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- O impacto da entrada em vigor da IFRS 9 - Instrumentos financeiros nas instituições financeirasPublication . Monteiro, Jorge; Dâmaso, Maria GoretiA norma internacional de relato financeiro (IFRS) 9 - Instrumentos Financeiros entrou em vigor no dia 1 de janeiro de 2018 e veio substituir a norma internacional de contabilidade (IAS) 39 - Instrumentos Financeiros: Reconhecimento e Mensuração, a qual define novas regras de reconhecimento e mensuração dos instrumentos financeiros. A revisão de literatura indica que um dos setores mais afetado por esta alteração tenha sido o setor bancário. Esta dissertação tem dois objetivos: o primeiro objetivo é verificar qual foi o impacto da implementação da IFRS 9, no setor financeiro em Portugal; o segundo objetivo é analisar se existem algumas instituições financeiras em que o impacto da IFRS 9 foi mais ou menos acentuado. Inicialmente elaborou-se uma pesquisa bibliográfica para compreender em que pontos é que as duas normas são distintas, de seguida um estudo exploratório, numa primeira instância utilizou-se a técnica da observação, posteriormente com recurso à análise estatística moldou-se um modelo de regressão linear múltiplo e ainda foram realizadas duas comparações de médias com recurso ao teste U de Mann-Whitney. Com este estudo podemos concluir de que a nova norma IFRS 9 teve, na maioria dos casos, um impacto negativo na situação líquida das entidades pertencentes à amostra deste estudo. Através da análise dos dados recolhidos da amostra, foi ainda possível concluir que existem certas instituições financeiras onde se verifica que o impacto da implementação da IFRS 9 foi mais acentuado.
- Blood pressure and its circadian pattern in obese and lean premenopausal womenPublication . Silva-Nunes, José; Brito, Miguel; Veiga, LuisaBackground: Obesity is frequently referred to as an independent risk factor for high blood pressure and hypertension is very prevalent among obese people. The aims of this study were: to compare office-based and 24 h blood pressure (BP) and its circadian pattern between lean and obese women; to study correlations between BP, insulin resistance (IR), and markers of subclinical inflammation/early atherosclerosis. Material and methods: Eighty-eight lean and 107 otherwise healthy obese women were characterized for anthropometrics, BP (office-based determinations and 24 h ABPM), and for glucose, insulin, triglycerides, interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a), high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP), retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP-4), leptin, adiponectin, resistin, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and vascular-cellular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1). Insulin resistance was determined by homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI), and McAuley indexes (also Matsuda in obese). Results: The obese group presented higher office-based systolic/diastolic BP, systolic ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), and more non-dippers. HOMA-IR and body fat was correlated to systolic (r2 = 0.176) and glucose to diastolic (p = 0.008; r = 0.256) ABPM. Age, QUICKI, and TNF-a was correlated with dipping (r2 = 0.172); adiponectin, age, BMI, and glucose to systolic (r2 = 0.226) and diastolic (r2 = 0.215) office-based BP. Concerning lean women, MCP-1 was associated with diastolic ABPM (p = 0.013; r = 0.267). Systolic office-based BP was associated with waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.01; r = 0.273); this and RBP-4 was correlated with office-based diastolic BP (r2 = 0.12). Conclusion: Although relatively healthy, obese women present higher BP than lean. Anthropometrics, IR, and fasting glucose all influence BP in obesity; additionally, IR is involved in non-dipping. No strong correlation exists between BP/dipping and subclinical inflammation in either group of women.
- Assessment of out-of-field doses in radiotherapy treatments of paediatric patients using Monte Carlo methods and measurementsPublication . Sá, Ana Cravo; Barateiro, Andreia; Bednarz, Bryan; Borges, Cecília; Pereira, Joana; Baptista, Mariana; Pereira, Miguel; Zarza-Moreno, Miriam; Almeida, Pedro; Vaz, Pedro; Madaleno, Tiago; Romanets, YuriyPurpose: To assess out-of-field doses in radiotherapy treatments of pediatric patients, using Monte Carlo methods to implement a new model of the linear accelerator validated against measurements and developing a voxelized anthropomorphic pediatric phantom. Methods: CT images of a physical anthropomorphic pediatric phantom were acquired and dosimetric planning using a TPS was obtained. The CT images were used to perform the voxelization of the physical phantom using the ImageJ software and later implemented in MCNP. In order to validate the Monte Carlo model, dose measurements of the 6 MV beam and Linac with 120 MLC were made in a clinical setting, using ionization chambers and a water phantom. afterward, TLD measurements in the physical anthropomorphic phantom were performed in order to assess the out-of-field doses in the eyes, thyroid, c-spine, heart, and lungs. Results: The Monte Carlo model was validated for in-field and out-of-field doses with average relative differences below 3%. The average relative differences between TLD measurements and Monte Carlo is 14,3% whilst the average relative difference between TLD and TPS is 55,8%. Moreover, organs up to 22.5 cm from PTV center show TLD and MCNP6 relative differences and TLD and TPS relative differences up to 21.2% and 92.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Our study provides a novel model that could be used in clinical research, namely in dose evaluation outside the treatment fields. This is particularly relevant, especially in pediatric patients, for studying new radiotherapy treatment techniques, since it can be used to estimate the development of secondary tumors.
- Schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis preventive chemotherapy: adverse events in children from 2 to 15 years in Bengo province, AngolaPublication . Lemos, Manuel; Pedro, João M.; Fançony, Cláudia; Moura, Sofia; Brito, Miguel; Nery, Susana Vaz; Sousa, Carlos Pinto; Barros, HenriquePreventive chemotherapy campaigns with praziquantel and albendazole are being implemented in Angola, as a high-priority public health intervention. However, there are no published data regarding adverse events associated with these medications. In this context, we analyzed adverse events due to co-administration of praziquantel and albendazole in endemic areas of schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths in Bengo, Angola. In the context of a targeted drug administration, between December 2012 and September 2013, we conducted two surveys after co-administrating single oral doses of praziquantel and albendazole tablets to children 2 to 15 years of age. About 24 hours after each treatment, participants answered a questionnaire about adverse events. At baseline, 605 children (55.0% male; mean age: 9.7 years) were treated; 460 were interviewed and 257 (55.9%) reported at least one adverse event, 62.3% (160/257) of children being infected with Schistosoma haematobium. After six months of treatment, among 339 children surveyed, 184 (54.3%) reported adverse events, with 49.5% (91/184) of infected children. Adverse events were most common in preschool-aged children, with no significant difference between genders. The most frequent adverse events in the two surveys were abdominal pain (18.5%, 25.7%), headache (20.9%, 23.0%) and dizziness (15.7%, 19.8%). Children aged 12 to 15 years (adjusted OR = 0.40, p = 0.040) and those with mixed infection (adjusted OR = 0.04, p = 0.011) had lower odds of adverse events. After the second treatment, those with heavy infection (adjusted OR = 2.72, p = 0.018) and aged 9-11 years (adjusted OR = 2.01, p = 0.049) had significantly fewer adverse events. About 2.0% of children experienced severe adverse events. This study adds evidence that preventive chemotherapy for schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminths control is safe, but cases of adverse events are expected. Standardized methodologies to discriminate drug-related adverse events from the clinical manifestations of the infections are needed.
- Total quality management and quality certification on services corporationsPublication . Antunes, Marina Godinho; Mucharreira, Pedro Ribeiro; Texeira Fernandes Justino, Maria Do Rosário; Teixera-Quirós, JoaquínThis research aims to analyze the relationship and the effects of the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM) practices on quality certification in services corporations and to analyze the impact of TQM and quality certification (ISO 9000) on organizational performance. A model of structural equations was used to evaluate the relationship between the different dimensions. With the aim to measure the correlation between the continuous variables and the dichotomous variable ISO 9000, the Eta coefficient was used. The results showed that TQM practices in Portuguese service companies provide an improvement in their operational and market performance, however, TQM does not show an improvement in financial performance. Regarding ISO certification, the results indicate that certified companies do not show an improvement in their performance, whether financial, operational, or market. Also, our research confirms that the implementation of TQM practices provides the conditions for quality certification.
- Ranks of monoids of endomorphisms of a finite undirected pathPublication . Dimitrova, Ilinka; Fernandes, Vítor Hugo; Koppitz, J.; Quinteiro, TeresaIn this paper, we study the widely considered endomorphisms and weak endomorphisms of a finite undirected path from monoid generators perspective. Our main aim is to determine the ranks of the monoids wEndPn and EndPn of all weak endomorphisms and all endomorphisms of the undirected path Pn with n vertices. We also consider strong and strong weak endomorphisms of Pn.
- Políticas educativas e aprendizagem dos alunos no ensino não-superior portuguêsPublication . Antunes, Marina Godinho; Mucharreira, Pedro Ribeiro; Cabrito, Belmiro; Cerdeira, LuisaA presente investigação tem como objetivo investigar o papel que algumas variáveis podem ter no incremento das aprendizagens dos alunos, tais como o envolvimento dos alunos, os projetos educativos de escola algumas políticas educativas, como o currículo nacional, a redução do número de alunos por turma ou a formação contínua de professores. A investigação é de natureza qualitativa, na linha de um paradigma interpretativo, embora utilizando técnicas quantitativas de recolha e análise de dados. Os dados foram obtidos através da aplicação de um questionário online desenvolvido pelos autores para avaliar as diferentes dimensões do modelo proposto, recorrendo-se nesse sentido a uma amostra de conveniência constituída por 1.320 professores e diretores de escolas de ensino não-superior, público e particular e cooperativo, desde o primeiro ciclo até ao ensino secundário, do território português, no ano letivo de 2017/2018. No tratamento de dados quantitativos, utilizou-se o modelo de equações estruturais (SEM), através do software SPSS para investigar as possíveis relações entre as diferentes dimensões incorporadas no modelo. As principais conclusões do estudo apontam no sentido de que a melhoria do desempenho escolar dos alunos foi influenciada de forma significativa pelos métodos de estudo dos alunos e não revelou como diretamente significativa a influência da redução do número de alunos por turma, da formação de professores e do currículo nacional.
- Strategy to improve the mechanical properties of bioabsorbable materials based on chitosan for orthopedic fixation applicationsPublication . Figueiredo, Lígia; Fonseca, Rita; Pinto, Luís F. V.; Ferreira, Frederico Castelo; Almeida, Amélia; Rodrigues, AlexandraBioabsorbable polymeric fixation devices have been used as an alternative to metallic implants in orthopedics, preventing the stress shielding effect and avoiding a second surgery for implant removal. However, several problems are still associated with current bioabsorbable implants, including the limited mechanical stiffness and strength, and the adverse tissue reactions generated. To minimize or even eliminate the problems associated with these implants, strategies have been developed to synthesize new implant materials based on chitosan. To overcome the brittle behavior of most 3D chitosan-based structures, glycerol and sorbitol were blended to chitosan and the effect of these plasticizers in the produced specimens was analyzed by flexural tests, Berkovich tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and micro-CT analyzes. The improvement of the mechanical properties was also tested by adding ceramics, namely hydroxyapatite powder and biphasic mixtures of hydroxyapatite (HA) and beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP). In the plasticizers group, the best combination of the measured properties was obtained for chitosan with 10% glycerol (flexural strength of 53.8 MPa and indentation hardness of 19.4 kgf/mm(2)), while in the ceramics group the best mechanical behavior was obtained for chitosan with 10% HA+beta-TCP powder (flexural strength of 67.5 MPa and indentation hardness 28.2 kgf/mm(2)). All the tested material compositions were dense and homogeneous, fundamental condition for a good implant performance. These are encouraging results, which support the continued development of chitosan-based materials for orthopedic fixation applications.
