Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2024-04-22"
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- The Ocean’s pharmacy: Health discoveries in marine algaePublication . Silva, Mélanie; Avni, Dorit; Varela, João; Barreira, LuísaNon-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent a global health challenge, constituting a major cause of mortality and disease burden in the 21st century. Addressing the prevention and management of NCDs is crucial for improving global public health, emphasizing the need for comprehensive strategies, early interventions, and innovative therapeutic approaches to mitigate their far-reaching consequences. Marine organisms, mainly algae, produce diverse marine natural products with significant therapeutic potential. Harnessing the largely untapped potential of algae could revolutionize drug development and contribute to combating NCDs, marking a crucial step toward natural and targeted therapeutic approaches. This review examines bioactive extracts, compounds, and commercial products derived from macro- and microalgae, exploring their protective properties against oxidative stress, inflammation, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, metabolic diseases, and cancer across in vitro, cell-based, in vivo, and clinical studies. Most research focuses on macroalgae, demonstrating antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, gut health modulation, metabolic health promotion, and anti-cancer effects. Microalgae products also exhibit anti-inflammatory, cardioprotective, and anti-cancer properties. Although studies mainly investigated extracts and fractions, isolated compounds from algae have also been explored. Notably, polysaccharides, phlorotannins, carotenoids, and terpenes emerge as prominent compounds, collectively representing 42.4% of the investigated compounds.
- Effects of tripadvisor on behaviors and choices of tourists: a case study of Atlantica princess hotel in Rhodes, GreecePublication . Rantanen, Nadezhda; Almeida, Cláudia Ribeiro deOnline travel reviews have become a primary source of information for tourists planning vacations. Websites like TripAdvisor allow travelers access to millions of ratings and guest experiences from hotels and destinations worldwide. With the rise of the internet, many travelers now turn to review platforms to aid in trip planning, research, and reservations - especially when selecting accommodations. This growing reliance on online reviews, specifically in the tourism industry, underscores the importance of understanding their impacts. Given reviews' significant influence on consumer choices, hospitality businesses and destination managers would benefit from more profound insight into how platforms like TripAdvisor shape travelers' behaviors. This study aimed to provide a perspective regarding TripAdvisor reviews' effects on tourists visiting the Atlantica Princess Hotel in Rhodes, Greece. By focusing on one property, the research explored how evaluations impact guests' hotel selection, experiences, and decision-making throughout visits to Rhodes. Findings from this case study offer valuable guidance to industry stakeholders seeking to attract and retain visitors through effectively managing online reputations. There are various methodologies used in this study which include, semi-structured interviews by hotel personnel and management as well as the questionnaires administered to visitors. The principal findings of this study indicate that TripAdvisor assessments play an important role in shaping perceptions for the visitors and influencing decisions. Specifically, guests were prone to develop greater expectations from the hotel if their reliance on TripAdvisor reviews was considered high and this factor had a strong influence upon the level of satisfaction. The survey also helped determine which hotel features the guests cared about most, including cleanliness and customer service. The study comes to the conclusion that TripAdvisor is a precious platform, which hotels can use potentiate their client satisfaction. In order for hotels to be able fully exploit the tool of review, they need to ensure that they are at aware of how important reviews and therefore have a process in which constant monitoring and responding where necessary is done. To meet the needs of customers who depend on online reviews in their decision-making processes, hotels should also invest resources aimed at improving customer service training and updating amenities. Consequently, this research will assist the Atlantica Princess Hotel and other hotels in Rhodes to strengthen their deals with a view of retaining competitive advantage within travel industry.