Structure-function relationships in a glycosyltransferase, a phosphatase and an oxidoreductase

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biochemistry

Bank-firm relationships and financial crisis

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

Developing and validating a measure of the strength of the HRM system: Operationalizing the construct and relationships among its dimensions

The four studies in this article introduce a questionnaire to measure Strength of the HRM System (HRMSQ), a multidimensional construct, theoretically developed by Bowen and Ostroff (2004). Strength of the HRM System is a set of process characteristics that lead to effectiveness in conveying signals to employees that allow them to create a shared meaning of desired and appropriate work behaviours. Nine characteristics are suggested, grouped in three features: Distinctiveness, Consistency and Consensus. Study 1 developed and tested a questionnaire in a sample of workers from five different sectors. Study 2 cross-validated the measure in a sample of civil servants in a municipality. These two studies used performance appraisal as the reference HRM practice and led to a short version of the HRMSQ. Study 3 and Study 4 extend the HRMSQ to several common HRM practices. The HRMSQ is tested in two samples, of call center and several private and public organizations‟ workers (study 3). In study 4 the questionnaire is refined and tested with a sample from a hotel chain and finally cross-validated with two other samples, in the insurance and batteries sectors, leading to a longer version of the HRMSQ. Content analysis of several interviews with human resource managers and the Rasch model (1960, 1961, 1980), were used to define and select the indicators of the questionnaire. Convergent, discriminant and predictive validity of the measure are tested. The results of the four studies highlight the complexity of the relationships between the proposed characteristics and support the validity of a parsimonious measure of Strength of the HRM System.

Evolution of Diplodocid Sauropod dinosaurs with emphasis on specimens from Howe Ranch, Wyoming (USA)

Diplodocidae are among the best known sauropod dinosaurs. Several species were described in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Since then, numerous additional specimens were recovered in the USA, Tanzania, Portugal, as well as possibly Spain, England, and Asia. To date, the clade includes about 12 to 15 different species, some of them with questionable taxonomic status (e.g. ‘Diplodocus’ hayi or Dyslocosaurus polyonychius). However, intrageneric relationships of the multi-species, iconic genera Apatosaurus and Diplodocus are still poorly known. The way to resolve this issue is a specimen-based phylogenetic analysis, which was done for Apatosaurus, but is here performed for the first time for the entire clade of Diplodocidae. New material from different localities and stratigraphic levels on the Howe Ranch (Shell,Wyoming, USA) sheds additional light on the evolution of Diplodocidae. Three new specimens are described herein, considerably increasing our knowledge of the anatomy of the group. The new specimens (SMA 0004, SMA 0011, and SMA 0087) represent two, to possibly three new diplodocid species. They preserve material from all parts of the skeleton, including two nearly complete skulls, as well as fairly complete manus and pedes, material which is generally rare in diplodocids. Thereby, they considerably increase anatomical overlap between the sometimes fragmentary holotype specimens of the earlier described diplodocid species, allowing for significant results in a specimenbased phylogenetic analysis. Furthermore, clavicles and interclavicles are identified, the latter for the first time in dinosaurs. Their presence seems restricted to early sauropods, flagellicaudatans, and early Macronaria, and might thus be a retained plesiomorphy, with the loss of these bones being synapomorphic for Titanosauriformes and possibly Rebbachisauridae. The new material allows to test previous hypotheses of diplodocid phylogeny. In order to do so, any type specimen previously proposed to belong to Diplodocidae was included in the study, as are relatively complete referred specimens, in order to increase the degree of overlapping material. For specimens subsequently suggested to be non-diplodocid sauropods, their hypothesized sister taxa were included as outgroups. The current phylogenetic analysis thus includes 76 operational taxonomic units, 45 of which belong to Diplodocidae. The specimens were scored for 477 morphological characters, representing one of the most extensive phylogenetic analyses done within sauropod dinosaurs. The resulting cladogram recovers the classical arrangement of diplodocid relationships. Basing on a newly developed numerical approach to reduce subjectivity in the decision of specific or generic separation, species that have historically been included into well-known genera like Apatosaurus or Diplodocus, were detected to be actually generically different. Thereby, the famous genus Brontosaurus is resuscitated, and evidence further suggests that also Elosaurus parvus (previously referred to Apatosaurus) or ‘Diplodocus’ hayi represent unique genera. The study increases our knowledge about individual variation, and helps to decide how to score multi-species genera. Such a specimen-based phylogenetic analysis thus proves a valuable tool to validate historic species in sauropods, and in paleontology as a whole.

Exploring TM image texture and its relationships with biomass estimation in Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon

Many texture measures have been developed and used for improving land-cover classification accuracy, but rarely has research examined the role of textures in improving the performance of aboveground biomass estimations. The relationship between texture and biomass is poorly understood. This paper used Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data to explore relationships between TM image textures and aboveground biomass in Rondônia, Brazilian Amazon. Eight grey level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) based texture measures (i.e., mean, variance, homogeneity, contrast, dissimilarity, entropy, second moment, and correlation), associated with seven different window sizes (5x5, 7x7, 9x9, 11x11, 15x15, 19x19, and 25x25), and five TM bands (TM 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7) were analyzed. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to analyze texture and biomass relationships. This research indicates that most textures are weakly correlated with successional vegetation biomass, but some textures are significantly correlated with mature forest biomass. In contrast, TM spectral signatures are significantly correlated with successional vegetation biomass, but weakly correlated with mature forest biomass. Our findings imply that textures may be critical in improving mature forest biomass estimation, but relatively less important for successional vegetation biomass estimation.

Structure-property relationships in polymer nanocomposites

Tese de Doutoramento em Ciência e Engenharia de Polímeros e Compósitos

Structure-properties relationships in thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer nanocomposites: Interactions between polymer phases and nanofillers

Polyurethane thermoplastic elastomer (TPU) nanocomposites were prepared by the incorporation of 1 wt% of high-structured carbon black (HSCB), carbon nanofibers (CNF), nanosilica (NS) and nanoclays (NC), following a proper high-shear blending procedure. The TPU nanofilled mechanical properties and morphology was assessed. The nanofillers interact mainly with the TPU hard segments (HS) domains, determining their glass transition temperature, and increasing their melting temperature and enthalpy. A significant improvement upon the modulus, sustained stress levels and deformation capabilities is evidenced. The relationships between the morphology and the nanofilled TPU properties are established, evidencing the role of HS domains on the mechanical response, regardless the nanofiller type.

Daldinia eschscholtzii (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae) isolated from the Brazilian Amazon: taxonomic features and mycelial growth conditions

The Amazon has a high diversity of fungi, including species of the genus Daldinia (Ascomycota, Xylariaceae), which produce secondary metabolites with recognized nematicidal and antimicrobial activity. The ecological role of Daldinia is important, as stromata serve as refuges to many insects and arthropodes, and the fungi contribute to the degradation of vegetable organic matter. The aim of this study was to analyze the taxonomic features and mycelial growth conditions in vitro of a Daldinia specimen collected in the Brazilian Amazon. Morphological and molecular studies of the fungus identified it as D. eschscholtzii. To evaluate mycelial growth, we cultivated the fungus at 20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 °C in malt extract-peptone agar (MEPA), malt extract-peptone (MEP), potato dextrose (PD), and minimum medium (MM). The best mycelial growth occurred at 35 °C, although the greatest amount of biomass was obtained at 25 °C and 30 °C. PD proved to be the best medium for biomass production.

Taxonomic relevance of seed and seedling morphology in two Amazonian species of Entada (Leguminosae)

We carried out a comparative morphological study to evaluate the taxonomic value of seed and seedling traits of Entada polystachya and E. simplicata (Leguminosae, Mimosoideae, Mimoseae). Seeds of both species were collected from wild populations in Roraima State, Brazil. Our results show consistent quantitative and qualitative differences between these species regarding their seeds and seedlings. Testa fracture lines, funiculus impression, lens characters, radicle shape and length, and cotyledon lobes length, seedling morphology group, number of pinnae at first node, and hypocotyl length permit a straightforward distinction of E. polystachya from E. simplicata, supporting a recent treatment of the latter taxon as a distinct species, endemic to Roraima State, northern Amazonia, Brazil.

On the length of bank-firm relationships: an empirical application to a major French bank

NIPE - WP 01/ 2016

Single-function approach to calibrating whatman n.º 42 filter paper based on suction versus water content relationships

Several suction–water-content (s-w) calibrations for the filter paper method (FPM) used for soil-suction measurement have been published. Most of the calibrations involve a bilinear function (i.e., two different equations) with an inflection point occurring at 60 kPa

Food Structure Design: Innovation in food structure-properties relationships

This Special Issue gathers selected contributions from the 1st Congress on Food Structure Design, covering most of the topics described above.

Study of validation of the Portuguese version of the inventory «Experiences in Close Relationships»

The Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory permits to evaluate attachment in close relationships during adulthood based on two dimensions able to be present in this kind of relationships: the avoidance of proximity and the anxiety related with to abandonment. It is a self-report 7- points likert scale composed by 36 items. The Portuguese version was administered to a sample of 551 university students (60% female), the majority with ages between 19 and 24 years old (88%) in a dating relationship (86%). The principal components analysis with oblimin rotation was performed. The total scale has good internal consistency (α=.86), as also has the 2 sub-scales: anxiety (α=.86) and avoidance (α=.88). The two dimensions evaluated are significantly correlated with socio-demographics, relational characteristics (jealousy, relationship distress, and compromise), wishes (enmeshment versus differentiation) and fears (abandonment versus control) related to attitudes in significant relationships, which testify the construct validity of the instrument. The results obtained are coherent with the original version and other ECR‘s adaptations. Practitioners and researchers in the context of clinical psychology and related areas have now at their disposal the Portuguese version of the ECR inventory, which has shown its very high usefulness in the study of close relationships, and specifically attachment in adulthood.

Massage therapy reduces pain in pregnant women, alleviates prenatal depression in both parents and improves their relationships

Prenatally depressed women (N=47) were randomly assigned to a group that received massage twice weekly from their partners from 20 weeks gestation until the end of pregnancy or a control group. Self-reported leg pain, back pain, depression, anxiety and anger decreased more for the massaged pregnant women than for the control group women. In addition, the partners who massaged the pregnant women versus the control group partners reported less depressed mood, anxiety and anger across the course of the massage therapy period. Finally, scores on a relationship questionnaire improved more for both the women and the partners in the massage group. These data suggest that not only mood states but also relationships improve mutually when depressed pregnant women are massaged by their partners.

Partner relationships during pregnancy in anxious and depressed women and men

To assess anxiety, depression and relationship satisfaction in both women and men during pregnancy, the State Anxiety Inventory (STAI), The Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and The Relationship Questionnaire (RQ) were administered during the second trimester to a sample of 59 pregnant women and their partners. Anxious pregnant women rated their relationships as less positive. Depressed pregnant women also rated their relationships as less positive. The women’s anxiety scores were predictive of their positive and negative relationship scores. The women and their partners’ negative relationship scores were also predictive of each others’ negative relationship scores. These results highlight the importance of targeting anxiety as well as depression, and pregnant women as well as their partners in prenatal intervention programs.