Lifestyle Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Rural Areas: The Case of Tourism Entrepreneurs

Lifestyle entrepreneurs play an important role in innovation and sustainability in rural destinations. Their competitiveness depends largely on how they explore their link to the place and generate innovation. To analyze the relationship between the link to the place and innovation, this article uses survey data from a sample of 221 rural lifestyle entrepreneurs. Using PLS-SEM modeling, the results indicate that place familiarity and relational capital positively influence innovation. Furthermore, place familiarity reveals as an important factor for improving relational capital. In its turn, the degree of relational capital contributes positively to the small firm’s knowledge absorption. The results also reveal that, although there is no direct relation between knowledge absorption and innovation, relational capital mediates the relationship between place familiarity and innovation and that there is an indirect relationship between relational capital and innovation, through the mediating effect of knowledge absorption. These results provides important elements for rural tourism destination decision making on innovation and competitiveness

Design of kinematic connectors for microstructured materials produced by additive manufacturing

The main characteristic of materials with a functional gradient is the progressive composition or the structure variation across its geometry. This results in the properties variation in one or more specific directions, according to the functional application requirements. Cellular structure flexibility in tailoring properties is employed frequently to design functionally-graded materials. Topology optimisation methods are powerful tools to functionally graded materials design with cellular structure geometry, although continuity between adjacent unit-cells in gradient directions remains a restriction. It is mandatory to attain a manufacturable part to guarantee the connectedness between adjoining microstructures, namely by ensuring that the solid regions on the microstructure’s borders i.e., kinematic connectors) match the neighboring cells that share the same boundary. This study assesses the kinematic connectors generated by imposing local density restrictions in the initial design domain (i.e., nucleation) between topologically optimised representative unit-cells. Several kinematic connector examples are presented for two representatives unit-cells topology optimised for maximum bulk and shear moduli with different volume fractions restrictions and graduated Young’s modulus. Experimental mechanical tests (compression) were performed, and comparison studies were carried out between experimental and numerical Young’s modulus. The results for the single maximum bulk for the mean values for experimental compressive Young’s modulus (Ex¯) with 60%Vf show a deviation of 9.15%. The single maximum shear for the experimental compressive Young’s modulus mean values (Ex¯) with 60%Vf, exhibit a deviation of 11.73%. For graded structures, the experimental mean values of compressive Young’s moduli (Ex¯), compared with predicted total Young’s moduli (ESe), show a deviation of 6.96 for the bulk graded structure. The main results show that the single type representative unit-cell experimental Young’s modulus with higher volume fraction presents a minor deviation compared with homogenized data. Both (i.e., bulk and shear moduli) graded microstructures show continuity between adjacent cells. The proposed method proved to be suitable for generating kinematic connections for the design of shear and bulk graduated microstructured materials.This research was funded by the Portuguese Science Funding Foundation FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Grant No. SFRH/BD/130908/2017); PAMI—Portuguese Additive Manufacturing Initiative (Project nº22158—SAICT—AAC—01/SAICT/2016), CDRSP (UIDB/04044/2020), (UIDP/04044/2020); Add.Additive—add additive manufacturing to Portuguese industry (POCI-01- 0247-FEDER-024533)

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Effects on Athletes’ Cognitive Performance: An Exploratory Proof of Concept Trial

Among the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games' unforgettable moments, one could not overlook performances by Phelps and Bolt, which challenge old premises about the maximum extension of individual supremacism in ultracompetitive modalities and the doping scandals. Different media channels resonated these two trends, with an unseen rise on discussions about traits and practices that may set ultrahigh performance athletes apart from the more ordinary ones. Yet, some key issues remain undebated. This paper aims to add to this debate, with a proof of concept trial, which investigates whether transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may serve as an aid for professional athletes. Ten professional athletes of three different modalities (judo, N = 4 athletes, swimming, N = 3 athletes, and rhythmic gymnastics, N = 3 athletes) received anodal stimulation (2 mA) for 20 min on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex for ten consecutive weekdays. We observed a positive effect of tDCS in their cognitive performance, including a significant improvement in alternated, sustained, and divided attention and in memory scores. We also observed a decrease in Beck Depression Inventory scores (4.50 points) in this non-clinical population. These preliminary results suggest that tDCS sessions may translate into competitive advantages for professional athletes and recommend the deepening of the discussion on its ethical use in sports, which is ultimately tied to the wider debate around the risks and opportunities that neuromodulation brings to the table.Univ Fed Sao Paulo, Dept Psychiat, Clin Neurosci Lab, Sao Paulo, BrazilSanta Casa Sao Paulo Med Sci Coll, Clin Neuromodulat Lab, Sao Paulo, BrazilClinical Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, BrazilWeb of Scienc

Peces capturados en la campaña "CIGALA-79" a lo largo de la Plataforma Atlántica de la Península Ibérica (División IX-a del ICES)

En el presente trabajo se relacionan las especies de peces capturados en la Campaña "CIGALA -79 ", que tuvo lugar del 6 de agosto al 4 de setiembre de 1979 a lo largo de la División IX-a del ICES. Se expresa el número de ejemplares capturados de cada especie, por zona de latitud y estrato de profundidad. Se citan un total de 109 especies de peces.No presente traballo relacionam-se as especies de peixes capturados no Cruzeiro "CIGALA-79", que teve lugar de 6 de Agosto a 4 de Setembro de 1979 ao tongo da Dioistio IX-a do ICES. Expressa-se o número de exemplares capturados de cada espécie por zona de latitude e estrato de profuntlidade. Citam-se um total de 109 espécies de peixes.The following study relates the species of captured fishes in the survey "CIGALA- 79" that has been realized since the 6th August until the 4th September 1979 along the Division IX-a of ICES. It is reported the number of captured individuals of each species by area of latitude and stratum of depth, A total of 109 species of fishes are cited,Versión del editor

A Community Study of Factors Related to Poorly Controlled Asthma among Brazilian Urban Children

BACKGROUND: Asthma constitutes a serious public health problem in many regions of the world, including the city of Salvador, State of Bahia-Brazil. The purpose of this study was to analyse the factors associated with poor asthma control. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Two definitions were used for asthma: 1) wheezing in the last 12 months; 2) wheezing in the last 12 months plus other asthma symptoms or asthma diagnosis ever. The definition of poorly controlled asthma was: at least one reported hospitalisation due to asthma and/or high frequency of symptoms, in the last year. Children with poorly controlled asthma (N = 187/374) were compared with wheezing children with controlled asthma regarding age, gender, atopy, parental asthma, rhinitis, eczema, exposure to second hand tobacco smoke, presence of moulds, pets and pests in the house, helminth infections and body mass index. Crude and logistic regression adjusted odds ratios were used as measures of association. There was a higher proportion of poorly controlled asthma among children with eczema (OR = 1.55; 95% CI 1.02; 2.37). The strength of the association was greater among children with eczema and rhinitis (42.6%, 53.4% and 57.7%, respectively, in children who had no rhinitis nor eczema, had only one of those, and had both (p = 0.02 for trend test). The presence of mould in the houses was inversely associated with poorly controlled asthma (OR = 0.54; 95% CI 0.34; 0.87). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results indicate an association between eczema and poor asthma control in this environment, but emphasize the role of various other individual and environmental factors as determinants of poor control

Both “illness and temptation of the enemy”: melancholy, the medieval patient and the writings of King Duarte of Portugal (r. 1433–38)

Recent historians have rehabilitated King Duarte of Portugal, previously maligned and neglected, as an astute ruler and philosopher. There is still a tendency, however, to view Duarte as a depressive or a hypochondriac, due to his own description of his melancholy in his advice book, the Loyal Counselor. This paper reassesses Duarte's writings, drawing on key approaches in the history of medicine, such as narrative medicine and the history of the patient. It is important to take Duarte's views on his condition seriously, placing them in the medical and theological contexts of his time and avoiding modern retrospective diagnosis. Duarte's writings can be used to explore the impact of plague, doubt and death on the life of a well-educated and conscientious late-medieval ruler

TRY plant trait database – enhanced coverage and open access

Plant traits - the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants - determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait‐based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits - almost complete coverage for ‘plant growth form’. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait–environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives