Abstract

Abstract
To address the challenges of self-care in oncology, gamification emerges as an innovative strategy to enhance health literacy and self-care among individuals with oncological disease. This study aims to explore and map how gamification can promote health literacy for self-care of oncological diseases. A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines and the PRISMA-ScR Checklist developed for scoping reviews. A comprehensive search strategy was employed across MEDLINE (R), CINAHL (R), Scopus (R), and Web of Science (R) databases, with keywords focusing on oncological patients and gamification tools applied to self-management, from inception to December 2023. Thirty studies published between 2011 and 2023 were included, with a total of 1,118 reported participants. Most interventions (n = 21) focused on the development of mobile applications. The most frequent gamification elements included customizable avatars, rewards, social interaction, quizzes, and personalized feedback. The interventions primarily targeted health literacy and patient education, symptom monitoring, management of side effects, pain control, and adherence to medication and nutrition regimens. The integration of gamification elements into digital health solutions for oncology is expanding and holds promises for supporting health literacy and self-care. Further studies, preferably longitudinal, are needed to assess the effectiveness and impact of these interventions across different oncological populations and clinical settings.

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

Abstract
We present parametric probabilistic models for numerical distributional variables. The proposed models are based on the representation of each distribution by a location measure and inter-quantile ranges, for given quantiles, thereby characterizing the underlying empirical distributions in a flexible way. Multivariate Normal distributions are assumed for the whole set of indicators, considering alternative structures of the variance-covariance matrix. For all cases, maximum likelihood estimators of the corresponding parameters are derived. This modelling allows for hypothesis testing and multivariate parametric analysis. The proposed framework is applied to Analysis of Variance and parametric Discriminant Analysis of distributional data. A simulation study examines the performance of the proposed models in classification problems under different data conditions. Applications to Internet traffic data and Portuguese official data illustrate the relevance of the proposed approach.

Abstract

Abstract
Objective: This scoping review synthesized and mapped the breadth of the existing literature on technological resources used to support individuals undergoing hemodialysis treatment. Methods: Following the methodological guidelines of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) for scoping reviews and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) checklist, comprehensive searches were conducted across the following databases: MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, Scopus, Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), MedicLatina, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, with no time restrictions. Results: Thirty-nine studies conducted between 2003 and 2023 met the inclusion criteria. These studies covered a range of technological innovations developed specifically for hemodialysis treatment, including virtual reality, exergames, websites, and mobile applications. These technologies were designed with diverse objectives: to facilitate physical exercise, optimize dietary and medication management, improve disease adherence and management, and promote self-efficacy and self-care in patients. Conclusions: The review revealed a wide range of technological resources available to hemodialysis patients. These digital solutions show great potential to transform care by promoting more engaged and personalized health practices. Although this study did not directly assess the impact of these technologies, it provides a solid foundation for future investigations that can explore in-depth how such innovations contribute to effective disease management and improvement in clinical outcomes.