Investigation of Shear Strain Amplitude Induced by Railroad Traffic in Soils

Shear strain amplitude γ is an important quantity in dynamic soil analysis. Usually, a reduction of soil stiffness with increasing shear strain amplitude is observed in laboratory tests. An appropriate invariant of shear strain can be defined which is comparable with shear strains measured in laboratory tests. Usually, shear wave velocity cs is determined from field or laboratory tests and the particle velocity v is obtained from vibration measurements. Afterwards, the shear strain amplitude γ is often estimated from the equation γ = ν / cs, which can be derived for the case of one dimensional wave propagation. Based on numerical analyses with FEM, the validity of the above equation for γ is checked. It can be shown that there is a clear differ-ence between the zone close to the loading area and the zone at a larger distance from the loading area. Experimental results of vibration measurements in the field and the evaluation of dynamic soil properties due to rail traffic are pre-sented and the impact on permanent soil deformations is discussed. Based on the results of the field measurements and the numerical calculations recommendations on the determination of γ for dynamic analysis are presented

Application of the Zürich-methodology for risk assessment concerning the inspection of pesticide application equipment in use according to article 8 (3) of Directive 2009/128/EC at the example of Germany

Die Richtline 2009/128/EC (nachhaltige Verwendung von Pestiziden) fordert in Artikel 8 eine Risikobewertung mit Bezug zur menschlichen Gesundheit und zur Umwelt, um mögliche Ausnahmen bei der Kontrollpflicht für in Gebrauch befindliche Geräte umzusetzen. Diese Ausnahmen können nur für bestimmte Gerätearten angewendet werden und können zu alternativen Zeitplänen und Kontrollabständen oder auch insgesamt zum Wegfall der Kontrollpflicht bei einigen Gerätearten führen. Auf dem Treffen der SPISE (Standardised Procedure for the Inspection of Sprayers in Europe) Technical Working Group im März 2015 einigten sich die Experten darauf, die Zürich-Methode als ein geeignetes Instrument zur harmonisierten Risikobewertung in allen EU 27 Mitgliedsstaaten für diesen Fall heranzuziehen. Dieser Beitrag erklärt die Methode, zeigt ihre Anforderungen auf und demonstriert sie am Beispiel der in Gebrauch befindlichen Pflanzenschutzgeräte in Deutschland. Darüber hinaus wird aufgezeigt, welche Fragen zukünftig noch von den Experten beantwortet werden müssen, um ein europaweit harmonisiertes Verfahren anwenden zu können. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2015.10.03, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.10.03Article 8 of Directive 2009/128/EC (Sustainable Use Directive) demands a risk assessment for human health and the environment in order to apply different time tables and inspection intervals in selected cases for the inspection of pesticide application equipment (PAE) in use or make exemptions from inspection within the member states of EU 27. The experts of the SPISE (Standardised Procedure for the Inspection of Sprayers in Europe) Technical Working Group agreed on their meeting in March 2015 to use the Zürich-methodology as an appropriate instrument to implement the demanded risk assessment in a harmonized manner within the EU 27. The article explains the Zürich-methodology, illustrates its requirements and demonstrates the application of this method at the example of a risk assessment in case of Germany. Furthermore, it shows of what questions still have to be discussed in future by the expert in order to come up with a common and harmonized procedure being applicable for all member states of EU 27. DOI: 10.5073/JfK.2015.10.03, https://doi.org/10.5073/JfK.2015.10.0

Bilden mit Bildern: Visualisieren in der Weiterbildung

Data projector slides, PowerPoint presentations, flipcharts, collages, mind maps - there is a wide range of options in order to visualise learning contents. The learning-enhancing use of such methods, however, presupposes the knowledge of their contextually adequate applications and their successful design. This practical guide explains when which visualisation opportunities may be learning-enhancing - in particular within the continuous development. In addition to basic didactical principles and the understanding of the roles of teachers and learners theoretical reflections about the effective use of visualisations within the learning process are described. Additional checklists are available for download from the Internet.Powerpointpräsentationen, Flipcharts, Collagen, Mindmaps - um Lerninhalte zu visualisieren, gibt es eine Vielzahl von Möglichkeiten. Der lernfördernde Einsatz solcher Methoden setzt jedoch die Kenntnis kontextuell angemessener Einsatzmöglichkeiten und gelungener Gestaltung voraus. Der Praxisband erklärt, wann welche Visualisierungsmöglichkeiten - besonders in der Weiterbildung - lernförderlich sein können. Neben didaktischen Grundprinzipien und dem Rollenverständnis von Lehrenden und Lernenden werden theoretische Überlegungen zum effektiven Einsatz von Visualisierungen im Lernprozess beschrieben. Der umfangreiche Praxisteil legt gestalterische Regeln für die Veranschaulichung von Lerninhalten dar. Zusätzliche Checklisten stehen im Internet zum Download zur Verfügung

Postoperative Radiotherapy of Prostate Cancer: Adjuvant versus Early Salvage.

Results of three randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing adjuvant radiotherapy (ART) and early salvage radiotherapy (eSRT) of prostate carcinoma and a subsequent meta-analysis of the individual patient data from these RCTs were recently published. The results suggest that early eSRT is as effective and potentially less toxic than ART. Therefore, eSRT should be considered the standard of care. However, due to limitations in the RCTs, ART remains a valid treatment option in patients with the combination of high-risk features such as Gleason Score (GS) 8-10, positive surgical margins (R1) and pathological T-stage 3 or 4 (pT3/4). This article provides a critical appraisal of the RCTs and the rationale for recommendations adopted in the current national guidelines regarding patients with high-risk features after radical prostatectomy (RP): ART should be offered in case of pT3/pT4 and R1 and Gleason Score 8-10; ART can be offered in case of pT3/pT4 and R0 and Gleason Score 8-10 as well as in case of multifocal R1 (including pT2) and Gleason Score 8-10. In any case, the alternative treatment option of eSRT in case of rising PSA should be discussed with the patient

Digital assistance system as a holistic solution for site-specific and resource-saving crop protection

Digital Farming ermöglicht Softwaretools, mit denen Prozesse wie z. B. der Pflanzenschutz schon vor der Appli­kation von Pflanzenschutzmitteln (PSM) im Detail geplant und darauf basierend Entscheidungen getroffen werden können. Mit dem entwickelten Assistenzsystem wird genau dies für den Pflanzenschutz umgesetzt, und für die praktische Landwirtschaft zur Verfügung gestellt. Durch die Einbindung verschiedener Services wird die Erstellung von Applikationskarten ermöglicht und dabei verschiedenste Informationsquellen aus Webservices zur Verfügung gestellt. Der Dateninput besteht zunächst aus langjährigen Ertragsdaten, Zonenmanagementkarten, digitalen Höhendaten, Satellitendaten aber auch Sensordaten, die im Assistenzsystem prozessiert, vom Anwender ggf. auch nachbearbeitet werden können und vom Feldspritzgerät mit Hilfe des erzeugten Kartenmaterials teilflächenspezifisch appliziert werden. Das Assistenz­system begleitet den Anwender durch den gesamten Prozess – Planung, Vorbereitung, Applikation und Dokumentation – des Pflanzenschutzes. Dazu werden zum Beispiel mittelspezifische Abstandsauflagen, Anwenderschutzbestimmungen, das Driftminderungspotenzial der eingesetzten Technik, die aktuellen Witterungsbedingungen und weitere Informationen vom digitalen Assistenzsystem verarbeitet und bei den Empfehlungen berücksichtigt.Digital farming enables software tools with which processes such as plant protection can be planned in detail before the application of plant protection products (PPPs) and decisions can be made on this basis. The developed assistance system implements precisely this for plant protection and makes it available for practical farming. By integrating various services, the creation of application maps is made possible and a wide variety of information sources from web services are made available. The data input initially consists of long-term yield data, zone management maps, digital elevation data, satellite data and also sensor data, which are processed in the assistance system, can also be post-processed by the user if necessary and are applied by the field sprayer on a site-specific basis with the aid of the map material generated. The assistance system accompanies the user through the entire process – planning, preparation, application and documentation – of crop protection. For this purpose, for example, distance requirements specific to the medium, user protection regulations, the drift reduction potential of the technology used, the current weather conditions and other information are processed by the digital assistance system and taken into account in the recommendations

Identification and Structural Characterization of Interneurons of the Drosophila Brain by Monoclonal Antibodies of the Würzburg Hybridoma Library

Several novel synaptic proteins have been identified by monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) of the Würzburg hybridoma library generated against homogenized Drosophila brains, e.g. cysteine string protein, synapse-associated protein of 47 kDa, and Bruchpilot. However, at present no routine technique exists to identify the antigens of mAbs of our library that label only a small number of cells in the brain. Yet these antibodies can be used to reproducibly label and thereby identify these cells by immunohistochemical staining. Here we describe the staining patterns in the Drosophila brain for ten mAbs of the Würzburg hybridoma library. Besides revealing the neuroanatomical structure and distribution of ten different sets of cells we compare the staining patterns with those of antibodies against known antigens and GFP expression patterns driven by selected Gal4 lines employing regulatory sequences of neuronal genes. We present examples where our antibodies apparently stain the same cells in different Gal4 lines suggesting that the corresponding regulatory sequences can be exploited by the split-Gal4 technique for transgene expression exclusively in these cells. The detection of Gal4 expression in cells labeled by mAbs may also help in the identification of the antigens recognized by the antibodies which then in addition to their value for neuroanatomy will represent important tools for the characterization of the antigens. Implications and future strategies for the identification of the antigens are discussed