Mikroklima-Untersuchungen in Pflanzengesellschaften verschiedener Höhenstufen in Hochgebirgen der Nordwest- und Südmongolei

Im Rahmen der Mongolisch-Deutschen Biologischen Expeditionen wurden erste Mikroklimauntersuchungen im Jahre 1973 in ausgewählten Pflanzengesellschaften der Wüste und Halbwüste im $üdgobi-Aimak durchgeführt (HELMECKE u. SCHAMSRAN 1979). Auch von sowjetisfber (BERESNEVA 1974, 1981) und von polnischer Seite (vgl. KLIMEK 1980) liegen mikroklimatologische Untersuchungen für verschiedene Gebiete der MVR vor. Von den Gebirgen der MVR wurde besonders der Südteil des Changai berücksichtigt. Hier wurden Mikroklimamessungen in verschiedenen Höhenstufen durchgeführtl (BRZEZNIAK u. NIEDZWIEDZ 1980). Die von Biologen der Universitäten Halle-Wittenberg und Ulan-Bator von 1977 bis 1979 durchgeführten Untersuchungen in Hochebirgen der MVR (Charchiraa, Uvs Aimak; Ich-Bogd, Bajanchongor Aimak) schlosseh neben den floristisch-vegetationskundlichen und ökofaunistischen Arbeiten ebenfalls Mikroklimauntersuchungen in charakteristischen Pflanzengesellschaften verschiedeqer Höhenstufen der bei den Gebirge ein. über diese Untersuchungen soll zusammenfassend und vergleichend berichtet werden. Wir stellen nach Behandlung der untersuchten Pflanzengesellschaften, die durch Einzelaufnahme-Tabellen belegt werden, den Verlauf wesentlicher Klimawerte während ausgewählter, für den Witterungsverlauf wichtiger Wetterlagen in den einzelnen Gesellschaften dar und vergleichen die Verjhältnisse in den bei den Untersuchungsgebieten (UG) und ihren versch,iedenen Höhenstufen. Die durchgeführten Mikroklimauntersuchungen hatten nicht das Ziel, Energie- oder Wasserbilanzen aufzustellen. Vielmehr ging es uns um mikroklimatische Charakteristika der untersuchten Vegetationseinheiten zur Hauptvegetationszeit. Wir betrachten das Mikroklima als eine abiotische Komponente der Vegetationsdifferenzierung und als Grundlage für das Verständnis faunistischer Untersuchungen. Zusammenfassung In zwei Hochsgebirgsstöcken der Mongolei Volksrepublik, dem Charchiraa im Nordwesten und dem Ich-Bogd im Süden des Landes, führten wir in den Jahren 1977-1979 Vegetationsuntersuchungen in verschiedenen Höhenstufen durch. Dabei wurden jeweils 3 Meßstationen mit je 2 bis 3 Meßpunkten errichtet, an denen in charakteristischen Pflanzengesellschaften der jeweiligen Höhenstufe Mikroklimamessungen über einen Zeitraum von 3 Wochen erfolgten. Für diese Mikrokilmauntersuchungen wählten wir folgende Vegetationseinheiten aus: Kurzgrassteppe (Station I), anthropogene Wiesensteppe und Lärchenwald (Station II) sowie alpine Kobresia-Matte und Dryas-Bestand (Station III) im Charchiraa und Anabasis-Halbwüste und Weiderasen (Station I), Bergsteppe (Station II) sowie alpine Kobresia-Matten (Station III) im Ich-Bogd. In der vorliegenden Arbeit stellen wir die Tagesgänge verschiedener Meßgrößen (Bodentemperatur, Lufttemperatur, Luftfeuchtigkeit, Evaporation und Windgeschwindigkeit) von Strahlungs- und Regentagen und die Bodentemperaturen über den gesamten Meßzeitraum anhand zahlreicher Abbildungen dar. Dabei vergleichen wir die Mikroklimaverhältnisse der Höhenstufen untereinander und zwichen den beiden Gebirgen und stellen die Temperaturkurven der höhenstufenbedingten Vegetationsabfolge gegenüber. Summary In two high mountain regions of Mongolia, the Charchiraa in the northwest and Ich-Bogd in the south of the country, we investigated the vegetation of different altitudinal belts from 1977 until 1979. In both areas we established 3 measuring stations with 2-3 measuring points and made microclimatic measurements in plant communities typical for the altitudinal belts coming into question. The measurements took place 3 weeks each year. For the microclimatic investigations we chose the following plant communities: short grass steppe (station I), anthropogenous meadow steppe and larch forest (station II), alpine Kobresia-meadow and Dryas oxyodonta-vegetation (station III) in the Charchiraa; Anabasis brevifolia-semidesert and wet pasture ground (station I), mountain steppe (station II), alpine Kobresia-meadow (station III) in the Ich-Bogd. In the paper we present with many figures the course of different parameters (soil temperature, air temperature, air moisture, evaporation, wind velocity) during sunny and rainy days and the soil temperature during the whole measuring period. The microclimate differences between the altitudinal belts of one mountain system and between both high mountains are compared. The sequence of vegetation, related to the altitudinal belts, is compared with the sequence of temperature

Superior olivary complex organization and cytoarchitecture may be correlated with function and catarrhine primate phylogeny

In the mammalian auditory system, the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body and the lateral superior olive (MNTB-LSO system) contribute to binaural intensity processing and lateralization. Localization precision varies with the sound frequencies. As recency of common ancestry with human beings increases, primates have improved low-frequency sensitivity and reduced sensitivity to higher frequencies. The medial part of the MNTB is devoted to higher frequency processing. Thus, its high-frequency-dependent function is nearly lost in humans and its role in binaural processing as part of the contralateral pathway to the LSO remains questionable. Here, Nissl-stained sections of the superior olivary complex of man (Homo sapiens), bonobo (Pan paniscus), chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), gibbon (Hylobates lar), and macaque (Macaca fascicularis) were compared to reveal differences and coincidences. From chimpanzees to humans, the size of the LSO decreased, and the MNTB as a compact nucleus nearly disappears. From chimpanzees to humans, the LSO/MNTB ratio increases dramatically too, whereas the LSO/MSO ratio remains 1.1; a finding that probably corresponds to the phylogenetic proximity between the species

Rationale and design of PROSPECT-CONKO 004: a prospective, randomized trial of simultaneous pancreatic cancer treatment with enoxaparin and chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: Advanced pancreatic cancer, in addition to its high mortality, is characterized by one of the highest rates of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) as compared to other types of cancer. Enoxaparin, a low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), has proven to be effective for the prevention and treatment of VTE in surgical and general medical patients. Results of some small studies suggest that this benefit might extend to patients with cancer, however, enoxaparin is not currently indicated for this use. This phase IIb study was designed to analyze the efficacy of enoxaparin in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer undergoing systemic chemotherapy. METHODS: The aim of this prospective multicenter trial is to compare concomitant treatment with enoxaparin to no anticoagulation in 540 patients. Primary endpoint is the incidence of clinically relevant VTE (symptomatic deep venous thrombosis (DVT) of the leg and / or pelvic and / or pulmonary embolism (PE)) within the first 3 months. Secondary endpoints include the incidence of symptomatic and asymptomatic VTE after 6, 9 and 12 months as well as remission at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, overall survival and bleeding. Trial registration: isrctn.org identifier CCT-NAPN-16752, controlled-trials.com identifier: ISRCTN02140505. RESULTS: An interim analysis for safety performed after inclusion of 152 patients revealed no increased risk of bleeding (5 pts vs. 6 pts, Chi2: 0.763). CONCLUSIONS: PROSPECT is a pivotal study in elucidating the role of low molecular weight heparins in advanced pancreatic cancer. Its results will lead to a new understanding of the role of heparins in the prevention of venous thromboembolism and of their effect on survival, remission rates and toxicity of chemotherapeutic regimens

