Corporate brand identity in higher education: a relational perspective

Identity is traditionally defined as an emission concept (Kapferer, 2008). Yet, some research points out that there are external factors that that can influence it (Kennedy, 1975; Markwick e Fill, 1997; Balmer e Gray, 2000). This subject is even more interesting if one considers corporate brands. According to Aaker (2004) the number, the power and the credibility of corporate associations are bigger in the case corporate brands. Literature recognizes the influence of relationships between companies in identity management (Hakansson and Snehota, 1989, 1995; Hakansson and Ford, 2002). Yet, given the increasingly important role of corporate brands, it is surprising that to date no attempt to evaluate that influence has been made in corporate brand´s identity management and reputation. Also Keller and Lehman (2006) highlight relationships and costumer experience as two areas requiring more investigation. The authors argue that corporate brand´s identity can be developed under a relational perspective using relationships with other recognised brands in order to generate positive reputations in stakeholders. Based in relationship and corporate brand identity management, a framework is developed to identify how corporate brands select, develop and invest in relationships with other brands. The context of the proposed relationship concept is the services area (Dwyer et al, 1987; Moorman et al, 1992; Rauyruen et al, 2005 and Hennig-Thurau and Klee, 1997). An empirical qualitative research is designed using two reputational technological higher education institutions (two corporate brands) acting in Portuguese public higher education market.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Abordagem computacional para a identificação de elementos cis-regulatórios no genoma da soja.

bitstream/item/71812/1/ID-30970.pd

Abordagem computacional para a identificação de elementos cis-regulatóriso no genoma da soja.

bitstream/item/71511/1/ID-31371.pd

Seasonal proteome variation in intertidal shrimps under a natural setting: connecting molecular networks with environmental fluctuations

The ability of intertidal organisms to maintain their performance via molecular and physiological adjustments under low tide, seasonal fluctuations and extreme events ultimately determines population viability. Analyzing this capacity in the wild is extremely relevant since intertidal communities are under increased climate variability owing to global changes. We addressed the seasonal proteome signatures of a key intertidal species, the shrimp Palaemon elegans, in a natural setting. Shrimps were collected during spring and summer seasons at low tides and were euthanized in situ. Environmental variability was also assessed using hand-held devices and data loggers. Muscle samples were taken for 2D gel electrophoresis and protein identification through mass spectrometry. Proteome data revealed that 55 proteins (10.6% of the proteome) significantly changed between spring and summer collected shrimps, 24 of which were identified. These proteins were mostly involved in cytoskeleton remodelling, energy metabolism and transcription regulation. Overall, shrimps modulate gene expression leading to metabolic and structural adjustments related to seasonal differences in the wild (i.e. abiotic variation and possibly intrinsic cycles of reproduction and growth). This potentially promotes performance and fitness as suggested by the higher condition index in summer-collected shrimps. However, inter-individual variation (% coefficient of variation) in protein levels was quite low (min-max ranges were 0.6-8.3% in spring and 1.2-4.8% in summer), possibly suggesting reduced genetic diversity or physiological canalization. Protein plasticity is relevant to cope with present and upcoming environmental variation related to anthropogenic forcing (e.g. global change, pollution) but low inter-individual variation may limit evolutionary potential of shrimp populations.publishe

Disponibilidade de fósforo no solo e seu acúmulo em soja cultivada em dois latossolos, em função do aumento do pH.

bitstream/item/66218/1/32014.pdfFERTBIO

Soybean gene express: plataforma para análise de expressão diferencial e bibliotecas substrativas de cDNA.

bitstream/item/71550/1/ID-30973.pd

Corn agronomic traits and recovery of nitrogen from fertilizer during crop season and off-season.

The objective of this work was to evaluate corn agronomic traits in a cultivation subjected to different N rates, during the fall?winter (off-season) and spring?summer crop seasons, and N recovery from fertilizer. The experiment was set up in a randomized complete block design with four replicates, in a 5x2 factorial arrangement, with the following treatments: five N topdressing rates ? 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 kg ha-1 ?, using urea as source; and two crop seasons, fall?winter and spring?summer. The following variables were determined: plant height, height of the first ear insertion, number of grains per ear, diameter and length of ear, 1,000-grain weight, N concentration in the leaves and grains, grain-protein concentration, grain yield, N recovery from fertilizer, and soil-N supply. Nitrogen rates in the fertilizer in the fall?winter season had no effect on grain yield, although corn agronomic traits showed a greater reliance on fertilizer-N rates in that season than in the spring?summer, which is a season associated to a greater capacity of soil-N supply to plants. The quantification of soil-N supply enabled knowing the nutrient dynamics during the fall?winter and the spring?summer seasons, which may be useful to guide N fertilization of corn.Título em português: Características agronômicas do milho e recuperação de nitrogênio do fertilizante durante a safra e a safrinha

Cork stoppers industry: defining appropriate mould colonization

Aims: The main aims of this work were the study of cork slabs moulds colonization and the evaluation of the moulds diversity during cork processing steps, in different cork stoppers factories. Simultaneously, it was envisaged to perform an evaluation of the air quality. Methods and Results: Moulds were isolated and identified from cork slabs and cork samples in four cork stoppers factories. The identification was based on morphological characters and microscopic observation of the reproductive structures. Airborne spore dispersion was assessed using a two stage Andersen sampler. It was observed that Chrysonilia sitophila was always present on cork slabs during the maturing period, but mould diversity appeared to be associated to the different factory configurations and processing steps. Conclusions: Spatial separation of the different steps of the process, including physical separation of the maturation step, is essential to guarantee high air quality and appropriate cork slabs colonization, i.e. C. sitophila dominance. The sorting and cutting of the edges of cork slabs after boiling and before the maturing step is also recommended. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study is very important for the cork stopper industry as it gives clear indications on how to keep high quality manufacturing standards and how to avoid occupational health problems.Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica/Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica-Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Apt. 12, 2781-901 OEIRAS. Portugal 2 Estação Agronómica Nacional, 2784-505 OEIRAS. Portugal 3 Estação Vitivinícola Nacional, 2565-191 DOIS PORTOS. Portugal. Program PEDIP II, M 4.8, IAPMEI, Ministério da Economia, Portugal

Flooding tolerance and cell wall alterations in maize mesocotyl during hypoxia.

ABSTRACT - This research aimed to characterize the tolerance to flooding and alterations in pectic and hemicellulose fractions from mesocotyl of maize tolerant to flooding when submitted to hypoxia. In order to characterize tolerance seeds from maize cultivars Saracura BRS-4154 and BR 107 tolerant and sensitive to low oxygen levels, respectively, were set to germinate. Plantlet survival was evaluated during five days after having been submitted to hypoxia. After fractionation with ammonium oxalate 0.5% (w/v) and KOH 2M and 4M, Saracura BRS-4154 cell wall was obtained from mesocotyl segments with different damage intensities caused by oxygen deficiency exposure. The cell wall fractions were analyzed by gel filtration and gas chromatography, and also by Infrared Spectrum with Fourrier Transformation (FTIR). The hypoxia period lasting three days or longer caused cell lysis and in advanced stages plant death. The gelic profile from pectic, hemicellulose 2M and 4M fractions from samples with translucid and constriction zone showed the appearance of low molecular weight compounds, similar to glucose. The main neutral sugars in pectic and hemicellulose fractions were arabinose, xilose and mannose. The FTIR spectrum showed a gradual decrease in pectic substances from mesocotyl with normal to translucid and constriction appearance respectively RESUMO - Objetivou-se caracterizar a tolerancia ao alagamento e alteracoes nas fracoes pecticas e hemicelulosicas de mesocotilos de milho submetidos a hipoxia. Sementes de milho cultivar Saracura BRS-4154 e BR 107, tolerante e sensivel a hipoxia, respectivamente, foram submetidas a germinacao e a sobrevivencia das plantulas em condicoes de hipoxia, foi avaliada durante cinco dias. O material de parede celular, obtido de segmentos de mesocotilos da cultivar Saracura BRS-4154 com diferentes intensidades de danos causados por hipoxia, foi submetido a fracionamento com oxalato de amonio 0,5% e KOH 2M e 4M. As fracoes de parede celular obtidas foram analisadas por cromatografia em gel, cromatografia gasosa e espectro de infravermelho com transformacao dos dados pela serie de Fourrier (FTIR). Periodos de hipoxia superiores a tres dias causaram a lise celular (aparencia translucida),e, em estadios mais avancados, a morte das plantas. O perfil gelico das fracoes pecticas, hemicelulose 2M e 4M das amostras de mesocotilos translucidos e com constricao apresentaram compostos de baixos pesos moleculares semelhantes a glicose. Os principais acucares neutros nas fracoes pecticas e hemicelulosicas foram arabinose, xilose e manose. O espectro de FTIR mostrou um decrescimo gradual nas substancias pecticas do mesocotilo com aparencia normal, para translucido e constricao respectivamente

Three-Dimensional Simulations of Jets from Keplerian Disks: Self--Regulatory Stability

We present the extension of previous two-dimensional simulations of the time-dependent evolution of non-relativistic outflows from the surface of Keplerian accretion disks, to three dimensions. The accretion disk itself is taken to provide a set of fixed boundary conditions for the problem. The 3-D results are consistent with the theory of steady, axisymmetric, centrifugally driven disk winds up to the Alfv\'en surface of the outflow. Beyond the Alfv\'en surface however, the jet in 3-D becomes unstable to non-axisymmetric, Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. We show that jets maintain their long-term stability through a self-limiting process wherein the average Alfv\'enic Mach number within the jet is maintained to order unity. This is accomplished in at least two ways. First, poloidal magnetic field is concentrated along the central axis of the jet forming a ``backbone'' in which the Alfv\'en speed is sufficiently high to reduce the average jet Alfv\'enic Mach number to unity. Second, the onset of higher order Kelvin-Helmholtz ``flute'' modes (m \ge 2) reduce the efficiency with which the jet material is accelerated, and transfer kinetic energy of the outflow into the stretched, poloidal field lines of the distorted jet. This too has the effect of increasing the Alfv\'en speed, and thus reducing the Alfv\'enic Mach number. The jet is able to survive the onset of the more destructive m=1 mode in this way. Our simulations also show that jets can acquire corkscrew, or wobbling types of geometries in this relatively stable end-state, depending on the nature of the perturbations upon them. Finally, we suggest that jets go into alternating periods of low and high activity as the disappearance of unstable modes in the sub-Alfv\'enic regime enables another cycle of acceleration to super-Alfv\'enic speeds.Comment: 57 pages, 22 figures, submitted to Ap