Browsing by resource type "conference paper"
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- Addressing the role of maternal age on the metabolic profile of the placentaPublication . Pinheiro, Ana R.; Rodrigues, Adriana; Matos, Liliana; Guedes-Martins, Luís; Almeida, Henrique; Silva, ElisabeteAfter the age of 35, during pregnancy, there is an increased risk of impaired placentation. Changes in uterine redox balance seem to play a role in deficient placentation. We hypothesized that this local redox dysregulation has a negative impact on the placenta metabolic profile. Thus, we aimed to study the placenta metabolic profile during reproductive aging and the effect of antioxidant supplementation. Placentas were collected from pregnant women aged between 22 and 41 years, and from mice of different ages (3 or 9 months). Additionally, 9-month-old mice were treated with apocynin (5 mM) in the drinking water (3 weeks prior to and during pregnancy). Semi-quantitative real-time PCR was carried out to assess the expression of glucose and fatty acid transporters. Quantitative results are presented with standard error of the mean (SEM). In the human study, Spearman’s correlation was used for the comparative analysis of the variables studied. In the animal model, Student’s t-test was used for comparative analysis of the variables studied. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Concerning glucose transport, the results show that the expression of glucose transporter 1 is strongly negatively correlated with maternal age (r = 0.710; p = 0.0121). Regarding lipid metabolism, there is a strong negative correlation between the fatty acid transporter 4 expression and maternal age (r = -0.6865, p = 0.0233). In mice, the expression of glucose transporter 1 was also decreased in 9-month-old females (p = 0.0329, when compared to the 3-month-old females group). No differences were observed between the reproductively aged females treated with apocynin and the young females (p = 0.1990). The results of this study show that reproductive aging is linked with changes in the placenta metabolic profile. In the mice study model, antioxidant supplementation attenuated the changes observed in nutrient transport in the placenta.
- Algae and Fish Farming: An EPS@ISEP 2022 ProjectPublication . Blomme, Rose-Farah; Domissy, Zoé; Dylik, Zuzanna; Hidding, Thomas; Röhe, Alina; Duarte, Abel J.; BENEDITA CAMPOS NEVES MALHEIRO, MARIA; JUSTO, Jorge; Ferreira, Paulo; Guedes, Pedro; Castro Ribeiro, Maria Cristina de; Silva, Manuel; Auer, Michael E.; Rüütmann, TiiaThe European Project Semester (EPS) at Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP) is a capstone engineering design program where students, organised in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams, create a solution for a proposed problem, bearing in mind ethical, sustainability and market concerns. The project proposals are usually aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). New sustainable food production methods are essential to cope with the continuous population growth and aligned with SDG2 and SDG12. In this context, this paper describes the research and work done by a team of Erasmus students enrolled in EPS@ISEP during the spring of 2022. Since sustainable algae farming can be a suitable source of food, the team's goal was the design and develop a proof-of-concept prototype, named GREEN·flow, of a symbiotic aquaponic system to farm algae and fish. The smart GREEN·flow concept comprises a modular structure and an app for control and supervision. The proposed design was driven by state-of-the-art research, targeted to a specific market niche based on a market analysis, and considering sustainability and ethics concerns, all of which are described in this manuscript. A proof-of-concept prototype was built and tested to verify that it worked as intended.
- Attraction and retention strategies: what matters to the millennial?Publication . Silva, Susana; Martins, Dora; Marques, AureaThe labour market is suffering many changes and transformations putting several challenges to human resources management. One of the biggest challenges is related to the attraction and retention of employees to work in several activity sectors and to retain the talent in the organisations. In particular, hospitality and technology sectors have seen robust growth since the pandemic-induced. This study aims to explore the strategies for attracting and retaining millennials. More specifically, to understand the challenges of multigenerational management, and to understand the strategies used by organisations to meet the needs and interests of the millennial generation. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using a semi-structured interview with 17 Human resources managers. Data were analysed according to thematic analysis procedures. The results showed that university partnerships are the preferred practice for attracting millennials, work-life balance, benefits, organisational culture, investment in professional development, feedback, and recognition are the main attraction and retention strategies. Participants consider the millennial Generation to be committed, and the biggest challenge in managing generational diversity is linked to the demand and impatience of millennials. In conclusion, human resources managers should consider the generation characteristics to adequate and update their human resources practices.
- Automatic quality assessment of smart device microphone spirometryPublication . Pinho, B.; Almeida, R.; Jácome, C.; Teixeira, J. P.; Amaral, Rita; Lopes, F.; Jacinto, Tiago; Guedes, R.; Pereira, M.; Gonçalves, I.; Fonseca, J. A.; Amaral, RitaLung function tests are critical for diagnosis and monitoring of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Monitoring of lung function, in the absence of a healthcare professional, is very challenging but may be obtained through Smart Devices if automated quality assessment systems guarantee the proper technique during the forced expiratory manoeuvre. This paper describes the evaluation of one such system that uses the microphone of smart devices, regarding the initial effort of forced expiratory manoeuvres using the Back Extrapolated Volume. A health professional recorded microphone spirometry in 55 children (5-10 years), using a mobile game engineered for the purpose, and registered its quality. At least one acceptable manoeuvre was achieved for 96% of the children using a featured threshold. Using a stricter threshold of 5% of forced vital capacity, it was possible to ensure at least one acceptable manoeuvre for 69%. While the obtained results are comparable to findings in literature for regular spirometry in this age group, further work is required before we can determine whether the proposed algorithm is effective in real life.
- Beyond Scores: Early Findings on TBL's Impact in Engineering EducationPublication . Sena-Esteves, M. Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Cristina; Brás-Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, Anabela; Soares, Filomena; Leão, Celina P.; Sena-Esteves, Maria Teresa; Ribeiro, Margarida; Morais, Leonilde Cristina; Pereira, Isabel; Guedes, AnabelaThis paper presents the preliminary findings of an ongoing study investigating the influence of Team-Based Learning (TBL) on the academic performance of engineering students, particularly its impact on their grasp of subject matter and ability to solve real-world problems. Quantitative data analysis explored correlations between students' entry-level academic scores and their performance in a course incorporating TBL. The initial results suggest that there is no significant correlation, indicating that entry scores may not predict success in this TBL-integrated course. The analysis coverages multiple academic years, offering a comprehensive perspective on how trends and outcomes evolve over time. This study contributes to the discourse on effective educational practices in engineering education by examining the potential of TBL to enhance learning outcomes. Given the study's ongoing nature, these findings are provisional but pave the way for more detailed future analyses.
- Breeding endangered beetles - An EPS@ISEP 2024 ProjectPublication . Florus, Cedric; Lattunen, Jennifer; Knäuper, Julius; Jugiel, Krzysztof; Silva, Marion; Dekkers, Thomas; Duarte, Abel J.; BENEDITA CAMPOS NEVES MALHEIRO, MARIA; Santos Ribeiro, Maria Cristina; JUSTO, Jorge; Ferreira, Paulo; Silva, Manuel; Guedes, Pedro; Auer, Michael E.; Rüütmann, TiiaHabitat loss, climate change, and pesticide use are key threats affecting beetle populations. This paper describes Scarabreed, a project that contributes to mitigate the beetle decline crisis. It was carried out by a team of six European students from different engineering fields and nationalities within the European Project Semester (EPS) at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto (ISEP), a project-based and teamwork learning framework. The designed solution -- the Beetle Breeder Version 2 (BBV2) -- consists of a smart modular vivarium created especially for beetle breeding. It monitors and controls relevant habitat parameters and offers two user-friendly interfaces (on-device and a Web application). The innovative modular structure of the vivarium allows easy scaling, customisation, and transportation. As a whole, the project offers significant environmental benefits: (i) facilitates the captive breeding of endangered beetle species, promoting population restoration efforts; (ii) fosters, as an educational tool, youth and general public awareness about the crucial role beetles play in ecosystems; and (iii) adopts eco-efficient and responsible business practices by following ethics and sustainability driven design and marketing.
- Circular economy in the restaurant sector: do practices go hand in hand?Publication . Melo, António; Azevedo, Daniel; Silva, Susana; Silva, Goretti; Figueiredo, Ana; Barreto Salgueiro de Melo, Carla IsabelThe growing importance of sustainability has led the restaurant sector to explore circular economy practices to reduce waste and improve resource efficiency. This ongoing study examines the correlation between the adoption of one circular economy practice and the implementation of another within the restaurant sector. The study aims to identify specific practices that are related and assess the extent of these associations. A quantitative methodology was used with a survey that evaluated the adoption of 22 circular economy practices. Data collection was conducted between June and September 2023, resulting in 304 responses. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 28.0 with factor analysis employed to identify patterns of practice adoption. The results reveal that while some practices are indeed implemented together, such as energy-efficient equipment being strongly associated with monitoring energy consumption, many other practices did not exhibit significant correlations. For instance, waste reduction initiatives and water-saving measures often appeared isolated, without a consistent implementation linked to other practices. This suggests that restaurants may focus on aspects of circularity while neglecting others, indicating a fragmented rather than integrated approach. The findings point to key areas, such as waste management and energy efficiency, where more strategic interventions could encourage a holistic adoption of circular economy principles. These patterns underscore the need for further investigation into barriers that prevent cohesive practice implementation and opportunities for aligning efforts across multiple sustainability dimensions.
