The market, the regulator, and the government: Making a blockchain ecosystem in the Netherlands

This article presents a socio-anthropological analysis of the formation of a business ecosystem around blockchain technology in the Netherlands, within the broader context of the European Union and the digital single market. I argue that while reproducing widespread global models of business group and network formation, the relations created by these networks also reveal particularities of local business and governance cultures. Such particularities emerge from the pragmatics of collaboration and competitive market relationships, as well as legal heterogeneity and plans for legal harmonisation in digital innovation and governance in Europe. They also emerge from the challenges and transformations that current experimentation cultures for digital innovation bring to the interactions between market players, regulators, and government. These challenges and transformations materialise in increasingly informal connections and strategies for experimental legitimisation, which occur in parallel to more formal and traditional forms of regulatory and governmental interaction. The article is based on ethnographic fieldwork in the Netherlands and in online terrains, including observation periods and 32 interviews with entrepreneurial project teams, as well as with individuals involved in financial incumbents’ innovation labs

The impact of negative interest rates and COVID-19 on the profitability of Euro area banks

Mestrado em Análise FinanceiraCom dados bancários anuais de 37 bancos da Zona Euro, supervisionados diretamente pelo Mecanismo Único de Supervisão do Banco Central Europeu, esta dissertação estuda o impacto da Política de Taxas de Juro Negativas na rendibilidade dos bancos da Zona Euro e analisa se a recente pandemia tem influência nesse mesmo impacto. Os nossos dados compreendem o período entre 2010 e 2021, abrangendo o período antes e após a introdução das taxas de juro negativas e o surgimento da pandemia do COVID. Esta dissertação utiliza uma metodologia de efeitos fixos, usando a Rendibilidade Líquida dos Ativos como medida de rendibilidade bancária. Os resultados sugerem que os bancos aparentam estar a compensar as suas perdas com juros, embora seja também sugerido que o sentimento de mercado aponte para um aumento das taxas de juro e para uma recessão económica no horizonte. Embora os resultados desta dissertação estejam de acordo com vários estudos prévios na área, demonstrando evidências mistas sobre o impacto das taxas de juro negativas na rendibilidade dos bancos, os mesmos revelam que o COVID-19 não teve nenhum impacto significativo.Using annual bank level data for 37 Euro Area banks directly supervised by the Single Supervisory Mechanism from the European Central Bank, this dissertation studies the impact of the Negative Interest Rate Policy on the profitability of the Euro Area banks and analyses if the recent pandemic has an influence on this impact. Our data set comprehends the period of 2010 to 2021, covering the period before and after the introduction of negative interest rates and the appearance of the COVID pandemic. This dissertation uses a fixed-effects methodology with Return on Assets as a proxy to bank profitability. Our findings suggest that banks seem to have been compensating their interest losses, although it is hinted that market sentiment is that interest rates will increase, and an economic recession will follow. While our results are in line with other studies and provide mixed evidence regarding the impact of the negative interest rates on bank profitability, it revealed that COVID-19 did not have a significant impact.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Aptidão musical : inata ou adquirida?

Relatório de Estágio apresentado à Escola Superior de Artes Aplicadas do Instituto Politécnico de Castelo Branco para cumprimento dos requisitos necessários à obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ensino de Música – Formação Musical e Música de Conjunto.O presente relatório de estágio profissional incide sobre a Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, do ciclo de estudos conducente ao grau de mestre em Ensino de Música – Formação Musical e Música de Conjunto. Esta prática foi desenvolvida com duas turmas de articulado de Ensino Especializado da Música, do Conservatório de Artes da Canto Firme de Tomar no decorrer do ano letivo de 2014/2015. Este relatório está divido em duas partes: A primeira parte diz respeito a todo o estágio profissional (Prática de Ensino Supervisionada) e sua reflexão, apresentando uma caracterização da escola e das turmas, algumas planificações e reflexões de aula, o desenvolvimento da Prática de Ensino Supervisionada, bem como uma reflexão final. A segunda parte recai sobre o estudo de investigação com o título “Aptidão Musical: Inata ou Adquirida?”, cujos objetivos são confrontar diversas teorias que defendem que a aptidão é inata com as que defendem de que esta é adquirida através da prática e interação com o meio; analisar o conteúdo de dois testes de aptidão musical distintos usados em duas escolas de Ensino Especializado de Música diferentes, comparando-os com a matriz imposta pela ANQEP (Agência Nacional para a Qualificação e o Ensino Profissional); analisar as respostas aos questionários realizados a 42 professores de escolas do Ensino Especializado de Música, com o intuito deAbstract: This professional internship's report focused on Supervised Teaching Practice of the cycle of studies conducted at the master’s degree in Music Education – Music Theory and Chamber Music. This practice has been developed with two groups of Canto Firme de Tomar Arts Conservatory during the school year 2014/2015. This report is separated in two sections: The first section concerns the entire professional internship’s (Supervised Teaching Practice) and its reflection, presenting schools and groups’ characterization, some plans and reflections of classes, the development of Supervised Teaching Practice, and a final reflection. The second section is about the research study entitled “Musical Aptitude: Innate or Acquired?”, whose objectives are to confront several theories that defend that aptitude is innate with those that defend that this is acquired with practice and environment interaction; analyse the content of two different musical aptitude tests applied in two different Specialized Music Education schools, comparing them with the matrix imposed by ANQEP (National Agency to Qualification and Professional Education); analyse the answers to surveys applied to 42 teachers of Specialized Music Education schools

World assumptions mediate associations between polytrauma with PTSD and psychiatric symptoms in kenyan adolescents

Existem evidências na literatura de que a exposição a experiências adversas na infância tem impacto na saúde mental dos adolescentes, aumentando a vulnerabilidade para desenvolvimento de sintomas psiquiátricos e de Perturbação de Stresse Pós-Traumático (PSPT). Os pressupostos básicos (valor do self, benevolência do mundo e significado do mundo) podem influenciar a relação entre a exposição a experiências adversas na infância e os sintomas psiquiátricos e de PSPT. Procedemos à análise da associação entre a exposição direta e indireta a experiências adversas na infância e os sintomas psiquiátricos e de PSPT, explorando o papel mediador dos pressupostos básicos nesta associação. Uma amostra de 477 adolescentes quenianos, com uma média de idade de 16.4 anos (SD=1.4), completou questionários de autorrelato validados. Foram testados modelos de mediação múltipla em série através da realização do modelo de equações estruturais de Preacher e Hayes (2008). Os resultados indicaram que havia diferenças estatisticamente significativas na média de exposição direta e indireta a experiências adversas na infância entre o sexo feminino e o sexo masculino, sendo a média do sexo feminino superior. Não havia diferenças estatisticamente significativas na média dos sintomas psiquiátricos e de PSPT entre o sexo feminino e o sexo masculino. Verificou-se que a exposição indireta a experiências adversas na infância teve apenas um efeito direto nos sintomas psiquiátricos e a exposição direta a experiências adversas na infância teve um efeito direto nos sintomas psiquiátricos e nos sintomas de PSPT. Os resultados indicaram que: o valor do self era mediador da associação entre a exposição direta e indireta a experiências adversas na infância e sintomas psiquiátricos; níveis mais elevados de benevolência do mundo estavam associados a níveis mais reduzidos dos sintomas psiquiátricos e de PSPT; o significado do mundo era mediador da associação entre a exposição indireta a experiências adversas na infância e os sintomas de PSPT.There is evidence in the literature that exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) impacts on adolescents' mental health, increasing vulnerability to develop psychiatric symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). World assumptions (worthiness of the self), benevolence of the world and meaningfulness of the world) may influence the relationship between exposure to ACEs and psychiatric and PTSD symptoms. We proceeded to examine the association between direct and indirect exposure to ACEs and psychiatric and PTSD symptoms exploring the mediating role of basic assumptions in this association. A sample of 477 Kenyan adolescents, with a mean age of 16.4 years (SD=1.4), completed validated self-report questionnaires. Serial multiple mediation models were tested by performing the structural equation model of Preacher and Hayes (2008). Results indicated that there were statistically significant differences in mean of direct and indirect exposure to ACEs between females and males, with the female mean being higher. There were no statistically significant differences in mean psychiatric and PTSD symptoms between female and male. Indirect ACEs exposure was found to have only a direct effect on psychiatric symptoms, and direct ACEs exposure was found to have a direct effect on psychiatric symptoms and PTSD symptoms. The results, considering world assumptions, indicated that: worthiness of the self was a mediator of the association between direct and indirect exposure to ACEs and psychiatric symptoms; higher levels of benevolence of the world were associated with lower levels of psychiatric and PTSD symptoms; meaningfulness of the world was a mediator of the association between indirect exposure to ACEs and PTSD symptoms

Manual asymmetries in bimanual isochronous tapping tasks in children

Mestrado em Desenvolvimento da Criança na Variante de Desenvolvimento MotorThe reasons why some people use preferably one hand to perform everyday tasks instead of the other are still the object of study of many investigators. Even if ambidexterity would seem an advantage, the fact is, even small babies show preferences for one side over the other on their most basic movements. These lateral asymmetries are always present but suffer fluctuations throughout life and even from one activity to another, performed minutes later. A very common and effective way of studying manual asymmetries is through tapping tasks, following and adapting the models of authors like Stevens (1886) and Wing and Kristofferson (1973). These authors showed the scientific community that the synchronization-continuation experiments were valid and could be used to investigate the process of timekeeping and a variety of different aspects related to motor control. Our work was based on these previous investigations and has the purpose of analyzing the ability of keeping a rhythm, in children on a bimanual tapping task, as well as the manual asymmetries displayed while doing so. The children's performance was compared to that of adult musicians, who are expected to have a better than average performance on this type of tasks

Cause-related marketing on Facebook : how successful is it really?

