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Publications

Publications by LIAAD

2025

Quiet Quitting Scale: Adaptation and Validation for the Portuguese Nursing Context

Authors
Ventura-Silva, JMA; Ribeiro, MP; Barros, SCD; de Castro, SFM; Sanches, DMM; Trindade, LD; Teles, PJFC; Zuge, SS; Ribeiro, OMPL;

Publication
NURSING REPORTS

Abstract
Contemporary transformations in the world of work, together with the growing emotional and physical demands in nursing, have led to the emergence of new labor phenomena such as quiet quitting, which reflects changes in professional engagement and in the management of nurses' well-being. Objective: To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Quiet Quitting Scale for European Portuguese, evaluating its psychometric properties among the nursing population. Methods: A cross-sectional validation study was conducted following COSMIN guidelines. The process included forward and back translation, expert panel review, and pretesting with 30 nurses. The psychometric evaluation was carried out with 347 nurses from Northern Portugal. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, internal consistency measures (Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with maximum likelihood estimation to assess construct validity. Results: The Portuguese version (QQS-PT) maintained the original three-factor structure (Detachment/Disinterest, Lack of Initiative, and Lack of Motivation). The model showed satisfactory fit indices (CFI = 0.936; GFI = 0.901; AGFI = 0.814; TLI = 0.905; RMSEA = 0.133). The overall internal consistency was excellent (alpha = 0.918; omega = 0.922), with subscale alpha ranging from 0.788 to 0.924. Composite reliability (CR) ranged from 0.815 to 0.924, and average variance extracted (AVE) from 0.606 to 0.859, confirming convergent and discriminant validity. Conclusions: The QQS-PT demonstrated a stable factorial structure, strong reliability, and solid validity evidence. It is a brief and psychometrically sound instrument for assessing quiet quitting among nurses, providing valuable insights for research and management of professional engagement and well-being in healthcare contexts.

2025

A Multidimensional Approach to Ethical AI Auditing

Authors
Sónia Teixeira; Atia Cortés; Dilhan Thilakarathne; Gianmarco Gori; Marco Minici; Monowar Bhuyan; Nina Khairova; Tosin Adewumi; Devvjiit Bhuyan; Jack O'Keefe; Carmela Comito; João Gama; Virginia Dignum;

Publication
Proceedings of the AAAI/ACM Conference on AI Ethics and Society

Abstract
The increasing integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors of society raises complex ethical challenges requiring systematic and scalable oversight mechanisms. While tools such as AIF360 and Aequitas address specific dimensions, namely fairness, there remains a lack of comprehensive frameworks capable of auditing multiple ethical principles simultaneously. This paper introduces a multidimensional AI auditing tool designed to evaluate systems across key dimensions: fairness, explainability, robustness, transparency, bias, sustainability, and legal compliance. Unlike existing tools, our framework enables simultaneous assessment of these dimensions, supporting more holistic and accountable AI deployment. We demonstrate the tool’s applicability through use cases and discuss its implications for building trust and aligning AI development with fundamental ethical standards.

2025

Strategic Alliances in NetLogo: A Flocking Algorithm with Reinforcement Learning

Authors
Sónia Teixeira; Sónia Teixeira; Pedro Campos; Pedro Campos; Sónia Teixeira; Sónia Teixeira; Pedro Campos; Pedro Campos;

Publication
Machine Learning Perspectives of Agent-Based Models

Abstract
The evolution of markets provides a change in the way organisations act. To improve their competitive performance and stay on the market, organisations often adopt a strategy to establish agreements with other organisations, known as strategic alliances. Several tools, algorithms, and computational systems call upon other sciences as a source of inspiration. In this work we explore flocking behaviour, a paradigm of biology, to analyse the collective intelligence behaviour that emerges from a group of individuals or firms. Inspired by the Cucker and Smale algorithm (C-S), we propose a new version of the flocking algorithm, AllFlock, applied to strategic alliances, considering a learning mechanism. For this new approach, metrics were obtained for the parameters of the C-S algorithm: position, velocity, and influence. The latter uses cooperative games, adapted mechanisms, and methods currently explored in reinforcement learning. We have used Netlogo as the modelling environment. Five parameter configurations were analysed. For each of those configurations, the average number of iterations, the permanence rate of organisations in the alliance, and the average growth of the organisations were computed. The behaviour of the organisations reveals a tendency for convergence, confirming the existence of flocking behaviour. © 2025 The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.

2025

Cycling Without Age Intervention: Effects on Loneliness, Social Isolation and Life Satisfaction of Older People

Authors
Martins, SPV; Alves, HFC; Guedes, JMTM; Margarido, MHS; Freitas, S;

Publication
AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING

Abstract
Objectives: Social isolation and loneliness among older people are widespread, with an impact on physical and mental health. Cycling Without Age (CWA) is an international cycling programme developed to minimise social isolation and loneliness in older people. It involves trishaw (electric bicycle) rides in the open air, led by volunteer riders. This study aimed to analyse the effects of CWA intervention on loneliness and social isolation among older people living in Porto, Portugal. Methods: Older adults (aged 55 years or older) living in the community or a nursing home were included. The intervention comprised at least four bicycle rides, with a duration between 30 and 60 min. A research protocol was applied before and after the intervention, which included the UCLA Loneliness Scale and the Abbreviated Lubben Social Network Scale. Results: A total of 47 participants (median age = 85 years) completed the intervention. Participants were mostly female (81%), widowed (66%) and living in nursing homes (72%). A statistically significant decrease in loneliness was found after the intervention (Median [IQR]_after = 24.0 [16.0] vs. before = 17.0 [6.0]; p < 0.05). Discussion: This preliminary work highlights the positive effect the CWA intervention may have on loneliness among older adults, which is consistent with other CWA programme studies. However, future research is required to evaluate whether these effects persist over time.

2025

Advanced driving assistance integration in electric motorcycles: road surface classification with a focus on gravel detection using deep learning

Authors
Venancio, R; Filipe, V; Cerveira, A; Gonçalves, L;

Publication
FRONTIERS IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Abstract
Riding a motorcycle involves risks that can be minimized through advanced sensing and response systems to assist the rider. The use of camera-collected images to monitor road conditions can aid in the development of tools designed to enhance rider safety and prevent accidents. This paper proposes a method for developing deep learning models designed to operate efficiently on embedded systems like the Raspberry Pi, facilitating real-time decisions that consider the road condition. Our research tests and compares several state-of-the-art convolutional neural network architectures, including EfficientNet and Inception, to determine which offers the best balance between inference time and accuracy. Specifically, we measured top-1 accuracy and inference time on a Raspberry Pi, identifying EfficientNetV2 as the most suitable model due to its optimal trade-off between performance and computational demand. The model's top-1 accuracy significantly outperformed other models while maintaining competitive inference speeds, making it ideal for real-time applications in traffic-dense urban settings.

2025

Optimizing Renewable Microgrid Performance Through Hydrogen Storage Integration

Authors
Ribeiro, B; Baptista, J; Cerveira, A;

Publication
ALGORITHMS

Abstract
The global transition to a low-carbon energy system requires innovative solutions that integrate renewable energy production with storage and utilization technologies. The growth in energy demand, combined with the intermittency of these sources, highlights the need for advanced management models capable of ensuring system stability and efficiency. This paper presents the development of an optimized energy management system integrating renewable sources, with a focus on green hydrogen production via electrolysis, storage, and use through a fuel cell. The system aims to promote energy autonomy and support the transition to a low-carbon economy by reducing dependence on the conventional electricity grid. The proposed model enables flexible hourly energy flow optimization, considering solar availability, local consumption, hydrogen storage capacity, and grid interactions. Formulated as a Mixed-Integer Linear Programming (MILP) model, it supports strategic decision-making regarding hydrogen production, storage, and utilization, as well as energy trading with the grid. Simulations using production and consumption profiles assessed the effects of hydrogen storage capacity and electricity price variations. Results confirm the effectiveness of the model in optimizing system performance under different operational scenarios.

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