GENERALIZED EXTERNALITY GAMES

Externality games are studied in Grafe et al. (1998). We define a generalization of this class of games and show, using the methodology in Izquierdo and Rafels (1996 and 2001), some properties of the new class of generalized externality games. They include, among others, the algebraic structure of the game, convexity, and their implication for the study of cooperative solutions. Also the proportional rule is characterized for this class of games.

The role of iron related gene variants in liver disease severity and iron metabolism parameters in chronic hepatitis C patients treated with direct-acting antivirals

Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is usually associated with iron overload, which may modulate the severity of liver disease. Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) have made HCV treatment faster and more efficient. However, little is known about their effect on liver disease severity and iron metabolism disruption. This study aimed to evaluate the role of iron related gene variants in liver disease severity and iron status associated parameters in CHC patients treated with DAAs. A group of 118 out of 255 CHC patients (49±12 years) was treated with DAAs and clinical evaluation was performed after 3 to 6 months. Liver fibrosis stage was assessed by FibroScan and the following iron status parameters were evaluated: serum iron (Fe), ferritin (FT), transferrin (TF), transferrin saturation (TFS) and haptoglobin (Hp). HFE common variants (H63D and C282Y) were analysed by PCR-RFLP and the TF_rs3811647 by Sanger sequencing. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 23.0. Before DAAs treatment, patients with higher fibrosis stage (F3/4) showed significantly higher Fe, FT and TF, and lower Hp (p=0.030; p=0.026; p=0.025; p=0.048). We found higher Fe, TFS and FT in patients HFE_CY or YY (p=0.008; p=0.003; p=0.002) and higher TF in patients TF_rs3811647_GA or AA (p=0.029). After DAAs treatment, patients presented: i) an improvement of liver fibrosis showed by a higher frequency of patients with lower fibrosis stage (F1/2) (p<0.001); and ii) an improvement of iron status revealed by lower Fe, TFS and FT (p=0.007; p=0.048; p<0.001) and higher Hp (p=0.001). We observed that only in patients HFE_CC and HFE_HD or DD, TF decreased after treatment (p=0.028; p=0.012). In these same patients and in those TF_rs3811647_GG or GA, Hp increased (p=0.003; p=0.006) after antiviral treatment. Specific genetic variants in iron related genes may have a relevant role in the predisposition for severe liver disease in CHC patients before DAAs treatment, and in the improvement of iron status after HCV clearance.FCT PDE/BDE/114585/2016 and CENCinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Criação de um Gabinete Dificuldades Específicas de Aprendizagem na Escola : objectivos, metodologia, resultados e conclusões

p. 299-303Avaliar, Diagnosticar e Intervir deverão ser acções escolares naturais. Todo o docente, principalmente o de Língua Portuguesa/Português, está atento às dificuldades que os seus alunos manifestam frequentemente na sala de aula: leitura inexpressiva, sincopada; escrita com erros de ortografia, devido a trocas e confusões de grafemas, caligrafia desconcertada… Perante um aluno com estes sinais há que alertar a psicóloga e/ou a professora de Educação Especial para que testes sejam aplicados para despiste de possíveis Dificuldades Específicas de Aprendizagem, a saber: dislexia, disgrafia, disortografia e discalculia. Após a sinalização, a confirmação acontece, chega o momento de intervir. Desta forma, percebe-se que a avaliação, a diagnose, a intervenção são etapas de um processo algo complexo que exige a colaboração estreita entre vários intervenientes de áreas multidisciplinares interessados na minimização das dificuldades dos alunos. De facto, é esta a actuação do Gabinete DEA-LE (Dificuldades Específicas de Aprendizagem-Leitura e Escrita) do Externato Cooperativo da Benedita: os professores de Língua Portuguesa/Português, ou outros, dão o primeiro sinal, alertam o Gabinete e a Psicóloga. Procede-se à avaliação cognitiva global e à avaliação compreensiva/ expressiva, autorizada pelos Encar regados de Educação. Caso sejam diagnos ticadas DEA, elaborar-se-á o PEI (Plano Educativo Individual), o aluno frequentará o Gabinete para que a intervenção seja «especializada» e as dificuldades minoradas e todo o Conselho de Turma contribuirá com a adopção de estratégias diferenciadas e avaliação diferenciada. Neste sentido, esta comunicação pretende evidenciar as etapas necessárias à criação de um Gabinete, nas escolas, que avalie e intervenha sobre os alunos com Dificuldades Específicas de Aprendizagem, vulgo dislexia. Para a sua implementação apresentou-se o Projecto ao Conselho Pedagógico. O gabinete existe há três anos e os alunos que o frequentam têm sucesso escolar. Empenho, dinamismo, colaboração intermultidisciplinar foram requisitos imperiosos para a implementação deste projecto. Hoje, é uma mais-valia da escola

The cost and emission saving potential of wind power

This paper addresses the effect of the increasing wind penetration on the operating performance of a diversified electricity system comprising wind, thermal, hydro and other renewable power plants. A short term optimization model is used to run the exploration planning under different wind power scenarios. The seasonality of the hydro and wind regimes and the hourly variations of supply and demand are acknowledged in the model. Simulations for the Portuguese electricity system are presented in order to establish the use of the proposed model on supporting more informed decision making for future energy strategies. The cost savings and CO2 abatement potential of wind power are estimated along with the effects on the operating performance and costs of thermal power plants.This work was financed by: the QREN – Operational Programme for Competitiveness Factors, the European Union – European Regional Development Fund and National Funds- Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology, under Project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-011377 and Project Pest-OE/EME/UI0252/2011

Risks of using ICT

Na actualidade, as Tecnologias de Informação e Comunicação (TIC) fazem parte da vida das crianças e dos jovens. No entanto, estes utilizam-nas frequentemente sem consciência dos seus riscos e oportunidades. O uso descuidado e exagerado de tecnologias, como o telemóvel ou a Internet, podem pôr em causa a sua segurança e prejudicar a sua integridade física e psicológica. Cabe à escola, aos pais e à sociedade em geral sensibilizar os mais novos para os perigos e conduzi-los numa utilização mais segura das TIC. Neste sentido, é nosso objectivo reflectir sobre alguns destes riscos tentando conjugar opiniões de especialistas com notícias do dia-a-dia. Nowadays, Information and Communication Technologies (ITC) are part of children’s and teenagers’ lives. However, they often use them without being aware of all their risks and opportunities. The excessive and incautious employment of technologies such as mobile phones or the Internet may threaten their safety and harm their physical and psychological integrity. Schools, parents and society in general must alert the youngsters against dangers, leading them to a safer usage of ITC. In this way, our objective is to reflect on some of these risks, trying to conjugate opinions of specialists and everyday news

MODELLING TOURISM DEMAND: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS AND THE BOX-JENKINS METHODOLOGY

This study seeks to investigate and highlight the usefulness of the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) methodology as an alternative to the Box-Jenkins methodology in analysing tourism demand. To this end, each of the above-mentioned methodologies is centred on the treatment, analysis and modelling of the tourism time series: “Nights Spent in Hotel Accommodation per Month”, recorded in the period from January 1987 to December 2006, since this is one of the variables that best expresses effective demand. The study was undertaken for the North and Centre regions of Portugal. The results showed that the model produced by using the ANN methodology presented satisfactory statistical and adjustment qualities, suggesting that it is suitable for modelling and forecasting the reference series, when compared with the model produced by using the Box?Jenkins methodology.Artificial Neural Networks; ARIMA Models; Time Series Forecasting