Eine Lagerstätte kreidezeitlicher und paläogener Chondrichthyes-Reste bei Fürstenau (Niedersachsen)

Aus einer durch Glaziotektonik verstellten Kiesbank innerhalb einer Folge mariner Sedimente bei Fürstenau wird eine 49 Arten umfassende Liste von Chondrichthyes genannt. Diese Fauna enthält Arten des Campans, Oberpaläozäns und Unter- bis Mitteleozäns. Die Entstehung dieser Kiesbank könnte einerseits einer Transgressionsphase oder andererseits einer Kondensation verbunden mit der Erosion von Folgen des oben genannten Alters während des Lediums zugeschrieben werden. Diese Kiesbank besitzt in Oldenburg und im Emsland eine weite Verbreitung

The community of learning is in the Baobab tree — how the branches stay together in the context of professional preparation.

This article explores how participation in a community of learning supported transformation on a personal and professional level in a Master’s programme at a South African university. It draws on the concept of transformational learning in the professional preparation of educational psychologists, and how such learning plays out in the development of critical perspectives and shifts in personal paradigms. We report on a two-year ethnographic study that involved 13 of a total of 15 students enrolled for an Educational Psychology Master’s course. One of us (CW) acted as participant observer in the study and recorded the experiences of the participants through reflective letters that included symbolic metaphors, semi-structured group focus interviews, as well as a verification questionnaire. In our analysis and interpretation we used the metaphor of the Baobab tree, ‘the tree turned upside down’, because it is known for its resilience, holding capacity and continuous growth. We found the image to powerfully represent the dynamics of professional preparation and transformation in higher education

Bioackerbau fördert Bodenbiodiversität: Artenvielfalt von nützlichen Mykorrhizapilzen in landwirtschaftlichen Böden

The effects of organic and conventional arable farming on the species richness of beneficial soil fungi (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) was assessed in 26 arable fields on sandy soil in the Netherlands and in 2 arable fields on a loamy soil in Switzerland. Organically managed fields contained on average 42% more mycorrhizal fungal species than their conventional counterparts. This study shows that organic arable farming has a positive impact on the species richness of these beneficial soil fung

Interval carcinomas in the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer (ERSPC)-Rotterdam

BACKGROUND: The interval cancer rate is an important parameter for determining the sensitivity of a screening procedure and the screening interval. We evaluated the time and mechanism of detection and the stage distribution of interval prostate cancers diagnosed during a 4-year screening interval. METHODS: We determined the rate of interval cancers and the sensitivity of the screening protocol (involving prostate-specific antigen, digital rectal and transrectal ultrasound examinations) in a cohort of 17 226 men (8350 on the screened arm, 8876 on the control arm) enrolled consecutively on the European Randomized Study of Screening for Prostate Cancer-Rotterdam. Men on the screened arm received a first screen between October 1993 and December 1996 and a scheduled second screen 4 years later. Prostate cancers detected in men enrolled on the control arm over the same 4-year period and, between screens, in men on the screened arm, were identified by linkage to the Dutch national cancer registry. RESULTS: During the first screen, 412 prostate cancers were detected. During the subsequent 4-year period, 135 cancers were diagnosed in men in the control arm and 25 cancers were diagnosed in men in the screened arm. Seven of the 25 cancers were diagnosed in men who had refused a recommended biopsy at their initial screen. Of the remaining 18 cancers, all were classified as stage T1A-C or T2A and none were poorly differentiated or metastatic. The rate of interval cancers relative to the number of cancers in the control group was 18.5% (25/135), or 13.3% (18/135), if the seven who refused an initial biopsy were excluded. The sensitivity of the screening protocol was 79.8% when considering all 25 interval cancers and 85.5% when considering 18 interval cancers. CONCLUSION: The interval cancer rate with a 4-year screening interval was low, confirming that the screening procedure has a high sensitivity and that the 4-year screening interval is reasonable

Langzeitversuch Burgrain: Ertrag und Qualität von biologisch und integriert angebauten Ackerkulturen im Vergleich

The effect of integrated and organic farming on crop yield as well as on environmental and economic performance was investigated in a large scale field experiment near Lucerne (Switzerland), which was running for 18 years. Crop yield in organically managed fields was, depending on crop species, between 3% and 36% lower compared to conventionally managed fields. Only slight variations in crop quality were observed between the farming systems, probably as a result of the high nitrogen mineralization potential of the soils in this experiment. Our results show that organic farming on fertile soils provides good yields and is – under the given Swiss agricultural policy – economically beneficial

Morphometrically estimated variation in nuclear size - A useful tool in grading prostatic cancer

At present there are several grading systems for prostatic carcinoma. Most are difficult to reproduce. An objective method of grading seems to be necessary and could make comparisons between various groups of patients easier and grading more reliable. In the present study morphometrically estimated nuclear size and variation in nuclear size are matched with the survival rates of 207 patients who underwent total perineal prostatetomy for cancer. On the basis of morphometrically estimated variation in nuclear size the patients could be divided into two groups with significantly differing survival rates. In this way it was possible to split the group of patients with grade 2 carcinoma (Mostofi's grading system) into two groups of patients with significantly different survival rates. The survival rates in these two groups did not differ significantly from those in the patients with Grade 1 and Grade 3 tumors respectively. The results are discussed in the light of the recent literature on the subject. Morphometry seems to be a valuable tool in grading prostatic cancer

Cl 1103.7-1245 at z=0.96: the highest redshift galaxy cluster in the EDisCS survey

We present new spectroscopic observations in a field containing the highest redshift cluster of the ESO Distant Cluster Survey (EDisCS). We measure galaxy redshifts and determine the velocity dispersions of the galaxy structures located in this field. Together with the main cluster Cl1103.7$-$1245 (z=0.9580; sigma_{clus} = 522 +/- 111 km/s) we find a secondary structure at z=0.9830, Cl1103.7-1245c. We then characterize the galaxy properties in both systems, and find that they contain very different galaxy populations. The cluster Cl1103.7-1245 hosts a mixture of passive elliptical galaxies and star-forming spirals and irregulars. In the secondary structure Cl1103.7-1245c all galaxies are lower-mass star-forming irregulars and peculiars. In addition, we compare the galaxy populations in the Cl1103.7-1245 z=0.9580 cluster with those in lower redshift EDisCS clusters with similar velocity dispersions. We find that the properties of the galaxies in Cl1103.7-1245 follow the evolutionary trends found at lower redshifts: the number of cluster members increases with time in line with the expected growth in cluster mass, and the fraction of passive early-type galaxies increases with time while star-forming late types become less dominant. Finally, we find that the mean stellar masses are similar in all clusters, suggesting that massive cluster galaxies were already present at z~1.Comment: A&A in pres

Do neuroendocrine cells in human prostate cancer express androgen receptor?

The presence of androgen receptors (AR) in neuroendocrine cells was investigated in benign tissue of 10 prostatectomy specimens, in 12 prostatic adenocarcinomas with focal neuroendocrine differentiation and in 1 case of a pure neuroendocrine small cell carcinoma of the prostate. Neuroendocrine cells were defined by their reactivity with an antibody to chromogranin A. Monoclonal antibody F39.4 directed against the amino-terminal domain of the AR molecule was used to detect AR. AR and chromogranin A were simultaneously visualized with a double immunofluorescence technique. The results indicate that chromogranin positive cells in both benign and malignant prostatic tissue lack detectable expression of AR. No effect of endocrine therapy was noted. These results are in agreement with the hypothesis that prostatic neuroendocrine tumour cells represent an androgen insensitive cell population, which incidentally may expand to replace the androgen-sensitive tumour cell population during androgen ablation therapy