Fabio Andrade Pontes, Emanuel Negrão Macêdo, Clauderino da Silva Batista, João Alves de Lima and João Nazareno Nonato Quaresma
The purpose of this study is to show the procedure, application and main features of the hybrid numerical-analytical approach known as generalized integral transform technique by…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to show the procedure, application and main features of the hybrid numerical-analytical approach known as generalized integral transform technique by using it to study magnetohydrodynamic flow of electrically conductive Newtonian fluids inside flat parallel-plate channels subjected to a uniform and constant external magnetic field.
Design/methodology/approach
The mathematical formulation of the analyzed problem is given in terms of a streamfunction, obtained from the Navier–Stokes and energy equations, by considering steady state laminar and incompressible flow and constant physical properties.
Findings
Convergence analyses are performed and presented to illustrate the consistency of the integral transformation technique. The results for the velocity and temperature fields are generated and compared with those in the literature as a function of the main governing parameters.
Originality/value
A detailed analysis of the parametric sensibility of the main dimensionless parameters, such as the Reynolds number, Hartmann number, Eckert number, Prandtl number and electrical parameter, for some typical situations is performed.
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Claudio Tavares de Alencar, João Rocha Lima and Eliane Monetti
The purpose of this paper is to simulate possoble scenarios of São Paulo’s office market recovering. In 2006, a previous paper that dealt with the same issue was published which…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to simulate possoble scenarios of São Paulo’s office market recovering. In 2006, a previous paper that dealt with the same issue was published which the authors propose to analyse here. After eight years, the São Paulo office market is starting a new phase within its cycle. Then, the first part of this paper, as in Rocha-Lima and Alencar (2006), describes the economic scenario in which investment decisions are made for developing office buildings in the Brazilian market. Afterward, the authors simulated both the necessary period of time for investments in the São Paulo office market to recover attractiveness and time for the increase in the occupation rate to absorb the current vacant spaces.
Design/methodology/approach
These simulations were carried out using simple linear regressions models using the Brazilian gross domestic product (GDP) as explanatory variable to prices and vacancy rates dependent ones.
Findings
The authors have found that the vacant space can be fully re-occupied in the beginning of 2021 or mid of 2022, according to the GDP growth rate, and, from this moment on, the demand for new spaces may grow, and, moreover around 2019, investments may become attractive again in this market.
Originality/value
This paper offers an alternative approach for estimating office building scenarios, especially when the database of the market is scarce. It also permits to evaluate an investment strategy for emerging markets within next years, particularly in São Paulo, Brazil.
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Rita Melo, João Lima, Ana Lúcia Baltazar, Ezequiel Pinto and Sónia Fialho
The purpose is to analyse the nutritional adequacy and carbon footprint of intermediated meals provided to preschool children and primary-level students in a Portuguese…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose is to analyse the nutritional adequacy and carbon footprint of intermediated meals provided to preschool children and primary-level students in a Portuguese municipality.
Design/methodology/approach
An observational cross-sectional study was conducted with a convenience sampling consisting of school snacks from a Portuguese municipality. The nutritional assessment used food labels and a Portuguese food composition table. The literature review for carbon footprint assessment was conducted by searching for the products under analysis or similar ones.
Findings
The results showed that 80% of snacks have a higher energy value than recommended. The majority of options are below recommendations for protein and fat and above recommendations for carbohydrates. The intermediated meals with more dairy products in composition have the highest carbon footprint. The carbon footprint included the packaging of the products, and it wasn't possible to determine the influence of non-food products.
Research limitations/implications
This study has limitations in the fact that we do not know the carbon footprint of Portuguese products and we had to compare them with others, from different countries, with possibly different types of production.
Practical implications
Intermediate meals are inadequate, and the carbon footprint is higher when the intermediated meals include products of animal origin – the reason why the composition of intermediated meals should be redesigned considering the achievement of these targets.
Social implications
The promotion of intermediated meals that promote the Mediterranean eating pattern contributes to health and well-being and is a vehicle for nutrition education and healthy food consumption in schools.
Originality/value
Many studies have been conducted to analyse the carbon footprint and environmental impact of school meals, but commonly lunch is the meal evaluated and the assessment of intermediated meals' impact is an open field.
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Cláudia Viegas, João Lima, Cláudia Afonso, András Jozsef Toth, Csaba Bálint Illés, András Bittsánszky, Zvonimir Šatalić, Sanja Vidaček Filipec, Valeria Fabijanic, Samuel Duran, Jairo Alonso Torres, Monica Spinelli, Andrea Matias, Ana Maria Souza Pinto and Ada Rocha
The aim of this study is to identify and characterize kids' menu offer in fast-food and traditional restaurants located in shopping centres in five different countries.
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this study is to identify and characterize kids' menu offer in fast-food and traditional restaurants located in shopping centres in five different countries.
Design/methodology/approach
An observational cross-sectional study is carried out, though a study was performed in all restaurants located in shopping centres from main cities, in five countries: Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Hungary and Portugal. A tool for assessing the quality of menus is used for the analysis (Kids Menu Healthy Score (KIMEHS)). Menu prices between countries were compared.
Findings
A total of 192 kids' menus were collected, 44 in Portugal, 57 in Brazil, 66 in Chile, 15 in Hungary and 10 in Croatia. All the countries have average negative KIMEHS values for the menus, indicating that the offer is generally poor in terms of healthy options. The cost of children's menus in European countries is generally low. In Brazil, the price is significantly more expensive, which may limit the accessibility by social economically deprived populations. No significant differences were found in the average cost of meals from different restaurants typology. Traditional/Western restaurants present the highest price.
Practical implications
Globally, kids' menus are composed by unhealthy food items, pointing to the need of improvements in food availability, aiming to promote healthy food habits among children.
Originality/value
This study presents innovative data on children's menus, allowing for characterization of meals offered to children and comparison between different countries.
Key points
Kids’ menus are composed by unhealthy food items.
Improvement of kids' menus quality will promote children food habits.
Healthier out-of-home food consumption will contribute to public health.
Kids’ menus are composed by unhealthy food items.
Improvement of kids' menus quality will promote children food habits.
Healthier out-of-home food consumption will contribute to public health.
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Ana Cristina Ferrão, Raquel P.F. Guiné, Paula Correia, Manuela Ferreira, Ana Paula Cardoso, João Duarte and João Lima
A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic…
Abstract
Purpose
A healthy diet has been recognized as one of the most important factors associated with maintaining human health and helping in preventing the development of some chronic diseases. Therefore, this paper aims to study the perceptions of a sample of university people regarding a healthy diet.
Design/methodology/approach
It was undertaken a descriptive cross-sectional study on a non-probabilistic sample of 382 participants. The data were collected among a sample of Portuguese university people and measured whether people’s perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet.
Findings
The results revealed that the participants’ perceptions were, in general, compliant with a healthy diet (scores between 0.5 and 1.5, on a scale from −2 to +2). However, significant differences were found between age groups (p = 0.004), with a higher average score for young adults, and also between groups with different levels of education (p = 0.025), with a higher score for university degree. The variable chronic diseases also showed significant differences (p = 0.017), so that people who did not have any chronic diseases obtained a higher score.
Originality/value
This study is considered important because it provides evidences about the relation between nutrition knowledge and the perceptions towards a healthy diet. The study allowed concluding that the participants were aware about some nutritional aspects of their diets and, therefore, their perceptions were compliant with a healthy diet. This finding is very relevant because it could be a support for health policy initiatives directed at promoting healthy eating behaviours.
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João Pedro Marques Lima, Sofia A. Costa and Ada Rocha
Excessive high caloric and nutritional intake has been associated with weight gain which is linked to an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and…
Abstract
Purpose
Excessive high caloric and nutritional intake has been associated with weight gain which is linked to an increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and several types of cancers. The purpose of this paper is to characterize the nutritional intake pattern of the population in terms of energy, macro and micronutrients.
Design/methodology/approach
There were assessed 513 workers of the University of Porto (UP) randomly selected. The Food Processor Plus was used to convert foods into nutrients and, to assess nutritional intake adequacy. Data were compared to Dietary Reference Intakes and with recommended ranges by the World Health Organization.
Findings
The intake of most individuals was above recommendations for protein, carbohydrates and sodium. The average of energy intake observed in UP employees was lower than data available for Portuguese general population. The protein, carbohydrates, total fat and water intake, cholesterol, saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated fatty acids and sodium intake were found to be significantly higher for men. Significant differences were found for vitamin D and calcium between age ranges; Carbohydrates, sugar, monounsaturated fatty acids, cholesterol, water and vitamin K was significantly different between teachers and non-teachers.
Originality/value
According to nutritional intake analysis, food consumption of this population was unbalanced, attending to high protein, carbohydrates and sodium intake.
Details
Keywords
Maria João Reis Lima, Luisa Fontes, Hamdi Bahri, Ana C.A. Veloso, Edite Teixeira-Lemos and António M. Peres
This study aims to determine the physicochemical and fatty acids composition of Serra da Estrela cheese (SEC), as well as health-related lipid indices, like the atherogenic and…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to determine the physicochemical and fatty acids composition of Serra da Estrela cheese (SEC), as well as health-related lipid indices, like the atherogenic and thrombogenic indices, and to evaluate the influence of producer, geographical origin and production date.
Design/methodology/approach
All 24 SEC produced between November 2017 and March 2018 were collected at selected certified producers and analyzed by NIR spectrophotometer and by GC. Data were statistically evaluated by chemometric tools.
Findings
In all evaluated SEC, 23 fatty acids were quantified. Cheese origin influenced nutritional and health-related lipid indices). The cheeses were characterized by a relative high abundance of saturated fatty acids (67-76%), followed by a medium content of monounsaturated fatty acids (17-25%) and by low level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (5-7%). A putative positive association between cheese consumption and healthy lipid indices could be reached.
Practical implications
The contents of some medium and long chain fatty acids as well as of nutritional and health indices were influenced by cheese producer, geographical origin and production date pointing out the need for standardizing production procedures.
Social implications
The SEC plays a key role in the local economy, being an endogenous product with unique sensory characteristics and nutritional potential, for which the knowledge of the lipids profile and health indices is of utmost relevance.
Originality/value
SEC is an iconic Portuguese cheese with Protected Designation of Origin. Based on the results, like health-related lipid indices, evaluated for the first time, a positive association between cheese consumption and healthy lipid indices could be envisaged.
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José Carlos Pereira de Morais, Nelson Castro Neves, Luís Abranches Soveral and João Lima
There is a growing urgent concern in involving higher education institutions (HEIs) towards an international effort in implementing a more suitable role as conductors of…
Abstract
Purpose
There is a growing urgent concern in involving higher education institutions (HEIs) towards an international effort in implementing a more suitable role as conductors of sustainable development. This paper/study aims to present the application of light emiting diode (LED) technology in an HEI assuming technology innovation as part of a larger institutional innovation management strategy addressing multiple dimensions in sustainability.
Design/methodology/approach
Investments in LED technology are analyzed for their impact on consumption results and quantitative comparisons between 2008 and 2022 are impaired with detailed information on the types of luminaires and the amount of installed energy.
Findings
The collected data shows a clear economic advantage of using LED technology, and the results subsidize institutional planning, considering not only ongoing technological innovation, but also educational components and community involvement in the organization sustainability strategy.
Research limitations/implications
The study is limited to a specific HEI and further comparative research should be carried out.
Practical implications
A holistic approach on sustainability objectives encourages further investment in environmental-friendly technology, example to other HEIs.
Social implications
The strategic vision of innovation is confirmed with the involvement of the community, at various levels, such as the academic community, local community, scientific international community.
Originality/value
This study addresses the lack of examples in the literature of structural planning and management systems that see sustainability as a strategy built in HEIs. The elaboration of an environmental sustainability plan places environmental sustainability at the confluence of themes such as education, investigation, use of natural resources, waste separation. For each topic are listed measures, actions, environment improvements, institution improvements and their results.
Details
Keywords
João Lima, Sofia Costa and Ada Rocha
Food consumed at work can be brought from home or taken in private or university restaurants. Knowing the contribution of food consumption in the workplace allows for the…
Abstract
Purpose
Food consumed at work can be brought from home or taken in private or university restaurants. Knowing the contribution of food consumption in the workplace allows for the identification of bad practices to modulate food availability in the work environment and raise consumer awareness for a more balanced food intake. This paper aims to characterize food consumption and to determine the contribution of food consumption at the workplace to daily food intake of employees of the University of Porto (UP).
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The project was approved by Ethical Commission of the UP. The principles of Helsínquia Declaration were respected and the workers under examine accept to participate in the study, through an inform consent. Data were obtained through the application of a self-administrated questionnaire and through the application of a questionnaire including a 24 h recall. There were assessed 513 individuals randomly selected, and the majority of them were women.
Findings
In total, 92.8 per cent of them preferred to have meals at the workplace that contributed to about 39.6 per cent of the daily energy intake. Reported food consumption at the workplace contributed about 42.6 per cent of carbohydrates, 39.4 per cent of total fat and 36.8 per cent of proteins for daily intake. A low intake of water (39.2 per cent of whole ingestion) and a huge amount and contribution of the workplace (48.4 per cent) to daily sugar intake was observed. Higher nutritional intake was observed for women (p < 0.05). The energy contribution of meals at the workplace is in accordance with recommendations, except for breakfast, that is below.
Originality/value
This work allows to characterize food habits of university employees at the workplace and the identification of the contribution of meals eaten at the workplace for daily energy and nutritional intake. These data allow to modulate food availability in the work environment and raise consumer awareness for a more balanced food intake.
Details
Keywords
João Da Rocha Lima Júnior and Claudio Tavares De Alencar
The office market in São Paulo has been in recession since the year 2000. This situation came up due to two main factors: [i] the very aggressive attitude of developers during…
Abstract
The office market in São Paulo has been in recession since the year 2000. This situation came up due to two main factors: [i] the very aggressive attitude of developers during the period that comprises the year 1999 until 2000. At that time there was a very strong perception among investors that a new expansion era for new office buildings in São Paulo was about to begin and, moreover the Brazilian economy had started its recovery; [ii] The intense retraction of the Brazilian economy along with the political transition in 2002, which was mainly caused by the deterioration of the expectations in relation to the economic policies that would be performed by the new government.The recovery of the economic activity in the office building market firstly depends on the macroeconomic growth in Brazil and within the São Paulo metropolitan area. On the other hand, the expansion of the activity in the office buildings sector relies not only on the developers’ expectations of how and when the current vacant units will be rented, but also on the potential risk‐return composition of new buildings to be developed in the next years. This paper describes the economic scenario in which investment decisions to build new office buildings for rent in our local market are made and we also simulated both the necessary period of time for investments in the São Paulo office market to recover attractiveness and the time interval for the increase in the occupation rate absorb the actual vacant spaces. These simulations have taken place based on projections for the Brazilian GNP increase and they showed that for an annual increment of 4.5%, in 3 years could be reached both, attractiveness for new investment and occupation of vacant areas. For a 2.0% annual growth, the absorption of vacant spaces will take 4 years from now and new investment would be attractive only in 2012. Besides, we discuss the market prices fluctuations on the inflexion point where the transition from one phase of the real estate cycle (recession‐non attractiveness) to another (recovery‐attractiveness) occurs.