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Wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents can be sources of environmental contamination. In this study, we aimed to understand whether effluents of three different WWTPs may have ecological effects in riverine recipient ecosystems. To achieve this, we assessed benthic phytobenthos and macroinvertebrate communities at three different locations relative to the effluent discharge: immediately upstream, immediately downstream and 500-m downstream the effluent discharge. Two approaches were employed: the ecological status classification as defined in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) based on biological indicators; constrained multivariate analysis to disentangle the environmental drivers (physicochemical variables and contaminants, namely metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products) of ecological changes across the study sites. The results showed inconsistencies between the WFD approach and the multivariate approach, as well as between the responses of macroinvertebrates and diatoms. The WWTP effluents impacted benthic communities in a single case: macroinvertebrates were negatively affected by one of the WWTP effluents, likely by the transported pharmaceuticals (other stressors are essentially homogeneous among sites). Given the findings and the scarcity of consistent evidence on ecological impacts that WWTP effluents may have in recipient ecosystems, further research is needed towards more sustainable regulation and linked environmental protection measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Endoscopic third ventriculostomy (ETV) is a surgical procedure that can lead to complications and requires detailed preoperative planning. This study aimed to provide a more accurate understanding of the anatomy of the third ventricle and the location of important structures to improve the safety and success of ETV. Methods: We measured the stereotactic coordinates of six points of interest relative to a predefined stereotactic reference point in 23 cadaver brain hemi-sections, 200 normal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and 24 hydrocephalic brain MRI scans. The measurements were statistically analyzed, and comparisons were made. Results: We found some statistically significant differences between genders in MRIs from healthy subjects. We also found statistically significant differences between MRIs from healthy subjects and both cadaver brains and MRIs with hydrocephalus, though their magnitude is very small and not clinically relevant. Some stereotactic points were more posteriorly and inferiorly located in cadaver brains, particularly the infundibular recess and the basilar artery. It was found that all stereotactic points studied were more posteriorly located in brains with hydrocephalus. Conclusion: The study describes periventricular structures in cadaver brains and MRI scans from healthy and hydrocephalic subjects, which can guide neurosurgeons in planning surgical approaches to the third ventricle. Overall, the study contributes to understanding ETV and provides insights for improving its safety and efficacy. The findings also support that practicing on cadaveric brains can still provide valuable information and is valid for study and training of neurosurgeons unfamiliar with the ETV technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Despite the establishment of Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) worldwide, no study has evaluated their impact on the Portuguese population. Our work has shown that the implementation of an FLS is associated with a significant increase in OP treatment and a lower risk of secondary fracture. Purpose: Fracture Liaison Services (FLS) have been established worldwide, with positive effects on treatment, secondary fracture, mortality, and economic burden. However, no study has evaluated their impact on the Portuguese population. Therefore, we purposed to evaluate the effect of an FLS model in a Portuguese center on osteoporosis (OP) treatment, secondary fracture, and mortality rates, 3 years after a fragility fracture. Methods: Patients over 50 years old, admitted with a fragility fracture, between January 2017 and December 2020, were included in this retrospective study. Patients evaluated after FLS implementation (2019–2020) were compared with those evaluated before (2017–2018) and followed for 36 months. Predictors of secondary fracture and mortality were assessed using a multivariate Cox regression model, adjusted to potential confounders. Results: A total of 551 patients were included (346 before and 205 after FLS). The FLS significantly increased the rate of OP treatment, when compared with standard clinical practice (8.1% vs 77.6%). During follow-up, the secondary fracture rate was 14.7% and 7.3%, before and after FLS, respectively. FLS was associated with a lower risk of secondary fracture (HR 0.39, C.I. 0.16–0.92). Although we observed a lower mortality rate (25.1% vs 13.7%), FLS was not a significant predictor of survival. Conclusion: Implementing the FLS model in a Portuguese center has increased OP treatment and reduced the risk of secondary fracture. We believe that our work supports adopting FLS models in national programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effect of Instagram use, fitness and health-related content, internalization, social comparisons, perfectionism, and obsessive-compulsive personality traits on body dissatisfaction and Orthorexia Nervosa. Moreover, the study discusses the differences between Portuguese and Brazilian societies to underline the potential role of cultural dimensions. A survey-based study with a sample of 238 respondents has been developed to test the proposed model using structural equation modelling. The data analysis shows that the main factors influencing body dissatisfaction and Orthorexia Nervosa are internalizing beauty ideals, social comparisons (both upward and downward), and perfectionism. Body dissatisfaction mediates the path from internalization, upward and downward comparisons, perfectionism from one side, and Orthorexia Nervosa on the other. Finally, results from Portuguese and Brazilian samples were similar revealing no significant role of cultural differences. Based on the findings, the study concludes by discussing the theoretical contributions and providing actionable managerial implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The sparse literature on the effect of a preterm delivery on parents' quality of life (QoL) yields inconsistent results, restricting their analysis to mothers. The present study aimed to assess the effect of a very preterm delivery on parents' gender-specific perception of QoL, 4 to 6 months after birth. Methods: A total of 117 parents of very preterm infants hospitalized at birth in a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, and 214 parents of never hospitalized full-term infants born in a public maternity, both located in the North of Portugal, participated in the study, 4 to 6 months after delivery (November 2013–June 2015). The Portuguese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life – BREF Inventory was applied and scores were transformed to reflect a 0 to 100 scale. Results: The mean [standard deviation (SD)] of overall QoL ranged between 72.1 (13.3) among mothers of full-term infants and 74.6 (12.5) among mothers of very preterm infants. The perception of QoL was not significantly different among parents of very preterm and full-term infants, according to gender. The highest scores were observed in the psychological and physical dimensions, for both mothers and fathers. Conclusions for Practice: The lack of differences on the perception of QoL among mothers and fathers of very preterm and full-term infants, highlights the need to deeply understand and explore the influence of accommodation mechanisms, the extended family/community and health policies on parental QoL trajectories. Significance: What is Already Known on this Subject? The effect of a preterm delivery on parents' QoL yields inconsistent results, mainly due to a considerable heterogeneity regarding the operationalization of QoL, the use of different units of analysis, and different periods of data collection. Also, most studies restrict their analysis to mothers, with few attempts to assess parents's QoL during mother's return-to-work period. What this Study adds? Parents who experience increased family burden and distress after a very preterm delivery do not perceived their QoL 4–6 months after delivery differently than parents of full-term infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heat-related mortality has been identified as one of the key climate extremes posing a risk to human health. Current research focuses largely on how heat mortality increases with mean global temperature rise, but it is unclear how much climate change will increase the frequency and severity of extreme summer seasons with high impact on human health. In this probabilistic analysis, we combined empirical heat-mortality relationships for 748 locations from 47 countries with climate model large ensemble data to identify probable past and future highly impactful summer seasons. Across most locations, heat mortality counts of a 1-in-100 year season in the climate of 2000 would be expected once every ten to twenty years in the climate of 2020. These return periods are projected to further shorten under warming levels of 1.5 °C and 2 °C, where heat-mortality extremes of the past climate will eventually become commonplace if no adaptation occurs. Our findings highlight the urgent need for strong mitigation and adaptation to reduce impacts on human lives. The risk of heat-mortality is increasing sharply. The authors report that heat-mortality levels of a 1-in-100-year summer in the climate of 2000 can be expected once every ten to twenty years in the current climate and at least once in five years with 2 °C of global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslexics underperform controls in estimating and comparing time intervals defined by visual stimuli. Accuracy in vision-based duration perception requires efficient processing of visual events because these will define the onset and offset of time intervals. Since dyslexics have difficulties processing dimensions of visual stimuli like luminance contrasts and motion, we do not know the extent to which these visual deficits are responsible for their difficulties in judging time intervals. To address this gap, we asked adults with dyslexia and matched controls to perform an interval comparison task involving five different types of visual stimuli with different levels of challenge regarding luminance contrasts and motion. If the expected disadvantage of dyslexics in visual duration perception increased for stimuli requiring increased luminance or motion processing, this would indicate that visual processing plays a role. Results showed poorer time discrimination in dyslexics, but this disadvantage did not change according to stimulus type. Complementary analyses of oculomotor behavior during the task suggested that the poorer timing performance of dyslexics may relate instead to attention and/or engagement with the task. Our findings strengthen the evidence in favor of visual duration perception deficits in dyslexia, but not the hypothesis that these result from purely visual problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This correction notice, published in Nature Communications, addresses errors in an article titled "Rapid increase in the risk of heat-related mortality." The original version of the article omitted the 17th author, the "Multi-Country Multi-City (MCC) collaborative research network," which provided the mortality data. The correction also includes a correction to the author contributions statement and adds the primary affiliation for one of the authors. The full list of authors and their affiliations can be found in the HTML version of the correction notice. [Extracted from the article]

Autoantibodies are produced within germinal centers (GC), in a process regulated by interactions between B, T follicular helper (Tfh), and T follicular regulatory (Tfr) cells. The GC dysregulation in human autoimmunity has been inferred from circulating cells, albeit with conflicting results due to diverse experimental approaches. We applied a consistent approach to compare circulating Tfr and Tfh subsets in patients with different autoimmune diseases. We recruited 97 participants, including 72 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT, n = 18), rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 16), or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n = 32), and 31 matched healthy donors (HD). We found that the frequency of circulating T follicular subsets differed across diseases. Patients with HT had an increased frequency of blood Tfh cells (p = 0.0215) and a reduced Tfr/Tfh ratio (p = 0.0338) when compared with HD. This was not observed in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (RA, SLE), who had a reduction in both Tfh (p = 0.0494 and p = 0.0392, respectively) and Tfr (p = 0.0003 and p = 0.0001, respectively) cells, resulting in an unchanged Tfr/Tfh ratio. Activated PD-1+ICOS+Tfh and CD4+PD-1+CXCR5–Tph cells were raised only in patients with SLE (p = 0.0022 and p = 0.0054), without association with disease activity. Our data suggest that GC dysregulation, assessed by T follicular subsets, is not uniform in human autoimmunity. Specific patterns of dysregulation may become potential biomarkers for disease and patient stratification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Research using gametes and embryos donated by reproductive and third-party donors contributed to substantial, albeit contentious achievements. The views of gamete donors and recipients on donation for research and the underpinning role of attitudes towards research have been seldom explored and are yet to be incorporated into ethical, legal, and regulatory landscapes. From a cultural standpoint, this study adapts and explores psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Research Attitudes Questionnaire (RAQ), and analyzes the willingness of gamete donors and recipients to donate gametes and embryos for research and its association with sociodemographic, reproductive characteristics, and attitudes towards research. Methods: Between July 2017 and June 2018, 71 donors and 165 recipients completed a self-administered questionnaire at the Portuguese Public Bank of Gametes. Willingness to donate and attitudes towards research were measured with a 5-point Likert scale. RAQ psychometric characteristics were