0000000000214593
AUTHOR
Andreas Müller
Resolution Dependence of the Tropopause Inversion Layer in an Idealized Model for Upper-Tropospheric Anticyclones
Abstract This note investigates the dependence of the extratropical tropopause inversion layer (TIL) on numerical resolution in an idealized modeling framework. Axisymmetric upper-tropospheric anticyclones are constructed by specifying potential vorticity (PV) and solving the nonlinear PV-inversion problem. The PV distribution has a smooth but near-discontinuous change of PV across the tropopause in a transition zone with vertical depth δ. For fixed δ the strength of the TIL changes with changing resolution until the transition zone is resolved by a fairly large number of grid points. The quality-controlled numerical solutions are used to study the behavior for δ → 0. This limit can lead to…
Comparison between adaptive and uniform discontinuous Galerkin simulations in dry 2D bubble experiments
Accepted by the Journal of Computational Physics Adaptive mesh refinement generally aims to increase computational efficiency without compromising the accuracy of the numerical solution. However it is an open question in which regions the spatial resolution can actually be coarsened without affecting the accuracy of the result. This question is investigated for a specific example of dry atmospheric convection, namely the simulation of warm air bubbles. For this purpose a novel numerical model is developed that is tailored towards this specific application. The compressible Euler equations are solved with a Discontinuous Galerkin method. Time integration is done with an IMEXmethod and the dy…
Diagnosis and therapy of cutaneous and mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis in Germany
The incidence of cutaneous and mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL/MCL) is increasing globally, also in Germany, although the cases are imported and still low in number. The current evidence for the different therapies has many limitations due to lack of sufficient studies on the different Leishmania species with differing virulence. So far there is no international gold standard for the optimal management. The aim of the German joint working group on Leishmaniasis, formed by the societies of Tropical Medicine (DTG), Chemotherapy (PEG) and Dermatology (DDG), was to establish a guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of CL and MCL in Germany, based on evidence (Medline search yielded 400 artic…
Comparison of environmental risk factors for esophageal atresia, anorectal malformations, and the combined phenotype in 263 German families
Esophageal atresia with or without tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF) and anorectal malformations (ARM) represent the severe ends of the fore- and hindgut malformation spectra. Previous research suggests that environmental factors are implicated in their etiology. These risk factors might indicate the influence of specific etiological mechanisms on distinct developmental processes (e.g. fore- vs. hindgut malformation). The present study compared environmental factors in patients with isolated EA/TEF, isolated ARM, and the combined phenotype during the periconceptional period and the first trimester of pregnancy in order to investigate the hypothesis that fore- and hindgut malformations invo…
Congenital secretory diarrhoea caused by activating germline mutations in GUCY2C
Objective Congenital sodium diarrhoea (CSD) refers to a form of secretory diarrhoea with intrauterine onset and high faecal losses of sodium without congenital malformations. The molecular basis for CSD remains unknown. We clinically characterised a cohort of infants with CSD and set out to identify disease-causing mutations by genome-wide genetic testing. Design We performed whole-exome sequencing and chromosomal microarray analyses in 4 unrelated patients, followed by confirmatory Sanger sequencing of the likely disease-causing mutations in patients and in their family members, followed by functional studies. Results We identified novel de novo missense mutations in GUCY2C, the gene encod…
A framework for designing experimental tasks in contemporary physics lab courses
While lab courses are an integral part of studying physics aiming at a huge variety of learning objectives, research has shown that typical lab courses do not reach all the desired goals. While diverse approaches by lab instructors and researchers try to increase the effectiveness of lab courses, experimental tasks remain the core of any lab course. To keep an overview of these developments and to give instructors (and researchers) a guideline for their own professional efforts at hand, we introduce a research-informed framework for designing experimental tasks in contemporary physics lab courses. In addition, we demonstrate within the scope of the EU-co-funded DigiPhysLab-project how the f…
Course of social support and associations with distress after partial laryngectomy
PURPOSE Social support has been shown to be positively associated with quality of life and adjustment after a cancer diagnosis. The present study investigates the course of social support up to one year after partial laryngectomy and its association with distress. DESIGN Longitudinal questionnaire study. SAMPLE A total of 428 patients after partial laryngectomy (mean age: 64, SD = 11, 91% male). METHODS Patients completed questionnaires before treatment (t1), one week after a partial laryngectomy (t2), 3 months (t3), and one year (t4) thereafter. Social support was evaluated at t2, t3, and t4 using a brief version of the Social Support Questionnaire. Distress was measured at t2, t3, and t4 …
Nursing performance under high workload: a diary study on the moderating role of selection, optimization and compensation strategies
Aims The aim of this study was to investigate whether selective optimization with compensation constitutes an individualized action strategy for nurses wanting to maintain job performance under high workload. Background High workload is a major threat to healthcare quality and performance. Selective optimization with compensation is considered to enhance the efficient use of intra-individual resources and, therefore, is expected to act as a buffer against the negative effects of high workload. Design The study applied a diary design. Over five consecutive workday shifts, self-report data on workload was collected at three randomized occasions during each shift. Self-reported job performance…
Adaptive discontinuous evolution Galerkin method for dry atmospheric flow
We present a new adaptive genuinely multidimensional method within the framework of the discontinuous Galerkin method. The discontinuous evolution Galerkin (DEG) method couples a discontinuous Galerkin formulation with approximate evolution operators. The latter are constructed using the bicharacteristics of multidimensional hyperbolic systems, such that all of the infinitely many directions of wave propagation are considered explicitly. In order to take into account multiscale phenomena that typically appear in atmospheric flows nonlinear fluxes are split into a linear part governing the acoustic and gravitational waves and a nonlinear part that models advection. Time integration is realiz…
AGuIX® from bench to bedside-Transfer of an ultrasmall theranostic gadolinium-based nanoparticle to clinical medicine.
International audience; AGuIX® are sub-5 nm nanoparticles made of a polysiloxane matrix and gadolinium chelates. This nanoparticle has been recently accepted in clinical trials in association with radiotherapy. This review will summarize the principal preclinical results that have led to first in man administration. No evidence of toxicity has been observed during regulatory toxicity tests on two animal species (rodents and monkeys). Biodistributions on different animal models have shown passive uptake in tumours due to enhanced permeability and retention effect combined with renal elimination of the nanoparticles after intravenous administration. High radiosensitizing effect has been obser…
Load Distribution in the Lumbar Spine During Modeled Compression Depends on Lordosis.
Excessive or incorrect loading of lumbar spinal structures is commonly assumed as one of the factors to accelerate degenerative processes, which may lead to lower back pain. Accordingly, the mechanics of the spine under medical conditions, such as scoliosis or spondylolisthesis, is well-investigated. Treatments via both conventional therapy and surgical methods alike aim at restoring a “healthy” (or at least pain-free) load distribution. Yet, surprisingly little is known about the inter-subject variability of load bearings within a “healthy” lumbar spine. Hence, we utilized computer tomography data from 28 trauma-room patients, whose lumbar spines showed no visible sign of degeneration, to …
DigiPhysLab : Digital Physics Laboratory Work for Distance Learning
Pursuing a broad range of learning objectives, effective physics laboratory courses need conducive-to-learning, motivating, and engaging experimental tasks. The Covid-19 pandemic has further increased the demand for quality experimental tasks which can also be used in online learning scenarios. The EU-funded DigiPhysLab-project meets this need by developing a set of 15 competence-centred experimental tasks which can be implemented by instructors effortlessly in their own lab courses, independent of whether they are held on-campus or in distance learning. For this, the project utilizes the broad availability of digital technologies like smartphones which allow an inexpensive data collection …
TCR signalling network organization at the immunological synapses of murine regulatory T cells.
Regulatory T (Treg) cells require T-cell receptor (TCR) signalling to exert their immunosuppressive activity, but the precise organization of the TCR signalling network compared to conventional T (Tconv) cells remains elusive. By using accurate mass spectrometry and multi-epitope ligand cartography (MELC) we characterized TCR signalling and recruitment of TCR signalling components to the immunological synapse (IS) in Treg cells and Tconv cells. With the exception of Themis which we detected in lower amounts in Treg cells, other major TCR signalling components were found equally abundant, however, their phosphorylation-status notably discriminates Treg cells from Tconv cells. Overall, this s…
THERapy–Related InterACTion (THER-I-ACT) in Rehabilitation—Instrument Development and Inter-Rater Reliability
Objective: To develop an instrument for the observation of therapeutic communication interactions during rehabilitation sessions and test its inter-rater reliability.Methods: The new instrument THER-I-ACT (THERapy–related Inter-ACTion) has been designed to assess both the frequency and timing of therapeutic interactions in the thematic fields information provision, feedback, other motivational interaction, and bonding. For this inter-rater reliability study, a sample of stroke survivors received arm rehabilitation as either arm ability training, arm basis training, or mirror therapy, or neglect training as individually indicated. Therapy sessions were video-recorded (one for each participan…
Fertility protection: complications of surgery and results of removal and transplantation of ovarian tissue
Fertility-preserving measures are becoming important for patients receiving oncological treatment. One method involves cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and transplanting it when treatment is completed. We report complications resulting from surgical and fertility medicine, and the results of procedures for the removal and transplantation of ovarian tissue carried out within the FertiProtekt network. A survey using a structured questionnaire was conducted among the FertiProtekt network centres between November 2015 and June 2016. The analysis included surgical techniques used to remove and transplant ovarian tissue, surgical complications and results. Laparoscopic removal and transplantati…
Country-specific differences of age stereotypes towards older hospital staff and their association with self-efficacy, work ability and mental well-being.
To compare stereotypes towards older workers between hospital staff in Germany and Latvia and to analyse the relationship between those stereotypes and self-efficacy, subjective work ability and irritation.Cross-sectional study.In 2018, hospital staff, including nurses, physicians and other professions, of two German and three Latvian hospitals were asked to complete the standardized study questionnaire on subjective work ability, occupational self-efficacy, irritation and stereotypes towards older workers. In the latter scale older workers were defined as ≥45 years of age and the scale ranged from 27-135 whereby higher values reflect higher levels of positive stereotypes. To analyse the re…