Cultural Criminology and Gender Consciousness

Cultural criminology emerged in the mid-nineties with defining texts written by Jock Young, Keith Hayward, and Jeff Ferrell, among others. Since its inception, it has been criticized for its shallow connections with feminist theory. While in theory cultural criminology clearly acknowledges the influence of feminist scholarship, it has in practice often only superficially ‘added’ on gender and sexuality to its scholarly investigations. Yet, as we argue, research identified with cultural criminology has much to gain from feminist theory. This article reviews a range of cultural criminological scholarship, particularly studies of subcultures, edgework, and terrorism. We investigate three themes significant for feminist research: masculinities and femininities, sexual attraction and sexualities, and intersectionality. Such themes, if better incorporated, would strengthen cultural criminology by increasing the explanatory power of resulting analyses. We conclude by advocating that feminist ideas be routinely integrated into cultural criminological research. </jats:p

T-SP1: a novel serine protease-like protein predominantly expressed in testis

Here, we describe a novel member in the group of membrane-anchored chymotrypsin (S1)-like serine proteases, namely testis serine protease 1 (T-SP1), as it is principally expressed in testis tissue. The human T-SP1 gene encompasses 28.7 kb on the short arm of chromosome 8 and consists of seven exons. Rapid amplification of cDNA ends ( RACE) experiments revealed that due to alternative splicing three different variants (T-SP1/1, -2, -3) are detectable in testis tissue displaying pronounced heterogeneity at their 3'-end. T-SP1/1 consists of an 18 amino acid signal peptide and of a 49 amino acid propeptide. The following domain with the catalytic triad of His(108), Asp(156), and Ser(250) shares sequence identities of 42% and 40% with the blood coagulation factor XI and plasma kallikrein, respectively. Only T-SP1/1 contains a hydrophobic part at the C-terminus, which provides the basis for cell membrane anchoring. Using a newly generated polyclonal anti-T-SP1 antibody, expression of the T-SP1 protein was found in the Leydig and Sertoli cells of the testis and in the epithelial cells of the ductuli efferentes. Notably, T-SP1 protein was also detectable in prostate cancer and in some ovarian cancer tissues, indicating tumor-related synthesis of T-SP1 beyond testis tissue

Management der sozialen Verantwortung im Krankenhaus

"Caritas, which is inherent in health care, is also not a countercategory to economy, i.e. to economic activity, just as the management of social responsibility is not limited to the moderation (apparently) opposing interests of patients, employees and providers. On the contrary: In the hospital - as in any other business organization - social responsibility must be defined as a strategic task to strengthen competitiveness and manage changes and to be implemented permanently in terms of personnel and institutions. - How can the actors in a hospital assume and implement social responsibility and at the same time ensure sustainable performance? - Who are the different stakeholders and which positions and aspects have to be taken into account in which business decisions? - What are the measures for socially responsible action and thus the target values ​​and fields of action of the responsible persons? - What are the personnel and institutional requirements for managing social responsibility? These questions are presented in an implementation-oriented manner and supplemented by practical examples for the development and implementation of a new management of social responsibility.

Experimental determination of barium isotope fractionation during diffusion and adsorption processes at low temperatures

Variations in barium (Ba) stable isotope abundances measured in low and high temperature environments have recently received increasing attention. The actual processes controlling Ba isotope fractionation, however, remain mostly elusive. In this study, we present the first experimental approach to quantity the contribution of diffusion and adsorption on mass-dependent Ba isotope fractionation during transport of aqueous Ba²+ ions through a porous medium. Experiments have been carried out in which a BaCl₂ solution of known isotopic composition diffused through u-shaped glass tubes filled with silica hydrogel at 10 °C and 25 °C for up to 201 days. The diffused Ba was highly fractionated by up to -2.15 ‰ in δ¹³⁷⁄¹³⁴Ba, despite its high atomic mass. The time-dependent isotope fractionation can be successfully reproduced by a diffusive transport model accounting for mass-dependent differences in the effective diffusivities of the Ba isotope species (D₁₃₇Ba ⁄D₁₃₄Ba =(m₁₃₄⁄m₁₃₇ )β ). Values of β extracted from the transport model were in the range of 0.010 to 0.011. Independently conducted batch experiments revealed that adsorption of Ba onto the surface of silica hydrogel favoured the heavier Ba isotopes (α = 1.00015 ± 0.00008). The contribution of adsorption on the overall isotope fractionation in the diffusion experiments, however, was found to be small. Our results contribute to the understanding of Ba isotope fractionation processes, which is crucial for interpreting natural isotope variations and the assessment of Ba isotope ratios as geochemical proxies

Management der sozialen Verantwortung im Krankenhaus

Die der Krankenversorgung immanente Caritas ist ebenso keine Gegenkategorie zur Ökonomie, also zu einem wirtschaftlichen Handeln, wie auch das Management der sozialen Verantwortung nicht auf die Moderation (scheinbar) gegensätzlicher Interessen von Patienten, Mitarbeitern und Trägern beschränkt ist. Im Gegenteil: Auch im Krankenhaus ist – wie in jeder anderen wirtschaftenden Organisation – soziale Verantwortung als strategische Aufgabe zur Stärkung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit und Bewältigung von Veränderungen zu definieren und personell wie institutionell dauerhaft zu implementieren. – Wie können die Akteure in einem Krankenhaus soziale Verantwortung wahrnehmen und umsetzen und zugleich für eine nachhaltige Performance sorgen? – Wer sind die unterschiedlichen Stakeholder und welche Positionen und Aspekte sind bei welchen unternehmerischen Entscheidungen zu berücksichtigen? – Welche sind die Messgrößen für sozial verantwortliches Handeln und damit die Zielgrößen und Handlungsfelder der Verantwortungsträger? – Welche sind die personellen und institutionellen Voraussetzungen für ein Management der sozialen Verantwortung? Diese Fragen werden umsetzungsorientiert dargestellt und durch Praxis-Beispiele zur Entwicklung und Implementierung eines neuen Managements der sozialen Verantwortung ergänzt

May Material Bottlenecks Hamper the Global Energy Transition Towards the 1.5°C Target?

Potentially scarce materials play an important role in many current and emerging technologies needed to support a sustainable energy and mobility system. This paper examines the global demand for 25 potentially scarce materials needed in key energy and transport technologies. The starting point is a global energy system scenario that is compatible with the 1.5°C target. To determine the material requirements, an extensive database was built up on the current and expected future specific demand of these materials in the key technologies studied. A second database describes the potential development of sub-technology market shares (e.g. different battery types) within a technology class (e.g. photovoltaics). A material flow analysis model was used to determine the annual and cumulative material requirements as well as the recycling potential. The results show that current production of all materials will have to be increased, in some cases significantly, in a short period of time to meet the anticipated demand for the energy and transportation system. In addition, the cumulative demand for some materials significantly exceeds current reserves and even resources. In particular, lithium, cobalt, and nickel for batteries, dysprosium and neodymium for permanent magnets (e.g. wind turbines and electric motors), and iridium as well as platinum in fuel cells and electrolyzers are affected. The construction of battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles thus represents a major driver of the growing material demand. Depending on the material, the expected shortages can be reduced or delayed by technology substitution, ambitious material recycling, an extension of technology lifetime, increased material efficiency, and a smaller future vehicle stock, but not entirely avoided. Hence, it can be expected that material bottlenecks will result in increases in material prices, at least in the short to medium term. What impact this will have on the transformation process itself still needs to be investigated in more detail

May Material Bottlenecks Hamper the Global Energy Transition Towards the 1.5°C Target?

Potentially scarce materials play an important role in many current and emerging technologies needed for a sustainable energy and mobility system. This paper examines the global demand for 25 potentially scarce materials that would result from an energy system that is compatible with the 1.5 °C target. It further analyses the risk for short- and mid-term material shortages. To determine the material requirements, an extensive prospective database was built up on the specific demand of these materials in key technologies. A second database describes the potential development of sub-technology market shares within a technology class. A material flow analysis model was used to determine the annual and cumulative material requirements as well as the recycling potential in the underlying scenario. The results show that production of all materials has to increase, in some cases significantly, in a short period of time to meet the demand for the energy and transportation system. In addition, the cumulative demand for some materials significantly exceeds current reserves and even resources. In particular, lithium (demand increase (DI) more than factor 10, cumulated demand (CD) exceeds reserves up to factor 2), cobalt (DI/CD: <7/<3), and nickel (CD/DI: <2.4/<1.4) for batteries, dysprosium (DI < 8) and neodymium (DI < 1.5) (for permanent magnets (wind turbines and electric motors), and iridium (DI < 2.9) as well as platinum (DI < 1.8) (fuel cells, electrolyzers) are affected. The construction of battery electric and fuel cell electric vehicles thus represents a major driver of the material demand. Depending on the material, shortages can be reduced or delayed by technology substitution, material recycling, technology lifetime extension, increased material efficiency, and a smaller future vehicle stock, but not entirely avoided. Hence, it can be expected that material bottlenecks will result in increasing material prices, at least in the short to medium term

Considering Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Power System Expansion Planning for Europe and North Africa Using Multi-Objective Optimization

We integrate life cycle indicators for various technologies of an energy system model with high spatiotemporal detail and a focus on Europe and North Africa. Using multi-objective optimization, we calculate a pareto front that allows us to assess the trade-offs between system costs and life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of future power systems. Furthermore, we perform environmental ex-post assessments of selected solutions using a broad set of life cycle impact categories. In a system with the least life cycle GHG emissions, the costs would increase by ~63%, thereby reducing life cycle GHG emissions by ~82% compared to the cost-optimal solution. Power systems mitigating a substantial part of life cycle GHG emissions with small increases in system costs show a trend towards a deployment of wind onshore, electricity grid and a decline in photovoltaic plants and Li-ion storage. Further reductions are achieved by the deployment of concentrated solar power, wind offshore and nuclear power but lead to considerably higher costs compared to the cost-optimal solution. Power systems that mitigate life cycle GHG emissions also perform better for most impact categories but have higher ionizing radiation, water use and increased fossil fuel demand driven by nuclear power. This study shows that it is crucial to consider upstream GHG emissions in future assessments, as they represent an inheritable part of total emissions in ambitious energy scenarios that, so far, mainly aim to reduce direct CO$_{2}$ emissions

Prospective assessment of energy technologies: a comprehensive approach for sustainability assessment

Background: A further increase in renewable energy supply is needed to substitute fossil fuels and combat climate change. Each energy source and respective technologies have specific techno-economic and environmental characteristics as well as social implications. This paper presents a comprehensive approach for prospective sustainability assessment of energy technologies developed within the Helmholtz Initiative “Energy System 2050” (ES2050).Methods: The “ES2050 approach” comprises environmental, economic, and social assessment. It includes established life cycle based economic and environmental indicators, and social indicators derived from a normative concept of sustainable development. The elaborated social indicators, i.e. patent growth rate, acceptance, and domestic value added, address three different socio-technical areas, i.e. innovation (patents), public perception (acceptance), and public welfare (value added).Results: The implementation of the “ES2050 approach” is presented exemplarily and different sustainability indicators and respective results are discussed based on three emerging technologies and corresponding case studies: (1) synthetic biofuels for mobility; (2) hydrogen from wind power for mobility; and (3) batteries for stationary energy storage. For synthetic biofuel, the environmental advantages over fossil gasoline are most apparent for the impact categories Climate Change and Ionizing Radiation—human health. Domestic value added accounts for 66% for synthetic biofuel compared to 13% for fossil gasoline. All hydrogen supply options can be considered to become near to economic competitiveness with fossil fuels in the long term. Survey participants regard Explosion Hazard as the most pressing concern about hydrogen fuel stations. For Li-ion batteries, the results for patent growth rate indicate that they enter their maturity phase.Conclusions: The “ES2050 approach” enables a consistent prospective sustainability assessment of (emerging) energy technologies, supporting technology developers, decision-makers in politics, industry, and society with knowledge for further evaluation, steering, and governance. The approach presented is considered rather a starting point than a blueprint for the comprehensive assessment of renewable energy technologies though, especially for the suggested social indicators, their significance and their embedding in context scenarios for prospective assessments