Refine
Year of publication
Document Type
- Article (31214)
- Part of Periodical (11562)
- Book (8309)
- Doctoral Thesis (5728)
- Part of a Book (3967)
- Working Paper (3387)
- Review (2939)
- Contribution to a Periodical (2368)
- Preprint (2181)
- Report (1561)
Language
- German (42831)
- English (29413)
- French (1060)
- Portuguese (840)
- Spanish (309)
- Croatian (302)
- Multiple languages (263)
- Italian (198)
- mis (174)
- Turkish (168)
Has Fulltext
- yes (75882) (remove)
Keywords
- Deutsch (1076)
- Literatur (868)
- taxonomy (766)
- Deutschland (553)
- Rezension (511)
- new species (452)
- Rezeption (354)
- Frankfurt <Main> / Universität (341)
- Übersetzung (329)
- Geschichte (300)
Institute
- Medizin (7722)
- Präsidium (5203)
- Physik (4512)
- Extern (2738)
- Wirtschaftswissenschaften (2696)
- Gesellschaftswissenschaften (2373)
- Biowissenschaften (2187)
- Biochemie und Chemie (1978)
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) (1770)
- Center for Financial Studies (CFS) (1630)
This bachelor thesis developed a pipeline for automatic processing of scanned hospital letters: HospLetExtractor. Hospital letters can contain valuable information about potential adverse drug reactions and useful case information relevant to pharmacovigilance. To make this data accessible, this thesis presents a pipeline consisting of image pre-processing, optical character recognition and post-processing. Pre-processing deskews the images, removes lines and rectangles, reduces noise and applies super-resolution. For the post-processing a spell checking system was set up including a newly built word frequency dictionary for german medical terms based on a created corpus of german medical texts. Furthermore, classical and deep learning models for the classification of hospital letters were compared, in which the transformer-based models performed best. In order to train and test the models, a new gold standard was created. By making these medical documents accessible for automatic analysis, hopefully a contribution can be made to expand the scope of pharmacovigilance.
Mitochondrial RNA granules (MRGs) are membraneless, highly specialized compartments that play an essential role in the post-transcriptional regulation of mitochondrial gene expression. This regulation is crucial for maintaining energy production, controlling metabolic functions and ensuring homeostasis in cells. Dysregulation of mitochondrial genes has been linked to various human diseases, including neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders as well as certain types of cancer.
MRGs are composed of different RNA species, including mitochondrial precursor RNA (pre-RNA), mature tRNAs, rRNAs and mRNAs complexed with multiple proteins involved in RNA processing and mitoribosome assembly. However, despite the significance of MRGs, their protein composition, structural organization, stability and dynamics during stress conditions remain elusive. In the study reported here, I adopted a three-step approach to address the aforementioned fundamental issues.
First and foremost, I identified the protein composition of MRGs and unveiled their architectural complexity. To characterize the MRG proteome, I applied the cutting-edge TurboID-based proximity labeling approach combined with quantitative mass spectrometry. Proximity labeling was conducted on 20 distinct MRG-associated human proteins, resulting in the identification of more than 1,700 protein-protein interactions. This expansive dataset enabled me to create a comprehensive network, providing valuable insights into both the (sub)architecture as well as the core structure of MRGs in-depth.
Secondly, I investigated the spatio-temporal dynamics of MRGs under various mitochondrial stress conditions. To monitor the morphological alterations and compositional changes of MRGs, I utilized time-resolved confocal fluorescence microscopy and proteomics, respectively. In this analysis, I applied IMT1, the first specific inhibitor that selectively targets mitochondrial transcription. Using this methodology, I pinpointed precise conditions that triggered MRGs’ disassembly during stress, followed by their reassembly when nascent RNA production was restored. The results of this examination elucidate that MRGs are highly dynamic and stress adaptive structures, capable of rapid dissolution and reassembly, a process closely connected to mitochondrial transcription.
Thirdly, I aimed to explore the impact of RNA turnover on MRGs’ integrity during stress, employing confocal fluorescence microscopy and quantitative real-time PCR. I observed that depletion of MRG proteins associated with RNA degradation counteracts MRGs’ disassembly under stress conditions, a phenomenon attributed to the accumulation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). These results emphasize the critical role of pre-RNA turnover in maintaining MRG integrity and reveal that MRGs can be stabilized by dsRNA.
Taken together, the comprehensive investigation reported in this thesis has substantially broadened and deepened our understanding of MRGs’ complexity. By identifying their molecular structure and dynamics, I have gained significant insights into the fundamental characteristics and biological functions of MRGs in cellular processes. This knowledge contributes to the identification of disease-related pathways linked to mitochondrial gene expression and may inspire future studies to develop novel therapeutic approaches.
The raccoon is listed among the invasive alien species of EU concern requiring management actions. Projections of its global distribution have been mainly based on climatic variables so far. In this study, we aim to address the impact of land cover (LC) on the raccoon distribution in North America and Europe. First, we identified the LC types in which the observation sites are predominantly located to derive preferred LC types. Second, we used an ecological niche modelling (ENM) approach to evaluate the predictive power of climatic and LC information on the current distribution patterns of raccoons in both ranges. Raccoons seem to be more often associated to forested areas and mixed landscapes, including cropland and urban areas, but underrepresented in vegetation-poor areas, with patterns largely coinciding in both ranges. In order to compare the predictive power of climate variables and land cover variables, we conducted principal component analyses of all variables in the respective variable sets (climate variables and land cover variables) and used all PC variables that together explain 90% of the total variance in the respective set as predictors. Land cover only models resulted in patchy patterns in the projected habitat suitabilities and showed a higher performance compared to the climate only models in both ranges. In Europe, the land cover habitat suitability seems to exceed the current observed occurrences, which could indicate a further spread potential of the raccoon in Europe. We conclude that information on land cover types are important drivers, which explain well the spatial patterns of the raccoon. Consideration of land cover could benefit efforts to control invasive carnivores and contribute to better management of biodiversity, but also human and animal health.
We present the first measurements of transverse momentum spectra of π±, K±, p(p¯) at midrapidity (|y|<0.1) in U+U collisions at √sNN = 193 GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The centrality dependence of particle yields, average transverse momenta, particle ratios and kinetic freeze-out parameters are discussed. The results are compared with the published results from Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−−√= 200 GeV in STAR. The results are also compared to those from A Multi Phase Transport (AMPT) model.
Human language relies on hierarchically structured syntax to facilitate efficient and robust communication. The correct processing of syntactic information is essential for successful communication between speakers. As an abstract level of language, syntax has often been studied separately from the physical form of the speech signal, thus often masking the interactions that can promote better syntactic processing in the human brain. We analyzed a MEG dataset to investigate how acoustic cues, specifically prosody, interact with syntactic operations. We examined whether prosody enhances the cortical encoding of syntactic representations. We decoded left-sided dependencies directly from brain activity and evaluated possible modulations of the decoding by the presence of prosodic boundaries. Our findings demonstrate that prosodic boundary presence improves the representation of left-sided dependencies, indicating the facilitative role of prosodic cues in processing abstract linguistic features. This study gives neurobiological evidence for the boosting of syntactic processing via interaction with prosody.
A linearly polarized photon can be quantized from the Lorentz-boosted electromagnetic field of a nucleus traveling at ultrarelativistic speed. When two relativistic heavy nuclei pass one another at a distance of a few nuclear radii, the photon from one nucleus may interact through a virtual quark-antiquark pair with gluons from the other nucleus, forming a short-lived vector meson (e.g., ρ0). In this experiment, the polarization was used in diffractive photoproduction to observe a unique spin interference pattern in the angular distribution of ρ0 → π+π− decays. The observed interference is a result of an overlap of two wave functions at a distance an order of magnitude larger than the ρ0 travel distance within its lifetime. The strong-interaction nuclear radii were extracted from these diffractive interactions and found to be 6.53 ± 0.06 fm (197Au) and 7.29 ± 0.08 fm (238U), larger than the nuclear charge radii. The observable is demonstrated to be sensitive to the nuclear geometry and quantum interference of nonidentical particles. Polarized photon-gluon fusion reveals quantum wave interference of non-identical particles and shape of high-energy nuclei.
Oxytocin, welches primär als Hormon bekannt ist, beeinflusst als Neuromodulator viele kognitive Prozesse, die an sozialem Verhalten, wie Sprache, beteiligt sind. Einerseits verändert es akustische Merkmale von gesprochener Sprache, andererseits erleichtert es auf perzeptueller Ebene die Emotionserkennung in der Sprachwahrnehmung und Körpersprache. Bislang war nicht bekannt, wie Oxytocin Hirnaktivität während des Sprechens verändert. Wir hypothetisierten, dass dieser Neuromodulator ähnlich wie Dopamin kortiko-basale Schaltkreise bahnen könnte.
Wir führten eine doppelt-verblindete Verhaltens- und funktionelle Kernspintomographiestudie durch, in der 52 gesunde Probanden an zwei getrennten Untersuchungsterminen entweder intranasales Oxytocin oder ein Placebo erhielten. Die Teilnehmer lasen Sätze außerhalb des Kernspintomographen und im Scanner leise oder laut mit entweder neutraler oder fröhlicher Intonation vor.
Die Verabreichung von Oxytocin erhöhte den zweiten Formanten der produzierten Vokale. Höhere Frequenzen dieses akustischen Parameters wurden zuvor mit einer positiven Valenz gesprochener Sprache in Verbindung gebracht; jedoch konnten unabhängige Beurteiler*innen die akustischen Unterschiede in unserem experimentellen Setting nicht konsistent unterscheiden.
Als neuronales Korrelat verstärkte Oxytocin die präparatorische subkortikale Gehirnaktivität im ventralen Pallidum und Striatum. Auch kortikal erhöhte Oxytocin präparatorische Gehirnaktivität in Regionen des dorsalen wie auch des ventralen Sprachverarbeitungsstroms, in sensomotorischen Kortizes und limbischen sowie exekutiven Regionen. In einigen dieser Regionen modulierte der genetische Oxytocin- Rezeptor-Polymorphismus rs53576 die durch die Oxytocin-Verabreichung verursachte Gehirnaktivität. Ähnlich wie Dopamin modulierte Oxytocin außerdem kortiko-basale Schaltkreise, die an der Generierung von fröhlicher Prosodie beteiligt sind. Während der Vorbereitung von Sprache erhöhte der Neuromodulator die funktionelle Konnektivität zwischen dem ventralem Pallidum und dem dorsolateralen präfrontalen Kortex mit einem spiegelbildlichen Profil während des eigentlichen Sprechens, einen Effekt den wir als „gating“ (Bahnung) interpretierten.
Unsere Ergebnisse legen nahe, dass mehrere neuronale Prozesse, die der Sprachproduktion zugrundeliegen, durch Oxytocin moduliert werden. Das Muster ähnelt hierbei dem anderer Neuromodulatoren wie Dopamin. Die vorliegende Arbeit charakterisiert somit erstmals Oxytocineffekte auf die mit Sprachproduktion assoziierte Hirnaktivität und funktionelle Konnektivität.
n this paper we study invasion probabilities and invasion times of cooperative parasites spreading in spatially structured host populations. The spatial structure of the host population is given by a random geometric graph on [0,1]n, n∈N, with a Poisson(N)-distributed number of vertices and in which vertices are connected over an edge when they have a distance of at most rN∈Θ(Nβ−1n) for some 0<β<1 and N→∞. At a host infection many parasites are generated and parasites move along edges to neighbouring hosts. We assume that parasites have to cooperate to infect hosts, in the sense that at least two parasites need to attack a host simultaneously. We find lower and upper bounds on the invasion probability of the parasites in terms of survival probabilities of branching processes with cooperation. Furthermore, we characterize the asymptotic invasion time.
An important ingredient of the proofs is a comparison with infection dynamics of cooperative parasites in host populations structured according to a complete graph, i.e. in well-mixed host populations. For these infection processes we can show that invasion probabilities are asymptotically equal to survival probabilities of branching processes with cooperation.
Furthermore, we build in the proofs on techniques developed in [BP22], where an analogous invasion process has been studied for host populations structured according to a configuration model.
We substantiate our results with simulations.
Die Arbeit behandelt die Messung von Photonen mit Teilchendetektoren, die auf digitalen Silizium-Pixelsensoren basieren. Diskutiert werden zwei wesentliche Schritte in den Upgrade-Programmen des ALICE-Experiments am CERN-LHC:
1. FOCAL-Detektor-Upgrade (2027): Untersuchung der Detektorantwort des elektromagnetischen Pixel-Kalorimeters EPICAL-2 und der Form elektromagnetischer Schauer durch Teststrahl-Messungen und Monte Carlo Simulationen.
2. ALICE 3-Upgrade (2035): Simulationsstudien zum Untergrund in der Messung von Photonen mit sehr kleinem Transversalimpuls.
Teil 1: Performance des elektromagnetischen Pixel-Kalorimeters EPICAL-2
Detektordesign und Testmessungen: EPICAL-2, ein SiW-Sandwich-Design-Kalorimeter mit ALPIDE Sensoren, besitzt eine Tiefe von ca. 20 Strahlungslängen und etwa 25 Millionen Pixel. Testmessungen wurden an der Universität Utrecht (kosmische Myonen) sowie am DESY und CERN-SPS (Elektronen) durchgeführt.
Simulation und Validierung: Das EPICAL-2 wird im Simulationspaket Allpix2 implementiert, um die Testmessungen zu validieren und das Detektorverhalten zu untersuchen. Systematische Variationen bestätigen die Stabilität und Reproduzierbarkeit der Simulation.
Datenaufbereitung und Schauerprofile: Im Rahmen der Datenanalyse werden fehlerhafte Pixel ausgeschlossen, Pixel-Treffer zu Clustern gruppiert, Chips kalibriert und der Strahlwinkel korrigiert. Das longitudinale Profil elektromagnetischer Schauer zeigt, dass das Schauermaximum in der Simulation etwas tiefer liegt als in den Testdaten, was auf zusätzliches Material oder eine unvollständige Beschreibung der Schauerentwicklung in der Simulation zurückzuführen sein könnte. Das laterale Profil zeigt, dass eine Schauertrennung im Millimeter-Bereich möglich ist.
Energieantwort und -auflösung: Die nicht-lineare Energieantwort wird sowohl in Testdaten als auch in Simulationen beobachtet. Die Energieauflösung des EPICAL-2 für Cluster ist besser als für Pixeltreffer und vergleichbar mit dem analogen CALICE-Prototypen. Simulationen ohne Strahlenergie-Fluktuationen zeigen eine bessere Energieauflösung als in den Testdaten.
Teil 2: Untergrund in der Messung von Photonen in ALICE 3
Simulationssetup: Die ALICE 3-Detektorgeometrie wird in GEANT4 implementiert, um den Untergrund in der Messung weicher Photonen zu untersuchen. Simulationen mit PYTHIA und GEANT4 zeigen, dass der Untergrund hauptsächlich aus Zerfallsphotonen und Photonen aus externer Bremsstrahlung besteht.
Ergebnisse der Untergrundstudien: Der Untergrund durch Photonen aus externer Bremsstrahlung dominiert und liegt im Akzeptanzbereich des FCT um einen Faktor von 5 bis 10 über dem theoretischen Signal weicher Photonen. In der Simulation wird das Material zu 8%—14% X0 in ALICE 3 bestimmt, wobei bereits bei 5% X0 der Untergrund genauso stark ist wie das erwartete Signal.
Möglichkeiten zur Untergrundreduzierung: Untersuchungen zeigen, dass ein Elektron-Veto das Signal-zu-Untergrund-Verhältnis um den Faktor 30 verbessern und eine Materialreduktion durch ein optimiertes Strahlrohr um den Faktor 7.
Die Ergebnisse des ersten Teils dieser Arbeit demonstrieren insgesamt die gute Performance des EPICAL-2 in Bezug auf die Energiemessung und die Bestimmung der Schauerform. Darüber hinaus unterstützen sie den Einsatz digitaler Kalorimeter im FOCAL-Upgrade des ALICE-Experiments und zeigen das Potenzial der digitalen Kalorimetertechnologie für zukünftige Hochenergiephysik-Experimente.
Die Ergebnisse des zweiten Teils dieser Arbeit liefern einen wesentliche Beitrag zum geplanten ALICE 3-Upgrade. Weiterhin veranschaulichen sie, wie ein Elektron-Veto und die Reduzierung des Materials zusammen eine vielversprechende Messstrategie bilden können.
A decisive experimental test of the Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME) is considered one of the major scientific goals at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) towards understanding the nontrivial topological fluctuations of the Quantum Chromodynamics vacuum. In heavy-ion collisions, the CME is expected to result in a charge separation phenomenon across the reaction plane, whose strength could be strongly energy dependent. The previous CME searches have been focused on top RHIC energy collisions. In this Letter, we present a low energy search for the CME in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=27 GeV. We measure elliptic flow scaled charge-dependent correlators relative to the event planes that are defined at both mid-rapidity |η|<1.0 and at forward rapidity 2.1<|η|<5.1. We compare the results based on the directed flow plane (Ψ1) at forward rapidity and the elliptic flow plane (Ψ2) at both central and forward rapidity. The CME scenario is expected to result in a larger correlation relative to Ψ1 than to Ψ2, while a flow driven background scenario would lead to a consistent result for both event planes. In 10-50\% centrality, results using three different event planes are found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties, suggesting a flow driven background scenario dominating the measurement. We obtain an upper limit on the deviation from a flow driven background scenario at the 95\% confidence level. This work opens up a possible road map towards future CME search with the high statistics data from the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase-II.
We report the beam energy and collision centrality dependence of fifth and sixth order cumulants (C5, C6) and factorial cumulants (κ5, κ6) of net-proton and proton distributions, from sNN−−−−√=3−200 GeV Au+Au collisions at RHIC. The net-proton cumulant ratios generally follow the hierarchy expected from QCD thermodynamics, except for the case of collisions at sNN−−−−√ = 3 GeV. C6/C2 for 0-40\% centrality collisions is increasingly negative with decreasing sNN−−−−√, while it is positive for the lowest sNN−−−−√ studied. These observed negative signs are consistent with QCD calculations (at baryon chemical potential, μB≤ 110 MeV) that include a crossover quark-hadron transition. In addition, for sNN−−−−√≥ 11.5 GeV, the measured proton κn, within uncertainties, does not support the two-component shape of proton distributions that would be expected from a first-order phase transition. Taken in combination, the hyper-order proton number fluctuations suggest that the structure of QCD matter at high baryon density, μB∼750 MeV (sNN−−−−√ = 3 GeV) is starkly different from those at vanishing μB∼20MeV (sNN−−−−√ = 200 GeV and higher).
We report a measurement of the cross section for the process e+e−→π+π−J/ψ around the X(3872) mass in search for the direct formation of e+e−→X(3872) through the two-photon fusion process. No enhancement of the cross section is observed at the X(3872) peak and an upper limit on the product of electronic width and branching fraction of X(3872)→π+π−J/ψ is determined to be Γee×B(X(3872)→π+π−J/ψ)<7.5×10−3eV at 90% confidence level under an assumption of total width of 1.19±0.21 MeV. This is an improvement of a factor of about 17 compared to the previous limit. Furthermore, using the latest result of B(X(3872)→π+π−J/ψ), an upper limit on the electronic width Γee of X(3872) is obtained to be <0.32eV at the 90% confidence level.
Gravitational waves from a core g-mode in supernovae as probes of the high-density equation of state
(2023)
Using relativistic supernova simulations of massive progenitor stars with a quark-hadron equation of state (EoS) and a purely hadronic EoS, we identify a distinctive feature in the gravitational-wave signal that originates from a buoyancy-driven mode (g-mode) below the proto-neutron star convection zone. The mode frequency lies in the range 200≲f≲800Hz and decreases with time. As the mode lives in the core of the proto-neutron star, its frequency and power are highly sensitive to the EoS, in particular the sound speed around twice saturation density.
Gravitational waves from a core g-mode in supernovae as probes of the high-density equation of state
(2023)
Using relativistic supernova simulations of massive progenitor stars with a quark-hadron equation of state (EoS) and a purely hadronic EoS, we identify a distinctive feature in the gravitational-wave signal that originates from a buoyancy-driven mode (g-mode) below the proto-neutron star convection zone. The mode frequency lies in the range 200≲f≲800Hz and decreases with time. As the mode lives in the core of the proto-neutron star, its frequency and power are highly sensitive to the EoS, in particular the sound speed around twice saturation density.
In almost all parts of the world the industrialisation grows continuously and thus, the chemical pollution of natural waters has become a major public concern. A major consequence and one of the key environmental problems we are facing today is the increasing contamination of freshwater systems with chemicals. The chemicals are detected in wastewater, surface (river) water, ground water and drinking water ubiquitously in natural waters and not only in industrialised areas. The main point sources for water pollution and the release of these synthetic organic substances of human origin, so called micropollutants (MPs), are wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). These MPs such as pharmaceuticals, personal care products, disinfectant chemicals, chemicals used in the industry and in households, contraceptives, hormones, food additives, artificial sweeteners, pesticides, biocides, and many emerging contaminants are only incompletely removed by the existing conventional wastewater treatment technologies. The MPs end up in the water cycle and have adverse effects on wildlife aquatic ecosystems and human health even at very low concentrations. Therefore, advanced wastewater treatment (AWWT) technologies, such as ozonation, treatment with activated carbon, biofiltration, membrane bioreactors (MBRs) or exposure to ultraviolet light are investigated as options to upgrade conventional WWTPs. However, several studies show that especially the ozonation of wastewater generates diverse transformation products (TPs) with unknown properties. These TPs could be more toxic than the mother compound. Thus, a post-treatment after the ozonation process is required.
The present thesis was part of the BMBF-funded TransRisk project dealing with “the characterisation, communication, and minimisation of risks of emerging pollutants and pathogens in the water cycle”. One main objective was the investigation of conventional treated wastewater after a full-scale ozonation with four post-treatments (each non-aerated and aerated granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration and biofiltration) in comparison to a MBR treatment of raw (untreated) wastewater separately and in combination with an additional ozonation on a pilot WWTP. For this purpose, the wastewater samples were characterised with a comprehensive battery of in vitro and in vivo bioassays. The in vitro bioassays were performed to detect endocrine activities (such as (anti)estrogenic and (anti)androgenic activities), genotoxicity, and mutagenicity. The results showed a decreased estrogenic activity due to the conventional wastewater treatment as well as the ozonation, but a distinct increase of the anti-estrogenic activity and the mutagenicity in the ozonated wastewater, possibly caused by new formed TPs, that were reduced after the post-treatments whereas the GAC filtration performed better than the biofiltration. The in vivo bioassays included for example the impact of the wastewater on mortality, reproduction, development, and energy reserves of the test organisms. The in vivo on-site tests with the mudsnail Potamopyrgus antipodarum and with the amphipod Gammarus fossarum indicated a major impact of conventional treated wastewater, ozonated wastewater, and MBR treated wastewater. The flow channel experiments in the laboratory with Gammarus pulex pointed to a serious impact of an estrogenic effluent on life-history traits of the amphipod. Finally, an ozonation of the wastewater with subsequent GAC filtration represented the most promising option. In addition, chemical analyses of 40 selected MPs, so called tracer substances, performed in parallel to the in vitro and in vivo bioassays underlined this assumption.
A second main objective was the optimisation of the preparation of water and wastewater samples for ecotoxicological in vitro bioassays because common sample preparation techniques are predominantly adapted for chemical analyses. Therefore, the impact of sample filtration, long-term acidification with following neutralisation as well as the enrichment with solid phase extraction (SPE) in combination with short-term acidification were investigated using amongst others raw (untreated) wastewater, hospital wastewater, conventional treated and ozonated wastewater, surface water, and ground water. Overall, eleven in vitro bioassays were performed for the detection of endocrine activities, genotoxicity, and mutagenicity. The results show that sample filtration and acidification/neutralisation significantly affected the outcome of the bioassays especially the anti-estrogenic activity and the mutagenicity whereas the sample filtration had a minor impact than the acidification. Thus, the testing of untreated (waste)water samples is advisable because the sample is minimally processed. Furthermore, the SPE extracts showed in parts high cytotoxic effects whereby no conclusions on the results of the bioassays were possible. However, the enrichment of endocrine activity and mutagenicity was predominantly effective but depended on the used SPE cartridge and the pH value of the (waste)water samples. Based on the results the use of a Telos C18/ENV cartridge and an acidified sample is recommendable. In the end, there is a need to optimise the sample preparation for in vitro bioassays to reach their maximum outcome for the best possible assessment of the water quality.
We report on measurements of sequential Υ suppression in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 200 GeV with the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) through both the dielectron and dimuon decay channels. In the 0-60% centrality class, the nuclear modification factors (RAA), which quantify the level of yield suppression in heavy-ion collisions compared to p+p collisions, for Υ(1S) and Υ(2S) are 0.40±0.03 (stat.)±0.03 (sys.)±0.09 (norm.) and 0.26±0.08 (stat.)±0.02 (sys.)±0.06 (norm.), respectively, while the upper limit of the Υ(3S) RAA is 0.17 at a 95% confidence level. This provides experimental evidence that the Υ(3S) is significantly more suppressed than the Υ(1S) at RHIC. The level of suppression for Υ(1S) is comparable to that observed at the much higher collision energy at the Large Hadron Collider. These results point to the creation of a medium at RHIC whose temperature is sufficiently high to strongly suppress excited Υ states.
The main focus of this thesis is the application of the nonperturbative Functional Renormalization Group (FRG) to the study of low-energies effective models for Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD). The study of effective field theories and models is crucial for our understanding of physics, especially when we deal with fundamental interaction theories like QCD. In particular, the ultimate goal is the understanding of the critical properties of these models in such a way that we can have an insight on the actual critical phenomena of QCD, with a special focus on its chiral phase transition. The choice of the FRG method derives from the fact that it belongs to the class of functional non-perturbative methods and has also the advantage of linking physics at different energy scales. These features make FRG perfectly compatible with the task of studying non-perturbative phenomena and in particular phase transitions, like the ones expected for strongly interacting matter. However, the functional nature of the FRG approach and of the Wetterich equation has a consequence that its exact resolution is hardly possible, and an ansatz for the effective action is generally needed. In this work we choose to adopt the local-potential approximation (LPA), which prescribes to stop at zeroth order in the expansion in derivative operators of the quantum effective action, including only the quantum effective potential. In this work we exploited the key observation that the FRG flow equation can be cast, for specific models and truncation schemes, in the form of an advection-diffusion, possibly with a source term. This type of equation belongs to the class of problems faced in the context of viscous hydrodynamics. Therefore, an innovative approach to the solution of the FRG flow equation consists in the choice of a method developed specifically for the resolution of this class of hydrodynamic equations. In particular, the Kurganov-Tadmor finite-volume scheme is adopted. Throughout this work we apply this scheme to the study of different physical systems, showing the reliability and the flexibility of this approach.
In the first part of the thesis, we discuss the well-known O(N) model, using the hydrodynamic formulation to solve the FRG flow equation in the LPA truncation. We focus on the study of the critical behaviour of the system and calculate the corresponding critical exponents. Particular attention is given to the error estimation in the extraction of critical exponents, which is a needed and not widely explored aspect. The results are well compatible with others in the literature, obtained with different perturbative and nonperturbative methods, which validates the procedure. In the second part of the thesis, we introduce the quark-meson model as a low-energy effective model for QCD, with a specific focus on its chiral symmetry-breaking pattern and the subsequent dynamical quark-mass generation. The LPA flow equation is of the advection-diffusion type, with an extra source contribution which is due to the inclusion of fermionic degrees of freedom. We thus adopt the developed numerical techniques to derive the phase diagram of the model, which is in agreement with the one obtained with other techniques in the literature.
We also follow another possible way for the study of the critical properties of the quark-meson model: the so-called thermodynamic geometry. This approach is based on the interpretation of the parameter space of the system as a differential manifold. One can then obtain relevant information about the phase transitions from the Ricci scalar. We studied the chiral crossover investigating the behavior of the Ricci scalar up to the critical point, featuring a peaking behavior in the presence of the crossover. We then repeated this analysis in the chiral limit, where the phase transition is expected to be of second order. Via this geometric technique it is possible to have a different view on the chiral phase transition of QCD. This is the case since this approach is based on the calculation of quantities which are influenced by higher-order momenta of the thermodynamic potential, thus allowing for a more comprehensive analysis of the phase transition.
Finally, we exploit the numerical advancement to face the issue of the regulator choice in the FRG calculations. This is one of the most delicate issues which arise when using approximations to solve the FRG flow equation and deserves extensive investigation. In particular, we performed a vacuum parameter study and used the RG consistency requirement to determine the impact of the choice of the regulator on the physical observables and on the phase diagram of the model. Via this study we develop a systematic method to comparison the results obtained via different regulators. We show the importance of the choice of an appropriate UV cutoff in the determination of UV-independent IR observables and, consequently, the impact on the latter that the truncation of the effective average action and the choice of the regulator have.
Notwithstanding decades of progress since Yukawa first developed a description of the force between nucleons in terms of meson exchange, a full understanding of the strong interaction remains a major challenge in modern science. One remaining difficulty arises from the non-perturbative nature of the strong force, which leads to the phenomenon of quark confinement at distances on the order of the size of the proton. Here we show that in relativistic heavy-ion collisions, where quarks and gluons are set free over an extended volume, two species of produced vector (spin-1) mesons, namely ϕ and K∗0, emerge with a surprising pattern of global spin alignment. In particular, the global spin alignment for ϕ is unexpectedly large, while that for K∗0 is consistent with zero. The observed spin-alignment pattern and magnitude for the ϕ cannot be explained by conventional mechanisms, while a model with a connection to strong force fields, i.e. an effective proxy description within the Standard Model and Quantum Chromodynamics, accommodates the current data. This connection, if fully established, will open a potential new avenue for studying the behaviour of strong force fields.
Azimuthal anisotropy measurement of (multi-)strange hadrons in Au+Au collisions at √sNN = 54.4 GeV
(2023)
Azimuthal anisotropy of produced particles is one of the most important observables used to access the collective properties of the expanding medium created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. In this paper, we present second (v2) and third (v3) order azimuthal anisotropies of K0S, ϕ, Λ, Ξ and Ω at mid-rapidity (|y|<1) in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√ = 54.4 GeV measured by the STAR detector. The v2 and v3 are measured as a function of transverse momentum and centrality. Their energy dependence is also studied. v3 is found to be more sensitive to the change in the center-of-mass energy than v2. Scaling by constituent quark number is found to hold for v2 within 10%. This observation could be evidence for the development of partonic collectivity in 54.4 GeV Au+Au collisions. Differences in v2 and v3 between baryons and anti-baryons are presented, and ratios of v3/v3/22 are studied and motivated by hydrodynamical calculations. The ratio of v2 of ϕ mesons to that of anti-protons (v2(ϕ)/v2(p¯)) shows centrality dependence at low transverse momentum, presumably resulting from the larger effects from hadronic interactions on anti-proton v2.
Precise intensity monitoring at CRYRING@ESR: on designing a Cryogenic Current Comparator for FAIR
(2023)
In the field of today’s beam intensity diagnostic there is a significant gap in the non-interceptive, calibrated measurement of the absolute intensity of continuous (unbunched) dc beams with current amplitudes below 1 μA. At the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) low-intensity DC beams will occur during slow extraction from the synchrotrons as well as for coasting beams of highly-charged or exotic nuclei in the storage rings. The lack of adequate beam instrumentation limits the experimental program as well as the accuracy of experimental results.
The Cryogenic Current Comparator (CCC) can close the diagnostic gap with a high-precision dc current reading independent of ion-species and of beam parameters. However, the established detector design based on a core with high magnetic permeability and on a radial shield geometry has well-known weaknesses concerning magnetic shielding efficiency and intrinsic current noise. To eliminate these weaknesses, a novel coreless CCC with a co-axial shield was constructed and combined with a high-performance SQUID contributed by the Leibniz-Institute of Photonic Technology (Leibniz-IPHT Jena). The new axial CCC model was compared to a radial CCC with the established design provided by the Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena. According to numerical simulations prepared at TU Darmstadt and test measurements of the detectors in the laboratory, the new design offered a significant improvement of the shielding factor – from 75dB to 207dB at the required dimensions – and eliminated all noise contributions from the core material, promising an improved current resolution. Although the lower inductance of the pickup coil reduced the coupling to the beam significantly, the noise properties of the new CCC type were comparable to the classical version with a high-permeability core. However, the expected decrease of the low-frequency noise and thus an increase of the current resolution could not be observed at this stage of development.
Consequently, the classical CCC based on the radial shielding and high-permeability core had to be installed in CRYRING@ESR to provide best possible intensity measurements for the upcoming experimental campaign. In CRYRING the CCC was operated with beam currents between 1nA and 20μA and with different ion species (H, Ne, O, Pb, U). It was shown that the CCC provides a noise-limited current resolution of better than 3.2 nArms at a bandwidth of 200 kHz as well as a noise level below 40 pA/√Hz above 1 kHz. During the operation, the main noise sources of the accelerator environment had to be identified and suitable mitigation strategies were developed. Temperature and pressure fluctuations were suppressed with a newly-designed cryogenic support system based on a 70 l helium bath cryostat, developed and built in collaboration with the Institut für Luft- und Kältetechnik Dresden, in combination with a helium re-liquefier. The cryogenic operating time was restricted to around 7 days, which must be expanded significantly in the future. Digital filters were developed to remove the perturbations of the helium liquefier and of the neighboring dipole magnets. Given the promising results the CCC system can be considered as a prototype for future CCCs at FAIR.
The first evaluation of an ultra-high granularity digital electromagnetic calorimeter prototype using 1.0–5.8 GeV/c electrons is presented. The 25 × 106 pixel detector consists of 24 layers of ALPIDE CMOS MAPS sensors, with a pitch of around 30 μm, and has a depth of almost 20 radiation lengths of tungsten absorber. Ultra-thin cables allow for a very compact design. The properties that are critical for physics studies are measured: electromagnetic shower response, energy resolution and linearity. The stochastic energy resolution is comparable with the state-of-the art resolution for a Si-W calorimeter, with data described well by a simulation model using Geant4 and Allpix2. The performance achieved makes this technology a good candidate for use in the ALICE FoCal upgrade, and in general demonstrates the strong potential for future applications in high-energy physics.
A decisive experimental test of the Chiral Magnetic Effect (CME) is considered one of the major scientific goals at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) towards understanding the nontrivial topological fluctuations of the Quantum Chromodynamics vacuum. In heavy-ion collisions, the CME is expected to result in a charge separation phenomenon across the reaction plane, whose strength could be strongly energy dependent. The previous CME searches have been focused on top RHIC energy collisions. In this Letter, we present a low energy search for the CME in Au+Au collisions at sNN−−−√=27 GeV. We measure elliptic flow scaled charge-dependent correlators relative to the event planes that are defined at both mid-rapidity |η|<1.0 and at forward rapidity 2.1<|η|<5.1. We compare the results based on the directed flow plane (Ψ1) at forward rapidity and the elliptic flow plane (Ψ2) at both central and forward rapidity. The CME scenario is expected to result in a larger correlation relative to Ψ1 than to Ψ2, while a flow driven background scenario would lead to a consistent result for both event planes. In 10-50\% centrality, results using three different event planes are found to be consistent within experimental uncertainties, suggesting a flow driven background scenario dominating the measurement. We obtain an upper limit on the deviation from a flow driven background scenario at the 95\% confidence level. This work opens up a possible road map towards future CME search with the high statistics data from the RHIC Beam Energy Scan Phase-II.
Samples of Crustacea and Annelida (Polychaeta, Sipuncula, and Hirudinea) were collected in the Bering Sea and the northwestern Pacific Ocean during scientific cruise SO-249 BERING in 2016. Biological samples were collected from 32 locations by the team on-board RV Sonne using a chain bag dredge at depths ranging between 330–5,070 m, and preserved in 96% ethanol. Specimens were morphologically identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible using a Leica M60 stereomicroscope. The generated data here comprise taxonomic information as well as annotated bathymetric and biogeographic information from a total of 78 samples (26 Crustacea, 47 Polychaeta, 4 Sipuncula, and 1 Hirudinea). The dataset was prepared following Darwin Core Biodiversity standards for FAIR data sharing based on Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS) and Global Biodiversity Facility (GBIF) guidelines. The standardised digitised data were then mobilised to both OBIS and GBIF under CC BY 4.0 licence to publicly share and adopt the data. As records of these important marine taxa from bathyal and abyssal depths are sparse, especially from the deep Bering Sea, the herein generated and digitised data aid in filling existing knowledge gaps on their diversity and distribution in that region. As part of the “Biogeography of the NW Pacific deep-sea fauna and their possible future invasions into the Arctic Ocean” (BENEFICIAL) project, this dataset thus not only increases our knowledge in re-assessing and uncovering the deep-sea diversity of these taxa, but also serves policy and management sectors by providing first-hand data for global report assessments.
Die Digitalisierung weiter Teile der Lebenswelt ist vor allem mit der Verbreitung und extensiven Nutzung des Smartphones verknüpft. Eine Mehrzahl der älteren Menschen in Deutschland nutzt Smartphones selbstverständlich im Alltag. Die vorliegende Studie adressiert erstens wie stark sich das Smartphone bereits in den Alltag älterer Menschen als vergleichsweise neue Technologie eingeschrieben hat. Im Mittelpunkt steht dabei, welche Funktionen genutzt werden, wie oft und wann zum Smartphone gegriffen wird und welche Gemeinsamkeiten und Unterschiede in der Nutzung identifizierbar sind. Darüber hinaus wird zweitens der Zusammenhang zwischen alltäglicher Smartphonenutzung, Medienkompetenz und technikbezogenen Einstellungen in den Blick genommen. Drittens geht die Studie der Frage nach inwiefern die Smartphonenutzung mit zentralen Variablen der Lebensqualität im Alter, der sozialer Eingebundenheit sowie dem subjektiven Wohlbefinden assoziiert ist. Die vorliegende Arbeit ist eine quantitativ empirische Studie, die einem mikrolängsschnittlichem Design folgt. Zur Beantwortung der Forschungsfragen wurden objektive Nutzungsdaten, Daten aus einem ambulanten Assessment sowie Daten eines querschnittlichen Fragebogens kombiniert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Befragten älteren Menschen im Hinblick auf Nutzungsdauer, -intensität als auch inhaltlicher Vielfalt hohe inter- als auch intraindividuelle Unterschiede aufwiesen. Gemeinsamkeiten der Nutzung waren die Kommunikation oder Alltagsorganisation. Das Smartphone wurde aber auch zum Spielen oder für gesundheitsbezogene Handlungen genutzt. Gleichzeitig ging eine zeitlich intensive auch mit einer inhaltlich breit gefächerten Nutzung einher. Die Unterschiede in der Nutzung konnten primär durch technikbezogene Einstellungen und deklarative Wissensbestände zu Computer und Smartphone erklärt werden. Intensivnutzer wiesen positivere Einstellungen gegenüber Technik auf und verfügten über höhere Wissensbestände. Trotz intensiver Nutzung des Smartphones zur Kommunikation zeigte sich kein klarer Zusammenhang mit sozialer Eingebundenheit und subjektivem Wohlbefinden. Vielmehr konnte in diesem Kontext die wahrgenommene Qualität der erlebten sozialen Beziehungen als zentraler Prädiktor identifiziert werden. Zusammengenommen zeigte sich eine tiefe Integration des Smartphones in den Alltag älterer Smartphonenutzer.
Die akute Nierenschädigung ist ein häufiges klinisches Erscheinungsbild, das trotz der heutigen Erkenntnisse über pathophysiologische Abläufe in der Niere mit einer erhöhten Morbidität und Mortalität assoziiert ist. Die eigene Fähigkeit der Niere zur Regeneration stellt ein Potenzial dar, das durch die Unterstützung pro-regenerativer Faktoren das Patientenüberleben verbessern kann. Das Wissen, dass die akute Nierenschädigung ein reversibles Ereignis darstellt, bestärkt den Einsatz der Forschung pro-regenerative Einflussfaktoren zu bestimmen, deren Zusammenhang darzustellen und eine mögliche Strategie zur innovativen Therapie zu entwickeln. Um eine akute Nierenschädigung darzustellen und anschließend auf regenerative Prozesse zu untersuchen, wurde ein Cisplatin-induziertes in vitro-Schädigungsmodell an primären Tubulusepithelzellen (mTEZ) aus Wildtyp Mäusen etabliert. Nach Isolation und Kultivierung primärer mTEZ erfolgte die Schädigung mit Cisplatin, die anhand eines Zytotoxizitätsnachweises quantifiziert wurde. Makrophagen zeichnen sich durch ihre funktionale Vielfalt in physiologischen als auch pathophysiologischen Abläufen aus. Ihre Plastizität ermöglicht es ihnen, sich entsprechend des umgebenden Milieus mit ihrem Phänotyp anzupassen und folglich in Form eines pro-regenerativen Makrophagen Proliferation und Reparaturprozesse zu unterstützen. Für die Untersuchung einer Makrophagen-vermittelten, pro-regenerativen Wirkung auf geschädigte mTEZ wurden primäre Zellen aus dem Knochenmark von Mäusen isoliert und zu Makrophagen differenziert. Zur Ausprägung eines pro-regenerativen Makrophagen Phänotyps erfolgte die Stimulation der kultivierten Makrophagen durch Inkubation mit Interleukin-10 (IL-10) und die Herstellung eines konditionierten Mediums (KM). Lipocalin-2 (Lcn-2) ist bekannt als früher Biomarker im Rahmen der akuten Nierenschädigung, aber zeichnet sich zusätzlich durch seine pro-proliferative Wirkung und regenerative Funktion aus. Lcn-2 ist ein Protein, das Eisen mit hoher Affinität bindet und in Makrophagen als alternativer Eisen-Transportmechanismus dient. In der vorliegenden Untersuchung stellte sich bei Stimulation mit IL-10 ein pro-regenerativer Makrophagen Phänotyp dar, der sich durch eine erhöhte Eisenfreisetzung und dem erhöhten Nachweis von Eisen-beladenen Lcn-2 im KM auszeichnete (holo-Lcn-2). Um den Zusammenhang von Lcn-2 aus IL-10-stimulierten Makrophagen und die regenerativen Eigenschaften auf mTEZ zu untersuchen, wurde ein Versuchsaufbau etabliert, indem mTEZ mit Cisplatin geschädigt und anschließend ein KM von IL-10-stimulierten Wildtyp (WT) oder Lcn-2 knockout Makrophagen hinzugefügt wurde. Zusätzlich wurde ein rekombinantes holo-Lcn-2 hergestellt, das als Zugabe zu KM von Lcn-2 knockout Makrophagen der Wiederherstellung und der Untersuchung eines Lcn-2-abhängigen Mechanismus diente. Als Merkmal einer Zellregeneration wurden die epitheliale Integrität und die Reorganisation des Zytoskeletts bestimmt. Ergänzend konnte mit Hilfe der Expression von Proliferationsmarkern sowie einer Echtzeitmessung der Proliferationsrate eine zunehmende Proliferation geschädigter mTEZ nach Zugabe von KM aus Makrophagen in Abhängigkeit von Lcn-2 bewiesen werden. Anschließend wurde eine Analyse des Eisengehalts im Zelllysat von mTEZ durchgeführt. Hierbei konnte ein signifikanter Anstieg des Eisengehaltes in mTEZ nach Zugabe von KM aus WT Makrophagen als auch durch Ergänzung von rekombinanten holo-Lcn-2 zu KM aus Lcn-2 knockout Makrophagen nachgewiesen werden. In der Korrelation zwischen Eisenmenge im Zelllysat der mTEZ und der Proliferationsrate ergab sich eine zunehmende Proliferation mit Anstieg des Eisengehaltes der Zelle. Zusammenfassend ergaben unsere Untersuchungen, dass KM aus pro-regenerativen Makrophagen die Überlebensfähigkeit von mTEZ nach Cisplatin-Schädigung steigert. Es zeigte sich auch eine durch Lcn-2 geförderte epitheliale Integrität sowie ein pro-proliferativer Effekt. Die regenerativen Effekte an mTEZ wurden durch Lcn-2 aus KM von IL-10-stimulierten Makrophagen über seine Eisen-bindende Funktion vermittelt. Über die Ausschüttung von Lcn-2 vermitteln pro-regenerative Makrophagen vermutlich die Zell-Regeneration von mTEZ, indem Lcn-2 toxisches Eisen von geschädigten und apoptotischen Zellen aus der Umgebung bindet, es Zielzellen als holo-Lcn-2 zur Verfügung stellt und hierdurch die Proliferation induziert.
leporello #19
(2024)
Uni-Highlights Januar 2024 : Einladungen zu ausgewählten Veranstaltungen der Goethe-Universität
(2024)
Graphium chironides malayanum Eliot, 1982 was described as a taxon occurring sympatrically with G. bathycles bathycloides in Peninsular Malaysia. However, the validity of the subspecies has been questioned in a recent publication that was based on a study of DNA and morphology, implying that G. c. malayanum is a synonym of G. b. bathycloides and G. chironides is absent from the Peninsula. A re-examination of male wing morphology, genitalia and DNA shows that G. c. malayanum is a valid taxon distinguished from G. b. bathycloides by wider discal markings, a less falcate forewing, distinct differences in the arms of the harpe in the male genitalia and clearly divergent mtDNA COI genes. In the DNA analysis, G. c. malayanum formed a monophyletic clade closely related to G. chironides from China, and both were well-separated from the G. b. bathycloides clade. An examination of characters used in the previous study showed that the conclusions reached were due to misinterpretation of diagnostic characters, misidentification of specimens and the absence of G. c. malayanum among the specimens examined. When these characters were correctly interpreted, each specimen was readily assigned to the correct taxon. Diagnostic morphological characters are reclarified based on the current data.
Two new species of terrestrial isopods are described from iron ore caves in Brazil, within the Amazon biome, Circoniscus mendesi López-Orozco, Campos-Filho & Bichuette sp. nov. and C. xikrin López-Orozco, Campos-Filho & Carpio-Díaz sp. nov. (Scleropactidae). In addition, the knowledge of the distribution of Ctenorillo ferrarai Campos-Filho, Araujo & Taiti, 2014 (Armadillidae) is extended to Parauapebas, and Benthanoides tarzan Cardoso & Ferreira, 2023 to south area of the Campos Ferruginosos National Park, both in the State of Pará. Moreover, a distribution map and photographs of the species are given.
Three new species of Loxosceles Heinecken & Lowe, 1832 (Araneae, Sicariidae) from Brazilian caves
(2024)
Three new species of recluse spiders are described from Brazilian caves with both males and females. Loxosceles boqueirao Bertani & Gallão sp. nov. is found in the State of Bahia, in the Serra do Ramalho karst area, it belongs to the rufescens species group, and is closely related to L. cardosoi Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, 2018 and L. carinhanha Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallão, 2018 from the same karst area. Thus, there are now three species in the Serra do Ramalho karst area closely related, but noticeably distinct morphologically from other species of Loxosceles. Loxosceles planetaria Bertani & Gallão sp. nov. and L. bodoquena Bertani & Gallão sp. nov. are found in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the Serra da Bodoquena karst area. They belong to the gaucho species group and are closely related to L. gaucho Gertsch, 1967. These are the first species of Loxosceles described from this karst area in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Loxosceles boqueirao sp. nov. and L. bodoquena sp. nov. bear some troglomorphisms and are, herein, proposed as troglobitic species, whereas L. planetaria sp. nov. is proposed as a troglophilic species. Brazil has now 22 described species of Loxosceles.
The remarkable sharpshooter Prodigiella silvanoi gen. et sp. nov. is described and illustrated (including the external form, color, male and female terminalia) from the Atlantic Forest of southern and southeastern Brazil (states of Paraná and Rio de Janeiro). The new genus can be distinguished from other Neotropical genera of the Cicadellini by a combination of various morphological features, including an asymmetrical aedeagus with a bifid shaft and peculiar basal and apical processes and ovipositor valvula II distinctly expanded beyond basal curvature, its dorsal margin with 35–40 teeth, and ventral margin without preapical prominence. A discussion comparing Prodigiella with superficially similar taxa of the genera Macugonalia Young, 1977, Ruppeliana Young, 1977, and Versigonalia Young, 1977 is provided. The discovery of this peculiar new genus indicates that much collecting work in the remaining parts of the Atlantic Forest is clearly and urgently needed.
Widely distributed phoretic blister beetles usually display unstructured geographic patterns of genetic diversity within species, resulting from recurrent long-dispersal events across their range. To investigate the extent of this pattern in the phoretic genus Lampromeloe, and particularly in western Mediterranean and European populations of L. variegatus, we performed: (1) a phylogeographic analysis based on fragments of the mitochondrial genes COI and 16S, and (2) a morphological revision based on qualitative and morphometric traits. Two allopatric lineages were recovered within L. variegatus, one distributed across Europe and the other in North Africa. These lineages are readily distinguishable based on morphological traits. We conclude that these lineages constitute two diagnosable evolutionary units and, consequently, we describe the North African populations as a new species, Lampromeloe pantherinus sp. nov. The new species is closely related to L. variegatus, from which it differs mainly by the elytral macrosculpture and by the shape of male genitalia. The elytral macrosculpture of L. pantherinus is somewhat similar to that of L. cavensis, a species widely distributed in the lowlands of the Mediterranean Basin. However, these two non-sister species can be distinguished by the morphology and macrosculpture of the pronotum and by the shape of the male genitalia.
The first sawfly from the Oligocene of Céreste (Southern France (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)
(2024)
Luberotenthredo cerestensis gen. et sp. nov. is the first record of the sawfly family Tenthredinidae from the Oligocene of Céreste (Southern France). This taxon is described and illustrated based on a well-preserved specimen. This genus resembles the extant genus Perineura (subfamily Tenthredininae, tribe Perineurini) with which it shares forewing venation similarities and numerous morphological characters. This new taxon is the first fossil representative of the tribe Perineurini and can be used as a calibration point for future investigation of the diversification of the family Tenthredinidae.
The koinobiont endoparasitoid genus Triraphis Ruthe, 1855 (Rogadinae Foerster, 1863) is a group of braconid wasps that contains 74 species distributed along the Nearctic, Neotropical, Oriental and Palearctic regions. We amplified a fragment of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) for 19 specimens of Triraphis from the Chamela Biological Station (CBS), a region mainly composed of tropical dry forest near the Pacific coast of Jalisco, Mexico. Based on genetic distances among specimens of Triraphis from the CBS and all COI sequences of BINs assigned to Triraphis and Rogas Nees, 1819 available in the BOLDSYSTEMS database, we identified three clusters in the CBS that correspond with T. bradzlotnicki Sharkey, 2021, T. davidwahli Sharkey, 2021 and T. defectus Valerio, 2015, which were previously described from Costa Rica. Based on morphology, we identified individuals of T. fusciceps Cresson, 1869 and provided COI sequences of this species for the first time. Four genetic clusters of Triraphis correspond to four new species that are described here: T. kardia sp. nov., T. ocellatus sp. nov., T. divergens sp. nov. and T. luzabrilae sp. nov. Since T. bradzlotnicki and T. davidwahli were exclusively described with molecular data (COI), we morphologically described them based on Mexican specimens.
Marie Franzos, 1870–1941
(2024)
Die aus Wien stammende Marie Franzos darf als produktivste Übersetzerin und Vermittlerin der skandinavischen Literatur ihrer Zeit gelten. Sie brachte zwischen 1896 und 1938 insgesamt 112 Bücher von 33 Schriftstellern aus dem Schwedischen, Dänischen und Norwegischen ins Deutsche, darunter Werke von Selma Lagerlöf und Per Hallström.
Palaeosphryon menatensis gen. et sp. nov., first unambiguous representative of the longhorn beetle subfamily Prioninae from the Paleocene of Menat (France), is described and illustrated. The new fossil is placed into the tribe Prionini, showing some similarities with some species of the extant genera Osphryon (Papua New Guinea) and Titanus (Brazil, Colombia, Guianas, Ecuador, Peru), viz. in general body shape, antennomere 3 as long as first and second together but shorter than the length of fourth plus fifth, elongate elytra, and small spines on the lateral margin of the pronotum disposed in a relatively similar way as in Osphryon. Nevertheless, the exact affinities of the new fossil within the Prionini remain uncertain because of the lack of a recent phylogenetic analysis in which it could be integrated. This fossil beetle is exceptional for its very large size, with a body 70 mm long. Some other large longhorn beetles have been found in the same outcrop, and are awaiting description. The positions of the previously described Cerambycidae from Menat are also discussed. This exceptional fauna of Cerambycidae is in accordance with the current palaeoenvironmental reconstruction for the Menat Konservat-Lagerstätte, as a small maar lake surrounded by a warm and humid, probably evergreen forest.
A new family of Cyphophthalmi with disjunct Mediterranean distribution, Parasironidae fam. nov., is proposed. The new family comprises four genera and seven species. Cimmerosiro gen. nov., Tirrenosiro gen. nov. and Ebrosiro gen. nov. are described as new genera, and Tirrenosiro axeli gen. et sp. nov., Cimmerosiro krivolutskyi gen. et sp. nov., C. juberthiei gen. et sp. nov. and C. rhodiensis gen. et sp. nov. as new species. Parasironidae stands out by a set of characteristics that we recognize as predominantly plesiomorphic. These characteristics and the present distribution indicate the great age of the family, probably early Mesosoic. We attribute its origin to the western part of the Cimmerian terrane, and its current distribution and diversification of the major clades to geotectonic events during the Mesozoic. Additionally, a new sensory organ (sensilla) has been discovered in Cyphophthalmi. This organ is located on the pedipalp coxae and is believed to have a potential hygroreceptive function.
The monotypic banchine ichneumonid genus Shortia is rediscovered after 39 years, based on two new species from India, far away from the type locality in Australia: S. karumban Ranjith sp. nov. and S. manjapulli Ranjith sp. nov., collected from the Western Ghats, India. The generic concept of Shortia is revised. Both new species and the type species of the genus, S. siccula Gauld, 1984, are illustrated. A taxonomic key for the identification of species of Shortia is provided and the possible causes for the disjunct distribution are discussed.
The “trachystreptoform” species of Spirostreptidae, i.e., species which would formerly have been ascribed to the tribe Trachystreptini, from the Udzungwa Mountains are (re)described, including one new genus and five new species: Attemsostreptus reflexus Akkari & Enghoff, 2019, A. cataractae Enghoff sp. nov., A. leptoptilos Enghoff sp. nov., A. julostriatus Enghoff sp. nov., Lophostreptus tersus (Cook, 1896) (= L. ptilostreptoides Carl, 1909 syn. nov.), L. magombera Enghoff sp. nov., and Udzungwastreptus marianae Enghoff gen. et sp. nov. The type material of Lophostreptus regularis Attems, 1909 (= L. tersus) is discussed. The discussion includes paragraphs on the classification and the Udzungwa fauna of Spirostreptidae, on grouping of the Udzungwa trachystreptoform species in relation to altitude, and on the possibly recent immigration of A. reflexus and L. tersus into the Udzungwa Mts.
Known by many names, the Chinese banyan (Ficus microcarpa L.) is a monoecious plant species originating from south-eastern Asia which has been introduced as an ornamental in numerous areas outside its native range, including the Mediterranean. Like every species of Ficus, it is associated with a series of chalcid wasp species, known as fig wasps. These species are distributed in the families Agaonidae, Epichrysomallidae, Eurytomidae, Ormyridae and Pteromalidae. In this publication, we describe a new species of Ormyrus Westwood, 1832 (Hymenoptera, Chalcidoidea, Ormyridae), O. microcarpae Askew & Koutsoukos sp. nov., reared from figs of F. microcarpa collected from Greece and Cyprus. The new species is compared with O. lini and O. watshami. This species is likely to be a parasitoid of Meselatus bicolor Chen, 1999 (Hymenoptera, Epichrysomallidae). In addition, the previously unknown female of O. lini is also described and illustrated. This publication constitutes the first report of species of Ormyrus associated with figs in Europe.
Six species of the spider genus Spinirta Jin & Zhang, 2020 from southern China (Araneae: Corinnidae)
(2024)
In the current study, six species of the genus Spinirta from southern China are recognized, four new species are described: S. hongyui Wang, Lu & Z.S. Zhang sp. nov. (♂♀), S. liuae Wang, Lu & Z.S. Zhang sp. nov. (♂♀), S. simianshan Wang, Lu & Z.S. Zhang sp. nov. (♂♀) and S. yintiaoling Wang, Lu & Z.S. Zhang sp. nov. (♂). Females of S. aviforma Jin & Zhang, 2020 (♂♀) and S. quadrata Jin & Zhang, 2020 (♂♀) are described for the first time. Photos of the body and copulatory organs, as well as the locality map are provided.
The ammonoids of the family Maenioceratidae from Givetian sedimentary rocks of the Anti-Atlas (Morocco) are investigated. The study is based on new collections stored in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin. The genera Maenioceras Schindewolf, 1933 and Afromaenioceras Göddertz, 1987 are revised; the genus Trimaenioceras is newly described. The species Maenioceras afroterebratum sp. nov., Maenioceras mzerrebense sp. nov., Maenioceras oufranense sp. nov., Maenioceras beckeri sp. nov., Afromaenioceras sulcatostriatum (Bensaïd, 1974), Afromaenioceras hiemale sp. nov., Afromaenioceras bensaidi sp. nov., Afromaenioceras brumale sp. nov., Afromaenioceras crassum (Bensaïd, 1974), Trimaenioceras klugi gen. et sp. nov., Trimaenioceras eculeus gen. et sp. nov., Trimaenioceras fuscina gen. et sp. nov. and Trimaenioceras paucum gen. et sp. nov. are described in detail.
A remarkable morphologically and genetically distinct species of the genus Ero C.L. Koch, 1836 is described based on both sexes from the cloud forest of the island of Saint Helena: Ero lizae sp. nov. Another new species, Ero natashae sp. nov., is also described on the basis of morphological differences in the male and female genitalia. Both species were initially reported a single species, Ero aphana (Walckenaer, 1802), from the island by Unzicker (1977).
High resolution images are provided for type specimens of Platygastroidea (Hymenoptera: Apocrita) in the Hope Entomological Collections, Oxford University. We formally resurrect Trissoscelio Kieffer revised status to accommodate T. bifasciata (Dodd) new combination, T. indica (Mani) new combination, T. nigriceps Kieffer revised combination, T. ruficeps Kieffer revised combination, and T. punctaticeps Kieffer revised combination. Paridris subplana (Dodd) new combination is transferred from Sceliacantha Dodd to Paridris Kieffer and treated as a senior synonym of P. coorgensis Sharma.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EB97FE10-B01D-4D45-AF6E-D247ED0040BE
Two new species and one new genus of Lamiinae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) are described in Acanthocinini: Embera flava new species, new genus, from Panama; and Nealcidion lingafelteri new species from Costa Rica. The species-group name of Nealcidion napoensis Nascimento and McClarin, 2018 is corrected and morphological variations in Leptostylus cristulatus Bates, 1872 are reported. Trypanidius mimicavus Carelli, Monné, and Souza, 2013 is redescribed and transferred to Carphina Bates, 1872, forming the new combination Carphina mimicavus. Colombicallia curta Galileo and Martins, 1992 (Calliini) is recorded from Panama for the first time.
ZooBank registration. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7DD2EF0F-7DC9-4A85-83DA-10F4EE8CA8CB