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Publications

2024

Single-cell and extracellular nano-vesicles biosensing through phase spectral analysis of optical fiber tweezers back-scattering signals

Authors
Barros, J; Cunha, PS;

Publication
Communications Engineering

Abstract
Diagnosis of health disorders relies heavily on detecting biological data and accurately observing pathological changes. A significant challenge lies in detecting targeted biological signals and developing reliable sensing technology for clinically relevant results. The combination of data analytics with the sensing abilities of Optical Fiber Tweezers (OFT) provides a high-capability, multifunctional biosensing approach for biophotonic tools. In this work, we introduced phase as a new domain to obtain light patterns in OFT back-scattering signals. By applying a multivariate data analysis procedure, we extract phase spectral information for discriminating micro and nano (bio)particles. A newly proposed method—Hilbert Phase Slope—presented high suitability for differentiation problems, providing features able to discriminate with statistical significance two optically trapped human tumoral cells (MKN45 gastric cell line) and two classes of non-trapped cancer-derived extracellular nanovesicles – an important outcome in view of the current challenges of label-free bio-detection for multifunctional single-molecule analytic tools. © The Author(s) 2024.

2024

Can ChatGPT Suggest Patterns? An Exploratory Study About Answers Given by AI-Assisted Tools to Design Problems

Authors
Maranhão Jr., JJ; Correia, FF; Guerra, EM;

Publication
Agile Processes in Software Engineering and Extreme Programming - Workshops - XP 2024 Workshops, Bozen-Bolzano, Italy, June 4-7, 2024, Revised Selected Papers

Abstract
General-purpose AI-assisted tools, such as ChatGPT, have recently gained much attention from the media and the general public. That raised questions about in which tasks we can apply such a tool. A good code design is essential for agile software development to keep it ready for change. In this context, identifying which design pattern can be appropriate for a given scenario can be considered an advanced skill that requires a high degree of abstraction and a good knowledge of object orientation. This paper aims to perform an exploratory study investigating the effectiveness of an AI-assisted tool in assisting developers in choosing a design pattern to solve design scenarios. To reach this goal, we gathered 56 existing questions used by teachers and public tenders that provide a concrete context and ask which design pattern would be suitable. We submitted these questions to ChatGPT and analyzed the answers. We found that 93% of the questions were answered correctly with a good level of detail, demonstrating the potential of such a tool as a valuable resource to help developers to apply design patterns and make design decisions. © The Author(s) 2025.

2024

Game Theory for Predicting Stocks' Closing Prices

Authors
Freitas, JC; Pinto, AA; Felgueiras, O;

Publication
MATHEMATICS

Abstract
We model the financial markets as a game and make predictions using Markov chain estimators. We extract the possible patterns displayed by the financial markets, define a game where one of the players is the speculator, whose strategies depend on his/her risk-to-reward preferences, and the market is the other player, whose strategies are the previously observed patterns. Then, we estimate the market's mixed probabilities by defining Markov chains and utilizing its transition matrices. Afterwards, we use these probabilities to determine which is the optimal strategy for the speculator. Finally, we apply these models to real-time market data to determine its feasibility. From this, we obtained a model for the financial markets that has a good performance in terms of accuracy and profitability.

2024

Frequency, overlap and origins of palatal sonorants in three Iberian languages

Authors
Silva, C; Trigo, L;

Publication
Proceedings of the 16th International Conference on Computational Processing of Portuguese, PROPOR 2024, Santiago de Compostela, Galicia/Spain, 12-15 March, 2024

Abstract

2024

Secure two-party computation via measurement-based quantum computing

Authors
Rahmani, Z; Pinto, AHMN; Barbosa, LMDCS;

Publication
QUANTUM INFORMATION PROCESSING

Abstract
Secure multiparty computation (SMC) provides collaboration among multiple parties, ensuring the confidentiality of their private information. However, classical SMC implementations encounter significant security and efficiency challenges. Resorting to the entangled Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) state, we propose a quantum-based two-party protocol to compute binary Boolean functions, with the help of a third party. We exploit a technique in which a random Z-phase rotation on the GHZ state is performed to achieve higher security. The security and complexity analyses demonstrate the feasibility and improved security of our scheme compared to other SMC Boolean function computation methods. Additionally, we implemented the proposed protocol on the IBM QisKit and found consistent outcomes that validate the protocol's correctness.

2024

SEMAPTIC, A NEW SEMANTIC FRAMEWORK FOR FAST AND EASY INTEROPERABILITY AND ITS APPLICATION TO ENERGY SERVICES

Authors
Pereira, C; Villar, J;

Publication
IET Conference Proceedings

Abstract
Ensuring robust semantic interoperability is essential for efficient data exchange in the energy sector. This paper introduces SEMAPTIC, a lightweight framework that simplifies semantic interoperability by providing a standardized approach for attaching metadata to exchanged data. SEMAPTIC utilizes ontologies to define the meaning of data elements and employs a new structured metadata map to guide data interpretation. This approach simplifies data exchange, minimizes maintenance effort, and fosters unambiguous data understanding across heterogeneous systems. Compared to traditional methods that often require complex data transformations, SEMAPTIC offers greater flexibility and reduced overhead. The paper explores the benefits of SEMAPTIC, including simplified integration, minimal maintenance, enhanced interoperability, reduced misinterpretation, facilitated data reuse, and future-proofing. A practical example showcases how SEMAPTIC enriches a JSON data structure with semantic context without the need of modifying the original structure and without inflating data size. Finally, the importance of well-defined ontologies is emphasized, highlighting how SEMAPTIC empowers the energy sector to achieve seamless and reliable data exchange, paving the way for a more efficient and intelligent energy ecosystem. © The Institution of Engineering & Technology 2024.

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