INTERNAS: Wissenstransferprozess zur Übertragung internationaler Umweltberichte in die deutsche Politik und Praxis

[Hintergrund] Der aktuelle globale Bericht des Weltbiodiversitätsrats (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services; IPBES) (IPBES 2019) ist einer der hoch-rangigen internationalen Berichte zu wichtigen Erd- und Umweltfragen, die im UN-Kontext erstellt werden und einen konkreten Bezug zu den UN-Nachhaltigkeitszielen (Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs) haben. Er zeigt, wie stark der Rückgang von Ökosystemleistungen die Lebensgrundlage der Menschen auf der Erde gefährdet: So sind bis zu eine Million Tier- und Pflanzenarten vom Aussterben bedroht. Die IPBES Autor*innen lassen keinen Zweifel daran, dass es einer tiefgreifenden Veränderung unserer Lebens- und Wirtschaftsweise bedarf, um diesem Massensterben Einhalt zu gebieten. Nur durch eine nachhaltige Nutzung ökologischer Ressourcen können wir den Hauptursachen des Biodiversitätsverlusts, der Reduktion von Ökosystemleistungen und der Zerstörung von Lebensräumen, entgegenwirken (IPBES 2019). Die Schlussfolgerungen des globalen IPBES Berichts und anderer IPBES Berichte sind von großer politischer Relevanz. Dadurch, dass die Berichte von 131 nationalen Regierungen mit-getragen werden und die Staaten entlang des gesamten Erstellungsprozesses an den Berichten beteiligt sind (z.B. bei der Auswahl von Themen und Expert*innen, der Einbindung von Stakeholder*innen oder der Zusammenfassung für Entscheidungsträger*innen (IPBES 2012)), erhalten ihre Ergebnisse politisches Gewicht. Dabei ist das nationale Engagement für globale Umweltpolitik und Forschung im Umweltbereich nicht auf IPBES beschränkt. Zwischenstaatliche Organisationen wie der IPCC (Intergovermental Panel on Climate Change), ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Seas) oder IPBES spielen eine immer größer werdende Rolle in der globalen Umweltpolitik; sie alle besitzen eine zunehmende Deutungs-hoheit sowie politische und gesellschaftliche Autorität (Beck et al. 2014). Die Verleihung des Friedensnobelpreises an den IPCC im Jahr 2007 ist dafür ein deutliches Zeichen (Beck et al. 2014). Während die Berichte dieser Organisationen in globalen Politikprozessen eine wichtige Rolle spielen (z.B. für die Konvention zur Biologischen Vielfalt - CBD), fließen ihre Ergebnisse trotz der Beteiligung nationaler Politikakteur*innen selten in nationale politische Diskurse ein und finden in vielen Bereichen, zum Beispiel der Wirtschaftspolitik, bislang wenig Beachtung. Ein möglicher Grund dafür kann eine unzureichende wissenschaftliche Kontextualisierung auf Basis des nationalen politischen Bedarfes sein. Wir gehen davon aus, dass internationale Umweltberichte und ihre wissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse durch einen partizipativen, dialogorientierten Beratungsansatz für die nationale Politik-beratung aufbereitet werden können, um die Relevanz und die Anwendbarkeit der Ergebnisse zu steigern. Idealerweise mündet ein solcher Beratungsansatz in einen standardisierten Prozess, der nicht nur für einen konkreten Umweltbericht, sondern für eine Vielzahl von Um-weltberichten und Themen angewendet werden kann. Im vorliegenden Diskussionspapier stellen wir zunächst das INTERNAS-Projekt vor, das einen solchen Beratungsansatz entwickelt hat. Der INTERNAS-Prozess wird im Folgenden erläutert und reflektiert. Zusätzlich werden verschiedene in INTERNAS angewandte Einzel-methoden, wie beispielsweise Stakeholderdialoge und digitale Wissens-Repräsentationen (Ontologien) vorgestellt

Randomized clinical trial of DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib vaccine administered concomitantly with meningococcal serogroup C conjugate vaccines during the primary infant series.

BACKGROUND: Concomitant administration of vaccines simplifies delivery. DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib is a fully liquid, combination vaccine against 6 diseases. This study evaluated the compatibility of DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib with 2 different meningococcus group C conjugate (MCC) vaccines in infants. METHODS: In a phase 3, open-label study, 284 healthy infants from 11 UK centres received DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib at age 2, 3, and 4 months; 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13) at 2 and 4 months; a Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib)-MCC vaccine and a measles/mumps/rubella vaccine at 12 months. Participants were randomised 1:1 to receive either an MCC-detoxified tetanus toxin vaccine (MCC-TT; n = 141) or an MCC-Corynebacterium diphtheriae CRM197 protein vaccine (MCC-CRM; n = 143) at 3 and 4 months. The primary outcome was seroprotection rate (SPR) to MCC (percent with rabbit complement serum bactericidal antibody titer ≥8). RESULTS: Per protocol analysis, MCC SPRs were 100 and 96.4 one month after the first dose, 100 and 99.1 after the second dose, and 100 and 97.3 after the third (booster) dose of MCC in the MCC-TT and MCC-CRM groups, respectively. One month after all 3 doses of DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib, immunoglobulin G anti-polyribosylribitol phosphate SPRs (% ≥0.15 µg/mL) were 97.8 in the MCC-TT group and 100 in the MCC-CRM group; anti-hepatitis B antigen SPRs (% ≥10 mIU/mL) were 96.8 and 96.3 in the MCC-TT and MCC-CRM groups, respectively. All participants were seroprotected against diphtheria and tetanus (≥0.01 IU/mL) and poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 (≥8 dilution), and seroresponse rates to all pertussis antigens were ≥90.4%. Two vaccine-related serious adverse events (transient severe abdominal pain and crying) occurred concomitantly in 1 participant in the MCC-CRM group. Adverse event rates were similar to other studies of DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib, with pyrexia ≥38 °C in 10.9% of participants following any dose. CONCLUSIONS: DTaP5-HB-IPV-Hib can be effectively used in a 2-, 3-, and 4-month infant priming schedule when given with 2 doses of MCC

Similar exemplar pooling processes underlie the learning of facial identity and handwriting style: Evidence from typical observers and individuals with Autism

Considerable research has addressed whether the cognitive and neural representations recruited by faces are similar to those engaged by other types of visual stimuli. For example, research has examined the extent to which objects of expertise recruit holistic representation and engage the fusiform face area. Little is known, however, about the domain-specificity of the exemplar pooling processes thought to underlie the acquisition of familiarity with particular facial identities. In the present study we sought to compare observers’ ability to learn facial identities and handwriting styles from exposure to multiple exemplars. Crucially, while handwritten words and faces differ considerably in their topographic form, both learning tasks share a common exemplar pooling component. In our first experiment, we find that typical observers’ ability to learn facial identities and handwriting styles from exposure to multiple exemplars correlates closely. In our second experiment, we show that observers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are impaired at both learning tasks. Our findings suggest that similar exemplar pooling processes are recruited when learning facial identities and handwriting styles. Models of exemplar pooling originally developed to explain face learning, may therefore offer valuable insights into exemplar pooling across a range of domains, extending beyond faces. Aberrant exemplar pooling, possibly resulting from structural differences in the inferior longitudinal fasciculus, may underlie difficulties recognising familiar faces often experienced by individuals with ASD, and leave observers overly reliant on local details present in particular exemplars

Antibiotic tolerance in salmonella typhirmurium as an emergent property of induced aggregate formation by altered environmental viscosity and shear stress

Bibliography: p. 102-116Some pages are in colour

The Structure of Social Cognition: In(ter)dependence of Sociocognitive Processes

Social cognition is a topic of enormous interest and much research, but we are far from having an agreed taxonomy or factor structure of relevant processes. The aim of this review is to outline briefly what is known about the structure of social cognition and to suggest how further progress can be made to delineate the in(ter)dependence of core sociocognitive processes. We focus in particular on several processes that have been discussed and tested together in typical and atypical (notably autism spectrum disorder) groups: imitation, biological motion, empathy, and theory of mind. We consider the domain specificity/generality of core processes in social learning, reward, and attention, and we highlight the potential relevance of dual-process theories that distinguish systems for fast/automatic and slow/effortful processing. We conclude with methodological and conceptual suggestions for future progress in uncovering the structure of social cognition

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties during COVID-19 Pandemic in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Children and young people (CYP) with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) may be particularly vulnerable to adverse mental health effects due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We conducted a cross-sectional U.K. parent-reported study from 2nd April–2nd June 2020, using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. CYP with NDDs (n = 371), compared to neurotypical controls, had a higher prevalence of emotional symptoms (42% vs. 15%) and conduct problems (28% vs. 9%), and fewer prosocial behaviours (54% vs. 22%). All groups had worse emotional symptoms than pre-COVID groups, and those with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder showed inflated conduct problems, while those with autism spectrum disorder exhibited decreased prosocial behaviours. Females with ASD had higher emotional symptoms compared to males. CYP with NDDs, and those without, showed higher levels of parent-reported mental health problems than comparable cohorts pre-COVID-19

Channel-planform evolution in four rivers of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA: the roles of physical drivers and trophic cascades

Identifying the relative contributions of physical and ecological processes to channel evolution remains a substantial challenge in fluvial geomorphology. We use a 74-year aerial photographic record of the Hoh, Queets, Quinault, and Elwha Rivers, Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, to investigate whether physical or trophic-cascade-driven ecological factors – excessive elk impacts after wolves were extirpated a century ago – are the dominant drivers of channel planform in these gravel-bed rivers.We find that channel width and braiding show strong relationships with recent flood history. All four rivers widened significantly after having been relatively narrow in the 1970s, consistent with increased flood activity since then. Channel planform also reflects sediment-supply changes, evident from landslide response on the Elwha River. We surmise that the Hoh River, which shows a multi-decadal trend toward greater braiding, is adjusting to increased sediment supply associated with rapid glacial retreat. These rivers demonstrate transmission of climatic signals through relatively short sediment-routing systems that lack substantial buffering by sediment storage. Legacy effects of anthropogenic modification likely also affect the Quinault River planform. We infer no correspondence between channel evolution and elk abundance, suggesting that trophic-cascade effects in this setting are subsidiary to physical controls on channel morphology. Our findings differ from previous interpretations of Olympic National Park fluvial dynamics and contrast with the classic example of Yellowstone National Park, where legacy effects of elk overuse are apparent in channel morphology; we attribute these differences to hydrologic regime and large-wood availability

Autism screening and diagnosis in low resource settings:Challenges and opportunities to enhance research and services worldwide

Most research into the epidemiology, etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of autism is based on studies in high income countries. Moreover, within high income countries, individuals of high socioeconomic status are disproportionately represented among participants in autism research. Corresponding disparities in access to autism screening, diagnosis, and treatment exist globally. One of the barriers perpetuating this imbalance is the high cost of proprietary tools for diagnosing autism and for delivering evidence-based therapies. Another barrier is the high cost of training of professionals and para-professionals to use the tools. Open-source and open access models provide a way to facilitate global collaboration and training. Using these models and technologies, the autism scientific community and clinicians worldwide should be able to work more effectively and efficiently than they have to date to address the global imbalance in autism knowledge and at the same time advance our understanding of autism and our ability to deliver cost-effective services to everyone in need.R24 AA022919 - NIAAA NIH HH