explored. Results: Two RAQ components were identified: "trustworthiness of research" and "critical perspective". Most participants were willing to donate gametes and embryos: donors more willing to donate gametes and male recipients more willing to donate gametes and embryos. Higher RAQ scores, indicating a more positive attitude towards research, were observed on the component "trustworthiness of research" among those willing to donate gametes and embryos and on the component "critical perspective" among those willing to donate embryos. Conclusion: These findings help foster inclusivity, diversity, and responsiveness of research and call for upstream engagement of male and female gamete donors and recipients, promoting a trustworthy, anticipatory, democratic, and people-centered approach to policies, regulations, and practices in human gamete and embryo research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite abundant evidence that music skills relate to enhanced reading performance, the mechanisms subtending this relation are still under discussion. The Temporal Sampling Framework (TSF) provides a well-defined explanation for the music-reading link: musical rhythm perception would relate to reading because it helps to encode speech units, which, in turn, is fundamental to reading. However, in spite of this clear mediation-based prediction (effect of music skills mediated by the encoding of speech units), the tests made to it so far remain inconclusive, either due to the use of hybrid measures (rhythm perception and production, musical and non-musical rhythm) or to underspecified mediation results (unclear presence of partial mediation). In the present study, we addressed these potential weaknesses of previous studies and investigated whether phonological memory and phonological awareness (proxies of speech encoding abilities) mediate the effects of rhythm perception abilities on reading in late first-graders. To test for the specificity of musical rhythm in this relation, we examined the same hypothesis for melody perception. Results showed full mediation for effects of musical rhythm perception, while melody perception did not even relate to reading. Our findings support the predictions embedded in the TSF and highlight the potential of rhythm-based interventions in early stimulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence that entrepreneurial cognition, in terms of the dichotomy in human information processing, has on the earliness of internationalization and post-entry speed. Entrepreneurial cognition is investigated through the lens of the dual-process theory, which posits that human information processing is formed of two systems, the experiential cognitive system (System 1) and the rational and analytical cognitive system (System 2). The speed of the entire internationalization process is analyzed in terms of earliness (how soon after inception a company enters its first international market) and post-entry speed (how fast it enters new markets after the first internationalization). Drawing on ten cases, we find that companies that internationalized earlier and faster were managed by entrepreneurs with higher levels of the experiential cognitive system. In contrast, companies that internationalized later and more gradually were managed by entrepreneurs with higher levels of the rational cognitive system. Thus, our study reveals that the speed of the entire process of internationalization is governed, at least partially, by the entrepreneur's cognition. On the basis of our findings, we introduce three propositions on the moderation that the entrepreneur's cognition exerts on the well-established relations between environmental signals and both earliness of internationalization and post-internationalization speed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to predict the evolution of the vulcanization process of cork-rubber slabs, a numerical approach was developed combining heat transfer by conduction and kinetics models. A one-dimensional model was applied to predict the evolution of temperature and degree of cure at different stages of the vulcanization of a cork-rubber composite. Also, due to the degradation verified by the compound, an existent reversion model was added to the problem. Based on rheometer data, cure and reversion parameters were determined. Experimental data were used to determine the thermal properties of the compound, assuming a constant value or according to its degree of cure and temperature. The results obtained by simulation showed a good correspondence with experimental results, even when assuming constant thermal properties. The application of the proposed methodology provides information about the optimum process parameters for each thickness slab, without compromising the homogeneity and characteristics of the final product, which can be a valuable tool during the development and product stages of cork-rubber composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excess mortality not directly related to the virus has been shown to have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, changes in heat-related mortality during the pandemic have not been addressed in detail. Here, we performed an observational study crossing daily mortality data collected in Portugal (SICO/DGS) with high-resolution temperature series (ERA5/ECMWF), characterizing their relation in the pre-pandemic, and how it aggravated during 2020. The combined result of COVID-19 and extreme temperatures caused the largest annual mortality burden in recent decades (~ 12 000 excess deaths [~ 11% above baseline]). COVID-19 caused the largest fraction of excess mortality during March to May (62%) and from October onwards (85%). During summer, its direct impact was residual, and deaths not reported as COVID-19 dominated excess mortality (553 versus 3 968). A prolonged hot spell led mortality to the upper tertile, reaching its peak in mid-July (+ 45% deaths/day). The lethality ratio (+ 14 deaths per cumulated ºC) was higher than that observed in recent heatwaves. We used a statistical model to estimate expected deaths due to cold/heat, indicating an amplification of at least 50% in heat-related deaths during 2020 compared to pre-pandemic years. Our findings suggest mortality during 2020 has been indirectly amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic, due to the disruption of healthcare systems and fear of population in attending healthcare facilities (expressed in emergency room admissions decreases). While lockdown measures and healthcare systems reorganization prevented deaths directly related to the virus, a significant burden due to other causes represents a strong secondary impact. This was particularly relevant during summer hot spells, when the lethality ratio reached magnitudes not experienced since the 2003 heatwaves. This severe amplification of heat-related mortality during 2020 stresses the need to resume normal healthcare services and public health awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Anatomical knowledge of the floor of the third ventricle (FTV) is essential in avoiding surgical complications during endoscopic third ventriculostomy. The purpose of this study was to characterize the morphometry of FTV and related arteries, particularly the basilar artery (BA), as well as the factors that influence it. Methods: Twenty-six