The 2007-2009 subprime crisis and the global public policy response

In this article, we look at the root causes of the 2007-2009 subprime financial crisis in the United States and the ensuing global economic crisis. We then examine how public authorities in advanced economies responded to the crisis. We emphasize that, from the very start, public policy developed along two complementary but distinct lines of intervention: (i) short-term macroeconomic management, and (ii) medium- to long-term reshaping of the financial regulatory framework. We find that the two sub-sets of policies were pursued at the global level and not simply at the national and/or regional level. Finally, we summarize the main risks that emerged as a consequence of the macroeconomic policy response to the crisis, namely high volumes of public debt, an uncertain inflation outlook and the possible development of bubbles in some asset markets.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wavelets: a powerful tool for studying rotation, activity, and pulsation in Kepler and CoRoT stellar light curves

Aims. The wavelet transform has been used as a powerful tool for treating several problems in astrophysics. In this work, we show that the time-frequency analysis of stellar light curves using the wavelet transform is a practical tool for identifying rotation, magnetic activity, and pulsation signatures. We present the wavelet spectral composition and multiscale variations of the time series for four classes of stars: targets dominated by magnetic activity, stars with transiting planets, those with binary transits, and pulsating stars. Methods. We applied the Morlet wavelet (6th order), which offers high time and frequency resolution. By applying the wavelet transform to the signal, we obtain the wavelet local and global power spectra. The first is interpreted as energy distribution of the signal in time-frequency space, and the second is obtained by time integration of the local map. Results. Since the wavelet transform is a useful mathematical tool for nonstationary signals, this technique applied to Kepler and CoRoT light curves allows us to clearly identify particular signatures for different phenomena. In particular, patterns were identified for the temporal evolution of the rotation period and other periodicity due to active regions affecting these light curves. In addition, a beat-pattern signature in the local wavelet map of pulsating stars over the entire time span was also detected.Comment: Accepted for publication on A&

Stellar parameters for stars of the CoRoT exoplanet field

Aims:To support the computation and evolutionary interpretation of periods associated with the rotational modulation, oscillations, and variability of stars located in the CoRoT fields, we are conducting a spectroscopic survey for stars located in the fields already observed by the satellite. These observations allow us to compute physical and chemical parameters for our stellar sample. Method: Using spectroscopic observations obtained with UVES/VLT and Hydra/Blanco, and based on standard analysis techniques, we computed physical and chemical parameters ($T_{\rm{eff}}$, $\log \,(g)$, $\rm{[Fe/H]}$, $v_{\rm{mic}}$, $v_{\rm{rad}}$, $v \sin \,(i)$, and $A(\rm{Li})$) for a large sample of CoRoT targets. Results: We provide physical and chemical parameters for a sample comprised of 138 CoRoT targets. Our analysis shows the stars in our sample are located in different evolutionary stages, ranging from the main sequence to the red giant branch, and range in spectral type from F to K. The physical and chemical properties for the stellar sample are in agreement with typical values reported for FGK stars. However, we report three stars presenting abnormal lithium behavior in the CoRoT fields. These parameters allow us to properly characterize the intrinsic properties of the stars in these fields. Our results reveal important differences in the distributions of metallicity, $T_{\rm eff}$, and evolutionary status for stars belonging to different CoRoT fields, in agreement with results obtained independently from ground-based photometric surveys. Conclusions: Our spectroscopic catalog, by providing much-needed spectroscopic information for a large sample of CoRoT targets, will be of key importance for the successful accomplishment of several different programs related to the CoRoT mission, thus it will help further boost the scientific return associated with this space mission.Comment: 43 pages, 17 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Melhoramento genético e produção de rainhas de Apis mellifera.

bitstream/item/87876/1/MELHORAMENTO-GENETICO.pd

Project-Based Learning and its Effects on Freshmen Social Skills in an Engineering Program

This chapter reports some effects of project-based learning (PBL) on development of social skills on Industrial Engineering freshmen (first-year) students. PBL is an active learning and student-centered methodology that promotes skills development such as the 4C—Critical thinking, Communication, Collaboration and Creativity. These skills should be an integral part of the expected engineering competences needed for professional proficiency, in order to comply with a changeable world and instable marketplaces, which require competences well beyond the technical ones. Through a survey to the first-year students and interviews to recently graduated professionals, some interesting results about the effects of PBL on social skills development were acquired. Some of these results relate to the recognition of acquiring competences during the project development and the usefulness and applicability of these in their daily professional activity. Among others, these encompass the capability to lead projects and produce effective work within multidisciplinary teams, to deal with conflicts, and to provide effective oral and written communication and capability to adapt to different work environments and assuming responsibilities, reflecting and assessing the own learning and the work of others, and to respect the attitudes and work of others

Production of grape juice powder obtained by freeze-drying after concentration by reverse osmosis.

This study aimed to evaluate the freeze-drying process for obtaining grape juice powder by reverse osmosis using 50% grape juice pre-concentrated (28.5 °Brix) and 50% hydrocolloids (37.5% maltodextrin and 12.5% arabic gum)

Sustentabilidade Fiscal nas Economias PALOP

The Global Financial Crisis has typically led to a significant widening of fiscal positions (i.e. higher budget deficits and public debt), an issue that has been addressed by many re-searches on fiscal sustainability. Our aim in this study is to extend the extensive knowledge about fiscal policy sustainability in advanced economies by analysing the sustainability in the African continent. In particular, we examine the sustainability of public finance in Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), using stationarity tests of external public debt-to-GDP ratios and cointegration tests between public revenue and public expenditure (as a percentage of GDP). Our findings for the period 1975-2019 suggest that some of the PALOP countries have endangered the sustainability of their corresponding fiscal positions. In fact, in our sample the solvency requirement seems to have been met only by Angola. In the context of a financial crisis, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, such sustainability issues are bound to be further challengedinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fiscal sustainability analysis : the case of PALOP economies

The Global Financial Crisis has typically led to a significant widening of fiscal positions (i.e., higher budget deficits and public debt). We address the sustainability of public finances in Portuguese-speaking African countries (PALOP), through adequate econometric testing. Our findings for the period 1975-2015 suggest that most of the PALOP have compromised the sustainability of their corresponding fiscal positions, leading these economies to be set on unsustainable public finance trajectories.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of design software for plain masonry buildings

Paper 144As result of a benchmarking process on foreign computer codes for design of masonry buildings, the guidelines for the development of a Portuguese design software for plain masonry buildings are presented. The related software was inspired on Italian methods, particularly the RAN, and allows to perform a global response analysis of buildings, based on the assumption of a cumulative response of storeys and walls. Besides the assumptions of behaviour and equilibrium, modelling of stiffness and collapse mechanisms, the main features of the formulation adopted are presented. As a form of validation a case study is presented.(undefined