Hydrogen application technologies and environmentally friendly smart energy system

Climate change and fossil fuel depletion are the main reasons for many countries around the world to develop and implement energy transition strategies. Being a very clean burning fuel (generating steam only), hydrogen will play an important role in the transition from fossil energy to CO2-free energy. The paper introduces recent advances of hydrogen technology applied in transportation, industry, and power generation in the world; challenges regarding hydrogen safety and technology; barriers in social perception; and some recommendations for the development of hydrogen technology and environmentally friendly smart energy systems in Vietnam.

Rare and Complex Epilepsies from Childhood to Adulthood: Requirements for Separate Management or Scope for a Lifespan Holistic Approach?

Purpose In this descriptive review, we describe current models of transition in rare and complex epilepsy syndromes and propose alternative approaches for more holistic management based on disease biology. Recent Findings Previously published guidance and recommendations on transition strategies in individuals with epilepsy have not been systematically and uniformly applied. There is significant heterogeneity in models of transition/transfer of care across countries and even within the same country. Summary We provide examples of the most severe epilepsy and related syndromes and emphasise the limited data on their outcome in adulthood. Rare and complex epilepsy syndromes have unique presentations and require high levels of expertise and multidisciplinary approach. Lifespan clinics, with no transition, but instead continuity of care from childhood to adulthood with highly specialised input from healthcare providers, may represent an alternative effective approach. Effectiveness should be measured by evaluation of quality of life for both patients and their families/caregivers.

Straddling the Fence: Land Use Patterns in and around Ports as Hidden Designers

Ports are clearly demarcated structures on land and water. They are fenced in, easily recognizable on satellite and orthophoto images, and they have specific functions. This apparent clarity of ports, their function and outline, in relation to nearby urban and rural areas, becomes more complex when explored through the lens of land use, that is the existing and planned future functional dimension or socio-economic purpose of the land. In contrast to urban and rural areas, where land use has been mapped and defined for centuries, the use and function of land and water in port areas has long been multifunctional and not defined on land use maps. This raises questions about the role and understanding of port territory in relation to neighboring spaces, past, and present. This article first defines land use and describes its historical development. Scholars from various disciplines, including geographers, planners, and economists, have addressed the issue of land use in port areas. Land use patterns have emerged over time and are based on earlier demarcations of port areas and distinctions between port and city. As shown by the historical port city borders in Hamburg, Rotterdam, and Koper, these delimitations can change over time, by location and by function. The land use register has only recently been harmonized at the European level. European and national registers distinguish existing and planned land use in port areas differently. Mixed uses prevail in new port interventions, creating a new kind of permeability or porosity; that is, areas where port, urban and rural functions merge. New land use porosity is a particular state of land use (on both sides of the boundaries of port areas) that goes beyond the physical boundaries marked by fences. Land use porosity effectively creates land use continuity, a functional porosity that serves as a hidden blueprint for future planning. Understanding land use porosity can provide a foundation for novel approaches to the development of transition strategies that are needed to address contemporary challenges, including climate change and sea level rise, digitization, and new work and life practices in port city regions. In conclusion, we note that due to the porosity of land use patterns, the separation between the present port and the city is beginning to crumble. However, this process has yet to be made fully visible and used as a basis for design.

Transgender fashion: Fit challenges and dressing strategies

Clothing is part of our material culture and allows individuals to portray their self-image and articulate their personas to others. Clothing is performative and helps position individuals as their desired gender, which is why clothing is so important to transgender people. While the transgender medical experience has been examined, few have investigated wardrobe building for transgender people undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT). This research explored clothing worn by two trans women, and a trans man who experienced pregnancy, to answer the research question ‘What are the clothing issues and dressing strategies of transgender individuals?’. A convenience sample (n=3) was recruited using snowball methods. Data collection followed three phases to foster a empathy and learning utilizing a qualitative, human-centred approach. To better understand the market, research began with a competitive analysis of retailers and bloggers catering to this niche market. At-home wardrobe interviews utilized participant’s clothing as probes to discuss and demonstrate anatomy in relation to clothing choices and how participants felt when wearing the right clothing. Themes in the data included transition strategies, shopping and fit challenges as well as clothing solutions. Key outfits were photographed, providing insights regarding clothing assortment, fit criteria, as well as desirable/problematic design details and styling tips used to achieve the desired aesthetic/identity. The findings of this study offer empowering strategies to support wardrobe choices for transgender people and are important to designers, product developers and retailers.