The A-theoretic Farrell–Jones conjecture for virtually solvable groups

We prove the A -theoretic Farrell–Jones conjecture for virtually solvable groups. As a corollary, we obtain that the conjecture holds for S -arithmetic groups and lattices in almost connected Lie groups

Diagenetic alteration in low-Mg calcite from macrofossils: a review

This is the final version of the article. Available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.The quality of palaeoenvironmental reconstructions based on macrofossil car bon ate critically de pends on preservation of the shell material because post-depositional pro cesses can modify its structural, chemical and isotopic composition, potentially over printing or completely erasing palaeoenvironmental information. A suite of methods can be employed to evaluate the impact of diagenetic processes on the primary geochemical signatures of samples. Here we review the benefits and short comings of the most commonly employed optical (optical microscopy, cathodoluminescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy) and chemical (trace element abundances, isotopic ratios) screening techniques used to assess the alteration degree of low-Mg calcite macrofossils and summarize the findings on diagenetic trends observed for elemental and isotopic systems in such materials. For a robust evaluation of the preservation state of biogenic calcite, it is advisable to combine a set of complementary techniques. Absolute limiting values of element and isotope ratios for discarding diagenetically altered materials cannot be universally applied, but should rather be evaluated on a case to case basis. The evaluation can be improved by analyses of diagenetic carbonate and altered fossil materials, which help constraining the diagenetic trajectories in the sampled specimens. Quantification of post-depositional alteration is possible, but in most cases the complexity of diagenetic systems hampers the possibility of retrieving original proxy values for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions from partially altered materials

Der Einfluss des ökologischen Landbaus auf das Raumnutzungsverhalten von Feldhasen (Lepus europaeus)

Agricultural intensification (AI) negatively affects biodiversity due to e.g. high-input farming. Organic farming can counteract this negative trend. Here, we studied movement behavior of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus), which frequently occurs in agricultural landscapes but also suffers from AI with declining population densities. We measured home range sizes in relation to local field management (organic vs. conventional farming) in Upper Bavarian, Germany. Results showed that home ranges sizes decreased with increasing amount of organically managed area, while there was no relationship between conventional farmed area and hares’ movement behavior. Higher resource availability in organic fields decrease home range sizes and may therefore positively influences individual fitness and possibly boosts hare densities

Tectonic forcing of Early to Middle Jurassic seawater Sr/Ca

types: ArticleThis is the author formatted version of Ullman et al. (2013) Geology 41(12), 1211-1214. doi:10.1130/G34817.1 http://geology.gsapubs.org/content/41/12/1211.full Uploaded under the terms of Green Open Access in GSA's Open Access PolicyThe Jurassic Period (ca. 201–145 Ma) is marked by fundamental reorganizations of paleogeography, paleoceanography, ecosystems, and the progressive shift from aragonite to calcite as the favored marine biogenic carbonate polymorph. Sr/Ca ratios of well-preserved Jurassic oysters and belemnites from sections in the UK and Poland demonstrate that the Sr/Ca ratio of seawater varied systematically throughout the Early and Middle Jurassic in parallel with already documented seawater 87Sr/86Sr. The Sr flux from increased mid-ocean ridge activity in the Early Jurassic outbalanced the input of riverine Sr, leading to gradually lower seawater 87Sr/86Sr associated with the parallel and strong decrease in seawater Sr/Ca ratios. This downward trend was reversed by enhanced continental input in the Toarcian and Aalenian, but resumed in the Bajocian and continued to the Callovian. Parallel changes of seawater 87Sr/86Sr and Sr/Ca suggest a common cause for these long-term variations and are best explained by changes in the balance of continental weathering and hydrothermal fluxes. These findings underline the strong control of global tectonic processes on the evolution of biomineralization and downplay the role of biomineral evolution in influencing strontium chemistry of seawater in the mid-Mesozoi

Oxygen and carbon isotope and Sr/Ca signatures of high-latitude Permian to Jurassic calcite fossils from New Zealand and New Caledonia

Article available online 12 November 2015This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Calcite fossils from New Zealand and New Caledonia provide insight into the Permian to Jurassic climatic history of Southern High Latitudes (southern HL) and Triassic Southern Intermediate Latitudes (southern IL). These results permit comparison with widely studied, coeval sections in Low Latitudes (LL) and IL. Oxygen isotope ratios of well-preserved shell materials indicate a partially pronounced Sea Surface Temperature (SST) gradient in the Permian, whereas for the Triassic no indication of cold climates in the southern HL is found. The Late Jurassic of New Zealand is characterized by a slight warming in the Oxfordian–Kimmeridgian and a subsequent cooling trend in the Tithonian. Systematic variations in the δ13C values of southern HL samples are in concert with those from LL sections and confirm the global nature of the carbon isotope signature and changes in the long-term carbon cycle reported earlier. Systematic changes of Sr/Ca ratios in Late Triassic brachiopods, falling from 1.19 mmol/mol in the Oretian (early Norian) to 0.67 mmol/mol in the Warepan (late Norian) and subsequently increasing to 1.10 mmol/mol in the Otapirian (~ Rhaetian), are observed. Also Sr/Ca ratios of Late Jurassic belemnite genera Belemnopsis and Hibolithes show synchronous changes in composition that may be attributed to secular variations in the seawater Sr/Ca ratio. For the two belemnite genera an increase from 1.17 mmol/mol in the Middle Heterian (~ Oxfordian) to 1.78 mmol/mol in the Mangaoran (~ late Middle Tithonian) and a subsequent decrease to 1.51 mmol/mol in the Waikatoan (~ Late Tithonian) is documented.This project was funded by the Danish Council for Independent Research– Natural Sciences (project 09-072715), the Carlsberg Foundation (project nr 2011-01-0737) provided for CK, and by the University of Copenhagen (IGN). CVU acknowledges funding from the German National Academy of Sciences – Leopoldina (grant nr LPDS 2014-08

Pattern matching and pattern discovery algorithms for protein topologies

We describe algorithms for pattern matching and pattern learning in TOPS diagrams (formal descriptions of protein topologies). These problems can be reduced to checking for subgraph isomorphism and finding maximal common subgraphs in a restricted class of ordered graphs. We have developed a subgraph isomorphism algorithm for ordered graphs, which performs well on the given set of data. The maximal common subgraph problem then is solved by repeated subgraph extension and checking for isomorphisms. Despite the apparent inefficiency such approach gives an algorithm with time complexity proportional to the number of graphs in the input set and is still practical on the given set of data. As a result we obtain fast methods which can be used for building a database of protein topological motifs, and for the comparison of a given protein of known secondary structure against a motif database

Enhanced characterization of the zebrafish brain as revealed by super-resolution track-density imaging

In this study, we explored the use of super-resolution track-density imaging (TDI) for neuroanatomical characterization of the adult zebrafish brain. We compared the quality of image contrast and resolution obtained with T-2* magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), diffusion tensor-based imaging (DTI), TDI, and histology. The anatomical structures visualized in 5 mu m TDI maps corresponded with histology. Moreover, the super-resolution property and the local-directional information provided by directionally encoded color TDI facilitated delineation of a larger number of brain regions, commissures and small white matter tracks when compared to conventional MRI and DTI. In total, we were able to visualize 17 structures that were previously unidentifiable using MR microimaging, such as the four layers of the optic tectum. This study demonstrates the use of TDI for characterization of the adult zebrafish brain as a pivotal tool for future phenotypic examination of transgenic models of neurological diseases