Impacts of the Proposals For Tariff Reductions in Non-Agricultural Market Access (Nama)

O Estudo Visa Avaliar os Impactos de Propostas Alternativas de Redução da Proteção Tarifária de Bens Não-Agrícolas Sobre a Economia Brasileira Usando um Modelo de Equilíbrio Geral Computável. Foram Simulados os Impactos da Implementação de Cortes Tarifários de Acordo com Diferentes Coeficientes para a Fórmula Suíça. as Simulações Foram Realizadas com o Modelo Gtap e Todos os Choques Tarifários Foram Calculados a Partir de Informações da Base de Dados Macmap. Além de Analisar Resultados Macroeconômicos e Setoriais, Também foi Testada a Sensibilidade dos Resultados em Relação ao Aumento das Elasticidades de Armington e À Ocorrência de uma Simultânea Liberalização de Tarifas Sobre Bens Agrícolas.

Impacto de Entrada da Venezuela no Mercosul: Uma Simulação com Modelo de Equilíbrio Geral Computável

O Objetivo deste Estudo é Avaliar os Impactos da Entrada da Venezuela no Mercosul Utilizando para Tanto o Modelo de Equilíbrio Geral Computável Multi-Setorial e Multi-Regional Denominado Global Trade Analysis Project (Gtap). Além da Introdução, o Estudo Está Dividido em Outras 5 Seções. na Seção 2, são Analisados os Documentos Mais Relevantes Assinados Pelos Estados-Parte, Ressaltando a Relativa Rapidez da Assinatura do Acordo de Adesão da Venezuela ao Bloco; na Seção 3, Descreve-Se o Estado Atual do Fluxo de Comércio entre Venezuela e Mercosul, Assim como as Condições de Acesso a Mercados, Ressaltando a Importância da Venezuela para o Mercosul e a Proteção Ligeiramente Maior Aplicada Pela Economia Venezuelana Quando Comparada com a do Mercosul. na Seção Seguinte, Descrevem-Se os Choques Tarifários Implementados em Três Simulações, Representativas da Adesão da Venezuela ao Mercosul, Além de Hipóteses de Fechamento do Modelo. na Seção 5, os Resultados da Simulação são Apresentados e Discutidos. Sinteticamente, Chama-Se À Atenção para o Aumento de Bem Estar nos Países Envolvidos e o Significativo Impacto Setorial, Especialmente nos Setores de Automóveis, Máquinas e Equipamentos e Têxteis e Vestuário. uma Última Seção Sumaria as Principais Conclusões do Trabalho.

A unified power converter for solar PV and energy storage in dc microgrids

This paper deals with the development and experimental validation of a unified power converter for application in dc microgrids, contemplating the inclusion of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels and energy storage systems (ESS), namely batteries. Considering the limitations presented by the current structure of the power grid, mostly highlighted by the accentuated integration of emerging technologies (ESS, renewables, electric vehicles, and electrical appliances that natively operate in dc), it is extremely pertinent to adopt new topologies, architectures, and paradigms. In particular, decentralized power systems, unified topologies, and correspondent control algorithms are representative of a new trend towards a reduction in the number of power converters. Thus, the developed solution is designed to operaSAVE-15te at a nominal power of 3.6 kW, with a switching frequency of 100 kHz, and in four operation modes concerning power flow: (i) solar PV panels to batteries (PV2B); (ii) solar PV panels to dc grid (PV2G); (iii) batteries to dc grid (B2G); (iv) dc grid to batteries (G2B). Moreover, a dual active bridge converter guarantees galvanic isolation, while two back-end dc–dc converters are responsible for interfacing solar PV panels and batteries. The experimental validation of the proposed unified power converter proves its application value to self-consumption production units.This work has been supported by FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia within the R&D Units Project Scope: UIDB/00319/2020. This work has been supported by the MEGASOLAR Project POCI-01-0247-FEDER-047220

