Building on the diagnosis of urban shrinkage, we examine how two cities in Lusatia are dealing with the challenges of structural change. Adopting the concept of “spaces of possibility” (SoP), we view shrinkage as a dynamic phenomenon that holds both risks and opportunities for urban development and is moderated by local actors, which can lead to conflicts of varying degrees. Using two qualitative case studies in the municipalities of “Rabenfurt” and “Ostenau,” we show that historical backgrounds, established cultures, and patterns of decision‐making are particularly decisive factors in this regard. Rabenfurt represents a top‐down logic with a focus on economic development, which tends to marginalise citizens’ opinions. Ostenau is characterised by a bottom‐up perspective, actively involving local initiatives and citizens in decision‐making processes. However, the created status quo in Ostenau is fragile. The results emphasise that local cultures and modes of decision‐making should be taken into consideration when applying the concept of SoP.
The metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is a broad research field, and the products identified so far offer potential medical and industrial applications. Epoxy fatty acids (EpFAs) act as lipid mediators that modulate renal function, angiogenesis, vascular dilatation and inflammation; moreover, they regulate monocyte aggregation and are involved in cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. On the other hand, EpFAs are precursors of environmentally friendly products for the plastics industry, in which the grade of epoxidation of the compounds gives the polymeric material different advantageous characteristics. The controlled chemical synthesis of poly epoxidized PUFAs is challenging as the reactions are non-selective. In contrast, the biosynthetic route based on cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and lipoxygenases is highly selective but ineffective due to the instability of the enzymes in cell-free systems. Fungal unspecific peroxygenases (UPOs, EC 1.11.2.1) with P450-like activity offer a suitable alternative for the selective synthesis of EpFAs from PUFAs. Here we demonstrate that a recombinant unspecific peroxygenase from Aspergillus niger (rAniUPO) is able to sequentially epoxidize eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to 14,15-17,18 diepoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-17,18 diEpETrE) and 16,17-19,20-diepoxydocosatetraenoic acid (16,17-19,20 diEpDTE), respectively, while arachidonic acid is transformed into 13-hydroxy-14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-hepoxilin B3). Optimal production for these oxygenated derivatives (up to 15 mg) was achieved using 2 mM hydrogen peroxide as the co-substrate. The obtained molecules were identified using high-resolution mass spectrometry and their structure was verified by NMR. Our results demonstrate the suitability of UPOs for the synthesis of EpFAs that can be used in medical research and industrial applications.
Education for sustainable development is a strategic element for the success of activities related to the achievement of social and environmental goals on a global scale. The changes we are experiencing in relation to technological development are moving many human activities into the virtual world.For the purpose of this article, the Design Thinking method was used to project the educational process on sustainable development. Teachers were assigned the role of designers who participated in the design challenge. During the meeting, a group of academic lecturers from three European universities took part in workshops aimed at designing solutions in the field of digital education with sustainable development that meet the preferences of the end users (students).Linking the process of designing educational activities with work on concrete users can bring many benefits to the quality of the teaching process. Incorporating Design Thinking early in the development of educational initiatives will help educators with the difficult task of engaging Generation Z and developing their sensitivity, social and environmental awareness in their natural environment, the Internet.
This chapter aims to conduct a systematic literature review about use-value assessment (UVA), land development, and irrigation investment aiming to biofuel production (bioethanol). Our objective is to present a summary of its current status. In order to perform it, Elsevier and Clarivate databases were used (last 25 years) and the results were summarized in five thematic axes. Considering the results, UVA has risen exponentially as the main theme in the studies. However, preferential tax policies for agricultural land, measured via irrigation investment to biofuel production, have not been explored by the scientific literature yet. Finally, studies converge to guarantee energy security without affecting food security. Thus, irrigation technologies that save water are recommended in order to guarantee the quality of the irrigation investment for biofuel production, giving priority to the rainfed crops. This way, productivity will increase and the potential demand of land for food production could be reduced.
