Digital marketing’s impact on rural destinations’ image, intention to visit, and destination sustainability

The relevance of the tourism industry to the overall sustainability of rural territories grows along with the demand for rural tourism destinations. Likewise, as the digital transition of rural tour operators takes place, their marketing initiatives also evolve towards a digital nature, which is why it is crucial to comprehend how the overall calibre of these activities might affect the perception of rural places, while also motivating tourists’ travel intentions and, as a result, promoting the general sustainability of the destination. Thus, in this paper, we propose a novel conceptual model based on Delone and McLean’s representative model of Information Systems Success Model, on Tan and Wu’s arguments on tourism destinations’ image relationship with tourists’ visit intentions, and also on Verma’s tourism destination brand equity concept. To validate the proposed model, an online focus group was developed involving several specialists whose opinions and perspectives corroborated the potential adequacy of the proposed artefact and, consequently, assumed its contribution and value. From this validation process, it was possible to highlight that digital marketing initiatives’ overall quality influences both rural destinations’ image and tourists’ intention to visit these territories, that a positive image will trigger tourists’ visit behaviour, and that these behaviours represent a valuable asset to rural destinations’ global sustainabilityThis work was supported by national funds through the Portuguese funding agency, the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) within project LA/P/0063/2020.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The first of a series of articles dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the Brazilian Society of Genetics (SBG)

Resumo não disponíve

The third of a series of article for the 60th anniversary of the brazilian society of genetics

Resumo não disponíve

Utilização de Trilhas Interpretativas como Ferramentas à Percepção Ambiental dos Estudantes de Engenharia Ambienta da UFT

Resumo: o objetivo principal deste trabalho foi avaliar a percepção ambiental dos acadêmicos de engenharia ambiental da Universidade Federal do Tocantins, buscando informar e sensibilizar as pessoas para a compreensão da complexa temática ambiental e para o envolvimento em ações que promovam hábitos sustentáveis de uso dos recursos naturais. Palavras-chave: Unidades de conservação. Percepção ambiental. Trilhas interpretativas

Neuromuscular efficiency of the knee joint muscles in the early-phase of strength training: effects of antagonist’s muscles pre-activation

It was our objective tTo compare the neuromuscular efficiency (NME) adaptations between resistance exercise methods (with and without pre-activation of the antagonist’s muscles) after six-weeks training. This randomized controlled trial assigned forty-nine men (mean age 20.9 ± 2.2 years; height 1.80 ± 0.1 m; body mass 75.0 ± 8.2 kg) into two groups: 1) Reciprocal Training group (RT, concentric knee flexion immediately followed by concentric knee extension at 60°.s-1); and Conventional Training (CT, concentric knee extension exercise). Both training adopted three sets, 10 repetitions at 60°.s-1, 2 days/week for 6 weeks. NME of knee extension and flexion were assessed pre and post-training. The groups were similar at baseline, for all variables. We found significant effects on NME only for the rectus femoris muscle in the RT group (ES = 0.31; 95%CI [0.30-0,92]; p<0.01). There were no significant differences at NME pre- and post-training in CT and Total Work did not differ between groups. Reciprocal training provided better neuromuscular efficiency, but effects were limited to the rectus femoris muscle. The small effect sizes suggest caution in the results

Endovascular treatment of blunt traumatic injuries of the subclavian and axillary arteries

