VISION - Vienna survey in Orion. III. Young stellar objects in Orion A

38 pages, 25 figures, Accepted for publication by A&A. Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics. © 2018 ESOWe extend and refine the existing young stellar object (YSO) catalogs for the Orion A molecular cloud, the closest massive star-forming region to Earth. This updated catalog is driven by the large spatial coverage (18.3 deg^2, ~950 pc^2), seeing limited resolution (~0.7''), and sensitivity (Ks<19 mag) of the ESO-VISTA near-infrared survey of the Orion A cloud (VISION). Combined with archival mid- to far-infrared data, the VISTA data allow for a refined and more robust source selection. We estimate that among previously known protostars and pre-main-sequence stars with disks, source contamination levels (false positives) are at least ∼7% and ∼2.5%, respectively, mostly due to background galaxies and nebulosities. We identify 274 new YSO candidates using VISTA/Spitzer based selections within previously analyzed regions, and VISTA/WISE based selections to add sources in the surroundings, beyond previously analyzed regions. The WISE selection method recovers about 59% of the known YSOs in Orion A's low-mass star-forming part L1641, which shows what can be achieved by the all-sky WISE survey in combination with deep near-infrared data in regions without the influence of massive stars. The new catalog contains 2978 YSOs, which were classified based on the de-reddened mid-infrared spectral index into 188 protostars, 184 flat-spectrum sources, and 2606 pre-main-sequence stars with circumstellar disks. We find a statistically significant difference in the spatial distribution of the three evolutionary classes with respect to regions of high dust column-density, confirming that flat-spectrum sources are at a younger evolutionary phase compared to Class IIs, and are not a sub-sample seen at particular viewing angles.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

3D shape of Orion A from Gaia DR2

Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics. © 2018 ESO.We use the Gaia DR2 distances of about 700 mid-infrared selected young stellar objects in the benchmark giant molecular cloud Orion A to infer its 3D shape and orientation. We find that Orion A is not the fairly straight filamentary cloud that we see in (2D) projection, but instead a cometary-like cloud oriented toward the Galactic plane, with two distinct components: a denser and enhanced star-forming (bent) Head, and a lower density and star-formation quieter ~75 pc long Tail. The true extent of Orion A is not the projected ~40 pc but ~90 pc, making it by far the largest molecular cloud in the local neighborhood. Its aspect ratio (~30:1) and high column-density fraction (~45%) make it similar to large-scale Milky Way filaments ("bones"), despite its distance to the galactic mid-plane being an order of magnitude larger than typically found for these structures.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Jahrringe von Schwarzkiefer und Eiche unterschiedlicher Standorte als Proxy für Wasserstandsschwankungen des Neusiedler Sees

Historische Aufzeichnungen bis ins Jahr 1074 zurück belegen, dass der Wasserstand des Neusiedler Sees starken Schwankungen unterliegt, die von Überflutungen bis hin zur vollkommenen Austrocknung reichen können. Wie die Veränderungen des Seespiegels ist auch der jährliche Zuwachs der Schwarzkiefer Pinus nigra sowie der Traubeneiche Quercus petraea bzw. der Stieleiche Quercus robur vom Niederschlag bzw. der klimatischen Wasserbilanz abhängig. Daher sollten sowohl der Seespiegel als auch die Jahrringbreiten von Bäumen im Einzugsgebiet eine ähnliche zeitliche Entwicklung aufweisen. Die vorliegende Diplomarbeit untersucht, ob die Jahrringe der o. g. Baumarten als Proxy für die Wasserstandsschwankungen des Neusiedler Sees geeignet sind und wie unterschiedliche Standortbedingungen dieses Potenzial beeinflussen. Die Untersuchung beinhaltet die Beschreibung der Klimasensitivität von 127 Bäumen (60 Eichen und 67 Schwarzkiefern) an acht unterschiedlichen Standorten im Leithagebirge durch die Analyse von Klima-Wachstums-Beziehungen (Response-Function-Analyse von Jahrring-, Frühholz- und Spätholzbreite sowie Spätholzanteil einerseits und sechs verschiedenen Klimaelementen monatlicher Auflösung andererseits), die landschaftsökologische Aufnahme der Standorte und der dort vorkommenden Böden sowie die statistische Beschreibung der Beziehungen zwischen den Jahrringparametern und zwei verschiedenen Varianten von Seespiegelmittelwerten mittels linearer Regressionen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Schwarzkiefer zwar eine höhere Klimasensitivität aufweist, die Eiche aber den Seespiegel besser abbildet. Mit einem linearen Modell, das Jahrringparameter beider Baumarten einbezieht, ist unter Umständen die Rekonstruktion der Wasserstandsschwankungen des Neusiedler Sees über den Zeitraum instrumenteller Aufzeichnungen hinaus möglich.Historical records back to 1074 AD show that the water level of Lake Neusiedl has been subject to great fluctuations – not only floods but also periods where the basin was completely dry occurred in the past. These fluctuations as well as the annual increment of black pine Pinus nigra and sessile oak Quercus petraea or English oak Quercus robur are dependent on precipitation resp. climatic water balance. Therefore, lake level and tree ring widths should show similar chronological developments. This diploma thesis investigates the applicability of the mentioned species’ tree rings as a proxy for the lake level fluctuations and how different site conditions influence this potential. The investigations include the description of 127 trees’ (67 black pines and 60 oaks) climate sensitivity at eight different sites in the Leitha Mountains by examination of climate-growth-relationships (response-function-analysis of tree ring width, earlywood width, latewood width and latewood percentage on one hand and six different climate elements at monthly resolution on the other hand), the characterisation of the sites and their soil types as well as the statistical description of the relationships between tree ring parameters and two different lake level mean values by linear regression. The results display that black pine shows higher climate sensitivity but oak’s reproduction of the lake level is better. A linear model consisting of both species’ chronologies can possibly be used to reconstruct Lake Neusiedl’s fluctuations beyond the period of instrumental records

"What smell?" temporarily loading visual attention induces a prolonged loss of olfactory awareness

The human sense of smell is highly sensitive, often conveying important biological signals. Yet anecdotal evidence suggests that we commonly fail to notice suprathreshold environmental olfactory stimuli. The determinants of olfactory awareness are, as yet, unknown. Here, we adapted the inattentional-blindness paradigm to test whether olfactory awareness is dependent on attention. Across three experiments, participants performed a visual search task with either a high or low perceptual load (a well-established attentional manipulation) while exposed to an ambient coffee aroma. Consistent with our hypothesis, results showed that task load modulated olfactory awareness: 42.5% fewer participants in the high- than in the low-load condition reported noticing the coffee aroma. Our final experiment demonstrates that because of unique characteristics of olfactory habituation, the consequences of inattentional anosmia can persist even once attention becomes available. These findings establish the phenomenon of inattentional anosmia and have applied implications for predicting when people may miss potentially important olfactory information

A Swiss Protestant perspective on a multi-faith approach to the Swiss Army Chaplaincy

This article addresses issues of multi-faith army chaplaincies; specifically the issue of how chaplains can remain true to their own faith in a multi-faith care service. The issues addressed are relevant for chaplains and interested readers worldwide, even if this article focusses specifically on challenges in the context of the army chaplaincy of Switzerland. Due to the demographic development in Switzerland, a growing number of Muslims serve in the Swiss army. As a result, the Christian chaplaincy of the Swiss army is being challenged by increasing demands regarding Christian-Muslim dialogue. The chaplaincy asks whether or not it should involve Muslim chaplains and whether or not it should develop from a Christian one-faith to a multi-faith approach. The article at hand responds to these questions by referring to the previously published research by the same author (Inniger 2016) which provides appropriate answers to these questions. This research first identified theological-ethical principles that are valid in the Swiss Protestant church context regarding Christian-Muslim dialogue by means of an in-depth study of documents. It showed through an extended evaluation that the identified dialogue principles have not been implemented adequately in the context of the Swiss Army Chaplaincy. This research argues that Swiss Protestant churches only remain true to their principles in this field of work if they support the implementation of the identified dialogue principles. This research provides a proposal for an approach that would develop the care service of the Swiss army from a Christian one-faith to a multi-faith chaplaincy that includes, as a matter of course, the involvement of Muslim chaplains. Based on this research, this article points out that Protestant chaplains are able to remain true to their specific faith tradition, even if they do become involved in a multi-faith chaplaincy

Safety of selenium-enriched biomass of Yarrowia lipolytica as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on selenium-enriched biomass of Yarrowia lipolytica as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is the dried and heat-killed selenium-enriched biomass of Y. lipolytica. This yeast species is widespread in nature, can be found in the environment and in foods, and was attributed the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) status for production purposes in 2018, including food and feed products based on biomass of the yeast. The production process, fermentation in the presence of sodium selenite, includes a heat-killing step of the yeast, resulting in the absence of viable Y. lipolytica in the NF. The maximum total selenium content in the NF is 200 mu g Se/g, mainly present as organic selenium compounds. The applicant proposed to use the NF as a food supplement. The target population proposed by the applicant is the general population from 3 years of age onwards, with maximum proposed use levels of 0.2 g/day for children from 3 to 9 years of age and 1 g/day thereafter. The Panel considers that the yeast biomass is not of safety concern at the proposed use levels. The Panel also considers that the selenium provided by the NF is as safe as selenium from other dietary sources. However, the Panel notes that, at the use levels proposed by the applicant, the intake of the NF could, in combination with a background diet high in selenium, lead to total selenium intakes exceeding the UL for selenium in all target population groups, except for children from 7 to 9 years. Furthermore, the Panel considers that newly emerging data warrant a reassessment of the UL for selenium. (C) 2020 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.Non peer reviewe

The safety assessment of microalgae-derived products as novel foods by the European Food Safety Authority

Recent advancements in food research alongside the growing interest in new sources with enhanced nutritional value have led to an increasing development of food products derived from microalgae. Some of these products fall under the category of novel foods (NFs) in the European Union (EU) and their safety must be evaluated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) before being authorised on the EU market. By August 2024, EFSA had evaluated eleven NFs derived from microalgae, including oils rich in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from Schizochytrium spp., whole biomass of the microalga Euglena gracilis and its derivative beta-glucan polymer (paramylon), ethanolic extract from Phaeodactylum tricornutum and oleoresin rich in astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis. One of the key scientific requirements for the safety assessment of these products is the characterisation of the microalga strain, including its unambiguous taxonomic identification at species level and pathogenicity. The “Qualified Presumption of Safety” (QPS) status of the microalgae also plays a significant role in determining the safety assessment approach to be applied. Other relevant requirements comprise a thorough chemical characterisation (e.g., biotoxins, undesirable substances, heavy metals) together with microbiological and nutritional characterisation of the product, description of the manufacturing process and a toxicological and allergenicity assessment. By illustrating examples of NF that consist of, are isolated from or are produced by microalgae we highlight the main requirements needed for their safety assessment alongside the challenges encountered. Taking into account the continuous evolution of the microalga sector leading to innovative products, we also extend these requirements to the safety assessment of microalgal proteins, considering potential future mandates to assess algae-derived proteins as NFs by EFSA.publishedVersio

Novel foods in the European Union: Scientific requirements and challenges of the risk assessment process by the European Food Safety Authority

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has been involved in the risk assessment of novel foods since 2003. The implementation of the current novel food regulation in 2018 rendered EFSA the sole entity of the European Union responsible for such safety evaluations. The risk assessment is based on the data submitted by applicants in line with the scientific requirements described in the respective EFSA guidance document. The present work aims to elaborate on the rationale behind the scientific questions raised during the risk assessment of novel foods, with a focus on complex mixtures and whole foods. Novel foods received by EFSA in 2003–2019 were screened and clustered by nature and complexity. The requests for additional or supplementary information raised by EFSA during all risk assessments were analyzed for identifying reoccurring issues. In brief, it is shown that applications concern mainly novel foods derived from plants, microorganisms, fungi, algae, and animals. A plethora of requests relates to the production process, the compositional characterization of the novel food, and the evaluation of the product's toxicological profile. Recurring issues related to specific novel food categories were noted. The heterogeneous nature and the variable complexity of novel foods emphasize the challenge to tailor aspects of the evaluation approach to the characteristics of each individual product. Importantly, the scientific requirements for novel food applications set by EFSA are interrelated, and only a rigorous and cross-cutting approach adopted by the applicants when preparing the respective application dossiers can lead to scientifically sound dossiers. This is the first time that an in-depth analysis of the experience gained by EFSA in the risk assessment of novel foods and of the reasoning behind the most frequent scientific requests by EFSA to applicants is made