Time or state dependent price setting rules? Evidence from Portuguese micro data

In this paper we analyse the ability of time and state dependent price setting rules to explain durations of price spells or the probability of changing prices. Our results suggest that simple time dependent models cannot be seen as providing a reasonable approximation to the data and that state dependent models are required to fully characterise the price setting behaviour of Portuguese firms. Inflation, the level of economic activity and the magnitude of the last price change emerge as relevant variables affecting the probability of changing prices. Moreover, it is seen that the impact differs for negative and positive values of these covariates. JEL Classification: C41, D40, E31CPI data, Hazard functions, inflation

Measuring the importance of the uniform nonsynchronization hypothesis

In this paper we critically reappraise some measures of the importance of time-dependent price setting rules and propose an alternative way to gauge the significance of this type of price setting behaviour. The merits of the proposed measure are highlighted in an application using micro-data. Our results suggest that a large proportion of price trajectories may be compatible with simple time-dependent price setting mechanisms but the strength of this evidence very much depends on the way that is used to evaluate the importance of this type of behaviour. JEL Classification: D40, E31, L11perfect synchronization, Time-dependent price setting models, uniform staggering

Returns of research funding are maximised in media visibility for excellent institutes

This paper investigates public communication activity across research institutes with varying levels of excellence in research, and how competitive funding affects this activity. With competing funding trends requiring plans for public engagement in the funded research, a question arising is whether institutes capturing higher amounts of funding return the most value for public communication. Using international data from N = 1550 institutes in six countries, we first compare public communication activity among excellent and less-than-excellent institutes. We then investigate the relationship between competitive funding and public communication across levels of excellence. We find that the returns of funding are maximised in media interactions in excellent institutes when compared to the less excellent, but not in public events. This suggests that returns of research funding may not result in the expected outcomes for increased ‘public engagement in science’ if institutions are guided by instrumental goals

Protein oxidation by electrogenerated hydroxyl radicals

Many chronic diseases are associated to oxidative stress that can result from the unbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and the action of antioxidant defense systems. Proteins are important targets as they are major components of cells. Modification of proteins structure, function and stability can result from the attack by different radicals, e.g. O2 - or HO. In order to characterize the damages caused by these radicals it is important to analyze the proteins oxidation products obtained from assays where radicals are generated by clean processes [1]. In this context the electrochemical generation of hydroxyl radicals can provide an alternative method, where these radicals are formed as intermediate in the oxidation of water to produce oxygen. Anodes of different materials, such as of boron doped diamond electrodes (BDD) and platinum (Pt), can be used for this purpose [3]. In this work it is considered the use of high reactive HO radicals (weakly adsorbed at BDD) and of low reactive HO radicals (strongly adsorbed at Pt) to oxidize BSA. The extension of BSA oxidation is analyzed for different experimental conditions, such as current density and electrolyte nature. BSA oxidation is monitored by means of carbonyl groups concentration and by the extension of protein cleavage

Technological challenges of biomembrane-coated top-down cancer nanotherapy

J.M.J.M.R., J.C. and A.C.P.S. acknowledge the financial support from the Fundacão para a Ciência e a Tecnologia I.P. (FCT)-Research and Development Project grant PTDC/BTMMAT/ 4738/2020. J.C. acknowledges financial support from the European Research Council-ERC Starting Grant 848325. The authorspublishersversionpublishe