487 research outputs found
A heuristic approach to the decision-making process of energy prosumers in a circular economy
Renewable distributed energy and self-consumption are promising and sustainable solutions in the energy-transition scenario for moving toward a circular economy. In this future scheme, prosumers are expected to play a leading role in the forthcoming sustainable energy market, facing new technical, economic, and financial challenges as energy producers at a small scale. In fact, the adoption of photovoltaic (PV) self-consumption systems requires mobilizing capital for investment and their interaction with the market. In this scenario, the aim of this paper was to explore insights into the decision-making process of prosumers to enhance the understanding of self-consumption deployment and to support effective policymaking. This study contributes to the state of the art by defining and classifying determinants of the energy prosumersâ decision-making process and their relevance using a heuristic approach. Potential measuring tools and methods are analyzed through a specific case study of Spanish prosumers
Methodology for dimensioning the socio-economic impact of power-to-gas technologies in a circular economy scenario
Innovative and sustainable energy technologies are needed in the transition of energy toward a circular economy. Because of the use of renewable energy and carbon utilization, power-to-gas could be a cutting-edge technology that supports the circular model in future sustainable energy markets. However, this technology faces new technical and socio-economic challenges. The use of power-to-gas is limited because of barriers that limit the mobilization of investment capital. In addition, social and economic impacts on the territories in which these facilities are located are under study. In this context, the aims of this paper are: (i) To explore the determinants and barriers for power-to-gas technology to enhance the understanding of investment in innovative energy technologies; and (ii) to support effective policymaking and energy companiesâ decision-making processes. This study defines and measures, from a circular economy perspective, the main impacts of the deployment of this technology on a territory in terms of volume of investment, employment generation, and CO2 capture. The study also provides a simplified methodology to contribute to the analysis of the use of power-to-gas. Finally, it improves the knowledge of the socio-economic impact of this cutting-edge technology for the transition of energy to a zero-emission scenario
An extracellular transglutaminase is required for apple pollen tube growth
An extracellular form of the calcium-dependent protein-crosslinking enzyme TGase (transglutaminase) was demonstrated to be involved in the apical growth of Malus domestica pollen tube. Apple pollen TGase and its substrates were co-localized within aggregates on the pollen tube surface, as determined by indirect immunofluorescence staining and the in situ cross-linking of fluorescently labelled substrates. TGase-specific inhibitors and an anti-TGase monoclonal antibody blocked pollen tube growth, whereas incorporation of a recombinant fluorescent mammalian TGase substrate (histidine-tagged green fluorescent protein:His6â XprâGFP) into the growing tube wall enhanced tube length and germination, consistent with a role of TGase as a modulator of cell wall building and strengthening. The secreted pollen TGase catalysed the cross-linking of both PAs (polyamines) into proteins (released by the pollen tube) and His6-Xpr-GFP into endogenous or exogenously added substrates. A similar distribution of TGase activitywas observed in planta on pollen tubes germinating inside the style, consistent with a possible additional role for TGase in the interaction between the pollen tube and the style during fertilization
Energy vulnerability composite index in social housing, from a household energy poverty perspective
In Europe, the proportion of social housing is high, and such houses tend to be inhabited by below average-income households, which are particularly vulnerable to energy poverty. This article proposes a new methodological approach for defining an index for household energy vulnerability assessment. This method can be used to improve the management of social housing. After establishing a heuristic framework for household energy poverty-which stems from different causes such as income, the characteristics of the residence, energy installations, and the energy-consumption habits of household members-multi-criteria analytical methods, based on the aggregation of indicators which reveal the conditions leading to energy poverty, have been applied, and effective means of intervention are proposed. The method is also applied to a sample of social houses and thus validated as a useful tool in decision-making processes which concern the management of social housing from a household energy-poverty perspective
From pre-and probiotics to post-biotics: A narrative review
Background and aims: Gut microbiota (GM) is a complex ecosystem containing bacteria, viruses, fungi, and yeasts. It has several functions in the human body ranging from immunomodulation to metabolic. GM derangement is called dysbiosis and is involved in several host diseases. Pre-, probiotics, and symbiotics (PRE-PRO-SYMB) have been extensively developed and studied for GM re-modulation. Herein, we review the literature data regarding the new concept of postbiotics, starting from PRE-PRO-SYMB. Methods: We conducted a search on the main medical databases for original articles, reviews, meta-analyses, randomized clinical trials, and case series using the following keywords and acronyms and their associations: Gut microbiota, prebiotics, probiotics, symbiotic, and postbiotics. Results: Postbiotics account for PRO components and metabolic products able to beneficially affect host health and GM. The deeper the knowledge about them, the greater their possible uses: The prevention and treatment of atopic, respiratory tract, and inflammatory bowel diseases. Conclusions: Better knowledge about postbiotics can be useful for the prevention and treatment of several human body diseases, alone or as an add-on to PRE-PRO-SYMB
Bovine paratuberculosis: results of a control plan in 64 dairy farms in a 4-year period
Paratuberculosis is considered one of the most economically devastating infectious diseases of domestic livestock, and the most effective control strategy is a combination of 'test-and-cull' and on-farm biosecurity measures. In Italy, a Voluntary National Control Plan (VNCP) and guidelines have been introduced to reduce the impact of the disease, and farmers can voluntarily enroll in the control plan. The main aims of this study were: i) the description of the trend over a 4-year period on total, within-herd (WH) and between herd (BH) apparent seroprevalences observed in 64 dairy herds members of a mutual company located in Italy after the introduction of a proposed "Customized Control Plan" (CCP); ii) the evaluation of its effectiveness in terms of percentage of participating farms that decided to join the VNCP. Analyses on serum samples were performed with Enzyme-Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method and revealed a general decrease in both total, WH and BH apparent seroprevalence. Total average apparent seroprevalence decreased from 2.39% in 2017 to 1% in 2020. Negative herds raised from 51.9% in 2017 to 71.1% in 2020, while farms with WH apparent seroprevalence > 5% decreased from 17.3% in 2017 to 4.4% in 2020. BH apparent seroprevalence decreased from 51.2% in 2017 to 29.2% in 2020. Among the 52 out of 64 herds that accepted to continue the proposed CCP after the first year, 41 (78.8%) joined in 2020 the VNCP, that assessed the health ranking of the herds. The results provide evidence that a control plan based on a farm-specific strategy and a subsidized testing process can effectively reduce the impact of paratuberculosis in dairy herds, especially in convincing farmers to continue in paratuberculosis control by joining the VNCP, including them in a National context and increasing their awareness of the disease
Proteomic profiling reveals the transglutaminase-2 externalization pathway in kidneys after unilateral ureteric obstruction
Increased export of transglutaminase-2 (TG2) by tubular epithelial cells (TECs) into the surrounding interstitium modifies the extracellular homeostatic balance, leading to fibrotic membrane expansion. Although silencing of extracellular TG2 ameliorates progressive kidney scarring in animal models of CKD, the pathway through which TG2 is secreted from TECs and contributes to disease progression has not been elucidated. In this study, we developed a global proteomic approach to identify binding partners of TG2 responsible for TG2 externalization in kidneys subjected to unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO) using TG2 knockout kidneys as negative controls. We report a robust and unbiased analysis of the membrane interactome of TG2 in fibrotic kidneys relative to the entire proteome after UUO, detected by SWATH mass spectrometry. The data have been deposited to the ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD008173. Clusters of exosomal proteins in the TG2 interactome supported the hypothesis that TG2 is secreted by extracellular membrane vesicles during fibrosis progression. In established TEC lines, we found TG2 in vesicles of both endosomal (exosomes) and plasma membrane origin (microvesicles/ectosomes), and TGF-ÎČ1 stimulated TG2 secretion. Knockout of syndecan-4 (SDC4) greatly impaired TG2 exosomal secretion. TG2 coprecipitated with SDC4 from exosome lysate but not ectosome lysate. Ex vivo, EGFP-tagged TG2 accumulated in globular elements (blebs) protruding/retracting from the plasma membrane of primary cortical TECs, and SDC4 knockout impaired bleb formation, affecting TG2 release. Through this combined in vivo and in vitro approach, we have dissected the pathway through which TG2 is secreted from TECs in CKD
Impact of patients nutritional status on major surgery outcome
Abstract. â OBJECTIVE: Surgery is a major
stress factor that activates several inflammatory
and catabolic pathways in man. An appropriate
nutritional status allows the body to react properly
to this stressor and recover in a faster and
more efficient manner. On the other hand, malnutrition
is related to a worse surgery outcome
and to a higher prevalence of comorbidities and
mortality.
The aims of this study were to evaluate the nutritional
status of patients undergoing major surgery
and investigate the potential correlation between
malnutrition and surgical outcomes.
PATIENTS AND METHODS: Mini Nutritional
Assessment (MNA) and global clinical examination
(including biochemical parameters and
comorbidities existence) were undertaken in 50
consecutive patients undergoing major surgery.
Patientsâ clinical conditions were re-evaluated at
3 and 6 days after surgery, recording biochemical
parameters and systemic and/or wound-related
complications.
RESULTS: A compromised nutritional status
was present in more than half (54%) of patients
(malnutrition in 10% and risk of malnutrition
in 44% of patients, respectively). Females
were slightly more at risk of malnutrition (48%
vs. 41%, p=NS, females vs. males) and clearly
malnourished (14% vs. 7%, p<0.05, females
vs. males). Age was an independent risk factor
for malnutrition and within the eldersâ group (>
80 years old) 16.70% of patients was diagnosed
with malnutrition and 58.3% was at risk of malnutrition.
Systemic complications were registered
in all patients both at 3 and 6 days after surgery.
However, well-nourished and at-risk of malnutrition
patients had earlier complications that only
partially resolved within six days after the operation.
Malnourished patients showed fewer complications
at the 3rd post-surgery follow-up day
but had a worse outcome six days after surgery.
CONCLUSIONS: Older age and but not female
sex are independent risk factors for malnutrition
development in patients undergoing major
surgery. More interestingly, more than half
of patients with an impaired nutritional status
presented a less appropriated stress response
to surgery. These data suggest that nutritional
status assessment may be important to recognize
patients at potential risk of surgical complications
and that early nutritional interventions
must be promptly arranged
- âŠ