Test of ID carbon-carbon composite prototype tiles for the SPIDER diagnostic calorimeter

Additional heating will be provided to the thermonuclear fusion experiment ITER by injection of neutral beams from accelerated negative ions. In the SPIDER test facility, under construction at Consorzio RFX in Padova (Italy), the production of negative ions will be studied and optimised. To this purpose the STRIKE (Short-Time Retractable Instrumented Kalorimeter Experiment) diagnostic will be used to characterise the SPIDER beam during short operation (several seconds) and to verify if the beam meets the ITER requirement regarding the maximum allowed beam non-uniformity (below \ub110%). The most important measurements performed by STRIKE are beam uniformity, beamlet divergence and stripping losses. The major components of STRIKE are 16 1D-CFC (Carbon matrix-Carbon Fibre reinforced Composite) tiles, observed at the rear side by a thermal camera. The requirements of the 1D CFC material include a large thermal conductivity along the tile thickness (at least 10 times larger than in the other directions); low specific heat and density; uniform parameters over the tile surface; capability to withstand localised heat loads resulting in steep temperature gradients. So 1D CFC is a very anisotropic and delicate material, not commercially available, and prototypes are being specifically realised. This contribution gives an overview of the tests performed on the CFC prototype tiles, aimed at verifying their thermal behaviour. The spatial uniformity of the parameters and the ratio between the thermal conductivities are assessed by means of a power laser at Consorzio RFX. Dedicated linear and non-linear simulations are carried out to interpret the experiments and to estimate the thermal conductivities; these simulations are described and a comparison of the experimental data with the simulation results is presented

Urban Climate Action. The urban content of the NDCs: Global review 2022

This report was prepared by United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) and the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU.Resilience). It offers a global analysis of the urban content of 193 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) submitted to the Secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) before the 19th of June 2022. For this report, more than 200 indicators were used to analyse external data (e.g., Human Development Index and income categorisation) and data within the NDCs, including climate mitigation and adaptation challenges and responses, as well as specific sectors. This analysis is instrumental to supporting Parties’ efforts in further integrating national climate policies and urban climate actions, which is considered fundamental to raising ambition and developing adequate and timely actions as required by the current climate emergency. This review can be instrumental for advocacy and direct support to countries by partner organisations. The work was supported by a group of experts from bilateral and multilateral organisations and academia. Three expert group meetings were convened, and a peer review was organised for the final report

Complex formation between ferredoxin and Synechococcus ferredoxin:nitrate oxidoreductase

AbstractThe ferredoxin-dependent nitrate reductase from the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 has been shown to form a high-affinity complex with ferredoxin at low ionic strength. This complex, detected by changes in both the absorbance and circular dichroism (CD) spectra, did not form at high ionic strength. When reduced ferredoxin served as the electron donor for the reduction of nitrate to nitrite, the activity of the enzyme declined markedly as the ionic strength increased. In contrast, the activity of the enzyme with reduced methyl viologen (a non-physiological electron donor) was independent of ionic strength. These results suggest that an electrostatically stabilized complex between Synechococcus nitrate reductase and ferredoxin plays an important role in the mechanism of nitrate reduction catalyzed by this enzyme. Treatment of Synechococcus nitrate reductase with either an arginine-modifying reagent or a lysine-modifying reagent inhibited the ferredoxin-dependent activity of the enzyme but did not affect the methyl viologen-dependent activity. Treatment with these reagents also resulted in a large decrease in the affinity of the enzyme for ferredoxin. Formation of a nitrate reductase complex with ferredoxin prior to treatment with either reagent protected the enzyme against loss of ferredoxin-dependent activity. These results suggest that lysine and arginine residues are present at the ferredoxin-binding site of Synechococcus nitrate reductase. Results of experiments using site-specific, charge reversal variants of the ferredoxin from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7119 as an electron donor to nitrate reductase were consistent with a role for negatively charged residues on ferredoxin in the interaction with Synechococcus nitrate reductase

How equitable is vocational rehabilitation in Sweden? A review of evidence on the implementation of a national policy framework

Purpose. Under the national framework law in Sweden, all eligible people should have equal chances of receiving vocational rehabilitation. We aimed to review the evidence on (1) whether access to vocational rehabilitation is equitable in practice and (2) whether the outcomes vary for different groups in the population. Method. Systematic review of studies in Sweden that reported diagnostic or socio-demographic characteristics of people offered or taking up rehabilitation programmes and outcomes of such programmes for different diagnostic and socio-demographic groups. Searches of 11 relevant electronic databases, 15 organisational websites, citation searching and contact with experts in the field, for the period 1990–2009. Results. A total of 11 studies were included in the final review, six of which addressed review question (1) and seven addressed review question (2). All the six observational studies of access reported biased selection into vocational rehabilitation: greater likelihood for men, younger people, those with longer-term sick leave, those with lower income, employed rather than unemployed people and those with musculoskeletal and mental disorders or alcohol abuse. Having had a rehabilitation investigation also increased the likelihood of receiving vocational rehabilitation. Differential outcome of rehabilitation was reported in seven studies: outcomes were better for men, younger people, employed individuals, those with shorter sick leave and those with higher income. Selection into vocational rehabilitation was perceived as important for successful outcomes, but success also depended on the state of the local labour market. Conclusions. There is evidence of socio-demographic differences in access to and outcomes of vocational rehabilitation in Sweden, even though the national framework law is meant to apply to everyone. Few studies have deliberately measured differential access or outcomes, and there is a need for this kind of equity analysis of population-wide policies. Studies evaluating the effects of vocational rehabilitation must consider selection into the programmes for adequate interpretation of impact results

Vernix caseosa as a multi-component defence system based on polypeptides, lipids and their interactions

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldVernix caseosa is a white cream-like substance that covers the skin of the foetus and the newborn baby. Recently, we discovered antimicrobial peptides/proteins such as LL-37 in vernix, suggesting host defence functions of vernix. In a proteomic approach, we have continued to characterize proteins in vernix and have identified 20 proteins, plus additional variant forms. The novel proteins identified, considered to be involved in host defence, are cystatin A, UGRP-1, and calgranulin A, B and C. These proteins add protective functions to vernix such as antifungal activity, opsonizing capacity, protease inhibition and parasite inactivation. The composition of the lipids in vernix has also been characterized and among these compounds the free fatty acids were found to exhibit antimicrobial activity. Interestingly, the vernix lipids enhance the antimicrobial activity of LL-37 in vitro, indicating interactions between lipids and antimicrobial peptides in vernix. In conclusion, vernix is a balanced cream of compounds involved in host defence, protecting the foetus and newborn against infection

The chemopreventive polyphenol Curcumin prevents hematogenous breast cancer metastases in immunodeficient mice

Dissemination of metastatic cells probably occurs long before diagnosis of the primary tumor. Metastasis during early phases of carcinogenesis in high risk patients is therefore a potential prevention target. The plant polyphenol Curcumin has been proposed for dietary prevention of cancer. We therefore examined its effects on the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 in vitro and in a mouse metastasis model. Curcumin strongly induces apoptosis in MDA- MB- 231 cells in correlation with reduced activation of the survival pathway NF kappa B, as a consequence of diminished I kappa B and p65 phosphorylation. Curcumin also reduces the expression of major matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) due to reduced NF kappa B activity and transcriptional downregulation of AP-1. NF kappa B/p65 silencing is sufficient to downregulate c-jun and MMP expression. Reduced NF kappa B/AP-1 activity and MMP expression lead to diminished invasion through a reconstituted basement membrane and to a significantly lower number of lung metastases in immunodeficient mice after intercardiac injection of 231 cells (p=0.0035). 68% of Curcumin treated but only 17% of untreated animals showed no or very few lung metastases, most likely as a consequence of down-regulation of NF kappa B/AP-1 dependent MMP expression and direct apoptotic effects on circulating tumor cells but not on established metastases. Dietary chemoprevention of metastases appears therefore feasible. Copyright (c) 2007 S. Karger AG, Basel

Situación y evolución de la economía circular en España

Primera entrega de este informe bienal analiza la evolución y la situación actual de la economía circular en España respecto a Europa. El informe coordinado por la Cátedra UNESCO de Sostenibilidad de la Universidad Politécnica de Catalunya (UPC) en colaboración con la Asociación para la Sostenibilidad y el Progreso de las Sociedades, (ASYPS) propone la creación de una hoja de ruta que incluya en primer lugar un sistema integrado de evaluación e indicadores de seguimiento para medir y comparar la circularidad de las economías, y aporta una propuesta de de indicadores que en su conjunto conforman un sistema de evaluación en el que se integran las variables centrales y más relevantes para el análisis, evaluación y seguimiento de la economía circular.En este trabajo se recoge y analizan los indicadores disponibles sobre el nuevo modelo productivo denominado economía circular, que supone un cambio radical en los sistemas de producción y consumo actuales. Se trata del primer informe a nivel nacional sobre La situación y evaluación de la economía circular en España. La economía circular ofrece una alternativa al actual modelo de producción, basado en una cadena de valor lineal que genera residuos en todas las etapas, desde la extracción de materias primas hasta la generación de residuos, pasando por las fases de fabricación, distribución y consumo. La alternativa consiste en prolongar la vida económica útil de los materiales y los recursos tanto como sea posible, reduciendo al mínimo la generación de residuos.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i SanejamentObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No ContaminantObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::8 - Treball Decent i Creixement EconòmicObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i InfraestructuraObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::13 - Acció per al ClimaObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::10 - Reducció de les DesigualtatsObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats SosteniblesObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::12 - Producció i Consum ResponsablesPreprin

Evolving neural network optimization of cholesteryl ester separation by reversed-phase HPLC

Cholesteryl esters have antimicrobial activity and likely contribute to the innate immunity system. Improved separation techniques are needed to characterize these compounds. In this study, optimization of the reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography separation of six analyte standards (four cholesteryl esters plus cholesterol and tri-palmitin) was accomplished by modeling with an artificial neural network–genetic algorithm (ANN-GA) approach. A fractional factorial design was employed to examine the significance of four experimental factors: organic component in the mobile phase (ethanol and methanol), column temperature, and flow rate. Three separation parameters were then merged into geometric means using Derringer’s desirability function and used as input sources for model training and testing. The use of genetic operators proved valuable for the determination of an effective neural network structure. Implementation of the optimized method resulted in complete separation of all six analytes, including the resolution of two previously co-eluting peaks. Model validation was performed with experimental responses in good agreement with model-predicted responses. Improved separation was also realized in a complex biological fluid, human milk. Thus, the first known use of ANN-GA modeling for improving the chromatographic separation of cholesteryl esters in biological fluids is presented and will likely prove valuable for future investigators involved in studying complex biological samples

Situación y evolución de la economía circular en España : informe 2019

Segunda entrega de este informe bienal. La Economía Circular es una de las grandes transiciones en las que Cotec está inmersa y una de sus líneas prioritarias en las que está centrando sus esfuerzos. Con este segundo informe, se quiere mantener su contribución al análisis de la situación de la Economía Circular en España y proponer una hoja de ruta en la que se recogen prioridades necesarias y estratégicas para la transición de un modelo económico lineal a otro circular, además recoge y analiza los indicadores disponibles hasta la fecha. La economía circular ofrece una alternativa al actual modelo de producción, basado en una cadena de valor lineal que genera residuos en todas las etapas, desde la extracción de materias primas hasta la generación de residuos, pasando por las fases de fabricación, distribución y consumo. La alternativa consiste en prolongar la vida económica útil de los materiales y los recursos tanto como sea posible, reduciendo al mínimo la generación de residuos.Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i SanejamentObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::7 - Energia Assequible i No ContaminantObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::8 - Treball Decent i Creixement EconòmicObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i InfraestructuraObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats SosteniblesObjectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::13 - Acció per al ClimaPreprin

Frequency-Invariant Representation of Interaural Time Differences in Mammals

Interaural time differences (ITDs) are the major cue for localizing low-frequency sounds. The activity of neuronal populations in the brainstem encodes ITDs with an exquisite temporal acuity of about . The response of single neurons, however, also changes with other stimulus properties like the spectral composition of sound. The influence of stimulus frequency is very different across neurons and thus it is unclear how ITDs are encoded independently of stimulus frequency by populations of neurons. Here we fitted a statistical model to single-cell rate responses of the dorsal nucleus of the lateral lemniscus. The model was used to evaluate the impact of single-cell response characteristics on the frequency-invariant mutual information between rate response and ITD. We found a rough correspondence between the measured cell characteristics and those predicted by computing mutual information. Furthermore, we studied two readout mechanisms, a linear classifier and a two-channel rate difference decoder. The latter turned out to be better suited to decode the population patterns obtained from the fitted model