Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2016-08"
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- Improving research and learning in higher education in Portugal: Digital resources, e-books, and a discovery system as enabling factors for studentsPublication . Sanches, TatianaThis article describes a library’s implementation of digital resources for research, teaching, and learning at higher education institution in Portugal. A school specializing in education and teacher education established strategic performance areas related to digital resources for the fulfillment of its mission, which included some functions of the academic library. The library implemented a discovery system and the school invested in a wider range of resources, including e-books, both acquired and institutionally published. The library’s training programs were also revised to promote the new system and electronic resources. This case study describes how an academic library in Portugal responded to institutional needs, illustrating how libraries everywhere must connect to the larger vision and demonstrate value through technologies, integrating digital and print resources to provide access built around users' needs.
- Does final energy demand in Portugal exhibit long memory? A fractional integration analysisPublication . Belbute, José Manuel; Pereira, Alfredo MarvãoIn this paper, we measure the degree of fractional integration in final energy demand in Portugal using an ARFIMA model with and without adjustments for seasonality. We consider aggregate energy demand as well as final demand for petroleum, electricity, coal, and natural gas. Our findings suggest the presence of long memory in all of the components of energy demand. All fractional-difference param- eters are positive and lower than 0.5 indicating that the series are stationary, although with mean reversion patterns slower than in the typical short-run processes. These results have important implications for the design of energy policies. As a result of the long-memory in final energy demand, the effects of temporary policy shocks will tend to disappear slowly. This means that even transitory shocks have long lasting effects. Given the temporary nature of these effects, however, permanent effects on final energy demand require permanent policies. This is unlike what would be suggested by the more standard, but much more limited, unit root approach, which would incorrectly indicate that even transitory policies would have permanent effects.
- Redesenho de um bairro em LuandaPublication . Bernardino, Ricardo Manuel Ferreira da Silva; Morais, João Gabriel de Sousa
- Alternative oxidase gene family in Hypericum perforatum L.: characterization and expression at the post-germinative phasePublication . Velada, Isabel; Cardoso, Hélia G.; Ragonezi, Carla; Nogales, Amala; Ferreira, Alexandra; Valadas, Vera; Arnholdt-Schmitt, Birgit
- Welfare effects of unbundling under different regulatory regimes in natural gas marketsPublication . Brandão, António; Pinho, Joana; Resende, Joana; Sarmento, Paula; Soares, IsabelIn this paper, we develop a theoretical model that enriches the literature on the pros and cons of ownership unbundling vis-a`-vis lighter unbundling frameworks in the natural gas markets. For each regulatory framework, we compute equilibrium outcomes when an incumbent firm and a new entrant compete a` la Cournot in the final gas market. We find that the entrant’s contracting conditions in the upstream market and the transmission tariff are key determinants of the market structure in the downstream gas market (both with ownership and with legal unbundling). We also study how the regulator must optimally set transmission tariffs in each of the two unbundling regimes. We conclude that welfare maximizing tariffs often require free access to the transmission network (in both regulatoy regimes). However, when the regulator aims at promoting the break-even of the regulated transmission system operator, the first-best tariff is unfeasible in both regimes. Hence, we study a more realistic set-up, in which the regulator’s action is constrained by the break-even of the regulated firm (the transmission system operator). In this set-up, we find that, for a given transmission tariff, final prices in the downstream market are always higher with ownership unbundling than with legal unbundling.
- Genetic distinctiveness of rye in situ accessions from Portugal unveils a new hotspot of unexplored genetic resourcesPublication . Monteiro, Filipa; Vidigal, Patrícia; Barros, André B.; Monteiro, Ana; Oliveira, Hugo R.; Viegas, WandaRye(SecalecerealeL.)is a cereal crop of major importance in many parts of Europe and rye breeders are presently very concerned with th e restrict pool of rye genetic resources available.Such narrowing of rye genetic diversity results from the presence of“Petkus ”pool in most modern rye varieties as well as “Petkus”דCarsten” heterotic pool in hybrid rye breeding programs.Previous studies on rye’s genetic diversity revealed more over a common genetic background on landraces(exsitu) and cultivars,regardless of breeding level or geographical origin.Thus evaluation of in situ populations is of utmost importance to unveil “onfarm” diversity,which is largely undervalued.Here,we perform the first comprehensive assess ment of rye’s genetic diversity and population structuring using cultivars,exsitu landraces along a comprehensive sampling of insitu accessions from Portugal,through amolecular-directed analysis using SSRs markers.Rye genetic diversity and population structure analysis does not present any geographical trend but disclosed marked differences between genetic backgrounds of in situ accessions and those of cultivars/exsitu collections.Such genetic distinctiveness of insitu accessions highlights their unexplored potential as new genetic resources,which can be used to boost rye breeding strategies and the production of new varieties.Overall,our study successfully demonstrates the high prospective impact of comparing genetic diversity and structure of cultivars,exsitu,and in situ samples in ascertaining the status of plant genetic resources (PGR)
- Oil prices and stock returns : nonlinear links across sectorsPublication . Pinho, Carlos; Madaleno, MaraWe present evidence of an asymmetric relationship between oil prices and stock returns. The two regime multivariate Markov switching vector autoregressive (MSVAR) model allow us to capture the state shifts in the relationship between regional stock markets and sectors. Results suggest that oil price risk is significantly priced in the sample used. The impact is asymmetric with respect to market phases, and regimes have been associated with world economic, social and political events. Our study also suggests asymmetric responses of sector stock returns to oil price changes and different transmission impacts depending on the sector analyzed. There is a high causality from oil to sectors like Industrials and Oil & Gas. Companies inside the Utilities sector were more able to hedge against oil price increases between 2007 and 2012. Historical crisis events between 1992–1998 and 2003–2007 do not seem to have affected the relationship between oil and sector stock returns, given the higher probability of remaining smoother. For all sectors there seems to be a turn back to stability from 2012 onwards. Finally, investors gain more through portfolio diversification benefits built across, rather than within sectors.
- Motivação no local de trabalho : estudo empírico aplicado à Escola Secundária Jaime MonizPublication . Correia, Martim Silva Pinto; Santos, Maria ClaraEste trabalho tem como objetivo analisar a motivação e a satisfação dos colaboradores recorrendo ao estudo de caso da Escola Secundária Jaime Moniz. Prova-se que a maioria dos Assistentes Operacionais e Técnicos Administrativos da E. S. Jaime Moniz estão motivados e satisfeitos com as suas funções, com o seu local de trabalho recomendando este mesmo como bom local para realizarem as suas funções. Este trabalho encontra evidências de que a E. S. Jaime Moniz possui um ambiente de trabalho e uma estrutura que fomenta a motivação dos funcionários, sendo fundamental para o sucesso da instituição e dos seus colaboradores.
- Special issue on energy economics : demand, prices, and welfare. Editor’s introductionPublication . Soares, Isabel; Afonso, Óscar
- Genetic diversity and physiological performance of portuguese wils beet (Beta vulgaris spp. maritima) from three contrasting habitatsPublication . Ribeiro, Isa C.; Pinheiro, Carla; Ribeiro, Carla M.; Veloso, Maria M.; Simões-Costa, Maria C.; Evaristo, Isabel; Paulo, Octávio S.; Ricardo, Cândido P.The establishment of stress resilient sugar beets (Beta vulgaris spp. vulgaris) is an important breeding goal since this cash crop is susceptible to drought and salinity. The genetic diversity in cultivated sugar beets is low and the beet wild relatives are useful genetic resources for tolerance traits. Three wild beet populations (Beta vulgaris spp. maritima) from contrasting environments, Vaiamonte (VMT, dry inland hill), Comporta (CMP, marsh) and Oeiras (OEI, coastland), and one commercial sugar beet (Isella variety, SB), are compared. At the genetic level, the use of six microsatellite allowed to detect a total of seventy six alleles. It was observed that CMP population has the highest value concerning the effective number of alleles and of expected heterozygosity. By contrast, sugar beet has the lowest values for all the parameters considered. Loci analysis with STRUCTURE allows defining three genetic clusters, the sea beet (OEI and CMP), the inland ruderal beet (VMT) and the sugar beet (SB). A screening test for progressive drought and salinity effects demonstrated that: all populations were able to recover from severe stress; drought impact was higher than that from salinity; the impact on biomass (total, shoot, root) was population specific. The distinct strategies were also visible at physiological level. We evaluated the physiological responses of the populations under drought and salt stress, namely at initial stress stages, late stress stages, and early stress recovery. Multivariate analysis showed that the physiological performance can be used to discriminate between genotypes, with a strong contribution of leaf temperature and leaf osmotic adjustment. However, the separation achieved and the groups formed are dependent on the stress type, stress intensity and duration. Each of the wild beet populations evaluated is very rich in genetic terms (allelic richness) and exhibited physiological plasticity, i.e., the capacity to physiologically adjust to changing environments. These characteristics emphasize the importance of the wild beet ecotypes for beet improvement programs. Two striking ecotypes are VMT, which is the best to cope with drought and salinity, and CMP which has the highest root to shoot ratio. These genotypes can supply breeding programs with distinct goals