Multiresponsive supramolecular systems for information processing at the molecular level

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Doutor em Química Sustentável

CSR practices and labor retention: How can these variables be related?

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

The impact of high involvement human resources practices on resistance to change: The mediator effect of commitment to change and the influence of ethical leadership

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Macroeconomic impacts of politics and policy: Applications to financial and real markets

A PhD Dissertation, presented as part of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy from the NOVA - School of Business and Economics

Corporate social responsibility: How internal and external CSR perceptions influence employee outcomes

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Return on entrepreneurial passion: A study of funding success and timely delivery in crowdfunding

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Role of Notch signaling on the differentiation of early lymphoid progenitors cells: a view throughout the development of the embryonic chicken thymus and spleen

Dissertação para a obtenção do grau de Mestre em Genética Molecular e Biomedicina

Kinetics of IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10 and IL-4 production by mononuclear cells stimulated with gp43 peptides, in patients cured of paracoccidioidomycosis

We analyzed the kinetics of cytokine production by mononuclear cells from 17 patients who had been treated for paracoccidioidomycosis, using the stimulus of gp43 peptide groups (43kDa glycoprotein of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis) at 0.1 and 1µM, gp43 (1µg/ml) and crude Paracoccidioides brasiliensis antigen (PbAg; 75µg/ml). IFN-gamma production was a maximum at 144 hours in relation to the G2 and G8 peptide groups at 1µM and was greatest at 144 hours when stimulated by gp43 and by PbAg. The maximum TNF-alpha production was at 144 hours for the G2 group (0.1µM) and for gp43. IL-10 production was highest after 48 and 72 hours for G7 and G6 at 1µM, respectively. We also suggest the best time for analysis of IL4 production. These results may contribute towards future studies with gp43 peptides and encourage further investigations with the aim of understanding the influence of these peptides on the production of inflammatory and regulatory cytokines.

Cellulose nanorods in liquid crystalline elastomers for improved actuators

Nanotechnology plays a central role in ‘tailoring’ materials’ properties and thus improving its performances for a wide range of applications. Coupling nature nano-objects with nanotechnology results in materials with enhanced functionalities. The main objective of this master thesis was the synthesis of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCCs) and its further incorporation in a cellulosic matrix, in order to produce a stimuli-responsive material to moisture. The induced behaviour (bending/unbending) of the samples was deeply investigated, in order to determine relationships between structure/properties. Using microcrystalline cellulose as a starting material, acid hydrolysis was performed and the NCC was obtained. Anisotropic aqueous solutions of HPC and NCC were prepared and films with thicknesses ranging from 22μm to 61μm were achieved, by using a shear casting technique. Microscopic and spectroscopic techniques as well as mechanical and rheological essays were used to characterize the transparent and flexible films produced. Upon the application of a stimulus (moisture), the bending/unbending response times were measured. The use of NCC allowed obtaining films with response times in the order of 6 seconds for the bending and 5 seconds for the unbending, improving the results previously reported. These promising results open new horizons for building up improved soft steam engines.

Avaliação da monitorização diária da proteína C-Reativa no doente crítico

RESUMO: O objectivo desta Tese de Doutoramento foi estudar o valor da Proteína CReactiva(PCR) como marcador de infecção e sepsis. Por definição, um marcador da infecção não está presente se o doente não está infectado, deve aparecer concomitantemente ou idealmente preceder a instalação da infecção, deve desaparecer com a instituição de terapêutica antimicrobiana adequada e permanecer elevado se a infecção for refractária ao tratamento. Do ponto de vista biológico, a PCR é o protótipo das proteínas de fase aguda, com uma marcada elevação da sua concentração sérica em resposta a diversos estímulos inflamatórios em particular infecções bacterianas. A sua concentração sérica depende apenas da intensidade do estímulo e da velocidade de síntese hepática, não sendo influenciada por nenhum factor ou tratamento a não ser que este tenha influência directa sobre o estímulo desencadeante, o que a torna um marcador de infecção com grande potencial. Nesta Tese comparou-se a PCR com marcadores clássicos de infecção, temperatura e contagem leucocitária, em diversas situações clínicas analisando doentes com infecções documentadas e doentes controlos, sem infecção. Globalmente os resultados dos trabalhos desta Tese mostram que a PCR é um bom marcador de infecção de acordo com a definição previamente apresentada. Em conjunto com a restante avaliação clínica e laboratorial, a monitorização diária da PCR nos doentes sem infecção mostrou ser útil como sentinela da infecção, isto é, apresenta valores baixos nos doentes sem infecção e sobe precocemente nos doentes que desenvolvem uma infecção. Nos doentes com infecção documentada revelou um ser bom marcador de resposta à terapêutica e evolução clínica, diminuindo naqueles que melhoravam e persistindo elevada nos que tinham mau prognóstico, bem assim como identificar diferentes perfis evolutivos. Em suma, a monitorização diária da PCR mostrou utilidade ao longo de todo o internamento na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos, quer na presença quer na ausência de infecção. Deste todo, a monitorização diária da PCR pode a possibilitar uma utilização mais racional e judiciosa da terapêutica antimicrobiana, contribuindo dessa forma para uma diminuição da toxicidade e da pressão antibiótica, menor risco de emergência de resistências e finalmente diminuição dos custos. Uma vez que, os doentes internados nas Unidades de Cuidados Intensivos apresentam as mesmas doenças que os restantes doentes admitidos no hospital apenas se distinguindo pela sua maior gravidade, poder-se-á extrapolar que a PCR também é potencialmente um bom marcador de infecção nestes doentes. ----------------ABSTRACT: The aim of this PhD Thesis was to assess the value of C-Reactive Protein (CRP) as a marker of infection and sepsis. A marker of infection should be absent in a non-infected patient, should increase alongside or ideally precede the development of an infection, and finally should assess the therapeutic response, that is to say decrease or even disappear with adequate antimicrobial therapy or on the opposite remain elevated if the infection is refractory to the prescribed treatment. The biology of CRP makes it the prototype of acute phase proteins, with marked and sharp elevations of its serum concentration in response to several inflammatory stimulus in particular bacterial infections. Besides, CRP level depends only of the intensity of the stimulus and the rate of hepatic synthesis. Its concentration is not modified by any therapy or intervention. Only those interventions affecting the inflammatory process responsible for the acute phase reaction can change the CRP level. These properties make CRP a potentially good marker of infection. In this Thesis the value of CRP was studied in comparison to traditional markers of infection, like temperature and white cell count, in different clinical situations analysing patients with documented infections and a control group without infection. The aggregated results of the analysis presented in this Thesis illustrate that CRP could be used as a marker of infection. In conjunction with other clinical and laboratory manifestations of sepsis, daily CRP measurement in patients without infection was useful in prediction of infection as its concentration remains low in patients without infection whereas if an infection appears its levels raise markedly. In addition, in patients with documented infections CRP was useful as a marker of therapeutic response and follow-up, with marked decreases in patients with good outcome and remaining elevated in those with poor prognosis, as well as the recognition of different patterns of evolution. In summary, daily CRP measurement was helpful in critical ill patients along the entire Intensive Care Unit stay, both in the presence and in the absence of infection. As a result, daily CRP measurement can assure a better and more rational use of antibiotics and consequently contribute to a decrease in the antibiotic toxicity and demand, reducing the risks of emergence of resistant strains aas well as costs. Provided that patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit presented the same clinical diagnosis as those admitted to the wards but with higher severity, one can speculate that CRP is also a potentially good marker of infection in these of patients.

Da responsabilidade civil por abandono afetivo

This study, in the Family Law area, aims to examine the civil liability for emotional distance from a multidisciplinary perspective. The work and reflection made thereunder tend to corroborate the cognizance that self-representation, sociability and the ability of future adults to define their life’s projects, depend, to a large extent, on the emotional stability and maturity that has been assured to them, as children, by the material and emotional care that has been provided to them by both parents. It is therefore crucial to tend to the feelings of loss and to the potential lack of self-esteem that the affective rupture with either parents may cause. Thus, we promote an analysis of the sustainability, under Portuguese law, of the imposition of compensatory measures, independent from other injunctions foreseen in civil and guardianship law, upon the dissolution of family ties in result of a guilty injury of parental obligations, which have caused serious and evident injuries to the children.

A mediated moderation study to explain the negative relationship between job insecurity and employee supportive voice

Double degree

Corporate social responsibility

There is general consensus nowadays that CSR is not just altruistic do-gooding but rather a way for both companies and society to prosper. Companies themselves increasingly recognize that their sustainability depends on their willingness to assume responsibility for social and environmental issues. Academic research has, in the past, tried to theorize exactly how CSR improves business, employee satisfaction and productivity. However, few studies have a) separated the different effects of internal CSR and external CSR and b) studied these effects in times of internal organizational distrust. Hence, this paper examines the relationship between each type of CSR with two outcome variables related to employee attitudes: affective organizational commitment (AOC) and turnover intentions (TI). Furthermore, it investigates whether organizational distrust works as a moderator in each of these relationships by testing the hypothesis using a sample of 212 employees from a company that is currently going through a moment of internal crisis. Findings suggest that although all variables are strongly correlated, distrust works as a moderator for external CSR but not for internal CSR. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings conclude the paper.

Ethical consumption (in)decisons

Consumers’ indecisions about the ethical value of their choices are amongst the highest concerns regarding ethical products’ purchasing. This is especially true for Fair Trade certified products where the ethical attribute information provided by the packaging is often unacknowledged by consumers. While well-informed consumers are likely to generate positive consumer reactions to ethical products and increase its ethical consumption, less knowledgeable buyers show different purchasing patterns. In such circumstances, decisions are often driven by socio-cultural beliefs about the low functional performance of ethical or sustainable attributes. For instance, products more congruent with sustainability (e.g., produce) are considered to be simpler but less tasty than less sustainable products. Less sustainable products instead, are considered to be more sophisticated and to provide consumers with more hedonic pleasures (e.g., chocolate mousse). The extent that ethicality is linked with experiences that provide consumers with more pain than pleasure is also manifested in pro-social social behaviors. More specifically through conspicuous self-sacrificial consumption experiences like running for charity in marathons with wide public exposure. The willingness of consumers to engage in such costly initiatives is moderated by gender differences and further, mediated by the chronic productivity orientation of some individuals to use time in a productive manner. Using experimental design studies, I show that consumers (1) use a set of affective and cognitive associations with on-package elements to interpret ethical attributes, (2) implicitly associate ethicality with simplicity, and that (3) men versus women show different preferences in their forms of contribution to pro-social causes.

Microfluidics: a new look at cell migration analysis

This thesis explores the development and employment of microfluidic devices as a tool for studying the effect of the surrounding environment on embryonic stem cells during the migration phenomena. Different single-cell microchips were designed and manufactured to study mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) migration towards an environmental variation (increase of serum concentration in the culture medium) that was expected to function as a motility stimuli. Considering the experimental, cells were injected into the microchips chambers and individually isolated by dedicated cell traps with view to a single-cell analysis. Once fribroblasts were attached to the surface, culture medium with an increased serum level was subsequently injected in an adjacent chamber to promote the formation of a serum concentration gradient. The gradient established between the chambers could be sensed by the fibroblasts and thus triggered the cells mobilization towards and in the direction of the richer serum medium. Additionally, the experiment allowed the observation of MEFs’ structural reorganization when migrating through micro-tunnels containing widths below the cell size, suggesting a cytoskeleton rearrangement on account of the nutritional stimulus introduced. Furthermore, results indicate that fibronectin promotes MEFs adhesion to the substrate and that MEFs migration is characterized as haptotactic.