X-Munich : cas pr��ctic

Berneda S.A. ��s una ���pime��� familiar catalana no cotitzada que es va fundar l���any 1939. Tamb�� coneguda per ser l���empresa posse��dora de la marca X-Munich, destaca per la seva capacitat d���autofinan��ament.Al llarg de la seva hist��ria Berneda S.A. ha sabut guanyar-se el mercat en diverses etapes i, tot i haver viscut per��odes de menys facturaci��, des de l���any 2007 ha gaudit d���un boom de les seves vendes al mercat espanyol. Part d���aquest creixement del volum de vendes i ingressos est�� relacionat tamb�� amb la seva capacitat exportadors: actualment les seves sabatilles esportives es comercialitzen, entre d���altres, a It��lia, Holanda, Jap��, Gran Bretanya i Portugal.Berneda S.A. ha aprofitat el seu avantatge competitiu, la diferenciaci��, per a oferir al mercat un producte diferent i posicionar-se com a una marca de referencia en el sector.

Retinal ischemia-induced apoptosis is associated with alteration in Bax and Bcl-x(L) expression rather than modifications in Bak and Bcl-2.

PURPOSE: Apoptosis is known to play a key role in cell death after retinal ischemia. However, little is known about the kinetics of the signaling pathways involved and their contribution to this process. The aim of this study was to determine whether changes in the expression of molecules in the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway might explain the progression of retinal damage following ischemia/reperfusion. METHODS: Retinal ischemia was induced by elevating intraocular pressure in the vitreous cavity to 150 mmHg for a period of 60 min. At time 0, 3 h (early phase), and 24 h (late phase) after reperfusion, the retinas were harvested and modifications in the expression of Bax, Bak, Bcl-2, and Bcl-x(L) as well as caspase-3 and -7, were examined by qPCR and, in some cases, by western blot. RESULTS: qPCR analysis performed at the early phase after ischemia revealed a time dependent decrease in Bax, Bak, and Bcl-x(L) and no alteration in Bcl-2 mRNA expression in response to retinal ischemia. At the protein level, proapoptotic Bax and Bak were not modulated while Bcl-2 and Bcl-x(L) were significantly upregulated. At this stage, the Bax per Bcl-2 and Bax:Bcl-x(L) ratios were not modified. At the late phase of recovery, Bax and Bcl-x(L) mRNAs were downregulated while Bak was increased. Increased Bax:Bcl-2 and Bax:Bcl-x(L) ratios at both the mRNA and protein levels were observed 24 h after the ischemic insult. Analysis of caspases associated with mitochondria-mediated apoptosis revealed a specific increase in the expression of caspase-3 in the ischemic retinas 24 h after reperfusion, and a decrease in the expression of caspase-7. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that Bcl-2-related family members were differently regulated in the early and late phases after an ischemic insult. We showed that the Bax:Bcl-2 and Bax:Bcl-x(L) balances were not affected in the initial phases, but the Bax:Bcl-x(L) ratio shifted toward apoptosis during the late phase of recovery. This shift was reinforced by caspase-3 upregulation.

Precision of a new tool to measure visceral adipose tissue (VAT) using dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DXA).

OBJECTIVE: A new tool to quantify visceral adipose tissue (VAT) over the android region of a total body dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan has recently been reported. The measurement, CoreScan, is currently available on Lunar iDXA densitometers. The purpose of the study was to determine the precision of the CoreScan VAT measurement, which is critical for understanding the utility of this measure in longitudinal trials. DESIGN AND METHODS: VAT precision was characterized in both an anthropomorphic imaging phantom (measured on 10 Lunar iDXA systems) and a clinical population consisting of obese women (n = 32). RESULTS: The intrascanner precision for the VAT phantom across 9 quantities of VAT mass (0-1,800 g) ranged from 28.4 to 38.0 g. The interscanner precision ranged from 24.7 to 38.4 g. There was no statistical dependence on the quantity of VAT for either the inter- or intrascanner precision result (p = 0.670). Combining inter- and intrascanner precision yielded a total phantom precision estimate of 47.6 g for VAT mass, which corresponds to a 4.8% coefficient of variance (CV) for a 1 kg VAT mass. Our clinical population, who completed replicate total body scans with repositioning between scans, showed a precision of 56.8 g on an average VAT mass of 1110.4 g. This corresponds to a 5.1% CV. Hence, the in vivo precision result was similar to the phantom precision result. CONCLUSIONS: The study suggests that CoreScan has a relatively low precision error in both phantoms and obese women and therefore may be a useful addition to clinical trials where interventions are targeted towards changes in visceral adiposity.

Standards Culturais: Brasil X Portugal

A Cultura pode ser definida de v��rias maneiras e cada autor tem uma vis��o pr��pria do termo mas, genericamente, cultura pode ser entendida como o conjunto de caracter��sticas humanas que n��o s��o inatas e que se criam, preservam ou aprimoram com o conv��vio na sociedade, com a comunica����o e coopera����o entre indiv��duos. Os membros de uma sociedade n��o est��o conscientes dos seus valores culturais e somente percebem estes valores quando entram em ���choque��� com uma cultura diferente. Estas diferen��as culturais podem criar confus��es e mal-entendidos. As culturas Portuguesa e a Brasileira parecem ser bastante semelhantes: a mesma l��ngua, as mesmas cren��as, religi��o predominantemente cat��lica e alimentos similares. Por��m, apesar das semelhan��as, e ap��s entrevistas de car��cter narrativo, observou-se nestas duas culturas caracter��sticas pr��prias e que muitas vezes foram necess��rias adapta����es para uma melhor integra����o na sociedade. Esta tese de mestrado �� uma an��lise das diferen��as culturais entre Portugal e Brasil e tem por objectivo encontrar standards culturais de ambos os pa��ses podendo ser um instrumento de ajuda para aqueles que v��m do Brasil para Portugal, e vice-versa, para trabalharem ou abrirem uma empresa. Os standards culturais encontrados, ap��s an��lise comparativa, est��o relacionados com a maneira de ver a vida, de ultrapassar os problemas e press��es do dia a dia, com colectivismo, hierarquia, simpatia, preocupa����o com o cliente, ansiedade face �� incerteza e profissionalismo. Este trabalho termina com a identifica����o dos standards culturais e com dicas para aqueles que saem do seu pa��s e recome��am a sua vida noutro com cultura diferente