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This review analyzes the potential role and long-term effects of field perennial polycultures (mixtures) in agricultural systems, with the aim of reducing the trade-offs between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. First, crop rotations are identified as a suitable tool for the assessment of the long-term effects of perennial polycultures on ecosystem services, which are not visible at the single-crop level. Second, the ability of perennial polycultures to support ecosystem services when used in crop rotations is quantified through eight agricultural ecosystem services. Legume-grass mixtures and wildflower mixtures are used as examples of perennial polycultures, and compared with silage maize as a typical crop for biomass production. Perennial polycultures enhance soil fertility, soil protection, climate regulation, pollination, pest and weed control, and landscape aesthetics compared with maize. They also score lower for biomass production compared with maize, which confirms the trade-off between provisioning and regulating ecosystem services. However, the additional positive factors provided by perennial polycultures, such as reduced costs for mineral fertilizer, pesticides, and soil tillage, and a significant preceding crop effect that increases the yields of subsequent crops, should be taken into account. However, a full assessment of agricultural ecosystem services requires a more holistic analysis that is beyond the capabilities of current frameworks.
From blind shorthand
(2017)
This essay explores the poetics of obscurity that informs Luis Chitarroni’s « unfinished novel » The No Variations. Focusing on the « reticent » erudition that distinguishes this text, my analysis examines its dialogue with the paradigm of Borges’ erudition and narrative poetics, as well as with certain « counter-Borgesian » constellations in recent Argentine literature. My reading aims to show how Chitarroni’s anti-novel reactivates a specific Argentinean tradition of productive illegibility while considering how it relates to the practices of « impediment » and « aesthetic reduction » that pervade modern art and literature.
Janus emulsions, containing olive oil (OO) and silicone oil (SiO), were formed in presence of polyelectrolyte complex particles, i.e., gelatin-sodium polyacrylate (NaPAA) complexes. The diameter of completely engulfed Janus droplets can be tuned between 50 and 200 mu m by varying the gelatin/NaPAA complex particle size between 200 and 400 nm. The gelatin/NaPAA complex particles adsorbed at the olive oil interface decrease the interfacial tension and stabilize the resulting completely engulfed Pickering Janus emulsions. Long-term stable Janus gels can be synthesized in presence of gelatin/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) mixtures. In that case Coulombic forces are of relevance with regard to the stabilization of the Janus droplets embedded in a gelatin/NaCMC gel matrix. Janus gels show elastic reological behavior and thixotropic properties.
The amplified spontaneous emission from a superluminescent diode was frequency doubled in a periodically poled lithium niobate waveguide crystal. The temporally incoherent radiation of such a superluminescent diode is characterized by a relatively broad spectral bandwidth and thermal-like photon statistics, as the measured degree of second order coherence, g((2))(0)= 1.9 +/- 0.1, indicates. Despite the non-optimized scenario in the spectral domain, we achieve six orders of magnitude higher conversion efficiency than previously reported with truly incoherent light. This is possible by using single spatial mode radiation and quasi phase matched material with a waveguide architecture. This work is a principle step towards efficient frequency conversion of temporally incoherent radiation in one spatial mode to access wavelengths where no radiation from superluminescent diodes is available, especially with tailored quasi phase matched crystals. The frequency doubled light might find application in imaging, metrology and quantum optics experiments.
This is the first of a series of papers presenting the results from our survey of 25 Galactic globular clusters with the MUSE integral-field spectrograph. In combination with our dedicated algorithm for source deblending, MUSE provides unique multiplex capabilities in crowded stellar fields and allows us to acquire samples of up to 20 000 stars within the half-light radius of each cluster. The present paper focuses on the analysis of the internal dynamics of 22 out of the 25 clusters, using about 500 000 spectra of 200 000 individual stars. Thanks to the large stellar samples per cluster, we are able to perform a detailed analysis of the central rotation and dispersion fields using both radial profiles and two-dimensional maps. The velocity dispersion profiles we derive show a good general agreement with existing radial velocity studies but typically reach closer to the cluster centres. By comparison with proper motion data, we derive or update the dynamical distance estimates to 14 clusters. Compared to previous dynamical distance estimates for 47 Tuc, our value is in much better agreement with other methods. We further find significant (>3 sigma) rotation in the majority (13/22) of our clusters. Our analysis seems to confirm earlier findings of a link between rotation and the ellipticities of globular clusters. In addition, we find a correlation between the strengths of internal rotation and the relaxation times of the clusters, suggesting that the central rotation fields are relics of the cluster formation that are gradually dissipated via two-body relaxation.
Sequelae of prematurity triggered by oxidative stress and free radical-mediated tissue damage have coined the term “oxygen radical disease of prematurity”. Caffeine, a potent free radical scavenger and adenosine receptor antagonist, reduces rates of brain damage in preterm infants. In the present study, we investigated the effects of caffeine on oxidative stress markers, anti-oxidative response, inflammation, redox-sensitive transcription factors, apoptosis, and extracellular matrix following the induction of hyperoxia in neonatal rats. The brain of a rat pups at postnatal Day 6 (P6) corresponds to that of a human fetal brain at 28–32 weeks gestation and the neonatal rat is an ideal model in which to investigate effects of oxidative stress and neuroprotection of caffeine on the developing brain. Six-day-old Wistar rats were pre-treated with caffeine and exposed to 80% oxygen for 24 and 48 h. Caffeine reduced oxidative stress marker (heme oxygenase-1, lipid peroxidation, hydrogen peroxide, and glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC)), promoted anti-oxidative response (superoxide dismutase, peroxiredoxin 1, and sulfiredoxin 1), down-regulated pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulated redox-sensitive transcription factor expression (Nrf2/Keap1, and NFκB), reduced pro-apoptotic effectors (poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1), apoptosis inducing factor (AIF), and caspase-3), and diminished extracellular matrix degeneration (matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 2, and inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) 1/2). Our study affirms that caffeine is a pleiotropic neuroprotective drug in the developing brain due to its anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-apoptotic properties.
Despite high institutional hurdles for constitutional change, one observes surprisingly many EU treaty revisions. This article takes up the questions of what determines whether a treaty provision is successfully changed and why provisions are renegotiated at subsequent Intergovernmental Conferences. The article presents an institutionalist theory explaining success and renegotiation and tests the theory using all core institutional provisions by means of Qualitative Comparative Analysis. The causal analysis shows that low conflict potential of an issue is sufficient for successfully changing the treaties. Furthermore, high conflict potential of an issue and its fundamental change are sufficient for it to be renegotiated.
Winter precipitation forecast in the European and mediterranean regions using cluster analysis
(2017)
The European climate is changing under global warming, and especially the Mediterranean region has been identified as a hot spot for climate change with climate models projecting a reduction in winter rainfall and a very pronounced increase in summertime heat waves. These trends are already detectable over the historic period. Hence, it is beneficial to forecast seasonal droughts well in advance so that water managers and stakeholders can prepare to mitigate deleterious impacts. We developed a new cluster-based empirical forecast method to predict precipitation anomalies in winter. This algorithm considers not only the strength but also the pattern of the precursors. We compare our algorithm with dynamic forecast models and a canonical correlation analysis-based prediction method demonstrating that our prediction method performs better in terms of time and pattern correlation in the Mediterranean and European regions.
The past few years have witnessed the emergence of a plethora of transnational climate governance experiments. They have been developed by a broad range of actors, such as cities, non-profit organizations, and private corporations. Several scholars have lately devoted particular attention to voluntary global business initiatives in the policy domain of climate change. Their studies have provided considerable insights into the role and function of such new modes of climate governance. However, the precise nature of the relationship between the various climate governance experiments and the international climate negotiations has not been analyzed in enough detail. Against this backdrop, the present article explores the interplay of a business sector climate governance experiment, i.e. the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol) with the international climate regime. On the one hand, the article underscores that the GHG Protocol has filled a regulatory gap in global climate policy-making by providing the means for the corporate sector to comprehensively account and report their GHGs. On the other hand, it reveals that the application of the GHG Protocol guidelines depends to a large extent on the existence of an overarching policy framework set up by nation-states at the intergovernmental level. Only if private companies receive a clear political signal that stringent mandatory GHG emission controls and a global market-based instrument are at least likely to be adopted will they put substantial efforts into the accurate measurement and management of their GHGs. Thus, this article points to the limits of climate governance experimentation and suggests that business sector climate governance experiments need to be embedded in a coherent international regulatory setting which generates a clear stimulus for corporate action.
The shape of trait distributions may inform about the selective forces that structure ecological communities. Here, we present a new moment-based approach to classify the shape of observed biomass-weighted trait distributions into normal, peaked, skewed, or bimodal that facilitates spatio-temporal and cross-system comparisons. Our observed phytoplankton trait distributions exhibited substantial variance and were mostly skewed or bimodal rather than normal. Additionally, mean, variance, skewness und kurtosis were strongly correlated. This is in conflict with trait-based aggregate models that often assume normally distributed trait values and small variances. Given these discrepancies between our data and general model assumptions we used the observed trait distributions to test how well different aggregate models with first- or second-order approximations and different types of moment closure predict the biomass, mean trait, and trait variance dynamics using weakly or moderately nonlinear fitness functions. For weakly non-linear fitness functions aggregate models with a second-order approximation and a data-based moment closure that relied on the observed correlations between skewness and mean, and kurtosis and variance predicted biomass and often also mean trait changes fairly well and better than models with first-order approximations or a normal-based moment closure. In contrast, none of the models reflected the changes of the trait variances reliably. Aggregate model performance was often also poor for moderately nonlinear fitness functions. This questions a general applicability of the normal-based approach, in particular for predicting variance dynamics determining the speed of trait changes and maintenance of biodiversity. We evaluate in detail how and why better approximations can be obtained.
Analytic Kantianism
(2017)
Wilfrid Sellars and John McDowell can both be read as proponents of Analytic Kantianism. However, their accounts differ in important detail. In particular, McDowell has criticized Sellars’s account of sensory consciousness in a number of papers (most notably in LFI and SC), both as a reading of Kant and on its systematic merits. The present paper offers a detailed analysis of this criticism and a defense of Sellars’s position against the background of a methodology of transcendental philosophy.
The review describes how morphological priming can be utilised to study the processing of morphologically complex words in bilinguals. The article starts with an overview of established experimental paradigms based on morphological priming, discusses a number of basic methodological pitfalls with regard to experimental design and materials, then reviews previous L2 morphological priming studies, and concludes with a brief discussion of recent developments in the field as well as possible future directions.
BackgroundDisruptions of reading processes due to text substitutions can measure how readers use lexical information. MethodsWith eye-movement recording, children and adults viewed sentences with either identical, orthographically similar, homophonic or unrelated substitutions of the first characters in target words. To the extent that readers rely on orthographic or phonological cues, substitutions that contain such cues should cause less disruption reading than do unrelated substitutions. ResultsOn pretarget words, there was a reliable reduction in gaze duration due to homophonic substitution only for children. On target words, we observed reliable recovery effects due to orthographic similarity for adults. On post-target words, adults had better orthographic-based and phonological-based recovery abilities than children. ConclusionsThe combination of eye movement recording and the error detection paradigm offers a novel implicit paradigm for studying reading development: during sentence reading, beginning readers of Chinese may rely on phonological mediation, while skilled readers have more direct access to semantics from orthography.
Cognitive or executive control is a critical mental ability, an important marker of mental illness, and among the most heritable of neurocognitive traits. Two candidate genes, catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) and DRD4, which both have a roles in the regulation of cortical dopamine, have been consistently associated with cognitive control. Here, we predicted that individuals with the COMT Met/Met allele would show improved response execution and inhibition as indexed by event-related potentials in a Go/NoGo task, while individuals with the DRD4 7-repeat allele would show impaired brain activity. We used independent component analysis (ICA) to separate brain source processes contributing to high-density EEG scalp signals recorded during the task. As expected, individuals with the DRD4 7-repeat polymorphism had reduced parietal P3 source and scalp responses to response (Go) compared to those without the 7-repeat. Contrary to our expectation, the COMT homozygous Met allele was associated with a smaller frontal P3 source and scalp response to response-inhibition (NoGo) stimuli, suggesting that while more dopamine in frontal cortical areas has advantages in some tasks, it may also compromise response inhibition function. An interaction effect emerged for P3 source responses to Go stimuli. These were reduced in those with both the 7-repeat DRD4 allele and either the COMT Val/Val or the Met/Met homozygous polymorphisms but not in those with the heterozygous Val/Met polymorphism. This epistatic interaction between DRD4 and COMT replicates findings that too little or too much dopamine impairs cognitive control. The anatomic and functional separated maximally independent cortical EEG sources proved more informative than scalp channel measures for genetic studies of brain function and thus better elucidate the complex mechanisms in psychiatric illness.
The Chelyabinsk meteorite
(2017)
We present results of petrographic, mineralogical, and chemical investigations of three Chelyabinsk meteorite fragments. Three distinct lithologies were identified: light S3LL5, dark S4-S5LL5 material, and opaque fine-grained former impact melt. Olivine-spinel thermometry revealed an equilibration temperature of 703 +/- 23 degrees C for the light lithology. All plagioclase seems to be secondary, showing neither shock-induced fractures nor sulfide-metal veinlets. Feldspathic glass can be observed showing features of extensive melting and, in the dark lithology, as maskelynite, lacking melt features and retaining grain boundaries of former plagioclase. Olivine of the dark lithology shows planar deformation features. Impact melt is dominated by Mg-rich olivine and resembles whole-rock melt. Melt veins (<2mm) are connected to narrower veinlets. Melt vein textures are similar to pegmatite textures showing chilled margins, a zone of inward-grown elongated crystals and central vugs, suggesting crystallization from supercooled melt. Sulfide-metal droplets indicate liquid immiscibility of both silicate and sulfide as well as sulfide and metal melts. Impact melting may have been an important factor for differentiation of primitive planetary bodies. Graphite associated with micrometer-sized melt inclusions in primary olivine was detected by Raman mapping. Carbon isotopic studies of graphite could be applied to test a possible presolar origin.
The uplift of the Shillong Plateau, in northeast India between the Bengal floodplain and the Himalaya Mountains, has had a significant impact on regional precipitation patterns, strain partitioning, and the path of the Brahmaputra River. Today, the plateau receives the highest measured yearly rainfall in the world and is tectonically active, having hosted one of the strongest intra-plate earthquakes ever recorded. Despite the unique tectonic and climatic setting of this prominent landscape feature, its exhumation and surface uplift history are poorly constrained. We collected 14 detrital river sand and 3 bedrock samples from the southern margin of the Shillong Plateau to measure erosion rates using the terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide 10Be. The calculated bedrock erosion rates range from 2.0 to 5.6 m My−1, whereas catchment average erosion rates from detrital river sands range from 48 to 214 m My−1. These rates are surprisingly low in the context of steep, tectonically active slopes and extreme rainfall. Moreover, the highest among these rates, which occur on the low-relief plateau surface, appear to have been affected by anthropogenic land-use change. To determine the onset of surface uplift, we coupled the catchment averaged erosion rates with topographic analyses of the plateau's southern margin. We interpolated an inclined, pre-incision surface from minimally eroded remnants along the valley interfluves and calculated the eroded volume of the valleys carved beneath the surface. The missing volume was then divided by the volume flux derived from the erosion rates to obtain the onset of uplift. The results of this calculation, ranging from 3.0 to 5.0 Ma for individual valleys, are in agreement with several lines of stratigraphic evidence from the Brahmaputra and Bengal basin that constrain the onset of topographic uplift, specifically the onset of flexural loading and the transgression from deltaic to marine deposition. Ultimately, our data corroborate the hypothesis that surface uplift was decoupled from the onset of rapid exhumation, which occurred several millions of years earlier.
To better assess ecosystem C budgets of croplands and understand their potential response to climate and management changes, detailed information on the mechanisms and environmental controls driving the individual C flux components are needed. This accounts in particular for the ecosystem respiration (R-eco) and its components, the autotrophic (R-a) and heterotrophic respiration (R-h) which vary tremendously in time and space. This study presents a method to separate R-eco into R-a [as the sum of R-a (shoot) and R-a (root)] and R-h in order to detect temporal and small-scale spatial dynamics within their relative contribution to overall R-eco. Thus, predominant environmental drivers and underlying mechanisms can be revealed. R-eco was derived during nighttime by automatic chamber CO2 flux measurements on plant covered plots. R-h was derived from CO2 efflux measurements, which were performed in parallel to R-eco measurements on a fallow plot using CO2 sampling tubes in 10 cm soil depth. R-a (root) was calculated as the difference between sampling tube CO2 efflux measurements on a plant covered plot and R-h. R-a (shoot) was calculated as R-eco - R-a (root) - R-h. Measurements were carried out for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) during the crop season 2015 at an experimental plot located in the hummocky ground moraine landscape of NE Germany. R-eco varied seasonally from < 1 to 9.5 g C m(-2) d(-1), and was higher in adult (a) and reproductive (r) than juvenile (j) stands (gC m(-2) d(-1): j = 1.2, a = 4.6, r = 5.3). Observed R-a and R-h were in general smaller compared to the independently measured R-eco, contributing in average 58% and 42% to R-eco. However, both varied strongly regarding their environmental drivers and particular contribution throughout the study period, following the seasonal development of soil temperature and moisture (R-h) as well as crop development (R-a). Thus, our results consistently revealed temporal dynamics regarding the relative contribution of R-a (root) and R-a (shoot) to R-a, as well as of R-a and R-h to R-eco. Based on the observed results, implications for partitioning of R-eco in croplands are given.
Fortsetzung aus Ernährungs Umschau Heft 9/2017
Fettsäurenverteilung
Die Gehalte an den wichtigsten Fettsäuren (FS) sind in • Tabelle 4 und 5 aufgeführt, in g/100 g sowie in Prozent des Fettanteils (Etherextrakt bzw. g FS-Methylester pro 100 g der Summe der FS-Methylester). Erbsen und Ackerbohnen spielen als Fett- und FS-Quelle praktisch keine Rolle. Sojabohnen sind eine wesentliche Quelle für Linolsäure, die häufigste n-6-FS. An zweiter Stelle steht die Ölsäure. Aber auch der Gehalt an der n-3-FS α-Linolensäure (ALA) ist hoch, womit sich Sojaöl in die Reihe der Fette mit mittlerem ALA-Gehalt, wie Raps- und Walnussöl einreiht. Im Gegensatz zu Rapsöl entspricht jedoch das Linolsäure/α-Linolensäure- Verhältnis nicht dem empfohlenen Verhältnis von 5:1 in der Gesamt- Diät [13]. Zum Ausgleich für die Fette aus der übrigen Nahrung (Getreide, Lebensmittel tierischer Herkunft) sollten Pflanzenöle besser noch ein engeres Verhältnis als 5:1 aufweisen. Das trifft für Lupinen-Öl schon eher zu, wenngleich der absolute Beitrag an ALA hier eher gering ist.
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide. Current potato varieties are highly susceptible to drought stress. In view of global climate change, selection of cultivars with improved drought tolerance and high yield potential is of paramount importance. Drought tolerance breeding of potato is currently based on direct selection according to yield and phenotypic traits and requires multiple trials under drought conditions. Marker-assisted selection (MAS) is cheaper, faster and reduces classification errors caused by noncontrolled environmental effects. We analysed 31 potato cultivars grown under optimal and reduced water supply in six independent field trials. Drought tolerance was determined as tuber starch yield. Leaf samples from young plants were screened for preselected transcript and nontargeted metabolite abundance using qRT-PCR and GC-MS profiling, respectively. Transcript marker candidates were selected from a published RNA-Seq data set. A Random Forest machine learning approach extracted metabolite and transcript markers for drought tolerance prediction with low error rates of 6% and 9%, respectively. Moreover, by combining transcript and metabolite markers, the prediction error was reduced to 4.3%. Feature selection from Random Forest models allowed model minimization, yielding a minimal combination of only 20 metabolite and transcript markers that were successfully tested for their reproducibility in 16 independent agronomic field trials. We demonstrate that a minimum combination of transcript and metabolite markers sampled at early cultivation stages predicts potato yield stability under drought largely independent of seasonal and regional agronomic conditions.
Postpartale Depressionen sind häufige und schwerwiegende psychische Erkrankungen mit ungünstigem Einfluss auf die kindliche Entwicklung. Als Haupttransmissionsweg gilt die frühe Mutter-Kind-Interaktion. Über die langfristigen Auswirkungen auf die Kinder im Erwachsenenalter und die Rolle der Interaktion liegen kaum Ergebnisse vor. Im Rahmen der Mannheimer Risikokinderstudie wurden postpartale Depressionen bis zwei Jahre nach der Geburt erfasst. Die kindliche Entwicklung wurde fortlaufend und die Mutter-Kind-Interaktion im Alter von 3 Monaten standardisiert erhoben. 28 Kinder postpartal depressiver und 107 Kinder gesunder Mütter konnten mit 25 Jahren untersucht werden. Beeinträchtigungen der kognitiven und psychischen Entwicklung bei Kindern postpartal depressiver Mütter waren bis ins Erwachsenenalter nachweisbar. Responsives bzw. sensitives mütterliches Verhalten wirkte der negativen Entwicklung entgegen. Dies betont die Bedeutung einer hohen Qualität der Mutter-Kind-Interaktion für die Entwicklung von Risikokindern.
Die langfristigen Auswirkungen von Frühgeburtlichkeit auf kognitive Entwicklung und Schulerfolg
(2017)
In einer prospektiven Längsschnittstudie wurde der Zusammenhang zwischen früher Responsivität der Mutter und kognitiver Entwicklung ihrer früh- bzw. reifgeborenen Kinder untersucht. Im Alter von drei Monaten wurde dafür die Mutter-Kind-Interaktion mittels Verhaltensbeobachtung erfasst. Bei n=351 der teilnehmenden Kinder (101 frühgeboren) wurde die allgemeine Intelligenz (IQ) im Alter von 11 Jahren und bei n=313 (85 frühgeboren) zusätzlich der höchste erreichte Schulabschluss bis 25 Jahren erhoben. Frühgeborene wiesen mit 11 Jahren einen signifikant niedrigeren IQ als Reifgeborene auf, nachdem für mögliche konfundierende Faktoren kontrolliert worden war. Nur bei Früh-, nicht aber bei Reifgeborenen zeigte sich ein signifikanter positiver Zusammenhang zwischen mütterlicher Responsivität und IQ. Für die Wahrscheinlichkeit einen höheren Schulabschluss (mind. Fachabitur) zu erreichen, fand sich weder ein signifikanter Effekt von Frühgeburtlichkeit noch von mütterlicher Responsivität.
We describe the Multilanguage Written Picture Naming Dataset. This gives trial-level data and time and agreement norms for written naming of the 260 pictures of everyday objects that compose the colorized Snodgrass and Vanderwart picture set (Rossion & Pourtois in Perception, 33, 217-236, 2004). Adult participants gave keyboarded responses in their first language under controlled experimental conditions (N = 1,274, with subsamples responding in Bulgarian, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish). We measured the time to initiate a response (RT) and interkeypress intervals, and calculated measures of name and spelling agreement. There was a tendency across all languages for quicker RTs to pictures with higher familiarity, image agreement, and name frequency, and with higher name agreement. Effects of spelling agreement and effects on output rates after writing onset were present in some, but not all, languages. Written naming therefore shows name retrieval effects that are similar to those found in speech, but our findings suggest the need for cross-language comparisons as we seek to understand the orthographic retrieval and/or assembly processes that are specific to written output.
How AAA(+) chaperones conformationally remodel specific target proteins in an ATP-dependent manner is not well understood. Here, we investigated the mechanism of the AAA(+) protein Rubisco activase (Rca) in metabolic repair of the photosynthetic enzyme Rubisco, a complex of eight large (RbcL) and eight small (RbcS) subunits containing eight catalytic sites. Rubisco is prone to inhibition by tight-binding sugar phosphates, whose removal is catalyzed by Rca. We engineered a stable Rca hexamer ring and analyzed its functional interaction with Rubisco. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange and chemical crosslinking showed that Rca structurally destabilizes elements of the Rubisco active site with remarkable selectivity. Cryo-electron microscopy revealed that Rca docks onto Rubisco over one active site at a time, positioning the C-terminal strand of RbcL, which stabilizes the catalytic center, for access to the Rca hexamer pore. The pulling force of Rca is fine-tuned to avoid global destabilization and allow for precise enzyme repair.
This article introduces a new theory, the Affective-Reflective Theory (ART) of physical inactivity and exercise. ART aims to explain and predict behavior in situations in which people either remain in a state of physical inactivity or initiate action (exercise). It is a dual-process model and assumes that exercise-related stimuli trigger automatic associations and a resulting automatic affective valuation of exercise (type-1 process). The automatic affective valuation forms the basis for the reflective evaluation (type-2 process), which can follow if self-control resources are available. The automatic affective valuation is connected with an action impulse, whereas the reflective evaluation can result in action plans. The two processes, in constant interaction, direct the individual towards or away from changing behavior. The ART of physical inactivity and exercise predicts that, when there is an affective-reflective discrepancy and self-control resources are low, behavior is more likely to be governed by the affective type-1 process. This introductory article explains the underlying concepts and main theoretical roots from which the ART of physical inactivity and exercise was developed (field theory, affective responses to exercise, automatic evaluation, evaluation-behavior link, dual-process theorizing). We also summarize the empirical tests that have been conducted to refine the theory in its present form.
Density dependence is of fundamental importance for population and range dynamics. Density-dependent reproduction of plants arises from competitive and facilitative plant-plant interactions that can be pollination independent or pollination mediated. In small and sparse populations, conspecific density dependence often turns from negative to positive and causes Allee effects. Reproduction may also increase with heterospecific density (community-level Allee effect), but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood and the consequences for community dynamics can be complex. Allee effects have crucial consequences for the conservation of declining species, but also the dynamics of range edge populations. In invasive species, Allee effects may slow or stop range expansion. Observational studies in natural plant communities cannot distinguish whether reproduction is limited by pollination-mediated interactions among plants or by other neighbourhood effects (e.g. competition for abiotic resources). Even experimental pollen supply cannot distinguish whether variation in reproduction is caused by direct density effects or by plant traits correlated with density. Finally, it is unknown over which spatial scales pollination-mediated interactions occur. To circumvent these problems, we introduce a comprehensive experimental and analytical framework which simultaneously (1) manipulates pollen availability and quality by hand pollination and pollinator exclusion, (2) manipulates neighbourhoods by transplanting target plants, and (3) analyses the effects of con- and heterospecific neighbourhoods on reproduction with spatially explicit trait-based neighbourhood models. Synthesis. By manipulating both pollen availability and target plant locations within neighbourhoods, we can comprehensively analyse spatially explicit density dependence of plant reproduction. This experimental approach enhances our ability to understand the dynamics of sparse populations and of species geographical ranges.
From monthly mean observatory data spanning 1957-2014, geomagnetic field secular variation values were calculated by annual differences. Estimates of the spherical harmonic Gauss coefficients of the core field secular variation were then derived by applying a correlation based modelling. Finally, a Fourier transform was applied to the time series of the Gauss coefficients. This process led to reliable temporal spectra of the Gauss coefficients up to spherical harmonic degree 5 or 6, and down to periods as short as 1 or 2 years depending on the coefficient. We observed that a k(-2) slope, where k is the frequency, is an acceptable approximation for these spectra, with possibly an exception for the dipole field. The monthly estimates of the core field secular variation at the observatory sites also show that large and rapid variations of the latter happen. This is an indication that geomagnetic jerks are frequent phenomena and that significant secular variation signals at short time scales - i.e. less than 2 years, could still be extracted from data to reveal an unexplored part of the core dynamics.
Inside the EU Commission
(2017)
This article studies the perception of the EU Commission's Secretariat General in policy-making. Recently, research on EU institutions devotes increasing attention to analyzing structures and procedures of decision-making in EU institutions, most notably the EU Commission. Conventionally, the EU Commission is portrayed as a fragmented organization, divided along the lines of staff nationality, sectoral responsibilities and cabinets and General Directorates (DGs). The Secretariat General has long been viewed a weak actor that is hardly able or motivated to steer internal decision-making. However, recent research indicates a changing role of the Secretariat General as a pro-active broker and last arbiter. This article studies how the Secretariat General is perceived by the DGs in policy coordination and argues that this perception depends on the pattern of political authority, bureaucratic roles and the relevance and the alternatives prevailing in the policy field. The article is based on data from a survey among Commission officials.
Dem Text liegt ein Vortrag zugrunde, der auf dem 31. Motivationspsychologischen Kolloquium (MPK) in Heidelberg 2015 gehalten wurde. Im ersten Teil bietet er einen Überblick über die Motivationsforschung am Bochumer Heckhausen-Lehrstuhl in den 70er-Jahren („Bochumer Schule“). Dabei werden neben Heinz Heckhausen einzelne Mitarbeiter und ihre Schwerpunkte vorgestellt sowie das stimulierende Arbeitsklima an diesem Lehrstuhl beschrieben. Entsprechend der Vortragseinladung wird im Anschluss die Entwicklung der eigenen Forschungsschwerpunkte skizziert. Noch unter Heckhausens Leitung waren dies zunächst die Forschung zur Bezugsnormorientierung und die Einzelfallanalysen zur Lernmotivation mit dem Erweiterten Kognitiven Motivationsmodell. Danach geht der Vortrag auf Forschungsthemen ein, die dann in Heidelberg und Potsdam dazukamen. Hier geht es um die Erforschung von Tätigkeitsanreizen und um das Flow-Erleben. Abschließend wird der Potsdamer Versuch skizziert, herauszufinden, auf welche Weise unterschiedliche Motivationsqualitäten den Lernprozess und seine Resultate beeinflussen.
The invasion success of the cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii in experimental mesocosms
(2017)
The potentially toxic, invasive cyanobacterium Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, originating from sub-tropical regions, has spread into temperate climate zones in almost all continents. Potential factors in its success are temperature, light and nutrient levels. Grazing losses through zooplankton have been measured in the laboratory but are typically not regarded as a factor in (failed) invasion success. In some potentially suitable lakes, C. raciborskii has never been found, although it is present in water bodies close by. Therefore, we tested the invasive potential of three different isolates introduced into natural plankton communities using laboratory mesocosm experiments under three grazing levels: ambient zooplankton densities, removal of large species using 100 mu m mesh and a ca. doubling of large species. Three C. raciborskii isolates originating from the same geographic region (North-East Germany) were added separately to the four replicates of each treatment and kept in semi-continuous cultures for 21 days. Two isolates disappeared from the mesocosms and were also not viable in filtered lake water indicating that the lake water itself or the switch from culture medium to lake water led to the decay of the inoculated C. raciborskii. Only one out of the three isolates persisted in the plankton communities at a rather low level and only in the treatment without larger zooplankton. This result demonstrates that under potentially suitable environmental conditions, top-down control from zooplankton might hamper the establishment of C. raciborskii. Non-metric multidimensional scaling showed distinct variation in resident phytoplankton communities between the different grazing levels, thus differential grazing impact shaped the resident community in different ways allowing C. raciborskii only to invade under competitive (= low grazing pressure) conditions. Furthermore, even after invasion failure, the temporary presence of C. raciborskii influenced the phytoplankton community.
We give a new and very short proof of a theorem of Greiner asserting that a positive and contractive -semigroup on an -space is strongly convergent in case it has a strictly positive fixed point and contains an integral operator. Our proof is a streamlined version of a much more general approach to the asymptotic theory of positive semigroups developed recently by the authors. Under the assumptions of Greiner's theorem, this approach becomes particularly elegant and simple. We also give an outlook on several generalisations of this result.
Due to increasing pressure on estuarine marshes from sea level rise and river training, there is a growing need to understand how species-environment relationships influence the zonation and growth of tidal marsh vegetation. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and stand characteristics of the two key brackish marsh species Bolboschoenus maritimus and Phragmites australis in the Elbe estuary together with several abiotic habitat factors. We then tested the effect of these habitat factors on plant growth and zonation with generalised linear models (GLMs). Our study provides detailed information on the importance of single habitat factors and their interactions for controlling the distribution patterns and stand characteristics of two key marsh species. Our results suggest that flow velocity is the main factor influencing species distribution and stand characteristics and together with soil-water salinity even affects the inundation tolerance of the two specie investigated here. Additionally, inundation height and duration as well as interspecific competition helped explain the distribution patterns and stand characteristics. By identifying the drivers of marsh zonation and stand characteristics and quantifying their effects, this study provides useful information for evaluating a future contribution of tidal marsh vegetation to ecosystem-based shore protection.
