Longer working lives and age diversity : a new challenge for HRM

An ageing workforce is one of the greatest challenges that organisations face today. Longer working lives result in greater age diversity that should be managed proactively by organisations in order to ensure that workers are able to stay active and productive until retirement age. We hypothesised that perceived work ability mediates the relationship between perceived age-diversity practices and preferred retirement age, and tested it in a sample of Portuguese workers (n= 290). The hypothesis was not supported. However, perceived age-diversity practices were identified as a predictor of perceived work ability, particularly for older workers (≥ 45 years old). Also, perceived work ability predicted preferred retirement age, but not for older workers. The impact of these results on Human Resource Management (HRM) is discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Can growth of nannochloropsis oculata under modulated stress enhance its lipid-associated biological properties?

Nannochloropsis oculata is well-recognized as a potential microalgal source of valuable compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The content and profile of these lipids is highly dependent on the growth conditions and can, therefore, be tailored through modulation of the growth parameters, specifically, temperature. Moreover, biological activities are composition dependent. In the present work, lipid extracts obtained from N. oculata, grown under constant temperature and under modulated temperature stress (to increase EPA content; Str) were characterized by GC-FID and several bioactivities were evaluated, namely, antioxidant (L-ORACFL), cytotoxic (MTT), adipolytic, anti-hepatic lipid accumulation (steatosis), and anti-inflammatory properties. Both extracts exhibited antioxidant activity (c.a. 49 µmol Troloxequivalent/mgextract) and the absence of toxicity (up to 800 µg/mL) toward colon and hepatic cells, adipocytes, and macrophages. They also induced adipolysis and the inhibition of triglycerides hepatic accumulation, with a higher impact from Str. In addition, anti-inflammatory activity was observed in the lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation of macrophages in the presence of either extract, since lower levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin-6 and interferon-β were obtained, specifically by Str. The results presented herein revealed that modulated temperature stress may enhance the health effects of N. oculata lipid extracts, which may be safely utilized to formulate novel food products.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modulation of fatty acid profile in nannochloropsis oculata adaptation to temperature stress

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Activation of adenosine A2A receptors induces TrkB translocation and increases BDNF-mediated phospho-TrkB localization in lipid rafts : implications for neuromodulation

Copyright © 2010 the authorsBrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling is critical for neuronal development and transmission. Recruitment of TrkB receptors to lipid rafts has been hown to be necessary for the activation of specific signaling pathways and modulation of neurotransmitter release by BDNF. Since TrkB receptors are known to be modulated by adenosine A2A receptor activation, we hypothesized that activation of A2A receptors could influence TrkB receptor localization among different membrane microdomains. We found that adenosine A2A receptor agonists increased the levels of TrkB receptors in the lipid raft fraction of cortical membranes and potentiated BDNF-induced augmentation of phosphorylated TrkB levels in lipid rafts. Blockade of the clathrin-mediated endocytosis with monodansylcadaverine(100µM) did not modify the effects of theA2A receptor agonists but significantly impairedBDNFeffects on TrkB recruitment to lipid rafts. The effect of A2A receptor activation in TrkB localization was mimicked by 5 µM forskolin, an adenylyl cyclase activator. Also, it was blocked by the PKA inhibitors Rp-cAMPs and PKI-(14 –22), and by the Src-family kinase inhibitor PP2. Moreover, removal of endogenous adenosine or disruption of lipid rafts reduced BDNF stimulatory effects on glutamate release from cortical synaptosomes. Lipid raft integrity was also required for the effects of BDNF on hippocampal long-term potentiation at CA1 synapses. Our data demonstrate, for the first time, a BDNF-independent recruitment of TrkB receptors to lipid rafts induced by activation of adenosine A2A receptors, with functional consequences for TrkB phosphorylation and BDNF-induced modulation of neurotransmitter release and hippocampal plasticity.Supported by Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/21374/2005 for N.A.L., SFRH/BD/21359/2005 for V.C.S., and SFRH/BPD/11528/2002 for D.B.P.) and by the European Union [European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) COST B30 concerted action, Neural Regeneration and Plasticity (NEREPLAS)]

Procedure validation and laboratory performance monitoring for the measurement of moisture, ash and volatile matter mass fractions in solid biofuels

Participation in interlaboratory comparisons is a requirement of the accreditation bodies for granting laboratory accreditation by EN ISO/IEC 17025:2005 as external quality control. Proficiency testing (PT) is used to demonstrate the individual performance of a laboratory for a specific test or measurement. Monitoring PT performance over time shows the continuing performance and allows the identification of potential problems related to random and systematic errors. In this study, it is shown that the procedures applied to measure mass fractions of moisture, ash and volatile matter in solid fuels fulfill the conditions stated in the European standards EN 14774-3, EN 14775 and EN 15148:2009 regarding target uncertainty, repeatability and reproducibility. Repeatability was assessed from sample duplicate analysis and combined standard uncertainty. Limits of detection and quantification were also estimated although no target values are stated. The obtained values fulfill the requirements for specifications and classes of solid biofuels. Laboratory performance over the time from 2011 to 2013 regarding such measurements was evaluated with 18 materials provided by WEPAL within the BIMEP program. Apart from monitoring the individual z-scores, their sequence was checked with summarizing parameters including the ‘rescaled sum z-scores’, RSZ, the ‘sum squared z-scores’, SSZ, and J-scores. For none of the analytes, the parameters indicated a trend over time and therefore it was not necessary to trigger any investigation or correcting procedure.

Impact of macroeconomic indicators on bankruptcy prediction models: case of the Portuguese construction sector

The importance of macroeconomic indicators on the performance of bankruptcy prediction models has been a contentious issue, due in part to a lack of empirical evidence. Most indicators are primarily centered around a company's internal environment, overlooking the impact of the economic cycle on the status of the company. This research brings awareness about the combination of microeconomic and macroeconomic factors. To do this, a new model based on logistic regression was combined with principal component analysis to determine the indicators that best explained the variations in the dataset studied. The sample used comprised data from 1,832 Portuguese construction companies from 2009 to 2019. The empirical results demonstrated an average accuracy rate of 90% up until three years before the bankruptcy. The microeconomic indicators with statistical significance fell within the category of liquidity ratios, solvency and financial autonomy ratios. Regarding the macroeconomic indicators, the gross domestic product and birth rate of enterprises proved to increase the accuracy of bankruptcy prediction more than using only microeconomic factors. A practical implication of the results obtained is that construction companies, as well as investors, government agencies and banks, can use the suggested model as a decision-support system. Furthermore, consistent use can lead to an effective method of preventing bankruptcy by spotting early warning indicators

Digital rectal examination and balloon expulsion test in the study of defecatory disorders: are they suitable as screening or excluding tests?

Background. Rome III criteria add physiological criteria to symptom-based criteria of chronic constipation (CC) for the diagnosis of defecatory disorders (DD). However, a gold-standard test is still lacking and physiological examination is expensive and timeconsuming. Aim. Evaluate the usefulness of two low-cost tests-digital rectal examination (DRE) and balloon expulsion test (BET)-as screening or excluding tests ofDD. Methods. Weperformeda systematic search inPUBMEDandMEDLINE. We selected studies where constipated patients were evaluated by DRE or BET. Heterogeneity was assessed and random effect models were used to calculate the sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value (NPV) of the DRE and the BET. Results. Thirteen studies evaluating BET and four studies evaluating DRE (2329 patients) were selected. High heterogeneity (.. 2 > 80%) among studies was demonstrated. The studies evaluating the BET showed a sensitivity and specificity of 67% and 80%, respectively. Regarding the DRE, a sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 84% were calculated. NPV of 72% for the BET and NPV of 64% for the DRE were estimated. The sensitivity and specificity were similar when we restrict the analysis to studies using Rome criteria to define CC. The BET seems to performbetter when a cut-off time of 2minutes is used and when it is compared with a combination of physiological tests. Considering the DRE, strict criteria seem to improve the sensitivity but not the specificity of the test. Conclusion. Neither of the low-cost tests seems suitable for screening or excluding DD.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Statistical Analysis of the Leadership Perceptions in a Public Administration Office

This Journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.The main purpose of this paper is to identify and characterize the leadership features in a public administration office of the Azores (Autonomous Region of the Azores), in orders to verify the existence or not of a positive leadership based on the employees’ perceptions. The main conclusions are attained using data gathered via a previously tested and validated questionnaire. Overall, we conclude that subordinates don’t consider that their leaders show behaviors that they can associate with a totally positive and effective leadership although they are pleased with the fact that they are not extremely controllers and that they seek to do what the majority of the subordinates wants.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Persistent genital arousal disorder: always look beyond the surface - a case report

Persistent genital arousal disorder is a rare condition characterized by unwanted intrusive symptoms of sexual arousal without specific context. Their possible aetiologies and treatments are multiple and mostly based on case reports. We aim to do a comprehensive review of persistent genital arousal disorder and describe a case of a postmenopausal woman who developed this disease and, during the follow-up, was diagnosed with advanced endometrial cancer, reminding physicians to keep in mind the possibility of multiple diagnosis in the same patient, including malignancy. Although there is no description of this association in the literature, the possible aetiologies of persistent genital arousal disorder are diverse, and we sought this rare case should be disclosed

Novel benzo[α]phenoxazinium chlorides functionalized with sulfonamide groups as NIR fluorescent probes for vacuole, endoplasmic reticulum, and plasma membrane staining

The demand for new fluorophores for different biological target imaging is increasing. Benzo[a]phenoxazine derivatives are fluorochromophores that show promising optical properties for bioimaging, namely fluorescent emission at the NIR of the visible region, where biological samples have minimal fluorescence emission. In this study, six new benzo[a]phenoxazinium chlorides possessing sulfonamide groups at 5-amino-positions were synthesized and their optical and biological properties were tested. Compared with previous probes evaluated using fluorescence microscopy, using different S. cerevisiae strains, these probes, with sulfonamide groups, stained the vacuole membrane and/or the perinuclear membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum with great specificity, with some fluorochromophores capable of even staining the plasma membrane. Thus, the addition of a sulfonamide group to the benzo[a]phenoxazinium core increases their specificity and attributes for the fluorescent labeling of cell applications and fractions, highlighting them as quite valid alternatives to commercially available dyes.FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, Portugal) and FEDER (European Fund for Regional Development)-COMPETEQREN-EU for financial support to the research centers CQ/UM (UID/QUI/00686/2021), and CBMA (Ref. UIDB/04050/2020), as well as a PhD grant to J. C. Ferreira (SFRH/BD/133207/2017 and COVID/BD/151978/2021). The NMR spectrometer Bruker Avance III 400 (part of the National NMR Network) was financed by FCT and FEDER