Weichholzauen-Entwicklung als Beitrag zum naturverträglichen Hochwasserschutz im Biosphärenreservat Mittelelbe

Die Gefährdung von Auen mit ihren typischen Vegetationsgesellschaften beruht vor allem auf dem Ausbau der Flüsse zu Wasserstraßen, einhergehend mit dem Bau von Dämmen, Staustufen, Deichen und Uferbefestigungen. Der Ausbau der Wasserstraßen hat weitreichende Konsequenzen für die Hydrodynamik des Flusses, die Geomorphologie und die hydrologischen Bedingungen in der Aue. Ein Lebensraumtypus, der dabei in besonderem Maße betroffen ist, sind die Weichholzauen. Während vor wenigen Jahrhunderten die Vorländer der Elbe noch größere Bestände von Weichholz- und Hartholzauen aufwiesen, ist das heutige Landschaftsbild vor allem durch extensiv genutzte Grünländer geprägt. Weichholzauenwälder sind als prioritär zu schützender, natürlicher Lebensraumtyp eingestuft und besitzen eine besondere Schutz- und Entwicklungsbedürftigkeit. Weichholzauenwälder bieten nicht nur Lebensraum für viele seltene Tier- und Pflanzenarten, sie beeinflussen auch den Nährstoffkreislauf innerhalb der Aue, haben einen wichtigen Einfluss auf die Wasserqualität und stabilisieren Ufer- und Vorlandbereiche. Zudem dienen sie als Retentionsraum und können damit zum Hochwasserschutz beitragen. Vor diesem Hintergrund förderte die Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU) das interdisziplinäre Projekt „KoWeB – Konzept zur Weichholzauen- Entwicklung als Beitrag zum naturverträglichen Hochwasserschutz an Bundeswasserstraßen“ in der Laufzeit 2006 bis 2009. Das Ziel war die Entwicklung einer praxistauglichen Methode zur Identifizierung von Flächen zur Ansiedlung von Weichholzauen in Überschwemmungsgebieten unter Beachtung der ökologischen Kriterien und der Hochwasserneutralität

Community Care Workers, Poor Referral Networks and Consumption of Personal Resources in Rural South Africa

Although home-based care (HBC) programs are widely implemented throughout Africa, their success depends on the existence of an enabling environment, including a referral system and supply of essential commodities. The objective of this study was to explore the current state of client referral patterns and practices by community care workers (CCWs), in an evolving environment of one rural South African sub-district. Using a participant triangulation approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 CCWs, 32 HBC clients and 32 primary caregivers (PCGs). An open-ended interview guide was used for data collection. Participants were selected from comprehensive lists of CCWs and their clients, using a diversified criterion-based sampling method. Three independent researchers coded three sets of data – CCWs, Clients and PCGs, for referral patterns and practices of CCWs. Referrals from clinics and hospitals to HBC occurred infrequently, as only eight (25%) of the 32 clients interviewed were formally referred. Community care workers showed high levels of commitment and personal investment in supporting their clients to use the formal health care system. They went to the extent of using their own personal resources. Seven CCWs used their own money to ensure client access to clinics, and eight gave their own food to ensure treatment adherence. Community care workers are essential in linking clients to clinics and hospitals and to promote the appropriate use of medical services, although this effort frequently necessitated consumption of their own personal resources. Therefore, risk protection strategies are urgently needed so as to ensure sustainability of the current work performed by HBC organizations and the CCW volunteers

Two close large quasar groups of size ∼ 350 Mpc at

The Clowes & Campusano large quasar group (LQG) at inline image has been re-examined using the quasar data from the DR7QSO catalogue of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. In the 1991 discovery, the LQG impinged on the northern, southern and eastern limits of the survey. In the DR7QSO data, the western, northern and southern boundaries of the LQG remain essentially the same, but an extension eastwards of ∼2° is indicated. In the DR7QSO data, the LQG has 34 members, with inline image. A new group of 38 members is indicated at inline image and within ∼2bsl000640 of the Clowes & Campusano LQG. The characteristic sizes of these two LQGs, ∼350–400 Mpc, appear to be only marginally consistent with the scale of homogeneity in the concordance cosmology. In addition to their intrinsic interest, these two LQGs provide locations in which to investigate early large-scale structure in galaxies and to identify high-z clusters. A method is presented for assessing the statistical significance and overdensity of groups found by linkage of points

Community care workers, poor referral networks and consumption of personal resources in rural South Africa

Although home-based care (HBC) programs are widely implemented throughout Africa, their success depends on the existence of an enabling environment, including a referral system and supply of essential commodities. The objective of this study was to explore the current state of client referral patterns and practices by community care workers (CCWs), in an evolving environment of one rural South African sub-district. Using a participant triangulation approach, in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 17 CCWs, 32 HBC clients and 32 primary caregivers (PCGs). An open-ended interview guide was used for data collection. Participants were selected from comprehensive lists of CCWs and their clients, using a diversified criterion-based sampling method. Three independent researchers coded three sets of data – CCWs, Clients and PCGs, for referral patterns and practices of CCWs. Referrals from clinics and hospitals to HBC occurred infrequently, as only eight (25%) of the 32 clients interviewed were formally referred. Community care workers showed high levels of commitment and personal investment in supporting their clients to use the formal health care system. They went to the extent of using their own personal resources. Seven CCWs used their own money to ensure client access to clinics, and eight gave their own food to ensure treatment adherence. Community care workers are essential in linking clients to clinics and hospitals and to promote the appropriate use of medical services, although this effort frequently necessitated consumption of their own personal resources. Therefore, risk protection strategies are urgently needed so as to ensure sustainability of the current work performed by HBC organizations and the CCW volunteers.The South Africa Netherlands research Programme on Alternatives in Development (SANPAD) and AVERT, Averting HIV and AIDS (http://www.avert.org/).http://www.plosone.orgam201

5. Freiburger Bildungsbericht. Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung

Der vorliegende 5. Freiburger Bildungsbericht mit dem Schwerpunkt Bildung für nachhaltige Entwicklung (BNE) gibt wertvolle Impulse. Dieser Bericht ist in vielerlei Hinsicht ungewöhnlich. Zunächst ist er bundesweit der erste Bildungsbericht, der sich ausschließlich mit diesem Thema befasst; diese Tatsache war Herausforderung und Chance zugleich. Es konnte nicht auf bestehende gute Beispiele zurückgegriffen werden, sondern die Inhalte mussten selbst erarbeitet werden. Eine weitere Besonderheit des Berichtes liegt in seinem partizipativen Charakter. Von der Konzepterstellung bis hin zu den Datenerhebungsverfahren waren Freiburgerinnen und Freiburger eingebunden. (DIPF/Orig.

A structure in the early Universe at z 1.3 that exceeds the homogeneity scale of the R-W concordance cosmology

A Large Quasar Group (LQG) of particularly large size and high membership has been identified in the DR7QSO catalogue of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. It has characteristic size (volume^1/3) ~ 500 Mpc (proper size, present epoch), longest dimension ~ 1240 Mpc, membership of 73 quasars, and mean redshift = 1.27. In terms of both size and membership it is the most extreme LQG found in the DR7QSO catalogue for the redshift range 1.0 = 1.28, which is itself one of the more extreme examples. Their boundaries approach to within ~ 2 deg (~ 140 Mpc projected). This new, huge LQG appears to be the largest structure currently known in the early universe. Its size suggests incompatibility with the Yadav et al. scale of homogeneity for the concordance cosmology, and thus challenges the assumption of the cosmological principle

Virtual Liver Resection and Volumetric Analysis of the Future Liver Remnant using Open Source Image Processing Software

Ó The Author(s) 2010. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com Background After extended liver resection, a remnant liver that is too small can lead to postresection liver failure. To reduce this risk, preoperative evaluation of the future liver remnant volume (FLRV) is critical. The open-source OsiriX Ò PAC software system can be downloaded for free and used by nonradiologists to calculate liver volume using a stand-alone Apple computer. The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of OsiriX Ò CT volumetry for predicting liver resection volume and FLVR in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy. Methods Preoperative contrast-enhanced liver CT scans of patients who underwent partial hepatectomy were Joost R. van der Vorst and Ronald M. van Dam contributed equally to the study and the manuscript. These authors share first authorship. J. R. van der Vorst R. M. van Dam (&

Implant for Augmentation of Cerebral Blood Flow Trial-1 (ImpACT-1). A single-arm feasibility study evaluating the safety and potential benefit of the Ischemic Stroke System for treatment of acute ischemic stroke

Background The Ischemic Stroke System is a novel device designed to deliver stimulation to the sphenopalatine ganglion(SPG).The SPG sends parasympathetic innervations to the anterior cerebral circulation. In rat stroke models, SPG stimulation results in increased cerebral blood flow, reduced infarct volume, protects the blood brain barrier, and improved neurological outcome. We present here the results of a prospective, multinational, single-arm, feasibility study designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and potential benefit of SPG stimulation inpatients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS). Methods Patients with anterior AIS, baseline NIHSS 7–20 and ability to initiate treatment within 24h from stroke onset, were implanted and treated with the SPG stimulation. Patients were followed up for 90 days. Effect was assessed by comparing the patient outcome to a matched population from the NINDS rt-PA trial placebo patients. Results Ninety-eight patients were enrolled (mean age 57years, mean baseline NIHSS 12 and mean treatment time from stroke onset 19h). The observed mortality rate(12.2%), serious adverse events (SAE)incidence(23.5%) and nature of SAE were within the expected range for the population. The modified intention to treat cohort consisted of 84 patients who were compared to matched patients from the NINDS placebo arm. Patients treated with SPG stimulation had an average mRS lower by 0.76 than the historical controls(CMH test p = 0.001). Conclusion The implantation procedure and the SPG stimulation, initiated within 24hr from stroke onset, are feasible, safe, and tolerable. The results call for a follow-up randomized trial (funded by BrainsGate; clinicaltrials.gov number, NCT03733236)