Production and characterization of magnetic bioactive glass membranes

Bone cancer treatment usually originates bone defects with residual tumour cells that can proliferate during bone regeneration. Therefore, a scaffold for bone regeneration that simultaneously kill residual tumour cells is needed. This project aims at producing a composite system composed of a bioactive glass (BAG) and magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs). This system is highly bioactive and reabsorbable due to the bioactive glass which leads to formation of a hydroxyapatite (HA) layer that bonds to bone. The system is biodegradable at an adequate rate for bone regeneration. Magnetic nanoparticles act as thermoseeds generating clinically relevant heat under an applied alternating magnetic field to kill or sensitize tumour cells. In combination with release of an anticancer drug, this composite system will effectively kill bone tumour cells whilst providing a base for bone regeneration. BAG was produced by a simple sol-gel technique assisted by EISA (Evaporation Induced Self-Assembly). Ball milling equipment was used to decrease the BAG particle size and increase its dispersibility. The powders were characterized by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), EDS (energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy), and FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy). IONPs were produced through chemical co-precipitation and coated with oleic acid to avoid aggregation and loss of superparamagnetic properties over time. First, PVP/BAG composite membranes were produced by electrospinning and the parameters were optimized to produce smaller fibres as it translates into higher surface area and higher bioactivity. IONPs were then incorporated in the solution. The electrospun membranes were crosslinked due to the PVP water-soluble characteristic. UV and thermal crosslinking were employed, but only thermal crosslinking proved to be successful. For this to be successful TGA/DSC was helpful to find the crosslinking temperature and provided information about the thermal stability of the membranes. Water-insoluble membranes were tested for magnetic hyperthermia application and cytotoxicity assays were also performed. The IONPs proved to have superparamagnetic properties and a small temperature variation was achieved for a 10 mg membrane sample, which proved the potential of composite membranes for this application

Sport participation analysis: an empirical study on two small communities

Information about Sport Participation Index (SPI) is a critical factor in the sport development process. Sociodemographic data can be a cost effective instrument to increase effi ciency of local policies that promote sport participation (SP). Although bibliography about SP is vast, the analysis and comparison of previous works is complex due to heterogeneity in methodologies. There is an enormous disparity in SP results in Portugal: Marivoet (2001) refers that SPI in Portugal is 27%; Almeida, & Graça (1998) refer that the non participation percentage in Portugal is 60%; and according to the Eurobarometer report (2004) Portugal presents the lowest fi gure of SPI, 22%, followed by Greece 26%, while the European average is 38%. There is a limited availability of data about SP in small cities. The presented study intended to: a) characterise SP in two small cities; b) identify target groups in order to increase the effi ciency local authority efforts’

Book of abstracts II International Congress - CIEQV 23rd and 24th February 2023

The II International Congress - CIEQV is the consequence of the development of the center’s strategic plan, which aims to increase scientific production in the field of quality of life. The communication of the science carried out configures a relevant social approach for public scientific research institutions. This congress aims above all to make available the knowledge acquired on the subject of quality of life, aiming to transfer to society and citizens the information applied to their way of life. We consider the highlights of the congress to be the discussion at roundtables on two fracturing themes, inclusion and urbanism associated with the quality of life of citizens. The conferences are multidisciplinary, addressing topics such as children’s education and sports participation, sustainable agriculture and self-care, all of them related to citizens’ quality of life. The proposed papers reflect the diverse research paradigms of this multidisciplinary and thematic center: studies on the educational contexts of youth and children; on the inclusion of people with disabilities; research focused on food products and sustainable behaviors; approaches to sports training, athlete performances, physical activity practice; exploration of research on the motor behavior of children and youth; study of sustainability in organizations; research focused on quality of life in the different stages of human life; etc. This diverse approach demonstrates the complexity of the social phenomenon under study. Researchers search the connection between some variables and their interrelationship. In this way, the research produced gets closer to the ecological and social reality, transferring itself to human practices towards a better and healthy quality of life. This II International Congress - CIEQV is another initiative for the challenges of research in Quality of Life. I take this opportunity to thank the institutions that support us, the organizers of the event and the researchers who share their knowledge, from the perspective of open science and available to society.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The obstacle problem for nonlinear elliptic equations with variable growth and L1-data

The aim of this paper is twofold: to prove, for L1-data, the existence and uniqueness of an entropy solution to the obstacle problem for nonlinear elliptic equations with variable growth, and to show some convergence and stability properties of the corresponding coincidence set. The latter follow from extending the Lewy–Stampacchia inequalities to the general framework of L

