TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Wei-Hong A1 - Köhler, Barbara A1 - Cao, Feng-Qiu A1 - Liu, Guo-Wei A1 - Gong, Yuan-Yong A1 - Sheng, Song A1 - Song, Qi-Chao A1 - Cheng, Xiao-Yuan A1 - Garnett, Trevor A1 - Okamoto, Mamoru A1 - Qin, Rui A1 - Müller-Röber, Bernd A1 - Tester, Mark A1 - Liu, Lai-Hua T1 - Rice DUR3 mediates high-affinity urea transport and plays an effective role in improvement of urea acquisition and utilization when expressed in Arabidopsis JF - New phytologist : international journal of plant science N2 - Despite the great agricultural and ecological importance of efficient use of urea-containing nitrogen fertilizers by crops, molecular and physiological identities of urea transport in higher plants have been investigated only in Arabidopsis. We performed short-time urea-influx assays which have identified a low-affinity and high-affinity (Km of 7.55 mu M) transport system for urea-uptake by rice roots (Oryza sativa). A high-affinity urea transporter OsDUR3 from rice was functionally characterized here for the first time among crops. OsDUR3 encodes an integral membrane-protein with 721 amino acid residues and 15 predicted transmembrane domains. Heterologous expression demonstrated that OsDUR3 restored yeast dur3-mutant growth on urea and facilitated urea import with a Km of c. 10 mu M in Xenopus oocytes. Quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis revealed upregulation of OsDUR3 in rice roots under nitrogen-deficiency and urea-resupply after nitrogen-starvation. Importantly, overexpression of OsDUR3 complemented the Arabidopsis atdur3-1 mutant, improving growth on low urea and increasing root urea-uptake markedly. Together with its plasma membrane localization detected by green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagging and with findings that disruption of OsDUR3 by T-DNA reduces rice growth on urea and urea uptake, we suggest that OsDUR3 is an active urea transporter that plays a significant role in effective urea acquisition and utilisation in rice. KW - high-affinity transporter KW - leaf senescence KW - nitrogen remobilization KW - OsDUR3 KW - overexpression KW - rice plant KW - urea transport and utilization Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2011.03929.x SN - 0028-646X VL - 193 IS - 2 SP - 432 EP - 444 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Malden ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Lifeng A1 - Hainzl, Sebastian A1 - Zöller, Gert A1 - Holschneider, Matthias T1 - Stress- and aftershock-constrained joint inversions for coseismic and postseismic slip applied to the 2004 M6.0 Parkfield earthquake JF - Journal of geophysical research : Solid earth N2 - Both aftershocks and geodetically measured postseismic displacements are important markers of the stress relaxation process following large earthquakes. Postseismic displacements can be related to creep-like relaxation in the vicinity of the coseismic rupture by means of inversion methods. However, the results of slip inversions are typically non-unique and subject to large uncertainties. Therefore, we explore the possibility to improve inversions by mechanical constraints. In particular, we take into account the physical understanding that postseismic deformation is stress-driven, and occurs in the coseismically stressed zone. We do joint inversions for coseismic and postseismic slip in a Bayesian framework in the case of the 2004 M6.0 Parkfield earthquake. We perform a number of inversions with different constraints, and calculate their statistical significance. According to information criteria, the best result is preferably related to a physically reasonable model constrained by the stress-condition (namely postseismic creep is driven by coseismic stress) and the condition that coseismic slip and large aftershocks are disjunct. This model explains 97% of the coseismic displacements and 91% of the postseismic displacements during day 1-5 following the Parkfield event, respectively. It indicates that the major postseismic deformation can be generally explained by a stress relaxation process for the Parkfield case. This result also indicates that the data to constrain the coseismic slip model could be enriched postseismically. For the 2004 Parkfield event, we additionally observe asymmetric relaxation process at the two sides of the fault, which can be explained by material contrast ratio across the fault of similar to 1.15 in seismic velocity. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JB009017 SN - 2169-9313 SN - 2169-9356 VL - 117 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Li A1 - Heuchel, Matthias A1 - Fang, Liang A1 - Kratz, Karl A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Influence of a polyester coating of magnetic nanoparticles on magnetic heating behavior of shape-memory polymer-based composites JF - Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials N2 - Background: Magnetic composites of thermosensitive shape-memory polymers (SMPs) and magnetite nanoparticles (MNPs) allow noncontact actuation of the shape-memory effect in an alternating magnetic field. In this study, we investigated whether the magnetic heating capability of cross-linked poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/MNP composites (cPCLC) could be improved by covalent coating of MNPs with oligo(epsilon-caprolactone) (OCL). Methods: Two different types of cPCLC containing uncoated and OCL-coated MNP with identical magnetite weight content were prepared by thermally induced polymerization of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) diisocyanatoethyl methacrylate. Both cPCLCs exhibited a melting transition at T-m = 48 degrees C, which could be used as switching transition. Results: The dispersion of the embedded nanoparticles within the polymer matrix could be substantially improved, when the OCL-coated MNPs were used, as visualized by scanning electron microscopy. We could further demonstrate that in this way the maximal achievable bulk temperature (T-bulk) obtained within the cPCLC test specimen in magnetic heating experiments at a magnetic field strength of H = 30 kA.m(-1) could be increased from T bulk = 48 degrees C to T bulk = 74 degrees C. KW - Magnetic composites KW - Magnetite nanoparticles KW - Polymer networks KW - Shape-memory effect Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5301/JABFM.2012.10293 SN - 2280-8000 VL - 10 IS - 3 SP - 203 EP - 209 PB - Wichtig CY - Milano ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, Feipeng A1 - Lack, Alexander A1 - Xie, Zailai A1 - Frübing, Peter A1 - Taubert, Andreas A1 - Gerhard, Reimund T1 - Ionic-liquid-induced ferroelectric polarization in poly(vinylidene fluoride) thin films JF - Applied physics letters N2 - Thin films of ferroelectric beta-phase poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) were spin-coated from a solution that contained small amounts of the ionic liquid (IL) 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate. A remanent polarization of 60 mC/m(2) and a quasi-static pyroelectric coefficient of 19 mu C/m(2)K at 30 degrees C were observed in the films. It is suggested that the IL promotes the formation of the beta phase through dipolar interactions between PVDF chain-molecules and the IL. The dipolar interactions are identified as Coulomb attraction between hydrogen atoms in PVDF chains and anions in IL. The strong crystallinity increase is probably caused by the same dipolar interaction as well. KW - dielectric polarisation KW - ferroelectric thin films KW - polymer films KW - pyroelectricity KW - spin coating Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3683526 SN - 0003-6951 VL - 100 IS - 6 PB - American Institute of Physics CY - Melville ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wang, E. A1 - Kirby, E. A1 - Furlong, K. P. A1 - van Soest, M. A1 - Xu, G. A1 - Shi, X. A1 - Kamp, P. J. J. A1 - Hodges, K. V. T1 - Two-phase growth of high topography in eastern Tibet during the Cenozoic JF - NATURE GEOSCIENCE N2 - High topography in eastern Tibet is thought to have formed when deep crust beneath the central Tibetan Plateau flowed towards the plateau margin, causing crustal thickening and surface uplift(1,2). Rapid exhumation starting about 10-15 million years ago is inferred to mark the onset of surface uplift and fluvial incision(3-6). Although geophysical data are consistent with weak crust capable of flow(7,8), it is unclear how the timing(9) and amount of deformation adjacent to the Sichuan Basin during the Cenozoic era can be explained in this way(10,11). Here we use thermochronology to measure the cooling histories of rocks exposed in a section that stretches vertically over 3 km adjacent to the Sichuan Basin. Our thermal models of exhumation-driven cooling show that these rocks, and hence the plateau margin, were subject to slow, steady exhumation during early Cenozoic time, followed by two pulses of rapid exhumation, one beginning 30-25 million years ago and a second 10-15 million years ago that continues to present. Our findings imply that significant topographic relief existed adjacent to the Sichuan Basin before the Indo-Asian collision. Furthermore, the onset of Cenozoic mountain building probably pre-dated development of the weak lower crust, implying that early topography was instead formed during thickening of the upper crust along faults. We suggest that episodes of mountain building may reflect distinct geodynamic mechanisms of crustal thickening. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1538 SN - 1752-0894 VL - 5 IS - 9 SP - 640 EP - 645 PB - NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP CY - NEW YORK ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wallenta, D. T1 - Elliptic quasicomplexes on compact closed manifolds JF - Integral equations and operator theor N2 - We consider quasicomplexes of pseudodifferential operators on a smooth compact manifold without boundary. To each quasicomplex we associate a complex of symbols. The quasicomplex is elliptic if this symbol complex is exact away from the zero section. We prove that elliptic quasicomplexes are Fredholm. Moreover, we introduce the Euler characteristic for elliptic quasicomplexes and prove a generalisation of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem. KW - Elliptic complexes KW - Fredholm complexes KW - Index theory Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/s00020-012-1983-7 SN - 0378-620X VL - 73 IS - 4 SP - 517 EP - 536 PB - Springer CY - Basel ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Wacker, Alexander A1 - Martin-Creuzburg, Dominik T1 - Biochemical nutrient requirements of the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus co-limitation by sterols and amino acids JF - Functional ecology : an official journal of the British Ecological Society N2 - It has been proposed that growth and reproduction of animals is frequently limited by multiple nutrients simultaneously. To improve our understanding of the consequences of multiple nutrient limitations (i.e. co-limitation) for the performance of animals, we conducted standardized population growth experiments using an important aquatic consumer, the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. We compared nutrient profiles (sterols, fatty acids and amino acids) of rotifers and their diets to reveal consumerdiet imbalances and thus potentially limiting nutrients. In concomitant growth experiments, we directly supplemented potentially limiting substances (sterols, fatty acids, amino acids) to a nutrient-deficient diet, the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus, and recorded population growth rates. The results from the supplementation experiments corroborated the nutrient limitations predicted by assessing consumerdiet imbalances, but provided more detailed information on co-limiting nutrients. While the fatty acid deficiency of the cyanobacterium appeared to be of minor importance, the addition of both cholesterol and certain amino acids (leucine and isoleucine) improved population growth rates of rotifers, indicating a simultaneous limitation by sterols and amino acids. Our results add to growing evidence that consumers frequently face multiple nutrient limitations and suggest that the concept of co-limitation has to be considered in studies assessing nutrient-limited growth responses of consumers. KW - consumer KW - consumer-diet imbalance KW - dietary mismatch KW - fatty acid KW - global change KW - lipid KW - nutrition KW - phytoplankton KW - tetrahymanol KW - zooplankton Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2012.02047.x SN - 0269-8463 VL - 26 IS - 5 SP - 1135 EP - 1143 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vukicevic, Radovan A1 - Vukovic, Ivana A1 - Stoyanov, Hristiyan A1 - Korwitz, Andreas A1 - Pospiech, Doris A1 - Kofod, Guggi A1 - Loos, Katja A1 - ten Brinke, Gerrit A1 - Beuermann, Sabine T1 - Poly(vinylidene fluoride)-functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes for the preparation of composites with improved conductivity JF - Polymer Chemistry N2 - The surface of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) was functionalized with azide-terminated poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF). Functionalization was confirmed by dispersibility, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analyses. Raman spectra show disordering of the SWCNTs, thus, strongly suggesting that PVDF was covalently attached to SWCNTs. Functionalized SWCNTs were mixed with commercially available PVDF in a twin-screw extruder and thin films were obtained by melt-pressing. Films containing 0.5 and 1 wt% PVDF-functionalized SWCNTs exhibited significantly improved electrical conductivity compared to PVDF films containing pristine SWCNTs. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c2py20166f SN - 1759-9954 VL - 3 IS - 8 SP - 2261 EP - 2265 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vukicevic, Radovan A1 - Schwadtke, Ulrike A1 - Schmuecker, Simon A1 - Schaefer, Philipp A1 - Kuckling, Dirk A1 - Beuermann, Sabine T1 - Alkyne-azide coupling of tailored poly(vinylidene fluoride) and polystyrene for the synthesis of block copolymers JF - Polymer Chemistry N2 - The synthesis of block copolymers consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and polystyrene (PS) is reported. Firstly, a propargyl-functionalized alkoxyamine initiator (PgOTIPNO) was prepared and subsequently used for the preparation of a propargyl-terminated PS homopolymer of different chain lengths with low dispersities via nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization. A tailored PVDF homopolymer with iodine end groups originating from iodine transfer polymerization was transformed to PVDF with azide end group. Then, alkyne-terminated PS with different molecular weights and azide-terminated PVDF were joined together via copper-catalyzed alkyne-azide coupling. The block copolymers were characterized using H-1-NMR, F-19-NMR, IR, SEC, and DSC. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1039/c1py00427a SN - 1759-9954 VL - 3 IS - 2 SP - 409 EP - 414 PB - Royal Society of Chemistry CY - Cambridge ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vorpahl, Peter A1 - Elsenbeer, Helmut A1 - Märker, Michael A1 - Schröder-Esselbach, Boris T1 - How can statistical models help to determine driving factors of landslides? JF - Ecological modelling : international journal on ecological modelling and engineering and systems ecolog N2 - Landslides are a hazard for humans and artificial structures. From an ecological point of view, they represent an important ecosystem disturbance, especially in tropical montane forests. Here, shallow translational landslides are a frequent natural phenomenon and one local determinant of high levels of biodiversity. In this paper, we apply weighted ensembles of advanced phenomenological models from statistics and machine learning to analyze the driving factors of natural landslides in a tropical montane forest in South Ecuador. We exclusively interpret terrain attributes, derived from a digital elevation model, as proxies to several driving factors of landslides and use them as predictors in our models which are trained on a set of five historical landslide inventories. We check the model generality by transferring them in time and use three common performance criteria (i.e. AUC, explained deviance and slope of model calibration curve) to, on the one hand, compare several state-of-the-art model approaches and on the other hand, to create weighted model ensembles. Our results suggest that it is important to consider more than one single performance criterion. Approaching our main question, we compare responses of weighted model ensembles that were trained on distinct functional units of landslides (i.e. initiation, transport and deposition zones). This way, we are able to show that it is quite possible to deduce driving factors of landslides, if the consistency between the training data and the processes is maintained. Opening the 'black box' of statistical models by interpreting univariate model response curves and relative importance of single predictors regarding their plausibility, we provide a means to verify this consistency. With the exception of classification tree analysis, all techniques performed comparably well in our case study while being outperformed by weighted model ensembles. Univariate response curves of models trained on distinct functional units of landslides exposed different shapes following our expectations. Our results indicate the occurrence of landslides to be mainly controlled by factors related to the general position along a slope (i.e. ridge, open slope or valley) while landslide initiation seems to be favored by small scale convexities on otherwise plain open slopes. KW - Landslides KW - Tropical montane forests KW - Statistical modeling KW - Model comparison KW - Artificial neuronal network KW - Classification trees KW - Random forests KW - Boosted regression trees KW - Generalized linear models KW - Multivariate adaptive regression splines KW - Maximum entropy method KW - Weighted model ensembles Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2011.12.007 SN - 0304-3800 SN - 1872-7026 VL - 239 IS - 7 SP - 27 EP - 39 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - von Rüsten-Lange, Maik A1 - Luetzow, Karola A1 - Neffe, Axel T. A1 - Lendlein, Andreas T1 - Characterization of oligo(ethylene glycol) and oligoglycerol functionalized poly(ether imide) by angle-dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy JF - Journal of applied biomaterials & functional materials N2 - Purpose: Previous investigations have shown that poly(ether imide) (PEI) membranes can be functionalized with aminated macromolecules. In this study we explored whether the characterization of PEI functionalized with oligo(ethylene glycol) (OEG) or linear, side chain methylated oligoglycerols (OGMe), by angle-dependent X-ray induced photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) can be used to prove the functionalization, give insight into the reaction mechanism and reveal the spatial distribution of the grafts. Methods: PEI membranes were functionalized under alkaline conditions using an aqueous solution with 2 wt% of alpha-amino-methoxy oligo(ethylene glycol) (M-n = 1,320 g.mol(-1)) or linear, side chain methylated monoamine oligoglycerols (M-n = 1,120, 1,800 or 2,270 g.mol(-1)), respectively. The functionalized membranes were investigated using XPS measurements at different detector angles to enable comparison between the signals related to the bulk and surface volume and were compared with untreated and alkaline-treated PEI membranes. Results: While at a perpendicular detector angle the bulk signals of the PEI were prominent, at larger surface volume-related detector angles, the signals for OGMe and OEG were determinable. Conclusion: The surface functionalization of PEI with OEG and OGMe could be verified by the angle-dependent XPS. The observations proved the functionalization at the PEI surface, as the polyethers were detected at angles providing signals of the surface volume. Furthermore, the chemical functions determined verified a covalent binding via the nucleophilic addition of the amine functionalized OGMe and OEG to the PEI imide function. KW - Poly(ether imide) KW - Oligo(ethylene glycol) KW - Oligoglycerols KW - Angle-dependent X-ray induced photoelectron spectroscopy KW - Surface functionalization Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.5301/JABFM.2012.10345 SN - 2280-8000 VL - 10 IS - 3 SP - 215 EP - 222 PB - Wichtig CY - Milano ER - TY - JOUR A1 - von Moritz, Brescius T1 - Connecting the new world BT - Nets, mobility and progress in the age of Alexander von Humboldt N2 - This article explores the link between the profound technological transformations of the nineteenth century and the life and work of the Prussian scholar Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). It analyses how Humboldt sought to appropriate the revolutionary new communication and transportation technologies of the time in order to integrate the American continent into global networks of commercial, intellectual and material exchange. Recent scholarship on Humboldt’s expedition to the New World (1799-1804) has claimed that his descriptions of tropical landscapes opened up South America to a range of ‘transformative interventions’ (Pratt) by European capitalists and investors. These studies, however, have not analysed the motivations underlying Humboldt’s support for such intrusions into nature. Furthermore, they have not explored the role that such projects played in shaping Humboldt’s understanding of the forces behind the progress of societies. To comprehend Humboldt’s approval for human interventions in America’s natural world, this study first explores the role that eighteenth-century theories of progress and the notion of geographical determinism played in shaping his conception of civilisational development. It will look at concrete examples of transformative interventions in the American hemisphere that were actively proposed by Humboldt and intended to overcome natural obstacles to human interaction. These were the use of steamships, electric telegraphy, railroads and large-scale canals that together enabled global trade and communication to occur at an unprecedented pace. All these contemporary innovations will be linked to the four motifs of nets, mobility, progress and acceleration, which were driving forces behind the ‘transformation of the world’ that took place in the course of the nineteenth century. N2 - Dieser Artikel untersucht das Verhältnis zwischen den revolutionären technologischen Neuerungen des 19. Jahrhunderts und dem Leben und Wirken Alexander von Humboldts (1769-1859). Dabei wird gefragt, wie Humboldt versuchte, die neuen und sprichwörtlich bahnbrechenden Kommunikations- und Transporttechnologien seiner Zeit zu nutzen, um den amerikanischen Kontinent in globale kommerzielle und kulturelle Austauschprozesse zu integrieren. Jüngere Forschungen zu Humboldts amerikanischer Expedition (1799-1804) haben behauptet, dass seine Beschreibungen Südamerikas den Kontinent für zahlreiche ’transformative interventions’ (Pratt) von Seiten europäischer Kapitalisten und Investoren zugänglich gemacht hätten. Diese Studien haben jedoch nicht analysiert, aus welchen Motiven heraus Humboldt diese Eingriffe in die Natur unterstützte. Darüber hinaus wurde nicht der zentralen Frage nachgegangen, welche Rolle diese Projekte in Humboldts eigener Auffassung über die Kräfte des gesellschaftlichen Fortschritts gespielt haben. Um Humboldts Unterstützung für tiefgreifende Eingriffe in die Natur Amerikas nachvollziehen zu können, analysiert dieser Artikel zunächst, welche Rolle der ‚Geodeterminismus’ und die Fortschrittstheorien der Aufklärung in seinem Verständnis von zivilisatorischer Entwicklung spielten. Dabei sollen solche Beispiele menschlicher Interventionen in die Natur Amerikas untersucht werden, die Humboldt selbst aktiv förderte – nicht zuletzt, da sie geeignet schienen, ‚natürliche’ Barrieren für gesellschaftliche Austauschprozesse zu beseitigen. Dies waren vor allem die Nutzung von Dampfschiffen, elektrischer Telegrafie, Eisenbahnen und großangelegten Kanalprojekten, deren gebündelte Effekte zu einer signifikanten Beschleunigung von Welthandel und Kommunikationsprozessen führten. Diese zeitgenössischen Innovationen sollen mit den vier Motiven ‚Netz’, ‚Mobilität’, ‚Fortschritt’ und ‚Beschleunigung’ analytisch verbunden werden, da diese Faktoren eine zentrale Rolle für die ‚Verwandlung der Welt’ im 19. Jahrhundert spielten. N2 - Este artículo examina la relación entre las profundas transformaciones tecnológicas del siglo XIX y la vida y obra del estudioso prusiano Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859). Para ello, analizaremos cómo Humboldt trató de apropiarse de las nuevas y revolucionarias tecnologías de comunicación y transporte de su tiempo, de cara a poder integrar el continente americano en redes globales de intercambio comercial, material e intelectual. Estudios recientes sobre la expedición de Humboldt al Nuevo Mundo (1799-1804) han demostrado que sus descripciones de los paisajes tropicales americanos abrieron Sudamérica a una serie de ‘intervenciones transformativas’ (Mary Louise Pratt) lideradas por capitalistas e inversores europeos. No obstante, estos estudios no han analizado las motivaciones que llevaron a Humboldt a prestar su apoyo a tamañas intrusiones en la naturaleza. Más aún, tampoco han intentado analizar cómo estos proyectos influyeron sobre Humboldt, sobre su manera de entender las fuerzas motoras que se escondían tras el progreso de las sociedades. Con el objetivo de entender la aprobación de Humboldt a las intervenciones humanas que se llevaron a cabo en el suelo americano, este estudio se centrará primero en explorar el papel que las teorías sobre el progreso del siglo XVIII, así como la noción de determinismo geográfico, tuvieron en la concepción que tenía el investigador prusiano del desarrollo de las civilizaciones. Se estudiarán, para ello, algunos casos concretos de intervenciones transformativas que se llevaron a cabo en el hemisferio americano y que, propuestas con entusiasmo por el mismo Humboldt, intentaron superar los obstáculos naturales que dificultaban la intervención humana. Nos referiremos, más particularmente, al uso de barcos a vapor, telégrafos eléctricos, vías férreas y canales de gran escala. En definitiva, elementos que dieron lugar, en su conjunto, a un comercio y una comunicación global que se llevaron a cabo a un ritmo sin precedentes. Una serie de innovaciones que habrá que relacionar con cuatro temas fundamentales: redes, movilidad, progreso y aceleración; fuerzas motoras de la ‘transformación del mundo’ que tuvo lugar a lo largo del siglo XIX. KW - Aufklärung KW - Beschleunigung KW - Fortschritt KW - Kommunikation KW - Mobilität KW - Netz KW - Transporttechnologie Y1 - 2012 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-62386 SN - 1617-5239 SN - 2568-3543 VL - XIII IS - 25 SP - 11 EP - 33 PB - Universitätsverlag Potsdam CY - Potsdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Voelzke, Mathias A1 - Stutzig, Norman A1 - Thorhauer, Hans-Alexander A1 - Granacher, Urs T1 - Promoting lower extremity strength in elite volleyball players: Effects of two combined training methods JF - JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND MEDICINE IN SPORT N2 - Objectives: To compare the impact of short term training with resistance plus plyometric training (RT+P) or electromyostimulation plus plyometric training (EMS+P) on explosive force production in elite volleyball players. Design: Sixteen elite volleyball players of the first German division participated in a training study. Methods: The participants were randomly assigned to either the RT+P training group (n = 8) or the EMS+P training group (n= 8). Both groups participated in a 5-week lower extremity exercise program. Pre and post tests included squat jumps (Si), countermovement jumps (CMJ), and drop jumps (DJ) on a force plate. The three-step reach height (RH) was assessed using a custom-made vertec apparatus. Fifteen m straight and lateral sprint (S15s and S15l) were assessed using photoelectric cells with interims at 5 m and 10 m. Results: RT+P training resulted in significant improvements in Si (+2.3%) and RH (+0.4%) performance. The EMS+P training group showed significant increases in performance of CMJ (+3.8%), DJ (+6.4%), RH (+1.6%), S15l (-3.8%) and after 5 m and 10 m of the S15s (-2.6%; -0.5%). The comparison of training-induced changes between the two intervention groups revealed significant differences for the Si (p = 0.023) in favor of RT+P and for the S15s after 5 m (p = 0.006) in favor of EMS+P. Conclusions: The results indicate that RT+P training is effective in promoting jump performances and EMS+P training increases jump, speed and agility performances of elite volleyball players. (c) 2012 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. KW - Muscle contraction KW - Quadriceps muscle KW - Explosive force production KW - Exercise KW - Electric stimulation KW - Plyometrics Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2012.02.004 SN - 1440-2440 VL - 15 IS - 5 SP - 457 EP - 462 PB - ELSEVIER SCI LTD CY - OXFORD ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vinnik, Lev A1 - Silveira, Graca A1 - Kiselev, Sergei A1 - Farra, Veronique A1 - Weber, Michael H. A1 - Stutzmann, Eleonore T1 - Cape verde hotspot from the upper crust to the top of the lower mantle JF - Earth & planetary science letters N2 - We investigate the crust, upper mantle and mantle transition zone of the Cape Verde hotspot by using seismic P and S receiver functions from several tens of local seismograph stations. We find a strong discontinuity at a depth of similar to 10 km underlain by a similar to 15-km thick layer with a high (similar to 1.9) Vp/Vs velocity ratio. We interpret this discontinuity and the underlying layer as the fossil Moho, inherited from the pre-hotspot era, and the plume-related magmatic underplate. Our uppermost-mantle models are very different from those previously obtained for this region: our S velocity is much lower and there are no indications of low densities. Contrary to previously published arguments for the standard transition zone thickness our data indicate that this thickness under the Cape Verde islands is up to similar to 30 km less than in the ambient mantle. This reduction is a combined effect of a depression of the 410-km discontinuity and an uplift of the 660-km discontinuity. The uplift is in contrast to laboratory data and some seismic data on a negligible dependence of depth of the 660-km discontinuity on temperature in hotspots. A large negative pressure-temperature slope which is suggested by our data implies that the 660-km discontinuity may resist passage of the plume. Our data reveal beneath the islands a reduction of S velocity of a few percent between 470-km and 510-km depths. The low velocity layer in the upper transition zone under the Cape Verde archipelago is very similar to that previously found under the Azores and a few other hotspots. In the literature there are reports on a regional 520-km discontinuity, the impedance of which is too large to be explained by the known phase transitions. Our observations suggest that the 520-km discontinuity may present the base of the low-velocity layer in the transition zone. KW - hotspot KW - plume KW - crust KW - upper mantle KW - mantle transition zone KW - receiver function Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2011.12.017 SN - 0012-821X VL - 319 IS - 4 SP - 259 EP - 268 PB - Elsevier CY - Amsterdam ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vinnik, L. A1 - Kiselev, S. A1 - Weber, Michael H. A1 - Oreshin, S. A1 - Makeyeva, L. T1 - Frozen and active seismic anisotropy beneath southern Africa JF - Geophysical research letters N2 - P receiver functions from 23 stations of the SASE experiment in southern Africa are inverted simultaneously with SKS waveforms for azimuthal anisotropy in the upper mantle. Our analysis resolves the long-standing issue of depth dependence and origins of anisotropy beneath southern Africa. In the uppermost mantle we observe anisotropy with a nearly E-W fast direction, parallel to the trend of the Limpopo belt. This anisotropy may be frozen since the Archean. At a depth of 160 km the fast direction of anisotropy changes to 40 degrees and becomes close to the recent plate motion direction. This transition is nearly coincident in depth with activation of dominant glide systems in olivine and with a pronounced change in other properties of the upper mantle. Another large change in the fast direction of anisotropy corresponds to the previously found low-S-velocity layer atop the 410-km discontinuity. Citation: Vinnik, L., S. Kiselev, M. Weber, S. Oreshin, and L. Makeyeva (2012), Frozen and active seismic anisotropy beneath southern Africa, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L08301, doi: 10.1029/2012GL051326. Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051326 SN - 0094-8276 VL - 39 PB - American Geophysical Union CY - Washington ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vignon-Zellweger, Nicolas A1 - Rahnenführer, Jan A1 - Theuring, Franz A1 - Hocher, Berthold T1 - Analysis of cardiac and renal endothelin receptors by in situ hybridization in mice JF - Clinical laboratory : the peer reviewed journal for clinical laboratories and laboratories related to blood transfusion N2 - Background: Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a multifunctional peptide, which is implicated in the renal and cardiac physicology as well as in many pathologies of these systems. ET-1's actions take place after the activation of two receptors: ETA and ETB. The expression of these receptors may be modulated during the pathologic process. The analysis of the distribution and level of expression of the receptors in animal models is therefore crucial. Methods: We developed a protocol for non-radioactive in situ hybridization for the mRNA of the two endothelin receptors on paraffin-embedded tissue using digoxigenin-labeled RNA probes. Results: In heart and kidney, the staining was reliable and specific. In a mouse model for endothelin/nitric oxide imbalance, cardiac ETB expression was reduced. The distribution of the receptors was in accordance with the actual knowledge. Differences in cell specific expression are discussed. Conclusions: We developed a protocol for the in situ hybridization of the endothelin receptors in mice. Given that the endothelin system is implicated in the development of many diseases, we believe that this protocol may be useful for a number of future preclinical studies. KW - Endothelin-1 KW - endothelin receptors KW - in situ hybridization KW - mouse Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.7754/Clin.Lab.2012.120216 SN - 1433-6510 VL - 58 IS - 9-10 SP - 939 EP - 949 PB - Clin Lab Publ., Verl. Klinisches Labor CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vickers, Steven P. A1 - Cheetham, Sharon C. A1 - Birmingham, Gareth D. A1 - Rowley, Helen L. A1 - Headland, Katie R. A1 - Dickinson, Keith A1 - Grempler, Rolf A1 - Hocher, Berthold A1 - Mark, Michael A1 - Klein, Thomas T1 - Effects of the DPP-4 Inhibitor, Linagliptin, in Diet-Induced obese rats a comparison in Naive and Exenatide-Treated Animals JF - Clinical laboratory : the peer reviewed journal for clinical laboratories and laboratories related to blood transfusion N2 - Background: To assess the chronic effect of the DPP-4 inhibitor, linagliptin, alone, in combination with exenatide, and during exenatide withdrawal, in diet-induced obese (DIO) rats. Methods: Female Wistar rats were exposed to a cafeteria diet to induce obesity. Animals were then dosed with vehicle or linagliptin (3 mg/kg PO) orally once-daily for a 28 day period. In a subsequent study, rats received exenatide (either 3 or 30 mu g/kg/day) or vehicle by osmotic mini-pump for 28 days. In addition, groups of animals were dosed orally with linagliptin either alone or in combination with a 3 mu g/kg/day exenatide dose for the study duration. In a final study, rats were administered exenatide (30 mu g/kg/day) or vehicle by osmotic mini-pump for eleven days. Subsequently, exenatide-treated animals were transferred to vehicle or continued exenatide infusion for a further ten days. Animals transferred from exenatide to vehicle were also dosed orally with either vehicle or linagliptin. In all studies, body weight, food and water intake were recorded daily and relevant plasma parameters and carcass composition were determined. Results: In contrast to exenatide, linagliptin did not significantly reduce body weight or carcass fat in DIO rats versus controls. Linagliptin augmented the effect of exenatide to reduce body fat when given in combination but did not affect the body weight response. In rats withdrawn from exenatide, weight regain was observed such that body weight was not significantly different to controls. Linagliptin reduced weight regain after withdrawal of exenatide such that a significant difference from controls was evident. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that linagliptin does not significantly alter body weight in either untreated or exenatide-treated DIO rats, although it delays weight gain after exenatide withdrawal. This finding may suggest the utility of DPP-4 inhibitors in reducing body weight during periods of weight gain. KW - Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor KW - Linagliptin KW - obesity KW - weight loss Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.7754/Clin.Lab.2011.110919 SN - 1433-6510 VL - 58 IS - 7-8 SP - 787 EP - 799 PB - Clin Lab Publ., Verl. Klinisches Labor CY - Heidelberg ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Verheyen, Kris A1 - Baeten, Lander A1 - De Frenne, Pieter A1 - Bernhardt-Römermann, Markus A1 - Brunet, Jorg A1 - Cornelis, Johnny A1 - Decocq, Guillaume A1 - Dierschke, Hartmut A1 - Eriksson, Ove A1 - Hedl, Radim A1 - Heinken, Thilo A1 - Hermy, Martin A1 - Hommel, Patrick A1 - Kirby, Keith J. A1 - Naaf, Tobias A1 - Peterken, George A1 - Petrik, Petr A1 - Pfadenhauer, Joerg A1 - Van Calster, Hans A1 - Walther, Gian-Reto A1 - Wulf, Monika A1 - Verstraeten, Gorik T1 - Driving factors behind the eutrophication signal in understorey plant communities of deciduous temperate forests JF - The journal of ecology N2 - 1. Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition is expected to change forest understorey plant community composition and diversity, but results of experimental addition studies and observational studies are not yet conclusive. A shortcoming of observational studies, which are generally based on resurveys or sampling along large deposition gradients, is the occurrence of temporal or spatial confounding factors. 2. We were able to assess the contribution of N deposition versus other ecological drivers on forest understorey plant communities by combining a temporal and spatial approach. Data from 1205 (semi-)permanent vegetation plots taken from 23 rigorously selected understorey resurvey studies along a large deposition gradient across deciduous temperate forest in Europe were compiled and related to various local and regional driving factors, including the rate of atmospheric N deposition, the change in large herbivore densities and the change in canopy cover and composition. 3. Although no directional change in species richness occurred, there was considerable floristic turnover in the understorey plant community and a shift in species composition towards more shade-tolerant and nutrient-demanding species. However, atmospheric N deposition was not important in explaining the observed eutrophication signal. This signal seemed mainly related to a shift towards a denser canopy cover and a changed canopy species composition with a higher share of species with more easily decomposed litter. 4. Synthesis. Our multi-site approach clearly demonstrates that one should be cautious when drawing conclusions about the impact of atmospheric N deposition based on the interpretation of plant community shifts in single sites or regions due to other, concurrent, ecological changes. Even though the effects of chronically increased N deposition on the forest plant communities are apparently obscured by the effects of canopy changes, the accumulated N might still have a significant impact. However, more research is needed to assess whether this N time bomb will indeed explode when canopies will open up again. KW - atmospheric deposition KW - determinants of plant community diversity and structure KW - Ellenberg indicator values KW - forest herbs KW - forest management KW - large herbivores KW - north-western Europe KW - resurveys KW - (semi-)permanent plots Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2011.01928.x SN - 0022-0477 VL - 100 IS - 2 SP - 352 EP - 365 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Vergani, Marco A1 - Carminati, Marco A1 - Ferrari, Giorgio A1 - Landini, Ettore A1 - Caviglia, Claudia A1 - Heiskanen, Arto A1 - Comminges, Clement A1 - Zor, Kinga A1 - Sabourin, David A1 - Dufva, Martin A1 - Dimaki, Maria A1 - Raiteri, Roberto A1 - Wollenberger, Ursula A1 - Emneus, Jenny A1 - Sampietro, Marco T1 - Multichannel bipotentiostat integrated with a microfluidic platform for electrochemical real-time monitoring of cell cultures JF - IEEE Transactions on biomedical circuits and systems N2 - An electrochemical detection system specifically designed for multi-parameter real-time monitoring of stem cell culturing/differentiation in a microfluidic system is presented. It is composed of a very compact 24-channel electronic board, compatible with arrays of microelectrodes and coupled to a microfluidic cell culture system. A versatile data acquisition software enables performing amperometry, cyclic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy in each of the 12 independent chambers over a 100 kHz bandwidth with current resolution down to 5 pA for 100 ms measuring time. The design of the platform, its realization and experimental characterization are reported, with emphasis on the analysis of impact of input capacitance (i.e., microelectrode size) and microfluidic pump operation on current noise. Programmable sequences of successive injections of analytes (ferricyanide and dopamine) and rinsing buffer solution as well as the impedimetric continuous tracking for seven days of the proliferation of a colony of PC12 cells are successfully demonstrated. KW - Electrochemical measurements KW - impedance spectroscopy KW - microfluidics KW - multichannel potentiostat KW - stem cell monitoring Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1109/TBCAS.2012.2187783 SN - 1932-4545 VL - 6 IS - 5 SP - 498 EP - 507 PB - Inst. of Electr. and Electronics Engineers CY - Piscataway ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Varshney, Nishant Kumar A1 - Kumar, R. Suresh A1 - Ignatova, Zoya A1 - Prabhune, Asmita A1 - Pundle, Archana A1 - Dodson, Eleanor A1 - Suresh, C. G. T1 - Crystallization and X-ray structure analysis of a thermostable penicillin G acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis JF - Acta crystallographica : Section F, Structural biology communications N2 - The enzyme penicillin G acylase (EC 3.5.1.11) catalyzes amide-bond cleavage in benzylpenicillin (penicillin G) to yield 6-aminopenicillanic acid, an intermediate chemical used in the production of semisynthetic penicillins. A thermostable penicillin G acylase from Alcaligenes faecalis (AfPGA) has been crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method in two different space groups: C2221, with unit-cell parameters a = 72.9, b = 86.0, c = 260.2 angstrom, and P41212, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 85.6, c = 298.8 angstrom. Data were collected at 293 K and the structure was determined using the molecular-replacement method. Like other penicillin acylases, AfPGA belongs to the N-terminal nucleophilic hydrolase superfamily, has undergone post-translational processing and has a serine as the N-terminal residue of the beta-chain. A disulfide bridge has been identified in the structure that was not found in the other two known penicillin G acylase structures. The presence of the disulfide bridge is perceived to be one factor that confers higher stability to this enzyme. KW - thermostability KW - disulfide bridges KW - Ntn hydrolases KW - orthorhombic form KW - tetragonal form KW - calcium binding Y1 - 2012 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1107/S1744309111053930 SN - 1744-3091 VL - 68 IS - 3 SP - 273 EP - 277 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Malden ER -