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IMPACT OF PROXIMAL RELATIONSHIPS ON DRUG USE: A STUDY IN THERAPEUTIC COMMUNITIES
Drug use is an ancient practice, but its associated disorders represent a contemporary public health challenge. This study investigates the impact of proximal processes in childhood/adolescence and adulthood on substance use, focusing on the role of Therapeutic Communities (TCs). Using a qualitative methodology, 19 residents of TCs in the state of Rio de Janeiro were interviewed. Instruments included a screening test (ASSIST), a sociodemographic inventory, and semi-structured interviews. Content analysis of the interviews was supported by the Requalify.ai software, which proved to be an efficient tool for categorizing and visualizing qualitative data. Results indicate that factors such as dysfunctional family environments, violence, and early onset of consumption, often mediated by peer influence, are determining risk factors. On the other hand, peer social support within TCs emerges as a crucial protective factor, associated with positive changes reported by participants. The sample revealed an overrepresentation of Black and Brown individuals, highlighting the racial dimension in the history of drug use in Brazil. The study concludes that proximal relationships are decisive in both the etiology and recovery of substance use disorders, and that TCs, although controversial, can offer a supportive environment that favors change, especially through peer support and cohabitation.
A Fully Automated, Deployment-Aware Testing Pipeline for IoT-Based Automotive Applications
This work presents an end-to-end, deployment-aware testing pipeline for IoT-based automotive applications that combines requirement-driven test and code generation with large language model (LLM) and vision-language model (VLM) assistance, and human-in-the-loop curation to reduce manual effort and improve consistency.
Reverse Engineering of Chatbot Behaviour for Automated Testing
A reverse engineering technique is presented for extracting a behavioural model of a deployed chatbot through the automated exploration of its functionality via Large Language Models through the automated exploration of its functionality via Large Language Models.
Mixed Reality Glasses Image Translocation for Binocular Diplopia.
This prototype MRG image translocation software was helpful to 69% of patients with binocular diplopia, but limited by large angle strabismus because of the limited instrument field of view.
Multi-Disease Prediction Using Machine Learning: A Web-Based Diagnostic Support System for Diabetes, Heart Disease, and Parkinson\'s Disease
A diagnostic support system based on a unified web platform that classifies patients according to the risks of developing three diseases based on regularly collected clinical or audio data using classical supervised learning algorithms is presented.
UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS IN CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE INSPECTION: A FIELD STUDY OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS BASE-STATION TOWERS
Telecommunications base-station towers support services that are indispensable to crisis communication, emergency response, public administration and economic continuity. Their dispersed location, height and lattice geometry make conventional close-access inspection hazardous, time-consuming and difficult to document consistently. This study evaluates the usefulness and limitations of uncrewed aircraft systems for inspecting steel lattice towers that form part of telecommunications critical infrastructure. A retrospective field study was conducted using records from inspections performed in 2022–2023 at 50 towers in three Polish provinces. More than 150 sorties were completed with a DJI Matrice 30T platform using optical zoom, thermal imaging, a laser rangefinder and georeferenced mission telemetry. Manual, column and spiral flight patterns were compared, while image sets were processed with photogrammetric software to support three-dimensional reconstruction and spatial localisation of defects. The observations show that uncrewed inspection is particularly effective for documenting coating damage, local corrosion, fastener deterioration, connection anomalies, snow or ice accretion and equipment requiring thermographic follow-up. Column flights generated the most detailed evidence but also the greatest processing burden; spiral flights were faster and better suited to screening and three-dimensional modelling. The study also identified important constraints: wind, battery endurance, vegetation, airspace restrictions, electromagnetic and navigation disturbances, and the need to protect sensitive infrastructure data. Uncrewed aircraft should therefore be treated as a risk-based screening and documentation tool integrated with engineering judgement and targeted close-contact or non-destructive testing, rather than as an unconditional replacement for statutory structural inspection.
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