Is the logistics sector in China still a constraint to supplying its domestic market?

China is a market ripe with opportunities for those who dare challenge its vastness; its alluring promise of an outstanding growth possibility thanks to its immense and growing internal market presents itself to companies as a place of both enormous challenges but also of potentially great rewards. The logistics sector is considered to be one essential vector of competitiveness for the development of consumer market supply. Logistics plays a tremendously important role in a company’s activity. Poor logistics can lead to lost opportunities and unsatisfied customers, among other things, while having a good logistics system in place might work as a source of competitive advantage. Ilhéu (2006) research concluded that the Chinese logistics and distribution system was one of the myriad problems Portuguese companies encountered when trying to establish a presence in China; poor infrastructure and a generalized lack of value-added services in Chinese logistics companies were some of the widespread problems faced. The highly fragmented nature of the current Chinese market, high road tolls or uneven taxes between provinces, all contribute to the maintenance of an inefficient system that imposes a disproportionately high cost of logistics in the country. A new era for logistics is being ushered in by China since competitiveness and e-commerce requires the modernization of infrastructures as a global mindset management. Some research questions then arise: are Chinese logistics still a burden to the efficiency of Chinese domestic market? How has the Chinese logistical sector progressed in the last eleven years? Is the lack of value-added services still perceived by foreign companies as a constraint to entering the Chinese market?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Genetic diversity and structure of the portuguese pear (Pyrus communis L.) germplasm

A rich heritage of traditional pear varieties is kept in national Portuguese collections. Out of these varieties, “Rocha” dominates national pear production. Although a noticeable phenotypic variation among clones of this variety has been reported, little is known about its genetic variability, as to date molecular studies have been performed on a single “Rocha” clone. Eleven Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers were used to assess the genetic diversity of 130 local cultivars, 80 of them being “Rocha” clones. The results allowed the di erentiation of 75 genotypes of which 29 are “Rocha”. Three synonyms groups and four homonymous groups of other local varieties were confirmed. A Bayesian model-based clustering approach identified two distinct clusters. Using flow cytometry, six cultivars were found to be triploids. These results show high genetic variability among “Rocha” clones. In conclusion, there is a need for di erent “Rocha” clones to be preserved to enable the correct selection of the multiplication materialinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Price-setting hotel competition with corporate social responsibility

Pricing plays an important role in any market competition, but particularly in those businesses that hold a seat in hyper competitive economic activities such as hotels. This paper analyses a market competition between one corporate social responsibility (CSR) hotel and one for profit (FP) hotel, in which both hotels set room prices. We study three different market behaviors: (i) both hotels take their decisions simultaneously; (ii) the CSR hotel takes the leader position; (iii) the FP hotel takes the leader position. For each situation, by using game theory techniques, we compute the different outcomes of the model at equilibrium. We also describe the effects of CSR on the outcomes.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A relação entre os factores sócio-demográficos e o nível de conforto da mulher com cancro da mama em tratamento com quimioterapia

