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Business plan for the internationalization of a web application in the Spanish livestock auction market
No full textThe present project work consists of the application of a case study, using the elaboration of a business plan for the internationalization of a web application for the creation, management, and invoicing of livestock auctions. The main objective is to analyze the economic and financial viability of the business idea using some financial indicators. For the development of this business plan, an adaptation of the methodologies of Deloitte & Touch (2003), Harvard (2007), and Ernst & Young (2009) was made. The application of the case study aims at the practical application of the theory learned in an academic context, which will be the subject of a literature review. Based on the various assumptions of the financial information, it was possible to conclude that the internationalization of the product in question to the Spanish market is economically and financially viable
Machine Learning in MRI Brain Imaging: A Review of Methods, Challenges, and Future Directions
No full textArticle number - 2692In recent years, machine learning (ML) has been increasingly used in many fields, including medicine. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive and effective diagnostic technique; however, manual image analysis is time-consuming and prone to human variability. In response, ML models have been developed to support MRI analysis, particularly in segmentation and classification tasks. This work presents an updated narrative review of ML applications in brain MRI, with a focus on tumor classification and segmentation. A literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases and Mendeley Catalog (MC)—a publicly accessible bibliographic catalog linked to Elsevier’s Scopus indexing system—covering the period from January 2020 to April 2025. The included studies focused on patients with primary or secondary brain neoplasms and applied machine learning techniques to MRI data for classification or segmentation purposes. Only original research articles written in English and reporting model validation were considered. Studies using animal models, non-imaging data, lacking proper validation, or without accessible full texts (e.g., abstract-only records or publications unavailable through institutional access) were excluded. In total, 108 studies met all inclusion criteria and were analyzed qualitatively. In general, models based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were found to dominate current research due to their ability to extract spatial features directly from imaging data. Reported classification accuracies ranged from 95% to 99%, while Dice coefficients for segmentation tasks varied between 0.83 and 0.94. Hybrid architectures (e.g., CNN-SVM, CNN-LSTM) achieved strong results in both classification and segmentation tasks, with accuracies above 95% and Dice scores around 0.90. Transformer-based models, such as the Swin Transformer, reached the highest performance, up to 99.9%. Despite high reported accuracy, challenges remain regarding overfitting, generalization to real-world clinical data, and lack of standardized evaluation protocols. Transfer learning and data augmentation were frequently applied to mitigate limited data availability, while radiomics-based models introduced new avenues for personalized diagnostics. ML has demonstrated substantial potential in enhancing brain MRI analysis and supporting clinical decision-making. Nevertheless, further progress requires rigorous clinical validation, methodological standardization, and comparative benchmarking to bridge the gap between research settings and practical deployment.This work was in part carried out at Instituto de Telecomunicações (IT), and funded by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., and, when eligible, cofunded by EU funds under project/support UID/50008/2025—Instituto de Telecomunicações and LA/P/0109/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/0109/2020)
The relationship between coaches’ interpersonal behaviors, basic psychological needs, behavioral regulation, and intentions towards sport persistence
No full textThis study investigates the relationships between coaches’ need-supportive and need-thwarting behaviors, satisfaction of basic psychological needs, motivation, intentions to continue, and athletes sport persistence. A total of 518 athletes (212 male, 306 female), 18 to 32 years (M = 23.18, SD = 4.19), participated in the study, with participants from football (n = 179), basketball (n = 166), and swimming (n = 173). A structural equation model and a mediation model were performed to understand the associations between motivational factors based on self-determination theory and a 2-year sport persistence assessment. Intentions to continue sport practice accounted for 12% of the variance related to sport persistence in the structural equation model. The mediation model did not reveal any direct effects for need-supportive or need-thwarting behaviors towards sport persistence. However, significant indirect paths were identified in the bright side of the model. Total indirect effect of the need-supportive behaviors in the model was β = .14 (CI95% = .26, .37) while for need-thwarting behaviors was β = −.05 (CI95% = −.11, −.01) towards sport persistence, indicating a positive mediation process. Coaches by being perceived as need-supportive may increase athletes’ intention to continue participating in sport, and consequently sport persistence.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was funded by National Funds by FCT - Foundation for Science and Technology under the following project UID/04045: Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences, and Human Development.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
O impacto do Employer Branding no Engagement e a Intenção de Turnover na classe profissional dos fisioterapeutas
No full textPerante a existência de um mercado competitivo, onde a competitividade por colaboradores
qualificados é intensa, as organizações enfrentam o desafio de atrair e reter colaboradores,
de modo a garantir uma vantagem competitiva no mercado. É neste contexto que surge o
Employer Branding, como uma estratégia que procura atrair colaboradores qualificados.
