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Impact of the equivalent sound absorption area on the sound insulation The sound insulation, expressed with the characteristic measure R'w, is used in Germany to describe the sound insulation. The metrological determination is carried out according to DIN EN ISO 16283 Part 1, whereby the separating surface is standardised with the equivalent sound absorption area. The equivalent sound absorption area is determined by measuring the reverberation time in the receiving room. DIN EN ISO 16283‐1 requires the use of Sabine's reverberation formula to calculate the equivalent sound absorption area. For rooms with larger equivalent sound absorption areas, the use of Eyring's reverberation formula has generally proven its worth. The influence of the determination of the equivalent sound absorption area by means of the reverberation formula according to Eyring is shown by theoretical consideration as well as by measurement results. It has been shown that the application of Eyring's reverberation formula results in a higher sound insulation value by up to 1 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous macroecological studies have suggested that larger and darker insects are favored in cold environments and that the importance of body size and color for the absorption of solar radiation is not limited to diurnal insects. However, whether these effects hold true for local communities and are consistent across taxonomic groups and sampling years remains unexplored. This study examined the variations in body size and color lightness of the two major families of nocturnal moths, Geometridae and Noctuidae, along an elevational gradient of 700 m in Southern Germany. An assemblage‐based analysis was performed using community‐weighted means and a fourth‐corner analysis to test for variations in color and body size among communities as a function of elevation. This was followed by a species‐level analysis to test whether species occurrence and abundance along an elevation gradient were related to these traits, after controlling for host plant availability. In both 2007 and 2016, noctuid moth assemblages became larger and darker with increasing elevation, whereas geometrids showed an opposite trend in terms of color lightness and no clear trend in body size. In single species models, the abundance of geometrids, but not of noctuids, was driven by habitat availability. In turn, the abundance of dark‐colored noctuids, but not geometrids increased with elevation. While body size and color lightness affect insect physiology and the ability to cope with harsh conditions, divergent trait–environment relationships between both families underline that findings of coarse‐scale studies are not necessarily transferable to finer scales. Local abundance and occurrence of noctuids are shaped by morphological traits, whereas that of geometrids are rather shaped by local habitat availability, which can modify their trait–environment‐relationship. We discuss potential explanations such as taxon‐specific flight characteristics and the effect of microclimatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface solar irradiance varies on scales as small as seconds or metres. This variability is driven mostly by wavelength‐dependent scattering by clouds, and to a lesser extent by aerosols and water vapour. The highly variable nature of solar irradiance is not resolved by most atmospheric models, yet it affects, most notably, the land–atmosphere coupling and the quality of solar energy forecasting. Characterising variability, understanding the mechanisms, and developing models capable of resolving it accurately requires spatially and spectrally resolved observational datasets of solar irradiance at high resolution, which are rare. In 2021, we deployed a network of low‐cost radiometers in the Field Experiment on submesoscale spatio‐temporal variability in Lindenberg (FESSTVaL, Germany) and Land surface Interactions with the Atmosphere over the Iberian Semi‐arid Environment (LIAISE, Spain) field campaigns to gather data on cloud‐driven surface patterns of irradiance, including spectral effects, with the aim of addressing this gap in observations and understanding. We find in case studies of cumulus, altocumulus, and cirrus clouds that these clouds generate large spatiotemporal variability in irradiance, but through different mechanisms and at different spatial scales, ranging from 50 m to 30 km. Spectral irradiance in the visible range varies at similar scales, with significant blue enrichment in cloud shadows, most strongly for cumulus, and red enrichment in irradiance peaks, particularly in the case of semitransparent clouds or near cumulus cloud edges. Under clear‐sky conditions, solar irradiance varies significantly in water‐vapour absorption bands at the minute scale, due to variability in atmospheric moisture in the boundary layer. With this study, we show that observing detailed spatiotemporal irradiance patterns is possible using a relatively small, low‐cost sensor network, and that such network observations can provide insight and validation for the development of models capable of resolving irradiance variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of constitutional courts and supreme courts with constitutional review rights has strongly increased with the third wave of democratisation across the world as an important element of the new constitutionalism. These courts play an important role in day-to-day politics as they can nullify acts of parliament and thus prevent or reverse a change in the status quo. In macro-concepts of comparative politics, their role is unclear. Either they are integrated as counter-majoritarian institutional features of a political system or they are entirely ignored: some authors do not discuss their potential impact at all, while others dismiss them because they believe their preferences as veto players are entirely absorbed by other actors in the political system. However, we know little about the conditions and variables that determine them as being counter-majoritarian or veto players. This article employs the concept of Tsebelis' veto player theory to analyse the question. It focuses on the spatial configuration of veto players in the legislative process and then adds the court as an additional player to find out if it is absorbed in the pareto-efficient set of the existing players or not. A court which is absorbed by other veto players should not in theory veto new legislation. It is argued in this article that courts are conditional veto players. Their veto is dependent on three variables: the ideological composition of the court; the pattern of government control; and the legislative procedures. To empirically support the analysis, data from the United States, France and Germany from 1974 to 2009 is used. This case selection increases variance with regard to system types and court types. The main finding is that courts are not always absorbed as veto players: during the period of analysis, absorption varies between 11 and 71 per cent in the three systems. Furthermore, the pattern of absorption is specific in each country due to government control, court majority and legislative procedure. Therefore, it can be concluded that they are conditional veto players. The findings have at least two implications. First, constitutional courts and supreme courts with judicial review rights should be systematically included in veto player analysis of political systems and not left aside. Any concept ignoring such courts may lead to invalid results, and any concept that counts such courts merely as an institutional feature may lead to distorted results that over- or under-estimate their impact. Second, the findings also have implications for the study of judicial politics. The main bulk of literature in this area is concerned with auto-limitation, the so-called 'self-restraint' of the government to avoid defeat at the court. This auto-limitation, however, should only occur if a court is not absorbed. However, vetoes observed when the court is absorbed might be explained by strategic behaviour among judges engaging in selective defection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the possibility to precipitate and to extract DNA, or RNA using an active water/ethanol Janus droplet. The active Janus droplet is initially formed by a single droplet made of a water/ethanol mixture in an oil/surfactant solution. This active droplet self-propels and absorbs surfactant molecules, by advection, while moving in the oily phase. The surfactant absorption leads to a phase separation of the water/ethanol mixture and the formation of an active Janus droplet. This active Janus droplet is made of a water-rich leading droplet and an ethanol-rich trailing droplet. We employ this phase separation method to precipitate and to extract DNA, RNA, or DNA/RNA mixtures independently, in an automatic manner. This automatic precipitation and extraction of DNA, or RNA, is achieved by tuning their water solubility with the addition of salt and then it is demonstrated by fluorescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the X‐ray fluorescence technique is proposed for the quantitative determination of major elements in ferromanganese nodules and crusts, which is a necessary stage of the oceanic ferromanganese deposits investigation and development. The research was performed using a wavelength‐dispersive spectrometer S4 Pioneer (Bruker AXS, Germany). Certified reference materials of ferromanganese nodules, cobalt‐bearing ferromanganese crusts and pelagic sediments were dried and prepared by two different techniques: the pressing of powder samples on a boric acid substrate and the homogenization by fusion with lithium tetraborate in an electric furnace at 1050°C. For each sample preparation technique, different forms of calibration curves (linear or quadratic) and methods of matrix effect correction (fundamental parameters or empirical intensities coefficients) were examined. The uncertainty of the proposed technique was assessed by analyzing the certified reference material FeMn‐1 and by comparison with the atomic absorption spectrometry, flame photometry and spectrophotometry results. Analysis of both fused beads and pressed pellets provides a quantitative determination of the major elements in the oceanic ferromanganese nodules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2013, a new draft of a complete standard for DIN 4109 "Soundproofing in buildings" was issued in 4 parts - "Requirements", "Method of calculation", "Parts catalogue" and "Testing acoustics in buildings". It includes several increases in the requirements for protection against airborne noise and impact sound by comparison to DIN 4109:1989. The increases are based on the grades from monitored buildings of standard construction periodically noted in recent years. Significant changes are also included in Part 2 "Input data for verifying the requirements by calculation". A detailed computation of all transmission paths is carried out here, taking into account the special vibration reducing indices. For a brick wall, the specific indices for the weighted sound reduction index R'w,R are shown that arise for various formations of the joints. When compared with the calculated values according to DIN 4109:1989 there are differences of up to 10 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Symmetrical lupoid onychomadesis (SLO) is a disease not infrequently seen in bearded collie dogs in Germany. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare historical and clinical data, as well as the mineral content of the hair and claws of bearded collies with SLO with that of normal control dogs. Animals: Twenty‐eight affected bearded collie dogs and 39 control dogs. Methods and materials: Owners completed an extensive questionnaire regarding upbringing, environmental conditions and diets. Claw specimens were obtained by claw trimming or gathering lost claws; hairs were obtained by plucking samples from several areas of the body; samples were converted to ash and evaluated in an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Results: Clinical signs in affected dogs eventually involved all claws on all paws. In twelve dogs recurrence of onychomadesis was observed. There was no relevant association between gender, housing, diet and health management, physical stress and the development of SLO with exception of the age at which more intense exercise began. The most commonly used treatment combination was fatty acids, pentoxifylline and tetracycline; improvement occurred in 17 animals. Calcium, sodium and phosphorus concentrations were higher in the claws of affected dogs, whereas zinc concentrations were lower. The mineral content of hair samples of the affected dogs was not significantly different than controls. Conclusion and clinical importance: Symmetrical lupoid onychomadesis in bearded collies is clinically similar to what has been described in other breeds with regard to clinical signs and response to treatment. Early strenuous activity may increase the risk for disease occurrence in this breed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During antibiotic treatments, active residuals reaching the colon profoundly affect the bacterial flora resulting in the emergence of resistance. To prevent these effects, we developed an enteric-coated formulated activated-charcoal based product, DAV132, meant to deliver its adsorbent to the ileum and neutralize antibiotic residues in the proximal colon. In a randomized, control, crossover study, the plasma pharmacokinetics of the probe drugs amoxicillin (500 mg) absorbed in the proximal intestine, and sulfapyridine (25 mg) metabolized from sulfasalazine in the cecum and rapidly absorbed, were compared after a single administration in 18 healthy subjects who had received DAV132, uncoated formulated activated charcoal (FAC) or water 16 and 8 hours before, concomitantly with the probe drugs, and 8 hours thereafter. The AUC0-96 h of amoxicillin was reduced by more than 70% when it was taken with FAC, but bioequivalent when it was taken with water or DAV132. By contrast, the AUC0-96 h of sulfapyridine was reduced by more than 90% when administered with either FAC or DAV132 in comparison with water. The results show that DAV132 can selectively adsorb drug compounds in the proximal colon, without interfering with drug absorption in the proximal small intestine, thereby constituting a proof of concept that DAV132 actually functions in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]