Seeds: the social internet feed caching and dissemination architecture

Syndicated content in the Internet has been a huge success ever since the early days of RSS 0.9 and MyNetscape. Currently, it is the cornerstone of content push, ranging from podcasts to emerging Web 2.0 sites such as Friend-Feed and Plexus. Unfortunately, the simple technology that makes publication and subscription very simple and flexible, thus explaining in part its success, is also limiting its usefulness in more demanding applications. This paper proposes a novel distributed architecture for feed caching and dissemination. It leverages social networks as promoters of discovery and aggregation, and peer-to-peer protocols for content distribution, while providing an evolutionary upgrade path that does not disrupt current infrastructure or require changes to publishers’ or consumers’ habits

Finite state machine modelling of the macro-economy

In this paper we model macro-economic policies with a Finite State Machine (FSM). The FSM is made of several states and transitions between states, in which a state is modelled by a set of conditions. The allowed transitions between states must be also be defined, in order to complete the model. In this paper we analyze how to use a FSM in order to model macroeconomic decision, where each state represents a set of economic decisions. Together with some pre-defined initial conditions, these adapted FSM models are analyzed in order for us to study what sequence of decisions yield the best results for pre-determined end-goals, based on the FSM’s possibilities. The final model shows what policies must be followed, and by what order, in order to maximize results, yielding some interesting conclusions..info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Over-valuation : avoid double counting when retaining dividends in the FCFE valuation : understanding discounted cash flow valuation

Valuation based on DCF (Discounted Cash Flow) has been the dominant valuation procedure during the last decades. In spite of this dominance, enterprise valuation using the discounted FCF (Free Cash Flow) model has some practical drawbacks, since there is often some confusion on how to effectively use it. Commonly, the valuation procedures start by estimating future FCF figures from historical data, such as mean FCF, growth and retention ratio, alongside many other variables. These FCF forecasts are discounted at the cost of equity (FCFE – FCF to Equity) or the Weighted Average Cost of Capital WACC (FCFF – FCF to Firm). Implicit in the above mentioned valuation procedures is the expectation that the company puts the retained free cash that is generating to good use, yielding a value capable of rewarding appropriately the level of risk inherent in the way it used. Some poorly performed valuation studies however tend to double count (Damodaran, 2006a) the retained cash’s interest in subsequent values of FCF, or include the accumulated cash build-up in the Terminal Value. This paper discusses how these two common double-counting mistakes are made and evaluates their weight in the final valuation figure for the particular case of retained FCFE (the case for the FCFF is analogous, but we focus on FCFE for simplicity) using projected figuresinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An analysis of the research conducted in portugal and spain on interactive whiteboards

[Resumo] Os quadros interativos multimédia (QIM) constituíram, em Portugal e Espanha, uma das bandeiras da modernização tecnológicas das escolas no âmbito do Plano Tecnológico da Educação (PTE) e do Programa Escuela 2.0. Importa pois conhecer a forma como os QIM estão a ser utilizados. Quais são as vantagens e os constrangimentos à sua utilização? Quais as alterações metodológicas por eles provocadas? Como são percepcionadas por professores e alunos? Estão mais atentos os alunos nas aulas com QIM? Há melhorias ao nível do comportamento? Quais as repercussões ao nível das aprendizagens? Procurámos analisar as investigações sobre QIM realizadas em Espanha e Portugal desde 2007 até 2010. Na análise desses estudos tentámos identificar os objectivos dos mesmos, as metodologias empregues, as dimensões das amostras e os principais resultados e conclusões. Foram analisadas investigações presentes nos repositórios de universidades portuguesas e espanholas. Na maioria das investigações realizadas percepcionamse alterações metodológicas, melhorias ao nível da atenção, do comportamento e das aprendizagens.[Abstract] The Interactive whiteboards (IWB) were, both in Portugal and in Spain, one of the banners of the technological modernization in schools within the Plano Tecnológico da Educação (PTE) and the Programa Escuela 2.0. Therefore it is important to know the way IWB are being used. What are the advantages and constraints to their use? Which methodological changes have they caused? How are they perceived by both teachers and students? Are students more attentive in classes where IWB is used? Are there improvements in terms of behavior? What is their impact on the learning level? We have sought to analyse the outcome of researches on IWB carried out in Spain and in Portugal from 2007 to 2010. By analysing these studies we have tried to identify their goals, the methods applied, the samples’ dimensions and their main results and conclusions. We have analyzed investigations kept in repositories in Portuguese and Spanish universities. In most investigations we were able to perceive changes in methods and improvements on the concentration, behavior and learning levels

Effect of Different Tannery Sludge Composts on the Production of Ryegrass: A Pot Experiment

Background: Tannery industry produces high amounts of nutrient rich sludges that can be used as organic fertilizers. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertilizing potential of composted tannery sludge. Methods: A pot experiment was carried out with ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) to test two different composts: 2.0 kg dry matter (DM) tannery fatty sludge + 1.5 kg DM sheep manure + 1.5 kg DM wheat straw (Compost 1) and 2.0 kg DM tannery sludge + 1.5 kg DM sheep manure + 1.5 kg DM wheat straw (Compost 2). Five treatments, with three replicates each, were assigned: Control (C); Compost 1 at 6 t (C1-6) and 12 t (C1-12) DM ha-1; Compost 2 at 6 t (C2-6) and 12 t (C2-12) DM ha-1. Each treatment was applied in a pot and mixed with 5 kg of sieved soil (<2 mm). Results: Results showed that production of DM ranged between 1.2 t DM ha-1 for C1-6 and 2.4 t DM ha-1 for C2-12. The highest B, Na and N levels in ryegrass was observed in C2-12, with 175 mg kg-1 DM, 9 g kg-1 DM and 30 g kg-1 DM, respectively. At the end of the experiment no differences were observed between treatments for C, N, P2O5, and K2O levels. Differences were observed at Zn level ranged between 101 mg kg-1 DM for C1-6 and 71 mg kg-1 DM for C2-12. Conclusion: The C2-12 treatment was the best because induces higher DM production and nutrients in ryegrass and without dangerous concentration of heavy metals in soil. Composted waste from the tannery industry is a good source of nutrients for agriculture.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Novo Banco – what good out of a bad bank?

Research methodology Analysis of public sources. Case overview/synopsis The bank named “Novo Banco” (New Bank in Portuguese) was created because of an emergency intervention by the Bank of Portugal to save the “good” assets of the once great but bankrupt Banco Espírito Santo (BES) on August 4, 2014. The toxic assets remained in BES (dubbed “bad bank”). BES was one of the biggest private banks in Portugal, with origins mounting back to the year 1869. In 2013, it was headed by the founder’s great-grandson, Ricardo Salgado, when an external audit revealed several problems with the bank’s accounting and concluded that BES had a severe financial problem (the risky credit represented 11.1% of the bank’s accounts). The bank underwent a public capital increase (endorsed by several public figures, including the Portuguese President at the time, Cavaco Silva) of €1.045m to reposition itself, which was 100% successful (demand of about 160%, with a significant part of foreign investors). However, continued amounts of suspicions led Ricardo Salgado to be replaced by Vitor Bento (via a settlement between BES’s shareholders and the Bank of Portugal) in July 2014. At the end of that same month, BES announced imparities totaling the amount of €4.2535m. This led the European Central Bank to suspend BES’s access to the financial operations, forcing it to reimburse its credit to the Eurosystem in the value of €10.000m. In two days, the stock prices dropped by 80% to around €0.03 per share. It was later proven that the administration led by Ricardo Salgado had disobeyed the Bank of Portugal 21 times between December 2013 and July 2014, apparently acting against the institution’s best interests. Some carousel schemes with companies within the Espirito Santo Group were also detected in BES’ financial movements to improve the bank’s financial statements. Complexity academic level Finance Valuation, Strategyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The dual decomposition of aggregation functions and its application in welfare economics

Producción CientíficaIn this paper, we review the role of self-duality in the theory of aggregation functions, the dual decomposition of aggregation functions into a self-dual core and an anti-self-dual remainder, and some applications to welfare, inequality, and poverty measures.Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad (ECO2012-32178)Junta de Castilla y León (programa de apoyo a proyectos de investigación – Ref. VA066U13

Scientific literacy in the early years – practical work as a teaching and learning strategy

Science education become one prioritie of modern societies, with the purpose of forming scientifically literate youth and adults. They play an active role in solving the problems existing in society, making critical and informed decisions. In this paper we discuss the need for scientifically literate citizens and the relevance of practical work as a key strategy for science learning in the early years. We’ll describe the investigative process which supported in real-life educational contexts of a set of Didactic Strategies. We’ll focus on the results of the ‘Materials Lotto’ detailing the results in science teaching and learning in kindergarten. The results show that children mobilize a wide array of skills and attitudes/ beliefs, showing scientific knowledge at different degrees of complexity. We concluded that practical work in science education in the early years is an effective strategy for science teaching and learning, as groundwork for future science literacy of kindergarten children.publishe