Online marketing communication: netnography into different types of fashion brands

Esta tese pretende explorar se as marcas de moda estão a fazer um bom trabalho em relação à comunicação online na plataforma social Instagram. Este estudo é realizado através do método de netnografia e dos conceitos de variáveis de sucesso no que diz respeito ao Instagram, para explorar se a comunicação online está a ser eficiente ou não. Seis marcas globais (Zara, H&M, Prada, Gucci, Nike e Adidas) foram escolhidas para participar na análise, devido ao seu tipo/categoria diferente e à sua recognição mundial. A coleção e análise de dados está dividido em três grupos: o primeiro é a coleção e análise geral dos dados de cada marca, o segundo é a coleção e análise especifica de dados de cada marca, e a terceira é a comparação das categorias das marcas. Os resultados da coleção e análise dos dados mostram que as marcas de moda rápida (Zara e H&M) estão a fazer uma comunicação online excecional, contudo em alguns aspetos a H&M é melhor devido à interação entre a marca e os consumidores e o uso de celebridades como embaixadores da marca. As marcas de alta costura (Prada e Gucci) tem uma comunicação online extraordinária, são muito parecidas e tem um grande numero de fotos e vídeos publicados em cada mês, o que mostra interação e compromisso nas páginas do Instagram. As marcas de desporto (Nike e Adidas) têm uma baixa interatividade com os consumidores e um numero baixo de fotos e vídeos publicados, o que resulta numa comunicação online mediana das marcas no Instagram. Adidas têm algum movimento na página e tenta interagir com vídeos e fotos de celebridades, ao contrário da Nike que é muito fraca em todos os aspetos estudados. Este estudo mostra que para ser bem-sucedida a comunicação online das marcas de moda, estas têm de estar constantemente a atualizar fotos e vídeos, precisam de interagir com os consumidores e faze-los sentir parte da marca, usar celebridades para dar notoriedade à marca e estar sempre corrente das ultimas tendências.This thesis aims to explore if fashion brands are doing a successful online communication regarding the online social platform, the Instagram. The study is conducted through netnography method and concepts of success variables concerning the Instagram to explore if the online communication is efficient or if not. Six global brands (Zara, H&M, Prada, Gucci, Nike, and Adidas) were chosen to participate in the analysis, for their different type/category of brands and their worldwide recognition. The data collection and data analysis is divided into three groups: the first part is the overall data collection and data analysis of each brand, the second is the specific data collection and data analysis of each brand, and the third is the comparison of the categories of brands. The results of the data collection and data analysis shows that Fast fashion brands (Zara and H&M) are doing an exceptional online communication, but in some aspects H&M is a bit better because of the engagement between brand and consumers and the use of celebrities as ambassadors of the brand. The Haute-de-couture brands (Prada and Gucci), have an extraordinary online communication, they are very similar and have great number of uploaded photos and videos each month, which shows interactivity and great engagement in the Instagram pages. The Sports brand (Nike and Adidas) have a low engagement with the consumers and low number of photos and videos uploaded, which results in an average online communication of the brands in Instagram. Adidas has some movement in the page and at least tries to interact with videos and photos of celebrities, whereas Nike is very weak in every aspect studied. This research shows that to be successful in the online communication, fashion brands must be always updating photos and videos, they need to interact with consumers and make them feel a part of the brand, use celebrities to give more notoriety to the brand and be always present in the latest trends

Terapia ocupacional en el turismo activo: experiencias desde la inclusión y participación activa

[Resumen] Introducción: La realización personal y disfrute del ocio en actividades de turismo activo es una de las ocupaciones significativas de nuestra sociedad actual. Sin embargo, las personas con diversidad funcional no logran alcanzar estas aspiraciones debido a diferentes barreras que restringen su participación. En este contexto, la Terapia Ocupacional puede identificar y eliminar las mismas y con ello, trabajar por la Justicia Ocupacional. Objetivos: Explorar y analizar, desde un ámbito emergente para la Terapia ocupacional, la accesibilidad, oferta y adaptabilidad del turismo activo en Galicia desde la perspectiva y participación activa de personas con y sin diversidad funcional. Metodología: Estudio de metodología mixta con enfoque Investigación-Acción Participación, de tipo observacional, descriptivo y transversal. Asimismo, se trata de una experiencia de Aprendizaje- Servicio. Resultados: Tras el análisis, los principales hallazgos se presentan en cinco bloques: “Oportunidades en el entorno del TAI en Galicia”, “Perfil de las personas con y sin diversidad funcional y su relación con el ocio y el TA”, “Resultados derivados de las experiencias realizadas”, “Necesidad de la figura de TO en TA” y “Competencias e intervenciones de TO como agente clave en TAI”. Conclusiones: La igualdad de oportunidades en la participación en el TA se ven disminuidas por la falta de accesibilidad, adaptación y formación en atención a la diversidad. Por ello, integrar a profesionales de TO minimizaría estas barreras, creando espacios de ocio justos y participativos con experiencias enriquecedoras y accesibles para toda la ciudadanía.[Resumo] Introdución: A realización persoal e o goce do lecer en actividades de turismo activo é unha das ocupacións significativas da nosa sociedade actual. Con todo, as persoas con diversidade funcional non logran alcanzar estas aspiracións debido as diferentes barreiras que restrinxen a súa participación. Neste contexto, a Terapia Ocupacional pode identificar e eliminar as mesmas e con iso, traballar pola Xustiza Ocupacional. Obxectivos: Explorar e analizar, desde un ámbito emerxente para a Terapia ocupacional, a accesibilidade, oferta e adaptabilidade do turismo activo en Galicia desde a perspectiva e participación activa de persoas con e sen diversidade funcional. Metodoloxía: Estudo de metodoloxía mixta con enfoque Investigación-Acción Participación, de tipo observacional, descritivo e transversal. Así mesmo, trátase dunha experiencia de Aprendizaxe- Servizo. Resultados: Trala análise, os principais achados preséntanse en cinco bloques: “Oportunidades na contorna do TAI en Galicia”, “Perfil das persoas con e sen diversidade funcional e a súa relación co lecer e o TA”, “Resultados derivados das experiencias realizadas”, “Necesidade da figura de TO en TA” e “Competencias e intervencións de TO como axente chave en TAI”. Conclusións: A igualdade de oportunidades na participación no TA vense diminuídas pola falta de accesibilidade, adaptación e formación en atención á diversidade. Por iso, integrar a profesionais de TO minimizaría estas barreiras, creando espazos de lecer xustos e participativos con experiencias enriquecedoras e accesibles para toda a cidadanía.[Abstract] Introduction: The personal fulfilment and enjoyment of leisure in active tourism activities is one of the significant occupations of our current society. However, people with functional diversity do not achieve these aspirations due to different barriers that restrict their participation. In this context, Occupational Therapy can identify and eliminate them and with it, work for Occupational Justice. Objectives: Explore and analyse, from an emerging field for Occupational Therapy, the accessibility, supply and adaptability of active tourism in Galicia from the perspective and active participation of people with and without functional diversity. Methodology: Mixed methodology study with a Participatory Research-Action approach, observational, descriptive and cross-sectional. It is also a Service-Learning experience. Results: After the analysis, the main findings are presented in five blocks: "Opportunities in the TAI environment in Galicia", "Profile of people with and without functional diversity and their relationship with leisure and AT", "Derived results of the experiences carried out”, “The necessity of an OT figure in AT” and “OT skills and interventions as a key agent in AT”. Conclusions: Equal opportunities for participation in AT are diminished by the lack of accessibility, adaptation and training in attention to diversity. Therefore, integrating OT professionals would minimize these barriers, creating fair and participatory leisure spaces with enriching and accessible experiences for all citizens.Traballo fin de grao (UDC.FCS). Terapia ocupacional. Curso 2020-202

Oxidation of C/SiC Composites at Reduced Oxygen Partial Pressures

Carbon-fiber reinforced SiC (C/SiC) composites are proposed for leading edge applications of hypersonic vehicles due to the superior strength of carbon fibers at high temperatures (greater than 1500 C). However, the vulnerability of the carbon fibers in C/SiC to oxidation over a wide range of temperatures remains a problem. Previous oxidation studies of C/SiC have mainly been conducted in air or oxygen, so that the oxidation behavior of C/SiC at reduced oxygen partial pressures of the hypersonic flight regime are less well understood. In this study, both carbon fibers and C/SiC composites were oxidized over a wide range of temperatures and oxygen partial pressures to facilitate the understanding and modeling of C/SiC oxidation kinetics for hypersonic flight conditions

Engineered microenvironments for synergistic VEGF - integrin signalling during vascularization

We have engineered polymer-based microenvironments that promote vasculogenesis both in vitro and in vivo through synergistic integrin-growth factor receptor signalling. Poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA) triggers spontaneous organization of fibronectin (FN) into nanonetworks which provide availability of critical binding domains. Importantly, the growth factor binding (FNIII12-14) and integrin binding (FNIII9-10) regions are simultaneously available on FN fibrils assembled on PEA. This material platform promotes synergistic integrin/VEGF signalling which is highly effective for vascularization events in vitro with low concentrations of VEGF. VEGF specifically binds to FN fibrils on PEA compared to control polymers (poly(methyl acrylate), PMA) where FN remains in a globular conformation and integrin/GF binding domains are not simultaneously available. The vasculogenic response of human endothelial cells seeded on these synergistic interfaces (VEGF bound to FN assembled on PEA) was significantly improved compared to soluble administration of VEGF at higher doses. Early onset of VEGF signalling (PLCγ1 phosphorylation) and both integrin and VEGF signalling (ERK1/2 phosphorylation) were increased only when VEGF was bound to FN nanonetworks on PEA, while soluble VEGF did not influence early signalling. Experiments with mutant FN molecules with impaired integrin binding site (FN-RGE) confirmed the role of the integrin binding site of FN on the vasculogenic response via combined integrin/VEGF signalling. In vivo experiments using 3D scaffolds coated with FN and VEGF implanted in the murine fat pad demonstrated pro-vascularization signalling by enhanced formation of new tissue inside scaffold pores. PEA-driven organization of FN promotes efficient presentation of VEGF to promote vascularization in regenerative medicine applications

Visualization of lithium-ion transport and phase evolution within and between manganese oxide nanorods.

Multiple lithium-ion transport pathways and local phase changes upon lithiation in silver hollandite are revealed via in situ microscopy including electron diffraction, imaging and spectroscopy, coupled with density functional theory and phase field calculations. We report unexpected inter-nanorod lithium-ion transport, where the reaction fronts and kinetics are maintained within the neighbouring nanorod. Notably, this is the first time-resolved visualization of lithium-ion transport within and between individual nanorods, where the impact of oxygen deficiencies is delineated. Initially, fast lithium-ion transport is observed along the long axis with small net volume change, resulting in two lithiated silver hollandite phases distinguishable by orthorhombic distortion. Subsequently, a slower reaction front is observed, with formation of polyphase lithiated silver hollandite and face-centred-cubic silver metal with substantial volume expansion. These results indicate lithium-ion transport is not confined within a single nanorod and may provide a paradigm shift for one-dimensional tunnelled materials, particularly towards achieving high-rate capability

Aging of Attentiveness in Border Collies and Other Pet Dog Breeds: The Protective Benefits of Lifelong Training

Aging of attentiveness affects cognitive functions like perception and working memory, which can seriously impact communication between dogs and humans, potentially hindering training and cooperation. Previous studies have revealed that aged laboratory beagles and pet Border collies (BC) show a decline in selective attention. However, much less is known about the aging of attentiveness in pet dogs in general rather than in specific breeds. Using 185 pet dogs (75 BC and 110 dogs of other breeds) divided into three age groups [late adulthood (6-= 10 year)], we assessed the progress of aging of attentional capture, sustained and selective attention in older dogs in order to explore if prior results in BC are generalizable and to evaluate the influence of lifelong training on measures of attention. Each dog's lifelong training score (ranging from 0 to 52) was calculated from a questionnaire filled in by the owners listing what kinds of training the dog participated in during its entire life. Dogs were tested in two tasks; the first, measuring attentional capture and sustained attention toward two stimuli (toy and human); and the second, measuring selective attention by means of clicker training for eye contact and finding food on the floor. In the first task, results revealed a significant effect of age but no effect of lifelong training on latency to orient to the stimuli. Duration of looking decreased with age and increased with lifelong training. In the second task, while lifelong training decreased the latency of dogs to form eye contact, aged dogs needed longer to find food. BC did not differ from other dogs in any measures of attention except latency to find food. In conclusion, aged dogs showed a decline in attentional capture and sustained attention demonstrating that these tests are sensitive to detect aging of attentiveness in older pet dogs. Importantly, selective attention remained unchanged with age and lifelong training seemed to delay or reduce the aging of attentiveness, further highlighting the importance of lifelong training in retaining general cognitive functions

Reciprocal regulation between the molecular clock and kidney injury

Molecular clock; Kidney injuryRellotge molecular; Lesió renalReloj molecular; Lesión renalTubulointerstitial fibrosis is the common pathological substrate for many etiologies leading to chronic kidney disease. Although perturbations in the circadian rhythm have been associated with renal disease, the role of the molecular clock in the pathogenesis of fibrosis remains incompletely understood. We investigated the relationship between the molecular clock and renal damage in experimental models of injury and fibrosis (unilateral ureteral obstruction, folic acid, and adenine nephrotoxicity), using genetically modified mice with selective deficiencies of the clock components Bmal1, Clock, and Cry. We found that the molecular clock pathway was enriched in damaged tubular epithelial cells with marked metabolic alterations. In human tubular epithelial cells, TGFβ significantly altered the expression of clock components. Although Clock played a role in the macrophage-mediated inflammatory response, the combined absence of Cry1 and Cry2 was critical for the recruitment of neutrophils, correlating with a worsening of fibrosis and with a major shift in the expression of metabolism-related genes. These results support that renal damage disrupts the kidney peripheral molecular clock, which in turn promotes metabolic derangement linked to inflammatory and fibrotic responses.This work was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación PID2019-104233RB-100/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (S Lamas), Instituto de Salud Carlos III REDinREN RD12/0021/0009 and RD16/0009/0016 (S Lamas), Comunidad de Madrid “NOVELREN” B2017/BMD-3751 and INNOREN P2022/BMD-7221 (S Lamas and C Barbas), and Fundación Renal “Iñigo Alvarez de Toledo” (S Lamas), all from Spain. C Rey-Serra has been the recipient of an FPI research training contract from the Spanish Research State Agency (BES-2016-076735). The CBMSO receives institutional support from Fundación “Ramón Areces.” We acknowledge the laboratories of Fernando Rodríguez Pascual (CBMSO) for helping with plasmid constructions and of Marta Ruiz‐Ortega at the Fundación Jiménez Díaz for helping with immunohistochemistry. We also acknowledge the help of the following facilities of the CBMSO: animal housing, flow cytometry, and confocal and electron microscopy

Efecto antioxidante de Chondrus crispus y Lentinula edodes en diferentes margarinas

Lipid oxidation is the reaction responsible for food degradation. To solve this problem the agri-food industry uses antioxidants, preservatives and chemical stabilizers. Currently, there is an increasingly strong demand for healthier eating. Because of this, the industry is increasingly interested in replacing chemical compounds with natural products of equal or greater effective-ness. This project studies the oxidative stability, both qualitative and quantitative, of margarines of different compositions when independently adding dehydrated material from a fungus (Len-tinula edodes) and a seaweed (Chondrus crispus) that are known for their antioxidant activity. To achieve this, Rancimat equipment was used at different temperatures: 110, 120, 130 and 140 ± 1.6 ºC. comparing treated margarine samples to their respective controls. The results varied depending on the temperatures used, the composition of margarines and the natural antioxidants added. The results show that margarines with a lower proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids, have greater oxidative stability. Oxidative stability was higher when the fungus was added compared to seaweed.La oxidación lipídica es la reacción responsable de la degradación de los alimentos, para solventar este problema la industria agroalimentaria utiliza antioxidantes, conservantes y estabilizantes químicos. Actualmente hay una demanda cada vez más fuerte de una alimentación más saluda-ble; debido a esto, la industria está cada vez más interesada en sustituir los compuestos químicos por productos naturales de igual o mayor efectividad. En este proyecto se estudia la estabilidad oxidativa en margarinas de distinta composición, tanto cualitativa como cuantitativa, al adicio-nar de forma independiente material deshidratado procedente de un hongo (Lentinula edodes) y de un alga (Chondrus crispus), que se caracterizan por tener actividad antioxidante. Para ello, se utilizó un equipo Rancimat a diferentes temperaturas: 110 ºC, 120 ºC, 130 ºC y 140 ºC ± 1.6 ºC, comparando las muestras de margarinas tratadas con sus respectivos controles. Los resultados variaron según las temperaturas empleadas, la composición de las margarinas y los antioxidantes naturales añadidos. Los resultados muestran que la margarina con menor proporción en ácidos grasos insaturados, y especialmente de poliinsaturados, presenta mayor estabilidad oxidativa y que esta aumenta en mayor grado cuando se añade el hongo con respecto a la adición del alga.Ciencias Experimentale

Carriage of Neisseria Meningitidis in Low and Middle Income Countries of the Americas and Asia: A Review of the Literature.

Funder: Pfizer IncINTRODUCTION: Meningococcal colonization, or carriage, can progress to invasive meningococcal disease, a serious public health concern, with rapid progression of disease and severe consequences if left untreated. Information on meningococcal carriage and epidemiology in low/middle income American and Asian countries remains sparse. These data are crucial to ensure that appropriate preventive strategies such as vaccination can be implemented in these regions. The goal of this study was to summarize the Neisseria meningitidis carriage literature in low and middle income countries of the Americas and Asia. METHODS: Target countries were categorized as low and middle income according to the International Monetary Fund classification of low income/developing economies and middle income/emerging market economies, respectively. A PubMed search identified English-language publications that examined carriage in these countries. Studies reporting the epidemiology of N. meningitidis carriage or assessing risk factors for carriage were included. RESULTS: Fourteen studies from the Americas [Brazil (n = 7), Chile (n = 3), and Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Paraguay (n = 1 each)] and nine from Asia [China (n = 2), India (n = 3), and Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, and Thailand (n = 1 each)] were identified; an additional Cuban study from the authors' files was also included. Studies were not identified in many target countries, and substantial diversity was observed among study methodologies, populations, and time periods, thereby limiting comparison between studies. The carriage rate in the Americas ranged from 1.6% to 9.9% and from 1.4% to 14.2% in Asia. Consistent risk factors for carriage were not identified. CONCLUSIONS: There is a lack of comprehensive and contemporary information on meningococcal carriage in low and medium income countries of the Americas and Asia. Future carriage studies should incorporate larger representative populations, a wider age range, and additional countries to improve our understanding of meningococcal epidemiology and disease control