Universität Potsdam

Situated in the context of advanced placement (AP) reform in the United States, we investigated profiles of teachers’ motivation for participating in professional development (PD) courses in a two-cohort sample of nt1 = 2,369 and nt2 = 2,170 chemistry teachers via multilevel latent class analysis. In addition, the study investigated to what extent profile membership was related to factors at the teacher, school, and PD levels. Participation in PD courses was associated with one of three profiles, labeled “reform-motivated,” “convenience-motivated,” and “interaction-motivated.” Participation in PD courses was more likely to be reform-motivated if a teacher had a major in chemistry, more experience teaching AP, more positive attitudes toward PD, or higher enactment of AP redesign in the classroom, or if the PD course was formal and face-to-face. The results show that teachers have different motivations for participating in PD courses and provide insight into how to engage teachers in professional learning.

Despite a long history of research on democratic backsliding, the process itself − in which the executive branch amasses power and undermines democratic processes and institutions − remains poorly understood. We seek to shed light on the underlying mechanisms by studying democratic near misses: cases in which a period of autocratic governance is quickly reversed or full backsliding is prevented at the last minute. Building on the literature on near misses in sociotechnical systems such as nuclear power plants, we adapt the drift-to-danger model to the study of democratic systems. Two key findings emerge: First, democratic backsliding is often triggered by political elites pushing the boundaries of their power by violating norms, which are crucial yet vulnerable safeguards for democracy. Second, democratic backsliding is unpredictable and non-linear, being driven by the interaction between political elites and the public. Norm-violating elites may feel legitimized by a supportive public that sees norm violations as justified. At the same time, political elites may signal that norm-violating behaviour is acceptable, potentially leading the public to adopt anti-democratic beliefs and behaviours. We identify risk factors that make norm violations more likely and outline behavioural sciences-based interventions to address these violations.

CO adsorbed on NaCl(100) is a model system for surface science showing a rich variety of interesting phenomena. It features several adsorption phases like tilted / antiparallel or perpendicular / upright, very long vibrational lifetimes of the CO internal stretch (IS) mode, anharmonicity-driven vibrational energy pooling, “C-bound” vs. “O-bound” adsorption, and heavy-atom gateway tunneling during CO inversion at low temperatures. Typically, these features and phenomena are experimentally probed by stationary and time-resolved vibrational spectra, exhibiting characteristic differences between the various adsorption modes and phases. To gain atom- and time-resolved insight into vibrational response of CO molecules on NaCl(100), vibrational density of states (VDOS), Infrared (IR) and Vibrational Sum Frequency (VSF) spectra are computed from Velocity Velocity Correlation Functions (VVCFs) by Ab Initio Molecular Dynamics (AIMD) for various coverages, temperatures and phases. In agreement with experiments, we find that increasing CO (“C-bound”) coverages as well as CO inversion lead to redshifts of the CO IS mode. We predict more diffuse spectra at T = 300 K compared to 30 K, reflecting the disorder of adsorbates and monolayer instability at room temperature. Analyzing molecularly decomposed and internal VDOS curves as well as computed non-linear correlation matrices give further insight into the complex molecular dynamics underlying the vibrational spectra, notably for the low-frequency regime where frustrated rotations, translations and intermolecular motions come into play. On a methodological side, we also test and discuss some intricate details of how to compute IR and VSF response using a modified formulation of the VVCF methods [Ohto et al., J. Chem. Phys., 2015, 143, 124702], by including time and angle-dependent dipole and polarizability derivatives as well as intermolecular couplings by cross correlations. Their effect on computed vibrational spectra is studied. These findings provide a detailed, microscopic insight into the picosecond vibrational spectra and dynamics of CO on NaCl(100), highlighting the effects of temperature, coverage, and changes in adsorbate orientation.

Biological invasions are a major threat for many aquatic ecosystems. In contrast to higher plants and animals, microbial invasions are less obvious and more difficult to detect. One of the most prominent microbial invaders is the cyanobacterium Raphidiopsis raciborskii . To better understand the environmental conditions favoring its invasion success, we studied invasion under three different temperature regimes (one constant and two variable) in experimental plankton communities by invader addition experiments. To account for intraspecific variation, we tested four different strains of R. raciborskii and the mixture of them. Invasion success of R. raciborskii was higher under constant temperature conditions than under fluctuations suggesting that the resident species responded faster to the environmental changes than the invaders. We observed a clear strain‐specific effect, demonstrating that strain identity is an important determinant of invasion success. The interaction of temperature fluctuations and strain identity indicates that, among the tested strains, the response to the temperature regimes varied. The mixture of all four strains did not perform better than the best single strain showing no sign of a positive genetic diversity effect. In our experiment, environmental fluctuations did not widen a window of opportunity for the invasion of R. raciborskii .

Human activities induce environmental changes, which can affect individuals' traits thereby leading to changes in functional diversity and finally in ecosystem functioning. Measuring functional diversity is thus of utmost importance to understand the consequences of such activities on ecosystem functioning. Functional diversity is composed of several facets, but these facets are almost always measured individually, and we lack a common metric integrating the multifaceted nature of functional diversity. Consequently, we developed an index K K defined as the geometric mean of four independent facets: functional richness (the classic measure of the coverage of the trait axis), biomass evenness and trait evenness (quantifying how evenly distributed the biomass and traits are among species and within the feasible trait range, respectively) and dispersion (quantifying the spread around the biomass‐weighted mean trait). K K and each of its underlying facet take values between 0 and 1, and they assume the uniform distribution to yield maximal diversity. We compared K K to other, more classic metrics measuring fewer facets of functional diversity by calculating all these indices for randomly and non‐randomly generated communities. We showed that K K overcomes several limitations of other indices (e.g. lack of accuracy, not computable for simple communities, unclear ecological interpretation) and is strongly correlated with ecosystem functions in simulated predator–prey communities. In addition, decomposing K K into its underlying facets revealed that ecosystem functions can be driven by different facets of K K on different trophic levels. The strength of our index K K lies in being the only index that measures accurately the overall functional diversity by combining several facets and providing the option to decompose K K into them. This notably yields mechanistic insights about which facets are more important for driving changes in functional diversity and ecosystem functioning.

With increased pressure from anthropogenic climate change, boreal forests are suspected to be approaching tipping points which could cause large-scale changes in tree cover and affect global climatic feedback. However, evidence for this proposed tipping is sparse and relies heavily on observations on short time scales from remote sensing data and space-for-time substitutions. Here we make use of an extensive pollen data set including 239 records of large lakes to investigate the existence of alternative stable forest cover states in the boreal forest and its adjacent biomes during the last 8000 years. By using a multimodality measure on time series of reconstructed tree cover we find very little multimodality in pollen data. To test whether this lack of multimodality is caused by limitations in the paleo data set we perform surrogate experiments. Surrogate data with alternative stable states based on the paleo vegetation–climate relationship were generated and significant multimodality was found more often than for the pollen-based tree cover (24.7% and 5.3% respectively). The response of tree cover to climate may, therefore, be more gradual and not as abrupt as would be expected from remote sensing analyses on stability. The apparent alternative stability hypothesized in the analyses of climate–vegetation relationships could be due to the strong spatial heterogeneity of environmental factors and vegetation responses as an artifact of space-for-time substitutions. Even though current and upcoming shifts in the boreal forest are indisputable and a reason for strong concern, these changes could happen gradually without going through large-scale tipping between alternative stable states. To aid adaptation and conservation measures, more knowledge is needed about boreal forest drivers and their spatial heterogeneity.

