Soft X--Ray Properties of Seyfert Galaxies in the Rosat All--Sky Survey

We present the results of ROSAT All-Sky Survey observations of Seyfert and IR-luminous galaxies from the Extended 12 Micron Galaxy Sample and the optically-selected CfA Sample. Roughly half of the Seyferts (mostly Seyfert 1s) have been fitted to an absorbed power-law model, yielding an average gamma of 2.26+-0.11 for 43 Seyfert 1s and 2.45+-0.18 for 10 Seyfert 2s, with both types having a median value of 2.3. The soft X-ray (SXR) luminosity correlates with the 12um luminosity, with Seyfert 1s having relatively more SXR emission than Seyfert 2s of similar mid-infrared luminosities, by a factor of 1.6+-0.3. Several physical interpretations of these results are discussed, including the standard unified model for Seyfert galaxies. Infrared-luminous non-Seyferts are shown to have similar distributions of SXR luminosity and X-ray-to-IR slope as Seyfert 2s, suggesting that some of them may harbor obscured active nuclei (as has already been shown to be true for several objects) and/or that the soft X-rays from some Seyferts 2s may be non-nuclear. A SXR luminosity function (XLF) is calculated for the 12um sample, which is well described by a single power-law with a slope of -1.75. The normalization of this XLF agrees well with that of a HXR selected sample. Several of our results, related to the XLF and the X-ray-to-IR relation are shown to be consistent with the HXR observations of the 12um sample by Barcons et al.Comment: AASTeX, 40 pages. Text and Table 2 only. PostScript versions of this file, figures, and Table 1, and a latex version of Table 1 are available by ftp://ftp.astro.ucla.edu/pub/rush/papers, get rmfv*. Accepted by ApJ ~1996 May 10. Should be published in late 199

Finanzwissenschaftliches Kurzgutachten

Anlässlich des Verfassungsgerichtsverfahrens gegen den Nachtragshaushalt 2010 der rot-grünen NRW-Landesregierung wird geprüft, ob zum Zeitpunkt der Verabschiedung im Dezember 2010 - aber auch perspektivisch in den folgenden beiden Jahren - eine Störung des gesamtwirtschaftlichen Gleichgewichtes im Sinne der Landesverfassung vorlag und ob der Nachtragshaushalt zur Verminderung dieser Störung geeignet war. Hinsichtlich beider Fragen ergibt sich eine positive Antwort: Trotz unerwartet kräftiger konjunktureller Erholung lag noch eine gravierende Störung des gesamtwirtschaftlichen Gleichgewichtes in Deutschland und Nordrhein-Westfalen vor. Die durch die schwerste Krise in der Nachkriegsgeschichte ausgelöste hartnäckige Störung sollte nach den Prognosen der meisten wirtschaftspolitisch relevanten nationalen und internationalen Institutionen noch geraume Zeit anhalten und nur allmählich abgebaut werden können. Zudem unterlag der weitere Erholungsprozess gravierenden Risiken. Eine expansive, d.h. über zusätzliche Nettokreditaufnahme finanzierte Finanzpolitik - insbesondere auf der Ausgabenseite - ist grundsätzlich zur Abwehr einer solchen Störung geeignet, weil durch sie eine deutliche Belebung der Wirtschaftsaktivität erwartet werden kann. Dies galt auch für die deutsche und nordrheinwestfälische Finanzpolitik in der damaligen Lage. Auch konkret von den Maßnahmen des Nachtragshaushaltes konnte man spürbar positive gesamtwirtschaftliche Effekte erwarten.In the context of the trial against the supplementary budget 2010 of the red-green state government of North-Rhine-Westphalia before at the constitutional court the study investigates whether the German economy was in macroeconomic disequilibrium at the time and whether the supplementary budget could be expected to improve the situation. Fulfilment of these conditions is required by the state's constitution as a prerequisite to increase the public deficit above the level of public investment spending. Both conditions are shown to have indeed been fulfilled despite the strong upswing of the German economy after the global financial and economic crisis

Patient safety in undergraduate radiography curricula : a European perspective

Purpose: To establish an understanding of patient safety within radiography education across Europe by surveying higher education institutions registered as affiliate members of the European Federation of Radiographer Societies (EFRS). Method: An online survey was developed to ascertain data on: programme type, patient safety definitions, relevant safety topics, specific areas taught, teaching and assessment methods, levels of teaching and curriculum drivers. Responses were identifiable in terms of educational institution and country. All 54 affiliated educational institutions were invited to participate. Descriptive and thematic analyses are reported. Results: A response rate of 61.1% (n = 33) was achieved from educational institutions representing 19 countries. Patient safety topics appear to be extremely well covered across curricula, however, topics including radiation protection and optimisation were not reported as being taught at an ‘advanced level’ by five and twelve respondents, respectively. Respondents identified the clinical department as the location of most patient safety-related teaching. Conclusions: Patient safety topics are deeply embedded within radiography curricula across Europe. Variations exist in terms of individual safety topics included, teaching and assessment methods, and the depth in which subjects are taught. Results from this study provide a baseline for assessing developments in curricula and can also serve as a benchmark for comparisons

Mechanisierte Hormon-Analytik mittels simultaner Säulenchromatographie

Peer Reviewe

Voraussetzungen einer erfolgreichen Konsolidierung Griechenlands

Derzeit ist Griechenland von öffentlichen Rettungspaketen der EU und des IWF abhängig, welche an harte Konsolidierungsauflagen gebunden sind, die von der Troika aus EU-Kommission, EZB und IWF überwacht werden. Bis jetzt sind Griechenland Kredite im Volumen von 65 Mrd. Euro zur Verfügung gestellt worden. Damit die weiteren Kredittranchen ausgezahlt werden, muss die griechische Regierung ihren Haushalt bis zum Jahr 2014 um insgesamt 52,1 Mrd. Euro konsolidieren. Das entspricht etwa einem Viertel der Wirtschaftsleistung von 2009. Im Jahr 2010 hat die Regierung bereits Konsolidierungsmaßnahmen von 18 Mrd. Euro bzw. 7,7 % des BIP durchgeführt. Trotz dieser harten Konsolidierung reißt Griechenland ein Defizitziel nach dem anderen. Das liegt allerdings nicht am geringen Sparwillen der Regierung, sondern daran, dass die Troika bei der Erarbeitung der Defizitziele die negativen Wirkungen der Sparprogramme auf das Wachstum deutlich unterschätzt hat: Die griechische Wirtschaft ist im dritten Jahr einer schweren Rezession und ein Ende ist nicht abzusehen. Ist Griechenland damit insolvent?Nein, denn wie die Simulationen dieses Reports zeigen, wäre es unter plausiblen Zins- und Wachstumsannahmen möglich, den griechischen Haushalt wachstumsschonend zu konsolidieren. Würde die Troika einen weniger harten Defizitabbau verlangen und die Konsolidierungsmaßnahmen strecken, könnte die griechische Schuldenstandsquote schon ab 2017 sinken und im Jahr 2030 selbst unter vorsichtigen Wachstumsannahmen 120 % unterschreiten. Würde das Wachstum der griechischen Wirtschaft zusätzlich durch Investitionsprogramme und eine expansivere Wirtschaftspolitik der anderen Euroraumländer gestützt, könnte die Schuldenstandsquote 2030 sogar auf unter 80 % sinken

