Forschung zur ökologischen Land- und Lebensmittelwirtschaft - Ansatzpunkte für eine Interessensvertretung

Innovations may help in dealing with key problems the agro-food sector is facing. The overall study objective is to identify starting points for improving how the interests of the organic agro-food innovation system are represented in Germany. The status quo of research for the sector, the sector’s innovative ability and innovation requirements and the framework conditions for research funding were analysed. The study shows that research is often applied and inter- or transdisciplinary and thus contributes to the sector’s innovative ability. The structural capacity of the sector and research funding, however, lag behind its requirements. Professional representation of the needs of the organic agro-food innovation system may strengthen it

„Digitale Lerngemeinschaften“ im Praxissemester. Wahrnehmung eines Angebots zur Theorie-Praxis-Relationierung in der Lehrkräftebildung für das Fach Deutsch

Der Artikel stellt erste deutschdidaktische Befunde des Projekts DiLe („Digitale Lerngemeinschaften zur kohärenten Lernbegleitung im Jenaer Modell der Lehrerbildung“) vor. DiLe zielt darauf, die Kooperation zwischen Schule und Universität bei der Begleitung von Praxissemesterstudierenden zu verbessern. Schulische Mentor:innen im Praxissemester erhalten die Gelegenheit, mit Hilfe digitaler Fortbildungsbausteine ihr fachdidaktisches Wissen zu erweitern und im Dialog mit Praxissemesterstudieren-den auf Anforderungssituationen im Unterricht zu beziehen. Der Artikel untersucht, mit welchen Erwartungen die Teilnehmenden im Fach Deutsch in die Fortbildung starten, inwieweit sie diese erfüllt sehen und inwieweit sie deutschdidaktische Fortbildungsinhalte im digitalen Austausch aufgreifen. Als Daten dienen Kurzstatements der Teilnehmenden (prä/post), Mitschnitte von Videokonferenzen sowie nachträgliche Interviews, die allesamt inhaltsanalytisch ausgewertet wurden. Die Diskussion der Befunde geht darauf ein, inwieweit digital gesteuerte Vermittlungs- und Verständigungsprozesse zwischen den Beteiligten einen Beitrag zur Überwindung der doppelten Distanz zwischen Universität und Schule leisten können.   Abstract (english): Digital learning communities during the teaching practicum. Perception of an approach to the connection between theory and practice in the training of teachers of the subject German The article presents first results of the project DiLe („Digital Learning Communities for Coherent Learning Support in the Model of Teacher Education in Jena“). The project aims to improve the cooperation between school and university in the supervision of students in the 5-month teaching practicum. School mentors in the teaching practicum are given the opportunity to expand their academic knowledge of teaching German language and literature with the help of digital training modules. So, they can relate academic knowledge to the requirements of the classroom in a dialog with students in the teaching practicum. The article explores the expectations of the par-ticipants in the subject German. It also asks to what extent they see these expectations fulfilled and to what extent they take up the presented academic knowledge in the digital exchange. Our data consists of short statements of the participants (pre/post), recordings of video conferences as well as interviews. The discussion of the results addresses the extent to which digitally controlled teaching and communica-tion processes between the participants can help to overcome the double distance between university and school

The Influence of Various Factors on the Progress in Training of International Learners of the Preparatory Department (on the Example of the Course "Computer Science")

The task of research different factors affecting on the progress in training of students is actual. Two main factors as training the course in native language and knowledge of the language in which the course is studied were considered to solve this problem. The research is aimed at learners of the Preparatory Department studying in a non-native language (Russian) and takes into account the characteristics of such contingent of students. The study was made in the course "Computer science" with the help of methods of mathematical statistics. This research was conducted to improve the methods and to change the approaches in teaching the pre-university programs

Effect of atorvastatin on inflammation and outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus on hemodialysis

Statins have multiple effects, including anti-inflammatory actions, lowering C-reactive protein levels, and reducing coronary events. We performed a post hoc analysis of the randomized placebo-controlled 4D Study that had evaluated the efficacy and safety of atorvastatin in 1255 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who were on maintenance hemodialysis. Here we determined the relationship between atorvastatin treatment, C-reactive protein, and the outcome of patients who had pre-specified and adjudicated endpoints of all-cause mortality, composite vascular endpoint, myocardial infarction, sudden death, and stroke. Atorvastatin had no significant effect on the risk of composite vascular endpoint or death relative to placebo in any quartile of baseline C-reactive protein. These baseline levels were not significantly different between the treated and placebo group and remained stable at 6 months on atorvastatin but significantly increased in those patients on placebo. All of the patients with baseline C-reactive protein in the fourth quartile had a significantly increased risk of deaths and in composite vascular endpoint compared to patients in the first quartile. The mean value of two consecutive C-reactive protein measurements was associated with significant increases in the risk of sudden death, stroke, all-cause mortality and composite vascular endpoint. Our results show that C-reactive protein was highly predictive of outcome, but atorvastatin treatment was not associated with reduced relative risks in the composite vascular endpoint or mortality in patients on hemodialysis with or without inflammation

BMI at Age 8 Years Is Influenced by the Type 2 Diabetes Susceptibility Genes HHEX-IDE and CDKAL1

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether HHEX-IDE and CDKAL1 genes, which are associated with birth weight and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes, continue to influence growth during childhood. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: BMI, weight, and height at age 8 years expressed as age- and sex-corrected standard deviation scores (SDS) against national reference data and single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping of HHEX-IDE and CDKAL1 loci were analyzed in 646 prospectively followed children in the German BABYDIAB cohort. All children were singleton full-term births; 386 had mothers with type 1 diabetes, and 260 had fathers with type 1 diabetes and a nondiabetic mother. RESULTS: Type 2 diabetes risk alleles at the HHEX-IDE locus were associated with reduced BMI-SDS at age 8 years (0.17 SDS per allele; P = 0.004). After stratification for birth weight, both HHEX-IDE and CDKAL1 risk alleles were associated with reduced BMI-SDS (0.45 SDS, P = 0.0002; 0.52 SDS, P = 0.0001) and weight-SDS (0.22 SDS, P = 0.04; 0.56 SDS, P = 0.0002) in children born large for gestational age (>90th percentile) but not children born small or appropriate for gestational age. Within children born large for gestational age, BMI and weight decreased with each additional type 2 diabetes risk allele ( approximately -2 kg per allele; >8 kg overall). Findings were consistent in children of mothers with type 1 diabetes (P < 0.0001) and children of nondiabetic mothers (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: The type 2 diabetes susceptibility alleles at HHEX-IDE and CDKAL1 loci are associated with low BMI at age 8 years in children who were born large for gestational age

Lack of Association of Type 2 Diabetes Susceptibility Genotypes and Body Weight on the Development of Islet Autoimmunity and Type 1 Diabetes

AIM: To investigate whether type 2 diabetes susceptibility genes and body weight influence the development of islet autoantibodies and the rate of progression to type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Genotyping for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of the type 2 diabetes susceptibility genes CDKAL1, CDKN2A/2B, FTO, HHEX-IDE, HMGA2, IGF2BP2, KCNJ11, KCNQ1, MTNR1B, PPARG, SLC30A8 and TCF7L2 was obtained in 1350 children from parents with type 1 diabetes participating in the BABYDIAB study. Children were prospectively followed from birth for islet autoantibodies and type 1 diabetes. Data on weight and height were obtained at 9 months, 2, 5, 8, 11, and 14 years of age. RESULTS: None of type 2 diabetes risk alleles at the CDKAL1, CDKN2A/2B, FTO, HHEX-IDE, HMGA2, IGF2BP2, KCNJ11, KCNQ1, MTNR1B, PPARG and SLC30A8 loci were associated with the development of islet autoantibodies or diabetes. The type 2 diabetes susceptible genotype of TCF7L2 was associated with a lower risk of islet autoantibodies (7% vs. 12% by age of 10 years, P = 0.015, P(corrected) = 0.18). Overweight children at seroconversion did not progress to diabetes faster than non-overweight children (HR: 1.08; 95% CI: 0.48-2.45, P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These findings do not support an association of type 2 diabetes risk factors with islet autoimmunity or acceleration of diabetes in children with a family history of type 1 diabetes