Os efeitos dos fundos comunitários no crescimento económico das regiões NUTS II de Portugal

A ajuda comunitária prosseguida pela União Europeia segue, entre outras, uma linha de desenvolvimento económico regional sustentável e equilibrado. A abordagem procedida nesta dissertação preocupa-se com o estudo dos efeitos dos fundos comunitários no crescimento económico das regiões portuguesas definidas por NUTS II. A análise efetuada aos efeitos mencionados é realizada com base num modelo econométrico de dados em painel utilizando uma estimação de regressão linear múltipla compreendida entre 2009 e 2018. O crescimento económico regional tem como proxy o PIB per capita regional a preços constantes (variável dependente), como variável explicativa os fundos comunitários anuais regionais correspondentes ao Programa Operacional Regional Continental e das Regiões Autónomas, e ainda quatro variáveis de controlo (taxa de inflação, nível de escolaridade, despesas públicas e grau de abertura). Ao longo do estudo, verifica-se a análise dos resultados em termos agregados provocados pelos regressores das variáveis nas diferentes regiões estudadas. Também será referida a análise aos efeitos específicos de cada região no crescimento económico (efeitos fixos das diferentes regiões e uma análise dos efeitos dos fundos comunitários em cada uma das regiões através da interação com variáveis dummy para cada uma das regiões). O estudo empírico evidencia, na sua generalidade, um fraco impacto dos fundos comunitários no crescimento económico das regiões NUTS II de Portugal.The Community support pursued by the European Union follows, among other things, a path of sustainable and balanced regional economic development. The approach taken in this dissertation aims to investigate the effects of community funds for the economic growth of the portuguese regions defined by NUTS II. The assessment of the effects referred is based on econometric panel data model using a multiple linear regression estimation from 2009 to 2018. Regional GDP per capita at constant prices is the proxy for regional economic growth (dependent variable), the explanatory variable is the annual regional community funds corresponding to the Continental Regional Operational Programme and Autonomous Regions Operational Programme, and also four control variables (inflation rate, education level, public expenditure and degree of openness). Throughout the study, the analysis of the results is in aggregate caused by the regressors of the variables of the different regions studied. It will also refer, the analysis of the specific effects of each region on economic growth (fixed effects of the different regions and an analysis of the effects of Community Funds on each region through interactions with dummy variables for each region). The empirical study shows, in general, the weak impact of EU funds on the economic growth of the NUTS II regions of Portugal

How couple’s relationship lasts over time? A model for marital satisfaction

High rates of divorce seem related to low marital satisfaction levels; however, there is still a lack of a model that can help understand the couple's resilience and fragility throughout the life cycle. This research explores the role of communication patterns, their own and partner's motivation for conjugality, cohesion and flexibility within a couple, and several sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., stage of the family life cycle) that can explain marital satisfaction. A sample of 331 Portuguese in a marital relationship completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and marital satisfaction measures, communication and conflict management competencies, cohesion and flexibility, and motivation. Adequate statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and structural equation modeling. Both measurement and structural model performed in the study presented a good fit, with five significant predictors of marital satisfaction (that accounted for 85% of the variability): intrinsic motivation (β = .64), communication (β = .31), families with young children (β = -.08), families with teenagers (β = -.07) and professional/academic status (β = .06). By identifying a model for marital satisfaction, this research provides clues regarding which aspects might need to be considered in couples' clinical work to promote healthier relationships.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia - FCTinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Temperature Rises in the Pulp Chamber with Different Techniques of Orthodontic Adhesive Removal

Introduction: The aim of this in vitro study was to compare the temperature rises in the pulp chamber and time spent with different techniques for orthodontic resin adhesive removal. Methods and Materials: Adhesive removal was performed in 20 extracted human maxillary second premolars with five techniques: high-speed tungsten carbide burs with water-cooling (BurH-cool) and without cooling (BurH), low-speed carbide burs (BurL), low-speed aluminum-oxide discs (DiscL), and low-speed fiberglass burs (BurFGL). Pulp chamber temperature was measured with a thermocouple probe and time spent was recorded with a digital stopwatch. Comparisons of temperature rise and time between the techniques were performed with Analysis of variance and Tukey’s Honestly test. Correlation between variables was investigated with Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: Temperature rise and time were statistically different between techniques and showed a positive correlation between them (r=0.826) (P<0.01). BurH-cool provoked the lowest temperature rise and BurFGL the highest (P<0.01). Temperature rises were higher with DiscL than with BurH and BurL (P<0.01), which showed no statistical differences between them (P>0.05). The fastest technique was BurH-cool followed by BurL, BurH, DiscL and BurFGL (P<0.01). Conclusion: BurH-cool, BurH and BurL are safe adhesive removal techniques, whereas DiscL and BurFGL may damage pulp tissues. Time spent on adhesive removal has direct effect on temperature rise in the pulp chamber.Keywords: Enamel Clean-Up; Pulp Chamber; Pulp Temperature; Temperature Ris

Chemical composition and biological activities of Juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius) fruit by-products, a promising underexploited source of high-added value compounds

