Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2023-08-07"
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- Understanding the anti-obesity potential of an avocado oil-rich cheese through an in vitro co-culture intestine cell modelPublication . Machado, Manuela; Costa, Eduardo M.; Silva, Sara; Rodriguez-Alcalá, Luís M.; Gomes, Ana Maria; Pintado, ManuelaNowadays, with consumers’ requirements shifting towards more natural solutions and the advent of nutraceutical-based approaches, new alternatives for obesity management are being developed. This work aimed to show, for the first time, the potential of avocado oil-fortified cheese as a viable foodstuff for obesity management through complex in vitro cellular models. The results showed that oleic and palmitic acids’ permeability through the Caco-2/HT29-MTX membrane peaked at the 2h mark, with the highest apparent permeability being registered for oleic acid (0.14 cm/s). Additionally, the permeated compounds were capable of modulating the metabolism of adipocytes present in the basal compartment, significantly reducing adipokine (leptin) and cytokine (MPC-1, IL-10, and TNF-α) production. The permeates (containing 3.30 µg/mL of palmitic acid and 2.16 µg/mL of oleic acid) also presented an overall anti-inflammatory activity upon Raw 264.7 macrophages, reducing IL-6 and TNF-α secretion. Despite in vivo assays being required, the data showed the potential of a functional dairy product as a valid food matrix to aid in obesity management.
- Artificial intelligence ethics and challenges in healthcare applications: a comprehensive review in the context of the European GDPR mandatePublication . Amini, Mohammad Mohammad; Jesus, Marcia; Sheikholeslami, Davood Fanaei; Alves, Paulo; Benam, Aliakbar Hassanzadeh; Hariri, FatemehThis study examines the ethical issues surrounding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in healthcare, specifically nursing, under the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The analysis delves into how GDPR applies to healthcare AI projects, encompassing data collection and decision-making stages, to reveal the ethical implications at each step. A comprehensive review of the literature categorizes research investigations into three main categories: Ethical Considerations in AI; Practical Challenges and Solutions in AI Integration; and Legal and Policy Implications in AI. The analysis uncovers a significant research deficit in this field, with a particular focus on data owner rights and AI ethics within GDPR compliance. To address this gap, the study proposes new case studies that emphasize the importance of comprehending data owner rights and establishing ethical norms for AI use in medical applications, especially in nursing. This review makes a valuable contribution to the AI ethics debate and assists nursing and healthcare professionals in developing ethical AI practices. The insights provided help stakeholders navigate the intricate terrain of data protection, ethical considerations, and regulatory compliance in AI-driven healthcare. Lastly, the study introduces a case study of a real AI health-tech project named SENSOMATT, spotlighting GDPR and privacy issues.
- Dynamic resectorization to improve utility of healthcare systemsPublication . Teymourifar, Aydin; Trindade, Maria A. M.This study discusses a regional healthcare system including several hospitals with different characteristics. We define a utility function for the system based on the sectorization concept to form a balance between hospitals in terms of important outputs such as waiting times and demands. Since the determined system is dynamic, the balance state is lost over time; consequently, resectorization is done over time. We simulate the system utilizing the data of a case study. We characterize multiple periods and calculate the utility of the system's current state. We design resectorization scenarios based on boosting the capacity and quality of hospitals. Numerical results demonstrate that substantial improvement of utility with resectorization is achievable.
- Leadership cycles, styles, and antecedent factors: the perspective of coaches and young soccer athletes from national Slovak leaguesPublication . Lisá, Elena; Sousa, Jacinta; Morais, Catarina; Gomes, António RuiIntroduction: Building positive relationships and interactions between coaches and athletes is critical to an athlete’s success. The current study aimed to overview how coaches and their young athletes perceive three elements of the Leadership Efficacy Model (philosophy, practice, and criteria). The aim was examined with four goals of analysis: the perceptions of coaches and athletes about coaches’ leadership philosophy, practice, and criteria (1); the differences between athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions of leadership cycles (2); the differences between athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions of leadership styles (3); and the differences between athletes’ and coaches’ perceptions of leadership antecedent factors (4). Methods: The study involved 304 athletes and 20 coaches competing in the youth national leagues U15, U16, U17, and U19. Two-source data collection was applied: coaches completed the questionnaires from their point of view, and so did athletes. The coaches were paired then with their athletes to compare the answers. Coaches fulfilled Leadership Cycles Questionnaire (LEQ), Multidimensional Scale of Leadership in Sport (MSLS), and Leadership Antecedent Factors Questionnaire (LAFQ). Athletes completed the same questionnaires as the coaches did and also fulfilled the Sport Performance Perception Questionnaire (SPPQ). Athletes’ age and SPPQ served as control variables. Results: Both athletes (37.5%) and coaches (40%) perceived that the philosophy of the leadership efficacy model should be increased. Coaches evaluated their philosophy (F = 4.43; p = 0.036; η2 = 0.014), support in MSLS (F = 5.05; p = 0.025; η2 = 0.016) and active management in MSLS (F = 4.08; p = 0.044; η2 = 0.013) higher than their athletes. The athletes assessed the maturity of the team members (LAFQ dimension) (F = 13.98; p <0.001; η2 = 0.044), negative feedback in MSLS (F = 6.02; p = 0.015; η2 = 0.020), and passive management in MSLS (F = 4.95; p = 0.027; η2 = 0.016) higher than their coaches. Discussion: The tendency of coaches to have a more positive perception of their leadership behavior compared to their athletes represents the coach-athlete perception gap of leadership. Future research can examine the efficacy of congruent perceptions of leadership between athletes and coaches during the sports season and the impact produced by objective performance indicators.