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Recent test beam results of ATLAS ITk pixel modules
No full textAbstract The ATLAS inner detector will be completely replaced to cope with the increased occupancy and radiation damage that will be posed by the High Luminosity phase of the Large Hadron Collider. The new all-silicon Inner Tracker will consist of pixel sensors in the innermost part. They will be realized using different silicon sensor technologies and will be read out with ITkPixV2 ASICs. Their connection is realized by bump bonding. n-in-p planar hybrid modules 100 µm and 150 µm thick will instrument the four outer layers of the pixel detector. Due to their radiation hardness, 3D sensors will be installed in the innermost layer, where a fluence up to 2.0 × 10 16 n eq /cm 2 is expected. Their production is distributed among different vendors, and the pre-production sensors from each vendor are progressively being tested before and after irradiation with test beams. The most recent results will be presented here
Temperature fluctuation effects on the demography and fitness of Xyleborus bispinatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae): thresholds and growth rates
No full textAbstract Understanding the demography of Xyleborini ambrosia beetles and accurately estimating their optimal growth temperatures remains a challenge due to their cryptic behavior and complex reproductive habits. In this study, we reared the ambrosia beetle Xyleborus bispinatus at five distinct temperatures (17 °C, 20 °C, 26 °C, 29 °C, and 35 °C) over a 36-d period. Population dynamics, growth rates, and life cycle durations were assessed through destructive sampling every 4 d for each temperature treatment. To analyze temperature-dependent growth and development, a nonlinear model was fitted to the intrinsic growth rate values at each temperature, allowing us to determine the species’ optimal temperature and corresponding maximum growth rate. In the laboratory, X. bispinatus exhibited optimal growth rates between 26 °C and 29 °C, with rates of 0.10 and 0.12, individuals/individuals/day, and life cycle durations of 20 and 16 d, respectively. However, based on the fitted growth curve, the thermal optimum was estimated at 26.2 °C, where the maximum intrinsic growth rate reached 0.13 individuals/individuals/day. Given its potential to transmit Harringtonia lauricola, these findings provide valuable insights into the thermal effects on X. bispinatus throughout its life cycle and offer a practical approach for estimating growth rates and thresholds in species with cryptic behavior or where cohort tracking is challenging for demographic assessments
Detection and inference of changes in high-dimensional linear regression with nonsparse structures
No full textAbstract For data segmentation in high-dimensional linear regression settings, the regression parameters are often assumed to be exactly sparse segment-wise, which enables many existing methods to estimate the parameters locally via ℓ1-regularized maximum-likelihood-type estimation and then contrast them for change point detection. Contrary to this common practice, we show that the exact sparsity of neither regression parameters nor their differences, a.k.a. differential parameters, is necessary for consistency in multiple change point detection. In fact, both statistically and computationally, better efficiency is attained by a simple strategy that scans for large discrepancies in local covariance between the regressors and the response. We go a step further and propose a suite of tools for directly inferring about the differential parameters post-segmentation, which are applicable even when the regression parameters themselves are nonsparse. Theoretical investigations are conducted under general conditions permitting non-Gaussianity, temporal dependence, and ultra-high dimensionality. Numerical results from simulated and macroeconomic datasets demonstrate the competitiveness and efficacy of the proposed methods. Implementation of all methods is provided in the R package inferchange on GitHub
The lincRNA Pantr1 is a FOXG1 target gene conferring site-specific chromatin binding of FOXG1
No full textAbstract Derailed gene expression programs within the developing nervous system, encompassing both transcriptional and post-transcriptional processes, can cause diverse neurodevelopmental diseases (NDD). The NDD FOXG1-syndrome lacks full understanding of the mechanistic role of its eponymous gene product. While it is known that FOXG1 acts in part at the chromatin by binding to regulative regions, it is unclear what factors control its presence at specific sites. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) can mediate site-directed transcription factor binding, but their potential role in FOXG1-syndrome has not been described. Here, we show that FOXG1 localisation is regulated at selected loci through the lncRNA Pantr1. We identified FOXG1 as an upstream transcriptional activator of Pantr1 in human and mice. Further, we discovered that FOXG1 has the ability to associate with RNAs. Both transcriptional regulation of Pantr1 by FOXG1 and binding of both partners build up a regulative network that impacts the localisation of FOXG1 at selected genomic loci. Specifically, Pantr1 facilitates cooperative presence of FOXG1/NEUROD1 at specific sites, and Pantr1 reduction leads to redistribution of FOXG1 to comparably more generic binding sites. The rescue of impaired dendritic outgrowth upon FOXG1 reduction by simultaneous overexpression of Pantr1 underlines the importance of the FOXG1/Pantr1 regulative network
Electrically Driven Cascaded Photon Emission in a Single Molecule
No full textControlling electrically stimulated quantum light sources (QLSs) is key for developing integrated and low-scale quantum devices. The underlying mechanisms leading to electrically driven quantum emission, however, are complex, as a large number of electronic states of the system can be involved and, thus, impact the emission dynamics. Here, we use a scanning tunneling microscope to electrically excite a model QLS, namely, a single ZnPc molecule, and disentangle the interplay of charge transfer and excited state formation. The luminescence spectra reveal two lines, associated to the emission of the neutral (exciton) and positively charged (trion) ZnPc, both exhibiting single-photon source behavior. In addition, we find a correlation between the charged and neutral emission, specifically, the signature of a photon cascade in which the radiative decay of the molecular trion is followed by the formation and decay of the exciton. By adjusting the charging vs discharging rate, we show that we can control these emission statistics. This generic strategy is further established by a comprehensive rate equation model comprising a variety of states that mediate excited state formation in the electrically driven single and cascaded photon emission process, revealing the complex internal dynamics of the molecular junction.H2020 European Research Council http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100010663Horizon 2020 Framework Programme http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100010661H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100010665Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001711Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001659Ministerstvo Školství, Mládeže a Tělovýchovy http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/50110000182
A New Approach to Address Soil Heterogeneity as a Source of Uncertainty in the Flux‐Gradient Method: CO 2 Case Studies
No full textABSTRACT The flux‐gradient method (FGM) is an important tool to study soil‐atmosphere and subsurface gas fluxes. The simplicity of the approach can lead to an uncritical application. Typical uncertainty found in the input parameters is not considered in most cases. Their potential effect on the flux estimations might be negligible, but could also result in a relevant uncertainty or even bias. In this study, we investigated how measurement uncertainty and soil heterogeneity may affect the application of the FGM. We introduce a new analysis approach that allows to include (a) additional chamber measurements and (b) known parameter ranges/distribution of soil physical properties for model calibration and (c) to quantify the uncertainty in the flux estimate. The new Robust Calibrated Inverse FGM (RCI‐FGM) approach is an extension of the FGM and shared within the new R‐package ConFluxPro. In two soil CO 2 data studies, we demonstrate how soil heterogeneity affects gas flux estimations calculated with the FGM, and how RCI‐FGM helps to derive more robust flux estimates. In study 1, we found that scattering (due to measurement uncertainty and soil heterogeneity) found typically in the total porosity of soils can drastically change the vertical concentration profile of soil CO 2 . Assuming mean porosity in the FGM led to a significant bias in the estimated flux rates. The new RCI‐FGM approach successfully reduced this bias by incorporating reference flux measurements for calibration. In study 2, we applied the RCI‐FGM approach to a previously published dataset of forest soil CO 2 fluxes. RCI‐FGM improved the fit to reference chamber measurements and the plausibility of the vertical partitioning of the flux rates. The application of the RCI‐FGM approach in future studies was demonstrated for CO 2 fluxes but can be used for CH 4 and O 2 uptake in well‐aerated soils. For soils and processes dominated by hot spots or hot moments, such as N 2 O formation from denitrification, additional consideration may need to be taken. Our approach can help in future studies to address the uncertainty in the FGM method, improve the robustness of the estimated flux rates, and increase the comparability of studies.Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe https://doi.org/10.13039/501100010812Waldklimafonds https://doi.org/10.13039/501100010297Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/501100005908Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz, nukleare Sicherheit und Verbraucherschutz https://doi.org/10.13039/50110001354
Root water uptake depth in temperate forest trees: species‐specific patterns shaped by neighbourhood and environment
No full textAbstract Root water uptake regulates plant transpiration and internal water supply. Forests in Central Europe increasingly face water limitations, highlighting the need to understand tree water sources and consumption. However, knowledge about water uptake depth and how it varies with tree species identity, neighbourhood, site, and environmental conditions remains scarce. We used stable water isotopes to study water uptake depth in pure and mixed stands of European beech ( Fagus sylvatica ), Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga menziesii ), and Norway spruce ( Picea abies ). Investigations included natural abundance sampling at four sites, and a weekly subsoil tracer experiment (1 m mineral soil depth) at one of these sites. European beech and Douglas fir accessed relatively deeper water than Norway spruce. Beech used deeper water in mixtures with both conifers, while spruce shifted to shallower layers in mixture with beech. Douglas fir showed no significant difference between pure and mixed stand. Deepest uptake occurred on well‐drained, sandy soil, while shallowest uptake was on an occasionally stagnic soil. The tracer experiment revealed a relatively low contribution from subsoil water (>1 m, ca. 9%); the organic layer contributed similar magnitudes, but varied more dynamically with tree water consumption. Our results emphasize the importance of species‐specific traits and mixture effects in forest water cycles, and how they are mediated by site and environmental conditions. Douglas fir appears more drought resistant than Norway spruce, by accessing deeper water sources. We conclude that beech and Douglas fir may equally coexist, while beech presence exacerbates the drought exposure of spruce.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/50110000165
Algal origins of core land plant stress response subnetworks
No full textSUMMARY We computed co‐expression networks from more than 2200 samples of nine species across 600 million years of divergent streptophyte evolution and infer that the streptophyte algal ancestors of land plants already had a remarkable fraction of the embryophytic stress response system. Despite its phytohormone‐independent origin, homologs of all core components of the drought hormone abscisic acid (ABA) subnetwork are present, and we find that most are co‐expressed in streptophyte algae and land plants; this subnetwork was thus co‐opted in embryophytes by bringing it under the regime of ABA. The last common ancestor of embryophytes and Zygnematophyceae algae had ancient stress‐responsive pathways, enabling it to face the stresses typical of the land environment – even before the origin of land plants – while evolution on land led to the adaptive refinement of these responses.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft https://doi.org/10.13039/501100001659European Research Council https://doi.org/10.13039/501100000781European Social Fund Plus https://doi.org/10.13039/50110000489
Fostering communicative competence and performance of Physician Patient Relation (KPAP) - Multimodal assessment of long-term effects of a communication training programme - Study protocol of a monocentric interventional trial
No full textIntroduction Communication training (CT) enhances the communication skills of oncology healthcare professionals. KPAP (Kommunikative Kompetenz und Performanz in der Arzt-Patient Beziehung fördern; fostering communicative competence and performance of physician patient relation) is an intervention study that evaluates the long-term effects three years after the CTs (`communication training´) in the context of a communication training programme. It is supported by the German Cancer Aid and conducted at the University Hospital of Cologne. Methods The aim of the study will be to assess the long-term communicative competence of physicians using a multimodal approach through self-assessment and external evaluation by trained experts and trained patient raters. Prior to the study, physicians working with cancer patients underwent a structured CT. Self-reported questionnaires were completed at the beginning (T0), at the end (T1) of the 2.5-day CT, and during a six-hour refresher session (T2) several months later. Participants were recorded on video while breaking bad news (BBN) to standardised patients. As part of this study, participants will complete self-reported questionnaires at least three years after the 2.5-day CT (T3). At T3, a sub-sample of participants (at least n = 60) will be video-recorded again. These simulated BBN encounters at T0 and T3 will be rated by trained patient raters and trained experts using the Bad News Consultation Assessment Scale (AGBS) and the Consultation and Relational Empathy instrument. The primary outcome will be the difference between AGBS scores at T3 and T0. Furthermore, expert raters will analyse these videos using Discourse Coding Analysis Software and the ComOnRating Scale. Additionally, the health literacy of patient raters will be assessed using the European Health Literacy Survey (HLS-EU). Conclusion A more precise understanding of communicative competences, particularly by incorporating the patient’s perspective, will enable the development of recommendations for future training and enhance the sustainability of CT