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The modelling of electricity production and demand requires highly specific and comprehensive meteorological data. One challenge is the high temporal frequency as electricity production and demand modelling typically is done with hourly data. On the other side the European electricity market is highly connected, so that a pure country-based modelling is not expedient and at least the whole European Union (EU) area has to be considered. Additionally, the spatial resolution of the data set must be able to represent the thermal conditions, which requires high spatial resolution at least in mountainous regions. All these requirements lead to huge data amounts for historic observations and even more for climate change projections for the whole 21 st century. Thus, we have developed the aggregated European wide climate data set SECURES-Met that has a temporal resolution of one hour, covers the whole EU area and other selected European countries, has a reasonable size but considers the high spatial variability., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

With the continued digitization of the energy sector, the problem of sunken scholarly data investments and forgone opportunities of harvesting existing data is exacerbating. It compounds the problem that the reproduction of knowledge is incomplete, impeding the transparency of science-based targets for the choices made in the energy transition. The FAIR data guiding principles are widely acknowledged as a way forward, but their operationalization is yet to be agreed upon within different research domains. We comprehensively test FAIR data practices in the low carbon energy research domain. 80 databases representative for data needed to support the low carbon energy transition are screened. Automated and manual tests are used to document the state-of-the art and provide insights on bottlenecks from the human and machine perspectives. We propose action items for overcoming the problem with FAIR energy data and suggest how to prioritize activities., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background and Aims: Given the absence of a universally accepted non-invasive and objective clinical tool to predict a patient's response to stereotactic radiosurgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), this research endeavoured to appraise the potential of Diffusion Tensor Imaging as a predictive tool in managing TN. Objective: This study aimed to assess microstructural changes in the trigeminal nerve following CyberKnife radiosurgery (CKRS) for TN using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and to correlate these changes with clinical outcomes. Methods: Twenty-eight TN patients treated with CKRS underwent pre and 4-month post-treatment Three-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging scans with DTI metrics, including fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity (MD), were collected. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity Score (BNI-PIS) at fourth, sixth and ninth months post-CKRS. Results: Twenty-four patients reported good pain relief (responders), while four patients did not experience adequate relief (non-responders). Responders exhibited significantly lower FA (mean drop of 13.8%, P <.001) and lower RA (mean drop of 16.1%, P <.001) compared to non-responders. RD, AD and MD remained constant across the study cohort. Conclusion: DTI metrics, particularly FA and RA, at 4 months post-CKRS, emerged as predictors of long-term treatment effectiveness for TN. These findings suggest the potential utility of DTI in evaluating microstructural changes in the trigeminal nerve post-CKRS and predicting clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to study the rock-breaking process of a 17-inch disc-type cutterhead in a full-face tunnel boring machine (TBM), we utilized the discrete element method software EDEM to analyze the in-fluence of relevant parameters (cutter spacing, penetration depth, installation radius, phase difference) on rock-breaking loads and efficiency. Firstly, validate the rationality of the discrete element model for the disc cutter rock-breaking process. Subsequently, establish a simulation of sequential rock-breaking with multiple rotating disc cutters and analyze the load characteristics as well as specific energy consumption. Simulation results indicate that within certain parameter ranges, an increase in cutter penetration depth leads to an increase in average load force, while an increase in cutter spacing and installation radius initially results in an increase in average load force followed by a decrease. An increase in phase difference results in an initial decrease in average load force followed by an increase. Based on orthogonal tests, a combination of rock-breaking parameters with values of 100 mm for cutter spacing, 8 mm for penetration depth, 650 mm for installation radius, and 45° for phase difference was found to yield lower specific energy consumption. This method can provide reference for cutter arrangement and cutterhead performance prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reports suggested that hormone replacement therapy decreased the incidence of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the oral cavity. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze and quantify the serum 17β-estradiol (E2) level by chemiluminescence immunoassay in four groups, Group I (control group with no habit of tobacco and areca), Group II (control group with a habit of tobacco and areca), Group III (potentially malignant disorder—leukoplakia), and Group IV (oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)). It was the first study to evaluate E2 in four study groups with and without the habit of tobacco. Method: The serum analysis was carried out in Cobas e411 analyzer by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay analysis. Results: As per the Kruskal–-Wallis test, statistically significant rise in estradiol levels in Group IV as in comparison to Group III as compared with Groups II and I. Conclusion: This study proved that irrespective of the gender bias, the female sex hormone, estradiol levels were significantly raised in OSCC patients. This study suggests that E2 may play a vital role in determining the patient prognosis in OSCC with tobacco habit. The confounding results of this preliminary study opened up new advents emphasizing the role of E2 in OSCC. The role of E2 in estrogen receptor regulation can also be a subject of study for targeted therapies in improving the patient's prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the New World, dogs are considered the main reservoir of visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Due to inefficacies in existing treatments and the lack of an efficient vaccine, dog culling is one of the main strategies used to control disease, making the development of new therapeutic interventions mandatory. We previously showed that Tanespimycin (17-AAG), a Hsp90 inhibitor, demonstrated potential for use in leishmaniasis treatment. The present study aimed to test the safety of 17-AAG in dogs by evaluating plasma pharmacokinetics, dose-proportionality, and the tolerability of 17-AAG in response to a dose-escalation protocol and multiple administrations at a single dose in healthy dogs. Two protocols were used: Study A: four dogs received variable intravenous (IV) doses (50, 100, 150, 200, or 250 mg/m2) of 17-AAG or a placebo (n = 4/dose level), using a cross-over design with a 7-day "wash-out" period; Study B: nine dogs received three IV doses of 150 mg/m2 of 17-AAG administered at 48 h intervals. 17-AAG concentrations were determined by a validated high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method: linearity (R2 = 0.9964), intra-day precision with a coefficient of variation (CV) ≤ 8%, inter-day precision (CV ≤ 20%), and detection and quantification limits of 12.5 and 25 ng/mL, respectively. In Study A, 17-AAG was generally well tolerated. However, increased levels of liver enzymes–alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT)–and bloody diarrhea were observed in all four dogs receiving the highest dosage of 250 mg/m2. After single doses of 17-AAG (50–250 mg/m2), maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) ranged between 1405 ± 686 and 9439 ± 991 ng/mL, and the area under the curve (AUC) plotting plasma concentration against time ranged between 1483 ± 694 and 11,902 ± 1962 AUC 0–8 h μg/mL × h, respectively. Cmax and AUC parameters were dose-proportionate between the 50 and 200 mg/m2 doses. Regarding Study B, 17-AAG was found to be well tolerated at multiple doses of 150 mg/m2. Increased levels of liver enzymes–ALT (28.57 ± 4.29 to 173.33 ± 49.56 U/L), AST (27.85 ± 3.80 to 248.20 ± 85.80 U/L), and GGT (1.60 ± 0.06 to 12.70 ± 0.50 U/L)–and bloody diarrhea were observed in only 3/9 of these dogs. After the administration of multiple doses, Cmax and AUC 0–48 h were 5254 ± 2784 μg/mL and 6850 ± 469 μg/mL × h in plasma and 736 ± 294 μg/mL and 7382 ± 1357 μg/mL × h in tissue transudate, respectively. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the potential of 17-AAG in the treatment of CVL, using a regimen of three doses at 150 mg/m2, since it presents the maintenance of high concentrations in subcutaneous interstitial fluid, low toxicity, and reversible hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study area lies in the south of Mamoniyeh, a part of the Zaviyeh 1:100000 geological map, which covers the middle part of the Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc. The volcanic phases and the intrusive masses constitute the predominant rocks of the area which has been subjected to magmatic and tectonic activities. Thus, owing to the lack of detailed studies on the volcanic rocks of this area, we try to link the tectonic setting and the magmatic evolution of the rocks under study. In addition, magma evolution processes, such as fractional crystallization, crustal contamination, and magma mixing may play an important role in the genesis of these rocks. The present paper presents new petrological and geochemical data on these volcanic rocks, which were formed during the Eocene. The Urumieh Dokhtar Magmatic arc is characterized by a series of volcanic and plutonic rocks that formed during the Late Cretaceous to Early Miocene, approximately 95 to 20 million years ago, and extends for about 2,000 kilometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid evolution of the wind energy sector, there is an ever-increasing need to create value from the vast amounts of data made available both from within the domain and from other sectors. This article addresses the challenges faced by wind energy domain experts in converting data into domain knowledge, connecting and integrating them with other sources of knowledge, and making them available for use in next-generation artificial intelligence systems. To this end, this article highlights the role that knowledge engineering can play in the digital transformation of the wind energy sector. It presents the main concepts underpinning knowledge-based systems and summarises previous work in the areas of knowledge engineering and knowledge representation in a manner that is relevant and accessible to wind energy domain experts. A systematic analysis of the current state of the art on knowledge engineering in the wind energy domain is performed with available tools put into perspective by establishing the main domain actors and their needs, as well as identifying key problematic areas. Finally, recommendations for further development and improvement are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This qualitative study aimed to gather insights into the experiences of older adults after losing their only child and explore meaningful life needs as a basis for social interventions. Methods: We conducted individual face-to-face interviews with 29 participants from 10 communities in Changsha, Hunan Province, China. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and then analysed using the inductive category development of conventional content analysis. Results: The experience of losing an only child was devastating and linked with a helpless life in old age. The analysis generated the following three themes encompassing their lived experiences and needs: afraid of getting sick, lying on the edge of misery and surrounded by loneliness. Conclusions: Losing an only child triggered older adults' feelings of being misunderstood, disconnected and hopeless. They had an increased likelihood of lacking more on love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization needs than their physiologic and safety needs. Findings from our study will raise awareness on this vulnerable group and help design intervention programmes targeting the specific needs of this neglected segment of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The availability of large amounts of data is starting to impact how the wind energy community works. From turbine design to plant layout, construction, commissioning, and maintenance and operations, new processes and business models are springing up. This is the process of digitalisation, and it promises improved efficiency and greater insight, ultimately leading to increased energy capture and significant savings for wind plant operators, thus reducing the levelised cost of energy. Digitalisation is also impacting research, where it is both easing and speeding up collaboration, as well as making research results more accessible. This is the basis for innovations that can be taken up by end users. But digitalisation faces barriers. This paper uses a literature survey and the results from an expert elicitation to identify three common industry-wide barriers to the digitalisation of wind energy. Comparison with other networked industries and past and ongoing initiatives to foster digitalisation show that these barriers can only be overcome by wide-reaching strategic efforts, and so we see these as "grand challenges" in the digitalisation of wind energy. They are, first, creating FAIR data frameworks; secondly, connecting people and data to foster innovation; and finally, enabling collaboration and competition between organisations. The grand challenges in the digitalisation of wind energy thus include a mix of technical, cultural, and business aspects that will need collaboration between businesses, academia, and government to solve. Working to mitigate them is the beginning of a dynamic process that will position wind energy as an essential part of a global clean energy future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite decades of research and development, digitalization remains a key challenge for the Swedish district heating sector. Business model innovation is believed to be necessary to capitalize on digitalization, yet it is especially challenging for municipal companies. This study aims to identify the potential impact of digitalization on the business models of Swedish district heating companies and to analyze the barriers that exist for digital business model innovation. Through case studies of eight municipal district heating companies, this study demonstrates how the entire business model is potentially impacted by digitalization. This study also identifies the barriers to digital business model innovation that are linked to two conflicting views (restrictive versus comprehensive) on digitalization. The restrictive view diminishes the importance of business model innovation, outsourcing innovation to minimize both costs and risks for the company. In contrast, the comprehensive view embraces digital business model innovation through trial-and-error and opens the innovation process to stakeholder influence. These two perspectives are motivated by different beliefs about the need for digitalization to secure future business opportunities, as well as differences in owners' risk appetite. The implications for industry outlooks and the design of policy support for the digitalization of district heating are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microorganisms in subsurface sediments live from recalcitrant organic matter deposited thousands or millions of years ago. Their catabolic activities are low, but the deep biosphere is of global importance due to its volume. The stability of deeply buried sediments provides a natural laboratory where prokaryotic communities that live in steady state with their environments can be studied over long time scales. We tested if a balance is established between the flow of energy, the microbial community size, and the basal power requirement needed to maintain cells in sediments buried meters below the sea floor. We measured rates of carbon oxidation by sulfate reduction and counted the microbial cells throughout ten carefully selected sediment cores with ages from years to millions of years. The rates of carbon oxidation were converted to power (J s−1 i.e., Watt) using the Gibbs free energy of the anaerobic oxidation of complex organic carbon. We separated energy dissipation by fermentation from sulfate reduction. Similarly, we separated the community into sulfate reducers and non-sulfate reducers based on the dsrB gene, so that sulfate reduction could be related to sulfate reducers. We found that the per-cell sulfate reduction rate was stable near 10−2 fmol C cell−1 day−1 right below the zone of bioturbation and did not decrease with increasing depth and sediment age. The corresponding power dissipation rate was 10−17 W sulfate-reducing cell−1. The cell-specific power dissipation of sulfate reducers in old sediments was similar to the slowest growing anaerobic cultures. The energy from mineralization of organic matter that was not dissipated by sulfate reduction was distributed evenly to all cells that did not possess the dsrB gene, i.e., cells operationally defined as fermenting. In contrast to sulfate reducers, the fermenting cells had decreasing catabolism as the sediment aged. A vast difference in power requirement between fermenters and sulfate reducers caused the microbial community in old sediments to consist of a minute fraction of sulfate reducers and a vast majority of fermenters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defining reliable surrogate markers and overcoming drug resistance are the most challenging issues for improving therapeutic outcomes of antiangiogenic drugs (AADs) in cancer patients. At the time of this writing, no biomarkers are clinically available to predict AAD therapeutic benefits and drug resistance. Here, we uncovered a unique mechanism of AAD resistance in epithelial carcinomas with KRAS mutations that targeted angiopoietin 2 (ANG2) to circumvent antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) responses. Mechanistically, KRAS mutations up-regulated the FOXC2 transcription factor that directly elevated ANG2 expression at the transcriptional level. ANG2 bestowed anti-VEGF resistance as an alternative pathway to augment VEGF-independent tumor angiogenesis. Most colorectal and pancreatic cancers with KRAS mutations were intrinsically resistant to monotherapies of anti-VEGF or anti-ANG2 drugs. However, combination therapy with anti-VEGF and anti-ANG2 drugs produced synergistic and potent anticancer effects in KRAS-mutated cancers. Together, these data demonstrate that KRAS mutations in tumors serve as a predictive marker for anti-VEGF resistance and are susceptible to combination therapy with anti-VEGF and anti-ANG2 drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, a noticeable trend in society is the search for more and more healthy food products. This is also reflected in the interest in plant-based ingredients replacing animal ones, which are more caloric, difficult to digest, and have more negative environmental impact. The purpose of this study was to determine the carbon footprint (CF) of technological process of ice cream, made with traditional ingredients as well as with fat and sugar substitute ingredients, under laboratory and handcraft conditions. Process-line portable metering was designed and implemented. Emission and production data were recorded for different ice blends; at a laboratory-scale, the determined technological process, CFtech, of traditional ice cream was 0.360 and for ice cream with substitutes 0.385 kg CO2/kg product. The pasteurization process accounted for the largest share in CFtech of ice cream with different contents of substitutes. Under handicraft conditions, the CFtech of traditional ice cream as well as ice cream with fat and sugar substitutes were 0.253 and 0.248 kg CO2/kg product, respectively. In contrast, for standard a handcraft, CF was the lowest at 0.234 kg CO2/kg product. CFtech of laboratory-scale ice cream production is larger than for handcraft production. Pasteurization along with homogenization and ripening accounted for the largest share of CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macroscopic, microscopic and geochemical studies carried out on albite-bearing metasomatites and metasomatic rhyolites hosting the magnetite-apatite deposit of Chogharat indicate the presence of three generations of albite with different concentrations of REE-Y-Ti-Th, in response to T-P reduction and chemical changes of the fluids and the ratio of fluid to rock. The geochemical analysis of the low Ca/Na fluids shows a deficiency in REE-Th mineralization in the white albites, while in the fluids with medium Ca/Na, the REE mineralization (REE>Th) has occurred in the pinkish albites. In contrast, fluids with high Ca/Na indicate Th mineralization (Th>REE) in the red albites. The stable isotopes of C-O on the paragenetic calcites show REE-Y-Ti-Th mineralization of albites due to High-T hydrothermal fluids. Otherwise, the stable O-C isotopes of the Ghoghart apatites and stable isotopes of S in the ore deposits of the BMD verify the role of evaporitic brines and fluid-rock interaction on the mineralization. The presence of calcite and titanite, associated with the calcic-amphiboles and clinopyroxenes, Ca-inclusions in the thorite structure and Ca-content of the thorites, indicate thorite mineralization from the Co32- and Ca2+ fluids due to low activity of the chlorine. According to this study, the source of metasomatism is mainly evaporitic brines with a minor amount of magmatic and related hydrothermal fluids. Mineralization is the result of interaction of the magmatic and hydrothermal fluids of the Late Ediacaran- Early Cambrian plutonic/ subvolcanic intrusions with the evaporitic brines, derived from the synchronous evaporitic sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network reconfiguration is an important means of improving network invulnerability. However, most existing network reconfiguration methods fail to consider node importance, edge importance, and hierarchical characteristics, and the local and global information of command and control (C2) networks are difficult to satisfy comprehensively. Therefore, this study designed a hierarchy-entropy-based method for reconfiguring C2 networks. By combining hierarchical and operational link entropy, the probability of inter-node edge reconfiguration based on hierarchy entropy is proposed. Additionally, methods for calculating the node level-up, cross-level, and swap degrees, and a portfolio reconfiguration strategy are proposed. Finally, to validate the proposed method, a case study was simulated, and the repair probability, adjustable parameters, and reconfiguration effects of the different reconfiguration methods and modes were determined. The comparison results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm improves the reconfiguration effect and reduces the reconfiguration cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: The development of a lightweight, easy-to-use system that measures the foot's plantar pressure is becoming an increasingly important area of research in physiotherapy. For further development of the smart sock system, a formative usability study was conducted, where the smart textile sock sensor system was used for self-correction during functional tasks; (2) Methods: Five athletes from the football school participated in the formative usability study. Athletes performed pre-defined functional tasks for self-correction when interacting with the smart textile sock system. Formative usability evaluation methods: effectiveness (task success rate, error rate), efficiency (time-based), satisfaction evaluated by System Usability Scale (SUS); (3) Results: Formative usability indicators: task completeness effectiveness ranged from 40% to 100% in the first- and second-stage tasks. Completed task efficiency time: Stage 1, from 4.2 s (SD 1.3) to 88.8 s (SD 19.8); Stage 2, from 7.2 s (SD 1.9) to 9.6 s (SD 2.1). Satisfaction was assessed by the SUS system user group with 76 points (SD 7.42), which indicates "good" satisfaction; (4) Conclusions: formative usability indicators showed the need for technical improvements to the smart textile sock pressure sensor system. The SUS results indicate "good" satisfaction with the smart textile sock pressure sensor system and its application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to explore single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), gene expression and economic evaluation of parameters associated with mastitis susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Two hundred and forty Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows (120 cows of each breed) were used in this study. The investigated dairy cows in each breed were allocated into two equal-sized groups (60 cows each); mastitis tolerant and affected groups. PCR-DNA sequencing of SELL, ABCG2, SLC11A1, FEZL, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA revealed nucleotide sequence variations in the form of SNPs associated with mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in investigated Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Levels of SELL, SLC11A1 and FEZL gene expression were significantly up-regulated in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows than in tolerant ones. Meanwhile, ABCG2, SOD1, CAT, GPX1, and AhpC/TSA genes were significantly downregulated. Regarding the economic parameters, significant differences were recorded for net returns and a reduction in the percentage of net profit, as the higher values of net returns were recorded for tolerant dairy cows than mastitic ones in both breeds; moreover, the net profit was reduced by 39% and 27% in mastitic Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows, respectively, when compared to tolerant ones. The results herein confirmed the potential significance of investigated genes as candidates for mastitis tolerance/susceptibility in Holstein and Brown Swiss dairy cows. Mastitis also has detrimental impacts on economic efficiency in dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss FAIR Data, why it exists, and who it applies to. We further review the principles of FAIR data and how they are managed in research centers. We also discuss the types of problems that researchers encounter, and what an information professional can do to assist them. At present, the vast majority of centers subscribe to the FAIR principles. However, both center and researcher face the arduous task of understanding, managing, and implementing the model. They must know data formats and standards. For a correct description and to facilitate data retrieval and interoperability, they must know about different types of metadata schemas. They must know about digital preservation and specific aspects of knowledge and information management. In addition, there are also ethical issues, intellectual property, and cultural differences. All these controversies translate into extra workload for researchers, who only get a return in the form of citations. It is critical to note that these information professionals can play a key role in the proper management of research data, and can help achieve the objectives described in the principles: making data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present problems connected with voltage fluctuations in low-voltage networks caused by small PV sources installed in an LV network. For the purpose of analysis, high-resolution data gathered at the output of real PV sources for 4 months in 2 locations are used. Data are processed to analyze the impact of different network parameters on voltage fluctuations and voltage flicker. The resulting values of flicker and fluctuations are given so the assessment of the impact of PV sources can be made before the connection of new sources to the power grid. Moreover, the methodology of analysis is presented in detail so the impact of similar PV sources on voltage could be analyzed. Finally, general conclusions connected with measurement, analysis, and mitigation are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A sustainable energy system based on renewables, energy-efficiency, decentralisation of energy generation and synergies between different sectors requires new energy planning methods and policies. Energy transition and climate change mitigation achievement can no longer be seen only through top-down activities from a national government. Local and regional governments have a crucial role in delivering public policies relevant to such endeavour. Therefore, the implementation of multilevel governance (MLG) has become a priority for fostering local and regional development more inclusively. Paper analyses the existing energy planning governance in Austria throughout the MLG structure by focusing on the alignment between the local energy and climate initiatives and the national and EU goals. Also, the paper examined the effectiveness of the current MLG structures and outlined the fields where improvements are needed. The successfulness of the MLG approach is shown on Judenburg city case study. Desk research is enhanced by a series of interviews with energy policy experts and implementation of case study measures in TIMES model. Results: The MLG analysis showed the solid alignment of different governance levels. In contrast, the comparison of the energy and climate initiatives on the local level outlined recommendations for the design of more effective energy planning approach. Four areas of action are identified for further improvement: territorial fragmentation, data availability, spatial energy planning and new integrated MLG. The remaining non-conventional biomass potential of the Murtal region is enough to increase the share of district heating for the residential buildings of the Judenburg city from 16.3 to 30.8% while the building refurbishment increases district heating share to 32%. Conclusion: Application of MLG analysis demonstrated the alignment of energy targets in Austrian policy on different governance levels. The general willingness of Austrian municipalities to take part in local energy actions was shown through the local initiatives' analysis. It is argued that strengthening the listed areas of work is necessary to raise the effectiveness of the local initiatives. The case study for the city of Judenburg developed in the TIMES model confirmed that coordinated actions from different levels of governance lead to effective implementation of measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variation of modern separation technology of aromatics/aliphatics mixture is membrane process and development of new membrane materials (polymeric and composite) for high efficiency. Nano-polyaniline has been prepared by bulk polymerisation method and is used for the fabrication of (nano)polyaniline/polyimide ((nano)PANI/PI) composite membrane to achieve pervaporative separation of 1-octene/benzene mixture. Benzene is carcinogenic compound in group 1 of monograph of International Agency for Research on Cancer. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the generation of (nano)PANI (particle size 8-9 nm). Both membrane and (nano)PANI have been characterised by Fourier transmission infra-red spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Atomic force microscopy. The swelling behaviour and mechanical properties of the composite membrane are also investigated. Incorporation of (nano) PANI in the polyimide matrix increases the polarity of the membrane, thereby increasing its selectivity towards 1-octene. The highest permeation flux and separation factor achieved are13.88 kg.m-2h-1 and 6.44 respectively at 333 K and 1 mm Hg downstream pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is a powerful tool for patients with a high risk of transmitting a genetic abnormality to their children. Unlike other assisted reproductive technologies (ART), it has technical issues which remain unresolved. Objectives. To develop a modified tubing method for placing biopsied samples into amplification tubes for PGT. Material and methods. A modified tubing method was developed and applied to PGT, with the micromanipulator aiding in the fine movement of transfer pipettes, and with a microinjector to minimize the amount of medium which is transferred with the biopsy samples into the amplification tube. A total of 826 blastocysts from 222 PGT cycles performed between December 2016 and December 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. As the tubing of the cells could not always be inspected visually and they would only be detected by the presence of DNA after amplification, the main outcome measure was the amplification success rate. Results. The amplification success rate with the modified tubing method was 99.6%. Conclusions. The modified tubing method is efficient and simple. It is a promising technique for PGT tubing. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the use of a modified micromanipulator and microinjector for improving the tubing rate in PGT cycles, and the presented method is by far the closest to actual use for PGT tubing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) leads to enormous disease burden and occupies a substantial proportion in the etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but scarce attention has been paid to this topic. Besides, propranolol has been reported to decrease the rate of HCC in viral hepatitis. We conducted a retrospective tertiary-center cohort study to identify the HCC incidence in AC patients with or without propranolol. A total of 1,046 AC patients with hospitalization had been screened, and those with regular follow-up for three years or otherwise until the date of malignancy diagnosis without meeting exclusion criteria were enrolled; finally, 23 AC patients with propranolol and 46 AC patients without propranolol were analyzed after twofold propensity-score matching. The cumulative incidence of HCC was lower in the propranolol group (log-rank test, P = 0.046). Furthermore, we undertook the meta-analysis of annual incidence of HCC in AC patients, and 1,949 publications were screened, within which eight studies were analyzed; the pooled annual incidence was 2.41%, which was higher than the calculated annual incidence of HCC in our AC cohort with propranolol (1.45%). In conclusion, propranolol is associated with decreased risk of HCC incidence in patients with AC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A chemical reaction is a process that leads to the chemical transformation of one set of chemical substances to another. However, the precise and real-time detection of the reaction rate remains challenging due to its fast and dynamical process. In this paper, the photonic spin Hall effect is proposed to realize the ultrasensitive and real-time detection of the reaction rate of sucrose hydrolysis. By incorporating with quantum weak measurement, the photonic spin-Hall shift acts as the measurement pointer, and the optical rotation in the process of sucrose hydrolysis acts as the postselection state. The high measurement resolution with 1.25 × 10−4 degree is achieved due to the weak-value amplification in quantum weak measurement which outperforms the standard polarimeter. In our scheme, the amplified measurement pointer is real-time monitoring the chemical reaction process. It does not involve any mechanical adjustment of optical elements once the experimental setup is established and thereby realizes a real-time detection of the dynamic chemical reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantum materials are amenable to nonequilibrium manipulation with light, enabling modification and control of macroscopic properties. Light-based augmentation of superconductivity is particularly intriguing. Copper-oxide superconductors exhibit complex interplay between spin order, charge order, and superconductivity, offering the prospect of enhanced coherence by altering the balance between competing orders. We utilize terahertz time-domain spectroscopy to monitor the c-axis Josephson plasma resonance (JPR) in La2-xBaxCuO4 (x = 0.115) as a direct probe of superconductivity dynamics following excitation with near-infrared pulses. Starting from the superconducting state, c-axis polarized excitation with a fluence of 100 µJ/cm² results in an increase of the far-infrared spectral weight by more than an order of magnitude as evidenced by a blueshift of the JPR, interpreted as resulting from nonthermal collapse of the charge order. The photoinduced signal persists well beyond our measurement window of 300 ps and exhibits signatures of spatial inhomogeneity. The electrodynamic response of this metastable state is consistent with enhanced superconducting fluctuations. Our results reveal that La2-xBaxCuO4 is highly sensitive to nonequilibrium excitation over a wide fluence range, providing an unambiguous example of photoinduced modification of order-parameter competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zajkan area as a part of Tarom-Hashtjin magmatic belt is dominated by some granitic intrusions intruding the Eocene volcano-sedimentary rocks. The Eocene volcanosedimentary rocks are as alternation of acidic to intermediate tuffs and lavas. These intrusions composed of gabbro, pyroxene quartz monzodiorite, pyroxene quartz monzonite and granodiorite with high-K calc-alkaline composition and I-type metaluminous nature. On the spider diagrams, the studied rocks have similar trace elements patterns indication of their genetic relation. The rocks also display LILEs enriched along with negative HFSEs anomalies. Based on chondrite-normalized REE patterns, these intrusions are characterized by LREE enrichment, high LREE/HREE and LaN/YbN (6.1-9.1). The overall field investigation, petrological and geochemical studies, as well as tectonic setting discrimination diagrams show that the Zajkan intrusions were possibly formed from a subduction related metasomatized lithospheric mantle in a postcollisional setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As biological signals are mainly based on ion transport, the differences in signal carriers have become a major issue for the intimate communication between electrical devices and biological areas. In this respect, an ionic device which can directly interpret ionic signals from biological systems needs to be designed. Particularly, it is also required to amplify the ionic signals for effective signal processing, since the amount of ions acquired from biological systems is very small. Here, we report the signal amplification in ionic systems as well as sensing through the modified design of polyelectrolyte hydrogel-based ionic diodes. By designing an open-junction structure, ionic signals from the external environment can be directly transmitted to an ionic diode. Moreover, the minute ionic signals injected into the devices can also be amplified to a large amount of ions. The signal transduction mechanism of the ion-to-ion amplification is suggested and clearly verified by revealing the generation of breakdown ionic currents during an ion injection. Subsequently, various methods for enhancing the amplification are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultra-sensitive measurement of the magneto-optical rotation, due to interaction of linearly-polarized light passing through room-temperature Rb85 atoms, in response to change in longitudinal magnetic field (δBz) is demonstrated using the weak measurement method. The polarization rotation angle measurement sensitivity (δϕ) of 16 μrad and hence of the magnetometer of 1 nT, achieved using the weak measurement method is better than the balanced optical polarimetry results by a factor of three. The improvement in the measurement sensitivity is realized via optical amplification of the polarization rotation angle via spin-orbit coupled light beam-field. The method is devoid of external rf(/ac) modulation, allows for optimal tunability of sensitivity depending on the dynamic range of the applied magnetic field and the sensitivity can be further enhanced by operating in the spin exchange relaxation free regime of alkali spin polarization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cutaneous secretions produced by amphibians of the family Bufonidae are rich sources of bioactive compounds that can be useful as new chemical templates for agrochemicals. In crop protection, the use of elicitors to induce responses offers the prospect of durable, broad-spectrum disease control using the plant’s own resistance. Therefore, we evaluated the potential of methanolic extracts of cutaneous secretions of two species of amphibians of the family Bufonidae found in the Amazon biome—Rhaebo guttatus (species 1) and Rhinella marina (species 2)—in the synthesis of phytoalexins in soybean cotyledons, bean hypocotyls, and sorghum mesocotyls. Additionally, changes in the enzyme activity of β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase (POX), and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and in the total protein content of soybean cotyledons were determined. In the soybean cultivar ‘TMG 132 RR’, our results indicated that the methanolic extract of R. guttatus cutaneous secretions suppressed glyceollin synthesis and β-1,3-glucanase activity and increased POX and PPO activities at higher concentrations and total protein content at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL. On the other hand, the methanolic extract of R. marina cutaneous secretions induced glyceollin synthesis in the soybean cultivars ‘TMG 132 RR’ and ‘Monsoy 8372 IPRO’ at 0.1–0.2 mg/mL and 0.2 mg/mL, respectively. The methanolic extract of R. marina cutaneous secretions also increased the specific activity of POX and PPO in ‘Monsoy 8372 IPRO’ and ‘TMG 132 RR’, respectively, and decreased the activity of β-1,3-glucanases in ‘Monsoy 8372 IPRO’. At 0.3 mg/mL, it stimulated phaseolin synthesis. The extracts did not express bioactivity in the synthesis of deoxyanthocyanidins in sorghum mesocotyls. The study in soybean suggests that the bioactivity in defense responses is influenced by cultivar genotypes. Therefore, these results provide evidence that extracts of cutaneous secretions of these amphibians species may contribute to the bioactivity of defense metabolites in plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adoption of robots in the manufacturing environment is a way to improve productivity, and the assembly of electronic components has benefited from the adoption of highly dedicated automation equipment. Traditionally, articulated 6-axis robots have not been used in electronic surface mount assembly. However, the need for more flexible production systems that can be used for low to medium production builds means that these robots can be used due to their high degrees of flexibility, excellent repeatability and increasingly lower investment costs. This research investigated the application of an articulated robot with six degrees of freedom to assemble a multi-component printed circuit board (PCB) for an electronic product. A heuristic methodology using a genetic algorithm was used to plan the optimal sequence and identify the best location of the parts to the assembly positions on the PCB. Using the optimised paths, a condition monitoring method for cycle time evaluation was conducted using a KUKA KR16 assembly cell together with four different robot path motions. The genetic algorithm approach together with different assembly position iterations identified an optimisation method for improved production throughput using a non-traditional but highly flexible assembly method. The application of optimised articulated robots for PCB assembly can bridge the gap between manual assembly and the high-throughput automation equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is an urgent need for more novel and efficacious therapeutic agents and strategies for the treatment of ovarian cancer - one of the most formidable female malignancies. These approaches should be based on comprehensive understanding of the pathobiology of this cancer and focused on decreasing its recurrence and metastasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of five-year maintenance therapy with indole-3-carbinol (I3C) as well as I3C and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) conducted before, during, and after combined treatment compared with combined treatment alone in advanced ovarian cancer.Methods: Patients with stage III-IV serous ovarian cancer were assigned to receive combined treatment plus I3C (arm 1), combined treatment plus I3C and EGCG (arm 2), combined treatment plus I3C and EGCG plus long-term platinum-taxane chemotherapy (arm 3), combined treatment alone without neoadjuvant platinum-taxane chemotherapy (control arm 4), and combined treatment alone (control arm 5). Combined treatment included neoadjuvant platinum-taxane chemotherapy, surgery, and adjuvant platinum-taxane chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and rate of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer with ascites after combined treatment.Results: After five years of follow-up, maintenance therapy dramatically prolonged PFS and OS compared to control. Median OS was 60.0 months (95% CI: 58.0-60.0 months) in arm 1, 60.0 months (95% CI: 60.0-60.0 months) in arms 2 and 3 while 46.0 months (95% СI: 28.0-60.0 months) in arm 4, and 44.0 months (95% СI: 33.0-58.0 months) in arm 5. Median PFS was 39.5 months (95% СI: 28.0-49.0 months) in arm 1, 42.5 months (95% СI: 38.0-49.0 months) in arm 2, 48.5 months (95% СI: 39.0-53.0 months) in arm 3, 24.5 months (95% СI: 14.0-34.0 months) in arm 4, 22.0 months (95% СI: 15.0-26.0 months) in arm 5. The rate of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer with ascites after combined treatment was significantly less in maintenance therapy arms compared to control.Conclusions: Long-term usage of I3C and EGCG may represent a new promising way of maintenance therapy in advanced ovarian cancer patients, which achieved better treatment outcomes.Trial Registration: Retrospectively registered with ANZCTR number: ACTRN12616000394448 . Date of registration: 24/03/2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austria established energy policy targets to decarbonize the housing sector with an increasing usage of low carbon electricity. Solar photovoltaic (PV) is one of the technologies being used to reach this target. Currently, the deployment of PV in the multi-apartment building sector is supported by subsidies. Taking into account the available potential and the policy goals for largescale PV deployment in the residential sector in Austria, this paper investigates the economic feasibility of PV generation in multi-apartment buildings in the absence of subsidies. It also looks at the necessary regulatory conditions for implementation of economically feasible business models for PV generation in multi-apartment buildings. The empirical data for current research came from case studies of three actual projects, which were implemented by stakeholders with practical experience and knowledge in residential PV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify knowledge gaps on insinuations of possible directions of European Union (EU) and international climate policies.Design/methodology/approach This study has used participatory approach of highly experienced stakeholders’ engagement, involved directly or indirectly in the process of policymaking. A range of priority issues has been initially identified through desk analysis and key stakeholders have been selected and invited to partake in the process. Preliminary results have been validated through interaction with stakeholders during a series of workshops.Findings The results show the identification of a series of sectors, where climate policy is expected to focus in the future and the definition of 11 specific topics upon which knowledge gaps are expected to appear. Results on the identified knowledge needs are analysed and categorized by each prioritized main topic and compared with literature findings. Emphasis is identified to be placed on the topics of renewable energy, EU climate policy and international climate negotiations, which are the most popular ones, followed by energy policy and energy efficiency.Originality/value A key element of the approach is the consideration of key experts’ feedback on their specific area of expertise, instead of general public engagement, therefore leading to accurate results. Despite the fact that our approach was applied to a specific problem, the overall analysis could provide a framework for supporting applications in various problems in the field of priorities’ identification and even expanding to decision-making problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to study temperature variation in grain metal silo using Finite Element Method (FEM). A mathematical model was developed, based on conductive heat transfer expressed in Poisson and Laplace Differential models, by discretising the actual temperature variation at 8 hours storage interval for 153 days (May to September). The temperature variations were measured from specified radii (0, 3.25 m and 8.25 m) and at depth of 1.2 m from the base of the grain silo. The results of the simulation were compared with the ambient and measured values, and this agreed with each other. The pattern of temperature at the depth of 1.2 m from the radii of the metal silo did not differ from each other. This may imply that the silo will need aeration at an interval of 8 hours to curtail excessive heat buildup that may lead to deterioration of stored grains and possible structural failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to maintaining good qualitative parameters of stored grain on farms is to achieve and maintain suitable storage temperatures relative to the outside temperature. In the framework of this research, the main focus was on typical representatives of grain storage facilities used in the Czech agriculture. In the post-harvest period after the crops were stored in the chosen storage facilities, the temperature of the material was monitored at 15-minute intervals using an external temperature probe as well as the temperature and dew point of the outdoor air. A simple linear regression model was used for data analysis. The correlated temperature dependence of the stored grain varies considerably in the monitored storage facilities. The storage halls were characterized by a low dependence (r = 0.2208) of the temperature of the material on the outside air temperature in the first 4 months following the harvest when the grains were being stabilized by active aeration. In addition to the grain and the air temperature, the second focus was monitoring the dew point, i.e. assessing the risk of water vapour condensation on the surface in the upper layer of the stored grain, which is very undesirable for maintaining the quality of the stored grain. The results show that the monitored storage hall can be characterized by the ability to maintain the required climate due to outdoor climatic conditions. In general, this ability mainly depends on the type and design of the storage facility, the aeration system and also the storage capacity. Mainly during spring the dew point and water vapour condensation can often happen within the grain, therefore the need to focus on appropriate measures such as reduced aeration or increased grain mixing, and thus avoiding the formation of critical spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gelatin and activated carbon materials have been combined together to obtain a gelatin/activated carbon composite bead form which is ecofriendly, nontoxic, biocompatible, and inexpensive material. In this paper, gelatin/activated carbon adsorption for Pb2+ ions from aqueous solutions was studied experimentally under various conditions. The experimental conditions such as contact time, solution pH, and gelatin/activated carbon dosage were examined and evaluated by using batch adsorption experiments. The maximum adsorption capacity of gelatin/activated carbon for Pb2+ ions was obtained to be 370.37 mg g−1. This maximum capacity was comparable with that of commercial ion exchange resins and it was much higher than those of natural zeolites. The uptake process for Pb2+ ions was found to be relatively fast with 92.15% of the adsorption completed in about 5 min in batch conditions. The adsorption capacity was also strongly solution pH dependent. Adsorption was observed at pH value as low as 2.0 and maximum adsorption was achieved at a pH of approximately 5. The results indicated that the gelatin/activated carbon was effective to be used as an adsorbent for Pb2+ ions removal in wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Commission as well as the Polish government are promoting sustainable use of energy sources as a part of the dominating sustainable development paradigm. The development of low-emission energy sources engages the challenges of gradual depletion of coal, oil and natural gas reserves, as well as the intensification of the greenhouse effect. The energy policy should take into account development of low-emission energy technologies that contribute mostly to meeting the goals of sustainable development in three dimensions: economic, social and environmental. This study aims to assess the extent to which five low-emission energy technologies contribute to social welfare in the scope of the concept of sustainable development. Heuristic methods, including fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP) are used to resolve the multi-goal problem in order to achieve the aim of this research. Research results show that economic goal is still the most important to the development of various low-emission energy technologies in Poland, followed by the social and environmental goals. Secondly, renewable energy technologies should be utilized instead of nuclear energy to meet sustainable development policy goals. Photovoltaics, followed by biomass and biogas are perceived as the most suitable renewable energy sources. Wind on-shore and wind of-shore are on third and fourth place, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topography plays an important role in land surface processes through its influence on atmospheric forcing, soil and vegetation properties, and river network topology and drainage area. Land surface models with a spatial structure that captures spatial heterogeneity, which is directly affected by topography, may improve the representation of land surface processes. Previous studies found that land surface modeling, using subbasins instead of structured grids as computational units, improves the scalability of simulated runoff and streamflow processes. In this study, new land surface spatial structures are explored by further dividing subbasins into subgrid structures based on topographic properties, including surface elevation, slope and aspect. Two methods (local and global) of watershed discretization are applied to derive two types of subgrid structures (geo-located and non-geo-located) over the topographically diverse Columbia River basin in the northwestern United States. In the global method, a fixed elevation classification scheme is used to discretize subbasins. The local method utilizes concepts of hypsometric analysis to discretize each subbasin, using different elevation ranges that also naturally account for slope variations. The relative merits of the two methods and subgrid structures are investigated for their ability to capture topographic heterogeneity and the implications of this on representations of atmospheric forcing and land cover spatial patterns. Results showed that the local method reduces the standard deviation (SD) of subgrid surface elevation in the study domain by 17 to 19% compared to the global method, highlighting the relative advantages of the local method for capturing subgrid topographic variations. The comparison between the two types of subgrid structures showed that the non-geo-located subgrid structures are more consistent across different area threshold values than the geo-located subgrid structures. Overall the local method and non-geo-located subgrid structures effectively and robustly capture topographic, climatic and vegetation variability, which is important for land surface modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Aim: Crocetin is a readily bioavailable and bioactive compound extracted from Saffron. Previous studies indicated its various biomedical properties including antioxidant and anti-coagulation potencies. However, its effect on inflammation, notably within the cardiovascular system, has not been investigated yet. In the present study, we utilized human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) to elucidate the effect of Crocetin on vascular inflammation. Methods: Cell viability and toxicity were evaluated by MTT and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay, respectively. Pro-inflammatory chemokine Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) and Interleukin-8 (IL-8) expressions were determined by RT-PCR and ELISA. With fluorescence labeled U937 cells, we examined immune cell adhesion to the inflamed HUVEC in vitro, which was further confirmed by the H&E staining in the murine subcutaneous endothelium in vivo. Results: Upon Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in HUVECs, Crocetin ameliorated cell cytotoxicity, suppressed MCP-1 and IL-8 expressions through blocking NF-κB p65 signaling transduction. Moreover, Crocetin inhibited immune cells adhesion and infiltration to inflamed endothelium, which is a key step in inflammatory vascular injury. Conclusions: These findings suggest that Crocetin, a natural herb extract, is a potent suppressor of vascular endothelial inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]