Vereinfachte Umweltbewertungen des Umweltbundesamtes

Man könne nicht Äpfel mit Birnen vergleichen – lautet eine alte Redewendung. In der Realität erfordert der praktische Umweltschutz aber gerade dies. Bei den meisten Entscheidungen, die wir heute zu treffen haben, reicht es nicht, nur eine einzige Eigenschaft von zwei Alternativen zu vergleichen. Deswegen hat das Umweltbundesamt seine 2014 entwickelte Methodik zur integrierten Bewertung von Dienstleistungen und Produkten aktualisiert und fortgeschrieben

The ReCoDe addiction research consortium:Losing and regaining control over drug intake-Findings and future perspectives

Substance use disorders (SUDs) are seen as a continuum ranging from goal-directed and hedonic drug use to loss of control over drug intake with aversive consequences for mental and physical health and social functioning. The main goals of our interdisciplinary German collaborative research centre on Losing and Regaining Control over Drug Intake (ReCoDe) are (i) to study triggers (drug cues, stressors, drug priming) and modifying factors (age, gender, physical activity, cognitive functions, childhood adversity, social factors, such as loneliness and social contact/interaction) that longitudinally modulate the trajectories of losing and regaining control over drug consumption under real-life conditions. (ii) To study underlying behavioural, cognitive and neurobiological mechanisms of disease trajectories and drug-related behaviours and (iii) to provide non-invasive mechanism-based interventions. These goals are achieved by: (A) using innovative mHealth (mobile health) tools to longitudinally monitor the effects of triggers and modifying factors on drug consumption patterns in real life in a cohort of 900 patients with alcohol use disorder. This approach will be complemented by animal models of addiction with 24/7 automated behavioural monitoring across an entire disease trajectory; i.e. from a naïve state to a drug-taking state to an addiction or resilience-like state. (B) The identification and, if applicable, computational modelling of key molecular, neurobiological and psychological mechanisms (e.g., reduced cognitive flexibility) mediating the effects of such triggers and modifying factors on disease trajectories. (C) Developing and testing non-invasive interventions (e.g., Just-In-Time-Adaptive-Interventions (JITAIs), various non-invasive brain stimulations (NIBS), individualized physical activity) that specifically target the underlying mechanisms for regaining control over drug intake. Here, we will report on the most important results of the first funding period and outline our future research strategy.</p

Patterns of Alcohol Consumption Among Individuals With Alcohol Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Lockdowns in Germany

Importance Alcohol consumption (AC) leads to death and disability worldwide. Ongoing discussions on potential negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on AC need to be informed by real-world evidence. Objective To examine whether lockdown measures are associated with AC and consumption-related temporal and psychological within-person mechanisms. Design, Setting, and Participants This quantitative, intensive, longitudinal cohort study recruited 1743 participants from 3 sites from February 20, 2020, to February 28, 2021. Data were provided before and within the second lockdown of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany: before lockdown (October 2 to November 1, 2020); light lockdown (November 2 to December 15, 2020); and hard lockdown (December 16, 2020, to February 28, 2021). Main Outcomes and Measures Daily ratings of AC (main outcome) captured during 3 lockdown phases (main variable) and temporal (weekends and holidays) and psychological (social isolation and drinking intention) correlates. Results Of the 1743 screened participants, 189 (119 [63.0%] male; median [IQR] age, 37 [27.5-52.0] years) with at least 2 alcohol use disorder (AUD) criteria according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fifth Edition) yet without the need for medically supervised alcohol withdrawal were included. These individuals provided 14 694 smartphone ratings from October 2020 through February 2021. Multilevel modeling revealed significantly higher AC (grams of alcohol per day) on weekend days vs weekdays (β = 11.39; 95% CI, 10.00-12.77; P < .001). Alcohol consumption was above the overall average on Christmas (β = 26.82; 95% CI, 21.87-31.77; P < .001) and New Year’s Eve (β = 66.88; 95% CI, 59.22-74.54; P < .001). During the hard lockdown, perceived social isolation was significantly higher (β = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.06-0.15; P < .001), but AC was significantly lower (β = −5.45; 95% CI, −8.00 to −2.90; P = .001). Independent of lockdown, intention to drink less alcohol was associated with lower AC (β = −11.10; 95% CI, −13.63 to −8.58; P < .001). Notably, differences in AC between weekend and weekdays decreased both during the hard lockdown (β = −6.14; 95% CI, −9.96 to −2.31; P = .002) and in participants with severe AUD (β = −6.26; 95% CI, −10.18 to −2.34; P = .002). Conclusions and Relevance This 5-month cohort study found no immediate negative associations of lockdown measures with overall AC. Rather, weekend-weekday and holiday AC patterns exceeded lockdown effects. Differences in AC between weekend days and weekdays evinced that weekend drinking cycles decreased as a function of AUD severity and lockdown measures, indicating a potential mechanism of losing and regaining control. This finding suggests that temporal patterns and drinking intention constitute promising targets for prevention and intervention, even in high-risk individuals

Species specificity of electric organ discharges in a sympatric group of gymnotid fish from Manaus (Amazonas)

We collected weakly electric gymnotoid fish in the vicinity of Manaus, Amazonas, in the Solimoes river (white water). We tried to find out whether Electric Organ Discharges (EODs) are species specific which is essential for their presumed role in recognition of conspecifics and reproductive isolation. We considered at least 43 valid sympatric species, some of them unnamed. All of these displayed stable EOD waveform patterns, most of them clearly distinct from the other species' EODs. Eleven species are of the pulse EOD type, 32 of the wave EOD type (one of the latter is intermediate). The EODs of pulse species were analysed (1) by EOD repetition rate at rest (variation from £1 Hz to 60 Hz), (2) by Fourier amplitude spectrum analysis of single EODs (Fig. 1; in these spectra, frequencies of peak amplitude ranged up to 2300 Hz). There was a significant, positive correlation between both parameters (Fig. 2). Identification of pairs of species with similar EODs by these parameters does not appear to be possible because of inter-individual EOD variations. In wave species there is conclusive evidence that EOD fundamental frequencies (= repetition rate of a complete EOD period) do not allow species identification: twentyeight wave species displayed EOD fundamental frequencies flrom 300 to 1800 Hz (Fig, 3). This yields a hypothetical frequency band of p.09 octave to signal species identity; the actual value of EOD frequency variations in Eigenmannia is much greater (1.2 octaves). Seven species of the family Apteronotidae displayed a new signal type: the main energy of the signal was contained in higher harmonics, and not at the fundamental frequencies (Figs. 6 and 7). For all wave species there was a significant, positive correlation between their dominant frequency (= the strongest signal component) and harmonic content of their EOD although individual species deviated considerably from what was predicted by the regression line (Fig. 8 ) . Thus separation of species was greatly improved compared to the criterion of fundamental frequency (Fig. 3) but still appeared insufficient in a number of cases. Therefore, in both wave and pulse species still other parameters must be involved in recognition of conspecifics

Vereinfachte Umweltbewertungen des Umweltbundesamtes

Man könne nicht Äpfel mit Birnen vergleichen – lautet eine alte Redewendung. In der Realität erfordert der praktische Umweltschutz aber gerade dies. Bei den meisten Entscheidungen, die wir heute zu treffen haben, reicht es nicht, nur eine einzige Eigenschaft von zwei Alternativen zu vergleichen. Deswegen hat das Umweltbundesamt seine 2014 entwickelte Methodik zur integrierten Bewertung von Dienstleistungen und Produkten aktualisiert und fortgeschrieben

Effect of conductivity changes on the stability of electric signal waveforms in dwarf stonebashers (Mormyridae; Pollimyrus castelnaui, P. marianne).

The dwarf stonebasher sibling species Pollimyrus castelnaui and P. marianne use differences in the electric organ discharges (EODs) for species recognition. As EOD waveforms are affected by water conductivity changes, the reliability of species recognition might be impeded due to natural variability in the environment. EODs of P. castelnaui (N = 8) and P. marianne (N = 8) under high (250 µS/cm) and low (25 µS/cm) conductivity were recorded and compared. Local peaks of the EODs of both species were significantly and predictably modified due to the conductivity change but species-specific differences were always recognizable. The duration of the EODs was not influenced by the conductivity change. Temperature alterations modified the duration in a linear relationship, allowing the determination of Q10 values (1.6 for P. castelnaui's and 1.7 for P. marianne's EODs). As the species-specific differences are not masked by conductivity effects, EOD discrimination seems to be a reliable species recognition mechanism under natural circumstances

Ontogeny of the electric organ discharge in two parapatric species of the dwarf stonebasher, Pollimyrus castelnaui and P. marianne (Mormyridae, Teleostei)

This is the first description of the ontogenetic development of the electric organ discharge (EOD) in two parapatric mormyrid sibling species, Pollimyrus castelnaui (Boulenger, 1911) and P. marianne Kramer et al. 2003, from the first appearance during the early larval stages at about 0.7 cm total length to the fully developed adult discharge at about 3.0 cm total length. At around day 20 the biphasic larval discharge (which is similar to that of P. adspersus larvae) is followed by the emerging triphasic adult discharge with a delay of about 0.7 ms. Both discharge types coexist for about 3 weeks. As the development advances, the amplitude of the adult discharge increases rapidly while that of the larval discharge diminishes. Whereas the adult EOD waveform of P. marianne remains triphasic later in life, in P. castelnaui an 'initial flourish', in the form of additional small phases, is added and develops at an age of about 40 days, when larval and adult EOD are present. Possible evolutionary scenarios are discussed

Electric signalling and reproductive behaviour in a mormyrid fish, the bulldog Marcusenius macrolepidotus (South African form)

Bulldog fish (Marcusenius macrolepidotus) generate short (<1 ms) electric-organ discharges (EODs), separated by much longer and highly variable interdischarge intervals (IDIs). We observed overt behaviour and electrical activity during reproductive behaviour in a male and in a female bulldog, and identified IDI patterns with putative signal functions. In contrast to Pollimyrus adspersus and Pollimyrus isidori, in which an elaborate and extended courtship precedes spawning proper, our fish started spawning almost immediately when we allowed the female to enter the male’s territory. The male did not construct a nest, and neither parent provided parental care. The male showed very little aggression towards the intruding female. Fish spawned in bouts near the male’s hiding place, and eggs were scattered by the female’s vigorous tail flips as she left the spawning site, only to return shortly thereafter. During spawning bouts, both fish generated highly stereotyped IDI patterns: the male generated a series of IDIs gradually decreasing from about 200 ms to about 55 ms that was abruptly terminated by a long IDI. The female generated a series of relatively regular IDIs (about 54 ms) that was followed by a marked increase in IDI duration (the probable time of spawning). Finally, a sharp decrease in IDIs to about 20 ms accompanied the female’s sudden escape from the spawning site. In between spawning bouts, both fish generated series of very short IDIs (high discharge rate, HD) that alternated abruptly with very low-rate inter-HD activity (especially in the male). IDIs as short as 9 ms (male) or 11 ms (female) occurred during HD displays. No visible aggression, in fact very little overt behaviour, occurred during these HD displays in both fish. Agonistic interactions between male and female, outside a reproductive context, were similar to those previously described in male pairs, including overt behavioural patterns such as parallel swimming, antiparallel display and attack, as well as HD displays. When not interacting, fish did not generate HD displays. We suggest the HD display is a communication signal in both reproductive and agonistic contexts

Maßnahmen zur Hitzestress-Reduzierung anhand Verdunstungsabkühlung

Großflächig versiegelte und hoch verdichtete Stadtstrukturen mit einer geringen Begrünung lassen aufgrund des Klimawandels und zunehmend heiße Tage sogenannte Hitze-Inseln in der Stadt entstehen (Urban-Heat-Island Effekt). Wasser, das verdunstet, kühlt das Mikroklima. Daher sind Maßnahmen günstig, die Regenwasser nicht abführen, sondern längere Zeit speichern, damit es in Hitzeperioden verdunsten kann. Feuchte Böden, Feuchtvegetation, bewässerte Fassaden und gut mit Wasser versorgte Bäume haben die höchsten Verdunstungswerte und kühlen damit am besten. Intelligente Techniken und Verfahren für eine dezentrale Regenwasserbewirtschaftung können im Zusammenspiel mit anderen Maßnahmen einen Beitrag für ein gesundes Stadtklima und die Hitzevorsoge leisten. Sie tragen auch zu einem naturnahen Wasserhaushalt bei und dienen der Überflutungsvorsorge, sind bislang allerdings keine gängige Praxis. Measures for heat stress reduction by evaporative cooling: Due to climate change and increasingly hot days, so-called urban heat islands are being created in the city due to large-scale sealed and highly dense urban structures with poor vegetation cover (urban-heat-island effect). Water which evaporates cools the microclimate. Measures that do not drain rainwater away but store it for a longer period of time so that it can evaporate during heat periods are therefore favourable. Humid soils, wet vegetation, irrigated facades and trees that are well supplied with water have the highest evaporation values and therefore cool best. Intelligent technologies and processes for decentralised rainwater management can, in combination with other measures, contribute to a healthy urban climate and heat prediction. They also contribute to a near-natural water balance and serve to prevent flooding, but are not yet common practic