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- Emerging practices in the estimation of hemoglobin measurement uncertainty in blood establishmentsPublication . Timóteo, Maria Helena; Tavares, Ana Sofia; Pereira, PauloMeasurement uncertainty (MU) is increasingly recognized as a critical analytical parameter within ISO and European regulatory frameworks. In transfusion laboratories, where hemoglobin testing determines donor eligibility and informs transfusion decisions, MU directly impacts patient and donor safety. This study applies ISO/TS 20914:2019 to estimate MU in hemoglobin testing using the cyanmethemoglobin method in EDTA-K3 venous blood. A parametric simulation model informed by EFLM biological variation data was used to evaluate three scenarios: (1) within-laboratory imprecision, (2) addition of calibrator uncertainty, and (3) incorporation of significant bias uncertainty. All scenarios met desirable (2.7 %) and minimum (4.1 %) performance targets for allowable uncertainty. These findings reinforce the integration of MU estimation as a European and ISO-endorsed best practice in transfusion laboratory medicine. This approach supports traceable, risk-informed decision-making, aligning transfusion services with ISO 15189:2022 requirements.
- The indoor microbiome: sampling, analysis and emerging trendsPublication . Šunić, Iva; Šarac, Jelena; Auguštin, Dubravka Havaš; Pozdniakova, Sofya; Ferguson, Robert M.; Jergović, Matijana; Visentin, David; Borràs, Silvia; Archer, Elizabeth; Henderson, Drew K.; Vitko, Sandra; Ašić, Adna; Bošnjaković, Anja; Maglica, Željka; Viegas, Carla; Novokmet, Natalija; Karlović, Nina; Marjanović, Damir; Muszyński, Adam; Liu, Yuxi; Karisola, Piia; Alenius, Harri; Krych, Lukasz; Lovrić, MarioIndoor spaces contain diverse microbial communities that shape human health. These microorganisms are particularly relevant to respiratory diseases, including asthma and allergies. Despite growing recognition of the importance of indoor microbial exposures, research in this field is slowed by differences in methods. These inconsistencies make it difficult to compare results and draw conclusions. This systematic review analyses 106 studies published between 2000 and 2025 that investigated indoor microbiomes in dust, air, and other matrices across homes, schools, and other built environments. We assessed sampling strategies, DNA extraction protocols, sequencing technologies, and bioinformatic pipelines, identifying trends, inconsistencies, and areas requiring harmonisation. Passive sampling, particularly dust collection, was the most common approach, while Illumina-based 16S rRNA and ITS amplicon sequencing dominated molecular analyses. However, variations in targeted gene regions, extraction kits, and analytical tools limited cross-study comparability. Ecological findings revealed consistent detection of bacterial taxa such as Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and Corynebacterium, and fungal taxa including Cladosporium, Aspergillus, and Penicillium, with diversity shaped by building characteristics, ventilation, humidity, occupancy, and presence of pets. This review highlights the need for standardised protocols in indoor microbiome research to facilitate reproducibility, enable meta-analyses, and inform health-related guidelines for indoor environments.
- A call for preregistration of in vitro research: pregistration as a tool to improve reproducibility and transparencyPublication . Heinl, Céline; Franco, Nuno H.; Bert, Bettina; Siewert, Katherina; Movia, Dania; Aruçi, Edlira; Ladeira, Carina; Sanin, Ahmed Y.; Neuhaus, Winfried; Kahlert, Ulf D.; Ghosh, Manosij; Thomas, Aurélie; Sotiropoulos, AthanassiaBiomedical research, like any other research field, is vulnerable to problems in its planning, execution, documentation, analysis, interpretation, and reporting. These issues can impede the reproducibility of research findings and hinder translation into clinical practice. In addition, there is growing societal pressure to hasten the shift to animal-free research methods. To alleviate the ethical dilemma of using animals in research, the 3Rs principle (replace, reduce, refine) calls for reducing or replacing such experiments wherever possible. Nevertheless, scientific and biomedical research, as well as safeguarding human and environmental health, continue to depend on animal experiments. To apply the 3Rs principles without compromising scientific progress and safety standards, it is imperative to ensure that in vitro methods to replace animal experiments are robust and reliable.
- Occupational exposure to cadmium: protocol for a scoping reviewPublication . Paulo, Marília Silva; Martins, Carla; Riesenberger, Bruna; Cordeiro, João; Cervantes, Renata; Palmont, Philippe; Bhoonah, Rachna; Ndaw, Sophie; Viegas, SusanaIntroduction: Cadmium is a metal that poses significant health risks, particularly in occupational environments where exposure can happen. The main objective of this scoping review is to review the cadmium exposure levels in the different occupational settings in the European Union (EU), considering the regulatory measures currently in place. The secondary objectives, depending on the availability of data, are (a) to identify the occupational settings where higher exposure levels occur, (b) to identify any geographical and temporal differences and trends within the EU, and (c) to identify the most relevant co-exposures reported. Methods and analysis: A scoping review will be conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews reporting guidelines. Studies reporting quantitative occupational data on cadmium exposure obtained through human biomonitoring and/or air monitoring will be included. A descriptive analysis of the findings will be performed. Ethics and dissemination: This protocol for a scoping review does not require ethical approval as it is based on secondary data. The dissemination plan of the scoping review includes its publication in a scientific journal of reference, as it is expected that it will provide important knowledge to support ongoing and future occupational health interventions in the EU, at the technical and regulatory levels. Registration: This study is registered at the Open Science Framework (OSF), 7 April osf.f2w3h.
- Neuromuscular activation patterns in response to windlass stimulation and biofeedback: a surface EMG studyPublication . Carrasco-Fernández, Laura; Gómez-del Pino, Álvaro; García-Sillero, Manuel; González-Cañizares, Pablo; García-Romero, Jerónimo; Tomás, Maria Teresa; Benítez-Porres, JavierBackground: Handball involves unilateral, high-demand actions that increase injury risk. The Windlass mechanism (WM) is a position-dependent plantar fascia tensioning system, activated by dorsiflexion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint, which increases medial longitudinal arch stiffness and contributes to foot stability. WM activation can be mechanically simulated using hallux wedges to induce controlled dorsiflexion, allowing graded engagement of the mechanism under standardized conditions. The primary aim of this study was to investigate how different wedge inclinations, with and without visual biofeedback, affect foot muscle activity during squats in elite female handball players. Methods: Seventeen elite female handball players performed squats at 65% of one-repetition maximum under six conditions combining three wedge inclinations (0°, 10°, 30°) with the presence or absence of visual biofeedback. Electromyographic activity (RMS and %MVC) of intrinsic and extrinsic foot muscles was recorded. Results: A significant increase in left abductor hallucis activation with the 10° wedge without biofeedback. Visual biofeedback significantly increased RMS and %MVC in intrinsic foot muscles and increased RMS in the left gastrocnemius (p < 0.05). No significant interaction was observed between wedge inclination and biofeedback. Conclusions: Controlled activation of the WM via hallux wedges and the use of visual biofeedback modulate foot muscle activity during squats. These strategies may be considered in training programs aimed at improving foot stability and reducing injury risk in elite female handball players.
- Cartografia fractal do olhar na cultura visual contemporânea: perceção, memória e redes de imagensPublication . Sousa, Vanda deA centralidade das imagens conduziu à consolidação da cultura visual como campo interdisciplinar dedicado à visualidade, à circulação mediática e às práticas de ver. Partindo da iconologia de Warburg e Panofsky, da fenomenologia de Merleau-Ponty e das abordagens de Mitchell e Mirzoeff, este artigo propõe o conceito de cartografia fractal do olhar como modelo da experiência visual contemporânea. Argumenta-se que a perceção visual se organiza através de padrões recorrentes que estruturam a memória das imagens, sendo compreendida como sistema fractal. A análise de A Criação de Adão, 2001: A Space Odyssey e Earthrise evidencia a reorganização da perceção e da cultura visual como sistema dinâmico em transformação contínua.
- The unwanted superpower of invisibility: advertising through the eyes of older adultsPublication . Coelho Antunes, Ana Cristina; Lopes Miranda, Sandra MarisaHow do Portuguese older adults perceive advertising and the representations of aging it conveys? And how can advertising be more effective and age-inclusive, considering this demographic? To explore these questions, 25 individual in-depth interviews were conducted with Portuguese consumers aged 65 and above, using a qualitative approach to understand their expe-riences and perspectives. A particular focus was placed on uncovering the meanings of advertis-ing for this audience and on what changes they believe are needed to make advertising more ef-fective and engaging, while offering more authentic and respectful representation of later age. The findings indicate a generally negative perception of advertising among these older adults, many of whom actively avoid it. Senior-targeted advertising is frequently associated with deceptive practic-es and can, sometimes, lead these consumers to feel overlooked or invisible to brands. Moreover, most participants agree on a biased, negative, and stereotypical misrepresentation of older adults in advertising to which they don’t identify. Drawing on these findings and the existing literature, a set of actionable recommendations is provided to guide advertisers in creating more inclusive, diverse, meaningful, and effective campaigns that better resonate with older consumers.
- Humor, responsabilidade social corporativa e gestão de crise de marca: o caso da Control Portugal no InstagramPublication . Oliveira, Hadassa Guimarães; Santos, Rui Bruno; Costa, Bruno FrutuosoO humor na história da publicidade tem sido utilizado como estratégia de persuasão; contudo, o seu uso em campanhas que abordam temas sensíveis, como identidade de género e representatividade, pode gerar controvérsias éticas e reputacionais. Este estudo analisa o caso da Control Portugal, cuja publicação no Instagram, percebida por muitos internautas como “transfóbica”, desencadeou uma paracrise digital. O objetivo é compreender os padrões discursivos emergentes nas reações do público após a exclusão da publicação. A pesquisa, de caráter qualitativo, utilizou a análise de rede semântica (Segev, 2022) para examinar comentários de três publicações subsequentes realizadas entre 11 e 13 de novembro de 2024. Os dados foram extraídos pelo Instascraper e processados no software KH Coder. Os resultados revelam quatro clusters principais — conteúdo, público, argumentos de reação e argumentos de restrição — evidenciando polarização entre discursos de censura e de defesa da liberdade de expressão. Observa-se que, nas publicações posteriores, o humor foi reintroduzido como tentativa de reparar a reputação e, ao mesmo tempo, de reduzir a fragmentação discursiva. Os achados sugerem que, após a remoção da publicação, o recurso ao humor buscou recompor a reputação e reduzir a fragmentação discursiva, mas manteve a polarização entre posições de censura e de defesa da liberdade de expressão, colocando a ênfase na formulação de estratégias publicitárias sensíveis ao contexto cultural.
- Experience at work: why employees experience their work differentlyPublication . Figueiredo, Paula; Lopes Miranda, Sandra MarisaResearch on Employee Experience Management (EXM) has traditionally emphasized demographic segmentation—age, gender, or educational level—as the main differentiators in how employees perceive their career path within organizations. However, this demographic focus shows fragmented evidence and limited explanatory power regarding the mechanisms that truly shape EX. To fill this gap, this study proposes a structural and contextual reformulation of EX segmentation, arguing that employee experiences vary less depending on who they are and more depending on their position within organizational systems. Using data from 403 employees across various sectors and an 18-item EXM scale covering Reputation, Recruitment, Physical, Technical, and Cultural Experiences, we performed t-tests, ANOVAs, cluster analysis, and effect size estimates. Findings show that hierarchical position is the main predictor of EX in the dimensions of Physical, Technical, and Cultural Experience, as well as in the overall dimensions, while demographic differences—especially age and education—are negligible. Employee seniority and organisational size have a significant impact on Cultural Experience, which emphasizes how socialisation and organisational structure shape the EX. These findings reveal that EX segmentation is essentially structural, underscoring the necessity of EXM strategies that prioritize employees, particularly those without management functions, and enhance cultural integration through leader communication and onboarding procedures.
- Fault-mediated magma propagation and triggered seismicity revealed by the 2022 São Jorge Azores unrestPublication . Hicks, Stephen P.; Gonzalez, Pablo J.; Lomax, Anthony; Ferreira, Ana M. G.; Ramalho, Ricardo S.; Mitchell, Neil C.; Silveira, Graça; Dias, Nuno Afonso; Fontiela, João; Fernandes, Rui; Custódio, Susana; Tsekhmistrenko, Maria; Mendes, Virgílio; Pimentel, Adriano; Silva, Rita; Prates, Gonçalo; Sturgeon, William; Marignier, Augustin; Carrilho, Fernando; Marques, Rui; Miranda, Miguel; Garcia, Arturo M.Abstract Understanding failed volcanic eruptions is key to mapping magma plumbing and forecasting hazards. Faults and fractures guide magma, but their mechanisms remain unclear due to the lack of precise earthquake locations andlimited3-Dfaultmappinginvolcanicregions.The triple-junction setting of the Azores Archipelago, where volcanic systems and seismogenic faults coexist, offers a natural laboratory to study fault–magma interactions. We analysed ~18,000 earthquakes relocated to high precision using onshore and ocean-bottom seismometers, combined with geodetic data and seismic autocorrelation imaging, during a failed 2022 eruption on São Jorge Island. A magmatic dike ascended rapidly and mostly aseismically from the upper mantle, intruding a crustal fault before stalling ~1,600 m below the surface. Seismicity indicates that magma branching and lateral fluid escape along the fault triggered an intense, months-long swarm with rotated focal mechanisms. This study demonstrates the dual role of faults in facilitating and arresting magma ascent.