The phenomenology of lucid dreaming: An online survey.

In lucid dreams the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming. Although such dreams are not that uncommon, many aspects of lucid dream phenomenology are still unclear. An online survey was conducted to gather data about lucid dream origination, duration, active or passive participation in the dream, planned actions for lucid dreams, and other phenomenological aspects. Among the 684 respondents who filled out the questionnaire, there were 571 lucid dreamers (83.5%). According to their reports, lucid dreams most often originate spontaneously in adolescence. The average lucid dream duration is about 14 minutes. Lucid dreamers are likely to be active in their lucid dreams and plan to accomplish different actions (e.g., flying, talking with dream characters, or having sex), yet they are not always able to remember or successfully execute their intentions (most often because of awakening or hindrances in the dream environment). The frequency of lucid dream experience was the strongest predictor of lucid dream phenomenology, but some differences were also observed in relation to age, gender, or whether the person is a natural or self-trained lucid dreamer. The findings are discussed in light of lucid dream research, and suggestions for future studies are provided.

Temperature reconstruction from 10 to 120 kyr b2k from the NGRIP ice core

In order to reconstruct the temperature of the North Greenland Ice Core Project (NGRIP) site, new measurements of δ15N have been performed covering the time period from the beginning of the Holocene to Dansgaard–Oeschger (DO) event 8. Together with previously measured and mostly published δ15N data, we present for the first time a NGRIP temperature reconstruction for the whole last glacial period from 10 to 120 kyr b2k (thousand years before 2000 AD) including every DO event based on δ15N isotope measurements combined with a firn densification and heat diffusion model. The detected temperature rises at the onset of DO events range from 5 °C (DO 25) up to 16.5 °C (DO 11) with an uncertainty of ±3 °C. To bring measured and modelled data into agreement, we had to reduce the accumulation rate given by the NGRIP ss09sea06bm timescale in some periods by 30 to 35%, especially during the last glacial maximum. A comparison between reconstructed temperature and δ18Oice data confirms that the isotopic composition of the stadial was strongly influenced by seasonality. We evidence an anticorrelation between the variations of the δ18Oice sensitivity to temperature (referred to as α) and obliquity in agreement with a simple Rayleigh distillation model. Finally, we suggest that α might be influenced by the Northern Hemisphere ice sheet volume.

210Pb dating of the Miaoergou ice core from the eastern Tien Shan, China

In 2005, two ice cores with lengths of 58.7 and 57.6 m respectively to bedrock were recovered from the Miaoergou flat-topped glacier (43 degrees 03 ' 19 '' N, 94 degrees 19 ' 21 '' E; 4512 m a.s.l.), eastern Tien Shan. Pb-210 dating of one of the ice cores (57.6 m) was performed, and an age of AD 1851 +/- 6 at a depth of 35.2 m w.e. was determined. For the period AD 1851-2005, a mean annual net accumulation of 229 +/- 7 mm w.e. a(-1) was calculated. At the nearby oasis city of Hami (similar to 80 km from the Miaoergou flat-topped glacier) the annual precipitation rate is 38 mm w.e. a(-1), hence glacial meltwater is a major water supply for local residents. The surface activity concentration of Pb-210(ex) was found to be similar to 400 mBq kg(-1), which is higher than observed at other continental sites such as Belukha, Russia, and Tsambagarav, Mongolia, which have surface activity concentrations of 280 mBq kg(-1). The Pb-210 dating agrees well with the chronological sequence deduced from the annual-layer counting resulting from the seasonalities of delta O-18 and trace metals for the period AD 1953-2005, and beta-activity horizons resulting from atmospheric nuclear testing during the period AD 1962-63. We conclude that Pb-210 analysis is a suitable method for obtaining a continuous dating of the Miaoergou ice core for similar to 160 years, which can also be applied to other ice cores recovered from the mountains of western China.

Plant diversity effects on the water balance of an experimental grassland

In the literature, contrasting effects of plant species richness on the soil water balance are reported. Our objective was to assess the effects of plant species and functional richness and functional identity on soil water contents and water fluxes in the experimental grassland of the Jena Experiment. The Jena Experiment comprises 86 plots on which plant species richness (0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, and 60) and functional group composition (zero to four functional groups: legumes, grasses, tall herbs, and small herbs) were manipulated in a factorial design. We recorded meteorological data and soil water contents of the 0·0–0·3 and 0·3–0·7 m soil layers and calculated actual evapotranspiration (ETa), downward flux (DF), and capillary rise with a soil water balance model for the period 2003–2007. Missing water contents were estimated with a Bayesian hierarchical model. Species richness decreased water contents in subsoil during wet soil conditions. Presence of tall herbs increased soil water contents in topsoil during dry conditions and decreased soil water contents in subsoil during wet conditions. Presence of grasses generally decreased water contents in topsoil, particularly during dry phases; increased ETa and decreased DF from topsoil; and decreased ETa from subsoil. Presence of legumes, in contrast, decreased ETa and increased DF from topsoil and increased ETa from subsoil. Species richness probably resulted in complementary water use. Specific functional groups likely affected the water balance via specific root traits (e.g. shallow dense roots of grasses and deep taproots of tall herbs) or specific shading intensity caused by functional group effects on vegetation cover. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Vom Kommentieren

In Germanistic philological editing, theoretical discussion on the commentary assumes traditionally a secondary role compared to the manifold contributions on other subjects of textual philology. Already in 1924, Georg Witkowski admonished to enhance scholarly debates on the commentary, and the claim has since been repeated several times. This paper reflects current discussions in the context of contemporary annotation practice, wishing to trigger new considerations of how the intellectual genesis of text and the contexts of literary works can be adequately illustrated in the commentaries.

Geschichte, Ziele und Perspektiven der "Historisch-kritischen Gesamtausgabe" der Werke und Briefe von Jeremias Gotthelf.

In diesem Beitrag wird die editorische und politische Vorgeschichte der HKG nachgezeichnet.

Zur Bedeutung soziokulturell geprägter Wertvorstellungen für die Sportpartizipation Jugendlicher und junger Erwachsener - eine explorative Untersuchung anhand des Habitus-Ansatzes

Einführung: In der Schweiz bestehen zwischen den verschieden Sprachregionen Unterschiede in der Sportpartizipation (Lamprecht, Fischer, & Stamm, 2014). In der italienisch- und französischsprachigen Schweiz wird weniger häufig Sport getrieben als in der Deutschschweiz. Diese sprachregionalen Unterschiede im Sportverhalten sind mit denjenigen der europäischen Nachbarländer vergleichbar. In den nordischen und westlichen Ländern wurde im Vergleich zu den östlichen und südlichen Ländern in Europa wiederholt eine höhere Sportpartizipationsrate aufgezeigt (European Commission, 2014). Zur Erklärung werden insbesondere soziokulturelle Faktoren als begünstigende oder behindernde Einflussfaktoren für den Zugang zum Sport diskutiert. Theoretischer Ansatz: Zur Erklärung des Sportverhaltens wird der praxeologische Ansatz des Habitus (Bourdieu, 1976) verwendet. Das theoretische Konzept des Habitus stellt ein historisch und kulturell variierendes Konstrukt dar, welches eine dynamische Vermittlerrolle zwischen der gesellschaftlichen Struktur- und der subjektiven Handlungsebene einnimmt. Der Habitus erfasst ein dauerhaftes Ensemble von Denk-, Wahrnehmungs- und Handlungsschemata, die gesellschaftlich bedingt sind und die individuellen Handlungen sowie die (Sport-)Praxis beeinflusst. Mit diesem kulturtheoretischen Ansatz von Bourdieu sollen die individuellen Wert- und Deutungsmuster bezüglich Sport und Bewegung, Körper, Gesundheit sowie Freizeit erfasst werden. Methodisches Vorgehen: Um die bewegungs- und körperbezogenen Deutungsstrukturen im Sinne von sportbezogenen Wertvorstellungen, Denk- und Wahrnehmungsschemata im Kontext sportlichen Handelns zu untersuchen, werden in der Deutsch- und Westschweiz wohnhafte sportlich aktive sowie inaktive Jugendliche und junge Erwachsene im Alter von 16 bis 24 Jahren mittels eines halbstrukturierten Interviews zu ihrer eigenen Sportpraxis sowie ihrer persönlichen Einstellung zu Sport, Bewegung, Körper, Gesundheit und Freizeit befragt. Zur Auswertung wird eine rekonstruktive Sozialforschungsmethode, diejenige der dokumentarischen Methode (Bohnsack, 2013) angewendet, da diese auf die Rekonstruktion von Habitusformen abzielt. Ergebnisse und Diskussion: Es können verschiedene sportbezogene Wertvorstellungen, Denk- und Wahrnehmungsschemata aufgezeigt werden, die mit der habituellen Sportpraxis zusammenhängen z.B. der Stellenwert des Sports d.h. inwiefern Sport als Bestandteil des Lebens oder als Teil der eigenen (körperlichen) Identität wahrgenommen wird. Zudem ist das Ziel der dokumentarischen Analyse aufgrund der bewegungs- und körperbezogenen Deutungsstrukturen unterschiedliche Habitustypen im Kontext des Sports aufzuzeigen. Soziokulturell geprägte Wertvorstellungen könnten einen Beitrag zur Erklärung der unterschiedlichen Sportpartizipationsraten in den verschiedenen Sprachregionen der Schweiz leisten. Da es sich um eine explorative Studie handelt, sind zur Verallgemeinerung der Befunde weitere Studien notwendig. References: Bohnsack, R. (Hrsg.). (2013). Die dokumentarische Methode und ihre Forschungspraxis: Grundlagen qualitativer Sozialforschung (3., aktual. Aufl.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS. Bourdieu, P. (1976). La distinction: Critique sociale du jugement. Le sens commun. Paris: Les Éditions de Minuit. European Commission. (2014). Sport and physical activity: Report. Special Eurobarometer: Vol. 412. Brussels: European Commission. Lamprecht, M., Fischer, A., & Stamm, H. (2014). Sport Schweiz 2014. Magglingen: Bundesamt für Sport BASPO.

The Personal Foundations of Political Tolerance towards Immigrants

In this paper, we expand previous research on the psychological foundations of attitudes towards immigrants by evaluating the role of the Big Five personality traits with regard to the formation of political tolerance. Following the literature, we elaborate tolerance as a sequential concept of rejection and acceptance to uncover differentiating effects of personality on both immigrant-specific prejudices as well as on the assignment of the right to vote as a pivotal political privilege to this group. Using a representative sample of the Swiss population, with its distinctive history related to the immigration issue, our two-step Heckman selection models reveal that extroverts and people who score low in agreeableness exhibit negative attitudes towards immigrants. At the same time, only openness to experience is significantly connected to the likeliness of granting immigrants the right to vote.

“50+L2”: una formula utile dopo il pensionamento?

In diesem Artikel möchten wir anhand eigener Untersuchungen und der Präsentation bereits vorhandener Studien einerseits einen Einblick in die Welt der 50+ Sprachkurse geben und andererseits mögliche Lösungen für eine an das Zielpublikum angepasste Didaktik vorstellen. Bei den erforschten Sprachkursen handelt es sich um drei unterschiedliche Kurstypen mit den dazugehörigen Kursteilnehmertypologien. Das erste Forschungsfeld umfasst Sprachkurse, die von der Berner Volkshochschule angeboten und teilweise von Personen im Alter von 50 und älter besucht werden. Zum zweiten Kurstyp gehören solche Kurse, die im Ausland besucht werden. Im vorliegenden Fall ein Italienischkurs in Sizilien mit einem expliziten Freizeitprogramm für Personen ab 50. Das dritte Untersuchungsfeld betrifft einen etwas anderen Typ von Kursteilnehmern, da es sich um einen Deutschkurs für pensionierte italienische MigrantInnen in Bern handelt. Die abschliessenden Vorschläge für eine an die älteren Kursteilnehmer angepasste Didaktik sollen dabei nicht als allgemeingültige Rezepte betrachtet werden, sondern als erste Anregungspunkte.

The development of self-esteem

In this article, we review new insights gained from recent longitudinal studies examining the development of self-esteem and its influence on important life outcomes. The evidence supports the following three conclusions. First, self-esteem increases from adolescence to middle adulthood, peaks at about age 50 to 60 years, and then decreases at an accelerating pace into old age; moreover, there are no cohort differences in the self-esteem trajectory from adolescence to old age. Second, self-esteem is a relatively stable, but by no means immutable, trait; individuals with relatively high (or low) self-esteem at one stage of life are likely to have relatively high (or low) self-esteem decades later. Third, high self-esteem prospectively predicts success and well-being in life domains such as relationships, work, and health. Given the increasing evidence that self-esteem has important real-world consequences, the topic of self-esteem development is of considerable societal significance.

Elucidation of Nucleic Acid–Drug Interactions by Tandem Mass Spectrometry

In continuation of the long tradition of mass spectrometric research at the University of Bern, our group focuses on the characterization of nucleic acids as therapeutic agents and as drug targets. This article provides a short overview of our recent work on platinated single-stranded and higher-order nucleic acids. Nearly three decades ago the development of soft ionization techniques opened a whole new chapter in the mass spectrometric analysis of not only nucleic acids themselves, but also their interactions with potential drug candidates. In contrast to modern next generation sequencing approaches, though, the goal of the tandem mass spectrometric investigation of nucleic acids is by no means the complete sequencing of genetic DNA, but rather the characterization of short therapeutic and regulatory oligonucleotides and the elucidation of nucleic acid–drug interactions. The influence of cisplatin binding on the gas-phase dissociation of nucleic acids was studied by the means of electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Experiments on native and modified DNA and RNA oligomers confirmed guanine base pairs as the preferred platination site and laid the basis for the formulation of a gas-phase fragmentation mechanism of platinated oligonucleotides. The study was extended to double stranded DNA and DNA quadruplexes. While duplexes are believed to be the main target of cisplatin in vivo, the recently discovered DNA quadruplexes constitute another promising target for anti-tumor drugs owing to their regulatory functions in the cell cycle.

Monte Carlo modeling of polarized light propagation: Stokes vs Jones - Part II

In this second part of our comparative study inspecting the (dis)similarities between “Stokes” and “Jones,” we present simulation results yielded by two independent Monte Carlo programs: (i) one developed in Bern with the Jones formalism and (ii) the other implemented in Ulm with the Stokes notation. The simulated polarimetric experiments involve suspensions of polystyrene spheres with varying size. Reflection and refraction at the sample/air interfaces are also considered. Both programs yield identical results when propagating pure polarization states, yet, with unpolarized illumination, second order statistical differences appear, thereby highlighting the pre-averaged nature of the Stokes parameters. This study serves as a validation for both programs and clarifies the misleading belief according to which “Jones cannot treat depolarizing effects.”

Optical Tolerance Analysis of the Multi-Beam Limb Viewing Instrument STEAMR

In this paper, we report on an optical tolerance analysis of the submillimeter atmospheric multi-beam limb sounder, STEAMR. Physical optics and ray-tracing methods were used to quantify and separate errors in beam pointing and distortion due to reflector misalignment and primary reflector surface deformations. Simulations were performed concurrently with the manufacturing of a multi-beam demonstrator of the relay optical system which shapes and images the beams to their corresponding receiver feed horns. Results from Monte Carlo simulations show that the inserts used for reflector mounting should be positioned with an overall accuracy better than 100 μm (~ 1/10 wavelength). Analyses of primary reflector surface deformations show that a deviation of magnitude 100 μm can be tolerable before deployment, whereas the corresponding variations should be less than 30 μm during operation. The most sensitive optical elements in terms of misalignments are found near the focal plane. This localized sensitivity is attributed to the off-axis nature of the beams at this location. Post-assembly mechanical measurements of the reflectors in the demonstrator show that alignment better than 50 μm could be obtained.

Assessing the function of the fronto-parietal attention network: Insights from resting-state fMRI and the attentional network test

In the recent past, various intrinsic connectivity networks (ICN) have been identified in the resting brain. It has been hypothesized that the fronto-parietal ICN is involved in attentional processes. Evidence for this claim stems from task-related activation studies that show a joint activation of the implicated brain regions during tasks that require sustained attention. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to demonstrate that functional connectivity within the fronto-parietal network at rest directly relates to attention. We applied graph theory to functional connectivity data from multiple regions of interest and tested for associations with behavioral measures of attention as provided by the attentional network test (ANT), which we acquired in a separate session outside the MRI environment. We found robust statistical associations with centrality measures of global and local connectivity of nodes within the network with the alerting and executive control subfunctions of attention. The results provide further evidence for the functional significance of ICN and the hypothesized role of the fronto-parietal attention network. Hum Brain Mapp , 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Logical Descriptor for Regular Languages via Stone Duality

In this paper we introduce a class of descriptors for regular languages arising from an application of the Stone duality between finite Boolean algebras and finite sets. These descriptors, called classical fortresses, are object specified in classical propositional logic and capable to accept exactly regular languages. To prove this, we show that the languages accepted by classical fortresses and deterministic finite automata coincide. Classical fortresses, besides being propositional descriptors for regular languages, also turn out to be an efficient tool for providing alternative and intuitive proofs for the closure properties of regular languages.