Urodele p53 tolerates amino acid changes found in p53 variants linked to human cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Urodele amphibians like the axolotl are unique among vertebrates in their ability to regenerate and their resistance to develop cancers. It is unknown whether these traits are linked at the molecular level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Blocking p53 signaling in axolotls using the p53 inhibitor, pifithrin-α, inhibited limb regeneration and the expression of p53 target genes such as Mdm2 and Gadd45, suggesting a link between tumor suppression and regeneration. To understand this relationship we cloned the p53 gene from axolotl. When comparing its sequence with p53 from other organisms, and more specifically human we observed multiple amino acids changes found in human tumors. Phylogenetic analysis of p53 protein sequences from various species is in general agreement with standard vertebrate phylogeny; however, both mice-like rodents and teleost fishes are fast evolving. This leads to long branch attraction resulting in an artefactual basal emergence of these groups in the phylogenetic tree. It is tempting to assume a correlation between certain life style traits (e.g. lifespan) and the evolutionary rate of the corresponding p53 sequences. Functional assays of the axolotl p53 in human or axolotl cells using p53 promoter reporters demonstrated a temperature sensitivity (ts), which was further confirmed by performing colony assays at 37°C. In addition, axolotl p53 was capable of efficient transactivation at the Hmd2 promoter but has moderate activity at the p21 promoter. Endogenous axolotl p53 was activated following UV irradiation (100 j/m²) or treatment with an alkylating agent as measured using serine 15 phosphorylation and the expression of the endogenous p53 target Gadd45.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Urodele p53 may play a role in regeneration and has evolved to contain multiple amino acid changes predicted to render the human protein defective in tumor suppression. Some of these mutations were probably selected to maintain p53 activity at low temperature. However, other significant changes in the axolotl proteins may play more subtle roles on p53 functions, including DNA binding and promoter specificity and could represent useful adaptations to ensure p53 activity and tumor suppression in animals able to regenerate or subject to large variations in oxygen levels or temperature.</p

PopFor : A new model for estimating poplar yields

Yield and soil data for this project has been supplied by Rainer Schlepphorst, Holger Hartmann and Dieter Murach from HNEE, Germany, from the BIODEM project. Soil water and groundwater data were supplied by Markus Schmidt, HNEE, Germany. We would like to thank Shell and the University of Aberdeen CLSM for funding this work with a studentship. The MiscanFor modelling was supported by UK NERC ADVENT (NE/1806209) and FAB-GGR (NE/P019951/1) project funding.Peer reviewedPostprin

Clinical radiography education across Europe

Purpose: To establish a picture of clinical education models within radiography programmes across Europe by surveying higher education institutions registered as affiliate members of the European Federation of Radiography Societies (EFRS). Method: An online survey was developed to ascertain data on: practical training, supervisory arrangements, placement logistics, quality assurance processes, and the assessment of clinical competencies. Responses were identifiable in terms of educational institution and country. All educational institutions who were affiliate members at the time of the study were invited to participate (n=46). Descriptive and thematic analyses are reported. Results: A response rate of 82.6% (n=38) was achieved from educational institutions representing 21 countries. Over half of responding institutions (n=21) allocated in excess of 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits to practical training. In nearly three-quarters of clinical placements there was a dedicated clinical practice supervisor in place; two-thirds of these were employed directly by the hospital. Clinical practice supervisors were typically state registered radiographers, who had a number of years of clinical experience and had received specific training for the role. Typical responsibilities included monitoring student progress, providing feedback and completing paperwork, this did however vary between respondents. In almost all institutions there were support systems in place for clinical placement supervisors within their roles. Conclusions: Similarities exist in the provision of clinical radiography education across Europe. Clinical placements are a core component of radiography education and are supported by experienced clinical practice supervisors. Mechanisms are in place for the selection, training and support of clinical practice supervisors. Professional societies should work collaboratively to establish guidelines for effective clinical placements

Matching Regge Theory to the OPE

The spectra of masses and decay constants for non-strange meson resonances in the energy range 0--2.5 GeV is analyzed. It is known from meson phenomenology that for given quantum numbers these spectra approximately follow linear trajectories with a universal slope. These facts can be understood in terms of an effective string description for QCD. For light meson states the trajectories deviate noticeably from the linear behavior. We investigate the possible corrections to the linear trajectories by matching two-point correlators of quark currents to the Operator Product Expansion (OPE). We find that the allowed modifications to the linear Regge behavior must decrease rapidly with the principal quantum number. After fitting the lightest states in each channel and certain low-energy constants the whole spectrum for meson masses and residues is obtained in a satisfactory agreement with phenomenology. We briefly speculate on possible implications for the QCD effective string.Comment: 24 pages, Latex, significant changes in discussion of fits, more refs adde