Does Curvature Enhance Forecasting?

In this paper, we analyze the importance of curvature term structure movements on forecasts of interest rate means. An extension of the exponential three-factor Diebold and Li (2006) model is proposed, where a fourth factor captures a second type of curvature. The new factor increases model ability to generate more volatile and non-linear yield curves, leading to a significant improvement of forecasting ability, in special for short-term maturities. A forecasting experiment adopting Brazilian term structure data on Interbank Deposits (IDs) generates statistically significant lower bias and Root Mean Square Errors (RMSE) for the double curvature model, for most examined maturities, under three different forecasting horizons. Consistent with recent empirical analysis of bond risk premium, when a second curvature is included, despite explaining only a small portion of interest rate variability, it changes the structure of model risk premium leading to better predictions of bond excess returns.

Cues for cancer stem cells origin

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Genética Molecular e BiomedicinaNeural stem/progenitor cells (NSPC) can differentiate into neurons and glial cells in the central nervous system. Interestingly, NSPC biology is being applied to the study of human brain tumours, since these cells share some common features with glioma cells. However, it is not known the developmental stage with more similarities to glioma cells, or the most susceptible to malignant transformation. We aimed to identify the stage(s) in the NSPC differentiation process towards astrocytes where cells acquire phenotype characteristics comparable to glioma cells. NSPC that were obtained from E15 mouse brain, were grew as neurospheres (NS) and induced to astroglial differentiation until 7 days in vitro (DIV). After the cellular characterization of NS and differentiating cells, tumour-related factors were evaluated and their behavior compared to the one of GL261 mouse glioma cells. Astroglial differentiation led to a decrease in progenitor cells, as expected. Multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 expression decreased and autophagy marker increased with differentiation. The vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), matrix metalloproteinases and S100B protein increased until 2/3 DIV, while the 1 DIV cells showed the highest migratory potential towards the chemotactic VEGF or GL261-conditioned media. Comparison of data with glioma cells characteristics point to the first and second days of NSPC differentiation to astrocytes as the stages closing matching GL261 cells, and likely the most vulnerable to malignancy transformation

Disclosing CCBE1 role in Cardiac Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Within CVDs, myocardial infarction (MI) is associated with a massive and irreversible loss of cardiomyocytes (CM). An in-depth comprehension of key cellular mechanisms and molecules involved in cardiogenesis is fundamental to improve cardiac therapies by exposing novel therapeutic targets. CCBE1, a collagen and calcium-EGF biding domain 1 protein, was identified to be expressed in mouse heart precursors. Mutations in CCBE1 have been associated with Hennekam syndrome, which is characterized by abnormal lymphatic system and congenital heart defects. However, the CCBE1 functional role in cardiac specification is still unknown. Therefore, the main aim of this thesis was to unveil CCBE1 role in CM and Endothelial cells (EC) specification. For this purpose, a modified hiPSC line displaying the CRISPR interference technology (CRISPRi) was used to selectively knockdown (KD) CCBE1 gene expression along CM and EC differentiation. We showed that CCBE1 downregulation did not affect hiPSCs growth, morphology and stemness. Nonetheless, a significant reduction on gene expression of cardiac troponin T2 gene (TNNT2) and lower gene expression ratios of cardiac troponin I isoforms (TNNI3:TNNI1) and myosin heavy chains (MYH7:MYH6) were detected in CMs derived from CRISPRi-CCBE1 KD cell line at day 15. Ultrastructural changes were also observed in this condition, CMs presented lower sarcomere length and alignment, indicating a more immature state. In contrast, EC differentiation was not affected by CCBE1 KD, with no impact on EC morphology or gene expression levels. Therefore, CCBE1 seems to have a key role on CM specification and maturation. Moreover, we successfully selected hiPSC clonal populations with higher level of CCBE1 KD for future studies. This work may contribute with new insights towards the development of CCBE1-mediated therapeutic strategies for cardiac regenerative medicine

Evaluation of concrete deterioration through artificial neural networks based systems

The deterioration of concrete structures is one of the major concerns of our society. Indeed, concrete is a relatively sensitive material, which degrades throughout time. Factors like age, use, periodic maintenance, type of environmental exposure and aggression by biological, chemical, mechanical and physical agents are important to determine the level of degradation of the concrete structures. Logic Programming was used for knowledge representation and reasoning, letting the modeling of the universe of discourse in terms of defective data, information and knowledge. Artificial Neural Networks were used in order to evaluate the deterioration of concrete structures and the degree of confidence that one has on such a happening

ISOMORFISMO INSTITUCIONAL EM IESS PÚBLICAS CATARINENSES: UMA ANÁLISE COMPARATIVA DE PRÁTICAS EM EDUCAÇÃO AMBIENTAL

As pressões da sociedade em relação à questão ambiental levaram um conjunto bastante grande de organizações a desenvolverem políticas ligadas à educação ambiental. As universidades, organizações inovadoras sustentáveis por excelência, começam a adotar práticas ligadas ao tema. O presente artigo tentar explicar, a luz do isomorfismo institucional se existe similaridade entre as estruturas e formas ligadas a práticas de ensino em educação ambiental entre as duas principais universidades públicas catarinenses. Desenvolveu-se uma pesquisa qualitativa, com fins exploratórios, por estudo de caso e levantamento documental nos sites das universidades, identificando cursos e as disciplinas ligadas à educação ambiental, além de entrevistas com professores ligados a algumas destas disciplinas. Ao final conclui-se que o isomorfismo encontrado caracteriza-se na oferta de algumas disciplinas ligadas à educação ambiental, na sua inserção em novos currículos e novos cursos, sendo tipificados como cognitivo e normativo

Quality of Learning under an All-inclusive Approach

Learning, knowledge, educations are syntax forms that stand for a multifaceted matter, and its assets set the advances on culture, organization, and social matters of any society. However, it is not enough just to instruct, it is necessary to do it with quality, in a holistic way, in order to develop academic and social skills. From this point of view, the weight of the formal, non-formal and informal learning contexts should be underlined, and the use of defective information must be emphasizing. Under this setting the assessment to quality of learning is mandatory, although it is hard to do with traditional methodologies for problem solving. Indeed, in this work we will focus on the development of a decision support system, in terms of its knowledge representation and reasoning procedures, under a formal framework based on Logic Programming, complemented with an approach to computing centered on Artificial Neural Networks, to evaluate the Quality of Learning and the respective Degree-of-Confidence that one has on such a happening

Glycome dynamics in T and B cell development: basic immunological mechanisms and clinical applications

Glycans cover the surfaces of all mammalian cells through a process called glycosylation. Nearly all proteins and receptors that integrate the intricate series of co-stimulatory/inhibitory pathways of the immune system are glycosylated. Growing evidence indicates that the development of the immune system at the origins of T and B cell development is tightly regulated by glycosylation. In this opinion, we hypothesize that the glycome composition of developing T and B cells is developmentally regulated. We discuss how glycans play fundamental roles in lymphocyte development and how glycans early define T and B cell functionality in multiple aspects of adaptive immunity. These advances can provide opportunities for the discovery of novel disease factors and more effective candidate treatments for various conditions.This work was funded by the EU (ERC, GlycanSwitch, Grant Agreement N° 101071386). Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Council Executive Agency. Funded by the European Union (GlycanTrigger, Grant Agreement N°: 101093997. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. M.M.V. and E.L-G. received funding from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (M.M.V.: PD/BD/135452/2017, COVID/BD/152488/2022; E.L-G.: UI/BD/152866/2022)

Desenvolvimento de um Sistema Inteligente para Avaliação do Estado de Degradação de Estruturas em Betão

O presente trabalho introduz um sistema computacional para avaliar a degradação de betão, centrado na Programação em Lógica e complementado com a estrutura computacional que assenta em Raciocínio Baseado em Casos. A metodologia proposta permite não só lidar explicitamente com informação incompleta como, também, otimizar os casos recuperados sempre que a solução sugerida não esteja em conformidade com os objetivos pretendidos. O modelo proposto foi testado com uma amostra real composta por 221 casos apresentando uma acuidade de 89,1 % permitindo, assim, afirmar que o modelo proposto revela um bom desempenho na avaliação do estado de degradação de estruturas em betão