Hotel Costa Calero, Lanzarote O Centro de Thalasso-SPA

O presente relatório é o resultado do trabalho desenvolvido ao longo de 1640 horas de estágio no centro de Thalasso-SPA do Hotel Costa Calero em Lanzarote. SPA, palavra com origem no latim Salute Per Aqua, significa “saúde pela água” e a talassoterapia deriva do latim Thalasso que significa “mar” e therapea, que quer dizer tratamento. Em suma, o centro de Thalasso-SPA onde o estágio foi realizado utiliza a água do mar e as suas propriedades nos serviços que oferece aos seus clientes. Este é um trabalho desenvolvido no âmbito das áreas do turismo e da sustentabilidade uma vez que é do interesse da hotelaria proteger o ambiente natural em que se insere já que este faz parte do “produto” que oferece aos clientes. São objetivos deste trabalho, fazer um levantamento, em termos de existência de boas práticas ambientais de ações desenvolvidas no referido SPA; sugerir algumas recomendações para melhorar a performance ambiental no turismo; proporcionar abertura e sugerir outros trabalhos relacionados com esta temática e por fim, apresentar um guia orientador com boas práticas quer para clientes, quer para o STAFF do SPA. Como resultado dos conteúdos aprendidos durante a parte prática, são feitas duas propostas de Manual de Boas-Práticas. Estes foram elaborados, em vista o seu aproveitamento por parte do Hotel. Por fim, considera-se que esta experiência foi bastante positiva, o facto de o hotel não ter implementada uma grande estrutura de preservação ambiental permitiu que fosse possível abrir o diálogo para estas questões junto de alguns chefes de departamento. De futuro, seria interessante para o Hotel Costa Calero desenvolver um Manual de Boas-Praticas para todo o Hotel e, quem sabe, elaborar um relatório de sustentabilidade para apresentar aos seus clientes e parceiros

O papel do médico dentista na cessação tabágica

Tese de mestrado, Medicina Dentária, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Medicina Dentária, 2011O tabaco é anualmente a causa de morte de mais de cinco milhões de pessoas em todo o mundo. Segundo a Organização Mundial de Saúde este comportamento nocivo provocou 100 milhões de mortes no século XX e, se esta tendência se mantiver, a mortalidade poderá chegar a um bilião de mortes no século XXI. Os efeitos nefastos provocados pelo consumo do tabaco estão já amplamente estudados e estabelecidos, quer a nível da saúde geral, quer a nível da cavidade oral. Os esforços estabelecidos para a criação de uma Europa livre de tabaco incluem a actuação conjunta dos profissionais de saúde na prevenção primária e secundária deste hábito. Desta forma o médico dentista surge com um papel privilegiado na abordagem ao paciente fumador. Objectivos: Compreender como se processa uma consulta de cessação tabágica, o que fazem actualmente os profissionais da saúde oral no âmbito da motivação e aconselhamento e como podem actuar activamente durante as suas consultas. Materiais e métodos: Realização de visitas à consulta anti-tabágica do Hospital de Santa Maria. Realização de um questionário a médicos dentistas da região de Lisboa e respectiva análise descritiva das variáveis no programa SPSS versão 19.0. Elaboração de um possível protocolo de actuação a ser utilizado nas consultas de medicina dentária. Resultados: Apesar de actualmente muitos médicos dentistas afirmarem aconselhar os pacientes fumadores para a cessação (84,1%), referiram ainda muitos obstáculos como a falta de tempo (27,3%), a falta de motivação dos pacientes (60,2%) e a falta de formação (77,8%). No entanto a maioria refere estar interessado em melhorar os seus conhecimentos nesta área (88,9%). Conclusões: O médico dentista pode, como parte integrante de uma equipa multidisciplinar, ter um papel activo no processo de cessação tabágica, quer a nível da motivação, quer a nível do suporte e encaminhamento do paciente fumador.Tobacco is yearly responsible for five million deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization this noxious behavior lead to 100 million deaths in the XXth century, and if this tendency is kept, the death rate could reach the billion deaths in the XXIst century. The harmful effects associated with tobacco’s consumption have already been broadly studied and established, whether in general health and in the oral health. The efforts established for the creation of a tobacco free Europe include the joint action of the healthcare professionals in the primary and secondary prevention of the smoking addiction. In this sense, dentists have an advantaged role in the approach to the smoker. Objectives: Understand how to medically act towards smoking cessation, what is currently done by dentists in what this subject is concerned and how can they advise and motivate the patients during their practice. Methods and Materials: Conducted visits to smoking cessation sessions, surveys to dentists and further statistical analysis of the data on SPSS 19.0. Establishment of a possible smoking cessation protocol for dental professionals. Results: Despite claiming to advise smoking cessation (84,1%), many dentist stated having barriers such as lack of time (27,3%), under motivated patients (60,2%) and lack of specific training (77,8%). Nevertheless, the majority showed interest in upgrading their knowledge in smoking cessation (88,9%). Conclusions: Oral health professionals should, as part of a multidisciplinary team, play an active role on smoking cessation strategies, whether motivating, or supporting and guiding the smoking patients

