Bayerischer Bauherrenpreis Stadterneuerung 2009

BAYERISCHER BAUHERRENPREIS STADTERNEUERUNG 2009 Bayerischer Bauherrenpreis Stadterneuerung 2009 / Keller, Armin [Bearb.] (Rights reserved) ( -

Migräne und Meditation: Merkmale der kortikalen Informationsverarbeitung und der Stressverarbeitung bei Migränepatienten, Probanden mit Meditationserfahrung und Kontrollprobanden ; eine explorative Querschnittsstudie

Die vorliegende Arbeit konnte zeigen, dass die Reiz- und Stressverarbeitung meditationserfahrener Menschen im Vergleich zu Migränepatienten verbessert ist. Das Ergebnis der Studie lässt vermuten, dass insbesondere die Anwendung der negativen Stressverarbeitungsstrategie „Gedankliche Weiterbeschäftigung“ eine erhöhte kortikale Aktivierung bewirkt. Daher wird ein Wirkmechanismus der Meditation über die Stressverarbeitung und die kortikale Aktivierung angenommen, der zu einem selteneren Überschreiten der Migräneschwelle und zu einer verbesserten Migränesymptomatik führt.The present study showed that information and stress processing in people with meditation experience is improved compared to migraine patients and healthy controls. Especially the application of the negative stress increasing strategy “Rumination” was highest in migraine patients and lowest in meditators. Rumination appears to activate cortical processing which may lead to a migraine attack. Meditation seems to prevent this mechanism and should be considered as a mechanism of action in the treatment of migraine

River fragmentation increases localized population genetic structure and enhances asymmetry of dispersal in bullhead ( Cottus gobio )

Man-made habitat fragmentation is a major concern in river ecology and is expected to have particularly detrimental effects on aquatic species with limited dispersal abilities, like the bullhead (Cottus gobio). We used ten microsatellite markers to investigate small-scale patterns of gene flow, current dispersal and neutral genetic diversity in a morphologically diverse river where fragmented and unfragmented sections could be compared. We found high genetic differentiation between sampling sites with a maximum F ST of 0.32 between sites separated by only 35 km. A significant increase of genetic differentiation with geographical distance was observed in the continuous river section as well as in the full dataset which included headwater populations isolated by anthropogenic barriers. Several lines of evidence are consistent with the hypothesis that such barriers completely block upstream movement while downstream dispersal may be little affected. In the unfragmented habitat, dispersal rates were also higher in the direction of water flow than against it. The resulting asymmetry in gene flow likely contributes to the decrease of genetic variation observed from the lower reaches towards the headwaters, which is particularly pronounced in physically isolated populations. Our findings suggest that headwater populations, due to their isolation and low genetic variation, may be particularly vulnerable to extinctio

Robuste geostatistische Methoden zur räumlichen Analyse und Kartierung von Bodeneigenschaften

Die von Künsch et al. (2010) entwickelte robuste geostatistische Methode erlaubt die räumliche Analyse von Zusammenhängen mit der Zielvariablen (Strukturmatrix). Die Schätzung der Regressionskoeffizienten der räumlichen Trendmodellierung erfolgt simultan mit der robusten Schätzung der Kovarianzfunktion. Der Einfluss lokaler „Extremwerte“ kann hierbei wahlweise mehr oder weniger stark mit einer Gewichtungsfunktion eingeschränkt werden. Vor dem Hintergrund heterogener Datensätze für Bodeneigenschaften, welche aus unterschiedlichen Datenquellen stammen, liefert die robuste Schätzmethode zuverlässigere Schätzwerte (und Schätzvarianzen) als die klassische Kriging-Methode

Genetic and developmental analysis of the sex-determining gene ‘double sex' (dsx) of Drosophila melanogaster

Sex determination in Drosophila depends on the ratio of X chromosomes to sets of autosomes (X:A). This chromosomal signal is used to regulate a few control genes whose state of activity selects either the male or the female sexual pathway. We have studied the structure and function of dsx (double sex) which appears to be the last regulatory gene on whose function the sexual pathway eventually depends. We have mutagenized the locus, varied the doses of dominant dsx-mutations and wildtype alleles, and combined different dsx-alleles with recessive mutations in other sex-determining genes, such as ix, tra-2 and tra. The locus dsx harbours two genetic functions, dsxm to implement the male program, dsxf to implement the female program. We found that dsxm and dsxf can mutate independently although most mutations abolish both functions. We conclude that dsxm and dsxf each have their specific domain, but also share a large region of DNA that is essential for both functions. We present evidence that the dominant mutations correspond to a constitutive expression of the male-determining function dsxm, with the simultaneous abolishment of the female-determining function dsxf. This effect can be counteracted by two doses of expressed dsxf so that a female phenotype results. The products of one dose of expressed dsxm and one dose of expressed dsxf in the same cell appear to neutralize each other which leads to a null phenotype. The mutant combinations suggest that the product of dsxf requires the products of ix+, tra-2+ and tra+ to become functiona

