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Physical Fitness and Body Composition of Youth Referees in Invasion Games
Get PDFBackground: Referees’ activity can be an instrument for training students with an impact
on health-related physical fitness (PF). This study aimed to investigate the differences in PF and body
composition between students without sports practice (G1), students with regular sports practice (G2),
and student referees in team invasion games (G3). Methods: This study followed a cross-sectional
design. The sample comprised 45 male students between 14 and 20 years old (16.40 ± 1.85). Three
groups (G1, G2, and G3) of 15 participants each were selected. PF was assessed by a 20 m shuttle
run, change-of-direction test, and standing long jump. Body composition was determined by body
mass index (BMI; kg/m2
) and the percentage of body fat (%BF) predicted by skinfold. Results: After
controlling for age as a covariate, the block of variables used to characterize PF was statistically
different between sports practice groups favoring student referees (p < 0.001; r = 0.26). Similar results
were achieved for body composition (i.e., BMI and %BF) (p < 0.001; r = 0.17). However, when the
dependent variables were evaluated separately, there were only differences between groups in %BF
(p = 0.007; r = 0.21). Student referees had statistically significantly lower values than the remaining
groups. Conclusion: Refereeing activity benefits PF related to health and performance, including
body composition. This study confirms the benefits related to health in children and adolescents who
are involved in refereeing activityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
On the Use of Transformer-Based Models for Intent Detection Using Clustering Algorithms
Get PDFChatbots are becoming increasingly popular and require the ability to interpret natural
language to provide clear communication with humans. To achieve this, intent detection is cru cial. However, current applications typically need a significant amount of annotated data, which
is time-consuming and expensive to acquire. This article assesses the effectiveness of different text
representations for annotating unlabeled dialog data through a pipeline that examines both classical
approaches and pre-trained transformer models for word embedding. The resulting embeddings
were then used to create sentence embeddings through pooling, followed by dimensionality re duction, before being fed into a clustering algorithm to determine the user’s intents. Therefore,
various pooling, dimension reduction, and clustering algorithms were evaluated to determine the
most appropriate approach. The evaluation dataset contains a variety of user intents across differ ent domains, with varying intent taxonomies within the same domain. Results demonstrate that
transformer-based models perform better text representation than classical approaches. However,
combining several clustering algorithms and embeddings from dissimilar origins through ensemble
clustering considerably improves the final clustering solution. Additionally, applying the uniform
manifold approximation and projection algorithm for dimension reduction can substantially improve
performance (up to 20%) while using a much smaller representation.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
The Nature of Opal Burial in the Equatorial Atlantic During the Deglaciation
Get PDFRelatively high opal concentrations are measured in equatorial Atlantic sediments from the most
recent deglaciation. To shed light on their causes, seven cores were analyzed for their content of siliceous
(diatom, silicoflagellates, radiolarians, phytoliths, and sponge spicules) and calcareous (coccolithophores)
microfossils. An early deglacial signal is detected at the time of rising boreal summer insolation ca. 18 ka by
the coccolithophores. The surface freshening is likely due to the rain belt associated with the intertropical
convergence zone (ITCZ), implying its southward shift relatively to its present-day average positioning. The
diatom assemblages corresponding to the following increase in diatom abundances ca. 15.5 ka suggest the
formation of a cold tongue of upwelled water associated with tropical instability waves propagating westward.
Such conditions occur at present during boreal summer, when southerly trade winds are intensified, and the
ITCZ shifts northward. The presence of the diatom Ethmodiscus rex (Wallich) Hendey and the coccolithophore
Florisphera profunda indicates a deep thermocline and nutrient enrichment of the lower photic zone, revealing
that Si-rich southern sourced water (SSW) likely contributed to enhanced primary productivity during this
time interval. The discrepancies between the maximum opal concentrations and siliceous marine microfossils
records evidence the contribution of freshwater diatoms and phytoliths, indicative of other processes. The
definition of the nature of the opal record suggests successive productivity conditions associated with specific
atmospheric settings determining the latitudinal ITCZ positioning and the development of oceanic processes;
and major oceanic circulation changes permitting the contribution of SSW to marine productivity at this
latitude.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
YES, WE COPE: dyadic coping as a mediator between perceived relationship quality and emotional representation of COVID-19
Get PDFBackground The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about social changes that have impacted the functioning and dynamics
of couples in a romantic relationship, arising from the overwhelming amount of added stress they have endured. Specifically,
the divorce rate in Portugal has increased after lockdown, which underscores the adverse consequences of COVID-19 on
couples. A lower quality of the couple’s relationship may worsen the emotional representation of COVID-19; however, the
literature suggests that perceived partner dyadic coping responses have a great influence on adverse events. The aim of the
present study was to assess the mediating role of partner coping in the association between relationship quality and emotional
representation of COVID-19. We also sought to observe whether the length of the relationship moderates this association.
Methods Participants (N=528) were adults living in Portugal (84.7% female) currently in a romantic relationship with their
current partner for at least 1 year. Online data collection.
Results We found that relationship quality predicted COVID-19 emotional representation, but this association was fully
mediated by total dyadic coping. This association was especially significant in couples with a shorter length of time in the
relationship.
Conclusions We point out the importance of dyadic coping as a protective factor against emotional distress to cope with the
ongoing stressors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. These data suggest the need for relationship education programs
that promote positive coping between partners
Análise da componente disposicional da robustez mental: influência dos cinco grandes fatores de personalidade e dos seus subdomínios
Get PDFNo contexto do ensino superior, a robustez mental tem surgido como um construto
psicológico promissor na promoção do desempenho e sucesso académico de todos os
estudantes. Apesar do seu caráter revelante neste nível de ensino, a sua definição e
conceptualização permanecem em discussão na literatura, sendo que o tópico que tem
suscitado maior debate consiste em compreender se esta constitui um traço de
personalidade (trait-like construct) ou se deve ser concebida como uma caraterística
adaptativa (state-like construct). O presente estudo centra-se na análise antecedentes
disposicionais da robustez mental através do estudo da sua relação com os cinco fatores
de personalidade e respetivos subdomínios, no quadro do ensino superior. Tendo por base
uma amostra de 316 estudantes universitários, recorreu-se a um design de investigação
preditivo, por inquérito transversal. Os resultados revelaram correlações significativas
entre a conscienciosidade, o neuroticismo, a abertura à experiência, a extroversão e a
robustez mental que, com exceção da extroversão, emergiram como preditores válidos e
não redundantes do nível de robustez mental dos alunos universitários. Ao nível dos dez
subdomínios de personalidade em estudo, apenas os subdomínios determinação e ordem
(da conscienciosidade), abandono (do neuroticismo) e intelecto (da abertura à
experiência) facultaram contributos significativos e independentes para predição da
variável critério em estudo. Estes resultados possuem implicações para a validade de
construto da robustez mental, suportando a sua conceptualização como uma caraterística
adaptativa (i.e., um state-like construct), bem como para a intervenção psicoeducativa
focada no desenvolvimento da robustez mental no contexto do ensino superior.In the context of higher education, mental toughness has emerged as a promising
psychological construct for promoting student performance and academic success.
Despite its relevance in this level of education, its definition and conceptualization remain
in debate in the literature fuelling, particularly around the topic whether it consists a
personality trait-like construct or should be conceived as an adaptive characteristic state like construct. This study focuses on analyzing dispositional antecedents of mental
toughness by examining its relationship with the big five personality factors and their
respective sub-domains in the domain of higher education. Based on a sample of 316
university students, a predictive research design was employed using cross-sectional
survey data collection. At the level of the big five, the results revealed significant
correlations between conscientiousness, neuroticism, openness, extraversion, and mental
toughness. Further analyses showed that conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness
represent valid and non-redundant predictors of the level of mental toughness in
university students. At sub-domain level, of the ten personality sub-domains examined,
only the sub-domains of industriousness and orderliness (of conscientiousness),
withdrawal (of neuroticism), and intellect (of openness) made significant and independent
contributions to the prediction of this criterion. These findings have implications for
clarifying the construct validity of mental toughness, supporting its conceptualization as
an adaptive characteristic (i.e., a state-like construct), and for psychoeducational
interventions focused on the development of mental toughness in the context of higher
education
The fisherman and the devil: an artistic short film based on a folklore tale from Madeira island using interdisciplinary animation techniques
Get PDFFolklore tales are one of the many methods of displaying the traditions and
beliefs of a culture, being mainly preserved in literature, serving to enrich and teach the
cultural knowledge and morals to any generation.
This project focuses on the creation of a short film based on a folklore tale from
Madeira island, made with interdisciplinary animation techniques, combining 3D
renderings with 2D drawings, all serving to preserve and pay homage in a more appealing
visual media, that can be displayed and shared with relative ease. The thesis highlights
the entire process of the animated work, relaying the difficulties of characterizing any
culture, as well as the general concepts and principles of 2D and 3D animation.
Underlining the logistical and creative decisions behind the production of an hybrid
animation, disclosing the difficulties and techniques that surge when merging both
mediums.
This report details the methodologies used for the short film, each divided in
three parts, pre-production, where the concepts and ideas come to fruition; with
character design, storyboard and animatic, followed by the production phase, comprised
of the tests between programs and the chosen techniques, as well as the modelling,
rigging and animation practices, concluding with post-production, with the full video
editing process, visual effects, color correction and sound design. Culminating in the
creation of a hybrid animation made with interdisciplinary techniques that visually retells
the story about a fight between a fisherman and a devil.Os contos folclóricos são um dos vários métodos de exposição das tradições e
crenças de uma cultura, sendo preservados principalmente na literatura, servindo para
enriquecer e ensinar os conhecimentos culturais e morais de qualquer geração.
Este projeto centra-se na criação de uma curta-metragem baseada num conto
folclórico da ilha da Madeira, realizada com técnicas de animação interdisciplinares,
combinando renders 3D com desenhos 2D, servindo para preservar e homenagear a
história num media visual mais apelativo, que possa ser facilmente exibido e
compartilhado. A tese destaca todo o processo da animação, apresentando os
problemas que surgem na caracterização de qualquer cultura, bem como os conceitos e
princípios gerais da animação 2D e 3D. Sublinhando as decisões logísticas e criativas por
trás da produção de uma animação híbrida, revelando as dificuldades e técnicas que
surgem na fusão dos dois meios.
Este relatório detalha as metodologias utilizadas para a curta-metragem, cada
uma dividida em três partes, pré-produção, onde os conceitos e ideias se concretizam;
com o design de personagens, storyboard e animatic, seguida pela fase de produção,
composta pelos testes entre os programas e as técnicas escolhidas, bem como pelas
práticas de modelagem, rigging e animação, concluindo com a pós-produção, com todo
o processo de edição de vídeo, efeitos visuais, correção de cor e design de som.
Culminando na criação de uma animação híbrida feita com técnicas interdisciplinares
que reconta visualmente a história de uma luta entre um pescador e um demônio
A road map to find in 3D printing a new design plasticity for construction – The state of art
Get PDFRecent years are showing a rapid adoption of digital manufacturing techniques to
the construction industry, with a focus on additive manufacturing. Although 3D printing for
construction (3DPC) has notably advanced in recent years, publications on the subject are
recent and date a growth in 2019, indicating that it is a promising technology as it enables
greater efficiency with fair consumption of material, minimization of waste generation,
encouraging the construction industrialization and enhancing and accelerating the construc tive process. This new building system not only gives an optimization of the building process
but provides a new approach to the building design materiality. The direct connection between
design and manufacturing allows the reduction in the number of the various construction
phases needed. It is opening a new and wide range of options both formal and chromatic in
customization, avoiding complex formworks, reducing costs and manufacturing time. The cre ative process has a strict and direct link with the constructive process, straightening design
with its materiality. Cement-based materials lead the way, but new alternatives are being
explored to further reduce its carbon footprint. In order to leverage its sustainability and
enhance the system capacity, initiatives are being pursued to allow the reduction of the use
of PC. Geopolimers are taking the first steps in 3DPC. Construction and Demolition Waste
(CDW) materials are used to substitute natural aggregates. Even soil is being explored has a
structural and aesthetic material. These research trends are opening a wider range of possibil ities for architecture and design, broadening the spectrum of color, texture, and formal variations. The concern about textures and colours is not yet evident in many the structures
already printed, opening the opportunity for future research. More can be done in the mixture
and formal design of this building system, “discovering” other raw materials in others waste.
