"Last-Mile" preparation for a potential disaster

Extreme natural events, like e.g. tsunamis or earthquakes, regularly lead to catastrophes with dramatic consequences. In recent years natural disasters caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of economic activity and loss of billions of dollars worth of property and thus revealed considerable deficits hindering their effective management: Needs for stakeholders, decision-makers as well as for persons concerned include systematic risk identification and evaluation, a way to assess countermeasures, awareness raising and decision support systems to be employed before, during and after crisis situations. The overall goal of this study focuses on interdisciplinary integration of various scientific disciplines to contribute to a tsunami early warning information system. In comparison to most studies our focus is on high-end geometric and thematic analysis to meet the requirements of small-scale, heterogeneous and complex coastal urban systems. Data, methods and results from engineering, remote sensing and social sciences are interlinked and provide comprehensive information for disaster risk assessment, management and reduction. In detail, we combine inundation modeling, urban morphology analysis, population assessment, socio-economic analysis of the population and evacuation modeling. The interdisciplinary results eventually lead to recommendations for mitigation strategies in the fields of spatial planning or coping capacity

"Last-Mile" preparation for a potential disaster - Interdisciplinary approach towards tsunami early warning and an evacuation information system for the coastal city of Padang, Indonesia

Extreme natural events, like e.g. tsunamis or earthquakes, regularly lead to catastrophes with dramatic consequences. In recent years natural disasters caused hundreds of thousands of deaths, destruction of infrastructure, disruption of economic activity and loss of billions of dollars worth of property and thus revealed considerable deficits hindering their effective management: Needs for stakeholders, decision-makers as well as for persons concerned include systematic risk identification and evaluation, a way to assess countermeasures, awareness raising and decision support systems to be employed before, during and after crisis situations. The overall goal of this study focuses on interdisciplinary integration of various scientific disciplines to contribute to a tsunami early warning information system. In comparison to most studies our focus is on high-end geometric and thematic analysis to meet the requirements of smallscale, heterogeneous and complex coastal urban systems. Data, methods and results from engineering, remote sensing and social sciences are interlinked and provide comprehensive information for disaster risk assessment, management and reduction. In detail, we combine inundation modeling, urban morphology analysis, population assessment, socioeconomic analysis of the population and evacuation modeling. The interdisciplinary results eventually lead to recommendations for mitigation strategies in the fields of spatial planning or coping capacity.DFG/03G0666A-

The computer-assisted sequential lateral soft-tissue release in total knee arthroplasty for valgus knees

Soft-tissue management is a critical factor in total knee arthroplasty, especially in valgus knees. The stepwise release has been based upon surgeon’s experience. Computer-assisted surgery has gained increasing scientific interest in recent times and allows the intraoperative measurement of leg axis and gap size in extension and flexion. We therefore aimed to analyse the effect of sequential lateral soft-tissue release and the resulting change in the a.p. limb axis on the one hand and the tibiofemoral gaps on the other hand in extension as well as in flexion in eight cadaveric knees. Measurements were obtained using a CT-free navigation system. In extension the highest increase compared to the previous release step was found for the first (iliotibial band, P = 0.002), second (popliteus muscle, P = 0.0003), third (LCL, 0.007) and the sixth (entire PCL, P = 0.001) release step. In 90° flexion all differences of the lateral release steps were statistically significant (P < 0.004). Massive progression of the lateral gap in flexion was found after the second (popliteus muscle, P = 0.004) and third (LCL, 0.007) release step. Computer-assisted surgery allows measurement of the effect of each release step of the sequential lateral release sequence and helps the surgeon to better assess the result