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We present a method for remote sensing based monitoring of changes in dryland ecosystem functioning based on the assumption that an altered vegetation rainfall relationship (VRR) indicates changes in vegetation biophysical processes, potentially leading to changes in ecosystem functioning. We describe the VRR through a linear regression between integrated rainfall and vegetation productivity (usin

The limiting conditions for sustained burning of materials are studied experimentally using gas burners. Small pool fire configurations are examined to determine the mass flux for a sustained surface diffusion flame (fire point) and the subsequent extinction limit of that flame. The burner results are compared to material data for sustained ignition, and are found to be lower. Material reported v

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a bone marrow failure syndrome caused by mutations in ribosomal protein genes. Pathogenic mechanisms are poorly understood but involve severely reduced proliferation of erythroid precursors. Because current DBA therapies are ineffective and associated with severe side effects, disease-specific therapies are urgently needed. We hypothesized that druggable molecular

How should liberal societies select prospective members? A conventional reading of immigration history posits that whereas ascriptive characteristics drove immigration policy in the past, contemporary policy is based on the principle of nondiscrimination. Yet a closer look at the characteristics of those admitted reveals systematic group biases that run counter to liberalism’s core moral commitmen

Particles that are a hundred- to ten thousand times smaller than the width of a hair are commonly referred to as colloidal particles. Colloidal particles occur in a variety of products, like foodstuffs (marmelade and dairy products), construction materials (cement) and stained glass. In water, these particles are strongly affected by the Brownian force: an force that was discovered in 1827 by the Thermoresponsive colloidal microgels expel solvent from their interior upon crossing a threshold temperature, resulting in a significantly reduced size. The collapse of microgels can reversibly switch the interparticle interactions from soft repulsive to attractive, and the accompanying size reduction allows for precise control over volume fraction. Mixing two microgels that collapse at different

We investigate the collective behavior of suspended thermoresponsive microgels that expel solvent and subsequently decrease in size upon heating. Using a binary mixture of differently thermoresponsive microgels, we demonstrate how distinctly different gel structures form, depending on the heating profile used. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging shows that slow heating ramps yield a

Arabidopsis thaliana NUDT1 (AtNUDT1) belongs to the Nudix family of proteins, which have a diverse range of substrates, including oxidized nucleotides such as 8-oxo-dGTP. The hydrolysis of oxidized dNTPs is highly important as it prevents their incorporation into DNA, thus preventing mutations and DNA damage. AtNUDT1 is the sole Nudix enzyme from A. thaliana shown to have activity against 8-oxo-dG

Background: Previous studies and own clinical observations of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) suggest that SLE harbors distinct immunophenotypes. This heterogeneity might result in differences in response to treatment in different subgroups and obstruct clinical trials. Our aim was to understand how SLE subgroups may differ regarding underlying pathophysiology and characteristic b

In temperate environments, ring width, cell size and cell wall thickness within the xylem of trees are known to be affected by climate conditions. Less is known about the effect of climate conditions on the chemical characteristics of the xylem, which are important for the susceptibility of the tissue towards fungal infections as well as for the degradability of the material within the forest ecos

The first measurement of dielectron (e+e-) production in central (0-10%) Pb-Pb collisions at sNN=2.76TeV at the LHC is presented. The dielectron invariant-mass spectrum is compared to the expected contributions from hadron decays in the invariant-mass range 0

We report on the first femtoscopic measurement of baryon pairs, such as p-p, p-Λ, and Λ-Λ, measured by ALICE at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in proton-proton collisions at s=7TeV. This study demonstrates the feasibility of such measurements in pp collisions at ultrarelativistic energies. The femtoscopy method is employed to constrain the hyperon-nucleon and hyperon-hyperon interactions, which a

We use the societal exergy analysis to identify periods and factors controlling efficiency dilution and carbon deepening of electricity in Portugal from 1900 to 2014. Besides estimating the carbon intensity of electricity production, we propose a new indicator, the carbon intensity of electricity use, which quantifies CO 2 /kWh of electricity derived useful exergy. Results show final to useful e

Background Matrix metalloproteinases (MMP´s) are known biomarkers of atherosclerosis. MMP´s are also involved in the pathophysiological processes underlying chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Cigarette smoking plays an important role in both disease states and is also known to affect the concentration and activity of MMP´s systemically. Unfortunately, the epidemiological data concerning

Attribution has become a recurring issue in discussions about Loss and Damage (L&D). In this highly-politicised context, attribution is often associated with responsibility and blame; and linked to debates about liability and compensation. The aim of attribution science, however, is not to establish responsibility, but to further scientific understanding of causal links between elements of the

The debate on “Loss and Damage” (L&D) has gained traction over the last few years. Supported by growing scientific evidence of anthropogenic climate change amplifying frequency, intensity and duration of climate-related hazards as well as observed increases in climate-related impacts and risks in many regions, the “Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage” was established in 2013 and

Our current global food system – from food production to consumption, including manufacture, packaging, transport, retail and associated businesses – is responsible for extensive negative social and environmental impacts which threaten the long-term well-being of society. This has led to increasing calls from science–policy organizations for major reform and transformation of the global food syste

The time scale of the dynamics in atoms and molecules varies from attoseconds (10-18) to picoseconds (10-12) depending on the size of the particles. To study such dynamics, ultrafast light pulses are needed to trigger and capture the reaction. One of the most direct methods consists in ionizing the system and observing the following response. In this work, we use two different light sources with c