Search

Background: Even now the further training in surgery faces considerable challenges. The planned hospital structural reform will result in new bureaucratic and organizational hurdles, which could lead to a considerable loss of quality in advanced surgical training across all disciplines. Objective: The aim of this position paper is to describe the current and future challenges for advanced surgical training and to identify possible approaches and opportunities for the further development against the background of the planned hospital structural reform. Material and methods: For the development of this position paper a committee of representatives of the Young Forums of the German surgical societies identified and critically discussed current problems and challenges of the present residency training system and formulated a list of demands for a sustainable residency training concept. Results: The planned shift to outpatient treatment and centralization were identified as central challenges for surgical residency training. Surgical training must be considered consistently and from the outset in all political reform efforts. In addition to a transparent and cost-appropriate financing of residency training, we call for the involvement of all German surgical societies in the reform process. Furthermore, the social framework conditions for junior surgeons should be considered. Conclusion: The structural change in the hospital landscape in Germany, which is being forced by politicians, harbors the risk of a further loss of quality and experience in surgical treatment and training. At the same time, the planned hospital reform offers a unique opportunity to address existing problems and challenges in surgical training and to consider them as a starting point for structural changes which are fit for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Point-of-care sonography is a precondition in acute and emergency medicine for the diagnosis and initiation of therapy for critically ill and injured patients. While emergency sonography is a mandatory part of the training for clinical acute and emergency medicine, it is not everywhere required for prehospital emergency medicine. Although some medical societies in Germany have already established their own learning concepts for emergency ultrasound, a uniform national training concept for the use of emergency sonography in the out-of-hospital setting is still lacking. Experts of several professional medical societies have therefore joined forces and developed a structured training concept for emergency sonography in the prehospital setting. The consensus paper serves as quality assurance in prehospital emergency sonography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discussion paper "Institutionalization of Teacher Education" was developed within the framework of the QLB-Camp and aims to establish institutional standards for teacher education in central scientific institutions. There are no institutional standards for teacher education in Germany, and the diversity of teacher education leads to problems and challenges. The Quality Initiative for Teacher Education has brought about positive changes, but there is uncertainty about how the created structures can be sustained and legally secured. The text describes various key points for the institutionalization of teacher education, including anchoring it in state higher education laws and promoting scholars in subject didactics and educational sciences. Teacher education institutions should regularly evaluate their measures and the development of teacher education students. [Extracted from the article]

Abstract: Aims: In the scientific community no consensus exists regarding the question whether excessive smartphone use (ESU) should be considered as a behavioral addiction. This position paper summarizes relevant aspects of previous research on ESU with respect to content and methodology. From this, recommendations are derived as to which approaches should be given greater consideration in future research work. Conclusions: Our recommendations include the following points: 1. Development and consistent use of smartphone-based measuring instruments that allow the collection of real-time usage data and the submission of time-controlled questionnaire, 2. Validation of these instruments in large representative samples in Germany, 3. Using real-time smartphone user data to address the question whether ESU can become addictive in nature, 4. Clarification of the central question of the extent to which ESN is specific (i. e., use of specific smartphone functions such as social networks) or generalized (in terms of a behavioral pattern of general smartphone overuse). In the long term, further studies on the neurobiology and long-term stability of ESN should be carried out before the classification of ESN as a behavioral addiction can be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With reference to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD), a fundamental change in psychiatric care in Germany was proposed in 2019 by Zinkler and von Peter, supported by a legal perspective from Kammeier, which has since led to controversial debates. Essentially, the aim is not only to reduce coercion in psychiatry to a minimum, but also to fundamentally exclude it in a psychiatry that only provides care. The function as an agent of social control is to be returned from psychiatry to state institutions. Psychiatric hospitals will only admit patients with their consent; patients who refuse therapy will not be admitted regardless of their capacity for self-determination and will remain untreated or, if they have committed a criminal offence or threaten to commit a criminal offence, they will be taken into custody or imprisoned in accordance with the legal regulations applicable to all people. There they will receive psychiatric care if they so wish. Aim of the paper: The paper outlines the background of this concept, including international sources, traces the discussion in German specialist literature and takes a critical look at it. Results: The criticism is primarily directed against the fact that responsibility for a relevant proportion of psychiatric patients would be handed over to the police and judiciary and that, as a result, two realities of care would be established that would considerably differ in terms of quality. Conclusion: Arguments are put forward in favor of retaining the function of social control and considerations are suggested as to how caring coercion can be largely minimized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The healthcare sector is responsible for 5.2% of CO2 emissions in Germany. The prescribing of medicines is a significant contributor. Among the prescribed medicines, metered dose inhalers (MDIs) play a decisive role due to the propellant gases they contain. A relevant reduction in emissions is possible by switching to dry powder inhalation systems (DPI). Aim: The guideline "Climate-conscious prescribing of inhalants" is intended to provide assistance in the prescribing of inhaled medicines by summarising the available evidence on the decision between DPI and MDI and explicitly addressing the aspect of climate damage caused by propellants. It addresses everyone involved in prescribing and counselling those affected. Materials and methods: The S2k guideline was drawn up under the joint leadership of DEGAM (German College of General Practitioners and Family Physicians) and the German Society for Pneumology and Respiratory Medicine (DGP) under moderation of the AWMF (Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany). The main contents from a practical perspective are presented in this paper. Results: Overall, MDIs account for a high proportion of inhaler prescriptions in Germany. The aspects of climate damage should be considered when prescribing MDIs. In order to facilitate implementation in practice, several decision aids were developed. Conclusion: The guideline is the first to address the importance of prescribing a group of medicines in relation to climate change. The degree of implementation of the guideline recommendations can be determined by future analyses of prescription data. A planned practical test is required to check the acceptance of the decision aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: According to the legal definition healthcare systems and their components (e.g., hospitals) are part of the critical infrastructure of modern industrial nations. During the last few years hospitals increasingly became targets of cyber attacks causing severe impairment of their operability for weeks or even months. According to the German federal strategy for protection of critical infrastructures (KRITIS strategy), hospitals are obligated to take precautions against potential cyber attacks or other IT incidents. Objective: This article describes the process of planning, execution and results of an advanced table-top exercise which took place in a university hospital in Germany and simulated the first 3 days after a cyber attack causing a total failure of highly critical IT systems. Material and methods: During a first stage lasting about 8 months IT-dependent processes within the clinical routine were identified and analyzed. Then paper-based and off-line back-up processes and workarounds were developed and department-specific emergency plans were defined. Finally, selected central facilities such as pharmacy, laboratory, radiology, IT and the hospitals crisis management team took part in the actual disaster exercise. Afterwards the participants were asked to evaluate the exercise and the hospitals cyber security using a questionnaire. On this basis the authors visualized the hospitalʼs resilience against cyber incidents and defined short-term, medium-term and long-term needs for action. Results: Of the participants 85% assessed the exercise as beneficial, 97% indicated that they received adequate support during the preparations and 75% had received sufficient information; however, only 34% had the opinion that the hospitalʼs and their own preparedness against critical IT failures were sufficient. Before the exercise took place, IT-specific emergency plans were present only in 1.7% of the hospital facilities but after the exercise in 86.7% of the clinical and technical departments. The highest resilience against cyber attacks was not surprisingly reported by facilities that still work routinely with paper-based or off-line processes, the IT department showed the lowest resilience as it would come to a complete shutdown in cases of a total IT failure. Conclusion: The authors concluded that the planning phase is the most important stage of developing the whole exercise, giving the best opportunity for working out fallback levels and workarounds and through this strengthen the hospitals resilience against cyber attacks and comparable incidents. A meticulous preparedness can minimize the severe effects a total IT failure can cause on patient care, staff and the hospital as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Up-to-date management of medical emergencies implies primarily that definitive diagnoses and treatment are performed in a timely manner. These claims have been reconfirmed in 2007 by the leading German language medical associations in their 'White Paper on Emergency Treatment'. To actually realize the demands described in this paper a timely, transsectoral and close collaboration of all involved organizations is mandatory. To illustrate this race against cell death the phrase relay of survival is proposed and launched to replace the hitherto used but rigid concept of chain of survival. The tasks of each member of this relay of survival are critically scrutinized one after the other from a patient perspective. The paper presents tangible recommendations for improving the respective individual performance as well as, in particular, the cooperation and coordination between the team members which is comparable to handing over the baton in a relay race. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new psychotherapists' law in Germany requires that future studies in psychotherapy enable students to evaluate the evidence base of psychotherapeutic methods based on established criteria. This article summarizes and applies the most important national and international criteria for evaluating the evidence base of psychodynamic psychotherapy including the criteria detailed in the Methods Paper of the Scientific Advisory Board Psychotherapy in Germany, the internationally influential criteria by Chambless et al. (1998) as well as the most recent criteria by Tolin et al. (2015). Criticism of the criteria for evidence assessment (e.g., the disorder-specific approach), current controversies (e.g., concerning the evidence base of long-term psychodynamic therapy and analytic psychotherapy, integrative psychotherapy frameworks versus specific treatment approaches), and the relevance of the participation of practicing psychodynamic psychotherapists in research projects are addressed. For the adequate assessment of the efficacy/effectiveness of psychodynamic psychotherapy, especially long-term psychodynamic therapy and analytic psychotherapy, it is necessary to include longer follow-up periods and also to assess changes in accordance with psychodynamic assumptions about therapeutic change processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of an overview of articles in Info DaF in the 2010 s, this paper aims at tracing the development of research on the education and training of GFL teachers outside of Germany within this decade. It emphasizes the potential of international cooperation in facilitating progress in practice and research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper surveys cover versions of Italian hits in Spanish and German. Using autoethnographic methods, it offers a retrospective examination of the 1970s and 1980s in Latin America and Germany, reflecting on the influence of Italian artists on the Latin American and German Schlager music scenes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the journal 'Raumforschung und Raumordnung' (RuR), the topic of spatial planning in the GDR played but a subordinate role. Nevertheless, it is possible to deduce basic statements on the reception of GDR territorial planning. This paper examines articles in the journal with the aim of identifying tendencies in discussion of spatial planning in the GDR. It is essential to also take a look at the development of spatial planning in the GDR itself in order to trace the relationship between the image in the journal and the real frame of reference in the GDR. The analysis oscillates between chronological consideration of epistemologically promising articles in RuR and distinctive findings in GDR planning research. The focus of the analysis is on key publications that also contribute to interpretation of the spatial turn. The tendencies found also reflected socio-political connotations of federal policy towards the GDR. These began with rather distanced reporting on the 'Soviet zone' and critical observations on individual aspects of spatial planning there. This was followed by increasingly objective reports and critiques that sketched a differentiated picture of spatial planning in the GDR. Finally, the papers comprised professional discussion about the GDR on equal terms, combining critical reflection with consideration of problems in the FRG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of residential areas in the context of settlement development is a significant driver regarding land use and thus critical in achieving the goal of reduced new land use to less than 30 hectares per day by 2030. Although spatial planning and spatial science have been addressing this issue for years, e.g. through consistent land management, the current land use in Germany amounts to around 52 hectares per day (as of 2019). This is i.a. because the control of settlement development often only intervenes in developments that go beyond the own communal development. Approaches to controlling self-development usually remain on a blanket level and thus promote decentralized decisions that, in total, contradict the set goals. The aim of this paper is to present a model for calculating self-development, which not only takes demographic development into account, but also aligns the size of self-development with site-specific requirements to consider the principles of spatial planning and thus promote sustainable spatial development. In its empirical basis, the paper is based on statistical analyses of the respective needs as well as surveys, interviews research results that have been carried out or have arisen within the framework of the BMBF-funded project Interko2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2017, patients aged 0-18 years accounted for about 10million medical consultations in German general practitioners' (GPs') practices compared to 26.7 million in pediatric practices. Despite this high demand in GP practices, few federal statemedical boards require a mandatory pediatric component in GP training. The aim of this paper is to outline the main reasons for children and adolescents consulting a GP, discuss the basic skills needed for physical examinations and the appropriate investigations which should be provided and to consider which symptoms should alert the GP as "red flags" requiring immediate action (e.g., dehydration, severe bacterial infections, failure to thrive). In Germany, GPs are indispensable for the primary care of children and adolescents. Thus, appropriate training in pediatricmedicine is essential to enable German GPs to be true "family doctors" caring for all ages. This article is seen as part of continuing medical education for general practitionerswho treat children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, the emergence of planning law and the juridification of planning in Germany did not follow any planning theory, but a logic inherent to the constitutional state. Only in small number of cases did the legislature or the judiciary adopt elements of planning theories, most of which were developed much later. Law defines itself by its strict claim to be obeyed. Therefore, the requirements of planning law may conflict with the recommendations of normative planning theories and then claim precedence over these. Nevertheless, with regard to the viability of some proposals of agonistic planning theories, legal borderlines arise. This paper deals with these borderlines. However, the goal of agonistic theories of planning coincides with the basic function of planning law to pacify conflicting interests and to reach acceptable solutions. Opponents of state planning projects thus are entitled to participate in planning procedures and to file farreaching lawsuits. However, the legal order also sets limits to legitimate resistance to democratic planning and cannot refrain from distinguishing between legitimate and illegitimate forms of rejection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the "communicative turn" planning research has been intensively concerned with how conflicts should and are dealt with. Approaches of "agonistic" planning theory contradict the normative premise of building consensus among planning participants. Rather, they want to make conflicting positions normatively fruitful for spatial development. At the same time, they emphasise a supposed duality of planning and protest, which is questioned in recent protest and movement theory. Building on a discussion of different approaches in planning and protest theory as well as an empirical analysis of planning-related protests in Germany, this paper shows that these protests are increasingly perceived as "normality" by planning actors and that antagonistic participation remains culturally bounded despite increasing conflictuality and the supposed questioning of representative democracy. Protest action is part of differentiated "participation bundles" that, depending on the situation, also include public participation, direct democratic referenda and lawsuits. Protesters usually pursue a reform-oriented agenda that does not require "taming". However, the underlying conflicts often cannot be "resolved" at all. Planners, on the other hand, may have rationalist and deliberative approaches at their disposal even within an agonistic planning environment, which they use situationally and strategically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of residential areas in the context of settlement development is a significant driver regarding land use and thus critical in achieving the goal of reduced new land use to less than 30 hectares per day by 2030. Although spatial plan-ning and spatial science have been addressing this issue for years, e.g. through consistent land management, the current land use in Germany amounts to around 52 hectares per day (as of 2019). This is i.a. because the control of settlement development often only intervenes in developments that go beyond the own communal development. Approaches to controlling self-development usually remain on a blanket level and thus promote decentralized decisions that, in total, contradict the set goals. The aim of this paper is to present a model for calculating self-development, which not only takes demographic development into account, but also aligns the size of self-development with site-specific requirements to consider the principles of spatial planning and thus promote sustainable spatial development. In its empirical basis, the paper is based on statistical analyses of the respective needs as well as surveys, interviews research results that have been carried out or have arisen within the framework of the BMBFfunded project Interko2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the developmental phases of the digital TestDaF and shows how the new task types and the digital test administration strengthen the relationship to the context of higher education institutions in Germany and to the CEFR. The contribution deals extensively with the test construct, the test format, and the different types of tasks used in the reading, listening, writing, and speaking sections. Innovative approaches and methods of performance assessment and scoring are discussed as much as their practical implementation. Finally, the paper presents some perspectives of future studies on the digital TestDaF and elaborates on relations to contemporary language testing research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a contribution to the debate on deregulation of spatial planning and lean regional plans, this paper presents the first long-term study for Germany analysing the regulatory intensity of all regional plans legally valid in 2017 on the topics of settlement and open space development over time. As a final result, the assumption of a general deregulation and streamlining of regional plans cannot be confirmed. In contrast, changes in the legal basis, such as the priority of inner over outer urban development, have led to a continuous increase in the regulatory intensity over time, particularly in the case of positive growth management policies with an active role of regional planning. At the same time, there is evidence of streamlining tendencies in some states, which can partly be interpreted as deregulation tendencies. To date, however, they are merely an expression of state-specific ways of shaping regional planning and not a sign of an accelerated deregulation competition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in the accessibility of a city -- for example, due to the connection to the long-distance rail network for the first time -- not only affect transport demand but can also have catalytic effects on urban development. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study presented in this paper investigates whether long-distance rail stations in Germany between 2004/2005 and 2016/2017 generate such impulses for urban development in their catchment areas via their accessibility level and dynamics. Results show no direct impulses of accessibility on urban development in many cases, suggesting that other reasons such as population and housing pressure or the existence of inner-city (unused) development sites are the more significant factors for urban development dynamics. In addition, accessibility changes are often subject to business considerations that are generally detached from local political and planning goals and interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institutional status of teacher educationwithin universities is in many countries limited by a number of structural "constraints" (Clark 1999). After discussing the status and development of institutionalization of teacher education (TEd) in Germany, the "Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung" (QLB), a national programme for quality improvement in teacher education, is briefly explained which aims not least at "profiling and optimizing the structures of TEd at universities". An important strategic element of many QLB projects are Schools of Education or Centres for TEd, i. e. "cross-sectional structures" which are meant to overcome the traditional "pillar-like" structural layout of TEd in German universities and to create a place within the university at which the concerns of TEd are primarily attended to. The argument of the paper is based on quantitative and qualitative longitudinal data collected in the context of the QLB programme evaluation and discusses the current and potential contributions of Schools of Education for the institutional status of TEd in German universities. Data show that institutional attention for TEd has increased, that organisational structures for TEd have been built up or strengthened, and that collaboration between various actors, disciplines, and phases of TEd has been intensified. However, institutionalisation of TEd in German universities is still hugely diverse. The sustainability of the gains achieved through the QLB may necessitate focused attention on maintenance of these forms of institutionalisation and additional regulative efforts on the state and university level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article considers the process of moral discernment in the United Methodist Church [UMC] in Germany in the face of differing convictions on issues of human sexuality within the horizon of the comprehensive study process of the World Council of Churches [WCC] on "Churches and Moral Discernment". After an introduction to the challenging debates within the worldwide United Methodist Church in the face of different convictions on human sexuality, a first section unfolds approaches to theological doctrinal formation and ethical discernment in a Methodist perspective. in a second section, the current process of ethical discernment in the UMC in Germany is examined. The paper concludes with some highlights on the significance of the analytical tool developed in the study process of the WCC for processes of moral discernment such as in the UMC in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Universal high‐performance columns made of high‐strength steels without welding In recent years, steel‐concrete composite columns made of normal‐strength steels are seldom used owing to the economic and technological advantages of precast reinforced concrete columns. Though, the use of high‐strength structural steels bears high potential for the efficient production of composite columns with excellent structural performance that are economically competitive to precast concrete columns, there are currently major obstacles to use of the ultra‐high‐strength steels (UHSS) in Germany. Hollow section composite columns with embedded high strength steel core without welded connections provide an opportunity to regain lost market share. A research project, funded by the AiF (Arbeitsgemeinschaft industrieller Forschungsvereinigungen), is intended to explore the potential of UHSS composite columns by experimental and theoretical investigations. The present paper demonstrates the concept of such composite columns with UHSS and gives first exciting insights into the research results. In addition to column tests under ambient and fire conditions, small scale tests are necessary to investigate various influencing factors and to create the basis for new and easy to use design and construction principles that allow efficient application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper deals with the topic of eugenics ("Erbgesundheitslehre" or "Rassenhygiene") among the Germans in Romania, which was mainly carried by Transylvanian Saxon actors. Based on Tudor Georgescu's monograph The Eugenic Fortress: The Transylvanian Saxon Experiment in Interwar Romania (2016), the topic is analyzed in depth for the 1920s. Using Heinrich Siegmund's Sächsisches Wehr- und Mehrbuch, which was published in 1914 and in a revised form in 1922, as well as other source examples, it is shown that the eugenic discourse was not only a transfer from the "West" to Transylvanian Saxony, but took on a specific form. The central actors of the biopolitical discourse among the Transylvanian Saxons, especially Heinrich Siegmund and later Alfred Csallner, acted in an interpersonal and intertextual network, especially one supported by institutions, that was primarily connected to Germany--the exchange on eugenics was thus a reciprocal process, not an exclusively one-sided "import" from the "West." However, it is further noted that there was relatively little demonstrable exchange with Romanian and Hungarian eugenicists. The implementation of the teachings of eugenics was intended to counter a demographically induced decrease in the population of the German minority. The main target was the younger generation, especially in rural areas--this milieu was seen as having the best chances of resisting the "decline" by means of biopolitical measures. On the one hand, the analyzed discourse reveals the intertwining of traditional and contemporary topoi; on the other hand, a radicalization of biopolitical concepts can be seen parallel to political developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of ecosystem services has great potential to anchor nature conservation and species protection more firmly in a broader social debate. As an assessment framework, it illustrates the benefits of natural services in the broadest sense and is the subject of intense debate with regard to its scope and the operationalization required for spatial planning. In the sense of an integration into the social debate about the sustainable use of natural resources, the concept should be included in the canon of educational offers - beyond the 'classical' offers and topics of environmental education. This paper exemplifies how the concept is taught in school education (using the example of the Federal State of Saxony, Germany), and in higher education in selected subject areas in Germany as well as in the further education landscape for planning practitioners (in Germany, Austria and Switzerland). The paper shows approaches and deficits for a future goal-oriented operationalization of the concept. The focus is explicitly on environmental education and the provision of educational offers for actors in spatial planning, and reflects the current landscape of educational offers in the mentioned fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: How does supervision in clinical neuropsychology function as a complement