What is the next chapter in the organized food retail industry in Portugal, up to 2030, and what are the strategic options that should be considered for strategy formulation? - Evolving supply chain management: internet of things

This project focus on the analysis of the organized food retail industry in Portugal, up to 2030. For this purpose, four scenarios were created using two critical uncertainties-shoppers’ e-commerce usage and producers’ direct-to-consumer adoption-and recommendations were developed. Moreover, the applications and impact that Internet of Things can have in supply chain management were considered for analysis, as this technology is evolving and already disrupting the way the supply chain operates. It is concluded that the key break throughs are on processes optimization, control of operations, communication across the whole supply chain and the information extracted throughout the full process

Planning for the Efficient Updating of Mutual Fund Portfolios

Once there is a decision of rebalancing or updating a portfolio of funds, the process of changing the current portfolio to the target one, involves a set of transactions that are susceptible of being optimized. This is particularly relevant when managers have to handle the implications of different types of instruments. In this work we present linear programming and heuristic search approaches that produce plans for executing the update. The evaluation of our proposals shows cost improvements over the compared based strategy. The models can be easily extended to other realistic scenarios in which a holistic portfolio management is requiredComment: 8 page

Prices, money and the exchange rate in Angola: an analysis of the relationships

Since 2014, the Angolan economy has been under heavy instability due to the falling of international oil prices. To fight inflation, the National Bank of Angola is now using, as instruments, the exchange rate and money supply. This Work Project uses a Vector Error Correction model to assess which one is more effective in influencing CPI inflation. We do so using the Johansen procedure, where we identify two cointegrating vectors. One for the money market equilibrium and the other capturing the Dutch Disease. The analysis performed finds evidence that supports the nominal exchange rate as the most impactful tool to contain inflation

Sistemas de gestión para la renovación de recetas médicas: estrategia para optimizar su utilización

ResumenObjetivoMejorar el cumplimiento de los pacientes con el sistema de medicación repetida. Evaluar los motivos de impuntualidad en la recogida de las recetas y su relación con el incumplimiento terapéutico declarado por el mismo paciente.DiseñoEstudio de intervención cuasiexperimental antes-después con grupo control.EmplazamientoCentro de atención primaria que atiende a una población de 62.981 habitantes.ParticipantesPacientes con enfermedades crónicas incluidos en el sistema de gestión de medicación repetida (100 en el grupo control y 100 en el grupo intervención) que son impuntuales al recoger las recetas.IntervencionesSesión informativa-educativa consistente en una breve entrevista con la farmacéutica del centro de atención primaria, en la que se educaba al usuario en el cumplimiento del sistema de medicación repetida y del tratamiento, se identificaban los motivos de impuntualidad y se realizaba el test de Morisky-Green.Mediciones principalesPuntualidad de los pacientes en las recogidas de recetas posteriores a la intervención. Motivo de impuntualidad en la recogida de reclutamiento. Cumplimiento terapéutico según el test de Morisky-Green.ResultadosGlobalmente se obtuvo una mejora absoluta de la puntualidad del 17% en el grupo intervención (el 60% de los pacientes del grupo intervención y el 43% del grupo control fueron puntuales tanto en la primera como en la segunda recogida de seguimiento). Las mujeres del grupo intervención fueron más puntuales. No se observaron diferencias por edad, número de medicamentos o motivo de impuntualidad.ConclusionesEs posible mejorar el cumplimiento de los pacientes con el sistema de medicación repetida mediante una sencilla intervención informativa-educativa.AbstractObjectiveTo improve patient compliance with a repeat prescription system. To evaluate the reasons for not being punctual in collecting prescriptions and the non-compliance declared by the patients themselves.DesignQuasi-experimental study before and after intervention including a control group.SettingPrimary health care centre which serves a population of 62,981 inhabitants.ParticipantsPatients with chronic diseases included in the repeat prescription management system (100 in the control group and 100 in the intervention group) who were unpunctual in collecting their prescriptions.InterventionsAn informative-educational session consisting of a short interview with the pharmacist from Primary Health Care Centre, in which the patient was educated on compliance of the repeat prescription system and treatment. The reasons for the unpunctuality were identified and the Moriskey-Green test was performed.Main measurementsPunctuality of the patients in collecting their prescriptions after the intervention. Reasons for unpunctuality recorded at recruitment. Therapeutic compliance according to the Moriskey-Green test.ResultsThere was an overall absolute improvement of 17% in punctuality in the intervention group (60% of the patients in the intervention group and 43% in the control group were punctual in the first as well as in the second follow up. Women were more punctual in the intervention group. There were no differences seen due to age, number of medications or reason for unpunctuality.ConclusionsIt is possible to improve patient compliance with the prescription renewal system using a simple informative-educational intervention

Synthesis and structure of methoxo-terminated molybdenum and tungsten M3S4 clusters containing aminophosphine ligands

Trinuclear [M3S4(OCH3)3](edpp)3] + complexes, 1+ (M = Mo) and 2+ (M = W) bearing (2-aminoethyl) diphenylphosphine (edpp), have been isolated and fully characterized. Molybdenum and tungsten halide precursors react with methanol in the presence of Et3N, to yield the respective methoxo-terminated clusters. The crystal structures of complexes 1+ and 2+ confirm that methoxo ligands are coordinated to the metal centers. Gas-phase dissociation of the novel methoxo cluster cations using ESI tandem mass spectrometry reveals the sequential elimination of three neutral methanol molecules under collision induced dissociation (CID) conditions to form metal/imino M = NH cluster specie

Multi Agent Functional Bone Simulation: A theoretical study

In 200 A.D., Galen described bones as the fundamental system of body protection. Bones are highly dynamic, in constant renovation to preserve their properties. Understanding bone metabolism has become a relevant area of research. The most common bone disease is osteoporosis and is characterized by low bone mass and microarchitecture disturbances. The major consequence of osteoporosis are fragility fractures (fractures that occur with low impact trauma). Osteoporosis causes more than 8.9 million fractures each year worldwide. Several therapies are effective in preventing fractures and treating osteoporosis. However, there is an enormous difficulty in predicting osteoporosis related fractures and understanding who needs these therapies in order to prevent bone loss. In practical clinic, it becomes essential to have a model describing the bone remodeling process and the impact of the different cellular mediators in the bone metabolism. Although some mathematical models already describe the variation of the bone cells, they do it in a continuous and deterministic way with few cellular mediators. Many studies and experimental results have shown that cellular metabolism and birth-and-death processes in population dynamics are stochastic. Furthermore, mathematical models are reliable on describing a macro level, whereas multiagent simulation models are used to link micro and macro perspectives. In this thesis we have developed a multiagent stochastic model that simulates a timeline remodeling cycle. Our simulator reproduces the homeostatic process of remodeling with the different phases of it, which is time consistent with the real biological process. Our model includes the most relevant cellular mediators in the bone metabolism. Our model demonstrated to have great sensibility to predict bone loss caused by some chronic diseases such hyper and hypoparathyroidism, and excess of glucocorticoids, and also to the most known causes of osteoporosis: estrogen or vitamin D deficiency. Overall, this model provides a deeper understanding about bone metabolism and the pathologies associated with it.Em 200 A.D, Galen descreveu os ossos como o sistema fundamental de proteção do corpo. Os ossos são estruturas altamente dinâmicas e estão em constante remodelação para preservarem as suas propriedades. Compreender o metabolismo do osso tornou-se uma marcante área de pesquisa. A doença óssea mais comum é a osteoporose que causa mais de 8.9 milhões de fraturas em todo o mundo. Existem várias terapias eficazes em prevenir e tratar esta doença. Contudo, existe uma enorme dificuldade em prevê-la, bem como em entender quem necessita de terapêuticas para a retardar ou evitar a perda óssea. Na prática clínica, revelou-se importante existir um modelo que descreva o processo de remodelação óssea assim como o impacto dos diferentes mediadores celulares no metabolismo ósseo. Apesar de já existirem alguns modelos matemáticos que descrevem a variação das células ósseas na remodelação óssea, fazem-no de uma forma contínua e determinística e com poucos mediadores celulares. Bastantes estudos e resultados experimentais revelam que o metabolismo celular, bem como os processos de nascimento e morte em populações dinâmicas, são estocásticos. Para além disso, os modelos matemáticos são fidedignos em descrever um nível macro enquanto modelos de simulação de multiagentes são utilizados para conectar ambas as perspetivas, micro e macro. O modelo estocástico de multiagentes desenvolvido neste trabalho, simula um ciclo de remodelação ao longo do tempo. O nosso simulador reproduz o processo homeostático de remodelação com as diferentes fases deste, o que é consistente com o processo biológico real. Para além disso, o nosso modelo inclui os mediadores celulares mais relevantes no metabolismo ósseo. Os resultados do modelo demonstram ter sensibilidade em prever a perda óssea devido a algumas doenças crónicas como hiper e hipoparatiroidismo e o excesso de glucocorticoides, bem como das mais conhecidas causas de osteoporose: a deficiência de estrogénio e vitamina D. No geral, este modelo permite-nos ter um maior entendimento do metabolismo ósseo, bem como das patologias associadas a este

Using Classroom Episodes to Foster Prospective Teachers’ Didactical Knowledge: Issues for Teacher Education

After briefly analysing a classroom episode, we discuss aspects of the teacher’s didactical knowledge, namely in its mathematical and instructional dimensions, as reflected in the answers of three prospective teachers to a written assignment based on the episode. We then raise some issues regarding initial teacher education, anchored in the notion of didactical knowledge.This work is supported by national funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia, under the projects Professional Practices of Teachers of Mathematics (Grant PTDC/CPE-CED/098931/2008) and PEst-C/MAT/UI0144/2011, and by FEDER funds through COMPET