Impact of Clethra arborea Aiton (Clethraceae) in a Special Protection Area of São Miguel Island, Azores.

Clethra arborea Aiton (Clethraceae) is a tree endemic to Madeira Island, and a recent introduction to São Miguel Island at Tronqueira/Pico da Vara, a Special Protection Area (SPA) included in Natura 2000, habitat of the endemic bird Pyrrhula murina Godman (Aves: Fringillidae). In this work the impact of C. arborea on the native vegetation was evaluated. Microhabitats associated with C. arborea and with native trees, and areas with different degrees of infestation by C. arborea were compared for soil pH, soil conductivity, soil macronutrient availability, leaf litter production, number of seedlings and vegetation structure. There were no clear differences in soil pH, conductivity and macronutrient availability, either between micro-habitats associated with C. arborea and with native trees, or between areas with different degrees of infestation by C. arborea. Leaf litter production was significantly higher in micro-habitats associated with C. arborea and higher still in areas with high levels of infestation. The number of seedlings and the percentage of endemic seedlings differed significantly between microhabitats associated with C. arborea and those associated with endemic trees. Invasion by C. arborea modified vegetation structure, especially biovolume, which was much higher in invaded areas. By considerably decreasing the proportion of biovolume allocated to native trees, C. arborea infestations may have a negative impact on the conservation efforts at the SPA

Housing first & homelessness challenges: A focus group with international experts

Homelessness is becoming an expressed concern on the political realm expressed by the different political sectors, governmental bodies in the European Union and across other territories. Critical events related with Homelessness (e.g. deaths, violence both as victims and perpetrators, children being born on the streets) with variations, receive some attention from some media. However, we are experiencing a somewhat contradictory situation, on one hand, governments express concern with the phenomenon, support the emergence and the consolidation of national strategies, allocate programmatic resources (budget) to provide relief responses and the general public is concerned with those affected by the fact that some people despite the age, gender, ethnical background, health or mental health status remain for variant periods on the streets of the cities with a larger incidence on larger metropolis; on the other hand effective change in societal response is low and the situation essentially prevails. Within the HOME_EU: Reversing Homelessness in Europe Project (H2020 GA/ 726997), we were able to gather experts from the United States Marybeth Shinn (University of Vanderbilt), Sam Tsemberis (Pathways to Housing), Ken Matton (University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign), Paul Toro (Wayne State University), and Europe, Ronni Greenwood (University of Limmerick), and José Ornelas, ISPA – Instituto Universitário) in Padova (June, 2018) around the core questions: a) why is Homelessness is a prevailing condition; and b) Why are we not being able to solve the problem? (We know about solutions, and effective responses.) The debate pointed that the major challenges include the variations of interest and the lack of consistent and continued efforts to address homelessness as a political priority; the shortage of Housing policies on availability and affordability; as a positive note the renovated national strategies may represent new in some cohorts opportunities, mostly advanced and pressed by civic and grass-roots movements, and some homeless studies (e.g. At Home/ Chez Soi in Canada, Chez Soi d’Abord in France, and now the HOME_EU with eight European Countries) contribute to the advancement of Housing First as a privileged model to transform Homelessness into an exceptional social emergencyinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Gravitational waves in α−\alpha-attractors

We study inflation in the $\alpha-$attractor model under a non-slow-roll dynamics with an ansatz proposed by Gong \& Sasaki \cite{Gong:2015ypa} of assuming $N=N\left(\phi\right)$. Under this approach, we construct a class of local shapes of inflaton potential that are different from the T-models. We find this type of inflationary scenario predicts an attractor at $n_{s}\sim0.967$ and $r\sim0.00055$. In our approach, the non-slow-roll inflaton dynamics are related to the $\alpha-$parameter which is the curvature of K\"ahler geometry in the SUGRA embedding of this model.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. Contribution to the proceedings of "The Fourtheenth Marcel Grossmann Meeting on General Relativity", University of Rome "La Sapienza", Rome, July 12-18, 2015, based on a talk delivered at the ST4 parallel sessio

Non-slow-roll dynamics in α−\alpha-attractors

In this paper we consider the $\alpha-$attractor model and study inflation under a non-slow-roll dynamics. More precisely, we follow the approach recently proposed by Gong and Sasaki \cite{Gong:2015ypa} by means of assuming $N=N\left(\phi\right)$. Within this framework we obtain a family of functions describing the local shape of the potential during inflation. We study a specific model and find an inflationary scenario predicting an attractor at $n_{s}\approx0.967$ and $r\approx5.5\times10^{-4}$. We further show that considering a non-slow-roll dynamics, the $\alpha-$attractor model can be broaden to a wider class of models that remain compatible with value of $r<0.1$. We further explore the model parameter space with respect to large and small field inflation and conclude that the inflaton dynamics is connected to the $\alpha-$ parameter, which is also related to the K\"ahler manifold curvature in the supergravity (SUGRA) embedding of this model. We also comment on the stabilization of the inflaton's trajectory.Comment: 17 pages, 6 figures, version accepted in JCA

Prognostic value of C-reactive protein during moderate to severe ARDS

Trabalho Final do Curso de Mestrado Integrado em Medicina, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 2019Introdução: Apesar da melhoria do suporte de órgão oferecido a doentes críticos, a Síndrome de Dificuldade Respiratória Aguda (ARDS) continua a estar associada a elevada mortalidade. Porém, continuam a não existir marcadores que possam prever prognóstico ou subgrupos claros de doentes que permitam modular o tipo de terapêutica efetuada. Dados recentes têm associado o fenótipo hiperinflamatório a pior prognóstico. Torna-se assim essencial desenvolver novos modelos de prognóstico em contexto de ARDS. A Proteína C-Reativa (PCR) é um marcador de inflamação medido diariamente na prática clínica. Objetivos: Foi objetivo deste trabalho estabelecer a utilidade de medições de PCR nos primeiros dias de ARDS e a sua relação com prognóstico. Pretendia-se ainda identificar, noutros marcadores avaliados diariamente, uma possível relação com prognóstico. Métodos: Realizou-se um estudo retrospetivo de doentes com ARDS moderado a grave, tratados na Unidade de Cuidados Intensivos do Hospital de Santa Maria. Foram colhidos dados demográficos, laboratoriais e de parâmetros ventilatórios. Foi efetuada uma análise descritiva, assim como de regressão logística para identificação de eventuais fatores relacionados com prognóstico. Resultados: Foram incluídos 201 doentes na análise, dos quais 38.8% tinham ARDS grave. O valor médio da PCR nos 3 primeiros dias não diferiu entre os 3 dias, nem se relacionou com a mortalidade, embora existisse uma tendência, estatisticamente não significativa, para os doentes que morreram terem valores mais elevados. Adicionalmente, foram criados 3 grupos diferentes de acordo com a cinética da PCR nas primeiras 48 horas (aumento, diminuição ou valor estável), sendo que nenhuma das cinéticas se relacionava com a mortalidade. De forma significativa, o rácio entre PCR/albumina no primeiro dia de ARDS relacionou-se diretamente com a mortalidade hospitalar (odds ratio de 1.03, P=0.04), mesmo quando ajustado para a gravidade e etiologia. Dos restantes parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais avaliados nenhum se relacionou com a mortalidade. Conclusões: Neste estudo retrospetivo de doentes com ARDS, o ratio PCR/albumina no primeiro dia de internamento foi a única variável que se relacionou com a mortalidade. Embora seja um marcador de fácil aplicabilidade, a sua utilização deverá ser validada noutras coortes de doentes.Introduction: Despite the improvement in organ support available for critical patients, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is still associated with high mortality rates. There are no markers that can predict ARDS prognosis or definitive subgroups that allow physicians to adapt treatment. Recent data has shown that an hyperinflammatory phenotype might be associated with a worse outcome, but this state is not easy to assess at bed-side. C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker that is used on daily clinical practice and might reflect this phenotype. Objectives: The main aim of this study was to establish the value of CRP determination on the first days of ARDS as a prognostic marker. Methods: We did a retrospective study with moderate to severe ARDS patients treated at the Intensive Care Unit of Hospital de Santa Maria. Demographic, laboratory and ventilatory data was gathered. Using this data, a descriptive analysis was done, as well as a logistic regression to identify possible prognosis factors. Results: For the main analysis, 201 patients were included, of which 38,8% had severe ARDS. The mean value of CRP in the first three days of ARDS did not differ significantly, nor was it correlated with mortality, although there was a tendency for patients who died to have higher CRP levels. Additionally, three groups were created according to the CRP kinetics during the first 48 hours (increased, decreases, maintained). None of these groups was successfully correlated with mortality. Significantly, CRP/albumin ratio on the first day of ARDS was positively correlated with hospital mortality (odds ratio of 1.03, P=0.04). This result was still significant even when adjusted for severity and etiology. None of the remaining clinical or laboratory parameters showed any correlation with mortality, namely age, gender, obesity, cause of ARDS or severity. Conclusion: In this retrospective study, CRP/albumin ratio on the first day was the only variable found to be successfully correlated with mortality. This ratio, as an indicator of systemic inflammation, might be applicable in the near future, separating inflammatory from non-inflammatory phenotype helping in the definition of prognostic groups

