FDI and institutional reform in Portugal

This article analyses the effects of several geographic, economic and institutional factors on bilateral inward FDI in Europe. Moreover, it assesses the required reform effort, and the expected benefits, for Portugal to converge with the EU in the institutional variables that are relevant to attract investment. We conclude that good institutions favouring economic freedom and the ease of doing business, and geography, market size and labor costs, affect bilateral inward FDI. Political risk does not lead to significant differences in FDI across the EU. The results are robust to different methods – principal component analysis, factor-based scores and by considering several institutional indicators successively. We also find that most promising reforms arise in the financial system, corruption, property rights, and in some business regulations associated with starting a business. Increasing labor market flexibility to the EU level has also a large impact on inward FDI, but this reform comes at a comparatively higher effort.FDI, Institutional reform, Institutions, Portugal, EU

Tutorial introdutório para as competições de futebol robótico

Soccer was the original motivation for Robocup. Besides being a very popular sport worldwide, soccer brings up a set of challenges for researchers while attracting people to the event, promoting robotics among students, researchers and general public. RoboCup chose to use soccer game as a central topic of research, aiming at innovations to be applied for socially significant problems and industries. This paper describes the implementation of a system similar to the used by the teams participating in the Robocup small size league (SLL). The system, developed in Object Pascal, allows real time localization and control of an omnidirectional mobile robot. The objective of this paper is to be an introductory tutorial for Robocup soccer games, focusing in the base topics real time localization and control

Voltammetric Behaviour of Cu-NTA and Pb-NTA on a Mercury Iridiun Microelectrode Coated with Agarose

The complexation of nitriloacetic acid (NTA) with copper and lead was studied by square wave stripping voltammetry (SWSV) using a mercury iridium microelectrode as the working electrode. The results show that NTA interfere with the measurements, but if the mercury iridium microelectrode is coated with different concentrations of agarose (0.75%, 1.5% and 15% w/v) this interference is greatly minimized. The best results were obtained with 1.5% agarose.This work is within the context of Research Project F.C.T.-Sapiens/POCTI 32616/Qui/2000

The different interpretation of philosophy of law according to Hegel

Sobre a filosofia de G. W. F. Hegel em geral, e em particular sobre a sua filosofia política, é frequente uma interpretação anteceder a leitura mesma dos textos e, por vezes, até dispensar esta última no estabelecimento de uma opinião crítica acerca das posições hegelianas. Por isso, neste texto, são apresentadas algumas das mais representativas dessas perspectivas críticas, a fim de mostrar sua incompatibilidade com a ideia principal apresentada na obra de 1820/21, a saber, a efetivação da liberdade tanto pessoal quanto coletiva. Mas, para tanto, é fundamental efetuar uma leitura que preencha os requisitos de uma devida compreensão filológica, histórica e hermenêutica da Filosofia do Direito de Hegel.About G.W. Hegel´s Philosophy, in general and particularly in that which concerns his political Philosophy, one finds out frequently that there is a previous interpretation that precedes his texts reading itself and sometimes even it comes out to the point of putting aside the above-mentioned reading as one establishes a critical opinion concerning the Hegelian positions. Therefore, in this text, one presents some critical perspective among those most representative ones, in order to show out their incompatibility regarding to the mean idea presented in his 1820/21 year work, i.e., the effectiveness concerning liberty as well the personal one as the collective one, nevertheless, on this account, it is fundamental accomplishing such a reading that would fulfill a Hegel´s Philosophy of law´s philological, historical and hermeneuthic due understanding requirements

Design de Serviços e o desenvolvimento de competências de inovação e empreendedorismo em estudantes de Tecnologias de Informação

As competências de empreendedorismo são, cada vez mais, entendidas como fundamentais na formação dos estudantes do Ensino Superior. No entanto, esse tipo de formação enfrenta dois desafios fundamentais: ser frequentemente desenvolvida em abstrato, sem o importante contexto proporcionado por um projeto real e também ser quase sempre demasiado distante das competências de base dos estudantes. Este artigo explora uma abordagem alternativa para o desenvolvimento de competências de empreendedorismo e inovação. Em vez de uma abordagem centrada nos processos de criação de novos negócios, esta abordagem centra-se nos processos de Design de Serviços e na forma estes podem ser usados para conceber soluções tecnológicas geradoras de valor. A unidade curricular de Design de Serviços, destinada a estudantes de Tecnologias e Sistemas de Informação, surgiu para explorar um espaço intermédio entre uma formação abstrata em empreendedorismo e uma formação meramente focada no desenvolvimento de soluções técnicas. Esta combinação permite aos estudantes trabalhar conceitos de inovação, sem perderam a ligação ao contexto das tecnologias com que estão mais familiarizados. Para melhor entender a viabilidade desta abordagem, foi feito um acompanhamento dos projetos realizados pelos estudantes, incluindo entrevistas com intervenientes externos e com os próprios estudantes, bem como observações de reuniões conduzidas pelos estudantes. Os resultados permitiram identificar diversos pontos fortes deste processo, mas também identificar alguns desafios fundamentais. A ligação forte a contextos reais revelou-se extremamente rica, mas implica também sensibilidade para lidar com os riscos e complexidades inerente a essa mesma realidade. Sem pretender substituir cursos especificamente focados no empreendedorismo, esta abordagem pode ser uma alternativa para motivar mais estudantes com formação tecnológica para uma abordagem à inovação e aos seus desafios reais

Polyhydroxyfullerene binds cadmium ions and alleviates metal-induced oxidative stress in saccharomyces cerevisiae

The water-soluble polyhydroxyfullerene (PHF) is a functionalized carbon nanomaterial with several industrial and commercial applications. There have been controversial reports on the toxicity and/or antioxidant properties of fullerenes and their derivatives. Conversely, metals have been recognized as toxic mainly due to their ability to induce oxidative stress in living organisms. We investigated the interactive effects of PHF and cadmium ions (Cd) on the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae by exposing cells to Cd (<= 5 mg liter(-1)) in the absence or presence of PHF (<= 500 mg liter(-1)) at different pHs (5.8 to 6.8). In the absence of Cd, PHF stimulated yeast growth up to 10.4%. Cd inhibited growth up to 79.7%, induced intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and promoted plasma membrane disruption in a dose- and pH-dependent manner. The negative effects of Cd on growth were attenuated by the presence of PHF, and maximum growth recovery (53.8%) was obtained at the highest PHF concentration and pH. The coexposure to Cd and PHF decreased ROS accumulation up to 36.7% and membrane disruption up to 30.7% in a dose- and pH-dependent manner. Two mechanisms helped to explain the role of PHF in alleviating Cd toxicity to yeasts: PHF decreased Cd-induced oxidative stress and bound significant amounts of Cd in the extracellular medium, reducing its bioavailability to the cells.FEDER-POFC-COMPETE; Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology [PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014, PTDC/AAC-AMB/121650/2010]; [SFRH/BD/45614/2008]; [Pest-OE/EQB/LA0023/2013

Energy assessment for variable rate nitrogen application

Based on material flows, energy flow assessment evaluates environmental sustainability and energy use efficiency on a production system.  As precision agriculture was developed to optimize agricultural production, energy assessment has become an interesting approach to analyze these systems.  A method was developed to propitiate energy evaluation on site-specific data from variable rate nitrogen application on precision agriculture management.  It provides maps of energy indicators (energy balance, energy return on investment and energy embodiment) from input and output energy flows.  Variable and fixed nitrogen applications were evaluated on a wheat production on Paraná state, Brazil.  An optical sensor was used to generate variable rate nitrogen prescriptions.  Energy balance and profitability was higher on precision agriculture management because it provided nitrogen savings without compromising yield.  Besides, less energy was embodied on the final product.  All energy indicators pointed to the fact that variable rate technology was more sustainable than traditional management. Keywords: precision farming, nitrogen, energy indicators, energy balanc

The role of Social Capital towards resource sharing in collaborative R&D projects: Evidences from the 7th Framework Programme

This study examines the role of Social capital dimensions towards resource sharing within R&D cooperation projects funded by the 7th Framework Programme (FP7). Data were collected in a survey of 553 FP7 project participants and analysed using two different social network analysis (SNA) methodologies: Logistic regression quadratic assignment procedure and exponential random graph models. Results showed that all Social Capital dimensions helped to explain partners' resource sharing, although to a different extent. Prior ties were often significant, whilst shared vision and commitment were very frequently positive contributors to resource sharing. Trust was rarely significant, and occasionally detrimental, to partners' resource sharing. Therefore, the FP7 provided a collaborative but opportunistic environment for public and private actors. The novelty of this study derives from the combination of social capital theory with SNA to study intra-project partner relationships, contributing to a better understanding on the diversity of partner relationships within R&D projects.FCT doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/68802/2010) with funds from POPH/National Strategic Reference Framework, subsidized by the European Social Fund and MEC funds, and by FCT/MEC through Portuguese funds (PIDDAC)-PEst-OE/BIA/UI4050/2014info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Investigating the binding heterogeneity of trace metal cations with SiO2 nanoparticles using full wave analysis of stripping chronopotentiometry at scanned deposition potential

Silica oxides nano- and microparticles, as well as silica-based materials, are very abundant in nature and industrial processes. Trace metal cation binding with these bulk materials is generally not considered significant in speciation studies in environmental systems. Nonetheless, this might change for nanoparticulate systems as observed in a previous study of Pb(II) with a very small SiO2 particle (7.5 nm diameter). Besides, metal binding by those nanoparticles is surprisingly characterized by a heterogeneity that increases with the decrease of metal-to-particle ratio. Therefore, it is interesting to extend this study to investigate different trace metals and the influence of the nanoparticle size on the cation binding heterogeneity. Consequently, the Cd(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II) binding by two different sized SiO2 nanoparticles (Ludox LS30 and TM40) in aqueous dispersion was studied for a range of pH and ionic strength conditions, using the combination of the electroanalytical techniques Scanned Stripping ChronoPotentiometry and Absence of Gradients and Nernstian Equilibrium Stripping. The coupling of these techniques provides the free metal concentration in the bulk (AGNES) and information of the free and complex concentration at the electrode surface for each Stripping Chronopotentiometry at Scanned deposition Potential (SSCP). A recent mathematical treatment allows the reconstruction of a portion of the metal to ligand binding isotherm with the included heterogeneity information using the full SSCP wave analysis. In this work, we observed that the Zn(II) binding is homogeneous, Cd(II) is slightly heterogeneous, and Pb(II) is moderately heterogeneous, whereas the results obtained with the 7.5 nm diameter nanoparticle are slightly more heterogeneous than those obtained with the one of 17 nm. These findings suggest that the Zn(II) binding is electrostatic in nature, and for both Cd(II) and Pb(II), there should be a significant chemical binding contribution.FCT-ANR/AAG-MAA/0065/2012info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio