Balance sheet analysis of credit and debt networks

In this paper, we present a computing procedure to analyze a network of credit and debt among agents (nodes) from a standpoint of balance sheet dependencies. The aim is to develop a method to assess thoroughly the sensitivity of the network to potential individual insolvencies. For this purpose, given a state of the network, the insolvency of an agent is assumed and the cascade of provoked insolvencies is simulated. Exploring the matrix definition of the network, this is made systematically for all agents. Therefore, in only one run of the procedure, all the possible trajectories of insolvencies, each beginning in a different agent, are calculated. This allows spotting at a glance which agents are "systemically riskier". Determination of adequate capital levels can be made on a case basis by running the procedure repeatedly. This work contributes with two new aspects to the existing literature. First, given a known situation of a credit and debt network, a computing procedure is presented that allows to assess the network sensitivity to the exogenous insolvency of any of its nodes. Second, continued monitoring of a credit and debt network is computationally feasible. This "proof of concept" software can be extended into a tool useful for research and regulation, if the relevant information is made available.The work of Paulo Garrido was financially supported by FCT, Fundacao Portuguesa para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia, through the Program PEst, Strategic Program of the Algoritmi Research Center, Project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-022674. The work of Pedro Campos was financially supported by Sibila and Smartgrids research projects (NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000056/59), financed by North Portugal Regional Operational Programme (ON.2 O Novo Norte), under the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), through the Development Fund (ERDF), and by national funds, through Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

SENSE-SEAT: reimagining ergonomics for a creativity support workstation

We present an approach for improving creativity at the work place based on reimagining office furniture and bringing sub tle technological elements to persuade office workers towards more healthy, creative workstyles. SENSE-SEAT aims to shed light on how we can better design interactive furniture for the workplace.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Provenance does matter: links between winter trophic segregation and the migratory origins of European robins

Amongst migratory species, it is common to find individuals from different populations or geographical origins sharing staging or wintering areas. Given their differing life histories, ecological theory would predict that the different groups of individuals should exhibit some level of niche segregation. This has rarely been investigated because of the difficulty in assigning migrating individuals to breeding areas. Here, we start by documenting a broad geographical gradient of hydrogen isotopes (δ2H) in robin Erithacus rubecula feathers across Europe. We then use δ2H, as well as wing-tip shape, as surrogates for broad migratory origin of birds wintering in Iberia, to investigate the ecological segregation of populations. Wintering robins of different sexes, ages and body sizes are known to segregate between habitats in Iberia. This has been attributed to the despotic exclusion of inferior competitors from the best patches by dominant individuals. We find no segregation between habitats in relation to δ2H in feathers, or to wing-tip shape, which suggests that no major asymmetries in competitive ability exist between migrant robins of different origins. Trophic level (inferred from nitrogen isotopes in blood) correlated both with δ2H in feathers and with wing-tip shape, showing that individuals from different geographic origins display a degree of ecological segregation in shared winter quarters. Isotopic mixing models indicate that wintering birds originating from more northerly populations consume more invertebrates. Our multi-scale study suggests that trophic-niche segregation may result from specializations (arising in the population-specific breeding areas) that are transported by the migrants into the shared wintering grounds

Effect of intraoperative HES 6% 130/0.4 on the need for blood transfusion after major oncologic surgery: a propensity-matched analysis

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of the intraoperative use of hydroxyethyl starch on the need for blood products in the perioperative period of oncologic surgery. The secondary end-points included the need for other blood products, the clotting profile, the intensive care unit mortality and length of stay. METHODS: Retrospective observational analysis in a tertiary oncologic ICU in Brazil including 894 patients submitted to oncologic surgery for a two-year period from September 2007. Patients were grouped according to whether hydroxyethyl starch was used during surgery (hydroxyethyl starch and No-hydroxyethyl starch groups) and compared using a propensity score analysis. A total of 385 propensity-matched patients remained in the analysis (97 in the No-hydroxyethyl starch group and 288 in the hydroxyethyl starch group). RESULTS: A higher percentage of patients in the hydroxyethyl starch group required red blood cell transfusion during surgery (26% vs. 14%; p = 0.016) and in the first 24 hours after surgery (5% vs. 0%; p = 0.015) but not in the 24- to 48-hour period after the procedure. There was no difference regarding the transfusion of other blood products, intensive care unit mortality or length of stay. CONCLUSION: Hydroxyethyl starch use in the intraoperative period of major oncologic surgery is associated with an increase in red blood cell transfusions. There are no differences in the need for other blood products, intensive care unit length of stay or mortality

Effects of reallocating fishing effort from trawling to creels in a Norway lobster fishery

The consequences of reallocating fishing effort from trawling to creels in an area off the West coast of Portugal for the operation of the trawl fleet, as well as on the population dynamics and the global catch value for a high valued species, the Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) are evaluated. The results suggest that only small portions of the area of interest are used by the trawl fleet, opening the possibility for a trawl ban without major disruption of the trawling activity. Economic benefits are expected, since predictions two scenarios tested, heavy and moderate exploitation, indicate no loss of catch value with much lower operational costs. Social benefits to local communities can also be expected since a much lower investment is needed for creel fishing, making this fishery attractive to small local companies already operating in the region. The proposed ban is consistent with the ecosystem approach to fisheries management and the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) where the transition towards more responsible fishing practices is encouraged.H2020 RIA Project [634495-MINOUW

Translation and validation of Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale

Introduction: The evaluation of patients with hyperhidrosis (HH) can be accomplished, among other ways, through questionnaires and scales. The Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale (HDSS) has been used as a simple and quick tool to perform this evaluation. Although HDSS has been well established in several languages, it has not been translated into Portuguese, restricting its specific use for Brazilian patients. The aim of this study was to translate HDSS into Portuguese and validate it in a sample of Brazilian subjects. Method: 290 Brazilian patients (69% women, with a mean age of 28.7±9.6 years and BMI 22.4±3.9 kg/m2) diagnosed with HH were evaluated using HDSS, Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ) and Sweating Evolution Questionnaire (SEQ) before and after a five-week oxybutynin treatment. Regarding validation, an association between HDSS results and two other questionnaires was performed. To analyze HDSS sensitivity, evaluation of effects pre- and post-treatment with oxybutynin was conducted. Furthermore, HDSS reproducibility was analyzed in a subsample in which the scale was applied again after 7 days of the first follow-up appointment. Results: There was statistical correlation between HDSS and QLQ and between HDSS and SEQ before treatment and after 5 weeks. Additionally, HDSS was reproducible and sensitive to clinical changes after the treatment period. Conclusion: The Portuguese version of HDSS has been validated and shown to be reproducible in a Brazilian sample. Therefore it can be used as a tool to improve medical assistance in patients with HH

Localization and navigation of an omnidirectional mobile robot: the robot@factory case study

The Robot@Factory competition was recently included in Robotica, the main Portuguese Robotics Competition. This robot competition takes place in an emulated factory plant, where Automatic Guided Vehicles (AGVs) must cooperate to perform tasks. To accomplish their goals, the AGVs must deal with localization, navigation, scheduling and cooperation problems that must be solved autonomously. This robot competition can play an important role in education due to its inherent multidisciplinary approach, which can motivate students to bridge different technological areas. It can also play an important role in research and development, because it is expected that its outcomes will later be transferred to real-world problems in manufacturing or service robots. By presenting a scaled-down factory shop floor, this competition creates a benchmark that can be used to compare different approaches to the challenges that arise in this kind of environments. The ability to alter the environment, in some restricted areas, can usually promote the test and evaluation of different localization mechanisms, which is not possible in other competitions. This paper presents one of the possible approaches to build a robot capable of entering this competition. It can be used as a reference to current and new teams.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Expanding the material possibilities of lightweight prefabrication in concrete through robotic hot-wire cutting - form, texture and composition

In the past years, digital fabrication technologies have enabled renewed explorations into traditional materials, with innovative results. This paper focuses on concrete and on the potentials of a specific technology: robotic hot-wire cutting for the production of expanded polystyrene (EPS) formwork. Academia and industry have explored this process recently but the number of works built with this technology is reduced and the general concrete prefabrication industry has been slow to adopt it. In this context, this paper analyzes the use of EPS in the production of concrete formwork by reviewing its application in contemporary examples. In order to develop a clear assessment of the possibilities of expanding prefabrication in concrete using robotic hot-wire cutting, this paper also documents a set of practical experiments developed in the laboratory, addressing three material challenges: form; texture and composition. This research involved the design, formwork production and casting of concrete elements to explore the limits and characterize the process of robotic hot-wire fabrication in the context of concrete prefabrication. By recognizing the different approaches present in contemporary examples and in the explored practical experiments, we point out the advantages and limitations of using hot-wire cutting, and develop the reasons behind its limited application in practice

Sustained Benefit Lasting One Year from T4 Instead of T3-T4 Sympathectomy for Isolated Axillary Hyperhidrosis

INTRODUCTION: Level T4 video-assisted thoracoscopic sympathectomy proved superior to T3-T4 treatment for controlling axillary hyperhidrosis at the initial and six-month follow-ups of these patients. OBJECTIVE: To compare the results of two levels of sympathectomy (T3-T4 vs. T4) for treating axillary sudoresis over one year of follow-up. METHODS: Sixty-four patients with axillary hyperhidrosis were randomized to denervation of T3-T4 or T4 alone and followed prospectively. All patients were examined preoperatively and were followed postoperatively for one year. Axillary hyperhidrosis treatment was evaluated, along with the presence, location, and severity of compensatory hyperhidrosis and self-reported quality of life. RESULTS: According to patient reports after one year, all cases of axillary hyperhidrosis were successfully treated by surgery. There were no instances of treatment failure. After six months, compensatory hyperhidrosis was present in 27 patients of the T3-T4 group (87.1%) and in 16 patients of the T4 group (48.5%). After one year, all T3-T4 patients experienced some degree of compensatory hyperhidrosis, compared to only 14 patients in the T4 group (42.4%). In addition, compensatory hyperhidrosis was less severe in the T4 patients (p < 0.01). Quality of life was poor before surgery, and it improved in both groups at six months and one year of follow-up (p = 0.002). There were no cases of mortality, no significant postoperative complications, and no need for conversion to thoracotomy in either group. CONCLUSION: Both techniques were effective for treating axillary hyperhidrosis, but the T4 group showed milder compensatory hyperhidrosis and greater patient satisfaction at the one-year follow-up