A new model for evolution in a spatial continuum

We investigate a new model for populations evolving in a spatial continuum. This model can be thought of as a spatial version of the Lambda-Fleming-Viot process. It explicitly incorporates both small scale reproduction events and large scale extinction-recolonisation events. The lineages ancestral to a sample from a population evolving according to this model can be described in terms of a spatial version of the Lambda-coalescent. Using a technique of Evans(1997), we prove existence and uniqueness in law for the model. We then investigate the asymptotic behaviour of the genealogy of a finite number of individuals sampled uniformly at random (or more generally `far enough apart') from a two-dimensional torus of side L as L tends to infinity. Under appropriate conditions (and on a suitable timescale), we can obtain as limiting genealogical processes a Kingman coalescent, a more general Lambda-coalescent or a system of coalescing Brownian motions (with a non-local coalescence mechanism).Comment: 63 pages, version accepted to Electron. J. Proba

CW and pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 263 GHz/12 T on operating amorphous silicon solar cells

Here we describe a new high frequency/high field continuous wave and pulsed electrically detected magnetic resonance (CW EDMR and pEDMR) setup, operating at 263 GHz and resonance fields between 0 and 12 T. Spin dependent transport in illuminated hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n solar cells at 5 K and 90 K was studied by in operando 263 GHz CW and pEDMR alongside with complementary X-band CW EDMR. Benefiting from the superior resolution at 263 GHz, we were able to better resolve EDMR signals originating from spin dependent hopping and recombination processes. 5 K EDMR spectra were found to be dominated by conduction and valence band tale states involved in spin dependent hopping, with additional contributions from triplet exciton states. 90 K EDMR spectra could be assigned to spin pair recombination involving conduction band tail states and dangling bonds as dominating spin dependent transport process, with additional contributions from valence band tail and triplet exciton states.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figure

Wave Propagation at the Surface of Clay Deposits due to Vertical Impact

In a study of wave propagation at the surface of soft and sensitive clay deposits, particle velocities were measured at live sites of Champlain clay deposits in the province-of Quebec. Surface excitation was provided by the free fall of a mass and the measurements were obtained at different distances from the source at ground level and shallow depths. The major portion of the energy appears to be in the form of Rayleigh waves. Attention is focused on the effects of site parameters and in particular the depth of water table on the level of amplitude and the attenuation coefficient. As expected, measurements obtained at top of a slope show a significantly larger amplitude along the crest when compared to the amplitude away from the crest

Erfassung und Entwicklung von Teacher Beliefs in Inklusiver Bildung:im Rahmen der ersten Phase der LehrerInnenbildung aufgezeigt am Projekt Pinl

Es wird untersucht, welche Facetten die Beliefsysteme über Inklusive Bildung von Lehramtsstudierenden beinhalten und wie sich diese Überzeugungen in „Praxisphasen in Inklusion“ (PinI) entwickeln. Ein Modell zur inklusiven Förderung wird entworfen, um daran die Bedeutung von Teacher Beliefs zu erarbeiten. Dies ist die Basis für PinI, in dem Forschendes Lernen mit dem Index für Inklusion ermöglicht wird. Die Ergebnisse werden mittels qualitativer Inhaltsanalyse der Entwicklungsportfolios der Studierenden erhoben. Dazu werden im Mixed-Methods-Design inhaltsanalytische Ansätze verbunden, um neue Kenntnisse über Teacher Beliefs zu gewinnen. So wird die Bedeutung der pädagogischen Haltung deutlich. Die Studierenden sind gegenüber Inklusion aufgeschlossen und formulieren gleichzeitig Skepsis. Die Beliefsysteme sind schulpraktisch, schulpädagogisch und diversitätsorientiert ausgerichtet. Die Studierenden entwickeln in PinI ein differenzierteres Beliefsystem. <br

Atmospheric Pollutants Monitoring by Analysis of Epiphytic Lichen Hypogymnia physodes in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Lišaji se već dugo vremena smatraju jednim od najkorisnijih bioindikatora onečišćenja zraka. Epifitski lišaj Hypogymnia physodes upotrijebljen je za kontrolu onečišćenja zraka u području grada Sarajeva. Tehnika spektrometrija masa s indukcijskom spregnutom plazmom (ICP-MS) primijenjena je za određivanje 14 elemenata (Al, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr i Zn) u lišajima uzetih s pet lokaliteta u gradu Sarajevu. Dobiveni rezultati su uspoređeni s literaturnim podacima iz sjeverozapadnih zemalja Europe i Slovenije. Rezultati pokazuju da su maseni udjeli Cr, Pb i Zn u našim uzorcima zamjetno povišeni u usporedbi s literaturnim podacima za udjele tih elemenata u uzorcima lišaja u sjeverozapadnim zemljama Europe.The ability of lichens to accumulate levels of elements in excess of physiological requirements in close correlation with atmospheric elemental levels has led to their wide-scale application as practical biomonitors of inorganic atmospheric contamination. The advantages of using lichens over conventional air sampling techniques are that lichens are perennial and can be found in most terrestrial habitats. The epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes was used to monitor atmospheric pollution in the Sarajevo city region, Bosnia and Herzegovina. H. physodes is a very common epiphytic lichen on trees with a slightly acidic or neutral bark. An inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) has been used for the determination of 14 elements (Al, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Rb, Sr and Zn) in lichen samples from five locations in the Sarajevo area. Achieved results have been compared with literary data from northwestern countries of Europe and Slovenia. A detailed analysis of air pollution with toxic metals and other elements has not yet been made in the area of Sarajevo. So far, analyses of the air quality in Sarajevo have been based on determining the fraction of: SO2, NOx, CO2, CO, O3, smoke, PM 10. This motivated us (especially after the war 1992-1995) to conduct multi-elemental analyses of epiphytic lichen Hypogymnia physodes. The results show that the mass fraction of Cr, Pb and Zn in our samples significantly differ from data on the fraction of these elements in samples of lichen in Northwestern European countries

Emergence and fate of stem cell-like Tcf7⁺ CD8⁺ T cells during a primary immune response to viral infection.

In response to infection, naïve CD8 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; T (T &lt;sub&gt;N&lt;/sub&gt; ) cells yield a large pool of short-lived terminal effector (T &lt;sub&gt;TE&lt;/sub&gt; ) cells that eliminate infected host cells. In parallel, a minor population of stem cell-like central memory (T &lt;sub&gt;CM&lt;/sub&gt; ) cells forms, which has the capacity to maintain immunity after pathogen clearance. It has remained uncertain whether stem-like T &lt;sub&gt;CM&lt;/sub&gt; cells arise by dedifferentiation from a subset of cytolytic T &lt;sub&gt;TE&lt;/sub&gt; cells or whether priming generates stem-like cells capable of seeding the T &lt;sub&gt;CM&lt;/sub&gt; compartment and, if so, when cytolytic T &lt;sub&gt;TE&lt;/sub&gt; cells branch off. Here, we show that CD8 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; T cells with stem-like properties, which are identified by the expression of TCF1 (encoded by Tcf7), are present across the primary response to infection. Priming programs T &lt;sub&gt;N&lt;/sub&gt; cells to undergo multiple cell divisions, over the course of which TCF1 expression is maintained. These TCF1 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells further expand relatively independently of systemic inflammation, antigen dose, or affinity, and they quantitatively yield TCF1 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; T &lt;sub&gt;CM&lt;/sub&gt; cells after pathogen clearance. Inflammatory signals suppress TCF1 expression in early divided TCF1 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; cells. TCF1 down-regulation is associated with the irreversible loss of self-renewal capacity and the silencing of stem/memory genes, which precedes the stable acquisition of a T &lt;sub&gt;TE&lt;/sub&gt; state. TCF1 expression restrains cell cycling, explaining in part the limited expansion of TCF1 &lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; relative to TCF1 &lt;sup&gt;-&lt;/sup&gt; cells during the primary response. Thus, our data are consistent with terminal differentiation of effector cells being a step-wise process that is initiated by inflammation in primed stem-like cells, which would otherwise become central memory cells by default

EFFECTS OF AMLODIPIN AND METOPROLOL ON AUTONOMIC SYSTEM IN EMOTIONAL AND COLD TESTS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS WITH DIFFERENT PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE

Aim. To asses effects of amlodipin and metoprolol on autonomic system in emotional and cold tests in hypertensive patients with different psychological profile (PP) Material and methods. 61 patients with arterial hypertension of II grade were observed. Therapy with amlodipin or metoprolol was prescribed and allowed to reach target blood pressure (BP) level in all the patients. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 1-st one – patients with normal PP, 2-nd group – patients with subclinical depression. Patients were examined before and 30 days after therapy. Examination included ambulatory BP monitoring, assessment of autonomic status by variational intervalometry and spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) in cold and emotional tests. Depression and anxiety levels were determined with Bek’s and HADS scales.  Results. Treatment with amlodipin  and metoprolol can result in improvement, worsening or unchanging of PP.  In hypertensive patients with subclinical depression improving their PP resulted in autonomic reaction change: sympathetic activity increases and reaction on stress becomes more adequate. If subclinical depression occurred in hypertensive patients because of amlodipin and metoprolol therapy, sympathetic system stress-reaction decreased and parasympathetic influence increased. Conclusion. The study results show necessity of psychometric examination of hypertensive patients in order to reveal subclinical depression and anxiety

Luminescent properties of Bi-doped polycrystalline KAlCl4

We observed an intensive near-infrared luminescence in Bi-doped KAlCl4 polycrystalline material. Luminescence dependence on the excitation wavelength and temperature of the sample was studied. Our experimental results allow asserting that the luminescence peaked near 1 um belongs solely to Bi+ ion which isomorphically substitutes potassium in the crystal. It was also demonstrated that Bi+ luminescence features strongly depend on the local ion surroundings