Explaining the social acceptance of renewables through location-related factors: an application to the Portuguese case

The public perception of renewable energy sources is generally positive, due to their role in air pollution and CO2 emission mitigation policies. However, there are local environmental detrimental effects, and empirical evidence is not consistent as to the support of local communities. In the present paper, we analyse the antecedents of public generic perceptions of renewables grounded on objective location-related factors. Personal location-related factors can originate in the involvement of individuals with renewable energy sources. Regional location-related factors concern the importance of the renewable energy source in the district of residence and in relation to other renewables. We implement a questionnaire on public perceptions of renewable energy sources by the general population in mainland Portugal and complement respondent-level responses with renewable energy district information. Regression analysis shows that these objective location-related factors, both personal and regional, help explain public perceptions of renewables and thus we find empirical support for the proposed approach. These results can inform and guide policymakers in tackling future social acceptance issues of renewable energy policies towards lower carbon emissions and less polluting energy production.L.M.C.P. and M.V. acknowledge the financial support of NIPE (National Funds of the FCT-Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology within the project UID/ECO/03182/2019)

Valuing wind farms’ environmental impacts by geographical distance: a contingent valuation study in Portugal

Wind energy is currently one the most important energy sources in the production of electricity. In this study, we use the CVM to elicit the monetary value attached to wind power’s environmental impacts from three different groups of individuals: local residents, residents in a nearby town, and residents outside the area of a wind farm located in Portugal, one of the top 10 countries in the world with the highest cumulative wind power capacity to date. In each case, our empirical analysis employs a novel likelihood function that is constructed to be appropriate for the type of data collected. The main results are supportive of a NYMBY effect, but also indicate that the amount needed to compensate local residents for the negative impacts caused by the wind farm can be raised by the constitution of a compensation fund paid by non-residents, thereby overcoming the inefficiency caused by the NYMBY effect.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)The authors thank the participants at the 2013 XVI Applied Economics Meeting, Granada-Spain, for helpful comments. This research was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) through the Applied Microeconomics Research Unit (NIMA) and the project Economic valuation of environmental impacts of renewable energies (PTDC/EGE-ECO/122402/2010)

Análise e Avaliação do Risco de Crédito Bancário nas PME’s – Utilização do modelo de rating

A análise de risco de crédito na actividade bancária é um tema bastante discutido no contexto das decisões das instituições financeiras. O presente estudo tem como objectivo demonstrar o processo de análise de crédito e avaliação do risco em instituições bancárias, evidenciando a utilização do modelo de rating. A implementação do acordo de Basileia veio dar uma nova forma ao relacionamento do sector bancário para com os seus clientes, estabelecendo regras no que respeita à concessão de crédito e avaliação do risco. Com isto as instituições passaram a ter uma maior preocupação em gerir o crédito e o risco inerentes a cada operação, apostando em ferramentas metodológicas adequadas ao processo creditício. As instituições bancárias acabaram por criar departamentos de risco, colocando a gestão de crédito e de risco nas mãos de profissionais especializados, agindo sobre regras e padrões internacionais uniformes. De realçar que o processo de análise de crédito envolve diversas etapas, cujo objectivo é avaliar o risco de incumprimento associado ao tomador de crédito, bem como suas consequências junto de quem concede o crédito. O rating de crédito é um instrumento cujo objectivo é atribuir uma nota que sintetiza o risco de incumprimento no pagamento de crédito, com o objectivo de reduzir a subjectividade associada ao processo de avaliação do risco. Da pesquisa realizada, constatou-se perante entrevistas junto das instituições bancárias locais que o modelo de rating ainda não é muito utilizado no nosso mercado bancário, e os que o utilizam tomam-no apenas como um indicador de risco. Segundo os entrevistados a realidade das PME’s Cabo-Verdianas não é adequada para a implementação de um modelo tão objectivo. The analysis of credit risk in banking activity is a widely discussed topic, and within the context of decisions of financial institutions. The present study aims to demonstrate the process of credit analysis and risk assessment in banking institutions, evidencing the use of internal rating model. The implementation of Basel II Accord has given a new shape to the relationship of the banking sector with its customers, establishing rules regarding the granting of credit and risk assessment. Consequently, institutions now have a greater concern in managing credit and the risk inherent to each transaction, relying on methodological tools that are appropriate to the credit process. The banks end up creating risk departments, placing credit risk management in the hands of skilled professionals that act conforming to international rules and standards. It should be noted that the credit analysis process involves several steps, aiming at assessing the default risk associated with credit borrower, and its consequences to whom grants credit. The credit rating is a process with the objective of assigning a grade, which summarizes the risk of default in payment of credit, in order to reduce the subjectivity associated with the process of risk assessment. The survey undertaken through interviews with local banking institutions showed that the rating model is not yet widely used in our banking market, and that the banks that actually use it, only do it as an indicator of risk. According to those interviewed, the reality of SMEs in Cape Verde is not suitable for the implementation of a model with such objectivity