One challenge currently affecting the Third Sector is the rising number of non-profit organizations fighting for limited pools of resources and attention, which leads them to look for alternative ways to break out of the clutter. In this context, cause-related marketing is rising in popularity. This is a fundraising technique in which the donation is dependent on a consumer behavior that holds a direct connection to the firm’s financial performance, typically the purchasing of a sponsoring brand. Nevertheless, as companies and non-profits invest on online social networks and Facebook in particular as tools to relate to their publics, these practices are gradually becoming digital in nature, thus creating new challenges and opportunities. This dissertation thus aims to study this new context for cause-related marketing by exploring the value added by Facebook to its effectiveness. The paper revolves around the case of AJUDE, a non-profit that recently engaged on a Facebook cause-related marketing campaign with Biolotus Health Care, a pharmaceutical firm. A video featuring one of the company’s brands was posted on the network informing that for every “like” it received 0.25€ would be donated to the non-profit. Through this example, students and instructors will have firsthand contact with the difficulties of devising successful cause-related marketing campaigns on Facebook and of measuring their impact afterwards. The primary market research undertaken by the author adds to this by tapping into consumers’ evaluation of online and offline formats in terms of participation intentions and attitudes towards the non-profit, the company and the campaign itself. In the end, offline formats are more effective in generating positive attitudes towards the firm, especially regarding purchasing intentions, whereas Facebook manages to reach greater participation intentions. The author further concludes that although the campaign format does affect the program’s success, no mode can be proclaimed as the most effective by itself since it will depend on the specific strategies and investment of the organizations.Um dos maiores desafios que afectam o Terceiro Sector é o crescente número de organizações a lutar por fontes limitadas de atenção e recursos. Na busca de alternativas, campanhas de cause-related marketing estão a tornar-se cada vez mais populares. Esta é uma técnica de angariação de fundos em que a doação está dependente de um comportamento do consumidor com impacto directo na performance da empresa, no caso mais típico a compra da marca patrocinadora. No entanto, com empresas e associações a investirem nas redes sociais e no Facebook em especial como forma de se ligarem com os que os rodeiam, esta prática está gradualmente a tornar-se digital, criando novos desafios e oportunidades para as organizações. Esta dissertação pretende assim estudar este novo contexto para as campanhas de cause-related marketing, explorando o valor que o Facebook acrescenta à sua eficácia. O estudo foca-se no caso da AJUDE, uma organização sem fins lucrativos que recentemente implementou uma campanha deste tipo em parceria com a Biolotus Health Care, uma empresa farmacêutica. Um vídeo foi colocado na rede social, informando que por cada “gosto” recebido 0.25€ seriam doados à associação. Através deste exemplo, alunos e professores poderão contactar com as dificuldades de organizar e avaliar o sucesso de campanhas de cause-related marketing no Facebook. O estudo de mercado realizado acrescenta valor por investigar a avaliação do impacto destas campanhas junto dos consumidores, comparando formatos online e offline em termos de intenções de participação e atitudes geradas em relação à associação, à empresa e à campanha em si. Em conclusão, os formatos offline de cause-related marketing são mais eficazes em gerar atitudes positivas em relação à empresa, nomeadamente intenções de compra da marca patrocinadora, enquanto o Facebook atinge intenções de participação na campanha mais elevadas. No entanto, apesar do formato afectar o sucesso da estratégia, por si só nenhum dos dois tipos de campanha pode ser considerado o mais eficaz, dado que o seu sucesso depende das tácticas específicas e do investimento feito pelas organizações

Estudos de migração do bisfenol A em biberões

Tese de mestrado em Controlo da Qualidade e Toxicologia dos Alimentos apresentada à Universidade de Lisboa através da Faculdade de Farmácia, 2007O bisfenol A é um composto com reconhecidas propriedades estrogénicas, cujos efeitos se fazem sentir sobretudo ao nível da fertilidade, desenvolvimento e comportamento. Estudos recentes revelam que este composto tem capacidade para exercer os seus efeitos mesmo em concentrações inferiores à actual TDI. Actualmente a principal aplicação do bisfenol A é como matéria prima no fabrico do plástico policarbonato (PC). Este polímero está aprovado para o fabrico de recipientes que contactam com os alimentos, nomeadamente biberões. A União Europeia (UE) impõe um limite de migração específica para o bisfenol A de 3 mg/L; este limite será reduzido para 0,6 mg/L a partir de Dezembro de 2007. Contudo, quando se refere a recipientes destinados à alimentação de crianças o limite é de 0,3 mg/L. A UE estabeleceu recentemente uma TDI de 0,05 mg/kg/dia. Neste estudo avaliou-se a migração de bisfenol A em várias marcas de biberões de policarbonato sujeitos a diversas condições de utilização (temperatura, tempo de contacto e pH), foi realizada uma estimativa do risco de exposição ao bisfenol A a partir dos biberões de PC, numa população de crianças entre os 0-6 meses. As condições dos ensaios de migração foram seleccionadas com base nas Normas Europeias 14350-2 e 13130-1 e foi realizado um ensaio com o objectivo de mimetizar as condições reais de utilização repetida. As amostras recolhidas foram analisadas por HPLC com detector de fluorescência, tendo o método sido previamente validado. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que o bisfenol A se liberta de todas as marcas de biberões estudadas, no entanto, em algumas marcas isso só acontece para condições de tempo e temperatura relativamente drásticas. Em todos os casos os biberões analisados encontram-se dentro dos limites especificados pela UE. Os índices de risco calculados para os vários ensaios são em todos os casos bastante inferiores a 1, pelo que se pode considerar um risco reduzido. Por fim salienta-se que a informação do fabricante que acompanha o biberão é nalguns caso bastante incompleta. Assim, apesar dos baixos níveis de bisfenol A detectados, é importante corrigir essas deficiências e alertar as mães para certos procedimentos que podem degradar mais facilmente o biberão.Bisphenol A is a known estrogenic compound with effects on fertility, development and behaviour. Recent studies show that this compound is active even at doses below TDI levels. Currently the main application of bisphenol A is polycarbonate manufacture. This polymer is approved for manufacturing containers that come into contact with foodstuffs such as baby feeding bottles. The European Union (EU) defines a specific migration limit for bisphenol A of 3 mg/L. This limit will be reduced to 0,6 mg/L after December 2007. When dealing with recipients used in child care the limit is 0,3 mg/L. The EU recently established a TDI of 0,05 mg/kg/day. This study evaluated bisphenol A migration from several polycarbonate baby feeding bottle brands when submitted to different time, temperature and pH conditions. It was calculated the risk index for bisphenol A exposition from PC baby feeding bottles in children from 0 6 months.The migration studies have been selected from EN 14350-2; EN 13130-1 and another study has been performed to reproduce the real repeated use conditions. The samples where analyzed by HPLC with fluorescence detector after validation of the method.The results suggest that bisphenol A is released from all brands analyzed although in some of them this only happens in drastic conditions of time and temperature. All baby feeding bottles analyzed are within the limits imposed by the EU. All the risk index calculated for the several studies are all well below 1 which means that risk in this case is small. Another important issue is the incomplete manufacturer information that comes with baby feeding bottles. Although the levels of bisphenol A detected were low it is important to eliminate these deficiencies and alert mothers to inadequate uses that may lead to baby feeding bottle degradation

General Overview on Nontuberculous Mycobacteria, Biofilms, and Human Infection

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are emergent pathogens whose importance in human health has been growing. After being regarded mainly as etiological agents of opportunist infections in HIV patients, they have also been recognized as etiological agents of several infections on immune-competent individuals and healthcare-associated infections. The environmental nature of NTMand their ability to assemble biofilms on different surfaces play a key role in their pathogenesis. Here, we review the clinical manifestations attributed to NTM giving particular importance to the role played by biofilm assembly

Altran Portugal : the need to reinforce the brand in the portuguese market

Altran was an international consulting group, leader on innovation and high-tech engineering in the European realm. It was present in the Portuguese market since 1998, but despite the years of experience and the proved potential in the field, the recognition of its innovative side in the local market was still behind the expectations of the company. In 2011, with the entrance of a new CEO, Philippe Salle, there was a turning point for the multinational. It was defined a new strategy for the group with the aim of reinforcing the brand not only globally, but also locally. Altran Portugal was, obviously, no exception: the new strategic plan presented a great opportunity for the local subsidiary to strengthen the brand in the national realm. To give a broader overview of the current situation of Altran Portugal, this dissertation aims to provide the reader a profound understanding about the company background and how it has evolved in the Portuguese market. Regarding this, it is made a characterization of the national IT and R&D market and an analysis of the respective competitive structure and future market opportunities. In addition, the new strategic plan released by the group is explored as a way to understand the strategic opportunities and challenges it brought to the Portuguese subsidiary in terms of business and marketing practices. Finally, and in order to have a richer analysis, it is made an evaluation of the perception of the brand/company among customers and employees, with the aim of further find points of agreement and conflict between them. Overall, the main purpose of this dissertation is to better understand the positioning of the brand Altran in the domestic market and further realize the challenges it has to overcome in order to reinforce the brand in the national realm, while being able to fulfill the parameters defined globally by the group