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Individuals diagnosed with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) are considered risk groups for COVID-19 severity. This study assessed differences in cardiac autonomic function (CAF) and functional capacity (FC) in SAH individuals without COVID-19 infection compared to SAH individuals post-COVID-19. Participants comprised 40 SAH individuals aged 31 to 80 years old, grouped as SAH with COVID-19 (G1; n = 21) and SAH without COVID-19 (G2; n = 19). CAF was assessed via heart rate variability (HRV), measuring R–R intervals during a 10-min supine period. Four HRV indices were analyzed through symbolic analysis: 0V%, 1V%, 2LV%, and 2UV%. FC assessment was performed by a 6-min walk test (6MWT). G1 and G2 showed no significant differences in terms of age, anthropometric parameters, clinical presentation, and medication use. G2 exhibited superior 6MWT performance, covering more distance (522 ± 78 vs. 465 ± 59 m, p < 0.05). Specifically, G2 demonstrated a moderate positive correlation between 6MWT and the 2LV% index (r = 0.58; p < 0.05). Shorter walking distances were observed during 6MWT in SAH individuals post-COVID-19. However, the study did not find impaired cardiac autonomic function in SAH individuals post-COVID-19 compared to those without. This suggests that while COVID-19 impacted FC, CAF remained relatively stable in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationships within university-industry-government interactions, with specific reference to the business incubator of Penela, Portugal. It describes the formal, informal and human resource links between the sample of thirteen firms based in the incubator and universities, as well as the relations between Penela Town Council and the incubator. The impact of all these linkages on the development of the biotechnology and agricultural sectors is considered. The results confirm that the dynamics of the relations between the Triple Helix actors led to the emergence of the Penela Incubator. The latter operates as a mechanism of knowledge/technology transfer and stimulates cooperation between the university and industry, which is characterized by mostly informal links. In addition, the research revealed that these interactions had a positive impact on the development of the region, resulting in the creation of companies and the introduction of innovative products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper conducts a scientometric analysis and systematic literature review to identify the trends in microfinance outcomes from the perspective of their recipients, specifically more vulnerable people, while also focusing on the demand side. Applying the keywords "co-occurrence networks" and "citation networks," we examined 524 studies indexed on the ISI Web of Science database between 2012 and March 2021. The subsequent content analysis of bibliometric-coupled articles concerns the main research topics in this field: the socioeconomic outcomes of microfinance, the dichotomy between social performance and the mission drift of microfinance institutions, and how entrepreneurship and financial innovation, specifically through crowdfunding, mitigate poverty and empower the more vulnerable. The findings reinforce the idea that microfinance constitutes a distinct field of development thinking, and indicate that a more holistic approach should be adopted to boost microfinance outcomes through a better understanding of their beneficiaries. The trends in this field will help policymakers, regulators, and academics to examine the nuts and bolts of microfinance and identify the most relevant areas of intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to understand the relationship between the sources of innovation and types of innovation in industry. The study was carried out in a multinational car components company and explores the effects of internal and external sources of innovation on the generation of product/process and radical/incremental innovations. Data were obtained via a questionnaire and processed by qualitative and quantitative methods. The characterization of the company and its research and development (R&D) projects disclosed the importance of continuous improvement, where the involvement of senior management, the high percentage of R&D and the number of innovation projects are indicators of a company with a strong innovative culture. The results showed that higher education was the most significant source of innovation in projects where only process innovation was a factor. Furthermore, knowledge generated by collaboration with affiliated companies was associated with the introduction of product-only innovations. As for the degree of novelty, the results indicate that the introduction of radical innovations is not determined at the external level by customers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights the relevance of innovation in small firms based on university business incubators in Portugal. Ever since Schumpeter indicated innovation to be the main economic driver of economic development and a critical factor in the development and performance of companies, a number of authors have discussed this phenomenon but there is still no consensus on how it operates. Through statistical analysis, the study focuses on a sample of 243 Portuguese companies based on incubators linked to or promoted by universities. It was concluded that product innovation is most significant in an incubation environment, and also that the origin of businesses and the development of R&D activities determine the type of innovation generated. However, most of the companies surveyed are not engaged in R&D activities. We propose some policy measures and lessons for management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article addresses the importance of the Portuguese language to Brazilian and Portuguese nationalism, focusing on the debate among writers and grammarians during the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. In both countries, the question of national language reflected anxieties about each nation's role in a broader civilizing project; in Brazil, concerns were expressed about race and progress, while, in Portugal, preoccupations with decadence and tradition came to the fore. An intense dialogue emerged between the two nations' literary communities that began when the idea was raised on both sides of the Atlantic that the future of the Portuguese language belonged to Brazil and led, eventually, to a more palpable compromise in which the two nations defended their common cultural roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]