Quantitative measurement of combustion gases in harsh environments using NDIR spectroscopy

The global climate change calls for a more environmental friendly use of energy and has led to stricter limits and regulations for the emissions of various greenhouse gases. Consequently, there is nowadays an increasing need for the detection of exhaust and natural gases. This need leads to an ever-growing market for gas sensors, which, at the moment, is dominated by chemical sensors. Yet, the increasing demands to also measure under harsh environmental conditions pave the way for non-invasive measurements and thus to optical detection techniques. Here, we present the development of a non-dispersive infrared absorption spectroscopy (NDIR) method for application to optical detection systems operating under harsh environments.Comment: 10 pages, 8 figure

Die Aktien-GmbH: Eine Idee zum Wettbewerb institutioneller Strukturen

Es gibt in Deutschland im internationalen Vergleich zu wenig börsennotierte Aktiengesellschaften. Der deutsche Aktienmarkt ist unterentwickelt. Der Mittelstand steht einer Börsennotierung grundsätzlich aufgeschlossen gegenüber, wenngleich er die hohen Transparenzanforderungen des Kapitalmarktrechts fürchtet. Mittelständischen Gesellschaften fehlt Eigenkapital. Sie sind deshalb besonders insolvenzanfällig. Ein Börsennotierung könnte helfen, diese Probleme zu vermindern. Demgegenüber beteiligen sich deutsche Anleger nur äußerst zurückhaltend an börsennotierten Unternehmen, lediglich 5 % der Deutschen haben überhaupt noch Aktien.Vor diesem tatsächlichen Hintergrund findet auf dem 67. Deutschen Juristentag in der wirtschaftsrechtlichen Abteilung eine Diskussion darüber statt, ob sich besondere Regeln für börsennotierte und geschlossene Gesellschaften anbieten. Zur Debatte steht in erster Linie das strenge Korsett der sog. Satzungsstrenge, nach dem die Satzungen deutscher Aktiengesellschaften nur marginal von den aktienrechtlichen Vorgaben abweichen dürfen. Der Gutachter Bayer empfiehlt insoweit nur vorsichtige Reformen, die auf etwas mehr Gestaltungsfreiheit für geschlossene, d.h. nicht börsennotierte Aktiengesellschaften abzielen.Demgegenüber legt die tatsächliche Ausgangslage deutlich weitergehende Reformen im Gesellschaftsrecht nahe. Die Funktionsfähigkeit des aktienrechtlichen Prinzips der Satzungsstrenge ist ungeklärt. Angesichts der Lage auf dem Kapitalmarkt spricht alles dafür, dass das Standardprodukt Aktiengesellschaft nicht in ausreichender Weise das für Kapitalmärkte unabdingbare Investorvertrauen schafft.Deshalb wird im nachfolgenden Artikel der rechtspolitische Vorschlag einer neuen Rechtsform, der sog. Aktien-GmbH vorgestellt und begründet. Es handelt sich rechtstechnisch um eine GmbH, deren Anteile jedoch an der Börse gehandelt werden. In der Sache läuft das auf die Einführung einer der us-amerikanischen corporation sehr ähnlichen dritten Kapitalgesellschaftsform hinaus. Rechtstechnisch stellte das keine besonderen Probleme. Durch die Aktien-GmbH könnte im Wege des "Wettbewerbs der Institutionen" geklärt werden, inwieweit Beschränkungen der Privatautonomie bei Abschluss von Gesellschaftsverträgen börsennotierter Gesellschaften sinnvoll sind. Auch für diese neue Rechtsform, die neben die Aktiengesellschaft träte, müsste es allerdings gewisse Einschränkungen der Satzungsfreiheit geben. Die Beschränkungen wären aber demjenigen zu überantworten, der das größte Interesse an der Funktionsfähigkeit der neuen Rechtsform hat, nämlich der Börse. Diese verdient über listing fees an jeder börsennotierten Gesellschaft und könnte und würde daher etwa durch Regeln in den Börsenordnungen (listing rules) dafür sorgen, dass, dass die neue Gestaltungsfreiheit nicht missbraucht wird und die Anleger das für funktionierende Wertpapiermärkte notwendige Investorvertrauen aufbauen könnten. Dafür wäre insbesondere eine umfassende Regulierung der Geschäfte mit nahestehenden Personen, der sog. related party transactions, erforderlich. Weder übermäßige Beschränkungen der Satzungsautonomie noch zu große Freiräume für missbräuchliche Gestaltungen sind zu erwarten, da die Börse es sich nicht leisten könnte, Unternehmen einerseits oder Anleger andererseits zu verprellen. Denn sonst schmälerte sie ihre eigenen Verdienstmöglichkeiten.Aktien-GmbH, Kapitalmarkt, Gesellschaftsformen,

Bunker Cave stalagmites: an archive for central European Holocene climate variability

Holocene climate was characterised by variability on multi-centennial to multi-decadal time scales. In central Europe, these fluctuations were most pronounced during winter. Here we present a record of past winter climate variability for the last 10.8 ka based on four speleothems from Bunker Cave, western Germany. Due to its central European location, the cave site is particularly well suited to record changes in precipitation and temperature in response to changes in the North Atlantic realm. We present high-resolution records of δ18O, δ13C values and Mg/Ca ratios. Changes in the Mg/Ca ratio are attributed to past meteoric precipitation variability. The stable C isotope composition of the speleothems most likely reflects changes in vegetation and precipitation, and variations in the δ18O signal are interpreted as variations in meteoric precipitation and temperature. We found cold and dry periods between 8 and 7 ka, 6.5 and 5.5 ka, 4 and 3 ka as well as between 0.7 and 0.2 ka. The proxy signals in the Bunker Cave stalagmites compare well with other isotope records and, thus, seem representative for central European Holocene climate variability. The prominent 8.2 ka event and the Little Ice Age cold events are both recorded in the Bunker Cave record. However, these events show a contrasting relationship between climate and δ18O, which is explained by different causes underlying the two climate anomalies. Whereas the Little Ice Age is attributed to a pronounced negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation, the 8.2 ka event was triggered by cooler conditions in the North Atlantic due to a slowdown of the thermohaline circulation

Easy Use Recyclable Functional Cloths for On-Site Water Decontamination in ODA Countries and Humanitarian Crises

Plasma functionalisation techniques have been utilised to prepare cloths, bearing functional groups designed for water purification. Chapter 2 provides a detailed description of the experimental procedures performed, in terms of cloth preparation, characterisation and performance. Chapter 3 outlines the fabrication of the first of these cloths – a calixarene-based filter, synthesised by depositing pulsed plasma poly(4-vinylbenzyl chloride, 4-VBC) onto a polyurethane cloth, which acts as a linker layer, binding a calixarene to the surface of the cloth. The performance of this cloth towards the removal of aromatic azo dyes was investigated, with particular efficacy towards anionic dyes demonstrated. The second fabricated cloth, presented in Chapter 4, was also designed such that a calixarene was bound to the surface of a polyurethane cloth. In this case, chloroform plasma was used to functionalise the cloth with chloride groups, which could then be used to bind the calixarene to the filter. In this case, the filter was used to extract Cr(VI) oxyanions from solutions. The use of chloroform to treat the cloths is demonstrated to be a viable alternative to the more cumbersome and harmful pulsed plasma poly(4-VBC) deposition method utilised by Bieber et al. The final cloth, presented in Chapter 5, was fabricated by depositing pulsed plasma poly(2-cyanoethyl acrylate) onto a polyurethane cloth. The cloth was then reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride, which converts the cyano groups to amidoximes. Amidoximes are well known to extract uranium from solution, and so its performance towards uranium filtration was demonstrated

Moving Discussion Off the Discussion Boards: A Method for Enhancing Student Engagement

The instructor of the online, asynchronous managerial public health course recognized that skill development occurs better in real-time. Discussion board assignments were replaced with groups of students working through structured prompts in recorded Zoom meetings. Remote learners’ needs were met while they practiced course concepts

Patient Engagement in Patient Portals in Appalachia v. Surrounding U.S. Census Regions: An Analysis of HINTS (Health Information National Trends Survey) Data, 2017–2020

Introduction: Those living in the Appalachian Region face a greater number of significant health disparities than residents of other areas of the U.S. Patient portals can decrease disparities, increase health literacy, and improve health outcomes. Purpose: This study explores if those living in the Appalachian Region are offered access to and use their patient portals differently than those in the surrounding U.S. Census regions. Additionally, the study aims to determine if there was a difference in reported reasons for the non-use of patient portals. Methods: A secondary analysis was completed using data from the National Cancer Institute\u27s Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) (2017–2020), a nationally representative survey. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used to determine differences in patient portal use between regions. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the Appalachian and surrounding U.S. Census regions in being offered access to patient portals. However, there was a statistically significant difference (non-weighted) between regions in the use of patient portals. Common reasons for the non-use of patient portals were a preference to speak directly to the provider and the lack of perceived need to use the portal. Implications: Providers in the Appalachian Region should be aware of the non-use of patient portals. Moreover, understanding the reported reasons for non-use may help providers tailor educational materials to increase patient portal use

Sachbericht zum Verwendungsnachweis, Teil II: Abschlussbericht

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Data Acquisition and Waveform Manipulation System

Author Institution: Sandia National LaboratoriesSlides presented at the 2014 Photonic Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) Workshop Hosted by National Security Technologies, LLC, and the University of Nevada Las Vegas, June 24-26, 2014, Las Vegas, Nevada

Probing a Complex of Cytochromecand Cardiolipin by Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy: Implications for the Initial Events in Apoptosis

Oxidation of cardiolipin (CL) by its complex with cytochrome c (cyt c) plays a crucial role in triggering apoptosis. Through a combination of magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy and potentiometric titrations, we show that both the ferric and ferrous forms of the heme group of a CL:cyt c complex exist as multiple conformers at a physiologically relevant pH of 7.4. For the ferric state, these conformers are His/Lys- and His/OH–-ligated. The ferrous state is predominantly high-spin and, most likely, His/–. Interconversion of the ferric and ferrous conformers is described by a single midpoint potential of -80 ± 9 mV vs SHE. These results suggest that CL oxidation in mitochondria could occur by the reaction of molecular oxygen with the ferrous CL:cyt c complex in addition to the well-described reaction of peroxides with the ferric form