Accelerating CO2-Emission Reductions via Corporate Programmes; Analysis of an Existing Corporate Programme

This working paper analyzes and assesses the COYou2 Program of the company Swiss Re. This corporate program allows employees to claim subsidies for the realization of various activities reducing their energy consumption and CO2-emissions at home. Examples of such activities are the purchase of a hybrid car, energy efficient building renovation, or the installation of photovoltaic panels. We find that the uptake of such subsidies is very popular among employees. The three main reasons for this are that 1) activities are well communicated and participation and uptake of subsidies is simple and non-bureaucratic, 2) offered emission reduction activities very much fit the profile and needs of employees, and 3) financial incentives are substantial and thus motivating to realize those activities. Yet, we also show that a large share of emission reduction activities would have been realized also without the extra incentive, which calls into question the additionality of many emission reductions. We therefore suggest that in order to ensure additionally of emission reductions in employees’ households, corporate programs may focus on subsidizing activities and green technologies which are not yet widespread. For example, activities such as highly efficient gasoline and diesel cars as well as carpooling have a high potential to reduce CO2-emissions and may be included in such corporate programs

An Experimental Investigation of Electrical Conductivities in Biopolymers

Tuberculosis is a devastating infectious disease causing many deaths worldwide. Recent investigations have implicated neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in the host response to tuberculosis. The aim of the current study was to obtain evidence for NETs release in the circulation during human tuberculosis. For this we measured the plasma concentrations of nucleosomes in conjunction with neutrophil elastase, in 64 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and 32 healthy controls. Patients with active tuberculosis had elevated plasma levels of nucleosomes and elastase when compared with local healthy blood donors. Furthermore nucleosome and elastase levels showed a positive correlation. These findings provide the first evidence for the release of NETs in the circulation of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis

Graphene/α\alpha-RuCl3_3: An Emergent 2D Plasmonic Interface

Work function-mediated charge transfer in graphene/$\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ heterostructures has been proposed as a strategy for generating highly-doped 2D interfaces. In this geometry, graphene should become sufficiently doped to host surface and edge plasmon-polaritons (SPPs and EPPs, respectively). Characterization of the SPP and EPP behavior as a function of frequency and temperature can be used to simultaneously probe the magnitude of interlayer charge transfer while extracting the optical response of the interfacial doped $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$. We accomplish this using scanning near-field optical microscopy (SNOM) in conjunction with first-principles DFT calculations. This reveals massive interlayer charge transfer (2.7 $\times$ 10$^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$) and enhanced optical conductivity in $\alpha$-RuCl$_3$ as a result of significant electron doping. Our results provide a general strategy for generating highly-doped plasmonic interfaces in the 2D limit in a scanning probe-accessible geometry without need of an electrostatic gate.Comment: 22 pages, 5 figure

Evidence for perinatal and child health care guidelines in crisis settings: can Cochrane help?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>It is important that healthcare provided in crisis settings is based on the best available research evidence. We reviewed guidelines for child and perinatal health care in crisis situations to determine whether they were based on research evidence, whether Cochrane systematic reviews were available in the clinical areas addressed by these guidelines and whether summaries of these reviews were provided in Evidence Aid.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Broad internet searches were undertaken to identify relevant guidelines. Guidelines were appraised using AGREE and the clinical areas that were relevant to perinatal or child health were extracted. We searched The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews to identify potentially relevant reviews. For each review we determined how many trials were included, and how many were conducted in resource-limited settings.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Six guidelines met selection criteria. None of the included guidelines were clearly based on research evidence. 198 Cochrane reviews were potentially relevant to the guidelines. These reviews predominantly addressed nutrient supplementation, breastfeeding, malaria, maternal hypertension, premature labour and prevention of HIV transmission. Most reviews included studies from developing settings. However for large portions of the guidelines, particularly health services delivery, there were no relevant reviews. Only 18 (9.1%) reviews have summaries in Evidence Aid.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We did not identify any evidence-based guidelines for perinatal and child health care in disaster settings. We found many Cochrane reviews that could contribute to the evidence-base supporting future guidelines. However there are important issues to be addressed in terms of the relevance of the available reviews and increasing the number of reviews addressing health care delivery.</p

Fatal outcome of Bacillus cereus septicaemia

Bacillus cereus is a ubiquitous environmental micro-organism which is often a contaminant of clinical cultures. Infections due to B. cereus are described, but mostly in immunocompromised patients. We report a fatal outcome of B. cereus septicaemia in an immunocompetent patient with a mechanical mitral valv

Herpes Zoster after COVID-vaccination

COVID-19 presents in various ways, but mainly as a pulmonary disease (Marzano, 2020). Skin manifestations have been reported, including reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (Marzano, 2020). Our case report describes two adults developing herpes zoster after vaccination with tozinameran (the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 mRNA vaccine). A possible cause for this reaction is a transient lymphocytopenia that occurs after the vaccination — similar to that in COVID-19 disease (Mulligan, 2020; Wang, 2020; Qin, 2020; Brabilla, 2020; Wang, 2020; Wei, 2017). In the context of vaccinating older and/or immunocompromised adults, our observations can be the starting point for further evaluation of a possible relationship between COVID-19, COVID vaccines, and herpes zoster

One-step room temperature synthesis of very small g-Fe2O3 nanoparticles

Very small maghemite nanoparticles (~3 nm) are obtained through a one-step synthesis at room temperature. The fast neutralization reaction of a ferric solution in a basic medium produces an intermediate phase, presumably two-line ferrihydrite, which in oxidizing conditions is transformed to maghemite nanoparticles. The synthesis of maghemite, as final product of the reaction, was characterized by High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (XAFS), Mössbauer spectroscopy, and magnetometry. The XAFS technique allowed the analysis of the crystallographic variations into maghemite nanoparticles as a result of modification in its surface/volume ratio. Mössbauer spectroscopy at low temperature (4.2 K) confirms the presence of Fe(III) in tetrahedral and octahedral interstices, in the stoichiometry corresponding to maghemite. The specific magnetization, M vs H (3 K and 300 K, up to 7 T) and temperature dependence of the magnetization (50 Oe by ZFC mode, 2 K < T < 300 K) indicate that maghemite nanoparticles of 3 nm are in superparamagnetic state with a blocking temperature close to 36 K.Fil: Moscoso Londoño, Oscar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Carrião Dos Santos, Marcus. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; Argentina. Universidade Federal de Goias; BrasilFil: Cosio Castañeda, C.. Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; México. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Bilovol, Vitaliy. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Martinez Sanchez, R.. Universidad de la Habana; CubaFil: Lede, Eduardo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Socolovsky, Leandro Martin. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; ArgentinaFil: Martinez Garcia, Ricardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Tecnologías y Ciencias de la Ingeniería; Argentin

Moiré heterostructures as a condensed-matter quantum simulator

Twisted van der Waals heterostructures have latterly received prominent attention for their many remarkable experimental properties, and the promise that they hold for realising elusive states of matter in the laboratory. We propose that these systems can, in fact, be used as a robust quantum simulation platform that enables the study of strongly correlated physics and topology in quantum materials. Among the features that make these materials a versatile toolbox are the tunability of their properties through readily accessible external parameters such as gating, straining, packing and twist angle; the feasibility to realize and control a large number of fundamental many-body quantum models relevant in the field of condensed-matter physics; and finally, the availability of experimental readout protocols that directly map their rich phase diagrams in and out of equilibrium. This general framework makes it possible to robustly realize and functionalize new phases of matter in a modular fashion, thus broadening the landscape of accessible physics and holding promise for future technological applications.Comment: Invited to Nature Physic