New measurement approaches to identifying spatial concentrations of poor and low-income households in German city regions

The question of whether 21st-century urbanization dynamics are leading to a suburbanization of poverty in Western city regions has been on the agenda of spatial researchers and housing policymakers for over a decade now. Persistent reurbanization trends are putting increased pressure on inner-city housing markets, resulting in affordability problems for low-income households. Evidence from the US and the UK shows that financing mechanisms in the real estate sector were severely disrupted in the aftermath of the financial crisis in 2009 and subsequent years, with many households losing their homes and being forced to move. Though social security systems and social housing policies generally have a moderating effect, they vary widely across Western countries. Against this background, this paper presents three spatial observation methods tailored to the spatial analysis of poverty concentrations in Germany. The methods are based on three popular conceptualizations of poverty: material poverty, relative poverty, and the concept of neighbourhood deprivation. The main novelty presented in this paper is a cold-spot analysis of purchasing power in 33 city regions using interactive map visualizations and complemented by socioeconomic indicators. Expert feedback verifies the validity of the approach which addresses a "blind spot" in assessing poverty in Germany, where many low-income households are increasingly exposed to risks of poverty despite not qualifying for social benefits.Seit über einem Jahrzehnt gehen Raumwissenschaftler der Frage nach, ob die Urbanisierungsdynamiken des 21. Jahrhunderts zu einer Suburbanisierung von Armut in westlichen Stadtregionen führen. Persistente Trends der Reurbanisierung verstärken den Druck auf innerstädtische Wohnungsmärkte, einkommensschwache Haushalte sind so erheblichen Engpässen für bezahlbares Wohnen ausgesetzt. Forschungsergebnisse aus den Vereinigten Staaten und Großbritannien verweisen auf die Nachwirkungen der Finanzmarktkrise 2009 und ihre disruptiven Auswirkungen auf die Eigenheimfinanzierung, als in der Folge zahlreiche Haushalte umziehen mussten. Sozialpolitik und soziale Wohnraumversorgung sind zwar generell dazu konzipiert, diese Effekte nach Möglichkeit abzufedern, sie funktionieren in den westlichen Industrieländern allerdings sehr verschieden. In diesem Zusammenhang präsentiert der vorliegende Beitrag drei Ansätze zur räumlichen Analyse von Armutskonzentrationen in Deutschland. Die Messmethoden basieren auf drei verbreiteten Armutskonzepten: der materiellen Armut, der relativen Armut und dem Konzept der benachteiligenden Lage. Die zentrale Neuerung des Beitrags besteht in einer Cold-Spot Analyse der Kaufkraft in 33 Stadtregionen, die als interaktive Kartendarstellung im Internet verfügbar ist und durch sozioökonomische Indikatoren ergänzt wird. Rückmeldungen aus Expertengesprächen bestätigen die Passfähigkeit der Messmethode im Hinblick auf einen "blinden Flecken" in der deutschen Armutsforschung. Dieser betrifft eine hohe Zahl einkommensschwacher Haushalte, die zwar keine Sozialhilfe erhalten, aber dennoch zunehmend armutsgefährdet sind

Tagungsbericht: Dialogische Krimianalysen: Fachdidaktik und Literaturwissenschaft untersuchen aktuelle Kriminalliteratur aus Belgien und Frankreich

Bericht zur Tagung „Dialogische Krimianalysen: Fachdidaktik und Literaturwissenschaft untersuchen aktuelle Kriminalliteratur aus Belgien und Frankreich“, 15. und 16. Oktober 2015, Universität Paderbor

Reduced vagal activity in borderline personality disorder is unaffected by intranasal oxytocin administration, but predicted by the interaction between childhood trauma and attachment insecurity

Individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show self-regulatory deficits, associated with reduced heart-rate variability (HRV). However, results on reduced HRV in BPD remain heterogeneous, thus encouraging the search for developmental constructs explaining this heterogeneity. The present study first examined predictors of reduced resting-state HRV in BPD, namely the interaction between self-reported adult attachment insecurity and childhood trauma. Second, we investigated if alterations in resting-state HRV are modified by intranasal oxytocin administration, as oxytocin may enhance HRV and is implicated in the interaction between childhood trauma and disturbed attachment for the pathogenesis of BPD. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, 53 unmedicated women with BPD and 60 healthy controls (HC) self-administered either 24 I.U. of oxytocin or placebo and underwent a 4-min electrocardiogram. Our results replicate significantly reduced HRV in women with BPD, explained up to 16% by variations in childhood trauma and attachment insecurity. At high levels of acute attachment insecurity, higher levels of childhood trauma significantly predicted reduced HRV in BPD. However, our results do not support a significant effect of oxytocin on mean HRV, and no interaction effect emerged including childhood trauma and attachment insecurity. Our findings highlight a complex interaction between reduced vagal activity and developmental factors in BPD

Observed and modeled meridional overturning circulation related flow into the Caribbean

A major pathway of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) is the warm inflow into the Caribbean Sea. The transport and the contribution of water from the South Atlantic is calculated from observations (ADCP data and hydrography) and compared to the results of the equation image° FLAME model. The model and the observations show high consistency in the strength of the mean total inflow and its range of variability as well as in the general distribution of water from South Atlantic origin. The measurements give an annual mean South Atlantic Water (SAW) transport into the Caribbean of 9.3 Sv with high variability. This estimate has to be regarded as a lower bound since the present method (using temperature and salinity data) cannot identify the SAW included in the North Equatorial Current (NEC), which recirculated and was transformed in the interior tropical Atlantic. The model transport reproduces the observational values rather closely, with an annual mean inflow of 8.6 Sv and similar high variability. Closer inspection of the SAW pathways in the model suggest that the additional contribution by the NEC‐pathway is only about 2 Sv. The model results confirm the relative importance of the MOC pathways suggested by observations: the Caribbean inflow seems to be the main pathway (63%) for the warm and central water (σθ < 27.1 kg m−3), whereas for the intermediate water a larger fraction (59%) is transported northward at the eastern side of the Lesser Antilles

Semantics and technologies in modern design of interior stairs

Use of metal in the design of interior stairs presents new features for shaping, and can be implemented using different technologies. The article discusses the features of design and production technologies of forged metal spiral staircase considering the image semantics based on the historical and cultural heritage. To achieve the objective was applied structural-semantic method (to identify the organization of structure and semantic features of the artistic image), engineering methods (to justify the construction of the object), anthropometry method and ergonomics (to provide usability), methods of comparative analysis (to reveale the features of the way the ladder in different periods of culture). According to the research results are as follows. Was revealed the semantics influence on the design of interior staircase that is based on the World Tree image. Also was suggested rational calculation of steps to ensure the required strength. And finally was presented technology, providing the realization of the artistic image. In the practical part of the work is presented version of forged staircase

How flat is an air-cleaved mica surface?

Ostendorf F, Schmitz C, Hirth S, Kühnle A, Kolodziej JJ, Reichling M. How flat is an air-cleaved mica surface? Nanotechnology. 2008;19(30):305705.Muscovite mica is an important mineral that has become a standard substrate, due to its easy cleavage along the {001} planes, revealing a very flat surface that is compatible with many biological materials. Here we study mica surfaces by dynamic atomic force microscopy (AFM) operated in the non-contact mode (NC-AFM) under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. Surfaces produced by cleaving in UHV cannot be imaged with NC-AFM due to large surface charges; however, cleavage in air yields much less surface charge and allows for NC-AFM imaging. We present highly resolved NC-AFM images of air-cleaved mica surfaces revealing a rough morphology originating from a high density of nanometre-sized particles. Among these particles, we find regularly shaped structures indicating the growth of crystallites on the surface. The contamination layer cannot be removed by degassing in UHV; even prolonged heating at a temperature of 560 K under UHV conditions does not yield an atomically flat surface

Evidence for Potassium Carbonate Crystallites on Air-Cleaved Mica Surfaces

Ostendorf F, Schmitz C, Hirth S, Kühnle A, Kolodziej JJ, Reichling M. Evidence for Potassium Carbonate Crystallites on Air-Cleaved Mica Surfaces. Langmuir. 2009;25(18):10764-10767.Air-cleaved mica surfaces exhibit a high density of nanometer or micrometer size particles that have been ascribed to potassium carbonate formed as it reaction product of carbonaceous gases with potassium ions. Unambiguous evidence for this assignment has, however, never been presented. We study air-cleaved mica surfaces by high-resolution noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) in ultrahigh vacuum to reveal the detailed structure of such precipitates on the surface. Among a large number of irregularly shaped surface structures, we find flat, hexagonally shaped islands exhibiting two different patterns on their surfaces, namely a rectangular atomic corrugation pattern and a hexagonal moire Structure. The unit cell of the rectangular pattern corresponds to the dimensions of the potassium carbonate bulk structure and is found on high crystallites. The moire structure solely appears on very flat islands and is caused by the interference of the potassium carbonate lattice periodicity and the lattice periodicity of the underlying mica substrate. Both results strongly point to the presence of potassium carbonate crystallites on air-cleaved mica surfaces

Development of a Novel Valve-Controlled Drug-Elutable Microstent for Microinvasive Glaucoma Surgery: In Vitro and Preclinical In Vivo Studies

Purpose: Microinvasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS) has become an important treatment approach for primary open-angle glaucoma, although the safe and long-term effective lowering of intraocular pressure with currently available implants for MIGS is not yet achieved to a satisfactory extent. The study focusses on the development and in vitro and in vivo testing of a novel microstent for MIGS. Methods: A silicone elastomer-based microstent was developed. Implants were manufactured using dip coating, fs-laser cutting, and spray coating. Within the current study no antifibrotic drug was loaded into the device. Sterilized microstents were analyzed in vitro regarding pressure–flow characteristics and biocompatibility. Six New Zealand white rabbits were implanted with a microstent draining the aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into the subconjunctival space. Drainage efficacy was evaluated using oculopressure tonometry as a transient glaucoma model. Noninvasive imaging was performed. Results: Microstents were manufactured successfully and characterized in vitro. Implantation in vivo was successful for four animals with additional device fixation. Without additional fixation, dislocation of microstents was found in two animals. Safe and effective intraocular pressure reduction was observed for the four eyes with correctly implanted microstent during the 6-month trial period. Conclusions: The described microstent represents an innovative treatment approach for MIGS. The incorporation of a selectively antifibrotic drug into the microstent drugelutable coating will be addressed in future investigations. Translational Relevance: The current preclinical study successfully provided proof of concept for our microstent for MIGS which is suitable for safe and effective intraocular pressure reduction and offers promising perspectives for the clinical management of glaucoma