Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-10-11"
Now showing 1 - 9 of 9
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- Disordered eating and lifestyle studies — 2nd editionPublication . Gonçalves, Sónia; Machado, Bárbara Cesar
- A produção de conteúdos no programa "Dois às 10" da TVIPublication . Marques, Marta Rodrigues; Burnay, Catarina de Amaral Dias DuffNa constante luta pela liderança de audiências, o meio televisivo reorganiza-se revendo as grelhas de programação e estudando o comportamento dos espectadores para gerar conteúdos personalizados aos gostos e interesses de cada um. Numa emissão de três horas,de segunda a sábado, o programa Dois às 10, da estação televisiva TVI, promete fazer companhia, ser leve e divertido, mas com espaço para histórias densas e emotivas. Seguindo uma base teórica agrupada em três grandes grupos - a televisão, o formato talk show e as audiências - procurou-se perceber os motivos que levam à perda de liderança do programa transmitido ao sábado nos meses de fevereiro e março de 2023. O estudo recorre a uma coleta sequencial de dados mistos, com utilização dos métodos de observação direta durante o período de estágio, entrevistas exploratórias aos jornalistas do programa, análise de conteúdo dos alinhamentos, inquérito por questionário e grupo de foco à audiência do programa. A análise de dados indica que o programa semanal, dividido em três partes segmentadas, oferece uma maior diversidade de conteúdos. Devido à realização de outras tarefas, os espectadores não têm o hábito de ver televisão ao sábado de manhã. Por último, de realçar que os prazos pontuais que a televisão exige sobrecarregam a equipa de jornalistas, deste modo afetando a escolha e tratamento dos conteúdos.
- Bem-estar subjetivo em pessoas com incapacidade intelectual : um estudo qualitativoPublication . Vieira, Ana Letícia Lopes; Dias, Paulo César Azevedo; Gonçalves, ArmandaO bem-estar subjetivo avalia a satisfação e felicidade dos indivíduos, considerando tanto os estados emocionais como a avaliação global da vida. Embora amplamente estudado na população em geral, há uma lacuna na investigação deste conceito em pessoas com incapacidade intelectual. A incapacidade intelectual caracteriza-se por limitações no funcionamento cognitivo, na resolução de problemas e nas competências sociais, o que pode influenciar a perceção de bem-estar. Este estudo tem como objetivo avaliar o bem-estar subjetivo em pessoas com incapacidade intelectual ligeira. Foi adotada uma metodologia qualitativa, com recurso a 8 focus group, envolvendo 29 participantes. A análise dos dados seguiu o método de análise de conteúdo semântica. Os resultados relativos às “Autoperceções de atributos e características” mostraram que estes indivíduos possuem uma autoimagem positiva, referindo qualidades pessoais como simpatia e carinho. No que diz respeito às “Representações dos elementos associados ao bem-estar”, destacaram-se a interação com a natureza, a habitação e a convivência com animais como essenciais para o bem-estar. Em relação à “Relevância dos vínculos e conexões com pessoas significativas”, os participantes sublinharam a importância das relações com familiares e amigos. Quanto a “Ambições e desejos para alcançar o bem-estar”, evidenciaram o desejo de ter uma profissão e de ter mais contacto social. Estes resultados reforçam a importância da participação social e de um ambiente estimulante para promover o bem-estar subjetivo nesta população, corroborando a literatura que destaca a necessidade de uma maior inclusão em atividades socialmente significativas.
- Impacto da prótese removível na qualidade de vida relacionada com saúde oral e satisfação protética : follow-up após um anoPublication . Marcelino, Juliana Oliveira; Almeida, Rita Silva Bornes de; Figueiredo, Cristina Isabel de Paiva; Silva, Ana Margarida Santos eIntrodução: O aumento da necessidade de reabilitação oral está relacionado ao envelhecimento populacional. A prostodontia removível é comum em Portugal, tendo um efeito significativo na qualidade de vida dos portadores. O sucesso do tratamento depende de fatores como o desenho protético, o tipo de reabilitação e aspetos psicossociais. Objetivos: O estudo visa determinar se o uso de prótese removível melhora a qualidade de vida, considerando aspetos físicos, emocionais e sociais. Procura-se também identificar possíveis problemas associados à sua utilização que possam prejudicar a qualidade de vida dos pacientes. Com base nas dificuldades relatadas, pretende-se desenvolver soluções práticas para resolver ou minimizar essas questões. Materiais e métodos: Estudo observacional transversal realizado com uma amostra de 27 pacientes reabilitados com prótese removível na Clínica Dentária Universitária da UCP. Foram recolhidos dados sociodemográficos, classificação de Kennedy e aplicados os questionários OHIP-14, GOHAI e QSPM. Todos os dados foram analisados estatisticamente pelo SPSS 28.0. Resultados: Observou-se uma predominância de pacientes do sexo feminino, do grupo geriátrico e com Classe III de Kennedy em ambas as arcadas, excetuando na arcada inferior de pacientes com 65 anos ou mais, onde prevaleceu a Classe I. O estudo mostrou impacto reduzido dos problemas orais na vida dos pacientes, com maior queixa de dor física (3,92±1,08) e alta satisfação protética (8,81±2,08). A única diferença significativa foi na dimensão mastigação da Classificação de Kennedy para a arcada superior, com valor de 8,691 (p=0,013). No geral, o impacto dos problemas orais foi limitado. Conclusão: A maioria dos pacientes continua a manifestar-se satisfeito em relação à reabilitação, traduzindo-se numa perceção positiva relativamente à sua qualidade de vida, com um impacto mínimo nos aspetos físicos, emocionais e sociais. Ressalva-se que os pacientes relataram dificuldades associadas à capacidade mastigatória, particularmente na mastigação de alimentos mais duros.