Diversidade de artrópodes terrestres em dois tipos de culturas frutícolas na ilha Terceira, Açores: os predadores generalistas e himenópteros parasitóides (Hymenoptera, Parasitica)

I Congresso de Fruticultura e Viticultura. Angra do Heroísmo 17-19 Abril 2008.Trabalho de investigação desenvolvido no projecto INTERFRUTA II, financiado pelo programa INTERREG III-B."[…]. Neste trabalho abordou-se a diversidade de artrópodes terrestres em três pomares pertencentes a dois tipos de culturas frutícolas. Pretendeu-se conhecer a riqueza específica dos predadores generalistas, com relevância na ordem Araneae, assim como a diversidade de himenópteros parasitóides (Hymenoptera, Parasitica) em três pomares de dois tipos de culturas frutícolas, e determinar a presença de possíveis himenópteros parasitóides da mosca-do-mediterrâneo (Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann) (Diptera, Thephritidae) e do bichado-da-castanha (Cydia splendana (Hübner)) (Lepidoptera, Troticidae), dependendo da cultura em estudo.

Mapeando a politização da União Europeia no Parlamento Europeu (1999 – 2014)

It is often claimed that, since the Maastricht Treaty, the European Union (EU) has become a politicised issue. As issues of European integration become more salient and contested, both in public opinion and in inter-party competition, politicisation takes root in the various national political and public spheres. This research examines how the dynamics of EU politicisation are translated to the EU’s institutions themselves, specifically in its only directly elected legislative institution - the European Parliament (EP). By applying automated text analysis techniques, such as Wordfish, to analyse the debates in the EP plenary between the 5th and 7th terms (1999-2014), the research assesses the factors that explain the politicisation of the EU in the EP. As far as the internal factors to political parties are concerned, the analysis shows that party ideology and party type are a significant predictor of EU politicisation in the EP. Furthermore, regarding the external factors to parties, the research demonstrates that the transfer of political authority from the member state to the supranational level is less relevant than the degree of institutional misfit between the two levels in explaining the politicisation of the EU in parties’ EP speeches.É comum afirmar-se que, desde o Tratado de Maastricht, a União Europeia (UE) tem-se tornado cada vez mais uma questão politizada. À medida que os temas associados à integração europeia se tornam mais salientes e contestados, tanto na opinião pública como na competição interpartidária, a politização enraíza-se nas várias esferas políticas e públicas dos estados membros. Esta investigação examina como as dinâmicas da politização da UE se fazem sentir dentro das próprias instituições da UE, especificamente na sua única instituição legislativa eleita diretamente - o Parlamento Europeu (PE). Ao aplicar técnicas automatizadas de análise de texto, como o Wordfish, a investigação analisa os debates no plenário do PE, entre o 5º e o 7º mandato (1999-2014) e a pesquisa ilumina sobre quais são os fatores que explicam a politização da UE no PE. No que diz respeito aos fatores internos aos partidos políticos, a análise mostra que a ideologia partidária e o tipo de partido são um preditor significativo da politização da UE no PE. Igualmente, no que concerne aos fatores externos aos partidos, os resultados demonstram que a transferência de autoridade política dos estados membros para o nível supranacional é menos relevante do que o grau de desajuste institucional entre os dois níveis na explicação da politização da UE, nos discursos dos partidos no PE.Programa Doutoral em Ciência Polític

Forecasting football outcomes to invest in betting markets

Our main objective was to develop a method which can be used to obtain long-term returns on football bets. The forecasting of the matches was made using quantitative (including a Poisson regression model) and qualitative (of subjective interpretation) information. This approach was named value strategy, being able to generate a yield rate of 19,88%, and to predict 8 out of 11 outcomes. However, the number of bets made is too small to conclude that this strategy is capable of providing consistent earnings, in the long-run. The accuracy strategy consisted in betting on favourites who played at home, and produced returns of 0,39%, not compensating for the risks assumed. If this strategy was able to create revenues, it could indicate the presence of biases in the Portuguese betting markets, and consequently, that these were semi-strong efficient. In practice, the accuracy strategy broke even, therefore not suggesting that the Portuguese markets’ odds were biased. However, if we did the same bets through Pinnacle (UK-based bookmaker), the returns would be of 6,62%, hence indicating the existence of biases and semi-strong efficiency. Surprisingly, if one removes the overround, Portuguese bookmakers would have offered better odds for the home wins than Pinnacle. This demonstrates the need of reviewing the Portuguese online gambling legal framework, which is the main reason for the poor competitiveness of Portuguese betting markets. As far as our research went, we could not find any studies about these markets, hence we consider that our work adds an important contribution to the existing literature.O nosso principal objetivo foi desenvolver um método que possa ser usado para obter retornos de longo prazo em apostas de futebol. A previsão dos jogos foi feita utilizando informação quantitativa (incluindo um modelo de regressão Poisson) e qualitativa (de interpretação subjetiva). A esta abordagem chamou-se estratégia de valor, tendo sido capaz de originar retornos de 19,88%, e de prever 8 em 11 resultados. Contudo, o número de apostas feitas é insuficiente para considerar que esta estratégia consegue gerar retornos consistentemente, a longo prazo.A estratégia de precisão consistiu em apostar nos favoritos que joguem em casa, e conseguiu retornos de 0,39%, não compensando os riscos assumidos. Se esta estratégia fosse capaz de criar retornos, podia indicar a tendenciosidade dos mercados de apostas Portugueses, e consequentemente, que estes possuem eficiência semiforte. Na prática, a estratégia de precisão ficou na mesma, não sugerindo, portanto, que as odds dos mercados Portugueses são tendenciosas. No entanto, se fizéssemos as mesmas apostas através do Pinnacle (casas de apostas Britânica), os retornos seriam de 6,62%, indicando a existência de tendenciosidade e de eficiência semiforte. Surpreendentemente, se removêssemos a margem implícita, as casas de apostas Portuguesas teriam oferecido melhores odds do que o Pinnacle, para vitórias da equipa caseira, o que demostra a necessidade de rever as leis do jogo online em Portugal, que são a principal razão para a falta de competitividade dos mercados de apostas Portugueses. Não conseguimos encontrar nenhum estudo acerca desses mercados, assim, consideramos que o nosso trabalho acrescenta um importante contributo à bibliografia existente