Reducing the sulphate content of soda-lime-silica glasses with the aid of physical refining

Soda-lime-silica glasses from the float glass production sector have sulphate contents of ≈ 0.27 wt% SO3. These sulphate contents contaminate the tin bath for the float process with sulphur. The thus-formed tin sulphides cause production faults by forming top-specks on the atmospheric surface of the glass ribbon. The aim of the described experiments is a reduction of the sulphate content of such glass melts. For this purpose, within the scope of a physical refining process, the glass melts are rinsed with nitrogen in order to drive SO3 (i.e. SO2 + 1/2 O2) from the melt and thus support the decomposition of sulphate. The sulphate content can thus be reduced to values of 0.11 to 0.13 wt% SO3. Parallel to this, a shifting of the Fe3+/Fe2+ ratio in favour of the bivalent iron is observed. It is thus possible to supervise the success of the physical refining process directly in the melt with the help of oxygen ion sensitive probes

Die Handelskosten von Sachsen

Die regionale Struktur und das Volumen der sächsischen Exporte und Importe erklären sich nicht nur durch die relativen Kostenunterschiede zwischen Sachsen und den Handelspartnern; mitentscheidend sind auch die Handelskosten für Exporte und Importe der sächsischen Wirtschaft. Unter Handelskosten werden Transportkosten, Kosten des Grenzübergangs der Ware und Distributionskosten, die im Empfängerland entstehen, verstanden. Jüngste empirische Arbeiten zu Kosten im internationalen Handel zeigen ein überraschendes Ergebnis: Für die OECD-Staaten entstehen im Durchschnitt Handelskosten, die einem Aufschlag von über 170 % entsprechen. Handelskosten können als Aufschlag, d. h. als ein Wertzoll aufgefasst werden. Unser Beitrag verwendet einen neuen Handelskostenindex, um die Handelskosten in Form eines Zolläquivalents für die sächsische Wirtschaft zu ermitteln. Im Jahr 1992 lag der durchschnittliche gewichtete Aufschlag für mit Sachsen gehandelte Waren bei 1,70. Im Jahr 2008 nahm dieser Aufschlag der Handelskosten in etwa den Wert eins an. Damit muss zum ursprünglichen Warenwert noch einmal der gleiche Wert für die Kosten des Handels aufgebracht werden.Außenwirtschaft; Transaktionskosten; Transportkosten; Informationskosten; Außenhandelsbeschränkung; Vergleich; Sachsen; OECD-Staaten

Plasmonic Library Based on Substrate-Supported Gradiential Plasmonic Arrays

We present a versatile approach to produce macroscopic, substrate-supported arrays of plasmonic nanoparticles with well-defined interparticle spacing and a continuous particle size gradient. The arrays thus present a “plasmonic library” of locally noncoupling plasmonic particles of different sizes, which can serve as a platform for future combinatorial screening of size effects. The structures were prepared by substrate assembly of gold-core/poly(<i>N</i>-isopropylacrylamide)-shell particles and subsequent post-modification. Coupling of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) could be avoided since the polymer shell separates the encapsulated gold cores. To produce a particle array with a broad range of well-defined but laterally distinguishable particle sizes, the substrate was dip-coated in a growth solution, which resulted in an overgrowth of the gold cores controlled by the local exposure time. The kinetics was quantitatively analyzed and found to be diffusion rate controlled, allowing for precise tuning of particle size by adjusting the withdrawal speed. We determined the kinetics of the overgrowth process, investigated the LSPRs along the gradient by UV–vis extinction spectroscopy, and compared the spectroscopic results to the predictions from Mie theory, indicating the absence of local interparticle coupling. We finally discuss potential applications of these substrate-supported plasmonic particle libraries and perspectives toward extending the concept from size to composition variation and screening of plasmonic coupling effects

Drosophila Rhodopsin 7 can partially replace the structural role of Rhodopsin 1, but not its physiological function

Rhodopsin 7 (Rh7), a new invertebrate Rhodopsin gene, was discovered in the genome of Drosophila melanogaster in 2000 and thought to encode for a functional Rhodopsin protein. Indeed, Rh7 exhibits most hallmarks of the known Rhodopsins, except for the G-protein-activating QAKK motif in the third cytoplasmic loop that is absent in Rh7. Here, we show that Rh7 can partially substitute Rh1 in the outer receptor cells (R1-6) for rhabdomere maintenance, but that it cannot activate the phototransduction cascade in these cells. This speaks against a role of Rh7 as photopigment in R1-6, but does not exclude that it works in the inner photoreceptor cells

Improved Route to Linear Triblock Copolymers by Coupling with Glycidyl Ether-Activated Poly(ethylene oxide) Chains

Poly(ethylene oxide) block copolymers (PEO$_z$ BCP) have been demonstrated to exhibit remarkably high lithium ion (Li$^+$) conductivity for Li$^+$ batteries applications. For linear poly(isoprene)-b-poly(styrene)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) triblock copolymers (PI$_x$PS$_y$PEO$_z$), a pronounced maximum ion conductivity was reported for short PEO$_z$ molecular weights around 2 kg mol$^{−1}$. To later enable a systematic exploration of the influence of the PI$_x$ and PS$_y$ block lengths and related morphologies on the ion conductivity, a synthetic method is needed where the short PEO$_z$ block length can be kept constant, while the PI$_x$ and PS$_y$ block lengths could be systematically and independently varied. Here, we introduce a glycidyl ether route that allows covalent attachment of pre-synthesized glycidyl-end functionalized PEO$_z$ chains to terminate PI$_x$PS$_y$ BCPs. The attachment proceeds to full conversion in a simplified and reproducible one-pot polymerization such that PI$_x$PS$_y$PEO$_z$ with narrow chain length distribution and a fixed PEO$_z$ block length of z = 1.9 kg mol$^{−1}$ and a Đ = 1.03 are obtained. The successful quantitative end group modification of the PEO$_z$ block was verified by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). We demonstrate further that with a controlled casting process, ordered microphases with macroscopic long-range directional order can be fabricated, as demonstrated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It has already been shown in a patent, published by us, that BCPs from the synthesis method presented here exhibit comparable or even higher ionic conductivities than those previously published. Therefore, this PEO$_z$ BCP system is ideally suitable to relate BCP morphology, order and orientation to macroscopic Li$^+$ conductivity in Li$^+$ batteries

Analysis of the intestinal microbiota using SOLiD 16S rRNA gene sequencing and SOLiD shotgun sequencing

Background: Metagenomics seeks to understand microbial communities and assemblages by DNA sequencing. Technological advances in next generation sequencing technologies are fuelling a rapid growth in the number and scope of projects aiming to analyze complex microbial environments such as marine, soil or the gut. Recent improvements in longer read lengths and paired-sequencing allow better resolution in profiling microbial communities. While both 454 sequencing and Illumina sequencing have been used in numerous metagenomic studies, SOLiD sequencing is not commonly used in this area, as it is believed to be more suitable in the context of reference-guided projects. Results: To investigate the performance of SOLiD sequencing in a metagenomic context, we compared taxonomic profiles of SOLiD mate-pair sequencing reads with Sanger paired reads and 454 single reads. All sequences were obtained from the bacterial 16S rRNA gene, which was amplified from microbial DNA extracted from a human fecal sample. Additionally, from the same fecal sample, complete genomic microbial DNA was extracted and shotgun sequenced using SOLiD sequencing to study the composition of the intestinal microbiota and the existing microbial metabolism. We found that the microbiota composition of 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained using Sanger, 454 and SOLiD sequencing provide results comparable to the result based on shotgun sequencing. Moreover, with SOLiD sequences we obtained more resolution down to the species level. In addition, the shotgun data allowed us to determine a functional profile using the databases SEED and KEGG. Conclusions: This study shows that SOLiD mate-pair sequencing is a viable and cost-efficient option for analyzing a complex microbiome. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that SOLiD sequencing has been used in a human sample. Keywords: Metagenomics; Intestinal Microbiota; Next-Generation Sequencing; SOLiD Mate-Pair Sequencing; Human Fecal SamplePublished versio

Onlinegestützte Bildungs- und Beratungsformate: neue Wege zur Entlastung pflegender Angehöriger von an Demenz erkrankten Personen im ländlichen Raum durch Schaffung neuer „Sozialräume“?

Das Thema – Betreuung von an Demenz erkrankten Pflegebedürftigen in der Häuslichkeit – ist in den letzten Jahren in den Fokus der Gesellschaft gerückt. Sie haben zu verschiedenen Diskursen sowohl in der Politik als auch in Teilen der Allgemeinbevölkerung angeregt (vgl. Stoppe & Stiens, 2009, S. 7). Mit Blick auf die heutigen Betreuungs- und Versorgungsstrukturen ist „mit einer Überforderung aller Beteiligten zu rechnen” (Blinkert & Klie, 2004, S. 319). Dies betrifft sowohl die pflegenden Angehörigen, als auch die professionellen Dienstleister der ambulanten Pflege. Deshalb wird sich die gesamte Gesellschaft mit dem Thema Versorgung von pflegebedürftigen Personen auseinandersetzen müssen und im Speziellen mit der Frage: Wie und durch wen soll die Betreuung in den nächsten 30 Jahren erfolgen? Insbesondere die eingeschränkten Rahmenbedingungen im ländlichen Raum stellen ein Problem dar, da weniger Unterstützungsstrukturen (Selbsthilfegruppen, Dienstleister etc.) zur Verfügung stehen (vgl. Engels & Pfeuffer, 2008, S. 171–202). Die Bevölkerung wird in Zukunft nicht umhinkommen, vermehrt ehrenamtliche Tätigkeiten zur Betreuung und Versorgung von Pflegebedürftigen und im Besonderen von Demenzkranken zu übernehmen (vgl. Stoppe & Stiens, 2009, S. 7). Damit diese Aufgabe durch die Allgemeinheit gelöst werden kann, bedarf es spezifischer Bildungs- und Informationsveranstaltungen, um zielgruppengerecht die Bevölkerung auf die Bedarfe von Personen mit Demenz vorzubereiten. [.. aus der Einleitung

Role of NOD2/CARD15 in coronary heart disease

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background:</p> <p>Bacterial DNA has been repeatedly detected in atheromatous lesions of coronary heart disease (CHD) patients. Phylogenetic signatures in the atheroma lesions that are similar to those of bacterial biofilms on human barrier organs, including the respiratory or gastrointestinal tract, raise the question of a defective barrier function in CHD. NOD2 plays a major role in defense against bacterial invasion. Genetic variation in the <it>CARD15 </it>gene, which encodes NOD2, was previously shown to result in a barrier defect that causes chronic inflammatory disorders (e.g. Crohn disease). In the present study, we investigated the possible involvement of NOD2/<it>CARD15 </it>in the pathology of CHD by <it>i) </it>analyzing the local expression of NOD2 in atherectomy versus healthy tissue (n = 5 each) using histochemical immunofluorescence and <it>ii) </it>by testing the three major functional <it>CARD15 </it>variants (R702W, G908R and 1007fs) for association with early-onset CHD in 900 German patients and 632 healthy controls.</p> <p>Results:</p> <p>In atherectomy tissue of CHD patients, NOD2 was detected in inflammatory cells at the luminal sides of the lesions. However, the allele and genotype frequencies of the three major <it>CARD15 </it>polymorphisms did not differ between CHD patients and controls.</p> <p>Conclusion:</p> <p>The NOD2 up-regulation in atheroma lesions indicates an involvement of this protein in the pathology of CHD. Although NOD2 could be important in local immune response mechanisms, none of the analyzed <it>CARD15 </it>variants seem to play a significant role in the etiology of CHD.</p