The potential of natural gas as a bridging technology in low-emission road transportation in Germany

Greenhouse gas emission reductions are at the centre of national and international efforts to mitigate climate change. In road transportation, many politically incentivised measures focus on increasing the energy efficiency of established technologies, or promoting electric or hybrid vehicles. The abatement potential of the former approach is limited, electric mobility technologies are not yet market-ready. In a case study for Germany, this paper focuses on natural gas powered vehicles as a bridging technology in road transportation. Scenario analyses with a low level of aggregation show that natural gas-based road transportation in Germany can accumulate up to 464 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emission reductions until 2030 depending on the speed of the diffusion process. If similar policies were adopted EU-wide, the emission reduction potential could reach a maximum of about 2.5 billion tonnes of CO2-equivalent. Efforts to promote natural gas as a bridging technology may therefore contribute to significant emissions reductions

Liposome-coated iron fumarate metal-organic framework nanoparticles for combination therapy

One of the main problems for effective treatment of cancer is resistances, which often require combination therapy-for effective treatment. While there are already some potential drug carriers-e.g., liposomes, available for treatment-the effective loading and retention of the desired drug ratio can be challenging. To address this challenge, we propose a new type of drug carrier: liposome-coated metal-organic framework (MOF) nanoparticles. They combine the advantages of liposomes with an easy and efficient loading process. In this work, we present the successful synthesis of liposome-coated MOF nanoparticles via the fusion method. The resulting particles, once loaded, show no premature leakage and an efficient release. Their successful loading with both single and multiple drugs at the same time makes them an interesting candidate for use in combination therapy

Non-linear stochastic dynamics of a cable-mass system with finite bending stiffness via the equivalent linearization technique

The non-linear stochastic dynamic behaviour of a high-rise vertical transportation system modelled as a concentrated mass and a cable with finite bending stiffness is considered. The slow time scale is defined and lateral cable displacements coupled with transverse motions are expanded in terms of approximating functions. The excitation of the high-rise building is assumed in the form of a narrow-band mean-square process equivalent to the harmonic process. The equivalent linearization technique is used to replace the original non-linear system with a linear approximation whose coefficients are determined from minimization of the mean-square equation difference between both systems

Digital Consumption and Over-Indebtedness Among Young Adults in Sweden

This LUii report presents empirical results from studies on consumption and over-indebtedness in Swedish young adults in a digital context. The studies have been conducted through in-depth interviews with municipal financial counsellors as well as a quantitative survey with approximately 1,100 respondents in a sample representative of Swedes from 18 to 25 years old. The report includes an extensive literature review on over-indebtedness and consumption in a digital context. The purpose of the project has been to form a better understanding of in what ways the digitization of our everyday lives – including consumption, credit handling and overall communication – influences economic vulnerability among young adults. The research report is written by researchers linked to Lund University Internet Institute (LUii) and has been funded by the Swedish Enforcement Authority. The research has also been conducted in connection with a wider interdisciplinary research theme on ”The Credit Society”, at the Pufendorf Institute for Advanced Studies at Lund University. The research group is led by Stefan Larsson, Associate Professor in Technology and Social Change, and involves Lupita Svensson, PhD in Social Work, and Hanna Carlsson, PhD in Information Science. The work with the literature review received invaluable help from Fredrik Åström, bibliometrician and Associate Professor at Lund University. The empirical research was conducted during 2015 and early 2016

Linking the loop : voicing dimensions of home economics

The aim of this study is to analyse how individuals working within the field of Home Economics describe the profession against the background of the Position Statement published by the International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE) in 2008 and discussion papers detailing the Position Statement published in the first issue of the International Journal of Home Economics (IJHE). This paper links individual statements on the meaning of Home Economics provided for Linking the Loop project with four key dimensions or areas of practice of Home Economics, as defined in the IFHE Position Statement, and reflects the statements against generational theory. A qualitative content analysis of 94 statements provided by Home Economists around the world provides an insight to the variety in understanding and defining the field—a process that is essential to secure a viable future for the profession.Peer reviewe

Congenitally deaf children's care trajectories in the context of universal neonatal hearing screening: a qualitative study of the parental experiences

The objective of this study is to examine the early care trajectories of congenitally deaf children from a parental perspective, starting with universal neonatal hearing screenings. The analysis using a three-dimensional care trajectory concept is aimed at developing a basic typology of postscreening care trajectories. Children with severe/profound hearing loss, registered in the Flanders' (Belgium) universal neonatal hearing screening program, born between 1999 and 2001. Thematic content analysis of qualitative data collected retrospectively from participant's parents. Two basic types of care trajectories emerged; based on differences in care-use in the phase of further diagnosis and related parental experiences. Subtypes resulted from events related to cochlear implantation. Five trajectory phases were identified: screening, further diagnosis, care and technology, cochlear implantation, and reduction of care and were characterized by specific parental experiences such as confusion, disbelief, disappointment, and uncertainty. Those experiences relate to care professionals' acts and communication and the child's functional evolution. Early care interventions could benefit from coordinated transition between phases, parent support throughout the care trajectory, and a broad approach to deafness in professionals' communication

MAPK phosphatase-1 represents a novel antiinflammatory target of glucocorticoids in the human endothelium

Glucocorticoids are well-established anti- inflammatory drugs thought to mainly act by inhibition of proinflammatory transcription factors like NF-κB. In recent years, however, transcription factorindependent mechanisms of glucocorticoid action have been proposed, namely the influence on MAPK pathways. Here we identify MAPK phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) as a pivotal mediator of the anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids in the human endothelium. We applied dexamethasone (Dex) to TNF-α-activated human endothelial cells and used the adhesion molecule E-selectin as inflammatory read-out parameter. Dex is known to reduce the expression of E-selectin, which is largely regulated by NF-κB. Here, we communicate that Dex at low concentrations (1–100 nM) markedly attenuates E-selectin expression without affecting NF-κB. Importantly, Dex is able to increase the expression of MKP-1, which causes an inactivation of TNF-α-induced p38 MAPK and mediates inhibition of E-selectin expression. In endothelial MKP-1ˉ/ˉ cells differentiated from MKP-1ˉ/ˉ embryonic stem cells and in MKP-1-silenced human endothelial cells, Dex did not inhibit TNF-α-evoked E-selectin expression. Thus, our findings introduce MKP-1 as a novel and crucial mediator of the anti-inflammatory action of glucocorticoids at low concentrations in the human endothelium and highlight MKP-1 as an important and promising antiinflammatory drug target

The Chemistry of Reticular Framework Nanoparticles: MOF, ZIF, and COF Materials

Nanoparticles have become a vital part of a vast number of established processes and products;they are used as catalysts, in cosmetics, and even by the pharmaceutical industry. Despite this, however, the reliable and reproducible production of functional nanoparticles for specific applications remains a great challenge. In this respect, reticular chemistry provides methods for connecting molecular building blocks to nanoparticles whose chemical composition, structure, porosity, and functionality can be controlled and tuned with atomic precision. Thus, reticular chemistry allows for the translation of the green chemistry principle of atom economy to functional nanomaterials, giving rise to the multifunctional efficiency concept. This principle encourages the design of highly active nanomaterials by maximizing the number of integrated functional units while minimizing the number of inactive components. State-of-the-art research on reticular nanoparticles-metal-organic frameworks, zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, and covalent organic frameworks-is critically assessed and the beneficial features and particular challenges that set reticular chemistry apart from other nanoparticle material classes are highlighted. Reviewing the power of reticular chemistry, it is suggested that the unique possibility to efficiently and straightforwardly synthesize multifunctional nanoparticles should guide the synthesis of customized nanoparticles in the future

Fiber stiffness, pore size and adhesion control migratory phenotype of MDA-MB-231 cells in collagen gels

Cancer cell migration is influenced by cellular phenotype and behavior as well as by the mechanical and chemical properties of the environment. Furthermore, many cancer cells show plasticity of their phenotype and adapt it to the properties of the environment. Here, we study the influence of fiber stiffness, confinement, and adhesion properties on cancer cell migration in porous collagen gels. Collagen gels with soft fibers abrogate migration and promote a round, non-invasive phenotype. Stiffer collagen fibers are inherently more adhesive and lead to the existence of an adhesive phenotype and in general confined migration due to adhesion. Addition of TGF-beta lowers adhesion, eliminates the adhesive phenotype and increases the amount of highly motile amoeboid phenotypes. Highest migration speeds and longest displacements are achieved in stiff collagen fibers in pores of about cell size by amoeboid phenotypes. This elucidates the influence of the mechanical properties of collagen gels on phenotype and subsequently migration and shows that stiff fibers, cell sized pores, and low adhesion, are optimal conditions for an amoeboid phenotype and efficient migration