Threefolds with quasi-projective universal cover

We study compact K\"ahler threefolds X with infinite fundamental group whose universal cover can be compactified. Combining techniques from $L^2$ -theory, Campana's geometric orbifolds and the minimal model program we show that this condition imposes strong restrictions on the geometry of X. In particular we prove that if a projective threefold with infinite fundamental group has a quasi-projective universal cover, the latter is then isomorphic to the product of an affine space with a simply connected manifold.Comment: 26 pages, no figure. Comments are welcom

Compact K\"ahler manifolds with compactifiable universal cover

Let X be a compact K\"ahler manifold such that the universal cover admits a compactification. We conjecture that the fundamental group is almost abelian and reduce it to a classical conjecture of Iitaka.Comment: With an appendix by Fr\'ed\'eric Campana (entitled "Abelianity, Iitaka and S conjectures"). 17 pages, no figur

Algebraic varieties with quasi-projective universal cover

We prove that the universal cover of a normal, projective variety X is quasi-projective if and only if a finite, \'etale cover of X is a fiber bundle over an Abelian variety with simply connected fiber.Comment: 14 pages, no figure. Comments are wellcom

Time-reversal-noninvariant, parity-conserving nuclear interactions

The work that has been done in compound nucleus studies of time-reversal-noninvariant (TRNI), parity-conserving (PC) NN interactions is reviewed. The general form of TRNI PC meson-exchange potentials that can be constrained by such studies is discussed a la Simonius. The competing limits that can be obtained from atomic electric dipole moments produced by weak radiative corrections to long-ranged TRNI PNC interactions are then explored. Both classes of constraints limit the magnitude of typical TRNI PC matrix elements to about 10{sup {minus}3} of those for strong interactions. These limits are contrasted with those recently obtained from short-ranged one- and two-loop weak radiative corrections

Changes in anthropogenic carbon storage in the Northeast Pacific in the last decade

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2016. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans 121 (2016): 4618–4632, doi:10.1002/2016JC011775.In order to understand the ocean's role as a sink for anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2), it is important to quantify changes in the amount of anthropogenic CO2 stored in the ocean interior over time. From August to September 2012, an ocean acidification cruise was conducted along a portion of the P17N transect (50°N 150°W to 33.5°N 135°W) in the Northeast Pacific. These measurements are compared with data from the previous occupation of this transect in 2001 to estimate the change in the anthropogenic CO2 inventory in the Northeast Pacific using an extended multiple linear regression (eMLR) approach. Maximum increases in the surface waters were 11 µmol kg−1 over 11 years near 50°N. Here, the penetration depth of anthropogenic CO2 only reached ∼300 m depth, whereas at 33.5°N, penetration depth reached ∼600 m. The average increase of the depth-integrated anthropogenic carbon inventory was 0.41 ± 0.12 mol m−2 yr−1 across the transect. Lower values down to 0.20 mol m−2 yr−1 were observed in the northern part of the transect near 50°N and increased up to 0.55 mol m−2 yr−1 toward 33.5°N. This increase in anthropogenic carbon in the upper ocean resulted in an average pH decrease of 0.002 ± 0.0003 pH units yr−1 and a 1.8 ± 0.4 m yr−1 shoaling rate of the aragonite saturation horizon. An average increase in apparent oxygen utilization of 13.4 ± 15.5 µmol kg−1 centered on isopycnal surface 26.6 kg m−3 from 2001 to 2012 was also observed.National Science Foundation Ocean Acidification Program Grant Number: OCE-1041068; National Institute of Standards and Technology Grant Number: (NIST-60NANB10D024); National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program2017-01-0

Homogenität und Heterogenität in der Gruppenzusammensetzung. Eine mikropolitische Studie über Entscheidungsprozesse in der Gruppenarbeit

Kühl S, Hoering S, Schulze-Fielitz A. Homogenität und Heterogenität in der Gruppenzusammensetzung. Eine mikropolitische Studie über Entscheidungsprozesse in der Gruppenarbeit. Arbeit. 2001;10(4):331-351.Der Beitrag schließt an die Diskussion über die Auswirkungen homo- oder heterogener Gruppenzusammensetzung in teilautonomen Arbeitsgruppen an. Dabei geht er über die Erörterung eines „one best way“ hinaus und lenkt den Blick auf die sozialen Prozesse innerhalb der Arbeitsgruppen. Basierend auf einer Fallstudie über ein Unternehmen, das teilautonome Gruppenarbeit sowohl auf der operativen wie auch auf der ersten Führungsebene einsetzt, wird eine mikropolitische Forschungsperspektive erarbeitet, die es erlaubt diese Eigendynamik der sozialen Prozesse innerhalb der Arbeitsgruppen mit der Art der von den Gruppen zu lösenden Aufgaben in Beziehung zu setzen. Es zeigt sich, dass heterogene Gruppenzusammensetzungen zumeist zu einer informellen Rehierarchisierung führen, die eine schnellere Entscheidungsfindung in Konfliktsituationen ermöglicht, aber auch ausgiebige fachliche Diskussionen innerhalb der Gruppe erschwert. Während bei Gruppen im operativen Bereich eine starke Ausrichtung der Gruppe erreicht wird, weil der Beitrag des Einzelnen zum Betriebsergebnis leichter nachvollziehbar ist, kommt es bei Gruppen im Führungsbereich leichter zu eskalierenden Machtkämpfen

Overexpression of Hepatocyte Chemerin-156 Lowers Tumor Burden in a Murine Model of Diethylnitrosamine-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The tumor inhibitory potential of the highly active chemerin-156 isoform was described in orthotopic models of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The majority of HCC arises in the fibrotic liver, which was not reproduced in these studies. Here, a potential therapeutic activity of chemerin-156 was evaluated in diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced liver cancer, which mimics fibrosis-associated HCC. Mice were infected with adeno-associated virus (AAV) six months after DEN injection to overexpress chemerin-156 in the liver, and animals injected with non-recombinant-AAV served as controls. Three months later, the animals were killed. Both groups were comparable with regard to liver steatosis and fibrosis. Of note, the number of very small tumors was reduced by chemerin-156. Anyhow, the expression of inflammatory and profibrotic genes was similar in larger tumors of control and chemerin-156-AAV-infected animals. Although genes with a role in lipid metabolism, like 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzym-A--reductase, were overexpressed in tumors of animals with high chemerin-156, total hepatic cholesterol, diacylglycerol and triglyceride levels, and distribution of individual lipid species were normal. Chemerin-156-AAV-infected mice had elevated hepatic and systemic chemerin. Ex vivo activation of the chemerin receptor chemokine-like receptor 1 increased in parallel with serum chemerin, illustrating the biological activity of the recombinant protein. In the tumors, chemerin-155 was the most abundant variant. Chemerin-156 was not detected in tumors of the controls and was hardly found in chemerin-156-AAV infected animals. In conclusion, the present study showed that chemerin-156 overexpression caused a decline in the number of small lesions but did not prevent the growth of pre-existing neoplasms

In vivo performance of chitosan/soy-based membranes as wound dressing devices for acute skin wounds

Wound management represents a major clinical challenge on what concerns healing enhancement and pain control. The selection of an appropriate dressing plays an important role in both recovery and esthetic ap- pearance of the regenerated tissue. Despite the wide range of available dressings, the progress in the wound care market relies on the increasing interest in using natural-based biomedical products. Herein, a rat wound- dressing model of partial-thickness skin wounds was used to study newly developed chitosan/soy (cht/soy)- based membranes as wound-dressing materials. Healing and repair of nondressed, cht/soy membrane-dressed, and Epigard -dressed wounds were followed macroscopically and histologically for 1 and 2 weeks. cht/soy membranes performed better than the controls, promoting a faster wound repair. Re-epithelialization, ob- served 1 week after wounding, was followed by cornification of the outermost epidermal layer at the second week of dressing, indicating repair of the wounded tissue. The use of this rodent model, although in impaired healing conditions, may enclose some drawbacks regarding the inevitable wound contraction. Moreover, being the main purpose the evaluation of cht/soy-based membranes’ performance in the absence of growth factors, the choice of a clinically relevant positive control was limited to a polymeric mesh, without any growth factor influencing skin healing/repair, Epigard. These new cht/soy membranes possess the desired features regarding healing/repair stimulation, ease of handling, and final esthetic appearance-thus, valuable prop- erties for wound dressings.The author Tircia C. Santos acknowledges the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for her PhD grant (SFRH/BD/40861/2007). This work was developed under the scope of the European Network of Excellence EXPERTISSUES (NMP3-CT-2004-5000283)