Development and fabrication of bismaleimide-graphite composites

The successful fabrication of high temperature resistant composites depends mainly on the processability of the resin binder matrix. For two new bismaleimide type resins the processing of graphite fabric prepregs to composites is described. One resin coded M 751 has to be processed from N-Methylpyrrolidone, the other resin evaluated is a so-called hot melt solvent-less system. Commercial T300/3000 Graphite fabrics were used as reinforcement. The M 751 - Resin is a press grade material and laminates are therefore moulded in high pressure conditions (400 N/sq cm). The solvent-less resin system H 795 is an autoclave grade material and can be cured at 40 N/sq cm. The cure cycles for both the press grade and the autoclave grade material (Fiberite W 143 fabric prepregs) are provided and the mechanical properties of laminates at low (23 C) and high (232 C) temperatures were measured. For comparison, the neat resin flexural properties are also presented. The water absorption for the neat resins and the graphite fabric laminates after a 1000 hour period was evaluated

Centrality of Buddhist Religiosity Scale: Adaptation and Validation of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale in a Buddhist Sample in Vietnam

This paper describes an adaptation of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale to the Buddhist religious tradition (CBRS) and a validation in Vietnam. The sample included data from 421 Vietnamese Buddhists (300 females, 121 males), aged 17 to 71 years (M=35.03, SD=13.09). The results provided evidence for good psychometric properties of the short, intermediate, and long version: CBRS-5, CBRS-10, and CBRS-15 respectively. Specifically, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported the measure’s original five-factor structure: intellect, ideology, public practice, private practice, and religious experience. Furthermore, the Centrality of Buddhist Religiosity has proven to be a stable psychological construct across the three versions of CBRS and was associated strongly with the Gordon Allport’s notion of the intrinsic religious orientation. The results also suggested that the Stefan Huber’s centrality of religiosity model can capture the Buddhist religiosity and that the CBRS can be used to measure the five theoretical defined core dimensions of religiosity in Buddhism

Nitrergic modulation of neuronal excitability in the mouse hippocampus is mediated via regulation of Kv2 and voltage‐gated sodium channels

Regulation of neuronal activity is a necessity for communication and information transmission. Many regulatory processes which have been studied provide a complex picture of how neurons can respond to permanently changing functional requirements. One such activity-dependent mechanism involves signaling mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Within the brain, NO is generated in response to neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) activation but NO-dependent pathways regulating neuronal excitability in the hippocampus remain to be fully elucidated. This study was set out to systematically assess the effects of NO on ion channel activities and intrinsic excitabilities of pyramidal neurons within the CA1 region of the mouse hippocampus. We characterized whole-cell potassium and sodium currents, both involved in action potential (AP) shaping and propagation and determined NO-mediated changes in excitabilities and AP waveforms. Our data describe a novel signaling by which NO, in a cGMP-independent manner, suppresses voltage-gated Kv2 potassium and voltage-gated sodium channel activities, thereby widening AP waveforms and reducing depolarization-induced AP firing rates. Our data show that glutathione, which possesses denitrosylating activity, is sufficient to prevent the observed nitrergic effects on potassium and sodium channels, whereas inhibition of cGMP signaling is also sufficient to abolish NO modulation of sodium currents. We propose that NO suppresses both ion channel activities via redox signaling and that an additional cGMP-mediated component is required to exert effects on sodium currents. Both mechanisms result in a dampened excitability and firing ability providing new data on nitrergic activities in the context of activity-dependent regulation of neuronal function following nNOS activation

Scanning Laser Optical Tomography Resolves Structural Plasticity during Regeneration in an Insect Brain

Background: Optical Projection Tomography (OPT) is a microscopic technique that generates three dimensional images from whole mount samples the size of which exceeds the maximum focal depth of confocal laser scanning microscopes. As an advancement of conventional emission-OPT, Scanning Laser Optical Tomography (SLOTy) allows simultaneous detection of fluorescence and absorbance with high sensitivity. In the present study, we employ SLOTy in a paradigm of brain plasticity in an insect model system. Methodology: We visualize and quantify volumetric changes in sensory information procession centers in the adult locust, Locusta migratoria. Olfactory receptor neurons, which project from the antenna into the brain, are axotomized by crushing the antennal nerve or ablating the entire antenna. We follow the resulting degeneration and regeneration in the olfactory centers (antennal lobes and mushroom bodies) by measuring their size in reconstructed SLOTy images with respect to the untreated control side. Within three weeks post treatment antennal lobes with ablated antennae lose as much as 60% of their initial volume. In contrast, antennal lobes with crushed antennal nerves initially shrink as well, but regain size back to normal within three weeks. The combined application of transmission-and fluorescence projections of Neurobiotin labeled axotomized fibers confirms that recovery of normal size is restored by regenerated afferents. Remarkably, SLOTy images reveal that degeneration of olfactory receptor axons has a trans-synaptic effect on second order brain centers and leads to size reduction of the mushroom body calyx. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that SLOTy is a suitable method for rapid screening of volumetric plasticity in insect brains and suggests its application also to vertebrate preparations.DFG/REBIRT

Religiosity in various religious cultures: comparisons based on the Centrality of Religiosity Scale

Der Beitrag diskutiert die interreligiöse Anwendbarkeit der Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS). Ein wesentlicher Teil besteht in der soziologischen Begründung von sechs Kerndimensionen der Religiosität (Ideologie, Intellekt, Erfahrung, private Praxis, öffentliche Praxis, Konsequenzen im Alltag), wobei die CRS auf den ersten fünf Dimensionen basiert. Bei der theoretischen Begründung der Kerndimensionen spielen ihre relative Autonomie sowie soziale Erwartungen an religiöse Personen eine entscheidende Rolle. Für die interreligiöse Anwendbarkeit der CRS spricht, dass die thematisierten sozialen Erwartungen bei allen größeren Religionskulturen gegeben sind. Darauf aufbauend werden die Operationalisierung der Kerndimensionen sowie einzelne Modifikationen der Indikatoren in bestimmten Religionskulturen dargestellt. Dabei sind die Formspezifik und inhaltliche Allgemeinheit der Indikatoren zentral, um die CRS vergleichend in unterschiedlichen Religionskulturen anwenden zu können. In empirischer Hinsicht wird die Reliabilität (Cronbachs Alpha) der aus zehn Indikatoren bestehenden CRS-10 bei jüdischen, christlichen, islamischen, hinduistischen und buddhistischen Respondenten in den Daten des internationalen Religionsmonitors 2007, der in 21 Ländern unter Berücksichtigung der genannten fünf großen Religionskulturen durchgeführt wurde, diskutiert. Dabei wurde deutlich, dass sich nach der Berücksichtigung des Modernisierungsgrads einer Gesellschaft und der Anteil von Säkularen die Reliabilitätskoeffizienten in allen Religionskulturen in einem akzeptablen Bereich befinden.The article discusses the interreligious applicability of the Centrality of Religiosity Scale (CRS). A substantial part consists in the sociological justification of six core dimensions of religiosity (ideology, intellect, experience, private practice, public practice, consequences in everyday life), whereby the CRS is based on the first five dimensions. In the theoretical justification of the core dimensions, their relative autonomy and social expectations of religious persons play a determining role. The interreligious applicability of the CRS is supported by the fact that the social expectations addressed are present in all major religious cultures. Based on this, the operationalization of the core dimensions and individual modifications of the indicators in certain religious cultures are presented. The form specificity and the general nature of the indicators in terms of content are central to being able to apply the CRS in different religious cultures in a comparative way. From an empirical point of view, the reliability (Cronbach’s Alpha) of the CRS-10, consisting of ten indicators in Jewish, Christian, Islamic, Hindu and Buddhist respondents, is discussed in the data of the International Religion Monitor 2007, which was conducted in 21 countries, taking into account the five major religious cultures mentioned above. It became clear that after taking into consideration the degree of modernization of a society and the proportion of secular people, the reliability coefficients in all religious cultures are within an acceptable range.L’article traite de l’applicabilité interreligieuse de la «Centrality of Religiosity Scale» (CRS). Une partie essentielle consiste en la justification sociologique de six dimensions fondamentales de la religiosité (idéologie, intellect, expérience, pratique privée, pratique publique, conséquences dans la vie quotidienne), sorte que le CRS se fonde sur les cinq premières dimensions. Dans la justification théorique des dimensions fondamentales, leur autonomie relative et les attentes sociales des personnes religieuses jouent un rôle décisif. L’applicabilité interreligieuse de la CRS est soutenue par le fait que les attentes sociales visées sont présentes dans toutes les grandes cultures religieuses. Sur cette base, l’opérationnalisation des dimensions fondamentales et les modifications individuelles des indicateurs dans certaines cultures religieuses sont présentées. La spécificité de la forme et la généralité des indicateurs en termes de contenu sont essentielles pour l’application comparative du CRS dans différentes cultures religieuses. D’un point de vue empirique, la fiabilité (Alpha de Cronbach) du CRS-10, composé de dix indicateurs parmi les répondants juifs, chrétiens, islamiques, hindous et bouddhistes, est examinée dans les données de l’International Religion Monitor 2007, qui a été réalisé dans 21 pays, en tenant compte des cinq grandes cultures religieuses mentionnées ci-avant. Il est apparu clairement qu’après avoir pris en compte le degré de modernisation d’une société et la proportion de laïcs, les coefficients de fiabilité dans toutes les cultures religieuses se situent dans une marge acceptable

Equations over free inverse monoids with idempotent variables

We introduce the notion of idempotent variables for studying equations in inverse monoids. It is proved that it is decidable in singly exponential time (DEXPTIME) whether a system of equations in idempotent variables over a free inverse monoid has a solution. The result is proved by a direct reduction to solve language equations with one-sided concatenation and a known complexity result by Baader and Narendran: Unification of concept terms in description logics, 2001. We also show that the problem becomes DEXPTIME hard , as soon as the quotient group of the free inverse monoid has rank at least two. Decidability for systems of typed equations over a free inverse monoid with one irreducible variable and at least one unbalanced equation is proved with the same complexity for the upper bound. Our results improve known complexity bounds by Deis, Meakin, and Senizergues: Equations in free inverse monoids, 2007. Our results also apply to larger families of equations where no decidability has been previously known.Comment: 28 pages. The conference version of this paper appeared in the proceedings of 10th International Computer Science Symposium in Russia, CSR 2015, Listvyanka, Russia, July 13-17, 2015. Springer LNCS 9139, pp. 173-188 (2015

Neuropeptides in the Antennal Lobe of the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

For many insects, including mosquitoes, olfaction is the dominant modality regulating their behavioral repertoire. Many neurochemicals modulate olfactory information in the central nervous system, including the primary olfactory center of insects, the antennal lobe. The most diverse and versatile neurochemicals in the insect nervous system are found in the neuropeptides. In the present study, we analyzed neuropeptides in the antennal lobe of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, a major vector of arboviral diseases. Direct tissue profiling of the antennal lobe by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry indicated the presence of 28 mature products from 10 different neuropeptide genes. In addition, immunocytochemical techniques were used to describe the cellular location of the products of up to seven of these genes within the antennal lobe. Allatostatin A, allatotropin, SIFamide, FMRFamide-related peptides, short neuropeptide F, myoinhibitory peptide, and tachykinin-related peptides were found to be expressed in local interneurons and extrinsic neurons of the antennal lobe. Building on these results, we discuss the possible role of neuropeptide signaling in the antennal lobe of Ae. aegypti. J. Comp. Neurol. 522:592-608, 2014. (c) 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc

beta-Amyloid Clustering around ASC Fibrils Boosts Its Toxicity in Microglia

Alzheimer\u27s disease is the world\u27s most common neurodegenerative disorder. It is associated with neuroinflammation involving activation of microglia by beta-amyloid (Abeta) deposits. Based on previous studies showing apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC) binding and cross-seeding extracellular Abeta, we investigate the propagation of ASC between primary microglia and the effects of ASC-Abeta composites on microglial inflammasomes and function. Indeed, ASC released by a pyroptotic cell can be functionally built into the neighboring microglia NOD-like receptor protein (NLRP3) inflammasome. Compared with protein-only application, exposure to ASC-Abeta composites amplifies the proinflammatory response, resulting in pyroptotic cell death, setting free functional ASC and inducing a feedforward stimulating vicious cycle. Clustering around ASC fibrils also compromises clearance of Abeta by microglia. Together, these data enable a closer look at the turning point from acute to chronic Abeta-related neuroinflammation through formation of ASC-Abeta composites

Soziale Arbeit in der Rehabilitation: Praxis und Wirkmechanismen Sozialer Arbeit in der medizinischen Rehabilitation

Soziale Arbeit ist ein wichtiger Teil der medizinischen Rehabilitation. Die Ausgestaltung ihrer Leistungen und ihre potentielle Wirkung blieben bislang allerdings unklar. An dieser Stelle setzen die Autor*innen an und präsentieren die Ergebnisse des Forschungsprojekts SWIMMER: Im Rahmen eines qualitativen Forschungsprojekts wurde die sozialarbeiterische Praxis von Sozialdiensten medizinischer Reha-Einrichtungen untersucht und ein Wirkmodell der Sozialen Arbeit in diesem Bereich entwickelt. Die vergleichende Darstellung der Resultate richtet sich sowohl an Sozialarbeiter*innen als auch an Verantwortliche in den Reha-Einrichtungen, die ihre eigene Praxis reflektieren und einen tieferen Einblick in gängige Arbeitsstrukturen der Sozialdienste erhalten wollen