Human capital, trade and long-run productivity. Testing the technological absorption hypothesis for the Portuguese economy, 1960-2001

An important characteristic of the role of foreign trade in the technological catch-up of countries is the complementary nature of technological change and human capital formation. In this context, the level of education is likely to have a crucial impact on total factor productivity because it determines the capacity of an economy to carry out technological innovation, and to adopt and to implement efficiently technology from abroad. However, the role of human capital as a pre requisite for technology absorption although theoretically acknowledged has been empirically neglected. One of the main problems with empirical studies in this domain is that they do not clearly test the mechanisms through which trade, namely the import of capital goods, affects total factor productivity or, roughly the level of technological development of a given country. Through cointegration techniques, we demonstrate the relevance of the technological absorption hypothesis. We show that the interaction between human capital and (lagged) machinery imports – that is, the technological absorption capability - is the most critical determinant of Portuguese long-run total factor productivity.Human capital – Innovation – Trade – Economic growth – Cointegration

Human capital, innovation capability and economic growth in Portugal, 1960–2001

In maintaining that the main flaw in empirical studies on economic growth derives from the fact that they employ Solow-style neoclassical growth models, rather than testing actual endogenous growth theory, we examine the human capital-innovation-growth nexus, thus testing new growth theory more directly.We test its insights against the economic evolution of an individual country, Portugal, using time series data from 1960 to 2001. Estimates based on vector autoregressive and cointegration analysis seem to confirm that human capital and indigenous innovation efforts were enormously important to the economic growth process in Portugal during the period of study. In particular, the indirect effect of human capital through innovation, emerges here as being critical, showing that a reasonably high stock of human capital is necessary to enable a country to reap the benefits of its indigenous innovation efforts.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Caracterização não-invasiva da morfologia e fisiologia cardíaca de Halobatrachus didactylus: aplicação da ecocardiografia

Tese de Doutoramento, Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Universidade do Algarve, 2001Neste trabalho investigou-se a aplicabilidade da ecocardiografia para o estudo não invasivo da morfologia e fisiologia cardíacas de um teleósteo marinho, a espécie Halohatrachus didaetylus, com vista à sua utilização, como um modelo experimental fiável, para o estudo dos mecanismos que regulam a contracção cardíaca, nomeadamente mecanismos de adaptação a alterações ambientais, farmacológicas e fisiopalológicas.The applicability of echocardiography to the non-invasive study of heart morphology and physiology of a marine teleost, the Lusitanian Toadfish {Halobatrachus didactylus), was investigated. regarding its use as a reliable experimental model to study the cardiac contraction regulatory mechanisms, namely adaptation mechanisms to environmental, pharmacological and physiopathological changes.Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia: BD 9657/96 PRAXIS XXI

Investigação Química da Marthasterias Glacialis da Costa Portuguesa, como Fonte de Compostos com Actividade Farmacêutica

Marine organisms are increasingly regarded as a promising source of bioactive molecules for human pharmacotherapy, being used in conditions such as cancer, inflammation, infection and pain.Marthasterias glacialis, also known as the spiny sea-star, is an echinoderm common in the Portuguese coast, however little information is available regarding its chemical constituents.In this work, the chemistry of this organism is reviewed taking into account the latest reports on several classes of natural products, namely carotenoids, sterols, fatty acids and amino acids.Os organismos marinhos tem sido considerados como uma fonte promissora de moléculas com actividade farmacoterapêutica para os humanos, sendo utilizadas em distintas patologias como neoplásicas, inflamatórias, infecciosas ou álgicas. A Marthasterias glacialis, também conhecida como estrela do mar espinhosa, é um equinodermo muito comum na costa portuguesa, existindo, contudo, pouca informação sobre a sua composição quimica.Pretende-se rever a quimica deste organismo tendo em conta os ultimos dados sobre as diferentes classes de produtos, nomeadamente carotenoides, esteróides, ácidos gordos e aminoácidos

The peculiarity of malvidin 3-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl) glucoside aggregation. Intra and intermolecular interactions

UIDB/50006/2020 PTDC/QUI-OUT/29013/2017 MEX/Ref. 288188 SFRH/BD/143309/2019 IF/00225/2015 IF/01355/2014 CEECIND/00466/2017 REQUIMTE/EEC2018/PTDC/QUI-OUT/29925/2017The aggregation of malvidin 3-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl) glucoside flavylium cation (OeninCoum) in water is reported. Intra and intermolecular interactions of OeninCoum were characterized by UV–vis absorption, 1H NMR and circular dichroism (CD). Theoretical calculations were also performed to describe the intramolecular interactions. At higher temperature (>60 °C) the intermolecular aggregates are disrupted but CD signal attributed to an intramolecular interaction remains. Moreover, the kinetic and thermodynamic data for Oenin and OeninCoum at 50 °C and 25 °C shows that the increase of temperature stabilizes the quinoidal base of this later.authorsversionpublishe

Detection of adulterations in food products containing milk and/or milk proteins

A critical review of the most relevant analytical methodologies for quality and authenticity control of dairy products and foods containing milk proteins is presented. Chromatographic, electrophoretic and immunological methods are used for: detection of cow's milk in ewe and goat milks, detection of whey added to milk, detection of caseins and/or whey proteins in non-lactic foods and study compounds resulting from milk proteins degradation. Techniques based on polimerase chain reaction are also suitable for detection of cow's milk on cheeses of ewe and goat milks

In-depth phenolic characterization of iron gall inks by deconstructing representative Iberian recipes

UIDB/50006/2020 PTDC / QUI-OUT / 29925/2017Iron-gall ink is one of the most important inks in the history of western civilization. The deep black colour results from Fe3+ complexes with phenolic compounds available in gall extracts. Unfortunately, it induces the degradation of both ink and support over time. Furthermore, our knowledge of these complex molecular structures is limited. This work aims to overcome this gap, revealing essential information about the complex structures of these pigments and dyes that will create a breakthrough in the next generation of conservation treatments. It presents the first in-depth phenolic identification and quantification of extracts and inks, prepared with and without gum arabic (an essential additive in medieval recipes). Five representative Iberian recipes were selected and prepared. Their phenolic profile was analysed by HPLC–DAD and HPLC–ESI–MS, which revealed that the phenolic compounds present in higher concentration, in the gall extracts, are pentagalloylglucose and hexagalloylglucose (0.15 ± 0.01–32 ± 3 mg/mL), except for one recipe, in which gallic acid is the main phenolic. The influence of the ingredients is also discussed by deconstructing the recipes: extracts of additives as pomegranate peel and solvents used in the extraction of the galls (vinegar and white wine) were characterized.publishersversionpublishe

Evaluation of cheese authenticity and proteolysis by HPLC and urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Chromatographic and electrophoretic methods have been established as useful tools in characterising cheese ripening and in the detection of milk adulteration. The purpose of this work was to evaluate casein proteolysis of cheeses made from bovine, ovine or mixtures of bovine and ovine milks, as well as ovine cheese authenticity, for 30 days of ripening by HPLC and urea–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Complementary information was obtained by both techniques when applied to the study of casein proteolysis during 30 days of ripening of ovine milk cheeses, ovine milk cheeses with 10% and 20% of bovine milk and bovine milk cheeses, manufactured according to the traditional Terrincho technology. For ovine cheeses, a-casein was the fraction that showed the higher degradation during cheese ripening. A similar behaviour was observed for ovine milk cheese with 10% of bovine milk. The profile for ovine milk cheese with 20% of bovine milk was more similar to that obtained for bovine cheese. Concerning bovine milk cheeses, electrophoresis was the most sensitive technique for the evaluation of proteolysis in these cheeses. Ten and 20% of bovine milk could be detected in ovine milk cheeses by urea–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and HPLC, respectively, even after 30 days of ripening.Project Agro No. 26, Medida 8, Acção 8.

Polyphenol extraction by deep eutectic solvent for valorisation of portuguese green tea and their impact on chitosan-based films properties

The current demand for antioxidant active packaging, that is achieved by introducing antioxidants into food packaging material, is increasing due to both the unquestionable advantages compared to the addition of antioxidants directly to the food and the tendency to consume healthy and fresh products. When developing active packaging materials, research has been focused on natural and biodegradable polymers (such as polysaccharides like chitosan) containing polyphenol compounds (as bio preservative) in their formulation. Due to their rare solvation properties, the natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES), are considered good solvents to be used as an extraction medium of bioactive products. Moreover, the search for the use of ecological solvents for this field has intensified due to their acceptable toxicity profile and chemical diversity. The use of these inexpensive, non-volatile, and nonaqueous biodegradable solvents, complying with the Green Chemistry principles, could potentially improve the stability of the polyphenolic compounds allowing to retard food spoilage for packaging material, Catechins (components of green tea (GT)), a polyphenolic group known for its high value-added antioxidant properties, have been associated with health-promoting effects. In this sense, the incorporation of GT components for food application purposes and as active ingredient in packaging materials can be expected to improve food functionality and availability, while performing a dual role (antioxidant and antimicrobial agent) and possibly also having low-cost advantages. In this work, for the first time, a ternary deep eutectic solvent (ChCl/glycerol/lactic acid) was used as an environmentally friendly media for the extraction of polyphenolic compounds from green tea. The extraction solution was compared with traditional method and used to improve chitosan film properties. The casting method used to produce films with and without GT/NADES plasticizer. Transparent films were obtained and evaluated in terms of mechanical, water resistance, optical and microstructural properties. The results were compared with those obtained for chitosan films containing binary deep eutectic solvents (ChCl/glycerol and ChCl/lactic acid, with and without GT)) as plasticizers in their formulations.The work was supported through the project UIDB/50006/2020, funded by FCT/MCTES through national funds and by the AgriFood XXI I&D&I project (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000041 co-financed by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), through the NORTE 2020. N Teixeira and Hiléia Souza thanks FCT for CEECIND/00025/2018/CP1545/CT0009 and PTDC/OCE-ETA/31250/2017 project respectively.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio