The effectiveness of e-word-of-mouth communication about smartphones purchase intention: digital influencer

This study aims to compare the effectiveness of eWOM on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for smartphone buying decision, provided by digital influencers. For such, a quantitative methodology was adopted using three online questionnaires (one for each social media platform), to be answered by Portuguese adults who use them. This comparison has foundation on the IACM, a model introduced by Erkan and Evans to explore the influence of eWOM on consumer's buying intentions. The results show that, while the eWOM information from digital influencers about smartphones has a global consumer receptivity in the three social media platforms considered, that is not happening in a very assertive way for some items [average not greater than 3 (Likert scale 1-5)], in a significant statistically way. The research also demonstrate that YouTube or Instagram are more effective than Facebook in the IACM variables 'information quality', 'information credibility', 'information usefulness', 'positive buying intention with digital influencer positive information' and 'negative buying intention with digital influencer negative information'.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

A randomized trial of the close reading and creative writing program: an alternative educational method for adult group care intervention in type 2 diabetes management

Objectives: Group care for individuals with diabetes is a recognized educational practice, but techniques from narrative medicine using of literary works have never been incorporated in these programs. We designed a new educational model (i.e. the Close Reading and Creative Writing program) of group care for individuals with diabetes incorporating close reading and creative writing in group education. A randomized trial was designed to evaluate this intervention. Methods: A total of 49 individuals with type 2 diabetes, aged 6 years of school education, were randomized to 2 different group care dynamics: (a) a “control group,” with a classical structured educational approach currently used at our institution; and (b) an “intervention group,” with introduction of literary texts, narrative skills, close reading and creative writing. Evaluation included anthropometric measures, glycated hemoglobin (A1C) and questionnaires for psychological evaluation. Individual A1C levels in the 6-year period before the trial were collected from clinical records. Results: A significant reduction of A1C was observed in the intervention group, showing noninferiority in relation to the classical approach. A significant decrease in A1C was observed in relation to the 6 previous years. A significant increase in satisfaction with the therapist and group process was observed. Conclusions: This is the first randomized trial designed to evaluate a group care intervention to manage type 2 diabetes using narrative techniques. The results suggest that this may be a useful model for more highly schooled individuals, and may represent an alternative for the educational process.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

A genômica na bovinocultura de corte.

Genômica: definição e conceito; Aplicações da genômica; Perspectivas das aplicações da genômica

Biological and morphometric aspects and rearing of Syssphinx molina (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), a defoliator of parica tree.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi descrever os aspectos biológicos e morfométricos da lagarta desfolhadora do paricá, Syssphinx molina (Cramer), e fazer recomendações para a criação do inseto. O ciclo de vida foi de 62,9 dias com períodos médios para as fases de ovo, lagarta, pré-pupa e pupa de 5,6; 31,1; 2,2 e 16,6 dias, respectivamente. A viabilidade das pupas foi de 60,5% para fêmeas e 48,6% nos machos. A razão sexual foi de 0,5 e a produção média de 182,3 ± 2,2 ovos por fêmea com viabilidade de ovos de 24,3%. A longevidade média foi de 7,9 ± 2 e 8,1 ± 3 dias para fêmeas e machos, respectivamente. Outros parâmetros foram igualmente observados e comparados com a descrição de outras espécies de Saturniidae

New U-Pb SHRIMP zircon ages for pre-variscan orthogneisses from Portugal and their bearing on the evolution of the Ossa-morena tectonic zone

New SHRIMP U-Pb zircon ages for the Portalegre and Alcáçovas orthogneisses document a complex pre-Variscan history for the Iberian basement in Portugal. The available geochemical and geochronological data for the Alcáçovas orthogneiss (ca. 540 Ma) tend to favor its involvement in a Cadomian orogenic event. This is consistent with the development of an active continental margin setting at the end of the Proterozoic and supports a Gondwanan provenance for the Iberian crust. On the other hand, the Ordovician emplacement age obtained for the magmatic precursors of the Portalegre orthogneisses (497 ± 10 Ma) provides additional evidence for the occurrence of rift-related magmatic activity during the Lower Paleozoic

The Laboratory of Isotope Geology of the University of Aveiro: an analytical facility serving the geoscientific community

O Laboratório de Geologia Isotópica (LGI) da Universidade de Aveiro é a única infraestrutura analítica em Portugal dedicada à análise de isótopos radiogénicos na área das Ciências da Terra. Criado em 1994, o LGI está equipado com um espectrómetro de massa de ionização térmica (TIMS) VG Sector 54 e uma sala limpa para processamento químico das amostras e extracção de elementos. O LGI tem prestado apoio científico a uma vasta comunidade de estudantes e investigadores, nacionais e estrangeiros, numa grande variedade de tópicos, desde as aplicações mais tradicionais da geologia isotópica (geocronologia, petrologia ígnea, metamórfica e sedimentar, hidrogeologia) até à sua utilização em estudos paleoceanográficos, caracterização de partículas transportadas pelo vento, proveniência de produtos alimentares e arqueologia.The Laboratory of Isotope Geology (LGI) of the University of Aveiro is the sole facility in Portugal dedicated to radiogenic isotope geology. Established in 1994, the LGI infrastructure includes a VG Sector-54 thermal ionization mass spectrometer (TIMS) and a clean lab facility for low-blank chemical processing of samples and separation of elements for isotope measurements. The LGI provides collaborative scientific support to a broad community of students and researchers from Portugal and abroad in a wide variety of studies, ranging from the more traditional geological applications of radiogenic isotopes (geochronology, igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary petrology, hydrogeology) to paleoceanographic studies, pollution tracing, geographical origin of food products and archaeology.publishe

Avaliação do rendimento de raízes de diferentes genótipos de mandioca brava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz).

O potencial de capacidade de produção máximo de mandioca é estimado em condições ótimas, através de modelos matemáticos de crescimento, preveem que bons genótipos possam produzir até 90 t/ha/ano de raízes ou 30 t/ha/ano de matéria seca. As cascas constituem cerca de 20-35% do peso do tubérculo, especialmente no caso da má descamação (Obadina, 2006). Os teores de matéria seca nas raízes são altamente correlacionados com os teores de amido ou fécula, dependendo da variedade do local onde se cultiva, sua idade e época de colheita. Assim, objetivou-se avaliar o rendimento de polpa fresca, de amido total, massa seca de amido e umidade de 15 genótipos de mandioca brava (Manihot esculenta, Crantz), pertencente ao banco ativo de germoplasma (BAG) da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental localizada em Belém do Pará. A média percentual dos genótipos de mandioca para polpa fresca variou de (62,39% a 83,95%), do amido total extraído variou de (8,80% a 33,17%) e da massa seca do amido foi de (66,83% a 91,20%). Portanto, as caracterizações de os materiais genéticos auxiliarão ao programa de melhoramento genético da Embrapa Amazônia Oriental