formalin-fixed adult brains and two hundred adult brain MRIs were studied focusing on FTV and related arteries. Dimensions of interest were measured using image analysis software. Morphometric data obtained were statistically analysed. Results: Distances between FTV, intermammillary sulcus (IMS), infundibulum, BA bifurcation, and posterior communicating arteries (PCoAs) were described on the cadavers and the MRIs. Distance between right and left PCoAs was greater at their anterior extremity (p < 0.001). Right PCoA was longer (p = 0.016). BA was lateralized in 58.4% of cases and its calibre was larger in males (p < 0.001). The distance from BA apex to FTV was inversely correlated with BA diameter (p < 0.001) and age (p = 0.004). Distance from IMS to infundibulum and the distance between both PCoAs were greater in MRI series when compared to cadaver series (p < 0.001). Conclusions: A quantitative description of the morphometry of the region of the FTV and related vessels was obtained, helping neurosurgeons in planning their surgical approach. The distance from BA apex to FTV was shorter in individuals with larger BA calibre and in older subjects. MRI studies were qualitatively superior to cadaveric studies in evaluating the anatomy of this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cork-rubber composites are materials that can be used in different applications ranging from industry to construction sectors. One of its applications is building vibration isolation. One of the principal requirements in the design of these materials is the capacity of supporting static compressive loads. In this study, based on the shape factor and hardness Shore A of a cork-rubber block, the application of artificial neural networks methodology, for the prediction of apparent compression modulus, was evaluated. A large database with compression test results was used for the training and testing of neural networks. Using the early stopping method, several studies were performed regarding artificial neural networks architecture and training: the number of neurons on the hidden layer, change of training parameters and dataset division method. Neural networks with three neurons on the hidden layer proved to be more efficient without overfitting and presented a good correspondence between predicted and measured results. The use of different methods to divide the dataset through different development stages also influences the model performance. A comparison of performance with other models available in the literature revealed that the chosen ANN model proved, in most cases, to have a better performance regarding these materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxes often face public opposition, which hinders their implementation since people envision them as costs without a return. Taxes on emissions are one of the most common instruments to tackle environmental problems. If their revenues are used to subsidize renewables, and a double dividend is achieved, public opposition may decrease. Focusing solely on total emissions and total output to measure the first and the second dividend of a combination of policies may be misleading. Indeed, total emissions may increase with economic growth, but relative emissions may decrease, indicating the generation sector's desired decarbonization. Hence, a wider group of indicators can provide a better insight into the desirability of environmental policies. Our work discusses alternative indicators for the first and the second dividends in the context of a third-generation Environmental Tax Reform (ETR) where emissions tax revenues are used to finance renewable energy sources. The results of our simulation model highlight the relevance of the choice of the indicators for each dividend. Considering alternative indicators provides a better insight into policy impacts. If emissions per output indicate the environmental dividend and consumers' utility/welfare indicates the economic dividend, the ETR always provides a double dividend. If we choose the traditional indicators, the ETR may not seem particularly interesting. However, with alternative indicators, which still reflect crucial aspects of the environment-economy relationship, the ETR is desirable. Hence, we argue that the attractiveness of a certain ETR and its double dividend should be evaluated under a broader range of indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore millennial consumers' intention to participate in cause-related marketing (CrM) campaigns. Building upon the previous literature on CrM, the authors outline six determinants of consumers' intention to purchase products involved with CrM campaigns. Taking into consideration these determinants, the conceptual model was tested using SPSS and SmartPLS software. This study's findings based on the 229 millennials reveal that the company's perceived motivation, brand–cause fit, consumer-cause identification, type of product, and frame of donation were relevant when it came to purchasing intention of products under CrM campaigns. These results reinforce the findings from previous literature and provide more specific information on the millennial generation. The current findings are useful for companies to develop better cause-related marketing campaigns targeted at this specific group of consumers. To reach the consumer more successfully, it was proved that absolute values provided to the cause are impactful in donators/clients' perception of the campaign and purchase intention of the products associated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women. In contrast, male BC is about 100 times less common than in women, being considered a rare disease. Male BC may be a distinctive subtype of BC and available data seems to indicate that male BC has a higher dependence on genetic variants than female BC. Nevertheless, the same prognostic and predictive markers are used to determine optimal management strategies for both male and female BC. Several studies have assessed the role of genetic polymorphisms (SNPs) in DNA repair genes in female BC susceptibility. However, data on male BC is scarce. Thus, the current study aimed to assess the role of SNPs in XRCC1, MUTYH and TP53 genes in a male cohort of BC, and, in addition, compare the male data with matched results previously genotyped in female BC patients. Methods: The male BC cohort was genotyped through Real-Time PCR using TaqMan Assays for several SNPs previously analysed in Portuguese female BC patients. Results: The results obtained indicate significant differences in BC susceptibility between males and females for the XRCC1 rs1799782, MUTYH rs3219489 and TP53 rs1042522 and rs8064946 variants. Conclusions: In males, XRCC1 and TP53 variants, when in heterozygosity, seem to be related with lower susceptibility for BC, contrasting with higher susceptibility for a MUTYH variant in females. These findings may help to explain the difference in incidence of BC between the two sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The use of sexual orientation and marital status as criteria for access to fertility treatments varies across countries, being recently discarded in Portugal. This originated a discussion on whether priority should be given to heterosexual married couples when resources are in short supply, causing controversy. Policy and practice aligned with public views are needed to ensure access to equitable and high-quality care. However, the opinions of the key stakeholders involved in gamete donation are rarely addressed. Methods: Between July 2017 and June 2018, 171 recipients and 72 donors attending the Portuguese Public Bank of Gametes completed a self-report questionnaire to analyse their opinions about the use of sexual orientation and marital status as priority criteria for accessing fertility treatments, and its associated factors. Results: Most participants disagreed with priority of access to fertility treatments by heterosexual couples or by married women (60%). Men and recipients were more likely to agree with priority of access for heterosexual couples. Agreement with priority of access for married women was more frequent among men, participants who were married/cohabiting and those who had lower white-collar or blue-collar occupations. Conclusions: Donors and recipients have differing and complex opinions regarding priority of access to fertility treatments based on sexual orientation and marital status. To overturn the heteronormative representations and a marriage hierarchy underlying misconceptions about parenting abilities of same-sex couples and single women, and fears regarding a decrease in the quality of care, it is crucial to implement communication campaigns and surveillance systems. Policy Implications: International policy on cross-border reproductive care is needed to promote accountability regarding transnational fertility treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between the economy and the environment is not straightforward and is influenced by a multitude of factors. Ideally, economic growth would not damage environmental quality and environmental protection would not hinder economic growth. Achieving this decoupling often requires environmental policy, but the analysis of specific policy instruments and their necessary levels to achieve it is rare. In this paper, we use a stylized equilibrium model to explore distinct policy instruments under which relative decoupling and absolute decoupling between economic growth and emissions occur. In our model, final-goods production uses polluting (non-renewable) and non-polluting (renewable) resources. The government taxes emissions and subsidizes renewables production. In the empirical application, we focus on the case of electricity generation. Results show that, with a growing subsidy, relative decoupling exists. Achieving absolute decoupling is harder, but it occurs for a certain interval of the subsidy growth rate. For that purpose, the choice of the tax and subsidy growth rates is more important than the choice of the initial levels for these instruments. The choice of the subsidy growth rate indicates the prioritization between the economy and the environment. A lower subsidy growth rate favors the environment, while a higher one favors the economy. The tax growth rate dictates the distance between the output growth rate and the emissions growth rate. The higher the tax growth rate, the higher the difference between them. In sum, the government can decide between attaining higher output growth rates, higher emissions decreasing rates, or an intermediate situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article concerns the revision of earlier decisions to offshore production activities (so called "relocation of second degree"); more specifically it is focused on the "reshoring" (also referred as "relocation to the home country", "back-reshoring" or "back-shoring"). The research aims are to investigate what types of mistakes occur along the decision-making and implementation process and how they affect the outcome, in terms of success or failure, of a relocation strategy. A multiple case study involving four companies in the fashion industry from Portugal and Italy was conducted. The cross-case analysis allowed to differentiate decision-making mistakes from implementation ones and to assess differences and similarities among the cases in terms of content of the relocation, drivers and outcomes. The research contributes to previous literature on reshoring by bringing evidence of different types of mistakes to be considered, thus requiring further conceptualization of the reshoring process. Managers and entrepreneurs should consider the importance of doing the things right also during the implementation, too often underestimated. The present article is the first one in the reshoring literature bringing evidence of cases of failure in the relocation decisions and discriminating among different kinds of mistakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online purchases can support environmental sustainability by reducing the number of shopping trips. The purpose of this article is to understand how online convenience may be used to increase online purchase intention and therefore contribute to environmental sustainability. Employing a snowball sampling technique data from 226 Chinese respondents were used with Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) to test the research hypotheses. Findings suggest that customers with experience have a strong effect on the relationship between service convenience and customer satisfaction. It is also found that satisfied customers desired to stay longer and are willing to pay more. From a theoretical point of view, this study fills several gapes by extending previous work that investigates the impact of online convenience on customer satisfaction and behavioral intention by revealing the novelty impact on the willingness to pay and desire to stay. From a managerial standpoint, the findings help managers considering doing businesses or planning to do businesses in China and for companies committed to reducing their carbon footprint in understanding how they can use online convenience to stimulate online purchases among their clients and consequently becoming more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores how cause-related marketing influences consumer response in an online environment, by analyzing the relationships between consumers' perceptions of Cause-related Marketing (CrM) and their behavioral intentions toward an online store. Data was collected through an experiment using a sample of Portuguese respondents focusing on the effects of the cause–brand fit and consumer–cause identification on online stores perception and purchase intention. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The results show that consumer–cause identification has a positive impact on perceived value and that the relationship is moderated by brand–cause fit but it does not influence online purchase intention. Brand–cause fit was shown to have a positive influence on trust and online purchase intention, which is also impacted by perceived value. Trust was found to be a predictor of perceived value but not of the online purchase intention. The main contributions of the findings include the improved understanding of the importance of the fit to consumer's perception and efficacy for online cause-related marketing campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plasmodium vivax is the most widely distributed human malaria parasite. Previous studies have shown that circulating microparticles during P. vivax acute attacks are indirectly associated with severity. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are therefore major components of circulating plasma holding insights into pathological processes. Here, we demonstrate that plasma-derived EVs from Plasmodium vivax patients (PvEVs) are preferentially uptaken by human spleen fibroblasts (hSFs) as compared to the uptake of EVs from healthy individuals. Moreover, this uptake induces specific upregulation of ICAM-1 associated with the translocation of NF-kB to the nucleus. After this uptake, P. vivax-infected reticulocytes obtained from patients show specific adhesion properties to hSFs, reversed by inhibiting NF-kB translocation to the nucleus. Together, these data provide physiological EV-based insights into the mechanisms of human malaria pathology and support the existence of P. vivax-adherent parasite subpopulations in the microvasculature of the human spleen. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) in plasma can affect pathogenesis of parasites, but details remain unclear. Here, Toda et al. characterize plasma-derived EVs from Plasmodium vivax patients and show that PvEVs are preferentially taken up by human spleen fibroblasts, facilitating parasite cytoadherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposed technique demonstrates a fiber ring resonator interrogated by an optical time domain reflectometer (OTDR), for intensity sensing. By using this methodology, a cavity round trip time of 2.85 μs was obtained. For a proof of concept, a long-period grating was inserted in the resonant cavity operating as a curvature sensing device. A novel signal processing approach was outlined, regarding to the logarithmic behavior of the OTDR. Through analyzing the experimental results, an increase in the measured sensitivities was obtained by increasing applied bending. With curvatures performed from 1.8 m−1 to 4.5 m−1, the sensitivity values ranged from 2.94 dB·km−1 to 5.15 dB·km−1. In its turn, the sensitivities obtained presented a linear behavior when studied as a function of the applied curvature, following a slope of 0.86×10−3 dB. The advantages of applying this technique were also discussed, demonstrating two similar fiber rings multiplexed in a series of configurations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a correction notice for an article titled "Duration perception for visual stimuli is impaired in dyslexia but deficits in visual processing may not be the culprits." The original article contained errors in two figure citations, which have been corrected. The authors of the article are Dinis Catronas, José Sousa, Ana Rita Batista, Nathércia Lima Torres, Ana Mesquita, Vasiliki Folia, and Susana Silva. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Prucalopride, a selective, high-affinity 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor agonist, stimulates gastrointestinal and colonic motility and alleviates common symptoms of chronic constipation (CC) in adults. The relative efficacy by gender has not been evaluated.Aim: To evaluate the global efficacy and safety of prucalopride 2 mg daily in men and women with CC using data from six large, randomized, controlled clinical trials.Methods: Data were combined from six phase 3 and 4, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group trials. The primary efficacy endpoint was the percentage of patients with a mean of ≥3 spontaneous complete bowel movements (SCBMs) per week over 12 weeks of treatment. Safety was assessed throughout all the trials.Results: Overall, 2484 patients (597 men; 1887 women; prucalopride, 1237; placebo, 1247) were included in the integrated efficacy analysis and 2552 patients were included in the integrated safety analysis. Significantly more patients achieved a mean of ≥3 SCBMs/week over the 12 weeks of treatment in the prucalopride group (27.8 %) than in the placebo group [13.2 %, OR 2.68 (95 % CI 2.16, 3.33), p < 0.001]. Prucalopride had a favorable safety and tolerability profile. Efficacy and safety outcomes were not significantly different between men and women.Conclusion: The integrated analysis demonstrates the efficacy and safety of prucalopride in the treatment of CC in men and women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an equilibrium model where final-goods production uses labor and energy, and energy production uses non-polluting Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and polluting fossil fuels. Our goal is to compare two alternative Green Tax Reforms (GTRs). In one of the GTRs, carbon tax revenues are used to support Carbon Capture and Sequestration (CCS) activities. In the other GTR, tax revenues are used to subsidize RES. The comparison between the two GTRs is focused on three indicators: output per worker, energy intensity and the ratio of renewables over non-renewables. Results show that, in theory, the GTR with the RES subsidy could benefit both the economy and the environment if resource substitution was strong enough. The GTR with CCS support necessarily decreases output since abatement only partially alleviates the tax burden. The empirical simulation indicates that, for most tax values, both GTRs imply an economic slowdown but benefit the environment. The GTR with RES subsidies appears to be preferable than the alternative one, especially for lower tax levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To synthesize the body of knowledge on the factors influencing the QoL of mothers and fathers of preterm infants.Methods: A scoping review was performed. Publications indexed in PubMed®, Web of Science™, CINAHL® and PsycINFO® were searched, targeting studies presenting original empirical data that examined parental perception on QoL after a preterm delivery. Eligibility and data extraction were conducted by two independent researchers. The main quantitative findings were synthesized and qualitative data were explored by content analysis.Results: The studies, 11 quantitative and 1 mixed methods, were derived mainly from the USA (n = 6). Heterogeneity across the studies was observed regarding the operationalization of QoL and the use of units of analysis (mothers, parents, families and caregivers). In a context where 40 out of 45 covariates were analysed by only one or two studies, results suggested that parental QoL after a preterm delivery is influenced by factors related with mother's characteristics, family issues and health care environment rather than infants' variables. Factors regarding fathers' characteristics and structural levels were not addressed.Conclusions: Standardizing the operationalization of the QoL when analysing mothers and fathers of preterm infants calls for a structured questionnaire adapted to their specific needs. Further research should include both mothers and fathers, invest in mixed methods approaches and be performed in different countries and settings for allowing integration and comparison of findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guilt is a self-conscious emotion that strongly influences human behavior, namely consumption. Aware of this, many brands promote anticipatory non-purchase guilt to lead people to buy their products. However, fewer are giving attention to the question of purchase guilt, despite the fact that it may be an aspect that hinders people to repurchase a product and recommend it to others. According to Burnett and Lunsford (1994), feelings of consumer guilt may arise from different