AbstractIntroductionBlunt trauma of the axillary and subclavian arteries is uncommon. Conventional surgery presents significant morbidity associated to the need of extensive exposure and challenging dissection through traumatized tissues. Endovascular treatment is an alternative that has increasingly been used in traumatic arterial injuries. This report presents three cases that were managed by endovascular techniques.MethodsWe report the cases of three patients with blunt traumatic injuries of the subclavian and axillary arteries who were treated at our Institution in 2013 with endovascular techniques. Each case presented distinctly, resulting from different traumatic mechanisms and the therapeutical approach was adapted accordingly.ResultsCase 1: A 68-year-old man was admitted with an acute limb ischemia of the left upper limb after a fall from his own walking height. A computerized tomography angiography demonstrated a dissection of the left subclavian artery. Resource to a proximal angioplasty with stent allowed the recovery of the limb perfusion fixating the flap. Case 2: A 34-year-old male who fell from a height of 8m, with multiple costal arch fractures and the complete transection of the subclavian artery. In this case, a covered stent excluded the rupture. Case 3: A 45-year-old woman presented to our department with an acutely ischemic left upper limb with 3 days of progression after a distension of the scapuloh-umeral articulation. Although a digital amputation was ultimately necessary, hand-salvage was accomplished through thrombectomy and catheter-directed thrombolysis.ConclusionBlunt trauma of the axillosubclavian arteries is rare and its diagnosis may be challenging. Endovascular treatment of blunt traumatic injuries of the subclavian and axillary arteries is an alternative to traditional surgical treatment, which may be used solely or in combination with the latter to reduce invasiveness and improve outcome of arterial injuries

Use of Bayesian Inference to Correlate In Vitro Embryo Production and In Vivo Fertility in Zebu Bulls

The objective of this experiment was to test in vitro embryo production (IVP) as a tool to estimate fertility performance in zebu bulls using Bayesian inference statistics. Oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro using sperm cells from three different Zebu bulls (V, T, and G). The three bulls presented similar results with regard to pronuclear formation and blastocyst formation rates. However, the cleavage rates were different between bulls. The estimated conception rates based on combined data of cleavage and blastocyst formation were very similar to the true conception rates observed for the same bulls after a fixed-time artificial insemination program. Moreover, even when we used cleavage rate data only or blastocyst formation data only, the estimated conception rates were still close to the true conception rates. We conclude that Bayesian inference is an effective statistical procedure to estimate in vivo bull fertility using data from IVP

Influence of hormonal replacement therapy in lipid peroxidation levels of postmenopausal women with different cardiovascular capacity

It has been suggested that exercise has a positive impact on the prevention and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD). One of the main mechanisms is through the modification of lipoprotein levels and the risk of its oxidation, especially LDL lipoproteins. After menopause, women experience an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. In contrast, women receiving hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) seem to be protected. The aim of this study was to infer how HRT affect lipid peroxidation levels in postmenopausal women with different levels of aerobic fitness. Design & Method: Sixty four women participate in this study, 32 of them receive HRT (group with HRT – GWHRT) (average age¼55.9 years, average weight¼ 66.9 kg and average high¼156.0 cm) and the remained 32 women didn’t receive HRT (group without HRT – GWOHRT) (average age¼61.0 years, average weight¼ 67.6 kg and average high¼154.3 cm). Total cholesterol (mg dL71), HDL-cholesterol (mg dL71), LDL-cholesterol (mg dL71) and triglycerides levels (mg dL71) have been analyzed in serum obtained from a blood sample collected after 8 hours of fasting, and measured in Dr. Lange LP20 according to the specific manufacturer instructions. Serum MDA concentration (ng L71) was determined by spectrophotometric method. Aerobic capacity (VO2max ml kg71 min71) was assessed according to an adaptation of Bruce protocol. Differences between groups were tested through Student t-test. A Spearman correlation was performed in order to test variables associations. Significance level was established at 5%.Results: Our results have found differences between groups in age (t¼3.018; p50.01), in VO2max (t¼73.774; p50.01) and in serum MDA concentration (t¼6.750; p50.01). The GWHRT were younger, had a higher VO2max (31.38 for GWHRT and 26.19 for GWOHRT), and had lower levels of serum MDA concentration (0.29 for GWHRT and 0.73 for GWOHRT) comparatively with those women from the GWOHRT. However, our results failed to find any differences between groups regarding serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol or BMI. In this study, serum MDA concentration didn’t correlate with higher levels of lipid profile, as we might have expected, but correlate inversely with HRT (r¼7.726, p¼.00) and with VO2max (r¼7.287, p¼.02). Conclusion: Our results suggest that HRT should exert an antioxidant protective effect against lipid peroxidation, as well as exercise perhaps through the stimulation of antioxidant capacity

