Information Exchange for Connection Dispatching

Travellers in public transport today expect current, precise and individual information. Existing systems have different approaches to provide this information. Most of them use proprietary exchange formats as existing standardized interfaces do not fulfil all needs. The German standardization project IP-KOM-OeV develops an interface that fulfils focuses on a service which allows to inform the traveller about his connections but also to inform the transportation companies about the travellers’ planned connections. The latter can have a direct impact on the operations when the connection demands are taken into consideration for the connection dispatching. We will present the results of the standardization project regarding the connection service and show how this service can be used by transportation companies to improve connection dispatching

Momentum transfer for momentum transfer-free which-path experiments

We analyze the origin of interference disappearance in which-path double aperture experiments. We show that we can unambiguously define an observable momentum transfer between the quantum particle and the path detector and we prove in particular that the so called ``momentum transfer free'' experiments can be in fact logically interpreted in term of momentum transfer.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev . A (2006). (7 pages, 2 figures

The wilms tumor gene wt1a contributes to blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier function in zebrafish

The Wilms tumor suppressor gene Wt1 encodes a zinc finger transcription factor, which is highly conserved among vertebrates. It is a key regulator of urogenital development and homeostasis but also plays a role in other organs including the spleen and the heart. More recently additional functions for Wt1 in the mammalian central nervous system have been described. In contrast to mammals, bony fish possess two paralogous Wt1 genes, namely wt1a and wt1b. By performing detailed in situ hybridization analyses during zebrafish development, we discovered new expression domains for wt1a in the dorsal hindbrain, the caudal medulla and the spinal cord. Marker analysis identified wt1a expressing cells of the dorsal hindbrain as ependymal cells of the choroid plexus in the myelencephalic ventricle. The choroid plexus acts as a blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier and thus is crucial for brain homeostasis. By employing wt1a mutant larvae and a dye accumulation assay with fluorescent tracers we demonstrate that Wt1a is required for proper choroid plexus formation and function. Thus, Wt1a contributes to the barrier properties of the choroid plexus in zebrafish, revealing an unexpected role for Wt1 in the zebrafish brain

Healthy lifestyle changes favourably affect common carotid intima-media thickness: the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (cohort 2)

Common carotid intima-media thickness (ccIMT) progression is a risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD), whereas healthy lifestyle habits are associated with lower ccIMT. The objective of the present study was to test whether a healthy lifestyle intervention can beneficially affect ccIMT progression. A community-based non-randomised, controlled lifestyle intervention was conducted, focusing on a predominantly plant-based diet (strongest emphasis), physical activity, stress management and social health. Assessments of ccIMT were made at baseline, 6 months and 1 year. Participants had an average age of 57 years and were recruited from the general population in rural northwest Germany (intervention: n 114; control: n 87). From baseline to 1 year, mean ccIMT significantly increased in both the intervention (0.026 [95 % CI 0.012, 0.039] mm) and control group (0.045 [95 % CI 0.033, 0.056] mm). The 1-year trajectory of mean ccIMT was lower in the intervention group (P = 0.022; adjusted for baseline). In a subgroup analysis with participants with high baseline mean ccIMT (≥0.800 mm), mean ccIMT non-significantly decreased in the intervention group (-0.016 [95 % CI -0.050, 0.017] mm; n 18) and significantly increased in the control group (0.065 [95 % CI 0.033, 0.096] mm; n 12). In the subgroup, the 1-year trajectory of mean ccIMT was significantly lower in the intervention group (between-group difference: -0.051 [95 % CI -0.075, -0.027] mm; P < 0.001; adjusted for baseline). The results indicate that healthy lifestyle changes may beneficially affect ccIMT within 1 year, particularly if baseline ccIMT is high

Effect of a 1-Year Controlled Lifestyle Intervention on Body Weight and Other Risk Markers (the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme, Cohort 2)

Introduction: The prevalence of obesity is high and increasing worldwide. Obesity is generally associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and mortality. The objective of the study was to test the effect of a lifestyle intervention on body weight and other chronic disease risk markers. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted, including mostly middle-aged and elderly participants recruited from the general population in rural northwest Germany (intervention: n = 114; control: n = 87). The intervention consisted of a 1-year lifestyle programme, focussing on four key areas: a largely plant-based diet (strongest emphasis), physical activity, stress management, and community support. Parameters were assessed at baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. The control group received no intervention. Results: Compared to the control, in the intervention group, significantly lower 1-year trajectories were observed for body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), total cholesterol, calculated LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, remnant cholesterol (REM-C), glucose, HbA1c, and resting heart rate (RHR). However, between-group differences at 1 year were small for glucose, HbA1c, and cholesterol (apart from REM-C). No significant between-group differences were found for 1-year trajectories of measured LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, blood pressure, and pulse pressure. Conclusion: The intervention successfully reduced body weight, BMI, WC, REM-C, and RHR. However, at 1 year, effectiveness of the intervention regarding other risk markers was either very modest or could not be shown

The healthful plant-based diet index as a tool for obesity prevention—The healthy lifestyle community program cohort 3 study

Background: World-wide the prevalence of obesity is high, and promoting a shift toward more healthful and more plant-based dietary patterns appears to be one promising strategy to address this issue. A dietary score to assess adherence to a healthy plant-based diet is the healthful plant-based diet index. While there is evidence from cohort studies that an increased healthful plant-based diet index is associated with improved risk markers, evidence from intervention studies is still lacking. Methods: A lifestyle intervention was conducted with mostly middle-aged and elderly participants from the general population (n = 115). The intervention consisted of a 16-month lifestyle program focusing on a healthy plant-based diet, physical activity, stress management, and community support. Results: After 10 weeks, significant improvements were seen in dietary quality, body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, total cholesterol, measured and calculated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, oxidized LDL particles, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, remnant cholesterol, glucose, insulin, blood pressure, and pulse pressure. After 16 months, significant decreases were seen in body weight (−1.8 kg), body mass index (−0.6 kg/m2), and measured LDL cholesterol (−12 mg/dl). Increases in the healthful plant-based diet index were associated with risk marker improvements. Conclusions: The recommendation of moving toward a plant-based diet appears acceptable and actionable and may improve body weight. The healthful plant-based diet index can be a useful parameter for intervention studies

Higgs portal, fermionic dark matter, and a Standard Model like Higgs at 125 GeV

We show that fermionic dark matter (DM) which communicates with the Standard Model (SM) via the Higgs portal is a viable scenario, even if a SM-like Higgs is found at around 125 GeV. Using effective field theory we show that for DM with a mass in the range from about 60 GeV to 2 TeV the Higgs portal needs to be parity violating in order to be in agreement with direct detection searches. For parity conserving interactions we identify two distinct options that remain viable: a resonant Higgs portal, and an indirect Higgs portal. We illustrate both possibilities using a simple renormalizable toy model.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures; references and discussion of Sommerfeld effect added; matches published versio

Exploratory analysis of the effect of a controlled lifestyle intervention on inflammatory markers – the Healthy Lifestyle Community Programme (cohort 2)

Background: Chronic low-grade inflammation is associated with an increased risk of chronic disease and mortality. The objective of the study was to test the effect of a healthy lifestyle intervention on biomarkers of inflammation (among other risk markers). Methods: We conducted a non-randomized controlled trial with mostly middle-aged and elderly participants from the general population in rural northwest Germany (intervention: n = 114; control: n = 87). The intervention consisted of a 1-year lifestyle programme focusing on diet (largely plant-based; strongest emphasis), physical activity, stress management, and social support. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) was assessed at baseline, 10 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year. Homocysteine (Hcy) was assessed at baseline, 10 weeks, and 1 year. Adiponectin (Apn) was assessed at baseline and 10 weeks. An exploratory analysis of these inflammatory markers assessing the between-group differences with ANCOVA was conducted. Results: The 1-year trajectory of hs-CRP was significantly lower in the intervention group compared to control (between-group difference: -0.8 (95% CI -1.2, -0.3) mg/l; p = 0.001; adjusted for baseline). The 1-year trajectory of Hcy was non-significantly higher in the intervention compared to control (between-group difference: 0.2 (95% CI -0.3, 0.7) µmol/l; p = 0.439; adjusted for baseline). From baseline to 10 weeks, Apn decreased significantly more in the intervention group compared to control (between-group difference: -1.6 (95% CI -2.7, -0.5) µg/ml; p = 0.004; adjusted for baseline). Conclusions: Our study shows that healthy lifestyle changes can lower hs-CRP and Apn levels and are unlikely to significantly affect Hcy levels within 1 year. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS; reference: DRKS00018775, registered 12 Sept 2019; retrospectively registered; www.drks.de)

Synthesis and first X-ray structure of a hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene–fullerene-dyad: a model for an inter-carbon-allotrope hybrid

The synthesis of a new hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene (HBC)–fullerene dyad 1 was accomplished involving a covalent linkage between both the planar and the spherical conjugated π-system of the two chromophores. We also present the first X-ray single crystal structure of a HBC–fullerene conjugate. A very short HBC–fullerene distance of 3.2 Å is observed. For the synthesis of this molecule, a new versatile applicable template, namely, a mono-functionalized hexa-peri-hexabenzocoronene 7 was attached to a fullerene. Absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as quantum yield measurements of 1, indicated close electronic communication between the two subunits, which is promising for possible applications in molecular electronics