RELATO DE EXPERIÊNCIA: trabalhando a diversidade étnica-racial na educação infantil

O presente trabalho trata de um relato de experiência que foi vivenciado no Colégio Deus Menino, no município de Santa Quitéria do Maranhão – MA, com crianças de 1º período de 3 anos de idade. Tendo por objetivo geral apresentar atividades didáticas que trabalhem as diversidades étnicas-raciais, conduzindo os educandos em fase inicial da educação básica um olhar mais amplo para pluralidade cultural, como a diversidade de etnias, raças e reconhecimento de seus traços físicos como parte de sua historicidade enquanto pessoa humana. De modo que as atividades propostas partiram da data escolhida, dia 20 de novembro, Dia da consciência negra, para reflexão da temática abordada e a obra de Ana Maria Machado, Menina Bonita do laço de fita, como fio norteador e motivador para trabalhar também a identidade e representatividade da criança negra, no intuindo de construir e reconstruir significações no processo de reconhecimento identitário da criança para formação ainda que inicial de um cidadão crítico e reflexivo que se posiciona e dialoga com as diferentes relações humanas. Utilizando de metodologia de natureza exploratória e abordagem qualitativa para elaboração desse trabalho que visa estimular a construção e reflexão de novas práticas e métodos de ensino que contribuam no desenvolvimento na qualidade da educação e que estimulem o diálogo e uma postura ética e mais igualitária na formação social do educando. Assim as atividades propostas foram bastante proveitosas e satisfatórias pois foi possível promover um alargamento de conhecimentos sobre as diversidades étnicas-raciais

Insights from Preclinical Data

Funding Information: National Funds via FCT (Foundation for Science and Technology) through the Strategic Projects UIDB/04539/2020 and UIDP/04539/2020 (CIBB) and the Exploratory Project PATCH (022.05810.PTDC) and BPI/La Caixa Foundation and FCT under the project PLANTS4AGEING (PD21-00003). Publisher Copyright: © 2024 by the authors.Ageing is a natural process characterized by a time-dependent decline of physiological integrity that compromises functionality and inevitably leads to death. This decline is also quite relevant in major human pathologies, being a primary risk factor in neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases and musculoskeletal disorders. Bearing this in mind, it is not surprising that research aiming at improving human health during this process has burst in the last decades. Importantly, major hallmarks of the ageing process and phenotype have been identified, this knowledge being quite relevant for future studies towards the identification of putative pharmaceutical targets, enabling the development of preventive/therapeutic strategies to improve health and longevity. In this context, aromatic plants have emerged as a source of potential bioactive volatile molecules, mainly monoterpenes, with many studies referring to their anti-ageing potential. Nevertheless, an integrated review on the current knowledge is lacking, with several research approaches studying isolated ageing hallmarks or referring to an overall anti-ageing effect, without depicting possible mechanisms of action. Herein, we aim to provide an updated systematization of the bioactive potential of volatile monoterpenes on recently proposed ageing hallmarks, and highlight the main mechanisms of action already identified, as well as possible chemical entity–activity relations. By gathering and categorizing the available scattered information, we also aim to identify important research gaps that could help pave the way for future research in the field.publishersversionpublishe

A wide array of lignin-related phenolics are oxidized by an evolved bacterial dye-decolourising peroxidase

Lignin is the second most abundant natural polymer next to cellulose and by far the largest renewable source of aromatic compounds on the planet. Dye-decolourising peroxidases (DyPs) are biocatalysts with immense potential in lignocellulose biorefineries to valorize emerging lignin building blocks for environmentally friendly chemicals and materials. This work investigates the catalytic potential of the engineered PpDyP variant 6E10 for the oxidation of 24 syringyl, guaiacyl and hydroxybenzene lignin-phenolic derivatives. Variant 6E10 exhibited up to 100-fold higher oxidation rates at pH 8 for all the tested phenolic substrates compared to the wild-type enzyme and other acidic DyPs described in the literature. The main products of reactions were dimeric isomers with molecular weights of (2 × MWsubstrate - 2 H). Their structure depends on the substitution pattern of the aromatic ring of substrates, i.e., of the coupling possibilities of the primarily formed radicals upon enzymatic oxidation. Among the dimers identified were syringaresinol, divanillin and diapocynin, important sources of structural scaffolds exploitable in medicinal chemistry, food additives and polymers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

RESSEÇÃO TOTAL DO MESOPANCREAS

Total mesopancreas resection is a surgical procedure associated with duodenopancretectomy for pancreatic cancer that aims to reduce the risk of locoregional recurrence or compromised surgical margins. The important moments of the procedure are presented. A resseção total do mesopâncreas é um procedimento cirúrgico associado à duodenopancretectomia cefálica por cancro do pâncreas que visa reduzir o risco de recidiva locoregional ou margens cirúrgicas compremetidas. Apresentam-se os momentos importantes do procedimento.&nbsp

Relatório de estágio para obtenção do grau de mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1º Ciclo do Ensino Básico

O relatório tem por base uma investigação-ação realizada em contexto de estágio para a obtenção do grau de mestre em Educação Pré-Escolar e Ensino do 1.º Ciclo do Ensino Básico. Reflete experiências vivenciadas no Ensino Básico numa turma de 2.º ano de escolaridade com idades compreendidas entre os sete e os oito anos de idade e em contexto Pré-Escolar com um grupo de crianças entre os dois e os três anos, com o objetivo de adquirir competências profissionais da carreira docente. O corpus do relatório é constituído por duas partes, onde na primeira temos um enquadramento teórico que fundamenta toda a ação pedagógica e na segunda parte apresentase a intervenção pedagógica in loco apoiada no percurso metodológico da investigação-ação. A intervenção pedagógica no contexto do 1.º Ciclo centrou-se na problemática da leitura e da escrita e a do Pré-Escolar focou a comunicação verbal. Saliente-se, que todo o trajeto metodológico para encontrar respostas a estas problemáticas foi norteado pela investigaçãoação. E foi por intermédio desta metodologia de investigação, que requer muita reflexão sobre a prática interventiva, que se delineou as estratégias de intervenção que contribuíram para fomentar melhorias nestes contextos educativos. Ao longo de toda a práxis, em ambos os contextos, pretendeu-se envolver as crianças numa aprendizagem ativa e construtivista de forma a estimular a aprendizagem significativa. Finalmente, é explanado neste relatório, através de uma reflexão crítica, todo o processo de estágio, salientando a sua importância reflexiva e investigativa para o aperfeiçoamento da identidade profissional

Annoyance and welfare costs from the presence of renewable energy power plants: an application of the contingent valuation method

Sustainability is frequently defined by its three pillars: economically viable, socially equitable, and environmentally bearable. Consequently the evaluation of the sustainability of any decision, public or private, requires information on these three dimensions. This paper focuses on social sustainability. In the context of renewable energy sources, the examination of social sustainability requires the analysis of not only the efficiency but also the equity of its welfare impacts. The present paper proposes and applies a methodology to generate the information necessary to do a proper welfare analysis of the social sustainability of renewable energy production facilities. This information is key both for an equity and an efficiency analysis. The analysis focuses on the case of investments in renewable energy electricity production facilities, where the impacts on local residents’ welfare are often significantly different than the welfare effects on the general population. We apply the contingent valuation method to selected facilities across the different renewable energy power plants located in Portugal and conclude that local residents acknowledge differently the damage sustained by the type, location and operation of the plants. The results from these case studies attest to the need of acknowledging and quantifying the negative impacts on local communities when assessing the economic viability, social equity and environmental impact of renewable energy projects