Este estudo procura evidências sobre a relação entre o Employer Branding, o Engagement
e a Intenção de Turnover em profissionais. Trata-se de um estudo quantitativo destinado a
profissionais de saúde na área da fisioterapia que foram inquiridos por meio de um
questionário, adotando a técnica “snowball”. Os instrumentos de medida utilizados foram
UWES - Utrech Work Engagement Scale, a escala Employer Attractiveness Scale e para a
medição da variável Intenção de Turnover foi utilizada a escala proposta por Bozeman &
Perrewé, (2001).
Os resultados do estudo foram alcançados através da análise de correlações e da aplicação
de modelos de regressão hierárquica linear, concluindo que o Engagement é explicado pelo
Employer Branding e as dimensões “Valor social”, “Valor desenvolvimento” e “Valor
aplicação” são aquelas que apresentam maior impacto no Engagement. Ou seja,
organizações que investem nestes domínios poderão potenciar a sua estratégia de Employer
Branding, transferindo impactos positivos no Engagement dos fisioterapeutas. Conclui-se
ainda que existe um efeito negativo e significativo do Engagement na Intenção de Turnover,
uma vez que quanto mais engajados estiverem os fisioterapeutas, menor será a sua Intenção
de Turnover da organização.In a competitive market where competition for good employees is intense, organizations face
the challenge of attracting and retaining employees in order to ensure a competitive
advantage in the market. It is in this context that Employer Branding emerges as strategy
that seeks to attract qualified employees.
This study seeks evidence on the relationship between Employer Branding, Engagement and
the Turnover Intention of professionals. This is a quantitative study aimed at health
professionals in the field of physiotherapy, regardless of their place of wor, who were
surveyed through a questionnaire, adopting the “snowball” technique. The measurement
instruments used were UWES - Utrech Work Engagement Scale, the Employer
Attractiveness Scale and the scale proposed by Bozeman & Perrewé, (2001)to measure the
Turnover Intention variable.
The results of the study were obtained through the analysis of correlations and the
application of hierarchical linear regression models, concluding that Engagement is
explained by Employer Branding and the dimensions “Social value”, “Development value”,
and “Application value” are those that have the greatest impact on Engagement. In other
words, organizations that invest in these areas will be able to enhance their Employer
Branding strategy, transferring positive impacts Engagement of physiotherapists. It is also
concluded that there is a negative and significant effect of Engagement on Turnover
Intention, since the more engaged the physiotherapists are, the lower their Turnover
Intention will be in the organization
Preserving and hydrogel-matrixing the bioactive properties of aromatic medicinal halophytic herbs from the coastline of the Iberian Peninsula
No full textEdible wild plants are part of the ethnobotanic heritage of a certain geographical area and are important sources of essential oils, antioxidants, minerals, and special flavours. Corema album (Portuguese crowberry), Crithmum maritimum (sea fennel), Eryngium maritimum (sea holly), Helichrysum italicum (curry plant) and Otanthus maritimus (cottonweed) wildly flourish along the sandy dunes of the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. These plants are locally known for their beneficial properties, with important value for food, cosmetics and/or medicinal applications. Hence, leaves of these endemic species were collected at four different locations and submitted to different preserving treatments (oven-drying, freezing, and freeze-drying). Acetonic extracts of the different plants submitted to the different post-harvesting treatments were analysed regarding their antioxidant capacities and phenolic contents. Plant extracts were also analysed by diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DOSY-NMR). In general, freeze-drying was the best method of preserving plant minerals, antioxidants (~4 mgVCEAC/g fw) and polyphenols (~5 mgGAE/g fw). Minerals were quantified via energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, and despite their location, all plants were rich in Ca, Cl, K, S and P. Hierarchical clustering and principal component analyses (PCA) pointed towards chemical/metabolic proximity between taxonomic families. Alginate hydrogels loaded with 0.1 % and 0.2 % (w/v) of extracts presented homogenous
