31325 research outputs found
Sort by
Feeding preference of Asterias rubens of the inter- and subtidal zone of the Wattenmeer of northern Sylt
No full textAsteroidea are cosmopolitan opportunistic benthic predators and scavengers which can be found from shallow coastal waters to the hadopelagial depth of the open ocean. Naturally, prey items in these different habitats may vary. To elucidate the trophic dynamics of the common starfish Asterias rubens of the Wattenmeer in the north of Sylt at the city of List, we designed two separate food preference experiments. For the first experiment we starved A. rubens for 48 hours and then offered five different prey items: Mytilus edulis and Littorina littorea, with and without epizoic Semibalanus balanoides, and Didemnum coriaceum. For the second experiment we offered M. edulis without epizoic S. balanoides, one specimen being crushed and the other being intact. All experiments were conducted under laboratory conditions with singular specimen of A. rubens. Our results suggest differences in the prey choice of adult and juvenile specimen of A. rubens. The second food preference experiment with crushed and intact M. Mytilus did not yield any results. Our study highlights the challenges of recreating the abiotic conditions of the natural environment of epibenthic species in the laboratory. Ample starvation time is important when conducting food preference experiments with A. rubens.Peer Reviewe
A Spectroscopic Criterion for Identifying the Degree of Ground-Level Near-Degeneracy Derived from Effective Hamiltonian Analyses of Three-Coordinate Iron Complexes
No full textThe fascinating magnetic and catalytic properties of coordinatively unsaturated 3d metal complexes are a manifestation of their electronic structures, in particular their nearly doubly or triply degenerate orbital ground levels. Here, we propose a criterion to determine the degree of degeneracy of this class of complexes based on their experimentally accessible magnetic anisotropy (parametrized by the electron spin g- and zero-field splitting (ZFS)-tensors). The criterion is derived from a comprehensive spectroscopic and theoretical study in the trigonal planar iron(0) complex, [(IMes)Fe(dvtms)] (IMes = 1,3-di(2′,4′,6′-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene, dvtms = divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, 1). Accurate ZFS-values (D = +33.54 cm–1, E/D = 0.09) and g-values (g∥ = 1.96, g⊥ = 2.45) of the triplet (S = 1) ground level of complex 1 were determined by complementary THz-EPR spectroscopy and SQUID magnetometry. In-depth effective Hamiltonian (EH) analyses coupled to wave-function-based ab initio calculations show that 1 features a ground level with three energetically close-lying orbital states with a “two-above-one” energy pattern. The observed magnetic anisotropy results from mixing of the two excited electronic states with the ground state by spin–orbit coupling (SOC). EH investigations on 1 and related complexes allowed us to generalize this finding and establish the anisotropy of the g- and ZFS-tensors as spectroscopic markers for assigning two- or three-fold orbital near-degeneracy.Shanghai Science and Technology Development Foundation 10.13039/100012543Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 10.13039/501100001659Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft 10.13039/501100001659National Natural Science Foundation of China 10.13039/501100001809National Natural Science Foundation of China 10.13039/501100001809National Natural Science Foundation of China 10.13039/501100001809Chinese Academy of Sciences 10.13039/501100002367Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences 10.13039/501100002979Peer Reviewe
Phosphorus doped few layer WS2 flakes grown by chemical vapor deposition for hydrogen evolution reactions
No full textWater splitting is a promising pathway for hydrogen production, providing an environmentally friendly fuel source. More recently, great attention has been given to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) because of their interesting chemical and physical properties. In particular, tungsten disulfide (WS2) has garnered significant attention as a catalyst for this application due to its unique layered 2D structure. In this study, few-layered WS2 and phosphorus-doped WS2 (WS2/P) nanoflakes are synthesized on SiO2/Si substrates as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) in acidic conditions. Analyses of the synthesized WS2 and WS2/P films reveal that the few-layered WS2 is of high quality, exhibiting continuity and uniformity. The presence of a strong peak in the photoluminescence spectrum confirms the mono/few layer nature of the synthesized samples. In additionally, scanning force microscopy in quantitative imaging mode reveals that the thinnest layers observed on the substrate have a height of 1.35 nm, indicating the presence of double-layer WS2. The WS2/P electrocatalyst demonstrates superior HER performance compared to pristine WS2, showing a low overpotential of 245 mV at 10 mA.cm−2 and a small Tafel slope of 123 mV.dec−1. Furthermore, WS2/P exhibits a greater electrochemical surface area and excellent catalytic stability under acidic conditions. Consequently, few layer phosphorus-doped WS2 proves to be a highly suitable electrocatalyst for hydrogen production compared to the WS2.Peer Reviewe
Projected Spatiotemporal Evolution of Urban Form Using the SLEUTH Model with Urban Master Plan Scenarios
No full textUrban growth, a pivotal characteristic of economic development, brings many environmental and ecological challenges. Modeling urban growth is essential for understanding its spatial dynamics and projecting future trends, providing insights for effective urban planning and sustainable development. This study aims to assess the spatiotemporal patterns of urban growth and morphological evolution in mainland Shanghai from 2016 to 2060 using the SLEUTH model under multiple growth scenarios based on the Shanghai Urban Master Plan (2017–2035). A comprehensive set of urban growth metrics and quadrant analysis were employed to quantify the magnitude, rate, intensity, and direction of urban growth, as well as morphological evolution, over time. We found that (1) significant urban growth was observed across most scenarios, with the exception of stringent land protection. The most substantial growth occurred prior to 2045 with an obvious north–south disparity, where southern regions demonstrated more pronounced increases in urban land area and urbanization rates. (2) The spatiotemporal patterns of the rate and intensity of urban growth exhibited similar characteristics. The spatial pattern followed a “concave shape” pattern and displayed anisotropic behavior, with the high values for these indicators primarily observed before 2025. (3) The urban form followed a diffusion–coalescence process, with patch areas dominated by the infilling mode and patch numbers dominated by the edge-expansion mode. This resulted in significant alternating urban growth models in the infilling, edge-expansion, and leapfrog modes over time, influenced by varying protection intensities. These findings provide valuable insights for forward-looking urban planning, land use optimization, and the support of sustainable urban development.This study was partly supported by the National Key R&D Project of China (Grant No. 2022YFF1301105 to J. Li), the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31971485 to J. Li, Grant No. 32001162 to C. Wu), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2021M702131 to C. Wu), and the Joint-PhD project of Shanghai Jiao Tong University and The University of Melbourne to J. Li and A. Hahs.National Key R&D Project of ChinaNatural Science Foundation of ChinaChina Postdoctoral Science FoundationJoint-PhD project of Shanghai Jiao Tong UniversityThe University of MelbournePeer Reviewe
Bericht zum Projekt „Das sprachliche Handeln mehrsprachig sozialisierter Kinder in der Institution Kindergarten“
No full textIm vorliegenden Beitrag wird das im Februar 2024 an der Universität Wien gestartete FWF-Projekt „Das sprachliche Handeln mehrsprachig sozialisierter Kinder in der Institution Kindergarten“ vorgestellt. Die zentrale Annahme des Projekts ist, dass institutionelle und bildungspolitische Aspekte, aber auch die in elementarpädagogischen Einrichtungen (Kindergärten) agierenden Personen (pädagogisches Personal, Peers, Erziehungsberechtigte) das sprachliche Handeln der Kinder in ihrem gesamten sprachlichen Repertoire beeinflussen. Ziel des explorativ-interpretativen Projekts, bei dem eine kindzentrierte Perspektive eingenommen wird, ist die Identifikation der Faktoren, die den Sprachgebrauch der Kinder in der elementarpädagogischen Einrichtung am stärksten beeinflussen. Zudem soll das alltägliche sprachliche Handeln der Kinder beschrieben werden. Durch die Verschränkung unterschiedlicher Methoden (Dokumentenanalyse, Video- und Audiographie, Interviews, Sprachdiagnostik) wird ein ganzheitlicher Blick auf das Thema ermöglicht.This article presents the FWF project “The Speech Action of Multilingually Socialised Children in the Institution of Kindergarten”, which was launched at the University of Vienna in February 2024. Its central assumption is that institutional and educational policy aspects, as well as the individuals working in the kindergarten (including pedagogical staff, peers, guardians) influence the speech action of the children in the kindergarten across their entire linguistic repertoire. The exploratory-interpretative project, which adopts a child-centered perspective, aims to identify the key factors that most strongly influence children’s language use within the institution of kindergarten. In addition, the project seeks to describe the children’s everyday speech actions. By combining different methods, such as document analysis, video and audiography, interviews, and language assessments the project enables a holistic view of the topic
Multiple planetary boundaries preclude biomass crops for carbon capture and storage outside of agricultural areas
No full textSix of nine planetary boundaries are currently transgressed, many related to human land use. Conversion of sizeable land areas to biomass plantations for Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) – often assumed in climate mitigation scenarios to meet the Paris Agreement – may exert additional pressure on terrestrial planetary boundaries. Using spatially-explicit, process-based global biogeochemical modelling, we systematically compute feedstock production potentials for BECCS under individual and joint constraints of the planetary boundaries for nitrogen flows, freshwater change, land system change and biosphere integrity (including protection of remaining forests), while reserving current agricultural areas for meeting the growing global demand for food, fodder and fibre. We find that the constrained BECCS potential from dedicated Miscanthus plantations is close to zero (0.1 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalents per year under mid-century climate for Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 4.5). The planetary boundary for biosphere integrity has the largest individual effect, highlighting a particularly severe trade-off between climate change mitigation with BECCS and ecosystem preservation. Ultimately however, the overall limitation results from the joint effect of all four planetary boundaries, emphasizing the importance of a holistic consideration of Earth system stability in the context of climate change mitigation.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 869192. J.B. is part of the Planetary Boundaries Science Lab's research effort at PIK, which is funded by The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment.F.S. acknowledges funding by the Global Challenges Foundation through the Future Earth project fund “New Governance Architecture for Addressing Global Systemic Risks”.Peer Reviewe
Evaluation of TOCSY mixing for sensitivity-enhancement in solid-state NMR and application of 4D experiments for side-chain assignments of the full-length 30 kDa membrane protein GlpG
No full textChemical shift assignments of large membrane proteins by solid-state NMR experiments are challenging. Recent advancements in sensitivity-enhanced pulse sequences, have made it feasible to acquire 1 H-detected 4D spectra of these challenging protein samples within reasonable timeframes. However, obtaining unambiguous assignments remains difficult without access to side-chain chemical shifts. Drawing inspiration from sensitivity-enhanced TOCSY experiments in solution NMR, we have explored the potential of 13 C- 13 C TOCSY mixing as a viable option for triple sensitivity-enhanced 4D experiments aimed at side-chain assignments in solid-state NMR. Through simulations and experimental trials, we have identified optimal conditions to achieve uniform transfer efficiency for both transverse components and to minimize undesired cross-transfers. Our experiments, conducted on the 30 kDa membrane protein GlpG embedded in E. coli liposomes, have demonstrated enhanced sensitivity compared to the most effective dipolar and J-coupling-based 13 C- 13 C mixing sequences. Notably, a non-uniformly sampled 4D hCXCANH spectrum with exceptionally high sensitivity was obtained in just a few days using a 600 MHz spectrometer equipped with a 1.3 mm probe operating at a magic angle spinning rate of 55 kHz.Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie im Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V. (FMP) (3479)Peer Reviewe
Games with a Purpose for Part-of-Speech Tagging and the Impact of the Applied Game Design Elements on Player Enjoyment and Games with a Purpose Preference
No full textLinguistic tasks such as Part-of-Speech (PoS) tagging can be tedious, but are crucial for the development of Natural Language Processing (NLP) tools. Games With A Purpose (GWAPs) aim to reduce the monotony of the task for native speakers and non-experts who contribute to crowdsourcing projects. This study focuses on revising and correcting PoS tags in the Corpus Oral y Sonoro del Español Rural (COSER), the largest collection of oral data in the Spanish-speaking world, to create a parsed corpus of European Spanish dialects. It also examines how game design elements (GDEs) affect players’ enjoyment. Three games— Agentes , Tesoros , and Anotatlón —were developed, incorporating different GDEs, such as rewards and challenges. The results show two levels of enjoyment: at the concept level with Anotatlón , and at the level of individual GDEs with Tesoros . This suggests that certain GDEs influence player enjoyment and, consequently, their preference for certain games. However, the study also shows the complexity of evaluating triggers for player enjoyment in games with more than one implemented GDE.Peer Reviewe
Neighbourhoods as resource hubs and resource nodes: Civic organisations and political recruitment of first- and second-generation immigrants in Berlin, Germany
No full textNeighbourhood effects are commonly understood as an effect of a characteristic of the residential location on social outcomes – although people are also linked to other places in their everyday lives. Based on a mixed-methods study on the significance of neighbourhoods for political recruitment of first- and second-generation Turkish immigrants in Berlin, this article shows that neighbourhoods with a strong migrant civic infrastructure are important places for political recruitment – not only for their residents, but also for visitors and people linked to them through social networks. The article identifies three mechanisms by which people can be linked to neighbourhoods and the resources embedded in them. The first is residency. Second, neighbourhoods can work as a hub when people visit them to shop, meet friends, or engage in other activities. Visitors can then profit from a neighbourhood’s infrastructure, such as civic organisations. Third, neighbourhoods work as a node when social networks transmit information and resources originating in one neighbourhood context – for example, political information – to others located outside of it. The article contributes to an understanding of neighbourhoods not as closed-off containers but as being interconnected to other places, non-residents, and resources, an understanding that comprehends the spatial production of social inequalities in terms of residency, everyday mobility, and social network connections.邻里效应通常被理解为居住地特征对社会结果的影响—尽管人们在日常生活中也与其他地方有联系。本文基于混合方法，研究了街区对于柏林第一代和第二代土耳其移民政治招募的重要性，结果表明，拥有强大出行市政基础设施的街区是进行政治招募的重要场所—不仅对其居民如此，对于游客和通过社交网络与他们有联系的人来说也是如此。本文确定了人们与街区及其所包含的资源相联系的三种机制。第一种机制是居住权。其次，街区可以作为人们购物、会友或从事其他活动的枢纽。于是游客可以从街区的基础设施（例如民间组织）中获益。第三，当社交网络将源自某个街区环境的信息和资源（例如政治信息）传输到其他街区环境时，街区就充当着一个节点。本文有助于人们认识到街区并非是封闭的容器，而是与其他地方、街区居民之外的人和各种资源相互连接的，从而从居住权、日常出行和社交网络连接等方面来理解社会不平等空间的产生。Peer Reviewe