Although video games can teach various skills, violent video games also teach players how to behave more aggressively. Hundreds of studies using different methodologies have shown that violent video games can increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behavior and can decrease empathy and prosociality. Longitudinal studies have found that habitually playing violent video games contributes to the development of aggressive behavior from childhood to young adulthood. Several established psychological theories can explain violent video game effects. Through observational learning, violent video games lead to positive evaluations of aggression and the formation of aggressive scripts. Habitually playing violent video games also leads to emotional desensitization and lower empathy with victims of real-world violence. The General Aggression Model proposes that playing violent games may lead to the learning, rehearsal, and reinforcement of aggression-related patterns of thinking that contribute to the development of aggression as a stable personality trait. Insights are offered for future research on topics such as virtual and augmented reality technologies, individual differences, and contextual factors that may moderate violent video game effects. Promising interventions for reducing violent video game effects are discussed. Suggestions to pediatricians and parents are offered.

A recent study published in Oryx proposed that the extinct Javan tiger Panthera tigris sondaica may still survive on the Island of Java, Indonesia, based on mitochondrial DNA analysis of a single hair sample collected from a location where a tiger was reportedly encountered. However, upon reanalysing the genetic data presented in that study, we conclude that there is little support for this claim. The sequences of the putative tiger hair and Javan tiger museum specimens generated are not from tiger cytoplasmic mitochondrial DNA but more likely the nuclear pseudogene copies of mitochondrial DNA. In addition, the number of mismatches between the two Javan tiger sequences is unusually high for homologous sequences that are both from tigers, suggesting potential issues with data reliability. The paper provides insufficient details on quality control measures, making it impossible to rule out the possibility that errors were introduced during the analysis. Consequently, it is inappropriate to use the sequences presented in that study to infer the existence of the Javan tiger.

Plain Language Summary Whistler‐mode waves act as a potential driver of energetic electron dynamics in the Jovian magnetosphere. By resonating with the gyro‐bounce motion of electrons along the field line, whistler‐mode waves lead to either the acceleration of electrons or their precipitation to the atmosphere. Quantifying the net effect of such waves toward the radiation belt of Jupiter requires a comprehensive knowledge of how wavers are distributed in the Jovian magnetosphere. With NASA's Juno mission, we reveal a novel double‐belt distribution of the whistler‐mode waves. Between the inner and outer whistler‐mode belts there is a region lacking near‐equatorial energetic (100 s keV) electrons. The outer whistler‐mode belt seems to be a mixture of chorus waves generated near the equator and auroral hiss waves propagating from the polar region. Either more abundant source electrons at the duskside magnetic equator for chorus emission or stronger auroral hiss from the duskside polar region can explain the dawn‐dusk asymmetry of the outer whistler‐mode belt.

An abundant multi‐MeV electron population beyond the orbit of Io is required to explain the intense inner radiation belt (electrons >50 ${ >} 50$ MeV) at Jupiter and its synchrotron radiation. In order to better understand the synergistic effect of radial transport and local wave‐particle interactions driven by whistler‐mode waves on the formation of Jupiter's radiation belt, we perform 3‐D Fokker‐Planck simulations for Jovian energetic electrons with the Versatile Electron Radiation Belt code. An empirical model of Jovian whistler‐mode waves updated with measurements from the Juno extended mission is used to quantify the local acceleration and pitch angle scattering. Resonant cyclotron acceleration by whistler‐mode waves leads to significant enhancement in the intensity of electrons above 1 MeV in the middle magnetosphere. Radial diffusion is capable of transporting MeV electrons accelerated by outer‐belt whistler‐mode waves into the M<10 $M< 10$ region, where they are further accelerated adiabatically to energies of about 10 MeV.

An increasing number of studies has observed that immersive virtual reality (iVR) technology using head-mounted displays (HMDs) can facilitate learning outcomes. However, most studies have been exploratory and were executed in laboratory settings instead of being implemented and orchestrated in authentic teaching settings. Furthermore, iVR design approaches based on learning theories in which learning objectives are in line with relevant curricula are still scarce. Thus, we conducted a study to provide insights from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings. We present the design of an iVR learning application that was aligned with curricula and that includes specific design features to foster relevant learning objectives. Orchestrated with additional learning material and learning activities, the iVR learning application was implemented and evaluated in an authentic teaching setting in the field of electrical engineering at a German vocational school. In order to investigate the effects of a lesson orchestrated around the iVR application, we conducted a study ( n = 29) in a pre-post between-subject design in which we compared learning orchestrated around an iVR experience (iVR group n = 14) with learning in a more traditional setting consisting of a typical group task (control group n = 15). Participants were randomly assigned to one of the two groups; in both conditions, the same content was addressed. We compared group differences regarding four dependent variables: motivation, factual knowledge, comprehension and transfer. In both groups, we observed an increase in knowledge and comprehension. The gain in the iVR group was significantly stronger compared to the control group, but we observed no differences in motivation and transfer. We discuss our findings from a perspective of instruction in authentic settings, along with implications for instructional iVR technology design. Despite the high organizational effort still required to embed iVR technology into a classroom setting, we stress that instructional settings that entail complex cognitive and motor tasks can benefit in particular from agency as one of the main affordances provided by iVR technology. More research should be conducted in these settings, and additional research should focus on which design features make these iVR experiences effective, and how it can be assured that transfer of knowledge is also increased.

Bacterial lipid branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are a valuable tool for reconstructing past temperatures. However, a gap remains regarding the influence of bacterial communities on brGDGT profiles. Here, we identified two distinct patterns of brGDGTs from the surface sediments of 38 Tibetan Plateau lakes using an unsupervised clustering technique. Further investigation revealed that salinity and pH significantly change bacterial community composition, affecting brGDGT profiles and causing brGDGT-based temperatures to be overestimated by up to 2.7 ± 0.7 °C in haloalkaline environments. We subsequently used the trained clustering model to examine the patterns of bacterial assemblages in the global lacustrine brGDGT dataset, confirming the global applicability of our approach. We finally applied our approach to Holocene brGDGT records from the Tibetan Plateau, showing that shifts in bacterial clusters amplified temperature variations over timescales. Our findings demonstrate that microbial ecology can robustly diagnose and constrain site-specific discrepancies in temperature reconstruction.

Zusammenfassung Aus einer systemtheoretischen Perspektive lässt sich Führung als funktionales Äquivalent zu Strukturlösungen konzipieren. Sie tritt in organisierten Systemen auf den Plan, wenn Verhaltenserwartungen widersprüchlich oder unklar sind und somit problematisch werden – also genau dann, wenn Situationen über formale oder informale Strukturen nicht hinreichend abgesichert sind. Wenn verschiedene Organisationstypen anhand ihrer Formalstrukturen unterschieden werden, müssten sich hieraus auch organisationstypische Führungsbedarfe ableiten lassen. Mit Blick auf den Organisationstyp soziale personenbezogene Dienstleistungsorganisation im Allgemeinen und die Organisation Krankenhaus im Besonderen wird deutlich, warum Krankenhäuser an die Grenzen der Formalisierbarkeit stoßen und das regelmäßige Entstehen von kritischen Momenten ‚vorprogrammiert‘ ist. Am Beispiel von Führung systematisiert dieser Artikel sowohl theoretisch als auch empirisch, welche Regelungslücken in Krankenhäusern notwendigerweise entstehen und wie Führung zu ihrer Lösung beiträgt.

Many of the world's rifts and rifted margins have developed within former orogens. The South China Sea (SCS) formed during Cenozoic rifting by utilizing pre‐existing orogenic structures, like thrust faults, thickened crust, and corresponding thermal weaknesses. The mechanisms explaining how inherited structures influence the spatiotemporal evolution of a rift remain a topic of on‐going research. Here, we explore the impact of orogenic inheritance on rift evolution through a numerical forward model that reproduces geodynamic and landscape evolution processes. By imposing time‐dependent phases of shortening and extension, we model rifted margin formation that is consistent with the available geological and geophysical observations of the SCS. Our numerical models allow us to identify thrust faults that are reactivated as normal faults during extensional phases. Not all pre‐existing thrust faults, however, undergo full reactivation, as their behavior is influenced by variations in lithospheric strength and the pre‐existing structural discontinuities. We further show that inherited orogenic structures compete with each other during extensional reactivation and ultimately govern the location of continental breakup. Our results provide valuable insights into the broader implications of inherited orogenic structures and how they affect subsequent rift system evolution.

