Draft Genome Sequence of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius Strain 13-13613, Isolated from a Case of Canine Pyoderma

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Staphylococcus pseudintermedius strain 13-13613, isolated from a case of canine pyoderma. The draft genome contains 2,533,486 bp in 570 contigs

New Perspectives for Evaluating the Mass Transport in Porous Catalysts and Unfolding Macro- and Microkinetics

In this article we shed light on newly emerging perspectives to characterize and understand the interplay of diffusive mass transport and surface catalytic processes in pores of gas phase metal catalysts. As a case study, nanoporous gold, as an interesting example exhibiting a well-defined pore structure and a high activity for total and partial oxidation reactions is considered. PFG NMR (pulsed field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance) measurements allowed here for a quantitative evaluation of gas diffusivities within the material. STEM (scanning transmission electron microscopy) tomography furthermore provided additional insight into the structural details of the pore system, helping to judge which of its features are most decisive for slowing down mass transport. Based on the quantitative knowledge about the diffusion coefficients inside a porous catalyst, it becomes possible to disentangle mass transport contributions form the measured reaction kinetics and to determine the kinetic rate constant of the underlying catalytic surface reaction. In addition, predictions can be made for an improved effectiveness of the catalyst, i.e., optimized conversion rates. This approach will be discussed at the example of low-temperature CO oxidation, efficiently catalysed by npAu at 30 °C. The case study shall reveal that novel porous materials exhibiting well-defined micro- and mesoscopic features and sufficient catalytic activity, in combination with modern techniques to evaluate diffusive transport, offer interesting new opportunities for an integral understanding of catalytic processes

The German Vehicle Mileage Survey 2014: Striking the balance between methodological innovation and continuity

Vehicle kilometers travelled (VKT) directly reflect the extent of spatial interaction within society and economy. VKT is also a key figure to quantify the use of road infrastructure. Consequently, VKT is one of the most important statistical indicators in traffic and transport. For a country with substantial cross-border transport relations such as Germany, VKT must be differentiated in national and domestic VKT: national VKT is the mileage of vehicles registered in Germany while domestic VKT is the mileage on German territory by German and foreign vehicles. This paper presents the most current German VKT survey, Fahrleistungserhebung (FLE) 2014, which comprised two elements: a motor vehicle owner survey to measure national VKT and traffic counts to measure domestic VKT. Vehicle mileage figures with deep stratification of both national and domestic VKT can only be generated through such special empirical studies. The focus of this paper is on the vehicle owner survey and national VKT

Nanoporous Gold: From Structure Evolution to Functional Properties in Catalysis and Electrochemistry

Nanoporous gold (NPG) is characterized by a bicontinuous network of nanometer-sized metallic struts and interconnected pores formed spontaneously by oxidative dissolution of the less noble element from gold alloys. The resulting material exhibits decent catalytic activity for low-temperature, aerobic total as well as partial oxidation reactions, the oxidative coupling of methanol to methyl formate being the prototypical example. This review not only provides a critical discussion of ways to tune the morphology and composition of this material and its implication for catalysis and electrocatalysis, but will also exemplarily review the current mechanistic understanding of the partial oxidation of methanol using information from quantum chemical studies, model studies on single-crystal surfaces, gas phase catalysis, aerobic liquid phase oxidation, and electrocatalysis. In this respect, a particular focus will be on mechanistic aspects not well understood, yet. Apart from the mechanistic aspects of catalysis, best practice examples with respect to material preparation and characterization will be discussed. These can improve the reproducibility of the materials property such as the catalytic activity and selectivity as well as the scope of reactions being identified as the main challenges for a broader application of NPG in target-oriented organic synthesis

Tofacitinib Loaded Squalenyl Nanoparticles for Targeted Follicular Delivery in Inflammatory Skin Diseases

Tofacitinib (TFB), a Janus kinase inhibitor, has shown excellent success off-label in treating various dermatological diseases, especially alopecia areata (AA). However, TFB’s safe and targeted delivery into hair follicles (HFs) is highly desirable due to its systemic adverse effects. Nanoparticles (NPs) can enhance targeted follicular drug delivery and minimize interfollicular permeation and thereby reduce systemic drug exposure. In this study, we report a facile method to assemble the stable and uniform 240 nm TFB loaded squalenyl derivative (SqD) nanoparticles (TFB SqD NPs) in aqueous solution, which allowed an excellent loading capacity (LC) of 20%. The SqD NPs showed an enhanced TFB delivery into HFs compared to the aqueous formulations of plain drug in an ex vivo pig ear model. Furthermore, the therapeutic efficacy of the TFB SqD NPs was studied in a mouse model of allergic dermatitis by ear swelling reduction and compared to TFB dissolved in a non-aqueous mixture of acetone and DMSO (7:1 v/v). Whereas such formulation would not be acceptable for use in the clinic, the TFB SqD NPs dispersed in water illustrated a better reduction in inflammatory effects than plain TFB’s aqueous formulation, implying both encouraging good in vivo efficacy and safety. These findings support the potential of TFB SqD NPs for developing a long-term topical therapy of AA

Digitization in Catalysis Research: Towards a Holistic Description of a Ni/Al2O3 Reference Catalyst for CO2 Methanation

There is considerable motivation in the catalysis community and chemical industry to envision a future where rational catalyst design and targeted chemical process optimization become standard. Achieving this goal for heterogeneous catalysis requires a cultural shift centered around effective research data management. The core elements of modern catalysis research are synthesis, characterization, and testing, while all can be elevated by effective collection, correlation, interoperation, and exploitation of data between disciplines and stakeholders. Here, first steps are made towards a holistic picture of an industrial Ni/Al$_2$O$_3$ reference catalyst for CO$_2$ methanation. A range of conventional and advanced characterization tools are applied to probe metal particle size and pore characteristics of the support, selected as crucial parameters for catalyst performance. Challenges are shown with respect to current reporting of characterization data and metadata, which ultimately influences the development and reliability of digital twins in catalysis research. Furthermore, the cooperation and combined expertise of diverse research groups from different fields is recognized as essential to deliver meaningful progress towards the digital future of catalysis research

The German Vehicle Mileage Survey 2014: Striking the balance between methodological innovation and continuity

Vehicle kilometers travelled (VKT) directly reflect the extent of spatial interaction within society and economy. VKT is also a key figure to quantify the use of road infrastructure. Consequently, VKT is one of the most important statistical indicators in traffic and transport. For a country with substantial cross-border transport relations such as Germany, VKT must be differentiated in national and domestic VKT: national VKT is the mileage of vehicles registered in Germany while domestic VKT is the mileage on German territory by German and foreign vehicles. This paper presents the most current German VKT survey, Fahrleistungserhebung (FLE) 2014, which comprised two elements: a motor vehicle owner survey to measure national VKT and traffic counts to measure domestic VKT. Vehicle mileage figures with deep stratification of both national and domestic VKT can only be generated through such special empirical studies. The focus of this paper is on the vehicle owner survey and national VKT

Personenwirtschaftsverkehr - Mobil im Namen der Dienstleistung?

Während sich die Verkehrsforschung in der Vergangenheit ausgiebig mit Personen- und Güterverkehr beschäftigt hat, ist der Personenwirtschaftsverkehr als ein wichtiger Teil des Wirtschaftsverkehrs bislang kaum untersucht worden. Dabei lässt gerade der wachsende Stellenwert des Dienstleistungssektors erwarten, dass dieser Verkehrsbereich weiter an Bedeutung gewinnt. Derzeit fehlen aber noch Kenntnisse sowohl zum Umfang als auch zu den genauen Ursachen und Ausprägungen des Personenwirtschaftsverkehrs sowie zur Frage, wie die weitere Entwicklung einzuschätzen ist. Im Rahmen des BMWi-Projektes „Dienstleistungsverkehr in industriellen Wertschöpfungsprozessen“ wurden 2.511 Unternehmen in ganz Deutschland befragt, um dieses Informationsdefizit zu beheben. Der Beitrag stellt die Projektinhalte vor und präsentiert erste Ergebnisse

Method Development Study on Generating a Safety Performance Indicator based on Euro NCAP Assessment Results

Das European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) ist ein verbraucherschutzorientiertes Programm zur Bewertung der Sicherheit von – in der Regel – neuen Kraftfahrzeugmodellen. Das Programm gibt es seit 1997, seit 2009 besteht die Bewertung aus 4 Bausteinen (1. Schutz erwachsener Insassen; 2. Schutz von Kindern im Fahrzeug; 3. Schutz schwächerer Verkehrsteilnehmer; 4. Ausstattung mit Fahrerassistenzsystemen). Das Hauptziel des vorliegenden Projekts bestand darin, die Testergebnisse aus Euro NCAP soweit möglich auf die gesamte Pkw-Flotte zu übertragen und daraus einen Safety Performance Indikator (SPI) für den Pkw-Bestand mehrerer aufeinander folgender Jahre (Zeitreihe) zu bilden. Ein weiteres Ziel war es zu untersuchen, ob ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Euro NCAP-Bewertung von Fahrzeugen und dem Unfallgeschehen existiert. Neben Literaturanalysen wurden hierzu statistische Modelle zum Einfluss der durch den SPI ausgedrückten Fahrzeugsicherheit auf die korrespondierende Zahl der Verunglückten aus der amtlichen Straßenverkehrsunfallstatistik geschätzt. Ein wesentlicher Schritt bei der Entwicklung eines SPI zur Fahrzeugsicherheit bestand darin, die Euro NCAP-Testergebnisse der verschiedenen Jahre im Hinblick auf die im Zeitverlauf geänderten Testprozeduren soweit als möglich vergleichbar zu machen. Hierfür wurde eine Projektgruppe bestehend aus Experten der BASt in den Bereichen Aktive und Passive Fahrzeugsicherheit gebildet, welche die Aufgabe hatte, je Baustein zu quantifizieren, wie sich diese Veränderungen der Testprozeduren auf die Fahrzeugbewertung auswirken. Dabei wurden die Testrahmenbedingungen des Jahres 2020 als Referenz herangezogen. Der zweite wesentliche Schritt zur Erzeugung eines Safety Performance Indikators bestand darin, die – neu berechneten – Euro NCAP-Ergebnisdaten für die einzelnen getesteten Marken und Modelle mit den ZFZR-Beständen (1.1.2014 bis 1.1.2020) zu verknüpfen (matching). Die Verknüpfung der ZFZR-Bestandsdaten mit den Euro NCAP-Bewertungsdaten erfolgte über einen komplexen Algorithmus, der im Kern auf den Merkmalen Fabrikatcode, Modellcode und Jahr der Erstzulassung basiert. Im Ergebnis konnte im Durchschnitt über die hier betrachteten sieben Bestandsjahre (Stichtage: 1.1.2014 bis 1.1.2020) von den neueren Fahrzeugen (Erstzulassungsjahr ab 2009) rund 70 % eine Euro NCAP-Bewertung zugeordnet werden. Den übrigen Pkw im ZFZR-Bestand wurde die fehlende Bewertung über Imputationsverfahren zugewiesen. Es wurden insgesamt vier (bausteinspezifische) Safety Performance Indikatoren gebildet, die auf den neu berechneten und vereinheitlichten Fahrzeugbewertungen aus Euro NCAP basieren. Bei den genannten Indikatoren handelt es sich um Durchschnittswerte der Sicherheitsbewertung der im ZFZR erfassten Pkw. Aus diesen vier Indikatoren wurde dann noch ein Safety Performance Gesamtindikator mittels gewichtetem Mittelwert berechnet. Im Ergebnis liegen damit Zeitreihen der vier bausteinspezifischen SPI-Werte sowie des SPI-Gesamtwerts vor. Das zentrale Ergebnis der Analysen der SPI-Zeitreihen ist, dass alle Indikatoren einen im Zeitverlauf ansteigenden Trend aufweisen. Dies ist ein klares Indiz dafür, dass der Sicherheitsstandard nicht nur bei den Neufahrzeugen, sondern auch bezogen auf den gesamten Pkw-Bestand in den letzten Jahren kontinuierlich gestiegen ist. Die höchsten Indikatorwerte finden sich beim SPI zum Baustein 2 (Schutz von Kindern im Fahrzeug), am niedrigsten fallen sie hinsichtlich der Ausstattung mit Fahrerassistenzsystemen aus (SPI zum Baustein 4). Gliedert man die Indikatoren zusätzlich nach Pkw-Segment, so finden sich bei SUV’s, gefolgt von Geländewagen, Großraum-Vans und der Oberklasse die höchsten Werte beim SPI-Gesamtwert. Dass die SUV’s den höchsten SPI aufweisen, hat allerdings auch damit zu tun, dass es sich um ein relativ neues Segment handelt, in dem der Anteil älterer Fahrzeuge vergleichsweise niedrig ist. Im Rahmen der Unfallanalyse wurden log-lineare Regressionsmodelle gerechnet, um den Einfluss der vier SPI auf die jeweils entsprechenden Unfallmerkmale (verunglückte Pkw-Insassen, Fußgänger und Radfahrer, unfallbeteiligte Pkw) zu ermitteln. Darüber hinaus wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen dem SPI-Gesamtwert und den resultierenden monetären volkswirtschaftlichen Unfallkosten analysiert. Die statistischen Auswertungen zum Zusammenhang zwischen SPI und Unfallgeschehen zeigten in allen Fällen, dass ein höherer Wert des entsprechenden Safety Performance Indikators mit einer geringeren Zahl an verunglückten Personen bzw. unfallbeteiligten Pkw einhergeht. In Bezug auf die Unfallkosten ergab sich, dass bei einer Zunahme des Gesamt-SPI der Pkw-Flotte um 1 % die entsprechenden Unfallkosten ceteris paribus um 0,7 % sinken. Zudem wurden bei der Konzeption des Projektes bereits die wesentlichen Voraussetzungen für eine kontinuierliche Fortführung der SPI-Zeitreihen in den nächsten Jahren geschaffen.The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) is a consumer protection orientated programme for the safety assessment of – as a rule – new car models. The programme was established in 1997, since 2009 it has consisted of 4 Boxes (1. Adult Occupant Protection; 2. Child Occupant Protection; 3. Vulnerable Road User Protection; 4. Safety Assist Systems). The main objective of this project was to transfer the test results from Euro NCAP onto the overall car fleet wherever possible and to use this to form a Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) for the vehicle stock over several consecutive years (time series). A further objective was to investigate whether or not a relationship exists between the Euro NCAP assessment of vehicles and accident occurrences. For this purpose, in addition to literature analyses, statistical models were estimated on the effect of vehicle safety expressed by the SPI on the corresponding number of persons injured in accidents taken from the official road traffic accident statistics. A fundamental step in the development of an SPI of vehicle safety consisted of making the Euro NCAP test results from the various years comparable as far as possible with regard to the test procedures which had changed in the course of time. For this purpose, a project group was formed consisting of experts from the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) in the fields of active and passive vehicle safety which had the task of quantifying, for each Box, the extent to which these changes to the test procedures affect the vehicle assessment. The test conditions of the year 2020 were used as reference. The second fundamental step in generating a Safety Performance Indicator consisted of linking (matching) the – newly calculated – Euro NCAP result data for the individually tested makes and models to the Central Vehicle Register inventories (1.1.2014 to 1.1.2020). The matching of the Central Vehicle Register inventory data with the Euro NCAP assessment data was carried out using a complex algorithm which is based, in essence, on the characteristics of make code, model code and year of initial registration. As a result, on average over the seven years observed here (reference dates: 1.1.2014 to 1.1.2020), around 70% of the newer vehicles (initial registration year from 2009) were able to be allocated to a Euro NCAP assessment. The remaining cars in the Central Vehicle Register inventory were assigned the missing assessment using an imputation procedure. A total of four (Box-specific) Safety Performance Indicators were formed which are based on the newly calculated and standardised vehicle assessments from Euro NCAP. The specified indicators are mean values of the corresponding safety assessment of the cars recorded in the Central Vehicle Register. Using these four indicators, an Overall Safety Performance Indicator was then also calculated using weighted average. Thus, as a result, time series for the four Box-specific SPI values as well as the overall SPI value are available. The core result of the analyses of the SPI time series is that all indicators show an increasing time trend. This is a clear indication that the safety standard has not only continuously risen in recent years for new vehicles, but also in terms of the overall car fleet. The highest indicator values can be found in the SPI for Box 2 (Child Occupant Protection), they turn out lowest with regard to the Safety Assist Systems (SPI for Box 4). If the indicators are additionally grouped into car segment, then SUVs, followed by ATVs, commercial vans and the luxury class show the highest values in the overall SPI value. The fact that SUVs have the highest SPI is certainly also related to the fact that this is a relatively new segment in which the share of older vehicles is comparably low. As part of the accident analysis, log-linear regression models were estimated in order to determine the effect of the four SPIs on each of the corresponding accident characteristics (injured car occupants, pedestrians and cyclists, cars involved in accidents). In addition, the relationship between the overall SPI value and the resulting monetary economic accident costs was analysed. The statistical assessments on the association between SPI and accident occurrences show, in all cases, that a higher value of the corresponding Safety Performance Indicator is accompanied by a lower number of persons injured in accidents or cars involved in accidents. With regard to accident costs, the results here were a (significant) reduction of the accident costs by around 0.7%, when the overall SPI increases by 1%. In addition, in the concept of the project, the fundamental prerequisites for an uninterrupted continuation of the SPI time series in the following years were already created