An International Comparison of Productivity Change in Agriculture and the Economy as a Whole

A common and longstanding assumption in the economic growth literature has been that total factor productivity growth is lower in the agriculture sector than in the rest of the economy. Using a stochastic production frontier finite mixture model, labor productivity change is decomposed into catch-up, technological change and factor accumulation effects and stochastic shocks. This decomposition is investigated separately in the agriculture sector and the economy as a whole using a balanced panel data set of 45 countries in different development stages during the time period 1967-1992. The impact of labor productivity change components on the evolution of the cross-country counterfactual distribution of labor productivity is also analyzed. For the overall economy, the empirical results indicate that growth and the twin-peak distribution of labor productivity are driven by capital deepening. However, the results for the agriculture sector suggest that labor productivity distribution is brought by total factor productivity changes rather than factor accumulation. Furthermore, the agriculture sector exhibits reductions in capital per worker as well as stronger catch-up and technological change effects. Thus, growth of the rest of the economy appears to owe more to capital deepening and resource reallocation from agriculture than to faster productivity change.Agriculture, Labor Productivity Growth, Catch-Up, Total Factor Productivity, Factor Accumulation, Panel data, Stochastic Production Frontier, Finite Mixture Model.

Nuclear Receptors as Therapeutic Targets for Neurodegenerative Diseases: Lost in Translation

Neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a progressive loss of neurons that leads to a broad range of disabilities, including severe cognitive decline and motor impairment, for which there are no effective therapies. Several lines of evidence support a putative therapeutic role of nuclear receptors (NRs) in these types of disorders. NRs are ligand-activated transcription factors that regulate the expression of a wide range of genes linked to metabolism and inflammation. Although the activation of NRs in animal models of neurodegenerative disease exhibits promising results, the translation of this strategy to clinical practice has been unsuccessful. In this review we discuss the role of NRs in neurodegenerative diseases in light of preclinical and clinical studies, as well as new findings derived from the analysis of transcriptomic databases from humans and animal models. We discuss the failure in the translation of NR-based therapeutic approaches and consider alternative and novel research avenues in the development of effective therapies for neurodegenerative diseases

Do individual factors matter? : A survey of scientists’ patenting in Portuguese public research organisations

This paper addresses scientists’ behaviour regarding the patenting of knowledge produced in universities and other public sector research organisations (PSROs). Recent years have witnessed a rapid growth in patenting and licensing activities by PSROs. We argue that the whole process depends to a certain extent on scientists’ willingness to disclose their inventions. Given this assumption, we conduct research into individual behaviour in order to understand scientists’ views concerning the patenting of their research results. Data from a questionnaire survey of Portuguese researchers from nine PSROs in life sciences and biotechnology is presented and analysed and complemented with in-depth interviews. The results reveal that overall the scientists surveyed show a low propensity to become involved in patenting and licensing activities, despite the fact that the majority had no “ethical” objections to the disclosure of their inventions and the commercial exploitation of these. Perceptions about the impacts of these activities on certain fundamental aspects of knowledge production and dissemination are however divergent. This may account for the low participation levels. Furthermore, most scientists perceived the personal benefits deriving from this type of activity to be low. Similarly, the majority also believed that there are many difficulties associated with the patenting process and that they receive limited support from their organisations, which lack the proper competences and structures to assist with patenting and licensing.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Identification of a Novel Mutation in a Family with Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type 1a

INTRODUCTION: Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a is caused by GNAS mutations leading to target organ resistance to multiple hormones rather than parathyroid hormone, resulting not only in hypocalcemia, but also in Albright's hereditary osteodystrophy phenotype. MATERIALS AND METHODS: DNA sequencing of the GNAS gene identified a novel heterozygous mutation in peripheral blood leukocytes in the family presented in this case report. RESULTS: We present a case of a 25-year-old woman with pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a admitted with seizures, whose family presents an autosomal dominant transmission of a novel heterozygous GNAS mutation (c.524_530+3del). CONCLUSION: Pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1a is mostly caused by inactivating GNAS mutations that have been gradually reported in the literature that lead to a typical and complex clinical phenotype and resistance to multiple hormones. The deletion caused by the mutation identified in the presented case has not been reported previously.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Stress-Related Growth Scale-Short Form: A Portuguese validation for cancer patients

Abstract background/objective: Cancer can be extremely disruptive, triggering high levels of distress, and at the same time transformative, promoting perceptions of positive life changes and growth. This study aims to analyze the psychometric proprieties of the Stress-Related Growth Scale Short-Form (SRGS-SF) in cancer patients. Method: 209 Cancer patients heterogeneous in disease stage and diagnosis completed: clinical and sociodemographic information, Distress Thermometer, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Visual-analogue Scale of Perceived Positive Life Changes, and Stress-Related Growth Scale-Short Form. Results: The analysis of internal structure pointed to an one-dimensional scale, with high reliability (.92) measured through the McDonald`s omega coefficient. Validity was also evidenced through significant correlations with other variables. Conclusions: The Portuguese version of the SRGS-SF seems to present the necessary psychometric proprieties to be considered a valid and reliable short tool, to assess perceptions of growth following cancer and contribute to targeted and integrative psycho-oncological interventions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Low-dissipation data bus via coherent quantum dynamics

The transfer of information between two physical locations is an essential component of both classical and quantum computing. In quantum computing the transfer of information must be coherent to preserve quantum states and hence the quantum information. We establish a simple protocol for transferring one- and two-electron encoded logical qubits in quantum dot arrays. The theoretical energetic cost of this protocol is calculated - in particular, the cost of freezing and unfreezing tunneling between quantum dots. Our results are compared with the energetic cost of shuttling qubits in quantum dot arrays and transferring classical information using classical information buses. Only our protocol can manage constant dissipation for any chain length. This protocol could reduce the cooling requirements and constraints on scalable architectures for quantum dot quantum computers

Sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva no prestador informal de cuidados a doentes oncológicos em estado terminal

A vivência de uma doença ameaçadora de vida, como é exemplo o cancro, é reconhecida como uma situação geradora de desadaptação não apenas para o doente mas também para os seus cuidadores, que partilham com ele o sofrimento e o distress psicológico associado (Kissane, Bloch, Burns, McKenzie e Posterino, 1994). Outro dos factores que pode ser considerado como uma grande fonte de distress nos cuidadores primários é a percepção de falta de suporte dos outros membros da família (Haley, 2003). Inúmeros estudos demonstram a presença de vários tipos de perturbação associados ao papel de cuidador informal de doentes em estado terminal, das quais se destacam os do foro alimentar, dos padrões de sono e a sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva (Pereira e Lopes, 2002). O objectivo deste estudo foi avaliar o impacto emocional do papel de cuidador informal de um doente em Cuidados Paliativos Oncológicos. Estudou-se entre outras variáveis, a presença de sintomatologia ansiosa e/ou depressiva. Participaram neste estudo 52 cuidadores informais de doentes internados e/ou da consulta externa em Cuidados Paliativos Oncológicos de uma Instituição de Saúde do Norte do País. Para a colheita de dados e para além de um questionário sociodemográ7co, foi administrada a versão portuguesa do instrumento “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)” de Ribeiro e colaboradores (2007).Os resultados obtidos neste estudo indicaram uma elevada incidência de sintomatologia ansiosa e depressiva e em níveis clínicos muito signi7cativos e elevados (M=25,77;DP=8,09) comparativamente aos resultados encontrados em outros estudos. Estes resultados con7rmam o impacto negativo do processo de cuidar de um doente oncológico em estado terminal, o que realça a necessidade de intervenções psicológicas desenvolvidas e orientadas especi7camente para o cuidador informal, tendo em vista não só minimizar o impacto da doença nele e na família, mas também contribuir indirectamente para melhorar a qualidade dos cuidados prestados ao doente.>e experience of a life threatening disease, such as cancer, is recognized as a situation that may cause maladjustment not only to the patient but also to the caregivers who share the su?ering and psychological distress (Kissane, Bloch, Burns, McKenzie e Posterino, 1994). Another factor that may function as a great source of distress for the primary caregiver is the perception of lack of support from the other family members (Haley, 2003). A great number of studies have described the presence of di?erent types of disturbances associated with the role of the informal caregiver of patients in the end of life, such as food and sleep disorders and the presence of depression and anxiety symptoms (Pereira e Lopes, 2002). >e objective of this study was to evaluate the emotional impact of being in the role of informal caregiver of a patient in oncology Palliative Care. Among other variables, the presence of anxiety and/or depression symptoms was evaluated. >e sample consisted of 52 informal caregivers of inpatients and outpatients of oncology palliative care in a health institution in the north of Portugal. >e following instruments were used: a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Portuguese version of the “Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale –HADS (Ribeiro e colaboradores, 2007).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Valorization of watermelon fruit (Citrullus lanatus) byproducts: phytochemical and biofunctional properties with emphasis on recent trends and advances

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) a fruit crop, is an herbaceous creeping plant belonging to the family Cucurbitaceae. It is a tropical plant, mainly propagated by seeds and thrives best in warm areas. While the fruit pulp is consumed, seeds are often discarded. The continuously growing global market for the main tropical fruits is currently estimated at 85 million tons, of which approximately half is lost or wasted throughout the whole processing chain. Developing novel processes for the conversion of these byproducts into value‐added products could provide a viable way to manage this waste problem, aiming at the same time to create a sustainable economic growth within a bio‐economy perspective. Given the ever‐increasing concern about sustainability, complete valorization through a bio‐refinery approach, that is, zero waste concepts is therefore most important. This paper aims to report the status on the valorization of tropical fruit byproducts, more specifically in watermelon seeds and their content in bioactive compounds, such as phenolic acids, flavonoids, carotenoids, alkaloids. Moreover, the bioactivity of the different types of phytochemicals and their possible application as a resource for different sectors (food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sciences) is discussed. Consequently, this review presents the concepts of tropical fruit byproducts recovery, and the potential applications of the isolated fractions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A construção política das interfaces entre (homos)sexualidade, raça e aids nos programas nacionais de direitos humanos

A partir da análise dos Programas Nacionais de Direitos Humanos (PNDH) 1, 2 e 3, promulgados respectivamente em 1996, 2002 e 2010, procuramos dar inteligibilidade as maneiras como foram construídas as interfaces entre raça, (homo)sexualidade e a AIDS, em um contexto de debates acerca dos direitos humanos no Brasil. Partimos da constatação de que essa arena foi marcada tanto pelas influências dos acordos internacionais assinados pelo Brasil como pelas reivindicações de militantes em um contexto de valorização das instâncias participativas. Isso, contudo, despertou resistências neoconservadoras à compreensão dos direitos humanos consolidada nos PNDH, o que explica as disputas políticas e simbólicas sobre os discursos dos direitos humanos nos últimos anos.Based on the analysis of the National Human Rights Programs (PNDH) 1, 2 and 3, promulgated respectively in 1996, 2002 and 2009, we sought to understand how the interfaces between race, (homo)sexuality and AIDS were constructed in a context of debates about of human rights in Brazil. We start from the observation that this debate was marked both by the influences of the international agreements signed by Brazil and by the demands of militants in a context of appreciation of the participatory instances. This has, however, sparked neo-conservative resistance to the understanding of human rights consolidated in the PNDH, which helps us to understand the political and symbolic disputes over human rights discourses in recent years