Foreign Investment in Portugal and Knowledge Spillovers : From the Methuen Treaty to the Twenty First Century

This article looks at the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on host-country firms’ capabilities, industry competitiveness and long-term economic development. Focussing on the case of Portugal over a period of 300 years, it develops a framework of the types of knowledge spillovers, based on the behaviour of, and interactions between, foreign investors and local players. This study argues that the impact of FDI in Portugal has evolved in stages, from closed to interactive approaches, increasing the learning by local players. These ultimately lead to the long-term upgrade of firms’ capabilities, industry competitiveness and host-country economic development

Towards a high-resolution offshore wind Atlas : the Portuguese case

ABSTRACT: An accurate offshore wind resource assessment is a key tool for planning marine wind renewable exploitation. To achieve this goal, without resort to an extensive and costly network of anemometric stations or buoys, it becomes necessary to use the so-called atmospheric mesoscale models. This work presents a high spatial resolution (1x1 km) offshore wind resource Atlas for Portugal and the model calibration steps. During the calibration steps, the most adequate: i) atmospheric parameterizations - physics options, ii) initial and boundary conditions (IBC) meteorological datasets, and iii) data assimilation scheme were achieved through sensitivity tests using the common statistical metrics and hourly simulated/observational data. Results show that the most significant improvements are associated with the IBC dataset and the data assimilation scheme used. Thus, the results show that the assimilation procedures coupled with the new ERA-5 reanalysis dataset reduce significantly the errors of the wind speed and direction, especially the normalized mean square error. This reduction, depending on the different calibration setup, can be above 50%. The new Atlas confirms the previous indicators, Portugal presents a high wind power potential, especially for deep offshore regions.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Mental health and physical inactivity during pregnancy: a cross-sectional study nested in the BRISA cohort study

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between mental health and physical inactivity in 1,447 pregnant women in the second trimester of pregnancy. Subjects answered the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Symptoms of depression and anxiety, and stress levels were assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory and the Perceived Stress Scale, respectively. The rate of physical inactivity was low (39.8%). The prevalence rates of symptoms of severe depression and severe levels of anxiety were 28.8% and 16.9%, respectively. The average perceived stress score was 24.9. An association was found between physical inactivity and not living with a partner (OR = 1.28), having a manual occupation (OR = 0.71) and, unexpectedly, normal and low levels of anxiety (OR = 1.46 and OR = 1.44, respectively). No association was observed between physical inactivity and symptoms of severe depression and perceived stress. It is plausible to assume that the majority of physical activity practiced by these women was attributable to housework or occupation which may in turn be associated with high levels of anxiety

Population-based seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 and the herd immunity threshold in Maranhão

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. METHODS: A population-based household survey was performed, from July 27, 2020 to August 8, 2020. The estimates considered clustering, stratification and non-response. Qualitative detection of IgM and IgG antibodies was performed in a fully-automated Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on the Cobas® e601 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). RESULTS: In total, 3,156 individuals were interviewed. Seroprevalence of total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was 40.4% (95%CI 35.6-45.3). Population adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions was higher at the beginning of the pandemic than in the last month. SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were significantly lower among mask wearers and among those who maintained social and physical distancing in the last month compared to their counterparts. Among the infected, 26.0% were asymptomatic. The infection fatality rate (IFR) was 0.14%, higher for men and older adults. The IFR based on excess deaths was 0.28%. The ratio of estimated infections to reported cases was 22.2. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 estimated in this population-based survey is one of the highest reported. The local herd immunity threshold may have been reached or might be reached soon.OBJECTIVE: To estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. METHODS: A population-based household survey was performed, from July 27, 2020 to August 8, 2020. The estimates considered clustering, stratification and non-response. Qualitative detection of IgM and IgG antibodies was performed in a fully-automated Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on the Cobas® e601 analyzer (Roche Diagnostics). RESULTS: In total, 3,156 individuals were interviewed. Seroprevalence of total antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 was 40.4% (95%CI 35.6-45.3). Population adherence to non-pharmaceutical interventions was higher at the beginning of the pandemic than in the last month. SARS-CoV-2 infection rates were significantly lower among mask wearers and among those who maintained social and physical distancing in the last month compared to their counterparts. Among the infected, 26.0% were asymptomatic. The infection fatality rate (IFR) was 0.14%, higher for men and older adults. The IFR based on excess deaths was 0.28%. The ratio of estimated infections to reported cases was 22.2. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 estimated in this population-based survey is one of the highest reported. The local herd immunity threshold may have been reached or might be reached soon

Secular trends in the rate of low birth weight in Brazilian State Capitals in the period 1996 to 2010

Secular trends in rates of low birth weight in Brazilian state capital cities were evaluated for the period 1996 to 2010 using joinpoint regression models. The rates were calculated using data from the Live Births Information System. Newborns weighing less than 500g were excluded. Only data for capital cities was included since under-registration of births in these cities is lower and new trends can be detected earlier. There was a significant increase in the rate of low birth weight in the Brazilian capitals of the North Region, Northeast Region, South Region and Southeast Region up to 2003/2004, stabilizing thereafter. In the capitals of the Center-west Region the rate increased throughout the whole study period. The rate of low birth weight was higher in the capitals of the more developed regions. The rate of multiple births increased significantly in all Brazilian capitals, while the stillbirth rate decreased and showed a negative correlation with the rate of low birth weight. The increase in the rate of low birth weight may be partially explained by the increase in multiple births, an increase in the birth of infants weighing 500 to 999g and by the reduction in the stillbirth rate

Dream teens : adolescentes autónomos, responsáveis e participantes

Revista de Psicologia da Criança e do Adolescente. - ISSN 1647-4120. - v. 6, n. 2 (Julho-Dezembro 2015). - p. 47-58.O Dream Teens é um projeto que envolve jovens portugueses dos 11 aos 18 anos. Fornece uma formação e uma estrutura de apoio para que as suas vozes sejam ouvidas e promove a sua participação numa variedade de contextos e cenários na área da saúde, da educação e da cidadania ativa. O projeto Dream Teens (webpage: http://dreamteens.aventurasocial.com/; blog em inglês: http://www.dreamteens2014-2015.blogspot.pt; e blog em português: http://www.dreamteensaventurasocial.blogs.sapo.pt/) teve início em maio de 2014. O objetivo do presente estudo é compreender o conceito, a dinâmica, a extensão e alguns resultados preliminares do projeto Dream Teens, centrandose principalmente no estudo do processo e das experiências dos jovens. Este documento apresenta ainda um conjunto de recomendações para as políticas públicas.This article presents Dream Teens, a project which involves Portuguese adolescents from 11 to 18 years and provides a specific training and a support structure that allows their voices are heard and promote their participation in a variety of contexts and policy arenas in the areas of health, education and active citizenship. The Dream Teens project (webpage: http://dreamteens.aventurasocial.com/http://dreamteens.aventurasocial.com; blog in English: http://www.dreamteens2014-2015.blogspot.pt/; blog in portuguese: http://www.dreamteensaventurasocial.blogs.sapo.pt/), begun in May, 2014. The objective of this article is to understand the concept, the dynamic, the extent and some preliminary results of the Dream Teens project, focusing mainly on the process and on the experiences of young people. This paper also presents a set of recommendations concerning public policies

Práticas artísticas no ensino básico e secundário

As técnicas de expressão são processos de expansão. A humanidade alargou o seu perímetro de retenção de ideias, de impressão ritual, de invocação memorial, através dos primeiros materiais plásticos, incisões, manchas, escarificações, desenhos. Assim o homem cresceu, dentro da sua mente, e a sua mente cresceu fora do homem: a linguagem sobrevive-nos, permite a transmissão de aquisições, veicula a cultura de geração em geração, está na base da civilização. A expansão humana consolida-se pelas técnicas de reprodução, mas com um preço: o da emancipação das coisas em relação aos homens. A linguagem pensa-nos. Os artefactos que produzimos exercem sobre nós estranhos poderes, as mercadorias são valorizadas tanto ou mais que as pessoas, o humano é desvalorizado na razão inversa. As pessoas querem parecer-se com imagens, mapas de bits que encantam. As tecnologias, essas expansões, sabem para onde se dirigem, sem olhar aos humanos: o vivo é dispensado, em benefício de um algoritmo de computação, de um bot, de um ser sem corpo e por isso sem necessidades. Um ser que ganha sempre. A interrogação sobre os conteúdos é hoje a interrogação sobre um real digitalizado, transformado em código. Este é um dos espaços que merece uma atenção particular na Educação Artística: pode-se pensar do outro lado do código?info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Estudos Luso-Hispanos de História do Direito II = Estudios Luso-Hispanos de Historia del Derecho II

This book brings together a set of studies that were presented and discussed at the III Spanish-Portuguese Meeting of Law Historians. They deal with central themes of the History of Law and Institutions in Modern and Contemporary eras, with special emphasis on the peninsular territories and also on the territories that made up, at different times, the Spanish and Portuguese empires. As a whole, they contribute to broaden and deepen the historical knowledge of aspects related to justice and the administration of the territories, the functioning of institutions (courts, universities, courts) and the discussion of legal concepts central to the knowledge of the legal-political doctrine produced at different times of a vast chronological period.Este libro reúne un conjunto de estudios que fueron presentados y discutidos en el III Encuentro hispano-luso de historiadores del Derecho. Tratan temas centrales de la historia del derecho y de las instituciones en la época moderna y contemporánea, con especial énfasis en los territorios peninsulares y también en los territorios que compusieron, en distintas épocas, los imperios español y portugués. En su conjunto, contribuyen a ampliar y profundizar el conocimiento histórico de aspectos relacionados con la justicia y la administración de los territorios, el funcionamiento de las instituciones (tribunales, universidades, Cortes) y la discusión de conceptos jurídicos centrales para el conocimiento de la doctrina jurídico-política producida en distintos momentos de un vasto período cronológico. = Neste livro reúne-se um conjunto de estudos que foram apresentados e discutidos no III Encontro hispano-luso de historiadores do Direito. Neles são abordados temas centrais da história do direito e das instituições na época moderna e contemporânea, com especial incidência nos territórios peninsulares e também nos territórios que integraram, em momentos diversos, os impérios espanhol e português. No seu conjunto, contribuem para o alargamento e o aprofundamento do conhecimento histórico de aspectos ligados à justiça e à administração dos territórios, ao funcionamento das instituições (tribunais, universidades, Cortes) e à discussão de conceitos jurídicos centrais para o conhecimento da doutrina jurídico-política produzida em momentos diferentes de um vasto período cronológico