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Energy transformation in Poland and Sweden: Implementation of the SDG 7 goal and its impact on the demand for key energy carriers
No full textThe article presents research results regarding the degree of implementation of the Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG 7) in Poland against the background of the adopted benchmark, which was Sweden. The SDG Sustainable Development Index (SDI) was built. For this purpose, machine learning algorithms were used, such as random forest, Support Vector Regression (SVR), linear regression algorithm, and the taxonomic method. These methods were used to build the Sustainable Development Calculator SDC 1.0 program. The combination of selected algorithms allowed to eliminate the disadvantages of commonly used methods, as well as to forecast the Sustainable Development Index (SDI) value until 2030, along with the determination of scenarios and errors of the created model. The obtained results indicate that Sweden achieved an SDI of 60 %, while in Poland it is three times lower. To increase the SDI value, emphasis should be placed on reducing energy consumption and dependence on imports of energy raw materials and energy. It is also important to develop new ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Increasing energy efficiency and productivity will also help in achieving SDG 7. The obtained results were also used to analyze the impact of the implementation of the SDG 7 target on the energy balance of the countries selected for analysis. Research has shown that in each of the scenarios constructed in Poland, an energy gap of 0.2–0.3 EJ should be expected in 2030. The authors also modified the set of Goal 7 measures and examined the impact of access to critical resources necessary for the development of renewable energy on the SDI. Since in the coming years it will be impossible to base Poland's energy mix on renewable energy sources or nuclear energy, the authors proposed the implementation of clean coal technologies
Global Dataset of Extreme Sea Levels and Coastal Flood Impacts over the 21st Century
No full textA global database of coastal flooding impacts resulting from extreme sea levels is developed for the present day and for the years 2050 and 2100. The database consists of three sub-datasets: the extreme sea levels, the coastal areas flooded by these extreme sea levels, and the resulting socioeconomic implications. The extreme sea levels consider the processes of storm surge, tide levels, breaking wave setup and relative sea level rise. The socioeconomic implications are expressed in terms of Expected Annual Population Affected (EAPA) and Expected Annual Damage (EAD), and presented at the global, regional and national scales. The EAPA and EAD are determined both for existing coastal defence levels and assuming two plausible adaptation scenarios, along with socioeconomic development narratives. All the sub-datasets can be visualized with a Digital Twin platform based on a GIS-based mapping host. This publicly available database provides a first-pass assessment, enabling users to extract and identify global and national coastal hotspots under different projections of sea level rise and socioeconomic developments. Dataset: https://doi.org/10.26188/25874179.v1 Dataset License: CC BY 4.
Stress-induced fetal programming contributes to the manifestation of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in mdx mice
No full textPrenatal stress predisposes offspring to neurocognitive, metabolic, and cardiovascular complications in adulthood, but the programming effects on the presentation of hereditary diseases are unknown. We investigate this in a mouse model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), an X-linked neuromuscular disease that widely affects the central nervous system and peripheral tissues. Simulating the inheritance patterns of DMD by mating mdx-heterozygous females with wildtype males, we compare the central, autonomic, and peripheral phenotypes of healthy and DMD-affected (mdx) male offspring born from mothers that were either stressed or non-stressed during gestation. Prenatal stress predisposed mdx offspring to anxiety-like behavior and reduced bone mass but did not exacerbate stress hypersensitivity or skeletal muscle mass and function. In fact, prenatal stress increases blood pressure and may be protective against hypotension-induced mortality to stress. This demonstrates that offspring genetics influence the outcomes of fetal programming, and fetal programming influences the presentation of a hereditary disease
Stakeholder perspectives on HPV vaccination uptake among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents via the school immunisation programmes in Queensland: a qualitative study
No full textINTRODUCTION: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women experience inequitable cervical cancer outcomes including higher incidence and mortality rates than other Australian women. Cervical cancer can be prevented through human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, which is primarily delivered through school immunisation programmes and found to be very effective. However, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents have lower rates of HPV vaccination uptake compared with non-Indigenous adolescents. OBJECTIVES: This study explored the perspectives and experiences of HPV vaccination programme providers and school staff involved in the delivery of school-based HPV vaccination programmes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents in Queensland. DESIGN: This qualitative project recruited 10 maximally diverse schools to participate. We purposively invited immunisation programme providers and school staff associated with delivering or supporting and used a snowballing approach to recruitment. We used an Indigenist Research approach and an ecological model for health to centre Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences and priorities. PARTICIPANTS: We interviewed 18 immunisation programme providers and school staff involved in delivery between 2020 and 2022. Interview topics included programme delivery and processes, engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adolescents and caregivers, factors impacting uptake and completion, and suggestions for improvement. RESULTS: Stakeholders highlighted multilayered challenges navigating a school-based immunisation programme across health and education sectors, especially within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This included logistical barriers around programme coordination and scheduling, roles and responsibilities, and communication issues between schools, programme providers, caregivers and adolescents. Four themes were identified: (1) co-ordination of the clinic between schools and programme providers, (2) supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families through the vaccination pathway, (3) HPV vaccination resources and (4) COVID-19 disruptions to HPV vaccination programme. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for better communication and coordination of the school-based clinic, including consideration of staff capacity and school resources; enhanced linkages with and support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander student support staff and community organisations who play a critical role in supporting adolescents' vaccination, and flexible methods of consent supported by culturally appropriate resources. These findings informed recommendations for improved practice and will contribute towards reaching Australia's cervical cancer elimination targets
The GREENBEAN checklist for reporting studies evaluating the effectiveness of EEG-based biomarkers
No full textAdvances in digital technology, signal analysis, and data science have led to a rapid increase in papers reporting EEG-based biomarkers. However, wide heterogeneity in study design and reporting poses challenges in assessing the reliability, validity and utility of these biomarkers. In this evolving field, best practices are sometimes debated but not yet rigorously defined, and the appropriate next step is to ensure that validation-focused research manuscripts report key methodological factors that are known or suspected to influence results. To assist authors in designing and reporting validation studies of EEG biomarkers, and to help editors and regulatory bodies evaluate them, an international working group—under the auspices of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology (IFCN) and in collaboration with the EQUATOR Network—developed the Guidelines for Reporting EEG/Neurophysiology Biomarker Evaluation for Application to Neurology and Neuropsychiatry (GREENBEAN). EEG biomarker validation studies are classified into four phases, similarly to therapeutic studies. Phases 1–2 are preliminary and do not constitute formal validation. Phase 3 studies provide compelling evidence of validity, while phase 4 studies assess the clinical utility and generalizability of previously validated biomarkers within real-world settings. We provide detailed definitions for each phase, along with a checklist of items to address and report. A detailed Explanation and Elaboration document is included in Supplementary Material with multiple examples of how to design and report EEG biomarker studies. We expect that more transparent reporting regarding experimental design and technical standards will not only enhance short-term biomarker validation efforts but will also enhance methodological research to make future efforts more efficient and effective
Life Cycle Assessment of Remanufacturing Hybrid Vehicle Batteries: An Australia Case
No full textAs hybrid drive technology has matured and gained widespread acceptance globally, including in Australia, the need for properly managing end-of-life batteries has become increasingly important. Among various circular economy strategies, remanufacturing is regarded as a promising approach to maximise the useful lifetime within a closed product cycle, yet its environmental advantages have not been fully quantified. This paper investigates the environmental benefits of remanufacturing end-of-life batteries as an alternative to virgin battery replacement for hybrid vehicles. The analysis conducts a cradle-To-gate life cycle assessment based on first-hand data from a local industry partner. The results demonstrate that remanufactured batteries exhibit significant advantages across various impact categories, particularly in reducing the carbon footprint by up to 94% compared to virgin battery replacements. Additionally, this study provides an empirical example of the environmental feasibility and advantages of remanufacturing as a key circular economy strategy
What is the Evidence for Preparing for and Responding to Student Suicide in Schools? A Systematic Review
No full textAbstract
Despite the development of postvention services and guidelines to support schools in the aftermath of a student suicide, there has been limited evidence regarding postvention activities in school settings. This study’s aim was to systematically review the evidence for preparing for and responding to student suicide in School settings. A search of peer-reviewed literature in six databases was conducted. Nineteen articles met the eligibility criteria. Ten studies evaluated interventions aimed at secondary school students and nine studies tested interventions delivered to school staff. Overall, we found some evidence to suggest that students can benefit from brief educational sessions and screening to identify those who may need additional clinical support, and that preparing staff for a student suicide, through training and/or support, may increase the knowledge and self-efficacy of school staff. However, the overall study quality was poor and significant gaps in knowledge remain, including the evidence of postvention activities for diverse young people. While research in school postvention is inherently difficult, there is a need for rigorous research to determine the most appropriate postvention activities in schools, including an urgent need for research into postvention interventions developed with and for young people
Environmental effects of urban wind energy harvesting: a review
No full textTransitioning to renewable energy resources is necessary to address the energy and climate crisis and to be in accordance with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 11 and 13. Urban wind energy harvesting is still emerging mainly with the use of small wind turbines. Given their implementation challenges, positive and negative effects need to be weighed to make informed policy decisions and regulations. This systematic review evaluates the macro- and micro-scale environmental effects related to implementing small urban wind turbines (SUWTs). Although publications exist on diverse aspects of SUWTs, a review that addresses the broad range of identified environmental effects of SUWT implementations has been lacking until now. This review shows that while the study of the SUWTs’ environmental effects can build on the effects associated with large wind turbines, there are also significant differences. Given the heterogeneity of urban conditions, the implementation of SUWTs requires detailed local environmental assessment to characterise accurately most environmental effects, notably the net life-cycle primary energy performance and associated GHG emissions, raw materials depletion, recycling, safety, noise, visual and light pollution, and effects on urban wildlife. Effects that require further investigation and which possibly raise regulatory or social acceptance issues are identified and discussed.
Policy relevance
Harvesting urban wind energy can yield multiple environmental, efficiency and resilience benefits. However, several research and policy gaps remain to be addressed before deploying small wind turbines in urban contexts. These include: the need to quantify the net environmental gains of SUWTs based on their performance and life-cycle assessment; the structural implications of deploying SUWTs on existing buildings; the effect of SUWTs on local air quality and microclimates; the potential health and safety risks to those who may pass by; the effects of SUWTs on ecosystems; and the combined effects of SUWTs on people (e.g. noise or light annoyance). Further research and regulation can help to minimise the negative impacts and ensure social acceptability
CHD8 Variant and Rett Syndrome: Overlapping Phenotypes, Molecular Convergence, and Expanding the Genetic Spectrum
No full textRett syndrome (RTT) is a rare, X-linked, severe neurodevelopmental disorder, predominantly associated with pathogenic variants in the methyl-CpG-binding protein-2 (MECP2) gene, with an increasing number of atypical RTT or RTT-like individuals having pathogenic variants in other genes, such as cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) or forkhead box G1 (FOXG1). However, ~20% of individuals with a clinical diagnosis of RTT remain genetically undiagnosed, highlighting the importance of ongoing genomic and functional studies to expand the genetic spectrum of RTT. We present a female who was born to healthy nonconsanguineous parents and presented with severe intellectual disability, macrocephaly, ataxia, absent speech, and poor eye contact. The affected individual was clinically diagnosed with atypical RTT, but genetic testing showed no pathogenic variants in MECP2, CDKL5, or FOXG1. Singleton whole genome sequencing was conducted, which identified a heterozygous stop-gain variant [NM_001170629.2: c.5017C>T, p.(Arg1673∗)], in the chromodomain-helicase-DNA-binding protein 8 (CHD8) gene. Variant curation revealed its absence in unaffected populations, in silico predictions of pathogenicity, and an existing association with intellectual developmental disorder with autism and macrocephaly (IDDAM) (OMIM #615032). In vitro functional analyses, including Western blots, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and proteomic analyses, demonstrated a significant reduction of the CHD8 transcript and two CHD8 protein isoforms in the proband's skin fibroblasts relative to control fibroblasts. Additionally, proteomic analysis indicated a significant reduction of the MeCP2 protein, indicating a possible molecular link between CHD8 and MeCP2 and thus clinically between IDDAM and RTT. As the affected individual's phenotype is consistent with atypical RTT, our results suggest that CHD8 could be considered in the expanding genetic spectrum of atypical RTT, which may assist the diagnosis of other MECP2-negative RTT individuals
Rapid and Robust Generation of Homozygous Fluorescent Reporter Knock-In Cell Pools by CRISPR-Cas9
No full textConventional methods for generating knock-out or knock-in mammalian cell models using CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing often require tedious single-cell clone selection and expansion. In this study, we develop and optimise rapid and robust strategies to engineer homozygous fluorescent reporter knock-in cell pools with precise genome editing, circumventing clonal variability inherent to traditional approaches. To reduce false-positive cells associated with random integration, we optimise the design of donor DNA by removing the start codon of the fluorescent reporter and incorporating a self-cleaving T2A peptide system. Using fluorescence-assisted cell sorting (FACS), we efficiently identify and isolate the desired homozygous fluorescent knock-in clones, establishing stable cell pools that preserve parental cell line heterogeneity and faithfully reflect endogenous transcriptional regulation of the target gene. We evaluate the knock-in efficiency and rate of undesired random integration in the electroporation method with either a dual-plasmid system (sgRNA and donor DNA in two separate vectors) or a single-plasmid system (sgRNA and donor DNA combined in one vector). We further demonstrate that coupling our single-plasmid construct with an integrase-deficient lentivirus vector (IDLV) packaging system efficiently generates fluorescent knock-in reporter cell pools, offering flexibility between electroporation and lentivirus transduction methods. Notably, compared to the electroporation methods, the IDLV system significantly minimises random integration. Moreover, the resulting reporter cell lines are compatible with most of the available genome-wide sgRNA libraries, enabling unbiased CRISPR screens to identify key transcriptional regulators of a gene of interest. Overall, our methodologies provide a powerful genetic tool for rapid and robust generation of fluorescent reporter knock-in cell pools with precise genome editing by CRISPR-Cas9 for various research purposes