Elsevier

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license.Organizing pneumonia (OP) is a sub-acute process of pulmonary tissue repair secondary to lung injury, defined histopathologically by intra-alveolar buds of granulation tissue within the lumen of distal pulmonary airspaces. It can be either cryptogenic or secondary (SOP) to different clinical conditions, namely infections. Despite being nonspecific, its diagnosis can be made by the association of clinical and imaging criteria. We report two cases of OP associated to SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia, admitted at a Portuguese tertiary hospital unit dedicated to COVID-19. Both patients presented with severe respiratory failure with need of invasive mechanical ventilation. After initial recovery, there was worsening of dyspnea and hypoxemic respiratory failure with increase in inflammatory markers. Chest CT revealed an OP pattern. Other conditions such as superinfection, auto-immune disease and iatrogenic etiology, were excluded and corticotherapy at a dose of 1 mg/kg/day was administered. Chest CT follow up of both our patients showed complete resolution of OP pattern, with mild to moderate residual pulmonary fibrosis without honeycombing. There is no OP to SARS-CoV-2 case series yet published describing the progress of patients after corticotherapy, although the association between systemic corticosteroids and lower all-cause mortality in patients with COVID-19 has been recently established. It is possible that, as has been described with other viruses, OP secondary to SARS-CoV-2 represents an immunological process after initial infection, presenting with elevation of inflammatory markers and cytokines storm in the bloodstream and lung tissue, which may explain the favorable response to corticosteroids.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

METÁSTASES À DISTÂNCIA DE TUMOR VENÉREO TRANSMISSÍVEL PENIANO EM CÃO

Transmissible venereal tumor is a round cell neoplasm caused by the transfer of tumor cells usually during copulation which affects the external genitalia of female and male dogs. Despite the benign character, its potential for malignancy increases in immunocompromised animals and tumors can spread to different parts of the body. Presents a simple diagnosis through cytopathological analysis and treatment consists in chemotherapy with vincristine sulfate as the initial choice, because it is economically viable, well tolerated and effective in most cases. The present study reports the case of a canine, male, SRD, 8 years old, presenting TVT in the penis and foreskin and significant clinical changes. It was submitted to five chemotherapy sessions with a veterinary colleague, but the treatment was not successful. Due to the clinical worsening during hospitalization and the poor prognosis of the case, the tutor opted for euthanasia. During the autopsy, nodules were found in the pancreas, kidneys, inguinal, sacral and illicit lymph nodes, besides the mass in the preputial and inguinal region. All of those were compatible with transmissible venereal tumor lymphocytoid subtype and its metastases. Because few cases of distant metastases from genital tumors were reported, presenting wide systemic involvement and refractory to conventional treatment, we opted for the description of this case.Tumor venéreo transmissível é uma neoplasia de células redondas causada pela transferência de células tumorais geralmente durante a cópula que afeta a genitália externa de cães fêmeas e machos. Apesar do caráter benigno, seu potencial de malignidade aumenta em animais imunocomprometidos e os tumores podem se espalhar para diferentes partes do corpo. Apresenta um diagnóstico simples através da análise citopatológica e o tratamento consiste na quimioterapia com sulfato de vincristina como escolha inicial, por ser economicamente viável, bem tolerado e eficaz na maioria dos casos. O presente estudo relata o caso de um canino, macho, SRD, 8 anos de idade, apresentando TVT no pênis e prepúcio e alterações clínicas significativas. Foi submetido a cinco sessões de quimioterapia com um colega veterinário, mas o tratamento não teve sucesso. Devido ao agravamento clínico durante a internação e ao mau prognóstico do caso, a tutora optou pela eutanásia. Durante a autópsia, foram encontrados nódulos no pâncreas, rins, linfonodos inguinais, sacrais e ilícitos, além da massa na região prepucial e inguinal. Todos eram compatíveis com tumor venéreo transmissível subtipo linfocitoide e suas metástases. Como foram relatados poucos casos de metástases à distância de tumores genitais, apresentando amplo acometimento sistêmico e refratários ao tratamento convencional, optamos pela descrição deste caso