der Einfluss transnationaler Akteure auf die RFID-Empfehlung der Europäischen Kommission

Mit RFID steht seit wenigen Jahren eine Technologie zur Verfügung, die einerseits ein großes wirtschaftliches Potential besitzt, mit deren verbreitetem Einsatz andererseits jedoch auch datenschutzrechtliche Risiken einhergehen. Seit Mai 2009 existiert eine Kommissionsempfehlung zu diesem Thema. Dieser Artikel untersucht diese Policy darauf hin, welche Akteure die Ergebnisse des Politikformulierungsprozesses maßgeblich beeinflussten. Das zentrale Anliegen der Arbeit ist die Analyse des Gewichtes verschiedener von Theorien der europäischen Integration als besonders einflussreich erachteter Akteure. Da weder die Betrachtung der Mitgliedstaaten (Liberaler Intergouvernementalismus) noch die der Kommission (Neo-Funktionalismus) eine erschöpfende Erklärung bieten, wendet sich die Arbeit sowohl transgouvernementalen als auch transnationalen Akteuren zu und zeigt, dass beide Akteure wesentlichen Einfluss nehmen konnten. Abschließend wird ein erster Versuch unternommen, zu erklären, warum diese Akteure im vorliegenden Fall einflussreich waren, obwohl gemeinhin angenommen wird, dass ihr Gewicht für politische Entscheidungen in der EU minimal ist. Hierbei wird auf das Bedürfnis nach Expertise einerseits aber auch die geänderte Rolle transnationaler und transgouvernementaler Akteure in der Umsetzung nicht verbindlicher Governanceformen hingewiesen

Extended phylogeny and morphology of marine and freshwater choanoflagellates with additional methodological studies on heterotrophic flagellates

Heterotrophic flagellates (HF) are small, ubiquitously distributed protists. As main bacterial feeders, they play a significant role in aquatic and terrestrial food webs. To ensure reliable investigations of the diversity and phylogeny of HF and especially choanoflagellates, a short, user-friendly guide to common heterotrophic freshwater flagellates was developed in the present dissertation. It aims at facilitating an easier morphospecies identification using morphological characteristics of the living organisms. Due to the large diversity and specific properties of HF, a reliable quantification of these organisms is very challenging. Different quantification methods such as the live-counting technique, various fixation methods, a cultivation method and molecular tools were thus compared and optimized regarding various environmental studies. On the basis of this comparison different recommendations have been provided. Among the variety of different groups of HF, special attention was paid to the group of choanoflagellates in the present doctoral thesis. This group is particularly interesting regarding evolutionary aspects on the basis of animal origin as they are known to be the closest protistan relatives to the Metazoa within the group of Opisthokonta. Nonetheless, the internal systematics of choanoflagellates - especially of the order Craspedida - is still controversially discussed as no clear monophyletic clustering could be discovered up to now. Different morphological and life cycle forms exist, inter alia, the presence or absence of a theca (organic cell covering) and the ability to form colonies. Here, the sequencing of the 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA and morphological description of twelve choanoflagellate isolates (marine, brackish, and freshwater) from world-wide sampling points could reveal new insights into the taxonomy and systematics of the order Craspedida. Five of the isolates were additionally included in a six-gene phylogenetic analysis (18S rDNA, 28S rDNA, hsp90, tubA, EF-1A and EFL) to obtain an enhanced phylogenetic resolution and evolutionary understanding of choanoflagellates. Besides, it was also possible to characterize a completely new group of undescribed choanoflagellate sequences from suboxic/anoxic environments, closely related to the choanoflagellate order Acanthoecida. This group could be described by one isolate which was assigned to a new genus with a surprising morphological similarity to the order Craspedida. Taken together, this combination of both morphological and molecular data extended the existing choanoflagellate sequence database by about one third and might provide the potential basis for a complete taxonomic revision of choanoflagellates and for insights into their evolution and the evolution of multicellularity. Furthermore, the difficult isolation, cultivation and sequencing processes of choanoflagellates could be partially optimized. Additional ecological studies were carried out regarding salinity tolerances, lorica inducement (covering of acanthoecid choanoflagellates) and feeding modes

Using Survey Responses to Determine the Value-Added Features of a Webinar Portal System for Adoption by Natural Resource Professionals

This article presents the findings of a recent survey of natural resource webinar providers. Respondents were asked a range of questions regarding their webinar services. Findings showed that respondents most commonly marketed their webinars through email or websites and targeted an audience of professionals. Respondents noted that the greatest challenge in offering webinars was the time commitment, whereas access to high-quality speakers added the most value to a webinar portal. Although the majority of responding webinar providers do not currently charge for their webinars, over one third noted that they would be willing to pay a fee per participant

Critical Competencies of 4-H Camp Staff for Achieving High Performance

Camps provide a substantial opportunity for youth to develop important life skills. Identifying and training staff on critical competencies are essential to achieving the desired outcomes for camp participants. The purpose of this study was to determine the most critical competencies of the 4-H residential camp staff for achieving high staff performance. The modified Delphi technique was used to achieve study objectives. The Delphi panel of this study consisted of 23 4-H camping experts from across the United States. This three-round Delphi study led to identify 15 critical competencies that will be useful in standardizing 4-H camp staff training programs

Potential contribution of surface-dwelling Sargassum algae to deep-sea ecosystems in the southern North Atlantic

Deep-sea ecosystems, limited by their inability to use primary production as a source of carbon, rely on other sources to maintain life. Sedimentation of organic carbon into the deep sea has been previously studied, however, the high biomass of sedimented Sargassum algae discovered during the VEMA Transit expedition in 2014/2015 to the southern North Atlantic, and its potential as a regular carbon input, has been an underestimated phenomenon. To determine the potential for this carbon flux, a literature survey of previous studies that estimated the abundance of surface water Sargassum was conducted. We compared these estimates with quantitative analyses of sedimented Sargassum appearing on photos taken with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) directly above the abyssal sediment during the expedition. Organismal communities associated to Sargassum fluitans from surface waters were investigated and Sargassum samples collected from surface waters and the deep sea were biochemically analyzed (fatty acids, stable isotopes, C:N ratios) to determine degradation potential and the trophic significance within deep-sea communities. The estimated Sargassum biomass (fresh weight) in the deep sea (0.07 − 3.75 g/m2) was several times higher than that estimated from surface waters in the North Atlantic (0.024 – 0.84 g/m2). Biochemical analysis showed degradation of Sargassum occurring during sedimentation or in the deep sea, however, fatty acid and stable isotope analysis did not indicate direct trophic interactions between the algae and benthic organisms. Thus, it is assumed that components of the deep-sea microbial food web form an important link between the macroalgae and larger benthic organisms. Evaluation of the epifauna showed a diverse nano- micro-, meio, and macrofauna on surface Sargassum and maybe transported across the Atlantic, but we had no evidence for a vertical exchange of fauna components. The large-scale sedimentation of Sargassum forms an important trophic link between surface and benthic production and has to be further considered in the future as a regular carbon input to the deep-sea floor in the North Atlantic

A six-gene phylogeny provides new insights into choanoflagellate evolution

Recent studies have shown that molecular phylogenies of the choanoflagellates (Class Choanoflagellatea) are in disagreement with their traditional taxonomy, based on morphology, and that Choanoflagellatea requires considerable taxonomic revision. Furthermore, phylogenies suggest that the morphological and ecological evolution of the group is more complex than has previously been recognized. Here we address the taxonomy of the major choanoflagellate order Craspedida, by erecting four new genera. The new genera are shown to be morphologically, ecologically and phylogenetically distinct from other choanoflagellate taxa. Furthermore, we name five novel craspedid species, as well as formally describe ten species that have been shown to be either misidentified or require taxonomic revision. Our revised phylogeny, including 18 new species and sequence data for two additional genes, provides insights into the morphological and ecological evolution of the choanoflagellates. We examine the distribution within choanoflagellates of these two additional genes, EF-1A and EFL, closely related translation GTPases which are required for protein synthesis. Mapping the presence and absenc

Evolution of alternative biosynthetic pathways for vitamin C following plastid acquisition in photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an enzyme co-factor in eukaryotes that also plays a critical role in protecting photosynthetic eukaryotes against damaging reactive oxygen species derived from the chloroplast. Many animal lineages, including primates, have become ascorbate auxotrophs due to the loss of the terminal enzyme in their biosynthetic pathway, L-gulonolactone oxidase (GULO). The alternative pathways found in land plants and Euglena use a different terminal enzyme, L-galactonolactone dehydrogenase (GLDH). The evolutionary processes leading to these differing pathways and their contribution to the cellular roles of ascorbate remain unclear. Here we present molecular and biochemical evidence demonstrating that GULO was functionally replaced with GLDH in photosynthetic eukaryote lineages following plastid acquisition. GULO has therefore been lost repeatedly throughout eukaryote evolution. The formation of the alternative biosynthetic pathways in photosynthetic eukaryotes uncoupled ascorbate synthesis from hydrogen peroxide production and likely contributed to the rise of ascorbate as a major photoprotective antioxidant

Digues de protection contre les submersions : État de l'art et modélisation numérique aux volumes finis du franchissement fluvial et maritime

During the last years, lots of hydrologic events impact the containment system, both maritime and riverine, particularly in France. Part of these levees are earth-filled and may suffer from external erosion, which represent the half of levees failures. Numerical modelling seems to be a key element to describe the behaviour of such infrastructures on which complex hydraulic flows apply. This report presents overtopping simulations realized by IRSTEA in May 2018. It also presents numerical simulations implement with a computation program in development which uses a finite volume model to design airy free surface flows. The results are compared to the overtopping field measures performed in 2017 by IRSTEA.Suite aux événements hydrologiques extrêmes survenus ces dernières années, il apparaît nécessaire de renforcer le système d'endiguement fluvial et maritime notamment en France. Une part importante de ces digues est construite en terre, soumise à l'érosion externe qui représente près de la moitié des défaillances sur ces ouvrages. La modélisation numérique apparaît comme un élément clé dans la description du comportement de ces ouvrages de protection soumis à des charges hydrauliques complexes. Ce rapport présente les essais de surverse réalisés en mai 2018 aux Salins de Giraud. Il contient également des simulations numériques réalisées à l'aide d'un code de calcul en développement, qui s'appuie sur un modèle aux volumes finis pour simuler des écoulements aérés à surface libre. Les résultats numériques ont été comparés aux mesures expérimentales réalisées par IRSTEA lors d'essais de surverse en 2017

Datenschutz in der EU - der Einfluss transnationaler Akteure auf die RFID-Empfehlung der Europäischen Kommission

Mit RFID steht seit wenigen Jahren eine Technologie zur Verfügung, die einerseits ein großes wirtschaftliches Potential besitzt, mit deren verbreitetem Einsatz andererseits jedoch auch datenschutzrechtliche Risiken einhergehen. Seit Mai 2009 existiert eine Kommissionsempfehlung zu diesem Thema. Dieser Artikel untersucht diese Policy darauf hin, welche Akteure die Ergebnisse des Politikformulierungsprozesses maßgeblich beeinflussten. Das zentrale Anliegen der Arbeit ist die Analyse des Gewichtes verschiedener von Theorien der europäischen Integration als besonders einflussreich erachteter Akteure. Da weder die Betrachtung der Mitgliedstaaten (Liberaler Intergouvernementalismus) noch die der Kommission (Neo-Funktionalismus) eine erschöpfende Erklärung bieten, wendet sich die Arbeit sowohl transgouvernementalen als auch transnationalen Akteuren zu und zeigt, dass beide Akteure wesentlichen Einfluss nehmen konnten. Abschließend wird ein erster Versuch unternommen, zu erklären, warum diese Akteure im vorliegenden Fall einflussreich waren, obwohl gemeinhin angenommen wird, dass ihr Gewicht für politische Entscheidungen in der EU minimal ist. Hierbei wird auf das Bedürfnis nach Expertise einerseits aber auch die geänderte Rolle transnationaler und transgouvernementaler Akteure in der Umsetzung nicht verbindlicher Governanceformen hingewiesen