- The role of personality traits of managers on the performance outcomes of higher education institutions (HEIs)Publication . Mucharreira, Pedro Ribeiro; Antunes, Marina Godinho; Texeira Fernandes Justino, Maria Do Rosário; Texeira Quirós, JoaquínThis research aims to study the role that managers' personality traits have in the decision-making process and their relationship on the performance outcomes of Portuguese higher education institutions (HEIs), through a literature review that supports the presentation of a research model proposed by the authors. Nowadays, companies and their managers are increasingly pressured to achieve certain goals and levels of performance to ensure the financial sustainability of their institutions and to remain competitive in the markets. Sometimes these goals are somewhat ambitious and difficult to achieve, which means that decision-makers must have certain personality traits to show resistance and resilience in dealing with obstacles and strengthen their capacity to solve problems in the adversities that arise in the day to day business. This research proposal assumes that the personality traits of managers, namely extroversion, pleasantness, neuroticism, conscientiousness, and openness to experience, will have a relevant impact on decision making, which will be reflected in organizational performance. On the other hand, also the emotional adjustment, that is, the emotional states that the managers might develop, in relation to stress, anxiety, and depression, defined by personality traits, can also influence the way they deal with situations for decision making, also affecting institutional performance. In organizations, people experience a wide range of affective states, and this applies also to managers [1]. In several academic researches, personality traits have become a topic of great interest, especially when analyzing the relationships between the characteristics of managers and their behavior and attitudes in a professional environment. This research is justified concerning the perspective of personality traits and emotional states of managers and how these dynamics might have an influence on making decisions and their attitudes and, consequently, what kind of relationship can we find between this psychology perspective and organizational performance of HEIs. Regarding the methodology, the data will be obtained through the application of a questionnaire prepared by the authors, to evaluate the different dimensions of the proposed research model. The research will consist of the answers given by members of the management boards of Portuguese universities and polytechnics. In the treatment of quantitative data, the use of the structural equations model (SEM) is considered, to investigate the possible relationships between the different dimensions incorporated in the model. Concerning the discussion of results, it is intended to characterize the effects of personality traits of educational managers and their emotional adjustment in higher education institutions in Portugal, seeking to understand their role and possible relations with the financial sustainability and other performance outcomes of these institutions.
- First day of radiotherapy for women with breast cancer: predictors of anxietyPublication . Grilo, Ana Monteiro; Gomes, Ana Isabel; Monsanto, Fátima; Albino, Daniel; Augusto, Cláudio; Pragana, CatarinaPurpose: Radiotherapy treatment may generate anxiety, especially on the first day of treatment. This study aimed to identify potential predictors of radiotherapy-related anxiety in women with breast cancer before treatment initiation, in terms of treatment concerns and trait anxiety. Methods: This transversal study included 94 patients from one Radiation Oncology Department, who had been diagnosed with primary breast cancer and who had been prescribed external radiotherapy for the first time. Patients completed a Treatment Concerns Questionnaire and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) before the first treatment session. Results: Women identified radiation involved in the procedure and treatment efficacy as major concerns surrounding radiotherapy. No significant differences were found between patients with higher and lower state anxiety scores, or by age, level of education, cancer treatment protocol used, prior information given about treatment, or report of doubts before treatment initiation. In the final model, the combination of trait anxiety (49.1% of the total variance) with two treatment-related concerns, regarding radiation and the duration of treatment (plus 10.8% of the total variance), significantly predicted treatment-related anxiety experienced on the first day of treatment. Conclusion: Our findings highlight the need to identify women with moderate or higher levels of trait anxiety before radiotherapy initiation and to provide them with a more approach to personalized care, adjusted to their specific concerns and susceptibility to anxious reactions. Effective education sessions involving the discussion of specific treatment concerns, and anxiety coping strategies training should be developed and applied in initial interactions with breast cancer patients.