The Guiding Principles of the profession. A comparative study of Ethical Codes promoted by PR associations

Ethics has been central to the debate about what public relations is, what it does and how it should be practiced in contemporary times. Ethical codes are a moral reference regarding the duties and rights of a profession. In this paper we reflect about the main values that guide PR practice based on Schwartz’s theory of basic human values, which measures universal values that are recognized throughout all major cultures. We aim to ascertain which basic human values are portrayed on the codes of public relations associations worldwide and understand their similarities/discrepancies with the global code of ethics portrayed by the Global Alliance. A qualitative and quantitative content analysis was carried out of the codes of ethics of six national PR and communication associations (representative of the sector in Europe and Americas) and of the Global Alliance's code as an international reference institution. The codes analysed were DIRCOM, Spain; ABERJE, Brazil; APCE, Portugal; CIPR, the United Kingdom; CPRPA, Argentina; PRSA, United States; and the Global Alliance. The documents obtained were analysed according to Schwartz's "Theory of the Universal Structure of Human Values" (1999) to study the priorities of values contained in the ethical codes of the public relations associations analysed, and to highlight the motivational values that may be present in them. The researchers adapted the codes to the structure, based on the descriptions of Schwartz's typology of values, and classified them according to higher-order types and their dimensions.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

EKSTRAK ETANOL DAUN KELOR (Moringa oleifera Lam.) SEBAGAI ANTIOKSIDAN DALAM PENGENCER SEMEN BABI LANDRACE BERBASIS AIR BUAH LONTAR

This study aims to determine the antioxidant effect of the ethanol extract of the leaves of Moringa (Moringa oleifera Lam.) In water diluent palm fruit of the quality of landrace pig spermatozoa. This study uses a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 5 treatments, 1 control dan 4 repetitions and observation of the motility and viability of spermatozoa performed every 2 hours until a decline in the percentage motility of at least 40%. The cement used in the Laboratory of Technical Services Unit for Breeding and Forage at Tarus, Kupang. Escrow done every two weeks from the male landrace pigs who have experienced sexual maturity. Landrace pig semen storage results were evaluated macroscopically and microscopically. Good quality cement had ≥70% motility, concentration ≥200x106 sel spermatozoa/ml and abnormalities of ≤20%. Cement is added to the water diluent palm fruit then added with antioxidants. Antioxidants should be added during the storage process, sperm metabolic activity produces free radicals that can degrade the quality of spermatozoa. Moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera Lam.) Is one of the antioxidants that can be used to counteract free radicals. Moringa leaves (Moringa oleifera Lam.) Is added to the water diluent palm fruit with graded doses are 1% (P1), 2% (P2), 3% (P3), 4% (P4) and 5% (P5). The results of this study indicate a dose of 1% (P1) is the best dosage to maintain the quality of the landrace pig spermatozoa of 66.25 ± 2.39 motility and viability of spermatozoa sebesar 78.00% ± 1.82%, which is stored at room temperature 22º C

S100B as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target in multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) pathology is characterized by neuroinflammation and demyelination. Recently, the inflammatory molecule S100B was identified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of MS patients. Although seen as an astrogliosis marker, lower/physiological levels of S100B are involved in oligodendrocyte differentiation/maturation. Nevertheless, increased S100B levels released upon injury may induce glial reactivity and oligodendrocyte demise, exacerbating tissue damage during an MS episode or delaying the following remyelination. Here, we aimed to unravel the functional role of S100B in the pathogenesis of MS. Elevated S100B levels were detected in the CSF of relapsing-remitting MS patients at diagnosis. Active demyelinating MS lesions showed increased expression of S100B and its receptor, the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), in the lesion area, while chronic active lesions displayed increased S100B in demyelinated areas with lower expression of RAGE in the rim. Interestingly, reactive astrocytes were identified as the predominant cellular source of S100B, whereas RAGE was expressed by activated microglia/macrophages. Using an ex vivo demyelinating model, cerebral organotypic slice cultures treated with lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), we observed a marked elevation of S100B upon demyelination, which co-localized mostly with astrocytes. Inhibition of S100B action using a directed antibody reduced LPC-induced demyelination, prevented astrocyte reactivity and abrogated the expression of inflammatory and inflammasome-related molecules. Overall, high S100B expression in MS patient samples suggests its usefulness as a diagnostic biomarker for MS, while the beneficial outcome of its inhibition in our demyelinating model indicates S100B as an emerging therapeutic target in MS.This work was supported by Medal of Honor L’Oréal for Women in Science (FCT, UNESCO, L’Óreal) and innovation grant (Ordem dos Farmacêuticos) to AF, a post-doctoral grant from Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT-SFRH/BPD/96794/2013) and a DuPré Grant from the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) to AB, and by FCT-Pest- OE/SAU/UI4013 to iMed.ULisboa.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sex difference and intra-operative tidal volume: Insights from the LAS VEGAS study

BACKGROUND: One key element of lung-protective ventilation is the use of a low tidal volume (VT). A sex difference in use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) has been described in critically ill ICU patients.OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine whether a sex difference in use of LTVV also exists in operating room patients, and if present what factors drive this difference.DESIGN, PATIENTS AND SETTING: This is a posthoc analysis of LAS VEGAS, a 1-week worldwide observational study in adults requiring intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery in 146 hospitals in 29 countries.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Women and men were compared with respect to use of LTVV, defined as VT of 8 ml kg-1 or less predicted bodyweight (PBW). A VT was deemed 'default' if the set VT was a round number. A mediation analysis assessed which factors may explain the sex difference in use of LTVV during intra-operative ventilation.RESULTS: This analysis includes 9864 patients, of whom 5425 (55%) were women. A default VT was often set, both in women and men; mode VT was 500 ml. Median [IQR] VT was higher in women than in men (8.6 [7.7 to 9.6] vs. 7.6 [6.8 to 8.4] ml kg-1 PBW, P < 0.001). Compared with men, women were twice as likely not to receive LTVV [68.8 vs. 36.0%; relative risk ratio 2.1 (95% CI 1.9 to 2.1), P < 0.001]. In the mediation analysis, patients' height and actual body weight (ABW) explained 81 and 18% of the sex difference in use of LTVV, respectively; it was not explained by the use of a default VT.CONCLUSION: In this worldwide cohort of patients receiving intra-operative ventilation during general anaesthesia for surgery, women received a higher VT than men during intra-operative ventilation. The risk for a female not to receive LTVV during surgery was double that of males. Height and ABW were the two mediators of the sex difference in use of LTVV.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01601223

Relações públicas governamentais e construção da identidade nacional: o caso das presidências abertas de Armando Guebuza em Moçambique

Moçambique é uma democracia recente e fortemente dividida a nível socioeconómico, cultural, político e linguístico. Armando Guebuza, presidente de Moçambique entre 2005 e 2014, colocou no centro da sua estratégia governativa a comunicação com os cidadãos. Com a “Presidência aberta e inclusiva” (PAI), uma estratégia de relações públicas governamentais, instaurou um ciclo de grande proximidade com o povo, especialmente nas zonas rurais. Neste artigo, desenvolve-se uma análise crítica dos discursos de Guebuza no âmbito das PAI, enquanto texto, prática discursiva e sociocultural através de cinco dimensões: (i) léxico; (ii) temas; (iii) contexto histórico; (iv) relacionamento com o público; e (v) identidade nacional. Os resultados indicam que as PAI e as suas práticas discursivas foram desenhadas com o propósito de influenciar significados contribuindo para a consolidação da identidade nacional

Bioequivalencia de una dosis de Levofloxacina de Laboratorios LETI (LL) comprimidos de 500 mg frente a Levofloxacina de Laboratorios SANOFI AVENTIS: Tavanic® (LSA) tabletas de 500 mg, administrados en dosis única en voluntarios sanos

Objetivo: Evaluar la Bioequivalencia en 12 voluntarios sanos de la Levofloxacina de Laboratorios LETI (LL) comprimidos de 500 mg en dosis única, producto test, con la del producto de referencia: Levofloxacina de Laboratorios SANOFI AVENTIS,Tavanic® (LSA) tabletas de 500 mg.Métodos: El grupo test recibió un comprimido de Levofloxacinade Laboratorios LETI (LL) de 500 mg, y el grupo de referenciarecibió una tableta de Levofloxacina de Laboratorios SANOFI AVENTIS: Tavanic® (LSA) de 500 mg. Terminada esta primera fase de tratamiento, los voluntarios no recibieron medicaciónpor 6 días consecutivos (período de lavado). Luego se procedió al cruce de los tratamientos, los voluntarios del grupo test recibieron la medicación del grupo referencia y viceversa.La extracción de sangre venosa se realizó a la hora 0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6, 8, 14, 18 y 24 horas. Se determinaron los niveles plasmáticos de Levofloxacina de las muestras plasmáticasprocedentes del estudio clínico, mediante el método cromatográfico por HPLC desarrollado y validado.Resultados: Se obtuvo una Cmax de 1253.40+/-562.58 μg/mL para LL vs. 1317.42+/-439.64 μg/mL para LSA, el AUC0-24 fue de 9188.43+/-2406.64 μg/mL/h vs 8780.22+/-2305.99 μg/mL/h; y para el AUC0-∞ el resultado fue de 9933.17+/-2488.52 μg/mL/h vs. 9433.47+/-2399.71 μg/mL/h respectivamente. Las medias y sus intervalos de confianza para la Cmax y el AUC0-24 y AUC0-∞ se mantuvieron en los rangos aceptados para la demostración de bioequivalencia.Conclusiones: Ambos productos son bioequivalentes y por lo tanto intercambiables.Objective: To evaluated the bioequivalence in 12 healthy volunteers of the LETI Laboratories Levofloxacin (LL) tablets 500 mg single dose, test product with the product Reference: SANOFI AVENTIS Laboratories Levofloxacin, Tavanic® (LSA) 500 mg tablets.Methods: The test group received one tablet of levofloxacin LETI Laboratories (LL) of 500 mg, and the control group receiveda tablet Levofloxacin SANOFI AVENTIS Laboratories: Tavanic® (LSA) of 500 mg. After this first treatment phase, volunteers received no medication for 6 consecutive days (washout period). Then he proceeded to the crossing of the treatments, the volunteers of the group test group received the medication reference and viceversa. The venous blood collectionwas performed at time 0, 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6, 8, 14, 18 and 24 hours. We determined plasma levels of levofloxacin in plasma samples from the clinical study, using HPLC chromatographicmethod developed and validated.Results: Cmax of 1253.40 + / -562.58 μg/mL for the LL vs. 1317.42 + / -439.64 μg/mL for LSA, the AUC0-24 was 9188.43 + / -2406.64 μg/mL/h vs. 8780.22 + / -2305.99 μg/mL/h, and the AUC0-∞ the result was 9933.17 + / -2488.52 μg/mL/h vs. 9433.47 + / -2399.71 μg/mL/h, respectively. The mean and confidence intervals for Cmax and AUC0-24 and AUC0-∞ were maintained in the range accepted for the demonstration of bioequivalence.Conclusions: Both products are bioequivalent and therefore interchangeabl

Interaction of vanadium(IV) with human serum apo-transferrin

The interaction of (VO)-O-IV-salts as well as of a few (VO)-O-IV(carrier)(n) complexes with human serum transferrin (hTF) is studied focusing on the determination of the nature and stoichiometry of the binding of (VO2+)-O-IV to hTF, as well as whether the conformation of hTF upon binding to (VO2+)-O-IV or to its complexes is changed. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra measured for solutions containing (VO2+)-O-IV and apo-hTF, and (VO)-O-IV-maltol and apo-hTF, clearly indicate that hTF-(VO)-O-IV-maltol ternary species form with a (VO)-O-IV:maltol stoichiometry of 1:1. For (VO)-O-IV salts and several (VO)-O-IV(carrier)(n) complexes (carrier ligand = maltolato, dhp, picolinato and dipicolinato) (Hdhp = 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-4-pyridinone) the maximum number of (VO2+)-O-IV bound per mole of hTF is determined to be similar to 2 or lower in all cases. The binding of (VO)-O-IV to apo-hTF most certainly involves several amino acid residues of the Fe-binding site, and as concluded by urea gel electrophoresis experiments, the formation of ((VO)-O-IV)(2)hTF species may occur with the closing of the hTF conformation as is the case in (Fe-III)(2)hTF, which is an essential feature for the transferrin receptor recognition. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved