Prevailing theoretical approaches predicting sustainable business models: a systematic review

Purpose: This study aims to map scientific publications, intellectual structure and research trends in the sustainable business model (SBM) field. Specifically, it attempts to (1) identify the fundamental contributions of research in this area of knowledge; and (2) determine the research lines that constitute the most prominent intellectual structure. We leverage these insights to formulate and propose a future research agenda for SBM. Design/methodology/approach: The authors made recourse to the bibliometric, co-citation and cluster analysis techniques. To evaluate potential patterns among articles, we analysed how articles are jointly cited. We further applied hierarchical cluster analysis to the articles and used co-citation analysis to group the interrelated articles into distinct sets. Findings: The results enable the identification and classification of the prevailing theoretical foci in the domain of SBM: (1) SBM implementation; (2) SBM challenges; (3) institutional SBM; (4) circular SBM; and (5) emerging SBM. Originality/value: This study identifies, explores, analyses and summarises the main theoretical approaches and themes surrounding SBM research to date, contributing to deepening the literature by identifying the priority areas concerning sustainable business models and encouraging future research of an internationally excellent standard.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Assessing the compressive and impact behavior of plastic safety toe caps through computational modelling

Toe caps are one of the most important components in safety footwear, but have a significant contribution to the weight of the shoe. Efforts have been made to replace steel toe caps by polymeric ones, since they are lighter, insulated and insensitive to magnetic fields. Nevertheless, polymeric solutions require larger volumes, which has a negative impact on the shoe’s aesthetics. Therefore, safety footwear manufacturers are pursuing the development of an easy, low-cost and reliable solution to optimize this component. In this work, a solid mechanics toolbox built in the open-source computational library, OpenFOAM®, was used to simulate two laboratory standard tests (15 kN compression and 200 J impact tests). To model the polymeric material behavior, a neo-Hookean hyper-elasto-plastic material law with J2 plastic criteria was employed. A commercially available plastic toe cap was characterized, and the collected data was used for assessment purposes. Close agreements, between experimental and simulated values, were achieved for both tests, with an approximate error of 5.4% and 6.8% for the displacement value in compression and impact test simulations, respectively. The results clearly demonstrate that the employed open-source finite volume computational models offer reliable results and can support the design of toe caps for the R&D footwear industry.This work was funded by FEDER funds through the COMPETE 2020 Programme and National Funds through FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology under the projects UIDB/05256/2020; UIDP/05256/2020 and FAMEST-Footwear, Advanced Materials, Equipment’s and Software Technologies (POCI-01-0247-FEDER-024529)

Agro-food byproducts as a new source of natural food additives

Nowadays, the agro-food industry generates high amounts of byproducts that may possess added value compounds with high functionality and/or bioactivity. Additionally, consumers' demand for healthier foodstuffs has increased over the last years, and thus the food industry has strived to answer this challenge. Byproducts are generally secondary products derived from primary agro-food production processes and represent an interesting and cheaper source of potentially functional ingredients, such as peptides, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds, thus promoting a circular economy concept. The existing body of work has shown that byproducts and their extracts may be successfully incorporated into foodstuffs, for instance, phenolic compounds from eggplant can be potentially used as a mulfitunctional food additive with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and food colorant properties. As such, the aim of this review is to provide insights into byproducts and their potential as new sources of foodstuffs additives.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Reconfiguring power in portuguese higher education

This paper aims to analyse the shift in the internal power balance between managerial and academic self-governance as reflected in the perceptions of teaching and non-teaching staff on the tendencies, decision-making processes and actor’s roles in these processes. The empirical data used in this paper were gathered on the basis of an on-line survey, distributed throughout 2014 and 2015 in all Portuguese higher education institutions. Responses were interpreted taking into account the influence of governance narratives on the development of boardism, i.e., a decrease of academic self-governance reflecting the decline of the power of teaching staff in HEIs’ governance; an increase of managerial governance as reflected in the reinforcement of hierarchies and organisational top-down decision-making; and the influence of external stakeholders. The analysis contributes to dig into the complexity of the governance arrangements challenging the prevailing influence of the NPM governance narrative while underlining the internal dynamics of HEIs, where Portuguese teaching staff continue to play a key role. El propósito de este artículo es analizar los cambios en el equilibrio de poder interna entre la administración y el poder académico, reflejados en las percepciones de los profesores y personal no docente de las instituciones portuguesas de educación superior sobre las tendencias, los procesos de toma de decisiones y el papel de los actores en esos procesos. Los datos empíricos utilizados en este estudio fueron recogidos a través de una encuesta en línea, distribuidos en 2014 y 2015, en todas las instituciones portuguesas de educación superior. Las respuestas fueron interpretadas teniendo en cuenta la influencia de las narrativas de la gobernanza en el desarrollo del boardismo, o sea, la disminución de la gobernanza académica, reflejando la disminución del poder de los docentes en la gobernanza de las instituciones de educación superior; el aumento del poder de la gestión, reflejado en el refuerzo de jerarquías y en la toma de decisiones organizacionales de arriba abajo; y la influencia de los stakeholders externos. El análisis contribuye a profundizar el conocimiento sobre las configuraciones de la gobernanza en la educación superior, desafiando la influencia predominante de la narrativa de la Nueva Gestión Pública, mientras enfatiza la dinámica interna de las instituciones de educación superior, donde el cuerpo docente sigue desempeñando un papel fundamental en la gestión y gobernanza.O objetivo deste artigo é analisar as mudanças nos equilíbrios de poder interno entre o poder da gestão e o poder da governação académica, refletidas nas perceções dos docentes e não-docentes das instituições de ensino superior portuguesas sobre as tendências, processos de tomada de decisão e o papel dos atores nesses processos. Os dados empíricos utilizados neste trabalho foram recolhidos com base num inquérito on-line, distribuído ao longo de 2014 e 2015, em todas as instituições de ensino superior portuguesas. As respostas foram interpretadas levando-se em conta a influência das narrativas da governação no desenvolvimento do boardismo, ou seja, a diminuição da governação académica, refletindo a diminuição do poder dos docentes na governação das instituições de ensino superior; o aumento do poder da gestão, refletido no reforço de hierarquias e na tomada de decisões organizacionais de cima para baixo; e a influência de stakeholders externos. A análise contribui para aprofundar o conhecimento sobre as configurações da governação no ensino superior, desafiando a influência predominante da narrativa da Nova Gestão Política, enquanto enfatiza a dinâmica interna das instituições de ensino superior, onde o corpo docente continua a desempenhar um papel fundamental na sua gestão e governação

Cell division protein FtsK coordinates bacterial chromosome segregation and daughter cell separation in Staphylococcus aureus

Funding Information: We thank Nathalie Reichmann and Leendert Hamoen (University of Amsterdam) for critical reading of the manuscript, Ana Velic (Proteome Center Tübingen) for help with proteome analysis and Mike VanNieuwenhze (Indiana University) for the generous gift of HADA. This study was funded by the European Research Council through grant ERC‐2017‐CoG‐771709 (to MGP), by national funds through FCT– Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, PTDC/BIA‐MIC/6982/2020 (to HV); PTDC/BIA‐PLA/3432/2012 (to SRF); FCT through MOSTMICRO‐ITQB R&D Unit (UIDB/04612/2020, UIDP/04612/2020) and LS4FUTURE Associated Laboratory (LA/P/0087/2020) and FCT fellowship SFRH/BD/147052/2019 (to BMS); by the Swiss National National Foundation through P300P3_155346 (to AJ); by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska‐Curie grant agreement No 839596 (to SS) and by the European Molecular Biology Organization through award ALTF 673‐2018 (to SS). Figure 6D and Appendix Fig S7 were created with Biorender.com . Funding Information: We thank Nathalie Reichmann and Leendert Hamoen (University of Amsterdam) for critical reading of the manuscript, Ana Velic (Proteome Center Tübingen) for help with proteome analysis and Mike VanNieuwenhze (Indiana University) for the generous gift of HADA. This study was funded by the European Research Council through grant ERC-2017-CoG-771709 (to MGP), by national funds through FCT– Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, PTDC/BIA-MIC/6982/2020 (to HV); PTDC/BIA-PLA/3432/2012 (to SRF); FCT through MOSTMICRO-ITQB R&D Unit (UIDB/04612/2020, UIDP/04612/2020) and LS4FUTURE Associated Laboratory (LA/P/0087/2020) and FCT fellowship SFRH/BD/147052/2019 (to BMS); by the Swiss National National Foundation through P300P3_155346 (to AJ); by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 839596 (to SS) and by the European Molecular Biology Organization through award ALTF 673-2018 (to SS). Figure 6D and Appendix Fig S7 were created with Biorender.com. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Published under the terms of the CC BY NC ND 4.0 license.Unregulated cell cycle progression may have lethal consequences and therefore, bacteria have various mechanisms in place for the precise spatiotemporal control of cell cycle events. We have uncovered a new link between chromosome replication/segregation and splitting of the division septum. We show that the DNA translocase domain-containing divisome protein FtsK regulates cellular levels of a peptidoglycan hydrolase Sle1, which is involved in cell separation in the bacterial pathogen Staphylococcus aureus. FtsK interacts with a chaperone (trigger factor, TF) and establishes a FtsK-dependent TF concentration gradient that is higher in the septal region. Trigger factor binds Sle1 and promotes its preferential export at the septal region, while also preventing Sle1 degradation by the ClpXP proteolytic machinery. Upon conditions that lead to paused septum synthesis, such as DNA damage or impaired DNA replication/segregation, TF gradient is dissipated and Sle1 levels are reduced, thus halting premature septum splitting.publishersversionpublishe

Plasmodium falciparum population dynamics during the early phase of anti-malarial drug treatment in Tanzanian children with acute uncomplicated malaria

BACKGROUND\ud \ud This study aimed to explore Plasmodium falciparum population dynamics during the early phase of anti-malarial drug treatment with artemisinin-based combination therapy in children with clinical malaria in a high transmission area in Africa.\ud \ud METHODS\ud \ud A total of 50 children aged 1-10 years with acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria in Bagamoyo District, Tanzania, were enrolled. Participants were hospitalized and received supervised standard treatment with artemether-lumefantrine according to body weight in six doses over 3 days. Blood samples were collected 11 times, i.e. at time of diagnosis (-2 h) and 0, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h after initiation of treatment. Parasite population dynamics were assessed using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-genotyping of merozoite surface protein (msp) 1 and 2.\ud \ud RESULTS\ud \ud PCR-analyses from nine sequential blood samples collected after initiation of treatment identified 20 and 21 additional genotypes in 15/50 (30%) and 14/50 (28%) children with msp1 and msp2, respectively, non-detectable in the pre-treatment samples (-2 and 0 h combined). Some 15/20 (75%) and 14/21 (67%) of these genotypes were identified within 24 h, whereas 17/20 (85%) and 19/21 (90%) within 48 h for msp1 and msp2, respectively. The genotype profile was diverse, and varied considerably over time both within and between patients, molecular markers and their respective families.\ud \ud CONCLUSION\ud \ud PCR analyses from multiple blood samples collected during the early treatment phase revealed a complex picture of parasite sub-populations. This underlines the importance of interpreting PCR-outcomes with caution and suggests that the present use of PCR-adjustment from paired blood samples in anti-malarial drug trials may overestimate assessment of drug efficacy in high transmission areas in Africa.The study is registered at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov with identifier NCT00336375

Sudden death associated with melanoma brain metastases

A 48-year-old male Caucasian, with no relevant medical history except for a mild depression, was found by the partner, passed out on the bedroom floor. Since he was found in cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation was attempted, without success.  Initially, it was suspected to be a suicide attempt and autopsy findings revealed coronary atherosclerosis of about 40%, with no other recoverable cardiac findings.The brain showed multiple probable neoplastic lesions, associated with cerebral and cerebellar hemorrhage. The primary tumor was not identified, but the victim had multiple cutaneous nevi. Histological examination revealed melanoma metastases, confirmed by immunohistochemistry.In this case, the forensic autopsy allowed an accurate determination of the cause of death. Besides having fulfilled its role to the judiciary system, the autopsy also had relevance from an epidemiological point of view, which is essential for Public Health prevention programs. </p

Reestruturação industrial em contexto de abertura e integração: um modelo para o caso brasileiro

"Este trabalho elaborado pela Funcex é de inteira e exclusiva responsabilidade de seus autores. As opiniões nele emitidas não exprimem, necessariamente, o ponto de vista do BNDES".Bibliografia: p. 120-123

DETERMINAÇÃO INDIRETA DE COORDENADAS PLANORRETANGULARES UTILIZANDO ESTAÇÃO TOTAL E ESPELHO PLANO

RESUMO  Este trabalho traz a metodologia e resultados obtidos no posicionamento de pontos, em ambiente industrial, que não estejam no campo de visada da estação total. Para tal, foram desenvolvidos métodos e equipamentos, tais como: Espelho plano de precisão e suporte para movimentá-lo na vertical e horizontal, alvos para fixar no espelho e na mira horizontal de invar, procedimentos de calibração da mira horizontal de invar e dos alvos fixados no espelho. Com a aplicação do método foipossível desviar a visada da estação total e com isso determinar coordenadas de pontos fora do campo de visão da estação total. Os resultados demonstram a viabilidade de aplicação do método.