What works in changing energy-using behaviours in the home? A rapid evidence assessment

RAND Europe was commissioned by the Department of Energy & Climate Change (DECC) to undertake a Rapid Evidence Assessment* to understand “What works in changing energy-using behaviours in the home?”. The main objective was to answer this question by systematically reviewing the evidence around domestic behaviour change, with a particular focus on international evidence.In order to identify relevant studies, and avoid overlap with other previous evidence reviews, a set of search criteria was established. For inclusion, studies must:• Target energy-using behaviours in the home.• Consider at least one intervention.**• Go beyond the use of direct feedback on past energy use and pricing strategies to shift or reduce demand; and consider behaviour beyond one-off purchasing decisions (such as the installation of insulation or the purchase of energy-efficient appliances).• Measure a behaviour change in a real-world setting, either observed or self-reported.• Make a comparison between groups (e.g. between treatment and control groups), or across different time periods.No restrictions were applied regarding sample size; and both quantitative and qualitative studies were included.This report draws on 48 behaviour change programmes identified and selected through a systemic search process. These programmes involve a wide range of innovative approaches (such as the provision of Home Energy Reports that compare households’ consumption with their neighbours’) as well as more traditional approaches (including advertising campaigns)

Murine 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Cell Differentiation Model: Validated Reference Genes for qPCR Gene Expression Analysis

BACKGROUND: Analysis of gene expression at the mRNA level, using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), mandatorily requires reference genes (RGs) as internal controls. However, increasing evidences have shown that RG expression may vary considerably under experimental conditions. We sought for an appropriate panel of RGs to be used in the 3T3-L1 cell line model during their terminal differentiation into adipocytes. To this end, the expression levels of a panel of seven widely used RG mRNAs were measured by qRT-PCR. The 7 RGs evaluated were ß-actin (ACTB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase I (HPRT), ATP synthase H+ transporting mitochondrial F1 complex beta subunit (ATP-5b), tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5- monooxygenase activation protein, zeta polypeptide (Ywhaz), Non-POU-domain containing octamer binding protein (NoNo), and large ribosomal protein L13a (RPL). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using three Excel applications, GeNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper, we observed that the number and the stability of potential RGs vary significantly during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes. mRNA expression analyses using qRT-PCR revealed that during the entire differentiation program, only NoNo expression is relatively stable. Moreover, the RG sets that were acceptably stable were different depending on the phase of the overall differentiation process (i.e. mitotic clonal expansion versus the terminal differentiation phase). RPL, ACTB, and Ywhaz, are suitable for terminal differentiation, whereas ATP-5b and HPRT, are suitable during mitotic clonal expansion. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that special attention must be given to the choice of suitable RGs during the various well defined phases of adipogenesis to ensure accurate data analysis and that the use of several RGs is absolutely required. Consequently, our data show for the first time, that during mitotic clonal expansion, the most suitable RGs are ATP-5b, NoNo and HPRT, while during terminal differentiation the most suitable RGs are, NoNo, RPL, ACTB and Ywhaz

Coenzyme Q_(10) and oxidative imbalance in Down syndrome: biochemical and clinical aspects.

Down syndrome (DS) is a chromosomal abnormality (trisomy 21) associated with mental retardation and Alzheimer-like dementia, characteristic change of the individual's phenotype and premature ageing. Oxidative stress is known to play a major role in this pathology since a gene dose effect leads to elevated ratio of superoxide dismutase to catalase/glutathione peroxidase compared to controls in all age categories suggesting that oxidative imbalance contributes to the clinical manifestation of DS. Hyperuricemia is another feature of DS that has an interesting relationship with oxidative stress since uric acid represents an important free radical scavenger. However its formation is connected to the conversion of Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) to Xanthine oxidase (XO) which leads to concomitant production of free radicals. Here we report that plasma samples from DS patients in pediatric age, despite an increased total antioxidant capacity, largely due to elevated Uric acid content (UA), present significantly elevated markers of oxidative damage such as increased allantoin levels. Moreover DS plasma samples do not differ from healthy control ones in terms of Coenzyme Q10 and susceptibility to peroxidative stimuli. On the contrary, lymphocyte and platelet CoQ10 content was significantly lower in DS patients, a fact that might underlie oxidative imbalance at a cellular level

Ab initio calculations and vibrational spectroscopy on the phenylenediamine isomers

Molecular orbital calculations at HF and MP2 levels have been performed using the 6-3IG** basis set for full geometry optimization of the phenylenediamine isomers. Our results show that only a transoid conformer is found for o-phenylenediamine, whereas cis and trans conformers exist for m- and p-phenylenediamine. Vibrational normal modes have been also analyzed for the gas phase and in chloroform solution, and compared with experimental data we have obtained using FTIR spectroscopy. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) loss of function in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines.

Abstract: Two-electron reduction of quinones catalyzed by NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) protects cells against oxidative stress and toxic quinones. In fact, low level of NQO1 activity is often associated with increased risk of developing different types of tumours and with toxic effects linked to environmental quinones. In a previous report we analyzed the relationship between the oxidative stress induced by UV radiation and CoQ(10) content in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines compared to HL-60. The basal content of CoQ(10) in Raji cells was slightly higher compared to HL-60. Moreover, after irradiation or ubiquinone supplementation in the medium, reduced CoQ(10) levels were higher in Raji and Daudi cells compared to HL-60. In the present work, in order to inquire if NQO1 plays a role in the CoQ reducing capacity observed in the lymphoblastoid cell lines, we analyzed the transcription and translation products of this gene in Raji and Daudi cells, compared to cell lines possessing low and high NQO1 activity. The amount of transcripts of this gene in lymphoblastoid cells was comparable to that observed in HL-60 cells (low activity), as well as the level of two alternatively spliced mRNAs; one of which is described for the first time in this work. From the genotype analysis of polymorphisms C609T and C465T we observed that HL-60, Raji and Daudi cells were all heterozygous. Furthermore, NQO1 enzyme activity and protein synthesis in the cytosol of Raji and Daudi cells were undetectable. Therefore in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines the NQO1 gene is not efficiently translated and this effect is not related to (C609T) polymorphism. Further studies will be necessary to find the enzyme responsible for CoQ,() reducing activity observed in lymphoma cell lines. On the other hand, this result suggests a careful re-evaluation of data concerning loss of NQO1 activity and polymorphisms in tumour cells

Advancements in the Utilization of Screen-Printed Boron Doping Paste for High Efficiency Back-Contact Back-Junction Silicon Solar Cells

Screen printed boron doping paste can be used as a cost-effective and highly flexible dopant source in silicon photovoltaics. In combination with a co-diffusion approach, it can help mitigate some of the increased costs advanced solar cell concepts inherit. Aiming at the fabrication of high efficiency back-contact back-junction solar cells, we investigate the limitations of direct structured application regarding minimal feature sizes. We find minimal feature sizes of 75 and 120 μm for n ++ - and p ++ -doped regions, respectively. We also demonstrate a fully compatible and homogeneous (ΔR□/R□ = 3% rel ) co-diffusion process, creating all dopings at once

STUDY OF THE np→ppπ- AND np→d π+ π- REACTIONS WITH THE VERTEX DETECTOR ARCOLE

Nous présentons des résultats préliminaires de l'étude des réactions np→ppπ- et np→d π+ π- obtenus avec un détecteur d'angle solide 4π permettant la reconstruction complète de la cinématique événements par événements.We present preliminary results on the study of the np→ppπ- AND np→d π+ π- reactions obtained with a quasi-4π detector. Full kinematics is obtained event by event