Bekämpfung der Blutlaus (Eriosoma lanigerum Hausm.) in ökologischen Obstanlagen durch Etablierung von Ohrwürmern (Forficula auricularia L.) und Bewertung unterstützender Bekämpfungsverfahren

Das Forschungsprojekt „Bekämpfung der Blutlaus (Eriosoma lanigerum Hausm.) in ökologischen Obstanlagen durch Etablierung von Ohrwürmern (Forficula auricularia L.) und Bewertung unterstützender Bekämpfungsverfahren“ lief in Zusammenarbeit verschiedener Forschungs- und Beratungseinrichtungen von April 2007 bis Dezember 2009. Ziel des Projektes war es, auf Basis von Versuchsergebnissen eine betriebliche Behandlungsstrategie zur Bekämpfung der Blutlaus durch den gezielten Ohrwurmeinsatz und Ölbehandlungen zu entwickeln. Der Einfluss der Ohrwürmer erwies sich als schwer nachweisbar. Dies kann mehrere Gründe haben. Zum einen verteilen sich die Ohrwürmer über die Anlage, so dass ein Effekt in den einzelnen Varianten dadurch ausgeglichen wird, dass die Ohrwürmer nun auch in der Kontrolle zu finden waren. Zum anderen sind zum Zeitpunkt der Ansiedlung schon zahlreiche andere Nützlinge wie Marienkäfer und deren Larven, Schwebfliegen- und Florfliegenlarven sowie Blutlauszehrwespen in den Anlagen anzutreffen, die ihren Teil zur Eindämmung der Blutlauspopulation beitragen. Gerade das Massenhafte Auftreten des Asiatischen Marienkäfers (Harmonis axyridids) lässt eine Überlagerung des Nützlingseinflusses vermuten, da die Asiatischen Marienkäfer eine enorme Fraßleistung zeigen. Der Vergleich der Applikation von Öl mit dem Pinsel bzw. per Gebläsespritze zeigt bei einem hohen Befall deutliche Vorteile für das Pinseln. Die Behandlung ist direkter und wesentlich effektiver bei hohem Befall, allerdings auch Zeit aufwendig und hat keine Zulassung in Deutschland. Bei niedrigem Befallsdruck zeigte eine Frühjahrsspritzung durchaus zufrieden stellende Ergebnisse. Als Maßnahme bei akutem Befall kann eine Ansiedlung von Ohrwürmern also nicht dienen, eine langfristige Förderung ist aber sinnvoll. Bei Applikation oder Pinseln von Öl als Bekämpfungsmaßnahme im Frühjahr muss zwischen Befallsstärke und Arbeitszeitaufwand abgewogen werden. Durch Ohrwurmkot verschmutzte Äpfel treten durchaus auf, verursachten aber in keiner der Versuchsanlagen ökonomische Schäden. Ein Versuch zum Einfluss der mechanischen Bodenbearbeitung auf die Überwinternden Ohrwürmer zeigte keinen negativen Einfluss der Bodenbearbeitung auf die Ohrwurmpopulation. Es wird davon ausgegangen, dass die Tiere zwischen die Wurzeln der Pflanzen in den Fahrgassen ausweichen oder ihre Gelege so tief im Boden anlegen, dass sie nicht mehr von der Bodenbearbeitung beeinflusst werden. Die Untersuchungen zum Gesundheitszustand der Ohrwürmer ergaben den Nematoden Mermis nigrescens sowie Vertreter der Raupenfliegen (Tachinidae) als Hauptparasiten. Insgesamt lag der Anteil parasitierter oder kranker Tiere zwischen drei und acht Prozent

Automatic Individual Identification of Patterned Solitary Species Based on Unlabeled Video Data

The manual processing and analysis of videos from camera traps is time-consuming and includes several steps, ranging from the filtering of falsely triggered footage to identifying and re-identifying individuals. In this study, we developed a pipeline to automatically analyze videos from camera traps to identify individuals without requiring manual interaction. This pipeline applies to animal species with uniquely identifiable fur patterns and solitary behavior, such as leopards (Panthera pardus). We assumed that the same individual was seen throughout one triggered video sequence. With this assumption, multiple images could be assigned to an individual for the initial database filling without pre-labeling. The pipeline was based on well-established components from computer vision and deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) features. We augmented this basis by implementing additional components to substitute otherwise required human interactions. Based on the similarity between frames from the video material, clusters were formed that represented individuals bypassing the open set problem of the unknown total population. The pipeline was tested on a dataset of leopard videos collected by the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee (PanAf) and achieved a success rate of over 83% for correct matches between previously unknown individuals. The proposed pipeline can become a valuable tool for future conservation projects based on camera trap data, reducing the work of manual analysis for individual identification, when labeled data is unavailable

Prescribing patterns in dementia: a multicentre observational study in a German network of CAM physicians

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Dementia is a major and increasing health problem worldwide. This study aims to investigate dementia treatment strategies among physicians specialised in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by analysing prescribing patterns and comparing them to current treatment guidelines in Germany.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-two primary care physicians in Germany participated in this prospective, multicentre observational study. Prescriptions and diagnoses were reported for each consecutive patient. Data were included if patients had at least one diagnosis of dementia according to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases during the study period. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine factors associated with a prescription of any anti-dementia drug including <it>Ginkgo biloba</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>During the 5-year study period (2004-2008), 577 patients with dementia were included (median age: 81 years (IQR: 74-87); 69% female). Dementia was classified as unspecified dementia (57.2%), vascular dementia (25.1%), dementia in Alzheimer's disease (10.4%), and dementia in Parkinson's disease (7.3%). The prevalence of anti-dementia drugs was 25.6%. The phytopharmaceutical <it>Ginkgo biloba </it>was the most frequently prescribed anti-dementia drug overall (67.6% of all) followed by cholinesterase inhibitors (17.6%). The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) for receiving any anti-dementia drug was greater than 1 for neurologists (AOR = 2.34; CI: 1.59-3.47), the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AOR = 3.28; CI: 1.96-5.50), neuroleptic therapy (AOR = 1.87; CI: 1.22-2.88), co-morbidities hypertension (AOR = 2.03; CI: 1.41-2.90), and heart failure (AOR = 4.85; CI: 3.42-6.88). The chance for a prescription of any anti-dementia drug decreased with the diagnosis of vascular dementia (AOR = 0.64; CI: 0.43-0.95) and diabetes mellitus (AOR = 0.55; CI: 0.36-0.86). The prescription of <it>Ginkgo biloba </it>was associated with sex (female: AOR = 0.41; CI: 0.19-0.89), patient age (AOR = 1.06; CI: 1.02-1.10), treatment by a neurologist (AOR = 0.09; CI: 0.03-0.23), and the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AOR = 0.07; CI: 0.04-0.16).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study provides a comprehensive analysis of everyday practice for treatment of dementia in primary care in physicians with a focus on CAM. The prescribing frequency for anti-dementia drugs is equivalent to those found in other German studies, while the administration of <it>Ginkgo biloba </it>is significantly higher.</p

Automatic Individual Identification of Patterned Solitary Species Based on Unlabeled Video Data

The manual processing and analysis of videos from camera traps is time-consuming and includes several steps, ranging from the filtering of falsely triggered footage to identifying and re-identifying individuals. In this study, we developed a pipeline to automatically analyze videos from camera traps to identify individuals without requiring manual interaction. This pipeline applies to animal species with uniquely identifiable fur patterns and solitary behavior, such as leopards (Panthera pardus). We assumed that the same individual was seen throughout one triggered video sequence. With this assumption, multiple images could be assigned to an individual for the initial database filling without pre-labeling. The pipeline was based on well-established components from computer vision and deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) features. We augmented this basis by implementing additional components to substitute otherwise required human interactions. Based on the similarity between frames from the video material, clusters were formed that represented individuals bypassing the open set problem of the unknown total population. The pipeline was tested on a dataset of leopard videos collected by the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee (PanAf) and achieved a success rate of over 83% for correct matches between previously unknown individuals. The proposed pipeline can become a valuable tool for future conservation projects based on camera trap data, reducing the work of manual analysis for individual identification, when labeled data is unavailable

Empagliflozin in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Background The effects of empagliflozin in patients with chronic kidney disease who are at risk for disease progression are not well understood. The EMPA-KIDNEY trial was designed to assess the effects of treatment with empagliflozin in a broad range of such patients. Methods We enrolled patients with chronic kidney disease who had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of at least 20 but less than 45 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) of body-surface area, or who had an eGFR of at least 45 but less than 90 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2) with a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (with albumin measured in milligrams and creatinine measured in grams) of at least 200. Patients were randomly assigned to receive empagliflozin (10 mg once daily) or matching placebo. The primary outcome was a composite of progression of kidney disease (defined as end-stage kidney disease, a sustained decrease in eGFR to &lt; 10 ml per minute per 1.73 m(2), a sustained decrease in eGFR of &amp; GE;40% from baseline, or death from renal causes) or death from cardiovascular causes. Results A total of 6609 patients underwent randomization. During a median of 2.0 years of follow-up, progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes occurred in 432 of 3304 patients (13.1%) in the empagliflozin group and in 558 of 3305 patients (16.9%) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.64 to 0.82; P &lt; 0.001). Results were consistent among patients with or without diabetes and across subgroups defined according to eGFR ranges. The rate of hospitalization from any cause was lower in the empagliflozin group than in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.78 to 0.95; P=0.003), but there were no significant between-group differences with respect to the composite outcome of hospitalization for heart failure or death from cardiovascular causes (which occurred in 4.0% in the empagliflozin group and 4.6% in the placebo group) or death from any cause (in 4.5% and 5.1%, respectively). The rates of serious adverse events were similar in the two groups. Conclusions Among a wide range of patients with chronic kidney disease who were at risk for disease progression, empagliflozin therapy led to a lower risk of progression of kidney disease or death from cardiovascular causes than placebo