A enfermagem enquanto ciência tem desde sempre procurado contextualizar os seus cuidados de forma a que possam adaptar-se a qualquer pessoa e circunstância. Todas as nossas acções são planeadas e implementadas com o objectivo de proporcionar conforto nas várias dimensões da pessoa, no contexto e meio onde está inserida. A Teoria do Conforto de K. Kolcaba apresenta uma visão holística orientada para a prática dos cuidados, que se adapta a várias realidades. O cancro da mama é o segundo cancro mais diagnosticado em Portugal, com impacto na qualidade de vida pessoal, familiar e sócio-laboral da mulher, de grande complexidade. A enfermagem deve aprofundar conhecimentos nesta área de forma a prestar cuidados de enfermagem mais eficientes. Assim realizamos um estudo com o objectivo de avaliar o nível de conforto das mulheres com cancro da mama em tratamento com quimioterapia e relacionar o mesmo com os factores sócio-demográficos, recorrendo a uma abordagem quantitativa descritivo-correlacional. Aplicámos um questionário de caracterização sócio-demográfica e a escala de conforto da mulher com cancro da mama a realizar quimioterapia (EACDQ) construída por J. Apóstolo e Gameiro, numa Unidade de Oncologia, a nossa amostra (N=46) é probabilística acidental ou de conveniência. No estudo verificámos que o conforto global médio foi de 3,35 (DP=0,60) e que os factores sócio-demográficos determinantes para o nível de conforto das mulheres com cancro de mama a fazer quimioterapia foram a idade (rs=0,329; p=0,026), o número de filhos (rs= -0,389; p=0,008) que com estas mulheres coabita e o seu nível de escolaridade (rs= -0,382; p=0,009). Por outro lado, podemos perceber que o facto das mulheres em estudo serem ou não activas, não influencia o nível de conforto global [z(14,32) =0,645; p=0,159], assim como não é determinante para o nível de conforto ser mastectomizada (p=0,263) ou estar há mais ou menos tempo em tratamentos de quimioterapia (p=0,702). Pensamos que este estudo pode contribuir com sugestões para a prática, para a formação e para a investigação.As a science Nursing has always aimed at contextualizing the care it provides so that it can adapt to anyone under any circumstances. Moreover, all our caring procedures are planned and carried out aiming at the person’s comfort. K. Kolcaba’s theory of comfort presents a holistic approach to nursing care that can adapt to several situations. Breast cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer in Portugal and it has a huge impact on women’s personal, familiar and socio-professional life. Nursing has to improve knowledge in this area so that it can provide a better and more effective care. Thus, we have conducted a survey with the aim of evaluating the level of comfort among women with breast cancer, who are being submitted to chemotherapy. We also aimed at relating that level of comfort to the socio-demographic factors, making use of a correlated-descriptive and quantitive approach. We have implemented a questionnaire focusing on the socio-demographic characterization and on the comfort scale of women with breast cancer under chemotherapy (EACDQ) built by J. Apóstolo e Gameiro. It was conducted in an Oncology Centre among women with breast cancer who composed our non-probabilistic accidental sample. According to the data provided, we concluded that the medium global comfort averages 3,35 (DP = 0,60) and the socio-demographic factors that were decisive to determine the level of comfort were the age (rs=0.329, p=0.026), the number of children (rs=-0.389; p=0.008) still living with them and the women’s qualifications. On the other hand, we can see that having an active life or not (z (14.32) = 0.645; p= 0.159), having been submitted to a mastectomy (p= 0.263) or being under chemotherapy for long (p=0,702) are not determinant features to measure the level of comfort. We believe that this survey can contribute with suggestions to the practice, training and research

Contributos para a compreensão das relações trabalho-família numa instituição de ensino superior

O modo como as organizações desenvolvem e implementam medidas que contribuem para a redução do conflito trabalho-família tem sido alvo da atenção de diversos estudos. Estes destacam não só a importância destas medidas como alertam para a importância da análise dos aspetos que estão associados ao uso das mesmas por parte dos colaboradores. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar a importância de um conjunto de antecedentes do domínio profissional e individual que podem contribuir, no caso de uma instituição pública de ensino superior, para a caracterização do conflito entre o trabalho e a família dos seus colaboradores não docentes. Por outro lado, pretendeu, também, analisar a prevalência do conflito de acordo com o género, a função exercida e ainda de acordo com a especificidade de cada Unidade orgânica, onde o colaborador exerce a sua função. Finalmente, de uma forma exploratória, o modo como as diferentes variáveis organizacionais que foram consideradas, concorrem, de forma integrada para o conflito trabalho-família, família-trabalho e também para a intenção de abandono da organização. Com uma amostra de 373 colaboradores não docentes de uma Instituição de ensino superior pública com recurso a comparações de médias, Manovas, regressões e equações estruturais os resultados evidenciaram a importância da justiça internacional e a divulgação do apoio como variáveis mediadoras no conflito trabalho-família. Os resultados obtidos são discutidos no âmbito da importância das práticas de comunicação, enquanto aspetos a considerar quando se analisa a importância das medidas organizacionais que pretendem contribuir para a redução do conflito trabalho-família, no quadro de uma instituição pública

O desenho das crianças de 6 a 8 anos : os aspectos cognitivos das primeiras noções topológicas e suas representações

Orientadora: Ana Maria Petraitis LiblikDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação. Defesa: Curitiba, 2004Inclui bibliografia e anexosResumo: A presente investigação tem como objetivo o estudo da função comunicativa do desenho visto como forma peculiar de transmitir uma idéia, uma imagem ou um signo e suas representações com as reconstruções no plano mental do que está estruturado no plano das ações. O estudo centraliza-se na apropriação cognitiva de noções matemáticas topológicas, suficientes para engendrar geometricamente o pensamento acerca do espaço e a construção de significativas relações espaciais: de vizinhança, de separação, de ordem, de circunscrição ou envoltório e de continuidade, noções estas que permearão toda a pesquisa. O desenho é então, uma forma da função semiótica a meio caminho entre o jogo simbólico e a imagem mental, com a qual compartilha o esforço de imitação interiorizada do real. O eixo central é o estudo sobre vizinhança buscando analisar o entendimento infantil e a função das produções gráficas dos desenhos produzidos por 35 crianças de 06 a 08 anos, em uma escola da rede pública de ensino de Curitiba/PR, com referencial teórico firmado na epistemologia genética de Jean Piaget. Os participantes passaram por quatro tarefas e os resultados permitiram identificar a perspectiva topológica que envolve a criança nesta faixa etária e sua organização espacial.Abstract: The present investigation is aimed at the communicative function of the drawing seen as a peculiar way of an image or a sign and its representations with the reconstructions in the mental plane of what is framed in the action plans. The study is itself centralized in the cognitive gathering of topologic math notions, enought to raise geometrically the thought about the space and the construction of space relations meaning: of proximity, separation and arrangement, of circunscription or envelopment and continuity, these notions will embody the entire research. The drawing is a kind of semiotics function in the mids of the symbiotic game and the mental image, with which it shapes the imitation effort brought in from the real. The central axis is the study on proximity trying to analize the infant's understanding and the function of the drawing's graffic productions done by 35 children from 6 to 8 years of age, in a Curitiba public school, with theoretic referential based on the Jean Piaget genetic epistemiology. The participants were given four tasks and the results made it possible to identify the child's topological perspective in this age and space arrangement

Microbiome Associated with the Mycangia of Female and Male Adults of the Ambrosia Beetle Platypus cylindrus Fab. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

The ambrosia beetle Platypus cylindrus is a major cork oak pest in Portugal. Beetles have different roles in host tree colonization and are equipped with specific structures (mycangia) for fungal transportation. The information on bacterial composition associated with mycangia is scarce. The bacterial community present in the mycangia of P. cylindrus male and female beetles collected from cork oak galleries was investigated. Mycangia anatomical structure was also explored using histological and 3D imaging techniques to highlight evidence of biological sexual dimorphism. A diverse bacterial community with few gender-specific bacteria was shown and histology revealed connections linking external and internal tissues only in females, providing the first insights into sexual differentiation for bacteria in a Platypodinae beetle species.The ambrosia beetle Platypus cylindrus Fab. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a major cork oak pest in Portugal. Female and male beetles have different roles in host tree colonization and are both equipped with prothoracic mycangia for fungal transportation. Despite a known beneficial role of bacteria in ambrosia beetles, information on bacterial composition associated with prothoracic mycangia structures is scarce. Bacterial community from mycangia of P. cylindrus male and female beetles collected from cork oak galleries was investigated by means of 16S metagenomics. Mycangia anatomical structure was also explored with histological techniques and X-ray computed microtomography to highlight evidence supporting biological sexual dimorphism. A bacterial community with highly diverse bacterial taxa with low abundances at the genus level was revealed. Lactobacillales, Leptotrichia, Neisseria, Rothia, and Sphingomonadaceae were significantly more abundant in males, while Acinetobacter, Chitinophagaceae, Enterobacteriaceae, Erwiniaceae, Microbacteriaceae, and Pseudoclavibacter were more abundant in females. Additionally, a core bacteriome of five genera was shared by both sexes. Histological examination revealed visible connections linking external and internal tissues in females, but none in males. Overall, these results provide the first insights into sexual differentiation for bacteria in a Platypodinae beetle species, identifying key patterns of bacteria distribution in the context of beetle ecology and functional behavior.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio