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The Role of ICT in the Educational Inclusion of Children in Conflict: A Study in the Northern Provinces of Mozambique
Full text linkThis study examines the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on the educational inclusion of children displaced by conflict in the northern provinces of Mozambique, analyzing how these technologies contribute to their learning. The research explores disparities in access to and use of ICT in schools, emphasizing the challenges faced by displaced children. Employing a mixed-methods approach, data were collected from a sample of 35 participants through questionnaires administered to students, teachers, and school administrators; semi-structured interviews with educators and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs); focus groups with displaced children; and classroom observations. The analysis identifies three key findings: (i) ICT availability differs markedly between urban schools (70% with access) and rural/conflict-affected areas (30% with limited or no infrastructure); (ii) displaced children show strong interest in ICT but face low levels of digital literacy, hindering effective use; and (iii) teacher training substantially enhances the success of ICT-based methodologies, although ongoing support remains insufficient. The study underscores the urgent need for investment in infrastructure and continuous professional development to address regional inequalities and strengthen pedagogical practices. While ICT demonstrates clear potential, educational inclusion ultimately depends on overcoming disparities in access and adapting methodologies to the specific needs of displaced children.This work did not receive external funding
Experimental investigation of cellular steel beams at ambient and elevated temperatures
Full text linkCellular steel beams, commonly used in modern construction, exhibit complex failure mechanisms that have not been thoroughly explored, especially under fire conditions. This research investigates the structural behaviour of cellular beams under both ambient and elevated temperatures, with a focus on load-bearing capacity and failure modes. Experimental tests were conducted on a solid beam and six cellular beams with varying hole spacings and diameters at different temperatures. All beams were tested under three-point bending, subjecting the openings and the web posts to different combinations of bending moments and shear forces. Experimental maximum loads and failure modes are compared with the design method of EN1993-1-13 and EN1993-1-2. At ambient temperature, failure modes varied with beam design: specimens with smaller opening spacings failed by web-post buckling, while larger openings resulted in a Vierendeel mechanism. While the Eurocode predictions for load capacity were conservative under ambient conditions, the design model did not accurately predict the correct failure mode. Elevated temperatures significantly reduced the load capacity and, in some cases, changed the collapse mechanism. These results highlight that current design rules are unreliable in predicting the failure mode and may not ensure safety at higher temperatures, stressing the need for specific design rules for cellular beams in fire conditions.None
Ethical Challenges in the Use of AI in the Context of Initial Teacher Training
No full textIntegrating artificial intelligence (AI) in education is transforming teacher training, offering new possibilities but raising questions full of challenges. In particular, the ethical aspects related to the use of AI require reflection to ensure responsible and inclusive educational practices. This research identifies the ethical challenges associated with the use of AI in initial teacher training, based on the perceptions of students on initial teacher training courses, namely the Licentiate Degree in Basic Education and the Professional Master’s Degree Courses for teaching, at a Higher Education Institution in the northern interior of Portugal. The research was carried out through a questionnaire survey structured to collect perceptions on issues such as privacy, the responsible use of data, and the impact of AI on teaching relationships. The methodological approach is quantitative, complemented by qualitative data from open questions, with descriptive and thematic analyses to ensure the rigor and validity of the study. The sample, conducted by convenience, included 57 participants. The results aim to contribute to the training of professionals capable of integrating AI in a critical, conscious, and ethically responsible way. The study’s conclusions are intended to identify relevant ethical challenges, such as protecting privacy and the responsible use of data and raising awareness of the impact of AI on educational relationships. It is hoped to foster inclusive and ethical pedagogical practices that strengthen the capacity of future teachers to use emerging technologies effectively and equitably.This work has been supported by FCT \u2013 Funda\u00E7\u00E3o para a Ci\u00EAncia e Tecnologia within the Project Scope: UIDB/05777/2020 (https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05777/2020)
Relationship between obesity and depression in the adult population: systematic review of the literature
No full textA obesidade e a depressão estão entre os principais problemas de saúde pública e diversos
estudos demonstram uma associação entre ambas, com impacto negativo no prognóstico, adesão
terapêutica e morbilidade. Objetivos: Analisar a relação entre obesidade e depressão na população
adulta. Material e Métodos: Revisão sistemática realizada segundo as recomendações PRISMA, com
pesquisa nas bases PubMed e Web of Science. Foram incluídos nove estudos originais publicados entre
2014 e 2024 que analisaram a relação entre obesidade e depressão em indivíduos com idade ≥18 anos.
Resultados: A maioria dos estudos identificou maior risco de depressão em indivíduos com obesidade.
Outros evidenciaram que a depressão pode aumentar a probabilidade de desenvolvimento de obesidade,
e um estudo apontou uma relação bidirecional entre ambas. Relativamente às diferenças por sexo, vários
estudos demonstraram associações estatisticamente significativas, destacando-se maior prevalência de
depressão em mulheres com obesidade, associação mais forte entre Índice de Massa Corporal e sintomas
depressivos no sexo feminino e maior impacto da perceção do peso na saúde mental das mulheres.
Conclusões: Esta revisão evidencia uma relação significativa entre obesidade e depressão, sugerindo uma interação
complexa entre ambas as condições. Estes resultados reforçam a importância de um acompanhamento clínico
integrado e contínuo, visando uma abordagem terapêutica mais eficaz e centrada no bem-estar global do indivíduo.Obesity and depression are among the main public health problems, and several studies demonstrate an
association between the two, with a negative impact on prognosis, therapeutic adherence, and morbidity. Objectives:
To analyze the relationship between obesity and depression in the adult population. Material and Methods: Systematic
review conducted according to PRISMA recommendations, with searches in the PubMed and Web of Science databases.
Nine original studies published between 2014 and 2024 that analyzed the relationship between obesity and depression
in individuals aged ≥18 years were included. Results: Most studies identified a higher risk of depression in individuals
with obesity. Others showed that depression can increase the likelihood of developing obesity, and one study pointed
to a bidirectional relationship between the two. Regarding differences by sex, several studies demonstrated statistically
significant associations, highlighting a higher prevalence of depression in women with obesity, a stronger association
between Body Mass Index and depressive symptoms in women, and a greater impact of weight perception on women's
mental health. Conclusions: This review highlights a significant relationship between obesity and depression, suggesting
a complex interaction between the two conditions. These results reinforce the importance of integrated and continuous
clinical follow-up, aiming for a more effective therapeutic approach focused on the individual's overall well-bein
Influence of habits and comorbidities on liver disease
No full textThe prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma is expected to continue increasing worldwide, and its difficulty in early detection highlights the need for advanced monitoring technologies. As the disease progresses, it has a serious impact on patients’ health, and in severe cases, liver transplantation becomes the only viable solution, reinforcing its importance as a global health problem. This study proposes the use of different artificial intelligence methods to compare and understand them related to liver disease. Well-known algorithms such as Random Forest and Multi-Layer Perceptron were tested, as well as ensemble methods that exploit different modeling structures. The results showed that AdaBoost, Random Forest, and Gradient Boosting performed best with Area Under the Curve of 0.89, 0.86, and 0.84 respectively. To analyze their influence on clinical results, the best-performing model was reapplied only to the non-biochemical features that compose the dataset. The results indicate that portal vein thrombosis, diabetes, and hypertension are the most influential variables, with contributions of 29.48%, 20.50%, and 16.60%, respectively.This work has been supported by FCT Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope UIDB/00319/2020, UIDB/05757/2020 (DOI:10.54499/UIDB/05757/2020), UIDP/05757/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/05757/2020), Erasmus Plus KA2 within the project 2021-1-PT01-KA220-HED-000023288, and HORIZON-WIDERA-2021-ACCESS-03-01 STEP - STEM Research and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Project, under Grant Agreement No. 101078933
An openmodelica package for BELBIC
No full textThis paper presents the development and implementation of a new package for OpenModelica that integrates the Brain Emotional Learning Based Intelligent Controller (BELBIC) approach into control system simulations. BELBIC, inspired by neurobiological models of emotional learning, has demonstrated effectiveness in handling complex, nonlinear, and adaptive control problems. The proposed package provides a modular and user-friendly framework for integrating BELBIC enabling researchers and engineers to design, simulate, and analyze intelligent control strategies within an open-source environment. Key features of the package include customizable emotional response parameters and compatibility with existing Modelica libraries. To validate the package, a set of examples are included which demonstrates its application to the control of common dynamic systems.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CeDRI, UIDB/05757/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/05757/2020) and UIDP/05757/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/UIDP/05757/2020) and SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/0007/2020)
Forecasting COVID-19 in european countries using long short-term memory
No full textEffective time series forecasts are increasingly important in supporting judgment in various decisions. Various prediction models are available to support these projections based on how each area provides a diverse set of data with variable behavior. Artificial neural networks (ANNs) significantly contribute to medical research since using predictive ideas allows for the study of disease progression in the future, as well as the behavior of other variables. This study implemented the proposed model based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to forecast COVID-19 daily new cases, deaths, and ICU patients. The methodology uses quantitative and qualitative data from six European countries: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Spain to predict the last 242 days of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dataset uses the healthcare parameters of the number of daily new cases, deaths, ICU patients, and mitigation procedures, such as the percentage of the population fully vaccinated, the mandatory use of masks, and the lockdown. Two approaches were used to evaluate the model’s performance: the mean absolute error (MAE) and the mean square error (MSE). The results demonstrate that the LSTM model efficiently captures general trends in COVID-19 metrics but shows limitations when predicting data with low values or high variability, such as daily deaths.
The model reported the lowest errors for Spain and Portugal, while France and Germany exhibited higher error rates due to differences in data reporting and pandemic dynamics. These findings highlight the importance of contextualizing predictive models based on specific regional characteristics.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support through national funds FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC) to CeDRI, UIDB/05757/2020 (DOI:https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05757/2020) and UIDP/05757/2020 (DOI:https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/05757/2020) and SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (DOI:https://doi.org/10.54499/LA/P/0007/2020). Also, the researcher, Kathleen Carvalho, is grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) support with the Ph.D. scholarship 2023.05134.BD
Development of biobased water-dispersible polyurethanes for industrial applications
No full textMestrado de dupla diplomação com a UTFPR - Universidade Tecnológica Federal do ParanáPolyurethanes have gained prominence across various industrial sectors due to their versatility, flexibility, and durability. They are widely used in applications such as construction, packaging, textiles, and footwear. Traditionally, their production relies on fossil-derived raw materials, but increasing efforts are being made to enhance their sustainability. Among the most promising approaches are waterborne polyurethane dispersions (PUDs), where the polymer is modified to disperse in water, a more environmentally friendly medium. Another strategy involves the use of renewable, biobased polyols. The aim of this study was to develop more sustainable PUDs for use as adhesives in the footwear industry by increasing the biobased content of the formulations. Five biobased polyols were tested, alongside a dispersion made with a biodegradable synthetic polyol (used as a laboratory-scale reference) and a commercial dispersion (used as an industrial benchmark). The synthesis was carried out in a batch reactor, involving steps for pre-polymer preparation, neutralisation, phase inversion, and chain extension under controlled heating, mechanical stirring, and an inert atmosphere. The resulting dispersions had a biobased content exceeding 50%, with the PRI3238-based sample reaching 69.45%. The formulations demonstrated pH values ranging from 6.71 to 7.72, viscosity between 4.8 and 15 mPa·s, and solid content above 30%, meeting literature requirements. Zeta potentials above -30 mV indicated adequate stability. The derived films displayed variations in opacity, while FTIR analysis confirmed the presence of urea and urethane groups, indicating successful chemical reactions. Thermal testing showed that materials incorporating biobased polyols exhibited greater thermal resistance (mass losses between 255 °C and 450 °C) compared to synthetic ones. In adhesion tests, only the PRI3294 and PCL2000 samples exceeded the 5 N/mm threshold required by the technical specification across all three proposed scenarios.Os poliuretanos têm se destacado em diversos setores industriais devido à sua versatilidade, flexibilidade e durabilidade. Atualmente, eles são amplamente aplicados em áreas como construção, embalagens, têxteis e calçados. Tradicionalmente, sua produção depende de matérias-primas fósseis, mas esforços crescentes têm sido feitos para torná-los mais sustentáveis. Entre as abordagens mais promissoras estão as dispersões aquosas de poliuretano (PUDs), nas quais o polímero é modificado para se dispersar em água, um meio mais sustentável. Outra estratégia inclui o uso de polióis renováveis e de base biológica. Este trabalho teve como objetivo desenvolver PUDs mais sustentáveis para uso como adesivos no setor calçadista, aumentando o conteúdo de base biológica nas formulações. Foram testados cinco polióis de base biológica, além de uma dispersão contendo poliol sintético biodegradável (utilizada como referência laboratorial) e uma dispersão comercial (usada como referência industrial). A síntese foi realizada em um reator batelada, com etapas de preparação do pré-polímero, neutralização, inversão de fase e extensão de cadeia, sob condições controladas de aquecimento, agitação mecânica e atmosfera inerte. As dispersões obtidas apresentaram um teor biológico superior a 50%, com destaque para a amostra PRI3238, que alcançou 69,45%. As formulações exibiram pH entre 6,71 e 7,72, viscosidade variando de 4,8 a 15 mPa·s e teor de sólidos acima de 30%, atendendo aos padrões conhecidos na literatura. Os potenciais zeta acima de -30 mV indicaram estabilidade adequada. Os filmes derivados dessas dispersões apresentaram variações na opacidade, enquanto análises por FTIR confirmaram a presença de grupos ureia e uretano, indicando o sucesso da reação química esperada. Em testes térmicos, os materiais contendo polióis biológicos mostraram maior resistência térmica (perdas de massa entre 255 °C e 450 °C) em comparação aos polióis sintéticos. Nos testes de adesão, apenas as amostras PRI3294 e PCL2000 superaram os 5 N/mm exigidos pela especificação técnica nos três cenários avaliados
Multivariate Chemometric analysis of chemical diversity in French winter and spring Lupinus albus L. varieties
No full textWhite lupin (Lupinus albus L.) is a nutrient-rich legume well-adapted to Mediterranean climates and tolerant of abiotic stress. Therefore, lupins represent a sustainable crop option with high potential for use in areas where climate change impacts are intensifying. This study analysed eight cultivars, four winter and four spring ecotypes, to assess differences in nutritional and bioactive compounds. Key compounds studied included proteins, fats, carbohydrates, tocopherols, and phenolics. Spring ecotypes like 'Sulimo' and 'Energy' showed higher protein and tocopherol content, which may be ideal for protein-rich, antioxidant-rich diets. Winter ecotypes such as 'Angus' had more carbohydrates, especially fructose and raffinose, which could benefit energy and gut health. Both ecotypes showed high fibre levels, supporting digestive health. The findings suggest that ecotype influences chemical composition significantly, and each offers distinct benefits for targeted nutritional and functional food applications.The authors are thankful to the LOCALNUTLEG project (PRIMA programme, Call 2020, Section 1 2021 Agrofood Value Chain topic 1.3.1.). Additionally, this work was also supported by national funds through FCT/MCTES (PIDDAC): CIMO, UID/00690/2025 (10.54499/UID/00690/2025) and UID/PRR/00690/2025 (10.54499/UID/PRR/00690/2025); and SusTEC, LA/P/0007/2020 (DOI: 10.54499/LA/P/0007/2020); and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific employment program contract for L. Barros (CEEC-INST, DOI: 10.54499/CEECINST/00107/2021/CP2793/CT0002). T. Siveira thanks to the Agenda VIIAFOOD - Platform for Valorization, Industrialization and Commercial Innovation for Agrifood (no. C644929456-00000040), a project supported under the PRR (www.recuperarportugal.gov.pt) and financed by the European Union /Next Generation EU, for her contract. Manuel Ayuso acknowledges the contract as part of grant JDC2022-049135-I, funded by MCIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR
New records of Lipoptena andaluciensis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) in the Iberian Peninsula with a pictorial key of the genus
No full textSince its first description in southern Spain, Lipoptena andaluciensis (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) has drawn increasing attention due to its uncertain origin and distribution. In this study, we report new records of L. andaluciensis from geographically distant regions, including the Castelo Branco district in Portugal and three different northern Spanish provinces (Lerida, Tarragona, and Aragon). A total of 26 specimens, identified as unwinged L. andaluciensis based on morphological traits and COI barcoding, were collected between 2022 and 2024 during several field surveys on red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Additionally, Lipoptena cervi and Hippobosca equina were also collected on hosts. These recent records, indicate that the species may have been previously overlooked or misidentified, underscores the need for enhanced taxonomic resolution and expanded surveillance. To facilitate accurate identification, we provide a pictorial key to distinguish among the six European Lipoptena species, with special emphasis on Lipoptena fortisetosa, L. cervi, and L. andaluciensis. We also highlight the importance of combining detailed morphological and molecular analyses of both recent and historical specimens to prevent misidentifications and to better understand the biogeography of this emerging species.The participation of Teresa Letra Mateus was funded by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., within the scope of projects UIDB/05937/2020 (DOI identifier 10.54499/UIDB/05937/2020) and UIDP/05937/2020 (10.54499/UIDP/05937/2020). The authors express their gratitude to the Asociación del Corzo Espanol (ACE) and private hunters for its collaboration. Also thank the Spanish Ministry of Education and Science for the pre-doctoral grant (FPU21/04523) to Néstor Martínez-Calabuig. Laura Carrera-Faja was funded through the 2022 FI Scholarship, Departament de Recerca i Universitats, Generalitat de Catalunya, Spain (FI_B 00723)