The Lusiad, or Portugals historical poem by Luís Vaz de Camões and edited by Michael W. Charney

Luís Vaz de Camões (c. 1524-1580), the famous Lisbon poet, composed Os Lusiades in 1572 to glorify the expedition and exploits of Vasco da Gama in the Indian Ocean. It is a lengthy and epic poem, consisting of ten cantos, the portion relating to mainland Southeast Asia limited to a portion of the last of these. Only this portion is reproduced below. The chief utility of this information for the historian is that it helps us to understand how much, by 1572, Portuguese at home knew about the region. Some information is of special interest, such as the reference to the Gwe. The following translation was made in 1655 by Richard Fanshaw and printed in London for Humphrey Moseley at the Prince’s Arms in St. Paul’s Church-yard. According to the translator’s preface, Fanshaw completed the translation on 1 May 1655 at Tankersley Park. The following text is derived from the British Library original (shelfmark g.11385). Other English translations include Vise Strangford’s version of 1804 (n.p.: Carpenter, BL shelfmark B28.a.31), Edward Quillinan’s version, with notes by John Adamson, of 1853 (n.p.: Edward Moxon, BL shelfmark x15/3449), William Julius Mickie’s 1877 edition (London: George Bell & Sons, BL shelfmark W53/4181), and others in the twentieth century. As the first English translation, the one most late seveneteenth and eighteenth century English travelers would have read, warrants special attention. Edited for the SOAS Bulletin of Burma Research by Michael W. Charney

Predictors Of The Effectiveness Of Insulin Pumps In Patiens With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Objetivo: O tratamento com bombas de insulina tem se vindo a tornar o tratamento preferencial da Diabetes Tipo 1 (DM1), uma vez que mimetiza a secreção fisiológica de insulina de uma melhor forma que as múltiplas injeções diárias. No entanto, nem todos os doentes melhoram com o tratamento com bombas de insulina. Este estudo tem como objetivo determinar quais os preditores da eficácia das bombas de insulina em doentes com DM1. Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo observacional retrospetivo de doentes que iniciaram o tratamento com bombas de insulina. Foram colhidos dados de quatro momentos do tempo diferentes (antes, aos 6, 12 e 36 meses depois do tratamento) e avaliados para outcomes de controlo glicémico e de segurança. A associação dos preditores iniciais com os outcomes foi analisada através de modelos de regressão linear e logística. Resultados: Foram avaliados 136 doentes (57,4% mulheres, idade 36 ± 12 anos, tempo de DM1 14 ± 9 anos). Durante o follow-up, registou-se uma diminuição média da HbA1c de 0,9 ± 1,2%. A melhoria da HbA1c foi independente do sexo, idade e duração do DM1. Valores de HbA1c basais mais altos, história familiar de diabetes e não estar medicado com estatinas foram preditores de melhoria da HbA1c. Não estar medicado com estatinas e valores de HbA1c basais mais altos mostraram melhorar a HbA1c sem piorar a hipoglicemia. Ter história de hipoglicemia verificou-se como um preditor de hipoglicemia grave. História familiar de diabetes, valores de HbA1c basais mais altos e distúrbios psicológicos/ psiquiátricos foram preditores de cetoacidose diabética. Conclusão: Os benefícios do tratamento com bombas de insulina foram independentes do sexo, idade e duração da DM1. Valores de HbA1c basais, história familiar de diabetes, tratamento com estatinas, história de hipoglicemia e distúrbios psicológicos/ psiquiátricos foram preditores de outcomes e podem permitir a identificação dos doentes que mais beneficiam do tratamento com bombas de insulina ou que estão em risco aumentado de complicações.Purpose: Insulin pump therapy has become the preferential treatment for type 1 diabetes (T1D) as it mimics the physiological secretion of insulin better than multiple daily injections. However, not all patients improve with insulin pump therapy. This study aims to determine the predictors of the effectiveness of insulin pumps in T1D. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of patients who started insulin pumps. Data from four timepoints (before, at 6, 12 and 36 months) were evaluated for outcomes of glycemic control and safety. The association of baseline predictors with outcomes was analyzed using linear and logistic regression models. Results: We evaluated 136 patients (57.4% females, age 36±12 years, duration of T1D 14±9 years). During the follow-up, there was a mean decrease of HbA1c of 0.9±1.2%. The improvement in HbA1c was independent of sex, age and duration of T1D. Higher baseline HbA1c, family history of diabetes and not being treated with statins were predictors of improvement in HbA1c. Not being treated with statins and higher baseline HbA1c predicted improvement in HbA1c without worsening hypoglycemia. History of hypoglycemia was a predictor of severe hypoglycemia. Family history, higher baseline HbA1c and psychological/psychiatric disorders were predictors of ketoacidosis. Conclusion: Benefits of insulin pump were independent of sex, age, and duration of T1D. Baseline HbA1c, family history of diabetes, treatment with statins, history of hypoglycemia and psychological/psychiatric disorders were predictors of outcomes and may allow the identification of patients who benefit most from insulin pump therapy or who are at increased risk of complications

Understanding consumer patterns in the vodka market

There has been an increasing growth of the distilled beverages consumption in Portugal, mostly among young generations. Recent studies proved young consumers drink almost four times more vodka than the average Portuguese consumer. The present research focuses on understanding consumer behaviour in the vodka market through interviews with market experts and vodka consumers and conducting structured surveys. Applying market research techniques such as maps and conjoint analysis, it was possible to understand how consumers perceive some existing brands – Eristoff, Smirnoff, Misss, Grey Goose, Cirôc and Absolut -, their preferences regarding product features and also to identify the main consumer decision making styles. It was verified that quality is associated with price, being the two most important attributes in the consumer decision-making of vodka and that although Portuguese vodka consumers are essentially price driven, they have minimum standards for quality. In addition, Cirôc and Grey Goose were perceived as the highest quality and sophisticated brands, while Eristoff and Absolut are more associated to excitement and enthusiasm

Service life of concrete structures rehabilitated with polymers

Keynote paperThe estimation of the service life of concrete rehabilitation works is more and more important. The rehabilitation techniques appeared as a need to solve problems posed by the degradation of concrete structures. Some years ago the rehabilitation techniques were not developed and it was important to find solutions for the problems. Now, there is more preoccupation with the service life of concrete rehabilitation techniques, like external strengthening with FRP, increase of concrete sections or reinforcement of cracked sections. The increase of the service life started with the quality of the concrete rehabilitation works. This includes the quality of the design, the products and the execution. Some standards are now available and establish specifications for concrete rehabilitation works. This paper presents the main questions related with this subject. The use of polymers in concrete rehabilitation imposes a different analysis related with durability

OBJETIVOS DE DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL EM UM CONTEXTO DE ESCALA LOCAL.

In April 1987, the World Commission on Environment and Development, a department attached to the United Nations, announced what would become the main conceptual document for a discourse on sustainable development around the world. The report entitled "Our Common Future" provided a critical reflection on the economic model of development adopted by the industrialized countries, and also reproduced by other nations, based on the excessive use of natural resources without respecting the capacity of ecosystems support, and pointed out for a new perspective on the development process, whose idea would be to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." 31 years after the publication of the Brundtland Report and bearing in mind that the global context is predominantly urban, with around 54% of the world population living in the cities, and that "the battle for sustainability will necessarily be won or lost in cities", what urban barriers need to be truly worked so that Sustainable Development Paradigm becomes a tangible reality? Does urban resilience and the allocation of urban development bonds and benefits make more sustainable cities? Key Words: Local Sustainable Development; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); Urban Resilience; Social Equity;En abril de 1987, la Comisión Mundial sobre el Medio Ambiente y Desarrollo, órgano vinculado a las Naciones Unidas, lanzó aquel que se convertiría en el principal documento conceptual para el debate sobre el desarrollo sostenible en todo el mundo. El informe titulado, Our Common Future (Nuestro Futuro Común), traje una reflexión crítica al modelo económico de desarrollo adoptado por los países industrializados, y también reproducido por las otras naciones, basándose en el uso excesivo de los recursos sin respetar la capacidad de carga de los ecosistemas, y señaló una nueva perspectiva sobre el proceso de desarrollo, cuya idea sería "satisfacer las necesidades actuales sin comprometer la capacidad de las generaciones futuras para atender sus propias necesidades”. Después de 31 años de la publicación del informe Brundtland y teniendo en cuenta que el contexto mundial es principalmente urbano, con cerca del 54% de la población mundial que vive en las ciudades, y que "la batalla por la sostenibilidad, necesariamente, si ganará o si perderá en las ciudades", ¿qué barreras urbanas deben ser verdaderamente trabajadas para que el Paradigma del Desarrollo Sostenible se convierta en una realidad tangible? ¿la resiliencia urbana y la distribución de las obligaciones y beneficios del desarrollo urbano permiten ciudades más sostenibles?  Palabras clave: Desarrollo Local Sostenible; Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible – ODS; Resiliencia Urbana; Equidad Social;Em Abril de 1987, a Comissão Mundial sobre o Meio Ambiente e Desenvolvimento, órgão vinculado às Nações Unidas, divulgou aquele que se tornaria o principal documento conceitual  para a discursão sobre desenvolvimento sustentável ao redor do mundo. O relatório, intitulado Our Common Future (Nosso Futuro Comum), trazia uma reflexão crítica ao modelo econômico de desenvolvimento adotado pelos países industrializados, e igualmente reproduzido pelas demais nações, baseado no uso excessivo dos recursos naturais, sem respeitar a capacidade de suporte dos ecossistemas, e apontava para uma nova perspectiva ao processo de desenvolvimento, cuja ideia seria “atender às necessidades do presente sem comprometer a possibilidade de as gerações futuras atenderem as suas próprias necessidades.” Passados 31 anos da publicação do Informe Brundtland, e tendo em mente de que o contexto mundial apresenta-se majoritariamente urbano, com cerca de 54% da população mundial vivendo nas cidades, e que “a batalha pela sustentabilidade, necessariamente, se ganhará ou se perderá nas cidades”, quais entraves urbanos precisam ser verdadeiramente trabalhados para que o Paradigma do Desenvolvimento Sustentável se torne uma realidade tangível? A resiliência urbana e a repartição de obrigações e benefícios do desenvolvimento urbano viabilizam cidades mais sustentáveis?   Palavras Chaves: Desenvolvimento Sustentável Local; Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável – ODS; Resiliência Urbana; Equidade Social

Dataset on ecological fiscal transfers and municipal protected areas in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

This dataset was collected in the state government of Minas Gerais, Brazil (Instituto Estadual de Florestas), regulatory deliberation 86/2005 of the state of Minas Gerais, law 12040/1995 of the state of Minas Gerais, law 18030/2009 of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazilian law 9985/2000, and some laws/decrees that created municipal protected areas. The data was used to analyze the influence of the ecological fiscal transfers (EFT) in the policy-making process of adopting protected areas by municipal governments in the state of Minas Gerais. It has the potential to be reused in other studies to analyze the EFT at the local level. The related research article that uses this database was published under the title “Ecological Fiscal Transfers for Biodiversity Conservation Policy: A Transaction Costs Analysis of Minas Gerais, Brazil”.This work was conducted during a scholarship financed by CAPES (Brazilian Federal Agency). Process number: 000954/2015-02. Also, this study was conducted at Research Center in Political Sci ence (UID/CPO/0758/2019), University of Minho, and was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds

An analysis of delay in implementing ecological fiscal transfers in Brazil

This paper sheds light on the cases of delay, in some cases interruptions and cancellations of criteria, that followed the adoption of ecological fiscal transfers (EFT) by Brazilian states. Using the transaction costs-politics framework to analyze the policy-making process, the central argument is that state legislatives are likely to weight benefits and costs at the formulation stage. At the implementation stage, legislatives delegate the role of refining EFT procedures to state agencies and, as such, increase the costs they incur. The empirical design is based on a set of case-studies, collecting data using questionnaires devised to describe the time-lags and the interruptions and cancellations of environmental criteria. The findings provide evidence of the presence of gridlocks in the formulation stage and delegation problems in the political-bureaucratic relationship at the implementation stage. Also, the absence of a gradual increase to implement the percentage dedicated to ecological criteria in each state is likely to explain the delays in the implementation of EFT schemes. In the end, we recommend flexibility in the design of scheme and the involvement of political actors in the policy process of adopting EFT.This work was conducted during a scholarship financed by CAPES (Brazilian Federal Agency). Process number: 000954/2015–02. Also, this study was conducted at Research Center in Political Science (UID/CPO/0758/2019), University of Minho, and was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds

Substitutability between drugs, innovation, and fiscal policy in the pharmaceutical industry

A theoretical model is developed in order to examine and explain the growth and welfare effects of fiscal policies in the pharmaceutical industry. When the fiscal instrument is a tax over pharmaceutical firms' profits, R&D by firms in the pharmaceutical sector results in growth if there is a generic market. Otherwise, a subsidy over pharmaceutical firms' profits should be considered to generate innovation in medicines. In terms of policy implications, our empirical results suggest that stimulating generic competition in the pharmaceutical sector is a main instrument to contain costs and promote welfare.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Delaying the timing of offshoring low-skilled tasks

WOS:000281106500009 (Nº de Acesso Web of Science)This paper examines the impact of uncertainty on offshoring low-skilled tasks. The model shows that greater demand uncertainty adversely affects the expected profit and timing of offshoring. It is also shown that a home-country tax rate deduction increases the volatility of the expected profits, making offshoring appear to be more risky. One policy implication of our results is that, in order to delay relocation of MNE's production from the home country, a government should adopt tax rate deduction rather than a direct subsidy because the former is more economical and effective than the latter

Ecological fiscal transfers for biodiversity conservation policy: a transaction costs analysis of Minas Gerais, Brazil

This paper addresses the influence of ecological fiscal transfers (EFT) on the policy-making process of adopting local protected areas (PA) by municipal governments. Framed on the transaction-cost politics (TCP), it argues that an EFT schema designed at the state level may affect the expected payoff/costs of local level decisions and the time length to create PA. The mixed research design is composed of two parts: first, a descriptive analysis detailing the evolution of EFT in the state of Minas Gerais since the beginning until its current version; second, an event history analysis of municipal PA adoption from 1966 to 2013. The conclusion suggests that, while there is an overall increase in municipal PA after the introduction of EFT, some design aspects of the instrument such as uncertainty and monitoring costs slowed and flattened that increase.This work was conducted during a scholarship financed by CAPES (Brazilian Federal Agency). Process number: 000954/2015-02. Also, this study was conducted at Research Center in Political Science (UID/ CPO/0758/2019), University of Minho, and was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds