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Background Sedentary behavior, particularly prolonged sitting, is a significant global public health issue. However, comprehensive population-level temporal trends on sitting time are sparse, hampering effective monitoring and policy development. This study aims to examine temporal trends and correlates of overall and domain-specific sitting time among the adult population in Germany from 2014 to 2023. Methods Data were obtained from five cross-sectional, population-representative telephone surveys conducted in Germany in 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2023, comprising a total of N = 14,417 adults aged 18 years and older. Participants completed the domain-specific Marshall Sitting Questionnaire, reporting sitting time across five domains: transport, work, television viewing, leisure-time electronic media use, and other leisure activities. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analyses were performed to examine time trends and sociodemographic and lifestyle correlates, with all results presented as mean estimates and 95% confidence intervals. Results Between 2014 and 2023, average overall weekday sitting time increased by 76 minutes per weekday, rising from 457 to 533 minutes. The most pronounced relative increases were observed in work-related (42%) and leisure-time electronic media use (31%). The prevalence of high sitting time (>8 hours/weekday) rose from 42% in 2014 to 55% in 2023. Regression analyses indicated that men (31.8 minutes/weekday, 95% CI: 22.5, 41.1), younger adults (-2.3, 95% CI: -2.5, -2.0), individuals with higher education (57.1, 95% CI: 43.8, 70.4) and income levels (41.7, 95% CI: 25.9, 57.5), and urban residents (21.5, 95% CI: 8.7, 34.2) had significantly longer overall sitting times compared to women, older adults, individuals with lower education and income, and those living in rural areas, respectively. Conclusions Temporal trends from Germany indicate a substantial increase in both overall and domain-specific sitting time between 2014 and 2023, predominantly driven by work-related and screen-based leisure activities. These findings underscore the urgent need for public health strategies aimed at reducing prolonged sitting, particularly in work and leisure contexts. Targeted population-specific and context-sensitive interventions are increasingly needed to mitigate the rise in overall and domain-specific sitting time.

A strategy for increasing the conversion efficiency of organic photovoltaics has been to increase the V OC by tuning the energy levels of donor and acceptor components. However, this opens up a new loss pathway from an interfacial charge transfer state to a triplet exciton (TE) state called electron back transfer (EBT), which is detrimental to device performance. To test this hypothesis, we study triplet formation in the high performing PTB7:PC 71 BM blend system and determine the impact of the morphology-optimizing additive 1,8-diiodoctane (DIO). Using photoluminescence and spin-sensitive optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) measurements at low temperature, we find that TEs form on PC 71 BM via intersystem crossing from singlet excitons and on PTB7 via EBT mechanism. For DIO blends with smaller fullerene domains, an increased density of PTB7 TEs is observed. The EBT process is found to be significant only at very low temperature. At 300 K, no triplets are detected via ODMR and electrically detected magnetic resonance on optimized solar cells indicates that TEs are only present on the fullerenes. We conclude that in PTB7:PC 71 BM devices, TE formation via EBT is impacted by fullerene domain size at low temperature, but at room temperature, EBT does not represent a dominant loss pathway.

To date, most geothermal projects in Germany have focused on deep geothermal systems, while resources at intermediate depths have only been explored to a small extend. However, medium-depth geothermal systems have a high potential for heat generation, even in areas previously considered less favorable for deep geothermal energy, and could make a significant contribution to Germany's heat supply. To accelerate the heat transition and to become independent of fossil fuels, the ArtemIS project aims to assess the medium-depth geothermal systems in Germany, covering all types of geological plays and providing regional information for different geothermal applications. Interactive heat transition profiles are being developed containing all relevant subsurface information required for preliminary geothermal assessment, such as geological descriptions of potential geothermal reservoirs, reservoir thickness, hydraulic and thermal rock properties, and fluid chemistry. In addition, static 3D geological models are being created as the basis for 3D numerical reservoir models using COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate the regional heat potential and different geothermal scenarios, including the performance of hydrothermal doublets. The investigation of well logs and core sample data of the Upper Maastrichtian Calcarenites in the North German Basin indicates a good geothermal potential, but notable lateral and vertical heterogeneities regarding reservoir thickness, grain size or glauconite content throughout the study area need to be considered during exploration. The first COMSOL simulation results highlight the impact of inter-well distance and reservoir thickness on operational parameters such as the occurrence time of thermal breakthrough and cooling rate in a multi-well array. Likewise, a 3D structural model of the Upper Rhine Graben was created and used to assess the regional heat supply, indicating a high potential for heat production in the sedimentary units at intermediate depths. The results of the ArtemIS project will be integrated into the publicly available web platform “Geothermal Information System – GeotIS”, which will provide general information, data, and modelling results in a user-friendly way for non-professionals such as local communities and municipal energy suppliers.

Background Even though the post-operative outcome varies greatly among patients with nodal positive colon cancer (UICC stage III), personalized prediction of systemic disease recurrence is currently insufficient. We investigated in a retrospective setting whether genetic and immunological biomarkers can be applied for stratification of distant metastasis occurrence risk. Methods Eighty four patients with complete resection (R0) of stage III colon cancer from two clinical centres were analysed for genetic biomarkers: microsatellite instability, oncogenic mutations in KRAS exon2 and BRAF exon15, expression of osteopontin and the metastasis-associated genes SASH1 and MACC1. Tumor-infiltrating CD3 and CD8 positive T-cells were quantified by immunocytochemistry. Results were correlated with outcome and response to 5-FU based adjuvant chemotherapy, using Cox’s proportional hazard models and integrative two-step cluster analysis. Results Distant metastasis risk was significantly correlated with oncogenic KRAS mutations ( p  = 0.015), expression of SASH1 ( p  = 0.016), and the density of CD8-positive T-cells ( p  = 0.007) in Kaplan-Meier analysis. Upon multivariate Cox-regression analysis, KRAS mutation ( p  = 0.008) and density of CD8-positive TILs ( p  = 0.009) were retained as prognostic parameters for metachronous distant metastasis. Integrative two-step cluster analysis was used to combine all genetic markers, allowing stratification of patient subgroups. Post-operative distant metastasis risk ranged from 31% (low-risk) to 41% (intermediate), and 57% (high-risk) ( p  = 0.032). Increased expression of osteopontin ( p  = 0.019) and low density of CD8-positive T-cells ( p  = 0.043) were significantly associated with unfavourable response to 5-FU. Conclusions Integrative biomarker analysis allows stratification of stage III colon cancer patients for the risk of metastatic disease recurrence and may indicate response to 5-FU. Thus, biomarker analysis might facilitate the use of adjuvant therapy for high risk patients.

Background: Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) benefit from regular home-based exercise (HbE). In spite of recommendations, a relevant proportion of German axSpA patients does not adhere to recommended HbE practices. To enhance HbE care, we developed the novel digital therapeutic (DTx) “Axia” compliant with the European medical device regulation (MDR). Axia offers a modern app-based HbE solution with patient educative content and further integrated features. Objective: We aimed to assess Axia’s efficacy, attractiveness, and functionality through a survey among axSpA-patients involved in the first user tests. Methods: A mixed-method online questionnaire with 38 items was administered to 37 axSpA volunteers after using Axia. Numeric rating scales (NRS) and likelihood scales were primarily used. Results: HbE frequency significantly increased from a median of 1 day/week to 6 days/week (p < 0.001) by using Axia. Existing HbE practitioners also increased their frequency (median of 4 days/week before, 6 days/week with Axia, p < 0.05). Axia received a median rating of 5 out of 5 stars. On NRS scales, Axia scored a median of 9 for intuitiveness and design, and a median of 8 for entertainment. 64.9% reported improved range of motion, 43.2% reported reduced pain, and 93.6% enhanced disease-specific knowledge. All users recommended Axia to other patients. Conclusion: Axia increases axSpA patients HbE frequency, possibly due to its good intuitiveness and design, leading to reduction in pain and subjective improvement of range of motion. This warrants further investigation in large randomized controlled interventional trials to establish its efficacy conclusively and patients adherence to HbE.

In this paper, we apply machine learning to forecast the conditional variance of long-term stock returns measured in excess of different benchmarks, considering the short- and long-term interest rate, the earnings-by-price ratio, and the inflation rate. In particular, we apply in a two-step procedure a fully nonparametric local-linear smoother and choose the set of covariates as well as the smoothing parameters via cross-validation. We find that volatility forecastability is much less important at longer horizons regardless of the chosen model and that the homoscedastic historical average of the squared return prediction errors gives an adequate approximation of the unobserved realised conditional variance for both the one-year and five-year horizon.

Measurements from multiple laboratories have to be related to unifying and traceable reference material in order to be comparable. However, such fundamental reference materials are not available for isotope ratios in atmospheric methane, which led to misinterpretations of combined data sets in the past. We developed a method to produce a suite of synthetic CH4-in-air standard gases that can be used to unify methane isotope ratio measurements of laboratories in the atmospheric monitoring community. Therefore, we calibrated a suite of pure methane gases of different methanogenic origin against international referencing materials that define the VSMOW (Vienna Standard Mean Ocean Water) and VPDB (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite) isotope scales. The isotope ratios of our pure methane gases range between −320 and +40 ‰ for δ2H–CH4 and between −70 and −40 ‰ for δ13C–CH4, enveloping the isotope ratios of tropospheric methane (about −85 and −47 ‰ for δ2H–CH4 and δ13C–CH4 respectively). Estimated uncertainties, including the full traceability chain, are < 1.5 ‰ and < 0.2 ‰ for δ2H and δ13C calibrations respectively. Aliquots of the calibrated pure methane gases have been diluted with methane-free air to atmospheric methane levels and filled into 5 L glass flasks. The synthetic CH4-in-air standards comprise atmospheric oxygen/nitrogen ratios as well as argon, krypton and nitrous oxide mole fractions to prevent gas-specific measurement artefacts. The resulting synthetic CH4-in-air standards are referred to as JRAS-M16 (Jena Reference Air Set – Methane 2016) and will be available to the atmospheric monitoring community. JRAS-M16 may be used as unifying isotope scale anchor for isotope ratio measurements in atmospheric methane, so that data sets can be merged into a consistent global data frame.

Methane and nitrous oxide are important greenhouse gases which show a strong increase in atmospheric mixing ratios since pre-industrial time as well as large variations during past climate changes. The understanding of their biogeochemical cycles can be improved using stable isotope analysis. However, high-precision isotope measurements on air trapped in ice cores are challenging because of the high susceptibility to contamination and fractionation. Here, we present a dry extraction system for combined CH4 and N2O stable isotope analysis from ice core air, using an ice grating device. The system allows simultaneous analysis of δD(CH4) or δ13C(CH4), together with δ15N(N2O), δ18O(N2O) and δ15N(NO+ fragment) on a single ice core sample, using two isotope mass spectrometry systems. The optimum quantity of ice for analysis is about 600 g with typical \"Holocene\" mixing ratios for CH4 and N2O. In this case, the reproducibility (1σ ) is 2.1‰ for δD(CH4), 0.18‰ for δ13C(CH4), 0.51‰ for δ15N(N2O), 0.69‰ for δ18O(N2O) and 1.12‰ for δ15N(NO+ fragment). For smaller amounts of ice the standard deviation increases, particularly for N2O isotopologues. For both gases, small-scale intercalibrations using air and/or ice samples have been carried out in collaboration with other institutes that are currently involved in isotope measurements of ice core air. Significant differences are shown between the calibration scales, but those offsets are consistent and can therefore be corrected for.

We report results from a worldwide interlaboratory comparison of samples among laboratories that measure (or measured) stable carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of atmospheric CH4 (δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4). The offsets among the laboratories are larger than the measurement reproducibility of individual laboratories. To disentangle plausible measurement offsets, we evaluated and critically assessed a large number of intercomparison results, some of which have been documented previously in the literature. The results indicate significant offsets of δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4 measurements among data sets reported from different laboratories; the differences among laboratories at modern atmospheric CH4 level spread over ranges of 0.5 ‰ for δ13C-CH4 and 13 ‰ for δD-CH4. The intercomparison results summarized in this study may be of help in future attempts to harmonize δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4 data sets from different laboratories in order to jointly incorporate them into modelling studies. However, establishing a merged data set, which includesδ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4 data from multiple laboratories with desirable compatibility, is still challenging due to differences among laboratories in instrument settings, correction methods, traceability to reference materials and long-term data management. Further efforts are needed to identify causes of the interlaboratory measurement offsets and to decrease those to move towards the best use of available δ13C-CH4 and δD-CH4 data sets.

We report results from a worldwide interlaboratory comparison of samples among laboratories that measure (or measured) stable carbon and hydrogen isotope ratios of atmospheric CH.sub.4 ([delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and [delta]D-CH.sub.4). The offsets among the laboratories are larger than the measurement reproducibility of individual laboratories. To disentangle plausible measurement offsets, we evaluated and critically assessed a large number of intercomparison results, some of which have been documented previously in the literature. The results indicate significant offsets of [delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and [delta]D-CH.sub.4 measurements among data sets reported from different laboratories; the differences among laboratories at modern atmospheric CH.sub.4 level spread over ranges of 0.5 0/00 for [delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and 13 0/00 for [delta]D-CH.sub.4 . The intercomparison results summarized in this study may be of help in future attempts to harmonize [delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and [delta]D-CH.sub.4 data sets from different laboratories in order to jointly incorporate them into modelling studies. However, establishing a merged data set, which includes [delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and [delta]D-CH.sub.4 data from multiple laboratories with desirable compatibility, is still challenging due to differences among laboratories in instrument settings, correction methods, traceability to reference materials and long-term data management. Further efforts are needed to identify causes of the interlaboratory measurement offsets and to decrease those to move towards the best use of available [delta].sup.13 C-CH.sub.4 and [delta]D-CH.sub.4 data sets.