The effects of a transportation cost shock on firm performance and behavior

Funding Information: ☆ The authors are grateful to Kristian Behrens (the editor), two anonymous referees, Pedro Bação, Ronald Bachmann, Pedro Pita Barros, Samira Barzin, Mário Centeno, Joana Costa, Dave Donovan, Luisa Doerr, Ed Glaeser, Robert Gold, Nezih Guner, Julian Hinz, Adelheid Holl, Gabriel Kreindler, Xiang Li, Pedro Martins, Alejandro Micco, Yi Niu, Susana Peralta, Alfredo M Pereira, Miguel Portela, Pedro Portugal, Francisco Queiró, Lasare Samartzidis, Rok Spruk, and seminar participants at Nova SBE, the DUP meeting (Harvard University), the 3rd CompNet ProdTalks, SAEe2020, the 9th PhD Student Workshop on Industrial and Public Economics (ECO-SOS), the 10th European Meeting of the UEA, COMPIE 2021, the 14th Annual Meeting of the PEJ, EARIE 2021, Jornadas de Economia Industrial of the Spanish Economic Association, 11th ifo Dresden Workshop on Regional Economics, CAED 2021 (Coimbra), the 4th Meeting on Transport Economics and Infrastructure, the Fourth International Workshop “Market Studies and Spatial Economics”, the Spring Meeting for Young Economists (Orléans), the 7th Linked Employer-Employee Data Workshop (FEP), and the 2022 SMU-Jinan Conference on Urban and Regional Economics for useful comments and suggestions. We would also like to thank BPLim – Banco de Portugal for providing the necessary data for this study and Nuno Afonso for excellent research assistance. This work was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (UIDB/00124/2020, UIDP/00124/2020 and Social Sciences DataLab - PINFRA/22209/2016), POR Lisboa and POR Norte (Social Sciences DataLab, PINFRA/22209/2016). All errors are our own. Funding Information: The authors are grateful to Kristian Behrens (the editor), two anonymous referees, Pedro Bação, Ronald Bachmann, Pedro Pita Barros, Samira Barzin, Mário Centeno, Joana Costa, Dave Donovan, Luisa Doerr, Ed Glaeser, Robert Gold, Nezih Guner, Julian Hinz, Adelheid Holl, Gabriel Kreindler, Xiang Li, Pedro Martins, Alejandro Micco, Yi Niu, Susana Peralta, Alfredo M Pereira, Miguel Portela, Pedro Portugal, Francisco Queiró, Lasare Samartzidis, Rok Spruk, and seminar participants at Nova SBE, the DUP meeting (Harvard University), the 3rd CompNet ProdTalks, SAEe2020, the 9th PhD Student Workshop on Industrial and Public Economics (ECO-SOS), the 10th European Meeting of the UEA, COMPIE 2021, the 14th Annual Meeting of the PEJ, EARIE 2021, Jornadas de Economia Industrial of the Spanish Economic Association, 11th ifo Dresden Workshop on Regional Economics, CAED 2021 (Coimbra), the 4th Meeting on Transport Economics and Infrastructure, the Fourth International Workshop “Market Studies and Spatial Economics”, the Spring Meeting for Young Economists (Orléans), the 7th Linked Employer-Employee Data Workshop (FEP), and the 2022 SMU-Jinan Conference on Urban and Regional Economics for useful comments and suggestions. We would also like to thank BPLim – Banco de Portugal for providing the necessary data for this study and Nuno Afonso for excellent research assistance. This work was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (UIDB/00124/2020, UIDP/00124/2020 and Social Sciences DataLab - PINFRA/22209/2016), POR Lisboa and POR Norte (Social Sciences DataLab, PINFRA/22209/2016). All errors are our own. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)We study the firm-level responses to a substantial increase in transportation costs in the wake of a quasi-experiment that introduced tolls in a subset of Portuguese highways. Exploiting a unique dataset encompassing the universe of Portuguese private firms, we find that the introduction of tolls caused a substantial decrease in turnover (−10.2%) and productivity (−4.3%) in treated firms vis-à-vis firms in the comparison group. In response to the tolls, firms substantially cut employment-related expenses and purchases of other inputs. Labor costs were reduced by both employment cuts and a decrease in average wages. While firms did not increase inventory, there is some evidence for increased firm exit, in particular by firms in tradables sectors.publishersversionpublishe