A pedagogic appraisal of the Priority Heuristic

We have explored how science and mathematics teachers made decisions when confronted with a dilemma in which a fictitious young woman, Deborah, may choose to have an operation that might address a painful spinal condition. We sought to explore the extent to which psychological heuristic models, in particular the Priority Heuristic, might successfully describe the decision-making process of these teachers and how an analysis of the role of personal and emotional factors in shaping the decision-making process might inform pedagogical design. A novel aspect of this study is that the setting in which the decision-making process is examined contrasts sharply with those used in psychological experiments. We found that to some extent, even in this contrasting setting, the Priority Heuristic could describe these teachers' decision-making. Further analysis of the transcripts yielded some insights into limitations on scope as well the richness and complexity in how personal factors were brought to bear. We see these limitations as design opportunities for educational intervention

Politeness and compassion differentially predict adherence to fairness norms and interventions to norm violations in economic games

Adherence to norms and interventions to norm violations are two important forms of social behaviour modelled in economic games. While both appear to serve a prosocial function, they may represent separate mechanisms corresponding with distinct emotional and psychological antecedents, and thus may be predicted by different personality traits. In this study, we compared adherence to fairness norms in the dictator game with responses to violations of the same norms in third-party punishment and recompensation games with respect to prosocial traits from the Big Five and HEXACO models of personality. The results revealed a pattern of differential relations between prosocial traits and game behaviours. While norm adherence in the dictator game was driven by traits reflecting good manners and non-aggression (i.e., the politeness aspect of Big Five agreeableness and HEXACO honesty-humility), third-party recompensation of victims—and to a lesser extent, punishment of offenders—was uniquely driven by traits reflecting emotional concern for others (the compassion aspect of Big Five agreeableness). These findings demonstrate the discriminant validity between similar prosocial constructs and highlight the different prosocial motivations underlying economic game behaviours

Quality and Safety Aspects of Infant Nutrition

Quality and safety aspects of infant nutrition are of key importance for child health, but oftentimes they do not get much attention by health care professionals whose interest tends to focus on functional benefits of early nutrition. Unbalanced diets and harmful food components induce particularly high risks for untoward effects in infants because of their rapid growth, high nutrient needs, and their typical dependence on only one or few foods during the first months of life. The concepts, standards and practices that relate to infant food quality and safety were discussed at a scientific workshop organized by the Child Health Foundation and the Early Nutrition Academy jointly with the European Society for Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, and a summary is provided here. The participants reviewed past and current issues on quality and safety, the role of different stakeholders, and recommendations to avert future issues. It was concluded that a high level of quality and safety is currently achieved, but this is no reason for complacency. The food industry carries the primary responsibility for the safety and suitability of their products, including the quality of composition, raw materials and production processes. Introduction of new or modified products should be preceded by a thorough science based review of suitability and safety by an independent authority. Food safety events should be managed on an international basis. Global collaboration of food producers, food-safety authorities, paediatricians and scientists is needed to efficiently exchange information and to best protect public health. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Base

Sphaerodoridae (Annelida: Polychaeta) from the Bellingshausen Sea (Antarctica) with the description of two new species

The examination of polychaete collections obtained during the Spanish Bentart 2006expedition to the Bellingshausen Sea (Antarctica) revealed the presence of several sphaerodorid species. In this work, species belonging to the genera Sphaerodorum Örsted, 1843, Ephesiella Chamberlin, 1919, Clavodorum Hartman and Fauchald, 1971 and Sphaerephesia Fauchald, 1972 are reported including two new species belonging to Sphaerodorum and Sphaerephesia, respectively. A specimen identified as Ephesiella sp. might also represent a new species but, due to its poor state of preservation, a formal description is not possible yet. Furthermore, Sphaerodoropsis polypapillata Hartmann-Schröder and Rosenfeldt, 1988 is transferred to the genus Clavodorum Hartman and Fauchald, 1971 after examination of the type series and specimens obtained from the Bellingshausen Sea.Comisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología; REN 2001-1074/ANTComisión Interministerial de Ciencia y Tecnología; CGL2004-0185