Interactions between monetary and fiscal policies in the European Union

Mestrado em Economia Monetária e FinanceiraAtravés da utilização de dados de painel para os países da UE, para o período compreendido entre 1995 e 2019, este trabalho pretende estudar a condução de política monetária, política fiscal e as interações entre as mesmas. O nosso objetivo passa por entender as diferenças que existem entre a zona do euro e os países que não pertencem à mesma, assim como o efeito da crise financeira sobre as mesmas. Os resultados alcançados mostram que a inflação é crucial para a determinação das taxas de juro e que as autoridades fiscais apresentam preocupação no que toca à saúde das finanças públicas. No que toca às interações entre estas duas políticas, há evidência de que a relação existente é de substituição, no entanto sem resposta da autoridade monetária à política fiscal. A crise financeira apresenta um impacto negativo sobre a taxas de juro nominais de curto prazo, assim como sobre o défice primário ajustado ao ciclo, no entanto com uma maior intensidade na zona euro.Performing a panel data analysis for the EU countries, for the period between 1995 and 2019, this work studies the individual conduction of monetary and fiscal policies, so as the interactions among them. We aim to understand the differences that exist between the euro area and the non-euro area countries and how the financial crisis affects them. Results show that inflation is crucial for the determination of interest rates and fiscal authorities are concerned with the health of public finances. Concerning the interactions between these two policies, there is evidence that it is a relation of substitutability, however with no response of monetary authorities to fiscal policy. The financial crisis impacted negatively both the short-term nominal interest rates and the cyclically adjusted primary balance, however with a higher degree in the euro area.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Analysis and optimization of riveting processon relay’s components

O processo de rebitagem é um dos métodos mais importantes para unir duas ou mais peças. O sucesso da xação dessas peças dependerá de diferentes variáveis, como a geometria das peças envolvidas, os seus materiais, as restrições e a magnitude da carga exercida sobre o sistema. Neste estudo, tendo em consideração um problema industrial real, nomeadamente a deformação de um rebite numa única peça de forma a criar um contacto, um modelo numérico de elementos nitos foi desenvolvido com o auxílio do software ABAQUS, de forma a ser possível comparar os resultados obtidos da simulação com a realidade em termos de força e deformação plástica. A comparação desses resultados irá validar a abordagem e criar uma forma de optimizar este processo de forma a minimizar defeitos indesejáveis no material como por exemplo o fender do rebite devido a excesso de força ou deformação; Analysis and optimization of riveting process on relay's components Abstract: The riveting process is one of the most signi cant methods to join/fasten two or more parts. The success of fastening these parts will depend on di erent variables such as the geometry of the parts involved, its materials, constraints and the magnitude of the load exerted onto the system. In this study, taking into account a real industrial problem, which is the deformation of a rivet onto a single metal sheet in order to create a contact, a nite element numerical model is developed with the aid of the software ABAQUS, in a way to compare our results with the reality in terms of force and plastic deformation. The comparison of these results will validate our approach and create a form to optimize this process in order to minimize undesirable defects on the material such as the cracking of the rivet due to excess of force or over deformation

Catálogo de los anfibios y escamosos plio-pleistocenos de España del Museu de Geologia de Barcelona

The present catalogue represents the first attempt to list the Plio-Pleistocene herpetofaunal material deposited in the Museu de Geologia de Barcelona and providing from 14 Spanish localities (8 from Catalonia, 3 from Castellón, 2 from Granada and 1 from Murcia). It permits to complete the knowledge of the presence of some “exotic” taxons as Oriental Vipers, genus Pseudopus and Agamidae in Iberian Peninsula during the Late Pliocene. Many of these citations may correspond to the ultimate ones. Moreover, the presence in Catalan localities of species of middle-European origin during the Early Pleistocene documents ones of the oldest references to their presence in Spain. Key words: Catalogue, Amphibia, Squamata, Palaeobiogeography.El presente catálogo representa el primer intento de hacer la lista del material herpetofaunico del Plio-Pleistoceno depositado en el Museu de Geologia de Barcelona y procedente de 14 yacimientos españoles (8 de Cataluña, 3 de Castellón, 2 de Granada y 1 de Murcia). Esto permite completar el conocimiento de la presencia de taxones “exóticos” como las víboras orientales, el género Pseudopus y los Agamidae en la península ibérica durante el Plioceno superior. Muchas de éstas corresponden a las últimas citaciones. Por otra parte, la ocurrencia en los yacimientos catalanes de especies de origen medio-Europeo durante el Pleistoceno inferior permite documentar algunas de las más viejas referencias de su presencia en España. Palabras llave: Catálogo, Anfibios, Escamosos, Paleobiogeografía

Amphibians and squamate reptiles from the latest early Pleistocene of Cueva Victoria (Murcia, southeastern Spain, SW Mediterranean): Paleobiogeographic and paleoclimatic implications

The karstic filling of Cueva Victoria in southeastern Spain, dated from the latest early Pleistocene (ca. 1.1 Ma), is famous for providing primate fossil remains (Theropithecus) of typical African origin, in the general controversy on the antiquity of the first hominid settlements in Western Europe and their possible entrance into Europe through the Strait of Gibraltar. Cueva Victoria has also furnished the following fauna of anurans and squamate reptiles: cf. Pelodytes sp. (Pelodytidae), Bufo cf. B. bufo (Bufonidae), Blanus cinereus (Blanidae), Tarentola sp. (Geckonidae), Chalcides cf. Ch. bedriagai (Scincidae), Timon cf. T. lepidus and indeterminate small lacertids (Lacertidae), Natrix maura, Coronella girondica, Rhinechis scalaris and Malpolon cf. M. monspessulanus (Colubridae). This faunal association seems to suggest a mean annual temperature slightly fresher than nowadays (approximately 1°C less than at present in the area), with cooler winters but warmer summers and above all higher mean annual precipitations (+ 400 mm). The landscape may correspond to an open forest environment of a Mediterranean type, with some still water points

Semantic Data Integration for Public Health in Brazil

International audienceThe lack of semantic information is a big challenge, even in context-driven areas like Healthcare, characterized by established terminologies. Here, semantic data integration is the solution to provide precise information and answers to questions like: What is the care pathway of newborns diagnosed with a congenital anomaly in consequence of congenital syphilis in the city of São Paulo? This project will use a semantic data integration technique, ontology based data integration, to integrate three health databases from the city of São Paulo - Brazil: mortality, live births and hospital information system. It is expected that the integration of public health databases will help to map patient care pathways, predict public resource needs and minimize unnecessary spending

Semantic Data Integration for Public Health in Brazil

International audienceThe lack of semantic information is a big challenge, even in context-driven areas like Healthcare, characterized by established terminologies. Here, semantic data integration is the solution to provide precise information and answers to questions like: What is the care pathway of newborns diagnosed with a congenital anomaly in consequence of congenital syphilis in the city of São Paulo? This project will use a semantic data integration technique, ontology based data integration, to integrate three health databases from the city of São Paulo-Brazil: mortality, live births and hospital information system. It is expected that the integration of public health databases will help to map patient care pathways, predict public resource needs and minimize unnecessary spending

Modelling of non-consolidated oil shale semi-coke forward combustion: influence of carbon and calcium carbonate contents

A one dimensional (1-D) numerical model to describe forward filtration combustion in a porous bed is proposed. The numerical model is based on mass and momentum conservation law (generalized Darcy’s law). We assume local thermal equilibrium between gas and solid phases. The effect of carbon and calcium carbonate content on the propagation of the high temperature combustion front has been investigated. A simple carbon oxidation reaction, producing CO and CO2, describes the combustion. We found that increasing the carbon content of the bed increases the peak temperature. However, the combustion front velocity versus carbon content does not show a monotone behaviour. The front velocity increases while carbon content increases up to a certain value and then decreases. Also, we observed that higher the temperature is, stronger the calcium carbonate decomposition is. Consequently, the calcium carbonate decomposition is closely linked to the peak temperature. Moreover, increasing the calcium carbonate content of the porous bed resulted a decrease of the peak temperature. These results as well as the composition of produced gases are consistent with the previous published experimental study. Results of this paper show that using a 1-D model with a simple reaction scheme for combustion and for calcium carbonate decomposition produces satisfactory results for simulation of filtration combustion process

Exploring the association between precipitation and hospital admission for mental disorders in Switzerland between 2009 and 2019.

While several studies proved the relationship between increasing temperatures and poor mental health, limited evidence exists on the effect of other weather factors, such as precipitation. This study assessed the impact of precipitation on hospital admissions for mental disorders in Switzerland between 2009-2019. We defined different precipitation events based on the duration (daily precipitation ≥1mm for 2, 3, or 4 days; PP.2/PP.3/PP.4) and intensity (≥90th percentile for 2 consecutive days; PEP90.2). First, we conducted aggregated time-stratified case-crossover analysis in eight main Swiss cities with distributed lag models to assess the association up to 3 days after the exposure. Then, we pooled the estimates in each city using a multivariate random effects meta-analysis for all hospital admissions and by subgroups (sex, age, diagnosis). Evidence of an association between precipitation and hospital admission for mental disorders was not found in Switzerland (PP.2: 1.003[0.978-1.029]; PP.3: 1.005[0.985-1.026]; PP.4: 0.994[0.960-1.030]; PEP90.2: 1.000[0.953-1.050]). Although the results were highly uncertain, we found an indication of increasing risks of hospital admission with increasing intensity of precipitation in warmer seasons (PP.2: 1.001[0.971-1.032] vs PEP90.2: 1.014[0.955-1.078]), while the risks of hospital admission slightly increased by the duration in colder season (PP.2: 1.009[0.981-1.039]; PP.3: 1.008[0.980-1.036]; PP.4: 1.017[0.956-1.081]). Overall, risks tend to be higher in people aged < 65 years. Duration of the events may influence more than intensity in females, while opposite patterns were observed in males. Risks tended to be larger but still uncertain for schizophrenia, mood disorders, and adult personality disorders. An indication of a negative association was found in neurotic disorders and null risks in the remaining groups. Although our findings did not show a clear association between precipitation and mental disorders, further research is required to clarify the role of precipitation and the potential implications of climate change and extreme precipitation events on mental health

A Satisfação com o Suporte Social em Doentes Mentais Crónicos Institucionalizados

A literatura tem vindo a revelar que as perturbações psiquiátricas e os problemas de saúde mental tornaram-se a principal causa de incapacidade e uma das principais causas de morbilidade, nas sociedades vigentes. O efeito devastador da doença mental pode gerar nos indivíduos a necessidade de suporte social, solidariedade e cuidados. O suporte social é considerado uma variável capaz de proteger e promover a saúde e desempenha um papel positivo na recuperação de doenças. Assim, torna-se fundamental identificar fatores que melhorem a satisfação com o suporte social para posterior desenvolvimento de estratégias de intervenção que contribuam para melhorar as condições de institucionalização durante o processo de reabilitação. Os objetivos deste estudo consistem em: (1) avaliar a satisfação com o suporte social numa amostra com doentes mentais crónicos institucionalizados; (2) identificar determinantes sociodemográficas, clínicas e socio relacionais que influenciem a satisfação com o suporte social; e (3) explorar a influência de variáveis preditoras que contribuem para explicar a perceção de suporte social em doentes mentais crónicos institucionalizados. Como instrumentos, neste estudo exploratório utilizou-se um Questionário Sociodemográfico e a Escala de Satisfação com o Suporte Social (Pais-Ribeiro, 1999) a 60 participantes do sexo feminino com Esquizofrenia e Perturbação Bipolar institucionalizados, com idades compreendidas entre os 31 e os 65 anos (M = 50.47; DP = 9.142). Esta amostra foi recolhida na Casa de Saúde Bom Jesus, na Casa de Saúde Bento Menni e na Casa de Saúde Rainha Santa Isabel. Os resultados evidenciam a existência de uma correlação moderada e estatisticamente significativa entre a satisfação com o suporte social e a variável clínica perceção do estado de saúde (r = 0.269, p < 0.05), e entre a satisfação com o suporte social e as variáveis socio relacionais satisfação com a comunidade (r = 0.441, p < 0.01) e perceção de felicidade (r = 0.349, p < 0.01). Também se constatou que a satisfação com a comunidade e a perceção de felicidade são fatores preditores para a satisfação com o suporte social em doentes mentais crónicos institucionalizados. Conclui-se, deste estudo, que a perceção de suporte social é fundamental para minimizar estados emocionais negativos e que é necessário desenvolver programas de intervenção e reabilitação, de forma a que os doentes se sintam integrados numa determinada rede social, bem como na comunidade contribuindo consequentemente para aumentar a eficácia das intervenções terapêuticas.Literature bears witness that psychiatric disorders and mental health problems have become the leading disability cause and a major morbidity cause in nowadays society. The devastating effect of mental illness can generate on individuals the need for social support, solidarity and care. Social support is regarded as a variable capable of protecting and promoting health and it plays a positive role in illness recovery. Thus, it becomes essential to identify factors that improve satisfaction with social support, for further intervention strategies development which contribute to improving the institutionalization conditions during the rehabilitation process. This study aims to: (1) evaluate the satisfaction with social support in a sample of institutionalized chronically mentally ill (individuals); (2) identify sociodemographic, clinical and socio-relational determinants that influence satisfaction with social support; (3) explore the influence of predictive variables that help to explain the perception of social support in institutionalized chronically mentally ill. As instruments in this exploratory study, it was used a Sociodemographic Questionnaire and the Scale of Satisfaction with Social Support (Pais-Ribeiro, 1999) to 60 institutionalized female participants with Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder, with ages between 31 and 65 years old (M = 50.47, SD = 9.142). This sample was collected in the Casa de Saúde Bom Jesus, Casa de Saúde Bento Menni and Casa de Saúde Rainha Santa Isabel. Results show the existence of a moderated and statistically significant correlation between satisfaction with social support and the clinical variable perception of health status (r = 0.269, p <0.05), and between satisfaction with social support and socio-relational variables satisfaction with the community (r = 0441, p <0.01) and perception of happiness (r = 0.349, p <0.01). It was also observed that satisfaction with the community and perception of happiness are predictors of satisfaction with social support in institutionalized chronically mentally ill. It is concluded from this study that the perception of social support is critical to minimize negative emotional states and it is necessary to develop intervention and rehabilitation programs, so that patients feel integrated in a particular social network, as well as in the community, consequently contributing to increase the efficacy of therapeutic interventions