661 research outputs found
SuDS and amphibians - are constructed wetlands really benefitting nature and people?
While urbanisation is a major threat to global
biodiversity, it also brings opportunities for some
species. Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) have
been installed in all Scottish cities to reduce flood
and pollution risk and they can also offer new
habitats for wildlife. We studied SuDS in Inverness
and the Scottish Central Belt to assess their value as
amphibian breeding sites, habitats, and as places
where urban people can experience nature. The
nine-year study revealed that many SuDS were of
similar ecological quality to wider countryside ponds
but that the quality of ponds is not equitably
distributed between neighbourhoods inhabited by
different socio-economic classes. However, the
findings suggest ways to improve the design and
management of SuDS for people and nature, making
access to high quality ponds available to all social
groups
Biologische Kontrolle von Eulenraupen im Kohl mittels Baculoviren
Baculoviren sind als hoch selektive biologische Kontrollagenzien fĂŒr Kohleulenraupen (Mamestra brassicae) seit lĂ€ngerem bekannt und ihre gute Wirksamkeit wurde schon in verschiedenen GewĂ€chshaus- und Freilandversuchen nachgewiesen. Um die Kontrollsituation von Kohleulenraupen im ökologischen GemĂŒseanbau insbesondere bei niedrigen Temperaturen zu verbessern, wurden die eulenpathogenen Mamestra brassicae Nukelopolyhedrovirus (MbMNPV) und Mamestra configurata Nukleopolyhedrovirus (MacoNPV-A) als mögliche Kontrollagentien geprĂŒft. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass auch MacoNPV-A fĂŒr M.brassicae pathogen ist. In vergleichenden Bioassays bei 24°C zeigten MbMNPV und MacoNPV-A keinen signifikanten Unterschied hinsichtlich ihrer biologischen AktivitĂ€t gegenĂŒber M.brassicae. In weiteren Bioassays wurden die konzentrationsabhĂ€ngige MortalitĂ€t von M.brassicae im 2. Larvenstadium sowie die gefressene BlattflĂ€che bei 24, 20, 16 und 12°C bestimmt. Im Vergleich zu 24 und 20°C waren die mittleren Letalkonzentrationen bei 16 und 12°C 100 bzw. 1000fach höher. FĂŒr eine mittlere Reduktion der konsumierten BlattflĂ€che waren hingegen bei Temperaturen unter 20°C 10 bis 100fach höhere Konzentrationen notwendig. Durch die Neuformulierung von MbMNPV (Probis GmbH, Wiernsheim) konnte eine Wirkungssteigerung im Vergleich zu der nicht formulierten Virussuspension im Bioassay erzielt werden. In einem Freilandtest mit kĂŒnstlicher Infestation in Kohlrabi konnte eine weitere Steigerung des Wirkungsgrades durch die Kombination mit dem Bacillus thuringiensis PrĂ€parat XenTariÂź im Vergleich zur Einzelapplikation der beiden PrĂ€parate erreicht werden. Eine breite Freilandtestung der Baculoviren-PrĂ€paraten gegen Kohlraupen bei kĂŒhler Witterung als EinzelprĂ€parat und in Kombination mit Bacillus thuringiensis PrĂ€paraten sowie neuester Applikationstechnik fĂŒr Ober- und Unterblattbehandlung wird empfohlen
«Smarter Medicine»: 5 Interventionen, die in der ambulanten allgemeinen inneren Medizin vermieden werden sollten
Seit 2012 befasst sich die Schweizerische Gesellschaft fĂŒr Allgemeine Innere Medizin mit der Problematik der Ăberdiagnostik und Ăberversorgung in der Medizin. Nun hat sie beschlossen, eine Liste mit fĂŒnf Untersuchungen auf dem Gebiet der ambulanten allgemeinen inneren Medizin zusammenzustellen, die ohne oder mit nur geringem Nutzen bei zahlreichen Patienten durchgefĂŒhrt werden, gleichzeitig jedoch unerwĂŒnschte Nebenwirkungen haben können und zum Anstieg der Gesundheitskosten beitragen
Intuitionistc probability and the Bayesian objection to dogmatism
Given a few assumptions, the probability of a conjunction is raised, and the probability of its negation is lowered, by conditionalising upon one of the conjuncts. This simple result appears to bring Bayesian confirmation theory into tension with the prominent dogmatist view of perceptual justification â a tension often portrayed as a kind of âBayesian objectionâ to dogmatism. In a recent paper, David Jehle and Brian Weatherson observe that, while this crucial result holds within classical probability theory, it fails within intuitionistic probability theory. They conclude that the dogmatist who is willing to take intuitionistic logic seriously can make a convincing reply to the Bayesian objection. In this paper, I argue that this conclusion is premature â the Bayesian objection can survive the transition from classical to intuitionistic probability, albeit in a slightly altered form. I shall conclude with some general thoughts about what the Bayesian objection to dogmatism does and doesnât show
A toy model of the five-dimensional universe with the cosmological constant
A value of the cosmological constant in a toy model of the five-dimensional
universe is calculated in such a manner that it remains in agreement with both
astronomical observations and the quantum field theory concerning the
zero-point fluctuations of the vacuum. The (negative) cosmological constant is
equal to the inverse of the Planck length squared, which means that in the toy
model the vanishing of the observed value of the cosmological constant is a
consequence of the existence of an energy cutoff exactly at the level of the
Planck scale. In turn, a model for both a virtual and a real
particle-antiparticle pair is proposed which describes properly some energetic
properties of both the vacuum fluctuations and created particles, as well as it
allows one to calculate the discrete "bare" values of an elementary-particle
mass, electric charge and intrinsic angular momentum (spin) at the energy
cutoff. The relationships between the discussed model and some phenomena such
as the Zitterbewegung and the Unruh-Davies effect are briefly analyzed, too.
The proposed model also allows one to derive the Lorentz transformation and the
Maxwell equations while considering the properties of the vacuum filled with
the sea of virtual particles and their antiparticles. Finally, the existence of
a finite value of the vacuum-energy density resulting from the toy model leads
us to the formulation of dimensionless Einstein field equations which can be
derived from the Lagrangian with a dimensionless (naively renormalized)
coupling constant.Comment: 52 pages, 1 figure; a post-final, rewritten version with a number of
new remarks and conclusion
"The Bayesian Objection" - Ch 4 of Seemings and Epistemic Justification
In this chapter I analyse an objection to phenomenal conservatism to the effect that phenomenal conservatism is unacceptable because it is incompatible with Bayesianism. I consider a few responses to it and dismiss them as misled or problematic. Then, I argue that this objection doesnât go through because it rests on an implausible formalization of the notion of seeming-based justification. In the final part of the chapter, I investigate how seeming-based justification and justification based on oneâs reflective belief that one has a seeming interact with one another
Kinematics and hydrodynamics of spinning particles
In the first part (Sections 1 and 2) of this paper --starting from the Pauli
current, in the ordinary tensorial language-- we obtain the decomposition of
the non-relativistic field velocity into two orthogonal parts: (i) the
"classical part, that is, the 3-velocity w = p/m OF the center-of-mass (CM),
and (ii) the so-called "quantum" part, that is, the 3-velocity V of the motion
IN the CM frame (namely, the internal "spin motion" or zitterbewegung). By
inserting such a complete, composite expression of the velocity into the
kinetic energy term of the non-relativistic classical (i.e., newtonian)
lagrangian, we straightforwardly get the appearance of the so-called "quantum
potential" associated, as it is known, with the Madelung fluid. This result
carries further evidence that the quantum behaviour of micro-systems can be
adirect consequence of the fundamental existence of spin. In the second part
(Sections 3 and 4), we fix our attention on the total 3-velocity v = w + V, it
being now necessary to pass to relativistic (classical) physics; and we show
that the proper time entering the definition of the four-velocity v^mu for
spinning particles has to be the proper time tau of the CM frame. Inserting the
correct Lorentz factor into the definition of v^mu leads to completely new
kinematical properties for v_mu v^mu. The important constraint p_mu v^mu = m,
identically true for scalar particles, but just assumed a priori in all
previous spinning particle theories, is herein derived in a self-consistent
way.Comment: LaTeX file; needs kapproc.st
Genetic and migratory evidence for sympatric spawning of tropical pacific eels from Vanuatu
The spawning areas of tropical anguillid eels in the South Pacific are poorly known, and more information about their life histories is needed to facilitate conservation. We genetically characterized 83 out of 84 eels caught on Gaua Island (Vanuatu) and tagged 8 eels with pop-up satellite transmitters. Based on morphological evidence, 32 eels were identified as Anguilla marmorata, 45 as A. megastoma and 7 as A. obscura. Thirteen of these eels possessed a mitochondrial DNA sequence (control region, 527 bp) or nuclear haplotype (GTH2b, 268 bp) conflicting with their species designation. These individuals also had multi-locus genotypes (6 microsatellite loci) intermediate between the species, and 9 of these eels further possessed heterozygote genotypes at species-diagnostic nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). We classified these individuals as possibly admixed between A. marmorata and A. megastoma. One A. marmorata and one A. megastoma migrated 634 and 874 km, respectively, towards the border between the South Equatorial Current and the South Equatorial Counter Current. Both species descended from around 200 m depth at night to 750 m during the day. Lunar cycle affected the upper limit of migration depths of both species. The tags remained attached for 3 and 5 mo and surfaced <300 km from the pop-up location of a previously tagged A. marmorata. A salinity maximum at the pop-up locations corresponding to the upper nighttime eel migration depths may serve as a seamark of the spawning area. The similar pop-up locations of both species and the evidence for admixture suggest that these tropical eels share a sympatric spawning area
ATP-binding cassette transporter A7 enhances phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and associated ERK signaling in macrophages
The mammalian ATP-binding cassette transporters A1 and A7 (ABCA1 and -A7) show sequence similarity to CED-7, a Caenorhabditis elegans gene that mediates the clearance of apoptotic cells. Using RNA interference or gene targeting, we show that knock down of macrophage ABCA7 but not -A1 results in defective engulfment of apoptotic cells. In response to apoptotic cells, ABCA7 moves to the macrophage cell surface and colocalizes with the low-density lipoprotein receptorârelated protein 1 (LRP1) in phagocytic cups. The cell surface localization of ABCA7 and LRP1 is defective in ABCA7-deficient cells. C1q is an opsonin of apoptotic cells that acts via phagocyte LRP1 to induce extracellular signalâregulated kinase (ERK) signaling. We show that ERK signaling is required for phagocytosis of apoptotic cells and that ERK phosphorylation in response to apoptotic cells or C1q is defective in ABCA7-deficient cells. These studies reveal a major role of ABCA7 and not -A1 in the clearance of apoptotic cells and therefore suggest that ABCA7 is an authentic orthologue of CED-7
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