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Purpose: Higher dietary intake or higher circulating levels of the trace element boron have been associated with beneficial effects on human health. However, the relationship between plasma boron levels and survival in the general population is not known. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between plasma boron concentrations and all-cause mortality in a population-based cohort from northern Germany (n = 863 individuals; median age 62.3 years, 42.8% women). Methods: Plasma boron concentrations (median 31.9 µg/L [22.9; 43.5]) were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusted for relevant confounders were used to associate plasma boron concentrations with all-cause mortality. Results: After a median follow-up time of 11 years, n = 99 individuals had died. In the overall sample, plasma boron concentrations were associated with all-cause mortality in the crude model (HR: 1.07 [95% CI 1.03–1.11] per 5-unit-increment). However, multivariable adjustment rendered the association non-significant (HR: 1.03 [95% CI 0.99–1.07]). Sex-stratified analyses revealed slightly higher mortality hazards with increasing plasma boron concentrations in women (HR: 1.11 [95% CI 1.03–1.18], pInteraction = 0.034), but not in men (HR: 1.00 [95% CI 0.95–1.06]). Conclusion: We conclude that in a moderate-sized sample from the general population, higher plasma boron concentrations were associated with a higher risk of all-cause mortality in women, but not in men. Due to the low number of events in the female subsample (n = 27), this observation has to be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 2015 "summer of welcome", the mass arrival of refugees to Germany triggered widely publicised acts of pro-refugee solidarity among citizens. To date, scholarship has largely focused on hostility towards immigrants—including refugees-, and few studies shed light on the determinants of acceptance, so that refugee solidarity remains poorly understood. In this paper, we hypothesise that pro-refugee engagement does not just reflect humanitarian concerns, but also a more general acceptance of socio-cultural diversity in German society. Relying on unique survey data gathered in 2019–2020, we show that a majority of urban Germans indeed engaged in some form of support. We employ latent class analysis to capture the spectrum of diversity attitudes within the urban population. A series of regression models show that diversity attitudes are powerful predictors of pro-refugee engagement. Overall, our study helps advancing immigration scholarship by demonstrating that widespread support for refugees is strongly associated with more general diversity assent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to capture characteristic agglomeration patterns in population data in Germany from 1987 to 2011, encompassing pre- and post-unification periods. We utilize a group-theoretic double Fourier spectrum analysis procedure (Ikeda et al. 2018) as a systematic means to capture characteristic agglomeration patterns in population data. Among a plethora of patterns to be self-organized from a uniform state, we focus on a megalopolis pattern, a rhombic pattern, and a core–satellite pattern (a downtown surrounded by hexagonal satellite cities). As the technical contribution of this paper, we newly introduce a principal vector as a superposition of these patterns in order to grasp the multi-scale nature of agglomerations. Benchmark spectra for these patterns are advanced and are found in the population data of Germany in 2011. An incremental population is investigated using this principal vector to successfully detect a shift of predominant population increase/decrease patterns in the pre- and post-unification periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypernuclear research will be one of the main topics addressed by the PANDA experiment at the planned Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research FAIR at Darmstadt (Germany). Thanks to the use of stored $\overline{p}$ beams, copious production of double Λ hypernuclei is expected at the PANDA experiment, which will enable high precision γ spectroscopy of such nuclei for the first time. At PANDA excited states of Ξ− hypernuclei will be used as a starting point for the formation of double Λ hypernuclei. In order to predict the yield of particle stable double hypernuclei a microcanonical decay model was developed. For the detection of these nuclei, a devoted hypernuclear detector setup is planned. This set-up consists, in addition to the general purpose of the PANDA set-up, of a primary nuclear target for the production of $\Xi^{-}+\overline{\Xi}$ pairs, a secondary active target for the hypernuclei formation and the identification of associated decay products and a germanium array detector to perform γ spectroscopy. Furthermore, the presence of $\overline{\Xi}$ can be used as an alternative to tag the strangeness in the $\Xi^{-}+\overline{\Xi}$. All systems need to operate in the presence of a high magnetic field and a large hadronic background. In the present talk details concerning simulations, the identification procedure of double hypernuclei and the suppression of background will be presented. In addition, the present status of the detector developments for this programme will be briefly given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wavelength calibration system based on a laser frequency comb (LFC) was developed in a co-operation between the Kiepenheuer-Institut für Sonnenphysik, Freiburg, Germany and the Max-Planck-Institut für Quantenoptik, Garching, Germany for permanent installation at the German Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT) on Tenerife, Canary Islands. The system was installed successfully in October 2011. By simultaneously recording the spectra from the Sun and the LFC, for each exposure a calibration curve can be derived from the known frequencies of the comb modes that is suitable for absolute calibration at the meters per second level. We briefly summarize some topics in solar physics that benefit from absolute spectroscopy and point out the advantages of LFC compared to traditional calibration techniques. We also sketch the basic setup of the VTT calibration system and its integration with the existing echelle spectrograph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypernuclear research will be one of the main topics addressed by the $\overline{\mbox{P}}$ anda experiment at the planned Facility for Anti-proton and Ion Research FAIR at Darmstadt, Germany. A copious production of Ξ-hyperons at a dedicated internal target in the stored anti-proton beam is expected, which will enable the high-precision γ-spectroscopy of double strange systems for the first time. In addition to the general purpose $\overline{\mbox{P}}$ anda setup, the hypernuclear experiments require an active secondary target of silicon layers and absorber material as well as high purity germanium (HPGe) crystals as γ-detectors. The design of the setup and the development of these detectors is progressing: a first HPGe crystal with a new electromechanical cooling system was prepared and the properties of a silicon strip detector as a prototype to be used in the secondary target were studied. Simultaneously to the hardware projects, detailed Monte Carlo simulations were performed to predict the yield of particle stable hypernuclei. With the help of the Monte Carlo a procedure for ΛΛ-hypernuclei identification by the detection and correlation of the weak decay pions was developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scientific career of Rudolf Mössbauer is intricately interwoven with the development of the Garching research site and the present day Garching campus of the Technical University of Munich. A brief description of this development will be given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fracture-related bleaching of Lower Triassic Buntsandstein red beds of central Germany was related to significant carbonate diagenesis and feldspar alteration caused by CO-rich fluids. Using cathodoluminescence microscopy and spectroscopy combined with electron microprobe analysis and stable carbon isotope study, two major fluid-mineral interactions were detected: (1) zoned, joint-filling calcites and zoned pore-filling calcite cements, the latter replacing an earlier dolomite, were formed during bleaching. During the calcite formation and dolomite-calcite transformation, iron was incorporated into the calcite cement crystal cores due to Fe availability from the coeval bleaching. The dedolomitisation was ultimately associated with a volume increase. The related permeability decrease implies a certain degree of sealing and increasing retention of CO, and the volume increase offers a minor CO sink. Carbonate-rich sandstone, therefore, can provide advantages for underground CO storage especially when situated in the fringes of the reservoir. (2) Alkali-feldspar alteration due to the bleaching fluids is reflected in cathodoluminescence spectra predominantly by the modulation of a brown luminescence emission peak (~620 nm). This peak represents a newly discovered effect related to alkali-feldspar alteration not solely associated with bleaching. Its modulation by the bleaching is interpreted to be due to Na depletion or a lattice defect in the Si-O bonds of the SiO-tetrahedron. Alteration reflected by this luminescence feature has a destructive effect on the feldspars implying the possibility of diminished rock integrity due to bleaching and, hence, CO-rich fluids. Two further CL spectral changes related to bleaching occur, (a) decreased intensity between around 570 nm assigned to Mn-depletion, and (b) increased amplitude and wavelength shift of the red (~680 nm) band. Converging evidence from carbonate and feldspar diagenesis, stable carbon isotope data and analysis of fracture directions suggests that CO fluids contributed to a significant extent to the bleaching phenomena and alteration in the studied Buntsandstein strata. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the last decade, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) increased markedly inside as well as outside of hospitals. In association with the occurrence of new hypervirulent C. difficile strains, CDI became more important. Until now typing of C. difficile strains has been enabled by PCR-ribotyping. However, this method is restricted to specialized laboratories combined with high maintenance cost. Therefore, we tested MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for typing of C. difficile to provide a fast method for surveillance of CDI. Using a standard set of 25 different C. difficile PCR ribotypes a database was made by different mass spectra recorded in the SARAMIS™ software (AnagnosTec, Zossen, Germany). The database was validated with 355 C. difficile strains belonging to 29 different PCR ribotypes collected prospectively from all submitted feces samples in 2009. The most frequent PCR ribotypes were type 001 (70%), 027 (4.8%) and 078/126 (4.7%). All three types were recognized by MALDI-TOF MS. We conclude that an extended MALDI-TOF system was capable to recognize specific markers for ribotypes 001, 027 and 078/126 allowing an effective identification of these strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The FTIR spectrum of monoisotopic stannane 116SnH4 has been recorded in the 600-850 cm-1 range, with the Bruker 120 HR interferometer at Giessen, Germany. The resolution was 2.1 × 10-3 cm-1. The analysis of infrared transitions in this region enabled Brunet et al. [1] to assign many lines to the bending dyad ν2/ν4. However, several lines in this spectrum were found to be unassigned. In a recent work [2], we have analysed the infrared spectrum of stannane in the bending triad region at 1400 cm-1. The results obtained enabled us to assign directly, for the spectrum in the region 600-850 cm-1, 163 of the observed transitions to the hot band {bending triad} minus {bending dyad} up to J=9. These transitions were combined to the infrared data corresponding to the bending triad (2ν2, ν2 + ν4, 2ν4), to refine a set of Hamiltonian parameters for the two bands 2ν2 and (ν2 + ν4) [2]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic-geochemical investigations were performed on layers of a dated sediment core taken from a riparian wetland of the Lippe river, Germany. The samples were collected from two distinct depth intervals representing sedimentation periods of 1944–1952 and 1972–1984, respectively. Comprehensive screening analyses by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed a complex mixture of anthropogenic contaminants. Here, we report the quantitative distribution of selected persistent lipophilic organic substances characterizing municipal as well as industrial emissions. Considering both geochemical and geochronological data, we deduced time-dependent information about industrial production and domestic effluents for the region investigated. In addition, usage and subsequent emission of characteristic pollutants into the riverine system were interpreted for both time periods monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on the 2003 European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry, held in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, on January 12-17, 2003. The conference was accompanied by an exhibition showing the newest developments in spectroscopic instrumentation and related accessories. Among the topics discussed in the Conference, one was the application of an inductively coupled plasma source combined with alternative mass separation systems. A session was held on elemental specification and isotope ratio determinations.

The article presents information on the SPEC 2006 conference on biomedical vibrational spectroscopy which was held in Heidelberg, Germany from May 20 to 24, 2006. The event was dedicated for Henry Mantsch for his initiative and achievements in the field of biomedical vibrational spectroscopy. The lectures at the event were predominantly organized according to biomedical aspects, which include tissue pathologies, eukaryotic cells, pathogens/microorganisms, and body fluids.

Information about the 13th Conference of Solid Materials Analysis in Chemnitz, Germarny on June 26-29, 2005 is presented. A program of research offered arranged around five plenary lectures devoted to nanotechnology, surface spectroscopy, catalysis, and surface modification and supplemented by a poster presentation. Moreover, the program was prepared by a scientific committee, provided by staff of the AG Elektrochemie at the Institute of Chemistry.

The 2nd International Conference on Scanning Probe Spectroscopy (SPS) and the 30th IUVSTA Workshop was held in Hamburg, Germany, on 19-22 July 2000. SPS 2000 followed previous conferences in 1997 at Poznan, Poland. The SPS 2000 conference covered recent advances in instrumental developments, experimental methods, theoretical conceptions, and the applications of scanning probe spectroscopy. The final scientific program featured a total of 126 papers presented in 10 sessions, including 10 invited talks, 29 contributed talks, and 87 poster presentations. The session topics included scanning tunneling spectroscopy on metals, semiconductors and superconductors, spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy, inelastic scanning tunneling spectroscopy, scanning field emission spectroscopy, ballistic electron emission spectroscopy, atom probe spectroscopy, scanning force spectroscopy, scanning capacitance spectroscopy, scanning near-field optical spectroscopy, and scanning thermal spectroscopy. Particular emphasis was put on low-temperature scanning probe spectroscopy combining high spatial and high spectral resolution. An industrial exhibition allowed us to take a closer look at the latest instrumental developments. The SPS conference has continued to grow in size and scope, which is indicated by the large number of scientific presentations and participants (198). The opening lecture was presented by H. Manoharan from the IBM Almaden Research Center in San Jose, USA, who talked about quantum mirages. Two invited talks by R. Berndt from Kiel University, Germany, and M. Crommie from the University of California Berkeley, USA, focussed on microscopic investigations of the Kondo effect using tunneling spectroscopy. M. Bode from Hamburg University, Germany, reported on spin-polarized scanning tunneling spectroscopy studies of magnetic thin films. Four invited talks focussed on the application of scanning probe spectroscopy to semiconducto... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a standard reference air dust (NIST 1648 -- urban particulate matter) as well as in airborne particulate matter collected in German urban and rural areas (Dortmund, Sauerland) 10% and more of the organiccarbon can be attributed to macromolecular substances like humic andfulvic acids (HA, FA). Indirect evidence for the presence of humin was also obtained. HA and FA extracted from NIST 1648 and other urban and rural atmospheric particles using 0.1 m NaOH and isolated by ion exchangers were characterized by their molecular-size distribution applying multistage ultrafiltration, their carbon content and their UV/VIS, Fourier-transformed infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectra. Summarizing, the structural studies exhibit that these humic-like substances (HULIS) contained in air dustsamples are small in their molecular size and rich in aliphatic and carbohydrate substructures compared to HA and FA from soils and aquatic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]