Undegassed Carbon Content from a Highly Depleted Segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (1-5°S): Evidence from Melt Inclusions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le Voyer, M.; Kelley, K. A.; Cottrell, E.; Hauri, E. H.

2014-12-01

data in order to further investigate the origin of the low Cl and high CO2 contents in these MIs. Ref. [1] Le Voyer et al. 2014 Goldschmidt abstr. [2] Schilling et al. 1994 JGR 99 [3] Kelley et al. 2013 G3 [4] Saal et al. 2002 Nature 419 [5] Hauri and Saal 2009 EOS Fall suppl. AGU abstr.

Vestiges of Glacial Action in Ostrava: Their Significance for and Application in Geotourism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duraj, Miloš; Niemiec, Dominik; Cheng, Xianfeng; Koleňák, Petr

2017-12-01

The territory of Northern Moravia and Silesia is outstanding from the geological point of view. The abundance of different mineral resources has largely contributed to the intense development of the territory, particularly in the 19th century. Mineral resources were discovered already in the pre-historic period, when pre-historic man found coal at the coal seam exposures in Ostrava-Landek. They also used some raw materials that had been transported there by glacial action of the last Saale glaciation. Flint fragments and other travelled material may be frequently found in many localities to date. Large pieces that are called glacial boulders have been removed and exhibited for more than a century in many towns of the region. These vestiges of glacial action represent one of the many stages the Earth has passed through its history. At present, such findings mainly have an aesthetic function. Particularly interesting specimens have been protected as national monuments. The geomorphology of Ostrava has been responsible for the findings of the largest glacial boulders within the Czech Republic. Many of the formations are fascinating specimens that enrich the list of numerous geomontane sights in the City of Ostrava.

Selective degradation of ibuprofen and clofibric acid in two model river biofilm systems.

PubMed

Winkler, M; Lawrence, J R; Neu, T R

2001-09-01

A field survey indicated that the Elbe and Saale Rivers were contaminated with both clofibric acid and ibuprofen. In Elbe River water we could detect the metabolite hydroxy-ibuprofen. Analyses of the city of Saskatoon sewage effluent discharged to the South Saskatchewan river detected clofibric acid but neither ibuprofen nor any metabolite. Laboratory studies indicated that the pharmaceutical ibuprofen was readily degraded in a river biofilm reactor. Two metabolites were detected and identified as hydroxy- and carboxy-ibuprofen. Both metabolites were observed to degrade in the biofilm reactors. However, in human metabolism the metabolite carboxy-ibuprofen appears and degrades second whereas the opposite occurs in biofilm systems. In biofilms the pharmacologically inactive stereoisomere of ibuprofen is degraded predominantly. In contrast, clofibric acid was not biologically degraded during the experimental period of 21 days. Similar results were obtained using biofilms developed using waters from either the South Saskatchewan or Elbe River. In a sterile reactor no losses of ibuprofen were observed. These results suggested that abiotic losses and adsorption played only a minimal role in the fate of the pharmaceuticals in the river biofilm reactors.

Extreme groundwater levels caused by extreme weather conditions - the highest ever measured groundwater levels in Middle Germany and their management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinstorf, F.

2016-12-01

Extreme weather conditions during the years 2009 - 2011 in combination with changes in the regional water management and possible impacts of climate change led to maximum groundwater levels in large areas of Germany in 2011. This resulted in extensive water logging, with problems especially in urban areas near rivers, where water logging produced huge problems for buildings and infrastructure. The acute situation still exists in many areas and requires the development of solution concepts. Taken the example of the Elbe-Saale-Region in the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt, were a pilot research project was carried out, the analytical situation, the development of a management tool and the implementation of a groundwater management concept are shown. The central tool is a coupled water budget - groundwater flow model. In combination with sophisticated multi-scale parameter estimation, a high resolution groundwater level simulation was carried out. A decision support process with a very intensive stakeholder interaction combined with high resolution simulations enables the development of a management concept for extreme groundwater situations in consideration of sustainable and environmentally sound solutions mainly on the base of passive measures.

Extreme groundwater levels caused by extreme weather conditions - the highest ever measured groundwater levels in Middle Germany and their management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reinstorf, Frido; Kramer, Stefanie; Koch, Thomas; Seifert, Sven; Monninkhoff, Bertram; Pfützner, Bernd

2017-04-01

Extreme weather conditions during the years 2009 - 2011 in combination with changes in the regional water management and possible impacts of climate change led to maximum groundwater levels in large areas of Germany in 2011. This resulted in extensive water logging, with problems especially in urban areas near rivers, where water logging produced huge problems for buildings and infrastructure. The acute situation still exists in many areas and requires the development of solution concepts. Taken the example of the Elbe-Saale-Region in the Federal State of Saxony-Anhalt, were a pilot research project was carried out, the analytical situation, the development of a management tool and the implementation of a groundwater management concept are shown. The central tool is a coupled water budget - groundwater flow model. In combination with sophisticated multi-scale parameter estimation, a high resolution groundwater level simulation was carried out. A decision support process with a very intensive stakeholder interaction combined with high resolution simulations enables the development of a management concept for extreme groundwater situations in consideration of sustainable and environmentally sound solutions mainly on the base of passive measures.

Rapid flood loss estimation for large scale floods in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schröter, Kai; Kreibich, Heidi; Merz, Bruno

2013-04-01

Rapid evaluations of flood events are needed for efficient responses both in emergency management and financial appraisal. Beyond that, closely monitoring and documenting the formation and development of flood events and their impacts allows for an improved understanding and in depth analyses of the interplay between meteorological, hydrological, hydraulic and societal causes leading to flood damage. This contribution focuses on the development of a methodology for the rapid assessment of flood events. In the first place, the focus is on the prediction of damage to residential buildings caused by large scale floods in Germany. For this purpose an operational flood event analysis system is developed. This system has basic spatial thematic data available and supports data capturing about the current flood situation. This includes the retrieval of online gauge data and the integration of remote sensing data. Further, it provides functionalities to evaluate the current flood situation, to assess the hazard extent and intensity and to estimate the current flood impact using the flood loss estimation model FLEMOps+r. The operation of the flood event analysis system will be demonstrated for the past flood event from January 2011 with a focus on the Elbe/Saale region. On this grounds, further requirements and potential for improving the information basis as for instance by including hydrological and /or hydraulic model results as well as information from social sensors will be discussed.

Examples of the great cross-border floods in Central Europe and lessons learnt (case studies: September and November 1890 on the occasion of their 120 anniversary)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Munzar, Jan; et al.

2010-05-01

With the respect to the size of extreme floods far beyond the borders of neighbouring countries, their research and comparison are possible only on the basis of a long-term international cooperation. There is only limited knowledge about the impacts of important historic floods affecting at the same time territories of multiple countries and attempts at flood-control measures in the past. E.g. only short time after catastrophic flood in September 1890 of European scope the imperial and royal governor of Bohemia issued in January 1891 a decree on the introduction of flood warning service on Czech rivers with instructions and a duty to send reports and warnings to Dresden, too. With respect to the fact that this flood occurred on an extensive part of Europe including the Danube R., the event became the last impulse for the establishment of an integrated hydrographic service in an Austrian Monarchy with the headquarters in Vienna in 1893. In comparison with the first case from September 1890 is the second one - the important flood from the end of November 1890, which affected e.g. Ohře/Eger R. in Bohemia (and destroyed the well-known spa Carlsbad) and simultaneously Saale R. in Thuringia, is up today practically without the attention of specialists: therefore is in focus of our contribution.

Vitamin D3 supplementation does not modify cardiovascular risk profile of adults with inadequate vitamin D status.

PubMed

Seibert, Eric; Lehmann, Ulrike; Riedel, Annett; Ulrich, Christof; Hirche, Frank; Brandsch, Corinna; Dierkes, Jutta; Girndt, Matthias; Stangl, Gabriele I

2017-03-01

The Nutrition Societies in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland recommend a daily intake of 20 µg vitamin D 3 for adults when endogenous synthesis is absent. The current study aimed to elucidate whether this vitamin D 3 dose impacts cardiovascular risk markers of adults during the winter months. The study was conducted in Halle (Saale), Germany (51 o northern latitude) as a placebo-controlled, double-blinded, randomised trial (from January to April). A total of 105 apparently healthy subjects (male and female, 20-71 years old) were included. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups. One group received a daily 20-µg vitamin D 3 dose (n = 54), and the other group received a placebo (n = 51) for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included blood pressure, heart rate, concentrations of renin, aldosterone, serum lipids and vascular calcification markers, and haematologic variables such as pro-inflammatory monocytes. Blood pressure and systemic cardiovascular risk markers remained unchanged by vitamin D 3 supplementation, although serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 3 increased from 38 ± 14 to 73 ± 16 nmol/L at week 12. The placebo and vitamin D groups did not differ in their final cardiovascular risk profile. Daily supplementation of 20 µg vitamin D 3 during winter is unlikely to change cardiovascular risk profile.

Experimental study of Gas Phase Formation and Evolution in Low fO2 Planetary Basalts.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rutherford, M. J.; Wetzel, D. T.; Saal, A. E.; Hauri, E. H.

2012-12-01

as 2CO = C +CO2 formed the graphite. Several series of experiments on chips of low fO2 glass created at high pressure quantify S, Cl and F partitioning into the H2O-CO gas phase with decompression steps from 200 to 40 MPa. A gas formed with the first pressure drop, indicating melt supersaturation with CO and/or CH4; H2O and lesser amounts of S, Cl and F partitioned into the initial gas, and continued to do so with additional drops in pressure. The ubiquitous Fe-metal seen in lunar picritic glasses may form by graphite oxidation, but also may form by breakdown of Fe(CO)5 as the melt continues to saturate during ascent. [1] A. E. Saal et al.(2008) Nature 454, 192-195. [2] E. H. Hauri et al (2011) Science 333, 213 -215. [3] Wetzel, D., Rutherford, M.J. Jacobsen S.D., Hauri, E.H., and Saal, A.E., (submitted); Nature Geoscience Aug. 1, 2012. [4] Zhang, C. and Duan, Z. (2009) GCA, 73, 2089-2102.

Measurement of the digit lengths and the anogenital distance in mice.

PubMed

Manno, Francis Anthony Michael

2008-01-28

In humans, research has demonstrated the ratio of the 2nd to 4th digit lengths (2D:4D) are: (i) sexually dimorphic with males having a lower ratio than females, the latter having near equidistant lengths [J. Manning, D. Scutt, J. Wilson, & D. Lewis-Jones, (1998). The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length: a predictor of sperm numbers and concentrations of testosterone, luteinizing hormone and oestrogen. Hum Reprod. 13(11):3000-3004], and are theorized to be (ii) determined in utero during gestational development [J. Manning, & P. Bundred, (2000). The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length: a new predictor of disease predisposition? Med Hypotheses. 54(5):855-857], and (iii) correlated with prenatal androgen levels [J. Manning, & P. Bundred, (2000). The ratio of 2nd to 4th digit length: a new predictor of disease predisposition? Med Hypotheses. 54(5):855-857; J. Manning, R. Trivers, D. Singh, & R. Thornhill, (1999). The mystery of female beauty. Nature. 399:214-215; T. Williams, M. Pepitone, S. Christensen, B. Cooke, A. Huberman, N. Breedlove, et al., (2000). Finger-length ratios and sexual orientation: measuring people's finger patterns may reveal some surprising information. Nature. 404:455-456]. These phenotypes correspond to the hormonal effects of testosterone (i.e. androgens) in utero in both sexes. In mice, testosterone in utero is associated in males and females with the anogenital distance (AGD), a phenotype where AGD is greater in males and females contiguous with two males (2M) have a masculinized AGD phenotype whereas those juxtaposed to fewer males, one or zero (1M or 0M), have a more feminine phenotype, i.e. shorter AGD [F. vom Saal, & F. Bronson, (1980). Sexual characteristics of adult female mice are correlated with their blood testosterone levels during prenatal development. Science. 208:597-599; R. Gandelman, F. vom Saal, & J. Reinisch, (1977). Contiguity to male foetuses affects morphology and behaviour of female mice. Nature. 266:722-724; A. Hotchkiss, & J

How socioeconomic inequalities impact pathways of care for coronary artery disease among elderly patients: study protocol for a qualitative longitudinal study

PubMed Central

Schröder, Sara L; Fink, Astrid; Schumann, Nadine; Moor, Irene; Plehn, Alexander; Richter, Matthias

2015-01-01

Introduction Several studies have identified that socioeconomic inequalities in coronary artery disease (CAD) morbidity and mortality lead to a disadvantage in patients with low socioeconomic status (SES). International studies have shown that socioeconomic inequalities also exist in terms of access, utilisation and quality of cardiac care. The aim of this qualitative study is to provide information on the impact of socioeconomic inequalities on the pathway of care for CAD, and to establish which factors lead to socioeconomic inequality of care to form and expand existing scientific theories. Methods and analysis A longitudinal qualitative study with 48 patients with CAD, aged 60–80 years, is being conducted. Patients have been recruited consecutively at the University Hospital in Halle/Saale, Germany, and will be followed for a period of 6 months. Patients are interviewed two times face-to-face using semistructured interviews. Data are transcribed and analysed based on grounded theory. Ethics and dissemination Only participants who have been informed and who have signed a declaration of consent have been included in the study. The study complies rigorously with data protection legislation. Approval of the Ethical Review Committee at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany was obtained. The results of the study will be presented at several congresses, and will be published in high-quality peer-reviewed international journals. Trial registration number This study has been registered with the German Clinical Trials Register and assigned DRKS00007839. PMID:26553827

[A study of persons living in neglect, filth and squalor or who have a tendency to hoard].

PubMed

Wustmann, T; Brieger, P

2005-05-01

Who develops neglect, lives in filth and squalor or tends to hoard? What happens to people with such tendencies, after heaving been discovered by community mental health services? During a two-year observation period it was attempted to study all such persons in the city of Halle/Saale. Life history as well as medical, social and psychiatric variables were assessed. After a mean period of 11 months these persons were re-assessed. 35 persons who lived in squalor and filth or in a neglected condition or who were known to hoard were assessed (60 % male, mean age: 63 years). 17 persons (49 %) suffered from an organic brain disease, 14 (40 %) fulfilled criteria of psychotic illness (mainly schizophrenia). In 9 cases a comorbid physical disorder contributed to the prevailing living conditions. After 11 months, for 21 persons (60 %) no amelioration of neglect, squalor or hoarding was observed, which was especially true for persons suffering from a psychotic illness. The results yielded some evidence that interventions, which aimed at living conditions (such as moving to sheltered accommodation), had positive effects, while this was not true for standard mental health care within community services and hospital treatment. Neglect, living in squalor and hoarding are frequently symptoms of an underlying psychiatric or somatic illness. In this respect the results suggest that "standard care" proved to be of limited effect -- especially for subjects with a psychotic illness.

Rotational Spectrum and Large Amplitude Motions of 3,4-, 2,5- and 3,5-DIMETHYL-BENZALDEHYDE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleiner, I.; Tudorie, M.; Jahn, M.; Grabow, J.-U.; Goubet, M.

2012-06-01

The microwave spectra of the 3,4-, 2,5- and 3,5-Dimethyl-Benzaldehyde (DMBA) molecules have been recorded for the first time in the 2-26.5 GHz frequency range, using the COBRA-FTMW spectrometer in Hannover, with an instrumental uncertainty of 0.5 kHz for unblended lines. The experimental assignments and fits are supplemented by ab initio quantum chemical calculations,conformational energy landscape, and dipole moment components. The analysis of the spectra for the three isomers are in progress. The latest results, including spectroscopic constants and large amplitude motion parameters, will be presented. This investigation follows the study of the spectra of the 4-Methyl-Benzaldehyde molecule. The DMBA isomers belong to a similar series of molecules formally obtained by adding a second methyl group at the aromatic ring. These molecules serve as prototype systems for the development of the theoretical model of asymmetric top molecules having Cs symmetry while containing two inequivalent methyl tops (C3v), exhibiting different barrier heights and coupling terms to methyl internal rotation. Thus, the DMBA isomers represent benchmark species for testing the two-top internal rotors BELGI program written recently. Supported by the ANR-08-BLAN-0054 contract (France), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and the Land Niedersachsen (Germany). H. Saal, W. Caminati, I. Kleiner, A. R. Hight-Walker, J. T. Hougen, J.-U. Grabow, to be published. M. Tudorie, I. Kleiner, J. T. Hougen, S. Melandri, L. W. Sutikdja, W. Stahl, J. Mol. Spectrosc., 269 (2011), 211-225

Franz Ulinski, an Almost Forgotten Early Pioneer of Rocketry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besser, B. P.

2002-01-01

During the early period of rocket development several pioneers originating from the former Austro-Hungarian empire contributed their ideas to the new field of rocketry. The most well known - regarded as the "father of rocketry" in Western Europe - is Hermann Oberth. The others were Max Valier, Franz von Hoefft, Guido von Pirquet, Hermann Potocnik, Friedrich Schmiedl, Franz Ulinski, Eugen Saenger and others. Franz Ulinski (1890-1974) was born 1890 in Blosdorf, Moravia (now Mljadejow, Czech Republic). After attending schools in Wels, Upper Austria, he started a career in the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1910. During his service he worked beginning 1917 at an airplane engine plant in Fischamend and in 1919/20 at the "Fliegerarsenal" (aircraft arsenal) in Vienna. End of 1920 the army of the remaining republic of Austria had to severely reduce its forces and Ulinski was superannuated without further payment. Since 1917 he was also inscribed at the College for Advanced Technology in Vienna ("Technische Hochschule Wien"), but he never graduated, instead he autodidactically attained the VDI-Engineering-Diploma (VDI = "Verein Deutscher Ingenieure"- Association of German Engineers). During 1921-1924 he worked as a development engineer and later as a design engineer for a car factory. In 1925 he set up and ran his own company (radio sale enterprise) and in 1929 an engineering workshop. From 1938 to 1945 he first served as technical staff and later as a design engineer at the Siebel- Flugzeugwerke (Airplane-Factory) in Halle/Saale, Germany. After the Second World War he was employed as a design engineer at different engineering companies in Austria and he died 1974 in Wels. Ulinski's first contact with the topic of space flight occurred during the time period when he was a member of the Austro- Hungarian Army. Ulinski was one of the first in the german speaking part of Europe to publish an article with his ideas about space flight in 1920 (three years before Herman Oberth

Experimental determination of carbon partitioning between upper mantle minerals and silicate melts: initial results and comparison to trace element partitioning (Nb, Rb, Ba, U, Th, K)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenthal, A.; Hauri, E. H.; Hirschmann, M. M.; Davis, F. A.; Withers, A. C.; Fogel, M. L.

