Updating the waste prevention programme : preparing the foundations for updating the waste prevention programme based on an analysis and evaluation of the implementation status ; final report

The waste prevention program (WPP) from 2013 must be evaluated every 6 years and updated if necessary. The review and evaluation of the implementation of the WPP took place within the scope of the project. Based on the analysis results for the implementation of the WPP at federal, state and municipal level and an assessment of existing prevention potentials, concrete proposals for a possible further development and updating of the program on prioritized waste streams and corresponding priority prevention approaches were developed. In addition, structural adjustment and change needs of the WPP were worked out and further research was shown

Behavioral Phenotyping of Bbs6 and Bbs8 Knockout Mice Reveals Major Alterations in Communication and Anxiety

The primary cilium is an organelle with a central role in cellular signal perception. Mutations in genes that encode cilia-associated proteins result in a collection of human syndromes collectively termed ciliopathies. Of these, the Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is considered one of the archetypical ciliopathies, as patients exhibit virtually all respective clinical phenotypes, such as pathological changes of the retina or the kidney. However, the behavioral phenotype associated with ciliary dysfunction has received little attention thus far. Here, we extensively characterized the behavior of two rodent models of BBS, Bbs6/Mkks, and Bbs8/Ttc8 knockout mice concerning social behavior, anxiety, and cognitive abilities. While learning tasks remained unaffected due to the genotype, we observed diminished social behavior and altered communication. Additionally, Bbs knockout mice displayed reduced anxiety. This was not due to altered adrenal gland function or corticosterone serum levels. However, hypothalamic expression of Lsamp, the limbic system associated protein, and Adam10, a protease acting on Lsamp, were reduced. This was accompanied by changes in characteristics of adult hypothalamic neurosphere cultures. In conclusion, we provide evidence that behavioral changes in Bbs knockout mice are mainly found in social and anxiety traits and might be based on an altered architecture of the hypothalamus

Fortschreibung Abfallvermeidungsprogramm : Erarbeitung der Grundlagen für die Fortschreibung des Abfallvermeidungsprogramms auf Basis einer Analyse und Bewertung des Umsetzungsstandes ; Abschlussbericht

2013 wurde das Abfallvermeidungsprogramm des Bundes verabschiedet. Mit dem Programm sollten Abfallmengen reduziert werden. Das Programm wurde einer kritischen Bewertung unterzogen und wird nun im Jahr 2020 fortgeschrieben. Dafür wurden in einer UBA-Studie prioritäre Abfallströme und Konzepte erarbeitet und Maßnahmenvorschläge entwickelt, um die Abfallvermeidung zukünftig konkreter auszugestalten