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The fact that there are (at least) two different translations of the English preposition for used to describe duration in Portuguese, namely durante and por, shows that duration is an interesting area in the tense and aspect panorama of this language, which deserves close study. In this paper, I present an empirical study based on four different corpora to investigate the matter, looking at the Portuguese varieties from Brazil and Portugal and different text genres (general and specialised newspapers, oral interviews, and fiction). The material spans circa two centuries. This paper identifies some specific uses and preferences of the two adverbials and confirms and challenges other claims in the linguistic literature. It shows that narrative fiction is definitely different from newspaper text due to its need to describe short duration and that planned duration can be expressed using both kinds of adverbials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the self-representations of Portuguese media professionals and their work practices. Utilizing data from a broader empirical study, this paper delves into the dynamics of influence among various actors within newsrooms. Based on journalists' perceptions of the content, the methods they use to assess the quality of the news are also identified. To address these enquiries, a survey was conducted among professionals engaged in the news production process. This sample comprised 72 individuals from various sectors of newsrooms, including photographers, designers, IT professionals, social media managers, and videographers. The main results indicate that seven out of ten respondents acknowledged their reliance on colleagues in newsrooms for success. Furthermore, the data suggest that there are no significant disparities among different professionals, with personal satisfaction emerging as the primary criterion for assessing the work quality. It is notable that almost twice as many women tend to indicate the low impact of the journalist on their work compared to male respondents. Moreover, most respondents stated that there is space for hybrid professionals in newsrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimizing Resource Allocation in Fire Departments (RAFD) is crucial for enhancing Fire Protection Services (FPS) and ultimately saving lives. Efficient RAFD ensures that fire departments have the necessary resources to respond effectively to emergencies. This paper presents a method for optimizing RAFD based on performance assessment results, examining its impact on Fire Department (FD) efficiency in Portugal. Evaluating data from 353 FDs, two RAFD optimization methods were assessed: one adhering to Portuguese regulations and constraints, such as budget allocation limitations, and another without such constraints. Integrating a slack-based data envelopment analysis model and mixed-integer linear programming, the study found that incorporating FD efficiency scores in RAFD improved overall efficiency at national, district, and FD levels. While adherence to Portuguese regulations led to balanced resource allocation and a 4% performance improvement at the national level, relaxing constraints yielded an 8% improvement, albeit with potential performance deterioration in some FDs. The detailed budget and efficiency metric analysis provided in this paper offers actionable insights for fire protection services enhancement. This underscores the importance of diverse optimization strategies to enhance FD efficiency, with implications for decision-makers at the Portuguese National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection and similar organizations globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Portuguese First Republic (1910–1926) was marked by significant instability at the most diverse levels. With a special focus on the financial dimension of this period, the objective of this paper is to test the sustainability of the Portuguese fiscal policy, also referred to as the sustainability of public finances itself. The methodology involves testing the stationarity of public debt and budget balance and also the cointegration between state revenue and expenditure. The results obtained shows that the state's intertemporal budgetary constraint was violated during the First Republic regime, which denotes unsustainability. This conclusion is justified by the existence of a non-stationary budget balance and the absence of cointegration between state revenue and expenditure. These results are manifestly different from those that have already been obtained for other Portuguese regimes, namely for the Estado Novo (1933–1974) and democracy (1974–present), where sustainability existed. This paper is yet another demonstration of how important it is to maintain control of state's accounts. We hope that this paper can be useful to stimulate new research on Portuguese public finances and also on the important issue of fiscal policy sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research about spirituality has grown widely in the past decades and the interest in health care is also evident in Portugal. This literature review aims to identify and to characterize Portuguese theses, dissertations, and papers about spirituality in health, and to provide a systematic overview of the knowledge concerning this subject. The search was conducted in February 2017 and updated in January 2018. Four independent reviewers screened and analyzed all citations, and a total of 76 results were included. Publications started in 2002 and include master degree dissertations (n = 37), scientific papers (n = 31), and PhD theses (n = 8). Papers were published in 24 national and international journals. Most papers were psychology- and nursing-related and had a quantitative design (n = 55). Samples were mostly composed of patients living with a chronic disease (n = 20) or elderly (n = 11). The Spiritual Well-Being Questionnaire (SWBQ) was the most used tool. A multidisciplinary approach is regarded as foundational in implementing spirituality in the provision of health care and the results underline the interest on this topic from other disciplines rather than nursing. Further studies must provide a deeper understanding of spirituality in children, adolescents or families' perspective bringing new insights to advanced health practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes the crucial role of the regional dimension for economic, social, and environmental development. Sustainable development may be linked to migration management to strategically disperse international migrants to regions in need of ameliorating rural challenges. This paper explores the features affecting international migrants' intentions to move to rural areas, such as Alentejo, Portugal, based on a set of micro-, mezzo-, and macro-sociological migration theories to support policymakers. This paper addresses the following research question: what motivates immigrants' decisions to move to rural regions, such as Alentejo, Portugal? Practitioners (n = 8) and migrants (n = 15) were interviewed, and then a thematic analysis supported by MaxQDA 2022 was conducted. The results suggest that there is a set of motives for international migrants to move to rural areas and smaller cities based on multilevel factors, both economic and non-economic, such as the following: employment availability and promises of work; lower living costs compared to bigger cities; quality of life; local services support; and echoes of the country of origin. Migrants' networks and seeking greater opportunities were consistent motives. The pull to rural areas, however, is a side effect of the attraction of Portugal and Europe as destinations. The conclusions highlight implications for policy and practice on migration and local development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BRIDGE (bridging science and local communities for wildfire risk reduction) is an action–research project developing a community-based disaster risk reduction (CBDRR) process which is being fostered through a collaborative innovation laboratory (InnoLab). BRIDGE integrates different forms of knowledge and action, linking science and local communities to reduce their vulnerability and to enhance strategies for forest fire risk reduction. Applied in Monchique, a forest-fire-prone municipality in Portugal, the InnoLab creates a space for dialogue and knowledge sharing between multiple actors that, directly or indirectly, manage forest territories. BRIDGE attempts to facilitate social learning about forest fire risks, strengthen collaborative networks and enhance adaptive capacities (socially and institutionally) for forest fire prevention. This paper shares results of the InnoLab activities, which include (i) school community activities on wildfire risk perception; (ii) participatory mapping of Monchique's vulnerabilities and risks; (iii) participatory sessions to create the community visioning for Monchique's territory, to define priorities and capacities to be improved, and to identify functions and responsibilities to act upon; and (iv) workshop on CBDRR strategies for action. Lessons are shared on how InnoLab can represent an innovative participatory approach to promote CBDRR processes in forest-fire-prone territories by both contributing to the recognition of local knowledge systems and encouraging the active role of forest communities through strengthened local networks for a more lasting commitment to forest fire risk reduction policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Europe faces many problems connected to ageing infrastructure which was built in the second half of the 20th century. Bridges are one of the crucial elements of these infrastructures. In recent years, European countries have witnessed many failures of bridges across the continent. For example, the collapse of Viadotto Polcevera in Genoa caught the attention of society regarding its tragic consequences. Therefore, engineers must deal with the assessment of existing bridges which is essential for proper decision-making. Condition rating systems for bridges vary from country to country. Consequently, these differences in the methodology can lead to different conclusions related to the future service of assessed structures. For these reasons, this paper briefly describes condition rating systems for road bridges in Italy, Slovakia, and Portugal and defines the differences in the methodology. Subsequently, the obtained conclusions are compared and discussed. The aim of the paper is to encourage standardization in the assessment of bridge health conditions within European countries, highlighting the differences in the current systems adopted by various countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earth–air heat exchangers (EAHX) use the soil thermal capacity to dampen the amplitude of outdoor air temperature oscillations. This effect can be used in hot and dry climates for room cooling, and depending on the EAHX design, this cooling can be achieved with very few resources other than those used during EAHX construction. This is an obvious advantage compared to the significant energy consumption and operational costs of refrigeration machines traditionally used in room cooling. Despite the large number of papers on EAHXs available in the scientific literature, very few deal with large-diameter EAHXs (with pipe diameters larger than 0.30 m), and even fewer present monitoring data gathered from a built and functional large-diameter EAHX. The present paper uses monitoring data and provides a detailed quantitative analysis of the performance of a large-diameter EAHX built for standalone cooling of an existing office building. The field monitoring was carried out during a characteristic hot and dry summer period of the south of Portugal. Results show that outdoor air to EAHX exit air temperature gradients reach 9 K and cooling capacities exceed 27 kW. Moreover, the studied EAHX is capable of standalone cooling for outdoor air temperatures up to 33 °C and meets more than 50% of the room design cooling demand for outdoor air temperatures as high as 37 °C. This evidences that large-diameter EAHXs have the potential to achieve significant reductions in CO 2 emissions and in energy consumption associated with building cooling in hot and dry climates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study addresses the underrepresentation of radon gas within the media discourse, particularly in Portugal. Employing a comprehensive mixed-methods approach, this paper examines how major Portuguese digital newspapers have covered radon gas, aiming to deepen our understanding of this critical issue. The findings reveal a significant lack of coverage on radon gas over 24 years in the selected newspapers. Surprisingly, only a few articles were identified, failing to convey its importance effectively. Despite identifying some risk communication strategies, their impact was statistically insignificant, indicating a clear discrepancy in attention. This study emphasizes the urgent need for balanced reporting on public health risks like radon gas and offers insights into enhancing risk communication strategies. Ultimately, it contributes to advocating for more comprehensive coverage of critical public health issues in the media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting anomalies in texture has become a significant concern across various industrial processes. One prevalent application of this is in inspecting patterned textures, especially in the domain of fabric defect detection, which is a commonly encountered scenario. This task entails dealing with a wide array of colours and textile varieties, spanning a broad spectrum of fabrics. Due to the extensive diversity in colours, textures, and defect characteristics, fabric defect detection presents a complex and formidable challenge within the realm of patterned texture inspection. While recent trends have seen a rise in the utilization of deep learning methods for anomaly detection, there still exist notable gaps in this field. In this paper, we introduce a novel dataset comprising a diverse selection of fabrics and defects from a textile company based in Portugal. Our contributions encompass the provision of this unique dataset and the evaluation of state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods' performance on our dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study aims to verify if older adults with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder are more prone to euthanasia and identify factors that interfere with their satisfaction with health and capacity for well-informed decisions. Material and Methods: The study applied a paper questionnaire composed of a sociodemographic section and a battery of scales (to assess depression, anxiety, cognitive performance, suicide risk, therapeutic adhesion, functionality, loneliness, attitude towards euthanasia, decision pattern, personality, empathy, and health status) in the Psychogeriatric Unity of Senhora da Oliveira Hospital in Portugal. The sample was collected by convenience to include patients and controls of the same age. Six months later, a reassessment was performed. Patients and controls were compared using descriptive statistics and a multiple-regression model. Results: A total of 114 patients and 25 controls were included. Eighty-one point six percent of patients had four or fewer years of schooling. Contrary to controls, they presented mild depressive and anxiety symptoms, loneliness feelings, worse cognitive performance, a more fragile personality, higher personal distress, and a poorer health state. No statistically significant differences were found between controls and patients regarding their attitudes towards euthanasia. Patients more favourable to euthanasia had higher empathic concern, conscientiousness, and fantasy, and lower personal distress. Discussion and Conclusion: When addressing euthanasia in these patients, it is crucial to ensure they are fully self-determinate and that all the necessary treatment and support are available. It may not be the case when the educational level is low and a mild disease persists, significantly affecting their well-being and cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spain and Portugal, two countries located in southern Europe, share a significant export specialization in agricultural and agri-food products compared to the EU-27 as a whole. Based on arguments drawn from the literature and information provided by Eurostat, this paper first identifies the characteristics of the dynamics of sales of agri-food products in the international market for the two Iberian Peninsula economies between 2008 and 2022, a period marked by the introduction of restrictions on foreign trade flows worldwide. Secondly, using panel data methodology, it examines how imports by EU-27 partners influence this trajectory. The results confirm the strengthening of export specialization in these two countries, which sell a wide variety of agri-food products in international markets. Additionally, in the case of Spain, the estimated concentration indices show a spatial diversification process towards new destinations. In both economies, however, the EU-27 market, characterized by strong competition and low development expectations, continues to influence export trends in the short and medium terms. Consequently, institutions and companies in the sector must adopt a more dynamic approach and implement actions aimed at facilitating access to new export destinations and consolidating business there. Thus, an increasing share of their exports should be reoriented towards markets with higher demand growth, helping to reinforce the global competitiveness of the national agri-food sector. This research contributes to the scientific literature on the medium- and long-term effects of economic integration processes on the exports of agri-food products of member countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social isolation and loneliness greatly contribute to negative health consequences in older adults. Technological solutions can be an asset in promoting social connections and healthy behaviours. This paper presents an innovative structure for an Internet of Things (IoT) platform specifically tailored for older persons. The framework utilises a supervised learning algorithm to classify users into four identified profiles to facilitate the adoption and engagement of technology. The platform incorporates wearables, such as socks and smart bands, to track physical activity, and a messaging module to encourage social interaction. The platform processes the acquired data to quantify steps and deliver tailored interventions remotely to the older adults through the AGAPE Assistant, the mHealth solution of the platform. Furthermore, the AGAPE Assistant has a user interface design for older adults, with a focus on their specific needs. Additionally, improving digital literacy among older adults is crucial for maximizing the long-term compliance and benefits of such technological solutions. On the other hand, AGAPE Monitor is a web application used by formal caregivers to configure the tailored interventions. The platform's usability was assessed using different usability scale questionnaires, which revealed a mild level of user satisfaction and acceptance. The proposed framework is currently being deployed on more than 112 older adults across three countries: Italy, Romania, and Portugal. The proposed framework provides a holistic solution to encourage active ageing by adopting technology, implementing hybrid interventions, and promoting social interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While technical optimization focuses on maximizing the annual energy yield of utility-scale PV parks, the ultimate goal for power plant owners is to maximize investment profit. This paper aims to bridge the gap between technical and economic approaches by using simulation data from a real-case utility-scale PV park. It analyzes how changes in configuration parameters such as the DC–AC ratio and string length and PV technologies like solar tracking systems and bifacial modules impact the economic metrics of the project, i.e., net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). PVSyst software was utilized as a simulation tool, while in-house developed software implementing appropriate technical and economic models served as a comparison platform and was used to validate the outputs generated through PVSyst. Results indicate that the commonly used horizontal single-axis tracking configuration may economically underperform compared with fixed-tilt setups. The optimal DC–AC ratio fell within the range of 1.30 to 1.35. Extending the string length from 25 to 28 modules improved economic indexes. Additionally, fixed-tilt bifacial modules can enhance project economics if a 10% cost premium compared with standard monofacial PV modules is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Definition: The history of women archaeologists in Portugal and their contribution to the development of the discipline is yet to be studied. However, in recent years, some articles published in Portugal have contributed to the construction of this history. Some of these are from the year 2020, and although the coronavirus pandemic has affected the progress of these investigations, especially regarding fieldwork. Generally, these are quantitative studies based on the number of publications by women archaeologists and their references and interviews in newspapers. These articles, which require significant time for database analysis, have not yet explained the existing gaps. It is not the scope of this paper to pursue this quantitative scope; instead, it intends to conduct a qualitative analysis of the contribution of women archaeologists to the development of prehistoric studies in Northern Portugal. To achieve this goal, we are focusing on analysing the doctoral theses developed by women concerning pre- and proto-historic archaeology in Northern Portugal. With this evaluation, we intend to contribute to the history of Portuguese women's archaeology and, at the same time, highlight their methodological and conceptual achievements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The condition assessment of water distribution pipes is of utmost importance for the prioritization of rehabilitation interventions. However, the application of available methodologies for condition assessment by water utilities with limited human, technological and financial resources is becoming increasingly complex. The current paper aims at the development and application of a methodology for the prediction of the physical condition of water distribution pipes without the need for visual inspection. The methodology includes the development and application of three different algorithms (heuristic, linear regression and support vector regression). The methodology is applied to a water distribution network located in the Algarve region, Portugal. The results obtained from each algorithm are compared with a well-known performance indicator, the ratio of useful life, and present significant differences in its overall pipe condition classification. Results have demonstrated the following: the ratio of useful life tends to distribute pipe classification more equally in the three classes (i.e., good, average and unsatisfactory); the heuristic algorithm classifies most pipes as average condition; and the linear regression algorithm classifies with unsatisfactory conditions. The support vector regression algorithm stands out as the main classifier for identifying pipes in good condition when compared to other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Portuguese companies are increasingly responding to the demand of stakeholders for transparent information about companies' environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance by issuing non-financial reports (NFRs). While the number of NFRs published annually has been increasing over the last two decades, their quality and companies' ESG performance have been questioned, especially in times of crisis. To address these concerns, several jurisdictions have introduced mandatory NFR rules, such as the European Directive 2014/95/EU. Employing an institutional theory lens, this paper's research objective is to evaluate whether the last decade's crises and whether the fact that NFRs became mandatory for certain entities positively affected companies' activities covered in the ESG reporting scope. We used panel data regression models on 45 listed companies in Portugal during the period 2008–2021. Our results show that the ESG reporting scope is not positively influenced by the transition from NFRs to a mandatory and global financial crisis (GFC). However, the COVID-19 crisis positively affected NFR quality. These results have major implications for practitioners, reflecting the importance of promoting these tools in an organization to improve non-financial performance and companies' sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building-integrated flexible resources can offer economical availability to accommodate high-penetrated renewable energy sources (RESs), which can be potentially coordinated to achieve cost-effective supply. This paper proposes a resilience-oriented planning model of urban distribution system source–network–load–storage in the context of high-penetrated building-integrated resources. In this model, source–network–load–storage resources are cost-optimally planned, including the lines, soft open point (SOP), building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), building-integrated wind turbine (BIWT), building-integrated energy storage system (ESS), etc. To enhance fault recovery capability during extreme faults, fault scenarios are incorporated into the distribution system operation via coupled multiple recovery stages. The resilience-oriented planning is a thorny problem due to its source–network–load–storage couplings, normal-fault couplings, etc. The original resilience-oriented planning is reformulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem, which can then be solved with a two-stage method and evaluated via a multi-dimensional evaluation metrics. The proposed planning methodology is benchmarked over a Portugal 54-node urban distribution system to verify the superiority and effectiveness on the system economy and resilience levels. Case studies show that the proposed methodology can exploit the optimal synergies of different source–network–load–storage components and enhance system dispatchability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past twenty years, the use of electronic mobile sensors by children and youngsters has played a significant role in environmental education projects in Portugal. This paper describes a research synthesis of a set of case studies (environmental education projects) on the use of sensors as epistemic mediators, evidencing the technological, environmental, social, and didactical dimensions of environmental education projects over the last two decades in Portugal. The triggers of the identified changes include: (i) the evolution of sensors, information and communication platforms, and mobile devices; (ii) the increasing relevance of environmental citizenship and participation; (iii) the recognition of the role of multisensory situated information and quantitative information in environmental citizenship; (iv) the cause–effect relation between didactical strategies and environmental education goals; (v) the potential of sensory and epistemic learners' practices in the environment to produce learning outcomes and new knowledge. To support the use of senses and sensors in environmental education projects, the SEAM model was created based on the developed research synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the tender phase of public construction projects in Portugal, documents that describe the project are mandatorily submitted to open data repositories. However, in their current state, most of these repositories do not allow for benchmarking analysis due to a lack of data treatment and cohesion. This paper seeks to diagnose the main trends during the public construction project's tender phase by performing a descriptive statistical analysis on the Portuguese Public Procurement Database (PPPData), a database that compiles 5172 public procurement contracts in Portugal from 2015 to 2022, to respond to the research gap in construction procurement benchmarking. The results of this statistical analysis draw out the main trends, uncover which tender variables can influence budget compliance, and diagnose Portugal's public procurement in terms of its geographical, temporal, financial, and performance dispersion. This paper concludes that the award criteria are not correlated with final project performance and that multifactor assessment criteria do not necessarily lead to better performance. High-value projects awarded solely with the price award criterion tend to perform worse than those awarded with the multifactor assessment. The study also identified frequent errors and omissions in construction reporting; thus, there is a need for error mitigation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The digital transformation advancement enables multiple areas to provide modern services to their users. Culture is one of the areas that can benefit from these advances, more specifically museums, by presenting many benefits and the most emergent technologies to the visitors. This paper presents an indoor location system and content delivery solution, based on Bluetooth Low Energy Beacons, that enable visitors to walk freely inside the museum and receive augmented reality content based on the acquired position, which is done using the Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI). The solution presented in this paper was created for the Foz Côa Museum in Portugal and was tested in the real environment. A detailed study was carried out to analyze the RSSI under four different scenarios, and detection tests were carried out that allowed us to measure the accuracy of the room identification, which is needed for proper content delivery. Of the 89 positions tested in the four scenarios, 70% of the received signals were correctly received throughout the entire duration of the tests, 20% were received in an intermittent way, 4% were never detected and 6% of unwanted beacons were detected. The signal detection is fundamental for the correct room identification, which was performed with 96% accuracy. Thus, we verified that this technology is suitable for the proposed solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the littoralization process in mainland Portugal over a broad chronological framework. Littoralization is defined as the occupation and settlement of human communities along the coast. In this case, the analysis was based on the synchronic analysis of three chronologies: from the formation of Portugal to the settlement of the fountains (1096–1325); at the dawn of modernity, marked by the Portuguese expansion (1500–1524), with the first scientific census (1860); and in the present, with data from the last census (2021). The choice of chronology was dictated by the historical sources available and allowed us to check the trend of population dispersion both in terms of latitude and longitude, the latter being the analysis of the distance of the main population centers (counties) from the coast. In the first chronological segment, there is a "safety distance" from the exposed coastlines, which is gradually blurred over time until there is an impressive coastal demographic concentration in 2021, with around 80% of people settled within 50 km of the sea. So, the management of Portugal's territory is an unequivocal indicator of the Anthropocene even with the risks of the disappearance of some beaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the transmission system operators (TSOs) from Portugal and Spain do not procure a frequency containment reserve (FCR) through market mechanisms. In this context, a virtual power plant (VPP) that aggregates sources, such as wind and solar power and hydrogen electrolyzers (HEs), would benefit from future participation in this ancillary service market. The methodology proposed in this paper allows for quantifying the revenues of a VPP that aggregates wind and solar power and HEs, considering the opportunity costs of these units when reserving power for FCR participation. The results were produced using real data from past FCR market sessions. Using market data from 2022, a VPP that aggregates half of the HEs and is expected to be connected in the country by 2025 will have revenues over EUR 800k, of which EUR 90k will be HEs revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to analyse facial similarity and apply it to identify the individuals depicted in the mural paintings of the apse of St. Leocadia Church, located in Chaves Municipality (North of Portugal), which were painted during the first quarter of the 16th century. This study also compares the portraits of this mural paintings with the oil paintings by the Proto-Renaissance Portuguese painter Nuno Gonçalves. Through this research, the feasibility of face recognition technology is explored to answer many ambiguities about Manueline stylistic identity and iconography. Additionally, it aims to associate historical events, artistic discoveries, and the expansion of portraiture as propaganda of power during the Portuguese Proto-Renaissance and Early Renaissance. On the other hand, it focuses on the prevalence of the religious and devotional over the sacred in Manueline painting. A proposal was made to identify the characters that are fundamental to the meaning of the mural paintings. An experiment was conducted on seven characters from the paintings at St. Leocadia Church, which were then compared to Nuno Gonçalves' portraits. Facial similarity analysis was conducted on the faces portrayed in the Panels of St. Vincent, a remarkable portrait gallery from 15th-century Portugal, which has been the subject of national and international research for 130 years. Other paintings that were analysed were the oil paintings of St. Peter and St. Paul and of Infanta St. Joana, which were created by the same Quattrocento master. The purpose of the mural paintings of St. Leocadia Church could be catechetical in nature or related to the ritual practices of royal ancestor worship in royal portrait apses of the churches. It could also be associated with the Portuguese maritime expansion and the macro-imperial ideology of D. Manuel I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSD) are highly prevalent among supermarket cashiers. These disorders are frequently related to the adoption of awkward postures and manual materials handling. This study aimed to analyze musculoskeletal loadings in supermarket cashiers, considering the handling of different products and different checkout conditions. To accomplish this, we employed an inertial motion capture system to measure full-body kinematics while simulating 19 cashier tasks. The study included five female cashiers from a supermarket in Northern Portugal, ranging in age from 19 to 61 years old. Using joint angles, material load, and muscle function as input parameters, we conducted the musculoskeletal loadings assessment using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) and Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) methods. Results showed that RULA scores were higher for the microtasks that involved product scanning. Regarding microstasks analyzed by REBA, the replacement of paper rolls for the receipt machine at the checkout counter yields the highest scores. Based on these findings, there is a compelling need to redesign supermarket checkout workstations to alleviate the physical demands placed on cashiers and to ensure organizational sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the relationship between morality and engagement focused on the narratives about climate change. The goal of our research is to understand whether moral grounds identified in individuals and in narratives can influence youth's engagement in environmental debate and news consumption on climate change. Recognizing that people's perceptions of climate change are related to several factors, such as ideas, cultures, and values, we sought to understand whether there is a "green morality" or a prevalence of more responsive moral attributes in individuals when they are exposed to thinking about the environment. We use the Moral Foundations Theory to analyze comments on the environmental news on Twitter and a questionnaire adapted to the environment on moral grounds. The data were collected from Brazil and Portugal between 2021 and 2022. The overall results showed a high incidence of responses with Care/Harm and Fairness/Cheating, and an average incidence of responses related to Loyalty/Betrayal and Authority/Subversion. The results indicate that youngsters show a more prominent moral to care and environmental harm, as well as justice and responsibility, which may influence their interest in the consumption of environmental news and future engagement. In addition, there are factors, such as political issues, that can influence moral values and engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the study of migration has shifted its focus from an individual perspective (on those who emigrate) to also include their integration networks in the country of destination, it is also necessary to consider the dynamics with their families in the country of origin. With an integral focus on the analysis of Portuguese transnational families, this paper aims to reflect on how the connection between those who emigrate and those who stay can promote greater resilience, presenting best practices for interventions among these dynamics and generations. Using a post-positivist paradigm and semi-structured interviews, we developed a qualitative approach with three exploratory studies: (1) Portuguese young adults living abroad (N = 22); (2) parental figures living in Portugal with adult children living abroad (N = 20); and (3) experts in the fields of academic and psychosocial work with similar people (N = 8). The data were analyzed using N-Vivo software (ed.11 and 14). The general results lead us to reflect on the dynamics of relationships, where digital and face-to-face spaces participate simultaneously, even though there are different challenges and ways of using digital means. We also found a change in expectations regarding the norms and values perceived by this generation of emigrants, which leads us to consider the importance of intercultural values since transnational families greatly increase transculturality, which can promote resilience among these groups. The data also alert us to the need to train intervention professionals in multidisciplinary areas, always taking the cultural context into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effectiveness of cross-border cooperation programmes between Spain and Portugal, focusing on their impact and outcomes in Portuguese regions. Drawing on a comprehensive analysis of the programmes, the study examines the socio-economic dynamics in border regions, including job creation, population trends, and investment patterns. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data analysis. We argue that the cross-border territorial cooperation between Spain and Portugal has played a significant role in fostering regional development and addressing common challenges. While the concerted efforts have shown positive results in terms of economic growth and employment, they have not been sufficient to reverse the regressive demographic trends. Thus, it is essential to strengthen cooperation mechanisms, invest in human capital, and foster innovation so that the two countries can work together to create sustainable and inclusive development across their shared border regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a methodology to estimate ship emissions using Automatic Identification System data (AIS). The methodology includes methods for AIS message decoding and ship emission estimation based on the ship's technical and operational characteristics. A novel approach for ship type identification based on the visited port terminal is described. The methodology is implemented in a computational tool, SEA (Ship Emission Assessment). First, the accuracy of the method for ship type identification is assessed and then the methodology is validated by comparing its predictions with those of two other methodologies. The tool is applied to three case studies using AIS data of maritime traffic along the Portuguese coast and in the port of Lisbon for one month. The first case study compares the estimated emissions of a ferry and a cruise ship, with the ferry emitting much less than the cruise ship. The second case study estimates the geographical distribution of emissions in the port of Lisbon, with terminals corresponding to areas with a heavier concentration of exhaust emissions. The third case study focuses on the emissions from a container ship sailing along the continental coast of Portugal, differing considerably from port traffic since it operates exclusively in cruising mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a study based on new fireproof design guidelines for dwellings against the impact of wildfires. The main objective is to present the results from the surveys of the large wildfires of 2017 in Portugal, identifying vulnerabilities in dwellings that may result in spot ignitions when exposed to wildfires. Utilizing the information gathered from these surveys, it is possible to recommend fire resistance and reaction class requirements using European indoor fire standards and adapting them to suit wildfire conditions. The study focuses on classical dwellings predominantly located in high-risk fire zones within the wildland–urban interface. These assessments have the potential to generate new fireproof construction recommendations employing traditional materials commonly found in the European construction industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main purpose of this study is to understand how Portuguese restaurants' solvency was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, considering the factors that influence it. Financial information was collected for the years 2019 and 2020 in the SABI database to elaborate a quantitative methodology; a descriptive analysis was used and Pearson's correlation coefficient, a Paired t-test, a one-way ANOVA test, and a multiple linear regression were used to test the formulated hypotheses. The findings confirm that solvency is affected by several determinants, such as financial autonomy, indebtedness, financial leverage, asset turnover, return on equity, and long-term bank debt. Solvency is influenced positively by financial autonomy and financial leverage. In contrast, solvency is negatively influenced by indebtedness, asset turnover, and long-term bank debt. Additionally, this paper represents the first study, in the restaurant sector in Portugal, which analyses the importance of solvency and its determinants, by facing a normal year with a crisis year. The paper is innovative in terms of knowledge about restaurant solvency behavior in periods of financial crisis and also because the COVID-19 pandemic has added an additional variable to restaurant solvency: short-term bank debt. In terms of theoretical implications, this study provides further insights about the factors influencing solvency in restaurant businesses during periods of a financial crisis. The main practical contributions are linked to improving the leadership skills of restaurant owners and managers to deal with periods of crisis in general, thus improving the solvency of their businesses and decreasing the risks associated with bankruptcy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over recent decades, various approaches to social innovation (SI) have been developed. At the same time, the question on how SI can contribute to and can impact the development of rural regions still remains only partially answered. One of the research gaps that remains addressed only to a certain extent is associated with the ways in which impacts produced by SI can be assessed. Such research, focusing on SI impacts in rural contexts is even more scarce. In the current paper, an attempt is made to investigate the impacts of an SI initiative operating in the field of integrated rural development. The study takes on a case study design focusing on ADC Moura, a local development association from Baixo Alentejo, Portugal. The results show that the impacts of said SI initiative have a multi-sectoral and multi-durational nature and transcend sectors and address multiple domains (social, economic, institutional, and environmental), with the SI initiative having the most impacts on the local level of the municipality. In addition to this, the paper provides some ideas for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the significant economic contribution of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), little is known about the extent to which they make use of accounting information (AI). Although AI is considered one of the main sources of information for SMEs, many continue to ignore its potential, considering that this information is only intended to meet tax obligations. The literature stresses the influence of several factors on AI usage. However, the conclusions of the studies are fragmented, contradictory, and not very enlightening. Following these studies, the purpose of this paper is to explore which characteristics of decision makers, companies, and accounting services influence the importance and use of AI in SMEs. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey applied to Portuguese SMEs. The findings show that the decision makers' level of education, as well as their educational background, influence the importance they attribute to AI. It has also been found that smaller companies and SMEs that use outsourced accounting services make the least use of AI. Therefore, in addition to providing empirical evidence on the importance and use of AI, a debate that has been mainly theoretical, and on the importance of SMEs in any economy, this paper aims to raise awareness of the need to further study the decision-making process in such firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education institutions today are expected to not only equip students with the skills and qualifications required to succeed professionally, but also to prepare them to develop active learning strategies, build successful interpersonal relations—both at local and global levels—and be active citizens who are able to handle change and uncertainty. Synonymous with the notions of "virtual mobility" or "internationalization at home", Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) is an educational approach with the potential to enhance the development of this broader skillset while providing students with an opportunity to interact with peers from across the globe. The purpose of this paper is to present a cross-cultural pedagogical activity implemented within a class of Business Communication undergraduate students from the University of Aveiro (UA), in Portugal, together with volunteer students from the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, in Thailand. In this exploratory study, the authors sought to gauge the effectiveness of such virtual global learning approaches and understand how UA students self-perceived their own skillset development. Based on qualitative and quantitative information, it was possible to conclude that students' perceptions were generally positive and that cognitive, social, and intercultural competencies, as well as other critical 21st-century skills, were successfully addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from the current energy architecture to a new model is evident and inevitable. The coming future promises innovative and increasingly rigorous projects and challenges for everyone involved in this value chain. Technological developments have allowed the emergence of new concepts, such as renewable energy communities, decentralized renewable energy production, and even energy storage. These factors have incited consumers to play a more active role in the electricity sector and contribute considerably to the achievement of environmental objectives. With the introduction of renewable energy communities, the need to develop new management and optimization tools, mainly in generation and load management, arises. Thus, this paper proposes a platform capable of clustering consumers and prosumers according to their energy and geographical characteristics to create renewable energy communities. Thus, this paper proposes a platform capable of clustering consumers and prosumers according to their energy and geographical characteristics to create renewable energy communities. Moreover, through this platform, the identification (homogeneous energy communities, mixed energy communities, and self-sufficient energy communities) and the size of each community are also obtained. Three algorithms are considered to achieve this purpose: K-means, density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise, and linkage algorithms (single-link, complete-link, average-link, and Wards' method). With this work, it is possible to verify each algorithm's behavior and effectiveness in clustering the players into communities. A total of 233 members from 9 cities in the northern region of Portugal (Porto District) were considered to demonstrate the application of the proposed platform. The results demonstrate that the linkage algorithms presented the best classification performance, achieving 0.631 by complete-ink in the Silhouette score, 2124.174 by Ward's method in the Calinski-Harabasz index, and 0.329 by single-link on the Davies-Bouldin index. Additionally, the developed platform demonstrated adequacy, versatility, and robustness concerning the classification and sizing of renewable energy communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current-day volcanic activity in the Azores archipelago is characterized by seismic events and secondary manifestations of volcanism. Remote sensing techniques have been widely employed to monitor deformation in volcanic systems, map lava flows, or detect high-temperature gas emissions. However, using satellite imagery, it is still challenging to identify low-magnitude thermal changes in a volcanic system. In 2010, after drilling a well for geothermal exploration on the northern flank of Fogo Volcano on São Miguel Island, a new degassing and thermal area emerged with maximum temperatures of 100 °C. In the present paper, using the ASTER sensor, we observed changes in the near-infrared signals (15 m spatial resolution) six months after the anomaly emerged. In contrast, the thermal signal (90 m spatial resolution) only changed its threshold value one and a half years after the anomaly was recognized. The results show that wavelength and spatial resolution can influence the response time in detecting changes in a system. This paper reiterates the importance of using thermal imaging and high spatial resolution images to monitor and map thermal anomalies in hydrothermal systems such as those found in the Azores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper maps the cultural ecosystem services (CES) of a well-known giant-wave hotspot located in Nazaré, Portugal. The paper adopts a qualitative approach combining an auto-ethnographic direct observation of a journey and the content analysis of photos and videos posted on the YouTube and Facebook pages of tourists and operators. A total of 44 geotagged photos from a sample of 6914 photos retrieved from Flickr allowed the classification and spatial distribution of several CES: (1) recreational—surf activities; (2) aesthetic—photography; (3) spiritual—dark tourism and risk recreation; (4) intangible heritage—maritime knowledge; (5) scientific—wave height forecast; (6) sense of place; and (7) social relations. The paper also proposes a theoretical framework that highlights the pull drivers (risk recreation, storm chasing, or spectacular death voyeurism) and the push drivers (e.g., marketing campaigns and wave forecasts alerts) that explain the behaviors of the big-wave spectators/chasers during the experience journey. Public decision-makers, destination marketing organizations, tourism operators, and business entrepreneurs must acknowledge the relevance of journey mapping in order to identify the moments of stress and the touchpoints associated with peak/positive experiences generated by these CES. This study confirms some push and pull factors assessed by previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leadership styles and human capital are important drivers of innovation processes. The way the leader interacts with the organization members can pre-empt or leverage innovation processes as leaders influence, empower and motivate other individuals in the achievement of their goals. Human capital is an important driver of innovation and competitiveness, as it will shape the uniqueness of the company as well as the process to obtain skills, capabilities, knowledge and expertise. As such, the main objectives of the paper are to analyze the impact of leadership styles on the innovation process and also to address the moderation effect of the human capital on the previous relation. Four leadership styles—autocratic, transactional, democratic, and transformational—were considered to measure their impacts on the innovation process, considering the alternative types of innovations. The 2018 Community Innovation Survey (CIS) database was used, encompassing Portuguese data, covering the 2016–2018 period, with a sample of 13702 firms. In regard to the empirical part, first, an exploratory analysis was run to better understand the connection between the leadership styles and the innovative strategies followed by an econometric estimation encompassing 28 logit models to disentangle the specific impacts of each leader on each innovation type. Evidence proves that autocratic and transactional leadership styles have a negative impact on innovation and transformational and democratic leadership impact innovation positively. Furthermore, human capital was found to moderate the relationship between leadership styles and the innovation process; i.e., under the same leadership style, the presence of additional skills leverages innovative propensity. The paper brings relevant insights for both managers and policymakers, highlighting that innovation will be accelerated if firms implement more participatory (democratic and transformational) leadership styles and also if they invest in competences to promote knowledge internalization and share. All in all, participatory leadership combined with the internal skills is proved to be an efficient combination for innovation to take place; as such, policy instruments must promote the coexistence of these two factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The historiography of the crusade and reconquest in the Iberian Peninsula, and Portugal in particular, dates from the beginning of the twentieth century. Since the 1920s, it has been assumed that the reconquest was an output of the crusade in the Iberian West due to the so-called "Bull of Crusade" given to Portugal. The "idea of the Crusade" in Portugal was enhanced by Carl Erdmann in the 1930s and 1940s. This interpretation has been endorsed by the very context in which the Kingdom of Portugal emerged and developed throughout the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. From the 1980s onwards, the launching of systematic research on the military orders also reinforced this perspective. The deep affinity between the military orders and the crusades in the context of the reconquest is reflected in this historiography. These concepts—military orders, crusade, reconquest—have been studied without distinction being made between them, adding to the complexity of this analysis. Considering the historiographical achievements regarding the crusade, it is pertinent to rethink the associations between reconquest, crusade and military orders. Reading certain historical narratives is crucial for this analysis, although the written records do not fully deplete the subject. To reinforce the relevance of this approach, we will also consider royal and pontifical diplomas. Tracing the terminology used in these documents and identifying how these historical realities were referred to are the two main goals of this paper. For that purpose, three key moments of the Portuguese reconquest have been chosen: the conquests of Lisbon (1147), Silves (1189), and Alcácer do Sal (1217). These have one feature in common: the presence of crusaders travelling to the Holy Land, which supports the terminological analysis of those discourses. Different perspectives are embodied in these conquest narratives when compared with royal and papal diplomas on the same issue and of a similar chronology. Historiography on Reconquest, crusade, and the military orders is often conditioned by ideology, occasionally revealing a tendency to repeat ideas without debating them. This paper's analysis is based on the aforementioned written records and is undertaken in order to verify when the word crusade/crusader appeared in Portugal, to assess to what extent the war of conquest in Portuguese territory followed the example of the holy war and to evaluate the commitment of the crown and the Holy See in this complex process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to quantify the production of wood-based biomass, to define the type and where it comes from, how it is used, and the amount that remains available. This information is crucial for the implementation of national and transnational regulations and is a pillar for the development of the future bio-based circular economy. A variety of studies estimate the production of biomass, performs material flow analyses, or addresses supply chain modelling. These studies are often built upon distinct assumptions, tailored to a specific purpose, and often poorly described. This makes comparison amongst studies, generalization of results, or replication hard to even impossible. This paper presents a comprehensive methodology for wood-based biomass material flow analysis, anchored in Material Flow Analysis, built upon literature review and deducted through systematization of previous studies. This is a five-step approach, consisting of (1) adopt proper terminology; (2) obtain accurate estimates for the biomass flows; (3) Sankey diagram for resource balance representation; (4) scenario analysis; (5) stakeholders validation. The focus is to provide instructions for producing a generalized Sankey diagram, from the categorization of biomass resources, uses/applications in a circular economy setting, towards the development of scenario analysis. Its practical implementation is presented by defining the yearly wood-based biomass resource balance of Portugal and the waste wood resource balance of Flanders. The main data sources for the quantification of the biomass sources and uses/applications are identified. Based on the insights from these case studies, our methodological approach already shows to be replicable and with comparable results. This enables the comparison of resource flows between different regions and countries and also monitoring the progress over time. This leads to improved data which can be instruments for supporting companies’ decision-making processes (e.g., infrastructure investments or other strategic decisions), as well as designing policy strategies and incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the processes of racialization in Portuguese right-wing political movements through two prominent nationalist fanpages. It employs a mixed-methods approach that includes both quantitative and qualitative official data. The sample covers 72 months, from January 2017 to December 2020, encompassing a total of 3670 posts on Facebook. The main findings reveal that the fanpages utilize different discursive strategies, sometimes focusing on publishing static images and other times on sharing news links. From these publications, the fanpages garnered more than 1.4 million interactions, demonstrating consistent growth in their follower bases over the years. Emotional responses played a significant role in the interactions, particularly with Love, Sad, and Angry reactions standing out. The results also reveal that Portuguese nationalism maintains a dual ideology concerning race: ethno-exclusivism and ethno-pluralism. This observation affirms the dual nature of nationalist fanpages, where narrative elements converge and diverge based on the intended goal. Thus, individuals from Africa and Afro-descendants can be portrayed as both national heroes and social scum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NEET phenomenon in southern Europe is particularly alarming. Most studies have focused on analysing the socio-demographic characteristics of NEET and policies directed towards them, but more research is needed regarding the psychological aspects that underlie this condition. This paper, grounded in the bioecological model, aims to analyse the psychological dimensions regarding the functioning of Public Employment Services (PESs) in three countries that rely on the South Mediterranean welfare model. Between November 2022 and September 2023, research was conducted across six rural PES locations in Italy, Spain, and Portugal, based on interviews and focus groups with PES operators and young NEET users. Thematic analysis identified two central axes: Enhancing Relationships and Building Strategic Action, which were crucial for improving NEET-PES interactions and fostering connections between PES and other community entities. The results highlighted the importance of psychological elements in the effective involvement of NEETs in policy initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies the main factors that shape energy poverty. Based on the analysis of statistical, regulatory documentation, as well as the state of the housing stock in Portugal, a number of new factors have been identified that are inherent in developed countries. The factors that shape energy poverty include the low energy efficiency of buildings, lack of access to energy-efficient sources, imperfect regulatory framework in the construction sector, and low level of public awareness of loans to cover energy-related needs. In view of this, it can be argued that energy poverty is not a problem of Third World countries only but is a global problem that will become even more acute as we move to clean and energy-efficient resources. To overcome the problems of energy poverty, the experience of Portugal was analysed. It was found that the practice of granting loans to reimburse the cost of energy purchases is not effective. Based on the analysis of government programmes and plans in Portugal, it was found that one of the most effective ways to overcome energy poverty is to ensure the energy certification of buildings. The incentive for the transition to certification is a set of state programmes on construction loans, allocation of funds for modernisation, etc. The identified factors and tools for stimulating energy efficiency improvement allow us to formulate a strategy for overcoming energy poverty, which includes energy certification of buildings, transition to more efficient and energy-saving heating means, lending to the population, and allocation of funds for modernisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The i-DREAMS project established a 'Safety Tolerance Zone (STZ)' to maintain operators within safe boundaries through real-time and post-trip interventions, based on the crucial role of the human element in driving behavior. This paper aims to model the inter-relationship among driving task complexity, operator and vehicle coping capacity, and crash risk. Towards that aim, data from 80 drivers, who participated in a naturalistic driving experiment carried out in three countries (i.e., Belgium, Germany, and Portugal), resulting in a dataset of approximately 19,000 trips were collected and analyzed. The exploratory analysis included the development of Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) and the choice of the most appropriate variables associated with the latent variables "task complexity" and "coping capacity" that are to be estimated from the various indicators. In addition, Structural Equation Models (SEMs) were used to explore how the model variables were interrelated, allowing for both direct and indirect relationships to be modeled. Comparisons on the performance of such models, as well as a discussion on behaviors and driving patterns across