The IPO of Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA

The main purpose of this project is to analyse the initial public offering of Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA, confronting the entry price on the stock market with the values estimated through the valuation methods used. Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA is a company that emerges as a financing alternative, having as main activity the investment in small and medium companies and also in mid caps and small mid caps. Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA is the first and only Investment Company for Stimulation of the Economy (SIMFE) in Portugal. In order to achieve the objective of this project, three valuation models were applied: discounted cash flows, through the valuation from the perspective of the firm; multiples (or relative valuation); and economic value added. Considering a forecast period of five years and the projections based on the historical year 2018 and the 1st Semester of 2019, it was possible to infer three different values per share. The lowest was obtained through relative valuation, 5.73 euros, while the highest price resulted from economic value added valuation method, 6.43 euros, finally, discounted cash flow valuation led to a price of 6.21 euros. Comparing these results with the closing price of 4.93 euros, the recommendation is to buy.O objetivo principal deste projeto é analisar a oferta pública inicial da Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA, confrontando o preço de entrada na bolsa com os valores estimados através dos métodos de avaliação utilizados. A Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA é uma empresa que surge como uma alternativa de financiamento, tendo como principal atividade o investimento em pequenas e médias empresas e também em “mid caps” e “small mid caps”. A Flexdeal, SIMFE, SA é a primeira e única Sociedade de Investimento Mobiliário para Fomento da Economia (SIMFE) em Portugal. Para atingir o objetivo deste projeto foram aplicados três modelos de avaliação: os fluxos de caixa descontados, através da avaliação na ótica da empresa; os múltiplos e o valor económico adicionado. Considerando um horizonte previsional de cinco anos e as projeções realizadas com base no ano histórico de 2018 e no 1º Semestre de 2019, foi possível inferir três diferentes valores por ação. O preço mais baixo foi obtido através da avaliação dos múltiplos, 5,73 euros, já o preço mais elevado resultou da avaliação do valor económico adicionado, 6,43 euros. A avaliação dos fluxos de caixa descontados originou um preço de 6,21 euros. Comparando estes resultados ao preço de fecho de 4,93 euros, a recomendação é comprar

Influence of sociodemographic and emotional factors on the relationship between self-compassion and perceived stress among men residing in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic

The analysis of sociodemographic and emotional factors is essential to understanding how men perceive stress and practice self-compassion. In health crises, this problem becomes an emergency for public health. This study aimed to analyze the influence of sociodemographic and emotional factors on the relationship between self-compassion and the perceived stress of men residing in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a nationwide cross-sectional study carried out between June and December 2020 with 1006 men who completed a semi-structured electronic questionnaire. Data were collected using the snowball technique. Perceived stress was measured by the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14), and self-compassion was assessed using the Self-Compassion Scale. Most men had low self-compassion (51.5%; n = 516) and a moderate level of perceived stress (60.9%; n = 613), while 15.9% (n = 170) had a high level of stress. The prevalence of men in the combined situation of low self-compassion and high perceived stress was 39.4% (n = 334). Living with friends had a higher prevalence of low self-compassion and high perceived stress. The prevalence of common mental disorders was high (54.3%). Men with low levels of self-compassion reported higher levels of perceived stress; however, this association was moderated by emotional and sociodemographic variables. These findings highlight the importance of considering individual and contextual factors in public policies promoting men’s mental health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Unraveling the genetic background of individuals with a clinical familial hypercholesterolemia phenotype

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a common genetic disorder of lipid metabolism caused by pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes. Variants in FH-phenocopy genes (LDLRAP1, APOE, LIPA, ABCG5, and ABCG8), polygenic hypercholesterolemia, and hyperlipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] can also mimic a clinical FH phenotype. We aim to present a new diagnostic tool to unravel the genetic background of clinical FH phenotype. Biochemical and genetic study was performed in 1,005 individuals with clinical diagnosis of FH, referred to the Portuguese FH Study. A next-generation sequencing panel, covering eight genes and eight SNPs to determine LDL-C polygenic risk score and LPA genetic score, was validated, and used in this study. FH was genetically confirmed in 417 index cases: 408 heterozygotes and 9 homozygotes. Cascade screening increased the identification to 1,000 FH individuals, including 11 homozygotes. FH-negative individuals (phenotype positive and genotype negative) have Lp(a) >50 mg/dl (30%), high polygenic risk score (16%), other monogenic lipid metabolism disorders (1%), and heterozygous pathogenic variants in FH-phenocopy genes (2%). Heterozygous variants of uncertain significance were identified in primary genes (12%) and phenocopy genes (7%). Overall, 42% of our cohort was genetically confirmed with FH. In the remaining individuals, other causes for high LDL-C were identified in 68%. Hyper-Lp(a) or polygenic hypercholesterolemia may be the cause of the clinical FH phenotype in almost half of FH-negative individuals. A small part has pathogenic variants in ABCG5/ABCG8 in heterozygosity that can cause hypercholesterolemia and should be further investigated. This extended next-generation sequencing panel identifies individuals with FH and FH-phenocopies, allowing to personalize each person’s treatment according to the affected pathway

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved