Repositório IC-Online

Institution's Scientific Repository

IC-Online, the Institutional Repository of Scientific Information of the Polytechnic of Leiria (IPLeiria), is part of the RCAAP Project (Open Access Scientific Repositories of Portugal). Its main objectives are to organise, preserve and disseminate the scientific production of the Polytechnic of Leiria (IPLeiria), helping to increase the visibility and impact of the institution's scientific publications.

The IC-Online Repository includes various types of digital documents, such as articles from national and international scientific journals, papers from congresses and conferences, master's dissertations and doctoral theses, among others.

Política Institucional de Acesso Livre do Politécnico de Leiria (Despacho nº 124/2018)
Regras de afiliação do Politécnico de Leiria (Despacho nº 228/2020)
Normas de atribuição de identificadores DOI, ISBN e DL (Despacho nº 257/2024)
Apoio à investigação

Email repositorio@ipleiria.pt

Recent Submissions

Fall Risk Management in Nursing Homes: A Scoping Review

Publication . Gaspar, Cecília; Pedreira, Larissa; Reis, Neuza; Costa, Andreia; Ferreira, Ricardo; Henriques, Maria; Baixinho, Cristina Lavareda

Background: Population aging represents a growing public health challenge, with falls being one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality, and loss of autonomy among older adults. In nursing homes, the risk is exacerbated by physical, cognitive, and environmental factors, yet which interventions are most actionable in nursing homes remains unclear, requiring effective and evidence-based prevention strategies. Objective: We aimed to map the evidence on interventions in fall risk management among institutionalized older adults, highlighting assessment, exercise, environmental, and educational strategies. Methods: A scoping review was conducted according to JBI guidelines. The search was carried out in MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. The review included studies, published between 2019 and 2024, involving older adults (≥65 years) in nursing homes, focusing on nursing interventions for fall risk management. Results: The initial search identified 1146 records across electronic databases and gray literature sources. After removing duplicates and screening titles, abstracts, and full texts, 18 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (i) fall risk assessment, using functional and clinical scales such as the Timed Up and Go (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Morse Fall Scale, to identify predisposing factors; (ii) exercise programs, such as the Otago Exercise Program and multicomponent training, which demonstrated benefits in strength, balance, and mobility; (iii) environmental modifications, aimed at reducing extrinsic risks and promoting safer surroundings; and (iv) educational programs, targeting professionals, residents, and families, with positive effects on adherence to preventive practices and on strengthening the safety culture. Conclusions: Effective fall risk management in nursing homes requires an integrated, multidisciplinary, and person-centered approach, with nurses playing a central role in assessment, coordination, and implementation of interventions. However, gaps remain regarding standardization, validation of assessment tools specific to the institutional context, and evaluation of long-term outcomes.

2025-12-10Journal article

Open access

Polymer Melt Stability Monitoring in Injection Moulding Using LSTM-Based Time-Series Models

Publication . Costa, Pedro; Mendes, Sílvio Priem; Loureiro, Paulo

This work presents a data-driven framework for early detection of polymer melt instability in industrial injection moulding using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) time-series models. The study uses six months of continuous production data comprising approximately 280,000 injection cycles collected from a fully operational thermoplastic injection line. Because melt behaviour evolves gradually and conventional threshold-based monitoring often fails to capture these transitions, the proposed approach models temporal patterns in torque, pressure, temperature, and rheology to identify drift conditions that precede quality degradation. A physically informed labelling strategy enables supervised learning even with sparse defect annotations by defining volatile zones as short time windows preceding operator-identified non-conforming parts, allowing the model to recognise instability windows minutes before defects emerge. The framework is designed for deployment on standard machine signals without requiring additional sensors, supporting proactive process adjustments, improved stability, and reduced scrap in injection moulding environments. These findings demonstrate the potential of temporal deep-learning models to enhance real-time monitoring and contribute to more robust and adaptive manufacturing operations.

2025-12-23Journal article

Open access

Sociodemographic Factors Associated with EU Citizens’ Attitudes Toward Animal Welfare Standards in External Trade

Publication . Mata, Fernando; Marques, Rosário; Almeida, João M.; Araújo, José; Baptista, Nuno; Paixão, Gustavo; Cerqueira, Joaquim

This study examines the impact of sociodemographic factors on the attitudes of EU citizens towards animal welfare and their implications for trade policy. Variations in animal welfare legislation across major commercial blocks create ethical and economic challenges, with the EU implementing stringent standards compared with other countries. Data were drawn from the Special Eurobarometer 533 survey, conducted between the 3rd and 26th March 2023, which employed a multistage, clustered sampling method across all 27 EU Member States, yielding a representative sample of 26,368 respondents. The survey collected detailed information on attitudes toward animal welfare alongside sociodemographic characteristics. The results revealed substantial public support for stricter regulations and informative labelling, with attitudes differing with age (p < 0.001), education (p < 0.001), income (p < 0.001), and political orientation (p < 0.001), according to the multinomial regression applied to each of the independent variables. These results emphasise the importance of these factors in shaping consumer expectations. The findings highlight the need for policymakers to integrate ethical and societal values into trade negotiations, ensuring that policies reflect public concerns, promote fair competition, and encourage higher animal welfare standards internationally. Additionally, understanding the perspectives and motivations of livestock industry stakeholders remains critical for implementing effective welfare strategies. By aligning EU trade policy with citizen values and stakeholder practices, it is possible to advance animal welfare globally while balancing economic and ethical considerations and promoting a fair trade.

2025-12-30Journal article

Open access

A Influência da Liderança no Desempenho e na Motivação dos Colaboradores

Publication . Fernandes, Joana Sofia Nóbrega; Sousa, Marlene Filipa da Natividade e

A liderança desempenha um papel importante nas organizações do terceiro setor, especialmente nas Instituições Particulares de Solidariedade Social (IPSS), onde a motivação e o desempenho dos colaboradores são fundamentais para a qualidade dos serviços prestados à população. Assim, a presente dissertação tem como objetivo analisar a influência da liderança no desempenho e na motivação dos colaboradores. Para esse efeito, desenvolveu-se uma investigação de natureza quantitativa baseada na aplicação de um inquérito por questionário a 326 colaboradores de 40 IPSS’s da Região Autónoma da Madeira, abrangendo técnicos superiores, animadores, profissionais de ação direta, serviços gerais e demais serviços que laboram diretamente com a população idosa. Os resultados obtidos revelam que a liderança influencia positivamente a motivação dos colaboradores, que por sua vez, influencia o seu desempenho. Verificou-se ainda que a motivação desempenha um papel mediador entre liderança e desempenho. Esta investigação surgiu no sentido de procurar compreender as dinâmicas organizacionais no setor social e ajudar no desenvolvimento de estratégias de liderança mais eficazes e humanizadas aos líderes dessas IPSS’s, promovendo a expansão das instituições, a satisfação dos colaboradores e a capacidade e valor dos serviços que são oferecidos.

2025-12-18Master thesis

Embargoed access

Effects of dignity therapy on dignity and spiritual well-being in people with advanced cancer: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Publication . Yanez, Romel; Fernandes, Ana; Sousa, Maria de; Abreu, Cinara; Alcantara, Roberta de; Guimarães, Maria; Cunha, Meire da; Magalhães, Luciana; Brito, Amalia de; Gomes, Matheus; Medeiros, Natacha de; Castro, Régia; Sixsmith, Judith; Paiva, Bianca; Torres, Débora; Johnston, Bridget; Laranjeira, Carlos

Background Dignity Therapy is a person-centered psychotherapeutic intervention designed for people approaching the end of life, fostering reflection on meaningful aspects of life and creating a testimonial legacy. Since 2011, randomized trials have demonstrated its value in addressing psychospiritual needs and preserving dignity in palliative care. However, no controlled studies have been conducted in Latin America to assess its effectiveness within local cultural contexts. Methods This is a protocol for an exploratory, randomized, parallel-group clinical trial (1:1 allocation) with an open-label design. A total of 96 hospitalized individuals with advanced cancer will participate, all receiving care from the Palliative Care Service of a university hospital in Fortaleza, Brazil. The control group will receive usual palliative care, while the intervention group will receive the same care along with Dignity Therapy, delivered in three structured sessions. Assessments will be conducted at baseline (T1), at the end of the intervention (T2), and short-term follow-up (T3). The primary outcome will be the perceived dignity impact of the intervention, measured by the Dignity Impact Scale. Secondary outcomes will include spiritual well-being, hope, anxiety, depression, and distress. Perceptions of the intervention experience will also be collected from individuals in the intervention group. The primary analysis will be performed using linear mixed models. Discussion This trial will provide evidence on the feasibility and potential benefits of Dignity Therapy in supporting dignity and spiritual well-being among individuals with advanced cancer, while also examining how the intervention performs within distinct cultural contexts that may shape perceptions of dignity and end-of-life care. Trial registration Registro Brasileiro de Ensaios Clínicos (ReBEC), RBR-8r3vzw5. Registered on 13 October 2025.

2025-12-19Journal article

Open access