Ach Brito - sell or not sell?

This case study is based on a real family business, Ach Brito. The company has more than 100 years of history and is in its 4th Generation. It is a well-known Portuguese firm that has had a stable growth and sells in more than 50 countries. The main focus of this case is on participation selling in a family business context. The case intends to: illustrate how family companies can surpass obstacles and return to a stable path; leading to a discussion regarding capital selling in a family business context; family business decision-making complexity and emotional value impact. Ach Brito’s case is a basis for discussion of family business theoretical content. The case includes a teaching note to beacon the lecture of the case in classroom context. Complementary readings and discussion questions with suggested answers are available with the objective of enhancing the learning process

Sheep and goat meat processed products quality: a review

Even though sheep and goat processed meat products are not as popular as pork, beef or poultry and are generally considered not as important, they have a very important role in meat consumption around the world. A concise review of the origin and type of the most important sheep and goat processed meat products produced in different countries and world regions is made. The manuscript also summarizes the most recent studies on sheep and goat processed meats on the physicochemical characterizations, sensory quality, microbiological quality and safety. Some conclusions and future trends in production, processing and commercial potentiality for sheep and goat processed meat products are discussed. Several possibilities exist to make them more diversified and appealing to the market. Processing meat from culled animals is an interesting way to value animals with low market acceptability. Some as fermented sausages, cured legs and pâtés have great commercial potential as highly acceptable consumer commodities. An interesting field of food research is the rediscovery of a new generation of goat and sheep meat products as functional foods that will respond to the constant innovation required by the meat industry. Everything related to food safety must be considered in the future.Authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020). Authors are also thankful to the project UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Non-destructive imaging and spectroscopic techniques for assessment of carcass and meat quality in sheep and goats: a review

In the last decade, there has been a significant development in rapid, non-destructive and non-invasive techniques to evaluate carcass composition and meat quality of meat species. This article aims to review the recent technological advances of non-destructive and non-invasive techniques to provide objective data to evaluate carcass composition and quality traits of sheep and goat meat. We highlight imaging and spectroscopy techniques and practical aspects, such as accuracy, reliability, cost, portability, speed and ease of use. For the imaging techniques, recent improvements in the use of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging to assess sheep and goat carcass and meat quality will be addressed. Optical technologies are gaining importance for monitoring and evaluating the quality and safety of carcasses and meat and, among them, those that deserve more attention are visible and infrared reflectance spectroscopy, hyperspectral imagery and Raman spectroscopy. In this work, advances in research involving these techniques in their application to sheep and goats are presented and discussed. In recent years, there has been substantial investment and research in fast, non-destructive and easy-to-use technology to raise the standards of quality and food safety in all stages of sheep and goat meat production. © 2020 by the authors.Authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO (UIDB/00690/2020); Laboratory of Carcass and Meat Quality of Agriculture School of Polytechnic Institute of Bragança ‘Cantinho do Alfredo’. The authors A. Teixeira and S. Rodrigues are members of the Healthy Meat network, funded by CYTED (ref. 119RT0568). CECAV authors are thankful to the project UIDB/CVT/00772/2020 funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Solidão, a busca do outro na era do eu: estudo sobre sociabilidades na modernidade tardia

Este artigo insere-se no âmbito de um trabalho de investigação cujo pano de fundo foi o tema da solidão e das sociabilidades na viragem do século. O objecto de estudo consistiu na análise de três formas encontradas pelos actores sociais para comunicar: anúncios pessoais publicados numa revista, uma associação promotora de encontros entre pessoas livres e linhas telefónicas de ajuda. O quadro teórico foi problematizado em função da teoria de Giddens sobre a modernidade tardia, assim como da análise dos movimentos demográficos e das recomposições familiares, dando grande relevo à emancipação feminina nas relações entre os géneros e referindo a importância da relação pura (Giddens), do novo modelo de vida privada (Kaufmann) e do neotribalismo (Maffesoli).This article forms part of a research project that was set against the backcloth of the theme of loneliness and sociabilities at the turn of the millennium. The object of the study was the analysis of three ways that social actors have discovered in order to communicate: personal ads published in a magazine, an association which organises encounters between unattached people and help lines. The theoretical framework was problematised according to Giddens’ theory of late modernity, as well as an analysis of demographic movements and family reconstitution. It pays particular attention to female emancipation in gender relationships and also refers to the importance of the pure relationship (Giddens), of the new model of private life (Kaufmann) and of neo-tribalism (Maffesoli).Cet article s’insère dans le cadre d’une recherche qui a pour toile de fond la solitude et les sociabilités en cette fin du siècle. L’étude a consisté à analyser trois formes que les acteurs sociaux ont trouvées pour communiquer: petites annonces publiées dans un magazine, club de rencontres entre personnes libres et lignes téléphoniques d’aide. Le cadre théorique a été problématisé en fonction de la théorie de Giddens sur la modernité tardive, ainsi que de l’analyse des mouvements démographiques et des recompositions familiales, en mettant particulièrement l’accent sur l’émancipation de la femme dans les relations entre genres, tout en insistant sur l’importance de la relation pure (Giddens), du nouveau modèle de vie privée (Kaufmann) et du néo-tribalisme (Maffesoli).Este artículo se inscribe en el ámbito de un trabajo de investigación cuyo paño de fondo fue el tema de la soledad y de las sociabilidades en el cambio de siglo. El objeto del estudio consistió en el análisis de tres formas encontradas por los actores sociales para comunicar: anuncios personales publicados en una revista, una asociación promotora de encuentros entre personas libres y líneas telefónicas de ayuda. El cuadro teórico fue problematizado en función de la teoría de Giddens sobre la modernidad tardía, así como del análisis de los movimientos demográficos y de las recomposiciones familiares, dando un gran relieve a la emancipación femenina en las relaciones entre los géneros y refiriéndose a la importancia de la relación pura (Giddens), del nuevo modelo de vida privada (Kaufmann), y del neotribalismo (Maffesoli)

Ruthenium(II)–cyclopentadienyl-derived complexes as new emerging anti-colorectal cancer drugs

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies and one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide, urging the need for new and more efficient therapeutic approaches. Ruthenium complexes have emerged as attractive alternatives to traditional platinum-based compounds in the treatment of CRC. This work aims to evaluate anti-CRC properties, as well as to identify the mechanisms of action of ruthenium complexes with the general formula [Ru(η5-C5H4R)(PPh3)(4,4'-R'-2,2'-bipyridine)][CF3SO3], where R = CH3, CHO or CH2OH and R' = H, CH3, CH2OH, or dibiotin ester. The complexes (Ru 1-7) displayed high bioactivity, as shown by low IC50 concentrations against CRC cells, namely, RKO and SW480. Four of the most promising ruthenium complexes (Ru 2, 5-7) were phenotypically characterized and were shown to inhibit cell viability by decreasing cell proliferation, inducing cell cycle arrest, and increasing apoptosis. These findings were in accordance with the inhibition of MEK/ERK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. Ruthenium complexes also led to a decrease in cellular clonogenic ability and cell migration, which was associated with the disruption of F-actin cytoskeleton integrity. Here, we demonstrated that ruthenium complexes, especially Ru7, have a high anticancer effect against CRC cells and are promising drugs to be used as a new therapeutical strategy for CRC treatment.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), I.P./MCTES through national funds (PIDDAC)—UIDB/00100/2020, UIDB/04050/2020 and through PTDC/QUI-QIN/28662/2017. A.V. acknowledges the CEECIND 2017 Initiative (CEECCIND/01974/2017). A.R.B. and R.G.T. thank FCT for their Ph.D. Grants (SFRH/BD/139271/2018 and SFRH/BD/135830/2018, respectively