Robust a priori and a posteriori error analysis for the approximation of Allen–Cahn and Ginzburg–Landau equations past topological changes

A priori and a posteriori error estimates are derived for the numerical approximation of scalar and complex valued phase field models. Particular attention is devoted to the dependence of the estimates on a small parameter and to the validity of the estimates in the presence of topological changes in the solution that represents singular points in the evolution. For typical singularities the estimates depend on the inverse of the parameter in a polynomial as opposed to exponential dependence of estimates resulting from a straightforward error analysis. The estimates naturally lead to adaptive mesh refinement and coarsening algorithms. Numerical experiments illustrate the reliability and efficiency of this approach for the evolution of interfaces and vortices that undergo topological changes

Kataloganreicherung und Zeitschriftenerschließung mit MyBib eDoc® und C-3 am Ibero-Amerikanischen Institut, Preußischer Kulturbesitz : neue Verfahren zur Optimierung der bibliografischen Nachweissituation in einer großen Spezialbibliothek

Die Bibliothek des Ibero-Amerikanischen Instituts der Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin (IAI) ist mit uber 830.000 Monografien, 33.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen, von denen ca. 5.000 als laufende Abos gefuhrt werden, und zahlreichen weiteren groBen Sondersammlungen (Landkarten,Tontrager, Videos, DVDs, Nachlasse etc.) die größte Spezialbibliothek zu Lateinamerika, Spanien, Portugal und der Karibik in Europa und nach der Library of Congress in Washington und der Nettie-Lee-Benson-Collection der University of Texas in Austin die drittgrößte Spezialbibliothek dieser Art in der Welt. Über Kauf, Tausch und Schenkung erweitert sich der Bestand jedes Jahr um ca. 30.000 Monografien. Um die Nachweissituation von Sammelband- und Zeitschriftenaufsätzen und gleichzeitig das bibliografische Informationsangebot im Sinne einer Spezialbibliothek zu verbessern, führt das IAI seit 2008 ein Projekt unter Einsatz von MyBib eDoc® und C-3-Periodakaserver durch

High-throughput screening of caterpillars as a platform to study host-microbe interactions and enteric immunity.

Mammalian models of human disease are expensive and subject to ethical restrictions. Here, we present an independent platform for high-throughput screening, using larvae of the tobacco hornworm Manduca sexta, combining diagnostic imaging modalities for a comprehensive characterization of aberrant phenotypes. For validation, we use bacterial/chemical-induced gut inflammation to generate a colitis-like phenotype and identify significant alterations in morphology, tissue properties, and intermediary metabolism, which aggravate with disease progression and can be rescued by antimicrobial treatment. In independent experiments, activation of the highly conserved NADPH oxidase DUOX, a key mediator of gut inflammation, leads to similar, dose-dependent alterations, which can be attenuated by pharmacological interventions. Furthermore, the developed platform could differentiate pathogens from mutualistic gastrointestinal bacteria broadening the scope of applications also to microbiomics and host-pathogen interactions. Overall, larvae-based screening can complement mammals in preclinical studies to explore innate immunity and host-pathogen interactions, thus representing a substantial contribution to improve mammalian welfare

Frequency of disease-associated and other nuclear autoantibodies in patients of the German network for systemic scleroderma: correlation with characteristic clinical features

Introduction In the present study, we analysed in detail nuclear autoantibodies and their associations in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients included in the German Network for Systemic Scleroderma Registry. Methods Sera of 863 patients were analysed according to a standardised protocol including immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, line immunoassay and immunodiffusion. Results Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were detected in 94.2% of patients. In 81.6%, at least one of the autoantibodies highly associated with SSc or with overlap syndromes with scleroderma features was detected, that is, anti-centromere (35.9%) or anti-topoisomerase I (30.1%), followed in markedly lower frequency by antibodies to PM-Scl (4.9%), U1-ribonucleoprotein (U1-RNP) (4.8%), RNA polymerases (RNAPs) (3.8%), fibrillarin (1.4%), Ku (1.2%), aminoacyl-transfer RNA synthetases (0.5%), To (0.2%) and U11-RNP (0.1%). We found that the simultaneous presence of SSc-associated autoantibodies was rare (1.6%). Furthermore, additional autoantibodies were detected in 55.4% of the patients with SSc, of which anti-Ro/anti-La, anti-mitochondrial and anti-p25/p23 antibodies were most frequent. The coexistence of SSc-associated and other autoantibodies was common (43% of patients). SSc-associated autoantibodies disclosed characteristic associations with clinical features of patients, some of which were previously not acknowledged. Conclusions This study shows that five autoantigens (that is, centromere, topoisomerase I, PM-Scl, U1-RNP and RNAP) detected more than 95% of the known SSc-associated antibody responses in ANA-positive SSc patients and characterise around 79% of all SSc patients in a central European cohort. These data confirm and extend previous data underlining the central role of the determination of ANAs in defining the diagnosis, subset allocation and prognosis of SSc patients

Fachkräftebedarf: Analyse und Handlungsstrategien

Mit der verbesserten Lage am Arbeitsmarkt und dem aus demografischen Gründen zu erwartenden Rückgang des Erwerbspersonenpotenzials gewinnt auch das Thema Fachkräftesicherung immer mehr an Bedeutung. Dieses Thema wird in Kapitel D ("Fachkräftebedarf: Analyse und Handlungsstrategien") eingehend behandelt. Dabei wird deutlich: Die Folgen des demografischen Wandels für den Arbeitsmarkt sind erheblich und es muss an vielen Stellschrauben gedreht werden, um diese abzumildern. Sowohl die Mobilisierung inländischer Potenziale als auch die verstärkte Zuwanderung von Fachkräften ist notwendig, um den Rückgang des Erwerbspotenzials spürbar abzufedern

Safety and clinical outcomes of rituximab therapy in patients with different autoimmune diseases: experience from a national registry (GRAID)

Introduction: Evidence from a number of open-label, uncontrolled studies has suggested that rituximab may benefit patients with autoimmune diseases who are refractory to standard-of-care. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes of rituximab in several standard-of-care-refractory autoimmune diseases (within rheumatology, nephrology, dermatology and neurology) other than rheumatoid arthritis or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a real-life clinical setting. Methods: Patients who received rituximab having shown an inadequate response to standard-of-care had their safety and clinical outcomes data retrospectively analysed as part of the German Registry of Autoimmune Diseases. The main outcome measures were safety and clinical response, as judged at the discretion of the investigators. Results: A total of 370 patients (299 patient-years) with various autoimmune diseases (23.0% with systemic lupus erythematosus, 15.7% antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated granulomatous vasculitides, 15.1% multiple sclerosis and 10.0% pemphigus) from 42 centres received a mean dose of 2,440 mg of rituximab over a median (range) of 194 (180 to 1,407) days. The overall rate of serious infections was 5.3 per 100 patient-years during rituximab therapy. Opportunistic infections were infrequent across the whole study population, and mostly occurred in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. There were 11 deaths (3.0% of patients) after rituximab treatment (mean 11.6 months after first infusion, range 0.8 to 31.3 months), with most of the deaths caused by infections. Overall (n = 293), 13.3% of patients showed no response, 45.1% showed a partial response and 41.6% showed a complete response. Responses were also reflected by reduced use of glucocorticoids and various immunosuppressives during rituximab therapy and follow-up compared with before rituximab. Rituximab generally had a positive effect on patient well-being (physician's visual analogue scale; mean improvement from baseline of 12.1 mm). Conclusions: Data from this registry indicate that rituximab is a commonly employed, well-tolerated therapy with potential beneficial effects in standard of care-refractory autoimmune diseases, and support the results from other open-label, uncontrolled studies

Search for gravitational waves from low mass compact binary coalescence in LIGO's sixth science run and Virgo's science runs 2 and 3

We report on a search for gravitational waves from coalescing compact binaries using LIGO and Virgo observations between July 7, 2009, and October 20, 2010. We searched for signals from binaries with total mass between 2 and 25M⊙; this includes binary neutron stars, binary black holes, and binaries consisting of a black hole and neutron star. The detectors were sensitive to systems up to 40 Mpc distant for binary neutron stars, and further for higher mass systems. No gravitational-wave signals were detected. We report upper limits on the rate of compact binary coalescence as a function of total mass, including the results from previous LIGO and Virgo observations. The cumulative 90% confidence rate upper limits of the binary coalescence of binary neutron star, neutron star-black hole, and binary black hole systems are 1.3×10−4, 3.1×10−5, and 6.4×10−6  Mpc−3 yr−1, respectively. These upper limits are up to a factor 1.4 lower than previously derived limits. We also report on results from a blind injection challenge. © 2012 The American Physical Societ