Much of the literature in the field of international relations is currently concerned with the changing patterns of authority in world politics. This is particularly evident in the policy domain of climate change, where a number of authors have observed a relocation of authority in global climate governance. These scholars claim that multilateral treaty making has lost much of its spark, and they emphasize the emergence of transnational governance arrangements, such as city networks, private certification schemes, and business self-regulation. However, the different types of interactions between the various transnational climate initiatives and the intergovernmental level have not been studied in much detail and only recently attracted growing scholarly interest. Therefore, the present article addresses this issue and focuses on the interplay between three different transnational climate governance arrangements and the international climate regime. The analysis in this article underscores that substate and nonstate actors have attained several authoritative functions in global climate policy making. Nevertheless, the three case studies also demonstrate that this development does not imply that we are witnessing a general shift of authority away from the intergovernmental level toward transnational actors. Instead, what can be observed in global climate governance is an ongoing reconfiguration of authority, which apparently reaffirms the centrality of the international climate regime. Thus, this article points to the need for a more nuanced perspective on the changing patterns of authority in global climate governance. In a nutshell, this study shows that the international climate regime is not the only location where the problem of climate change is addressed, while it highlights the persistent authority of state-based forms of regulation.
Narratives of Belonging
(2017)
Die Darstellungen genealogischer Netzwerke waren in der Antike Ausdruck der Weltsicht ihrer Erzähler, mit deren Hilfe Nähe und Distanz zwischen verschiedenen Gruppen und Völkern ausgedrückt und hergestellt werden konnte. Auch Paulus bedient sich genealogischer Argumente, um die Beziehung nicht-jüdischer Christus-Gläubiger zu Israel und ihrem Gott zu verdeutlichen. Es handelt sich um eine ethnozentrische Argumentation, deren Fokus aber gleichzeitig eindeutig theozentrisch ist.
Using a standard repeated measures model with arbitrary true score distribution and normal error variables, we present some fundamental closed-form results which explicitly indicate the conditions under which regression effects towards (RTM) and away from the mean are expected. Specifically, we show that for skewed and bimodal distributions many or even most cases will show a regression effect that is in expectation away from the mean, or that is not just towards but actually beyond the mean. We illustrate our results in quantitative detail with typical examples from experimental and biometric applications, which exhibit a clear regression away from the mean (‘egression from the mean’) signature. We aim not to repeal cautionary advice against potential RTM effects, but to present a balanced view of regression effects, based on a clear identification of the conditions governing the form that regression effects take in repeated measures designs.
Circumstantial evidence suggests that magnetism and enhanced X-ray emission are likely correlated in early B-type stars: similar fractions of them (similar to 10%) are strong and hard X-ray sources and possess strong magnetic fields. It is also known that some B-type stars have spots on their surface. Yet up to now no X-ray activity associated with spots on early-type stars was detected. In this Letter we report the detection of a magnetic field on the B2V star rho Oph A. Previously, we assessed that the X-ray activity of this star is associated with a surface spot, herewith we establish its magnetic origin. We analyze spectra of rho Oph A obtained with the FORS2 spectrograph at ESO Very Large Telescope (VLT) at two epochs, and detect a longitudinal component of the magnetic field of the order of similar to 500 G in one of the datasets. The detection of the magnetic field only at one epoch can be explained by stellar rotation which is also invoked to explain observed periodic X-ray activity. From archival HARPS ESO VLT high resolution spectra we derived the fundamental stellar parameters of rho Oph A and further constrained its age. We conclude that rho Oph A provides strong evidence for the presence of active X-ray emitting regions on young magnetized early type stars.
To purchase or not?
(2017)
Although ecologically and socially responsible consumption helps to reduce the harmful effects of resource use for both nature and society, all types of consumption (whether green or fair) deplete valuable resources. At the same time, to maintain household financial sustainability, spending should not exceed a household's financial resources. Thus, economically sustainable consumption is related to the consumer's decision to not buy products and the disposition to forgo specific purchases. Based on a means-end chain approach, this study investigates consumer cognitive decision-making structures related to six distinct options for economically (non-)sustainable consumption. Whereas saving motives, waste concerns, and avoidance motivations support economically sustainable decisions, economically non-sustainable decision-making is directly linked to attaining overall life goals. By clustering respondents based on the elicited means-end chains, the study discloses four consumer groups with distinctive motivational structures. The study also reveals several obstacles to promoting economic sustainability, indicates methods to overcome such obstacles, and suggests avenues for future research.
Anhand von Daten der Mannheimer Risikokinderstudie, die sich mit der langfristigen Entwicklung von Kindern mit unterschiedlichen Risikobelastungen beschäftigt, wird gezeigt, wie Schutzfaktoren aufseiten des Kindes und seines familiären Umfelds im Verlauf der Entwicklung wirksam werden und zur Entstehung von Resilienz beitragen können. Eine besondere Rolle kommt dabei positiven frühen Eltern-Kind-Beziehungen zu (sowohl Mutter- als auch Vater-Kind-Interaktionen). Daneben spielen auch Interaktionserfahrungen im Alter von zwei Jahren des Kindes eine bedeutsame Rolle; diese schützen Risikokinder davor, eine ungünstige Entwicklung zu nehmen und tragen dazu bei, dass sich Kinder, die in psychosozialen Hochrisikofamilien aufwachsen, trotz ungünstiger „Startbedingungen“ positiv entwickeln. Neben Merkmalen der sozialen Umwelt nehmen auch sprachliche, sozial-emotionale und internale Kompetenzen des Kindes im Entwicklungsverlauf eine wichtige Rolle ein. Diese Kompetenzen ermöglichen es Risikokindern auch unter widrigen Lebensumständen (psychosoziale Hochrisikofamilien, Aufwachsen in Armutsverhältnissen) erfolgreich zu bestehen. Darüber hinaus zeigt die Arbeit, dass Resilienz ein Persönlichkeitsmerkmal ist, das ab dem frühen Erwachsenenalter eine hohe Stabilität besitzt. Mit diesen Befunden verweist die Arbeit auf die große Bedeutung der Resilienz bei der Vorhersage der langfristigen Entwicklung von Risikokindern.
For an arbitrary euclidean field F we introduce a central extension (G(F), Phi) of SL(2, F) admitting a left-ordering and study its algebraic properties. The elements of G(F) are order preserving bijections of the convex hull of Q in F. If F = R then G(F) is isomorphic to the classical universal covering group of the Lie group SL(2, R). Among other results we show that G(F) is a perfect group which possesses a rank 1 cone of exceptional type. We also prove that its centre is an infinite cyclic group and investigate its normal subgroups.
To investigate and compare the occurrence of inflammatory processes in the sites of disc degeneration in the lumbar and cervical spine by a gene array and subsequent qPCR and to investigate the mechanistic involvement of transient receptor potential channels TRPC6 and TRPV4. The gene expression of inflammatory cytokines and TRP channels was measured in human disc samples obtained from patients undergoing discectomy at the cervical (n = 24) or lumbar (n = 27) spine for degenerative disc disease (DDD) and disc herniation (DH) and analyzed for differences with regard to spinal level, IVD degeneration grade, Modic grade, age, sex, disc region and surgical extent. Aside from genes with known implication in DDD and DH, four previously unreported genes from the interferon and TRP families (IFNA1, IFNA8, IFNB1, TRPC6) could be detected. A correlation between gene expression and age (IL-15) and IVD degeneration grade (IFNA1, IL-6, IL-15, TRPC6), but not Modic grade, was identified. Significant differences were detected between cervical and lumbar discs (IL-15), nucleus and annulus (IL-6, TNF-alpha, TRPC6), single-level and multi-level surgery (IL-6, IL-8) as well as DDD and DH (IL-8), while sex had no effect. Multiple gene-gene pair correlations, either between different cytokines or between cytokines and TRP channels, exist in the disc. This study supports the relevance of IL-6 and IL-8 in disc diseases, but furthermore points toward a possible pathological role of IL-15 and type I interferons, as well as a mechanistic role of TRPC6. With limited differences in the inflammatory profile of cervical and lumbar discs, novel anti-inflammatory or TRP-modulatory strategies for the treatment of disc pathologies may be applicable independent of the spinal region.
Galaxies are surrounded by sizeable gas reservoirs which host a significant amount of metals: the circum-galactic medium (CGM). The CGM acts as a mediator between the galaxy and the extragalactic medium. However, our understanding of how galaxy mergers, a major evolutionary transformation, impact the CGM remains deficient. We present a theoretical study of the effect of galaxy mergers on the CGM. We use hydrodynamical cosmological zoom-in simulations of a major merger selected from the Illustris project such that the z = 0 descendant has a halo mass and stellar mass comparable to the Milky Way. To study the CGM we then re-simulated this system at a 40 times better mass resolution, and included detailed post-processing ionization modelling. Our work demonstrates the effect the merger has on the characteristic size of the CGM, its metallicity, and the predicted covering fraction of various commonly observed gas-phase species, such as H I, C IV, and O VI. We show that merger-induced outflows can increase the CGM metallicity by 0.2-0.3 dex within 0.5 Gyr post-merger. These effects last up to 6 Gyr post-merger. While the merger increases the total metal covering fractions by factors of 2-3, the covering fractions of commonly observed UV ions decrease due to the hard ionizing radiation from the active galactic nucleus, which we model explicitly. Our study of the single simulated major merger presented in this work demonstrates the significant impact that a galaxy interaction can have on the size, metallicity, and observed column densities of the CGM.
This study examines the variations of climate variables and rice yield and quantifies the relationships among them using multiple linear regression, principal component analysis, and support vector machine (SVM) analysis in southwest Nigeria. The climate and yield data used was for a period of 36 years between 1980 and 2015. Similar to the observed decrease (P < 0.001) in rice yield, pan evaporation, solar radiation, and wind speed declined significantly. Eight principal components exhibited an eigenvalue > 1 and explained 83.1% of the total variance of predictor variables. The SVM regression function using the scores of the first principal component explained about 75% of the variance in rice yield data and linear regression about 64%. SVM regression between annual solar radiation values and yield explained 67% of the variance. Only the first component of the principal component analysis (PCA) exhibited a clear long-term trend and sometimes short-term variance similar to that of rice yield. Short-term fluctuations of the scores of the PC1 are closely coupled to those of rice yield during the 1986-1993 and the 2006-2013 periods thereby revealing the inter-annual sensitivity of rice production to climate variability. Solar radiation stands out as the climate variable of highest influence on rice yield, and the influence was especially strong during monsoon and post-monsoon periods, which correspond to the vegetative, booting, flowering, and grain filling stages in the study area. The outcome is expected to provide more in-depth regional-specific climate-rice linkage for screening of better cultivars that can positively respond to future climate fluctuations as well as providing information that may help optimized planting dates for improved radiation use efficiency in the study area.
In assessing adolescent behavior difficulties, parents, teachers, and the adolescents themselves are key informants. However, substantial disagreement has been found between informants. Specifically, children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to overestimate their competencies, also known as "positive (illusionary) bias." This study compared parent, teacher, and adolescent ratings of ADHD and other behavioral symptoms in a sample of 114 adolescents with ADHD. Further, the effect of cross-informant disagreement (CID) on treatment outcomes was investigated in a subsample of 54 adolescents who had undergone a training and coaching intervention. Overall, there was moderate agreement among informants. Parent and adolescent ratings were more strongly correlated with each other than with teacher ratings. The strongest discrepancy was found between teacher and adolescent ratings on prosocial behavior. This discrepancy explained 12% of the variance in parent-rated ADHD symptom severity after the intervention. The treatment was less effective in participants with high teacher-adolescent disagreement on prosocial behavior (d = 0.41) than with low disagreement (d = 0.98). These findings suggest that professionals working with adolescents with ADHD should consider multiple sources of information before initiating treatment and pay attention to cross-informant disagreements because these may indicate a risk of diminished treatment effects.
This article explores the various futures of relations between the European Union (EU) and Ukraine. After distilling two major drivers we construct a future compass in order to conceive of four futures of relations between the EU and Ukraine. Our scenarios aim to challenge deep-rooted assumptions on the EU’s neighbourhood with Ukraine: How will the politico-economic challenges in the European countries influence the EU’s approach towards the East? Will more EU engagement in Ukraine contribute to enduring peace? Does peace always come with stability? Which prospects does the idea of Intermarium have? Are the pivotal transformation players in Ukraine indeed oligarchs or rather small- and medium-sized entrepreneurs? After presenting our scenarios, we propose indicators to know in the years to come, along which path future relations do develop. By unearthing surprising developments we hope to provoke innovative thoughts on Eastern Europe in times of post truth societies, confrontation between states and hybrid warfare.
microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified as high-value drug targets. A widely applied strategy in miRNA inhibition is the use of antisense agents. However, it has been shown that oligonucleotides are poorly cell permeable because of their complex chemical structure and due to their negatively charged backbone. Consequently, the general application of oligonucleotides in therapy is limited. Since miRNAs’ functions are executed exclusively by the Argonaute 2 protein, we therefore describe a protocol for the design of a novel miRNA inhibitor class: antagonists of the miRNA-Argonaute 2 protein complex, so-called anti-miR-AGOs, that not only block the crucial binding site of the target miRNA but also bind to the protein’s active site. Due to their lower molecular weight and, thus, more drug-like chemical structure, the novel inhibitor class may show better pharmacokinetic properties than reported oligonucleotide inhibitors, enabling them for potential therapeutic use.
miRNA Targeting Drugs
(2017)
Only 20 years after the discovery of small non-coding, single-stranded ribonucleic acids, so-called microRNAs (miRNAs), as post-transcriptional gene regulators, the first miRNA-targeting drug Miravirsen for the treatment of hepatitis C has been successfully tested in clinical Phase II trials. Addressing miRNAs as drug targets may enable the cure, or at least the treatment of diseases, which presently seems impossible. However, due to miRNAs’ chemical structure, generation of potential drug molecules with necessary pharmacokinetic properties is still challenging and requires a re-thinking of the drug discovery process. Therefore, this chapter highlights the potential of miRNAs as drug targets, discusses the challenges, and tries to give a complete overview of recent strategies in miRNA drug discovery.
Coping, taming or solving
(2017)
One of the truisms of policy analysis is that policy problems are rarely solved. As an ever-increasing number of policy issues are identified as an inherently ill-structured and intractable type of wicked problem, the question of what policy analysis sets out to accomplish has emerged as more central than ever. If solving wicked problems is beyond reach, research on wicked problems needs to provide a clearer understanding of the alternatives. The article identifies and explicates three distinguishable strategies of problem governance: coping, taming and solving. It shows that their intellectual premises and practical implications clearly contrast in core respects. The article argues that none of the identified strategies of problem governance is invariably more suitable for dealing with wicked problems. Rather than advocate for some universally applicable approach to the governance of wicked problems, the article asks under what conditions different ways of governing wicked problems are analytically reasonable and normatively justified. It concludes that a more systematic assessment of alternative approaches of problem governance requires a reorientation of the debate away from the conception of wicked problems as a singular type toward the more focused analysis of different dimensions of problem wickedness.
This study investigates the comprehension of wh-questions in individuals with aphasia (IWA) speaking Turkish, a non-wh-movement language, and German, a wh-movement language. We examined six German-speaking and 11 Turkish-speaking IWA using picture-pointing tasks. Findings from our experiments show that the Turkish IWA responded more accurately to both object who and object which questions than to subject questions, while the German IWA performed better for subject which questions than in all other conditions. Using random forest models, a machine learning technique used in tree-structured classification, on the individual data revealed that both the Turkish and German IWA’s response accuracy is largely predicted by the presence of overt and unambiguous case marking. We discuss our results with regard to different theoretical approaches to the comprehension of wh-questions in aphasia.
Innovationen sind wie ein Motor, der unser ökonomisches, soziales und ge-sellschaftliches Leben antreibt und laufend verändert. Ob in der Medizin-technik, Luft- und Raumfahrt, Energiegewinnung, im Netz oder in der Schule: In allen Bereichen sorgen Innovationen für die stetige Weiterent-wicklung unser Gesellschaft. Bernd Meier hat die Bedeutung von Innova-tionen und innovativem Denken für die technische Bildung und Schule früh erkannt. Mit einer kurzen Rückschau auf sein Wirken hinsichtlich der Be-deutung von Innovationen für die technische und ökonomische Bildung soll ein wichtiger Bereich seiner Arbeit gewürdigt werden. Zu Beginn wird der Innovationsbegriff allgemein umrissen und dann mit Blick auf Schule präzi-siert. Danach wird dargestellt, welchen Stellenwert die Thematik Innovation und Technologie nicht nur in den Publikationen von Bernd Meier, sondern auch in seinen Lehrkonzeptionen eingenommen hat. Im Anschluss daran wird diskutiert, warum es gerade im Bildungsbereich so schwer ist, innova-tiv zu sein oder dauerhaft Innovationen durchzusetzen.1 Der Beitrag endet mit einem Ausblick, inwiefern Innovationen auch in Zukunft für Schule und das Fach Wirtschaft-Arbeit-Technik (kurz: WAT) eine wichtige Thematik darstellen sollten.
The Bajgan Complex, one of the basement constituents of the arc massif in Iranian Makran forms a rugged, deeply incised terrain. The complex consists of pelitic schists with minor psammitic and basic schists, calc silicate rocks, amphibolites, marbles, metavolcanosediments, mafic and felsic intrusives as well as ultramafic rocks. Metapelitic rocks show an amphibolite facies regional metamorphism and contain garnet, biotite, white mica, quartz, albite ± rutile ± apatite. Thermobarometry of garnet schist yields pressure of more than 9 kbar and temperatures between 560 and 675 °C. The geothermal gradient obtained for the peak of regional metamorphism is 19 °C/km, corresponding to a depth of ca. 31 km. Replacement of garnet by chlorite and epidote suggest greenschist facies metamorphism due to a decrease in temperature and pressure through exhumation and retrograde metamorphism (370–450 °C and 3–6 kbar). The metapelitic rocks followed a ‘clockwise’ P–T path during metamorphism, consistent with thermal decline following tectonic thickening. The formation of medium-pressure metamorphic rocks is related to presence of active subduction of the Neotethys Oceanic lithosphere beneath Eurasia in the Makran.
Anthropologists all over the world are discussing influences on individual height including quantity and quality of nutrition. To examine whether a relationship between nutritional components and height can be found this pilot study has been developed. The research samples consisted of 44 children (age 3–6 years) attending two different kindergartens in Germany. Height measurements were taken for each child. Furthermore the parents had to fill out a 24-hour questionnaire to document their children’s eating habits during the weekend. In order to standardize the measured height values z-scores were calculated with reference to the average height of the overall cohort. The results of correlation analysis indicate that height is not significantly related to any of the main nutritional components as protein (r = –0.148), carbohydrates (r = 0.126), fat (r = 0.107), fibre (r = –0.289), vitamin (r = 0.050), calcium (r = 0.110), potassium (r = 0.189) and overall calorie intake (r = 0.302). In conclusion, it can be stated that the quality of nutrition may not have a strong influence on individual height. However, due to the small sample size further research should be provided with a larger cohort of children to verify the present results.
A Gateway to the World
(2017)
In the second half of the 19th century, the French École centrale des arts et manufactures became one of the engineering schools that enjoyed a worldwide reputation. There were many foreigners among its students. This article focuses on the graduates born in the Ottoman Empire, particularly on Jews and Armenians. It analyses their backgrounds, their common features and their professional careers, tracing their links with other centraliens. The patterns in the Ottoman centraliens’ professional trajectories help us picture a world full of opportunities where highly qualified men could cross borders and build careers with ease, but where, at the same time, origins, allegiances, contacts and credentials mattered greatly.
Purpose - This study aims to investigate whether a team of females negotiates differently than a team of males, and whether (workplace) friendship moderates the relationship between single-gender team composition and negotiation outcomes. Design/methodology/approach - The authors used two laboratory studies and paired 216 MBA students into single-gender teams of friends and non-friends, and then engaged them in several dyadic multi-issue negotiations. Findings - The results show that on average, male teams of non-friends reached significantly better outcomes than female teams of non-friends. However, and interestingly, female teams of friends perform equally to male teams of friends. Research limitations/implications - The authors contribute both to the negotiations and the workplace friendship literature because very little research has examined negotiation among friends at work and in particular team negotiations. In addition, the authors also contribute to the literature on gender differences in negotiations because existing research has rarely examined the differences between all-male and all-female teams and especially the relationship between same-sex teams and their effects on negotiation outcomes. Practical implications - This research has clear implications to managers with regard to team composition. Specifically, a winning all-female team should not be changed! Originality/value - This is the first study to examine the relationship between workplace friendship, gender and negotiation outcomes.
Changes in body height throughout extended historic periods are very complex and dynamic processes. Thispilot study aimed to investigate the pattern of longitudinal height z-scores changes in children before and after entering kindergarten. In summer 2016, we measured height and weight of 32 children from 4 groups of two kindergartens aged 3–6 years. All ages were centered according to the age of entry into the kindergarten. For each child we determined mean z-scores for height before and after entering the kindergarten, and assessed the variances for each kindergarten group. Twenty-two children targeted in height z-scores towards average height of their respective kindergarten group, 10 children did not. Due to the small numbers, the convergence in height variance however, remained insignificant (chi-squared independence test, p = 0.127). Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm this pilot study.
Background: We sought to develop a standardized protocol for ultrasound (US) measurements of plantar fascia (PF) width and cross-sectional area (CSA), which may serve as additional outcome variables during US examinations of both healthy asymptomatic PF and in plantar fasciopathy and determine its interrater and intrarater reliability. Methods: Ten healthy individuals (20 feet) were enrolled. Participants were assessed twice by two raters each to determine intrarater and interrater reliability. For each foot, three transverse scans of the central bundle of the PF were taken at its insertion at the medial calcaneal tubercle, identified in real time on the plantar surface of the foot, using a fine wire technique. Reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard errors of measurement (SEM), and limits of agreement (LOA) expressed as percentages of the mean. Reliability of PF width and CSA measurements was determined using PF width and CSA measurements from one sonogram measured once and the mean of three measurements from three sonograms each measured once. Results: Ultrasound measurements of PF width and CSA showed a mean of 18.6 +/- 2.0 mm and 69.20 +/- 13.6 mm(2) respectively. Intra-reliability within both raters showed an ICC. 0.84 for width and ICC. 0.92 for CSA as well as a SEM% and LOA%, 10% for both width and CSA. Inter-rater reliability showed an ICC of 0.82 for width and 0.87 for CSA as well as a SEM% and LOA%, 10% for width and a SEM%, 10% and LOA%, 20% for CSA. Relative and absolute reliability within and between raters were higher when using the mean of three sonographs compared to one sonograph. Conclusions: Using this novel technique, PF CSA and width may be determined reliably using measurements from one sonogram or the mean of three sonograms. Measurement of PF CSA and width in addition to already established thickness and echogenicity measurements provides additional information on structural properties of the PF for clinicians and researchers in healthy and pathologic PF.
The present study explores the perceptual span, that is, the physical extent of the area from which useful visual information is obtained during a single fixation, during oral reading of Chinese sentences. Characters outside a window of legible text were replaced by visually similar characters. Results show that the influence of window size on the perceptual span was consistent across different fixation and oculomotor measures. To maintain normal reading behavior when reading aloud, it was necessary to have information provided from three characters to the right of the fixation. Together with findings from previous research, our findings suggest that the physical size of the perceptual span is smaller when reading aloud than in silent reading. This is in agreement with previous studies in English, suggesting that the mechanisms causing the reduced span in oral reading have a common base that generalizes across languages and writing systems.
Intraplate seismicity is often characterized by episodic, clustered and migrating earthquakes and extended after-shock sequences. Can these observations - primarily from North America, China and Australia - usefully be applied to seismic hazard assessment for intraplate Europe? Existing assessments are based on instrumental and historical seismicity of the past c. 1000 years, as well as some data for active faults. This time span probably fails to capture typical large-event recurrence intervals of the order of tens of thousands of years. Palaeoseismology helps to lengthen the observation window, but preferentially produces data in regions suspected to be seismically active. Thus the expected maximum magnitudes of future earthquakes are fairly uncertain, possibly underestimated, and earthquakes are likely to occur in unexpected locations. These issues particularly arise in considering the hazards posed by low-probability events to both heavily populated areas and critical facilities. For example, are the variations in seismicity (and thus assumed seismic hazard) along the Rhine Graben a result of short sampling or are they real? In addition to a better assessment of hazards with new data and models, it is important to recognize and communicate uncertainties in hazard estimates. The more users know about how much confidence to place in hazard maps, the more effectively the maps can be used.
Modeling a secular trend by Monte Carlo simulation of height biased migration in a spatial network
(2017)
Background: In a recent Monte Carlo simulation, the clustering of body height of Swiss military conscripts within a spatial network with characteristic features of the natural Swiss geography was investigated. In this study I examined the effect of migration of tall individuals into network hubs on the dynamics of body height within the whole spatial network. The aim of this study was to simulate height trends. Material and methods: Three networks were used for modeling, a regular rectangular fishing net like network, a real world example based on the geographic map of Switzerland, and a random network. All networks contained between 144 and 148 districts and between 265-307 road connections. Around 100,000 agents were initially released with average height of 170 cm, and height standard deviation of 6.5 cm. The simulation was started with the a priori assumption that height variation within a district is limited and also depends on height of neighboring districts (community effect on height). In addition to a neighborhood influence factor, which simulates a community effect, body height dependent migration of conscripts between adjacent districts in each Monte Carlo simulation was used to re-calculate next generation body heights. In order to determine the direction of migration for taller individuals, various centrality measures for the evaluation of district importance within the spatial network were applied. Taller individuals were favored to migrate more into network hubs, backward migration using the same number of individuals was random, not biased towards body height. Network hubs were defined by the importance of a district within the spatial network. The importance of a district was evaluated by various centrality measures. In the null model there were no road connections, height information could not be delivered between the districts. Results: Due to the favored migration of tall individuals into network hubs, average body height of the hubs, and later, of the whole network increased by up to 0.1 cm per iteration depending on the network model. The general increase in height within the network depended on connectedness and on the amount of height information that was exchanged between neighboring districts. If higher amounts of neighborhood height information were exchanged, the general increase in height within the network was large (strong secular trend). The trend in the homogeneous fishnet like network was lowest, the trend in the random network was highest. Yet, some network properties, such as the heteroscedasticity and autocorrelations of the migration simulation models differed greatly from the natural features observed in Swiss military conscript networks. Autocorrelations of district heights for instance, were much higher in the migration models. Conclusion: This study confirmed that secular height trends can be modeled by preferred migration of tall individuals into network hubs. However, basic network properties of the migration simulation models differed greatly from the natural features observed in Swiss military conscripts. Similar network-based data from other countries should be explored to better investigate height trends with Monte Carlo migration approach.
Background: We investigated height of Norwegian conscripts in view of the hypothesis of a "community effect on height" using autocorrelation analysis of district heights within a time-span of 20 years at the end of the 19th century and correlations between neighboring districts at this time. Material and methods: After digitalizing available body height data of Norwegian draftees in 1877-1878, 1880 (averaged as 1878), and 1895-1897 (averaged as 1896) we calculated the magnitude of autocorrelation of body height within the same municipality at different time points. Furthermore, we generated three different neighborhood networks, (1) based on Euclidean distances, (2) a minimum spanning tree build on those distances, (3) a network founded on real world road connections. The networks were used to determine the correlation between body height of neighboring districts depending on the number of edges required to connect two municipalities. Results: The autocorrelation value for body heights was around r = 0.5 (for all p < 0.001) in the years 1878 and 1896. The correlation between neighboring districts varied in the Euclidean distance based network between 0.47 and 0.27 approximately for both years in a sorted order, descending from nearest (0-50 km) to farthest (150-200 km, for all p < 0.001). First order neighbors in the minimum spanning tree network correlation was 0.36 in 1878 and 0.42 in 1896 (for all p < 0.001). The values of neighbor correlation in the road connection based network ranged in 1878 from 0.42 (first order neighbors) to 0.17 (forth order neighbors, for all p < 0.01) and in 1896 from 0.46 (first order neighbors) to 0.12 (forth order neighbors, for all p < 0.05). Conclusion: This initial study of Norwegian conscript height data from the 19th century showed significant medium sized effects for the within district autocorrelation between 1878 and 1896 as well as medium neighborhood correlation, slightly lower in comparison to a recent study regarding Swiss conscripts. Digitalizing more data from other years in this and later time spans as well as using older road and ship connections instead of the actual road data might stabilize and improve those findings.
The 1911 Chon-Kemin (Kebin) earthquake culminated c. 30 years of remarkable earthquakes in the northern Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan). Building on prior mapping of the event, we traced its rupture in the field and measured more than 50 offset landforms. Cumulative fault rupture length is >155-195 km along 13 fault patches comprising six sections. The patches are separated by changes of dip magnitude or dip direction, or by 4-10 km-wide stepovers. One <40 km section overlaps and is parallel to the main north-dipping rupture but is 7 km north and dips opposite (south). Both ends of the rupture are along mountain front thrust faults demonstrating late Quaternary activity. We computed the moment from each fault patch using the surface fault traces, dip inferred from the traces, 20 km seismogenic thickness, rigidity of 3.3 x 10(10) N m(-2) and dip slip converted from our observations of the largely reverse sense of motion vertical offsets. The discontinuous patches with c. 3-4 m average slip and peak slip of <14 m yield a seismic moment of 4.6 x 10(20) Nm (M-w 7.78) to 7.4 x 10(20) Nm (M-w 7.91). The majority of moment was released along the inner eastern rupture segments. This geological moment is lower by a factor of 1.5 from that determined from teleseismic data.
In present-day German we find new word order options, particularly well-known from Turkish-German bilingual speakers in the contexts of new urban dialects, which allow violations of the canonical verb-second position in independent declarative clauses. In these cases, two positions are occupied in the forefield in front of the finite verb, usually by an adverbial and a subject, which identify, at the level of information structure, frame-setter and topic, respectively. Our study investigates the influence of verbal versus language -independent information-structural preferences for this linearisation, comparing Turkish-German multilingual speakers who have grown up in Germany with monolingual German and Turkish speakers. For tasks, in which grammatical restrictions were largely minimised, the results indicate a general tendency to place verbs in a position after the frame-setter and the topic; in addition, we found language-specific influences that distinguish Turkish-German and monolingual German speakers from monolingual Turkish ones. We interpret this as evidence for an information-structural motivation for verb-third, and for a clear dominance of German for Turkish-German speakers in Germany.
This study examines the characteristics of drought in the Volta River Basin (VRB), investigates the influence of drought on the streamflow, and projects the impacts of future climate change on the drought. A combination of observation data and regional climate simulations of past and future climates (1970-2013, 2046-2065, and 2081-2100) were analyzed for the study. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation and Evapotranspiration (SPEI) were used to characterize drought while the Standardized Runoff Index (SRI) were used to quantify runoff. Results of the study show that the historical pattern of drought is generally consistent with previous studies over the Basin and most part of West Africa. RCA ensemble medians (RMED) give realistic simulations of drought characteristics and area extent over the Basin and the sub-catchments in the past climate. Generally, an increase in drought intensity and spatial extent are projected over VRB for SPEI and SPI, but the magnitude of increase is higher with SPEI than with SPI. Drought frequency (events per decade) may be magnified by a factor of 1.2, (2046-2065) to 1.6 (2081-2100) compared to the present day episodes in the basin. The coupling between streamflow and drought episodes was very strong (P < 0.05) for the 1-16-year band before the 1970 but showed strong correlation all through the time series period for the 4-8 -years band. Runoff was highly sensitive to precipitation in the VRB and a 2-3 month time lag was found between drought indices and streamflow in the Volta River Basin. Results of this study may guide policymakers in planning how to minimize the negative impacts of future climate change that could have consequences on agriculture, water resources and energy supply.
Dynamic processes in living cells are highly organized in space and time. Unraveling the underlying molecular mechanisms of spatiotemporal pattern formation remains one of the outstanding challenges at the interface between physics and biology. A fundamental recurrent pattern found in many different cell types is that of self-sustained oscillations. They are involved in a wide range of cellular functions, including second messenger signaling, gene expression, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Here, we review recent developments in the field of cellular oscillations and focus on cases where concepts from physics have been instrumental for understanding the underlying mechanisms. We consider biochemical and genetic oscillators as well as oscillations that arise from chemo-mechanical coupling. Finally, we highlight recent studies of intracellular waves that have increasingly moved into the focus of this research field.
This paper concerns integral varifolds of arbitrary dimension in an open subset of Euclidean space satisfying integrability conditions on their first variation. Firstly, the study of pointwise power decay rates almost everywhere of the quadratic tilt-excess is completed by establishing the precise decay rate for two-dimensional integral varifolds of locally bounded first variation. In order to obtain the exact decay rate, a coercive estimate involving a height-excess quantity measured in Orlicz spaces is established. Moreover, counter-examples to pointwise power decay rates almost everywhere of the super-quadratic tilt-excess are obtained. These examples are optimal in terms of the dimension of the varifold and the exponent of the integrability condition in most cases, for example if the varifold is not two-dimensional. These examples also demonstrate that within the scale of Lebesgue spaces no local higher integrability of the second fundamental form, of an at least two-dimensional curvature varifold, may be deduced from boundedness of its generalised mean curvature vector. Amongst the tools are Cartesian products of curvature varifolds.
In many European countries, labor markets are characterized by high regional disparities in terms of unemployment rates on the one hand and low geographical mobility among the unemployed on the other hand. In order to counteract the geographical mismatch of workers, the German active labor market policy offers a subsidy covering moving costs to incentivize unemployed job seekers to search/accept jobs in distant regions. Based on administrative data, this study provides the first empirical evidence on the impact of this subsidy on participants' prospective labor market outcomes. We use an instrumental variable approach to take endogenous selection based on observed and unobserved characteristics into account when estimating causal treatment effects. We find that unemployed job seekers who participate in the subsidy program and move to a distant region receive higher wages and find more stable jobs compared to non-participants. We show that the positive effects are (to a large extent) the consequence of a better job match due to the increased search radius of participants.
Mantle Flow as a Trigger for Subduction Initiation: A Missing Element of the Wilson Cycle Concept
(2017)
The classical Wilson Cycle concept, describing repeated opening and closing of ocean basins, hypothesizes spontaneous conversion of passive continental margins into subduction zones. This process, however, is impeded by the high strength of passive margins, and it has never occurred in Cenozoic times. Here using thermomechanical models, we show that additional forcing, provided by mantle flow, which is induced by neighboring subduction zones and midmantle slab remnants, can convert a passive margin into a subduction zone. Models suggest that this is a long-term process, thus explaining the lack of Cenozoic examples. We speculate that new subduction zones may form in the next few tens of millions of years along the Argentine passive margin and the U.S. East Coast. Mantle suction force can similarly trigger subduction initiation along large oceanic fracture zones. We propose that new subduction zones will preferentially originate where subduction zones were active in the past, thus explaining the remarkable colocation of subduction zones during at least the last 400 Myr.
Computerised mirror therapy with Augmented Reflection Technology for early stroke rehabilitation
(2017)
Purpose: New rehabilitation strategies for post-stroke upper limb rehabilitation employing visual stimulation show promising results, however, cost-efficient and clinically feasible ways to provide these interventions are still lacking. An integral step is to translate recent technological advances, such as in virtual and augmented reality, into therapeutic practice to improve outcomes for patients. This requires research on the adaptation of the technology for clinical use as well as on the appropriate guidelines and protocols for sustainable integration into therapeutic routines. Here, we present and evaluate a novel and affordable augmented reality system (Augmented Reflection Technology, ART) in combination with a validated mirror therapy protocol for upper limb rehabilitation after stroke. Results: The results showed that the combination and application of the Berlin Protocol for Mirror Therapy together with ART was feasible for clinical use. This combination was integrated into the therapeutic plan of subacute stroke patients at the two clinical locations where the second part of this research was conducted. Conclusions: Our findings pave the way for using technology to provide mirror therapy in clinical settings and show potential for the more effective use of inpatient time and enhanced recoveries for patients. IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATION Computerised Mirror Therapy is feasible for clinical use Augmented Reflection Technology can be integrated as an adjunctive therapeutic intervention for subacute stroke patients in an inpatient setting Virtual Rehabilitation devices such as Augmented Reflection Technology have considerable potential to enhance stroke rehabilitation
A frequently mentioned if somewhat peripheral figure in the historiography of late nineteenth-century linguistics is the German sinologist and general linguist Georg von der Gabelentz (1840–1893). Today Gabelentz is chiefly remembered for several insights that proved to be productive in the development of subsequent schools and subdisciplines. In this paper, we examine two of these insights, his analytic and synthetic systems of grammar and his foundational work on typology. We show how they were intimately connected within his conception of linguistic research, and how this was in turn embedded in the tradition established by Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767–1835), especially as it was further developed by H. Steinthal (1823–1899). This paper goes beyond several previous works with a similar focus by drawing on a wider range of Gabelentz’ writings, including manuscript sources that have only recently been published, and by examining specific textual connections between Gabelentz and his predecessors.
Lying is an everyday moral phenomenon about which philosophers have written a lot. Not only the moral status of lying has been intensively discussed but also what it means to lie in the first place. Perhaps the most important criterion for an adequate definition of lying is that it fits with people’s understanding and use of this concept. In this light, it comes as a surprise that researchers only recently started to empirically investigate the folk concept of lying. In this paper, we describe three experimental studies which address the following questions: Does a statement need to be objectively false in order to constitute lying? Does lying necessarily include the intention to deceive? Can one lie by omitting relevant facts?
Currently available wearables are usually based on a single sensor node with integrated capabilities for classifying different activities. The next generation of cooperative wearables could be able to identify not only activities, but also to evaluate them qualitatively using the data of several sensor nodes attached to the body, to provide detailed feedback for the improvement of the execution. Especially within the application domains of sports and health-care, such immediate feedback to the execution of body movements is crucial for (re-) learning and improving motor skills. To enable such systems for a broad range of activities, generalized approaches for human motion assessment within sensor networks are required. In this paper, we present a generalized trainable activity assessment chain (AAC) for the online assessment of periodic human activity within a wireless body area network. AAC evaluates the execution of separate movements of a prior trained activity on a fine-grained quality scale. We connect qualitative assessment with human knowledge by projecting the AAC on the hierarchical decomposition of motion performed by the human body as well as establishing the assessment on a kinematic evaluation of biomechanically distinct motion fragments. We evaluate AAC in a real-world setting and show that AAC successfully delimits the movements of correctly performed activity from faulty executions and provides detailed reasons for the activity assessment.
In this article, I deal with the concept of truth and lie in Jewish traditional literature, examining its development in the Hebrew Bible and rabbinic literature. An essential aspect in understanding this concept is the dualism of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ impulses and the free will of human beings, who were created in the image of God and have the choice to decide between right and wrong.
William S. Campbell’s research on the apostle Paul has been at the forefront of overcoming anti-Jewish interpretations. His career has been characterised by academic rigour and social and interfaith engagement. His interpretive approach is committed to formulating Christian identity in positive relation to others and thus contributes to provide a vital basis for Jewish-Christian and Interfaith relations in general for the future.
The phylogenetic structure of communities (PSC) reveals how evolutionary history affects community assembly processes. However, there are important knowledge gaps on PSC patterns for annual communities and there is a need for studies along environmental gradients in dry ecosystems where several processes shape PSC. Here, we investigated the PSC of annual plants along an aridity gradient in Israel, including eight years, two spatial scales, the effects of shrubs on understory, and the phylogenetic signal of important traits. Increasing drought stress led to overdispersed PSC at the drier end of the gradient, indicating that species were less related than expected by chance. This was supported at a smaller spatial scale, where within the drier sites, communities in open- more arid- habitats were more overdispersed than those under nurse shrubs. Interestingly, some key traits related to drought resistance were not conserved in the phylogeny. Together, our findings suggested that while habitat filtering selected for drought resistance strategies, these strategies evolved independently along multiple contrasting evolutionary lineages. Our comprehensive PSC study provides strong evidence for the interacting effects of habitat filtering and plant- plant interactions, particularly highlighting that the conservative evolution of traits should not be assumed in future interpretations of PSC patterns.
This study tested systematically at two spatial scales for key traits shaping within-species ecotypic differentiation under increasing aridity. It assessed different plant strategy theories and considered potential implications for climate change. We studied the widespread Mediterranean grass Brachypodium hybridum. At large scale, we tested 14 populations along a steep natural aridity gradient (114-954 mm annual rainfall). At small scale, we tested the microclimatic contrast between plants originating from corresponding north (more mesic) and south (more arid) exposed hillslopes. Fifteen traits were measured in the greenhouse, including the popular traits of the LeafHeight- Seed scheme (SLA, plant height, seed mass), several traits on phenology, architecture, growth, fitness, and rarely measured root traits. Clear trait shifts indicated ecotypic differentiation along the large-scale gradient. Earlier phenology, higher reproductive allocation and reduced root investment characterized arid ecotypes. Surprisingly, no trait of the Leaf-Height-Seed scheme shifted with aridity and root responses were opposite to the theory of optimal resource partitioning. Trait differences between north and south exposures were small, often inconsistent between sites, and poorly matched the trends across the large-scale gradient. South exposures thus appeared unlikely to harbour distinct ecotypes better adapted to aridity. Our findings highlight ecotypes as a crucial way how species span environmental gradients, yet underpinning their restriction at small spatial scales. In combination, this possibly renders populations more vulnerable to climate change. We draw attention to specific, partly unexpected traits and pose the question whether the LeafHeight- Seed scheme has limited applicability for intraspecific investigations in drylands.
Clinal population divergence in an adaptive parental environmental effect that adjusts seed banking
(2017)
Bet-hedging via between-year seed dormancy is a costly strategy for plants in unpredictable environments. Theoretically, fitness costs can be reduced through a parental environmental effect when the environment is partly predictable. We tested whether populations from environments that differ in predictability diverged in parental effects on seed dormancy. Common garden-produced seeds of the two annual plant species Biscutella didyma and Bromus fasciculatus collected along an aridity gradient were grown under 12 irrigation treatments. Offspring germination was evaluated and related to environmental correlations between generations and their fitness consequences at the four study sites. One species exhibited strong seed dormancy that increased with unpredictability in seasonal precipitation. The parental effect on seed dormancy also increased proportionally with the environmental correlation between precipitation in the parental season and seedling density in the following season; this correlation increased from mesic to arid environments. Because fitness was negatively related to density, this parental effect may be adaptive. However, the lack of dormancy in the second species indicates that bet-hedging is not the only strategy for annual plants in arid environments. Our results provide the first evidence for clinal variation in the relative strength of parental effects along environmental gradients.
This survey provides an overview of topics related to the history of economics that have been discussed within the last two years in journal articles. The survey format has been started by History of Economic Ideas last year with the survey by Giulia Bianchi (2016) and is aimed to increase the visibility of research in the history of economics. The emphasis of our survey is on the big three journals in the history of economics: the European Journal of the History of Economic Thought, the Journal of the History of Economic Thought and History of Political Economy. We also included additional journals that frequently publish articles related to the history of economics. These include, in alphabetical order, the Cambridge Journal of Economics, Contributions to Political Economy, Economic Thought, the Erasmus Journal for Philosophy and Economics, History of Economic Thought and Policy, the History of Economics Review, the Journal of Economic Literature, the Journal of Economic Methodology, the Journal of Economic Perspectives, OE conomia, Oxford Economic Papers and Research in the History of Economic Thought and Methodology.
Zum Hundertsten nichts Neues
(2017)
Porous silicon single layer (PSM), bilayer (PSB) and pillar (PSP) structures have been evaluated as nucleation centers for vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) crystals. Deposition of vanadium precursor over different substrates (drop casting technique), followed by annealing treatment under Ar-H-2 (5% H-2) atmosphere, induced crystallization of vanadium oxide. With respect to c-Si/SiO2 substrate, V2O5 nanorods with relatively large aspect ratio were formed over and within PSP structures. On the other hand, pores in PSM and PSB were found to be filled with relatively smaller crystals. Additionally, PSB provided a nucleation substrate capable to align the nanocrystals in a preferential orientation, while V2O5 crystals grown on PSP were found to be randomly aligned around the nanoporous pillar microstructure. Nanorods and nanocrystals were identified as V2O5 by temperature-controlled XRD measurements and evidence of their crystalline nature was observed via transmission electron microscopy. A careful analysis of electronic microscopy images allows the identification of the facets composing the ends of the crystals and its corresponding surface free energy has been evaluated employing the Wulff theorem. Such high surface area composite structures have potential applications as cathode material in Lithium-ion batteries.
The all-female Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa) is the result of a hybridization of the Atlantic molly (P. mexicana) and the sailfin molly (P. latipinna) approximately 120,000 years ago. As a gynogenetic species, P. formosa needs to copulate with heterospecific males including males from one of its bisexual ancestral species. However, the sperm only triggers embryogenesis of the diploid eggs. The genetic information of the sperm donor typically will not contribute to the next generation of P. formosa. Hence, P. formosa possesses generally one allele from each of its ancestral species at any genetic locus. This raises the question whether both ancestral alleles are equally expressed in P. formosa. Allele-specific expression (ASE) has been previously assessed in various organisms, e.g., human and fish, and ASE was found to be important in the context of phenotypic variability and disease. In this study, we utilized Real-Time PCR techniques to estimate ASE of the androgen receptor alpha (arα) gene in several distinct tissues of Amazon mollies. We found an allelic bias favoring the maternal ancestor (P. mexicana) allele in ovarian tissue. This allelic bias was not observed in the gill or the brain tissue. Sequencing of the promoter regions of both alleles revealed an association between an Indel in a known CpG island and differential expression. Future studies may reveal whether our observed cis-regulatory divergence is caused by an ovary-specific trans-regulatory element, preferentially activating the allele of the maternal ancestor.
The all-female Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa) is the result of a hybridization of the Atlantic molly (P. mexicana) and the sailfin molly (P. latipinna) approximately 120,000 years ago. As a gynogenetic species, P. formosa needs to copulate with heterospecific males including males from one of its bisexual ancestral species. However, the sperm only triggers embryo genesis of the diploid eggs. The genetic information of the sperm donor typically will not contribute to the next generation of P. formosa. Hence, P. formosa possesses generally one allele from each of its ancestral species at any genetic locus. This raises the question whether both ancestral alleles are equally expressed in P. formosa. Allele-specific expression (ASE) has been previously assessed in various organisms, e.g., human and fish, and ASE was found to be important in the context of phenotypic variability and disease. In this study, we utilized Real-Time PCR techniques to estimate ASE of the androgen receptor alpha (ara) gene in several distinct tissues of Amazon mollies. We found an allelic bias favoring the maternal ancestor (P. mexicana) allele in ovarian tissue. This allelic bias was not observed in the gill or the brain tissue. Sequencing of the promoter regions of both alleles revealed an association between an Indel in a known CpG island and differential expression. Future studies may reveal whether our observed cis-regulatory divergence is caused by an ovary-specific trans-regulatory element, preferentially activating the allele of the maternal ancestor.
This paper is concerned with the filtering problem in continuous time. Three algorithmic solution approaches for this problem are reviewed: (i) the classical Kalman-Bucy filter, which provides an exact solution for the linear Gaussian problem; (ii) the ensemble Kalman-Bucy filter (EnKBF), which is an approximate filter and represents an extension of the Kalman-Bucy filter to nonlinear problems; and (iii) the feedback particle filter (FPF), which represents an extension of the EnKBF and furthermore provides for a consistent solution in the general nonlinear, non-Gaussian case. The common feature of the three algorithms is the gain times error formula to implement the update step (to account for conditioning due to the observations) in the filter. In contrast to the commonly used sequential Monte Carlo methods, the EnKBF and FPF avoid the resampling of the particles in the importance sampling update step. Moreover, the feedback control structure provides for error correction potentially leading to smaller simulation variance and improved stability properties. The paper also discusses the issue of nonuniqueness of the filter update formula and formulates a novel approximation algorithm based on ideas from optimal transport and coupling of measures. Performance of this and other algorithms is illustrated for a numerical example.
Particle filters (also called sequential Monte Carlo methods) are widely used for state and parameter estimation problems in the context of nonlinear evolution equations. The recently proposed ensemble transform particle filter (ETPF) [S. Reich, SIAM T. Sci. Comput., 35, (2013), pp. A2013-A2014[ replaces the resampling step of a standard particle filter by a linear transformation which allows for a hybridization of particle filters with ensemble Kalman filters and renders the resulting hybrid filters applicable to spatially extended systems. However, the linear transformation step is computationally expensive and leads to an underestimation of the ensemble spread for small and moderate ensemble sizes. Here we address both of these shortcomings by developing second order accurate extensions of the ETPF. These extensions allow one in particular to replace the exact solution of a linear transport problem by its Sinkhorn approximation. It is also demonstrated that the nonlinear ensemble transform filter arises as a special case of our general framework. We illustrate the performance of the second-order accurate filters for the chaotic Lorenz-63 and Lorenz-96 models and a dynamic scene-viewing model. The numerical results for the Lorenz-63 and Lorenz-96 models demonstrate that significant accuracy improvements can be achieved in comparison to a standard ensemble Kalman filter and the ETPF for small to moderate ensemble sizes. The numerical results for the scene-viewing model reveal, on the other hand, that second-order corrections can lead to statistically inconsistent samples from the posterior parameter distribution.
I’m merciful, am I not?
(2017)
Narcissists are said to be particularly unforgiving, yet previous research remains inconclusive. This is likely because most previous studies focused on narcissism as a unitary construct, thereby neglecting its multiple facets. The present study (N = 1101) thus aimed to clarify the nuanced associations between different facets of narcissism and forgiveness, the latter being assessed via self-report and non-self-report measures. The results of a structural equation model (SEM) showed that antagonistic aspects of narcissism were negatively correlated with explicit forgiveness. Importantly, agentic as well as communal aspects of narcissism were positively correlated with explicit forgiveness. Aspects of narcissistic personality were not correlated with implicit forgiveness. Results suggest that not all facets of narcissism are associated with an unforgiving stance.
I can see clearly now
(2017)
Past research has revealed that narcissists lack forgiveness. However, little is known about factors that might either buffer or, more critically, enhance the link between narcissism and lack of forgiveness. To address this gap in the literature, the present studies focused on the moderating role of clarity of transgression-related motivations. In an original and a replication study (Ns = 509 and 532, respectively), participants rated their levels of narcissistic admiration and rivalry and recalled a personal episode in which someone had hurt them. Subsequently, participants reported on their lack of forgiveness toward their transgressor. Response speed to these ratings served as an indirect clarity measure, with faster responses indicating greater clarity. In both studies, narcissistic rivalry (but not admiration) was positively related to lack of forgiveness and this relationship was stronger among individuals who were clear about their transgression-related motivations. Results inform our understanding of socio-emotional factors that contribute to narcissists' lack of forgiveness following interpersonal hurt.
Introduction: Adequate cognitive function in patients is a prerequisite for successful implementation of patient education and lifestyle coping in comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CR) programs. Although the association between cardiovascular diseases and cognitive impairments (CIs) is well known, the prevalence particularly of mild CI in CR and the characteristics of affected patients have been insufficiently investigated so far.
Methods: In this prospective observational study, 496 patients (54.5 ± 6.2 years, 79.8% men) with coronary artery disease following an acute coronary event (ACE) were analyzed. Patients were enrolled within 14 days of discharge from the hospital in a 3-week inpatient CR program. Patients were tested for CI using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) upon admission to and discharge from CR. Additionally, sociodemographic, clinical, and physiological variables were documented. The data were analyzed descriptively and in a multivariate stepwise backward elimination regression model with respect to CI.
Results: At admission to CR, the CI (MoCA score < 26) was determined in 182 patients (36.7%). Significant differences between CI and no CI groups were identified, and CI group was associated with high prevalence of smoking (65.9 vs 56.7%, P = 0.046), heavy (physically demanding) workloads (26.4 vs 17.8%, P < 0.001), sick leave longer than 1 month prior to CR (28.6 vs 18.5%, P = 0.026), reduced exercise capacity (102.5 vs 118.8 W, P = 0.006), and a shorter 6-min walking distance (401.7 vs 421.3 m, P = 0.021) compared to no CI group. The age- and education-adjusted model showed positive associations with CI only for sick leave more than 1 month prior to ACE (odds ratio [OR] 1.673, 95% confidence interval 1.07–2.79; P = 0.03) and heavy workloads (OR 2.18, 95% confidence interval 1.42–3.36; P < 0.01).
Conclusion: The prevalence of CI in CR was considerably high, affecting more than one-third of cardiac patients. Besides age and education level, CI was associated with heavy workloads and a longer sick leave before ACE.
Editorial
(2017)
Magier der Macht
(2017)
Vermessung im Sonnensystem
(2017)
Die bisherigen Missionen ins Sonnensystem lieferten eine enorme Fülle an Daten in unterschiedlichen Formaten und in Form von Bildern und digitalen Messergebnissen. Die Oberflächenprozesse der planetaren Körper, die mit Hilfe dieser Daten erforscht werden können, sind äußerst vielfältig und reichen von Einschlagskratern über Vulkanismus und Tektonik zu allen Formen der Erosion und Sedimentation. Um diese Prozesse verstehen zu können werden Verfahren angewendet, die für die Datenanalyse auf der Erde entwickelt wurden. Allerdings ist es notwendig all diese Verfahren zum Teil mit erheblichem Aufwand und unter Berücksichtigung der jeweiligen physikalischen Rahmenbedingungen anzupassen. Die Entwicklung kartographischer Verfahren zur Abstraktion der hier angesprochenen Informationen, also die Erfassung, geomorphologische Analyse und Visualisierung planetarer Oberflächen und Prozesse, hat jedoch gerade erst begonnen. Um diese Entwicklungen voranzutreiben, hat das Deutsche Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt in Kooperation mit der Universität Potsdam (Institut für Geographie, Fachgruppe Geoinformatik, Prof. Dr. Asche), im Rahmen von Dissertationen und Forschungsvorhaben, in einem ersten Schritt kartographische Analyseverfahren für den Mars und die Asteroiden Ceres und Vesta entwickelt.
Mental arithmetic exhibits various biases. Among those is a tendency to overestimate addition and to underestimate subtraction outcomes. Does such “operational momentum” (OM) also affect multiplication and division? Twenty-six adults produced lines whose lengths corresponded to the correct outcomes of multiplication and division problems shown in symbolic format. We found a reliable tendency to over-estimate division outcomes, i.e., reverse OM. We suggest that anchoring on the first operand (a tendency to use this number as a reference for further quantitative reasoning) contributes to cognitive biases in mental arithmetic.
Laudatio
(2017)