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Percorrer Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia por Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS) "03:Saúde de Qualidade"
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- Adaptation and validation of the perceived restorativeness scale (PRS) for the portuguese population: a study on the assessment of the restorative effect of environmentsPublication . Sousa, Cátia; Silva Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Encarnação, Tiago; Gonçalves, GabrielaThe relationship between natural environments and psychological well-being has gained increasing attention in environmental and health sciences. However, there is still a lack of robust quantitative instruments to assess the restorative potential of different environments. This study aimed to adapt and validate the Portuguese version of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale (PRS), an instrument based on Attention Restoration Theory that evaluates the perceived restorative qualities of environments. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from 410 participants. The results supported a refined 20-item version of the scale, comprising four factors—being away, fascination, compatibility, and legibility—with good internal consistency and acceptable model fit. Measurement invariance analysis confirmed configural, metric, and scalar invariance across gender. In Study 2, a separate sample of 212 participants completed the PRS along with additional validated measures: the Sublime Emotion toward Nature Scale (SEN), an aesthetic evaluation of landscapes, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS). The PRS showed strong convergent and discriminant validity and significantly predicted restorative outcomes. These findings support the psychometric adequacy of the Portuguese PRS and its relevance as a valid tool for assessing perceived restorativeness in both natural and built environments. The scale may inform future research and public policies aimed at designing spaces that promote psychological restoration and mental well-being.
- Embedding a real-time strawberry detection model into a pesticide-spraying mobile robot for greenhouse operationPublication . Amraoui, Khalid El; Ansari, Mohamed El; Lghoul, Mouataz; Alaoui, Mustapha El; Abanay, Abdelkrim; Jabri, Bouazza; Masmoudi, Lhoussaine; LUÍS VALENTE DE OLIVEIRA, JOSÉAbstract: The real-time detection of fruits and plants is a crucial aspect of digital agriculture, enhancing farming efficiency and productivity. This study addresses the challenge of embedding a real-time strawberry detection system in a small mobile robot operating within a greenhouse environment. The embedded system is based on the YOLO architecture running in a single GPU card, with the Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX) representation being employed to accelerate the detection process. The experiments conducted in this study demonstrate that the proposed model achieves a mean average precision (mAP) of over 97%, processing eight frames per second for 512 × 512 pixel images. These results affirm the utility of the proposed approach in detecting strawberry plants in order to optimize the spraying process and avoid inflicting any harm on the plants. The goal of this research is to highlight the potential of integrating advanced detection algorithms into small-scale robotics, providing a viable solution for enhancing precision agriculture practices.
- Linguistic loops and geometric invariants as a way to pre-verbal thought?Publication . Corradetti, Daniele; Alessio MarraniWe introduce the concepts of linguistic transformation, linguistic loop and semantic deficit. By exploiting Lie group theoretical and geometric techniques, we define invariants that capture the structural properties of a whole linguistic loop. This result paves the way to a totally new line of research, employing tools from Lie theory and higher-dimensional geometry within language studies. But, even more intriguingly, our study hints to a mathematical characterization of the meta-linguistic or pre-verbal thought, namely of those cognitive structures that precede the language.
- Physiological and psychological benefits of exposure to nature during work in a military bunker—a pilot experimental studyPublication . Silva Fernandes, Maria Jacinta; Bento, Ana Teresa; Gonçalves, Gabriela; Campos, ClariceThe present controlled experimental research addresses the effects of exposure to nature on workers’ well-being and job performance in a work-confined setting. Ten individuals working in an open-space office inside a Portuguese military bunker were exposed to simulated nature (audio sounds and/or video images of nature). Quantitative physiological (heart rate) and self-reported measures (perceived positive and negative emotions, environment restorativeness, and work performance) were taken. Results indicate that exposure to nature during working time in confined places, through simulating a window with a view of nature and/or by introducing sounds of nature, promotes physiological and emotional well-being at work (heart rate significantly decreases, positive emotions significantly increase, and negative emotions decrease), and significantly increases employees’ perception of workplace restorative qualities. The results on work performance were non-significant. The present findings contribute to the evidence of the restorative effects of nature exposure during work. The research bridges a gap by considering workplaces where real nature exposure is not feasible and examining the evidence on the beneficial biophilic interventions (the restorative effects of simulated nature) within confined environments. The strategy to use videos and audio of nature may improve the structural conditions of work, benefiting well-being in these types of work settings.
- Selected papers from the XXI SPB national congress of biochemistry 2021Publication . Aureliano, Manuel; Cancela, M. Leonor; Costa, Ana R.; Antunes, Célia M.The XXI SPB National Congress of Biochemistry 2021 was held at the University of Évora in Portugal on 14–16 October 2021. Under challenging conditions, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we managed to organize the National Congress of Biochemistry in a hybrid format, where at least 2/3 of the participants (130) came to Évora in person. With the pandemic under control, we carried out the Congress both successfully and safely. This was the main meeting point for Portuguese Biochemistry Society (SPB), fostering the discussion and dissemination of high-quality research in biochemistry, both fundamental and applied, taking place in Portugal. The scientific program under the title “Tuning Biochemistry with Life Sciences and Society” covered a broad range of boundaries, ranging from molecular mechanisms of diseases to drug discovery, as well as innovative biochemistry projects. Science and innovation were promoted through dialogue, sharing, and healthy confraternization.
- Special issue: emerging topics in metal complexes: pharmacological activity, 2nd editionPublication . Ścibior, Agnieszka; Aureliano, Manuel; Llopis, JuanThis Special Issue (SI), titled “Emerging Topics in Metal Complexes: Pharmacological Activity, 2nd Edition”, includes reports updating our knowledge about magnesium (Mg) and neurodegeneration, various metal-containing complexes in terms of their potential therapeutic applications (i.e., ruthenium (Ru), platinum (Pt), zinc (Zn), vanadium (V), copper (Cu), magnesium (Mg), and other metal complexes and their mechanisms in treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD)), and the efficacy of platinum (Pt)-based complexes in the treatment of lung cancer. It also includes research into a promising radiotheranostic agent against prostate cancer and a novel Fe(III)-pyridoxal-derivative complex with serum proteins and DNA binding activities. In addition, this SI provides valuable findings on the efficacy of methylene blue (MB) in protecting the heart from doxorubicin (Dox)-induced damage and addresses the identification of key active constituents in Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. leaves (EUOL) against Parkinson’s disease (PD) and their underlying mechanisms. The scientific articles making up this SI, i.e., three review articles and four original papers (seven in total), have garnered a total of 16 citations and 17,528 views, indicating an average of 2 citations and 2,504 views per publication (29 November 2025). Figure 1 summarizes the issues included in this SI.