Die epigäische Spinnenfauna (Arachnida, Araneae) in Sandrasen, Borstgrasrasen und Ruderalfluren im Naturschutzgebiet "Alter Flugplatz Karlsruhe"

Epigeic spiders were sampled using pitfall traps during one year in an anthropogenic open site within the city of Karlsruhe (Alter Flugplatz Karlsruhe). The area, historically used as a military parade ground and airport, is protected as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) within the Natura 2000 network of the EU and since 2010 as a German nature reserve. We were interested in the diversity, assemblage structure and distribution of spider species within the area and investigated three different plant formations: sparse grass-dominated vegetation with frequent open sand patches (sandy turf ), closed grassland dominated by the mat-grass (Nardus stricta) and ruderal vegetation with blackberry bushes. 123 species were identified from these captures, including many specialists of xerothermic habitats and rare and endangered species like Alopecosa striatipes, Agroeca lusatica, Haplodrassus dalmatensis, Styloctetor romanus, Typhochrestus simoni and Xysticus striatipes as well as extremely rare species of unclassified red list status like Mysmenella jobi, Theonoe minutissima and Zora parallela. The three investigated habitat types were quite similar concerning α-diversity, while measures of β-diversity indicated a strong species turnover. By performing an ecological habitat analysis (using autecological data on spiders) essential differences between the three habitat types could not be discovered, especially not between mat-grass and sandy turf. However, analysing the guild structures showed that different ways of using habitat resources dominated in the different habitat types. For Nardus-grassland several species could be identified as indicator species. While many xero- and photophiles live in the open grassland, the stenotopic psammophiles of inland dunes in the region were not found. The ruderal area houses a mix of grassland- and forest species

Exploring medication safety structures and processes in nursing homes: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Medication safety is important to limit adverse events for nursing home residents. Several factors, such as interprofessional collaboration with pharmacists and medication reviews, have been shown in the literature to influence medication safety processes. AIM This study had three main objectives: (1) To assess how facility- and unit-level organization and infrastructure are related to medication use processes; (2) To determine the extent of medication safety-relevant processes; and (3) To explore pharmacies' and pharmacists' involvement in nursing homes' medication-related processes. METHOD Cross-sectional multicenter survey data (2018-2019) from a convenience sample of 118 Swiss nursing homes were used. Data were collected on facility and unit characteristics, pharmacy services, as well as medication safety-related structures and processes. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS Most of the participating nursing homes (93.2%) had electronic resident health record systems that supported medication safety in various ways (e.g., medication lists, interaction checks). Electronic data exchanges with outside partners such as pharmacies or physicians were available for fewer than half (10.2-46.3%, depending on the partner). Pharmacists collaborating with nursing homes were mainly involved in logistical support. Medication reviews were reportedly conducted regularly in two-thirds of facilities. CONCLUSION A high proportion of Swiss nursing homes have implemented diverse processes and structures that support medication use and safety for residents; however, their collaboration with pharmacists remains relatively limited

Operating Power Grids with Few Flow Control Buses

Future power grids will offer enhanced controllability due to the increased availability of power flow control units (FACTS). As the installation of control units in the grid is an expensive investment, we are interested in using few controllers to achieve high controllability. In particular, two questions arise: How many flow control buses are necessary to obtain globally optimal power flows? And if fewer flow control buses are available, what can we achieve with them? Using steady state IEEE benchmark data sets, we explore experimentally that already a small number of controllers placed at certain grid buses suffices to achieve globally optimal power flows. We present a graph-theoretic explanation for this behavior. To answer the second question we perform a set of experiments that explore the existence and costs of feasible power flow solutions at increased loads with respect to the number of flow control buses in the grid. We observe that adding a small number of flow control buses reduces the flow costs and extends the existence of feasible solutions at increased load.Comment: extended version of an ACM e-Energy 2015 poster/workshop pape

Smoking during pregnancy and prenatal programming:Consequences for DNA methylation

Roken tijdens de zwangerschap verhoogt het risico op het ontwikkelen de chronische roken gerelateerde longziekte COPD later in het leven. Dit suggereert dat het ontstaan van COPD z’n oorsprong al kan hebben tijdens de foetale ontwikkeling in de baarmoeder. Risicofactoren voor een bepaalde ziekte kunnen erfelijk zijn en liggen dan vast in ons genetisch materiaal, ons DNA. Daarnaast ontstaan ook veranderingen in het gebruik van het DNA tijdens het leven. Dit zijn zogenaamde epigenetische veranderingen. Epigenetische mechanismen zoals DNA-methylering kunnen hierbij onderliggend zijn. UMCG onderzoeker Karolin Meyer onderzocht de schadelijke effecten van roken tijdens de zwangerschap in een muismodel voor COPD. Prenataal blootgestelde foetale en neonatale hadden een lager geboortegewicht en een lagere genexpressie van Igf1 en Igf1r in de lever en longen. De IGF1-signaleringsroute is belangrijk voor foetale ontwikkeling. De expressie van Igf1 en Igf1r was omgekeerd gecorreleerd met DNA-methylering in de Igf1- en Igf1r-genen. Dit effect was orgaan, leeftijd en geslachtsafhankelijk. Bovendien veranderde de prenatale rookblootstelling DNA-methylering van het Cyp2a5-gen. Dit gen is belangrijk voor het ontgiften van nicotine. In toekomstige studies zullen de gevolgen van Cyp2a5 hypermethylatie verder onderzocht worden in relatie met het ontgiften van sigarettenrook en gevoeligheid voor nicotine verslaving. De onderzoek werd uitgevoerd bij de afdeling Pathologie en Medische Biologie van het UMCG en binnen het onderzoeksinstituut GRIAC en onderzoeksschool GUIDE. Het onderzoek werd begeleid door dr. MN Hylkema en dr. T Plosch en werd gefinancierd door het Longfonds. Het proefschrift is getiteld "Roken tijdens de zwangerschap en prenatale programmering - gevolgen voor DNA-methylering