Influence of public policies on the diffusion of wind and solar PV sources in Brazil and the possible effects of COVID-19

Renewable energy is crucial to achieving carbon neutrality and supporting sustainable development, but its success depends on effective policies. This study aims to evaluate public policies and their influences on the use and diffusion of wind and solar PV into the Brazilian electricity grid and to understand if, and how, the two renewable sources could be affected by the post-COVID-19 pandemic scenario. This work plays an important role in the decarbonization of the electricity sector, highlights the need to modernize the Brazilian industrial park, and addresses new barriers to the development of renewable sources in the country. To carry out the analysis and answer the research questions, a mixed methodological approach was adopted covering the quantitative and qualitative aspects, led by a rigorous systematic review of the literature and semi-structured interviews with Brazilian stakeholders. The results revealed that 1/4 of the policies, characterized by socio-economic drives, were responsible for the growth of the share of wind and solar PV supply in the electrical mix, contributing to the decarbonization of the Brazilian energy mix. The results also suggest that new policies will be needed to ensure a greater presence of both sources in the electricity mix. The findings of the study reveal unpublished and valuable information capable of supporting policymakers and stakeholders in the diffusion of renewable sources. Further studies are needed to highlight other aspects, such as the need to modernize the “distribution” network and storage system for renewable technologies

The effect of elastic abdominal binder use on respiratory function on persons with high spinal cord injury at orthostatic position

Introduction : Spinal cord injury causes respiratory muscles paralysis, especially in high thoracic paraplegia and tetraplegia with injury above or right on the sixth thoracic segment, and also biomechanics, volumes, capacities and respiratory pressures changes in affected people. The elastic abdominal binder provides a mechanical support for respiratory function treatment, assisting with abdominal restraint and abdominal compliance reduction while at orthostatic position. Objective : To verify the elastic abdominal binder effect on the respiratory function of people with spinal cord injuries during standing position with the help of orthostatic table, from vertical angle position of 60° and 90°. Method : The study included 56 people suffering from spinal cord injury with motor level above or right on the sixth thoracic segment. They were randomly divided into four distinct groups regarding the use or not of the binder and different inclinations of the orthostatic table during the evaluation procedure. The measured outcomes were vital capacity, tidal volume, inspiratory and expiratory pressure and oxygen saturation. The descriptive analysis presented according to average and standard deviation or median and interquartile. For the outcomes analysis of the five evaluations, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) of two factors with repeated measures was used. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results : The values obtained from respiratory parameters showed no statistical significance regarding the elastic abdominal binder intervention nor on the angle of the standing position. Conclusion : There was no contrasting effect regarding the use of the binder among the evaluated people, therefore it should not be nominated as a standard procedure in the treatment of spinal cord injury at orthostatic position. However, this procedure should not be absolute contraindicated, thus its effect has not demonstrated any harm to participants. Introdução : A lesão da medula espinhal ocasiona paralisia dos músculos respiratórios, principalmente na tetraplegia e paraplegia torácica alta, com lesão acima ou igual ao sextosegmento torácico, e assim mudanças na biomecânica, volumes, capacidades e pressões respiratórias das pessoas acometidas. A cinta abdominal elástica proporciona um suporte mecânico ao tratamento e cuidados com as alterações da função respiratória destas pessoas, podendo auxiliar na contenção abdominal, reduzindo a complacência abdominal durante a posição ortostática. Objetivo : Verificar os efeitos que a cinta abdominal elástica proporciona à função respiratória das pessoas com lesão medular posicionadas em ortostatismo com auxílio da mesa ortostática, a partir da posição a 60° e 90° de angulação vertical. Método : Participaram deste estudo 56 pessoas acometidas por lesão medular com nível motor igual ou acima do sexto segmento torácico, divididos aleatoriamente em quatro grupos distintos em relação ao uso ou não da cinta e angulações da mesa ortostática durante o procedimento de avaliação. Os desfechos mensurados foram capacidade vital, volume corrente, pressão inspiratória e expiratória máxima e saturação de oxigênio. A análise descritiva apresentou-se por meio de média e desvio padrão ou mediana e interquartis. Para análise dos desfechos nos cinco momentos avaliados utilizou-se a Análise de Variância (ANOVA) de dois fatores com medidas repetidas. A significância estatística foi estipulada em 5%. Resultados : Os valores encontrados para os parâmetros respiratórios avaliados demonstraram que não houve significância estatística em relação à intervenção cinta abdominal elástica e à angulação do ortostatismo. Conclusão : Não houve efeito diferencial em relação ao uso da cinta nas pessoas avaliadas, não podendo ser indicada como um procedimento padrão para as abordagens de tratamento na posição ortostática na lesão medular espinhal. Em contrapartida, este procedimento não deve ser uma contraindicação absoluta, pois, seu efeito não demonstrou malefícios aos participantes

