Questionnaire on organic fruit and berry production in Europe

On the EUFRIN meeting in Girona, Spain, November 1998 it was decided that one of the specific tasks for the meeting in Laimburg should be preparing a questionnaire for organic fruit production in Europe. In August 1999 we send out a questionnaire for all the EUFRIN participants. All 14 members have answered the questions

An investigation into the repetitive pathophysiology and the effect of a noninvasive targeted treatment strategy in an animal model overexpressing the dopamine transporter

Introduction: Treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders may be optimized through targeted strategies that interact with neurobiological processes responsible for symptom generation. The overexpression of the dopamine transporter (DAT) has been linked to a wide range of neuropsychiatric afflictions with a specific involvement in repetitive disorders. However, the direct consequences of DAT overexpression remain unexplored. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive technique suggested as a treatment for repetitive disorders. In-depth investigation into the role of DAT overexpression in repetitive pathophysiology and how tDCS potentially regulates these processes are clinically challenging, yet possible by employment of adequate animal models. Objectives: The aim of the present thesis was to investigate the direct consequences of DAT overexpression in relation to the pathophysiology of repetitive behavior and to test the potency of tDCS as a therapeutic approach for repetitive disorders. Methods: Initially, a transgenic rat overexpressing DAT (DAT-tg) was generated and its neurobiological and behavioral properties were assessed (study 1+2). Extensive deep brain stimulation (DBS) was applied to identify, which brain areas were involved in modulating repetitive behavior in the DAT-tg rat. Subsequently, DAT-tg rats received tDCS above the frontal cortex followed by behavioral and neurobiological assessment (study 3). Results: The DAT-tg rat displayed several neurobiological deficits within the corticostriatal circuit related to repetitive pathophysiology, which translated into repetitive behavior and treatment sensitivity as observed Tourette syndrome. Further, DAT-tg rats presented with profound cognitive deficits. The application of frontal anodal tDCS led to a decrease in repetitive symptoms in the DAT-tg rats, which was assigned to a specific modulation within the corticostriatal sensorimotor circuit. Conclusion: This thesis shows that DAT overexpression is implicated in the generation of among others repetitive pathophysiology, thus supporting the need for further investigations into its role in repetitive disorders. It further shows that the DAT-tg rat constitutes an ideal model for this endeavor, as it allows for a direct assessment of the neurobiological implications and how new interventions interact with these processes. This thesis further found, that following application of the appropriate stimulation parameters, tDCS reduces repetitive behavior by modulating the neuronal circuit considered responsible for symptom manifestation in the DAT-tg rats. This sets the stage for investigations into tDCS as targeted treatment for repetitive disorders.Einleitung: Die Behandlung neuropsychiatrischer Erkrankungen kann durch gezielte Therapiestrategien, die in die neurobiologischen Prozesse der Symptomgenerierung eingreifen, optimiert werden. Die Überexpression des Dopamin-Transporters (DAT) wird mit einer Vielzahl neuropsychiatrischer Erkrankungen, die mit repetitiven Störungen einhergehen, in Verbindung gebracht. Dennoch sind die direkten Folgen der Überexpression des DAT bisher unerforscht. Die transkranielle Gleichstromstimulation (tDCS) ist eine nichtinvasive Technik, die zur Behandlung repetitiver Störungen vorgeschlagen wird. Die ausführliche Untersuchung der Rolle der DAT-Überexpression in der repetitiven Pathophysiologie sowie der potentiellen Regulation dieser Prozesse durch die tDCS ist klinisch herausfordernd, jedoch durch die Verwendung geeigneter Tiermodelle möglich. Ziele: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie war es, die direkten Konsequenzen einer DAT-Überexpression in Bezug auf die Pathophysiologie von repetitivem Verhalten zu untersuchen und die Wirksamkeit von tDCS als therapeutischen Ansatz für repetitive Störungen zu testen. Methoden: Zunächst wurde eine transgene Ratte mit überexprimiertem DAT (DAT-tg) generiert und ihre neurobiologischen und Verhaltensmerkmale untersucht (Studie 1+2). Um herauszufinden, welche Gehirnbereiche bei der Modulation des repetitiven Verhaltens in der DAT-tg-Ratte involviert sind, wurde eine umfassende Tiefenhirnstimulation (DBS) angewendet. Anschließend erhielten DAT-tg-Ratten tDCS über dem Frontalkortex und Auswirkungen auf Verhalten und Neurobiologie wurden geprüft (Studie 3). Ergebnisse: Die DAT-tg-Ratte wies in den kortikostriatalen Verbindungen mehrere neurobiologische Defizite auf, wie sie sich im repetitivem Verhalten und der Behandlungsempfindlichkeit bei Tourette- Syndrom beobachten lassen. Des weiteren zeigten DAT-tg-Ratten schwerwiegende kognitive Defizite. Die Anwendung von einer frontalen anodalen tDCS führte zu einer Abnahme der repetitiven Symptomatik bei den DAT-tg-Ratten, die einer spezifischen Modulation innerhalb des kortikostriatalen-sensomotorischen Schaltkreises zugeordnet werden konnte. Schlussfolgerung: Diese Studie zeigt, dass die Überexpression des DAT unter anderem bei der Entstehung von repetitiver Pathophysiologie eine Rolle spielt. Dies unterstreicht die Notwendigkeit weiterer Untersuchungen zur Rolle der DAT Überexpression bei repetitiven Störungen. Es zeigt außerdem, dass die DAT-tg-Ratte ein ideales Modell dafür darstellt, als dass es die direkte Untersuchung neurobiologischer Implikationen und die Wirkung neuartiger Interventionen auf diese Prozesse ermöglicht. Diese Arbeit zeigt, dass tDCS nach Anwendung geeigneter Stimulationsparameter repetitives Verhalten durch Modulation des neuronalen Schaltkreises, welcher für die Symptommanifestation bei den DAT-tg-Ratten verantwortlich gemacht wird, reduziert. Damit sind die Voraussetzungen für tDCS als gezielte Behandlung von repetitiven Erkrankungen geschaffen

The Social Psychological Barriers of Social Norm Contestation: The EU, Russia and Crimea

This paper focuses on the social psychological barriers underpinning the EU and Russia’s social norm contestation in the context of Ukraine. Through a frame analysis, I analyse how the two actors perceive the Crimean annexation, their own foreign policy behaviour in this context, the foreign policy behaviour of the other, and the general state of the international normative system. My findings indicate that the social psychological barrier which underpins the social norm contestation between the EU and Russia is related to the cognitive processes the actors apply in their construction of the international normative system and the type of norms which constitute it. Whereas the EU points to a stable international normative system based on injunctive norms and their clear-cut application, Russia emphasises that the normative system also consists of descriptive norms and that the presence of this type of social norm makes social norm application a matter of contextual interpretation. What the actors do agree on is the purpose of social norms and the motivation states have for complying with them. The analysis hence finds that the social norm contestation between the EU and Russia is not based on differing perceptions and interpretations on why norms are relevant or why states should comply with them. Rather, it is based on differing perceptions and interpretations of the common knowledge that is to guide state behaviour. What the analysis also suggests is that Russia’s foreign policy behaviour in Ukraine was not necessarily influenced by a lack of moral compass or a wish to disrupt the international normative system. Instead, it may have been based on a subjective interpretation of what has been done before in perceived similar contexts

Implementation of supporting, practice-based learning activities in short geology and soil science modules in landscape architecture and natural resource management curricula

This study tested the use of practical exercises on campus made possible by recorded lectures as a means to create variation in basic soil science courses. Curriculum changes from one discipline to multi-disciplinary courses including soil science, geology, geomorphology, chemistry, botany, ecology, plant physiology etc. has increased the risk of subject matter overload in relation to time and textbook materials over the last decade. Soil science teachers and students expressed the need for re-introducing practical hands-on teaching and learning activities in order to achieve competencies in soil, site and landscape evaluation e.g. with respect to suitability for tree growth. Teachers on multi-disciplinary courses are encouraged to work as teams to ensure balanced teaching and learning activities and avoid overload of subject matter from competing disciplines

La Production fruitiere biologique en europe

Lors du congrès EUFRIN qui s'est tenu à Girona (Espagnee) en novembre 1998, il aviat été décidé qu'en vue du congrès de Laimburg, l'une des tâches particuliéres serait la préparation d'un questionnaire relatif à la production fruitère biologique en Europe. En août 1999, nous avons envoyé un questionnaire à tous les participants d'Eufrin, et les 14 Etats-membres y ont répondu