- Impact of operations management on sustainability in hospitality industryPublication . Rosay, Vincent; Julião, Jorge Manuel SoaresThis research explores how the hotel industry can enhance sustainability through strategic and operational decisions. The findings highlight significant progress in adopting sustainable practices, particularly among larger hotel chains that have systematically integrated eco-friendly technologies, environmental certifications, and policies. However, smaller establishments face challenges due to financial constraints, revealing a disparity within the industry. Employee engagement emerges as a crucial factor in the success of sustainability initiatives. Hotels where sustainability is a shared value across all levels achieve better outcomes. Additionally, adapting to customer expectations is key; markets with a high demand for sustainability see improved customer retention and brand reputation. The study emphasizes the importance of the human dimension in sustainability efforts, highlighting the need for a differentiated approach that accounts for local specificities. While technology and certifications are valuable, they must be integrated into a holistic strategy that includes innovation in management and partnerships, particularly for smaller hotels. Limitations of this research include its focus on operational management and its geographic scope, primarily covering Europe and North America. Future studies should adopt a broader, interdisciplinary approach, exploring governance, stakeholder engagement, and public policy, while also considering emerging markets to provide more comprehensive strategies for sustainability in the hotel industry.
- Alzheimer’s detection through structural MRI texture analysisPublication . Oliveira, M. J.; Ribeiro, P.; Rodrigues, P. M.Introduction: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. It affects mostly the elderly and is directly impacted by the observed growth of life expectancy. AD manifests as a chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease, gradually deteriorating memory and cognitive abilities, and diminishing day-to-day quality of life. As the global population ages, understanding and addressing the challenges of AD becomes increasingly important for public health. Early detection enables treatment planning and symptom management, becoming an important study subject. In that sense, the present study aims to develop an automatic Structural MRI-based tool for the detection of AD and early stages of the disease (Mild Cognitive Impairment—MCI). Methods: 504 pre-processed sMRI images were decomposed into slices comprising the three anatomical planes (axial, coronal and sagittal) from where a set of 22 GLCM features were computed to feed 18 machine learning models, employing a hold-out method (80-20 train--test split). The analysis involved comparing three classes, HC (Healthy Controls), MCI and moderate AD in an All vs. All classification approach. Results and Discussion: A wide set of metrics was used to evaluate the model's performance. Combining the three anatomical planes, the All vs. All classification with a Linear Support Vector Machine yielded the following results: 82.2% for Accuracy, 82.2% for Recall, 83.0% for Precision, 89.9% Specificity, 81.9% for F1-Score and 89.8% for AUC. Conclusions: The results indicate that the proposed model distinguishes between AD, CN and MCI well. The methodology used provided a balanced performance across the seven metrics, highlighting the model's robustness and reliability in classifying the different groups. This approach shows significant potential for aiding in AD early detection and diagnosis and related cognitive impairments with an unusual approach.
- Nutritional profiling and stability analysis of selected microalgaePublication . Rocha, Helena R.; Coelho, Marta; Coelho, Natacha; Morais, Rui; Pintado, Manuela E.; Gomes, Ana M.Microalgae are emerging as a valuable source of nutrients and bioactive compounds1, offering substantial potential for applications in food2. This study provides a comprehensive biochemical characterisation of several microalgae species, including Chaetoceros calcitrans, Cylindrotheca fusiformis, and Nannofrustulum shiloi, focusing on protein content, mineral composition, amino acid profile, and shelf-life stability. In terms of protein content, Chaetoceros calcitrans exhibited the highest concentration at approximately 42% (w/w), followed by Cylindrotheca fusiformis and Nannofrustulum shiloi, which had protein contents of around 31% (w/w) and 27% (w/w), respectively. These findings highlight relevant protein levels and significant variations among different microalgae species, necessitating future studies on their quality and bioavailability. Mineral analysis revealed that Nannofrustulum shiloi contains about 70% calcium. Additionally, this microalgae is rich in sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe). Importantly, no heavy metals were detected in any of the analysed species, confirming their safety for food applications. Amino acid profiling of lyophilised biomass from Chaetoceros calcitrans and Cylindrotheca fusiformis showed high concentrations of essential amino acids, including leucine, isoleucine, methionine, phenylalanine, and threonine (ranging from 1.10 to 8.42 g/100 gDW). Shelf-life assessments revealed that Nannofrustulum shiloi maintained a stable amino acid composition over time, with only minor variations between the initial (T0) and subsequent (T2) storage periods (October 2023 and April 2024, respectively), suggesting that the dried biomass of this species retains its nutritional properties during extended storage. Conversely, Cylindrotheca fusiformis displayed notable changes in amino acid levels after storage, indicating that storage conditions can significantly affect its protein composition. These results underscore the nutritional potential and stability of certain microalgae species, particularly Nannofrustulum shiloi, for food applications. The observed variations in protein and amino acid profiles across species provide valuable insights for the development of functional food ingredients derived from microalgae.
- Assessment of the post-acute covid-19 syndrome cardiovascular effect through ECG analysisPublication . Ribeiro, P.; Souza, C. C. C. D.; Camerino, C. M. C.; Pordeus, D.; Leite, C. F.; Marques, J. A. L.; Madeiro, J. P.; Rodrigues, P. M.Introduction: SARS-CoV-2, a virus responsible for the emergence of the life-threatening disease known as COVID-19, exhibits a diverse range of clinical manifestations. The spectrum of symptoms varies widely, encompassing mild to severe presentations, while a considerable portion of the population remains asymptomatic. COVID-19, primarily a respiratory virus, has been linked to cardiovascular complications in some patients. Notably, cardiac issues can also arise after recovery, contributing to post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, a significant concern for patient health. The present study intends to evaluate the post-acute COVID-19 syndrome cardiovascular effect through ECG by comparing patients affected with cardiac diseases without COVID-19 diagnosis report (class 1) and patients with cardiac pathologies who present post-acute COVID-19 syndrome (class 2). Methods: From 2 body positions, a total of 10 non-linear features, extracted every 1 second under a multi-band analysis performed by Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT), have been compressed by 6 statistical metrics to serve as inputs for an individual feature analysis by the means of Mann-Whitney U-test and XROC classification. Results and Discussion: 480 Mann-Whitney U-test statistical analyses and XROC discrimination approaches have been done. The percentage of statistical analysis with significant differences (p<0.05) was 30.42% (146 out of 480). The best overall results were obtained by approximating the feature Energy, with the data compressor Kurtosis in the body position Down. Those results were 83.33% of Accuracy, 83.33% of Sensitivity, 83.33% of Specificity and 87.50% of AUC. Conclusions: The results show that the applied methodology can be a way to show changes in cardiac behaviour provoked by post-acute COVID-19 syndrome.
- Speech non-linear multiband-time-series analysis for detecting Alzheimer’s diseasePublication . Silva, M. G.; Ribeiro, P.; Bispo, B. C.; Rodrigues, P. M.Introduction: Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, anticipated to triple in cases by 2050. It constitutes 50-75% of dementia cases and currently lacks a cure. Early diagnosis is crucial, allowing for treatments that may delay its progression. Traditional diagnostic methods, though effective, are invasive and expensive. Speech signal analysis has emerged as a promising non-invasive, cost-effective alternative for early AD diagnosis. Methods: This study investigates the application of non-linear analysis under a Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) of speech signals for detecting AD stages. The dataset comprises 360 audio recordings from the DementiaBank Spanish Ivanova Corpus, categorized into AD, Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and healthy control groups. The 360 speech signals were cleaned by removing artifacts through a filter and moments of silence utilizing Voice Activity Detection (VAD). A 50% overlap rectangular sliding window process of a 5-second duration was used, and within each window, the signal was decomposed by DWT into six bands. From each band, 10 non-linear parameters analyze the complex dynamics of our speech signals. Each feature time series is compressed over time per band, utilizing six compression metrics, and the resulting data are divided into groups based on gender and AD stage. Classical machine learning classification was implemented, and an iterative application of various normalization, feature selection, and optimization techniques was employed. The final step tested 20 classifiers to determine the most effective model for discrimination between groups. Results and Discussion: Our findings show a 100% accuracy between men with AD and women with AD, healthy men and women with AD, and men with AD and healthy women. Furthermore, nearly all of our 15 group comparisons have an accuracy of higher than 90.9%. Conclusion: In conclusion, our techniques culminated in a model that achieved good model performance and could differentiate between men and women, and between the three studied stages of AD.