Organizational culture and the perception of autonomy and work overload in Startups

O contexto empresarial das startups é uma temática pouco explorada na literatura académica. No entanto, as características destas organizações levantam questões sobre como são percecionados determinados conceitos teóricos, tais como a cultura organizacional. A cultura organizacional representa a base sobre a qual se constrói a estrutura das organizações, sendo determinante para definir as características do trabalho presentes num dado contexto. Com base no modelo teórico dos valores concorrentes, este artigo explorou as perceções de trabalhadores de startups relativamente ao tipo de cultura organizacional presente na sua empresa e como os diferentes tipos de cultura se relacionou com a perceção de autonomia e excesso de trabalho dos respondentes. Para tal, foi aplicado um questionário a uma amostra de 292 trabalhadores de startups. Os dados foram analisados recorrendo a modelos de regressão múltipla e ANOVAs para medidas repetidas e demonstraram que a cultura empreendedora é a mais saliente em contexto de startups, diferenciando-se significativamente dos restantes tipos de cultura presentes no modelo. Além disso, as culturas empreendedora e de equipa predizem positivamente a autonomia no trabalho, enquanto a cultura burocrática prediz negativamente a autonomia, mas não é preditora do excesso de trabalho. Os resultados apontam para a importância de promover equipas mais autónomas em startups, dando mais liberdade aos trabalhadores na tomada de decisão sobre as suas tarefas. Mais especificamente, os resultados apontam para a importância destas empresas desenvolverem e manterem um tipo de cultura que influencie positivamente a relação dos trabalhadores com o seu trabalho.The business context of startups is a subject little explored in the academic literature. However, the characteristics of these organizations raise questions about how certain theoretical concepts, such as organizational culture, are perceived. Organizational culture represents the basis on which the structure of organizations is built, being decisive to define the characteristics of work present in a given context. Based on the theoretical model of competing values, this article explored the perceptions of startup workers regarding the type of organizational culture present in their company and how the different types of culture related to the respondents’ perception of autonomy and overwork. To this end, a questionnaire was applied to a sample of 292 workers from startups. The data were analyzed using multiple regression models and ANOVAs for repeated measures and showed that the entrepreneurial culture is the most salient in the context of startups, significantly different from the other types of culture present in the model. Furthermore, entrepreneurial and team cultures positively predict autonomy at work, while bureaucratic culture negatively predicts autonomy but is not a predictor of overwork. The results point to the importance of promoting more autonomous teams in startups, giving workers more freedom in making decisions about their tasks. More specifically, the results point to the importance of these companies developing and maintaining a type of culture that positively influences the relationship between workers and their work.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of monocarboxylate transporter activity in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM: To assess the immunoexpression of hypoxia-related markers in samples from cirrhosis and primary and metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS: From a total of 5836 autopsies performed at the Pathology Department - University of Sao Paulo School of Medicine Hospital - from 2003 to 2009, 188 presented primary liver tumors. Immunohistochemical reactivity for monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs)-1, 2 and 4, CD147 and glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) was assessed in necropsies from 80 cases of HCC. Data were stored and analyzed using the IBM SPSS statistical software (version 19, IBM Company, Armonk, NY). All comparisons were examined for statistical significance using Pearson's ? (2) test and Fisher's exact test (when n < 5). The threshold for significant P values was established as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Plasma membrane expression of MCT4 and overall expression of GLUT1 showed progressively higher expression from non-neoplastic to primary HCC and to metastases. In contrast, overall expression of MCT2 was progressively decreased from non-neoplastic to primary HCC and to metastases. MCT1 (overall and plasma membrane expression), MCT2 and CD147 plasma membrane expression were associated with absence of cirrhosis, while plasma membrane expression of CD147 was also associated with absence of HBV infection. MCT2 overall expression was associated with lower liver weight, absence of metastasis and absence of abdominal dissemination. Additionally, MCT4 plasma membrane positivity was strongly associated with Ki-67 expression. CONCLUSION: MCT4 and GLUT1 appear to play a role in HCC progression, while MCT2 is lost during progression and associated with better prognosis

Biological activity and cellular uptake of [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] complex

Anticancer activity of the new [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] (Me(2)bpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine) complex was evaluated in vitro against several human cancer cell lines, namely A2780, A2780CisR, HT29, MCF7, MDAMB231 and PC3. Remarkably, the IC50 values, placed in the nanomolar and sub-micromolar range, largely exceeded the activity of cisplatin. Binding to human serum albumin, either HSA (human serum albumin) or HSA(faf) (fatty acid-free human serum albumin) does not affect the complex activity. Fluorescence studies revealed that the present ruthenium complex strongly quench the intrinsic fluorescence of albumin. Cell death by the [Ru(eta(5)-C5H5)(PPh3)(Me(2)bpy)][CF3SO3] complex was reduced in the presence of endocytosis modulators and at low temperature, suggesting an energy-dependent mechanism consistent with endocytosis. On the whole, the biological activity evaluated herein suggests that the complex could be a promising anticancer agent. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

The Monocarboxylate Transporter Inhibitor α-Cyano-4-Hydroxycinnamic Acid Disrupts Rat Lung Branching

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The human embryo develops in a hypoxic environment. In this way, cells have to rely on the glycolytic pathway for energy supply, leading to an intracellular accumulation of monocarboxylates such as lactate and pyruvate. These acids have an important role in cell metabolism and their rapid transport across the plasma membrane is crucial for the maintenance of intracellular pH homeostasis. This transport is mediated by a family of transporters, designated by monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs), namely isoforms 1 and 4. MCT1/4 expression is regulated by the ancillary protein CD147.The general aim of this study was to characterize the expression pattern of MCT1/4, CD147 and the glucose transporter GLUT1 during human fetal lung development and elucidate the role of MCTs in lung development. METHODS: The expression pattern of MCT1/4 and GLUT1 was characterized by immunohistochemistry and fetal lung viability and branching were evaluated by exposing rat fetal lung explants to CHC, an inhibitor of MCT activity. RESULTS: Our findings show that all the biomarkers are differently expressed during fetal lung development and that CHC appears to have an inhibitory effect on lung branching and viability, in a dose dependent way. CONCLUSION: We provide evidence for the role of MCTs in embryo lung development, however to prove the dependence of MCT activity further studies are waranted.This work was supported by the Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, University of Minho, Portugal, and Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia (SFRH/BD/33503/2010 to S.G., SFRH/BD/87139/2012 to F.M.S. and SFRH/BD/51997/2012 to V.M.G.

Chronic stress disrupts neural coherence between cortico-limbic structures

The authors would like to thank Rui Gomes for the help in the application of electrophysio- logical techniques and Luís Martins and Miguel Carneiro for the histological preparations.Chronic stress impairs cognitive function, namely on tasks that rely on the integrity of cortico-limbic networks. To unravel the functional impact of progressive stress in cortico-limbic networks we measured neural activity and spectral coherences between the ventral hippocampus (vHIP) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in rats subjected to short term stress (STS) and chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). CUS exposure consistently disrupted the spectral coherence between both areas for a wide range of frequencies, whereas STS exposure failed to trigger such effect. The chronic stress-induced coherence decrease correlated inversely with the vHIP power spectrum, but not with the mPFC power spectrum, which supports the view that hippocampal dysfunction is the primary event after stress exposure. Importantly, we additionally show that the variations in vHIP-to-mPFC coherence and power spectrum in the vHIP correlated with stress-induced behavioral deficits in a spatial reference memory task. Altogether, these findings result in an innovative readout to measure, and follow, the functional events that underlie the stress-induced reference memory impairments.The authors work was supported by FEDER funds through Operational program for competivity factors—COMPETE and by national funds through FCT—Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) fellowships (João Filipe Oliveira by SFRH/BPD/66151/2009; Luís Ricardo Jacinto by SFRH/BD/40459/2007), a Marie Curie Fellowship (João Filipe Oliveira by PIEF-GA-2010-273936) and Grants from BIAL Foundation (138/2008 to João José Cerqueira and 61/2010 to João Filipe Oliveira and Vanessa Morais Sardinha) and FCT (João Filipe Oliveira, Ana Lima, and Ana Filipa Oliveira by PTDC/SAU- NSC/118194/2010; Nuno Sérgio Dias, Luís Ricardo Jacinto, João José Cerqueira, and Nuno Sousa by FCT/PTDC/SAU- ENB/118383/2010; Nuno Sérgio Dias, Daniela Silva Ferreira, Joana Santos Reis, João José Cerqueira, and Nuno Sousa by FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-022674)

Lactate transporters and vascular factors in HPV-induced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

Lactate transporters and vascular factors in HPV-induced squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervixBACKGROUND: Tumour microenvironment is a fundamental aspect of tumour behaviour, modulating important events as cancer cell migration and invasion, as well as angiogenesis and metastisation. Among other microenvironment features, hypoxia and acidity play important roles in this modulation. As the metabolic reprogramming of cancer cells induces extracellular acidity, which in turn induces angiogenesis, and hypoxia induces both the metabolic reprogramming and angiogenesis, the present study aims to evaluate the immunohistochemical expression of a variety of metabolic and vascular markers as common targets of the hypoxic microenvironment in a series of cervical squamous cells carcinoma, as well as using an in vitro 3D culture model. METHODS: Immunohistochemical expression of MCT1, MCT4, CD147, GLUT1 and CAIX was assessed in a series of 28 chronic cervicitis, 34 LSIL, 29 HSIL, 38 cases of squamous cells carcinoma (SCC), as well as in in vitro 3D culture of keratinocytes expressing HPV genes. Furthermore, VEGF family members' expression was assessed in the SCC cases. The expression profiles were associated with patients' clinicopathological parameters. RESULTS: We found an increase of MCT4 expression along progression to malignancy in cervical samples. Also, MCT4 was associated with CD147 and CAIX expression. VEGF-A expression was more frequently found in cases without MCT1 expression. Both MCT4 and CD147 were more frequently expressed in younger patients at diagnosis while no associations were found between VEGF family and clinicopathological parameters. Finally, we show evidence for the upregulation of MCT4, as well as CD147 and CAIX, after HPV transfection. CONCLUSIONS: The results herein presented point at MCT4 as a promising therapeutic target in squamous cells carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Importantly, we show a possible association between lactate transport and angiogenesis, which should be further explored.CP received a post-doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BPD/69479/2010) and FM-S received a doctoral fellowship (SFRH/BD/87139/2012) from FCT (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology). This work was supported by the FCT grant ref. PTDC/SAU-FCF/104347/2008, under the scope of "Programa Operacional Tematico Factores de Competitividade" (COMPETE) of "Quadro Comunitario de Apoio III" and co-financed by Fundo Comunitario Europeu FEDER and also by FAPESP 2008/03232-1 to LLV

Projeto sincronias : uma experiência de integração

Vários autores e entidades internacionais de referência têm determinado em documentos orientadores para os cuidados de psiquiatria e reabilitação psicossocial a pessoas com experiência de doença mental, a utilização de atividades artísticas como boa prática, já com alguma evidência, na promoção do recovery, participação social e qualidade de vida. O projeto Sincronias, resultante da parceria estabelecida entre a Associação Nova Aurora na Reabilitação e Reintegração Psicossocial (ANARP), a Escola Superior de Educação do Instituto Politécnico do Porto (ESE) e o Laboratório de Reabilitação Psicossocial da ESTSIPP/FPCEUP, tem precisamente como objetivo contribuir para o desenvolvimento pessoal e inserção social de pessoas com experiência de doença mental grave, através do seu envolvimento num programa de atividades artísticas personalizado, ajustado às necessidades e perfil dos seus participantes, que facilite a criatividade, a expressão e o crescimento pessoal através das artes. O programa ocorrerá nas áreas da pintura, escultura, cerâmica, desenho, tipografia, entre outras e prevê o envolvimento dos participantes em iniciativas tão diversificadas como a sua integração nas unidades curriculares desenvolvidas na Licenciatura de Artes Visuais e Tecnologias Artísticas da ESE/IPP, a frequência de workshops/seminários promovidos quer nas instalações da ESE/IPP, quer na ANARP, e a organização e participação em exposições desenvolvidas em várias entidades culturais da cidade.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio