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We use the introduction of covered bonds in Norway in 2007 together with administrative and supervisory data at the bank and loan level to investigate the effect of asset encumbrance, that is, pledging assets as collateral, on the composition of bank balance sheets and bank risk. We show that covered bonds—despite being collateralized with mortgages—lead to a shift in bank lending from mortgages t

Using a new dataset on fossil fuel funding, this paper examines bank responses to Germany’s 2020 coal phase-out decision. German banks reduced fossil fuel financing relative to other banks but not coal funding. Globally, banks increased underwriting for coal companies relative to other fossil fuel firms. Firms with entirely coal-based post-sample power production received more funding, indicating

The incidence of melanoma is rising and will require more efficient diagnostic procedures to meet a growing demand. Excisional biopsy and histopathology is still the standard, which often requires multiple surgical incisions with increasing margins due inaccurate visual assessment of where the melanoma borders to healthy tissue. This challenge stems, in part, from the inability to reliably delinea

Japan’s problem of vacant homes has drawn global media attention, but the situation may not be as dire as once predicted. While a 2015 report estimated a vacancy rate of 20.1 per cent by 2023, the actual figure was 13.8 per cent, thanks in part to policy reforms, awareness campaigns and grassroots efforts. Yet challenges remain amid an ageing population. Japan’s evolving approach offers valuable l

Investigating metal-semiconductor interfaces is crucial for enabling ultra-thin film growth and tuning the electronic properties. Here we have studied the atomic mechanism of Bi incorporation into the surface of InSb, the III-V semiconductor with the largest spin-orbit coupling, using surface science techniques and theoretical modeling. Bi deposition onto Sb-terminated InSb(111) surfaces at elevat

Ralsgård & Tullberg – DIALOGUERalsgård & Tullberg Release Fourth Album: DIALOGUESwedish wooden flute duo Ralsgård & Tullberg are releasing their fourth album, DIALOGUE – a return to their roots and a celebration of musical conversation.For over two decades, Andreas Ralsgård and Markus Tullberg have been prominent voices on the Swedish folk music scene. Known for their innovative use of

The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) has employed assassinations and proxy violence as tools of statecraft. Dissidents in exile have been killed, targeted, or systematically threatened, while Israeli-linked entities across Europe have faced repeated attacks. In recent years, Tehran has increasingly outsourced these operations to state-linked criminal intermediaries. This paper analyzes Iran’s approa

The involvement of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in tumor progression has motivated the development of biomaterials mimicking the tumor ECM to develop more predictive cancer models. Particularly, polypeptides based on elastin could be an interesting approach to mimic the ECM due to their tunable properties. Here, we demonstrated that elastin-like recombinamer (ELR) hydrogels can be suitable bioma

This Review discusses the use of elastin-like polymers and their recombinant version, elastin-like recombinamers, in drug-delivery systems. These macromolecules exhibit a number of interesting properties that are rarely found together in any other family of materials, especially extremely high biocompatibility, high bioactivity and functionality, complex yet fully controlled composition, and stimu

The field of biomedicine is constantly investing significant research efforts in order to gain a more in-depth understanding of the mechanisms that govern the function of body compartments and to develop creative solutions for the repair and regeneration of damaged tissues. The main overall goal is to develop relatively simple systems that are able to mimic naturally occurring constructs and can t

BACKGROUND: Drug delivery systems that are able to control the release of bioactive molecules and designed to carry drugs to target sites are of particular interest for tissue therapy. Moreover, systems comprising materials that can respond to environmental stimuli and promote self-assembly and higher order supramolecular organization are especially useful in the biomedical field. Objetive: This r

In the last decades, recombinant structural proteins have become very promising in addressing different issues such as the lack of traceability of biomedical devices or the design of more sensitive biosensors. Among them, we find elastin-like recombinamers (ELRs), which can be designed to self-assemble into diverse structures, such as hydrogels. Furthermore, they might be combined with other prote