Limiter lock systems at TEXTOR: flexible tools for plasma-wall investigation

Limiter lock systems on the top and the bottom of the TEXTOR vessel are essential elements for experimental investigations of plasma-wall interaction in a tokamak. The lock systems are designed as user facilities that allow the insertion of wall elements (limiter) and tools for diagnostic (electrical probes, gas injection) without breaking the TEXTOR vacuum. The specially designed holder on top of the central carrier and a powerful vacuum pump system permit the exchange of components within similar to1 h. Up to ten electrical signals, four thermocouples, and a gas supply can be connected at the holder interface. Between discharges, the inserted component can be positioned radially and turned with respect to the toroidal magnetic field. Additionally, the central carrier is electrically isolated to apply bias voltages and currents up to 1 kV and 1 kA, respectively.An important feature of the lock system is the good access for optical spectroscopic observation of the inserted components in the vicinity of the edge plasma. The whole spectrum from ultraviolet to infrared is covered by spectrometers and filters combined with cameras. Toroidally and poloidally resolved measurements are obtained front the view on top of the probes while the tangential poloidal view delivers radially and toroidally resolved information.A programmable logic controller (Simatic S5) that is operated inside the TEXTOR bunker and from remote locations outside the concrete wall drives all possible features of the lock system

Relative efficacy of different types of exercise for treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis: Protocol for network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background: “Exercise” is universally recommended as a core treatment for knee and hip osteoarthritis (OA). However, there are very few head-to-head comparative trials to determine the relative efficacy between different types of exercise. The aim of this study is to benchmark different types of exercises against each other through the use of a common comparator in a network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: This study will include only RCTs published in peer-reviewed journals. A systematic search will be conducted in several electronic databases and other relevant online resources. No limitations are imposed on language or publication date. Participants must be explicitly identified by authors as having OA. Interventions that involved exercise or comparators in any form will be included. Pain is the primary outcome of interest; secondary outcomes will include function and quality of life measures. Quality assessment of studies will be based on the modified Cochrane’s risk of bias assessment tool. At least two investigators will be involved throughout all stages of screening and data acquisition. Conflicts will be resolved through discussion. Conventional meta-analysis will be performed based on random effects model and network meta-analysis on a Bayesian model. Subgroup analysis will also be conducted based on study, patient and disease characteristics. Discussion: This study will provide for the first time comprehensive research evidence for the relative efficacy of different exercise regimens for treatment of OA. We will use network meta-analysis of existing RCT data to answer this question

The spatial aspects of fairness

As well as their family background, an individual's chances in life are determined by the opportunities available to them in their geographical context. This chapter therefore deals with the spatial aspects of fairness. It focuses, firstly, on socio-economic factors which are not randomly distributed in space (i.e. they have a geographical pattern). Secondly, it focuses, not on first nature geographical differences which cannot be changed (such as the presence of mountains), but on second nature geographical factors (such as access to basic services or hospitals) which can be altered and which are important in overcoming a region's natural disadvantages. It then links the two

TOLKIN – Tree of Life Knowledge and Information Network: Filling a Gap for Collaborative Research in Biological Systematics

The development of biological informatics infrastructure capable of supporting growing data management and analysis environments is an increasing need within the systematics biology community. Although significant progress has been made in recent years on developing new algorithms and tools for analyzing and visualizing large phylogenetic data and trees, implementation of these resources is often carried out by bioinformatics experts, using one-off scripts. Therefore, a gap exists in providing data management support for a large set of non-technical users. The TOLKIN project (Tree of Life Knowledge and Information Network) addresses this need by supporting capabilities to manage, integrate, and provide public access to molecular, morphological, and biocollections data and research outcomes through a collaborative, web application. This data management framework allows aggregation and import of sequences, underlying documentation about their source, including vouchers, tissues, and DNA extraction. It combines features of LIMS and workflow environments by supporting management at the level of individual observations, sequences, and specimens, as well as assembly and versioning of data sets used in phylogenetic inference. As a web application, the system provides multi-user support that obviates current practices of sharing data sets as files or spreadsheets via email

Performance of the CMS Cathode Strip Chambers with Cosmic Rays

The Cathode Strip Chambers (CSCs) constitute the primary muon tracking device in the CMS endcaps. Their performance has been evaluated using data taken during a cosmic ray run in fall 2008. Measured noise levels are low, with the number of noisy channels well below 1%. Coordinate resolution was measured for all types of chambers, and fall in the range 47 microns to 243 microns. The efficiencies for local charged track triggers, for hit and for segments reconstruction were measured, and are above 99%. The timing resolution per layer is approximately 5 ns

A −436C>A Polymorphism in the Human FAS Gene Promoter Associated with Severe Childhood Malaria

Human genetics and immune responses are considered to critically influence the outcome of malaria infections including life-threatening syndromes caused by Plasmodium falciparum. An important role in immune regulation is assigned to the apoptosis-signaling cell surface receptor CD95 (Fas, APO-1), encoded by the gene FAS. Here, a candidate-gene association study including variant discovery at the FAS gene locus was carried out in a case-control group comprising 1,195 pediatric cases of severe falciparum malaria and 769 unaffected controls from a region highly endemic for malaria in Ghana, West Africa. We found the A allele of c.−436C>A (rs9658676) located in the promoter region of FAS to be significantly associated with protection from severe childhood malaria (odds ratio 0.71, 95% confidence interval 0.58–0.88, pempirical = 0.02) and confirmed this finding in a replication group of 1,412 additional severe malaria cases and 2,659 community controls from the same geographic area. The combined analysis resulted in an odds ratio of 0.71 (95% confidence interval 0.62–0.80, p = 1.8×10−7, n = 6035). The association applied to c.−436AA homozygotes (odds ratio 0.47, 95% confidence interval 0.36–0.60) and to a lesser extent to c.−436AC heterozygotes (odds ratio 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.63–0.84), and also to all phenotypic subgroups studied, including severe malaria anemia, cerebral malaria, and other malaria complications. Quantitative FACS analyses assessing CD95 surface expression of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of naïve donors showed a significantly higher proportion of CD69+CD95+ cells among persons homozygous for the protective A allele compared to AC heterozygotes and CC homozygotes, indicating a functional role of the associated CD95 variant, possibly in supporting lymphocyte apoptosis

Über den Zusammenhang von Kommunikation und Lernen im schulischen Kontext. Ein Modell Kommunikationsorientierter Schulsozialarbeit auf der Grundlage der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation von Marshall B. Rosenberg

Zum ersten geht es um die Leitfrage, wie Schulsozialarbeit dazu beitragen kann, dass Schulbildung nicht nur für einen anpassungsbereiten Teil der Schüler/innen Teilhabe befördert, sondern auch diejenigen erreicht, die dazu neigen, sich von ihr abzuwenden. Hierfür wird im ersten Teil der Arbeit zunächst untersucht, wie Lernen aus neurobiologischer, pädagogischer und psychologischer Perspektive verstanden werden kann, welche Faktoren Lernprozesse begünstigen bzw. hemmen und wie die subjektive Tätigkeit des Lernens auf schulisch-gesellschaftlicher Ebene in einen Kanon des Lernens einfließt. In den beiden darauffolgenden Kapiteln werden zunächst wesentliche Aspekte der zwischenmenschlichen Kommunikation mit Bezug auf psychologisch-soziologische Kommunikationstheorien umrissen und anschließend zu dem Sachverhalt übergeleitet, dass jedes Lernen immer auch eine komplexe Kommunikationsleistung ist. Neben der Relevanz, Kommunikation in der Schule zu thematisieren, wird darin ebenso aufgezeigt, an welcher Stelle der Kommunikationsbegriff in der Schul- und Sozialpädagogik an eine Grenze gelangt. Innerhalb der zweiten Kernfrage wird betrachtet, wie eine Kooperation von Schule und Jugendhilfe idealer Weise aussehen könnte, in der die wissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen zu Lernverläufen offensiv einbezogen werden. Dem liegt eine Analyse des deutschen allgemeinbildenden Schulwesens zu Grunde. Hierin wird die Schulpflicht und auch die Selektivität, welche mit der Einführung verschiedener Schulformen einhergeht, in deren historischen Wurzeln betrachtet, worin einzelne Wellen der Bildungsreformen ersichtlich werden. Vertiefend dazu wird aufgezeigt, welche Faktoren Bildungsreformen begünstigten bzw. hervorriefen und welche Kräfte dem horizontalen Schulwesen in Deutschland und damit der Verringerung des selektiven Gehalts von Schule, entgegen wirkten. Denn Inklusionsleistungen, zu denen Schulsozialarbeit unter anderem berufen ist, finden keinen Bedarf, wenn nicht vorher eine Exklusion stattfand. Welche Möglichkeiten Schulsozialarbeit für allgemeinbildende Schulen dahingehend eröffnen kann, sich inhaltlich und methodisch anzureichern, weiterzuentwickeln, zu öffnen und zu vernetzen, sowie ein Blick auf die Herausforderungen für eine gegenseitig integrierende Kooperation, wird im darauffolgenden Teil, im Hinblick auf eine Charakterisierung von Schulsozialarbeit aufgezeigt. Dem folgt ein Einblick in das Konzept der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation, und daran anschließend ein Rahmenkonzept Kommunikationsorientierter Schulsozialarbeit. Dieses verbindet wissenschaftliche Erkenntnisse zu Lernverläufen und das Konzept der Gewaltfreien Kommunikation mit den ermittelten Schwachstellen von Schule, was schließlich einen ideellen Ausblick über sozialpädagogische Handlungsfelder in der Schule gibt. Und letztendlich schließt die Arbeit mit einer schlussfolgernden Zusammenfassung ab.The first central question is about, what schoolsocialwork could contribute to the actual school-situation, that not only adaptionable pupils getting reached, but also those ones, whose are tended to anticipate themselves from school. Therefore in the first part of the work gets analyzed, how learning out of the perspective of neurobiology, education and psychology can be understood, which factors are suppporting respectively blocking learning-processes and how the subjective learning-activity is connected to the school-societal-level. In the both following chapters initially it gets outlined main aspects of the interpersonal communication related to psychologic-sociological communication-theories, bridging to the point where every learning also is a complex communication-activity. Next to the relevance to broach the issue of communication in school, it also gets illustrated on which point the communication-term is coming to a border within the school- and social pedagogy. Inside the second central question gets considered how an ideal cooperation of school and youth welfare can look like, wherein the scientific knowledge to learning-processes offensive getting included. The analysis of the german, general-education-system is the first base therefor. Herein gets regarded the historical roots of the school-obligation and also the selectivity, which results automatically out of different kindes of schools. This showes single waves of education-reformes. Deepening to that it gets demonstrated which factors were supporting respectively effecting education-reformes and which power was working against the horizontal school-system in Germany, and therein working against the reduction of the selective content of school. Because inclusion-activities, to which schoolsocialwork is appointed, does not have a necessity, if not before happened an exclusion. Which possibilities schoolsocialwork can develop for general-education-schools, to get with regard to contents and methodes enriched, advanced, opened up and linked, as well as building up a mutual integrative cooperation, gets brought out in the following part within a characterisation of schoolsocialwork. Thereafter it is about to gain inside the concept of nonviolent communiation which followes a frame-concept of communication-oriented schoolsocialwork. These connects scientific findings of learning processes and the concept of the nonviolent communication with the determined weak points of school, which gives finally an forecast about social pedagogic spheres of activity in schools. And eventual the work is closing with a deductive abstraction

Evolution of an endofungal Lifestyle: Deductions from the Burkholderia rhizoxinica Genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Burkholderia rhizoxinica </it>is an intracellular symbiont of the phytopathogenic zygomycete <it>Rhizopus microsporus</it>, the causative agent of rice seedling blight. The endosymbiont produces the antimitotic macrolide rhizoxin for its host. It is vertically transmitted within vegetative spores and is essential for spore formation of the fungus. To shed light on the evolution and genetic potential of this model organism, we analysed the whole genome of <it>B. rhizoxinica </it>HKI 0454 - a type strain of endofungal <it>Burkholderia </it>species.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The genome consists of a structurally conserved chromosome and two plasmids. Compared to free-living <it>Burkholderia </it>species, the genome is smaller in size and harbors less transcriptional regulator genes. Instead, we observed accumulation of transposons over the genome. Prediction of primary metabolic pathways and transporters suggests that endosymbionts consume host metabolites like citrate, but might deliver some amino acids and cofactors to the host. The rhizoxin biosynthesis gene cluster shows evolutionary traces of horizontal gene transfer. Furthermore, we analysed gene clusters coding for nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPS). Notably, <it>B. rhizoxinica </it>lacks common genes which are dedicated to quorum sensing systems, but is equipped with a large number of virulence-related factors and putative type III effectors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>B. rhizoxinica </it>is the first endofungal bacterium, whose genome has been sequenced. Here, we present models of evolution, metabolism and tools for host-symbiont interaction of the endofungal bacterium deduced from whole genome analyses. Genome size and structure suggest that <it>B. rhizoxinica </it>is in an early phase of adaptation to the intracellular lifestyle (genome in transition). By analysis of tranporters and metabolic pathways we predict how metabolites might be exchanged between the symbiont and its host. Gene clusters for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites represent novel targets for genomic mining of cryptic natural products. <it>In silico </it>analyses of virulence-associated genes, secreted proteins and effectors might inspire future studies on molecular mechanisms underlying bacterial-fungal interaction.</p

Trapping in irradiated p-on-n silicon sensors at fluences anticipated at the HL-LHC outer tracker

The degradation of signal in silicon sensors is studied under conditions expected at the CERN High-Luminosity LHC. 200 $\mu$m thick n-type silicon sensors are irradiated with protons of different energies to fluences of up to $3 \cdot 10^{15}$ neq/cm$^2$. Pulsed red laser light with a wavelength of 672 nm is used to generate electron-hole pairs in the sensors. The induced signals are used to determine the charge collection efficiencies separately for electrons and holes drifting through the sensor. The effective trapping rates are extracted by comparing the results to simulation. The electric field is simulated using Synopsys device simulation assuming two effective defects. The generation and drift of charge carriers are simulated in an independent simulation based on PixelAV. The effective trapping rates are determined from the measured charge collection efficiencies and the simulated and measured time-resolved current pulses are compared. The effective trapping rates determined for both electrons and holes are about 50% smaller than those obtained using standard extrapolations of studies at low fluences and suggests an improved tracker performance over initial expectations

Modelling of the effect of ELMs on fuel retention at the bulk W divertor of JET

Effect of ELMs on fuel retention at the bulk W target of JET ITER-Like Wall was studied with multi-scale calculations. Plasma input parameters were taken from ELMy H-mode plasma experiment. The energetic intra-ELM fuel particles get implanted and create near-surface defects up to depths of few tens of nm, which act as the main fuel trapping sites during ELMs. Clustering of implantation-induced vacancies were found to take place. The incoming flux of inter-ELM plasma particles increases the different filling levels of trapped fuel in defects. The temperature increase of the W target during the pulse increases the fuel detrapping rate. The inter-ELM fuel particle flux refills the partially emptied trapping sites and fills new sites. This leads to a competing effect on the retention and release rates of the implanted particles. At high temperatures the main retention appeared in larger vacancy clusters due to increased clustering rate