Kindergarten Teachers' Attitudes towards Inclusive Education: Perspectives from Macau. - Sun, C. R. (21st PECERA International Conference, 2021)

Key Issues for Digital Factory Designing and Planning: A Survey - Wang, Han; Du, Wencai; Li, Shaobin (Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing, 2022)
Digital Factory (DF) planning is the key of intelligent factory construction, where intelligent production technologies of big data analysis, cloud computing, blockchain, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, 5G, Time Sensitive Network (TSN), Digital Twin (DT), additive manufacturing are included. By applying the modern techniques, DF performs great advantages on the aspects of product lifecycle management, enterprise resource planning, operation management, supply chain management, real-time database construction, advanced process control, as well as the new technologies of distributed control system and fieldbus control system. This article delivers a review of key issues of DF top-level design and planning from the aspects of networking, precision, automation and digitalization. Solutions are explored based on 5G, TSN and DT advanced technologies, literately and practically. Additionally, the article describes the method and application of efficient big data comprehensive solution. Therefore, this study contributes valuable decision-making support for DF applications.
Keywords: 5G; Big data comprehensive solution; Digital Factory; Digital twin; Time Sensitive Network

Journalism Ethics and the Common Good: The Formation of Values and Virtues for Just and Harmonious Societies - Gassner, Franz; Simoes, José Manuel (Disentangled Vision On Higher Education: Preparing The Generation Next, 2022)

Jornalismo e Qualidade no Mundo de Expressão Portuguesa - Camponez, Carlos; Simões, José Manuel; Christofoletti, Rogério (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
"Jornalismo e Qualidade no Mundo de Expressão Portuguesa"propõe uma análise sobre a paisagem do jornalismo nos oitopaíses de língua oficial portuguesa - Portugal, Angola, Brasil, Cabo Verde, Moçambique, Guiné-Bissau, São Tomé e Príncipee Timor-Leste - e na Região Autónoma Especial de Macau. Olivro é uma reflexão sobre a legislação, o plano jurídico-constitucionalque enquadra os media no espaço lusófono, os contextosde mercado, as especificidades inscritas em fatoreshistóricos e económicos, em percursos políticos, bem comosobre as relações entre os media e os jornalistas e estes e opoder regulador do Estado.Os trabalhos reunidos nesta obra escrita por autores que partilhamentre si um dos idiomas mais falados do planeta, mostram as diferentes realidades do jornalismo no espaço dalíngua portuguesa, nomeadamente as suas redes de conhecimento, de empenho na promoção da qualidade da informação, de intercompreensão entre povos e culturas, de novas einovadoras formas de parcerias sociais com vista à partilha e àconstrução de mundividências.

John Henry Newman and the development of doctrine: encountering change, looking for continuity - Morgan, Stephen (The Catholic University of America Press, 2021)
"In focusing on the gestation of "An Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine" (1845), John Henry Newman's last work as an Anglican and presaging his transition to Catholicism, this book examines how Newman accounted for doctrinal continuity in the face of evidence of change in the history of the church"--

Job Satisfaction, Dilemmas and Causes of Hearing Impaired People in Macau =: 澳門聽障人士工作滿意度、困境及其原因 - Pang, Wan I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Social Work (MSW); University of Saint Joseph

Java面向对象程序设计 - 梁胜彬 (清华大学出版社, 2023)
结合实用案例讲解Java语法、面向对象程序设计技术和核心API。 全书共10章，内容涵盖Java概述、Java语法基础、面向对象基础、面向对象高级技术、 Java API、异常处理机制、Java I/O流、多线程、Java GUI编程和Java网络编程等知识要点。案例丰富，以JDK 17和IntelliJ IDEA等流行的开发环境为依托，力求让读者通过案例 掌握Java编程技术。另一个特色是在阐释专业内容的同时自然融入思政元素， 具有鲜明的时代性和引领性。 可作为普通高等院校计算机、软件工程、人工智能等专业“面向对象程序设计”“Java程序设计”课程的教材，也适 合编程爱好者自学和培训使用。

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERISATION OF PLASTIC POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE (PET) DEGRADING AND POLYHYDROXYALKANOATES (PHAs) PRODUCING BACTERIA FROM SOIL AND WATER - Saidu, Muhammad Bashir (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
The demand for plastic has led to enormous plastic waste in the environment, which persist and negatively impact the ecosystems. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most common thermoplastic polymers available on the market. The concerns about plastic waste generated an interest in strategies to enhance its biodegradation and finding alternative polymers. In this work was investigated the possibility of using bacteria to degrade PET and to produce bioplastics (Polyhydroxyalkanoates, PHAs). Finally, the integration of the two processes was tested. Overall, the work aimed to investigate the potential to recycle PET into bioplastic using bacteria. The potential of bacterial consortia from various environmental samples to degrade PET granules in liquid matrix was investigated. . The results revealed maximum PET granules degradation of 1.1 % by one of the tested consortia. PET degradation intermediate terephthalic acid (TPA) was not detected at the end of 55 days. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results showed major spectral peak shifts and bends on PET chemical structure compared to non-inoculated control. The biodegradation of PET films buried in the soil (A), with mangrove plants (B), and bioaugmented with a bacterial consortium (C) was also investigated. The experiments were conducted for 270 days at ambient conditions. The results revealed no difference between treatments in the degradation, with a maximum weight loss of 0.118 % in the bioaugmented treatment. Nevertheless, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and FTIR results indicated significant surface changes, spectral peak shifts, and stretches in PET chemical structures. Bacterial consortia isolated from the soil of the experimental treatments were assessed for degradation of PET monomers, TPA and monoethylene glycol (MEG), and intermediate Bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET). The consortia were inoculated in flasks containing minimal media with 1000 mg/L TPA or BHET or1113 mg/L MEG as the sole carbon source. Results showed complete degradation of TPA and significant degradation of BHET (96.09%), and MEG (83.65%) by the consortia. In the second part of the study, bacteria were isolated from various environmental samples and screened for PHA production using Sudan Black B staining on colonies and smeared glass slides. Transmission Electron Microscope images were captured to confirm the intracellular PHA inclusions. A total of 35 isolates were screened for PHA, and 22 showed positive staining. The isolate showing higher levels of PHA synthesis (EC2-30-3) was identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequence as Bacillus sp. and selected for PET monomers degradation and fermentation cultures for PHA production. It was cultured in minimal (Moreira et al., 2013) media with 1000 mg/L TPA and 1113 mg/L MEG as the carbon source for eight days. The isolate grew better in media containing MEG, which was selected as a substrate model for PHA fermentation. To integrate PET monomers biodegradation and production of PHA, the isolate was cultured in 0.2 % MEG. A control with 0.2 % of glucose was prepared, and the cultures were incubated for 96 hours. Bacillus sp. EC2-30-3 showed higher PHA accumulation in media supplied with MEG (40.31%) than glucose (25.53%). This is the first report showing that Bacillus sp. uses PET monomer as carbon source to produce a biopolymer. FTIR results of the extracted PHA identified its functional units as C–H, CH3, C=O, and C–O groups. The absorption bands obtained are closely related to the structure of PHB. The study thus confirmed the ability of the isolated bacteria to degrade PET monomers and produce biopolymers. The results of this work open the possibility for upscaling the use of bacteria to mitigate the impact of PET on the environment while producing environmentally friendly bioplastics
Keywords: Biodiversity; China; Green Roof; Macao SAR; Nature-based Solutions; Sustainability; Thesis and Dissertations PhD in Science (D-SC); University of Saint Joseph

Is masculinity ruining the male skincare market? Comprehensive insights on consumer behavior in cosmetics - Duarte, Paulo; Silva, Susana; Carvalho, Maria Joana (Journal of Consumer Marketing, 2025)
This paper aims to investigate the factors influencing men’s purchase intentions for skincare products, particularly focusing on the evolving attitudes toward masculinity, grooming and self-care. The study seeks to identify dimensions such as self-image, health concerns, masculinity and perceptions regarding skincare, along with the impact of social media use on men’s skincare purchase intentions.,The research uses an online questionnaire to gather data from 178 valid responses. The collected data is analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.,The results reveal that men’s skin health concerns significantly impact their purchase intention for skincare products. Self-image concerns and perceptions regarding skincare also emerge as influential determinants in shaping men’s purchasing decisions. Conversely, health concerns and social media platform use do not directly influence skincare purchase intention. Notably, self-image completely mediates the relationship between men’s social media usage and their intention to purchase skincare products.,The data is based on responses from an online questionnaire, which may introduce biases. In addition, the research focuses on specific personal variables and social media use, potentially overlooking other influential factors.,By recognizing the importance of men’s skin health concerns, self-image and perceptions regarding skincare, cosmetic companies can tailor marketing strategies to effectively target key dimensions to enhance sales of skincare products among men.,In a broader societal context, this research contributes to the ongoing evolution of attitudes. By identifying influential factors in men’s skincare purchase intention, the study sheds light on changing societal norms and perceptions. Acknowledging these shifts can lead to a more inclusive understanding of masculinity and contribute to breaking traditional stereotypes related to men’s grooming practices.,This research contributes to the understanding of men’s skincare purchase intention by exploring dimensions such as self-image, health concerns, masculinity and perceptions regarding skincare, in conjunction with the impact of social media use. The findings provide valuable insights, expanding on previous studies on men’s attitudes toward skincare products. The identification of self-image as a complete mediator is a novel contribution.

IoT-based smart health system for ambulatory maternal and fetal monitoring - Lobo Marques, J. A. (Symposium on Intelligent Manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence Technologies (ISIMAIT 2022), 2022)

IoT-Based Smart Health System for Ambulatory Maternal and Fetal Monitoring - Marques, João Alexandre Lobo; Han, Tao; Wu, Wanqing; Madeiro, João Paulo do Vale; Neto, Aloísio Vieira Lira; Gravina, Raffaele; Fortino, Giancarlo; de Albuquerque, Victor Hugo C. (IEEE Internet of Things Journal, 2021)
The adoption of IoT for smart health applications is a relevant tool for distributed and intelligent automatic diagnostic systems. This work proposes the development of an integrated solution to monitor maternal and fetal signals for high-risk pregnancies based on IoT sensors, feature extraction based on data analytics, and an intelligent diagnostic aid system based on a 1-D convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier. The fetal heart rate and a group of maternal clinical indicators, such as the uterine tonus activity, blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation are monitored. Multiple data sources generate a significant amount of data in different formats and rates. An emergency diagnostic subsystem is proposed based on a fog computing layer and the best accuracy was 92.59% for both maternal and fetal emergency. A smart health analytics system is proposed for multiple feature extraction and the calculation of linear and nonlinear measures. Finally, a classification technique is proposed as a prediction system for maternal, fetal, and simultaneous health status classification, considering six possible outputs. Different classifiers are evaluated and a proposed CNN presented the best results, with the F1-score ranging from 0.74 to 0.91. The results are validated based on the diagnosis provided by two specialists. The results show that the proposed system is a viable solution for maternal and fetal ambulatory monitoring based on IoT.
Keywords: Artificial intelligence (AI); Biomedical monitoring; Cloud computing; Feature extraction; Fetal heart rate; Internet of Things; Medical diagnostic imaging; Monitoring; convolutional neural networks (CNNs); feature extraction; fetal monitoring; health analytics; maternal monitoring

IoT Application into Macau Secondary School - Chan, Long Wai (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

Investigation on citizen trust towards e-government services in GBA – A study on WeChat and Alipay government service mini-programs - Lai, Chimeng; Joao, Alexandre Lobo Marques (Association for Computing Machinery, 2022)
Citizens' trust in eGovernment is crucial for the successful implementation of new electronic services. This relationship in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) plays an essential role since the Government services rely on mobile mini-programs This study investigates the trust towards government service mini-programs in WeChat and Alipay. A user feedback questionnaire was designed, and a total of 609 valid samples were collected from Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Hong Kong, and Macau. The findings imply that competence, integrity, and benevolence are the key components of trust in e-government (TIEG). TIEG positively influences perceived value (PV), which positively affects citizens' Intention to adopt service mini-programs. PV significantly mediates the relationship between TIEG and Intention. Although TIEG does not effectively reduce perceived risk (PR), risk issues cannot be ignored in the adoption process. Finally, this article proposes relevant implications and suggestions for the GBA government agents and policy makers.

Investigating the influence of Instagram on the local foodservice sector in Macau: A Consumers' Perspective - Mac, Hoi Kuan (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Nowadays marketers and practitioners recognize the importance of social marketing as a strategy to acquire customers. Accordingly, the enterprises and brands are embracing the use of social network in communicating with potential consumers ad actual consumers, in order its performance so as to increase its sales. Among all those social media platforms, Instagram is one of the platforms which is image orientated and can easily connect with users and provide information with photos and images. As Macau is small‐sized city where there are abundant small to medium‐sized enterprises, the local small firms are switching their marketing strategies by utilizing the Instagram to promote their product online. In order to get a better grasp of how Instagram affects the promotion of the food and beverage product in Macau, the research question has been formulated: “To what extend can the local food sectors in Macau use Instagram as a marketing tool to engage purchasing intention and strengthen their brand equity? From the perspective of customers.” Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants who are the Instagram users, with diverse situations of engagement on Instagram. According to the interviews, participants expressed that how Instagram can associate effects with arousal and brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, perceived quality and brand loyalty) and formation of purchase intention eventually through the Instagram marketing activities. The results showed that Instagram marketing activities strongly correlated the brand equity (brand awareness, brand image, and perceived quality while which in turn led to purchasing intention towards the brand. This research comprehensively illustrates the influences of Instagram marketing activities on customer‐based brand equity. The findings of this study will enable local food brands to more accurately forecast the future purchasing behaviors of their customers through Instagram marketing activities and provide a guide in managing brand equity as well
Keywords: Brand Equity; Instagram; Purchase Intention; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Intersectoral Linkages in Booming Sector Economies - Gomes, Sérgio Ricardo Santos; Marques, Joao Alexandre Lobo; Reis, Ricardo Ferreira (ICEME 2022: 2022 13th International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics, 2022)

Internationalisation of higher education: new players in a changing scene - Ge, Yun (Educational Research and Evaluation, 2022)

International Student Diversity Experiences in their Host Cities - Ge, Yun; Ho, Kong Chong (Governing Diverse Cities in Europe and AsiaAt: Singapore, 2022)

International collaboration for mutual benefit: a Southwest China and Southeast United States partnership - Jackson, M. Sebrena; Gardell, Debra Nelson; Williams, Javonda; Tang, Ning; Yang, Fan (China Journal of Social Work, 2021)
China’s return to social work education, after a nearly 35-year absence, opened the door for partnerships like the 2012 China Collaborative partnership between the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Katherine A. Kendall Institute, the China Association of Social Work Education (CASWE) and the International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW). The University of Alabama School of Social Work (UA SSW) was selected to participate in the collaborative and was connected to the Southwest China Region, specifically partnered with Yunnan University. This manuscript will share the strategies used to engage faculty and students from each partnering institution. Data collected by UA SSW over the five-year partnership will be utilised to contribute to the discussion of the extent to which Western knowledge and theory about social work education might usefully be applied to the Chinese context.
Keywords: China collaborative; International social work; University of Alabama; Yunnan University; social work education

Interim remedies in Macau arbitration proceedings [Practice Note] - Diakite, Ansoumane Douty (LexisNexis, 2023)
This Practice Note provides an overview of the powers of tribunals and courts to issue interim remedies including an anti-suit injunction pursuant to the Arbitration Law and the Civil Procedure Code of Macau and provisions dealing with emergency arbitrator appointments pursuant to the Macau Arbitration Law.

Interculturality and formation - Gallares, Judette (Engaging our diversity : interculturality and consecrated life today, 2020)

Interactive bedside lamp design - Leong, Kit Teng (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

Interaction Design for a Contemporary Learning and Teaching Environment: Promoting Independent Learning at the Primary Level - Chan, Ka Chi (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

Interaction design for a contemporary learning and teaching environment: promoting independent learning at the primary level - Chan, Ka Chi (USJ Theses and Dissertations, 2022)
The world is perpetually changing, and the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that the future is full of unforeseen challenges and potentialities. What are the implications of the advancement in technology on education? How are teachers coping with contemporary educational expectations? Is there a need to redesign the learning environment? What is the exact nature of the forces driving such a change? Is there anything we can learn from successful innovations around the globe? The goals of this dissertation include designing a learning/teaching app and redesigning classroom furniture for primary-level education. A design thinking methodology is used, working through the phases of empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping and testing the two potential designs
Keywords: Design; Interaction analysis in education; Interactive multimedia

Intention Towards Online Counseling among Service Provider in Macau=: 澳門社會服務提供者對應用線上輔導的意向 - Lao, Hoi Keong (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Social Work (MSW); University of Saint Joseph

Intensifying Higher Education Collaboration between Macau SAR and PSCs: Supporting System and Strategic Implications - Ge, Rochelle (The panel Macau’s Higher Education Collaboration with Portuguese-speaking Countries: Mutual Goals and Challenges, 2024)

Intelligent Data Fusion System for Assessing and Classifying the Long-Term Effects of Exposure to COVID-19 in Pregnancy (Long Covid): Associated Neurophysiological and Epigenetic Mechanisms and Consequences for Infant Development - Lobo Marques, J. A. (2023 7th International Conference on Data Mining, Communications and Information Technology (DMCIT & CSMO 2023), 2023)

Integrative Educational Platform Focusing on Steam Approaches: A Macau Case-Study - Un Man Cheng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

Integration of Blockchain Technology in Auditing Practices - Bibliometric Analysis - Almeida, Ermelinda Nazaré António de; Lobo Marques, Joao Alexandre (Proceedings of the 2024 15th International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics, 2024)
The potential of blockchain technology extends beyond cryptocurrencies and has the power to transform various sectors, including accounting and auditing. Its integration into auditing practices presents opportunities and challenges, and auditors must navigate new standards and engage with clients effectively. Blockchain technology provides tamper-proof record-keeping and fraud prevention, enhancing efficiency, transparency, and security in domains such as finance, insurance, healthcare, education, e-voting, and supply chain management. This paper conducts a bibliometric analysis of blockchain technology literature to gain insights into the current state and future directions of blockchain technology in auditing. The study identifies significant research themes and trends using keyword and citation analysis. The Vosviewer software was used to analyze the data and visualize the results. Findings reveal significant growth in blockchain research, particularly from 2021 onwards, with China emerging as a leading contributor, followed by the USA, India, and the UK. This study provides valuable insights into current trends, key contributors, and global patterns in blockchain technology research within auditing practices, and future research may explore thematic areas in greater depth.

INTEGRATING VARIATION THEORY WITH MULTILINGUAL INSTRUCTION IN MULTILINGUAL CLASSROOMS: BRIDGING THEORY AND PRACTICE IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE ACQUISITION - Gomes, Nuno Miguel Alves dos Santos Teixeira; Correia, Ana Maria; Thota, Neena Jawaharlal (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
This thesis explores language teaching and language acquisition by multilingual learners using a Variation Theory approach and multilingual teaching in a university setting in Macao, China. It includes three case studies applied to students of the Spanish language in the introductory level which took place from late August to early December of the year 2017. The first study describes Macao’s multilingual language learners in the University of Macao in 2017. Based on the LEAP-Q questionnaire, a questionnaire was created to inquire all Spanish language students about their languages´ background, their motivations to learn new languages, as well as their learning strategies. The second study shows how the usage of Variation Theory techniques and multilingual teaching techniques boosted the teaching and the learning during the semester. This study employs a case study methodology, by analysing in-class multiple interactions gathering information on how multilinguals´ language background affects the pedagogical process. It analyses a total of 28 classes of 1 hour and 15 minutes. The third study presents the analysis of a questionnaire to 82 students of the initial level of Spanish language in the University of Macao, along with the analysis of interviews from 10 selected multilingual students about their linguistic background and how they experienced the semester. These interviews collected more information about the effectiveness of the Variation Theory in the semester in terms of in-class teaching and learning. From the triangulation of these three studies, some conclusions have been drawn about the advantages of using Variation Theory and multilingual teaching techniques for multilingual students, for the language teacher and ultimately also into the curricular design of foreign language teaching. In sum, that the linguistic background of students plays a major role in how they acquire a new language and, that applying Variation Theory techniques can be an immensely effective technique in a language classroom setting; suggesting that multilingual students will gain from being previously identified and placed in a separate class where these variation techniques were applied. Since this thesis focuses solely on an introductory language course, there is ground to explore this same approach on more advanced multilingual language learners
Keywords: Foreign language teaching; Multilingualism; Thesis and Dissertations PhD in Education (D-SE); University of Saint Joseph; Variation Theory

INTEGRATING ROBOTS INTO READING IN AN INCLUSIVE ESL CLASSROOM AT LOWER PRIMARY - Lei, Ut Wa (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Establishing and improving the independent reading ability of middle school students has become one of the critical topics in the world, especially for second language learners. The cultivation of independent reading ability has specific challenges. This action research investigated the effectiveness of integrating robot-assisted teaching in reading lessons at lower primary grades. A group of third-grade students (n=15) participated in this research. The instruments include the pre-and post-test of a reading competency test (RCT) and motivational index (MI), a teacher reflection journal, and focus group discussion with parents. The whole intervention is conducted in two cycles, and requires the completion of four 40-minute lessons each week per cycle. The findings support the view that integrating robot-assisted teaching in the classroom can improve students' learning motivation to a certain extent, and that intervention programs positively impact students' learning motivation and independent reading ability in English. This study provides suggestion for the design of English reading instruction, and encourages English teachers to pay more attention to improving students' independent reading ability
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph; independent reading skills; learning motivation; robot-assisted teaching

Integrating Internal Corporate Communication (ICC) Strategies to Enhance Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Management: Chan Ka I - Chan, Ka I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This dissertation examines the relationship between internal corporate communication (ICC)strategies and occupational safety and health (OSH) Management practices in Macau's hospitality industry. The primary objective is to investigate how communication approaches can enhance workplace safety protocols and improve OSH outcomes for corporations in the leisure and entertainment sectors. The study aligns with Macau's several policies and economic development on promoting health and safety. It highlights the critical role of OSH Management in the post-COVID-19 business environment, influencing consumer choices and industry practices. The mixed-methods research identified critical success factors, including aligning OSH goals with corporate objectives, utilizing diverse communication platforms, and establishing a safety culture. Areas for improvement were also uncovered. The findings provide valuable insights for hospitality organizations, emphasizing the critical role of internal communication in driving effective OSH Management. By integrating communication strategies with OSH initiatives, organizations can cultivate a robust safety culture, ensure regulatory compliance, and enhance employee well-being and customer satisfaction - key factors for long-term business success
Keywords: Communication; Hospitality; Occupational Safety and Health; Organization; Theses and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Integrating digital technologies during the COVID-19 kindergarten suspension period in Hong Kong. - Hu, X.; Yelland, N.; Leung, W. M. V.; Liang, Y.; Sun, C. R.; Graham, C. R. (Digital Technologies and Early Childhood in China: Policy and Practice, 2024)

Instance-based deep transfer learning with attention for stock movement prediction - He, Qi-Qiao; Siu, Shirley Weng In; Si, Yain-Whar (Applied Intelligence, 2022)
Stock movement prediction is one of the most challenging problems in time series analysis due to the stochastic nature of financial markets. In recent years, a plethora of statistical methods and machine learning algorithms were proposed for stock movement prediction. Specifically, deep learning models are increasingly applied for the prediction of stock movement. The success of deep learning models relies on the assumption that massive training data are available. However, this assumption is impractical for stock movement prediction. In stock markets, a large number of stocks do not have enough historical data, especially for the companies which underwent initial public offering in recent years. In these situations, the accuracy of deep learning models to predict the stock movement could be affected. To address this problem, in this paper, we propose novel instance-based deep transfer learning models with attention mechanism. In the experiments, we compare our proposed methods with state-of-the-art prediction models. Experimental results on three public datasets reveal that our proposed methods significantly improve the performance of deep learning models when limited training data are available.
Keywords: Attention mechanism; Deep transfer learning; Instance-based; Stock movement prediction

Inside the embroidery. The rematerialization of traditional embroidery in a post-digital approach: No interior do bordado. A rematerialização do bordado numa vertente pós-digital - Pereira, Selma; Fernandes-Marcos, Adérito (ARTECH 2021: 10th International Conference on Digital and Interactive Arts, 2021)

Innovation Analysis and Research on the Mode of KOL Live Commerce - Fong, Hou Man (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
With the rapid development of digital media, internet celebrity live streaming has become a key factor in influencing the consumer decision-making of adolescents, presenting unique regional characteristics in different socio-cultural and economic contexts. This study investigates the differences in consumption habits among adolescents in Macau and Mainland China and their impact on the innovation and reform of the commercial model of internet celebrity live streaming. The methodology employs a questionnaire survey and data analysis to systematically compare the consumption behavior of adolescents in Macao and mainland China, collecting live streaming consumption habits of adolescents in both regions. Statistical methods are used to compare and analyze the consumption patterns within the regions. The analysis indicates that influencers, as internet celebrities with a large number of fans on social media, have a significant impact on adolescents' consumption decisions through their recommendations and evaluations. Firstly, the convenience and diversity of e-commerce platforms provide adolescents with a wealth of consumption choices, such as characteristics and usage effects of products. Secondly, the recommendations and evaluations of influencers have become an important reference for adolescents' consumption. Results show that adolescents in Macau tend to seek entertainment and interaction in their consumption of internet celebrity live streaming, whereas those in Mainland China place greater emphasis on the practicality of the live streaming content and the cost-effectiveness of the products. Moreover, the study reveals the roles of socio-cultural and economic levels in the differences in consumption between the two regions. Based on these insights, it is recommended that live streaming platforms should advance the innovation and reform of their business models to cater to different market characteristics—such as optimizing content recommendation algorithms, enhancing interactive elements, and improving the integration of e-commerce features, thereby promoting business sustainability and economic benefits
Keywords: Adolescent Consumption Habits; Internet Celebrity; Live Streaming; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

INNOVATING IN OPEN DISTANCE TEACHING WITH FACE-TO-FACE RETREATS WITHIN A DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN DIGITAL MEDIA ART - Fernandes-Marcos, A; Tavares, M (IATED Academy, 2022)

INFORMAL RECYCLING IN MACAU: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - Ng, Sut Wa (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Informal recycling plays a crucial role in municiapl solid waste management in many cities, particularly in the global South. This study examines the practices, challenges, and opportunities of informal recycling in Macau, a small city and Self Autonomous Region (S.A.R.) in China. Using qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews, this study explores the motivations and strategies of informal recyclers, the challenges they face, and the potential for collaboration with formal waste management systems. The findings of this study reveal that informal recycling in Macau is a complex and multifaceted reality and practice that involves a range of actors, from waste pickers to small-scale processors to exporters, all with their specific challenges. Informal recyclers are motivated by economic necessity, and they employ a variety of strategies to collect and process recyclable materials. However, they also face significant challenges, including high rental and transportation costs, lack of manpower, China’s waste import policies and ensuing restrictions, fluctuating global price rates of materials and the unstable income as serious consequence, accompanied by limited support from the local Government. This study also identifies opportunities for sustainable development of informal recycling in Macau, supported by the analysis of data collected via questionnaire survey regarding Macau citizens’ waste separation habits and their willingness to pay for resource separation and recovering process. The identified oppurtunities include establishing partnerships between informal and formal waste management actors, improving the infrastructure, and introducing environmental levy system and consistent policies and regulations. Overall, this study contributes to a better understanding of the role of informal recycling sector in waste management in Macau and provides insights into potential strategies for improving the sustainability of resource and waste management practices in the city
Keywords: Circular Economy (CE); Informal Recycling; Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM); Recycline Rate; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Thesis and Dissertations Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph; Waste Hierarchy

Influencing Companies’ Green Governance Through the System of Legal Liability for Environmental Infractions in China and Brazil: Lighting the Way Toward BRICS Cooperation - Wei, D.; Rafael, Ângelo Patrício (BRICS Law Journal, 2023)
Peer-rewieved journal

Influencer Industry Development in Macau: Case Study about Social Media Influences in Macau - Madan, Roberto (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

Influence of Parenting Styles Across Generations in Chinese Families in Macao - Chan, Lai Teng (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

INFLUENCE OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE ON WORK ENGAGEMENT: A MEDIATING ROLE OF JOB SATISFACTION IN MACAU SIX GAMING CONCESSIONAIRES - Wong, Ka Son (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
The Macau six gaming concessionaires are encouraged to diversify their business activities beyond the gaming sector to promote a more balanced economy in Macau. It is worth noting that a substantial portion of the workforce within these organizations is employed in non-gaming sectors. Unlike previous studies that primarily concentrated on the gaming sector, this study aims to assess the extent of work engagement among all employees, encompassing both gaming and non-gaming employees, within the six gaming concessionaires of Macau. It also aims to explore the correlation between organizational culture and work engagement, as well as the mediating role of job satisfaction in this relationship. The survey design utilized convenience and referral sampling methods to select the sample. A quantitative approach was employed, and data was collected through an online self-response questionnaire with a total of 396 participants. The study findings reveal a positive correlation among all variables, with a particularly strong relationship observed between supportive organizational culture and various aspects of work engagement. Notably, the mediating variable of job satisfaction, specifically the nature of work, had a more significant impact than the direct effect of organizational culture on emotional and physical work engagement. These findings suggest that organizations should prioritize the development of a supportive organizational culture to enhance work engagement. Furthermore, it is crucial to provide employees with motivating and meaningful work that gives them a sense of accomplishment upon completion. Future studies could explore the relationship between organizational culture and work engagement by examining two distinct employee groups, such as local employees and expatriates
Keywords: Job Satisfaction; Macau Gaming Concessionaires; Nature of Work; Organizational Culture; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Organisational Psychology (MOP); University of Saint Joseph; Work Engagement

INDOOR AIR QUALITY (IAQ) MANAGEMENT IN MACAO: MONITORING PARTICULATE MATTER (PM10 AND PM2.5) AT THE RENOVATION SITE IN LARGE SHOPPING MALLS - Chan, Weng Ian (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
"Over time, the large shopping malls in Macao will require some changes to improve space utilization, resulting in renovation projects that affect indoor particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5) concentrations. Employees work long hours in an environment where the ambient air quality is poor, directly affecting their work efficiency. Nonetheless, the concentration of PM produced by the interior renovation of shopping malls has yet to receive particular attention. Therefore, this study will investigate IAQ, in particular, PM10 and PM2.5 in large-scale shopping mall renovation projects in three different indoor locations (i.e., public, renovation, and construction areas) to understand the causes of indoor PM10 and PM2.5. This study will collect on-site PM data for analysis, examine whether the current control measures are appropriate and propose some improvements. The data collected will be compared with IAQ standards from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), specifically PM concentrations. The research results can provide a reference guide for decision-makers, management, construction teams, design consultant teams and renovation teams of large-scale projects. In addition, the monitoring of IAQ can ensure a comfortable environment for employees and customers."
Keywords: Construction Dust; Health Exposure; PM Monitoring; Particulate Matter; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph

Inclusive Education Teachers—Strategies of Working Collaboratively With Parents of Children With Special Educational Needs in Macau - Ng, Shun Wing; Kwan, Yee Wan (International Journal of Educational Reform, 2020)
Education for learners with special education needs has become one of the major concerns of education policies in every corner of the world. In Macau, however, the transformation of schools into inclusive environments is reported to be slow because many teachers in Macau have not accepted the key values of inclusive education and possess little knowledge of their responsibilities as inclusive education teachers. Despite being nonempirical, the aim of this article is twofold: to inform inclusive education teachers, especially those in Macau and other developing regions, of the necessary knowledge, skills and strategies of working collaboratively with parents of children with SEN and provide policy makers concerned with practical ideas of designing effective professional development programmes for teachers working in the inclusive environment. The ultimate aim is to ensure that children with SEN benefit from an education process that includes quality learning opportunities.

In Memorial and Serenity: Introducing VR Grave Mourning in the Chapel of St. Michael in Macao - Olga Ng Ka Man, Sandra; Caires, Carlos Sena (International Journal of Creative Interfaces and Computer Graphics, 2022)
Macao inhabit a population of 683,100. The birth rate has been dropping while the death rate has risen compared to two years ago. Cemeteries are becoming crowded, and burial spots are demanding. In this case, video calls and social media can be the solution. How about our beloved ancestors? Can we video call them on their memorial days? This paper presents a VR experience of immersing oneself in the 3D VR of the Chapel of St. Michael of Macao to create a peaceful atmosphere for grave mourning. The chapel is also a personal space where we can be truly isolated in serenity. It is a retreat to pray, disconnect, and reconnect to the beloved deaths that may not be buried in an easily accessible location. The authors propose a possible future of mourning our loved ones through virtual reality and telepresence: an immersive experience connected with Macao's extraordinary and cultural unicity.

IMPLEMENTATION OF SDG 1 IN CAPE VERDE: AN ANALYSIS OF POLICIES AND ACTORS - Pasquinha, Patrick Delgado (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
In the 21st century, poverty still remains a serious issue for the world, halting development and growth of nations. SDG 1 refers to the first Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) established by United nations. It has as goal to “end poverty in all its forms everywhere”. Cape Verde as an UN member also adopted it and aligned national policies to achieve it. This thesis aimed to analyze the different policies adopted by the government of Cape Verde to implement SDG 1. Moreover, this dissertation will also point out the different actors behind the implementation of SGD 1 in Cabo Verde (both national and international actors), as well as find out their role in alleviating poverty in Cabo Verde, in other words, how they contribute to poverty alleviation in Cabo Verde. Based on a qualitative methodology, using document analysis as method to collect the data and further using thematic analysis to analyze, code and categorize the collected data, the study was able to answer the two research questions: Research question 1: What are the different policies adopted by the government of Cape Verde to implement SDG 1. Research question 2: Who and what are the roles of the actors involved in the implementation of SDG 1 in Cape Verde? The findings of the study revealed that: As to research question 1, the study found out that the government of Cape Verde has adopted several policies geared towards poverty reduction. Such policies included social protection policies, investment in infrastructure policies, investment in education policies, investment in health policies, investment in rural development policies, economic diversification policies, gender equality and women empowerment policies, job creation policies and climate change adaptation policies. As for research question 2, the study 4 revealed there are two main Actors are responsible for the implementation of SDG 1, government institutions and National and International Partners. On one hand, the government of Cape Verde is focused on creating and adopting polices that target the poor, as result this make sure that they can lift from poverty or at least avoid they sinking into deeper poverty. On the other hand, the partners (here known as Actors) helping on the implementation of SDG 1 in Cape Verde work as a backup for the government, helping it on other issues related to SDG 1 implementation such as knowledge and capital provision and so on. The Cape Verde government is dedicated to reducing poverty, focusing on the unemployment and migration phenomenon. These factors contribute to poverty and exacerbate it. Despite these challenges, the overall outlook on poverty reduction in Cape Verde is optimistic, indicating a significant commitment to address the root causes of poverty
Keywords: Actors; Cape Verde; Multidimensional poverty; Poverty reduction policies; SDG 1 implementation; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Government Studies (MGS); University of Saint Joseph

Impacts of Policies and Infrastructure on the Usage of Electric Vehicles in Macao - Weng Chi Lei; Tai, On Teng (2023 Symposium on Environmental Science and Sustainable Technology (ESST2023), 2023)

IMPACTS OF CHINA’S ENTRY ON THE PRODUCT LINE RIVALRY IN THE GLOBAL CIVIL AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY - Chen, Yawen (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
As international tourism continues to flourish and airlines are eager to expand their fleets, the demand for civil aircraft has continues to grow in the global market. The market has been a duopolistic one, shared by Boeing and Airbus. However, the recent entry of the Chinese company, Comac, had the potential to turn it into a triopoly within certain segment of the product line. This observation motivates the research objective to analyze the impact of Comac's entry on the production strategies of the incumbents. Specifically, this dissertation studies the impact on each firm’s allocation of production capacity toward different civil aircraft in the product line in response to how Comac’s entry, which can also impact the effects of capacity increase and market expansion on the product line rivalry. This dissertation is based on a multi-product, oligopolistic model of Boeing and Airbus. To provide insights on the strategy and behavior of each firm in the evolving competitive environment, this dissertation solves and extends the mathematical model to incorporate Comac as the entrant and compares model results with data of orders and deliveries of the three companies in the past 15 years. This model finds that when Comac's C919, a relatively small plane, enters the global civil aircraft market, Boeing and Airbus will increase the production of their small planes and decrease the production of the relatively large planes under the production capacity constraints. If the production capacity increases, both Boeing and Airbus will produce more planes, but will allocate more additional capacity to large planes than to small planes compared to the duopolistic competitive environment. When the market demand increases, despite the entry of the C919, Boeing and Airbus iv will continue to increase the production of both large and small planes, but the response is greater to an increase of demand for large planes than that for small planes. The orders and deliveries data provide some but insufficient support for the model predictions. As the market participation of Comac continues to grow, future researchers can re-assess the models’ propositions with more available data
Keywords: Capacity allocation; Civil aircraft; Comac; Duopoly; Oligopoly; Product line rivalry; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); Triopoly; University of Saint Joseph

Impacts of Central Bank Digital Currency on Regional Economic Integration: Evidence from the Greater Bay Area of China - Lei, Weng Chi; Wang, Xinru (The Chinese Economy, 2024)
An increasing number of countries have launched their central bank digital currencies (CBDC) in recent years, but the economic impacts of CBDC adoption are underexplored. To empirically assess how CBDC adoption influences regional economic integration, this paper investigates the Greater Bay Area, where China carried out one of its first digital renminbi pilot programs. The Greater Bay Area provides a good example because the growing acceptance of digital renminbi in the area can potentially mitigate transaction costs and risks due to the exchange rate volatility of the Chinese renminbi, Hong Kong dollar, and Macao pataca. CBDC adoption can lead to greater real and financial integrations by facilitating cross-border trade in goods and services. This paper evaluates deviations from uncovered interest rate parity, purchasing power parity, and real interest rate parity across Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao based on monthly interest rate and price data from January 2016 to December 2022. The time series have mean values near zero, which validate the parity conditions and indicate high degrees of financial, real, and economic integrations. The Markov regime-switching regression model identifies three regimes: (1) pre-Covid, (2) post-Covid, and (3) post-CBDC. The Covid-19 outbreak brought lower integration and stability, but the launch of the CBDC restored some of the pre-Covid integration and stability. Regimes 1 and 2 are persistent, and transitions from Regime 3 back to Regime 1 are probable. Hence, this study finds evidence that CBDC adoption improves regional economic integration in the short and long run.
Keywords: Central bank digital currency; Greater Bay Area; digital renminbi; economic integration; financial integration

IMPACTS OF CARBON TRADING SYSTEM ON GREEN FINANCE: Ziyan Yin - Yin, Ziyan (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Against the backdrop of escalating global climate change and China being the world’s largest carbon emitter, this study explores the impact of the carbon trading system on green finance in Chinese power sector. This study uses a quantitative research method, namely a difference-in-differences (DID) model, to investigate power companies that participated or had the potential to participate in carbon trading in 2019 and 2022. The key finding is that companies that participated in carbon trading had significantly higher green finance than those that did not participate, indicating that the carbon trading system has a positive impact on promoting green finance. However, the impact does not significantly intensify after the national carbon trading scheme was implemented in mid-2021. The green finance of listed companies and state-owned enterprises were less affected by carbon trading, possibly because these companies rely on alternative financing options and government financial support. Due to the findings, this study recommends that policy makers should strengthen the promotion of the carbon trading scheme and provide more support for non-listed companies and non-state-owned enterprises. At the same time, the companies should actively participate in the carbon market to take advantage of the industrial policies to enhance green finance, and ultimately promote environmental protection and their own sustainable development
Keywords: Carbon trading scheme; Carbon trading system; China; DiD; Difference-in-difference; Green finance; Power companies; Power plants; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Impact of Vessel Traffic on Underwater Soundscape and Marine Mammals in the Pearl River Delta - Wong, Man Ieng (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph

Impact of Noise on Early Development and Hearing in Zebrafish (Danio rerio) - Lara, Rafael Ayala (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Fishes are highly specialized in extracting ecologically relevant information from their diverse acoustic habitats since early developmental stages. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a valuable and well-stablished vertebrate model for investigating hearing functioning and disorders, development of the inner ear in vertebrates including humans, drug discovery, ecotoxicology assessments and behavioral research. Although the acoustic environment is known to shape the structure and sensitivity of auditory systems, there is no information on the natural soundscape of this species. Zebrafish are typically reared in large-scale artificial housing systems, which acoustic properties and potential effects on hearing remain largely unknown. Even though elevated levels of noise are widely present in most aquatic soundscapes and to an even greater extent in artificial environments, very limited information is known on how this important environmental stressor impacts species’ development and physiology, hearing capabilities and inner ear morphology, and behaviour. Considering that noise pollution is rapidly increasing in aquatic ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on survivability and growth and altering physiology and behaviour of organisms, it is of paramount importance to assess how this stressor affects wildlife, especially in early ontogeny, a critical period for development and establishment of phenotypic traits. For this thesis I aimed to 1) characterize the soundscape of both zebrafish natural habitats and laboratory captive conditions, and discuss possible impact on auditory sensitivity. Sound recordings were conducted in five distinct zebrafish habitats (Southwest India), from quieter stagnant environments with diverse biological/abiotic sounds to louder watercourses characterized by current and moving substrate, while artificial environmental characterization was conducted on three typical zebrafish housing systems. 8 In order to assess the impact of noise exposure on early development, my next goal was to 2) perform a split-brood experiment to test the effects of chronic noise exposure to increasing levels (130 and 150 dB re 1 μPa, continuous white noise) and different temporal regimes (mimicking shipping activity) on larval zebrafish in regards to general development, physiological stress, and behavioural patterns. Finally, the last objective consisted on 3) testing the effects of chronic noise exposure on auditory sensitivity measured based on inner ear saccular microphonics and acoustic-evoked startle responses (prepulse inhibition paradigm) in larval zebrafish, as well as evaluating whether sensitivity changes were paralleled by altered inner ear morphology. Based on bioacoustics methods, my first study found that zebrafish natural soundscape varied between 98 and 126 dB re 1 lPa in sound pressure levels. Sound spectra presented most energy below 3000 Hz and quieter noise windows were found in the noisiest habitats matching the species best hearing range. Contrastingly, recordings from zebrafish housing systems revealed higher sound levels (122–143 dB) and most energy below 1000Hz with more spectral peaks, which might cause significant impact such as auditory masking or even hearing loss. In my second research work, the acoustic treatments did not affect general development or hatching but increased noise levels led to a significant increase in mortality of larval zebrafish. The cardiac rate, yolk sac consumption and cortisol levels increased significantly with increasing noise level at both 3 and 5 dpf (days post fertilization). Variations in noise time presentations (different random noise periods similar to shipping activity) suggested that the presence of longer silent intervals is important to down-regulate physiological stress. Moreover, 5 dpf larvae exposed to 150 dB continuous noise regimes displayed increased dark avoidance in an anxiety-related dark/light preference test and displayed a significant 9 impairment in spontaneous alternation behaviour (SAB) a memory and sensorimotor related behaviour. Finally, in the last thesis goal, I found that noise-exposed specimens displayed significantly lower hair cell number and saccular epithelial area. This change in sensory morphology was paralleled by a significant decrease in inner ear saccular sensitivity at lower frequencies (100 to 200 Hz) in 5 dpf larvae. Sensorimotor hearing assessment revealed a hypersensitisation effect in noise-exposed group that displayed higher startle swimming velocity, but also significant decrease in sensitivity at 200 Hz. Altogether, this thesis provides an important ground for future research on the adaptation of zebrafish auditory system to the natural soundscapes, and highlights the importance of controlling noise conditions in captivity systems. Furthermore, results provide first evidence of noise-induced physiological stress, anxiety-driven behaviours and memory impairment in larval zebrafish larvae, showing that both noise amplitude and timing may negatively impact key physiological and behavioural endpoints in early ontogeny. The thesis also reports new findings on how acoustic stress may impact the structure and function of the inner ear in larval fish, which was followed by decreased sensitivity in sensorimotor responses to acoustic stimuli. My research highlights the importance of investigating how altered soundscapes and associated physiological and behavioural stress may affect important sensitive windows in development and impose new evolutionary challenges under a scenario of global change
Keywords: PhD in Education (D-SE); Thesis and Dissertations; University of Saint Joseph

Impact of noise on development, physiological stress and behavioural patterns in larval zebrafish - Lara, Rafael A.; Vasconcelos, Raquel O. (Scientific Reports, 2021)
Noise pollution is increasingly present in aquatic ecosystems, causing detrimental effects on growth, physiology and behaviour of organisms. However, limited information exists on how this stressor affects animals in early ontogeny, a critical period for development and establishment of phenotypic traits. We tested the effects of chronic noise exposure to increasing levels (130 and 150 dB re 1 μPa, continuous white noise) and different temporal regimes on larval zebrafish (Danio rerio), an important vertebrate model in ecotoxicology. The acoustic treatments did not affect general development or hatching but higher noise levels led to increased mortality. The cardiac rate, yolk sac consumption and cortisol levels increased significantly with increasing noise level at both 3 and 5 dpf (days post fertilization). Variation in noise temporal patterns (different random noise periods to simulate shipping activity) suggested that the time regime is more important than the total duration of noise exposure to down-regulate physiological stress. Moreover, 5 dpf larvae exposed to 150 dB continuous noise displayed increased dark avoidance in anxiety-related dark/light preference test and impaired spontaneous alternation behaviour. We provide first evidence of noise-induced physiological stress and behavioural disturbance in larval zebrafish, showing that both noise amplitude and timing negatively impact key developmental endpoints in early ontogeny.
Keywords: Embryology; Environmental impact; Freshwater ecology

Impact of green finance on Asian economic development - Wong, Kuan Lam (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
The development of green financial products like green bonds and industry financing has gained momentum, showing positive impacts on sustainable economic development, renewable energy investment, and greenhouse gas emission reduction. As the research problem is inadequately explored, this dissertation aims to fill the research gap to evaluate the impacts of green finance on economic development. Furthermore, this study assesses the differences between Asian and non-Asian economies in the impacts of green finance on economic development. Two empirical measures are analyzed in this study.Green finance is measured with the Global Green Finance Index (GGFI), a composite index that captures over 100 instrumental variables, covering the business environment, human capital, infrastructure, and sustainability aspects of a financial center. Growth rate of gross domestic product (GDP) per capita reflects economic development. The dataset encompasses 83 international financial centers from 2018 to 2022. The regression model finds a significant negative relationship between growth rates of GGFI and GDP per capita in the full sample, the Asian subgroup, and the non-Asian subgroup. GGFI growth is confirmed to have Granger caused GDP per capita growth, but GDP per capita growth did not Granger cause GGFI growth. Combined with the insights of the previous studies, this study justifies the findings as a short-term negative impact of green finance on economic growth. However, the Asian region, with many emerging economies, could transition faster, so the regression derives a less negative coefficients for Asian financial centers. The policy implication 5 is that continued government support to improve the effectiveness of green finance is necessary for the long-term benefit of green finance to be fully realized
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Government Studies (MGS); University of Saint Joseph

Impact of Education on Green Fintech Adoption in a Smart City: Evidence from the Newly Developed Sub-city Center of Beijing. - Lei, Weng Chi; An, Boyang (18th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AGBRP - Leading Sustainability Transitions: Risk, Collaboration, and Technology, 2024)
Integrating financial technologies with green initiatives is critical to the sustainable development agenda. This is particularly true for newly developed smart cities like Tongzhou, the sub-city center of Beijing. To assess the adoption of green fintech in Tongzhou, this paper extends the EnergyAugmented Technology Acceptance Model (EA-TAM) to incorporate two green factors – environmental awareness and green knowledge. This paper applies structural equation modeling techniques to analyze data from 403 respondents who live, work, or study in Tongzhou and finds allhypothesized constructs significant. Since green knowledge is significant to the adoption of green fintech, this paper further divides the sample into a high-education group (162 respondents with university-or-above degrees) and a low-education group (251 respondents with post-secondary-orlower degrees) to evaluate the impact of education. All the hypothesized factors are significant to the high-education group,but environmental awareness and perceived usefulness are insignificant to the low- education group. Hence, the results provide evidence that people in the newly developed smart city adopt green fintech due to their environmental sensitivity. The adoption of green fintech is more environmentally sensitive for people with high education levels.

Impact of Education on Green Fintech Adoption in a Smart City: Evidence from the Newly Developed Sub-city Center of Beijing. - Lei, Weng Chi; An, Boyang (18th INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE AGBRP - Leading Sustainability Transitions: Risk, Collaboration, and Technology, 2024)
Integrating financial technologies with green initiatives is critical to the sustainable development agenda. This is particularly true for newly developed smart cities like Tongzhou, the sub-city center of Beijing. To assess the adoption of green fintech in Tongzhou, this paper extends the EnergyAugmented Technology Acceptance Model (EA-TAM) to incorporate two green factors – environmental awareness and green knowledge. This paper applies structural equation modeling techniques to analyze data from 403 respondents who live, work, or study in Tongzhou and finds allhypothesized constructs significant. Since green knowledge is significant to the adoption of green fintech, this paper further divides the sample into a high-education group (162 respondents with university-or-above degrees) and a low-education group (251 respondents with post-secondary-orlower degrees) to evaluate the impact of education. All the hypothesized factors are significant to the high-education group,but environmental awareness and perceived usefulness are insignificant to the low- education group. Hence, the results provide evidence that people in the newly developed smart city adopt green fintech due to their environmental sensitivity. The adoption of green fintech is more environmentally sensitive for people with high education levels.

Impact of Education on Green Fintech Adoption: Evidence From the New Sub-Center of Beijing - Lei, Weng Chi; An, Boyang (Journal of Global Business Research and Practice, 2024)

Illegal Immigration and Population Police in Macau: A Case Study of Fujianese Immigrants = 澳門非法移民問題及其治理——以澳門的福建移民為例 - Lam Lai Teng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of History & Heritage Studies (MHHS); University of Saint Joseph

Identification of Latent Risk Clinical Attributes for Children Born Under IUGR Condition Using Machine Learning Techniques - Nguyen Van, Sau; Lobo Marques, J. A.; Biala, T. A.; Li, Ye (Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine, 2021)
Background and objective Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) is a condition in which a fetus does not grow to the expected weight during pregnancy. There are several well documented causes in the literature for this issue, such as maternal disorder, and genetic influences. Nevertheless, besides the risk during pregnancy and labour periods, in a long term perspective, the impact of IUGR condition during the child development is an area of research itself. The main objective of this work is to propose a machine learning solution to identify the most significant features of importance based on physiological, clinical or socioeconomic factors correlated with previous IUGR condition after 10 years of birth. Methods In this work, 41 IUGR (18 male) and 34 Non-IUGR (22 male) children were followed up 9 years after the birth, in average (9.1786 ± 0.6784 years old). A group of machine learning algorithms is proposed to classify children previously identified as born under IUGR condition based on 24-hours monitoring of ECG (Holter) and blood pressure (ABPM), and other clinical and socioeconomic attributes. In additional, an algorithm of relevance determination based on the classifier is also proposed, to determine the level of importance of the considered features. Results The proposed classification solution achieved accuracy up to 94.73%, and better performance than seven state-of-the-art machine learning algorithms. Also, relevant latent factors related to HRV and BP monitoring are proposed, such as: day-time heart rate (day-time HR), day-night systolic blood pressure (day-night SBP), 24-hour standard deviation (SD) of SBP, dropped, morning cortisol creatinine, 24-hour mean of SDs of all NN intervals for each 5 minutes segment (24-hour SDNNi), among others. Conclusion With outstanding accuracy of our proposed solutions, the classification system and the indication of relevant attributes may support medical teams on the clinical monitoring of IUGR children during their childhood development.
Keywords: ABPM (Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring); HRV (Heart Rate Variability); IUGR (Intrauterine Growth Restriction); Machine Learning

IDENTIFICATION OF CRITICAL FACTORS TO DETERMINE THE INTENTION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICE MINI-PROGRAM ADOPTION THROUGH MOBILE PAYMENT PLATFORMS IN MACAU AND THE GREATER BAY AREA - Lai Chi Meng; Marques, João Alexandre Lobo (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Government service mini-programs have become an integral component of eGovernment in the Greater Bay Area, and successful eGovernment is necessary for building a smart city. Service quality and citizens' trust play a vital role in urban integration and in-depth cooperation in the Bay Area. The ubiquitous nature of mini-programs based on WeChat and Alipay provides excellent flexibility in accessing government services. Technology advantages, mutual recognition of cross-border data, and online transactions bring value and benefits to citizens. However, the mechanism of mini-program adoption has not been elaborated. Homogenization, conflict of regulations, and policy effectiveness are issues of great concern. This study employed Self-Determination Theory and Motivation Theory, proposed an empirical model based on the extended SOR paradigm, and aimed to identify the critical factors determining the intention of government service mini-program adoption from the user’s perspective. Six hundred and nine valid samples were collected from Macau, Hong Kong, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen through online survey platforms. The findings suggested that service quality, trust in eGovernment, ubiquity, and social influence constituted the determinants of intention to adopt. Service quality and ubiquity were salient determinants, and a great extent of service quality and ubiquity could promote perceived value and intention. Citizens' trust in government service mini-programs was reasonable, where benevolence, integrity, and competence were crucial indicators of trust. Social influence amplified and transmitted risk perception while perceived risk significantly reduced intention. Perceived value positively associated with the four determinants and enhanced user intention; it acted as a mediator with high explanatory power in the model. Government support received positive ratings from citizens; it negatively regulated the relationship between intention and the determinants respectively, implying that excessive intervention from the government could lead to inhibition. Finally, we proposed relevant implications and suggestions for the GBA government agents and policymakers
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations PhD in Government Studies (D-GS); University of Saint Joseph

Hypnotherapeutic Treatment as a Way to Enhance Sleep Quality: Case Study on a Clinical Counseling Professional in Macao - Li, Hiu Yung (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

Hydrothermal remobilization of subseafloor sulfide mineralization along mid-ocean ridges contributes to the global oceanic zinc isotopic mass balance - Liao, Shili; Tao, Chunhui; Wen, Hanjie; Yang, Weifang; Liu, Jia; Jamieson, John W.; Dias, Ágata Alveirinho; Zhu, Chuanwei; Liang, Jin; Li, Wei; Ding, Teng; Li, Xiaohu; et al. (Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 2022)
Hydrothermal activity on mid-ocean ridges is an important mechanism for the delivery of Zn from the mantle to the surface environment. Zinc isotopic fractionation during hydrothermal activity is mainly controlled by the precipitation of Zn-bearing sulfide minerals, in which isotopically light Zn is preferentially retained in solid phases rather than in solution during mineral precipitation. Thus, seafloor hydrothermal activity is expected to supply isotopically heavy Zn to the ocean. Here, we studied sulfide-rich samples from the Duanqiao-1 hydrothermal field, located on the Southwest Indian Ridge. We report that, at the hand-specimen scale, late-stage conduit sulfide material has lower δ66Zn values (−0.05 ± 0.15 ‰; n = 19) than early-stage material (+0.13 ± 0.15 ‰; n = 10). These lower values correlate with enrichments in Pb, As, Cd, and Ag, and elevated δ34S values. We attribute the low δ66Zn values to the remobilization of earlier sub-seafloor Zn-rich mineralization. Based on endmember mass balance calculations, and an assumption of a fractionation factor (αZnS-Sol.) of about 0.9997 between sphalerite and its parent solution, the remobilized Zn was found consist of about 1/3 to 2/3 of the total Zn in the fluid that formed the conduit samples. Our study suggests that late-stage subsurface hydrothermal remobilization may release isotopically-light Zn to the ocean, and that this process may be common along mid-ocean ridges, thus increasing the size of the previously identified isotopically light Zn sink in the ocean.
Keywords: Hydrothermal activity; Mid ocean ridge; Subsurface remobilization; Zinc isotopic mass balance

Human Resource Management and Employee Relations in Angola: Challenges and Opportunities - Silva, Maria Rita (Employee Relations and Trade Unions in Africa: A Critical Approach, 2023)
This chapter presents a systematic review of research on human resources management (HRM) and employee relations (ER) in Angola to identify the main challenges and opportunities presented. To achieve that goal, this chapter characterises research conducted in the country, investigates its main findings, and proposes some directions for the future. Based on a bibliographic search in the EBSCO Discovery database of empirical articles about HRM and ER in Angola, we collected a sample of 28 studies published between 2009 and 2022. Most studies have focused on the development and retention of human resources. Other topics included diversity management, workplace attitudes and behaviours, scale validations, leadership and decision-making, performance appraisal, quality assessment, corporate social responsibility, and expatriates. We identified three main challenges and opportunities in HRM and ER in Angola. First, the policies and the planning, implementing, and evaluating processes of human resources development and retention strategies should be improved. Second, effective leadership and participation should be promoted while navigating the tensions between autocratic and participative leadership styles. Finally, positive ER and employee well-being should be promoted. Understanding these challenges and opportunities may contribute to the development of human capital in Angola and, ultimately, the country’s socioeconomic development.

Human capital investment outflanked by Macau's needs - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2023)
Macau, Macau Business, MAG, MB, MB Featured, Opinion | As Macau strives to revive its post-pandemic economy and to reinject life into its ailing society, calls for investment in human capital resurface, alongside endless mantras of economic diversification which, for years, seem to have fallen on deaf ears, and together with plans for further infrastructure development and construction which have already turned Macau into a concrete jungle.

Human-Belongings Behaviour Analysis: A Smart Interactive Cabinet - Wong, Nga Ieng (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

How suitable are you for Macau’s workforce? - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2021)

How social media affects the purchase intentions of female consumers in Macao - watching beauty and cosmetics product experience videos on YouTube - Chan, Velda; Silva, Susana C.; Lampo, Alessandro (Revista Gestão em Análise, 2022)
YouTube has become increasingly popular for marketing purposes. As corporate and user-generated content is widely available on this platform, beauty-related professionals need to understand how to create videos that make their products more appealing and stand out from the clutter. In this study, we examine four factors (i.e., perceived usefulness of the information, perceived credibility of the information, attitude toward the purchase, and perceived video characteristics) that affect the purchase intentions of female consumers. After viewing beauty-related videos, a sample of 204 female consumers was analyzed by structural equation modeling. The findings showed that videos with more views, likes, and comments tend to have a greater effect on the respondents' intentions to purchase. Also, the factors of perceived usefulness of the information, perceived credibility of the information, and attitude toward the purchase exhibited a significant effect on the intention to buy beauty-related products. The result showed that perceived video characteristics (such as quality and visuals) did not significantly influence the purchase intention, however, there is evidence that this factor should not be ignored by content creators. Finally, our research provides insights, strategies, and future directions for industry practitioners and marketers.
Keywords: YouTube beauty products; YouTube marketing; beauty and cosmetics marketing; purchase intention

How Social Media Affects the Purchase Intentions of Female Consumers in Macao: Watching Beauty and Cosmetic Product Experience Videos on Youtube - Chan, Velda (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

How Social Influence and Image Impact on the Intention to Use a Technology: A Study from the Battery Electric Vehicle Domain - Lampo, Alessandro; Silva, Susana C. (Association for Computing Machinery, 2022)
Technology research offers several theories and models to explain how individuals accept and use technology innovations. While these often focus on the technical aspects of the innovation, they tend to downplay the affective component of technology. Recognizing that the adoption of technology is also determined by what it means and represents to the users, this paper aims to fill the gap in the literature by studying the effects of social influence and image on the behavioral intention to adopt a technology. We used structural equation modeling (SmartPLS) to analyze data collected from 238 self-administrated surveys regarding the behavioral intention of Macau residents to use battery electric vehicles. The result showed significant relationships among the variables in the model and depicted the construct of image as a strong factor in the adoption decision. Our findings suggest that social influence may not exhibit substantial impact in the case of innovations in their initial phase and, more importantly, the construct of image could be included as a key predictor of behavioral intention in technology acceptance models, particularly in contexts where the choices that consumers make are public, and therefore subject to judgments from the members of the community.
Keywords: Battery Electric Vehicles; Image; SmartPLS; Social Influence; Technology Acceptance

How Schools in Macau Create Intellectual Capital for Development - Ng, Shun-wing; Kwan, Yee-wan (Managing School Intellectual Capital for Strategic Development, 2022)
This chapter describes how intellectual capital comprising human capital, structural capital, and relational capital are being created for school development and quality assurance in Macau. Macau has aimed to catch up with the global education reform by subsidising majorities of the non-tertiary sectors and promulgating Decree Laws regarding education policies and development. Despite the significance of the intangible assets of the intellectual capital, the chapter also attempts to analyse the issues and challenges towards the management of intellectual capital emerging simultaneously in the transition process in the educational context of Macau. It suggests capitalising on the accumulated school knowledge for school effectiveness. This chapter depicts the chronological development of Macau's education reform by analysing how Macau has attempted to emancipate its education institutions from the period of quasi-closed system to that of the open system by creating different types of intellectual capital in school. It discusses the emerging issues and challenges simultaneously in the transition process of educational development in Macau, namely before and after returning its sovereignty to the Chinese government.

How Might We Provide Students with Agility and Digital Literacy? Case Study of the Bachelor of Communication and Media at the University of Saint Joseph - Cathagne-Benventi, Sophie (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

How Many Books Are There in the Bible? (Part 3) [In Traditional Chinese] - Leong, Andrew Chin Hei (St. Lazarus Parish Newsletter (New Series), 2021)

How Many Books Are There in the Bible? (Part 2) [In Traditional Chinese] - Leong, Andrew Chin Hei (St. Lazarus Parish Newsletter (New Series), 2021)

How Many Books Are There in the Bible? (Part 1) [In Traditional Chinese] - Leong, Andrew Chin Hei (St. Lazarus Parish Newsletter (New Series), 2021)

How is Technology Accepted? Fundamental Works in User Technology Acceptance from Diffusion of Innovations to UTAUT-2 - Lampo, Alessandro (Association for Computing Machinery, 2023)
The decision to accept and use technology innovations has long been a source of debate across disciplines due to the complexity involved in predicting behavior. Recognizing that the subject is vast and fragmented, this paper examines the mainstream technology works to assist researchers to understand, conceptualize and select the most appropriate theoretical framework for their study. Starting with the pioneering effort on Diffusion of Innovations (DOI/IDT), the analysis considers the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM/TAM-2/TAM-3), the Value-based Acceptance Model (VAM), and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT/UTAUT-2) among the most important. A review of the key literature is vital to assessing and identifying research trends, as well as contributing to the discussion of emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Augmented Reality (AR), Blockchain, Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT), Mobile Apps, etc. Suggestions for future research paths are also provided.
Keywords: Acceptance and Use of Technology; Product Innovation; Technology Acceptance; Technology Adoption; Technology Innovation

How Immigrant Parents and Local Parents Were Involved in Children's Education in Macau - Ng, Shun W.; Cheong, Ka W. (International Journal of Educational Reform, 2023)
The objective of this case study is to analyze how two groups of parents, a group who have newly arrived in Macau from Mainland China and the other who have resided in Macau for more than three decades, interact with the class teachers at the levels of ?two-way communication,? ?supervision of children at home,? and ?participating in decision making? in a secondary school. The findings will redound to the benefits of school leaders, teachers, and indirectly the parents in a sense that looking closely at the ethnic and cultural differences between parents can promote effective cooperation between parents and teachers.

How does Fake News Affect People in Asia & Europe During a Pandemic? A Case Study About Macao and Portugal - Nicolau, Claúdia de Almeida Henriques (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

How Does Employer Brand Affect Employer of Choice? A Case Study of Two Macau F&B Groups’ Employer Branding Comparisons - Chen, Zhi Yi (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

HOW DO FOOD INFLUENCERS ON INSTAGRAM AFFECT CONSUMERS’ VISIT INTENTION TO RESTAURANTS IN MACAU? - Ho, Pui I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
This dissertation examines consumers' perceptions of food influencer content on Instagram and the relationship between exposure to food influencer reviews and consumers' intention to visit restaurants in Macau. A mixed-method research design was employed, combining quantitative survey data from 301 responses with qualitative insights from one focus group session involving six participants. The findings suggest that consumers find food influencer content entertaining and inspiring for dining out and exploring new culinary experiences, but they express concerns over its credibility. While food influencer content has a good exposure to consumers, it has a moderate impact on consumers’ restaurant choices, with various factors affecting the relationship. The results highlight the importance of perceived trustworthiness and enjoyability of food influencer content, the visual appeal of food and restaurant environments in photos, and personal relationships in shaping Macau consumers' visit intention to restaurants. The findings can serve as a basis for future research on credibility perceptions of food influencers, the enjoyability of influencer content, and the visual appeal of food and restaurant environments on Instagram. Practically, food influencers should prioritize transparency, authenticity, appealing photos, engaging captions, and leverage the role of personal relationships to increase their impact on consumers' restaurant choices
Keywords: Instagram; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph; food influencers; influencer marketing; social media

How Do Chinese Manufactured Products Affect Purchase Intention in a SAR of PRC? The Case of Macao - Silva, Márcio Rossano Pegado da (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Theses and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

How digital technology changes our way to interact with others at the workplace in Macau - Pre and post-pandemic - Austin, Lei Iat Pong (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)

How can environmental conditions influence dicofol genotoxicity on the edible Asiatic clam, Meretrix meretrix? - Ivorra, Lucia; Cruzeiro, Catarina; Ramos, Alice; Tagulao, Karen; Cardoso, Patricia G. (Environmental Pollution, 2022)
Genotoxic effects of dicofol on the edible clam Meretrix meretrix were investigated through a mesocosm experiment. Individuals of M. meretrix, were exposed to environmental concentration (D1 = 50 ng/L) and supra-environmental concentration (D2 = 500 ng/L) of dicofol for 15 days, followed by the same depuration period. DNA damage (i.e., strand breaks and alkali-labile sites) was evaluated at day 1, 7 and 15, during uptake and depuration, using Comet assay (alkaline version) and nuclear abnormalities (NAs) as genotoxicity biomarkers. The protective effects of dicofol against DNA damage induced by ex vivo hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure were also assessed. Comet assay results revealed no significant DNA damages under dicofol exposure, indicating 1) apparent lack of genotoxicity of dicofol to the tested conditions and/or 2) resistance of the animals due to optimal adaptation to stress conditions. Moreover, ex vivo H2O2 exposure showed an increase in the DNA damage in all the treatments without significant differences between them. However, considering only the DNA damage induced by H2O2 during uptake phase, D1 animals had significantly lower DNA damage than those from other treatments, revealing higher protection against a second stressor. NAs data showed a decrease in the % of cells with polymorphic, kidney shape, notched or lobbed nucleus, along the experiment. The combination of these results supports the idea that the clams used in the experiment were probably collected from a stressful environment (in this case Pearl River Delta region) which could have triggered some degree of adaptation to those environmental conditions, explaining the lack of DNA damages and highlighting the importance of organisms’ origin and the conditions that they were exposed during their lives.
Keywords: Bivalves; Comet assay; DNA damage; Nuclear abnormalities; Organochlorine pesticides

Houston, Do We Have a Problem?: Extraterrestrial Intelligent Life and Christian Belief - McIntosh, C. A.; McNabb, Tyler Dalton (Philosophia Christi, 2021)
Would the existence of extraterrestrial intelligent life (ETI) conflict in any way with Christian belief? We identify six areas of potential conflict. If there be no conflict in any of these areas—and we argue ultimately there is not—we are confident in declaring that there is no conflict, period. This conclusion underwrites the integrity of theological explorations into the existence of ETI, which has become a topic of increasing interest among theologians in recent years.

Home–School Collaboration in Assessment, Placement, and Individual Education Plan Development for Children With Special Education Needs in Macao: The Views of Parents - Correia, Ana; Teixeira, Vitor; Forlin, Chris (School Community Journal, 2021)
The aim of this study was to explore home–school collaboration in the areas of assessment, placement, and Individual Education Plan (IEP) development for children identified with disabilities or special educational needs (SEN) in Macao. Despite the noted benefits of parent–school partnerships from prior research, minimal research has been conducted from the perspective of parents of children with SEN to examine whether these partnerships materialize in the context of Macao. Participants included 115 parents of school-aged children diagnosed with SEN. They provided demographic information and completed a 36-item questionnaire derived from two validated instruments. The research identified a range of factors which hinder parental involvement in decision-making and in the inclusion of children with SEN in optimal ways in Macao schools. Parents indicated they were not receiving relevant information and assessment feedback from the teachers; they were minimally involved in the IEP process, and their children were not receiving one-to-one support, regardless of the type of placement. Parents also underlined issues related to the timing of assessment procedures. Parents of children attending special classes in regular schools voiced more satisfaction with support provision than parents of children following the full inclusion model. Recommendations about how services could be improved for greater parental involvement are discussed. Key Words: parental involvement, school–family collaboration, inclusion, special educational needs, Macao, Individual Education Plans, IEP

Histórias do Brasil de 1550: na oca do cacique “Luz Lilás” | José Manuel Simões - Simões, José Manuel (InComunidade, 2023)
Sinã, conhecido entre os seus parentes pelo nome de “Luz Lilás”, homem de um imenso metro e noventa, cacique, mandou reunir a sua comunidade na oca central, a maior, situada no ponto mais alto do cimo da falésia, feita de massaranduba e sucupira – as madeiras mais resistentes – entrelaçadas com cipós de fogo.   Pintaram-lhe o longo rosto com traços firmes, a geometria dos signos direcionada ao céu e à terra, protetores das suas gentes. Dessa vez as linhas marcadas na face de “Luz Lilás” eram mais simétricas do que o habitual, as tintas extraídas das sementes de urucu […]

Histórias do Brasil de 1550: Bispo Sardinha assado na brasa | José Manuel Simões - Incomunidade, Revista (InComunidade, 2022)
HISTÓRIAS DO BRASIL DE 1550: BISPO SARDINHA ASSADO NA BRASA   Recostado na sua poltrona de madeira maciça, forrada a veludo grená, Mem de Sá decidiu autorizar um combate de vingança contra os índios que tinham esquartejado e comido assado o bispo Sardinha. O objetivo seria apanhá-los para os forçarem a trabalhar nas plantações de cana-de-açúcar, mas os soldados, na ânsia do desforço, dispararam sem descrição. Dos 12 mil catecúmenos das terras do extremo Norte da Paraíba sobraram pouco mais de mil.   O fidalgo, nascido em 1500, tinha sido nomeado Governador-Geral do Brasil para pacificar a colónia, meter água […]

Higher Education students' perceptions towards Information Literacy: a study in Macau - Sanches, Tatiana; Chan, Emily (Ibersid: revista de sistemas de información y documentación, 2023)
Integrating information literacy into learning improves student performance and, for that reason, academic librarians can play a significant role by collaborating in the design and training programs in these areas. In Macao, there is no known study on the information literacy performance of higher education students, so we seek to diagnose this area. For that purpose, a survey was applied to higher education students to assess students' perception of information literacy and their self-characterization regarding the use of resources and the type of skills needed for academic work. A semi-structured interview was also carried out with teachers about the same reality. Students perceive themselves to have a low level of confidence in the performance of their academic tasks, which affects their fulfilment. Faculty are aligned with this diagnosis, revealing the students’ weaknesses in the information search and presentation. Overall, information needs are evident among students as also is the use of preferred information resources in pursuit of their studies. The training aimed at students in search, retrieval, analysis, and use of information seems to be essential, which is why the construction of a tailormade training program in Information Literacy is anticipated.
Keywords: Macao

Higher Education in Macau: waxing or waning? - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2021)

High-precision geochronology of Mesozoic magmatism in Macao, Southeast China: Evidence for multistage granite emplacement - Quelhas, Pedro; Dias, Ágata; Mata, João; Davis, Donald Wayne; Ribeiro, Maria Luísa (Geoscience Frontiers, 2020)

Hierarchical Medical Classification Based on DLCF - Yao, Mingyuan; Sun, Haoran; Liang, Shengbin; Shen, Yanqing; Yukie, Niki (Computer and Information Science, 2023)
Medical classification is affected by many factors, and the traditional medical classification is usually restricted by factors such as too long text, numerous categories and so on. In order to solve these problems, this paper uses word vector and word vector to mine the text deeply, considering the problem of scattered key features of medical text, introducing long-term and short-term memory network to effectively retain the features of historical information in long text sequence, and using the structure of CNN to extract local features of text, through attention mechanism to obtain key features, considering the problems of many diseases, by using hierarchical classification. To stratify the disease. Combined with the above ideas, a deep DLCF model suitable for long text and multi-classification is designed. This model has obvious advantages in CMDD and other datasets. Compared with the baseline models, this model is superior to the baseline model in accuracy, recall and other indicators.
Keywords: Dual channel; Hierarchical classification; LSTM-CNN; Medical classification; RF

Health and Well-Being Education: Extending the SCARF Learning Analytics Model for Identifying the Learner Happiness Indicators - Li, Tengyue; Marques, Joao Alexandre Lobo; Fong, Simon (International Journal of Extreme Automation and Connectivity in Healthcare (IJEACH), 2020)
The use of learning analytics (LA) in real-world educational applications is growing very fast as academic institutions realize the positive potential that is possible if LA is integrated in decision making. Education in schools on public health need to evolve in response to the new knowledge and th...

Hawking Radiation as a Manifestation of Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking - Arraut, Ivan (Symmetry, 2024)
We demonstrate that black hole evaporation can be modeled as a process where one symmetry of the system is spontaneously broken continuously. We then identify three free parameters of the system. The sign of one of the free parameters governs whether the particles emitted by the black hole are fermions or bosons. The present model explains why the black hole evaporation process is so universal. Interestingly, this universality emerges naturally inside certain modifications of gravity.
Keywords: Hawking radiation; black holes; spontaneous symmetry breaking

Has Oppy Done Away with the Aristotelian Proof? - McNabb, Tyler; DeVito, Michael (The Heythrop Journal, 2020)

Habermas, Honneth, Critical Theory, and Ideology Critique for Transformative Mixed Methods Research - Morrison, Keith (Journal of Mixed Methods Studies, 2024)
This article sets a theoretical foundation to transformative mixed methods research that is rooted in the critical theory of Habermas and Honneth. This addresses Habermas’s knowledge-constitutive interests and communicative action for redressing societal pathologies, and Honneth’s work on (mis)recognition, (dis)respect, and social justice. In doing so, the article argues for broadening the scope and embrace of mixed methods research, to go beyond being empirical research only or largely, and to include theorisation, critical theoretical discourse and its analysis, and ideology critique, as legitimate methods for (transformative) mixed methods research. The article makes a case for these methods as constituting important research methods in themselves in the portfolio of mixed methods research, moving the boundaries of mixed methods research beyond solely empirical studies, and providing emancipatory lenses and consciousness-raising in recognising that transformation takes many forms.

Guide to Street Art in Macau. - Simões, Filipa (CURB Center for Architecture and Urbanism, 2023)

Group work and cultural characteristics in a Chinese school - Morrison, Keith; Garcia, Alejandro Salcedo; Wong, Sin Teng (Educational Research and Evaluation, 2020)

Green Space in Macau: Comparative Analyses and Suggestions for New Reclamation Areas - Xiao, Yuan Bin (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph

Green Roof, Nature-based Solutions, Biodiversity, Sustainability, Macao SAR, China - Lei, Man Sao (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
According to the United Nations (UN) World Urbanization Prospects 2018, cities are growing in both size and number, posing challenges for sustainable development. With urbanization, the increase of impermeabilization and landscape fragmentation urges for territorial planning and resources management. To promote resilient and resourceful cites, strategic planning where nature-based solutions (NBS) are included into the built environment, counteracting the negative effects of urbanization through the provision of ecosystem services, should be considered. Green roofs (GR) are an example of NBS that provide a panoply of ecosystem services at the level of the building and city, besides contributing for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This NBS can be included in the urban planning agenda in the new building or as a retrofit solution in the existing built environment. Macao SAR (here mentioned as Macao) is the second more densely populated city in the world, according to the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Population Division. The present study aims to assess the inclusion of GR in Macao and assess the ecosystem services that they may provide in a holistic approach aligned with the city’s sustainable development. For this purpose, an extensive GR implemented in Taipa Island of Macao was monitored in terms of associated biodiversity and carbon cycle assessment. Further on, it was carried out a comparison between this GR and a conventional roof (CR) in terms of surface thermal buffering. The results of this study have shown to be very promising in terms of the applicability of GR in Macao and on the relevant ecosystem services that they can provide. First, data loggers were installed in the GR and CR to assess the impact on temperature mitigation. The GR had a significant effect in decreasing and buffering temperature at the surface, with temperatures of 35.6 ºC in the GR substrate comparing with temperatures of 57.7 ºC in the CR surface. The results show that GR can be a cost-efficiency strategy to reduce heating of buildings and their associated environmental and economic costs with cooling. Second, the biodiversity of plants and animals was assessed using a combination of methods. It was observed a high level of biodiversity under a low maintenance and low disturbance of GR vegetation, with 23 species of plants and 34 species of animals identified. This shows that GR can contribute to increase biodiversity in cities. Third, an experiment was run with leaf litter bags to investigate the role of macrofauna (e.g., insects) in the decomposition of organic matter. With macrofauna activity, the decomposition rate increased 17 % when compared to decomposition rates without macrofauna, suggesting that the animals harboured in GR, in particular insects, play a key role in organic matter decomposition and thus on the carbon cycle in cities. This work is, to our knowledge, the first empirical GR study in Macao. The results support the application of GR in Macao for temperature mitigation, biodiversity increase and carbon sequestration, promoting the integration of this NBS in the future urban planning and policy of the city. More generally, the work supports the use of GR as an important NBS to mitigate the impact of climate change in urban settings
Keywords: Biodiversity; China; Green Roof; Macao SAR; Nature-based Solutions; Sustainability

Green Roof Application in Macao SAR - Noblesala, Marco Paulo R. (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph

Grammar of Macao Creole Portuguese with Typological and Semiotic Considerations - Lebel, Alexandre (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Macao Creole Portuguese (MacCP) is a critically endangered language spoken in Southeastern China. The formation of MacCP is attributed to the speakers of Portuguese-based creole languages in Asia (Asian CPs), especially Papia Kristang, the Malayo-Portuguese of Malacca (MalCP). Since the 19th century, MacCP has been traditionally classified as Sino-Portuguese, but comparative methods incited some authors to treat MacCP within the Malayo-Portuguese group. In Macao, the Malaccan origin of MacCP, known as Patúa or Maquista, is generally underestimated or misunderstood by the local population, including the Macanese/Maquista community. The main goal of this research is to clarify the origin of MacCP from a typological perspective on grammatical features. Secondly, while considering a possible revitalization of Maquista, the research should assess the significance of the Malayo- and Sino-Portuguese classifications in popular narratives and relate the language to current practices. The grammar of MacCP emerged from the complex linguistic ecology of the Portuguese colonial expansion in Asia. The documentation of Asian CPs allows us to sketch possible scenarios that explain the formation of MacCP according to linguistic, historical and social factors. A digital corpus of MacCP containing archive documents, contemporary literature, and oral transcriptions was assembled in order to produce a systematic review of 130 grammatical features, as defined in the Atlas of Pidgin and Creole Language Structures Online (APiCS Online – Michaelis et al. [eds] 2013). MacCP and MalCP share certain features that are not found in South Asian CPs, such as the in situ position of interrogative words, the reduplication for nominal plural, the form of reciprocal constructions, and the verb serialization of motion constructions, thus pointing to the Malayo-Portuguese origin. At the same time, other features suggest a certain influence from Sinitic languages, mainly Cantonese and Hokkien, such as the convergence between the genitive, adjective and relative clause constructions, the double-object construction, the verb-neg-verb polar question, the copular focus construction, the reduplication inducing a change of word class or semantics, and the use of certain deontic, imperative, and prohibitive verbal markers. The comparative analysis of the grammars of MacCP, MalCP and other Asian CPs can be represented quantitatively by the means of a phylogenetic network (SplitsTree4 – Huson & Bryant 2006). The results clearly indicate that, from a structural perspective, MacCP belongs to the Malayo-Portuguese group and the presence of Sinitic elements did not affect the core of the grammar. In fact, MacCP and MalCP appear to be more similar to each other than to the former Malayo-Portuguese of Batavia. However, the Malayo-Portuguese classification of MacCP does not resonate with the Macanese community. By contrast, the Sino-Portuguese classification translates current linguistic, social and semiotic practices. A socio-semiotic survey among the millennial generation of Macanese and the consideration of themes and motifs in Maquista literature indicates that the revitalization of Maquista simultaneously implies, in their views, the preservation of the Cantonese and Portuguese heritage
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations PhD in Education (D-SE); University of Saint Joseph

GOVERNMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIES IN MACAU: A STUDY ABOUT THE TOURISM PROMOTION - Nip, Si Man (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
I have met many friendly and patient professors and classmates during my two years of university. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for the support and encouragement when I encountered difficulties, also professors detailed sharing and explanations in my learning and growing. Taking classes with my job at the same time is a very challenging task, especially in the thesis writing stage, it is difficult to manage the time allocation as well as concentration on thesis writing, and I even had the thoughts of giving up for a few times, but I am very thankful to my supervisor for his continuous support and encouragement during the thesis writing period, and for his attentive guidance whenever I have confusion during the time, he has provided me with a lot of practical and valuable advice, which inspired me a lot. In addition, I would like to thank those who helped me to complete the questionnaire survey. Without their help, I believe it would have been difficult for me to collect enough questionnaires. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the two interviewees who agreed to be interviewed, as it is a difficult task to conduct interviews as a student in Macau. I would like to thank both for their support of the academic research, and the experience that they shared with us is very important to this study. Last but not least, I would like to thank my family, friends, and colleagues for always providing me with positive support, listening to my concerns, and helping me to overcome difficulties one after another. Once again, I would like to thank all those people who have helped me to complete my thesis
Keywords: Government public relations; Public relation in Macau; Public relation strategies; Public relations; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

Going to Church in Medieval England by Nicholas Orme (review) - Morgan, Stephen (Antiphon: A Journal for Liturgical Renewal, 2022)

Global Curriculum Development Trends and Teacher Training Needs: Challenges and Opportunities in Change - Ge, Rochelle (The Seminar of Curriculum Development and Teaching Materials Preparation in Mainland China and Macao SAR, 2024)

Getting the agenda right for higher education in Macau - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2022)
Macau, Macau Business, MAG, MB, MB Featured, Opinion | Here we are, at the start of a new academic year in Macau’s higher education (HE). What will students learn? What kind of people are the institutions turning out? For example, look at the thousands of students studying business and technology in Macau, the big recruiters in HE.

Getting out of a problem - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2022)
Macau, Macau Business, MAG, MB, MB Featured, Opinion | Macau should be proud of its protective handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, as it has managed to contain its spread, and many of its citizens have been able to lead a more normal life than in other parts of the world. We should be grateful for this.

Geology of the Macao Special Administrative Region (China) - Quelhas, Pedro; Borges, Ricardo; Dias, Ágata Alveirinho; Ribeiro, Maria Luísa; Costa, Pedro; Mata, João (Journal of Maps, 2021)
A 1:12,000 geological map of the Macao Special Administrative Region has been produced through detailed field work supported by petrographic, mineralogical, geochronological and geochemical data obtained in previous studies. This map aims to represent a reliable tool to understand the geological evolution of the region and for management of the territory. The geology of Macao is dominated by two groups of Jurassic granitic rocks belonging to an intrusive suite located along the coast of Southeast China: Macao Group I (MGI: 164.5 ± 0.6 to 162.9 ± 0.7 Ma) and Macao Group II (MGII: 156.6 ± 0.2 to 155.5 ± 0.8 Ma), including the associated microgranite, aplite and pegmatite dikes and quartz veins. Remnants of the metasedimentary wall-rock are present as Devonian xenoliths enclosed within the granites. Younger Jurassic to Cretaceous andesite to dacite dikes (150.6 ± 0.6 to <120 Ma) intrude the granitic rocks. Additionally, Quaternary sedimentary deposits cover the older lithologies.
Keywords: Jurassic; Macao (South China); Mesozoic; geological map; granites; magmatic rocks

Geological Map of the Macao Special Administrative Region (China) - Quelhas, P; Borgens, R; Dias, Ágata; Ribeiro, L; Costa, P; Mata, J (Journal of Maps, 2021)

Geochemistry, sulfur and lead isotopic composition of hydrothermal sulfide from the Duanqiao hydrothermal field on the Southwest Indian Ridge: implications for ore genesis - Yang, Weifang; Liao, Shili; Alveirinho Dias, Ágata; Liang, Jin; Li, Wei; Ding, Teng; Tao, Chunhui (International Geology Review, 2022)
Hydrothermal activities on ultraslow-spreading ridges exhibit diverse characteristics, long histories with multiple participants, and might form large-scale, high-grade sulfide deposits. The Duanqiao hydrothermal field (DHF) is located at the segment with the thickest oceanic crust and a large axial magma chamber on the Southwest Indian Ridge, providing unique perspective of sulfide metallogenesis on ultraslow-spreading ridges. Previous studies revealed that DHF sulfide exhibits distinct features of enrichment of ore-forming elements in comparison with those of hydrothermal fields on sediment-starved mid-ocean ridges. However, the genesis and processes responsible for such differences remain poorly constrained. In this study, mineralogical, geochemical and S and Pb isotopic analyses were performed on relict sulfide mound samples to characterize DHF formation. The samples show clear concentric mineral zonation from the interior to the exterior wall. Assemblages of chalcopyrite, sphalerite, and pyrite are distributed mainly in the interior wall, whereas pyrite and marcasite are distributed mainly in the exterior wall. The low Cu content and Pb isotopic composition of the sulfide indicate that the metals are derived mainly from basement basalts. The δ34S values exhibit positive values distributed over a reasonably narrow range (2.42‰–7.97‰), which suggests approximately 62.1%–88.5% of S with basaltic origin. Compared with most hydrothermal fields along the sediment starved mid-ocean ridges, the DHF sulfide shows particularly high contents of Pb (263–2630 ppm), As (234–726 ppm), Sb (7.32–44.3 ppm), and Ag (35.2 to >100 ppm). The δ34S values exhibit an increasing tendency from the sample exterior to the interior. We propose that these features probably reflect the existence of a subsurface zone refining process. Our results provide new insight into the sulfide formation process and contribute to understanding the metallogenic mechanism of hydrothermal sulfides on ultraslow-spreading ridges.
Keywords: Hydrothermal sulfide; geochemistry; southwest Indian ridge; sulfur isotope; zone refining

General Teachers’ Attitude Towards Inclusive Education in Students with Dyslexia in High School Students=: 中學普通班教師對患有讀寫障礙學生的認識與其融合教育的態度 - Hong, Yufang (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Gender Differentiated Parenting and Family Characteristics Affecting Parent-Adolescent Relationship in Macao: Che Iok Seng a.k.a Matthew - Che, Iok Seng (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
This study aims to investigate gender-differentiated parenting and the factors that affect parent-adolescent relationships in Macao families. The study will address the following research questions: A) Does gender-differentiated parenting exist in Macao families? B) How does the academic level of parents relate to conflict resolution and acceptance levels? C) How does the length of time parents have lived together relate to conflict resolution and acceptance levels? D) How does the sibling position of adolescents relate to conflict resolution and acceptance levels? The study employed a quantitative research approach with a purposive and convenient sample of parents with children aged between 12 to 18 years old in Macao. The data were collected using the Parent-Child Interaction Questionnaire—Revised-Parent version (PACHIQ-R-P) through a questionnaire survey from May to August 2022. Out of the 172 completed questionnaires, seven were invalid, resulting in 165 valid questionnaires. The findings showed that gender differentiation in parenting was confirmed, with significant results showing that fathers had lower acceptance and conflict resolution levels when their child was a boy. Mothers showed similar acceptance and conflict resolution levels regardless of their child's gender. Furthermore, the study found that parents' acceptance of their children was influenced by their academic level, length of time living together, and the child's sibling position. This study is the first of its kind in Macao and could provide valuable insights for family and adolescent services in the region
Keywords: Adolescents; Conflict Resolution; Gender differences; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

Gauge symmetries and the Higgs mechanism in Quantum Finance - Arraut, Ivan (Europhysics Letters, 2023)
By using the Hamiltonian formulation, we demonstrate that the Merton-Garman equation emerges naturally from the Black-Scholes equation after imposing invariance (symmetry) under local (gauge) transformations over changes in the stock price. This is the case because imposing gauge symmetry implies the appearance of an additional field, which corresponds to the stochastic volatility. The gauge symmetry then imposes some constraints over the free parameters of the Merton-Garman Hamiltonian. Finally, we analyze how the stochastic volatility gets massive dynamically via Higgs mechanism.

Games of chance - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2023)
Macau, Macau Business, MAG, MB, MB Featured, Opinion | Here we are, back in full-throttle summer tourism in tiny Macau, with visitors galore, lines of tourist coaches everywhere, and the casinos back on course to welcome gamblers. However, gambling reaches much wider than Macau’s casinos.

From Overcoming Self to Overcoming Nature: Teaching on Human Nature in Ricci, Pantoja, and Aleni - Cai, Yilun (Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, 2024)
Keywords: Catholicism and Confucianism; Intercultural Dialogue; Jesuit Mission to China; Jesuit Theology; Theological Anthropology

From ‘Mixed Methods’ to ‘Integration’ in Social Science Research - Morrison, Keith (Symposium European Scientific Institute, 2023)

From Maximum Illud 1919 to the First National Synod Primum Concilium Sinensis 1924 in Shanghai: Historical & Theological Perspectives - Gassner, Franz (Orientis Aura: Macau Perspectives in Religious Studies, 2022)

Framework proposition for identification, impact analysis and intervention on causes of delay in construction projects in the Greater Bay based on descriptive analytics and artificial intelligence - Felix, Fung Ka Chun (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)

Fr. Yves Raguin, S.J. and Interreligious Dialogue - Duraj, Jaroslaw (Macau Ricci Institute Public Forum, 2023)

Forming Intercultural Missionaries - Gallares, Judette (Becoming Intercultural: Perspectives on Mission, 2021)

Foreword - Ma, J.; Du, W.; Lu, W. (Studies in Computational Intelligence, 2023)

Forecasting COVID-19 Time Series Based on an Autoregressive Model - Marques, Joao Alexandre Lobo; Gois, Francisco Nauber Bernardo; Xavier-Neto, José; Fong, Simon James (Predictive Models for Decision Support in the COVID-19 Crisis, 2020)

Food Waste Management In Macau: Assessing Public Awareness, Recycling Facilities, And Policy Implementations In Comparative Perspective - Hoi, Hang Ian (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Food waste has become an increasingly pressing issue worldwide, and Macau is no exception. A substantial portion of municipal solid waste in Macau is comprised of organic waste, with household food waste being a significant contributor. This can be attributed to households purchasing excessive food, preparing more than necessary, or not consuming items before they spoil, leading to detrimental resource and environmental impacts, particularly in the form of greenhouse gas emissions. It is crucial for Macau to develop a sustainable food waste management system that fosters prevention and responsible consumption and to develop food waste recycling habits among its residents. This study employed a two-pronged approach: a literature review of food waste source separation policies and practices in four neighboring regions to identify adaptable good practice examples for Macau, and a questionnaire survey completed by 143 local residents. The survey aimed to comprehend residents' behaviors and awareness regarding food waste prevention and treatment, evaluate their satisfaction with Macau's existing food waste recycling program, examine their resistance and motivation toward participating in the recycling program, and assess their attitudes toward implementing a polluter-pays-principle system in Macau. The survey aimed to provide insights into the current state of household food waste in Macau and inform future waste management policies and strategies of stakeholders. The survey findings highlight the need for enhanced public awareness and education on food waste prevention. Additionally, upgrading recycling facilities may encourage residents to participate more actively in food waste recycling. Ultimately, implementing suitable policies can help prevent food loss and waste and regulate food waste generation and elevate recycling rates. This study offers preliminary recommendations for policymakers or government entities as a orientation for future planning
Keywords: Food Loss and Waste (FLW); Food Waste Hierarchy; Food Waste Management; Food Waste Separation; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Thesis and Dissertations Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph

FLOWING PATH: SPORTS CENTER AS SOCIAL CONNECTOR - Xin, Ziyan (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
In the age of the information society, the prominence of internet communication and social media has meant that the role of face-to-face encounters in public life has been diminished. This trend has been exacerbated by public health concerns in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. The social role of architecture and its contribution to the sustainability of interpersonal relationships has become a significant issue for architects. As a place to accommodate sporting activities and social space in the community, sports centers play an important role in promoting social cohesion and interaction. This is the focal topic of the present thesis. The principal tasks of this thesis are as follows: (1) This thesis collects and studies relevant literature on sports centers as social spaces. A special emphasis is placed on discussions of social spaces. The intention is to articulate design characteristics of community sports centers that merit further exploration. (2) This thesis selects three representative sports facilities as case studies and considers how they promote the formation of social bonds and interactions. The thesis offers a review of design ideas, planning strategies and specific methods of implementation. (3) This thesis takes the design project for a sports center in New District A in Macau as an example, and puts forward a design strategy of ""vertical intensification + shared application"". This strategy aims to promote the integration of the sports center with the urban environment, while creating a flexible public space that can adapt to the needs of spontaneous and social activities. The intention is to make the sports center a place that promotes community interaction and connectivity. Overall, this thesis argues that community sports centers can become important places to promote social interaction through well-designed architectural space. Specific design factors and strategies explored in this thesis provide useful points of reference for architects. Through on-going processes of optimization and innovation, sports centers can better serve the community of Macau
Keywords: Circulation strategies in architecture; Theses and Dissertations Master of Architecture (MARCH); University of Saint Joseph; integrated sports facilities; social connectors; sports centers

FLIIP: AN INTERACTIVE MULTIFUNCTIONAL TABLE DESIGN FOR PRESCHOOLERS - Tang, Qinghua (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
With the rapid development of China's social economy, attention to children's education is also increasing. Among them, the preschool stage, the starting point of children's education, is the primary stage of children's cognitive, emotional, social, and motor skills development. At this critical time, providing children with an age-appropriate educational environment can significantly affect their personal growth, intellectual development, and emotional cultivation. Therefore, a multifunctional table that can meet the learning needs of preschool children and promote early cognitive development is essential. This work takes preschool children as the user object of our study to deeply explore the needs and obstacles of the target users. It summarizes the requirements and principles of children's furniture design based on children's physiological and psychological characteristics. A design scheme of an intelligent multifunctional preschool children's table is proposed based on ergonomics and digital technology. The objective through this work, is to create a preschool children's table that not only meets the learning needs of preschool children but also promote fun and can encourage the development of children's early cognitive ability
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph; children's furniture; interactive; multifunctional; preschool children; preschool children's table

Fintech Services in Guangdong-Macao in Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin: An investigation of Macao Users' Adoption - Kuan, Chi Hou (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Fintech Adoption: A Study of Users in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin (China) - Weng, Chi Lei; Lampo, Alessandro (INTI JOURNAL, 2024)
Intended as an economic and development hub, the Hengqin Cooperation Zone aims to foster collaboration and integration between mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao, serving as a platform for economic development and innovation among the three regions. The zone's development has increased demand for financial services, often offered through fintech. There is, however, a lack of interoperability between the fintech services currently used in Macao and Hengqin. This may hinder Macao users' adoption of the technology. Thus, our research objective is to identify the factors determining Macao residents' adoption of fintech services in the area and provide insights for service providers, developers, and policymakers. A framework based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used for this purpose. The responses of 103 Macao residents provided evidence that ease of use significantly and positively impacts the usefulness of the technology. This in turn influences attitudes towards fintech usage. Subjective norms and perceived behavioral control positively impact fintech adoption intentions. The fintech industry and the governments of Macao and Hengqin can work on improving technology's ease of use and usefulness. They can also promote them to Macao users, and provide the resources required for better access to fintech in the zone

FINANCIAL VALUATION OF WALT DISNEY - Guo, Ying (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Disney is a leading global cross-media entertainment giant. With its diversified business model, Disney has achieved significant success in film production, television programs, theme park and resort operations, product sales, and media networks. Disney not only has strong capabilities in content creation but also excels in distribution channels and platform construction. By continuously expanding its direct streaming services to consumers, such as Disney+, Disney is adapting to the changes in the digital age and further consolidating its leadership position in the global entertainment market. Nevertheless, Disney still faces many challenges, including rising copyright costs, threats from emerging competitors, the impact of global political and economic uncertainty, and addressing the long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, an analysis of Disney's financial position considering these internal and external factors will help assess the company's intrinsic value and its future position. Based on the above background, this thesis aims to provide in-depth insights into the current financial situation and future development prospects of Disney Company through detailed financial analysis
Keywords: Disney 2; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph; financial valuation 1; pandemic 3

Financial valuation of coca-cola company (NYSE: KO) - Jiang, Ye (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph; financial statement; intrinsic value; valuation models

Filosofia de comboio - Simões, José Manuel (Aspectus. Revista de Arte & Ciência, 2021)

FEMALE EMPLOYEES’ PERCEPTIONS OF WORK-LIFE BALANCE AND TURNOVER INTENTIONS IN MACAO - Lei, Hon Nei; Silva, Maria Rita (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
"This study explored the relationships of work-life balance and turnover intentions of full-time employees in Macao, and role of gender, parenting, and elderly care. Namely: (1) What is the relationship between work-life balance perceptions and turnover intentions? (2) What is the moderating role of gender in the relationship between work-life balance perceptions and turnover intentions? (3) What is the moderating role of parenting (i.e., having children or not) in the relationship between work-life balance perceptions and turnover intentions? And, (4) what is the moderating role of care for elderly family members (i.e., having to provide care or not) in the relationship between work-life balance perceptions and turnover intentions?"
Keywords: Elderly Care; Gender; Parenting; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Organisational Psychology (MOP); Turnover Intention; University of Saint Joseph; Work-Life Balance

Feasibility Study on the R&D and Production of VOCs Environmental Protection Equipment - Chen Le Qi (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This study focuses on China's volatile organic compound treatment industry and deeply analyzes the current situation, challenges, and development trends of the volatile organic compound environmental protection industry. This study discusses technological advancements in reducing VOC emissions, environmental regulations' impact, and market demand changes. The market size, growth potential, and primary driving factors were analyzed by studying the business scope and competitive advantages of VOC management companies. Predict the company's operational status, investment return rate, and other related financial data through financial analysis. Finally, emphasis was placed on technological innovation, market positioning, and risk management while pointing out the industry's principal risks and response strategies. The research findings indicate that, in the context of increasing environmental awareness and policy support, China's VOC ecological protection industry has enormous growth potential. The company is expected to achieve significant success in both business and finance through technological innovation and market adaptation. The research and production of VOC environmental protection equipment is feasible
Keywords: China; Equipment; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph; VOCs

Feasibility study of a Glamping Business in óbidos, Portugal - Sousa, Eugénio Ricardo de (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Theses and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Father’s Involvement and Parenting Styles in Macao - Chan, Ieng Chong (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

Family Support, Job Insecurity, Coronavirus Stress and Leadership Styles Effects on Burnout and Work Engagement in Hospitality during Covid-19 Pandemic in Macau - Chang, Pou I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Organisational Psychology (MOP); University of Saint Joseph

Family Life Cycle and Number of Children in A Family Affecting Parent’s Parenting Style, Parental Stress, Life and Marital Satisfaction - Mak, Chong Hin (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE MACAO EMPLOYEES’ DECISION TO PARTICIPATE IN CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING ACTIVITIES: FROM THE SOCIAL IDENTITY THEORY PERSPECTIVE - Cheong, Ieng (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This dissertation aims to shed light on the factors derived from employee identity that contribute to corporate volunteering participation. The study explores the influence of perceived organizational support (POS), group cohesion, perceived volunteering meaningfulness, and transformational leadership on engagement in corporate volunteering activities. The study employed a correlational quantitative design, collecting data through a questionnaire survey. The findings reveal that POS and group cohesion positively impact corporate volunteering, with volunteering meaningfulness mediating these relationships. Transformational leadership moderates the effect of volunteering meaningfulness on the relationship between POS and corporate volunteering. This research adds to the literature on identity and corporate volunteering by establishing a connection between employee identity and engagement in corporate volunteering activities. It emphasizes the importance of volunteering meaningfulness as a key factor in this relationship, highlighting the positive influence of POS and group cohesion. By considering both POS and group cohesion as antecedents, this study offers new insights into the understanding of identity and corporate volunteering. Practically, organizations can enhance employee participation in corporate volunteering by cultivating a supportive work environment, showing care for employees' well-being, and recognizing their contributions. Promoting group cohesion through effective communication of organizational goals can increase employee identification and motivation for volunteering. Emphasizing the personal significance of corporate volunteering and highlighting its impact can boost employees' intrinsic motivation and sense of purpose. To implement successful corporate volunteer programs, organizations should provide support and appreciation for employees' efforts, utilize transformational leadership to inspire commitment, and consistently reinforce the value of corporate volunteering. The practical implications of this research provide guidance for organizations seeking effective implementation of corporate volunteer programs as part of their corporate social responsibility strategies. It also holds relevance for researchers interested in exploring the intersection of employee identity and corporate volunteering
Keywords: Corporate Volunteering; Group Cohesion; Mediator; Moderator; POS; Perceived Organizational Support; SIT; Social Identity Theory; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Organisational Psychology (MOP); Transformational Leadership; University of Saint Joseph; Volunteering Meaningfulness

Factors influencing disability inclusion practice on social media - Chan, Joye Wai Peng; Phillips, Jenny O.L. (Association for Computing Machinery, 2023)
Digital inclusion in Macao is in the very beginning stage, and disability inclusion practice on social media in producing and promoting accessible social media content and needs is hard to find. This study aims to analyse the factors that influence communication staff's practice of disability inclusion on social media by using the combined employee behaviour and communication process model to provide suggestions to management who wants to promote disability inclusion practice on social media.The Service Centre for the Deaf of the Macau Deaf Association (MDA) was selected as the object for this case study. The online social media used for MDA's communication was analysed, and semi-structured in-depth interviews with members of the Association were conducted. The research findings showed that, except for the reward structure, factors examined from the work environment in terms of organisation, supervision and co-workers; communication staff themselves; outcomes of accessible social media communication; audience and feedbacks show relations with disability inclusion practices on social media. The delivery of inclusive culture, the influential power of disability stakeholders and the positioning of social media platforms are the key influencing factors.The interesting part of this study is that people without disabilities seem to be excluded from the disability inclusion practice carried out on MDA's Facebook. Their social media content is highly accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences yet seems not to involve the general public. The study object is a good model for producing accessible content, yet the optimisation of promoting social media accessibility needs further exploration.
Keywords: Accessible Social Media (ASM); Disability Employment; Disability Inclusion; Macau Deaf Association

Factors Influencing Disability Inclusion Practice in Social Media: A Case Study of MDA Service Centre for the Deaf - Chan Wai Peng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

FACTORS INFLUENCING BRAND IMAGE AND BEHAVIOR OF CONSUMERS OF THE XIAMEN MARATHON - Xu Teng (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Many sports events have been reopened since the recovery from the global Covid19 epidemic. As countries work toward the third sustainable development goal of good health and well-being, sports events have received increasing support and investments. This study focuses on the Xiamen Marathon, which had reached the platinum level of sustainable development and is a benchmark marathon race in China. To assess the factors that influence the brand image and behavior of consumers of the Xiamen Marathon, this dissertation references the conceptual models in previous studies and hypothesizes that experience, brand image, loyalty, satisfaction, motivation, organization, quality, and trust are the direct influencing factors of brand image and indirect determinants of word of mouth, sport, and behavioral intention. This study surveyed participants of the Xiamen Marathon in 2024 and collected data from a sample of 285 participants. All the respondents were local residents and over 90% were contestants. The largest proportions were 36-to-55-year-old, married, highly educated, and employed, earning monthly income between ¥5000 to ¥15000 and spending over ¥1000 on marathon equipment. IBM SPSS and Amos were used for the quantitative analysis based on structural equation modeling techniques, including reliability test, validity test, and hypothesis testing. The questionnaire quality was good, the scale data were suitable for factor analysis, and the questionnaire data fitted well. However, quality and trust were excluded due to low significance. The results show that experience, loyalty, satisfaction, motivation, and organization have significant and positive impacts on brand image, which in turn has significant and positive impacts word of mouth, sport, and behavioral intention. The results support the eight hypotheses of direct effects and the 15 hypotheses of intermediate effects
Keywords: Brand experience; Brand image; Brand loyalty; China; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Factors Affecting Teacher Turnover in Private Schools in Macau - Leng, Ao I.; Phillips, Jenny O. L. (Proceedings of the 2024 SSEME Workshop on Social Sciences and Education (SSEME-SSE 2024), 2024)

Factors Affecting Customer Satisfaction for Fitness Club: A Case Study of Noble Fitness Club in Zhongshan - Zhu, Junwen (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This paper selects Noble Fitness Club in Zhongshan as a research object, adopting a qualitative method and conducting in-depth interviews with its members to determine what factors affect customers’ choice of a fitness club. This study is important because it enriches the theoretical guidance framework of the fitness market. Moreover, it helps partitioners from the fitness industry realize what factors directly impact customer satisfaction, providing recommendations for them to foster sustainable development. In-depth interviewing is the primary method for data collection. And, the thematic content analysis (TCA) approach is used to analyze the data derived from interview transcripts. Existing research identified eight factors affecting customers’ choice of a fitness club. However, the author discovered three additional factors that also significantly influenced their selection of a fitness club: geographical location, group courses, and fitness atmosphere. The fitness industry has an issue of product homogenization. Attracting more customers while retaining existing members is a challenge many fitness clubs face nowadays. Therefore, operators should avoid engaging in a price war, reducing the profit margin to attract more customers at the expense of sacrificing service quality. Instead, they should prioritize customers’ practical needs and make the best effort to meet their expectations
Keywords: Case Study; Customer Satisfaction; Fitness Club; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Facial expression for marketing and consumer behavior: A Bibliometric analysis from 2013-2023 using Data Visualization Tools - Qian, Cheng; Lobo Marques, Joao Alexandre (Association for Computing Machinery, 2023)
The classification of emotions based on facial expressions have been a new topic of research in recent years, especially in marketing and consumer behavior areas. However, there is lack of studies to understand how the research topic is developed in terms of bibliometric data. Therefore, the purpose of this work is to provide a bibliometric analysis of the research on the analysis of facial expressions for marketing and consumer behavior, identifying the state of the art, the latest research direction, and other indicators. We extracted data from Web of Science (WOS) platform, considering its core database, resulting in a total of 117 articles. The software Vosviewer was used to analyze the data and graphically visualize the results. This study indicates some of the most influential authors citations and coupling analysis in this specific field, identifies journals with the most published articles, and provide trends of the research area based on the analysis of keywords and corresponding number of articles per year. The results shows that 11 articles (9.4%) were cited more than 100 times, and the two most prolific authors published 5 articles, and the two most influential authors are Bouaziz Sofien and Pauly mark(270 citations) in this field. Of the 117 articles retrieved by WOS, more than 70% were published in high impact journals. The bibliometric analysis of the existing work in this study provides a valuable and reliable reference for researchers in this field and makes a reasonable prediction of the research direction trends.
Keywords: Bibliometric analysis; Consumer; Facial expression; Marketing; Research; VOSviewer

Externalizing Behaviour in Macao: Gender and Parental Participation - Kuok, Oi Lou (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
There are gaps in the research on gender differences and parental participation and the interaction between gender and parental participation in non-Western cultural contexts, particularly the Macao context. The current study aims to fill these gaps by examining gender and parental participation (i.e., father only, mother only, or both) differences and interactions in externalizing behaviour (oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder) during late childhood and adolescence (i.e., from age 10 to 18) in Macao. The methodological approach for the current study was a cross-sectional design with a quantitative methodology based on self-rated questionnaires. In certain items, we did discover gender differences. More boys than girls appeared to concur that they occasionally misbehave at school or start fires. And it appeared that girls were more likely than boys to concur that they occasionally exhibit unexpected mood or emotion changes and strong tempers. The children in the groups where only the mother or father participated tended to agree more than they prefer to hang out with older kids than kids their own age. This is in contrast to the group with more parental participation, which is represented by both parents submitting the questionnaire. Although none of the hypotheses proposed were supported, our outcomes implied culture and subculture may play important roles on youths’ externalizing behaviour
Keywords: Externalizing behaviour; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph; gender; parental participation

EXPLORING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRITTEN COMMUNICATION COMPETENCE AND CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE (CQ): A CASE STUDY OF EFL LEARNERS IN MACAO - Sin, Man Teng (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Although Macau students received years of English lectures as compulsory, the outcome could be more favorable when applied to English written performance. In that written communication requires the individual to consider audience perception of the message, a challenge for ESL writers, this study explores whether different forms of feedback can enhance one’s cultural intelligence.The current study looked into the effect of incorporating peer involvement and instructor feedback in written communication, gaining insight into cultural nuances. In order to attain the objective, data were gathered through the utilization of an action research methodology employing a mixed-method design. Grade twelve local students attended a six-week six-week intervention consisting of two cycles. The focus of the intervention nurtured essay writing; the topics of which were inspired by popular musical lyrics, and involved a drafting process that incorporated feedback both from peer editing and the instructor.. The data collected throughout the study involved analysis of written samples (scores of draft and final version) using a paired samples t-test. In addition, students completed a pre-test and post-test survey of the cultural intelligence instrument (CQ), which measured their performance across four domains. There were statistically significant differences between cognitive CQ and motivational CQ between the scores attained before and directly after the intervention.. This study's findings suggest that the written communication of ESL students may be enhanced by adjusting . These findings enriched our understanding of how peer editing and teacher feedback with songs affected the outcomes of second language learners
Keywords: Music; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph; cultural intelligence; foreign language anxiety; writing competence

Exploring the Problems and Strategy Use by Primary School Teachers in Conducting Classroom Management Under the Policies of Inclusive Education in Macau =: 探討澳門融合教育政策下小學老師面對班級經營的困難及策略 - Lam Cheng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring the participation and agency of students with special education needs in a Macau-Chinese secondary school - Correia, Ana M.; Forlin, Chris; Sio, Eva (Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs, 2022)
The research explores the perceptions of five secondary school students with special education needs (SEN) about their participation in learning, group membership, and agency within an inclusive school in Macau SAR. This goal is achieved by using students' voices documented in open-ended interviews and is underpinned by the conceptual framework of heutagogy. The aim is to shed light on students' perceptions on school effectiveness in supporting their needs through successful participation and agentic possibilities. Findings showed that students were more prone to social rejection and being isolated or bullied than their peers. They were struggling to feel included or participate, their needs were only partially being met, and they had few opportunities to exert influence on their educational trajectories. Recommendations are provided to assist educators and schools in enhancing students with SEN to connect to the learning process and community, with the provision of appropriate learning adjustments and more active approaches to ensure their acceptance by mainstream students, including the formation of coaching peers to assist in developing social and academic skills under teacher's scaffolding practices. This study highlights the contribution of the heutagogical perspective to advance research on the participation and agency of students with SEN in mainstream schools.
Keywords: Macau SAR; Special education needs; agency; disability; inclusive education; participation; students' voice

Exploring the learning effectiveness under the "formative assessment" reform of non-tertiary education in Macao: A Case Study =探討澳門非高等教育改革「形成性評核」下的學習成效－個案研究 - 何愛琴 (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph; 個案研究; 學習成效; 形成性評核; 教育改革

Exploring The Influence of Culture on Parents’ Attitudes Towards Inclusive Education in Macao - Moreira, Irene Mitsiko Sadoyama (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

EXPLORING THE IMPACTS ON MENTAL WELL-BEING OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS UNDER COVID-19 PANDEMIC. A QUALITATIVE STUDY - Sit Chin Pok (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a public health emergency happening worldwide. It brought tremendous impacts to the global economy and people’s mental health (Jiaqi Xiong et al., 2020). Many people suffered physically and psychologically with the sudden arrival of COVID-19. Among the different age groups, studies identified that undergraduate students as a vulnerable group with a higher risk of mental health problems, such as depression and anxiety (Silva et al., 2022; King et al., 2022; Mansor & Ahmad, 2022). This qualitative study collected data from six focus group interviews with undergraduate students studying in Macao. Thematic analysis was used to understand the COVID-19 impact on students' mental well-being and coping strategies, as well as to explore the protective and risk factors that contribute to students’ mental well-being in the local context of Macao. Results showed four themes with 15 contributory sub-themes: COVID-19’s impact on students’ mental well-being, key impacting sources, coping strategies, and risk and protective factors. This study provides a picture of the mental health condition of undergraduate students during the zero-COVID period in Macao and raises an urgent call for extra attention to university students’ mental health during crises, showing the social and mental needs of undergraduates. This research also uniquely contributes insight into how the dysfunctionality of families could be a significant risk factor for students’ mental health during the crisis, which is rarely found in other COVID-19 studies. This research suggests a promotion of future programs or workshops that would strengthen and benefits students’ relationship with their family. Future research could explore the family function in Macao and its relationship with students’ mental well-being
Keywords: Mental Well-being; Qualitative; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); Undergraduate Student; University of Saint Joseph

Exploring the Impact of the Metaverse on Macau's Fashion Industry Development - Chan, Ka I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
The emergence of the virtual world through social media, technical advancements, digital fashion, and the concept of the Metaverse begs the question of whether Macau's fashion sector can transfer to the virtual sphere. Macau fashion designers have different needs for virtual fashion vs traditional fashion manifestations. The designer's experience, Macau residents' interest in the virtual world and metaverse, and communication inside the metaverse all play an important role in this study. This research study shows our design work, analysis, and conclusions, which explain the concepts and research incorporating the Metaverse virtual platform, virtual characters, user interaction for various target groups, and survey feedback. This detailed research provides a deeper understanding and insights into the Metaverse concept's usefulness in marketing Macau fashion businesses and providing essential information to local Macau fashion designers, fashion industry experts, and Macau people. According to preliminary investigation, utilising avatars and virtual fashion in the virtual world is a novel and promising way for fashion brand operations and expansion. This technique provides cost savings, endless creative options, and effective brand messaging, with the opportunity to predict future virtual fashion trends while keeping a real retail presence
Keywords: Communication; Digital Fashion; Macau's Fashion Industry; Metaverse; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph; Virtual World

Exploring the Distinctive Identity of Catholic Education in Three Catholic Secondary Schools in Macau - Ribeiro, Daniel Antonio De Carvalho (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring the Current Landscape and Future Directions of Information Technology in Dance Education - Du, Wencai; Chen, Jiao; Xu, Simon (2023 26th ACIS International Winter Conference on Software Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Networking and Parallel/Distributed Computing (SNPD-Winter), 2023)
Dance education has undergone significant changes with the integration of information technology. Traditional dance pedagogy is now complemented by innovative digital software tools and applications. This work surveys the diverse applications of information technology in dance education at college or university level and the impact it has on teaching and learning processes. We discuss the integration of technology in various aspects of dance education, including skill development, choreography, performance analysis, VR/AR, online virtual learning, and collaborative learning. Additionally, the benefits and challenges associated with the use of information technology are also examined and the future research directions for research and practice in this field are proposed.
Keywords: College and University Education; Dance Education; Education; Federated learning; Humanities; Information Technology; Interactive; Surveys; Technical requirements; Training; Visualization; applications

Exploring the Application of Online Learning Environment in the Teaching and Learning of Chinese in Elementary Education Sector in Macau=: 探討網上教學摸式在澳門小學中文科教與學的應用 - U Ka Weng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring Teachers' Experiences and Perceptions of the Use of the IEP with Students with ASD in Primary Schools - Lei, Mei Seong (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring Teachers' and Students' perceptions in Formative Assessment Through Project-based Learning for Students Included in Mainstream Schools - Lei, Lei Peng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

EXPLORING MUSLIM STUDENTS LIVED EXPERIENCES IN MACAU: A PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH - Ho, Kit Ieng (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Muslim community is one of the minority groups in Macau SAR China. Muslims are an interesting group in terms of research because of its diversity in respect to language, nationality, social status, and education level. Groups of people migrate for various reasons such as religion, politics, economy, and education. Individuals experience the age in between nineteen and twenty-four, which fall in the category of youth. Studies of Muslim youths have gained more attention in scholarship, statistical data, and research. The study seeks to understand Muslim students’ life and the needs of this minority group and explores how Muslim students perceive Islam and their own ability to cope with school related cultural pressures through qualitative, phenomenological approach, and focuses on exploring the common experiences of Muslim students in this city. This study used a conceptual framework based on critical race theory (CRT). We use in-depth interviews of five Muslim youth, ages between 19 and 24, to investigate their school life experiences and Islamic practices. We also administered questionnaires and field note to understand their social mobility, social capital and to gain a deeper understanding of their daily lives. A thematic analysis of the interview data produced the following themes: 1) Social mobility; 2) Social capital Relationship with friends; 3) Discrimination and micro-aggressions; and 4) Religion Identity. The study found that the Muslim status of the participants did not have a significant impact on their school experience, as they were able to find accommodation in their practice of religion and school life. However, the multiple identities of the participants as Macau citizens and their ethnic backgrounds did affect their social capital and sense of belonging. The study also examined the experiences of the participants within Macau society, including social factors such as racism. The results indicated that language and ethnicity were factors that hindered their integration into the community. In addition to the original themes, the analysis of the participants' stories in this research revealed two counter-narratives that challenge prevailing narratives. These counter-narratives include the deconstruction of oppressed Muslim women's narratives and the influence of local mainstream religious schooling on Muslim students' religious loyalty. These alternative narratives provide new insights into the lives of Muslim youths and challenge conventional stories. The findings of this study have important implications for educators, academics, and members of both Muslim and non-Muslim communities. By allowing youth to establish broader connections with society and increasing their motivation to participate in and contribute to the community, this study highlights the need for inclusive educational environments that support the diverse identities of students. Furthermore, the study provides young Muslims with a voice in society, empowering them to challenge dominant narratives and promote counter narratives that reflect their experiences and perspectives to meet critical race theory ethos of ongoing active struggle
Keywords: Critical Race Theory; Muslim youth; School experience; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

EXPLORING MACAU SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ UNDERSTANDING, PROFESSIONAL SKILLS, AND CHALLENGES TO INCLUSIVE EDUCATION OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES/SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS - Sin, Sam I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
Quality inclusive education creates educational opportunities for all students to achieve enhanced educational outcomes, and the quality of inclusive teaching depends on teachers’ knowledge, skills, resources and school support. However, not all schools are implementing inclusive education well enough to cater to the learning needs of students with special educational needs. This phenomenological case study explored the perspectives and experiences of five teachers in one inclusive secondary school in Macau. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) of the in-depth semi- structured interview data revealed four themes: varied conceptualisations of inclusive education, professional training in inclusive practice, professional knowledge and practice experiences, and challenges to implementing inclusive education. Generally, while the teachers demonstrated awareness and some understanding of inclusive education, they also expressed the need for more knowledge and skills to implement inclusive education effectively in their schools. Additionally, they referred to time pressure, workload and insufficient professional development as impeding their personal processes of evolving inclusive teaching in their school. Recommendations were made considering Booth and Ainscow's (2002) Index of Inclusion to enable effective development and practice of inclusive education in the Macau secondary school and extend this to other schools
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph; students with special education needs; teachers' professional skills; teachers' understanding

Exploring Macau Primary School Teachers’ Understanding and Practices of Educational Innovation - Lai, Hoi In (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Teaching methods are not enough in today's social environment. By studying the understanding and practice of innovative education by primary school teachers in Macao, we can find a direction to promoting educators' demand for educational innovation. This research aims to understand the attitudes of primary school teachers in Macao toward innovative education, as well as the feasibility and necessity of developing a creative curriculum, through in-depth interviews with the experiences and reactions of primary school teachers in Macao. Simultaneously, encourage primary school teachers in Macao to implement effective and innovative educational methods so that Macao society can rethink the importance of educational innovation. The significance of the research lies in improving teachers' awareness of educational innovation and promoting teachers' understanding of education. In education, innovation includes new teaching theories, methods, techniques, and resources. Therefore, the education innovation is to think about things creatively, and innovation is to do creative things. By interviewing eleven local primary school teachers in Macau, we learned their views on innovative education teaching methods. Although, a limitation of the study is that only a few faculty members were selected, which may not represent the entire primary teacher in Macau. The study draws four main conclusions, the first of which is the view of primary teacher in local education, it can know that Macao primary school teachers understanding and cognition of educational innovation. Though of understanding of Macau’s primary teacher’s attitude in innovation teaching, which can find the feasibility of innovation teaching in Macau. At the same time, understanding of the impact factor in Macau innovation education, it clarifies the main challenging of primary teacher practice innovation teaching in Macau. On the other hand, thought of understanding of teacher’s attitude, we can more understanding the real situation in Macau’s educational innovation and encourage the teacher promoted educational innovation in Macau
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring Macau Instagrammers’ Motivation for Using Instagram Story - Wong, Choi I. (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Communication and Media (MCM); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring Interactive Wearable: Enhancing Emotional Release and Expression in Modern Fashion Design - Zhai, Jingwen (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
As technology evolves swiftly and consumers call for more customization, the study of interactive fashion design is increasingly emerging as a key topic within the fashion industry. The goal of this research is to investigate merging intelligent technology with apparel design, realizing functional enlargements and enriching the user experience by employing interactive design. Initially, this document examines key theories and ongoing studies in interaction design, intelligent textiles, and wearable tech, pinpointing the current research voids and difficulties. This section then presents a range of methodologies used in the study, encompassing literature review, case analysis, and interviews with experts, to thoroughly analyze and assess all facets of interactive apparel design. This document suggests a methodical design of interactive clothing, outlining the entire process from initial design to the creation of prototypes. The practicality and efficiency of the design methodology are proven by creating prototypes and conducting trials. Findings from the experiments indicate that interactive attire offers substantial benefits in terms of functionality, comfort, and user experience. The research offers both theoretical backing and pragmatic advice for designing interactive attire, while also highlighting paths for upcoming advancements in fashion technology. In conclusion, the document examines the shortcomings of the existing research and potential research paths, aiming to offer valuable guidance for advancing the development of clothing styling and wearable tech
Keywords: Fashion design; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph; clothing interactive devices; emotion and perception; emotional user experience; interactive design

Exploring Features and Behaviors of 'GUNDAM MOBILE SUIT' Enthusiasts in China 's Online Digital Society - Joel, Chao Chou U (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)

Exploring EEG Signal Features for Predicting Post Cardiac Arrest Prognosis - Guilherme Cunha Santos, Antonio; Alexandre Lobo Marques, Joao; Rigo Jr., Luis; Paulo Madeiro, João (2023 Computing in Cardiology Conference, 2023)

Exploring Differentiated Teaching in Primary Mathematics Classes in Macau - Pearce, Josef Nicolai (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploring Current Collaboration Practices of Regular and Resource Teachers within Inclusive Education: An Analysis of Teacher Perspectives - Loi, Sio Wai (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

EXPLORING COOPERATIVE LEARNING IN PROMOTING EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND COLLABORATION IN INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: A CASE STUDY - Loi, Man Hong (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This study presents a case study that explores teachers’ perspectives on the role of cooperative learning as a pedagogical approach in promoting equity, inclusion, and collaboration within inclusive classrooms. Additionally, it identifies both the perceived benefits and challenges associated with its application. The researcher sought data from primary school teachers in one inclusive school in Macau and employed in-depth semi-structured interviews. Twelve participants were involved in this qualitative study. The findings underscore the significant impact of cooperative learning in creating inclusive, engaging, and equitable educational environments, particularly for students with special educational needs. Overall, the participants viewed cooperative learning as a valuable pedagogical approach that fosters equity, interaction, student engagement, and collaboration in inclusive classroom settings. While cooperative learning presents several benefits in promoting an inclusive and equitable learning environment, the findings also reveal unique challenges that require careful management and adaptation by teachers. Some of these challenges include certain students dominating group work, difficulties in integrating students with different disabilities, and time management issues for effective cooperative learning implementation. Overall, the case study contributes valuable insights into to the complex dynamics of cooperative learning in mixed ability classes
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph; cooperative learning; inclusion; inclusive education; inclusive practice

EXPLORE THE EFFECT OF ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT: THE MODERATING ROLE OF ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR AND GAMING SECTOR IN MACAU - Iu, Pek Wa (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
The current study examined responses from 342 full-time and part-time employees in Macau’s gaming and public sector. The intention was to examine the relationship and explore the effect of organizational culture (innovative, supportive, and bureaucratic) and organizational leadership (transformational and transactional) on employee work engagement (cognitive, emotional, and physical) with the moderating role of organizational commitment (affective and continuance). The objectives of this study are mainly: 1) to explore the relationship between organizational culture and leadership with employee engagement respectively; 2) to further investigate employee engagement and the difference between the gaming sector and the public sector, and 3) to explore the moderating role of organizational commitment between the organizational culture and leadership to employee engagement respectively. Understanding the relationship between these essential elements is crucial for the individual and organization which ultimately leads to a sustainable and utmost performance for the benefit of Macau's constant economic development. While regression analysis represented transformational leadership as the powerful predictor of the three facets of work engagement to employees in both sectors. Though there was no relationship between the variables and the moderators, there was a positive interaction between transformational leadership, affective commitment (TFL x AC), and emotional and physical work engagement of the employees from the gaming sector, there was a positive interaction between innovative culture, affective commitment (IC x AC) and cognitive work engagement and a negative interaction between transactional leadership, continuance commitment (TL x CC) and emotional work engagement in the public sector subgroup. Results were interpreted concerning the organizations, leaders, and employees in both sectors in Macau, followed by a discussion on the implications of enhancing work engagement
Keywords: Macau; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Organisational Psychology (MOP); University of Saint Joseph; gaming sector; organizational commitment; organizational culture; organizational leadership; public sector; work engagement

Exploratory Study of a Postpartum Confinement Centre: An Adaptation of Emerging Practice in Macao, SAR - Wong, Wai Sam (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Theses and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Exploratory Research on Key Technology of Human-Computer Interactive 2.5-Minute Fast Digital Early Warning for Mild Cognitive Impairment - Li, Nan; Yang, Xiaotong; Du, Wencai; Ogihara, Atsushi; Zhou, Siyu; Ma, Xiaowen; Wang, Yujia; Li, Shuwu; Li, Kai (Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience, 2022)
Objective. As the preclinical stage of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is characterized by hidden onset, which is difficult to detect early. Traditional neuropsychological scales are main tools used for assessing MCI. However, due to its strong subjectivity and the influence of many factors such as subjects’ educational background, language and hearing ability, and time cost, its accuracy as the standard of early screening is low. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to propose a new key technology of fast digital early warning for MCI based on eye movement objective data analysis. Methodology. Firstly, four exploratory indexes (test durations, correlation degree, lengths of gaze trajectory, and drift rate) of MCI early warning are determined based on the relevant literature research and semistructured expert interview; secondly, the eye movement state is captured based on the eye tracker to realize the data extraction of four exploratory indexes. On this basis, the human-computer interactive 2.5-minute fast digital early warning paradigm for MCI is designed; thirdly, the rationality of the four early warning indexes proposed in this paper and their early warning effectiveness on MCI are verified. Results. Through the small sample test of human-computer interactive 2.5 fast digital early warning paradigm for MCI conducted by 32 elderly people aged 70–90 in a medical institution in Hangzhou, the two indexes of “correlation degree” and “drift rate” with statistical differences are selected. The experiment results show that AUC of this MCI early warning paradigm is 0.824. Conclusion. The key technology of human-computer interactive 2.5 fast digital early warning for MCI proposed in this paper overcomes the limitations of the existing MCI early warning tools, such as low objectification level, high dependence on professional doctors, long test time, requiring high educational level, and so on. The experiment results show that the early warning technology, as a new generation of objective and effective digital early warning tool, can realize 2.5-minute fast and high-precision preliminary screening and early warning for MCI in the elderly.

Exploratory Data Analysis on Clinical and Emotional Parameters of Pregnant Women with COVID-19 Symptoms - Lobo Marques, Joao Alexandre; Macedo, Danielle S.; Motta, Pedro; dos Santos Silva, Bruno Riccelli; Carvalho, Francisco Herlanio Costa; Kehdi, Renata Castro; Cavalcante, Letícia Régia Lima; da Silva Viana, Marylane; Lós, Deniele; Fiorenza, Natália Gindri (Computerized Systems for Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19, 2023)
The scientific literature indicates that pregnant women with COVID-19 are at an increased risk for developing more severe illness conditions when compared with non-pregnant women. The risk of admission to an ICU (Intensive Care Unit) and the need for mechanical ventilator support is three times higher. More significantly, statistics indicate that these patients are also at 70% increased risk of evolving to severe states or even death. In addition, other previous illnesses and age greater than 35 years old increase the risk for the mother and the fetus, including a higher number of cesarean sections, higher systolic and diastolic maternal blood pressure, increasing the risk of eclampsia, and, in some cases, preterm birth. Additionally, pregnant women have more Emotional lability/fluctuations (between positive and negative feelings) during the entire pregnancy. The emotional instability and brain fog that takes place during gestation may open vulnerability for neuropsychiatric symptoms of long COVID, which this population was not studied in depth. The present Chapter characterizes the database presented in this work with clinical and survey data collected about emotions and feelings using the Coronavirus Perinatal Experiences—Impact Survey (COPE-IS). Pregnant women with or without COVID-19 symptoms who gave birth at the Assis Chateaubriand Maternity Hospital (MEAC), a public maternity of the Federal University of Ceara, Brazil, were recruited. In total, 72 mother-infant dyads were included in the study and are considered in this exploratory analysis. The participants have undergone serological tests for SARS-CoV-2 antibody detection and a nasopharyngeal swab test for COVID-19 diagnoses by RT-PCR. A comprehensive Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) is performed using frequency distribution analysis of multiple types of variables generated from numerical data, multiple-choice, categorized, and Likert-scale questions.

Exploratory Case Study of Teacher's Perspectives in Assisting Students with Special Needs in Inclusive Schools in Macau - Diakité, Patrícia Dina Correia Silves Ferreira (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Exploratory Analysis of Project Management Adoption and Maturity Level of IT Companies–A Comparison between Macao and Hengqin - Wong, Ka Seng; Lobo Marques, João Alexandre (Journal of Advanced Management Science, 2023)

EXPERIENCING THE PRESENT AND EXPLORING THE FUTURE WITH IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGIES CASE STUDY: " ST. LAZARUS CHURCH PEDESTRIAN STREET", MACAU - Zhou RenWei (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
In the present world, many cities have historical and culturally rich districts, but protectionism or economic reasons have slowed their development. Therefore, how to generate more value for these areas is crucial for a city with a deep and complex history. Using immersive virtual reality technology can help solve this problem, and this paper takes Macau's famous historical district as an entry point and starts from the perspective of the general public to explore and design some of the existing buildings and public areas in the district. The focus of this study is to explore the future development possibilities of historical and cultural districts in cities and experience the current situation of the district. Specifically, by studying the historical background and human investigation of ST. LAZARUS CHURCH PEDESTRIAN STREET (Chinese official name: 疯堂斜巷), the study uses immersive virtual reality technology to first create a scene of the existing building group in the district as a stage of protection for historical buildings. Then, it creates and presents a future building group scene in the district, which includes completed buildings and public area facilities after renovation and sustainable design. This renovation does not destroy the protected historical buildings at all, but is a protective exploration. The researchers used 3D computer graphics software (Blender) and virtual tour software (Kuula) to create the design, and users can freely explore the scene by ""walking"" virtually. The design includes two groups of architectural scenes of the ST. LAZARUS CHURCH PEDESTRIAN STREET in the present and the future. After entering the scene, users can freely switch between the present and the future time points to experience the different architectural scene atmospheres. Users can enter some buildings and public areas, and interact with objects in the scene to generate visual or auditory introductions to the target. Users can see the rough outline of the future historical and cultural district after the protective development in the free exploration of the virtual reality environment, which can inspire further public thinking about the development of historical and cultural street areas in the city. Users can explore and experience the project using professional virtual reality equipment or directly on the web. By using immersive virtual reality technology, the public can have a more intuitive and comprehensive understanding of the future development of historical and cultural street areas, and urban planners, professional architects, and clients of architectural design can all benefit from this technology, especially in the initial conceptual design and prototype design of buildings
Keywords: Conservation of historical building; Exploratory design; Reconstruction of historic district; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph; Virtual reality technology

Experiences and Reflections Related to Mental Health Among University Students during Covid-19: A Case Study - Tou, Un Ieng (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

Experience the Past in the Present with Immersive Technologies Case Study: “The Old Ladies’ House”, Albergue, Macau - Chang, Tin Lan (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Design (MDG); University of Saint Joseph

Experience the Past in the Present with Immersive Technologies - Chang, Tin Lan; Martins de Abreu, F. (Multimodus’22 - 1st International Conference on Sound and Image in Art & Design, 2022)
Countless historical sites worldwide have become unrecognisable based on their historical context. Many are cultural heritage structures with significant historical and aesthetic importance. The majority have not been well preserved; worse, some were demolished (Stenning, 2015). Furthermore, structures are part of a dynamic and changing environment, and their location within the original landscape is not always clear. People have gradually forgotten cultural traditions as environments where historical stories took place, and the look and feel have been corrupted. Immersive Virtual Reality (V.R.) allows us to relive and explore the past. However, in the Pearl River Delta Region, specifically Macau S.A.R., V.R. is still in its infancy and is not frequently used for reproducing historical sceneries. Our research focuses on reproducing heritage structures and scenery based on scarce historical information. It shows how to incorporate facts and memories into the design and create engaging, immersive experiences in V.R. scenery that takes place, both inside and outside of a cultural heritage site that has lost its original appearance. Following this, a prototype was created with specific parameters relating to past and present sceneries. We partially reproduced an existing building complex currently being used for creative and commercial purposes, but it was a shelter for the poor and a house for old ladies to live in. There were not enough facts or images linked to the inner space in the past. Inadequate information allows audiovisual scene creators to be more imaginative. The prototype focuses on a functional design that integrates cultural traits tied to local industries. The researcher used image processing software, and web 3D tools (A-Frame 1.1.0). Users can navigate by virtually “walking” and starting the visual tour; simultaneously, the story unfolds as the timeline progresses. After entering, the users jump from the present to a specific era in the past. With audio guidance, users enter the private space, shared areas, working space, etc. Users can interact with objects from the virtual scenes while the interface displays relevant audiovisual introductions. Users could utilise the virtual system to learn how the old ladies led their daily lives in the Pearl River Delta Region and grasp the local single ladies’ group lifestyle at a specific time in the past (Kwong, 2020). The interactive experience enhances the users’ interest; additionally, the users become more familiar with the region’s traditional customs. With this approach, we can create old stories using modern technology. A-Frame provides users with great convenience and can be used by any Internet browser without relying on professional V.R. devices. The content from this usage provides a greater understanding of our heritage buildings and their historical context to the wider community. This could be used in other heritage sites worldwide to reproduce and maintain structural qualities over time. This immersive experience could be a means to navigate the past while in the present. This application could benefit exhibition developers, and visitors, notably in exhibition guided tours, virtual tours inside museums, or educational assisted historical storytelling.

Expansion of private tutoring centers in Macau: voice from parents of primary school students - Fong, Chan Seng (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Existential Psychotherapy and Irvin D. Yalom’s Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review - Chan, In Leng (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Couselling and Psychotherapy (MCP); University of Saint Joseph

Examining the Itinerant Support Teachers’ Program in the Implementation of Inclusive Education in Macau - Cheang, Mei Chan (University of Saint Joseph, 2021)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Examining the impact of behavioral factors on the intention of adopting E-government services: An empirical study on the hard-to-reach groups in Macao SAR, China - Iong, Kit Yeng; Phillips, Jenny O. L. (Technology in Society, 2022)
In government studies, electronic government has become a hot topic in recent decades. Many scholars believe that soon, the government might not be able to operate smoothly without the help of ICTs as the Internet has been overwhelming people's daily lives already. In analyzing people's behavioral factors towards adopting e-government services, most studies targeted the adult population, while those in the hard-to-reach groups are minimal. This study was designed especially to understand the behavioral factors of the younger generation aged between 18 and 24 and the senior citizens above 60 on their adoption of e-government services in Macao SAR. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted based on the semi-structured interview questions developed from the prior literature on the Theory of Planned Behavior and e-government studies. Six significant findings are yielded, which could serve as an important reference for policymakers designing e-government policy and promoting its implementation strategy. These behavioral factors also contribute empirical data to support the theoretical framework of TPB in the context of Macao SAR e-government services.
Keywords: Electronic government; Hard-to-reach groups; In-depth interviews; The theory of planned behavior

Examining How "Technology Show-off" Affects the Acceptance of Innovations in the Battery Electric Vehicle Sector. - Lampo, Alessandro (Association for Computing Machinery, 2024)
Theories and models try to describe the complexity of how people embrace and make use of innovations. The determinants of behavior concerning battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have traditionally revolved around factors such as vehicles’ price and range. Surprisingly, despite being small and one of the wealthiest territories in the world, Macau SAR faces challenges in BEV market penetration, underscoring the need to explore alternative causes of behavioral intention. To explain the adoption of technologies, this paper focuses on technology show-off (TS), which combines Rogers’ (2003) concepts of visibility and trialability of technology in a single construct as a determinant of behavioral intention. Therefore, when individuals perceive technology as more visible and available for trial, their behavioral intention to adopt it strengthens. Using structural equation modeling for quantitative analysis, this study examines the significance of TS in terms of the intention to adopt battery electric vehicles. The findings highlight the salience of the technology show-off construct in explaining behavioral intention, underscoring its significance in the context of modern society’s characteristics. This study contributes to advances in understanding technology acceptance and highlights the importance of incorporating experiential aspects (such as TS) into the traditional technology acceptance models.

Examination of sex-related differences in intestinal and gonadal lipid metabolism in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus - Zhang, Shuangyan; Ru, Xiaoshang; Zhang, Libin; Gonçalves, David; Yang, Hongsheng (Aquaculture, 2023)
Reproduction of the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus is critical for aquaculture production. Gonadal development is the basis of reproduction, and lipids, which are among the main nutrients required for gonadal development, directly affect reproduction. We investigated whether gonadal and intestinal lipid metabolism differed between male and female A. japonicus. Transcriptome analysis of the intestines of sexually mature male and female wild-caught individuals revealed differences in gene expression, with 27 and 39 genes being up-regulated in females and males, respectively. In particular, the expression of the fatty acid synthase gene was higher in males than in females. Metabolome analysis of the gonads identified 141 metabolites that were up-regulated and 175 metabolites that were down-regulated in the testes compared with the ovaries in the positive/negative mode of an LC-MS/MS analysis. A variety of polyunsaturated fatty acids were found at higher concentrations in the testes than in the ovaries. 16 s rDNA sequencing analysis showed that the composition and structure of the intestinal microbiota were similar between males and females. These results suggest that sex differences in intestinal metabolism of A. japonicus are not due to differences in the microbiota, and we speculate that gonadal metabolism may be related to intestinal morphology. This information might be useful in improving the reproductive efficiency of sea cucumbers in captivity.
Keywords: Gonads; Intestines; Lipid metabolism; Sea cucumber; Sex differences

Evidence for mixed contribution of mantle and lower and upper crust to the genesis of Jurassic I-type granites from Macao, SE China - Quelhas, Pedro; Mata, João; Dias, Ágata (GSA Bulletin, 2021)
Abstract Much controversy has occurred in the past few decades regarding the nature of the sources, the petrogenetic processes, and the tectonic regime(s) of the Jurassic magmatism within the Southeast China magmatic belt. This study aims to contribute to the discussion with mineral chemistry, and whole-rock element and Sr-Nd-Hf-Pb isotopic geochemical data from granitic rocks and microgranular mafic enclaves from Macao, where two discrete groups of I-type biotite granites have been identified (referred to as Macao Group I [MGI] and Macao Group II [MGII]). It is proposed that the granitic magmas were generated by partial melting of infracrustal medium- to high-K, basaltic Paleoproterozoic to Mesoproterozoic protoliths (Nd depleted mantle model age [TDM2] = 1.7–1.6 Ga and Hf TDM2 = 1.8–1.6 Ga), triggered by underplating of hot mantle-derived magmas in an extensional setting related to the foundering of a previously flat slab (paleo–Pacific plate) beneath the SE China continent. The main differences between the two groups of Macao granites are attributed to assimilation and fractional crystallization processes, during which upper-crustal Paleozoic metasediments were variably assimilated by MGI magmas. This is evidenced by an increase in initial 87Sr/86Sr ratios with degree of evolution, presence of metasedimentary enclaves, and high percentage of zircon xenocrysts with Paleozoic ages. In addition, other processes like late-stage fluid/melt interaction and magma mixing also left some imprints on granite compositions (rare earth element tetrad effect plus non–charge-and-radius-controlled behavior of trace elements and decoupling between different isotope systems, respectively). The distribution of isotopically distinct granites in SE China reflects the nature of the two Cathaysia crustal blocks juxtaposed along the Zhenghe-Dapu fault.

