A growing interest in using forest biomass for bioenergy generation may stimulate intensive harvesting scenarios in Germany. We calculated and compared nutrient exports of conventional stem only (SO), whole tree without needles (WT excl. needles), and whole tree (WT) harvesting in two medium aged Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands differing in productivity, and related them to soil nutrient pools and fluxes at the study sites. We established allometric biomass functions for each aboveground tree compartment and analyzed their nutrient contents. We analyzed soil nutrient stocks, estimated weathering rates, and obtained deposition and seepage data from nearby Level II stations. WT (excl. needles) and WT treatments cause nutrient losses 1.5 to 3.6 times higher than SO, while the biomass gain is only 1.18 to 1.25 in case of WT (excl. needles) and 1.28 to 1.30 in case of WT in the pine and spruce stand, respectively. Within the investigated 25-year period, WT harvesting would cause exports of N, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ of 6.6, 8.8, 5.4, and 0.8 kg·ha−1 in the pine stand and 13.9, 7.0, 10.6, and 1.8 kg·ha−1 in the spruce stand annually. The relative impact of WT and WT (excl. needles) on the nutrient balance is similar in the pine and spruce stands, despite differences in stand productivities, and thus the absolute amount of nutrients removed. In addition to the impact of intensive harvesting, both sites are characterized by high seepage losses of base cations, further impairing the nutrient budget. While intensive biomass extraction causes detrimental effects on many key soil ecological properties, our calculations may serve to implement measures to improve the nutrient balance in forested ecosystems.

Background: In addition to conventional chemotherapeutics, nucleic acid-based therapeutics like antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (AS-ODN) represent a novel approach for the treatment of bladder cancer (BCa). An efcient delivery of AS-ODN to the urothelium and then into cancer cells might be achieved by the local application of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT). In the present study, pristine MWCNT and MWCNT functionalized with hydrophilic moieties were synthesized and then investigated regarding their physicochemical characteristics, dispersibility, biocompatibility, cellular uptake and mucoadhesive properties. Finally, their binding capacity for AS-ODN via hybridization to carrier strand oligodeoxynucleotides (CS-ODN), which were either non-covalently adsorbed or covalently bound to the diferent MWCNT types, was evaluated. Results: Pristine MWCNT were successfully functionalized with hydrophilic moieties (MWCNT-OH, -COOH, -NH2, -SH), which led to an improved dispersibility and an enhanced dispersion stability. A viability assay revealed that MWCNTOH, MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH were most biocompatible. All MWCNT were internalized by BCa cells, whereupon the highest uptake was observed for MWCNT-OH with 40% of the cells showing an engulfment. Furthermore, all types of MWCNT could adhere to the urothelium of explanted mouse bladders, but the amount of the covered urothelial area was with 2–7% rather low. As indicated by fuorescence measurements, it was possible to attach CS-ODN by adsorption and covalent binding to functionalized MWCNT. Adsorption of CS-ODN to pristine MWCNT, MWCNT-COOH and MWCNT-NH2 as well as covalent coupling to MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH resulted in the best binding capacity and stability. Subsequently, therapeutic AS-ODN could be hybridized to and reversibly released from the CS-ODN coupled via both strategies to the functionalized MWCNT. The release of AS-ODN at experimental conditions (80 °C, bufer) was most efective from CS-ODN adsorbed to MWCNT-OH and MWCNT-NH2 as well as from CS-ODN covalently attached to MWCNT-COOH, MWCNT-NH2 and MWCNT-SH. Furthermore, we could exemplarily demonstrate that AS-ODN could be released following hybridization to CS-ODN adsorbed to MWCNT-OH at physiological settings (37 °C, urine). Conclusions: In conclusion, functionalized MWCNT might be used as nanotransporters in antisense therapy for the local treatment of BCa.

Background: Unemployment may impair mental and physical health. The influencing factors causing such negative effects are relevant from an individual and public health perspective. The personality as one possible influencing factor was discussed. This study investigated the prevalence of the type-D personality in an unemployed population and its connections to socio-demographic, psychological and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Methods: A questionnaire set including socio-demographics, type-D scale (DS14), Complaint list (BL), Beck-Depression-Inventory II (BDI-II) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) was handed out to 203 unemployed individuals [126 females, mean age ± SD: 42.36 ± 11.08]. For HRV assessment (RMSSD), a subsample of 83 participants [50 females, median age ± IQR: 47.00 ± 17.00] passed the “stress-tests” (timed breathing, d2-attention-stress-test, math test) while heart frequency (HF) was acquired via the Stressball software (BioSign GmbH, Ottenhofen, Germany). Results: 53% of the unemployed had a type-D personality. Compared to non-type-D individuals, type-D individuals had rarely children and by trend a lower educational level; they showed significantly higher scores in the BDI-II and lower scores in the GSE and BL. No differences were observed in mean HF or RMSSD during all the stress-tests. Conclusion: The HRV of individuals with a type-D personality is no worse than that of individuals without a type-D personality. Type-D personality was significantly associated with negative health effects regarding depressiveness, self-efficacy and physical complaints. Our main findings implicate that the DS14 could serve as a short and reliable screening instrument to select concerned unemployed individuals who might be at risk for negative health effects for adequate intervention.

There is a need of substitution woods for the use in musical instruments because of the limited availabil-ity of some commonly used tropical tonewoods. Before substitutions can be found, it is necessary to knowabout the required properties. Hence, in this paper acoustical, mechanical and physical properties of fourcommon tropical hardwoods (Indian rosewood, ziricote, African blackwood and ebony) were determinedbecause there are less literature values for some properties available, e.g. internal friction, hardness orswelling behaviour. The acoustic properties were determined by means of experimental modal analysis,the mechanical properties by means of static bending tests and tests of the Brinell hardness. For the swel-ling behaviour the volume swelling and also the differential swelling coefficients were determined. Withthe results it is possible to look for new ‘tonewoods’ or to specifically modified woods, e.g. thermally trea-ted wood, to substitute tropical wood species.

Executive functions, like the capacity to control and organize thoughts and behavior, develop from childhood to young adulthood. Although task switching and working memory processes are known to undergo strong developmental changes from childhood to adulthood, it is currently unknown how task switching processes are modulated between childhood and adulthood given that working memory processes are central to task switching. The aim of the current study is therefore to examine this question using a combined cue- and memory-based task switching paradigm in children (N = 25) and young adults (N = 25) in combination with neurophysiological (EEG) methods. We obtained an unexpected paradoxical effect suggesting that memory-based task switching is better in late childhood than in young adulthood. No group differences were observed in cue-based task switching. The neurophysiological data suggest that this effect is not due to altered attentional selection (P1, N1) or processes related to the updating, organization, and implementation of the new task-set (P3). Instead, alterations were found in the resolution of task-set conflict and the selection of an appropriate response (N2) when a task has to be switched. Our observation contrasts findings showing that cognitive control mechanisms reach their optimal functioning in early adulthood.

A growing interest in using forest biomass for bioenergy generation may stimulate intensive harvesting scenarios in Germany. We calculated and compared nutrient exports of conventional stem only (SO), whole tree without needles (WT excl. needles), and whole tree (WT) harvesting in two medium aged Norway spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) stands differing in productivity, and related them to soil nutrient pools and fluxes at the study sites. We established allometric biomass functions for each aboveground tree compartment and analyzed their nutrient contents. We analyzed soil nutrient stocks, estimated weathering rates, and obtained deposition and seepage data from nearby Level II stations. WT (excl. needles) and WT treatments cause nutrient losses 1.5 to 3.6 times higher than SO, while the biomass gain is only 1.18 to 1.25 in case of WT (excl. needles) and 1.28 to 1.30 in case of WT in the pine and spruce stand, respectively. Within the investigated 25-year period, WT harvesting would cause exports of N, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ of 6.6, 8.8, 5.4, and 0.8 kg·ha−1 in the pine stand and 13.9, 7.0, 10.6, and 1.8 kg·ha−1 in the spruce stand annually. The relative impact of WT and WT (excl. needles) on the nutrient balance is similar in the pine and spruce stands, despite differences in stand productivities, and thus the absolute amount of nutrients removed. In addition to the impact of intensive harvesting, both sites are characterized by high seepage losses of base cations, further impairing the nutrient budget. While intensive biomass extraction causes detrimental effects on many key soil ecological properties, our calculations may serve to implement measures to improve the nutrient balance in forested ecosystems.

Surfaces of carbon fibre roving were modified by means of a low temperature plasma treatment to improve their bonding with mineral fines; the latter serving as an inorganic fibre coating for the improved mechanical performance of carbon reinforcement in concrete matrices. Variation of the plasma conditions, such as gas composition and treatment time, was accomplished to establish polar groups on the carbon fibres prior to contact with the suspension of mineral particles in water. Subsequently, the rovings were implemented in a fine concrete matrix and their pull-out performance was assessed. Every plasma treatment resulted in increased pull-out forces in comparison to the reference samples without plasma treatment, indicating a better bonding between the mineral coating material and the carbon fibres. Significant differences were found, depending on gas composition and treatment time. Microscopic investigations showed that the samples with the highest pull-out force exhibited carbon fibre surfaces with the largest areas of hydration products grown on them. Additionally, the coating material ingresses into the multifilament roving in these specimens, leading to better force transfer between individual carbon filaments and between the entire roving and surrounding matrix, thus explaining the superior mechanical performance of the specimens containing appropriately plasma-treated carbon roving.

Background: Unemployment may impair mental and physical health. The influencing factors causing such negative effects are relevant from an individual and public health perspective. The personality as one possible influencing factor was discussed. This study investigated the prevalence of the type-D personality in an unemployed population and its connections to socio-demographic, psychological and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Methods: A questionnaire set including socio-demographics, type-D scale (DS14), Complaint list (BL), Beck-Depression-Inventory II (BDI-II) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) was handed out to 203 unemployed individuals [126 females, mean age ± SD: 42.36 ± 11.08]. For HRV assessment (RMSSD), a subsample of 83 participants [50 females, median age ± IQR: 47.00 ± 17.00] passed the “stress-tests” (timed breathing, d2-attention-stress-test, math test) while heart frequency (HF) was acquired via the Stressball software (BioSign GmbH, Ottenhofen, Germany). Results: 53% of the unemployed had a type-D personality. Compared to non-type-D individuals, type-D individuals had rarely children and by trend a lower educational level; they showed significantly higher scores in the BDI-II and lower scores in the GSE and BL. No differences were observed in mean HF or RMSSD during all the stress-tests. Conclusion: The HRV of individuals with a type-D personality is no worse than that of individuals without a type-D personality. Type-D personality was significantly associated with negative health effects regarding depressiveness, self-efficacy and physical complaints. Our main findings implicate that the DS14 could serve as a short and reliable screening instrument to select concerned unemployed individuals who might be at risk for negative health effects for adequate intervention.

There is a need of substitution woods for the use in musical instruments because of the limited availabil-ity of some commonly used tropical tonewoods. Before substitutions can be found, it is necessary to knowabout the required properties. Hence, in this paper acoustical, mechanical and physical properties of fourcommon tropical hardwoods (Indian rosewood, ziricote, African blackwood and ebony) were determinedbecause there are less literature values for some properties available, e.g. internal friction, hardness orswelling behaviour. The acoustic properties were determined by means of experimental modal analysis,the mechanical properties by means of static bending tests and tests of the Brinell hardness. For the swel-ling behaviour the volume swelling and also the differential swelling coefficients were determined. Withthe results it is possible to look for new ‘tonewoods’ or to specifically modified woods, e.g. thermally trea-ted wood, to substitute tropical wood species.

To evaluate the influence of different normal forces and contact temperatures on the frictional behavior of paperboard during the deep drawing process, a new measurement punch was developed to measure the normal force, which induced the friction within the gap between the forming cavity and punch. The resulting dynamic coefficient of friction was calculated and reproduced via a new developed substitute test for the friction measurement device, which was first introduced in Lenske et al. (2017). The normal force within the forming gap during the deep drawing process was influenced by the blankholder force profile, the contact temperature, and the fiber direction. The friction measurements with the substitute test showed a strong dependency between the applied normal force and the dynamic coefficient of friction. Furthermore the frictional behavior was influenced by the contact temperature and the wrinkle formation.