The use of psychoactive substances and adolescents’ school performance

The use of psychoactive substances is a public health problem. The use of these substances usually starts during adolescence and is associated with school problems, namely poor school performance. Research Questions included which psychoactive substances interfere with school performance (learning environment, planning of studies, methods of studying, reading skills, study motivation, overall school performance) in adolescents. The purpose of the study was to analyse the relationship between the use of psychoactive substances and adolescents’ school performance. The Research Methods included a cross-sectional study. Data were collected through a questionnaire which included socio-demographic information, psychoactive substances and a school performance scale (adapted from Fermin, 2005). Non-probability sampling for convenience, with 380 students from 7th, 8th and 9th grade. Data were collected in 2011/2012 among students from a Basic School in the Portuguese Municipality of Viseu. Results: There was a 4.2% of prevalence of drug use: 4,3% in boys and 4.1% in girls. For both genders, the most commonly used drugs were hashish and marijuana (43.8%). Girls (p<0.001), younger students (p<0.001), those whose parents graduated from high-school or who have a higher education (p=0.019) and students who do not use drugs (p=0.000) do better in school. We concluded that drug abuse is associated with adolescents’ poorer school performance. It is therefore important to identify risk groups and develop policies to prevent youngsters from using psychoactive substances because of the major impact they have on individual, family and social levels.The Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT), and the Centre for Studies in Education, Technologies and Health (CI&DETS).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Relevance of a Hypersaline Sodium-Rich Naturally Sparkling Mineral Water to the Protection against Metabolic Syndrome Induction in Fructose-Fed Sprague-Dawley Rats: A Biochemical, Metabolic, and Redox Approach

The Metabolic Syndrome increases the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Increased fructose consumption and/or mineral deficiency have been associated with Metabolic Syndrome development. This study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 weeks consumption of a hypersaline sodium-rich naturally sparkling mineral water on 10% fructose-fed Sprague-Dawley rats (Metabolic Syndrome animal model). The ingestion of the mineral water (rich in sodium bicarbonate and with higher potassium, calcium, and magnesium content than the tap water used as control) reduced/prevented not only the fructose-induced increase of heart rate, plasma triacylglycerols, insulin and leptin levels, hepatic catalase activity, and organ weight to body weight ratios (for liver and both kidneys) but also the decrease of hepatic glutathione peroxidase activity and oxidized glutathione content. This mineral-rich water seems to have potential to prevent Metabolic Syndrome induction by fructose. We hypothesize that its regular intake in the context of modern diets, which have a general acidic character interfering with mineral homeostasis and are poor in micronutrients, namely potassium, calcium, and magnesium, could add surplus value and attenuate imbalances, thus contributing to metabolic and redox health and, consequently, decreasing the risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Consumer perception of water quality during an off-flavor event in Fortaleza-Brazil.

During a taste and odor episode (2-methylisoborneol) in a reservoir that supplies the Fortaleza Metropolitan Region, Brazil, two surveys were conducted to determine tap water usage behavior as well as the sensory sensitivity towards off-flavors of participants with the same level of education. Most volunteers did not consume tap water, mainly due to safety concerns (57%) and disagreeable organoleptics (21%). The majority of those who did use tap water (73%) did so because of economic reasons and the remainder because of the use of point-of-use water filtration systems, which rendered the water safer in their perception. The Human Development Index (HDI), as a measure of income, did not influence the rate of rejection. Volunteers from low and medium HDI neighborhoods were as likely to reject tap water as those from high HDI neighborhoods. Chlorine flavor and earthy flavor were the most perceived off-flavors. Water containing moderate amounts of off-flavor compounds (dilution 1:2 tap/bottled water) was considered ‘acceptable’ by volunteers while water containing low concentrations (dilution 1:5 tap/bottled water) was considered ‘good’

Using a new high-throughput video-tracking platform to assess behavioural changes in Daphnia magna exposed to neuro-active drugs

© 2019. ElsevierOne of the major challenges that faces today regulatory risk assessment is to speed up the way of assessing threshold sublethal detrimental effects of existing and new chemical products. Recently advances in imaging allows to monitor in real time the behaviour of individuals under a given stress. Light is a common stress for many different organisms. Fish larvae and many invertebrate species respond to light altering their behaviour. The water flea Daphnia magna as many other zooplanktonic species has a marked diel vertical phototactic swimming behaviour against light due to fish predation. The aim of this study was to develop a high throughput image analysis to study changes in the vertical swimming behaviour to light of D. magna first reproductive adult females exposed to 0.1 and 1 µg/L of four psychiatric drugs: diazepam, fluoxetine, propranolol and carbamazepine during their entire life. Experiments were conducted using a new custom designed vertical oriented four 50 mL chamber device controlled by the Noldus software (Netherlands). Changes in speed, preferred area (bottom vs upper areas) and animal aggregation were analysed using groups of animals under consecutive periods of dark and apical light stimulus of different intensities. Obtained results indicated that light intensity increased the speed but low light intensities allowed to better discriminate individual responses to the studied drugs. The four tested drugs decreased the response of exposed organisms to light: individuals move less, were closer to the bottom and at low light intensities were closer each other. At high light intensities, however, exposed individuals were less aggregated. Propranolol, carbamazepine and fluoxetine were the compounds effecting most the behaviour. Our results indicated that psychiatric drugs at environmental relevant concentrations alter the vertical phototactic behaviour of D. magna individuals and that it is possible to develop appropriate high-throughput image analysis devices to measure those responses.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Predation life history responses to increased temperature variability

The evolution of life history traits is regulated by energy expenditure, which is, in turn, governed by temperature. The forecasted increase in temperature variability is expected to impose greater stress to organisms, in turn influencing the balance of energy expenditure and consequently life history responses. Here we examine how increased temperature variability affects life history responses to predation. Individuals reared under constant temperatures responded to different levels of predation risk as appropriate: namely, by producing greater number of neonates of smaller sizes and reducing the time to first brood. In contrast, we detected no response to predation regime when temperature was more variable. In addition, population growth rate was slowest among individuals reared under variable temperatures. Increased temperature variability also affected the development of inducible defenses. The combined effects of failing to respond to predation risk, slower growth rate and the miss-match development of morphological defenses supports suggestions that increased variability in temperature poses a greater risk for species adaptation than that posed by a mean shift in temperature

Book Review: The Importance of Private and Public Intelligence

Aim: The aim of the paper is to critically review the book “Introduction to Private and Public Intelligence: The Swedish School of Competitive Intelligence” by Søilen (2005). The aim of the book has been to gather ideas and concepts about the subject of private and public intelligence for students to use in an introductory course. Structure: The paper is structured that first an introduction of the book is provided, after which the content of the book is presented by chapters. Thereafter, the discussion and conclusion about the book are presented. The book is structured as a systematic review of private and public intelligence. The book contains definitions, theories, discussions, practical examples, and analytical implications. Authorship: The author of the book, Klaus Solberg Søilen, is a professor and researcher at Halmstad University in Sweden. His research is mainly within the fields of management, intelligence studies, competitive intelligence, geoeconomics, digital marketing, etc. He has many years of experience within marketing research and auditing. Moreover, he serves on the board of several companies, as well as, operates as a consultant. He is also the editor of the Journal of Intelligence Studies in Business (JISIB). Audience: Students, professionals and anyone else who is interested in private and public intelligence. Impact: The book has been reviewed and citied from numerous authors. Most of them, agree with Søilen, and use the book as a foundation of the study of private and public intelligence. However, there are authors who argue against Søilen’s opinions

The Importance of Target Audience Selection for Kano Model Effectiveness : A Case Study of Klarna Group

The Kano model is a technique for a better understanding of the customers’ requirements, thus increasing the customers’ satisfaction. The process of identifying the customers’ requirements and increasing the customers’ satisfaction, by improving the offerings, is costly for the companies. In order not to waste resources, companies should firstly identify who their target audience is, through a market research. When companies understand who their target audience is, they are able to identify their requirements, in order to try to meet them, and increase customers’ satisfaction. The process of segmentation and targeting, helps companies to save time, money and effort, since the messages are directly delivered to those who are their target audience, and are really interested. Moreover, the companies using the focus groups and in-depth interviews can collect target audience’ requirements, in order to later on meet those requirements and increase the customers’ satisfaction. Furthermore, the findings revealed that for the companies in the online payment industry it is crucial to have a good reputation and be trustworthy