- Controlo de qualidade de soluções de ciclofosfamida preparadas com agulha ou com spike®: desenvolvimento e aplicação de método por HPLC-DAD para controlo quantitativoPublication . Carvalho, Susana; Cardoso, Andreia; Ferreira, Débora; Moreira, Fernando; Moreira, FernandoA utilização de agulhas para aspiração de fármacos citotóxicos aumenta o risco de exposição ocupacional dos profissionais de farmácia que os preparam, sendo por isso frequentemente substituída por dispositivos de libertação de pressão designados de spikes. Um dos fármacos antineoplásicos mais habitualmente manipulados em preparações de quimioterapia é a ciclofosfamida. Os objetivos deste estudo são: (i) validar um método analítico para controlo de qualidade de soluções de ciclofosfamida; (ii) comparar soluções de ciclofosfamida preparadas com recurso a agulha ou spike.
- Development and validation of an analytical method to assess the importance of using gauze dressings in luer-lock connection systems during the preparation of cytotoxic drugsPublication . Silva, Clara; Carmo, Helena; Oliveira, Vânia; Carvalho, Daniel; Moreira, Fernando; Moreira, FernandoHealthcare professionals face occupational hazardous when handling cytotoxic drugs used for cancer treatment. The International Society of Oncology Pharmacy Practice (ISOPP) standards are the guidelines recommended by the European Parliament for safety procedures but, unlike others (e.g. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)), fail to mention the need to use dressings at luer-lock connections to contain cytotoxic leaks. This study aims to develop and validate an analytical method capable of identifying and quantifying cyclophosphamide (CP) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in gauze dressings. Methods: Gauze dressings (20x10 cm) containing varying concentrations of CP and 5-FU were placed in 15 mL falcons containing acetonitrile:methanol:water (19:13:68). After stirring, the samples were passed through a 0.22 µm filter. The extracted samples were then analyzed using HPLC-DAD, equipped with a C18 column (Hypersil Gold ™ 150mm x 4.6mm and 5µm particle size). The mobile phases employed were acetonitrile:methanol:water (19:13:68) (CP) and 0.5% acetic acid in water (5-FU) and detection was set at 205 nm (CP) and 260 nm (5-FU). The mean of five calibration curves generated for each drug were calculated, each exhibiting R² > 0.997, thus confirming the linearity for both drugs. Regarding sensitivity, LOD of 0.006 µg/cm2 for 5-FU and 0.11 µg/cm2 for CP and LOQs of 0.02 µg/cm2 for 5-FU and 0.32 µg/cm2 for CP, were obtained. Accuracy fell within the range of 93%-110% and precision was set between 91% and 99%. At room temperature, gauze dressings deliberately contaminated exhibited superior stability for 5-FU compared to CP. The method has been successfully validated and, once suitability is confirmed, it will be applicable for the evaluation of the importance of using gauze dressing when handling cytotoxic drugs, by testing contaminations occurring during reallife routine handling of these cytotoxic drugs.
- Development of a decision support system for freight forecastingPublication . Martins, João P.; Ramos, Filipe R.; Pereira, M. Teresa; Oliveira, Marisa; Ferreira, Fernanda A.The transportation of goods is critical to supply chains, directly influencing efficiency, cost management, and competitiveness. Accurate freight cost forecasting is essential for decision-making, enabling businesses to allocate resources effectively, reduce financial uncertainties, and ensure timely deliveries. This study, conducted in the After-Sales department of a global company, aimed to analyse freight costs per shipment and develop a predictive system based on predefined parameters. Historical data were examined using analytical techniques and time series metrics to identify suitable forecasting methodologies. Specific algorithms, including classical methodologies (exponential smoothing models) and hybrid deep learning models (BJ-DNN model), were tested to evaluate predictive accuracy. Results showed prediction errors ranging from 17% to 56% for exponential smoothing models and from 5% to 27% for BJ-DNN models, demonstrating the superior performance of hybrid approaches. These findings emphasize the potential of predictive models to enhance freight cost forecasting, minimizing error margins and optimizing resource allocation. This research provides a foundation for refining these methodologies, contributing to improved freight cost management and operational efficiency.