44 research outputs found
Muscicapa molitor Kuster 1850
No full textMuscicapa molitor (Lichtenstein) Küster, 1850: 12 Now: Batis molitor molitor (Küster, 1850). See Mayr et al. (1986: 381). Syntype: ZMB 2838, skin, female, collected by L. Krebs in Kaffernland [South Africa]. Syntype: ZMB 2840, skin, female, collected by L. Krebs in Kaffernland [South Africa]. Type locality: “südliches Afrika” [Southern Africa], ascertained as South Africa. Remarks: Lichtenstein used the name Batis molitor in the collection without describing the species. As Küster (in Hahn & Küster 1850) gave the first description for this species, he is regarded as the author of that species’ name. In the description no type was chosen. Theoretically, all the specimens in the Berlin collection of 1850 which are determined as B. molitor [4, General Collection Catalogue ZMB-AVES, Lichtenstein (1854)] should be regarded as syntypes [ZMB 2837‒2840, Muscicapa (Platystira) molitor]. However, Küster (1850) only described the plumage of the female and gave only the female phenotype in the figure. Therefore, only females of this species can be regarded as belonging to the type series (contra Neumann 1907a: 356). This is of special significance because in the collection catalogue and on the labels, as well as in Lichtenstein (1854), both males and females of Batis molitor were identified as belonging to that species. Thus, Küster must have seen both males and females in the collection but did not describe the very obvious sexual dimorphism of the species. The four specimens of B. molitor in the collection from around 1850 were all collected by Ludwig Krebs. Lichtenstein associated many birds from this collector to the locality “Kaffernland” without separating the different localities given by Krebs. In the shipment lists, Muscicapa molitor is given for the ninth and tenth shipment (two males and four females, which arrived on 22.6. 1825 in Berlin) and for the twelfth shipment (four males and three females, which arrived on 21.6. 1830 in Berlin) (Ffolliott & Liversidge 1971). Of these, only three specimens are listed in the entry catalogue (1811‒1857) by Lichtenstein, 184/116‒118 (one female, two unsexed) for 1825. No details for the shipment that arrived at the museum in 1830 are available in that catalogue. Another handwritten catalogue of 1825 (Anonymous 1825) provides the information that in 1825 four specimens of Batis molitor (two males and two females) of the ninth shipment of Krebs were mounted for the collection. Thus, it seems most probable that the four specimens (ZMB 2837‒2840) in the collection belonged to that shipment. As the shipment arrived from “Vorgebirge der Guten Hoffnung” [South Africa], South Africa is regarded as the type locality. Stresemann (1954) and Ffolliott & Liversidge (1971) gave Baviaans River 1824 as collecting data without mentioning in detail where the information came from. A printed auction catalogue of 1835 lists two specimens of Muscicapa molitor from “Kaffernland” (nos. 637 and 638, Lichtenstein 1835). Possibly the specimens that arrived in 1830 were given directly in the collection of duplicates. It was intended that they would be given away through auctions or exchange, in which case they were not mounted and so were not available for scientific work in the collection. Specimens ZMB 2834‒2836 do not belong to the type series as they are males and were listed as Muscicapa (Platystira) melanoleuca Lichtenstein, 1854 in the General Collection Catalogue ZMB-AVES. ZMB 2837 and ZMB 2839 are determined as Muscicapa (Platysteira) molitor in that catalogue, but they are also males and thus cannot be types. Only ZMB 2838 and ZMB 2840 are females and are regarded as the syntypes for B. molitor. Stresemann (1954) selected ZMB 2837 as the type specimen, according to a note on the label, evidently without realising that Küster (1850) had described the female only.Published as part of Frahnert, Sylke, Louette, Michel & Eckhoff, Pascal, 2021, Type specimens of birds of the genus Batis (Aves: Platysteiridae) at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, pp. 249-260 in Zootaxa 5052 (2) on page 255, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5052.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/556868
A Comparison of North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program Output and Oklahoma Mesonet Observations: Precipitation and Temperature
No full textIn this study, we compare precipitation and temperature model output from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program (NARCCAP) against observations from the 120-station Oklahoma Mesonet . Our goal is to better understand how well the combinations of global and regional climate models in NARCCAP represent the gradients, diurnal cycles, and seasonality of precipitation and temperature across Oklahoma . Although several studies have compared NARCCAP output to surface observations, this research is the first comparing regional climate model output with observations from such a rich source of quality surface observations . Our results showed that warm season precipitation was underestimated, while warm season temperatures were typically overestimated . However, several models overestimated precipitation and underestimated temperatures during cold season months . The minima and maxima rainfall were depicted 3 to 6 hours earlier than observations recorded, while minima and maxima daily temperatures were reached 1 to 3 hours before observations in some model
The Importance of Scientific Publishing: Teaching an Undergraduate How to Swim the Entire Length of the Pool
No full textSuccess Story Cutting
No full textAbstractCutting technologies are the engines behind manufacturing. Without cutting, none of our modern products would ever been put into service. Developing new materials directly needs research for process windows in cutting. Huge engineering efforts brought cutting in the position where it is today and despite all rumors trying to declare, that cutting is outdated or cutting research is finished it is still a vital field of research and prone to rapid innovations. Recent material developments challenge cutting technology. Recent material developments of cutting material as well as understanding of the cutting process enable to cope with the challenges imposed from difficult to cut materials. Research results and recent developments in machine tools show how to combine the multiple requirements from ecology, economy and quality. Machine tool, tool and process are the ingredients of success in cutting
REVEAL-CP: Selective Screening of Pediatric Patients for Aromatic L-Amino Acid Decarboxylase Deficiency with a Guthrie Card and In Silico Structural Modeling of One Index Case
No full text\ua9 The Author(s) 2025. Published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Background: The main objective of this prospective, multicenter study (REVEAL-CP) was to test children with cerebral palsy-like signs and symptoms for raised 3-O-methyldopa (3-OMD) blood levels, a biomarker for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency (AADCd). A secondary objective was to characterize the molecular basis for the defective aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) gene product. Methods: Patients were identified in pediatric secondary and tertiary care hospitals through database searches and personal communication. 3-OMD concentrations from Guthrie card tests were determined using liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. If 3-OMD was raised, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and dopa decarboxylase (DDC) gene sequencing were performed. An in-silico mutagenesis analysis was carried out to model altered AADC enzymes. Results: In total, 166 patients were enrolled in this study. The median age was 8 years. Sixty-six patients (39.8%) had a diagnosis of cerebral palsy, with the most common type being “mixed” (n = 42; 25.3%). One patient (0.6%), an 11-month-old boy from Italy, was diagnosed with AADCd caused by a homozygous, pathogenic DDC variant (c.749C>T; p.Ser250Phe). Three-dimensional modeling of the Ser250Phe AADC enzyme variant revealed its destabilization. Conclusions: A Guthrie card test for 3-OMD is a recognized screening technique for AADCd. If universal newborn screening for this metabolic disease is not available, children with signs and symptoms of a movement disorder should be investigated for AADCd
TRUNCATULIX - a data warehouse for the legume community
No full textHenckel K, Runte KJ, Bekel T, et al. TRUNCATULIX - a data warehouse for the legume community. BMC Plant Biology. 2009;9(1):19
Bibliometric analysis of academic journal recommendations and requirements for surgical and anesthesiologic adverse events reporting.
No full textBACKGROUND
Standards for reporting surgical adverse events vary widely within the scientific literature. Failure to adequately capture adverse events hinders efforts to measure the safety of healthcare delivery and improve the quality of care. The aim of the present study is to assess the prevalence and typology of perioperative adverse event reporting guidelines among surgery and anesthesiology journals.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
In November 2021, three independent reviewers queried journal lists from the SCImago Journal & Country Rank (SJR) portal (www.scimagojr.com), a bibliometric indicator database for surgery and anesthesiology academic journals. Journal characteristics were summarized using SCImago, a bibliometric indicator database extracted from Scopus journal data. Quartile 1 (Q1) was considered the top quartile and Q4 bottom quartile based on the journal impact factor. Journal author guidelines were collected to determine whether adverse event reporting recommendations were included and, if so, the preferred reporting procedures.
RESULTS
Of 1,409 journals queried, 655 (46.5%) recommended surgical adverse event reporting. Journals most likely to recommend adverse event reporting were: 1) by category surgery (59.1%), urology (53.3%), and anesthesia (52.3%); 2) in top SJR quartiles (i.e. more influential); 3) by region, based in Western Europe (49.8%), North America (49.3%), and the Middle East (48.3%).
