Business Incubators, Accelerators, and Performance of Technology-Based Ventures: A Systematic Literature Review

This review aims to identify the typologies of business incubators (BI) and business accelerators (BA) and to define a taxonomy integrating both the BI’s and BA’s characteristics and services portfolio, facilitating the adoption of open innovation practices. A systematic literature review (SLR) was carried out encompassing the research topic concerning the relationship between the incubation structures and the performance of technology-based ventures. This comprehensive SLR encompasses a total of 1614 publications, aiming to advance the knowledge on BI and BA. This SLR allowed for the identification of current trends and future challenges, as well as of the most important authors, publications, and journals in this research framework. This SLR establishes a new taxonomy for BI and BA, based upon three main pillars: human capital, social capital, and organizational capital. BI and BA help in the development of new high-technology ventures, by being facilitators for open innovation practices. This SLR is limited by the literature, as the collection of publications was performed exclusively through ISI Web of Science (WoS). Further research can be made into the modes of how these structures impact open innovation practices at the regional level using a knowledge spillover approach.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Quality of Work Life and Contribution to Productivity: Assessing the Moderator Effects of Burnout Syndrome

This study is focused on assessing the effects of burnout as a moderator of the relationship between employees’ quality of work life (QWL) and their perceptions of their contribution to the organization’s productivity by integrating the QWL factors into the trichotomy of (de)motivators of productivity in the workplace. The empirical findings resulting from an OLS multiple regression, with interaction terms, applied to a survey administered at 514 employees in 6 European countries, point out two important insights: (i) QWL hygiene factors (e.g., safe work environment and occupational healthcare) positively and significantly influence the contribution to productivity; and (ii) burnout de-motivator factors (that is, low effectiveness, cynicism, and emotional exhaustion) significantly moderate the relationship between QWL and the contribution to productivity. Combining burnout with other QWL components, such as occupational health, safe work, and appropriate salary, new insights are provided concerning the restricting (i.e., low effectiveness and cynicism) and catalyzing (emotional exhaustion) burnout components of contribution to productivity. These findings are particularly relevant given the increased weight of burnout, mental disorders and absenteeism in the labor market, affecting individuals’ quality of life and organizations’ performance and costs.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Inbound and Outbound Practices of Open Innovation and Eco-Innovation: Contrasting Bioeconomy and Non-Bioeconomy Firms

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Public Administration and Values Oriented to Sustainability: A Systematic Approach to the Literature

Values guide actions and judgements, form the basis of attitudinal and behavioral processes, and have an impact on leaders’ decision-making, contributing to more sustainable performance. Through a bibliometric study and content analysis, 2038 articles were selected from Scopus, from the period 1994–2021, presenting global research tendencies on the subject of values, public administration, and sustainability. The results indicate that Sustainability is the most productive journal, the main research category is in social sciences, the most productive institution is the University of Queensland, the location with the most publications and research collaborations is the USA, and the authors with the greatest number of articles are Chung, from Chung-Ang University; García-Sánchez, from the University of Salamanca; and Pérez, from the University of Cantabria. Analysis of keywords shows that the most relevant are “sustainability”, “CSR”, “sustainable development”, “innovation”, and “leadership”. Time analysis of keywords reveals a tendency for lines of research in the social and work area. The results also provide data about the framing of studies in sustainability pillars and the types of values referred to and indicate the main areas of public administration studied. Finally, a future research agenda is proposed.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A expressão do PTEN como mecanismo de resistência ao Trastuzumab em carcinomas da mama com sobre-expressão do HER2

Os biomarcadores, de uma forma geral, são utilizados para prever a resposta a um determinado tratamento, permitindo assim determinar grupos bem definidos de doentes, que podem ou não beneficiar de uma terapia particular. O objectivo primário das novas drogas anti-neoplásicas é terem como alvo a inibição directa de marcadores moleculares específicos expressos em células tumorais, de forma a melhorar as taxas de cura do cancro e a reduzir a citotoxicidade nas células normais. Recentes avanços na área da biologia molecular facilitaram a identificação de marcadores tumorais, que não só predizem o prognóstico e a resposta terapêutica, como podem eles próprios funcionar também como alvos terapêuticos. O Trastuzumab, por exemplo, é um anticorpo monoclonal desenhado para tratar um determinado tipo de cancro da mama, cujas células tumorais sobre-expressam o fator de crescimento epidérmico humano de tipo 2 (HER2). No entanto, apesar da sua eficácia inicial, a resistência adquirida ao Trastuzumab desenvolve-se na maioria das pacientes com cancro da mama metastático, e um grande número nem nunca respondem, demonstrando resistência primária. Recentemente foi sugerido que níveis baixos de expressão da fosfatase PTEN podem resultar numa fosforilação aumentada da PI3K/Akt e consequente sinalização, assim como num bloqueio do efeito anti-proliferativo mediado pelo Trastuzumab. Aliás, tem sido demonstrado que pacientes com tumores deficientes em PTEN e com sobre-expressão de HER2 respondem pior à terapia com Trastuzumab. Em termos clínicos, a descoberta de que a expressão ou não de PTEN pode determinar a resposta dos tumores aos inibidores tirosina cinase é de extrema importância, não só porque irá permitir uma melhor seleção das pacientes, como também terá um efeito direto nos serviços de saúde. Neste trabalho, verificou-se uma associação estatisticamente significativa entre a expressão proteica do PTEN numa série de carcinomas invasivos de mama com HER2 positivo e as taxas de resposta das pacientes tratadas com Trastuzumab. Demonstrou-se que a expressão negativa ou reduzida do PTEN está significativamente associada à positividade dos gânglios linfáticos, assim como à progressão da doença após tratamento. Curiosamente verificámos ainda que alguns casos apresentaram marcação nuclear intensa do PTEN, estando esta associada à expressão normal do PTEN no citoplasma, assim como a sua ausência estava associada à metastização ganglionar. Identificou-se ainda que a deleção do gene PTEN pode ser responsável pela perda de expressão do PTEN em alguns dos casos analisados. Com base nestes resultados, podemos concluir que a expressão do PTEN pode selecionar os doentes que irão responder ou não à terapia com Trastuzumab nos tumores de mama que sobre-expressam HER2.Biomarkers are used to predict the treatment response, allowing the selection of well-defined groups of patients who can benefit or not from a particular therapy. The primary objective of the new anti-neoplastic drugs is to target and inhibit specific molecular markers in tumor cells, in order to improve cancer treatment and to reduce cytotoxicity in normal cells. Recent progress in the area of molecular biology turned easier the identification of tumor markers that not only predict the prognosis and the therapeutic response, but can also work themselves as therapeutic targets. Trastuzumab, for example, is a monoclonal antibody designed to treat a specific type of breast cancer, which tumor cells over express the human epidermic growth factor receptor type 2 (HER2). However, despite initial efficacy, the acquired resistance to Trastuzumab develops in most of the patients with metastatic breast cancer, and some cases have primary resistance. Recently, it has been suggested that low levels of expression of the phosphatase PTEN can increase the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt pathway and consequent signaling, as well as in a blockade of the anti-proliferative effect mediated by Trastuzumab. Indeed, it has been demonstrated that patients with PTEN defective tumors and with HER2 over expression respond worse to the therapy with Trastuzumab. In clinical terms, the discovery that PTEN expression will be able to determine tumor response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors is of extreme importance, not only because it will allow a better selection of patients, but also to an effect in the health services. In the present work, we found a statistically significant association between PTEN expression in a series of invasive breast carcinomas with HER2 over expression and the rates of response of patients treated with Trastuzumab. We demonstrated that negative or reduced PTEN expression is associated with lymph node metastasis, as well as with disease progression after treatment. We still identified that PTEN gene deletion can be responsible for the loss of PTEN expression in some of the analyzed cases. Curiously, we also demonstrated that, in some cases, there was PTEN strong nuclear expression, which was associated to normal PTEN cytoplasmic expression, as well as with negative lymph node invasion.Based on these results, we can conclude that PTEN expression can select the breast cancer patients that will benefit from Trastuzumab treatment in the HER2 over expressing tumors

CD44v6 high membranous expression is a predictive marker of therapy response in gastric cancer patients

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).In gastric cancer (GC), biomarkers that define prognosis and predict treatment response remain scarce. We hypothesized that the extent of CD44v6 membranous tumor expression could predict prognosis and therapy response in GC patients. Two GC surgical cohorts, from Portugal and South Korea (n = 964), were characterized for the extension of CD44v6 membranous immuno-expression, clinicopathological features, patient survival, and therapy response. The value of CD44v6 expression in predicting response to treatment and its impact on prognosis was determined. High CD44v6 expression was associated with invasive features (perineural invasion and depth of invasion) in both cohorts and with worse survival in the Portuguese GC cohort (HR 1.461; 95% confidence interval 1.002-2.131). Patients with high CD44v6 tumor expression benefited from conventional chemotherapy in addition to surgery (p < 0.05), particularly those with heterogeneous CD44v6-positive and -negative populations (CD44v6_3+) (p < 0.007 and p < 0.009). Our study is the first to identify CD44v6 high membranous expression as a potential predictive marker of response to conventional treatment, but it does not clarify CD44v6 prognostic value in GC. Importantly, our data support selection of GC patients with high CD44v6-expressing tumors for conventional chemotherapy in addition to surgery. These findings will allow better stratification of GC patients for treatment, potentially improving their overall survival.This work was funded by FEDER-Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional funds through the COMPETE 2020–Operacional Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization (POCI), Portugal 2020, and by Portuguese funds through FCT–Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia/Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação in the framework of the project “Institute for Research and Innovation in Health Sciences” (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007274). This work was also financed by the projects NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000003 and NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000029, supported by the Norte Portugal Regional Programme (NORTE 2020) under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF); project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016390 and SAICTPAC/0022/2015, funded by ERDF, POCI, and FCT; project PTDC/CTM-NAN/120958/2010, from FCT; and by project PTDC/BTM-TEC/30164/2017 funded by ERDF funds through the COMPETE 2020–POCI, Portugal 2020, and by FCT. Salary support to G.M.A. by PTDC/BTM-TEC/30164/2017 project; C.P. was supported by the grant SFRH/BD/113031/2015 from FCT.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Manual de boas práticas literacia em saúde: capacitação dos profissionais de saúde

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Proposing a holistic research framework for university strategic alliances in sustainable entrepreneurship

This study presents a systematic literature review aimed at mapping the main areas of study on the relationship between higher education institutions’ strategic alliances and sustainable entrepreneurship. To that end, it carried out three complementary analyses: topic mapping, cocitation, and overlay visualization, in order to provide a comprehensive picture of that relationship from 1994 to 2022. The empirical approach is based on a total sample of 207 articles published in the Web of Science database, which was screened in terms of title, abstract and keywords, and subject to a search protocol involving inclusion and exclusion criteria. Using VOSviewer software, a three-pronged approach is used to identify five topic clusters: (1) The impact of entrepreneurship on community sustainability and social innovation; (2) Strategic alliances for sustainable development, innovation, and performance; (3) Value creation through social entrepreneurship partnerships; (4) Challenges for knowledge-based sustainable cities; and (5) Collaboration between businesses and social enterprises; revealing the role of knowledge, cocreation, sustainable entrepreneurship, and social innovation as levers of sustainable development. As a result of this systematic literature review, a holistic research framework is proposed, positioning sustainable entrepreneurship as a priority target for strategic alliances in higher education institutions, with reference to the experience of implementing the European University concept. This framework helps to position joint cooperation and strategic alliances among the major stakeholders in knowledge-based economies, which frequently leads to knowledge-based development based on sustainable entrepreneurship.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Comparison study of procedures for aspiration of biopsy samples

Introduction: The samples obtained from fine needle aspiration in liquid base cytology (FNAC) are often limited by scarce cellularity compared to the amount of colloid and presence of blood. Accordingly, it was important to test alternative technical procedures so as to maximize the cellularity of each sample. Objective: To compare the morphological features and cellularity of the three procedures in the FNAC cytodiagnosis of the thyroid. Methods: A total of 31 cases were each subjected to a cell block and ThinPrep preparation as well as a routine smear. The observation and analysis was performed using an optical microscope. Cytological diagnosis of each cell block case was objectively analysed for cellularity, presence of background and cellular preservation. Each smear and ThinPrep case was analysed for the presence or absence of cells. The data was analysed with Microsoft Excel (Office 2010) and SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Science) version 15.0 for Windows. Results: Of 31 cases, only 20 had thyroid cells in the cell block and ThinPrep preparations, however, all smear cases contained thyroid cells. Some background was found in 30 Cell block cases with only 5 of these containing well preserved cells for cytodiagnosis. Conclusions: As indicated by the results, smear is the most appropriate procedure for FNAC of the thyroid

Burnout and Quality of Work Life among Municipal Workers: Do Motivating and Economic Factors Play a Mediating Role?

This study analyzes the relationship between burnout and quality of work life among municipal workers subjected to higher levels of stress and emotional exhaustion, impacting their occupational health in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. With a sample of 459 municipal workers, the relationship between burnout and quality of work life is tested by considering the isolated mediating effect of the feeling of contributing to productivity and the combined effects of two mediators representing the feeling of contributing to productivity and receiving an appropriate salary. The main findings include a negative association between the three dimensions of burnout: emotional exhaustion, feelings of cynicism, and a sense of being less effective, and the mediators: contribution to productivity and appropriate salary. Also detected was an important mediating role associated with the effects of not feeling contributive at work, as well as not being well paid, on the relation between the burnout syndrome dimension of low effectiveness and quality of work life. For future action by public authorities and public managers, the need is highlighted to create innovative human resource management frameworks and flexible work organization, with remuneration plans based on productivity goals and aimed at an improved balance between personal life and work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio