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This paper presents the role of Althusser and two of his students in the 1960s, Pierre Macherey and Dominique Lecourt, in the diffusion of the work of Georges Canguilhem in Brazil. We begin by a brief review of Macherey’s and Lecourt’s analysis on the work of Canguilhem taken from two texts that served as postface and preface to the Brazilian and the Argentine translations of Le normal et le pathologique. Next, we present the works of Brazilian authors Sérgio Arouca, Cecilia Donnangelo and Ricardo Bruno Mendes-Gonçalves to show some aspects of the reception of Canguilhem’s ideas and concepts in the field of Collective Health.

O propósito do presente trabalho é debater o caráter da política de crédito rural no Estado do Mato Grosso do Sul, adotando como critério de análise a formação socioespacial. A sustentação dessa investigação se compõe, além da análise dos dados estatísticos sobre o acesso ao crédito e da estrutura fundiária, mapeados de acordo com as subdivisões das mesorregiões do IBGE no estado, também da compreensão sobre as imbricações dinheiro∕crédito∕território e o Estado como ator político e social. Ao final, argumenta-se que este estudo, mesmo não aspirando reunir a totalidade da formação socioespacial desta escala de análise, sem o debate deste problema, contudo, seria pouco provável a compreensão do capitalismo dependente. Tal dependência é expressa a partir da relação entre uma economia de base primária-exportadora, reafirmando o monopólio capitalista da terra, sendo a política de crédito rural no Mato Grosso do Sul seu eixo medular nesta formação socioespacial.

Introdução: Com o crescimento significativo de idosos, é necessário o aprimoramento de políticas públicas que propiciem a promoção de saúde e a prevenção de doenças. A proposta do grupo de promoção de saúde surge como uma estratégia no processo do envelhecimento com o objetivo de garantir qualidade de vida na velhice. Constitui-se como uma iniciativa de atuação interdisciplinar. Objetivo: Compreender a importância dos papéis ocupacionais e do apoio social dos idosos que participam dos grupos de promoção de saúde oferecidos por um Centro de Convivência de uma cidade administrativa do Distrito Federal. Métodos: Trata-se de uma pesquisa do tipo qualitativa de caráter descritivo-exploratório, com análise da técnica do discurso do sujeito coletivo. A pesquisa foi realizada em um Centro de Convivência de uma cidade administrativa do Distrito Federal. Para a coleta de dados, utilizaram-se dois instrumentos: a Lista de Identificação de Papéis Ocupacionais e o Diagrama de Escolta. Resultados e Discussão: Foi possível compreender que os grupos de promoção de saúde contribuíram na ampliação da rede de apoio social dos idosos, na criação de novos laços de amizade que fortaleceram os papéis ocupacionais contribuindo para o engajamento em atividades e evitando o isolamento. Conclusão: Conclui-se que os grupos de promoção à saúde do Centro de Convivência tornaram-se um forte incentivador para a ampliação da rede de apoio social e dos papéis ocupacionais, tendo uma grande influência sobre o bem-estar físico, emocional e psicológico dos idosos participantes do estudo. AbstractIntroduction: With the significant growth of the elderly, it is necessary to improve public policies that promote health promotion and disease prevention. The proposal of the health promotion group is presented as a proposal to guarantee quality of life in old age, an initiative of interdisciplinary action, which emerged as a strategy in the aging process. Aims: To understand the importance of the occupational roles and the social support of the elderly people who participate in the health promotion groups offered by a Centro Convivência of an administrative city of the Federal District.Methods: It is a qualitative research of descriptive-exploratory character, with analysis of the discourse technique of the collective subject. The research was carried out in a Coexistence Center of an administrative city of the Federal District. Two instruments, the Occupational Identification List and the Escort Diagram, were used for data collection.Results and Discussion: It was possible to understand that the health promotion groups contributed to the expansion of the social support network of the elderly, the creation of new bonds of friendship that strengthened the occupational roles contributing to the engagement in activities and avoiding isolation. Conclusion: It was concluded that the health promotion groups of the Coexistence Center, have become a strong incentive for expanding the social support network and occupational roles, being a great influence for the physical, emotional and psychological well-being of the study. Keyword: Aging; Social participation; Social net work; Occupational therapy; Socialization.

In general, the technical and agronomic benefits of no-till farming are widely known and well documented in the literature. However, studies focusing on the economics of no-tillage are scarce. In this context, the objective of this study is to determine whether no-till grain production systems that follow the principles of conservation agriculture are economically profitable by analyzing gross margins per hectare per year over six harvests for the agricultural years 1998/1999 to 2003/2004. In addition, a possible link between profitability and different no-till methods in terms of degree of soil turnover, crop rotation, and whether machinery used in agricultural operations is owned or rented is investigated. For this purpose, the multi-case analytical method was applied to thirteen grain producing family farms in Northern Paraná state, Brazil. Based on the results, two ranges of agricultural production variable costs and gross margins were identified. Higher gross margins were associated with longer use of the no-till system, ownership of machinery and equipment, specialization in grains, rotation of the commercial crops used, and higher variable costs. Lower gross margins were associated with outsourcing of sowing, small-scale cropping, and lack of crop rotation. It is concluded that family mechanized no-till systems of grain production in north Paraná are profitable.

Abstract Background Brazil is the world’s largest sugarcane producer, and its production is concentrated in south-central and northeast regions, particularly in the state of São Paulo. The land use change, principally from the increasing sugarcane production, may reflect in the farmland prices. The aim of this study is to evaluate the extent to which agricultural land prices in São Paulo are determined by variations in cultivation and prices of three products that represent a significant share of agriculture in the state: sugarcane, soy and corn, in a low-inflation environment. Methods Analysis is based on data from the Rural Development Offices (EDR) from 1997 to 2013. A simple panel data model is constructed with land price as the dependent variable, subdivided, according to the definition of the São Paulo State Institute of Agricultural Economics, into first- and second-class croplands. Cultivation area, unit price of the products, and lease value are explanatory variables, according to each crop. Inflation and the overall production value of São Paulo’s farming production, excluding the production values of corn, soy and sugarcane, also serve as explanatory variables. Results The results show that in São Paulo, although part of the land price variation can be explained by the variables associated with their productive use, the impact of inflation indicates that land’s function in storing value contributes significantly to land prices. Conclusions The most prominent conclusion is that expansion in sugarcane cultivation has led to higher farmland prices in the state of São Paulo.

The objective of this study was to analyze the epidemiological profile of 442 patients with American tegumentary leishmaniasis in the municipality of Ilhéus between 2007 and 2012. Data collection was performed in the epidemiological surveillance of Ilhéus municipality, using as a database the cases reported and typed in the national system for notifying American tegumentary leishmaniasis We analyzed information on sex, age, schooling, confirmation criteria, type of leishmaniasis, medication used, conclusion of the case. In the municipality of Ilhéus, lethality in American tegumentary leishmaniasis was zero during the study period and from the year of greatest occurrence there was a decrease in positive cases. The most susceptible individuals are male, between 20 and 49 years old, living in rural, brown, autochthonous areas. The most incident form is cutaneous and the most commonly used drug for treatment is pentavalent antimonial. It was not confirmed the seasonality of the disease between the months and years observed and no outbreak of the disease during the period studied in the municipality of Ilhéus - Bahia. The information in this study will serve to assist the planning of epidemiological actions of public health, aiming at specific measures of protection according to local characterization. From these results, it is expected to show the importance of reporting research, early diagnosis and effective treatment to reduce sequelae, as well as contribute to the prevention and control of disease in the city.

The non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) are RNA transcripts with different sizes, structures and biological functions that do not encode functional proteins. RNA G-quadruplexes (rG4s) have been found in small and long ncRNAs. The existence of an equilibrium between rG4 and stem−loop structures in ncRNAs and its effect on biological processes remains unexplored. For example, deviation from the stem−loop leads to deregulated mature miRNA levels, demonstrating that miRNA biogenesis can be modulated by ions or small molecules. In light of this, we report several examples of rG4s in certain types of ncRNAs, and the implications of G4 stabilization using small molecules, also known as G4 ligands, in the regulation of gene expression, miRNA biogenesis, and miRNA−mRNA interactions. Until now, different G4 ligands scaffolds were synthesized for these targets. The regulatory role of the above-mentioned rG4s in ncRNAs can be used as novel therapeutic approaches for adjusting miRNA levels.

The fast spread of SARS-CoV-2 has led to a global pandemic, calling for fast and accurate assays to allow infection diagnosis and prevention of transmission. We aimed to develop a molecular beacon (MB)-based detection assay for SARS-CoV-2, designed to detect the ORF1ab and S genes, proposing a two-stage COVID-19 testing strategy. The novelty of this work lies in the design and optimization of two MBs for detection of SARS-CoV-2, namely, concentration, fluorescence plateaus of hybridization, reaction temperature and real-time results. We also identify putative G-quadruplex (G4) regions in the genome of SARS-CoV-2. A total of 458 nasopharyngeal and throat swab samples (426 positive and 32 negative) were tested with the MB assay and the fluorescence levels compared with the cycle threshold (Ct) values obtained from a commercial RT-PCR test in terms of test duration, sensitivity, and specificity. Our results show that the samples with higher fluorescence levels correspond to those with low Ct values, suggesting a correlation between viral load and increased MB fluorescence. The proposed assay represents a fast (total duration of 2 h 20 min including amplification and fluorescence reading stages) and simple way of detecting SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples from the upper respiratory tract.

Progress in the design of G-quadruplex (G4) binding ligands relies on the availability of approaches that assess the binding mode and nature of the interactions between G4 forming sequences and their putative ligands. The experimental approaches used to characterize G4/ligand interactions can be categorized into structure-based methods (circular dichroism (CD), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography), affinity and apparent affinity-based methods (surface plasmon resonance (SPR), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and mass spectrometry (MS)), and high-throughput methods (fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-melting, G4-fluorescent intercalator displacement assay (G4-FID), affinity chromatography and microarrays. Each method has unique advantages and drawbacks, which makes it essential to select the ideal strategies for the biological question being addressed. The structural- and affinity and apparent affinity-based methods are in several cases complex and/or time-consuming and can be combined with fast and cheap high-throughput approaches to improve the design and development of new potential G4 ligands. In recent years, the joint use of these techniques permitted the discovery of a huge number of G4 ligands investigated for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Overall, this review article highlights in detail the most commonly used approaches to characterize the G4/ligand interactions, as well as the applications and types of information that can be obtained from the use of each technique.

Abstract Background Among the sex hormones, oestrogen may play a role in colorectal cancer, particularly in conjunction with oestrogen receptor-β (ERβ). The expression of ERβ isoform variants and their correlations with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) syndrome and sporadic colorectal carcinomas are poorly described. Methods This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of the ERβ1, ERβ2, ERβ4 and ERβ5 isoform variants using quantitative RT-PCR (921 analyses) in FAP, normal mucosa, adenomatous polyps and sporadic colorectal carcinomas. Results Decreased expression of ERβ isoforms was identified in sporadic polyps and in sporadic colorectal cancer as well as in polyps from FAP syndrome patients compared with normal tissues (p

Soluble vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) enhances vascular engraftment of transplanted cells but the efficacy is low. Here, the authors show that VEGF-immobilized microparticles prolong survival of endothelial progenitors in vitro and in vivo by downregulating miR17 and upregulating CDKN1A and ZNF652.

The aim of this study was to verify and characterizes the spatial distribution of the microregions specialized in bovine milk production in Paraná State, Brazil, using data from the Municipal Livestock Survey conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics and the Central Bank of Brazil’s National Program to Strengthen Household Agriculture (PRONAF), from 2000 to 2012. Methodologically, we carry out location quotient (LQ), principal component, (PCA) and cluster analyses. Based on the results of the LQ, of the 39 microregions in Paraná State analyzed, 13 are identified as specializing in milk production. In particular, the West and Southwest mesoregions as well as the microregion of Ponta Grossa, in relative terms, account for 58% of the milk produced in the study period. Additionally, based on the PCA, 2 principal components are found to explain 91.5% of the variability in the data, termed technically enhanced production and household production. Finally, by using cluster analysis, five groups are identified among the microregions specializing in milk production, thus indicating marked heterogeneity across the state. This situation requires the expansion of public policies that mitigate regional disparities and provide the state with production gains from milk farming.

Introduction: The 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography is being considered as an excellent imaging modality for bone metastases detection. This ability was compared with other imaging techniques. Material and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 114 patients who underwent 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/ computed tomography. Of these, 49 patients also had bone scintigraphy, 61 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography and 10 18F-FCH positron emission tomography/computed tomography. We identified the technique that detected the largest number of bone metastases. For the detection of skeletal metastases with the 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography study, the contribution of the positron emission tomography component was compared with the contribution of the computed tomography component. Cases in which 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography and bone scintigraphy required further additional tests for diagnosis clarification were registered. Results: The 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography was superior to bone scintigraphy in 49% of the patients (p < 0.001); it was superior to 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography in 59% of the patients (p < 0.001) and it was superior to 18F-FCH positron emission tomography/computed tomography in 40% of the patients (p < 0.001). None of the compared imaging techniques were superior to 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography. The positron emission tomography component was superior to computed tomography in 35% of the cases (p < 0.001). Further investigation was suggested in only 3.5% of patients who underwent 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography (45% for bone scintigraphy) (p < 0.001). Discussion: As with other authors, our experience also confirms that 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography is an excellent imaging modality for the detection of bone metastases, detecting lesions in more patients and more lesions per patient. Conclusion: The 18F-NaF positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed a superior ability for the detection of bone metastases when compared with bone scintigraphy, 18F-FDG positron emission tomography/computed tomography and 18F-FCH positron emission tomography/computed tomography.

Tourism has been an important economic activity worldwide in recent years, and the increasing number of tourists and the competition among destinations pressure for the highest quality possible for tourists. The objective of this research is to propose a model to analyze the quality of services at tourist attractions. The first stage consisted of two bibliometric researches being performed, in order to identify the ‘state of art’ and verify the existing models of quality evaluation. Identified 36 models and 211 indicators of quality. From this initial exploratory research, a preliminary theoretical model was designed which worked with 35 indicators. The second stage collected and analyzed comments left by tourists on TripAdvisor.com. Analyzed 68.301 comments about tourist attractions in eight Brazilian cities, using the software T-LAB and compared with the indicators in the preliminary theoretic model. After of 35 indicators, 23 were maintained, 12 were excluded, and three new theoretic indicators were created, which made it possible to build a model able to be empirically tested. The test was carried out with 476 tourists who evaluated tourist attractions in Florianópolis-Brazil. In the confidence and questionnaire validation test the Alpha Conbranch presented an excellent result of 0.904 confirming the proposed model.

Vinasse is a potassium-rich waste generated in large amounts by the ethanol production that, applied in the soil, can promote changes in water dispersible clay and in its physical quality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clay dispersion of Oxisols after vinasse application and correlate it with some chemical attributes. Samples were collected in two Oxisols (155 and 471 g of clay kg-1), put in pots, received dosages of vinasse (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 m3 ha-1) and remained incubated during 120 days. Phosphorous, organic carbon, pH H2O, pH KCl, pH CaCl2, Al3+, H+Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, Delta pH and the proportion between monovalent and bivalent cations have been evaluated and correlated with the clay flocculation degree. Vinasse changed almost all chemical variables in both soils and increased the flocculation in the sandy soil, but did not change the clayey one. Delta pH, Mg2+ and K+ significantly correlated with the flocculation degree in the sandy soil. It is possible to conclude that the dispersive effect of K+ added by vinasse are irrelevant, considering the flocculant effect caused by the increment in Mg2+ and Delta pH after vinasse application.

A experiência que o turista tem no destino começou a ser estudada com maior ênfase na última década. Ao considerar que a percepção de qualidade do serviço turístico por parte do turista leva em conta sua experiência no destino, esta pesquisa objetiva analisar esta relação (qualidade percebida x experiência) a partir da percepção de turistas de Florianópolis. O estudo é caracterizado como quantitativo, descritivo e do tipo estudo de campo. O instrumento utilizado para a coleta de dados foi o questionário, baseado no modelo TOURQUAL, criado e validado por Mondo (2014). A amostra do estudo é considerada probabilística e compreendeu 476 turistas de Florianópolis. Os principais resultados indicam que, com relação a importância do indicador para a qualidade, estética (beleza) e evasão (fuga da rotina) aparecem a frente de entretenimento e aprendizado. Na real avaliação da qualidade, os turistas indicaram que Estética, evasão e aprendizado são indicadores que estão em um nível de bom a excelente nos atrativos de Florianópolis, enquanto o Aprendizado está em um nível de mediano a bom.

Desde a publicação, em 1628, do Exercitatio anatomica, de William Harvey, fisiologia (em sua concepção moderna, científica) e filosofia passaram a manter relações tanto de crítica quando de reforço mútuo. Nesse artigo, examinamos um momento particularmente interessante dessa longa história, a emergência, com Schopenhauer, da interpretação do intelecto como produto do homem físico. Pretendemos, assim, mostrar como o recurso à fisiologia (notadamente a autores como Gall, Cabanis, Bichat, Cuvier, Flourens e Lamarck) engendrou uma crítica da filosofia kantiana que marcou o lugar de Schopenhauer na história do pensamento filosófico moderno, a saber, entre dois limiares: Kant e Nietzsche.

O poema "Cidade/City/Cité" de Augusto de Campos, publicado em 1963, tem sido alvo de várias recriações, sendo um caso óbvio do pioneirismo, da exploração material e da íntima relação da poesia concreta com os novos meios tecnológicos, nomeadamente as tecnologias de informação e os meios de comunicação de massas, que se conjugam com os meios tradicionais impressos, em espaços não tradicionais para a poesia. É um poema que vive da combinatória de vários radicais com as terminações "cidade", "city" e "cité", conjugando as qualidades da vida urbana num poema trilingue que se expande e se modifica nas suas leituras e recriações, actuando além da dimensão literária, libertando a linguagem da sintaxe, aproximando os seus potenciais leitores do poeta Augusto de Campos completando, tal e qual um happening, o poema enquanto forma de arte (CAGE, 1974, p. 15). Numa análise às várias metamorfoses do poema, este artigo propõe-se a analisar os veículos de significação utilizados em cada versão e o modo como estes preservam a natureza combinatória do poema e o seu significado. "Cidade/City/Cité" é um poema em metamorfose, tal como os espaços urbanos, que se vai adaptando aos novos tempos de forma metarreferencial, acompanhando e tirando partido dos meios de cada época, levando a poesia a novas dimensões.

The objective was to build and tailor a performance instrument large-scale science to Brazilian students with possible indicators of specific functional learning disorders. Were collected in four regions of Brazil, in two stages: 1) was applied a performance test covering science issues, to 320 students from Year 9 and 1 year of high school; then were applied 117 questionnaires to mothers / guardians of students who took the test performance on indicators of learning disorders such students. In terms of performance on the science content for the 9th grade of elementary school, there was a general frequency arrangements with 30-70% index. When we correlate the environmental and biological factors with the performance of science the results were not significant, showing that the adjustments of the proposed performance test may be considered positive for the inclusive process.

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that can cause invasive severe human illness (listeriosis) in susceptible patients. Most human listeriosis cases appear to be caused by consumption of refrigerated ready-to-eat foods. Although initial contamination levels in foods are usually low, the ability of these bacteria to survive and multiply at low temperatures allows it to reach levels high enough to cause disease. This study explores the set of proteins that might have an association with L. monocytogenes adaptation to different temperatures. Cultures were grown in biofilm, the most widespread mode of growth in natural and industrial realms. Protein extractions were performed from three different growth temperatures (10, 25, and 37°C) and two growth phases (early stage and mature biofilm). L. monocytogenes subproteomes were targeted using three extraction methods: trypsin-enzymatic shaving, biotin-labeling and cell fractionation. The different subproteomes obtained were separated and analyzed by shotgun proteomics using high-performance liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-OrbiTrap LTQVelos, ThermoFisher Scientific). A total of 141 (biotinylation), 98 (shaving) and 910 (fractionation) proteins were identified. Throughout the 920 unique proteins identified, many are connected to basic cell functions, but some are linked with thermoregulation. We observed some noteworthy protein abundance shifts associated with the major adaptation to cold mechanisms present in L. monocytogenes, namely: the role of ribosomes and the stressosome with a higher abundance of the general stress protein Ctc (Rl25) and the general stress transcription factor sigma B (σB), changes in cell fluidity and motility seen by higher levels of foldase protein PrsA2 and flagellin (FlaA), the uptake of osmolytes with a higher abundance of glycine betaine (GbuB) and carnitine transporters (OpucA), and the relevance of the overexpression of chaperone proteins such as cold shock proteins (CspLA and Dps). As for 37°C, we observed a significantly higher percentage of proteins associated with transcriptional or translational activity present in higher abundance upon comparison with the colder settings. These contrasts of protein expression throughout several conditions will enrich databases and help to model the regulatory circuitry that drives adaptation of L. monocytogenes to environments.

Chilling requirement (CR) for bud dormancy completion determines the time of bud break in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.). The molecular control of bud dormancy is highly heritable, suggesting a strong genetic control of the trait. An available Infinium II SNP platform for genotyping containing 8,788 single nucleotide polymorphic markers was employed, and linkage maps were constructed in a F1 cross from the low CR M13/91 and the moderate CR cv. Fred Hough. These maps were used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for bud break date as a trait related to dormancy release. A major QTL for bud break was detected at the beginning of linkage group 9 (LG9). This QTL remained stable during seven seasons in two different growing sites. To increase mapping efficiency in detecting contributing genes underlying this QTL, 182 additional SNP markers located at the locus for bud break were used. Combining linkage mapping and structural characterization of the region, the high proportion of the phenotypic variance in the trait explained by the QTL is related to the coincident positioning of Arabidopsis orthologs for ICE1, FLC, and PRE1 protein-coding genes. The proximity of these genes from the most explanatory markers of this QTL for bud break suggests potential genetic additive effects, reinforcing the hypothesis of inter-dependent mechanisms controlling dormancy induction and release in apple trees.

As questões relacionadas aos empreendimentos agrícolas vêm sendo discutidas em um contexto global, o que se deve à sua importância no processo de desenvolvimento econômico, uma vez que eles possuem impactos diretos nas transformações sociais dentro e fora do campo, além de ser parte importante no sistema de garantia do abastecimento e da segurança alimentar da população. Assim, o objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar as tendências de variação no número de empreendimentos agrícolas no meio rural paranaense, por tipo de atividade principal e por estrato de área, para o período de 2002 a 2014. Para tanto, foram utilizados dados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios e calculadas as taxas médias de variação anual, por meio do teste t de Student, utilizando-se uma regressão dos mínimos quadrados ordinários na forma log-linear. Verificou-se redução de 3,5% a.a. no número de empreendimentos agropecuários, tanto com relação às atividades principais, quanto para os extratos de área. Houve queda mais intensa no número de empreendimentos dedicados a soja (8,9% a.a.) e milho (6,3% a.a.) e naqueles de 10 ha a < 100 ha (7,09% a.a.). Essas informações podem subsidiar o delineamento de ações públicas voltadas à agropecuária paranaense.

Coffee is a crop of significant importance for Brazilian agrobusiness. There is evidence that both the geographic distribution of coffee production, and the varieties of coffee produced, have changed throughout Brazil over the course of time. Furthermore, it appears that these developments are associated with structural changes resulting from reductions in government intervention and its effects on prices in the coffee market, which has established a new dynamic of coffee production in the country. In this context, this study's objective is to analyze the dynamics of coffee production in Brazil, to identify the Brazilian micro-regions specializing in coffee activities, and to track how the spatial distribution of these micro-regions has varied over time. In so doing, the study aims to identify defining economic characteristics of primary coffee-producing regions. Drawing primarily on data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the study proceeds by applying Pearson correlation, Granger causality test, location quotient, principal components, and clustering analyses to explore how, during the 1984-2015 period, significant changes occurred in the distribution of regions specializing in coffee production. States such as Paraná and São Paulo, historically important coffee producers, declined in importance, leaving only a few micro-regions in these states specialized in coffee production. During the 2014/15 biennium, 80% of the coffee-specialized micro-regions were concentrated in the states of Minas Gerais, Bahia, Rondônia, and Espírito Santo. Minas Gerais and Bahia primarily produced arabica coffee, while Rondônia specialized in conilon (robusta) coffee. Overall, coffee produced in Brazil improved in quality and value-added over this period.

Comecei a escrever este texto nos Verões da minha infância. No Vidago. E em Chaves. No Largo General Silveira, debaixo das estrelas. A ver partir a última locomotiva. Meticulosamente, a recolher pinhões nos relvados da piscina do Palace. A fumar os primeiros Definitivos com o Groom do Hotel dos meus avós. No muro de trás. À noite, na esplanada do Café Aurora a ouvir os adultos. Nadir Afonso e o meu pai. A ouvi-los falar sobre os problemas da pintura. Das características essenciais que separam a arquitectura da pintura. Dos critérios espaciais e tipológicos, e da gravidade que assegura a natureza essencialmente estrutural e construtiva do projecto arquitectónico. Das propriedades concretas da terra e do céu. Da fenomenologia do “espaço natural”.

Resumo: A incidência de tumores cerebrais tem crescido nos últimos anos. Representam a segunda causa de morte mais frequente atribuível a doença neurológica. Embora as lesões cerebrais expansivas conduzam frequentemente a observação por neurologia ou neurocirurgia, não é raro que sejam os sintomas ditos psiquiátricos a motivar o contacto inicial com os cuidados médicos. Os tumores cerebrais podem apresentar-se sob a forma de sintomatologia semelhante às perturbações psiquiátricas ditas primárias, ou funcionais. No entanto, contrastando com o que ocorre a propósito de doença psiquiátrica noutros tipos de cancro, em que predominam as perturbações da adaptação, as síndromas ditas orgânicas são o diagnóstico mais frequente nos doentes com tumores do SNC. A localização anatómica representa um de vários fatores contribuintes para a natureza e a gravidade dos quadros psiquiátricos. Os tumores do lobo frontal associam-se mais frequentemente a alterações da função executiva, síndrome amotivacional e alterações da personalidade. Os tumores temporais podem provocar sintomas psicóticos como alucinações e delírios. O tratamento da sintomatologia passará essencialmente pela remoção da lesão, sempre que possível. Não obstante, o tratamento sintomático das manifestações psiquiátricas deverá ter sempre lugar. A psicofarmacologia, a psicoterapia e a psicoeducação aos cuidadores apresentam-se como as modalidades de tratamento com melhores resultados.

The aim of this study was to analyze technical and economic indicators of family milk production systems, with different technology levels, in the Caiuá sandstone area in Northwestern Paraná, Brazil. The analysis period covers the agricultural years 2002/2003 to 2013/2014. The categorization of the milk production systems was based on information from agricultural farms monitored by the Reference Network for Family Agriculture. The cost-benefit analysis method was used for the economic assessment of milk production. Based on the results, three family milk production systems were identified in the region, characterized by the use of low, medium and high intensification technologies for pasture management. The production costs per unit area were found to be higher in the system with high technology and lower in the system with low technology. However, although the total revenue in the production system with a high technological intensification is greater than in the other systems, the capital needed for a technological transition is higher. In all the systems, when the costs were deducted, including the return on family labor, there was a profit, even with the climate and soil constraints inherent in the region.

We have designed AS1411-N6, a derivative of the nucleolin (NCL)-binding aptamer AS1411, by adding six nucleotides to the 5′-end that are complementary to nucleotides at the 3′-end forcing it into a stem-loop structure. We evaluated by several biophysical techniques if AS1411-N6 can adopt one or more conformations, one of which allows NCL binding. We found a decrease of polymorphism of G-quadruplex (G4)-forming sequences comparing to AS1411 and the G4 formation in presence of K+ promotes the duplex folding. We also studied the binding properties of ligands TMPyP4, PhenDC3, PDS, 360A, and BRACO-19 in terms of stability, binding, topology maintenance of AS1411-N6, and NCL recognition. The melting experiments revealed promising stabilizer effects of PhenDC3, 360A, and TMPyP4, and the affinity calculations showed that 360A is the most prominent affinity ligand for AS1411-N6 and AS1411. The affinity determined between AS1411-N6 and NCL denoting a strong interaction and complex formation was assessed by PAGE in which the electrophoretic profile of AS1411-N6 showed bands of the dimeric form in the presence of the ligands and NCL.

Integration of transplanted photoreceptors into the host retina has been assumed as the underlying mechanism for vision improvement in pre-clinical studies. Here, the authors show that the majority of transplanted photoreceptors do not structurally integrate but exchange intercellular material with host cells.

ABSTRACT The spittlebug Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) is one of the most important pests of sugarcane in Brazil. Measures for population control are currently restricted to the use of chemical insecticides and fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, in part because very little information exists regarding resistance of sugarcane cultivars. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate resistance mechanisms of 12 different sugarcane cultivars to M. fimbriolata to provide information for growers for pest management. Isolated buds of each cultivar were planted in pots and kept in a greenhouse for approximately three months. The pots were then moved to climate test chambers (26 ± 1 ºC; 70 ± 10 % relative humidity; 12 h photoperiod) to carry out laboratory tests to evaluate adult feeding and female oviposition preferences (using both free-choice and no-choice tests) as well as the effects of cultivars on nymph development and cultivars tolerance to pest attack. The least attractive cultivars for adult feeding were IACSP96-2042 and IAC91-1099. Cultivars IACSP96-2042, IACSP96-3060 and IACSP94-2101 received the fewest eggs in the free-choice and no-choice oviposition tests and exhibited some level of antixenosis resistance. Cultivar IAC91-1099 showed the highest level of antibiosis resistance with a nymph survival rate in the roots of only 20 %. Finally, cultivar IACSP94-2094 appears to be tolerant to M. fimbriolata, as it did not show significant reductions in aboveground biomass weight, despite showing reduced leaf chlorophyll levels following pest attack.

ABSTRACT The present study aims to evaluate crop, pasture and forest land prices in Brazil, between 1994 and 2010, in the light of Post-Keynesian theory. The results provide evidence that land, more than just a simple factor of production, must be conceived of as an economic asset. In fact, the price of rural land is determined not only by the expected profitability deriving from agricultural activities but also by the agents' expectations about its future appreciation and liquidity in an economic environment permeated with uncertainty. In this context, as an object of speculation, land has been particularly important as a store of value.

We present the first record of Leptophis ahaetulla for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Between November and December 2014, and February 2015, three specimens were found, respectively: one male dead on a highway at the Parque Estadual do Espinilho, a conservation unit located at the municipality of Barra do Quaraí; and two females collected in an anthropic landscape of Salso farm at the municipality of Uruguaiana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Meristic data and coloration enables the identification of these specimens as Leptophis ahaetulla marginatus.

O sensoriamento remoto e o geoprocessamento com aplicação das técnicas de processamento digital de imagens são ferramentas fundamentais para a manutenção dos registros do uso do solo ao longo do tempo. Áreas do Vale do Paranapanema, no Planalto Ocidental Paulista, vêm nos últimos 30 anos aumentando seu polo sucroalcooleiro, por ser considerada uma das últimas grandes regiões do estado de São Paulo com solo, clima e relevo favorável para a expansão desta cultura. Entretanto, ainda não se tem um estudo pormenorizado sobre as mudanças no uso e na ocupação do solo na bacia do Rio da Capivara. Nesse contexto, esse estudo teve por objetivo avaliar, com o uso de sensoriamento remoto, a expansão do uso do solo com a cultura da cana-de-açúcar no curso médio da bacia do Rio da Capivara, sudoeste paulista, entre as décadas de 1970 e 2010. Para tanto, foram organizados mapas temáticos referentes aos tipos de solos e uso da terra da área, tendo sido usadas as ferramentas englobadas pelo SIG, sendo as cartas elaboradas com a utilização do software ArcMap 9.3. Os resultados mostraram que a cultura da cana-de-açúcar teve uma expansão de 31,24% na área da bacia do Rio da Capivara, passando de 4,32% em 1977 para 35,56% em 2010. Essa expansão ocorreu principalmente sobre áreas antes utilizadas com pastagens, mas também pode ter ocorrido sobre áreas de remanescentes florestais.

Trata-se de uma entrevista realizada com a escritora moçambicana Paulina Chiziane

Les études sur Internet tendent à mettre en évidence l’action humaine et à reléguer les objets techniques et leurs opérations à l’arrière-plan. En considérant que ces objets peuvent eux-mêmes se connecter via Internet, au moyen de capteurs qui leur sont accouplés – ce que l’on nomme l’Internet des Objets (IdO) –, on peut néanmoins soutenir que ces objets interagissent et que, ce faisant, ils conduisent d’autres (humains ou non-humains) à agir : c’est ce que défend la Théorie de l’acteur-réseau (TAR), selon laquelle les objets sont sociaux et participent de la production du social, en tant qu’ils sont le résultat d’associations entre des éléments hétérogènes. Tenant compte de ce qui précède, cet article enquête sur l’interaction des objets connectés faisant partie de l’IdO, pour montrer que cette interaction est d’ordre sociotechnique.

Review of Giorgio Maffei, Munari’s Books, New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press, 2015. 288 pp. ISBN 978-1-616-89386-6. Munari’s Books by Giogio Maffei, like its subtitles states, is “the definitive collection of book designs by Bruno Munari”, being “the first English-English monograph” about him. Bruno Munari was an Italian designer who lived between 1907 and 1998, and made a huge contribution to an understanding of the materialities of the book and its interdisciplinary functionality as we know it nowadays. He considered books the “best medium to communicate his visual ideas (…) and convey his creative spirit” and by his practices he created new perspectives about the possibilities inherent in bibliographic structures as forms of visual and haptic communication.

No contexto do Algarve, o clima associado à altitude são caraterísticas marcantes no concelho de Monchique, o que lhe confere especificidade, nomeadamente no que respeita à paisagem e à disponibilidade do recurso água. Face aos valores que lhe estão associados e à emergência de novas culturas e modificações do comportamento social, onde se privilegia a reaproximação à natureza, procurando-se novas sensações e formas de lazer, considerou-se este concelho um destino privilegiado para a prática de atividades de turismo e lazer em meio rural. Neste enquadramento, tem-se por objectivo primordial potenciar e recuperar a plurifuncionalidade do património e paisagem ligados à água, através do levantamento, caraterização e criação de condições que permitam o usufruto destes, por parte das populações locais e dos meios urbanos, alargando-se assim a oferta turística, a qual se destaca dos produtos turísticos oferecidos na região, fortemente apoiados no turismo de sol e praia. Como principais resultados do estudo referem-se as intervenções preconizadas, tendo em vista a melhoria e criação de novos espaços, que permitam às populações a reaproximação à natureza e a prática de atividades de lazer, em contexto rural. Como exemplo, indicam-se as propostas desenvolvidas para o Barranco dos Pisões, nomeadamente, a criação de um parque de merendas, a reabilitação da linha de água no troço confinante com este espaço e a criação de um centro de interpretação da dinâmica ribeirinha de montanha.

The destruction of cotton crop residues at the end of the crop cycle is a key strategy for the phytosanitary crop management, since its off-season re-sprout can provide sites for feeding and oviposition of pests such as the boll weevil. This study aimed to evaluate the re-sprout capacity of cotton cultivars, as well as their infestation by Anthonomus grandis. A randomized blocks design, in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, with three cultivars (FM 910, DeltaOPAL and NuOPAL), two mowing heights (10 cm and 20 cm) and four replications, was used. Weekly evaluations were carried out for measuring the percentage of plant re-sprout for both mowing heights, percentage of flower buds infested by the boll weevil and number of adults per re-sprout. Plants mowed at 10 cm presented a lower sprout capacity and consequently less flower buds, reducing the boll weevil population density in the area, while plants mowed at 20 cm showed high re-sprouts rates, seven days after mowing. The FM 910 cultivar had the highest number of re-sprout plants, while the DeltaOPAL cultivar showed the highest number of flower buds and adults per plant, as well as the highest percentage of buds damaged by the boll weevil.

Resumo:Na última década do século XX constatou-se uma crescente diversificação na composição ocupacional e um lento crescimento da população rural brasileira em idade ativa. O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar, para o período de 2001 a 2009, as principais tendências de ocupação e rendimento das pessoas residentes no meio rural brasileiro. A partir dos microdados da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílios (PNAD) e com base em um modelo de regressãolog-linear, foram analisadas as variações na população, no rendimento, no rendimento médio e no índice de Gini. Constatou-se que, não obstante o declínio na PEA rural ocupada na agricultura mercantil, a população rural brasileira se manteve estável devido, principalmente, à expansão da PEA com ocupação não agrícola. A mudança no perfil do meio rural brasileiro foi mais evidente no âmbito do rendimento das pessoas. Tais tendências se associaram à diversificação da composição ocupacional, ao aumento do poder aquisitivo, à redução na desigualdade econômica e da informalidade na relação de emprego. A continuidade dessas tendências pode fazer com que, na área rural, a ocupação e renda das atividades agrícolas sejam superadas pelas oriundas de atividades não agrícolas. Portanto, há necessidade de readequação das iniciativas de desenvolvimento rural.

Eucalyptus urograndis is a hybrid eucalyptus of major economic importance to the Brazilian pulp and paper industry. Although widely used in forest nurseries around the country, little is known about the biochemical changes imposed by environmental stress in this species. In this study, we evaluated the changes in the stem proteome after short-term stimulation by exposure to low temperature. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled to high-resolution mass spectrometry-based protein identification, 12 proteins were found to be differentially regulated and successfully identified after stringent database searches against a protein database from a closely related species (Eucalyptus grandis). The identification of these proteins indicated that the E. urograndis stem proteome responded quickly to low temperature, mostly by down-regulating specific proteins involved in energy metabolism, protein synthesis and signaling. The results of this study represent the first step in understanding the molecular and biochemical responses of E. urograndis to thermal stress.

This study evaluated the effects of organic and inorganic sources of minerals in diets for mid-lactation dairy cows on milk yield and composition, intake and total apparent digestibility of dry matter and nutrients, blood parameters, microbial protein synthesis, and energy and protein balances. Twenty Holstein cows averaging 146.83±67.34 days in milk and weighing 625.30±80.37 kg were used. The experimental design was a crossover. Diets were composed of corn silage (50%), ground grain corn, and soybean meal, differing with regard to the sources of trace minerals, plus an organic and inorganic mix. The organic mineral source increased milk fat and fat-corrected milk yield without changing milk yield, intake, or total apparent digestibility. Blood parameters, microbial protein synthesis, and energy and protein balances were not affected by the sources of minerals. Organic sources of minerals improve milk fat yield without affecting other parameters.

Public banks are an important part of the banking market in Brazil and abroad, and they have been used to implement strategies furthering political and social goals. Although one of the main arguments for the existence of public banks is to encourage competition, this role remains controversial in literature. This paper analyzes the Brazilian banking market during the period from 2000 to 2011, calculating the level of competition between private and public banks, and their reactions to the measures adopted by the Brazilian government during the world crisis of 2008, when the government adopted a policy of publicly influencing public banks to increase loan approvals and reduce interest rates. From results obtained through three stage least squares estimation of the Lerner index, we found that public banks exhibit behavior closer to perfect competition than private banks, even though they can exert some market power. We also observed a change in competitive behavior after the 2008 crisis for both public and private banks, which displayed an increased in pro-competitive behavior.

This study has been developed to evaluate the influence of applying different types and doses of crop residues on potassium (K) mobility in soil columns. Rhodic Haplustox samples were collected at depths of 0.0-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and 0.20-0.30 m and used to create such soil columns, keeping the same profile distribution. The experimental design was randomized with three replications and the treatments resulted in a 4x4 factorial design, 4 types of crop residues (brachiaria+sunflower; Mix (cultivated radish+oat+winter vetch); cultivated radish and wheat) and 4 doses of residues (0, 10, 15, and 20 Mg ha-1). The grinded and dried residues were applied to the surface of the columns, which were then irrigated with distilled water and incubated for 10 days to stabilize the reactions. After incubation, the soil columns were disassembled and separated into 0.05 m layers (0.0-0.05, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.15, 0.15-0.20, 0.20-0.25 and 0.25-0.30 m). The samples of each layer were dried, sieved and analyzed to determine the amount of exchangeable K. The results obtained indicated that surface application of crop residues alters soil levels of exchangeable potassium, especially in the 0.0-0.05 m layer. Increases in residue doses may cause a significant and linear increase in exchangeable K content in the 0.0-0.05, 0.05-0.10 and 0.10-0.15 m soil layers. Superficial application of residues of cultivated radish and Mix produced the largest increases in levels of exchangeable K, reaching depths of 0.30 m. Increases in potassium adsorption in the soil surface layers reduces the need for potassium fertilization and can reduce production costs and environmental pollution.

Este trabalho apresenta uma discussão acerca de um caso clínico que interroga a ação do psicanalista perante o processo de crise de um adolescente em condição de abrigamento. O desdobramento do caso pôde, somente a posteriori, levar-nos ao estudo do funcionamento daquilo que Jacques Lacan, em seu seminário A Angústia (1962-1963), chamou de “personalidade reativa”. Trata-se, segundo Lacan, não de uma espécie de sujeito, mas sim de uma zona de relação definida por ele como a do acting-out. William recorria exatamente a essa zona como único recurso diante do “não se pode dizer”

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study is to evaluate the economic viability of tomato cultivation in a system of organic farming, and to compare it with the conventional farming system. The fixed and variable costs of both cultivation systems were calculated, as well as the costs of disease control with the application of alternative products and pesticides. The revenues were computed using commercial production and the direct sales price. The total cost per area was higher in the conventional system, while the cost per plant was greater in the organic system, since it used a lower plant population density. In the conventional system, 2.33 times more was spent on plant management, due to the fact that the number of sprayings was greater than that carried out in organic farming. We further find that companion planting with other species such as coriander, in addition to helping with the management of the main crop, is important for economic sustainability as it is an extra source of income. Considering the specificities of the two systems, the profitability of organic cultivation, even accounting for its lower productivity , could exceed that of conventional cultivation.

According to recent models of recovery in psychosis, the patients’ perspectives about their own difficulties, symptoms and goals (health-related and in other areas) are of major importance in intervention. Self-report measures have been increasingly studied and several authors have pointed out their validity, reliability and clinical utility in people with psychotic-disorders. The present study sought to review and critically analyse the available self-report instruments for assessing delusions. Four instruments met the inclusion criteria: Characteristics of Delusions Rating Scale; Beliefs Rating Scale; Peters Delusions Inventory; and Conviction of Delusional Beliefs Scale. All scales assess delusions in a multidimensional perspective and present adequate psychometric properties, although with high variability within studies. Refining the psychometric studies of the existing instruments (mainly confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and diagnostic accuracy analyses) and developing new instruments focused on coping are future areas of research interest.

Inflammatory mechanisms triggered by microglial cells are involved in the pathophysiology of several brain disorders, hindering repair. Herein, we propose the use of retinoic acid-loaded polymeric nanoparticles (RA-NP) as a means to modulate microglia response towards an anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective phenotype (M2). RA-NP were first confirmed to be internalized by N9 microglial cells; nanoparticles did not affect cell survival at concentrations below 100 μg/mL. Then, immunocytochemical studies were performed to assess the expression of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators. Our results show that RA-NP inhibited LPS-induced release of nitric oxide and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and promoted arginase-1 and interleukin-4 production. Additionally, RA-NP induced a ramified microglia morphology (indicative of M2 state), promoting tissue viability, particularly neuronal survival, and restored the expression of postsynaptic protein-95 in organotypic hippocampal slice cultures exposed to an inflammatory challenge. RA-NP also proved to be more efficient than the free equivalent RA concentration. Altogether, our data indicate that RA-NP may be envisioned as a promising therapeutic agent for brain inflammatory diseases.

A internet representa hoje uma das principais ferramentas de pesquisa de mercado que os consumidores utilizam. Dentro do contexto turístico, por ser um serviço, os aspectos tangíveis são pontos fundamentais na análise e escolha do que consumir. Outro ponto relevante são os depoimentos que turistas inserem na internet sobre sua experiência em determinada viagem ou meio de hospedagem (MH). O conteúdo gerado pelos turistas já constrói a reputação online do MH. Assim, o objetivo desta pesquisa é analisar a reputação online de MHs de Garopaba e Imbituba com base nos preceitos da qualidade de serviços. O estudo é considerado aplicado, descritivo-exploratório e quantitativo. A amostra é composta por todos os comentários feitos por turistas no site www.tripadvisor.com, que tinham como sujeitos comentados os MHs de Garopaba e Imbituba. A coleta de dados aconteceu nos meses de Março e Abril de 2013. Foram analisados 325 comentários. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se o Software SPSS 17 e para análise de textos T-LAB 4.1. Os principais resultados indicam que existe predominância de comentários positivos em ambos os municípios. Verificaram-se também a ocorrência de comentários nos idiomas português, inglês, alemão e espanhol o que demonstra certa internacionalização dos destinos. E as principais palavras ligadas aos comentários foram de sentido positivo como boa, excelente, praia, pousada. Ao final, percebe-se que os MHs de Imbituba possuem uma melhor reputação online que os de Garopaba, tendo grandes possibilidades de análise de mercado e melhoria dos serviços a pesquisa da reputação online.

La gestión del conocimiento busca hacer con que la organización actúe de la forma más inteligente posible para asegurar su viabilidad y éxito, además de sacar el máximo de sus recursos y garantizar su constante renovación. El objetivo de esta investigación es discutir los principales conceptos relacionados al conocimiento, a su gestión y su aplicación en las cadenas hoteleras. Se realizó una investigación exploratoria y revisión bibliográfica. Se presentan las principales definiciones de la gestión del conocimiento, los principales modelos y el uso de la gestión del conocimiento en las cadenas hoteleras. Como principales resultados se identifico que una cadena hotelera que desee ser exitosa en su operación y gestión debe buscar poseer conocimientos institucionales, acerca del mercado, conocimientos del perfil de sus clientes, proveedores, competidores y stakeholders.

We assessed the effect of different winter crops on indicators of soil quality related to C and N cycling and C fractions in a Rhodic Kandiudult under no-till system at implantation, during two growing seasons, in Londrina PR Brazil. The experimental design was randomized blocks with split-plot in time arrangement, with four replications. The parcels were the winter crops: multicropping of cover crops with black oat (Avena strigosa), hairy vetch (Vicia villosa) and fodder radish (Raphanus sativus); sunflower (Heliantus annuus) intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis; corn (Zea mays) intercropped with Urochloa; and corn; fodder radish; or wheat (Triticum aestivum) as sole crops. The subplots were the years: 2008 and 2009. Determinations consisted of total organic C, labile and resistant C, total N, microbial biomass C and N, the C/N ratio of soil organic matter, and the microbial quotient (qMic), besides microbiological and biochemical attributes, assessed only in 2009. The attributes significantly changed with the winter crops, especially the multicropping of cover crops and fodder radish, as well as effect of years. Despite stimulating the microbiological/biochemical activity, fodder radish cropping decreased the soil C in the second year, likewise the wheat cropping. The multicropping of cover crops in winter is an option for management in the establishment of no-till system, which contributes to increase the concentrations of C and stimulate the soil microbiological/biochemical activity.

The use of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels for vehicle propulsion is already a reality. However, due to its physical characteristics, storage is still a challenge. There is an innovative way, presented in this study, to store hydrogen in conventional vehicles propelled by spark-ignition reciprocating engines and fuel cells, using hydrogen as fuel; the storage of hydrogen will be at high pressure within small spheres randomly packed in a tank, like the conventional tank of fuel used nowadays in current vehicles. Therefore, the main purpose of the present study is to assess the performance of this storage system and compare it to others already applied by car manufacturers in their cars. In order to evaluate the performance of this storage system, some parameters were taken into account: The energy stored by volume and stored by weight, hydrogen leakage, and compliance with current standards. This system is safer than conventional storage systems since hydrogen is stored inside small spheres containing small amounts of hydrogen. Besides, its gravimetric energy density (GED) is threefold and the volumetric energy density (VED) is about half when compared with homologous values for conventional systems, and both exceed the targets set by the U.S. Department of Energy. Regarding the leakage of hydrogen, it complies with the European Standards, provided a suitable choice of materials and dimensions is made.