Mother-child interaction within the Zone of Proximal Development. Impact of adult educational level and socio-affective proximity on the effectiveness of tutoring.

Abstract de póster presentado a VI International Conference “Early Childhood Care and Education”, Lomonosov Moscow State University –MSU (Moscow, Russia), Mayo 2017.Research problem. Adult-child interaction within the zone of proximal development plays a central role in child cognitive development. The effectiveness of teaching to promote learner competence during a joint problem solving session depends on the accuracy of the zone of proximal development perceived in the mind of the tutor. Therefore, it is related to such variables as the tutor’s educational level (formal education promotes more abstract and flexible mental representations of the cognitive demands of the task) and the socio-affective proximity between interlocutors (shared experiences enable the tutor to determine the zone of sensitivity to instruction and to form a more accurate hypothesis of the child’s level of competence and their need for assistance). Aims and methods. This study aims to estimate the effects of adult educational levels and socio-affective proximity between interlocutors on the effectiveness of informal tutoring. The participants comprised 66 boys and girls aged 3-5 years and 66 women with different educational levels and varying degrees of socio-affective proximity with the child with whom they interacted (mothers who lived with their children, mothers who visited their children at residential care centers, and women previously unknown to the children). Dyadic interaction in a classification task was assessed with microgenetic analysis using a codification system following sociogenetic principles. Results. Educational level does not predict tutoring effectiveness; socio-affective proximity does. Mothers with low educational levels are effective tutors when they maintain a high degree of socio-affective proximity with their children. The principal keys to effective tutoring associated with socio-affective proximity are: a) encouraging the autonomy of the child: avoiding both initial aid when placing each new piece and highest level aid which solves completely the operation; and b) adjusting the assistance provided according to the competence demonstrated by the child: following the contingency rule (especially in the provision of proactive aids), and temporarily tolerating errors, providing the opportunity for the child to become aware of their own mistakes. Conclusion and findings. These findings are noteworthy to design future social intervention programs focused to instruct parents with low educational level on the importance of frequent and appropriate interactions with their children.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Metabolic endotoxemia in obesity. Influence of dietary intervention and bariatric surgery.

Objetivos y resultados. En primer lugar nos propusimos estudiar si las comidas ricas en grasa favorecen la translocación de LPS en pacientes obesos. Para ello se analizaron los niveles de LPS antes y a las 3 horas de la ingesta de una comida exclusivamente grasa, observando que los niveles de LPS sólo aumentaban significativamente en aquellos pacientes que presentaban un alto incremento postprandial de triglicéridos, y que este aumento ocurría tanto en suero como en la fracción de quilomicrones estando estrechamente asociado a los niveles de triglicéridos. Sin embargo, no vimos relación entre los niveles de LPS y el grado de resistencia a la insulina. En segundo lugar, quisimos analizar si la endotoxemia metabólica podría afectar la función del TA en obesidad humana. Para ello se tomaron muestras de sangre en ayunas y de TA tanto visceral como subcutáneo durante la cirugía bariátrica de pacientes obesos. De esta forma, se comprobó que los pacientes con mayores niveles de LPS presentaban una menor expresión génica de factores lipogénicos y relacionados con la función del TA, así como una mayor inflamación. Esta relación fue confirmada por estudios in vitro llevados a cabo en explantes de TA y adipocitos diferenciados estimulados con LPS. Asimismo, analizamos el efecto del consumo moderado de vino tinto sobre la endotoxemia metabólica en voluntarios de mediana edad que se sometieron a tres intervenciones consistentes en consumo moderado de vino tinto, vino tinto desalcoholizado (para comprobar el efecto del vino tinto sin la fracción alcohólica) y la ginebra (para comprobar el efecto del alcohol sin la fracción polifenólica del vino tinto) durante 20 días. Así, se demostró que el consumo de vino tinto llevó a una disminución de la endotoxemia relacionada con el aumento de los grupos Bifidobacterium y Prevotella en la microbiota intestinal (cuya presencia se asocia a estados saludables). También estudiamos si acompañando una comida rica en grasa con estos tres tipos de bebidas se alteraba la respuesta postprandial de LPS, pero no se encontraron efectos significativos en dicha respuesta. Esto apoyaría la hipótesis de que la modulación de la endotoxemia metabólica por parte del vino tinto es debida a su efecto prebiótico. Por último quisimos analizar si la mejora metabólica temprana tras dos técnicas diferentes de cirugía bariátrica (derivación biliopancreática-DBP- y gastrectomía vertical-GV) podría estar relacionada con modificaciones en los niveles de LPS en los pacientes obesos mórbidos. Se analizaron los niveles de LPS y de la proteína de unión a LPS (LBP) antes de la cirugía y a los 15 y 90 días tras la misma. Sólo la GV en pacientes prediabéticos/diabéticos llevó a una disminución significativa de los niveles de LPS a los 90 días tras cirugía, pero dichos cambios no estuvieron relacionados con la mejora metabólica temprana. Sin embargo, sí se observó un efecto de la cirugía bariátrica sobre los niveles de LBP que fue paralelo a los cambios en las variables hepáticas e inflamatorias ocurridos tras la cirugía, y que además se relacionaron con los cambios en el índice de masa corporal. Conclusiones. En este estudio vimos por primera vez que en pacientes obesos las comidas ricas en grasa favorecen la translocación de LPS hacia la circulación, estando estrechamente asociada al metabolismo de los triglicéridos. Asimismo, dicha endotoxemia metabólica podría alterar la función del TA promoviendo una mayor inflamación y afectando a su capacidad de expansión en obesidad humana. Además, comprobamos que una intervención dietética con vino tinto mejora la endotoxemia metabólica probablemente debido a su efecto prebiótico. También vimos que los cambios de los niveles de LPS tras cirugía bariátrica a corto plazo, dependen tanto del tipo de cirugía empleado así como del estado glucémico previo del paciente.Antecedentes. Aunque la obesidad aparece frecuentemente asociada al desarrollo de enfermedades metabólicas, también existen sujetos obesos sin alteraciones metabólicas. La inflamación de bajo grado se ha propuesto como uno de los responsables del desarrollo de dichas enfermedades así como un tejido adiposo (TA) disfuncional con una capacidad de almacenamiento energético limitada. Los lipopolisacáridos (LPS) procedentes de bacterias Gram negativas de la microbiota intestinal se han postulado como uno de los desencadenantes de dicha inflamación. Comidas ricas en grasa favorecen la translocación de los LPS desde el lumen intestinal hacia la circulación en individuos delgados sanos, probablemente debido a que los LPS se asocian a las partículas de quilomicrones. Las concentraciones elevadas de LPS circulantes en ausencia de infección, que se relacionan con los desórdenes metabólicos y son dependientes de la composición de la dieta, es lo que se conoce como endotoxemia metabólica. En modelos animales la endotoxemia metabólica se asocia a una menor expresión de genes lipogénicos y adipogénicos en TA. Sin embargo, aun no se ha comprobado si estos fenómenos ocurren en pacientes obesos. Por otro lado, intervenciones que mejoran el estado metabólico como el consumo de vino tinto (el cual tiene además un efecto prebiótico), o la cirugía bariátrica (que consigue una mejora metabólica a corto plazo independiente a la pérdida de peso), podrían deber su efecto, al menos en parte, a una modificación en los niveles de LPS

Socially sustainable supply chain : lessons from two portuguese fashion companies

The aim of this dissertation is to provide an overview of how companies can integrate corporate social responsibility (CSR) in supply chain management (SCM) in order to have a sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). The focus is on the social dimension of CSR and the ultimate goal is to contribute to the knowledge regarding how companies can ensure ethical standards in the factories of their suppliers. To answer our research question, we focus on the fast fashion industry, which increasingly outsources production to less developed countries. We have adopted a qualitative data approach and conducted a multiple case study about two Portuguese fashion companies with similar concerns regarding the importance of ethics in the management of their businesses but organisationally different: Parfois and SONAE Sports & Fashion. The results show that the most important tools to manage social issues are having the suppliers to commit to a code of conduct (CoC) and monitor the compliance of it through internal and external auditing. Furthermore, these need to be combined with a particular type of relationship between the supplier and the company: a cooperative, long term one.Esta dissertação tem como propósito fornecer uma visão geral relativamente a como devem as empresas integrar a responsabilidade social corporativa na gestão da sua cadeia de fornecimento, de modo a implementar uma cadeia de fornecimento sustentável. O estudo foca-se na dimensão social da responsabilidade social corporativa, com o objetivo final de demonstrar como devem as organizações certificar-se de que as fábricas dos seus fornecedores operam segundo padrões éticos. Para responder à questão central do nosso estudo, focámo-nos na indústria da moda, uma vez que esta que tem vindo a aumentar a subcontratação da sua produção em países menos desenvolvidos. A abordagem ao estudo foi feita com base em dados qualitativos e realizámos um caso de estudo múltiplo sobre duas empresas Portuguesas de moda, com visões semelhantes em termos da importância atribuída à incorporação da ética na gestão dos seus negócios, mas organizacionalmente diferentes: Parfois e a SONAE Sports & Fashion. Os resultados revelam que os instrumentos mais importantes para garantir condições de trabalho éticas são: garantir que os fornecedores se comprometem com um código de conduta e a monotorização do seu cumprimento através de auditorias internas e externas. Além disso, estas ferramentas devem ser combinadas com um determinado tipo de relação entre fornecedor e empresa: uma relação de cooperação a longo prazo

Emergencies in neonatal management: jaundice and biliary atresia

Biliary atresia is a severe and progressive inflammatory process of unknown cause, which initially involves the extrahepatic bile ducts but which quickly proceeds towards the intrahepatic bile tree leading rapidly to biliary cirrhosis. Biliary atresia is the major reason for liver transplantation during childhood. The extrahepatic bile ducts in biliary atresia become connective fibrotic cords which is irreversibly damaged

Characterization of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in gram negative bacteria isolated from animals and food products of animal origin

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciências Veterinárias. Especialidade de Sanidade AnimalABSTRACT - Antibiotics were a truly innovative option in medical therapy for the treatment of diseases caused by microbial agents, having largely contributed for the decrease levels of human and animal morbidity and mortality. Therefore, the overuse and misuse of these drugs in human clinical therapy and in the veterinary medicine, including animal production, contributed for the emergence and dissemination of antibiotic resistant microorganisms, which are a serious threat to human and animal health, and to the ecosystem. The aim of the present thesis was to search the main acquired antibiotic resistance mechanisms to β-lactams, fluoroquinolones and polymixins in Gram negative bacteria recovered from different animal species and matrices, and to investigate the most important mobile genetic elements involved in the dissemination. Thus, the studies concerning antibiotic susceptibility and molecular characterization were performed in collections of bacterial isolates belonging to Enterobacteriaceae family (mainly Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica). Both bacterial species were associated to antibiotic resistant determinants of clinical relevance in human and veterinary medicine, namely, blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-15, blaCTXM- 32, blaCMY-2, qnrS1, aac(6’)-Ib-cr, mcr-1. The diversity of detected mobile genetic elements, e.g., IncI1, IncF and IncX4 plasmids, insertion sequences ISEcp1, as well as integrons of class 1 and 2, suggest their involvement in the dissemination of resistance genes interspecies, and movement within the bacterial cell. Genomic analysis of two isolates (Morganella morganii and Salmonella Enteritidis), highlighted the potencial of omic technologies, as an additional tool to the phenotypic and genotypic characterization of antibiotic resistance. The results obtained throughout this thesis highlight the importance of the different animal species as reservoirs of antibiotic resistant bacteria. In addition, it was reinforced the need of a permanent research and monitoring of antibiotic resistance in the different ecological niches, and the use of genomic approaches, which had an important role in the understanding of the complex problem represented by the dynamic of antibiotic resistance.RESUMO - Os antibióticos constituíram uma opção verdadeiramente inovadora na terapêutica medicamentosa para o tratamento de doenças provocadas por agentes microbianos, tendo contribuído largamente para a diminuição das taxas de morbilidade e mortalidade humana e animal. Porém, a utilização abusiva e inadequada destes fármacos na prática clínica humana e na medicina veterinária, incluindo a produção animal, contribuiu para a emergência e disseminação de microrganismos resistentes, os quais constituem uma grave ameaça à saúde humana e animal, e para o ecossistema. A presente dissertação teve como objetivo central investigar os principais mecanismos de resistência adquirida aos antibióticos β-lactâmicos, fluoroquinolonas e polimixinas em bactérias de Gram negativo isoladas de diferentes espécies animais e matrizes, bem como os principais elementos genéticos móveis responsáveis pela sua disseminação. Assim, os estudos de suscetibilidade aos antibióticos e caracterização molecular foram realizados em coleções de estirpes bacterianas pertencentes à família Enterobacteriaceae (maioritariamente Escherichia coli e Salmonella enterica). Ambas as espécies bacterianas estavam associadas a determinantes de resistência de relevância clínica humana e veterinária, nomeadamente blaCTX-M-1, blaCTX-M-14, blaCTX-M-15, blaCTX-M-32, blaCMY-2, qnrS1, aac(6’)-Ib-cr, mcr-1. A diversidade de elementos genéticos móveis detetados, e.g. plasmídeos IncI1, IncF e IncX4, sequências de inserção ISEcp1, bem como integrões de classes 1 e 2, sugere o seu envolvimento na disseminação de genes de resistência aos antibióticos entre espécies, tal como a sua movimentação dentro da própria bactéria. A análise do genoma de duas estirpes (Morganella morganii e Salmonella Enteritidis) realçou o potencial das tecnologias ómicas, como ferramenta adicional na caracterização fenotípica e genotípica da resistência aos antibióticos. Os resultados obtidos salientam a importância que as várias espécies animais representam como reservatórios de bactérias resistentes aos antibióticos. Foi igualmente reforçada a necessidade de uma permanente investigação e monitorização da resistência aos antibióticos nos vários nichos ecológicos, e do uso de abordagens genómicas, as quais tiveram um papel importante na compreensão do complexo problema que representa a dinâmica da resistência aos antibióticos.N/

