Reynaers Aluminium commercial & marketing plan to Angola

The current paper seeks to fulfill an internationalization action plan for Reynaers Aluminium Portugal (RAP) to address the Angolan construction market. Strong market opportunities have been spotted, namely: an increasingly well-succeeded presence of Reynaers’ customers; Reynaers portfolio responsive to an increasingly quality demanding Angolan market; strong support from the multinational chain. Aligned with a constant threat from the Portuguese economy RAP seeks to establish a stronger presence in Angola. Indeed the company has been approaching this market since 2008, resulting in the identification of key players and synergies spotted. For this purpose, the aim is to develop a Commercial and Marketing Plan while taking into consideration the results of the previous company interventions that reflect this market’s DNA.

Biochemical studies of postsynaptic density signaling proteins with a focus on synaptic GTPase activating protein and PDZ domains

Memory storage in the brain involves adjustment of the strength of existing synapses and formation of new neural networks. A key process underlying memory formation is synaptic plasticity, the ability of excitatory synapses to strengthen or weaken their connections in response to patterns of activity between their connected neurons. Synaptic plasticity is governed by the precise pattern of Ca²⁺ influx through postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate-type glutamate receptors (NMDARs), which can lead to the activation of the small GTPases Ras and Rap. Differential activation of Ras and Rap acts to modulate synaptic strength by promoting the insertion or removal of 2-amino-3-(3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazol-4-yl)propanoic acid receptors (AMPARs) from the synapse. Synaptic GTPase activating protein (synGAP) regulates AMPAR levels by catalyzing the inactivation of GTP-bound (active) Ras or Rap. synGAP is positioned in close proximity to the cytoplasmic tail regions of the NMDAR through its association with the PDZ domains of PSD-95. SynGAP’s activity is regulated by the prominent postsynaptic protein kinase, Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), a known binding partner of CaMKII. Modulation of synGAP’s activity by phosphorylation may alter the ratio of active Ras to Rap in spines, thus pushing the spine towards the insertion or removal of AMPARs, subsequently strengthening or weakening the synapse. To date, all biochemical studies of the regulation of synGAP activity by protein kinases have utilized impure preparations of membrane bound synGAP. Here we have clarified the effects of phosphorylation of synGAP on its Ras and Rap GAP activities by preparing and utilizing purified, soluble recombinant synGAP, Ras, Rap, CaMKII, CDK5, PLK2, and CaM. Using mass spectrometry, we have confirmed the presence of previously identified CaMKII and CDK5 sites in synGAP, and have identified novel sites of phosphorylation by CaMKII, CDK5, and PLK2. We have shown that the net effect of phosphorylation of synGAP by CaMKII, CDK5, and PLK2 is an increase in its GAP activity toward HRas and Rap1. In contrast, there is no effect on its GAP activity toward Rap2. Additionally, by assaying the GAP activity of phosphomimetic synGAP mutants, we have been able to hypothesize the effects of CDK5 phosphorylation at specific sites in synGAP. In the course of this work, we also found, unexpectedly, that synGAP is itself a Ca²⁺/CaM binding protein. While Ca²⁺/CaM binding does not directly affect synGAP activity, it causes a conformational change in synGAP that increases the rate of its phosphorylation and exposes additional phosphorylation sites that are inaccessible in the absence of Ca²⁺/CaM.

The postsynaptic density (PSD) is an electron-dense region in excitatory postsynaptic neurons that contains a high concentration of glutamate receptors, cytoskeletal proteins, and associated signaling enzymes. Within the PSD, three major classes of scaffolding molecules function to organize signaling enzymes and glutamate receptors. PDZ domains present in the Shank and PSD-95 scaffolds families serve to physically link AMPARs and NMDARs to signaling molecules in the PSD. Because of the specificity and high affinity of PDZ domains for their ligands, I reasoned that these interacting pairs could provide the core components of an affinity chromatography system, including affinity resins, affinity tags, and elution agents. I show that affinity columns containing the PDZ domains of PSD-95 can be used to purify active PDZ domain-binding proteins to very high purity in a single step. Five heterologously expressed neuronal proteins containing endogenous PDZ domain ligands (NMDAR GluN2B subunit Tail, synGAP, neuronal nitric oxide synthase PDZ domain, cysteine rich interactor of PDZ three and cypin) were purified using PDZ domain resin, with synthetic peptides having the sequences of cognate PDZ domain ligands used as elution agents. I also show that conjugation of PDZ domain-related affinity tags to Proteins Of Interest (POIs) that do not contain endogenous PDZ domains or ligands does not alter protein activity and enables purification of the POIs on PDZ domain-related affinity resins.

Preliminary efficacy and feasibility of embedding high intensity interval training into the school day: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Current physical activity and fitness levels among adolescents are low, increasing the risk of chronic disease. Although the efficacy of high intensity interval training (HIIT) for improving metabolic health is now well established, it is not known if this type of activity can be effective to improve adolescent health. The primary aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness and feasibility of embedding HIIT into the school day. A 3-arm pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted in one secondary school in Newcastle, Australia. Participants (n = 65; mean age = 15.8(0.6) years) were randomized into one of three conditions: aerobic exercise program (AEP) (n = 21), resistance and aerobic exercise program (RAP) (n = 22) and control (n = 22). The 8-week intervention consisted of three HIIT sessions per week (8-10 min/session), delivered during physical education (PE) lessons or at lunchtime. Assessments were conducted at baseline and post-intervention to detect changes in cardiorespiratory fitness (multi-stage shuttle-run), muscular fitness (push-up, standing long jump tests), body composition (Body Mass Index (BMI), BMI-z scores, waist circumference) and physical activity motivation (questionnaire), by researchers blinded to treatment allocation. Intervention effects for outcomes were examined using linear mixed models, and Cohen's d effect sizes were reported. Participants in the AEP and RAP groups had moderate intervention effects for waist circumference (p = 0.024), BMI-z (p = 0.037) and BMI (not significant) in comparison to the control group. A small intervention effect was also evident for cardiorespiratory fitness in the RAP group.

High-intensity interval training on cognitive and mental health in adolescents

PURPOSE: Emerging literature suggests that physical activity and fitness may have a positive impact on cognitive and mental health for adolescents. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of two high intensity interval training (HIIT) protocols for improving cognitive and mental health outcomes (executive function, psychological wellbeing, psychological distress and physical self-concept) in adolescents.

METHODS: Participants (n=65; mean age=15.8±0.6) were randomized to three conditions: aerobic exercise program (AEP; n=21), resistance and aerobic exercise program (RAP; n=22) and control (n=22). HIIT sessions (8-10min/session) were delivered during physical education lessons or at lunchtime three times/week for 8-weeks. Assessments were conducted at baseline and immediate post-intervention to detect changes in executive function (Trail Making Test, TMT), psychological wellbeing, psychological distress and physical self-description, by researchers blinded to treatment allocation. Intervention effects were examined using linear mixed models. Cohen's d effect sizes and clinical inference were also calculated.

RESULTS: Small improvements in executive function (d=-0.32, 95%CI -9.12 to 9.77; p=0.386) and psychological wellbeing (d=0.34, 95%CI -1.73 to 2.37; p=0.252) were evident in the AEP group. Moderate improvements in executive function (d=-0.51, 95% CI -8.92 to 9.73; p=0.171), and small improvements in wellbeing (d=0.35, 95%CI -1.46 to 2.53; p=0.219) and perceived appearance (d=0.35, 95%CI -0.74 to 0.41; p=0.249), were observed for the RAP group. Mean feelings state scores improved from pre-workout to post-post workout in both HIIT conditions, with significant results for the AEP (p=0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the potential of embedding HIIT within the school day for improving cognitive and mental health among adolescents.