Evaluation of mathematical models for QRS feature extraction and QRS morphology classification in ECG signals - do Vale Madeiro, João Paulo; Lobo Marques, João Alexandre; Han, Tao; Coury Pedrosa, Roberto (Measurement, 2020)
It is plausible to assume that the component waves in ECG signals constitute a unique human characteristic because morphology and amplitudes of recorded beats are governed by multiple individual factors. According to the best of our knowledge, the issue of automatically classifying different ’identities’ of QRS morphology has not been explored within the literature. This work proposes five alternative mathematical models for representing different QRS morphologies providing the extraction of a set of features related to QRS shape. The technique incorporates mechanisms of combining the mathematical functions Gaussian, Mexican-Hat and Rayleigh probability density function and also a mechanism for clipping the waveform of those functions. The searching for the optimal parameters which minimize the normalized RMS error between each mathematical model and a given QRS search window enables to find an optimal model. Such modeling behaves as a robust alternative for delineating heartbeats, classifying beat morphologies, detecting subtle and anomalous changes, compression of QRS complex windows among others. The validation process evaluates the ability of each model to represent different QRS morphology classes within 159 full ECG signal records from QT database and 584 QRS search windows from MIT-BIH Arrhythmia database. From the experimental results, we rank the winning rates for which each mathematical model best models and also discriminates the most predominant QRS morphologies Rs, rS, RS, qR, qRs, R, rR’s and QS. Furthermore, the average time errors computed for QRS onset and offset locations when using the corresponding winner mathematical models for delineation purposes were, respectively, 12.87±8.5 ms and 1.47±10.06 ms.
Keywords: ECG feature extraction; Mathematical modeling; Morphology classification; QRS complex delineation

EVALUATION OF MANGROVE BLUE CARBON AS A POTENTIAL FOR CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION IN MACAU - Lao, Hio Wai (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
Climate change is a global issue but its impact can be felt locally. Macau SAR has been rapidly developing since the single shift towards a gaming industry-dominated economy, the overwhelming anthropogenic activities contributing to increasing pollution. Mangroves, which play an essential role as the blue carbon system with a high carbon sequestration rate could be a natural base solution to the pollution. This study aims to determine 1) the total organic Carbon (TOC) in the soil of Macau mangrove sites, 2) comparison with the methodology evaluating the organic Carbon, and 3) organic Carbon comparison between Macau and other regions. Soil sampling were processed under the Blue Carbon Initiative guideline, and the samples were divided into two parts for determining the TOC%, combustion method from Hong Kong, and methodology of ashing in our laboratory. The overall estimated TOC% of Macau mangrove sites was 1.29%. There are still a lot of potentials in Carbon storage and for climate change mitigation in Macau
Keywords: Carbon sequestration; Mangroves; Master of Environmental Sciences and Management (MESM); University of Saint Joseph; blue Carbon

Evaluation of ECG Non-linear Features in Time-Frequency Domain for the Discrimination of COVID-19 Severity Stages - Ribeiro, Pedro; Pordeus, Daniel; Zacarias, Laíla; Leite, Camila; Alves Neto, Manoel; Aires Peixoto Jr, Arnaldo; de Oliveira, Adriel; Paulo Madeiro, João; Lobo Marques, Joao Alexandre; Miguel Rodrigues, Pedro (Computerized Systems for Diagnosis and Treatment of COVID-19, 2023)
In 2020, the World Health Organization declared the Coronavirus Disease 19 a global pandemic. While detecting COVID-19 is essential in controlling the disease, prognosis prediction is crucial in reducing disease complications and patient mortality. For that, standard protocols consider adopting medical imaging tools to analyze cases of pneumonia and complications. Nevertheless, some patients develop different symptoms and/or cannot be moved to a CT-Scan room. In other cases, the devices are not available. The adoption of ambulatory monitoring examinations, such as Electrocardiography (ECG), can be considered a viable tool to address the patient’s cardiovascular condition and to act as a predictor for future disease outcomes. In this investigation, ten non-linear features (Energy, Approximate Entropy, Logarithmic Entropy, Shannon Entropy, Hurst Exponent, Lyapunov Exponent, Higuchi Fractal Dimension, Katz Fractal Dimension, Correlation Dimension and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis) extracted from 2 ECG signals (collected from 2 different patient’s positions). Windows of 1 second segments in 6 ways of windowing signal analysis crops were evaluated employing statistical analysis. Three categories of outcomes are considered for the patient status: Low, Moderate, and Severe, and four combinations for classification scenarios are tested:  (Low vs. Moderate, Low vs. Severe, Moderate vs. Severe) and 1 Multi-class comparison  (All vs. All)). The results indicate that some statistically significant parameter distributions were found for all comparisons.  (Low vs. Moderate—Approximate Entropy p-value = 0.0067 < 0.05, Low vs. Severe—Correlation Dimension p-value = 0.0087 < 0.05, Moderate vs. Severe—Correlation Dimension p-value = 0.0029 < 0.05, All vs. All—Correlation Dimension p-value = 0.0185 < 0.05. The non-linear analysis of the time-frequency representation of the ECG signal can be considered a promising tool for describing and distinguishing the COVID-19 severity activity along its different stages.
Keywords: COVID-19; ECG signals; Non-linear analysis; Statistical analysis

Evaluating the Acceptance of Portuguese Residents Towards Chinese Electric Vehicles: the Role of the Country-of-Origin Effect - Xian, Si Tong (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
This study identifies Portuguese residents’ behavioural intention towards Chinese electric vehicles from the perspective of the Country-of-Origin Effect (COE) and uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT-2) as a guide to design interview questions. According to the existing literature, UTAUT-2, a comprehensive technology acceptance model, has not been used to assess the Portuguese electric vehicle market, and no relevant research has been found to apply the method of combining the COE into the UTAUT-2 framework. The purpose of this study is exploratory in nature, it uses qualitative methods to identify the behavioural intention of Portuguese residents towards the acceptance of Chinese electric vehicles. Data from 16 Portuguese residents was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed with qualitative methodology. The study found that factors such as performance expectations, environmental concerns, effort expectations, hedonic motivation, and social influence have a positive impact on Portuguese residents' purchase of electric vehicles, while price value, habits, and convenience conditions have a neutral or negative impact. Regarding COE, apart from social influence, it has no impact on other factors. To increase the popularity and sales of Chinese electric vehicles in Portugal, it is recommended that advertising and marketing efforts focus on price, charging services, after-sales service, and design
Keywords: Consumer Behavior; Country of Origin Effect; Electric Vehicles; Environmental Awareness; Portugal; Sustainability; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

EVALUATING SATISFACTION OF LOCAL ROAD USERS OF MACAU - Fong, Chi Cheng; Pinheiro, Francisco Vizeu; Lei, Weng Chi (University of Saint Joseph, 2023)
"Macau's rapid economic development in recent decades and relatively low usage of public transportation have put considerable pressure on the city's carrying capacity. Improving the transportation system has been a major policy goal of Macau's urban planners. To deepen the understanding of the perspectives of local road users, this dissertation's main research question is: what factors determine the satisfaction of local road users of Macau? After collecting responses using an online questionnaire, quantitative research methods were adopted to analyze travel patterns, satisfaction toward different road usage dimensions, and sociodemographic characteristics of local residents. 145 responses were collected and quota samples were generated to match the distribution of each sociodemographic feature of the population. Most respondents used private vehicles to travel during peak hours on weekdays for work or for school and to travel during the entire afternoon and evening on weekends for shopping necessities and for leisure. The most traveled districts were Baixa de Taipa, Costa & Ouvidor Arriaga, and Baixa de Macau. It was found that the mean overall satisfaction score inclined to the dissatisfaction side (below 3). Only clarity of traffic lights and number of road signs (measuring infrastructure) and temperature and price of fares (measuring public transportation) had mean satisfaction scores that were significantly higher than 3, indicating higher satisfactions. Meaningful hypotheses regarding the differences of different road user groups were set out, then Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were run. The significant findings were such that the elderly aged 65 or above were less satisfied and the unemployed were more satisfied with road usage. The better educated were more satisfied with the environment, and the unemployed were more satisfied with the public transportation. Drivers were less satisfied with transportation costs, and peakhour road users were less satisfied with the infrastructure. The Spearman correlation analyses found that infrastructure had moderately positive correlation with facilities and with travel safety. Based on the findings and their policy implications, policy suggestions could be made. The policies suggested in this study should have favorable short-term and long-term effects on more than one road usage aspects."
Keywords: Public transport; Survey questionnaire; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Government Studies (MGS); Traffic congestion; Transportation; Transportation services; University of Saint Joseph

Ethical Investment’s Visible Hand: Methods And Transformative Potentials - Gassner, Franz (The Journal of the Macau Ricci Institute, 2021)

Escape from Macau - Morrison, Keith (Macau Business, 2022)
Macau, Macau Business, MAG, MB, MB Featured, Opinion | Macau used to be very appealing to expatriates from across the world. Its low tax rate (and zero tax for low-paid expatriates), blends of cultures, business opportunities, life style, history, unique features and a host of other attractions fuelled an ongoing supply of foreign nationals to this small, unusual city. It is an interestingly idiosyncratic place in which to live. For many expatriates, Macau has been home, in many cases reaching back more than one generation. This is perhaps unsurprising, as people here are typically exquisitely polite, a delight to be with, and very accepting. Its acceptance of differences in values is an example to countries across the world. Macau is a safe place to live.

Epidemiology Compartmental Models—SIR, SEIR, and SEIR with Intervention - Marques, Joao Alexandre Lobo; Gois, Francisco Nauber Bernardo; Xavier-Neto, José; Fong, Simon James (Predictive Models for Decision Support in the COVID-19 Crisis, 2020)

Epidemic analytics for decision supports in COVID19 crisis - Lobo Marques, Joao Alexandre; Fong, Simon (Springer, 2022)
Covid-19 has hit the world unprepared, as the deadliest pandemic of the century. Governments and authorities, as leaders and decision makers fighting against the virus, enormously tap on the power of AI and its data analytics models for urgent decision supports at the greatest efforts, ever seen from human history. This book showcases a collection of important data analytics models that were used during the epidemic, and discusses and compares their efficacy and limitations. Readers who from both healthcare industries and academia can gain unique insights on how data analytics models were designed and applied on epidemic data. Taking Covid-19 as a case study, readers especially those who are working in similar fields, would be better prepared in case a new wave of virus epidemic may arise again in the near future.

ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL AND GOVERNANCE (ESG) PRACTICES IN THE MACAU SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES (SMES): A STUDY OF THE RESTAURANT INDUSTRY - Fong Wai Man (University of Saint Joseph, 2024)
This research used a qualitative approach to explore the environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices implemented by SME restaurants in Macau. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight (8) SME restaurant owners and managers to understand their ESG initiatives and their challenges. Key findings include: Environmental Initiatives: Many restaurants have adopted practices such as limiting plastic use, better food management, and organic waste recycling, often driven by government regulations rather than broader ESG considerations. Community Engagement and Social Responsibility: Social practices are less adopted, with some restaurants collaborating with charities, hiring individuals with disabilities, and donating food. However, most do not make monetary donations or engage in sponsorship activities due to financial concerns rather than a lack of consumer trust. Governance Initiatives: Restaurants have adopted electronic workflows, risk management practices, and stakeholder management approaches, including a flexible approach to employee management focused on operational efficiency rather than investor attraction. The findings indicate that for SME restaurants, the key drivers for ESG implementation are more focused on factors such as cost-savings and operational efficiency rather than broader considerations around investor interest or consumer trust. This study provides insights into how SME restaurants integrate ESG elements into their operations
Keywords: Environmental; Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs); Social, and Governance (ESG); Sustainable Practices; Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Environmental Education in Macau’s Schools: A Case Study on Teachers' Perceptions of Experiential Pedagogies - Reh, Paul Thu (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Environmental Concern and the Intention to Use Eco-friendly Technologies: An Analysis of Battery Electric Vehicles in Macau. - Lampo, Alessandro; Silva, Susana C. (Association for Computing Machinery, 2023)
A growing number of people are becoming aware of the environmental footprint that our actions have on the environment. Research indicates that a key factor leading to the adoption of an electric vehicle is consumers’ high environmental concern. Indeed, the environmental concern (EC) construct is commonly associated with the purchase of sustainable and eco-friendly products in literature. Our study challenges this assumption. We examined how the environmental factor influenced the behavioral intention of Macau residents to adopt battery-electric vehicle (BEV) technology. For this purpose, we conducted a study based on the UTAUT-2 framework and used structural equation modeling (SmartPLS) to analyze the data. As a result, the choice of vehicles did not depend on the consumers’ level of concern. It appeared that consumers strongly perceived the benefits of a cleaner environment, however, when it comes to technology, environmental benefits are nice to have, rather than the primary incentive to purchase BEVs. Researchers should consider the role of environmental concern as a background factor in technology acceptance models, rather than a direct predictor of behavior. It is also recommended that marketers correctly consider this element when developing their product communications strategies, to appeal to the desired segment of customers.
Keywords: BEV; Clean Energy Technology; Environmental Footprint; Macau.; Sustainable Transportation; Technology Acceptance

Entry Into the Mainland China Market: a Case Study of Macau's Portuguese Wine Companies - Gonçalves, Daniela Filipa Atraca dos Santos (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Business Administration (MBA); University of Saint Joseph

Entrepreneurial Process of SMEs in Macau - Phillips, Jenny O. L.; Oliveira, Nelio (Association for Computing Machinery, 2022)
In recent years, entrepreneurship and innovation have been highly propagandised for Macau's economic development, diversification, and the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Since 2013, efforts have been exerted by the Macau government to encourage and support entrepreneurship, from the launching of the Young Entrepreneurs' Aid Scheme in 2013 and the Macau Young Entrepreneur Incubation Centre in 2015. While the failure rate of startups has been considered high in most parts of the world, the rate was only as low as 14% in Macau, with many businesses created every year. This research aims to study the unique entrepreneurial environment for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) starting up in Macau from the experience of local entrepreneurs who are benefactors of government support. In-depth interviews were conducted to understand the experience and perceptions of these entrepreneurs as they go through each stage of the entrepreneurial process. Existing research on entrepreneurial processes varies from the two-stage process, which focuses on the beginning of an enterprise, to the different models of various stages from ideas generation to exit or long-term development. From the consolidation of the literature on the entrepreneurial process, five key stages were taken to guide this qualitative research. Findings suggested that idea validation at the start of the entrepreneurial process is almost non-existent amongst our research subjects. Yet it does not affect the implementation and growth of these SMEs. The growth strategies tend to be steady and for the long term, with most SMEs having no consideration of an exit plan.
Keywords: Economic diversification; Entrepreneurial process; Government entrepreneurship aids

Enhancing Teacher Education by Utilizing a Revised PGDE Curriculum as a Fundamental Resource for Inclusive Practices in Macao - Monteiro, Elisa; Forlin, Chris (International Perspectives on Inclusive Education, 2021)
Keywords: Inclusive education; Knowledge transfer; Pedagogical practice; Post-graduate diploma in education; Programme design; Teachers

Enhancing Sustainability Development in Macao Through a Green Educational Program: An Action Research Study - Martins, Cíntia Pacheco Leite (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Enhancing Student Learning and Teacher Development: Does “Assessment for Learning” Matter? - Ng, Shun Wing; Kwan, Yee Wan; Huey Lei, Ka Hio (International Journal of Educational Reform, 2020)
This paper aims to report a case study of exploring the effect of ?assessment for learning? on improving student learning and facilitating teachers? professional development in the examination-oriented context of Hong Kong. By adopting Variation Theory of the Lesson Study approach, data were collected through pre- and post-tests, interviews with students and teacher participants and observation field-notes in order to help diagnose students? learning difficulties and provide evidence for teachers to refine their teaching strategies to enhance students? learning effectiveness. The students? improvement in learning performance informed the teacher participants of the usefulness of ?assessment for learning? in the classroom.

Enhancing Secondary Students' English Language Skills and Engagement through Cooperative Learning: An Action Research Study - U, Tat Si (University of Saint Joseph, 2022)
Keywords: Thesis and Dissertations Master of Education (MED); University of Saint Joseph

Enhancing Learning of Accounting for Non-Accounting students: Through Lens of Theory of Planned Behavior and Experiential Learning Styles - Lau, Meng Chan (University of Saint Joseph, 2020)
This thesis aims to explore how learning accounting for non-accounting major students could be enhanced through a comprehensive framework connecting individual attributes and learning approaches. While accounting is considered an important and mandatory discipline for business students, it is also considered a difficult subject which deters students’ engagement in the subject. Although the issue has been widely recognized, there are relatively less discussions on possible remedies. Learning accounting is a dynamic process that go beyond the traditional one-to-many learning and teaching settings, all factors revolving the students’ learning environment and process, altogether determine and affect the learning efficiencies. A meta-analysis was first performed to understand the standings of accounting education and to identify gaps within existing literatures in the field of management, accounting, tourism and general education researches. A documentary review on the curricula of all Macau HEI programs involving compulsory accounting courses was also conducted to understand the role and significance of accounting courses for non-accounting college students in Macau. Based on the literature review, this study borrows constructs from theory of planned behavior (TPB) models in its research framework. It attempts to provide a comprehensive framework to understand how students learn accounting efficiently by delving into individual learning styles of the students and their perceived helpfulness and self-efficacy, in respective to different learning techniques. Due to its exploratory nature, a mixed method of qualitative and quantitative methodology is adopted, where both focus group discussions and in-depth interviews are performed with non-accounting students to elicit understandings on student’s difficulties in learning accounting and their preferences for different learning styles. Then, a full-scale quantitative survey is conducted in a Macau higher education institute to assess the learning efficiencies of accounting in different situations. A triangulation with feedback from faculties and administrators are also elicited to provide alternate dimensions on the issues. With no surprise, there is no one best 3 teaching style or method for all students, this thesis contributes to accounting education research by provide a comprehensive diagnosis on the all-round learning stimulus and hindrance in learning accounting. At the end, recommendations are provided for accounting educators to emphasize on the uniqueness of students and to encourage a more dynamic and open environment for learning. Limitations of the studies are also discussed
Keywords: PhD in Business Administration (D-BA); Thesis and Dissertations; University of Saint Joseph

Enhancing Health and Public Health through Machine Learning: Decision Support for Smarter Choices - Rodrigues, Pedro Miguel; Madeiro, João Paulo; Marques, João Alexandre Lobo (Bioengineering, 2023)
In recent years, the integration of Machine Learning (ML) techniques in the field of healthcare and public health has emerged as a powerful tool for improving decision-making processes [...]
Keywords: n/a