155 research outputs found
Author’s Response to Commentary on: Liu Y, Attinger D, De Brabanter K. Automatic classification of bloodstain patterns caused by gunshot and blunt impact at various distances
No full textThe Commentary by A. Keten makes the case for considering evaporation and coagulation in research and applications of the forensic discipline of bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA). The author also mentions two important facts: first, blood stains are often present in crime scenes, and second, they can provide significant information towards crime scene reconstruction.This is a manuscript of a Letter to the Editor published as Attinger, D., Liu, Y. and De Brabanter, K. (2020), Authors’ Response. J Forensic Sci, 65: 1386-1387. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.14452. © 2020 American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Posted with permission of CSAFE
Mesopotamien: Akkade-Zeit und Ur III-Zeit
No full textDer Band „Mesopotamien: Akkade- und Ur III-Zeit“ setzt eine auf zehn Bände geplante Darstellung ausgewählter, abgrenzbarer Ausschnitte aus dem Bereich der Keilschriftkulturen fort: Philologie und Geschichte haben dabei die Schwerpunkte bestimmt. Angesichts der zunehmenden Aufsplitterung des Faches sollen die Bände dem Altorientalisten als Orientierung für ihm fremdere Bereiche dienen, dem Kollegen benachbarter Fächer als Einführung und Überblick.
A. Westenholz behandelt die altakkadische Zeit. Nachdem einleitend u.a. die Lokalisierung von Akkade diskutiert wird, ist ein wichtiges Kapitel der politischen Geschichte gewidmet (S. 34-59; detaillierte Beschreibung der „Großen Revolte“ S. 51-54). Es folgen kürzere Zusammenfassungen über Gesellschaft (S. 60-73), Literatur (S. 74-78), Religion (S. 78-84), bildende Künste (S. 85-89), die benachbarten Länder (S. 90-98) und die Beziehungen zum Ausland (S. 98-102).
W. Sallaberger behandelt die Ur III-Zeit. Sein Beitrag ist in drei Abschnitte unterteilt: 1. Politische Geschichte und Kulturgeschichte (S. 123-199), 2. Einführung ins Studium der administrativen Texte (Fundorte, Gattungen, Siegelungen, Kalender) (S. 200-237) und 3. Darstellungen der wichtigsten Archive (S. 238-336): Schatzarchiv, Schuharchiv, Viehverwaltung (Puzris-Dagan), Handwerkarchiv (Ur), Landwirtschaft, Botentexte, Personal (Girsu), Händler, Arbeitskräfte (Umma) und Verwaltung des Inanna-Tempels (Nippur). Im Kapitel „Materialien“ finden sich eine Reihe wichtiger Appendices, darunter ein Nachtrag zu Sigrist/Gomi, Catalogue (S. 351-370, in Zusammenarbeit mit R. De Maijer)
W. H. Ph. Römer, Hymnen und Klagelieder in sumerischer Sprache (AOAT 276, 2001) [Rezension]
No full textRezension zu W.W. Hallo, with the assistance of Harold Torger Vedeler, Sumerian Literary and Historical Inscriptions
No full textRezension zu: William W. Hallo, with the assistance of Harold Torger Vedeler, Sumerian Literary and Historical Inscriptions. Yale Oreintal Series. Babylonian Texts vol. XXII. New Haven and London: Yale University Press 2018
Compressibility of undisturbed silt loam soil – measurements and simulations
No full textThe protection of soils against compaction requires knowledge of the mechanical behavior and properties of structured unsaturated soils and their dependence on soil moisture. This study of an agricultural silt loam soil is based on undisturbed specimens from the plow layer (7-17 cm depth) and two subsoil layers (47-57 cm and 67-77 cm depth) conditioned to five initial suctions (s = 1, 3, 6, 16, 32 kPa) per layer and compressed under drained, confined uniaxial stress. From the resultant total axial stress versus void ratio curves, effective axial stress versus void ratio curves were calculated using a modified form of van Genuchten’s equation (van Genuchten, 1980). The effective axial stress versus void ratio curves were fitted using the unsaturated soil mechanics model by Casini (2012). The effective initial precompression stress, compression, and recompression indices and the soil mechanical parameters N and b were then determined for the plow and subsoil layers. Based on Casini (2012), a model was developed to predict the effective initial precompression stress from the initial void ratio and suction or saturation degree. The Casini (2012) model was successfully fitted to the effective axial stress versus void ratio curves recorded in the confined uniaxial compression tests on the specimens, as well as the relationship of the effective initial precompression stress to the initial void ratio plus the initial degree of saturation and suction. The results show that some measure of soil density (void ratio) is equally as important as soil moisture to describe compression behavior for structured, undisturbed soil
How do earthworms, soil texture and plant composition affect infiltration along an experimental plant diversity gradient in grassland?
No full textBackgroundInfiltration is a key process in determining the water balance, but so far effects of earthworms, soil texture, plant species diversity and their interaction on infiltration capacity have not been studied.Methodology/principal findingsWe measured infiltration capacity in subplots with ambient and reduced earthworm density nested in plots of different plant species (1, 4, and 16 species) and plant functional group richness and composition (1 to 4 groups; legumes, grasses, small herbs, tall herbs). In summer, earthworm presence significantly increased infiltration, whereas in fall effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration were due to plant-mediated changes in earthworm biomass. Effects of grasses and legumes on infiltration even reversed effects of texture. We propose two pathways: (i) direct, probably by modifying the pore spectrum and (ii) indirect, by enhancing or suppressing earthworm biomass, which in turn influenced infiltration capacity due to change in burrowing activity of earthworms.Conclusions/significanceOverall, the results suggest that spatial and temporal variations in soil hydraulic properties can be explained by biotic processes, especially the presence of certain plant functional groups affecting earthworm biomass, while soil texture had no significant effect. Therefore biotic parameters should be taken into account in hydrological applications
Visuomotor coupling shapes a sensorimotor circuit in mouse Cortex for visual flow predictions
No full textThe emergence of sensory guided behavior depends on sensorimotor coupling during development. How sensorimotor experience shapes neural processing is unclear. Here we show that the coupling between motor output and visual feedback is necessary for the functional development of visual processing in layer 2/3 (L2/3) of primary visual cortex (V1) of the mouse. Using a virtual reality system, we reared mice in conditions of normal or random visuomotor coupling. We recorded the activity of identified excitatory and inhibitory L2/3 neurons in response to transient visuomotor mismatches in both groups of mice. Mismatch responses in excitatory neurons were strongly experience dependent and driven by a transient release from inhibition mediated by somatostatin-positive interneurons. These data are consistent with a model in which L2/3 of V1 computes a difference between an inhibitory visual input and an excitatory locomotion-related input, where the balance between these two inputs is finely tuned by visuomotor experience
Moral justification for the use of ‘add-ons’ in assisted reproductive technology: experts’ views and experiences
No full textResearch question: What factors do assisted reproductive terchnology (ART) providers take into account when they make decisions about offering ‘add-ons’? Design: A qualitative analysis of interviews with 31 ART professionals, focusing on their views and experiences in relation to addons, including the factors that are considered when doctors make decisions about their use. Results: The participants reported that a range of considerations are taken into account when it comes to justifying the use of a particular add-on in a given circumstance, including the likelihood of benefit and harm, patients’ perceived psychological needs and preferences, and organizational expectations. Importantly, patient preferences, psychological factors and low risk of harm appear to be stronger motivations than increasing the likelihood of a live birth or the desire to innovate. Conclusions: These findings suggest that it cannot be taken for granted that add-ons and innovation are closely linked. One possible response to this would be regulatory reform; for example, only allowing ‘unproven’ add-ons to be used in the context of formal scientific evaluation. Alternatively, it could be made clear that add-ons that are not undergoing formal evaluation have more in common with other therapies lacking a clear evidence base, such as complementary and alternative medicines, than with conventional medical practice. Practices in relation to add-ons may also require a focus on the responsibilities of corporations, and the standards applying to purveyors of consumer goods and services.Siun Gallagher, Ian Kerridge, Ainsley Newson, Sara Attinger, Robert J. Norman, Wendy Lipwort
Injection, Transport and Removal of Gas Bubbles in Microchannels for Heat Transfer Enhancement
No full textLiquid cooling is an efficient way to remove heat fluxes with magnitudes up to 10,000 W/cm2. One limitation of single-phase microchannel heat transfer is the relatively low Nusselt number, due to laminar flow. Several methods have been used to improve the Nusselt number such as geometric obtrusions, pins and fins and nanofluids. In this talk, we experimentally investigate the heat transfer enhancement of a heat sink where air bubbles are periodically injected. The segmented flow pattern generates recirculation loops that enhance transport phenomena. We show that segmented flow can enhance the Nusselt number of laminar flows in short channels by a factor two. Also, we demonstrate a simple and high-throughput method for removing bubbles from microchannels, using a hydrophobic porous membrane. The role of the thin liquid film coating the bubbles in the heat transfer and the bubble removal is investigated.</jats:p
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