Principlism: bioethics as procedure?

In their book Principles of Biomedical Ethics, Tom Beauchamp and James Childress offer an account of bioethics, called “Principlism”, by way of specifying and balancing four clusters of principles.2 These principles are found, as the author state, in a common morality, understood as a set of universally shared moral beliefs. This paper seeks to introduce the following questions: Does this account of Beauchamp and Childress flow from common morality in a natural way? Can their proposals claim to be endorsed by the authority of common morality? If not, in what way does Principlism contribute to bioethics

Tres visiones del principialismo norteamericano

[Resumen] El “Principialismo”, la comprensión de la bioética propuesta por Tom Beauchamp y James Childress en su obra Principles of Biomedical Ethics, es presentado por sus autores como una guía para la práctica de la ética biomédica fruto de la determinación de cuatro principios morales básicos que forman parte de la commom morality o moral común, entendida, a su vez, como el conjunto de creencias morales universalmente compartidas. A pesar de lo atractivo de la propuesta, se le pueden plantear objeciones. Este trabajo tiene por objeto presentar la siguiente cuestión: ¿qué autoridad confiere la moral común al Principialismo? Porque, si el Principialismo no pretende el respaldo de la autoridad de la moral común, ¿cuál es, entonces, su aportación a la bioética?[Abstract] Principlism, the account of Bioethics proposed by Tom Beauchamp and James Childress in their work Principles of Biomedical Ethics, is presented by the authors as a guide to the practice of biomedical Ethics resulting from the determination of four basic moral principles that are part of the common morality, understood, in its turn, as a set of universally shared moral beliefs. In spite of the appeal of the proposal, some objections can be made. This paper seeks to introduce the following question: what authority does the common morality confer to Principlism? Because, if Principlism does not pretend the background of the authority of the common morality, in what way does Principlism contribute to Bioethics

Effect of Citrus Bioactive Compounds on Targeting Human Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells

Recently, there has been an increase in the interest of the application of natural extract for cancer prevention and treatment, where phenolic compounds are associated with a high effectiveness in prevention and treatment of the disease. One of the promising targets for cancer therapy is the cancer stem cells population, which has been recognized as responsible for tumor initiating, relapse and chemo-resistance. The main goal of this thesis was to evaluate the chemotherapeutical potential of polymethoxylated flavones (PMFs) from orange peel extracts, using HT29 3D colorectal cancer model. This model was characterized in terms of stemness and self-renewal properties. HT29 cell spheroids were characterized along the culture time showing resemblances to the in vivo tumors, reflecting highly rich stem population where high expression of CD44, CD133 and ALDH1 biomarkers was associated to high self-renewal capacity. Moreover, this model showed partial EMT characteristics. Orange peel extract showed anticancer potential in HT29 cell aggregates by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Self-renewal ability was also affected with association to decreasing of the expression of stemness markers. The bioactive molecules in the extract were identified as nobiletin, sinensetin, tangeretin and scutellarein tetramethylether. Among all PMFs, tangeretin exhibited the highest capability in affecting self-renewal, inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest and reducing the expression of mesenchymal and stemness markers. The mixture of PMFs showed similarities with the activity of orange extract although in a less effective way, suggesting the presence of other compounds that might potentiate the effect. Additionally, orange peel extract showed to interact synergistically with 5-fluorouracil decreasing the drug dosage to inhibit HT29 cell spheroids proliferation. Results of this thesis revealed that orange bioactive compounds, including PMFs, are able to target cancer cells with stemness and self-renewal characteristics and thus can be considered as promising natural chemotherapeutic agents for colorectal cancer treatment

Can an unattractive packaging lead to healhier eating behavior?

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing IntelligenceIn the last few years, although the demand for a healthier lifestyle has been increasing, the obesity rates have boomed in developed contexts. Packaging is one of the main drivers for unhealthy food decisions, having important consequences for consumers' health. In two studies, this research aims to understand the impact of healthy eating nudges like unattractive packaging on indulgent products to analyze if the consumers are more aware of their food choices. The findings suggest that pictorial warnings can increase consumers’ perceived risk and that consumers would have more positive brand attitudes since they consider the brand is being sincere and have less intention to buy it, compared to verbal warnings or control (no warnings) in the indulgent products. In addition, findings suggest that construal level moderates healthy eating nudges, reducing perceived risk and increasing purchase intentions of indulgent products in abstract (vs. concrete) construal. Our research contributes by shedding light on the social and practical implications of food branding and how the companies can contribute to decreasing the obesity rate

Acolhendo o usuário de drogas na atenção básica

O Seminário aborda a contextualização do usuário de drogas frente a comunidade em que está inserido e a atuação da equipe de saúde da família quanto ao acolhimento.Versão em H

Combate às drogas nas unidades de saúde

O uso de drogas já se tornou um problema de saúde publica em todo o mundo. Na região nordeste do Brasil a dependência de álcool e o uso de tabaco se destaca no país. Segundo a ONU, já ocorreram 200.000 mortes por ano relacionadas ao uso de drogas.Versão em H

Business plan for a cultural platform

The business plan to be presented intends to support the development of a cultural platform that is built under three pivotal features: a broad cultural program, an accessible education component and a social dimension that strives for supporting immigrant communities. This project aspires to be a means of promotion of cultural diversity and cultural dialogue and to ultimately contribute to a better integration of immigrant communities within the Portuguese society. By developing this proposal, the author intends to present a business model that is sustainable and to subsequently eradicate the widespread notion that a cultural project never represents any return on investment. The underlying methodology comprehends the development of a theoretical context through a literature review, which was proceeded by a PESTEL and Porter analysis. An overview on the sector was performed, as well a review on the project’s competitive context. Additionally, the proposal involved the assessment of intrinsic opportunities and threats and the development of a survey that supported the STP and marketing mix strategies. After developing a systemic SWOT, a financial evaluation was conducted. This theoretical structure provided the conditions to conclude that there is an overall favorable environment that will most certainly allow the implementation of a project with the profile that was previously mentioned. Subsequently, this project is expected to generate an NPV of 1,1 million Euros and an IRR of 27%. The investment is predicted to be recovered in less than nine years and the project’s profitability index will represent 2,01 € per capital unit.O business plan desenvolvido tem como objetivo sustentar a criação de uma plataforma cultural, assente em três elementos principais: uma agenda cultural diversificada, uma componente educativa acessível e uma vertente social de apoio às comunidades imigrantes. Pretende-se que este projeto seja uma via promotora da diversidade e do diálogo cultural, contribuindo para a uma maior integração da comunidade imigrante na sociedade portuguesa. A concretização desta proposta reflete igualmente a intenção de apresentar um modelo de negócio sustentável, erradicando a noção generalizada de que um projeto cultural nunca poderá ter retorno sobre o investimento. A metodologia subjacente ao projeto compreende o desenvolvimento de uma contextualização teórica através de uma revisão de literatura, procedida de uma análise PESTEL e Porter. Seguidamente destacam-se a realização de uma avaliação ao setor cultural e recreativo e uma análise à concorrência. Adicionalmente, o desenvolvimento da proposta envolveu uma aferição das oportunidades e ameaças intrínsecas ao projeto e a elaboração de um questionário que sustenta a estratégia de STP e marketing mix. Após a execução de uma SWOT sistémica, procedeu-se ao desenvolvimento de uma avaliação financeira do projeto. Esta sistematização teórica permitiu concluir a existência de um ambiente favorável à implementação de um projeto nos moldes apresentados e a possibilidade do mesmo ter a capacidade de gerar um VAL correspondente a 1,1 milhões de euros e uma TIR de 27%. A recuperação do investimento será realizada em menos de nove anos e o índice de rendibilidade do projeto corresponderá a 2,01 € por unidade de capital investid