- Multiproxy characterization of high energy layers in the nner continental shelf of Quarteira (Southern Portugal) - Preliminary resultsPublication . Santos, Jacqueline; Drago, Teresa; Moura, Delminda; Magalhães, Vitor; Roque, Cristina; Silva, Pedro F.; Rodrigues, Ana Isabel; Terrinha, Pedro; Anxo, Mena; Francés, Guillermo; Lopes, Ana; Alberto, Ana; Baptista, Maria AnaThe occurrence of sedimentary layers indicating high energy events is common in the continental shelves sedimentary record. Their presence has been usually related either to tsunami waves or storm waves. In both cases, the identification of the transport mechanism requires a variety of proxies. This work presents the preliminary results of the analysis of a gravity core (MW-107) collected at ca. 57 m water depth in the inner continental shelf of Quarteira (Algarve) and aims to identify potential high energy events.
- Reply to the comment by Meco et al. on “Range expansion of tropical shallow-water marine molluscs in the NE Atlantic during the last interglacial (MIS 5e): Causes, consequences and utility of ecostratigraphic indicators for the Macaronesian archipelagos”Publication . Melo, Carlos S.; Martín-González, Esther; da Silva, Carlos M.; Galindo, Inés; González-Rodríguez, Alberto; Baptista, Lara; Rebelo, A. Cristina; Madeira, Patrícia; H L Voelker, Antje; Johnson, Markes E.; Arruda, Samuel A.; Ávila, Sérgio P.It was with much interest that we read the comment made by Meco et al. (2022), regarding our work on “Range expansion of tropical shallow-water marine molluscs in the NE Atlantic during the last interglacial (MIS 5e): Causes, consequences and utility of ecostratigraphic indicators for the Macaronesian archipelagos”. We welcome the discussion generated by our paper and appreciate the recognition of its complexity and broad scope. In our opinion, the arguments offered by Meco et al. (2022) do not contradict our conclusions. Nevertheless, we take this opportunity to address their critiques regarding our list of “ecostratigraphic indicators” and parts of our hypothesized range expansions. Meco et al.
- Trainee-led collaborative research: the future presentPublication . Ancetti, Stefano; de Borst, Gert J.; Buschs, Albert; Fidalgo Domingos, Liliana; Enzmann, Florian; Ferreira Sousa, Joel; Gratl, Alexandra; Hinchliffe, Robert; Jongkind, Vincent; Lareyre, Fabien; Meecham, Lewis; Nederhoed, Hilian; Staniszewska, Aleksandra; Teraa, Martin; Weiss, Salome; Zlatanovic, PetarResearch collaboratives are a compelling addition to traditional academic institution-led research; highly motivated individuals connected across national and international networks are able to access huge populations and huge voluntary workforces very quickly to deliver high-quality research that has the potential to be more representative of the global healthcare environment. It is essential that the surgical community embraces, encourages, and supports these organizations to advance the acquisition of knowledge at a pace that was not seen in the past.
- Exploring the role of personal and job resources in professional satisfaction: the case of the hotel sector in AlgarvePublication . Viseu, J.; Patrícia Valle, Patrícia Oom do Valle; Jesus, S. N.Purpose This study aims to follow the Job Demands-Resources model to understand how: job resources (organisational health and organisational support) were related to work engagement through intrinsic motivation (personal resource); and intrinsic motivation was associated with job satisfaction through work engagement. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 504 workers (50% women and 50% men; M = 39.48 years old, SD = 11.98) at four- and five-star hotels from the Algarve, Portugal. Through structural equation modelling, using the maximum likelihood estimation method, nine research hypotheses were tested. Findings Results indicated that intrinsic motivation mediated the relationship between organisational health and work engagement. Work engagement mediated the association between intrinsic motivation and job satisfaction. Practical implications Hotel managers must promote a supportive work environment and demonstrate openness to receiving suggestions from employees. Employees should also be informed about their hotel's business model and operation. At the task design level, challenging and stimulating tasks should be created and job rotation policies should be implemented to foster work motivation. Also, managers must recruit employees that present positive emotions, proactivity and stress and time management skills. Originality/value This study considered the role of organisational health as a job resource, a new concept in hospitality. The selected personal resource, intrinsic motivation, is different from positive psychological capital, the typical resource used in hospitality studies.
- Assessing the effects of the cytostatic drug 5-Fluorouracil alone and in a mixture of emerging contaminants on the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialisPublication . Gonçalves, Joanna M.; Beckmann, Clara; Bebianno, MariaThe assessment of contaminants of emerging concern, alone and in mixtures, and their effects on marine biota requires attention. 5-Fluorouracil is a cytostatic category 3 anti-cancer medication (IARC) that is used to treat a variety of cancers, including colon, pancreatic, and breast cancer. In the presence of other pollutants, this pharmaceutical can interact and form mixtures of contaminants, such as adhering to plastics and interaction with metal nanoparticles. This study aimed to comprehend the effects of 5-Fluorouracil (5FU; 10 ng/L) and a mixture of emerging contaminants (Mix): silver nanoparticles (nAg; 20 nm; 10 mu g/L), polystyrene nanoparticles (nPS; 50 nm; 10 mu g/L) and 5FU (10 ng/L), in an in vivo (21 days) exposure of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. A multibiomarker approach namely genotoxicity, the antioxidant defence system (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidases (GPx), glutathione - S - transferases (GST) activities), and oxidative damage (LPO) was used to assess the effects in gills and digestive gland of mussels. Both treatments cause genotoxicity in mussel's haemolymph, and antagonism between contaminants was observed in the Mix. Genotoxicity observed confirms 5FU's mode of action (MoA) by DNA damage. The antioxidant defence system of mussels exposed to 5FU kicked in and counter balanced ROS generated during the exposure, though the same was not seen in Mix-exposed mussels. Mussels were able to withstand the effects of the single compound but not the effects of the Mix. For oxidative stress and damage, the interactions of the components of the mixture have a synergistic effect.
- Iron architectural decorative elements in the urban landscape of the historic centre of Lagos, Portugal. A contribution for sustainable tourismPublication . Pereira, Ednei; Pires Rosa, ManuelaCultural sustainability matters tangible and intangible heritage, cultural diversity, and the cultural identity of territories. Historic centres have considerable heritage resources that honour the legacy and knowledge generated by humanity in the past, and it is fundamental to preserve and transmit them to future generations. With the industrial revolution, innovative materials and techniques were developed. These are visible in 19th century buildings, as there was an intensive use of decorative elements on their facades, in which the use of cast and wrought iron artwork stood out, such as the window grilles and balconies, fanlights and side panels, doorknobs, knockers and hinges, among others. These metallic elements participate in the composition of the buildings, enhancing the urban landscape. The perception of the importance of these decorative elements in the architectural language of the buildings located in the historical centre of Lagos, Portugal, led to an inventory of the iron elements on the facade of buildings, finding that they have specific characteristics in terms of shape or design, material, and symbolic representation. These architectural elements are adapted to artistic movements and to distinct periods. This study presents the spatial distribution of cast and wrought iron elements indicative of the Romantic period of the end of the 19th century and to the Art Nouveau period of the beginning of the 20th century. The results indicate that the decorative iron elements have great expression, giving aesthetic value to the urban landscape and cultural identity being an opportunity to enhance the attractiveness of the historic centre through outdoor cultural routes.
- Agia marina and Peristereònas: two new epipalaeolithic sites on the Island of Lemnos (Greece)Publication . Efstratiou, Nikos; Biagi, Paolo; Starnini, Elisabetta; Kyriakou, Dimitris; ELEFTHERIADOU, ANASTASIAThe surveys carried out along the coasts of the island of Lemnos (Greece) have led to the discovery of new Late Epipalaeolithic sites at Agia Marina and Peristereonas. Peristereonas yielded a knapped stone assemblage that is strictly comparable with that from Ouriakos, a site located along the south-eastern coast of the same island, while the artefacts from Agia Marina are more problematic to interpret because they are probably to be attributed to a slightly different period. However, the most characteristic artefacts recovered from the sites are represented by microlithic geometrics obtained by abrupt, bipolar, or direct retouch, end scrapers, and different types of exhausted cores and technical pieces, which help us reconstruct the operational sequence employed for the manufacture of the armatures. The aim of the paper is to contribute to the interpretation of the characteristics of the Late Epipalaeolithic assemblages discovered on the island and to frame them into the general picture of the end of the Pleistocene in this part of the Aegean. The artefacts from the sites show unique characteristics, without parallels to the knapped stone assemblages of the same period so far recovered along the coasts of the Aegean Sea, the eastern Mediterranean, the Levant, and the Black Sea.
- COVID-19 impact on tourism: the system thinking approach applied to the case of PortugalPublication . Lampreia Carvalho, Fatima; Fernandes, SilviaThis work applies systems theory and tools to build a flexible framework for sustainable tourism in Portugal due to the Covid-19 impacts. The objectives are (1) to explore the cause-effect relationships between and among the variables involved; (2) to develop a causal loop diagram that resumes the role of tourism stakeholders and (3) to identify policy directions to enhance Portuguese tourism. Tourism recovery in the country will depend mainly on interlinked factors of economic, social and health fields. Its complexity requires new approaches in tourism research, such as system thinking models and testing tools such as neural simulation. As well as statistical data and tourism official documents, a panel of European specialists has been used. The proposed approach is innovative as it helps the integration of tourism theory with other fields, and outlines policy solutions to the situation in Portugal which can be dynamically adapted. A qualitative analysis pointed out how crucial are the policy making activities (rebalancing measures) counteracting the causes and negative consequences of the problem.
- Projected and perceived image: a study of the Walt Disney company parks and resortsPublication . Fischer, Barbara; Agapito, Dora; Guerreiro, ManuelaCom o objetivo de concluir o grau de Mestre em Management, com especialização em Tourism Management, pela Faculdade de Economia da Universidade do Algarve, realizou-se um estudo que englobasse os diferentes interesses da autora para o futuro. Com o grau de bacharel em Comunicação Social conquistado em 2017, entender como a comunicação acontece dentro das organizações e através delas, e os impactos provenientes disso, sempre foi um tópico de interesse. O interesse pela área de gestão surgiu através do amor pela comunicação nas organizações, que é criada pelos gestores. Depois de algumas experiências profissionais na área de turismo e hospitalidade, o curso de Management oferecido pela Universidade do Algarve surgiu como uma possibilidade de unir estas áreas de interesse: comunicação, gestão e turismo. A união destas três áreas pode representar uma vantagem imensurável dentro de qualquer organização, e não seria diferente quando se refere a um destino turístico. Cada vez mais as organizações percebem a necessidade de se colocar no mercado de forma favorável e percebem o impacto que usar a comunicação para se projetar e se destacar dentro do mercado pode representar. A imagem de uma marca e como esta marca comunica a sua imagem para seu público é algo que pode valorizar as organizações. Saber gerir a imagem de uma marca e comunicá-la de forma eficiente pode diferenciar uma empresa bem sucedida de outras que não conseguem alcançar os seus objetivos. Esta dissertação traz como objeto de estudo uma das maiores e mais reconhecidas empresas mundiais, a Walt Disney Company, que, além de referência na área de entretenimento, também possui alguns dos destinos turísticos mais visitados do mundo. De facto, para além do sucesso alcançado pela empresa na televisão com seus filmes e cartoons, a empresa fundada por Walt Disney possui parques temáticos em 6 diferentes localidades – França, Hong Kong, Japão, Xangai e dois localizados nos Estados Unidos da América, nos Estados da Flórida e Califórnia. O maior e mais conhecido dos complexos Disney é o Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts (WDW P&R), inaugurado em 1971 em Orlando, Flórida. Desde a fundação dos seus parques temáticos, a Walt Disney Company sempre foi referência na área de hospitalidade pelo excecional atendimento ao cliente que proporciona. Esta dissertação investiga a imagem desta organização de duas formas. Primeiro, é analisada a imagem que é projetada pela Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts através do seu site oficial, depois, analisa-se e a imagem que é percebida pelos clientes após a visita ao destino turístico (parque temático). A investigação da imagem por via destas duas perspetivas possibilita que se entenda qual é a identidade da WDW P&R, ou seja, qual é a imagem que a empresa compartilha com seu público (a imagem que a empresa gostaria que fosse percebida por quem consome a sua marca). De igual forma, é possível entender qual é a imagem do destino que de facto é percebida por quem o visita. O site oficial de uma organização é um dos principais meios de comunicação de uma marca com o seu público-alvo. Especialmente na era digital, onde muita informação é procurada online, a forma como uma empresa comunica a sua marca através do seu site oficial pode acrescentar valor. É o caso dos destinos turísticos, já que esta é uma oportunidade de mostrar mais sobre os seus produtos, serviços e experiências. O que se partilha nos sites oficiais é de extrema importância visto que eles são relevantes fontes de informação e auxiliam na formação de opinião. A análise dos sites oficiais da Walt Disney proporcionou que se entendesse qual é a imagem que a Disney projeta para o seu público. A imagem projetada por uma empresa nem sempre será a mesma que é percebida pelo público. Para perceber a perspetiva dos que visitam a Walt Disney World como um destino turístico, utilizaram-se as avaliações reportadas pelo público após terem visitado os parques. Estas avaliações foram recolhidas no site TripAdvisor, uma plataforma online que permite que viajantes compartilhem as suas experiências e avaliem destinos turísticos de forma livre. Com a recolha destas informações e a análise cuidadosa dos dados por meio de uma análise de conteúdo qualitativa, foi possível entender qual é a imagem que de facto é percebida pelos viajantes durante o tempo que passam nos parques da Disney. Com essa análise, pode-se entender se a imagem que é projetada pela organização é percebida pelo público durante a sua experiência. Com os resultados obtidos, foi feita uma comparação para que os pontos comuns e divergentes ficassem evidenciados. Entre os pontos comuns, destacam-se a diversão e a magia, encontrados tanto na imagem projetada quanto na imagem percebida. O storytelling também é um elemento que tem grande destaque na identidade da marca, e que é percebido e destacado pelos visitantes. Mesmo com elementos importantes em comum, essa pesquisa também encontrou elementos divergentes, como os altos preços e parques superlotados, com grandes filas para as atrações, que receberam destaque entre os relatos dos visitantes. Através dos resultados obtidos, percebeu-se que a imagem geral da WDW P&R é positiva e elementos importantes da imagem que a organização projeta são percebidos pelos visitantes, porém, existem pontos a serem ajustados para que os elementos negativos destacados por alguns visitantes sejam contidos e não venham representar uma ameaça para a empresa. Para um destino turístico, ter controle e conhecimento sobre estas informações tão importantes sobre uma marca pode representar uma vantagem em relação aos seus concorrentes. Não é suficiente conhecer a sua marca e usar este conhecimento para projetar uma imagem para seu público-alvo. É preciso que se investigue e entenda qual é a imagem que é recebida pelo seu público e quais os impactos disso para quem mais importa — os consumidores. Somente entendendo como a imagem de uma marca é recebida na perspetiva do consumidor permite que se crie ações e estratégias para que a imagem recebida pelo público seja compatível com a imagem projetada pela organização.