| 1. |
- Ferreira, Joao Pedro, et al.
(författare)
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Thin slices of interaction : predicting users' task difficulty within 60 sec
- 2012
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Ingår i: Proceedings CHI '12 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems. - New York, NY, USA : ACM Press. - 9781450310161 ; , s. 171-180
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- We report on an exploratory study where the first 60 seconds of the video recording of a user interaction are used to predict the user’s experienced task difficulty. This approach builds on previous work on “thin slices” of human-human behavior, and applies it to human- computer interaction. In the scenario of interacting with a photocopy machine, automated video coding showed that the Activity and Emphasis predicted 46.6% of the variance of task difficulty. This result closely follows reported results on predicting negotiation outcomes from conversational dynamics using similar variables on the speech signal.
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| 2. |
- Neves, Ana Luisa, et al.
(författare)
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Determinants of the Use of Health and Fitness Mobile Apps by Patients With Asthma : Secondary Analysis of Observational Studies
- 2021
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Ingår i: Journal of Medical Internet Research. - : JMIR Publications. - 1438-8871. ; 23:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Background: Health and fitness apps have potential benefits to improve self-management and disease control among patients with asthma. However, inconsistent use rates have been reported across studies, regions, and health systems. A better understanding of the characteristics of users and nonusers is critical to design solutions that are effectively integrated in patients' daily lives, and to ensure that these equitably reach out to different groups of patients, thus improving rather than entrenching health inequities. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the use of general health and fitness apps by patients with asthma and to identify determinants of usage. Methods: A secondary analysis of the INSPIRERS observational studies was conducted using data from face-to-face visits. Patients with a diagnosis of asthma were included between November 2017 and August 2020. Individual-level data were collected, including age, gender, marital status, educational level, health status, presence of anxiety and depression, postcode, socioeconomic level, digital literacy, use of health services, and use of health and fitness apps. Multivariate logistic regression was used to model the probability of being a health and fitness app user. Statistical analysis was performed in R. Results: A total of 526 patients attended a face-to-face visit in the 49 recruiting centers and 514 had complete data. Most participants were <= 40 years old (66.4%), had at least 10 years of education (57.4%), and were in the 3 higher quintiles of the socioeconomic deprivation index (70.1%). The majority reported an overall good health status (visual analogue scale [VAS] score>70 in 93.1%) and the prevalence of anxiety and depression was 34.3% and 11.9%, respectively. The proportion of participants who reported using health and fitness mobile apps was 41.1% (n=211). Multivariate models revealed that single individuals and those with more than 10 years of education are more likely to use health and fitness mobile apps (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.22, 95%CI 1.05-4.75 and aOR 1.95, 95%CI 1.12-3.45, respectively). Higher digital literacy scores were also associated with higher odds of being a user of health and fitness apps, with participants in the second, third, and fourth quartiles reporting aORs of 6.74 (95%CI 2.90-17.40), 10.30 (95%CI 4.28-27.56), and 11.52 (95%CI 4.78-30.87), respectively. Participants with depression symptoms had lower odds of using health and fitness apps (aOR 0.32, 95%CI 0.12-0.83). Conclusions: A better understanding of the barriers and enhancers of app use among patients with lower education, lower digital literacy, or depressive symptoms is key to design tailored interventions to ensure a sustained and equitable use of these technologies. Future studies should also assess users' general health-seeking behavior and their interest and concerns specifically about digital tools. These factors may impact both initial engagement and sustained use.
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| 3. |
- Nashih, Samuel K., et al.
(författare)
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Validation of a Simulation Model for Analysis of Shading Effects on Photovoltaic Panels
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of solar energy engineering. - : ASME International. - 0199-6231 .- 1528-8986. ; 138:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Numerical simulation results and modeling on the electrical features of concentrating photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) using the free circuit simulation package from linear technology corporation (LTSPICE) are presented. The effects of partial shading of cell strings and temperature are analyzed, showing very good agreement with the results obtained experimentally in lab, at Lisbon University, and under outdoor testing using similar receivers, at the SME Solarus Sunpower AB, a Swedish company whose mission is the development, production, and marketing of concentrated solar technology to the world market. The potential of the used methodology for the design of the solar cell configuration is emphasized as an important tool to optimize PV and PVT performances in the energy conversion process.
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| 4. |
- Pinto, Ana Margarida, et al.
(författare)
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Emotion regulation and the salience network : a hypothetical integrative model of fibromyalgia
- 2023
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Ingår i: Nature Reviews Rheumatology. - : Springer Nature. - 1759-4790 .- 1759-4804. ; 19:1, s. 44-60
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Fibromyalgia is characterized by widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances and other symptoms, and has a substantial socioeconomic impact. Current biomedical and psychosocial treatments are unsatisfactory for many patients, and treatment progress has been hindered by the lack of a clear understanding of the pathogenesis of fibromyalgia. We present here a model of fibromyalgia that integrates current psychosocial and neurophysiological observations. We propose that an imbalance in emotion regulation, reflected by an overactive 'threat' system and underactive 'soothing' system, might keep the 'salience network' (also known as the midcingulo-insular network) in continuous alert mode, and this hyperactivation, in conjunction with other mechanisms, contributes to fibromyalgia. This proposed integrative model, which we term the Fibromyalgia: Imbalance of Threat and Soothing Systems (FITSS) model, should be viewed as a working hypothesis with limited supporting evidence available. We hope, however, that this model will shed new light on existing psychosocial and biological observations, and inspire future research to address the many gaps in our knowledge about fibromyalgia, ultimately stimulating the development of novel therapeutic interventions.
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| 5. |
- Pinto, Ana Margarida, et al.
(författare)
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Neurophysiological and psychosocial mechanisms of fibromyalgia : A comprehensive review and call for an integrative model
- 2023
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Ingår i: Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews. - : Elsevier. - 0149-7634 .- 1873-7528. ; 151
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Research into the neurobiological and psychosocial mechanisms involved in fibromyalgia has progressed remarkably in recent years. Despite this, current accounts of fibromyalgia fail to capture the complex, dynamic, and mutual crosstalk between neurophysiological and psychosocial domains. We conducted a comprehensive review of the existing literature in order to: a) synthesize current knowledge on fibromyalgia; b) explore and highlight multi-level links and pathways between different systems; and c) build bridges connecting disparate perspectives. An extensive panel of international experts in neurophysiological and psychosocial aspects of fi-bromyalgia discussed the collected evidence and progressively refined and conceptualized its interpretation. This work constitutes an essential step towards the development of a model capable of integrating the main factors implicated in fibromyalgia into a single, unified construct which appears indispensable to foster the under-standing, assessment, and intervention for fibromyalgia.
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| 6. |
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| 7. |
- Torres, João Paulo N., et al.
(författare)
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Effect of reflector geometry in the annual received radiation of low concentration photovoltaic systems
- 2018
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Ingår i: Energies. - : MDPI AG. - 1996-1073. ; 11:7
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Solar concentrator photovoltaic collectors are able to deliver energy at higher temperatures for the same irradiances, since they are related to smaller areas for which heat losses occur. However, to ensure the system reliability, adequate collector geometry and appropriate choice of the materials used in these systems will be crucial. The present work focuses on the re-design of the Concentrating Photovoltaic system (C-PV) collector reflector presently manufactured by the company Solarus, together with an analysis based on the annual assessment of the solar irradiance in the collector. An open-source ray tracing code (Soltrace) is used to accomplish the modelling of optical systems in concentrating solar power applications. Symmetric parabolic reflector configurations are seen to improve the PV system performance when compared to the conventional structures currently used by Solarus. The parabolic geometries, using either symmetrically or asymmetrically placed receivers inside the collector, accomplished both the performance and cost-effectiveness goals: for almost the same area or costs, the new proposals for the PV system may be in some cases 70% more effective as far as energy output is concerned.
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| 8. |
- Carneiro, Miguel, et al.
(författare)
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A loss-of-function mutation in RORB disrupts saltatorial locomotion in rabbits
- 2021
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Ingår i: PLOS Genetics. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1553-7390 .- 1553-7404. ; 17:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Saltatorial locomotion is a type of hopping gait that in mammals can be found in rabbits, hares, kangaroos, and some species of rodents. The molecular mechanisms that control and fine-tune the formation of this type of gait are unknown. Here, we take advantage of one strain of domesticated rabbits, the sauteur d’Alfort, that exhibits an abnormal locomotion behavior defined by the loss of the typical jumping that characterizes wild-type rabbits. Strikingly, individuals from this strain frequently adopt a bipedal gait using their front legs. Using a combination of experimental crosses and whole genome sequencing, we show that a single locus containing the RAR related orphan receptor B gene (RORB) explains the atypical gait of these rabbits. We found that a splice-site mutation in an evolutionary conserved site of RORB results in several aberrant transcript isoforms incorporating intronic sequence. This mutation leads to a drastic reduction of RORB-positive neurons in the spinal cord, as well as defects in differentiation of populations of spinal cord interneurons. Our results show that RORB function is required for the performance of saltatorial locomotion in rabbits.Author summaryRabbits and hares have a characteristic jumping gait composed of an alternate rhythmical movement of the forelimbs and a synchronous bilateral movement of the hindlimbs. We have now characterized a recessive mutation present in a specific strain of domestic rabbits (sauteur d’Alfort) that disrupts the jumping gait. The mutation causing this defect in locomotion pattern occurs in the gene coding for the transcription factor RORB that is normally expressed in many regions of the nervous system especially in the spinal cord dorsal horn. Our results show that expression of RORB is drastically reduced in the spinal cord of affected rabbits which results in a developmental defect. This study is an advance in our understanding how locomotion is controlled in vertebrates.
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| 9. |
- Fernandes, C. A. F., et al.
(författare)
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Stationary solar concentrating photovoltaic-thermal collector - Cell string layout
- 2016
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Ingår i: Proceedings - 2016 IEEE International Power Electronics and Motion Control Conference, PEMC 2016. - : IEEE. - 9781509017980 ; , s. 1275-1282
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this work is to design the cell string layout in stationary concentrating photovoltaic (PV) or hybrid systems (PVT) in order to minimize the effects of both the longitudinal and transversal shading inherent to concentrating collectors. In this paper it is determined the best configuration of a PV string of cells, composed by several modules, by using a simple mathematical model based on the current vs. voltage of the PV cell. The model calculates the power vs. voltage curves of different possible configurations, in order to identify the optimal one according to efficiency and reliability. The company SOLARUS manufactures PVT collectors with cell strings of 38 solar cells connected in series. Solar cells in the concentrated side of the collector are shaded due to the presence of the aluminium frame of the PVT collector. The effects of shading and non-uniform illumination are minimized by including bypass diodes. Each string has 4 modules of bridged cells, each one associated to a bypass diode. In this work, different combinations of string cells in the collector receiver have been simulated using the free circuit simulation package from Linear Technology Corporation (LTSPICE). Test results are provided by SOLARUS to validate the proposed approach. A comparative analysis is presented at the end, showing that the simulation model is an important tool to define the module configurations that achieve the best energy efficiencies of the PVT panel.
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| 10. |
- Floriddia, Elisa M., et al.
(författare)
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Distinct oligodendrocyte populations have spatial preference and different responses to spinal cord injury
- 2020
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 11:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mature oligodendrocytes (MOLs) show transcriptional heterogeneity, the functional consequences of which are unclear. MOL heterogeneity might correlate with the local environment or their interactions with different neuron types. Here, we show that distinct MOL populations have spatial preference in the mammalian central nervous system (CNS). We found that MOL type 2 (MOL2) is enriched in the spinal cord when compared to the brain, while MOL types 5 and 6 (MOL5/6) increase their contribution to the OL lineage with age in all analyzed regions. MOL2 and MOL5/6 also have distinct spatial preference in the spinal cord regions where motor and sensory tracts run. OL progenitor cells (OPCs) are not specified into distinct MOL populations during development, excluding a major contribution of OPC intrinsic mechanisms determining MOL heterogeneity. In disease, MOL2 and MOL5/6 present different susceptibility during the chronic phase following traumatic spinal cord injury. Our results demonstrate that the distinct MOL populations have different spatial preference and different responses to disease.
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