1,195 research outputs found
Assessing sustainable development goals attainment through energy-environmental efficiency: The case of Latin American and Caribbean countries
This study evaluates the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDGs) using energy-environmental efficiency as a principal driver. Hicks-Moorsteen Index, based on optimal targets, is utilized to estimate the performance of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) countries towards SDGs. Performance is decomposed into catch-up efficiency and technological progress. Results show that, compared to 2012, only 15% of the countries evaluated exhibit improved catch-up efficiency in 2020, while 74% of the countries evaluated showed technological progress in 2020 compared to 2012. Improvement in SDGs attainment in LAC results from technological advancement and not catch-up efficiency. Gross catch-up inefficiency appears to obstruct SDGs attainment. The regression elaborates the indirect extrinsic socio-economic dimension of the SDGs accomplishment. Specifically, the results of the fully modified ordinary least squares and generalized method of moments for the examined years support the desired prospects for green productivity among the cross-section of LAC. Moreover, in each of the upper years, the result suggests that environmental performance and renewable energy-induced economic progress are vital for the examined countries' sustainable green productivity. Notably, the result predicts a slow but progressive path toward achieving the SDGs, suggesting more intentional and inclusive effort by the respective economies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
SATURN – A User’s Manual. AMDAHL V7 Version.
SATURN is a detailed traffic simulation and assignment model intended for use in the evaluation of traffic management schemes. This document describes the preparation of the required input data and gives information on how to run the model on the Leeds University Amdhal V7 computer. Also included here are details on how to update a trip matrix from traffic counts using the ME2 program in conjunction with SATURN. Other facilities available for use with the mode1,such as network plotting and matrix manipulation,are also described
Ideal Spin Filters: Theoretical Study of Electron Transmission Through Ordered and Disordered Interfaces Between Ferromagnetic Metals and Semiconductors
It is predicted that certain atomically ordered interfaces between some
ferromagnetic metals (F) and semiconductors (S) should act as ideal spin
filters that transmit electrons only from the majority spin bands or only from
the minority spin bands of the F to the S at the Fermi energy, even for F with
both majority and minority bands at the Fermi level. Criteria for determining
which combinations of F, S and interface should be ideal spin filters are
formulated. The criteria depend only on the bulk band structures of the S and F
and on the translational symmetries of the S, F and interface. Several examples
of systems that meet these criteria to a high degree of precision are
identified. Disordered interfaces between F and S are also studied and it is
found that intermixing between the S and F can result in interfaces with spin
anti-filtering properties, the transmitted electrons being much less spin
polarized than those in the ferromagnetic metal at the Fermi energy. A patent
application based on this work has been commenced by Simon Fraser University.Comment: RevTeX, 12 pages, 5 figure
Persistent currents in n-fold twisted Moebius strips
We investigate the influence of the topology on generic features of the
persistent current in n-fold twisted Moebius strips formed of quasi
one--dimensional mesoscopic rings, both for free electrons and in the weakly
disordered regime. We find that there is no generic difference between the
persistent current for untwisted rings and for Moebius strips with an arbitrary
number of twists.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figure
Optimization of the tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase detection by histochemical method
According to the new kidney disease improving global outcomes (KDIGO) guidelines, the term of renal osteodystrophy, should be used exclusively in reference to the invasive diagnosis of bone abnormalities. Due to the low sensitivity and specificity of biochemical serum markers of bone remodelling, the performance of bone biopsies is highly stimulated in dialysis patients and after kidney transplantation. The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRACP) is an iso-enzyme of the group of acid phosphatases, which is highly expressed by activated osteoclasts and macrophages. TRACP in osteoclasts is in intracytoplasmic vesicles that transport the products of bone matrix degradation. Being present in activated osteoclasts, the identification of this enzyme by histochemistry in undecalcified bone biopsies is an excellent method to quantify the resorption of bone. Since it is an enzymatic histochemical method for a thermolabile enzyme, the temperature at which it is performed is particularly relevant. This study aimed to determine the optimal temperature for identification of TRACP in activated osteoclasts in undecalcified bone biopsies embedded in methylmethacrylate. We selected 10 cases of undecalcified bone biopsies from hemodialysis patients with the diagnosis of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Sections of 5 µm were stained to identify TRACP at different incubation temperatures (37°, 45°, 60°, 70° and 80°C) for 30 minutes. Activated osteoclasts stained red and trabecular bone (mineralized bone) was contrasted with toluidine blue. This approach also increased the visibility of the trabecular bone resorption areas (Howship lacunae). Unlike what is suggested in the literature and in several international protocols, we found that the best results were obtained with temperatures between 60°C and 70°C. For technical reasons and according to the results of the present study, we recommended that, for an incubation time of 30 min, the reaction should be carried out at 60°C. As active osteoclasts are usually scarce in a bone section, the standardization of the histochemistry method is of great relevance, to optimize the identification of these cells and increase the accuracy of the histomosphometric results. Our results, allowing an increase in osteoclasts contrast, also support the use of semi-automatic histomorphometric measurements