types of transgressions, leading to four different types of consumption-related guilt: social responsibility guilt, moral guilt, health guilt and financial guilt. This study has two main purposes. First it strives to identify which kind of purchase behaviors better explain purchase guilt, an emotion that brands would like to prevent. Second, it examines the potential importance of using social causes as a remedy for preventing purchase guilt, namely by brands that, for their nature, will tend to incite more guilt. The results of a survey-based study suggest that only financial guilt feelings are good antecedents of general post-purchase guilt. These results have important implications to marketing practitioners for products whose marketing should receive special attention when it comes to prevent the occurrence of purchase guilt as a deterrent of buying. The results of an experimental study with a sample of 840 individuals opened new vistas in the use of cause-related marketing strategies to cope with the purchase guilt, by proving that the inclusion of a social cause in a marketing campaign may decrease the feelings of guilt and regret and increase the probability of buying and recommending a product. These results have important implications to marketing practitioners for products whose marketing should receive special attention when it comes to prevent the occurrence of purchase guilt, as a deterrent to buying. We conclude by opening new vistas in the use of cause-related marketing strategies to cope with the post-purchase guilt that some products may display. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that meteorological conditions influence the comfort and human health. Southern European countries, including Portugal, show the highest mortality rates during winter, but the effects of extreme cold temperatures in Portugal have never been estimated. The objective of this study was the estimation of the effect of extreme cold temperatures on the risk of death in Lisbon and Oporto, aiming the production of scientific evidence for the development of a real-time health warning system. Poisson regression models combined with distributed lag non-linear models were applied to assess the exposure-response relation and lag patterns of the association between minimum temperature and all-causes mortality and between minimum temperature and circulatory and respiratory system diseases mortality from 1992 to 2012, stratified by age, for the period from November to March. The analysis was adjusted for over dispersion and population size, for the confounding effect of influenza epidemics and controlled for long-term trend, seasonality and day of the week. Results showed that the effect of cold temperatures in mortality was not immediate, presenting a 1-2-day delay, reaching maximum increased risk of death after 6-7 days and lasting up to 20-28 days. The overall effect was generally higher and more persistent in Lisbon than in Oporto, particularly for circulatory and respiratory mortality and for the elderly. Exposure to cold temperatures is an important public health problem for a relevant part of the Portuguese population, in particular in Lisbon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of an erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) placed inside the fiber ring of a cavity ring down (CRD) configuration is studied. The limitations and advantages of this configuration are discussed, and the study of the ring-down time as a function of the current applied and gain to the EDFA is also presented. In this case, the power fluctuations in the output signal are strongly dependent on the cavity ring-down time with the EDFA gain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A curvature sensor based on an Fabry-Perot (FP) interferometer was proposed. A capillary silica tube was fusion spliced between two single mode fibers, producing an FP cavity. Two FP sensors with different cavity lengths were developed and subjected to curvature and temperature. The FP sensor with longer cavity showed three distinct operating regions for the curvature measurement. Namely, a linear response was shown for an intermediate curvature radius range, presenting a maximum sensitivity of 68.52 pm/m. When subjected to temperature, the sensing head produced a similar response for different curvature radii, with a sensitivity varying from 0.84 pm/°C to 0.89 pm/°C, which resulted in a small cross-sensitivity to temperature when the FP sensor was subjected to curvature. The FP cavity with shorter length presented low sensitivity to curvature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two different forms of parafoveal dysfunction have been hypothesized as core deficits of dyslexic individuals: reduced parafoveal preview benefits ("too little parafovea") and increased costs of parafoveal load ("too much parafovea"). We tested both hypotheses in a single eye-tracking experiment using a modified serial rapid automatized naming (RAN) task. Comparisons between dyslexic and non-dyslexic adults showed reduced parafoveal preview benefits in dyslexics, without increased costs of parafoveal load. Reduced parafoveal preview benefits were observed in a naming task, but not in a silent letter-finding task, indicating that the parafoveal dysfunction may be consequent to the overload with extracting phonological information from orthographic input. Our results suggest that dyslexics' parafoveal dysfunction is not based on strict visuo-attentional factors, but nevertheless they stress the importance of extra-phonological processing. Furthermore, evidence of reduced parafoveal preview benefits in dyslexia may help understand why serial RAN is an important reading predictor in adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advantaged socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with lower body image satisfaction (BIS) among women. However, motherhood and social trajectory (an individual's path from childhood SEP to adulthood SEP) could change this relationship. We aimed to assess the association between social trajectory and BIS immediately before getting pregnant in primiparous and multiparous mothers of a birth cohort. The birth cohort Generation XXI was assembled after delivery, in Porto, in 2005-2006. This analysis includes 5,470 women. Women's and their parents' education were used as indicators of adulthood and childhood SEP, respectively. Social trajectory was classified as stable-high, upward, stable-low, downward, according to both education variables. BIS was assessed with Stunkard silhouettes immediately after birth as the difference between perceived body size before the index pregnancy and ideal body size. Odds ratios (OR) between social trajectory and BIS were computed using multinomial logistic regression (women satisfied with body image were the outcome reference category), adjusting for age and prepregnancy body mass index. In primiparous women, no association was found between childhood SEP, adulthood SEP or social trajectory and feeling too small or too large regarding their ideal figure. Multiparous women with a downward social trajectory presented a higher likelihood of dissatisfaction [too small: adjusted OR 2.21, 95 % confidence interval (95 % CI) 1.10-4.46; too large: adjusted OR 1.64, 95 % CI 1.07-2.51]. Downward social trajectory was associated with a higher