The new challenge of the european leather supply chain in the current geopolitical environment

Every year around the world, tanneries valorize and ennoble about 8 million tons of raw hides and skins, a waste material from the agri-food supply chain that would otherwise be destined for disposal in landfills or incineration, resulting in the release of about 5 million tons of greenhouse gases. On the other hand, leather, an extraordinary example of valorization and conversion of a putrescible and polluting material, has a much longer use life than its substitutes and a far more favorable degradative fate for the environment. The war in Ukraine and the consequent repercussions on the international market are likely to further exacerbate the historic need for raw materials (crude and semi-finished) of the European and, in particular, of the Italian tanning industry; and tanneries in non-European (Asian and South American) countries, given the greater availability of raw hides and skins, could take advantage of this to reduce the competitiveness of EU tannery in the markets. So worrisome is the situation that one of the world's most important associations of tanning industrialists, the National Union of the Tanning Industry (UNIC-Unione Nazionale Industria Conciaria), in agreement with the European Confederation of Tanners (COTANCE), has planned, in the first months of the year 2022, to request the European Commission to limit the export of European raw/semi-processed hides and skins outside the EU borders. In such a disturbing scenario, there is a clear need to adopt countermeasures projected over the medium and long term and adequate investments, for the ever-increasing implementation of the principles of circular economy and technological innovation in order to improve the environmental, but also economic, sustainability of the leather industry

Predicting topology propagation messages in mobile ad hoc networks: The value of history

This research was funded by the Spanish Government under contracts TIN2016-77836-C2-1-R,TIN2016-77836-C2-2-R, and DPI2016-77415-R, and by the Generalitat de Catalunya as Consolidated ResearchGroups 2017-SGR-688 and 2017-SGR-990.The mobile ad hoc communication in highly dynamic scenarios, like urban evacuations or search-and-rescue processes, plays a key role in coordinating the activities performed by the participants. Particularly, counting on message routing enhances the communication capability among these actors. Given the high dynamism of these networks and their low bandwidth, having mechanisms to predict the network topology offers several potential advantages; e.g., to reduce the number of topology propagation messages delivered through the network, the consumption of resources in the nodes and the amount of redundant retransmissions. Most strategies reported in the literature to perform these predictions are limited to support high mobility, consume a large amount of resources or require training. In order to contribute towards addressing that challenge, this paper presents a history-based predictor (HBP), which is a prediction strategy based on the assumption that some topological changes in these networks have happened before in the past, therefore, the predictor can take advantage of these patterns following a simple and low-cost approach. The article extends a previous proposal of the authors and evaluates its impact in highly mobile scenarios through the implementation of a real predictor for the optimized link state routing (OLSR) protocol. The use of this predictor, named OLSR-HBP, shows a reduction of 40–55% of topology propagation messages compared to the regular OLSR protocol. Moreover, the use of this predictor has a low cost in terms of CPU and memory consumption, and it can also be used with other routing protocols.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Customer relationship management field lab: internationalisation of Sport Lisboa and Benfica's football schools and academies

As part of the Customer Relationship Management Field Lab, this document intends to advise SL Benfica on the most adequate entry mode to expand its football schools and academies to China, the US and India. Literature about internationalisation strategies, internationalisation of sports and internationalisation of football is reviewed. Recommendations for each market are then formed, based on the insights generated from a thorough macro and micro analysis performed in group and from a reviewed internationalisation framework. It is concluded that SL Benfica should opt for a joint venture with a local entity in each one of the target markets