Refine
Year of publication
- 2010 (475) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (475) (remove)
Language
- English (475) (remove)
Keywords
- 4th-5th century AD. (1)
- Christianity (1)
- Consolidation (1)
- Deutschland (1)
- Dirac operators (1)
- European Union (1)
- Europäische Union (1)
- Gene Ontology (1)
- Germany (1)
- Imperio romano (1)
Institute
- Institut für Biochemie und Biologie (102)
- Institut für Chemie (69)
- Institut für Physik und Astronomie (69)
- Institut für Geowissenschaften (65)
- Department Psychologie (26)
- Institut für Informatik und Computational Science (19)
- Institut für Mathematik (19)
- Department Linguistik (15)
- Institut für Ernährungswissenschaft (15)
- Institut für Anglistik und Amerikanistik (14)
We present a Bayesian method that allows continuous updating the aperiodicity of the recurrence time distribution of large earthquakes based on a catalog with magnitudes above a completeness threshold. The approach uses a recently proposed renewal model for seismicity and allows the inclusion of magnitude uncertainties in a straightforward manner. Errors accounting for grouped magnitudes and random errors are studied and discussed. The results indicate that a stable and realistic value of the aperiodicity can be predicted in an early state of seismicity evolution, even though only a small number of large earthquakes has occurred to date. Furthermore, we demonstrate that magnitude uncertainties can drastically influence the results and can therefore not be neglected. We show how to correct for the bias caused by magnitude errors. For the region of Parkfield we find that the aperiodicity, or the coefficient of variation, is clearly higher than in studies which are solely based on the large earthquakes.
Hysteresis in the pinning-depinning transitions of spiral waves rotating around a hole in a circular shaped two- dimensional excitable medium is studied both by use of the continuation software AUTO and by direct numerical integration of the reaction-diffusion equations for the FitzHugh-Nagumo model. In order to clarify the role of different factors in this phenomenon, a kinematical description is applied. It is found that the hysteresis phenomenon computed for the reaction-diffusion model can be reproduced qualitatively only when a nonlinear eikonal equation (i.e. velocity- curvature relationship) is assumed. However, to obtain quantitative agreement, the dispersion relation has to be taken into account.
During hopping an early burst can be observed in the EMG from the soleus muscle starting about 45 ms after touch-down. It may be speculated that this early EMG burst is a stretch reflex response superimposed on activity from a supra-spinal origin. We hypothesised that if a stretch reflex indeed contributes to the early EMG burst, then advancing or delaying the touch-down without the subject's knowledge should similarly advance or delay the burst. This was indeed the case when touch-down was advanced or delayed by shifting the height of a programmable platform up or down between two hops and this resulted in a correspondent shift of the early EMG burst. Our second hypothesis was that the motor cortex contributes to the first EMG burst during hopping. If so, inhibition of the motor cortex would reduce the magnitude of the burst. By applying a low-intensity magnetic stimulus it was possible to inhibit the motor cortex and this resulted in a suppression of the early EMG burst. These results suggest that sensory feedback and descending drive from the motor cortex are integrated to drive the motor neuron pool during the early EMG burst in hopping. Thus, simple reflexes work in concert with higher order structures to produce this repetitive movement.
Ecologists carry a well-stocked toolbox with a great variety of sampling methods, statistical analyses and modelling tools, and new methods are constantly appearing. Evaluation and optimisation of these methods is crucial to guide methodological choices. Simulating error-free data or taking high-quality data to qualify methods is common practice. Here, we emphasise the methodology of the 'virtual ecologist' (VE) approach where simulated data and observer models are used to mimic real species and how they are 'virtually' observed. This virtual data is then subjected to statistical analyses and modelling, and the results are evaluated against the 'true' simulated data. The VE approach is an intuitive and powerful evaluation framework that allows a quality assessment of sampling protocols, analyses and modelling tools. It works under controlled conditions as well as under consideration of confounding factors such as animal movement and biased observer behaviour. In this review, we promote the approach as a rigorous research tool, and demonstrate its capabilities and practical relevance. We explore past uses of VE in different ecological research fields, where it mainly has been used to test and improve sampling regimes as well as for testing and comparing models, for example species distribution models. We discuss its benefits as well as potential limitations, and provide some practical considerations for designing VE studies. Finally, research fields are identified for which the approach could be useful in the future. We conclude that VE could foster the integration of theoretical and empirical work and stimulate work that goes far beyond sampling methods, leading to new questions, theories, and better mechanistic understanding of ecological systems.
Explicit solution of the Lindblad equation for nearly isotropic boundary driven XY spin 1/2 chain
(2010)
Explicit solution for the two-point correlation function in a non-equilibrium steady state of a nearly isotropic boundary driven open XY spin 1/2 chain in the Lindblad formulation is provided. A non-equilibrium quantum phase transition from exponentially decaying correlations to long range order is discussed analytically. In the regime of long range order a new phenomenon of correlation resonances is reported, where the correlation response of the system is unusually high for certain discrete values of the external bulk parameter, e.g. the magnetic field.
Adipogenesis is governed by a well-documented cascade of transcription factors. However, less is known about non-transcription factors that govern early stages of adipogenesis. Here we show that cellular retinol-binding protein type I (CRBP-I), a small cytosolic binding protein for retinol and retinaldehyde, is specifically restricted to preadipocytes in white adipose tissue. The absence of CRBP-I in mice (CRBP-I-KO mice) leads to increased adiposity. Despite increased adiposity, CRBP-I-KO mice remain more glucose tolerant and insulin sensitive during high-fat-diet feeding. 3T3-L1 cells deficient in CRBP-I or mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from CRBP-I-KO mice had increased adipocyte differentiation and triglyceride (TG) accumulation. This was due to increased expression and activity of PPAR gamma, while other transcription factor pathways in early and late differentiation remained unchanged. Conversely, the overexpression of CRBP-I in 3T3-L1 cells results in decreased TG accumulation. In conclusion, CRBP-I is a cytosolic protein specifically expressed in preadipocytes that regulates adipocyte differentiation in part by affecting PPAR gamma activity.
Introduction
(2010)
What is the most appropriate sampling scheme to estimate event-based average throughfall? A satisfactory answer to this seemingly simple question has yet to be found, a failure which we attribute to previous efforts' dependence on empirical studies. Here we try to answer this question by simulating stochastic throughfall fields based on parameters for statistical models of large monitoring data sets. We subsequently sampled these fields with different sampling designs and variable sample supports. We evaluated the performance of a particular sampling scheme with respect to the uncertainty of possible estimated means of throughfall volumes. Even for a relative error limit of 20%, an impractically large number of small, funnel-type collectors would be required to estimate mean throughfall, particularly for small events. While stratification of the target area is not superior to simple random sampling, cluster random sampling involves the risk of being less efficient. A larger sample support, e.g., the use of trough-type collectors, considerably reduces the necessary sample sizes and eliminates the sensitivity of the mean to outliers. Since the gain in time associated with the manual handling of troughs versus funnels depends on the local precipitation regime, the employment of automatically recording clusters of long troughs emerges as the most promising sampling scheme. Even so, a relative error of less than 5% appears out of reach for throughfall under heterogeneous canopies. We therefore suspect a considerable uncertainty of input parameters for interception models derived from measured throughfall, in particular, for those requiring data of small throughfall events.
In the humid tropics, continuing high deforestation rates are seen alongside an increasing expansion of secondary forests. In order to understand and model the consequences of these dynamic land-use changes for regional water cycles, the response of soil hydraulic properties to forest disturbance and recovery has to be quantified.At a site in the Brazilian Amazonia, we annually monitored soil infiltrability and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K-s) at 12.5, 20 cm, and 50 cm soil depth after manual forest conversion to pasture (year zero to four after pasture establishment), and during secondary succession after pasture abandonment (year zero to seven after pasture abandonment). We evaluated the hydrological consequences of the detected changes by comparing the soil hydraulic properties with site-specific rainfall intensities and hydrometric observations. Within one year after grazing started, infiltrability and K-s at 12.5 and 20 cm depth decreased by up to one order of magnitude to levels which are typical for 20-year-old pasture. In the three subsequent monitoring years, infiltrability and K-s remained stable. Land use did not impact on subsoil permeability. Whereas infiltrability values are large enough to allow all rainwater to infiltrate even after the conversion, the sudden decline of near-surface K-s is of hydrological relevance as perched water tables and overland flow occur more often on pastures than in forests at our study site. After pasture abandonment and during secondary succession, seven years of recovery did not suffice to significantly increase infiltrability and K-s at 12.5 depth although a slight recovery is obvious. At 20 cm soil depth, we detected a positive linear increase within the seven-year time frame but annual means did not differ significantly. Although more than a doubling of infiltrability and K-s is still required to achieve pre-disturbance levels, which will presumably take more than a decade, the observed slight increases of K-s might already decrease the probability of perched water table generation and overland flow development well before complete recovery.
Microviridins are ribosomally synthesized tricyclic depsipeptides produced by different genera of cyanobacteria. The prevalence of the microviridin gene clusters and the natural diversity of microviridin precursor sequences are currently unknown. Screening of laboratory strains and field samples of the bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis via PCR revealed global occurrence of the microviridin pathway and an unexpected natural variety. We could detect 15 new variants of the precursor gene mdnA encoding microviridin backbones that differ in up to 4 amino acid positions from known isoforms of the peptide. The survey not only provides insights into the versatility of the biosynthetic enzymes in a closely related group of cyanobacteria, but also facilitates the discovery and characterization of cryptic microviridin variants. This is demonstrated for microviridin L in Microcystis aeruginosa strain NIES843 and heterologously produced variants.
This paper theoretically analyzes a dielectric elastomer tube actuator (DETA). Subject to a voltage difference between the inner and outer surfaces, the actuator reduces in thickness and expands in length, so that the same voltage will induce an even higher electric field. This positive feedback may cause the actuator to thin down drastically, resulting in electrical breakdown. We obtain an analytical solution of the actuator undergoing finite deformation when the elastomer obeys the neo-Hookean model. The critical strain of actuation is calculated in terms of various parameters of design. We also discuss the effect of the strain-stiffening on electromechanical behavior of DETAs by using the model of freely joined links. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3490186]
The persulfide sulfur formed on an active site cysteine residue of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent cysteine desulfurases is subsequently incorporated into the biosynthetic pathways of a variety of sulfur-containing cofactors and thionucleosides. In molybdenum cofactor biosynthesis, MoeB activates the C terminus of the MoaD subunit of molybdopterin (MPT) synthase to form MoaD-adenylate, which is subsequently converted to a thiocarboxylate for the generation of the dithiolene group of MPT. It has been shown that three cysteine desulfurases (CsdA, SufS, and IscS) of Escherichia coli can transfer sulfur from L-cysteine to the thiocarboxylate of MoaD in vitro. Here, we demonstrate by surface plasmon resonance analyses that IscS, but not CsdA or SufS, interacts with MoeB and MoaD. MoeB and MoaD can stimulate the IscS activity up to 1.6-fold. Analysis of the sulfuration level of MoaD isolated from strains defective in cysteine desulfurases shows a largely decreased sulfuration level of the protein in an iscS deletion strain but not in a csdA/sufS deletion strain. We also show that another iscS deletion strain of E. coli accumulates compound Z, a direct oxidation product of the immediate precursor of MPT, to the same extent as an MPT synthase-deficient strain. In contrast, analysis of the content of compound Z in Delta csdA and Delta sufS strains revealed no such accumulation. These findings indicate that IscS is the primary physiological sulfur-donating enzyme for the generation of the thiocarboxylate of MPT synthase in MPT biosynthesis.
The translation of genetic information according to the sequence of the mRNA template occurs with high accuracy and fidelity. Critical events in each single step of translation are selection of transfer RNA (tRNA), codon reading and tRNA-regeneration for a new cycle. We developed a model that accurately describes the dynamics of single elongation steps, thus providing a systematic insight into the sensitivity of the mRNA translation rate to dynamic environmental conditions. Alterations in the concentration of the aminoacylated tRNA can transiently stall the ribosomes during translation which results, as suggested by the model, in two outcomes: either stress-induced change in the tRNA availability triggers the premature termination of the translation and ribosomal dissociation, or extensive demand for one tRNA species results in a competition between frameshift to an aberrant open-reading frame and ribosomal drop-off. Using the bacterial Escherichia coli system, we experimentally draw parallels between these two possible mechanisms.
Light switching of the activity of a coiled-coil protein, the AP-1 transcription factor, in living cells was made possible by the introduction of a designed azobenzene-cross-linked dominant negative peptide, XAFosW (red and yellow in the picture). In the dark, XAFosW showed decreased helical content and decreased affinity for target Jun proteins (green); irradiation at 365 nm enhanced helicity and target affinity.
We present findings of a multi-speaker production study that was undertaken to investigate the realisation of two adjacent high tones within the verb word in Northern Sotho, a Southern Bantu language. Experimental tokens are selected to ensure that the high tones originate from different combinations of morphosyntactic constituents. It is found that the morphosyntactic constituency determines how the adjacent high tones are realised. When both high tones originate within either the inflectional stem or the macrostem constituents, a single pitch peak is realised. Additionally, when the macrostem contains two high tones, the tone of the object concord is absorbed into the stem. Two adjacent high tones, of which one stems from the inflectional stem and the other from the macrostem, produce two pitch peaks, with the latter of the two delayed in order to satisfy the Obligatory Contour Principle. These generalisations are supported by acoustic data. A set of rules is formulated that describes the surface realisation of adjacent high tones in the verbal domain of Northern Sotho (with the exception of one unresolved issue).
Amphiphilic dual brush block copolymers as "giant surfactants" and their aqueous self-assembly
(2010)
Amphiphilic dual brush diblock as well as symmetrical triblock polymers were synthesized by the overlay of the reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer and the nitroxide mediated polymerization (NMP) techniques. While poly(ethylene glycol) brushes served as hydrophilic block, the hydrophobic block was made of polystyrene brushes. The resulting "giant surfactants" correspond structurally to the established amphiphilic diblock and triblock copolymer known as macrosurfactants. The aggregation behavior of the novel "giant surfactants" in aqueous solution was studied by dynamic light scattering, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) over a large range in reciprocal space. Further, the self-assembled aggregates Were investigated by scanning force microscopy (SFM) after deposition on differently functionalized ultraflat solid substrates. Despite the high fraction of hydrophobic segments, the polymers form stable mesoscopic, spherical aggregates with hydrodynamic diameters in the range of 150-350 nm. Though prepared from well-defined individual polymers, the aggregates show several similarities to hard core latexes. They are stable enough to he deposited without much changes onto surfaces, where they cluster and show Spontaneous sorting according to their size within the clusters, with the larger aggregates being in the center.
This study presents an application of an innovative sampling strategy to assess soil moisture dynamics in a headwater of the Weisseritz in the German eastern Ore Mountains. A grassland site and a forested site were instrumented with two Spatial TDR clusters (STDR) that consist of 39 and 32 coated TDR probes of 60 cm length. Distributed time series of vertically averaged soil moisture data from both sites/ensembles were analyzed by statistical and geostatistical methods. Spatial variability and the spatial mean at the forested site were larger than at the grassland site. Furthermore, clustering of TDR probes in combination with long-term monitoring allowed identification of average spatial covariance structures at the small field scale for different wetness states. The correlation length of soil water content as well as the sill to nugget ratio at the grassland site increased with increasing average wetness and but, in contrast, were constant at the forested site. As soil properties at both the forested and grassland sites are extremely variable, this suggests that the correlation structure at the forested site is dominated by the pattern of throughfall and interception. We also found a very strong correlation between antecedent soil moisture at the forested site and runoff coefficients of rainfall-runoff events observed at gauge Rehefeld. Antecedent soil moisture at the forest site explains 92% of the variability in the runoff coefficients. By combining these results with a recession analysis we derived a first conceptual model of the dominant runoff mechanisms operating in this catchment. Finally, we employed a physically based hydrological model to shed light on the controls of soil- and plant morphological parameters on soil average soil moisture at the forested site and the grassland site, respectively. A homogeneous soil setup allowed, after fine tuning of plant morphological parameters, most of the time unbiased predictions of the observed average soil conditions observed at both field sites. We conclude that the proposed sampling strategy of clustering TDR probes is suitable to assess unbiased average soil moisture dynamics in critical functional units, in this case the forested site, which is a much better predictor for event scale runoff formation than pre-event discharge. Long term monitoring of such critical landscape elements could maybe yield valuable information for flood warning in headwaters. We thus think that STDR provides a good intersect of the advantages of permanent sampling and spatially highly resolved soil moisture sampling using mobile rods.
Stochastic bifurcations and coherencelike resonance in a self-sustained bistable noisy oscillator
(2010)
We investigate the influence of additive Gaussian white noise on two different bistable self-sustained oscillators: Duffing-Van der Pol oscillator with hard excitation and a model of a synthetic genetic oscillator. In the deterministic case, both oscillators are characterized with a coexistence of a stable limit cycle and a stable equilibrium state. We find that under the influence of noise, their dynamics can be well characterized through the concept of stochastic bifurcation, consisting in a qualitative change of the stationary amplitude distribution. For the Duffing-Van der Pol oscillator analytical results, obtained for a quasiharmonic approach, are compared with the result of direct computer simulations. In particular, we show that the dynamics is different for isochronous and anisochronous systems. Moreover, we find that the increase of noise intensity in the isochronous regime leads to a narrowing of the spectral line. This effect is similar to coherence resonance. However, in the case of anisochronous systems, this effect breaks down and a new phenomenon, anisochronous-based stochastic bifurcation occurs.
Penicillin amidase from Alacaligenes faecalis is an attractive biocatalyst for hydrolysis of penicillin G for production of 6-aminopenicillanic acid, which is used in the synthesis of semi-synthetic beta-lactam antibiotics. Recently a mutant of this enzyme with extended C-terminus of the A-chain comprising parts of the connecting linker peptide was constructed. Its turnover number for the hydrolysis of penicillin G was 140 s(-1), about twice of the value for the wild-type enzyme (80 s(-1)). At the same time the specificity constant was improved about three-fold. The wild- type and the mutant enzymes showed similar pH stability suggesting that the linker peptide fragment covalently attached to the A-chain does not alter the electrostatic interactions in the protein core. Although the global stability of A. faecalis wild-type enzyme and the T206GS213G variant does not differ, the presence of the linker fragment stabilizes the domains interface, as evidenced by the monophasic transition of the mutant enzyme from folded to unfolded state during urea-induced denaturation. The high stability and activity of the mutant enzyme provides a rationale to use it as a biocatalyst in the industrial processes, where the enzyme must be more robust to fluctuations in the operational conditions.
Increasing evidence shows that anthropogenic climate change is affecting biodiversity. Reducing or stabilizing greenhouse gas emissions may slow global warming, but past emissions will continue to contribute to further unavoidable warming for more than a century. With obvious signs of difficulties in achieving effective mitigation worldwide in the short term at least, sound scientific predictions of future impacts on biodiversity will be required to guide conservation planning and adaptation. This is especially true in Mediterranean type ecosystems that are projected to be among the most significantly affected by anthropogenic climate change, and show the highest levels of confidence in rainfall projections. Multiple methods are available for projecting the consequences of climate change on the main unit of interest - the species - with each method having strengths and weaknesses. Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly applied for forecasting climate change impacts on species geographic ranges. Aggregation of models for different species allows inferences of impacts on biodiversity, though excluding the effects of species interactions. The modelling approach is based on several further assumptions and projections and should be treated cautiously. In the absence of comparable approaches that address large numbers of species, SDMs remain valuable in estimating the vulnerability of species. In this review we discuss the application of SDMs in predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity with special reference to the species-rich South West Australian Floristic Region and South African Cape Floristic Region. We discuss the advantages and challenges in applying SDMs in biodiverse regions with high levels of endemicity, and how a similar biogeographical history in both regions may assist us in understanding their vulnerability to climate change. We suggest how the process of predicting the impacts of climate change on biodiversity with SDMs can be improved and emphasize the role of field monitoring and experiments in validating the predictions of SDMs.
Parafoveal load of word N+1 modulates preprocessing effectiveness of word N+2 in chinese reading
(2010)
As Chinese is written without orthographical word boundaries (i.e., spaces), it is unclear whether saccade targets are selected on the basis of characters or words and whether saccades are aimed at the beginning or the centre of words. Here, we report an experiment where 30 Chinese readers read 150 sentences while their eye movements were monitored. They exhibited a strong tendency to fixate at the word centre in single-fixation cases and at the word beginning in multiple-fixation cases. Different from spaced alphabetic script, initial fixations falling at the end of words were no more likely to be followed by a refixation than initial fixations at word centre. Further, single fixations were shorter than first fixations in two-fixation cases, which is opposite to what is found in Roman script. We propose that Chinese readers dynamically select the beginning or centre of words as saccade targets depending on failure or success with segmentation of parafoveal word boundaries.
The iron-containing ionic liquid (IL) 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrachloroferrate(III) [Bmim][FeCl4] has been used as a building block in the synthesis of transparent, ion-conducting, and paramagnetic ionogels. UV/Vis spectroscopy shows that the coordination around the Fe(III) ion does slightly change upon incorporation of the IL into PMMA. The thermal stability of the PMMA increases significantly with IL incorporation. In particular, the onset weight loss observed at ca. 265 degrees C for pure PMMA is completely suppressed. The ionic conductivity shows a strong temperature dependence and increases with increasing IL weight fractions. The magnetic properties are similar to those reported for the pure IL and are not affected by the incorporation into the PMMA matrix. The resulting ionogel is thus an interesting prototype for soft, flexible, and transparent materials combining the mechanical properties of the matrix with the functionality of the metal-containing IL, such as magnetism.
Seasonal precipitation gradients and their impact on fluvial sediment flux in the Northwest Himalaya
(2010)
Precipitation in the form of rain and snowfall throughout the Himalaya controls river discharge and erosional processes and, thus, has a first-order control on the fluvial sediment flux. Here, we analyze daily precipitation data (1998-2007) of 80 weather stations from the northwestern Himalaya in order to decipher temporal and spatial moisture gradients. In addition, suspended sediment data allow assessment of the impact of precipitation on the fluvial sediment flux for a 10(3)-km(2) catchment (Baspa). We find that weather stations located at the mountain front receive similar to 80% of annual precipitation during summer (May-Oct), whereas stations in the orogenic interior, i.e., leeward of the orographic barrier, receive similar to 60% of annual precipitation during winter (Nov-Apr). In both regions 4-6 rainstorm days account for similar to 40% of the summer budgets, while rainstorm magnitude-frequency relations, derived from 40-year precipitation time-series, indicate a higher storm variability in the interior than in the frontal region. This high variability in maximum annual rainstorm days in the orogenic interior is reflected by a high variability in extreme suspended sediment events in the Baspa Valley, which strongly affect annual erosion yields. The two most prominent 5-day-long erosional events account for 50% of the total 5-year suspended sediment flux and coincide with synoptic-scale monsoonal rainstorms. This emphasizes the erosional impact of the Indian Summer Monsoon as the main driving force for erosion processes in the orogenic interior, despite more precipitation falling during the winter season.
Human comment is studied using data from 'tianya' which is one of the most popular on-line social systems in China. We found that the time interval between two consecutive comments on the same topic, called inter-event time, follows a power-law distribution. This result shows that there is no characteristic decay time on a topic. It allows for very long periods without comments that separate bursts of intensive comments. Furthermore, the frequency of a different ID commenting on a topic also follows a power-law distribution. It indicates that there are some "hubs" in the topic who lead the direction of the public opinion. Based on the personal comments habit, a model is introduced to explain these phenomena. The numerical simulations of the model fit well with the empirical results. Our findings are helpful for discovering regular patterns of human behavior in on-line society and the evolution of the public opinion on the virtual as well as real society.
Interacting human activities underlie the patterns of many social, technological, and economic phenomena. Here we present clear empirical evidence from Short Message correspondence that observed human actions are the result of the interplay of three basic ingredients: Poisson initiation of tasks and decision making for task execution in individual humans as well as interaction among individuals. This interplay leads to new types of interevent time distribution, neither completely Poisson nor power-law, but a bimodal combination of them. We show that the events can be separated into independent bursts which are generated by frequent mutual interactions in short times following random initiations of communications in longer times by the individuals. We introduce a minimal model of two interacting priority queues incorporating the three basic ingredients which fits well the distributions using the parameters extracted from the empirical data. The model can also embrace a range of realistic social interacting systems such as e-mail and letter communications when taking the time scale of processing into account. Our findings provide insight into various human activities both at the individual and network level. Our analysis and modeling of bimodal activity in human communication from the viewpoint of the interplay between processes of different time scales is likely to shed light on bimodal phenomena in other complex systems, such as interevent times in earthquakes, rainfall, forest fire, and economic systems, etc.
Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) rank among the most critically endangered mammals on the Arabian Peninsula. Past conservation efforts have been plagued by confusion about the phylogenetic relationship among various 'phenotypically discernable' populations, and even the question of species boundaries was far from being certain. This lack of knowledge has had a direct impact on conservation measures, especially ex situ breeding programmes, hampering the assignment of captive stocks to potential conservation units. Here, we provide a phylogenetic framework, based on the analysis of mtDNA sequences (360 bp cytochrome b and 213 bp Control Region) of 126 individuals collected from the wild throughout the Arabian Peninsula and from captive stocks. Our analyses revealed two reciprocally monophyletic genetic lineages within the presumed species Gazella gazella: one 'northern clade' on the Golan Heights (Israel/Syrian border) and one genetically diverse larger clade from the rest of the Arabian Peninsula including the Arava Valley (Negev, Israel). Applying the Strict Phylogenetic Species Concept (sensu Mishler & Theriot, 2000) allows assigning species status to these two major clades.
Basic-level salience is a fundamental concept in Cognitive Psychology and related disciplines. It captures the phenomenon that the basic level of categorization is psychologically more salient than other levels (Rosch et al. 1976). However, findings showing that basic-level words possess a superior status in human communication and vocabulary learning (Rosch et al. 1976; Koevecses 2006) so far pertained only to individuals' L1. In this paper, we argue that Rosch et al's insights are highly relevant in L2 contexts as well. To test the hypothesis that basic-level salience can be evidenced in L2 vocabulary learning, an experiment was conducted among 69 Chinese adult learners of English. On a series of slides, participants were simultaneously presented with different pictures and three English words at the superordinate, basic, and subordinate level. This presentation was followed by a picture naming task, in which participants were expected to write down the first English names that came to their mind. The main results of this experiment are as follows: 1) L2 basic-level words are the most readily given responses in the picture naming task, suggesting the existence of the basic-level salience in L2 vocabulary learning; 2) the presence of the basic-level salience is a matter of degree, influenced by factors such as concept familiarity and, what we call, the "first- encountered-first-retrieved" effect. The mapping of the L1-based categorical organization onto the L2 vocabulary learning process has theoretical and practical (i.e., pedagogical) implications, which are addressed at the end of this chapter.
The recent decades have witnessed the incorporation of new linguistic trends into lexicography. One of these trends is a usage-based approach, with the first major application of computer-corpus data in the Collins COBUILD English Dictionary (1995) and successive adaptation in other L1-dictionaries. Another, concurrent innovation -inspired by Conceptual Metaphor theory - is the provision of conceptual information in monolingual dictionaries of English. So far, however, only the MacMillan English Dictionary For Advanced Learners (MED 1st and 2nd edition) has paid tribute to the facts that understanding culture-specific metaphors and being aware of metaphoric usage are crucial for learning a foreign language. Given that most of the English as lingua franca interactions take place between L2-speakers of English (see Kachru 1994), providing conceptual information is not only a desideratum for L1- and learner dictionaries, but especially for (L2-) variety dictionaries of English. In our paper, we follow earlier tentative proposals by Polzenhagen (2007) and Wolf (2010fc.) and present examples primarily from the Dictionary of Hong English project (Cummings and Wolf, in progress) but also from West African English, showing how culturally salient conceptual information can be made explicit and conceptual links between lexical items retrievable. The examples demonstrate that even fixed expressions and idioms - a perennial problem for lexicographers - are explicable by means of the proposed lexicographic design. Our approach is cognitive-sociolinguistic in that the Conceptual Metaphor approach is coupled with and backed up by corpus-linguistic insights.
Investigating culture from a linguistic perspective : an exemplification with Hong Kong English
(2010)
Ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) is the key enzyme of the Calvin cycle, catalyzing the fixation of inorganic carbon dioxide to organic sugars. Unlike most enzymes, RuBisCO is extremely slow, substrate unspecific, and catalyzes undesired side-reactions, which are considered to be responsible for the slow deactivation observed in vitro, a phenomenon known as fallover. Despite the fact that amino acid sequences and the 3D structures of RuBisCO from a variety of species are known, the precise molecular mechanisms for the various side reactions are still unclear. In the present study, we investigate the kinetic properties of RuBisCO using mathematical models. Initially, we formulate a minimal model that quantitatively reflects the kinetic behavior of RuBisCOs from different organisms. By relating rate parameters for single molecular steps to experimentally determined K-m and V-max values, we can examine mechanistic differences among species. The minimal model further demonstrates that two inhibitor producing side reactions are sufficient to describe experimentally determined fallover kinetics. To explain the observed kinetics of the limited capacity of RuBisCO to accept xylulose 1,5-bisphosphate as substrate, the inclusion of other side reactions is necessary. Our model results suggest a yet undescribed alternative enolization mechanism that is supported by the molecular structure. Taken together, the presented models serve as a theoretical framework to explain a wide range of observed kinetic properties of RuBisCOs derived from a variety of species. Thus, we can support hypotheses about molecular mechanisms and can systematically compare enzymes from different origins.
Smart bioactive surfaces
(2010)
The purpose of this highlight is to define the emerging field of bioactive surfaces. In recent years, various types of synthetic materials capable of "communicating'' with biological objects such as nucleic acids, proteins, polysaccharides, viruses, bacteria or living cells have been described in the literature. This novel area of research certainly goes beyond the traditional field of smart materials and includes different types of sophisticated interactions with biological entities, such as reversible adhesion, conformational control, biologically-triggered release and selective permeation. These novel materials may be 2D planar surfaces as well as colloidal objects or 3D scaffolds. Overall, they show great promise for numerous applications in biosciences and biotechnology. For instance, practical applications of bioactive surfaces in the fields of bioseparation, cell engineering, biochips and stem-cell differentiation are briefly discussed herein.
This work generates, through a sample of numerical simulations of the restricted three-body problem, diagrams of semimajor axis and eccentricity which defines stable and unstable zones for particles in S-type orbits around Pluto and Charon. Since we consider initial conditions with 0 <= e <= 0.99, we found several new stable regions. We also identified the nature of each one of these newly found stable regions. They are all associated to families of periodic orbits derived from the planar circular restricted three-body problem. We have shown that a possible eccentricity of the Pluto-Charon system slightly reduces, but does not destroy, any of the stable regions.
A confocal set-up is presented that improves micro-XRF and XAFS experiment with high-pressure e diamond-anvil cells (DACs) In this experiment a probing volume is defined by the focus of the incoming synchrotron radiation beam and that of a polycapillary X-ray half-lens with a very long working distance, which is placed in front of the fluorescence detector This set-up enhances the quality of the fluorescence and XAFS spectra, and thus the sensitivity for detecting elements at low concentrations. It efficiently suppresses signal from outside the sample chamber, which stems from elastic and inelastic scattering of the incoming beam by the diamond anvils as well as from excitation of fluorescence from the body of the DAC
Amphibole and mica Ar-40/Ar-39 ages as well as zircon, rutile and titanite U-Pb geochronology of eclogites and associated host rocks from the Higher Himalayan Crystalline Nappes (Indian Plate) in the Upper Kaghan Valley, Pakistan allow distinction of a multistage exhumation history. An Eocene age for peak-pressure metamorphism has been obtained by phengite Ar-40/Ar-39 (47.3 +/- 0.3 Ma) and zircon U-Pb (47.3 +/- 0.4 and 47.4 +/- 0.3 Ma) ages from cover and basement gneisses. A very short-lived metamorphic peak and rapid cooling is documented by an amphibole Ar-40/Ar-39 age of 46.6 +/- 0.5 Ma and a rutile U-Pb age of 44.1 +/- 1.3 Ma from eclogites. Phengite and biotite ages from cover and basement sequences metamorphosed during the Himalayan orogeny are 34.5 +/- 0.2 to 28.1 +/- 0.2 Ma whereas youngest biotites, yielding 23.6 +/- 0.1 and 21.7 +/- 0.2 Ma, probably reflect argon partial resetting. The amphibole age, together with those derived from phengite and zircon demonstrate a rate of initial exhumation of 86-143 mm/a i.e. an extremely rapid transport of the Indian Plate continental crust from ultra-high pressure (UHP) conditions back to crustal levels (47-46 Ma for transport from 140 to 40 km depth). Subsequent exhumation (46-41 Ma, 40-35 km) slowed to about 1 mm/a at the base of the continental crust but increased again later towards slightly higher exhumation rates of ca. 2 mm/a (41-34 Ma, 35- 20 km). This indicates a change from buoyancy-driven exhumation at mantle depths to compression forces related to continent-continent collision and accompanied crustal folding, thrusting and stacking that finally exposed the former deeply-buried rocks.
Metabasites were sampled from rock series of the subducted margin of the Indian Plate, the so-called Higher Himalayan Crystalline, in the Upper Kaghan Valley, Pakistan. These vary from corona dolerites, cropping out around Saif- ul-Muluk in the south, to coesite-eclogite close to the suture zone against rocks of the Kohistan arc in the north. Bulk rock major- and trace-element chemistry reveals essentially a single protolith as the source for five different eclogite types, which differ in fabric, modal mineralogy as well as in mineral chemistry. The study of newly-collected samples reveals coesite (confirmed by in situ Raman spectroscopy) in both garnet and omphacite. All eclogites show growth of amphiboles during exhumation. Within some coesite-bearing eclogites the presence of glaucophane cores to barroisite is noted whereas in most samples porphyroblastic sodic-calcic amphiboles are rimmed by more aluminous calcic amphibole (pargasite, tschermakite, and edenite). Eclogite facies rutile is replaced by ilmenite which itself is commonly surrounded by titanite. In addition, some eclogite bodies show leucocratic segregations containing phengite, quartz, zoisite and/or kyanite. The important implication is that the complex exhumation path shows stages of initial cooling during decompression (formation of glaucophane) followed by reheating: a very similar situation to that reported for the coesite-bearing eclogite series of the Tso Morari massif, India, 450 km to the south-east.
Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) stimulates lipid mobilization and lipid oxidation in humans. The mechanism appears to promote lipid mobilization during exercise. We tested the hypothesis that water immersion augments exercise- induced ANP release and that the change in ANP availability is associated with increased lipid mobilization and lipid oxidation. In an open randomized and cross-over fashion we studied 17 men (age 31 +/- 3.6 years; body mass index 24 +/- 1.7 kg/m(2); body fat 17 +/- 6.7%) on no medication. Subjects underwent two incremental exercise tests on a bicycle ergometer. One test was conducted on land and the other test during immersion in water up to the xiphoid process. In a subset (n = 7), we obtained electromyography recordings in the left leg. We monitored gas exchange, blood pressure, and heart rate. In addition, we obtained blood samples towards the end of each exercise step to determine ANP, norepinephrine, epinephrine, lactate, free fatty acids, insulin, and glucose concentrations. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and oxygen consumption at the anaerobic threshold and during peak exercise were similar on land and with exercise in water. The respiratory quotient was mildly reduced when subjects exercised in water. Glucose and lactate measurements were decreased whereas free fatty acid concentrations were increased with exercise in water. Water immersion attenuated epinephrine and norepinephrine and augmented ANP release during exercise. Even though water immersion blunts exercise-induced sympathoadrenal activation, lipid mobilization and lipid oxidation rate are maintained or even improved. The response may be explained by augmented ANP release.
In recent years computer games have been discussed by a variety of disciplines from various perspectives. A fundamental difference with other media, which is a point of continuous consideration, is the specific relationship between the viewer and the image, the player and the game apparatus, which is a characteristic of video games as a dispositive. Terms such as immersion, participation, interactivity, or ergodic are an indication of the deep interest in this constellation. This paper explores the resonance between body and image in video games like REZ, SOUL CALIBUR and DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION from the perspective of a temporal ontology of the image, taking particular account of the structuring power of the interface and its subject positioning aspects.
The population status of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in the Baltic area has been a continuous matter of debate. Here we present the by far most comprehensive genetic population structure assessment to date for this region, both with regard to geographic coverage and sample size: 497 porpoise samples from North Sea, Skagerrak, Kattegat, Belt Sea, and Inner Baltic Sea were sequenced at the mitochondrial Control Region and 305 of these specimens were typed at 15 polymorphic microsatellite loci. Samples were stratified according to sample type (stranding vs. by- caught), sex, and season (breeding vs. non-breeding season). Our data provide ample evidence for a population split between the Skagerrak and the Belt Sea, with a transition zone in the Kattegat area. Among other measures, this was particularly visible in significant frequency shifts of the most abundant mitochondrial haplotypes. A particular haplotype almost absent in the North Sea was the most abundant in Belt Sea and Inner Baltic Sea. Microsatellites yielded a similar pattern (i.e., turnover in occurrence of clusters identified by STRUCTURE). Moreover, a highly significant association between microsatellite assignment and unlinked mitochondrial haplotypes further indicates a split between North Sea and Baltic porpoises. For the Inner Baltic Sea, we consistently recovered a small, but significant separation from the Belt Sea population. Despite recent arguments that separation should exceed a predefined threshold before populations shall be managed separately, we argue in favour of precautionary acknowledging the Inner Baltic porpoises as a separate management unit, which should receive particular attention, as it is threatened by various factors, in particular local fishery measures.
Cenozoic uplift of the East African Plateau has been associated with fundamental climatic and environmental changes in East Africa and adjacent regions. While this influence is widely accepted, the timing and the magnitude of plateau uplift have remained unclear. This uncertainty stems from the lack of datable, geomorphically meaningful reference horizons that could record surface uplift. Here, we document the existence of significant relief along the East African Plateau prior to rifting, as inferred from modeling the emplacement history of one of the longest terrestrial lava flows, the similar to 300-km-long Yatta phonolite flow in Kenya. This 13.5 Ma lava flow originated on the present-day eastern Kenya Rift flank, and utilized a riverbed that once routed runoff from the eastern rim of the plateau. Combining an empirical viscosity model with subsequent cooling and using the Yatta lava flow geometry and underlying paleotopography (slope angle), we found that the prerift slope was at least 0.2 degrees, suggesting that the lava flow originated at a minimum elevation of 1400 m. Hence, high paleotopography in the Kenya Rift region must have existed by at least 13.5 Ma. We infer from this that middle Miocene uplift occurred, which coincides with the two-step expansion of grasslands, as well as important radiation and speciation events in tropical Africa.
An efficient route from myo- to neo-inositol is described. The key steps of the sequence are oxidation of the hydroxy group at C-5 to the corresponding ketone, followed by a highly (dr = 7.8:1) stereoselective reduction. The route includes nine steps with an overall yield of 51% and is therefore superior to all hitherto reported methods for the preparation of neo-inositol.
The debate whether to locate the narrative of digital games a) as part of the code or b) as part of the performance will be the starting point for an analysis of two roleplaying games: the single-player game ZELDA: MAJORA’S MASK and the Korean MMORPG AION and their respective narrative logics. When we understand games as abstract code systems, then the narrative logic can be understood as embedded on the code level. With a focus on the player’s performance, the actualization of the possibilities given in the code system is central. Both logics, that of code and that of performance, are reflected in players’ narratives based on the playing experience. They do reflect on the underlying code and rules of the game system as they do reflect on the game world and their own performance within. These narratives rely heavily on the source text – the digital game –, which means that they give insights into the underlying logics of the source text. I will discuss the game structure, the players’ performance while playing the game and the performance of the player after playing the game producing fan narratives. I conceive the narrative structure and the performance of the player playing as necessarily interconnected when we discuss the narrative logics of a game. Producing fan narratives is understood as a performance as well. This performance is based on the experience the players made while playing and refers to both logics of the game they use as their source text.
Quantifying uncertainty, variability and likelihood for ordinary differential equation models
(2010)
Background: In many applications, ordinary differential equation (ODE) models are subject to uncertainty or variability in initial conditions and parameters. Both, uncertainty and variability can be quantified in terms of a probability density function on the state and parameter space. Results: The partial differential equation that describes the evolution of this probability density function has a form that is particularly amenable to application of the well- known method of characteristics. The value of the density at some point in time is directly accessible by the solution of the original ODE extended by a single extra dimension (for the value of the density). This leads to simple methods for studying uncertainty, variability and likelihood, with significant advantages over more traditional Monte Carlo and related approaches especially when studying regions with low probability. Conclusions: While such approaches based on the method of characteristics are common practice in other disciplines, their advantages for the study of biological systems have so far remained unrecognized. Several examples illustrate performance and accuracy of the approach and its limitations.
Lake morphometry and wind exposure may shape the plankton community structure in acidic mining lakes
(2010)
Acidic mining lakes (pH <3) are specific habitats exhibiting particular chemical and biological characteristics. The species richness is low and mixotrophy and omnivory are common features of the plankton food web in such lakes. The plankton community structure of mining lakes of different morphometry and mixing type but similar chemical characteristics (Lake 130, Germany and Lake Langau, Austria) was investigated. The focus was laid on the species composition, the trophic relationship between the phago-mixotrophic flagellate Ochromonas sp. and bacteria and the formation of a deep chlorophyll maximum along a vertical pH-gradient. The shallow wind-exposed Lake 130 exhibited a higher species richness than Lake Langau. This increase in species richness was made up mainly by mero-planktic species, suggesting a strong benthic/littoral - pelagic coupling. Based on the field data from both lakes, a nonlinear, negative relation between bacteria and Ochromonas biomass was found, suggesting that at an Ochromonas biomass below 50 mu g CL-1. the grazing pressure on bacteria is low and with increasing Ochromonas biomass bacteria decline. Furthermore, in Lake Langau, a prominent deep chlorophyll maximum was found with chlorophyll concentrations ca. 50 times higher than in the epilimnion which was build up by the euglenophyte Lepocinclis sp. We conclude that lake morphometry, and specific abiotic characteristics such as mixing behaviour influence the community structure in these mining lakes.
Human Rights
(2010)
Polymer libraries offer straightforward opportunities for the investigation of structure property relationships and for a more thorough understanding of certain research problems. Furthermore, if combined with high-throughput methods for their preparation as well as screening, they offer the additional advantage of time savings and/or the reduction of experimental efforts. Thus, the herein discussed methods of polymer library preparation and selected literature examples of polymer libraries describe efficient and state-of-the-art methods to tackle difficult research challenges in polymer and materials science.
Although the effects of grazing-induced savannah degradation on animal diversity are well documented, knowledge of how they affect space use or responding behaviour remains poor. In this study, we analysed space use of the spotted sand lizard (Pedioplanis l. lineoocellata) in degraded versus nondegraded habitats of southern Kalahari savannah habitats. Lizards were radio tracked, daily movement distances recorded and home range sizes calculated. In degraded Kalahari savannah habitats where plant diversity and perennial grass cover are low but shrub cover high, P. lineoocellata moves larger distances (40.88 +/- 6.42 m versus 27.43 +/- 5.08 m) and occupies larger home ranges (646.64 +/- 244.84 m(2) versus 209.15 +/- 109.84 m(2)) than in nondegraded habitats (high plant diversity, high perennial grass cover and low shrub cover). We assume that this increase in daily movement distances and home range sizes is a behavioural plasticity to limited food resources in degraded savannah habitats. Although P. lineoocellata is able to adjust to resource-poor savannah habitats, the increase in the lizard's movement activities is likely to result in a higher predation risk. This is supported by the lower availability of protective vegetation i.e. perennial grass cover. Hence, we conclude that despite behavioural plasticity of P. lineoocellata, overgrazing has a severe negative impact on the space use of P. lineoocellata.
Individuals scoring high in fluid intelligence tasks generally perform very efficiently in problem solving tasks and analogical reasoning tasks presumably because they are able to select the task-relevant information very quickly and focus on a limited set of task-relevant cognitive operations. Moreover, individuals with high fluid intelligence produce more representational hand and arm gestures when describing a geometric analogy task than individuals with average fluid intelligence. No study has yet addressed the relationship between intelligence, gesture production, and brain structure, to our knowledge. That was the purpose of our study. To characterize the relation between intelligence, gesture production, and brain structure we assessed the frequency of representational gestures and cortical thickness values in a group of adolescents differing in fluid intelligence. Individuals scoring high in fluid intelligence showed higher accuracy in the geometric analogy task and produced more representational gestures (in particular more movement gestures) when explaining how they solved the task and showed larger cortical thickness values in some regions in the left hemisphere (namely the pars opercularis, superior frontal, and temporal cortex) than individuals with average fluid intelligence. Moreover, the left pars opercularis (a part of Broca's area) and left transverse temporal cortex showed larger cortical thickness values in participants who produced representational and in particular movement gestures compared to those who did not. Our results thus indicate that cortical thickness of those brain regions is related to both high fluid intelligence and the production of gestures. Results are discussed in the gestures-as-simulated-action framework that states that gestures result from simulated perception and simulated action that underlie embodied language and mental imagery.
Logic as a medium
(2010)
Computer games are rigid in a peculiar way: the logic of computation was the first to shape the early games. The logic of interactivity marked the action genre of games in the second place, while in massive multiplayer online gaming all the emergences of the net occur to confront us with just another type of logic. These logics are the media in which the specific forms of computer games evolve. Therefore, a look at gaming supposing that there are three eras of computation is taken: the early synthetical era, ruled by the Turing machine and by mainframe computers, by the IPO principle of computing; the second, mimetical era, when interactivity and graphical user interfaces dominate, the domain of the feedback loop; and the third, emergent era, in which the complexity of networked personal computers and their users is dominant.
Swelling and switching kinetics of gold coated end-capped poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) thin films
(2010)
Thin thermoresponsive hydrogel films of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) end-capped with n-butyltrithiocarbonate(nbc- PNIPAM) oil si I icon supports with a gold layer on top, causing an asymmetric confinement, are investigated. For two different gold layer thicknesses (nominally 0.4 and 5 rim), the swelling and switching kinetics are probed with in situ neutron reflectivity. With a temperature jump from 23 to 40 degrees C the film is switched from a swollen into a collapsed state. For the thin gold layer this switching is faster as compared to the thick gold layer. The switching is a two-step process of water release and a subsequent structural relaxation. fit swelling and deswelling cycles, aging of the films is probed. After five cycles, the film exhibits enhanced water storage capacity. Grazing-incidence small-angle X-ray scattering (GISAXS) shows that these gold coated nbc-PNIPAM films do not age with respect to the inner structure but slightly roughen at the gold surface. As revealed by atomic force microscopy, the morphology of the gold layer is changed by the water uptake and release.
beta-phase poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (P(VDF-HFP)) copolymer films were prepared by uniaxially stretching solution-cast or melt-quenched samples. Different preparation routes lead to different amounts of the crystalline alpha and beta phases in the films, as detected by means of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffractometry. The beta phase is significantly enhanced in melt-quenched and stretched films in comparison to solution-cast and stretched films. This is particularly true for copolymer samples with higher HFP content. The beta- phase enhancement is also observed in ferroelectric-hysteresis experiments where a rather high polarization of 58 mC/ m(2) was found on melt-quenched and stretched samples after poling at electric fields of 140 MV/m. After poling at 160 MV/m, one of these samples exhibited a piezoelectric d(33) coefficient as high as 21 pC/N. An electric-field-induced partial transition from the alpha to the beta phase was also observed on the melt-quenched and stretched samples. This effect leads to a further increase in the applications-relevant dipole polarization. Uniaxially stretched ferroelectric- polymer films are highly anisotropic. Dielectric resonance spectroscopy reveals a strong increase of the transverse piezoelectric d(32) coefficient and a strong decrease of the transverse elastic modulus c(32) upon heating from 20 to 50 degrees C.
The surface of carbon black (CB) nanoparticles was functionalized with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) either by trapping of macroradicals or by cycloaddition. PVDF with two iodine end groups (I-PVDF-I) obtained from iodine transfer polymerization in supercritical CO2 was heated in the presence of CB and the C-I bond was cleaved resulting in a reaction between the macroradical and the CB surface. To allow for cycloaddition of PVDF to the CB surface for a number of polymers, the iodine end groups were replaced by azide end groups. In addition, microwave irradiation was applied to the functionalization. The influence of temperature, time, polymer concentration, and polymer molar mass on the functionalization reaction was examined.
Stellar wind from hot subdwarf stars is mainly accelerated by the interaction of ultraviolet photospheric radiation with metals, mainly oxygen. Absorbing ions share momentum through Coulombic collisions with the remaining passive part of the plasma (namely protons). We found that in the case of the winds from hot subdwarfs, interactions could be so small that they stop the momentum transfer between the passive bulk of plasma and absorbing ions. As a result wind decouples at a certain point.
Calcineurin activity augments cAMP/PKA-dependent activation of V-ATPase in blowfly salivary glands
(2010)
We have examined the role of the Ca2+-dependent protein phosphatase 2B (calcineurin) in the regulation of the vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) in blowfly salivary glands. In response to the neurohormone serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] and under the mediation of the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway, the secretory cells assemble and activate V-ATPase molecules at the apical membrane. We demonstrate that the inhibition of calcineurin activity by cyclosporin A, by FK- 506, or by prevention of the elevation of Ca2+ diminishes the 5-HT-induced assembly and activation of V-ATPase. The effect of calcineurin on V-ATPase is mediated by the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway, with calcineurin acting upstream of PKA, because 1) cyclosporin A does not influence the 8-(4-chlorophenylthio) adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-CPT-cAMP)-induced activation of V-ATPase, and 2) the 5-HT-induced rise in cAMP is highly reduced in the presence of cyclosporin A. Moreover, a Ca2+ rise evoked by the sarco(endo) plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) inhibitor cyclopiazonic acid leads to an increase in intracellular cAMP concentration and a calcineurin-mediated PKA- dependent activation of V-ATPase. We propose that calcineurin activity mediates cross talk between the inositol 1,4,5- trisphosphate/Ca2+ and the cAMP/PKA signaling pathways, thereby augmenting the 5-HT-induced rise in cAMP and thus the cAMP/PKA-mediated activation of V-ATPase.
The group of voltage-independent K+ channels in Arabidopsis thaliana consists of six members, five tandem-pore channels (TPK1-TPK5) and a single K-ir-like channel (KCO3). All TPK/KCO channels are located at the vacuolar membrane except for TPK4, which was shown to be a plasma membrane channel in pollen. The vacuolar channels interact with 14-3-3 proteins (also called General Regulating Factors, GRFs), indicating regulation at the level of protein-protein interactions. Here we review current knowledge about these ion channels and their genes, and highlight open questions that need to be urgently addressed in future studies to fully appreciate the physiological functions of these ion channels.
The present study shows that small admixtures of one chlorophyll a (Chla) molecule per several hundred lipid molecules have strong destabilizing effect on lipid bilayers. This effect is clearly displayed in the properties of the L-alpha-H-II transformations and results from a Chla preference for the H-II relative to the L-alpha phase. Chla disfavors the lamellar liquid crystalline phase L-alpha and induces its replacement with inverted hexagonal phase H-II, as is consistently demonstrated by DSC and X-ray diffraction measurements on phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) dispersions. Chla lowers the L-alpha-H-II transition temperature (42 degrees C) of the fully hydrated dipalmitoleoyl PE (DPoPE) by similar to 8 degrees C and similar to 17 degrees C at Chla/DPoPE molar ratios of 1:500 and 1:100, respectively. Similar Chla effect was recorded also for dielaidoyl PE dispersions. The lowering of the transition temperature and the accompanying significant loss of transition cooperativity reflect the Chla repartitioning and preference for the H-II phase. The reduction of the H-II phase lattice constant in the presence of Chla is an indication that Chla favors v phase formation by decreasing the radius of spontaneous monolayer curvature, and not by filling up the interstitial spaces between the H-II phase cylinders. The observed Chla preference for H-II phase and the substantial bilayer destabilization in the vicinity of a bilayer-to-nonbilayer phase transformation caused by low Chla concentrations can be of interest as a potential regulatory or membrane-damaging factor.
Entanglement entropy obeys area law scaling for typical physical quantum systems. This may naively be argued to follow from the locality of interactions. We show that this is not the case by constructing an explicit simple spin chain Hamiltonian with nearest-neighbor interactions that presents an entanglement volume scaling law. This non- translational model is contrived to have couplings that force the accumulation of singlet bonds across the half-chain. This configuration of the couplings is suggested by real-space renormalization group arguments. Computation of the entanglement entropy is performed by mapping the system to free fermions and diagonalizing numerically its correlation matrix. An analytical relationship between the entanglement entropy and the Frobenius norm of the correlation matrix is also established. Our result is complementary to the known relationship between non-translational invariant, nearest- neighbor interacting Hamiltonians and quantum Merlin-Arthur (QMA)complete problems.
Halakha and Microhistory
(2010)
Shifra was a Jewish businesswoman in Moravia in the fifteenth-century. In 1452 due to financial fraud she was arrested in Brno. Her life was saved by some members of the local Jewish community, who renounced their financial claims against their Christian neighbours in the exchange of Shifra’s life. However, one member of the community consented to the agreement only on condition that the other members would pay his losses. The case was extensively discussed in the correspondence of contemporary rabbis, among them Israel Bruna and Israel Isserlein. Their letters about the Shifra-affair reveal some important characteristics of the rabbinic authority in the late medieval Ashkenaz.
Current reversal is an intriguing phenomenon that has been central to recent experimental and theoretical investigations of transport based on ratchet mechanism. By considering a system of two interacting ratchets, we demonstrate how the coupling can be used to control the reversals. In particular, we find that current reversal that exists in a single driven ratchet system can ultimately be eliminated with the presence of a second ratchet. For specific coupling strengths a current-reversal free regime has been detected. Furthermore, in the fully synchronized state characterized by the coupling threshold k(th), a specific driving amplitude a(opt) is found for which the transport is optimum.
The thrombin-like serine protease TLBm from Bothrops marajoensis was isolated in one chromatographic step in reverse phase HPLC. Its molecular mass was 33239.95 Da, as based on the determined primary structure and confirmed experimentally by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (33332.5 Da) and it contains 12 half-cysteine residues. This TLBm exhibited high specificity for BA rho NA, Michaelis-Menten behavior with K-m 2.3 x 10(-1) M and the V-max 0.52 x 10(-1) nmoles rho-NA/lt/min for this substrate. TLBm also showed ability to coagulate bovine fibrinogen and was inhibited by soybean trypsin inhibitor, EDTA and S(Dm) from the serum of the species Didelphis marsupialis. The primary structure of TLBm showed the presence of His(45), Asp(103) and Ser(228) residues in the corresponding positions of the catalytic triad established in the serine proteases and Ser(228) are inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF). Amino acid analysis showed a high content of Asp, Glu, Gly, Set, Ala and Pro as well as 12 half-cysteine residues and calculated pI of 6.47; TLBm presented 285 amino acid residues. In this work, we investigated the ability of TLBm to degrade fibrinogen and we observed that it is able to cause alpha- and beta-chain cleavage. Enzymatic as well as the platelet aggregation activities were strongly inhibited when incubated with PMSF, a specific inhibitor of serine protease. Also, TLBm induced platelet aggregation in washed and platelet-rich plasma, and in both cases, PMSF inhibited its activity.
A series of studies have distinguished two types of but, namely, corrective and counterexpectational. The difference between these two types has been considered largely semantic/pragmatic. This article shows that the semantic difference also translates into a different syntax for each type of but. More precisely, corrective but always requires clause-level coordination, with apparent counterexamples being derived through ellipsis within the second conjunct. On the other hand, counterexpectational but is not restricted in this way, and offers the possibility of coordination of both clausal and subclausal constituents. From this difference, it is possible to derive a number of syntactic asymmetries between corrective and counterexpectational but.
The biogenic amine octopamine functions as a neuromodulator, neurotransmitter and neurohormone in insect nervous systems. It plays a prominent role in modulating multiple physiological and behavioural processes in invertebrates. Octopamine exerts its effects by binding to specific receptor proteins that belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. We found two partial sequences of putative octopamine receptors in the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria (SgOct alpha R and SgOct beta R) and investigated their transcript levels in males and females of both phases and during the transition between long-term solitarious and gregarious locusts. The transcript levels of SgOctaR are the highest in the central nervous system, whereas those of SgOct beta R are the highest in the flight muscles, followed by the central nervous system. Both SgOct alpha R and SgOct beta R show higher transcript levels in long-term gregarious locusts as compared to solitarious ones. The rise of SgOct beta R transcript levels already appears during the first 4 h of gregarisation, during which also the behavioural changes take place.
The biogenic amine octopamine and its biological precursor tyramine are thought to be the invertebrate functional homologues of the vertebrate adrenergic transmitters. Octopamine functions as a neuromodulator, neurotransmitter and neurohormone in insect nervous systems and prompts the whole organism to "dynamic action". A growing number of studies suggest a prominent role for octopamine in modulating multiple physiological and behavioural processes in invertebrates, as for example the phase transition in Schistocerca gregaria. Both octopamine and tyramine exert their effects by binding to specific receptor proteins that belong to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors. Since these receptors do not appear to be present in vertebrates, they may present very suitable and specific insecticide and acaricide targets. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The primary auditory cortex (AI) of adult Pteronotus parnellii features a foveal representation of the second harmonic constant frequency (CF2) echolocation call component. In the corresponding Doppler-shifted constant frequency (DSCF) area, the 61 kHz range is over-represented for extraction of frequency-shift information in CF2 echoes. To assess to which degree AI postnatal maturation depends on active echolocation or/and reflects ongoing cochlear maturation, cortical neurons were recorded in juveniles up to postnatal day P29, before the bats are capable of active foraging.At P1-2, neurons in posterior AI are tuned sensitively to low frequencies (22-45 dB SPL, 28-35 kHz). Within the prospective DSCF area, neurons had insensitive responses (>60 dB SPL) to frequencies <40 kHz and lacked sensitive tuning curve tips. Up to P10, when bats do not yet actively echolocate, tonotopy is further developed and DSCF neurons respond to frequencies of 51-57 kHz with maximum tuning sharpness (Q(10dB)) of 57. Between P11 and 20, the frequency representation in AI includes higher frequencies anterior and dorsal to the DSCF area. More multipeaked neurons (33%) are found than at older age. In the oldest group, DSCF neurons are tuned to frequencies close to 61 kHz with Q(10dB) values <= 212, and threshold sensitivity, tuning sharpness and cortical latencies are adult-like. The data show that basic aspects of cortical tonotopy are established before the bats actively echolocate. Maturation of tonotopy, increase of tuning sharpness, and upward shift in the characteristic frequency of DSCF neurons appear to strongly reflect cochlear maturation.
The Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes represents an inverted Cretaceous basin where Cretaceous magmatism is characterized by rare mafic dykes and sills. We use Ar-40/Ar-39, Sr-Nd-Pb isotopes, as well as major and trace elements analyses of Cretaceous intrusions from both flanks of the Eastern Cordillera in combination with structural data to document the complex evolution of the basin. Magmatism, which is diachronous and geochemically diverse, seems to be related to mantle melting beneath the most subsiding segments of each sub-basin during enhanced extensional tectonics. The mafic intrusions display two different compositional series: an alkaline one with OIB-like pattern and a tholeiitic one with MORB-like features. This indicates at least two diverse mantle sources. Trace-element patterns suggest that the intrusions were emplaced in an extensional setting. Ar-40/Ar-39 dating on primary plagioclase and hornblende provides plateau ages between similar to 136 and similar to 74 Ma. The geochemical and temporal diversities show that the emplacement of the magmas was tectonically controlled, each sub-basin reflecting an individual subsidence event.
Seven experiments using self-paced reading and eyetracking suggest that omitting the middle verb in a double centre embedding leads to easier processing in English but leads to greater difficulty in German. One commonly accepted explanation for the English pattern-based on data from offline acceptability ratings and due to Gibson and Thomas (1999)- is that working-memory overload leads the comprehender to forget the prediction of the upcoming verb phrase (VP), which reduces working-memory load. We show that this VP-forgetting hypothesis does an excellent job of explaining the English data, but cannot account for the German results. We argue that the English and German results can be explained by the parser's adaptation to the grammatical properties of the languages; in contrast to English, German subordinate clauses always have the verb in clause-final position, and this property of German may lead the German parser to maintain predictions of upcoming VPs more robustly compared to English. The evidence thus argues against language- independent forgetting effects in online sentence processing; working-memory constraints can be conditioned by countervailing influences deriving from grammatical properties of the language under study.
A major aim in ecology is identifying determinants of invasiveness. We performed a meta-analysis of 117 field or experimental-garden studies that measured pair-wise trait differences of a total of 125 invasive and 196 non-invasive plant species in the invasive range of the invasive species. We tested whether invasiveness is associated with performance-related traits (physiology, leaf-area allocation, shoot allocation, growth rate, size and fitness), and whether such associations depend on type of study and on biogeographical or biological factors. Overall, invasive species had significantly higher values than non-invasive species for all six trait categories. More trait differences were significant for invasive vs. native comparisons than for invasive vs. non-invasive alien comparisons. Moreover, for comparisons between invasive species and native species that themselves are invasive elsewhere, no trait differences were significant. Differences in physiology and growth rate were larger in tropical regions than in temperate regions. Trait differences did not depend on whether the invasive alien species originates from Europe, nor did they depend on the test environment. We conclude that invasive alien species had higher values for those traits related to performance than non-invasive species. This suggests that it might become possible to predict future plant invasions from species traits.
Testing magnetofrictional extrapolation with the Titov-Demoulin model of solar active regions
(2010)
We examine the nonlinear magnetofrictional extrapolation scheme using the solar active region model by Titov and Demoulin as test field. This model consists of an arched, line-tied current channel held in force-free equilibrium by the potential field of a bipolar flux distribution in the bottom boundary. A modified version with a parabolic current density profile is employed here. We find that the equilibrium is reconstructed with very high accuracy in a representative range of parameter space, using only the vector field in the bottom boundary as input. Structural features formed in the interface between the flux rope and the surrounding arcade - "hyperbolic flux tube" and "bald patch separatrix surface" - are reliably reproduced, as are the flux rope twist and the energy and helicity of the configuration. This demonstrates that force-free fields containing these basic structural elements of solar active regions can be obtained by extrapolation. The influence of the chosen initial condition on the accuracy of reconstruction is also addressed, confirming that the initial field that best matches the external potential field of the model quite naturally leads to the best reconstruction. Extrapolating the magnetogram of a Titov-Demoulin equilibrium in the unstable range of parameter space yields a sequence of two opposing evolutionary phases, which clearly indicate the unstable nature of the configuration: a partial buildup of the flux rope with rising free energy is followed by destruction of the rope, losing most of the free energy.
The interplay between turnover or degradation and ribosome loading of messenger RNA (mRNA) is studied theoretically using a stochastic model that is motivated by recent experimental results. Random mRNA degradation affects the statistics of polysomes, i.e., the statistics of the number of ribosomes per mRNA as extracted from cells. Since ribosome loading of newly created mRNA chains requires some time to reach steady state, a fraction of the extracted mRNA/ ribosome complexes does not represent steady state conditions. As a consequence, the mean ribosome density obtained from the extracted complexes is found to be inversely proportional to the mRNA length. On the other hand, the ribosome density profile shows an exponential decrease along the mRNA for prokaryotes and becomes uniform in eukaryotic cells. Copyright (C) EPLA, 2010
Recently, we introduced a thermoresponsive copolymer that consists of oligo(ethylene glycol) methacrylate (OEGMA) and 2-(2- methoxyethoxy) ethyl methacrylate (MEO(2)MA). The polymer exhibited an LCST at 35 degrees C in PBS buffer and was anchored onto gold substrates using disulfide polymerisation initiators. It allows the noninvasive detachment of adherent cells from their substrate. As the mechanisms that determine the interaction of cells with such polymers are not well understood, we employed Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy in order to monitor the detachment process of cells of two different types. We identified contact area and average cell-substrate distance as crucial parameters for the evaluation of the detachment process. The sensitivity of TIRF microscopy allowed us to correlate the specific adhesion pattern of MCF-7 breast cancer cells with the morphology of cell deposits that may serve as fingerprints for a nondestructive characterisation of live cells.
Computational analysis of virtual team collaboration in teh early stages of engineering design
(2010)
Thiol-ene additions of methyl 10-undecenoate, a castor oil derived renewable platform chemical, were studied with the goal of preparing a set of renewable monomers. Good to excellent yields were obtained for these solvent and initiator free thiol-ene additions. The resulting monomers were then polymerized using TBD as a catalyst, to linear as well as hyperbranched polyesters that also contain thio-ether linkages. All thus prepared polymers were fully characterized (NMR, GPC, DSC, and TGA) and the results of these investigations will be discussed within this contribution. The thermal analysis of these polymers revealed melting points in the range from 50 to 71 degrees C. Moreover, no significant weight loss was observed below 300 degrees C.
Context. Helicity is a fundamental property of magnetic fields, conserved in ideal MHD. In flux rope geometry, it consists of twist and writhe helicity. Despite the common occurrence of helical structures in the solar atmosphere, little is known about how their shape relates to the writhe, which fraction of helicity is contained in writhe, and how much helicity is exchanged between twist and writhe when they erupt. Aims. Here we perform a quantitative investigation of these questions relevant for coronal flux ropes. Methods. The decomposition of the writhe of a curve into local and nonlocal components greatly facilitates its computation. We use it to study the relation between writhe and projected S shape of helical curves and to measure writhe and twist in numerical simulations of flux rope instabilities. The results are discussed with regard to filament eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Results. (1) We demonstrate that the relation between writhe and projected S shape is not unique in principle, but that the ambiguity does not affect low- lying structures, thus supporting the established empirical rule which associates stable forward (reverse) S shaped structures low in the corona with positive (negative) helicity. (2) Kink-unstable erupting flux ropes are found to transform a far smaller fraction of their twist helicity into writhe helicity than often assumed. (3) Confined flux rope eruptions tend to show stronger writhe at low heights than ejective eruptions (CMEs). This argues against suggestions that the writhing facilitates the rise of the rope through the overlying field. (4) Erupting filaments which are S shaped already before the eruption and keep the sign of their axis writhe (which is expected if field of one chirality dominates the source volume of the eruption), must reverse their S shape in the course of the rise. Implications for the occurrence of the helical kink instability in such events are discussed. (5) The writhe of rising loops can easily be estimated from the angle of rotation about the direction of ascent, once the apex height exceeds the footpoint separation significantly. Conclusions. Writhe can straightforwardly be computed for numerical data and can often be estimated from observations. It is useful in interpreting S shaped coronal structures and in constraining models of eruptions.
Map form information on forest biomass is required for estimating bioenergy potentials and monitoring carbon stocks. In Finland, the growing stock of forests is monitored using multi-source forest inventory, where variables are estimated in the form of thematic maps and area statistics by combining information of field measurements, satellite images and other digital map data. In this study, we used the multi-source forest inventory methodology for estimating forest biomass characteristics. The biomass variables were estimated for national forest inventory field plots on the basis of measured tree variables. The plot-level biomass estimates were used as reference data for satellite image interpretation. The estimates produced by satellite image interpretation were tested by cross-validation. The results indicate that the method for producing biomass maps on the basis of biomass models and satellite image interpretation is operationally feasible. Furthermore, the accuracy of the estimates of biomass variables is similar or even higher than that of traditional growing stock volume estimates. The technique presented here can be applied, for example, in estimating biomass resources or in the inventory of greenhouse gases.
Question Which mechanisms promote the maintenance of the protected pioneer grass Corynephorus canescens in a mosaic landscape? Which are the interactive effects of small-scale disturbances, successional stage and year-to-year variation on early establishment probabilities of C. canescens? Location Brandenburg, NE Germany. Methods We measured emergence and survival rates over 3 yr in a sowing-experiment conducted in three successional stages (C. canescens- dominated site, ruderal forb site and pioneer forest) under two different regimes of mechanical ground disturbance (disturbed versus undisturbed control). Results Overall, disturbance led to higher emergence in a humid year and to lower emergence in a very dry year. Apparently, when soil moisture was sufficient, the main factor limiting C. canescens' establishment was competition, while in the dry year, water became the limiting factor. Survival rates were not affected by disturbance. In humid years, C. canescens emerged in higher numbers in open successional stages while in the dry year, emergence rates were higher in late stages, suggesting an important role of late successional stages for the persistence of C. canescens. Conclusions Our results suggest that small-scale disturbances can promote germination of C. canescens. However, disturbances should be carefully planned. The optimal strategy for promoting C. canescens is to apply disturbances just before seed dispersal and not during dry years. At the landscape scale, a mosaic of different vegetation types is beneficial for the protected pioneer grass as facilitation by late-successional species may be an important mechanism for the persistence of C. canescens, especially in dry years.
Gelatin is a non-immunogenic and degradable biopolymer, which is widely applied in the biomedical field e. g. for drug capsules or as absorbable hemostats. However, gelatin materials present limited and hardly reproducible mechanical properties especially in aqueous systems, particularly caused by the uncontrollable partial renaturation of collagen-like triple helices. Therefore, mechanically demanding applications for gelatin-based materials, such as vascular patches, i.e. hydrogel films that seal large incisions in vessel walls, and for induced autoregeneration, are basically excluded if this challenge is not addressed. Through the synthesis of a defined chemical network of gelatin with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) in DMSO, the self-organization of gelatin chains could be hindered and amorphous gelatin films were successfully prepared having Young's moduli of 60-530 kPa. Transferring the crosslinking reaction with HDI and, alternatively, ethyl lysine diisocyanate (LDI), to water as reaction medium allowed the tailoring of swelling behaviour and mechanical properties by variation of crosslinker content while suppressing the formation of helices. The hydrogels had Young's moduli of 70-740 kPa, compressive moduli of 16-48 kPa, and degrees of swelling of 300-800 vol%. Test reactions investigated by ESI mass spectrometry allowed the identification and quantification of reaction products of the crosslinking reaction. The HDI crosslinked networks were stabilized by direct covalent crosslinks (ca. 10 mol%), supported by grafting (50 mol%) and blending of hydrophobic oligomeric chains. For the LDI- based networks, less crosslinked (3 mol%) and grafted species (5 mol%) and much higher amounts of oligomers were observed. The adjustable hydrogel system enables the application of gelatin-based materials in physiological environments.
The cover of large trees in African savannahs is rapidly declining, mainly due to human land-use practices. Trees improve grass nutrient quality and contribute to species and structural diversity of savannah vegetation. However, the response of herbivores to trees as habitat features is unknown We quantified the habitat use of wild and domestic ungulates in two eastern and southern African savannahs. We assessed grazing intensities and quantified dung depositions beneath and around canopies of different sized trees. Grasses were eaten and dung was deposited twice as frequently beneath large (ca. 5 m in height) and very large trees (7-10 m) than in open grasslands. Small trees (<2.5 m) did not show this trend. Grazing intensity and dung deposition decreased with distance away from trees at both study sites. These results suggest that large trees represent essential habitat features for domestic and wild herbivores. Increased dung depositions beneath large trees may further promote the maintenance of a patchy nutrient distribution in savannahs. Small trees cannot provide the same structural and functional advantages as large trees do. We recommend that land-use practices be promoted which conserve large single-standing trees to benefit the flora and fauna of African savannahs.
The nonadiabatic coupling of an adsorbate close to a metallic surface leads to electronic damping of adsorbate vibrations and line broadening in vibrational spectroscopy. Here, a perturbative treatment of the electronic contribution to the lifetime broadening serves as a building block for a new approach, in which anharmonic vibrational transition rates are calculated from a position-dependent coupling function. Different models for the coupling function will be tested, all related to embedding theory. The first two are models based on a scattering approach with (i) a jellium-type and (ii) a density functional theory based embedding density, respectively. In a third variant a further refined model is used for the embedding density, and a semiempirical approach is taken in which a scaling factor is chosen to match harmonic, single-site, first-principles transition rates, obtained from periodic density functional theory. For the example of hydrogen atoms on (adsorption) and below (subsurface absorption) a Pd(111) surface, lifetimes of and transition rates between vibrational levels are computed. The transition rates emerging from different models serve as input for the selective subsurface adsorption of hydrogen in palladium starting from an adsorption site, by using sequences of infrared laser pulses in a laser distillation scheme.
We present a systematic study of the influence of energy and phase relaxation on dynamic polarizability simulations in the linear response regime. The nonperturbative approach is based on explicit electron dynamics using short laser pulses of low intensities. To include environmental effects on the property calculation, we use the time- dependent configuration-interaction method in its reduced density matrix formulation. Both energy dissipation and nonlocal pure dephasing are included. The explicit treatment of time-resolved electron dynamics gives access to the phase shift between the electric field and the induced dipole moment, which can be used to define a useful uncertainty measure for the dynamic polarizability. The nonperturbative treatment is compared to perturbation theory expressions, as applied to a simple model system, the rigid H-2 molecule. It is shown that both approaches are equivalent for low field intensities, but the time-dependent treatment provides complementary information on the phase of the induced dipole moment, which allows for the definition of an uncertainty associated with the computation of the dynamic polarizability in the linear response regime.
The development of rise Cenozoic East African Rift System (EARS) profoundly re-shaped the landscape and significantly increased the amplitude of short-term environmental response to climate variation. In particular, the development of amplifier lakes in rift basins after three million years ago significantly contributed to this exceptional sensitivity of East Africa to climate change compared to elsewhere on the African continent. Amplifier lakes are characterized by tectonically-formed graben morphologies in combination with an extreme contrast between high precipitation in the elevated parts of the catchment and high evaporation in the lake area. Such amplifier lakes respond rapidly to moderate, precessional-forced climate shifts, and as they do so apply dramatic environmental pressure to the biosphere. Rift basins, when either extremely dry or lake-filled, form important barriers for migration, mixing and competition of different populations of animals and hominins. Amplifier lakes link long-term, high-amplitude tectonic processes and short-term environmental fluctuations. East Africa may have become the place where early humans evolved as a consequence of this strong link between different time scales. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The depositional geometry and facies distribution of an Early Miocene (Burdigalian) carbonate system in the Perfugas Basin (NW Sardinia) comprise a well-exposed example of a transition from a ramp to a steep-flanked platform. The carbonate succession (Sedini Limestone Unit) is composed of two depositional sequences separated by a major erosional unconformity. The lower (sequence 1) records a ramp dominated by heterozoan producers and the upper (sequence 2) is dominated by photozoan producers and displays a gradual steepening of the depositional profile into a steep- flanked platform. This paper shows the process of creating a digital outcrop model including a facies model. This process consists of combining field data sets, including 17 sedimentary logs, and a spatial dataset consisting of differential global positioning system data points measured along key stratigraphic surfaces and sedimentary logs, with the goal of locking traditional field observations into a 3D spatial model. Establishing a precise geometrical framework and visualizing the overall change in the platform geometry and the related vertical and lateral facies variations of the Sedini carbonate platform, allows us to better understand the sedimentary processes leading to the geometrical turn- over of the platform. Furthermore, a detailed facies modeling helps us to gain insight into the detailed depositional dynamics. The final model reproduces faithfully the depositional geometries observed in the outcrops and helps in understanding the relationships between facies and architectural framework at the basin scale. Moreover, it provides the basis to characterize semiquantitatively regional sedimentological features and to make further reservoir and subsurface analogue studies.
A considerable fraction of the central stars of planetary nebulae (CSPNe) are hydrogen-deficient. As a rule, these CSPNe exhibit a chemical composition of helium, carbon, and oxygen with the majority showing Wolf-Rayet-like emission line spectra. These stars are classified as CSPNe of a spectral type [WC]. We perform a spectral analysis of CSPN PB 8 with the Potsdam Wolf-Rayet (PoWR) models for expanding atmospheres. The source PB8 displays wind-broadened emission lines from strong mass loss. Most strikingly, we find that its surface composition is hydrogen-deficient, but not carbon-rich. With mass fractions of 55% helium, 40% hydrogen, 1.3% carbon, 2% nitrogen, and 1.3% oxygen, it differs greatly from the 30-50% of carbon which are typically seen in [WC]-type central stars. The atmospheric mixture in PB8 has an analogy in the WN/WC transition type among the massive Wolf-Rayet stars. Therefore we suggest to introduce a new spectral type [WN/WC] for CSPNe, with PB8 as its first member. The central star of PB8 has a relatively low temperature of T-* = 52 kK, as expected for central stars in their early evolutionary stages. Its surrounding nebula is less than 3000 years old, i.e. relatively young. Existing calculations for the post-AGB evolution can produce hydrogen-deficient stars of the [WC] type, but do not predict the composition found in PB8. We discuss various scenarios that might explain the origin of this unique object.
The surface morphology of icy moons is affected by several processes implicating exchanges between their subsurfaces and atmospheres (if any). The possible exchange of material between the subsurface and the surface is mainly determined by the mechanical properties of the lithosphere, which isolates the deep, warm and ductile ice material from the cold surface conditions. Exchanges through this layer occur only if it is sufficiently thin and/or if it is fractured owing to tectonic stresses, melt intrusion or impact cratering. If such conditions are met, cryomagma can be released, erupting fresh volatile-rich materials onto the surface. For a very few icy moons (Titan, Triton, Enceladus), the emission of gas associated with cryovolcanic activity is sufficiently large to generate an atmosphere, either long- lived or transient. For those moons, atmosphere-driven processes such as cryovolcanic plume deposition, phase transitions of condensable materials and wind interactions continuously re-shape their surfaces, and are able to transport cryovolcanically generated materials on a global scale. In this chapter, we discuss the physics of these different exchange processes and how they affect the evolution of the satellites' surfaces.
Two different types of mesoporous silicon-phosphate supports using different surfactants (a mixture of (CH3)(3)C13H27NBr with an organophosphorus coupling molecule (HO-PO(i-C3H7)(2)) and with a co-surfactant ((C2H5)(3)(C6H5)PCl), respectively) were synthesized. Trivalent europium (Eu) ions were immobilized via ion-exchange on these supports. The resulting materials were characterized using nitrogen adsorption isotherms at -196 degrees C, thermogravimetric analysis, SEM, TEM, FT-IR, PXRD, CP/MAS. (HSi)-H-1-Si-29 and P-31 NMR, DR-UV-vis as well as steady- state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results evidenced that the co-polymerization of silicon and phosphorous yielded a unique morphology in these materials. Following calcination at 450 and 900 degrees C europium- exchanged silicon-phosphates with great surface area (BET=600-705 m(2) g(-1)) and 3.4 nm sized mesopores were obtained. The differences among the optical properties of the non-calcined europium materials such as the emission lifetimes, local environment at the europium sites or the relative contribution of the upper excited levels to the total photoluminescence were assigned to the surfactants used in the synthesis. Calcination of the silicon-phosphates at higher temperatures than 450 degrees C did not induce major changes in the structural properties: in contrast, photoluminescence properties of europium were markedly improved in terms of intensity and average lifetime.
Zeolites NaY and ZSM-5 were used as hosts for styrene polymerization after ion-exchange with europium ions. The parent and hybrid, polystyrene coated Eu-NaY (Eu-NaY/PS) and Eu-ZSM-5 (Eu-ZSM-5/PS) zeolites were investigated by using thermal analysis, SEM, PXRD, FT-IR, DR-UV/Vis, steady state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. FT-IR spectra evidenced for the interaction between the zeolitic hosts and polystyrene while the PXRD spectra supported for the presence of the polymer inside the channels/pores of Eu-NaY/PS and Eu-ZSM-5/PS materials. The optical properties of Eu-NaY/PS and Eu-ZSM-5/PS were significantly changed relative to those of the parent zeolites, giving further evidence for the presence of polymer inside zeolites. An interesting case is presented by NaY zeolite: following styrene polymerization, the polymer interacted selectively with one of the two main species co-existing inside zeolite while for ZSM-5 a similar effect was not observed.
The individual functional traits of different species play a key role for ecosystem function in aquatic and terrestrial systems. We modeled a multispecies predator-prey system with functionally different predator and prey species based on observations of the community dynamics of ciliates and their algal prey in Lake Constance. The model accounted for differences in predator feeding preferences and prey susceptibility to predation, and for the respective trade-offs. A low food demand of the predator was connected to a high food selectivity, and a high growth rate of the prey was connected to a high vulnerability to grazing. The data and the model did not show standard uniform predator- prey cycles, but revealed both complex dynamics and a coexistence of predator and prey at high biomass levels. These dynamics resulted from internally driven alternations in species densities and involved compensatory dynamics between functionally different species. Functional diversity allowed for ongoing adaptation of the predator and prey communities to changing environmental conditions such as food composition and grazing pressure. The trade-offs determined whether compensatory or synchronous dynamics occurred which influence the variability at the community level. Compensatory dynamics were promoted by a joint carrying capacity linking the different prey species which is particularly relevant at high prey biomasses, i.e., when grazers are less efficient. In contrast, synchronization was enhanced by the coupling of the different predator and prey species via common feeding links, e.g., by a high grazing pressure of a nonselective predator. The communities had to be functionally diverse in terms of their trade-offs and their traits to yield compensatory dynamics. Rather similar predator species tended to cycle synchronously, whereas profoundly different species did not coexist. Compensatory dynamics at the community level thus required intermediately strong tradeoffs for functional traits in both predators and their prey.
Malignant gliomas are a fatal disease lacking sufficient possibilities for early diagnosis and chemical markers to detect remission or relapse. The recruitment of progenitor cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) is a main feature of gliomas. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), a chemokine produced in glioma cell lines, enhances migration in MSC and has been associated with cell survival and apoptosis in gliomas. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate (i) whether SDF-1 and its receptors are expressed in human malignant gliomas in situ and (ii) if SDF-1 might potentially play a role in recruiting MSCs into human glioma. In glioblastoma tissue, immunohistochemistry revealed that SDF-1 and its receptor CXCR4 are expressed in regions of angiogenesis and necrosis, and qPCR showed that SDF-1 is elevated. Public expression data indicated that CXCR4 was upregulated. The latter data also illustrate that SDF-1 could be up- or downregulated in glioma compared to normal brain in a transcript-specific manner. In plasma, SDF-1 is elevated in glioma patients. The level is reduced by both dexamethasone intake and surgery. Dexamethasone also decreased SDF-1 production in cells in vitro. The undirected migration of human MSC (hMSC) was not enhanced by the addition of SDF-1. However, SDF-1 stimulated directed invasion of hMSC in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, we show that SDF-1 is a potent chemoattractant of progenitor cells such as hMSCs and that its expression is elevated in glioma tissue, which results in elevated SDF-1 levels in the patient's plasma samples with concomittant decrease after tumor resection. The fact that elevated SDF-1 plasma levels are significantly decreased after tumor surgery could be a first hint that SDF-1 might act as tumor marker for malignant gliomas in order to detect disease progression or remission, respectively.
Drylands worldwide are exposed to a highly variable environment and face a high risk of degradation. The effects of global climate change such as altered precipitation patterns and increased temperature leading to reduced water availability will likely increase this risk. At the same time, an elevated atmospheric CO2 level could mitigate the effects of reduced water availability by increasing the water use efficiency of plants. To prevent degradation of drylands, it is essential to understand the underlying processes that affect water availability and vegetation cover. Since water and vegetation are strongly interdependent in water-limited ecosystems, changes can lead to highly non- linear effects. We assess these effects by developing an ecohydrological model of soil moisture and vegetation cover. The water component of the model simulates the daily dynamics of surface water and water contents in two soil layers. Vegetation is represented by two functional types: shrubs and grasses. These compete for soil water and strongly influence hydrological processes. We apply the model to a Namibian thornbush savanna and evaluate the separate and combined effects of decreased annual precipitation, increased temperature, more variable precipitation and elevated atmospheric CO2 on soil moisture and on vegetation cover. The results show that two main factors control the response of plant types towards climate change, namely a change in water availability and a change in water allocation to a specific plant type. Especially, reduced competitiveness of grasses can lead to a higher risk of shrub encroachment in these systems.
DNA-repair mechanisms enable cells to maintain their genetic information by protecting it from mutations that may cause malignant growth. Recent evidence suggests that specific DNA-repair enzymes contain ISCs (iron-sulfur clusters). The nuclear-encoded protein frataxin is essential for the mitochondrial biosynthesis of ISCs. Frataxin deficiency causes a neurodegenerative disorder named Friedreich's ataxia in humans. Various types of cancer occurring at young age are associated with this disease, and hence with frataxin deficiency. Mice carrying a hepatocyte- specific disruption of the frataxin gene develop multiple liver tumours for unresolved reasons. In the present study, we show that frataxin deficiency in murine liver is associated with increased basal levels of oxidative DNA base damage. Accordingly, eukaryotic V79 fibroblasts overexpressing human frataxin show decreased basal levels of these modifications, while prokaryotic Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium TA 104 strains transformed with human frataxin show decreased mutation rates. The repair rates of oxidative DNA base modifications in V79 cells overexpressing frataxin were significantly higher than in control cells. Lastly, cleavage activity related to the ISC-independent repair enzyme 8-oxoguanine glycosylase was found to be unaltered by frataxin overexpression. These findings indicate that frataxin modulates DNA-repair mechanisms probably due to its impact on ISC-dependent repair proteins, linking mitochondrial dysfunction to DNA repair and tumour initiation.