Zur Wirkung von Feuer und anderen Pflegemaßnahmen auf den Nährstoffhaushalt von Heidelandschaften

Heiden gehören zu den ältesten Kulturlandschaften NW-Europas und gelten unter ökologischen wie sozio-ökonomischen Gesichtspunkten als besonders schutzwürdig. Dennoch haben sich Heiden während der vergangenen Jahrzehnte deutlich verändert, vor allem infolge von atmogenen Nährstoffeinträgen aus der Landwirtschaft oder dem Straßenverkehr. In der vorliegenden Studie wurde untersucht, wie Feuermanagement und andere Verfahren der Heidepflege zu einer gewissen Kompensation solcher Einträge und damit zu einer Stabilisierung des Nährstoffhaushaltes von Heideökosystemen beitragen können. Hierzu wurden die Stickstoff- und Phosphor-Vorräte in verschiedenen Ökosystemkompartimenten sowie Ein- und Austräge durch Auswaschung (Leaching) und Management-Maßnahmen (Feuer, Beweidung, Mahd, Plaggen) quantifiziert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass im Gebiet der Lüneburger Heide nur Beweidung und Plaggen gegenwärtig bestehende Stickstoff-Einträge kompensieren können. Feuermanagement hat den Vorteil, die Phosphor-Vorräte von Heiden wenig zu beeinträchtigen, da durch die Deposition von Asche im Zuge der Brandmaßnahme der in der Biomasse enthaltene Phosphor in die Heideflächen zurückgeführt wird. Beweidung und Mahd führen demgegenüber zu hohen Phosphor-Verlusten. Um in Heiden eine diverse Struktur sowie ausgeglichene Nährstoffbilanzen langfristig zu erhalten, müssen intensive Management-Maßnahmen wie Plaggen mit extensiven Maßnahmen wie Mahd und Brand kombiniert werden. Im Hinblick auf eine ausgeglichene Phosphor-Bilanz hat sich das Heidebrennen als beste Maßnahme erwiesen

Research Into Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions Needs a Stronger Focus on Replicability

Background: It is a precondition for evidence-based practice that research is replicable in a wide variety of clinical settings. Current standards for identifying evidence-based psychological interventions and making recommendations for clinical practice in clinical guidelines include criteria that are relevant for replicability, but a better understanding as well refined definitions of replicability are needed enabling empirical research on this topic. Recent advances on this issue were made in the wider field of psychology and in other disciplines, which offers the opportunity to define and potentially increase replicability also in research on psychological interventions. Method: This article proposes a research strategy for assessing, understanding, and improving replicability in research on psychological interventions. Results/Conclusion: First, we establish a replication taxonomy ranging from direct to conceptual replication adapted to the field of research on clinical interventions, propose study characteristics that increase the trustworthiness of results, and define statistical criteria for successful replication with respect to the quantitative outcomes of the original and replication studies. Second, we propose how to establish such standards for future research, i.e., in order to design future replication studies for psychological interventions as well as to apply them when investigating which factors are causing the (non-)replicability of findings in the current literature

Implementing a digital infrastructure for the lab using a central laboratory server and the SiLA2 communication standard

In this report, a fully integrated solution for laboratory digitization is presented. The approach presents a flexible and complete integration method for the digitally assisted workflow. The worker in the laboratory performs procedures in direct interaction with the digitized infrastructure that guides through the process and aids while performing tasks. The digital transformation of the laboratory starts with standardized integration of both new and “smart” lab devices, as well as legacy devices through a hardware gateway module. The open source Standardization in Lab Automation 2 standard is used for device communication. A central lab server channels all device communication and keeps a database record of every measurement, task and result generated or used in the lab. It acts as a central entry point for process management. This backbone enables a process control system to guide the worker through the lab process and provide additional assistance, like results of automated calculations or safety information. The description of the infrastructure and architecture is followed by a practical example on how to implement a digitized workflow. This approach is highly useful for – but not limited to – the biotechnological laboratory and has the potential to increase productivity in both industry and research for example by enabling automated documentation

Rapid quantitative assays for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and hemoglobin combined on a capillary-driven microfluidic chip

Rapid tests for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) are extremely important for determining G6PD deficiency, a widespread metabolic disorder which triggers hemolytic anemia in response to primaquine and tafenoquine medication, the most effective drugs for the radical cure of malaria caused by Plasmodium parasites. Current point-of-care diagnostic devices for G6PD are either qualitative, do not normalize G6PD activity to the hemoglobin concentration, or are very expensive. In this work we developed a capillary-driven microfluidic chip to perform a quantitative G6PD test and a hemoglobin measurement within 2 minutes and using less than 2 μL of sample. We used a powerful microfluidic module to integrate and resuspend locally the reagents needed for the G6PD assay and controls. We also developed a theoretical model that successfully predicts the enzymatic reactions on-chip, guides on-chip reagent spotting and allows efficient integration of multiple assays in miniaturized formats with only a few nanograms of reagents

Three-dimensional modeling of Type Ia supernovae - The power of late time spectra

