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Bioconversion of organic waste by insects: a comprehensive review
Get PDFfeed. However, the increase in global agricultural production also means an increase in waste generation, which
is mostly improperly managed, especially in low- and middle-income countries where adequate waste man agement infrastructure is limited and inefficient. Consequently, organic waste has become a global burden due to
its negative impact on the environment and human health. In this sense, insect-based bioconversion could be an
economically viable, environmentally friendly, and technically feasible approach to organic waste management.
Based on this review, organic wastes from agriculture, food industry, household, municipalities, and starch in dustry are considered as suitable substrates for bioconverter insects. Commonly used insects for bioconversion
include the cricket, yellow mealworm, superworm, black soldier fly, house fly, flesh fly and blow fly. Rearing
facilities must be adapted to provide the optimal environmental conditions for the growth and development of
the reared insect to maximize the bioconversion rate and efficiency. Bioconverter insects and their by-products
can be industrially processed into animal feed, fertilizer and biodiesel or extracted to isolate bioactive com pounds. The challenges associated with insect-based bioconversion include human and social acceptance,
method-, infrastructure- and technology-related problems, the availability of substrates, and political and legal
regulations. In summary, insect-based bioconversion of organic waste has the potential to reduce waste, create
jobs, provide novel products, and offer a sustainable source of protein to feed the world’s growing population
Systematization of the types of adaptations requested in pedestrian routes: human strategies in sport, tourism and other critical situations
No full textThe aim of this work is to create a structure of knowledge that allows to understand and explain different
adaptations requested in pedestrian routes to individuals. We establish the conceptual framework in which
this study fits and define its application to two types of frequent adaptations in these activities: uneven terrain
and sloped terrain (downhill), establishing which variables to consider and how they interrelate in order to
establish decision trees that allow us to make choices and set up strategies consciously and intentionally. We
also try to highlight some particularities in the application of these instruments to situations in the field of sport and tourism
Movimentos codificados: uma performance na fronteira entre a inteligência artificial e a dança contemporânea
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Notes on the development of biography in classical antiquity
Get PDFDurante a Antiguidade Clássica, a narrativa de vidas passou por várias fases e
desenvolveu‑se em âmbitos muitos diversos, mantendo uma relação próxima com a
historiografia. Em forma de síntese, procuraremos identificar os vários momentos dessa
evolução e caracterizar os temas principais do género biográfico.During the Classical Antiquity, the narrative of lives went through several
phases and developed in many different domains, maintaining a close relationship with
historiography. In summary, we will try to identify the various moments of this evolution
and characterise the main themes of the biographical genre
Relatório de Estágio para Obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico
Get PDFO relatório de estágio que se apresenta surge no âmbito do Mestrado em Educação
Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico e tem como principal finalidade a
obtenção de grau de mestre nestas respetivas áreas educativas. Neste sentido, com este
documento académico objetivou-se partilhar a experiência vivenciada aquando das
práticas pedagógicas desenvolvidas em instituições educativas, refletindo sobre as
mesmas, as quais decorreram num infantário e em duas instituições educativas do
1.ºcilco, estas presentes no concelho do Funchal.
No que respeita à sua estrutura, o relatório organiza-se em duas partes
complementares: Parte I – Enquadramento Teórico e Metodológico e Parte II – Prática
Pedagógica. Assim sendo, numa primeira etapa sintetizar-se-ão as bases teóricas e
metodológicas que fundamentaram as práticas pedagógicas realizadas, enquanto numa
segunda etapa se refletirá sobre as mesmas, partilhando e descrevendo alguns momentos
de aprendizagem desenvolvidos.
Associado à prática pedagógica, está o processo de investigação. Nesta perspetiva,
e no sentido de dar resposta a problemáticas específicas verificadas em cada grupo,
desenvolveram-se dois projetos assentes na metodologia de Investigação-Ação, os quais
tiveram por base as seguintes questões-problema: “Como consciencializar as crianças
sobre a importância e utilização da água?” e “Como promover um clima positivo de
sala de aula através da leitura, escrita e música no 2.ºB?”
Considerando o mencionado o presente relatório surge, então, como resultado de
tudo aquilo que contribuiu para a minha formação em educação, na medida em que me
permite realizar um paralelo entre a teoria e a prática abordada ao longo da mesmaThis internship report is part of the Master's Degree in Pre-School Education and
Primary School Teaching and its main purpose is to obtain a master's degree in these
respective educational areas. The aim of this academic document is to share the
experience of the pedagogical practices developed in this context, reflecting on them,
which took place at the nursery school, and Primary School with Pre-School, all in the
municipality of Funchal.
As far as its structure is concerned, the report is organized into two
complementary parts: Part I - Theoretical and Methodological Framework and Part II -
Pedagogical Practice. As such, the first stage will summarize the theoretical and
methodological bases that underpinned the pedagogical practices carried out, while the
second stage will reflect on them, sharing and describing some of the learning moments
developed during them.
Linked to teaching practice is the research process. From this perspective, and in
order to respond to the specific problems encountered in each group, two projects were
developed based on the Action Research methodology, which were based on the
following problem questions: "How can we make children aware of the importance of
water?" and "How can we promote a positive classroom climate through reading, writing
and music in 2nd grade?"
Considering the above, this report is the result of everything that has contributed
to my training in education, in that it allows me to draw a parallel between the theory and
practice covered throughout
O impacto de uma instituição pública de habitação social na promoção do desenvolvimento comunitário local. Estudo de caso na Região Autónoma da Madeira
Get PDFAs dificuldades sociais, económicas, políticas e culturais existentes em alguns
grupos sociais advêm essencialmente de situações de vulnerabilidade, resultado dos
rendimentos baixos, condições precárias de vida e desemprego. Assim sendo, cabe às
entidades competentes o angariar de estratégias que deem resposta a estes casos, de modo
a combater comportamentos desviantes e evitar que estas pessoas sejam marginalizadas.
No caso específico da Região Autónoma da Madeira (RAM), verificamos através
de dados da Direção Regional de Estatística da Madeira, a existência de elevadas
percentagens de indivíduos em risco de pobreza. Face a esta problemática, o Governo
Regional através de uma organização pública de habitação social, tem desenvolvido
estratégias de modo a dar resposta aos problemas habitacionais e laborais desses cidadãos,
acompanhando-os e envolvendo-os simultaneamente em dinâmicas de trabalho social.
Por esse facto, o presente estudo de caso teve como finalidade compreender o
contexto e os processos de liderança dos intervenientes daquela organização pública de
habitação social da Região Autónoma da Madeira, de modo a determinar o seu impacto
no desenvolvimento comunitário local. Deste modo, procurámos caraterizar o contexto
organizacional da instituição, identificar os processos de liderança, descrever as
atividades desenvolvidas no contexto da comunidade, identificar os processos de
liderança existentes e determinar o impacto da organização no desenvolvimento
comunitário local.
Para a realização deste estudo, foram utilizadas metodologias qualitativas e
quantitativas.
As técnicas e instrumentos de recolha de dados recaíram sobre a pesquisa
documental, a pesquisa bibliográfica, a realização de entrevistas e inquéritos por
questionário aplicados a 2 técnicas de um dos Polos Comunitários da organização e aos
utentes da mesma.
Para a análise e interpretação dos dados recolhidos utilizaram-se as técnicas de
análise de conteúdo, a triangulação de dados, bem como alguns indicadores estatísticos.
Conclui-se que o trabalho realizado por esta organização pública de habitação
social tem grande importância para a comunidade local através de procedimentos onde se
destacam os apoios à habitação e as atividades realizadas nos Polo Comunitários que
promovem a inclusão social e a formação dos utentes e ajudam a combater problemas de
solidão através da ocupação de tempos livres.The social, economic, political and cultural difficulties that exist in some social
groups essentially arise from situations of vulnerability, as a result of low income,
precarious living conditions and unemployment. Therefore, it is up to the competent
authorities to develop strategies that respond to these cases, in order to combat deviant
behavior and prevent these people from being marginalized.
In the specific case of the Autonomous Region of Madeira (RAM), we verified,
through data from the Directorate Statistics of Madeira, the existence of high percentages
of individuals at risk of poverty. Faced with this problem, the Regional Government,
through a public social housing organization, has developed strategies in order to respond
to the housing and work problems of these citizens, accompanying them and
simultaneously involving them in social work dynamics.
For this reason, the purpose of this case study was to understand the context and
leadership processes of those involved in that public social housing organization in the
Autonomous Region of Madeira, in order to determine its impact on local community
development. In this way, we sought to characterize the organizational context of the
institution, identify the leadership processes, describe the activities carried out in the
community context, identify the existing leadership processes and determine the
organization's impact on local community development.
To carry out this study, qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used.
The data collection techniques and instruments fell on documentary research,
bibliographical research, interviews and questionnaire surveys applied to 2 techniques
from one of the organization's Community Centers and its users.
For the analysis and interpretation of the data collected, content analysis
techniques, data triangulation, as well as some statistical indicators were used.
It is concluded that the work carried out by this public social housing organization
is of great importance for the local community through procedures that highlight housing
support and activities carried out in Community Hubs that promote social inclusion and
training of users and help to combat problems of loneliness through the occupation of free
time
The Contribution of Sustainable Packaging to the Circular Food Supply Chain
Get PDFAs food supply chains pursue sustainability, numerous questions arise from their agents, focusing on the role of reverse logistics
in sustainable packaging design and its effective contribution to waste reduction and the conservation of natural resources. With
the goal of developing a new multi-criteria decision-making framework, this article examines how several multi-criteria decision making approaches can be used to facilitate the selection of sustainable product-package designs. Using a case study, the multi criteria decision-making method analyses package design, helping decision-makers to determine and minimize the percentage of
food losses at each step of the supply chain. Furthermore, the design of both the product and its packaging must encompass the
entire life cycle, including materials sourcing, production, transportation, use and disposal. Achieving sustainability requires a
collaborative effort among all supply chain agents, from producers to consumers. Consequently, this study aims to explore the chal lenges and opportunities of attaining sustainable product and packaging design in the food supply chain, emphasizing the need for
a long-term, collaborative approach to sustainability. This study concludes that sustainable packaging is highly relevant in the cir cular food supply chain due to its direct contributions to reducing food waste, conserving resources, mitigating carbon emissions,
and meeting consumer preferences for eco-friendly products. Given the consideration of relevant criteria, the multicriteria method
appears to be suitable for analysing food supply chains, thanks to its systematic approach in managing the application of sustaina ble packaging throughout the entire process, including the production, processing, distribution, and consumption of food productsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
A Dynamic Difficulty Adjustment Framework for Serious Games Applications in Neurorehabilitation
Get PDFJogos sérios são frequentemente utilizados para abordar a natureza repetitiva e frustrante da re abilitação. No entanto, podem ainda cair nas mesmas armadilhas da reabilitação tradicional se o
jogo não tiver desafios ou se tornar demasiado difícil. Para evitar esses resultados problemáticos,
o ajuste dinâmico de dificuldade (DDA) pode ser utilizado na reabilitação não apenas para definir
as configurações clínicas ideais para o treino, mas também para criar um equilíbrio entre o tédio e
a ansiedade, conhecido como zona de fluxo.
Os sistemas DDA tradicionais utilizam diversas variáveis intrínsecas ao jogo e à experiência do
jogador (ou seja, número de participantes, pontuação, toques na tela, tempo total para completar a
tarefa) para o ajuste de dificuldade. A principal limitação desses sistemas DDA é a sua dependência
de variáveis de jogo para o ajuste de dificuldade, resultando na falta de generalização para outros
jogos e padronização.
Este documento explicará a primeira etapa do desenvolvimento de uma estrutura para aju dar a implementar um sistema de ajuste de dificuldade dinâmico universal e agnóstico que utiliza
informações orientadas pelo paciente (sinais eletrofisiológicos, relatórios explícitos) e dados orien tados pelo jogo para ajustar a dificuldade e criar uma experiência envolvente e equilibrada para o
utilizador
Nesta tese, trabalhámos no desenvolvimento de um framework DDA agnóstico, que ajudará a
facilitar a implementação deste sistema util em séries de jogos mais diversas, ao mesmo tempo que
fornece ferramentas para ajudar os menos experientes em tecnologia a utilizá-lo.
Durante esta dissertação, foi realizado um estudo com utilizadores onde vários voluntários
experimentaram três versões do mesmo jogo utilizando diferentes estímulos (explícitos, subjetivos
e implícitos) para se adaptarem à dificuldade, com o objetivo de responder (i) se o sistema é capaz
de criar uma experiência agradável e envolvente e (ii) se o framework pode adaptar eficazmente à
dificuldade com base em vários estímulos.
Dos testes meticulosos realizados durante este projeto, surgiram algumas descobertas esclare cedoras: (i) No geral, os voluntários mostraram-se a desfrutar e a estar envolvidos durante o ex perimento e (ii) os voluntários mostraram-se a perceber o ajuste como orgânico e envolvente.
Este framework DDA agnóstico representa um passo significativo para otimizar os ajustes de
dificuldade nos jogos sérios, levando a uma experiência de reabilitação mais eficaz e enriquecedora.Serious games are often used to address rehabilitation’s repetitive and frustrating nature. However,
they can still fall into the same pitfalls as traditional rehabilitation if the game lacks challenge or
becomes too difficult. To avoid these problematic outcomes, dynamic difficulty adjustment (DDA)
can be used in rehabilitation not only to set the optimal clinical settings for training but also to
create a balance between boredom and anxiety, known as the flow zone.
Traditional DDA systems use various variables intrinsic to the game and player experience (i.e.,
number of participants, score, screen touches, the total time for completing the task) for difficulty
adjustment. The major limitation of these DDA systems is their dependence on game variables for
difficulty adjustment, resulting in a lack of generalization to other games and standardization.
In this thesis, the Flow Optimal Framerwork (FOF), an agnostic DDA framework was devel oped, this framework facilitates the implementation of this system in a more diverse series of games,
while maintaining an easy integration.
An user study was carried out to validate FOF where the various volunteers experimented three
versions of the same game utilizing different stimuli(explicit, subjective and implicit) to adapt to
the difficulty was done to answer (i) if the system is able to create an enjoyable and engaging
experience and (ii) if the framework can effectively adapt to difficulty based on various stimuli.
From the testing done during this project, some insightful findings arise:(i) Volunteers overall
were shown to enjoy and be engaged during the experiment, and (ii) volunteers were shown to
perceive the adjustment as organic and engaging.
The Flow Optimal Framework represents a significant step towards optimizing difficulty adjust ments within serious games, leading to a more effective and enriching rehabilitation experienc
Gelatin-based ballistic gel formulated with phytosynthesized nanocellulose from Arundo donax for alpha-amylase enzyme inhibition activity
Get PDFArundo donax, an indigenous plant in the Mediterranean region, has affected the growth of native vegetation as
an invasive plant, ultimately reducing soil quality and affecting the food chain in several areas of the world.
Thus, the present work aims to obtain cellulose from the A. donax leaf extract via organosolv fractionation and
bleaching method, followed by centrifugal fractionation to yield nanocellulose of moderately monodispersed
(0.428 PDI) 91.2 nm in size and a zeta potential of -35.5 mV of high stability in aqueous medium (water). In
addition, the resultant nanocellulose was formulated in ballistic gelatin hydrogel, and their antidiabetic effect via
alpha-amylase enzyme inhibition activity was also investigated. Systematic characterization of the hydrogel
samples (different volume ratios of gelatin and nanocellulose) revealed that the sample with 18:2 (v/v) gelatin:
nanocellulose content is thermally stable until 152 ◦C, releasing nanocellulose for three days from hydrogel until
45 ◦C. This study confirms the feasibility and potential of utilizing invasive plant species to extract nanocellulose
for medical purposes. Furthermore, the gelatin-formulated nanocellulose, with its demonstrated alpha-amylase
inhibition activity at a dosage of 80 µg/mL, holds the promise of being a potential revolutionary medical
gummy for sustained reduction of blood glucose levels