Public Tertiary Education Expenditure in Portugal: a Non-Parametric Efficiency Analysis

We employ a non-parametric methodology, Data Envelopment Analysis, to estimate efficiency scores for Portuguese public universities for 2001. Due to the tertiary education organisational features we consider universities as well as faculties and institutes as decision entities. Using frontier analysis we are able to separate universities/faculties/institutes that might qualify, as “performing well” from those were some improvement might increase its efficiency. This is a first effort of checking efficiency and productivity in Portuguese public tertiary education using nonparametric analysis.expenditure in tertiary education; efficiency; production possibility frontier; DEA.

Some constructions of compact quantum groups

The purpose of this paper is to consider some basic constructions in the category of compact quantum groups --for example de case of extensions, of Drinfeld twists, of matched pairs, of extensions, of linked pairs and of cocycle Singer pairs -- with special emphasis in the finite dimensional situation. We give conditions, in some cases necessary and sufficient, to extend to the new objects the original compact structure. We illustrate the results in the case of matched pairs of groups

The Discovery of (a European) Society? - A Polanyian appraisal of European integration after the Maastricht Treaty

Abstract The ongoing Eurocrisis expresses the limits of an institutional setup designed to run the Euro as commodity money and to organize labour into competitive markets. Building on Polanyi’s (1944) claim that “a market economy can exist only in a market society”, this paper approaches the project of European integration “as an instituted process” (Polanyi, 1957) of enactment of a market economy embedded in a market society. Section 1 builds a polanyian framework, with particular focus on the theoretical tension between the notions of market disembeddedness and embeddedness in a market society. Section 2 presents the structure of European multilevel governance as an institutional blueprint of market disembeddedness. A third section explores the dynamics of translation of the European Market Economy into a European Market Society. The paper concludes by arguing that a solution to the Eurocrisis that is both Europeanist and democratic will require replacing the liberal ethos of the market for the public sphere, as rationale for the European society embedding the European economy.FC

The impact of labor income tax progressivity on the fiscal multipliers in the context of fiscal consolidation programs

Fiscal multipliers depend on several structural characteristics of each economy. In this work project it is argued that labor income tax progressivity lowers fiscal multipliers of fiscal consolidation programs. By calibrating a model with incomplete-markets and overlapping generations for the United States, for different values of the labor income tax progressivity, it is shown that as progressivity increases, the recessionary impacts of fiscal consolidation programs are lower in the case of consolidation through decrease of government spending and are more recessionary in the case of consolidation financed with tax hikes. The first case is explained through the positive relationship between labor tax progressvity and the percentage of borrowing constrained agents in the economy. In the second case the results are linked to the distortionary effects in the economy of increasing tax progressivity

Exploring the potential sorbent capacity of iron nanostructures to isolate urinary endogenous metabolites

Cancer, one of the deadliest diseases of the world, is characterized by metabolic alterations that cause cells abnormal growth resulting in an uncontrollable proliferation. To reduce the mortality, increase the life quality and make the treatment more effective, early diagnosis is essential. Metabolomics is a promising area regarding cancer early diagnosis that detects a specific metabolite profile from biological samples using “case control” studies. This profile consists of a panel of small molecules derived from a global or target analysis that is detected through high-resolution analytical methods like the proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Urine is an appealing biofluid, obtained by a non-invasive way, rich in metabolites that reveals the recent homeostatic condition of an individual. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), namely the magnetite (Fe3O4) and maghemite (Fe2O3) have been widely used in oncology for tumour targeting and contrast agent for magnetic resonance image diagnosis. However, their uncoated sorption capacity towards cancer biomarkers remains unknown. In this work, we aimed to evaluate the sorption capacity of uncoated magnetite and maghemite towards the extraction of different metabolites potential cancer biomarkers present on urine using the magnetic solid phase extraction followed by 1H NMR. To achieve this, the extraction methodology was optimised using spiked synthetic urine regarding the MNP type, amount, extraction time and temperature. The best optimization results were applied on urine samples of lymphoma and breast cancer patients and healthy volunteers to identify and quantify the potential biomarkers on a “case-control” study. Regarding the results, the 20-30 nm magnetite showed best cost-effectiveness ratio being the optimal extraction conditions obtained by using: a ratio of 0.2 mg/ml to extract during 5 min at room temperature with the addition of 1 ml of ultrapure water as elution solvent. On “case-control” study, most of the potential biomarkers followed the same changes, regardless of the cancer type. KeywordsO cancro, uma das doenças mais letais do mundo, é caracterizado por alterações metabólicas que causam o crescimento anormal das células levando à sua incontrolável proliferação. Para reduzir a mortalidade e aumentar a qualidade de vida, o diagnóstico precoce é essencial. A metabolómica, através do estabelecimento do perfil metabólico específico de amostras biológicas usando estudos de “caso-controlo” constitui-se como uma ferramenta promissora no diagnóstico precoce do cancro. Este perfil consiste num painel de pequenas moléculas derivadas de uma análise global ou alvo que é detetada através de métodos analíticos de alta resolução, como a ressonância magnética nuclear de protão (1H RNM). A urina é um biofluído obtido de forma não-invasiva rico em metabolitos que expressam a condição homeostática de um indivíduo. As nanopartículas magnéticas (MNPs), nomeadamente a magnetita (Fe3O4) e maghemita (Fe2O3) têm sido muito utilizadas na oncologia para o direcionamento tumoral e como agentes de contraste no diagnóstico de imagem por ressonância magnética. No entanto, a sua capacidade de sorção para metabolitos potenciais biomarcadores do cancro ainda permanece pouco explorada. No presente trabalho, será estudada a capacidade de sorção da magnetita e maghemita não revestidas, na extração de potenciais biomarcadores do cancro presentes na urina, utilizando a extração magnética em fase sólida seguida de análise por 1H NMR. Para isso, a metodologia de extração foi otimizada, utilizando urina sintética fortificada, em relação ao tipo de MNP, à quantidade sorbente, ao tempo e temperatura de extração. Os melhores resultados da otimização foram aplicados nas amostras de urina de pacientes com cancro da mama e linfoma e voluntários saudáveis para identificar e quantificar os potenciais biomarcadores num estudo de “caso controlo”. A magnetita 20-30 nm apresentou a melhor relação custo-eficácia, nas seguintes condições de extração: uma razão de 0,2 mg/ml para extrair durante 5 min à temperatura ambiente, adicionando 1 ml de água como solvente de eluição. No estudo do “caso-controlo”, a maioria dos biomarcadores seguiu as mesmas mudanças, independentemente do tipo de cancro

Estão os portugueses preparados para o futuro do turismo? Aplicação do modelo de aceitação tecnológica ao uso de robots em turismo

The tourism sector has been growing exponentially in Portugal over the last few years, becoming increasingly competitive. On the other hand, the use of machines, robots and artificial intelligence in this industry that is built by and for people, has also been increasing and diversifying. The objective of this investigation focuses on the study of variables that can affect the acceptance of robots by the Portuguese public. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is applied to understand the influence of a set of sociodemographic variables, travel behavior, motivation, and attitude towards technology in general in the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of using robots in tourism. The results obtained demonstrate that the Portuguese case is similar to that of other Western countries, with gender, age, travel group, motivation and attitude towards technology having a significant impact on the dependent variables.O setor do turismo em Portugal tem vindo a crescer exponencialmente nos últimos anos, tornando-se cada vez mais competitivo. Por outro lado, o uso de máquinas, robots e inteligência artificial nesta que é uma indústria construída por e para pessoas, tem também vindo a aumentar e a diversificar-se. O objetivo desta investigação centra-se no estudo das variáveis que podem afetar a aceitação dos robots por parte do público português. É aplicado o Modelo de Aceitação Tecnológica para perceber a influência de um conjunto de variáveis sociodemográficas, de comportamento em viagem, de motivação e de atitude face à tecnologia em geral na facilidade de utilização percebida e utilidade percebida do uso de robots em turismo. Os resultados obtidos permitem concluir que o caso português se assemelha ao de outros países ocidentais, tendo o género, idade, grupo de viagem, motivação e atitude face à tecnologia um impacto significativo nas variáveis dependentes.Mestrado em Gestão e Planeamento em Turism