Phenotypic analysis of different <em>Silphium perfoliatum</em> L. accessions and evaluation as a renewable resource for material use

Cup plant (Silphium perfoliatum L.) is a promising alternative to silage maize as an energy crop for biogas production and a potential raw material for the industry. This non-food perennial from the US possesses a highly ecological value due to its long blooming period, ability to grow in low-input agriculture and positive influence on soil structure. This thesis analyzes five cup plant populations for their phenotype as a starting point for further breeding programs (I). Additionally, the biomass was analyzed for the use as a renewable raw material for the paper and building industry (II, III). Comprehensive assessment of five cup plant populations for their biomass and phenotype parameters revealed phenotypic variations. Genetic structure and phylogeny analyses showed that all the plants belong to the same gene pool and share a common ancestry. Four out of five populations demonstrate a low genetic differentiation, whereas the fifth population represents a clear example of population stratification. To start a successful domestication and breeding of this new high-yielding perennial crop, a broader base of genetic diversity needs to be ensured and complemented by innovative breeding strategies, driven by molecular genetics and genomic approaches. While the demand for paper and packaging material is increasing, industry and consumers are searching for more sustainable raw materials aside from wood. This thesis evaluates three non-wood perennials to find alternative raw materials for the paper and pulp industry. Biomass of cup plant, Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby and meadow hay were analyzed for their fibre morphology and use as paper feedstock. Hand-sheets with different pulp blends of birch and one of the three raw materials were made, and paper properties were measured. For the biomass of cup plant, Virginia mallow and meadow hay, fibre lengths of 0.9, 1.3, and 0.5 mm were measured. Therefore, all perennial plant materials have fibre lengths comparable to hardwoods. Meadow hay blends containing 50% and 75% birch pulp, generated higher paper strength when compared to the pure birch paper. The paper strength of cup plant and Virginia mallow blends is comparable to the strength of the birch control. Biomass for non-food applications is considered as a substitute for petroleum-based materials such as expanded polystyrene (EPS). This thesis analyzes physical properties of an EPS containing commercial bonded leveling compound (BLC), which was substituted with cup plant biomass. The measured pore size of the parenchyma cells is comparable to the size of the EPS pores. The compression strength of 0.92 N mm-2 and a thermal conductivity of 84 mW m-1 K-1 were analyzed and deemed comparable to the commercial BLC.Phänotypische Analyse verschiedener Silphium perfoliatum L. Herkünfte und ihre Untersuchung als nachwachsender Rohstoff für die stoffliche Nutzung Die Durchwachsene Silphie (Silphium perfoliatum L.) ist eine vielversprechende Alternative zum Silomais als Energiepflanze für die Biogaserzeugung und ein möglicher nachwachsender Rohstoff für die Industrie. Aufgrund ihrer langen Blütezeit, ihres geringen Nährstoffbedarfs und ihres positiven Einflusses auf die Bodenstruktur besitzt die mehrjährige Staude aus den USA einen hohen ökologischen Wert. Als Ausgangspunkt für eine züchterische Bearbeitung der Pflanze werden in dieser Dissertation fünf Herkünfte auf ihren Phänotyp hin untersucht (I). Zusätzlich wird die Kultur als nachwachsender Rohstoff für die Papier- und Bauindustrie analysiert (II, III). Eine umfassende Bewertung fünf solcher S. perfoliatum Herkünfte hinsichtlich ihres Biomasseertrages und pflanzenbiologischer Unterschiede ergab phänotypische Variationen. Genetische Struktur- und Phylogenie-Analysen zeigten, dass alle Pflanzen zum selben Genpool gehören und eine gemeinsame Abstammung haben. Vier der fünf Populationen weisen eine geringe genetische Differenzierung auf, während die fünfte ein deutliches Beispiel für eine Populationsstratifizierung darstellt. Um eine erfolgreiche Domestizierung und Züchtung dieser neuen mehrjährigen Pflanze zu erreichen, muss eine breitere Basis genetischer Vielfalt sichergestellt und durch innovative Züchtungsstrategien auf Grundlage der Molekulargenetik und moderner genomischer Ansätze ergänzt werden. Während die Nachfrage nach Papier und Verpackungsmaterial steigt, ist die Industrie auf der Suche nach nachhaltigeren Rohstoffquellen im Vergleich zu Holz. Drei mehrjährige, nachwachsende Rohstoffe wurden untersucht, um ihre Nutzung als alternative Rohstoffe für die Papier- und Zellstoffindustrie zu prüfen. Biomasse von Silphium perfoliatum L., Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby und Wiesenheu wurde auf ihre Fasermorphologie und ihre Verwendung als Papierrohstoff untersucht. Es wurden Laborblätter mit verschiedenen Anteilen aus Birkenzellstoff und einem der drei Rohstoffe hergestellt und die Papiereigenschaften ermittelt. Für S. perfoliatum, S. hermaphrodita und Wiesenheu wurden Faserlängen von 0,9, 1,3 und 0,5 mm gemessen. Somit haben sie vergleichbare Faserlängen wie Harthölzer. Laborblätter aus Wiesenheu und einem Birkenzellstoffanteil von 50% und 75% ergaben eine höhere Papierfestigkeit als die reinen Laborblätter aus Birkenzellstoff. Die Papierfestigkeit der Mischungen aus S. perfoliatum und S. hermaphrodita ist vergleichbar mit der Festigkeit der Laborblätter aus 100% Birkenzellstoff. Nachwachsende Rohstoffe könnten in Zukunft immer häufiger als Erdölersatz herangezogen werden, etwa als Ersatz für expandiertes Polystyrol (EPS). In dieser Arbeit werden die physikalischen Eigenschaften einer gebundenen Schüttdämmung analysiert, deren EPS-Leichtzuschlag anteilig durch einen Partikelmix aus Cortex und Parenchym der Durchwachsenen Silphie ersetzt wurde. Die gemessenen Porengrößen des Parenchyms sind vergleichbar mit der Größe der EPS-Poren. Die natürlichen Unterschiede im Parenchymgehalt verschiedener europäischer Silphie-Herkünfte sind vielversprechend für die Entwicklung von Sorten mit geeigneten Eigenschaften für die Bauindustrie. Die Druckfestigkeit von 0,92 N mm-2 und eine Wärmeleitfähigkeit von 84 mW m-1 K-1 wurden gemessen und sind mit einer kommerziellen Schüttdämmung vergleichbar

An investigation of finger versus stylus input in medical scenarios

Abstract. An in-sit

Deactivation of the Default Mode Network as a Marker of Impaired Consciousness: An fMRI Study

Diagnosis of patients with a disorder of consciousness is very challenging. Previous studies investigating resting state networks demonstrate that 2 main features of the so-called default mode network (DMN), metabolism and functional connectivity, are impaired in patients with a disorder of consciousness. However, task-induced deactivation – a third main feature of the DMN – has not been explored in a group of patients. Deactivation of the DMN is supposed to reflect interruptions of introspective processes. Seventeen patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS, former vegetative state), 8 patients in minimally conscious state (MCS), and 25 healthy controls were investigated with functional magnetic resonance imaging during a passive sentence listening task. Results show that deactivation in medial regions is reduced in MCS and absent in UWS patients compared to healthy controls. Moreover, behavioral scores assessing the level of consciousness correlate with deactivation in patients. On single-subject level, all control subjects but only 2 patients in MCS and 6 with UWS exposed deactivation. Interestingly, all patients who deactivated during speech processing (except for one) showed activation in left frontal regions which are associated with conscious processing. Our results indicate that deactivation of the DMN can be associated with the level of consciousness by selecting those who are able to interrupt ongoing introspective processes. In consequence, deactivation of the DMN may function as a marker of consciousness

SERS and plasmonic heating efficiency from anisotropic core/satellite superstructures

The optical properties of nanoparticle assemblies can be tailored via hybridization of plasmon modes. Isotropic core/satellite superstructures made of spherical nanoparticles are known to exhibit coupled modes with a strongly scattering (radiative) character, and provide hot spots yielding high activity in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). However, to complement this functionality with plasmonic heating, additional absorbing (non-radiative) modes are required. We introduce herein anisotropic superstructures formed by decorating a central nanorod with spherical satellite nanoparticles, which feature two coupled modes that allow application for both SERS and heating. On the basis of diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), and electromagnetic simulations, the origin of the coupled modes is disclosed and thus serves as a basis toward alternative designs of functional superstructures. This work represents a proof-of-principle for the combination of high SERS efficiency with efficient plasmonic heating by near-infrared irradiation

PLOS One / Comparison of EEG-Features and classification methods for motor imagery in patients with disorders of consciousness

Current research aims at identifying voluntary brain activation in patients who are behaviorally diagnosed as being unconscious, but are able to perform commands by modulating their brain activity patterns. This involves machine learning techniques and feature extraction methods such as applied in brain computer interfaces. In this study, we try to answer the question if features/classification methods which show advantages in healthy participants are also accurate when applied to data of patients with disorders of consciousness. A sample of healthy participants (N = 22), patients in a minimally conscious state (MCS; N = 5), and with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS; N = 9) was examined with a motor imagery task which involved imagery of moving both hands and an instruction to hold both hands firm. We extracted a set of 20 features from the electroencephalogram and used linear discriminant analysis, k-nearest neighbor classification, and support vector machines (SVM) as classification methods. In healthy participants, the best classification accuracies were seen with coherences (mean = .79; range = .53.94) and power spectra (mean = .69; range = .40.85). The coherence patterns in healthy participants did not match the expectation of central modulated -rhythm. Instead, coherence involved mainly frontal regions. In healthy participants, the best classification tool was SVM. Five patients had at least one feature-classifier outcome with p0.05 (none of which were coherence or power spectra), though none remained significant after false-discovery rate correction for multiple comparisons. The present work suggests the use of coherences in patients with disorders of consciousness because they show high reliability among healthy subjects and patient groups. However, feature extraction and classification is a challenging task in unresponsive patients because there is no ground truth to validate the results

Chaos in Axially Symmetric Potentials with Octupole Deformation

Classical and quantum mechanical results are reported for the single particle motion in a harmonic oscillator potential which is characterized by a quadrupole deformation and an additional octupole deformation. The chaotic character of the motion is srongly dependent on the quadrupole deformation in that for a prolate deformation virtually no chaos is discernible while for the oblate case the motion shows strong chaos when the octupole term is turned on.Comment: 6 pages LaTex plus 4 figures available by contacting the authors directly, published in PHYS.REV.LETT. 72(1994) 235

Effect of Process Parameters and High-Temperature Preheating on Residual Stress and Relative Density of Ti6Al4V Processed by Selective Laser Melting

The aim of this study is to observe the effect of process parameters on residual stresses and relative density of Ti6Al4V samples produced by Selective Laser Melting. The investigated parameters were hatch laser power, hatch laser velocity, border laser velocity, high-temperature preheating and time delay. Residual stresses were evaluated by the bridge curvature method and relative density by the optical method. The effect of the observed process parameters was estimated by the design of experiment and surface response methods. It was found that for an effective residual stress reduction, the high preheating temperature was the most significant parameter. High preheating temperature also increased the relative density but caused changes in the chemical composition of Ti6Al4V unmelted powder. Chemical analysis proved that after one build job with high preheating temperature, oxygen and hydrogen content exceeded the ASTM B348 limits for Grade 5 titanium

Genetic determinants of complement activation in the general population

Complement is a fundamental innate immune response component. Its alterations are associated with severe systemic diseases. To illuminate the complement's genetic underpinnings, we conduct genome-wide association studies of the functional activity of the classical (CP), lectin (LP), and alternative (AP) complement pathways in the Cooperative Health Research in South Tyrol study (n&nbsp;= 4,990). We identify seven loci, encompassing 13 independent, pathway-specific variants located in or near complement genes (CFHR4, C7, C2, MBL2) and non-complement genes (PDE3A, TNXB, ABO), explaining up to 74% of complement pathways' genetic heritability and implicating long-range haplotypes associated with LP at MBL2. Two-sample Mendelian randomization analyses, supported by transcriptome- and proteome-wide colocalization, confirm known causal pathways, establish within-complement feedback loops, and implicate causality of ABO on LP and of CFHR2 and C7 on AP. LP causally influences collectin-11 and KAAG1 levels and the risk of mouth ulcers. These results build a comprehensive resource to investigate the role of complement in human health

Distance learning in higher education during COVID-19 : The role of basic psychological needs and intrinsic motivation for persistence and procrastination–a multi-country study

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, higher educational institutions worldwide switched to emergency distance learning in early 2020. The less structured environment of distance learning forced students to regulate their learning and motivation more independently. According to self-determination theory (SDT), satisfaction of the three basic psychological needs for autonomy, competence and social relatedness affects intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to more active or passive learning behavior. As the social context plays a major role for basic need satisfaction, distance learning may impair basic need satisfaction and thus intrinsic motivation and learning behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between basic need satisfaction and procrastination and persistence in the context of emergency distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic in a cross-sectional study. We also investigated the mediating role of intrinsic motivation in this relationship. Furthermore, to test the universal importance of SDT for intrinsic motivation and learning behavior under these circumstances in different countries, we collected data in Europe, Asia and North America. A total of N = 15,462 participants from Albania, Austria, China, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Kosovo, Lithuania, Poland, Malta, North Macedonia, Romania, Sweden, and the US answered questions regarding perceived competence, autonomy, social relatedness, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, persistence, and sociodemographic background. Our results support SDT’s claim of universality regarding the relation between basic psychological need fulfilment, intrinsic motivation, procrastination, and persistence. However, whereas perceived competence had the highest direct effect on procrastination and persistence, social relatedness was mainly influential via intrinsic motivation.Peer reviewe