Cost-Benefit Estimation of Cadaveric Kidney Transplantation, the Case of a Developing Country

In this paper we estimate cost savings for the health-care system and quality of life improvement for patients from an increase in the number of kidney transplants in Chile. To do so, we compare the present value of dialysis and transplantation costs and quality of life in a 20-year horizon. We used Markov models and, in addition, introduce some degree of uncertainty in the value of some of the parameters that build up the model and, using Montecarlo simulations, estimate confidence intervals for our results. Our estimates suggest that an additional kidney transplant has an expected savings value of US$28,000 for the health-care system. If quality of life improvement is also considered, expected savings rise to US$ 102,000. These results imply that, increasing donation rate by one donor per million people would turn into an estimated cost saving of US$827,000 per year, or near US$ 3 million per year if the effect in the quality of life is considered. These results demonstrate that kidney transplants, along with a better quality of life for patients are a cost saving decision in developing countries.Cost-benefit analysis, kidney transplantation, quality adjusted life years, markov models

Monitoring water-soil dynamics and tree survival using soil sensors under a big data approach

ArticleThe high importance of green urban planning to ensure access to green areas requires modern and multi-source decision-support tools. The integration of remote sensing data and sensor developments can contribute to the improvement of decision-making in urban forestry. This study proposes a novel big data-based methodology that combines real-time information from soil sensors and climate data to monitor the establishment of a new urban forest in semi-arid conditions. Water-soil dynamics and their implication in tree survival were analyzed considering the application of di erent treatment restoration techniques oriented to facilitate the recovery of tree and shrub vegetation in the degraded area. The synchronized data-capturing scheme made it possible to evaluate hourly, daily, and seasonal changes in soil-water dynamics. The spatial variation of soil-water dynamics was captured by the sensors and it highly contributed to the explanation of the observed ground measurements on tree survival. The methodology showed how the e ciency of treatments varied depending on species selection and across the experimental design. The use of retainers for improving soil moisture content and adjusting tree-watering needs was, on average, the most successful restoration technique. The results and the applied calibration of the sensor technology highlighted the random behavior of water-soil dynamics despite the small-scale scope of the experiment. The results showed the potential of this methodology to assess watering needs and adjust watering resources to the vegetation status using real-time atmospheric and soil datainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Cloning and expression analysis of an endo‑1,3‑β‑d‑glucosidase from Phytophthora cinnamomi

Phytophthora is considered one of the most destructive genus for many agricultural plant species worldwide, with a strong environmental and economic impact. Phytophthora cinnamomi is a highly aggressive Phytophthora species associated with the forest decline and responsible for the ink disease in chestnut trees (Castanea sativa Miller), a culture which is extremely important in Europe. This pathogenicity occurs due to the action of several enzymes like the hydrolysis of 1,3-β-glucans at specific sites by the enzyme endo-1,3-β-d-glucosidase. The aim of this work to analyze the heterologous expression in two microorganisms, Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris, of an endo-1,3-β-d-glucosidase encoded by the gene ENDO1 (AM259651) from P. cinnamomi. Different plasmids were used to clone the gene on each organism and the real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to determine its level of expression. Homologous expression was also analyzed during growth in different carbon sources (glucose, cellulose, and sawdust) and time-course experiments were used for endo-1,3-β-d-glucosidase production. The highest expression of the endo-1,3-β-d-glucosidase gene occurred in glucose after 8 h of induction. In vivo infection of C. sativa by P. cinnamomi revealed an increase in endo-1,3-β-d-glucosidase expression after 12 h. At 24 h its expression decreased and at 48 h there was again a slight increase in expression, and more experiments in order to further explain this fact are underway.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Affaires illicites: le commerce entre Philadelphie et Lisbonne avant l’indépendance, 1700-1775

Este artigo explora a relação económica entre Lisboa e Filadélfia antes da sua independência do império britânico. Tecnicamente ilegal de acordo com as várias políticas imperiais que a Grã-Bretanha impôs às colónias americanas, Filadélfia construiu e manteve uma robusta parceria comercial com o porto de Lisboa. Usando dados de arquivos tanto em Filadélfia como em Lisboa, argumentamos que esta relação significa uma orientação de Filadélfia à margem das Ilhas Britânicas e a sua importância na economia atlântica.This paper explores the economic relationship between Lisbon and Philadelphia prior to Philadelphia’s independence from the British Empire. Technically illegal according to the various imperial policies that Britain imposed on the American colonies, Philadelphia built and maintained a robust trade partnership with the port of Lisbon. Using data from archives in both Philadelphia and Lisbon, we argue that the relationship signifies Philadelphia’s orientation away from the British Isles and the importance of Philadelphia in the Atlantic economy.Cet article explore les relations économiques entre Lisbonne et Philadelphie avant l’indépendance de Philadelphie de l’Empire britannique. Techniquement illégale selon les différentes politiques impériales imposées par la Grande-Bretagne aux colonies américaines, Philadelphie a établi et maintenu un partenariat commercial solide avec le port de Lisbonne. En utilisant des données provenant d’archives à Philadelphie et à Lisbonne, nous affirmons que cette relation signifie que Philadelphie s’éloigne des îles Britanniques et qu’elle joue un rôle important dans l’économie de l’AtlantiqueFCT -Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia(SFRH/BPD/110798/2015

Entre o discurso e a prática: religião, comércio e negócios em Portugal nos finais da Idade Média

In this text, we will analyze some aspects that concerns to a complex relation and, under certain point of view, characterized for an attempt of adaptation of the activities thatinvolved the occupation of the merchants and the business-oriented men ”“ and of whom, for some reason, they could not play this occupation but still thus they made it ”“, as well as of the economy in general to the norms imposed by a rigid Catholic Church and that it needs to fight definitive practical to keep its coherence before its fidiciary offices. These relations will be of extreme importance for the european economy and, in the case of this text, for the Portuguese economy during the process of the transition from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age.Neste texto, analisaremos alguns aspectos que dizem respeito a uma relação complexa e, sob certo ponto de vista, caracterizada pela tentativa de adaptação das atividadesque envolviam as ocupações dos mercadores e dos homens de negócios ”“ e daqueles que, por alguma razão, não podiam desempenhar esta ocupação mas ainda assim o faziam ”“, assim como da economia em geral às normas impostas por uma Igreja Católica rígida e que necessita combater determinadas práticas para manter a sua coerência perante os seus fiéis. Estas relações serão de extrema importância para a economia européia e, no caso deste texto, para a economia portuguesa no transcorrer do processo de transição da Idade Média para a Idade Moderna

The price of the throne. Public finances in Portugal and Castile and the War of the Castilian Succession (1475–9)

Published online: 26 Dec 2022The reign of Henry IV of Castile ended without a clear heir to thethrone, triggering a military conflict between the candidates,Isabella and Ferdinand–the future Catholic Monarchs–andJoanna and Afonso V of Portugal. Ultimately, what was at stakewas the balance of power not only in the Iberian Peninsula, butin Western Europe more broadly. The conflict transcended themilitaryfield and tested the strength and adaptability of twoprecocious and dynamic statefinancial structures. The aim of thisarticle is to compare the way both publicfinance systems copedwith this conflict and responded to a challenge that was to shapetheir future evolution.The work for this project was supported by the following: FEDER Research project‘Circuitosfinancieros, crecimiento económico y guerra (siglos XV–XVI)’, Junta de Andalucía [grantnumber UMA18-FEDERJA-098]; the research project‘De la lucha de Bandos a la hidalguía uni-versal: transformaciones sociales, políticas e ideológicas en el País Vasco (siglos XIV–XVI)’, Min-istry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain [grant number HAR2017-83980-P]; theresearch project‘La construcción de una culturafiscal en Castilla: poderes, negociación y articu-lación social (ca. 1250–1550)’, Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities of Spain [grantnumber PGC2018-097738-B-100]; and the research project,‘O Marco dos Navios e o seuimpacto no comércio e no sistemafiscal Português durante o Erário Régio (1761–1833), Foun-dation for Science and Technology of Portugal [grant number SFRH/BPD/110798/2015]

O Marco dos Navios e o seu contributo para o comércio e o sistema fiscal durante o Erário Régio (1761-1833): abordagens e desenvolvimentos

Os estudos mais recentes dedicados ao sistema tributário português e às práticas aduaneiras dos séculos XVIII e XIX favoreceram a análise do quadro político-institucional e a observação do fluxo de bens e mercadorias. A medida da tonelagem dos navios, no contexto de uma investigação aduaneira em tempos de paz e da guerra, é um assunto relativamente pouco estudado em Portugal, o que permite a abertura de novas linhas de pesquisa sobre este assunto. Neste ensaio, queremos dar a conhecer e discutir o estado da arte sobre o tema, os desenvolvimentos da avaliação dos impostos cobrados sobre a tonelagem das embarcações que atracavam em Lisboa (conhecido como o “Marco dos Navios”) dentro do sistema fiscal do reino, desde a criação do Erário Régio (1761) até a sua extinção em 1833, revelando algumas características paralelas dos dados contidos nas fontes, sobretudo relacionadas com o comercio, a arqueação das embarcações e as rotas marítimas, esperando ser um aporte para aprofundar o estudo deste período em matéria tanto do sistema de impostos como do transporte de mercadorias, uma novidade dentro da história económica portuguesa.The most recent studies devoted to the Portuguese tax system and its customs’ practices between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries favor ed the analysis of the political-institutional framework and the observation of the commodities’ flow. The tonnage measurement of the vessels, in a context of a customs houses’ analysis in times of peace and war, is a subject relatively little studied, which allows the opening of new lines of research on this subject. In this essay we want to present and discuss the progress of the evaluation of the taxes collected on the vessels’ tonnage of the ships docking in Portugal, specifically in Lisbon (known in Portuguese as the “Marco dos Navios”) within the kingdom’s fiscal system, from the creation of the Royal Treasury until its extinction, revealing some parallel characteristics of the data contained in the sources regarding trade and maritime routes, hoping to be a contribution to deepen the study of this period about both the tax system and shipping, a novelty in Portuguese economic historyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Labor Unions and Equal Pay for Faculty: A Longitudinal Study of Gender Pay Gaps in a Unionized Institutional Context

Previous single university studies of gender equity in faculty salaries conducted at both private and public universities in the U.S. have consistently found significant within-job gender gaps in pay. This study presents data from a less common labor context for faculty: a strongly unionized campus. Using data on all faculty at a large public university 2003-2015, three kinds of multivariate analyses are conducted: OLS multivariate regressions that include controls for race, field, and rank; Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition models to identify the explained and unexplained portions of the gender gap; and innovative longitudinal models for wage growth trajectories to examine the change in pay gaps over time. Significant initial gender pay gaps are erased overtime for faculty who remain in the university. In contrast to other recent salary equity studies, no within-job pay gaps for men and women faculty are found after controlling for rank and college. Yet an overall university-wide pay gap exists due to considerable underrepresentation of women in fields and ranks with the highest pay. We conclude that union-backed policies which address individual level inequities have been successful at reducing some inequities in pay, but the implementation of policies and programs that address broader gender inequities are still needed

Estudos hidrológicos para capacidade de reservatórios

In this work, a survey was made an hidrological studies dealing with capacity estimates of reservoirs. A classification of methodologies was used by dividing the subject into three groups: empirical, experimental and analitical. Techniques pertening to each group were selected, being studied, analysed and applied to specific cases with different regulating values (considered as percentages of the means), which are the following: a) Low flow techniques and sequent peak algorithms (empirical methodologies); b)Sequent peak algorithms applied to series generated and adjusted to theorical distribution frequencies of the Pearson family (experimental methodology); and, c)Dam theory (Moran) and deficit analysis (analitical methodologies). The applications were made for the river basins of São Francisco and Iguaçu located at Três Marias and Salto Osorio, respectively. The results of each technique is presented and discussed.No presente trabalho, se realizou uma revisão bibliográfica dos estudos hidrológicos para a estimativa da capacidade de reservatórios. Utilizou-se uma classificação das metodologias divididas em três grupos: empíricas, experimentais e analíticas. Foram selecionadas técnicas pertencentes a cada grupo as quais foram estudadas, analisadas e aplicadas para casos específicos com diferentes níveis de regularização (consideradas como porcentagens das médias), quais sejam: a) Técnica dos fluxos baixos e algoritmo de picos sequências (metodologias empíricas); b) Algoritmo de picos sequências aplicado a séries e ajustadas a distribuição de frequências teóricas da família Pearson (metodologia experimental); e, c) Técnica de Moran e análise do deficit (metodologias analíticas). As aplicações foram realizadas para as bacias dos rios são Francisco e Iguaçu nos postos Três Maria e Salto Osório respectivamente. Os resultados de cada técnica são apresentados e discutidos