Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2019-12"
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- A hybrid modelling approach for eliciting health state preferences: the Portuguese EQ-5D-5L value setPublication . Ferreira, Pedro L.; Antunes, Patricia; Ferreira, Lara; Pereira, LN; Ramos-Goni, Juan M.Background The EQ-5D is a generic preference-based quality of life measure considered useful for supporting clinical and policy decisions by providing utility values that can easily be converted into quality-adjusted life years to be integrated in cost-utility economic evaluations. Although the three-level classification system of the EuroQol questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L) is still the most popular preference-based instrument used worldwide, several studies reported a ceiling effect on this version, especially in healthy and/or young individuals. In 2009, the EuroQol Group introduced a five-level EQ-5D, which expands the descriptive system from three to five levels within the same five dimensions. For this version to be used in health economic evaluation, societal values need to be assigned to the 3125 health states generated by this instrument. Objectives The aims of this study were to elicit the EQ-5D-5L health state preferences from the general Portuguese population and to derive the Portuguese value set for the EQ-5D-5L. Methods A representative sample of the Portuguese general population aged above 18 years was stratified by age and gender (n = 1451). Between October 2015 and July 2016, 28 interviewers carried out a series of 1-h-long computer-assisted personal interviews following the EuroQol Valuation Technology protocol. Each interview included the valuation of ten health states using the composite time trade-off (cTTO) and seven pairs of discrete choice experiments (DCEs). A standardized tool for quality control was used to assess the quality of the data as well as direct supervision and cross-examination of 10% of the global sample size. Data from both cTTO and DCE valuation tasks were modelled using a censored heteroskedastic hybrid model. Results Interviewers complied with the quality control protocol in providing high-quality valuation data. The hybrid econometric model had consistent and significant parameters. The derived societal values for the Portuguese population ranged from - 0.603 to 1. Conclusion This study provided the Portuguese value set for the EQ-5D-5L on the basis of a hybrid econometric model using cTTO and DCE data. These results represent the preferences of the Portuguese population and are recommended to inform health decision-making in Portugal.
- An approach using entropy and supervised classifications to disaggregate agricultural data at a local levelPublication . Xavier, Antonio; Fragoso, Rui; Costa Freitas, M. B.; Rosario, Maria do SocorroChanges in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) had several consequences on land-use and on the environment. This calls for detailed disaggregated agricultural data with precise geographical references. To tackle such problems data disaggregation processes are needed and a series of studies are being carried out at international level, which still have not taken the utmost advantage of remote sensing technologies by combining them with mathematical programming methods, namely entropy. Therefore, the objective of this article was to provide an approach to disaggregate agricultural data at the local level, taking advantage of the existent up-to-date satellite imagery and an entropy approach for manage different sets of data. The results were compared with other approaches and showed to be coherent, and may be improved further with the inclusion of other information.
- Naphthoylhydrazones: coordination to metal ions and biological screeningPublication . Ribeiro, Nadia; Galvao, Adelino M.; Gomes, Clara S. B.; Ramos, Helena; Pinheiro, Rute; Saraiva, Lucilia; Ntungwe, Epole; Isca, Vera; Rijo, Patricia; Cavaco, Isabel; Ramilo-Gomes, Filipa; Guedes, Rita C.; Pessoa, Joao Costa; Correia, IsabelWe report the synthesis of 3-hydroxyl-2-naphthoylhydrazones containing pyrrole (HL1), furane (HL2) and thiophene (HL3) moieties and their V(IV)O-, Cu(II)- and Zn(II)-complexes. All compounds are characterized by the usual analytical techniques and coordination of the ligands to the metal ions is discussed based on spectroscopic data (FTIR, UV-vis, EPR and NMR) as well as CAMB3LYP DFT/TDDFT calculations, indicating the formation of neutral ML2 type complexes. The photophysical properties of ligands and complexes are disclosed. The binding to Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) is evaluated in detail using several spectroscopic tools. Circular dichroism shows that the compounds, and particularly the ligand precursors, stabilize BSA, increasing its a-helical content. Fluorescence studies indicate the formation of 1 : 1 protein-compound adducts, which is corroborated by molecular docking studies that show the interaction between Trp 213 of BSA and the naphthalene rings. The general toxicity is evaluated using the Artemia salina lethality assay, with all compounds showing general toxicity towards the brine shrimp model. The cytotoxicity on human cancer cells (H1299, MCF7, and HCT116) is assessed for all compounds and the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values are in the range from 0.57 to 27.35 mu M. Compounds containing L-1 (pyrrole derivative) are the most cytotoxic, with the vanadium and zinc complexes performing better than the copper ones, and some of them depicting IC50 values lower than 1.1 mM. However, selectivity needs improvement as the compounds show toxicity towards Artemia salina and normal fibroblasts.
- The right of adults to education: a comparative analysis from the Portuguese and Italian policy agendaPublication . Barros, Rosanna; Biasin, ChiaraThe subject of this article is the right of adults to education, with a focus on the critical analysis of education policy. We discuss human rights as a framework for citizenship in two national contexts of Southern Europe with the purpose of underlining key differences and similarities in countries with diverse histories but a similarly high number of low-qualified adults among their population. In view of the above, this paper provides a detailed historical context for adult education policy in those countries and expounds on how current Portuguese and Italian educational policy agendas have considered the right of adults to education in the context of their democratic regimes. For critical analysis we use Tomasevski's theoretical 4A framework, built mainly for school contexts, and apply it to adult education policy. The objective is to understand ways of realizing the right of adults to education by means of policy measures undertaken by governments in those national states. Thus, we employed as an object of analysis the study of availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability of adult education and learning against the backdrop of current changes occurring in Europe. This heuristic exercise makes a significant contribution to adult education literature in times of neoliberal trends.
- Sustainability communication in hospitality in peripheral tourist destinations Implications for marketing strategiesPublication . Santos, Margarida Custódio; Veiga, Celia; Águas, Paulo; Santos, José António C.Purpose The purpose of this study posited that tourism companies and more especially hotels located in tourist destinations dependent on air transportation, need to commit more strongly to sustainability because of their greater distance from the main outbound markets. The research focused on determining whether hotels' star rating, location, age and size influence their sustainability communication and on identifying the characteristics of the messages used in hotels' sustainability communication. Design/methodology/approach To accomplish these objectives, a sequential mixed methods design with three interconnected phases was used, including quantitative data and content analysis. Findings Less than 10% of hotels located in a tourist destination strongly dependent on air transportation and peripheral to the main outbound markets actually communicate about sustainable practices on their websites. Communication practices are dependent on hotels' star rating, location, size and age. Research limitations/implications - The study limitations are that it was conducted in only one destination and that the hotel websites' layouts are heterogeneous, which means that the analysis and comparison of the relevant information is extremely challenging. In addition, the research only considered hotels or similar lodgings, leaving out other types of accommodation. Practical implications - Hotels in tourist destinations dependent on air transportation need to adjust their sustainability communication in response to the trend among tourists toward greater consciousness about the environmental impacts of their individual tourism-related choices. Hotels also need to provide more accurate and detailed information on sustainable practices, with both affective and rational appeals that focus on tourists' experiences. Originality/value The study was conducted in a destination dependent on air transportation and peripheral to the primary outbound markets.
- Valuing mangrove biodiversity and ecosystem services: a deliberative choice experiment in Mida Creek, KenyaPublication . Owuor, Margaret Awuor; Mulwa, Richard; Otieno, Philip; Icely, John; Newton, AliceMangrove degradation threatens the capacity of these important ecosystems to provide goods and services that contribute to human wellbeing. This study uses a deliberative choice experiment to value non-market mangrove ecosystem services (ES) at Mida Creek, Kenya. The attributes assessed include “shoreline erosion protection”, “biodiversity richness and abundance”, “nursery and breeding ground for fish”, and “education and research”. Unpaid labour (volunteer time) for mangroves conservation was used as the payment mechanism to estimate willingness to pay (WTP). Results suggest that respondents were willing to volunteer: 5.82 h/month for preserving the mangrove nursery and breeding ground functions to gain an additional metric ton of fish; 21.16 h/ month for increasing biodiversity richness and abundance; 10.81 h/month for reducing shoreline erosion by 1 m over 25 years; and 0.14 h/month for gaining 100 student/researcher visits/month. The estimation of WTP for mangrove ES provides valuable insights into the awareness of local communities about the contribution of mangrove forests to ES delivery. This knowledge could assist decision-making for the management and conservation of mangroves in Mida Creek and its environs.
- Motivations of tourists in wine regions: the case of La Rioja, SpainPublication . Vorobiova, Natalia; Patrícia Valle, Patrícia Oom do Valle; Pintassilgo, Pedro; Lavandoski, JoicePurpose This paper addresses the motivations of tourists who visit the region of La Rioja, Spain, which is well known for its internationally recognized, high-quality wines, yet remains understudied as a wine tourism destination. The paper aims to ascertain whether tourists are attracted to La Rioja because of its famous wines and wine-related activities or if other motivations exist. Design/methodology/approach The data were derived from 217 questionnaires regarding tourists' motivations. A tourist survey was applied in La Rioja's capital city, Logrono, and segmentation analysis was undertaken. The data were first grouped into five factors regarding motivations for one's visit. These factors were then used to create two clusters: "wine tourists" and "other tourists". Findings The results enabled us to detect different segments of tourists. The existence of two clusters suggests that tourists are motivated to visit the region for various reasons that are not necessarily wine-related. Thus, the region should be marketed to tourists beyond the theme of wine, as there is a demand for diverse experiences. Originality/value Using the push and pull theory, this study contributes to the literature on the profile of visitors to wine tourism destinations by identifying differences in terms of motivations and other personal characteristics between "wine tourists" and the "other tourists". It also adds to the few existing studies on wine tourism segmentation in Spain through its focus on La Rioja, which is one of the most famous Spanish wine tourism destinations.