Turismo desportivo: benefícios da generalização da participação

O Turismo Desportivo (TD) é, nos dias que correm, um importante instrumento de desenvolvimento do fenómeno turístico. Segundo a classificação sugerida por Standeven & Knop (1999) três dos dez produtos propostos pelo Plano estratégico nacional do Turismo (PENT, 2006) podem ser considerados como de TD, turismo de natureza, turismo náutico e o golfe. Portugal, como destino de TD, enfrenta uma concorrência global. Destinos que outrora pareciam distantes constituem hoje uma alternativa real para os turistas. O Turismo e o Desporto parecem apresentar uma relação de simbiose. O Desporto é encarado como um segmento da indústria do turismo catalizador de destinos turísticos. Por outro lado, o turismo também fomenta o desporto que é entendido como um segmento de importância crescente uma vez que: aumenta a participação desportiva, sustenta social e politicamente a construção de infra-estruturas tais como instalações desportivas, acessos, urbanizações, etc. (Bouchet, Lebrun, & Auvergne, 2004; Gammon, 1997; Higham & Hinch, 2002; Pigeassou, Bui-Xuan, & Gleyse, 2003; Standeven & Knop, 1999). Paralelamente Portugal apresenta: a) índices de participação desportiva relativamente baixos quando comparados com outros membros da comunidade europeia a 25 (CE25). Segundo estudo da comissão europeia ("The citizens of the European Union and Sport," 2004) 66% dos portugueses referem que nunca praticam qualquer tipo de actividade desportiva, valor mais alto da CE25, por oposição à Finlândia, 4%; b) o turismo português apresenta grande dependência de alguns mercados emissores. É expectável que um incremento da participação em actividades desportivas relacionadas com o TD poderá resultar em benefícios de vária ordem, dos quais destacamos: incremento da taxa de participação desportiva, actividade turística com receitas incrementadas, sustentabilidade das instalações desportivas e, no longo prazo, melhoria na qualidade de serviços de TD. Neste trabalho são apresentadas propostas para ultrapassar os constrangimentos à prática Golfe e os possíveis benefícios associados

Calidad y operaciones en servicios de turismo deportivo: una aplicación del modelo de Deming en organizaciones gestoras de estaciones de montaña y campos de golf

Los conceptos relacionados con la calidad del servicio no se han desarrollado de la misma manera de los relacionados con la calidad de la producción de bienes tangibles, sin embargo, la base teórica y métodos de la gerencia para la calidad total permite su uso en industrias tanto de productos tangibles como de servicios. En este estudio se utilizó el modelo teórico de Deming elaborado por Anderson et al. (1994b). Aunque existen evidencias prácticas de la eficacia del modelo citado en el mundo entero, la investigación empírica es todavía escasa. Por ello nos hemos propuesto los siguientes objetivos

Quality management in sport tourism organizations: empirical study proposal

The tourism industry has a growing importance among those activities that create wealth. This trend is recognized by political agents, business managers and the academic community. Sport and tourism seem to assume a symbiotic relation: On the one hand, Sport promotes Tourism through sport events, seminars, congresses and tourist destinations. On the other hand, Tourism promotes Sport by increasing the participation rate, facility building and infrastructure construction (Bouchet, Lebrun, & Auvergne, 2004; Gammon, 1997; Higham & Hinch, 2002; Pigeassou, Bui-Xuan, & Gleyse, 2003; Standeven & Knop, 1999). Global growing competition and ever-increasing customer’s expectations impel organizations that offer Sport Tourism services in the quest of higher quality and cost reduction. Total quality management (TQM) is a management system based on human resources, which aims the continuous progress in the service to the client at a lower cost (Hodggets, 1993). The concepts associated with the quality of service were not developed the same way as of those associated with the quality of tangible goods production. Literature based on the vision of the founding authors of the TQM is prolific in product quality management and nearly non existent in service quality management. Nevertheless, the theoretical base and the methods of the TQM allow its application in both industries, products and services (Anderson, Rungtusanatham, & Schroeder, 1994 ; Bell & Keys, 1998; Deming, 1986; Waldman, 1994). Quality management is a widely studied subject. Edwards Deming, widely accepted amongst his pears, is one of the most renowned authors in this area of knowledge. Despite global practical evidences of the efficiency of his methods and practices, empirical investigation on Deming’s model is still scarce (Fisher, Barfield, Li, & Mehta, 2005). Anderson et al., (1994) proposed a management model based on the methods and practices advocated by Deming (figure 1)