Intangibles as innovative drivers for competitive businesses

This paper aims to identify the impact of intangible resources as drivers of firms’ performance and profitability, in the major technological firms in the world. Using information from the major technological firms for a four years economic period, a set of intellectual capital proxies were identified and regressed against the major performance and profitability indicators. The regression model embodies a set of knowledge-based resources intangible (e.g. goodwill, licenses and patents, software and R&D, and advertising expenses) and human capital proxies, aiming to identify potential disaggregated effects of intangibles those key performance indicators. Broadly, results suggest the existence of effective isolated effect for some variables, in particular for intangibles recognized in the financial reporting. Furthermore, this research also suggests that the capitalization of intangible resources can be associated with region and corresponding accounting standards used in the preparation of the financial reporting.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Modelos de crescimento e governação das transacções no sector das embalagens: três casos portugueses

No sector português das embalagens identificámos três casos de modelos estratégicos distintos de crescimento e governação das transacções. Apesar do longo debate sobre onde desenhar as fronteiras da empresa, persiste a ausência de consenso, e diferentes teorias propõem diversas soluções. Este estudo contribui para o debate com o estudo de três casos portugueses. Os modelos estratégicos adoptados pelas três empresas são profundamente diferentes, mas viabilizam elevado desempenho e expansão comercial. Uma empresa assume um modelo clássico de centralização da produção e de serviço dos clientes através de relações de mercado quase puras. Outra empresa, um modelo de elevada integração vertical que corresponde à externalização integral das actividades produtivas dos clientes. A terceira, um modelo especializado de integração com a estrutura produtiva dos clientes, a um nível de quase integração vertical, com a instalação wall to wall de pequenas a médias fábricas. Os três casos parecem evidenciar que o estabelecimento de parcerias e o nível de confiança estabelecido, foram decisivos para a sobrevivência e expansão das empresas.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Development of liquid xenon detectors for medical imaging

In the present paper, we report on our developments of liquid xenon detectors for medical imaging, positron emission tomography and single photon imaging, in particular. The results of the studies of several photon detectors (photomultiplier tubes and large area avalanche photodiode) suitable for detection of xenon scintillation are also briefly described.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figures, presented on the International Workshop on Techniques and Applications of Xenon Detectors (Xenon01), ICRR, Univ. of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Japan, December 3-4, 2001 (submitted to proceedings

Stability and change in physical activity: a longitudinal study in children (6 to 9)

There is a strong agreement that physical activity (PA) positively influences individual health status. Regular PA is an important factor along the whole life cycle to promote a healthy life style. Childhood and adolescence are golden ages to promote and acquire PA habits. Physical activity promotion in childhood and adolescence is partially based on the assumption that PA habits are developed during these periods of life and are maintained throughout adulthoo

Biological treatment of olive mill wastewater by non-conventional yeasts

The ability of lipolytic yeasts to grow on olive mill wastewater (OMW)-based medium and to produce high-value compounds while degrading this waste, was tested. OMW collected from three-phase olive mills from the North region of Portugal were characterized and used. OMW with COD ranging from 100 g L−1 to 200 g L−1 were supplemented with yeast extract and ammonium chloride. Studies of OMW consumption were carried out in batch cultures of Candida rugosa, Candida cylindracea and Yarrowia lipolytica. All strains were able to grow in the OMW-based media, without dilution, to consume reducing sugars and to reduce COD. C. cylindracea was the best strain concerning the lipase production and the reduction of phenolic compounds and COD. For all strains, the phenols degradation was quite difficult, mostly when more easily degradable carbon source is still present in the medium. Among the phenolic compounds tested catechol is the most inhibitory to the cells.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Project PTDC/AMB/69379/2006; Grant SFRH/BD/27915/200

Actividade física em crianças e adolescentes avaliada por acelerometria. Diferenças entre grupos etários e género sexual.

Existeum consenso generalizado, na comunidade científica, de que a actividade física (AF)tem efeitos benéficos sobre o estado de saúde individual. A infância e a adolescênciasão consideradas os períodos da vida mais adequados para a promoção e aquisição de hábitos de AF. A identificação de grupos com níveis distintos de AF é um aspectoimportante para os sistemas de vigilância e promoção da AP. O propósito desta investigação foi avaliar as diferenças entre géneros e grupos etários nos níveis de AF decrianças e adolescentes. A amostra incluiu 103 sujeitos (49 meninas e 54 meninos) agrupadosem três grupos: grupo 1 (6 a 11 anos de idade, 16 meninos e 16 meninas); grupo2 (12 a 15 anos de idade, 23 meninos, 25 meninas) e grupo 3 (16 a 18 anos de idade, 15 meninos e 8 meninas). A AF foi avaliada com o acelerómetro CSA 7164 durante 7 dias consecutivos. Através de um programa concebido para o efeito (Trost et a!., 2002) foram calculados os totais de minutos diários de AF moderada a vigorosa (AFM),vigorosa (AFV) e muito vigorosa (AFMV) e os períodos contínuos de 20, 10 e 5minutos de AFM e AFY. As diferenças entre os meninos e meninas e entre os grupos etários foram analisadas através do teste de Kruskal- Wallis. Foram encontradas diferençassignificativas na AFM, APV e AFMV entre os meninos e as meninas e entre os diferentes grupos etários, ocorrendo um decréscimo da AF ao longo da idade. No grupo 1 foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os géneros apenas na AFY. No grupo 2 foram encontradas diferenças significativas entre os meninos e as meninas naAFM e na AFY. No grupo 3 foram encontradas diferenças entre os géneros na AFV e na AFMY. Em todos os casos os meninos eram mais activos do que as meninas

Increase of calorific value of two important feedstocks by mild torrefaction

In the last decades efforts have been made to replace fossil fuels by more sustainable feedstocks for the production of energy. A way to increase the travelable distance of this feedstock is to increase its energy content. The objective of this work was to study the increase in the calorific value of two of the most important wood species in the central region of Portugal, a softwood, (Pinus pinaster Ait) and a hardwood (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.), by mild torrefaction. The treatment was made in an oven during 2 -24 hours and temperatures from 170ºC to 190ºC. Calorific value and insoluble lignin were determined. Results show that there is an increase in the HHV (High Heating Value) of both pine and eucalypt samples (higher in eucalypt) and that the increase is higher for higher treatment times. A good correlation between the amount of lignin and the HHV was found.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

TOFtracker: combination of time-of-flight and high-accuracy bidimensional tracking in a single gaseous detector

A 5-gap timing RPC equipped with patterned electrodes coupled to both charge-sensitive and timing circuits yields a time accuracy of 77 ps along with a position accuracy of 38 μm. These results were obtained by calculating the straight-line fit residuals to the positions provided by a 3-layer telescope made out of identical detectors, detecting almost perpendicular cosmic-ray muons. The device may be useful for particle identification by time-of-flight, where simultaneous measurements of trajectory and time are necessary

Exponential behavior of the interlayer exchange coupling across non-magnetic metallic superlattices

It is shown that the coupling between magnetic layers separated by non-magnetic metallic superlattices can decay exponentially as a function of the spacer thickness $N$, as opposed to the usual $N^{-2}$ decay. This effect is due to the lack of constructive contributions to the coupling from extended states across the spacer. The exponential behavior is obtained by properly choosing the distinct metals and the superlattice unit cell composition.Comment: To appear in Phys. Rev.

Percutaneous Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale after Anterior Spinal Cord Infarction

In patients with a patent foramen ovale (PFO) who have had a cryptogenic ischemic stroke, percutaneous closure reduces its recurrence risk. However, its role in spinal cord infarction (SCI) is less well-established. A few case reports describe the putative causative role of PFO in SCI. We present a case of a teenager with cryptogenic anterior SCI in the setting of a deep vein thrombosis and a high risk-PFO who underwent successful percutaneous closure.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio