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Formulating energy policies at national, European, and global levels is extremely challenging. The move away from fossil fuels is associated with a variety of technological, economic, and social implications, each of which is subject to dynamic changes and societal scrutiny and can hardly be predicted with certainty. Therefore, a fact-based assessment for the path to a sustainable green energy future is sought out in this paper, using the road-based mobility sector of the Federal Republic of Germany as an example. The analysis performed in this paper is built on publicly accessible, reputable sources like DESTATIS and EUROSTAT. In addition, some very simple calculations were made, e.g., on the potential for wind and photovoltaic energy within Germany. Such an analysis needs to start with the overall energy consumption of any one country. A basic assumption of the paper is that the energy system of the future will be based to a large extent on electricity and its storage in chemical energy. It is assumed that, in addition to hydrogen, liquid energy sources will play a significant role due to the simplicity of their logistics and the subsequent implications on cost. Examples of green, electricity-based fuels with great potential are methanol, methane, and ammonia. Additionally, biomass plays an important role, either for direct use as a fuel or as a source of non-fossil carbon. Today, biofuels, i.e., biodiesel and bioethanol, deliver the largest contribution to climate protection in the EU transport sector. The main goal—the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions—often collides with geopolitical circumstances or national political necessities. This includes, for example, the current world market situation and its national impacts caused by the Russian attack on Ukraine. The prospect for a green, sustainable, and defossilized energy supply are discussed in this context. The paper concludes that a defossilized world energy supply and trade based on renewable electricity and its derivatives, eHydrogen and refuels, and on biomass, is feasible.

The complexity of biodiesel aging has shown that the mechanism needs further research. The rate of aging product formation and associated interactions can help improve fuel quality. Since biodiesel is a multicomponent system and constant changes occur in the chemical environment, which interactions yield which products must be shown in more detail. Particularly under observation was the correlation between peroxides and epoxides. In addition, it is critical that the influence and interactions of new drop-in fuel candidates be investigated. In this work, the kinetics of the formation of aging products of methyl oleate (C18:1) are studied. The aim was to reduce the complexity in order to be able to make more precise and detailed statements about the mechanism. Ketones, acids, peroxide, and epoxide values were recorded. A distinction is made between pure methyl oleate and mixtures with 3 wt% isopropylidene glycerine (solketal). After solketal decomposed in the blends, the aging process showed changes. The influence of solketal resulted in a higher number of acids and epoxides over time. It implied that peroxides are not necessarily the precursor of epoxides. In summary, correlation and solketal’s influence showed that a sequence of aging products could be detected.

ABSTRACT: The current investigation intended to check the influence of Pleurotus albidus extract supplementation on body weight, food intake, glycemia, serum lipids, and oxidative stress parameters. Healthy male C57BL/6 mice were partitioned into two experimental groups: control and P. albidus. The supplementation was performed by gavage (500 mg/kg) for 20 uninterrupted days. During this period, all animals received water and food ad libitum and they had their food ingestion and body weight monitored weekly. After, mice underwent an insulin sensitivity test, followed by euthanasia and biochemical analyses. P. albidus supplementation decreased the body weight and food intake, but it did not change other parameters in healthy mice. This work showed for the first time that the P. albidus extract supplementation presents a promising potential on body weight and food intake control.

Abstract Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is one of the major causes of heart failure and mortality. Glucocorticoids administration post-infarction has long been proposed, but it has shown conflicting results so far. This controversy may be associated with the glucocorticoid type and the period when it is administered. To elucidate these, the present aims to evaluate if the brief methylprednisolone acetate administration is determinant for heart adaptation after AMI. Male Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: sham-operated (SHAM); infarcted (AMI); infarcted treated with methylprednisolone acetate (AMI+M). Immediately after surgery, the AMI+M group received a single dose of methylprednisolone acetate (40 mg/kg i.m.). After 56 days, the cardiac function was assessed and lungs, liver and heart were collected to determine rates of hypertrophy and congestion. Heart was used for oxidative stress and metalloproteinase activity analyses. Methylprednisolone acetate attenuated matrix metalloproteinase-2 activity, cardiac dilatation, and prevented the onset of pulmonary congestion, as well as avoided cardiac hypertrophy. Our data indicate that administration of methylprednisolone acetate shortly after AMI may be a therapeutic alternative for attenuation of detrimental ventricular remodeling.

The main focus of convergence studies surrounds the question ofwhether poor economies catch up to wealthier economies over time. The regionalconvergence process in Europe has generated considerable interest in recent years.Due to financial straits regional convergence is a central question, since importantfunds aim at diminishing disparities. There are many studies published recently dealingwith this issue using different empirical approaches. The β-convergence framework,which was introduced by Barro and Sala-i-Martin, is, for instance, an oftenused approach. This paper provides a critical review of the used approaches and summarisesthe results. A special problem is that authors refer to different periods andMember State groups (EU-9, EU-15, etc.). Altogether it can be stated that most modelsfind a slow convergence process. In particular, the increase of regional inequalitiescaused by the enlargement of the EU with the New Member States from Centraland Eastern Europe explains the existence of convergence clubs.

Previous work by our group described that human β-defensin-2 induces accumulation of extracellular adenosine (Ado) in E. coli cultures through a non-lytic mechanism causing severe plasmolysis. Here, we investigate the presence of AMP as a direct precursor and the involvement of a bacterial enzyme in the generation of extracellular Ado by treated bacteria. Following hBD-2 treatment, metabolites were quantified in the supernatants using targeted HPLC-MS/MS analysis. Microbial growth was monitored by optical density and cell viability was determined by colony forming units counts. Phosphatase activity was measured using chromogenic substrate pNPP. The results demonstrate that defensin-treated E. coli strain W releases AMP in the extracellular space, where it is converted to Ado by a bacterial soluble factor. An increase in phosphatase activity in the supernatant was observed after peptide treatment, similar to the effect of sucrose-induced osmotic stress, suggesting that the periplasmic 5'nucleotidase (5'-NT) is released following the plasmolysis event triggered by the peptide. Ado accumulation was enhanced in the presence of Co2+ ion and inhibited by EDTA, further supporting the involvement of a metallo-phosphatase such as 5'-NT in extracellular AMP conversion into Ado. The comparative analysis of hBD-induced Ado accumulation in different E. coli strains and in Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed that the response is not correlated to the peptide's effect on cell viability, but indicates it might be dependent on the subcellular distribution of the nucleotidase. Taken together, these data shed light on a yet undescribed mechanism of host-microbial interaction: a human antimicrobial peptide inducing selective release of a bacterial enzyme (E. coli 5'-NT), leading to the formation of a potent immunomodulator metabolite (Ado).

BACKGROUND: The YycFG two-component regulatory system (TCS) of Staphylococcus aureus represents the only essential TCS that is almost ubiquitously distributed in gram-positive bacteria with a low G+C-content. YycG (WalK/VicK) is a sensor histidine-kinase and YycF (WalR/VicR) is the cognate response regulator. Both proteins play an important role in the biosynthesis of the cell envelope and mutations in these proteins have been involved in development of vancomycin and daptomycin resistance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Here we present high yield expression and purification of the full-length YycG and YycF proteins as well as of the auxiliary proteins YycH and YycI of Staphylococcus aureus. Activity tests of the YycG kinase and a mutated version, that harbours an Y306N exchange in its cytoplasmic PAS domain, in a detergent-micelle-model and a phosholipid-liposome-model showed kinase activity (autophosphorylation and phosphoryl group transfer to YycF) only in the presence of elevated concentrations of alkali salts. A direct comparison of the activity of the kinases in the liposome-model indicated a higher activity of the mutated YycG kinase. Further experiments indicated that YycG responds to fluidity changes in its microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The combination of high yield expression, purification and activity testing of membrane and membrane-associated proteins provides an excellent experimental basis for further protein-protein interaction studies and for identification of all signals received by the YycFGHI system.

An analysis of the commuter behaviour is an important question because of the high unemployment rate in many German regions. However, there are no actual investigations for the whole country. We use data of the Federal Employment Office (Bundesagentur für Arbeit), which include all national insurance contributors, to estimate gravity models. These calculations show the willingness to travel from home to work for all employed persons as well as for sociodemographic subgroups. It can be stated that men are more prepared to commute than women if the distance is increasing, that Germans are more willing to commute than foreigners and that workers have a greater commuting resistance than other employees. A local analysis shows that the influence of distance on commuting is higher in East German regions than in West Germany. One reason for that result may be the lower wages in East Germany. Employees accept longer driving times to work in economically prosperous regions in West Germany.

Functional delineated labour market regions are needed for regional economic analyses. In dependence of the definition of regions economic regions in space can be seen as “rich” or “poor” areas. In addition to this statistical and econometric reasons argue for using functional labour market regions. The available definitions of functional units are based mostly on data from 1980s and 1990s. To that extent a new delineation is required. The authors use a factor analysis with an oblique rotation and receive 150 labour market regions, which consist of one or more administrative units (Kreise). These labour markets regions fulfil the criterion of reasonable commuting time (maximally 45 to 60 minutes in dependence of the attractiveness of the centre). They have a size of more than 50,000 inhabitants.

Multi material design (mmd) represents the ideal compromise for the automotive lightweight design of the future with its capability of weight-reduced components at acceptable costs and practicability in large-scale production. At present, there are only limited selection strategies available for the goal-oriented identification of potential multi material areas in the vehicle. In order to develop a selection strategy for potential areas of application of the design method, the properties and conversion factors of existing components in hybrid construction methods from the automotive industry and research were investigated. In this contribution, the relevant influencing factors from component design, material selection, production and joining technology as well as cost planning are identified and their interaction is investigated. Based on a Pareto-Analysis in combination with the evaluation of a component study, significant effects could be identified regarding structural automotive components in mmd. The identified effects and their interaction are classified into a network of dependent variables. The "Network of mmd potentials" serves as a result of this contribution the basis for the development of an regression model for the indication of the feasibility of components in mmd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight construction has become increasingly important in recent decades. The fundamental idea of lightweight design is not to save weight at any price, but to use resources responsibly. Less waste and the right material in the right place can save costs and reduce energy consumption. Lightweight construction often increases design complexity. Algorithms can help to solve highly complicated design tasks effectively. This paper shows how load paths can be used to reinforce a component optimally. The load path method is an efficient way of structural reinforcement. It also fits perfectly to a new manufacturing method which will be shortly discussed: A textile machine for biaxial NCF (non crimp fabrics) with a special unit for offsetting warps of carbon fibers. This novel technology allows the reinforcing material to be placed at exactly the right place at high production speeds. The base material can be a cheaper fiber, such as glass fiber, the local reinforcement material can be a high performance fiber, such as carbon fiber. The manufacturing process is only considered to the extent that all relevant manufacturing restrictions can be extracted. Five key restrictions are being studied (e.g. minimal curvature radius or minimal and maximal stacking angle). All restriction can be broken down to geometrical information and formulated as various mathematical problems. These problems can be solved efficiently by known algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's products have to fulfill an increasing amount of functions which commonly results in increasing weight, costs and size of the product. An approach to face these challenges is to realize different functions by multi-functional design. This paper presents an approach for developing multi-functional concepts by considering three different system models to reduce the complexity of the design task. The approach is applied on a development procedure for multi-functional components with a prioritization of non-structural functions and subsequently adding the mechanical functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]