The German Commission on Improving the Information Infrastructure between Science and Statistics (KVI) and their Realization since 2001

In 1999 the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) appointed a commission to examine the informational infrastructure in Germany and to make proposals for its improvement. The central objective was to improve the cooperation between the scientific community and official statistical agencies. The "Commission to Improve the Informational Infrastructure between the Scientific Community and Official Statistics" (KVI) presented its final report in 2001 (KVI 2001).

Midlatitude ClO during the maximum atmospheric chlorine burden : in situ balloon measurements and model simulations

Chlorine monoxide (ClO) plays a key role in stratospheric ozone loss processes at midlatitudes. We present two balloonborne in situ measurements of ClO conducted in northern hemisphere midlatitudes during the period of the maximum of total inorganic chlorine loading in the atmosphere. Both ClO measurements were conducted on board the TRIPLE balloon payload, launched in November 1996 in Le´on, Spain, and in May 1999 in Aire sur l’Adour, France. For both flights a ClO daylight and night time vertical profile could be derived over an altitude range of approximately 15–31 km. ClO mixing ratios are compared to model simulations performed with the photochemical box model version of the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere (CLaMS). Simulations along 24-h backward trajectories were performed to study the diurnal variation of ClO in the midlatitude lower stratosphere. Model simulations for the flight launched in Aire sur l’Adour 1999 show a good agreement with the ClO measurements. For the flight launched in Le´on 1996, a similar good agreement is found, except at around ~ 650 K potential temperature (~26km altitude). However, a tendency is found that for solar zenith angles greater than 86°–87° the simulated ClO mixing ratios substantially overestimate measured ClO by approximately a factor of 2.5 or more for both flights. Therefore we conclude that no indication can be deduced from the presented ClO measurements that substantial uncertainties exist in midlatitude chlorine chemistry of the stratosphere. An exception is the situation at solar zenith angles greater than 86°–87° where model simulations substantial overestimate ClO observations

The impact of transport across the polar vortex edge on Match ozone loss estimates

The Match method for the quantification of polar chemical ozone loss is investigated mainly with respect to the impact of the transport of air masses across the vortex edge. For the winter 2002/03, we show that significant transport across the vortex edge occurred and was simulated by the Chemical Lagrangian Model of the Stratosphere. In-situ observations of inert tracers and ozone from HAGAR on the Geophysica aircraft and balloon-borne sondes, and remote observations from MIPAS on the ENVISAT satellite were reproduced well by CLaMS. The model even reproduced a small vortex remnant that remained a distinct feature until June 2003 and was also observed in-situ by a balloon-borne whole air sampler. We use this CLaMS simulation to quantify the impact of transport across the vortex edge on ozone loss estimates from the Match method. We show that a time integration of the determined vortex average ozone loss rates, as performed in Match, results in a larger ozone loss than the polar vortex average ozone loss in CLaMS. The determination of the Match ozone loss rates is also influenced by the transport of air across the vortex edge. We use the model to investigate how the sampling of the ozone sondes on which Match is based represents the vortex average ozone loss rate. Both the time integration of ozone loss and the determination of ozone loss rates for Match are evaluated using the winter 2002/2003 CLaMS simulation. These impacts can explain the majority of the differences between CLaMS and Match column ozone loss. While the investigated effects somewhat reduce the apparent discrepancy in January ozone loss rates reported earlier, a distinct discrepancy between simulations and Match remains. However, its contribution to the accumulated ozone loss over the winter is not large

Neuropsychological functioning in inpatients with major depression or schizophrenia

Background: Studies that compare neuropsychological functioning in inpatients with mood disorder or schizophrenia come to heterogeneous results. This study aims at investigating the question whether there are different neuropsychological test profiles in stabilised post-acute inpatients with affective disorders or schizophrenia. Method: We were interested in evaluating impairment in specific areas of cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia or depression. In clinical reality, patients with depression and schizophrenia are often treated together with little attention to their specific needs. 74 patients with major depression and 38 patients with schizophrenia were assessed in a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. All patients were in a post-acute stage of their illness, i.e. remission of acute symptoms. Results: In spite of a comparable mean score of psychopathological symptoms in the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Expanded (BPRS-E) as well as in the Global Assessment Functioning Scale (GAF), patients with depressive disorder showed significantly better results in verbal and visual short-term memory, verbal fluency, visual-motor coordination, information processing in visual-verbal functioning and selective attention compared to patients with schizophrenia. No significant differences between both samples were found in practical reasoning, general verbal abstraction, spatial-figural functioning, speed of cognitive processing. Conclusions: These results show that there are differences in scores in psychopathology (BPRS-E, GAF) in patients with affective disorders or schizophrenia and different neuropsychological test profiles in the post-acute stage of their illness

Neurocognitive deficits in depression: a systematic review of cognitive impairment in the acute and remitted state

Previous research suggests a broad range of deficits in major depressive disorder. Our goal was to update the current assumptions and investigate the extent of cognitive impairment in depression in the acute and remitted state. A systematic review of the existing literature between 2009 and 2019 assessing the risk of bias within the included studies was performed. Of the 42 articles reviewed, an unclear risk of bias was shown overall. The risk of bias mainly concerned the sample selection, inadequate remedial measures, as well as the lack of blinding the assessors. In the acute phase, we found strong support for impairment in processing speed, learning, and memory. Follow-up studies and direct comparisons revealed less pronounced deficits in remission, however, deficits were still present in attention, learning and memory, and working memory. A positive correlation between the number of episodes and cognitive deficits as well as depression severity and cognitive deficits was reported. The results also demonstrate a resemblance between the cognitive profiles in bipolar disorder and depression. Comparisons of depression with schizophrenia led to unclear results, at times suggesting an overlap in cognitive performance. The main findings support the global deficit hypothesis and align with results from prior meta-analyses and reviews. Recommendations for future research are also presented

Proposta de implementação em hardware dedicado de redes neurais competitivas com técnicas de circuitos integrados analógicos

Neste trabalho apresenta-se uma proposta de uma técnica para implementação em hardware, das estruturas básicas de uma Rede Neural Competitiva, baseada em técnicas analógicas. Através desta proposta, será abordada uma das classes mais interessantes de Redes Neurais Artificiais (RNA) que são as Redes Neurais Competitivas (RNC), que possuem forte inspiração biológica. As equações fundamentais que descrevem o comportamento da RNC foram derivadas de estudos interdisciplinares, a maioria envolvendo observações neurofisiológicas. O estudo do neurônio biológico, por exemplo, nos leva à clássica equação da membrana. A técnica mostrada para a implementação das Redes Neurais Competitivas se baseia no uso das técnicas analógicas. Estas conduzem a um projeto mais compacto além de permitirem um processamento em tempo real, visto que o circuito computacional analógico altera simultaneamente e continuamente todos os estados dos neurônios que se encontram interligados em paralelo. Para esta proposta de implementação, é mostrado que as equações fundamentais que governam as Redes Neurais Competitivas possuem uma relação com componentes eletrônicos básicos, podendo então, serem implementados através destes simples componentes com os quais as equações fundamentais se relacionam. Para tanto, é mostrado por meio de simulações em software, o comportamento das equações fundamentais deste tipo de Redes Neurais, e então, é comparado este comportamento, com os obtidos através de simulações elétricas dos circuitos equivalentes oriundos destas equações fundamentais. Mostra-se também, em ambas as simulações, uma das características mais importantes existentes nos modelos de RNC, conhecida como Memória de Tempo Curto (STM). Por fim, é apresentada uma aplicação típica na área de clusterização de padrões utilizando pesos sinápticos, a fim de, demonstrar a implementação utilizando as técnicas descritas durante o trabalho. Esta aplicação é demonstrada através de uma simulação elétrica, sendo esta realizada por meio do simulador HSPICE. Tal aplicação demonstra o correto desempenho da proposta deste trabalho.Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI

Proposta de implementação em hardware dedicado de redes neurais competitivas com técnicas de circuitos integrados analógicos

Neste trabalho apresenta-se uma proposta de uma técnica para implementação em hardware, das estruturas básicas de uma Rede Neural Competitiva, baseada em técnicas analógicas. Através desta proposta, será abordada uma das classes mais interessantes de Redes Neurais Artificiais (RNA) que são as Redes Neurais Competitivas (RNC), que possuem forte inspiração biológica. As equações fundamentais que descrevem o comportamento da RNC foram derivadas de estudos interdisciplinares, a maioria envolvendo observações neurofisiológicas. O estudo do neurônio biológico, por exemplo, nos leva à clássica equação da membrana. A técnica mostrada para a implementação das Redes Neurais Competitivas se baseia no uso das técnicas analógicas. Estas conduzem a um projeto mais compacto além de permitirem um processamento em tempo real, visto que o circuito computacional analógico altera simultaneamente e continuamente todos os estados dos neurônios que se encontram interligados em paralelo. Para esta proposta de implementação, é mostrado que as equações fundamentais que governam as Redes Neurais Competitivas possuem uma relação com componentes eletrônicos básicos, podendo então, serem implementados através destes simples componentes com os quais as equações fundamentais se relacionam. Para tanto, é mostrado por meio de simulações em software, o comportamento das equações fundamentais deste tipo de Redes Neurais, e então, é comparado este comportamento, com os obtidos através de simulações elétricas dos circuitos equivalentes oriundos destas equações fundamentais. Mostra-se também, em ambas as simulações, uma das características mais importantes existentes nos modelos de RNC, conhecida como Memória de Tempo Curto (STM). Por fim, é apresentada uma aplicação típica na área de clusterização de padrões utilizando pesos sinápticos, a fim de, demonstrar a implementação utilizando as técnicas descritas durante o trabalho. Esta aplicação é demonstrada através de uma simulação elétrica, sendo esta realizada por meio do simulador HSPICE. Tal aplicação demonstra o correto desempenho da proposta deste trabalho.Sistemas InteligentesRed de Universidades con Carreras en Informática (RedUNCI