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Showing papers by "Bielefeld University published in 2010"


Journal ArticleDOI
14 Oct 2010-Nature
TL;DR: The results of this study challenge traditional views of the kinetics and thermodynamics of SOA formation and transformation in the atmosphere and their implications for air quality and climate.
Abstract: Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles are formed in the atmosphere from condensable oxidation products of anthropogenic and biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs)(1-7). On a global scale, biogenic VOCs account for about 90% of VOC emissions(1,8) and of SOA formation (90 billion kilograms of carbon per year)(1-4). SOA particles can scatter radiation and act as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, and thereby influence the Earth's radiation balance and climate(1,2,5,9,10). They consist of a myriad of different compounds with varying physicochemical properties, and little information is available on the phase state of SOA particles. Gas-particle partitioning models usually assume that SOA particles are liquid(1,5,11), but here we present experimental evidence that they can be solid under ambient conditions. We investigated biogenic SOA particles formed from oxidation products of VOCs in plant chamber experiments and in boreal forests within a few hours after atmospheric nucleation events. On the basis of observed particle bouncing in an aerosol impactor and of electron microscopy we conclude that biogenic SOA particles can adopt an amorphous solid-most probably glassy-state. This amorphous solid state should provoke a rethinking of SOA processes because it may influence the partitioning of semi-volatile compounds, reduce the rate of heterogeneous chemical reactions, affect the particles' ability to accommodate water and act as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, and change the atmospheric lifetime of the particles(12-15). Thus, the results of this study challenge traditional views of the kinetics and thermodynamics of SOA formation and transformation in the atmosphere and their implications for air quality and climate.

688 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that selected algae species can be good substrates for biogas production and that anaerobic fermentation can seriously be considered as final step in future microalgae-based biorefinery concepts.

651 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: How visualization tools are being used to help interpret protein interaction, gene expression and metabolic profile data is discussed, and emerging new directions are highlighted.
Abstract: High-throughput studies of biological systems are rapidly accumulating a wealth of 'omics'-scale data. Visualization is a key aspect of both the analysis and understanding of these data, and users now have many visualization methods and tools to choose from. The challenge is to create clear, meaningful and integrated visualizations that give biological insight, without being overwhelmed by the intrinsic complexity of the data. In this review, we discuss how visualization tools are being used to help interpret protein interaction, gene expression and metabolic profile data, and we highlight emerging new directions.

630 citations


Book
07 Oct 2010
TL;DR: This chapter discusses the development of types of Repair Algorithms for Surface Definition and Properties Approximation andParameterization of a Triangulated Surface Barycentric Mapping.
Abstract: Geometry processing, or mesh processing, is a fast-growing area of research that uses concepts from applied mathematics, computer science, and engineering to design efficient algorithms for the acquisition, reconstruction, analysis, manipulation, simulation, and transmission of complex 3D models. Applications of geometry processing algorithms already cover a wide range of areas from multimedia, entertainment, and classical computer-aided design, to biomedical computing, reverse engineering, and scientific computing. Over the last several years, triangle meshes have become increasingly popular, as irregular triangle meshes have developed into a valuable alternative to traditional spline surfaces. This book discusses the whole geometry processing pipeline based on triangle meshes. The pipeline starts with data input, for example, a model acquired by 3D scanning techniques. This data can then go through processes of error removal, mesh creation, smoothing, conversion, morphing, and more. The authors detail techniques for those processes using triangle meshes.

610 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Some characteristic aspects of the chemical pathways in the combustion of prototypical representatives of potential biofuels are highlighted, which focus on the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms and the formation of undesired, harmful, or toxic emissions.
Abstract: Biofuels, such as bio-ethanol, bio-butanol, and biodiesel, are of increasing interest as alternatives to petroleum-based transportation fuels because they offer the long-term promise of fuel-source regenerability and reduced climatic impact. Current discussions emphasize the processes to make such alternative fuels and fuel additives, the compatibility of these substances with current fuel-delivery infrastructure and engine performance, and the competition between biofuel and food production. However, the combustion chemistry of the compounds that constitute typical biofuels, including alcohols, ethers, and esters, has not received similar public attention. Herein we highlight some characteristic aspects of the chemical pathways in the combustion of prototypical representatives of potential biofuels. The discussion focuses on the decomposition and oxidation mechanisms and the formation of undesired, harmful, or toxic emissions, with an emphasis on transportation fuels. New insights into the vastly diverse and complex chemical reaction networks of biofuel combustion are enabled by recent experimental investigations and complementary combustion modeling. Understanding key elements of this chemistry is an important step towards the intelligent selection of next-generation alternative fuels.

596 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 2010-Emotion
TL;DR: Evidence is provided for a role for spontaneous but not instructed emotion regulation in depression vulnerability and for suppression to be ineffective for down-regulating negative emotions.
Abstract: Emotion dysregulation has long been thought to be a vulnerability factor for mood disorders. However, there have been few empirical tests of this idea. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that depression vulnerability is related to difficulties with emotion regulation by comparing recovered-depressed and never-depressed participants (N = 73). In the first phase, participants completed questionnaires assessing their typical use of emotion regulation strategies. In the second phase, sad mood was induced using a film clip, and the degree to which participants reported to have spontaneously used suppression versus reappraisal to regulate their emotions was assessed. In the third phase, participants received either suppression or reappraisal instructions prior to watching a second sadness-inducing film. As predicted, suppression was found to be ineffective for down-regulating negative emotions, and recovered-depressed participants reported to have spontaneously used this strategy during the first sadness-inducing film more often than controls. However, the groups did not differ regarding the effects of induced suppression versus reappraisal on negative mood. These results provide evidence for a role for spontaneous but not instructed emotion regulation in depression vulnerability.

518 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The data suggest that HY5-dependent regulation of PFG gene expression contributes to the establishment of UV-B tolerance, and the bZIP transcriptional regulator ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) is required for the transcriptional activation of the PFG1/MYB12 and PFG3/MYb111 genes underUV-B and visible light.
Abstract: Plants fend off potentially damaging ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation by synthesizing and accumulating UV-B-absorbing flavonols that function as sunscreens. Regulation of this biosynthetic pathway is largely transcriptional and controlled by a network of transcription factors, among which the PRODUCTION OF FLAVONOL GLYCOSIDES (PFG) family of R2R3-MYB transcription factors was recently identified with a pivotal function. Here, we describe the response of Arabidopsis seedlings to narrow-band UV-B radiation at the level of phenylpropanoid pathway genes using whole-genome transcriptional profiling and identify the corresponding flavonol glycosides accumulating under UV-B. We further show that the bZIP transcriptional regulator ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL5 (HY5) is required for the transcriptional activation of the PFG1/MYB12 and PFG3/MYB111 genes under UV-B and visible light. A synthetic protein composed of HY5 with the VP16 activation domain is sufficient to activate PFG1/MYB12 expression in planta. However, even though myb11 myb12 myb111 triple mutants have strongly reduced CHS levels in darkness as well as in constant light, neither light- nor UV-B-inducibility seems impaired. Notwithstanding this, absence of the three PFG family transcription factors results in reduced UV-B tolerance, whereas PFG1/MYB12 overexpression leads to an increased tolerance. Thus, our data suggest that HY5-dependent regulation of PFG gene expression contributes to the establishment of UV-B tolerance.

355 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This review exemplarily addresses present-day knowledge of selected AP2/EREBP with focus on a function in stress signal integration and retrograde signalling and defines AP2-linked gene networks from transcriptional profiling-based graphical Gaussian models.
Abstract: To optimize acclimation responses to environmental growth conditions, plants integrate and weigh a diversity of input signals. Signal integration within the signalling networks occurs at different sites including the level of transcription factor activation. Accumulating evidence assigns a major and diversified role in environmental signal integration to the family of APETALA 2/ethylene response element binding protein (AP2/EREBP) transcription factors. Presently, the Plant Transcription Factor Database 3.0 assigns 147 gene loci to this family in Arabidopsis thaliana, 200 in Populus trichocarpa and 163 in Oryza sativa subsp. japonica as compared to 13 to 14 in unicellular algae (http://plntfdb.bio.uni-potsdam.de/v3.0/). AP2/EREBP transcription factors have been implicated in hormone, sugar and redox signalling in context of abiotic stresses such as cold and drought. This review exemplarily addresses present-day knowledge of selected AP2/EREBP with focus on a function in stress signal integration and retrograde signalling and defines AP2/EREBP-linked gene networks from transcriptional profiling-based graphical Gaussian models. The latter approach suggests highly interlinked functions of AP2/EREBPs in retrograde and stress signalling.

327 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A chemical tag is reported that allows proteins to be labeled with an organic fluorophore with high photon flux and fast photoswitching performance in live cells to image the dynamics of human histone H2B protein in living cells at ∼20 nm resolution.
Abstract: The spatiotemporal resolution of subdiffraction fluorescence imaging has been limited by the difficulty of labeling proteins in cells with suitable fluorophores. Here we report a chemical tag that allows proteins to be labeled with an organic fluorophore with high photon flux and fast photoswitching performance in live cells. This label allowed us to image the dynamics of human histone H2B protein in living cells at approximately 20 nm resolution.

310 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an econometric framework is presented that can be applied to the mentioned type of data after having prepared it using natural language processing techniques, which enables the estimation of parameters, which allow inferences on the relative effect of product attributes and brand names on the overall evaluation of the products.
Abstract: Today, consumer reviews are available on the Internet for a large number of product categories. The pros and cons expressed in this way uncover individually perceived strengths and weaknesses of the respective products, whereas the usually assigned product ratings represent their overall valuation. The key question at this point is how to turn the available plentitude of individual consumer opinions into aggregate consumer preferences, which can be used, for example, in product development or improvement processes.To solve this problem, an econometric framework is presented that can be applied to the mentioned type of data after having prepared it using natural language processing techniques. The suggested methodology enables the estimation of parameters, which allow inferences on the relative effect of product attributes and brand names on the overall evaluation of the products. Specifically, we discuss options for taking opinion heterogeneity into account. Both the practicability and the benefits of the suggested approach are demonstrated using product review data from the mobile phone market. This paper demonstrates that the review-based results compare very favorably with consumer preferences obtained through conjoint analysis techniques.

283 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors review the recently found large-scale anomalies in the maps of temperature anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background, including alignments of the largest modes of CMB anisotropy with each other and with geometry and direction of motion of the solar ssystem.
Abstract: We review the recently found large-scale anomalies in the maps of temperature anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background. These include alignments of the largest modes of CMB anisotropy with each other and with geometry and direction of motion of the solar ssystem, and the unusually low power at these largest scales. We discuss these findings in relation to expectation from standard inflationary cosmology, their statistical significance, the tools to study them, and the various attempts to explain them.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, an econometric framework is presented that can be applied to the mentioned type of data after having prepared it using natural language processing techniques, which enables the estimation of parameters, which allow inferences on the relative effect of product attributes and brand names on the overall evaluation of the products.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An entirely new function of HtrA is described and it is identified as a new secreted virulence factor from Helicobacter pylori, which cleaves the ectodomain of the cell‐adhesion protein E‐cadherin.
Abstract: Mammalian and prokaryotic high-temperature requirement A (HtrA) proteins are chaperones and serine proteases with important roles in protein quality control. Here, we describe an entirely new function of HtrA and identify it as a new secreted virulence factor from Helicobacter pylori, which cleaves the ectodomain of the cell-adhesion protein E-cadherin. E-cadherin shedding disrupts epithelial barrier functions allowing H. pylori designed to access the intercellular space. We then designed a small-molecule inhibitor that efficiently blocks HtrA activity, E-cadherin cleavage and intercellular entry of H. pylori.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results clearly demonstrate a differential influence of MYB11, MYB12 and MYB111 on the spatial accumulation of specific flavonol derivatives in leaves, stems, inflorescences, siliques and roots and evidence that a separate Flavonol control mechanism might be at play in pollen is presented.
Abstract: The flavonol branch of flavonoid biosynthesis is under transcriptional control of the R2R3-MYBs production of flavonol glycoside1 (PFG1/MYB12, PFG2/MYB11 and PFG3/MYB111) in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we investigated the influence of specific PFG transcription factors on flavonol distribution in various organs. A combination of genetic and metabolite analysis was used to identify transcription factor gene-metabolite correlations of the flavonol metabolic pathway. Flavonol glycoside accumulation patterns have been analysed in wild-type and multiple R2R3-MYB PFG mutants in an organ- and development-dependent manner using high-performance thin-layer chromatography, supplemented with liquid chromatography-mass spectroscopy metabolite profiling. Our results clearly demonstrate a differential influence of MYB11, MYB12 and MYB111 on the spatial accumulation of specific flavonol derivatives in leaves, stems, inflorescences, siliques and roots. In addition, MYB11-, MYB12- and MYB111-independent flavonol glycoside accumulation was observed in pollen grains and siliques/seeds. The highly complex tissue- and developmental-specific regulation of flavonol biosynthesis in A. thaliana is orchestrated by at least four PFG transcription factors, differentially influencing the spatial accumulation of specific flavonol derivatives. We present evidence that a separate flavonol control mechanism might be at play in pollen.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is found that real‐time data processing is possible and that super‐resolution imaging with organic fluorophores of cellular structures with ∼20 nm optical resolution can be completed in less than 10 s.
Abstract: In the recent past, single-molecule based localization or photoswitching microscopy methods such as stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) or photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) have been successfully implemented for subdiffraction-resolution fluorescence imaging. However, the computational effort needed to localize numerous fluorophores is tremendous, causing long data processing times and thereby limiting the applicability of the technique. Here we present a new computational scheme for data processing consisting of noise reduction, detection of likely fluorophore positions, high-precision fluorophore localization and subsequent visualization of found fluorophore positions in a super-resolution image. We present and benchmark different algorithms for noise reduction and demonstrate the use of non-maximum suppression to quickly find likely fluorophore positions in high depth and very noisy images. The algorithm is evaluated and compared in terms of speed, accuracy and robustness by means of simulated data. On real biological samples, we find that real-time data processing is possible and that super-resolution imaging with organic fluorophores of cellular structures with approximately 20 nm optical resolution can be completed in less than 10 s.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that features of hadron production in relativistic nuclear collisions, mainly at CERN-SPS energies, may be explained by the existence of three forms of matter: Hadronic Matter, Quarkyonic Matter, and a Quark-Gluon Plasma.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2010-Science
TL;DR: The template’s role in the self-assembly mechanism is further confirmed by the deliberate addition of the template to the reaction mixture, which greatly accelerates the assembly time of the {Mo150} wheel and increases the yield.
Abstract: Self-assembly has proven a powerful means of preparing structurally intricate nanomaterials, but the mechanism is often masked by the common one-pot mixing procedure. We employed a flow system to study the steps underlying assembly of a previously characterized molybdenum oxide wheel 3.6 nanometers in diameter. We observed crystallization of an intermediate structure in which a central {Mo36} cluster appears to template the assembly of the surrounding {Mo150} wheel. The transient nature of the template is demonstrated by its ejection after the wheel is reduced to its final electronic state. The template’s role in the self-assembly mechanism is further confirmed by the deliberate addition of the template to the reaction mixture, which greatly accelerates the assembly time of the {Mo150} wheel and increases the yield.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is concluded that factor solutions with 3 factors on average are replicable across languages; solutions with more factors are not.
Abstract: We tested the hypothesis that only 3 factors of personality description are replicable across many different languages if they are independently derived by a psycholexical approach. Our test was based on 14 trait taxonomies from 12 different languages. Factors were compared at each level of factor extraction with solutions with 1 to 6 factors. The 294 factors in the comparisons were identified using sets of markers of the 6-factor model by correlating the marker scales with the factors. The factor structures were pairwise compared in each case on the basis of the common variables that define the 2 sets of factors. Congruence coefficients were calculated between the varimax rotated structures after Procrustes rotation, where each structure in turn served as a target to which all other structures were rotated. On the basis of average congruence coefficients of all 91 comparisons, we conclude that factor solutions with 3 factors on average are replicable across languages; solutions with more factors are not.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, aufsatz behandelt Vergleiche als grundlegende Sozialform and analysiert sie aus einer kommunikationstheoretischen perspektive Verglesiche konnen in unterschiedlichen Medien formuliert sein.
Abstract: Der Aufsatz behandelt Vergleiche als grundlegende Sozialform und analysiert sie aus einer kommunikationstheoretischen Perspektive Vergleiche konnen in unterschiedlichen Medien formuliert sein: sprachlich, numerisch oder visuell Diese mediale Differenz steht im Zentrum des Aufsatzes Ausgangspunkt ist die These, dass Zahlen, Bilder und Sprache eine kommunikative Eigenwirkung besitzen und Quantifizierung eine besonders effiziente Form ist, um Akzeptanz herzustellen Diese These wird unter dem Begriff der „numerischen Differenz“ am Beispiel quantitativer Vergleiche (Statistiken, Rankings, Ratings etc) plausibilisiert Im ersten Teil wird beschrieben, was mit „Vergleich“ resp „Vergleichskommunikation“ gemeint ist und worin die spezifische Operationsweise von Vergleichen besteht Der zweite Teil begrundet anhand eines Vergleichs unterschiedlicher Kommunikationsmedien die These, dass die Form derMitteilung die Erfolgswahrscheinlichkeit von Kommunikationen beeinflusst Diese Uberlegungen werden in einem dritten Teil auf Globalisierungsfragen bezogen und mit Konzepten der neo-institutionalistischen Diffusionsforschung in Beziehung gesetzt

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The magnetic properties of selected nanosized polyoxometalate clusters featuring spin triangles as their magnetic 'building blocks' or fragments are discussed, which allow the study of the implications of frustrated spin ordering.
Abstract: The structural versatility characterizing polyoxometalate chemistry, in combination with the option to deliberately use well-defined building blocks, serves as the foundation for the generation of a large family of magnetic clusters, frequently comprising highly symmetric spin arrays. If the spin centers are coupled by antiferromagnetic exchange, some of these systems exhibit spin frustration, which can result in novel magnetic properties of purely molecular origins. We discuss here the magnetic properties of selected nanosized polyoxometalate clusters featuring spin triangles as their magnetic ‘building blocks’ or fragments. This includes unique porous Keplerate clusters of the type {(Mo)Mo5}12M30 (M = FeIII, CrIII, VIV) with the spin centers defining a regular icosidodecahedron and the {V15As6}-type cluster sphere containing a single equilateral spin triangle; these species are widely discussed and studied in the literature for their role in materials science as molecular representations of Kagome lattices and in relation to quantum computing, respectively. Exhibiting fascinating and unique structural features, these magnetic molecules allow the study of the implications of frustrated spin ordering. Furthermore, this perspective covers the impact of spin frustration on the degeneracy of the ground state and related problems, namely strong magnetic anisotropy and the interplay of antisymmetric exchange and structural Jahn–Teller effects.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results indicate that NET is a promising approach for the treatment of PTSD in asylum-seekers living in unstable conditions, with a focus on stabilization and psychoactive medication.
Abstract: Rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are exceptionally high among asylum-seekers. Reportedly, stressors caused by the asylum procedure and psychological consequences of torture contribute to the maintenance of symptoms and interfere with treatment. In a pilot randomized controlled trial, the authors examined the efficacy of trauma-focused treatment in 32 asylum-seekers with PTSD resulting from state-sponsored violence and other traumatic events. Narrative exposure therapy (NET) was compared with treatment as usual (TAU), with a focus on stabilization and psychoactive medication. Six months after treatment, a significant reduction of posttraumatic stress symptoms was found in the NET participants but not in the TAU group. Although treatment gains were moderate, these results indicate that NET is a promising approach for the treatment of PTSD in asylum-seekers living in unstable conditions.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results support models of emotional labor suggesting that surface and deep acting causally precede individual and organizational well-being.
Abstract: Models of emotional labor suggest that emotional labor leads to strain and affects job performance. Although the link between emotional labor, strain, and performance has been well documented in cross-sectional field studies, not much is known about the causal direction of relationships between emotional labor, strain, and performance. Goal of the present study was therefore to test the direction of effects in a two-wave longitudinal panel study using a sample of 151 trainee teachers. Longitudinal lagged effects were tested using structural equation modeling. Results revealed that the emotional labor strategy of surface acting led to increases in subsequent strain while deep acting led to increases in job performance. In contrast, there was no indication of reverse causation: Neither strain nor job performance had a significant lagged effect on subsequent surface or deep acting. Overall, results support models of emotional labor suggesting that surface and deep acting causally precede individual and organizational well-being.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The method allows for an iterative bootstrapping and refinement of the inverse kinematics estimate and scales for high dimensional problems, such as the Honda humanoid robot or hyperredundant planar arms with up to 50 degrees of freedom.
Abstract: We present an approach to learn inverse kinematics of redundant systems without prior- or expert-knowledge. The method allows for an iterative bootstrapping and refinement of the inverse kinematics estimate. The essential novelty lies in a path-based sampling approach: we generate training data along paths, which result from execution of the currently learned estimate along a desired path towards a goal. The information structure thereby induced enables an efficient detection and resolution of inconsistent samples solely from directly observable data. We derive and illustrate the exploration and learning process with a low-dimensional kinematic example that provides direct insight into the bootstrapping process. We further show that the method scales for high dimensional problems, such as the Honda humanoid robot or hyperredundant planar arms with up to 50 degrees of freedom.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Results show that NTRC is the most relevant pathway for chloroplast 2-Cys Prx reduction in vivo, but the antioxidant function of this system is not essential.
Abstract: Photosynthesis is a process that inevitably produces reactive oxygen species, such as hydrogen peroxide, which is reduced by chloroplast-localized detoxification mechanisms one of which involves 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (2-Cys Prxs). Arabidopsis chloroplasts contain two very similar 2-Cys Prxs (denoted A and B). These enzymes are reduced by two pathways: NADPH thioredoxin reductase C (NTRC), which uses NADPH as source of reducing power; and plastidial thioredoxins (Trxs) coupled to photosynthetically reduced ferredoxin of which Trx chi is the most efficient reductant in vitro. With the aim of establishing the functional relationship between NTRC, Trx x, and 2-Cys Prxs in vivo, an Arabidopsis Trx chi knock-out mutant has been identified and a double mutant (denoted Delta 2cp) with <5% of 2-Cys Prx content has been generated. The phenotypes of the three mutants, ntrc, trxx, and Delta 2cp, were compared under standard growth conditions and in response to continuous light or prolonged darkness and oxidative stress. Though all mutants showed altered redox homeostasis, no difference was observed in response to oxidative stress treatment. Moreover, the redox status of the 2-Cys Prx was imbalanced in the ntrc mutant but not in the trxx mutant. These results show that NTRC is the most relevant pathway for chloroplast 2-Cys Prx reduction in vivo, but the antioxidant function of this system is not essential. The deficiency of NTRC caused a more severe phenotype than the deficiency of Trx chi or 2-Cys Prxs as determined by growth, pigment content, CO(2) fixation, and F(v)/F(m), indicating additional functions of NTRC.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors calculate the QCD equation of state for temperatures corresponding to the transition region with physical mass values for two degenerate light quark flavors and a strange quark using an improved staggered fermion action (p4-action) on lattices.
Abstract: We calculate the QCD equation of state for temperatures corresponding to the transition region with physical mass values for two degenerate light quark flavors and a strange quark using an improved staggered fermion action (p4-action) on lattices with temporal extent ${N}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}=8$. We compare our results with previous calculations performed at twice larger values of the light quark masses as well as with results obtained from a resonance gas model calculation. We also discuss the deconfining and chiral aspects of the QCD transition in terms of renormalized Polyakov loop, strangeness fluctuations, and subtracted chiral condensate. We show that compared to the calculations performed at twice larger value of the light quark mass the transition region shifts by about 5 MeV toward smaller temperatures.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Confirming the great cancer risk diversity in non-western migrants in and between different European countries, this overview reaffirms the importance of exposures experienced during life course (before, during and after migration) for carcinogenesis.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors extend the usual framework of SPDE with monotone coecients to include a large class of cases with merely locally monotonous co-ecients, which can be applied to various types of SPDEs such as stochastic reaction-diusion equations with nonmonotone perturbations.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The gene coding for desmin appears to be a novel ARVC gene, which should be included in molecular genetic screening of ARVC patients, and is found in segment 1A of the desmin rod domain.
Abstract: Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an inherited heart muscle disease, frequently accompanied by sudden cardiac death and terminal heart failure. Genotyping of ARVC patients might be used for palliative treatment of the affected family. We genotyped a cohort of 22 ARVC patients referred to molecular genetic screening in our heart center for mutations in the desmosomal candidate genes JUP, DSG2, DSC2, DSP and PKP2 known to be associated with ARVC. In 43% of the cohort, we found disease-associated sequence variants. In addition, we screened for desmin mutations and found a novel desmin-mutation p.N116S in a patient with ARVC and terminal heart failure, which is located in segment 1A of the desmin rod domain. The mutation leads to the aggresome formation in cardiac and skeletal muscle without signs of an overt clinical myopathy. Cardiac aggresomes appear to be prominent, especially in the right ventricle of the heart. Viscosimetry and atomic force microscopy of the desmin wild-type and N116S mutant isolated from recombinant Escherichia coli revealed severe impairment of the filament formation, which was supported by transfections in SW13 cells. Thus, the gene coding for desmin appears to be a novel ARVC gene, which should be included in molecular genetic screening of ARVC patients.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Recent advances made in hydrogen production have been reviewed and key areas for further development are highlighted as part of a strategy of establishing economically viable hydrogen production systems.