surface properties by scanning electron microscopy, good mechanical tensile strength (~30 MPa) and antibacterial activity against S. aureus. Edible alginate hydrogels enriched with plant extracts hold great nutraceutical potential to be used as natural preservatives for food coating and packaging or as sources of bioactive compounds for biomedical applications.Authors thank the financial support of Fundaç˜ao para a Ciˆencia e a Tecnologia FCT/MCTES to LSRE-LCM (10.54499/UIDB/50020/2020 & 10.54499/UIDP/50020/2020), ALiCE (10.54499/LA/P/0045/2020), CQC-IMS (10.54499/UIDB/00313/2020 & 10.54499/UIDP/00313/ 2020), MARE (10.54499/UIDP/04292/2020 & 10.54499/UIDB/ 04292/2020), ARNET (10.54499/LA/P/0069/2020) and CDRSP (10.54499/UIDB/04044/2020 & 10.54499/UIDP/04044/2020)
Pentesting Augmented Reality Devices and Mobile Applications: A Dual-Method Approach Using OWASP MSTG
No full textA Realidade Aumentada (RA) tem-se expandido rapidamente em domínios como o
entretenimento, a saúde, a educação, a indústria e a defesa, transformando a forma
como indivíduos e organizações interagem com conteúdos digitais. Ao fundir ambientes
reais e virtuais, a RA potencia novas experiências e aplicações inovadoras. No entanto,
a sua dependência constante de sensores, câmaras e processamento de dados em
tempo real torna estes sistemas particularmente vulneráveis a riscos de segurança e de
privacidade. Problemas como acessos não autorizados, armazenamento inseguro ou
uso indevido de dados ambientais e biométricos aumentam significativamente as consequências
de vulnerabilidades em plataformas de RA, tornando essencial a adoção
de abordagens de segurança desde a fase inicial de design.
Este trabalho foi desenvolvido no âmbito do projeto SafeAR, cujo objetivo é criar
ferramentas automáticas para proteger a privacidade e a confidencialidade em ambientes
de RA, assegurando experiências contínuas e em tempo real. O projeto identifica
classes principais de riscos associados à captura de dados em RA e aplica técnicas de
aprendizagem automática para os detetar, validando as suas soluções em dois cenários
de aplicação: um jogo de RA baseado em localização (LootAR) e uma aplicação de
treino e manufatura industrial (UnitySafe). Estes dois casos de estudo serviram como
base para esta dissertação.
Para avaliar a sua robustez em termos de segurança, aplicou-se uma metodologia
de testes de penetração estruturada com base no OWASP Mobile Application Security
Testing Guide (MSTG), no OWASP Mobile Top 10 (2024) e no OWASP Top 10 Web
Application Security Risks (2021). A análise incidiu sobre aspetos como armazenamento,
autenticação, permissões da aplicação e tráfego de rede, com especial foco no
tratamento de comunicações TLS. Recorreu-se a técnicas de análise estática e dinâmica
e a ferramentas especializadas para uma avaliação sistemática das vulnerabilidades em
ambientes móveis e HoloLens.
Este projeto contribui com uma metodologia estruturada de testes de penetração
adaptada a aplicações de RA, identificando riscos específicos e propondo estratégias
de mitigação. Ao fazê-lo, reforça a missão do projeto SafeAR, apoiando o desenvolvimento
de ecossistemas de RA fiáveis e respeitadores da privacidade.Augmented Reality (AR) has rapidly expanded into domains such as entertainment,
healthcare, education, manufacturing, and defense, transforming the way individuals
and organizations interact with digital content. By merging real and virtual environments,
AR enhances user experiences and enables innovative applications. However,
this constant reliance on sensors, cameras, and real-time data processing makes
AR systems inherently prone to security and privacy risks. Issues such as unauthorized
access, insecure storage, and the misuse of sensitive environmental and biometric
data amplify the consequences of vulnerabilities in AR platforms, making security-bydesign
approaches a pressing necessity.
This project report is conducted within the context of the SafeAR Project, whose objective
is to create automatic tools for protecting privacy and confidentiality in AR environments
while maintaining seamless, real-time experiences. SafeAR identifies key
classes of risks in AR data capture and applies machine learning to detect them, validating
its solutions in two application scenarios: a location-based AR game (LootAR)
and an industrial training and manufacturing application (UnitySafe). These two applications
form the case studies for this work.
To evaluate their security posture, we applied a structured penetration testing methodology
based on the OWASP Mobile Application Security Testing Guide (MSTG), the
OWASP Mobile Top 10 (2024), and the OWASP Top 10 Web Application Security Risks
(2021). The assessment focused on storage, authentication, application permissions,
and network traffic, with particular emphasis on the handling of Transport Layer Security
(TLS) communications. Static and dynamic analyses were performed using a
range of established tools and techniques, enabling a systematic examination of vulnerabilities
in both mobile and HoloLens environments.
The results highlight that many risks affecting AR applications align with those
found in conventional mobile and web environments. However, the immersive and interconnected
nature of AR amplifies their potential impact, demanding greater attention
to privacy, integrity, and resilience. This dissertation contributes a structured penetration
test methodology tailored for AR applications, identifying AR-specific risks
and proposing mitigation strategies. In doing so, it reinforces the mission of SafeAR,
supporting the development of trustworthy and privacy-preserving AR ecosystems
Manual do Operador_Pintura Objeto
No full textO presente documento consiste na dissertação do aluno Neobert Vitor Laureano de Barros para efeito de Mestrado no curso de Artes Plásticas realizado na Escola Superior de
Artes e Design de Caldas da Rainha. O título, Manual do Operador — Pintura Objeto, refere-se ao assunto deste texto, que por sua vez consiste na apresentação da minha prática
artística, assim como na apresentação do meu trabalho realizado no dado contexto e, adicionalmente, estabelece um paralelo entre as minhas pinturas e o conceito de objeto
Empoderamento Comunitário de idosos polimedicados: estratégias de adesão ao regime medicamentoso
No full textO presente relatório pretende descrever, analisar e refletir sobre a minha trajetória de aprendizagem para aquisição de competências comuns e específicas em Enfermagem de Saúde Comunitária e Saúde Pública, no âmbito do Mestrado em Enfermagem Comunitária.
O envelhecimento populacional, traduz um aumento das doenças crónicas e consequentemente o recurso a um regime medicamentoso complexo, pode comprometer a adesão ao mesmo e a segurança das pessoas idosas, sendo já considerado um problema universal de saúde pública. Com recurso à metodologia do planeamento em saúde e implementação de estratégias e ferramentas específicas, o Enfermeiro Especialista em Enfermagem de Saúde Comunitária e de Saúde Pública, emerge como elemento facilitador da capacitação de grupos/ comunidades para a Promoção da Saúde, através do Empoderamento Comunitário.
Este projeto visa melhorar a adesão ao regime medicamentoso de idosos polimedicados pela via do empoderamento comunitário para implementação de estratégias e ferramentas inovadoras, na área de influência da Unidade de Cuidados à Comunidade de Vila Nova da Barquinha. Adotou-se a metodologia de Planeamento em Saúde, o referencial teórico da promoção da saúde de Nola Pender e o Modelo de Avaliação, Intervenção e Empoderamento Comunitário de Pedro Melo. Este modelo orienta a tomada de decisão quanto às estratégias de abordagem. No sentido de fundamentar essas estratégias em práticas baseadas na evidência, foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura sobre a temática. Avaliou-se o nível de empoderamento comunitário através da Escala de Avaliação do Empoderamento Comunitário e a escala Medida de Adesão aos Tratamentos (MAT). A partir da análise dos resultados da revisão integrativa e da aplicação dos instrumentos de medida, estabeleceram-se diagnósticos de enfermagem e foram planeadas intervenções como, educação para a saúde, marketing em comunicação e divulgou-se o próprio projeto. Os indicadores de resultado, como a melhoria do score na escala de MAT, demonstram tendência positiva na evolução do nível elevado de adesão ao regime medicamentoso pela amostra de idosos polimedicados, assim como a percentagem de profissionais que considera recorrer às estratégias apresentadas representa um ganho elevado de conhecimento dos profissionais de saúde sobre o tema. Salienta-se que a reduzida dimensão da amostra, não permite concluir quanto ao impacto da intervenção no Empoderamento Comunitário, sugerindo-se a replicação do estudo em amostras de maior dimensão.This report aims to describe, analyze and reflect on my learning path to acquire common and specific skills in Community Health and Public Health Nursing, within the scope of the Master's degree in Community Health Nursing.
Population ageing leads to an increase in chronic diseases and, consequently, the use of complex medication regimens can compromise adherence to them and the safety of elderly people and is already considered a universal public health problem. Using the methodology of health planning and implementing specific strategies and tools, the Specialist Nurse in Community Health and Public Health Nursing emerges as a facilitator in the empowerment of groups/communities for Health Promotion, through Community Empowerment.
