Thermodynamic fluctuation theorems govern human sensorimotor learning.

The application of thermodynamic reasoning in the study of learning systems has a long tradition. Recently, new tools relating perfect thermodynamic adaptation to the adaptation process have been developed. These results, known as fluctuation theorems, have been tested experimentally in several physical scenarios and, moreover, they have been shown to be valid under broad mathematical conditions. Hence, although not experimentally challenged yet, they are presumed to apply to learning systems as well. Here we address this challenge by testing the applicability of fluctuation theorems in learning systems, more specifically, in human sensorimotor learning. In particular, we relate adaptive movement trajectories in a changing visuomotor rotation task to fully adapted steady-state behavior of individual participants. We find that human adaptive behavior in our task is generally consistent with fluctuation theorem predictions and discuss the merits and limitations of the approach.

The gibberellic-acid insensitive dwarfing gene sdw3 of barley is located on chromosome 2HS in a region that shows high colinearity with rice chromosome 7L.

In this study, comparative high resolution genetic mapping of the GA-insensitive dwarfing gene sdw3 of barley revealed highly conserved macrosynteny of the target region on barley chromosome 2HS with rice chromosome 7L. A rice contig covering the sdw3-orthologous region was identified and subsequently exploited for marker saturation of the target interval in barley. This was achieved by (1) mapping of rice markers from the orthologous region of the rice genetic map, (2) mapping of rice ESTs that had been physically localized on the rice contig, or (3) mapping of barley ESTs that show strong sequence similarity to coding sequences present in the rice contig. Finally, the sdw3 gene was mapped to an interval of 0.55 cM in barley, corresponding to a physical distance of about 252 kb in rice, after employing orthologous EST-derived rice markers. Three putative ORFs were identified in this interval in rice, which exhibited significant sequence similarity to known signal regulator genes from different species. These ORFs can serve as starting points for the map-based isolation of the sdw3 gene from barley.

Exclusive photoproduction of hard dijets and magnetic susceptibility of the QCD vacuum.

We argue that coherent production of hard dijets by linearly polarized real photons can provide direct evidence for chirality violation in hard processes, the first measurement of the magnetic susceptibility of the quark condensate and the photon distribution amplitude. It can also serve as a sensitive probe of the generalized gluon parton distribution. Numerical calculations are presented for HERA kinematics.

[Quality of life and well-being in a housing project in Berlin--experiences gained in cooperation between a community health promotion office and a university-based public health project]. / Lebensqualität und Wohlbefinden in einer Berliner Grosssiedlung--Erfahrungen aus der Kooperation zwischen einer kommunalen Gesundheitsförderungsbehörde und einem Public Health-Projekt.

The realization of a community-based health promotion within the framework of a cooperation between a public health office and a university-based PH project is described and discussed. First of all, the project, the cooperating partners and the common aims are described. We will then deal with telephone survey as the method used, and present the results. In a third step the methods and results of the "future workshops" are discussed. Finally there is a critical reflection on the course of the project, the limiting factors of the actions and consideration of further developments. The project dealt with was a cooperation of a community public health agency (Plan- und Leitstelle) in the district of Berlin-Wilmersdorf and the research project A8 "Cooperative project development for communal health promotion" of the Berlin Centre for Public Health at the Technical University Berlin. Starting point was the agreement for those politically responsible of the district that the living quarter "Schlangenbader Strasse" was a focus of social problems. The quarter had been built in 1980 above a highway with 1800 apartments for 4000 people. Health promotion was defined as a concern of a wide range of sectors within the community. Mutual rights and responsibilities of the cooperating partners were laid down in a contract. The Plan- und Leitstelle tried to gain experience with the definition of health promotion the university partners stood for. This introduces a notion of health beyond bio-medical understanding and deals with the connection of quality of life, well-being and the environment in the residential area. Thus health- or sickness-related variables were not specifically asked for. One result is that actors within the given framework are reluctant to permit operationalisation of this concept. The telephone survey reached 324 household within 10 working days. 68p.c. of the interviewed were pleased with the comfort of the apartments, 37p.c. enjoyed the peace and quiet and 35p.c. the green around the housing project. Unpleasant were for 51p.c. the dirt, 33p.c. complained about vandalism, 30p.c. about the high rent, especially the extras. Safety improvements were asked for by 17p.c. Some 12p.c. were willing to become involved in bringing about those improvements. This willingness was confirmed by the good response to two future workshops with those living in the quarter.

Release of GPI-anchored membrane aminopeptidase P by enzymes and detergents has some peculiarities.

The enzyme aminopeptidase P (APP) of rat small intestine is an integral membrane protein. It is not released from the membrane by proteinases and is also resistant to bacterial inositol-specific phospholipases C (PI-PLC's). We show that this resistance is due to a hindered accessibility of the bond split by PI-PLC and not to a modified glycosylphosphatidyl inositol (GPI)-anchor.