Abstract
Technological developments are presenting new ways for companies to organize their businesses and offer new products, services, and experiences to their customers. The Metaverse allows the participation and interaction of individuals in immersive experiences that merge virtual and real worlds. The adoption of metaverse platforms by companies worldwide is growing steadily, with the potential to change business in various industries, including tourism. However, the literature on the Metaverse applied to tourism is very scarce. This chapter addresses this gap by exploring a case study of the implementation of a Metaverse strategy by a Portuguese wine brand, Sandeman, as part of their wine tourism experience offerings. The case study is built on secondary data, observation, and interviews with tourists. © 2025, IGI Global Scientific Publishing. All rights reserved.

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The specialization of Health Human Resources (HHR) is increasingly recognized as essential for addressing evolving healthcare demands. This paper presents a comprehensive policy framework for assisting with the implementation of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) roles at the national or regional level, integrating key dimensions including barriers and enablers, regulation and governance, education and training requirements, career development, workforce planning, and economic analysis. The framework was applied to the implementation of CNS roles in Portugal, resulting in the issuance of a decree-law by the government. Our findings demonstrate that the economic analysis step was critical in addressing concerns from government authorities and health system funders regarding the potential budgetary impact of CNS implementation. By providing evidence-based projections of costs and benefits, the economic analysis facilitated smoother negotiations and consensus-building among stakeholders, including nursing unions. Furthermore, the integration of workforce planning ensured the alignment of educational capacity with workforce needs, thus avoiding potential implementation bottlenecks. The application of the framework also revealed important feedback relationships between its dimensions, highlighting the interdependent nature of the implementation process. This dynamic approach, which adapts to real-time feedback and stakeholder input, underscores the necessity of a holistic and iterative strategy for successful CNS role integration. The insights gained from the Portuguese case underscore the utility of this policy framework in guiding the implementation of advanced nursing roles in diverse healthcare contexts.

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Radon (Rn-222) is a unique atmospheric tracer, since it is an inert gaseous radionuclide with a predominantly terrestrial source and a short half-life (3.8232 (8) d), enabling quantification of the relative degree of recent (< 21 d) terrestrial influences on marine air masses. High quality measurements of atmospheric radon activity concentration in remote oceanic locations enable the most accurate identification of baseline conditions. Observations of GHGs under baseline conditions, representative of hemispheric background values, are essential to characterise long-term changes in hemispheric-mean GHG concentrations, differentiate between natural and anthropogenic GHG sources, and improve understanding of the global carbon budget.The EU-funded project NuClim (Nuclear observations to improve Climate research and GHG emission estimates) will establish world-leading high-quality atmospheric measurements of radon activity concentration and of selected GHG concentrations (CO2, and CH4) at a remote oceanic location, the Eastern North Atlantic (ENA) facility, managed by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) programme (Office of Science from the U.S. Department of Energy), located on Graciosa Island (Azores archipelago), near the middle of the north Atlantic Ocean. These observations will provide an accurate, time-varying atmospheric baseline reference for European greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, enabling a clearer distinction between anthropogenic emissions and slowly changing background levels. NuClim will also enhance measurement of atmospheric radon activity concentration at the Mace Head Station, allowing the identification of latitudinal gradients in baseline atmospheric composition, and supporting the evaluation of the performance of GHG mitigation measures for countries in the northern hemisphere.The high-quality nuclear and GHG observations from NuClim, and the resulting classification of terrestrial influences on marine air masses, will assist diverse climate and environmental studies, including the study of pollution events, characterisation of marine boundary layer clouds and aerosols, and exploration of the impact of natural planktonic communities on GHG emissions. This poster presents an overview of NuClim, outlines the project objectives and methodologies, and summarises the relevant data products that will be made available to the climate community.Project NuClim received funding from the EURATOM research and training program 2023-2025 under Grant Agreement No 101166515.

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This study investigates the use of 9-ending pricing strategies in e-commerce by analyzing over 50,000 shoe prices. Using web scraping and a logit model from a German online retailer, the research assesses how product attributes influence the adoption of 9-ending prices. Key findings reveal that 9-ending prices are predominantly used for female and newly introduced products, as well as for items with lower and standard prices. The study also explores the effects of exclusivity and sustainability on pricing strategies, showing that their impact varies with different 9-ending price categories. Overall, this research demonstrates the complex nature of 9-ending pricing strategies, with the 9-zero removal model supporting all hypotheses, whereas the 99c and 95c models show differential effects. This extends our understanding of pricing tactics in online retail and highlights the significance of product attributes for marketing and sales strategies.

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Background Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of mortality worldwide, necessitating more refined strategies for risk assessment. Recently, lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] has gained attention for its distinctive role in atherosclerosis, yet its prevalence and impact for cardiovascular risk assessment are not well-documented in the Portuguese population. This study aimed to characterize Lp(a) levels in a real-world Portuguese cohort, investigating its prevalence and association with CVD risk. Methods Retrospective and cross-sectional study of adults who underwent serum Lp(a) analysis in a Portuguese hospital between August 2018 and June 2022. Demographic and anthropometric data, laboratory values, relevant comorbidities and lipid-lowering medication were collected. Results Of 1134 participants, 28.7% had elevated Lp(a) levels (> 125 nmol/L). A higher prevalence was observed in those with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) (45.9%) or a family history of premature CVD (41.9%). Additionally, a significant association was found between elevated Lp(a) levels and traditional CVD risk factors, including hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes mellitus. Among those classified as having low-to-moderate CVD risk by (Systematic COronary Risk Evaluation 2) SCORE2, 55.7% exhibited high Lp(a) levels (> 75 nmol/L), suggesting a potential higher risk of CVD disease. Conclusions The prevalence of elevated Lp(a) in Portugal, notably among those with ASCVD or premature CVD history, is concerning. This study underscores the potential of Lp(a) assessment for a more comprehensive approach to cardiovascular risk assessment. This could improve the stratification of CVD risk and identify individuals who could benefit from early intensive management of their risk factors, ultimately reducing the burden of CVD and cardiovascular-related mortality.