Late time synthetic spectra of Type Ia supernovae, based on three-dimensional deflagration models, are presented. We mainly focus on one model,"c3_3d_256_10s", for which the hydrodynamics (Roepke 2005) and nucleosynthesis (Travaglio et al. 2004) was calculated up to the homologous phase of the explosion. Other models with different ignition conditions and different resolution are also briefly discussed. The synthetic spectra are compared to observed late time spectra. We find that while the model spectra after 300 to 500 days show a good agreement with the observed Fe II-III features, they also show too strong O I and C I lines compared to the observed late time spectra. The oxygen and carbon emission originates from the low-velocity unburned material in the central regions of these models. To get agreement between the models and observations we find that only a small mass of unburned material may be left in the center after the explosion. This may be a problem for pure deflagration models, although improved initial conditions, as well as higher resolution decrease the discrepancy. The relative intensity from the different ionization stages of iron is sensitive to the density of the emitting iron-rich material. We find that clumping, with the presence of low density regions, is needed to reproduce the observed iron emission, especially in the range between 4000 and 6000 AA. Both temperature and ionization depend sensitively on density, abundances and radioactive content. This work therefore illustrates the importance of including the inhomogeneous nature of realistic three-dimensional explosion models. We briefly discuss the implications of the spectral modeling for the nature of the explosion.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, resolution of Fig 1 is reduced to meet astro-ph file size restriction, submitted to A&

Bringing IoT to the Lab : SiLA2 and Open-Source-Powered Gateway Module for Integrating Legacy Devices into the Digital Laboratory

In this article a gateway module to integrate legacy laboratory devices into the network of the digital laboratory in the 21st century is introduced. The device is based on ready to buy consumer hardware that is easy to get and inexpensive. Depending on the specific requirements of the desired application (bare embedded computer, RS232 serial port connector, IP65 certified casing and connectors) the needed investment ranges from about 95 € up to 200 €. The embedded computer runs an open source Linux operating system and can in principle be used to run any kind of software needed for communicating with the laboratory device. Here the open source SiLA2 standard is used for presenting the device’s functions in the network. As an example the digital integration of a magnetic stirrer is shown and can be used as a template for other applications. A method for easy remote integration of the device to ensure an easy and consistent workflow in development, testing and usage is also presented. This incorporates a method for remote installation of SiLA2 servers on the box as well as a web frontend for administration, debugging and management of those

The Endothelial Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-1 Plays an Important Role for Vascular Haemostasis in TNF alpha-Induced Inflammation In Vivo

Introduction. Inflammation and endothelium-derived superoxides are important pathomechanisms in atherothrombotic diseases. We could previously show that the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 acts as a negative regulator in endothelial superoxide production. In this study we investigated the influence of SHP-1 on platelet-endothelium interaction and arterial thrombosis in TNF alpha-induced endothelial inflammation in vivo. Methods. Arteriolar thrombosis and platelet rolling in vivo were investigated in C57BL/6 mice using intravital microscopy in the dorsal skinfold chamber microcirculation model. Results. Inhibition of SHP-1 by the specific pharmacological inhibitor sodium stibogluconate did not significantly enhance platelet-endothelium interaction in vivo under physiological conditions but led to an augmented fraction of rolling platelets in TNF alpha-induced systemic inflammation. Accordingly, ferric-chloride-induced arteriolar thrombus formation, which was already increased by SHP-1 inhibition, was further enhanced in the setting of TNF alpha-induced inflammation. Platelet aggregation in vitro as well as ex vivo was not influenced by SHP-1-inhibition. In cultured endothelial cells, sodium stibogluconate increased TNF alpha-induced surface expression of p-selectin and von Willebrand factor. Additionally, TNF alpha increased SHP-1 activity and protein expression. Conclusions. The endothelial tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 plays an important role for vascular hemostasis in vivo, which is crucial in TNF alpha-induced endothelial inflammation where it may serve as an autoinhibitory molecule to prevent excess inflammatory response and thrombus formation

Prothrombotic effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha in vivo are amplified by the absence of TNF-alpha receptor subtype 1 and require TNF-alpha receptor subtype 2

INTRODUCTION: Elevated serum levels of the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) correlate with an increased risk for atherothrombotic events and TNFα is known to induce prothrombotic molecules in endothelial cells. Based on the preexisting evidence for the impact of TNFα in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders and their known association with an acquired hypercoagulability, we investigated the effects of TNFα and the role of the TNF receptor subtypes TNFR1 and TNFR2 for arteriolar thrombosis in vivo. METHODS: Arteriolar thrombosis and platelet-rolling in vivo were investigated in wildtype, TNFR1-/-, TNFR2-/- and TNFR1-/R2-/- C57BL/6 mice using intravital microscopy in the dorsal skinfold chamber microcirculation model. In vitro, expression of prothrombotic molecules was assessed in human endothelial cells by real-time PCR and flow cytometry. RESULTS: In wildtype mice, stimulation with TNFα significantly accelerated thrombotic vessel occlusion in vivo upon ferric chloride injury. Arteriolar thrombosis was much more pronounced in TNFR1-/- animals, where TNFα additionally led to increased platelet-endothelium-interaction. TNFα dependent prothrombotic effects were not observed in TNFR2-/- and TNFR1-/R2- mice. In vitro, stimulation of human platelet rich plasma with TNFα did not influence aggregation properties. In human endothelial cells, TNFα induced superoxide production, p-selectin, tissue factor and PAI-1, and suppressed thrombomodulin, resulting in an accelerated endothelial dependent blood clotting in vitro. Additionally, TNFα caused the release of soluble mediators by endothelial cells which induced prothrombotic and suppressed anticoagulant genes comparable to direct TNFα effects. CONCLUSIONS: TNFα accelerates thrombus formation in an in vivo model of arteriolar thrombosis. Its prothrombotic effects in vivo require TNFR2 and are partly compensated by TNFR1. In vitro studies indicate endothelial mechanisms to be responsible for prothrombotic TNFα effects. Our results support a more selective therapeutic approach in anticytokine therapy favouring TNFR2 specific antagonists