Finite element study of the accommodation behaviour of the crystalline lens after fs-laser treatment

With aging the ability of the crystalline lens to adapt to different viewing distances decreases. Until now there is no satisfying treatment available. It is possible to influence the deformability of the crystalline lens by inducing cuts using femtosecond (fs)-laser. To test the influence of several different cutting geometries is expensive and a huge amount of crystalline lenses is needed. Finit Element Method offers the possibility to test the influence of different cutting geometries on the flexibility. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method to simulate the cuts in an adequate way. In first simulations cuts were assumed to be isotropic inter layers. Later on, effective material properties for the inter layer were calculated with a homogenization technique. The results confirm the influence of the cuts on the flexibility.DFG/BE3990-

Communicating Maritime Spatial Planning: The MSP Challenge approach

The MSP Challenge uses game technology and role-play to support communication and learning for Marine/Maritime Spatial Planning. Since 2011, a role-playing game, a board game and a digital interactive simulation platform have been developed. The MSP Challenge editions have been used in workshops, conferences, education, as well as for real life stakeholder engagement. The authors give an overview of the development of the MSP Challenge and reflect on the value of the approach as an engaging and ‘fun’ tool for building mutual understanding and communicating MSP

Microbial arms race: Ballistic "nematocysts" in dinoflagellates represent a new extreme in organelle complexity

We examine the origin of harpoon-like secretory organelles (nematocysts) in dinoflagellate protists. These ballistic organelles have been hypothesized to be homologous to similarly complex structures in animals (cnidarians); but we show, using structural, functional, and phylogenomic data, that nematocysts evolved independently in both lineages. We also recorded the first high-resolution videos of nematocyst discharge in dinoflagellates. Unexpectedly, our data suggest that different types of dinoflagellate nematocysts use two fundamentally different types of ballistic mechanisms: one type relies on a single pressurized capsule for propulsion, whereas the other type launches 11 to 15 projectiles froman arrangement similar to a Gatling gun.Despite their radical structural differences, these nematocysts share a single origin within dinoflagellates and both potentially use a contraction-based mechanism to generate ballistic force. The diversity of traits in dinoflagellate nematocysts demonstrates a stepwise route by which simple secretory structures diversified to yield elaborate subcellular weaponry

Effect of a gum-based thickener on the safety of swallowing in patients with poststroke oropharyngeal dysphagia

Altres ajuts: This work has been supported by Danone Nutricia Research, Fundació Salut del Consorci Sanitari del Maresme, Furega (Fundació per a la Recerca en Gastroenterologia) and Centro de Investigación en Red en Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd).Background: Increasing viscosity with thickening agents is a valid therapeutic strategy for oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). To assess the therapeutic effect of a xanthan gum-based thickener (Nutilis Clear) at six viscosities compared with thin liquid in poststroke OD (PSOD) patients. Methods: A total of 120 patients with PSOD were studied in this controlled, multiple-dose, fixed-order, and single-blind study using videofluoroscopy (VFSS). A series of boluses of 10 mL thin liquid and 2000, 1400, 800, 450, 250, and 150 mPa s viscosities were given in duplicate, interrupted in case of aspiration. We assessed the safety and efficacy of swallow and the kinematics of the swallow response. Key Results: A total of 41.2% patients had safe swallow at thin liquid which significantly increased for all viscosities from 71.9% at 150 mPa s to 95.6% at 1400 mPa s (P <.001). PAS score (3.7 ± 2.3) at thin liquid was also reduced by increasing bolus viscosity (P <.001). The prevalence of patients with aspiration at thin liquid was 17.5% and decreased at all viscosities (P <.01), except at 150 mPa s. Increasing viscosity shortened time to laryngeal vestibule closure (LVC) at all viscosities (P <.01) and reduced bolus velocity at ≥450 mPa s (P <.05). The prevalence of patients with pharyngeal residue at each viscosity 37.7%-44.7% was similar to that at thin liquid (41.2%). Conclusions and Inferences: The prevalence of unsafe swallow with thin liquids is very high in PSOD. Increasing shear bolus viscosity with this xanthan gum-based thickener significantly increased the safety of swallow in patients with PSOD in a viscosity-dependent manner without increasing the prevalence of pharyngeal residue

The Chemical Composition and Gas-to-Dust Mass Ratio of Nearby Interstellar Matter

Recent results on nearby interstellar gas and interstellar byproducts within the solar system are used to select among the equilibrium radiative transfer models of the nearest interstellar material of Slavin and Frisch (2002). Assuming O/H~400 ppm, Models 2 and 8 are found to yield good fits to available data on local interstellar material, and pickup ions and anomalous cosmic rays inside of the heliosphere, with the exception of Ne. For these models, the density of interstellar gas at the entry point to the heliosphere is n(HI)~0.20 /cc and n(e-)~0.1 /cc. These models suggest the chemical composition of the nearby ISM is ~60--70% subsolar if S is undepleted (where HI and HII must be included for abundance calculations). Gas-to-dust mass ratios of 178-183 for solar abundances, or 611-657 for 70% solar abundances are found. The percentage of the dust mass that is carried by iron is directly correlated with the gas-to-dust mass ratio implying an Fe-rich grain core remains after grain destruction.Comment: 36 pages, 6 figures, accepted by Ap

The unidentified TeV source (TeVJ2032+4130) and surrounding field: Final HEGRA IACT-System results

The unidentified TeV source in Cygnus is now confirmed by follow-up observations from 2002 with the HEGRA stereoscopic system of Cherenkov Telescopes. Using all data (1999 to 2002) we confirm this new source as steady in flux over the four years of data taking, extended with radius 6.2 arcmin (+-1.2 arcmin (stat) +-0.9 arcmin (sys)) and exhibiting a hard spectrum with photon index -1.9. It is located in the direction of the dense OB stellar association, Cygnus OB2. Its integral flux above energies E>1 TeV amounts to \~5% of the Crab assuming a Gaussian profile for the intrinsic source morphology. There is no obvious counterpart at radio, optical nor X-ray energies, leaving TeVJ2032+4130 presently unidentified. Observational parameters of this source are updated here and some astrophysical discussion is provided. Also included are upper limits for a number of other interesting sources in the FoV, including the famous microquasar Cygnus X-3.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysic