ALBERT

Description: To date, studies on individual and organizational health literacy (OHL) in facilities for people with disabilities are scarce. Thus, the aims of this study are (1) to adapt an existing instrument for measuring organizational health literacy (OHL), namely, the “Health literate health care organization scale” (HLHO-10), to the context of facilities for people with disabilities, (2) to quantitatively examine characteristics of OHL, and (3) to qualitatively assess the definition and role of OHL by interviewing managers and skilled staff. An online study in Germany with N = 130 managers and skilled staff in facilities for people with disabilities was conducted, using the adapted HLHO-10 questionnaire. Univariate analyses were applied. Qualitative content analysis was used to investigate interview data from N = 8 managers and skilled staff from N = 8 facilities for people with disabilities in Hesse, Germany. Quantitative results revealed that respondents reported a below-average level in HLHO-10, with the lowest level found in the attribute of participative development of health information. The qualitative findings showed a clear need for improved navigation to and in facilities. The quantitative and qualitative findings are mainly consistent. Future research and measures should focus on facilities for people with disabilities in order to strengthen the development of and access to target-group-specific health information, as well as to establish a health-literate working and living environment.

Description: The accelerated urbanization and industrialization in China is leading to major challenges due to rising energy demand and emissions. Cities in particular play an important role in the decision-making and implementation processes for the energy transition. However, they often have only limited local energy potential and are heavily dependent on supply regions. We therefore assess how a predominantly renewable power supply can be implemented based on the availability of local or imported renewable resources. We present a case study in which an advanced energy system model is parametrized and applied to address questions which are relevant to the transformation of the energy system in China. The model is capable of simultaneously optimizing investment decisions and hourly power balances of a scenario year, taking into account different storage technologies, regional power exchange and policy constraints such as carbon cap, carbon price and renewable portfolio standards. The study takes the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei metropolitan region with Inner Mongolia as a supply region—considered as exemplary regions characterized by heterogeneous infrastructures, resources and consumption—as its model. Starting from a context-related normative energy scenario, we analyze a possible future electricity system under various assumptions using the Renewable Energy Mix (REMix) energy system model developed at the DLR (German Aerospace Center). Depending on the estimated potentials of renewable energies, technology costs and the projected electricity demand, the metropolitan region is mainly supplied with imported wind and solar power. A sensitivity analysis considers installed capacities, annual generation, CO2 emissions and costs. The results indicate that the assumption of storage costs is of great importance for the future total costs of an electricity system. Variations in other parameters led to different generation portfolios with similar system costs. Our results provide insights into future regional infrastructure needs, and underline the importance of regional coordination and governance for the energy transition in China.

Description: The use of micro fibres in Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) as reinforcement increases tensile strength and especially improves the post-cracking behaviour. Without using fibres, the dense structure of the concrete matrix results in a brittle failure upon loading. To counteract this behaviour by fibre reinforcement, an optimal bond between fibre and cementitious matrix is essential. For the composite properties not only the initial surfaces of the materials are important, but also the bonding characteristics at the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), which changes upon the joining of both materials. These changes are mainly induced by the bond of cementitious phases on the fibre. In the present work, three fibre types were used: steel fibres with brass coating, stainless-steel fibres as well as nickel-titanium shape memory alloys (SMA). SMA fibres have the ability of “remembering” an imprinted shape (referred to as shape memory effect), triggered by thermal activation or stress, principally providing for superior performance of the fibre-reinforced UHPC. However, previous studies have shown that NiTi-fibres have a much lower bond strength to the concrete matrix than steel fibres, eventually leading to a deterioration of the mechanical properties of the composite. Accordingly, the bond between both materials has to be improved. A possible strategy is to roughen the fibre surfaces to varying degrees by laser treatment. As a result, it can be shown that laser treated fibres are characterised by improved bonding behaviour. In order to determine the bond strength of straight, smooth fibres of different metal alloy compositions, the present study characterized multiple fibres in series with a Compact-Tension-Shear (CTS) device. For critical evaluation, results obtained by these tests are compared with the results of conventional testing procedures, i.e., bending tests employing concrete prisms with fibre reinforcements. The bond behaviour is compared with the results of the flexural strength of prisms (4 × 4 × 16 cm3) with fibre reinforcements.

Description: Geochemical processes change the microstructure of rocks and thereby affect their physical behaviour at the macro scale. A micro-computer tomography (micro-CT) scan of a typical reservoir sandstone is used to numerically examine the impact of three spatial alteration patterns on pore morphology, permeability and elastic moduli by correlating precipitation with the local flow velocity magnitude. The results demonstrate that the location of mineral growth strongly affects the permeability decrease with variations by up to four orders in magnitude. Precipitation in regions of high flow velocities is characterised by a predominant clogging of pore throats and a drastic permeability reduction, which can be roughly described by the power law relation with an exponent of 20. A continuous alteration of the pore structure by uniform mineral growth reduces the permeability comparable to the power law with an exponent of four or the Kozeny–Carman relation. Preferential precipitation in regions of low flow velocities predominantly affects smaller throats and pores with a minor impact on the flow regime, where the permeability decrease is considerably below that calculated by the power law with an exponent of two. Despite their complete distinctive impact on hydraulics, the spatial precipitation patterns only slightly affect the increase in elastic rock properties with differences by up to 6.3% between the investigated scenarios. Hence, an adequate characterisation of the spatial precipitation pattern is crucial to quantify changes in hydraulic rock properties, whereas the present study shows that its impact on elastic rock parameters is limited. The calculated relations between porosity and permeability, as well as elastic moduli can be applied for upscaling micro-scale findings to reservoir-scale models to improve their predictive capabilities, what is of paramount importance for a sustainable utilisation of the geological subsurface.

Description: In addition to the desired plasticizing effect, superplasticizers used in high and ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC) influence the chemical system of the pastes and for example retardation of the cement hydration occurs. Thus, superplasticizers have to be chosen wisely for every material composition and application. To investigate the essential adsorption of these polymers to particle surfaces in-situ to overcome several practical challenges of superplasticizer research, fluorescence microscopy is useful. In order to make the superplasticizer polymers visible for this microscopic approach, they are stained with fluorescence dyes prior the experiment. In this work, the application of this method in terms of retardation and rheological properties of sample systems is presented. The hydration of tricalcium oxy silicate (C3S) in combination with different polycarboxylate ether superplasticizers is observed by fluorescence microscopy and calorimetry. Both methods can identify the retarding effect, depending on the superplasticizer’s chemical composition. On the other hand, the influence of the superplasticizers on the slump of a ground granulated blast furnace slag/cement paste is correlated to fluorescence microscopic adsorption results. The prediction of the efficiency by microscopic adsorption analysis succeeds roughly. At last, the possibility of high-resolution imaging via confocal laser scanning microscopy is presented, which enables the detection of early hydrates and their interaction with the superplasticizers.

Description: The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) is a well-described modulator of socio-emotional traits, such as anxiety, stress, social behavior, and pair bonding. However, when dysregulated, it is associated with adverse psychiatric traits, such as various aspects of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In this study, we identify the transcription factor myocyte enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) as the common link between OT and cellular changes symptomatic for ASD, encompassing neuronal morphology, connectivity, and mitochondrial function. We provide evidence for MEF2A as the decisive factor defining the cellular response to OT: while OT induces neurite retraction in MEF2A expressing neurons, OT causes neurite outgrowth in absence of MEF2A. A CRISPR-Cas-mediated knockout of MEF2A and retransfection of an active version or permanently inactive mutant, respectively, validated our findings. We also identified the phosphatase calcineurin as the main upstream regulator of OT-induced MEF2A signaling. Further, MEF2A signaling dampens mitochondrial functioning in neurons, as MEF2A knockout cells show increased maximal cellular respiration, spare respiratory capacity, and total cellular ATP. In summary, we reveal a central role for OT-induced MEF2A activity as major regulator of cellular morphology as well as neuronal connectivity and mitochondrial functioning, with broad implications for a potential treatment of disorders based on morphological alterations or mitochondrial dysfunction.

Description: Alongside electrical loads, it is known that temperature has a strong influence on battery behavior and lifetime. Investigations have mainly been performed at homogeneous temperatures and non-homogeneous conditions in single cells have at best been simulated. This publication presents the development of a methodology and experimental setup to investigate the influence of thermal boundary conditions during the operation of lithium-ion cells. In particular, spatially inhomogeneous and transient thermal boundary conditions and periodical electrical cycles were superimposed in different combinations. This required a thorough design of the thermal boundary conditions applied to the cells. Unlike in other contributions that rely on placing cells in a climatic chamber to control ambient air temperature, here the cell surfaces and tabs were directly connected to individual cooling and heating plates. This improves the control of the cells’ internal temperature, even with high currents accompanied by strong internal heat dissipation. The aging process over a large number of electrical cycles is presented by means of discharge capacity and impedance spectra determined in repeated intermediate characterizations. The influence of spatial temperature gradients and temporal temperature changes on the cyclic degradation is revealed. It appears that the overall temperature level is indeed a decisive parameter for capacity fade during cyclic aging, while the intensity of a temperature gradient is not as essential. Furthermore, temperature changes can have a substantial impact and potentially lead to stronger degradation than spatial inhomogeneities.

Description: Temperature has a significant influence on the behavior of batteries and their lifetime. There are several studies in literature that investigate the aging behavior under electrical load, but are limited to homogeneous, constant temperatures. This article presents an approach to quantifying cyclic aging of lithium-ion cells that takes into account complex thermal boundary conditions. It not only considers different temperature levels but also spatial and transient temperature gradients that can occur despite-or even due to-the use of thermal management systems. Capacity fade and impedance rise are used as measured quantities for degradation and correlated with the temperature boundary conditions during the aging process. The concept and definition of an equivalent aging temperature (EAT) is introduced to relate the degradation caused by spatial and temporal temperature inhomogeneities to similar degradation caused by a homogeneous steady temperature during electrical cycling. The results show an increased degradation at both lower and higher temperatures, which can be very well described by two superimposed exponential functions. These correlations also apply to cells that are cycled under the influence of spatial temperature gradients, both steady and transient. Only cells that are exposed to transient, but spatially homogeneous temperature conditions show a significantly different aging behavior. The concluding result is a correlation between temperature and aging rate, which is expressed as degradation per equivalent full cycle (EFC). This enables both temperature-dependent modeling of the aging behavior and its prediction.

Description: The aim of the present work was to present the ecological and morphological characteristics of species from the genus Achnanthes Bory sensu stricto, which develops in terrestrial mosses near the Rio de Janeiro Botanic Garden, Brazil. A literature comparison was made with other similar species, including the LM and SEM analysis of original material bearing Achnanthes inflata (Kützing) Grunow housed at the Grunow Collection in Vienna, and data from the available literature. Samples were collected from clumps of moss growing on tree trunks, and from a concrete wall within the botanic garden. Four taxa from the genus Achnanthes were recorded: A. coarctata, A. inflata var. gibba, A. mauiensis and Achnanthes pseudoinflata sp. nov. The main morphological differences between these taxa were cell dimensions (length and width), striae and areolae density. The most common diatom species found in these samples were Humidophila sp. (90%), Humidophila contenta (74.8%), Luticola moreirae (17.9%), and Achnanthes pseudoinflata sp. nov. (7.4%).

Description: A floristic survey was performed on a temporary pond, “Laqui du Seignavoux”, situated in the Mont-Dore massif of the French Massif Central, between 2017 and 2019. Except in 2017, each year, we performed four sampling campaigns from April/May to December. Water samples and diatoms were collected. The temporary pond evolved from a poorly mineralized ecosystem due to snow, inducing oligotrophic and oligosaprobic water, well oxygenated in spring, to a more mineralized, less oxygenated, eutrophic–hypereutrophic, and polysaprobic environment in summer. This change in abiotic conditions was found to be linked to the presence of cattle, beginning in May, that trample and excrete in the pond, leading to higher ammonium and nitrate concentrations. During this period, the dominant species were Pinnularia sp., Nitzschia palea, and Nitzschia palea var. tenuirostris. In spring and winter, different species of Eunotia dominated the community such as Eunotia pseudogroenlandica. Finally, light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on a new species of the genus Pinnularia from the temporary pond are presented and the ecological preferences are discussed.