Decomposition driven by invertebrates in tropical rice ecosystems: impacts of management strategies

My thesis provides insights into the composition of aquatic and soil-dwelling animal assemblages in flooded paddy fields and their potential role in nutrient cycling processes. Decomposition is an essential ecosystem service which provides natural supply of nutrients for plant growth and decreases the need for applying artificial fertilizers. In flooded rice ecosystems invertebrates are of particular importance for an efficient decay of organic matter as microbial decomposition is considerably decelerated under anaerobic conditions. The experiments presented in this thesis substantiate the value of invertebrate detritivores for an effective breakdown of crop residues and therefore, for a sufficient nutrient availability in paddy soils. Further, my experiments revealed that the role of invertebrates in decomposition processes has to be seen in the context of field management. Thus, the development of sustainable management practices in rice agro-ecosystems should also be based on the knowledge about the mediating effects of different cultivation methods on decomposition as an ecologically and economically relevant ecosystem function. Continued efforts to reveal the link between the assemblage of animals in rice fields and their role in decomposition processes are crucial to extend our understanding of the mechanisms behind nutrient utilization promoted by rice straw decomposition. Exploiting the full fertilization potential of rice straw residuals will help to establish sustainable methods for productive rice agriculture

Inclusion through exclusion: how young immigrant Israelis in the Nationalist Yisra'el Beitenu Party read Israeli citizenship

How do young people from immigrant families become engaged in politics? Anja Schmidt-Kleinert examines the case of young Israelis who are actively engaged with the nationalist Yisra'el Beitenu party, led by the Israeli minister of defence, Avigdor Lieberman. She explores how the activists present Israeli citizenship in a way that is exclusionary to non-Jewish citizens and analyses their strategy to actively construct a sense of belonging to Israeli society or, more precisely, to the Jewish collective by (re-)producing the ethno-nationalist discourse

Inclusion through Exclusion

How do young people from immigrant families become engaged in politics? Anja Schmidt-Kleinert examines the case of young Israelis who are actively engaged with the nationalist Yisra'el Beitenu party, led by the Israeli minister of defence, Avigdor Lieberman. She explores how the activists present Israeli citizenship in a way that is exclusionary to non-Jewish citizens and analyses their strategy to actively construct a sense of belonging to Israeli society or, more precisely, to the Jewish collective by (re-)producing the ethno-nationalist discourse

Warum Klimakonferenzen scheitern, aber dennoch zum Wohl des Weltklimas kooperiert wird

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Abnormalities in the EEG power spectrum in bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, and obesity: A systematic review

To provide a basis for electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback protocols for bulimianervosa (BN), binge-eating disorder (BED), and obesity, this systematic review investigates alterations in EEG-measured brain activity, specifically frequency bands. A systematic literature search with pre-defined search terms yielded N = 7 studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The risk of bias was assessed for all studies. In resting-state EEG, the beta activity was elevated in fronto-central regions in individuals with obesity and comorbid BED. In food-cue conditions, both obese individuals with and without BED showed increased beta activity, suggesting increased awareness of food cues and a heightened attentional focus towards food stimuli. The level of beta activity was positively correlated with eating disorder psychopathology in resting and food-cue conditions. In individuals with BN, there was no evidence for altered EEG spectral power. The results indicate specific alterations in EEGbased brain activity in individuals with BED and obesity. More high-quality studies are needed to further confirm these findings and to transfer them into EEG-based interventions

Perceived expressed emotion in adolescents with binge-eating disorder

A sizeable body of research has documented Expressed Emotion (EE) to predict clinical outcomes in various psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders. Patients’ perceptions of relative’s EE, however, were found to play an important role in the processing of EE. This study aimed to examine the level of perceived EE in adolescent binge-eating disorder (BED) and its impact on eating disorder psychopathology. Adolescents (12 – 20 years) seeking treatment for BED (n = 40) were compared to adolescents without current or lifetime eating disorder (CG; n = 40). Both groups were stratified according to age, sex, body mass index (BMI, kg/m2), and socio-economic status. The Five Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) and the Brief Dyadic Scale of EE were administered to assess patients’ perceived maternal EE. Additionally, adolescents and mothers completed questionnaires on eating disorder and general psychopathology. On the FMSS, 37.5% of patients with BED perceived their mothers as high EE (vs. 12.5% in the CG). On the Brief Dyadic Scale of EE, patients with BED reported significantly higher levels of perceived maternal criticism, emotional overinvolvement, and lower levels of perceived warmth than controls. After controlling for the diagnosis of BED, perceived criticism and warmth, as assessed by questionnaire, significantly explained adolescents’ global eating disorder psychopathology. Negative perceptions of maternal behavior and emotional atmosphere towards the child are characteristic of adolescent BED. As documented for other eating disorders, family factors are likely to have substantial implications for the maintenance and treatment of adolescent BED

Evidence-based Clinical Guidelines for Eating Disorders: International Comparison

Purpose of review – This systematic review sought to compare available evidence-based clinical treatment guidelines for all specific eating disorders. Recent findings – Nine evidence-based clinical treatment guidelines were located through a systematic search. The international comparison demonstrated notable commonalities and differences among current evidence-based clinical guidelines for eating disorders. Consistency across guidelines was greatest for treatments with a larger evidence base, while those with a lower evidence base had recommendations that varied considerably. Summary – Evidence-based clinical guidelines represent an important step toward the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments into clinical practice. Despite advances in clinical research on eating disorders, a growing body of literature demonstrates that individuals with eating disorders often do not receive an evidence-based treatment for their disorder. Regarding the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based treatments, current guidelines do endorse the main empirically validated treatment approaches with considerable agreement, but additional recommendations are largely inconsistent. An increased evidence base is critical in offering clinically reliable and consistent guidance for the treatment of eating disorders. Because developing and updating clinical guidelines is time-consuming and complex, an international coordination of guideline development, for example, across the European Union, would be desirable

Executive Functions of Adults with Binge-Eating Disorder: The Role of Weight Status and Psychopathology

Findings on executive functions (EFs) in binge-eating disorder (BED) are inconsistent and possibly biased by associated comorbidities. This study aimed to identify whether distinct levels of physical and mental comorbidity are related to EFs in BED. General and food-specific EFs in n = 77 adults with BED were compared to population-based norms and associations with weight status, depressive symptoms, and eating disorder psychopathology were analyzed. To detect within-sample patterns of EF performance, k-means clustering was applied. The results indicated that participants’ general EFs were within the average range with slight deficits in alertness. While depression and eating disorder psychopathology were unrelated to EFs, weight status was associated with food-specific attentional bias that was significantly higher in obesity class 2 than in overweight/obesity class 1 and obesity class 3. Four meaningful clusters with distinct strengths and impairments in general and food-specific EFs but without differences in clinical variables were identified. Altogether, adults with BED showed few specific deficits compared to normative data. Performance was unrelated to depression and eating disorder psychopathology, while weight status was associated with food-specific EFs only. The results highlight the need for longitudinal studies to evaluate the relevance of EFs in BED development and maintenance in neurologically healthy adults