Eficácia do coaching: aplicabilidade do modelo LTS

O coaching afirma-se como uma ferramenta de desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional que tem vindo a ter crescente aceitação dentro das empresas. No entanto, coexistem na literatura estudos que se por um lado evidenciam efeitos positivos do coaching nas organizações, outros há que denotam algumas reservas. Essas reservas incidem sobre a sua parametrização (formato e processos), a qualificação necessária dos agentes de coaching, bem como a sua real eficácia. No sentido de dar resposta aos desafios de investigação lançados por Passmore & Fillery-Travis (2011), o presente estudo propõe-se aplicar o Modelo LTS (Learning Transfer System) de Holton (2000) procurando testar até que ponto se afigura válido para operacionalizar os fatores que afetam a transferência do coaching para o contexto de trabalho. Para o efeito, foram conduzidas entrevistas em profundidade a coachees, num contexto real de uma empresa que aplica um programa de coaching. As entrevistas incidiram sobre os fatores da eficácia do coaching cujo conteúdo foi analisado com base no sistema categorial a priori 11 dos fatores propostos no Modelo LTS de Holton (2000). Os resultados indicam que as dimensões e os fatores considerados no presente estudo são válidos para avaliação da transferência do coaching, pese embora variarem na sua centralidade.Coaching presents itself as a personal and professional development tool that has been increasingly more sought after within corporations. However, there are in the literature studies that show evidence both of positive effects as well as limitations in organizations. Such limitations concern its parameterization (both format and processes), the required qualification of coaches, as well as its real effectiveness. Aiming at providing an answer to the research challenges posed by Passmore & Fillery-Travis (2001), this study intends to test in which extent the measurement of factors that affect coaching transfer into work context overlaps with Holton (2000) LTS Model. To achieve this, we conducted in-depth interviews with coaches, in a real organizational environment where a coach program is set in place. Interviews focused the coaching effectiveness factors whose content was analyzed against the background of 11 category system categories from Holton’s LTS (2000) Model. Findings show that the dimensions and factors taken into consideration in this study are valid to evaluate coaching transfer, although they may vary in its centrality

Unraveling the genetic background of individuals with a clinical familial hypercholesterolemia phenotype

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder of lipid metabolism caused by pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes. Variants in FH-phenocopy genes (LDLRAP1, APOE, LIPA, ABCG5, and ABCG8), polygenic hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] can also mimic a clinical FH phenotype. We aim to present a new diagnostic tool to unravel the genetic background of clinical FH phenotype. Biochemical and genetic study was performed in 1,005 individuals with clinical diagnosis of FH, referred to the Portuguese FH Study. A next-generation sequencing panel, covering eight genes and eight SNPs to determine LDL-C polygenic risk score and LPA genetic score, was validated, and used in this study. FH was genetically confirmed in 417 index cases: 408 heterozygotes and 9 homozygotes. Cascade screening increased the identification to 1,000 FH individuals, including 11 homozygotes. FH-negative individuals (phenotype positive and genotype negative) have Lp(a) >50 mg/dl (30%), high polygenic risk score (16%), other monogenic lipid metabolism disorders (1%), and heterozygous pathogenic variants in FH-phenocopy genes (2%). Heterozygous variants of uncertain significance were identified in primary genes (12%) and phenocopy genes (7%). Overall, 42% of our cohort was genetically confirmed with FH. In the remaining individuals, other causes for high LDL-C were identified in 68%. Hyper-Lp(a) or polygenic hypercholesterolemia may be the cause of the clinical FH phenotype in almost half of FH-negative individuals. A small part has pathogenic variants in ABCG5/ABCG8 in heterozygosity that can cause hypercholesterolemia and should be further investigated. This extended next-generation sequencing panel identifies individuals with FH and FH-phenocopies, allowing to personalize each person’s treatment according to the affected pathway

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved