254 research outputs found
The use of energy models in heating transition decision making: Insights from ten municipal heating transition case studies in the Netherlands
No full textIn 2018 the Dutch national government announced its decision to end natural gas extraction. This decision poses a challenge for local governments (municipalities) which have to organize a heat supply that is natural gas-free. Energy models can decrease the complexity of this challenge, but some challenges hinder the effective use of energy models for heat transition decision-making. The present study aims to bridge current knowledge gaps by providing insight into the advantages and limitations of using energy models in the heating transition and by providing recommendations for more effective use. To this end, literature on energy models, data-driven policy design and good modelling practices is reviewed, and case studies are conducted, including ten Dutch municipalities and 23 (expert) interviews. According to interviewees data, advantages of using energy models in heating transition projects are that the modelling process provides perspective for action, financial and socio-economic insights, transparency and legitimacy and means to start useful discussions. Perceived limitations include that models and modelling results are considered too abstract for local analysis, not user-friendly and complex. The present study concludes that the use of energy models in heating transition projects can become more effective by developing and preserving knowledge regarding energy modelling at municipalities, by providing more user-friendly models and/or model interfaces, by developing more efficient data collection processes at municipalities, by improving heat source, energy use and thermal insulation level data sets, by offering comparative modelling studies and by ensuring model developers collaborate and specialize more.Complex Systems Engineering and Management (CoSEM
Protocol for the molecular detection of antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
No full textUntersuchung elektromagnetisch induzierter Transparenz für das kontinuierliche Vier-Wellen-Mischen
No full textKontinuierliche, kohärente Strahlung bei der
1S-2P-Übergangsfrequenz des Wasserstoffatoms, kurz
Lyman-alpha, wird eine Schlüsselrolle bei Experimenten mit
Antiwasserstoffatomen spielen: Sie ist zum Laserkühlen und zur Spektroskopie unumgänglich. Für die Lyman-alpha-Strahlung gibt es seit einigen Jahren eine Reihe gepulster Quellen, deren Effizienz beim Kühlen gefangener Atomen allerdings durch die Repetitionsrate und Bandbreite limitiert ist. Daher wurde vor wenigen Jahren in der Arbeitsgruppe von Prof. Hänsch eine kontinuierlich kohärente Lyman-alpha-Quelle durch Vier-Wellen-Mischen in Quecksilberdampf realisiert.
Die vorliegende Arbeit geht der Frage nach, wie durch
elektromagnetisch induzierte Transparenz die Konversionseffizienz des Vier-Wellen-Mischens erhöht werden kann. Erstmals wurden in Quecksilberdampf gemischte Zustände induziert und eine Aufspaltung des Ein-Photonenübergangs 6^1S->6^3P und des Zwei-Photonenübergangs 6^1S->7^1S beobachtet. Dazu wurden kontinuierliche Laserlichtquellen für 254 nm und 408 nm aufgebaut, die jeweils in der Frequenz soweit durchgestimmt werden können, daß Spektroskopie an allen natürlichen Quecksilberisotopen vorgenommen werden konnte.
Die im Experiment beobachteten Effekte werden durch Rechnungen im Dichtematrixformalismus unter Berücksichtigung von Dopplerverbreiterung und endlicher Wechselwirkungzeit
wiedergegeben. Dabei wurden auch Besonderheiten der
Zwei-Photonenabsorption im von zwei starken kohärenten
Lichtquellen getriebenen Drei-Niveausystem untersucht und im Modell der bekleideten Zustände erklärt.
Aus den Ergebnissen der vorliegenden Arbeit lassen sich
Anforderungen an eine künftige Apparatur ableiten, welche die Erzeugung von kontinuierlich kohärenter Lyman-alpha-Strahlung mit hoher Konversionseffizienz ermöglichen wird
Critical Flow – Towards a Construction Flow Theory
No full textThis paper introduces the concept of Construction Physics as a more comprehensive way of understanding the construction process from a flow perspective. It establishes a preliminary definition of the term and investigates briefly the present knowledge, flow models and methods for their management. From this it argues that the state of the art does not fully cover the whole process and proposes a holistic view of the flow of all prerequisites feeding the process. It introduces the key term Critical Flow and concludes by recommending areas that should be investigated as a joint IGLC research, development and testing programme
Commentary on the Special Issue on Parent Involvement/Engagement in Early Childhood Education
No full textThe articles in this special issue of the NHSA Dialog contribute to the growing body of literature on the importance of engaging parents in early childhood education for children’s development, learning and achievement. They highlight cultural factors that programs should take into consideration in their outreach to parents, and address a number of potential barriers to their involvement parents may face. Findings reported in this issue also provide evidence-based, innovative strategies for engaging parents. Additionally, the set of articles presents a robust range of ways that parent involvement and engagement in early childhood education can be conceptualized and operationalized. Hopefully by highlighting a diverse set of factors pertaining to parents’ involvement and engagement in their young children’s education, publication of this special issue can spur integrative scholarship on how Head Start and other early childhood programs can best engage all the families they serve.This article was originally published in NHSA Dialog. Copyright © 2013 Christopher Henrich. The version of record is posted here with permission of the author
Reexamination In Vitro and In Situ of an Antibacterially Modified Experimental Dental Resin Composite with Molecular Methods: A Pilot Study
No full textPurpose. To introduce additional methods to detect and to quantify single pathogens in the complex biofilm formation on an antibacterial dental material. Materials and Methods. A conventional (ST) and an antibacterial dental composite (B) were manufactured. In vitro: specimens were incubated with a mixture of early colonizers. Bacterial adhesion was analyzed by TaqMan PCR after 8/24 h. In situ: TaqMan PCR and 16S rRNA Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) were performed. Results. In vitro: after 8 h incubation, B was covered by 58.6% of the bacterial amount that was attached to ST. After 24 h, the amount of attached bacteria to ST remained constant on ST only slightly lower on B. In situ: after 8 h the amount of adhering A. viscosus and S. mitis was prominent on ST and reduced on B. NGS revealed that S. sanguinis, S. parasanguinis, and Gemella sanguinis were the mainly attached species with S. sanguinis dominant on ST and S. parasanguinis and G. sanguinis dominant on B. Conclusions. Initial biofilm formation was altered by B. A shift between actinomycetes and streptococci was observed in situ. TaqMan PCR and 16S rRNA NGS revealed comparable results in situ and demonstrated the usefulness of NGS to characterize complex bacterial communities
Dissertatio Iuridica De Praeferentia Creditorum In Concursu, Eorundemque Privilegiis
No full textQuam ... Praeside Dn. Georgio Wernero, ICto, ... Pro virili publice tuebitur Henrich Eberhard von Anderten/ Author & Respondens Ad diem V. Augusti In Maiori Novi Iulei Auditori
The importance of network goals for strategic chain management
No full textNowadays food products are increasingly produced in supply chain networks that involve numerous firms. Due to their pyramidal-hierarchical structure, such networks possess a focal company that coordinates the network. The managerial task of the focal company is to work out collective strategy that addresses cooperation and coordination problems at the firm, dyadic and network levels. These strategies must take into account that at each level specific goals must be achieved. Though the focal company is a strategy setting unit that sets network goals, other network actors may perceive these goals as firm-level goals of the focal company. Therefore, conflicts may occur in supply chain networks.Supply chain networks, focal company, network goals, Agribusiness,
Rapid Detection of <it>Chlamydia trachomatis </it>and Typing of the Lymphogranuloma venereum associated L-Serovars by TaqMan PCR
No full textAbstract Background Infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted bacterial disease of global health significance, and especially the L-serovars causing lymphogranuloma venereum are increasingly being found in Europe in men who have sex with men. Results The design and evaluation of a rapid, multiplex, real-time PCR targeting the major outer membrane protein (omp-1) -gene and a L-serovar-specific region of the polymorphic protein H (pmp-H) -gene for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis is reported here. The PCR takes place as a single reaction with an internal control. For L1-, L2- and L3-serovar differentiation a second set of real-time PCRs was evaluated based on the amplification of serovar-specific omp-1-regions. The detection limit of each real-time PCR, multiplexed or not, was 50 genome copies per reaction with an efficiency ranging from 90,5–95,2%. In a retrospective analysis of 50 ocular, rectal and urogenital specimens formerly tested to be positive for C. trachomatis we identified six L2-serovars in rectal specimens of HIV-positive men, one in a double-infection with L3, and one L2 in a urethral specimen of an HIV-negative male. Conclusion This unique real-time PCR is specific and convenient for the rapid routine-diagnostic detection of lymphogranuloma venereum-associated L-serovars and enables the subsequent differentiation of L1, L2 and L3 for epidemiologic studies.</p
OppA, the ecto-ATPase of <it>Mycoplasma hominis </it>induces ATP release and cell death in HeLa cells
No full textAbstract Background In the facultative human pathogen Mycoplasma hominis, which belongs to the cell wall-less Mollicutes, the surface-localised substrate-binding domain OppA of the oligopeptide permease was characterised as the main ecto-ATPase. Results With the idea that extra-cellular ATP could only be provided by the infected host cells we analysed the ATP release of HeLa cells after incubation with different preparations of Mycoplasma hominis: intact bacterial cells, the membrane fraction with or without OppA, recombinant OppA as well as an ATPase-deficient OppA mutant. Release of ATP into the supernatant of the HeLa cells was primarily determined in all samples lacking ecto-ATPase activity of OppA. In the presence of the ATPase inhibitor DIDS the amount of ATP in the OppA-containing samples increased. This increase was maximal after incubation with fractions containing OppA protein indicating that OppA is involved in ATP release and subsequent hydrolysis. Real-time PCR analyses revealed that the proliferation of HeLa cells is reduced after infection with M. hominis and flow cytometry experiments established that OppA induces greater apoptosis than necrosis of HeLa cells whereas the preservation of ecto-ATPase activity of OppA induces apoptosis. Conclusion The OppA induced ATP-release and -hydrolysis induced cell death of M. hominis infected HeLa cells was predominantly due to apoptosis rather than necrosis. Future work will elucidate whether the induction of apoptosis is indispensable for survival of these non-invasive pathogen.</p
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