Implementation of positive energy district concepts and energy master plans for decarbonization of districts

In order to achieve a holistic approach to community energy planning for neighbourhoods and districts, it is crucial to provide planners, decision makers, and stakeholders with the necessary methods and instruments. However, there is a research gap in terms of planning and implementation strategies and models. To address this gap, our research used literature and document analysis as well as qualitative interviews to identify implementation models and energy supply options for Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), and to determine which market actors are needed for PEDs. We also discussed the consequences of scaling up the PED concept. Our analysis highlights the importance of integrated energy planning, which is critical for reducing energy consumption, securing the location of energy infrastructure (generation, distribution, storage), and achieving long-term sustainable development and climate neutrality. Therefore, understanding the different dimensions of sustainable development in combination with energy supply and consumption is more important than ever for planning and realizing settlements.publishedVersio

Implementation of positive energy district concepts and energy master plans for decarbonization of districts

In order to achieve a holistic approach to community energy planning for neighbourhoods and districts, it is crucial to provide planners, decision makers, and stakeholders with the necessary methods and instruments. However, there is a research gap in terms of planning and implementation strategies and models. To address this gap, our research used literature and document analysis as well as qualitative interviews to identify implementation models and energy supply options for Positive Energy Districts (PEDs), and to determine which market actors are needed for PEDs. We also discussed the consequences of scaling up the PED concept.Our analysis highlights the importance of integrated energy planning, which is critical for reducing energy consumption, securing the location of energy infrastructure (generation, distribution, storage), and achieving long-term sustainable development and climate neutrality. Therefore, understanding the different dimensions of sustainable development in combination with energy supply and consumption is more important than ever for planning and realizing settlements

Idiopathische dilatative Kardiomyopathie: Untersuchung zur Rolle der ventrikulären leichten Myosinkette Typ 2

Das Kandidatengen Ventrikuläre Leichte Myosinkette Typ 2 (MLC2V) wurde in Bezug auf eine vermutete Rolle in der Pathogenese der idiopathischen dilatativen Kardiomyopathie (IDCM) näher untersucht. An humanen Myokardgewebeproben konnte eine gegenüber gesunden Kontrollen und Patienten mit koronarer Herzkrankheit signifikant erhöhte MLC2V-Transkriptionsrate in den IDCM-Proben gezeigt werden, welche sich damit als selektives Bild der IDCM darstellt. Die Sequenzierung der Exons der MLC2V erbrachte neben wenigen Polymorphismen keine relevanten Mutationen. Auf Proteinebene spiegelte sich die erhöhte Transkription nicht wieder, jedoch wurden bei 4 % der IDCM-Patienten Auto-Antikörper gegen die MLC2V gefunden. Damit wurden im Hinblick auf die MLC2V neue Ansatzpunkte gefunden, welche durch weiterführende Untersuchungen zur Aufklärung der Pathogenese der IDCM beitragen könnten

Positive energy districts in Norway and Switzerland

By looking at different recent developments of PEDs in Switzerland and Norway, we describe the characteristics of national approaches towards PEDs. By deepening the description of two respective case studies in the two countries, we analyzed how PED approaches are implemented within the specific context. We compare the PED concepts, local implementation and functional issues to analyze the approaches. Our research is based on literature and document analysis and qualitative interviews. The results show that different implementation concepts require different measures. From the analysis of the results, the conclusions are that integrated energy planning is more important than ever. Understanding the different dimensions of sustainable development in combination with energy supply and consumption is important to plan and realize settlements that not only contribute significantly to reducing energy consumption and securing the location of energy infrastructure (generation, distribution, storage), but also in terms of long-term sustainable development and specifically climate neutrality. shows/highlight the importance of integrated and cross-sector approaches of PEDs that are implemented and operated in multi-stakeholder settings

W 2.1.3 Bedarfserhebung mit Literaturrecherche und explorativen Interviews zur Konzeption und Durchführung modularer FDM-Zertifikatskurse für FDM-Verantwortliche, Forschende und Studierende

Um ein institutionalisiertes und nachhaltiges Forschungsdatenmanagement (FDM) in Brandenburg zu erreichen, ist es unabdingbar, strukturierte Schulungsangebote für Forschende und Studierende sowie Schulungs- und Weiterbildungsangebote für FDM-Verantwortliche an jeder Hochschule aufzubauen. Deshalb werden im Rahmen des Verbundprojekts „Institutionalisiertes und nachhaltiges Forschungsdatenmanagement in Brandenburg“ (IN-FDM-BB) modulare FDM-Zertifikatskurse für FDM-Verantwortliche, Forschende und Studierende aller acht am Projekt beteiligten staatlichen, forschenden Hochschulen konzipiert, die sowohl den Hochschulangehörigen sowie den Angehörigen der außeruniversitären Forschungseinrichtungen Brandenburgs offenstehen. Ein Zertifikatskurs „Forschungsdatenmanagement für Studierende“ wurde innerhalb des Projekts bereits konzipiert und durchgeführt. Um ein passgenaues Schulungsangebot für alle drei Zielgruppen entwickeln zu können, wurden auf Basis (1) einer Literaturrecherche zur Vermittlung von FDM-Kompetenzen im Hochschulkontext, (2) eines explorativen Gruppeninterviews im Rahmen eines gemeinsamen Online-Workshops inkl. Gruppendiskussionen mit FDM-Verantwortlichen der acht brandenburgischen Hochschulen, (3) einer Bedarfserhebung unter den Forschenden der Hochschulen und (4), ergänzend, durch Auswertung der Kursevaluationen des oben genannten Zertifikatskurses für Studierende entsprechende Bedarfe, Wünsche und Erfahrungen ermittelt. Diese fließen in die Konzipierung der Kurse ein, beziehungsweise ergänzen das bereits bestehende Konzept eines Zertifikatskurses für Studierende. Nach der Zusammenfassung und dem Ausblick folgt noch ein kurzer Exkurs zu dem projektspezifischen Wissensspeicher für FDM-Materialien.Finanziert durch das Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF) und die Europäische Union (NextGenerationEU), sowie das Ministerium für Wissenschaft, Forschung und Kultur (MWFK) des Landes Brandenburg

Environmental Sustainability Post-COVID-19: Scrutinizing Popular Hypotheses from a Social Science Perspective

There is an increasingly vocal debate on potential long-term changes in environmental sustainability spurred by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This article scrutinizes the social science basis of selected popular hypotheses regarding the nexus between the COVID-19 pandemic and the societal transitions towards environmental sustainability. It presents results that were derived through an interdisciplinary dialogue among social scientists. First, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 crisis has likely created a potential window of opportunity for societal change. Yet, to ensure that societal change is enduring and actually supporting the transition towards environmental sustainability, a clear and well-targeted political framework guiding private investments and behavior is required. Second, it is emphasized that there are important structural differences between the COVID-19 crisis and environmental crises, like time scales. Consequently, many strategies used to address the COVID-19 crisis are hardly suitable for long-term transitions towards environmental sustainability. Third, it is argued that transitions towards environmental sustainability—building both on reducing environmental degradation and building socio-techno-ecological resilience—may create co-benefits in terms of preventing and coping with potential future pandemics. However, research still needs to explore how big these synergies are (and whether trade-offs are also possible), and what type of governance framework they require to materialize

Long-Chain and Very Long-Chain Ceramides Mediate Doxorubicin-Induced Toxicity and Fibrosis

Doxorubicin (Dox) is a chemotherapeutic agent with cardiotoxicity associated with profibrotic effects. Dox increases ceramide levels with pro-inflammatory effects, cell death, and fibrosis. The purpose of our study was to identify the underlying ceramide signaling pathways. We aimed to characterize the downstream effects on cell survival, metabolism, and fibrosis. Human fibroblasts (hFSF) were treated with 0.7 µM of Dox or transgenically overexpressed ceramide synthase 2 (FLAG-CerS2). Furthermore, cells were pre-treated with MitoTempo (MT) (2 h, 20 µM) or Fumonisin B1 (FuB) (4 h, 100 µM). Protein expression was measured by Western blot or immunofluorescence (IF). Ceramide levels were determined with mass spectroscopy (MS). Visualizations were conducted using laser scanning microscopy (LSM) or electron microscopy. Mitochondrial activity was measured using seahorse analysis. Dox and CerS2 overexpression increased CerS2 protein expression. Coherently, ceramides were elevated with the highest peak for C24:0. Ceramide- induced mitochondrial ROS production was reduced with MT or FuB preincubation. Mitochondrial homeostasis was reduced and accompanied by reduced ATP production. Our data show that the increase in pro-inflammatory ceramides is an essential contributor to Dox side-effects. The accumulation of ceramides resulted in a lipotoxic shift and subsequently mitochondrial structural and functional damage, which was partially reversible following inhibition of ceramide synthesis

Metabolomic Profiling in Patients with Heart Failure and Exercise Intolerance: Kynurenine as a Potential Biomarker

Aims: Metabolic and structural perturbations in skeletal muscle have been found in patients with heart failure (HF) both with preserved (HFpEF) and reduced (HFrEF) ejection fraction in association with reduced muscle endurance (RME). We aimed in the current study to create phenotypes for patients with RME and HFpEF compared to RME HFrEF according to their metabolomic profiles and to test the potential of Kynurenine (Kyn) as a marker for RME. Methods: Altogether, 18 HFrEF, 17 HFpEF, and 20 healthy controls (HC) were prospectively included in the current study. The following tests were performed on all participants: isokinetic muscle function tests, echocardiography, spiroergometry, and varied blood tests. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry was used to quantify metabolites in serum. Results: Except for aromatic and branched amino acids (AA), patients with HF showed reduced AAs compared to HC. Further perturbations were elevated concentrations of Kyn and acylcarnitines (ACs) in HFpEF and HFrEF patients ( p < 0.05). While patients with HFpEF and RME presented with reduced concentrations of ACs (long- and medium-chains), those with HFrEF and RME had distorted AAs metabolism ( p < 0.05). With an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.83, Kyn shows potential as a marker in HF and RME (specificity 70%, sensitivity 83%). In a multiple regression model consisting of short-chain-ACs, spermine, ornithine, glutamate, and Kyn, the latest was an independent predictor for RME (95% CI: −13.01, −3.30, B: −8.2 per 1 µM increase, p = 0.001). Conclusions: RME in patients with HFpEF vs. HFrEF proved to have different metabolomic profiles suggesting varied pathophysiology. Kyn might be a promising biomarker for patients with HF and RME