Influence of frustration on a d=3 diluted antiferromagnet:
The influence of a frustrated bond on the magnetic properties of a d=3
uniaxial (Ising) b.c.c. diluted antiferromagnet, with emphasis in the compound
, is investigated by a local mean-field numerical
simulation. In particular we find that the initial drop of the saturation
staggered magnetization () with concentration follows a percolation-like
phenomenon characterized by an exponent . For the frustrated
samples, however, this regime is followed by a second one identified by a
``long tail" effect such that is zero only at the percolation
threshold. Our numerical data also confirms a spin-glass phase near this
threshold.Comment: 11 pages (Latex) with 3 uuencoded postscript figure
Fatores relacionados a adesão ao uso de Insulinas em pacientes atendidos na Atenção Básica, Marialva, Paraná / Factors related to adherence to the use of Insulins in patients attending Basic Care, Marialva, Paraná
Introdução: Apesar de todas as consequências para o portador de diabetes, este nem sempre adere ao tratamento com insulina. Objetivo: efetuar levantamento em uma farmácia municipal de um municÃpio do noroeste do Paraná afim de avaliar o total de usuários que fazem uso de insulina para Diabetes, bem como conhecer o perfil desta população e os fatores relacionados a adesão a insulinoterapia. Metodologia: estudo seccional do tipo transversal desenvolvido com 30 pacientes diabéticos insulinodependentes que fazem tratamento na atenção básica em um municÃpio do noroeste do Paraná. Aplicou-se instrumento de entrevista estruturado em dois módulos: o primeiro com dados sociodemográfico e o segundo sobre o tratamento com insulina e os fatores relacionados a adesão ao tratamento. Utilizou-se estatÃstica descritiva por meio do uso de frequências relativas e absolutas. Normas éticas foram observadas. Resultados: Os pacientes eram na sua maioria mulheres (66,7%), brancos, de 41 a 70 anos (60%), casados (53,3%), com educação Fundamental Incompleta (53,3%), com renda até dois salários mÃnimos (46,7%), que convive com cônjuge ou companheiro (56,7%). Com relação aos fatores de risco observou-se que 6,7% fumam, 26,7% consumem bebidas alcoólicas, 50% estão com sobrepeso ou são obesos, 16,7% consideram sua saúde ruim ou péssima e 36,7% ficaram internados no último ano. Parcelas significativas dos diabéticos tinha comorbidades como doenças cardiovasculares, neurológicas, renais, hepáticas, autoimunes e gastrointestinais. Conclusão: na amostra em tela observou-se boa adesão ao tratamento com a insulinoterapia, no entanto, haja vista as caracterÃsticas etárias e o perfil de comorbidades supõe-se que a adesão não seja ótima e direcionam o usuário para necessidade de ações educativas e tratamentos não farmacológicos para melhor cuidados da saúde
Recovery of 150-250 MeV/nuc Cosmic Ray Helium Nuclei Intensities Between 2004-2010 Near the Earth, at Voyager 2 and Voyager 1 in the Heliosheath - A Two Zone Helioshpere
The recovery of cosmic ray He nuclei of energy ~150-250 MeV/nuc in solar
cycle #23 from 2004 to 2010 has been followed at the Earth using IMP and ACE
data and at V2 between 74-92 AU and also at V1 beyond the heliospheric
termination shock (91-113 AU). The correlation coefficient between the
intensities at the Earth and at V1 during this time period is remarkable
(0.921), after allowing for a ~0.9 year delay due to the solar wind propagation
time from the Earth to the outer heliosphere. To describe the intensity changes
and to predict the absolute intensities measured at all three locations we have
used a simple spherically symmetric (no drift) two-zone heliospheric transport
model with specific values for the diffusion coefficient in both the inner and
outer zones. The diffusion coefficient in the outer zone, assumed to be the
heliosheath from about 90 to 120 (130) AU, is determined to be ~5 times smaller
than that in the inner zone out to 90 AU. This means the Heliosheath acts much
like a diffusing barrier in this model. The absolute magnitude of the
intensities and the intensity changes at V1 and the Earth are described to
within a few percent by a diffusion coefficient that varies with time by a
factor ~4 in the inner zone and only a factor of ~1.5 in the outer zone over
the time period from 2004-2010. For V2 the observed intensities follow a curve
that is as much as 25% higher than the calculated intensities at the V2 radius
and at times the observed V2 intensities are equal to those at V1. At least
one-half of the difference between the calculated and observed intensities
between V1 and V2 can be explained if the heliosphere is squashed by ~10% in
distance (non-spherical) so that the HTS location is closer to the Sun in the
direction of V2 compared to V1.Comment: 13 Pages, 8 Figure
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