Flood damage, vulnerability and risk perception - challenges for flood damage research

The current state-of-the-art in flood damage analysis mainly focuses on the economic evaluation of tangible flood effects. It is contended in this discussion paper that important economic, social and ecological aspects of flood-related vulnerabilities are neglected. It is a challenge for flood research to develop a wider perspective for flood damage evaluation. --Flood damage analysis,flood vulnerability,risk perception,cost-benefit analysis,integrated assessment

National flood damage evaluation methods: A review of applied methods in England, the Netherlands, the Czech Republik and Germany

The focus of this guidance document is decision making under uncertainty in river basin management. Our purpose is to give hints for the analysis of decision situations in the HarmoniRiB case studies. The background of HarmoniRiB and thus of the case studies is the implementation of the EU-Water Framework Directive. The directive states the goal that all waters3 in the EU should reach a good status4 by 20155. In order to achieve this goal the member states need to set up river basin districts, each one having a management plan that includes a programme of measures which will achieve good status in the most costeffective manner. We conceptualize this management problem as a decision problem: Which measures should be selected for the programme of measures? The HarmoniRiB case studies are not able to cover all problems of the implementation of the EU-Water Framework Directive in all their complexity. They only investigate certain aspects of this problem. Therefore, we concentrate in this guidance document on a certain type of decision, the selection of management measures to reach a certain goal (this would usually be good status) for the case study river basins. Thereby we put a special focus on uncertainties. --

GIS-based multicriteria analysis as decision support in flood risk management

In this report we develop a GIS-based multicriteria flood risk assessment and mapping approach. This approach has the ability a) to consider also flood risks which are not measured in monetary terms, b) to show the spatial distribution of these multiple risks and c) to deal with uncertainties in criteria values and to show their influence on the overall assessment. It can furthermore be used to show the spatial distribution of the effects of risk reduction measures. The approach is tested for a pilot study at the River Mulde in Saxony, Germany. Therefore, a GISdataset of economic as well as social and environmental risk criteria is built up. Two multicriteria decision rules, a disjunctive approach and an additive weighting approach are used to come to an overall assessment and mapping of flood risk in the area. Both the risk calculation and mapping of single criteria as well as the multicriteria analysis are supported by a software tool (FloodCalc) which was developed for this task. --

Einfluss des Endothelin – A – Rezeptorantagonisten Atrasentan auf das Wachstumsverhalten des Mammakarzinoms in vivo

Die Endothelin (ET)-Achse stellt ein potentielles Ziel für die Therapie des Mammakarzinoms dar. In dieser Arbeit wird der Einfluss des selektiven ETAR-Antagonisten Atrasentan (ABT-627) auf das Wachstum von Mammakarzinom-Xenografttumoren im Mausmodell untersucht. Zunächst wurden 40 Mäuse in 4 Therapiearmen nach s.c. Injektion von Mammakarzinomzellen (MCF-7) in die rechte Flanke mit 1)Atrasentan 2)Paclitaxel 3)einer Kombination und 4) Trägerlösung behandelt. In einer zweiten Versuchsreihe wurden insgesamt 16 Mäuse entweder mit Atrasentan oder Trägerlösung behandelt. Ergebnisse: Es zeigte sich eine signifikante Wachstumshemmung der Tumore durch die Atrasentan-Therapie im Vergleich zur Kontrollgruppe (p = 0,002). In der zweiten Versuchsreihe wurde bei der Hälfte der Mäuse ein Tumorwachstum verhindert. Diskussion: Wir schlussfolgern aus unseren Daten, dass durch selektive Hemmung von ETAR mittels Atrasentan das Wachstum ETAR–positiver Tumoren in vivo gehemmt werden kann. Introduction: The Endothelin (ET)-axis represents a potential target of breast cancer therapy. In this study, the effect of the selective ETAR-antagonist Atrasentan (ABT-627) on breast cancer xenografts is investigated in a mouse model. First of all, MCF-7 breast cancer cells were implanted into the flank of mice. Afterwards, mice were distributed to 4 subgroups and treated with 1)Atrasentan 2)Paclitaxel 3)a combination and 4)resolvent. In a second series 16 mice got treated either with Atrasentan or with resolvent. Results: Compared to the control group, a significant reduction in tumor growth (p=0,002) of the Atrasentan-treated mice was observed. In the second series, in 4 of the 8 Atrasentan-treated mice, the tumor growth was inhibited. Discussion: In conclusion: Inhibition of ETAR by Atrasentan reduces tumor growth in vivo

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) in children and adolescents : a consensus on therapeutic strategies

Hereditary angioedema due to C1 inhibitor (C1 esterase inhibitor) deficiency (types I and II HAE-C1-INH) is a rare disease that usually presents during childhood or adolescence with intermittent episodes of potentially life-threatening angioedema. Diagnosis as early as possible is important to avoid ineffective therapies and to properly treat swelling attacks. At a consensus meeting in June 2011, pediatricians and dermatologists from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland reviewed the currently available literature, including published international consensus recommendations for HAE therapy across all age groups. Published recommendations cannot be unconditionally adopted for pediatric patients in German-speaking countries given the current approval status of HAE drugs. This article provides an overview and discusses drugs available for HAE therapy, their approval status, and study results obtained in adult and pediatric patients. Recommendations for developing appropriate treatment strategies in the management of HAE in pediatric patients in German-speaking countries are provided.Conclusion Currently, plasma-derived C1 inhibitor concentrate is considered the best available option for the treatment of acute HAE-C1-INH attacks in pediatric patients in German-speaking countries, as well as for short-term and long-term prophylaxis

Oral health improvement for nursing home residents through delegated remotivation and reinstruction (MundZaRR Study): study protocol of a cluster-randomised controlled trial

Introduction: Oral health and oral health-related quality of life (OHrQL) of residents in German long-term residential care (LRC) are poor. We will develop an evidence-based catalogue of interventions ('Oral Health Toolbox') and provide care-accompanying reinstruction and remotivation of nursing staff by dental assistants (DA). We hypothesise that such intervention will significantly improve OHrQL, daily oral hygiene/care behaviour and is cost-effective. Methods and analysis: A scoping review will be used to identify possible intervention components. Mixed methods will be used to identify barriers and enablers of oral hygiene and care in German LRC. The result will be the 'Oral Health Toolbox', a two-phased instrument supporting both initial intervention allocation to improve oral health/hygiene and reinstruction/remotivation. A two-arm clustered, randomised controlled trial (ratio of 1:1 via block randomisation) will be performed in LRC in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Each nursing home represents a cluster. Based on a feasibility study, considering clustering and possible attrition, we aim at recruiting 618 residents in 18 clusters. In the intervention group, dentists will assign one or more intervention component from the box (phase 1). During follow-up, nursing staff will be reinstructed and remotivated by DA, who use the box to decide how to maintain the intervention (phase 2). In the control group residents will receive care as usual. The primary outcome, OHrQL, will be measured using the General Oral Health Assessment Index. Secondary outcomes include pain condition, general health-related quality of life, caries increment, oral/prosthetic hygiene and gingival status, incidence of dental emergencies and hospitalisations, and cost-utility/effectiveness. The endpoints will be measured at baseline and after 12 months. For our primary outcome, a mixed-linear model will be used within an intention-to-treat analysis. A process evaluation using mixed methods will be conducted alongside the trial. Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval by the University of Kiel was granted (D480/18). Trial registration number: NCT04140929

Untersuchungen zur Qualitätsveränderung bei der Verarbeitung und Lagerung von ausgewählten Erzeugnissen aus Bio-Forellen und konventionell erzeugten Forellen als Voraussetzung für die Erstellung einer Handlungshilfe für handwerkliche Forellenzuchtbetriebe

Die Aufzucht der Forellen wurde unter standardisierten Bedingungen durchgeführt (Modellversuch). Futterzusammensetzung und Besatzdichte entsprachen ökologischen und konventionellen Zuchtbedingungen. Es wurden verschiedene Ökofutter getestet. Extrudiertes Ökofutter desselben Herstellers schnitt deutlich besser ab als pelletiertes. Die Leistungsvorteile (Wachstum, Futterauswertung, Proteinausnutzung) eines hochwertigen konventionellen Futters hingen von der Pelletgröße ab. Mit 6,0 % Fett waren die geräucherten konventionellen Forellen des Modellversuches deutlicher fetter als die ökologischen (4,5 %). TVB-N- Wert, Redoxpotential, Malondi-aldehyd und Glutathion sowie physikalische Methoden (Farbmessung, elektronische Nase) waren zur Verfolgung von Qualitätsveränderungen bei einer Lagerung bei 2-4 °C ungeeignet. Aufzuchtsbedingte unterschiedliche Gehalte einiger Fettsäuren sind als ernährungsphysiologisch unbedeutend einzustufen. Die mikrobiologische Qualität war gut oder sehr gut. In konventionellen vakuumverpackten Räucherfilets wurden seltener Bakterien und niedrigere Gesamtkeimzahlen gegenüber den ökologisch produzierten gefunden. Die Befunde waren aber nicht geeignet, die sensorische Qualität zu beeinflussen. Diese nahm kontinuierlich ab, war jedoch am Ende der Lagerung noch als durchschnittlich zu bezeichnen und keinesfalls verdorben. In Übereinstimmung mit Ergebnissen des Vorgängerprojektes „Bioforelle“ an rohen Forellen konnten auch in den Räucherforellen weder reproduzierbare Auswirkungen der Produktionsform noch qualitative Unterschiede festgestellt werden. Durch Besichtigung kleiner bis mittelständischer Räuchereien wurden individuelle Verarbeitungsstrukturen erfasst. Die Auswirkungen der wichtigsten Arbeitsschritte (Salzen, Räuchern) auf die Qualität wurden näher untersucht. Die Kerntemperatur von 60°C wurde in konventionellen Handelsproben nicht immer, bei der untersuchten Bioware zuverlässig erreicht. Die besuchten ökologisch arbeitenden Betriebe waren modern ausgestattet unter Berücksichtigung heutiger Hygienestandards