This article aims to make a critical review of technologies, materials and methodologies to sup port the development of new sustainable materials to be used as a plastic element in the
printed structure. A roadmap of 3D printing for construction is presented, and an approach
on mix design, properties in the fresh and hardened state, highlighting the possibilities for ob taining alternative materials are pointed. With this review possible directions are presented to
find solutions to enhance the sustainability of this system discovering “new” materiality for ar chitecture and design.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
Künstlerische Forschung und Nachhaltigkeit. Ein künstlerisches Forschungsprojekt “4 questions about nature”
Get PDFDas Thema “kulturelles Erbe und Nachhaltigkeit” des “World
Summit of Arts Education in Funchal.Madeira.Portugal” im März 2023 gab den Impuls,
ein künstlerisches Forschungsprojekt “4 questions about nature” vor Ort zu entwickeln,
um Beziehungen zwischen persönlichen Orten, Natur und Nachhaltigkeit aufdecken zu
können. Die ortsbezogene künstlerische Forschungsmethode des Displacements, des In Beziehung-Setzens von unterschiedlichen Positionen zu einem Thema wie
Nachhaltigkeit, ermöglicht es, divergente Aspekte auch ungewöhnlich assoziativ
miteinander zu vernetzen, um neue Perspektiven aufzeigen zu können. Mit Michel
Foucault (1967) wird der Raum als ein Netzwerk verstanden, welches aus vielen Orten
besteht. Orte stehen in Beziehung zueinander und erhalten neben ihrer physischen auch
eine diskursive Bedeutung durch Geschichten, welche Menschen an Orten erleben und
über Orte erzählen. Mit dem Forschungsprojekt wurden diese Geschichten erkundet,
indem zehn Menschen interviewt wurden. Das Besondere an diesen Interviews war, dass
die Antworten zu einer Art Ortskarte aus Schrift und Bild skizziert wurden. Derart sind
zehn ortsbezogene Karten entstanden, welche nach ihrem Lesen zu einer “Landkarte der
Beziehungen zwischen persönlichen Orten–Natur–Nachhaltigkeit” als künstlerisches
Ergebnis der Erforschung transformiert wurden. Mit dem künstlerischen
Forschungsprojekt wird die bislang vernachlässigte kulturelle Dimension von
Nachhaltigkeit mit dem Motiv aufgezeigt, das Drei-Säulen-Modell (Ökologie,
Ökonomie, Soziales) von Nachhaltigkeit um die kulturelle Dimension zu erweitern. Der
folgende Text ist ein Bestandteil dieser künstlerischen Forschungspraxis des In Beziehung-Setzens verschiedener diskursiver Formen des Wissens aus unterschiedlichen
Diskursen wie Alltag, Gesellschaft, Wissenschaft und Kunst.The theme “cultural heritage and sustainability” of the “World Summit of Arts
Education in Funchal.Madeira.Portugal” in March 2023 provided the impetus to develop
an artistic research project “4 questions about nature” on site in order to uncover
relationships between personal places, nature and sustainability. The site-specific artistic
research method of displacement, the placing of different positions in relation to a topic
such as sustainability, enables divergent aspects to be linked together in an unusually
associative way in order to reveal new perspectives. According to Michel Foucault
(1967), space is understood as a network consisting of many places. Places are related
to each other and, in addition to their physical significance, also take on a discursive
meaning through stories that people experience in places and talk about places. The research project explored these stories by interviewing ten people. The special thing
about these interviews was that the answers were sketched into a kind of place map made
up of text and images. In this way, ten location-based maps were created which, after
being read, were transformed into a "map of the relationships between personal places nature-sustainability" as an artistic result of the research. The artistic research project
highlights the previously neglected cultural dimension of sustainability with the aim of
expanding the three-pillar model (ecology, economy, social issues) of sustainability to
include the cultural dimension. The following text is part of this artistic research practice
of relating various discursive forms of knowledge from different discourses such as
everyday life, society, science, and art.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
On the Use of Kullback–Leibler Divergence for Kernel Selection and Interpretation in Variational Autoencoders for Feature Creation
Get PDFThis study presents a novel approach for kernel selection based on Kullback–Leibler
divergence in variational autoencoders using features generated by the convolutional encoder. The
proposed methodology focuses on identifying the most relevant subset of latent variables to reduce
the model’s parameters. Each latent variable is sampled from the distribution associated with a
single kernel of the last encoder’s convolutional layer, resulting in an individual distribution for each
kernel. Relevant features are selected from the sampled latent variables to perform kernel selection,
which filters out uninformative features and, consequently, unnecessary kernels. Both the proposed
filter method and the sequential feature selection (standard wrapper method) were examined for
feature selection. Particularly, the filter method evaluates the Kullback–Leibler divergence between
all kernels’ distributions and hypothesizes that similar kernels can be discarded as they do not
convey relevant information. This hypothesis was confirmed through the experiments performed on
four standard datasets, where it was observed that the number of kernels can be reduced without
meaningfully affecting the performance. This analysis was based on the accuracy of the model when
the selected kernels fed a probabilistic classifier and the feature-based similarity index to appraise the
quality of the reconstructed images when the variational autoencoder only uses the selected kernels.
Therefore, the proposed methodology guides the reduction of the number of parameters of the model,
making it suitable for developing applications for resource-constrained devices.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio