Corporate blended learning in Portugal: current status and future directions

The aim of this study is to characterize the current status of blended learning in Portugal, given that b-learning has grown exponentially in the Portuguese market over recent years. 38 organizations (representing 68% of all institutions certified to provide distance training by the Government Labour Office – DGERT -) participated in this study. The results revealed that in 2007, although the predominant instructional format in Portugal was still face-to-face training (65%), e-learning at 15% came in behind b-learning with 20%. Data also revealed that 50% of distance training department coordinators believe that b-learning produces better training outcomes than face-to-face training alone, when considering the same content and learning objectives. Furthermore, when comparing b-learning and e-learning outcomes with similar content and learning objectives, 78.1% of these coordinators declared that b-learning produces better outcomes than e-learning alone. Hence, the content analysis indicated positive perceptions with regard to the future direction of b-learning, leading to the conclusion that in the long-term, corporate b-learning training will develop considerably in this country

Mango peels disinfection: its impact on microbiological safety, phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modes of standardisation for postgraduate teaching in economics in a semi-peripheral country: The case of Portugal

Since the first postgraduate program in economics was created in Portugal in 1978, there has been a marked standardisation in the provision of this training. A narrowing of the curricula took place around an increasingly restricted number of courses that may be called 'core', excluding or relegating a wide variety of courses to peripheral areas of economics or to other fields, reducing the chances of pluralist teaching in economics. As this process happened throughout the world, we examine how it took place in Portugal through interviews with those responsible for the said programs. Classifying the modes of dissemination into emulation, coercion, and normative we conclude that imitation of what are considered the best practices in the Anglo-Saxon world can best explain the initial stage of standardisation. Recently, as institutions sought national and international recognition for postgraduate programs, coercion and normative followed in the form of assessment and certification processes.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Mango peels disinfection: its impact on microbiological safety, phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity

It is estimated that 15-25 million tonnes of mango peels and stones are produced annually. The incineration or deposition of these by-products in landfills represent a severe environmental problem. About 300 research papers were published in the last two decades about mango peels’ phytochemical composition, bioactive properties, processing and applications in the food industry. Most of them demonstrated that mango peels had a high potential to develop food ingredients or natural additives with high fiber and phenolic compounds content. Usually, mango peels processing into food ingredients/additives starts with a disinfectant washing to remove dirt particles and reduce microbial load. However, there is little information about the impact of washing conditions on mango peels’ composition and properties. This study aims to fill this lack of knowledge. Sodium hypochlorite (SH) and peracetic acid (PAA) are the most used disinfectants for washing food products. So, in this study, two Box-Behnken Designs were performed, one for each disinfectant. The impact of three washing variables (food product to disinfectant solution ratio (XA), SH or PAA concentration (XB) and disinfectant time (XC)), with 3-levels each (XA: 1:1, 1:5, 1:10 (kg:L); XBSH: 0, 100 and 200 mg/L; XBPAA: 0,40 and 80 mg/L; XC: 1, 10, 19 min) on total mesophilic aerobic bacteria, total yeasts and moulds, dry matter, ash content, total phenolic compounds, total carotenoids and antioxidant capacity through the DPPH and ABTS methods, was evaluated. The SH and PAA optimal disinfection conditions were determined, considering each parameter individually or performing a multi-criterion optimization. After, other batch of mango peels was washed according to SH and PAA optimal disinfection conditions. Besides analyses mentioned before, Enterobacteriaceae, Bacillus cereus and total protein were evaluated. Significant statistical models were found for all parameters analysed, excluding total yeast and moulds (not detected), ash content, and ABTS assay (in PAA Design). The increase of disinfectant concentration and disinfection time improved mango peels’ microbiological safety. However, high levels of these washing variables impaired dry matter, total carotenoids and antioxidant activity. More studies are needed about the effect of washing conditions on total phenolic compounds. According to multi-criterion optimization, the SH and PAA optimal washing conditions were XA=1:9 (kg:L), XB=200 mg/L, XC=90 s and XA=1:1 (kg:L), XB=27 mg/L and XC=19 min, respectively. The application of SH and PAA optimal washing conditions significantly improved the mango peels’ microbiological safety and did not cause marked changes on their phytochemical composition and antioxidant activity.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Repercussão das Colheitas de Sangue sobre os Valores de Hemoglobina em Recém-Nascidos de Muito Baixo Peso (RNMBP) Submetidos a Terapia Intensiva

A perda iatrogénica de sangue constitui um problema comum nas unidades de cuidados intensivos neonatais. O objectivo deste trabalho foi quantificaras espoliações de sangue para estudos analíticos em 22 RNMBP durante as primeiras três semanas de hospitalização. O número médio de colheitas por criança e por dia foi IA e o número médio de colheitas por criança no período estudado foi 29.7. O valor cumulativo médio de sangue espoliado pelo 21." dia foi 18,7 ml/kg. Os valores médios de hemoglobina nas primeiras 12 horas de tida e no 21." dia foram respectivamente 16.4 e 12.9 gr/d1. Verificou-se uma relação estreita entre o volume de sangue extraído e o volume de sangue transfundido. sugerindo este facto que. em geral. as transfusões são efectuadas por necessidade de compensar as perdas sanguíneas relacionadas com as colheitas de sangue. Conclui-se que as espoliações repetidas de sangue para análises laboratoriais se repercutem significativamente nos valores de hemoglobina dos recém-nascidos pretermo e de MBP sendo portanto desejável que tais espoliações sejam rigorosamente quantificadas e reduzidas ao mínimo tendo em conta os riscos das transfusões de sangue

COPD : a stepwise or a hit hard approach?

Open Access funded by Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia Under a Creative Commons license. © 2016 Sociedade Portuguesa de Pneumologia. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).Current guidelines differ slightly on the recommendations for treatment of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) patients, and although there are some undisputed recommendations, there is still debate regarding the management of COPD. One of the hindrances to deciding which therapeutic approach to choose is late diagnosis or misdiagnosis of COPD. After a proper diagnosis is achieved and severity assessed, the choice between a stepwise or "hit hard" approach has to be made. For GOLD A patients the stepwise approach is recommended, whilst for B, C and D patients this remains debatable. Moreover, in patients for whom inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) are recommended, a step-up or "hit hard" approach with triple therapy will depend on the patient's characteristics and, for patients who are being over-treated with ICS, ICS withdrawal should be performed, in order to optimize therapy and reduce excessive medications. This paper discusses and proposes stepwise, "hit hard", step-up and ICS withdrawal therapeutic approaches for COPD patients based on their GOLD group. We conclude that all approaches have benefits, and only a careful patient selection will determine which approach is better, and which patients will benefit the most from each approach.Funding for this paper was provided by Novartis Portugal. Funding was used to access all necessary scientific bibliography and cover meeting expenses. Novartis Portugal had no role in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing of the paper and in the decision to submit the paper for publication.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Superoxide Release And Cellular Gluthatione Peroxidase Activity In Leukocytes From Children With Persistent Asthma.

Asthma is an inflammatory condition characterized by the involvement of several mediators, including reactive oxygen species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the superoxide release and cellular glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) activity in peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes from children and adolescents with atopic asthma. Forty-four patients were selected and classified as having intermittent or persistent asthma (mild, moderate or severe). The spontaneous or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA, 30 nM)-induced superoxide release by granulocytes and monocytes was determined at 0, 5, 15, and 25 min. cGPx activity was assayed spectrophotometrically. The spontaneous superoxide release by granulocytes from patients with mild (N = 15), moderate (N = 12) or severe (N = 6) asthma was higher at 25 min compared to healthy individuals (N = 28, P 0.05 in all times of incubation, Duncan test). cGPx activity of granulocytes and monocytes from patients with persistent asthma (N = 20) was also similar to healthy individuals (N = 10, P > 0.05, Kruskal-Wallis test). We conclude that, under specific circumstances, granulocytes from children with persistent asthma present a higher respiratory burst activity compared to healthy individuals. These findings indicate a risk of oxidative stress, phagocyte auto-oxidation, and the subsequent release of intracellular toxic oxidants and enzymes, leading to additional inflammation and lung damage in asthmatic children.371607-1

Pessoine and spinosine, two catecholic berbines from Annona spinescens

The trunk bark and roots of #Annona spinescens$ have been investigated for their alkaloid content. Two new berbine alkaloids, pessoine and spinosine, have been isolated from the bark, and their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods. Eight known isoquinoline alkaloids were also obtained. The trypanocidal and antileishmanial activities of these isolated compounds have been investigated. (Résumé d'auteur

The Inclusionary Populist Communication Style on Facebook: The Case of Ada Colau in Barcelona

Communication is one of the core elements of populism, especially in social media. Through such digital platforms, political leaders can communicate directly with citizens and build both their discourse and their political leadership. Although the literature has so far identified the existence of a populist political communication style, the expansion of populism and its connection with social media are extending and diversifying the concept, as well as adding new repertoires. In order to analyse this, we propose a study of the communication strategy of the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau who, with a background of citizen activism, became mayor of the city in 2015 thanks to a political organisation situated as left populist. The methodology is based on quantitative and qualitative analysis of the content of Colau’s Facebook profile. A total of 226 posts between 2015 and 2017 are analysed. The results make it possible to identify a new specific modality within the populist style of political communication, namely the inclusionary populist type. This focuses on issues related to defense of the rights of the weakest social groups and works within a framework of social justice and solidarity with others. Likewise, the study confirms how Facebook is configured as a preferred platform for the construction of political leadership