Zur Stratigraphie des "Unterdevons'" der Harzgeröder Faltenzone zwischen Stolberg und dem Südrand des Harzes

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An investigation into the contamination of WSR-88D VAD wind profile output by migrating birds

The VAD Wind Profile (VWP), a time-height display of winds computed by the National Weather Service's WSR-88D radar, is known on occasion to have errors at night during the fall and spring seasons. Several studies, such Haro and Gauthreaux (1998), confirm that migrating birds often contaminate the VWP output. By means of telescopic observations of a full moon, birds were observed flying on two nights when VWP contamination was suspected. The nature of the VWP errors is consistent with migrating birds due to the seasonality, nocturnal nature, and the magnitude of the errors found (greater than 10 knots). With careful selection of data, two clusters of points on the Velocity-Azimuth Display (VAD) are found to exist at certain altitudes when birds begin migrating. One cluster of points is due to radar sample volumes containing birds, and the other cluster is from radar sample volumes without birds. Being able to determine which cluster represents the wind could allow the wind to be calculated by the VWP. Present limitations with the Radar Product Generator's processor and memory prohibit a very advanced detection algorithm. Two simple objective techniques to determine the existence of the two clusters, and determine the wind, were tested. While they show some promise, these methods require further operational testing to determine their usefulness for real-time warning of bird contamination and the reporting of the true wind

Establish data infrastructure to compile and exchange environmental screening data on a European scale

Robust techniques based on liquid (LC) and gas chromatography (GC) coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS) enable sensitive screening, identification, and (semi)quantification of thousands of substances in a single sample. Recent progress in computational sciences has enabled archiving and processing of HR-MS ‘big data’ at the routine level. As a result, community-based databases containing thousands of environmental pollutants are rapidly growing and large databases of substances with unique identifiers allowing for inter-comparison at the global scale have become available. A data-archiving infrastructure is proposed, allowing for retrospective screening of HR-MS data, which will help define the ‘chemical universe’ of organic substances and enable prioritisation of toxicants causing adverse environmental effects at the local, river basin, and national and European scale in support of the European water and chemicals management policy

Dilepton Enhancement by Thermal Pion Annihilation in the CERES Experiment

We compare the recent CERES data on dielectron production in 200 GeV/u S+Au collisions with the theoretical predictions due to pion annihilation in a thermal hadronization and a string fragmentation scenario. Both models yield similar results for the dilepton mass spectrum. A satisfactory description of the experimental spectrum requires an in-medium reduction of the rho-mass and a freeze-out temperature of about 150 MeV in the thermal model. We emphasize and discuss the influence of experimental acceptance and resolution corrections.Comment: 9 pages, RevTex, 4 eps figures, To appear in Phys. Lett.

Psychopathological Course Typology in Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders: A Heuristic Approach in a Sample of 100 Patients

Background: Despite several previous attempts at subtyping schizophrenia, a typology that reflects neurobiological knowledge and reliably predicts course and outcome is lacking. We applied the system-specific concept of the Bern Psychopathology Scale (BPS) to generate a course typology based on three domains: language, affectivity, and motor behaviour. Sampling and Methods: A cohort of 100 patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders according to DSM-IV criteria underwent psychopathological assessment, and all their available medical records were retrospectively analysed on the basis of the BPS. Results: Overall, 39% of the patients showed dominant abnormalities in only one domain, 37% in two domains, and 24% in all three domains. The motor domain was affected in the majority of patients (76%), followed by affectivity (63%) and language (46%). Eighty-six percent of patients showed a bipolar course pattern in at least one domain. Conclusions: In a retrospective analysis of 100 patient records we described system-specific course patterns of schizophrenia by using a neurobiologically informed psychopathological assessment. The results showed a surprisingly high proportion of bipolar courses and a pattern of pure and mixed subtypes, which speaks for an overlap of domains with regards to psychopathological symptoms. A limitation of this heuristic and retrospective approach is that it was largely based on clinical judgement. Prospective studies with more rigorous threshold definitions are needed to clarify the neurobiological and clinical implications of the proposed reorganization of psychotic disorders. (C) 2016 S. Karger AG, Base

High-resolution mass spectrometry to complement monitoring and track emerging chemicals and pollution trends in European water resources

Currently, chemical monitoring based on priority substances fails to consider the majority of known environmental micropollutants not to mention the unexpected and unknown chemicals that may contribute to the toxic risk of complex mixtures present in the environment. Complementing component- and effect-based monitoring with wide-scope target, suspect, and non-target screening (NTS) based on high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) data is recommended to support environmental impact and risk assessment. This will allow for detection of newly emerging compounds and transformation products, retrospective monitoring efforts, and the identification of possible drivers of toxicity by correlation with effects or modelling of expected effects for future and abatement scenarios. HRMS is becoming increasingly available in many laboratories. Thus, the time is right to establish and harmonize screening methods, train staff, and record HRMS data for samples from regular monitoring events and surveys. This will strongly enhance the value of chemical monitoring data for evaluating complex chemical pollution problems, at limited additional costs. Collaboration and data exchange on a European-to-global scale is essential to maximize the benefit of chemical screening. Freely accessible data platforms, inter-laboratory trials, and the involvement of international partners and networks are recommended

Occurrence and distribution of resistance to QoI fungicides in populations of Podosphaera fusca in south central Spain

Cucurbit powdery mildew caused by Podosphaera fusca limits crop production in Spain. Since its management is strongly dependent on chemicals, the rational design of control programmes requires a good understanding of the fungicide resistance phenomenon in field populations. Fifty single-spore isolates of P. fusca were tested for sensitivity to three quinone-outside inhibiting (QoI) fungicides: azoxystrobin, kresoxim-methyl and trifloxystrobin. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for QoI-sensitive isolates were found to range from 0.25 to 10 μg ml−1 for azoxystrobin to 5–25 μg ml−1 for kresoxim-methyl, using a leaf disc-based bioassay. High levels of cross-resistance to QoI fungicides were found. Eleven isolates showed resistance to the three QoI fungicides tested with MIC and EC50 values >500 μg ml−1 resulting in RF values as high as >715 and >1000 for trifloxystrobin and azoxystrobin, respectively. A survey of P. fusca QoI resistance was carried out in different provinces located in the south central area of Spain during the cucurbit growing seasons in 2002, 2003 and 2004. Examination of a collection of 250 isolates for QoI resistance revealed that 32% were resistant to the three fungicides tested; the provinces of Ciudad Real, Córdoba and Murcia being the locations with the highest frequencies of resistance (44–74%). By contrast, no resistance was found in Badajoz, and relatively low frequencies were observed in Almería and Valencia (10–13%). Nearly 50% of resistant isolates were collected from melon plants. Based on these data, recommendations about the use of QoI fungicides for cucurbit powdery mildew management in the sampled areas are made.Estación Experimental “La Mayora” (CSIC), Algarrobo-Costa, E-29750 Málaga, Spain Grupo de Microbiología y Patología Vegetal-Unidad Asociada a CSIC, Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, E-29071 Málaga, SpainPeer reviewe

In vivo ligamentogenesis in embroidered poly(lactic-co-ε-caprolactone) / polylactic acid scaffolds functionalized by fluorination and hexamethylene diisocyanate cross-linked collagen foams

Although autografts represent the gold standard for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, tissue-engineered ACLs provide a prospect to minimize donor site morbidity and limited graft availability. This study characterizes the ligamentogenesis in embroidered poly(L-lactide-co-epsilon-caprolactone) (P(LA-CL)) / polylactic acid (PLA) constructs using a dynamic nude mice xenograft model. (P(LA-CL))/PLA scaffolds remained either untreated (co) or were functionalized by gas fluorination (F), collagen foam cross-linked with hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) (coll), or F combined with the foam (F+coll). Cell-free constructs or those seeded for 1 week with lapine ACL ligamentocytes were implanted into nude mice for 12 weeks. Following explantation, cell vitality and content, histo(patho)logy of scaffolds (including organs: liver, kidney, spleen), sulphated glycosaminoglycan (sGAG) contents and biomechanical properties were assessed. Scaffolds did not affect mice weight development and organs, indicating no organ toxicity. Moreover, scaffolds maintained their size and shape and reflected a high cell viability prior to and following implantation. Coll or F+coll scaffolds seeded with cells yielded superior macroscopic properties compared to the controls. Mild signs of inflammation (foreign-body giant cells and hyperemia) were limited to scaffolds without collagen. Microscopical score values and sGAG content did not differ significantly. Although remaining stable after explantation, elastic modulus, maximum force, tensile strength and strain at F-max were significantly lower in explanted scaffolds compared to those before implantation, with no significant differences between scaffold subtypes, except for a higher maximum force in F+coll compared with F samples (in vivo). Scaffold functionalization with fluorinated collagen foam provides a promising approach for ACL tissue engineering