Outcome measures and motion capture systems for assessing lower limb orthosis-based interventions after stroke: a systematic review

Purpose: To review and categorize, according to the International Classification of Functioning, the outcome measures, and motion capture systems for studying the evidence-based practice of orthotic-based interventions in post-stroke gait rehabilitation. Methods: An electronic literature search was conducted up to February 2018 in Web of Science, Scopus, MEDLINE and Physiotherapy Evidence Database. Randomized trials measuring activity, impairment or participation outcome measures for studying the evidence-based practice of orthoses in gait rehabilitation after an acute or chronic stroke were identified. The studies were assessed through the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool by three authors. Information about stroke’s stage, assessment protocol (goal, timing and motion capture system), orthosis configuration and outcome measures were extracted. Results: Eighteen randomized trials, including 387 post-stroke adults, mostly in the chronic stage, were selected. They assessed 39 outcomes, mainly activity outcome measures such as spatiotemporal (72.2%), kinematic (44.4%) and functional (33.3%) outcomes. Gait speed was the primary outcome in most studies. Participation (22.2%) and impairment (16.7%) outcome measures were less explored. Mostly, non-portable motion capture systems were employed opposing the freely-use of the wearable orthosis. The detection bias risk and the shortage of baseline and follow-up outcome measures affected the studies’ assessment quality. Conclusions: Studies showed heterogeneity in selecting outcomes and timings for assessment. There is evidence for assessing the evidence of orthosis-based gait rehabilitation after stroke through activity outcome measures, primarily the gait speed, recorded by non-wearable motion capture systems. A unified methodology considering wearable sensors for tracking baseline and follow-up measures is needed.Implications for rehabilitation There is evidence on use activity outcome measures to assess the meaningful evidence-based practice of orthosis-based gait rehabilitatio- (undefined

The indirect effect of body image on distress in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy

BACKGROUND This study assessed the indirect effect of body image in the relationship between illness duration, optimism, coping strategies and psychological distress as well as the moderator role of being or not submitted to surgery and type of surgery, in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy.PARTICIPANTS AND PROCEDURE This cross-sectional study included eighty-seven women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy, who answered instruments that assessed sociodemographic and clinical issues, optimism, coping, concerns with body image and psychological distress. Bayesian statistics were performed to test the indirect effect model that included also the moderator effects.RESULTS Lower optimism, lower use of humor, and higher denial and illness duration predicted lower body image and high er distress. Longer illness duration was associated with higher distress. Body image had an indirect effect in the relationship between optimism and distress; between denial coping and distress; between humor coping and distress and between illness duration and distress. Being submitted to surgery but not the type of surgery was a moderator in the indirect effect model.CONCLUSIONS Body image is critical to psychological distress. Future interventions for women with breast cancer should consider body image as a target, in order to promote adaptive coping strategies specially when women have had surgery

The multidimensionality of female mandrill sociality-A dynamic multiplex network approach

Funding: ASP received funding from the School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, https://www.abdn.ac.uk/sbs/, and was awarded the Watt Fund via the University of Aberdeen https://www.abdn.ac.uk. These funders do not provide grant numbers. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Data Availability: All relevant data are within the manuscript and its Supporting Information files.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Unveiling the mechanism of action of 7α-acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone on an mrsa/visa strain: Membrane and cell wall interactions

UIDB/00100/2020 PTDC/MED-QUI/29036/2017 CEECIND/03414/2018 UIDB/04378/2020 PTDC/BIA-MIC/31645/2017 UID/DTP/04138/2019 UID/DTP/04567/2019 CBIOS/PRUID/BI1/2017 UIDB/04567/2020 UID/AMB/50017 UIDP/50017/2020 UIDB/50017/2020The number of cases of failure in the treatment of infections associated with resistant bacteria is on the rise, due to the decreasing efficacy of current antibiotics. Notably, 7α-Acetoxy-6β-hydroxyroyleanone (AHR), a diterpene isolated from different Plectranthus species, showed antibacterial activity, namely against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. The high antibacterial activity and low cytotoxicity render this natural compound an interesting alternative against resistant bacteria. The aim of this study is to understand the mechanism of action of AHR on MRSA, using the MRSA/Vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus (VISA) strain CIP 106760, and to study the AHR effect on lipid bilayers and on the cell wall. Although AHR interacted with lipid bilayers, it did not have a significant effect on membrane passive permeability. Alternatively, bacteria treated with this royleanone displayed cell wall disruption, without revealing cell lysis. In conclusion, the results gathered so far point to a yet undescribed mode of action that needs further investigation.publishersversionpublishe

The dynamics of grooming interactions: maintenance of partner choice and the consequences of demographic variation for female mandrills

A large body of evidence suggests that female Old World monkeys maintain selective long-term grooming interactions with fitness benefits. The last two decades have produced evidence that the regulation of social interactions among primates can be, in part, explained by the Biological Markets theory, with grooming behaviour as the focus of these studies. Grooming facilitates bonding between individuals, constituting an essential part of the regulation of social relationships among female cercopithecids. In contrast to the well-studied baboons (Papio spp), knowledge about the nature of grooming interactions and their regulation is generally lacking for the large, terrestrial species of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx). We used a combination of social network analysis tools and well-established methods for assessing partner diversity and reciprocity to characterise grooming networks, partner choice and patterns of trade (be groomed, give grooming) among females in a captive group of mandrills, both within and across two separate observation periods. Our results suggest that, even though the relatively stable conditions of captivity allowed the studied females to maintain selective grooming interactions across time, small scale demographic changes affected the grooming dynamics of the group in accordance with the expectations of the Biological Markets theory. In particular, the maturation and consequent integration of a high ranking female into the group’s grooming network from one period to the next resulted in a more pronounced effect of rank on the regulation of grooming interactions. In addition, the influence of the maturation of a dependent infant on the grooming interactions of his mother were evident between periods. Our results also demonstrate that grooming networks are dynamic and that high ranking individuals are not necessarily the most central in grooming networks. Finally, we discuss the potential of social network analysis to identify cases of social exclusion and its consequences for captive management

Chemical profiling of infusions and decoctions of Helichrysum italicum subsp picardii by UHPLC-PDA-MS and in vitro biological activities comparatively with green tea (Camellia sinensis) and rooibos tisane (Aspalathus linearis)

Several medicinal plants are currently used by the food industry as functional additives, for example botanical extracts in herbal drinks. Moreover, the scientific community has recently begun focusing on halophytes as sources of functional beverages. Helichrysum italicum subsp. picardii (everlasting) is an aromatic halophyte common in southern Europe frequently used as spice and in traditional medicine. In this context, this work explored for the first time H. italicum subsp. picardii as a potential source of innovative herbal beverages with potential health promoting properties. For that purpose, infusions and decoctions were prepared from roots, vegetative aerial-organs (stems and leaves) and flowers and evaluated for in vitro antioxidant and anti-diabetic activities. Samples were also assessed for toxicity in different mammalian cell lines and chemically characterized by spectrophotometric methods and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography photo diode array mass-spectrometry (UHPLC-PDA-MS). Results were expressed relating to 'a cup-of-tea' and compared with those obtained with green tea (Camellia sinensis) and rooibos tisane (Aspalathus linearis). Tisanes from the everlasting's above-ground organs, particularly flowers, have high polyphenolic content and several phenolics were identified; the main compounds were chlorogenic and quinic acids, dicaffeoylquinic-acid isomers and gnaphaliin-A. The antioxidant activity of beverages from the everlasting's above-ground organs matched or surpassed that of green tea and rooibos. Its anti-diabetic activity was moderate and toxicity low. Overall, our results suggest that the everlasting is a potential source of innovative and functional herbal beverages. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.national funds through Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal) [CCMAR/Multi/04326/2013]FCT [SFRH/BD/94407/2013, SFRH/BD/116604/2016]Research Foundation - Flanders (FWO) [12M8315N]FCT Investigator Programme [IF/00049/2012]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A política migratória da União Europeia em relação a Cabo Verde: a parceria para a mobilidade em análise

A União Europeia tem vindo gradualmente a assumir um papel de ator global no domínio da política migratória. Para tal, tem perfilhado a celebração estratégica de instrumentos políticos com o escopo de enquadrar e regular as dinâmicas migratórias, que se estabelecem com países terceiros além das suas fronteiras externas. Nesta senda, e no quadro da Abordagem Global para a Migração e Mobilidade, destacam-se as Parcerias para a Mobilidade (PM). Através de um afloramento da evolução da política externa migratória da União Europeia (UE), que propiciou o lançamento das PM como instrumento privilegiado na gestão da política migratória com países terceiros, o presente capítulo examina os desenvolvimentos que se têm vindo a lograr nessa sede entre a UE e Cabo Verde. Neste estudo, arguimos que as Parcerias para a Mobilidade constituem uma das facetas mais visíveis das crescentes competências de governança externa da UE no domínio da política migratória; e que tal como o caso de Cabo Verde atesta, esta organização desenvolveu uma capacidade de influenciar estruturalmente países terceiros em domínios que por traditio estariam reservados à competência soberana nacional. A análise do caso cabo-verdiano, permitiu-nos concluir que a implementação da PM redundou na primazia conferida à matéria de migração ilegal e na parca supranacionalização da política migratória

Linking dysbiosis to precancerous stomach through inflammation: Deeper than and beyond imaging

Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy is considered the gold standard for gastric lesions detection and surveillance, but it is still associated with a non-negligible rate of missing conditions. In the Era of Personalized Medicine, biomarkers could be the key to overcome missed lesions or to better predict recurrence, pushing the frontier of endoscopy to functional endoscopy. In the last decade, microbiota in gastric cancer has been extensively explored, with gastric carcinogenesis being associated with progressive dysbiosis. Helicobacter pylori infection has been considered the main causative agent of gastritis due to its interference in disrupting the acidic environment of the stomach through inflammatory mediators. Thus, does inflammation bridge the gap between gastric dysbiosis and the gastric carcinogenesis cascade and could the microbiota-inflammation axis-derived biomarkers be the answer to the unmet challenge of functional upper endoscopy? To address this question, in this review, the available evidence on the role of gastric dysbiosis and chronic inflammation in precancerous conditions of the stomach is summarized, particularly targeting the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), toll-like receptors (TLRs) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) pathways. Additionally, the potential of liquid biopsies as a non-invasive source and the clinical utility of studied biomarkers is also explored. Overall, and although most studies offer a mechanistic perspective linking a strong proinflammatory Th1 cell response associated with, but not limited to, chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori, promising data recently published highlights not only the diagnostic value of microbial biomarkers but also the potential of gastric juice as a liquid biopsy pushing forward the concept of functional endoscopy and personalized care in gastric cancer early diagnosis and surveillance

Trauma na infância, evitamento da dor psicológica e comportamentos auto-lesivos em jovens adultos

RESUMO: O trauma na infância apresenta um impacto negativo no desenvolvimento, podendo conduzir a disfuncionalidade e à ocorrência de comportamentos suicidários, nomeadamente a comportamentos autolesivos, ao longo da vida. O objetivo deste estudo de natureza preliminar é testar os efeitos de mediação e moderação de diferentes facetas da dor psicológica, dimensão cognitiva, dimensão afetiva e dimensão de evitamento, na relação entre trauma na infância e comportamentos autolesivos em jovens adultos. Participou uma amostra final de 323 jovens adultos, estudantes do ensino superior, com idades compreendidas entre os 18 e os 28 anos. Utilizou-se a metodologia de path analysis através de Modelação de Equações Estruturais e de Análise de Regressão Múltipla Hierárquica para testar os modelos de mediação e de moderação, respetivamente. Verificou-se que a dimensão de evitamento da dor psicológica medeia parcialmente a relação entre trauma na infância e comportamentos autolesivos. Não se verificaram efeitos de moderação significativos. Os resultados são discutidos nas suas implicações clínicas