Explaining local manufacturing growth in Chile : the advantages of sectoral diversity

This paper investigates whether the agglomeration of economic activity in regional clusters affects long-run manufacturing total factor productivity growth in an emerging market context. It explores a large firm-level panel dataset for Chile during a period characterized by high growth rates and rising regional income inequality (1992-2004). The findings are clear-cut. Locations with greater concentration of a particular sector did not experience faster growth in total factor productivity during this period. Rather, local sector diversity was associated with higher long-run growth in total factor productivity. However, there is no evidence that the diversity effect was driven by the local interaction with a set of suppliers and/or clients. The authors interpret this as evidence that agglomeration economies are driven by other factors, such as the sharing of access to specialized inputs not provided solely by a single sector, such as skills or financing.Labor Policies,Economic Theory&Research,Economic Growth,Political Economy,Achieving Shared Growth

Openness and technological innovations in developing countries : evidence from firm-level surveys

The authors analyze the role of international technological diffusion for firm-level technological innovations in several developing countries. Their findings show that, after controlling for firm, industry, and country characteristics, exporting and importing activities are important channels for the diffusion of technology. They also find evidence that the majority of foreign-owned firms are significantly less likely to engage in technological innovations than minority foreign-owned firms or domestic-owned firms. The authors interpret this finding as evidence that the technology transferred from multinational parents to majority-owned subsidiaries is more mature than that transferred to minority-owned subsidiaries. This finding supports the idea that equity joint ventures maximize technology transfers to local firms.Technology Industry,ICT Policy and Strategies,Education for Development (superceded),Innovation,Foreign Direct Investment

Study of the Long Non-Coding RNA C/EBPβ-AS in Cutaneous Melanoma

Cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) is the ninth most common cancer type in more developed regions. Despite comprehending less than 5% of all skin cancer cases, CMM stands as the most lethal skin neoplasm, with a detectable increase in incidence throughout recent decades. While the B-rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (BRAF) inhibitor vemurafenib appears to be effective in ~80% of CMM patients carrying the BRAFV600E mutation, the vast majority of patients becomes resistant to treatment. Given that, it is imperative to seek new therapeutic strategies. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are a functionally diverse class of transcripts that lack an evident protein-coding function and have over 200 nucleotides of length. The advent of growing sensitivity of RNA sequencing methods, as well as computational prediction techniques is enabling the increasing identification of such RNA transcripts. Among the few that have been functionally characterized, several have been linked to numerous aspects of carcinogenesis, with an evident role in gene expression regulation. CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein β (C/EBPβ) is a transcription factor implicated in many fundamental cellular processes, including cellular senescence and proliferation. CCAAT/Enhancer-Binding Protein β Antisense (C/EBPβ-AS) is an antisense lncRNA transcribed from the reverse strand of C/EBPβ, with a genomic 5’ overlap with C/EBPβ gene, which has not previously been studied. Here we characterize biologically relevant features of C/EBPβ-AS and propose a role for C/EBPβ-AS in epigenetic regulation of C/EBPβ expression in melanoma cell lines. Moreover, we show that modulation of C/EBPβ-AS expression resensitizes vemurafenib-resistant melanoma cells to vemurafenib. Finally, we investigate the impact of modulation of C/EBPβ-AS expression in MAPK/ERK and PI3K/AKT pathways, both commonly found to be dysregulated in CMM. Taken together, our research provides new insights on an antisense lncRNA-mediated mechanism of gene regulation, with implications on CMM targeted-therapy resistance

Aplicação multimédia -Em Busca dos Fósseis...- dirigida aos alunos do 3º ciclo

Apresentação de uma aplicação multimédia desenvolvida no âmbito de um projecto Ciência Viva, com vista à divulgação e ensino da Geologia, dirigido ao 3º ciclo do ensino básico

Biomechanics of the trunk and lower limbs during gait in individuals with and without chronic low back pain

Combining information on kinetics and kinematics of the trunk during gait is important for both clinical and research purposes, since it can help in better understanding the mechanisms behind changes in movement patterns in chronic low back pain patients. Although three-dimensional gait analysis has been used to evaluate chronic low back pain and healthy individuals, the reliability and measurement error of this procedure have not been fully established. The main purpose of this thesis is to gain a better understanding about the differences in the biomechanics of the trunk and lower limbs during gait, in patients and healthy individuals. To achieve these aims, three studies were developed. The first two, adopted a prospective design and focused on the reliability and measurement error of gait analysis. In these test-retest studies, chronic low back pain and healthy individuals were submitted to a gait assessment protocol, with two distinct evaluation moments, separated by one week. Gait data was collected using a 13-camera opto-electronic system and three force platforms. Data analysis included the computation of time-distance parameters, as well as the peak values for lower limb and trunk joint angles/moments. The third study followed a cross sectional design, where gait in chronic low back pain individuals was compared with matched controls. Step-to-step variability of the thoracic, lumbar and hips was calculated, and step-to-step deviations of these segments from their average pattern (residual rotations) were correlated to each other. The reliability studies in this thesis show that three-dimensional gait analysis is a reliable and consistent procedure for both chronic low back pain and healthy individuals. The results suggest varied reliability indices for multi-segment trunk joint angles, joint moments and time-distance parameters during gait, together with an acceptable level of error (particularly regarding sagittal plane). Our findings also show altered stride-to-stride variability of lumbar and thoracic segments and lower trunk joint moments in patients. These kinematic and kinetic results lend support to the notion that chronic low back pain individuals exhibit a protective movement strategy.Integrar a informação sobre a cinemática e a cinética do tronco durante a marcha constitui um enorme desafio para as áreas da investigação e da clínica. Esta abordagem permite o aprofundamento do conhecimento sobre os mecanismos subjacentes aos padrões de movimento que se encontram alterados. Não obstante o crescente recurso à análise tridimensional da marcha para a avaliação de indivíduos saudáveis e com dor lombar crónica, a fiabilidade e o erro padrão de medida desta técnica não são ainda totalmente conhecidos. A presente dissertação procura resolver esta limitação, através do estudo das diferenças na biomecânica do tronco e dos membros inferiores durante a marcha em indivíduos saudáveis e com dor lombar crónica. Para a concretização desta dissertação, foram desenvolvidos três estudos. Os dois primeiros, com um desenho prospetivo, foram centrados na avaliação da fiabilidade e do erro de medição na análise tridimensional da marcha. Nestes estudos, os participantes (indivíduos saudáveis e com dor lombar crónica) foram submetidos a um protocolo de avaliação da marcha, com dois momentos distintos e com um intervalo médio de uma semana. Os dados foram recolhidos através de um sistema optoeletrónico (composto por treze câmaras) e de três plataformas de força. O processamento dos dados centrou-se nos parâmetros espaço-temporais da marcha, assim como nos valores máximos e mínimos dos ângulos e momentos articulares do tronco e membros inferiores. No terceiro estudo, com um desenho transversal, avaliaram-se as diferenças na biomecânica do tronco durante a marcha entre indivíduos saudáveis e indivíduos com dor lombar crónica. Para o efeito, determinou-se a variabilidade do movimento segmentar do tórax, lombar e anca e avaliou-se a sua correlação recíproca, tendo sido confirmada a presença de uma associação significativa entre as rotações residuais nos indivíduos com dor lombar crónica. Os estudos de reprodutibilidade revelam que a análise tridimensional da marcha é consistente, mas demonstram a presença de diferenças importantes na fiabilidade entre ângulos, momentos articulares e parâmetros espaço temporais, sendo o nível de erro todavia aceitável, sobretudo no plano sagital. Demonstrou-se ainda que a dor lombar crónica altera a variabilidade do movimento dos segmentos lombar e torácico durante a marcha e reduz a magnitude dos momentos articulares do tronco, também durante a marcha. Podemos, pois, afirmar que as alterações cinemáticas e cinéticas descritas suportam a existência de um padrão de proteção nestes indivíduos

IMPETUS wearable strategy : competitive advantage in the Portuguese fashion industry

What is in the origin of the competitive advantage that IMPETUS had been crafting over the past 43 years? The Resource-Based Theory defended that a company can obtain its competitive advantage through the internal organization of its critical resources, though failed to deem the changing environment. In a complementary perspective, defining Dynamic Capabilities as the firm capability to internally and externally combine competencies to meet changing environments came to introduce the external dimension to the organization. IMPETUS, apart from being a Portuguese Group in the textile industry, is also the name of a brand specialist in male underwear. Reaching a total turnover of nearly €41,6 million and relying 95% on international markets, IMPETUS has been standing out in the Portuguese fashion industry. Innovation etched in the genetic code with a twist of diversification in its business areas seem to speak for the differentiation strategy settled during the past years. This dissertation purposes a journey into the company history. Aside from acknowledging which are the differentiation factors that this underwear specialist was capable of setting out, one must analyze its performance to identify what are the resources and capabilities that rely on, indeed, its competitive advantage. In this odyssey, one can deeper understand the elements inherent to this established wearable strategy and its dynamics in the textile changing environment.O que é que está na origem da vantagem competitiva que a IMPETUS tem vindo a desenvolver nos últimos 43 anos? A Teoria Baseada nos Recursos argumenta que é através da organização interna dos seus recursos críticos que uma empresa consegue obter vantagem competitiva, apesar de não considerar envolventes em mudança. Complementarmente, ao definir Capacidades Dinâmicas como a capacidade, interna e externa, das empresas combinarem competências para responder às mudanças na envolvente, introduziu a dimensão externa à organização. Representado não só o nome de um grupo português da indústria têxtil, IMPETUS é igualmente o nome da marca especialista em roupa interior masculina. Com um volume de negócios perto dos €41,6 milhões em cerca de 95% de mercados internacionais, a IMPETUS tem vindo a destacar-se na indústria da moda. Inovação assente no código genético com diversificação das áreas de negócio parecem definir a estratégia diferenciadora que a empresa tem vindo a construir. A presente dissertação propõe uma viagem à história da empresa. Para além de reconhecer os fatores diferenciadores que a IMPETUS foi desenvolvendo, deve considerar-se todo o seu desempenho, de modo a identificar quais são os recursos e capacidades em que assenta a vantagem competitiva. Com esta odisseia é possível compreender quais os elementos inerentes a esta, já estabelecida estratégia vestível, bem como a sua dinâmica no ambiente têxtil em mudança

Remediação de água eutrófica rica em P utilizando nanoargilas aniónicas

Eutrophication of water bodies is a common phenomenon resulting from the surplus of inorganic nutrients, usually related to anthropogenic activities, such as, agriculture, sewage discharges, mining, overconsumption, among others. Recent efforts to control and remediate eutrophication processes include the use of green nanotechnology. Zn-Al layered double hydroxides (LDH) are non toxic hydrotalcite-like anionic nanoclays that can exchange the stabilizer anion by others that can be present in the water, such as phosphates. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the efficacy of Zn-Al LDH-NO3 as a low toxic adsorbent for the remediation of P-rich water bodies (benchmarked with calcined LDH). For this purpose, three concentrations of LDHs (5, 50 and 500 mg/L) were added to P-rich solutions mimicking the maximum recommended concentration of phosphorus on drinking water (0.4 mg P/L) and wastewater (10 mg P/L), according to the Portuguese legislation (DL 236/98) and to water collected from an eutrophic artificial lake (Aveiro, Portugal), simulating a real scenario. Nitrates and phosphates were periodically measured to evaluate the nanomaterial capacity to remove phosphates’ content for a period of 7 days. The remediation efficacy was also assessed in terms of the toxicity of remediated water at the end of the remediation period through growth inhibition tests using the freshwater microalgae Raphidocelis subcapitata. Tested materials showed a great efficacy on the removal of phosphates, in all tested media. Overall, the higher the LDH tested concentration, the higher the speed on P removal, the higher the nitrates released (below the recommended threshold for drinking water, 25 mg/L) and the higher the growth inhibition effects on the green microalgae R. subcapitata. The intercalation of phosphates was confirmed through X-ray diffraction (XRD). In conclusion, the results suggest that Zn-Al LDH-NO3 is a technological and environmentally friendly promising solution for phosphates remediation, preferably if used for very short-periods (e.g. the addition of 500 mg LDH/L into the solution of 10 mg P/L removes 99.9% of the P in just 5 minutes, releasing only 6 mg NO3/L).A eutrofização de corpos de água é um fenómeno comum resultante da disponibilidade de nutrientes inorgânicos, normalmente relacionada com atividades antropogénicas, tais como agricultura, descargas de esgoto, mineração, indústria, entre outros. Os recentes esforços para controlar e remediar o processo de eutrofização incluem a utilização da nanotecnologia. Os hidróxidos duplos lamelares (LDH) de Zn-Al são nanoargilas aniónicas não tóxicas que conseguem trocar o anião estabilizador por outros que podem estar presentes na água, como é o caso do fosfato. Deste modo, o presente estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a eficácia do Zn-Al LDH-NO3 como um adsorvente de baixa toxicidade para a remediação de massas de água ricas em P, comparativamente a um material de referência: LDH calcinado. Para tal, três concentrações de LDH (5, 50 e 500 mg/L) foram adicionados a soluções que mimetizaram a concentração de fosfato máxima recomendada em água potável (0.4 mg P/L) e água de ETAR (10 mg P/L), de acordo com a legislação Portuguesa (DL 236/98), e ainda a água recolhida de um lago artificial eutrofizado (Aveiro, Portugal), num cenário real. Os nitratos e fosfatos foram medidos periodicamente de forma a avaliar a capacidade do nanomaterial remover o conteúdo de fosfato durante um período de 7 dias. A eficácia da remediação aos 7 dias foi igualmente avaliada em termos da toxicidade da água remediada através de testes de inibição de crescimento da microalga de água doce Raphidocelis subcapitata. Os materiais testados demonstraram uma grande eficiência na remoção de fosfatos, em todos os meios testados. No geral, quanto maior a concentração de LDH, maior a velocidade de remoção de P, maior a quantidade de nitratos libertados (inferior ao limite para água potável: 25 mg NO3/L) e maior são os efeitos de inibição de crescimento na microalga R. subcapitata. A intercalação de fosfatos foi confirmada através da difração de raio-X (DRX). Em conclusão, os resultados sugerem que Zn-Al LDH-NO3 é uma solução nanotecnológica ambientalmente promissora para a remediação de P, preferencialmente se utilizada durante curtos períodos de tempo (p.e. a adição de 500 mg LDH/L na solução de 10 mg P/L removeu 99.9% de P em apenas 5 minutos, libertando apenas 6 mg NO3/L).Mestrado em Eco-toxicologia e Análise de Risc