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Publicações

2024

The Utility of Annual Reassessment of the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcer Risk Classification in the Primary Care Setting-A Cohort Study

Autores
Monteiro-Soares, M; Dores, J; Alves-Palma, C; Galrito, S; Ferreira-Santos, D;

Publicação
DIABETOLOGY

Abstract
Background: We assessed the pertinence of updating the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) risk classification yearly in people with diabetes by quantifying the changes in the risk group and its accuracy in identifying those developing an ulcer (DFU) in a primary care setting. Methods: In our retrospective cohort study, we included all people with diabetes with a foot assessment registry between January 2016 and December 2018 in the Baixo Alentejo Local Health Unit. Foot-related data were collected at baseline after one and two years. DFU and/or death until December 2019 were registered. The proportion of people changing their risk status each year was calculated. Accuracy measures of the IWGDF classification to predict DFU occurrence at one, two, and three years were calculated. Results: A total of 2097 people were followed for three years, during which 0.1% died and 12.4% developed a DFU. After two years, 3.6% of the participants had progressed to a higher-risk group. The IWGDF classification presented specificity values superior to 90% and negative predictive values superior to 99%. Conclusion: Foot risk status can be safely updated every two years instead of yearly, mainly for those at very low risk. The IWGDF classification can accurately identify those not at risk of DFU.

2024

The Role of Family Ownership on Internationalization Strategies

Autores
Costa, J; Barbosa, J;

Publicação
ADMINISTRATIVE SCIENCES

Abstract
The present study examines the impact of family ownership and control on the internationalization strategies of Portuguese manufacturing firms. The study contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence that different forms of international market presence are asymmetrically influenced by family control and by underscoring the importance of innovative strategies. The analysis includes a sample of 25,533 firms observed from 2018 to 2021. Econometric models address the role of ownership in alternative internationalization endeavors, demonstrating that these firms differ from their non-family counterparts. By comparing the export propensity, intensity, and reach of family businesses to non-family businesses, the research sheds light on the challenges faced by family-owned firms and the significance of structural characteristics such as technological regimes and regional competitive advantages. The findings emphasize the negative impact of family presence on internationalization while highlighting the importance of innovation and ecosystem support. Additionally, the study contributes to the empirical refinement of firm classification by proposing a more reliable segmentation method. It also presents alternative econometric methods to appraise internationalization strategies better. Future research directions are suggested, particularly regarding the use of additional information related to innovation and human capital, offering insights for enhancing the global engagement of family businesses in global markets. This research provides valuable empirical evidence and practical implications for policymakers and practitioners seeking to support the required actions to promote the growth and internationalization of family businesses in the context of the Portuguese manufacturing industry.

2024

Large-scale agile security practices in software engineering

Autores
Ascençao, C; Teixeira, H; Gonçalves, J; Almeida, F;

Publicação
INFORMATION AND COMPUTER SECURITY

Abstract
PurposeSecurity in large-scale agile is a crucial aspect that should be carefully addressed to ensure the protection of sensitive data, systems and user privacy. This study aims to identify and characterize the security practices that can be applied in managing large-scale agile projects.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study is carried out through 18 interviews with 6 software development companies based in Portugal. Professionals who play the roles of Product Owner, Scrum Master and Scrum Member were interviewed. A thematic analysis was applied to identify deductive and inductive security practices.FindingsThe findings identified a total of 15 security practices, of which 8 are deductive themes and 7 are inductive. Most common security practices in large-scale agile include penetration testing, sensitive data management, automated testing, threat modeling and the implementation of a DevSecOps approach.Originality/valueThe results of this study extend the knowledge about large-scale security practices and offer relevant practical contributions for organizations that are migrating to large-scale agile environments. By incorporating security practices at every stage of the agile development lifecycle and fostering a security-conscious culture, organizations can effectively address security challenges in large-scale agile environments.

2024

Mitigating information asymmetry in 5G networks

Autores
Silva, HBGE; Santos, RMN; Ricardo, M;

Publicação
INTERNET POLICY REVIEW

Abstract
The implementation of traffic differentiation measures by internet service providers (ISPs) has raised concerns regarding net neutrality, potentially leading to discriminatory practices that challenge existing regulatory frameworks. The complexity of this issue intensifies with the advent of 5G networks as they dynamically assemble elements of the physical infrastructure to create logically segregated domains customised to accommodate usage scenarios with specific requirements, resulting in the categorisation of users, applications, and services into distinct groups which possess the capacity to disrupt the non-discriminatory treatment of data flows. Within this context, a pivotal question arises: how can regulatory authorities effectively evaluate traffic differentiation in 5G networks? In response, this paper proposes an innovative application of the standardised network data analytics function (NWDAF) to facilitate the assessment of internet traffic differentiation. We introduce this novel concept and demonstrate its implementation through a proof -of -concept prototype. By leveraging the NWDAF, regulators may obtain direct and automatic access to performance metrics of 5G networks, enabling the analysis of the traffic management mechanisms employed by ISPs.

2024

Fair-OBNC: Correcting Label Noise for Fairer Datasets

Autores
Silva, IOe; Jesus, SM; Ferreira, HM; Saleiro, P; Sousa, I; Bizarro, P; Soares, C;

Publicação
ECAI 2024 - 27th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence, 19-24 October 2024, Santiago de Compostela, Spain - Including 13th Conference on Prestigious Applications of Intelligent Systems (PAIS 2024)

Abstract
Data used by automated decision-making systems, such as Machine Learning models, often reflects discriminatory behavior that occurred in the past. These biases in the training data are sometimes related to label noise, such as in COMPAS, where more African-American offenders are wrongly labeled as having a higher risk of recidivism when compared to their White counterparts. Models trained on such biased data may perpetuate or even aggravate the biases with respect to sensitive information, such as gender, race, or age. However, while multiple label noise correction approaches are available in the literature, these focus on model performance exclusively. In this work, we propose Fair-OBNC, a label noise correction method with fairness considerations, to produce training datasets with measurable demographic parity. The presented method adapts Ordering-Based Noise Correction, with an adjusted criterion of ordering, based both on the margin of error of an ensemble, and the potential increase in the observed demographic parity of the dataset. We evaluate Fair-OBNC against other different pre-processing techniques, under different scenarios of controlled label noise. Our results show that the proposed method is the overall better alternative within the pool of label correction methods, being capable of attaining better reconstructions of the original labels. Models trained in the corrected data have an increase, on average, of 150% in demographic parity, when compared to models trained in data with noisy labels, across the considered levels of label noise. © 2024 The Authors.

2024

Interpretable AI for medical image analysis: methods, evaluation, and clinical considerations

Autores
Gonçalves, T; Hedström, A; Pahud de Mortanges, A; Li, X; Müller, H; Cardoso, S; Reyes, M;

Publicação
Trustworthy Ai in Medical Imaging

Abstract
In the healthcare context, artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to power decision support systems and help health professionals in their clinical decisions. However, given its complexity, AI is usually seen as a black box that receives data and outputs a prediction. This behavior may jeopardize the adoption of this technology by the healthcare community, which values the existence of explanations to justify a clinical decision. Besides, the developers must have a strategy to assess and audit these systems to ensure their reproducibility and quality in production. The field of interpretable artificial intelligence emerged to study how these algorithms work and clarify their behavior. This chapter reviews several interpretability of AI algorithms for medical imaging, discussing their functioning, limitations, benefits, applications, and evaluation strategies. The chapter concludes with considerations that might contribute to bringing these methods closer to the daily routine of healthcare professionals. © 2025 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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