Der computeranimierte Spielfilm: Forschungen zur Inszenierung und Klassifizierung des 3-D-Computer-Trickfilms

Die Computeranimation beginnt seit einigen Jahren, neben dem Zeichentrick- und dem Puppentrickfilm das Kino zu erobern. Vollständig auf dem Computer entstandene Filme drängen die klassischen Trickfilmsparten zurück. Doch wie entstehen diese Filme? Dieses Buch gibt Einblicke in ihre Entwicklung und zeigt auf, wie Figuren und Drehorte entstehen, wie Kamera, Licht und Animation auf dem Computer eingesetzt werden. Neben der Inszenierung von computergenerierten Trickfilmen werden darüber hinaus Historie und Entwicklung nachgezeichnet, bekannte Filmbeispiele analysiert, bestehende Theorien über 3-D-Computeranimation vorgestellt und die Stellung dieser neuartigen Gattung im Genre des Trickfilms bestimmt

Genetic variability in tench (Tinca tinca L.) as revealed by PCR-RFLP analysis of mitochondrial DNA

Four mitochondrial DNA segments, ND1, ND6, cyt b and D-loop, were analysed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment lenght polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) in 14 tench (Tinca tinca L.) populations located in Europe and Asia; also data on five Italian populations previously analysed for the same mtDNA segments were included in the study. All the considered segments were polymorphic and originated a total of 9 composite haplotypes, which were clustered into two haplogroups, A and B, possibly corresponding to the Western and Eastern phylogroups previously described in tench. Nine out of 19 populations showed polymorphism, with haplotype diversity ranging from 0.246 to 0.643 and nucleotide diversity from 0.009 to 0.078. Seventy-five percent of the pairwise comparisons were significant, indicating a high between-population variability. The Neighbour-Joining tree revealed the presence of three clusters, including purepopulations, with only A or B haplogroup, and mixedpopulations, with both haplogroups. The possibility of identifying populations with different haplotypes has practical implications for both conservation and supportive stocking

A Novel Transcriptome-Derived SNPs Array for Tench (Tinca Tinca L.)

Tench (Tinca tinca L.) has great economic potential due to its high rate of fecundity and long-life span. Population genetic studies based on allozymes, microsatellites, PCR-RFLP and sequence analysis of genes and DNA fragments have revealed the presence of Eastern and Western phylogroups. However, the lack of genomic resources for this species has complicated the development of genetic markers. In this study, the tench transcriptome and genome were sequenced by high-throughput sequencing. A total of 60,414 putative SNPs were identified in the tench transcriptome using a computational pipeline. A set of 96 SNPs was selected for validation and a total of 92 SNPs was validated, resulting in the highest conversion and validation rate for a non-model species obtained to date (95.83%). The validated SNPs were used to genotype 140 individuals belonging to two tench breeds (Tabor and Hungarian), showing low (F-ST = 0.0450) but significant (<0.0001) genetic differentiation between the two tench breeds. This implies that set of validated SNPs array can be used to distinguish the tench breeds and that it might be useful for studying a range of associations between DNA sequence and traits of importance. These genomic resources created for the tench will provide insight into population genetics, conservation fish stock management, and aquaculture.This research was supported by projects CENAKVA and Reproductive and genetic approaches for fish biodiversity conservation and aquaculture (CZ02.1.01/0.0/0.0/16_025/0007370) funded by Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, and by the Genomic Resources Research Group from the Basque University System (IT558-10) funded by the Department of Education, Universities and Research of the Basque Government. JL is supported by the pre-doctoral program Education Department of the Basque Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

Genetic variability in European populations of Coregonus lavaretus (L.): an assessment based on mitochondrial ND-1 gene haplotypes

Abstract. The genetic variability of whitefish, Coregonus lavaretus (L.), was studied based on 114 individuals from nine populations inhabiting Polish lakes, including the Szczecin Lagoon, and from one population each from lakes in Austria and Switzerland. Differences within and among populations were assessed with mitochondrial ND-1 gene sequences that were PCR amplified and digested with ten restriction enzymes. The ten composite haplotypes obtained were sequenced and analyzed with MEGA4 software. The highest intrapopulation variability was noted in the whitefish populations inhabiting lakes Iñsko, Miedwie, Marianowo, Wisola, OEremskie, Morzycko, the Szczecin Lagoon, and Lake Lucerne, which possessed from two to five composite haplotypes. In contrast, populations inhabiting lakes Wooewin, Czarne, and Traunsee were fixed for the most common haplotype H2

Genetic characterization of introduced Tunisian and French populations of pike-perch (Sander lucioperca) by species-specific microsatellites and mitochondrial haplotypes

The pike-perch is among the economically most valuable fish species for both commercial and recreational fishermen. This could be seen as the main reason for its introductions into Western Europe (including France) and Tunisia. Knowledge of the genetic structure of the introduced populations is a prerequisite for their successful long-term management. The present study focuses on the genetic characterization of introduced Tunisian and French pike-perch populations using species-specific microsatellite loci and mitochondrial cytochrome b haplotypes in order to better understand their genetic relationships and to try to trace the origin of the Tunisian populations. Lowered levels of genetic diversity have been observed in the two introduced Tunisian populations and a farmed Czech strain compared to a native wild German population. The reduction of microsatellite genetic variability of these three populations was supported by a genetic bottleneck signature. In contrast, the French populations showed high genetic diversity, probably due to multiple introductions and admixture of genetically differing sources. A high genetic differentiation level (significant F-ST values) between most pike-perch populations and a high average accuracy of self-assignments of individuals to populations of their origin were observed, probably resulting from genetic drift. The average pairwise relatedness values and results of the structure analysis highlighted a closer relationship between Tunisian and French populations than between Tunisian and German ones. Indeed, the two Tunisian populations clustered together with the French populations on a Neighbour-Joining tree based on D-A genetic distances. This was also sustained by the distribution of cytochrome b haplotypes A and B in the studied populations. The present results demonstrate that, despite the genetic differences, the studied populations cluster according to their phylogeographic origin. The Tunisian populations seem to be introduced from a French hatchery where the brood stock had the haplotype B of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene

Herkunftsvergleich Karpfen: Vergleich der Eignung verschiedener Gebrauchskarpfenbestände (Cyprinus carpio L.) zur Teichaufzucht unter Verwendung des „Communal testings“ und Zuordnung von Herkünften über Mikrosatellitenmarkeranalysen

Die Leistung sächsischer Teichkarpfen wurde mit genetisch und räumlich weit entfernten europäischen Zuchtlinien verglichen. Zwischen den ausgewählten Herkünften des Karpfens konnten deutliche Leistungsunterschiede festgestellt werden. Es gab jedoch keine Herkunft, die in allen geprüften Belangen den anderen deutlich überlegen war. Herausragend positive Ergebnisse hinsichtlich ihrer Eignung für die Teichaufzucht erreichten Schuppenkarpfen einer tschechischen Herkunft. Im Ergebnis der Untersuchungen werden Empfehlungen für die praktische Zuchtarbeit in Karpfenvermehrungsbetrieben gegeben

Assessment of Health-Related Quality of Life after TBI: Comparison of a Disease-Specific (QOLIBRI) with a Generic (SF-36) Instrument

Psychosocial, emotional, and physical problems can emerge after traumatic brain njury (TBI), potentially impacting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Until now, however, neither the discriminatory power of disease-specific (QOLIBRI) and generic (SF-36) HRQoL nor their correlates have been compared in detail. These aspects as well as some psychometric item characteristics were studied in a sample of 795 TBI survivors. The Shannon H耠 index absolute informativity, as an indicator of an instrument’s power to differentiate between individualswithin a specific group or health state,was investigated. Psychometric performance of the two instruments was predominantly good, generally higher, and more homogenous for the QOLIBRI than for the SF-36 subscales. Notably, the SF-36 “Role Physical,” “Role Emotional,” and “Social Functioning” subscales showed less satisfactory discriminatory power than all other dimensions or the sum scores of both instruments. The absolute informativity of disease-specific as well as generic HRQoL instruments concerning the different groups defined by different correlates differed significantly.When the focus is on how a certain subscale or sum score differentiates between individuals in one specific dimension/health state, the QOLIBRI can be recommended as the preferable instrument.Psychosocial, emotional, and physical problems can emerge after traumatic brain injury (TBI), potentially impacting health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Until now, however, neither the discriminatory power of disease-specific (QOLIBRI) and generic (SF-36) HRQoL nor their correlates have been compared in detail. These aspects as well as some psychometric item characteristics were studied in a sample of 795 TBI survivors. The Shannon H耠 index absolute informativity, as an indicator of an instrument’s power to differentiate between individualswithin a specific group or health state,was investigated. Psychometric performance of the two instruments was predominantly good, generally higher, and more homogenous for the QOLIBRI than for the SF-36 subscales. Notably, the SF-36 “Role Physical,” “Role Emotional,” and “Social Functioning” subscales showed less satisfactory discriminatory power than all other dimensions or the sum scores of both instruments. The absolute informativity of disease-specific as well as generic HRQoL instruments concerning the different groups defined by different correlates differed significantly.When the focus is on how a certain subscale or sum score differentiates between individuals in one specific dimension/health state, the QOLIBRI can be recommended as the preferable instrument.Peer reviewe

Assessing a risk tailored intervention to prevent disabling low back pain - protocol of a cluster randomized controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although most patients with low back pain (LBP) recover within a few weeks a significant proportion has recurrent episodes or will develop chronic low back pain. Several mainly psychosocial risk factors for developing chronic LBP have been identified. However, effects of preventive interventions aiming at behavioural risk factors and unfavourable cognitions have yielded inconsistent results. Risk tailored interventions may provide a cost efficient and effective means to take systematic account of the individual risk factors but evidence is lacking.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This study will be a cluster-randomised controlled trial comparing screening and a subsequent risk tailored intervention for patients with low back pain to prevent chronic low back pain compared to treatment as usual in primary care. A total of 600 patients from 20 practices in each study arm will be recruited in Berlin and Goettingen. The intervention comprises the following elements: Patients will be assigned to one of four risk groups based on a screening questionnaire. Subsequently they receive an educational intervention including information and counselling tailored to the risk group. A telephone/email consulting service for back pain related problems are offered independent of risk group assignment. The primary outcomes will be functional capacity and sick leave.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of screening for risk factors for chronic low back pain followed by a risk tailored intervention to prevent chronic low back pain. This trial will contribute new evidence regarding the flexible use of individual physical and psychosocial risk factors in general practice.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>ISRCTN 68205910</p

A bio-psycho-social exercise program (RÜCKGEWINN) for chronic low back pain in rehabilitation aftercare - Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There is strong, internationally confirmed evidence for the short-term effectiveness of multimodal interdisciplinary specific treatment programs for chronic back pain. However, the verification of long-term sustainability of achieved effects is missing so far. For long-term improvement of pain and functional ability high intervention intensity or high volume seems to be necessary (> 100 therapy hours). Especially in chronic back pain rehabilitation, purposefully refined aftercare treatments offer the possibility to intensify positive effects or to increase their sustainability. However, quality assured goal-conscious specific aftercare programs for the rehabilitation of chronic back pain are absent.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>This study aims to examine the efficacy of a specially developed bio-psycho-social chronic back pain specific aftercare intervention (RÜCKGEWINN) in comparison to the current usual aftercare (IRENA) and a control group that is given an educational booklet addressing pain-conditioned functional ability and back pain episodes. Overall rehabilitation effects as well as predictors for compliance to the aftercare programs are analysed. Therefore, a multicenter prospective 3-armed randomised controlled trial is conducted. 456 participants will be consecutively enrolled in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and assigned to either one of the three study arms. Outcomes are measured before and after rehabilitation. Aftercare programs are assessed at ten month follow up after dismissal form rehabilitation.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Special methodological and logistic challenges are to be mastered in this trial, which accrue from the interconnection of aftercare interventions to their residential district and the fact that the proportion of patients who take part in aftercare programs is low. The usability of the aftercare program is based on the transference into the routine care and is also reinforced by developed manuals with structured contents, media and material for organisation assistance as well as training manuals for therapists in the aftercare.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Trial Registration number: NCT01070849</p

A global agenda for advancing freshwater biodiversity research

Global freshwater biodiversity is declining dramatically, and meeting the challenges of this crisis requires bold goals and the mobilisation of substantial resources. While the reasons are varied, investments in both research and conservation of freshwater biodiversity lag far behind those in the terrestrial and marine realms. Inspired by a global consultation, we identify 15 pressing priority needs, grouped into five research areas, in an effort to support informed stewardship of freshwater biodiversity. The proposed agenda aims to advance freshwater biodiversity research globally as a critical step in improving coordinated actions towards its sustainable management and conservation