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Draining peatlands to create agricultural land has been the norm in Europe, but in the context of climate change and the loss of biodiversity, these rich ecosystems may reactivate their functions as greenhouse gas sinks and retreat spaces for animals and plants. Against this background, the National Moor Rewetting Strategy was put into effect in Germany in 2023, together with the Natural Climate Protection Action Plan. This article examines the methodology of peatland rewetting from scientific, administrative, social, and technical perspectives. The article focuses on an example of moor rewetting in central Germany: the Rathsbruch moor near the municipality of Zerbst, Saxony-Anhalt. To illustrate the importance of rewetting projects for degraded peatlands, five scenarios with different target soil water levels were considered, and the associated greenhouse gas emissions were calculated for a period of five years. For the planning solution, an estimate of the medium-to-long-term development of the habitat types was made based on current use and the dynamics typical of the habitat. The results for the Rathsbruch moor area showed that increasing the water level in steps of 1, 0.8, or 0.5 m has no significant influence on reducing the CO2 emissions situation, while a depth of 0.3 m has a slight influence. When the water was raised to 0.1 m below the surface (Scenario 5), a significant CO2 reduction was observed. The calculated avoided CO2 costs due to environmental damage show that the environmental benefits multiply with every decimeter of water level increase. The rising groundwater levels and extensification favor the establishment of local biotopes. This means that two of the biggest man-made problems (extinction of species and climate change) can be reduced. Therefore, this research is applicable to the development and planning of recultivation work at municipal and regional levels in Germany and beyond within the framework of EU restoration policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the manuscript was to study the effects of dead wood on macroinvertebrates (MI) assemblages occupying different habitat patches. Three streams were studied, with control and wooded sections in each stream from which MI were sampled for all substrate types (wood, fine detritus, gravel, sand). This contribution deals with three German streams Ihle, Nieplitz, and Verlorenwasser, which belong to the stream type 14 (sand-dominated lowland stream) and are located in the landscape unit Fläming. This type of stream, where large wood could be most influential, has been relatively understudied. This study focused on quantifying substrate distribution and macroinvertebrate taxonomy and performing statistical analysis of MI densities with regard to substrate type. The area-specific invertebrate assemblages were differentiated for MI density, dry matter density and taxonomic richness of invertebrates. In addition to macroinvertebrates, a special focus was on aquatic and semi-aquatic insects. There were significant differences between the control and wooden sections. The macroinvertebrate assemblages (individual density, dry matter density and species richness) of the detritus of the wood sections only in the Verlorenwasser was significantly and positively affected (two or three times) by the deadwood. Detritus in the wood sections of the Nieplitz and Verlorenwasser contained more sensitive species like EPT than detritus from the control sections. On the other hand, no significant difference in MI populations were determined for the sand of the wood sections compared to the sand of the control sections. In all water bodies, the wood substrate promoted all investigated indicators of macrozoobenthos as compared to sand of the wood sections. Detritus significantly promoted macrozoobenthos colonization in the wood sections as compared to sand of the Nieplitz and the Verlorenwasser. The MI density and dry matter density in the Ihle was also significantly promoted by detritus, although not significantly with regard species richness. Two significant correlations were also identified. The more sand that was present in the Ihle and the Verlorenwasser, the more the macroinvertebrate assemblages were inhibited. Additionally, the larger the area of detritus in the Ihle and the area of wood in the Nieplitz, the more MI populations were encouraged. The influence of the deadwood position on MI was also investigated, but there was no significant difference. Incline bridges, flow guides and parallel wood position types were settled in similar quality and quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurement of restoration success is a challenge, especially in multiple‐stressed urban systems. Standard indicators for ecological assessment may be too robust to indicate small but continuous improvements. Thus, a standardized method of the European Water Framework Directive (EU WFD) is extended by additional samplings of macroinvertebrates in the urban Emscher catchment. The aim is to prove whether additional sampling adds value to interpretate restoration success. According to the EU WFD, the Emscher's ecological status and potential are mainly identified as good to moderate regarding biological components of macrophytes and macroinvertebrates, whereas bad regarding fish communities. The additional sampling improves the quality of the biological dataset, because twice as many species of macroinvertebrates are found compared to the WFD method. Hence, the additional sampling allows a stronger indication for community ordination, and community metrics describing diversity, dispersal, and feeding preferences as well as by disentangling the roles of environmental variables. Nevertheless, it is concluded that the standardized and simple WFD method is sufficient to capture the most relevant effects. However, if the budget is allowed and information on the species pool, nature conservation, or aspects of early indication are needed, it may be useful to implement an additional sampling of macroinvertebrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reforestation with exotic plans may alter the natural flora due to uncontrolled expansion of the inserted species. This study evaluated the potential of the object-oriented classification method using fuzzy logic algorithm for the differentiation of forest areas in intermediate/advanced stage and areas reforested with exotic species around the Rio Canoas State Park in Santa Catarina State of Brazil, using high spatial resolution SPOT6 imagery. The study region has regional importance for the preservation of mixed ombrophilous forest remnants and is belonging to the Biosphere Reserve of the Atlantic Rainforest, and hence, it is important to monitor the advance of exotic species in the region. The methodology consisted of the creation of the hierarchical network and process tree with numerous descriptor tests in Trimble Ecognition software, principal component analysis, multi-resolution segmentation algorithm and fuzzy logic functions. It was concluded that the use of principal components associated with the red band by a simple ratio of digital levels is extremely effective for identifying the areas reforested with exotic species. Fuzzy logic pertinence functions are the key in discriminating natural forest areas and areas reforested with exotic species in the study region accurately. The object-oriented classification was validated by points collected in the field and presented an overall accuracy level of 0.83 and Kappa index of 0.78, concluding that it is an efficient methodology in the delimitation of exotic species reforestation areas around Rio Canoas State Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six years after re-connection of an oxbow lake from periodically to permanently connected to the main channel, the restoration success was assessed. This permanently connected oxbow lake was compared with the main channel of the Elbe River and with a periodically connected oxbow lake by means of comparisons of the aquatic macroinvertebrates, fish and aquatic macrophyte communities. The permanently connected oxbow was suited as important replacement habitat for riverine invertebrates, especially for clubtails (Odonata) and unionid mussels (Bivalvia). The periodically connected oxbow lake was colonized by typical species for shallow lakes. As expected, riverine species did not occur. Meanwhile, the invertebrate community in the main channel was poor and dominated by invasive species ( Dikerogammarus villosus, Dreissena polymorpha). The results concerning fish showed a clear dominance of the rheophilic species spined loach ( Cobitis taenia) in the permanently connected oxbow lake and of the indifferent species roach ( Rutilus rutilus) and European perch ( Perca fluviatilis) in the periodically connected oxbow lake. However, species number was highest in the main channel. For macrophytes, quantity, number of taxa and growth forms and diversity were lower in the permanently compared to the periodically connected oxbow lake. In conclusion, the re-connection of oxbow lakes to main channels can be an important measure for native species conservation, especially macroinvertebrates, and hence for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with chronic coronary heart disease often suffer from congestive heart failure (CHF) despite multiple drug therapies. d-Ribose has been shown in animal models to improve cardiac energy metabolism and function following ischaemia. This was a prospective, double blind, randomized, crossover design study, to assess the effect of oral d-ribose supplementation on cardiac hemodynamics and quality of life in 15 patients with chronic coronary artery disease and CHF. The study consisted of two treatment periods of 3 weeks, during which either oral d-ribose or placebo was administered followed by a 1-week wash out period, and then administration of the other supplement. Assessment of myocardial functional parameters by echocardiography, quality of life using the SF-36 questionnaire and functional capacity using cycle ergometer testing was performed. The administration of d-ribose resulted in an enhancement of atrial contribution to left ventricular filling (40±11 vs. 45±9%, P=0.02), a smaller left atrial dimension (54±20 vs. 47±18 ml, P=0.02) and a shortened E wave deceleration (235±64 vs. 196±42, P=0.002) by echocardiography. Further, d-ribose also demonstrated a significant improvement of the patient''s quality of life (417±118 vs. 467±128, P⩽0.01). In comparison, placebo did not result in any significant echocardiographic changes or in quality of life. This feasibility study in patients with coronary artery disease in CHF revealed the beneficial effects of d-ribose by improving diastolic functional parameters and enhancing quality of life. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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In 2008 the "Forester Creek Improvement Project" was completed near the mouth of Forester Creek, Santee, CA, along a 2-km section historically subject to flooding. With a cost of $36 million (US), the project's goals were to: 1) improve water quality; 2) improve physical habitat and biodiversity; and 3) improve flood control. We evaluated if the project met these goals for water quality, physical habitat, and biodiversity. We evaluated the project's monitoring data, conducted post-project monitoring, and analyzed data from other independent sources to assess goal attainment. The project's required monitoring was insufficient to determine if any goals were met. Our own results found partial success, with only pH and water temperatures improved from pre-project conditions. No improvement was found for total dissolved solids or fecal coliform, for which the creek is impaired, and sediments contained toxic concentrations of urban-use pesticides. While the project's monitoring was insufficient to document goal attainment, the project's formal goals were largely infeasible due to degraded upstream conditions. The project should be considered a partial success in that riparian habitat has improved compared to the erosive and invasive species dominated pre-project condition and the original proposal by the City of Santee to line the creek with concrete. Forester Creek's poor water quality, physical habitat, and biodiversity are driven by flow modification and pollution associated with urban development upstream, which must be addressed at the watershed scale and outside of the stream channel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of GMS Hygiene & Infection Control is the property of German Medical Science Publishing House gGmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Synthetic lipid A part structures corresponding structurally to a biosynthetic lipid A disaccharide precursor have been analyzed for endotoxic activity in several systems in vivo and in vitro. It was found that a synthetic β-1,6-linked D-glucosamine disaccharide, which carries four molar equivalents of (R)-3-hydroxyletradecanoyl residues in positions 2, 3, 2' and 3' and phosphoryl groups in positions 1 and 4' (preparation 406), exhibited lethal toxicity, B lymphocyte mitogenicity, the capacity to engender prostaglandin formation in macrophages and to induce endotoxic tolerance, as well as serological lipid A antigenicity. On a weight basis, preparation 406 was of comparable activity to lipid A precursor and bacterial free lipid A. Preparation 406, like lipid A precursor, lacked, however, the ability to induce the local Shwartzman phenomenon and both preparations were of moderate pyrogenicity. Two further synthetic analogues which contained only one phosphoryl group (preparation 404 at C-4', preparation 405 at C-1) showed comparable diminished activity depending on the test system employed, except in the capacity to inactivate complement where they exhibited, in contrast to preparation 406, significant activity. The results show that the endotoxic principle of lipopolysaccharides, as postulated previously is embedded in the lipid A component. Our results also suggest initial conclusions on the structured requirements for the expression of endotoxin activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current elective bypass procedures frequently involve placement of a left internal mammary artery (LIMA). Accordingly, there is an increased need to prove either preoperative adequacy or postoperative patency of this graft. We report a patient with a tortuous left subclavian artery inaccessible for any standard catheterization technique for LIMA opacification. The problem was overcome by a CHOICE PT guidewire whose trackability permitted the passage through the subclavian kinking and, subsequently, to coaxially advance a multipurpose catheter to the entrance of the LIMA. The described setting may be helpful for diagnostic LIMA imaging in selected cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Clinical Research in Cardiology Supplements is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Clinical Research in Cardiology Supplements is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Zusammenfassung  Bei jedem vierten Erwachsenen über 40 Jahre besteht ein Risiko für Vorhofflimmern. Meistens liegt dem Vorhofflimmern eine organische Erkrankung zugrunde. Etwa 2,5 Mio. überwiegend männliche ältere Patienten sind in Europa von dieser Rhythmusstörung betroffen. Bis zum Jahr 2050 wird erwartet, dass sich die Zahl der Patienten mehr als verdoppelt. Bis auf wenige Ausnahmen sollte jede Form des Vorhofflimmerns im Hinblick auf die Grunderkrankung, die Thromboemboliegefahr und die arrhythmogene Symptomatik behandelt werden. Es stellt sich jedoch die Frage, ob jedes Vorhofflimmern antiarrhythmisch therapiert werden muss bzw. in welchen Fällen eine Frequenzkontrolle, d. h. die Kontrolle der Ventrikelfunktion, ausreicht oder eine Rhythmuskontrolle, d. h. die Konversion in Sinusrhythmus, geboten ist. Argumente für eine Konversion in Sinusrhythmus sind ein verbessertes Herz-Zeit-Volumen (HZV), eine Verringerung des Thromboembolierisikos und der Hyperkoagulabilität sowie eine Verminderung von Tachykardiomyopathien. Mit dem Rückgang der klinischen Symptomatik verbessert sich die Lebensqualität und in vielen Fällen auch die Hirnleistungsfähigkeit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to the ‘discovery’ of the Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome, interpreting the respective phenomena was akin to reading hieroglyphic characters; thus a clear pathophysiological understanding and practical clinical diagnosis were impossible. The epochal work by Wolff, Parkinson, and White, which resulted in the electrophysiologically correct interpretation of circus movements as the cause of tachycardic rhythm disorders, can therefore indeed be compared to the deciphering of hieroglyphic writing by Champollion in 1822 with the aid of the Rosetta stone. After intensive archaeological and graphological examinations by the Society of Antiquaries, the Rosetta stone finally made its way to the British Museum, where it can still be viewed and admired today. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Clinical Research in Cardiology Supplements is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In early 1999, primary treatment and discharge of sewage from Tijuana, Mexico (approximately 95 million liters per day) began through South Bay Ocean Outfall (SBOO) into the ocean 4.3 km offshore. In this study, statistical comparisons were made of the bacterial water quality (total and fecal coliforms and enterococci densities) of the ocean, both before and after discharge of sewage to the SBOO began, so that the effect of this ocean discharge on nearshore ocean water quality could be quantitatively assessed. The frequency of exceedence of bacterial indicator thresholds was statistically analyzed for 11 shore (surfzone) stations throughout US and Mexico using the Fisher's exact test, for the years before (1995-1998) as compared to after the SBOO discharge began (1999-2003). Only four of the 11 shoreline stations (S2, S3, S11, and S12) showed significant improvement (decreased frequency of exceedence of bacterial indicator thresholds) after SBOO discharge began. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often exhibit abnormalities of P wave morphology during sinus rhythm. We examined a novel method for automatic P wave analysis in the 24-hour-Holter-ECG of 60 patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF and 12 healthy subjects. Methods: Recorded ECG signals were transferred to the analysis program where 5–10 P and R waves were manually marked. A wavelet transform performed a time-frequency decomposition to train neural networks. Afterwards, the detected P waves were described using a Gauss function optimized to fit the individual morphology and providing amplitude and duration at half P wave height. Results: >96% of P waves were detected, 47.4 ± 20.7% successfully analyzed afterwards. In the patient population, the mean amplitude was 0.073 ± 0.028 mV (mean variance 0.020 ± 0.008 mV2), the mean duration at half height 23.5 ± 2.7 ms (mean variance 4.2 ± 1.6 ms2). In the control group, the mean amplitude (0.105 ± 0.020 ms) was significantly higher (P < 0.0005), the mean variance of duration at half height (2.9 ± 0.6 ms2) significantly lower (P < 0.0085). Conclusions: This method shows promise for identification of triggering factors of AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) often exhibit abnormalities of P wave morphology during sinus rhythm. We examined a novel method for automatic P wave analysis in the 24-hour-Holter-ECG of 60 patients with paroxysmal or persistent AF and 12 healthy subjects.Methods: Recorded ECG signals were transferred to the analysis program where 5-10 P and R waves were manually marked. A wavelet transform performed a time-frequency decomposition to train neural networks. Afterwards, the detected P waves were described using a Gauss function optimized to fit the individual morphology and providing amplitude and duration at half P wave height.Results: >96% of P waves were detected, 47.4 +/- 20.7% successfully analyzed afterwards. In the patient population, the mean amplitude was 0.073 +/- 0.028 mV (mean variance 0.020 +/- 0.008 mV(2)), the mean duration at half height 23.5 +/- 2.7 ms (mean variance 4.2 +/- 1.6 ms(2)). In the control group, the mean amplitude (0.105 +/- 0.020 ms) was significantly higher (P < 0.0005), the mean variance of duration at half height (2.9 +/- 0.6 ms(2)) significantly lower (P < 0.0085).Conclusions: This method shows promise for identification of triggering factors of AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Clinical Research in Cardiology Supplements is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Der Internist is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)