Background Spasticity is a common feature in patients with disruptions in corticospinal pathways. However, the term is used ambiguously. Here, spasticity is defined as enhanced velocity‐dependent stretch reflexes and placed within the context of deforming spastic paresis encompassing other forms of muscle overactivity. Objective This scoping review aims at evaluating the clinimetric quality of clinical outcome assessments (COAs) for spasticity across different pathologies and to make recommendations for their use. Methods A literature search was conducted to identify COAs used to assess spasticity. An international expert panel evaluated the measurement properties in the included COAs. Recommendations were based on the MDS‐COA program methodology based on three criteria: if the COA was (1) applied to patients with spastic paresis, (2) used by others beyond the developers, and (3) determined to be reliable, valid, and sensitive to change in patients with spasticity. Results We identified 72 COAs of which 17 clinician‐reported outcomes (ClinROs) and 6 patient‐reported outcomes (PROs) were reviewed. The Tardieu Scale was the only ClinRO recommended for assessing spasticity. One ClinRO—Composite Spasticity Index—and two PROs—Spasticity 0–10 Numeric Rating Scale and 88‐Item Multiple Sclerosis Spasticity Scale—were recommended with caveats. The Ashworth‐derived COAs were excluded after evaluation due to their focus on muscle tone rather than spasticity, as defined in this review. Conclusions The Tardieu Scale is recommended for assessing spasticity, and two PROs are recommended with caveats. Consistent terminology about the various types of muscle overactivity is necessary to facilitate their assessment and treatment. © 2024 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Sunspots are the most well-known manifestations of solar magnetic fields and exhibit a range of phenomena related to the interior dynamo. Starspots are the direct analogs of sunspots on other stars but with the big observational restriction that we usually cannot resolve other star’s surfaces. In this paper we employ an indirect surface imaging technique called Doppler imaging and present 99 independent Doppler images of the star XX Trianguli. The star was selected because it had shown a gigantic star spot in a previous study and was thus well suited for a long-term monitoring effort. We combine the Doppler images into a movie visualizing the star’s surface spot evolution for the past 16 years. Stellar-disk photocenter displacements of up to 24 μas, or about 10% of the stellar disk radius, are reconstructed, but do not show the typical solar-like periodic behavior that could be interpreted as an activity cycle. It suggests a mostly chaotic, likely unperiodic, dynamo. These rotation-induced stellar photocenter variations pose an intrinsic limitation for astrometric exoplanet catches.

Hydrological parameters are used to tailor simulation models to the specific characteristics of a catchment so that models can accurately represent processes under different catchment conditions. In the case of the mesoscale Hydrological Model (mHM), its parameters are estimated via transfer functions using the Multiscale Parameter Regionalization (MPR) approach. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability in the sensitivity of transfer function parameters (TFP) and their relationships to corresponding simulated processes are investigated to understand how these TFP control simulated hydrological fluxes and state variables. Daily dominant model parameters are identified for 102 German catchments as a study domain with temperate climate using a temporally resolved parameter sensitivity analysis. This approach allows the comparison of spatial and temporal variability of TFP dominance. Three simulated hydrological fluxes and one state variable are used as target variables for the sensitivity analysis: runoff, actual evapotranspiration, soil moisture (SM), and groundwater recharge. The analysis leads to consistent and plausible patterns of parameter dominance in space. An evapotranspiration parameter dominates actual evapotranspiration and SM. Runoff and recharge are mainly controlled by soil texture, subsurface, and percolation parameters. The relevance of spatial versus temporal variability varies among model parameters and target variables. In some cases, parameter sensitivities are related to the magnitude of corresponding processes. Low spatial and temporal variability of dominant parameters is explained by MPR. In light of these results, a joint spatio‐temporal analysis is recommended to better understand how model parameters drive simulated states and fluxes in hydrological models to improve process accuracy.