High recycling rate in a wet and dry waste collection programme (Portugal)

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A informação dada nos relatórios financeiros dos analistas portugueses

Mestrado em GestãoThis paper studies the importance of Portuguese financial sell-side analysts’ reports by testing reliability in firms’ Price Target calculation and information aptitude (deliver ability) in the content of sell-side analysts’ reports. The importance of sell-side analysts reports has long been studied, mainly in two different perspectives: the consequences of their work (market price reactions, trading strategies based in analysts’ recommendations) and the externalizations that influence their work (herding and bias behaviors). We believe that before either perspective can explain their value, analysts through their reports should be able to deliver the information users need and offer coherent calculation that justifies the Price Targets. We explore and encode the complete content of 73 reports from PSI20 listed companies, and apply consistency and reliability procedures to test them. Informativeness is tested against an ideal report (built mainly from the Jenkins Report conclusions). To test reliability in the Prices Targets calculations we investigate if the method and the parameters of the evaluation are clearly disclosed and if the calculative procedure is according to the theoretical conventions.O presente trabalho propõe-se avaliar a importância dos analistas financeiros Portugueses testando para isso a fiabilidade no cálculo dos Price Targets e a capacidade informativa dos relatórios que produzem. A utilidade dos analistas financeiros tem sido há muito estudada, por norma através de duas perspectivas: avaliando as consequências do seu trabalho (reacção dos mercados às suas recomendações e estratégias de investimento baseadas nessas mesmas recomendações) e por outro lado considerando as variáveis exógenas que influenciam o seu trabalho (comportamentos tendenciosos e de “arrebanhamento”). Acreditamos que antes de avaliar a pertinência destas perspectivas, importa averiguar se através dos relatórios que produzem os analistas financeiros fornecem a informação que os seus utilizadores necessitam. Para isso examinamos e codificamos 73 relatórios financeiros de empresas que integram o PSI20, testando-os em termos de informatividade e fiabilidade. A capacidade informativa é testada em confronto com um relatório ideal (baseado nas conclusões do Relatório Jenkins). Para testar a confiabilidade no cálculo dos Price Targets investigamos se o método e os parâmetros utilizados são expressos com clareza e se o processo de cálculo está em conformidade com aquilo que são os princípios teóricos aceites

Smart Nanoparticle-based Platforms for Regulating Tumor Microenvironment and Cancer Immunotherapy

The tumor development and metastasis are closely related to the tumor microenvironment (TME). Recently, several studies have indicated that modulating TME could enhance cancer immunotherapy. Among various approaches to modulating TME, nanoparticles (NPs) with unique inherent advantages and smart modified characteristics are promising candidates in delivering drugs to cancer cells, amplifying the therapeutic effects, and leading to a cascade of immune responses. In this review, we briefly introduce several smart NP-based platforms, such as responsive NPs, targeting NPs, and the composition of TME, including dendritic cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, myeloid-derived suppressor cells, and regulatory T cells. Moreover, the recent applications of smart NP-based platforms in regulating TME and cancer immunotherapy are briefly introduced. Finally, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these smart NP-based platforms in potential clinical translation

Stalz : remotely supporting the diagnosis, tracking and rehabilitation of patients with Alzheimer's

Tese de Mestrado Integrado. Engenharia Informática e Computação. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

Copper-Free Click Chemistry Modification of Nanovectors For Integrin Targeted Cancer Therapy (Book Chapter)

Strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC) click chemistry is the chemical reaction between azide and cyclooctyne groups. This reaction can conjugate biological molecules, such as peptides, in a highly selective way under mild conditions without cross-reaction with the most widely existing reactive groups, such as amine, carboxylic acid, and hydroxide. Thus, the SPAAC reaction is very versatile for biomolecules conjugation. In this book chapter, we provide detailed protocols of conjugation of integrin targeting peptides to either amine or carboxylic acid terminated porous silicon nanovectors by SPAAC, which can be used to enhance the cellular uptake for intracellular cancer drug delivery and for in vivo cancer theranostics.Peer reviewe

Nanomedicines to tackle myocardial infarction: where are we now and where are we going?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are responsible for the highest mortality rates globally. About one-third of the CVD-related casualties derive from ischemic heart diseases, which cause an irreversible injury to the myocardium. As a result of the very limited capacity of the heart tissue to recover from the ischemic insult, this usually leads to remodeling and scarring of the cardiac tissue, eventually progressing to irreversible heart failure. Currently, there is no major discovery of an effective cure to restore the function of an injured heart. Therefore, there is an unmet need to find a permanent solution for patients suffering from ischemic heart disease (IHD) and heart failure. In this regard, nanoparticles made of biomaterials called the attention of the scientific community as potential platform to deliver different therapeutics to the injured heart. Particulate nanomedicines, currently at the pre-clinical stage, are arising as a promising tool to provide minimally invasive treatment, an important aspect to take into account for clinical translation and patient compliance, and specifically deliver therapeutics to the injured myocardium. Here, we discuss about the current knowledge on the nanomedicines investigated for myocardial infarction, and how we see they can help and support medical doctors in shaping the future of IHD treatments.Peer reviewe

O Sistema de Lança-foguetes Múltiplo. Novas capacidades para o Exército Português

Vive-se num período onde a Guerra Convencional foi substituída por um ambiente caracterizado pela assimetria e guerras de guerrilha, num meio mais urbanizado onde os danos colaterais têm repercussões elevadas junto da população. Os Sistemas de LançaFoguetes Múltiplo, no caso do Teatro de Operações do Afeganistão, têm vindo a ser utilizados devido à necessidade de minimização dos danos colaterais, conseguida através dos seus mísseis com guiamento GPS, com provas dadas da sua capacidade como um sistema de armas de Apoio de Fogos eficaz para a Artilharia de Campanha. Deste modo, o presente Trabalho de Investigação Aplicada envolveu a problemática do Sistema de Lança-Foguetes Múltiplo, com o objetivo de analisar quais as implicações que a aquisição deste sistema de armas traria para o Exército Português. Também foram analisadas as medidas necessárias para implementar o emprego deste equipamento, numa unidade/escalão apropriada ao Sistema de Forças Nacional, bem como as infraestruturas necessárias para tal. Através de pesquisa, investigação e realização de entrevistas, constatou-se que existe um acréscimo das capacidades do Exército Português com a implementação deste tipo de sistema, uma maior contribuição para os Minimum Capability Statements da NATO e a possibilidade de fazer tiro com os Sistemas de Lança-Foguetes Múltiplos em território Nacional. Dentro dos resultados obtidos pôde-se ainda constatar que a Lei de Programação Militar para a Artilharia, revista para o ano corrente, não contempla aquisições de novos materiais, e que a tendência do Conceito Estratégico Militar é de reduzir o efetivo necessário a aprontar. Após o términus deste trabalho, chegámos às conclusões de que o Sistema de Lança-Foguetes Múltiplo implica a modificação/desenvolvimento de diversos vetores, como sejam a Doutrina, Quadros Orgânicos, Conceito Estratégico Militar, Infraestruturas e a modificação da Lei de Programação Militar. Pôde-se concluir também que o Exército Português estaria mais capaz ao nível de Apoio de Fogos. No entanto, face às restrições orçamentais, este projeto não pode ser concretizado a curto e médio prazo.Abstract We live in a period where conventional warfare has been substituted by an environment marked by asymmetry and guerrilla warfare, in a new urbanized surroundings where the collateral damage have high repercussions to the public eye. The Multiple Launch Rocket System, used in Afghanistan, has been used to minimize the collateral damage achieved by the missile GPS modules, with given proof of its ability has a weapons system of effective Fire Support to the Field Artillery. Thus, the present Applied Research Work enveloped the problematic of the Multiple Launch Rocket System, with the goal to analyze the implications that the acquisition of this weapon system would bring to the Portuguese Army. The necessary measures to implement this system were also analyzed, in a unit constitution adequate to the National Forces System, and the needed infrastructures as well. Through research, investigation and interviews, it was verified that there are increased capabilities to the Portuguese Army with this type of system, a larger contribution to NATO´s Minimum Capability Statements and the possibility of being able to execute fire in national territory. Form the obtained results, it was noticed that the Military Program Law for Artillery, reviewed for the present year, does not refer new material acquisition and the Military Strategic Concept tendency is to reduce the deployable personnel. At the end of this work, we concluded that the Multiple Launch Rocket System requires several vectors modification/developments, such as Doctrine, Personnel Framework, Military Strategic Concept, infrastructures and Military Program Law reform. It was also concluded that the Portuguese Army would be more capable in matters of Fire Support, however, due to budget restrictions, this project cannot be fulfilled in short and mid terms

Real-time intelligent decision support system for bridges structures behavior prediction

There is an increasing need of deploying automatic real-time decision support systems for civil engineering structures, making use of prediction models based in Artificial Intelligence techniques (e.g., Artificial Neural Networks) to support the monitoring and prediction activities. Past experiments with Data Mining (DM) techniques and tools opened room for the development of such a real-time Decision Support System. However, it is necessary to test this approach in a real environment, using real-time sensors monitoring. This study presents the development of prediction models for structures behavior and a novel architecture for operating in a real-time system

Selenium Nanoparticles for Biomedical Applications: From Development and Characterization to Therapeutics

Selenium (Se) is an essential element to human health that can be obtained in nature through several sources. In the human body, it is incorporated into selenocysteine, an amino acid used to synthesize several selenoproteins, which have an active center usually dependent on the presence of Se. Although Se shows several beneficial properties in human health, it has also a narrow therapeutic window, and therefore the excessive intake of inorganic and organic Se-based compounds often leads to toxicity. Nanoparticles based on Se (SeNPs) are less toxic than inorganic and organic Se. They are both biocompatible and capable of effectively delivering combinations of payloads to specific cells following their functionalization with active targeting ligands. Herein, the main origin of Se intake, its role on the human body, and its primary biomedical applications are revised. Particular focus will be given to the main therapeutic targets that are explored for SeNPs in cancer therapies, discussing the different functionalization methodologies used to improve SeNPs stability, while enabling the extensive delivery of drug-loaded SeNP to tumor sites, thus avoiding off-target effects.Peer reviewe

Agent-based learning classifier systems for grid data mining

Grid Data Mining tools must be able to cope with very large, high dimensional and, frequently heterogeneous data sets that are geographically distributed and stored in different types of repositories, produced from different devices and retrieved through different protocols. This paper presents an agent-based version of a Learning Classifier System. An experimental study was conducted in a computer network in order to determine the systems’ efficiency. The results showed that the model is suitable to be applied in inherently distributed problems and is scalable, i.e., when the latency communication times are not considerable, the system obtains an interesting speedup