Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2022-03-11"
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- OPA obrigatória e voting capsPublication . Sousa, Beatriz Mariana Lopes de Gouveia e Alves; Baptista, Maria Daniela Farto
- Fertilizer potential of slurry from intensive dairy cattle farms in Intensive production forestry systemsPublication . Menino, R.; Moreira, H.; Castelo-Branco, A.; Gomes, A. A.; Rodrigues, A.; Castro, P. M. L.; Cunha, J.; Guedes, R.; Pereira, S. I. A.Intensive dairy cattle breeding has a relevant social and economic impact in Portugal, particularly in the northern region. This activity generates a high flow of livestock effluents (slurry), rich in important nutrients for plant growth, which can be introduced into intensive production forestry systems. These effluents can provide a good alternative to mineral fertilizers, not only from an economic perspective but, particularly, from the point of view of environmental protection. In the present study, the effect of increasing doses of slurry on tree growth, either with or without mycorrhizal arbuscular fungi (AMF) and plant growthpromoting bacteria (PGPB) inoculation, was evaluated in clones of Paulownia CoT2 and Populus i214, as they are genotypes that have a high efficiency in the mobilization of soil nutrients (namely N) and in the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere, as well as high biomass calorific value. For this purpose, a demonstration field trial was installed, occupying an area of 14,607 m2 , where the trees were planted with the compasses of: 2.5 x 1.5 m and 2.5 x 0.75 m, respectively for Paulownia and for Poplar. Prior to transplantation to the field, some plants were inoculated with AMF and PGPB. In the field, the following treatments were performed: T0 - no fertilization, either mineral or organic; T1 - amount of slurry equivalent to 85 kg of N ha-1; T2 - amount of slurry equivalent to 170 kg of N ha-1; T3 - amount of slurry equivalent to 340 kg of N ha-1, both with and without inoculation. Results revealed a significant and positive effect of the slurry application, both in the diameter at breast height (DBH) and total stand height (TH), showing its high fertilizing potential, and, on the other hand, there was no increased contamination by nitrates and by pathogenic microorganism in the leachates for the experimental doses of slurry. Therefore, we can conclude that, under the experimental conditions, the slurry resulting from the intensive exploitation of cattle constitutes an alternative to exclusively mineral fertilization in intensive production forestry systems, either by increasing the production of biomass or by the absence of contamination of aquifers by nitrates and pathogens.
- Event experience : a consumer’s point of view during the Covid-19 pandemicPublication . Merino, Julia Camila Bonilla; Victorino, Mariana Hidalgo Barata MartinsSocial distancing measures and restrictions set by the Covid-19 Pandemic influenced how brands interact with their consumers and how consumers experience brands. The present study addresses the influence of the Covid-19 Pandemic in event marketing, specifically in online events. Due to social isolation during the Covid-19 Pandemic, marketing events were transferred from a face-to-face format, to an online or hybrid format. To understand how this change affected consumer brand experience, a mixed methods approach was implemented. This methodological approach was chosen because marketing events comprise two perspectives: the consumer’s perspective and the brand’s perspective. To gather the consumer’s point of view, 100 surveys were conducted among individuals who attended events during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The quantitative approach served to characterize the events attended during the Covid-19 Pandemic and to assess five dimensions of consumer experience, respectively the affective, physical, cognitive, novelty and social dimensions. The survey analysis showed that consumers felt less stimulated during online events versus face-to-face events in all experience’s dimensions. Regarding the qualitative approach, three in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted to a creative director, a brand manager, and an event organizer to understand the brand’s point of view. The results of the qualitative approach showed that it was a challenge to maintain consumers’ engagement during online events held during the Covid-19 Pandemic, and that consumers are demanding brands to hold face-to-face events or hybrid events instead of online events. Besides, in-depth interviews helped to develop a set of guidelines that contribute to enhance consumer experience in events. The analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data revealed that brands had to adapt to the changes set by the Covid-19 Pandemic on a fast pace, mostly through trial and error. As for consumers, they felt that their experience was negative in online events versus face-to-face events they attended in the past. In special, the social dimension of event experience was affected when attending online events.
- Validation of psychophysiological measures for caffeine oral films characterization by machine learning approachesPublication . Batista, Patrícia; Rodrigues, Pedro Miguel; Ferreira, Miguel; Moreno, Ana; Silva, Gabriel; Alves, Marco; Pintado, Manuela; Oliveira-Silva, PatríciaBackground: The oral films are a new delivery system that can carry several molecules, such as neuromodulator molecules, including caffeine. These delivery systems have been developed and characterized by pharmacokinetics assays. However, new methodologies, such as psychophysiological measures, can complement their characterization. This study presents a new protocol with psychophysiological parameters to characterize the oral film delivery systems based on a caffeine model. (2) Methods: Thirteen volunteers (61.5% females and 38.5% males) consumed caffeine oral films and placebo oral films (in different moments and without knowing the product). Electrocardiogram (ECG), electrodermal (EDA), and respiratory frequency (RF) data were monitored for 45 min. For the data analysis, the MATLAB environment was used to develop the analysis program. The ECG, EDA, and RF signals were digitally filtered and processed, using a windowing process, for feature extraction and an energy mean value for 5 min segments. Then, the data were computed and presented to the entries of a set of Machine Learning algorithms. Finally, a data statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS. (3) Results: Compared with placebo, caffeine oral films led to a significant increase in power energy in the signal spectrum of heart rate, skin conductance, and respiratory activity. In addition, the ECG time-series power energy activity revealed a better capacity to detect caffeine activity over time than the other physiological modalities. There was no significant change for the female or male gender. (4) Conclusions: The protocol developed, and the psychophysiological methodology used to characterize the delivery system profile were efficient to characterize the drug delivery profile of the caffeine. This is a non-invasive, cheap, and easy method to apply, can be used to determine the neuromodulator drugs delivery profile, and can be implemented in the future.
- Os Direitos Humanos e o Islão no pensamento de Abdullahi An-Na’imPublication . Costa, João Paulo Marques Sabido; Coutinho, José João PereiraA presente tese visa analisar um problema latente, por enquanto, na cena internacional e interna de muitos países. Trata-se da viabilidade de uma convivência harmoniosa da prática da Fé islâmica com o conceito de um Estado moderno, a saber, democrático e liberal, assentado numa estrutura jurídica de Direitos Fundamentais de cariz universal. Para esse efeito, foi seguido o pensamento de um académico americano-sudanês, Abdullahi An-Na’im sobre o tema, escolhendo-se a vertente por aquele abordada da compatibilidade do conteúdo ortodoxo da religião Islâmica, por ele professada, com o respeito pelos Direitos Humanos. Com essa base, An-Na’im analisa, também, as características de um Estado moderno, bem como a viabilidade da autêntica vivência muçulmana no âmbito do mesmo, com base na secularidade daquele, do seu respeito por Direitos Humanos de dimensão universal e da igualdade entre cidadãos. Embora com uma justificação religiosa ortodoxa, a argumentação de An-Na’im é, eminentemente, jurídica e política, desenvolvendo e articulando conceitos suscetíveis de proporcionar uma resposta positiva à questão inicialmente colocada.
- A perceção dos consumidores millenials do valor de uma marca : estudo de caso : PUKKAPublication . Ramalho, Inês Margarida Boasinha Ribeiro; Brandão, Nuno Manuel Coelho de GoulartVivemos num século onde existe uma enorme oferta de marcas, logo torna-se mais difícil e desafiante ser uma marca diferenciadora e superior aos seus concorrentes. Neste sentido, é crucial encontrar uma estratégia que seja mais forte que as outras e que se destaque perante os olhos do consumidor alvo de forma a atingir o sucesso no mercado em que está inserido. O Marketing de Causas é um bom exemplo de uma área em crescimento. Tendo em conta a premissa anterior, é fundamental potenciar o valor da marca. Segundo Aaker (1991), o Brand Equity é composto por diferentes dimensões que ajudam a marca nesse sentido: lealdade, notoriedade, associações à marca, qualidade percebida e outros ativos. Todos estes valores em conjunto e alinhados ajudam no boost do valor da marca. No que diz respeito ao que a marca diz ser e aquilo que é avaliado pelos seus consumidores através da identidade e imagem da marca, surge o Prisma da Identidade da Marca de Kapferer (2004) para ajudar a apurar. Definiu-se assim, como pergunta de partida para a presente investigação, se “os valores definidos pela marca Pukka refletem-se na perceção da marca por parte dos seus clientes Millennials?”. Após o estudo realizado, com os resultados obtidos, foi possível validar 4 das 5 hipóteses postuladas. Constatou-se que os clientes da Pukka estão informados sobre a marca, associam sentimentos positivos à mesma, reconhecem a qualidade da oferta dos seus produtos, recomendariam a amigos e identificam os seus valores identitários, apesar de não terem demonstrado uma enorme percentagem de lealdade à Pukka. Portanto, verificou-se que as características da marca foram cruciais para o seu brand equity positivo e, ainda, a identidade da marca e a sua imagem estão alinhadas.