Chromone: A valid scaffold in medicinal chemistry

Chromones are a group of naturally occurring compounds that are ubiquitous in nature, especially in plants. The word chromone is derived from the Greek word chroma, meaning “color”, which point out that many chromone derivatives can exhibit a diversity of colors.

Phonological development in relation to native language and literacy: Variations on a theme in six alphabetic orthographies

Phonological development was assessed in six alphabetic orthographies (English, French, Greek, Icelandic, Portuguese and Spanish) at the beginning and end of the first year of reading instruction. The aim was to explore contrasting theoretical views regarding: the question of the availability of phonology at the outset of learning to read (Study 1); the influence of orthographic depth on the pace of phonological development during the transition to literacy (Study 2); and the impact of literacy instruction (Study 3). Results from 242 children did not reveal a consistent sequence of development as performance varied according to task demands and language. Phonics instruction appeared more influential than orthographic depth in the emergence of an early meta-phonological capacity to manipulate phonemes, and preliminary indications were that cross-linguistic variation was associated with speech rhythm more than factors such as syllable complexity. The implications of the outcome for current models of phonological development are discussed.

Strategic Drivers for Implementing Sustainability Programs in Portuguese Organizations– Let’s Listen to Aristotle: From Triple to Quadruple Bottom Line

This article describes a study that investigated the main strategic drivers that influence the implementation of sustainability/social responsibility programs. An online survey was administered to managers of Portuguese organizations with certified management systems. The findings suggest that the implementation of such programs is mainly correlated to: 1.) the approach to understanding and working toward the satisfaction of the community’s needs (in the broad sense of social responsibility); 2.) how systematically sustainability within the organization is identified and managed (e.g., pollution prevention, improved environmental performance, and compliance with the applicable environmental laws); and 3.) the degree to which the organization tries to understand the needs of the employees and works toward satisfying them. In addition to the survey, five interviews with top managers of the surveyed organizations provided some useful insights. There was no consensus on the meaning of sustainability and social responsibility: some described it as an instrumental approach for obtaining better organizational results, while others regarded it as the right thing to do (i.e., it is values driven). In all cases, however, the managers supported a kind of umbrella construct under which different size corporations use different models (for example, the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI), Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), ISO 14001 environmental management systems), although some managers reported that they simply do not know what to do. All of those surveyed agreed that the lack of a systematic approach could represent a major threat to their organization, making them willing to pay more attention and take more action on the issue of sustainability. An additional suggestion made by managers was to change from a triple bottom line (economic dimension, environmental dimension, social equity dimension) to a quadruple bottom line by adding another dimension: personal and family happiness. This fourth dimension was recognized by the Greek philosopher/thinker Aristotle (384-322 BCE) who thought of happiness as the highest good (virtue) and ultimate goal and purpose of life, achieved through living well, in harmony. Such harmony suggests a balance and a lack of excess—in other words a sustainable existence.