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Background: A parotid abscess (PA) is a complication of an acute bacterial parotitis with a potentially life-threatening course. To date, data on the diagnosis and therapy of PA is sparse and mostly consists of case reports or case series. Therefore, this study aimed at comprehensively analyzing the microbiological spectrum and the therapeutic management in a bi-institutional setting. Methods: A retrospective clinical chart review was performed to identify all patients surgically treated for PA at two tertiary care centers in Germany. Data on demographics, clinical management and microbiological data including species identification, pathogenicity, type of antibiotic therapy, adjustment of antibiotics, antibiotic sensitivity testing, and smear test results were extracted. Intervention-related variables and etiology were analyzed for their statistical association with outcome variables. Results: Overall, 85 patients were included. Most patients (92.9%) underwent surgical incision. Around half of the patients (45.9%) were treated under local anesthesia. No facial nerve palsy was observed. The most frequently detected pathogens were Streptococci (n = 23), followed by Staphylococcus aureus (n = 6) including one case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Most patients (68.2%) received an aminopenicillin ± beta-lactamase inhibitor as empiric antibiotic therapy. In 6 cases the antibiotic therapy was modified after receiving the antibiogram. Four patients (5.2%) presented with recurrent PA. Etiology was idiopathic (42.4%), followed by tumorous (12.9%), obstructive, and immunosuppressive (each 11.8%). Patients with a dental focus (p = 0.007) had a longer duration of hospitalization. Conclusion: The results show that the surgical therapy of PA under local anesthesia is safe. A dental examination should routinely be performed to rule out a dental focus. Obtaining a microbiological specimen in order to modify antibiotic therapy if necessary and a histopathological specimen to rule out a tumorous etiology is obligate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The sale of sunscreen products is lucrative for pharmacies, and many people buy sunscreen in pharmacies because they expect to receive good advice on sunscreen use and sun protection. However, little is known about the knowledge level of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in the field of skin cancer prevention. By conducting a qualitative study in Germany, we aimed to explore what pharmacy personnel know about sun protection and the proper use of sunscreens, where they get their information from, and where they see deficits concerning these topics. We found that there is a need for education regarding the terms skin type and sun protection factor, both of which can be helpful tools when advising customers on sun protection. In addition, participants wished for more independent information from health authorities because sunscreen manufacturing companies, which offer product-specific information, are often the only source of information. Overall, it seems reasonable that pharmacy staff should be educated more about sun protection behavior and the proper use of sunscreen to be able to advise their customers correctly. Our findings offer a starting point for strengthening the role of pharmacies in skin cancer prevention. It seems to make sense to develop and offer tailored handouts for customer counseling. Since sunscreen products are perceived as seasonal products, an educational leaflet can help refresh knowledge about the use of sunscreen and the concepts of skin type and sun protection factor in early summer. [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]

For the first time in the sixty years since the synthesis of stishovite, we report unambiguous evidence of stishovite formed in the deep Earth. A minimum pressure of about 7.5 GPa at 1000 °C is necessary for the formation of stishovite, corresponding to a depth of about 230 km. In this manuscript we report the identification of stishovite along with coesite as inclusions in mineral grains from the Waldheim granulite. This implies that the stishovite was transported upwards, probably very rapidly to a depth of about 130 km, corresponding to the highest pressure indicated by newly identified coesite in the prismatine of the Waldheim granulite, and continuing up to the depth of emplacement of the Waldheim prismatine granulite. The analysis of the Raman spectra obtained from a metastable trapped stishovite micro-crystal show that all the diagnostic Raman bands are present. However, given the metastability of the stishovite at room temperatures and pressures, this mineral breaks down step-by-step into stable polymorphs, first coesite and then quartz and cristobalite, during the Raman stimulation. The rare coesite crystals in prismatine have also resulted from the irreversible transformation from stishovite. Although the Waldheim occurrence may be unique, we suggest that Raman analysis of co-trapped crystals in similar deep-seated rocks, an area of limited previous research, may prove an important innovation in the study of mantle processes. [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]

Background: Volatile anaesthetics are a potential hazard during occupational exposure, pregnancy or in individuals with existing disposition to malignant hyperthermia. Anaesthetic waste gas concentration in postanaesthesia care units (PACU) has rarely been investigated.Objective(s): The current study aims to assess concentrations of volatile anaesthetics in relation to room size, number of patients and ventilator settings in different PACUs.Design: A prospective observational study.Setting: Two different PACUs of the Hannover Medical School (Hannover, Germany) were evaluated in this study. The rooms differed in dimensions, patient numbers and room ventilation settings.Patients: During the observation period, sevoflurane anaesthesia was performed in 65 of 140 patients monitored in postanaesthesia unit one and in 42 of 70 patients monitored in postanaesthesia unit two.Main Outcome Measures: Absolute trace gas room concentrations of sevoflurane measured with a compact, closed gas loop high-resolution ion mobility spectrometer.Results: Traces of sevoflurane could be detected in 805 out of 970 samples. Maximum concentrations were 0.96 ± 0.20 ppm in postanaesthesia unit one, 0.82 ± 0.07 ppm in postanaesthesia unit two. Median concentration was 0.12 (0.34) ppm in postanaesthesia unit one and 0.11 (0.28) ppm in postanaesthesia unit two.Conclusion: Low trace amounts of sevoflurane were detected in both PACUs equipped with controlled air exchange systems. Occupational exposure limits were not exceeded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of phytoequivalence was developed in Germany in mid-1990 to indicate that a herbal extract is equivalent to another one, more specifically, to a clinically validated one. The pharmacological/physiological activity of an extract is related to its composition, but, due to the presence of many constituents, reliable technique are necessary to compare extracts. While the concept of equivalence among pure chemicals or isolated substances is feasible using the modern chromatographic and spectroscopic technology, specific guideline for herbal extracts or botanicals are still missing. This is mainly due to the multicomponent nature of the herbal extracts and to the natural variability of their constituents. Nevertheless, by using mathematical and/or chemometric approaches, the concept of phytoequivalence can be precisely addressed, as exemplified by a series of examples that are discussed in detail. Helpful practical recommendations based on literature data and personal experience are presented. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a consequence of the Chernobyl accident in 1986 the Integrated Measurement and Information System (IMIS) was established (Weiss and Leeb, 1993) which includes on-line monitoring networks for the surveillance of radioactivity in Germany. Today, the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection (BfS) operates a gamma dose rate network with 1800 ambient dose equivalent rate H*(10) (ADER) stations almost equally distributed over the German territory. The ADER network integrates Geiger-Müller (GM) based detectors which, if low and high dose rate tubes are combined, are known to have excellent long-term stability and an extended dose rate range from environmental background level (20 nSv/h) up to several Sv/h. However, one main drawback is the lack of information about nuclides contributing to the observed dose rate. Therefore BfS has started to integrate LaBr 3 -based spectrometric detector systems (so-called spectro-dosemeters) in the existing ADER network. In this paper detector design, quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) procedures are described as well as efforts required to characterize and operate monitoring networks based on spectrometric detectors. • Integration of spectro-dosemeters into the German ADER network. • Characterization and initial testing of new spectrometric detectors. • Development and application of the spectrum analysis software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Produced in the reaction 48Ca+ 243Am, thirty correlated α-decay chains were observed in an experiment conducted at the GSI Helmholzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung, Darmstadt, Germany. The decay chains are basically consistent with previous findings and are considered to originate from isotopes of element 115 with mass numbers 287, 288, and 289. A set-up aiming specifically for high-resolution charged particle and photon coincidence spectroscopy was placed behind the gas-filled separator TASCA. For the first time, γ rays as well as X-ray candidates were observed in prompt coincidence with the α-decay chains of element 115. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel substances for which none or limited analytical data are available constitute a challenge for police and customs forensic laboratories. The time-consuming process of structural elucidation and acquisition of analytical data has been centralized in the ADEBAR project in Germany, co-funded since 2017 by the EU's Internal Security Fund. The project aims to comprehensively characterize substances relevant for forensic-toxicological casework within the analytical competence network. The analytical datasets are distributed digitally through European and (inter)national channels. Additionally, pharmacological evaluation allows for estimating in vivo potency and potential harm required as scientific evidence for legislative amendments. The ADEBAR project contributes to the availability of analytical data on new substances relevant to the daily work of police and customs laboratories. Since the inception of the ADEBAR project, 549 samples have been registered, and 302 substance reports notified to the EMCDDA, including numerous spectrometric and spectroscopic data. In addition, 3,619 mass spectra have been accumulated in ADEBAR mass spectra databases. A central institution for the structure elucidation and acquisition of valid, high-quality analytical data for police and customs forensic laboratories and forensic medicine institutes is important in the future because there does not seem to be an end to the dynamic of novel NPS appearing on the drug market., (© 2022 The Authors. Drug Testing and Analysis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Full-waveform small-footprint laser scanning and airborne hyperspectral image data of a forest area in Germany were fused to get a detailed characterization of forest reflective properties and structure. Combining active laser scanning data with passive hyperspectral data increases the information content without adding much redundancy. The small-footprint light detection and ranging (lidar) waveforms on the area of each 5 m × 5 m HyMap pixel were combined into quasi-large-footprint waveforms of 0.5 m vertical resolution by calculating the mean laser intensity in each voxel. As exemplary applications for this data set, we present the estimation of crown base heights and the ease of displaying vertical and horizontal slices through the three-dimensional data set. As a consequence of the identical geometry of the voxel bases and the hyperspectral image, they could be joined as a multi-band image. The combined spectra are well suited for interpretations of pixel content. In a test classification of tree species and age classes, the joint image performed better than the hyperspectral image alone and also better than the hyperspectral image combined with lidar percentile images. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The decay rates of eight nuclides (85Kr, 90Sr, 108Ag, 133Ba, 137Cs, 152Eu, 154Eu, and 226Ra) were monitored by the standards group at the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB), Braunschweig, Germany, over the time frame June 1999 to November 2008. We find that the PTB measurements of the decay rate of 137Cs show no evidence of an annual oscillation, in agreement with the recent report by Bellotti et al. However, power spectrum analysis of PTB measurements of a 133Ba standard, measured in the same detector system, does show such evidence. This result is consistent with our finding that different nuclides have different sensitivities to whatever external influences are responsible for the observed periodic variations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper presents a comparison of commercially used German and Russian reactor pressure vessel steels from the positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) point of view, having in mind knowledge obtained also from other techniques from the last decades. The second generations of Russian RPV steels seems to be fully comparable with German steels and their quality enables prolongation of NPP operating lifetime over projected 40 years. The embrittlement of CrMoV steel is very low due to the dynamic recovery of radiation-induced defects at reactor operating temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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]

Abstract: A vegetation index (VI) is presented which is calculated as the inner angles of a triangle. The triangle is spanned between three distinct points (on a spectral curve of imaging spectroscopy data) which are defined for each individual pixel by the wavelength (x-axis) and the reflection value (y-axis). The ideal wavelengths of the three points are dependent on the response variable investigated. The case-study within this paper in which this angular VI is applied, aims at the development of an index to automatically detect spruce bark beetle infections in the Bavarian National Park, Germany. In order to determine the optimum wavelengths to separate damaged from non-damaged trees the three-angle-indices (TAIs) for all possible combinations of available wavelengths of HyMap imaging spectroscopy data in the vis–NIR-region (0.455–0.986μm) were calculated. The resulting 27,417 images served as input predictor variables to a genetic algorithm (GA) which used nearest centroid classifier as fitness functions to detect the most stable predictors and separate the six classes (three damage classes) defined within the study area. The fitness functions integrated in the GA reached classification accuracies of up to 94.8% when using forward selection models of the most stable genes featuring maximum 50 predictors. Based on those results, three from the original 27,417 predictors were extracted to map forest damages over the full image extent based on a support vector machines (SVMs) classification. We conducted the same experiment with 82 vegetation indices described in literature and achieved slightly lower GA overall accuracies of 86.8% using the nearest centroid classifier. The SVM maps produced with the three best VI predictors were comparable to the TAI results. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents a study that compares the hydroxyl radical (OH) concentration measurements by differential optical absorption spectroscopy (DOAS) and laser-induced fluorescence (LIF). The study examines the comparison during experiments in simulation chamber SAPHIR in Germany at OH reactivity and low nitrogen oxide (NO) concentration. It also uses the comparison to investigate potential artifacts in the LIF measurements for Pearl River Delta (PRD)-like conditions of OH reactivities.

Background The efficacy of sunscreens depends decisively on the homogeneity of its distribution on the skin surface, which is sensitively reflected by two spectroscopic data - the factor of inhomogeneity and the sum transmission - measured after tape stripping. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a skin pre-treatment with body lotion on the layout of the formulations. Methods Six healthy volunteers were pre-treated using the body lotion, Nivea Body (Beiersdorf AG, Hamburg, Germany). The sunscreen was an oil/water (o/w) emulsion, Roc SPF 8 (RoC SA, Paris, France). The tape stripped tesa films were measured with a modified UV/ VIS spectrometer Lambda 5 (PerkinElmer, Frankfurt/Main, Germany), the data of which were used to calculate both measurands. Results The obtained results made clear that the original spectroscopic data must be corrected taking into account the changed amounts of horny layer particles removed with the individual tape strips after pre-treatment. As a consequence of the correction, the factors of inhomogeneity as well as the sum transmissions confirm a more homogeneous distribution of the applied sunscreen. Conclusion The findings confirm that the applied method is well suited to obtain information on the distribution of topically applied substances, and furthermore that the influence of the pre-treatment of the skin with the body lotion enhances the homogeneity of distribution and thus the sunscreen efficacy. [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 article discusses the campaign called the Alpine Radiometer Intercomparison at the Schneefernerhaus (ARIS) which was conducted at the high altitude station in Zugspitze, Germany in winter 2009. The campaign aimed at comparing three ground based water vapor radiometers used for middle atmospheric profiling. The measurements from three radiometers agreed with each other and the spectrum comparison showed that these radiometers measured spectra without baseline artifacts.

Abstract: Heart failure (HF) has been identified as one of the most threatening diseases for the western civilisation, posing a risk to health for a rising number of patients. Acknowledging the medical problem of HF to be both economically and socially threatening the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education (BMBF) initiated a nationwide research network aiming to find new ways in prevention, alleviation and treatment of the widespread disease. The “Competence Network Heart Failure” (CNHF), initiated in 2003, bundles the scientific expertise in a large-scale research network; its aims are the coordination of basic and applied clinical research as well as dissemination of findings into clinical practice in order to consolidate and perpetuate the achieved improvements. The scope of this paper is to introduce the CNHF and to provide an overview of the tasks and hitherto attained achievements to a broad spectrum of health care providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: This study aims to (1) undertake and analyse 1D and 2D MR correlation spectroscopy from human soleus muscle in vivo at 7T, and (2) determine T1 and T2 relaxation time constants at 7T field strength due to their importance in sequence design and spectral quantitation. Method: Six healthy, male volunteers were consented and scanned on a 7T whole-body scanner (Siemens AG, Erlangen, Germany). Experiments were undertaken using a 28cm diameter detunable birdcage coil for signal excitation and an 8.5cm diameter surface coil for signal reception. The relaxation time constants, T1 and T2 were recorded using a STEAM sequence, using the ‘progressive saturation’ method for the T1 and multiple echo times for T2. The 2D L-Correlated SpectroscopY (L-COSY) method was employed with 64 increments (0.4ms increment size) and eight averages per scan, with a total time of 17min. Results: T1 and T2 values for the metabolites of interest were determined. The L-COSY spectra obtained from the soleus muscle provided information on lipid content and chemical structure not available, in vivo, at lower field strengths. All molecular fragments within multiple lipid compartments were chemically shifted by 0.20–0.26ppm at this field strength. 1D and 2D L-COSY spectra were assigned and proton connectivities were confirmed with the 2D method. Conclusion: In vivo 1D and 2D spectroscopic examination of muscle can be successfully recorded at 7T and is now available to assess lipid alterations as well as other metabolites present with disease. T1 and T2 values were also determined in soleus muscle of male healthy volunteers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Defect structure of Czochralski grown silicon (Cz-Si) with nitrogen admixture, cN ⩽ 5×1014 cm-3 (Cz-Si:N), annealed for up to 10 h at 1270-1400 K under hydrostatic Ar pressure ⩽ 1:1 GPa, was investigated by synchrotron diffraction topography (HASYLAB, Germany), X-ray reciprocal space mapping, and infrared spectroscopy. Extended defects were not detected in Cz-Si:N processed at up to 1270 K. Such defects were created, however, in Cz-Si:N pre-annealed at 923 K and next processed at 1270 K or in as-grown Cz-Si:N processed at 1400 K. Investigation of temperature-pressure effects in nitrogen-doped silicon contributes to the understanding of defect formation in Cz-Si:N [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the last decade the performance of neutron guides for the transport of neutrons has been significantly increased. The most recent developments have shown that elliptic guide systems can be used to focus neutron beams while simultaneously reducing the number of neutron reflections, hence, leading to considerable gains in neutron flux. We have carried out Monte-Carlo simulations for a new triple-axis spectrometer that will be built at the end position of the conventional cold guide NL-1 in the neutron guide hall of the research reactor FRM-II in Munich, Germany. Our results demonstrate that an elliptic guide section at the end of a conventional guide can be used to at least maintain the total neutron flux onto the sample, while significantly improving the energy resolution of the spectrometer. The simulation further allows detailed insight how the defining parameters of an elliptic guide have to be chosen to obtain optimum results. Finally, we show that the elliptic guide limits losses in the neutron flux that generally arise at the gaps, where the monochromator system of the upstream instrument is situated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Using high-resolution Fourier transform spectra of mono deuterated formaldehyde (HDCO) recorded in the 5.8-μm spectral range at Giessen (Germany), we carried out an extensive analysis of the strong ν 3 fundamental band (carbonyl stretching mode) at 1724.2676cm−1, starting from results of a previous analysis [J.W.C. Johns, A.R.W. McKellar, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 64 (1977) 327–339]. For this hybrid band (with both A- and B-type transitions) the analysis was pursued up to high rotational quantum numbers. In this way, it was possible to evidence a resonance which perturbs the ν 3 lines for high K a values which is due to the existence of the 2ν 5 and ν 5 + ν 6 dark bands in the same spectral region. In addition a local resonance is perturbing the 31 levels in =8 which is due to a crossing with the 41 energy levels in K a =11. The model used to calculate the energy levels accounts for the observed A- type, B- type C-type Coriolis (and/or) Fermi resonances which couple the 31 and the 5161, 52, and 41 energy levels. However the 41 state is also involved in strong vibration–rotation interactions coupling the {51,61,41} system of resonation states of HDCO [A. Perrin, J.M. Flaud, L. Margulès, J. Demaison, H. Mäder, S. Wörmke, J. Mol. Spectrosc. 216 (2002) 214–224]. Therefore the final energy levels calculation was performed for the {51,61,41,31,52,5161} resonating states and in this way it was possible to reproduce the observed line positions, within their experimental uncertainties. The present work also led to the determination of the intensity ratio of the B- to A-type components of the ν 3 band I A/I B ∼24 band from spectral fittings performed in several parts of the observed spectrum. Finally, using the 5.8μm band intensity available in the literature we generated, for the first time, a list of line parameters (positions and intensities) for the 5.8μm region of HDCO. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Anti-Proton ANnihilation at DArmstadt (PANDA) experiment proposed at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) in Darmstadt (Germany) will perform a high-precision spectroscopy of charmonium and exotic hadrons, such as hybrids, glueballs and hypernuclei. A highly intense beam of anti-protons provided by High Energy Storage Ring (HESR) with an unprecedented resolution will scan a mass range of 2 to 5.5 GeV/c2. In preparation for experiments with PANDA, careful and large-scale simulation studies need to be performed in the coming years to determine analysis strategies, to provide feedback for the design, construction and performance optimisation of individual detector components and to design methods for the calibration and interpretation of the experimental results. Results of a simulation for the ElectroMagnetic Calorimeter (EMC), built from lead tungstate (PWO) crystals and placed inside the Target Spectrometer (TS), are presented. The simulations were carried out using the PandaRoot framework, which is based on ROOT and being developed by the PANDA collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The NEutron-induced POsitron source MUniCh (NEPOMUC) at the research reactor FRM II delivers a low-energy positron beam (E =15–1000eV) of high intensity in the range between 4×107 and 5×108 moderated positrons per second. At present four experimental facilities are in operation at NEPOMUC: a coincident Doppler-broadening spectrometer (CDBS) for defect spectroscopy and investigations of the chemical vicinity of defects, a positron annihilation-induced Auger-electron spectrometer (PAES) for surface studies and an apparatus for the production of the negatively charged positronium ion Ps−. Recently, the pulsed low-energy positron system (PLEPS) has been connected to the NEPOMUC beam line, and first positron lifetime spectra were recorded within short measurement times. A positron remoderation unit which is operated with a tungsten single crystal in back reflection geometry has been implemented in order to improve the beam brilliance. An overview of NEPOMUC''s status, experimental results and recent developments at the running spectrometers are presented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

AbstractFTIR spectroscopy was used to distinguish between beech (Fagus sylvaticaL.) trees grown at five different sites; one in middle Germany close to Göttingen (forest district Reinhausen), three located in the southwest (two in Rhineland-Palatinate: forest districts Saarburg and Hochwald, and one in Luxembourg), and one in North-Rhine Westfalia. Detailed investigation of the spectra in the fingerprint region (1800â??600 cm-1) revealed 16 distinct peaks and shoulders, most of which were assignable to wavenumbers previously shown to represent wood compounds. Differences in peak heights and peak ratios indicated differences in wood composition of beech trees from different sites. To determine if the wood of individual trees could be distinguished, principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis were performed using FTIR spectra as input data. With both PCA and cluster analysis, trees from four of the five different sites were separated. It was not possible to distinguish between trees from Saarburg and Hochwald, where similar edaphic and climatic conditions exist, while wood spectra from trees from all other areas clearly segregated. Wood collected at different positions in the stem (bottom, crown, center and outer year rings) of trees grown at the same site was not distinguishable. Therefore, FTIR spectral analysis in combination with multivariate statistical methods can be used to distinguish wood of trees from different growth habitats. Extension of this method to other species may be of great interest for wood certification, as it may be possible to distinguish wood, of a given species, originating from different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperspectral remote sensing data open up new opportunities for analyzing urban areas characterized by a large variety of spectrally distinct surface materials. Spectroscopic analysis using diagnostic spectral features yields the potential for automated identification and mapping of these materials. This study proposes a new approach for the determination and evaluation of such spectral features that are robust against spectral overlap between material classes and within-class variability. Analysis is based on comprehensive field and image spectral libraries of more than 21,000 spectra of surface materials widely-used in German cities. The robustness of the interactively defined spectral features is evaluated by a separability analysis. This method is performed based on confusion matrices for each material computed from classification results. For comparison this analysis is also performed for material-specific gray values of selected bands. The obtained commission and omission errors show superiority of the spectral features compared to gray values for most of the investigated materials. The results indicate that robust spectral features yield the potential for unsupervised detection of endmembers in hyperspectral image data. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The political engagement of Günter Grass, Germany's most significant contemporary writer is by no means limited only to German affairs but has for decades also extended across a broad spectrum of international issues. This study thus centres on the question, hitherto only touched on in the research literature, of Grass's profile as an international intellectual. It primarily deals with his critical attitude towards the United States of America, Israel, and the project of European integration, where it emerges that Grass's public interventions are directed above all against the misuse of political power, as perpetrated for example by the USA during the Cold War or later in Iraq. At the same time, Grass has, at an international level, taken the part of those who have fallen victim to power-centred politics, those who are discriminated against, those who have been forgotten, such as the fatwa-threatened Salman Rushdie, the endangered Israeli population during the Six Day War and the first Gulf War, and the European ethnic group the Roma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A combination of cathodoluminescence (CL) microscopy with digital image analysis and spectroscopic analysis allows the detailed investigation of the commonly occurring colour shift from initial to final CL-colours in detrital quartz with increasing irradiation. A method for the quantification of the colour shift is presented and applied to different quartz sands: unlithified sands of the Lower Cretaceous Kuhfeld Formation from Ottenstein (W Germany) and Holocene sands from the barrier island of Wangerooge (N Germany). The colour shift depends on the defect structure of the quartz grains. The defect structure is determined by the physico-chemical conditions during crystallization and therefore can help trace the source of quartz grains. A total of 25 different types of quartz grains in the Ottenstein-sands indicates a highly variable southern provenance. Many of the grains have recycled quartz cement overgrowths indicating an at least second cycle origin. In contrast, only 16 different quartz types have been observed in the Wangerooge-sands reflecting a less varied plutonic to metamorphic Scandinavian provenance. The study demonstrates the potential of quantified CL initial colour and colour shift in assessing the provenance of quartz-rich sands and sandstones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the development of infrared and accelerator technologies at the Institute of Synchrotron Radiation (ANKA) at the Karlsruhe Research Center in Karlsruhe, Germany. ANKA has investigated the far infrared coherent synchrotron edge radiation that operates at 1.3 gigaelectron volts beam energy. The breakthrough will support generating and observing highly intense stable coherent synchrotron edge radiation in the terahertz range, paving way for advancement in spectroscopy.

The article focuses on the first beam experimental test of a superconductive undulator (SCU14) at the Institute for Synchrotron Radiation storage ring at the Karlsruhe Research Center in Karlsruhe, Germany. SCU14 has been designed by ACCEL Instruments GmbH for nanometer beamline. The experiment has been aimed at demonstrating that the device can be operated under conventional user considerations, which will pave way towards advancement in spectroscopy.

Abstract: The potential of front-face fluorescence spectroscopy combined with chemometric methods was investigated for discriminating different wines according to variety, typicality and vintage. A total of 120 wines produced in France and Germany were investigated. Emission (275–450nm) and excitation (250–350nm) fluorescence spectra of phenolic compounds were recorded directly on the wine samples using a front-face fluorescence accessory. The emission spectra were characterised by a maximum at 376nm and a shoulder at 315nm and the excitation spectra showed two peaks located at about 260 and 320nm. The shape of the spectra changed with wine samples, varying mainly in the maximum/shoulder intensity. Wine samples were evaluated using principal component analysis (PCA) and classified by factorial discriminant analysis (FDA). PCA performed on the whole collection of excitation spectra allowed a good discrimination between French and German wines. Using FDA, correct classification of typical and non-typical Beaujolais amounting to 95% was observed for the emission fluorescence data set. These results showed that fluorescence spectroscopic technique may provide useful fingerprints and mainly allow the identification of wines according to variety and typicality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The presence of log-periodic structures before and after stock market crashes is considered to be an imprint of an intrinsic discrete scale invariance (DSI) in this complex system. The fractal framework of the theory leaves open the possibility of observing self-similar log-periodic structures at different time scales. In the present work, we analyze the daily closures of four of the most important indices worldwide since 2000: the DAX for Germany and the NASDAQ-100, the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones for the United States. The qualitative behavior of these different markets is similar during the temporal frame studied. Evidence is found for decelerating log-periodic oscillations of duration about two years and starting in September 2000. Moreover, a nested sub-structure starting in May 2002 is revealed, bringing more evidence to support the hypothesis of self-similar, log-periodic behavior. Ongoing log-periodic oscillations are also revealed. A Lomb analysis over the aforementioned periods indicates a preferential scaling factor λ~2. Higher order harmonics are also present. The spectral pattern of the data has been found to be similar to that of a Weierstrass-type function, used as a prototype of a log-periodic fractal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the operation of research facilities at Research Centre Jülich, Germany, nuclear waste is stored in drums and other vessels in an interim storage building on-site, which has a concrete shielding at the side walls. Owing to the lack of a well- defined source, measured gamma spectra were unfolded to determine the photon flux on the surface of the containers. The dose rate simulation, including the effects of skyshine, using the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP is compared with the measured dosimetric data at some locations in the vicinity of the interim storage building. The MCNP data for direct radiation confirm the data calculated using a point-kernel method. However, a comparison of the modelled dose rates for direct radiation and skyshine with the measured data demonstrate the need for a more precise definition of the source. Both the measured and the modelled dose rates verified the fact that the legal limits (<1 mSv a-1) are met in the area outside the perimeter fence of the storage building to which members of the public have access. Using container surface data (gamma spectra) to define the source may be a useful tool for practical calculations and additionally for benchmarking of computer codes if the discussed critical aspects with respect to the source can be addressed adequately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The King George III copy of the Gutenberg Bible, held at the British Library, has been analyzed using Raman spectroscopy to determine the palette of pigments used in the illuminations on this work. The palette is found to comprise cinnabar/vermilion, lead tin yellow (type 1), carbon-based black, azurite, malachite, an organo-copper complex (a "verdigris"), calcium carbonate (chalk), gyp-sum, gold leaf, and basic lead carbonate ("lead white"). This is in agreement with contemporary descriptions of the pigments used for the illuminations. One pigment could not be identified, specifically the organic dark red/purple color used for the foliage. The palette of this copy of the Gutenberg Bible has been compared with those used for six other copies, held at Eton College and Lambeth Palace, England, the Bibliothèque Mazarine and the Bibliothèque nationale de France, and the Staatsbib- liothek zu Berlin and the Niederskchsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek (SUB) Göttingen, Germany. The palettes are shown to be similar to one another, even though the styles of the primary illuminations differ. The two Gutenberg Bibles held in Germany, printed on vellum, have the more expensive palettes, which include lazurite. The SUB Göttingen copy has the most extensive palette with 16 pigment-related materials having been identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first issue of the Radio Communications Supplement of the "IEEE Communications Magazine," opens with an article that is bound to generate some excitement among radio systems developers, regulators and users. Timo Weiss, a doctoral student at Karlsruhe University in Germany, and his professor team up to offer radio spectrum measurements and a technical approach for radio spectrum pooling. Weiss's article reflects a global theme in radio spectrum management. During the past couple of years, global spectrum regulatory authorities have been exploring the liberalization of spectrum management.

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]

We report on the design and construction of a new diffractometer for soft x-ray resonant magnetic scattering which has been built at the Ruhr-University Bochum. The ultrahigh vacuum-compatible diffractometer comprises a two-circle goniometer and works in horizontal scattering geometry. Rotation of the detector and sample is realized by two differentially pumped rotating platforms with motors and gears external to the vacuum. The sample environment consists of a closed-cycle He cryostat that allows heating up to 600 K and applying a magnetic field of ±2.5 kOe. All functions of the experimental setup have been extensively tested at the BESSY II Synchrotron (beamline PM3). The experimental results demonstrate the performance of the instrument. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the highlights of the 13th International Conference on Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related Topics held at the Institute of Nuclear Physics of Cologne University in Germany in August 2009. The conference included several presentations and discussions on the topics. Parallel and plenary sessions were also held during the event. The organizers also arranged a dinner for attendees.

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.

Key Message: Hyperspectral and genomic data are effective predictors of biomass yield in winter rye. Variable selection procedures can improve the informativeness of reflectance data. Integrating cutting-edge technologies is imperative to sustainably breed crops for a growing global population. To predict dry matter yield (DMY) in winter rye (Secale cereale L.), we tested single-kernel models based on genomic (GBLUP) and hyperspectral reflectance-derived (HBLUP) relationship matrices, a multi-kernel model combining both matrices and a bivariate model fitted with plant height as a secondary trait. In total, 274 elite rye lines were genotyped using a 10 k-SNP array and phenotyped as testcrosses for DMY and plant height at four locations in Germany in two years (eight environments). Spectral data consisted of 400 discrete narrow bands ranging between 410 and 993 nm collected by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on two dates on each environment. To reduce data dimensionality, variable selection of bands was performed, resulting in the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) as the best method in terms of predictive abilities. The mean heritability of reflectance data was moderate ([Formula: see text] = 0.72) and highly variable across the spectrum. Correlations between DMY and single bands were generally significant (p < 0.05) but low (≤ 0.29). Across environments and training set (TRN) sizes, the bivariate model showed the highest prediction abilities (0.56-0.75), followed by the multi-kernel (0.45-0.71) and single-kernel (0.33-0.61) models. With reduced TRN, HBLUP performed better than GBLUP. The HBLUP model fitted with a set of selected bands was preferred. Within and across environments, prediction abilities increased with larger TRN. Our results suggest that in the era of digital breeding, the integration of high-throughput phenotyping and genomic selection is a promising strategy to achieve superior selection gains in hybrid rye.