An approach to absorptive capacity based on the Portuguese textile industry

The main purpose of this research is to identify the hidden knowledge and learning mechanisms in the organization in order to disclosure the tacit knowledge and transform it into explicit knowledge. Most firms usually tend to duplicate their efforts acquiring extra knowledge and new learning skills while forgetting to exploit the existing ones thus wasting one life time resources that could be applied to increase added value within the firm overall competitive advantage. This unique value in the shape of creation, acquisition, transformation and application of learning and knowledge is not disseminated throughout the individual, group and, ultimately, the company itself. This work is based on three variables that explain the behaviour of learning as the process of construction and acquisition of knowledge, namely internal social capital, technology and external social capital, which include the main attributes of learning and knowledge that help us to capture the essence of this symbiosis. Absorptive Capacity provides the right tool to explore this uncertainty within the firm it is possible to achieve the perfect match between learning skills and knowledge needed to support the overall strategy of the firm. This study has taken in to account a sample of the Portuguese textile industry and it is based on a multisectorial analysis that makes it possible a crossfunctional analysis to check on the validity of results in order to better understand and capture the dynamics of organizational behavior.

An approach to absorptive capacity based on the Portuguese textile industry(Final version)

The main purpose of this research is to identify the hidden knowledge and learning mechanisms in the organization in order to disclosure the tacit knowledge and transform it into explicit knowledge. Most firms usually tend to duplicate their efforts acquiring extra knowledge and new learning skills while forgetting to exploit the existing ones thus wasting one life time resources that could be applied to increase added value within the firm overall competitive advantage. This unique value in the shape of creation, acquisition, transformation and application of learning and knowledge is not disseminated throughout the individual, group and, ultimately, the company itself. This work is based on three variables that explain the behaviour of learning as the process of construction and acquisition of knowledge, namely internal social capital, technology and external social capital, which include the main attributes of learning and knowledge that help us to capture the essence of this symbiosis. Absorptive Capacity provides the right tool to explore this uncertainty within the firm it is possible to achieve the perfect match between learning skills and knowledge needed to support the overall strategy of the firm. This study has taken in to account a sample of the Portuguese textile industry and it is based on a multisectorial analysis that makes it possible a crossfunctional analysis to check on the validity of results in order to better understand and capture the dynamics of organizational behavior.

Learning and Knowledge in the Context of Absorptive Capacity

Develop a new model of Absorptive Capacity taking into account two variables namely Learning and knowledge to explain how companies transform information into knowledge

Body composition, muscle strength, functional capacity, and physical disability risk in liver transplanted familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy patients

Abstract: Background: Familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is a neurodegenerative disease leading to sensory and motor polyneuropathies, and functional limitations. Liver transplantation is the only treatment for FAP, requiring medication that negatively affects bone and muscle metabolism. The aim of this study was to compare body composition, levels of specific strength, level of physical disability risk, and functional capacity of transplanted FAP patients (FAPTx) with a group of healthy individuals (CON). Methods: A group of patients with 48 FAPTx (28 men, 20 women) was compared with 24 CON individuals (14 men, 10 women). Body composition was assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and total skeletal muscle mass (TBSMM) and skeletal muscle index (SMI) were calculated. Handgrip strength was measured for both hands as was isometric strength of quadriceps. Muscle quality (MQ) was ascertained by the ratio of strength to muscle mass. Functional capacity was assessed by the six-minute walk test. Results: Patients with FAPTx had significantly lower functional capacity, weight, body mass index, total fat mass, TBSMM, SMI, lean mass, muscle strength, MQ, and bone mineral density. Conclusion: Patients with FAPTx appear to be at particularly high risk of functional disability, suggesting an important role for an early and appropriately designed rehabilitation program.

Strength, muscle quality and functional capacity in liver transplanted familial amyloidotic polineuropathy patients

Liver transplantation is the unique treatment for several end-stage diseases. Familial Amiloidotic Polineuropathy (FAP) is a neurodegenerative disease related with systemic deposition of amyloidal fiber mainly on peripheral nervous system, clinically translated by an autonomous sensitive-motor neuropathy with severe functional limitations in some cases. The unique treatment for FAP disease is a liver transplant with a very aggressive medication to muscle metabolism and force production. To our knowledge there are no quantitative characterizations of body composition, strength or functional capacity in this population.

Capacity Enhancement Using MIMO Antenna Arrays in Realistic Macro-Cellular Urban Environment

In MIMO systems the antenna array configuration in the BS and MS has a large influence on the available channel capacity. In this paper, we first introduce a new Frequency Selective (FS) MIMO framework for macro-cells in a realistic urban environment. The MIMO channel is built over a previously developed directional channel model, which considers the terrain and clutter information in the cluster, line-of-sight and link loss calculations. Next, MIMO configuration characteristics are investigated in order to maximize capacity, mainly the number of antennas, inter-antenna spacing and SNR impact. Channel and capacity simulation results are presented for the city of Lisbon, Portugal, using different antenna configurations. Two power allocations schemes are considered, uniform distribution and FS spatial water-filling. The results suggest optimized MIMO configurations, considering the antenna array size limitations, specially at the MS side.

Strength, muscle quality and functional capacity in liver transplanted familial amyloidotic polineuropathy patients

Liver transplantation is the unique treatment for several end stage diseases. Familial Amiloidotic Polineuropathy (FAP) is a neurodegenerative disease related with systemic deposition of amyloidal fibre mainly on peripheral nervous system, clinically translated by an autonomous sensitive-motor neuropathy with severe functional limitations in some cases. The unique treatment for FAP disease is a liver transplant with a very aggressive medication to muscle metabolism and force production. To our knowledge there are no quantitative characterizations of body composition, strength or functional capacity in this population. The purpose of this study was to compare levels of specific strength (isometric strength adjusted by lean mass or muscle quality) and functional capacity (meters in 6 minutes walk test) between FAP patients after a liver transplant (4.1±2 months after transplant surgery) (FAPT) and a healthy group (HG).

Parental cognitive dimensions associated with preschool children’s eating habits: an intervention study

Childhood excessive weight and obesity are a major public health concern from early childhood. Early childhood is an important period of development for developing healthy eating habits, that may be associated with an adequate present/future BMI. There is extensive evidence that children’s food intake is shaped by early experiences, suggesting ways in which parenting practices may be promoting obesity. But what leads parents to endorse healthier or detrimental educational practices and routines needs further study. 1. Perception of children’s weight: parents of overweight or obese children often fail to correctly perceive their children as overweight; failing to recognize their children’s excessive weight may impeach parents from implementing the best educational practices. 2. Concern: relation between the adequacy of mothers perception of their children’s weight and the level of concern - parental concern is be associated with parental practices. 3. Attribution of control: also, if parents do not consider their children’s eating behavior at least partially controllable by them, they may relinquish some of their responsibility in this area. Self-efficacy: evidence linking parental self-efficacy to parent competence and to parenting practices and behaviors; low parental self-efficacy related to the control of everyday behavior of young children may lead parents to abandon more consistent health practices and endorse permissive and inconsistent strategies. We designed 2 sequential studies that aim to contribute to the understanding of cognitive determinants of children’s eating patterns.

What parental cognitive dimensions are important to understand children’s eating habits?

Obesidade é uma preocupação de saúde pública. Objetivos OMS - Redução a zero da taxa de crescimento da obesidade e uma redução em 10% na prevalência de atividade física insuficiente. Em Portugal, os estudos de prevalência apontam para valores entre 24% e os 34% de crianças e jovens pré-obesos e obesos. Extensa confirmação da obesidade infantil como preditor da obesidade na idade adulta. Em alguns países há indicadores de que a taxa de obesidade infantil começa a ter uma ligeira diminuição, provavelmente fruto de intervenções no macrosistema. Necessidade de intervenção direta nos microssistemas familiar e escolar da criança para uma intervenção mais abrangente e eficaz. Existe um ampla confirmação da influência parental nos comportamentos alimentares da criança. Os comportamentais parentais relacionados com a alimentação da criança são influenciados por variáveis cognitivas parentais. A maioria dos pais de crianças com excesso de peso subavalia o peso do seu filho, mas não de outras crianças. Os pais das crianças pré-escolares distorcem mais o peso do que os pais de crianças mais velhas. Os pais com uma perceção correta utilizam mais estratégias de restrição alimentar.

Domínio lexical e compreensão da leitura na criança surda

Dissertação apresentada à Escola Superior de Educação de Lisboa para obtenção de grau de mestre em ciências da educação - especialização em educação especial

A literacia em saúde: investimento na promoção da saúde e na racionalização de custos

A Organização Mundial da Saúde define a literacia em saúde como o conjunto de competências cognitivas e sociais e a capacidade dos indivíduos para compreenderem e usarem informação para a promoção e manutenção da saúde. A transmissão de informação sobre saúde é mais eficaz quando os seus conteúdos são especificamente desenhados para uma pessoa ou para um grupo populacional e quando a mensagem é bem delimitada, realçando os benefícios (ganhos) e os custos (perdas) associados aos comportamentos e às tomadas de decisão. Analisa-se, neste estudo, o conceito de literacia em saúde e a associação da baixa literacia em saúde aos comportamentos em saúde e aos gastos em saúde. Apresenta-se uma análise da literatura científica publicada sobre a baixa literacia em saúde e a sua implicação nos custos na saúde usando, para este objectivo, uma base de dados das ciências da saúde (MEDLINE/PubMed) e quatro plataformas científicas (DOAJ, SCOPUS, SciELO e Web of Science). A literatura científica analisada evidencia que pessoas com baixa literacia em saúde apresentam uma menor capacidade de compreensão dos conteúdos de material informativo sobre alimentos, doenças crónicas ou sobre o uso de medicamentos, por exemplo, bem como maior dificuldade em pesquisar, seleccionar, ler e assimilar a informação em saúde disponível na Internet. A baixa literacia em saúde relaciona-se, então. com a dificuldade na prevenção e na gestão de problemas de saúde, bem como com comportamentos ineficazes de saúde, i.e., com o uso inadequado de medicamentos, com o recurso excessivo aos serviços de saúde (em especial, os de urgências) ou com a ineficácia em lidar com situações de emergência. A baixa literacia está também associada a taxas de hospitalização mais altas, mas também mais longas no tempo (o que implica mais custos associados a internamento prolongado, mais exames de diagnóstico e fraca adesão à terapêutica medicamentosa), a uma diminuição da utilização de medidas preventivas e a uma fraca adesão à prescrição terapêutica. A baixa literacia acaba por afectar igualmente a comunicação (e a relação) médico-doente. Apresentam-se, como complemento, sugestões de melhoria da literacia em saúde e da comunicação médico-doente para efeitos da promoção da saúde.

Association between grip strength, anthropometric data and functional capacity

The hand is one of the most important instruments of the human body, mainly due to the possibility of grip movements. Grip strength has been described as an important predictor of functional capacity. There are several factors that may influence it, such as gender, age and anthropometric characteristics. Functional capacity refers to the ability to perform daily activities which allow the individual to self-care and to live with autonomy. Composite Physical Function (CPF) scale is an evaluation tool for functional capacity that includes daily activities, self-care, sports activities, upper limb function and gait capacity. In 2011, Portugal had 15% of young population (0-14years) and 19% of elderly population (over 65 years). Considering the double-ageing phenomen, it is important to understand the effect of the grip strength in elderly individuals, considering their characteristics, as the need to maintainin dependency as long as possible.

Does 6-minutes walk test predict functional capacity in elderly people?

Portugal has an accentuated aging tendency, presenting an elderly population (individuals with more than 65 years old) of 19.2%. The average life expectancy is 79.2 years. Thus, it’s important to maintain autonomy and independency as long as possible. Functional ability concept rises from the need to evaluate the capacity to conduct daily activities in an independent way. It can be estimated with the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and other validated test. This test is simple, reliable, valid and consists in a daily activity (walk). The goals of this study was to verify associations between functional capacity measured with two different instruments (6MWT and Composite Physical Function (CPF) scale) and between those results and characterization variables.