Analysing the Portuguese urban system from a quality of life viewpoint

The idea of studying positive and negative features involved in city living is not new. Relevant works, as the classical “Where to live in Britain in 1988”, by Findlay et al., stressed the importance of several quality of life dimensions. In Portugal, a research team based in the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Minho developed in 1998-2000 a study on quality of life in the major eighteen Portuguese cities. Results of the evaluation models developed for the dimensions considered were integrated in a quality of life grand index and mapped through a GIS system. This paper presents the quality of life surfaces developed for Portugal. In particular, it explores the overlay of quality of life and population density surfaces, attempting to find out the relationship between both

Efficient full-wave assessment of high gain transmit-array antennas

With the continuous exploration of millimeter waves, fomented by next generation of mobile and satellite communications, new low-cost beam antenna designs are still required for the massification of this technology. Transmit-arrays (TAs) are being intensely investigated as a possible cost-effective solution for a wide variety of applications. Underlying these studies is the need to have an efficient method of simulating this type of antennas. Performing full-wave simulation of TA antennas can be quite challenging, especially when high gain is required. This is mainly due to the large volume occupied by these type of antennas (comprising the feed and lens) and the fine subwavelength details of the unit cells that populate the TA. Based on the experience gained when designing TA for Ka-band [1] [2], we will present an overview on the numerical techniques used to perform the full-wave analysis of different TA antennas. In Figure 1, we depicted one of the methods that proved to be more effective on reducing the numerical complexity of the problem without compromising significantly the accuracy of the results.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Microrganismos endofíticos de mandioca de áreas comerciais e etnovariedades em três estados brasileiros.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi realizar um levantamento da diversidade de microrganismos endofíticos, em plantas de mandioca (Manihot esculenta Crantz) coletadas de áreas comerciais, no Estado de São Paulo, e de etnovariedades dos estados do Amazonas e Bahia e, também, avaliar seu potencial para fixar N atmosférico e para produzir ácido indolacético. Nos três estados, foram identificadas 47 espécies de microrganismos pertencentes a 27 gêneros. Bacillus spp. foi o mais freqüente em todas as regiões. O maior número de gêneros foi encontrado em plantas provenientes do Estado do Amazonas, que apresenta a maior diversidade de microrganismos endofíticos. Amplificações por PCR do gene nifH foram avaliadas em espécies bacterianas pertencentes às g-Proteobacteria. Isolados AIA positivos foram obtidos de material coletado em todos os estados, e foram representados por microrganismos pertencentes aos subgrupos g-Proteobacteria, b-Proteobacteria, Bacilli e Actinobacteria. A ocorrência de bactérias endofíticas em plantas de mandioca, com capacidade para fixar N atmosférico e produzir AIA in vitro, indica potencial para promover o crescimento da planta

Produção de mudas de pupunha.

bitstream/item/79015/1/FOL-4807-0001.pd

Surface laser-glazing of plasma-sprayed thermal barrier coatings

Atmospheric plasma-sprayed (APS) ZrO2–8%WtY2O3 thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) were subjected to a CO2 continuous wave laser-glazing process in order to generate an external dense layer produced by different processing parameters. For that purpose, different beam scanning speeds and track overlapping were chosen. Surface roughness has been reduced significantly after laser-glazing. Despite the surface crack network, all laser-glazed specimens presented a fully dense and porous free external layer with a columnar microstructure. Surface cracks along the densified layer were found to have tendency to be oriented in two perpendicular directions, one in the direction of the laser beam travel, the other perpendicular to it. Moreover, the cracks parallel to the beam moving direction are found to be on the overlapping zone, coinciding with the edge of the subsequent track. The cracks along the densified layer are vertical and tend to branch and deviate from the vertical direction within the porous PS coating. The largest overlapping allied to the smallest amount of irradiated energy generated the most uniform layer with the shortest crack branches within the PS coating. For the as-sprayed coating, the XRD results revealed mainly t0 non-transformable tetragonal zirconia with a small percentage of residual monoclinic zirconia. All glazed coatings presented only t0 non-transformable tetragonal zirconia with some variations on preferable crystal orientation.União Europeia (UE). Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional (FEDER).Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) - Project POCTI/CTM44590/2002