Search

The article presents Activity Report of the Federal Association of German Library Associations for the period from April 2015 to March 2016.

Copyright of Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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 Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

Die Musiksammlung der ZLB ist mit ihrem Bestand von ca. 270.000 Medieneinheiten eine der größten Öffentlichen Musikbibliotheken Deutschlands. Schon ihre Vorläufereinrichtungen, die Musikabteilungen der Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek und der Berliner Stadtbibliothek, waren für eine vielfältige Öffentlichkeitsarbeit bekannt, eine Tradition, die seit der Fusion zur ZLB fortgeführt wurde. Der Artikel portraitiert die Musikbibliothek der ZLB und stellt aktuelle Beispiele ihrer Öffentlichkeitsarbeit vor, bei denen Kooperationen im Vordergrund stehen. The ZLB's musical collection is one of the largest public music libraries in Germany, considering its collections of about 270,000 media units. Already its predecessors, the music departments of the American Memorial Library and of the Berliner Stadtbibliothek (Berlin city library), were known for their public relations work, a tradition kept up since they were merged to form the ZLB. The article portrays the ZLB's music library and presents current examples of its public relation work focussing on co-operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents novel research on Nazi youth programs amongst the Batschka's "Donauschwaben." Illustrating how "reichsdeutsche" and "aus-landsdeutsche" youths came into contact through Nazi youth programs during the 1930s and early 1940s, it traces how youth exchanges shaped diverse but mutually constitutive Utopian imaginations of "Germanness" and "German" space. Children from the Reich promulgated visions of a "utopian" but "corrupted" Batschka, while ethnic German youths gained visions of a Germany which they could, in adhering to National Socialism, seemingly help build. As this article argues, Utopias were not merely created "from above" and then multiplied and altered "from below"; rather, they also helped spur activity and violence in line with Nazism's geopolitical and ideological aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption and salt intake are known dietary influences on blood pressure (BP) in adults, but data on their long-term relevance during growth for later BP are rare. We aimed to examine the independent and concomitant influences of adolescent FV and salt intakes on BP in young adulthood. Methods: In total, 206 participants (108 males) provided a plausible BP measurement in young adulthood (18-25 years) as well as three repeated 3-day weighed dietary records, 24-h urine samples and BP measurements during adolescence (11-16 years). FV intake was assessed based on dietary records and its urinary biomarkers such as potassium, oxalate and hippuric acid. Urinary sodium chloride (NaCl) was used to estimate salt intake. Prospective associations of adolescent FV and salt intake with adult BP were examined in sex-stratified linear regression models. Results: In multivariable models, a 100 g higher FV intake during adolescence was prospectively related to 0.9 mmHg lower systolic BP in young adult females ( P = 0.02), but not in males ( P = 0.8). Biomarkers supported the findings for FV regarding systolic BP. Concurrently, a 1 g higher salt intake was related to 1.7 mmHg higher systolic BP in young men only ( P = 0.01). For diastolic BP, results were inconsistent. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in adolescent healthy girls, a higher FV intake may be more relevant for BP than a reduced salt intake and the opposite appears to apply for boys. The physiological implications of the observed sex-specific diet-BP relationships need deeper examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

Research Findings:Behavioral self-regulation is crucial for school success. Although behavioral self-regulation typically grows rapidly during the preschool period, children in this age group vary widely in their behavioral self-regulation capacities. The present study investigated 3 potential determinants of growth rates in behavioral self-regulation in children from an affluent region in Germany: family educational resources, child gender, and child negative affectivity. Using a longitudinal design, we observed children (N = 60) during the last 2 years before school entry. Children from families with relatively fewer educational resources started off with a lower level of behavioral self-regulation and did not catch up with their more advantaged peers. Boys showed poorer initial behavioral self-regulation than girls, but their gains in behavioral self-regulation were greater over time compared to girls’. Negative affectivity influenced neither the initial level of nor growth in behavioral self-regulation.Practice or Policy:The present findings suggest that even in a relatively affluent region differences in families’ educational resources influence children’s behavioral self-regulation trajectories. At least in the German context, early interventions to facilitate behavioral self-regulation in children from families with comparatively fewer educational resources should be a focus of policies attempting to reduce achievement gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Bibliotheken: Tore zur Welt des Wissens. 101. Deutscher Bibliothekartag in Hamburg 2012. Hrsg. von Klaus-Rainer Brintzinger und Ulrich Hohoff unter Mitw. von Benjamin Rücker. Hildesheim: Olms 2013. 338 S., Ill. - ISBN 978-3-487-14888-5. € 49,80 ( Frank Förster Geozentrum Hannover, Bibliothek/Archiv) Handbuch Bibliothek: Geschichte, Aufgaben, Perspektiven. Hrsg. von Konrad Umlauf und Stefan Gradmann. Stuttgart: Metzler 2012. IX, 422 S. - ISBN 3-476-02376-6. € 69,95 ( Klaus-Rainer Brintzinger Universitätsbibliothek LMU München) Grundlagen der praktischen Information und Dokumentation. Hrsg. von Rainer Kuhlen und Klaus Laisiepen. 6., völlig neu gefasste Ausgabe. Berlin u. a.: De Gruyter 2013. XVII, 696 S., Ill. - ISBN 3-11-025822-6. € 159,95 ( Frank Förster Geozentrum Hannover, Bibliothek/Archiv) Martin Paul Eve: Open Access and the Humanities: ­Contexts, Controversies and the Future. Cambridge ­University Press 2014. 209 S. - ISBN 978-1-10-748401-6. £ 30,00. Open Access via Cambridge Books Online. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781316161012. ( Konstanze Söllner Universitätsbibliothek Erlangen-Nürnberg) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health risk behaviours such as smoking, physical inactivity and poor diet are independently associated with depression. However, there is a paucity of data examining associations between combined healthy behaviours and mental distress and depression. Methods: Using cross-sectional data from a nationwide population-based sample of adults in Germany [German Health Update (GEDA) 2009 and 2010 telephone surveys; n = 21 940 women, n = 17 061 men], we examined associations between five healthy behaviours and frequent mental distress (FMD) and self-reported diagnosed depression in the past 12 months. Healthy behaviours included non-smoking, low-risk alcohol drinking, regular sport, maintaining normal weight and healthy fruit and vegetable consumption. Multiple logistic regression analyses adjusted for potential confounders examined associations between the combined number of healthy behaviours and FMD and self-reported diagnosed depression. Results: FMD was reported by 13.6 and 8.0% and diagnosed depression in the last 12 months by 8.3 and 4.7% of women and men, respectively. At least four of five assessed healthy behaviours were reported by 29.1% of women and 17.8% of men. Compared with those with less than two healthy behaviours, women and men with at least four behaviours were about half as likely to report FMD [odds ratio (OR) 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.44-0.64, and OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.41-0.66, respectively) and women with at least four behaviours were less likely to report diagnosed depression (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.61-0.95). Conclusion: A higher number of healthy behaviours are associated with a lower prevalence of FMD for both women and men and of self-reported diagnosed depression in women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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 Mitteilungen des Instituts für Österreichische Geschichtsforschung MIÖEG is the property of Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht GmbH & Co. KG 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.)

Science policy increasingly requires that universities engage in transfer activities with a focus on technology transfer. With the considerable weight of the service sector in the economy the service transfer will get more attention. An appropriate indicator for analysing service innovations are service marks. This type of investigation reveals a growing activity of German universities in services with a focus on education, in particular further education. The mark analysis shows a relevant international competition in the market of higher education. In other fields like financial and business consultancy or medical services, the German universities as institutions exhibit a certain activity as well, but first of all university professors privately. As mark applications are linked to considerable formal requirements, additional surveys should be conducted to grasp the informal activities in service transfer as well. In any case, the amount of service transfer is quite considerable, so that the discourse on third mission of Higher Education Institutions will get a new perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

Objective: We assessed trends in the proportion of transmitted (TDR) and acquired (ADR) HIV drug resistance and associated mutations between 2001 and 2011 in the German ClinSurv-HIV Drug Resistance Study. Method: The German ClinSurv-HIV Drug Resistance Study is a subset of the German ClinSurv-HIV Cohort. For the ClinSurv-HIV Drug Resistance Study all available sequences isolated from patients in five study centres of the long term observational ClinSurv-HIV Cohort were included. TDR was estimated using the first viral sequence of antiretroviral treatment (ART) naïve patients. One HIV sequence/patient/year of ART experienced patients was considered to estimate the proportion of ADR. Trends in the proportion of HIV drug resistance were calculated by logistic regression. Results: 9,528 patients were included into the analysis. HIV-sequences of antiretroviral naïve and treatment experienced patients were available from 34% (3,267/9,528) of patients. The proportion of TDR over time was stable at 10.4% (95% CI 9.1–11.8; p for trend = 0.6; 2001–2011). The proportion of ADR among all treated patients was 16%, whereas it was high among those with available HIV genotypic resistance test (64%; 1,310/2,049 sequences; 95% CI 62–66) but declined significantly over time (OR 0.8; 95% CI 0.77–0.83; p for trend<0.001; 2001–2011). Viral load monitoring subsequent to resistance testing was performed in the majority of treated patients (96%) and most of them (67%) were treated successfully. Conclusions: The proportion of TDR was stable in this study population. ADR declined significantly over time. This decline might have been influenced by broader resistance testing, resistance test guided therapy and the availability of more therapeutic options and not by a decline in the proportion of TDR within the study population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The years 1946–1960 saw a wave of reports of flying saucer sightings on both sides of the Atlantic. To date, however, few scholars have examined how the phenomenon moved across states and regions, what responses it garnered and what impact it had on contemporary thought and values. This article examines how the mainstream press and public intellectuals in postwar West and East Germany reported on and discussed flying saucer reports. The evidence shows that both cold war geopolitics and the occult were used to explain sightings, but that suspected American influences and anti-American sentiments figured heavily in how most reports were interpreted. Flying saucers thus functioned as cyphers for considering alien influences in postwar society. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Bibliotheksdienst is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

More grassland, more hedgerows, more maize? Land-use scenarios help us to understand how species diversity can be increased in Germany's agricultural landscapes. The necessary data is being gathered by monitoring ten bird species in their natural habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin and -furan (PCDD/F) and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyl (dl-PCB) exposure from food were estimated using new food consumption data from the recent German food consumption survey (Nationale Verzehrsstudie II – NVS II). Based on these comprehensive data, information on the consumption of 545 individual food items by the German population was derived. Concentrations of dioxin-like compounds in food were compiled from the German Food Monitoring Programme (GFMP), the German Dioxin Database, other German authority programmes, European countries’ authority programmes and the published literature covering the years 2000–2010. By multiplication with consumption data, estimates of intake from food were determined. The main food groups contributing most to the intake of the general public aredairy products(including milk),meatandfish(including seafood), followed – due to high consumption – by the main groupvegetables. The combined intake of PCDD/F and dl-PCB (as toxic equivalents – TEQ) from food was estimated to be 2.11/1.53 pg kg–1 bw and day and 3.56/2.85 pg kg–1 bw and day (upper/lower bound) for average and high-end consumers, respectively. The estimated intake of average consumers is close to a reference value derived by the Scientific Committee on Food in 2001. Uncertainties in these estimates pertain to the influence of values below the limit of quantification (upper/lower bound ratio) and some foods not considered due to the lack of contamination data. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Polyphenols are thought to play important roles in human nutrition and health but these health effects are dependent on their bioavailability. This study is one of a series with the aim of determining possible effects of food matrices on caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) bioavailability using ileostomy volunteers. Methods: After a CQA-free diet, ileostomists consumed coffee (746 μmol total CQA), and CQAs in excreted ileal fluid were subsequently identified and quantified with HPLC-diode array detection and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. In our previous studies, other food sources such as cloudy apple juice (CAJ) (358 μmol CQA) and apple smoothie (AS) (335 μmol CQA) were investigated with the same model. Results: Interesterification of CQA from both apple matrices was observed during gastrointestinal passage, whereas CQA consumed in coffee was not influenced by interesterification reactions. In total, 74.3, 22.4, and 23.8 % of the CQA from CAJ, AS, and coffee, respectively, were absorbed or degraded. Conclusion: Our results show that variations in food matrices and variations in phenolic composition have a major influence on intestinal bioavailability and interesterification of the investigated subclass of polyphenols, the CQAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The anticipatory proportion (AP), the ratio between perseverative and anticipatory speech errors, is reduced in patients with brain injury. However, it is unknown whether the AP is also reduced in elderly speakers with cognitive impairment. Methods: 20 elderly speakers with a Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 25-27 and 20 elderly speakers with an MMSE score of 28-30 were assessed using a tongue-twister-based speech test, the Regensburg Word Fluency Test (RWT) and an object naming test. Results: The AP in the group of speakers with an MMSE score of 25-27 was significantly lower. Accordingly, the AP and scores in the RWT and the object naming test were higher in persons with an MMSE score of 28-30. Conclusion: Language alterations in mild cognitive dysfunction are detectable with the AP. Further longitudinal studies are needed to evaluate the predictive value of the AP. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: Behavior regulation, including paying attention, remembering instructions, and controlling action, contributes to children's successful adaptation to and functioning in preschool and school settings. This study examined the development of behavior regulation in early childhood and its potential contribution to individual differences in children's early knowledge (mathematics and vocabulary). Sixty German preschool children were administered a direct observational measure of behavior regulation, the Head-to-Toes Task, and a standardized test to assess early mathematics and vocabulary. Results revealed significant gains in behavior regulation between of 3 and 4 years of age. Moreover, early gender differences were found, with girls outperforming boys at age 4. Behavior regulation was significantly related to performance on the academic tasks, but the pathways to math and vocabulary knowledge differed. Practice or Policy: Discussion focuses on the role of behavior regulation in early academic achievement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Because of its ethical and social implications, preimplantation sex selection is frequently the subject of debates. Methods: In 2006, we surveyed specialists in reproductive medicine in Germany using an anonymous questionnaire, including sociodemographic data and questions regarding ethical problems occurring in the practice of reproductive medicine. Most questions focused on preimplantation sex selection, including 10 case vignettes, since these enabled us to describe the most difficult and ethically controversial situations. This is the first survey among specialists in reproductive medicine regarding this topic in Germany. Results: 114 specialists in reproductive medicine participated, 72 males (63%) and 42 females (37%), average age was 48 years (age range 29–67 years). The majority of respondents (79%) favoured a regulation that limits the use of preimplantation sex selection only for medical reasons, such as X-linked diseases (including 18%: summoning an ethics commission for every case). A minority of 18% approved of the use of sex selection for non-medical reasons (4% generally and further 14% for family balancing). 90% had received obvious requests from patients. The highest approval (46%) got the counselling guideline against a preimplantation sex selection and advising a normal pregnancy, if preimplantation sex selection would be allowed in Germany. The majority (67%) was opposed the personal use of preimplantation sex selection for non-medical reasons, but would think about it in medical cases. In opposite to woman, 14% of the men were in favour of personal use for non-medical reasons (p = 0,043). 25% of specialists in reproductive medicine feared that an allowance of preimplantation sex selection would cause a shift in the sex ratio. Conclusions: The majority of German specialists in reproductive medicine opposes preimplantation sex selection for non-medical reasons while recommending preimplantation sex selection for medical reasons, e.g. X-linked diseases like haemophilia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does simply seeing a word such as rise activate upward responses? The present study is concerned with bottom-up activation of motion-related experiential traces. Verbs referring to an upward or downward motion (e.g., rise/ fall) were presented in one of four colors. Participants had to perform an upward or downward hand movement (Experiments 1 and 2a/2b) or a stationary up or down located keypress response (Experiment 3) according to font color. In all experiments, responding was faster if the word's immanent motion direction matched the response (e.g., upward/up response in case of rise); however, this effect was strongest in the experiments requiring an actual upward or downward response movement (Experiments 1 and 2a/2b). These findings suggest bottom-up activation of motion-related experiential traces, even if the task does not demand lexical access or focusing on a word's meaning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper describes a research project into heritage education. Taking an interdisciplinary perspective from within the field of Humanities and Language Education, it presents a project on language and culture. It aims to expose students to a selection of German memorial places in Penang, Malaysia that introduces German as well as Malaysian history from the early 19th century up to the Second World War into the DaF-classroom (DaF - German-as-a-Foreign-Language). The study of German personalities in Penang acts as a stimulus to change the perceptions of Malaysian students towards their own Malaysian history and towards Germany. The main focus is a didactic-methodical processing of some examples of class activities for the purpose of self-directed learning [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the adaptation of library lending and borrowing processes to digital formats and platforms, focusing on a system called "Onleihe," which was developed by DiVibib GmbH in Wiesbaden, Germany. Statistics regarding the growth of electronic books and other digital resources in library transactions and the role of Onleihe as the dominant digital circulation management and access control platform in Germany are provided.

The article develops a marketing concept for the web portal entitled "Deutsche Internet-Bibliothek" (German Internet Library, DIB), an online consortium of public libraries in Germany that provides web-based reference services and a catalog of Internet links. Stakeholders, target audiences, and specific marketing strategies and tools such as web design, value-added services, and banner ads, are discussed.

The article discusses the use of reference service policy statements in German libraries. It provides an overview of the purpose, function, and scope such library policies in the United States, including mission statements, standards, and guidelines for library employees and patrons; it then applies these insights to an evaluation of library policies published on the websites of German public, academic, and special libraries.

The article focuses on several aspects of the commerce in the rural parts of Württemberg, Germany during the early modern period from 1600 to 1740. Several topics are discussed, including how trade was heavily regulated through the government in most German regions, how the people that produced agricultural and commercial goods were prohibited from selling their wares themselves and had to employ middlemen or shopkeepers to sell their wares, and how the shopkeepers often lacked expertise in what they were selling, only sold a small amount of goods, and were often wealthier and better educated than their customers. Also mentioned is that shopkeepers in parts of Germany banded together to block other people, such as women, Jews, or working class people, from selling their wares.

The island of Helgoland (or Heligoland; in the North Sea) was the very first place on Earth to be the focus of systematic studies on bird migration (since the mid-nineteenth century). The 'Vogelwarte Helgoland' was founded in 1910, and since 1909 more than 800,000 birds have been ringed. Most of these are nocturnally migrating songbirds that cross the German Bight in a broad front on their way to or from their Scandinavian breeding grounds. In good weather conditions (tail winds, clear sky), the majority of the migrants does not land on Helgoland, but deteriorating weather strongly increases their attraction to this island. Wind can cause rare birds such as raptors and continental landbirds to be blown offshore or pelagic seabirds to be blown into the German Bight, where they can drift to Helgoland. Migrants stay for hours to weeks, depending on species, age, sex, body condition, season, weather, food availability, intra- and interspecific competition, and predation pressure. The direction of departure also appears to be influenced by body and weather conditions. The reported circumstances for the almost 7,000 recoveries have changed substantially over the last 100 years, and show definite regional differences. Indices from constant-effort trapping reveal decreased numbers of long-distance migrants, while numbers of short/medium-distance migrants have not changed much. In all 'true migrants,' the mean spring passage time has become earlier since 1960 (by up to 18 days). Whereas changes in autumn are less uniform, the time between both periods has increased in most species. This earliness in spring is best explained by local temperatures in short/medium-distance migrants, and by the winter NAO index in long-distance migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the influence, design, and style of the German architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. The author analyzes several different aspects of Mies' style, such as the influence his work had on the development of architectural photomontages in the early 1900s, how Mies' relationships with several Dada style artists from Berlin, Germany affected his politics and his work, and how Mies' concept of space was the foundation for his interior visualizations and aesthetic theory in the 1900s. The author also compares his architectural representations to the cinematic montages in European films, discusses the differences between photocollages and photomontages, and mentions that Mies probably learned how to do photomontages is the stone masonry workshop belonging to his family.

Copyright of Somnologie 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 Bibliothek Forschung und Praxis is the property of De Gruyter 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 Bibliothek Forschung und Praxis is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

Rühl R, Taner C, Schweigert FJ, Wahn U, Grüber C. Serum carotenoids and atopy among children of different ethnic origin living in Germany. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: 1072-1075. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S Journal compilation © 2010 Blackwell Munksgaard The manifestation of atopy in early life is thought to be influenced by the diet. We hypothesized that the previously reported lower prevalence of atopy among Turkish immigrant children in Germany might be related to a different pattern of serum carotenoids. Serum carotenoid concentrations were measured in pre-school children of different ethnic origin from Berlin, D. German children (D, N = 49) were compared to Turkish children with well (TR-D, N = 32) or weak cultural adaptation (TR-TR, N = 41). Serum levels of pro-vitamin A carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin) and non-pro-vitamin A carotenoids (lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene) were measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Serum IgE to common inhalant allergens was measured by immunoassay. Median levels of pro-vitamin A carotenoids were lower in Turkish children if compared to German children: D 135μg/L, TR-D 100μg/L (p = 0.025), TR-TR 82μg/L (p = 0.001). By contrast, median levels of non-pro-vitamin A carotenoids were not higher in German children. The ratio of pro-vitamin A to non-pro-vitamin A carotenoid median levels was highest among D (2.05), lower among TR-D (1.32; p = 0.001) and lowest among TR-TR (1.26; p < 0.001)). A higher ratio was not significantly associated with atopy (atopic 1.79, non-atopic 1.36; p = 0.067). Pro-vitamin A carotenoids are higher in children originating from a cultural population with a higher prevalence of atopy, but atopy seems not to be directly related to the current carotenoid serum levels in children at school age. The distinct pattern of carotenoid levels among Turkish migrant and German children indicates changed nutrition patterns with acculturation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Central Europe several plant species of dry grasslands are particularly rare. Here I investigate whether habitat requirements, reproduction, and dispersal potential can contribute to the rarity of Astragalus exscapus (Fabaceae) growing in dry grassland habitats in dry regions of Europe. In addition, I question whether historic events might have contributed to the present-day rarity of A. exscapus. To assess habitat requirements of A. exscapus, vegetation composition and soil characteristics were studied in 37 populations in central Germany. Production and dispersal potential of seeds were investigated in 10 populations, and germination and recruitment were assessed in experimental plots in three populations. Vegetation of the habitats included most dry grassland community types occurring in the central German dry region indicating a broad ecological niche of the species within dry subcontinental grasslands. Soil characteristics of the habitats also spanned a wide range. Seed production was moderate. 98% of the seeds sown in the laboratory germinated whereas under natural conditions 20% of the seeds developed seedlings. Half of these seedlings survived for one year but only 4.5% for two years. 90% of the seeds were dispersed less than 50 cm distance indicating a low dispersal potential. I conclude that A. exscapus is mainly limited in dispersal but recruitment limitation might also be important in explaining its rarity. Furthermore, former climate change and postglacial reforestation of the area very likely contribute to the rarity of A. exscapus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to identify success factors in commercial and public libraries. Design/methodology/approach -- The paper is based on research carried out in various commercial and public libraries and information centres in Germany. Findings -- The development of the internet and end user empowerment in searching threatens the role of conventional librarians and information professionals. A number of suggestions are made as to how they can reposition themselves for this radically changed environment. Originality/value -- This is one of the few studies in English of German commercial libraries. The suggestions for repositioning will also be of interest to document supply librarians in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essay examines the literary representation of towns in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the dramatic poetry of the 17th century, the leadership of autonomous German and Dutch trade towns was extensively praised within the context of the mythos of the city blessed with everlasting prosperity by God. In the early 18th century, new forms of trade increasingly undermined the social and economic security of the municipal patriciate. The essay outlines conservative reflexes of the endangered urban elites by examining dramatic texts from Amsterdam and Hamburg, in which the territorially defined source of solidarity of the town was no longer employed as a dramatic frame of action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bibliothek Forschung und Praxis is the property of De Gruyter 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.)

This article focuses on the history of the Jewish community in the city of Spandau, Germany, and on the historical significance of the Jewish medieval gravestones in Spandau. Several topics are discussed, including how a gravestone from 1244 indicates that there was a Jewish community in Spandau by the 12th century, how the accusation that the Jews committed the desecration of host sacrilege in the 1500s caused the end of the Jewish community, and what happened to the the Jewish synagogue and cemetery in Spandau after the Jewish community dispersed.

Over the last 15 years, there has been an increase in the 3He/4He ratios ( Ra) at gas emission sites including springs (liquid-dominated) and mofettes (gas-dominated) in the Vogtland (Germany) and NW Bohemia (Czech Republic), indicating an active magmatic process. The highest Ra value (6.2) was measured at the mofette Bublák. Continuous CO2 flow records at Bad Brambach mineral springs (Vogtland) and Cheb Basin mofettes show a significant and enduring increase in gas flow. This increase ranges from 1.6% at Schillerquelle spring, Bad Brambach, and 61% per year at mofette Bublák. Calculated gas flow ratios between the individual emission sites not only emphasize the greater increase in gas flow over time at the Cheb Basin mofettes compared with the Bad Brambach springs (factor 2.1 to 2.6) but also show a uniform gas flow behaviour within both emission areas. Using simplified models, it is demonstrated that long-term gas flow measurements reveal a gas-hydraulic parameter, the effective cross-sectional ratio, to compare the near-surface gas-bearing fissures and cracks between the emission sites. Thus, the overall cross-sectional area of gas pathways at the mofette Soos is 13.2 times higher than at the Wettinquelle spring, indicating greater overall fissure widths for gas transport at the Cheb Basin mofettes than at the mineral springs. Comparison between the monthly fluctuations of free gas flow and dissolved CO2 at the Wettinquelle spring shows an inverse dependence of both parameters but without a temporal trend of dissolved CO2. This indicates that the mineral water body acts as a kind of buffer saturated by CO2 and being degassed more or less strongly, depending on the flow rate of the ascending free gas. The results suggest increased activity of the magmatic reservoir below the Cheb Basin, not only from the qualitative (3He/4He) but also from the quantitative (amount of magmatic CO2) perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Bibliothek Forschung und Praxis is the property of De Gruyter 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.)