- Cryoprotectants synergy improve zebrafish sperm cryopreservation and offspring skeletogenesisPublication . Diogo, Patricia; Martins, Gil; Nogueira, Rita; Marreiros, Ana; Gavaia, Paulo; Cabrita, ElsaThe synergy obtained by the combination of cryoprotectants is a successful strategy that can be beneficial on the optimization of zebrafish sperm cryopreservation. Recently, a protocol was established for this species using an electric ultrafreezer (-150 degrees C) performing cooling rate (-66 degrees C/min) and storage within one step. The ultimate objective of sperm cryopreservation is to generate healthy offspring. Therefore, the objective of this study was to select the most adequate cryoprotectant combination, for the previously established protocol, that generate high quality offspring with normal skeletogenesis. Among the permeating cryoprotectant concentrations studied 12.5% and 15% of N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) yielded high post-thaw sperm quality and hatching rates. For these two concentrations, the presence of bovine serum albumin (10 mg/mL), egg yolk (10%), glycine (30 mM) and bicine (50 mM) was evaluated for post-thaw sperm motility, viability, in vitro fertilization success and offspring skeletal development (30 days post fertilization). Higher concentration of permeating cryoprotectant (15%) decreased the incidence of deformed arches and severe skeletal malformations, which suggests higher capacity to protect the cell against cold stress and DNA damage. Extender containing 15% DMF with Ctrl, Bicine and egg yolk were the non-permeating cryoprotectants with higher post-thaw quality. The use of these compounds results in a reduction in vertebral fusions, compressions and severity of skeletal malformations in the offspring. Therefore, these extender compositions are beneficial for the quality of zebrafish offspring sired by cryopreserved sperm with 66 degrees C/min freezing rate. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on skeletal development of the offspring sired by cryopreserved sperm performed with different freezing media compositions in zebrafish.
- A diverse assemblage of RNA and DNA viruses found in mosquitoes collected in southern PortugalPublication . Silva, Manuel; Morais, Paulo; Maia, Carla; Sousa, Carolina Bruno de; Gouveia de Almeida, Antonio Paulo; Parreira, RicardoThis work describes the detection and partial characterization of mosquito-borne virus genomic sequences, based on the analysis of mosquitoes collected from the Spring to Fall of 2018 in the Algarve (southern Portugal). The viral survey that was carried out using multiple primer sets disclosed the presence of both RNA and DNA viral sequences in these mosquitoes, which were subsequently analysed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction methods. The obtained results brought to light three lineages of insect-specific flaviviruses, a monophyletic cluster of bunyaviruses from an unassigned group within the Phenuiviridae family, as well as brevidensoviruses (Parvoviridae, Densovirinae:). The latter two groups of viruses were here described for the first time in mosquitoes from Portugal. Results relating to the tentative isolation of the putative viruses identified in C6/36 cells are also shown, and the serendipitous, although not unexpected, isolation a Negev-like Nelorpivirus from Culex laticinctcus mosquitoes is reported.
- Applying the coral reefs optimization algorithm for solving unequal area facility layout problemsPublication . Garcia-Hernandez, L.; Salas-Morera, L.; Garcia-Hernandez, J. A.; Salcedo-Sanz, S.; Valente de Oliveira, JOSÉCoral Reefs Optimization (CRO) is a recently proposed evolutionary-type algorithm which has shown promising results to tackle many complex optimization problems. This paper discusses the performance of this meta-heuristic in Unequal Area Facility Layout Problems (UA-FLPs). The UA-FLP is an important problem in industrial production, which considers a rectangular region and a set of rectangular facilities. These facilities must be allocated in the plant in the most adequate way satisfying certain constraints. The Flexible Bay Structure has been selected in order to represent solutions for the UA-FLP in the proposed CRO algorithm. In this paper, we detail the implementation of the algorithm and provide the results of different tests in several UA-FLP instances with different size and setting. The obtained results confirm the excellent performance of the proposed algorithm in solving UA-FLPs, improving alternative algorithms devoted to this problem in the literature.