Talk on water ecological economics and participatory watershed governance

Dissertação apresentada para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ambiente pela Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia

Municipal solid waste management system: decision support through systems analysis

Thesis submitted to the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Environmental Engineering

Robots and humans as co-workers? The human-centred perspective of work with autonomous systems

The design of work organisation systems with automated equipment is facing new challenges and the emergence of new concepts. The social aspects that are related with new concepts on the complex work environments (CWE) are becoming more relevant for that design. The work with autonomous systems implies options in the design of workplaces. Especially that happens in such complex environments. The concepts of “agents”, “co-working” or “human-centred technical systems” reveal new dimensions related to human-computer interaction (HCI). With an increase in the number and complexity of those human-technology interfaces, the capacities of human intervention can become limited, originating further problems. The case of robotics is used to exemplify the issues related with automation in working environments and the emergence of new HCI approaches that would include social implications. We conclude that studies on technology assessment of industrial robotics and autonomous agents on manufacturing environment should also focus on the human involvement strategies in organisations. A needed participatory strategy implies a new approach to workplaces design. This means that the research focus must be on the relation between technology and social dimensions not as separate entities, but integrated in the design of an interaction system.

Segurança do doente e boas práticas de consentimento esclarecido na realização de exames de tomografia computorizada

RESUMO - O presente trabalho pretende centrar-se no estudo da Segurança do Doente e das boas práticas de Consentimento Esclarecido na realização de exames de Tomografia Computorizada. Nos dias de hoje, a assinatura do documento de Consentimento Esclarecido tem-se mostrado um ato banal, sem a merecida atenção que entidades de saúde, Médicos e Técnicos de Radiologia lhe deviam conceder, uma vez que os Eventos Adversos, aquando da realização de uma TC com Meio de Contraste, poderão ser vários e complicados; por outro lado, o doente muitas vezes não está preparado nem devidamente informado sobre os seus efeitos e as medidas necessárias que deverão ser acionadas para os combater. A necessidade da veiculação de uma informação capaz, de uma elucidação total para o doente pôr em prática a sua autonomia, fruto da consciência que tem dos factos, revela-se fundamental, mas para que tal aconteça é urgente ultrapassar obstáculos respeitantes às práticas profissionais de entidades de saúde, Médicos e Técnicos de Radiologia, assim como aspetos sociais, linguísticos, idade, vulnerabilidade individual, entre outros. Neste contexto, a apresentação de boas práticas de Consentimento Esclarecido revela-se de extrema importância para o desenvolvimento desta dissertação. Para consubstanciar as ideias a desenvolver, para além da pesquisa bibliográfica, revelou-se importante a recolha de dados através de uma entrevista e de um inquérito a elementos que participam neste processo, nomeadamente, doentes, Médicos e Técnicos de Radiologia e, posteriormente, uma análise dos conteúdos dos resultados obtidos e a sua integração nos princípios teóricos do estudo.

Prospective system analysis of stationary battery systems under the frame of Constructive Technology Assessment

Based on the report for the unit “Project IV” of the PhD programme on Technology Assessment under the supervision of Dr.-Ing. Marcel Weil and Prof. Dr. António Brandão Moniz. The report was presented and discussed at the Doctorate Conference on Technologogy Assessment in July 2013 at the University Nova Lisboa, Caparica campus.

Buy, sell and chatter: A case analysis of a Lisbon flea market

This thesis aims explore the sociocultural as well as economic significance of the modern-day flea market, as a form of alternative marketplace system. More specifically, the main goal of the research is to determine the motivation for participation in flea markets of different participants, from vendors to consumers, using an interactionist perspective. By studying these groups in details, I seek to explore the embeddedness of social aspects in economic activity and vice versa. The basic assumption is to put aside the previous notions of the flea market as a second-order system with implied inferiority, and to explore the potential of the flea market to both challenge and complement more formal marketplace systems, by comparing and contrasting the flea market with market venues that belong to the formal sector. Feira da Ladra in Lisbon, Portugal, the oldest a hugely successful flea market in Europe, was chosen to be the research site, where its economic participants were studied in details in various exchanges, using naturalistic observations, semi-structured interviews and a sociocultural perspective.

Autonomia funcional em idosos : caracterização multidimensional em idosos utentes de um centro de saúde urbano

RESUMO: Tivemos como objectivo do presente trabalho avaliar a capacidade funcional, e factores eventualmente a ela associados, numa amostra de 152 idosos ambulatórios, sem doenças agudas ou graves, utentes de um centro de saúde urbano. Cada avaliação consistiu numa entrevista, mediante um inquérito sobre capacidade funcional, morbilidade, estado mental e aspectos sociais, e no estudo da composição corporal. As perguntas referentes às variáveis estudadas foram por nós desenvolvidas e estruturadas com base em escalas internacionais validadas e de utilização comum na avaliação de idosos, excepto para as variáveis em que não encontrámos escalas com essas características. Os seus quesitos foram incluídos como perguntas e respostas estruturadas e pré-codificadas, permitindo a atribuição de uma pontuação a cada variável e a sua posterior divisão dicotómica. Aplicámos as escalas de Katz e de Lawton para a avaliação das actividades de autonomia física e instrumental da vida diária, a escala de Grimby para a avaliação da actividade física, a escala de Hamilton e o teste de Folstein para a avaliação do estado mental nas vertentes afectiva e cognitiva e a escala de Graffar para caracterizar a classe social, e perguntas sobre locomoção, autoavaliação da saúde, queixas de saúde presentes e rede social. Fizemos o registo da morbilidade segundo a International Classification of Primary Care - ICPC. A avaliação antropométrica constou da medição do peso, da altura, dos perímetros do braço, da cintura, da anca e proximal da coxa, e das pregas bicipital, tricipital, sub-escapular e supra-ilíaca. Foi também feita a estimativa da composição corporal por cálculos derivados de índices antropométricos e de bioimpedância eléctrica corporal total, o doseamento de algumas proteínas plasmáticas e a quantificação da força de preensão. Analisámos os resultados obtidos por grupos quanto ao sexo e à idade, dividida nos escalões etários 65 a 74 anos e mais do que 74 anos. Por regressão linear múltipla, foi testado o efeito do sexo e da idade sobre os valores medidos, para cada uma das variáveis e cada uma das suas pontuações parciais, sendo considerado como evidência de um efeito estaticamente significativo um valor “p” inferior a 0,05.Resumimos do seguinte modo os dados obtidos e a sua comparação com os dos estudos que seleccionámos como referência: A média de idades da amostra foi de 74 anos, sendo um terço destes do sexo masculino. Na sua maioria eram independentes em locomoção e funcionalidade, praticavam alguma actividade física, classificavam a sua saúde como razoável ou boa, apresentavam sintomatologia activa, não tinham depressão ou demência, tinham quem os acompanhasse embora cerca de metade apresentasse algum grau de isolamento, eram de baixa classe social, tinham excesso de peso, valores elevados de massa gorda, parâmetros plasmáticos proteicos compatíveis com ausência de doenças agudas ou graves e considerável força muscular de preensão. Na análise descritiva por grupos quanto ao sexo e/ou à idade, verificou-se que as mulheres e os mais idosos apresentavam maior isolamento social e os valores mais baixos de massa magra, hemoglobina e força de preensão. As mulheres tinham maior prevalência de dependência em autonomia física, depressão e valores mais baixos de transferrina. Os mais idosos apresentavam maior dependência em funcionalidade, menor actividade física, maior prevalência de demência, índice de massa corporal menos elevado, e valores mais baixos de albumina. Não se verificou prevalência de piores resultados dicotómicos nos homens nem no escalão etário menos idoso. Não teve relação com o sexo ou a idade o compromisso em autonomia instrumental, a presença de morbilidade ou a baixa classe social, assim como a não perturbação da locomoção e dos níveis de somatomedina-C. A análise comparativa com estudos multidimensionais em idosos portugueses e europeus ambulatórios revelou que a nossa amostra apresentava muitas características semelhantes às desses idosos. Assim, tinham elevada independência em locomoção, considerável independência em autonomia física e menor independência em autonomia instrumental; prática de actividade física ligeira, as mulheres dentro e os homens fora de casa; maior prevalência de morbilidade a nível dos aparelhos locomotor e cardiocirculatório, nos nossos idosos com pouca flutuação na autoavaliação de saúde; pequena prevalência de depressão e de demência; maior isolamento social nas mulheres e nas mais idosas; factores de classe social de baixo nível, diferindo apenas em relação aos idosos do norte da Europa que apresentavam elevada escolaridade e profissões mais diferenciadas; características biométricas sobreponíveis às dos idosos portugueses e às dos do sul da Europa, com tendência para o excesso de peso e proporção elevada de massa gorda; e doseamentos plasmáticos proteicos e força muscular de preensão compatíveis com ausência de doenças agudas ou crónicas graves. A comparação com os referidos estudos em relação ao risco de dependência, revelou semelhanças na associação entre dependência funcional e idade avançada, morbilidade, alteração do estado mental e isolamento social. Na amostra que estudámos não obtivemos associação entre dependência e o sexo feminino, facto que se verificou no estudo nacional de Almeida et al. e nos estudos multicêntricos europeus, ou o grau de escolaridade, como no estudo francês. Podemos concluir que, com o instrumento de avaliação que utilizámos, foi possível detectar e caracterizar perturbações numa amostra de idosos ambulatórios, a maioria funcionalmente independentes, sem alterações do estado mental, mas apresentando morbilidade activa, tendência para a obesidade, e actividade física ligeira. Nos que apresentaram alterações, estas foram mais frequentes no sexo feminino e nos indivíduos com mais de 74 anos. A escala de funcionalidade desenvolvida foi sensível aos efeitos da idade e permitiu o cálculo do risco de dependência em relação às outras variáveis estudadas, sendo mais marcante a associação com baixa actividade física, presença de queixas de saúde, demência e índice de massa corporal elevado. Consideramos que a metodologia que empregámos poderá contribuir para a avaliação de capacidades, cujo conhecimento sistemático nos idosos se impõe. ------------- ABSTRACT: The main objective of the present work was to evaluate functional capacity and related factors, in a sample of 152 ambulatory elderly, free from acute or serious disease, attending an urban health centre. Each evaluation included an interview, with a questionnaire about functional capacity, morbidity, mental health and social aspects, and the study of body composition. The questions were developed and structured in accordance with international validated scales usually applied in the evaluation of the elderly, whenever there were scales for that purpose. Their items were included as structured pre-coded questions and answers, so that each variable could have its own quotation and be dichotomised. We employed Katz and Lawton scales for basic and instrumental activities of daily living, Grimby scale for physical activity, Hamilton scale for depression, Folstein’s Mini Mental State Examination for cognitive ability and Graffar scale for social class, and questions about walking, health perception, active complaints and social network. The symptoms register was done according to the International Classification of Primary Care - ICPC. The anthropometric exam involved the determination of height and weight, arm, waist, hip and proximal thigh circumferences, and biceps, triceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfolds. For the body composition calculation we employed equations derived from anthropometric indices, and from measurement of total body bioelectric impedance. We also measured some plasma proteins and handgrip strength. The analysis of results was done by sex and age groups, separating those with 65 to 74 years from those older than 74 years. The effects of sex and age were tested by linear multiple regression, for each variable and its components. Presented "p" values being considered statistically significative if less than 0,05. The results we obtained and their comparison with the studies we choose as reference can be summarised as follows: Mean age of the sample was 74 years and about one third were men. Most of them were independent in gait and functionality, practised some physical activity, rate their health as fair or good, had physical complaints, had not depression or dementia, had some companionship although almost half of them with stigmas of isolation, belonged to low social class, were in the range of overweight, had raised values of fat mass, plasma proteins in accordance with no acute or serious disease, and considerable handgrip strength. The analysis of groups by sex and age revealed that women and the eldest had the greater social isolation and the lowest values of free fat mass, haemoglobin and handgrip strength. Women had the higher dependence in basic activities of daily living, more depression and lower levels of transferrin. The eldest were more dependent in functionality, had greater prevalence of dementia, less physical activity, less raised body mass index and lower levels of albumin. Men alone and the age range of 65 to 74 did not show any prevalence of the worse dichotomised results. There was no relationship between sex or age and instrumental activities of daily living, morbidity or low social class, and unaffected gait or somatomedin-C levels. The comparison of results with multidimensional studies in portuguese and european ambulatory elderly showed that our sample had many similarities with theirs. They were independent in gait and activities of daily living; practiced light physical activity, women indoors and men outdoors; had greater morbidity at locomotor and cardiovascular systems, with small latitude in health evaluation; low prevalence of depression and dementia; social isolation predominantly in older women; and low social class factors, witch is only different from those of north Europe who had higher education levels and professional carriers; biometric characteristics similar to other portuguese and south Europe elders, with tendency for overweight and high proportion of fat mass; and plasma protein levels and handgrip strength in accordance with no acute or chronic serious disease. The comparison to the referred studies in relation to dependency risk, showed similarities in the association of dependency and age, morbidity,altered mental state and social isolation. We did not find association between dependency and sex, as it was found in the portuguese study of Almeida et al. and the european multicentric studies, or the education level, as in the french study. We conclude that, with the evaluation battery we employed, it was possible to detect and characterise alterations in a sample of ambulatory elderly, most of whom were functionally independent and had no alterations in mental state, but had active morbidity, tendency to obesity, and only light physical activity. Those that had some alteration, were more frequently women and the eldest. The functionality scale we developed showed to be sensitive to age effects and suitable for the calculation of risk of dependency, being more important the association with low physical activity, active complaints, dementia and high body mass index. We consider that the methodology we applied can contribute to the evaluation of capabilities that should be systematically sought for in the elderly.

An assessment of the social and economic cohesion aspects of the development of the information society in Europe

Neste trabalho pretende consolidar-se a contribuição portuguesa para o estudo comunitário “Na Assessment of the Social and Economic Cohesion Aspects of the Development of the Information Society in Europe” elaborado por um consórcio europeu liderado pela Nexus Europe e em que intervém o ISEGI- Instituto Superior de Estatística e Gestão de Informação, da Universidade Nova de Lisboa, como parceiro nacional português.

Learning networks and moodle use in online courses: a social network analysis study

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Ciências da Educação Especialidade em Tecnologias, Redes e Multimédia na Educação e Formação

How to engage low category users through social media: The case of the make-up sector in Portugal

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Social networks as glocal products: The case of Facebook

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Referenda outcomes and the influence of polls: A social network feedback process

This paper proposes a model to explain the differences between outcomes of referenda and the voting trends suggested by polls. Two main effects are at stake. First, the evolution of the voters' attitudes is conditional on the public information made available to them. Second, the predisposition toward abstention among individuals within each voting group may be different. Our model describes how these two aspects of decision making may interact, showing how publicly available information may amplify the distinct tendency toward abstention between both groups and thus affect the outcome of the referendum.

Social-media monitoring for cold-start recommendations

Generating personalized movie recommendations to users is a problem that most commonly relies on user-movie ratings. These ratings are generally used either to understand the user preferences or to recommend movies that users with similar rating patterns have rated highly. However, movie recommenders are often subject to the Cold-Start problem: new movies have not been rated by anyone, so, they will not be recommended to anyone; likewise, the preferences of new users who have not rated any movie cannot be learned. In parallel, Social-Media platforms, such as Twitter, collect great amounts of user feedback on movies, as these are very popular nowadays. This thesis proposes to explore feedback shared on Twitter to predict the popularity of new movies and show how it can be used to tackle the Cold-Start problem. It also proposes, at a finer grain, to explore the reputation of directors and actors on IMDb to tackle the Cold-Start problem. To assess these aspects, a Reputation-enhanced Recommendation Algorithm is implemented and evaluated on a crawled IMDb dataset with previous user ratings of old movies,together with Twitter data crawled from January 2014 to March 2014, to recommend 60 movies affected by the Cold-Start problem. Twitter revealed to be a strong reputation predictor, and the Reputation-enhanced Recommendation Algorithm improved over several baseline methods. Additionally, the algorithm also proved to be useful when recommending movies in an extreme Cold-Start scenario, where both new movies and users are affected by the Cold-Start problem.

Management consulting labs-Galp social media

Social Media @ Galp Project had a very specific purpose – analyze the feasibility for Galp to enter in new Social Media platforms and, if appropriate, develop a short-term strategy for the entrance in which some guidelines are valid for the medium-long-term. As expected, the majority of the project was focused on the second part, which consists in an analysis of some aspects concerning the organization as well as in the relationship with customers and public in general

How to engage low category users through social media- The case of the make-up sector in Portugal

Purpose: This work project should be inevitably deemed as a practical approach to a marketing problem; “How to engage low category users through the social media – the case of the make-up sector in Portugal”. Design/methodology/approach: Online structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews were used. The questionnaire was answered by 110 women aged from 15 to 45 years old and the interviews were conducted with 14 women of the same age. The interviews provided key insights for the questionnaire formulation. Findings: Women are poorly informed on make-up properties and characteristics, feeling a genuine concern in regard to this subject. Lack of time, occasional usage and skin damage are the main barriers for make-up usage by low category users. Overcoming these aspects pass by demystifying the association of make-up with skin damage and emphasise the functional and emotional benefits of make-up. Further, brands need to create contents more consumer-oriented and ask directly to fans/followers suggestions and other insights. Resort to Portuguese “common” women for greater empathy in campaigns, promote online meetings between followers and make-up professionals on social media; and finally take advantage of the hybrid condition of Facebook, which incorporates multiple forms of content presentation, including videos, the most appealing format of make-up presentation for women. Research limitations/implications: Further studies addressing this topic, by using larger samples and study of specific make-up brands and campaign programs, over social media to reach a solid growth potential of make-up market evidences in Portugal. Originality/ value: Make-up brands are emphasising their interest in linking social media and marketing their promotional mix around social marketing.