Direct evidence of nuclear spin waves in Nd2_2CuO4_4 by high-resolution neutron-spin-echo spectroscopy

We investigated the dispersion of nuclear spin waves in Nd$_2$CuO$_4$ by using neutron spin-echo spectroscopy at millikelvin temperatures. Our results show unambiguously the existence of dispersion of nuclear spin waves in Nd$_2$CuO$_4$ at T = 30 mK. A fit of the dispersion data with the spin wave dispersion formula gave the Suhl-Nakamura interaction range to be of the order of 10 {\AA}

Measuring the Use of the Active and Assisted Living Prototype CARIMO for Home Care Service Users: Evaluation Framework and Results

To address the challenges of aging societies, various information and communication technology (ICT)-based systems for older people have been developed in recent years. Currently, the evaluation of these so-called active and assisted living (AAL) systems usually focuses on the analyses of usability and acceptance, while some also assess their impact. Little is known about the actual take-up of these assistive technologies. This paper presents a framework for measuring the take-up by analyzing the actual usage of AAL systems. This evaluation framework covers detailed information regarding the entire process including usage data logging, data preparation, and usage data analysis. We applied the framework on the AAL prototype CARIMO for measuring its take-up during an eight-month field trial in Austria and Italy. The framework was designed to guide systematic, comparable, and reproducible usage data evaluation in the AAL field; however, the general applicability of the framework has yet to be validated

Corrections to Phytotaxa 19: Linear sequence of lycophytes and ferns

Non peer reviewe

Berufsarmee statt Wehrpflicht: eine ökonomisch sinnvolle Lösung

Die Bundeswehr steht derzeit vor einer ihrer größten Umstrukturierungen. Vorgesehen ist eine Neugliederung der Streitkräfte in Eingreif-, Stabilisierungs- und Unterstützungsverbände. In diesem Zusammenhang stellt sich erneut die Frage nach der Beibehaltung der Wehrpflicht. Diese ist aus ökonomischer Sicht nicht sinnvoll, denn eine Berufsarmee stellt das gleiche Niveau an äußerer Sicherheit zu geringeren volkswirtschaftlichen Kosten bereit. Darüber hinaus verletzt die Wehrpflicht in ihrer derzeitigen Ausgestaltung wesentliche Prinzipien ökonomischer Gerechtigkeit. Auch unter ordnungspolitischen Gesichtspunkten ist die Abschaffung der Wehrpflicht überfällig, da sie zwei elementaren Prinzipien der Marktwirtschaft widerspricht, nämlich dem der Vertragsfreiheit und dem der Freiwilligkeit von Austauschbeziehungen. Ebenso sprechen heute die gesellschaftlichen und sicherheitspolitischen Veränderungen für eine Berufsarmee.

A linear sequence of extant families and genera of lycophytes and ferns

Throughout the history of the classification of extant ferns (monilophytes) and lycophytes, familial and generic concepts have been in great flux. For the organisation of lycophytes and ferns in herbaria, books, checklists, indices and spore banks and on the internet, this poses a problem, and a standardized linear sequence of these plants is therefore in great need. We provide here a linear classification to the extant lycophytes and ferns based on current phylogenetic knowledge; this provides a standardized guide for organisation of fern collections into a more natural sequence. Two new families, Diplaziopsidaceae and Rhachidosoraceae, are here introduced.Peer reviewe

Vertikaler Erdstofftransport beim Trockendrehbohren mit langer Schnecke im Mantelrohr in bindigem Boden

A special manufacturing process to create large bore piles made of reinforced concrete is "dry rotary drilling with long auger in column tubes" (BolSiM). This work presents theoretical views on cutter soil extraction processes with BolSiM and especially practical trials at a new model experiment rig. In addition to the transportation characteristics in the process used so far, modifications such as supporting the extraction with pressured air or by using electrocapillary effects are studied

SPHERES, J\"ulich's High-Flux Neutron Backscattering Spectrometer at FRM II

SPHERES (SPectrometer with High Energy RESolution) is a third-generation neutron backscattering spectrometer, located at the 20 MW German neutron source FRM II and operated by the Juelich Centre for Neutron Science. It offers an energy resolution (fwhm) better than 0.65 micro-eV, a dynamic range of +-31 micro-eV, and a signal-to-noise ratio of up to 1750:1.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, 2 tables. Supplemental material consists of 3 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Diversification of land plants: insights from a family-level phylogenetic analysis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Some of the evolutionary history of land plants has been documented based on the fossil record and a few broad-scale phylogenetic analyses, especially focusing on angiosperms and ferns. Here, we reconstructed phylogenetic relationships among all 706 families of land plants using molecular data. We dated the phylogeny using multiple fossils and a molecular clock technique. Applying various tests of diversification that take into account topology, branch length, numbers of extant species as well as extinction, we evaluated diversification rates through time. We also compared these diversification profiles against the distribution of the climate modes of the Phanerozoic.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found evidence for the radiations of ferns and mosses in the shadow of angiosperms coinciding with the rather warm Cretaceous global climate. In contrast, gymnosperms and liverworts show a signature of declining diversification rates during geological time periods of cool global climate.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This broad-scale phylogenetic analysis helps to reveal the successive waves of diversification that made up the diversity of land plants we see today. Both warm temperatures and wet climate may have been necessary for the rise of the diversity under a successive lineage replacement scenario.</p