Over the last few years, the interest in the analysis of the energy consumption of Android applications has been increasing significantly. Indeed, there are a considerable number of studies which aim at analyzing the energy consumption in various ways, such as measuring/estimating the energy consumed by an application or block of code, or even detecting energy expensive coding patterns or API's.

Nevertheless, when it comes to actually improving the energy efficiency of an application, we face a whole new challenge, which can only be achieved through source code improvements that can take advantage of energy saving techniques. However, there is still a lack of information about such techniques and their impact on energy consumption.

In this paper, we analyze the impact of the memoization technique in the energy consumption of Android applications. We present a systematic study of the use of memoization, where we compare implementations of 18 method from different applications, with and without using memoization, and measure the energy consumption of both of them. Using this approach, we are able to characterize Android methods that should be memoized.

Our results show that using memoization can clearly be a good approach for saving energy. For the 18 tested methods, 13 of them decreased significantly their energy consumption, while for the remaining 5 we observed unpredictable behavior in 3 of them and an overall increase of energy consumption in the last 2. We also included a discussion about when is actually beneficial to use memoization for saving energy, and what is the expected percentage of gain/loss when memoization works and when it does not.

The European Metal sector is at a critical juncture, navigating through the complex landscape of the twin transition towards digitalization and sustainability. This transformative journey, though essential, is fraught with challenges that if not addressed, could undermine the sector's resilience, competitiveness and social equity. The Metallica project emerges as a pivotal initiative in this context, aiming to mitigate these challenges by fostering enhanced worker engagement, participation and conflict resolution.

The European Metal sector is at a critical juncture, navigating through the complex landscape of the twin transition towards digitalization and sustainability. This transformative journey, though essential, is fraught with challenges that if not addressed, could undermine the sector's resilience, competitiveness and social equity. The Metallica project emerges as a pivotal initiative in this context, aiming to mitigate these challenges by fostering enhanced worker engagement, participation and conflict resolution.

Sauropod dinosaurs are well known for their massive sizes and long necks and tails. Among sauropods, flagellicaudatan dinosaurs are characterized by extreme tail elongation, which has led to hypotheses regarding tail function, often compared to a whip. Here, we analyse the dynamics of motion of a 3D model of an apatosaurine flagellicaudatan tail using multibody simulation and quantify the stress-bearing capabilities of the associated soft tissues. Such an elongated and slender structure would allow achieving tip velocities in the order of 30 m/s, or 100 km/h, far slower than the speed of sound, due to the combined effect of friction of the musculature and articulations, as well as aerodynamic drag. The material properties of the skin, tendons, and ligaments also support such evidence, proving that in life, the tail would not have withstood the stresses imposed by travelling at the speed of sound, irrespective of the conjectural ‘popper’, a hypothetical soft tissue structure analogue to the terminal portion of a bullwhip able to surpass the speed of sound.

The managerial strategies towards Industry 4.0 were coupled with the emergent normativity on incentive policies to enable automation improvements and industry realignment for new automotive value chains. In other words, the national framework to support company incentives for the concept of Industry 4.0 initiatives has pushed automotive industry managers to establish strategies of new investment on automation and repositioning in the global value chain.
Similarly, the scarcity of available qualifications for Industry 4.0, makes the share of "high road" jobs stable. The qualification process in the automotive industry has increased in parallel with the investment on automation.
An important contribution to this increase on job skills is significantly based on existing vocational training policies, which enable the incoming of higher skilled young job seekers, and a lifelong training and requalification of workers in the automotive sector. We have studied the training offer on “mechatronics” for the automotive sector, including both the manufacturing and repair activities. Data indicates a trend of increase of demand for mechatronic trained technicians with higher skills and preparedness for tasks related to automation, programming, maintenance and production control.
How about compensation? short- and long-term job stability? The young professionals that are seeking for a job in an OEM of the automotive sector, or even in a component provider in this sector, have higher probability and expectations of have better wage income and longer-term job stability due to his specialized skills. We have confirmed these results in our preliminary interviews with vocational training centres and company managers.
The managerial jobs are still privileged in the process realignment of industry, even in those case where the electrification technology tends to replace the ICE one. However, these cases are very limited in Portugal. Only Caetanobus and Mitsubishi-Daimler Fuso are producing electrical vehicles. The other OEMs are in a slower process of technological modernization. The choices over the application of principles of Industry 4.0 concept in their premises implied the recruitment of more jobs with the qualification on mechatronics, and managerial jobs to coordinate and control this technological transformation. In this sense, results do not support the conclusion that these managerial jobs are being eroded.
In parallel, there is an evolution of skills for specialized work clusters (automation, robotics, engine electrification). In our research we verified that the mechatronic trained young professionals are occupying jobs related to automation and robotics. But the skills related to the propulsion technologies based on electrification have a different requirement. Although, mechatronics is mostly related to Industry 4.0 strategy, it is expected that the energy transition will induce changes in the training contents of mechatronic. Some interviews also confirmed this trend. Thus, we can expect the emergence of two work clusters around a) Industry 4.0 competences and b) powertrain electrification.

ABSTRACT Modern birds are typified by the presence of feathers, complex evolutionary innovations that were already widespread in the group of theropod dinosaurs (Maniraptoriformes) that include crown Aves. Squamous or scaly reptilian-like skin is, however, considered the plesiomorphic condition for theropods and dinosaurs more broadly. Here, we review the morphology and distribution of non-feathered integumentary structures in non-avialan theropods, covering squamous skin and naked skin as well as dermal ossifications. The integumentary record of non-averostran theropods is limited to tracks, which ubiquitously show a covering of tiny reticulate scales on the plantar surface of the pes. This is consistent also with younger averostran body fossils, which confirm an arthral arrangement of the digital pads. Among averostrans, squamous skin is confirmed in Ceratosauria (Carnotaurus), Allosauroidea (Allosaurus, Concavenator, Lourinhanosaurus), Compsognathidae (Juravenator), and Tyrannosauroidea (Santanaraptor, Albertosaurus, Daspletosaurus, Gorgosaurus, Tarbosaurus, Tyrannosaurus), whereas dermal ossifications consisting of sagittate and mosaic osteoderms are restricted to Ceratosaurus. Naked, non-scale bearing skin is found in the contentious tetanuran Sciurumimus, ornithomimosaurians (Ornithomimus) and possibly tyrannosauroids (Santanaraptor), and also on the patagia of scansoriopterygids (Ambopteryx, Yi). Scales are surprisingly conservative among non-avialan theropods compared to some dinosaurian groups (e.g. hadrosaurids); however, the limited preservation of tegument on most specimens hinders further interrogation. Scale patterns vary among and/or within body regions in Carnotaurus, Concavenator and Juravenator, and include polarised, snake-like ventral scales on the tail of the latter two genera. Unusual but more uniformly distributed patterning also occurs in Tyrannosaurus, whereas feature scales are present only in Albertosaurus and Carnotaurus. Few theropods currently show compelling evidence for the co-occurrence of scales and feathers (e.g. Juravenator, Sinornithosaurus), although reticulate scales were probably retained on the mani and pedes of many theropods with a heavy plumage. Feathers and filamentous structures appear to have replaced widespread scaly integuments in maniraptorans. Theropod skin, and that of dinosaurs more broadly, remains a virtually untapped area of study and the appropriation of commonly used techniques in other palaeontological fields to the study of skin holds great promise for future insights into the biology, taphonomy and relationships of these extinct animals.

Vaccination strategies to control COVID-19 have been ongoing worldwide since the end of 2020. Understanding their possible effect is key to prevent future disease spread. Using a modelling approach, this study intends to measure the impact of the COVID-19 Portuguese vaccination strategy on the effective reproduction number and explore three scenarios for vaccine effectiveness waning. Namely, the no-immunity-loss, 1-year and 3-years of immunity duration scenarios. We adapted an age-structured SEIR deterministic model and used Portuguese hospitalisation data for the model calibration. Results show that, although the Portuguese vaccination plan had a substantial impact in reducing overall transmission, it might not be sufficient to control disease spread. A significant vaccination coverage of those above 5 years old, a vaccine effectiveness against disease of at least 80% and softer non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), such as mask usage and social distancing, would be necessary to control disease spread in the worst scenario considered. The immunity duration scenario of 1-year displays a resurgence of COVID-19 hospitalisations by the end of 2021, the same is observed in 3-year scenario although with a lower magnitude. The no-immunity-loss scenario presents a low increase in hospitalisations. In both the 1-year and 3-year scenarios, a vaccination boost of those above 65 years old would result in a 53% and 38% peak reduction of non-ICU hospitalisations, respectively. These results suggest that NPIs should not be fully phased-out but instead be combined with a fast booster vaccination strategy to reduce healthcare burden.