Development of policies and practices of social responsibility in Portuguese companies: implications of the SA8000 standard

Series: Management and Industrial EngineeringThis study aims to explore the implications of the SA8000 standard in the implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policies and practices in Portuguese companies. Although this is not a recent issue, it is a subject that has motivated a growing interest on the part of the business and academic community. CSR should be seen as a new business management model, which includes universal human values as well as ethical decisions that ensure the satisfaction of the interests and needs of all stakeholders and the community in general. Regarding the empirical aspect of this research, a qualitative approach was followed through the application of a semi-structured interview to certified and not certified companies by SA8000 standard, in order to understand possible disparities with regard to the implementation of CSR policies and practices. Although the certification is the guarantee of the commitment of the companies with the CSR, the truth is that this is seen by the companies as a form of differentiation in the market. In general terms, it can be concluded that the policies and practices of CSR do not differ in relation to certification, which means that all companies have the possibility of making a difference by being socially responsible.Delfina Gomes acknowledges that this study was conducted at the Research Center in Political Science (UID/CPO/0758/2019), University of Minho/University of Évora, and was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds

Evaluation of 3-(3-chloro-phenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-4,5-dihydroisoxazole as a Novel Anti-Inflammatory Drug Candidate

BACKGROUND: 3-(3-chloro-phenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-4,5-dihydroisoxazole (DIC) is a five-membered heterocyclic compound containing a N-O bond. The anti-inflammatory effects of this compound were studied both in vitro and in vivo. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: DIC effectively decreased TNF-α and IL-6 release from LPS-stimulated macrophages in a dose dependent manner. DIC diminished the levels of COX-2 with subsequent inhibition of PGE(2) production. DIC also compromised HMGB1 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. Moreover, DIC prevented the nuclear translocation of NF-κB and inhibited the MAPK pathway. In vivo, DIC inhibited migration of neutrophils to the peritoneal cavity of mice. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the potential utilization of a synthetic compound, as a lead for the development of novel anti-inflammatory drugs

Meaning of leprosy for people who have experienced treatment during the sulfonic and multidrug therapy periods

Objetivo:analizar los significados de la lepra para las personas que fueron tratadas en el período sulfónico y en el período de poliquimioterapia.Método:estudio de naturaleza cualitativa fundamentado en el abordaje histórico cultural de Vygotsky, el cual orientó la construcción y análisis de los datos. Fueron incluidos ocho entrevistados que ya tuvieron lepra y que realizaron tratamiento en el período sulfónico y de poliquimioterapia, siendo participantes del Movimiento de Reintegración de Personas Afectadas por la Lepra.Resultados:los significados fueron organizados en tres núcleos de significación: manchas en el cuerpo: alguna cosa está fuera de orden; ¿Lepra o enfermedad de Hansen?; y lepra a partir de la inserción en el Movimiento de Reintegración de Personas Afectadas por la Lepra. Conclusión: los significados de la lepra para las personas tratadas en los dos períodos apuntan para la construcción compleja de los mismos, indicando diferencias y semejanzas en los dos períodos. Los profesionales de la salud pueden contribuir para el cambio de significados, ya que estos son socialmente construidos y las transformaciones son continuas.Objetivo:analisar significados da hanseníase para as pessoas que foram tratadas no período sulfônico e no período da poliquimioterapia.Método:estudo de natureza qualitativa fundamentado na abordagem histórico-cultural de Vigotski, a qual orientou a construção e análise dos dados. Foram incluídos oito entrevistados que já tiveram hanseníase e que realizaram tratamento no período sulfônico e da poliquimioterapia, sendo participantes do Movimento de Reintegração das Pessoas Atingidas pela Hanseníase.Resultados:os significados foram organizados em três núcleos de significação: manchas no corpo: alguma coisa está fora de ordem; lepra ou hanseníase? e hanseníase a partir da inserção no Movimento de Reintegração das Pessoas Atingidas pela Hanseníase.Conclusão:os significados de hanseníase para pessoas tratadas nos dois períodos apontam para a construção complexa dos mesmos, indicando diferenças e semelhanças nos dois períodos. Os profissionais de saúde podem contribuir para a mudança de significados, pois esses são socialmente construídos e as transformações são contínuas.Objective: to analyze the meanings of leprosy for people treated during the sulfonic and multidrug therapy periods.Method: qualitative nature study based on the Vigotski's historical-cultural approach, which guided the production and analysis of data. It included eight respondents who have had leprosy and were submitted to sulfonic and multidrug therapy treatments. The participants are also members of the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Leprosy.Results: the meanings were organized into three meaning cores: spots on the body: something is out of order; leprosy or hanseniasis? and leprosy from the inclusion in the Movement for Reintegration of People Affected by Leprosy.Conclusion: the meanings of leprosy for people submitted to both regimens point to a complex construction thereof, indicating differences and similarities in both treatments. Health professionals may contribute to the change of the meanings, since these are socially constructed and the changes are continuous

Does the Establishment of Sustainable Use Reserves Affect Fire Management in the Humid Tropics?

Tropical forests are experiencing a growing fire problem driven by climatic change, agricultural expansion and forest degradation. Protected areas are an important feature of forest protection strategies, and sustainable use reserves (SURs) may be reducing fire prevalence since they promote sustainable livelihoods and resource management. However, the use of fire in swidden agriculture, and other forms of land management, may be undermining the effectiveness of SURs in meeting their conservation and sustainable development goals. We analyse MODIS derived hot pixels, TRMM rainfall data, Terra-Class land cover data, socio-ecological data from the Brazilian agro-census and the spatial extent of rivers and roads to evaluate whether the designation of SURs reduces fire occurrence in the Brazilian Amazon. Specifically, we ask (1) a. Is SUR location (i.e., de facto) or (1) b. designation (i.e. de jure) the driving factor affecting performance in terms of the spatial density of fires?, and (2), Does SUR creation affect fire management (i.e., the timing of fires in relation to previous rainfall)? We demonstrate that pre-protection baselines are crucial for understanding reserve performance. We show that reserve creation had no discernible impact on fire density, and that fires were less prevalent in SURs due to their characteristics of sparser human settlement and remoteness, rather than their status de jure. In addition, the timing of fires in relation to rainfall, indicative of local fire management and adherence to environmental law, did not improve following SUR creation. These results challenge the notion that SURs promote environmentally sensitive fire-management, and suggest that SURs in Amazonia will require special attention if they are to curtail future accidental wildfires, particularly as plans to expand the road infrastructure throughout the region are realised. Greater investment to support improved fire management by farmers living in reserves, in addition to other fire users, will be necessary to help ameliorate these threats