to supervision in other psychotherapeutic fields? Supervision in neuropsychology often focuses on understanding the neuropsychological findings: How are different cognitive impairments and resources related to each other and how are they best classified based on etiology and functional neuroanatomy? On this basis, therapeutic goals and methods are selected and applied. In addition, this means considering the institutional framework conditions as well as personal relationships. The therapeutic procedure is examined and, if necessary, adapted. Supervision may help to understand the extent to which barriers in the therapeutic process are indicators of barriers in the therapeutic relationship or the personality of the therapist. The goal of supervision therefore, is to support the development of a reflected therapeutic personality. By doing so, the supervisor is also a teacher who promotes the quality assurance of the therapeutic process and enables reflection on personal strengths and weaknesses as well as personal attitudes. The paper concludes that most supervisors in neuropsychology are currently self-taught, as there are hardly any defined methods or curricula, neither in Germany nor internationally. In the context of the reform of advanced training in clinical neuropsychology in Germany, the paper serves to initiate a discussion not only concerning the content of the advanced training itself, but also concerning the characteristics, methods, and content of supervision in clinical neuropsychology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The editorial of the journal "Disability Education" discusses the current developments in Germany regarding the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Despite noticeable progress, there are still many problems with the inclusion of people with disabilities. The Federal Government Commissioner for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the German Institute for Human Rights have now presented a paper with key demands that relate to various areas such as accessibility, education, protection against violence, employment, and housing. It remains to be seen whether these demands will be implemented. [Extracted from the article]

The heterogeneity of urban agriculture is a major challenge for the implementation of target specific support schemes. Hence, the objective of this paper is, to provide an overview of existing funding schemes and to identify important legal framework conditions for the development of urban agriculture. For this purpose, an explorative approach was chosen with a qualitative survey of horticultural desk officers of the federal states and the federal government in Germany. The results show that neither special legal frameworks nor specific support schemes for urban agriculture exist in many federal states. Furthermore, many federal states do not have specific contact persons for this topic. General agricultural funding as well as ELER and, as a part of it, LEADER funding, among others, were mentioned as funding options. In addition, (potential) problems of urban agriculture, such as low efficiency or land shortage and competition, were mentioned. Based on the results it can be concluded that the issue of urban agriculture has become increasingly important at the political level, but is still of little relevance at the level of agricultural administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2019 the 'Floristisch-soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft' (FlorSoz) has annually nominated the 'plant community of the year', to draw attention to Germany's endangered plant communities in need of protection. This campaign specifically aims at supporting the conservation of plant communities and their habitats as well as at promoting political and administrative decisions and implementation processes that serve to protect and restore these ecosystems. Calthion palustris meadows will be the plant community of the year 2024. Formerly common in cultural landscapes throughout western and Central Europe, wet meadows with marsh-marigold (Caltha palustris) have become rare in most regions. Large-scale drainage and other measures of agricultural intensification, including the conversion of wetlands to intensive grassland and arable land, are responsible for the strong decline of this valuable meadow type in recent decades. Increased fertilization on the one hand and abandonment of marginal sites on the other led to changes in species composition and species loss. As an essential part of our cultural landscape, wet meadows are endangered and in some regions even threatened with extinction. Here, we outline the phytosociology of Calthion plant communities, their ecological characteristics, biodiversity and species composition. We provide an overview of the ecology, distribution and conservation status of the communities. Calthion wet meadows support a variety of mostly widely distributed, but locally rare and endangered plant species. They offer habitat to numerous vulnerable animal species, especially invertebrates and birds. With the decline of wet meadows, numerous groundnesting bird species typical of this habitat, especially waders, have also declined. As marsh-marigold wet meadows are of high ecological and functional importance and deserve prioritised protection, the causes of their decline are explained in detail. Furthermore, we discuss the ecological context of preservation, suitable conservation measures and options for restoration. Reclamation of abandoned wetlands can be considered a promising path for restoration. However, nutrient removal and rewetting of agriculturally improved grasslands, are often more difficult to implement. Diaspores have to be actively introduced and costly measures to raise groundwater levels such as sealing ditches or removing drainage systems are necessary. The short-term reduction of excessive nutrient levels is often impossible. Approaches promoting non-intensive use of wet meadows are discussed and suggestions are made to actively optimising the financial and advisory framework. For this purpose, better programs for nature conservation contracts, higher funding and other supporting instruments are essential. With the proclamation of Calthion wet meadows as plant community of the year and the publication of this paper, we intend to support conservationists and people committed to improving the general political conditions for the implementation of measures on local, regional, national and international levels. Those farmers who have managed wet meadows sustainably for decades despite adverse trends towards increased production growth deserve recognition and encouragement to maintain the traditional management. Successful measures to protect and restore species-rich wetlands are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Germany and Switzerland, land use and urban sprawl there has been a central topic of public debate for several years. Cantonal structure plans in Switzerland as well as state and regional plans in Germany contain binding regulations for managing settlement development. Studies that examine the implementation of these regulations are lacking. This paper analyses the implementation of selected instruments of supra-local spatial planning for managing settlement development in Germany and Switzerland using the Policy Arrangement Approach. The case study covers the regions Oberland (Bavaria), Südlicher Oberrhein (Baden-Württemberg) and the cantons of Zurich and St. Gallen. The results show that actors implement spatial-planning instruments in situative negotiation processes in which they exploremargins and alternatives. Central to these processes is a regional specific overlapping of (i) interlinkings of formal and informal instruments, (ii) the interplay between local autonomy, supra-local control and superordinate context factors, and (iii) the overlapping of supra-local and regional discourses. The results show that the Policy Arrangement Approach helps to better understand how spatial planning works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strengthening inner urban development is a guiding principle of Germany's sustainability policy and the key to achieving the 30-hectare target. To date, however, it is hardly possible to determine retrospectively the share of building construction activity realized as inner and outer urban development. On the one hand, there is the genuine fuzziness of the inner urban area (Innenbereich) as a spatial construct, and on the other hand, there is the lack of available small-scale data on building construction activity. Against this background, this paper presents for the first time a methodological approach to determine and evaluate the relevance of inner urban development for large areas and over longer periods of time for Germany. The method is applied for the federal state of North Rhine- Westphalia and the housing construction activity from 1979 to 2011. The result shows a positive trend, indicating that cities and municipalities have succeeded in realizing more housing as inner urban development over time. At the same time, significant differences between urban and rural areas are apparent. A central conclusion is therefore to support smaller municipalities in their efforts for more inner urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background In 2017, the agreement on an intermediate level of outpatient palliative care (BQKPMV) emerged. It is unclear what role BQKPMV plays in healthcare practice and what experiences family physicians have with the implementation. Methods In September 2021, all 5012 family physicians in Lower Saxony were invited to participate in an online or paper-based questionnaire survey on the implementation of BQKPMV. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and frequency analyses. Results With 665 responses, a participation rate of 13 % was achieved. Data from 642 family physicians were included in the analysis. 13 % of the respondents (n = 84) are aware of BQKPMV. 71% of the participants with knowledge of BQKPMV (n = 58) have decided not to participate in the agreement. Thirty-eight of these family physicians justify this by saying that they consider the existing forms of outpatient palliative care to be sufficient. More than half of the participants see difficulties in the practical implementation. Conclusions The results of the survey of family physicians in Lower Saxony indicate that BQKPMV is rarely used in the clinical practice of the participants. Respondents see limitations in the feasibility of BQKPMV. Due to the rather low response rate and the regional connection, reliable nationwide conclusions about the reality of care can only be drawn to a limited extent. It is conceivable that, in addition to providing all family physicians with low-threshold information about BQKPMV, the framework conditions of BQKPMV need to be adjusted, e.g. in the areas of qualification requirements, remuneration and the distribution of tasks. Recommendations for optimising BQKPMV are developed in the overall project and enable a comprehensive evaluation of the implementation of this form of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hidden in the attics of old synagogues in Germany, the very last remnants of former Genizot survived unnoticed not only the NS period, but also the following years of secular use of these buildings. Since the 1950s Genizot have been found mostly in the course of renovation work on the synagogues. After ages of storage in the attics, Genizah findings are usually in very bad condition. The finders standing before dirty »shambles out of paper« often considered Genizot to be rubbish. Only after some time researchers began to study the material, soon realizing that these findings were much more than »sacred trash«, since they could provide insight into the life of Jewish rural communities from the 17th to 19th century. Till today, dozens of Genizot have been saved in Germany. The Genisaprojekt Veitshöchheim and other researchers are dealing with the inventory, the digitization and the publication of the finds. However, there are still hardly any studies drawing concrete conclusions about Jewish community life based on the Genizah findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with Georg ‚Gogo' Müller-Kuales (1905–1945), who was assistant professor at the newly established institute for prehistoric archaeology and Germanic archaeology at Hamburg University until his death in 1945. As research on the history of prehistoric archaeology in Germany has dealt with many different topics as well as biographies and careers of important archaeologists in the Third Reich it seems worthwhile, to investigate the scientific youth as well. This approach allows to draw a more complete picture of prehistoric archaeology in national socialist Germany and can therefor contribute to a better understanding of the history of prehistoric archaeology. Based on archival sources and publications by Georg Müller-Kuales this paper investigates his biography, his way of performing archaeology, his tasks at the institute, his research his political background, his work abroad in the context of the Einsatzstab Reichsleiter Rosenberg and therefor tries to generate an overall picture of a young scholar in the Third Reich. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "President's Greeting" reports on the position paper on equal opportunities and diversity of the German Mathematical Society (DMV). The DMV presidency emphasizes the importance of a diverse, respectful, and inclusive community. It is mentioned that the discussion about a possible renaming of the DMV has resurfaced, but no name change has taken place so far. The presidency has established a specialist group for gender, diversity, and sustainability in mathematics and proposes a participatory process to shape the discussion about the name of the DMV. Furthermore, reference is made to a paper adopted by various mathematical and scientific societies, condemning antidemocratic and nationalist approaches in Germany. It is emphasized that science requires openness, international cooperation, democracy, and the rule of law. [Extracted from the article]

Strengthening inner urban development is a guiding principle of Germany's sustainability policy and the key to achieving the 30-hectare target. To date, however, it is hardly possible to determine retrospectively the share of building construction activity realized as inner and outer urban development. On the one hand, there is the genuine fuzziness of the inner urban area (Innenbereich) as a spatial construct, and on the other hand, there is the lack of available small-scale data on building construction activity. Against this background, this paper presents for the first time amethodological approach to determine and evaluate the relevance of inner urban development for large areas and over longer periods of time for Germany. The method is applied for the federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the housing construction activity from 1979 to 2011. The result shows a positive trend, indicating that cities and municipalities have succeeded in realizing more housing as inner urban development over time. At the same time, significant differences between urban and rural areas are apparent. A central conclusion is therefore to support smaller municipalities in their efforts for more inner urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population structure and life in rural areas have become more diverse in recent years due to the arrival and stay of refugees. The participation of the newcomers in the labour market is relevant on the one hand from the point of view of integration policy and for the regional economy, and on the other hand it fulfils various functions for them. However, little attention has been paid to the (potential) self-employment of newly arrived refugees in Germany. Using the example of the founding of grocery stores in rural areas of Germany, the aspirations of refugees on the labour market, the founding and business practices of operators and the perspectives of customers were examined from multiple perspectives. The qualitative interviews conducted with (potentially) self-employed newly arrived refugees and (semi-)standardized surveys of customers form the data basis for this paper. It is conceptually inspired by the state of research on migrant's integration to work and immigrant entrepreneurship as well as the subform refugee entrepreneurship. Results show a variety of meanings of employment and a distinct desire for selfemployment. Moreover, structural and individual obstacles could be identified in the foundation phase, while co-ethnic employment is considered crucial for the operation of a store. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Gambling is considered a demerit good that is associated with addiction risks and social costs for society. Accordingly, there is a great need for regulatory interventions that foster the protection of minors and gamblers in an evidence-based manner. To achieve this goal, a high-quality, comprehensive and multidisciplinary evaluation of the respective regulatory approaches and their individual elements needs to be implemented. Aim: In a first step, the article aims at critically assessing the status quo in terms of (previous) evaluation efforts in Germany. Based on this, in a second step, with reference to the State Treaty on Gambling 2021, recommendations for scientific action are presented. The focus lies on aspects of the effectiveness of the measures as well as on aspects of the implementation of the measures. In addition, there are some general considerations on an appropriate evaluation procedure. Conclusion: For the first time, this position paper presents proposals for a scientifically based evaluation of the State Treaty on Gambling 2021, considering both content-related and structural elements. Evidence-based addiction prevention can only occur if there is indeed a serious political interest in such a research agenda and if this agenda is adequately funded and independently conducted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the development of the tourism management and organizational structure in the Sudetenland. At first, the development is briefly outlined from the beginning of the Habsburg monarchy, when locally operating so-called foreign associations (Fremdenverkehrsverein) began to arise, then through the period of interwar Czechoslovakia, which retained the current federal structure, until the Sudetenland joined Nazi Germany. The main core of the article is the transformation in tourism management after the annexation of the Sudetenland by Germany. Paper describes dissettlement of the existing associations as well as the introduction of the tourism management structure based on the German model. Also, particular specifics of individual areas are pointed out. The Sudetenland was to some extent exceptional in its interconnectedness with the Czech lands, but at the same time it was oriented towards Reich tourists. The paper is based mainly on archive sources stored in the Czech, Moravian, Austrian and German archives additionally supported by periodical literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is based on an investigation of the impact of taking up a work-related multi-local lifestyle on civic involvement based on quantitative and qualitative data using a methodological triangulation. Following theoretical considerations based on the civic voluntarismmodel, the resources-centered model, and the "commuter's strain hypothesis", a negative influence of the multi-local lifestyle on civic involvement is expected. Periodic presence and absence at the place of origin and destination, as well as associated reduced time and psychological resources, are hypothesized to be the central theoretical mechanisms of influence explaining the negative relationship. The quantitative investigation is based on fixedeffects panel regressions applied to longitudinal data from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). The qualitative investigation is based on problem-centred, guided interviews conducted in a case study analysis in the rural district of Diepholz in Lower Saxony, Germany. The quantitative analyses indicate a significant negative effect of multi-locality on involvement and show that the strongest reduction in involvement temporally occurs with the start of multi-local living. The qualitative analyses confirm this finding and show that the postulated theoreticalmechanisms represent a central explanatory factor of the reduced involvement resulting from multi-locality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data on cultural infrastructures in Germany are characterised by great heterogeneity in terms of availability and analytical comparability. This is evident in functional typologisations, which are largely limited to major cities and to a small number of cultural indicators. Furthermore, the ongoing discussions about the provision of services of general interest lack quantifiable and qualifiable substantiation that adequately take into account not only technical facilities but also infrastructures that facilitate everyday social life, including educational and cultural amenities. The aim of this paper is to identify location patterns of cultural infrastructures focusing on small and medium-sized towns, which have been largely neglected analytically. We apply a principal component analysis to comprehensive data on infrastructures of nine cultural sectors in order to identify spatial patterns of agglomeration. The linear dimensionality reduction resulted in three components, "Everyday Culture and High Culture", "Reading and Art" and "Making Music and Educating Oneself". The results emphasise the role of small and medium-sized towns in providing differentiated cultural services of general interest and provide systematic links for cultural governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the 17 Nobel Prize nominations for the neurologist and neurosurgeon Otfrid Foerster (1873–1941). Drawing on files from the Stockholm Nobel Prize Archive, primary and secondary literature, it addresses the following questions: what were the reasons given by nominators for Foerster's nominations? What was the relationship between him and his nominators? Why was he ultimately not awarded the Nobel Prize? Most nominators of Foerster's highlighted as the main motive his Handbuch der Neurologie, which he had edited with Oswald Bumke. According to the nominators, this book together with Foerster's neurosurgical work had an enormous impact on contemporary neurology. Furthermore, his "honorable character" was underlined in the nomination letters; however, these reasons were not sufficient for the Nobel Committee: the members classified the handbook as not being original research. Despite this, Foerster's fame is reflected in the present, for example in the Otfrid Foerster Medal, which has been awarded to researchers by the German Society of Neurosurgery since 1953. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A persistent identifier (PID) for research organizations represents another important piece of the puzzle to promote standardization in the scholarly publication process – especially considering the already established digital object identifier (DOI) for research outputs and the ORCID ID for researchers. The use of these PIDs enables automated data flows and guarantees the permanent linking of information objects. Furthermore, PIDs are fundamental components for the implementation of Open Science. For example, when analyzing publications and costs of the Open Access transformation at an institution, the application of a PID for research organizations is crucial.In order to learn more about the status quo of the use and dissemination of organizational identifiers in Germany, a "Survey on the Need for and Use of Organizational Identifiers at Universities and Non-University Research Institutions in Germany" was conducted among 548 research institutions in Germany in the period from July 13, 2020 to December 4, 2020 as part of the DFG-funded ORCID DE project. This survey constitutes the largest survey on organizational identifiers in Germany to date; it counts 183 participating institutions. Among other things, the survey included questions on the knowledge, distribution, and use of organizational identifiers at research institutions. In addition, requirements for organizational identifiers and their metadata (e. g., relations and granularity) were queried. The present paper provides a comprehensive overview of the results of the survey conducted as part of the aforementioned project and contributes to the advancement and an increased awareness of organizational identifiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global urban growth trend is also evident in Germany and the pressure on the real estate markets is pushing construction activity to the threshold of available building land. To limit urban expansion, additional space is to be created primarily through brownfield development, but here large housing potentials are usually only to be found on sites that are difficult to develop. The framework conditions that have arisen here in the interplay between land and real estatemarkets in conjunction with the multidimensionality of urban planning problems suggest a need for urban planners and researchers to develop more effectivemethods. This paper therefore describes a GISbasedmethod for optimising building sites, which can be used to evaluate sites in context and optimise them attribute-spatially. It combines a fuzzy methodology with a heuristic optimisation algorithm, the Parameterised Region-Growing, and demonstrates it using the example of the Holsten site in Hamburg. It successfully generates spatially compact and coherent, highly valued residential building areas, to which urban development parameters are assigned. Comparisons with existing planning show instructive results, e.g., regarding more effective utilisation of good micro-locations, realistic building density values and realisable area parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparisons of cities are frequently used to evaluate urban transportation planning and policies. A typology of cities can contribute to adequately interpret the identified differences between cities. For this purpose, this paper collects 27 indicators of socio-economic characteristics, spatial structures, travel behaviour and the evaluation of local transport situation for 44 major German cities. We generate clusters of cities based on a factor and cluster analysis. The factor analysis identifies five latent variables called metropolitan character, bicycle-friendliness, affluence, influence of students, and private car orientation. The subsequent cluster analysis identifies five clusters. According to this typology, most cities that are considered good practices of urban transport policy in Germany belong either to the cluster of metropolitan cities or university cities with a cycling-friendly environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to other Central European education systems, Germany has a markedly unequal distribution of educational opportunities. This creates a market for supplementary offers from the non-formal sector, which are more or less closely linked to formal schools within a framework of cooperation in order to support disadvantaged groups. This paper analyses the interface between the formal and nonformal education sector based on interviews with organizers and teachers. In doing so, it contributes to the understanding of the role of non-formal actors in the formal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against the background of the altered health care framework and its new challenges, the German Statutory Accident Insurance (DGUV) has initiated a review of its approach to in- and outpatient treatment. The ultimate goal of this review is a strengthening of quality- and demand-oriented structures, while maintaining the principles proven in the past. To achieve this aim, a draft paper outlining the main points is to be approved and stepwise implemented. The most relevant points, such as establishing treatment structures tailored to meet health care needs, adapting the process by which patients are treated according to type of injury, the possibilities for trauma networks as well as hospitals which fall under the auspices of the German Employers’ Liability Insurance Association, establishing quality assurance systems and developing rehabilitation management are all discussed in the present article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A majority of the German population would be willing to make their mobility data anonymous and openly accessible in order to develop new mobility offerings. Many want to improve traffic flow and optimize existing offerings. The majority believes that mobility offerings in Germany are too expensive and demands stronger support from the government. The digital association Bitkom is calling for a "right to digital education" for all people in Germany. Most companies want their employees to return to the office after the pandemic. The Science Council has published a position paper on science communication. The German MeSH, a biomedical thesaurus, is available for free download. The Rapid Alert System (RAS) was created to improve cooperation in the EU in dealing with disinformation. The Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) has launched a new research project database. An internal Facebook study shows that people with low digital competence are more often confronted with inappropriate content. [Extracted from the article]

This paper examines the role of self-concept and test anxiety as well as "constructive support" by teachers for the social acceptance of students in secondary school. With regard to constructive support, a distinction is made between two central facets, namely socio-emotional support and instructional support. Here, for the first time, the role of these facets for the social acceptance experienced by students is investigated and it is examined which differential effects are shown for learners with individual risk factors of school failure. Survey data from two time points (mean interval 8 weeks) of 1,116 students in 49 secondary school mathematics classes in Germany were analysed using multi-level analyses. The results show that both facets of constructive support were related to students' perceived social acceptance. Students with low mathematics self-concept or high anxiety felt less well integrated into class. The facets of constructive support played a special role for these correlations: The connection between self-concept and social acceptance was moderated by instructional support, so that in classes with high instructional support, learners with low self-concept felt comparably well socially integrated as the other learners. The relationship between anxiety and social acceptance was moderated by both facets of constructive support, so that in classes with high constructive support, learners with high performance anxiety perceived themselves as socially accepted as their less anxious peers. This contribution thus supports the high importance of relationship quality in school and provides new insights into differential connections between teaching and school outcomes depending on the learning prerequisites of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]