Optimization of preparation condition of Ce1-xMxOy AND Ni/Ce1-xMxOy (M = Gd, La, Mg) nanomaterials for hydrogen power engineering

Nanomaterials Ce1-xMxOy and Ni/Ce1-xMxOy (M = Gd, La, Mg, x = 0-0,5) were prepared at variation of temperature, medium and duration of thermal treatment. The effects of type (M = Gd, La, Mg) and content (x = 0-0,5) of doping cation (M) on crystal structure and sintering of nanomaterials during calcination were investigated. It was shown that phase composition of materials did not change under rising of calcination temperature up to 800oC. The material stability against the sintering during thermal treatment increases at an increase of La or Mg content in the materials. The comparative study of functional properties of Ni/Ce1-xMxOy materials was carried out in autothermal reforming of ethanol (ATR of C2H5OH). It is demonstrated that Ni/Ce1-xMxOy samples provide high hydrogen yield in ATR of C2H5OH, which indicates their perspective application for hydrogen power engineering

Fallende Preise in der Wasserwirtschaft: Hessen auf dem Vormarsch

Der deutschen Wasserwirtschaft könnte in naher Zukunft ein grundlegender Wandel ihrer Geschäftspraktiken bevorstehen. Durch die jüngeren Kartellverfahren gegen kommunale Wasserunternehmen in Hessen ist ein neues Kapitel im deutschen Wassersektor aufgeschlagen worden. In Verfahren gegen Wetzlar, Frankfurt und Kassel erwirkte die Kartellbehörde bereits drastische Preissenkungen um bis zu 30 Prozent. Eine Reihe weiterer Verfahren befindet sich in der Vorbereitung. Diese Vorstöße der hessischen Landeskartellbehörde könnten den Anfang einer grundlegenden Wende in der Wasserwirtschaft markieren. Wie bereits im Telekommunikations-, Strom- und Gassektor zeichnet sich auch hier eine Tendenz für effizienteres Wirtschaften der Versorgerunternehmen und sinkende Preise für Verbraucher ab. Enorme Preisspannen im internationalen Vergleich, aber auch bei den innerdeutschen Wasserpreisen verdeutlichen die dringende Notwendigkeit einer angemessenen Regulierung für diesen Sektor. In den letzten Jahren zahlten Verbraucher zwischen 50 Cent und 4 Euro für einen Kubikmeter Wasser. Diese Preisabweichungen lassen sich nur bedingt durch strukturelle Unterschiede der jeweiligen Versorgungsgebiete erklären. Wegen fehlender Anreize zur Kostenminimierung sind sie zusätzlich ein Ausdruck ineffizienter Wertschöpfung. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird die Bedeutsamkeit einer angemessenen Regulierung ersichtlich.Water utilities, Incentive regulation, Hesse

Differential associations of emotional and physical domains of the MacNew Heart with changes in 6-min walking test

Aims Cardiac rehabilitation (CR), a key component of secondary prevention in cardiac patients, contributes fundamentally to improved cardiovascular health outcomes. Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) represents a widely employed outcome measure in CR, yet, its predictive properties on exercise capacity change during CR are poorly understood. Aim of this study was to examine the association between baseline HRQOL and its subdomains on improvement of exercise capacity during CR. Methods Study participants were 13,717 inpatients of six Swiss CR clinics from 2012 to 2018. We measured HRQOL at admission to CR with the MacNew Heart (MNH) questionnaire and exercise capacity at admission and discharge using the six minutes walking test (6MWT). Following factorial analyses, we performed univariate and multivariate analyses to test the predictive properties of baseline global HRQOL and its domains for improvement in exercise capacity, adjusting for demographic and clinical characteristics. Results Mean improvement in 6MWT was 114 m (SD = 90), achieved after 17.4 days (SD = 5.5). Lower emotional HRQOL (b = 7.85, p =  < .001, 95% CI [− 5.67, 10.03]) and higher physical HRQOL (b =  − 5.23, p < .001, 95% CI [− 6.56, − 3.90]) were associated with less improvement in the 6MWT. Global MNH and social HRQOL showed no association with exercise capacity improvement. Conclusion Patients entering CR with low emotional and high physical HRQOL are at risk for a lower gain in exercise capacity during CR. Global MNH alone does not provide a reliable assessment of HRQOL; thus a focus on specific domains of HRQOL is needed

Zurich Consensus: German Expert Opinion on the St. Gallen Votes on 15 March 2009 (11th International Conference at St. Gallen: Primary Therapy of Early Breast Cancer)

A German working group of 23 breast cancer experts discussed the results from the vote at this year's St. Gallen Consensus Conference on Primary Therapy for Early Breast Cancer ( March 11-14, 2009) and came up with some concrete recommendations for day-to-day therapeutic decisions in Germany. Due the fact that the concept of the St. Gallen Consensus Conference merely allows for a minimal consensus, the objective of the working group was to provide practice-related recommendations for day-to-day clinical decisions in Germany. One area of emphasis at St. Gallen was tumor biology as a starting point for reaching individual therapeutic decisions. Intensive discussion was necessary with respect to the clinical relevance of predictive and prognostic factors. A new addition to the area of systemic therapy was a first-ever discussion of the adjuvant administration of bisphosponates and the fact that therapy with trastuzumab in HER2 overexpressing breast cancer has been defined as the standard for neoadjuvant therapy. The value of taxanes as a component of (neo) adjuvant chemotherapy as well as the value of aromatase inhibitors for the endocrine adjuvant treatment of postmenopausal patients were affirmed

Zurich Consensus: Statement of German Experts on St. Gallen Conference 2011 on Primary Breast Cancer (Zurich 2011)

Every 2 years, the International Consensus Conference on the Treatment of Primary Breast Cancer takes place in St. Gallen. Given that the concept of the St. Gallen Consensus Conference mainly reflects an international opinion, it appears useful to adapt the results of the vote for everyday therapy in Germany. A German working group comprising 28 breast cancer experts, amongst whom there are 3 members of the international St. Gallen panel, has therefore commented on this year's St. Gallen Consensus Conference (2011) from the German viewpoint. The focus of interest of this year's St. Gallen Conference was tumour biology as the starting point for decisions regarding individual therapy. There was an intensive discussion in relation to the clinical relevance of predictive and prognostic factors and possible consequences for decisions regarding therapy. Therefore, questions concerning the indication for adjuvant chemotherapy focused especially on the significance of the molecular phenotype of the tumour. In addition, important points for discussion were also the value of complete axillary dissection and the use of accelerated complete breast irradiation

Board examination for anatomical pathology in Switzerland: two intense days to verify professional competence

About 15years ago, the Swiss Society of Pathology has developed and implemented a board examination in anatomical pathology. We describe herein the contents covered by this 2-day exam (autopsy pathology, cytology, histopathology, molecular pathology, and basic knowledge about mechanisms of disease) and its exact modalities, sketch a brief history of the exam, and finish with a concise discussion about the possible objectives and putative benefits weighed against the hardship that it imposes on the candidate

A globally relevant stock of soil nitrogen in the Yedoma permafrost domain

Nitrogen regulates multiple aspects of the permafrost climate feedback, including plant growth, organic matter decomposition, and the production of the potent greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Despite its importance, current estimates of permafrost nitrogen are highly uncertain. Here, we compiled a dataset of >2000 samples to quantify nitrogen stocks in the Yedoma domain, a region with organic-rich permafrost that contains ~25% of all permafrost carbon. We estimate that the Yedoma domain contains 41.2 gigatons of nitrogen down to ~20 metre for the deepest unit, which increases the previous estimate for the entire permafrost zone by ~46%. Approximately 90% of this nitrogen (37 gigatons) is stored in permafrost and therefore currently immobile and frozen. Here, we show that of this amount, ¾ is stored >3 metre depth, but if partially mobilised by thaw, this large nitrogen pool could have continental-scale consequences for soil and aquatic biogeochemistry and global-scale consequences for the permafrost feedback