How does a firm choose a new geographical market?

The purpose of this dissertation is to discuss how a firm chooses a new geographical market. To answer this research question, we conducted a qualitative study with a case study approach. The company studied was A Poveira, a Portuguese fish cannery. We use mostly primary type of data, using semi-structured interviews as the main source. Nonetheless, we also use secondary type of data and direct observation to collect additional data. The findings show that many theories discussed in the literature review were verified in the case of our company, while others were rejected. It was also possible to rank the importance of the criteria used by the company to choose a new geographical market and the connection among the different criterions. The cultural barriers are often heavy and costly; however they are not sufficient to make a market inviable since the company has the ability to overcome them. The political and legal systems might also affect the decision of choosing a new geographical. However, factors such as previous experience, network and economic attractiveness of the host market are more critical in the choice of a new geographical market. Finally, factors such as language or geographic distance have little or none weight in that decision.O objetivo desta tese é discutir como é que uma empresa escolhe um novo mercado geográfico. Para responder a esta questão de pesquisa, conduzimos um estudo qualitativo, usando um estudo de caso. A empresa estudada foi A Poveira, uma empresa portuguesa produtora de conservas de peixe. Usamos maioritariamente informação do tipo primário, usando entrevistas semiestruturadas como fonte. No entanto, também usamos informação do tipo secundária e observação direta como fontes adicionais de informação. Os resultados mostram que várias das teorias discutidas na revisão de literatura são verificadas no caso da empresa em questão, enquanto outras foram rejeitadas. Também foi possível criar um ranking da importância do critério usado pela empresa para escolher um novo mercado geográfico e a ligação entre critérios. As barreiras culturais são frequentemente pesadas e custosas, no entanto não são suficientes para tornar um mercado inviável pois a empresa tem a capacidade para ultrapassa-las. Os sistemas políticos e legais podem também afetar a decisão de selecionar um novo mercado. No entanto, fatores como as experiências passadas, a rede de contactos e a atratividade económica do mercado são mais críticos na escolha de um novo mercado. Finalmente, fatores como o idioma ou a distância geográfica tem pouco ou quase nulo peso nessa decisão

Fármacos na sedação consciente

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre no Instituto Superior de Ciências da Saúde Egas MonizPara muitos doentes, uma ida ao dentista é ainda encarada como uma experiência bastante desconfortável, gerando medo e ansiedade e muitas vezes recusa às consultas. O estudo e conhecimento do medo, ansiedade e a dor associados ao tratamento dentário, surgem assim como uma matéria de grande importância, visto estar em causa a afluência, o tratamento dentário contínuo e consequentemente a saúde oral da população. Quando estamos perante pacientes com um medo excessivo ao tratamento ou com altos níveis de ansiedade que o evitem receber, que tenham um ataque de pânico ou que não consigam colaborar, a técnica mais utilizada é a sedação consciente, pois permite que um determinado tratamento seja devidamente concretizado. Esta técnica consiste na utilização de fármacos em dosagens que permitem ao paciente conservar um nível de consciência em que mantém os seus reflexos de protecção e é capaz de perceber e responder aos comandos verbais do médico dentista. Os fármacos a utilizar na sedação consciente devem ser escolhidos consoante o tipo de tratamento, o paciente em questão e os efeitos do mesmo. Os agentes mais utilizados na aplicação desta técnica são a mistura de protóxido de azoto (N2O) com oxigénio - devido à facilidade de administração e rapidez no efeito-, e as benzodiazepinas - por possuírem propriedades ansiolíticas, amnésicas e sedativas. Além destes fármacos, existem outros menos utilizados, mas que podem ser apropriados para situações específicas tais como a dexmedetomidina, hidrato cloral, cetamina, propofol, hidroxizina, e opióides. Numa altura em que cada vez menos pessoas recorrem a tratamentos dentários devido a motivos económicos, para evitar quebras ainda maiores no acompanhamento da saúde oral da população, deve-se investir e catapultar a medicina dentária para avanços técnicos e tecnológicos no campo comportamental e farmacológico

Automated Solar PV Simulation System Supported by DC–DC Power Converters

Funding Information: This work was funded by Instituto Politécnico de Lisboa, reference code: IPL/2021/ATS2SPV_ISEL. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 by the authors.Solar photovoltaic simulators are valuable tools for the design and evaluation of several components of photovoltaic systems. They can also be used for several purposes, such as educational objectives regarding operation principles, control strategies, efficiency, maintenance, and other aspects. This paper presents an automated solar photovoltaic simulation system with the capability to generate automated tests considering different parameters of solar photovoltaic panels and different operation conditions. The proposed simulator is composed of three buck-boost DC–DC power converters controlled in such a way that will behave similarly to solar photovoltaic panels. It allows to introduce additional variable loads and maximum power point tracker algorithms similar to real systems. Some converters are controlled by a DSP microcontroller connected to a single programmable logic controller which generates the automated tests. Thus, using the presented solution, it is possible to implement the I-V and P-V characteristic curves of solar photovoltaic panels and evaluate different maximum power point tracker algorithms considering different meteorological conditions and load variations, being a useful tool to teach subjects related to renewable energy sources and related applications. Several simulation results using Matlab/Simulink and experimental results are presented to validate the operation of the proposed solution. Experimental results achieve a ripple between 2% and 5% of the desired average current in MPP conditions.publishersversionpublishe

Anthelmintic activity of Annona crassiflora leaves against Haemonchus contortus: part 2: efficacy in vivo and blood parameters

In this study we evaluated the oral toxicity of leaf extracts of Annona crassiflora of for mice and the blood and parasitological parameters of lambs experimentally infected with Haemonchus contortus and treated with leaves of this plant. The highest dose of AE (aqueous extract) administered to mice (203.0 mg/kg bw) was well tolerated, suggesting low toxicity. At necropsy, macroscopic examination revealed no abnormalities of the evaluated viscera.  Lambs infected with the nematode were divided one group treated with leaf powder and a control group that did not treat. Split-plot design analysis was performed where the treatments were defined as plots and three periods of collection were defined as subplots. Similar performances to weight gain were observed among the lamb groups. The oral administration of leaf powder at 2.75g /Kg bw did not alter the physiological blood parameters in comparison to untreated lambs; however, this dose was not efficient to fecal egg reduction.    We consider that other formulations and administration protocols should be evaluated to promote an effective alternative control using the leaves of this plant

Anthelmintic activity of Annona crassiflora leaves against Haemonchus contortus: part 1: in vitro inhibition of the hatchability and larval development

We evaluated the activity of Annona crassiflora leaves against Haemonchus contortus resistant to albendazol.  Aqueous (AE), ethanolic (EE) and ethyl acetate (EAE) extracts were produced and the predominant presence of flavonoids was observed in HPLC-DAD chromatograms. Initially we evaluated the larval development inhibition (LDI) of dry A. crassiflora leaf powder or its AE directly in fecal quantitative cultures. The efficacies of the extracts, with or without tannins, on egg hatching inhibition (EHI) were investigated reveling that the EE was the most effective (LC90 = 8.96 mg/mL). However, after tannin removal, AE showed the highest activity (LC90 = 4.27 mg/mL). In the LDI test, the LC90 of AE was < 6.25 mg/g of fecal culture and to leaf powder of leaves was 69.14 mg/g.  High efficacies of AE and EE for EHI were detected and the tannins were not the main active metabolites. The anthelmintic potential of this plant could be attributed to association between flavonoids and other metabolites

New 99mTc-Labeled Digitoxigenin Derivative for Cancer Cell Identification

In recent years, cardiac glycosides (CGs) have been investigated as potential antiviral and anticancer drugs. Digitoxigenin (DIG) and other CGs have been shown to bind and inhibit Na+/K+-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase). Tumor cells show a higher expression rate of the Na+/K+-ATPase protein or a stronger affinity towards the binding of CGs and are therefore more prone to CGs than non-tumor cells. Cancer imaging techniques using radiotracers targeted at specific receptors have yielded successful results. Technetium-99m (99mTc) is one of the radionuclides of choice to radiolabel pharmaceuticals because of its favorable physical and chemical properties along with reasonable costs. Herein, we describe a new Na+/K+-ATPase targeting radiotracer consisting of digitoxigenin and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), a bifunctional chelating ligand used to prepare 99mTc-labeled complexes, and its evaluation as an imaging probe. We report the synthesis and characterization of the radiolabeled compound including stability tests, blood clearance, and biodistribution in healthy mice. Additionally, we investigated the binding of the compound to A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cells and the inhibition of the Na+/K+-ATPase by the labeled compound in vitro. The 99mTc-labeled DTPA–digitoxigenin (99mTc-DTPA–DIG) compound displayed high stability in vitro and in vivo, a fast renal excretion, and a specific binding towards A549 cancer cells in comparison to non-tumor cells. Therefore, 99mTc-DTPA–DIG could potentially be used for non-invasive visualization of tumor lesions by means of scintigraphic imaging

New 99mTc-labeled digitoxigenin derivative for cancer cell identification

In recent years, cardiac glycosides (CGs) have been investigated as potential antiviral and anticancer drugs. Digitoxigenin (DIG) and other CGs have been shown to bind and inhibit Na+ /K+ -adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase). Tumor cells show a higher expression rate of the Na+ /K+ - ATPase protein or a stronger affinity towards the binding of CGs and are therefore more prone to CGs than non-tumor cells. Cancer imaging techniques using radiotracers targeted at specific receptors have yielded successful results. Technetium99m (99mTc) is one of the radionuclides of choice to radiolabel pharmaceuticals because of its favorable physical and chemical properties along with reasonable costs. Herein, we describe a new Na+ /K+ -ATPase targeting radiotracer consisting of digitoxigenin and diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), a bifunctional chelating ligand used to prepare 99mTc-labeled complexes, and its evaluation as an imaging probe. We report the synthesis and characterization of the radiolabeled compound including stability tests, blood clearance, and biodistribution in healthy mice. Additionally, we investigated the binding of the compound to A549 human non-small-cell lung cancer cells and the inhibition of the Na+ /K+ - ATPase by the labeled compound in vitro. The 99mTc-labeled DTPA−digitoxigenin (99mTc-DTPA−DIG) compound displayed high stability in vitro and in vivo, a fast renal excretion, and a specific binding towards A549 cancer cells in comparison to nontumor cells. Therefore, 99mTc-DTPA−DIG could potentially be used for non-invasive visualization of tumor lesions by means of scintigraphic imaging

Both “illness and temptation of the enemy”: melancholy, the medieval patient and the writings of King Duarte of Portugal (r. 1433–38)

Recent historians have rehabilitated King Duarte of Portugal, previously maligned and neglected, as an astute ruler and philosopher. There is still a tendency, however, to view Duarte as a depressive or a hypochondriac, due to his own description of his melancholy in his advice book, the Loyal Counselor. This paper reassesses Duarte's writings, drawing on key approaches in the history of medicine, such as narrative medicine and the history of the patient. It is important to take Duarte's views on his condition seriously, placing them in the medical and theological contexts of his time and avoiding modern retrospective diagnosis. Duarte's writings can be used to explore the impact of plague, doubt and death on the life of a well-educated and conscientious late-medieval ruler