Inverse market reaction to dividend changes in the european context

This study tries to understand why the market sometimes reacts negatively/positively to dividend increases/decreases, showing an inverse market reaction to dividend change announcements; using samples from three European markets (Portuguese, French and British). The results are different across these three countries. Data from a small country, Portugal, suggests that the inverse market reaction to dividend change announcements takes place because the market does not understand the signal given by firms through dividend-change announcements. For the UK market, the results have some success in explaining the inverse signalling effects. Finally, the results suggest that in the UK investors can better predict future earnings based on dividends than in Portugal or France

Microcredit: MSMEs and Sustainable Development

Microcredit and microfinance are distinct concepts. Doing microcredit part of microfinance. The concept of microcredit is due to Grameen Bank’s founder Muhammad Yunus and started in Bangladesh in 1976. Microcredit is a financial instrument that provides small loans to low-income people without access to formal financing. Moreover, it has been evolving intending to contribute to poverty alleviation, support entrepreneurship, and empowerment of women, combating economic and social exclusion globally. It has an impact in terms of microbusinesses financing and thus on funding MSMEs, which will impact the growth of economies. The evolution of the concept has enabled microcredit to contribute to improving global sustainability levels

Vesicle-micelle transition in aqueous mixtures of the cationic dioctadecyldimethylammonium and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactants

The vesicle-micelle transition in aqueous mixtures of dioctadecyldimethylammonium and octadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DODAB and C18TAB) cationic surfactants, having respectively double and single chain, was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), steady state fluorescence, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and surface tension. The experiments performed at constant up to 1.0 mM total surfactant concentration reveal that these homologue surfactants mix together to form either mixed vesicles and/or micelles, or both of these structures in equilibrium, depending on the relative amount of the surfactants. The main transition melting temperature Tm of the mixed DODAB-C18TAB vesicles is larger than that for the neat DODAB in water owing to the incorporation of C18TAB in the vesicle bilayer, however, little amount of C18TAB having a minor effect on the Tm of DODAB. The surface tension decreases sigmoidally with C18TAB concentration and the inflection point lies around xDODAB ≈ 0.4, indicating the onset of micelle formation owing to saturation of DODAB vesicles by C18TAB molecules and formation of vesicle structures. At low C18TAB concentrations When xDODAB > 0.5 C18TAB molecules are mainly solubilized by the vesicles bilayers, while at high C18TAB concentrations but when xDODAB < 0.25 micelles are dominant. Fluorescence data of the Nile Red probe incorporated in the system at different surfactant molar fractions indicate the formation of micelle and vesicle structures. These structures have apparent hydrodynamic radius RH of about 180 and 500-800 nm, respectively, as obtained by DLS measurements.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Relationship between the stability and surface tension of the tear film

FCT, QREN and FEDER/COMPETE through CFUM

Evaluation of optical properties of different types of contact lenses

The main objective of this work was to attain a deeper knowledge of contact lenses (CL) optical properties and to understand the influence of CL power on other properties which can affect the optical performance and compromise the ocular physiology.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), QREN/FSE/COMPETE

Regional planning in the land reform literature: a gap to be bridged

This work reviews recent research efforts in the area of land reform in the developing world and comparatively evaluates different planning approaches per country. The historical antecedents, socio-economic circumstances, legal framework and different degrees of governmental intervention influencing the access to land in the countryside are covered. A snapshot of empirical findings in a group of developing countries highlights the need to systematically adopt regional planning strategies that are able to maximise the positive socio-economic impacts of the schemes. It is also concluded that a combination of market and non-market approaches to land reform could be beneficial for developmental purposes

DODAB/Monoolein mixed cationic liposomes for gene delivery : investigation by DLS, DSC, fluorescence spectroscopy and phase scanning microscopy

FCT and FEDER for financial support to CFUM and also by funding through project PTDC/QUI/69795/2006 and PhD grant of J.P.N. Silva (SFRH/BD/46968/2009)

Interaction of DODAB with neutral phospholipids and cholesterol studied using fluorescence anisotropy

Liposomes composed of cationic lipids and neutral phospholipids have been used as vehicles for cellular delivery of DNA and drug delivery. The aim of this study is to get a better understanding of phospholipid–cationic lipid interactions that is essential for the development of this potential. We have studied the interaction between cationic lipid liposomes primarily composed of dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) with two different phospholipids, dioleoyl phosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC), as well as with cholesterol. The effect of these components on the liposome’s physical properties (microviscosity and polarity) was accessed by studying, both the steady-state and time-resolved, fluorescence anisotropy of the dye Nile Red. This information combined with analysis of the steady-state emission and fluorescence lifetime of Nile Red using the different lipids and cholesterol provided information concerning the polarity and hydration level changes in these vesicle systems along with organisational information