Forest soil respiration reflects plant productivity across a temperature gradient in the Alps

Soil respiration (R s) plays a key role in any consideration of ecosystem carbon (C) balance. Based on the well-known temperature response of respiration in plant tissue and microbes, R s is often assumed to increase in a warmer climate. Yet, we assume that substrate availability (labile C input) is the dominant influence on R s rather than temperature. We present an analysis of NPP components and concurrent R s in temperate deciduous forests across an elevational gradient in Switzerland corresponding to a 6K difference in mean annual temperature and a considerable difference in the length of the growing season (174 vs. 262days). The sum of the short-lived NPP fractions ("canopy leaf litter,” "understory litter,” and "fine root litter”) did not differ across this thermal gradient (+6% from cold to warm sites, n.s.), irrespective of the fact that estimated annual forest wood production was more than twice as high at low compared to high elevations (largely explained by the length of the growing season). Cumulative annual R s did not differ significantly between elevations (836±5g C m−2 a−1 and 933±40g C m−2 a−1 at cold and warm sites, +12%). Annual soil CO2 release thus largely reflected the input of labile C and not temperature, despite the fact that R s showed the well-known short-term temperature response within each site. However, at any given temperature, R s was lower at the warm sites (downregulation). These results caution against assuming strong positive effects of climatic warming on R s, but support a close substrate relatedness of R

Czochralski growth of Yb3+ and Pr3+ doped Ca-fluoroapatite

Pure, Pr3+, and Yb3+ doped Ca-fluoroapatite (Ca-FAP) crystals were grown by the Czochralski method. The effective distribution coefficient keff for Yb3+ was 0.5. For Pr3+ a very high keff of 1.4 was obtained. Values for keff are discussed in terms of an elastic model accounting for the strain energy originating from the difference in the size of Ln3+ ions. The Ln3+ concentrations were measured by absorbance spectroscopy, by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, and by electron microprobe analyse

On the relation between the Feynman paradox and Aharonov-Bohm effects

The magnetic Aharonov-Bohm (A-B) effect occurs when a point charge interacts with a line of magnetic flux, while its dual, the Aharonov-Casher (A-C) effect, occurs when a magnetic moment interacts with a line of charge. For the two interacting parts of these physical systems, the equations of motion are discussed in this paper. The generally accepted claim is that both parts of these systems do not accelerate, while Boyer has claimed that both parts of these systems do accelerate. Using the Euler-Lagrange equations we predict that in the case of unconstrained motion only one part of each system accelerates, while momentum remains conserved. This prediction requires a time dependent electromagnetic momentum. For our analysis of unconstrained motion the A-B effects are then examples of the Feynman paradox. In the case of constrained motion, the Euler-Lagrange equations give no forces in agreement with the generally accepted analysis. The quantum mechanical A-B and A-C phase shifts are independent of the treatment of constraint. Nevertheless, experimental testing of the above ideas and further understanding of A-B effects which is central to both quantum mechanics and electromagnetism may be possible.Comment: 21 pages, 5 figures, recently submitted to New Journal of Physic

Comment on Experiments Related to the Aharonov-Bohm Phase Shift

Recent experiments undertaken by Caprez, Barwick, and Batelaan should clarify the connections between classical and quantum theories in connection with the Aharonov-Bohm phase shift. It is pointed out that resistive aspects for the solenoid current carriers play a role in the classical but not the quantum analysis for the phase shift. The observed absence of a classical lag effect for a macroscopic solenoid does not yet rule out the possibility of a lag explanation of the observed phase shift for a microscopic solenoid.Comment: 9 page

Effect of Expressive Methods of Child Psychotherapy Upon Intellectual Efficiency

It is the purpose of this study to investigate the effectiveness of a certain type of child training in accelerating the development of intellectual efficiency. By expressive methods is meant the use of different media through which the child can find self-expression for otherwise inarticulate ideas. Such media as finger-painting, clay modeling, dramatization and free hand drawing give opportunity for the child to create or objectify his subjective feelings or ideas. By child psychotherapy is meant a method of treatment in readjusting the personality of children. The change in I.Q. means a change in the relation of mental age to chronological age as measured by an intelligence test

ChIPathlon: A competitive assessment for gene regulation tools.

When gene regulation of the cell cycle malfunctions, it frequently causes cancer. Adult, differentiated cells can be reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cell; which can then be reprogrammed to heart muscle, skin, etc, to repair damaged tissue (to limited extent in clinical practice). ChIPathlon: Evaluate the performance of all transcription factor mapping (peak calling) methods. To this end, we will develop a scalable and easy to use super computing pipeline to stage data, compare many different peak calling and differential binding site tools, and store all results into a single database

ChIPathlon: A competitive assessment for gene regulation tools.

When gene regulation of the cell cycle malfunctions, it frequently causes cancer. Adult, differentiated cells can be reprogrammed to induced pluripotent stem cell; which can then be reprogrammed to heart muscle, skin, etc, to repair damaged tissue (to limited extent in clinical practice). ChIPathlon: Evaluate the performance of all transcription factor mapping (peak calling) methods. To this end, we will develop a scalable and easy to use super computing pipeline to stage data, compare many different peak calling and differential binding site tools, and store all results into a single database

Deconstructing situations

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 2008.Following pages are blank: 4-6. 8-9, 11-16, 18-24, 26-38, 40-43, 45-51, 53-56, 58-59, 61-64, 66, 68, 70, 72-98, 102, 104-117, 120-121,123-135, 146, 148-156, 160-161, 164-165, 167, 170, 172-173, 178-183, 185-187, 190-213, 216-240, 244-263, 266, 268-288, 309-313, 316-339, 342-343, 346-377, 380-409, 412-445, 448-465, 468-490, 492-495, 497-500.Includes bibliographical references.My thesis is inhabited by reflections on interweaving the constructive and the destructive development of situations. During the last year, I experimented with the observation of circumstances and their subsequent de-/construction by entangling the planned with the contingent, the staged with the genuine, the immediate with the remote. Through relinquishing control that has (just) been established, a situation can evolve that teases the "real," and create, eventually, a "new" situation. Hence, this paper attempts to discuss various challenges of "the real" such as interruptions of set hierarchies, interventions in established role plays, or reflections on the process of artistic production. On the other hand, it talks about the creating of "new" situations and its inherent contradictions. I consider my artistic practice as a de-/constructing of situations in everyday life which, through a playful approach, is a way to better understand one's surroundings. The de-/construction begins with the observation of a situation and its social embeddedness: settings, conventions, mechanisms, behavior, signs, tactics, or the organization of space. After looking at what a situation is about and how it "functions," I try to implement myself and apply my understanding to the situation. I plan an interruption within the situation including the people that inhabit it. The actual collective experience of the de-/construction is crucial to the effect that could emerge from this event. Only through the direct perception of a disruption one can understand a situation in a broader sense. With "broader" I mean the experience of the physical impact and the experience of the consternation which demands for reaction.(cont.) It is not about proposing a solution but rather it is a direct interruption that (re-)opens situations, a kind of "revolution" that allow alterations. C: This is not an art book. B: It's a thesis. C: This is a thesis and you said that last time already. It's not the author's choice if, you know, the copies of the thesis are all original. You have to conform.by Annatina Caprez.S.M

On the Relation between the Feynman Paradox and the Aharonov–Bohm Effects

The magnetic Aharonov–Bohm (A–B) effect occurs when a point charge interacts with a line of magnetic flux, while its reciprocal, the Aharonov–Casher (A–C) effect, occurs when a magnetic moment interacts with a line of charge. For the two interacting parts of these physical systems, the equations of motion are discussed in this paper. The generally accepted claim is that both parts of these systems do not accelerate, while Boyer has claimed that both parts of these systems do accelerate. Using the Euler–Lagrange equations we predict that in the case of unconstrained motion, only one part of each system accelerates, while momentum remains conserved. This prediction requires a time-dependent electromagnetic momentum. For our analysis of unconstrained motion, the A–B effects are then examples of the Feynman paradox. In the case of constrained motion, the Euler–Lagrange equations give no forces, in agreement with the generally accepted analysis. The quantum mechanical A–B and A–C phase shifts are independent of the treatment of constraint. Nevertheless, experimental testing of the above ideas and further understanding of the A–B effects that are central to both quantum mechanics and electromagnetism could be possible

A wide-angle electron grating bi-prism beam splitter

We demonstrate a wide-angle electron beam splitter capable of producing 1 cm beam separation at the detection plane. The beam splitter utilizes a nanofabricated periodic grating in combination with a bi-prism element. In contrast to devices utilizing only bi-prism elements, the use of the periodic grating causes amplitude, and not wavefront, splitting. Even at maximum separation, beam profiles remain undistorted, providing evidence that coherence is intact. This is a step towards the realization of a large area electron interferometer using such a grating bi-prism combination