Electrical characterisation of electron beam exposure induced defects in silicon

The defects introduced in epitaxially grown p-type silicon (Si) during electron beam exposure were electrically characterised using deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) and high resolution Laplace-DLTS. In this process, Si samples were first exposed to the conditions of electron beam deposition (EBD) without metal deposition. This is called electron beam exposure (EBE) herein. After 50 minutes of EBE, nickel (Ni) Schottky contacts were fabricated using the resistive deposition method. The defect level observed using the Ni contacts had an activation energy of H(0.55). This defect has an activation energy similar to that of the I-defect. The defect level is similar to that of the HB4, a boron related defect. DLTS depth profiling revealed that H(0.55) could be detected up to a depth of 0.8 μm below the junction. We found that exposing the samples to EBD conditions without metal deposition introduced a defect which was not introduced by the EBD method. We also observed that the damage caused by EBE extended deeper into the material compared to that caused by EBD.National Research Foundation of South Africa.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/physb2017-01-31hb2016Physic

Peginterferon plus ribavirin and sustained virological response rate in HCV-related advanced fibrosis: a real life study

Background: Tolerance and response to antiviral HCV treatment is poor in advanced fibrosis. The aim of this study was to assess SVR rate and its predictive factors in HCV advanced fibrosis patients treated in real life with full dose PEG-IFN plus RBV and to evaluate the adverse events related to treatment. Methods: A multicentric, retrospective study was conducted at six university hospitals. METAVIR F3 and F4 HCV monoinfected patients who were treated with PEG-IFN and RBV had their data analyzed. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed to identify the variables independently related to SVR. Adverse events were recorded during treatment. Results: 308 patients were included, 75% genotype 1 and 23% genotype 3. METAVIR F3 was present in 39% and F4 in 61% of patients. The median Child Pugh score for F4 patients was 5 (5–9). The global SVR rate was 34%, 11% were relapsers and 55% were nonresponders. SVR rates were similar between patients treated with PEG-IFN alfa 2a or alfa 2b (p = 0.24). SVR rates according to Child–Pugh score were 26% (Child A) and 18% (Child B). The independent factors related to SVR in F4 patients were genotype 3, RVR and fewer Child Pugh score points. Treatment interruption occurred in 31% patients and death occurred in 1.9%, all with liver cirrhosis. Conclusion: Treatment of HCV in patients with advanced fibrosis should not be postponed. However, a very careful evaluation of cirrhotic patients must be performed before treatment is indicated and careful monitoring is required during treatment.Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) Botucatu School of MedicineUniversidade Federal do Rio de JaneiroUniversidade Estadual de CampinasUniversidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP)Pontificia Universidade Catolica de São PauloUNIFESPSciEL

The MOVECLIM – AZORES project: Bryophytes from Pico Island (2012)

ABSTRACT: In September 2012, Pico Island was surveyed along an elevational transept starting on Manhenha, at 10 m a.s.l., and ending on the Pico Mountain caldera, at 2200 m a.s.l. to obtain a systematic inventory of the bryophytes living in natural environments. A total of twelve sites were examined, separated by 200 m elevation steps. At each site, two 10 m x 10 m plots were established within 10-15 m from each other, and within each plot, three 2 m x 2 m quadrats were randomly selected and thoroughly sampled for bryophytes using microplots of 10 cm x 5 cm, collected to paper bags. Six substrates were explored within each quadrat: rock, soil, humus, organic matter, tree bark and leaves/fronds; three replicates were made for each substrate, whenever available and colonized by bryophytes, totalling a maximum of 18 microplots per quadrat, 54 microplots per plot, 108 microplots per site and 1296 microplots on the 12 sites of Pico Island. It was possible to collect two thirds of the maximum expected number of microplots (N=878; 67,75%), resulting in 4896 specimens, the great majority of which (n=4869) were identified to the species/subspecies level. Overall, it was possible to identify 70 moss’ and 71 liverwort’ species and subspecies. The elevation levels both with a greater number of microplots and higher richness of species were those between 600-1000 m a.s.l., coinciding with the native forest plots. The study contributed to improve the knowledge of Azorean bryophyte diversity and distribution at both local and regional scales, including the recording of new taxa for Pico Island and the Azores.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Evidence of increasing drought severity caused by temperature rise in southern Europe

We use high quality climate data from ground meteorological stations in the Iberian Peninsula (IP) and robust drought indices to confirm that drought severity has increased in the past five decades, as a consequence of greater atmospheric evaporative demand resulting from temperature rise. Increased drought severity is independent of the model used to quantify the reference evapotranspiration. We have also focused on drought impacts to droughtsensitive systems, such as river discharge, by analyzing streamflow data for 287 rivers in the IP, and found that hydrological drought frequency and severity have also increased in the past five decades in natural, regulated and highly regulated basins. Recent positive trend in the atmospheric water demand has had a direct influence on the temporal evolution of streamflows, clearly identified during the warm season, in which higher evapotranspiration rates are recorded. This pattern of increase in evaporative demand and greater drought severity is probably applicable to other semiarid regions of the world, including other Mediterranean areas, the Sahel, southern Australia and South Africa, and can be expected to increasingly compromise water supplies and cause political, social and economic tensions among regions in the near future.This work has been supported by research projects CGL201127574CO202, CGL201127536 and CGL2011–24185 financed by the Spanish Commission of Science and Technology and FEDER, ‘Demonstration and validation of innovative methodology for regional climate change adaptation in the Mediterranean area (LIFE MEDACC)’ financed by the LIFE programme of the European Commission, CTTP1/12, financed by the Comunidad de Trabajo de los Pirineos, and QSECA (PTDC/AAGGLO/ 4155/2012) funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT). ASL was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Catalan Government (2011 BPB 00078) and CAM was supported by a Juan de la Cierva fellowship by the Spanish Government

PTX3-based genetic testing for risk of aspergillosis after lung transplant

[Excerpt] We read with interest the article by Wójtowicz et al [1], and would like to comment on it and to share findings from our complementary study. We have recently established genetic variation in the long pentraxin 3 (PTX3) as a major determinant of susceptibility to invasive aspergillosis (IA) after hematopoietic stem cell transplant [2]. Wójtowicz et al are the first to uncover similar findings in solid organ transplant (SOT) recipients, highlighting a potential applicability of these markers in predicting infection across patients with intrinsically different predisposing conditions (...).ESCMID -European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases(undefined

Omega-3 intake is associated with attenuated inflammatory response and cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction

Myocardial infarction (MI) elicits an intense acute inflammatory response that is essential for cardiac repair. However, an excessive inflammatory response also favors myocardial apoptosis, cardiac remodeling, and cardiovascular mortality. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (-3) bear anti-inflammatory effects, which may mitigate the inflammatory response during MI. This study investigated whether -3 intake is associated with attenuation of the MI-related inflammatory response and cardiac remodeling. ST-elevation MI (STEMI) patients (n=421) underwent clinical, biochemical, nutritional, 3D echocardiogram, Cardiac Magnetic Resonance imaging (CMRi) at 30 days and 3D echocardiogram imaging at six months after the MI. Blood tests were performed at day one (D1) and day five (D5) of hospitalization. Changes in inflammatory markers (D5-D1) were calculated. A validated food frequency questionnaire estimated the nutritional consumption and -3 intake in the last 3months before admission. The intake of -3 below the median (<1.7g/day) was associated with a short-term increase in hs-C-reactive protein [OR:1.96(1.24-3.10); p=0.004], Interleukin-2 [OR:2.46(1.20-5.04); p=0.014], brain-type natriuretic peptide [OR:2.66(1.30-5.44); p=0.007], left-ventricle end-diastolic volume [OR:5.12(1.11-23.52)]; p=0.036] and decreases in left-ventricle ejection fraction [OR:2.86(1.47-6.88); p=0.017] after adjustment for covariates. No differences were observed in the extension of infarcted mass obtained by CMRi. These findings suggest that a reduced daily intake of -3 may intensify outcome-determining mechanisms after STEMI, such as acute inflammatory response and late left ventricular remodeling.18CONSELHO NACIONAL DE DESENVOLVIMENTO CIENTÍFICO E TECNOLÓGICO - CNPQ308550/2010-