The role of guarantees in pension plan design: Pension saving decisions

This study centers on the assessment of psychological value of guarantees in pension products and the behavior biases associated with choice. When a guarantee on a product increases from 99% to 99,5% less than half of respondents show willingness to pay in contrast with 73% when going from 99,5% to 100%. Out of 105 respondents, 55 show that their choices concerning pension products are inconsistent with classic utility theory. Financial background proves insignificant thus pointing to behavioral biases. As individuals make choices that leave them worse-off, we argue that pension plan design would highly benefit from public policy interventions.

Introducing risk parity on momentum and carry portfolios

The momentum and carry anomalies have been extensively documented in the literature. However, there are still many issues relating to the risks associated to them that are left unexplained. One is the fact that an investor holds for too long the most volatile assets, both under momentum and carry strategies. Therefore, they present a level of risk and a probability of extreme events to happen inconsistent. This work project hypothesizes and proves the introduction of risk parity rules on the weights of the portfolios do increase risk rewarding of carry strategies. However, it fails under momentum strategies.

A utilidade da aprendizagem criativa na aula de língua estrangeira

Este relatório surge no âmbito da minha Prática do Ensino Supervisionada e representa uma reflexão sobre a minha iniciação como professora de Inglês e de Francês no 3º ciclo do Ensino Básico e no Ensino Secundário. A reflexão teve como objeto o conceito de ‘aprendizagem criativa’ na teoria do ensino da língua estrangeira e a sua aplicação na prática letiva, nas duas escolas onde desenvolvi o meu estágio, a Escola Secundária de Sebastião da Gama e a Escola Básica do 2º e 3º Ciclos de Aranguez, ambas em Setúbal. Para além de uma tentativa de sistematização das abordagens teóricos, de modo a tornar a noção de ‘criatividade’ mais aplicável na prática da docência da língua estrangeira, a nossa reflexão procura evidenciar como e em que situações a aprendizagem se revela criativa e demonstra a sua utilidade para a aula de língua estrangeira.

Analysis of outcome and cancer stem cells status in patients with resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma

RESUMO: Actualmente, a única possibilidade de cura para doentes com adenocarcinoma do pâncreas (PDAC) é a ressecção cirúrgica, no início deste estudo, perguntamo-nos se os predictores clínico-patológicos clássicos de prognostico poderiam ser validados em uma grande cohort de doentes com cancro do pâncreas ressecável e se outros predictores clínicos poderiam ter um papel na decisão de que doentes beneficiariam de ressecção cirúrgica. No capítulo 2, observamos que até 30% dos doentes morrem no primeiro ano após a ressecção cirúrgica, pelo que o nosso objectivo foi determinar factores pré-operatórios que se correlacionam com mortalidade precoce após ressecação cirúrgica com recurso a um instrumento estatisticamente validado, o Charlson-Age Comorbidity Index (CACI), determinamos que um CACI score superior a 4 foi preditivo de internamentos prolongados (p <0,001), complicações pós-operatórias (p = 0,042), e mortalidade em 1 ano pós- ressecção cirúrgica (p <0,001). Um CACI superior a 6 triplicou a mortalidade no primeiro ano pós-cirurgia e estes doentes têm menos de 50% de probabilidade de estarem vivos um ano após a cirurgia. No capítulo 3, o nosso objectivo foi identificar uma proteína de superfície que se correlacionasse estatisticamente com o prognostico de doentes com adenocarcinoma do pâncreas e permitisse a distinção de subgrupos de doentes de acordo com as suas diferenças moleculares, perguntamo-nos ainda se essa proteína poderia ser um marcador de células-estaminais. No nosso trabalho anterior observamos que as células tumorais na circulação sanguínea apresentavam genes com características bifenotípica epitelial e mesenquimal, enriquecimento para genes de células estaminais (ALDH1A1 / ALDH1A2 e KLF4), e uma super-expressão de genes da matriz extracelular (colagénios, SPARC, e DCN) normalmente identificados no estroma de PDAC. Após a avaliação dos tumores primários com RNA-ISH, muitos dos genes identificados, foram encontrados co-localizando em uma sub-população de células na região basal dos ductos pancreáticos malignos. Além disso, observamos que estas células expressam o marcador SV2A neuroendócrino, e o marcador de células estaminais ALDH1A1/2. Em comparação com tumores negativos para SV2, os doentes com tumores SV2 positivos apresentaram níveis mais baixos de CA 19-9 (69% vs. 52%, p = 0,012), tumores maiores (> 4 cm, 23% vs. 10%, p = 0,0430), menor invasão de gânglios linfáticos (69% vs. 86%, p = 0,005) e tumores mais diferenciados (69% vs. 57%, p = 0,047). A presença de SV2A foi associada com uma sobrevida livre de doença mais longa (HR: 0,49 p = 0,009) bem como melhor sobrevida global (HR: 0,54 p = 0,018). Em conjunto, esta informação aponta para dois subtipos diferentes de adenocarcinoma do pâncreas, e estes subtipos co-relacionam estatisticamente com o prognostico de doentes, sendo este subgrupo definido pela presença do clone celular SV2A / ALDH1A1/2 positivo com características neuroendócrinas. No Capítulo 4, a expressão de SV2A no cancro do pâncreas foi validado em linhas celulares primárias. Demonstramos a heterogeneidade do adenocarcinoma do pâncreas de acordo com características clonais neuroendócrinas. Ao comparar as linhas celulares expressando SV2 com linhas celulares negativas, verificamos que as linhas celulares SV2+ eram mais diferenciadas, diferindo de linhas celulares SV2 negativas no que respeita a mutação KRAS, proliferação e a resposta à quimioterapia. No capítulo 5, perguntamo-nos se o clone celular SV2 positivo poderia explicar a resistência a quimioterapia observada em doentes. Observamos um aumento absoluto de clones celulares expressando SV2A, em múltiplas linhas de evidência - doentes, linhas de células primárias e xenotransplantes. Embora, tenhamos sido capazes de demonstrar que o adenocarcinoma do pâncreas é uma doença heterogénea, consideramos que a caracterização genética destes clones celulares expressando SV2A é de elevada importância. Pretendemos colmatar esta limitação com as seguintes estratégias: Após o tratamento com quimioterapia neoadjuvante na nossa coorte, realizamos microdissecação a laser das amostras primarias em parafina, de forma a analisar mutações genéticas observadas no adenocarcinoma pancreático; em segundo lugar, pretendemos determinar consequências de knockdown da expressão de SV2A em nossas linhas celulares seguindo-se o tratamento com gemicitabina para determinação do papel funcional de SV2A; finalmente, uma vez que os nossos esforços anteriores com um promotor - repórter e SmartFlare ™ falharam, o próximo passo será realizar RNA-ISH PrimeFlow™ seguido de FACS e RNA-seq para caracterização deste clone celular. Em conjunto, conseguimos provar com várias linhas de evidência, que o adenocarcinoma pancreático é uma doença heterogénea, definido por um clone de células que expressam SV2A, com características neuroendócrinas. A presença deste clone no tecido de doentes correlaciona-se estatisticamente com o prognostico da doença, incluindo sobrevida livre de doença e sobrevida global. Juntamente com padrões de proliferação e co-expressão de ALDH1A1/2, este clone parece apresentar um comportamento de células estaminais e está associado a resistência a quimioterapia, uma vez que a sua expressão aumenta após agressão química, quer em doentes, quer em linhas de células primárias.----------------------------- ABSTRACT: Currently, the only chance of cure for patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma is surgical resection, at the beginning of my thesis studies, we asked if the classical clinicopathologic predictors of outcome could be validated in a large cohort of patients with early stage pancreatic cancer and if other clinical predictors could have a role on deciding which patients would benefit from surgery. In chapter 2, we found that up to 30% of patients die within the first year after curative intent surgery for pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We aimed at determining pre-operative factors that would correlate with early mortality following resection for pancreatic cancer using a statistically validated tool, the Charlson-Age Comorbidity Index (CACI). We found that a CACI score greater than 4 was predictive of increased length of stay (p<0.001), post-operative complications (p=0.042), and mortality within 1-year of pancreatic resection (p<0.001). A CACI score of 6 or greater increased 3-fold the odds of death within the first year. Patients with a high CACI score have less than 50% likelihood of being alive 1 year after surgery. In chapter 3 we aimed at identifying a surface protein that correlates with patient’s outcome and distinguishes sub-groups of patients according to their molecular differences and if this protein could be a cancer stem cell marker. The most abundant class of circulating tumor cells identified in our previous work was found to have biphenotypic features of epithelial to mesenchymal transition, enrichment for stem-cell associated genes (ALDH1A1/ALDH1A2 and KLF4), and an overexpression of extracellular matrix genes (Collagens, SPARC, and DCN) normally found in the stromal microenvironment of PDAC primary tumors. Upon evaluation of matched primary tumors with RNA-ISH, many of the genes identified were found to co-localize in a sub-population of cells at the basal region of malignant pancreatic ducts. In addition, these cells expressed the neuroendocrine marker SV2A, and the stem cell marker ALDH1A1/2. Compared to SV2 negative tumors, patients with SV2 positive tumors were more likely to present with lower CA 19-9 (69% vs. 52%, p = 0.012), bigger tumors (size > 4 cm, 23% vs. 10%, p= 0.0430), less nodal involvement (69% vs. 86%, p = 0.005) and lower histologic grade (69% vs. 57%, p = 0.047). The presence of SV2A expressing cells was associated with an improved disease free survival (HR: 0.49 p=0.009) and overall survival (HR: 0.54 p=0.018) and correlated linearly with ALDH1A2. Together, this information points to two different sub-types of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and these sub-types correlated with patients’ outcome and were defined by the presence of a SV2A/ ALDH1A1/2 expressing clone with neuroendocrine features. In Chapter 4, SV2A expression in cancer was validated in primary cell lines. We were able to demonstrate pancreatic adenocarcinoma heterogeneity according to neuroendocrine clonal features. When comparing SV2 expressing cell lines with SV2 negative cell lines, we found that SV2+ cell lines were more differentiated and differ from SV2 negative cell lines regarding KRAS mutation, proliferation and response to chemotherapy. In Chapter 5 we aimed at determining if this SV2 positive clone could explain chemoresistance observed in patients. We found an absolute increase in SV2A expressing cells, with multiple lines of evidence, in patients, primary cell lines and xenografts. Although, we have been able to show evidence that pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a heterogeneous disease, our findings warrant further investigation. To further characterize SV2A expressing clones after treatment with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in our cohort, we have performed laser capture microdissection of the paraffin embedded tissue in this study and will analyze the tissue for known genetic mutations in pancreatic adenocarcinoma; secondly, we want to know what will happen after knocking down SV2A expression in our cell lines followed by treatment with gemcitabine to determine if SV2A is functionally important; finally, since our previous efforts with a promoter – reporter and SmartFlare™ have failed, we will utilize a novel PrimeFlow™ RNA-ISH assay followed by FACS and RNA sequencing to further characterize this cellular clone. Overall our data proves, with multiple lines of evidence, that pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a heterogeneous disease, defined by a clone of SV2A expressing cells, with neuroendocrine features. The presence of this clone in patients’ tissue correlates with patient’s disease free survival and overall survival. Together with patterns of proliferation and ALDH1A1/2 co-expression, this clone seems to present a stem-cell-like behavior and is associated with chemoresistance, since it increases after chemotherapy, both in patients and primary cell lines.

Que música ouvimos? Estudo exploratório com crianças em contexto de creche, pré-escolar e familiar

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Educação Pré-Escolar

Da prova: na atuação policial e no âmbito da infração tributária

Relatório de atividade profissional de mestrado em Direito Judiciário

Proving the suitability of magnetoelectric stimuli for tissue engineering applications

A novel approach for tissue engineering applications based on the use of magnetoelectric materials is presented. This work proves that magnetoelectric Terfenol-D/poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene) composites are able to provide mechanical and electrical stimuli to MC3T3-E1 pre-osteoblast cells and that those stimuli can be remotely triggered by an applied magnetic field. Cell proliferation is enhanced up to 25% when cells are cultured under mechanical (up to 110 ppm) and electrical stimulation (up to 0.115 mV), showing that magnetoelectric cell stimulation is a novel and suitable approach for tissue engineering allowing magnetic, mechanical and electrical stimuli.

Nicolas Sanson and his Map: The Course of the Amazon River

One of the first scientific maps of the Amazon region, The Course of the Amazon River (Le Cours de La Rivière des Amazones), was constructed by Nicolas Sanson, a French cartographer of the seventeenth century, and served as the prototype for many others. The evaluation of this chart, until now, has been that it is a very defective map, a sketch based on a historical account, according to the opinion of La Condamine. Thus, the aim of the present work was to prove that the map of the Amazon River traced by Nicolas Sanson is a scientific work, a map that presents precise geographic coordinates considering its time, shows a well-determined prime meridian, and also employs a creative methodology to deduce longitudes from latitudes and distances that had been covered. To show such characteristics, an analysis of the accuracy of the map was made by comparing its latitudes and longitudes with those of a current map. We determined the prime meridian of this map and analyzed the methodology used for the calculation of longitudes. The conclusion is that it is actually a good map for the time, particularly considering the technology and the limited information that Sanson had at his disposal. This proves that the negative assertion of La Condamine is unfounded.

Avaliação e gestão de riscos em sistemas de saneamento

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Engenharia Civil

Eficácia publicitária, um eterno desafio: o estudo de caso Mebocaína

Relatório de estágio de mestrado em Ciências da Comunicação (área de especialização em Publicidade e Relações Públicas)

A eficácia da Mediação Familiar no contexto das Responsabilidades Parentais

Dissertação de mestrado em Direito das Crianças, Família e Sucessões

Sôbre uma propriedade da equação utilizada para interpolação da Lei de Mitscherlich

The author proves that equation, Σy n ΣZx | ΣxyZx ΣxZx ΣxZ2x | = 0, Σy ΣZx Σy2x | where Z = 10-cq and q is a numerical constant, used by Pimentel Gomes and Malavolta in several articles for the interpolation of Mitscherlih's equation y = A [ 1 - 10 - c (x + b) ] by the least squares method, always has a zero of order three for Z = 1. Therefore, equation A Zm + A1Zm -1 + ........... + Am = 0 obtained from that determinant can be divided by (Z-1)³. This property provides a good test for the correctness of the computations and facilitates the solution of the equation.

Sôbre um sistema de equações relativas a um modêlo matemático de populações de Himenópteros endogâmicos

This paper deals with the solution of a system of equations relating with a mathematical model of populations of endogamic Hymenoptera. The Author proves that, unless inequality (5.1) 4R5 + 8R R4 - 4R R³ + 8R² (R -1) R² - A a A a A a a A - R² (4R² + 4R - 1) R +2R³ < 0 a a A a is satisfied, one of the genes is eliminated from the population. He shows that the relative frequencies of different kinds of matings in the population can be obtained when the root R between zero and VRa of equation 2R4 + 2R³ -2R² (RA + Ra) - R(RA +Ra) + 2RA Ra =0 is known. In special, if we let b = RA / Ra > 1 , inequation (5.1) shows that we must have __________________ b³ + 2b² + b + V2b4 + 2b³ - 2b² + 2b Ra < __________________________________ = f(b) 2 (b4 + 2b³ + 2b - 1) The greatest value of f (b) is 0,75 and is obtained for b = 1, that is for RA = Ra.

Dois teoremas sôbre a função gama

This paper proves the following theorems on the gamma function: Theorem I The integral ∫O∞ t u e-t dt = Γ ( u + 1 ) , where u, real or complex, is such that R (u) > -1, will not change its value if we substitute z = Q (cos φ + i sen φ) for the real variable t, being jconstant and such that - Π/2 < φ < Π/2 , Theorem II The integral ∫-∞∞ w2u + 1 e -w² dw = Γ ( u + 1 ) , where 2u + 1 is supposed to be a non negative even integer, will not change its value if we substitute z = w + fi, f being a real constant, for the real variable w. The proof of both theorems is obtained by means of the well known Cauchy theorem on contour integrals on the complex plane, as suggested by CRAMÉR (1, p. 126) and LEVY (3, p. 178).

The orthogonal subcategory problem in homotopy theory

It is known that, in a locally presentable category, localization exists with respect to every set of morphisms, while the statement that localization with respect to every (possibly proper) class of morphisms exists in locally presentable categories is equivalent to a large-cardinal axiom from set theory. One proves similarly, on one hand, that homotopy localization exists with respect to sets of maps in every cofibrantly generated, left proper, simplicial model category M whose underlying category is locally presentable. On the other hand, as we show in this article, the existence of localization with respect to possibly proper classes of maps in a model category M satisfying the above assumptions is implied by a large-cardinal axiom called Vopënka's principle, although we do not know if the reverse implication holds. We also show that, under the same assumptions on M, every endofunctor of M that is idempotent up to homotopy is equivalent to localization with respect to some class S of maps, and if Vopënka's principle holds then S can be chosen to be a set. There are examples showing that the latter need not be true if M is not cofibrantly generated. The above assumptions on M are satisfied by simplicial sets and symmetric spectra over simplicial sets, among many other model categories.