Impact of the closure of Berlin-Tegel Airport on ultrafine particle number concentrations on the airfield

Airports contribute substantially to ultrafine particle (UFP; <100 nm) concentrations on a local scale. These UFPs, which derive mainly from combustion processes, are generated during take-off and landing of aircraft, during aircraft movements on the tarmac, when engines and turbines are started, and by vehicles transporting goods and people on the airfield. UFPs are considered particularly harmful to human health as their small size enables them to pass far into the human body. This study investigates the extent to which particle number concentrations (PNCs) sized 7–2,000 nm respond to the cessation of air traffic due to the closure of a major airport. PNCs and wind data were monitored with a 5 s resolution at one location on the airfield of Berlin-Tegel Airport (TXL). The station was located 600 –640 m east of the runways and thus downwind of the runways for the predominant wind direction. Observations took place 24 h per day every day for about 3 weeks before and 3 weeks after the closure of the airport. During the measurement campaign, a total of 2,507 take-offs and landings took place. Including all wind directions, this study shows 30 %–40% lower PNCs on average, 2.5-fold lower maximum values as well as a 3-fold lower PNC spread after the closure of the airport. These differences are evident only during the day with active flight operations, and not during the nighttime flight ban. Downwind of the airfield, differences are even higher. After the closure of the airport, average PNCs drop by 70%, maxima by 85%, and variability is reduced by almost 90%. 70% lower and 30% less frequent PNC peaks occur downwind of the airport after flight operations are discontinued. This unique natural experiment allows for relatively clear conclusions about the relevance of airport operations on PNCs in the airfield area. The measurements carried out before and after the closure allow a direct comparison of the PNCs during airport operations and without any. Thus, our study reveals the change in UFP concentration that can be achieved through a reduction in flight operations.Peer Reviewe

Diminished emotional empathic ability in Alexithymia

The present study has been designed to disentangle cognitive and emotional dimensions of empathy in a group of mentally healthy and highly alexithymic individuals (ALEX, n=24) and well-matched controls (n=26) with Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) as questionnaire measure, and Multi Faceted Empathy Task (MET) used during the fMRI and after the fMRI. Simultaneously, Skin Conductance Response (SCR) has been acquired as an implicit measure of emotional reaction. Results show an impaired emotional empathic ability in alexithymic individuals, with lower levels of SCR and higher activation in prefrontal brain regions such as VLPFC and IFG. Cognitive empathy was not impaired in the alexithymic group and the results were accompanied by a higher activation left-IFG. The study leads to the conclusion that alexithymia doesn't only involve a diminished ability to identify and describe one’s own emotions. Furthermore, it is related to a deeper disability of emotion regulation, which becomes visible in impaired emotional concern for others and higher levels of personal distress

Gewerkschaftliche Revitalisierung durch die Organisierung Selbstständiger? Deutsche und österreichische Gewerkschaften im Vergleich

"Die in den meisten europäischen Gewerkschaften konstatierbaren Mitgliederrückgänge und Finanzprobleme haben zu unterschiedlich ausgeprägten Revitalisierungsbemühungen beigetragen. Die machtpolitische Stellung der österreichischen und deutschen Gewerkschaften baut vielfach immer noch auf ihre institutionelle Einbettung in das System der nationalen Arbeitsbeziehungen auf. Etablierte Institutionen bilden hier wesentliche strukturelle Macht- und Legitimationsressourcen, die allerdings zunehmend brüchig werden. Diese Entwicklungen haben zwar nicht zu einer umfassenden Neuorientierung der Gewerkschaften geführt, die Öffnung ihrer Vertretungsdomänen für Solo-Selbstständige wird allerdings als eine strategische Option gesehen, um den Veränderungen der Arbeitsgesellschaft Rechung zu tragen. In dem Beitrag fragen die Verfasser nach der Organisierungsfähigkeit und den Organisationsproblemen der Gewerkschaften in Bezug auf diese Gruppe. Das gewählte Forschungsdesign zielt darauf ab, die strukturellen und institutionellen Rahmenbedingungen zu kontrollieren und die Unterschiede der strategischen Entscheidungen deutscher und österreichischer Gewerkschaften herauszuarbeiten." (Autorenreferat)"Most European unions have faced a substantial decline in membership rates in recent years. These developments in turn have triggered an extensive debate on strategies to revitalize national labour organisations. Austrian and German unions still rely largely on their institutional embeddedness. Established institutions provide structural power resources and legitimacy to unions irrespective of their membership rates. However, institutions have increasingly ceased to provide support to unions. These developments have not led to a fundamental reorientation. However, the inclusion of the formerly excluded group of self-employed workers is perceived as a particular means to address changes in the labour market. The author's paper focuses on the organisational capabilities of, and problems faced by, unions with regard to self-employed workers. The study's research design seeks to control for structural and institutional differences, and the paper examines whether and how the strategic responses to these problems by the two unions differ." (author's abstract

„Da geht es nicht nur um Energiesparen!“: Sozial-ökologische Transformationsprozesse in der Produktion partizipativ und interdisziplinär gestalten

Im vorliegenden Artikel stellen wir einen Ansatz zur Befähigung von Produktionsbeschäftigten zum Nachhaltigkeitshandeln im Betrieb vor. Mit einer zu generierenden Nachhaltigkeitskompetenz wird die ökologische wie soziale Dimension von Nachhaltigkeit adressiert: Ökologisch handelnde Beschäftigte können einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Nachhaltigkeit von Betrieben leisten und zugleich kann der strikt bottom-up-orientierte Ansatz Gestaltungsspielräume der Beschäftigten eröffnen und adressiert so die im Nachhaltigkeitsdiskurs häufig vernachlässigte Dimension sozialer Prozesse. This paper presents an approach to enable production employees to act for sustainability in manufacturing companies. The idea is to generate a sustainability competence that addresses both the ecological and the social dimension of sustainability. Ecological employee action can offer an important contribution to the sustainability of enterprises, and at the same time the bottom-up approach is apt to open up new scopes of action for the employees, thus addressing the often-neglected social dimension of sustainability. (editorial reviewed

Examining the effect of Early Life Stress on autonomic and endocrine indicators of individual stress reactivity

Early life stress (ELS) is associated with altered stress reactivity and an increased risk for the development of psychopathological conditions in later life. However, depending on whether autonomic or endocrine measures were used as indicators of stress reactivity, previous studies reported conflicting findings of either increased or decreased stress reactivity after ELS experience. In the present study we therefore aimed to investigate the effect of ELS on both autonomic and endocrine indicators (heart rate and salivary cortisol) of individual stress reactivity and applied a psychosocial stress task in a sample of healthy participants with and without exposure to mild to moderate ELS. Results showed no significant effects of ELS on autonomic and endocrine indicators of individual stress reactivity. Importantly though, heart rate proved as more sensitive than salivary cortisol with regard to differentiating between stress and control conditions and thereby as a more feasible indicator of an individual's stress reactivity. Accordingly, our data suggest that sole reliance on salivary cortisol as an indicator of stress reactivity might lead to an oversight of more subtle effects of psychosocial stress

Examining the effect of Early Life Stress on autonomic and endocrine indicators of individual stress reactivity

Early life stress (ELS) is associated with altered stress reactivity and an increased risk for the development of psychopathological conditions in later life. However, depending on whether autonomic or endocrine measures were used as indicators of stress reactivity, previous studies reported conflicting findings of either increased or decreased stress reactivity after ELS experience. In the present study we therefore aimed to investigate the effect of ELS on both autonomic and endocrine indicators (heart rate and salivary cortisol) of individual stress reactivity and applied a psychosocial stress task in a sample of healthy participants with and without exposure to mild to moderate ELS. Results showed no significant effects of ELS on autonomic and endocrine indicators of individual stress reactivity. Importantly though, heart rate proved as more sensitive than salivary cortisol with regard to differentiating between stress and control conditions and thereby as a more feasible indicator of an individual's stress reactivity. Accordingly, our data suggest that sole reliance on salivary cortisol as an indicator of stress reactivity might lead to an oversight of more subtle effects of psychosocial stress

A symptom-based approach in predicting ECT outcome in depressed patients employing MADRS single items

Establishing symptom-based predictors of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) outcome seems promising, however, findings concerning the predictive value of distinct depressive symptoms or subtypes are limited; previous factor-analytic approaches based on the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) remained inconclusive, as proposed factors varied across samples. In this naturalistic study, we refrained from these previous factor-analytic approaches and examined the predictive value of MADRS single items and their change during the course of ECT concerning ECT outcome. We used logistic and linear regression models to analyze MADRS data routinely assessed at three time points in 96 depressed psychiatric inpatients over the course of ECT. Mean age was 53 years (SD 14.79), gender ratio was 58:38 (F:M), baseline MADRS score was M = 30.20 (SD 5.42). MADRS single items were strong predictors of ECT response, remission and overall symptom reduction, especially items 1 (apparent sadness), 2 (reported sadness) and 8 (inability to feel), assessing affective symptoms. Strongest effects were found for regression models including item 2 (reported sadness) with up to 80% correct prediction of ECT outcome. ROC analyses were performed to estimate the optimal cut-point for treatment response. MADRS single items during the course of ECT might pose simple, reliable, time- and cost-effective predictors of ECT outcome. More severe affective symptoms of depression at baseline and a stronger reduction of these affective symptoms during the course of ECT seem to be positively associated with ECT outcome. Precise cut-off values for clinical use were proposed. Generally, these findings underline the benefits of a symptom-based approach in depression research and treatment in addition to depression sum-scores and generalized diagnoses

EffECTively Treating Depression: A Pilot Study Examining Manualized Group CBT as Follow-Up Treatment After ECT

Background: There is an urgent need for effective follow-up treatments after acute electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in depressed patients. Preliminary evidence suggests psychotherapeutic interventions to be a feasible and efficacious follow-up treatment. However, there is a need for research on the long-term usefulness of such psychotherapeutic offers in a naturalistic setting that is more representative of routine clinical practice. Therefore, the aim of the current pilot study was to investigate the effects of a half-open continuous group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy elements as a follow-up treatment for all ECT patients, regardless of response status after ECT, on reducing depressive symptoms and promoting psychosocial functioning. Method: Group CBT was designed to support patients during the often-difficult transition from inpatient to outpatient treatment. In a non-controlled pilot trial, patients were offered 15weekly sessions of manualized group CBT (called EffECTiv 2.0). The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale was assessed as primary outcome; the Beck Depression Inventory, WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire-BREF, and the Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire were assessed as secondary outcomes. Measurements took place before individual group start, after individual group end, and 6months after individual group end. Results: During group CBT, Post-ECT symptom reduction was not only maintained but there was a tendency toward a further decrease in depression severity. This reduction could be sustained 6months after end of the group, regardless of response status after ECT treatment. Aspects of quality of life and emotion regulation strategies improved during group CBT, and these improvements were maintained 6months after the end of the group. Conclusion: Even though the interpretability of the results is limited by the small sample and the non-controlled design, they indicate that manualized group CBT with cognitive behavioral analysis system of psychotherapy elements might pose a recommendable follow-up treatment option after acute ECT for depressed patients, regardless of response status after ECT. This approach might not only help to further reduce depressive symptoms and prevent relapse, but also promote long-term psychosocial functioning by improving emotion regulation strategies and psychological quality of life and thus could be considered as a valuable addition to clinical routine after future validation

Predicting Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine: the Role of the Pregenual Anterior Cingulate Cortex as a Multimodal Neuroimaging Biomarker

Background: Growing evidence underscores the utility of ketamine as an effective and rapid-acting treatment option for major depressive disorder (MDD). However, clinical outcomes vary between patients. Predicting successful response may enable personalized treatment decisions and increase clinical efficacy. Methods: We here explored the potential of pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pgACC) activity to predict antidepressant effects of ketamine in relation to ketamine-induced changes in glutamatergic metabolism. Prior to a single i.v. infusion of ketamine, 24 patients with MDD underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during an emotional picture-viewing task and magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Changes in depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Beck Depression Inventory measured 24 hours pre- and post-intervention. A subsample of 17 patients underwent a follow-up magnetic resonance spectroscopy scan. Results: Antidepressant efficacy of ketamine was predicted by pgACC activity during emotional stimulation. In addition, pgACC activity was associated with glutamate increase 24 hours after the ketamine infusion, which was in turn related to better clinical outcome. Conclusions: Our results add to the growing literature implicating a key role of the pgACC in mediating antidepressant effects and highlighting its potential as a multimodal neuroimaging biomarker of early treatment response to ketamine. Keywords: antidepressant effects; ketamine; multimodal neuroimaging biomarker; pgACC; pregenual anterior cingulate cortex

Group evaluations as self-group distancing:Ingroup typicality moderates evaluative intergroup bias in stigmatized groups

Outgroup favoritism among members of stigmatized groups can be seen as a form of self-group distancing. We examined how intergroup evaluations in stigmatized groups vary as a function of ingroup typicality. In Studies 1 and 2, Black participants (N = 125,915;N = 766) more strongly preferred light-skinned or White relative to dark-skinned or Black individuals the lighter their own skin tone. In Study 3, overweight participants (N = 147,540) more strongly preferred normal-weight relative to overweight individuals the lower their own body weight. In Study 4, participants with disabilities (N = 35,058) more strongly preferred non-disabled relative to disabled individuals the less visible they judged their own disability. Relationships between ingroup typicality and intergroup evaluations were at least partially mediated by ingroup identification (Studies 2 and 3). A meta-analysis across studies yielded an average effect size ofr= .12. Furthermore, higher ingroup typicality was related to both ingroup and outgroup evaluations. We discuss ingroup typicality as an individual constraint to self-group distancing among stigmatized group members and its relation to intergroup evaluations