Proposal for shared services performance management model applied to portugueses public administration

Comunicação apresentada no 8º Congresso Nacional de Administração Pública - Desafios e Soluções, em Carcavelos de 21 a 22 de Novembro de 2011.

SOLAP+: extending the interaction model

Thesis submitted to Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia of the Universidade Nova de Lisboa, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master in Computer Science

Give some to get some - Analysing the relationship between worker satisfaction with human resources management and perceived individual performance in a Portuguese hospital

The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between the satisfaction with HRM practices in an organization and the workers' perceived performance. We are interested in learning if indeed workers that are more satisfied with the organization’s practices will also perceive themselves as more hardworking than others, thus confirming the happy-productive worker hypothesis, from an individual perception standpoint. Data originates from a large Portuguese hospital, with a sample of 952 clinical and nonclinical hospital workers. Data was originally explored using SPSS software and later tested in AMOS software where a multiple regression model was constructed and tested. Results indicate that overall satisfaction with HRM practices are related with the workers’ perceived performance; most of the HRM satisfaction subscales also relate, except for pay and performance appraisal, that do not seem to be good predictors of the workers perceived performance. The present study is based on a single large public hospital, and thus, these findings need to be further tested in other settings. This study offers some clues regarding the areas of HRM that seem to be more related with the workers’ perceived performance, and hence provide an interesting framework for managers dealing with healthcare teams. This study contributes to the happy-productive worker hypothesis research, by including seldom used variables in the equation and taking a different perspective. Results provide new clues for investigation and practice regarding the areas of action in HRM that seem to be more prone to elicit perceived effort from the workers.

Symmetry and order parameter dynamics of the human odometer

Bipedal gaits have been classified on the basis of the group symmetry of the minimal network of identical differential equations (alias cells) required to model them. Primary bipedal gaits (e.g., walk, run) are characterized by dihedral symmetry, whereas secondary bipedal gaits (e.g., gallop-walk, gallop- run) are characterized by a lower, cyclic symmetry. This fact has been used in tests of human odometry (e.g., Turvey et al. in P Roy Soc Lond B Biol 276:4309–4314, 2009, J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 38:1014–1025, 2012). Results suggest that when distance is measured and reported by gaits from the same symmetry class, primary and secondary gaits are comparable. Switching symmetry classes at report compresses (primary to secondary) or inflates (secondary to primary) measured distance, with the compression and inflation equal in magnitude. The present research (a) extends these findings from overground locomotion to treadmill locomotion and (b) assesses a dynamics of sequentially coupled measure and report phases, with relative velocity as an order parameter, or equilibrium state, and difference in symmetry class as an imperfection parameter, or detuning, of those dynamics. The results suggest that the symmetries and dynamics of distance measurement by the human odometer are the same whether the odometer is in motion relative to a stationary ground or stationary relative to a moving ground.

Effects of treatment, awareness and condom use in a coinfection model for HIV and HCV in MSM

We develop a new a coinfection model for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We consider treatment for both diseases, screening, unawareness and awareness of HIV infection, and the use of condoms. We study the local stability of the disease-free equilibria for the full model and for the two submodels (HCV only and HIV only submodels). We sketch bifurcation diagrams for different parameters, such as the probabilities that a contact will result in a HIV or an HCV infection. We present numerical simulations of the full model where the HIV, HCV and double endemic equilibria can be observed. We also show numerically the qualitative changes of the dynamical behavior of the full model for variation of relevant parameters. We extrapolate the results from the model for actual measures that could be implemented in order to reduce the number of infected individuals.

Biological implications of the phenotypic plasticity in the Schistosoma mansoni - Nectomys squamipes model

The water-rat Nectomys squamipes is mostly important non-human host in schistosomiasis mansoni transmission in Brazil, due to its susceptibility, high abundance and water-contact pattern. During experimental infection of N. squamipes with Schistosoma mansoni, adult worms show phenotypic plasticity. This finding led us to investigate whether biological behavior is also affected. This was assessed comparing the biological characteristics of four S. mansoni strains: BE (State of Belém do Pará), CE (State of Pernambuco), CMO (State of Rio Grande do Norte) and SJ (State of São Paulo) using laboratory-bred N. squamipes. The infection was monitored by determination of the pre-patent period, fecal egg output, egg viability, intestinal egg count and, infectivity rate. No biological modification was observed in these parameters. Overall results highlight that N. squamipes was susceptible to several S. mansoni strains, suggesting that it might contribute to the maintenance of schistosomiasis mansoni in Brazil.

Towards Human-like Bimanual Movements in Anthropomorphic Robots: A Nonlinear Optimization Approach

Previously we have presented a model for generating human-like arm and hand movements on an unimanual anthropomorphic robot involved in human-robot collaboration tasks. The present paper aims to extend our model in order to address the generation of human-like bimanual movement sequences which are challenged by scenarios cluttered with obstacles. Movement planning involves large scale nonlinear constrained optimization problems which are solved using the IPOPT solver. Simulation studies show that the model generates feasible and realistic hand trajectories for action sequences involving the two hands. The computational costs involved in the planning allow for real-time human robot-interaction. A qualitative analysis reveals that the movements of the robot exhibit basic characteristics of human movements.

Development of novel human cellular models for neurotoxicity studies

Dissertation to obtain master degree in Genética Molecular e Biomedicina

Evolution of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 2 Envelope in the First Years of Infection is Associated with the Dynamics of the Neutralizing Antibody Response

Background: Differently from HIV-1, HIV-2 disease progression usually takes decades without antiretroviral therapy and the majority of HIV-2 infected individuals survive as elite controllers with normal CD4+ T cell counts and low or undetectable plasma viral load. Neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) are thought to play a central role in HIV-2 evolution and pathogenesis. However, the dynamic of the Nab response and resulting HIV-2 escape during acute infection and their impact in HIV-2 evolution and disease progression remain largely unknown. Our objective was to characterize the Nab response and the molecular and phenotypic evolution of HIV-2 in association with Nab escape in the first years of infection in two children infected at birth. Results: CD4+ T cells decreased from about 50% to below 30% in both children in the first five years of infection and the infecting R5 viruses were replaced by X4 viruses within the same period. With antiretroviral therapy, viral load in child 1 decreased to undetectable levels and CD4+ T cells recovered to normal levels, which have been sustained at least until the age of 12. In contrast, viral load increased in child 2 and she progressed to AIDS and death at age 9. Beginning in the first year of life, child 1 raised high titers of antibodies that neutralized primary R5 isolates more effectively than X4 isolates, both autologous and heterologous. Child 2 raised a weak X4-specific Nab response that decreased sharply as disease progressed. Rate of evolution, nucleotide and amino acid diversity, and positive selection, were significantly higher in the envelope of child 1 compared to child 2. Rates of R5-to-X4 tropism switch, of V1 and V3 sequence diversification, and of convergence of V3 to a β-hairpin structure were related with rate of escape from the neutralizing antibodies. Conclusion: Our data suggests that the molecular and phenotypic evolution of the human immunodeficiency virus type 2 envelope are related with the dynamics of the neutralizing antibody response providing further support for a model in which Nabs play an important role in HIV-2 pathogenesis.

Neolithic transitions: can genetic data help us understand a major demographic event in human prehistory?

Dissertation presented to obtain the Ph.D degree in Biology

NADH oxidase activity of rat and human liver xanthine oxidoreductase: potential role in superoxide production

J Biol Inorg Chem (2007) 12:777–787 DOI 10.1007/s00775-007-0229-7

Nevirapine in an animal model of pre-diabetes: study of drug pharmacokinetic and its effects on fasting glycemia and insulin resistance

Dissertação para obtenção do Grau de Mestre em Biotecnologia

Transitional dynamics of an endogenous growth model with an erosion effect

The convergence features of an Endogenous Growth model with Physical capital, Human Capital and R&D have been studied. We add an erosion effect (supported by empirical evidence) to this model, and fully characterize its convergence properties. The dynamics is described by a fourth-order system of differential equations. We show that the model converges along a one-dimensional stable manifold and that its equilibrium is saddle-path stable. We also argue that one of the implications of considering this “erosion effect” is the increase in the adherence of the model to data.

Glia-Motoneuron dialogue in ALS onset and progression in SOD1G93A-mice model

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the pro-gressive loss of motoneurons (MN). Increasing evidence points glial cells as key players for ALS onset and progression. Indeed, MN-glia signalling pathways involving either neuroprotection or inflammation are likely to be altered in ALS. We aimed to study the molecules related with glial function and/or reactivity by evaluating glial markers and hemichannels, mainly present in astrocytes. We also studied molecules involved in mi-croglia-MN dialogue (CXCR3/CCL21; CX3CR1/CX3CL1; MFG-E8), as well as proliferation (Ki-67) and inflammatory-related molecules (TLR2/4, NLRP3; IL-18) and alarming/calming signals (HMGB1/autotaxin). We used lumbar spinal cord (SC) homogenates from mice expressing a mutant human-SOD1 protein (mSOD1) at presymptomatic and late-symptomatic ALS stages. SJL (WT) mice at same ages were used as controls. We observed decreased expression of genes associated with astrocytic (GFAP and S100B) and microglial (CD11b) markers in mSOD1 at the presymptomatic phase, as well as diminished levels of gap junction components pannexin1 and connexin43 and expression of Ki-67 and decreased autotax-in. In addition, microglial-MN communication was negatively affected in mSOD1 mice as well as in-flammatory response. Interestingly, we observed astrocytic (S100B) and microglial (CD11b) reactivity, increased proliferation (Ki-67) and increased autotaxin expression in symptomatic mSOD1 mice. In-creased MN-microglial dialogue (CXCR3/CCL21; CX3CR1/CX3CL1; MFG-E8) and hemichannel activ-ity, namely connexin43 and pannexin1, were also observed in mSOD1 at the symptomatic phase, along with an elevated inflammatory response as indicated by increased levels of HMGB1 and NLRP3. Our results suggest that decreased autotaxin expression is a feature of the presymptomatic stage, and precede the network of pro-inflammatory-related symptomatic determinants, including HMGB1, CCL21, CX3CL1, and NLRP3. The identification of the molecules and signaling pathways that are dif-ferentially activated along ALS progression will contribute for a better design of therapeutic strategies for disease onset and progression.

Knowledge management framework based on brain models and human physiology

The life of humans and most living beings depend on sensation and perception for the best assessment of the surrounding world. Sensorial organs acquire a variety of stimuli that are interpreted and integrated in our brain for immediate use or stored in memory for later recall. Among the reasoning aspects, a person has to decide what to do with available information. Emotions are classifiers of collected information, assigning a personal meaning to objects, events and individuals, making part of our own identity. Emotions play a decisive role in cognitive processes as reasoning, decision and memory by assigning relevance to collected information. The access to pervasive computing devices, empowered by the ability to sense and perceive the world, provides new forms of acquiring and integrating information. But prior to data assessment on its usefulness, systems must capture and ensure that data is properly managed for diverse possible goals. Portable and wearable devices are now able to gather and store information, from the environment and from our body, using cloud based services and Internet connections. Systems limitations in handling sensorial data, compared with our sensorial capabilities constitute an identified problem. Another problem is the lack of interoperability between humans and devices, as they do not properly understand human’s emotional states and human needs. Addressing those problems is a motivation for the present research work. The mission hereby assumed is to include sensorial and physiological data into a Framework that will be able to manage collected data towards human cognitive functions, supported by a new data model. By learning from selected human functional and behavioural models and reasoning over collected data, the Framework aims at providing evaluation on a person’s emotional state, for empowering human centric applications, along with the capability of storing episodic information on a person’s life with physiologic indicators on emotional states to be used by new generation applications.