A low-power data acquisition system for geomagnetic observatories and variometer stations

A modern geomagnetic observatory must provide data of high stability, continuity, and resolution. The INTERMAGNET network has therefore specified quantitative criteria to ensure a high quality standard of geomagnetic observatories. Here, we present a new data acquisition system which was designed to meet these criteria, in particular with respect to 1 Hz data. This system is based on a Raspberry Pi embedded PC and runs a C+ +  data acquisition software. As a result, the data acquisition system is modular, cheap, and flexible, and it can be operated in remote areas with limited power supply. In addition, the system is capable of near-real-time data transmission, using a reverse SSH tunnel to work with any network available. The system hardware was successfully tested at the Niemegk observatory for a period of 1 year and subsequently installed at the Tatuoca observatory in Brazil

Longitudinal Diffusion Tensor Imaging Resembles Patterns of Pathology Progression in Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia (bvFTD)

Objective: Recently, the characteristic longitudinal distribution pattern of the underlying phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) pathology in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) excluding Pick's disease (PiD) across specific brain regions was described. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether in vivo investigations of bvFTD patients by use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were consistent with these proposed patterns of progression. Methods: Sixty-two bvFTD patients and 47 controls underwent DTI in a multicenter study design. Of these, 49 bvFTD patients and 34 controls had a follow-up scan after ~12 months. Cross-sectional and longitudinal alterations were assessed by a two-fold analysis, i.e., voxelwise comparison of fractional anisotropy (FA) maps and a tract of interest-based (TOI) approach, which identifies tract structures that could be assigned to brain regions associated with disease progression. Results: Whole brain-based spatial statistics showed white matter alterations predominantly in the frontal lobes cross-sectionally and longitudinally. The TOIs of bvFTD neuroimaging stages 1 and 2 (uncinate fascicle—bvFTD pattern I; corticostriatal pathway—bvFTD pattern II) showed highly significant differences between bvFTD patients and controls. The corticospinal tract-associated TOI (bvFTD pattern III) did not differ between groups, whereas the differences in the optic radiation (bvFTD pattern IV) reached significance. The findings in the corticospinal tract were due to a “dichotomous” behavior of FA changes there. Conclusion: Longitudinal TOI analysis demonstrated a pattern of white matter pathways alterations consistent with patterns of pTDP-43 pathology

Vergleichende morphologische und histologische untersuchungen am geruchsorgan der knochenfische

1. Untersucht wurden 18 Knochenfischarten aus 13 Familien.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47539/1/435_2004_Article_BF00429940.pd

The Arctic

peer reviewe

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Einflussfaktoren auf Verbreitung und Dauer des Stillens in Deutschland

Stillen ist die natürliche Art und Weise, einen Säugling in den ersten Monaten zu ernähren, und bietet gesundheitliche Vorteile sowohl für die Säuglinge als auch ihre Mütter. Das Stillverhalten wird sowohl durch soziodemografische als auch durch Gesundheitsdeterminanten bestimmt. Ziel der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, die aktuelle Lage zur Prävalenz des Stillens und der Stilldauer in Deutschland zu beschreiben sowie potenzielle Determinanten, die einen Einfluss auf das Stillverhalten haben, zu identifizieren. Zudem wird ein Vergleich mit den Daten der KiGGS-Basiserhebung (2003–2006; Geburtsjahrgänge 1996–2002) durchgeführt, um zeitliche Trends der Prävalenz des Stillens und der Stilldauer in Deutschland zu erkennen. Aus KiGGS Welle 1 (2009–2012) liegen Angaben zum mütterlichen Stillverhalten von 4410 Teilnehmenden im Alter von 0 bis 6 Jahren (Geburtsjahrgänge 2002–2012) vor. Insgesamt wurden 82 % (95 %-Konfidenzintervall 79,8–84,2) der Kinder jemals gestillt, die durchschnittliche Stilldauer lag bei 7,5 (7,2–7,8) Monaten. Die Prävalenz des Stillens ist in Deutschland in den letzten Jahren leicht gestiegen. Die Stillquote nach der Geburt war im Vergleich zu 0- bis 6-Jährigen (Geburtsjahrgänge 1996–2002) der KiGGS-Basiserhebung um 4 Prozentpunkte höher. Die mittlere Stilldauer blieb unverändert. Das Stillverhalten war hauptsächlich mit dem Alter der Mutter bei Geburt, dem Bildungsstatus der Mutter, Rauchen während der Schwangerschaft, der Geburtsreife des Kindes und Mehrlingsgeburten assoziiert. Trotz der allgemein steigenden Tendenz der Stillquote wird ein erhöhter Bedarf für stillfördernde und unterstützende Maßnahmen nach wie vor bei bildungsschwachen und jungen Müttern sowie bei in der Schwangerschaft rauchenden Frauen und Frauen mit Mehrlings- und Frühgeburten gesehen.Breastfeeding is the natural way of feeding infants in the first months of their lives and has been proven to have health benefits for both infants and mothers. Breastfeeding initiation and duration are affected by social, demographic and health factors. The aim of this study was to describe the current rates of breastfeeding initiation and duration in Germany, and to identify potential factors that underline these rates. Additionally, results are compared with the KiGGS basic (2003–2006; birth cohorts 1996–2002) study in order to reveal the development in the trends of breastfeeding initiation and duration in Germany. The KiGGS wave 1 (2009–2012) includes data on the breastfeeding behavior of mothers of 4410 children aged between 0 and 6 years (birth cohorts 2002–2012). Altogether, 82 % (95 % confidence interval 79.8–84.2 %) of children were ever breastfed, and the average breastfeeding duration was 7.5 months (7.2–7.8). There was a slight increase in the breastfeeding initiation in Germany over the last several years. Breastfeeding initiation among children aged 0-6 years increased by 4 % points compared to 0- to 6-year-olds (birth cohorts 1996–2002) from the KiGGS basic study. The breastfeeding duration stayed unchanged. The breastfeeding behavior was mainly related to the age of the mother at birth, the mother’s education level, smoking during pregnancy, and multiple or premature birth. Despite the overall increasing trend in breastfeeding initiation, there is still a growing need for breastfeeding promotion and support for young and less educated mothers, mothers who smoke during pregnancy, and also for mothers with premature babies or multiple births

Eye Movement Deficits Are Consistent with a Staging Model of pTDP-43 Pathology in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.

The neuropathological process underlying amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be traced as a four-stage progression scheme of sequential corticofugal axonal spread. The examination of eye movement control gains deep insights into brain network pathology and provides the opportunity to detect both disturbance of the brainstem oculomotor circuitry as well as executive deficits of oculomotor function associated with higher brain networks.To study systematically oculomotor characteristics in ALS and its underlying network pathology in order to determine whether eye movement deterioration can be categorized within a staging system of oculomotor decline that corresponds to the neuropathological model.Sixty-eight ALS patients and 31 controls underwent video-oculographic, clinical and neuropsychological assessments.Oculomotor examinations revealed increased anti- and delayed saccades' errors, gaze-palsy and a cerebellary type of smooth pursuit disturbance. The oculomotor disturbances occurred in a sequential manner: Stage 1, only executive control of eye movements was affected. Stage 2 indicates disturbed executive control plus 'genuine' oculomotor dysfunctions such as gaze-paly. We found high correlations (p<0.001) between the oculomotor stages and both, the clinical presentation as assessed by the ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS) score, and cognitive scores from the Edinburgh Cognitive and Behavioral ALS Screen (ECAS).Dysfunction of eye movement control in ALS can be characterized by a two-staged sequential pattern comprising executive deficits in Stage 1 and additional impaired infratentorial oculomotor control pathways in Stage 2. This pattern parallels the neuropathological staging of ALS and may serve as a technical marker of the neuropathological spreading