RED, PEF, and EPD: Conflicting rules for determining the carbon footprint of biofuels give unclear signals to fuel producers and customers

Biofuel producers and other commodity suppliers are increasingly affected by conflicting rules for life cycle assessment (LCA). They may get multiple requests for LCAs to be used in various contexts, which require the application of different methodological approaches that vary in scope, system boundaries, data demand, and more. This results in increased cost and competence requirements for producers, as well as confusion among other actors including their customers. Differences in methodologies might also lead to various outcomes, conclusions and conflicting guidance regarding which fuels to prioritize or develop. We have analyzed the actual differences when applying three different frameworks: the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED), the EU framework for Product Environmental Footprints (PEF), and the framework of Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), which have different modeling requirements. We analyzed the methods from a conceptual point of view and also applied the methods to estimate the carbon footprint on a wide range of biofuel production pathways: (i) ethanol from corn, (ii) fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) from rapeseed oil, (iii) biogas from food waste, (iv) hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) from rapeseed oil, and (v) HVO from used cooking oil. Results obtained for a specific fuel could differ substantially depending on the framework applied and the assumptions and interpretations made when applying the different frameworks. Particularly, the results are very sensitive to the modeling of waste management when biofuel is produced from waste. Our results indicate a much higher climate impact for, e.g., biogas and HVO produced from used cooking oil when assessed with the PEF framework compared to the other frameworks. This is because PEF assigns at least part of the production of primary materials and energy to the use of recycled material and recovered energy. Developing Category Rules for biofuels for PEF and EPD ought to help clarifying remaining ambiguities

Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is not involved in base excision repair but PARP inhibition traps a single-strand intermediate

Base excision repair (BER) represents the most important repair pathway of endogenous DNA lesions. Initially, a base damage is recognized, excised and a DNA single-strand break (SSB) intermediate forms. The SSB is then ligated, a process that employs proteins also involved in SSB repair, e.g. XRCC1, Ligase III and possibly PARP1. Here, we confirm the role of XRCC1 and PARP in direct SSB repair. Interestingly, we uncover a synthetic lethality between XRCC1 deficiency and PARP inhibition. We also treated cells with alkylating agent dimethyl sulfate (DMS) and monitored the SSB intermediates formed during BER. DMS-induced SSBs were quickly repaired in wild-type cells; while a rapid accumulation of SSBs was observed in cells where post-incision repair was blocked by a PARP inhibitor or by XRCC1 deficiency (EM9 cells). Interestingly, DMS-induced SSBs did not accumulate in PARP1 siRNA depleted cells, demonstrating that PARP1 is not required for efficient completion of BER. Based on these results we suggest no immediate role for PARP1 in BER, but that PARP inhibitors trap PARP on the SSB intermediate formed during BER. Unexpectedly, addition of PARP inhibitor 2 h after DMS treatment still increased SSB levels indicating ongoing repair even at this late time point

Capability in research on cognition and well-being in ageing and retirement

In this chapter, we outline our thoughts on capability in relation to previous and ongoing research projects conducted by the Adult Development and Ageing (ADA-Gero) Research Group located at the Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. More specifically, we relate our research on cognitive ageing and subjective well-being to the overarching capability framework implemented as a theoretical platform in the AgeCap research consortium

Hunting for dark halo substructure using submilliarcsecond-scale observations of macrolensed radio jets

Dark halo substructure may reveal itself through secondary, small-scale gravitational lensing effects on light sources that are macrolensed by a foreground galaxy. Here, we explore the prospects of using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) observations of multiply-imaged quasar jets to search for submilliarcsecond-scale image distortions produced by various forms of dark substructures in the 1e3-1e8 Msolar mass range. We present lensing simulations relevant for the angular resolutions attainable with the existing European VLBI Network (EVN), the global VLBI array, and an upcoming observing mode in which the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) is connected to the global VLBI array. While observations of this type would not be sensitive to standard cold dark matter subhalos, they can be used to detect more compact forms of halo substructure predicted in alternative structure formation scenarios. By mapping ~5 strongly lensed systems, it should be possible to detect or robustly rule out primordial black holes in the 1e3-1e6 Msolar mass range if they constitute >1% percent of the dark matter in these lenses. Ultracompact minihalos are harder to detect using this technique, but 1e6-1e8 Msolar ultracompact minihalos could in principle be detected if they constitute >10% of the dark matter.Comment: 13 pages, 8 figures; v.2 accepted for publication in MNRA

Non Linear Current Response of a Many-Level Tunneling System: Higher Harmonics Generation

The fully nonlinear response of a many-level tunneling system to a strong alternating field of high frequency $\omega$ is studied in terms of the Schwinger-Keldysh nonequilibrium Green functions. The nonlinear time dependent tunneling current $I(t)$ is calculated exactly and its resonance structure is elucidated. In particular, it is shown that under certain reasonable conditions on the physical parameters, the Fourier component $I_{n}$ is sharply peaked at $n=\frac {\Delta E} {\hbar \omega}$, where $\Delta E$ is the spacing between two levels. This frequency multiplication results from the highly nonlinear process of $n$ photon absorption (or emission) by the tunneling system. It is also conjectured that this effect (which so far is studied mainly in the context of nonlinear optics) might be experimentally feasible.Comment: 28 pages, LaTex, 7 figures are available upon request from [email protected], submitted to Phys.Rev.

Breast cancer associated CD169+ macrophages possess broad immunosuppressive functions but enhance antibody secretion by activated B cells

CD169+ resident macrophages in lymph nodes of breast cancer patients are for unknown reasons associated with a beneficial prognosis. This contrasts CD169+ macrophages present in primary breast tumors (CD169+ TAMs), that correlate with a worse prognosis. We recently showed that these CD169+ TAMs were associated with tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) and Tregs in breast cancer. Here, we show that CD169+ TAMs can be monocyte-derived and express a unique mediator profile characterized by type I IFNs, CXCL10, PGE2 and inhibitory co-receptor expression pattern. The CD169+ monocyte-derived macrophages (CD169+ Mo-M) possessed an immunosuppressive function in vitro inhibiting NK, T and B cell proliferation, but enhanced antibody and IL6 secretion in activated B cells. Our findings indicate that CD169+ Mo-M in the primary breast tumor microenvironment are linked to both immunosuppression and TLS functions, with implications for future targeted Mo-M therapy

The Gothenburg H70 Birth cohort study 2014-16: design, methods and study population

To improve health care for older persons, we need to learn more about ageing, e.g. identify protective factors and early markers for diseases. The Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort Studies (the H70 studies) are multidisciplinary epidemiological studies examining representative birth cohorts of older populations in Gothenburg, Sweden. So far, six birth cohorts of 70-year-olds have been examined over time, and examinations have been virtually identical between studies. This paper describes the study procedures for the baseline examination of the Birth cohort 1944, conducted in 2014-16. In this study, all men and women born 1944 on specific dates, and registered as residents in Gothenburg, were eligible for participation (n = 1839). A total of 1203 (response rate 72.2%; 559 men and 644 women; mean age 70.5 years) agreed to participate in the study. The study comprised sampling of blood and cerebrospinal fluid, psychiatric, cognitive, and physical health examinations, examinations of genetics and family history, use of medications, social factors, functional ability and disability, physical fitness and activity, body composition, lung function, audiological and ophthalmological examinations, diet, brain imaging, as well as a close informant interview, and qualitative studies. As in previous examinations, data collection serves as a basis for future longitudinal follow-up examinations. The research gained from the H70 studies has clinical relevance in relation to prevention, early diagnosis, clinical course, experience of illness, understanding pathogenesis and prognosis. Results will increase our understanding of ageing and inform service development, which may lead to enhanced quality of care for older persons