different countries and transport modes, were also provided. The findings revealed a positive relationship between task complexity and coping capacity, indicating that as the difficulty of the driving task increased, the driver's coping capacity increased accordingly, (i.e., higher ability to manage and adapt to the challenges posed by more complex tasks). The integrated treatment of task complexity, coping capacity, and risk can improve the behavior and safety of all travelers, through the unobtrusive and seamless monitoring of behavior. Thus, authorities should utilize a data system oriented towards collecting key driving insights on population level to plan mobility and safety interventions, develop incentives for road users, optimize enforcement, and enhance community building for safe traveling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious disease epidemics are challenging for medical and public health practitioners. They require prompt treatment, but it is challenging to recognize and define epidemics in real time. Knowing the prediction of an infectious disease epidemic can evaluate and prevent the disease's impact. Mathematical models of epidemics that work in real time are important tools for preventing disease, and data-driven deep learning enables practical algorithms for identifying parameters in mathematical models. In this paper, the SIR model was reduced to a logistic differential equation involving a constant parameter and a time-dependent function. The time-dependent function leads to constant, rational, and birational models. These models use several constant parameters from the available data to predict the time and number of people reported to be infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant. Two out of these three models, rational and birational, provide accurate predictions for countries that practice strict mitigation measures, but fail to provide accurate predictions for countries that practice partial mitigation measures. Therefore, we introduce a time-series model based on neural networks to predict the time and number of people reported to be infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant in a given country that practices both partial and strict mitigation measures. A logistics-informed neural network algorithm was also introduced. This algorithm takes as input the daily and cumulative number of people who are reported to be infected with the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the given country. The algorithm helps determine the analytical solution involving several constant parameters for each model from the available data. The accuracy of these models is demonstrated using error metrics on Omicron variant data for Portugal, Italy, and China. Our findings demonstrate that the constant model could not accurately predict the daily or cumulative infections of the COVID-19 Omicron variant in the observed country because of the long series of existing data of the epidemics. However, the rational and birational models accurately predicted cumulative infections in countries adopting strict mitigation measures, but they fell short in predicting the daily infections. Furthermore, both models performed poorly in countries with partial mitigation measures. Notably, the time-series model stood out for its versatility, effectively predicting both daily and cumulative infections in countries irrespective of the stringency of their mitigation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maritime pine, scientifically known as Pinus pinaster, holds a vital role in Iberian Peninsula forests, primarily as a source of wood for panels, paper, and cellulose production. Recently, there has been a growing interest in utilising agroforestry by-products to yield valuable chemicals for applications in various sectors, including the food, pharmaceutical, and bioenergy industries. This study aimed to assess the value of the primary by-product of Pinus pinaster from the Minho region of northwestern Portugal, i.e., the bark. The research extensively examined the bark's chemical and thermal characteristics, including ash content, extractives, lignin, cellulose, hemicellulose, fatty acids, and mineral composition. Additionally, various analytical techniques like FTIR, SEM, DSC, DTG, and XRD were used to observe chemical structure differences. The results reveal that the Pinus pinaster bark primarily consists of lignin (51.15%) and holocellulose (46.09%), with extractives mainly soluble in toluene–ethanol, followed by water, and a small amount of them are soluble in ethanol. The bark contained around 0.44% ash, and heavy metals such as Cd and Pb were not found. During degradation, Pinus pinaster experienced a 10% mass loss at 140 °C. In terms of crystallinity, holocellulose and cellulose showed similar percentages at approximately 25.5%, while α-cellulose displayed the highest crystallinity index at 41%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will, through the analysis of three parishes in Coimbra between the twelfth and the fourteenth century, investigate practices surrounding the commemoration of death. Through the study of extant wills, post-mortem donations, and necrological documents—such as Obituaries and Anniversary Books—this work seeks to describe the populations and communities who entrusted their final salvation to these churches. This characterization will allow a description of the typology of the suffrage ceremonies founded by these souls, meanwhile presenting an evaluation of the maintenance and management of these foundations by the churches and its chapters throughout the centuries. This paper intends to highlight what survives after death—not only in terms of memory, but also in light of social relationships, interpersonal and familial connections, and professional solidarities. Focusing on a population that is otherwise poorly documented—and moreover, represents a socio-professional background of a low echelon—this text intends to present a global characterization of the cult of the dead, with a further aim of drawing attention to the intervention and enrichment of parish pastoral care by the lay population in this Portuguese city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile augmented reality games (MARGs) offer exciting possibilities for enriching outdoor learning and enhancing tourism experiences. However, there is a notable gap in understanding the perspectives of doctoral students on these innovative approaches. This paper presents the results of a case study conducted during the 2023 EERA Summer School in Portugal, where PhD students in Education, from universities all around the globe, engaged in a MARG for sustainable development education. Seventy-three students embarked on a walking city tour, whilst playing an interdisciplinary game supported by the EduCITY Smart Learning City Environment. It comprises a web platform, an app, location games, and game creation training. Students experienced the EduCITY app, which guided them through a designated city path encompassing tourist sites, while promoting diverse learning opportunities. At the end, students provided feedback through a short and anonymous evaluation questionnaire, incorporating the user experience questionnaire and one open-ended question for improvement suggestions. This study revealed valuable insights into the doctoral students' perspectives on the EduCITY app's user experience, highlighting the strengths of "Attractiveness", "Stimulation", and "Novelty". However, it also identified areas for improvement, particularly in "Dependability" and "Efficiency". The analysis of the open-ended responses suggested that "Attractiveness" and "Perspicuity", while not immediate priorities, should be considered in refinement phases as well. As more and more students recognize the importance of MARGs in education, there is a growing need for research in this field, aligning with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Goal 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is facing many challenges to keep up with growing energy demand and greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. A possible solution is to integrate renewable energy sources (RESs) into residences and create energy management systems (EMSs) that reduce consumption and relieve the main grid in critical hours. This paper is focused on analyzing different EMSs using solar photovoltaic (PV) modules and three energy storage systems (ESSs) to increase savings without affecting the user's needs, with thirty-three power consumption profiles and three energy tariffs over a 25-year investment to compare which solution presents the best economic result in each of the 297 analyzed scenarios. The results show that the higher the overall daily consumption values, the greater the profits for all EMSs. The lowest demand profiles lead to the best self-consumption and self-sufficiency results. PV-only systems with a tri-hourly tariff have the best overall results. In the case of battery operation, each case should be carefully analyzed in order to choose the correct technologies and tariff. The results also allowed us to verify that even though having more PV modules generates more energy, it can make a project less economically desirable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]