Renewable energy sources of heat offer the substantial economic, environmental and social benefits associated with renewable electricity but policy to support their expansion is considerably less advanced. The potential for applying various support instruments to renewable heat is considered with advantages and disadvantages discussed. (c) 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The neurocognitive outcome of children born with extremely low birth weight (ELBW) is highly variable due to the complexity of morbidity. So far, no study has compared comprehensive neuropsychological test profiles in groups with different neuromotor status. In a national cohort of ELBW children neuropsychological test profiles were assessed in 4 groups defined according to a neurological examinat

Sleep has a major impact on our wellbeing and how we perform.OSA has an estimated prevalence of 2 % in women and 4 % in male and is characterized by repetitive complete (apnoea) or partial (hypopnoea) cessation of breathing. I wondered how the patients managed sexuality and closeness when suffering from OSA and in particular how the Continuous Positive Airways Pressure (CPAP) treatment affected th

Much of the toxicity of Hb has been linked to its redox activity; Hb may generate reactive oxygen species, such as the superoxide anion. Superoxide is intrinsically toxic, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) provides important cellular protection. However, if the Hb molecule is located outside the red blood cell, the normal protection systems involving SOD and catalase are no longer closely associated

The gamma p -> K-0 Sigma(+) reaction has been measured from threshold to E-gamma = 1.45 GeV (W-CM = 1.9 GeV) using the Crystal Ball and TAPS multiphoton spectrometers together with the photon tagging facility at the Mainz Microtron MAMI. In the present experiment, this reaction was searched for in the 3 pi(0)p final state, by assuming K-S(0) -> pi(0)pi(0) and Sigma(+) -> pi(0)p. The experimental r

This work demonstrates that hydrogen can be reversibly stored in a composite of NaF and Al. NaF and Al reacts to a mixture of Na3AlF6 and NaAlH4 via hydridofluoride phases of the form Na3AlH6-xFx. The analysis of thermodynamics based on literature standard enthalpies of formation yields the technically favourable enthalpy of reaction of roughly 35 kJ/mol H-2 for a theoretical gravimetric hydrogen

The title compound, C(12)H(18)O(6), is in the usual chair conformation with the two ester functions in a 1,3-trans orientation. With a value of 1.439 (2) Å, the pseudo-axial C-O bond of the 1,3-dioxolane ring is slightly longer than the corresponding equatorial C-O bond of 1.424 (3) Å. The O-C-O angle of the dioxolane ring is 106.25 (17)°.

We performed a genome-wide association study on 1,292 individuals with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and 30,503 controls from Iceland and The Netherlands, with a follow-up of top markers in up to 3,267 individuals with AAAs and 7,451 controls. The A allele of rs7025486 on 9q33 was found to associate with AAA, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.21 and P = 4.6 x 10(-10). In tests for association with

Isomeric ratios have been measured for high-spin states in Po-198,200,206,208(84), At-208,209,210,211(85), Rn-210,211,212,213,214(86), Fr-208,211,212,213,214(87), Ra-210,211,212,214,215(88), and Ac-215(89) following the projectile fragmentation of a 1 AGeV U-238 beam by a Be-9 target at GSI Helmholtzzentrum fur Schwerionenforschung. The fragments were separated in the fragment separator (FRS) and

The adhesion of water to solid surfaces is characterized by the tendency to balance competing molecule-molecule and molecule-surface interactions. Hydroxyl groups form strong hydrogen bonds to water molecules and are known to substantially influence the wetting behaviour of oxide surfaces, but it is not well-understood how these hydroxyl groups and their distribution on a surface affect the molecu

Sex pheromones are the hallmark of reproductive behavior in moths. Mature females perform the task of mate signaling and release bouquets of odors that attract conspecific males at long range. The pheromone chemistry follows a relatively minimal design but still the combinatorial action of a handful of specialized pheromone production enzymes has resulted in remarkably diverse sexual signals that

This article presents an analysis of a group of converts to Roman Catholicism, hitherto largely unknown in historical research, of Scandinavian origin received in the late 17th and early 18th centuries in Rome by Ospizio dei Convertendi. The article provides an overview of the converts and their motives, examining different factors which influenced the complex conversion process. It suggests that

We verified an active uptake of kleptoplastids in the toxic and bloom-forming dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis from its preferred prey, the ciliate Myrionecta rubra, using a quantitative real-time PCR technique. During a 65 d starvation/feeding experiment with Dinophysis caudata, changes in plastid 16S rRNA, plastid autofluorescence and plastid/nuclear DNA ratio through the cell cycle were

Current market trends for industrial automation are the need for customizable production, shorter time to market, and powerful global competitive pressure. Based on these trends two challenges have been identified: 1) flexible production systems and 2) integration and utilization of devices and software. Applications from both process automation, manufacturing, and robotics have been considered.

Traditionally, multi-family houses have been constructed using heavy, homogenous materials like concrete and masonry. But as a consequence of the progress of lightweight building systems during the last decades, it has been questioned whether standardized sound insulation evaluation methods still are appropriate. An extensive measurement template has been applied in a field survey where several vi

Laminar burning velocities of dimethyl carbonate (DMC) + air flames at initial gas mixture temperatures of 298, 318, 338, and 358 K are reported. Nonstretched flames were stabilized on a perforated plate burner at atmospheric pressure, and the laminar burning velocities were determined using the heat flux method. The overall accuracy of the burning velocities was evaluated to be typically better t

The factors that drive partial migration in organisms are not fully understood. Roach (Rutilus rutilus), a freshwater fish, engage in partial migration where parts of populations switch between summer habitats in lakes and winter habitats in connected streams. To test if the partial migration trait is phenotypically plastic or has genetic components, we translocated roach from 2 populations with d