The pulp of the fruits of Juçara (Euterpes edulis Martius), a native tree of the Atlantic Rainforest of Brazil, is widely consumed thanks to its flavour and nutritional value. The industrial production of Juçara fruit pulp generates solid residues (peel) which are usually discarded. In this work, a hydroalcoholic extract from Juçara peel flour was evaluated for its phenolic profile as well as for its bioactivities. A total of nineteen phenolic compounds were identified in the Juçara peel flour. Among these, seventeen were non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds, namely two phenolic acids, four flavanonols, six flavones, and five flavonols; whereas the two anthocyanin molecules were cyanidin glycoside derivatives. The Euterpe edulis peel flour presented antioxidant activity and antibacterial potential but was not hepatotoxic. These observations corroborate the idea that this byproduct could fit well into the circular bioeconomy concept, thus promoting the Juçara fruit production chain.J.A.A. Garcia thanks Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the financial support provided for her masters studies in the State University of Maringá. R.C.G. Corrêa thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnologia (CNPq) for financing her postdoctoral research at State University of Maringá (Process number 167378/2017-1). R.M. Peralta (Project number 307944/2015-8) and A. Bracht (Project number 304090/2016-6) are CNPq research grant recipients. The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/ 00690/2013), L. Barros and R. C. Calhelha contracts; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to FEDER through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-023289: DeCodE and project Mobilizador Norte-01-0247-FEDER-024479: ValorNatural®.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phytochemical profile and biological activities of 'Ora-pro-nobis' leaves (Pereskia aculeata Miller), an underexploited superfood from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Pereskia aculeata Miller, known worldwide as ora-pro-nobis, is a highly nutritive species of the Cactaceae family from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. In this work, we report inedited information on the phenolic profile of P. aculeata leaves, besides a broad study of their antioxidant potential using a set of five different methods. A total of ten phenolic compounds were identified, such as two phenolic acids (caffeic acid derivatives) and eight flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin glycoside derivatives). Caftaric acid was the extract’s major phenolic constituent, accounting for more than 49% of the phenolic content, followed by quercetin-3-O-rutinoside (14.99%) and isorhamnetin-O-pentoside-O-rutinoside (9.56%). Overall, the ora-pro-nobis leaf extract showed relevant values of antioxidant capacity, with higher activities than the Trolox in the DPPH and ABTS trials. The antimicrobial activity exhibited by the extract against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria suggests the presence of a broad spectrum of phytochemicals with antibiotic activity.J.A.A. Garcia thanks Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for the financial support provided for her masters studies in the State University of Maringá. R.C.G. Corrêa thanks Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnologia (CNPq) for financing her postdoctoral research at State University of Maringá (Process number 167378/2017-1). R.M. Peralta (Project number 307944/2015-8) and A. Bracht (Project number 304090/2016-6) are CNPq research grant recipients. The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) and FEDER under Programme PT2020 for financial support to CIMO (UID/AGR/ 00690/2019), L. Barros, R. C. Calhelha and C. Pereirás contracts; to FEDER-Interreg España-Portugal programme for financial support through the project 0377_Iberphenol_6_E; the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project NORTE-01-0145-FEDER- 023289: DeCodE and project Mobilizador.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

OURO, EMPRESAS E GARIMPEIROS NA AMAZÔNIA: o caso emblemático de Serra Pelada

A elevação do preço do ouro, verificada nos anos 1980 e 2000, repercutiu nas estratégias de atuação de garimpeiros e de empresas mineradoras de maneira diferenciada na Amazônia em cada um destes momentos históricos. O artigo indica que as modificações nas estratégias destes agentes guardam relação direta com aexistência de mudanças de duas ordens: na conformação geológica dos depósitos explotados, e no ambiente político e institucional. A conjugação destes fatores colaboroupara que garimpeiros passassem a estabelecer associações com empresas mineradoras, e estas, por sua vez, passaram a evitar o confronto direto e a construiruma política mais favorável aos interesses e direitos dos garimpeiros. É neste contexto que o artigo discute o caso do garimpo de Serra Pelada como representativodestes novos padrões.Palavras-chave: Amazônia. Mineração. Ouro. Garimpagem.Serra Pelada.ABSTRACTThe high price of gold, for the 1980s and 2000s, reflected in the strategies of action of gold miners and mining companies differently in the Amazon in each of these historical moments. The article indicates that the changes in the strategies of these agents are directly relatedto the existence of changes of two kinds: the geologic conformation of exploited deposits and the political and institutional environment. The combination of these factors caused the gold miners to look for the ties with mining companies, and these, in turn, were avoiding directconfrontation and not routinely violate the interests and rights of gold miners. In this context, the article discusses the case of the Serra Pelada gold mining as representative of these new standards.Keywords: Amazon. Mining. Gold. Gold mining.Serra Pelad

Biochemical Aspects of a Serine Protease from Caesalpinia echinata Lam. (Brazilwood) Seeds: A Potential Tool to Access the Mobilization of Seed Storage Proteins

Several proteins have been isolated from seeds of leguminous, but this is the first report that a protease was obtained from seeds of Caesalpinia echinata Lam., a tree belonging to the Fabaceae family. This enzyme was purified to homogeneity by hydrophobic interaction and anion exchange chromatographies and gel filtration. This 61-kDa serine protease (CeSP) hydrolyses H-D-prolyl-L-phenylalanyl-L-arginine-p-nitroanilide (Km 55.7 μM) in an optimum pH of 7.1, and this activity is effectively retained until 50°C. CeSP remained stable in the presence of kosmotropic anions (PO4 3−, SO4 2−, and CH3COO−) or chaotropic cations (K+ and Na+). It is strongly inhibited by TLCK, a serine protease inhibitor, but not by E-64, EDTA or pepstatin A. The characteristics of the purified enzyme allowed us to classify it as a serine protease. The role of CeSP in the seeds cannot be assigned yet but is possible to infer that it is involved in the mobilization of seed storage proteins

Survival and prognostic factors in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma

This study aimed to evaluate sociodemographic and clinical factors influencing overall survival (OS) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Medical charts of 547 patients with OSCC from a public hospital in northeastern Brazil seen between 1999 and 2013 were evaluated. Survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The influence of age, sex, ethnicity, clinical stage, anatomical location, type of treatment, and comorbidities on the patients? prognosis was evaluated. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to identify independent prognostic factors. The 5-year OS was 39%. Multivariate analysis showed that age < 40 years (HR = 2.20; 95%CI: 1.02-4.72) and a single treatment modality (HR = 1.91; 95%CI: 1.37-2.67) were associated with a poor prognosis, while early clinical stage resulted in better outcomes (HR = 0.38; 95%CI: 0.25-0.58). OSCC patients in advanced clinical stages, diagnosed at a younger age, and submitted to a single therapeutic modality have a poorer prognosis

Paleoambiente Deposicional de Folhelhos da Formação Pimenteiras da Borda Oeste da Bacia do Parnaíba, NE - Brasil

Os folhelhos da Formação Pimenteiras depositados em ambiente marinho durante o Devoniano (Frasniano), são ricos em matéria orgânica e constituem a principal rocha geradora da Bacia do Parnaíba. Este trabalho tem como objetivo caracterizar o paleoambiente deposicional da Formação Pimenteiras com base no estudo de Geoquímica Orgânica e Palinofácies. Foram coletadas 21 amostras de rocha em um afloramento próximo ao município de Aparecida do Rio Negro, na borda Oeste da Bacia, no estado de Tocantins, onde havia aspecto estratigráfico do contato entre as Formações Cabeças (Fameniano) e Pimenteiras (Frasniano). Os teores de carbono orgânico total (COT) variaram de 0,21 a 2,43 % e os resultados da pirólise Rock Eval indicam querogênio predominantemente dos tipos II e III, potencial gerador de hidrocarbonetos (S2) variando de pobre a médio (0,41 - 6,13 mgHC/g rocha), baixa concentração de hidrocarbonetos livres (S1) e imaturidade térmica (Tmáx) para a geração de petróleo. O estudo de palinofácies permitiu identificar e quantificar os componentes particulados da matéria orgânica dos grupos dos palinomorfos, fitoclastos e matéria orgânica amorfa (MOA). Um número considerável de prasinófitas dos gêneros Pterospermella, Cymatiosphaera, Durvenaysphaera, Leiosphaeridia, Tasmanites, Hemiruptia e Maranhites foram identificadas, sugerindo as superfícies da inundação possivelmente da idade do Frasniano. Ao longo do afloramento as amostras apresentaram variação quantitativa de componentes orgânicos de origem terrestre, caracterizando regressões marinhas, e outras amostras, sugerindo transgressões marinhas, com o aumento de prasinófitas e acritarcas. A razão dos isótopos de carbono orgânico (δ13C: -25,9 a -29,5‰) e os biomarcadores saturados (esteranos regulares C27-C28-C29 e razão TPP/(TPP+DIA)), também sugerem uma alternância no “input” da matéria orgânica terrestre e marinha

Composição Química e Atividades Biológicas da Casca do Fruto da Palmeira Juçara (Euterpe edulis Martius)

A polpa dos frutos de Juçara (Euterpes edulis Martius), uma árvore nativa da mata Atlântica, é amplamente consumida graças ao seu sabor e valor nutricional, gerando grande quantidade de resíduos sólidos (casca) que geralmente são descartados. Este trabalho, teve por objetivo avaliar o perfil fenólico e bioatividades da casca de Juçara. Um total de dezenove compostos fenólicos foram identificados, sendo dezessete compostos fenólicos não-antocianinas (dois ácidos fenólicos, quatro flavanonóis, seis flavonas e cinco flavonóis). A casca do fruto de E. edulis apresentou atividades antioxidante e antimicrobiana e não apresentou hepatotoxicidade. Os resíduos da fruta Juçara podem ser utilizados para produzir aditivos alimentares de alto valor agregado, tanto corantes quanto conservantes, seguindo o conceito da bioeconomia circular.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio