3,468 research outputs found
Biochemische Serumparameter bei in Gefangenschaft gehaltenen Gazellen
Objective: This study aimed at comparing serum parameters of clinically healthy gazelles of Al Wabra Wildlife Preservation (AWWP), Qatar, with reference ranges of domestic and other wild ruminants, in order to gain, on the one hand, insight into the nutritional status of the animals, and, on the other hand, to establish reference ranges for the investigated species. Material and methods: Serum biochemistry parameters and mineral levels were measured in 250 clinically healthy individuals of the species Soemmering's gazelle (Gazella soemmerringii), Speke's gazelle (Gazella spekei), Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas), Saudi gazelle (Gazella saudiya), Mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella), Arabian goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica) and Chinkara Pakistani gazelle (Gazella benetti). Results: With respect to the nutritional status, the supplementation with trace elements (selenium, copper, zinc, iron) was adequate at AWWP according to measured serum levels. In contrast, serum levels of phosphorus, total protein and albumin indicated a suboptimal feeding situation, most likely due to the low quality of the roughage available in the region. The levels of sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, choride, triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine, ALT- as well as GGT avtivity were -as in other wild ruminants-within the reference range of domestic ruminants, which therefore should be applicable to ruminants in general. The contents of glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatine kinase and ALP, in contrast, seem to be generally elevated in wild ruminants. While other wild ruminants display an AST activity comparable to those of domestic ruminants, gazelles of both this and other studies had elevated values of this enzyme. Conclusion and clinical relevance: These peculiarities need to be accounted for when interpreting blood values
Recent Developments in the Nuclear Many-Body Problem
The study of quantum chromodynamics (QCD) over the past quarter century has
had relatively little impact on the traditional approach to the low-energy
nuclear many-body problem. Recent developments are changing this situation. New
experimental capabilities and theoretical approaches are opening windows into
the richness of many-body phenomena in QCD. A common theme is the use of
effective field theory (EFT) methods, which exploit the separation of scales in
physical systems. At low energies, effective field theory can explain how
existing phenomenology emerges from QCD and how to refine it systematically.
More generally, the application of EFT methods to many-body problems promises
insight into the analytic structure of observables, the identification of new
expansion parameters, and a consistent organization of many-body corrections,
with reliable error estimates.Comment: 15 pages, 10 figures, plenary talk at the 11th Conference on Recent
Progress in Many-Body Theories (MB 11), Manchester, England, 9-13 Jul 200
Deformation of grain boundaries in polar ice
The ice microstructure (grain boundaries) is a key feature used to study ice
evolution and to investigate past climatic changes. We studied a deep ice core,
in Dome Concordia, Antarctica, which records past mechanical deformations. We
measured a "texture tensor" which characterizes the pattern geometry and
reveals local heterogeneities of deformation along the core. These results
question key assumptions of the current models used for dating
The Radio-to-Submm Spectral Index as a Redshift Indicator
We present models of the 1.4 GHz to 350 GHz spectral index, alpha(350/1.4),
for starburst galaxies as a function of redshift. The models include a
semi-analytic formulation, based on the well quantified radio-to-far infrared
correlation for low redshift star forming galaxies, and an empirical
formulation, based on the observed spectrum of the starburst galaxies M82 and
Arp 220. We compare the models to the observed values of alpha(350/1.4) for
starburst galaxies at low and high redshift. We find reasonable agreement
between the models and the observations, and in particular, that an observed
spectral index of alpha(350/1.4) > +0.5 indicates that the target source is
likely to be at high redshift, z > 1. The evolution of alpha(350/1.4) with
redshift is mainly due to the very steep rise in the Raleigh-Jeans portion of
the thermal dust spectrum shifting into the 350 GHz band with increasing
redshift. We also discuss situations where this relationship could be violated.
We then apply our models to examine the putative identifications of submm
sources in the Hubble Deep Field, and conclude that the submm sources reported
by Hughes et al. are likely to be at high redshifts, z > 1.5.Comment: standard LATEX file plus 1 postscript figure. Added references and
revised figure. second figure revision. Final Proof version. to appear in
Astrophysical Journal Letter
The size of the proton - closing in on the radius puzzle
We analyze the recent electron-proton scattering data from Mainz using a
dispersive framework that respects the constraints from analyticity and
unitarity on the nucleon structure. We also perform a continued fraction
analysis of these data. We find a small electric proton charge radius, r_E^p =
0.84_{-0.01}^{+0.01} fm, consistent with the recent determination from muonic
hydrogen measurements and earlier dispersive analyses. We also extract the
proton magnetic radius, r_M^p = 0.86_{-0.03}^{+0.02} fm, consistent with
earlier determinations based on dispersion relations.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures, fit improved, small modifications, section on
continued fractions modified, conclusions on the proton charge radius
unchanged, version accepted for publication in European Physical Journal
Long-term changes in the acid and salt concentrations of the Greenland Ice Core Project ice core from electrical stratigraphy
Continuous electrical records covering a climatic cycle are presented for the Greenland Ice Core Project deep ice core from Greenland. Electrical conductivity measurement (ECM) measures the acid content of the ice, and the dielectric profile (DEP) responds to acid, ammonium, and chloride. All features seen can be explained by chemical changes in the ice, and there is no evidence so far for any major change in electrical response with depth or age of the ice. Both records are dominated by the acidity of the ice which varies strongly from acidic in warm periods to alkaline in cold periods, controlled by neutralization by alkaline dust (calcareous and other mineral dust). When Ca is low, the acidity (mainly nitric acid) has a fairly constant background level throughout the cycle, with slightly lower values in ice believed to be from the last interglacial. Ca has to rise only slightly to neutralize the available acidity, so that acidity is a highly nonlinear reflection of climate changes. If neutralization occurred in the aerosol (rather than in the ice), then the number of cloud condensation nuclei over parts of the northern hemisphere could have been reduced, leading to reduced cloud albedo. This nonlinear feedback may have some importance for modeling of climate change. When both acid and ammonium levels are low, the DEP signal can be used to give a rapid indication of chloride trends
Entwicklung eines zeitlichen und räumlichen Entscheidungshilfesystems gegen den Erbsenwickler (Cydia nigricana, Fabricius)
Pea moths (Cydia nigricana) can cause severe damages in pea crops (Pisum sativum). Larvae feed on the seeds in the pods and contaminate them with feces. In the cultivation of organic green peas 0.5 % damaged seeds lead to the denial of
whole pea fields (Schulz & Saucke 2005). There can be a yield loss in forage peas and a loss of quality of seeds for propagation. Within the framework of the project to improve the spatial and temporal cultivation strategy of peas to get less damage due to pea moths, is the intention. For
a better spatial and temporal cultivation strategy, the DSS creates a map with areas with an infestation risk factor. The higher the risk factor, the earlier the new fields
should be cultivated. Therefore, the first part of the DSS works with georeferenced data, like distances between fields of the previous year and the currently planned fields and their infestation risk. The coincidence of the flowering of peas and the flight of pea moths is very important for the infestation. Hence, the second part of the DSS predicts the phenology of the pea and the development of the pea moth for a better precision of the pest control
Erbsenwickler (Cydia nigricana) in Gemüse- und Körnererbsen: Grundlagen zur Befallsprognose und Schadensprävention
Spatio-temporal distribution, combined with aspects of insect biology and ecology can influence the infestation risk of the key pea pest Cydia nigricana in vegetable- and
field peas. The proximity of pea fields of the previous cultivation period highly affects the infestation potential of the moth. The presented study aims to monitor the
infestation development in three different regions in Germany (North Hesse, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt) in four consecutive years and to relate empirical pest incidences to
key factors as crop abundance, the distance to previous pea fields, the pea plant phenology and climatic conditions. In a next step, these data will form the basis for the
elaboration of a computer-aided decision support system, which assists farmers in implementing preventive strategies based on risk avoidance
Antiproton-nucleus electromagnetic annihilation as a way to access the proton timelike form factors
Contrary to the reaction pbar + p --> e+ e- with a high momentum incident
antiproton on a free target proton at rest, in which the invariant mass M of
the (e+ e-) pair is necessarily much larger than the (pbar p) mass, in the
reaction pbar + d --> n e+ e- the value of M can take values near or below the
(pbar p) mass. In the antiproton-deuteron electromagnetic annihilation, this
allows to access the proton electromagnetic form factors in the time-like
region of q^2 near the (pbar p) threshold. We estimate the cross section
dsigma(pbar +d --> e+ e- n)/dM for an antiproton beam momentum of 1.5 GeV/c. We
find that near the (pbar p) threshold this cross section is about 1 pb/MeV. The
case of heavy nuclei target is also discussed. Elements of experimental
feasibility are presented for the process pbar + d --> n e+ e- in the context
of the Panda project.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures. submitted to EPJ
Recommended from our members
Size-dependent particle activation properties in fog during the ParisFog 2012/13 field campaign
Fog-induced visibility reduction is responsible for a variety of hazards in the transport sector. Therefore there is a large demand for an improved understanding of fog formation and thus improved forecasts. Improved fog forecasts require a better understanding of the numerous complex mechanisms during the fog life cycle. During winter 2012/13 a field campaign called ParisFog aiming at fog research took place at SIRTA (Instrumented Site for Atmospheric Remote Sensing Research). SIRTA is located about 20 km southwest of the Paris city center, France, in a semi-urban environment. In situ activation properties of the prevailing fog were investigated by measuring (1) total and interstitial (non-activated) dry particle number size distributions behind two different inlet systems; (2) interstitial hydrated aerosol and fog droplet size distributions at ambient conditions; and (3) cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) number concentration at different supersaturations (SS) with a CCN counter. The aerosol particles were characterized regarding their hygroscopic properties, fog droplet activation behavior and contribution to light scattering for 17 developed fog events. Low particle hygroscopicity with an overall median of the hygroscopicity parameter, κ, of 0.14 was found, likely caused by substantial influence from local traffic and wood burning emissions. Measurements of the aerosol size distribution at ambient RH revealed that the critical wet diameter, above which the hydrated aerosols activate to fog droplets, is rather large (with a median value of 2.6μm) and is highly variable (ranging from 1 to 5μm) between the different fog events. Thus, the number of activated fog droplets was very small and the non-activated hydrated particles were found to contribute significantly to the observed light scattering and thus to the reduction in visibility. Combining all experimental data, the effective peak supersaturation, SSpeak, a measure of the peak supersaturation during the fog formation, was determined. The median SSpeak value was estimated to be in the range from 0.031 to 0.046% (upper and lower limit estimations), which is in good agreement with previous experimental and modeling studies of fog
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