2025
Autores
Reza, S; Ferreira, MC; Machado, JJM; Tavares, JMRS;
Publicação
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Abstract
Acoustic monitoring of road traffic events is an indispensable element of Intelligent Transport Systems to increase their effectiveness. It aims to detect the temporal activity of sound events in road traffic auditory scenes and classify their occurrences. Current state-of-the-art algorithms have limitations in capturing long-range dependencies between different audio features to achieve robust performance. Additionally, these models suffer from external noise and variation in audio intensities. Therefore, this study proposes a spectrogram-specific transformer model employing a multi-head attention mechanism using the scaled product attention technique based on softmax in combination with Temporal Convolutional Networks to overcome these difficulties with increased accuracy and robustness. It also proposes a unique preprocessing step and a Deep Linear Projection method to reduce the dimensions of the features before passing them to the learnable Positional Encoding layer. Rather than monophonic audio data samples, stereophonic Mel-spectrogram features are fed into the model, improving the model's robustness to noise. State-of-the-art One-dimensional Convolutional Neural Networks and Long Short-term Memory models were used to compare the proposed model's performance on two well-known datasets. The results demonstrated its superior performance by achieving an improvement in accuracy of 1.51 to 3.55% compared to the studied baselines.
2025
Autores
Amarelo, A; Amarelo, B; Ferreira, MC; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY NURSING
Abstract
Purpose: To aggregate, interpret, and synthesize findings from qualitative studies on patients' experiences with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). Methods: A qualitative metasynthesis was conducted following the thematic synthesis approach of Thomas & Harden. A systematic literature search was performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, and Scopus, including studies published up to December 2024. Two researchers independently conducted the screening and data extraction. They also independently evaluated the quality of the included studies. The data from these studies were then thematically analyzed and synthesized using Dorothea Orem's model. Results: Eighteen studies were included. Four main categories were identified: (1) Physical and Functional Impact of CIPN, (2) Emotional and Psychological Impact, (3) Coping Strategies and Self-management, and (4) Support and Barriers to Health. The findings revealed distinct self-care deficits related to functional limitations, emotional distress, and coping challenges. Utilizing Orem's Nursing Theory of Self-Care Deficit, these deficits were mapped onto different levels of nursing intervention, ranging from compensatory support to educational and self-management strategies, emphasizing an action-oriented approach in patient care. Conclusions: This metasynthesis highlights the complex and multidimensional effects of peripheral neuropathy on the lives of cancer patients. Applying Orem's model underscores the critical role of nurses in addressing healthcare system gaps, functional impairments, and long-term adaptation challenges to enhance supportive care for individuals suffering from CIPN.
2025
Autores
Santos, I; Ferreira, MC; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
BURNS
Abstract
Introduction: The importance of investigating innovative technologies to improve patient rehabilitation is fundamental in the current context of healthcare. This highlights the need to map the technological resources used in the rehabilitation of adult burn patients. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to the parameters set by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) guidelines and structured using the PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses for Scoping Reviews). The scientific literature search covered various databases: Medline, CINAHL, SportDiscus, Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection, Scopus, SciELO, and the Cochrane Library. The inclusion criteria considered studies related to the use of technological resources in the rehabilitation of burn patients. The research was conducted until November 2024. Results: A total of 19 articles published between 2000 and 2024 were included. The technological resources analyzed included virtual reality (10 studies), exergames (6 studies), exoskeletons (4 studies), and augmented reality (1 study). These resources primarily aimed to promote motor functionality, increase muscle strength, and enhance joint range of motion. Conclusion: The technologies applied to the rehabilitation of burn patients represent a promising advancement, with the potential to transform the paradigm of rehabilitation, making it more interactive. Future research should focus on a detailed analysis of the long-term benefits and on integrating these technologies into standard rehabilitation protocols.
2025
Autores
Cerqueira, F; Ferreira, MC; Campos, MJ; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL SYSTEMS
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.
2025
Autores
Martins, AR; Moreira, MT; Lima, A; Ferreira, S; Ferreira, MC; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
KIDNEY AND DIALYSIS
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.
2025
Autores
Mota, A; Ferreira, MC; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION-ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Abstract
BackgroundIndividuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) face complex and ongoing rehabilitation needs. In this context, mobile health applications have emerged as promising tools to support self-management and rehabilitation.ObjectiveTo map and characterize mobile applications specifically developed to support rehabilitation of individuals with SCI.MethodsA scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A systematic search was performed across five electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL). Studies published between 2015 and 2024 describing the use of mobile applications in the rehabilitation of adults with SCI were included.ResultsA total of 24 studies were included. We synthesized the identified applications descriptively into four domains: self-management and health education; gamification and motivation for physical rehabilitation; monitoring and prevention of secondary complications; and assistive technology and advanced rehabilitation. A consistent adoption of user-centered design principles was observed. Despite high levels of reported usability, challenges remain regarding long-term engagement, technological complexity, and sustained adherence.ConclusionMobile applications represent a promising complementary resource to support rehabilitation and health management in individuals with SCI. However, more robust longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are required to assess the clinical impact and long-term feasibility of these interventions.
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