Simulation for KM3NeT using ANTARES-Software

The KM3NeT project is a common European effort for the design of a km3-scale deep-sea neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean. For the upcoming Design Study simulations have been done using modified ANTARES software. Several concepts and ideas have been tested for their merits and feasibility.Comment: Presented at VLVnT2 Workshop, Catania, Siciliy, Italy, 8-11 Nov 200

SOCIETAL CONSTRAINTS ON AGRICULTURE: DISCUSSION

Agricultural and Food Policy,

Survey of Federal, National, and International standards applicable to the NASA applications data services

An applications data service (ADS) was developed to meet the challenges in the data access and integration. The ADS provides a common service to locate and access applications data electronically and integrate the cross correlative data sets required by multiple users. Its catalog and network services increase data visibility as well as provide the data in a more rapid manner and a usable form

Rettet unser Klima! : Preisgekröntes Sachbuch erläutert den Klimawandel ; [Rezension]

Rezension zu: Tim Flannery: Wir Wettermacher – Wie die Menschen das Klima verändern und was das für unser Leben auf der Erde bedeutet. S. Fischer Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2006, ISBN 3-10-021109-5, 397 Seiten, 19,90 Euro

La naturalización de refugiados burundeses en Tanzania

La oferta de ciudadanía por parte de Tanzania a unos 200.000 refugiados recibió atención y apoyo internacionales. El hecho de reconocer los puntos fuertes y los defectos de este modelo podría potencialmente ayudar a desbloquear otras situaciones de desplazamiento prolongado alrededor del mundo

Recreational Female CrossFit Athletes and Low Energy Availability

CrossFit is a demanding sport in which athletes perform constantly varied, functional movements at a high intensity, therefore requiring an adequate energy availability to avoid negative health and performance consequences. The purpose of this study was to assess risk of low energy availability (low EA) (phase 1) among recreational, female CrossFit athletes and measure and calculate energy availability using a 7-day dietary to measure energy intake (EI) and exercise energy expenditure (ExEE) (phase 2). In phase 1, using the LEAF-Q (Low Energy Availability in Females Questionnaire), 49% of survey respondents (n=149) were found to be at risk of low EA. Of the 167 participants interested in phase 2 per the survey in phase 1, 83 completed at least one day of the EI and ExEE record, and 67 completed all 7 days. The athletes in phase 2 did not meet EI recommendations set forth by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), 30% of participants were below 30 kcals.kgFFM-1.d-1, and the average energy availability among participants was 34.1 ± 12.3 kcals.kgFFM-1.d-1. EA was correlated to ExEE, EI, and carbohydrate and fat intake. Currently, CrossFit nutrition recommendations fall short when compared to those of the ISSN. CrossFit athletes and coaches should become familiar with the signs, symptoms, and implications of low EA and its resulting syndrome, RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport)

Producing A Measure For Assessing Motivating Career Influencesfor Counselors-in-training

The purpose of this study was to describe an appropriate protocol for developing a psychometrically sound instrument to assess perceived influences motivating graduate students to enter the counseling profession. The self-report, 124-item inventory was administered to a sample of 347 graduate students pursuing counseling as a profession. All participants responded to the inventory anonymously. A factor analysis from responses grouped scale items into six different factors, and helped condense the scale into a shorter, more psychometrically sound instrument by identifying those items with low or ambiguous factor loadings, suitable for removal. A factor analysis also identified those items most relevant for interpretation, ultimately yielding six major factors, operationalized by a variety of statements regarding various influences most consistent with students\u27 decisions to pursue a career in the field of counseling. The literature review for this study proposes a model with four hypotheses of altruism upon which scale items were based. These theories identified possible motivating influences for prosocial behavior- further generalized to one\u27s the decision to enter the helping-oriented career of counseling. This study may benefit the profession by adding to the research base on scale construction and career choice as well as offering a new inventory suitable for use with future research

Influence of blue light on skin models consisting of human fibroblasts and keratinocytes

In this project a therapy and a device to treat chronic wounds in diabetics were developed. The therapy is based on photobiomodulation using blue light. The effects of different doses of blue light were first tested in vitro on skin models of keratinocytes and fibroblasts in different models. Here, an enhanced metabolic activity and proliferation could be identified with 10.35 J/cm². With higher fluences (41.40 and 82.80 J/cm²) the opposite effect could be observed: decreased metabolic activity and proliferation were revealed. Further, the experiments were transferred to in vivo testing on rats. Also here, single blue light irradiations with different doses revealed different effects in dependence of the dose, as is typical for photobiomodulation, described as the Arndt-Schulz-curve. Effects could be seen regarding the CRP, showing a reduction of inflammation with lower fluences. Gene expression revealed changes in the inflammatory response, where certain anti-inflammatory and pro-inflammatory pathways were deregulated. The inflammatory response seemed to be enhanced, driving forward the overall inflammation response. This could be confirmed by long-term irradiation of diabetic rats, where wounds treated with light therapy healed faster than non-treated wounds. Inflammatory pathways were deregulated, proliferation and differentiation was up-regulated, formation of fibers and neurons and remodeling of granulation tissue was enhanced. To be able to apply the findings on patients, a device was developed, which emits blue light. This device was tested in vitro first, where single irradiations showed the same effects as with the lamp used for preliminary experiments. To prevent heat development the device was programmed to use pulses instead of continuous irradiation. Thereby the heat development could be reduced from a maximum temperature of 52°C to 37°C with pulses of 30 s. This scheme was tested on porcine skin, where no negative effects could be seen. The light schedule was tested again in vitro, showing a shift to higher fluences to achieve the desired effects. In vivo testing unfortunately did not lead to positive results, probably due to involvement of a wound dressing, changing the homogeneity of the irradiation area. Nevertheless, the project led to interesting outcomes, which are ready to be applied in a clinical trial and could improve healing of chronic wounds