Consulting project for the lubricants exports division at Galp energia: assessing the attractiveness of the Latin American lubricants market in the context of a potential partnership with Latina

The following report seeks to assess the attractiveness of the Latin American lubricants market in the context of a potential partnership with Latina1. Galp Energia, a Portuguese Oil and Gas company, presented the project to NOVA SBE’s Management Consulting Lab initiative, which, in turn, had allocated the project to a team of four students with complementary academic backgrounds. With Galp’s Exports Division support, the main goal was to assess the economic and financial viability of entering the Latin American market with a local partner. For that purpose a market assessment was conducted, followed by a financial analysis of the two-staged partnership and lastly, the team provided Galp with valuable recommendations on how to pursue the internationalization strategy and approach the Latin American partner

Glia-Motoneuron dialogue in ALS onset and progression in SOD1G93A-mice model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the pro-gressive loss of motoneurons (MN). Increasing evidence points glial cells as key players for ALS onset and progression. Indeed, MN-glia signalling pathways involving either neuroprotection or inflammation are likely to be altered in ALS. We aimed to study the molecules related with glial function and/or reactivity by evaluating glial markers and hemichannels, mainly present in astrocytes. We also studied molecules involved in mi-croglia-MN dialogue (CXCR3/CCL21; CX3CR1/CX3CL1; MFG-E8), as well as proliferation (Ki-67) and inflammatory-related molecules (TLR2/4, NLRP3; IL-18) and alarming/calming signals (HMGB1/autotaxin). We used lumbar spinal cord (SC) homogenates from mice expressing a mutant human-SOD1 protein (mSOD1) at presymptomatic and late-symptomatic ALS stages. SJL (WT) mice at same ages were used as controls. We observed decreased expression of genes associated with astrocytic (GFAP and S100B) and microglial (CD11b) markers in mSOD1 at the presymptomatic phase, as well as diminished levels of gap junction components pannexin1 and connexin43 and expression of Ki-67 and decreased autotax-in. In addition, microglial-MN communication was negatively affected in mSOD1 mice as well as in-flammatory response. Interestingly, we observed astrocytic (S100B) and microglial (CD11b) reactivity, increased proliferation (Ki-67) and increased autotaxin expression in symptomatic mSOD1 mice. In-creased MN-microglial dialogue (CXCR3/CCL21; CX3CR1/CX3CL1; MFG-E8) and hemichannel activ-ity, namely connexin43 and pannexin1, were also observed in mSOD1 at the symptomatic phase, along with an elevated inflammatory response as indicated by increased levels of HMGB1 and NLRP3. Our results suggest that decreased autotaxin expression is a feature of the presymptomatic stage, and precede the network of pro-inflammatory-related symptomatic determinants, including HMGB1, CCL21, CX3CL1, and NLRP3. The identification of the molecules and signaling pathways that are dif-ferentially activated along ALS progression will contribute for a better design of therapeutic strategies for disease onset and progression.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia - PTDC/SAU-FAR/118787/2010 (DB) and PEst-OE/SAU/UI4013/2013-201

Intervenções de enfermagem dirigidas à promoção de autonomia/independência no autocuidado após fratura da anca: uma revisão sistemática da literatura

A fratura da anca (FA) apresenta-se como evento gerador de dependência com maior incidência na população idosa, relacionando-se com o envelhecimento mundial, sendo associada a fatores de risco major como quedas de baixo impacte e osteoporose, mais frequente em mulheres do que em homens. A FA apresenta repercussões e custos económicos e sociais elevados, muito para além dos perspetivados durante o internamento hospitalar, decorrentes da dependência no autocuidado, uma vez que apenas uma baixa percentagem de idosos recupera o nível de independência prévio. Com este estudo pretendeu-se identificar intervenções de enfermagem dirigidas à promoção da autonomia/independência no autocuidado após FA, bem como explorar a avaliação da eficácia das mesmas e relacioná-las com o impacte na qualidade de vida dos idosos. Para tal, optou-se pela concretização de uma revisão sistemática da literatura, em que a pesquisa dos estudos primários ocorreu entre Março e Abril de 2013, via EBSCO HOST, SCOPUS e repositório científico de acesso aberto de Portugal. Identificaram-se sete estudos primários que visam intervenções dirigidas à promoção da autonomia e da independência no autocuidado após FA, sendo dois realizados por enfermeiros, um por fisioterapeutas e quatro em contexto de intervenção interdisciplinar. Seis dos estudos revelam elevada qualidade metodológica e um apresenta média qualidade metodológica. No que concerne ao tipo e contexto de intervenção, aos objetivos e às opções metodológicas verificou-se grande heterogeneidade. Na análise dos estudos primários identificaram-se intervenções que reportam para o domínio de competências do enfermeiro de cuidados gerais e do enfermeiro especialista em enfermagem de reabilitação, conforme o preconizado pela Ordem dos Enfermeiros, reconhecendo-se a eficácia das mesmas a nível da promoção da autonomia e independência no autocuidado, bem como a nível da qualidade de vida

Somatic Embryogenesis in Iberian Grapevine (Vitis vinifera) Cultivars Using Carpels as Initial Explants: Protocol Establishment and Histological Evaluation

Trincadeira and Aragonez are two important grapevine cultivars in the Iberian Peninsula, used for high quality red wines production. Both cultivars are strongly affected by fungal diseases, with consequent high loses on plant productivity and fruit quality. A successful protocol for plant regeneration via somatic embryogenesis (SE) was established for both cultivars allowing further plant improvement based on gene transfer technology. Several factors were evaluated during the three different phases which characterize an SE plant regeneration protocol. The culture room temperature during the induction phase, a parameter usually accepted as standard by most researchers, proved in these trials to significantly affect the embryo induction rates. Concerning embryo conversion, it was specially affected by the embryo developmental stage, by the intensity and duration of the chilling treatment and by the supplementation of conversion culture medium with activated charcoal. The responses obtained, both for induction and conversion, proved to be highly genotype dependent. Calli structure, as well as embryo integrity, was histologically observed, allowing to characterize embryonic and non-embryonic masses and to identify abnormalities on embryo development

Serious Games for Physical Rehabilitation: Aesthetic discrepancies between custom-made serious games and commercial titles used for healthcare

Serious games are videogames that are used with purposes that go beyond the mere entertainment of the player. Among their many applications, healthcare is one of the most prominent ones, as serious games can have a wide range of uses within this field, namely physical rehabilitation of patients. For this purpose, both custom-made serious games and commercial entertainment titles, such as those for Nintendo Wii, can be used. However, while custom-made serious games appear to be more clinically effective, patients seem to prefer the gaming experience of playing a commercial title. This paper aims to compare the game goals and the aesthetics of Wii Sports (a commercial title used in the context of physical rehabilitation) with custom-made serious games that have obtained clinically significant results in upper limb rehabilitation, in order to try and understand what can be done to bridge the gap between these two approaches

Conversas à Volta de Fotografias

A população portuguesa é uma população envelhecida. Importa assim pensar sobre este conceito – envelhecer - o que significa envelhecer? Para além da complexidade, este conceito traz consigo uma série de transformações biológicas, cognitivas, físicas e socias. Estas podem comprometer o bem-estar e a qualidade de vida da pessoa idosa e um exemplo disso é a memória, capacidade que com o passar do tempo pode-se ir debilitando. Perante este panorama importa criar respostas que vão ao encontro das necessidades e interesses das pessoas idosas. O Técnico Social com um olhar atento, criatividade, flexibilidade e empatia, cria projetos participativos que, para além de valorizarem a pessoa idosa, permitem a aprendizagem, o desenvolvimento e estimulação de competências e capacidades, proporcionam também o combate ao isolamento e à solidão. Indo ao encontro desta realidade este projeto, tendo por base a metodologia da investigação- ação, teve como principal objetivo compreender de que forma a Fotografia pode ser um meio de estimulação da memória. Sendo a Fotografia uma linguagem artística muito abrangente, neste projeto seguiu-se o caminho da Foto-elicitação. Este relatório intitulado “Um Retrato do Olhar - Conversas à Volta de Fotografias”, encontra-se organizado em três partes. Primeiramente é apresentado no primeiro capítulo o enquadramento teórico, onde se aborda o tema do envelhecimento, a memória, a comunicação e interação, a arte e o idoso, Fotografia e Foto-elicitação e os conceitos associados. Em seguida, incluímos um segundo capítulo que contextualiza a instituição e o grupo de participantes, refere o paradigma de investigação e expõe a metodologia e o desenho do projeto e por fim, no âmbito do terceiro capítulo, apresentámos e analisámos os resultados obtidos, formulando as respetivas conclusões, ao qual se segue a secção dos Anexos. Pretende-se com este trabalho refletir e trazer ao debate informações pertinentes acerca do tema envelhecimento e memória, e que seja o mote para o surgimento de outros projetos, de filiação artística, sendo esta uma poderosa ferramenta para superar limitações e adversidades que advêm com o processo de envelhecimento, em particular em contexto institucional

Genetic variability of Candida albicans SAP8 propeptide in isolates from different types of infection

The secreted aspartic proteases (Saps) are among the most studied virulence determinants in Candida albicans. These proteins are translated as pre-pro-enzymes consisting of a signal sequence followed by a propeptide and the mature enzyme. The propeptides of secreted proteinases are important for the correct processing, folding/secretion of the mature enzyme. In this study, the DNA sequences of C. albicans Saps were screened and a microsatellite was identified in SAP8 propeptide region. The genetic variability of the repetitive region of Sap8 propeptide was determined in 108 C. albicans independent strains isolated from different types of infection: oral infection (OI), oral commensal (OC), vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC), and bloodstream infections (BSI). Nine different propeptides for Sap8 processing were identified whose frequencies varied with the type of infection. OC strains presented the highest gene diversity while OI isolated the lowest. The contribution of the Saps to mucosal and systemic infections has been demonstrated and recently Sap8 has been implicated in the cleavage of a signalling glycoprotein that leads to Cek1-MAPK pathway activation. This work is the first to identify a variable microsatellite in the propeptide of a secreted aspartic protease and brings new insights into the variability of Sap8.This research was supported by FEDER funds through the Operational Programme COMPETE and national funds through Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), in the scope of project PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Linking addiction-related behavior to synaptic efficacy and network activity in the prefrontal-accumbal pathway of behaving rats

Addiction is a chronically relapsing brain disorder, involving compulsive drug seeking and taking. Enduring vulnerability to relapse is a challenging feature to manage in substance use disorder, with devastating effects to those who suffer from it, as well as at familial and public health levels. Incubation of drug craving characterized by gradual increases in cue-induced drug craving following halting of drug use, may contribute to heightened relapse risk, even after prolonged abstinence. Addictive drugs act upon and usurp the mesolimbic circuit, with long-term drug abuse leads to reward processing, cognitive and decision-making deficits. Drug-driven neuronal plasticity within the Prefrontal cortex (PFC) to Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) pathway is a known key substrate and mediator of addictive behavior. Here we performed longitudinal in vivo local field potential (LFP) recordings in freely behaving rats throughout an incubation of drug seeking paradigm. This approach proved suitable to assess both evoked and spontaneous LFP activity at distinct behavioral stages of the addiction cycle, in a within subject manner. Chronic cocaine self-administration induced strengthening of the PFC-NAc pathway, accompanied by enhanced glutamate release, when compared to drug naïve conditions. Compellingly, the degree of synaptic adaptation correlated with the cocaine intake and incubation severity of individual rats. At the network level, accumbal oscillatory profile of rats that underwent CSA was also altered, with suppression of high gamma and enhanced alpha and beta waves. Throughout withdrawal, persistent pre-synaptic release subsisted, while network changes proved to be transient. Yet, rats with history of cocaine intake did showed altered LFP patterns, upon a cocaine challenge, when compared to saline yoked counterparts, suggesting impaired corticostriatal network dynamics that endures after long-term abstinence. During reinstatement, i.e. relapse-like conditions, distinct frequency components were found to be differentially modulated by drug seeking behavior. Drug-driven adaptations to synaptic transmission and concomitant alterations of oscillatory landscape of functionally connected areas, such as the PFC and NAc, represent multiple-leveled dysregulation exerted by addictive drugs. Concerted maladaptive changes may contribute to the development of a de novo homeostatic threshold that is both driven by and drives drug abuse, craving and relapse in a spiraling cycle of addiction

Avaliação da qualidade nos serviços de saúde: a importância da humanização

O objectivo deste projecto é avaliar a percepção da qualidade dos serviços prestados na Unidade de Transplantação Renal do Hospital de Santa Cruz. Pretende-se também alertar para a importância da humanização nos cuidados de saúde. Através deste trabalho demonstra-se que saúde e marketing estão ligados pela personalização. Para colmatar a subjectividade inerente à avaliação da percepção da qualidade dos serviços foi usado o modelo SERVPERF, proposto por Cronin e Taylor. Este instrumento, composto por 5 dimensões, permite concluir acerca da satisfação dos inquiridos. O questionário aplicado avalia dimensões como tangibilidade, confiança, atendimento ou prontidão na resposta, garantia e segurança, e empatia. Através da análise de dados concluiu-se que a percepção que utentes têm, bem como a percepção que os profissionais de saúde consideram ser a dos utentes, são bastante satisfatórias. A dimensão humanização foi adicionada às dimensões do instrumento SERVPERF. Concluiu-se que tanto utentes como profissionais de saúde consideram que o futuro da Medicina passa pela humanização. As dimensões garantia e confiança estão directamente relacionadas com o nível de escolaridade dos utentes, bem como o número de idas ao hospital influencia a empatia dos mesmos. Utentes e profissionais de saúde demonstram a sua insatisfação com a dimensão tangibilidade, obtendo maior satisfação com as dimensões confiança e humanização, respectivamente. Verificou-se que a satisfação global dos utentes com a Unidade de Transplantação Renal é independente do seu género, idade, nível de escolaridade, tempo de transplante e número de idas ao hospital. A avaliação da qualidade nos serviços de saúde deveria ser monitorizada frequentemente e aplicada num maior número de serviços de saúde. Prevê-se que a humanização venha a ser uma dimensão bastante importante na satisfação dos utentes e dos profissionais de saúde.The main goal of this study is measure quality services provided in the Renal Transplant Unit, at Santa Cruz Hospital. It is also intended to alert the importance of humanization in the health care system. Through this study, is evidenced that health care and marketing are connected through customization. To suppress the subjectivity inherent to the assess of quality services the SERVPERF model was used, proposed by Cronin and Taylor. This tool, composed with 5 dimensions, allow us to conclude about the respondents‟ satisfaction. The survey used in this study assesses dimensions such as, tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and safety, and empathy. Through data analysis, it was concluded that users‟ perception is quite satisfactory. It was also concluded that health care professionals‟ perception, considering users‟ point of view, is quite satisfactory. Humanization dimension was added to the dimensions of the instrument SERVPERF. It was concluded that both users and health care professionals consider that Medicine future relies on humanization. Reliability and assurance dimensions are directly related to users‟ educational level, as well as the number of hospital visits influence their empathy. Users and heath care professionals demonstrate their dissatisfaction with tangibility dimension, acquiring greater satisfaction with confidence and human dimensions, respectively. It was concluded that users‟ global satisfaction with Renal Transplant Unit is independent of their gender, age, educational level, number of years of the renal transplantation and number of hospital visits. Measuring quality in health care services should be monitored frequently and applied in a larger number of health services. It is forecasted that humanization will be a very important dimension regarding users and health care professionals‟ satisfaction