The black box of health care expenditure growth determinants

In this paper, the determinants of growth of aggregate health expenditures are investigated. The study departs from previous literature in that it looks at differences across countries in growth (and not levels) of health care expenditures. Estimation is made for 24 OECD countries. Health system characteristics usually believed to influence health expenditures growth, like population ageing, the type of health system (public reimbursement, public contract or integrate) and existence of gatekeepers, are found to be non-significant. Nevertheless, there is evidence that health expenditures experienced a clear slower growth in the last decade. The explanation for this slowdown could not be found in the proposed model and should stimulate further research.

Ultrasound velocity profile (UVP) measurements in shallow open-channel flows

1st European IAHR Congress, 6-4 May, Edinburgh, Scotland

Experimental dam-break waves profile analysis: horizontal mobile bed

River Flow, Vol. 2

Creating a GWT web application for the SOS standard enhanced profile

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies.

PME.Box: Internationalization to Poland

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

EDP InovCity pilot study proposal: A set-top box interface

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Portuguese investor profile in Poland, a managerial approach

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

Business plan PME.Box: internationalization to Spain

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

The impact of Ireland’s current Mental Health Policy on the profile of community mental Health Services

RESUMO: Em 2006, foi aprovada uma nova política governamental para a saúde mental intitulada “Uma Visão para a Mudança”, a qual está neste momento no sétimo ano de implementação. A política descreve um enquadramento para o desenvolvimento e promoção da saúde mental positiva para toda a Comunidade e para a prestação de serviços acessíveis, baseados na comunidade, serviços especializados para pessoas com doença mental. A implementação da política e o tornar a “Vision for Change” uma realidade têm sido problemáticos, com críticas consideráveis por parte dos intervenientes, relativas à lenta e desconexa implementação. Este estudo fornece informação sobre as características dos serviços de três importantes tipos de instituições de saúde mental comunitária a nível nacional, nomeadamente Hospitais de Dia, Centros de Dia e residências comunitárias operantes 24 horas. A pesquisa analisa objetivos e funções, perfis dos pacientes, atividades terapêuticas, a eficácia das redes de comunicação e beneficia da perspectiva dos funcionários sobre o que mudou no terreno ao longo dos últimos sete anos. As questões identificadas a partir das características dos três serviços dizem respeito a todos. Os participantes indicaram que o ethos da recuperação parece ter alcançado um papel mais central no tratamento do paciente na comunidade mas reconheceram que o desafio de integrar os princípios de recuperação na prática clínica se mantém presente. Parece ser reconhecida a importância da planificação do cuidado individual nos serviços comunitários e os entrevistados indicaram que existe um empenho para garantir o envolvimento do usuário do serviço. Há diferenças entre os „pontos de vista do pessoal‟ e os „pontos de vista dos representantes‟ sobre uma série de aspetos da prestação de serviços. Este é o primeiro estudo irlandês deste género a examinar a prestação de serviços das três principais instituições comunitárias de saúde mental num só estudo. Estes serviços representam um enorme investimento em recursos, quer a nível monetário, quer humano. O estudo examinou os desafios e as questões fundamentais que lhe são aplicáveis e que têm impacto nestes três tipos de prestação de serviços. Também forneceu informações sobre os elementos de mudança positiva, os quais se começam a focar lentamente na prestação do serviço, assim como na importância da centralidade do utilizador do serviço e na promoção de um ethos da recuperação.----------ABSTRACT: In 2006, a new Government policy for mental health “A Vision for Change” was endorsed and is currently in the seventh year of implementation. The policy describes a comprehensive framework for building and fostering positive mental health across the entire community and for providing accessible, community based, specialist services for people with mental illness. The implementation of the policy and turning “Vision for Change” into reality has been problematic with considerable criticism from stakeholders concerning slow and disjointed implementation. This study provides information on three key community mental health service settings, namely Day Hospitals, Day Centres and 24 Hour Community Residences at a national level. The research looks at aims and functions, patient profiles, therapeutic activities, effectiveness of key communication networks and gains an insight from staff on what has changed on the ground over the past seven years. Issues identified from the three service settings pertain to all. Participants indicated that the recovery ethos appears to have moved to a more central role in patient care in the community but acknowledged that the challenge of integrating recovery principles in clinical practice remains present. The importance of individual care planning appears to be recognised in community services and respondents indicated that efforts are being made to ensure service user involvement. There were differences between „staff views‟ and „advocate views‟ on a number of aspects of service provision. This is the first Irish study of its kind to examine service provision across the three main community mental health settings in one study. These services represent a huge investment in resources both on a monetary and human level. This study has examined the challenges and key issues which are applicable and impacting on all three types of service provision. It has also provided information on the elements of positive change, which are slowly embedding themselves in service provision such as the importance of the centricity of the service user and the promotion of a recovery ethos.

How to increase value for customers of style in a box: The first Portuguese online platform for renting luxury dresses

A Work Project, presented as part of the requirements for the Award of a Masters Degree in Management from the NOVA – School of Business and Economics

EDP inovcity pilot study proposal: A set-top box interface

In this work I propose an additional test to be implemented in EDP’s residential electricity use feedback trials, under InovCity’s project scope. The proposed product to be tested consists of an interface between the smart meter and the television, through a set-top box. I provide a theoretical framework of the importance of feedback, an analysis of results from past studies involving smart metering, and a detailed description of my proposal. The results of a self-developed questionnaire related to the proposal and segmentation issues are also analyzed. Finally, general conclusions are drawn and potential future improvements and challenges are presented.

Optimisation and design of post-tensioning anchorage corner blisters in concrete box girder bidges

The design of anchorage blisters of internal continuity post-tensioning tendons of bridges built by the cantilever method, presents some peculiarities, not only because they are intermediate anchorages but also because these anchorages are located in blisters, so the prestressing force has to be transferred from the blister the bottom slab and web of the girder. The high density of steel reinforcement in anchorage blisters is the most common reason for problems with concrete cast in situ, resulting in zones with low concrete compacity, leading to concrete crushing failures under the anchor plates. A solution may involve improving the concrete compression and tensile strength. To meet these requirements a high-performance fibre reinforced self-compacting mix- ture (HPFRC) was used in anchorage corner blisters of post-tensioning tendons, reducing the concrete cross-section and decreasing the reinforcement needed. To assess the ultimate capacity and the adequate serviceability of the local anchorage zone after reducing the minimum concrete cross-section and the confining reinforcement, specified by the anchorage device supplier for the particular tendon, load transfer tests were performed. To investigate the behaviour of anchorage blisters regarding the transmission of stresses to the web and the bottom slab of the girder, and the feasibility of using high performance concrete only in the blister, two half scale models of the inferior corner of a box girder existing bridge were studied: a reference specimen of ordinary reinforced concrete and a HPFRC blister specimen. The design of the reinforcement was based in the tensile forces obtained on strut-and-tie models. An experimental program was carried out to assess the models used in design and to study the feasibility of using high performance concrete only in the blister, either with casting in situ, or with precast solutions. A non-linear finite element analysis of the tested specimens was also performed and the results compared.

Comparative analysis of Spanish Banks’ Standalone credit profile

The paper studies the relationship between four differently rated bank’s financial profile and their standalone credit rating issued by Moody’s. The comparative analysis shows an example that despite their pricing power and geographical coverage, larger banks do not necessarily have better credit ratings. Instead, business model and risk appetite seem to be the defining factors of banks’ vulnerability to shocks, such as the Spanish real estate crisis. The risk-return relationship is also identified in the banks’ fundamentals meaning that while expansionary strategy in riskier asset classes enhances margins, it also potentially distorts the credit risk profile.