2012-12-01

Inventories of C in the mantle and magmatic fluxes of C between the mantle and the Earth's outer envelopes are poorly constrained in part owing to challenges in determining undegassed C concentrations of pristine basalts. Saal et al. [1] proposed that the behavior of Nb could be used as a proxy for C, owing to apparently similar behavior of the two elements in Siqueiros Transform MORB, but higher C/Nb ratios in popping rocks [2] call into question the applicability of the C/Nb proxy. Here, we present experimentally determined carbon partition coefficients (D's) between nominally volatile-free mantle minerals (olivine, OL; orthopyroxene, OPX; clinopyroxene, CPX; garnet, GA) and melts at 0.8-3 GPa, and 1250-1500°C. We conducted piston-cylinder experiments using an olivine-tholeiite + 4 wt% CO2, doped with Nb, Rb, U, Th, and 13C to enhance detection limits. To promote growth of crystals big enough for SIMS analyses, experiments were either long (<6 days), or at an initial higher temperature (T) before cooling slowly to a target T. We also produced SIMS calibration glass standards with varying amounts of C, and subject to ongoing analyses. We analyzed carbon (12C, 13C), H, F, and trace elements (Nb, Rb, Ba, U, Th, K) of both mineral phases and quenched liquids in subsets of experimental runs (21 in graphite-lined Pt-capsules, 6 in Fe-doped Pt-lined capsules) using both Cameca IMS 6F and NanoSIMS instruments. D's measured for 12C and 13C are close to 5x10-4, in most cases D13C>D12C, but a few have the opposite. Continuous exchange of the liquid (initially rich in 13C) with the graphite capsules (rich in 12C) may yield D's with 13C>12C. D's with 12C>13C are likely owing to either low count rates or comparatively high analytical contamination. Concentrations in minerals vary from 0.20-3.46 ppm for C, 25-176 ppm for H2O, and 0.05-1.21 ppm for F, whereas liquids tend to much higher values (C≤0.9 wt%; H2O≤1.5 wt%; F≤34 ppm; P≤0.25 wt%; S≤43 ppm; Cl≤77 ppm

Population continuity, demic diffusion and Neolithic origins in central-southern Germany: the evidence from body proportions.

PubMed

Gallagher, A; Gunther, M M; Bruchhaus, H

2009-01-01

The transition to agro-pastoralism in central Europe has been framed within a dichotomy of "regional continuity" versus exogenous "demic diffusion". While substantial genetic support exists for a model of demographic diffusion from an ancestral source in the Near East, archaeological data furnish weak support for the "wave of advance" model. Nevertheless, archaeological evidence attests the widespread introduction of an exogenous "package" comprising ceramics, cereals, pulses and domesticated animals to central Europe at 5600calBCE. Body proportions are under strong climatic selection and evince remarkable stability within regional lineages. As such, they offer a viable and robust alternative to cranio-facial data in assessing hypothesised continuity and replacement with the transition to agro-pastoralism in central Europe. Humero-clavicular, brachial and crural indices in a large sample (n=75) of Linienbandkeramik (LBK), Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age specimens from the middle Elbe-Saale-Werra valley (MESV) were compared with Eurasian and African terminal Pleistocene, European Mesolithic and geographically disparate recent human specimens. Mesolithic Europeans display considerable variation in humero-clavicular and brachial indices yet none approach the extreme "hyper-polar" morphology of LBK humans from the MESV. In contrast, Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age peoples display elongated brachial and crural indices reminiscent of terminal Pleistocene and "tropically adapted" recent humans. These marked morphological changes likely reflect exogenous immigration during the terminal Fourth millennium cal BC. Population expansion and diffusion is a function of increased mobility and settlement dispersal concomitant with significant technological and subsistence changes in later Neolithic societies during the late fourth millennium cal BCE.

How socioeconomic inequalities impact pathways of care for coronary artery disease among elderly patients: study protocol for a qualitative longitudinal study.

PubMed

Schröder, Sara L; Fink, Astrid; Schumann, Nadine; Moor, Irene; Plehn, Alexander; Richter, Matthias

2015-11-09

Several studies have identified that socioeconomic inequalities in coronary artery disease (CAD) morbidity and mortality lead to a disadvantage in patients with low socioeconomic status (SES). International studies have shown that socioeconomic inequalities also exist in terms of access, utilisation and quality of cardiac care. The aim of this qualitative study is to provide information on the impact of socioeconomic inequalities on the pathway of care for CAD, and to establish which factors lead to socioeconomic inequality of care to form and expand existing scientific theories. A longitudinal qualitative study with 48 patients with CAD, aged 60-80 years, is being conducted. Patients have been recruited consecutively at the University Hospital in Halle/Saale, Germany, and will be followed for a period of 6 months. Patients are interviewed two times face-to-face using semistructured interviews. Data are transcribed and analysed based on grounded theory. Only participants who have been informed and who have signed a declaration of consent have been included in the study. The study complies rigorously with data protection legislation. Approval of the Ethical Review Committee at the Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Germany was obtained. The results of the study will be presented at several congresses, and will be published in high-quality peer-reviewed international journals. This study has been registered with the German Clinical Trials Register and assigned DRKS00007839. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Pre-Alpine (Variscan) Inheritance: A Key for the Location of the Future Valaisan Basin (Western Alps)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballèvre, M.; Manzotti, P.; Dal Piaz, G. V.

2018-03-01

The boundary between the Helvetic and the Penninic (=Briançonnais) Zones has long been recognized as a major fault ("Penninic Front") in the Western Alps. A narrow oceanic domain has been postulated at least along part of this boundary (the Valaisan Basin). However, the information provided by the pre-Triassic basement has not been fully exploited and will be discussed here in detail. The igneous and metamorphic history of the pre-Triassic basement shows significant differences between the External Massifs from the Helvetic Zone, with abundant Late Carboniferous granites, and the basement of the Briançonnais Zone, including the Internal Massifs (Dora-Maira, Gran Paradiso, and Monte Rosa), devoid of Carboniferous granites. A major coal-bearing basin, the "Zone Houillère," opened along this boundary. This limnic intramontane basin has never been properly investigated. The Zone Houillère is not comparable with the external, paralic, flexural, basins on both sides of the Variscan belt but shows similarities with the Saar-Saale Basin. Like the latter, we interpret the Zone Houillère as a transtensional basin opened along a major, crustal-scale, fault zone, namely, the East Variscan Shear Zone. The Permian magmatism and sedimentation displays contrasting distributions, being absent or very localized in the Helvetic Zone, and widespread in the Penninic Zone. The above data indicate that the structural inheritance from the Variscan belt plays a major role in defining the future location of the Valaisan Basin, that is, the boundary between the European paleomargin and the Briançonnais microcontinent.

Kinetics of Nucleation and Crystal Growth in Glass Forming Melts in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, Delbert E.; Ray, Chandra S.

2001-01-01

This flight definition project has the specific objective of investigating the kinetics of nucleation and crystal growth in high temperature inorganic oxide, glass forming melts in microgravity. It is related to one of our previous NASA projects that was concerned with glass formation for high temperature containerless melts in microgravity. The previous work culminated in two experiments which were conducted aboard the space shuttle in 1983 and 1985 and which consisted of melting (at 1500 C) and cooling levitated 6 to 8 mm diameter spherical samples in a Single Axis Acoustic Levitator (SAAL) furnace. Compared to other types of materials, there have been relatively few experiments, 6 to 8, conducted on inorganic glasses in space. These experiments have been concerned with mass transport (alkali diffusion), containerless melting, critical cooling rate for glass formation, chemical homogeneity, fiber pulling, and crystallization of glass forming melts. One of the most important and consistent findings in all of these experiments has been that the glasses prepared in microgravity are more resistant to crystallization (better glass former) and more chemically homogeneous than equivalent glasses made on Earth (1 g). The chemical composition of the melt appears relatively unimportant since the same general results have been reported for oxide, fluoride and chalcogenide melts. These results for space-processed glasses have important implications, since glasses with a higher resistance to crystallization or higher chemical homogeneity than those attainable on Earth can significantly advance applications in areas such as fiber optics communications, high power laser glasses, and other photonic devices where glasses are the key functional materials.

Experiences of using UAVs for monitoring levee breaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brauneck, J.; Pohl, R.; Juepner, R.

2016-11-01

During floods technical protection facilities are subjected to high loads and might fail as several examples have shown in the past. During the major 2002 and 2013 floods in the catchment area of the Elbe River (Germany), some breaching levees caused large inundations in the hinterland. In such situations the emergency forces need comprehensive and reliable realtime information about the situation, especially the breach enlargement and discharge, the spatial and temporal development of the inundation and the damages. After an impressive progress meanwhile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) also called remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) are highly capable to collect and transmit precise information from not accessible areas to the task force very quickly. Using the example of the Breitenhagen levee failure near the Saale-Elbe junction in Germany in June 2013 the processing steps will be explained that are needed to come from the visual UAV-flight information to a hydronumeric model. Modelling of the breach was implemented using photogrammetric ranging methods, such as structure from motion and dense image matching. These methods utilize conventional digital multiple view images or videos recorded by either a moving aerial platform or terrestrial photography and allow the construction of 3D point clouds, digital surface models and orthophotos. At Breitenhagen, a UAV recorded the beginning of the levee failure. Due to the dynamic character of the breach and the moving areal platform, 4 different surface models show valid data with extrapolated breach widths of 9 to 40 meters. By means of these calculations the flow rate through the breach has been determined. In addition the procedure has been tested in a physical model, whose results will be presented too.

The RHESA-CARE study: an extended baseline survey of the regional myocardial infarction registry of Saxony-Anhalt (RHESA) design and objectives.

PubMed

Hirsch, Katharina; Bohley, Stefanie; Mau, Wilfried; Schmidt-Pokrzywniak, Andrea

2016-08-17

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death in Europe. In Germany, a declining mortality rate from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has been observed in the last decades. Nevertheless, there are large differences between the federal states when looking at the mortality and morbidity of AMI. Saxony-Anhalt is one of the federal states with the highest mortality rates for AMI in Germany. In 2012, the regional myocardial infarction registry of Saxony-Anhalt (RHESA) was established to investigate the individual, infrastructural, and health care factors with respect to an urban (city of Halle) and rural (region of Altmark) population. For detailed observation the RHESA-CARE study was conducted in 2014. RHESA-CARE focuses on the symptoms during infarction, the behaviour of patients while alerting for infarction, the use of rehabilitation possibilities, and long-term care. RHESA-CARE is an extended baseline survey of AMI patients registered in RHESA who are aged 25 or more, and inhabitants of the city of Halle (Saale) or the district of Altmark in the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Detailed information was collected on classical and psychosocial cardiovascular risk factors as well as factors of alerting behaviour, first aid, and utilization of medical and rehabilitation services. High data quality is ensured by a detailed system of quality control. RHESA-CARE has the main objective to investigate factors that influence morbidity and mortality rates due to AMI. Another purpose is the comparison of a rural and urban patient population. It provides an opportunity to serve as a base for improvement of patients' behaviour and health care as well as further research.

[Gastroenterology in the former GDR (1975-1990) and the changes after German reunification].

PubMed

Nilius, R

2014-06-01

This short overview sketches the state of Gastroenterology in the GDR (1975 - 1990) from the point of view of an East-German contemporary witness. The "Society for Gastroenterology/GDR" (GfG) has played a decisive role for the development of the Gastroenterology in the GDR. The society promoted medical education and constitutions of gastroenterological centers, fostered gastroenterological research and controlled the standards for the recognition of Gastroenterology as a state-accepted medical sub-discipline. An extensive program of scientific and educative events included two-annual meetings of scientific congresses, the "Berka-Talks", endoscopic workshops" and featured special symposia such as for Hepatology, Pancreatology and gastro-intestinal Microbiology. Temporary working groups developed technical and professional legal advice. Although the GfG was a full member of the respective international organizations (OMGE, ASNEMGE, ESGE), it was almost impossible building up reliable international contacts in a mutual interest. Especially, contacts with colleagues representing the "German Society of Digestion and Metabolic Diseases" (DGVS) were impeded. With the political changes of 1989/1990, an association of the two German Societies for Gastroenterology seemed within reach. At a meeting in Halle (Saale) (March, 22nd, 1990), representatives of DGVS and GfG quickly agreed on modalities to merge the two societies. After the 45th meeting of the DGVS (October 3rd-6th, Essen) more than 600 GDR physicians could join the BRD society under accommodating conditions. The GfG had fulfilled its historical function as a "bridge" during the division of Germany with dignity and was suspended (November, 24nd,1990). © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Georg Händel (1622-97): the barber-surgeon father of George Frideric Handel (1685-1759).

PubMed

Adams, Aileen K; Hofestädt, B

2005-08-01

George Frideric Handel was born in Halle (Saale) in Germany. After initial musical education in Germany and Italy, he came to London as a young man and spent the rest of his life in England. Until recently, little has been written of his early life in either the English or the German literature, and it is not widely known that he was the son of Georg Händel, a barber-surgeon of repute. When his father's name is mentioned, it is usually to claim that he actively discouraged his son's musical education. Georg Händel lived in a turbulent time; he became an eminent surgeon who served as valet and barber to the Courts of Saxony and Brandenburg, as well as a distinguished citizen of Halle. In describing his surgical duties, we show how these differed from those of barbers in England and France at that time. Barbers in Germany were less controlled, freer to practise as they pleased, and Händel himself had important duties in public health and forensic medicine. George Frideric was the first son of the second marriage, born when his father was 63 years of age. We aim also to dispel the notion that Händel's influence on his son's career was as obstructive as has been claimed, but rather that he was a responsible father with his children's interests at heart. This is shown in the success achieved by all his children, most of whom followed their father into medicine, while George Frideric became the most famous of them all, being regarded by posterity as one of the greatest composers.

[Legal medicine specialists within the framework of acute care : Analysis of legal medicine consultations in relation to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt].

PubMed

Pliske, G; Heide, S; Lucas, B; Brandstädter, K; Walcher, F; Kropf, S; Lessig, R; Piatek, S

2018-05-01

In acute medical care, there are patients who have been injured by the influence of others. The aim of this study was to analyze all cases which were presented to the Institute for Legal Medicine of the University Halle (Saale). The cases where analyzed in relation to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt. The consultations of the Institute for Legal Medicine Halle-Wittenberg for 2012-2015 were evaluated with regard to the age and gender distribution, the reasons for the consultation and time until the request for consultations. These cases were statistically compared to the victims' statistics of the state office of criminal investigation in Saxony-Anhalt 2014-2015. A total of 536 cases (55.6% male and 44.4% female patients) were evaluated. In all, 62.1% of patients were under 18 years of age; 43.5% of all consultations were requested by pediatric (surgery) clinics. The most common reasons for consultation were sexual child abuse or violence against children (50.7%). Compared to the victims' statistics, significantly more children were examined by legal medicine specialists than could have been expected (p < 0.001). In adult patients, the most common causes for consultation were acts of violence (20.4%) and domestic violence (10.1%). Among adults, significantly more women and fewer men were presented than expected (p = 0.001). There were only a small number of consultations of legal medicine specialists in relation to the victims' statistics. Most of them were children and women. The temporal latency between the act of violence and the consultations was one day and more. The latency and the renunciation of the consultation of the legal medicine specialists can lead to loss of evidence.

A patient cohort on long-term sequelae of sepsis survivors: study protocol of the Mid-German Sepsis Cohort.

PubMed

Scherag, André; Hartog, Christiane S; Fleischmann, Carolin; Ouart, Dominique; Hoffmann, Franziska; König, Christian; Kesselmeier, Miriam; Fiedler, Sandra; Philipp, Monique; Braune, Anke; Eichhorn, Cornelia; Gampe, Christin; Romeike, Heike; Reinhart, Konrad

2017-08-23

An increasing number of patients survive sepsis; however, we lack valid data on the long-term impact on morbidity from prospective observational studies. Therefore, we designed an observational cohort to quantify mid-term and long-term functional disabilities after intensive care unit (ICU)-treated sepsis. Ultimately, findings for the Mid-German Sepsis Cohort (MSC) will serve as basis for the implementation of follow-up structures for patients with sepsis and help to increase quality of care for sepsis survivors. All patients surviving ICU-treated sepsis are eligible and are recruited from five study centres in Germany (acute care hospital setting in Jena, Halle/Saale, Leipzig, Bad Berka, Erfurt; large long-term acute care hospital and rehabilitation setting in Klinik Bavaria Kreischa). Screening is performed by trained study nurses. Data are collected on ICU management of sepsis. On written informed consent provided by patients or proxies, follow-up is carried out by trained research staff at 3, 6 and 12 months and yearly thereafter. The primary outcome is functional disability as assessed by (instrumental) activities of daily living. Other outcomes cover domains like mortality, cognitive, emotional and physical impairment, and resource use. The estimated sample size of 3000 ICU survivors is calculated to allow detection of relevant changes in the primary outcome in sepsis survivors longitudinally. The study is conducted according to the current version of the Declaration of Helsinki and has been approved by four local/federal responsible institutional ethics committees and by the respective federal data protection commissioners. Results of MSC will be fed back to the patients and published in peer-reviewed journals. German Clinical Trials Registry DRKS00010050. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Knowledge-based modelling of historical surfaces using lidar data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Höfler, Veit; Wessollek, Christine; Karrasch, Pierre

2016-10-01

Currently in archaeological studies digital elevation models are mainly used especially in terms of shaded reliefs for the prospection of archaeological sites. Hesse (2010) provides a supporting software tool for the determination of local relief models during the prospection using LiDAR scans. Furthermore the search for relicts from WW2 is also in the focus of his research. In James et al. (2006) the determined contour lines were used to reconstruct locations of archaeological artefacts such as buildings. This study is much more and presents an innovative workflow of determining historical high resolution terrain surfaces using recent high resolution terrain models and sedimentological expert knowledge. Based on archaeological field studies (Franconian Saale near Bad Neustadt in Germany) the sedimentological analyses shows that archaeological interesting horizon and geomorphological expert knowledge in combination with particle size analyses (Koehn, DIN ISO 11277) are useful components for reconstructing surfaces of the early Middle Ages. Furthermore the paper traces how it is possible to use additional information (extracted from a recent digital terrain model) to support the process of determination historical surfaces. Conceptual this research is based on methodology of geomorphometry and geo-statistics. The basic idea is that the working procedure is based on the different input data. One aims at tracking the quantitative data and the other aims at processing the qualitative data. Thus, the first quantitative data were available for further processing, which were later processed with the qualitative data to convert them to historical heights. In the final stage of the workflow all gathered information are stored in a large data matrix for spatial interpolation using the geostatistical method of Kriging. Besides the historical surface, the algorithm also provides a first estimation of accuracy of the modelling. The presented workflow is characterized by a high

The face of war: Trauma analysis of a mass grave from the Battle of Lützen (1632)

PubMed Central

Nicklisch, Nicole; Ramsthaler, Frank; Meller, Harald; Friederich, Susanne; Alt, Kurt W.

2017-01-01

Contemporary accounts of battles are often incomplete or even erroneous because they reflect the—often biased—viewpoints of the authors. Battlefield archaeology faces the task of compiling an historical analysis of a battle and of gathering all the available facts. Besides cultural historical evidence and artefacts, the human remains of those who have fallen in battle also provide invaluable information. In studying mass graves from a military context, the injury types and patterns are significant. They allow us to reconstruct the circumstances surrounding the soldiers’ deaths and provide information on the hostilities that occurred on the battlefield. One such mass grave was discovered in 2011 at Lützen, Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). Based on its geographical location and on the results obtained from archaeological examinations carried out in the area, the grave could be dated to the Thirty Years War (1618–1648). Further archaeological research confirmed that the dead had been soldiers from the Battle of Lützen (1632). The mass grave was block-lifted and then comprehensively examined at the State Museum of Prehistory in Halle (Saale). As well as osteological examinations to determine age, sex, height, state of health, i.e. diseases or injuries, imaging methods were also employed and histological and isotopic analyses carried out. The focus of this study was on the injuries sustained by the soldiers both prior to and during the battle. The results revealed that the 47 deceased had been between the ages of 15 and 50 when they died. Numerous healed injuries showed that the men had often been involved in violent encounters. Approximately three in every four soldiers had injuries that could have been fatal. Wounds inflicted by handguns, particularly to the skull, were predominant. The integrative analysis of the archaeological and anthropological data allowed us to conclude that the majority had been killed during a cavalry attack. PMID:28542491

Robustness against serum neutralization of a poliovirus type 1 from a lethal epidemic of poliomyelitis in the Republic of Congo in 2010.

PubMed

Drexler, Jan Felix; Grard, Gilda; Lukashev, Alexander N; Kozlovskaya, Liubov I; Böttcher, Sindy; Uslu, Gökhan; Reimerink, Johan; Gmyl, Anatoly P; Taty-Taty, Raphaël; Lekana-Douki, Sonia Etenna; Nkoghe, Dieudonné; Eis-Hübinger, Anna M; Diedrich, Sabine; Koopmans, Marion; Leroy, Eric M; Drosten, Christian

2014-09-02

In 2010, a large outbreak of poliomyelitis with unusual 47% lethality occurred in Pointe Noire, Republic of Congo. Vaccine-mediated immunity against the outbreak virus was never investigated. A wild poliovirus 1 (WPV1) isolated from a fatal case (termed PV1-RC2010) showed a previously unknown combination of amino acid exchanges in critical antigenic site 2 (AgS2, VP1 capsid protein positions 221SAAL → 221PADL). These exchanges were also detected in an additional 11 WPV1 strains from fatal cases. PV1-RC2010 escaped neutralization by three different mAbs relevant for AgS2. Virus neutralization was tested in sera from fatal cases, who died before supplementary immunization (n = 24), Gabonese recipients of recent oral polio vaccination (n = 12), routinely vaccinated German medical students (n = 34), and German outpatients tested for antipoliovirus immunity (n = 17) on Vero, human rhabdomyosarcoma, and human epidermoid carcinoma 2 cells. Fatal poliomyelitis cases gave laboratory evidence of previous trivalent vaccination. Neutralizing antibody titers against PV1-RC2010 were significantly lower than those against the vaccine strain Sabin-1, two genetically distinct WPV1s isolated in 1965 and 2010 and two genetically distinct vaccine-derived PV strains. Of German vaccinees tested according to World Health Organization protocols, 15-29% were unprotected according to their neutralization titers (<1:8 serum dilution), even though all were protected against Sabin-1. Phylogenetic analysis of the WPV1 outbreak strains suggested a recent introduction of virus progenitors from Asia with formation of separate Angolan and Congolese lineages. Only the latter carried both critical AgS2 mutations. Antigenetically variant PVs may become relevant during the final phase of poliomyelitis eradication in populations with predominantly vaccine-derived immunity. Sustained vaccination coverage and clinical and environmental surveillance will be necessary.

Vegetation and climate variability during the Last Interglacial evidenced in the pollen record from Lake Baikal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granoszewski, W.; Demske, D.; Nita, M.; Heumann, G.; Andreev, A. A.

2005-04-01

A pollen record from the core sediments collected in the northern part of Lake Baikal represents the latest stage of the Taz (Saale) Glaciation, Kazantsevo (Eemian) Interglacial (namely the Last Interglacial), and the earliest stage of the Zyryanka (Weichselian) Glaciation. According to the palaeomagnetic-based age model applied to the core, the Last Interglacial in the Lake Baikal record lasted about 10.6 ky from 128 to 117.4 ky BP, being more or less synchronous with the Marine Isotope Stage 5e. The reconstructed changes in the south Siberian vegetation and climate are summarised as follows: a major spread of shrub alder ( Alnus fruticosa) and shrub birches ( Betula sect. Nanae/ Fruticosae) in the study area was a characteristic feature during the late glacial phase of the Taz Glaciation. Boreal trees e.g. spruce ( Picea obovata) and birch ( Betula sect. Albae) started to play an important role in the regional vegetation with the onset of the interglacial conditions. Optimal conditions for Abies sibirica- P. obovata taiga development occurred ca. 126.3 ky BP. The maximum spread of birch forest-steppe communities took place at the low altitudes ca. 126.5-125.5 ky BP and Pinus sylvestris started to form forests in the northern Baikal area after ca. 124.4 ky BP. Re-expansion of the steppe communities, as well as shrubby alder and willow communities and the disappearance of forest vegetation occurred at about 117.4 ky BP, suggesting the end of the interglacial succession. The changes in the pollen assemblages recorded in the sediments from northern Baikal point to a certain instability of the interglacial climate. Three phases of climate deterioration have been distinguished: 126-125.5, 121.5-120, and 119.5-119 ky BP. The penultimate cooling signal may be correlated with the cool oscillation recorded in European pollen records. However, such far distant correlation requires more careful investigation.

Addition of the Neurokinin-1-Receptor Antagonist (RA) Aprepitant to a 5-Hydroxytryptamine-RA and Dexamethasone in the Prophylaxis of Nausea and Vomiting Due to Radiation Therapy With Concomitant Cisplatin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jahn, Franziska, E-mail: franziska.jahn@uk-halle.de; Riesner, Anica; Jahn, Patrick

Purpose: To assess, in a prospective, observational study, the safety and efficacy of the addition of the neurokinin-1-receptor antagonist (NK1-RA) aprepitant to concomitant radiochemotherapy, for the prophylaxis of radiation therapy–induced nausea and vomiting. Patients and Methods: This prospective observational study compared the antiemetic efficacy of an NK1-RA (aprepitant), a 5-hydroxytryptamine-RA, and dexamethasone (aprepitant regimen) versus a 5-hydroxytryptamine-RA and dexamethasone (control regimen) in patients receiving concomitant radiochemotherapy with cisplatin at the Department of Radiation Oncology, University Hospital Halle (Saale), Germany. The primary endpoint was complete response in the overall phase, defined as no vomiting and no use of rescue therapy in thismore » period. Results: Fifty-nine patients treated with concomitant radiochemotherapy with cisplatin were included in this study. Thirty-one patients received the aprepitant regimen and 29 the control regimen. The overall complete response rates for cycles 1 and 2 were 75.9% and 64.5% for the aprepitant group and 60.7% and 54.2% for the control group, respectively. Although a 15.2% absolute difference was reached in cycle 1, a statistical significance was not detected (P=.22). Furthermore maximum nausea was 1.58 ± 1.91 in the control group and 0.73 ± 1.79 in the aprepitant group (P=.084); for the head-and-neck subset, 2.23 ± 2.13 in the control group and 0.64 ± 1.77 in the aprepitant group, respectively (P=.03). Conclusion: This is the first study of an NK1-RA–containing antiemetic prophylaxis regimen in patients receiving concomitant radiochemotherapy. Although the primary endpoint was not obtained, the absolute difference of 10% in efficacy was reached, which is defined as clinically meaningful for patients by international guidelines groups. Randomized phase 3 studies are necessary to further define the potential role of an NK1-RA in this setting.« less

Reference Curve for the Mean Uterine Artery Pulsatility Index in Singleton Pregnancies.

PubMed

Weichert, Alexander; Hagen, Andreas; Tchirikov, Michael; Fuchs, Ilka B; Henrich, Wolfgang; Entezami, Michael

2017-05-01

Doppler sonography of the uterine artery (UA) is done to monitor pregnancies, because the detected flow patterns are useful to draw inferences about possible disorders of trophoblast invasion. Increased resistance in the UA is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and perinatal mortality. In the absence of standardized figures, the normal ranges of the various available reference curves sometimes differ quite substantially from one another. The causes for this are differences in the flow patterns of the UA depending on the position of the pulsed Doppler gates as well as branching of the UA. Because of the discrepancies between the different reference curves and the practical problems this poses for guideline recommendations, we thought it would be useful to create our own reference curves for Doppler measurements of the UA obtained from a singleton cohort under standardized conditions. This retrospective cohort study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Department for Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine of the University Hospital Halle (Saale) and the Center for Prenatal Diagnostics and Human Genetics Kurfürstendamm 199. Available datasets from the three study locations were identified and reference curves were generated using the LMS method. Measured values were correlated with age of gestation, and a cubic model and Box-Cox power transformation (L), the median (M) and the coefficient of variation (S) were used to smooth the curves. 103 720 Doppler examinations of the UA carried out in singleton pregnancies from the 11th week of gestation (10 + 1 GW) were analyzed. The mean pulsatility index (Mean PI) showed a continuous decline over the course of pregnancy, dropping to a plateau of around 0.84 between the 23rd and 27th GW, after which it decreased again. Age of gestation, placental position, position of pulsed Doppler gates and branching of

PubMed Central

Weichert, Alexander; Hagen, Andreas; Tchirikov, Michael; Fuchs, Ilka B.; Henrich, Wolfgang; Entezami, Michael

2017-01-01

Introduction Doppler sonography of the uterine artery (UA) is done to monitor pregnancies, because the detected flow patterns are useful to draw inferences about possible disorders of trophoblast invasion. Increased resistance in the UA is associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia and/or intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and perinatal mortality. In the absence of standardized figures, the normal ranges of the various available reference curves sometimes differ quite substantially from one another. The causes for this are differences in the flow patterns of the UA depending on the position of the pulsed Doppler gates as well as branching of the UA. Because of the discrepancies between the different reference curves and the practical problems this poses for guideline recommendations, we thought it would be useful to create our own reference curves for Doppler measurements of the UA obtained from a singleton cohort under standardized conditions. Material and Methods This retrospective cohort study was carried out in the Department of Obstetrics of the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, the Department for Obstetrics and Prenatal Medicine of the University Hospital Halle (Saale) and the Center for Prenatal Diagnostics and Human Genetics Kurfürstendamm 199. Available datasets from the three study locations were identified and reference curves were generated using the LMS method. Measured values were correlated with age of gestation, and a cubic model and Box-Cox power transformation (L), the median (M) and the coefficient of variation (S) were used to smooth the curves. Results 103 720 Doppler examinations of the UA carried out in singleton pregnancies from the 11th week of gestation (10 + 1 GW) were analyzed. The mean pulsatility index (Mean PI) showed a continuous decline over the course of pregnancy, dropping to a plateau of around 0.84 between the 23rd and 27th GW, after which it decreased again. Conclusion Age of gestation, placental

Towards a consistent mantle carbon flux estimate: Insights from volatile systematics (H 2O/Ce, δD, CO 2/Nb) in the North Atlantic mantle (14° N and 34° N)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartigny, Pierre; Pineau, Françoise; Aubaud, Cyril; Javoy, Marc

2008-01-01

In order to better characterise mantle CO 2/Nb-variability, we obtained and compiled major and trace elements, content and isotope composition of both CO 2 and water on two series of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) samples dredged at ˜ 14° N ( n = 6) and 34° N ( n = 11) on the mid-Atlantic ridge. All samples are carbon-saturated. One, the so-called popping rock 2ΠD43 kept its vesicles, the initial (pre-degassing) C-contents of the 16 other samples being reconstructed from their assumed degassing history. For water, the samples show large variations, from 1300 to 6900 ppm and from 1900 to 7900 ppm with associated δD-values ranging from - 55 to - 79‰ and from - 55 to - 88‰ for samples at 14° N and 34° N respectively. For carbon, the inferred initial predegassing contents vary greatly, from 660 to 14,700 ppmCO 2 and from 1400 to 57,600 ppmCO 2 for samples at 14° N and 34° N respectively. Measured Nb-contents range from 4.5 to 29.6 ppm show both good agreement with previously published data and positive correlations with reconstructed initial CO 2-contents. The mean CO 2/Nb range from ˜ 570 to ˜ 730 at 14° N and 34° N respectively. CO 2 and Nb data for the two undegassed samples available so far (i.e. the popping rock of the present study and the basaltic glasses from the Siqueiros transform fault from the study of Saal et al., 2002) show significant variations in CO 2/Nb over a factor of 2 and thus questions the constant CO 2/Nb previously emphasised for these two samples, this view being supported by CO 2/Nb-ratios of samples whose initial C-contents were reconstructed. For incompatible elements such as Ce, K and including water, a comparison of the geochemical characteristics of transform fault basaltic magmatism with other MORB systems shows magma transform fault magmatism to be unrepresentative of mantle compositions. Assuming a more appropriate average MORB CO 2/Nb-ratio of ˜ 530 and a mean MORB Nb-content of 3.31-1.8+3.99, we computed a mantle

[In process.

PubMed

Kaasch, Michael; Kaasch, Joachim

Two of the most important life scientists in the GDR were the botanist, plant biochemist and pharmacist Kurt MOTHES (1900-1983) and the geneticist and plant breeder Hans STUBBE (1902-1989). Both started their successful careers during the period of NS dictatorship. MOTHES was a full professor of botany at the University of K6nigsberg from 1935 to 1945. After working at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Plant Breeding Research in Mincheberg and at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Biology in Berlin-Dahlem, STUBBE oversaw the establishment of a Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Crop Plant Research near Vienna in 1943, which was moved to Stecklenberg in the Harz Mountains in 1945 and later to Gatersleben. While MOTHEs was being held as a Soviet prisoner of war from 1945 to 1949, STUBBE was able to set up his institute in Gatersleben in the eastern part of Germany and held influential positions at Martin Luther University in Halle (Saale) as a professor for genetics and as the founding dean of the Faculty of Agriculture. After his release from war captivity, MOTHES, with STUBBE'S support, was able to continue his research at STUBBE'S institute in Gatersleben as the head of the Department for Chemical Physiology. There MOTHES was offered espe- cially favourable conditions by East German standards which led him to turn down other job offers, like the position of professor of botany at the University of Leipzig which was vacant at the time. In addition, MOTHES was also of- fered teaching opportunities in the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the University of Halle, again thanks to STUBBE'S support. In 1951 STUBBE became a founding member and president of the German Academy of Agricultural Sciences at Berlin, and in 1954 MOTHEs became president of the German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. Both were also influential members of the German Academy of Sciences at Berlin (later the GDR's Academy of Sciences). This article investigates how their collaboration developed into an ever

Effects of pH2O, pH2 and fO2 on the Diffusion of H-Bearing Species in Lunar Basalt and an Iron-Free Basaltic Analog at 1 atm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newcombe, M. E.; Beckett, J. R.; Baker, M. B.; Newman, S.; Guan, Y.; Eiler, J. M.; Stolper, E. M.

2016-12-01

. (1991) GCA 55, 441-456; [2] Ni et al. (2013) GCA 103, 36-48; [3] Saal et al. (2008) Nature 454, 192-195.

Mechanisms for Incorporation of Hydrogen in and on the Lunar Surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dyar, M. D.; Hibbitts, C.; Liu, Y.; Taylor, L. A.; Rossman, G. R.; Orlando, T. M.; Seaman, S. J.; Tucker, J. M.; Pieters, C. M.

2009-12-01

Absorption features near 3-microns that are diagnostic of OH/ H2O have been observed on many bodies in our solar system, including Mars, the Moon, and asteroids. We examine laboratory data that support ten different mechanisms by which OH/ H2O may be incorporated in or on a planetary surface, some of which may be appropriate for the Moon. These mechanisms can be broadly grouped in two categories: OH/ H2O in the interiors of minerals and glasses (#1-5 below), and OH/ H2O on their surfaces (#6-10). 1) Olivine, pyroxene, feldspar, and many other “nominally-anhydrous” silicates commonly incorporate OH, either during crystallization or through diffusion from a hydrous magma.2) Hydrous minerals, like amphiboles and clay minerals, contain structural OH. 3) Hydrated minerals such as zeolites contain structural H2O. 4) Minerals that crystallize in water-rich environments may contain fluid inclusions of H2O, indicating the presence of H during crystallization. 5) OH and/or H2O may be dissolved in silicate glasses with variable speciation depending on crystallization history and composition. Recent SIMS analyses of lunar volcanic glasses shows the presence of H at ppm levels (Saal et al., 2009). Our work suggests OH may be present (near detection levels) in agglutinate glasses as well. Such OH/ H2O could represent either primary magmatic H or solar-wind H interacting with the melt on the surface. 6) Liquid water (H2O) occurs at present only on the surface of Earth. 7) Surface ice (H2O) occurs on the surfaces of many terrestrial planets, may exist only in the cold portions of the permanently-shadowed portions of the lunar polar craters (e.g., Spudis, 2003). 8) Water can adsorb onto a mineral surface and then dissociate to form OH (e.g., Lane et al., 2007). 9) H2O may be physically adsorbed onto a mineral surface. 10) Interactions between solar wind particles and oxygen of mineral and/or glass surfaces may form OH (e.g., Zeller et al., 1970) with potential abundances on the

[Mobile computing systems in preclinical care of stroke. Results of the Stroke Angel initiative within the BMBF project PerCoMed].

PubMed

Ziegler, V; Rashid, A; Müller-Gorchs, M; Kippnich, U; Hiermann, E; Kögerl, C; Holtmann, C; Siebler, M; Griewing, B

2008-07-01

steps of evaluation. The system significantly influenced the clinical process of acute stroke management more than the preclinical ones (door-to-CT: 32 min. before and 16 min. at the end of the project). Lysis treatment rose from 6.12% (2005) to 11.17% (2007) of patients with acute stroke. From the set of perspectives taken, the study illustrates that mobile computing technologies offer new and innovative approaches to improve intersectional acute stroke care. It also teaches the participants that interdisciplinary research can significantly deepen the understanding of such technologies and projects, which can lead to better decision making concerning solution implementation, management and improvements. The approach will be brought into daily practice in Bad Neustadt/Saale within the next months.

Kinetics of Nucleation and Crystal Growth in Glass Forming Melts in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Day, Delbert E.; Ray, Chandra S.

2003-01-01

This flight definition project has the specific objective of investigating the kinetics of nucleation and crystal growth in high temperature inorganic oxide, glass forming melts in microgravity. It is related to one1 of our previous NASA projects that was concerned with glass formation for high temperature containerless melts in microgravity. The previous work culminated in two experiments which were conducted aboard the space shuttle in 1983 and 1985 and which consisted of melting (at 1500 C) and cooling levitated 6 to 8 mm diameter spherical samples in a Single Axis Acoustic Levitator (SAAL) furnace. Compared to other types of materials, there have been relatively few experiments, 6 to 8, conducted on inorganic glasses in space. These experiments have been concerned with mass transport (alkali diffusion), containerless melting, critical cooling rate for glass formation, chemical homogeneity, fiber pulling, and crystallization of glass forming melts. One of the most important and consistent findings in all of these experiments has been that the glasses prepared in microgravity are more resistant to crystallization (better glass former) and more chemically homogeneous than equivalent glasses made on earth (1g). The chemical composition of the melt appears relatively unimportant since the same general results have been reported for oxide, fluoride and chalcogenide melts. These results for space-processed glasses have important implications, since glasses with a higher resistance to crystallization or higher chemical homogeneity than those attainable on earth can significantly advance applications in areas such as fiber optics communications, high power laser glasses, and other photonic devices where glasses are the key functional materials. The classical theories for nucleation and crystal growth for a glass or melt do not contain any parameter that is directly dependent upon the g-value, so it is not readily apparent why glasses prepared in microgravity should be

A low-cost approach for the documentation and monitoring of an archaeological excavation site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffmeister, Dirk; Orrin, Joel; Richter, Jürgen

2016-04-01

The documentation of archaeological excavations and in particular a constant monitoring is often time-consuming and depending on humańs capabilities. Thus, remote sensing methods, which allow an objective reproduction of the current state of an excavation and additional information are of interest. Therefore, a low-cost approach was tested on an open-air excavation site for two days in September 2015. The Magdalenian excavation site of Bad Kösen-Lengefeld, Germany is one important site in a system of about 100 sites in the area of the small rivers Saale and Unstrut. The whole site and the surrounding area (200 by 200 m) was first observed by a GoPro Hero 3+ mounted on a DJI-Phantom 2 UAV. Ground control points were set-up in a regular grid covering the whole area. The achieved accuracy is 20 mm with a ground resolution of 45 mm. As a test, the GoPro Hero 3+ camera was additionally mounted on a small, extendable pole. With this second low-cost, easy to apply monitoring approach, pictures were automatically taken every second in a stop-and-go mode. In order to capture the excavation pit (7 by 4 m), two different angles were used for holding the pole, which focused on the middle and on the border of the pit. This procedure was repeated on the following day in order to document the excavation process. For the registration of the images, the already existing and measured excavation nails were used, which are equally distributed over the whole site in a 1 m grid. Thus, a high accurate registration of the images was possible (>10 mm). In order to approve the accuracy of the already derived data, the whole site was also observed by a Faro Focus 3D LS 120 laser scanner. The measurements of this device were registered by spherical targets, which were measured in the same reference system. The accuracy of the registration and the ground resolution for the image based approach for both days was about 4 mm. From these two measurements the process of the excavation was easily

Water in the Lunar Interior and the Apparent KREEP-Mare Dichotomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCubbin, F. M.; Nekvasil, H.

2010-12-01

Recent SIMS analysis of lunar apatite has shown that hydroxyl is structurally bound within lunar apatite from a number of different lunar lithologic types (McCubbin et al., 2010a, 2010b; Boyce et al., 2010; Greenwood et al., 2010). These studies along with previous SIMS analyses of lunar fire fountain glasses (Saal et al., 2008) confirm that there is at least some water in the lunar interior, with abundance estimates in magmatic source regions ranging from 64 ppb to 5 ppm water (McCubbin et al., 2010a). Surprisingly, apatite from rocks with KREEP-rich incompatible trace element signatures are depleted in hydroxyl in comparison to apatite from typical mare basalts. This result is counter-intuitive to the lunar magma ocean model, which predicts that incompatible constituents (e.g., water) would have been concentrated in the last dregs of liquid referred to as “urKREEP”. The mare basalts, which formed by partial melting of earlier LMO cumulates, are typically depleted in these incompatible constituents. Complicating the issue further, chlorine, another incompatible magmatic volatile element in apatite, follows the predicted trend with apatite from KREEP-rich rocks containing significant chlorine concentrations in comparison to apatite from mare basalts (McCubbin et al., 2009). The preceding results imply one of two scenarios 1) Water did not behave incompatibly during LMO crystallization and was preferentially stored within the LMO cumulate minerals 2) A secondary process such as degassing has perturbed the initial volatile contents of the urKREEP liquid or of the secondary magmas that have KREEP-rich incompatible trace element signatures. In regards to the first scenario, the mineral melt partition coefficients for water would need to have exceeded unity at the very low water concentrations of the LMO liquid. This scenario is consistent with the behavior of chlorine, as chlorine is not typically stored in nominally anhydrous phases like pyroxene or olivine

Zonation of volatile and major elements in basaltic melt inclusions: a snapshot of syn-eruptive processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Newcombe, M.; Fabbrizio, A.; Zhang, Y.; Le Voyer, M.; Guan, Y.; Ma, C.; Eiler, J. M.; Saal, A. E.; Stolper, E. M.

2011-12-01

composition) or loss of H2O and F into/through the host olivine (observed for H2O in [7-9]). The latter hypothesis would complement the results of [10], who observed elevated H2O and F in olivine adjacent to volatile-rich MIs. [1] Saal et al. (2002) Nature, 419, 451-455. [2] Lesher et al. (1996) Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 60, 405-413. [3] Jambon (1982) Journal of Geophysical Research, 87, 10797-10810. [4] Mercier (2009) PhD thesis, Université Paris - Sud 11. [5] Chen & Zhang (2008) GCA, 72, 4756-4777. [6] Mungall et al. (1998) American Mineralogist, 83, 685-699. [7] Hauri (2002) Chemical Geology, 183, 115-141. [8] Massare et al. (2002) Chemical Geology, 183, 87-98. [9] Portnyagin et al. (2008) EPSL, 272, 541-552. [10] Le Voyer et al. (2010) AGU abstract #V23E-07.

The Importance of Apollo to Solar-System Science and Future Human Exploration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neal, C. R.; Shearer, C. K.

2012-12-01

December 14, 2012 marks 40 years since humans walked on the Moon, and the demise of the Apollo program. Apollo will be remembered for America's response to the President's ambitious plan to go to the Moon that was fueled by cold-war "competition". However, the importance of Apollo goes far beyond that because it represents an achievement that spacefaring nations, including the USA, still aspire to. This presentation focuses on the Apollo influence on our understanding of the Moon and the Solar-System, as well as future human exploration activities. Apollo gave 2 things that continue to yield surprises and (re)shape our thinking about the Moon: ALSEP data sets and the Apollo lunar sample collection. The ALSEPs gave us data on the radiation and dust environment, as the nature of the lunar interior, and how the Moon interacts with the solar wind and Earth's magnetotail. Many of ALSEP datasets are STILL not available in the Planetary Data System, but those that are yield surprises, such as the direct detection of the Moon's core from Apollo seismic data (Weber et al., 2011, Science 331, 309). This is now possible because of the more sophisticated computing systems that are available. Apollo samples have shown the unequivocal presence of indigenous lunar water (Saal et al., 2008, Nature 454, 192). ALSEP data, Apollo samples, and the Apollo experience itself are still critical in shaping human space exploration, and showing the knowledge gaps that need to be filled to facilitate long-term human lunar exploration and beyond. ALSEP data are the only data we have regarding dust activity on the lunar surface. This coupled with the Apollo astronaut experience shows that systems (e.g., space suits) need to be engineered differently if a permanent human lunar presence is ever to be established. Seismic data show the magnitude of some moonquakes exceed 5 on the Richter scale and the maximum ground movement lasts several minutes and takes over an hour to dissipate. Any habitat

Abundance and isotope systematics of carbon in subglacial basalts, geothermal gases and fluids from Iceland's rift zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barry, P. H.; Hilton, D. R.; Fueri, E.; Halldorsson, S. A.; Fischer, T. P.; Gronvold, K.

2010-12-01

compared to N-MORB mantle source estimates (72-134 ppm) based upon CO2/Nb ratios [2, 3]; however, they are in good agreement with those from submarine glasses on adjacent segments from the Reykjanes and Kolbeinsey ridges [4,5]. Significantly, the model-derived δ13C estimate is close to the mean Icelandic geothermal value, implying that fluids closely resemble source values, i.e. they likely represent the exsolved component. Integrating the estimated source CO2 content with magma production values of 0.079 km3/yr [6] yields a CO2 flux of ~1.2 x 1011 mol CO2 yr-1for Iceland, representing ~ 5.4 % of the total carbon ridge flux of 2.2 x 1012 mol CO2 yr-1 [7]. Thus, the average CO2 flux estimate for Iceland is ~2.2 x 108 mol CO2 yr-1km-1 strike of ridge axis, which compares to an overall ridge flux (including Iceland) of ~2.9 x 107 mol CO2 yr-1km-1. This difference highlights both heterogeneity in source volatile contents and magma production rates as important controls for determining mantle CO2 fluxes. [1] Poreda et al., 1992 [2] Saal et al., 2002. [3] Shaw et al., 2010. [4] de Leeuw, 2007 [5] Macpherson et al., 2005. [6] Thordarson et al., 2007 [7] Marty et al., 1998.

Countdown for the Cluster quartet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2000-07-01

from each ESA member state. These finalists and their families have all won a 3-day trip to attend a special Cluster II launch event in one of these ESA establishments: * ESRIN (near Rome, Italy): winners from France, Ireland, Belgium. * VILSPA (near Madrid, Spain): winners from The Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland. * ESTEC (near Amsterdam, The Netherlands): winners from Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Austria. * ESOC (in the Rhine Valley, Germany): winners from Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom. The Lucky 15. The lucky national winners are: Austria: VENTO, NUBO, FULMO, PLUVO entered by Andreas Rosenstingl (Vienna, A). Belgium: ALBATROS, EAGLE, FALCON, HAWK entered by André Borremans (Lembeek, B). Denmark: ORIENTÁLIS, OCCIDENTÁLIS, AQUILÓNIUS, AUSTRÁLIS entered by Mia Stampe (Copenhagen, DK). Finland: UKKO, ILMATAR, KOKKO, LOUHI entered by Ismo Hirvonen (Tampere, FI) France: ADAGIO, ALLEGRO, LARGO, VIVACE entered by Daniel Lellouch (c/o Rehovot, Israel) Germany: TRISTAN & ISOLDE, ROMEO & JULIA entered by Manuela Saal (Köln, D) Ireland: IMBOLC, BELTAINE, LUGHNASA, SAMHAIN entered by Grainne Duncan (Dublin, IR). Italy: GEA, URANO, TETI, CRONO entered by Paola Benna (Avigliana-To, I). Netherlands: KIN, UINAL, TUN, KATUN entered by Ben Jasper Fayer (Hoogeven, NL). Norway: CHLOROS, ERYTHROS, AUREUS, LUTEUS entered by Joar Vatnaland (c/o Leeds, UK). Portugal: IXCHELL, ITZAMNA, MAUINA, RAINBOW entered by Carlos Fernando Carvalhido Oliveira (Porto, P). Spain: DIVEE, BEEDY, EEROT, BROT entered by Sergi Porter (Barcelona, E). Sweden: FLUTE, VIOLIN, CELLO, PIANO entered by Ola Carlström (Huddige, SW). Switzerland: SOLÉA, LUNÉA, EOLIA, ONDÉA entered by Luciana Favre (Riddes, CH). United Kingdom: TANGO, RUMBA, SALSA, SAMBA entered by Raymond Cotton (Bristol, UK). One of these lucky finalists will go on to gain a special grand prize when the winning names for the four spacecraft are announced at the ESOC event to mark the first Cluster II launch. These names will

The development of the Middle Triassic tectonical controlled Germanic Basin of Central Europe and the palaeoenvironmental related distribution of marine and terrestrial reptiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diedrich, Cajus G.

2010-05-01

.stratigraphie.de/perm-trias_workshops.html, 1-72. Knaust, D. 1997. Die Karbonatrampe am SE-Rand des Persischen Golfes (Vereinigte Arabische Emirate) - rezentes Analogon für den Unteren Muschelkalk der Germanischen Trias? Greifswalder Geowissenschaftliche Beiträge, 5, 101-123. Knaust, D. 2000. Signatures of tectonically controlled sedimentation in Lower Muschelkalk carbonates (Middle Triassic) of the Germanic Basin. Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie, I, 1998 (9-10), 893-924. Kozur, H.W. and Bachmann, G.H. 2008. Updated correlation of the Germanic Triassic with the Tethyan scale and assigned numeric ages. Berichte der Geologischen Bundesanstalt Wien, 76, 53-58. Reif, W.E. 1982. Muschelkal/Keuper bone-beds (Middle Triassic, SW-Germany) - storm condensation in a regressive cycle. In: Einsele, G. and Seilacher, A. (Eds.), Cyclic and Event Stratification. 299-325. Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg-New York. Müller, W. et al., 1964. Vulkanogene Lagen aus der Grenzbitumenzone (Mittlere Trias) des Monte San Giorgio in den Tessiner Kalkalpen. Eclogae geolicae Helvetiae, 57(2), 431-450. Rüffer, T. 1996. Seismite im Unteren Muschelkalk westlich von Halle (Saale). Hallesches Jahrbuch für Geowissenschaften, B 18, 119-130. Schoch, R. and Wild, R. 1999. Die Wirbeltiere des Muschelkalks unter besonderer Berücksichtigung Süddeutschlands. In: Hauschke, N. and Wilde, V. (Eds.), Trias eine ganz andere Welt. Europa im frühen Erdmittelalter. 331-342. Pfeil-Verlag, München. Schwarz, U. 1975. Sedimentary structures and facies analysis of shallow marine carbonates (Lower Muschelkalk, Middle Triassic, SW-Germany). Contributions to Sedimentology, 3, 1-100. Szulc, J. 1998. Anisian-Carnian evolution of the Germanic Basin and its eustatic, tectonic and climate controls. Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie, I, 7-8, 813-852.