Space-crossing : community-based data forwarding in mobile social networks under the hybrid communication architecture

In this paper, we study two tightly coupled issues, space-crossing community detection and its influence on data forwarding in mobile social networks (MSNs). We propose a communication framework containing the hybrid underlying network with access point (AP) support for data forwarding and the base stations for managing most of control traffic. The concept of physical proximity community can be extended to be one across the geographical space, because APs can facilitate the communication among long-distance nodes. Space-crossing communities are obtained by merging some pairs of physical proximity communities. Based on the space-crossing community, we define two cases of node local activity and use them as the input of inner product similarity measurement. We design a novel data forwarding algorithm Social Attraction and Infrastructure Support (SAIS), which applies similarity attraction to route to neighbor more similar to destination, and infrastructure support phase to route the message to other APs within common connected components. We evaluate our SAIS algorithm on real-life datasets from MIT Reality Mining and University of Illinois Movement (UIM). Results show that space-crossing community plays a positive role in data forwarding in MSNs. Based on this new type of community, SAIS achieves a better performance than existing popular social community-based data forwarding algorithms in practice, including Simbet, Bubble Rap and Nguyen's Routing algorithms.

Análisis comparado de la aplicación del principio europeo de responsabilidad ampliada del productor en envases, vehículos fuera de uso y residuos de aparatos eléctricos y electrónicos

El marco legal europeo con la intención de proteger al medio ambiente y a las personas, y para preservar los recursos materiales y energéticos, desarrolla la llamada Responsabilidad Ampliada del Productor (RAP). La RAP obliga al fabricante de un bien o producto a que el tratamiento de gestión final que se hace a dichos productos al final de su vida útil sea el adecuado y cumpla con los objetivos que, en cada categoría de producto, marca la normativa. Pese a estar bajo el mismo principio, no todos los productores han adoptado el mismo sistema para cumplir con dichas normas. Así, en el caso de España, para los envases y embalajes se optó por crear un Sistema Integrado de Gestión (SIG) que crease toda la estructura de recogida, clasificación y preparación para la gestión de dichos residuos. De este modo nace Ecoembalajes España que crea desde cero todo un sistema de recogida de envases a partir del llamado contenedor amarillo. Se encarga de construir y gestionar las necesarias plantas de selección de envases y de obtener en ellas un material seleccionado que subasta a los consumidores de dichos materiales. El sistema resulta caro, pues ha de crearse toda una estructura nueva que inicialmente no tiene en cuenta las iniciativas preexistentes de recogida y reciclaje de envases que existían previamente. La financiación de Ecoembes se lleva a cabo a través del llamado punto verde que pagan los envasadores y productores en virtud de la cantidad de envases puestos en el mercado cada año. Las plantas de selección no funcionan bajo parámetros de rentabilidad económica sino como un servicio público y su objetivo es cumplir con los porcentajes de materiales seleccionados que Ecoembes les exige. Finalmente los materiales clasificados que salen de las plantas de selección adolecen de una falta de calidad que penalizan su valor en el mercado de materias primas secundarias obligando en muchos casos a los gestores que adquieren dichos materiales a reprocesarlos para poder venderlos a los consumidores de materiales cumpliendo con los estándares de mercado...

Using online peer assessment tools to provide feedback and promote learning

A set of slides used for the RAP SIG event on 19 Jan 2017

A REGIONALIZAÇÃO DO HIP HOP NO BRASIL SOB A ÓTICA DA GEOGRAFIA: HORIZONTALIDADES E VERTICALIDADES

O presente trabalho objetiva discutir o Hip Hop como manifestação territorial. Essa manifestação territorial assume particularidades regionais e tem no Rap uma das suas formas de existir. Carregado de regionalismo, o Rap tem influenciado, tanto por meio de suas reclamações quanto por meio de suas particularidades, na inclusão de uma parcela da população no exercício da política. O Hip Hop, que abrange uma grande quantidade de jovens e tem profundas ligações com os lugares, é utilizado como ferramenta de solidariedade orgânica, haja vista que essa manifestação assumiu uma posição bastante relevante frente a questões urgentes relacionadas a segmentos sociais desfavorecidos e fez também com que membros de um movimento não-institucional passassem a participar da política formal, concorrendo inclusive a cargos públicos.