Revisiting Covered Interest Parity in the European Union: the DCCA Approach

Paulo Ferreira,Andreia Dionisio 한국국제경제학회 2015 International Economic Journal Vol.29 No.4

This paper analyzes the evidence of financial integration, with covered interest parity (CIP), for a group of countries that have already adopted the euro and another group of countries that kept their currencies. We use detrended cross-correlation analysis, which allows analyzing the behavior of time series even when they are not stationary. The main results indicate that countries that adopted the euro do not show much evidence in favor of CIP, before joining the Eurozone, which could imply they will not benefit from all common currency advantages. In the group of countries that did not adopt the euro, Denmark, Sweden, the UK and the Czech Republic are the ones presenting better conditions for financial integration with the euro, while Bulgaria has also some evidence of this. Some possible explanations of CIP deviations are agents not considering all countries’ assets as similar and also the underdevelopment of markets and liquidity problems (more pronounced due to periods of turmoil).

Drawing-up a nation-wide inventory of intangible heritage in Portugal

Paulo Ferreira da Costa 국립민속박물관 2009 International Journal of Intangible Heritage Vol.4 No.-

The Institute for Museums and Conservation is the body ofthe Ministry of Culture which is responsible for promotingthe study, documentation, recording and safeguarding ofPortuguese intangible heritage by developing standards,guidelines and information systems for inventorying andproviding public access to IH. The drawing up of theNational Inventory of Intangible Heritage is a task to whichthe Institute of Museums and Conservation is presentlycommitted according to both its mission statement and tothe legal framework soon to be implemented underPortuguese Heritage Law. The text discusses the mainlegislative, institutional and scientific issues that must betaken into consideration in order to implement thisinventory and that must be considered as opportunitiesand/or strengths in the implementation of the NationalInventory of IH and, simultaneously, as key factors for thesuccess of the Portuguese administration’s strategy for thesafeguarding of IH.

Experimental and numerical study of headed bars embedded in RC members under tension

Paulo F.M. Santana,Patricia C.S. Silva,Mauricio P. Ferreira,Luciano M. Bezerra,Marcos H. Oliveira 국제구조공학회 2022 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.84 No.4

Headed bars are often used when there is insufficient space for a straight or curved bar to be fully developed to ensure the transference of forces between steel and concrete in several types of connections between structural members. In such cases, the concrete breakout strength of the headed bars can be a critical point of the design and must be considered appropriately. This paper evaluates the tensile strength of headed bars embedded in reinforced concrete members, failing due to concrete breakout. Four experimental tests on headed bars embedded in slender concrete members are presented and discussed, showing that strength previsions from the design codes can be significantly conservative as they ignore the contribution from the flexural reinforcement. 3D finite element models were developed using Abaqus Unified FEA to simulate the tested specimens, and it was observed that they were able to reproduce the formation of the concrete cone accurately, besides the response and resistance observed in tests. Furthermore, the experimental, numerical, and design code resistances are compared and discussed. A new equation to evaluate the concrete cone strength of the tested headed bars is proposed, which takes into account parameters not explicitly considered in the current design equations.

Three-field mixed beam-column finite element for geometric and material nonlinear analysis

Miguel Ferreira,Paulo Providência,Ricardo Costa,Pedro Gala,João Almeida 국제구조공학회 2021 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.79 No.2

A mixed element (3fME) for geometric and material nonlinear finite element analysis of plane skeletal structures is presented, which can reach any predefined accuracy with only one element per structural member. This element is based on the 3-field approach−an application of the Hu-Washizu principle−directly approximating the fields of displacements, strains and stresses. The presented formulation considers both (i) geometrically nonlinear behavior−by including the second-order term in the strain-displacement relations and establishing equilibrium in the deformed configuration−and (ii) materially nonlinear elastoplastic behavior, at the fibre level, automatically handling the axial-bending interaction. The illustrative examples include both compression- and tension-bending interaction, and compare the accuracy of the novel finite element with published results.

Dynamics of hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths from COVID-19 in northeast Brazil: a retrospective analysis based on the circulation of SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccination coverage

Martins-Filho Paulo Ricardo,de Souza Araújo Adriano Antunes,Quintans-Júnior Lucindo José,Soares Bárbara dos Santos,Barboza Waneska de Souza,Cavalcante Taise Ferreira,Santos Victor Santana 한국역학회 2022 Epidemiology and Health Vol.44 No.-

This study investigated the dynamics of hospitalizations and in-hospital deaths from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) throughout the pandemic in northeast Brazil, the Brazilian region with the worst socioeconomic indicators. In total, 141,445 cases, 8,213 hospital admissions, and 1,644 in-hospital deaths from COVID-19 were registered from March 14, 2020 to February 5, 2022. The overall rates of hospitalization and in-hospital deaths were 5.8% and 20.0%, respectively. The hospitalization and death rates significantly decreased over time, which may have been related to progress in vaccination. During the spread of the Gamma variant (January to June 2021), most hospitalized individuals were young adults, and approximately 40% of deaths occurred in this age group. During the predominance of Delta (July to December 2021), over 75% of deaths occurred among the elderly and unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals. This rate decreased to 42.3% during the transmission of the Omicron variant (January to February 2022), during which 34.6% of deaths were recorded among fully vaccinated individuals (2 doses) and 23.1% among those who received full vaccination and a booster. The Omicron-driven third wave was associated with a rise in the proportion of deaths among vaccinated individuals, especially among those who had not received a booster dose.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection among urban cleaning and solid waste management workers during transmission of the Omicron variant in Brazil

Martins-Filho Paulo Ricardo,dos Santos Joyce Thayane da Conceição,Rezende Márcia Santos,de Carvalho Fernanda Oliveira,dos Reis Érica Santos,Barboza Waneska de Souza,Cavalcante Taise Ferreira,dos Sant 한국역학회 2023 Epidemiology and Health Vol.45 No.-

This study estimated the prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in urban cleaning and solid waste management workers during the transmission of the Omicron variant in one of the poorest regions of Brazil (the state of Sergipe). Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from 494 workers, and the presence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA was tested by quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, comorbidities, vaccination status, mask use, and use of public transport to commute to the workplace were collected. The prevalence with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was calculated from the proportion of SARS-CoV-2 positive cases among the total number of individuals tested. The prevalence ratio (PR) with a 95% CI was the measure of association used to evaluate the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 infection and the exposure variables. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection was 22.5% (95% CI, 19.0%–26.4%). Individuals under the age of 40 had a higher prevalence of infection (PR=1.53; 95% CI, 1.03–2.30) as well as those who did not believe in the protective effect of vaccines (PR=1.78; 95% CI, 1.05–2.89). Our results indicate the need for better guidance on preventive measures against COVID-19 among urban cleaning and solid waste management workers.

Magnetic resonance imaging appearance of foreign-body granulomatous reactions to dermal cosmetic fillers

Andre Luiz Ferreira Costa,Rubens Caliento,Glauber Bareia Liberato da Rocha,Joao Pedro Perez Gomes,Alison Jhisel Calle Mansmith,Claudio Froes de Freitas,Paulo Henrique Braz-Silva 대한영상치의학회 2017 Imaging Science in Dentistry Vol.47 No.4

Foreign body granulomas can develop after the injection of various cosmetic filling materials into the facial area to flatten wrinkles. Clinically, reactive lesions are easily mistaken for soft-tissue neoplasms or cysts. This report presents a case of foreign body granuloma in a 52-year-old female patient complaining of a painless swelling in the nasolabial region. Both clinical and histological features are described, underscoring the diagnostic role of magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Miller Fisher Syndrome in Patients With Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection: A Systematic Review

Martins-Filho Paulo Ricardo,Pereira de Andrade Ana Luiza,Pereira de Andrade Ana Júlia,Moura da Silva Maria Daniella,de Souza Araújo Adriano Antunes,Nunes Paula Santos,Santos Victor Santana,Ferreira Li 대한신경과학회 2021 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.17 No.4

Background and Purpose Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) is a subtype of Guillain-Barré syndrome characterized by the triad of ophthalmoparesis, areflexia, and ataxia. Although cases of MFS have been associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV- 2) infection, no studies have synthesized the clinical characteristics of patients with this condition. Methods In this rapid systematic review, we searched the PubMed database to identify studies on MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Results This review identified 11 cases, of whom 3 were hospitalized with motor and/or sensory polyneuropathy as the first sign of SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was not detected in analyses of cerebrospinal fluid, suggesting a mechanism of immune-mediated injury rather than direct viral neurotropism. However, antiganglioside antibodies were found in only two of the nine patients tested. It is possible that target antigens other than gangliosides are involved in MFS associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Conclusions The present patients exhibited clinical improvement after being treated with intravenous immunoglobulin. Although rare, patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection may present neurological symptoms suggestive of MFS. Early recognition of the MFS clinical triad is essential for the timely initiation of treatment.

Influence of joint modelling on the pushover analysis of a RC frame

Ricardo Costa,Paulo Providência,Miguel Ferreira 국제구조공학회 2017 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.64 No.5

In general, conventional analysis and design of reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures overlook the role of beamcolumn (RCBC) joints. Nowadays, the rigid joint model is one of the most common for RCBC joints: the joint is assumed to be rigid (unable to deform) and stronger than the adjacent beams and columns (does not fail before them). This model is popular because (i) the application of the capacity design principles excludes the possibility of the joint failing before the adjacent beams and (ii) many believe that the actual behaviour of RCBC joints designed according to the seismic codes produced mainly after the 1980s can be assumed to be nominally rigid. This study investigates the relevance of the deformation of RCBC joints in a standard pushover analysis at several levels: frame, storey, element and cross-section. Accordingly, a RC frame designed according to preliminary versions of EN 1992-1-1 and EN 1998-1 was analysed, considering the nonlinear behaviour of beams and columns by means of a standard sectional fibre model. Two alternative models were used for the RCBC joints: the rigid model and an explicit component based nonlinear model. The effect of RCBC joints modelling was found to be twofold: (i) the flexibility of the joints substantially increases the frame lateral deformation for a given load (30 to 50%), and (ii) in terms of seismic performance, it was found that joint flexibility (ii-1) appears to have a minor effect on the force and displacement corresponding to the performance point (seismic demand assessed at frame level), but (ii-2) has a major influence on the seismic demand when assessed at storey, element and cross-section levels.

Cone-beam computed tomography texture analysis can help differentiate odontogenic and non-odontogenic maxillary sinusitis

Costa Andre Luiz Ferreira,Fardim Karolina Aparecida Castilho,Ribeiro Isabela Teixeira,Jardini Maria Aparecida Neves,Braz-Silva Paulo Henrique,Orhan Kaan,de Castro Lopes Sérgio Lúcio Pereira 대한영상치의학회 2023 Imaging Science in Dentistry Vol.53 No.1

Purpose: This study aimed to assess texture analysis (TA) of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images as a quantitative tool for the differential diagnosis of odontogenic and non-odontogenic maxillary sinusitis (OS and NOS, respectively). Materials and Methods: CBCT images of 40 patients diagnosed with OS (N = 20) and NOS (N = 20) were evaluated. The gray level co-occurrence (GLCM) matrix parameters, and gray level run length matrix texture (GLRLM) parameters were extracted using manually placed regions of interest on lesion images. Seven texture parameters were calculated using GLCM and 4 parameters using GLRLM. The Mann-Whitney test was used for comparisons between the groups, and the Levene test was performed to confirm the homogeneity of variance (α = 5%). Results: The results showed statistically significant differences (P<0.05) between the OS and NOS patients regarding 3 TA parameters. NOS patients presented higher values for contrast, while OS patients presented higher values for correlation and inverse difference moment. Greater textural homogeneity was observed in the OS patients than in the NOS patients, with statistically significant differences in standard deviations between the groups for correlation, sum of squares, sum of entropy, and entropy. Conclusion: TA enabled quantitative differentiation between OS and NOS on CBCT images by using the parameters of contrast, correlation, and inverse difference moment.