likelihood of dissatisfaction with body image in multiparae, while there was no effect among primiparae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: B-cell survival and differentiation critically depend on the interaction of BAFF-R and TACI with their ligands, BAFF and APRIL. Mature B-cell defects lead to Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID), which is associated with elevated serum levels of BAFF and APRIL. Nevertheless, BAFF-R and TACI expression in CVID and their relationship with ligand availability remain poorly understood. Methods and Results: We found that BAFF-R expression was dramatically reduced on B cells of CVID patients, relative to controls. BAFF-R levels inversely correlated with serum BAFF concentration both in CVID and healthy subjects. We also found that recombinant BAFF stimulation reduced BAFF-R expression on B cells without decreasing transcript levels. On the other hand, CVID subjects had increased TACI expression on B cells in direct association with serum BAFF but not APRIL levels. Moreover, splenomegaly was associated with higher TACI expression, suggesting that perturbations of TACI function may underlie lymphoproliferation in CVID. Conclusions: Our results indicate that availability of BAFF determines BAFF-R and TACI expression on B cells, and that BAFF-R expression is controlled by BAFF binding. Identification of the factors governing BAFF-R and TACI is crucial to understanding CVID pathogenesis, and B-cell biology in general, as well as to explore their potential as therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technical feasibility of using stopper-derived cork as an effective biosorbent towards bivalent mercury at environmentally relevant concentrations and conditions was evaluated in this study. Only 25 mg/L of cork powder was able to achieve 94 % of mercury removal for an initial mercury concentration of 500 μg/L. It was found that under the conditions tested, the efficiency of mercury removal expressed as equilibrium removal percentage does not depend on the amount of cork or its particle size, but is very sensitive to initial metal concentration, with higher removal efficiencies at higher initial concentrations. Ion exchange was identified as one of the mechanisms involved in the sorption of Hg onto cork in the absence of ionic competition. Under ionic competition, stopper-derived cork showed to be extremely effective and selective for mercury in binary mixtures, while in complex matrices like seawater, moderate inhibition of the sorption process was observed, attributed to a change in mercury speciation. The loadings achieved are similar to the majority of literature values found for other biosorbents and for other metals, suggesting that cork stoppers can be recycled as an effective biosorbent for water treatment. However, the most interesting result is that equilibrium data show a very rare behaviour, with the isotherm presenting an almost square convex shape to the concentration axis, with an infinite slope for an Hg concentration in solution around 25 μg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study used a qualitative approach to comprehend how the morbid obese conceptualize and deal with obesity and obesity treatment, with the particular aim of exploring the expectations and beliefs about the exigencies and the impact of bariatric surgery. Methods: The study population included 30 morbid obese patients (20 women and 10 men) with a mean age of 39.17 years (SD = 8.81) and a mean body mass index of 47.5 (SD = 8.2) (reviewer #2, comment #9) interviewed individually before surgery using open-ended questions. The interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and then coded according to grounded analysis methodology. Results: Three main thematic areas emerged from the data: obesity, eating behavior, and treatment. Obesity is described as a stable and hereditary trait. Although participants recognize that personal eating behavior exacerbates this condition, patients see their eating behavior as difficult to change and control. Food seems to be an ever-present dimension and a coping strategy, and to follow an adequate diet plan is described as a huge sacrifice. Bariatric surgery emerges as the only treatment for obesity, and participants highlight this moment as the beginning of a new life where health professionals have the main role. Bariatric surgery candidates see their eating behavior as out of their control, and to commit to its demands is seen as a big sacrifice. For these patients, surgery is understood as a miracle moment that will change their lives without requiring an active role or their participation. Conclusion: According to these results, it is necessary to validate them with qualitative and quantitative studies (reviewer #2, comment #3); it is necessary to promote a new awareness of the weight loss process and to empower patients before and after bariatric surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of a number of case studies of social marketing that did not fully succeed in Guinea-Bissau, extensive research was carried out to determine the causes of failure. These cases revealed several difficulties encountered when implementing the projects, despite all good intentions. Refinements and fine-tuning of existing social marketing tools have been brought to light, looking for indications of the causes of unsuccessful outcomes in the cases studied. A risk analysis was used in an attempt to pragmatically produce a framework able to fully address the final social behavioral change envisaged. As a result of this analysis, some contributions for a breakthrough in social marketing frameworks have been provided, namely the importance of the diagnosis of the problem, in which cultural differences between beneficiaries and promoters play a central role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy policies in the European Union (EU) and its 27 member states respond to three main concerns namely energy security, economic development, and environmental sustainability. All the three 'Es' are pursued simultaneously with some slight differences in emphasizing the mutual importance of these, in particular the cost factors. The legislation of the EU (e.g., ETS-Emission Trading Scheme, directives) increasingly guides the member states' energy policies. However, energy policy directions are still made domestically, for example, on the support on renewable energy technologies. In this work, we look into distributed generation (DG), since it has been grown considerable in the past few years and can be used to partially fulfill renewable energy targets. The policy makers have to make decisions about regulation directives, more specifically they have to change the current regulation in order to incentive the increase in DG. However, these decisions have not only economic impacts but also technical impacts that must be accounted for. In this regard, a decision aid tool would help the policy makers in estimating producer economic impacts, as well as power network technical impacts, of various possible regulation directives. Here, we propose an interactive decision aid tool that models the aforementioned impacts and thus, can be used by policy makers to experiment with different regulation directives before deciding on the ones to set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]