Integrierte Informationsdienstleistungen für die Afrikaforschung: Neuere Entwicklungen in Deutschland und Europa

New projects, services and collaborations have recently brought the infrastructural services for African Studies a big step forward. This report gives an account of new subject gateways and digitisation projects. It discusses recent European cooperation ventures in the field of librarianship. Additionally, new developments and services of the Africa Collection at Frankfurt University Library are presented, which help to address the changing needs of researchers and to handle information overload, while keeping up with the latest developments. Nevertheless, the fragmentation and compartmentalisation of the different services still hinder more integrated information services.Neue Projekte, Dienstleistungen und Kooperationen haben die Informationsversorgung der Afrikastudien einen großen Schritt vorangebracht. In diesem Bericht werden neue Fachportale und Digitalisierungsprojekte präsentiert; die in den vergangenen Jahren intensivierte europäische Zusammenarbeit der Afrika-Bibliotheken wird nachgezeichnet. Schließlich werden neue Dienstleistungen der Afrika-Sammlung der Frankfurter Universitätsbibliothek vorgestellt, die veränderten Bedürfnissen der Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler Rechnung tragen und es erlauben, die Informationsflut besser zu bewältigen und gleichzeitig den Überblick über aktuelle Entwicklungen zu behalten. Gleichwohl ist die Fragmentierung unterschiedlicher Dienstleistungsangebote noch nicht überwunden

Effects of rising air and soil temperatures on the life cycle of important pathogens in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) in Lower Saxony

Climate change is expected to cause a mean annual temperature increase in Germany of 2°C by 2050 and up to 4°C by 2100, which will have effects on both crop and fungal pathogen development. Within the research framework “KLIFF - Climate Impact and Adaptation Research in Lower Saxony”, potential effects of higher air and soil temperatures on the life cycle of economically important fungal pathogens of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) were investigated both theoretically and experimentally. Within the theoretical approach, published knowledge about temperature effects on certain life cycle stages of Leptosphaeria maculans (Phoma lingam), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and Verticillium longisporum, such as survival, sporulation, infection and further disease development, was collected. Cardinal temperatures of each life cycle stage were compared with current regional climate projections (REMO model) based on emission scenario A1B for the periods 2001 to 2030 and 2071 to 2100 in three different oilseed rape growing regions in Lower Saxony, using a baseline historical series of meteorological data collected from 1971 to 2000. This analysis suggests that higher temperatures may lead to shifts in future prevalence of these pathogens. While Verticillium longisporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum could be particularly favored during their early development stages, potentially leading to higher disease severity, Phoma lingam may only benefit in currently colder oilseed rape growing regions. In order to study effects of rising air and soil temperatures on the soil- and debris-borne life cycle stages of the three pathogens, experiments utilizing climate chambers and a newly constructed soil warming facility were carried out. Warming treatments reflected both regional temperature differences as well as mid- and long-term warming scenarios for Lower Saxony. Investigations included (1) infection of oilseed rape by Verticillium longisporum and further disease progress, (2) carpogenic germination of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in spring and (3) phoma leaf spot and crown canker development in autumn and spring (field only). Results of climate chamber and field experiments were compared on a thermal time scale based on degree-days in spring. A mean temperature increase of 2°C may lead to advancement of oilseed rape flowering, but also apothecia production of S. sclerotiorum by 5 to 7 days. Hence, the coincidence between ascospore release from apothecia and end of oilseed rape flowering, leading to optimal infection conditions, may still occur under future warming, just earlier in the year. Warming may also advance the beginning of exponential growth of V. longisporum within the plant by 7 to 9 days, potentially leading to stronger colonization of susceptible cultivars and inoculum accumulation in the soil, which may result in higher yield losses in the future. Development of phoma symptoms may not necessarily be favored by higher temperatures. These assumptions, however, are only based on projected temperature increases and restricted by a lack of reliable, high-resolution future climate scenarios, also for other important weather parameters influencing pathogen development, such as soil moisture, relative humidity and precipitation. Assumptions are furthermore complicated by the prospective adaptations of farming techniques and crop genotypes to climate change

Employee Wellness Model for Obesity

Obesity, a condition of having a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30, is a universal epidemic with the greatest prevalence in the United States. The greatest concern with this epidemic health problem is that it presents with many comorbidities and is a risk factor for other chronic diseases. Employee wellness programs (EWP) have been in place for years and incorporate programs on weight management, nutritional education, and smoking cessation to reduce risk factors associated with chronic diseases. These programs utilize the concept of empowerment, often guided by Pender\u27s self-management theory, to encourage employees to take onus for their health by making better lifestyle choices. The research question for this project addressed whether obesity rates as measured by BMI could be diminished through an EWP by implementing health promotion strategies. This EWP project was conducted utilizing a quasi-experimental, 1-group, pretest-posttest design with a convenience sample of 23 employees who had a BMI \u3e 30 and were from a health information management department of a health care organization in southeast Florida. The project evaluated whether a 6-week EWP would decrease the BMI of participants. Data were analyzed using paired sample t test and Statistical Product and Service Software. The results of the paired sample t test indicated there was a significant decrease in BMI from the preintervention to the postintervention. The results demonstrated that health promotion strategies implemented by an advanced practice nurse can affect obesity rates while effecting social change and supporting a culture of health and well-being

Algebraisches Denken von Grundschulkindern – Ergebnisse einer Interviewstudie

Mit diesem Beitrag sollen einige Ergebnisse einer Interviewstudie präsentiert werden. Ausgehend von den international vielfach diskutierten Early- Algebra-Ansätzen, die eine Verbindung und gegenseitige Stützung arithmetischer und algebraischer Inhalte im Mathematikunterricht anstreben, geht es um die Erkundung algebraischer Fähigkeiten von Schülerinnen und Schülern im Grundschulalter (Fritzlar & Karpinski-Siebold, 2012). Konkret sollten folgende zwei Forschungsfragen Beantwortung finden: - Wie kann algebraisches Denken im Grundschulalter beschrieben werden? - Welche entsprechenden Fähigkeiten bezüglich des algebraischen Denkens sind im 4. Schuljahr ohne vorherige spezifische Programme zu erfassen

Algebraisches Denken von Grundschulkindern

Mit diesem Beitrag soll ein knapper Einblick in ein aktuell laufendes Forschungsprojekt ermöglicht werden. Ausgehend von den international vielfach diskutierten Early-Algebra-Ansätzen, die eine Verbindung und gegenseitige Stützung arithmetischer und algebraischer Inhalte im Mathematikunterricht anstreben, geht es um die Erkundung algebraischer Fähigkeiten von Schülerinnen und Schülern im Grundschulalter (Fritzlar & Karpinski-Siebold, 2012). Konkret sollen folgende zwei Forschungsfragen Beantwortung finden: -Wie kann algebraisches Denken im Grundschulalter beschrieben werden? -Welche entsprechenden Fähigkeiten bezüglich des algebraischen Denkens sind im 4. Schuljahr ohne vorherige spezifische Programme zu erfassen