CONCLUSIONS
Surgery and anesthesiology journals do not consistently require or provide recommendations on perioperative adverse event reporting. Journal guidelines regarding adverse event reporting should be standardized and are needed to improve the quality of surgical adverse event reporting with the ultimate goal of improving patient morbidity and mortality
Charging NO x Emitters for Health Damages: An Exploratory Analysis
No full textWe present a proof-of-concept analysis of the measurement of the health damage of ozone (O 3) produced from nitrogen oxides (NO x = NO + NO 2) emitted by individual large point sources in the eastern United States. We use a regional atmospheric model of the eastern United States, the Comprehensive Air Quality Model with eXtensions (CAMx), to quantify the variable impact that a fixed quantity of NO x emitted from individual sources can have on the downwind concentration of surface O 3, depending on temperature and local biogenic hydrocarbon emissions. We also examine the dependence of resulting ozone-related health damages on the size of the exposed population. The investigation is relevant to the increasingly widely used "cap and trade" approach to NO x regulation, which presumes that shifts of emissions over time and space, holding the total fixed over the course of the summer O 3 season, will have minimal effect on the environmental outcome. By contrast, we show that a shift of a unit of NO x emissions from one place or time to another could result in large changes in resulting health effects due to ozone formation and exposure. We indicate how the type of modeling carried out here might be used to attach externality-correcting prices to emissions. Charging emitters fees that are commensurate with the damage caused by their NO x emissions would create an incentive for emitters to reduce emissions at times and in locations where they cause the largest damage.surface ozone, NO x emissions, point sources, health impacts, mortality, morbidity, cap-and-trade
Targeted delivery of advanced functionality by nanomaterials : focus on nucleic acids delivery by novel block copolymers
No full textAbstract: Smart drug delivery systems are versatile examples of successful nanomedicine with
potential in diagnostics and medical therapy. The thesis presents selected
approaches in current drug delivery systems in the (pre-)clinical trials, and deals with
potential side effects, including complement activation and hypersensitivity reactions
as well as the design requirements of the delivery systems. Furthermore, it presents
approaches of cationic block copolymers, which are capable to condense negatively
charged nucleic acid molecules such as plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (pDNA) and
small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) with the aim of efficient cell gene delivery
and specific gene suppression, respectively.
The first part addresses the transfection efficiency of circular versus linearized
plasmid DNA using a green fluorescent protein expressing vector with Lipofectamine
2000 and linear 25 kDA polyethylenimine (PEI). These results show a considerably
improved transfection efficiency with the circular compared to the linearized DNA for
the two transfection reagents. The electron microscopy images with Lipofectamine or
PEI demonstrate that the circular DNA gives rise to random coil appearance of
compact, spherical shape, while linearized DNA appear as worm-like strands.
Particle size and shape are important in the cell biology of endocytosis and
phagocytosis. The findings indicate that the shape of the transfection particle is vital
for successful gene transfer.
To develop a delivery system for gene therapy, two cationic diblock copolymers
consisting of primary and tertiary amines were synthesized and analyzed with
respect to DNA condensation properties, morphology of the condensed plasmid DNA
and transfection efficiency using two cell lines. This study revealed proof-of-concept
showing an order of magnitude lower transfection efficiency of primary amine diblock
copolymers compared to PEI after 48 h with increasing plasmid DNA concentration.
Furthermore, primary amines compared to tertiary ones show much stronger binding
to DNA and improved transfection efficiency. Transmission electron and atomic force
microscopy data revealed morphologies of primary and tertiary amines regarding the
condensation of the plasmid DNA, in agreement with the transfection efficiency.
In a second part the design and characterization of pentablock-based polyplexes
based on the combination of cationic pentablock copolymers with folic acid
functionalized copolymers for targeted specific siRNA delivery is described. The
achieved 31 % knockdown efficiency shows its potential regarding cancer gene
therapy. The pentablock architecture allows the formation of highly stable
micelleplexes of (21 ± 3) nm in 10 mM PBS buffer solution with a neutral surface
charge, excellent siRNA condensation properties, outstanding colloidal stability in
10 % serum over 24 h and biocompatibility deduced from the absence of
considerable cytotoxicity even after 48 h incubation. Furthermore, selective delivery
of the siRNA could be proven by the introduction of a ligand-linked block copolymer,
resulting in 31 % compared to 8 % gene suppression for targeted a non-targeted
micelleplexes. This pentablock-based delivery system might yield impact to future
delivery systems as well as being a potential platform to be applied in vivo for cancer
gene therapy. ---------- Zusammenfassung
Innerhalb des Bereichs der Nanomedizin weisen intelligente Wirkstoffabgabesysteme
ein großes Potenzial auf, sowohl hinsichtlich der Diagnostik wie auch der
medizinischen Therapie. Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt im Rahmen einer
Literaturrecherche ausgewählte Wirkstoffabgabesysteme vor, welche sich in (vor-)
klinischen Studien befinden, den Nebenwirkungen welche durch diese entstehen
können, im speziellen der Komplementaktivierung und Überempfindlichkeitsreaktionen,
sowie deren Konstruktionsanforderungen. Des weiteren werden in einem
experimentellen Teil kationische Block-Kopolymere präsentiert, welche in der Lage
sind, negativ geladene Nukleinsäuremoleküle zu binden - wie etwa Plasmid
Desoxyribonukleinsäure (pDNA) und kleine interferierende Ribonukleinsäuren
(siRNA) - mit dem Ziel der Transfektion von fremder DNA in die Wirtszellen und
damit der spezifischen Unterdrückung der Genexpression.
Der erste Teil der experimentellen Arbeit untersucht die Transfektionseffizienz von
zirkulärer gegenüber linearisierter Plasmid-DNA mittels eines Vektors, welcher ein
grün fluoreszierendes Protein exprimiert. Transfiziert wurde einerseits mit
Lipofectamine 2000 und andererseits mit linearem 25 kDa Polyethylenimin (PEI),
zwei etablierten Transfektionsreagenzien. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine wesentlich
verbesserte Transfektionseffizienz der zirkulären, verglichen mit der linearisierten
DNA für beide Transfektionsreagenzien. Die elektronenmikroskopischen Bilder von
Lipofectamine sowie PEI komplexiert mit DNA zeigen, dass die zirkuläre DNA
zufällige, kompakte Kugelformen bildet, während die linearisierte DNA wurmartige
Stränge aufweist. Partikelgröße und -form spielen in der Zellbiologie eine wichtige
Rolle bei der Endozytose und Phagozytose. Die Ergebnisse legen die Vermutung
nahe dass die Form der zu transfizierenden DNA-Transfektions-Komplexen eine
wichtige Rolle einnimmt für einen erfolgreichen Gentransfer.
Für die Entwicklung eines intelligenten Wirkstoffabgabe-Systems für die Gentherapie
wurden zwei kationische Diblock-Kopolymere, die aus primären und tertiären Aminen
bestehen synthetisiert und im Hinblick auf deren DNA-Kondensationseigenschaften,
Morphologie der kondensierten Plasmid-DNA sowie Transfektionseffizienz unter
Verwendung von zwei Zelllinien analysiert. Die Studie bestätigt trotz einer um den
Faktor 10 schwächeren Transfektionseffizienz der primären Amin-DiblockKopolymeren
im Vergleich zu PEI nach 48 h mit zunehmender pDNA Konzentration
eine Bestätigung des Konzepts. Außerdem weisen die primären Amin-Block-
Kopolymere im Vergleich zu den tertiären eine viel stärkere Komplexbildung der DNA
auf - wie transmissions-elektronen- und rasterkraft-mikroskopische Daten ergaben -
als auch eine verbesserte Transfektionseffizienz. Diese physikalischmorphologischem
Erkenntnisse über die Kondensation der primären und tertiären
Amine mit Plasmid-DNA konnten mittels der biologischen Transfektionseffizienzdaten
validiert werden.
Der zweite Teil der experimentellen Arbeit befasst sich mit dem Design sowie der
Charakterisierung von pentablock-basierten Polyplexen für einen gezielten siRNA
Transport. Diese Polyplexe beruhen auf einer Kombination von kationischen
Pentablock-Kopolymeren mit folsäure-funktionalisierten Kopolymeren. Die erreichten
31% Gen-Suppression in einem Krebszellkulturmodell, zeigen das Potenzial des
Wirkstoffabgabesystems in Bezug auf eine Krebstherapie auf. Die Architektur
ermöglicht die Bildung von sehr stabilen Mizellen mit einer Grösse von (21 ± 3) nm in
10 mM PBS Pufferlösung, eine neutrale Oberflächenladung, ausgezeichneten siRNAKondensationseigenschaften,
hervorragender kolloidaler Stabilität in
Zellkulturmedium supplementiert mit 10 % Serum über 24 h, sowie guter
Biokompatibilität aufgrund fehlender erheblicher Zytotoxizität auch nach 48 h
Inkubation in einem Zellkulturmodell. Ferner konnte durch die Einführung eines
liganden-gebundenen Block-Kopolymers der selektive Transport der siRNA
nachgewiesen werden, was zu einer Gen Suppression von 31% gegenüber 8% nicht
funktionalisierter Polyplexen führte. Das in dieser Arbeit eingeführte und
charakterisierte pentablock-basierte Wirkstoffabgabesystem könnte Auswirkungen
auf das Design zukünftiger Wirkstoffabgabesystem haben als auch als eine
potentielle Plattform für in vivo-Krebsgentherapien angewendet werden
