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- Deep technologies and safer gambling: A systematic reviewPublication . Cardoso, Leonor G.; Barroso, Beatriz C. R.; Piccoli, Gloria; Peixoto, Miguel; Morgado, Pedro; Marques, António; Rocha, Carla; Griffiths, Mark D.; Queirós, Ricardo; Dores, Artemisa; Pereira da Silva Marques, António José; de Faria Távora Moreira Peixoto, MiguelDeep technologies combine engineering innovation and scientific findings to solve complex problems and are becoming particularly relevant to the gambling industry. With the global rise of gambling practices and the subsequent increase of gambling-related problems and disorders, deep technologies have emerged as a way to create safer online gambling environments. However, there is still limited knowledge regarding their applica bility and consequences. The present study systematically reviewed the existing literature on deep technologies in gambling environments, such as online casinos and betting platforms, and explored their potential benefits, risks, and effectiveness in promoting safer gambling experiences. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. Searches were conducted in Web of Sci ence, PubMed, Scopus, EBSCO, and IEEE databases, and manually. A total of sixty-eight studies were included in the review. In general, four primary applications of deep technologies in online settings were found: (i) behavioural monitoring and feedback; (ii) predictive risk modelling; (iii) decision support and AI classifiers; and (iv) limit-setting/self-exclusion tools. They were primarily used to identify and classify problematic gambling, prompt individual action, regulate gambling behaviours, raise awareness of risk levels, promote responsible gambling practices, support research, interventions, and evaluate player protection initiatives. Together, the findings suggest that deep technologies offer ample opportunities to enhance gambler safety and reduce potential risks, although challenges may arise from their implementation, such as privacy and ethical concerns, malicious data use, misclassification of risk levels, and difficulties in large-scale application. Limitations and directions for future studies are discussed
- Integrating PET for tumour hypoxia in radiotherapy planning: Insights from Portuguese radiotherapy and nuclear medicine technologistsPublication . Sousa, Ruben Diogo Oliveira; Faria, Brígida Mónica; Bravo, Isabel; Costa, Pedro; Costa, Pedro; Faria, Brigida MonicaIn the era of personalised medicine, tumour hypoxia (TH) is critical in radiotherapy (RT) response due to its role in tumour resistance. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) enables non-invasive assessment of TH and supports heterogeneous dose-escalation to hypoxic sub-volumes, improving treatment efficacy. This study explores Nuclear Medicine Technologists (NMT) and Radiotherapy Technologists (RTT) perceptions of PET-based TH (PET-TH) assessment and implementation in RT planning in Portugal. We conducted an observational cross-sectional survey of RTTs and NMTs currently working in Portuguese healthcare institutions. Statistical tests were used to assess associations and compare distributions using IBM® SPSS®. A total of 66 participants, 57 (86.4 %) females, with a mean age of 33.68 (±8.13) years, were included: 23 (34.8 %) NMTs and 43 (65.2 %) RTTs. While 65.2 % of NMT departments had PET scans with RT-compatible settings, only 8.7 % had performed PET-TH studies. Among RTTs, 88.4 % reported that their treatment planning systems were compatible with PET/CT fusion, yet only 9.3 % had used PET in RT planning. RTTs received more training in TH (p = 0.006) and rated their knowledge higher than NMTs (p = 0.042). Greater professional experience and higher perceived knowledge were associated with better performance on evaluation items (p = 0.027; p = 0.037). Regardless of institution type, 92.4 % expressed interest in interprofessional collaboration to support individualised planning. The assessed departments possess infrastructures for PET-TH integration, yet clinical implementation remains limited. Knowledge and professional experience are associated with competency. Targeted training for Technologists and interdisciplinary workflows may improve PET-TH adoption. Addressing knowledge and workflow could facilitate PET integration into RT planning and potentially enhance treatment outcomes. Future efforts should focus on interdisciplinary collaboration.
- Real-time dosimetry, organs dose and risk assessment for CBCT thorax protocols in IGRT proceduresPublication . Campos, A.; Sá, Ana Cravo; Romanets, Y.; Vaz, P.; Di Maria, S.Cone Beam Computed Tomography (CBCT) is essential in Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (IGRT), enabling more accurate treatments but increasing patients exposure to radiation. Despite advancements in dose reduction acquisition methods, routine daily CBCT imaging can still result in a considerable cumulative radiation dose to the patient, which should be considered and assessed. This study aimed at estimating the radiation doses absorbed with MOSFET detectors of some radiosensitive organs (e.g. lung, stomach, liver) during thoracic CBCT examination and calculates the risk of cancer incidence and mortality with adult thorax physical phantom. The absorbed doses in the aforementioned organs ranged between 3 mGy and 8 mGy per fraction, close to the isocenter. Over 33 fractions, the cumulative absorbed dose reached approximately 260 mGy. The analysis of cancer incidence and mortality risk through BEIR VII model revealed that the lungs have the highest number of cases for each age considered (20–80 years interval). Comparing dose assessment obtained using several methods (Monte Carlo, TLDs and MOSFETs), with the same irradiation protocol, lung dose varies among 2.08 mGy and 7.60 mGy, whereas the heart varies among 4.9 Gy and 10 mGy. Although surrogate dose-index methods are often used, organ absorbed doses assessment should be the preferred method to assess the magnitude of realistic organ radiation risk of populations undergoing examinations with ionizing radiation. Implications for practice: Promoting experimental dosimetry phantom studies in a more harmonized way would increase the accuracy of organ absorbed dose assessment and consequently would improve the risk communication and decision-making for better CBCT protocols choice in clinical settings.
- Enantiomeric biodistribution, metabolic profile, and toxicity of 3-chloromethcathinone in Wistar rats following acute exposurePublication . Langa, Ivan; Rocha-Pereira, Carolina; Silva, Paula; Milhazes, Nuno; Silva, Diana Dias da; Domingues, Susana; Resende, Albina Dolores; Barbosa, Joana; Faria, Juliana; Tiritan, Maria Elizabeth; Ribeiro, Cláudiaynthetic cathinones are a class of new psychoactive substances (NPS) with 3-chloromethcathinone (3-CMC) accounting for over 46% of NPS-related seizures in 2023. Sold as a racemate, 3-CMC exhibits enantioselective metabolism and pharmacological effects, making enantioselectivity a critical factor in evaluating its toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics. This study aimed to evaluate the enantiomeric biodistribution, metabolic profile, and toxicity of 3-CMC racemate in Wistar rats following acute exposure. For this purpose, a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) method was validated for quantifying 3-CMC in biological matrices and for characterizing its biodistribution in vivo. Rats were intraperitoneally administered with saline (control) or 3-CMC (10 or 20 mg kg−1, b.w.). Animals were sacrificed 24 h after administration, and plasma, urine, and tissues were collected for biodistribution, biochemical, and histopathological analyses. 3-CMC was exclusively detected in the urine, along with three additional pairs of enantiomeric metabolites. Both 3-CMC and its metabolites exhibit enantiomeric fractions (EF) different from 0.5, indicating enantiomeric enrichment. Administration of 3-CMC significantly decreased plasma levels of creatine kinase-MB, alkaline phosphatase, and aspartate aminotransferase, along with increased levels of glucose and urea. In the urine, decreased levels of albumin were observed. Oxidative stress and energy biomarkers were altered in the brain, lungs, and kidneys. Histopathological analysis revealed morphological alterations in the brain, liver, and lungs at both doses, and in the kidneys at the highest dose. However, no significant alterations were observed in the other tissues. Taken together, our findings suggest enantioselective metabolism and indicate that, although rapidly eliminated by the kidneys, 3-CMC still causes significant toxicity in target organs, such as the brain, liver, lungs, and kidneys. This highlights the high toxicity of the drug or its metabolites, even over short-term exposure.
- Methodology for the development of the Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA)-EAACI 2024–2025 Guidelines: From evidence-to-decision frameworks to digitalised shared decision-making algorithmsPublication . Bousquet, Jean; Amaral, Rita; Amaral, RitaThe Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines produced their first edition in 1999, with subsequent revisions in 2008, 2010, 2016 and 2019. A new iteration of ARIA—ARIA 2024–2025—in collaboration with EAACI is currently being developed, focusing on the management of allergic rhinitis. ARIA 2024–2025 follows the GRADE framework and is endorsed by the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI). A set of approaches has been used to develop guideline questions, including surveying key opinion leaders and using artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools to analyse web searches on allergic rhinitis and to generate questions. Each prioritised guideline question is assessed through an Evidence-to-Decision (EtD) framework. EtDs support the systematic and transparent formulation of recommendations, comprising 12 criteria for which the best available evidence should be sought. In the context of ARIA-EAACI 2024–2025, such evidence is derived not only from randomised controlled trials but also—among others—from patient-generated data sources that better reflect the affected individuals' perspectives. Moreover, ARIA-EAACI 2024–2025 incorporates evidence on planetary health. Developed guideline recommendations will support the creation of digitalised decision algorithms and care pathways. This paper describes the methodology used to develop the person-centred, digitally enabled and AI-assisted ARIA-EAACI 2024–2025. Among others, it describes (i) the development and prioritisation of guideline questions, (ii) sources of evidence for EtDs and (iii) the development of digitalised decision algorithms and care pathways.
- Flow-through 3D-printed device for automatic microsampling and handling of dried urine spotsPublication . Fernandes, Sara R.; Cunha, Diana R.; Guidetti, Federica; Barreiros, Luísa; Miró, Manuel; Segundo, Marcela A.; Barreiros, Luisa; Fernandes, Sara3D printing has revolutionized analytical chemistry by allowing the development of miniaturized and high- precision devices. In bioanalysis, sample collection and pre-treatment can be facilitated using 3D printing combined with flow analysis and mass spectrometry. Hence, a customized 3D-printed device was designed for sampling, clean-up, and target retrieval using filter paper as a sample collection material and sorbent. This device was integrated into a flow network for fully automatic extraction and applied to detect three anticoagulants in human urine. Different printing materials, designs and other factors related to fused deposition modeling 3D printing such as the infill percentage were evaluated to achieve the configuration that allowed the implementation of sampling and separation procedures in the same device. After establishing the final design of the device, several parameters such as the eluent composition and the hydrodynamic conditions were studied to enhance the recovery of the target analytes, namely apixaban, rivaroxaban, and warfarin. The processed samples were analyzed by UHPLC-MS/MS in positive ionization mode using a BEH C18 column. The method demonstrated good linearity (r2 >0.998) for quantification of the target analytes at concentrations ranging from 0.20 to 20 μg L 1 for apixaban and warfarin, and from 0.50 to 20 μg L 1 for rivaroxaban. LOD and LOQ values of 0.06–0.2 μg L 1 and 0.1–0.5 μg L 1, respectively, for undiluted urine were obtained. The method was found to be accurate (97.0–102 %) and precise (CV ≤6.0 %). This new approach, according to the scores obtained by applying the AGREEprep (0.70), AGREE (0.65) and BAGI (70) metrics, can be described as environmentally friendly, practical and suitable for bioanalytical purposes.
- Deteção de Leishmânia usando Machine LearningPublication . MONTEIRO, EDUARDO JOSÉ SECA; Gomes, Elsa Maria De Carvalho FerreiraA Leishmaniose é uma doença tropical negligenciada, causada por parasitas protozoários, que infetam maioritariamente as populações mais pobres do mundo. Globalmente, há cerca de 700.000 a 1 milhão de novos casos de Leishmaniose humana por ano. Devido às alterações climáticas e a viagens com companhias caninas para regiões endémicas, está-se a identificar, respetivamente, uma expansão para norte do habitat do parasita, e o surgimento da doença em locais não endémicos no norte da Europa. O objetivo principal deste trabalho é desenvolver um modelo baseado em machine learning capaz de identificar Leishmânia em imagens microscópicas, facilitando a deteção automática da Leishmaniose in vitro. Pretende-se também comparar esta abordagem com as existentes no estado da arte. O trabalho engloba a procura de conjunto de dados relevantes, o préprocessamento, tratamento de dados, arquitetura de modelos, e a sua otimização. O modelo com melhores resultados alcançou uma accuracy de 98%, um valor de loss de 0.06, e um f1- score de 0.98 no conjunto de teste.
- Factors associated with urinary incontinence in female weightliftersPublication . Lopes, Sofia; Becam, Manon; Pierrot, Carla; Réard, Julie; Carvalhais, Alice; Vieira, Ágata; Brochado, Gabriela; Lopes, SofiaUrinary incontinence (UI) is common among women practicing sports, particularly those involving heavy lifting or high-impact movements that increase intra-abdominal pressure. UI can negatively affect social life, self-confidence, and motivation to remain active. This study aimed to examine the associations of sociodemographic, training-related, obstetric, and surgical factors with UI in female weightlifters. This cross-sectional study included 84 French women who regularly practiced weightlifting. Participants completed a structured questionnaire collecting sociodemographic and gynecological information, as well as the Urinary Symptom Profile (USP). Data were analyzed using appropriate inferential statistical tests, including the Mann–Whitney U test, Student’s t-test, chi-square test, and Fisher’s exact test, as applicable. A 95% confidence level was adopted for all analyses. Among participants (aged 15–49 years), 51 (60.7%) reported involuntary urine leakage, and 31 (36.9%) scored 1–3 on the USP stress incontinence subscale. Most participants were non-smokers (73.8%), with a median of 3.5 years of weightlifting experience, four weekly training sessions, and six–seven competitions per year. No significant associations were found between UI and sociodemographic factors, obstetric history, previous surgeries, or training characteristics. Maximal lifts in Clean & Jerk and Snatch exercises were also similar between participants with and without UI. Slight trends suggested a higher UI prevalence among women with vaginal deliveries, episiotomies, or vaginal lacerations. Regarding athletes with and without UI, no differences were found (p > 0.05) with respect to weightlifting belt use or the breathing phase during load lifting. UI is common among female weightlifters, but in this study, was not associated with sociodemographic factors or weightlifting practices. These findings indicate that UI prevalence cannot be explained by the variables studied and highlight the need for further research into other potential contributing factors.
- Impact of the addition of botanical ingredients on the physicochemical properties, polyphenolic content, and antioxidant activity of craft beersPublication . Pereira, Maria João; Santos, Diana; Pinho, Cláudia; Oliveira, Ana Isabel; Oliveira, Ana IsabelThe incorporation of botanical ingredients into craft beer has emerged as a promising strategy to enhance nutritional value and expand its sensory diversity. Thus, this review aims to discuss the impact of adding botanical extracts on the physicochemical properties, phenolic content, and antioxidant potential of craft beers. A narrative review was conducted using PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, and b-on databases, with the keywords ‘craft beer’, ‘physicochemical properties’, ‘polyphenolic content’, and ‘antioxidant activity’. The incorporation of botanical ingredients into beers modified the physicochemical parameters, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activity. These effects varied according to the type of matrix, concentration, timing of addition, beer style, and brewing conditions. Overall, an increase in beer TPC and antioxidant activity was observed. However, higher TPC can present technological challenges, as phenolic–protein interaction may lead to turbidity. Conversely, enhanced antioxidant potential contributes to oxidative stability and extends the shelf-life of beer. Future studies should validate the current results, explore new bioactive matrices, and evaluate variables that ensure the functional quality of beer. Practical applications under real production conditions should also be prioritized to guarantee effective functional benefits without compromising the stability and sensory acceptance of craft beer.
- Sistema de rastreabilidade no processo de fabricoPublication . GOMES, CAROLINA SOARES; Pereira, Ivo André Soares; Araújo, Susana Cláudia Nicola deA presente dissertação é resultado de um trabalho desenvolvido em contexto real na Gestamp Aveiro, uma empresa pertencente à indústria automóvel. O objetivo principal deste projeto passou por implementar e otimizar o sistema FIFO (First In, First Out), integrado com o ERP SAP, com o intuito não só de melhorar a rastreabilidade e a eficiência operacional, mas também facilitar o dia a dia dos operadores, reduzir desperdícios e tornar os processos mais intuitivos. Deste modo, recorreu-se a uma abordagem mista, que combinava a revisão sistemática da literatura (PRISMA) com a investigação-ação (Action Research). Este estudo incidiu sobre os dois armazéns integrantes da logística interna. Ambos eram caracterizados por serem regidos por uma gestão de posições dedicadas. Isto originava limitações a nível estrutural e físico e condicionava, consequentemente, o cumprimento do FIFO. A solução passou pela transição de ambos os armazéns para um modelo de alocação caótica, suportado por novas codificações em SAP representadas através de QR codes, de modo a garantir maior flexibilidade e rastreabilidade. No armazém de bobines, esta transformação foi reforçada com a criação de um dashboard em Power BI, que facilita o controlo visual e imediato para a realização de inventários. No armazém do supermercado, foram implementados alertas e restrições no sistema SAP, de modo a assegurar a disciplina no funcionamento do FIFO. Mais do que mudanças estruturais e técnicas, este trabalho provou que a integração entre sistemas digitais e processos físicos, apoiada por layouts claros e práticas colaborativas, é fundamental para criar um ambiente logístico mais eficiente, rentável, sustentável e adaptado às pessoas que nele trabalham.