Uranium Budget and Leaching in Swiss Agricultural Systems

Many mineral P fertilizers contain toxic uranium (U) in high concentrations. When the fertilizers are applied to agricultural sites, U can either accumulate in the soil or leach to ground and surface waters. We analyzed the U fluxes at three arable and three grassland agricultural sites on the Swiss plateau for 1 year. We calculated all inputs and outputs to the soils, modeled the speciation of U in the soil solution and investigated the possible leaching of U along preferential flow paths. We found that all sites showed positive U budgets (+0.9–6.6 g ha$^{-1}$ y$^{-1}$), indicating an accumulation of U. However, the accumulation of U was low and a doubling of U concentration in the surface soil would need 850–2,660 years assuming today’s U fluxes. Mineral P fertilizers were the quantitatively most important input, followed by manure application and mineral weathering (only important in the soils developed on limestone). While at sites with slightly acidic pH only little U (<0.01 μg L$^{-1}$) was leached, the U leaching increased at neutral pH values, because of the formation of carbonato-U complexes. In all soil solutions, the U concentrations (≤0.8 μg L$^{-1}$) were below legal threshold values and comparable to local drinking and surface waters. We found no indication for enhanced U leaching along preferential flow paths

ACEMg-mediated hearing preservation in cochlear implant patients receiving different electrode lengths (PROHEARING): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Background The indications for a cochlear implant (CI) have been extended to include patients with some residual hearing. Shorter and thinner atraumatic electrodes have been designed to preserve the residual hearing in the implanted ear. However, the insertion of the electrode array into the cochlea, with potential mechanical trauma and the presence of this foreign body inside the cochlea, may lead to free radical formation and reduced blood perfusion of the cochlea which can result in the loss of residual hearing. Methods/design In this single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase II clinical trial the effect of free radical scavengers and a vasodilator on the residual hearing of 140 CI patients will be evaluated. The formulation is composed of β-carotene (vitamin A), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), dl-α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) and the vasodilator magnesium (Mg), or ACEMg. Medication is administered twice daily per os for approximately 3 months. The primary measure is based upon the reduction in postoperative low-frequency air-conducted pure-tone thresholds compared to preoperative thresholds in ACEMg-treated patients compared to those of a placebo group. Additionally, the effect of different electrode lengths (20, 24 and 28 mm) is analyzed. Study visits are scheduled 2 days before surgery, at first fitting, which is the adjustment and start of stimulation via CI 4 weeks after surgery and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after first fitting. The primary endpoint is the air-conduction hearing loss at 500 Hz 3 months after first fitting. Additionally, speech recognition tests, hearing aid benefit in the implanted ear and electrophysiological measurements of implant function are assessed. Since this is a blinded clinical trial and recruitment is still ongoing, data continue to accrue and we cannot yet analyze the outcome of the ACEMg treatment. Discussion There is an unfulfilled need for new strategies to preserve acoustic hearing in CI patients. This study will provide first-in-man data on ACEMg-mediated protection of residual hearing in CI patients. Performing all surgeries and patient follow-up at one study site improves consistency in diagnosis and therapy and less variability in surgery, audiological test techniques and fitting. This approach will allow investigation of the influence of ACEMg on residual hearing in CI patients. Trial registration The German Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (BfArM) application number 4039192, was registered on 6 December 2013 with protocol amendment version 3.0 from 19 August 2014. EudraCT number: 2012-005002-22 .http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134623/1/13063_2016_Article_1526.pd

STATE OF THE ART AND RESEARCH PRIORITIES IN HYDROGEN SAFETY

Wide spread deployment and use of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies can occur only if hydrogen safety issues have been addressed in order to ensure that hydrogen fuel presents the same or lower level of hazards and associated risk compared to conventional fuel technologies. To achieve this goal, hydrogen safety research should be directed to address the remaining knowledge gaps using risk-informed approaches to develop engineering solutions and Regulation Codes and Standards (RCS) requirements that meet individual and societal risk acceptance criteria, yet are cost-effective and market-competitive. IA HySafe and JRC IET partnered to organize a Research Priorities Workshop in Berlin on October 16-17, 2012 hosted by BAM (on behalf of IA HySafe) to address knowledge gaps in CFD modelling of hydrogen safety issues. The findings of the workshop are described in the report. The document aims to become a reference document for researchers/scientists and technical (including industry) experts working in the area worldwide. It is also a welcomed contribution for the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) and for other funding bodies/organizations that must make decisions on research programmes and during the selection/choice of projects to be financially supported pursuing the safe use of hydrogen within Horizon 2020 framework.JRC.F.2-Energy Conversion and Storage Technologie

Konzepte und Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung der Kohlenstoffkreislaufwirtschaft am Beispiel des chemischen Recyclings zur Olefinproduktion = Concepts and Sustainability Assessment of the Circular Carbon Economy: Chemical Recycling for Olefin Production

Am Beispiel erdölbasierter Olefinproduktion wird die Transformation der linearen Kohlenstoffwirtschaft zur Kohlenstoffkreislaufwirtschaft mit chemischem Recycling von Kunststoffabfällen und Kreislaufführung heimischer Kohlenstoffquellen untersucht. Die Szenarienbetrachtung mit Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung zeigt das Potential des chemischen Recyclings zur Deckung der Olefinproduktion in Deutschland. Im Zeithorizont bis 2050 könnte die gesamte Olefinproduktion unter Einkopplung von grünem e‐Wasserstoff mit bisher verbrannten, nichtfossilen Abfällen realisiert werden