Optimization of the system of allocation of overdue loans in a sub-saharan Africa microfinance institution

In microfinance, with more loans, there is a high risk of increasing overdue loans by overloading the resources available to take actions on the repayment. So, three experiments were conducted to search for a distribution of the loans through the officers available to maximize the probability of recovery. Firstly, the relation between the loan and some characteristics of the officers was analyzed. The results were not that strong with F1 scores between 0 and 0.74, with a lot of variation in the scores of the good predictions. Secondly, the loan is classified as paid/unpaid based on what prediction could result of the analysis of the characteristics of the loan. The Support Vector Machine had potential to be a solution with a F1 score average of 0.625; however, when predicting the unpaid loans, it showed to be random with a score of 0.55. Finally, the experiment focused on segmentation of the overdue loans in different groups, from where it would be possible to know their prioritization. The visualization of three clusters in the data was clear through Principal Component Analysis. To reinforce this good visualization, the final silhouette score was 0.194, which reflects that is a model that can be trusted. This way, an implementation of clustering loans into three groups, and a respective prioritization scale would be the best strategy to organize and assign the loans to maximize recovery

A subaliança Fraxino angustifoliae-Ulmenion minoris em Portugal continental.

A subaliança Fraxino angustifoliae-Ulmenion minoris (Populion albae, Populet alia albae, Salici purpureaePopuletea nigrae) reúne os bosques climácicos tempori higrófilos das zonas mais elevadas das margens dos rios - raramente inundadas - bem como de cabeceiras de linhas de água - onde o caudal não chega a ser permanente. Com base em inventários realizados desde 2004, são propostos dois novos sintáxones no âmbito desta subaliança : Hedero hibernicae Fraxinetum angustifoliae omphalodetosum nitidae e Clematido campanifloraeCeltidetum australis. Por fim, apresenta-se uma análise de agrupamento (cluster analysis) com todas as comunidades pertencentes a esta subaliança, com presença reconhecida em Portugal continental. Tal análise revelou que a sintaxonomia - actual e proposta - é consistente, discriminando claramente os sintáxones em causa

O "futuro" é o "presente" sem "tempo"

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

MBSP1: a biosurfactant protein derived from a metagenomic library with activity in oil degradation

Microorganisms represent the most abundant biomass on the planet; however, because of several cultivation technique limitations, most of this genetic patrimony has been inaccessible. Due to the advent of metagenomic methodologies, such limitations have been overcome. Prevailing over these limitations enabled the genetic pool of non-cultivable microorganisms to be exploited for improvements in the development of biotechnological products. By utilising a metagenomic approach, we identifed a new gene related to biosurfactant production and hydrocarbon degradation. Environmental DNA was extracted from soil samples collected on the banks of the Jundiaí River (Natal, Brazil), and a metagenomic library was constructed. Functional screening identifed the clone 3C6, which was positive for the biosurfactant protein and revealed an open reading frame (ORF) with high similarity to sequences encoding a hypothetical protein from species of the family Halobacteriaceae. This protein was purifed and exhibited biosurfactant activity. Due to these properties, this protein was named metagenomic biosurfactant protein 1 (MBSP1). In addition, E. coli RosettaTM (DE3) strain cells transformed with the MBSP1 clone showed an increase in aliphatic hydrocarbon degradation. In this study, we described a single gene encoding a protein with marked tensoactive properties that can be produced in a host cell, such as Escherichia coli, without substrate dependence. Furthermore, MBSP1 has been demonstrated as the frst protein with these characteristics described in the Archaea or Bacteria domains

AVALIAÇÃO DE DESEMPENHO DE REDES DE PESQUISA: O CASO DO INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CIÊNCIA, INOVAÇÃO E TECNOLOGIA EM SAÚDE – INCT-CITECS

Research networks are an organizational form which enhance actions, articulating different competencies. This study aimed to evaluate the overall performance of the National Institute of Science, Innovation and Technology in Health (Citecs) in 2009 and 2010. For the analysis, a matrix was created. It was composed of 21 indicators grouped into four components: (1) Strengthening of the network, (2) Knowledge transfer, (3) Research, (4) Training. The results showed that Citecs achieved its goals, increased its activities in the four components. In this period, the following indicators were highlighted, due to their significant rise: peer reviewed papers in collaboration; scientific support to health policies; science education activities, and undergraduate student in science program supervision. The methods used in this evaluation may be adapted to assess other research networks with similar objectives.As redes de colaboração científica são formas de organização que potencializam açõesde pesquisa, a partir da articulação de diferentes competências. Este estudo objetivou avaliar o desempenho do Instituto Nacional de Ciência, Inovação e Tecnologia em Saúde (Citecs), em 2009 e 2010, através de uma matriz composta por 21 indicadores agrupados em quatro eixos: (1) consolidação da rede, (2) transferência de conhecimento, (3) pesquisa e (4) formação de pessoal. Os resultados revelaram que o Citecs tem atendido aos objetivos propostos, ampliando suas ações nos quatro eixos. Neste período avaliado, destaca-se o aumento dos seguintes indicadores: publicações científicas em conjunto, apoio à formulação de políticas na área da saúde, atividades de educação científica e orientação de alunos de graduação em atividades de iniciação científica. O método utilizado nesta avaliação pode ser adaptado para outras redes de pesquisa com objetivos similares

Health-related quality of life and utilities in gastric premalignant conditions and malignant lesions: a multicentre study in a high prevalence country

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A recent review of economic studies relating to gastric cancer revealed that authors use different tests to estimate utilities in patients with and without gastric cancer. Our aim was to determine the utilities of gastric premalignant conditions and adenocarcinoma with a single standardized health measure instrument. METHODS: Cross-sectional nationwide study of patients undergoing upper endoscopy (n=1,434) using the EQ-5D-5L quality of life (QoL) questionnaire. RESULTS: According to EQ-5D-5L, utilities in individuals without gastric lesions were 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.76-0.80), with gastric premalignant conditions 0.79 (0.77-0.81), previously treated for gastric cancer 0.77 (0.73-0.81) and with present cancer 0.68 (0.55-0.81). Self-reported QoL according to the visual analogue scale (VAS) for the same groups were 0.67 (0.66-0.69), 0.67 (0.66-0.69), 0.62 (0.59-0.65) and 0.62 (0.54-0.70) respectively. Utilities were consistently lower in women versus men (no lesions 0.71 vs. 0.78; premalignant conditions 0.70 vs. 0.82; treated for cancer 0.72 vs. 0.78 and present cancer 0.66 vs. 0.70). CONCLUSION: The health-related QoL utilities of patients with premalignant conditions are similar to those without gastric diseases whereas patients with present cancer show decreased utilities. Moreover, women had consistently lower utilities than men. These results confirm that the use of a single standardized instrument such as the EQ-5D-5L for all stages of the gastric carcinogenesis cascade is feasible and that it captures differences between conditions and gender dissimilarities, being relevant information for authors pretending to conduct further cost-utility analysis

A igreja somos todos

O Serviço Pastoral à Pessoa com Deficiência apresenta este trabalho para dar a conhecer os dados do inquérito que lançou no ano de 2022, fazendo uma pequena análise dessa recolha, e para deixar algumas sugestões sobre as atenções a dar às pessoas com diferentes deficiências que havemos de acolher nas nossas comunidades cristãs. É um pequeno serviço que deixamos, a exemplo do que foi feito noutras dioceses, nomeadamente na Arquidiocese de Madrid e na Diocese de Lisboa, e que pretende ser simples, objetivo e muito útil no encontro com pessoas com deficiência. Não podemos fugir de nos encontrarmos com elas. O desconhecimento, a desvalorização pode levar-nos a atitudes de comiseração ou de receio que não são boas conselheiras quando se quer uma relação de amizade e de fé. Portanto, mais que fugir, há que aproximar, fazer pontes, construir compromissos, os mesmos que constituem as comunidades cristãs e que são essenciais para a identidade da Igreja e para o seu crescimento. Muitos passos se têm dado pela inclusão escolar, social e laboral das pessoas com deficiência, mas ainda há muito, muitíssimo, para fazer. Assim o ouvimos quando contactamos com deficiência e as associações que diariamente trabalham com elas, pois embora os relatos destas últimas sejam menores, são similares aos relatos das pessoas com deficiência. Nas paróquias e outras estruturas pastorais da Igreja talvez não seja muito diferente. Certamente que a sensibilidade cristã nos torna mais dóceis. Mas, muitas vezes não sabemos o que fazer, o que aconselhar, como estimular a autonomia e o desenvolvimento. Mas, mais grave do que isso é dizer e pensar que haja paróquias sem deficiências. Isso é porque nós ainda não as descobrimos e, talvez, esteja na hora de ir ao seu encontro.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio