Ambient concentrations of ice-forming particles measured during ship expeditions are collected and summarised with the aim of determining the spatial distribution and variability in ice nuclei in ...oceanic regions.
The presented data from literature and previously unpublished data from over 23 months of ship-based measurements stretch from the Arctic to the Southern Ocean and include a circumnavigation of Antarctica. In comparison to continental observations, ship-based measurements of ambient ice nuclei show 1 to 2 orders of magnitude lower mean concentrations. To quantify the geographical variability in oceanic areas, the concentration range of potential ice nuclei in different climate zones is analysed by meridionally dividing the expedition tracks into tropical, temperate and polar climate zones. We find that concentrations of ice nuclei in these meridional zones follow temperature spectra with similar slopes but vary in absolute concentration. Typically, the frequency with which specific concentrations of ice nuclei are observed at a certain temperature follows a log-normal distribution. A consequence of the log-normal distribution is that the mean concentration is higher than the most frequently measured concentration. Finally, the potential contribution of ship exhaust to the measured ice nuclei concentration on board research vessels is analysed as function of temperature. We find a sharp onset of the influence at approximately −36 ∘C but none at warmer temperatures that could bias ship-based measurements.
Number
concentrations of ice-nucleating particles (NINP) in the Arctic
were derived from ground-based filter samples. Examined samples had been
collected in Alert (Nunavut, northern Canadian ...archipelago on Ellesmere
Island), Utqiaġvik, formerly known as Barrow (Alaska), Ny-Ålesund
(Svalbard), and at the Villum Research Station (VRS; northern Greenland). For
the former two stations, examined filters span a full yearly cycle. For VRS,
10 weekly samples, mostly from different months of one year, were included.
Samples from Ny-Ålesund were collected during the months from March until
September of one year. At all four stations, highest concentrations were
found in the summer months from roughly June to September. For those stations
with sufficient data coverage, an annual cycle can be seen. The spectra of
NINP observed at the highest temperatures, i.e., those obtained
for summer months, showed the presence of INPs that nucleate ice up to
−5 ∘C. Although the nature of these highly ice-active INPs could
not be determined in this study, it often has been described in the
literature that ice activity observed at such high temperatures originates
from the presence of ice-active material of biogenic origin. Spectra observed
at the lowest temperatures, i.e., those derived for winter months, were on
the lower end of the respective values from the literature on Arctic INPs or
INPs from midlatitude continental sites, to which a comparison is presented
herein. An analysis concerning the origin of INPs that were ice active at
high temperatures was carried out using back trajectories and satellite
information. Both terrestrial locations in the Arctic and the adjacent sea
were found to be possible source areas for highly active INPs.
has acquired resistance to antibiotics since their first use. The
protein NorA, an efflux pump belonging to the major facilitator superfamily (MFS), contributes to resistance to fluoroquinolones ...(e.g., ciprofloxacin), biocides, dyes, quaternary ammonium compounds, and antiseptics. Different compounds have been identified as potential efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) of NorA that result in increased intracellular concentration of antibiotics, restoring their antibacterial activity and cell susceptibility. However, none of the currently known EPIs have been approved for clinical use, probably due to their toxicity profiles. In the present study, we screened approved drugs for possible efflux pump inhibition. By screening a compound library of approximately 1200 different drugs, we identified nilotinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, as showing the best efflux pump inhibitory activity, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index of 0.1875, indicating synergism with ciprofloxacin, and a minimum effective concentration as low as 0.195 μM. Moreover, at 0.39 μM, nilotinib, in combination with 8 μg/mL of ciprofloxacin, led to a significant reduction in biofilm formation and preformed mature biofilms. This is the first description of an approved drug that can be used as an efflux pump inhibitor and to reduce biofilms formation at clinically achievable concentrations.
What does gender studies in political science or feminist political science mean? The handbook offers a systematic overview of the dimensions that the consideration of the relationship between ...politics and gender entails for political science, integrating queer and postcolonial perspectives. What consequences does this perspectivisation raise with regard to methods and the history of ideas, what controversies and open questions arise from it? The individual contributions summarise the current state of research, offer a contextualisation in broader political science debates, and provide approaches for deeper engagement through recommended readings. The handbook is thus a perfect starting point for a first compact overview of the subject area of politics and gender.
Was bedeutet politikwissenschaftliche Geschlechterforschung beziehungsweise feministische Politikwissenschaft? Das Buch bietet einen einführenden Einblick in unterschiedliche politikwissenschaftliche (Forschungs-)Perspektiven auf das Verhältnis von Politik und Geschlecht – insbesondere auch unter Miteinbeziehung queerer und postkolonialer Ansätze. Welche Konsequenzen ergeben sich aus dieser Perspektivierung im Hinblick auf Methoden und Ideengeschichte, welche Kontroversen und offenen Fragen folgen daraus? Die einzelnen Beiträge fassen den aktuellen Forschungsstand zusammen, bieten eine Kontextualisierung in breitere politikwissenschaftliche Debatten und geben durch Lese-Empfehlungen Ansätze für die tiefere Auseinandersetzung. Das Buch ist somit eine perfekte Anlaufstelle für einen ersten kompakten Überblick zum Themenfeld Politik und Geschlecht.
IntroductionLong-term psychodynamic/psychoanalytic psychotherapy (LTPP) is a prevalent treatment option for complex mental disorders. Yet, little is known about the role of treatment intensity in ...LTPP. We present a study protocol for a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis aggregating and analysing individual data from randomised and quasi-experimental trials by meta-analysis. The purpose is to (1) determine the treatment effectiveness of LTPP with low versus high intensity (up to 2 weekly sessions vs three or more), (2) compare their joint effectiveness to shorter therapies and treatments as usual, (3) identify predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes and (4) determine reciprocal relationships between different outcome domains (symptomatic and structural/personality change) over the courses of LTPP.Methods and analysisWe include studies from (randomised controlled trial, RCT) and quasi-experimental trials, where at least one condition was LTPP of high or low frequency. Long-term treatment is defined as ≥1 year or ≥50 sessions. To be eligible studies must include a standardised outcome measure of symptoms (global or disorder specific) with at least one proof of reliability. The primary outcome is symptom reduction (global or specific), secondary outcome criteria are reliable change, remission, functional capacities, personality, personality functioning and interpersonal pathology. Relevant studies will mainly be identified by searching relevant databases: PubMed, PsycINFO (via EBSCO), Web of Science (via Elsevier), Chochrane’s Central Register of Controlled Trials (via Wiley). Risk of bias will be evaluated in line with the Cochrane assessments tools for quasi-experimental trials and RCTs, respectively.Ethics and disseminationAggregation of data from primary trials collected based on ethics votes. Dissemination into clinical practice via open access publications of findings.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42022304982; Pre-results.
Inhibition studies in small animals are the standard for evaluating the specificity of newly developed drugs, including radiopharmaceuticals. Recently, it has been reported that the tumor ...accumulation of radiotracers can be assessed in the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) model with similar results to experiments in mice, such contributing to the 3Rs principles (reduction, replacement, and refinement). However, inhibition studies to prove receptor-specific binding have not yet been performed in the CAM model. Thus, in the present work, we analyzed the feasibility of inhibition studies in ovo by PET and MRI using the PSMA-specific ligand 18FsiPSMA-14 and the corresponding inhibitor 2-PMPA. A dose-dependent blockade of 18FsiPSMA-14 uptake was successfully demonstrated by pre-dosing with different inhibitor concentrations. Based on these data, we conclude that the CAM model is suitable for performing inhibition studies to detect receptor-specific binding. While in the later stages of development of novel radiopharmaceuticals, testing in rodents will still be necessary for biodistribution analysis, the CAM model is a promising alternative to mouse experiments in the early phases of compound evaluation. Thus, using the CAM model and PET and MR imaging for early pre-selection of promising radiolabeled compounds could significantly reduce the number of animal experiments.
Purpose
Uveal melanoma (UM) is an orphan cancer of high unmet medical need. Current patterns of care and surveillance remain unclear as they are situated in an interdisciplinary setting.
Methods
A ...questionnaire addressing the patterns of care and surveillance in the management of patients with uveal melanoma was distributed to 70 skin cancer centers in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Frequency distributions of responses for each item of the questionnaire were calculated.
Results
44 of 70 (62.9%) skin cancer centers completed the questionnaire. Thirty-nine hospitals were located in Germany (88.6%), three in Switzerland (6.8%) and two in Austria (4.5%). The majority (68.2%) represented university hospitals. Most patients with metastatic disease were treated in certified skin cancer centers (70.7%, 29/41). Besides, the majority of patients with UM were referred to the respective skin cancer center by ophthalmologists (87.2%, 34/39). Treatment and organization of follow-up of patients varied across the different centers. 35.1% (14/37) of the centers stated to not perform any screening measures.
Conclusion
Treatment patterns of patients with uveal melanoma in Germany, Austria and Switzerland remain extremely heterogeneous. A guideline for the treatment and surveillance is urgently needed.
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