Großtagespflegestellen in Niedersachsen : Abschlussbericht des EFRE-Forschungsprojektes

Ein Forschungsteam unter Leitung von Prof. Dr. Romppel hat zwischen 1.8.2011 und 31.7.2014 die Betreuung von Kindern in der Großtagespflege untersucht. Mit der Neufassung des § 24 Abs. 2 SGB VIII zum 1. August 2013 besteht für alle Kinder ab dem 2. Lebensjahr ein Rechtsanspruch auf individuelle Förderung. Der erwarteten wachsenden Nachfrage nach Plätzen für Kinder unter 3 Jahren soll neben dem Krippenausbau auch mit einem Ausbau der Kindertagespflege, in Niedersachsen besonders auch der Großtagespflege, begegnet werden. Großtagespflegestellen sind rechtlich ein gleichwertiges Angebot zur Krippe. Die vorliegende Untersuchung in Niedersachsen geht zum einen der Frage nach, ob die Qualität der pädagogischen Arbeit in den Großtagespflegestellen diesem Anspruch genügen kann. Mit der TAS-R, einem Beobachtungs- und Bewertungsverfahren werden ausgewählte Großtagespflegestellen beurteilt und mit strukturierten Interviews zu ihrer Arbeit befragt. Zudem wird die telefonische und schriftliche Befragung aller Jugendämter Niedersachsens zur Organisation der Fachberatung sowie zur Struktur der finanziellen und fachlichen Unterstützung der Großtagespflegestellen vor Ort vorgestellt. Die Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen für die Verantwortlichen verweisen auf Handlungsbedarf

Gas-induced segregation in Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles observed by in-situ Bragg coherent diffraction imaging

Bimetallic catalysts can undergo segregation or redistribution of the metals driven by oxidizing and reducing environments. Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) was used to relate displacement fields to compositional distributions in crystalline Pt-Rh alloy nanoparticles. 3D images of internal composition showed that the radial distribution of compositions reverses partially between the surface shell and the core when gas flow changes between O2 and H2. Our observation suggests that the elemental segregation of nanoparticle catalysts should be highly active during heterogeneous catalysis and can be a controlling factor in synthesis of electrocatalysts. In addition, our study exemplifies applications of BCDI for in situ 3D imaging of internal equilibrium compositions in other bimetallic alloy nanoparticles

Random Exchange Disorder in the Spin-1/2 XXZ Chain

The one-dimensional XXZ model is studied in the presence of disorder in the Heisenberg Exchange Integral. Recent predictions obtained from renormalization group calculations are investigated numerically using a Lanczos algorithm on chains of up to 18 sites. It is found that in the presence of strong X-Y-symmetric random exchange couplings, a ``random singlet'' phase with quasi-long-range order in the spin-spin correlations persists. As the planar anisotropy is varied, the full zero-temperature phase diagram is obtained and compared with predictions of Doty and Fisher [Phys. Rev. B {\bf 45 }, 2167 (1992)].Comment: 9 pages + 8 plots appended, RevTex, FSU-SCRI-93-98 and ORNL/CCIP/93/1

Respiratory pulse pressure variation fails to predict fluid responsiveness in acute respiratory distress syndrome

International audienceIntroduction: Fluid responsiveness prediction is of utmost interest during acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but the performance of respiratory pulse pressure variation (Δ RESP PP) has scarcely been reported. In patients with ARDS, the pathophysiology of Δ RESP PP may differ from that of healthy lungs because of low tidal volume (Vt), high respiratory rate, decreased lung and sometimes chest wall compliance, which increase alveolar and/or pleural pressure. We aimed to assess Δ RESP PP in a large ARDS population. Methods: Our study population of nonarrhythmic ARDS patients without inspiratory effort were considered responders if their cardiac output increased by >10% after 500-ml volume expansion. Results: Among the 65 included patients (26 responders), the area under the receiver-operating curve (AUC) for Δ RESP PP was 0.75 (95% confidence interval (CI 95): 0.62 to 0.85), and a best cutoff of 5% yielded positive and negative likelihood ratios of 4.8 (CI 95 : 3.6 to 6.2) and 0.32 (CI 95 : 0.1 to 0.8), respectively. Adjusting Δ RESP PP for Vt, airway driving pressure or respiratory variations in pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (ΔPAOP), a surrogate for pleural pressure variations, in 33 Swan-Ganz catheter carriers did not markedly improve its predictive performance. In patients with ΔPAOP above its median value (4 mmHg), AUC for Δ RESP PP was 1 (CI 95 : 0.73 to 1) as compared with 0.79 (CI 95 : 0.52 to 0.94) otherwise (P = 0.07). A 300-ml volume expansion induced a ≥2 mmHg increase of central venous pressure, suggesting a change in cardiac preload, in 40 patients, but none of the 28 of 40 nonresponders responded to an additional 200-ml volume expansion. Conclusions: During protective mechanical ventilation for early ARDS, partly because of insufficient changes in pleural pressure, Δ RESP PP performance was poor. Careful fluid challenges may be a safe alternative

Relation between mean arterial pressure and renal function in the early phase of shock: a prospective, explorative cohort study

International audienceIntroduction: Because of disturbed renal autoregulation, patients experiencing hypotension-induced renal insult might need higher levels of mean arterial pressure (MAP) than the 65 mmHg recommended level in order to avoid the progression of acute kidney insufficiency (AKI)

Cluster of human Puumala orthohantavirus infections due to indoor exposure?—An interdisciplinary outbreak investigation

Puumala orthohantavirus (PUUV) is the most important hantavirus species in Europe, causing the majority of human hantavirus disease cases. In central and western Europe, the occurrence of human infections is mainly driven by bank vole population dynamics influenced by beech mast. In Germany, hantavirus epidemic years are observed in 2- to 5-year intervals. Many of the human infections are recorded in summer and early autumn, coinciding with peaks in bank vole populations. Here, we describe a molecular epidemiological investigation in a small company with eight employees of whom five contracted hantavirus infections in late 2017. Standardized interviews with employees were conducted to assess the circumstances under which the disease cluster occurred, how the employees were exposed and which counteractive measures were taken. Initially, two employees were admitted to hospital and serologically diagnosed with hantavirus infection. Subsequently, further investigations were conducted. By means of a self-administered questionnaire, three additional symptomatic cases could be identified. The hospital patients' sera were investigated and revealed in one patient a partial PUUV L segment sequence, which was identical to PUUV sequences from several bank voles collected in close proximity to company buildings. This investigation highlights the importance of a One Health approach that combines efforts from human and veterinary medicine, ecology and public health to reveal the origin of hantavirus disease clusters.Peer Reviewe

Current status of habitat monitoring in the European Union according to Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, with an emphasis on habitat structure and functions and on Germany

Since the beginning of the 1990s, monitoring of habitats has been a widespread tool to record and assess changes in habitat quality, for example due to land use change. Thus, Article 11 of the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) requires, inter alia, monitoring of the conservation status of habitat types listed in Annex I of the Habitats Directive, carried out by the Member States of the European Union (EU). This monitoring provides the foundation for the National Reports on the measures implemented and their effectiveness (Art. 17 Habitats Directive), which Member States have to submit to the European Commission every six years. Based on these requirements, Member States have developed different monitoring programmes or have adapted previously existing monitoring schemes to include relevant aspects of the Habitats Directive. The parameter ‘structure and functions’ is a key parameter for the assessment of the conservation status of habitat types as it provides information on the quality of the habitats. A standardised questionnaire was developed and sent to the competent authorities of Member States to compare and analyse the assessment methods of the quality of habitat types. Responses were received from 13 of the 28 Member States, while it was possible to include another Member State in the analysis by evaluating appropriate literature. The analysis revealed very different approaches and progress amongst the Member States in the development and implementation of monitoring programmes tailored to the reporting obligations of Article 17 of the Habitats Directive. Some Member States established a special standardised monitoring programme for Article 11 of the Habitats Directive, while others used data from already existing programmes (e.g. habitat mapping, large-scale forest inventories, landscape monitoring). Most Member States responding to the questionnaire use monitoring based on samples but the data collection, sample sizes and level of statistical certainty differ considerably. The same applies to the aggregation of data and the methods for the assessment of the parameter ‘structure and functions’. In contrast to the assessment of conservation status as part of the reporting obligations according to Article 17 of the Habitats Directive, no standardised EU guidelines exist for monitoring. The present study discusses differences in the monitoring programmes and evaluates them with regard to the objectives of comparable assessments of conservation status of habitat types in the National Reports of Member States or at a biogeographical level

Voracious planktonic hydroids: unexpected predatory impact on a coastal marine ecosystem

Hydroids are typically attached, benthic cnidarians that feed on a variety of small prey. During sampling on Georges Bank in spring 1994, we found huge numbers of hydroids suspended in the plankton. They fed on young stages of copepods that are an important prey for fish, as well as on young fish themselves. Two independent methods were used to estimate feeding rates of the hydroids; both indicate that the hydroids are capable of consuming from 50% to over 100% of the daily production of young copepods. These results suggest that hydroids can have a profound effect on the population dynamics of zooplankton and young fish on Georges Bank