The occurrence and distribution of prairie-associated plants and remnant prairie communities in the Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest

This paper summarizes findings on the occurrence and distribution of native prairie grasses and forbs on non-forested sites in the Kettle Moraine State Forest Northern Unit (KMSF). Twelve remnant prairie communities were located. These twelve sites Included a total of 5 prairie grasses and 46 forb species

DNA double strand breaks but not interstrand crosslinks prevent progress through meiosis in fully grown mouse oocytes

There is some interest in how mammalian oocytes respond to different types of DNA damage because of the increasing expectation of fertility preservation in women undergoing chemotherapy. Double strand breaks (DSBs) induced by ionizing radiation and agents such as neocarzinostatin (NCS), and interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) induced by alkylating agents such as mitomycin C (MMC), are toxic DNA lesions that need to be repaired for cell survival. Here we examined the effects of NCS and MMC treatment on oocytes collected from antral follicles in mice, because potentially such oocytes are readily collected from ovaries and do not need to be in vitro grown to achieve meiotic competency. We found that oocytes were sensitive to NCS, such that this ionizing radiation mimetic blocked meiosis I and caused fragmented DNA. In contrast, MMC had no impact on the completion of either meiosis I or II, even at extremely high doses. However, oocytes treated with MMC did show ?-H2AX foci and following their in vitro maturation and parthenogenetic activation the development of the subsequent embryos was severely compromised. Addition of MMC to 1-cell embryos caused a similarly poor level of development, demonstrating oocytes have eventual sensitivity to this ICL-inducing agent but this does not occur during their meiotic division. In oocytes, the association of Fanconi Anemia protein, FANCD2, with sites of ICL lesions was not apparent until entry into the embryonic cell cycle. In conclusion, meiotic maturation of oocytes is sensitive to DSBs but not ICLs. The ability of oocytes to tolerate severe ICL damage and yet complete meiosis, means that this type of DNA lesion goes unrepaired in oocytes but impacts on subsequent embryo quality

Direct simulation of ion beam induced stressing and amorphization of silicon

Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, we investigate the mechanical response of silicon to high dose ion-irradiation. We employ a realistic and efficient model to directly simulate ion beam induced amorphization. Structural properties of the amorphized sample are compared with experimental data and results of other simulation studies. We find the behavior of the irradiated material is related to the rate at which it can relax. Depending upon the ability to deform, we observe either the generation of a high compressive stress and subsequent expansion of the material, or generation of tensile stress and densification. We note that statistical material properties, such as radial distribution functions are not sufficient to differentiate between different densities of amorphous samples. For any reasonable deformation rate, we observe an expansion of the target upon amorphization in agreement with experimental observations. This is in contrast to simulations of quenching which usually result in denser structures relative to crystalline Si. We conclude that although there is substantial agreement between experimental measurements and most simulation results, the amorphous structures being investigated may have fundamental differences; the difference in density can be attributed to local defects within the amorphous network. Finally we show that annealing simulations of our amorphized samples can lead to a reduction of high energy local defects without a large scale rearrangement of the amorphous network. This supports the proposal that defects in amorphous silicon are analogous to those in crystalline silicon.Comment: 13 pages, 12 figure

Symptom-based screening tool for asthma syndrome among young children in Uganda

Under-diagnosis of asthma in ‘under-fives’ may be alleviated by improved inquiry into disease history. We assessed a questionnaire-based screening tool for asthma among 614 ‘under-fives’ with severe respiratory illness in Uganda. The questionnaire responses were compared to post hoc consensus diagnoses by three pediatricians who were guided by study definitions that were based on medical history, physical examination findings, laboratory and radiological tests, and response to bronchodilators. Children with asthma or bronchiolitis were categorized as “asthma syndrome”. Using this approach, 253 (41.2%) had asthma syndrome. History of and present breathing difficulties and present cough and wheezing was the best performing combination of four questionnaire items [sensitivity 80.8% (95% CI 77.6–84.0); specificity 84.7% (95% CI 81.8–87.6)]. The screening tool for asthma syndrome in ‘under-fives’ may provide a simple, cheap and quick method of identifying children with possible asthma. The validity and reliability of this tool in primary care settings should be tested

Vielfalt sucht Rat : Ratsmitglieder mit Migrationshintergrund in deutschen Großstädten

Deutschland ist ein Entwicklungsland, wenn es um die Repräsentanz von Migrantinnen und Migranten in der kommunalen Demokratie geht. Sie stellen nur knapp vier Prozent der Ratsmitglieder in den deutschen Großstädten. Dabei hat bereits rund ein Drittel der Bevölkerung einen Migrationshintergrund. Von gelungener Integration kann aber erst die Rede sein, wenn Migrantinnen und Migranten auch ganz selbstverständlich in den Parlamenten vertreten sind. Die vorliegende Studie „Vielfalt sucht Rat. Ratsmitglieder mit Migrationshintergrund in deutschen Großstädten“, angefertigt vom Max-Planck-Institut zur Erforschung multireligiöser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften, liefert die empirischen Grundlagen für die überfällige Debatte um die politische Teilhabe von Migrantinnen und Migranten. Eine Studie des Max-Planck-Instituts zur Erforschung multireligiöser und multiethnischer Gesellschaften in Kooperation mit der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung und gefördert durch die Stiftung Mercator

Selection bias in general practice research : analysis in a cohort of pregnant Danish women

Funding: The Novo Nordic Foundation (NNF130C0002689), Region Zealand (15-000342), The Danish Research Foundation for General Practice (EMN-2017-00265), A.P. Møller Foundation (21.15 12.2016.16-87), Lilly and Herbert Hansen Foundation (07.11.2016-006), and Jacob and Orla Madsen Foundation (11.05.2015. 5421) have financially supported the project. The funding sources were not involved in the research design, collection, analysis and interpretation of data, writing of the report and decision regarding submission for publication. The authors are responsible for the contents of this article.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Accreditation in general practice in Denmark:study protocol for a cluster-randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Accreditation is used increasingly in health systems worldwide. However, there is a lack of evidence on the effects of accreditation, particularly in general practice. In 2016 a mandatory accreditation scheme was initiated in Denmark, and during a 3-year period all practices, as default, should undergo accreditation according to the Danish Healthcare Quality Program. The aim of this study is primarily to evaluate the effects of a mandatory accreditation scheme. METHODS/DESIGN: The study is conducted as a cluster-randomized controlled trial among 1252 practices (clusters) with 2211 general practitioners in Denmark. Practices allocated to accreditation in 2016 serve as the intervention group, and practices allocated to accreditation in 2018 serve as controls. The selected outcomes should meet the following criteria: (1) a high degree of clinical relevance; (2) the possibility to assess changes due to accreditation; (3) availability of data from registers with no self-reporting data. The primary outcome is the number of prescribed drugs in patients older than 65 years. Secondary outcomes are changes in outcomes related to other perspectives of safe medication, good clinical practice and mortality. All outcomes relate to quality indicators included in the Danish Healthcare Quality Program, which is based on general principles for accreditation. DISCUSSION: The consequences of accreditation and standard-setting processes are generally under-researched, particularly in general practice. This is the largest study in general practice with a randomized implementation approach to evaluate the clinical effects of a nation-wide mandatory accreditation scheme in general practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02762240. Registered on 24 May 2016. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13063-017-1818-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Scanning-helium-ion-beam lithography with hydrogen silsesquioxane resist

A scanning-helium-ion-beam microscope is now commercially available. This microscope can be used to perform lithography similar to, but of potentially higher resolution than, scanning electron-beam lithography. This article describes the control of this microscope for lithography via beam steering/blanking electronics and evaluates the high-resolution performance of scanning helium-ion-beam lithography. The authors found that sub-10 nm-half-pitch patterning is feasible. They also measured a point-spread function that indicates a reduction in the micrometer-range proximity effect typical in electron-beam lithography.National Science Foundation (U.S.). Graduate Research Fellowship Progra