2025
Autores
Vaz, CB; Galvao, A; Pais, C; Pinheiro, M;
Publicação
ADVANCED RESEARCH IN TECHNOLOGIES, INFORMATION, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY, ARTIIS 2024 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS, PT I
Abstract
This paper presents the development process of the mobile App D.R.E.A.M., Design-thinking to Reach-out, Embrace and Acknowledge Mental health, which is a tool for self-assessment and self-care in promoting the mental health of higher education students. In Portugal, the program for promoting Mental Health in higher education advocates the development and use of digital tools, such as apps and/or social networks and platforms, aimed at promoting wellbeing and with the potential for use to be more accessible to higher education students. The objective of this app is to promote the mental health and wellbeing of higher education students. Design Thinking was used as the methodology for building the app, which was developed using a combination of low-code/no-code tools, Flutter/Dart coding, and Google's Firebase capabilities and database functionalities. In the first semester of the 2023/2024 academic year, 484 students downloaded the app, and 22 emails were received for psychological consultations. A dynamic update of the app is required, with modules on time management and study organization, structured physical activity programs, development of socio-entrepreneurial skills, and vocational area.
2025
Autores
Lima, L; Pereira, AI; Vaz, CB; Ferreira, O; Dias, MI; Heleno, SA; Calhelha, RC; Barros, L; Carocho, M;
Publicação
FOOD CHEMISTRY
Abstract
The extraction of phenolic compounds from eucalyptus leaves was optimized using heat and ultrasound-assisted techniques, and the bioactive potential of the resulting extract was assessed. The independent variables, including time (t), solvent concentration (S), and temperature (T) or power (P), were incorporated into a five- level central composite design combined with Response Surface Methodology. Phenolic content was determined by HPLC-DAD-ESI/MS and used as response criteria. The developed models were successfully fitted to the experimental data to identify the optimal extraction conditions. Heat-assisted extraction proved to be the most efficient method for phenolic recovery, yielding 27 +/- 2 mg/g extract under optimal conditions (120 min, 76.5 degrees C, and 25 % ethanol, v/v). The extracts exhibited a high concentration of phenolic glycoside derivatives, including gallotannin, quercetin, and isorhamnetin. These findings suggest that the extracts hold promise as natural additives in food technology, owing to their moderate antimicrobial activity and strong antioxidant properties.
2025
Autores
Gruetzmacher, SB; Vaz, CB; Ferreira, AP;
Publicação
TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH INTERDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVES
Abstract
The energy policy of the European Union stresses the need for sustainable energy consumption, improvements in energy efficiency and lower fossil fuel dependence in a decoupling strategy from unstable democracies. Transportation still represents a sector largely dependent on fossil fuels, which come with several negative impacts. Measuring and assessing the sustainability of the transport sector becomes necessary. This study aims to assess the sustainability performance of the transport sector across 28 European countries over a four-year period, aligned with the policy agenda outlined in strategic documents. The methodological approach involves applying Benefit-of-the-Doubt (BoD) models, comparing aversion that uses transformation methods for anti- isotonic sub-indicators with a variant that directly incorporates these sub-indicators as reverse indicators. In general, the European countries have improved the sustainability performance of their transport sector during the time span analyzed according to the results of both models. For the inefficient units, two improvement strategies are presented based on the profiles identified on the benchmarks from both models, which can be alternative stages to achieve the robust best practices of the benchmarks.
2025
Autores
Reza, S; Ferreira, MC; Machado, JJM; Tavares, JMRS;
Publicação
EXPERT SYSTEMS
Abstract
An autonomous vehicle can sense its environment and operate without human involvement. Its adequate management in an intelligent transportation system could significantly reduce traffic congestion and overall travel time in a network. Adaptive traffic signal controller (ATSC) based on multi-agent systems using state-action-reward-state-action (SARSA (lambda)) are well-known state-of-the-art models to manage autonomous vehicles within urban areas. However, this study found inefficient weights updating mechanisms of the conventional SARSA (lambda) models. Therefore, it proposes a Gaussian function to regulate the eligibility trace vector's decay mechanism effectively. On the other hand, an efficient understanding of the state of the traffic environment is crucial for an agent to take optimal actions. The conventional models feed the state values to the agents through the MinMax normalization technique, which sometimes shows less efficiency and robustness. So, this study suggests the MaxAbs scaled state values instead of MinMax to address the problem. Furthermore, the combination of the A-star routing algorithm and proposed model demonstrated a good increase in performance relatively to the conventional SARSA (lambda)-based routing algorithms. The proposed model and the baselines were implemented in a microscopic traffic simulation environment using the SUMO package over a complex real-world-like 21-intersections network to evaluate their performance. The results showed a reduction of the vehicle's average total waiting time and total stops by a mean value of 59.9% and 17.55% compared to the considered baselines. Also, the A-star combined with the proposed controller outperformed the conventional approaches by increasing the vehicle's average trip speed by 3.4%.
2025
Autores
Martins, AR; Ferreira, MC; Fernandes, CS;
Publicação
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL INFORMATICS
Abstract
Purpose:To synthesizethe availableevidenceaboutthe use of HealthInformationTechnology(HIT)to supportpatientsduringhemodialysis.Methods:TheJoannaBriggsInstitute's methodologicalguidelinesfor scopingreviewsandthe PRISMA-ScRchecklistwereemployed.BibliographicsearchesacrossMEDLINE (R), CINAHL (R), PsychologyandBehavioralSciencesCollection,Scopus,MedicLatina,and Cochraneyielded932 records.Results:Eighteenstudiespublishedbetween2003and2023wereincluded.Theyexploreda rangeof HITs,includingvirtualreality,exergames,websites,and mobileapplications,all specificallydevelopedfor use duringthe intradialyticperiod.Conclusion:Thisstudyhighlightsthe HITsdevelopedfor use duringhemodialysistreatment,supportingphysicalexercise,diseasemanagement,and enhancementof self-efficacyand self-care.
2025
Autores
Botelho, TC; Duarte, SP; Ferreira, MC; Ferreira, S; Lobo, A;
Publicação
EUROPEAN TRANSPORT RESEARCH REVIEW
Abstract
The evolution of transport technologies, marked by integrating connectivity and automation, has led to innovative approaches such as truck platooning. This concept involves linking multiple trucks through automated driving and vehicle-to-vehicle communication, promising to revolutionize the freight industry by enhancing efficiency and reducing operational costs. This systematic review explores the current state of truck platooning testing literature, focusing on simulator and on-road tests. The objective is to identify key scenarios and requirements for successfully developing and implementing the truck platooning concept. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA) guidelines, we searched the Web of Science and Scopus databases, leading to the inclusion of thirty pertinent articles encompassing simulation-based, on-road, and mixed-environment experiments. In addition to the type of testing environment, these articles were assorted into three groups corresponding to their main thematic scope, human-centered, technology-centered, and energy efficiency studies, each providing unique insights into core themes for the development of truck platooning. The results reveal a commonly preferred platoon formation consisting of three trucks maintaining a constant speed of 80 km/h and a stable distance of 10 m between them. Simulator-based studies have predominantly concentrated on human factors, examining driver behavior and interaction within the platooning framework. In contrast, on-road trials have yielded tangible data, offering a more technology-driven perspective and contributing practical insights to the field. While the literature on truck platooning has grown considerably, this review recognizes some limitations in the existing literature and suggests paths for future research. Overall, this systematic review provides valuable insights to the ongoing development of robust and effective truck platooning systems.
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