This project aims to improve adherence to medication regimens among elderly people on multiple medications through community empowerment to implement innovative strategies and tools in the area of influence of the Vila Nova da Barquinha Community Care Unit. The Health Planning methodology, Nola Pender's theoretical framework for health promotion and Pedro Melo's Community Assessment, Intervention and Empowerment Model were adopted. This model guides decision-making regarding approach strategies. In order to base these strategies on evidence-based practices, an integrative review of the literature on the subject was carried out. The level of community empowerment was assessed using the Community Empowerment Assessment Scale and the Treatment Adherence Measure (MAT) scale. Based on the analysis of the results of the integrative review and the application of measuring instruments, nursing diagnoses were established, and interventions were planned, such as health education, marketing and communication, and the project itself was publicized. The outcome indicators, such as the improvement in the score on the MAT scale, demonstrate a positive trend in the evolution of the high level of adherence to the medication regimen by the sample of polymedicated elderly people, and the percentage of professionals who consider using the strategies presented, represents a significant gain in knowledge of health professionals on the subject. It should be noted that the small size of the sample does not allow for conclusions regarding the impact of the intervention on Community Empowerment, suggesting that the study be replicated in larger samples
Exploring Sustainable Chocolate Ventures: A Pathway For a Chocolate Shop in Lisbon
No full textAs customers give transparency, ethical consumerism top priority in their buying decisions, the chocolate business has been severely affected by the worldwide movement towards sustainable and ethical consumption. Responsible sourcing also matters greatly. Combining important ideas of sustainability, ethical trade, and culinary tourism, this study investigates if it is feasible to open a sustainable chocolate business in Lisbon. This paper investigates the function of sustainable chocolate in forming consumer behaviour, evaluating business viability, and embedding itself into Lisbon's vibrant gastronomic scene using a theoretical framework and a qualitative research method. The results show how environmentally friendly chocolate companies may support consumer education, urban sustainability, fair trade and ethical cocoa farming. Even although demand for sustainable chocolate is growing, issues including price sensitivity, market entrance restrictions, and logistical complexity have to be closely controlled. In this industry, a well-organised business strategy can improve profitability and competitiveness by means of consumer involvement, guarantees of transparency, and use of strategic site choices. By matching corporate models with changing ethical consumer patterns and sustainable tourism trends, this study offers a strategic road map for companies hoping to join the sustainable chocolate industry. Emphasising the possibility to provide social, environmental, and financial advantages in metropolitan settings like Lisbon, this study provides insightful analysis of best practices for retail and sustainable chocolate manufacture
Future accounting professionals – how important is teaching for sustainability?
No full textPurpose – This study aims to analyze Portuguese professional regulators’ perspectives on the importance given to sustainable development (SD) issues and their position on integrating SD in the curricula of accounting and management courses. Secondly, it seeks to analyze, from the student’s perspective, the importance of SD for their future professional performance as accountants or auditors.
Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were conducted with the heads of the two professional regulatory bodies in Portugal. A complimentary content analysis of professional journals and other types of publications, training activities, videos of conferences, meetings and training sessions available on the official websites of these bodies and social media was also carried out. Data on students’ perspectives were collected through a questionnaire sent to students enrolled in accounting and management courses at higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal in 2020. Findings – There is evidence that further interaction between professional regulators and HEIs is still needed to integrate teaching sustainable development (TSD) in the academic curricula; moreover, regulators expressed concern about raising awareness of the topic among future professionals. In turn, students consider that knowledge of SD is fundamental to their professional future. These students’ interests may motivate HEIs to integrate TSD since this will improve their professional performance in companies and contribute to realizing SD in general. Research limitations/implications – This study carried out in the Portuguese context, contributes to the gap in the literature. Portugal is part of the EU and must comply with EU directives on sustainability reports. Also, it contributes to answering UN calls as proposed by UNESCO, about the importance of teaching this subject nowadays, more relevant than ever. By emphasizing the importance of TSD, the study aims to raise awareness among students and educators about the urgent need for sustainable practices in business. This awareness can influence public attitudes toward sustainability and contribute to a more informed society.
Originality/value – This study is innovative in that it seeks to assess, from the perspective of professional regulators, their position on integrating SD into the curricula of accounting and management courses. It also analyses the views of professional regulators and students on the importance of TSD for the performance of future professionals.CEECINST/00051/2018This research is financed by National Funds of the FCT—Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UIDB/05037/2020 with DOI 10.54499/UIDB/05037/2020 and UIDB/04928/2020, under the Scientific Employment Stimulus– Institutional Call CEECINST/00051/2018